bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A KRT6A Mutation p.Ile462Asn In A Chinese Family With Pachyonychia Congenita, And Identification of Maternal Mosaicism
Authors: Yue Li , Yumeng Wang , Ming Yan , Chaolan Pan , Jia Zhang , Cheng Ni , Qiaoyu Cao , Ming Li , Tianyi Xu
Published: June 2021

Background: Pachyonychia congenita (PC, OMIM #167200, #167210, #615726, #615728, and #615735) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder caused by keratin gene mutations in KRT6A, KRT6B, KRT6C, KRT16 or KRT17. It is characterized with nail dystrophy and palmoplantar keratoderma (PPK). The most prominent manifestation is plantar pain. This is the first reported case of maternal mosaicism in PC. Although very rare, germ cell mosaicism should be considered when providing genetic counselling for unaffected parents of a child with PC. Methods: Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples, hair bulbs, buccal smears and the father’s germ cells. The entire coding and flanking intronic sequences of 5 keratin genes were screened for mutations in every individuals of the family by Sanger sequencing. We used whole exome sequencing (WES) to search for mosaicism in the parents who had no KRT6A mutation identified by Sanger sequencing. Mosaicism was confirmed by SNaPshot sequencing and HiSeq deep sequencing.Results: A previously reported heterozygous mutation, p.Ile462Asn, was identified in KRT6A in the proband and his affected sister. The variant was detected in one sequencing read from 86 sequencing reads from DNA from the mother’s blood by WES. The mutation was not identified in DNA from the father’s blood. Frequency of reads was 47% and 49% in proband and his sister, respectively. SNaPshot sequencing revealed mosaicism at a level of 2.5% and 4.7% in DNA from blood and hair bulbs from the unaffected mother. HiSeq deep sequencing demonstrated low-grade mosaicism in the patient’s younger sister and parents.Conclusion: These findings indicate the ability of WES and SNaPshot sequencing to detect low-frequency mosaic mutations. Although very rare, germinal mosaicism should be considered when genetic counseling is given to families with presumed spontaneous cases of PC.
Spatial Distribution and Predictive Factors of Antenatal Care in Burundi
Authors: BARANKANIRA Emmanuel , Iradukunda arnaud , NTAKABURIMVO Nestor , AHISHAKIYE Willy , NSAVYIMANA Jean Claude
Published: June 2021

Background: The use of obstetric care by pregnant women enables them to receive antenatal and postnatal care. This care includes counseling, health instructions, examinations and tests to avoid pregnancy-related complications or death during childbirth. To avoid these complications, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends at least four antenatal visits. This study deals with the spatial analysis of antenatal care (ANC) among women aged 15 to 49 with a doctor and associated factors in Burundi.Methods: Data were obtained from the second Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) carried out in 2010. A spatial analysis of the prevalence of ANC made it possible to map this prevalence by region and province, and to interpolate the cluster-based ANC prevalence at unsampled data points using the kernel method with an adaptive window. The dependent variable is the antenatal care (yes / no) with a doctor and the explanatory variables are place of residence, age, level of education, religion, marital status of the woman, the quintile of economic well-being of the household and place of birth of the woman. Factors associated with ANC were assessed using binary mixed logistic regression. Data were analyzed using R software, version 3.5.0.Results: The findings of this study clearly show that ANC prevalence varies from 0 to 16.2% with a median of 0.5%. A pocket of prevalence was observed at the junction between Muyinga and Kirundo provinces. Low prevalence was observed in several locations in all regions of the provinces. They also show that woman’s education level and place of delivery are significantly associated with antenatal care.Conclusion: Prevalence of ANC is not the same across the country. It varies between regions and provinces. Besides, there is intra-regional or intra-provincial heterogeneity in the prevalence of ANC.
Is It Possible to Implement a Rare Disease Case-finding Tool in Primary Care? A UK-based Pilot Study
Authors: Buendia Orlando , Shankar Sneha , Mahon Hadley , Toal Connor , Menzies Lara , Ravichandran Pradeep , Benfredj Rudy , Evans William
Published: June 2021

Introduction:This study implemented MendelScan, a primary care rare disease case-finding tool, into a UK NHS population. Rare disease diagnosis is challenging due to disease complexity and low physician awareness. The 2021 UK Rare Diseases Framework highlights a global need for faster diagnosis to improve clinical outcomes as a key priority.Methods & Results:A UK primary care locality with 68,705 patients was examined. MendelScan encodes diagnostic/screening criteria for multiple rare diseases, mapping clinical terms to appropriate SNOMED CT codes (UK primary care standardised clinical terminology) to create digital algorithms. These algorithms were applied to a pseudo-anonymised structured data extract of the electronic health records (EHR) in this locality to "flag" at-risk patients who may require further evaluation. All flagged patients then underwent internal clinical review; for those that passed this review, a report was returned to their GP. 55 of 76 disease criteria flagged at least one patient. 227 (0.33% of the total population) patients were flagged; 18 EHR were already diagnosed with the disease. 75/227 (33%) passed our internal review. Thirty-six reports were returned to the GP. Feedback was available for 28/36 of the reports sent. GP categorised nine reports as "Reasonable possible diagnosis" (advance for investigation), six reports as "diagnosis has already been excluded", ten reports as "patient has a clear alternative aetiology", and three reports as "Other" (patient left study locality, unable to reidentify accurately). All the 9 cases considered as "reasonable possible diagnosis" had a further actionable evaluation.Conclusions:This pilot demonstrates that implementing such a tool is feasible at a population level in an ethical, technical and efficient manner. The case-finding tool identified credible cases which were subsequently referred for further investigation. Future work includes performance-based validation studies of diagnostic algorithms and the scalability of the tool.
Odonata Diversity in Thadiyankudisai, Palni Hills of Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu
Authors: MANIKANDAN KR , MUTHUSWAMI M , CHITRA N , ANANTHAN M
Published: June 2021

A total of 419 individuals under 5 families, 8 genera and 10 species of Odonata were recorded in the present study. Among them family Libellulidae had 6 species followed by Chlorocyphidae (2 species), and Coenagrionidae and Euphaeidae had1 species. The dominance order of Odonata was Pantala flavescens (44.40%) > Diplacodes trivialis (22.70%) > Orthetrum chrysis (7.40%) while rest of the fauna ranged from (1.40 to 6.90%). Pantala flavescens was maximum during NEM (50.0%) followed by summer and winter (43.8% each) and minimum during SWM (38.5%). Margalef Index of Species Richness was highest (2.00) during winter. Simpson Index of Diversity was highest (0.75) during SWM while Shannon-Wiener Index of Dominance was highest (1.75) during summer. The species were evenly distributed during summer with Pielou’s Evenness Index value of 0.76. The community change was 80.00 per cent change during January, 2018 and had a steep fall in February and April, 2018 and reached a peak of 66.67 per cent during March and November, 2018.
Maternal Mortality Trends in Spain During the 2000-2018 Period: The Role of Maternal Origin
Authors: Larroca Santiago García-Tizón , Serrano Juan Arevalo , Minaya Maria Ruiz , Martinez Pilar Paya , Pacheco Ricardo Perez Fernandez , Bonelli Santiago Lizarraga , Luis Juan De Leon
Published: June 2021

Backround: The available literature indicates that there are significant differences in maternal mortality according to maternal origin in high income countries. The aim of this study was to examine the trend in the maternal mortality rate and its most common causes in Spain in recent years and to analyse its relationship with maternal origin.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of all live births as well as those resulting in maternal death in Spain during the period between 2000 and 2018. A descriptive analysis of the maternal mortality rate by cause, region of birth, maternal age, marital status, human development index and continent of maternal origin was performed. The risk of maternal death was calculated using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses, with adjustment for certain variables included in the descriptive analysis.Results: There was a total of 293 maternal deaths and 8,439,324 live births during the study period. The most common cause of maternal death was hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. The average maternal death rate was 3.47 per 100,000 live births. The risk of suffering from this complication was higher for immigrant women from less developed countries; therefore, a decrease of 0.01 in the maternal human development index score significantly increased the risk of this complication by 2.4%.Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that there are inequalities in maternal mortality according to maternal origin in Spain. The human development index of the country of maternal origin could be a useful tool when estimating the risk of this complication, taking into account the origin of the pregnant woman.
Non-cationic RGD-containing protein carrier for tumor-targeted siRNA delivery
Authors: Yu Xiaolin , Xue Lu , Zhao Jingjing , Zhao Shuhua , Wu Daqing , Liu Hong Yan
Published: June 2021

Despite the recent successes in siRNA therapeutics, targeted delivery beyond the liver remains the major hurdle for the widespread application of siRNA in vivo. Current cationic liposome or polymer-based delivery agents are restricted to the liver and suffer from off-target effect, poor clearance, low serum stability, and high toxicity. In this study, we have genetically engineered a non-cationic tumor-targeted universal siRNA nanocarrier. This protein nanocarrier consists of three function domains: dsRNA binding domain (dsRBD) (from human protein kinase R) for any siRNA binding, 18-histidines for endosome escape, and two RGD peptides at N-and C-termini for targeting tumor and tumor neovasculature. We showed that cloned dual-RGD-dsRBD-18his (dual-RGD) protein protects siRNA against RNases, induces effective siRNA endosomal escape, specific targets on integrin αvβ3 expressing cells in vitro, and homes siRNA to tumor in vivo. The delivered siRNA leads target gene knockdown in the cell lines and tumor xenografts with low toxicity. This multifunctional, biomimetic, charge-neutral siRNA carrier is biodegradable, low toxic, suitable for mass production by fermentation, and serum stable, holding great potential to provide a widely applicable siRNA carrier for tumor-targeted siRNA delivery.
Are Emergency Providers’ Knowledge and Perceptions of HIV and Hepatitis C Guidelines Influencing Their Practice? A Pilot Study in Appalachia
Authors: Maier Hannah R. , Nolan Levi A. , Sharon Melinda J. , Burrell Carmen N.
Published: June 2021

Background: There is increasing concern of unidentified infectious diseases, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), due to the recent opioid epidemic. The purpose of this study was to assess emergency physicians’, advanced practice providers’ (APPs), and registered nurses’ (RNs) knowledge and perceptions of the current Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) HIV and HCV screening guidelines and how it may affect their routine practice habits. Methods: A 25-item electronic survey was distributed to emergency physicians, APPs, and RNs from two emergency departments in West Virginia. Data were analyzed descriptively across all variables. Results: In October 2018, 47 providers completed the survey. Of those, 29 (62%) selected the correct HCV screening protocols, and 67% (31) reported they currently suggest HCV screenings to their patients. Although only six (13%) providers selected the correct HIV protocols, a larger proportion of 73% (34) suggest HIV screenings during their patient encounters. Reasons listed for not conducting these screenings while on shift included “not an emergency” and “not my role as an EM doc.” However, reasons that would make providers more likely to screen included “free screening for patients” and “results available faster.” Conclusions: This pilot study was the first to assess knowledge and perceptions of HCV and HIV screenings among a variety of Appalachian emergency providers. Our results suggest that all categories of providers surveyed lack appropriate knowledge of the current CDC screening guidelines and have varying attitudes toward screening behaviors, which could affect consistent practice to identify new infection.
Purification of a Clinical Grade Recombinant Thy1-Single-Chain Variable Fragment for Molecular Imaging of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: JUGNIOT Natacha , Bam Rakesh , Paulmurugan Ramasamy
Published: June 2021

Molecular imaging using single chain variable fragments (scFv) of antibodies targeting cancer specific antigens have been considered a non-immunogenic approach for early diagnosis in the clinic. Usually, production of proteins is performed within Escherichia coli. Recombinant proteins are either expressed in E. coli cytoplasm as insoluble inclusion bodies that often need cumbersome denaturation and refolding processes, or secreted toward the periplasm as soluble proteins that highly reduce the overall yield. However, production of active scFvs in their native form without any heterologous fusion is required for clinical applications. In this study, we expressed Thy1-scFv as a fusion protein with a N-terminal sequence including 3 hexa-histidines as purification tags together with a Trx-tag and a Stag for enhanced-solubility. Our strategy allowed to recover ∼35% of Thy1-scFv in the soluble cytoplasmic fraction. An enterokinase cleavage site in between Thy1-scFv and the upstream tags was used to regenerate the native protein with 97.7 ± 2.3 % purity without any tags. Finally, Thy1-scFv showed functionality towards its target on flow cytometry assays. In vivo molecular imaging using Thy1-scFv conjugated to an ultrasound contrast agent (MBThy1-scFv) demonstrated signal enhancement on a transgenic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) model (3.1 ± 1.2 a.u.) compared to control (0.4 ± 0.4 a.u.) suggesting potential for PDAC diagnosis. Overall, our strategy facilitates the expression and purification of a clinically translatable Thy1-scFv while introducing its ability for diagnostic molecular imaging of pancreatic cancer. The presented methodology could be expanded to other important eukaryotic proteins for various applications, including but not limited to molecular imaging.
ATR-FTIR Spectrum Analysis of Saliva Samples from COVID-19 Positive Patients
Authors: Martinez-Cuazitl Adriana , Vazquez-Zapien Gustavo , Sanchez-Brito Miguel , Limon-Pacheco Jorge , Guerrero-Ruiz Melissa , Garibay-Gonzalez Francisco , Delgado-Macuil Raul , de Jesus Maria Garcia , Corona-Perezgrovas Miguel , Pereyra-Talamantes Armando , Mata-Miranda Monica Maribel
Published: June 2021

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the latest biological hazard for the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Numerous diagnostic tests for SARS-CoV-2 have been used, which are expensive and require specialized personal. So, new diagnosis strategies are being developed, looking for less expensive methods which could be used as screening for better spread control. Many researchers have described the use of saliva as a potential indicator of COVID-19, and even the same patient could carry out its collection. In this sense, this study aimed to establish specific salivary vibrational modes analyzed by attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy to detect COVID-19 biological fingerprints that allow the discrimination between COVID-19 and healthy patients. Previous written informed consent, clinical dates, laboratories, and saliva samples of COVID-19 patients (n = 255) and healthy persons (n = 1209) were obtained and analyzed through ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. Then, a multivariate linear regression model (MLRM) was developed. The COVID-19 patients showed low SaO2, cough, dyspnea, headache, and fever principally. Obesity was the main comorbidity. Various laboratory blood tests were altered. In the FTIR spectra analysis, changes in amide I and immunoglobulin regions were evidenced, and the MLRM showed clear discrimination between both groups. Specific salivary vibrational modes employing ATR-FTIR spectroscopy were established; moreover, the COVID-19 biological fingerprint in saliva was characterized, allowing the detection for COVID-19 using an MLRM, once it helps to reduce the number of variables, which could be helpful in the future development of diagnostic devices in a faster and cheaper way.
Distinct Triglyceride-Glucose Trajectories are associated with Different Risks of Incident Cardiovascular Disease in Normal-Weight Adults
Authors: Wang Anxin , Tian Xue , Zuo Yingting , Chen Shuohua , Meng Xia , Chen Pan , Wu Shouling , Luo Yanxia , Wang Yongjun
Published: June 2021

BackgroundRisk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is increased in metabolically obese normal weight adults. However, we have limited knowledge of how to prevent CVD in normal-weight people. The triglyceride-glucose index (TyG index) has been considered as a contributor of CVD, while long-term patterns of the triglyceride-glucose index (TyG index) and their effects on CVD among normal-weight adults are poorly characterized. Therefore, this study aimed to identify TyG index trajectories in normal-weight adults and to determine their association with the risk of incident CVD.MethodsThis prospective cohort study included 40,473 normal-weight participants who were free of stroke and myocardial infarction prior to or in 2012. The TyG index was calculated as ln [fasting triglyceride (mg/dL)×fasting glucose (mg/dL)/2], and the TyG index trajectories during 2006-2012 were identified by latent mixture modeling. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the associations between TyG index trajectories and incident CVD.Results We identified five distinct TyG index trajectories according to TyG index range and changing pattern over time: low-stable (n=9,806; mean TyG index 7.84-7.93), moderate-stable (n=22,066; mean TyG index 8.43-8.52), elevated-decreasing (n=1,469; mean TyG index 9.83-8.75), moderate-increasing (n=5,842; mean TyG index 8.98-9.26), and elevated-stable (n=1,290; mean TyG index 9.91-10.07). During 6.74 years of follow-up, we documented 1,577 incident CVD events. Compared with the low-stable pattern, the highest risk of CVD was observed in the elevated-stable pattern (hazard ratio [HR], 2.24; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.73-2.90), followed by the moderate-increasing pattern (HR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.43-2.04), the elevated-decreasing pattern (HR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.11-1.89), and the moderate-stable pattern (HR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.08-1.44). Similar results were also observed for stroke and myocardial infarction. Consistently, annual increment of the TyG index during 2006-2012 also predicted future risk of CVD.ConclusionsDistinct TyG index trajectories were significantly associated differently subsequent risk of CVD in normal-weight individuals. These observations suggested that long-term trajectories of TyG index may be useful for predicting CVD among normal-weight adults.
Papillitis and Neuroretinitis as Atypical Presentations of Ocular Toxoplasmosis
Authors: Kabedi Nelly , Mwanza Jean-Claude
Published: June 2021

We report three cases of optic nerve toxoplasmisis, an unusual form of ocular toxoplasmosis. In one patient the optic nerve involvement occurred in an eye with a toxoplasmic chorioretinal scar and choroidal neovessels in the supramacular area, subretinal fibrosis, and pigment epitheium detachment. The other two patients had papilledema without healed or active chorioretinal lesions, but both had retinal hemorrhage and macular involvement. The diagnosis was based on clinical examination and elavated serum toxoplama antibodies. Optical coherence tomography helped uncover the structural chorioretinal changes. All three patients were treated with a combination of oral antitoxoplasmic drugs, oral prednisone, and intravitreal injection of bevacizumab. Visual acuity improved in all of them. Optic nerve involvement in ocular toxoplasmosis must be considered when papilledema occurs both in isolation and in the presence of an active or scarred chorioretinal lesion.
An Investigation on Machining General Size Cylindrical Parts Using WEDM with Contour Approximation Method
Authors: Ma Huliang , Wang Yanqing , Lv Ming , Yang Shengqiang
Published: June 2021

The application of wire EDM to the machining of cylindrical parts is an emerging research topic. The current research is mainly focused on the machining of micro-cylindrical parts, and there is little research on the general-sized parts. This paper proposes to apply the principle of contour approximation method to the machining of cylindrical parts of general size. First, the basic principle of the contour approximation method is introduced, and the machining process is divided into three parts: roughing, semi-finishing and finishing. Roughing corresponds to polygon cutting. Second, the various indicators of polygon cutting are analyzed. The influence of the number of polygonal sides on the residual height and residual area is analyzed. Two methods are proposed for polygon cutting: sequential cutting and multiple edge cutting. The calculation formulas for the processing volume of the two methods are deduced. By comparing the two methods, it is found that different methods are applicable to different part sizes. At last, machining experiments were carried out. The selection of residual variables and the determination of polygon machining methods are detailed. The process parameters and machining time of each stage are listed. In addition, the measurement results of each stage of the machining are also analyzed.
Higher Dependency on Visual Inputs During Posture Control: Another Long-Term Effect of mTBIs
Authors: Danna-dos-Santos Alessander , Degani Adriana Menezes
Published: June 2021

This study investigated the hypothesis that individuals living with long-term effects of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) develop increased dependency on their visual inputs to control their vertical posture. To test this hypothesis we quantified visuo-postural dependency indices (VPDIs) calculated independently for multiple postural behavioral markers extracted from the body’s center of pressure coordinates signals recorded during the execution of a quiet bipedal stance. One hundred and twenty-nine volunteers participated in this study. An mTBI (n = 50) and a neurotypical Control group were formed (n = 79). VPDIs were calculated as the normalized pair-wise subtraction of recordings obtained under Vision and No-Vision experimental conditions. Consistent with our hypothesis the results of this study show that balance behavior of mTBI participants deteriorate more abruptly in the absence of visual inputs when compared to neurotypical controls. These impairments may increase the likelihood of recurrent traumas when fast reactions are needed in daily activities, sports practice, or military operations. Additionally, the methodology used in this study showed to be potentially useful to aid future investigations of neural circuitry impaired by mTBI and provide indices of recovery in future clinical trials testing mTBI-related clinical interventions.
An Autopsy Case of Sudden Death Due To Adrenal Crisis Caused By Pulmonary Tuberculosis Complicated With Adrenal Tuberculosis
Authors: Zhao Nan , Gao Yutong , Ni Chunsheng , Zhang Danfang , Zhao Xiulan , Li Yanlei , Sun Baocun
Published: June 2021

Background: Adrenal tuberculosis is difficult to diagnose due to non-specific symptom. Sudden death due to adrenal crisis after trauma surgery is rare to be seen.Case presentation: A 45-year-old man, who was admitted to hospital because of trauma of right hand, died suddenly on the 13th day after replantation of amputated fingers. He was diagnosed with brain edema and diluted hyponatremia. Autopsy and histopathologic examination revealed severe brain edema combined with cerebellar tonsillar hernia, extensive destruction of adrenal gland caused by bilateral adrenal tuberculosis and right lung invasive pulmonary tuberculosis. Conclusions:Trauma and pulmonary tuberculosis complicated with adrenal tuberculosis induced the adrenal crisis, which eventually lead to severe cerebral edema and hernia, and finally death from respiratory and circulatory failure. This autopsy and histopathologic examination suggested a possible pathophysiologic mechanism of sudden death due to diluted hyponatremia after trauma surgery.
Factors Associated With Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence Among People Living With HIV in Haiti: a Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Dorcélus Ludentz , Bern Joseph Jr , Georgery Constant , Vanessa Clerveau
Published: June 2021

BACKGROUND: Socioeconomic, demographic and clinical factors can affect adherence to treatment among people living with HIV (PLH) and potentially have an impact on their prognosis and survival. The main objective of this study was to assess these factors as potential barriers to adherence among patients receiving care in central Haiti. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among PLH receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) at the TB/HIV clinic at St. Therese Hospital in Hinche, Haiti. A total of 426 potential participants were approached during their follow-up visits from June to August 2019, of whom 411 participated in the study. After giving informed consent, study participants completed a structured interview that included the Self-Report Item Scale (SRIS), a standard measure, to assess adherence. Socio-demographic, economic and clinical factors were assessed for their association with adherence. RESULTS: The 411 participating patients represented 39% of the patient population at the TB/HIV clinic during the timeframe of the study. The mean age was 43.7 years (range: 19-80), 65.5% were female and 78.1% had only achieved a primary level of schooling. Nearly 78% had received ART for less than 10 years, 3.41% reported having poor adherence and 28% less than excellent adherence. Factors related to poor adherence in bivariate analysis were age less than 40 years (OR: 6.32, 95% CI: 2.04-10.58, p<0.01) and inability to meet basic needs (OR: 2.70, 95% CI: 1.04-7.0, p=0.03).CONCLUSIONS: To improve medication adherence, the hospital should strengthen patient counselling of younger recipients of ART and provide financial assistance and other social service interventions. Studies should be implemented in other HIV management centers in Haiti and similar contexts to examine barriers to ART adherence with the goal of improving prognosis and survival in the long-term among PLH in resource-limited setting.
The Effect of Spatial Location of Fermentation Pit on Prokaryotic Community Diversity in Pit Mud for Chinese Strong-Flavor Baijiu Production
Authors: Hu Xiaolong , Feng Dahong , Yu Miao , Wang Sifan , Zhang Yong , Chi Lei , Zhang Zhigang , He Peixin , Wang Yongliang , Zhu Wenyou
Published: June 2021

Background Chinese strong-flavor baijiu (CSFB) accounts for more than 70% of all Chinese liquor markets. Diverse microbes in pit mud found in the fermentation pit play a key role in CSFB production. However, the effect of spatial location on the diversity and structure of the microbial community in pit mud is still poorly understood Results Prokaryotic microbes in different pit mud（4- and 40-year）were analyzed by using Illumina MiSeq sequencing of 16S rRNA gene. The samples were collected from pit mud that was 4 and 40 years old in the top, middle, and under parts of the cellar walls and at the bottom of them. The results showed there was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the physicochemical factors, the Observed OTU, and α-diversity between the pit mud of two different ages. The index of the 4-year-old pit mud was lower (except for total acid, which was higher than) than that of the 40-year-old pit mud. The pH, total acid, Observed OTU, Chao 1, ACE in the 4-year-old pit mud (in the top and middle part of the cellar wall) and the 40-year-old pit mud(in the top part of the cellar wall) had significant (p<0.05) difference. At the phylum level, Firmicutes (56.70%) and Bacteroidetes (26.56%) accounted for more than 80% of the overall level. For the 4-year-old pit mud sample, the dominant genuses at each location were Proteiniphilum, Lactobacillus, and Caproiciproducens, while for the 40-year-old pit mud, there were 10 common genuses accounted for more than 50% of the dominant genuses in different pit mud belong to Clostridia. The RDA analysis results showed that 85.71% of the dominant bacteria positively correlated with pH, and especially the most correlated with the total acid and available phosphorus, so its content was significantly related to the dominant bacteria (p<0.01). Therefore, it inferred that the total acid and available phosphorus were the main physicochemical factors that affected the spatial distribution of prokaryotic microbial communities in the pit mud of cellars from the liquor distillery. Conclusions Comparing the young pit mud and the old pit mud, the structure and physicochemical factors of the prokaryotic microbial community in pit mud from Henan liquor-making company changed, and the changes occurred in the spatial location of different pits. Clostridia, which accounted for more than 50% of all types of pit mud, were responsible for the effect of total acid and available phosphorus on the microbial community. Based on the above, it provides a theoretical basis for Henan liquor-making companies in maintaining pit mud. Keywords: fermentation pit mud; spatial heterogeneity; microbial community; physicochemical factors; Chinese strong-flavor Baijiu.
Comorbidity in Primary Care – Causal or Casual? A Longitudinal Observational Study in Family Medicine
Authors: Soler Jean Karl , Buono Nicola , Okkes Inge
Published: June 2021

Background. Comorbidity is increasingly important in the medical literature, with ever-increasing impacts as populations age. Comorbidity has multiple and complex implications for the processes of diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, management and health care. The objective of this study is to measure casual versus causal comorbidity in primary care in three family practice populations.Methods. This is a longitudinal observational study using the Transition Project datasets. Transition Project family doctors in the Netherlands, Malta and Serbia recorded details of all patient contacts in an episode of care structure using electronic medical records and the International Classification of Primary Care, collecting data on all elements of the doctor-patient encounter, including diagnoses (1,178,178 in the Netherlands, 93,606 in Malta, 405,150 in Serbia), observing 158,370 patient years in the Netherlands, 43,577 in Malta, 72,673 in Serbia. Comorbidity was measured using the odds ratio of both conditions being incident or rest-prevalent in the same patient in one-year dataframes, as against not.Results. Comorbidity in family practice in the three population databases is expressed as odds ratios between the 41 joint most prevalent (joint top 20) episode titles in the three populations. Specific associations were explored in different age groups to observe the changes in odds ratios with increasing age as a surrogate for a temporal or biological gradient.Conclusion. After applying accepted criteria for testing the causality of associations, it is reasonable to conclude that most observed primary care comorbidity is casual. It would be incorrect to assume causal relationships between co-occurring diseases in family medicine, even if such a relationship might be plausible or consistent with current conceptualisations of the causation of disease. Most observed comorbidity in primary care is the result of increasing illness diversity.Trial registration.This study was performed on electronic patient record datasets made publicly available by the University of Amsterdam Department of General Practice, and did not involve any patient intervention.Funding. Self-funded.
Improved Gait Recognition Accuracy Based on DFT- GEI
Authors: Sriniva Lavanya
Published: June 2021

Person reidentification is a challenging task in computer vision. Identify a person from different cameras due to changes in appearance based on cofactors. Cofactors such as changing clothes, a suitcase, backpack, etc. The gait biometric is used to identify a person vary with different cofactors at different backgrounds. The person's gait can be identified at a distance, based on a walking pattern, without any physical contact. In this work, the videos are recorded using Long Wave Infrared and Visible cameras at different locations such as urban and rural environments. The pre-processing includes the recorded videos are converted into frames, person identification using deep learning techniques, background subtraction, artifacts removal, silhouettes extraction, calculating gait cycle, and synthesis frequency domain gait energy image by averaging the silhouettes. The moving features are extracted from the frequency domain gait energy image and gait energy image are dimensionally reduced by principal component analysis, recognized using classifier K nearest neighbour and results are compared. Experiments are conducted on urban and rural datasets recorded using Long Wave Infrared and Visible cameras.
Being Praised for Prosocial Behaviors Longitudinally Reduces Depressive Symptoms in Early Adolescents: a Population-based Cohort Study
Authors: Nagaoka Daiki , Tomoshige Nanami , Ando Shuntaro , Morita Masaya , Kiyono Tomoki , Kanata Sho , Fujikawa Shinya , Endo Kaori , Yamasaki Syudo , Fukuda Masato , Nishida Atsushi , Hiraiwa-Hasegawa Mariko , Kasai Kiyoto
Published: June 2021

Background: Depression is highly prevalent and causes a heavy burden in adolescent life. Being praised for prosocial behavior might be a preventive factor because both being praised and prosocial behavior are protective against depression. Here, we investigated the longitudinal relationship between being praised for prosocial behavior and depressive symptoms in adolescents. Methods: In Tokyo Teen Cohort study (TTC), an ongoing prospective population-based cohort study, we collected 3,171 adolescents’ data on self-reported experiences of being praised for prosocial behavior, depressive symptoms, and caregiver-evaluated prosocial behavior. Ten-year-old children were asked to freely describe answers to the question “What are you praised for?”. Only children who clearly answered that they were praised for their prosocial behavior were designated the “prosocial praise group”. The degree of depression at ages 10 and 12 was measured with the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ), a self-report questionnaire about depression. Objective prosocial behavior of the 10-year-old children was assessed by the Strength and Difficulty Questionnaire (SDQ). Multiple linear regression analysis was performed using the SMFQ score at age 12 as the objective variable and being praised for prosocial behavior as the main explanatory variable, and the SMFQ score at age 10 and the objective prosocial behavior at age 10 were included as confounders.Results: Depressive symptoms (SMFQ scores) in the “prosocial praise group” were significantly lower than those in the other group both at age 10 (4.3 ± 4.4 vs 4.9 ± 4.6, p <0.001) and at age (3.4 ± 4.2 vs 4.0 ± 4.6, p <0.01). In the single regression analysis, the children who reported being praised for prosocial behavior at age 10 had significantly lower depressive symptoms at age 12 (partial regression variable: -0.57, 95% confidence interval (CI) [-0.96, -0.17]). This association remained significant after adjusting for confounders, including baseline depressive symptoms (partial regression variable: -0.44, 95% CI [-0.80, -0.08]). Prosocial behavior alone was not associated with depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Being praised for prosocial behavior rather than objective prosocial behavior at 10 years of age predicted lower depressive symptoms two years later. Praise for adolescents’ prosocial behavior can be encouraged to prevent depression.
Efficacy of Exposure in Group Settings for Youth With Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms
Authors: Pfeiffer Elisa
Published: June 2021

Background: Exposure to traumatic experiences is a fundamental part of evidence-based trauma-focused cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) but in group settings it is discussed controversially among researchers and practitioners. This study aims to examine the individual participants’ stress level during group sessions with exposure and disclosure of traumatic events.Method: N = 47 traumatized youth (Mage = 17.00, 94% male) participated in a group intervention comprising six 90-minute group sessions (exposure in sessions 2-5). It is based on trauma-focused CBT principles. The individual stress level was assessed by the participants and group facilitators at the beginning, during, and at the end of every session. Results: During the sessions including exposure, the stress level of the participants was higher than during sessions without exposure (Z = -3.79; p ≤ .001). During the exposure sessions, the participants showed significant changes in stress level (d = 0.34 - 0.87) following an inverse U-shaped trend.Conclusion: The results show that exposure is feasible within the scope of a trauma-focused group intervention for youth. The further dissemination of trauma-focused group treatments is an important component in the mental health care of traumatized children and youth.
Influence of Host Plants on the Diversity of Gut Microbiota Communities of Fall Armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
Authors: Ugwu Juliana Amaka , Asiegbu Fred
Published: June 2021

The gut bacteria of insects influence their host physiology positively, although their mechanism is not yet understood. This study characterized the microbiome of the gut of Spodoptera frugiperda larvae fed with nine different host plants; sugar cane (M1), maize (M2), onion (M3), cucumber (R1), tomato (R2), sweet potato (R3), cabbage L1), green amaranth (L2), and celocia (L3) by sequencing the theV3-V4 hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene using Illumina PE250 NovaSeq system. The results revealed that gut bacterial composition varied among larvae samples fed on different host plants. Three alpha diversity indices revealed highly significant differences on the gut bacterial diversity of S. frugiperda fed with different host plants.. Analysis of Molecular Variance (AMOVA) and Analysis of Similarity (ANOSIM) also revealed significant variations on the bacterial communities among the various host plants. Five bacteria phyla (Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes) were prevalent across the larvae samples. Firmicutes (44.1%) was the most dominant phylum followed by Proteobacteria (28.5%). Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analyses showed that S. frugiperda larvae were enriched by diverse bacteria groups. Celocia (L3) and sweet potato (R3) were enriched in phylum Firmicutes by 15.1% and 14.2 % respectively while green amaranth (L2) and sugar cane (M1) were enriched in proteobacteria by 18.5% and 14.3% respectively. Genus Enterococcus was predominant and mostly enhanced by L3 with 21.7% incidence. Mann-Whitney’ test revealed highly significant differences (p<0.001) on OTUs number among larvae samples. Our findings indicate that host plant is a major driver shaping insect gut microbiota.
Demographic, Clinical, and Immunological Features in Combined Immunodeficiency Patients with and Without Pulmonary Complications: A Retrospective Multicenter Study from Iran
Authors: Khanbabaee Ghamartaj , Pourghasem Matin , Jamee Mahnaz , Tabatabaii Seyed Ahmad , Khalili Mitra , Mesdaghi Mehrnaz , Sadeghi-Shabestari Mahnaz , Shirvani Armin , Sadr Saeid , Delavari Samaneh , Eslami Narges , Farahbakhsh Nazanin , Mansouri Mahboubeh , Tabiei Ebrahim , Modarresi Seyedeh Zalfa , Behbahani Abdolhamid Taghizadeh , Eslamian Golnaz , Fallahi Mazdak , Enayat Javad , Fallah Shahrzad , Pourghasem Mahsa , Aghamohammadi Asghar , Chavoshzadeh Zahra
Published: June 2021

Purpose: Combined immunodeficiency (CID) is characterized by profound defects in the development and function of both B and T cells. We aimed to investigate clinical and immunological phenotype in CID patients with and without pulmonary complications.Methods: This retrospective study was performed on patients with established diagnosis of CID registered between 2009 and 2020. Patients were divided into two groups based on the development of pulmonary complications, and their demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics were compared. All data were analyzed by SPSS software, and a P-value <0.05 was considered as a significant difference.Results: 146 patients [56.8% male and 43.2% females] were enrolled in the study and divided into two groups of patients with (n=88) and without (n=58) pulmonary complications. In patients with pulmonary complications, oral candidiasis, failure to thrive, and otitis media, while in the other group, anemia, autoimmunity, rheumatologic disorders, and skin lesions had higher frequency, although not significant. Thoracic high resolution computed tomographies (HRCTs), available in 54.5% of patients with pulmonary complications, were compatible with pneumonia (39.8%), bronchiectasis (12.5%), pulmonary nodules (3.4%), atelectasis (1.1%), interstitial lung disease (1.1%), and pneumothorax (1.1%). Patients with pulmonary complications had lower number of T CD4+ but higher levels of CD8+ cells compared to patients without pulmonary complications (p=0.012 and p=0.005, respectively). The mortality rate was higher in patients with pulmonary complications compared to the other group (11.4% vs. 6.9%, p=0.597).Conclusion: Respiratory disorders in CID are common and require early periodic monitoring by respiratory tests and HRCT to avoid irreversible injuries.
Implications of COVID-19 on Healthcare Seeking Behaviour of the Rural-Poor in Ido-Ekiti and Environs. Nigeria
Authors: Arisukwu Ogadimma , Olaoye Leke Enoch , Igbolekwu Chisaa , Rasak Bamidele
Published: June 2021

Background: Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is raising serious concerns about effective pandemic response and preparedness in the context of background fragile health systems and especially in developing countries like Nigeria with alarming poverty indices. Aim: The study aimed to reveal the implication of the COVID-19 pandemic on the healthcare seeking behaviour of households experiencing (extreme) poverty and to also infer factors that influence the health-seeking behaviour in the areaMethods: A retrospective and comparative study using secondary data from the major tertiary healthcare centre which serves Ido-Ekiti; a town in southwestern Nigeria and its environs was utilized in this study; it comprises data before and during the pandemic.Results: There was general decline across the clinics (90%) with some clinics having up to 55%, 33% reduction in visits during COVID-19. There was a total 13% drop across board from January to December of 2020 as compared with 2019.Conclusion and Recommendation: The study suggests better enlightenment campaign and more investment in the healthcare sector especially in the rural areas. The conflict theory was adopted.
Major pollutant changes affected by Covid-19 lockdown in Shanghai
Authors: Zhang Fang , Han Yi
Published: June 2021

China repond quickly to explosure of Covid-19. This paper aims to evaluate the impact of lockdown on 5 major airborne pollutant in Shanghai. Chongming, Xuhui and Jinshan areas of Shanghai were studied and compared. Overall, the Covid-19 lockdown has changed pollutant concentration in both long and short terms. All the five concentrations except for O3 increased. SO2 had significant correlations with all other pollutants. Ozone on eath surface are mainly from green plants and can be reduced by both NO2 and some organic matters. PM2.5 nd PM10 are more external than local procuced. NO2, SO2 and PM matters sharply reduced in Jinshan and Xuhui during dued to the limited usage of fossil fuel. All these activies could both meet humen’s neccesary needs and keep a better air quality. Proper and systematic measures should be taken to in keeping better air quality and economic growth in the whole world.
Characterization of the Oxidation of 3D Needled C/C Composite by Synchrotron Radiation X-Ray Micro-Computed Tomography
Authors: Gao Yantao , Xin Sanfa , Hu Wenfeng , Yan Hao
Published: June 2021

C/C composite has been considering to be used as structural components in the field of nuclear energy. However, the material will be subjected to rapid oxidation in the air. This paper presents the microstructure evolutions of a type of high density C/C composites at 550℃ in the air. Synchrotron radiation X-ray micro-computed tomography (SR-µCT, resolution: 0.65µm) was used to characterize the microstructure in different oxidation stages. The results showed that the material was oxidized nearly homogeneous. The large pores play great rule in the oxidation behavior. The pores in the material started to extend quickly in initial stage and the number of pores and porosity were rapidly increased. In addition, it also can be seen that SR-µCT is a perspective tool for microstructural characterization, especially structure evolutions in the materials.
Separation of Cohorts on the Basis of Bacterial Type IV Conjugation Systems Identified From Metagenomic Assemblies
Authors: Joris Benjamin R , Browne Tyler S , Hamilton Thomas A , Edgell David R , Gloor Gregory B
Published: June 2021

BackgroundConjugation enables the exchange of genetic elements throughout environments, including the human gut microbiome. Conjugative elements can carry and transfer clinically relevant metabolic pathways which makes precise identification of these systems in metagenomic samples clinically important. ResultsHere, we outline two distinct methods to identify conjugative elements in the human gut microbiome. We first show that conjugative elements exhibit strong population and age-level stratification. Furthermore, the taxonomic compositions of the conjugative elements differ from the composition of the metagenome assembled genomes, both in terms of the number of assembled elements and the relative abundances of the assembled systems. Finally, we demonstrate that the majority of assembled conjugative elements are not included within metagenomic bins, and that only a small proportion of the binned conjugative systems are included in "high-quality" metagenomic bins. Our findings highlight that conjugative systems differ between a North American inflammatory bowel disease cohort and a cohort of North American pre-term infants, but in a manner different than metagenome assembled genomes, revealing a potential use as an age-related biomarker. Additionally, conjugative systems can distinguish between other geographical-based cohorts. ConclusionsAnalysis of the human gut microbiome by shotgun metagenomic sequencing has revealed numerous connections to human health outcomes. Our findings emphasize the need to identify and analyze conjugative systems outside of standard metagenomic binning pipelines. We suggest that analysis of type IV conjugative systems should be added to the current metagenomic analysis approaches as they contain much information that could explain differences between cohorts beyond those we investigated.