bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Asymptomatic Transmission and Emergence Time on Multi-strain Viral Disease Severity
Authors: Alizad-Rahvar Amir Reza , Sadeghi Mehdi
Published: May 2021

Background: In a viral epidemic, the emergence of a novel strain with increased transmissibility (larger value of basic reproduction number R 0) sparks the fear that the increase in transmissibility is likely to lead to an increase in disease severity. It is required to investigate if a new, more contagious strain will be necessarily dominant in the population and resulting in more disease severity. Methods: The impact of the asymptomatic transmission and the emergence time of a more transmissible variant of a multi-strain viral disease on the disease prevalence, disease severity, and the dominant variant in an epidemic was investigated by a proposed 2-strain epidemic model. Results: The simulation results showed that considering only R0 , is insufficient to predict the outcome of a new, more contagious strain in the population. A more transmissible strain with a high fraction of asymptomatic cases can substantially reduce the mortality rate. If the emergence time of the new strain is closer to the start of the epidemic, the new, more contagious variant has more chance to win the viral competition and be the dominant strain; otherwise, despite being more contagious, it cannot dominate previous strains. Conclusions: Three factors of R0 , the fraction of asymptomatic transmission, and the emergence time of the new strain are required to correctly determine the prevalence, disease severity, and the winner of the viral competition.
Synthesis and Investigation of Structural, Microstructural and Optical Properties of Iron-doped Sno2 Nanoparticles : Application in Photocatalysis
Authors: Roguai Sabrina , Djelloul Abdelkader
Published: May 2021

Iron-doped tin dioxide nanoparticles Sn1-xFexO2 (0% ≤ x ≤ 10% ), were prepared by coprecipitation method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns indicate that Sn1-xFexO2 nanoparticles (NPs) crystallize in the tetragonal rutile-like structure. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) observations did not show more modification of the SnO2 morphology with Fe addition. All the results are consistent with the fact that Fe is strongly soluble in SnO2 host. The optical band gap energy decreased from 3.65 to 3.30 eV with increasing the iron doping concentration in the solution. Finally, the photocatalytic efficiency of Fe0.05Sn0.95O2 nanoparticles (NPs) was examined for the degradation of MB in aqueous solution under UV irradiation. It was found that smaller bandgap of Fe doped SnO2 photocatalyst resulted in a prominent increase in photocatalytic activity of nanoparticles against Methylene Blue (MB) under UV irradiaion.
Assessing the Learning Style of Medical Students in Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences by using VARK Approach
Authors: Shams Lida , Yazdani Shahram , Nasiri Taha , Sadeghifar Jamil , Shahbazi Sara
Published: May 2021

Background Extensive factors affect students' learning such as their learning style, the identification of which is considered as important in solving the problems and shortcomings of educational system in the current situation. The present study aimed to determine the learning style of first-year medical students in the Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in 2018.Methods In the present descriptive and analytical study, 111 first-year medical students at the university were included through census method. The data were collected by using VARK learning style standard questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS16 software based on the questionnaire guide.Results Most students had a multi-modal learning style (52%) although no significant difference was observed between preferring single- and multi-model styles. Among the multi-modal learning styles, bi-modal style was more applied by subjects (21.62%). In addition, aural and visual learning styles were determined as the most (20, 37.74%) and least (8, 15.09%) frequent styles preferred by students, respectively.Conclusion Due to the preference of most students to use multimodal styles, medical instructors should highlight the diversity of learners' learning styles and select appropriate methods for students' learning.
An Analysis for Magnesium Alloy Curvature Products Formed by Staggered Extrusion (SE) Based on the Upper Bound Method
Authors: Zhang Xi Jie , Li Feng , Wang Ye , Chen Zi Yu
Published: May 2021

Staggered extrusion (SE) is a new method to solve the bottleneck of traditional curvature products, such as long manufacturing cycle, many forming processes and difficult quality control. How to quantitatively control the curvature of extruded products is the key to implement this method. Herein, the upper bound method is used to calculate and analyze the power consumption of each characteristic zone in the SE process. The theoretical model of extrusion load and curvature is established. The results show that the staggered distance h has an important influence on the curvature κ. When the staggered distance h increases from 8 mm to 24 mm and other conditions remain unchanged, the curvature κ increases from 0.0546 to 0.1607. Any combination of the staggered distance h and the extrusion ratio λ corresponds to an eccentricity ratio ξ. The eccentricity ratio ξ decreases with the increase of the staggered distance h or the extrusion ratio λ. By comparison, it can be seen that the variation trend of the theoretical predicted value and the FE modelling in the steady-state extrusion stage is consistent. The experimental results are in good agreement with the curvature theory prediction model. These results provide a scientific basis for the formulation of the SE process and precisely controlling magnesium alloy curvature products.
Effect of Alcohol on Clinical Outcomes of Hepatitis Virus-Induced Liver Cirrhosis: A Consecutive Ten-Year Study
Authors: Abassa Kodjo-Kunale , Wu Xiao-Ying , Xiao Xiu-Ping , Zhou Hao-Xiong , Guo Yun-Wei , Wu Bin
Published: May 2021

BACKGROUND & AIM: Coexisting alcoholic liver disease and virus-induced liver cirrhosis (ALD+HBV and ALD+HCV) has not been thoroughly studied. This cross-sectional study aims to showcase the influence of alcohol on the laboratory values and on the clinical outcomes of patients with hepatitis B and C virus-induced liver cirrhosis.METHOD: Patients diagnosed with liver cirrhosis (n=22287) from January 2010 to December 2019 were collected from our hospital electronic database, and divided into five groups according to the etiology: ALD (1652 cases, 7.4%), HBV (18079 cases, 81.1%), HCV (682 cases, 3.1%), ALD+HBV (1594 cases, 7.2%) and ALD+HCV (280 cases, 1.3%). Laboratory results and proportion of different liver cirrhosis complications were contrasted between groups.RESULTS: ALD+HBV and ALD+HCV presented with higher proportions of poor prognosis patients and cirrhosis complications compared to HBV and HCV respectively. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that the risk of HCC and that of EGVB in the ALD+HBV group was respectively 2.14-fold and 1.47-fold that in the HBV group (HCC: OR=2.14, 95%CI: [1.71-2.69]; EGVB: OR=1.47, 95%CI: [1.17-1.84]) after adjusting for potential confounders. Furthermore, a decrease in the risk of HCC and EGVB with the duration of alcohol abstinence was observed. Similar pattern was noticed while comparing ALD+HCV group to HCV group.CONCLUSION: Alcohol significantly increased the severity of liver function impairment and the prevalence of liver cirrhosis complications such as HCC and EGVB in hepatitis virus-induced liver cirrhosis patients. Remarkably, long period of alcohol abstinence significantly decreased the prevalence of HCC and EGVB in these populations.
Utility of the SotairTM Device in Manual Ventilation of Different Lung Compliances
Authors: Carpenter Randy Scott , Brady Mark F , Monhollon Ethan , Ni Samantha , Young Shane , Walker Richard
Published: May 2021

Background: During positive pressure ventilation, peak inspiratory pressure (PIP) and Tidal Volume (TV) must be kept at optimal levels to achieve appropriate ventilation without causing complications, such as trauma to the lung parenchyma or stomach insufflation. Manual ventilation using a Bag-valve-mask (BVM) results in highly variable TVs and PIPs that could increase the risk of volutrauma and barotrauma. It is unknown whether pathologic changes in lung compliance alter the TV and PIP during manual ventilation. Methods: This study used a lung simulator and volunteer medical students, medics and nurses to assess whether the pressure and flow limiting SotairTM device resulted in more appropriate TVs and PIPs during manual ventilation compared to BVM only, using a mechanical ventilator as the standard. The secondary aim was to determine whether decreased lung compliance, which simulates the physiology of lungs with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), affected the conclusion. Results: We found that the SotairTM device helped maintain PIP and TV closer to mechanical ventilator baseline levels than BVM only ventilation across lung compliance settings. The SotairTM device also helped providers maintain PIP levels below the threshold of pressures known to cause gastric insufflation and barotrauma. Conclusions: This data indicates that manual ventilation using the SotairTM device is a safer option than unmitigated BVM only ventilation in both normal and decreased lung compliance conditions.
CircPTK2 Inhibits the Tumorigenesis and Metastasis of Gastric Cancer by Sponging miR-134-5p and Activating CELF2/PTEN Signaling
Authors: Fan Huining , Zhao Xiang-Yun , Liang Rui , Chen Xiao-Yu , Zhang Jing , Chen Ni-Wei , Zhu Jin-Shui
Published: May 2021

Background: CircRNAs are a new subset of noncoding RNAs formed by covalent closed loops and play crucial roles in the regulation of cancer gene expression. However, the roles and underlying mechanisms of circRNAs in gastric cancer (GC) remain indistinct. This study aimed to explore the role and mechanism of hsa_circ_0006421 (circPTK2) in GC.Methods: The differential expression of circRNAs between GC tissues and adjacent normal tissues were identified by a circRNA expression profiling. Associations of circPTK2 or miR-134-5p expression with clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of GC patients were analyzed by chi-square of Fisher’s exact tests and Kaplan-Meier analysis. CCK8, colony formation, EdU assays and animal models were performed to assess the effects of circPTK2 on proliferation and invasion of GC cells. CircPTK2-specific probes were used to purify the RNA pulled down from the circPTK2, and enrichment of circPTK2 and miR-134-5p was detected by qRT-PCR. The effects of circPTK2 on miR-134-5p expression and CELF2/PTEN signaling were examined by qRT-PCR and Western blotting analysis. Results: Low expression of circPTK2 and high expression of miR-134-5p were related to the poor survival, and high expression of miR-134-5p was related to the tumor recurrence in GC patients. Overexpressing circPTK2 suppressed the proliferation, colony formation, DNA synthesis and cell invasion as well as xenograft tumor growth and lung metastasis in vitro and in vivo, whereas silencing circPTK2 had the opposite effects. Moreover, circPTK2 was negatively correlated and co-localized with miR-134-5p in the cytoplasm of GC tissue cells. circPTK2 bound to and sponged miR-134-5p in GC cells, and miR-134-5p facilitated cell growth and invasion but attenuated circPTK2 induced tumor suppressive effects and CELF2/PTEN signaling activation in GC cells. Conclusions: circPTK2 functions as a tumor suppressor in GC by sponging miR-134-5p and activating the CELF2/PTEN axis.
Rectifying effect in high-performance ballistic diode bridge with a unique design for thermal energy harvesting
Authors: Nguyen Dinh Cong , Kim Minwook , Hussain Muhammad , Nguyen Van Huy , Lee Yeon-jae , Kang Dongwoon , Kumar Sunil , Jung Jongwan , Seo Yongho
Published: May 2021

The long mean free path close to a micrometer in encapsulated graphene enabled us to rectify currents ballistically at room temperature. In this study, we introduce a ballistic rectifier that resembles a diode bridge and is based on graphene encapsulated using hexagonal boron nitride. Our device’s asymmetric geometry combined with the exploitation of the ratcheting effect means that it can operate successfully and provides excellent performance. The device’s estimated responsivities at 38,000 V/W for holes and 23,000 V/W for electrons at room temperature, are among the highest values for a ballistic device reported to date. Due to the device’s zero threshold voltage, it is able to rectify Johnson noise signals converting thermal excitation to electrical energy at room temperature. The bandwidth of the device at the ballistic regime is estimated at ~ 1.1 GHz for holes and 2 GHz for electrons. The device developed in this study is an important step along an innovative pathway that will lead to harvesting electrical energy directly from thermal energy.
Accuracy of Flow-void Diameters on MR Images in Diagnosing Uterine Arteriovenous Malformations in Patients With Pregnancy-related Diseases
Authors: Chen Hui-zhu , Zhao Fu-min , Liu Ling-jun , Dai Xiao-hui , Li Xue-sheng , Ning Gang , Guo Ying-kun
Published: May 2021

Objective(s): To evaluate the “flow void” diameter in patients with pregnancy-related diseases with and without uterine AVMs and assess the diagnostic performance of unenhanced MRI for uterine AVMs.Study Design: From May 2014 to April 2019, 79 patients with pregnancy-related diseases were included, including 36 with and 43 without uterine AVMs confirmed by DSA. On MRI, the diameter of the most prominent “flow void” (hereinafter referred to as fv-D) was measured and compared between patients with and without uterine AVMs. The diagnostic performance of fv-D was estimated with receiver operating characteristic curves.Results: The “flow void” sign was observed in patients with and without uterine AVMs (P>0.05). The fv-D was significantly larger in patients with uterine AVMs in the myometrium and parametrium than in patients without uterine AVMs (P<0.0001). The fv-D achieved a reliable diagnostic performance in the myometrium (sensitivity: 80.56%, specificity: 60.27%, AUC: 0.727, cut-off:>1.33 mm) and parametrium (sensitivity: 97.22%, specificity: 67.44%, AUC: 0.881, cut-off:>2.6 mm). Conclusions: On MRI, fv-D could diagnose uterine AVMs. The fv-D had a much higher diagnostic efficiency in the parametrium than in the myometrium. The parametrium fv-D greatly improved the diagnostic sensitivity and provides a more accurate, noninvasive method of investigating possible uterine AVMs.
Experimental Study on the Effects of Internal Erosion on the Physical and Mechanical Properties of Tailings Under Unsteady Seepage
Authors: Gui Rong , He Guicheng
Published: May 2021

In this paper, the hydraulic sedimentary model was established to investigate the effects of dry beach slope on the sedimentary characteristics of tailings, and the sand column model was built to investigate the effects of seepage erosion on the physical and mechanical properties of sedimentary tailings under unsteady seepage.The results show that the slope of dry beach have a great effect on the sedimentary characteristics of tailings, the average particle size of tailings decreases along the slope of dry beach, and the larger the slope, the more obvious the stratification of the tailings. The migration of fine-grained tailings caused by seepage erosion increases the permeability of the tailings and reduces the shear strength of the tailings. After seepage erosion,the average particle size of 1#tailings sample, 2#tailings sample and 3#tailings sample increased by 6.4%, 12.0% and 2.4% respectively, the hydraulic conductivity of 1# tailings sample, 2# tailings sample and 3# tailings increased by 27.2%,17.9%, and 15.3% respectively after internal erosion, and the shear strength of 1#tailings sample, 2#tailings sample and 3#tailings sample tailings sample decreased by 20.9 %, 15.1% and 12.4% respectively.
Effects of Neonatal Oxidative Stress on the Social Affinity and Survival in Larval Zebrafish (Danio rerio)
Authors: Lim Dong Seok , Kim Seo Yeong , Jun Seo Young , Choi Eun Jin , Ko Seok Woo , Seo Eun Seok , Lee Sang-im
Published: May 2021

Background

Exposure to oxidative stress (OS) incurs various consequences in animals’ life from molecular to organismic level. Survival and social affinity are the two representative fitness components of animals that can be impacted by early exposure to OS during the developmental process. However, the effect of early OS exposure on survival and social affinity has not been well addressed.
Results

In this study, we treated 0, 1, and 5 mM of hydrogen peroxide solution to four-days post fertilization (dpf) larval zebrafish (Danio rerio) for 30 mins, and examined their survival until 19 dpf and social affinity at 28 dpf. There were no significant differences in survival among the treatment groups. On the other hand, social affinity was reduced in the individuals exposed to 5 mM hydrogen peroxide solution. All the groups demonstrated a similar level of locomotion.
Conclusions

These findings indicate that mild neonatal OS exposure did not affect the survival but partially hampered social affinity. Whether and how partially hampered social affinity in larval zebrafish persists to adulthood need to be investigated.
Dynamical Bridge Between Song Degradation and Neural Plasticity
Authors: Zang Jie , Liu Shenquan
Published: May 2021

High dimensionality and complexity are the main difficulties of the study over network dynamics. Recently, Wilten Nicola proposed the mean field theory to research the bifurcations that the full networks display. Here, we use his approach on the birdsong neural network. Our previous work has shown that AFP could adjust the synapse conductance of nucleus RA and change RA’s firing patterns, eventually leading to song degradation. To understand the dynamical principle behind this, we use a technique to reduce the RA network to a mean field model, in the form of a system of switching ordinary differential equations. Numerical results have shown that the mean field equations can qualitatively and quantitatively describe the behavior of nucleus RA. Based on the non-smooth bifurcation analysis of the mean field model, we determine that there is a subcritical-Andronov-Hopf bifurcation at a particular stimulation, which can explain the role of AFP during song degradation. The results indicate that we can see AFP’s adjustment in RA synapse conductance as the adjustment of initial value in the bistable system. More precisely, during song degradation, the mean field system would transform to a stable node (corresponding to distorted songs) rather than a stable limit cycle (corresponding to normal songs).
A S-Type Bistable Locally-Active Memristor and Its Application in Oscillator Circuit
Authors: Li Chunlai , Li Haodong , Xie Wenwu , Du Jianrong
Published: May 2021

In this paper, a S-type memristor with tangent nonlinearity is proposed. The introduced memristor can generate two kinds of stable pinched hysteresis loops with initial conditions from two flanks of the initial critical point. The power-off plot verifies that the memristor is nonvolatile, and the DC V-I plot shows that the memristor is locally active with the locally-active region symmetrical about the origin. The equivalent circuit of the memristor, derived by small-signal analysis method, is used to study the dynamics near the operating point in the locally-active region. Owing to the bistable and locally-active properties and S-type DC V-I curve, this memristor is called S-type BLAM for short. Then, a new Wien-bridge oscillator circuit is designed by substituting one of its resistances with S-type BLAM. It find that the circuit system can produce chaotic oscillation and complex dynamic behavior, which is further confirmed by analog circuit experiment.
Five New Species of Trichoderma From Wetland Soils in China
Authors: Zhang Guang Zhi , Yang HeTong , Zhang Xin Jian , Zhou Fang Yuan , Wu Xiao-Qing , Xie Xue-ying , Zhou Hong-Zi , Fan Susu , Zhao Xiao-Yan
Published: May 2021

Trichoderma isolates were collected from wetland soils in different areas of China. Combined analyses of morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses by partial translation elongation factor 1 alpha (TEF1-α) and RNA polymerase II subunit b (RPB2) revealed five new Trichoderma species, namely, Trichoderma macrofasciculatum, T. shangrilaense, T. nordicum, T. vadicola, and T. hailarense. T. macrofasciculatum and T. shangrilaense belonging to the Polysporum Clade were isolated from wetland soils collected from Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces. The conidiation of T. macrofasciculatum typically appeared in white pustules in concentric rings on PDA or MEA, and its conidia had two or more guttules. Conidiation of T. shangrilaense formed white pustules with irregular shape and size, and its conidia were mostly obovoid and smooth. Trichoderma vadicola, T. nordicum, and T. hailarense belonging to the Viride Clade were collected from Shandong Province, Beijing Municipality, and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, respectively. The phialides of T. nordicum lageniform were curved on PDA, and its conidia were globose to obovoidal and large. The aerial mycelium of T. vadicola formed strands and floccose mat. The colonies of T. hailarense cannot form conidia on PDA, and the conidia of T. hailarense on other media were obovoid and delicately roughened.
Adsorption Behavior of Congo Red on Carbon Materials Based of Humic Acid
Authors: Wang An , Li Boyuan , Wang Yatong , Sun Xiaoran , Bian Simeng , Shang Hongzhou , Zhao Zheng , Fan Kaili
Published: May 2021

In this study, a carbon composite based on humic acid (CAH) was synthesized by partially carbonizing humic acid by using aluminum sulfate with a mass ratio of 2:3 and a leavening agent oxalic acid with a fixed mass. The morphology and microstructure of the sample are measured by scanning electron microscope (SEM), x-ray diffractometer (XRD), thermal analysis (TG-DSC), Raman spectroscopy (Raman), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) is used to analyze the composition and structure of materials. The BET surface area of CAH is determined to be 149 m²/g. Congo red was used as a model adsorbent for adsorption research. When the dye concentration is 400 mg/L and 10mg of adsorbent powder is used. CAH has the highest dye removal rate of adsorption capacity. The pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetic models were used to describe the kinetic data and the Langmuir and Freundlich models were applied to describe the adsorption isotherms. The results showed that the equilibrium adsorption data were found to fit better to the Langmuir adsorption model and the kinetic process of adsorption could be described by the pseudo-second-order model. Compared with humic acid, CAH composite materials can effectively improve the adsorption rate and adsorption capacity of Congo red, and the adsorption capacity is as high as 3986mg/g within 30 minutes. In addition, considering the cost issue, this study selected low-cost humic acid as a carbon source to prepare composite materials, emphasizing the importance of cost.
Research on the Mechanism of Pulsatilla Potentially Useful for the Treatment of Triple Negative Breast Cancer Based on Network Pharmacology
Authors: Li Shilin , Fang Yi
Published: May 2021

Triple negative breast cancer is a very malignant type of breast cancer. Its age of onset is young and the prognosis is poor, which seriously threatens women's physical and mental health. Pulsatilla Chinensis is a common medicine in traditional Chinese medicine. Application of network pharmacology analysis found that the active ingredients in Pulsatilla can target Caspase-3, NOS3, etc. to exert anti-tumor effects. This discovery will provide new alternative drugs and potential methods for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer.
An Investigation into Residents' Willingness to Pay for Vertical Greening in the Renovation of Existing Residential Areas for Greenhouse Gases Reduction- A Case Study of Hangzhou City
Authors: Tan Yang , Fukuda Hiroatsu , Li Zhang , Wang Shuai , Gao Weijun , Liu Zhonghui
Published: May 2021

There are numerous buildings in existing residential areas in Hangzhou City, which results in much carbon emissions and the formation of greenhouse gases that have exerted significant ad-verse impacts on the living comfort of citizens in Hangzhou City. It is imperative to conduct a greening renovation of buildings in existing residential areas in Hangzhou City. Vertical greening, as a significant measure of renovation, has received much attention. In this paper we use double-bounded discrete choice format to elicit public’s willingness to pay (WTP), and the economic benefits of vertical greening reduces greenhouse gases in Hangzhou City were preliminarily estimated, and the factors that affect residents' payment and participation. A total of 1089 valid samples were obtained via the face-to-face field interview. There were 250 (23.0%) respondents who refused to pay, whose data were subject to processing with Spike model, which had been proved to be more advantageous than traditional models in dealing with zero response problems. Families in Hangzhou City would pay 702.55 Chinese yuan (CNY) each year. The economic benefit of the project is 1.141–1.433 billion CNY. The factors affecting WTP were explored by demographic characteristics,social psychology༌knowledge of the environment and theory of planned behavior. The results showed that there were obvious statistical relationships between the age, income, family members, cognition of vertical greening and subjective norms of respondents and their WTP. Meanwhile, the feedback information was collected and analyzed, with the results showing that increasing income, setting up compensation mechanism, promoting the publicity of environmental protection, and disclosing the flow of funds would conduce to residents' participation in the renovation of vertical greening.
Association between Early Fluid Overload and Mortality in Critically-ill Mechanically Ventilated Children: A Single Center Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Kong Xiangmei , Zhu Xiaodong , Zhu Yueniu
Published: May 2021

Background: This study retrospectively analyzed the relationship between early fluid overload(FO) and in-hospital mortality in Children with mechanical ventilation in pediatric intensive care unit.Methods: Patients who were on mechanical ventilation (MV) for≥48 h and aged over 28 days and less than 18 years from March 2014 to March 2019 in department of PICU, Xinhua hospital. Daily FO was calculated as {(daily fluid intake-daily fluid output)/weight at ICU admission * 100%}.We defined the early FO as the FO in the first three days of mechanical ventilation, and divided it into four bands: %FO ≤ 0%, 0%＜%FO≤ 10%, 10%＜%FO≤ 20%, and %FO > 20%. We compared the mortality in discharge between groups with different FO. We also compared the early FO between survivors and non-survivors. Multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the prognostic factors of mortality in hospital.Results: 309 patients were included. There were 202 cases in non-operative and 107 cases in operative. The mean early FO was 8.83 ± 8.81%, and the mortality in hospital was 26.2% (81/309). The percentage of % FO＞10% was in present 41.4%(131/309) and %FO＞20% was in present 8.7% (27/309). There was no significant difference in discharge-mortality between different FO groups(p=0.053) and in FO between survivors and non-survivors(p=0.992). Regression analysis demonstrated that the more vasoactive drugs, the presence of MODS, the longer duration of MV, and the non-operation reason for PICU admission were related to the increase of mortality(p＜0.05); although early FO and %FO>10% were not associated with in-hospital mortality(β=0.030, p=0.090, 95% C.I.=0.995~1.067; β=0.479, p=0.153, 95% C.I.= 0.837~3.117), %FO>20% was related to the increase of mortality (β=1.057, OR=2.878, p=0.029, 95% C.I.=1.116~7.418). There was positive correlation between early FO and LOS in PICU (r=0.148, p=0.009), but the relation is weak.Conclusions: Affected by interventions and the severity of the disease, the correlation between the early FO and %FO>10% with mortality was not clear, but %FO>20% was related to the increase of mortality in critically-ill mechanically ventilated Children. Trial registration: Not applicable
CaV2O6: A highly effective sintering aid for 0.61CaTiO3-0.39LaAlO3 ceramics
Authors: Chen Zizu , Yang Han , Guo Rongdi , Wu Guohua , Qiu Yang , Zhu Mingmin , Yu Guoliang , Zhou Haomiao
Published: May 2021

The 0.61CaTiO3-0.39LaAlO3 (CTLA) ceramics are widely used in relay station, aerospace and radar systems for their superior properties: remarkable quality factor and excellent thermal stability. However, some deficiencies remain, such as low permittivity and excessively high sintering temperature, which limit their development in microwave communication. Herein, we introduce CaV2O6 to the CTLA ceramics to solve these problems and systematically investigate its effects on sintering temperature, phase constitution, microstructure and microwave dielectric properties. The CTLA ceramics added with 0–2.0 wt% CaV2O6 were prepared by the traditional solid-state reaction procedure. The XRD patterns indicated that the pure phase Ca0.61La0.39Al0.39Ti0.61O3 (PDF #52-1773) was obtained from all samples, which revealed that the CaV2O6 was dissolved into CTLA lattice to form a solid solution. As the CaV2O6 content increased, the strongest X-ray diffraction peaks gradually shifted toward low angles, which manifested the increase of cell volume of the solid solution. When the additive amount was 1.0 wt%, the CaV2O6 could high-effectively lower the sintering temperature from 1450 ℃ to 1290 ℃ and obviously promote the growth of grains. Meanwhile, the εr slightly increased, the Q×f significantly improved and the τf favorably decreased to closer to zero, then the prominent microwave dielectric performance was exhibited, with εr = 40.6, Q×f = 48,800 GHz (at 4.5 GHz), and τf = 0.78 ppm/℃. Such CTLA ceramics are expected to promote the development of high-performance and temperature-stable microwave components.
Resonance Y-type soliton, hybrid and quasi-periodic wave solutions of a generalized (2+1)-dimensional nonlinear wave equation
Authors: He Lingchao , Zhang Jianwen , Zhao Zhonglong
Published: May 2021

In this paper, we consider a generalized (2+1)-dimensional nonlinear wave equation. Based on the bilinear, the N-soliton solutions are obtained. The resonance Y-type soliton and the interaction solutions between M-resonance Y-type solitons and P-resonance Y-type solitons are constructed by adding some new constraints to the parameters of the N-soliton solutions. The new type of two-opening resonance Y-type soliton solutions are presented by choosing some appropriate parameters in 3-soliton solutions. The hybrid solutions consisting of resonance Y-type solitons, breathers and lumps are investigated. The trajectories of the lump waves before and after the collision with the Y-type solitons are analyzed from the perspective of mathematical mechanism. Furthermore, the multi-dimensional Riemann-theta function is employed to investigate the quasi-periodic wave solutions. The one-periodic and two-periodic wave solutions are obtained. The asymptotic properties are systematically analyzed, which establish the relations between the quasi-periodic wave solutions and the soliton solutions. The results may be helpful to provide some effective information to analyze the dynamical behaviors of solitons, fluid mechanics, shallow water waves and optical solitons.
Efficacy and Safety of Corticosteroid Use on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Cui Yuqing , Sun Yali , Sun Junyi , Liang Huoyan , Ding Xianfei , Sun Xueyi , Wang Dong , Sun Tongwen
Published: May 2021

Background: We conducted a comprehensive literature review to synthesize evidence for the relationship between corticosteroid use and mortality in COVID-19 patients.Methods: The PUBMED, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library were searched from inception to March 13, 2021. We searched and analyzed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies (OS) that examined the corticosteroid use in COVID-19 patients. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality, while the secondary outcome was the need for mechanical ventilation (MV) and serious adverse events. Results: 11 RCTs and 46 OS involving 7,893 and 4,1696 COVID-19 patients were included in the study. Corticosteroid use was associated with lower COVID-19 mortality in RCTs, but was not statistically significant (OR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.74–1.05; I2=66.9%). The subgroup analysis of severe COVID-19 patients, corticosteroid type and dose also showed no survival benefit statistically. However, the corticosteroid use may reduce the MV need (OR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.51–0.90; I2=7.5%) with no significant increase in serious adverse reactions (OR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.30–2.37; I2=33.3%). In addition, the included OS showed that the pulse dose (OR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.39–0.70) and methylprednisolone use (OR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.52–0.92; I2=66.7%) may lower the mortality in COVID-19 patients. Conclusions: This meta-analysis indicated that corticosteroid use might cause a slight reduction in COVID-19 mortality. However, it could significantly reduce the MV requirement in COVID-19 patients and restrict serious adverse events. Additionally, the pulse dose of methylprednisolone may be a good treatment choice for COVID-19 patients.
Factors Associated With the Antinuclear Antibody Titer of Patients With Systemic Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases After Treatment: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Xiao Yun , Zhang Yan , Lin Yiqiang , Wang Jiajia , Zeng Yanli
Published: May 2021

Background: Antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) are a serological hallmark of systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs); however, few studies have investigated their post-treatment levels.Objective: The mechanism by which ANA titers are upregulated in SARDs remains unclear. We assessed factors associated with the ANA titer after treatment.Methods: In this retrospective study we analyzed the clinical database of Zhongshan Hospital, Medical College of Xiamen. Demographic data and baseline and 12-month post-treatment ANA titers were collected. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the factors associated with the ANA titer.Results: This study identified 31,923 patients who underwent ANA assay for SARDs screening, and a total of 1043 patients were included in the study. Approximately 16% of the patients showed a decrease in the serological ANA titer. Men were twice as likely to achieve a decrease in the serum ANA titer than women (P = 0.055), and younger patients (<20) were 3× more likely to experience such a decrease (P = 0.005) compared to older patients (≥60 years). A baseline ANA titer >1:10000 was associated with a significantly lower (47×) serum ANA titer compared with the baseline ANA titer at a dilution of 1:100 (P < 0.001).. Homogeneous (P = 0.095) and cytoplasmic speckled (P = 0.158) had over threefold greater decrease in the serum ANA titer compared with other patterns.Conclusion: We found that a decrease in the serum ANA titer at 12 months after treatment for SARDs is associated with age, sex, ANA baseline titers, and ANA pattern.
Rheumatological Diseases in Patients with Inborn Errors of Immunity in the USIDNET Registry
Authors: Padem Nurcicek , Wright Hannah , Fuleihan Ramsay , Garabedian Elizabeth , Suez Daniel , Cunningham-Rundles Charlotte , Marsh Rebecca , Khojah Amer
Published: May 2021

Purpose

There is a gap in clinical knowledge regarding associations between specific inborn errors of immunity (IEIs) and rheumatological diseases. In this study, we report the frequency of rheumatological conditions in a large cohort of patients with IEI using the USIDNET (United States Immunodeficiency Network) registry.
Methods

We used the USIDNET registry to conduct the analysis. We included all IEI patients within the registry for whom a diagnosed rheumatological disease was reported.
Results

The total number of patients with IEI in our query was 5058. Among those, 278 (5.49%) patients had a diagnosis of rheumatological disease. This cohort included 172 (61.8%) female and 106 (38.2%) male patients. Rheumatologic complications were highest in the interferonopathies (66.6%), autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS) (13.7%) and Immunoglobulin G subclass deficiency (IgGSD) (11.11%). Additionally, disease patterns were noted to be different in various IEI disease groups. Inflammatory myopathies were the most common rheumatologic condition in patients with X-linked agammaglobulinemia (1.65%), Sjogren’s syndrome was the most common rheumatology disease reported in ALPS patients (6.85%) and systemic lupus erythematosus was the most common rheumatology disease in in patients with Chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis(CMC) (7.41%). Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) report rate was highest in patients with IgGSD (3.70%), specific antibody deficiency (3.66%), and ALPS (2.74%).
Conclusion

This study reports that rheumatologic diseases are frequently observed in patients with IEI. The frequency of different rheumatological disease was variable based on the underlying diagnosis. Clinicians caring for patients with IEI should be vigilant to monitor for rheumatologic complications.
Long Noncoding RNA SGO1-AS1 Inactivates TGFβ Signaling by Facilitating TGFB mRNA Decay and Inhibits Gastric Carcinoma Metastasis
Authors: Huang Donglan , Zhang Ke , Zheng Wenying , Zhang Ruixin , Chen Jiale , Du Nan , Xia Yuanyuan , Long Yan , Gu Yixue , Xu Jianhua , Deng Min
Published: May 2021

Background: Although thousands of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been annotated, only a limited number of them have been characterized functionally. In this study, we aimed to identify novel lncRNAs involved in the progression of gastric carcinoma (GC) and explore their regulatory mechanisms and clinical significance in GC.Methods: LncRNA expression microarray was used to identify differential lncRNA expression profiles between paired GCs and adjacent normal mucosa tissues. Using the above method, lncRNA SGO1-AS1 was picked out for further study. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and in situ hybridization (ISH) were performed to detect SGO1-AS1 expression in GC tissues. Gain-of-function and loss-of-function analyses were performed to investigate the functions of SGO1-AS1 and its upstream and downstream regulatory mechanisms in vitro and in vivo. Results: SGO1-AS1 was downregulated in gastric carcinoma tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues, and its downregulation was positively correlated with advanced clinical stage, metastasis status and poor patient prognosis. Functional experiments revealed that SGO1-AS1 inhibited GC cell invasion and metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, SGO1-AS1 facilitated TGFB1/2 mRNA decay by competitively binding the PTBP1 protein, which resulted in reduced TGFβ production and thus prevented the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastasis. In addition, TGFβ in turn could inhibited SGO1-AS1 transcription by inducing ZEB1. Thus, SGO1-AS1 and TGFβ form a double-negative feedback loop via ZEB1 to regulate EMT and metastasis.Conclusions: SGO1-AS1 functions as an endogenous inhibitor of the TGFβ pathway and suppresses gastric carcinoma metastasis, indicating a novel potential target for GC treatment.
In-silico study of Hesperidin, Epigallocatechin (EGCG ), Kaempferol and Quercetin
Authors: Chatterjee Soham , Maiti Smrajit , Bannerjee Amrita , Kanwar Mehak
Published: May 2021

SARS-Cov-2 or COVID-19 has caused a global disaster and catastrophe which has consequently led to a pandemic for the last two decades, the world has faced coronaviruses similar to SARS-Cov-2 such as SARS-Cov and Mers-Cov. In this study, a wide range of proteins such as Plpro (Papain like Protease), Rdrp (RNA-Dependent-RNA-Polymerase), Mpro or 3cl Protease and Spike Protein. The selected proteins were listed retrieved from RCSB PDB(https://www.rcsb.org/) And Zhang lab (https://www.zhanglab.ccmb.med.umich.edu/COVID-19/) with their corresponding and respective PDB-ID. The 3d Structures or 2D Structures of these molecules were selected on the sole basis of resolved resolution (in Å)of the structures during the X-ray crystallography and Electron Microscopy. Structures were retrieved in .pdb format. The three dimensional ligand molecules were retrieved from PubChem chemical structure In Spatial Data Base (.SDF) format. The respective ligand molecules are; Hesperidin, Kaempferol, Quercetin, Epigallocatechin. This molecular docking shows significant data of polyphenols, flavonoids and bioflavonoids inhibiting SARS-Cov-2 proteins which could lead to conclusive data for treatment of polyphenols, flavonoids and bioflavonoids against SARS-Cov-2.
Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor of the Small Bowel Complicated by Torsion: A Case Report
Authors: Jun-ichi Yoshizawa , Shimizu Tadaaki , Ikehara Tomohiko , Fukushima Kentaro , Nakayama Ataru
Published: May 2021

Background: Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is a mesenchymal tumor originating in the wall of the gastrointestinal tract, and 20-30% of these tumors originate from the small intestine. The clinical manifestations of GIST of the small intestine generally include a palpable mass, distention, and abdominal pain and sometimes include acute abdomen due to ileus, bleeding, perforation, and intussusception at onset. Here, we describe a rare case of a pedunculated GIST of the small intestine complicated by torsion.Case presentation: A 69-year-old woman was referred for lower abdominal pain. Abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed a 73×62×57-mm tumor in the pelvic cavity with an enhanced margin and reduced contrast effect inside of it. T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging showed a hyperintense, demarcated, lobulated tumor. The diffusion-weighted image showed hyperintensity, and the apparent diffusion coefficient value revealed diffusion restriction, indicating malignancy. T1-weighted images showed a low intensity tumor; contrast-enhanced images showed hypointensity inside of the tumor and slight hyperintensity around its edges. It was presumed that the tumor had caused hemorrhagic infarction. Emergency laparotomy was performed, and the pedunculated tumor was found to be twisted 360 degrees clockwise at the pedicle with hemorrhage and necrosis due to torsion. We performed partial resection of the small intestine including the tumor. Histopathology revealed tightly arranged spindle-shaped cells with hemorrhage, congestion, and inflammatory cell infiltration. Immunohistochemical staining showed positivity for CD34, CD117, and DOG1.Conclusions: The present report describes a very rare case in which pedicle torsion of an extra luminal expanding GIST of small intestine, although there were some reports of small intestine volvulus caused by GIST of small intestine as a rare condition. The torsion of pedunculated GIST of small intestine should be recognized as an emergency condition of GIST, and we report that characteristic findings of this condition were acquired with CT and MRI which was possibility useful for the diagnosis.
A Spatially Distributed Groundwater Metric for Describing Hydrologic Changes in a Regional Population of Wetlands North of Tampa Bay, Florida, from 1990 to 2015
Authors: Fouad Geoffrey , Lee Terrie M.
Published: May 2021

A groundwater condition metric is presented and used to evaluate hydrologic changes in a regional population of wetlands in and around municipal well fields with large groundwater withdrawals. The approach compares a 26-year, monthly time series of groundwater potentiometric surfaces to light detection and ranging (LiDAR) land-surface elevations at 10,516 wetlands in a 1505-square-kilometer area. Elevation differences between the potentiometric surface and wetland land surface provide a flow direction (upward or downward) and a proxy for vertical hydraulic head difference in Darcy’s groundwater flow equation. The resulting metric quantifies the groundwater condition at a wetland through time as the potential for groundwater to discharge upward into a wetland or for water in a wetland to leak downward to recharge the underlying aquifer. The potential for wetland leakage across the regional wetland population decreased by 33% in the 13 years after cutbacks in groundwater withdrawals (2003-2015) compared to years before cutbacks (1990-2002). Inside well field properties, wetland leakage potential decreased by 24%. In the wet season month of September, wetlands with the potential to receive groundwater discharge increased to 21.6% of the regional population after cutbacks compared to 13.3% before cutbacks. When mapped across regional drainage basins, discharging wetlands formed spatial connections suggesting they play a critical role in generating streamflow.
Deformations on a Talings Dam Embankment Due to Its Heightening and Reservoir Filling
Authors: Teixeira Sidnei Helder Cardoso , de Paiva Paulo Roberto , Junior Tennison Freire de Souza , Conte Eduardo , Silva Cezar
Published: May 2021

The purpose of this article is to evaluate the deformations of a compacted embankment dam, partially supported on tailings, through the use of two-dimensional and three-dimensional finite element models using PLAXIS® and TOCHNOG® software, respectively. The modeling was developed to simulate the construction of a complete dam stage, with a compacted embankment, a launched embankment platform, and the filling of the dam reservoir with the tailings. The material deformation parameters were calibrated so that the numerical modeling results are consistent with the data obtained from the instrumentation installed on the dam. The results made it possible to represent and understand the deformation mechanisms that occur during the construction of a raised stage and the filling of the reservoir.
Critical Metadata Analysis and Data Visualization of United States, United Kingdom, and Ireland World Leaders Twitter Responses to COVID-19
Authors: Kentish Esther Ruth
Published: May 2021

Governments use their personal social media platforms, specifically Twitter, to promote their messaging and the perception of the COVID-19 pandemic and highlight key strategies and policy priorities. Data presented on social media outlets differ from the data presented by the WHO and the CDC. This critical metadata analysis uses visual rhetoric because “rhetoric has come to be used not just as means of producing effective communications, but also as a way of understanding communication” (Selzer, p. 280). Further, the argument has been made that the governmental systems and leaders utilized Twitter to promote their personal views on and experiences with COVID-19, in addition to implementation strategies on how to deal with the pandemic, how to safely engage with others, and the rules for future public engagement.
Evolution of species complementarity in response to drought in a grassland biodiversity experiment
Authors: Chen Yuxin , Vogel Anja , Wagg Cameron , Xu Tianyang , Iturrate-Garcia Maitane , Scherer-Lorenzen Michael , Weigelt Alexandra , Eisenhauer Nico , Schmid Bernhard
Published: May 2021

Growing threats from extreme climatic events and biodiversity loss have raised concerns about their interactive consequences for ecosystem functioning. Evidence suggests that biodiversity is crucial to buffer ecosystem functioning facing climatic extremes. However, whether evolutionary processes in species mixtures underpin such biodiversity-dependent stabilizing effects remains elusive. We tested this hypothesis by exposing experimental mixtures of grassland species to eight recurrent summer droughts vs. control in the field. Seed offspring of 12 species were subsequently grown individually, in monocultures or in 2-species mixtures and subjected to a novel drought event in the glasshouse. Comparing mixtures with monocultures, drought-selected plants showed greater between-species complementarity than ambient-selected plants when recovering from the drought event, which led to greater biodiversity effects on community productivity and better recovery of drought-selected mixtures after the drought. These findings suggest biodiversity can buffer the impacts of extreme climatic events through evolution of species complementarity.