bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pharmacognostic Study and Development of Quality Control Parameters for Different Parts of Lavatera Cashmeriana
Authors: Majid Neelofar , Raja Weekar Y. , Nissar Saduf , Nawchoo Irshad A. , Bhat Zulfikar Ali , Rashid Kausar
Published: January 2021

Lavatera cashmeriana Camb. is an endemic and important medicinal plant species of Kashmir Himalaya. It is widely used locally and is sold as crude drug in Kashmir markets due to its various medicinal properties. However, despite its traditional usage there is limited information pertaining to pharmacognostic characterization of L. cashmeriana. So, the present study was carried out to investigate the pharmacognostical and physicochemical profile of different parts of L. cashmeriana. The measures taken for pharmacognostical characterization were organoleptic study, macroscopy, anatomy, powder microscopy, foreign matter analysis, ash values, loss on drying, swelling index, foaming index, ph values, fluorescence analysis and extractive yield. Organoleptic and macroscopic studies revealed that L. cashmeriana is a perennial herb with very thick branched tap root system; orbicular, palmate, slightly cordate at base, upper surface of leaves with dense simple, fascicled or stellate hairs, lower surface densely stellate hairy, lobes ovate or obtuse, stipule linear lanceolate; axillary, solitary or in terminal sub-racemes inflorescence; fruit discoid mericarps and seeds glabrous, dark brown. Anatomical studies and powder microscopy revealed some important diagnostic features in the plant species. The pharmacognostic profile studies generated helpful data to set up standards for the plant. The present study for the first time endows with an inclusive pharmacognostic profiling of L. cashmeriana, thereby, acting as a platform for accurate identification, authentication and development of quality control parameters of the species. Data obtained may be used as a standard for future studies.
Clinical Outcomes of Revision Hip Arthroscopy for Synovial Chondromatosis
Authors: Gao Guanying , Huang Hongjie , Wang Jianquan , Ao Yingfang , Xu Yan
Published: January 2021

Background: Synovial chondromatosis (SC) is a relatively rare disease and there were few studies on causes and clinical outcomes of revision surgery for SC. The purpose of this study was to evaluate clinical outcomes of revision hip arthroscopy for synovial chondromatosis.Methods: We evaluated consecutive patients who underwent revision hip arthroscopy for SC in our hospital between January 2008 and January 2020. Radiographic evaluation was made before and after surgery. Preoperative patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and PROs at final follow-up were obtained, including visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, the International Hip Outcome Tool-12 (iHOT-12) and modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS).Results: A total of 8 patients (mean age, 39.5 years; age range, 27-62 years; 5 males and 3 females) were included in this study. The recurrence rate of hip SC in our hospital was 6.8%. The average follow-up period after surgery was 47.3 months (range, 12–120 months). Before surgery, mean mHHS was 60.6±17.3 (range, 20-77), mean iHOT-12 was 43.8±13.7 (range, 18-69), and mean VAS was 3.1±1.7 (range, 1-7). At the final post-operative follow-up, mean mHHS was 83.8±16.6 (range, 43-91), iHOT-12 was 80.6±19.7 (range, 32-90), and mean VAS was 0.6±1.8 (range, 0-5). All results demonstrated statistically significant improvement (P < 0.05). Recurrence of SC was found in 2 patients 1 year and 4 years after revision hip arthroscopy, respectively.Conclusion: Hip arthroscopy had good clinical outcomes for revision surgery of SC.
Proposal for Work study 2.0: Accounting for Information Load
Authors: Fansen Kong
Published: January 2021

Workers at production sites bear two types of loads: physical loads and information loads. With the progress made in science and technology—particularly information technology—and the increased levels of automation of production equipment, the proportion of physical loads borne by workers has decreased. Traditional work study is based on the research conducted by Frederick W. Taylor. However, in this study, a method for conducting work study, called “Work Study 2.0”, is proposed, which considers the information of a production site. Work Study 2.0 incorporates information flow/field analyses based on traditional work study. Work operational complexity and cognitive complexity measurements are used to analyse and improve information elements in the production site to reduce the information processing load borne by the workers. Finally, a case study employing the proposed method is presented. The results indicate that the proposed method can further ease the labour of the workers in a lean production system. Overall, this study enriches the theoretical system of the work study and provides a new theoretical tool for lean improvement and visual management.Workers at production sites bear two types of loads: physical loads and information loads. With the progress made in science and technology—particularly information technology—and the increased levels of automation of production equipment, the proportion of physical loads borne by workers has decreased. Traditional work study is based on the research conducted by Frederick W. Taylor. However, in this study, a method for conducting work study, called “Work Study 2.0”, is proposed, which considers the information of a production site. Work Study 2.0 incorporates information flow/field analyses based on traditional work study. Work operational complexity and cognitive complexity measurements are used to analyse and improve information elements in the production site to reduce the information processing load borne by the workers. Finally, a case study employing the proposed method is presented. The results indicate that the proposed method can further ease the labour of the workers in a lean production system. Overall, this study enriches the theoretical system of the work study and provides a new theoretical tool for lean improvement and visual management.
Physical Water Treatment using Alternating Variable Frequency Electric Field Device for the Mitigation of Limescale in Industrial Production.
Authors: Zhang Ye , Cao Shengxian , Wang Yunhan , Wang Gong , Sun Tianyi
Published: January 2021

Electric field scale inhibition is one of the most promising methods of scale inhibition. In this study, an alternating variable frequency electric field device is presented, it able to prevent the growth of scale in industrial heat exchange equipment effectively. Conduct field test at the heat exchange station to analyze the scale inhibition performance of the device. The test results showed that after using alternating variable frequency electric field device, the scale thickness on the heat exchange surface is significantly reduced, fouling resistance reduced by more than 58%, and the anti-corrosion rate for Fe element content reaches 19.78%, The SEM image of the scale changes from a dense irregular sharp shape to a loose spherical shape. Conclusively, alternating variable frequency electric field device has grate scale inhibition performance. This is of great significance to the field of heat transfer and energy saving.
Hypoxia-Related Gene FUT11 Promoted Pancreatic Cancer Progression Via Maintaining The Stabilization of PDK1
Authors: Cao Wenpeng , Zeng Zhirui , He Zhiwei , Pan Runsang , Wu Hao , Zhang Xiangyan , Chen Hui , Nie Yingjie , Lei Shan , Yu Zijiang
Published: January 2021

Background: Hypoxia participated in the occurrence and development of pancreatic cancer (PC). However, genes associated with hypoxia respond and their regulated mechanism in PC cells were unclear. The current research was aimed to illuminate the role and hypoxia regulated mechanism of fucosyltransferase 11 (FUT11) in the progression of PC.Methods: After predicting FUT11 as a key hypoxia associated gene in PC using bioinformatics analysis. The expression of FUT11 in PC using quantitative real-time fluorescent PCR, western blot and immunohistochemistry. The effects of FUT11 on PC cells proliferation, migration and invasion under normoxia and hypoxia were detected using Cell Counting Kit 8, 5-ethynyl-2’-deoxyuridine assay, colony formation assay and transwell assay. Spleen capsule injected liver metastasis and subcutaneously injected model were performed to confirm the effects of FUT11 in vivo. Furthermore, western blot, luciferase assay and immunoprecipitation were performed to explore the regulated relationship among FUT11, hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α) and pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 (PDK1) in PC.Results: FUT11 was markedly increased of PC cells in hypoxia, up-regulated in the PC clinical tissues, and predicted a poor outcome. Inhibition of FUT11 reduced PC cell growth and mobility of PC cells under normoxia and hypoxia conditions in vitro, and growth and mobility in vivo. FUT11 bind with PDK1 and regulated the expression PDK1 under normoxia and hypoxia. FUT11 knockdown significantly increased the degradation rate of PDK1 under hypoxia, while treatment with MG132 can relieve the degradation of PDK1 induced by FUT11 knockdown. Overexpression of PDK1 in PC cells under hypoxia conditions reversed the suppressiv impacts of FUT11 knockdown on PC cell growth and mobility. In addition, HIF1α bound to the enhancer of FUT11 and increased its expression, as well as co-expressing with FUT11 in PC tissues. Furthermore, overexpress of FUT11 partially rescued the suppressiv effects of HIF1α knockdown on PC cell growth and mobility in hypoxia conditions.Conclusion: Our data further implicate that hypoxia-induced FUT11 in PC contributes to proliferation and metastasis by maintaining the stability of PDK1, and suggest FUT11 maybe a novel and effective target for treatment of pancreatic cancer.
Effect Analysis of Polarization Aberration in the Non-Line-of-Sight Azimuth Transmission
Authors: Yang Zhiyong , Song Junchen , Cai Wei , Qiao Danqiu , Lu Gaoxiang
Published: January 2021

Focusing on the problem that the polarization aberration caused by the non-normal incidence of the polarized beam affects the accuracy of the azimuth transmission during the fiber coupling process of the non-line-of-sight azimuth transmission system, this paper starts from the principle of non-line-of-sightazimuth transmission. The polarization aberration relation of the lens-fiber combined interface is established based on the Fresnel formulafor the attenuation difference between the horizontal and vertical electric vectors. Further, the azimuth solution model affected by polarization aberration is established. Numerical simulation results show that in non-normal incidence, no polarization aberration will occur when the polarization angle between the incident ray and incident surface is 0° or 90°. Otherwise, the polarization aberration changes toward the incident surface, and the azimuth transmission error will increase with the increase of the polarization aberration. Last, the optimization measures are proposed. This is of great significancefor further improvement of the azimuth transmission system based on polarization-maintaining fibers, the selection of the instrument,and the improvement of the system measurement accuracy.
Frailty is Associated with Susceptibility to and Severity of Pneumonia in Functionally-independent Community-dwelling Older Adults: A JAGES Multilevel Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Iwai-Saito Kousuke , Shobugawa Yugo , Aida Jun , Kondo Katsunori
Published: January 2021

Pneumonia is a leading cause of mortality among older adults worldwide. Recently, several studies reported that frailty was associated with mortality among older adults hospitalized due to respiratory infectious diseases, including pneumonia. However, it is unknown whether frailty is associated with susceptibility to and severity of pneumonia in functionally-independent community-dwelling older adults. In this study, we examined whether frailty increased the susceptibility to pneumonia and hospitalization in older adults. We used cross-sectional data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study; the data was collected by using mail-based, self-reported questionnaires from 177,991 functionally-independent community-dwelling older adults aged ≥ 65 years. Our results showed that frailty was significantly associated with both occurrence of and hospitalization due to pneumonia after adjustments with covariates; (Preference ratio {PR}1.92, 95% confidence interval {95%CI} [1.66 − 2.22] and PR 1.80, 95%CI [1.42 − 2.28], respectively, p < 0.001 for the both). Pre-frailty was associated only with the occurrence of pneumonia. Besides, the instrumental activity of daily living, physical strength, nutrition status, oral function, homeboundness, and depression status in frail older adults were associated with either or both occurrence of and hospitalization due to pneumonia. Our results suggest that frailty influenced the susceptibility to and severity of pneumonia in older adults.
Presence and Persistence of Amblyomma Hebraeum Augments the Burden of Heartwater in the Southern District of Botswana
Authors: Ramotadima Isabella , Hyera Joseph , Lebani Kebaneilwe
Published: January 2021

BACKGROUNDHeartwater is a tick-borne, haemoparasitic disease that has the potential to limit the growth of agro-businesses in Botswana. This threat to national food security is attributed to low production and mortality of livestock in subsistence farming of small stock than in commercial farms. This study gives a view of the epidemiological burden of heartwater in Botswana. METHODSFeeding ticks on livestock kept in four Southern sub-districts of Botswana were identified through morphological and molecular analysis. Farmers were interviewed on the management of the heartwater burden within their respective sub-districts. Veterinary clinical case reports were collected to assess the frequency of cases across the Southern District of Botswana. RESULTSOutcomes of the study revealed; a wide distribution of Amblyomma hebraeum in all four studied sub-districts, gradual annual increase in heartwater cases in Moshupa sub-district and indication of increased impact on indigenous caprine species despite the effort to control vectors by 63% of interviewed farmers. CONCLUSIONAmblyomma hebraeum, the principal vector of Ehrlichia ruminantium in Southern Africa is widely distributed in the Southern District of Botswana and thus poses a challenge to livestock productivity in this district and, perhaps, elsewhere in the country where the tick infests livestock. There is therefore a need to re-examine the existing tick control interventions with an intention to reduce the heartwater disease burden particularly in sheep and goats.
Effect of Oral Calcium Administration on Metabolic Status and Uterine Health of Dairy Cows With Reduced Postpartum Rumination and Eating Time
Authors: Pinedo Pablo , Manríquez Diego , Marota Nicolas , Mongiello Giuliano , Risco Carlos , Leenaerts Leen , Bothe Hans , Velez Juan
Published: January 2021

BackgroundHypocalcemia has detrimental effects on health and performance of dairy cows. As hypocalcemic cows show reduced feed intake, we hypothesized that cows with lower rumination and eating time (CRET) may benefit from Ca supplementation. The objective was to evaluate the effect of postpartum oral Ca administration on metabolic status (Ca, fatty acids [FA], and β-Hydroxybutyrate [BHB] serum concentrations) and incidence of puerperal metritis (PM) in dairy cows with reduced postpartum CRET. Cows diagnosed with reduced CRET (<489 min/d; n=88) during the first day postpartum were assigned into 1 of 2 treatments: i) Calcium administration (CA; =45) that received 1 Ca oral capsule (Bovikalc bolus, Boehringer Ingelheim, St. Joseph, MO) containing CaCl2 and CaSO4 (43 g of Ca) once per day, for 3 consecutive days, starting at d 1 postpartum; and ii) Control (CON; n=43) that did not receive oral Ca. A convenience group consisting of cows with CRET ≥489 min/d was used for comparison and did not receive oral Ca (NOR; n=96).ResultsAt day 1 postpartum cows with lower CRET had lower Ca serum concentrations (CA=2.08 mmol/L; CON=2.06 mmol/L) compared with NOR cows (2.17 mmol/L). Calcium concentrations at d 3, 5, and 12 postpartum were not different among the three groups. Serum FA concentrations at d 1, 3 and 5 postpartum were higher in both CA and CON cows compared with NOR. At d 12, only CA cows had higher FA concentrations than NOR cows. Serum BHB concentrations at d 3 were highest in CA, with no difference between CON and NOR. At d 5, BHB concentrations were higher in CA, followed by CON, and NOR. No effect was observed for Ca administration on incidence of PM and reproductive performance. CON cows had lower survival at 30 DIM (86.5%) than NOR cows (97.9%).ConclusionsCows with reduced CRET during the first day postpartum had lower Ca concentration and altered metabolic status following parturition. Oral calcium administration did not affect incidence of metabolic disorders nor reproductive health and subsequent pregnancy. Compared with normal cows, survival at 30 days in milk was lower for non-Ca supplemented cows with CRET.
8-Hydroxydihydrosanguinarine (8-HDS), a pyridone containing analogue of sanguinarine, can be a potential inhibitor of S protein and M protease of SARS CoV2: Insights from computational studies
Authors: Jena Atala Bihari , Kanungo Namrata , Chainy Gagan Bihari Nityananda , Devaraji Vinod , Dandapat Jagneshwar
Published: January 2021

The unprecedented global pandemic of COVID-19 has created a daunting scenario urging an immediate generation of therapeutic strategy. Interventions to curb the spread of viral infection primarily include setting targets against the virus. Here in this study we target S protein to obstruct the viral attachment and entry and also the M pro to prevent the viral replication. For this purpose, the interaction of S protein and M pro with phytocompounds, sanguinarine and eugenol, and their derivatives were studied using computational tools. It is evident from the docking studies that 8-Hydroxydihydrosanguinarine, a derivative of sanguinarine, exhibits maximum binding affinity with both the targets. The binding energies of the ligand with S protein and M pro scored to be ΔGb-9.4 Kcal/mol and ΔGb-10.3 Kcal/mol respectively. MD simulation studies depict that the phytocompound could effectively cause structural perturbations in the targets which would affect their functions. 8-Hydroxydihydrosanguinarine distorts the α-helix in the secondary structure of M pro and RBD site of S protein. Protein-protein interaction study in presence of 8-hydroxydihydrosanguinarine (8-HDS) also corroborate the above findings which indicate that this polyphenol interfere in the coupling of S Protein and ACE2. The alterations in protonation of M pro suggest that the protein structure undergoes significant structural changes at neutral pH. ADME (Physicochemical, Lipophilicity, Water Solubility, Pharmacokinetics, Drug-likeness) property of 8- hydroxydihydrosanguinarine suggests that this could be a potential drug. This makes the phyto-alkaloid a possible therapeutic molecule for anti COVID-19 drug design.
Computation Tomography (CT)-Based Evaluation of Temporal Changes in Lung Abnormalities During the Recovery Stage in COVID-19 In-Hospital Patients
Authors: Wang Yanjing , Lakin Robert , Jiang Nan , Yang Bo , Si Daoyuan , Ding Mei , Liu Guohui , Ma Peiyong , Wu Han , Ge Xiaoyu , Yu Bo , He Yuquan , Li Jiayu , Yang Ping , Sun Huan , Liu Lin
Published: January 2021

Objectives: To assess the late phase CT changes of COVID-19 patients, and figure out factors predicting lung abnormality in late phase.Methods: We conducted a retrospective study on 42 patients (14 males, 28 females; age 65±10 years) with COVID-19 admitted between February 7, 2020 and March 27, 2020. Only patients with at least 3 CT scans taken at least 3 weeks after initial symptom onset were included in the study. CT images were analyzed by 2 independent radiologists using different scoring: (1) area-based scoring (ABS); and (2) intensity-weighted scoring (IWS). Temporal changes in the average lung lesion were evaluated by averaged area under the curve (AUC) of the CT score-time curve. Correlations between averaged AUCs and clinical characteristics were determined. Results: Temporal changes in lung abnormalities during recovery (weeks 3 through 8) of CT findings using the ABS system were variable (P=0.934). By contrast, the IWS system detected more subtle changes in lung abnormalities during the late phase of recovery in COVID-19 patients, with consistent week-to-week relative reductions in IWS (P=0.025). In assessing the correlation between averaged AUCs and clinical characteristics, strong relationships were observed with D-dimer and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels on admission, with hazard ratios (HR)(95%CI) of 5.32 (1.25-22.6)(P=0.026) and 1.05 (1.10-1.09)(P=0.017), respectively. Conclusion: Our results suggest an intensity-weighted rather than area-based scoring system is more sensitive to detect subtle temporal CT changes in COVID-19, with D-dimer and CRP levels on admission being predictive of the time course of late phase recovery from the disease.
A Sustainable Way of Agricultural Livelihood: Edible Bird’s Nests in Indonesia
Authors: Ito Yutaka , Yamamoto Yuki , Usup Aswin , Matsumoto ken'ichi
Published: January 2021

Edible bird’s nests (EBNs) have been traditionally produced in Southeast Asia and consumed in China. Indonesian farmers construct buildings for swiftlet birds and harvest their nests. Farming EBNs does not directly degrade forest resources and is therefore considered as a sustainable farming product, while the expansion of other agricultural activities often relies on the degradation of natural resources. This study examines how natural resources and agricultural livelihood are associated, focusing on Indonesian EBN farmers. Using our survey data combined with satellite information on the forest extent of Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, we measure production efficiency and identify the natural and social factors that enhance production performance. The results show that natural factors, such as forest extent and the existence of ponds, are positively associated with the production efficiency of EBNs. These natural resources could help swiftlets in collecting food and building nests. On the contrary, while farming EBNs is a sustainable and profitable option, the initial costs necessary for constructing a building to house the swiftlets may negatively impact farmers’ participation in the process.
Rapid and Precise Diagnosis of Pneumonia Coinfected by Pneumocystis Jirovecii and Aspergillus Fumigatus Assisted by Next-generation Sequencing in a Patient With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: a Case Report
Authors: Chen Yili , Ai Lu , Zhou Yingqun , Zhao Yating , Huang Jianyu , Tang Wen , Liang Yujian
Published: January 2021

Background: Pneumocystis jirovecii and Aspergillus fumigatus, are opportunistic pathogenic fungus that has a major impact on mortality in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. With the potential to invade multiple organs, early and accurate diagnosis is essential to the survival of SLE patients, establishing an early diagnosis of the infection, especially coinfection by Pneumocystis jirovecii and Aspergillus fumigatus, still remains a great challenge.Case presentation: In this case, we reported that the application of next-generation sequencing in diagnosing Pneumocystis jirovecii and Aspergillus fumigatus coinfection in a Chinese girl with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Voriconazole was used to treat pulmonary aspergillosis, besides sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim (SMZ-TMP), and caspofungin acetate to treat Pneumocystis jirovecii infection for 6 days. On Day 10 of admission, her chest radiograph displayed obvious absorption of bilateral lung inflammation though the circumstance of repeated fever had not improved. Unfortunately, the patient discharged from the hospital since the financial burden, therefore further condition couldn't be tracked.Conclusions: This successful application of the next generation sequencing assisting the rapid diagnosis of Pneumocystis jirovecii and Aspergillus fumigatus coinfection provides a new perspective in the clinical approach against the systematic fungi infections and highlights the potential of this technique in rapid etiological diagnosis.
High Prevalence and Risk Factors for Hookworm and Strongyloides Stercoralis Infections in Rural East Kalimantan, Indonesia
Authors: Tangpong Jitbanjong , Sedionoto Blego , Wasessombat Sueptrakool , Punsawad Chuchard , Anamnart Witthaya , Kotepui Manas
Published: January 2021

Background: Hookworm and Strongyloides stercoralis infections are neglected tropical diseases in developing countries, which have environmental risk factors with the potential for transmission of hookworm and S. stercoralis infections. This study aimed to explore the prevalence and risk factors for hookworm and S. stercoralis infections in East Kalimantan Province, Indonesia.Methods: A cross-sectional study enrolled 213 participants from 28 villages, including 12 villages from Muara Kaman District and 16 villages from Marangkayu District in East Kalimantan Province. The data from 10-15 households of each village with 1-3 participants in each household were collected. In this study, Kato Katz and Koga agar plate cultures/KAP cultures were used for diagnosing hookworm and S. stercoralis infections among participants. The Pearson chi-square analysis was used to analyze the correlation between risk factors with hookworm and S. stercoralis infections. Results: In this study, 72 (33.8%) and 17 (8.0%) participants were infected with hookworm and S. stercoralis, respectively. The prevalence of hookworm infection reported was higher than S. stercoralis infection in rural areas of East Kalimantan Province. Hookworm infection has been significantly associated with demographic factors, sanitation conditions and personal hygiene. In addition, high hookworm infection has been significantly associated with environmental factors such as locality of district, organic carbon content in the soil, temperature, humidity, number of days of rainfall, volume of rainfall, wet/dry soil around houses, and habitation. However, S. stercoralis infection has not been significantly correlated with demographic factors, sanitation conditions, and personal hygiene. The highest odds ratio of hookworm infection was in village areas surrounded by a river or coastal areas OR: 2.92 (95% CL: 1.38-6.24), while the highest odds ratio of S. stercoralis infection was in households with habitation with humans infected with S. stercoralis OR: 95% CL: 8.33 (2.27-30.61). Conclusions: The high prevalence and risk factors of hookworm and S. stercoralis infections in rural communities in East Kalimantan Province. Characteristics of demographic factors, sanitation conditions, and personal hygiene that were correlated with hookworm and S. stercoralis infection should be used for control and prevention programs to reduce hookworm and S. stercoralis infections, especially in rural areas.
Is Lenke Rule About Selective Thoracic Fusion Applicable for Younger Adult Idiopathic Scoliosis Under 40 Years of Age: Comparison With Adolescent Patients
Authors: Yi Honglei , Chen Hu , Wang Xinhui , Zhang Wei , Xia Hong
Published: January 2021

Background To evaluate the surgical outcome of younger adult idiopathic scoliosis patients (YAdIS) with selective thoracic fusion by comparing with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Methods Seventy-two idiopathic scoliosis patients (36 adults and 36 adolescents) treated by posterior-only all-pedicle screw technique at the same institution were retrospective reviewed and matched by curve pattern and curve magnitude. Radiographic parameters were evaluated preoperatively, postoperatively and at ﬁnal follow-up. Operating time, blood loss, transfusion and complications were noted. Clinical outcome was assessed by Scoliosis Research Society-22 questionnaire (SRS-22). Results The major thoracic curves in YAdIS group and AIS group were 56.3°±9.7°, 53.3°±10.1° and corrected to 17.2°±7.3°, 14.9°±7.5° respectively without significant difference of correction rate (69.3% vs. 72.0%). For the lumbar curve, Cobb angles in two groups were 35.6° ± 10.1° and 31.4 ± 9.2° preoperatively, and was spontaneously corrected to 18.5° ± 9.0° and 12.6° ± 8.2°. Correction rates were 48.0% and 59.8% (P＜0.05). Coronal vertebra alignments (CVA) in YAdIS group were 20.6 ± 9.7 mm before surgery and 16.8 ± 7.9 mm after surgery (P＞0.05), while CVA in the AIS group was 17.8 ± 10.5 mm preoperatively and decreased to 9.7 ± 8.3 mm postoperatively (P＜0.05). However, sagittal parameters showed significant improvements in thoracic kyphosis in both groups (P＜0.05). Complication rates were 13.9% vs. 5.6% without significant difference. Preoperative SRS score was worse in the YAdIS group than the AIS group. However, there were no significant differences between the final SRS score. Conclusions YAdIS patients gained similar correction of major thoracic curve as AIS patients, although the curve were stiffer.However,more extensive release technique needed to be done which was associated with longer operation time hospital stay. YAdIS had more complications,though this difference was not statistically significant. Patients with lower SRS score in YAdIS can also be treated very well with selective thoracic fusion surgery.
Efficacy of Neoadjuvant Therapy in Improving Long-Term Survival of Patients with Resectable Rectal Cancer: a Meta-Analysis
Authors: Li Xinlong , Li Xiangyuan , Fu Rongrong , Ng Derry Minyao , Yang Tong , Zhang Yu , Zhang Mengting , Shi Yetan , Gu Yixuan , Lv Chenhui , Chen Gang
Published: January 2021

Background: The impact of neoadjuvant therapy on the long-term prognosis of patients with resectable rectal cancer is controversial. This study aimed to explore the effect of neoadjuvant therapy on the long-term prognosis of patients with resectable rectal cancer. Methods: Four major databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane library) were searched to find relevant articles published between January 2000 and July 2020. The main outcome indicators were the 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Results: Compared with upfront surgery, our meta-analysis showed that 5-year OS (HR: 0.84, 95% Cl: 0.78-0.91) and DFS (HR: 0.91, 95% Cl: 0.87-0.95) were prolonged for patients with resectable rectal cancer after receiving neoadjuvant therapy. The results of subgroup analysis suggested that both neoadjuvant short-course radiotherapy (SCRT) and neoadjuvant chemo-radiotherapy (CRT) could improve the 5-year OS and DFS. The 5-year OS and DFS of patients with stage Ⅱ-Ⅲ rectal cancer increased significantly and the improvement of 5-year OS and DFS could also be observed in mid/low rectal cancer.Conclusion: Neoadjuvant therapy could improve the long-term survival of patients with mid/low rectal cancer in stage Ⅱ-Ⅲ. For the treatment, neoadjuvant SCRT and neoadjuvant CRT were recommended.
Relationship Between Climate Change and Rice Production of Bangladesh: A data analysis using MCMC method
Authors: Chowdhury Atiqur
Published: January 2021

In this study, we analyzed publicly available agricultural data on rice production in Bangladesh between 2008 to 2017 to address the relationship between climate changes and rice production in Bangladesh by estimating predictor variables, i.e., average rainfall and maximum temperature, minimum temperature, and humidity. A generalized linear regression model sets up for each rice (Aush, Aman, Boro) with the climate variables (average rainfall, maximum temperature, minimum temperature, and humidity). We used Markov-Chain-Monte-Carlo's (MCMC)'s Gibbs sampling on the collected data to approximate marginal posterior distribution from the prior distribution to see the profound relationship between those predictor variables and the predicted variables (Aush, Aman, Boro). We also saw whether any storm's impact could modify the relationship between climate change variables and rice production in Bangladesh.
FZD2 Promotes TGF-β-induced Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Breast Cancer via Activating Notch Signaling Pathway
Authors: Tuluhong Dilihumaer , Chen Tao , Wang Jingjie , Zeng Huijuan , Li Hanjun , Dunzhu Wangmu , Li Qiurong , Wang Shaohua
Published: January 2021

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is one of the commonest female cancers, which is characterized with high incidence. Although treatments have been improved, the prognosis of BC patients in advanced stages remains unsatisfactory. Thus, exploration of the molecular mechanisms underneath BC progression is necessary to find novel therapeutic methods. Frizzled class receptor (FZD2) belongs to Frizzled family, which has been proven to promote cell growth and invasion in various human cancers. The purpose of our current study was to detect the functions of FZD2 in BC and explore its underlying molecular mechanism.Methods: The level of FZD2 was measured in BC tissues by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), western blot, immunohistochemistry (IHC), respectively. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), colony formation assay, transwell assays, wound healing assay and flow cytometry analyses were separately conducted to detect cell viability, invasion, migration, apoptosis and cell cycle distribution. The levels of Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) biomarkers were examined by using Immunofluorescence assay. Xenograft tumorigenicity assay was performed to assess the effect of FZD2 on tumor growth in vivo.Results: FZD2 mRNA and protein expression was abundant in BC tissues. Moreover, high level of FZD2 had significant correlation with poor prognosis in BC patients. In vitro functional assays revealed that silencing of FZD2 had suppressive effects on BC cell growth, migration and invasion. Animal study further demonstrated that FZD2 silencing inhibited BC cell growth in vivo. In addition, FZD2 induced EMT process in BC cells in a transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1-dependent manner. Mechanistically, knockdown of FZD2 led to the inactivation of Notch signaling pathway.Conclusion: FZD2 facilitates BC progression and promotes TGF-β1-inudced EMT process through activating Notch signaling pathway.
Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood, neurological comorbidities, intrafamilial variability: case-reports and literature review.
Authors: Pavone Piero , Pappalardo Xena Giada , Mustafa Naira , Cho Sung Yoon , Jin Dong Kyu , Incorpora Gemma , Falsaperla Raffaele , Marino Simona Domenica , Corsello Giovanni , Parano Enrico , Ruggieri Martino
Published: January 2021

BACKGROUND Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood (AHC) is an uncommon and complex disorder characterized by age of onset before 18 months, recurrent hemiplegia of one or either sides of the body or quadriplegia. Neurological comorbidities observed in two couples of AHC affected children are here reported together with data drawn by literature review. Results of genetic analysis obtained in the probands are also discussed. Developmental delay, epilepsy, tonic or dystonic spells, nystagmus and autonomic manifestations are frequently reported. AHC is mainly caused by mutations in ATP1A3 gene, and to a lesser extent in ATP1A2 gene.CASE PRESENTATION Clinical and genetic findings of a couple of twins and a couple of siblings affected by AHC from two different Italian families were deeply examined. Intrafamilial clinical variability was shown in the present cases. A pathogenic variant rs606231437 in ATP1A3 gene was detected in twins. For the affected siblings of family 2, the genetic results showed that the older brother and the healthy father shared a novel variant of GRIN2A (c.3175T>A) gene, and two missense mutations in SCNIB (rs150721582) and KCNQ2 (rs771211103) genes. In the younger brother was found only the GRIN2A variant.CONCLUSIONS Developmental delay, epileptic seizures and motor dysfunction are features frequently associated to paroxysmal hemiplegic attacks. Hemiplegic episode is only a sign even if the most remarkable of several neurological comorbidities in AHC carriers. The comparison of molecular analysis among the four probands brings out how the genetic framework is not recurrent, but may result from an unexpected greater genetic heterogeneity.
LINC00958 promotes the proliferation of TSCC via miR-211-5p/CENPK axis and activating the JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway
Authors: Jia Bo , Dao Junfeng , Han Jiusong , Huang Zhijie , Sun Xiang , Zheng Xianghuai , Xiang Shijian , Zhou Huixi , Liu Shuguan
Published: January 2021

​ Background: Tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) is one of the most common oral tumors. Recently, long intergenic noncoding RNA 00958 (LINC00958) has been identified as an oncogene in human cancers. Nevertheless, the role of LINC00958 and its downstream mechanisms in TSCC is still unknown. Methods: The expression levels of LINC00958 in human TSCC tissues and adjacent normal tissues were detected. The effect of LINC00958 on TSCC cells proliferation and growth were assessed by CCK-8, colony formation, 5-Ethynyl-2’-deoxyuridline (EdU) assay, and flow cytometry assays in vitro and tumor xenograft model in vivo. Bioinformatics analysis was used to predict the target of LINC00958 in TSCC, which was verified by RNA immunoprecipitation and luciferase reporter assays. Results: We found LINC00958 was increased in TSCC tissues, and patients with high LINC00958 expression had a shorter overall survival. LINC00958 knockdown significantly decreased the growth rate of TSCC cells both in vitro and in vivo . In mechanism, LINC00958 acted as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) by competitively sponging miR-211-5p. In addition, we identified centromere protein K (CENPK) as a direct target gene of miR-211-5p, which was higher in TSCC tissues than that in adjacent normal tissues. Up-regulated miR-211-5p or down-regulated CENPK could abolish LINC00958-induced proliferation promotion in TSCC cells. Conclusion: Furthermore, CENPK promoted the expression of oncogenic cell cycle regulators and activated the JAK/STAT3 signaling. Our findings suggest that LINC00958 is a potential prognostic biomarker in TSCC.
Construction of a competitive endogenous RNA network and analysis of potential regulatory axis targets in glioblastoma
Authors: Yu Kai , Yang Huan , Lv Qiao-li , Wang Li-chong , Tan Zi-long , Zhang Zhe , Ji Yu-long , Lin Qian-xia , Chen Jun-jun , He Wei , Chen Zhen , Shen Xiao-li
Published: January 2021

Background: Glioblastoma is the most common primary malignant brain tumor. Because of the limited understanding of its pathogenesis, the prognosis of glioblastoma remains poor. This study was conducted to explore potential competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network chains and biomarkers in glioblastoma by performing integrated bioinformatics analysis.Methods: Transcriptome expression data from The Cancer Genome Atlas database and Gene Expression Omnibus were analyzed to identify differentially expressed genes between glioblastoma and normal tissues. Biological pathways potentially associated with the differentially expressed genes were explored by Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis, and a protein-protein interaction network was established using the STRING database and Cytoscape. Survival analysis using Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis was based on the Kaplan–Meier curve method. A ceRNA network chain was established using the intersection method to align data from four databases (miRTarBase, miRcode, TargetScan, and lncBace2.0), and expression differences and correlations were verified by quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis and by determining the Pearson correlation coefficient. Additionally, an MTS assay and the wound-healing and transwell assays were performed to evaluate the effects of complement C1s (C1S) on the viability and migration and invasion abilities of glioblastoma cells, respectively.Results: We detected 2842 differentially expressed (DE) mRNAs, 2577 DE long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and 309 DE microRNAs (miRNAs) that were dysregulated in glioblastoma. The final ceRNA network consisted of six specific lncRNAs, four miRNAs, and four mRNAs. Among them, four DE mRNAs and one DE lncRNA were correlated with overall survival (p < 0.05). C1S was significantly correlated with overall survival (p = 0.015). In functional assays, knockdown of C1S inhibited the proliferation and invasion of glioblastoma cell lines.Conclusions: We established four ceRNA networks that may influence the occurrence and development of glioblastoma. Among them, the MIR155HG/has-miR-129-5p/C1S axis is a potential marker and therapeutic target for glioblastoma. Knockdown of C1S inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of glioblastoma cells. These findings clarify the role of the ceRNA regulatory network in glioblastoma and provide a foundation for further research.
Non-frontal facial expression recognition based on salient facial patches
Authors: Jiang Bin , Zhang Qiuwen , Li Zuhe , Wu Qinggang , Zhang Huanlong
Published: January 2021

Methods using salient facial patches (SFP) play a significant role in research on facial expression recognition. However, most SFP methods use only frontal face images or videos for recognition, and do not consider variations of head position. In our view, SFP can also be a good choice to recognize facial expression under different head rotations, and thus we propose an algorithm for this purpose, called Profile Salient Facial Patches (PSFP). First, in order to detect the facial landmarks from profile face images, the tree-structured part model is used for pose-free landmark localization; this approach excels at detecting facial landmarks and estimating head poses. Second, to obtain the salient facial patches from profile face images, the facial patches are selected using the detected facial landmarks, while avoiding overlap with each other or going beyond the range of the actual face. For the purpose of analyzing the recognition performance of PSFP, three classical approaches for local feature extraction-histogram of oriented Gradients (HOG), local binary pattern (LBP), and Gabor were applied to extract profile facial expression features. Experimental results on radboud faces database show that PSFP with HOG features can achieve higher accuracies under the most head rotations.
Rapid changes in mucociliary transport in the tracheal epithelium caused by unconditioned room air or nebulized hypertonic saline and mannitol are not determined by frequency of beating cilia
Authors: Kelly Susyn Joan , Martinsen Paul , Tatkov Stanislav
Published: January 2021

BACKGROUND: Inspired air is heated and humidified in the nose before it reaches lower airways. This mechanism is bypassed during tracheostomy, directly exposing the airways to colder and drier air from the environment, known to negatively affect mucociliary transport; however, little is known about how quickly mucociliary transport deteriorates. This study determines the short-term effect of flowing room air and nebulized hypertonic saline and mannitol on mucociliary transport in the trachea. In an ovine perfused in vitro tracheal model (N=9) the epithelium was exposed to 25 L/min of flow, heated to lamb body temperature (38°C) and fully saturated with water vapor as the control, followed by either room air (22°C and 50% relative humidity) or nebulized solutions of NaCl 7% and mannitol 20% up to 1 min for a short duration, until mucociliary transport had visually changed. Mucus transport velocity (MTV) and cilia beat frequency (CBF) were continuously measured with video-microscopy. RESULTS: Exposing the tracheal epithelium to air heated to body temperature and fully humidified had stable MTV 9.5±1.1mm/min and CBF 13.4±0.6Hz. When exposed to flow of room air, MTV slowed down to 0.1±0.1mm/min in 2.0±0.4seconds followed by a decrease in CBF to 6.7±1.9Hz, after 2.3±0.8 second. Both MTV and CBF recovered to their initial state when heated and humidified air- flow was re-introduced. Exposing the tracheal epithelium to nebulized hypertonic saline and nebulized mannitol for 1 min increased MTV without a subsequent increase in CBF.CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates mucociliary transport can deteriorate within seconds of exposing the tracheal epithelium to flowing room air and increase rapidly when exposed to nebulized hypertonic solutions. The reduction in MTV precedes slowing of CBF with room air and MTV increases without a subsequent increase in CBF during the nebulization. Their relationship is non-linear and a minimum CBF of approximately 6Hz is required for MTV>0, while MTV can reach 10.9mm/min without CBF increasing. Clinically these findings indicate a potential rapid detrimental effect of breathing with non-humidified air via bypassed upper airways and the short-term effects of nebulized osmotic agents that increase MTV.
RDH10 and ATRA sensitize triple-negative breast cancer to taxane-based chemotherapy through regulation of PIN1
Authors: Grainger Jordan , Zhang Lingxin , Yu Jia , Vedell Peter T , Thompson Kevin , Kalari Krishna R , Suman Vera J , Boughey Judy C , Goetz Matthew P , Wang Liewei
Published: January 2021

Background: With few targeted therapies available for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), there is a critical need to identify biomarkers that can predict chemotherapy-response. Copy number amplifications (CNAmps) have been implicated in tumorigenesis, progression, and treatment response. Previously, we performed a prospective neoadjuvant chemotherapy study (BEAUTY) and identified a 5 Mb CNAmp in TNBC patients associated with pathological complete response rates to taxane- and anthracycline-based chemotherapy. Here we further interrogated this amplicon and its role in chemotherapy response.

Methods: Using siRNA screening of genes identified in the 5 Mb CNAmp, followed by cytotoxicity assays, we identified RDH10 significantly associated with chemo-sensitivity in TNBC cell lines. Functional studies were performed using RDH10 knockdown or overexpression followed by cytotoxicity, cell proliferation, luciferase reporter assays, HPLC or western blot.

Results: RDH10 is a rate-limiting step involved in the synthesis of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) - the active metabolite of retinoid metabolism that is frequently aberrant in cancer. Previous studies demonstrated ATRA to be a potent inhibitor of PIN1, a key regulator of several oncogenic signaling pathways often amplified in TNBC. We discovered that genetic manipulation of RDH10 affected ATRA intracellular concentrations, contributing to PIN1 degradation and taxane-response. Furthermore, co-treatment of TNBC cells with ATRA significantly increased taxane-sensitivity.

Conclusion: RDH10 amplification increases endogenous levels of ATRA and degrades PIN1 in TNBC. ATRA-mediated degradation of PIN1 sensitizes TNBC to chemotherapy, suggesting that RDH10 may be a novel biomarker of taxane response and the addition of ATRA to standard chemotherapy may improve chemo-sensitivity.