bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Meningkatkan Keterampilan Menulis Deskripsi dengan Model Picture and Picture di SDN 3 Bangkleyan Kabupaten Blora
Authors: Sholeh Ahmad , Veryliana Veryliana , Darsimah Darsimah
Published: July 2021

The purpose of this study was to improve teacher skills, increase student activity, and improve student learning outcomes in writing descriptions through the application of the Picture and Picture model. This classroom action research was carried out in 3 cycles, each cycle consisting of 2 meetings. The subjects of this study were the teacher and 18 second grade students of SDN 3 Bangkleyan. The research data in the form of quantitative data and qualitative data were analyzed using descriptive analysis techniques. From the results of the study it can be concluded that: (1) the skills of teachers in the first cycle got an average score of 29 with good criteria and in the second cycle got an average score of 31 with good criteria, the third cycle got an average score of 35 with very good criteria. (2) student activities in cycle I obtained an average score of 24 with sufficient criteria, in cycle II obtained an average score of 27 with good criteria, and in cycle III obtained an average score of 30 with good criteria. (3) student learning outcomes in the form of descriptive writing skills at the end of the first cycle obtained an average value of 65.5 and classical learning completeness 50%, in the second cycle an average value of 69 and classical learning completeness of 69.4% cycle III got an average score of 79 and classical learning completeness of 83.3%.
Penerapan Model Pembelajaran Discovery Learning Berbantuan Media Interaktif untuk Meningkatkan Hasil Belajar Peserta Didik di SDN 1 Kebonadem Kabupaten Kendal
Authors: Anisa Naila Nur , Septiana Ika , Purbiyanti Elis Dwi
Published: July 2021

The purpose of this study is to apply a discovery learning model assisted by interactive media to improve the learning outcomes of fifth grade students at SDN 1 Kebonadem in the 2020/2021 academic year. This research method uses classroom action research. The subjects of this study were the fifth grade students, totaling 25 students. This research instrument uses observation, tests, and documentation. While the data analysis technique used descriptive analysis. The results of this study indicate that there is an increase in learning outcomes for Theme 9 by using a discovery learning model assisted by interactive media for the fifth grade students of SDN 1 Kebonadem. This can be seen from the increase in the average student learning outcomes from the initial condition which was only 61 with 16% complete learning outcomes, an increase in the first cycle of 69 with 60% learning outcomes, increasing again in the second cycle with average learning outcomes. by 72 with 72% completeness learning outcomes and in the third cycle the average student learning outcomes increased again by 82 with 88% complete learning outcomes. So that the performance indicator, namely complete learning can be achieved.
Analysis of Eyelid Blink Characteristics in Patients with Ptosis Using a Smartphone Camera
Authors: Joo Taesung , Joo Jin-Ho , Park In-Ki , Shin Jae-Ho
Published: July 2021

Purpose: To compare eyelid blink characteristics between patients with ptosis and healthy controls using a smartphone camera. Methods: The ptosis group consisted of 20 senile aponeurotic ptosis patients with margin reflex distance1 ≤2.5 mm and the control group consisted of 10 healthy subjects without ptosis. The ptosis group was further divided into two groups based on an age cutoff of 70 years. Palpebral fissure height, levator function, margin reflex distance1, inter-blink interval, blink duration, blink rate, and blink velocity were measured and compared between the three groups based on photographs of the eyelids and videos of blinking taken with a smartphone camera. Results: The palpebral fissure height, levator function, margin reflex distance1, and blink velocity were lower in the ptosis groups than in the control group but these values did not differ between the two ptosis groups. The palpebral fissure height, levator function, and margin reflex distance1 were correlated with blink velocity. In the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of blink velocity, the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve value was as high as 0.969 and the cut-off value was 32.36 mm/s. Conclusions: It is possible to analyze eyelid blink characteristics using a smartphone camera and the results confirmed that palpebral fissure height, levator function, margin reflex distance1, and blink velocity were lower in the senile aponeurotic ptosis group than in the healthy control group and were unaffected by age. Additionally, blink velocity is valuable for diagnosis of ptosis due to the correlation between the degree of ptosis, blink velocity, and the ROC curve of blink velocity.
Effect of 0.15% Preservative-free Sodium Hyaluronate on Dry Eye Disease after Femtosecond Laser-assisted Cataract Surgery
Authors: Kim Tae Hwan , Chung Byunghoon , Kim Kang Yoon , Jun Ikhyun , Seo Kyoung Yul , Kim Eung Kweon , Kim Tae-im
Published: July 2021

Purpose: The efficacy of using preservative-free 0.15% sodium hyaluronate eyedrops for dry eye disease after femtosecond laser- assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) was evaluated. Methods: This prospective randomized study was conducted on patients with dry eye who were scheduled for FLACS among those with Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society Dry Eye Workshop II Dry Eye Levels 1 and 2. In total, 37 eyes scheduled for FLACS were randomized to the treatment group (n = 19) or control group (n = 18). Corneal and conjunctival fluorescein staining (CFS), tear breakup time (TBUT), Schirmer I test (SIT) value, ocular surface disease index (OSDI), meibomian gland evaluation result, and lipid layer thickness were evaluated for all patients, preoperatively and at 1 and 3 months postoperatively. Results: In the treatment group, the OSDI and CFS scores were significantly lower at 3 months postoperatively than at baseline, but the TBUT and SIT values were significantly increased. In the control group, TBUT was significantly shorter at 3 months postoperatively than at baseline, SIT values were significantly decreased at 1 and 3 months postoperatively compared with the baseline, and meibum quality was significantly aggravated at 1 month postoperatively compared with the baseline. In the treatment group, OSDI improved significantly from baseline at 1 and 3 months. TBUT increased significantly in the treatment group at postoperative 3 months. Meibomian gland quality showed clinically better results in the treatment group than in the control group at postoperative 3 months. There were no significant differences in corneal and CFS, lipid layer thickness, and other dry eye disease parameters between the treatment and control groups. Conclusions: Preservative-free 0.15% sodium hyaluronate eyedrops were effective for improving dry eye symptoms and tear film stability after FLACS.
Effect of Anti-vascular Endothelial Growth Factor on the Matrix Metalloproteinase Activity in Trabecular Meshwork Cells
Authors: Park Hyeon Jin , Shin Jeong Wook , Kim Jae Woo
Published: July 2021

Purpose: To investigate the effects of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) on the activity of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) in human trabecular meshwork cells (HTMC). Methods: Primary HTMC cultures were exposed to 0, 0.25, and 0.50 mg/mL anti-VEGF bevacizumab (BV) for 24 hours. The permeability through the trabecular meshwork cell monolayer was assessed using carboxyfluorescein and trans-epithelial endothelial electrical resistance (TEER). The levels of MMP-1/-2 were measured by Western blotting and the production of nitric oxide (NO) was assessed with the Griess assay. Results: Bevacizumab at 0.50 mg/mL decreased the permeability of carboxyfluorescein significantly (p = 0.017) and did not affect TEER (p = 0.308). Administration of 0.50 mg/mL BV decreased MMP-1 and MMP-2 activities (p = 0.014, p = 0.016, respectively) and inhibited NO production significantly (p = 0.023). Conclusions: Anti-VEGF decreased the permeability through the HTMC monolayer, which was accompanied by decreased MMP-1/-2 activity and limited NO production.
Koruyucu Sağlık Hizmetlerinin Sunumunda Sosyal Hizmet Mesleğinin Önemi
Authors: Gençer Çiğdem , Er Filiz , Barut Berçem , Kara Yunus
Published: July 2021

Birinci basamakta sunulan sağlık hizmetleri, koruyucu, önleyici ve tedavi edici hizmetler açısından büyük önem taşımaktadır. Koruyucu sağlık hizmetleri sunan birinci basamak sağlık hizmetleri, insan ve toplum sağlığını etkileyen fiziksel ya da ruhsal hastalıklar oluşmadan evvel önleyici amaçlı verilen hizmetleri açıklamaktadır. Birinci basamak sağlık hizmetleri, toplumun tüm kesimlerine hizmet sunması açısından önemli olup, sağlık hizmetlerinin gerçekleştirilebilmesinde sosyal hizmet mesleği için kritik bir konumdadır. Ayrıca makro düzeydeki sosyal hizmet müdahalelerinin toplumsal sorunların analiz edilmesi ve bu sorunlara yönelik çözümler geliştirmesi, birinci basamak sağlık hizmetlerinin sunumu ile paralellik göstermektedir. Bu çalışmanın ilk amacı Türkiye’de topluma yönelik birinci basamak sağlık hizmetleri sunan toplum sağlığı merkezlerinin incelenmesi ve ilgili alandaki çalışmaların derlenmesidir. İkinci amaç ise, sağlık alanında toplumla çalışan sosyal hizmet uzmanının rollerinin ve işlevlerinin tanımlanması ve konuyla ilgili politika önerilerine yer verilmesidir. Çalışma kapsamındaki politika önerileri; özellikle sağlık kurumlarında ve yasalarında, toplum sağlığı alanında çalışan sosyal hizmet uzmanlarının rol ve sorumluluklarının açık ve detaylı bir şekilde belirtilmesi, toplum sağlığı merkezlerindeki müdahalelerin ve uygulamaların, makro sosyal hizmet uygulamaları dikkate alınarak gerçekleştirilmesi ve bahsi geçen merkezlerin sayısının artırılarak, bu merkezlerde disiplinler arası çalışmalara önem verilmesi şeklindedir.
DİJİTALLEŞEN ÇAĞDA VE TOPLUMDA DEĞİŞEN İHTİYAÇLAR VE SORUNLAR: E-SOSYAL HİZMET (SOSYAL HİZMET 2.0) GEREKSİNİMİ
Authors: Gencer Tahir Emre , Aktan Mehmet Can
Published: July 2021

Yaşadığımız çağ, insanlığın geçmiş dönemlerine oranla değişimin ve dönüşümün hızlandığı hatta bazen kontrol dahi edilemediği bir durum almıştır. Günümüz toplumlarındaki bu ivmeli değişime ve dönüşüme yön veren faktörlere bakıldığında ise teknoloji ile dijitalleşme kavramlarının ilk sıralarda yer aldığı görülmektedir. Bu süreç aynı zamanda yapısal mekanizmaları, gündelik yaşamı, toplumsal özellikleri ve normları da önemli ölçüde etkilemektedir. Bir başka deyişle toplumun dijitalleşmesiyle birlikte duygularımız, düşüncelerimiz, davranışlarımız, alışkanlıklarımız, ilişki biçimlerimiz, ihtiyaçlarımız, sorunlarımız, hizmet sunumlarımız ve beklentilerimiz vb. pek çok hayati kavram da yeniden yapılanmaktadır. Dijital dönüşümün toplum, insan ve yaşam üzerinden inşa ettiği bu yeni dijital toplum düzeni; diğer meslek ve disiplinlerde olduğu gibi insanı, çevresini ve toplumu odağına alan sosyal hizmetin müdahale tekniklerinde, yaklaşımlarında ve hizmet sunumlarında da birtakım değişim, dönüşüm ve yeni bakış açılarının geliştirilmesi ihtiyacı doğurmuştur. Bu noktada planlı müdahale sürecinde de yer aldığı üzere öncelikle dijital topluma ilişkin bir tanışma ve ön değerlendirme süreci gerekmektedir. Bu çalışma, bilgi çağında, toplumun ve yaşamın dijitalleşmesiyle birlikte ortaya çıkan yeni ihtiyaçlara, farklılaşan sorunlara ve çalışma alanlarındaki değişime cevap verebilmek için sosyal hizmetin dijital toplumdaki rol ve sorumluluklarına dikkat çekmektedir. Ayrıca sosyal hizmet uzmanlarının ve sosyal bilimcilerin, yeni toplum biçimi dijital toplum hakkında bir perspektif edinmelerini amaçlamaktadır.
Disseminated Phaeohyphomycotic Lymphadenitis with Cladophialophora Species
Authors: Moin Safia , Mahmood Faisal , Farooqi Joveria , Naqvi Faheem , Idress Romana , Jabeen Kauser , Zafar Afia
Published: July 2021

Objective: This study describes a case of disseminated phaeohyphomycotic lymphadenitis in a young female with delayed diagnosis and good clinical response after appropriate treatment.
Methods: A 32-year-old female presented with erythematous to violaceous papules with oozing discharge bilaterally in her inguinal region for a few months. History revealed tuberculous meningitis 4 years earlier treated with first line anti-tuberculous therapy for 18 months, and 2 years previously she developed pigmented discharging lymph nodes bilaterally in her axillae. The histopathology of the biopsy of the axillary nodes showed chronic granulomatous inflammation with multiple branching septate fungal hyphae. She received amphotericin B for 21 days but without improvement. Biopsy from the inguinal lesions was sent for histopathology and culture.
Results: Histopathology of the biopsy material showed chronic granulomatous inflammatory process with multinucleate giant cells, epithelioid cells, histiocytes, and lymphocytes with multiple branching septate fungal hyphae. Gram stain revealed moderate septate hyphae with numerous pus cells. Culture on Sabouraud dextrose agar yielded velvety olive–black colonies in the fourth week. Microscopic slide examination of culture material was suggestive of Cladophialophora species. The patient was started on voriconazole, which was continued for 6 months, and showed clinical improvement.
Conclusion: Incomplete investigation of infectious lesions may delay diagnosis. Furthermore, clinical presentations are greatly influenced by the immune status of the host. Both histopathological and microbiological assessments are equally important for making a conclusive diagnosis. Anti-fungal therapy may delay the growth of fungi that normally grow within a week; thus, a longer incubation time may be warranted for fungal smear-positive samples.
El fenómeno José María García: publicidad de radio deportiva española en prensa (1972-1981)
Authors: García-Gil Samuel , Berdón-Prieto Pablo
Published: July 2021

Entre 1972 y 1981, José María García consiguió un éxito rompedor en la Cadena SER. Su periodismo deportivo de investigación y denuncia y su estilo polémico le otorgaron grandes audiencias, ingresos publicitarios y repercusión, hasta ser todo un «fenómeno García» (Díaz, 1995: 346; Alcoba, 2005: 170) e incluso «el periodista más famoso de España» (Ferrer, 2016: 101). Esta investigación analiza cómo esta popularidad se reflejaba en la publicidad costeada por la SER en la prensa diaria generalista, y si la «marca García» suponía diferencias en la estrategia publicitaria de esa emisora con respecto a otras ofertas. Para ello, se ha efectuado una selección de 85 anuncios de cinco radios (SER, RNE, RCE, Radio Intercontinental y Radio España de Madrid) en Diario 16 y ABC, a los que se ha aplicado una ficha de análisis denotativo, connotativo y estratégico, seguida de un enfoque cualitativo sobre las particularidades de cada radio. Los resultados señalan que, si bien el personalismo también fue utilizado por otras cadenas, en particular las privadas, la imagen de García fue utilizada por la SER, como reclamo en calidad de «estrella radiofónica», aunque con un protagonismo mayor para promocionar sus programas regulares que en las retransmisiones de partidos.
Guía Marca: cambio y regularidades en un cuarto de siglo (1995-2020)
Authors: Chenovart González Jorge
Published: July 2021

El presente artículo de investigación analiza la trayectoria de la publicación anual Guía Marca de la Liga de Fútbol Profesional durante sus veinticinco años de edición. Con el objetivo de comprender cuáles han sido los cambios esenciales que la han convertido en un icono informativo, se ha estudiado desde vertientes cuantitativas y cualitativas, las diferentes etapas de producción a través de los contenidos que han adquirido protagonismo: aspectos formales como portadas, titulares y paginado. Así como análisis informativo de las diferentes secciones: estudios estadísticos, fútbol profesional y categorías inferiores, selecciones nacionales y fútbol femenino. A raíz del éxito en sus primeros años, se convirtió en la guía deportiva por excelencia, hecho que la mantiene hasta la actualidad, adaptándose a las posibilidades que ofrece el papel. En el ámbito de la documentación futbolística, pocas publicaciones mantienen un ejemplar que ofrezca más de cuatrocientas páginas cada año y en formato papel, hecho trascendental en el actual contexto digital, que la sitúa como un referente periodístico y divulgativo.
La segunda generación de teen series: programas estadounidenses, británicos y españoles de los 2000-2010
Authors: Fedele Maddalena
Published: July 2021

Las teen series son un producto mediático en torno a la cultura juvenil, al mismo tiempo que representan el prototipo de ficción seriada preferido por la audiencia adolescente. Este artículo presenta los resultados de un estudio sobre 50 teen series contemporáneas, producidas en Estados Unidos, Reino Unido y España. A través de una aproximación cualitativa y una metodología mixta, el estudio dibuja las características fundamentales del formato de la segunda generación de teen series. Como las producciones de la primera generación de los años noventa, las teen series actuales siguen siendo programas estrella del prime-time y se siguen centrando en personajes y temáticas adolescentes. Pero, a diferencia de las de la primera generación, las teen series de la segunda generación suelen ofrecer representaciones juveniles más diversas y variadas, proporcionando modelos identitarios basados en la aceptación de uno mismo, se abren a un público joven y joven-adulto, y recurren a estrategias narrativas y estéticas propias de la actual etapa meta-televisiva y de la llamada tercera edad de oro de la televisión, configurándose como producciones populares de calidad.
The "noncausal causality" of quantum information
Authors: Penchev Vasil
Published: July 2021

The paper is concentrated on the special changes of the conception of causality from quantum mechanics to quantum information, meaning as a background the revolution implemented by the former to classical physics and science after Max Born’s probabilistic reinterpretation of wave function: (1) quantum information describes the general case of the relation of wave functions; (2) it keeps the physical description to be causal by the conservation of quantum information; (3) it introduces inverse causality, “backwards in time”; (4) it involves a kind of “bidirectional causality” unifying (4.1) the classical determinism of cause and effect, (4.2) the probabilistic causality of quantum mechanics, and (4.3) the reversibility of any coherent state; (5) it identifies determinism with the function successor in Peano arithmetic, and its proper generalized causality with the information function successor in Hilbert arithmetic.
Squash Varieties Domesticated for Different Purposes Differ in Chemical and Physical Defense Against Leaf and Root Herbivores
Authors: Jaccard Charlyne , Cuny Maximilien A. C. , Bustos-Segura Carlos , Arce Carla C. M. , Giollo Lorenzo , Glauser Gaetan , Benrey Betty
Published: July 2021

Plant domestication often reduces plant defenses by selection on chemical and physical defense traits. Thus, it is expected that herbivorous insects perform better on crop varieties than on their wild relatives. However, recent studies show that this pattern is not ubiquitous. We examined how varieties of squash (Cucurbita spp.) domesticated for different purposes (for consumption or as ornamentals), differ in plant defense traits and in their interactions with a leaf and a root herbivore. Two types of defenses were measured: cucurbitacins, which are toxic phytochemicals, and trichomes that are physical barriers for most herbivores. We addressed the following questions: (i) what is the variation in cucurbitacin content and leaf trichome density among varieties? (ii) does purpose of domestication explain differences in defense traits among varieties? and (iii) are herbivore feeding preferences and performance altered by the defense traits of squash varieties? We found great variation in cucurbitacin content among varieties, but not according to their purpose of domestication. Cucurbitacins were found mostly in cotyledons and roots and in very small quantities in the leaves. In contrast, trichome density was greater on the varieties selected for consumption than on the ornamental varieties. The performance of a leaf herbivore (Spodoptera latifascia) and a root herbivore (Diabrotica balteata), was not different among squash varieties. Moreover, in a choice experiment, larvae of the root herbivore preferred to feed on squash varieties with high cucurbitacin content. Whereas, in the field, native leaf herbivores preferred to feed on varieties selected for consumption. Our results contribute to a better understanding on how varietal selection may differentially affect plant defenses. This knowledge could help in the development of crop varieties with enhanced insect resistance.
Self-Assembled Nanogels Based on Ionic Gelation of Natural Polysaccharides for Drug Delivery
Authors: Wang Huimin , Deng Hong , Gao Menghan , Zhang Weiqi
Published: July 2021

The polysaccharides (PS) have been widely used as biomaterials in drug delivery, due to their excellent biocompatibility, ease of functionalization, and intrinsic biological activities. Among the various PS-based biomaterials, the self-assembled PS nanogels (NG) featuring facile preparation are attracting evergrowing interests in various biomedical applications. Specifically, NG derived from the self-assembly of natural PS well maintain both the physicochemical and biological properties of PS while avoiding the chemical modification or alteration of PS structure, representing a potent drug delivery system for various therapeutic agents. In this review, the natural PS, such as chitosan, alginate, and hyaluronan, for self-assembled NG construction and their advantages in the applications of drug delivery have been summarized. The residues, such as amine, carboxyl, and hydroxyl groups, on these PS provide multiple sites for both ionic cross-linking and metal coordination, which greatly contribute to the formation of self-assembled NG as well as the drug loading, thus enabling a wide biomedical application of PS NG, especially for drug delivery. Future developments and considerations in the clinical translation of these self-assembled PS NG have also been discussed.
Knockdown of Circular RNA hsa_circ_PVT1 Inhibited Laryngeal Cancer Progression via Preventing wnt4/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway Activation
Authors: Yu Feng , Lin Ying , Ai Mao-Mao , Tan Guo-Jie , Huang Jia-Li , Zou Zi-Rou
Published: July 2021

Aim

To explore the function and mechanism of circular has_circ_PVT1 on laryngeal cancer (LC).

Methods

Microarray chip was performed to screen the differential expression of circRNA. Western blot and qRT-PCR was employed to detect the protein and mRNA level. CCK-8, clone formation, cell cycle, wound healing, and Transwell assay were performed to detect the cell proliferation, migration, and invasion ability. Luciferase assay and Fish were used to confirm the relationship between circ_PVT1/CBX4 and miR-21-5p. Flow cytometry and TUNEL assay were carried out to assess the apoptosis level.

Results

The upregulation of circ_PVT1 was found in LC tissues and cells. Silencing of circ_PVT1 inhibited LC progression via targeting miR-21-5p and indirectly controlling CBX4. Wnt4/β-catenin signal pathway was inactivated by inhibiting the expression of circ_PVT1.

Conclusion

Knockdown of circ_PVT1 prevented LC progression via targeting miR-21-5p/CBX4 by inhibiting wnt4/β-catenin signal pathway, which could provide a novel therapeutic target for LC.
Classification of Osteosarcoma Based on Immunogenomic Profiling
Authors: Wang Xinwen , Wang Liangming , Xu Weifeng , Wang Xinwu , Ke Dianshan , Lin Jinluan , Lin Wanzun , Bai Xiaochun
Published: July 2021

Accumulating evidence has supported that osteosarcoma is heterogeneous, and several subtypes have been identified based on genomic profiling. Immunotherapy is revolutionizing cancer treatment and is a promising therapeutic strategy. In contrast, few studies have identified osteosarcoma classification based on immune biosignatures, which offer the optimal stratification of individuals befitting immunotherapy. Here, we classified osteosarcoma into two clusters: immunity high and immunity low using the single-sample gene-set enrichment analysis and unsupervised hierarchical clustering. Immunity_H subtype was associated with high immune cells infiltration, a favorable prognosis, benefit to immunotherapy, high human leukocyte antigen gene expression, and activated immune signal pathway indicating an immune-hot phenotype. On the contrary, the Immunity_L subtype was correlated with low immune cell infiltration, poor prognosis, and cancer-related pathway, indicating an immune-cold phenotype. We also identified TYROBP as a key immunoregulatory gene associated with CD8+ T cell infiltration by multiplex immunohistochemistry. Finally, we established an immune-related prognostic model that predicted the survival time of osteosarcoma. In conclusion, we established a new classification system of osteosarcoma based on immune signatures and identified TYROBP as a key immunoregulatory gene. This stratification had significant clinical outcomes for estimating prognosis, as well as the immunotherapy of osteosarcoma patients.
Persistency of Mesenchymal Stromal/Stem Cells in Lungs
Authors: Ferrini Erica , Stellari Fabio Franco , Franceschi Valentina , Macchi Francesca , Russo Luca , Murgia Alba , Grisendi Giulia , Villetti Gino , Dominici Massimo , Donofrio Gaetano
Published: July 2021

Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) are a fibroblast-like cell population with high regenerative potential that can be isolated from many different tissues. Several data suggest MSCs as a therapeutic tool capable of migrating to a site of injury and guide tissue regeneration mainly through their secretome. Pulmonary first-pass effect occurs during intravenous administration of MSCs, where 50 to 80% of the cells tend to localize in the lungs. This phenomenon has been exploited to study MSC potential therapeutic effects in several preclinical models of lung diseases. Data demonstrated that, regardless of the lung disease severity and the delivery route, MSCs were not able to survive longer than 24 h in the respiratory tract but still surprisingly determined a therapeutic effect. In this work, two different mouse bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal/stem cell (mBM-MSC) lines, stably transduced with a third-generation lentiviral vector expressing luciferase and green fluorescent protein reporter genes tracking MSCs in vivo biodistribution and persistency, have been generated. Cells within the engrafted lung were in vivo traced using the high-throughput bioluminescence imaging (BLI) technique, with no invasiveness on animal, minimizing biological variations and costs. In vivo BLI analysis allowed the detection and monitoring of the mBM-MSC clones up to 28 days after implantation independently from the delivery route. This longer persistency than previously observed (24 h) could have a strong impact in terms of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of MSCs as a therapeutic tool.
Characterization of an Enterococcus faecalis Bacteriophage vB_EfaM_LG1 and Its Synergistic Effect With Antibiotic
Authors: Song Min , Wu Dongmei , Hu Yang , Luo Haiyan , Li Gongbo
Published: July 2021

Enterococcus faecalis is a Gram-positive opportunistic pathogen that could cause pneumonia and bacteremia in stroke patients. The development of antibiotic resistance in hospital-associated E. faecalis is a formidable public health threat. Bacteriophage therapy is a renewed solution to treat antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. However, bacteria can acquire phage resistance quite quickly, which is a significant barrier to phage therapy. Here, we characterized a lytic E. faecalis bacteriophage Vb_EfaM_LG1 with lytic activity. Its genome did not contain antibiotic resistance or virulence genes. Vb_EfaM_LG1 effectively inhibits E. faecalis growth for a short period, and phage resistance developed within hours. However, the combination of antibiotics and phage has a tremendous synergistic effect against E. faecalis, prevents the development of phage resistance, and disrupts the biofilm efficiently. Our results show that the phage-antibiotic combination has better killing efficiency against E. faecalis.
The Role of Metabolism in Heart Failure and Regeneration
Authors: Bae Jiyoung , Paltzer Wyatt G. , Mahmoud Ahmed I.
Published: July 2021

Heart failure is the leading cause of death worldwide. The inability of the adult mammalian heart to regenerate following injury results in the development of systolic heart failure. Thus, identifying novel approaches toward regenerating the adult heart has enormous therapeutic potential for adult heart failure. Mitochondrial metabolism is an essential homeostatic process for maintaining growth and survival. The emerging role of mitochondrial metabolism in controlling cell fate and function is beginning to be appreciated. Recent evidence suggests that metabolism controls biological processes including cell proliferation and differentiation, which has profound implications during development and regeneration. The regenerative potential of the mammalian heart is lost by the first week of postnatal development when cardiomyocytes exit the cell cycle and become terminally differentiated. This inability to regenerate following injury is correlated with the metabolic shift from glycolysis to fatty acid oxidation that occurs during heart maturation in the postnatal heart. Thus, understanding the mechanisms that regulate cardiac metabolism is key to unlocking metabolic interventions during development, disease, and regeneration. In this review, we will focus on the emerging role of metabolism in cardiac development and regeneration and discuss the potential of targeting metabolism for treatment of heart failure.
Precision Medicine Enables More TNM-Like Staging in Patients With Chronic Limb Threatening Ischemia
Authors: McGinigle Katharine L. , Freeman Nikki L. B. , Marston William A. , Farber Alik , Conte Michael S. , Kosorok Michael R. , Kalbaugh Corey A.
Published: July 2021

Introduction: In cancer, there are survival-based staging systems and tailored, stage-based treatments. There is little personalized treatment in vascular disease. The 2019 Global Vascular Guidelines on the Management of CLTI proposed successful treatment hinges upon Patient risk, Limb severity, and ANatomic complexity (PLAN). We sought to confirm a three axis approach and define how increasing severity affects mortality, not just limb loss.

Methods: Patients revascularized for incident CLTI at our institution from 2013 to 2017 were included. Outcomes were mortality, limb loss, the composite endpoint of amputation-free survival. Using Bayesian machine learning, specifically supervised topic modeling, clusters of patient features associated with mortality were formed after controlling for revascularization type. Patients were assigned to the cluster they belonged to with highest probability; clusters were characterized by analyzing the characteristics of patients within them. Patient outcomes were used to order the clusters into stages with increasing mortality.

Results: We defined three distinct clusters as the basis for patient- and limb-centered stages. Across stages, rates of 1-year mortality were 7.6, 13.8, 18.9% and rates of amputation-free survival were 84.8, 79.3, and 63.2%. Stage one had patients with rest pain and previous revascularization who were less likely to have wounds, diabetes, and renal disease. Stage two had doubled mortality, likely related to diabetes prevalence. Stage three is characterized by high rates of complicated comorbidities, particularly end stage renal disease, and significantly higher rate of limb loss (22.6 vs. 8% in stages one and two).

Conclusion: Using precision medicine, we have demonstrated clustering of CLTI patients that can be used toward a robust staging system. We provide empiric evidence for PLAN and detail about how changes in each variable affect survival and amputation-free survival.
An Integrated Deep Network for Cancer Survival Prediction Using Omics Data
Authors: Hassanzadeh Hamid Reza , Wang May D.
Published: July 2021

As a highly sophisticated disease that humanity faces, cancer is known to be associated with dysregulation of cellular mechanisms in different levels, which demands novel paradigms to capture informative features from different omics modalities in an integrated way. Successful stratification of patients with respect to their molecular profiles is a key step in precision medicine and in tailoring personalized treatment for critically ill patients. In this article, we use an integrated deep belief network to differentiate high-risk cancer patients from the low-risk ones in terms of the overall survival. Our study analyzes RNA, miRNA, and methylation molecular data modalities from both labeled and unlabeled samples to predict cancer survival and subsequently to provide risk stratification. To assess the robustness of our novel integrative analytics, we utilize datasets of three cancer types with 836 patients and show that our approach outperforms the most successful supervised and semi-supervised classification techniques applied to the same cancer prediction problems. In addition, despite the preconception that deep learning techniques require large size datasets for proper training, we have illustrated that our model can achieve better results for moderately sized cancer datasets.
Perceptions of Public University Students Towards Online Classes During COVID-19 Pandemic in Bangladesh
Authors: Sarkar Shyam Sundar , Das Pranta , Rahman Mohammad Mahbubur , Zobaer M S
Published: July 2021

The disease outbreak COVID-19 pandemic impacted public health and safety and the educational systems worldwide. For fear of the further spread of diseases, most educational institutions, including Bangladesh, have postponed their face-to-face teaching. Therefore, this study explores public university student’s perceptions towards online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. Data had collected among students of Islamic University, Kushtia, Bangladesh, through an online survey. The study followed a quantitative approach, where the survey technique was used as an instrument of data collection. Results showed that most students faced difficulty participating in virtual classes and could not communicate with their friends correctly during online classes. Thus, they faced challenges in online schooling, and the majority of the students preferred conventional types of learning to virtual classes and did not understand the content of virtual classes easily. The study also explored that most students did not feel comfortable in online classes. Still, considering the present pandemic situation, they decided to participate in online classes to continue schooling. Besides, the study discovered that female students showed a better view than male students regarding online classes, and urban students have more positive appreciation than rural students. Furthermore, laptop or personal computer users showed more positive perceptions towards online education than mobile users. Moreover, Broadband/Wi-Fi users have more positive perceptions than mobile network users. These findings would be an essential guideline for governments, policymakers, technology developers, and university authorities for making better policy choices in the future.
Role of Hydrogen Sulfide in the Endocrine System
Authors: Chen Hao-Jie , Ngowi Ebenezeri Erasto , Qian Lei , Li Tao , Qin Yang-Zhe , Zhou Jing-Jing , Li Ke , Ji Xin-Ying , Wu Dong-Dong
Published: July 2021

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), as one of the three known gaseous signal transduction molecules in organisms, has attracted a surging amount of attention. H2S is involved in a variety of physiological and pathological processes in the body, such as dilating blood vessels (regulating blood pressure), protecting tissue from ischemia-reperfusion injury, anti-inflammation, carcinogenesis, or inhibition of cancer, as well as acting on the hypothalamus and pancreas to regulate hormonal metabolism. The change of H2S concentration is related to a variety of endocrine disorders, and the change of hormone concentration also affects the synthesis of H2S. Understanding the effect of biosynthesis and the concentration of H2S on the endocrine system is useful to develop drugs for the treatment of hypertension, diabetes, and other diseases.
Added Value of Vaisala AQT530 Sensors as a Part of a Sensor Network for Comprehensive Air Quality Monitoring
Authors: Petäjä Tuukka , Ovaska Aino , Fung Pak Lun , Poutanen Pyry , Yli-Ojanperä Jaakko , Suikkola Jari , Laakso Mikko , Mäkelä Taneli , Niemi Jarkko V. , Keskinen Jorma , Järvinen Anssi , Kuula Joel , Kurppa Mona , Hussein Tareq , Tarkoma Sasu , Kulmala Markku , Karppinen Ari , Manninen Hanna E. , Timonen Hilkka
Published: July 2021

Poor air quality influences the quality of life in the urban environment. The regulatory observation stations provide the backbone for the city administration to monitor urban air quality. Recently a suite of cost-effective air quality sensors has emerged to provide novel insights into the spatio-temporal variability of aerosol particles and trace gases. Particularly in low concentrations these sensors might suffer from issues related e.g., to high detection limits, concentration drifts and interdependency between the observed trace gases and environmental parameters. In this study we characterize the optical particle detector used in AQT530 (Vaisala Ltd.) air quality sensor in the laboratory. We perform a measurement campaign with a network of AQT530 sensors in Helsinki, Finland in 2020–2021 and present a long-term performance evaluation of five sensors for particulate (PM10, PM2.5) and gaseous (NO2, NO, CO, O3) components during a half-year co-location study with reference instruments at an urban traffic site. Furthermore, short-term (3–5 weeks) co-location tests were performed for 25 sensors to provide sensor-specific correction equations for the fine-tuning of selected pollutants in the sensor network. We showcase the added value of the verified network of 25 sensor units to address the spatial variability of trace gases and aerosol mass concentrations in an urban environment. The analysis assesses road and harbor traffic monitoring, local construction dust monitoring, aerosol concentrations from fireworks, impact of sub-urban small scale wood combustion and detection of long-range transport episodes on a city scale. Our analysis illustrates that the calibrated network of Vaisala AQT530 air quality sensors provide new insights into the spatio-temporal variability of air pollution within the city. This information is beneficial to, for example, optimization of road dust and construction dust emission control as well as provides data to tackle air quality problems arising from traffic exhaust and localized wood combustion emissions in the residential areas.
Thymic Involution and Altered Naive CD4 T Cell Homeostasis in Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Chang Haoxiao , Cong Hengri , Wang Huabing , Du Li , Tian De-Cai , Ma Yuetao , Xu Yun , Wang Yupeng , Yin Linlin , Zhang Xinghu
Published: July 2021

Circulating T helper cells with a type 17-polarized phenotype (TH17) and expansion of aquaporin-4 (AQP4)-specific T cells are frequently observed in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). However, naive T cell populations, which give rise to T helper cells, and the primary site of T cell maturation, namely the thymus, have not been studied in these patients. Here, we report the alterations of naive CD4 T cell homeostasis and the changes in thymic characteristics in NMOSD patients. Flow cytometry was performed to investigate the naive CD4+ T cell subpopulations in 44 NMOSD patients and 21 healthy controls (HC). On immunological evaluation, NMOSD patients exhibited increased counts of CD31+thymic naive CD4+ T cells and CD31-cental naive CD4+ T cells along with significantly higher fraction and absolute counts of peripheral blood CD45RA+ CD62L+ naive CD4+ T cells. Chest computed tomography (CT) images of 60 NMOSD patients and 65 HCs were retrospectively reviewed to characterize the thymus in NMOSD. Thymus gland of NMOSD patients exhibited unique morphological characteristics with respect to size, shape, and density. NMOSD patients showed exacerbated age-dependent thymus involution than HC, which showed a significant association with disease duration. These findings broaden our understanding of the immunological mechanisms that drive severe disease in NMOSD.
Proteo-Genomic Analysis Identifies Two Major Sites of Vulnerability on Ebolavirus Glycoprotein for Neutralizing Antibodies in Convalescent Human Plasma
Authors: Gilchuk Pavlo , Guthals Adrian , Bonissone Stefano R. , Shaw Jared B. , Ilinykh Philipp A. , Huang Kai , Bombardi Robin G. , Liang Jenny , Grinyo Ariadna , Davidson Edgar , Chen Elaine C. , Gunn Bronwyn M. , Alter Galit , Saphire Erica Ollmann , Doranz Benjamin J. , Bukreyev Alexander , Zeitlin Larry , Castellana Natalie , Crowe James E.
Published: July 2021

Three clinically relevant ebolaviruses – Ebola (EBOV), Bundibugyo (BDBV), and Sudan (SUDV) viruses, are responsible for severe disease and occasional deadly outbreaks in Africa. The largest Ebola virus disease (EVD) epidemic to date in 2013-2016 in West Africa highlighted the urgent need for countermeasures, leading to the development and FDA approval of the Ebola virus vaccine rVSV-ZEBOV (Ervebo®) in 2020 and two monoclonal antibody (mAb)-based therapeutics (Inmazeb® [atoltivimab, maftivimab, and odesivimab-ebgn] and Ebanga® (ansuvimab-zykl) in 2020. The humoral response plays an indispensable role in ebolavirus immunity, based on studies of mAbs isolated from the antibody genes in peripheral blood circulating ebolavirus-specific human memory B cells. However, antibodies in the body are not secreted by circulating memory B cells in the blood but rather principally by plasma cells in the bone marrow. Little is known about the protective polyclonal antibody responses in convalescent plasma. Here we exploited both single-cell antibody gene sequencing and proteomic sequencing approaches to assess the composition of the ebolavirus glycoprotein (GP)-reactive antibody repertoire in the plasma of an EVD survivor. We first identified 1,512 GP-specific mAb variable gene sequences from single cells in the memory B cell compartment. Using mass spectrometric analysis of the corresponding GP-specific plasma IgG, we found that only a portion of the large B cell antibody repertoire was represented in the plasma. Molecular and functional analysis of proteomics-identified mAbs revealed recognition of epitopes in three major antigenic sites - the GP head domain, the glycan cap, and the base region, with a high prevalence of neutralizing and protective mAb specificities that targeted the base and glycan cap regions on the GP. Polyclonal plasma antibodies from the survivor reacted broadly to EBOV, BDBV, and SUDV GP, while reactivity of the potently neutralizing mAbs we identified was limited mostly to the homologous EBOV GP. Together these results reveal a restricted diversity of neutralizing humoral response in which mAbs targeting two antigenic sites on GP – glycan cap and base – play a principal role in plasma-antibody-mediated protective immunity against EVD.
Nontuberculous Mycobacteria in Humans, Animals, and Water in Zambia: A Systematic Review
Authors: Zulu Mildred , Monde Ngula , Nkhoma Panji , Malama Sydney , Munyeme Musso
Published: July 2021

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are environmental opportunistic pathogens of humans and animals that are emerging with a serious public health impact particularly in individuals with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndromes. Recent scientific evidence is shifting from NTMs being known as traditional environmental organisms to serious pathogenic organisms in both animals and humans. In humans, factors attributable to this rise have been linked mainly to Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome pandemic. In recent years there has been an increase in multidrug resistant Tuberculosis in Zambia and it is thought that NTMs could possibly be the cause. This study was therefore formulated to review available information on the prevalence of NTM in humans, animals and the environment, species distribution, zoonotic potential and public health importance in Zambia. This review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. A literature search was done in PubMed and Google scholar using predefined search terms such as ‘nontuberculous mycobacteria’, ‘atypical mycobacteria’, ‘mycobacteria other than mycobacterium tuberculosis’ and ‘Zambia’, in combination with Boolean operators (AND, OR). This particular systematic review draws findings based on literature search between 2000 and 2020. Through literature search 243 papers were identified, 23 duplicates were identified and removed and 206 articles were excluded as they did not meet the inclusion criteria. The full text of the remaining 14 articles were considered for this review. The overall prevalence of NTM in humans was 24.39%, in water 21.5%, in animals 16.05% of which the prevalence in cattle was 14.81% and Kafue Lechwe 1.23%. Mycobacterium intracellulare was the most common isolated nontuberculous mycobacteria in humans and cattle while Mycobacterium gordonae was the most common in water, and Mycobacterium stomatepiae sp Nov in Kafue Lechwe. Nontuberculous mycobacteria are an emerging public health threat in Zambia both in humans and animals and this calls for the need for molecular information on the zoonotic transmission of nontuberculous mycobacteria. Increased awareness of nontuberculous mycobacteria diseases among clinicians and laboratory personnel is crucial for patient management and an essential step for facilitating the identification of nontuberculous mycobacteria species in laboratories.
Geographical and Epidemiological Characteristics of Sporadic Coronavirus Disease 2019 Outbreaks From June to December 2020 in China: An Overview of Environment-To-Human Transmission Events
Authors: Feng Maohui , Ling Qiong , Xiong Jun , Manyande Anne , Xu Weiguo , Xiang Boqi
Published: July 2021

China quickly brought the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 under control during the early stage of 2020; thus, this generated sufficient confidence among the public, which enabled them to respond to several sporadic coronavirus disease 2019 outbreaks. This article presents geographical and epidemiological characteristics of several sporadic coronavirus disease 2019 outbreaks from June to December 2020 in China. The data show that the coronavirus disease may be transmitted by imported cold-chain food and international exchange, and this viewpoint deserves our great attention.
Mutations in SARS-CoV-2 ORF8 Altered the Bonding Network With Interferon Regulatory Factor 3 to Evade Host Immune System
Authors: Rashid Farooq , Suleman Muhammad , Shah Abdullah , Dzakah Emmanuel Enoch , Wang Haiying , Chen Shuyi , Tang Shixing
Published: July 2021

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been continuously mutating since its first emergence in early 2020. These alterations have led this virus to gain significant difference in infectivity, pathogenicity, and host immune evasion. We previously found that the open-reading frame 8 (ORF8) of SARS-CoV-2 can inhibit interferon production by decreasing the nuclear translocation of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3). Since several mutations in ORF8 have been observed, therefore, in the present study, we adapted structural and biophysical analysis approaches to explore the impact of various mutations of ORF8, such as S24L, L84S, V62L, and W45L, the recently circulating mutant in Pakistan, on its ability to bind IRF3 and to evade the host immune system. We found that mutations in ORF8 could affect the binding efficiency with IRF3 based on molecular docking analysis, which was further supported by molecular dynamics simulations. Among all the reported mutations, W45L was found to bind most stringently to IRF3. Our analysis revealed that mutations in ORF8 may help the virus evade the immune system by changing its binding affinity with IRF3.