bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Citrobacter rodentium Infection Induces Persistent Molecular Changes and Interferon Gamma-Dependent Major Histocompatibility Complex Class II Expression in the Colonic Epithelium
Authors: Mullineaux-Sanders Caroline , Kozik Zuzanna , Sanchez-Garrido Julia , Hopkins Eve G. D. , Choudhary Jyoti S. , Frankel Gad
Published: February 2022

Mucosal surfaces respond to infection by mounting an array of metabolic, inflammatory, and tissue repair responses. While these have been well studied during acute infection, less is known about tissue recovery after pathogen clearance.
Regnase-1 Deficiency Restrains Klebsiella pneumoniae Infection by Regulation of a Type I Interferon Response
Authors: Trevejo-Nuñez Giraldina , Lin Becky , Fan Li , Aggor Felix E. Y. , Biswas Partha S. , Chen Kong , Gaffen Sarah L.
Published: February 2022

Klebsiella pneumoniae
(KP) can cause life-threatening bacterial pneumonia and is the third most common cause of ventilator-associated pneumonia in the United States. Host inflammatory responses to infection are necessary to control disease, yet at the same time can cause collateral damage or immunopathology.
A Deep-Sea Bacterium Senses Blue Light via a BLUF-Dependent Pathway
Authors: Shan Yeqi , Liu Ge , Cai Ruining , Liu Rui , Zheng Rikuan , Sun Chaomin
Published: February 2022

Extensive studies have been conducted to explore the mechanisms of light sensing and utilization by microorganisms that live in the photic zone. Strikingly, accumulated evidence shows that light is distributed in the deep biosphere.
Efficacy of acupuncture treatment for chronic spontaneous urticaria: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Zheng Qianhua , Zheng Hui , Zhou Siyuan , Shi Yunzhou , Zhang Leixiao , Xiao Xianjun , Zhang Wei , Zhou Li , Huang Ying , Chen Mingling , Zhong Feng , Wang Chuan , Li Ying
Published: February 2022

Introduction

Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is a troublesome dermatological problem that can have a significant impact on quality of life. Previous studies have indicated that acupuncture may be beneficial for patients with CSU. However, well-designed studies determine the effects of acupuncture on CSU are rare. The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture treatment for patients with CSU.

Methods and analysis

This study is designed as a multicentre, parallel, three-arm, randomised, sham-controlled trial. A total of 330 patients diagnosed as CSU will be randomly allocated into three groups: the verum acupuncture group, the sham acupuncture group and the waiting-list control group in a 1:1:1 ratio. Patients in the verum and sham acupuncture groups will receive 16 treatment sessions over 4 weeks, while patients in the waiting-list control group will not receive any acupuncture treatment. The primary outcome is the changes of weekly urticaria activity scores at the end of treatment. Secondary outcomes include itching severity measurement, Dermatology Life Quality Index, Hamilton Depression Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and serum total IgE level. Adverse events will be recorded during the study observation period. All patients who are randomised in this study will be included in the intention-to-treat analysis.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval of this study has been granted by the Sichuan Regional Ethics Review of Committee on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) (ID: 2019 kl-006), the Medical Ethic Committee of the First Hospital of Wuhan (ID: (2019) number 7)) and the Medical Ethics Committee of the First Hospital of Hunan University of TCM (ID: HN-LLKY-2019-017-01/03) in three clinical centres in China, respectively. The results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals.

Trial registration number

ChiCTR1900022994.
Investigating the day-to-day impact of hypoglycaemia in adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes: design and validation protocol of the Hypo-METRICS application
Authors: Søholm Uffe , Broadley Melanie , Zaremba Natalie , Divilly Patrick , Nefs Giesje , Mahmoudi Zeinab , de Galan Bastiaan , Pedersen-Bjergaard Ulrik , Brennan Alan , Pollard Daniel John , McCrimmon Rory J , A. Amiel Stephanie , Hendrieckx Christel , Speight Jane , Choudhary Pratik , Pouwer Frans
Published: February 2022

Introduction

Hypoglycaemia is a frequent adverse event and major barrier for achieving optimal blood glucose levels in people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes using insulin. The Hypo-RESOLVE (Hypoglycaemia—Redefining SOLutions for better liVEs) consortium aims to further our understanding of the day-to-day impact of hypoglycaemia. The Hypo-METRICS (Hypoglycaemia—MEasurement, ThResholds and ImpaCtS) application (app) is a novel app for smartphones. This app is developed as part of the Hypo-RESOLVE project, using ecological momentary assessment methods that will minimise recall bias and allow for robust investigation of the day-to-day impact of hypoglycaemia. In this paper, the development and planned psychometric analyses of the app are described.

Methods and analysis

The three phases of development of the Hypo-METRICS app are: (1) establish a working group—comprising diabetologists, psychologists and people with diabetes—to define the problem and identify relevant areas of daily functioning; (2) develop app items, with user-testing, and implement into the app platform; and (3) plan a large-scale, multicountry study including interviews with users and psychometric validation. The app includes 7 modules (29 unique items) assessing: self-report of hypoglycaemic episodes (during the day and night, respectively), sleep quality, well-being/cognitive function, social interactions, fear of hypoglycaemia/hyperglycaemia and work/productivity. The app is designed for use within three fixed time intervals per day (morning, afternoon and evening). The first version was released mid-2020 for use (in conjunction with continuous glucose monitoring and activity tracking) in the Hypo-METRICS study; an international observational longitudinal study. As part of this study, semistructured user-experience interviews and psychometric analyses will be conducted.

Ethics and dissemination

Use of the novel Hypo-METRICS app in a multicountry clinical study has received ethical approval in each of the five countries involved (Oxford B Research Ethics Committee, CMO Region Arnhem-Nijmegen, Ethikkommission der Medizinischen Universität Graz, Videnskabsetisk Komite for Region Hovedstaden and the Comite Die Protection Des Personnes SUD Mediterranne IV). The results from the study will be published in peer review journals and presented at national and international conferences.

Trial registration number

NCT04304963.
Effectiveness of workplace exercise interventions in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders in office workers: a systematic review
Authors: Tersa-Miralles Carlos , Bravo Cristina , Bellon Filip , Pastells-Peiró Roland , Rubinat Arnaldo Esther , Rubí-Carnacea Francesc
Published: February 2022

Objective

To determine the effectiveness of workplace exercise interventions in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders.

Design

Systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs).

Data sources

The bibliographical databases PubMed, CINAHL Plus, Cochrane, Scopus, ISI WoS and PeDRO were searched, with studies from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2020 eligible for inclusion.

Eligibility criteria

We included RCTs, reported in English or Spanish, with at least an intervention group performing workplace exercises among office workers with musculoskeletal disorders.

Data extraction and synthesis

Two independent reviewers extracted data and assessed the risk of bias. A narrative synthesis was carried out with a tabular method specifying the study characteristics following the SWiM (Synthesis Without Meta-Analysis) guideline for synthesis without meta-analysis. The revised Cochrane Risk of Bias (RoB-2) tool was used to analyse the risk of bias of the included studies.

Results

Seven studies with a total of 967 participants met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. Due to heterogeneity in different workplace exercise interventions, outcome measures and statistical analyses, it was not possible to conduct a meta-analysis and a narrative synthesis was performed. The interventions were classified into three categories: multiple body regions, neck and shoulder, and lower back. The seven studies concluded that workplace exercise interventions were effective in reducing musculoskeletal disorders and pain compared with other types of interventions or with control groups with no interventions. The RoB-2 tool found a high risk of bias in six of the seven studies.

Conclusions

The findings of the RCTs on workplace exercise interventions suggest that interventions were effective in treating musculoskeletal disorders among office workers. However, due to the high risk of bias of the included studies, no firm conclusions could be drawn and more high-quality studies are needed.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42020177462.
General practitioners’ attitudes towards opioids for non-cancer pain: a qualitative systematic review
Authors: Punwasi Rani , de Kleijn L , Rijkels-Otters J B M , Veen M , Chiarotto Alessandro , Koes Bart
Published: February 2022

Objectives

Worldwide the use of opioids, both doctor-prescribed and illicit, has increased. In most countries, opioids are first prescribed by general practitioners (GPs). Identifying factors that influence GPs’ opioid prescription decision-making may help reduce opioid misuse and overuse. We performed a systematic review to gain insight into GP attitudes towards opioid prescription and to identify possible solutions to promote changes in the field of primary care.

Design and setting

Systematic review of qualitative studies reporting GPs’ attitudes towards opioid use in non-cancer pain management.

Methods

We searched Embase, Medline, Web of Science Core Collection, Cochrane, PsychInfo, Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and Google Scholar. Two independent reviewers selected studies based on prespecified eligibility criteria. Study quality was evaluated with the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist, and their results were analysed using thematic analysis. Quality of evidence was rated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation—Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative research approach.

Results

We included 14 studies. Four themes were established using thematic analyses: (1) GPs caught in the middle of ‘the opioid crisis’; (2) Are opioids always bad? (3) GPs’ weighing scale, taking patient-related and therapeutic relationship-related factors into account; and (4) GPs’ sense of powerlessness—lack of alternatives, support by specialists and lack of time in justifying non-prescriptions.

Conclusion

GP attitudes towards opioid prescribing for non-cancer pain are subject to several GP-related, patient-related and therapeutic relationship-related factors. Raising GP and patient awareness on the inefficacy of opioids in chronic non-cancer pain management and providing non-opioid alternatives to treat chronic pain might help to promote opioid reduction in primary care. More research is needed to develop practical guidelines on appropriate opioid prescribing, tapering off opioid use and adopting effective communication strategies.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42020194561.Cite Now
Weight change after antiretroviral therapy initiation among adults living with HIV in Northwest Ethiopia: a longitudinal data analysis
Authors: Alebel Animut , Demant Daniel , Petrucka Pammla Margaret , Sibbritt David
Published: February 2022

Objectives

The first objective was to explore weight change in the first 2 years after antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation in adults living with HIV. The second objective was to identify the predictors of weight change over time among adults living with HIV on ART.

Design

An institution-based retrospective longitudinal study was conducted.

Setting

The study was conducted at Debre Markos Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia.

Participants

The study included 848 randomly selected medical charts of adults living with HIV receiving ART between June 2014 and June 2020.

Primary and secondary outcomes

The primary outcome was weight change in the first 2 years after ART initiation. The secondary outcome was to identify predictors of weight change. Association between predictor variables and weight change was assessed using an LMM. Variables with p values <0.05 in the final model were considered as statistically significant predictors of weight change.

Results

Of 848 study participants, more than half (n=499; 58.8%) were female. Participants’ mean weight increased from 54.2 kg (SD ±9.6 kg) at baseline to 59.5 kg (SD ±10.7 kg) at the end of follow-up. Duration of time on ART, sex, WHO clinical disease staging, functional status, nutritional status and presence of opportunistic infections were significant predictors of weight change at ART initiation. Significant interaction effects were observed between time and sex, WHO clinical disease staging, functional status, isoniazid preventive therapy and nutritional status.

Conclusion

We found a linear increment of weight over 24 months of follow-up. Rate of weight gain over time was lower in patients with advanced disease stage and working functional status, whereas weight gain rate was higher in male and underweight patients.
Primary healthcare professionals’ perspective on vertical integration of healthcare system in China: a qualitative study
Authors: Yuan Shasha , Fan Fengmei , van de Klundert Joris , van Wijngaarden Jeroen
Published: February 2022

Objective

This study aims to present the perspectives of primary healthcare professionals (PHPs) on the impacts of implementation of vertical integration and on the underlying interprofessional collaboration process on achievement of the policy goals in China.

Design

A qualitative study involving individual interview and group interview was conducted between 2017 and 2018.

Setting

Primary healthcare institutions (PHIs) in five counties/districts of China.

Participants

The major participants include 12 heads of PHIs (by 12 individual interviews) and 38 PHPs (by 12 group interviews). We also interviewed other stakeholders including 24 health policy-makers (by 5 group interviews) and 5 hospital leaders (by 5 individual interviews) for triangulation analysis.

Results

Our study indicates that PHPs perceived vertical integration has resulted in improved professional competency, better care coordination and stronger capacity to satisfy patients’ needs. The positive impacts have varied between integration types. Contributing factors for such progress are identified at administrative, organisational and service delivery levels. Other perceived effects are a loss of autonomy, increased workload and higher turnover of capable PHPs. Higher level hospitals play a dominant role in the interprofessional collaboration, particularly regarding shared goals, vision and leadership. These findings are different from the evidence in high-income countries. Incentive mechanisms and the balance of power with hospitals management are prominent design elements in the future.

Conclusions

Our findings are particularly valuable for other countries with a fragmented health service system and low competency of PHPs as China’s experience in integrated care provides a feasible path to strengthen primary care.
Adherence to COVID-19 protective behaviours in India from May to December 2020: evidence from a nationally representative longitudinal survey
Authors: Schaner Simone , Theys Natalie , Angrisani Marco , Banerjee Joyita , Khobragade Pranali Yogiraj , Petrosyan Sarah , Agarwal Arunika , Chien Sandy , Weerman Bas , Chakrawarty Avinash , Chatterjee Prasun , Madaan Nirupam , Bloom David , Lee Jinkook , Dey Aparajit Ballav
Published: February 2022

Objectives

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, behavioural interventions to reduce disease transmission have been central to public health policy worldwide. Sustaining individual protective behaviour is especially important in low-income and middle-income settings, where health systems have fewer resources and access to vaccination is limited. This study seeks to assess time trends in COVID-19 protective behaviour in India.

Design

Nationally representative, panel-based, longitudinal study.

Setting

We conducted a panel survey of Indian households to understand how the adoption of COVID-19 protective behaviours has changed over time. Our data span peaks and valleys of disease transmission over May–December 2020.

Participants

Respondents included 3719 adults from 1766 Indian households enrolled in the Harmonised Diagnostic Assessment of Dementia for the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India.

Analysis

We used ordinary least squares regression analysis to quantify time trends in protective behaviours.

Results

We find a 30.6 percentage point (95% CI (26.7 to 34.5); p<0.01) decline in protective behaviours related to social distancing over the observation period. Mask wearing and handwashing, in contrast, decreased by only 4.3 percentage points (95% CI (0.97 to 7.6); p<0.05) from a high base. Our conclusions are unchanged after adjusting for recorded COVID-19 caseload and nationwide COVID-19 containment policy; we also observe significant declines across socioeconomic strata spanning age, gender, education and urbanicity.

Conclusion

We argue that these changes reflect, at least in part, ‘COVID-19 fatigue,’ where adherence to social distancing becomes more difficult over time irrespective of the surrounding disease environment.
Prescribing for pregnancy: chronic hypertension
Authors: Johansen-Bibby Anja
Published: February 2022

An increasing number of women who become pregnant have pre-existing hypertension. For this group of women, a proportion will develop pre-eclampsia or severe hypertension which can impact on maternal and fetal well-being. Women with raised blood pressure should be offered reliable contraception when they do not wish to conceive and pre-conception counselling to address pregnancy-related concerns and advice on preparation for pregnancy and the use of medicines. For women with a history of hypertension, the smallest number of safe medicines at the lowest effective doses should be used while preparing for and during pregnancy. This article forms part of the series of prescribing for pregnancy and discusses the impact of hypertension on pregnancy, the impact of pregnancy on hypertension and options for treatment.
The effect of the long-term inhibition of hydrogen sulfide production on the reactivity of the cardiovascular system in Wistar rats
Authors: Drobna Magdalena , Berenyiova Andrea , Cacanyiova Sona
Published: February 2022

In this study, we investigated the blood pressure responses of the peripheral bed in vivo after chronic hydrogen sulfide (H2S) inhibition combined with acute nitric oxide (NO) deficiency. We also evaluated the role of endogenously produced H2S in the vasoactive responses of large- and medium-sized arteries in vitro. Changes in integrated blood pressure responses were measured after chronic inhibition of cystathionine-γ-lyase, an enzyme involved in H2S synthesis, with DL-propargylglycine (PPG), and acute inhibition of NO-synthase with nonspecific L-NG-nitro arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), and vasoactive responses of the thoracic aorta (TA) and mesenteric artery (MA) were investigated after acute incubation with PPG. We confirmed that chronic H2S deficiency had no effect on blood pressure, heart trophycity, noradrenaline, and H2S donor vasoactive responses but induced renal hypertrophy and a decrease in acetylcholine-induced hypotensive and L-NAME-induced hypertensive responses. Acute H2S deficiency led to an increase in basal tone (MA) or active tone (TA), whereas endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation remained unaffected. Long-term administration of PPG revealed a role of endogenous H2S in the bioavailability of endothelial NO in peripheral arteries. When both H2S and NO were lacking, the activation of H2S-independent compensatory mechanisms plays an important role in maintaining the vasodilator responses of the cardiovascular system.
Extracting Formats of Service Messages with Varying Payloads
Authors: Hossain Md Arafat , Han Jun , Schneider Jean-Guy , Jiang Jiaojiao , Kabir Muhammad Ashad , Versteeg Steve
Published: February 2022

Having precise specifications of service APIs is essential for many Software Engineering activities. Unfortunately, available documentation of services is often inadequate and/or imprecise and, hence, cannot be fully relied upon. Generating service documentation manually is a tedious and error-prone task, especially in light of changes to services. Therefore, there is a need for automated support in generating service documentation. In this work, we present a novel approach to infer the API of a service by analyzing recorded messages sent to and received from this service. Our approach includes a novel, two-level clustering technique to cluster messages, a step that many existing approaches to infer message formats fail to perform precisely in the presence of significant variation of payload information of the available messages. We have evaluated our approach on message traces from four different real-world services. The experimental result shows that our approach is more effective than existing techniques in extracting correct message formats from recorded messages.
Myo-inositol oxygenase overexpression exacerbates cadmium-induced kidney injury via oxidant stress and necroptosis
Authors: Zheng Xiaoping , Deng Fei , Sharma Isha , Kanwar Yashpal S.
Published: February 2022

This is a seminal article documenting the role of myo-inositol oxygenase (MIOX), a renal proximal tubule-specific enzyme, in the exacerbation of cadmium-induced acute kidney injury by perturbing redox balance and inducing necroptosis. MIOX gene disruption or administration of necrostatin-1 (a necroptosis inhibitor) diminished cadmium-induced renal damage, in both in vitro and in vivo systems, suggesting a therapeutic potential of MIOX to attenuate necroptosis and relevant signaling pathways in cadmium-induced renal injury.
Delivering the National Diabetes Prevention Program: Assessment of Enrollment in In-Person and Virtual Organizations
Authors: Cannon Michael J. , Ng Boon Peng , Lloyd Kayla , Reynolds John , Ely Elizabeth K.
Published: February 2022

The aim of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP) is to make an evidence-based lifestyle change program widely available to the more than 88 million American adults at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. The National DPP allows for program delivery using four delivery modes: in person, online, distance learning, and combination. The objective of this study was to analyze cumulative enrollment in the National DPP by delivery mode. We included all participants who enrolled in CDC-recognized organizations delivering the lifestyle change program between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2019, and whose data were submitted to CDC’s Diabetes Prevention Recognition Program. During this time, the number of participants who enrolled was 455,954. Enrollment, by delivery mode, was 166,691 for in-person; 269,004 for online; 4,786 for distance-learning; and 15,473 for combination. In-person organizations enrolled the lowest proportion of men (19.4%) and the highest proportions of non-Hispanic Black/African American (16.1%) and older (65+ years) participants (28.2%). Online organizations enrolled the highest proportions of men (27.1%), younger (18-44 years) participants (41.5%), and non-Hispanic White participants (70.3%). Distance-learning organizations enrolled the lowest proportion of Hispanic/Latino participants (9.0%). Combination organizations enrolled the highest proportions of Hispanic/Latino participants (37.3%) and participants who had obesity (84.1%). Most in-person participants enrolled in organizations classified as community-centered entities (41.4%) or medical providers (31.2%). Online and distance-learning participants were primarily enrolled (93.3% and 70.2%, respectively) in organizations classified as for-profit businesses or insurers. Participants in combination programs were enrolled almost exclusively in organizations classified as medical providers (89%). The National DPP has reached nearly half a million participants since its inception in 2012, but continued expansion is critical to stem the tide of type 2 diabetes among the many Americans at high risk.
Effects of Dietary Lysophosphatidylcholine on Growth Performance and Lipid Metabolism of Juvenile Turbot
Authors: Xu Houguo , Luo Xing , Bi Qingzhu , Wang Zhendong , Meng Xiaoxue , Liu Jinshi , Duan Mei , Wei Yuliang , Liang Mengqing
Published: February 2022

A 56-day feeding trial was conducted in a flow-through seawater system to investigate the effects of lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) on growth performance and lipid metabolism of turbot. Four experimental diets were prepared, differing only in the LPC supplementation, namely, 0 (LPC-0, control), 0.1 (LPC-0.1), 0.25 (LPC-0.25), and 0.5% (LPC-0.5) of dry matter. Each diet was randomly fed to triplicate tanks. LPC-0.1 and LPC-0.25 led to significantly higher weight gain than the control diet, and the highest weight gain was observed in LPC-0.1. Compared to the control group, the LPC-supplemented groups had higher survival and lower hepatosomatic index and viscerosomatic index. LPC-0.25 led to significantly lower contents of crude lipid and ash in whole fish. Dietary LPC supplementation led to a basic decrease in the lipid metabolism-related biochemical parameters in serum but had only very minor influence on the fatty acid composition in the liver and subcutaneous tissue around the fin (STF). High LPC levels upregulated the mRNA expression of BSAL and ApoEα in both the liver and STF. In conclusion, dietary LPC supplementation (0.1-0.25%) enhanced the growth, lowered the lipid accumulation in juvenile turbot, and significantly regulated the lipid metabolism. However, it seldom influenced the fatty acid composition.
Online Learning and Self-Regulation Strategies: Learning Guides Matter
Authors: Al-Hawamleh Maher S. , Alazemi Asmaa F. , Al-Jamal Dina A. H. , Al Shdaifat Samar , Rezaei Gashti Zeynab
Published: February 2022

For master’s degree students, self-regulated learning research is limited, even though the number of online learners has exploded in recent years, especially after the international COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigated the effect of a self-regulated learning guide to help students act somewhat more autonomously. To collect the data, a self-regulated learning guide along with a questionnaire and an achievement test was used. Forty master’s degree students (20 students in each group) participated in this study; they were distributed into two groups (A and B). Group A attended online classes with their instructor, while Group B students attended online classes and received the learning guide to help them pinpoint specific strategies in the given learning context. This paper presents the results obtained from the questionnaire distributed to the students and their end-of-course test results by comparing estimated with the actual performance scores. The study concluded that providing students with a learning guide helps them regulate their learning effectively.
Investigation of Wear Behaviour and Mechanical Properties of Titanium Diboride Reinforced AMMC Composites
Authors: Prabhu Deva Madhan , Parthiban A. , Radha Krishnan B. , Haile Adisu , Degife Wubishet
Published: February 2022

The aluminium metal matrix composites (AMMCs) are preferred in automotive and aerospace industries for higher strength, weight ratio, good corrosion resistance, and also better tribological properties. This study proposed that the AA7075 alloy methodology was enhanced by stir casting with titanium diboride (TiB2) particles at different percentages (5, 10, and 15 wt. %). The preheated titanium diboride powder is spread to the molten state AA7075 at 870°C to provide good weight resistance and delivery. The prepared composites are evaluated by wear analysis, tensile properties, hardness range, and microstructural behavior studies. Pin-on-disk and Rockwell hardness tester were used to analyze the wear behaviour and hardness level. The tensile strength and hardness have defined the strength of the proposed composite while the addition of TiB2 particles improves the hardness and tensile stress. The findings showed that adding TiB2 particles in the Al7075 matrix strengthened all properties compared to the Al7075 matrix. The scanning electron microscope and EDS were used to analyze the eroded surface and chemical composition of composites.
Galectin‐1‐Dependent Mitochondria Apoptosis Plays an Essential Role in the Potential Protein Targets of DBDCT‐Induced Hepatotoxicity as Revealed by Quantitative Proteomic Analyses
Authors: Song Jiayu , Ren Yuan , Liu Lihua , Wang Yixin , Shi Chuandao , Ji Xiaoqing , Li Yunlan , Li Qingshan
Published: February 2022

Di‐n‐butyl‐di‐(4‐chlorobenzohydroxamato) tin(IV) (DBDCT), a new patent agent, exhibited strong antitumor activity. In some cases, its activity was close to or even higher than cisplatin, a first‐line clinical metallic agent. Similar to platinum compounds, it also showed toxicity. However, the effective targets and mechanisms for specific toxicity and biological activity are still unclear. In this study, proteomic analysis revealed that 146 proteins (98 upregulated and 48 downregulated) were differentially identified by label‐free LC‐MS/MS after DBDCT treatment. Meanwhile, network analysis of these differential proteins suggested that protein Galectin‐1 (Gal‐1) could regulate the apoptosis process (15 related proteins), which played an essential role in the potential targets of DBDCT‐induced hepatotoxicity. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that DBDCT might promote ROS production, activate NF‐κB p65, inhibit Ras and p‐ERK1/2 expressions, increase the level of Gal‐1, subsequently upregulate the expressions of Bax, p53, Fas, and FasL, and downregulate the expression of Bcl‐2. As a result of these modulations, caspase cascades were finally activated, which executed apoptosis in HL7702 liver cells. Correspondingly, NAC (inhibitor of ROS), PDTC (inhibitor of NF‐κB), EGF (ERK1/2 activator), and OTX008 (inhibitor of Gal‐1) were found to reverse and abolish the DBDCT‐associated cytotoxicity partially. In conclusion, Gal‐1 might be the potential target for toxicity and biological activity. Moreover, the present study will lay the groundwork for future research about di‐n‐butyl‐di‐(4‐chlorobenzohydroxamato) tin structure optimization and developing it into a new potential anticancer agent.
The Influence of Structural Innovation on Organizational Performance from a Dynamic Capability Perspective: An Empirical Study on HEM Enterprises
Authors: Li Xiaoran , Shi Chunsheng , Jin Wei
Published: February 2022

In the current rapidly changing environment, this article explores the influence mechanism and path of structural innovation on organizational performance of enterprises from a perspective of dynamic capability. The empirical study of 362 HEM enterprises shows that structural innovation has a significant direct impact on organizational performance, and the two dimensions of dynamic capability, namely, absorptive capability and transformative capability, not only play an independent intermediary role in the relationship between structural innovation and organizational performance but also play a chain intermediary role.
Chemical Composition and Insecticidal, Antiplasmodial, and Anti-Leishmanial Activity of Capparis spinosa Essential Oil and Its Main Constituents
Authors: Alkhaibari Abeer Mousa , Alanazi Abdullah D.
Published: February 2022

Background. This investigation was designed to evaluate the insecticidal, antiplasmodial, anti-leishmanial, and cytotoxic effects of Capparis spinosa essential oil (CSEO) and its main components, methyl isothiocyanate, hexadecanoic acid, and limonene. Methods. Insecticidal activity of CSEO and its main components, methyl isothiocyanate, hexadecanoic acid, and limonene, was determined against Aedes aegypti 4th-instar larvae at 25 ± 2°C. Antiplasmodial and anti-leishmanial effects of CSEO and its main components were carried out against chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum K1 strain and Leishmania major amastigotes based on the Malstat method and the macrophage model, respectively. We also performed the cytotoxic activity of CZEO and its main components against J774A1 macrophage cells using the colorimetric MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. In addition, the plasma membrane permeability and caspase-3-like activity CSEO and its main components were evaluated against L. major. Results. CSEO and its main components showed considerable (

p
<
0.001

) larvicidal activity against Ae. aegypti larva. The 50% lethal concentration values for CSEO, methyl isothiocyanate, hexadecanoic acid, and limonene were 21.6, 30.9, 41.6, and 35.3 μg/mL, respectively. By antiplasmodial effects, the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values for CSEO, methyl isothiocyanate, hexadecanoic acid, and limonene were 7.4, 14.5, 19.6, and 21.3 μg/mL, respectively, while these values for their anti-leishmanial effects were 9.1, 20.7, 23.3, and 18.6 μg/mL, respectively. The 50% cytotoxic concentration values for CSEO, methyl isothiocyanate, hexadecanoic acid, and limonene were 93.7, 216.2, 199.4, and 221.3 μg/mL, respectively. Different concentrations of CSEO and its main components significantly (

p
<
0.05

) increased the plasma membrane permeability and caspase-3-like activity against L. major promastigote level as dose-dependent response. Conclusion. Based on the obtained results, C. spinosa essential oil and its main components, methyl isothiocyanate, hexadecanoic acid, and limonene, displayed insecticidal, antiplasmodial, and anti-leishmanial activity against healthy 4th-instar larvae of A. aegypti, chloroquine-resistant P. falciparum K1 strain, and L. major amastigotes, respectively. However, further surveys are required to display the mechanisms of action mode of tested drugs and their efficacy in animal model and clinical settings.
Use of Digital Twins‐Based Intelligent Navigation Visual Sensing Technology in Environmental Art Design of Scenic Spots
Authors: Sun Chuanbao , Zhou Xudong
Published: February 2022

The study expects to solve the bottleneck problem in the field of intelligent navigation visual sensing and build a network system of information physics, to achieve a visual sensor which can correspond the depth and color of a scene. It aims to improve the robustness and accuracy of color recognition of color structured light in a complex environment. Based on the digital twins (DTs) technology, the effective transformation of logistics process and physical entity to quasi‐real‐time digital image is realized. The omnidirectional vision sensing technology of a single viewpoint and the panoramic color volume structured light generation technology of a single emission point are integrated. The new active 3D panoramic vision sensor is achieved for which makes the current visual sensing technology developed into the visual perception of body structure. This technology is adopted in the preliminary design of environmental art in the scenic spot, and it can predict the design feasibility of environmental art in the scenic spot, avoid mistakes in decision‐making to a great extent and save human and material resources. And also it can analyze and predict some possible dangerous situations, which can greatly improve the environmental safety factor of the scenic spot. In the improvement stage of environmental art design in the scenic spot, using active 3D vision sensing technology can obtain more comprehensive information and is more conducive to the selection of design schemes.
Structural Weight and Stiffness Optimization of a Midibus Using the Reinforcement and Response Surface Optimization (RSO) Method in Static Condition
Authors: Addisu Hailemichael Solomon , Koricho Ermias Gebrekidan
Published: February 2022

Midibuses are medium-sized buses widely used for transportation purposes in Asia and Africa. However, most midibuses are locally built and indirectly regulated through inspecting the end product (finished bus) during licensing for the public transport business in Ethiopia. Due to lack of engineering analysis and testing, low stiffness and overweight of midibus were compromised. This research was aimed at analyzing and optimizing the midibus structure using the reinforcement and response surface optimization (RSO) method for pure bending and torsion loading cases. Results show that the maximum deformation occurred at the roof section of the original structure during both loading cases. Furthermore, the reinforcement design was found by replacing the cross section and layouts of structural members and adding reinforcements for the most suitable location of the original structure. Response surface optimization with the multiobjective genetic algorithm (MOGA) method in ANSYS DesignXplorer was performed on the reinforced structure to maximize the bending and torsional stiffness with reduced weight. The bending stiffness of the reinforced and optimized structure increased by 41.65% (1911.4 N/m) and 10.02% (651.7 N/m), respectively. In addition, the torsional rigidity or stiffness of the bus structure was improved by 12.56% (173.31 Nm/deg) via reinforcement design. Moreover, the torsional stiffness of the optimized (RSO) model was increased by 3.29% (51.07 Nm/deg). Reinforcement design was effectively reduced by 5.23% of the structure’s weight. Moreover, the RSO method has also decreased the weight of the reinforced structure by 2.64%.
Comparison of the Clinical Outcomes between Combined Femtosecond Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis and Corneal Cross Linking versus Combined Small-Incision Lenticule Extraction and Corneal Cross Linking
Authors: Di Yu , Mo Fei , Li Ying
Published: February 2022

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to compare femtosecond laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis with prophylactic cross linking (FS-LASIK Xtra) and small-incision lenticule extraction with prophylactic cross linking (SMILE Xtra) in terms of their postoperative clinical outcomes. Methods. In this retrospective study, 24 patients (48 eyes) with myopia and myopia astigmatism were recruited from 2017 to 2018. All patients underwent comprehensive ophthalmic examinations preoperatively and follow-up visits at one and three months. Four patients (eight eyes) in each group were followed up for 12 months. The following were assessed at each visit: uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), manifest refractive spherical equivalent (MRSE), keratometry values, biomechanical properties, anterior and posterior curvature, and corneal pachymetry. Results. The FS-LASIK Xtra and SMILE Xtra groups both included 24 eyes of 12 patients. At 1, 3, and 12 months after surgery, a UDVA of 20/20 or better was achieved for 91.7%, 91.7%, and 87.5% of individuals, respectively, in the FS-LASIK group and 95.8%, 100%, and 100% in the SMILE group, respectively. For 75% of eyes in the FS-LASIK Xtra group and 100% of eyes in the SMILE Xtra group, the achieved MRSE was within ±1.00D of attempted correction. The LASIK Xtra group had a significantly higher mean MRSE than the SMILE Xtra group at 3 and 12 months after surgery (

P
=
0.006
,
0.01

), and the SMILE Xtra group had significantly higher K1 and K2 values than the FS-LASIK group at one month after surgery (

P
=
0.024
,
0.023

). Corneal thickness decreased significantly at one month postoperatively and started to increase over the next 12 months in both groups (

P
=
0.001

). The biomechanical properties showed no significant intergroup differences at the 12-month follow-up. Conclusions. FS-LASIK Xtra and SMILE Xtra are safe and effective in the correction of myopia and myopia astigmatism, and both procedures have the same effect on postoperative corneal morphology and biomechanics.
Effects of Dietary Carbohydrate Levels on the Growth and Glucose Metabolism of Juvenile Swimming Crab, Portunus trituberculatus
Authors: Zhang Xiangsheng , Jin Min , Luo Jiaxiang , Xie Shichao , Guo Chen , Zhu Tingting , Hu Xiaoying , Yuan Ye , Zhou Qicun
Published: February 2022

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of different carbohydrate levels on the growth performance, glycogen accumulation in tissue, enzyme activities, and expression levels of genes related to hepatopancreatic glucose and lipid metabolism and insulin signaling pathway in swimming crab, Portunus trituberculatus for 8 weeks. The results indicated that crabs fed with the 60.0 g kg-1 carbohydrate diet exhibited the highest final body weight (FBW), percent weight gain (PWG), and specific growth rate (SGR) among all treatments. FBW, PWG, and SGR significantly decreased when dietary carbohydrate levels exceeded 240.0 g kg-1. Light microscopy results showed that dietary excessive carbohydrate levels will lead to vacuole, hepatopancreatic tubule lysis, and lipid droplets in hepatopancreas. Expression levels of genes involved into glucose transport, glucose and lipid metabolism, and insulin-like metabolism in the hepatopancreas were significantly influenced by dietary carbohydrate levels. In general, the results of present study demonstrated that dietary optimal carbohydrate levels could not only improve PWG and SGR but also influence the expression of genes involved in glucose, lipid, and insulin-like metabolism. The optimal actual carbohydrate level was estimated to be 87.8-98.4 g kg-1 based on broken-line and second-order polynomial regression analysis between PWG against dietary carbohydrate levels for juvenile Portunus trituberculatus.
Benefits from Shortening Viral Shedding by Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment for Moderate COVID-19: An Observational Study
Authors: Zhao Qiliang , Zhang Lei , Zhang Shuo , Gao Xiaoxue , Li Yuye , Chen Minghu , Gao Xiumei , Liu Min
Published: February 2022

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can improve clinical symptoms, but it is not clear whether it can shorten viral shedding. This is an observational study including 97 patients with COVID-19 who were consecutively admitted to the Jiangxia Fangcang hospital in Wuhan (Hubei, China) from January 15, 2020, to March 10, 2020. All patients were treated with TCM, and we assessed the patients daily and collected clinical information via a diary card. The primary endpoint was the time to achieve a negative result for severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RT-PCR. The final analysis included 92 patients. The median time to negative oropharyngeal swab for all the participants was 22 days (IQR 15–30). The participants were divided into three groups according to time from symptom onset to start of TCM treatment: within 7 days group (early treatment group), 8–14 days group (middle treatment group), and over 14 days group (late treatment group). The median time to negative oropharyngeal swab for the early treatment group was 14 days (IQR 12–17) and for the middle and late treatment groups was statistically shorter than 20 days (IQR 18–22) and 30 days (IQR 25–34), respectively. In univariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, the incidence of negative oropharyngeal swab for the early and middle treatment groups was 7.674 times and 3.609 times statistically higher than the late treatment group, respectively; whereas in multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, the incidence for the early and middle treatment groups was 18.093 times and 5.804 times statistically higher than the late treatment group, respectively. In patients with moderate COVID-19, those who had no cough, no dyspnea, and those who received TCM treatment earlier could achieve nucleic acid negative sooner by shortening viral shedding.
Teleorthodontics: Where Are We Going? From Skepticism to the Clinical Applications of a New Medical Communication and Management System
Authors: Lo Giudice Antonino , Ronsivalle Vincenzo , Venezia Pietro , Ragusa Rosalia , Palazzo Giuseppe , Leonardi Rosalia , Lazzara Antonio
Published: February 2022

Teleorthodontics represents the orthodontic care system involving remote management of orthodontic treatment. Despite skepticism, there are several advantages of including teleorthodontics in the clinical orthodontic practice. In the present review, we discuss the lights and shadows of this new communication healthcare system and its applications in the field of orthodontics that is destined to change the future of our clinical practice. For this purpose, we have provided a point-to-point analysis based on data from the most valuable scientific evidence on this topic. The information and data discussed in the present paper were obtained from the most relevant studies evaluating the performance of teleorthodontics and remote monitoring systems in clinical practice.
Two‐Stage Hybrid Approach of Deep Learning Networks for Interstitial Lung Disease Classification
Authors: Pawar Swati P. , Talbar Sanjay N.
Published: February 2022

High‐resolution computed tomography (HRCT) images in interstitial lung disease (ILD) screening can help improve healthcare quality. However, most of the earlier ILD classification work involves time‐consuming manual identification of the region of interest (ROI) from the lung HRCT image before applying the deep learning classification algorithm. This paper has developed a two‐stage hybrid approach of deep learning networks for ILD classification. A conditional generative adversarial network (c‐GAN) has segmented the lung part from the HRCT images at the first stage. The c‐GAN with multiscale feature extraction module has been used for accurate lung segmentation from the HRCT images with lung abnormalities. At the second stage, a pretrained ResNet50 has been used to extract the features from the segmented lung image for classification into six ILD classes using the support vector machine classifier. The proposed two‐stage algorithm takes a whole HRCT as input eliminating the need for extracting the ROI and classifies the given HRCT image into an ILD class. The performance of the proposed two‐stage deep learning network‐based ILD classifier has improved considerably due to the stage‐wise improvement of deep learning algorithm performance.
Online Learning and Students’ Mathematics Motivation, Self-Efficacy, and Anxiety in the “New Normal”
Authors: Mamolo Leo A.
Published: February 2022

With the pandemic’s widespread effect, the “New Normal” in instruction in Philippine education embraces online learning. This study investigated the effect of online learning on students’ motivation, self-efficacy, and anxiety in mathematics. The study employed quasi-experimental research, specifically a one-group pre-post-test research design. Two adapted research questionnaires on mathematics motivation, self-efficacy, and anxiety were utilized. Results show that students’ mathematics motivation and self-efficacy have significantly decreased over the 6-week pilot test of synchronous online learning. Students’ anxiety remained “High” before and after the implementation, indicating fear and uncertainty of the new normal in instruction. Furthermore, results found that slow and unstable Internet connection, less motivation to do self-study, plenty of activities at home, and chores were some of the main reasons students got difficulties in learning the subject matter and adjusting to the “New Normal.” Results imply the improvement of online learning processes, emphasizing government projects for faster Internet connectivity. Also, emphasis on engaging classroom activities, especially in mathematics, must be established, improving learners’ motivation and self-efficacy and decreasing anxiety.