bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An investigation into the relationship between dietary intake, symptoms and health- related quality of life in children and young people with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Zare Najmeh , Mansoubi Maedeh , Coe Shelly , Najafi Ali Aminalsharieh , Bailey Kathryn , Harrison Kathryn , Sheehan Joanna , Dawes Helen , Barker Karen
Published: March 2022

Background: The association between diet, symptoms and health related quality of life in children and young people with Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is not clearly understood. The objectives of this systematic review and meta-analysis were to explore the evidence for a relationship of dietary intakes and arthritis symptoms such as pain and inflammation, growth factors including weight and height and health related quality of life in children and young people with JIA.Method: The databases PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science and Cochrane were searched in October 2019, updated in September 2020 and October 2021. Searches were restricted to English language, human and age (2-18 years old). Studies were included if they measured the effect of dietary supplements, vitamins or minerals, or diet in general, on quality of life and/ or arthritis symptom management. Two researchers independently screened titles and abstracts. Full texts were sourced for relevant articles. PRISMA guidelines were used for extracting data. For variables (vitamin D and disease activity), a random-effects meta-analysis model was performed. Two authors using a standardized data extraction form extracted data independently.Results: 11793 papers were identified through database searching, 25 studies met our inclusion criteria with 1614 participants. There was a significant association between Ɯ-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score (p<0.001). EEN which contains protein and Kre-Celazine nutritional supplement composed of a proprietary alkali buffered, creatine monohydrate and fatty acids mixture improved symptoms of JIA. Height and weight values in relation to healthy controls varied across studies (p=0.029).Conclusions : supplements such as Ɯ-3 FAs, Kre-Celazine and EEN may have an impact on JIA symptoms while other supplements including vitamin D were found to not be associated with improvement of JIA symptoms nor a better quality of life. In addition, some studies indicate children with arthritis had a significantly lower weight and height than healthy controls, while in other studies obesity was reported to be increased in children and young people with JIA. PROSPERO [CRD42019145587].
Using the Water Footprint Concept for Water Use Efficiency Labelling of Consumer Products: The Greek Experience
Authors: Nydrioti Ioanna , Grigoropoulou Helen
Published: March 2022

Freshwater is crucial for food supply, as irrigation water and as production or incorporated water in industrial production of consumer goods (e.g. food, cosmetics). Manufacturing industries follow different protocols and receive different certifications for water management and efficiency in their plants, which are also labelled on the packaging. Nowadays consumers appear to be increasingly concerned about environmental challenges therefore, many sustainability labels have been developed (Carbon, Water, Ecological Footprint) to facilitate consumers to make more sustainable choices concerning their purchases. Consumers’ behavior towards Carbon Footprint labels has been thoroughly examined in international literature, however WF labelling studies are very limited. The key to water efficiency labelling in consumer products could be the Water Footprint (WF), as it measures the total volume of freshwater used to produce a product, over the full supply chain, including virtual water, “hidden” in the products, services and processes. The implementation of WF labelling of consumer products in Greece was investigated, using a questionnaire with demographical data and statements on water sustainability. The results indicate that younger consumers are not quite aware of environmental challenges related to water. According to the findings, WF could be an effective marketing driver towards water sustainability since consumers prefer a quantified label concerning water consumption, regardless of their educational level, and they are willing to pay an extra price for water sustainable products even if they have an unstable job. Manufacturers could then promote their sustainable profile and performance effectively by adopting a WF relevant labelling.
Analysis of the Relations between Forestry Financial Supports and Forest Crimes
Authors: Sevinç Volkan
Published: March 2022

Forest crimes are among the serious threats destroying forests. To prevent the forest crimes there are various solutions proposed such as fortification of the laws, increasing the penalties, or increasing the public awareness. This article, however, aims to investigate the relations between the financial supports provided to forest villagers by the state in Turkey and the levels of various forest crime types to see whether the financial supports provided will cause any change in the forest crime levels. The study shows that, when the forest villagers are given financial supports, the levels of illegal logging, illegally expended trees, and illegal pasturage crimes decrease significantly. However, the financial supports do not affect the levels of illegal transfer of the forestry products, illegally expanding the lands into the forests, and illegal occupation of the forest areas crimes.
Effect of bridge wire material in electro-hydraulic forming of AA5754 sheet metal using experimental and finite element analysis
Authors: Ali Ayisha , Ahmed Meraj , Soni Manoj , Kumar Surendra , Gavel Khushwant Singh , Chilla Venkat
Published: March 2022

High velocity forming techniques like electro-hydraulic forming are very advantageous over conventional forming for sheet metal forming application. The problems such as low formability, non-uniform strain distribution etc. in conventional quasi-static process can be tackled by electro-hydraulic forming (EHF). It is high strain rate process and exerts uniform pressure on the workpiece through shockwave/pulse propagating through liquid medium. In the process, energy is delivered to bridge wire connected between electrodes that is place inside cavity of dies. The pressure is generated inside liquid medium by vaporisation of the wire due to current pulse. The material of bridge wire/its diameter plays important role in generation of desired shockwave pressure and archiving better efficiency of the process. Present work investigates the effect of bridge wire material/its diameter on efficiency of the process by comparing formability of sheets by EHF process using wires of Al and Cu having three diameters (19, 21 and 24 gauge). FE simulation of the EHF process is also carried out using alternative process to simulate explosive forming process and the result have been correlated. It is found that the Al wire performs better when formability and strain distribution across samples are analysed as compared to corresponding Cu wires.
Serum glycated albumin as a predictive biomarker for renal involvement of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis
Authors: Park Pil Gyu , Pyo Jung Yoon , Ahn Sung Soo , Song Jason Jungsik , Park Yong-Beom , Lee Sang-Won
Published: March 2022

Background: Glycated albumin (GA) is known to reflect the current inflammatory burden in non-diabetes mellitus (DM) patients. In this study, we investigated whether GA at diagnosis could reflect the cross-sectional activity and predict poor outcomes during follow-up in non-DM patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV).Methods: The medical records of 118 immunosuppressive drug-naïve AAV patients were retrospectively reviewed, and 76 patients who had both GA and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) results but not DM were included in this study. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data at diagnosis were assessed. Results: The median age of AAV patients was 61 years, and 31 patients were male. GA was positively correlated with five-factor score (r = 0.282), Birmingham vasculitis activity score (BVAS) assigned to renal manifestation (r = 0.315), and blood urea nitrogen (r = 0.382), whereas negatively correlated with haemoglobin (r = -0.345). AAV patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) exhibited significantly higher GA than those without ESRD (15.8% vs. 13.6%). When the cut-off of GA at diagnosis for ESRD was set at GA ≥ 14.25%, AAV patients with GA ≥ 14.25% had a significantly higher risk for ESRD development than those without (relative risk 12.040). In addition, AAV patients with GA ≥ 14.25% exhibited significantly lower cumulative ESRD-free survival rates than those without (P = 0.020).Conclusion: In conclusion, GA at diagnosis can reflect the cross-sectional BVAS assigned to renal manifestation of AAV and predict ESRD development during follow-up better than HbA1c or GA/HbA1c in AAV patients.
The Impact of Green Credit Policy on The Firms’ Green Strategy Choices: Green Innovation or Green-Washing?
Authors: he ling , gan shengdao , zhong tingyong
Published: March 2022

Taking the green credit policy in 2012 as a quasi-natural experiment, this paper has investigated the impact of green credit policy on firms’ green strategy choices in China by using the panel data of the A-share firms listed from 2008 to 2019. The results reveal that green credit improves firms’ green innovation overall. In terms of time, listed firms’ green-washing can be significantly increased at the early stage of the implementation of green credit policy, but as time goes by, such green behavior of firms will be detected, which in turn will motivate firms to improve green innovation. Furthermore, the green credit policy has a more significant effect on the green innovation in firms in localities under high environmental regulation, economically developed regions, and without other alternative financing channels. Firms located in economically underdeveloped and low environmental regulation regions prefer to adopt the behavior of green-washing environmental information. Besides, green innovation by firms after the implementation of green credit can promote corporate financial, environmental, and social performance, while green-washing behavior will damage corporate financial, environmental, and social performance. Our findings contribute to the literature on green credit policy, corporate green innovation, environmental disclosure, and also provide some policy implications to improve the quality of green credit policy in the future.
Effects of rye inclusion in dog food on fecal microbiota and short-chain fatty acids
Authors: Palmqvist Hanna , Ringmark Sara , Höglund Katja , Pelve Erik , Lundh Torbjörn , Dicksved Johan
Published: March 2022

BackgroundRye intake has been associated with beneficial effects on health in human interventions, possibly due to soluble dietary fiber in rye. In dogs, few studies have explored the effects on health of dietary fiber in general, and rye fiber in particular. The aim of this study was to investigate how inclusion of rye, compared with wheat, influenced fecal microbiota composition, short chain fatty acids (SCFA) and apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) in dogs. Six male Beagle dogs (mean age 4.6 years, SEM 0.95 years; mean body weight 14.6 kg, SEM 0.32 kg) were fed three experimental diets, each for 21 days, including an adaptation period of six days. The diets were as similar as possible regarding energy and protein, but had different carbohydrate sources (refined wheat (W), whole grain rye (R), or an equal mixture of both (RW)) comprising 50% of total weight on a dry matter (DM) basis. The diets were baked and titanium dioxide was added for ATTD determination. Fecal samples were collected before and in the end of each experimental period. Fecal microbiota was analyzed by sequencing 16S rRNA gene amplicons and fecal SCFA by high-performance liquid chromatography. Crude protein, crude fat, neutral detergent fiber, and gross energy (GE) in food and feces were analyzed and ATTD of each was determined. Univariate and multivariate statistical methods were applied in data evaluation.Results:Microbiota composition, in feces, differed depending on diet (P=0.002), with samples collected after consumption of the R diet differing from baseline. This was primarily because of a shift in proportion of Prevotella, which increased significantly after consumption of the R diet (P<0.001). No significant differences were found for SCFA, but there was a tendency (P<0.06) for higher molar proportions of acetic acid following consumption of the R diet. The ATTD of crude protein, crude fat, neutral detergent fiber, and GE was lower after consumption of the R diet compared with the other diets (P<0.05).Conclusions:Consumption of the R diet, but not RW or W diets, was associated with specific shifts in microbial community composition and function, but also with lower ATTD.
Perception and Attitudes of Private Secondary School Proprietors to the Adoption of Online Classes Amidst Covid-19 Pandemic in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
Authors: Jatto Esther.O , BAKARE O.D
Published: March 2022

Covid-19 and its attendant lockdown adversely affected the traditional face-to-face classroom activities in virtually all parts of the world, Nigeria inclusive. As a way out, online teaching became the vogue in many parts of the world. This study measured the perception and attitudes of private school proprietors to the adoption of online learning amidst Covid-19 in Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State, Nigeria. To elicit information for the study, a purposive sample of 327 listed private secondary schools in Ibadan was used to select 180 of them for this study. A questionnaire was used for data collection and the responses were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).The study revealed that there is a low level of adoption of online learning by private school proprietors in the study(X̄= 2.07) due to inadequate digital literacy skills for online learning and interaction with the students, paucity of ICT infrastructure, and the complexity of the learning environment under it. It was found that the proprietors under study had positive attitude towards online learning (X̄= 3.10). Computer exposure by these proprietors played a statistically significant role in their attitude. It is recommended that training and regular exposure to the benefit of online learning are necessary for proprietors’ and teachers’ appreciation of online learning.
Green Growth and Carbon Neutrality Targets in BRICS: Do ICT-Trade and Bank Credit Matter?
Authors: Bo Li , Yunbao Xu , Chengbo Dai , Chao Tan , Guangde Zhao , Yameen Tahira
Published: March 2022

Although the momentous rise in ICT-trade and financial development in BRICS, but their effect on green growth and carbon neutrality have not been explored. This study, thus, examines the effects of ICT-trade and bank credit on green growth and carbon neutrality in BRICS using CS-ARDL over the period 1996–2019. Empirical results prove that ICT-trade significantly increases green growth and reduces carbon emissions. More bank credit promotes green growth by reducing carbon emissions in long-run. Findings also showed that education boosts green growth and mitigate significantly carbon emissions. We also obtained consistent results from PMG-ARDL. Moreover, the stock market is found to have a negative impact on carbon emissions. The results of the PMG-ARDL method show that R&D increases green growth and reduces carbon emissions. Our outcomes may further strengthen the belief of policymakers in BRICS economies on the promotion of green growth.
Bioremoval of Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii cells and cylindrospermopsin toxin in batch culture by the yeast Aureobasidium pullulans
Authors: Mohamed Zakaria A , Alamri Saad , Hashem Mohamed , Mostafa Yasser
Published: March 2022

This study describes the ability of a yeast strain, Aureobasidium pullulans KKUY0701 isolated from eutrophic lake to eliminate Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii and cylindrospermopsin (CYN) toxin. The anti-cyanobacterial activity of this yeast strain was evaluated by growing with living cells and filtrate of C. raciborskii. CYN bioremoval was assayed using living and heat-inactivated yeast cells. Both Living cells and filtrate of this yeast strain were able to suppress the growth of C. raciborskii, with total cell death occurring at day 2 and day 3, respectively. Living and inactivated yeast cells, but not yeast filtrate, reduced CYN concentrations released into cyanobacterial cultures, indicating that this toxin might be removed from the culture medium via absorption onto yeast surface rather than enzymatic biodegradation. The adsorption experiments also confirmed the elimination of CYN by living and heat-inactivated yeast. Nevertheless, inactivated yeast exhibited higher capacity (K = 3.3) and intensity (n = 1.4) than living yeast (K = 1.9, n = 1) for CYN adsorption. The study suggests that this yeast strain could be employed for bioremediation of Cylindrospermopsis blooms in freshwaters. Additionally, heat-inactivated yeast biomass could be used in slow sand filters for elimination of CYN in drinking water treatment plants.
A Comparative Analysis of PMMA Versus CaP Titanium-Enhanced Implants for Cranioplasty After Decompressive Craniectomy
Authors: Wesp Dominik , Krenzlin Harald , Ottenhausen Malte , Jägersberg Max , Ringel Florian , Keric Naureen
Published: March 2022

Objective
Numerous materials used for cranioplasty (CP) after decompressive craniectomy (DC) have been investigated to meet certain demanded key features, such as stability, surgical applicability, and biocompatibility. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility and safety of biocompatible calcium-phosphate (CaP) titanium-enhanced implants for CP compared to polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) implants.
Methods
The medical records of all patients who underwent CP between January 1st, 2015, and January 1st, 2022, were reviewed. Demographic, clinical, and diagnostic data were collected before and after the CP.
Results
82 consecutive patients with a mean age of 52 years (range 22–72 years) who received either a PMMA (43) or CaP (39) cranial implant after DC were included in our study. Indications for DC were equally distributed in both groups, including middle cerebral artery infarction (35 cases), traumatic brain injury (24 cases), subarachnoid hemorrhage (15 cases), intracerebral hemorrhage (3 cases). Time from DC to CP was similar in both groups 143.8 ± 17.46 days (PMMA) versus 98.46 ± 10.37 days (CaP). The mean follow-up period was 34.9 ± 27.1 months. 13 procedure-related complications occurred in patients with PMMA, 6 in those with CaP implants (p = 0.126). Revision surgery with implant removal was necessary for 9 patients with PMMA implants, one in those with CaP implants. The probability of implant removal was significantly higher in the PMMA implant group (p = 0.039).
Conclusions
In the present study, a titanium-enhanced biocompatible CaP implant proved superior to a PMMA implant in terms of surgical site infection. This supports the idea of the biocompatible implant material with its ability for tissue integration.
Community Pharmacists’ Expanding Roles In Supporting Patients Before And During COVID-19: An Exploratory Qualitative Study
Authors: Isenor Jennifer E. , Cossette Benoît , Murphy Andrea , Breton Mylaine , Mathews Maria , Moritz Lauren , Buote Richard , McCarthy Lisa , Woodill Lisa , Morrison Bobbi , Guénette Line , Marshall Emily Gard
Published: March 2022

Background: Timely access and attachment to a primary healthcare provider is essential for population health outcomes. Patients without a family physician or nurse practitioner (“unattached”) or who cannot access their provider when needed may seek care from a community pharmacist. Community pharmacists are highly accessible in Canada and have a broad scope of practice. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, community pharmacists took on additional roles. However, little is known about how community pharmacists managed the needs of unattached versus attached patients before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.Aim: To explore Nova Scotian community pharmacists’ roles in caring for patients before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and identifying barriers and facilitators to optimizing patient access.Method: Semi-structured interviews with community pharmacists across the province of Nova Scotia (Canada) were conducted. Data were analyzed using framework analysis.Results: Eleven community pharmacists were interviewed. Five key themes were noted: 1) rising pressure on pharmacists to meet unique health needs; 2) what pharmacists have to offer; 3) positioning pharmacists in the system; 4) pharmacist wellbeing; and 5) recommendations for practice post-pandemic.Conclusion: Before and during the pandemic, community pharmacists played a significant and increasing role in providing care to patients, especially unattached patients. With the growing number of unattached patients, it is vital community pharmacists are supported to provide additional services to care for the health needs of patients.
Development of Hybrid Titania/Polybenzoxazine Composite for Enhance Thermo-Mechanical, Flame Retardancy and Dielectric Properties
Authors: asrafali shakilaparveen
Published: March 2022

Polybenzoxazines (Pbzs) are recently developed class of thermosetting polymeric materials possessing low surface free energy with non-fluorine or non-silicon content. In the present study, a new type of Pbz-BN/TiO2 composites were fabricated using benzoxazine monomer [bis(6-phenyl diazenyl-3-phenoxy-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,3-benzoxazinyl) benzonitrile] and inorganic TiO2 fillers by a simple and inexpensive process. Thermal curing method was found to be effective for preparing superhydrophobic surfaces combining low surface energy and surface roughness. The presence of benzonitrile group in the benzoxazine monomer paves way for accelerating the curing of the benzoxazine monomer as shown by the DSC analysis. The as-prepared Pbz/TiO2 surfaces containing 5 wt% of TiO2 generated a superhydrophobic surface exhibiting static water contact angle (SWCA) of 146°. In addition to it, the effect of inorganic fillers on the thermal, mechanical and dielectric properties of the Pbz/TiO2 composites was investigated in detail.
Does glyphosate cause acute toxicity to grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)?
Authors: Impellitteri Federica , Faggio Caterina , Azadikhah Dariush , Varcheh Matin , Yalsuyi Ahmad Mohamadi , Vajargah Mohammad Forouhar
Published: March 2022

Nowadays, glyphosate, and its commercial formulation (Roundup 41% SL, Bayer AG, Leverkusen, Germania), is the most widely used broad-spectrum herbicide in industrial agriculture for weed control. The massive use of this substance also affects aquatic ecosystems and water organisms around the world. The potential toxic effects of glyphosate on aquatic specimens should worry us. Indeed, animals such as grass carp are part of the human food chain, so exposure to glyphosate may cause environmental damage and harm human health. In this study, the effect of acute 96h exposure of the commercial formulation of glyphosate (Roundup) on blood biochemical indices of grass carp (Ctenopharhyngoden idella) was evaluated. Three different concentrations of glyphosate were chosen for exposure to three groups of 21 animals each. The lowest was 50mg.L-1, the intermediate concentration was 100mg.L-1, and the highest concentration was 150mg.L-1. The toxicity of the pollutant was tested using lethal concentrations and determining the LC50 (lethal concentrations for 50% of fish). Histopathological damage to the gills and liver was also evaluated, as well as the survival rate of the fish. Results showed severe gill and liver damage, with necrosis, leukocyte infiltration, hyperplasia and hypertrophy, in the group exposed to the highest concentration of glyphosate (150 mg.L-1). Many biochemical changes were also observed, confirming the toxicity hypothesized at the start of the study.
Screening of Monoamine Oxidase A Inhibitory Peptides from Proteins of Edible Fungi
Authors: Ou Cansheng , Zhou Xianmin , Liu Songbin , LU Huan , Wang Ruijuan , Zeng Qiaohui
Published: March 2022

In this paper, the binding relationship between oligopeptides of edible fungi and monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) was explored by computer simulation. The frequency of high affinity oligopeptides (F value) was calculated, and the MAO-A inhibitory peptide was screened. By simulating the hydrolysis of 27 proteins from 8 common edible fungi in China, the oligopeptides obtained by hydrolysis were docked with MAO-A to screen high affinity oligopeptides (docking fraction ≤ -120) and ultra-high affinity oligopeptides (docking fraction ≤ -160). At the same time, the F value was calculated to predict the inhibitory effect of edible fungi protein on MAO-A. A total of 430 high-affinity oligopeptides and 32 ultra-high-affinity oligopeptides were obtained by molecular docking after 27 proteins were simulated hydrolysis. Among them, the three oligopeptides with the highest docking were PQSTW (-195.952), PTSGW (-187.942) and QCQW (-180.007). In addition, the simulated hydrolyzed edible fungi all contained oligopeptides with strong inhibitory effect on MAO-A. In summary, this paper aims to screen MAO-A inhibitory peptides, provide new possibilities for high-speed screening of MAO-A inhibitory peptides, and provide a theoretical basis for exploring the potential value of edible fungi.
Risk Of Cardiotoxicity With Lapatinib Treatment In Patients With Or Without Previous Cardiotoxicity Induced By Trastuzumab With Cardiac Disorder Who Were Treated With Lapatinib: A Single Institutional Retrospective Study.
Authors: Shimanuki Yumiko , Shimomura Akihiko , Kubota Shuji , Komuro Masato , Kawamura Yukino , Taniyama Tomoko , Terakado Hiroyuki , Shimizu Chikako
Published: March 2022

Background: Cardiotoxicity is a significant adverse event of trastuzumab, which is used in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer patients. Lapatinib (Lap) is a small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor of HER1 and HER2, serving as an anti-HER2 treatment. Lap reportedly causes lesser cardiotoxicity than does trastuzumab. In clinical practice, Lap is often administered to patients with cardiac disorder (CD) induced by trastuzumab. However, there are only a few reports on the safety of Lap administration and subsequent evaluation of CDs in such patients. We evaluated whether there was a difference in cardiac toxicity due to Lap administration based on the presence or absence of previous cardiotoxicity induced by trastuzumab.Methods: Ten patients who received Lap for the treatment of metastatic or recurrent and HER2-positive breast cancer at the National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan, between April 1, 2016 and August 31, 2020, were included in this study. All patients had a history of trastuzumab administration, and two had developed CD after trastuzumab administration. Lap was carefully administered to these two patients after consultation with a cardiologist. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and other clinical information before and after Lap treatment were retrieved from electronic medical records. Results: All patients other than the two with CD after trastuzumab treatment had a baseline LVEF of >55%, and there was no clinically relevant decrease in LVEF after the initiation of Lap. The two patients with CD after trastuzumab treatment exhibited LVEF of 38% and 51% after Lap treatment, respectively.Conclusion: Our data indicate that Lap can be administered without causing further deterioration of cardiac function in patients with CD induced by anti-HER2 monoclonal antibodies. The number of cases must be expanded for further investigation.
Negative Terpinen-4-ol Modulate Potentially Malignant and Malignant Lingual Lesions Induced by 4-Nitroquinoline-1-Oxide in Rat Model
Authors: de Andrade Cleverton Roberto , Neto José Nunes Carneiro , Sorbo Juliana Maria , Filho Carlos Alberto Arcaro , Sabino Thaís Fernanda Moreira , Ribeiro Daniel Araki , Brunetti Iguatemy Lourenço
Published: March 2022

Purpose Our aim was to verify the modulative TP-4-ol capacity in 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide induced oral rat cancer. Methods The stereoisomers of TP-4-ol were used against the human tongue squamous cell line and the negative stereoisomer showed lower IC50. 31 Holtzman rats (120-130 grams) were cancer induced by 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4-NQO/8 weeks/25 ppm) and 32 Holtzman rats (120-130 grams) were used to Healthy and TP-4-ol toxicity experiments. Six groups were used, healthy, 0.1nL/g of TP-4-ol, 8nL/g of TP-4-ol, 4-NQO, 4-NQO+0.1nL/g of TP-4-ol and 4-NQO+8nL/g of TP-4-ol. We performed the toxicity analysis by biochemical and histopathological analysis. The biochemistry analysis includes alkaline phosphatase [ALP], alanine aminotransferase [ALT], aspartate transaminase [AST], Urea and Creatinine and the histopathology analysis includes the liver, kidney, lung, and spleen. Specifically, for malign modulation we performed a macroscopic and microscopic analysis. Results The group exposed to 0.1nL/g of TP-4-ol demonstrated a reduced risk of malignancy in dysplasia considering the criteria of architecture and cytology. Similarly, a drop of percentual rats with SCC diagnosis was observed in 4-NQO+0.1nL/g (41.6%) when compared to 4-NQO (87.5%). Moreover, the 4-NQO group presented a median of 2.62 SCC/rat and the 4-NQO+0.1nL/g demonstrated a median of 0.75 SCC/rat. For toxicity analysis, 4-NQO+0.1nL/g showed focal necrosis in the kidney and 4-NQO showed lung hemorrhagic areas. Conclusion The concentration of 0.1nL/g was more effective in reducing the tongue induction of potentially malignant and malignant lesions by 4-NQO. A kidney toxicity was observed in healthy animals exposed to 0.1nL/g of TP-4-ol.
Automatic Discrimination for Screening of the Eyes in a Deep Learning-Based Ensemble Model Using Optical Coherence Tomography Images
Authors: Hirota Masakazu , Ueno Shinji , Inooka Taiga , Ito Yasuki , Takeyama Hideo , Inoue Yuji , Watanabe Emiko , Mizota Atsushi
Published: March 2022

The average life expectancy has increased globally, and the risk of visual impairment is expected to increase as well. Therefore, eye checkups have become increasingly important to maintain good vision and quality of life. As the population requiring eye checkups increases, so does the clinical work burden of physicians. Hence, an automatic discrimination algorithm to reduce the clinicians' workload is necessary. The convolutional neural network (CNN), a deep learning algorithm, has recently become one of the chief techniques for automated image recognition and is a helpful tool for identifying ocular diseases. However, the accuracy of a single CNN model ranges within 70%–95%, and it may fail to identify some diseases. In this study, we aimed to compare the diagnostic performances of four CNN models trained with optical coherence tomography (OCT) images, the machine-learning (ML) model trained with data on the retinal and choroidal area, and the ensemble model that integrated the CNNs and ML models using OCT images obtained during eye checkups. Our results show that the ensemble model had a superior diagnostic performance over the CNN and ML models. The ML model, which evaluated diseases using data regarding the temporal peripheral retinal area, improved on the CNN model, which misrecognized the temporal peripheral retinal structures. Our study indicates the strong potential of the ensemble model combining the CNN and ML models in accurately predicting abnormalities during eye checkups.
Expression of 5-Hydroxytryptamine 7 Receptor in Intestinal Mucosa Predicts the Degree of Intestinal Inflammation in Crohn's Disease
Authors: Xu Zhangwei , Chen Jason , Mei Qiao , Li Yang , Xu JianMing
Published: March 2022

Background
Crohn's disease (CD), an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), is a complex and heterogeneous disease characterized by nonspecific transmural inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. CD has a variety of potential causes with no effective treatment. Current clinical laboratory indicators from patients do not provide direct indication the status of mucosal inflammation in the intestine. Recently, it has been found that intestinal inflammation is generally associated with increased levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), which acts as an important gastrointestinal signaling molecule in intestinal homeostasis by stimulating specific receptors. Most previous research were carried out in vitro or with animal models, and there was a lack of authentical clinical research. In this study, clinical specimens from patients with Crohn’s disease were used to investigate the expression of 5-hydroxytryptamine 7 receptor (5-HT7R) in the induction and development of chronic non-specific inflammatory bowel disease.
Methods
Patients with CD admitted to the Department of Gastroenterology in the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University between June 2014 and January 2018 were recruited, among which 28 were in active disease and 32 were in remission. In addition, 20 patients who had no obvious abnormality by colonoscopy in the hospital during the same period of time were recruited into the control group. Data of clinical disease activity (CDAI), CD endoscopic score (SES-CD) and magnetic resonance score (MaRIA) were collected from those two groups of patients. The expression and distribution of 5-HT7R were investigated and their correlations with clinical CDAI, MaRIA, and endoscopic SES-CD scores were analyzed.
Results
Our study demonstrated that 5-HT7R is expressed in intestinal neurons and CD11C-positive cells in human colon. In CD11c/CD86 double-positive cells in the bowel, 5-HT7R expression was significantly increased in the inflammatory area in the bowel of CD patients, and it was closely related to disease severity, MaRIA, and SES-CD scores.
Conclusions
The expression of 5-HT7R was significantly correlated with the degree of gut inflammation in CD patients and could be a potential biomarker for disease activity and the therapeutic efficacy in patients with Crohn’s Disease.
Predicting the Level of Anemia among Ethiopian Pregnant Women using Homogeneous Ensemble Machine Learning Algorithm
Authors: Dejene Belayneh E , Abuhay Tesfamariam M , Bogale Dawit S
Published: March 2022

Background: More than 115,000 maternal deaths and 591,000 prenatal deaths occurred in the world per year because of anemia, the reduction of red blood cells or hemoglobin in the blood. The world health organization divides anemia in pregnancy into mild anemia (Hb 10- 10.9g/dl), moderate anemia (Hb 7.0-9.9g/dl), and severe anemia (Hb < 7g/dl). This study aims to identify risk factors and predict the level of anemia among pregnant women in the case of Ethiopia using homogeneous ensemble machine learning algorithms.Methods: This study was conducted following a design science research approach. The data were gathered from the Ethiopian demographic health survey and preprocessed to get quality data that are suitable for the machine learning algorithm. Decision tree, random forest, cat boost, and extreme gradient boosting with class decomposition (one versus one and one versus rest) and without class decomposition were employed to build the predictive model. For constructing the proposed model, twelve experiments were conducted using a total of 29104 instances with 23 features, and a training and testing dataset split ratio of 80/20. Results: The overall accuracy of random forest, extreme gradient boosting, and cat boost without class decompositions is 91.34%, 94.26%, and 97.08.90%, respectively. The overall accuracy of random forest, extreme gradient boosting, and cat boost with one versus one is 94.4%, 95.21%, and 97.44%, respectively. The overall accuracy of random forest, extreme gradient boosting, and cat boost with one versus the rest are 94.4%, 94.54%, and 97.6%, respectively. Conclusion: A predictive model that was developed with cat boost algorithms with one versus the rest was selected to identify risk factors, generate rules, and develop a deployed artifact because it has registered better performance with 97.6% accuracy. The most determinant risk factors of anemia among pregnant women were identified using feature importance. Some of them are the duration of the current pregnancy, age, source of drinking water, respondent’s (pregnant women) occupation, number of household members, wealth index, husband/partner's education level, birth history.
A standardized method to study immune responses using porcine whole blood
Authors: Mattoo Sameer , Aganja Ram Prasad , Kim Seung-Chai , Jeong Chang-Gi , Nazki Salik , Kim Won-Il , Lee Sang-Myeong
Published: March 2022

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are commonly used to assess in vitro immune responses. However, PBMC isolation is a time-consuming procedure, introduces technical variability, and requires a relatively large volume of blood. By contrast, whole blood assay (WBA) is faster, cheaper, maintains more physiological conditions, and requires less sample volume, laboratory training, and equipment. Herein, this study aimed to develop a porcine WBA for in vitro evaluation of immune responses. Heparinized whole blood (WB) was diluted (non-diluted, 1/2, 1/8, and 1/16) in RPMI-1640 media, followed by phorbol myristate acetate and ionomycin (PMA/ION) stimulation in humidified air at 37°C and 5% CO2. After 24 h, cells were stained for IFN-γ secreting T-cells followed by flow cytometry, and the supernatant was analyzed for TNF-α. In addition, diluted WB was stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly I:C), field isolate (FI), reference strain KCTC3557 (RS) of heat-killed (HK) Streptococcus suis, and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). Cell surface immune-fluorescent staining showed consistent results at all dilutions following stimulation of WB by PMA/ION, while in non-diluted WB, intracellular cytokine staining was obstinate. The frequency of cytotoxic T-cells (CTLs) and concentration of TNF-α in the supernatant of WB increased with increasing dilution factor and were optimal at 1/8. WB TNF-α and IL-10 cytokine levels increased significantly following stimulation with LPS or poly I: C. Further, FI and RS induced IL-10 production in WB. Additionally, PRRSV strains increased the frequency of CTLs, and IFN-γ was non-significantly induced in the supernatant of re-stimulated samples. We propose that the WBA is a rapid, reliable, and simple method to evaluate immune responses and WB should be diluted to trigger immune cells.
Biomarker sST2 in Adults with Transposition of the Great Arteries Palliated by Mustard Procedure: A Five-Year Follow-up
Authors: Ferguson Haley N. , Martinez Hugo R. , Pride P. Melanie , Swan Elizabeth A. , Hurwitz Roger A. , Payne R. Mark
Published: March 2022

The Mustard procedure was an early cardiac surgery for transposition of the great arteries (TGA). Although successful, it has been associated with long-term arrhythmias and heart failure. A key factor complicating management in adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) is the deficiency of biomarkers predicting outcome. Soluble suppression of tumorogenicity-2 (sST2) is secreted by cardiomyocytes in response to mechanical strain and fibrosis. We hypothesized that adults with a Mustard procedure would have higher levels of sST2 than healthy individuals, and this would correlate with clinical outcome. We performed a single-center study in patients managed during childhood with a Mustard procedure versus age-matched controls. Clinical and demographic data were collected and biomarkers (sST2, cTnI, BNP, lipid panel, insulin, and glucose) were obtained. There were 18 patients (12 male) in the Mustard cohort and 18 patients (6 male) in the control group (22-49 years, mean of 35.8 vs. mean 32.6 years, respectively, p= ns). Nine Mustard subjects were NYHA class-II, and 9 subjects were class-III. The control group was asymptomatic. sST2 in the Mustard group was elevated in 56% vs. 17% in controls (p = 0.035). Of the Mustard subjects with elevated sST2, 60% had elevated cTnI and BNP, and 90% had low HDL. Over five years, the Mustard patients with elevated sST2 values had greater medication use, arrhythmias, hospitalizations, and ablation/pacer implantations than Mustard subjects with normal sST2. Mustard subjects with elevated sST2 had other biomarker abnormalities and clinically worse outcomes. Thus, sST2 may add a predictive value to cardiac-related morbidity and mortality.
Study on hydroforming of 6061 Aluminum Alloy Sheet based on upper sheet
Authors: Liu Xiao Jing , Zhang Zhi He , Feng Xue , Li Chao , Zhou Ying Ying
Published: March 2022

Forming large-size thin-walled hemispherical parts by hydroforming is often accompanied by serious wall thickness thinning, instability and rupture of the suspending area. In order to solve the appeal problems, this paper adopts the combination of finite element numerical simulation analysis and experimental verification, and takes the 6061-T6 aluminum alloy thin-walled hemispherical part as the research object to carry out the formability analysis of double-layer sheet hydroforming. In order to improve the accuracy of numerical simulation, uniaxial tensile tests of AA6061-T6 tensile specimens were carried out, and a BP neural network prediction model that can truly reflect the plastic deformation characteristics of materials was established. In this paper, the wall thickness and the contact status between punch and sheet are used as the evaluation indexes to simulate and analyze the hydroforming of the double-layer sheets, and the process flow of the single-sheet and the double-layer sheet hydroforming was compared and analyzed. The forming law of sheet metal under different friction coefficient between sheets and different upper sheet thickness was explored. Finally, the optimal process conditions were used for forming experiments, and the results were basically consistent with the simulation results.
Arrhenius Equation Construction And Nitrate Source Identification Of Denitrification At The Lake Taihu Sediment−Water Interface With 15N Isotope
Authors: Ma Qiuxia , Pang Min , Pang Yong , Zhang Lu , Huang Zhilin
Published: March 2022

Total nitrogen in Taihu Lake, China has gradually decreased since 2015 while the total phosphorus concentration has exhibited an increasing trend, indicating an asynchronous change. The dominant nitrogen removal process in freshwater ecosystems is denitrification which primarily occurs at the sediment–water interface. In this study, 15N isotope incubation experiments were attempted to analyze the effect of water temperature on denitrification, to construct the regional denitrification Arrhenius equations considering water temperature, and to identify the nitrate source of denitrification in Lake Taihu sediments. The results indicated that the potential N2 production rates and denitrification rates generally decreased in the west to east direction, which was significantly positively correlated with the nitrate concentration of overlying water by Pearson correlation coefficient analysis (P<0.05). In addition, when the water temperature was lower than 30°C, the rates of the potential N2 production and denitrification were higher with an increase in water temperature, but when the water temperature was overhigh, denitrification was inhibited. The ratio of the total denitrification rate of nitrate from the water column in the sediment to the total denitrification rate during the incubation experiment was above 0.5 at each sampling site. This indicated that the denitrification in the Lake Taihu sediment primarily occurred at the expense of nitrate from the water column. Research on denitrification has important implications for improving the water quality of Lake Taihu, and the findings of the study act as a reference for the water environment treatment of other shallow eutrophic lakes in China and globally.
Retinal Sublayer Thickness Analysis of The Macula of Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Carriers of G11778A Mutations with Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy
Authors: Cheng Yufang , Miao Qingmei , Zheng Hongmei , He Lu , Yuan Jiajia , Chen Changzheng
Published: March 2022

Background
Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is a maternally inherited mitochondrial genetic disease, caused mainly by G11778A mutations. Analysis of retinal sublayer structure by spectral domain optical coherence tomography(SD-OCT) is of great significance for elucidating the pathogenesis of LHON.
Purpose
To analyze the thicknesses of the outer plexiform layer (OPL), outer nuclear layer (ONL), photoreceptor inner and outer segment (IS/OS), and macula thickness (MT) in symptomatic and asymptomatic carriers of G11778A mutants with LHON using SD-OCT.
Methods
In this cross-sectional study, a total of 70 symptomatic carriers with the G11778A mutation were enrolled in Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University. Family members of symptomatic carriers were recruited as asymptomatic carriers for a final total of 36 participants. We also recruited 29 age- and sex-matched normal subjects.
Results
MT of symptomatic carriers was thinner than for asymptomatic carriers, while asymptomatic carriers were thinner than normal subjects. In carriers of the G11778A mutation, OPL thickness was increased, and ONL thickness was decreased compared to normal cases. Correlation analysis showed that MT was significantly correlated with peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) and disease duration, while ONL thickness in parafoveal nasal areas thinned as the disease progressed. The three groups showed no significant differences in IS/OS thicknesses.
Conclusions
The thicknesses of OPL, ONL and MT differed between normal subjects and symptomatic and asymptomatic carriers of G11778A mutations with LHON. MT and ONL thinning, in addition to OPL thickening, were observed in symptomatic and asymptomatic carriers, a finding which should be further validated and explored in basic science research. Additional longitudinal studies are needed to determine the usefulness of these findings to the diagnosis and monitoring of LHON.
The Role of Single-cell RNA Sequencing in Cardiac Tumour - A Case Report
Authors: Qi Xian-Jie , Wei Ting , Zhang Xu , Abba Isah Amir , Zhang Sheng-Qiang , Meng Jin-jin , Shi Chao , Jiang Yi-Yao
Published: March 2022

Background: Benign cardiac tumour is a common disease and is often completely removed by surgery. However, the characteristics of these tumours have not been studied deeply. In this study, we used single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to analyse cell composition and growth patterns in a giant cardiac tumour.Case presentation: A 65-year-old woman presented to our hospital with 5 days of chest tightness, dyspnoea, and lower abdominal distension. Echocardiography revealed a mass in the right atrium. An emergency operation was carried out to prevent tumour shedding. At 4 days after successful tumour resection, the patient was discharged without any complications. At the ten-month follow-up, she had recovered well, with good quality of life. scRNA-seq was applied to analyse the nature of the tumour. The cellular components of benign tumours include chondrocytes, smooth muscle cells, fibroblasts, mesenchymal stromal cells, and osteoblasts. Additionally, the cyclic guanosine monophosphate-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP-PKG) signalling pathway, transcriptional misregulation in cancer, and the p53 signalling pathway may be related to the growth of this tumour.Conclusion: scRNA-seq is a good approach to analyse growth patterns and search for therapeutic targets. scRNA-seq results are helpful for reducing tumour recurrence and also benefit patient quality of life.