bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
AntiTNF-alpha Therapy Normalizes Levels of Lipids and Adipokines in Psoriatic Patients in the Real-life Settings
Authors: Olejniczak-Staruch Irmina , Narbutt Joanna , Ceryn Justyna , Skibinska Malgorzata , Bednarski Igor , Woźniacka Anna , Sieniawska Joanna , Kraska-Gacka Marzena , Śmigielski Janusz , Ciążyńska Magdalena , Noweta Marcin , Waszczykowski Michał , Owczarek Witold , Reich Adam , Lesiak Aleksandra
Published: February 2021

Studies have shown that the levels of pro-inflammatory adipokines in patients with psoriasis are higher than in general population. The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of 36-month therapy with TNF-α inhibitors (adalimumab, etanercept, infliximab) on the levels of adipokines (resistin, adiponectin, leptin) and lipids (TG, cholesterol, LDL, HDL) in 37 psoriasis patients and 30 healthy controls. The mean serum concentrations of adiponectin in patients from adalimumab, etanercept and infliximab group were similar to control group (p > 0.05, 142.71, 164.32, 129.35 and 174.44 µg/ml respectively). Resistin levels were higher in patients (p < 0.05, 4.48, 4.53 and 3.39 ng/ml respectively) than in controls (3.05 ng/ml). Mean leptin concentrations were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the study group than in subjects without psoriasis (428.61, 523,24, 755,27 and 154.10 pg/ml respectively). A significant decrease in the mean resistin concentration was observed under the influence of biological therapy (p < 0.05). Decrease in serum leptin level was noted in etanercept and infliximab groups (p = 0.001 and p = 0.002 respectively). Improvement in all lipidogram parameters was noted in all examined groups (p < 0.05). Results may prove that biologic therapy affects the systemic inflammation associated with psoriasis and this effect persists with long-term therapy.
The Decay and Consolidation of Effector-Independent Motor Memories
Authors: Bao Shancheng , Wang jinsung , Wright David , Buchanan John , Lei Yuming
Published: February 2021

Learning a motor adaptation task produces intrinsically unstable or transient motor memories. Despite the presence of effector-independent motor memories following the learning of novel environmental dynamics, it remains largely unknown how those memory traces decay in different contexts and whether an “offline” consolidation period protects memories against decay. Here, we exploit inter-effector transfer to address these questions. We found that newly-acquired motor memories formed with one effector could be partially retrieved by the untrained effector to enhance its performance when the decay occurred with the passage of time or “washout” trials on which error feedback was provided. The decay of motor memories was slower following “error-free” trials, on which errors were artificially clamped to zero or removed, compared with “washout” trials. However, effector-independent memory components were abolished following movements made in the absence of performance error, resulting in no transfer gains. The brain can consolidate motor memories during daytime wakefulness. We found that 6 hours of wakeful resting increased the resistance of effector-independent memories to decay across all contexts. Collectively, our results suggest that the decay of effector-independent motor memories is context dependent and offline processing preserves those memories against decay, leading to improvements of the subsequent inter-effector transfer.
Integrated Analysis of CNV, Gene Expression and Disease State Data in Prostate Cancer
Authors: Yuan Lin , Sun Tao , Zhao Jing , Shen Zhen
Published: February 2021

Background: Copy number variation (CNV) may contribute to development of complex diseases. However, due to the complex mechanism of path association and the lack of sufficient samples, understanding the relationship between CNV and cancer remains a major challenge. The unprecedented abundance of CNV, gene and disease label data provide us with an opportunity to design a new machine learning framework to predict potential disease related CNVs.Results: In this paper, we developed a novel machine learning approach, namely IHI BMLLR (Integrating Heterogeneous Information sources with Biweight Mid correlation and L1 regularized Logistic Regression under stability selection), to predict the CNV disease path associations by using a data set containing CNV, disease state labels and gene data. CNVs, genes, and diseases are connected through edges, and then constitute a biological association network. To construct a biological network, we first used a self adaptive biweight mid correlation (BM) formula to calculate correlation coefficients between CNVs and genes. Then, we used logistic regression with L1 penalty (LLR) function to detect genes related to disease. We added stability selection strategy, which can effectively reduce false positives, when using self adaptive BM and LLR. Finally, a weighted path search algorithm was applied to find top D path associations and important CNVs.Conclusions: Compared with state of the art methods, IHI BMLLR discovers CNVs disease path associations by integrating analysis of CNV, gene expression and disease label data combined with stability selection strategy and weighted path search algorithm, thereby mining more information in the data sets, and improving the accuracy of obtained CNVs. The experimental results on both simulation and prostate cancer data show that IHI BMLLR is significantly better than two state of the art CNV detection methods (i.e., CCRET and DPtest) under false positive control. Furthermore, we applied IHI BMLLR to prostate cancer data and found significant path associations. Three new cancer related genes were discovered in the paths and these genes need to be verified by biological research in the future.
Influence of Diet and Dietary Habits in Caries Occurrence Among 12- to 15-year-old Adolescents in Shanghai
Authors: XU Hua-xing , LUO Chun-yan , FENG Xiao-gang , ZHANG Hao , Jiang Yi-wei , YU Jin , Wang Hu-ning , DA Dong-xin , YANG Dong-ling , SUN Li-jin , ZHANG Ying , ZENG Xiao-li
Published: February 2021

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of diet and dietary habits on dental caries status in the permanent teeth of 12- to 15-year-old adolescents in Shanghai, China.Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional investigation among 11,599 school students aged 12- to 15 years from Shanghai, China. We distributed self-administered questionnaires and performed clinical dental examinations according to WHO guidelines to obtain information about tooth-brushing habits, diet, dietary habits, and dental caries status. We generated a logistic regression model including dental caries-related variables to ascertain the potential risk factors associated with dental caries.Results: The caries prevalence and number of decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) among the 11,599 12- to 15-year-old students surveyed were 26.2% and 0.59±1.314, respectively. The caries prevalence and DMFT of girls were significantly higher than those of boys (P<0.05). Caries prevalence and DMFT also increased with age (P<0.05). There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in caries prevalence and mean DMFT among groups with different tooth-brushing habits. Logistic regression analysis suggested that the possible risk factors for dental caries included female sex, older age, consuming sugary drinks at least once daily, consuming vegetables once daily or less, and skipping breakfast, with ORs ranging from 1.124 to 1.88 (P<0.05).Conclusion: The caries prevalence among 12- to 15-year-old school students in Shanghai was lower than that reported nationally and in some other developing or developed countries. Diet and dietary habits were closely related to dental caries among adolescents. Poor eating habits (higher sugary drink intake, lower vegetable intake, and skipping breakfast) in the developmental age may be a significant caries coefficient in adolescents. A longitudinal study with full consideration of baseline variables is warranted in the Chinese population.
Protein Digestibility and Biochemical Characteristics of Soybean in Three Conditions of Fermentation Processing Step: An in Vitro Study
Authors: Ketnawa Sunantha , Ogawa Yukiharu
Published: February 2021

Protein digestibility of soybean (soaked "S", boiled "B", and fermented "F" soybeans) was changed as 20.58 ± 0.25%, 48.71 ± 0.04%, and 50.21 ± 0.45%, respectively in the preparation of soybean fermentation. After simulated digestion, the increment rate of protein digestibility of both B and F was comparable and higher than that of S accompanying by the accumulations of small protein sub-fractions and essential amino acids. Interestingly, bioactivity parameters of all digested fractions increased by around 2 to 4-fold when digestion stages were progressed with overall F showed the maximum values. Processing not only improves the palatability but also increases protein utilization, the bioavailability of nutrients, and healthy support. The study verified the effect of processing and the benefits of soybean and fermented soybean beyond their basic nutrients which could be claimed as functional foods with higher protein digestibility and indispensable amino acids as well as potential bioactivities.
Establishment of Optimal Housekeeping Genes for Urinary Extracellular Vesicle Based Biomarker Development: A Step Towards Non-Invasive Diagnostics.
Authors: Singh Anula Divyash , Koyyada Rajeswari , Samal Rasmita , Alvi Syed Baseeruddin , Patnam Sreekanth , Rengan Aravind Kumar , Mudigonda Soma Sekhar , Maitra Sanjay , Manda Sasidhar Venkata
Published: February 2021

BackgroundRecent years have witnessed a growing interest in employing urine as a clinical source of renal pathology biomarkers. Urinary extracellular vesicles(UEVs) hold cellular RNAs, including small RNA and micro RNA. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is one of the most sensitive methods for evaluating gene expression, which depends on comparative analysis with reference/house-keeping genes. However, reliable interpretation of UEVs gene expression data is biased due to the lack of reported ideal house-keeping reference-genes in UEVs.MethodsUEVs were isolated from 40 healthy human controls using Polyethylene glycol (P.E.G. Mn6000) based precipitation. UEVs were characterized by biophysical and biochemical assays. At the molecular biology level, the expression and stability of five commonly used housekeeping genes B2M, RPL13A, PPIA, HMBS, and GAPDH, were considered for comparing and finding out ideal reference gene. Data were analyzed using four practical algorithmic approaches, including Norm Finder, GeNorm, Best Keeper, and the Delta Ct for reference gene evaluation integrated with RefFinder. The final ranking of stable genes is derived from the weighted geometric means of all the above algorithms.Results12% PEG isolated UEVs were round and cup-shaped, ranging from 30 - 100nm, as per electron microscopy, nanoparticle-tracking-analysis, and dynamic-light-scattering profile. The functional purity of UEVs was determined with their acetylcholine esterase and Dipeptidyl peptidase-IV activity. RefFinder established the stability index of housekeeping genes. B2M and RPL13A genes were identified as stable genes with a mean stability score of 1.5(Genorm) and below 1 (Norm finder), indicating a reduced gene expression variation. ConclusionsThe comprehensive ranking analysis identified B2M and RPL13A as optimal reference genes for UEVs based gene expression studies.
The Clinical and Imaging Findings of Patent Ductus Venosus in Children: A Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Xiang Yonghua , Peng Yinghui , He Siping , Gan Qing , Jin Ke
Published: February 2021

Purpose Patent ductus venosus (PDV) was a rare congenital portosystemic shunt, and few studies have been reported to date. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical and imaging findings to improve the recognition of PDV. Materials and Methods Medical records of 9 patients with PDV in Hunan Children’s Hospital from May 2013 to December 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. The clinical, and laboratory tests data were extracted from the electronic medical records. Two pediatric radiologists evaluated all imaging examinations of the patients.Results 9 patients with PDV were reviewed, including 7 males and 2 females, aged from 16 days to 16.5 years, median age was 1.6 years. PDV diameter ranged from 4.0mm to 17.5mm. The initial clinical presentations of PDV were varied, but jaundice and respiratory symptoms were the most common. Laboratory tests showed that 5/9 cases had hypoxemia, 2/9 had hyperammonemia, 7/9 had hyperbilirubinemia, 6/9 had abnormal coagulation function, 4/9 had abnormal myocardial enzymes, 8/9 had hepatic dysfunction, and 3/9 had renal dysfunction. The direct imaging sign of PDV was a vascular structure connecting the left branch of portal vein(LPV) to the inferior vena cava(IVC), running in the depth of the Arantius sulcus. The secondary imaging findings were as follows: All the patients had enlarged liver, especially the left lobe, and one of the patients presented with diffuse nodules in the liver. 3 patients presented with hypoperfusion in right lobe of liver. The spleen was enlarged in 8 cases but shrank in one. Dilated LPV and atrophic right branch of portal vein (RPV) were observed in all patients. The main portal vein (MPV) was dilated in 8 cases and shrank in one. Dilated right heart and pulmonary artery were observed in all cases. Abnormal renal imaging was observed in 2 patients. The complications and coexistent malformations were as follows: Brain MRI indicated hepatic encephalopathy in 4 cases. 7/9 patients were combined with other malformations, and the most common coexistent malformations were congenital heart disease (CHD) and vascular abnormalities, with 5 and 6 cases respectively. Conclusions PDV was a rare vascular malformation that can lead to multi-system lesions. The clinical presentations and laboratory findings were diverse. The diagnosis of PDV mainly depends on imaging examinations, and it is important to evaluate the secondary imaging changes. Complications and coexistent malformations were common, and we need to prevent omissions during the imaging evaluations.
Impact of Dose and Route of administration on Antibody Responses of Chickens Inoculated with inactivated Avian Influenza H5 Vaccine.
Authors: Woziri Abubakar Ojone , Meseko Clement Adebajo , Nasir Faridah Ibrahim , Abdulkarim Khadijat , Fasina Folorunso Oludayo , Adamu Jibril , Abdu Paul Ayuba
Published: February 2021

Avian influenza viruses (AIV) poses significant threats to human and animal lives globally, and in spite of availability of vaccines, only few studies have established the role of passively acquired antibodies in the protection of chickens in sub Saharan Africa. The present study evaluated the influence of dose and route of administration of AI H5 inactivated vaccine on the humoral immune response of ISA brown chickens. Ninety “one-day-old” chickens were purchased from three major commercial hatcheries A, B and C (n = 30 chicks per hatchery), respectively. Results showed significant differences (P < 0.001) in the mean antibody titre levels at day 21 of age between chicks from hatcheries C (2,205.0 ± 409.1) and A (57.7 ± 49.9) at 21 days of age when either 0.2 ml or 0.5 ml of the vaccine was administered IM or SC. In addition, there were intra- and inter dose significant differences (P < 0.001) between the chicks at 21, 28, 35 and 42 days of age. Furthermore, intra- and inter route significant differences (P < 0.001) were detected between the chicks at 21 and 35 days of age. Overall, the AI H5 vaccine studied had variable outcomes and poorly immunogenic. Further studies should be conducted to characterize the T- and B-lymphocytes in chickens post AI H5 vaccines administration, and evaluate the sequence homologies between imported AI H5 vaccines and circulating AIV strains in Nigeria.
Geographic data-mining and extraction of association rules using the Apriori algorithm (Case study: Capital of Iranian provinces)
Authors: Houshmand-Nanehkaran Farimah , Lajevardi Seyed Mohammadreza , Mahlouji-Bidgholi Mahmoud
Published: February 2021

Extracting of association rules between urban features provides latent and considerable information for urban planners about the relationships between urban characteristics and their similarities. For this purpose, in this paper, the most famous and well-known Apriori algorithm is used. We present the Fariori algorithm to delay the characteristics that can be deleted during execution, as well as to achieve main and frequent features in the early stages with efficient changes to the Apriori algorithm. Although the spatial and temporal complexity of both algorithms is exponential based on the number of fea-tures, in practice, by implementing the Fariori algorithm in MATLAB, we achieved more rules than the existing software (R, Weka, Market Basket Analysis and, Yarpiz). In the proposed algorithm, it is possible to determine the degree of similarity by adjust-ing the support and confidence ratio parameters to identify a coherent set of similar cities. The used database includes cities of 31 in the provincial capitals of Iran. Dis-covering the association rules leads to similar cities finding and can be an efficient aid in the decision-making process.
Low-cost, simple and eco-friendly biosynthesis of CeO2-NPs using extract of Pelargonium hortorum for the photocatalytic and antioxidant applications
Authors: Mahabadi Ali Ganbarianzade , Mirzakhani Abbas , Azizi Amir , Chavoshi Saied , Khaghani Shahab
Published: February 2021

In this paper, firstly the phytochemical composition in the aqueous extract of Pelargonium, growing wildly in the center of Iran, was studied. Folin–Ciocalteu and Aluminum chloride methods and the GC/MS technique were used to determine the total phenolic, flavonoid contents, and volatile constituents in the extract, respectively. The amounts of the total phenolic and flavonoid contents in the extract were found to be 136.5 mg GA/g and 63.9 mg RU/g, respectively. Twenty-one compounds, representing 15 (about 80.0%) of the total volatile constituents were identified. The main components of the volatile constituent were α-pinene (25.28%) and fenchyl acetate (20.63%). Secondly, a fast, simple, and eco-friendly biosynthesis of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2-NPs) were investigated using the extract of Pelargonium as a natural reducing and stabilizing agent. Several advance techniques such as Ultraviolet-Visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microcopy (FESEM), Dynamic light scattering (DLS), and Brunaure Emmett-Teller (BET) were used for the analysis and characterization of the synthesized nanoparticles. The results of the characterization analysis showed that the prepared nanoparticles were spherical in shape, with an average size of 28 nm and zeta potential of -25.8 mV, and had 33.84 m2/g BET surface area, 9.31 nm mane diameter pore, and a total pore volume of 0.078 cm3/g. Finally, the practical applications including the antioxidant and photocatalyst activity of the biosynthesized CeO2-NPs were evaluated. An analysis of antioxidant and catalytic activities showed that the biosynthesized CeO2-NPs have a good ability of scavenging of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical with the IC50 value of 42.7 µg/mL and also good reduction ability of hexavalent chromium {Cr(VI)} ions with a reduction efficiency of 94% in an aqueous solution containing 10 mg/L of Cr(VI) of ion with natural pH of 5.5 and CeO2-NPs dose of 200 mg/L during 60 min.
Studies of Acute Hypoxia and Reoxygenation on Oxygen Sensors, Respiratory Metabolism, Oxidative Stress, and Apoptosis in Hybrid Yellow Catfish "Huangyou-1"
Authors: Pei Xueying , Zhang Hongyan , Zhang Xinyu , Zheng Xiang , Li Jie , Chu Mingxu , Mei Jie , Wang Tao , Yin Shaowu
Published: February 2021

The regulation mechanism of the hybrid yellow catfish “Huangyou-1” was assessed under conditions of hypoxia and reoxygenation by examination of oxygen sensors and by monitoring respiratory metabolism, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. The expressions of genes related to oxygen sensors (HIF-1α, HIF-2α, VHL, HIF-1β, PHD2, and FIH-1) were upregulated in the brain and liver during hypoxia, and recovered compared with control upon reoxygenation. The expressions of genes related to glycolysis (HK1, PGK1, PGAM2, PFK, and LDH) were increased during hypoxia and then recovered compared with control upon reoxygenation. The expressions of CS and SDH were lower than those of control during hypoxia and increased upon reoxygenation. Under hypoxic conditions, the expressions of genes related to oxidative stress (SOD1, SOD2, GSH-Px, and CAT) and the activity of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px) and MDA were upregulated compared with control. The expressions of genes related to apoptosis (Apaf-1, Bax, Caspase 3, Caspase 9, and p53) were higher than those in control during hypoxic exposure, while the expressions of Bcl-2 and Cyt C were decreased. The findings of the transcriptional analyses will provide insights into the molecular mechanisms of hybrid yellow catfish "Huangyou-1" under conditions of hypoxia and reoxygenation.
High-Frequency Shoot Regeneration From Flower Bud Derived Callus of Gymnostachyum Febrifugum Benth., an Endemic Medicinal Plant to the Western Ghats
Authors: P Silpa , Thomas Dennis Thuruthiyil
Published: February 2021

Gymnostachyum febrifugum Benth. is a small, scapigerous, rare and endemic medicinal herb indigenous to India belonging to the family Acanthaceae. This study reports an efficient protocol for high-frequency flower bud derived callus induction and shoot organogenesis in G. febrifugum. Flower buds at 7d before anthesis (dBA) were excised from the inflorescence and cultured on MS medium supplemented with various concentrations of 2, 4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2, 4-D; 0.5-2.0 mg/l) for callus induction. The optimum callus induction (78%) was obtained on MS medium supplemented with 1.5 mg/l 2, 4-D. The calli when subcultured on MS medium supplemented with different concentrations of thidiazuron (TDZ; 0.5-2.5 mg/l) or 6-benzylaminopurine BAP (0.5-2.5 mg/l) alone or in combination with 1- naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA; 0.2-0.7 mg/l) induced shoots. The highest frequency (94%) and number of shoots (44.6 shoots/unit callus) were obtained on MS medium supplemented with 2.0 mg/l TDZ and 0.5 mg/l NAA. The optimum rooting frequency (95%) and number of roots (10.2) were observed on ½ MS medium supplemented with 3.0 mg/l indole-3- butyric acid (IBA). The rooted plantlets were acclimatized and transferred to soil with 94% success.
Research Effects of Person-Environment Fit of Gender-Role Orientation on Burnout, Engagement and Hair Steroids as Stress Biomarkers Among Women
Authors: Wacker Eva , Schorlemmer Julia , Fischer Axel
Published: February 2021

Background
Gender differences usually reveal higher occupational stress and burnout levels for women compared to men, especially in male-dominated working environments. In opposition to group differentiation, more specific gender-related dimensions feminity and masculinity were used in the study to describe individual and work environment characteristics and analyze their effects.
Methods
Two Person-Environment fit scores in feminity and masculinity were calculated by subtracting individual from environment values. Both fit scores were proved as predictors in hierarchical linear regression models predicting burnout and work engagement as well as hair steroids cortisol, cortisone, DHEA, testosterone and progesterone detected by Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) as stress biomarkers. Age as control variable and workplace characteristics were included in the analysis. Bivariate correlations as well as moderator and mediator analysis were implemented. Data was collected in a German medical services company with 146 employed women age 22–66 years (M = 40.48, SD = 10.38), 58 of them provided hair samples for steroid detection.
Results
After considering age, role clarity, and work organization, Person-Environment fit in feminity still added significant variance explanation (β = .23, ∆ R² = .05, p = .003) for burnout (R² = 0.40, p < .001). Person-Environment fit in feminity also explained poor variance in work engagement (β = − .29, R² = .09, p < .001). Person-Environment fit in masculinity added considerable variance explanation (β = .34, ∆ R² = .12, p = 0.018) to cortisol levels (R² = .19, p = .012) after including quantitative demands to the model.
Conclusions
Person-Environment fit in feminity might be inspected as a predictor for burnout and work engagement. Person-Environment fit in masculinity can be taken into consideration as a predictor for hair cortisol as stress biomarker. Feminity and masculinity can be used as personality traits as well as characteristics of work environment, thus providing a particular gender-role related method of differentiation within gender groups. Also, specific methods could be derived for stress and burnout prevention and promotion of work engagement. Representative population studies with bigger samples and longitudinal surveys are needed to better explore the benefits and limitations of this approach.
Comparison of Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Localized or Locally Advanced Urothelial Carcinoma Treated With Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Involving Gemcitabine-Cisplatin and High Dose-Intensity MVAC
Authors: Lee Yongjune , Kim Young Seok , Hong Bumsik , Cho Yong Mee , Lee Jae-Lyun
Published: February 2021

PurposeTo compare the efficacy and safety of high dose-intensity combination of methotrexate, vinblastine, adriamycin and cisplatin (HD MVAC) with gemcitabine plus cisplatin (GC) as a neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) or locally advanced upper tract urothelial cancer (UTUC). Patients and MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted for patients with UC (cT2-4aN0-1M0) who received NAC from January 2011 and December 2017 at Asan Medical Center. Pathologic complete response (pCR), down-staging (<ypT2 and no N upstaging), disease-free survival (DFS), OS and safety were compared for each regimen. ResultsOut of a total of 277 patients, 176 patients received GC and 41 patients received HD MVAC. With the exception of age (patients receiving GC were younger; p=0.002), other baseline characteristics were well balanced between groups. pCR rates were 27.0% for GC and 22.6% for HD MVAC (p=0.62), and down-staging rate was 50.8% for GC and 58.1% for HD MVAC (p=0.47). There were no differences in OS (72.1% vs 73.1% for GC vs HD MVAC; p=0.58) and DFS (54.9% vs 63.3% for GC vs HD MVAC; p=0.21) at 3 years. HD MVAC with prophylactic G-CSF was associated with a higher incidence of febrile neutropenia (p<0.001) than GC. The NAC regimen was not an independent prognostic factor for OS. ConclusionsOncologic outcomes were not significantly different between the GC and HD MVAC when used as NAC in MIBC/UTUC.
Multioutput Flyback DC-DC Converter for MIL Applications
Authors: Patil Sukumar , CV Bhanuprakash , Singh Bhoopendrakumar
Published: February 2021

This paperwork explains the design and development of isolated triple output dc-dc converter for military applications. Converter has designed with flyback topology with opto-coupler based feedback for regulated main output and regulators are used to provide another two outputs. It is realized with switching frequency of 190KHz (internal free run frequency) and can be able to operate up to 210KHz with external synchronization. LTM46xx micro-modules are used as buck regulators to provide required lower output voltages. Current mode pulse width modulation controller IC is used to drive the MOSFET switch. It has following features like inbuilt EMI filter, external inhibit function, external synchronization capability, input under voltage and over voltage protection, primary side over current, output over current and short circuit protection. Converter is designed to operate for wide input range from 18V to 36V with efficiency of more than 75% in full load conditions.
Changes in Water-Soluble Nitrogen and Organic Carbon in the Post-Fire Litter Layer of Dahurian Larch Forests
Authors: Weng Yuetai , Yang Guang , Wang Lixuan , Quan Xiankui , Di Xueying , Yu Hongzhou , Han Dongdong
Published: February 2021

Background and aimBoreal forests account for one third of terrestrial carbon stock. Wildfires are an important perturbation of this carbon pool, affecting in particular the litter layer. After forest fires, the litter layers may possess shifting chemical property and decomposition dynamics due to the changes in post-fire vegetations succession and abiotic factors.MethodsWe measured water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) and water-soluble nitrogen (WSN) in the litter layers of Oi and Oe horizons in boreal forests along a gradient of fire history in northeastern China. ResultsWe found that WSOC and WSN concentrations in the Oi layer were higher than those in the Oe layer. The concentrations were markedly altered by fires and showed different responses to the ecological succession. The time since fire had significant positive correlations with WSOC in Oi and Oe layers. The distance-based redundancy analysis and the structural equation model analysis suggested that factors additional to the time since fire also influenced the litter water-soluble matter (WSM) properties. Biotic factors were more strongly correlated with the litter WSM properties in the Oe layer than in the Oi layer. Although biotic factors contributed less than abiotic factors to the WSM properties, they still play significant roles in litter WSM in burned area. ConclusionsOur results show that manipulating biotic factors can be an important management strategy for litter WSM restoration, which can assist the overall ecological restoration in burned forests faced with the increasing danger of wildfires in the changing global climate.
The Protective A673T mutation of Amyloid precursor protein (APP) in Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Xia Qing , Yang XinYu , Shi JiaBin , Liu ZiJie , Peng YaHui , Wang WenJing , Li BoWen , Zhao Yu , Xiao JiaYing , Huang Lei , Wang DaYong , Gao Xu
Published: February 2021

Alzheimer's Disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by extracellular amyloid beta peptides, and neurofibrillary tangles consisted of intracellular hyperphosphorylated Tau in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex. Most of the mutations in key genes that code for amyloid precursor protein can lead to significant accumulation of these peptides in the brain and cause Alzheimer's Disease. Moreover, Some point mutations in amyloid precursor protein can cause familial Alzheimer's Disease, such as Swedish mutation and A673V mutation. However, recent studies have found that the A673T mutation in amyloid precursor protein gene can protect against Alzheimer's Disease, even it is located next to the Swedish mutation and at the same site as A673V mutation, which are pathogenic. It makes us curious about the protective A673T mutation. Here, we summarize the most recent insights of A673T mutation, focus on their roles in protective mechanisms against Alzheimer's Disease, and discuss their involvement in future treatment.
Tertiary Gleason Pattern 5 is An Independent Risk Factor for Prostate Cancer with GS 7: A Retrospective Study from China.
Authors: Cai Desheng , Wang Zixin , Fan Yu , Cai Lin , Gong Kan
Published: February 2021

Background: Tertiary Gleason pattern 5 (TGP5) was found to be prognostic in prostate cancer (PCa) after radical prostatectomy (RP), but related data from China was rare. Our study was aimed at finding out the effect of TGP5 on PCa with Gleason score (GS) 7 and supplementing data from China in this field.Methods: A total of 229 cases met with inclusion criteria during Jan. 2014 to Dec. 2018 were reviewed. Cases were divided into GS 7 without TGP5 and GS 7 with TGP5. We compared age at diagnosis, preoperative PSA level, prostate volume, PSA density (PSAD), GS variation, clinical T staging, pathological T staging, T staging variation, extra-prostatic extension (EPE), positive surgical margin (PSM) and seminal vesicle invasion (SVI) between the groups. Effects of TGP5 on prognosis of PCa with GS 7 were evaluated using biochemical recurrence (BCR) as the primary end point.Results: TGP5 was related to higher PSM rate (P=0.001) and BCR rate (P=0.009) but not related to higher preoperative PSA level, larger prostate volume, higher PSAD, GS upgrade, poorer clinical/pathological T staging, T upstaging, EPE and SVI (all P>0.05). The median follow-up time was 24 months (interquartile range 17.5-45.5). TGP5 was an independent risk factor to PCa with GS 7 after RP using Kaplan-Meier log-rank test (P=0.018). Both univariable and multivariable cox-regression analysis pointed out that TGP5 increased the incidence of BCR in PCa with GS 7 (P<0.05). Stratified analyses were also done.Conclusion: TGP5 is an independent risk factor predicting of BCR after RP in PCa with GS 7 from China. TGP5 is related to higher PSM rate and BCR incidence. It is time to renew the contemporary Grading Group system with the consideration of TGP.
Identification and Clinical Characteristics Analysis of HNF-1A Mutations p.I27L, p.S487N and p.G574S in Chinese Patients with MODY3
Authors: Long Rong , Yu Chen-Xi , Yang Hui-Jun , Zhou Tai-Cheng , Yang Lei , Zhou Yuan-Yuan , Liang Hua-Su , Yang Ying , Yang Ke
Published: February 2021

Background: Due to the rarity, the type 3 of maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY3) has not been explored comprehensively. The study aimed to describe and analyze the molecular and clinical characteristics of MODY3, which could help physicians understand the subtype of diabetes and increase the diagnosis rates in the future.Methods: Ten unrelated patients with suspected maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) were included in the study based on information on family history and onset age. Sanger sequencing was used to identify cases with mutations in the hepatic nuclear factor 1A gene (HNF-1A). Results: Five patients were identified with MODY3, three cases (60%) with p.I27L mutation, one case (20%) with p.S487N mutation, and one case (20%) with p.G574S mutation. The average onset age was (23.00±3.00) years and the average age of diagnosis was (28.67±9.29) years. Most patients had typical clinical symptoms (polydipsia, polyuria, polyphagia, and weight loss). The main complications included diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA, 3/5,60%), diabetic macroangiopathy (2/5,40%), diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN,3/5,60%), diabetic nephropathy (DN,1/5,20%) and diabetic retinopathy (DR,1/5,20%). Four patients (80%) had fatty liver. The average body mass index (BMI) (26.39±4.67) kg/㎡, triglyceride (TG 2.95±1.43 mmol/L) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C 3.37±0.65 mmol/L) were beyond normal value. The glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c 12.45±4.60 %), fasting plasma glucose (FPG 10.10±3.57 mmol/L) and postprandial plasma glucose (PPG 21.88±2.53 mmol/L) also increased dramatically. In addition, islet function examination revealed impaired secretion and slightly poor reserve function, which was similar to the changes inT2DM. All five patients used insulin, three (60%) also using antidiabetic drugs which did not include sulfonylureas.Conclusions: In brief, five patients were identified with MODY3. The mutation site could influence the onset age, the islet function and the incidence of complications. The age at diagnosis was 4.2 years later than the onset age. The control of diabetes was poor due to the inappropriate treatment. It is vital to make an early diagnosis and provide appropriate treatment for MODY3 patients.
A Protocol for a Systematic Review of the Effectiveness of Interprofessional Education Interventions in Pre-Licensure Health Professions Education
Authors: Azzam Mohammad , Puvirajah Anton
Published: February 2021

Background: A growing body of research demonstrates that interprofessional education (IPE) has the potential to lead to successful interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP). In turn, IPCP has potential to mitigate the negative effects associated with an underfunded and shrinking healthcare workforce and population growth. Nonetheless, over the past decade, there has been a lack of systematic reviews that have examined the effectiveness of IPE in preparing pre-licensure health professions students for IPCP. The purpose of this paper is to provide a protocol for a systematic review that will explore and identify (1) whether IPE interventions in the past decade have addressed the shortcomings of past interventions, (2) the effectiveness of recent IPE in preparing students for IPCP, and (3) current knowledge gaps within the field. Methods: We used the Cochrane Collaboration and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) guidelines to articulate this protocol. Furthermore, we used the Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes, and Study Design (PICOS) framework to formulate our research questions, “What are the major trends and findings of IPE implementation studies conducted over the last decade (2010–2020)?” and “How do the trends and findings of IPE studies conducted over the last decade compare with IPE studies in the decade prior?” Discussion: The systematic review is ongoing. We expect to complete it by September 2021. This systematic review will provide a useful synthesis of best practices in the implementation of IPE between 2010 and 2020 as well as their effectiveness in preparing health professions students for IPCP. Systematic review registration: We submitted this protocol with PROSPERO on January 19th, 2021.
LA reservoir Strain: A Sensitive Parameter for Estimating LV Filling Pressure in Patients with Preserved EF
Authors: Tan Turkan Seda , Akbulut Irem Muge , Demirtola Ayse Irem , Serifler Nazli Turan , Ozyuncu Nil , Esenboga Kerim , Kurklu Haci Ali , Kozluca Volkan , Ongun Aydan , Uludag Demet Menekse Gerede , Tutar Eralp , Dincer Irem
Published: February 2021

Aims: An elevated left ventricular (LV) filling pressure is the main finding in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, which is estimated with an algorithm by the recent ASE/EACVI guideline. In this study, we sought to determine the efficacy of the LA global longitudinal strain to estimate the elevated LV filling pressure. Methods and Results: Consecutive patients who underwent left ventricular catheterization between January 2016 and December 2018 were included. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed within 24hrs before the catheterization. The LV filling pressure was estimated using echo parameters based on the 2016 ASE/EACVI algorithm. Moreover, to evaluate left atrial function, the LA GLS was measured using 2D speckle tracking echocardiography on four chamber-view (GE, Vivid E9 USA). Invasive LV pre-A pressure corresponding to mean left atrial pressure (LAP) was used as a reference, and >12 mm Hg was defined as elevated.71 patients (mean age of 63.2±9.75, 70.4% male) underwent left heart catheterization. Invasive LV filling pressure was defined as elevated in 41 (57.8%) and normal in 30 patients (42.2%). 9(12.7%) patients of 71 were defined as indeterminate based on the 2016 algorithm. Using the ROC method, the accuracy of the algorithm was found as AUC:0.75 with 77% specificity and 70% sensitivity. The accuracy of 25.5 % cut point of LASr was found as AUC:0.79 with 77% specificity and 80% sensitivity for estimating LAP.Conclusions: LASr with higher sensitivity may add an incremental value to estimate LV filling pressure, and hence may be used for HFpEF diagnosis.
HIV-1 Vpr activates host CRL4-DCAF1 E3 ligase to degrade histone deacetylase SIRT7
Authors: Zhou Xiaohong , Monnie Christina , Delucia Maria , Ahn Jinwoo
Published: February 2021

Background: Vpr is a virion-associated protein that is encoded by lentiviruses and serves to counteract intrinsic immunity factors that restrict infection. HIV-1 Vpr mediates proteasome-dependent degradation of several DNA repair/modification proteins. Mechanistically, Vpr directly recruits cellular targets onto DCAF1, a substrate receptor of Cullin 4 RING E3 ubiquitin ligase (CRL4) for poly-ubiquitination. Further, Vpr can mediate poly-ubiquitination of DCAF1-interacting proteins by the CRL4. Because Vpr-mediated degradation of its known targets can not explain the primary cell-cycle arrest phenotype that Vpr expression induces, we surveyed the literature for DNA-repair-associated proteins that interact with the CRL4-DCAF1. One such protein is SIRT7, a deacetylase of histone 3 that belongs to the Sirtuin family and regulates a wide range of cellular processes. We wondered whether Vpr can mediate degradation of SIRT7 via the CRL4-DCAF1.Methods: HEK293T cells were transfected with cocktails of plasmids expressing DCAF1, DDB1, SIRT7 and Vpr. Ectopic and endogeneous levels of SIRT7 were monitered by immunoblotting and protein-protein interactions were assessed by immunoprecipitation. For in vitro reconstitution assays, recombinant CRL4-DCAF1-Vpr complexes and SIRT7 were prepared and poly-ubiqutination of SIRT7 was monitored with immunoblotting. Results: We demonstrate SIRT7 polyubiquitination and degradation upon Vpr expression. Specifically, SIRT7 is shown to interact with the CRL4-DCAF1 complex, and expression of Vpr in HEK293T cells results in SIRT7 degradation, which is partially rescued by CRL inhibitor MNL4924 and proteasome inhibitor MG132. Further, in vitro reconstitution assays show that Vpr induces poly-ubiquitination of SIRT7 by the CRL4-DCAF1. Importantly, we find that Vpr from several different HIV-1 strains, but not HIV-2 strains, mediates SIRT7 poly-ubiquitination in the reconstitution assay and degradation in cells. Finally, we show that SIRT7 degradation by Vpr is independent of the known, distinctive phenotype of Vpr-induced cell cycle arrest at the G2 phase,Conclusions: Targeting histone deacetylase SIRT7 for degradation is a conserved feature of HIV-1 Vpr. Altogether, our findings reveal that HIV-1 Vpr mediates down-regulation of SIRT7 by a mechanism that does not involve novel target recruitment to the CRL4-DCAF1 but instead involves regulation of the E3 ligase activity.
Community Intervention for Child Tuberculosis Active Contact Investigation and Management: study protocol for a parallel cluster randomized controlled trial
Authors: Vasiliu Anca , Eymard-Duvernay Sabrina , Tchounga Boris , Atwine Daniel , de Carvalho Elisabete , Ouedraogo Sayouba , Kakinda Michael , Tchendjou Patrice , Turyahabwe Stavia , Kuate Albert Kuate , Tiendrebeogo Georges , Dodd Peter J , Graham Stephen M , Cohn Jennifer , Casenghi Martina , Bonnet Maryline
Published: February 2021

Background: There are major gaps in the management of pediatric tuberculosis (TB) contact investigation for rapid identification of active tuberculosis and initiation of preventive therapy. This study aims to evaluate the impact of a community-based intervention as compared to facility-based model for the management of children in contact with bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary TB adults in low-resource high-burden settings.Methods/design: This multicenter parallel open label cluster-randomized controlled trial is composed of three phases: I, baseline phase in which retrospective data are collected, quality of data recording in facility registers is checked and expected acceptability and feasibility of the intervention is assessed; II, intervention phase with enrolment of index cases and contact cases in either facility- or community based models; and III, explanatory phase including endpoint data analysis, cost effectiveness analysis and post-intervention acceptability assessment by heath care providers and beneficiaries. The study uses both quantitative and qualitative analysis methods. The community-based intervention includes identification and screening of all household contacts, referral of contact with TB-suggestive symptoms to the facility for investigation, and household initiation of preventive therapy with follow-up of eligible child contacts by community healthcare workers, i.e. all young (<5 years) child contacts or older (5-14 years) child contacts living with HIV, and with no evidence of TB disease. Twenty clusters representing TB diagnostic and treatment facilities with their catchment areas are randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either the community-based intervention arm or the facility-based standard of care arm in Cameroon and Uganda. Randomization was stratified by country and constrained on the number of index cases per cluster. The primary endpoint is the proportion of eligible child contacts who initiate and complete the preventive therapy. The sample size is of 1500 child contacts to identify a 10% difference between the arms with the assumption that 60% of children will complete the preventive therapy in the standard of care arm.Discussion: This study will provide evidence of the impact of a community-based intervention on household child contact screening, and management of TB preventive therapy in order to improve care and prevention of childhood TB in high low resource high-burden settings.
Metatranscriptomic analysis of functional response of colonic microbiota to different dietary fibers in growing pigs
Authors: Xu Jie , Xu Rongying , Jia Menglan , Su Yong , Zhu Weiyun
Published: February 2021

BackgroundDietary fibers are widely considered to be beneficial to health as they produce nutrients through gut microbial fermentation while facilitating weight management and boosting gut health. To date, the gene expression profiles of the carbohydrate active enzymes (CAZymes) that respond to different types of fibers (raw potato starch, RPS; inulin, INU; pectin, PEC) in the gut microbes of pigs are not well understood. Therefore, we investigated the functional response of colonic microbiota to different dietary fibers in pigs through metatranscriptomic analysis.ResultsThe results showed that the microbial composition and CAZyme structure of the three experimental groups changed significantly compared with the control group (CON). Based on a comparative analysis with the control diet, RPS increased the abundance of Parabacteroides, Ruminococcus, Faecalibacterium and Alloprevotella but decreased Sutterella; INU increased the relative abundance of Fusobacterium and Rhodococcus but decreased Bacillus; and PEC increased the relative abundance of the Streptococcus and Bacteroidetes groups but decreased Clostridium, Clostridioides, Intestinibacter, Gemmiger, Muribaculum and Vibrio. The gene expression of CAZymes GH8, GH14, GH24, GH38, GT14, GT31, GT77 and GT91 downregulated but that of GH77, GH97, GT3, GT10 and GT27 upregulated in the RPS diet group; the gene expression of AA4, AA7, GH14, GH15, GH24, GH26, GH27, GH38, GH101, GT26, GT27 and GT38 downregulated in the INU group; and the gene expression of PL4, AA1, GT32, GH18, GH37, GH101 and GH112 downregulated but that of CE14, AA3, AA12, GH5, GH102 and GH103 upregulated in the PEC group. Compared with the RPS and INU groups, the composition of colonic microbiota in the PEC group exhibited more diverse changes with the variation of CAZymes and Streptococcus as the main contributor to CBM61, which greatly promoted the digestion of pectin.ConclusionThe results of this exploratory study provided a comprehensive overview of the effects of different fibers on nutrient digestibility, gut microbiota and CAZymes in pig colon, which will furnish new insights into the impacts of the use of dietary fibers on animal and human health.