bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Renal protective effect of Cinnamon ethanolic extract against induced renal damage by carbon tetrachloride administration in rats
Authors: Marie Ohoud , Elfakhrany Amany Tawfik , Dessouki Amina A. , Omar Mohamed S.
Published: April 2022

One of the most dangerous environmental contaminants is carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) that induces oxidative stress damage in various pathophysiological situations. It's critical to find a potent antioxidant that can reverse CCl4-induced kidney damage. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of cinnamon ethanolic extract (CE) to modulate the kidney damage induced by CCl4. The CCl4 was given intraperitoneally twice a week for four weeks as a positive kidney toxic agent at a dose of 0.5 mL/kg. Compared to normal group, CCl4 increased significantly MDA level and decreased significantly both SOD and GSH levels whereas, CE significantly decreased MDA level and increased both SOD as well as GSH levels relative to CCl4 group. CCl4 also led to increase in tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), beta-2 microglobulin (β2-MG) and kidney injury molecule-1(KIM-1) which indicated the nephrotoxicity induced by CCl4. Based on its strong antioxidant activity and its phenolic and terpenoid contents, CE significantly decreased oxidative damage and pro-inflammatory markers compared to CCl4 treated group.
The effect of perioperative intravenous lidocaine infusion on postoperative sleep of elderly patients with colorectal cancer
Authors: Deng Liqin , Wang Xiaomei , Wu Yanan , Wang Lu , Qiu Yuxue , Hou Haitao
Published: April 2022

Background: Postoperative sleep disturbance (POSD) in patients with colorectal cancer is a key factor affecting their rapid postoperative recovery. Studies have confirmed that perioperative use of opioids can disturb postoperative sleep, and perioperative oligoopioids or no opioid in elderly patients can promote postoperative recovery. To reduce the use of opioids, this study was to investigate the effect of perioperative intravenous lidocaine analgesia on the postoperative sleep of elderly patients undergoing laparoscopic radical resection for colorectal cancer. Methods 63 patients aged 65-80 years with body mass index (BMI) values of 20-30 kg/m2 and American society of anesthesiologists (ASA) grades of II-III, who underwent elective laparoscopic radical resection for colorectal cancer, were selected. The patients were divided into the lidocaine group (group L, n = 32) and the control group (group C, n = 31) by using a random number table. Patients in both groups received total intravenous anesthesia. In group L, a dose of 1.5 mg/kg of lidocaine was injected intravenously during induction of anesthesia, and lidocaine (1.0 mg·kg-1·h-1) was injected intravenously during surgery and for 24 hours after surgery. In Group C, the same volume of normal saline was injected, and intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (Sufentanil 1.5-1.8 μg/kg) was given after surgery. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to evaluate the sleep function 1 d before surgery, 1 d, 2 d, and 3 d after surgery. The incidence of postoperative sleep disturbance (POSD) at 1 d, 2 d and 3 d after surgery was calculated. The pain intensity of the two groups at different time points after surgery was evaluated. The intraoperative consumption of opioids and propofol and the incidence of postoperative complications and lidocaine adverse reactions in 2 groups were recorded. Results Compared with group C, sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, sleep efficiency, sleep disturbance, daytime dysfunction scores, and total PSQI score was improved significantly in group L at 1 d, 2 d, and 3 d after surgery (P <0.05). Compared with group C, the incidence of POSD in group L was lower, and the difference was statistically significant (P <0.05). There was no significant difference in postoperative pain intensity between the two groups (P > 0.05) Compared with group C, the consumption of opioids and propofol in group L decreased significantly (P <0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of postoperative complications. No patient in group L had side effects of lidocaine. Conclusions For elderly patients undergoing laparoscopic radical resection of colorectal cancer, perioperative intravenous lidocaine infusion can improve the early postoperative sleep quality, reduce the incidence of postoperative sleep disturbance, and promote the recovery of postoperative sleep function.
Basic life support: knowledge, attitudes and practices among primary health care providers in Egypt
Authors: abdelkah lamiaa fouad , shihab nihal salah , elshrbiny ali ali , zayed Hanaa abdelaziz
Published: April 2022

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Investigating the 'Techno-eco-efficiency' Performance of Pump Impellers: Metal 3D Printing vs CNC Machining
Authors: Jayawardane Heshan , Davies Ian J. , Gamage J. R. , John Michele , Biswas Wahidul K.
Published: April 2022

The economic, environmental, and social impacts caused by the extensive resource consumption and harmful emissions from the metal manufacturing industry should be lowered through innovative sustainable manufacturing strategies. This study aims to investigate the techno-eco-efficiency performance of metal additive manufactured (AM) parts in comparison with metal subtractive manufactured (SM) parts to determine the technical, economic, and environmental performance as a decision support tool for selecting the most techno-eco-efficient manufacturing method. In this study, a novel metal extrusion AM technology has been used to create a centrifugal semi-open pump impeller in 316L stainless steel material. The technical feasibility of the impellers has been determined by evaluating the geometry, build material, mechanics, morphology, and functional performance of the impellers. The eco-efficiency performance of technically feasible impellers was evaluated through environmental life cycle assessment, life cycle costing, and portfolio analysis. The findings reveal that AM impeller’s higher normalised costs (43.8%) have been offset by its lower normalised environmental impacts (54.6%) compared to the SM impeller. The centrifugal semi-open pump impellers made by the novel metal AM technology are technically feasible, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly compared to their SM counterparts.
Pharmacokinetic booster simulation of ritonavir improves the benefits of lopinavir for virtual patients with COVID-19
Authors: Nakamaru Yuta , Maeda Tomoji , Matsuda Yoshikazu , Sako Ken-ichi
Published: April 2022

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and its persistence have created a need for effective treatments. Patients with COVID-19 have been treated with a combinatorial therapy comprising lopinavir and ritonavir (LPV/r), which is used to treat human immunodeficiency virus infection. However, the results of an open-label randomized controlled trial led to the removal of this modality from the list of recommended agents in the Japanese COVID-19 Treatment Guide. We believe that an insufficient dose of LPV/r caused the lack of therapeutic effect. Therefore, based on previous models, we quantitatively evaluated whether adequate amounts of the pharmacokinetic booster LPV/r could modulate LPV clearance. Our results showed that the strategy of increasing the dose of LPV/r improved the safety and efficacy of the treatment. Thus, owing to the fact that it increased the LPV concentration, the pharmacokinetic booster LPV/r may serve as a potential therapeutic for COVID-19.
Effect of lactate levels on the carbon dioxide pressure discrepancies between transcutaneous and arterial measurements among hypercapnic patients receiving noninvasive ventilation
Authors: Kaya Aslıhan Gürün , Öz Miraç , Özpınar Şeyda Nur , Erol Serhat , Çiftçi Fatma , Çiledağ Aydın , Kaya Akın
Published: April 2022

Purpose
Partial carbon dioxide pressure (PaCO2) is widely used to evaluate alveolar ventilation. Transcutaneous CO2 (TcCO2) monitoring has been developed as a noninvasive alternative to ABG. Studies demonstrated an association between hypoperfusion and increased tissue CO2. The research question of this study is if there is any relation between lactate level and TcCO2-PaCO2 among hypercapnic patients receiving noninvasive ventilation (NIV).
Methods
In this prospective study, simultaneously measured TcCO2 and PaCO2 values of hypercapnic patients receiving NIV were recorded. Each paired measurement was categorized into two groups; normal lactate (< 2 mmol/L) and increased lactate (≥ 2 mmol/L).
Results
A total of 116 paired TcCO2 and PaCO2 measurements of 29 patients were recorded in the study. Bland Altman analysis showed the mean bias between the TcCO2 and PaCO2 and %95 limits of agreement (LOA) in total measurements (1.75 mmHg %95 LOA − 3.67 to 7.17); in the normal lactate group (0.66 mmHg 95% LOA − 1.71 to 3.03); and in the increase lactate group (5.17 mmHg 95% LOA − 1.63 to 11.97). A positive correlation of lactate level and with the difference between TcCO2 and PaCO2 (r = 0.789, p < 0.001) and a negative correlation between mean blood pressure and the difference between TcCO2 and PaCO2 (r= -0.540, p = 0.001). Multiple regression analysis results showed lactate level was independently associated with increased differences between TcCO2 and PaCO2 (Beta = 0.875, p < 0.001)
Conclusion
Transcutaneous CO2 monitoring may not be reliable in patients with increased lactate levels. TcCO2 levels should be checked by ABG analysis in these patients.
Effects of hypophosphatemia and low serum parathyroid hormone on protein-energy wasting
Authors: Li Qian , Yuan Dongbo , Da Jingjing , Yu Jiali , Yuan Jing , Hu Shanshan , Wu Libo , Yang Xia , Zha Yan
Published: April 2022

Objective
To explore the effect of low serum phosphorus and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels on protein-energy wasting (PEW) in patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) and provide a new method of nutritional monitoring and intervention in patients on MHD.
Methods
Four hundred end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients on MHD for at least 3 months were selected from 17 dialysis units. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the relationship between serum phosphorus and PTH levels and PEW risk. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to compare the predictive value of these two indices for PEW. We used the survival curve to analyze the effects of low serum phosphorus and PTH levels on mortality.
Results
In the unadjusted model, The PEW risk in group Q1 was 16.4 times higher than that in group Q4. Compared with group Q4 of PTH, the PEW risk in groups Q1 and Q2 of PTH was 2.817 times higher and 2.087 times higher, respectively, after adjusting. However, serum phosphorus and PTH levels were associated with PEW risk. PEW risk in the serum phosphorus Q1 group was 7.305 times higher than that in the Q4 group, and PEW risk in the PTH Q1 group was 2.75 times higher than that in the Q4 group. ROC analysis showed that the areas under the curve of serum phosphorus and PTH predicting PEW in MHD patients were 0.862 and 0.695, respectively, while the cut-off values of ROC curve were 1.36 mmol/L and 212.5 ng/L, respectively. The survival rate was significantly lower in patients with serum phosphorus ≤ 1.36 mmol/L of ≤ 212.5 ng/L.
Conclusion
Low serum phosphorus and PTH levels increased the incidence of PEW and death and seriously affected the prognosis of patients on hemodialysis. Therefore, The nutritional status of patients on MHD can be monitored and evaluated by integrating serum phosphorus, PTH, albumin, and body mass index.
Goal-directed fluid therapy combined with dexmedetomidine precipitates neurological outcomes in patients undergoing surgery for traumatic brain injury A randomised controlled trial
Authors: Xiong Fuli , Zhang Zhiqiang , Bian Qinghu , Meng Yajing , Meng Lijiang , Gao Li , Zhang Shan
Published: April 2022

Background
Dexmedetomidine is a new type of highly selective α2- adrenergic receptor agonist, which is commonly used in clinical anesthesia. It has been found that dexmedetomidine can protect the brain of patients with traumatic brain injury. At present, there is no report of compound dexmedetomidine for traumatic brain injury patients who receive goal-oriented liquid therapy. This study was to evaluate the effect of goal-directed fluid therapy combined (GDFT) strategy combined with dexmedetomidine on neurological outcomes in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) surgery.
Methods
One hundred-twenty patients with TBI were randomly divided into four groups: control group, GDFT group, dexmedetomidine group and GDFT with dexmedetomidine group. Perioperative transfusion volume and hemodynamics, Glasgow outcome scale (GOS) and postoperative length of hospital stay were recorded. Cerebral oxygen metabolism indexes and biomarkers for brain injury were determined.
Results
GDFT combined with dexmedetomidine decreased perioperative total transfusion volume including crystalloid and colloidal solution volume than dexmedetomidine group. Combination therapy of GDFT + dexmedetomidine decreased jugular bulb lactate than that at end of the surgery in control group, and had higher SjvO2, lower Da-jvO2 and CERO2 than that at end of the surgery in GDFT group and dexmedetomidine group. Combination therapy of GDFT + dexmedetomidine decreased serum concentrations of S100β protein and neuron-specific enolase than that at end of the surgery in GDFT group and dexmedetomidine group, and had a higher GOS and a shorter length of hospital stay than the control group.
Conclusions
Our findings indicate that GDFT combined with dexmedetomidine allows a better-optimized fluid therapy strategy and improves neurological outcomes in patients undergoing surgery for TBI.
EPAS1 protects fibroblasts from replicative senescence through telomeric stability
Authors: Zhao Bo , Li Kaiqin , Liu Gaojing , Liu Xiuyun , Chang Qing , Tu Qiu , Chen Qiongfang , Huang Xiaoyan , Hua Rong , Xu Dongming , Liu Zhen
Published: April 2022

Telomeres are nucleoprotein structures at the end of each chromosome and function to terminal protection and genomic stability maintenance. Telomeric damage and attrition is closely related to cell division disability and replicative senescence in vitro, as well as to physical aging in vivo. Exploration of valuable targets of enhancing telomeric stability and delaying the entry of senescence could benefit human health. Our study stemmed from the observation that bat (Rhinolophus sinicus) fibroblasts exhibited super abilities of telomeric protection and were much resistant to replicative senescence, compared to counterparts from mouse and human. With mRNA sequencing and overlapping analysis with TelNet database (http://www.cancertelsys.org/telnet/), we identified EPAS1, which is a well-studied oxygen response gene, as a novel telomeric protector. Bat fibroblasts kept high-level expression of EPAS1. EPAS1 directly promoted the transcription of telomeric genes TRF1, TRF2 and RAD50, and avoided telomeric attrition. We further confirmed that EPAS1 agonist M1001 stabilized telomeres and postponed senescence accumulation in major organs of mice in vivo. In summary, these results indicate that activating EPAS1 might be a valuable avenue towards extension of human health span.
Accelerated Discovery of Oxygen Evolution Electrocatalysts by Machine Learning
Authors: Mao Xinnan , Wang Lu , Li Youyong
Published: April 2022

Iridium oxide (IrO2) is the predominant electrocatalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) with high stability in both alkaline and harsh acidic media, but its low efficiency and high cost limit its applications. In this work, we have developed a high-throughput computational strategy based on density functional theory (DFT) and employ the machine-learning (ML) techniques to extensively explore the optimal dopants in IrO2 and enhance its OER activity. Thirty-six kinds of metal dopants are considered to substitute for Ir to form binary and ternary metal oxides with different concentrations, and the most stable surface structures are selected from a total of 4,648 structures for OER activity evaluation. By using the neural network language model (NNLM), we are able to associate the atomic environment with the formation energies of crystals and adsorption free energies of OER intermediates, which is efficient for complex compounds and accurately evaluates the structural stability and electrochemical activity. A series of potential candidates have been identified as superior OER catalysts, and some of them are novel with the lowest calculated overpotential. Our strategy could efficiently explore the promising electrocatalysts, especially for evaluating complex multi-metallic compounds.
(a) Evaluating serum RBP4 as an auxiliary biomarker for CKDu diagnosis
Authors: Nanayakkara Nishantha , Swa# Hannah L F , Fernando# Buddhi N.T. , Premaratne Shakila , Alli-Shaik Asfa , Badurdeen Zeid , Gunarathne Jayantha
Published: April 2022

IntroductionA chronic interstitial disease, chronic kidney disease of uncertain etiology (CKDu) has emerged as a notable contributor to the CKD burden in rural Sri Lanka. Most therapeutic and diagnostic approaches of CKD are focusing towards glomerular diseases, thus not fully applicable to CKDu. Serum proteins, specifically profile of markers representing different facets of a disease are rewarding in a comprehensive evaluation of a disease, hence in CKD. Our aim is to identify the role of serum retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4), a marker of proximal tubular in the diagnosis of CKDu.MethodsDefinite CKDu cases were recruited from the renal clinic, Girandurukotte & Wilgamuwa (endemic regions). Healthy controls were recruited from Mandaramnuwara (non-endemic area). The levels of RBP4 and creatinine in serum were measured. An immunoassay (ELISA) on the serum samples were performed. The stages of CKD/ CKDu were classified according to eGFR. ResultsSerum RBP4 was significantly increased in CKDu compared to CKD and healthy controls. The results showed that normalized serum RBP4 to serum creatine (S.cr) acts as competitive marker for CKDu (AUC 0.762, sensitivity 0.733) than CKD (AUC 0.584, sensitivity 0.733) when compared against healthy controls. Furthermore, RBP4:S.cr ratio showed higher discriminating power (AUC 0.743) between CKDu and CKD, suggesting RBP4: S.cr ratio as potential serum marker to differentiate CKDu from CKDu.ConclusionRBP4: S.cr ratio was identified as a plausible indicator for differentiating CKDu from CKD with >70% sensitivity and specificity. Therefore, it could be used in the evaluation of tubular interstitial involvement of CKD.
Nuclear PKM2 promotes pre-mRNA processing by binding folded RNA G-quadruplexes
Authors: Anastasakis Dimitrios , Apostolidi Maria , Rinehart Jesse , Hafner Markus
Published: April 2022

Nuclear localization of the pyruvate kinase M2 isoform (PKM2) is widely observed in cancer and correlates with its aggressiveness, but its contribution to gene regulation and pathogenesis remains unclear. We find that PKM2 is a non-canonical RNA binding protein that specifically recognizes RNA G-quadruplex (rG4) structures and binds precursor mRNAs (pre-mRNAs) in the nucleus of human cells. Translocation of PKM2 to the nucleus increases expression of transcripts with rG4 elements close to splice sites and promotes RNA biogenesis by competing with repressive rG4 binding proteins, such as HNRNPF. PKM2 target mRNAs are also upregulated in a cancer model undergoing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and consistently drug-induced exclusion of PKM2 from the nucleus results in downregulated rG4-mRNAs and reduced migration and invasion of triple-negative breast cancer cells. We show a gene-regulatory role for rG4 formation on pre-mRNA and propose that rG4s allow for collective co-transcriptional regulation of related mRNAs by competing RBPs.
Using machine learning to evaluate the risk of venous thromboembolism for hospitalized cancer patients
Authors: Meng Lingqi , Li Xuying , Wang Lijie , Huang Xinjuan
Published: April 2022

Hospitalized cancer patients are high-risk venous thromboembolism (VTE) population. It is vital to identify the VTE risk of inpatients on admission accurately. Machine learning (ML) has advantages in data processing and model development. The article aims to develop predictive models using four ML methods to evaluate VTE risk for hospitalized cancer patients and select a model with the best performance. A retrospective cohort study was conducted for cancer patients hospitalized at Hunan Cancer Hospital between December 1, 2017 and November 30, 2020. A total of 1,100 inpatients were included in the study. There were 340 patients in the VTE group and 760 patients in the non-VTE group. The XGBoost model had the best performance for the prediction of VTE risk compared to the other three machine learning models. The AUROC value of the XGBoost model was 0.818(95%CI: 0.762, 0.870). The top five important features in the XGBoost model were D-dimer, diabetes, hypertension, pleural metastasis and hematological malignancies. Machine learning models contribute to evaluating the VTE risk in hospitalized cancer patients. They may be the practical risk stratification tools to provide a clinical reference for clinicians and nurses, especially the XGBoost model.
CYLD mediates the phenotypic transformation of pulmonary adventitial fibroblasts in congenital heart disease-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension
Authors: zhou jingjing , Yang Ying
Published: April 2022

Background
Phenotypic transformation of adventitial fibroblasts (AFs) is the driving force of pulmonary vascular remodeling in congenital heart disease-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension (CHD-PAH). In this study, we aimed to determine the role and mechanism of action of CYLD in the phenotypic transformation process of human pulmonary artery AFs (HPAAFs).
Methods
Lentiviral transduction was used to knock down CYLD and nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). The Cell counting kit-8 assay, a transwell chamber assay, and flow cytometry were used to evaluate cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis, respectively. RT-PCR, western blotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and immunofluorescence staining assays were used to analyze the expression of proinflammatory cytokines as well as extracellular matrix (ECM), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and SM22α production, while dihydroethidium staining served to detect the levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS).
Results
CYLD knockdown not only attenuated the production of proinflammatory cytokines, ECM, α-SMA, and SM22α in HPAAFs stimulated with TGF-β1 but also reduced cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis resistance. Mechanistically, CYLD knockdown significantly enhanced the activation of Nrf2, which likely accounted for the decrease in ROS formation.
Conclusions
Phenotypic transformation of HPAAFs is cross-regulated by CYLD and TGF-β1 through modulation of Nrf2 activation, thus serving as a potential therapeutic target in CHD-PAH.
Short-term impact of switching from erythropoiesis-stimulating agents and roxadustat to daprodustat among patients undergoing hemodialysis
Authors: Iseri Ken , Mizobuchi Masahide , Aoki Shugo , Kuroiwa Risa , Terado Narumi , Yoshida Shunsuke , Imase Atsuko , Fujiwara Yasurou , Kanamori Naoaki , Makuuchi Mikio , Honda Hirokazu
Published: April 2022

Daprodustat is a novel oral agent for renal anemia. This retrospective study examined 124 maintenance patients undergoing HD who had shifted from erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESA) or roxadustat to daprodustat (4mg daily). Anemia control, iron metabolism markers, and doses of daprodustat within 3 months after the shifting therapies were assessed. We used multivariate logistic regression analysis to determine the factors associated with the use of high doses of daprodustat 3 months after. The serum hemoglobin level significantly decreased after shifting therapies. Similarly, the proportion of patients who achieving a hemoglobin level within the appropriate range was also significantly lower, and median doses of daprodustat gradually increased. A significant increase in the serum iron, total iron-binding capacity, and transferrin saturation levels were found, but the serum ferritin level did not differ during the study period. Multivariate regression analysis showed that diabetes, a low Hb level, and use of high doses of ESA/roxadustat were independent predictors for the use of high doses of daprodustat 3 months after shifting therapies. We concluded that renal anemia control may worsen after shifting to daprodustat. Patients with diabetes, a low Hb level at baseline, and those receiving high doses of ESA/roxadustat may require high doses of daprodustat.
Intelligent Control Strategy of Electro-hydraulic Drive System for Raising Boring Power Head
Authors: Zhang JUN , Wang Chao Fan , Wang Lei
Published: April 2022

The power head is the key part of the rock breaking work of the raise boring machine. Because the power head cannot adjust speed in time with the change of complex rock stratum, it leads to high failure rate, low work efficiency and even accidents, so it is urgent to improve the controllability of the power head. In this paper, the electro-hydraulic coupling mathematical model of the power head is established by using the characteristic equations of dynamics and hydraulic components, and the control strategy of the fractional electro-hydraulic drive system of the power head is proposed; Genetic algorithm (GA), particle swarm optimization (PSO) and whale algorithm (WOA) are used to adjust the parameters of FOPID, so as to improve the control effect of electro-hydraulic system; The results show that the step response of WOA-FOPID control strategy is also better than that of genetic algorithm (GA) and particle swarm optimization (PSO). It can reach a stable state in 0.02 seconds, and the overshoot is only 0.12137%; The test verifies the correctness of the adaptive control and simulation results of the power head, which can effectively improve the adaptability of the power head to complex coal seams.
Air quality in Germany as a contributing factor to morbidity from COVID-19
Authors: Koch Susanne , Hoffmann Christina , Caseiro Alexandre , Ledebur Marie , Menk Mario , von Schneidemesser Erika
Published: April 2022

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 virus has been spreading in Germany since January 2020, with regional differences in incidence, morbidity, and mortality. Long-term exposure to air pollutants as nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitrogen monoxide (NO), ozone (O3), and particulate matter (<10µm PM10, < 2.5µm PM2.5,) has a negative impact on respiratory functions. We analyze the association between long-term air pollution and the outcome of SARS-CoV-2 infections in Germany.Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in Germany on county-level, investigating the association between long-term (2010-2019) air pollutant exposure and COVID-19 incidence, morbidity, and mortality rate during the first outbreak of SARS-CoV-2. We used negative binominal models, including adjustment for risk factors (age, sex, days since first COVID-19 case, population density, socio-economic and health parameters). Results: After adjustment for risk factors in the tri-pollutant model (NO2, O3, PM2.5) an increase of 1µg/m³ NO2 was associated with an increase of the need for intensive care due to COVID-19 by 4.2% (95% CI 1.011–1.074), and mechanical ventilation by 4.6% (95% CI 1.010–1.084). A tendency towards an association of NO2 with COVID-19 incidence was indicated, as the results were just outside of the defined statistical significance (+1.6% (95% CI 1.000 -1.032)). Long-term annual mean NO2 level ranged from 4.6µg/m³ to 32µg/m³.Conclusions: Our results indicate that long-term NO2 exposure may have increased susceptibility for COVID-19 morbidity in Germany. The results demonstrate the need to reduce ambient air pollution to improve public health. Trial registration number and date of registration: not applicable
Efficacy of single-position oblique lateral interbody fusion combined with percutaneous pedicle screw fixation in treating degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis: a cohort study
Authors: Zhang Hai-hong , Cheng Peng , Zhang Xiao-bo , Zhao Qi-ming
Published: April 2022

Objective: To investigate the surgical outcomes of single-position oblique lateral interbody fusion (OLIF) combined with percutaneous pedicle screw fixation (PPSF) in treating degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis (DLS).Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 85 patients with DLS who met the inclusion criteria from April 2018 to December 2020. According to the need to change their position during the operation, the patients were divided into a single-position OLIF group (27 patients) and a conventional OLIF group (58 patients). The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, hospitalization days, instrumentation accuracy and complication rates were compared between the two groups. The visual analog scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were used to evaluate the clinical efficacy. The surgical segment's intervertebral space height (IDH) and lumbar lordosis (LL) angle were used to evaluate the imaging effect. Results: The hospital stay, nail placement accuracy, and complication incidence were similar between the two groups (P>0.05). The operation time and intraoperative blood loss in the single-position OLIF group were less than those in the conventional OLIF group (P<0.05). The postoperative VAS, ODI, IDH and LL values were significantly improved (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusions: Compared with conventional OLIF, single-position OLIF combined with PPSF is also safe and effective, and it has the advantages of a shorter operation time and less intraoperative blood loss.
Simulation and Experimental Study on Metal Microstructure of Meniscus-Confined Electrodeposition
Authors: Xu Jinkai , Xu Zhenming , Ren Wanfei , Zou Zhaoqiang , Wang Xue
Published: April 2022

Meniscus-confined electrodeposition (MCED), as one of multi-functional additive manufacturing methods for micro-sensor manufacturing and flexible electrical interconnection, has great potential in future miniaturized communication devices. At present, however, the understanding of the multi-physical field processes involved in this method, such as electrodeposition, fluid dynamics, mass and heat transfer, is limited, and the deposition forming process has not yet been well explained. In this work, the manufacturing process of metal microstructure used by MCED was studied, and the contour features of the microstructure were characterized. Simultaneously, based on the law of liquid phase mass transfer in microzone, the theoretical model of MCED process is established, the important role of Marangoni effect in evaporation process is revealed, and the effect of evaporation process on MCED is analyzed and discussed. Besides, the effect of evaporation process on the dynamic process of deposition is further proved by simulation analysis. The additive manufacturing equipment based on MCED was built to manufacture metal microstructure. Furthermore, the effects of evaporation on the morphology, roundness, vertical angle and chemical composition of deposited metal microstructure were analyzed experimentally. These results provide a promising platform for the direct fabrication of nanocircuit interconnections, micro sensors and micro antennas.
Few-atom-layer metallene quantum dots as a new paradigm toward ampere-level CO2 electroreduction to liquid product
Authors: Zhang Min , Zhou Shenghua , Wei Wenbo , Ma Dong-Dong , Han Shu-Guo , Li Xiaofang , Wu Xin-Tao , Xu Qiang , Zhu Qi-Long
Published: April 2022

Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) toward commodity chemicals and fuels powered by the renewable electricity presents an enticing prospect, in which the emerging metallenes as catalysts have aroused great interest. Herein, we firstly report the synthesis of a kind of tiny metallene quantum dots (QDs), stanene QDs (Sn-ene QDs), with a few-atom-layer feature and rich edge centers via a fast electrochemical self-reconstruction from the easily-scalable monolayer SnFe-based Prussian blue analogue nanosheets. Remarkably, such Sn-ene QDs with plentiful highly-active sites afford a superior CO2RR activity, delivering the industry-compatible current densities up to 1000 mA cm‒2 with near-unity selectivity for formate production in a flow cell, and are ultrastable to continuously operate in a wide pH range. The operando ATR-IR spectroscopy and theoretical calculations further deciphered that the rich edge centers of Sn-ene QDs hold a much higher reactivity and the residual cyano ligands with electron-withdrawing nature coordinated to the Sn atoms favor the stabilization of the CO2RR intermediate. This work could provide a bright prospect of the metallene QDs as a new paradigm for heterogeneous catalysis.
Are Multidimensional Boolean Patterns Dominating Microbiome and Microbial Genome Data?
Authors: Golovko George , Khanipov Kamil , Reyes Victor , Pinchuk Irina , Fofanov Yuriy
Published: April 2022

Background: Virtually every biological system is governed by the complex relations among its components. Identifying such relations requires a rigorous or heuristics-based search for patterns among variables/features of a system. A number of algorithms have been developed to identify two-dimensional (involving two variables) patterns employing correlation, covariation, mutual information, etc. It seems obvious, however, that comprehensive descriptions of complex biological systems may also include more complicated multidimensional relations, which can only be described using patterns that simultaneously embrace 3, 4, and more variables. The main challenges in the search for such multidimensional patterns include: (a) computational complexity of the search; (b) distinction of statistically significant patterns from false patterns which can be observed in large data sets simply by chance; and (3) integration of heterogeneous data types (numerical, Boolean, categorical, etc.) in a single pattern.Results: This manuscript presents an attempt to address some of these challenges by defining multidimensional Boolean patterns in a way permitting to: (a) accommodate heterogeneous multi-omics data, (b) formulate criteria for separating trivial from non-trivial patterns, and (c) identify conditions, required for a given pattern to predict the values of selected feature(s). Additionally, the proposed definition of the pattern’s strength (pattern’s score) and minimal population threshold permits estimation of the statistical significance of detected patterns using scores distributions of artificial datasets created by randomizing original data.Conclusion: To test the proposed approach we performed a search for all possible 2-, 3-, and 4-dimensional patterns in historical data from the Human Microbiome Project (15 body sites) and collection of H. pylori genomes associated with gastric ulcers, gastritis, and duodenal ulcers. In all datasets under consideration, we were able to identify hundreds of statistically significant multidimensional patterns. These results suggest that such patterns may dominate the landscape of microbial genomics/microbiomics systems.
Exploration of biomarkers of psoriasis through combined multiomics analysis
Authors: Xing Lu , Yu Li , Zhou Nian , Zhang Zhao , Pu Yunjing , Wu Jingnan , Shu Hong
Published: April 2022

Background : Aberrant DNA methylation patterns are of increasing interest in the study of psoriasis mechanisms. This study aims to screen potential diagnostic indicators affected by DNA methylation for psoriasis based on bioinformatics using multiple machine learning algorithms and to preliminarily explore its molecular mechanisms. Methods : GSE13355, GSE14905, and GSE73894 were collected from the gene expression omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially methylated region (DMR)-genes between psoriasis and control samples were combined to obtain differentially expressed methylated genes. Subsequently, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network establishment, multiple machine learning algorithm analysis, including, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), Random Forest (RF), and Support Vector Machine (SVM), receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, and single-gene gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) were performed to analyze the interaction networks, to recognize hub genes, and to clarify the pathogenesis of psoriasis. The druggable genes were predicted using DGIdb. The expression of GJB2 in psoriasis lesions and healthy controls was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and quantitative real-time PCR(RT-qPCR). Results: In this study, a total of 767 DEGs and 896 DMR-genes were obtained. Functional enrichment showed that they were significantly associated with skin development, skin barrier function, immune/inflammatory response, and cell cycle. The combined transcriptomic and DNA methylation data resulted in 33 differentially expressed methylated genes, of which The gap junction beta 2 (GJB2) was the final identified hub gene for psoriasis, with the robust diagnostic power. IHC and RT-qPCR showed that GJB2 was significant higher in psoriasis than that in healthy controls. Single gene GSEA suggested that GJB2 may be involved in the development and progression of psoriasis by disrupting the body's immune system, mediating the cell cycle, and destroying the skin barrier, in addition to possibly inducing diseases related to the skeletal aspects of psoriasis. Moreover, OCTANOL and CARBENOXOLONE were identified as promising compounds through the DGIdb database. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the abnormal expression of GJB2 may play a critical role in psoriasis development and progression. The genes identified in our study may serve as a diagnostic indicator and therapeutic target in psoriasis.
Rebaudioside B exerts protective effect against experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis through inhibition of mitochondrial apoptosis pathway
Authors: Liu Ning , Sun MengJiao , Sun Jing , Gong PanPan , Zhang WenJing , Wang HongXia , Wang ManXia
Published: April 2022

Background:Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the major diseases that threaten human health.This study aimed to evaluate the effect and mechanisms of action of Rebaudioside B (Reb B) in the treatment of MS.Methods: Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used to induce an inflammatory response in BV2 microglial cells, which simulates an in vitro MS model.Reb B was screened from small molecular libraries using CCK8 assay and BAX kit. The morphology and functional changes in the LPS- induced BV2 cells were analyzed using the Hoechst 33258 fluorescence staining assay and Western blot (WB).In addition, we established the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model of MS in female C57BL/6 mice.We then assessed the clinical symptoms of the EAE mice, and analyzed changes in the expression of key proteins in signal transduction pathways by histopathological staining and WB.Results: Our data showed that the cell viability in the LPS+Reb B group was highest after administration of 10μM Reb B.Compared with the control group, the apoptotic rate, the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and the expression of cleavage caspase-3 were significantly increased in the BV2 cells under LPS exposure, a finding that contrasted the trend in the Reb B intervention model group. In the EAE model,there was improvement of clinical symptom scores in the drug treatment group.In addition,histological assessment demonstrated that there was less inflammatory infiltration and less demyelination area in the treatment group compared to the model group.Conclusion: Taken together,our data demonstrated that Reb B offers protective effect against EAE microglia through inhibition of an apoptotic pathway.
Influence of corneal diameters on the accuracy of Scheimpflug-derived corneal tomographic indices in Chinese patients with forme fruste keratoconus or thin corneas
Authors: Ding Lan , Niu Lingling , Shi Wanru , Zhou Xingtao , Qian Yishan
Published: April 2022

Background
To investigate the influence of corneal diameters (CD) on the diagnostic accuracy of Pentacam tomographic indices in eyes with forme fruste keratoconus (FFKC) or thin corneas (TC).
Methods
One hundred and one eyes of 101 patients with FFKC (FFKCG), 104 eyes of 104 patients with corneal thickness < 490µm (TCG), and 200 eyes of 200 normal subjects (NG) were analyzed in the study. Pentacam ectasia indices were compared between different groups.
Results
The results for the multiple linear regression analysis between CD groups and corneal indices adjusted for flat central power (Kf), steep central power (Ks) and maximum corneal power (Kmax) showed that, compared with ≤ 11.9mm, back corneal elevation (BE) decreased 2.35 per unit, deviation of normality of the back elevation (Db) decreased 0.45 per unit (P = 0.007) and overall deviation of normality (BAD-D) decreased 0.26 per unit (P = 0.027) on average for subjects with CD > 11.9 in the FFKCG. The comparisons for the classifications (normal/abnormal) of the individual indices showed that for CD ≤ 11.9mm, the rates of abnormal cases in the FFKCG were significantly higher than NG for seven indices; for CD > 11.9mm, the rates of abnormal cases were higher than NG only for two indices. For CD ≤ 11.9mm, the rates of abnormal cases in the TCG were higher than NG for nine indices; for CD > 11.9mm, the rates of abnormal cases were higher than NG for seven indices.
Conclusion
BAD indices could underestimate the risk of ectasia in patients with large cornea, especially those with FFKC.
Risk factors for postpartum depressive symptoms
Authors: Mitsui Kiyomi , Endo Motoki , Kino Hidesato , Matsumura Yoshiko , Tayanaka Mayumi , Nishioka Emiko , Ueda Yuito , Takeda Jun , Kokaze Akatsuki
Published: April 2022

Purpose:The purpose of the present study is to clarify predictors of postpartum depressive symptoms. The study focuses on the relationship between preterm birth and postpartum depressive symptoms in primary medical facilities among mothers who visited one clinic for a medical checkup at 1 month postpartum.Methods:The following data were retrospectively collected from medical records: total Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) score, maternal age at birth, parity, history of psychiatric disease, pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), gestational age, infant’s sex and maternal nationality. We analyzed the risk factors for postpartum depressive symptoms as measured by the Japanese version of the EPDS.Results:Of 727 subjects, the mean EPDS score at 1 month postpartum was 4.14 and 76 of the 727 subjects (10.5%) had an EPDS score of 9 points or more. After multivariate analysis, “preterm birth” showed an odds ratio [OR] of 4.14 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.48-11.57; p=0.007), “primipara” an OR of 3.16 [95%CI, 1.81-5.53; p<0.001], “a history of psychiatric disease” an OR of 2.53 [95%CI, 1.23-5.23); p=0.012] and “male infant” an OR of 1.70 [95%CI, 1.02-2.81; p=0.041] were associated with postpartum depressive symptoms.Conclusions:In total, 76 (10.5%) of the 727 subjects (10.5%) had an EPDS score of 9 points or more at 1 month postpartum. Mothers of late premature infants, primipara, mothers with a history of psychiatric disorders, and mothers of boys were more likely to have depressive symptoms in the first month postpartum in low-risk births in Japan. Mothers with these factors in their background might need to be carefully monitored during pregnancy and after delivery.
Georadar Application for Site Characterization of a Waste Disposal on Quartzite Soil
Authors: Borges Welitom Rodrigues , Hussain Yawar , Cunha Luciano Soares , Uagoda Rogério Elias , Lago Alexandre Lisboa
Published: April 2022

Poorly managed disposal of solid waste on permeable soil may have serious environmental concerns which can greatly benefit from quick site investigation using non-invasive and cost-effective methods. Therefore, the present research examines the efficiency and agility of ground penetrating radar (GPR) in dumpsite characterization. A case study was conducted on the Alto Paraíso de Goiás dumpsite (Brazil), where the natural ground is composed of coarse-grained quartzite soil. The GPR data were acquired with 200 MHz shielded antennas, at a sampling interval of 0.05 m, covering the dumpsite and its adjoining. A commonly adopted processing workflow, and as a result, four predominant reflection patterns and a discontinuous surface were identified and interpreted in terms of site stratigraphy, contaminant pathways, and plume geometry. The GPR interpretation was enhanced by incorporating the lithological information from nearby monitoring wells. The study shows the potential of applying the GPR method as an effective geophysical characterization tool for waste disposal sites on quartzite.
Sentinel-2 based mapping of soil salinity of arid soils in southeastern regions of Tunisia
Authors: Hafra Sameh , Sahnoun Houda , Bouajila Abbelhakim
Published: April 2022

Arid and semi-arid regions are faced on soil salinization’s problem causing land degradation that’s why studies are focused on the prevention and the mitigation of this parameter in these environments. It degrades soil, limits plant growth and reduces crop productivity. Recently, the demand for rapid and economic detection of soil salinization has been rising. Remote sensing and multispectral data Sentinel_2 are used to predict and mapping soil salinity in southern Tunisia. In this study, 80 samples were collected from the soil surface (the upper 10 cm). A predictive model was constructed based on the measured soil electrical conductivity (EC) and spectral indices developed from satellite image. The results revealed that salinity index SI1, SI2 and band 3 have the highest correlation with EC. Multiple regression analysis showed a moderate accuracy with R2 = 0.42 and an RMSE = 18.3.This predictive model, special to arid and semi-arid environments, can be applied to other satellite data (Landsat 8…).
Psychometric properties of the Slovenian version of the Cancer Survivors’ Unmet Needs (CaSUN-SL) measure in post-treatment cancer survivors
Authors: Miroševič Špela , Zupančič Polona Selič – , Prins Judith , Homar Vesna , Ketiš Zalika Klemenc –
Published: April 2022

Background
As the number of cancer survivors is growing, valid instruments for assessing cancer survivors' needs are required. Thus, the aim of this study was to translate and validate the Cancer Survivors Unmet Needs (CaSUN) scale.
Methods
Cancer survivors were recruited from 30 family medicine practices and separated into two samples (sample 1, n = 147; sample 2, n = 148). Factor structure was explored with an exploratory analysis in sample 1 and determined with a confirmatory analysis in sample 2. Psychometric properties were assessed with internal consistency, test-retest reliability and construct validity.
Results
A translation and cultural adaptation of the CaSUN scale resulted in 34 items being included in the final version. The factor structure confirmed the five-factors solution of the CaSUN-SL. Cronbach’s alpha was 0.94 for the CaSUN-SL and ranged from 0.71–0.88 for specific domains. Test-retest reliability showed moderate-high stability over time. The CaSUN-SL significantly and positively correlated with anxiety (r = 0.49), depression (r = 0.44), health-related quality of life (r = 0.36), and negatively with self-perceived health (r = -0.36) and resilience (r = -0.47), which confirms the construct validity. In addition, we found a significant correlation between unmet needs and age (r = -0.29), gender (r = 0.14), cancer stage (r = 0.20), cancer type (r = 0.19), and time since treatment (r = -0.20).
Conclusions
Results indicate that CaSUN-SL is a valid and reliable measure to assess the Slovenian cancer survivors’ unmet, met and total needs and can be used for further prospective studies.
Trial Registration:
no. 0120 − 25/2019/6