bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Self-efficacy, Socio-Demographic Factors, and Social Support in Women after Pregnancy Loss: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Iwanowicz-Palus Grażyna , Mróz Mariola , Bień Agnieszka
Published: December 2021

Background Pregnancy loss is a difficult situation that can affect a woman’s physical and psychological health, and thus requires appropriate management and support. An individual’s sense of self-efficacy is an important factor in the process of coping with a problem. Therefore, an analysis of self-efficacy in women after spontaneous pregnancy loss is warranted, so as to establish its association with social support, socio-demographic variables, quality of care, and specific behaviors of the medical staff.Methods The cross-sectional study was performed in a group of 610 patients hospitalized due to spontaneous pregnancy loss in hospitals in Lublin (Poland). The study used a diagnostic survey with questionnaires - Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), the Berlin Social Support Scales (BSSS), and a standardized interview questionnaire.Results Patients after pregnancy loss rated support from their partner the highest (M = 9.25), while the best-rated category of social support was perceived as available instrumental support (M = 3.78). In relation to medical personnel, the quality of care provided by midwives was rated the highest (M = 4.57). The mean self-efficacy score among the respondents was 30.29. The study demonstrated a statistically significant (p < 0.05) association between the selected socio-demographic factors and the specific types and sources of support on the one hand, and generalized self-efficacy on the other, in the patients after pregnancy loss who were studied. Conclusions Socio-demographic factors that affected self-efficacy in the respondents included their relationship status and socio-economic standing. Self-efficacy is positively correlated with social support in women after pregnancy loss.
Happiness as a Measure of Mental Health – Validation of the Portuguese Version of the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire
Authors: Figueiredo-Braga Margarida , Pinto Filipe , Ribeiro José Luís Pais
Published: December 2021

Background: Happiness is a complex concept that has been associated with mental health. Measures of happiness incorporate affective states predisposition and personality traits. Following the link established between subjective wellbeing and positive emotions and mental health, the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ) may be considered a broad measure of personal happiness. We aimed to validate OHQ in the Portuguese speaking population. METHODS: A sample of 421 young adults fulfilled the 29 and 8-item items of OHQ Portuguese version. Participants also completed the Perceived Stress Scale, Subjective Happiness Scale and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. A principal component analysis with Varimax rotation, Kaiser rule, complemented by a scree plot graphical representation, was performed. RESULTS: Seven components of the OHQ explained 58.22% of the total variance, and a correlation of 0.90 between the long 29 items version and the 8 items short version. Both versions related inversely with negative feelings (depression, anxiety, and stress), and directly with subjective happiness. CONCLUSION: The OHQ performs as a happiness assessment tool suitable for patients and healthy populations. The application of this questionnaire may furthermore contribute to clarify the concept of happiness and test the real usefulness of these tools in the clinical setting.
Intramedullary Spinal Cord Metastases from Small Cell Lung Cancer: Report of One Case and Review of the Literature
Authors: Lu Huanbing , Liu Jinfeng , Sun Chenglong , Wang Zhanggu
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Spinal cord intramedullary metastasis (ISCM) is a rare malignant tumor of the nervous system. Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) accounts for about 15% of lung cancer, and the incidence of brain metastasis is high, but intramedullary spinal cord metastasis is rare. In recent years, the first-line treatment of patients with ISCM from SCLC has been controversial. For these patients with ISCM, the options are usually depending on the progression of the disease.However,the outcom of treatments are not satisfacted.Thus,We try to indentify the use of immunotherapy in ISCM from SCLC.
Methods

In our review, we focused on clinical trials of immunotherapy, especially in relation to ISCM in SCLC.
Results

A patient was diagnosed as ISCM from SCLC. Radiotherapy for ISCM was started on January 11, 2021 Apatinib was taken orally after radiotherapy. The overall survival was almost 8 months, and there was only 1 month after ISCM was diagnosed.
Conclusion

Finding practical treatment options for SCLC is an important goal. Previous trials have shown that immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors may be an effective approach for long-term disease control and a new breakthrough in the treatment of ISCM form SCLC.
An Immune-related Gene Signature of Predicting Lymph Node Metastasis and Responses to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Treatment in Gastric Cancer Patients
Authors: Wang Ke-wei , Wang Mei-dan , Wang Hua , Huang Jian-feng , Wu Xiao-long , Yuan Qin-fang , Li Ling-jun
Published: December 2021

BackgroundImmune-related genes have been used as prognostic markers in multiple types of tumors. We aimed to develop an immune-related gene signature for predicting individual lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer (GC) patients, characterize the molecular and immune profiles of different risk patients and assess the potential value of this signature identifying patients with response to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment.MethodsA total of 1338 GC patients from a training dataset, three external silico validation datasets and an external clinical dataset were included in this study. The microarray analysis was used to detect differentially expressed immune-related genes (DEIGs) between lymph node metastatic and non-lymph node metastatic gastric cancer tissues. Subsequently, we built a lymph node metastasis gene signature for gastric cancer (LGSGC), and then classified patients into low-risk and high-risk groups according to the LGSGC. Moreover, we implemented association analysis for this signature and the prognosis, molecular characteristics, immune profiles and the response of ICI treatment in different risk GC patients. Resultshe receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis (an area under curve [AUC] values of 0.85) showed that the LGSGC could distinguish lymph node metastatic patients from non-lymph node metastatic patients in the training dataset. Additionally, compared to low-risk group, high-risk group exhibited worse overall survival (hazard ratio [HR]=2.42) in the training dataset. Robust diagnostic and prognostic clinical ability of the LGSGC were successfully validated in four validation datasets. Next, the high-risk patients were characterized by active cancer and immune response-related pathways, high TP53, CSMD3 and FAT4 mutation rate, high infiltration of Neutrophils, M1 Macrophages, M0 Macrophages, M2 Macrophages, T cells gamma delta and T cells follicular helper, more abundant check point, more aggressive inflammation and Type I IFN response, and more benefit from ICI. On the contrary, low-risk patients were characterized by active cancer and tumor metabolism-related pathways, low TP53 mutation rate, high infiltration of Mast cells resting, NK cells resting, Plasma cells and T cells CD4 memory resting, and less benefit from ICI therapy. Of note, we also validated the LGSGC, which identified patients having response to ICI treatment with an AUC value of 0.71 in an advanced GC dataset and an AUC value of 0.64 in an IMvigor210 dataset. ConclusionsThe LGSGC is a reliable indicator to distinguish LNM in GC and could discriminate the prognosis, molecular characteristics, immune profiles and the response of ICI treatment in different risk groups. This signature may provide a reference for treatment decisions for different risk GC patients.
A Comparative Study On The Effect Of Telephone And SMS Follow-Up of An Empowerment Program On Quality of Life And Fatigue In Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Three-Month RCT-Follow-Up Study
Authors: Dehkordi Parisa Fathizadeh , Haidari Haydeh , Masoudi Reza , Sedhi Morteza , Khajeali Fereydoon
Published: December 2021

Background: Due to their debilitating and progressive conditions, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) can reduce patients' quality of life (QOL) and cause fatigue. This study aimed to compare the effect of telephone and SMS follow-up of an empowerment program on QOL and fatigue in patients with COPD.Methods: This non blind randomized clinical trial (RCT) study was conducted on 105 patients with COPD in 2016-2017 in Shahrekord city. First, the pulmonary empowerment program was implemented for six 90-min sessions. Then, the patients were randomly assigned to three control, telephone follow-up, and SMS follow-up groups (35 individuals in each group) using a random number table. Data were collected in the first and the sixth sessions of the empowerment program and at the end of the follow-up period by demographic, QOL, and fatigue questionnaires. Eventually, they were analyzed through correlation coefficient and analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests using SPSS software (Ver. 20).Results: The study results on QOL showed that the groups were not significantly different before and after the empowerment (p > 0.05). However, they were statistically significant differences were observed between the groups at the end of the quarterly follow-up period (p < 0.001). ANOVA results for fatigue indicated no statistically significant differences between the groups before and after the empowerment (p > 0.05). The three groups were not significantly different after the intervention (p = 0.05).Conclusion: Based on the results, it is recommended to utilize follow-up as an important principle in empowerment using various technology methods and design more comprehensive empowerment to reduce patient fatigue.Trial registration: Iran National Committee for Ethics in Biomedical Research (IR.SKUMS.REC.1398.104) and the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT20170122032101N4) (6/4/2020).
Immobility due to COVID-19 confinement, use of contraceptives and presence of the G20210A mutation. Validity of the Virchow triad for the presentation of Deep Venous Thrombosis and Pulmonary Thromboembolism.
Authors: Casique-Bocanegra Luz , Rodríguez-Garrote Aranzazu , Danabayeva Gaisha , Alonso-Díaz Javier , Diez-Martín Noelia , Gonzalez-Tejedor Laura , Lumbrera-Moreno Eva , Fernández-Cuadros Marcos Edgar
Published: December 2021

Venous thromboembolic disease is a complex and multifactorial pathology, the result of the interaction of both genetic and environmental factors. The Virchow triad, first described in 1859, is still valid to explain the pathogenesis of thrombosis, where three main factors are reflected: a) hypercoagulable state; b) impaired blood flow; c) endothelial injury. The outbreak of a new COVID-19 pandemic has led to drastic confinement measures, with the consequent syndrome of immobility, as occurred in Spain between the months of March to June 2020. Pregnancy and hormonal contraception have proven to be an environmental factor predisposing to venous thrombosis. The presence of genetic factors, such as the mutation of the prothrombin gene G20210A, has been shown to be a risk factor for the presentation of venous thrombosis. We present the case of a 23-year-old non-smoking woman, a heterozygous carrier of a prothrombin gene mutation G20210A (hypercoagulability), who after confinement due to COVID-19 (impaired blood flow due to immobility) and use of hormonal patch contraceptives (endothelial abnormality), triggered deep vein thrombosis (DVT) / pulmonary thromboembolism (PE) that required hospital admission; and who, after rapid withdrawal of anticoagulant treatment, presented a second and a third episode of DVT. We highlight the usefulness of evaluating risk factors in G20210A heterozygous patients and the proper management of anticoagulation to avoid recurrences in patients susceptible to DVT / PE.
Long-distance Localization of 4Cr13 Stainless Ball-pocket in Radiative Region
Authors: huayan he , guangyuan wang
Published: December 2021

Radiation caused by high-energy particles would speed up the damage of accelerator equipment. The high residual radiation from equipment affects staff health as well. Intelligent robots receive various limits to replace human in completing complex and time-consuming maintenance in radiative region because of high sensitivity to radiation. The 4Cr13 stainless ball-pocket was designed in the study of localization in long distance with the advantages of the conical fit technology. Moreover, the 4Cr13 stainless ball-pocket and bearing ball combine and form a locating structure, which has good performance on automatic aligning, self-locking and rapid dismantling. The comprehensive mechanical properties of 4Cr13 stainless ball-pocket were studied and optimized based on three heat treatment methods of martensite steel containing chromium alloy. The study of machining conditions states that compared with the design accuracy of localization, the machining error retains definite allowance. The 4Cr13 stainless ball-pocket successfully exhibits sufficient supporting strength, wearing reducing and radiation resistance. This study shows that 4Cr13 stainless ball-pocket has better fitting precision than 0.2 mm in practice. This study could offer a reliable strategy and measure for long-distance localization in other dangerous regions.
Optimization of FFF Processing Parameters to Improve Geometrical Accuracy and Mechanical Behavior of Polyamide 6 Using Grey Relational Analysis (GRA)
Authors: Shakeria Zohreh , Benfriha Khaled , Zirak Nader , Shirinbayan Mohammadali
Published: December 2021

One of the most widely used additive manufacturing (AM) methods is Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), which can produce complex geometry parts. In this process, a continuous filament of thermoplastic material is deposited layer by layer to make the final piece. One of the essential goals in the production of parts with this method is to produce parts with high mechanical properties and excellent geometrical accuracy at the same time. Among the various methods used to improve the desired properties of produced parts is to determine the optimum process parameters in this process. This paper investigates the effect of different process parameters on four essential parameters: chamber temperature, Printing temperature, layer thickness, and print speed on cylindricity, circularity, strength, Young’s modulus, and deformation by Gray Relational Analysis method simultaneously. Taguchi method was used to design the experiments, and the PA6 cylindrical parts were fabricated using a German RepRap X500® 3D printer. Then the GRG values were calculated for all experiments. In the 8th trial, the highest value of GRG was observed. Then, to discover the optimal parameters, the GRG data were analyzed using ANOVA and S/N analysis, and it was determined that the best conditions for enhancing GRG are 60 °C in the chamber temperature, 270 °C in the printing temperature, 0.1 mm layer thickness, and 600 mm/min print speed. Finally, by using optimal parameters, a verification test was performed, and new components were investigated. Finally, by comparing the initial GRG with the GRG of the experiment, it was discovered that the GRG value had improved by 14%.
Performance of Combined Recommendation Modeling Fused With Tagawareness In Mixed Traffic Scenarios
Authors: Li Xiangyuan , Ding Fei , Ren Suju , Bao Jianmin , Su Ruoyu , Tong En
Published: December 2021

Due to the heterogeneous characteristics of vehicles and user terminals, information in mixed traffic scenarios can be interacted based on the Web protocol of different terminals. The recommendation system can dig users' travel preferences by analyzing historical travel information of different traffic participants, to publish accurate travel information and services for the terminals of traffic participants. The diversification of existing road network users and networking modes, as well as the dynamic changes of user interest distribution caused by high-speed movement of vehicles, traditional collaborative filtering algorithms have limitations in terms of effectiveness. This paper proposes a novel Hybrid Tag-aware Recommender Model (HTRM). The model embedding layer first employs the Word2vec model to represent the tags and ratings of projects and users, respectively. The feature layer then introduces the auto-encoder to extract self-similar features of the item, and a long short-term memory (LSTM) network is used to extract user behavior characteristics to provide higher-quality recommendations. The gating layer combines the features of users and projects and then makes score recommendations based on the Fully Connected Neural Network (FCNN). Finally, Web data sets of different service preferences of traffic participants during the trip are used to evaluate the model recommendation performance in different scenarios. The experimental results show that the HTRM model is reasonable in design and can achieve high recommendation accuracy.
Correlation Analysis of Cognitive Impairment And Malnutrition In Elderly Patients With Chronic Heart Failure
Authors: Liang Hong , Li Xiaoping , Lv Wei , Zhang Kexin , Leng Jiyan
Published: December 2021

Aims: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation between cognitive impairment (CI) and malnutrition in elderly patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and to determine the relationship between different nutritional indexes and cognitive impairment in patients with chronic heart failure.Methods and results: We examined the correlation between CI and nutritional indicators in elderly hospitalized patients with CHF. The nutritional status of patients was evaluated by Mini Nutritional Assessment（MNA), anthropometric assessment indicators, human component analysis indicators and laboratory tests indicators. Use of the Min-mental state examinatsion (MMSE) to evaluate cognitive function. The study included 184 heart failure patients aged 60 or older. According to the international common cognitive function assessment scale, the patients were divided into CI group and not CI group. In terms of nutrition, compared with those without CI, patients with CI had lower MNA score, Body mass index (BMI), arm circumference, calf circumference, fat free mass, upper arm muscle circumference, lymphocytes absolute value, hemoglobin, hematocrit, albumin, prealbumin, and cholesterol (P < 0.001). Among them, albumin (odds ratio [OR]=0.767, P < 0.05), arm circumference (odds ratio [OR]=0.614; P < 0.05), MNA score (odds ratio [OR]=0.675; P < 0.001) was significantly correlated with CI in elderly patients with CHF, and We found that the AUC was the largest when the three indexes were combined to draw the ROC curve (AUC: 0.935).Conclusions: Our findings emphasize that malnutrition is common in the elderly population, and that it is strongly associated with cognitive decline. Identifying and treating malnutrition is essential for all older people.
Factors Affecting Timely Breast Cancer Treatment Among Black Women in a High-risk Urban Community: a Qualitative Study
Authors: Rose Johnie , Oliver Yvonne , Sage Paulette , Dong Weichuan , Koroukian Siran M. , Gonzalez Sarah Koopman
Published: December 2021

Background: Black women diagnosed with breast cancer in the U.S. tend to experience significantly longer waits to begin treatment than do their white counterparts, and such treatment delay has been associated with poorer survival. We sought to identify the factors driving or mitigating treatment delay among Black women in an urban community where treatment delay is common.Methods: Applying the SaTScan method to data from Ohio’s state cancer registry, we identified the community within Cuyahoga County, Ohio (home to Cleveland) with the highest degree of breast cancer treatment delay from 2010 through 2015. We then recruited breast cancer survivors living in the target community, their family caregivers, and professionals serving breast cancer patients in this community. Participants completed semi-structured interviews focused on identifying barriers to and facilitators of timely breast cancer treatment initiation after diagnosis.Results: Factors reported to impact timely treatment fell into three primary themes: informational, intrapersonal, and logistical. Informational barriers included erroneous beliefs and lack of information about processes of care; intrapersonal barriers centered on mistrust, fear, and denial; while logistical barriers involved transportation and financial access, as well as patients’ own caregiving obligations. An informational facilitator was the provision of objective and understandable disease information, and a common intrapersonal facilitator was faith. Logistical facilitators included financial counseling and mechanisms to assist with Medicaid enrollment. Crosscutting these themes, and mentioned frequently, was the centrality of both patient navigators and support networks (formal and, especially, informal) as critical lifelines for overcoming barriers and leveraging facilitating factors.Conclusions: The present study describes the numerous hurdles to timely breast cancer treatment faced by Black women in a high-risk urban community. These hurdles, as well as corresponding facilitators, can be classified as informational, intrapersonal, and logistical. Observing similar results on a larger scale could inform the design of interventions and policies to reduce race-based disparities in processes of cancer care.
Spring Waters as an Indicator for Non-Point-Source Nitrate Pollution of Rural Watercourses – Findings from Two Decades of Spring Monitoring in the Low Mountain Landscape of Saarland
Authors: Weber Gero , Kubiniok Jochen
Published: December 2021

Background:Interflow-dominated spring waters provide a comprehensive picture of emissions with nitrate and other pollutants caused by the type and intensity of land use in the topographic catchment area. One aim of this study was to develop a model for predicting the share of nitrate pollution from non-point sources based on the type of agricultural use in the catchment areas of small and medium-sized watercourses. Methods:Fifty-five springs in Saarland and the adjacent Rhineland-Palatinate were monitored for pollutants during three monitoring periods of at least twelve months duration between 2000 and 2019. The catchment areas are representative of the natural regions in the study area and are outside the influence of settlements and other developments. In addition to nitrate and other physicochemical parameters, 25 agriculturally impacted springs were screened for pesticides and their metabolites.Results:Since the first measurements were taken in 2000, the vast majority of agriculturally impacted springs have consistently exhibited high nitrate concentrations of between 20 and 40 mg/L NO3-. Springs not influenced by agriculture contain an average of 3.6 mg/L of nitrate. The extreme values observed in the early 2000s decreased to the limit value of 50 mg/L, but most of the springs with moderate levels exhibited an increase to approximately 30 mg/L. The number of pesticidal agents detected in the spring waters demonstrates a clear correlation with the intensity of agricultural usage and the nitrate content detected. A regression model derived from the highly significant correlation between nitrate content and the share of cropland in the catchment area can be used to quantify the share of nitrate pollution attributable to non-point-source inputs for larger catchments in the region under investigation.Conclusion:Nitrate discharged from farmland has not decreased since the EC WFD entered into force. At the extremely heavily polluted sites of the past, measures have been implemented in the meantime that have led to compliance with the limit value of the Nitrate Directive. As below this limit, nitrate levels are increasing significantly, we suggest to incorporate the marine ecology target as a binding mark for official water pollution control in the future.
How Inhaler Technique is Assessed in Children and Young People: A Scoping Review Protocol
Authors: Ferris Kathryn Claire Anne , McCrossan Paddy , Shields Michael D , Paton James , O’Donoghue Dara
Published: December 2021

BackgroundAsthma is the most common chronic childhood condition. Unfortunately, many children have poorly controlled asthma. Current guidelines strongly recommend that all asthma review appointments must include an assessment of the patient’s inhaler technique. However, most guidelines do not provide information on how the healthcare professional should conduct this assessment. The aim of this scoping review is to explore the published literature on methods used to assess inhaler technique. MethodsThis scoping review will follow the frameworks founded by Arksey and O’Malley and the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines. We will search MEDLINE, Embase, Cinahl and the Cochrane library for studies published from 1st January 1956 to 30th November 2021, on methods of assessing inhaler technique in children and young people aged 1 to 16 years of age with asthma. We will include randomised control trials, case control studies, cohort studies and retrospective studies which investigate methods used to assess inhaler technique in children and young people. We will include studies conducted in all areas where inhaler technique assessment occurs and studies conducted by all healthcare professionals who usually undertake inhaler assessments in practice. Two reviewers will complete all screening and data extraction independently. Data will be extracted onto a charting table and a descriptive summary of the results presented. DiscussionThis scoping review will provide a broad overview of currently used methods to assess inhaler technique in children and young people with asthma. The analysis of which will allow us to consider how these methods might be used in clinical practice and research settings. Scoping review registration Open Science Framework (osf.io/e47sa).
Assessing the Endocrine Disrupting Effects of Chemicals on Invertebrates in the European Union
Authors: Crane Mark , Dungey Steve , Lillicrap Adam , Thompson Helen , Weltje Lennart , Wheeler James Robert , Lagadic Laurent
Published: December 2021

Evidence from both laboratory and field studies has shown that currently used synthetic and naturally occurring chemical substances may potentially disrupt invertebrate endocrine systems, although the extent of this in field populations remains unclear. Translating concerns about potential endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) into practical and effective regulatory action is currently hampered by the breadth of invertebrate endocrinology when compared to the better understood vertebrate systems, a lack of fundamental knowledge about the endocrinology of many invertebrate groups, and the resulting uncertainty when making regulatory decisions. This paper i) outlines the breadth of invertebrate endocrine pathways for which European Union regulation of potential EDCs may be relevant, ii) reviews the extent to which current knowledge meets regulatory requirements for invertebrates, including an assessment of the suitability of current invertebrate test guidelines for detecting endocrine modes of action; and iii) proposes a roadmap towards the regulation of potential EDCs with greater confidence, based on the Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) concept and a focus on identifying Molecular Initiating Events (MIEs) within AOPs. We propose that the most important research need is compilation of a comprehensive list of endocrine-related MIEs across invertebrate taxa via use of high throughput ‘omics in combination with bioinformatics reverse engineered analyses. Although tractable, such an approach would require significant resource investment for development and implementation.
Changes in Sleep Quality in Heart Disease Patients Following a Cardiac Rehabilitation Program
Authors: Lodi-Rizzini Fabio , Gómez-González Adela María , Conejero-Cisneros Rocío , Romero-Blanco María José , Maldonado-Barrionuevo Almudena , Salinas-Sánchez Pablo , Jiménez-Navarro Manuel
Published: December 2021

Sleep disorders are very common in patients with heart disease. The objective of this study has been to assess the effects of a cardiac rehabilitation program on sleep quality, quality of life, anxiety, depression and functional capacity in patients with heart disease. A pre-test/post-test design study was carried out on the 240 patients included in the cardiac rehabilitation program at the “Virgen de la Victoria” hospital in Malaga; 50 patients (20.8%) were included in the program due to heart failure (HF) and the rest of them after having undergone a revascularization procedure or a surgery for valvular disease. The patients underwent a cardiac rehabilitation program for 8 weeks, based on programmed physical training, health education and psychological treatment. At the end of the program, scores improved on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (p = 0.008), the SF-36 Quality of Life Questionnaire (p <0.001), the Goldberg Anxiety and Depression Scale (p <0.001) as well as in functional capacity (p <0.001). When comparing patients with heart failure with those without, no differences were found in sleep quality, quality of life, anxiety or depression. In conclusion, the completion of an 8-week cardiac rehabilitation program may improve, in the short term, the quality of sleep in patients with heart disease.
Effects of Nitrogen Input on Community Structure of the Denitrifying Bacteria with Nitrous Oxide Reductase Gene (nosZ I): A Long-Term Pond Experiment
Authors: Zhou Jing , Kong Yong , Wu Mengmeng , Shu Fengyue , Wang Haijun , Ma Shuonan , Li Yan , Jeppesen Erik
Published: December 2021

Excessive nitrogen (N) input is an important factor influencing aquatic ecosystems and has received increasing public attention in the past decades. It remains unclear, however, how N input affects the denitrifying bacterial communities that play a key role in regulating N cycles in various ecosystems. To test our hypothesis – that the abundance and biodiversity of denitrifying bacterial communities decrease with increasing N – we compared the abundance and composition of denitrifying bacteria having nitrous oxide reductase gene (nosZ I) from sediments (0-20 cm) in five experimental ponds with different nitrogen fertilization treatment (TN10, TN20, TN30, TN40, TN50) using quantitative PCR and pyrosequencing techniques. We found that: 1) N addition significantly decreased nosZ I gene abundance, 2) the Invsimpson and Shannon indices (reflecting biodiversity) first increased significantly along with the increasing N loading in TN10~TN40 followed by a decrease in TN50, 3) the beta diversity of the nosZ I denitrifier was clustered into three groups along the TN concentration levels: Cluster I (TN50), Cluster II (TN40), and Cluster III (TN10-TN30), 4) the proportions of Alphaproteobacteria and Betaproteobacteria in the high-N treatment (TN50) were significantly lower than in the lower N treatments (TN10-TN30). 5). The TN concentration was the most important factor driving the alteration of denitrifying bacteria assemblages. Our findings shed new light on the response of denitrification-related bacteria to long-term N loading at pond scale and on the response of denitrifying microorganisms to N pollution.
Production and Characterization of Animal Waste Reinforced Composite Materials By Powder Metallurgy
Authors: YONETKEN Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ahmet , EROL Ayhan , Pesmen Gunnur
Published: December 2021

Boron carbide is a product used for reinforcement in composite production and frequently used in the defense industry. The fact that boron carbide behaves similarly to the mechanical properties of bone and that titanium is strengthened with boron carbide, which is used as a biomaterial, causes it to be preferred among composite materials. It also makes it attractive to use in industrial applications at high temperatures. It is known that Fe-B4C composites are used together with Fe matrix materials to improve the properties of the group in addition to elements such as Cr, especially Ti, Co, Mo and Fe in various application areas. This makes it frequently used in the sintering process. In this study, 98,33%Fe-1,66%B4C, 96.66%Fe-1,66%B4C-1,66%eggshell powders, 95%Fe-1,66%B4C-3,32%eggshell powders, 93,33%Fe-1,66%B4C-5%eggshell powders and 91,66%Fe-1,66%B4C-6,66% eggshell powder samples were prepared using the compositions of. It is formed in a single axis press under 400bar pressure. When the mechanical and metallographic properties of the samples produced after sintering at 1400 ᵒC were examined, the effects of eggshell powders on composite samples produced by adding Fe-B4C composite and eggshell powders in different compositions were observed. 1,66% to 6,66% eggshell powders additive was used in the compositions and mechanical properties were determined in the produced samples. Structural features were tried to be determined by looking at metallographic analyses. The densities of the produced samples were calculated and their hardness and strength were determined. According to the analysis results, 3,33% Egshelters composition and 3,71 gr/cm3 density and 285,5 HV hardness values ​​at 1400 °C were obtained.
Efficacy And Safety of Blood Derivatives Therapy in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis
Authors: Fei Zhangcheng , Pan Bo , Pei Renjun , Chen Zhongsheng , Du Xi , Cao Haijun , Li Changqing
Published: December 2021

Objective: Blood derivatives therapy is a conventional clinical treatment, while the treatment for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is relatively novel. To provide clinical references for treating AD, this meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of blood derivatives therapy on the patients with AD. Methods: A systematic articles search was performed for eligible studies published up to December 6, 2021 through the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane library, ClinicalTrials.gov, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure database and Wanfang databases. The included articles were screened by using rigorous inclusion and exclusion criteria. Random effects model was used for this meta-analysis when there is heterogeneity, or else fixed effects model was used. Quality of studies and risk of bias were evaluated.Results: A total of 3 plasma administrations (2 plasma exchange and 1 young plasma infusion) and 5 intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) randomized controlled trials with a sample size of 1148 subjects diagnosed with AD were included. There was no significant difference in cognitive improvement and all-cause discontinuation between intervention and placebo groups. In subgroup analysis, plasma administration was superior to placebo only in limited studies for individual scales. IVIG is well tolerated for AD patients even under the maximum dose (0.4g/kg), but it’s inferior to placebo in Neuropsychiatric Inventory scale in AD patients (P =0.05).Conclusions: The benefits of blood derivatives therapy for AD are limited. It’s necessary to perform well-designed randomized controlled trials with large sample sizes focusing on the appropriate blood derivatives for the specific AD sub-populations in the future. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42021233886.
Multivariate Statistical Analysis of Multiple-Elements in Anisodus Tanguticus (Maxim.) Pascher from Different Regions to Determine Geographical Origins
Authors: Chen Chen , Li Jingjing , Wang Bo , Xiong Feng , Xiao Yuanming , Zhou GuoYing
Published: December 2021

Background: Anisodus tanguticus (Maxim.) Pascher, which is an important species used in traditional Tibetan medicine, is grown in the Qinghai -Tibet Plateau. Because the quality of A. tanguticus varies depending on where it is grown, a method for determining the geographical origin of this species is needed.Methods: A quantitative analysis of 18 elements (Al, Ba, Be, Ca, Co, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Sr, V, and Zn) in A. tanguticus and the soil collected from different locations was conducted using an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer. The elemental contents underwent a principal component analysis (PCA), and an orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). Furthermore, elemental accumulation and elemental transfer coefficients were calculated according to the element concentration gradients.Results: Distinct element fingerprints were detected for the A. tanguticus collected from different regions. Additionally, the PCA and OPLS-DA results indicated A. tanguticus plants can be distinguished on the basis of their geographical origin. The Tibet samples were easily separated from the other samples. Elemental accumulation and transfer patterns differed significantly among the analyzed elements and plant parts. Ca and P were identified as the elements with the highest in elemental accumulation and elemental transfer patterns of A. tanguticus. Conclusions: Our approach can be used to efficiently and accurately distinguish herbs according to their varietal characteristics and geographical origins.
The Emergence of ADHD Comorbidity in School-Aged Children with ASD Impacts Resting-State Brain Networks Dynamics
Authors: Bochet Aurélie , Journal Fiona , Sperdin Holger Franz , Schaer Marie
Published: December 2021

Background: EEG microstates are defined in the literature as quasi-stable topographies of the electric fields in the ongoing EEG, lasting approximately 100 milliseconds and representing the sub-second coherent activation within global functional brain networks. Recently, we found early alterations in the spatio-temporal dynamics and syntax of brain states in toddlers and preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) compared to their typically developing (TD) peers.Method: Here, we investigated how these alterations evolve over time and how they are impacted by the emergence of comorbid attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in ASD among 49 school-aged children (19 children with ASD-only, 15 children with ASD+ADHD, and 15 TD children). Results: We found a decreased prevalence of all temporal parameters of microstate map B in school-aged children with ASD compared to TD peers. Children with ASD+ADHD had a significantly lower prevalence of map B compared to children with ASD-only. Moreover, children with ASD+ADHD had a higher prevalence in time coverage and occurrence for microstate map A than children with ASD-only and TD children. Map E of the ASD+ADHD group has a weaker spatial correlation with map E of ASD-only and TD groups. Moreover, the GEV of map E was significantly decreased for the ASD+ADHD group compared to the ASD-only group. We found that the transition probabilities between maps of the ASD+ADHD group, particularly for map B, differed from ASD-only and TD groups. Exploratory longitudinal analysis showed an increase in all temporal parameters of map B in TD children but a decrease in children with ASD, regardless of the ADHD comorbidity.Limitations: The present study has a small sample size and does not include a group of children with ADHD-only. Conclusion: Our results show that ADHD comorbidity in school-aged children with ASD impacts the spatial organization and the temporal dynamics of whole-brain networks. Further longitudinal studies are needed to understand better the impact of the emergence of ADHD comorbidity in ASD across ages.
Limitations in Activities of Daily Living in Individuals With Chronic Kidney Disease: Biopsychosocial Factors of the Brazilian Population
Authors: Lima Hellen Carvalho , Dantas Carla Daniele Ferreira , Santos Adson Aragão Araújo , Tenório Adirlene Pontes Oliveira , Guedes Marcello Barbosa Otoni Gonçalves , Guedes Thais Sousa Rodrigues , Lopes Matheus Rodrigues , Souza Clecio Gabriel , Pegado Rodrigo , Lopes Johnnatas Mikael
Published: December 2021

This study assesses the relationship between biopsychosocial factors and limitations in activities of daily living (ADL) in individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Individual data from the National Health Survey were analyzed, with a sample size of 839 participants. The outcome was dichotomous, presenting limitations in ADL, and the factors considered were clinical and health characteristics, self-perceived behavior, contextual social support, and housing. Cox regression was applied to control the interaction between factors, using the prevalence ratio as a measure of effect and a significance level of 5%. A total of 839 individuals with CKD were reported, of which 373 (40.7%: 35.4 - 46.1%) reported having limitations in ADL. The presence of limitations in ADL was related to residing in a rural area, as well as to the absence of private health insurance, worse self-perceived health, presence of depressive symptoms, and disabilities, in addition to the use of medications and hemodialysis. Limitations in ADL in individuals with CKD are associated with biopsychosocial factors in the Brazilian population, requiring public policies that enable better therapeutic management and support for behavioral health and contextual needs.
The Power of Many: A Physarum Swarm Steiner Tree Algorithm
Authors: Schaposnik Laura P. , Hsu Sheryl , Massolo Fidel I. Schaposnik
Published: December 2021

This paper presents a novel explore-and-fuse approach to solving a large array of problems that cannot be solved by traditional divide-and-conquer. This approach is inspired by Physarum, a unicellular slime mold capable of solving the traveling salesman and Steiner tree problems. Besides exhibiting individual intelligence, Physarum can also share information with other Physarum organisms through fusion. Inspired by the characteristics of Physarum, we spawn many Physarum organisms to explore the problem space in parallel, each gathering information and forming partial solutions pertaining to a local region of the problem space. When the organisms meet, they fuse and share information, eventually forming one organism which has a global view of the problem and can apply its intelligence to find an overall solution to the problem. We demonstrate this novel approach on the NP-hard Steiner tree problem, developing the Physarum Steiner Algorithm. This algorithm is of particular interest due to its ability to leverage parallel processing, avoid obstacles, and operate on various shapes and topological surfaces including the rectilinear grid.
Lipidic Profiles of Patients Starting Peritoneal Dialysis Suggest an Increased Cardiovascular Risk Beyond Classical Dyslipidemia Biomarkers
Authors: Lluesa Julia Hernández , López-Romero Luis Carlos , Broseta José Jesús , Marugán Marta Roca , Boyano Iris Viejo , Rodríguez-Espinosa Diana , Gómez-Bori Aina , Orient Amparo Soldevila , Devesa-Such Ramón , Perez Pilar Sánchez , Hernández-Jaras Julio
Published: December 2021

Background. Lipids are molecules that constitute a fundamental part of the plasma. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) produces profound changes in lipid metabolism, and associated lipid disorders, in turn, contribute to the progression of CKD. Patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) have more atherogenic lipid profiles than non-dialysis-dependent CKD patients. Methods. Single-center prospective observational study of a cohort of CKD patients who started renal replacement therapy with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. The differences in the lipid profile and analytical variables before and six months after the start of peritoneal dialysis were analyzed. Samples were analyzed on an Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography system. Results. Thirty-nine patients were enrolled in this study. Their mean age was 57.9 ± 16.3 years. A total of 157 endogenous lipid species of 11 lipid subclasses were identified. There were significant increases in total free fatty acids (p< 0.05), diacylglycerides (p <0.01), triacylglycerides, (p <0.01), phosphatidylcholines (p <0.01), phosphatidylethanolamines (p <0.01), ceramides (p <0.01), sphingomyelins (p <0.01), and cholesterol esters (p<0.01) from baseline to 6 months. However, there were no differences in the classical lipid markers, neither lysophosphatidylcholines, monoacylglycerides, and sphingosine levels. Conclusions. Patients on PD present changes in the lipidomic profile beyond the classic markers of dyslipidemia, that suggest an increased cardiovascular risk in them.
Lamivudine, a Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor, Rescues Cognitive Deficits in a Mouse Model of Down Syndrome
Authors: de Lagran Maria Martinez , Elizalde-Torrent Aleix , Paredes Roger , Clotet Bonaventura , Dierssen Mara
Published: December 2021

An elevated activity of retrotransposons is increasingly recognized to be implicated in a wide range of neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental diseases. Down syndrome (DS) is the most common genetic disorder associated with intellectual disability and a genetic form of Alzheimer’s disease. For this reason, we hypothesized that treatment with reverse transcriptase inhibitors could ameliorate DS phenotypes. In this proof of concept study, we treated trisomic (Ts65Dn) mice, a model of DS, with lamivudine, a reverse transcriptase inhibitor. We detected a significant improvement of neurobehavioral phenotypes, and a complete rescue of the hippocampal-dependent recognition memory upon treatment with lamivudine. Despite clinical studies in patients with DS are warranted, this study lays the groundwork for a novel and actionable therapeutic approach.
Effect of Soil Water Contents on Arsenic Accumulation in Phytoliths of Pteris Multifida and Phragmites Australis
Authors: Min Hyun-Gi , Kim Min-Suk , Kim Jeong-Gyu
Published: December 2021

Purpose: The encapsulation of toxic metal(loid)s in phytoliths represents a new area of research. The accumulation of metal(loid)s in phytoliths can alter the fate and toxicity of soil metal(loid). Pteris multifida is a well-known As hyperaccumulator which also harbors phytoliths. However, As accumulation in phytoliths has not yet been studied. Soil water content is considered the main factor influencing phytolith accumulation and also remains unexplored with respect to As accumulation in phytoliths. In this study, As concentration in the phytoliths of P. multifida was compared with that in Phragmites australis phytoliths as a function of the soil water content. Methods: P. multifida and P. australis were grown under different soil water contents. The As concentration in phytoliths, roots, and shoots of plants was then determined.Results: The range of As concentration in the phytoliths of P. multifida was 414.70 - 1610.74 mg kg-1, and that for P. australis phytoliths was 41.67 - 126.54 mg kg-1. In P. multifida, higher soil water content increased As accumulation in phytoliths but did not affect phytolith content in the plant. In P. australis, the higher soil water content increased phytolith content in the plant but decreased As concentration in phytoliths. Conclusion: This study suggests that P. multifida has higher As content in phytoliths than P. australis, and this accumulation can be affected by soil water content. The current findings provide insight into the accumulation of As in phytoliths and provide a theoretical basis for our understanding on the fate of As in the environment.