bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Regulatory Role of CO2 on Nutrient Releases from Rice-Straw Phytoliths
Authors: Nguyen Anh T.Q. , Nguyen Anh M. , Nguyen Muu T. , Nguyen Hue T. , Duong Lim T. , Dinh Van M. , Nguyen Phuong M. , Dultz Stefan , Nguyen Minh
Published: February 2022

Phytolith has been widely known as a porous silica structure in numerous silicon (Si) accumulator plants, e.g., rice, that contain various nutrients and other beneficial elements too. When rice straw is returned to paddy fields, the silica structure of phytolith can be dissolved, thereby releasing its occluded nutrients. While the intrinsic characteristics and dissolution properties of phytoliths under the effect of solution chemistry have been intensively studied, the effect of gas phases, especially CO2, on phytolith stability and the implications for nutrient release are not fully known. Here, dissolution properties of phytolith ashes obtained from dry ashing of rice straw at 400, 600 and 800οC were investigated by quantifying Si release together with other nutrients under two atmospheric conditions, i.e., without and with CO2 support (aeration). In a time span of 6 days, the releases of nutrients (K, P, Ca, Mg) showed high dependence on the overall dissolution of the phytolith ashes. CO2 significantly reduced the dissolution rate of the phytolith ashes but increased the release rates of cationic as well as anionic nutrients. The aeration of CO2 shifted the carbonate equilibrium (H2CO3, HCO3− and CO32−) towards H2CO3, reducing solution pH, thereby decreasing the dissolution rate of phytoliths. Following this, intensification of H+ exchange promoted vast evacuation of cationic nutrients from the phytolith ashes. This indicates contrast responses of phytoliths and their occluded nutrients to CO2, and provides a better insight on the fate of soil phytoliths and the tendency of nutrient budgets from rice straw phytoliths in soils.
AsCoM: An ecosystem-specific reference database for increased taxonomic resolution in soil microbial profiling
Authors: Overgaard Christina Karmisholt , Tao Ke , Zhang Sha , Christensen Bent Tolstrup , Blahovska Zuzana , Radutoiu Simona , Kelly Simon , Dueholm Morten Kam Dahl
Published: February 2022

Background: Intensive agriculture systems have paved the way for a growing human population. However, the abundant use of mineral fertilisers and pesticides may negatively impact nutrient cycles and biodiversity. One potential alternative is to harness beneficial relationships between plants and plant-associated rhizobacteria to increase nutrient-use efficiency and provide pathogen resistance. Plant-associated microbiota profiling can be achieved using high-throughput 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Interrogation of this data is limited by confident taxonomic classifications at high taxonomic resolution (genus- or species-level), which is often not possible with the commonly applied universal reference databases. The development of high-throughput full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing combined with automated taxonomy assignment (AutoTax) can be used to create amplicon sequence variant resolved ecosystems-specific reference databases that are superior to the traditional universal reference databases. Results: Synthetic long-read sequencing of 987,353 full-length 16S rRNA genes was used to create a reference database (AsCoM) with AutoTax for bacteria and archaea based on Askov and Cologne soils. We evaluated the performance of AsCoM using short-read amplicon data and found that it resulted in increased genus- and species-level classification compared to commonly used universal reference databases. AsCoM was utilised to evaluate the ecosystem-specific primer bias and taxonomic resolution of amplicon primers targeting the V5-V7 region of the 16S rRNA gene as these are commonly used within the plant microbiome field. Finally, we demonstrate the benefits of AsCoM through the analysis of V5-V7 amplicon data to identify new plant-associated microbes for two legume (Lotus japonicus and Medicago truncatula) and two cereal (Hordeum vulgare and Zea mays) species. Conclusion: We presented AsCoM, the first comprehensive ecosystem-specific 16S rRNA reference database for Askov and Cologne soil. AsCoM provides unprecedented taxonomic resolution in 16S rRNA amplicon profiling of soil-grown plant microbiota. It also represents a valuable tool for ecosystem-specific evaluation of amplicon primers and development of species-level hybridization probes for in situ studies.
Pulse amplitude ratio under noninvasive ventilation as a new method in the diagnosis of heart failure in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: ali Khaoula bel haj , Sekma Adel , Chamtouri Ikram , Beltaief Kaouthar , Msolli Mohamed Amine , Mezgar Zied , Bouida Wahid , Boukef Riadh , Boubaker Hamdi , Grissa Mohamed Habib , Nouira Semir
Published: February 2022

Background: Heart failure (HF) is commonly associated with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) but its role is often underestimated. Aim of study: To evaluate the performance of a new diagnostic technique based on the measurement of the pulse amplitude ratio (PAR) using non-invasive ventilation (NIV) for the early identification HF in patients admitted to the emergency department (ED) for AECOPD.Methods: This is a prospective observational study including patients presenting to the ED with AECOPD. Each included patient received NIV with inspiratory pressure support (PS) set at 5 and 30 cmH2O for 15 min in random order. We measured plethesmographic pulse pressure (PP) at PS of 5cmH2O (PP5) and 30 cmH2O (PP30). We calculated the PAR under NIV (PARNIV) as the PP30 /PP5 ratio. Patients were divided into two groups: a group identified as having HF (HF group) and a group without HF (non HF group). The diagnostic performance of PARNIV was assessed by standard methods.Results: 73 patients were included in this study: 32 in HF group and 41 in non HF- group. The two groups had comparable demographic and clinical characteristics at admission. The mean values of PARNIV was significantly higher among HF patients (0.86 versus 0.71; p<0 .01). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of PARNIV was 0.75. Using the best cut-off (0.6), the sensitivity of PARNIV was 93% with a specificity 21%, a positive predictive value of 48%, and a negative predictive value of 81%. Correlation between PARNIV and BNP was significant (r =0.52; p=0.002)Conclusion: Measurement of PARNIV in patients presenting to the ED with AECOPD had a good diagnostic performance for the detection of HF and could represent an interesting alternative for the currently available methods.The study was registered in the Clinical Trial Registration System (clinicaltrials.gov) under the study number NCT05189119.
Abundance of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is associated with tumor aggressiveness, immune response and worse survival in breast cancer
Authors: oshi Masanori , Gandhi Shipra , Yan Li , Tokumaru Yoshihisa , Wu Rongrong , Yamada Akimitsu , Matsuyama Ryusei , Endo Itaru , Takabe Kazuaki
Published: February 2022

Purpose: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are oxygen-containing molecules that have high reactivity and play roles in protection or harm the cancer cells. We aimed to clarify the clinical relevance of ROS in breast cancer (BC) tumor microenvironment (TME). We hypothesized that it is associated with worse BC patient outcomes. Methods: ROS score was generated by Gene Set Variation Analysis of Hallmark ROS pathway gene set and a total of 6,245 BC patients were analyzed. Results: High ROS BC significantly enriched cell proliferation-related gene sets (MYC targets v1 and v2, G2M checkpoint, E2F targets), pro-cancer-related gene sets (DNA repair, unfolded protein response, MTORC1 signaling, PI3K/AKT/MTOR signaling, glycolysis, and oxidative phosphorylation), immune-related gene sets (inflammatory response, allograft rejection, interferon-α and γ responses, complement, and IL6/JAK/STAT3 signaling), and infiltrated immune cells (CD4+ memory and CD8+ T cells, Th1 and Th2, dendritic cells, Tregs, M1 and M2 macrophages) and B-cells, as well as elevated cytolytic activity consistently in both METABRIC and GSE96058 cohorts. Cancer cells were the major source of ROS in BC TME of single cell sequence (GSE75688) cohort. High ROS was associated with intratumor heterogeneity, homologous recombination defects, mutation rates and neoantigens, and with clinical aggressiveness in AJCC stage, Nottingham grade and Ki67 expression, as well as worse overall survival in both GSE96058 and METABRIC, and with worse disease-specific survival in METABRIC. Conclusion: Abundant ROS in BC patients is associated with abundant mutations, aggressive cancer biology, immune response and worse survival.
Structures Of Remotely Related Interacting Protein Homologues Are Less Divergent Than Non-Interacting Homologues
Authors: Naveenkumar Nagarajan , Prabantu Vasam Manjveekar , Vishwanath Sneha , Sowdhamini Ramanathan , Sriniva Narayanaswamy
Published: February 2022

Background: Homologous proteins could display high structural variations felt due to evolutionary divergence at low sequence identity. This classical inverse relationship between sequence identity and structural similarity, established many years ago, has remained true between homologous proteins of known structure over time. However, large number of heteromeric proteins also exist in the structural data bank, where the interacting subunits belong to the same fold and maintain low sequence identity between themselves. It is not clear if there is any selection pressure to deviate from the inverse sequence-structure relationship for such interacting distant homologues, in comparison to pairs of homologues which are not known to interact. Results: We examined 12,824 fold pairs of interacting homologues of known structure, which includes both heteromers and multi-domain proteins. These were compared with monomeric proteins, resulting 26,082 fold pairs as a dataset of non-interacting homologous systems. Our analysis suggests that interacting homologues retain higher structural similarity than non-interacting homologues at diminishing sequence identity in a statistically significant manner.Conclusion: Interacting homologues are more similar in their 3D structures than non-interacting homologues and has a preference towards symmetric association. There appears to be a structural constraint between remote homologues due to this commitment.
Role of the PERK-eIF2α-CHOP signaling axis in mucosal barrier injury caused by ulcerative colitis
Authors: Shen Yan , Mo Dayu , Liu Yingchao , Ni Siyi , Li Si , Lv Bin
Published: February 2022

The etiology and pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis (UC) remain unclear. Therefore, we observed the activation and transduction of the protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK)–eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (eIF2α)–C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) signaling axis from the perspective of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and explored the pathogenesis of UC. Cell survival rate, apoptosis rate, cycle distribution, cell permeability, ultrastructural changes in the ER, and the expression and transcription of key genes and proteins were detected. A UC mouse model was induced using dextran sulfate sodium. The disease activity index, tissue damage index, intestinal epithelial cell apoptosis, serum D-lactate, and diamine oxidase contents were determined. Blocking the PERK and CHOP nodes in the PERK–eIF2α–CHOP signaling axis increased stressed cell survival rate, G2 cell proportion, and monolayer cell transmembrane electrical impedance, but decreased the apoptosis rate and fluorescein isothiocyanate dextran content, so the ER structure could be alleviated. Treatment with 5-aminosalicylic acid significantly improved intestinal and systemic symptoms, and colonic mucosal damage was relieved. p-PERK, p-eIF2α, activating transcription factor 4, and CHOP gene transcription levels were higher in stressed cells than in normal cells, and 5-aminosalicylic acid reduced the expression of these proteins. Intestinal epithelial cells experience excessive ERS during UC, and the stress signal is successively transmitted to the apoptosis marker protein CHOP along the signal axis. Targeted blockage of the PERK–eIF2α–CHOP signaling axis may be an effective treatment strategy for UC.
Deep learning-enabled realistic virtual histology with ultraviolet photoacoustic remote sensing microscopy
Authors: Martell Matthew , Haven Nathaniel , McAlister Ewan , Restall Brendon , Cikaluk Brendyn , Mittal Rohan , Adam Benjamin , Giannakopoulos Nadia , Peiris Lashan , Deschenes Jean , Li Xingyu , Zemp Roger
Published: February 2022

The goal of oncologic surgeries is to completely resect tumor tissue, yet in up to 40% of such surgeries, positive marginsare found in the resected tissues. Postoperative histology using H&E-stained brightfield microscopy is the gold standard for determining margin status, but rapid frozen section analysis is sometimes performed for intraoperative guidance, albeit with inaccuracies. In this work, we introduce a virtual histological imaging method based on a non-contact, reflection-mode ultraviolet photoacoustic remote sensing and scattering microscope, combined with deep learning using a cycle-consistent generative adversarial network. The system is capable of high-resolution scanning with 390 nm resolution comparable toconventional histopathology, and fast widefield scanning, generating images with histological realism in freshly-resected thick tissues or thin sections. Cytologic and architectural features of interest are readily identifiable in virtual histology images of benign and malignant tissues. To evaluate system performance, a blinded study of pathologists rating image quality metrics was conducted, with our virtual histology approach offering preferred hematoxylin-like detail (P=0.0018) and overall stain quality (P=0.0321) compared to frozen section analysis.
A CNC Direct Interpolation Algorithm based on NURBS and its Error Analysis
Authors: WEI Shengli , ZHAO Kai
Published: February 2022

For free-form surfaces or curves, it is not the best choice to use traditional G01 or G02 interpolation to generate the reference motion trajectory. Direct interpolation method is a better choice. Direct interpolation is more useful in a free-curve/surface dedicated Computer Numerical Control (CNC) system. A free-curve/surface dedicated CNC system just needs curve/surface information as input, not as a conventional CNC system uses G code as its input. NURBS (Non-Uniform Rational B-spline) is a powerful expression method for free-form curves and surfaces, and so a direct interpolation algorithm based on NURBS curves is studied. In order to realize high speed, high accuracy and stable interpolation, an adaptive prediction-correction with constraint chord error method is presented to define the NURBS curve parameter. S velocity planning is used to make tool move more smoothly. As NURBS curves are piece-wise curves, NURBS direct interpolation must be computed with the parameter within its corresponding sections, and a section transition method is proposed to guarantee computing validity. Also, three reference trajectory generation methods, i.e. position interpolation, velocity interpolation and acceleration interpolation are presented, and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed. The calculation and simulation show that the position interpolation method is more stable and the error is the smallest. The error of velocity interpolation is about 4 times that of position interpolation.
Pulmonary Embolism or COVID-19 Pneumonia? A Case Report
Authors: Borna Nahid , Niksolat Maryam , Shariati Behnam , Saeedi Vahid , Kamalzadeh Leila
Published: February 2022

Background: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is the most serious clinical presentation of venous thromboembolism (VTE), a major cause of sudden death. In the current Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, when a patient presents with respiratory symptoms, many serious possible non-Covid causes including PE may be considered the next priority after COVID-19 on the differential diagnosis list. Thus, the correct diagnosis may be delayed or missed, with grave consequences to the patient’s outcome and safety. Case Presentation: We herein present a case of a 63-year-old Iranian female who was admitted to our hospital showing symptoms of delirium superimposed on dementia. Soon after admission, she developed fever and respiratory symptoms. However, overestimating the likelihood of COVID-19 pneumonia and attributing the patient’s symptoms to this disease led to delayed diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary embolism, resulting in the patient’s death.Conclusions: During the COVID-19 pandemic, a high index of suspicion is required for the timely diagnosis of PE, especially in patients with identifiable risk factors. This is specifically true for patients who are unable to express their symptoms due to neurocognitive disorders.
Criopreservation of Pacu sperm (Piaractus mesopotamicus, Holmberg, 1887)
Authors: Silva Adriano Rayol da , CORICNI CARINE DAHL , Alves Fernanda Pereira , Soares Sara Lorandi , Anciutti Andréia Nobre , Filho Jorge Squeff , Jardim Rodrigo Desessards , Esquivel-Mue Juan R. , Ga Juan Ramon Esquivel , Junior Antonio Sergio Varela
Published: February 2022

Due to the absence of effective cryopreservation methods for oocytes in fish, there has been a significant focus on protocols for the cryopreservation of male gametes to maintain genetic diversity in captive populations. This study evaluated the efficiency of various penetrating cryoprotectants that may lead to better conservation of Piaractus mesopotamicus sperm characteristics. The sperm samples were collected from 14 wild males by applying light abdominal compressions and diluted in Beltsville Thawing Solution (BTS), along with the following cryoprotectants at concentrations of 5%, 7.5%, 10%, 12.5%, and 15%: dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), glycerol, and methanol. Kinetics of spermatozoa and cellular integrity was estimated after thawing. Sperm motility was observed to be nil for all samples for glycerol concentrations higher than 7.5%. Usage of DMSO showed less than 11% motility and less than 19 s duration of motility at all concentrations. Sperm motility was greater than 20% with a > 30 s period of motility when using methanol. We recommend, based on our observations, that using 7.5% methanol added to BTS diluent exhibits the best sperm kinetics and cell functionality (P < .05) for sperm cryopreservation of Pacu (P. mesopotamicus).
Red Clover Root-Associated Microbiota is Shaped by Geographic Location and Choice of Farming System
Authors: Jambagi Shridhar , Hodén Kristian Persson , Öhlund Linda , Dixelius Christina
Published: February 2022

Background
Red clover (Trifolium pratense), a crop constrained by weak persistence, is the number one forage legume in Northern Europe. Whether plant loss is a sign of an increasing number of known or new pathogens, a decreasing occurrence of beneficial soil microorganisms or other factors is unclear. Here, we collected red clover root samples from Swedish conventional and organic farming sites located between latitudes 55°N and 66°N and analyzed their prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities using amplicon sequencing. We compared the organism diversity, differential abundance, hub taxa and impact of Rhizobium on fungal pathogens in relation to geographic location and farming practices.
Results
We found that microbial biodiversity was lowest in samples from southern Sweden and on conventional farms. Rhizobium was the most prevalent bacterial genus, followed by Sphingomonas, Mucilaginibacter, Flavobacterium and the unclassified Chloroflexi group KD4-96. The Leptodontidium, Cladosporium, Clonostachys and Tetracladium fungal genera known for endophytic, ectomycorrhizal, saprotrophic and mycoparasitic lifestyles were also frequently observed in all samples. Sixty-two potential pathogenic fungi were identified with a bias toward grass pathogens and a higher abundance in samples from conventional farms. To gain insights into the cooccurrence patterns of red clover root-associated communities, intrakingdom and interkingdom networks were constructed. Bacterial networks were dominated by known beneficial groups of bacterial species. The interaction between Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii and Aeromicrobium sp. was strongly positive in the north but negative in the south. Different co-occurrence responses were observed when fungal and bacterial data were combined, as exemplified by the interactions with Clonostachys rosea, a beneficial fungus that fluctuated in our dataset and was positively associated with species in Enterobacterales and Aeromicrobium in the north but negatively with species in the south.
Conclusions
We show that the microbial community is mainly shaped by geographic location and management procedures. R. leguminosarum bv. trifolii is a keystone species in samples from the northern region and Swedish organic farms. This Rhizobium species is negatively associated with all fungal pathogenic species recognized in this study. A number of previously unknown fungal species are identified, particularly those known to produce mycotoxins, which are of major concern for crop productivity and feed safety.
The impact of information sources on COVID-19 Vaccine hesitancy and resistance in Sub- Saharan Africa
Authors: Osuagwu Uchechukwu L , Mashige Khathutshelo P , Ovenseri-Ogbomo Godwin , Envuladu Esther Awazzi , Abu Emmanuel Kwasi , Miner Chundung Asabe , Timothy Chikasirimobi G , Ekpenyong Bernadine N , Langsi Raymond , Amiebenomo Onyekachukwu M , Oloruntoba Richard , Goson Piwuna Christopher , Charwe Deborah Donald , Ishaya Tanko , Agho Kingsley E
Published: February 2022

Background
Vaccination remains the most powerful weapon against the emergence of new variants of coronavirus (COVID-19). However, false information about COVID-19 vaccines through various platforms including social media remain a major threat to global public health. The study examined the impact of information sources on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and resistance in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).
Methods
A validated web-based questionnaire was administered in French and English to 2572 participants from sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries including Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, who were aged 18 years and over. An e-link to the survey was disseminated via emails and posted on social media platforms (Facebook and WhatsApp). The COVID-19 vaccination status (vaccinated, hesitancy and resistance) and their association with sources of information (mainstream media and social media) were assessed by conducting multinomial logistic regression analyses.
Results
The prevalence of vaccine resistance and hesitancy in SSA was higher among social media users (72.2 and 84.5%) and those that watched TV (73.0 and 79.7%), but lower among newspaper readers (42.5 and 36.7%) respectively, during the pandemic. Multivariate analysis revealed that Southern and Central African respondents were more likely rely on TV for information, women and those who smoke were more likely to rely on friends and family members for information during the pandemic. Lower education (primary education or less) was associated with lower likelihood of social media use for COVID-19 related information compared with postgraduate qualification (aOR 0.36, 95%CI 0.20, 0.62). Resistance to COVID-19 vaccination was associated with reliance families and friends (aOR 1.44, 95%CI = 1.08, 1.93), watching TV (aOR 1.54, 95%CI = 1.11, 2.14) and social media use (adjusted odds ratio aOR 2.93, 95%CI = 2.10, 4.09), which was also associated with vaccine hesitancy (aOR 1.46, 95%CI = 1.15, 1.85) among the respondents.
Conclusions
Our study showed that reliance on social media and television had the strongest impact on vaccine hesitancy. However, further research and investments are needed to improve the availability of reliable healthcare information in these channels to protect people and empower them to make appropriate choices about their health.
The Impact of Patient Engagement on Trials and Trialists in Ontario, Canada: an Interview Study With IMPACT Awardees
Authors: Nicholls Stuart G. , Fox Grace , Monfaredi Zarah , Poole Evelyn , Garritty Chantelle , Maybee Alies , Presseau Justin , Shea Beverley , Fergusson Dean A.
Published: February 2022

Background: A key component of patient-oriented research is the engagement of patients as partners in the design and conduct of health research. While there is now national and infrastructure and networks to support the engagement of patients as partners, there remain calls for promising practices and success stories. In particular, there remains a keen interest in evaluating the impact that patient engagement has on health research studies. We aimed to investigate the impact that patient engagement had on health research conducted in Ontario, Canada.Methods: Our sampling frame was studies that were awarded funding by the Ontario SPOR SUPPORT Unit (OSSU). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 principal investigators, members of research teams, and patient partners. Interviews explored the role of patient partners, the perceived impact of the patient engagement on the study, challenges faced, and advice for other researchers considering patient engagement. Data were analysed using the thematic analysis method with transcripts coded independently by two members of the study team. All coding and subsequent theme generation were discussed until consensus was achieved.Results: There was variation in the methods used to engage patients and other stakeholders, the roles that patients and stakeholders occupied, and where they had input. Interviewees discussed two major areas of impact of patient engagement on research: impact on the study about which they were being interviewed, which tended to relate to improved relevancy of the research to the study population, and impact on themselves which led to changes in their own practice or approaches to future research. Identified challenges to patient engagement included: identifying and reaching patient advisors or patient partners, time-related challenges, and maintaining engagement over the course of the research.Conclusions: There remains a need to further build out the concept of relevancy and how it may be operationalised in practice. Further, the longer-term impacts of patient engagement on researchers and research terms remains under-explored and may reveal additional elements for evaluation. Challenges to patient engagement remain, including identifying and maintaining engagement with partners that reflect the diversity of the population of interest.
Leiomyosarcoma of Spermatic Cord: A Rare Paratesticular Neoplasm Case Report
Authors: Ahmed Farah , Aslam Asadullah , Tanveer Yusaf , Jaffry Syed
Published: February 2022

Background:Primary soft tissue sarcomas contribute to only 2% of all malignancies arising from the male genitourinary tract. Leiomyosarcoma (LMS) is a malignant soft tissue neoplasm which originates from the mesenchyme and has a characteristic smooth muscle differentiation. Usually, it presents as a painless, firm, slow growing unilateral scrotal mass. Investigations include imaging, tumour markers and histopathology. Case Presentation:A 65 year old gentleman known Diabetic and Beta-thalassemic trait was referred to Urology OPD at Letterkenny University Hospital. His presenting complaint was left groin lump which appeared one year ago and was growing larger in size gradually. According to the patient his lump was slightly painful(localized) initially, that later became painless. He did not report any testicular trauma/infection or UTI. There was no significant history of malignancies running through his family. Clinical examination revealed soft and lax abdomen, normal testes. There was a non-tender 2cm x 2cm well circumscribed, mobile, firm to cystic irrudicible left inguinoscrotal mass, appeared to be attached to the spermatic cord. Cough impulse was indiscernible. Ultrasound left groin showed 1.8 cm transverse x 1.4 cm AP x 1.9 cm sagittal) well-circumscribed ovoid nodular subcutaneous lesion present in the upper left inguinal area just lateral to the left pubic tubercle. That appeared solid with heterogeneous internal echotexture. No internal calcification. Some internal vascularity is demonstrated with colour Doppler assessment. Conclusion:Because of its rareness, LMS represents a management conundrum. There is no standard protocol for treatment. We present a case and discuss the available evidence from the literature to date to help identifying LMS of spermatic cord that’s highly unusual.
Enhanced correlation-based linking of biosynthetic gene clusters to their metabolic products through chemical class matching
Authors: Louwen Joris J. R. , Medema Marnix H. , Hooft Justin J. J. van der
Published: February 2022

Background
It is well-known that the microbiome produces a myriad of specialized metabolites with diverse functions. To better predict their structures and identify their producers, integrative genome and metabolome mining is becoming increasingly popular. Metabologenomic correlation methods facilitate the linking of metabolite mass fragmentation spectra (MS/MS) to their biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) based on co-occurrence, i.e., shared absence/presence patterns of metabolites and BGCs across strains. Recently, these methods have been made more accessible through the online NPLinker framework. However, co-occurrence-based approaches usually result in too many possible links to manually validate.
Results
To automatically filter the long lists of potential BGC-metabolite links, we here matched natural product (NP) ontologies previously independently developed for genomics and metabolomics and developed NPClassScore: an empirical class matching score that we implemented in the NPLinker framework. By using it on a paired omics dataset obtained from 159 actinobacteria, we show that the number of links are reduced by on average 68% as compared to using a co-occurrence-based strategy alone. We further demonstrate that experimentally validated links in this dataset are retained and prioritised when using NPClassScore.
Conclusion
The NPClassScore expedites genome/metabolome data integration, as relevant BGC-metabolite links are prioritised, and researchers will need to consider substantially fewer proposed links. We anticipate that our addition to the NPLinker framework will aid in the discovery of novel NPs and understanding complex metabolic interactions in the microbiome.
The bovine foot skin microbiota is associated with host genotype and the development of infectious digital dermatitis lesions
Authors: Bay Veysel , Gillespie Amy , Ganda Erika K. , Evans N. J. , Carter Stuart D. , Lenzi Luca , Lucaci Anita , Haldenby Sam , Barden Matthew , Griffiths Bethany E. , Sánchez-Molano Enrique , Bicalho Rodrigo C. , Banos Georgios , Darby Alistair , Oikonomou Georgios
Published: February 2022

Background: Bovine Digital Dermatitis (BDD) is a prevalent infectious disease, causing painful foot skin lesions and lameness in cattle. The polymicrobial nature of this disease has led to the hypothesis that the foot skin microbiota may be associated with occurrence and progression of lesions. We describe herein the bovine foot skin microbiota using 16S rRNA gene amplicon and shotgun metagenomic sequencing on samples from 259 dairy cows from three UK dairy farms. Results: We show differences in the foot skin microbiome profiles of clinically healthy animals that were associated with subsequent development of BDD. We also present the first co-occurrence analysis of the bovine foot skin microbiome. Taxonomical and functional differences together with alterations in ecological interactions between bacteria in the normal foot skin microbiome may predispose an animal to develop BDD lesions. Using genome-wide association and regional heritability mapping approaches, we provide first evidence for interactions between host genotype and certain members of the foot skin microbiota. We show the existence of genetic variation in the relative abundance of Treponema spp. and Peptoclostridium spp. and identify regions in the bovine genome that explain a significant proportion of this variation.Conclusions: Collectively this work shows the relevance of the bovine foot-skin microbiota to BDD. The description of host genetic control of members of the foot skin microbiota, combined with the association of the latter with BDD lesion development offer new insights into a complex relationship that can be exploited in selective breeding programmes aiming to enhance bovine foot health.
Breast self-examination as a route to early detection in a lower middle-income country: Assessing psychosocial determinants among women in Surabaya, Indonesia
Authors: Dewi Triana Kesuma , Ruiter Robert A. C. , Diering Merle , Ardi Rahkman , Massar Karlijn
Published: February 2022

Background: Breast cancer has become public health concern in Indonesia. Regular breast self-examination (BSE) is considered an important first step for its early detection, especially in countries with limited healthcare access, as it is the case in Indonesia. This study aimed to confirm and assess the psychosocial determinants of intention to perform BSE and BSE performance. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted on 204 women aged 18–65 years in Surabaya, Indonesia. A 64-item survey was conducted, included variables from Reasoned Action Approach, and Health Belief Model, presented questions about demographics, breast cancer knowledge and behavior related to BSE. Results: Two hundred and four respondents completed the survey and were included in the study. Most women (72.5%) expressed intention to perform BSE; however, only 7.8% and 2.9% performed BSE per week and per month, respectively, in the past year. Breast cancer knowledge and attitudes towards BSE were uniquely associated with BSE performance. Perceived behavioral control (PBC) and BSE attitudes were unique correlates of intention. Perceived benefits and barriers and subjective norms were significantly associated with intention and BSE behavior in bivariate analyses. Conclusions: Breast screening education should incorporate strategies for improving attitudes towards BSE, PBC and breast cancer knowledge with perceived benefits and barriers and subjective norms as relevant targets.
Adsorption of heavy metals by Lycium barbarum branch-based adsorbents: raw, fungal modification, and biochar
Authors: Guan Jian , Hu Changwei , Zhou Jun , Huang Qingguo , Liu Jiayang
Published: February 2022

The present study reports on the adsorptive removal of heavy metals (Cr3+, Cd2+, and Cu2+) from water by a series of Lycium barbarum branch-based adsorbents: Lycium barbarum branch (denoted as LB), fungal fermented LB (FLB), LB biochar (LBB), FLB biochar (FLBB), alkaline modified LBB (ALBB), and alkaline modified FLBB (AFLBB). The six adsorbents were characterized in terms of FTIR, SEM, surface area and pore size as well as zeta potential. The adsorptive potential of these adsorbents was tested under varying conditions – pH, contact time, initial concentration, and temperature. Adsorption results were well fitted with Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin models. The maximum adsorption capacity (qm) was calculated to be 6.29 mg/g for Cr3+ by FLB, 11.53 mg/g for Cd2+ by LB, and 7.27 mg/g for Cu2+ by LB. The pseudo-second-order kinetic equation better described the adsorption process. Based on the thermodynamics parameters, the adsorption of heavy metals was endothermic but not spontaneous for biochars. The experimental results offer a new way for recycling and reutilizing LB in wastewater treatment.
Valproate Induced Acute Pancreatitis - A Unique Case Report
Authors: Kapur Ajita , Chauhan Vikramaditya , Sharma Munish , Garg Gulshan Kumar
Published: February 2022

Background:

Valproate is a widely prescribed medication for the control of seizures in
the pediatric population. It has been reported to be an important implication for drug induced pancreatitis.
A case of valproate induced acute pancreatitis operated as surgical abdomen has been reported
here.

Case Report:

A 13-year-old child presented to the emergency department with severe pain and abdominal
distension associated with vomiting and constipation for four days. The patient’s caregivers
did not disclose any medication history. Based on clinical examination and ultrasonography
that revealed mild free fluid, a provisional diagnosis of pyoperitoneum with peritonitis was made.
An emergency exploratory laparotomy was undertaken during which acute pancreatitis was diagnosed
intra-operatively. On further enquiry, the caregiver revealed the history of valproate intake
for the last six months for generalized tonic‑clonic seizures. Valproate was discontinued and there
was complete resolution of symptoms.

Conclusion:

Both clinicians, as well as caregivers of paediatric patients receiving valproate, should
be watchful regarding this possible life-threatening complication to avoid delay in diagnosis and
appropriate management.
Analysis of Foreign and Domestic Experience of Indicator Measurement of Criminalization of the Economy
Authors:   Tver Institute (branch) Moscow University of Humanities and Economics, Kudryavtsev Andrey V. , Litvinenko Alexander N. ,   St. Petersburg University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Russia
Published: February 2022

Relevance. The article provides a comparative analysis of the indicator measurement of the level of criminalization of the economy in Russia and foreign countries, compares the measurement methods, the empirical data obtained, on the basis of which recommendations are formed for improving the methods of measuring economic indicators. The purpose of the study is to improve the existing tools for indicator measurement of the level of criminalization of the economy, taking into account the actual spread of this phenomenon, which will improve the diagnosis of economic security. The objectives of the study are to compare the existing methods of measuring the level of criminalization of the economy in Russia and foreign countries, to make proposals for improving the domestic methodology for measuring this phenomenon. Methodology.The basis of the research was the theoretical work of domestic and foreign scientists and specialists in the field of economics and criminology. Based on the analysis carried out, as well as previous scientific author's developments, the directions for improving existing methods for measuring the level of criminalization of the economy are proposed. When conducting a comparative analysis of foreign and domestic experience of indicator measurement of criminalization of the economy, methods of analysis and synthesis were used, the coefficient method was used to calculate the advance coefficient, reflecting the dynamics of economic crime in Russia, tabular and graphical methods were used in the compilation of tables and figures. Results. The differences in the methods of measuring the level of criminalization of the economy in Russia and foreign countries are revealed, which ultimately affects statistical indicators. Using the advance coefficient, an increase in economic crime of almost all indicator indicators measured abroad has been established, as opposed to domestic statistical data showing negative dynamics in this direction. Based on the identified contradictions, the analysis of regulatory documents and economic indicators, specific measures are proposed to improve the existing measurement methods. Conclusions. For the existing domestic system of measuring the indicator "the level of crime in the economy", the analysis of foreign experience is very valuable, since the presented materials and calculations give management bodies the opportunity to apply theoretical developments in practice to carry out a set of organizational measures aimed at improving the domestic mechanism for ensuring economic security.
The Genesis of the Concept of Public Administration: the Quality Factor
Authors:   Volgograd State University Universitetskiy, Epinina Veronika S.
Published: February 2022

Relevance. The concept of public administration has been constantly evolving throughout the history of human development. The prerequisites for the transition to each subsequent concept are formed, as a rule, on the basis of the accumulation of long-term practical experience, identification and assessment of the shortcomings of the previous concept. In general, the vector of the development of the concept of public administration is associated with the trajectory of the historical development of society and presupposes putting at the forefront, first of all, the issues of improving the quality of public administration. Target. The purpose of writing the work is to consider the evolution of the concept of public administration in order to determine the vector of its development depending on the chosen criterion - the historical stage of the development of society. Tasks. The following tasks were set and consistently solved in the article: to study the historical and theoretical aspects of the emergence and development of the concept of public administration and to schematically present and substantiate the vector of its development depending on the historical stages of the development of society: pre-industrial, industrial, informational. Methodology. In this work, the method of theoretical analysis of the sources of the problem under study, the method of historical-logical analysis and assessment of the current situation, as well as the illustrative-graphic method are used. Results. The analysis of the evolutionary development of the concept of public administration carried out in this work substantiates the existence of objective needs for a purposeful increase in its quality and determines the nature of its implementation in conjunction with a change in the stage of development of society. Conclusions. Public administration in the process of evolution has undergone a number of changes, as evidenced by the allocation of such concepts of its development as: bureaucratic, managerial, network, digital. Today, the concept of public administration continues to evolve in the context of the idea of the state as a digital platform.
Privacy, Data Sharing, and Data Security Policies of Women’s mHealth Apps: Scoping Review and Content Analysis
Authors: Alfawzan Najd , Christen Markus , Spitale Giovanni , Biller-Andorno Nikola
Published: February 2022

Background

Women’s mobile health (mHealth) is a growing phenomenon in the mobile app global market. An increasing number of women worldwide use apps geared to female audiences (female technology). Given the often private and sensitive nature of the data collected by such apps, an ethical assessment from the perspective of data privacy, sharing, and security policies is warranted.

Objective

The purpose of this scoping review and content analysis was to assess the privacy policies, data sharing, and security policies of women’s mHealth apps on the current international market (the App Store on the Apple operating system [iOS] and Google Play on the Android system).

Methods

We reviewed the 23 most popular women’s mHealth apps on the market by focusing on publicly available apps on the App Store and Google Play. The 23 downloaded apps were assessed manually by 2 independent reviewers against a variety of user data privacy, data sharing, and security assessment criteria.

Results

All 23 apps collected personal health-related data. All apps allowed behavioral tracking, and 61% (14/23) of the apps allowed location tracking. Of the 23 apps, only 16 (70%) displayed a privacy policy, 12 (52%) requested consent from users, and 1 (4%) had a pseudoconsent. In addition, 13% (3/23) of the apps collected data before obtaining consent. Most apps (20/23, 87%) shared user data with third parties, and data sharing information could not be obtained for the 13% (3/23) remaining apps. Of the 23 apps, only 13 (57%) provided users with information on data security.

Conclusions

Many of the most popular women’s mHealth apps on the market have poor data privacy, sharing, and security standards. Although regulations exist, such as the European Union General Data Protection Regulation, current practices do not follow them. The failure of the assessed women’s mHealth apps to meet basic data privacy, sharing, and security standards is not ethically or legally acceptable.
Pattern of Comorbidities and the Impact on Outcomes in Patients With COVID-19 in Babel Governorate, Iraq, in 2020
Authors: Hussein Alaa , Lami Faris
Published: February 2022

Background

Comorbidities pose a major clinical challenge to the care and treatment of patients with COVID-19.

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of common comorbidities on the severity, outcome, and length of stay in the hospital for patients with COVID-19 in Babel Governorate, Iraq, in 2020.

Methods

All laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the 2 COVID-19 hospitals in Babel Governorate from March through September 2020 were included. We developed a form to document sociodemographic data, clinical presentation, severity, comorbidities, length of hospital stay, and outcomes.

Results

 A total of 2574 patients were included; 1581 (61.4%) were men. The mean age was 48.7 (SD 16.4) years. There were 1212 (47.1%) severe cases and 489 (19%) critical cases. There were 1543 (59.9%) patients with no comorbidity, 536 (20.9%) patients with 1 comorbidity, and 495 (19.2%) patients with 2 or more comorbidities. The most common comorbidity was diabetes mellitus (643/1599, 25%), followed by hypertension (598/1599, 23.4%). The proportion of severe or critical cases among the patients with comorbidities was 84% (865/1031) compared to 54.1% (836/1543) among the patients with no comorbidity (P<.001). About 12% (125/1031) of patients with comorbidities had a mean hospitalization time >2 weeks compared to the 8% (123/1543) of patients with no comorbidity (P<.001). The case-fatality ratio was 26.4% (272/1031) in patients with comorbidities compared to 10.6% (163/1543) in patients with no comorbidity (P<.001).

Conclusions

Comorbidity is a significant predictor of serious hospital course and fatal outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Patients with comorbidities must be vigilant with preventive measures and should be prioritized for COVID-19 vaccination.
Comparison of laboratory parameters in patients with COVID-19: Observational Study (Preprint)
Authors: Parvizpour Farzad , Saeedifar Roya , Abdulahi Alireza , Salehi Mohamad Reza , Mahmoudi Meade , Arabpour Zohreh , Sefat Farshid
Published: February 2022

BACKGROUND

The novel coronavirus strain became a pandemic and life-threatening disease worldwide. Despite COVID-19 vaccination in some parts of the world, social distances, lockdown, and more policies the disease is rising.

OBJECTIVE

To expand our knowledge of severe and critically ill patients and to control and diagnose COVID-19 patients in the early stages, we compared the laboratory values of these patients with the control group.

METHODS

In this single-center, observational study, we enrolled 143 participants that 103 patients who were severely or critically ill patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia who were admitted to Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex (Tehran, Iran) and included 40 healthy individuals as the control group. Data were analyzed for demographic data, laboratory values, and clinical outcomes. Data were also compared between survivors and non-survivors.

RESULTS

Of 143 participants, we enrolled 54 patients in the severe group and 49 patients in the critical group. The average age of the cases was 53.5 years. 52.4% were men, non-survivors were older than survivors (55 years vs 53.2). Prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, the international normalized ratio, D-dimer, WBC, RBC, Hb, HCT, neutrophils, lymphocytes, BUN, Cr, ALT, AST, and ALK were significant in the critical group and the severe group compared to the control group. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were higher in the patient groups compared to the control group. We also carried out a comparison between survivors and non-survivors and revealed that PT, PTT, D-dimer, ESR, FBS, urea, creatinine, LDH, lymphocyte, and neutrophil count were significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings showed coagulopathy and organ failure are the main reason for the mortality of patients.