bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transmitted drug resistance mutations and subtype diversity amongst HIV-1 sero-positive voluntary blood donors in Accra, Ghana
Authors: Obeng Billal Musah , Bonney Evelyn Yayra , Asamoah-Akuoko Lucy , Nii-Trebi Nicholas Israel , Mawuli Gifty , Abana Christopher Zaab-Yen , Sagoe Kwamena William Coleman
Published: July 2020

Background: Detection of HIV-1 transmitted drug resistance (TDR) and subtype diversity (SD) are public health strategies to assess current HIV-1 regimen and ensure effective therapeutic outcomes of antiretroviral therapy (ART) among HIV-1 patients. Globally, limited data exist on TDR and SD among blood donors. In this study, drug resistance mutations (DRMs) and SD amongst HIV-1 sero-positive blood donors in Accra, Ghana were characterized.Methods: Purposive sampling method was used to collect 81 HIV sero-positive blood samples from the Southern Area Blood Center and confirmed by INNO-LIA as HIV-1 and/or HIV-2. Viral RNA was only extracted from plasma samples confirmed as HIV-1 positive. Complementary DNA (cDNA) was synthesized using the RNA as a template and subsequently amplified by nested PCR with specific primers. The expected products were verified, purified and sequenced. Neighbour-joining tree with the Kimura’s 2-parameter distances was generated with the RT sequences using Molecular Evolutionary Genetic Analysis version 6.0 (MEGA 6.0).Results: Out of the 81 plasma samples, 60 (74%) were confirmed as HIV-1 sero-positive by INNO-LIA HIVI/II Score kit with no HIV-2 and dual HIV-1/2 infections. The remaining samples, 21 (26%) were confirmed as HIV sero-negative. Of the 60 confirmed positive samples, (32) 53% and (28) 47% were successfully amplified in the RT and PR genes respectively. Nucleotide sequencing of amplified samples revealed the presence of major drug resistance mutations in two (2) samples; E138A in one sample and another with K65R. HIV-1 Subtypes including subtypes A, B, CRF02_AG and CRF09_cpx were found. Conclusion: This study found major drug resistance mutations, E138A and K65R in the RT gene that confer high level resistance to most NNRTIs and NRTI respectively. CRF02_AG was most predominant, the recorded percentage of subtype B and the evolutionary relationship inferred by phylogenetic analysis may suggest possible subtype importation. However, a more prospective and detailed analysis is needed to establish this phenomenon. The data obtained would inform the selection of drugs for ART initiation to maximize therapeutic options in drug-naïve HIV-1 patients in Ghana.
circ_0084927 promotes cervical carcinogenesis by sponging miR-1179 that suppresses CDK2, a cell cycle-related gene
Authors: Qu Xinhua , Zhu Liumei , Song Linlin , Liu Shaohua
Published: July 2020

Background: Cervical cancer (CC) is a highly malignant tumor. found in the lowermost part of the womb. Evolving researchesstudies on CC have unveiled a conceptreported that circRNA exerts important rolesplays a crucial role in CC progression. In this study, we mainly exploredinvestigated the rolemain function of a novel circRNA, circ_0084927, and its regulatory network in theCC development of CC. Methods: qRT-PCR was applied to evaluate the expression of circ_0084927, miR-1179, and CDK2 mRNA in CC tissues and cells. Dual-luciferase reporting experiments and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay were conducted to validate the target relationship of miR-1179 with circ_0084927 and CDK2 mRNA. CCK-8 and BrdU assay wasassays were also used to evaluate CC cell proliferation. The adhesion and apoptosis phenotypes of CC cells were measured byusing cell-matrix adhesion and caspase 3 activation assay. Flow cytometry was also employed to detect the CC cell cycle. Results: Our results indicated that circ_0084927 was up-regulated in CC tissues and cells, and. Findings also revealed that circ_0084927 silence inhibited CC cell proliferation and adhesion, while facilitating apoptosis as well asand triggering cell cycle arrest. On the other handHowever, miR-1179 down-regulation appeared in CC tissues. Additionally,Apart from observing that circ_0084927 abolished miR-1179’s inhibitory effects on cell proliferation and adhesion. Our study showed, it was found that CDK2 was up-regulated in CC tissues and played awas instrumental in cancer-promoting role. Furthermore, promotion. Also observed was that miR-1179 directly targeted CDK2, thereby inhibiting CDK2’s promotion on the malignant phenotypes of CC cells. Lastly, results indicated that circ_0084927 revoked the inhibitory effect of miR-1179 on CDK2 by sponging miR-1179. Conclusion: Circcirc_0084927 promoted cervical carcinogenesis by sequestering miR-1179 that, which directly targeted CDK2. Our results shed light onalso provided novel candidate targets for CC treatment in that it revealed the circ_0084927/miR-1179/CDK2 regulatory network that strengthened CC aggressiveness, providing novel candidate targets for CC treatment..
Wogonin inhibits in vitro herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2 infection through modulating cellular NF-κB and MAPK pathways
Authors: Chu Ying , Lv Xiaowen , Zhang Longfeng , Fu Xingli , Song Siwei , Su Airong , Chen Deyan , Xu Lianhong , Wang Yongfang , Wu Zhiwei , Yun Zhihua
Published: July 2020

Background: Wogonin, a naturally flavonoid-like chemical compounds, has exhibited anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-viral, neuroprotective, and anxiolytic effects through modulating a variety of signaling pathways including PI3K-Akt, p53, nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK). In this study, its antiviral effect against herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2) replication has been investigated.
Results: The evidence showed that wogonin could suppress HSV-1 and -2-induced cytopathogenic effect (CPE) and reduce viral RNA transcription, protein synthesis, and titers of infectious virion particles formation in a dose-dependent manner. Time-of-drug-addition assay demonstrated that wogonin acted as a viral post-entry inhibitor . It was also found that wogonin significantly reduced HSV-induced NF-κB and MAPK pathways activation, which were proved to be significant for viral replication previously.
Conclusions: Our results suggested that anti-herpes effect of wogonin may be mediated by its modulation of cellular NF-κB and JNK/p38 MAPK pathways, implying its potential application as an anti-HSV agent.
Literature Analysis of Blastocystis sp. from 1990 to 2019 in China
Authors: Ning Chao-qun , Ai Lin , Tian Li-Guang
Published: July 2020

Background: Blastocystis sp. is ubiquitous presence in animals and humans worldwide and a broad diversity genetically. The aim of this study was to find out the main research progress and research status of Blastocystis sp. in China in the past thirty years.Methods: On the Chinese mainstream database China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang database and PubMed database, the research literatures of Chinese Blastocystis sp. were searched and analyzed.Results: 285 articles related to Blastocystis sp. were retrieved, including 244 published in Chinese and 41 English on pathogen morphology, epidemiological investigation, laboratory detection and diagnosis, clinical case reports, drug treatment, animal model establishment as well as pathogenicity studies. There were the most epidemiological investigations and researches on pathogenic morphology decreasing recently Surveys of Blastocystis sp. of human has been carried out among a total of 18 provinces, with infection rates ranging from 0.007% to 48.6%. Infants and young children, school students, hospitalized diarrhea patients, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients, tuberculosis patients, and cancer patients as respondents had been included. ST1-ST7 and ST12 were the main subtypes in Chinese population. Moreover, surveys of Blastocystis sp. of animal were also conducted in 12 provinces, with infection rates ranging from 2.54% to 79.41%. A variety of animals were investigated including pigs, cattle, sheep, yak, giant panda, and Crested Ibis et al., with the main subtypes of ST1-ST8, ST10, ST12-ST14. In vitro culture and Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were commonly used to detect Blastocystis sp. in research and less in clinical application. Traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine for clinical drug treatment appeared curative effects. However, there were few reports on the application of traditional Chinese medicine in clinical treatment. The pathogenicity of Blastocystis sp. remains controversial and needs further exploration.Conclusion: various researches on Blastocystis sp. had been carried out in China, especially in epidemiology. However, there is no report on the relationship between human Blastocystis sp. and animal infection. Furthermore, the relationship between infant diarrhea and its impact on the intestinal microecology have not received much attention from clinicians. The research on Blastocystis sp. still needs to be strengthened to provide effective data for the prevention and control and improve the quality of life of the population.
KLF5-mediated EPPK1 Expression Promotes Cell Proliferation in Cervical Cancer via the P38 Signaling Pathway
Authors: Pan Zhe , Liu Xiao , Chang Quan , Zhang Jin-jin , Hua Na , Li Guo-Hua , Ma Dong
Published: July 2020

Background: Epiplakin1 (Eppk1) is part of the EGF signal and is involved in cytoskeleton reorganization and cell proliferation. However, the role of Eppk1 in cervical cancer remains unknown. Methods: The expression of Eppk1 and KLF5 as well as their correlation were assessed by RNA-seq, qRT-PCR, TCGA database and immunofluorescence staining. In CC cell lines, adenovirus-mediated overexpression or knockdown of KLF5 and Eppk1 as well as corresponding assessment of cell proliferation and signaling were determined by western blot and CCK8 experiments. Assays of lucifase reporter gene and CHIP were used to investigate mechanism between KLF5 and Eppk1. Results: Eppk1 expression was markedly in CC tissues and cell lines companied by KLF5 upregulation. The results of immunofluorescence staining further showed that the increased expression of Eppk1 and KLF5 correlated with progression of cervical tumorigenesis. Overexpression of KLF5 significantly increased Eppk1 expression at transcription and translation levels. Conversely, the knockdown of KLF5 by siRNA against KLF5 decreased Eppk1 expression. Mechanical studies showed that KLF5 activated Eppk1 transcription by direct binding to the Eppk1 promoter. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments showed that KLF5 promoted cell proliferation in Hela by upregulating Eppk1 expression. Moreover, KLF5-mediated the activation of EGFR and p38 signaling significantly decreased after Eppk1 knockdown companied with reduction of proliferating activity, suggesting that Eppk1 lies upstream of p38 signaling affecting cell proliferation in CC. Finally, the expression of Eppk1 positively correlated with tumor size. Conclusions: Eppk1 may be an effective therapeutic target on affecting EGFR-associated p38 signaling pathway and cell proliferation in cervical cancer.
COVID-19 prevalence estimation by random sampling in population - Optimal sample pooling under varying assumptions about true prevalence
Authors: Brynildsrud Ola
Published: July 2020

Background: The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases divided by population size is used as a coarse measurement for the burden of disease in a population. However, this fraction depends heavily on the sampling intensity and the various test criteria used in different jurisdictions, and many sources indicate that a large fraction of cases tend to go undetected. Methods: Estimates of the true prevalence of COVID-19 in a population can be made by random sampling and pooling of RT-PCR tests. Here I use simulations to explore how experiment sample size and degrees of sample pooling impact precision of prevalence estimates and potential for minimizing the total number of tests required to get individual-level diagnostic results.Results: Sample pooling can greatly reduce the total number of tests required for prevalence estimation. In low-prevalence populations, it is theoretically possible to pool hundreds of samples with only marginal loss of precision. Even when the true prevalence is as high as 10% it can be appropriate to pool up to 15 samples. Sample pooling can be particularly beneficial when the test has imperfect specificity by providing more accurate estimates of the prevalence than an equal number of individual-level tests.Conclusion: Sample pooling should be considered in COVID-19 prevalence estimation efforts.
Voltage-driven motion of nitrogen ions: a new paradigm for magneto-ionics
Authors: de Rojas Julius , Quintana Alberto , Lopeandia Aitor , Salguero Joaquín , Muñiz Beatriz , Ibrahim Fatima , Chshiev Mairbek , Liedke Maciej , Butterling Maik , Wagner Andreas , Sireus Veronica , Abad Llibertat , Jensen Christopher , Liu Kai , Nogues Josep , Costa-Krämer José , Menéndez Enric , Sort Jordi
Published: July 2020

Magneto-ionics, understood as voltage-driven ion transport in magnetic materials, has largely relied on controlled migration of oxygen ions. Here, we demonstrate room-temperature voltage-driven nitrogen transport (i.e., nitrogen magneto-ionics) by electrolyte-gating of a CoN film. Nitrogen magneto-ionics in CoN is compared to oxygen magneto-ionics in Co3O4. Both materials are nanocrystalline (face-centered-cubic structure) and show reversible voltage-driven ON-OFF ferromagnetism. In contrast to oxygen, nitrogen transport occurs uniformly creating a plane-wave-like migration front, without assistance of diffusion channels. Remarkably, nitrogen magneto-ionics requires lower threshold voltages and exhibits enhanced rates and cyclability. This is due to the lower activation energy for ion diffusion and the lower electronegativity of nitrogen compared to oxygen. These results may open new avenues in applications such as brain-inspired computing or iontronics in general.
Distinct Mutation Profiles Between Primary Bladder Cancer and Circulating Tumor Cells Warrant the Use of Circulating Tumors Cells as Cellular Resource for Mutation Follow-up
Authors: Tae-Min Kim , Yoo Jinseon , Moon Hyong Woo , Hur Kyung jae , Choi Jin Bong , Hong Sung-Hoo , Lee Ji Youl , Ha U-Syn
Published: July 2020

Background
While circulating tumor cells may serve as minimally invasive cancer markers for bladder cancers, the relationship between primary bladder cancers and circulating tumor cells in terms of somatic mutations is largely unknown. Genome sequencing of bladder tumor and circulating tumor cells is highlighted to identify the somatic mutations of primary bladder cancer.
Methods
Bladder cancer tissue was collected by transurethral resection of the bladder and preserved by snap-freezing. Circulating tumor cells were Isolated from the blood obtained before treatment. We performed whole exome sequencing of 20 matched pairs of primary bladder cancers and circulating tumor cells to identify and compare somatic mutations of these two different genomic resources.
Results
We observed that mutation abundances of primary bladder cancers and circulating tumor cells were highly variable. The mutation abundance was not significantly correlated between matched pairs. Of note, the mutation concordance between two resources was only 3–24% across 20 pairs examined, suggesting that the circulating tumor cell genomes of bladder cancer patients might be genetically distinct from primary bladder cancers. A relative enrichment of mutations belonging to APOBEC-related signature and a depletion of C-to-G transversions were observed for primary- and circulating tumor cells specific mutations, respectively, suggesting that distinct mutation forces might have been operative in respective lesions during carcinogenesis.
Conclusions
The observed discrepancy of mutation abundance and low concordance level of mutations between genomes of primary bladder cancers and circulating tumor cells should be taken into account when evaluating clinical utility of circulating tumor cells for treatments and follow-up of bladder cancers.
Trial registration:
Patients were selected and registered retrospectively, and medical records were evaluated.
Assessing dental students’ professional satisfaction with operative dentistry teaching and curriculum: A study in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alqarni Mohammed
Published: July 2020

Background Evaluating students’ professional satisfaction of operative dentistry teaching and curriculum can help in identifying their educational needs and improving the quality of the education imparted. This study aimed to assess the professional satisfaction derived by undergraduate dental students in Saudi Arabia from the operative dentistry course teaching and its curriculum.Methods A total of 193 (109 male 56.48%; and 84 female 43.52%) students participated in a survey. The respondents were at the 10th, 11th, and 12th levels of the operational dentistry course in a ratio of 34.2%, 32.1%, and 33.7%, respectively. Data were collected from survey items (18 questions) covering six areas: Learning Objectives, Course Materials, Content Relevance, Instructor knowledge, Instructor delivery and Style, and Facility and environment. Descriptive and analytical tests were performed using SPSS Software 19 with the significance level set at 0.05.Results A high level of satisfaction was seen among Level 10 (68.18%), Level 11 (79.03%), and Level 12 (86.15%) students. Significant statistical difference was observed among Level 10 students with a low-level of satisfaction and a high level of satisfaction (p<0.05). The percentage of satisfaction increased with the level. A high level of satisfaction was seen among both male (78.90%) and female (76.19%) students, with a total satisfaction level of 77.72%.Conclusion Continuous evaluation and assessment of teaching as well as curriculum can be a tool to improve the quality of education imparted, especially in clinical courses such as operative dentistry.
Inhibition of carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1A-induced fatty acid oxidation suppresses cell progression in gastric cancer
Authors: Wang Liqiang , Li Changfeng , Song Yumei , Yan ZhenKun
Published: July 2020

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) has a high rate of metastasis which thereason leading to death. Carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1a (CPT1A) has been reported to play a critical obstacle to various types of cancer progression, which is an attractive focus in anti-cancer therapy. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of CPT1A involved in GC have not been clarified unclear.
Methods: To determine the expression of CPT1A in human GC tissues and cells and illustrate whether it is correlated with the clinical pathologic characteristics and prognosis in GC patients. Its roles and potential mechanisms in regulating tumor growth and invasion were evaluated by CPT1A knockdown/overexpression of GC cells in vitro .
Results: Marked upregulation of CPT1A protein expression was observed in GC cells and tissues, which was associated with grade, pathological stage, lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis in patients with GC. CPT1A overexpression also promoted the proliferation, invasion, EMT process of GC cells. In addition, CPT1A upregulation activated GC cell FAO via increasing NADP + /NADPH ratio, whereas inhibiting of FAO abolished the effects of CPT1A on GC cell proliferation and migration.
Conclusion: Our results examine that CPT1A-mediated FAO activation increases GC cell proliferation and migration, supporting that CPT1A is a useful prognostic biomarker and an attractive focus for GC.
Keywords: CPT1A; gastric cancer; fatty acid oxidation; prognostic; progression
A quantum dot fluorescent microsphere based immunochromatographic strip for detection of brucellosis
Authors: kong yufang , Wang Huiyu , Wu Shaoqiang , LV Jizhou , Mei Lin , Zhou Huifang , Han Xueqing , Lin Xiangmei
Published: July 2020

Background: Brucellosis is a serious zoonosis disease that frequently causes significant economic loss in animal husbandry and threatens human health. Therefore, we established a rapid, accurate, simple and sensitive fluorescent immunochromatographic test strip (ICTS) based on quantum dots to detect serum antibodies of brucellosis.Result: The test strips were successfully prepared by quantum dot fluorescent microspheres (QDFM) as tracers, which were covalently coupled to an outer membrane protein of Brucella, OMP22. The outer membrane protein OMP28 and monoclonal antibodies of OMP22 against Brucella were separately dispensed onto a nitrocellulose membrane as test and quality control lines, respectively. Antibodies specific for brucellosis was detected qualitatively using the ratio of the fluorescence signals of the test and control lines (HT/HC). The threshold of assay was determined as a HT/HC value of 0.0492. The repeatability was excellent with an overall average CV of 8.78%. Under optimum conditions, the limit of detection was 1.05 ng/mL (1:512 dilution). With regard to the detection of brucellosis in 150 clinical samples, the total coincidence rate of ICTS and Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT) was 97.3%, the coincidence rate of positive samples was 98.8%, the coincidence rate of negative samples was 95.3%, and no cross reaction with the sera of other related diseaseswas observed.Conclusion: In our present study, the QDFM has promising application for on-site screening of brucellosis owing to its high detection speed, high sensitivity high specificity and low cost.
Investigation on Gastric Cancer Susceptibility Genes in Chinese Early-onset Diffuse Gastric Cancer
Authors: Feng Yi , Zhang Meng , Li Wenmei , Li Sisi , Qu Changda , Meng Meizhu , Ye Meiying , Chen Weijia , Xing Xiaofang , Jia Shuqin
Published: July 2020

BackgroundDiffuse gastric cancer (DGC) is known as gastric cancer with diffuse type morphology. Early onset DGC is an indicator of suspicious hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC). HDGC patient are often less sensitive to chemotherapy and suffer from highly invasive late stage malignancy with poor prognosis. Such hereditary cancer syndrome is closely related to deleterious CDH1 germline variant. In addition, potential pathogenic germline variants in other candidate genes were also observed in HDGC families. However, the profile of gastric cancer (GC) susceptibility gene in Chinese HDGC patients is yet to be elucidated.MethodsTo investigate gastric cancer susceptibility genes in Chinese gastric cancer patients, we collected peripheral blood samples from 29 patients fulfilled both HDGC clinical diagnosis and genetic testing criteria updated on 2015 by IGCLC. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood followed by Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) with average sequencing depth of at least 100X. Gastric cancer predisposing SNV and Indel candidates were filtered based on population allele frequencies in public nucleotide polymorphism databases and pathogenic variant filtering process was performed to identify potential gastric cancer predisposing variant candidates. Immunohistochemistry was conducted on biopsies from patient who carries potential pathogenic CDH1 germline variant.ResultsIn general, 336296 germline non-synonymous variants were detected from 29 GC patients. According to the pathogenic variant filtering process, 25 germline variant candidates in 22 genes were identified as gastric cancer predisposing variant candidates. In addition, a novel splice-site variant, c.2165-1G>A (NM_004360.4), in CDH1 was detected in a Chinese early-onset HDGC patient who developed ovarian metastasis. Furthermore, IHC analysis on the ovarian cancer tissue from this patient demonstrated weakly to moderate staining of E-cadherin compared with positive control. Moreover, another two variants, CTNNA1 c.1975_1976del (NM_001903.2), APC c.-19+1G>A (NM_001127511.2), were suspicious of gastric cancer predisposing variants.ConclusionsThis study suggested that CDH1 c.2165-1G>A may act as a gastric cancer predisposing variant. In addition, to further investigate molecular mechanisms of early-onset gastric cancer, one may consider 22 genes observed in this study. Furthermore, the inconclusive results in this study warrant future investigation on gastric cancer susceptibility gene discovery that cohort selection may require more stringent conditions.
Tomographic score (RAD-Covid Score) to assess the clinical severity of infection with the novel Coronavirus
Authors: Ribeiro Tatiana Figueiredo Guimarães , Rstom Ricardo Arroyo , Barbosa Paula Nicole Vieira Pinto , Almeida Maria Fernanda Arruda , de Nascimento Affonso Bruno Binda , Costa Marina Martini , Filho Edivaldo Nery de Oliveira , Barros André Santos , Velludo Silvio Fontana , Machado Fabrício Próspero
Published: July 2020

Objectives: The severity of pulmonary Covid-19 infection can be assessed by the pattern and extent of parenchymal involvement observed in computed tomography (CT), and it is important to standardize the analysis through objective, practical, and reproducible systems. We propose a method for stratifying the radiological severity of pulmonary disease, the Radiological Severity Score (RAD-Covid Score), in Covid-19 patients by quantifying infiltrate in chest CT, including assessment of its accuracy in predicting disease severity.Methods: This retrospective, single-center study analyzed patients with a confirmed diagnosis of Covid-19 infection by real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, who underwent chest CT at hospital admission between March 6 and April 6, 2020. The CT scans were classified as positive, negative or equivocal, and a radiological severity score (RADCovid Score) was assigned. Clinical severity was assessed upon hospital admission, with mild cases considered suitable for home treatment, moderate cases for hospital admission and severe cases for intensive care unit admission.Results: 658 patients were included. Concordance correlation coefficient for the RAD-Covid Score was almost perfect among observers (0.833), with an overall agreement of 89.5%. The RAD-Covid Score was positively correlated with clinical severity and death, i.e., the higher the RAD-Covid Score, the greater the chance of a more severe clinical condition and mortality. This association proved independent of age and comorbidities. Accuracy of this score was 71%.Conclusions: The RAD-Covid Score showed good accuracy in predicting clinical severity at hospital admission and mortality in patients with confirmed Covid-19 infection and was an independent predictor of severity.
Predictors of the Length of Stay of Psychiatric Inpatients: Protocol for a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Carranza Farid , Tamayo Natalia Sofía , Álvarez Neri Alejandro , Contreras Andrea Muriel , Guerrero Andrea Fernanda , Saucedo Erasmo
Published: July 2020

Background : Length of stay (LOS) for inpatient psychiatric services is an important factor with serious drawbacks when it is extended more than needed. Impacts on economy, social functioning and stigma can hamper improvement and affect the patients’ experiences on future mental healthcare. Prediction of which patients have a higher risk for prolonged LOS has been extensively researched. Previous systematic reviews found consistent predictors of both longer and shorter LOS. However, they do not provide an estimate from the pooled effect sizes. Furthermore, to our knowledge, there are no meta-analysis on the influence of these factors. The primary objective of this study will be to provide point estimates on the effect sizes of all studied predictors of the LOS of psychiatric inpatients. Methods : We will conduct a systematic search in PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE and PsycINFO for observational studies evaluating the effect size of independent factors on the length of stay of psychiatric inpatients. Prospective and retrospective cohorts that assess the influence of risk factors through the reporting of standardized regression coefficients will be included. We will provide a qualitative synthesis of the findings from each study and perform a meta-analysis from pooled regression coefficients that were adjusted for other variables or confounders in order to obtain a point estimate and confidence interval for all factors extracted from the included studies. Discussion : The results from this study may provide more accurate predictions for mental health institutions, psychiatrists, mental health service providers, patients, and families on the prognosis regarding the length of stay for needed inpatient care. This information may be used to anticipate individuals at a higher risk for prolonged hospitalization to plan the necessary interventions for these specific situations. Considering both the benefits and disadvantages of longer and shorter stays, the pooled estimates for independent factors may be used by mental healthcare providers and patients for informed decision-making. The results from this study will also update results presented in previous studies and identify the strengths and limitations from the current available evidence. Systematic Review Registration : PROSPERO ID CRD42020172840
Prognostic Value of 25‑Hydroxy Vitamin D in Extranodal NK/T Cell Lymphoma
Authors: Mao Jin , Yin Hua , Wang Li , Wu Jia-Zhu , Xia Yi , Zhu Hua-Yuan , Fan Lei , Li Jian-Yong , Liang Jin-Hua , Xu Wei
Published: July 2020

Background
25-hydroxy vitamin D [25-(OH)D] is widely used to determine vitamin D status in clinic. The aim of our study was to evaluate the prognostic value of 25-(OH)D in extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma (ENKTL).
Materials and Methods
Ninety-three ENKTL patients with available serum 25-(OH)D values were enrolled in our study. Vitamin D deficiency is defined as a 25-(OH)D below 50 nmol/L. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to determine independent risk factors for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Subgroup analyses were performed to determine the applicable subgroups. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to estimate the accuracy of PINK-E (prognostic index of natural killer lymphoma added with Epstein-Barr virus-DNA status) and 25-(OH)D deficiency in ENKTL risk-stratification.
Results
Our results suggested that vitamin D deficiency was an independent inferior prognostic factor for both PFS [hazard ratio (HR), 2.869; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.540 to 5.346; P = 0.003] and OS (HR, 3.204; 95%CI, 1.559 to 6.583; P = 0.006) in ENKTL patients with age ≤ 60, ECOG PS ≤ 1, stage III‒IV and PINK-E score ≥ 3. Additionally, we demonstrated that adding 25-(OH)D deficiency to PINK-E score system indeed has a superior prognostic significance than PINK-E alone for PFS [AUC: 0.796 (95% CI: 0.699 to 0.872) vs. 0.759 (95% CI: 0.659 to 0.841), P = 0.020] and OS [AUC: 0.755 (95% CI: 0.655 to 0.838) vs. 0.721 (95% CI: 0.618 to 0.809), P = 0.040].
Conclusion
In conclusion, our study proved that 25-(OH)D deficiency was associated with inferior survival outcomes of ENKTL patients.
Development and Validation of an Rna Binding Protein-associated Prognostic Model for Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: wang Min , Huang Shan , Chen Zefeng , Han Zhiwei , Li Kezhi , Chen Chuang , Wu Guobin , Zhao Yinnong
Published: July 2020

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is among the deadliest forms of cancer. While RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) have been shown to be key regulators of oncogenesis and tumor progression, their dysregulation in the context of HCC remains to be fully characterized. Methods: Data from the Cancer Genome Atlas - liver HCC (TCGA-LIHC) database were downloaded and analyzed in order to identify RBPs that were differentially expressed in HCC tumors relative to healthy normal tissues. Functional enrichment analyses of these RBPs were then conducted using the GO and KEGG databases to understand their mechanistic roles. Central hub RBPs associated with HCC patient prognosis were then detected through Cox regression analyses, and were incorporated into a prognostic model. The prognostic value of this model was then assessed through the use of Kaplan-Meier curves, time-related ROC analyses, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses, and nomograms. Lastly, the relationship between individual hub RBPs and HCC patient overall survival (OS) was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier curves. Results: In total, we identified 81 RBPs that were differentially expressed in HCC tumors relative to healthy tissues (54 upregulated, 27 downregulated). Seven prognostically-relevant hub RBPs (SMG5, BOP1, LIN28B, RNF17, ANG, LARP1B, and NR0B1) were then used to generate a prognostic model, after which HCC patients were separated into high- and low-risk groups based upon resultant risk score values. In both the training and test datasets, we found that high-risk HCC patients exhibited decreased OS relative to low-risk patients, with time-dependent area under the ROC curve values of 0.801 and 0.676, respectively. This model thus exhibited good prognostic performance. We additionally generated a prognostic nomogram based upon these seven hub RBPs and found that four other genes were significantly correlated with OS. Conclusion: We herein identified a seven RBP signature that can reliably be used to predict HCC patient OS, underscoring the prognostic relevance of these genes.
Ethnobotanical Study on Wild Edible Plants Used by Three Trans-Boundary Ethnic Groups in Jiangcheng County, Pu’er, Southwest China
Authors: Cao Yilin , Li Ren , Zhou Shishun , Song Liang , Quan Ruichang , Hu Huabin
Published: July 2020

Background: Dai, Hani and Yao people in the trans-boundary region between China, Laos and Vietnam, have gathered plentiful traditional knowledge about wild edible plants during the long history of understanding and using natural resources. The ecologically rich environment and the multi-ethnic integration provide a valuable foundation and driving force for high biodiversity and cultural diversity in this region. However, little study has uncovered the mystical veil of this unique and attractive culture. Methods: Ethnobotanical fieldwork, market and village survey have been conducted in 20 villages of Jiangcheng County during the period from 2016 to 2019. Altogether 109 local Dai, Hani and Yao people were interviewed, and their traditional knowledge of wild edible plants was recorded. Voucher specimens were identified by the authors and deposited in the herbarium of Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences (HITBC). The statistical analysis was performed using R Studio software. Results: 211 wild edible plants, belonging to 73 families and 152 genera, were recorded. These plants were consumed as wild edible vegetables, seasonal fruits, salads, spices, sour condiments, tonic soups, tea substitutes, liquor brewing or dyeing materials. The use value (UV), current cultivation, market availability, as well as the quantitative traditional knowledge inheritance situation of these wild edible plants among different generations were analyzed. Based on the data from threatened species list of China’s higher plants and the IUCN red list, the food plant list for Asia Elephant, the subject database of China plant and the calculated UV score, the top 30 most important wild edible plants were selected for further cultivation in the local village Conclusion: Traditional knowledge of wild edible plants, owned by Dai, Hani and Yao people in Jiangcheng County, is rich but at risk of losing among the young generation. Diversified cultivation of wild edible plants by the local communities could be a solution for sustainable use of natural resources, and conserve the endangered species in this trans-boundary region.
Predicting Heart Failure Events in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease and Impaired Glucose Tolerance: Insights from the Acarbose Cardiovascular Evaluation (ACE) Trial
Authors: Wamil Malgorzata , McMurray John J. V. , Scott Charles A.B. , Coleman Ruth L. , Sun Yihong , Standl Eberhard , Rydén Lars , Holman Rury R
Published: July 2020

BACKGROUND Heart failure is a fatal complication of type 2 diabetes but little is known about its incidence in patients with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). We used Acarbose Cardiovascular Evaluation (ACE) trial data to identify predictors of hospitalisation for heart failure (hHF) or cardiovascular (CV) death in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and IGT randomized to acarbose 50mg TID or placebo. METHODS Independent hHF or hHF/CV death risk factors were determined using Cox proportional hazards models, with participants censored at first hHF event, CV death, or end of follow-up. Baseline variables evaluated included age, sex, body mass index, smoking, plasma creatinine, prior CV events, fasting and 2-hour post-load glucose, and HbA1c. Those with nominal univariate associations (P<0.1) were entered into a multivariate model, with P<0.05 required for retention. Recurrent hHF events were analysed using the Andersen-Gill model, a generalisation of the Cox proportional hazards model, and logistic regression was used for death following hHF. RESULTS During median 5 years follow-up, hHF/CV death occurred in 393 (6.0%) ACE participants (triggered by 138 hHF events and 255 CV deaths). Significant hHF/CV death multivariate predictors were higher age and plasma creatinine, as well as prior heart failure (HF), myocardial infarction (MI), atrial fibrillation (AF) and stroke. Acarbose, compared with placebo, did not reduce hHF/CV death (hazard ratio [HR] 0.89, 95% CI 0.64–1.24, P=0.48) or hHF (HR 0.90, 95% CI 0.74–1.10, P=0.32). Forty of the 138 participants who experienced hHF had ³2 admissions, and 58 died. No significant effect of acarbose, compared with placebo, was seen for recurrent hHF (HR 1.19, 95% CI 0.92-1.55, p=0.19), or for all-cause mortality (odds ratio 1.49, 95% CI 0.75-2.95, p=0.25).CONCLUSIONS Patients with CHD and IGT at greater risk of hHF/CV death were older with higher plasma creatinine, and had prior HF, MI, AF or stroke. Addition of acarbose to optimized CV therapy did not reduce the risk of hHF/CV death or hHF. Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00829660, and the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number registry, number ISRCTN91899513.
Additive Effect of Low Skeletal Muscle Mass and Abdominal Obesity on Coronary Artery Calcification
Authors: Jun Ji Eun , Kang Mira , Jin Sang-Man , Kim Kyunga , Hwang You-Cheol , Ahn Kyu Jeung , Chung Ho Yeon , Jeong In-Kyung , Kim Jae Hyeon
Published: July 2020

Background Reduced skeletal muscle mass and obesity worsens cardiometabolic risk factors. However, the combined effect of pre-sarcopenia and obesity on overt and subclinical cardiovascular disease (CVD) has yet to be explored. We aimed to investigate the interaction of reduced skeletal muscle mass and abdominal obesity on coronary artery calcification (CAC). Methods A total of 19,728 adults free of CVD who contemporaneously underwent cardiac tomography for estimating CAC scores and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) at baseline were enrolled in the cross-sectional study. Among them, 5,401 subjects who had one and more follow-up CAC score were included in the longitudinal analysis. Skeletal muscle mass was presented using the skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) [SMI (%) = total appendicular muscle mass (kg)/body weight (kg) x 100] according to sex. CAC presence or incidence was defined as CAC score > 0, and CAC progression was defined as the square root-transformed difference between baseline and follow-up CAC scores > 2.5. Pre-sarcopenia was defined as SMI ≤ –1.0 standard deviation of the sex-specific mean of a young reference group (20-39 years). Abdominal obesity was defined as waist circumference ≥ 90 cm for men and ≥ 85 cm for women. All subjects were further classified into four groups: normal, abdominal obesity alone, pre-sarcopenia alone, and pre-sarcopenic obesity. Results In total subjects, the normal group was the most common at 57.8%, the abdominal obesity group was 20.4%, the pre-sarcopenic obesity group was 14.3%, and the pre-sarcopenia group was the lowest at 7.5%. The pre-sarcopenic obesity group showed the highest adjusted hazard ratios (AHRs) for CAC presence (AHR 2.16, 95% confident interval [CI]: 1.98-2.36, P <0.001) as well as total events of CAC incidence and progression (AHR 1.54, 95% CI: 1.37 – 1.75, P < 0.001), and the risks were significant compared with those of normal subjects. Pre-sarcopenic obesity significantly increased the risk of CAC incidence and progression compared to either pre-sarcopenia or abdominal obesity alone.Conclusions The coexistence of pre-sarcopenia and abdominal obesity was significantly associated with a higher risk of CAC presence and increases the risk of CAC incidence and progression independent of traditional CVD risk factors.
The Truth Behind Hematuria
Authors: Yan Hai-bo , Li Yu-mei
Published: July 2020

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE) is an autoimmune disease involving multiple systems with various clinical manifestations,renal involvement is common, but intracardiac thrombus is rarely reported as a complication of antiphospholipid syndrome. Drug anticoagulation is the first choice, and surgical treatment is performed in severe cases, we report the case to improve clinicians' understanding of disease diagnosis.Case presentation: A 8-year-old girl was admitted to our hospital because of left costal pain, hematuria and fever.She had obvious edema, urinary protein 3+and occult blood 3+,urinary protein 3.2g/24h, albumin 17.6g/L, total cholesterol 7.21mmol/L, consistent with diagnosis of nephrotic syndrome. Continued to track the etiology of nephrotic syndrome and performed a renal biopsy, dsDNA 1:10 positive,low C3, low platelets and hemoglobin, anti-cardiolipin IgM 12U/ml, anti-β2-glycoprotein I 223R/ml, renal pathology suggested lupus nephritis, finally diagnosed as systemic lupus erythematosus, secondary anticardiolipin syndrome, lupus nephritis. The patient was treated with hormone and immunosuppressant. Sixteen weeks later, urinary protein 1+,the quantity of urine protein was less than 0.5g/d. Echocardiography showed that the mass in the right atrium was thrombosis. Heparin anticoagulant therapy is effective.Conclusion: Systemic lupus erythematosus can involve multiple systems,various complications, it is rare to have thrombus in the right atrium as a complication of antiphospholipid syndrome, early diagnosis and treatment is the key to improve the prognosis of children.
Arginine Promotes Testicular Development in Boars through Nitric Oxide and Putrescine
Authors: Wei Dongqin , Wu De , Zeng Wenxian , Che Lianqiang , Xu Shengyu , Fang Zhengfeng , Feng Bin , Li Jian , Zhuo Yong , Wu Caimei , Zhang Junjie , Lin Yan
Published: July 2020

Background: The present work aimed to explore the influence of arginine on testicular development in boars and the underlying mechanism. Methods: To this end, thirty 30-day-old male Duroc piglets (7.00 ± 0.30 kg) were randomly sorted into two groups maintained on either a basal diet (CON, n = 15) or a diet supplemented with 0.8% arginine (ARG, n = 15). The average daily gain, average daily feed intake, and testicular volume were determined periodically, and serum samples were collected once every 30 days. The amino acid composition and arginine metabolite levels were estimated in testes samples, collected by castration of three 150-day-old boars randomly selected from each group. Boars semen was collected at 240 days of age to estimate sperm production and quality. Results: The results showed that dietary supplementation of arginine had no effect on boar growth performance (P > 0.05) but increased the testicular volume and weight of 120- and 150-day-old boars, respectively (P < 0.05). Quantitative analysis of testicular histology showed a higher value for the number of spermatogonia and height of the seminiferous epithelium in the ARG group (P < 0.05). The sperm density, total number of sperm, and effective number of sperm of the boars in the ARG group increased significantly compared with the CON group (P < 0.05). Although arginine supplementation did not affect plasma amino acid levels, the testicular arginine levels in 150-day-old boars showed a significant increase (P < 0.05). The level of serum nitric oxide (NO) and activity of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) also increased in 150-day-old boars in the ARG group (P < 0.05). Interestingly, dietary supplementation of arginine increased the testicular levels of putrescine in 150-day-old boars (P < 0.05). Conclusions: These results indicate that arginine supplementation increases serum NO levels and testicular arginine and putrescine levels, thereby improving testicular development and semen quality in boars.
Chemical Imaging of Microstructure of Chickpea Seed Tissue within a Cellular Dimension using Synchrotron Infrared Microspectroscopy: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Feng Xin , Liu Na , Yu Peiqiang
Published: July 2020

Background: Synchrotron radiation-based infrared microspectroscopy (SR-IMS) is a non-destructive bioanalytical technique with a high signal to noise ratio and high ultra-spatial resolution (3-10µm). It is capable to explore the microstructures of plant tissues in a chemical sense and provide information on the composition, structure, and distribution of chemical compounds/ functional groups. The objective of this study was to illustrate how the SR-IMS can be used to image the internal microstructures of chickpea seed tissue on a cellular level.Methods: Chickpea seeds (CDC Cory) were collected from the Crop Development Center (University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK). The seed samples were frozen at -20ºC on the object disks in a cryostatic microtome and then were cut into thin cross sections (ca. 8 μm thick). The experiment was carried out on the Mid-Infrared beamline (01B1-1) at the Canadian Light Source (Saskatoon, SK). Results: We obtained the ultra-spatial images of chickpea tissue with pixel-sized increments of imaging steps. The results showed that with the extremely bright synchrotron light, spectra with high signal to noise ratios can be obtained from area as small as 3.3 µm allowing us to observe the seed tissue within a cellular level. Chemical distribution of chickpea such as lipids, protein, and carbohydrates could be mapped, revealing the chemical information of chickpea internal microstructure.Conclusions: In conclusion, SR-IMS can rapidly characterize molecular structure of protein, carbohydrates, and lipids at ultra-spatial resolution.
Differential Lung Proteome Profiles Upon Pulmonary Exposure to Traffic-related Particulate Matter
Authors: Jheng Yu-Teng , Putri Denise Utami , Chuang Hsiao-Chi , Lee Kang-Yun , Chou Hsiu-Chu , Wang San-Yuan , Han Chia-Li
Published: July 2020

Background: Exposure to particulate matter (PM) pollution has direct impacts on the respiratory organs, yet the molecular alterations underlying PM-induced pulmonary injury remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the effect of PM on lung tissues from our previously reported rat model with whole-body exposure to traffic-related PM1 pollutants and compared it with rats exposed to high-efficiency particulate air-filtered gaseous pollutants and clean air control for 3 and 6 months. Lung function and histological examinations as well as quantitative proteomics analysis and functional validation were performed. Results: The rats in 6-month PM1-exposed group showed significant decline in lung function by decreased forced expiratory flow and forced expiratory volume, but the histological analysis revealed an earlier lung damage evidenced by increased congestion and macrophage infiltration in 3-month PM1-exposed rat lungs. The lung tissue proteomics analysis identified 2,673 proteins which highlighted dysregulations on proteins involved in oxidative stress, cellular metabolisms, calcium signaling, inflammatory responses, and actin dynamics. The presence of fine particles specifically enhanced the oxidative stress and inflammatory reactions under sub-chronic exposure of traffic-related PM1 and suppressed the glucose metabolism and actin cytoskeleton signaling which might lead to repair failure and thus lung function decline after chronic exposure of traffic-related PM1. A detailed pathogenic mechanism was proposed to depict the temporal and dynamic molecular regulations associated with PM1-induced lung injury.Conclusion: Our study explored the earlier lung injury prior to lung function decline and proposed several proteins as potential molecular features for traffic-related PM1-induced lung injury.