bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Relationship of common variants in Krüppel-like factor 7 gene with susceptibility and prognosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Wang Lili , Song Hongguang , Yang Shiming
Published: September 2020

Background

The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of Krüppel-like factor 7 (KLF7) for patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC).
Methods

The expression of KLF7 was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in pairs of tumor tissues and adjacent non-tumor tissues of OSCC. Chi-square (χ2) test was applied to evaluate the association of KLF7 expression with clinicopathological characteristics of OSCC patients. Overall survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method with log rank test. The cox proportional hazards model was used for univariate and multivariate analyses.
Results

The expression of KLF7 was remarkably increased in OSCC tissues compared with adjacent non-tumor tissues (P < 0.001). KLF7 expression was related to TNM stage (P = 0.006), tumor size (P = 0.010), smoking (P = 0.006) and drinking (P = 0.000). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that OSCC patients with high KLF7 expression had a poorer overall survival than those with low expression (log rank test, P = 0.018). Moreover, multivariate analyses showed that KLF7 was an independent prognostic factor for OSCC (P = 0.002 HR = 2.645 95%CI: 1.426–4.906).
Conclusion

Decreased expression of KLF7 may be a potential unfavorable prognostic factor for patients with OSCC.
Petal Color-Transition in Lonicera japonica is Mainly Associated with Increase of the Carotenoid Content and Carotenoid Biosynthetic Gene Expression
Authors: Xia Yan , Chen Weiwei , Xiang Weibo , Wang Dan , Xue Baogui , Liu Xinya , Xing Lehua , Wu Di , Wang Shuming , Guo Qigao , Liang Guolu
Published: September 2020

Background: Plants have remarkable diversity in petal color through the biosynthesis and accumulation of various pigments. To better understand the mechanisms regulating the petal pigmentation, we used multiple approaches to investigate the changes of carotenoids, gene expression dynamics and endogenous hormones in Lonicera japonica during petal color transitions, i.e. green bud petal (GB_Pe), white flower petal (WF_Pe) and yellow flower petal (YF_Pe). Results: Metabolome analysis showed that YF_Pe had a much higher content of carotenoids than white petals, with violaxanthin identified as the major carotenoid compound in YF_Pe. Comparative transcriptome analysis revealed that the key differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in carotenoid biosynthesis, such as phytoene synthase, phytoene desaturase and ζ-carotene desaturase, were significantly up-regulated in YF_Pe. However, expression levels of the carotenoid degradation-related genes, including abscisic-aldehyde oxidase 3 and carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase 4, were significantly down-regulated in YF_Pe. The results indicated that upregulated carotenoids concentrations and carotenoids biosynthesis-related genes promote the color transition. Furthermore, enrichment analysis of DEGs was mainly associated with the metabolic pathways of hormone signal transduction during petal color transitions. The DEGs were mainly involved in the auxin, cytokinin, gibberellin (GA), brassinosteroid (BR), jasmonic acid and abscisic acid (ABA) signal pathways. Accordingly, analyses of changes in indoleacetic acid, zeatin riboside, GA, BR, methyl jasmonate and ABA levels indicated that the color transitions are regulated by endogenous hormones. Conclusion: Our results provide new insight into the regulatory mechanisms underlying the petal color transitions during flower development process in L. japonica.
Clinical Manifestations of Liver and Renal Impairments in Asymptomatic, Moderate and Severe COVID-19 Patients of Madinah City of Saudi Arabia: A Retrospective Analysis
Authors: beigh Firdous , Syeed Nidda , Saeed Walaa , Alahmadey Ziab , Seedi Ibrahim
Published: September 2020

Background: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a budding infectious disease that has affected various countries globally.The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of COVID-19 disease on liver and kidney functions and to determine their association with the severity and mortality of disease.Methods: A total of 100 confirmed COVID-19 adult patients from Madinah city of Saudi Arabia hospitalized between April 28, and June 30, 2020 were included,and categorized into asymptomatic,mild to moderate and severely ill patients.We analyzed the clinical status of liver and renal functioning in all of the three groups.Results: The majority of patients (51%) were diagnosed with mild to moderate disease, 27% of patients were severely ill and 22% of patients were asymptomatic.The liver and renal functional analysis showed that the severity of the COVID-19 patients were significantly associated with the kidney and renal impairments exhibiting higher levels of ALT, AST, Creatinine, Urea levels (P < 0.05). Furthermore, in this study, a novel association is found between high Na and Cl levels with the severely ill COVID-19 patients.Conclusion: We concluded from the present study that a significant percentage of COVID-19 patients continued to have a normal liver and renal function during the course of their disease. Nevertheless, severely ill COVID-19 patients were more prone to have abnormal liver and renal functions. During the course of treatment, the patients had a gradual normalization of their liver and kidney parameters and subsequently achieved a complete normal liver and renal functions upon discharge with no mortality.
Association between reduced preoperative serum albumin and prognosis in patients with adrenocortical carcinoma after primary resection: A retrospective study
Authors: Zhang Fuxun , Liu Zhihong , Liang Jiayu , Liu Shengzhuo , Wu Kan , Zhang Fan , Zhou Chuan , Lu Yiping , Zhu Yuchun , Wang Xianding
Published: September 2020

Purpose

To assess the correlation between preoperative serum albumin level and prognosis in patients with adrenocortical carcinoma after primary surgery.
Methods

We reviewed medical information of 71 included patients with diagnosis of ACC who underwent primary resection. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed using Cox’s proportional hazards model. Survival analysis was conducted by Kaplan–Meier method with log-rank test. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and Jordan index were generated to explore cut-off value for serum albumin. Statistical significance was defined as P < 0.05.
Results

Among included patients, 33 patients (46.5%) relapsed at the end of follow-up, while 39 patients (54.9%) died. The median OS of overall included patients was 17 (range 1–104) months and median RFS was 10 (range 0–104) months. In univariate analysis, the albumin significantly associated with OS and RFS (HR:0.491, 95%CI: 0.260–0.930, P = 0.029 and HR:0.383, 95%CI: 0.192–0.766, P = 0.007, respectively). In multivariate analysis, the albumin level as an independent prognostic factor of OS was confirmed(HR:0.351, 95%CI: 0.126–0.982, P = 0.046). Meanwhile, the present
results indicates the trend that albumin might be an
independent predictor of RFS (
HR:0.423, 95%CI: 0.176–1.018, P = 0.055)
Conclusion

The preoperative serum albumin level is significantly correlated to prognosis of patients with ACC after primary resection. Reduced preoperative albumin level was proven to be a risk factor of clinical outcomes for ACC. Appropriate nutritional intervention prior to surgery may be beneficial to improve the prognosis of ACC patients.
Prevalence of tuberculosis in severe acute malnutrition: a prospective observational study
Authors: Thakur Jitendra , Thakur Ranjana , Bhatta Nisha Keshary , Yadav Shankar Prasad , Singh Rupa , Khanal Basudha , Bhattarai Narayan Raj
Published: September 2020

Background

Tuberculosis (TB) and severe acute malnutrition (SAM) are important causes of morbidity and mortality in children in the developing World. Malnutrition mainly affects cell mediated immunity (CMI) and CMI is the principal host defense against tuberculosis. Hence, there is possibility that children with SAM may have tuberculosis, and often it may be a hidden entity. Further, Children with SAM and TB are 40% more likely to die than children with SAM and without TB. Children with SAM rarely come to health care settings with complaint of under nutrition rather they present for some other illness. For these reasons, this study intends to seek for TB among children with SAM and look into the common presenting complaints.
Methods

All cases of SAM meeting the inclusion criteria were evaluated with mantoux, chest x-ray, gastric aspirate/sputum analysis and gene xpert for diagnosis of TB. Other relevant investigations for diagnosis of TB were also sent as per the clinical scenario. Data was entered and analyzed using Microsoft excel. Descriptive statistics was used for analysis of data.
Result

Total 107 SAM cases were analyzed. The hospital prevalence of wasting and severe wasting was 11.98% and 0.73% respectively. The prevalence of TB in SAM was 4.67%, commonest being pulmonary TB (60%). 40% of TB cases were without any systemic complaints. Only 19.6% of cases presented with nutritional complaint.
Conclusion

This study found that a significant percentage of cases with SAM had TB and hence adds on the importance of screening for TB (pulmonary TB) in every case of SAM irrespective of symptoms.
Haematological Changes in Benzene Exposed Workers in Sudan
Authors: Elkhalifa Ahmed Mohammed Elnour
Published: September 2020

Background: Exposure to benzene leads to toxicity and influences bone marrow leads to cancer, anaemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, leukaemia, aplastic anaemia, and other types of cancer. The current study aims to report haematological changes in workers exposed to benzene exposure <1 ppm compared with the participants of non-exposed to benzene.Methods: Analytical cross-sectional study design applied at Kosti city, Sudan, during the year 2018. According to inclusion criteria, eighty-seven benzene stations workers chosen randomly to participate as a study group and another eighty-seven apparent healthy non-exposed to benzene, age matched, chosen as a comparative group. Blood samples (2.5ml) collected from all participants in EDTA anticoagulant containers for Complete Blood Cells analysis.Results: The means of the lymphocyte, RBCs count, and MCHC significantly increased in the benzene stations workers compared with the non-exposed group. The lymphocyte mean (44.61±8.41% vs, 29.19±3.98%; P<0.001), RBCs mean (5.30±0.75 ×1012 vs, 4.97±0.59 × 1012; P=0.002), and HCHC mean (32.67±2.12% vs, 31.71±1.37%; P<0.001). The means of PCV, Hb, MCH, MCV, PLTs count, Monocyte counts, and the Neutrophil counts significantly decreased in the exposed group. The PCV mean (43.83±2.47 l/l vs, 44.95±1.15 l/l; P<0.001), Hb mean (13.11±2.28 g/dl vs, 14.33±1.48 g/dl; P<0.001), MCH mean (26.35±2.01pg vs, 29.88±1.98pg; P<0.001), MCV mean (78.69±4.66 fl vs, 85.93±6.73 fl; P<0.001), PLTs mean (240.78±71.37×103/l vs, 262.54±70.77×103/l; P=0.046), Monocyte mean (4.44±2.39%vs. 5.64±1.92%; P=0.001), and Neutrophil mean (36.98±14.93% vs, 47.99±14.54%; P<0.001). The Eosinophil counts and TWBCs count showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups. Conclusion: The exposure to benzene has a significant haematological change in most of the complete blood count parameters among the benzene stations workers.
Have Work-related Accidents and Ill-health in Brazil Declined since the Introduction of the Accident Prevention Factor?
Authors: Shimizu Helena Eri , Bezerra Josierton Cruz , Arantes Luciano José , Merchán-Hamann Edgar , Ramalho Walter Massa
Published: September 2020

Background:.Since 2004, Brazil has had a national policy for occupational health and safety. This policy means companies’ tax burden is altered according to the numbers of work-related accidents and ill-health amongst their workers. In 2010, a multiplication factor was introduced to this policy, called the Accident Prevention Factor. The idea of this new multiplication factor is to encourage individual employers to take initiatives to prevent accidents and ill health in the workplace. This study was designed to investigate the incidence of work-related accidents and ill-health in Brazil according to their causes, their severity, and the economic activity in which they occur, and to compare the data before and after the introduction of the Accident Prevention Factor. Methods: An ecological study was conducted by analyzing the time series of work-related accidents/ill-health between 2008 and 2014 from the Brazilian social security system (Previdência Social) statistical yearbooks. Incidences were calculated per cause, economic activity, and severity of the accident/ill-health. Data from before and after the introduction of the Accident Prevention Factor were compared using the Mann-Whitney test per cause and per economic activity. Statistical analyses were made using the SPSS software, with significance set at 5%. Results: A reduction in the incidence of work-related accidents/ill-health was found across all the groups of causes analyzed, except for the groups “external causes of morbidity and mortality” and “factors influencing health status or contact with health services.” Greater reductions were found for diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue and diseases of the nervous system. Reductions in work-related accidents/ill-health were found in the different economic activities and in the different severity groups. The highest reduction after the introduction of the Accident Prevention Factor was in manufacturing and production (p< 0.05). Conclusions: Overall, the incidence of accidents/ill-health was found to be on decline, except those with external causes of morbidity and mortality and those involving factors influencing health status or contact with health services. The biggest reduction was found in manufacturing and production. However, generally speaking progress still needs to be made in accident prevention and occupational health across a whole range of work environments.
Indentification and Determination of Toxin Genes of Vibrio Strains Caused Hemorrhagic Disease on Red Drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) by PCR Method.
Authors: Linh Nguyen Quang , Pham Yen Thi Hai , Nguyen Tram Duy Quynh
Published: September 2020

In this study, we isolated thirty strains of Vibrio from three different organs (brain, hemorrhagic site and digestive system) of Sciaenops ocellatus disease. The results showed that nucleotide sequences 16S rRNA region are highly, similar to those of V. alginolyticus , V. azureus , V. fluvialis and V. orientalis is published on Genebank, ranging from 98.05 to 100 %. The digestive system has the most common Vibrio strains ( V. alginolyticus , V. azureu s and V. fluvialis ). Thereout, We found 25/30 strains of Vibrio containing from 1 to 3 toxin genes. None of V. parahaemolyticus present. Six parameters were used to measure the DNA polymorphism of thirty-three homologous DNA sequences in this Vibrio bacteria population. The results indicated that, number of separate polymorphic sites (S), total number of mutant sites (Eta), number of haplotype (h), haplotype diversity (Hd), average number of nucleotide differences (k), nucleotide diversity (Pi) were 98 (S) 103 (Eta), 9 (h), 0.887±0.032 (Hd), 25.789 (k) and 17.980x10-3±0.003 (Pi), respectively (P < 0,05). The G+C content above 1434 sites positions of nucleotide sequences accounts for 0.542. The phylogenetic tree showed that these strains are divided into six groups. As observed, the appearance of isolated Vibrio on 3 organs of fish ( S. ocellatus ) hemorrhagic are V. azureus (27,67 %), V. alginolyticus (50 %), V. orientalis (6,67 %) and V. fluvialis (16,67 %). Through this result, we found that the diversity of Vibrio species that appeared on the red drum was used in the 16S rRNA region and the presence of toxin genes in these Vibrio species.
Potential Values Of Circulating Tumor Cell For Detection Of Recurrence In Patients Of Thyroid Cancer:A Diagnostic Meta-analysis
Authors: Liang Ming-Xing , Fei Yin-Jiao , Yang Kai , Tang Wen-Juan , Cao Xin-Hui , Tang Jinhai
Published: September 2020

purpose

Several studies have reported that circulating tumor cell (CTC) is a promising marker for the diagnosis of thyroid cancer (TC) with recurrence or distant metastasis (DMs). However, some studies emerged with conflicting results. Therefore, we provide a meta-analysis to evaluate the diagnostic performance of CTC for detection of recurrence in patients of TC.
Methods

We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane library with the keywords “thyroid cancer” and “circulating tumor cells”. Data extraction and risk of bias assessment were performed independently by two reviewers. The summary receiver operating characteristic curve (SROC) and other parameters were adopted to summarize the overall test performance. The sensitivity of CTCs in the detection of recurrent TC was reviewed. All analyses were performed by STATA 12.0 and Meta-disc software.
Results

For CTCs expressing epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), seven studies were included in our meta-analysis. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio were 0.71 (95% CI: 0.63–0.78), 0.89 (95% CI: 0.84–0.94), and 26.75 (95% CI: 9.11–78.53); 0.78 (95% CI: 0.65–0.89), 0.88 (95% CI: 0.76–0.96), and 40.01 (95% CI: 10.49–152.63) for CTCs expressing thyroid stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR). The area under the SROC for EpCAM and TSHR were both 0.91.
Conclusion

CTC was a reliable marker for the diagnosis of TC patients with recurrence and DMs, and the sensitivity of CTCs expressing TSHR was higher than that of EpCAM. Additional research is warranted in order to establish uniformity in international guidelines, make up the drawbacks of conventional diagnostic methods and to prevent futile surgery.
A Novel Compound Heterozygous Mutation of FSHR Causes Primary Ovarian Insufficiency
Authors: Zhang Nan , Xu Jiawei , Bao Xiao , Zhao Feifei , Shi Dayuan , Li Wenbo , Li Qian , Niu Wenbin , Sun Yingpu
Published: September 2020

Background: Primary ovarian insufficiency, one of the main causes of female infertility, is a heterogeneous disease when it comes to the phenotype and etiology. Familial cases are observed in approximately 10% of patients which indicates a strong genetic component. However, the underlying cause remains to be identified in most cases of patients.Methods: Here we studied an un-consanguineous Han Chinese family in which four siblings are primary amenorrhea and hypergonadotropic hypogonadism. Three siblings with POI and one unaffected sibling were exome sequenced. Also, other members in this family were genotyped by Sanger Sequencing. In silicon and in-vitro functional analyses were performed.Results: Whole exome sequencing identified a shared novel compound heterozygous mutation of FSHR gene in all the affected members. c.1412T>G, the first variant identified in FSHR IL2(intracellular loop2) in POI patients, and another novel mutation c.1090_1091del were the genetic etiology of this family. In-vitro functional analyses showed that cAMP (second messenger of FSHR) producing was abolished by c.1412T>G. Conclusions: Our study identified two novel FSHR mutations in a compound heterozygous state and gave the evidence that the FSHR IL2 could play a crucial role in FSHR-caused POI.
Initiation of Anti-dementia Medication in Older Adults Undergoing Pharmaceutical Management for Existing Chronic Conditions by the Assessment of Insurance Claims
Authors: Handa Nobuhiro , Mitsutake Seigo , Ishizaki Tatsuro Tatsuro , Nakabayashi Tetsuo , Akishita Masahiro , Tamiya Nanako , Yoshie Satoru , Iijima Katsuya
Published: September 2020

BACKGROUND The influences of co-prescribed medications for chronic co-morbid conditions in very older adults on clinical dementia onset are uncertain.OBJECTIVE To evaluate the influences of co-prescribed medications on clinical dementia onset, which was indicated by the initiation of a new prescription of anti-dementia medication (NPADM).METHODS This retrospective cohort study consisted of 42024 adults aged ≥77 years residing in a suburban city of Tokyo Metropolitan Area who did not take any anti-dementia medication on April 1, 2012. The primary outcome was NPADM during followed-up period until March 31, 2015 (35 months). Subjects were categorized into four age groups: Group I (77-81 years), Group II (82-86 years), Group III (87-91 years), and Group IV (≥92 years). Covariates were fourteen groups of medications prescribed between April 1, 2012 and June 31, 2012. RESULTS In a follow-up period of 1345457 patient-months (mean=32.0±7.5 months), NPADM occurred in 2365 subjects. NPADM incidence at 12 months was 1.9±0.1% (Group I: 0.9±0.1%, Group II: 2.1±0.1%, Group III: 3.2±0.2% and Group IV: 3.6±0.3%; P<0.0001). In addition to older age and female sex, the use of the following medications was associated with NPADM: statins (hazard ratio: 0.82, 95% confidence interval: 0.73-0.92; P=0.001), antihypertensives (0.80, 0.71-0.85; P<0.0001), non-steroidal bronchodilators (0.72, 0.58-0.88; P=0.002), antidepressants (1.79, 1.47-2.18; P<0.0001), post-stroke medications (1.45, 1.16-1.82; P=0.002), insulin (1.34, 1.01-1.78; P=0.046) and antineoplastics (1.12, 1.01-1.24; P=0.035)CONCLUSIONS These findings provide a benchmark for the management of dementia in the real-world setting, and contribute to evidence-based healthcare policymaking. (Clinical Trial Registration: UMIN-CTR UMIN000039040)
Invaginated Duct to Mucosa Pancreaticojejunostomy Reduced Pstoperative Pancreatic Leakage: A Matched Case-Controlled Study
Authors: Yao Guo-Liang , AN Meng-Jiao , Fan YongGang
Published: September 2020

Background Postoperative pancreatic leakage was also the obstacle of pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) which always followed the failure of pancreaticojejunostomy. Dozens of pancreaticojejunostomy had been reported. None showed superiority over others. To assess the potential advantages of invaginated duct to mucosa pancreaticojejunostomy (invaginated D-M PJ), we introduced this study.Methods Retrospectively analyzed the related data from the patients who had their pancreaticodedunostomy due to malignant tumor in The First Affiliated Hospital to Henan University of Science and Technology during January 2017 to August 2019. According to the different procedure of pancreaticojejunostomy, the patients divided into custom D-M group and invaginated D-M group. Sex, age, pancreatic duct size and pancreatic texture were matched. Pancreatic leakage and other complications were compared. SPSS 16.0 was employed for analysis.Results 48 pairs of patients were involved. Both groups had almost the same baseline characterisitics, such as Sex (P=1.000), Age (P=0.897), ASA (P=0.575), BMI (P=0.873), pancreatic duct size (P=0.932), pancreatic texture (P=1.000) and tumor origin (P=0.686). No statistical difference was observed relation to operation outcomes, such as operation time (P=0.632), pancreaticojejunostomy time (P=0.748), blood loss (P=0.617) and number of required transfusion (P=0.523). Pancreatic leakage was significantly declined for invaginated D-M group (P=0.005). The difference of other complications, such as, bleeding (P=0.617), biliary leakage (P=0.646), pneumonia (P=0.594) and thrombosis (P=0.714), didn’t reach statistical significance. Postoperative hospitalization was almost the same for both groups (P=0.764).Conclusions Invaginated D-M PJ could reduce pancreatic leakage followed PD. Invaginated D-M PJ should be a choice for the patients who had PD.
Clinical Performance Between two Types of Composite Resin in Direct Restorations and Its Impacts on QoL
Authors: Lima Suellen Nogueira Linares , Lima Darlon Martins , Almeida Rossana Aboud Matos de , Fernandez Eduardo , Jorquera Gilbert , Raposo Carolina Carramilo , Pinto Shelon Cristina Souza , Júnior Aurélio Rosa da Silva , Mattos Natanael Henrique Ribeiro , Tonetto Mateus Rodrigues , Bandeca Matheus Coelho
Published: September 2020

Background: Public health problems associated with oral disease affect large numbers of people in countries around the world. Dental caries continues to be the main cause of premature tooth loss in patients and can negatively affect the Quality of life (QoL) related to oral health for both the individual and their family. Depending on their stage of advancement of caries, a restorative procedure is required, since caries injuries generally involve changing the shape, function or esthetics, restoring is intended to extend the life of the teeth, The purpose of this study was evaluated direct restorations on posterior teeth with conventional and bulk-fill composite resins performed by public health professionals and their effect on Quality of life. Methods: The sample consisted of 100 teeth in 50 patients. The teeth selected for the restorative procedure were randomized in the two study groups according to restorative material. Group 1 - Bulk fill composite resin, or Group 2 - Conventional composite resin. At the end of 12 and 24 months, the restorations were evaluated according to USPHS criteria, by two evaluators. To evaluate the Quality of Life related to oral health, Oral Health Impact Profile – 14 (OHIP-14) was used before and after restorative treatment (12 months). Results: After 12 months, 90 restorations were evaluated that showed no statistical difference (p> 0.05), after 24 months, 80 restorations evaluated and also showed similar clinical performance and no statistical difference (p> 0.05). The analysis of quality of life detected a statistical difference only in the psychological discomfort domain (p = 0.024), improving their values at the end of the treatment. There are no differences between the clinical performance with conventional resins or bulk-fill system. Restorative treatment improved the perception of concern and stress suffered by patients by dental problems. Clinical Trial Registry: RBR-7hbmjp
Resistance of strongylid nematodes to anthelmintic drugs and driving factors at Czech goat farms
Authors: Vadlejch Jaroslav , Kyriánová Iveta Angela , Várady Marián , Charlier Johannes
Published: September 2020

Background: Strongylid nematode infections may negatively affect both animal health and welfare, with deleterious consequences for livestock productivity. Many farmers in recent decades have relied on anthelmintics as the sole strategy of control, but the intensive use of these chemotherapeutics has led to the development of anthelmintic resistance (AR). Knowledge of both the efficacy of anthelmintics and factors promoting AR are essential to effectively control nematode infections, but no information on these topics for goats in the Czech Republic (CR) is available. This survey aimed to determine the occurrence of AR at Czech goat farms and to identify risk factors for the development of AR. A total of 24 herds of dairy goats across the CR were evaluated using in vitro tests for detecting AR, and a questionnaire survey was carried out to evaluate factors associated with AR.Results: Resistance against benzimidazoles was confirmed at 75% of the farms, and the level of resistance was high in 22% of the affected herds based on the egg hatch test. Ivermectin-resistant nematodes were detected in 54% of the herds using the larval development test; Teladorsagia/Trichostrongylus and Haemonchus were the predominant types of resistant larvae. More than half (62%) of the affected herds were evaluated as highly resistant to ivermectin. Almost half (46%) of the herds were resistant to both benzimidazoles and ivermectin. This report is the first on multiple AR in the CR. A univariate logistic regression analysis indicated that a high stocking rate and farmer inexperience were significantly associated with ivermectin and benzimidazole resistance, respectively.Conclusions: The results of our survey suggest that AR is widespread amongst herds of dairy goats in the CR, likely due to inappropriate practices of pasture and health management. Multiple AR may be an issue for expanding dairy-goat production in the CR in the near future unless both veterinary practitioners and farmers widely adopt strategies to prevent the development of AR.
Survey on Identity and Access Management for Internet of Things
Authors: CREMONEZI BRUNO , Vieira Alex , Nacif José Augusto , Nogueira Michele
Published: September 2020

The Internet of Things (IoT) encompasses a large number of connected devices, generating and sharing diﬀerent types of data among themselves. These data enable the creation of society-changing applications, such as health monitoring and autonomous vehicles. Under this context, protecting the access of these connected devices and their data is critical to IoT applications’ success, since a single data breach can incur into a cascade eﬀect, which leads to devastating consequences. Identity and Access Management (IAM) systems provide mechanisms to identify individuals at the network and determine their access privileges, thus avoiding inappropriate access. However, the current IAMs system struggles to provide the scale or manage the complex relationships that IoT brings. In this work, we present a comprehensive state-of-the-art survey of IAMs and the main concepts and challenges when applied to IoT. First, we overview the IoT technology, giving its essential characteristics and communication architectures and its main applications. Then, we present IAMs state-of-the-art and the main concepts, existing architectures, and challenges. Finally, we focus on current IAMs that aims to tackle the IoT complexity, along with an in-depth analysis of their proposals and future directions in the ﬁeld.
Effects of Early Physical and Pulmonary Rehabilitation for Severely and Critically ill COVID-19 Patients: A Retrospective, Cohort, and Multicenter Study
Authors: Qi Di , Yan Xiaofeng , Xiang Jianglin , Peng Junnan , Yu Qian , Tang Xumao , Tong Jin , Feng Longhua , Yuan Jing , Song Yuyan , Yuan Guodan , Wang Daoxin
Published: September 2020

BackgroundEffects of early rehabilitation therapy in severe and critical COVID-19 patients remains to be elucidated. MethodsWe recruited 80 severely and critically ill COVID-19 patients in Chongqing from January 21 to March 15, 2020, who had received rehabilitation therapies or standard treatments within 72 h of intensive care unit (ICU) admission. We analyzed mortality rates, length of stay in the ICU and hospital, ventilator-free days, and adverse events during hospitalization. Respiratory function, independent functional status, muscle strength, exercise capacity and life quality were measured at hospital discharge and during a three-month follow-up. ResultsWe found no significant differences between the intervention and control groups in terms of ICU, hospital, and 28-day mortality rates, and lengths of stay in the ICU and hospital. Additionally, early rehabilitation enhanced the duration of ventilator-free days, with no increased adverse events and complications. Total lung capacity and carbon monoxide diffusion capacity, Barthel index, and functional independence measure for patients in the intervention group were all higher than those in the control group at hospital discharge and one month after discharge. Compared to the control group, patients in the intervention group had significantly higher Medical Research Council scores and greater walking distance capacities within 6 min at hospital discharge, as well as one month and three months after discharge. The St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire score was lower in the intervention group than in the control group at one month and three months after hospital discharge.ConclusionsEarly physical and pulmonary rehabilitation is safe and effective for severely and critically ill COVID-19 patients to promote their functional, physical, and psychological recovery.
Prognostic and clinical significance of lncRNA NKILA in tumors: a meta-analysis
Authors: Tang Xin , Qiu Shipei , Ma Xiang , Lu Ming , Feng Jiaxi , Jing YongLi , Zhao Qinghong
Published: September 2020

Background

lncRNA NKILA is a newly discovered long non-coding RNA, and some studies have shown that lncRNA NKILA has certain clinical prognostic value in malignant tumors. In this study, we used meta-analysis to integrate existing literature to further evaluate the clinic relevance between lncRNA NKILA expression level and cancers.
Materials and Methods

We conducted a meta-analysis based on literature reporting lncRNA NKILA expression in various cancers published before 25, May 2020 by PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. The quality ratings of the included studies were assessed according to the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. After rigorous screening, a total of 8 articles and 859 patients were included in our study. Hazard ratios (HRs) and odds ratios (ORs) were used to demonstrate the relationship between NKILA and prognosis by using Stata 15.0 software.
Results

The results show overexpression level of lncRNA NKILA is significantly associated with better overall survival (pooled HR = 0.45, 95%CI:0.35–0.59, P < 0.001, fixed-effects model). Furthermore, increased expression level of lncRNA NKILA was associated with negative lymph node metastasis (positive vs. negative,OR = 0.27, 95%CI:0.18–0.42, P < 0.001, fixed-effects model) and earlier clinical stage (TNM III/IV vs. I/II: OR = 0.34, 95%CI:0.25–0.46, p < 0.001, fixed-effects model).
Conclusions

Our study indicated lncRNA NKILA was a novel biomarker for prognosis in cancers. It could serve as a tumor-suppressive role.
Antiplasmodial Potential of Traditional Phytotherapy of Some Remedies Used in The Treatment of Malaria in India
Authors: Sheth Navin , Vadalia Jigna , Sanandia Jalpa , Bhatt Vaibhav
Published: September 2020

Background: The increasing problem of drug resistance to most of the available antimalarial therapies is a recurring issue. To overcome this issue, new antiplasmodial drugs are needed. Many plants have been use for treatment of malaria by traditional healer in India. The purpose of this research was to evaluate seven medicinal plants used against malaria by indigenous people in India, validate their use and identify the plant with the best antiplasmodial properties. Methods: Methanol, hydro alcoholic (60:40) and aqueous extracts from seven ethnomedicinal plants were screened on chloroquine-sensitive (MRC-2) and chloroquine-resistant (RKL-9) strain of Plasmodium falciparum by schizont maturation inhibition assay and inhibition of Plasmodium falciparum lactate dehydrogenase (PfLDH) activity. Results: Out of 21 extracts, hydro alcohol extract of B. variegate showed the highest inhibition of schizont maturation with 81.77±0.96% against MRC-2 and 78.08±3.76% against RKL-9 strain. In PfLDH inhibition assay, Methanol and hydro alcohol extract of B. variegate showed moderate antiplasmodial activity with IC50 24.65 μg/mL and 39.42 μg/mL, respectively against MRC-2 strain. Methanol extract of B. variegate also exhibited moderate activity with IC50 28.71 μg/ml against RKL-9 strain. Conclusion: The present study provided scientific evidence for indigenous Indian medicinal plants as a source of antiplasmodial agents. This finding supports the continued exploration of traditional medicines in the search for new antimalarial agents. The compounds responsible for the observed antiplasmodial effects in B. variegate are under investigation.
Impact of Trauma Center Care on Mortality in Gangwon Province in Korea 
Authors: AN GYOJIN , Kim Yoon-Seop , Kim Hye Sim , Kang Chan Young , Hwang Sung Oh , Lee Kang Hyun , Kim Hyun , Cha Kyoung-Chul , Cha Yong Sung , Kim Oh Hyun
Published: September 2020

Background: Al though controversial, there has been a consensus that compared with non-regional trauma centers, regional trauma centers have survival benefits. In a predominantly rural province with a single regional trauma center, we compared the in-hospital mortality of all trauma patients and severely injured patients between regional and non-regional trauma centers.Methods: Using data extracted from the National Emergency Department Information System in Korea, we examined all trauma patients who visited emergency departments in Gangwon province between January 2015 and December 2017. The International Classification of Disease-Based Injury Severity Score (ICISS) was used to categorize the severity of the patients. Propensity score matching was used for balancing the severity between the two groups.Results: Of 23,510 trauma patients, 2,857 and 20,653 were treated in regional and non-regional trauma centers, respectively. After propensity score matching, all patients in the non-regional trauma center group had a 6.27-fold higher risk of mortality than those in the regional trauma center group; severely injured patients—defined as those with ICISS < 0.9—in the non-regional trauma center group had a 4.90-fold higher risk of mortality than those in the regional trauma center group. ICISS cutoff values for mortality were 0.9015 and 0.8737 for the non-regional and regional trauma center groups, respectively.Conclusion: Conventional paradigms of trauma systems can be used in predominantly rural Korean provinces, because trauma care in regional trauma centers conferred better survival benefits than that in non-regional trauma centers. Additionally, severely injured patients should be transported to regional trauma centers from the trauma scene.
Unique Transcriptome and Gene Expression Analysis of Rice Seedling Reveals Different Cadmium Response Regulatory Mechanisms Between Indica and Japonica Rice
Authors: Tong Shan , Luo Xin , Khanzada Hira , Wassan Ghulam Mustafa , Cui Licao , Wu Guangliang , Tan Jingai , Liu Shilei , Li Caijin , Wang Peng , Zhang Xiangyu , Xu Jie , He Haohua , Bian Jianmin
Published: September 2020

Background: In general, the Cd content in indica rice is usually higher than that in japonica. However, the mechanism for this discrepancy is unclear. Thus, understanding the genetic and molecular basis of Cd stress between indica and japonica is extremely important for rice improvement programs.Results: In this study, two varieties of rice, japonica 02428 and indica CH891, were continuously exposed to Cd and seedlings of the two varieties at two critical stages (3rd and 5th day) were selected for the dynamic genes analysis by transcriptome method. The results showed that CH891 was more sensitive to Cd than 02428, and a total of 7,204 and 6,670 differently expressed genes (DEGs) associated with Cd stress were detected at 3rd day and 5th day. Furthermore, we divided these DEGs into three categories: SCR (sensitive variety with Cd-responsive), RCR (resistant variety with Cd-responsive) and CCR (common Cd-responsive). The enriched metabolic pathways analysis of DEGs preferentially expressed in a stage-specific and cultivars-specific manner, and secondary metabolic processes were enriched in SCR while protein metabolism and plant hormone were enriched in RCR. The diverted metabolic pathways might be the major cause for different response mechanism of Cd in indica and japonica rice. Conclusion: These results provide a novel insight into the Cd response mechanism in rice seedlings between different varieties, and these important Cd-responsive DEGs were frequently involved in specific biological processes and metabolic pathways that might provide a novel insight over indica and japonica rice Cd response mechanism difference.
The prognostic significance and regulatory networks of DAP3 in hepatocellular carcinoma microenvironment based on bioinformatics analysis
Authors: Jiang Jie , Sun Bo , Zhu Xinyan , Zhang Yu , Xiong Jie , Zhang Minbo , Qian Yiting , Liu Ruilin , Yang Wenzhuo
Published: September 2020

Background: Death-associated protein 3 (DAP3) is a GTP-binding protein in the component of the small subunit of the mitochondrial ribosome. Abnormal expression of DAP3 potentially correlates with carcinogenesis. However, the specific functions of DAP3 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are still not clarified.Methods: The expression of DAP3 in different cancer types was analyzed using TIMER and Oncomine, and DAP3 expression in HCC was detected using Oncomine, GEPIA and UALCAN. DAP3 promoter methylation was shown via MEXPRESS. The effect of DAP3 on HCC prognosis was analyzed via Kaplan-Meier plotter, GEPIA and UALCAN. Moreover, co-expressed genes with DAP3 and their regulators, kinases, miRNA and transcription factor targets were identified using LinkedOmics. Furthermore, cBioPortal was used to detect the genetic alteration of DAP3. Finally, TIMER was utilized to evaluate the correlations between DAP3 and immune cell infiltration, while the correlation between DAP3 and three immune factors was detected through TIDISB.Results: DAP3 expression was significantly high in several tumor tissues, including HCC. The promoter methylation level of DAP3 in HCC tissues was remarkably lower compared with normal tissues. Additionally, high DAP3 expression was related to overall survival (OS). Functional network analysis indicated that DAP3 regulated the translational elongation, ribonucleoprotein complex biogenesis, tRNA metabolic process and mitochondrial respiratory chain complex assembly. Moreover, DAP3 expression represented strong correlations with the immune cell infiltration and immune factors in HCC. Conclusions: Our results indicated that DAP3 acted as a potential prognostic marker in HCC, laying a groundwork for further study of DAP3 in HCC.
Effect of Age, Sex, and Breed on the Blood Biochemistry and Physiological Constants of Dogs From 4 Weeks to > 52 Weeks of Age.
Authors: Tristán Teódulo Quezada , Navarrete Ana Luisa Montoya , Santillán Samuel Lozano , Martínez Raúl Ortiz , Flores Arturo Gerardo Valdivia , Martínez Lizbeth Martinez , Lopez Maria Carolina De Luna
Published: September 2020

Background: Blood biochemistry and reference intervals help to differentiate between healthy and ill patients as well as to provide information for the prognosis, evaluation, and monitoring of a patient; however, these intervals are often obtained from adult animals. It is essential, hence, to understand that puppies and adults are physiologically different, which justifies the need to obtain age-specific biochemical reference intervals. The aim of this research was to assess the potential effect of age, sex, breed, and interaction on routine biochemical analytes and physiological constants (body temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate) in addition to establish age-specific reference intervals. In order to carry out the research, we selected 197 healthy dogs of different sex and breed classified by age: group I (4-8 wk), group II (9-24 wk), group III (25-52 wk), and group IV (>52 wk). The biochemical analysis measured the enzymatic activity of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and concentration of cholesterol, triglycerides, total proteins, albumin, globulins, glucose, urea, and creatinine. Statistical analyses used the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and General Linear Model (GLM), which allows the comparison of multiple factors at two or more levels (p < 0.05). Results: The results of this study showed that ALT, total protein, albumin, globulin, urea, creatinine, and body temperature levels were lower in puppies compared to adult dogs (p < 0.05) while the enzymatic activity of ALP, LDH, glucose concentration, and heart rate were higher. Moreover, in small breeds, the serum creatinine levels were lower (p < 0.05) whereas sex and interaction did not show a significant effect (p > 0.05).Conclusions: Some biochemical components evince influence by age. For this reason, this research offers specific reference intervals to help the veterinary clinician to interpret the biochemical results of puppies with accuracy.
Symptom, Adopting Healthy Life Style, and Quality of Life in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Lee Myung Kyung , CHUNG Woo Jin
Published: September 2020

Background: Previous studies have not considered a broad range of symptoms and the association with healthy behavior and quality of life of patients with liver cirrhosis. Objectives: The purposes of the study were to examine the association of symptom with adopting exercise and consuming fruits and vegetables, and to identify factors associated with quality of life in patients with liver cirrhosis.Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 91 consecutive patients with liver cirrhosis in one tertiary general hospital in South Korea between February 2016 and January 2017. Each study participant completed a self-administered questionnaire that measured symptom, stage-of-change in performing exercise and consumption of fruits and vegetables, and the Korean version of the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey. Multivariate logistic regression analysis and multiple regression models was used respectively to examine the association of each symptom with engaging in exercise and increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables and to evaluate factors affecting quality of life.Results: Experiencing nausea was associated with increased intensity of exercise but experiencing shortness of breath was associated with decreased intensity of exercise. Experiencing right upper quadrant pain was associated with increased consumption of fruits and vegetables and muscle cramps, anorexia, right upper quadrant pain and body pain, itching, ascites or edema, bruising, and change in appearance negatively affected quality of life.Conclusions: The results suggest that the types of symptoms experienced by a patient with liver cirrhosis hinder or promote the patient’s adoption of exercise and dietary behavior. Experiencing symptoms may negatively affect quality of life. Caregivers should provide supportive care to patients with liver cirrhosis, which includes assessing and managing symptoms to improve quality of life.
Five crucial prognostic-related autophagy genes stratified female breast cancer patients aged 40-60 years
Authors: Li Xiaolong , Zhang Hengchao , Liu Jingjing , Li Ping , Sun Yi
Published: September 2020

Background: Autophagy is closely related to the progression of breast cancer.The aim of this study is to establish a prognostic-related model comprised of hub autophagy-genes(AGs) to assess patitents prognosis. Simultaneously, the model can guide clinicians to make up individualized strategies and stratify patients aged 40-60 years based on risk level.Methods: The hub AGs were identified through univariate COX regression and LASSO regression. The functions and alterations of these selected AGs were analyzed as well.Moreover,the multivariate COX regression and correlation analysis between hub AGs and clinicopathological parameters were done. Results: Totally,33 prognostic-related AGs were obtained from the univariate COX regression(P<0.05).SERPINA1, HSPA8, HSPB8, MAP1LC3A, and DIRAS3 were identified to constitute the prognostic model by the LASSO regression. The survival curve of patients in high-risk and in low-risk group was statistically significant(P<0.05).The 3-year and 5-year ROC displayed that their AUC value reached 0.762 and 0.825,respectively. Stage and riskscore were independent risk factors relevant about prognosis.RB1CC1, RPS6KB1, and BIRC6 were identified as the most predominant mutant genes. It was found that AGs were mainly involved in regulating the endopeptidases synthesis and played important roles in ErbB signal pathway. SERPIN1, riskscore were closely related to stage(P<0.05); HSPA8, riskscore were closely related to T staging(P<0.05); HSPB8 was closely related to N staging(P<0.05). Conclusions: Our prognostic model had relatively robust predictive ability on prognosis for patients aged 40-60 years.If stage was added into the prognostic model, the predictive ability would be more powerful.