bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prognostic Significance of Plasma Insulin Level for Deep Venous Thrombosis in Patients with Severe Traumatic Brain Injury in Critical Care
Authors: DU Min , TANG Rui , LIU Hai-Yan , JI Zong-Shu , GAO Zhi , WANG Ying , YOU He-Yang , HAO JI-Wei , ZHANG Qing-Hong , ZHOU Min
Published: March 2022

Background: Whether insulin resistance is underlying the deep venous thrombosis (DVT) development in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) is elusive. To associate kinetics of plasma insulin level in patients with TBI with developing DVT in ICU.Methods:A prospective observational study of 73 patients with TBI who had measurements of insulin, glucose, glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), inflammatory factors, and hematological profile within 4 preset time periods during the 14 days after TBI. Ultrasonic surveillance of DVT was tracked weekly for time-to-event analyses. Two-way ANOVA analysis was applied to determine whether the above factors could discriminate between patients with and without DVT, or with and without insulin therapy. Partial correlations of insulin level with all the variables were carried out separately in patients with or without DVT. Factors associated with DVT were analyzed by multivariable logistic regression. Neurological outcome 6 months after TBI was assessed for Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS).Results:Among patients with an average (SD) age of 53±16 years, DVT developed in 20 (27%) on mean (median) TBI day 10±8. The 14-day insulin levels were higher in patients with DVT (P=0.01). Platelet profile discriminated significantly between patients with and without DVT. Surprisingly, none of other factors differed between the two groups. Patients with insulin therapy had significant higher insulin (P=0.006), glucose (P<0.001) and GLP-1 (P=0.01) levels, and were more likely to develop DVT (60% vs. 15%, P<0.001) with concomitant platelet depletion. Insulin levels correlated with glucose, GLP-1 levels, and platelet count exclusively in patients without DVT. Conversely, in patients with DVT, insulin correlated negatively with GLP-1 level (r=-0.297, P=0.016). Age (P=0.01) and elevated insulin level at day 4-7 (P=0.04) were independently associated with DVT. Patients with insulin therapy also showed worse GOS (P=0.001).Conclusions:Elevated insulin level in the first 14 days after TBI may present insulin resistance in TBI, which was associated with consistent platelet activation, thus increasing risk of DVT. Our data suggest that insulin resistance index may be a predictive biomarker for DVT. Trial registration: 2021-RE-017.
Numerical Investigation Of Dissimilar Friction Stir Welding Of AISI 304L And 410S Stainless Steels
Authors: Silva Yuri Cruz da , Andrade Tathiane C , Junior Francisco José Vieira de Oliveira , Santos Jorge F. dos , Marcondes Francisco , Miranda Helio C. , Silva Cleiton C.
Published: March 2022

Friction stir welding (FSW) has been successfully used to join dissimilar materials with advantages such as incipient chemical mixing and positive recrystallization of the microstructure. However, to understand how welding parameters affect the thermal cycle and the material flow around the tool is essential to produce joints without defects. In this work, a numerical simulation of dissimilar joints of AISI 304L austenitic stainless steel with AISI 410S ferritic stainless steel using the FSW technique was performed. The equations of the model were discretized by the Finite Volume Method (FVM), and the mixture between the materials was modeled by the Volume of Fluid method (VOF) using the ANSYS-fluent simulator. The results predicted the temperatures during the welding for different conditions and viscosity changes successfully. Furthermore, they predicted a better combination of welding parameters in relation to flash formation. The VOF method predicted the mixture of the materials. Furthermore the results indicated the location of each material and thus avoided unnecessary experimental tests.
HMGB1 Induce Lung Cancer By Promoting Cancer Cell Progress And Inhibiting Immunocytes’ Function
Authors: Chen Wenli , Qian Yike , Wen Lian , He Xueqing , Li Rongyu , Gui Lin , Yang Jiwen , Dong Bohan
Published: March 2022

The high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) protein is a highly conserved nuclear protein, that plays an important role in tumorigenesis and development of cancer cells; however, its exact mechanism remains to be elucidated. In this study, we found that HMGB1 endogenously expressed in Lewis lung cancer cells can promote proliferation of these cells. However, when Lewis cell lysates were introduced to immune cells, HMGB1 in tumor cell lysates (TCL) was found to have immunosuppressive effects, such as inducing apoptosis and inhibiting cytokine secretion. This inhibitory effect was found to be weakened after removing HMGB1 from TCL. Signal transduction pathway studies have shown that HMGB1 in TCL can inhibit the NF-кB signaling pathway in immune cells. It can also downregulate the expression of NF-кB, MMP-9, Bcl-2, and other cell-activating factors and simultaneously promote the expression of apoptosis-inducing factor Casp9. However, endogenous HMGB1 has the opposite effect on these signal transduction molecules in Lewis lung cancer cells. In summary, HMGB1 endogenously expressed in Lewis lung cancer cells can promote the proliferation of tumor cells, but the release of HMGB1 from necrotic and ruptured tumor cells induces immune cell apoptosis and functional inhibition. This enables HMGB1 to promote tumorigenesis while protecting cancer cells from attack by immune cells, thereby creating a microenvironment conducive to the growth of lung cancer cells. This induction of tumorigenesis is related to the activation of the NF-кB signaling pathway in tumor or immune cells in different ways.
Isolation of circulating tumor cells from seminal fluid of patients with prostate cancer using inertial microfluidics
Authors: Rzhevskiy Alexey S. , Kapitannikova Alina Y. , Vasilescu Steven A. , Gavrilov Maksym Y. , Bazaz Sajad Razavi , Taratkin Mark S. , Enikeev Dmitry V. , Lekarev Vladimir Yu. , Shpot Evgeniy V. , Butnaru Denis V. , Deyev Sergey M. , Thiery Jean Paul , Zvyagin Andrei V. , Warkiani Majid Ebrahimi
Published: March 2022

Prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis is primarily based on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing and prostate tissue biopsies. However, PSA testing has relatively low specificity, while tissue biopsies are highly invasive and have relatively low sensitivity at early stages of PCa. As an alternative, we developed a technique of liquid biopsy, based on isolation of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from seminal fluid (SF). The recovery of PCa cells from SF was demonstrated using PCa cell lines, achieving the efficiency and throughput as high as > 82% and ~ 1.7 mL min− 1, respectively, while > 99% of sperm cells was disposed of. The introduced approach was further tested in clinical setting by collecting and processing SF samples of PCa patients. The yield of isolated CTCs was measured as high as 613 cells per SF sample in comparison with that of 6 cells from SF of healthy donors, holding significant promise for PCa diagnosis. The correlation analysis of the isolated CTC amounts with the standard prognostic parameters such as Gleason score and PSA serum level showed correlation coefficient values at 0.40 and 0.73, respectively. Taken together, our results show promise of the developed liquid biopsy technique to augment the existing diagnosis and prognosis of PCa.
Bioactive secondary metabolites from marine Actinomyces sp. AW6 with an evaluation of ADME-related physicochemical properties
Authors: Abdellatif Mohamed , Hamed Ahmed A. , ghareeb Mosad , Abdel-Hamid Eman A.A. , Ibrahim Mohamed Khaled
Published: March 2022

This study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial, antioxidant, and cytotoxic potentials of crude extract of marine actinomycetes spp. isolated from the Red Sea water at Hurghada, Egypt. Out of 80 actinomycetes isolates, the isolate Actinomyces sp. AW6 was selected based on its antioxidant (IC50 about 5.24 µg/ml which scavenged 91% of formed DPPH free radicals) and antimicrobial potential against E. coli, S. aureus, B. subtilis, and P. aeruginosa, A. niger, and C. albicans. The strain was identified based on phenotypic and genotypic analysis and deposited in the GenBank with accession number OK090864. 1. Cultivation of the selected strain on rice, chromatographic purification, and structural elucidation led to the isolation of two compounds C1: umbelliferone and C2: 1-methoxy-3-methyl-8-hydroxy-anthraquinone. The antimicrobial activity of the obtained compounds showed that C1 and C2 have low antibacterial activity toward S. aureus and E. coli with no pronounced activity toward P. aeruginosa, C. albicans, and A. niger. Additionally, the antioxidant activity of C1 and C2 revealed that C2 has a good antioxidant activity, with DPPH scavenging activity reaching (55.25%), followed by C1 (30.20%). Moreover, both compounds displayed anti-Gyr-B enzyme activity with IC50 value of (3.79 ± 0.21 µM) for C1, and (IC50 = 13 ± 0.71µM) for C2. The ADME-related physicochemical properties of the obtained compound were predicted using SwissADME web tools and the ProToxii webserver was used to estimate in silico toxicity.
Surface Properties of Alkylsilane Treated Date Palm Fiber
Authors: Perera Helanka , Goyal Anjali , Alhassan Saeed
Published: March 2022

The present work focuses on investigating the effect of short chain alkylsilane treatment on the surface characteristic of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) fiber. Raw date palm fiber was treated with octylsilane and surface properties of treated fiber was investigated using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), contact angle analysis and X-ray diffraction (XRD) on configuring the thermal stability, chemical structures and surface properties (morphology, hydrophobicity and crystallinity). Thermal properties, hydrophobicity and crystallinity increased with introducing octylsilane compared to raw date palm fiber. The SEM and XRD experimental results showed that the alkylsilane treatment can effectively remove non-crystalline cellulosic materials. Thermal stability, hydrophobicity and crystallinity of the fibers were found to increase on alkylsilane-treatment. The results indicated that alkylsilane-treated DPFs were a suitable reinforcing substitute for hydrophobic polymer composite.
Newborn Screening for SMA – Burden and Quality of Life of Parents One Year on
Authors: Kölbel Heike , Vill Katharina , Modler Laura , Blaschek Astrid , Schara-Schmidt Ulrike , Schwartz Oliver , Müller-Felber Wolfgang
Published: March 2022

Background: The NBS projects started in February 2018 in Germany. The aim of our study was to assess the psychosocial burden in parents of children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) detected by newborn screening (NBS). Follow-up a year on after diagnosis included 3 parent-related questionnaires to evaluate the psychosocial burden, quality of life (QoL)/satisfaction and work productivity and activity impairment of families with a positive result after NBS.Results: 42/44 families were included. Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference between families with treated vs. untreated children as to social burden (p=0.016) and personal strain/worries about the future (p=0.02), whereas the evaluation of the QoL showed no significant differences between treated vs. untreated children. Fathers of treated children felt more negative effects regarding their productivities at work (p=0.005) and more negative effects on daily activities (p=0.022) in the last seven days than fathers of untreated children. Conclusion: NBS for SMA has a psychosocial impact on families due to medical treatment and triggers worries about the future, emphasizing the need for comprehensive multidisciplinary care.
Pulmonary Function Assessment of Woodworkers Exposed to Mixed Tropical Hardwood Dust in Kumasi
Authors: Ennin Isaac Ekow , Frempong Margaret Agyei , Yeboah Francis. A. , Maalman Raymond Saa-Eru
Published: March 2022

Background
Several studies have shown that exposed woodworkers present frequent respiratory symptoms and reduced lung volumes and airflow values including FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC and PEFR than controls from the general population. However, other studies have reported no significant negative health effects of wood dust on the respiratory system, no relationship between wood dust and respiratory symptoms, insignificant changes in lung function and normal FEV1 and FVC values in woodworkers compared to non-exposed controls. The effect of wood dust on the pulmonary function depends on the wood species, phytochemicals present in the wood and the concentration level of ambient air wood dust exposed to the woodworkers. The ambient air dust concentration level at the wood workshops may depend on the humidity and ventilation at the workshops. The workshops at the Sokoban Wood Village are well ventilated. This study aimed at assessing the pulmonary function of woodworkers exposed to mixed tropical hardwood in Kumasi.
Method
The study was carried out among woodworkers, teachers and security men located in Kumasi. A cross-sectional, cluster and convenient sampling of 175 adult male workers were selected (86 woodworkers and 89 non-woodworkers) to participate in the study. Pulmonary function assessment was carried out using a modified version of the British Medical Research Council’s (MRC) questionnaire on respiratory symptoms and the spirometer (Alpha Vitalograph) for lung function testing. The relative humidity and the level of wood dust exposure to woodworkers were measured using the personal exposure meter (PATS+: Berkeley Air Monitoring Group).
Results
The mean % relative humidity in the workshop was 67.6 and ambient air wood dust concentration ranged between (0.003–1.02) mg/m3. The frequency of respiratory symptoms at the workplace was prevalent among the woodworkers ranging between (8–76%) (p < 0.05). However, the lung volumes and airflow values were not significantly reduced in the woodworkers (p > 0.05).
Conclusion
The study reveals that woodworkers exposed to mixed tropical hardwood dust shows a less frequent respiratory symptoms with an insignificant reduction in the lung volumes and airflow values at the workplace due to low ambient air wood dust concentration.
Nonreciprocal and chiral single-photon scattering for giant atoms
Authors: Chen Yaotong , Du Lei , Guo Lingzhen , Wang Zhihai , Zhang Yan , Li Yong , Wu Jin-Hui
Published: March 2022

In this work, we investigate the nontrivial single-photon scattering properties of giant atoms coupled to waveguides that can be an effective platform for realising nonreciprocal and chiral quantum optics. For the two-level giant-atom setup, we identify the condition for nonreciprocal transmission: the external atomic dissipation is further required other than the breaking of time-reversal symmetry by local coupling phases. Especially, in the non-Markovian regime, unconventional revival peaks periodically appear in the reflection spectrum of such a two-level giant-atom system. To explore more interesting scattering behaviours, we further extend the two-level giant-atom system to Δ-type and ∇-type three-level giant atoms coupled to double waveguides without external atomic dissipation. We analyse the different physical mechanisms for the nonreciprocal and chiral scattering properties of the ∆-type and ∇-type giant atoms. Our proposed giant-atom structures have potential applications of high-efficient single-photon targeted router and circulator for quantum information precessing.
Fatigue Detection In Elite Footballers Through The Use Of Thermography
Authors: Majano Carlos , García-Unanue Jorge , Hernández-Martín Antonio , Sánchez-Sánchez Javier , Gallardo Leonor , Felipe Jose Luis
Published: March 2022

Football is a very demanding sport where many injuries take place because of fatigue. Thermography can be used to detect fatigue and prevent its consequences, through thermal asymmetries in the bilateral body areas, but its adequacy for elite footballers has not been widely studied. Therefore, the objective of the present investigation was to determine the suitability of thermography to detect fatigue in male football players. Twenty elite male football players were gathered into pair of subgroups (low [<0,2 ºC] vs high thermal asymmetry [≥0,2 ºC]) based on a thermography session of the lower limbs (anterior and posterior part). Afterwards, players performed a vertical jump test (CMJ) before and after a Repeated Sprint Test (RSA) (6x30 m/20"). No significant differences (p ≤0,05) were found in any of the RSA test variables between the low and high thermal asymmetry groups in thighs and calves, while the low thermal asymmetry hamstring group reported lower %Diff and higher %Best in some sprints. As for vertical jump, the low thermal asymmetry hamstring group reported significantly higher values in the CMJ Post-RSA. In accordance with these results, thermography seems to be an useful tool to detect fatigue in elite footballers, as hamstrings temperature asymmetries over 0,2 ºC seem to be an indicative of it.
Temporary Reduction in VOCs Associated with Health Risk During and After COVID-19 in Maharashtra, India
Authors: Singh Bhupendra Pratap , Kumari Saumya , Nair Arathi , Kumari Sweety
Published: March 2022

An unprecedented novel coronavirus has affected almost all countries and impacted the economy, environment, and social life. The short-term impact on the environment and human health needs attention to correlate the Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and health assessment for pre-, during, and post lockdowns. Therefore, the current study demonstrates VOC changes and their effect on air quality during the lockdown. The mean TVOCs concentrations for all monitoring stations 15.45, 2.82, and 19.25 µg/m3, respectively, for pre-, during, and post-lockdown periods. The highest value of TVOCs was observed at Thane, considered an industrial region (petroleum refinery and chemical industries), and the lowest at Bandra, which was considered a residential region, respectively. The VOCs levels drastically decreased by 52%, 89%, 80%, and 97% for Benzene, Toluene, Eth-benzene, and M-xylene, respectively, during the lockdown period compared to the corresponding period in 2019. In the present study, the T/B ratio was found lower in the lockdown period as compared to the pre-lockdown period. This can be attributed to the complete closure of non-traffic sources such as industries and factories during the lockdown. The Lifetime Cancer Risk (LCR) values for all monitoring stations for benzene for pre-, during and post lockdown periods were higher than the prescribed value (1 x 10− 6), except during the lockdown period.
Automatic diagnosis of COVID-19 from Chest X-ray images using transfer learning-based deep features and machine learning models
Authors: Kumar Vikas , Gupta Arpit , Hazarika Barenya Bikash , Gupta Deepak
Published: March 2022

The novel Coronavirus, declared as a pandemic by WHO, has caused a health crisis and disrupted the daily course of the people globally. The effectiveness of Chest X-ray (CXR) in the differentiation of COVID from non-COVID has exhorted us to propose a diagnostic model based on deep features. This paper proposes a diagnostic framework to diagnose COVID-19 from Chest X-rays (CXR). Further Grad-CAM visualizations are shown to get a visual interpretation for the predicted images. We validated the performance of the proposed diagnostic model using the area under the curve (AUC), accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score and geometric mean (G-mean). Few popular machine learning models such as random forest, dense neural network, support vector machine (SVM), twin SVM (TWSVM), extreme learning machine (ELM), random vector functional link (RVFL) and kernel ridge regression (KRR) have been selected for diagnosing the COVID cases. The deep features are extracted by transfer learning. Grad-CAM visualizations are presented for the predicted images. We have achieved the best AUC score of 0.98 on TWSVM classifier on the feature vector extracted by ResNet50 architecture. The feature vector extracted from ResNet50 outperforms all other CNN architecture rank wise based on AUC. The experimental outcome indicates the efficiency of the proposed diagnostic framework.
Single-Cell RNA-Seq Dissects the Heterogeneity of Human Microglial Related to Alzheimer’s Disease Based on Gene Regulatory Networks
Authors: Wei Haidong , Kong Wei , Wang Shuaiqun
Published: March 2022

Microglia, well recognized as immune effector cells inherent in the central nervous system, plays a fatal role in brain development and neurodegenerative diseases; however, the extent of human microglia heterogeneity and complex molecular functions are still poorly understood. Currently, most approaches to cell heterogeneity determine the function of cell subsets solely through high/low gene expression levels, indirectly ignoring the linkages between genes. Here, from the point of view of inter-gene association, we separately constructed gene regulatory networks of each microglia subtype based on single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and then identified significant genes in each network using tools from graph theory. Surprisingly, disease enrichment analysis of these genes revealed that two microglia subsets were closely related to Alzheimer's disease (AD), in which one subset was ulteriorly discovered involved in the antibiotic synthesis, and the other associated with Aβ plaque phagocytosis not only promoted inflammatory responses by NF-kappa B signaling pathway but also participated in tau protein binding and beta-amyloid binding, suggesting that this microglia subtype might act as tau protein phagocytosis as well. In a word, the approach that gene regulatory network combined with graph theory to identify the function of microglia subtypes makes up for the deficiency of differential expression and provides new insight into the cell type therapies related to AD.
Attosecond stable dispersion-free delay line for easy ultrafast metrology
Authors: Tyagi Akansha , Sidhu Mehra S. , Mandal Ankur , Kapoor Sanjay , Dahiya Sunil , Rost Jan M. , Pfeifer Thomas , Singh Kamal P.
Published: March 2022

We demonstrate a dispersion-free wavefront splitting attosecond resolved interferometric delay line for easy ultrafast metrology of broadband femtosecond pulses. Using a pair of knife-edge prisms, we symmetrically split and later recombine the two wavefronts with a few tens of attosecond resolution and stability and employ a single-pixel analysis of interference fringes with good contrast using a phone camera without any iris or nonlinear detector. Our all-reflective delay line is theoretically analyzed and experimentally validated by measuring 1 st and 2 nd order autocorrelations and the SHG-FROG trace of a NIR femtosecond pulse. Our setup is compact, offers attosecond stability with flexibility for independent beam-shaping of the two arms. Furthermore, we suggest that our compact and in-line setup can be employed for attosecond resolved pump-probe experiments of matter with few-cycle pulses.
Double Exponential Density of States and Modified Charge Carrier Transport in Organic Semiconductors
Authors: Sharma Bhupendra Kumar , Teja K B R , Divij Kumar
Published: March 2022

This paper discusses an approach to use an approximated charge carrier density for organic thin-film transistor (OTFT) using a double exponential density of states. Traditionally the literature has been published using a single exponential density of states and Gaussian density of states but this paper deals with using a double exponential density of states in the Fermi Integral to evaluate the charge carrier density for the OTFT. There are two exponential density of states related to the Tail region and Deep region and various parameters associated with it. The distribution of localized trap states between the highest and lowest orbital is expressed as a density of states. There are two states deep states and tail states. Tail states are better described by the Gaussian function, while Deep states are better described by the Exponential density of states. So, if we require that the two regions be defined by a single function then the function should be a sum of the two, the exponential and the Gaussian to accurately describe the complete region. The double exponential density of states is considered to evaluate and approximate the Fermi Integral using various Mathematical Methods, so that the error is lower for various parameters.
The Effects Of Rf4 And The Genetic Mechanism Behind Fertility Restoration Of Wild Abortive Cytoplasmic Male Sterility (WA-CMS) In Japonica Rice (Oryza Sativa Ssp. Japonica)
Authors: Zhang Honggen , Li Xixu , Xu Zuopeng , Zhao Xiangqiang , Wan Zihao , Cheng Xiaojun , Liu Qiaoquan , Gu Minghong , Tang Shuzhu
Published: March 2022

Wild abortive-type cytoplasmic male sterility (WA-type CMS) has been exclusively used in hybrid seed production in indica rice cultivars, and fertility restoration in WA-type CMS is controlled by two major restorer genes, Rf3 and Rf4, through a sporophytic mechanism. However, the genetic mechanism underlying fertility restoration in WA-type CMS in japonica cultivars is poorly understood. In the present study, C418, a leading Chinsurah Boro II- (BT)-type japonica restorer line, showed partial restoration ability in WA-type japonica CMS lines. The 1:1 segregation ratio of partially fertile to sterile plants in a three-cross F1 population indicated that fertility restoration is controlled by one dominant gene. Gene mapping and sequencing results revealed that the target gene should be Rf4. The Rf4 gene restores fertility through a sporophytic mechanism, but the Rf4 pollen grains show a preferential fertilization in the testcross F1 plants. Furthermore, Rf4 was confirmed to have only a minor effect on fertility restoration in WA-type japonica CMS lines, and Rf gene dosage effects influenced the fertility restoration of WA-type CMS in japonica rice. The results of our study not only provide valuable insights into the complex genetic mechanisms underlying fertility restoration of WA-type CMS but will also facilitate the efficient utilization of WA-type CMS in japonica rice lines.
Efficient Knockout and Functional Analysis of BSSS-Related Genes by Episomal Expression Vector Containing Cas9 and AMA1 in Acremonium Chrysogenum
Authors: Chu Ju , LIU LING , Chen Zhen , Tian Xiwei
Published: March 2022

Objective
The sorB gene related to sorbicillinoid production was used as the target, and the free expression element AMA1 was used to verify the availability of using this element in Acremonium chrysogenum.
Result
The point mutation of the sorB gene was successfully achieved in the Cripsr-Cas9 episomal expression system. In addition, the addition of sorB donor DNA in this system could achieve efficient, markless, and complete knockout of genes. Using this gene-editing platform, four BSSS-related genes Δaxl1, Δaxl2, Δbud3, and Δbud4 were knocked out completely, and it was found that the yield, dry weight, and pH of the knockout strains did not change significantly. Further, the stress tolerance of the knockout strains was determined, and the relationship between morphology and stress tolerance was preliminarily analyzed.
Conclusion
The gene-editing efficiency exceeded 80% and the developmental process of arthrospores differed from the starting strain.
Titanium Dioxide Structure Modified With Silver Chloride By 3D Printing For Dye Degradation And Bactericidal Applications
Authors: Lee Po-Ching , Yang Zheng-Rong , Kuo Chun-Yu , Shin Chung-Hao , Lin Ching-Bin
Published: March 2022

An advanced three-dimensional printing process for producing the Ag/AgCl/TiO2-coupled photocatalyst was developed and tested for its stability and degradability in relation to azo dye (Orange II) and bacteria (Escherichia coli). The TiO2 structure is produced through fused filament fabrication (FFF) with filaments of thermoplastic material, which is composed of TiO2 anatase nanoparticles, high density polyethylene (HDPE), stearic acid, wax, and plasticizer. The TiO2 structure is then solvent degreased, thermal degreased, and sintered to become a fundamental structure to couple the AgCl particles through an ion exchange process. Following the photoreduction of UV radiation, a Ag/AgCl/TiO2-coupled photocatalyst is formed. In our experiments, this photocatalyst effectively degraded Orange II dye and sterilized E. coli. The degradation of Orange II dye and E. coli was performed under visible and ultraviolet light irradiation. The degradation kinetics of Orange II dye was a first-order reaction, with the degradability (94%) persisting for five cycles. The sterilization of E. coli was accomplished within 120 min, and the degradation kinetics were characteristic of a hyperbolic reaction. The photocatalytic module fabricated through FFF not only exhibited the ability to degrade contaminants in water but also exhibited durability and reliability after repeated use.
Directed synthesis of a novel decamolybdate-encapsulated nanocage framework by mixed-ligands for light-driven hydrogen generation
Authors: Zhang Chunjing , Ma Shuang , Cui Guannan , Dong Liming , Sui Fengyang , Liu Xiao , Pang Haijun
Published: March 2022

A new compound [CuICuII2(bpy)(pzta)2][HMo10O34] {CuICuII2-Mo10, pzta = 3-(pyrid-4-yl) pyrazole and bpy = 4,4’-bipyridine} was obtained by a hydrothermal reaction method and characterized by various tests including XPS, IR, UV, PXRD, luminescent spectroscopy and single crystal X-ray diffraction. The CuICuII2-Mo10 shows an unusual decamolybdate-encapsulated nanocage framework structure. Beside the novel structure, the CuICuII2-Mo10 was father used for photocatalytic hydrogen generation and it possesses an improved catalytic H2 productivity compared with its parent POM (NH4)6Mo7O24·4H2O (Mo7) under identical experimental conditions. Namely, the CuICuII2-Mo10 can reach 99.5 µmol− 1 g− 1 h− 1, which is obviously higher than 42.35 µmol g− 1 h− 1 of Mo7.
Increased Social Power Among Community-Based Skilled Birth Attendants: An Evaluation of a Frontline Health Workers Intervention
Authors: Curry Dora , Sarker Bidhan , Laterra Anne , Islam Ahsansul , Khandaker Ikhtiar , Khan Mahmud
Published: March 2022

Background: This paper assesses the effects of the Skilled Health Entrepreneur (SHE) program in Sylhet District, Bangladesh. The SHE program prepared community-based skilled birth attendants (SBAs) known as SHEs. The SHEs offered safe home-based delivery and the program incorporated activities deliberately designed to increase the power of the SHE in their social context. That project design assumed that increased independence and agency could make the SHEs more effective in serving their clients and support positive norms change about women's role in the community. This analysis will examine whether the SHE program increased the social power of the community women who became SBAs. Methods: 252 SHEs completed quantitative questionnaires covering their socio-demographic characteristics, professional activities, income, and decision-making in the home. The program administered the questionnaires shortly after induction into the program and at the conclusion of the program. The data represent short panel data with observations of 252 individuals at two points in time. This analysis uses a fixed-effects panel analysis of change from beginning to end of the program.Results: SHEs earned 7659.78 takas (or roughly 90 USD) more per month at the endline than at the baseline, in the context of an average annual household income in Bangladesh of approximately 600 USD. (CECI, 2016) The SHEs' professional engagement increased from an average of 10.41 presentations given per reporting period to one of 16.10. The proportion of SHEs making decisions independently increased on three out of three decision-making items: seeking healthcare for herself, seeking healthcare for her children and use of contraception. The endline combined social power score was 8.65, compared to a baseline of 6.18. All results were statistically significant.Conclusions: The design of this intervention meaningfully increased agency, income, and professional engagement among the SHEs. These changes occurred in the context of a project that also successfully improved maternal health outcomes. Such models can improve health outcomes while shifting gendered power dynamics by investing this cadre of resident women with increased agency, recognition, and wealth.
The Hospitalist-led Model of Oncology Inpatients in an Academic Health System: Perspectives of Hospitalists and Oncologists.
Authors: Clarke Tanya Roxanne , Zuilen
Published: March 2022

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare the perspectives of Hospitalists and Oncologists on Hospitalist-led inpatient oncology care. Methodology:We developed two related surveys, one for Oncologists and one for Hospitalists. These surveys focused on perspectives, communication, and coordination of care. All Hospitalists and Oncologists in our academic health system were invited to participate in this study. Results:A joint total of fifty-two hospitalists and oncologists completed the survey. Oncologists and hospitalists generally agreed that solid tumor patients should be admitted to an oncologist-led service and that the oncologist should lead the discussion of cancer-related concerns, although there appeared to be a misalignment with what happens in practice. Hospitalists indicated that most of the solid tumor patients admitted to their service were “end-of-life" and should have been in palliative/hospice care, while most oncologists reported that they only “occasionally” transitioned these patients to hospice in the in-patient setting. Overall, only 37% of hospitalists rated their overall experience of taking care of solid tumor patients as positive. Ratings indicated they wanted more input from the oncologists. Discussion: The hospitalist-led model for managing solid tumor inpatients has been adapted in many cancer institutions across the United States. This study revealed that there is room for improved coordination of care and communication between hospitalists and oncologists, especially with end-of-life care. It would be very insightful to have both oncologist and hospitalist-led services and compare metrics for length of stay, mortality, readmission rates, transition to hospice care and physician and patient satisfaction.
Identification of subgroups of bladder cancer based on immune gene signature
Authors: Yuan Chen , Ren Xiao , Nie Zhaoxia , Li Long , Peng Dunmang , Zhang Zhiguo
Published: March 2022

Immunotherapy has become a new frontier in bladder cancer (BC) treatment. In this study, we utilized bioinformatic tools to identify an immune signature for BC. RNA-seq data of BC samples was downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, and GSE31684, GSE32894 and GSE77952 chip expression data were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The immune related genes (IRGs) dataset was extracted from the ImmPort database. Unsupervised clustering method was used to determine genes with significant association with the prognosis of BC. Macrophages were enriched in C1/C2 subtypes whereas infiltration of B cells ware prominent in C3 subtype. The frequency of FGFR3 mutation was high in C3 subtypes whereas RB1 mutations were high in C1/C2 subtypes. The immune modules gSig1and gSig2 were associated with poor prognosis. gSig3 was associated with good prognosis. gSig1 was associated with activation and degranulation of neutrophils. On the other hand, gSig2 was associated with steroid hormone mediated signaling pathway whereas gSig3 was associated with secretion of extracellular matrix and muscle cell proliferation. gSig1 and gSig2 were positively correlated with expression of immune checkpoint genes (ICGs) in two different cohorts, whereas gSig3 scores was negatively correlated with expression of ICGs. Expression profile of immune-related genes could subclassify BC into three molecular subtypes with distinct histological characteristics, genetic and transcriptional changes. Our study have provided a novel insight into the immune-related state of BC and shed light on the prognostication of BC patient, all of them are of potential clinical implications.
Prevalence, Correlates and Treatment Needs of Dental Caries Among People on Antiretroviral Therapy in Uganda: A Cross Sectional Study
Authors: Arubaku Wilfred , Kwizera Godfrey , Tusubira Deusdedit , Kanyesigye Michael , Chamut Steffany , Seymour Brittany Anne , Siedner Mark J. , Niyonzima Vallence , Najjuma Josephine N. , Maling Samuel
Published: March 2022

Background:Oral diseases are estimated to affect half of people living with HIV in the global north, and are often marked by pain, discomfort, disfigurement and reduced quality of life. Both HIV-specific and antiretroviral therapy-associated oral diseases have been found in this population. However, the association between antiretroviral therapy use and dental caries has not been well described in rural Africa where majority of people living with HIV reside, and where health behaviors and access to dental care vary significantly from the global north. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among PWH attending a high volume HIV clinic with an enrollment of 10,000 patients in a regional referral hospital in Southwestern Uganda. The clinic is located in an urban setting with a large rural catchment area. Oral health data was collected using the modified World Health Organization oral health questionnaire for adults. Dental examinations were conducted to identify and classify dental caries using the decayed, missing, filled, teeth (DMFT) index and compute the treatment need. Logistic regression models were employed to identify correlate of dental caries. Results: A total of 194 participants were included in the study. The majority were females (124/194, 63.9%) with a median age of 42 years (IQR 36-49). The prevalence of dental caries experience among individuals on ART was 67%, (130/194), 95% CI (60-75%). The mean DMFT index score was 4 (IQR 2-6) and treatment need was 96%. A higher CD4 count was associated with the presence of dental caries (OR 0.403, 95% CI (0.175-0.932) although it was not significant at multivariate analysis. ConclusionThere is a high prevalence of dental caries among PWH on ART in Uganda. Our data demonstrate a high oral treatment need among the participants. We recommend inclusion of preventive and therapeutic oral care into HIV care in this region.
Derivation of optical solitons of dimensionless Fokas-Lenells equation with perturbation term using Sardar sub-equation method
Authors: Cinar Melih , Secer Aydin , Ozisik Muslum , Bayram Mustafa
Published: March 2022

This paper presents investigation of soliton solutions for the perturbed Fokas-Lenells (pFL) equation, has a vital role in optics, using Sardar sub-equation method. The equation models the propagation in ultrashort light pulses in optical fibers. Using appropriate wave transformation, the pFL equation is reduced to a nonlinear ordinary differential equation (NLODE). The solutions of this NLODE equation are assumed to be in the suggested form by the Sardar sub-equation method. Hence, an algebraic equation system is obtained by substituting the trial solutions and their necessary derivatives into the NLODE. After finding the unknowns in the system, the soliton solutions of the perturbed Fokas-Lenells equation are extracted. The method produces various kinds of solitons such as the dark, singular and periodic. To show physical representations of the solitons, 2D, 3D and contour plots of the solutions are demonstrated via computer algebraic systems. It is expected that derived solutions may be useful for future works in various fields of science, especially optics and so, it may contribute to optic fiber industry.
Potential Risk Factors for the Presence of Anti-Toxoplasma Gondii Antibodies in Finishing Pigs on Conventional Farms in the Netherlands
Authors: Eppink Dorien M. , Bouwknegt Martijn , Giessen Joke W.B. van der , Swanenburg Manon , Oorburg Derk , Urlings Bert A.P. , Wagenberg Coen P.A. van , Asseldonk Marcel A.P.M. van , Wisselink Henk J.
Published: March 2022

Background
The parasite Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is recognized worldwide as a pathogen causing a substantial human disease burden. Ingesting improperly cooked meat containing T. gondii is considered one of the major sources of human infection in Europe and North America. Consequently, control of T. gondii infections in pigs is warranted. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) advised to perform serological testing of pigs and farm audits for the presence of risk factors. Serological monitoring was implemented in several Dutch slaughterhouses. Blood samples from all deliveries of finishing pigs to the slaughterhouses were tested for the presence of anti-T. gondii antibodies. Using these test results, a case-control study was initiated to assess the association between the within-herd T. gondii seroprevalence and the presence of risk factors for T. gondii infections in 69 conventional finishing pig herds in the Netherlands.
Results
In a multivariable model twelve potential risk factors were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) associated with the level of seropositive T. gondii blood serum samples.
Conclusions
Serological screening of finishing pigs in the slaughterhouse for T. gondii can be used to identify presence of T. gondii risk factors on Dutch conventional finishing pig farms. The use of serological screening seems therefore a valuable tool to guide and monitor the control of T. gondii in pork production.
Tumor Diagnosis of FFPE Sample by Target Genome Sequencing From Multiple Sequencing Platforms
Authors: Feng Baosheng , Lai Juan , Fan Xue , Guo Xin , Liu Yongfeng , Wang Miao , Wu Ping , Zhou Zhiliang , Yan Qin , Sun Lei
Published: March 2022

Technological innovation and increased affordability have contributed to the widespread adoption of target genome sequencing (TS) technologies in scientific research and clinical diagnostic applications. Cancer research consortia showed increasing acceptance of TS techniques to define the mutation landscape of multiple cancer types. These studies have primarily utilized Illumina’s sequencing instruments. In this study, we performed target genome sequencing of Reference OncoSpan FFPE (HD832) sample enriched by TSO500 panel using a new platform, GenoLab M, and compared it with NovaSeq 6000 and NextSeq 550 platforms. The data demonstrated that all three platforms showed high-quality scores, deep coverage, and high concordance for variant detection (94.8%). Besides, the GenoLab M platform displays high accuracy in tumor diagnosis of FFPE sample. Briefly, the GenoLab M platform shows comparable performances with NovaSeq 6000 and NextSeq 550, indicating its potential applicability in cancer TS at a lower cost.
Evaluation of anaemia in geriatric patients: a retrospective hospital based study from Northern Sri Lanka
Authors: Sujanitha Vathulan , Sooriyakumar Thaneswary , Kumarasiri Thusitha , Rajeshkannan Nadarajah , Tharmiga Sooriyakumaran
Published: March 2022

Background:Anaemia in elderly is a common medical problem but it is often not evaluated as a sole clinical entity and the importance of anaemia is often neglected. The gravity of anaemia in elders and its impact on other diseases is not well known in Sri Lanka.Methods:It is a cross sectional descriptive study where data was extracted retrospectively from the data base and clinical records of patients who were referred to haematology unit of Teaching Hospital Jaffna, Sri Lanka for the evaluation of anaemia during September 2020 to February 2021.Common type of anaemia, severity, aetiological classifications and association with other diseases were analysed.Results:A total of 1121 elderly patients of above 60 years were analysed during the study period. Main source of referral was from medical wards. Female to male ratio was 51.2:48.8. Majority of them belonged to the age group of 60-69 years. Two third of the patients had normocytic anaemia (70.3%) followed by microcytic and macrocytic anaemia (23.7%). Moderate degree of anaemia was seen commonly in the patient’s analysed but 28.3% found to have severe anaemia. Aetiological classification revealed anaemia of chronic diseases as the commonest type of anaemia in elderly accounting for 37% followed by multifactorial aetiology and iron deficiency anaemia. Common chronic diseases identified along with anaemia were diabetes, hypertension, ischaemic heart disease and chronic kidney disease.Conclusion:Normocytic anaemia is the commonest type of anaemia identified in this hospital based study and majority had a moderate degree of anaemia. Though the common aetiological cause identified is anaemia of chronic disease, there are significant percentage of multifactorial causes identified indicating a search of many possible causes are needed in elderly patients with anaemia. Identifying the prevalence of anaemia in all hospitalised elderly patients in the local setting, the causes and the impact on chronic and acute illnesses will immensely help in the management of elderly patients and to improve their quality of life.
Complete Genome Sequence and Iron-Sulfur Oxidation Characteristics of The Newly Isolated Acidithiobacillus Ferrooxidans YQ-N3
Authors: Li Wenbo , Feng Qiyan , Li Ze , Chen Di
Published: March 2022

Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (A. ferrooxidans) is a chemoautotroph that can simultaneously oxidize Fe2+, S, and reduced sulfur compounds. Therefore, this bacterium plays a key role in the natural cycles of Fe and S. In this study, a novel A. ferrooxidans strain was isolated from sediments of a river polluted by the acid mine drainage (AMD) of an abandoned mine in Shanxi, China, after which it was characterized via whole-genome sequencing. Furthermore, its functional genes related to iron and sulfur metabolism and response to environmental stress were analyzed, and its capacity to oxidize FeSO4·7H2O, S0, and FeS2 as an energy source was preliminarily discussed. The whole-genome sequencing results revealed that A. ferrooxidans YQ-N3 has a 3,217,720 bp genome, which is comprised of one circular chromosome and five circular plasmids (Plasmid A, Plasmid B, Plasmid C, Plasmid D, Plasmid E). Among these, Plasmid E had not been previously described in this species, and its genome contains various functional genes related to iron and sulfur, drug resistance, and heavy metal resistance. A. ferrooxidans YQ-N3 can increase the oxidation rate of Fe2+ and S0 and enhance the hydrophilicity of S0. Moreover, this strain can accelerate FeS2 oxidation and the formation of secondary minerals. The present study demonstrated that the newly isolated A. ferrooxidans YQ-N3 could bio-oxidize iron and sulfur under acidic conditions, which was supported by our genome analysis results. Collectively, our findings provide important insights into the role and potential of A. ferrooxidans in biogeochemistry and industrial applications.