bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Secreted Protein Markers in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (Oscc)
Authors: Mumtaz Madiha , Bijnsdorp Irene V , Böttger Franziska , Piersma Sander R , Pham Thang V , Mumtaz Samiullah , Brakenhoff Ruud H , Akhtar Muhammad Waheed , Jimenez Connie R
Published: October 2021

Background
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a main cause of oral cancer mortality and morbidity in central south Asia. To improve the clinical outcome of OSCC patients, early detection markers are needed, which are preferably non-invasive and thus independent of a tissue biopsy.
Methods
In the present study, we aimed to identify robust candidate protein biomarkers for early OSCC diagnosis. To this end, we measured the global protein profiles of OSCC tissue lysates to matched normal adjacent mucosa samples (n=14) and the secretomes of nine HNSCC cell lines using LC-MS/MS-based proteomics.
Results
A total of 5,123 tissue proteins were identified, of which 205 were robustly up- regulated (p-value <0.01, fold change ˃+2) in OSCC-tissues compared to normal tissues. The biological process “Secretion” was highly enriched in this set of proteins. Other upregulated biological pathways included “Unfolded Protein Response”, “Spliceosomal complex assembly”, “Protein localization to endosome” and “Interferon Gamma Response”. Transcription factor analysis implicated Creb3L1, ESRRA, YY, ELF2, STAT1 and XBP as potential regulators. Of the 205 upregulated tissue proteins, 132 were identified in the cancer cell line secretomes, underscoring their potential use as non-invasive biofluid markers. To further prioritize our candidate markers for non-invasive OSCC detection, we integrated our data with public biofluid datasets including OSCC saliva, yielding 25 candidate markers for further study.
Conclusions
We identified several key proteins and processes that are associated with OSCC tissues, underscoring the importance of altered secretion. Cancer-associated OSCC secretome proteins present in saliva have potential to be used as novel non-invasive biomarkers for the early diagnosis of OSCC.
Neighbourhood Determinants of Early Sexual Debut and Multiple Sexual Partnerships: A cross-sectional Analysis of Adolescents in Rwanda, Ghana and South Africa.
Authors: Ugwu Nebechukwu Henry , Odimegwu Clifford Obby
Published: October 2021

Background: The relationship between neighbourhood characteristics and youth involvement in risky sexual behaviour such as early sexual debut and multiple sexual partnerships is well established in the literature. However, there are very few empirical studies using Demographic and Health Surveys to unpack the nature of this relationship in Africa. This study aims to identify the neighbourhood characteristics influencing young people's engagement in risky sexual behaviour in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analyses on young people aged 15 to 24 years were conducted using the most recent Demographic and Health Survey Data (DHS 2014-2016) from Ghana, Rwanda, and South Africa to investigate the relationship between neighbourhood characteristics and youth risky sexual behaviour. Results: Individual and, in particular, neighbourhood characteristics (community poverty, community occupation, community media access, and community education) were found to be substantially linked with youth risky sexual behaviour. Conclusion: To lower the incidence of risky sexual behaviour in the community, programs aimed at appropriate policy options must be intensified. Adopting the implications of these findings is critical for a developmental approach aimed at reaching Africa’s long-term development goal of eliminating STIs among young people.
Influencing Factors of Children Physical Activity in Family
Authors: Cai Jie , Zhao Yaping , Wang Jing
Published: October 2021

Children physical activity is an important guarantee for children's physical and mental health. Understanding the relevant influencing factors of children physical activity in family is related to the healthy growth of children and the happy life of families. Based on social exchange theory and the structural equation model, this study investigated the influencing factors of children physical activity in family. The results showed that government had a significant negative impact on parents’ perceived risks. Community has a significant positive effect on parents’ perceived benefits and a significant negative effect on parents’ perceived risks. Kindergarten has a significant positive effect on parents’ perceived benefits, but has no significant effect on the parents’ perceived risks. Children sports club has a significant positive effect on parents’ perceived benefits. Parents’ perceived benefits has a significant positive impact on children physical activity in family, while perceived risks has a significant negative impact. Based on this, the government should play a leading role in the development of children physical activity in family. Community provides supplementary support. Kindergarten is the key point of developing children physical activity in family. Children sports club is the auxiliary force of children physical activity in family.
Factors Associated with Family Caregiver Burden Among Frail Older Persons With Multimorbidity
Authors: DING Teck Yong Gabriel , DE ROZA Jacqueline Giovanna , CHAN Cheuk Ying , LEE Poay Sian Sabrina , ONG Sin Kee , LEW Kai Wei Jeremy , Koh Hui Li , LEE Eng Sing
Published: October 2021

Introduction:
Singapore is facing an ageing population and the care needs of the population will increase in tandem. A segment of this population would be living with the multimorbidity and frailty. Our study aimed to determine the prevalence of caregiver burden for primary family caregivers of frail older adults with multimorbidity. We also investigated the factors that were associated with primary family caregiver burden.
Methods:
This was an interviewer-administered, cross-sectional study of primary family caregivers of frail older patients with multimorbidity that was conducted in two National Healthcare Group polyclinics. Convenience sampling was used. The 12-item Zarit Burden Index (ZBI) was used to assess primary family caregiver burden. The scores of the ZBI range from 0 to 48, with a score of 10 or above indicating that the primary family caregiver perceives burden. Descriptive statistics were used to provide information regarding the caregivers and the care recipients. Multivariable logistic regression was used to investigate the factors affecting primary family caregiver burden.
Results:
188 family caregivers were interviewed and 71.8 % of them perceived burden on the ZBI. After adjusting for other factors via multivariable analysis, the ethnicity of the caregiver and the increase in time spent caregiving per week were the two factors positively associated with family caregiver burden. A Chinese primary family caregiver had almost three times the odds of perceiving burden when compared to a non-Chinese primary family caregiver.
Conclusion:
Caregiver burden was high amongst primary family caregivers of frail older adults with multimorbidity. Being a Chinese primary family caregiver compared to non-Chinese ethnic groups as well as being a primary family caregiver who spent increased time caregiving per week were the two factors positively associated with family caregiver burden. Further exploratory, qualitative studies can be done to find out the reasons to Chinese primary family caregivers being more burdened compared to the non-Chinese primary family caregivers. In addition, the specific factors related to increased time caregiving per week and family caregiver burden can also be studied.
A Pilot Randomised Trial Comparing Individualised Physiotherapy Versus Shockwave Therapy for Proximal Hamstring Tendinopathy: A protocol
Authors: Rich Aidan Lindsay Fenner , Cook Jillianne Leigh , Hahne Andrew John , Ford Jon Joseph
Published: October 2021

BackgroundProximal hamstring tendinopathy (PHT) presents as localised lower buttock pain with tasks such as squatting and sitting. It is a condition that occurs at all ages and levels of sporting participation and can cause disability with sport, work, and activities of daily living. This paper details a pilot trial protocol for investigating the effectiveness of individualised physiotherapy compared to extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) on pain and strength in people with PHT.Methods The study is an assessor-blinded, pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT). One hundred participants with PHT will be recruited from the local community and sporting clubs. Participants will be randomised to receive six sessions of either individualised physiotherapy or ESWT, with both groups also receiving standardised education and advice.Primary outcomes will be global rating of change on a 7-point Likert scale, and the Victorian Institute of Sport - Hamstring (VISA-H) scale, measured at 0, 4, 12, 26 and 52 weeks.. Secondary outcomes will include sitting tolerance, the modified Physical Activity Level Scale, eccentric hamstring strength, modified Tampa scale for kinesiophobia, the Orebro Musculoskeletal Screening Questionnaire, Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) for average and worst pain, participant adherence, the Pain Catastrophizing scale, satisfaction scores, and quality of life. Data will be analysed on an intention to treat basis, with between-group effects estimated using linear mixed models for continuous data and Mann Whitney U tests for ordinal data. DiscussionThis pilot RCT will compare individualised physiotherapy versus ESWT for PHT. The trial will determine feasibility and estimated treatment effects to inform a definitive trial in the future.Trial registrationThe trial has been prospectively registered with the Australia & New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12621000846820), registered 1 July 2021, https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=373085
Circulating Microvesicles and Exosomes in Small Cell Lung Cancer by Quantitative Proteomics
Authors: Pedersen Shona , Jensen Katrine Papendick , Honoré Bent , Kristensen Søren Risom , Pedersen Camilla Holm , Szejniuk Weronika Maria , Maltesen Raluca Georgiana , Falkmer Ursula
Published: October 2021

Background: Early detection of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) crucially demands highly reliable markers. Growing evidence suggests that extracellular vesicles carry tumor cell-specific cargo suitable as protein markers in cancer. Quantitative proteomic profiling of circulating microvesicles and exosomes can be a high-throughput platform for discovery of novel molecular insights and putative markers. Hence, this study aimed to investigate proteome dynamics of plasma-derived microvesicles and exosomes in newly diagnosed SCLC patients to improve early detection.Methods: Plasma-derived microvesicles and exosomes from 24 healthy controls and 24 SCLC patients were isolated from plasma by either high-speed- or ultracentrifugation. Proteins derived from these extracellular vesicles were quantified using label-free mass spectrometry and statistical analysis was carried out aiming at identifying significantly altered protein expressions between SCLC patients and healthy controls. Furthermore, significantly expressed proteins were subjected to functional enrichment analysis to identify biological pathways implicated in SCLC pathogenesis.Results: Based on fold change (FC) ≥ 2 or ≤ 0.5 and AUC ≥ 0.70 (p < 0.05), we identified 10 common and 16 and 17 unique proteins for microvesicles and exosomes, respectively. Among these proteins, we found dysregulation of coagulation factor XIII A (Log2 FC = −1.1, p = 0.0003, AUC = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.69-0.96) and complement factor H-related protein 4 (Log2 FC = 1.2, p = 0.0005, AUC = 0.82, 95% CI; 0.67-0.97) in SCLC patients compared to heatlhy individuals. Our data may indicate a novel tumor-suppressing role of blood coagulation and involvement of complement activation in SCLC pathogenesis.Conclusions: In comparing SCLC patients and healthy individuals, several differentially expressed proteins were identified. This is the first study showing that circulating extracellular vesicles may encompass specific proteins with potential diagnostic attributes for SCLC, thereby opening new opportunities as novel non-invasive markers.
Spinal Cord Edema in Atypical Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy--the Facts Behind the Unusual MR Findings: Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Zhu Qingrun , Zhou Xin , Ren Shiwei , Wang Dachuan , Wang Feng
Published: October 2021

Purpose We report the case of a young man with a slow progression of cervical spondyloticmyelopathy (CSM). Cervical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a mild cervical discbulgingat C5–C6 and an area of atypically enlarged intramedullary high signal intensity extending from C4–C7 (T2-weighted) with contrast enhancement at C5–C6 (T1-weighted). Therefore, neurologic and radiologic diagnoses favored demyelinating diseases. Interference occurred to the diagnosis of CSM.Methods This was a retrospective case study with follow-up examination and MRI at 3 months, 1 year and 2 years postoperatively.Results Thepatient’s symptoms improved immediately postoperatively. The functional result according to the modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score improved from 10 to 13 within 3 months. He continued to improve neurologically over the first postoperative year. Two years postoperatively, a T2-weighted MRI showed that the edema signal had disappeared completely , and a fat-saturated T2-weighted MRI showed only slight abnormal signal. The numbness and weakness of the extremities had improved, and his JOA score was 16. Conclusions Spinal cord edema is occasionally seen with CSM. In the case presented, the contrast enhancement was localized at the site of the greatest narrowing of the spinal canal and compression of the spinal cord. This coincidence was the best indicator of a mechanical cause of the spinal cord changes. This feature should increase physician’s confidence in distinguishing CSM from intramedullary tumors and myelitis. Surgical decompression may be beneficial in improving neurologic outcomes.
Ryanodine Receptor 1-mediated Ca2+ signaling and mitochondrial reprogramming modulate uterine serous cancer malignant phenotypes
Authors: Zhang Li , Huang Chunxian , Yeung Tsz-Lun , Ferri-Borgogno Sammy , AuYeung Chilam , Lawson Barrett C. , Kwan Suet-Ying , Thomas Vienna , Lu Karen H. , Yip Kay-Pong , Sham James S.K. , Mok Samuel
Published: October 2021

Background

Uterine serous cancer (USC) is the most common non-endometrioid subtype of uterine cancer, and is also the most aggressive. Most patients will die of progressively chemotherapy-resistant disease, and the development of new therapies that can target USC remains a major unmet clinical need. This study sought to determine the molecular mechanism by which a novel unfavorable prognostic biomarker RYR1 identified in advanced USC confers their malignant phenotypes, and demonstrated the efficacy of targeting RYR1 by repositioned FDA-approved compounds in USC treatment.
Methods

TCGA USC dataset was analyzed to identify top genes that are associated with patient survival and can be targeted by FDA-approved compounds. The top gene RYR1 was selected and the functional role of RYR1 in USC progression was determined by silencing and over-expressing RYR1 in USC cells in vitro and in vivo. The molecular mechanism and signaling networks associated with the functional role of RYR1 in USC progression were determined by reverse phase protein arrays (RPPA), Western blot, and transcriptomic profiling analyses. The efficacy of the repositioned compound dantrolene on USC progression was determined using both in vitro and in vivo models.
Results

High expression level of ryanodine receptor 1 (RYR1) in the tumors is associated with shortened overall survival. Inhibition of RYR1 suppressed proliferation, migration and enhanced apoptosis through the Ca2+-dependent AKT/CREB/PGC-1α and AKT/HK1/2 signaling pathways, which modulate mitochondrial bioenergetics properties, including oxidative phosphorylation, ATP production, mitochondrial membrane potential, ROS production and TCA metabolites, and glycolytic activities in USC cells. Repositioned compound dantrolene suppressed USC progression in both in vitro and mouse models.
Conclusions

These findings provide insight into the mechanism by which RYR1 modulates the malignant phenotypes of USC and could aid in the development of dantrolene as a repurposed therapeutic agent for the treatment of USC to improve patient survival.
Application of Gaofen-5 Hyperspectral Data in Uranium Exploration: A Case Study of Weijing in Inner Mongolia, China
Authors: Zhang Yuantao , Pan Wei , Yu Zhangfa
Published: October 2021

Gaofen-5 (GF-5) satellite is the world's first full-spectrum hyperspectral satellite to achieve comprehensive observations of the atmosphere and land. The Advanced Hyperspectral Imager (AHSI) carried by GF-5 can acquire 330-chanel imagery covering 390 - 2500 nm. However, the application of GF-5 AHSI imagery in uranium exploration is currently unknown. In this paper, the AHSI imagery was used for prospecting uranium mineralization in the Weijing, Inner Mongolia, China. The matched filter (MF) and threshold segmentation were used for mapping goethite, Al-high, Al-medium and Al-poor sericite. And the principal component analysis (PCA) and gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) were used to extract the texture information of the study area. Subsequently, combined with geological information, the relationship between alteration information, texture complexity and uranium mineralization was discussed, and it was pointed out that goethite, Al-medium, Al-poor sericite and texture complexity in this area can be used as indicators of uranium mineralization. Finally, three prospects were delineated, which will guide the follow-up uranium exploration in this area and promote the application of GF-5 AHSI data.
Adaptive Contrast Test For Dose-Response Studies
Authors: Kojima Masahiro
Published: October 2021

Background: A confirmation of dose-response is complicated by the need to adjust for multiplicity. We propose a simple and powerful adaptive contrast test with ordinal constraint contrast coefficients determined by observed responses.Methods: The adaptive contrast test can perform using easily calculated contrast coefficients and existing statistical software. We provide the sample SAS program codes of analysis and calculation of power for the adaptive contrast test. After the adaptive contrast test shows the statistically significant dose-response, we consider to select the best dose-response model from multiple dose-response models. Based on the best model, we identify a recommended dose. We demonstrate the adaptive contrast test for sample data. In addition, we show the calculation of coefficient, test statistic, and recommended dose for the actual study. We perform the simulation study with eleven scenarios to evaluate the performance of the adaptive contrast test.Results: We confirmed the statistically significant dose-response for the sample data and the actual study. In the simulation study, we confirmed that the adaptive contrast test has higher power in most scenarios compared to the conventional method. In addition, we confirmed that the type 1 error rate of the adaptive contrast test was maintained at a significance level when there was no difference between the treatment groups.Conclusions: We conclude that the adaptive contrast test can be applied unproblematically to the dose-response study.
Trajectory Tracking For Quadrotors: An Optimization-Based Planning Followed By Controlling Approach
Authors: Kulathunga Geesara , Devitt Dmitry , Klimchik Alexandr
Published: October 2021

We present an optimization-based reference trajectory tracking method for quadrotor robots for slow-speed maneuvers. The proposed method uses planning followed by the controlling paradigm. The basic concept of the proposed method is an analogy to Linear Quadratic Gaussian (LQG) in which Nonlinear Model Predictive Control (NMPC) is employed for predicting optimal control policy in each iteration. Multiple-shooting (MS) is suggested over Direct-collocation (DC) for imposing constraints when modelling the NMPC. Incremental Euclidean Distance Transformation Map (EDTM) is constructed for obtaining the closest free distances relative to the predicted trajectory; these distances are considered obstacle constraints. The reference trajectory is generated, ensuring dynamic feasibility. The objective is to minimize the error between the quadrotor’s current pose and the desired reference trajectory pose in each iteration. Finally, we evaluated the proposed method with two other approaches and showed that our proposal is better than those two in terms of reaching the goal without any collision. Additionally, we published a new dataset, which can be used for evaluating the performance of trajectory tracking algorithms.
Nonlinear Vibration Analysis of Functionally Graded Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Fluid-Conveying Tube in Thermal Environment
Authors: Chen Xu , Zhao Jing-Lei , She Gui-Lin , Jing Yan , Pu Huayan , Luo Jun
Published: October 2021

In this paper, the nonlinear free vibration responses of functionally graded nanocomposite fluid-conveying tube reinforced by single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) in thermal environment is investigated. The SWCNTs gradient distributed in the thickness direction of the tube forms different reinforcement patterns. The materials properties of the functionally graded carbon nanotube-reinforced composites (FG-CNTRC) are estimated by rule of mixture. A higher-order shear deformation theory and Hamilton’s variational principle are employed to derive the motion equations incorporating the thermal and fluid effects. A two-step perturbation method is implemented to obtain the closed-form asymptotic solution for these nonlinear partial differential equations. The nonlinear frequency under several patterns of reinforcement are presented and discussed. We conducted a series of studies aimed at revealing the effects of the flow velocity, environment temperature, geometrical ratios and carbon nanotube volume fraction on the nature frequency.
The m6A Methyltransferase METTL3 Promotes Cisplatin Resistance and Invasion in Testicular Seminoma via BCL2
Authors: peng jingxuan , Xiang Yali , Lian Wenfei , Chen Hanfei , Peng Dongyi , Yin Yinghao , Chen Qiang , Tang Yuxin
Published: October 2021

Background: Methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) involves in promoting tumor progression through tumor-related genes N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification. Our previous study found that METTL3 plays an important role in seminoma chemosensitivity. BCL-2 is a key cause of cisplatin resistance in many tumors. Therefore, we want to explore whether METTL3 affects cisplatin resistance of seminoma by regulating BCL-2.Methods: In this study, we downregulated and overexpressed METTL3 in TCam-2 cisplatin resistant cells (TCam-2/CDDP). Then, m6A RNA methylation quantification of BCL-2 and cell viability assay, cell apoptosis analysis and cell invasion assay were investigated under the condition of with or without cis‐dichlorodiammine platinum (CDDP) treatment. Results: Consistent with our previous results, METTL3 significantly affects the chemosensitivity of TCam-2/CDDP. After METTL3 downregulated, the proliferation and anti-apoptosis ability of TCam-2/CDDP cells significantly weakened. Correspondingly, overexpression of METTL3 could promote the chemoresistance. However, the phenotype could be partly reversed by decreasing the expression of BCL-2. Moreover, we found that the m6A modification of BCL-2 is more abundant in cisplatin-resistant strains. Knockdown and overexpression of METTL3 significantly affected the m6A modification and the protein level of BCL-2 in TCam-2/CDDP. Finally, we found that METTL3 also promoted the invasion ability of TCam-2/CDDP cells via BCL2.Conclusion: This study revealed that METTL3 promotes anti-apoptosis and invasion of TCam-2/CDDP through BCL-2. And it indicated that METTL3 and BCL-2 may be an effective treatment target for CDDP-resistance seminoma.
The Burden of Coronary Heart Disease and Cancer From Dietary Exposure To Inorganic Arsenic in Adults in China, 2016
Authors: Liu Jialin , Song Wenjing , Li Yiling , Wang Yibaina , Cui Yuan , Huang Jiao , Wang Qi , Wei Sheng
Published: October 2021

Objective: The inorganic arsenic (iAs) could cause a wide range of health damage, including coronary heart disease (CHD) and lung, bladder, and skin cancer. Although dietary iAs intake is the primary source of iAs, the burden of CHD and cancers from dietary iAs exposure in Chinese adults has not been well known. Methods: To estimate the iAs exposure level in Chinese adults’ dietary, we systematically collected food-specific iAs concentrations in China from Chinese and English literature databases during 2000-2020. Food consumption was extracted from two nationwide food and nutrition surveys in China. The population attributable fraction (PAF) was calculated based on the dose-response relationship between iAs and CHD risk. Combining the 2016 Chinese tumor registry data, we calculated the annual incidence of cancer from dietary iAs exposure to measure the disability-adjusted life year (DALY). Results: The total amount of daily foodborne iAs intake was 0.55 μg/kg bw/d among Chinese adults. The DALY of foodborne iAs-associated CHD was 3,017,510 DALYs, which accounted for 10.18% of total CHD DALYs in Chinese adults. Moreover, the carcinogenic DALYs for lung cancer, bladder cancer, and skin cancer of Chinese residents related to dietary iAs were 314.24, 9.89, and 167.32 thousand, accounting for 2.05%, 1.70%, and 35.5% of the respective total cancer burden. Conclusions: Our findings suggested that dietary iAs exposure causes a substantial disease burden in Chinese adults. More efforts for foodborne iAs control are critical to reducing the disease burden of CHD and cancer in China and other countries with similar dietary patterns.
A Pilot Study to Assess the Salivary Gland Regenerative Potential of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stromal Cells from Treated Head and Neck Cancer Patients
Authors: Blitzer Grace C , Paz Cristina , Glassey Annemarie , Ganz Olga , Giri Jayeeta , Pennati Andrea , Meyers Ross , Lunga Tadeas , Robbins Daniel J , Thibeault Susan L , Bates Amber M , Nickel Kwangok P , Morris Zachary S , Mattison Ryan J , Chappell Richard , Glazer Tiffany A , Rogus-Pulia Nicole M , Galipeau Jacques , Kimple Randall J
Published: October 2021

Background: Salivary dysfunction is a significant side effect of radiation therapy for head and neck cancer (HNC). Preliminary data suggests that mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) can improve salivary function. Whether MSCs from HNC patients who have completed chemoradiation are functionally similar to those from healthy patients is unknown. We performed a pilot clinical study to determine whether bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs) from HNC patients could be used for the treatment of RT-induced salivary dysfunction.Methods: An IRB-approved pilot clinical study was untaken on HNC patients with xerostomia who had completed treatment two or more years prior. Patients underwent iliac crest bone marrow aspirate and BM-MSCs were isolated and cultured. Culture expanded BM-MSCs were stimulated with IFNγ and cryopreserved prior to reanimation and profiling for functional markers by flow cytometry and ELISA. BM-MSCs were additionally injected into mice with radiation-induced xerostomia and the changes in salivary gland histology were examined. Results: A total of six subjects were enrolled. BM-MSCs from all subjects were culture expanded to >20 million cells in a median of 15.5 days (range 8-20 days). Flow cytometry confirmed that cultured cells from HNC patients were BM-MSCs. Functional flow cytometry demonstrated that these IFNγ-stimulated BM-MSCs acquired an immunosuppressive phenotype. IFNγ-stimulated BM-MSCs from HNC patients were found to express GDNF, WNT1, and R-spondin 1 as well as pro-angiogenesis and immunomodulatory cytokines. In mice, IFNγ-stimulated BM-MSCs decreased the loss of acinar cells decreased the formation of fibrosis. Conclusions: BM-MSCs from previously treated HNC patients can be expanded for auto-transplantation and are functionally active. Furthermore, IFNγ-stimulated BM-MSCs express proteins implicated in salivary gland regeneration. This study provides preliminary data supporting the feasibility of using autologous BM-MSCs from HNC patients to treat RT-induced salivary dysfunction.Trial Registration: NCT04007081, Registered July 5, 2019, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04007081
Comparative Proteomic Analysis on Chloroplast Proteins Provides New Insights Into the Effects of Low Temperature in Sugar Beet
Authors: Long Jiali , Xing Wang , Wang Yuguang , Wu Zedong , Li Wenjing , Zou Yi , Sun Jiaping , Pi Zhi , Zhang Fushun
Published: October 2021

Background: Low temperature, which is one of the main environmental factors that limits geographical distribution and sucrose yield, is a common abiotic stress during the growth and development of sugar beet. As a regulatory hub of plant response to abiotic stress, activity in the chloroplasts is related to many molecular and physiological processes, particularly in response to low temperature stress. Results: The contents of chlorophyll (Chl) and malondialdehyde (MDA), relative electrical conductivity (REL), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were measured. The results showed that sugar beet could manage low temperature stress by regulating the levels of Chl, REL and MDA, and the activity of SOD. The physiological responses indicated that sugar beets respond positively to low temperature treatments and are not significantly damaged. Moreover, to determine the precise time to response low temperature in sugar beet, well-known abiotic stresses-responsive transcript factor family, namely DEHYDRATION RESPONSIVE ELEMENT BINDING PROTEIN (DREB), was selected as the marker gene. The results of phylogenetic analyses showed that BvDREBA1 and BvDREBA4 were in the same branch as the cold- and drought-responsive AtDREB gene. In addition, the expression of BvDREBs reached its maximum level at 24 h after low temperature by RNA-Seq and qRT-PCR analysis. Furthermore, the changes in chloroplast proteome after low temperature at 24 h were detected using a label-free technique. A total of 416 differentially expressed proteins were identified. GO enrichment analysis showed that 16 GO terms were significantly enriched, particularly chloroplast stroma, chloroplast envelope, and chloroplast thylakoid membrane. It is notable that the transport of photosynthetic proteins (BvLTD, BvTOC100, and Toc-Tic complex), the formation of starch granules (BvPU1, BvISA3, and BvGWD3) and the scavenging of reactive oxygen species (BvCu/Zn-SOD, BvCAT, BvPrx, and BvTrx) were the pathways used by sugar beets to respond to low temperatures at an early stage.Conclusions: These results provide a preliminarily analysis of how chloroplasts of sugar beet respond to low temperature stress at the translational level and provide a theoretical basis for breeding low temperature resistant varieties of sugar beet.
Current Practice of Dutch Hospital-Based Palliative Care Teams: Advance Care Planning in Advanced Stages of Disease
Authors: Doorne Iris , Willems Dick L. , Baks Nadine , Kuijper Jelle , Buurman Bianca. M. , Rijn Marjon
Published: October 2021

Background: Specialist palliative care teams (PCT) are consulted during hospital admission for advice on complex palliative care. These consultations need to be timely to prevent symptom burden and maintain quality of life. Insight into specialist PCTs may help improve the outcomes of palliative care. Methods: In this retrospective observational study, we analyzed qualitative and quantitative data of palliative care consultations in a six-month period in four general hospitals in the northwestern part of the Netherlands. Data were obtained from electronic medical records. Results: We extracted data from 336 consultations. The most common diagnoses were cancer (54.8%) and organ failure (26.8%). 40.2% of patients were restricted to a chair or bed and 52.3% had an estimated life expectancy of less than three months. Within two weeks after consultation, 53.2% of the patients died, and the median time until death was 11 days (range 191) after consultation. Most patients died in hospital (49.4%) but only 7.5% preferred to die in hospital. Consultations were mostly requested for advance care planning (31.6%). End-of-life preferences focused on last wishes and maintaining quality of life. Conclusion: This study shows that palliative care consultations focus on terminal care and are more crisis-oriented than prevention-oriented. Death often occurs too quickly after consultation for end-of-life preferences to be met and these preferences tend to focus on dying. Educating healthcare professionals on when to initiate palliative care would promote a more prevention-oriented approach. Factors that indicate the need for timely PCT consultation should be defined.
Predictive Value of Dosimetric Parameters and Absolute Monocyte Count (AMC) for Acute Hematologic Toxicity in Cervical Cancer Patients Undergoing Concurrent Chemotherapy and Volumetric-Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT)
Authors: Xiang Xiaoyong , Ding Zhen , Zeng Qi , Feng Lingling , Qiu Chunyan , Chen Dongjie , Lu Jiawei , Li Ning
Published: October 2021

Purpose: To identify clinical/dosimetric predictors of acute hematologic toxicity (HT) in cervical cancer patients undergoing concurrent chemotherapy and volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT).Methods and Materials: We retrospectively analyzed 184 cervical cancer patients receiving concurrent chemotherapy and VMAT. Hematological parameters were collected during the treatment period. The total pelvic bone(TPB) was retrospectively delineated for each patient, and the volume of TPB receiving 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 Gy (V10, V20, V30, V40, and V50, respectively) was calculated. We assessed the correlations between variables by the Spearman rank correlation test and compared the differences between groups by the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to analyze associations between HT and clinical/dosimetric parameters. The receiver operating characteristic curve(ROC) was used to determine the best cut-off values for dosimetric planning constraints.Results: The nadir of absolute monocyte count (AMC) was positively correlated with the nadir of absolute white blood cells (WBC) count (r＝0.5378, 95%CI ＝ 0.4227 to 0.6357, P<0.0001) and the nadir of absolute neutrophil count(ANC) (r＝0.5000，95%CI ＝ 0.3794 to 0.6039, P<0.0001). The decrease and increase of AMC usually occurred before the ANC and WBC. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the chemotherapy regimen and the TPB_V20 were independent risk factors for developing Grade ≥3 hematologic toxicity. The optimal TPB_V20 cut-off value identified by ROC curves followed by Youden test was 71% (AUC = 0.788; 95%CI, 0.722–0.845; p-value＜0.001).Conclusions: The changing trend of AMC can be used as an effective predictor for the timing and severity of the ANC/WBC nadirs. Maintain TPB_V20 < 71 % and selecting single-agent cisplatin or carboplatin could significantly reduce Grade ≥3 HT in cervical cancer patients undergoing concurrent chemoradiotherapy.
Aquapteridospora Jiangxiensis sp. Nov., A New Aquatic Hyphomycetes From Freshwater Habitats in China and A. Bambusinum Comb. Nov.
Authors: Peng Su-Qin , Liu Yu-Lin , Huang Jun-En , Li Xiao-Hong , Yan Xin-Yi , Song Hai-Yan , Gao Yang , Zhai Zhi-Jun , Hu Dian-Ming
Published: October 2021

During an investigation of freshwater fungi in Jiangxi province, China, a new hyphomycetous species, Aquapteridospora jiangxiensis, was collected and isolated. A. jiangxiensis is characterized by its unbranched and guttulate conidiophores with multi-septa and swollen at the base, polyblastic conidiogenous cells with sympodial proliferations and denticles, guttulate conidia with a sheath. The new species was illustrated and a muti-loci (ITS, LSU, SSU, TEF1 and RPB2) phylogenetic tree was constructed. Pleurophragmium bambusinum was is transferred to Aquapteridospora based on molecular and morphological data. A key to the species of Aquapteridospora is presented in this paper.
The Association Between Lipid Ratio and Depression: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Han A Lum
Published: October 2021

Background: Depression is associated with the total cholesterol, low-density cholesterol, triglycerides, and high-density cholesterol levels in the blood. However, there are only a few studies on the relationship between depression and lipid ratios. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between depression and different lipid ratios.Methods: This study was conducted using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. A total of 11,648 adult men and women aged 19 years and older, without missing data, were included in this study. Depression was diagnosed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. The associations between depression and total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio were analyzed. A complex sample logistic regression test was used for the analysis of the odds ratios of depression.Results: In males, the total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and low-density cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratios were not associated with depression. In addition, an increase in triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio by 1 was associated with a 1.041-fold higher probability of depression in males. In females, the three lipid ratios were not associated with depression.Conclusions: Triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio is associated with depression in males. Further studies are necessary to cross-validate, explore the biological mechanism, and identify the clinical implication of this correlation.
PH Controlled the Supramolecular Assemblies of Two Guanosine Monophosphate Cadmium Metal Coordination Complexes: Structure and Chirality
Authors: Iqbal Muhammad Javed , Li Zhongkui , Khan Maroof Ahmad , Hussain Wajid , Riaz Muhammad Sohail , Shoukat Rizwan , Talha Khalid , li hui
Published: October 2021

In biological systems Chirality is important property from small molecules to macromolecules. The construction of homochiral coordination supramolecules in crystal and helical delivers the connection of molecular and macromolecular chirality. Complexity and properties in the presence of cadmium ion and bpe auxiliary ligand for bio-molecular guanosine-5- monophosphate disodium salt (GMP) was studied. The two Complexes 1 and 2 have been investigated the impact of auxiliary ligand bpe, hydroxy group on the sugar motif and pH for coordination of GMP ligands. The interaction of mixed ligands for growth and advancement of chiral complexes was controlled by the alteration of pH values for coordination of guanosine-5-monophosphate nucleotide with cadmium Cd (II) metal. The chirality of complexes 1 and 2 was studied with solid circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, including supramolecular chirality and extended auxiliary ligand (EAC) combining with the crystal structure analysis. The various hydrogen bonding and auxiliary ligand are the special means of transporting chirality from isolated molecules to dynamic supramolecular three-dimensional designs of GMP nucleotide crystals. The research results will be benefit to the controlling supramolecular assembly with well-defined structure and properties.
Genomic Comparisons of Two Armillaria Species with Different Ecological Behaviors and Their Associated Soil Microbial Communities
Authors: Caballero Jorge Ibarra , Lalande Bradley M , Hanna John W , Klopfenstein Ned B , Kim Mee-Sook , Stewart Jane E
Published: October 2021

Armillaria species show considerable variation in ecological roles and virulence, from mycorrhizae and saprophytes to important root pathogens of trees and horticultural crops. We studied two Armillaria species that can be found in coniferous forests of northwestern USA and southwestern Canada. Armillaria altimontana is considered as a weak, opportunistic pathogen of coniferous trees, but it also appears to exhibit in situ biological control against A. solidipes, formerly North American A. ostoyae, which is considered a virulent pathogen of coniferous trees. Here, we describe their genome assemblies and present a functional annotation of the predicted genes and proteins for the two Armillaria species that exhibit contrasting ecological roles. In addition, the soil microbial communities were examined in association with the two Armillaria species within a 45-year-old plantation of western white pine (Pinus monticola) in northern Idaho, USA, where A. altimontana was associated with improved tree growth and survival, while A. solidipes was associated with reduced growth and survival.
Curcumin Alleviates LPS-Induced Inflammation and Apoptosis in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Via Inhibition of the NF- κ B and JNK Signaling Pathways
Authors: Ruan Haohang , Huang Qing , Wan Benting , Yang Ming
Published: October 2021

Background: Curcumin plays an important role in inflammation. This study was aimed to investigate the effect of curcumin on vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) injury induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and its mechanism. Methods: VSMCs cells were treated with different concentrations of curcumin (0, 50, 100 and 150 μ g / mL). CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry were used to monitor the effects of curcumin on LPS-induced cell viability and apoptosis. The expression and release of inflammatory cytokines in VSMCs cells were detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The proteins expressions of NF- κB and JNK signaling pathways were analyzed by western blot. Results: Curcumin could reduce LPS induced inflammatory injury by increasing VSMC's cell viability, reducing apoptosis and inhibiting the release of inflammatory cytokines. In addition, curcumin increased the expression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in LPS treated VSMCs. In terms of mechanism, we found that curcumin attenuated LPS-induced cell injury in VSMCs via inhibition of NF- κ B and the JNK signal pathway. Conclusion: Curcumin can protect VSMCs from LPS induced inflammatory injury, which may be related to the blocking of NF- κ B and the JNK signaling pathway. Curcumin may be a potential drug for the treatment of atherosclerosis.
Molecular investigation of the virucidal activity of proanthocyanidin from Alpinia zerumbet against the influenza A virus
Authors: Morimoto Hayato , Hatanaka Tadashi , Narusaka Mari , Narusaka Yoshihiro
Published: October 2021

Proanthocyanidins (PACs) have various bioactivities, such as being anti-bacterial, anti-cancer, and anti-oxidant. Consequently, they have been vigorously studied for the development of new natural bioactive compounds. Recently, AzPAC was isolated from the medicinal plant Alpinia zerumbet, and it was found to inhibit the infection of animal viruses, influenza A viruses (IAVs), and porcine epidemic diarrhea virus. The virucidal activity of AzPAC means that it can interact directly with viral particles. However, few studies have investigated the preventive mechanism utilized by AzPAC on influenza virus replication. In this study, the composition of AzPAC and the affinity between AzPAC and IAVs was investigated in detail. We found that AzPAC was composed of an epicatechin monomer, which was linked by inter-flavan bonds between the C4 and C8 positions (B2-type) and the C4 and C6 positions (B5-type) in the terminal units of the PAC. A quenching assay indicated that AzPAC interacted with IAV membrane proteins, hemagglutinin and neuraminidase. Additionally, circular dichroism analysis indicated that AzPAC affected the change in the secondary structure rate of the viral membrane proteins. AzPAC was able to impair the infective process of IAVs via direct interaction with their viral membrane proteins. These results indicate that A. zerumbet is an invaluable bioresource for the development of preventive drugs against IAV infection.
How a ball free to orbit in a circular track mitigates the galloping of a square prism
Authors: Selwanis Michael , Franzini Guilherme Rosa , Béguin Cédric , Gosselin Frédérick P.
Published: October 2021

Transverse galloping is a type of flow-induced vibration (FIV) that leads to critical design considerations for engineering structures. A purely nonlinear energy sink (NES) composed of a ball free to rotate in a circular track experimentally mitigated the galloping of a square in a previous study. The current study introduces a model for simulating the dynamics of the square prism coupled with a ball-in-track (BIT) NES and predicting the system behaviour at high flow speeds beyond the limits of the previously presented experiments. Numerical simulations employ the fitting of experimental data as inputs to define parameters. Wind tunnel static experiments provide the galloping force coefficient [[EQUATION]] relative to the prism angle of attack. Additionally, free rotation tests allow evaluating the ball damping coefficient [[EQUATION]] as a function of its mass and the NES track radius. The result of the rotation tests provides a critical angular speed beyond which the ball damping increases non-linearly. We point out the damping variation as an advantage of the BIT-NES; less damping at low angular velocities helps the ball start its rotation, while relatively large damping at higher speeds dissipates more energy from the vibrating system. Numerical results exhibit four response modes for the NES; oscillatory at low flow speeds, intermittent within a small range of higher flow speeds, rotational at higher flow speeds, and ineffective regime at flow speeds out of the NES effective range. Modelling the primary mass as a parametric excitation source for the NES provides an analytical estimation of the boundary between the oscillatory and intermittent regimes. Furthermore, we advance an analytical analysis of the power flow across the integrated prism-NES system to explain the NES behaviour and predict the limit of its effective range.
Hybrid Approach to Implement Multi-robotic Navigation System Using Neural Network, Fuzzy Logic and Bio-inspired Optimization Methodologies
Authors: Ayub Shahanaz , Singh Navneet , Hussain Md. Zair , Ashraf Mohd , Singh Dinesh Kumar , Haldorai Anandakumar
Published: October 2021

Mobile robots have been increasingly popular in a variety of industries in recent years due to their ability to move in variable situations and perform routine jobs effectively. Path planning, without a dispute, performs a crucial part in multi-robot navigation, making it one of the very foremost investigated issues in robotics. In recent times, meta-heuristic strategies have been intensively investigated to tackle path planning issues in the similar way that optimizing issues were handled, or to design the optimal path for such multi-robotics to travel from the initial point to such goal. The fundamental purpose of portable multi-robot guidance is to navigate a mobile robot across a crowded area from initial point to target position while maintaining a safe route and creating optimum length for the path. Various strategies for robot navigational path planning were investigated by scientists in this field. This work seeks to discuss bio-inspired methods that are exploited to optimize hybrid neuro-fuzzy analysis which is the combination of neural network and fuzzy logic is optimized using the Particle Swarm optimization technique (PSO) in real-time scenarios. Several optimization approaches of bio-inspired techniques are explained briefly. Its simulation findings, which are displayed for two simulated scenarios reveal that hybridization increases multi-robot navigation accuracy in terms of navigation duration and length of the path.