bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tigris River Water Quality Quantifying Using the Iraq Water Quality Index (IraqWQI) and Some Statistical Techniques
Authors: Abed Salwan Ali , Ewaid Salam Hussein , Chabuk Ali , Al-Ansari Nadhir , Laue Jan , Salim Mudhafar , Salih Riyadh M.
Published: April 2022

Evaluation of water quality is important for the management of water resources. The current study is focused on water quality data monitoring analysis. of the Tigris River in Iraq by the application of the principal component analysis (PCA), cluster analysis (CA), and water quality index (WQI). Twelve water quality parameters were taken from 14 stations along the river are Ca+2, Mg+2, Na+1, K+1, Cl-1, SO4-2, HCO3-1, NO3-1, TH, TDS, BOD5, and EC to apply the PCA and CA. The results show that the mean of all the variables was under the boundaries. except for EC, Ca+2, Mg+2, SO4-2, and TH. EC is the essential element impacting the consistency of the river water. The PCA has one major component which accounts for 97% of variance from various sources of pollution. The CA divided the river into three regions of sampling stations with similar water quality, the best in the north, and the worst in the far south. In this paper, the computer-automated tool (IraqWQI) was presented and evaluated, which has been developed by authors to classify and measure the quality of Iraqi surface water. The proposed index is of hundred degrees and includes six variables for drinking water quality are Cl-1, TH, TDS, COD, DO, and total coliform (TC) according to the Iraqi specifications. The result of the IraqWQI application showed decreasing in the water quality of the river and the suitability for drinking toward the south of the country. The best value of the index was (81.48, Good) in Fishkhabour during winter, and the worst value was (46.23, Bad) in Qurnah during summer. The study showed that the use of statistical technologies and WQI as useful instruments for the management, control, and protection of surface water has been effective and significant
Bovine Holo-lactoferrin inhibits migration and invasion in breast cancer cells
Authors: Rodriguez-Ochoa Ninive , Cortes-Reynosa Pedro , Rodriguez-Rojas Karem , Garza Mireya de la , Salazar Eduardo Perez
Published: April 2022

Purpose Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in developed countries and the leading cause of deaths in women worldwide. Lactoferrin (Lf) is a non-haem iron-binding glycoprotein constituted for a single polypeptide chain folded into two symmetrical lobes that bind Fe2+ or Fe3+ and it has the ability to reversibly bind Fe3+ and then Lf is present free of Fe3+ (Apo-Lf) or associated with Fe3+ (Holo-Lf) with a different three-dimensional conformation. However, the role of bovine Apo-Lf (Apo-BLf) and/or Holo-BLf in the inhibition of migration/invasion induced by linoleic acid (LA) and fetal bovine serum (FBS), and in the expression of mesenchymal and epithelial proteins in breast cancer cells remains to be clarified. Methods and results Based on scratch wound assays results demonstrate that BLf does not induce migration, but Holo-BLf and Apo-BLf differentially inhibit the migration induced by fetal bovine serum (FBS) and linoleic acid (LA) in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Moreover, based on western blot, invasion, zymography and immunofluorescence confocal microscopy, findings demonstrate that Holo-BLf partly inhibit the invasion, FAK phosphorylation at tyrosine (Tyr)-397, secretion of MMP-2 and MMP-9, and an increase in the number and size of focal adhesions induced by FBS in MDA-MB-231 cells. Moreover, Holo-BLf induced inhibition of vimentin expression in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Conclusion Findings demonstrate that Holo-BLf inhibit cell processes involved with the invasion process in breast cancer cells.
Impact of long working hours on mental health in China
Authors: Ma Xinxin
Published: April 2022

Background. Although previous studies have examined the impact of long working hours on mental health in China, they have not addressed the initial value and reverse causality problems. To bridge this gap in the literature and address these problems, we conducted a dynamic longitudinal analysis to investigate the association between long working hours and mental illness nationwide.Methods. Using three-wave longitudinal data from the China Family Panel Studies conducted in 2014, 2016, and 2018, we adopted dynamic regression models with lagged long working hours variables to examine their association with mental illness.Results. Long working hours were positively associated with mental illness. The effect was more significant for women, highly-educated, white-collar, and younger-generation workers compared to their counterparts. Conclusions. The results provided rich evidence of the adverse effects of long working hours on mental health in China. It is thus necessary to enforce the regulations regarding standard working hours and monitor regulatory compliance by companies, as these factors are expected to improve mental health in China.
CD8+ stem cell-like memory T cell subset is associated with disease progression in chronic hepatitis C virus infection
Authors: Lu Xiaofan , Song Bingbing , Weng Wenjia , Su Bin , Wu Hao , Zhang Tong , Gao Yanqing
Published: April 2022

Background The dysfunction of memory CD8+T cell can not be reverted by successful clearance of hepatitis C virus (HCV) after direct-acting antivirals (DAA) therapy, increasing the risk of reinfection with HCV. Stem cell-like memory T cells (Tscm) with superior capacities of long-lasting, self-renewing, and multipotency that contribute to the maintenance of immune function. Methods We investigated the impact of HCV infection on CD8+Tscm, and the possible role this compartment may has in disease progression, by using DAA-naïve HCV monoinfected and HIV/HCV coinfected cohorts. The distribution of memory CD8+T cell subsets and the level of T cell immune activation were determined by flow cytometry. Associations between CD8+Tscm and other memory T cell subsets, HCV viral load, as well as the level of T cell immune activation were analyzed. Results We observed that the proportion of CD8+Tscm increased in both HCV and HIV/HCV individuals. The proportion of CD8+Tscm had a positive correlation with that of CD8+Tcm, and a negative correlation with that of CD8+Tem, representing the contribution of CD8+Tscm in T cell homeostasis. In addition, higher frequency of CD8+Tscm indicated lower HCV viral load and less T cell immune activation in HCV monoinfection, which suggested that CD8+Tscm may associate with effective control of HCV replication. Conclusions CD8+Tscm may has protective immunity to HCV infection. Considering the characteristics of Tscm, our current study opens new opportunity for Tscm-based vaccine design and immunotherapy development to achieve HCV elimination.
Nanoparticles Aggregation Effects on MHD Mixed Convective Stagnation Point flow of water based nanofluid past a permeable stretching sheet in presence of Thermal Stratification
Authors: Mahmood Zafar , Khan Umar
Published: April 2022

Using a thermally stratified water-based nanofluid and a permeable stretching sheet as a simulation environment, this research examines the impact of nanoparticle aggregation on MHD mixed convective stagnation point flow. Nanoparticle aggregation is studied using two modified models: the Krieger-Dougherty and the Maxwell-Bruggeman. The present problem's governing equations were transformed into a solvable mathematical model utilizing legitimate similarity transformations, and numerical solutions were then achieved using shooting with Runge-Kutta Fehlberg (RKF) technique in Mathematica. Equilibrium point flow toward permeable stretching surface is important for the extrusion process because it produces required heat and mass transfer patterns and identifies and clarifies fragmented flow phenomena using diagrams. Nanoparticle volume fraction was shown to have an impact on the solutions' existence range, as well. Alumina and copper nanofluids have better heat transfer properties than regular fluids. The skin friction coefficients and Nusselt number, velocity, temperature profiles for many values of the different parameters were obtained. In addition, the solutions were shown in graphs and tables, and they were explained in detail. A comparison of the current study's results with previous results for a specific instance is undertaken to verify the findings, and excellent agreement between them is observed.
MALDI-TOF MS Protein Profiling Combined with Multivariate Analysis for Identification and Quantitation of Meat Adulteration
Authors: Pu Keyuan , Qiu Jiamin , Li Jiaying , Huang Wei , Lai Xiaopin , Liu Cheng , Lin Yan , Ng Kwan-Ming
Published: April 2022

The problem of adulteration and mislabeling in meat products has raised the public concerns globally. An easy-operation, fast and robust method that applicable to routine inspections is urgently needed. This study showed that the MALDI-TOF MS protein profiling of four meat species (beef, chicken, duck and pork) combining with partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) discovered 57 feature peaks for their unambiguous differentiation. Among them, 36 were identified in Uniprot. Based on the linear relation between the intensities of feature peaks, the partial least squares regression was successfully applied to build the prediction models for determining the adulteration ratios of beef meat mixtures containing one of the other three species. Blind tests were applied to evaluate the method and the average prediction accuracy at 94.7% was achieved. Taking duck meat as the adulterant, the detection sensitivity of the method could be down to 5%. Moreover, the method has also been successfully applied to analyze market samples and the results were in agreement with the PCR method, showing the potential of its practical application for qualitative and quantitative analysis of adulterated beef products.
MicroRNA-1 attenuates the growth and metastasis of small cell lung cancer through CXCR4/FOXM1/RRM2 axis
Authors: Khan Parvez , Siddiqui Jawed A , Kshirsagar Prakash G. , Venkata Ramakanth Chirravuri , Maurya Shailendra Kumar , Mirzapoiazova Tamara , Perumal Naveenkumar , Chaudhary Sanjib , Kanchan Ranjana , Fatima Mahek , Khan Md Arafat , Rehman Asad Ur , Lakshmanan Imayavaramban , Mahapatra Sidharth , Talmon Geoffrey A. , Kulkarni Prakash , Ganti Apar K , Jain Maneesh , Salgia Ravi , Batra Surinder Kumar , Nasser Mohd Wasim
Published: April 2022

Background: Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive lung cancer subtype that is associated with high recurrence and poor prognosis. Due to a lack of potential drug targets, SCLC patients have few therapeutic options. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) provide an interesting repertoire of therapeutic molecules; however, the identification of miRNAs regulating SCLC growth and metastasis and their precise regulatory mechanisms are not well understood. Methods: To identify novel miRNAs regulating SCLC, we performed miRNA-sequencing from donor/patient serum samples and analyzed the bulk RNA-sequencing data from the tumors of SCLC patients. Further, we developed a nanotechnology-based, highly sensitive method to detect miR-1 (identified miRNA) in patient serum samples and SCLC cell lines. To assess the therapeutic potential of miR-1, we developed various in vitro models, including miR-1 sponge (miR-1Zip) and a DOX-On-miR-1 (Tet-ON) inducible stable overexpression systems. Mouse models derived from intracardiac injection of SCLC cells (miR-1Zip and DOX-On-miR-1) were established to delineate the role of miR-1 in SCLC metastasis. In situ hybridization (ISH) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were used to analyze the expression of miR-1 and target proteins (mouse and human tumor specimens), respectively. Dual-luciferase assay was used to validate the target of miR-1, and ChIP-assay was used to investigate the protein-gene interactions.Results: A consistent downregulation of miR-1 was observed in tumor tissues and serum samples of SCLC patients compared to their matched normal controls, and these results were recapitulated in SCLC cell lines. Gain of function studies of miR-1 in SCLC cell lines showed decreased cell growth and oncogenic signaling, whereas loss of function studies of miR-1 rescued this effect. Intracardiac injection of gain of function SCLC cell lines in the mouse models showed a decrease in the distant organ metastasis, whereas loss of function of miR-1 potentiated growth and metastasis. Mechanistic studies revealed that CXCR4 is a direct target of miR-1 in SCLC. Using un-biased transcriptomic analysis, we identified CXCR4/FOXM1/RRM2 as a unique axis that regulates SCLC growth and metastasis. Our results further showed that FOXM1 directly binds to the RRM2 promoter and regulates its activity in SCLC. Conclusions: Our findings revealed that miR-1 is a critical regulator for decreasing SCLC growth and metastasis. It targets the CXCR4/FOXM1-RRM2 axis and has a high potential for the development of novel SCLC therapies.
Toxoplasma gondii detection and genotyping in the Environmental matrices: soil and water in Gaza, Palestine
Authors: Dardona Zuhair , Al-Hindi Adnan , Hafidi Mohamed , Boumezzough Ali , Sharif Fadel , Boussaa Samia
Published: April 2022

The aim of the current study was to determine the prevalence and genotypes of T. gondii oocysts in soil and water samples from Gaza, Palestine. For this purpose290 environmental samples, including 200 from soil and 90 from water, were collected. Soil samples were collected from Wadi-Gaza, vicinity of trash dumpsters, residential home yards, open-air marketplaces, public squares and gardens. Water samples were collected from Wadi-Gaza, wells used for drinking and irrigation. The samples were examined utilizing PCR and Sheather's solution techniques and genotyping of 4 samples was performed by PCR-RFLP. The results revealed that out of the 290 investigated samples, 31 (10.68%) proved contaminated by Sheather’s solution, whereas 22 (7.58%) were positive by PCR. Genotyping results showed that all of the four tested samples belonged to T. gondii Type I. The highest rate of contamination was detected in the samples collected from residential house yards, while public squares and gardens represented the lowest rate. Regarding the water samples, T. gondii oocysts were detected only in the samples collected from Wadi-Gaza. This work confirms the presence of Type I T. gondii in the soil and water of the study area, with soil contamination being heavier than that of water.
Disease-related protein co-expression networks are associated with the prognosis of resectable node-positive pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
Authors: Nishimura Toshihide , Takadate Tatsuyuki , Maeda Shimpei , Suzuki Takashi , Minowa Takashi , Fukuda Tetsuya , Bando Yasuhiko , Unno Michiaki
Published: April 2022

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a multifactorial disease, the molecular profile of which remains unclear. This study aimed at unveiling the disease-related protein networks associated with different outcomes of resectable, node-positive PDAC cases. We assessed laser-microdissected cancerous cells from PDAC tissues of a poor outcome group (POG; n=4) and a better outcome group (BOG; n=4). Noncancerous pancreatic duct tissues (n=5) were used as the reference. We identified four representative network modules by applying a weighted network correlation analysis to the obtained quantitative PDAC proteome datasets. Two network modules that were significant for POG were associated with the heat shock response to hypoxia-related stress; in the latter, a large involvement of the non-canonical Hedgehog pathway (regulated by GLI1), the internal ribosome entry site-mediated cap-independent translation, the inositol requiring enzyme 1-alpha (IRE1-alpha)/X-box binding protein 1 pathway of the unfolding protein response (UPR), and the aerobic glycolysis was observed. By contrast, the BOG characteristic module was involved in the inactivation of the UPR pathway via the synoviolin 1-dependent proteasomal degradation of IRE1-alpha, the activation of SOX2, and the loss of PALB2 (partner and localizer of BRCA2) function, all potentially suppressing malignant tumor development. Our findings might facilitate future therapeutic strategies for PDAC.
Postural balance challenge in isometric squat position: Hammerobics-synchronized squat
Authors: Murofushi Koji , Oshikawa Tomoki , Kaneoka Koji , Akuzawa Hiroshi , Yamaguchi Daisuke , Hirohata Kenji , Mitomo Sho , Furuya Hidetaka , Yagishita Kazuyoshi
Published: April 2022

BACKGROUND: Perturbation exercises enhance lower limb and trunk muscles, and adding swing perturbation while loading during exercise might improve muscle activation or strength. OBJECTIVE: To check variations in trunk and lower limb muscle activity during conventional isometric squats, and whether it will change with or without swing using the Hammerobics-synchronized squat method.METHODS: Twelve healthy men participated in this study. Activities for the abductor hallucis, tibialis anterior, tibialis posterior, peroneus longus, rectus femoris, biceps femoris, semitendinosus, gluteus maximus, multifidus, and internal oblique muscles were measured using surface electromyography during a Hammerobics-synchronized squat and conventional isometric squat. Muscle activities were statistically compared between squat methods.RESULTS: Hammerobics-synchronized squats significantly activated the abductor hallucis, tibialis anterior, tibialis posterior, peroneus longus, semitendinosus, and multifidus muscles, in both phases, compared with the conventional isometric squats. CONCLUSIONS: The Hammerobics-synchronized squat exercise can be considered for trunk and foot stability exercise.
First report of Asia II 7 and China 3 cryptic species of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) and identification of its associated endosymbionts in Bihar
Authors: Yashaswini Gummudala , Karthik Somala , Ahmad Md. Abbas , Kumar Udit , Reddy B Deepak , Keerthana A , Mallikarjun Gurram , Abinaya S , Reddy M. S. Sai
Published: April 2022

Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is a polyphagous invasive insect pest in the world that infests over 1000 plant species, spreads 300 plant viruses and associated with different endosymbiotic bacteria. In the current study, we looked at the genetic variation of B. tabaci populations and their association with endosymbiotic bacteria in Bihar (29 populations: 16 interhost and 13 interlocations). For this purpose, we conducted an inter-host survey and discovered that Brinjal was highly infested by B. tabaci, so, an interlocation survey was planned. The genetic variability among 29 populations were explored using nuclear markers i.e., Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD), Simple Sequence Repeats (SSR) along with extra-nuclear marker (Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I -COI) for their molecular characterization. Interestingly, Bayesian phylogenetic analysis of 657 bp mtCOI sequences showed the existence of four cryptic species belonging to two genetic groups (Asia and China) viz., Asia I, Asia II 1, Asia II 7 and China 3. In this study we have reported different bacterial endosymbionts associated with 29 B. tabaci populations in Bihar. By amplifying of 16S rRNA of specific bacteria we were able to identify Portiera sp, the primary endosymbiont of B. tabaci, and other secondary endosymbionts like Arsenophonus sp, Wolbachia sp, Rickettsia sp, Hamiltonella sp and Cardinium sp. Overall, this study found that Asia II 7 and China 3 cryptic species were reported for the first time in Bihar region and Asia I was the dominant cryptic species and that secondary endosymbionts were not uniformly distributed in all the populations. Furthermore, our findings in mapping the distribution of B. tabaci populations and their associated endosymbionts in various ecosystems paved the way for future research and the development of area-wide management tactics for B. tabaci cryptic species in Bihar.
Determinants of Nonrenewal of National Health Insurance (Nhi) Membership Cards Among Healthcare Workers in the Kintamponorth Municipality, Bono East Region of Ghana
Authors: Hallidu Mustapha , Sumaila Issah
Published: April 2022

Introduction: National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) was implemented in Ghana in 2004 to serve as the lifeline to realizing Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Available evidence suggests that, formal sector workers do not promptly renew their expired NHIS membership cards. This study was therefore conducted to unearth factors responsible for the failure of healthcare workers in the Kintampo North Municipality to promptly renew their health insurance membership whenever it expires. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional approach was used to conduct this study where three hundred and ninety-seven (397) participants were recruited using a proportionate stratified sampling technique. All variables with a p-value <0.25 at the bivariate analysis level were selected and put into multiple logistic regression analysis models for statistical significance (p-value < 0.05). Odds ratios with their corresponding 95% Confidence Interval were reported. A p-value < 0.05 was set as level of significance.Results: Almost all the respondents (94.0%) had NHIS membership cards; out of which 70.7% had valid membership cards. 40.0% did not renew their expired NHIS membership cards for more than 7 months. From the study, reasons given for health workers’ inability to promptly renew NHIS membership included: 212 (19.8%) indicated forgetfulness, busy schedules 191 (17.9%), procrastination 167 (15.6%), self-medication 170 (15.9%) and utilization of spiritual homes (4.5%). All socio-economic factors were significantly associated at the bivariate level (p<0.05). However, in the multiple logistic regression model, employment status, the type of health staff and monthly salary lost their statistical significance. Conclusion: NHIS subscription and membership renewals is high among healthcare works in the Kintampo North District of the Bono East Region of Ghana. However, there is the need to encourage those who do not renew their expired cards by ensuring that more NHIS cards renewal centers are established at close proximity to the health facilities. It will be prudent for NHIS to liaise with Government of Ghana (GoG) to put measures in place to facilitate automatic membership renewals for public sector workers who for some other reasons often fail to renew their cards.
From longitudinal measurements to image classification: Application to longitudinal MRI in Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Mofrad Samaneh Abolpour , Bartsch Hauke , Lundervold Alexander Selvikvåg
Published: April 2022

We propose a novel method of constructing representations of multiple one-dimensional longitudinal measurements as two-dimensional grey-scale images. This can be used to turn classification problems from longitudinal settings into simpler image classification problems, allowing for the application of newer deep learning methods on longitudinal measurements. Our approach is applicable to situations with balanced or imbalanced longitudinal data sets, and where there are missing data at some time points. To evaluate our approach, we apply it to an important and challenging task: the prediction of dementia from brain volume trajectories derived from longitudinal MRI. We construct an ensemble of convolutional neural network models to classify two groups of subjects: those diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment at all examinations (stable MCI) versus those starting out as MCI but later converting to Alzheimer’s disease (converted AD). Models were trained on image representations derived from N = 736 subjects sourced from the ADNI database (471/265 sMCI/cAD). We obtained an accuracy of a resulting ensemble model of 76%, measured on an independent test set. Our approach is simple and easy to apply but competitive (in terms of accuracy) with results reported in other machine learning approaches with similar classification on comparable tasks. This indicates that our approach can lead to useful representations of longitudinal data.
Development of a Monitoring System for Disassembled Towers with Internal Suspension Poles
Authors: Zhang Long-Bin , Tang Bo , Shang Zhi-Yu , Wang Yue , Li Heng-Bo
Published: April 2022

At present, most of the derrick supported by inner suspension derrick for transmission tower projects rely on the experience of the construction personnel, and the construction has great hidden dangers. For this reason, combined with current power IoT (Internet of Things) technologies, we develop a set of intelligent monitoring system for inner suspension derrick for transmission tower erection in sections to monitor the force and spatial attitude of the derrick and iron tower material, as well as real-time information transmission and early warning. This article analyzes the technical process of inner suspension derrick for transmission tower erection in sections and the construction rules of inner suspension derrick for transmission tower erection in sections, determines the all-around safety monitoring of tower construction from the aspects of force, inclination, height and distance, and then constructs the overall structure of the system monitoring point. According to the characteristics of field construction, ZigBee and 4G communication technologies are selected to interconnect self-constituted LAN and 4G wide area network, so as to complete on-site data interaction and long-distance transmission. In view of the characteristics of many types and wide distribution of monitoring data in the system, the field data transmission and early warning program adopts polling mode to realize the orderly utilization of time when each channel passes through. The system has been verified by the 500kV delivery project of Fujian Zhouning Pumped Storage Power Station with good application.
Retrospective evaluation of the effects of intra-arterial chemotherapy combined with intravesical BCG immunotherapy versus BCG immunotherapy in high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer after transurethral resection of the bladder tumor
Authors: Luo Shuhang , Yang Rui , Wusimanjiang Wumier , Lei Jiahao , Liu Jinwen , Lin Shengjie , Liu Zhoujing , Chen Lingwu , Chen Junxing , Huang Bin
Published: April 2022

Purpose
To develop a novel combination therapy for high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) after transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT), namely, intra-arterial chemotherapy (IAC) plus BCG immunotherapy, and to compare the feasibility and safety of the two therapies.
Materials and methods
A retrospective review was conducted on the data of 134 patients who were diagnosed with high-risk NMIBC and underwent TURBT in the past five years. A total of 134 patients were initially enrolled and screened according to inclusion criteria, and the remaining 103 patients were divided into two groups according to the aspiration of patients: both groups received intravesical BCG immunotherapy, and the BCG + IAC group received 4 courses of extra intra-arterial chemotherapy. Clinical and follow-up data were recorded and processed using a statistical software.
Result
The recurrence rate was 14% in the BCG + IAC group and 28.3% in the BCG group, whereas the progression rates were 7% and 8.3%, respectively. In the Kaplan-Meier plot, a statistically significant difference was observed with respect to recurrence-free survival (p = 0.045), while the progression-free survival of the two groups was similar (p = 0.452). 46.5 the patients with adverse effects of IAC and 84.5% patients suffered from adverse reactions to BCG immunotherapy, and most of the adverse effects were mild and tolerable. Univariate analysis indicated that only history of recurrence was an independent risk factor for recurrence.
Conclusion
Intra-arterial chemotherapy could decrease the recurrence rate of BCG immunotherapy in high-risk patients with NMIBC with little additional toxicity. This could be a promising auxiliary treatment for BCG immunotherapy.
Integrating hetero-coordinated FeN4 and NiP4 single-atomic sites in one system for oxygen reduction/evolution
Authors: Qiu Xiaoyu , Su Keying , Yang Anzhou , Tang Yawen
Published: April 2022

The intrinsic activity of single-atom catalysts highly relies on their coordination configuration. However, selecting heterogenous ligands with larger electronegativity difference to severally customize the coordination and tune the electronic structure of dual-atom catalysts still remains challenge. Herein, a layer-by-layer separation and anisotropic coordination strategy is designed to perform the hetero-coordinated FeN4 and NiP4 sites anchored to the inner and outer surfaces of hollow carbon sphere (FeN4-C-NiP4), revealing a ligand-determined electronic properties of metal sites and their selectivity for oxidative/reductive reaction. Specifically, FeN4 sites with lower spin and deficient electrons are responsible for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR, E1/2=0.89 V), while four rich-electronic P ligands upshift the Ni center towards a higher spin, making the NiP4 sites more favorable for oxygen evolution reaction (OER, η10=218 mViR-free). Thus the FeN4-C-NiP4 could balance the competition between rate-limiting steps of ORR and OER, manifesting a small potential gap of 0.59 V. Moreover, above concept can be extended to achieve hetero-coordinated CoN4-C-NiP4 dual-atom sites, enhancing the activity and selectivity for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and OER.
Factors Associated with Delay in Seeking Care for Breast Symptoms
Authors: Soh Jien Yen , Yahya Maya Mazuwin , Bachok Norsa’adah , Zain Wan Zainira Wan , Wong Michael Pak-Kai , Zakaria Zaidi , Merican Siti Rahmah Hashim Isa , Has Mohd Nizam MD , Ramely Rosnelifaizur , Zakaria Andee Dzulkarnaen , Mohamad Ikhwan Sani , Mokhter Wan Muhamad Mokhzani W Muhamad
Published: April 2022

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. Early detection and intervention are associated with better prognosis and survival. The study aim was to investigate the factors associated with delayed treatment among women with breast symptoms.Methods: After ethics approval, a cross-sectional study was conducted from January to October 2020 in women with new breast cancer symptoms at their first visit to our clinic. The “Delayed Presentation” questionnaires in the Malay language were used and distributed among the participants. Demographic data and presentation time were recorded. Presentation time was defined as the duration of symptoms prior to visiting the clinic. Respondents with presentation times > 90 days comprised the delayed group. The potential factors associated with delayed presentation were analyzed using cross-tabulation and multiple logistic regression.Results: There were 106 respondents to the questionnaire, with a mean age of 34.0 (SD: 11.2) years, and 73.6% (n = 78) were <39 years old. A total of 35.8% (n = 38) were first-time presenters to the health clinic. The reasons for presentation were a palpable breast lump on breast self-examination (75.5%, n = 80), mastalgia (15.1%, n = 16), nipple discharge (5.7%, n = 6), skin changes (0.9%, n = 1), and others (2.8%, n = 3). Among the respondents, 10.4% (n = 11) had alternative treatments prior to presentation to a hospital. The mean presentation time was 98.9 (SD: 323.7) days. Most of the participants (61.3%, n = 65) presented to us within 1 month. The delayed presentation group accounted for 19.8% (n = 21) of the respondents. The factor that was significantly associated with delayed presentation was the participants’ perception of symptoms as not dangerous (adjusted OR: 3.05, 95% CI: 1.11, 8.38).Conclusions: The percentage of delayed presentations among our patients was lower than the percentage reported in a previous study. Interpretation of a symptom as harmless by the respondent was the only factor significantly associated with delayed presentation.
Study on gene network mechanism of Qufeng Tongqiao Prescription in treating cerebral ischemia
Authors: Li Na , Sun Jie , Wu Jian-Cao , Bai Xue , Yang Si-Jin , Wang Ting-Hua
Published: April 2022

Objective: To study the network mechanism of qufeng Tongqiao Prescription in the treatment of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion related genes through network screening and molecular docking verification.Methods: Venny diagram, GO and KEGG analysis, PPI protein interaction, Hub gene screening, molecular verification and animal behavior experiments were performed to conduct inflammation through network pharmacology.Results: There were 53 intersecting genes of Qufengtongqiao Recipe and cerebral ischemia reperfusion. GO analysis showed that the main BP was response to lipopolysaccharide, and the main CC process was membrane raft. Cytokine receptor binding is the most important MF process.Age-rage signaling pathway in diabetic complications is the most important signaling pathway in KEGG pathway.Through molecular docking, it was found that Astragalus membranaceus was docked with MAPK14, IL4, FOS, IL6 and JUN, pueraria membranaceus was directly docked with JUN and IL4, Acorus acorus was linked to JUN and MAPK14, Ganoderma ganoderma and human were involved in JUN docking, and Ligusticum chuanqi and pueraria could not be docked with MAPK14 respectively.Conclusion: Qufeng Tongqiao prescription has therapeutic effect on cerebral ischemia reperfusion.
HDSNet: Hierarchical Detection Structure for YOLO Series Models
Authors: Qu Zhong , Gao Leyuan , Wang Shengye
Published: April 2022

The feature pyramid network is an effective feature enhancement network. It is proposed and proved that its success is due to a divide-and-conquer solution to the optimization problem in object detection rather than multi-scale feature fusion. Divide-and-conquer refers to using feature layers of different scales as prediction feature layers instead of using one single object detection head. In this paper, we propose the hierarchical detection structures on YOLOv3-5 baseline models, which have good improvements. Firstly, we add a 7×7 grid as a prediction feature layer on YOLOv3, achieving 67.8% mAP@.5 and 46.3% mAP@.5:.95 on VOC and COCO datasets, which are 1.9% and 0.8% higher than the original. Then, we add 10×10 and 5×5 grids simultaneously on YOLOv4-5 as prediction feature layers. On VOC and COCO datasets, YOLOv4 achieves 61.8% mAP@.5 and 36.4% mAP@.5:.95, which are 1.6% and 1.1% higher than the original. YOLOv5 has four different models of S, M, L, and X. Finally, we do comparative experiments on all four models. For VOC dataset, 61.3%, 66.6%, 69.9% and 70.9% mAP@.5:.95 are achieved in YOLOv5_S-X, which are 4.4%, 1.4%, 1.6% and 1.1% higher than the original, respectively. The results of comparative experiments on each model show that the hierarchical detection structure based on anchors is effective for YOLO series models.
Anthropometric and Physiological Parameter Changes in Bodybuilders during the COVID Pandemic
Authors: Asgshahr Farnaz Seifi , Nabilpour Maghsoud , Mayhow Jerry
Published: April 2022

Background
The COVID-19 pandemic infects athletes in different ways. Some ceased their training due to infection. Others reduced training due to closure of sports clubs. Some were able to continiue their training as usual while. The aims of this study were two-fold: (i) test the between-group effect of different levels of training over a 6-week period and (ii) test the within-group changes regarding body composition and fitness levels.
Methods
Thirty-six male bodybuilders (age = 24–33 yrs) with a minimum of two years training experience volunteered to participate. Athletes were categorized as those who were healthy and continued their training program (CTR, n = 12), healthy and ceased their training program (HWT, n = 12), and infected and ceased their training program (INF, n = 12). Participants were measured for maximal muscle strength in a chest press and squat before and after a period of 6-weeks. In addition, skinfolds were used to examine body composition changes over the 6-week period. Pre-pandemic data for anthropometric and physiological parameters of these subjects were available from their club. Before athletes returned to exercise in training groups, cardiovascular symptoms such as chest pain, palpitations, dizziness, syncope, tachycardia, and respiratory symptoms such as cough, sneezing, sore throat, asthma, and bronchial hypersensitivity after infection were assessed and their clinical manifestation reported. Repeated-measures ANOVA wasused to compare pre- and post-parameters, with Tukey post-hoc tests used to assess significance.
Results
Post-test results revealed that bodybuilders who were infected with COVID-19 virus had significantly greater weight and lean body mass losses compared to the other two groups. Also, their 1RM squat and chest press exercises had greater decreased (p < 0.005). Clinical manifestations of the virus showed a return to normal ranges following two weeks of training.
Conclusion
Lack of training caused changes in body composition and upper- and lower-body muscle strength of bodybuilders. If cessation of training coincides with the COVID-19 virus, the intensity of these changes were exacerbated. It is recommended that training of those who have recovered from the coronavirus be closely monitored for at least two weeks so that medical actions can be promptly implemented if a clinical incidence occurs.
Comparison of Bilevel Volume Guarantee and Pressure-Regulated Volume Control Modes in Preterm Infants
Authors: Işık Şehribanu , Canpolat Fuat Emre , Şimşek Gülsüm Kadıoğlu , Ertekin Ömer , Kutman H. Gözde Kanmaz
Published: April 2022

Purpose: The present study aimed to compare the bilevel VG and PRVC modes of the GE® Carescape R860 model ventilator and test the safety and utility of these two modes in preterm neonates. Mehtods: Infants who were less than 30 weeks of gestational age, required intubation and mechanical ventilation in the first 24 hours of life, received surfactant at least once, and were clinically stable at postnatal 24 hours were included in the study. After randomization, initial ventilator settings were adjusted for each patient and recorded as the starting point. After the first 2 hours of ventilation, the patients were switched to the other ventilator mode for 2 hours. Ventilator parameters, vital signs, and blood gas values were evaluated at the beginning of the study, after the first ventilation mode, and after the second ventilation mode.Results: The study included a total of 28 patients, 14 in the PRVC group and 14 in the bilevel VG group. The mean birth weight was 876 g (range: 530-1170) and the mean gestational age was 26.4 weeks (range: 24-29). The patients’ peak inspiratory pressure (PIP2 and PIP3) was lower after ventilation in bilevel VG mode than in PRVC mode (13 vs. 14 cmH2O, respectively; paired samples t-test, p=0.008). After 2 hours of bilevel VG ventilation, mean heart rate decreased from 149/min to 140/min (p=0.001) and oxygen saturation increased from 91% to 94% (p=0.01). There were no significant differences in mean airway pressure, respiratory rate, or blood gas values. Conclusion: Both the PRVC and bilevel VG modes of GE ventilators can be used safely in preterm infants, and although the difference may not be very pronounced, bilevel VG mode was associated with more favorable early clinical findings. Studies including more patients and comparing with other modes will clarify and provide further evidence on this subject.Trial registration number: NCT04191239
The Effects of Gut Microbiome of Pregnant Mice on Palate Development in Fetal Mice
Authors: Wang Yijia , Chen Jing , Wang Xiaotong , Peng Xia , Li Tianli , Liu Ying , Du Juan
Published: April 2022

Background
Cleft palate (CP) is one of the most common congenital birth defects in the craniofacial region, recent studies have shown that the occurrence of cleft palate is closely related to maternal health. Pregnant women with an imbalance in their gut microbiota might be at risk not only for their health but also for their fetuses. However, few reports focus on the relationship between the occurrence of CP on embryos and gut microbiota of their mothers.
Results
In this study, we used retinoic acid (RA) to induce cleft palate model for E10.5 mice, then at E16.5, the feces of 5 RA-treated pregnant mice and 5 control pregnant mice were respectively collected for metagenomics analysis. The results showed that compared with the control group, Lactobacillus in the gut microbiome of pregnant mice in the RA group was significantly increased. GO, KEGG and CAZy analysis of differentially expressed unigenes demonstrated the most abundant metabolic pathway in different groups, such as TCA cycle, lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis, and histidine metabolism.
Conclusions
Our findings indicated that changes in maternal gut microbiome could affect fetal palatal development, which might be related to changes in Lactobacillus and metabolic disorders. These results provide a new idea and direction for the pathogenesis of the cleft palate.
Effects of systolic and diastolic blood pressure rhythm on coronary artery disease in type 2 diabetic patients: a retrospective cross-sectional study
Authors: Wang Qian-Li , Li Dan , Xu Xiao-Yang , Wei Xiao-Yuan , Yu Jiang-Chuan , Su Li
Published: April 2022

Background: Studies put it there was an interaction between diabetes and abnormal blood pressure rhythm, and they both increased the morbidity and mortality of coronary artery disease (CAD). We aimed at analyzing the effects of abnormal rhythm (AR) of blood pressure (BP) and each kind of systolic or diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP) pattern on CAD in patients with type 2 diabetes in Southwest China. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study involved 853 type 2 diabetic patients with 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring divided into CAD and non-CAD groups through imaging examination of the coronary artery. SBP and DBP were divided into dipper (D), non-dipper (ND), reverse dipper (RD), and extreme dipper (ED) by nocturnal BP decline rate, respectively. The difference in mean 24-hour, daytime, bedtime SBP and DBP, and BP rhythm between groups was compared by variance analysis. The association between different BP rhythms and CAD was analyzed by multivariate logistic regression when adjust for clinical, laboratory, and BP parameters.Results: Most diabetic patients had non-dipper BP patterns in both CAD and non-CAD groups, while the CAD group had a higher percentage of RD in both SBP and DBP than non-CAD. More CAD occurred in RD-SBP than D-SBP (P<0.001), RD-SBP than ND-SBP (P<0.001), RD-DBP than D-DBP (P<0.001), and ND-DBP than D-DBP (p=0.006). AR-SBP (OR=1.622, P=0.015), AR-DBP (OR=1.774, P=0.001), RD-SBP (OR=2.320, P<0.001), RD-DBP (OR=2.140, P<0.001), ND-DBP (OR=1.648, P=0.006) were risk factors for CAD and those relationships were still significant after adjust for different parameters.Conclusion: Abnormal BP rhythm, especially reverse dipper pattern was a risk factor for CAD regardless of SBP or DBP in diabetic patients. While for non-dipper, only the non-dipper DBP pattern had a risky influence.
Investigation of acylated anthocyanins from black rice by lipase-catalyzed: Improvement of lipid-soluble antioxidant activity and stability
Authors: Wang Hui , Sun Lina , Li Yanhui , Kong Yue , Kang Zimeng , Wu Zenan , Lv Wenbiao , Xie Ruiwei , Xie Fengying
Published: April 2022

In this study, a series of acylated anthocyanins from black rice with different weight ratio of caffeic acid has been successfully prepared by lipase-catalyzed in non-aqueous phase. The effects of acylation on the antioxidant capacity and degradation kinetics were also conducted. The ability of scavenging liposoluble radical and total antioxidant capacity for anthocyanins were improved by acylation reaction. The total antioxidant capacity reached maximum when the weight ratio of anthocyanins to caffeic acid was 1:1. Moreover, the decomposition stability of acylated anthocyanins was enhanced and the degradation followed first order reaction kinetics with respect to temperature, pH and light, respectively. The decomposition rate at relevant pH value for acylated anthocyanins with the weight ratio of 2:1 was the highest. However, the rate constant of anthocyanins against heat and light were decreased with the increasing content of caffeic acid, which illustrated that the thermal and light stability was increased with the content of caffeic acid increasing. The exploration of this study would extend the application of anthocyanin in organic phase and lay the groundwork for further exploring the potential application of anthocyanins in food industry.
Experimental Design Application for Measuring Histamine in Tuna fish Samples by Phenyl isothiocyanate Derivation method using Ultra-performance liquid chromatography
Authors: Ameri Maede , Daryanavard Seyed Mosayeb
Published: April 2022

Histamine is an important biogenic amino acid was measured in tuna fish samples by ultra- performance liquid chromatography using a Phenyl isothiocyanate derivative. Minitab software was used to design the experiment and investigate the effective factors during the process, which includes screening and optimization steps. A partial factorial design was used in the screening stage and a central composite design was used in the optimization. Effective parameters in Histamine derivation were examined in the screening step including triethylamine volume, phenyl isothiocyanate volume, reaction temperature, reaction time and mobile phase pH. Then, in the optimization, effective parameters were identified and finally, the calibration curve was drawn from a concentration of 0.5–10.0 µg.ml-1 for Histamine and a correlation coefficient of 0.994 was obtained for Histamine. The method detection limit was 0.36 µg.ml-1 and the LOQ was 1.19 µg.ml-1. The relative standard deviation of the method was obtained for concentrations of 1.0–100.0 µg.ml-1 in the range between 1.06 to 2.21%. The recovery method was obtained from 90.8 to 103.1% for measuring Histamine in real fish samples.
Adding Pattern and Process to Eco-Evo Theory and Applications
Authors: White Jennifer M. , Schumaker Nathan H. , Chock Rachel Y. , Watkins Sydney
Published: April 2022

Context
Eco-evolutionary dynamics result when interacting biological forces simultaneously produce demographic and genetic population responses. Eco-evolutionary simulators traditionally manage complexity by minimizing the influence of spatial pattern on process. However, this simplification can limit their utility in real-world applications.
Objectives
We present a novel simulation modeling approach for investigating eco-evolutionary dynamics, centered on the driving role of landscape pattern. Our spatially-explicit, individual-based mechanistic simulation approach overcomes existing methodological challenges, generates new insights, and paves the way for future investigations in four focal disciplines: Landscape Genetics, Population Genetics, Conservation Biology, and Evolutionary Ecology.
Methods
We developed a simple individual-based model to illustrate how spatial structure drives eco-evo dynamics. By making minor changes to our landscape’s structure, we simulated continuous, isolated, and semi-connected landscapes, and simultaneously tested several classical assumptions of the focal disciplines.
Results
Our results exhibit expected patterns of isolation, drift, and extinction. By imposing landscape change on otherwise functionally-static eco-evolutionary models, we altered key emergent properties such as gene-flow and adaptive selection. We observed demo-genetic responses to these landscape manipulations, including changes in population size, probability of extinction, and allele frequencies. Our model also demonstrated how demo-genetic traits, including generation time and migration rate, can arise from a mechanistic model, rather than being specified a priori.
Conclusions
We identify simplifying assumptions common to four focal disciplines, and illustrate how new insights might be developed in eco-evolutionary theory and applications by better linking biological processes to landscape patterns that we know influence them, but that have understandably been left out of many past modeling studies.