bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Airborne toxic exposure and pulmonary outcomes among petrochemical complex workers
Authors: Jalilian Hamed , Mirzaei Ahmad , khojasteh Soroush , jafarpour Elias , Rajabi Fazel , Mirzaei Rasoul , Stenehjem Jo S , Rueegg Corina Silvia
Published: August 2021

Background

Petrochemical workers are exposed to a variety of airborne toxic compounds which have been associated with increased risk for respiratory outcomes. However, long-term exposure to SO2, NO2, O3, H2S and NH3 in relation to spirometric parameters and self-reported respiratory problems is largely unknown.
Methods

Airborne concentration levels of SO2, NO2, O3, H2S and NH3 were collected from two fixed stations over a 3-year period in a petrochemical complex. We assessed spirometric parameters and respiratory symptoms in the petrochemical workers (n = 200) and in an unexposed group (n = 200). We calculated β-coefficients (β) and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) before and after adjustment for covariates.
Results

The mean airborne pollution levels were 159 µg/m3 for SO2, 43 µg/m3 for NO2, 66 µg/m3 for O3, 6 µg/m3 for H2S, and 24 µg/m3 for NH3. We found a significant reduction in spirometric parameters among petrochemical workers compared to the unexposed: FEV1 (forced expiratory volume in 1s) (adjusted β -12; 95%CI -16, -7.64), FEV1/ FVC (forced vital capacity) (β -7.26; 95%CI -9.23, -5.28), and PEF (peak expiratory flow) (β -6.61; 95%CI -12, -0.76). Additionally, we observed higher adjusted risks for any respiratory symptom (OR 4.69; 95%CI 1.76, 12), mucus (OR 4.36; 95%CI 1.70, 11) and shortness of breath (OR 15; 4.95, 46) among petrochemical workers compared to the unexposed group.
Conclusions

Most measured airborne pollution levels were within the ambient recommendation levels. Still, long-term exposure to low level airborne pollutants, reduced FEV1, FEV1/FVC and PEF, and increased respiratory symptoms in Iranian petrochemical workers compared to unexposed controls.
Patient-Reported Outcomes in RA Patients Treated With Tofacitinib or bDMARDs in Real-life Conditions in Two Latin American Countries
Authors: Reyes JM , Gutierrez MV , Madariaga H , Otero W , Guzman R , Izquierdo J , Abello M , Velez P , Castillo D , de Leon Dario Ponce , Lukic T , Amador L
Published: August 2021

Objective: To describe the efficacy, safety and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with an inadequate response to conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs) treated with tofacitinib or biological DMARDs (bDMARDs) in real-life conditions.Methods: A noninterventional study was performed between March 2017 and September 2019 at 13 sites in Colombia and Peru. Demographic and clinical information was collected. Outcomes measured at baseline and at the 6-month follow-up were disease activity (RAPID3 [Routine Assessment of Patients Index Data] score), functional status (HAQ-DI [Health Assessment Questionnaire] score), and quality of life (EQ-5D-3L [EuroQol Questionnaire]). The Disease Activity Score-28 (DAS28-ESR) and frequency of adverse events (AEs) were also reported. Unadjusted and adjusted differences from baseline were estimated and expressed as the least squares mean difference (LMDs).Results: Data from 100 patients treated with tofacitinib and 70 patients with bDMARDs were collected. At baseline, the patients’ mean age was 53.53 years (SD 13.77), the mean disease duration was 6.31 years (SD 7.01) and the mean DAS28-ESR was 5.48 (SD 2.97). The change from baseline at month 6 was not statistically significant different in the adjusted LMD [SE] for tofacitinib vs. bDMARDs for RAPID3 score (-0.20 [0.69] vs. -0.32 [0.71]), HAQ-DI score (-0.56 [0.07] vs. -0.50 [0.08]), EQ-5D-3L score (0.23 [0.06] vs. 0.29 [0.06]) and DAS28-ESR (-3.86 [0.59] vs. -4.23 [0.61]). Patients from both groups presented similar proportions of nonserious and serious AEs. No deaths were reported. These results have noninterventional-study-specific limitations.Conclusion: Changes from baseline were not statistically significant different between tofacitinib and bDMARDs in terms of RAPID3 scores and the secondary outcomes (HAQ-DI score, EQ-5D-3L score and DAS28-ESR). Patients from both groups presented similar proportions of nonserious and serious AEs.Clinical trial number: NCT03073109
Clinical Characteristics and Prognostic Factors of HIV-Positive Patients With Lymphoma in the Poverty Region of China: A Real-World Multicenter Analysis
Authors: Zhang Jinxin , Xie Zhiman , Qin Shanfang , Ruan Guangjing , Cai Shaohang , Lu Aili , Wu Yihua , Chen Juanjuan , Peng Jie
Published: August 2021

Background: People living with HIV (PLWHIV) are at increased risk of Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma compared with HIV-negative individuals. However, high-quality epidemiological data for lymphoma among PLWHIV from low-income and middle-income countries are scarce, especially in South China. This retrospective study aimed to better define the clinical characteristics, outcomes, and prognostic factors of HIV-associated lymphoma patients in Guangxi and Guangdong provinces of China in the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) era. Methods: We performed a pooled analysis from existing databases of 143 patients with HIV-positive lymphoma between January 2013 and June 2020 from three hospitals in South China. Survival curves were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. Univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were performed to identify the association of patient-, lymphoma- and HIV-specific variables with the outcomes progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: Of all 143 HIV-positive lymphoma patients, diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) was the most common subtype identified (81.8%). The median age was 49 years (IQR 18–79), and 118 patients (82.5%) were male. The mean CD4 T-cell count was 185.5 cells/µL (IQR 3–1089), and 86 (60.1%) patients were receiving HAART at enrollment. Opportunistic infections (OIs) were reported in 40 (28.0%) patients. Seventy-seven (53.8%) patients had stage I/II lymphoma, and the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status was 0 or 1 in 87 (60.8%) patients. Information on elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and positive CD20 was available for 72% (103/143) and 96.0% (48/50), respectively. A total of 65.8% (77/117) of DLBCL patients received EPOCH- (dose-adjusted etoposide, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, prednisone, and doxorubicin) or CHOP-based (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) regimens. The 1-year PFS and 1-year OS were 32.98% and 43.62% in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) patients and 32.18% and 41.40% in DLBCL patients, respectively. Advanced age and elevated LDH were significant predictors of the outcome in both HIV-associated NHL and DLBCL, and the influence of other factors waxed and waned. A lower CD4/CD8 ratio was an independent poor predictor for 1-year OS in HIV-associated NHL but not for DLBCL. Conclusions: In our population, HIV-positive patients with lymphoma presented aggressive characteristics and exhibited poor survival outcomes, even in the modern HAART era. Effective HIV-directed therapies reduced the impact of HIV-associated prognostic factors on outcomes; however, lymphoma-related factors, such as age and LDH, were found to be key independent predictors for HIV-associated lymphoma.
Global, Regional, and National Burden of Urinary Tract Infections from 1990-2019: an Analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019
Authors: Zeng Zhilin , Zhan Juan , Zhang Kaimin , Chen Huilong , Cheng Sheng
Published: August 2021

Objective
We aimed to estimate the burden of UTIs by age, sex, and socioeconomic status in 204 countries and territories from 1990–2019.
Method
We used data from GBD 2019 to analyse the incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) due to UTIs at the global, regional, and national levels. Estimates are presented as numbers and age-standardised or age-specific rates per 100000 population, with 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs). We further explored the associations between the incidence, mortality, DALYs, and socio-demographic index (SDI) as a proxy for the development status of regions and countries.
Results
In 2019, more than 404.6 million (95% UI 359.4-446.5) individuals had UTIs globally and nearly 236 786 people (198 433 − 259 034) died of UTIs, contributing to 5.2 million (4.5–5.7) DALYs. The age-standardised incidence rate increased from 4 715.0 (4 174.2-5 220.6) per 100 000 population in 1990 to 5 229.3 (4 645.3-5 771.2) per 100 000 population in 2019. At the GBD regional level, the highest age-standardised incidence rate in 2019 occurred in Tropical Latin America (13 852.9 [12 135.6–15 480.3] per 100 000 population). At the national level, Ecuador had the highest age-standardised incidence rate (15 511.3 [13 685.0–17 375.6] per 100 000 population). The age-standardised death rates were highest in Barbados (19.5 [13.7–23.5] per 100 000 population). In addition, age-standardised incidence, death, and DALY rates generally increased across the SDI.
Conclusions
Our study results suggest a globally rising trend of UTI burden between 1990 and 2019. The results of this study could be useful in policy-making, priority setting, and resource allocation in UTI prevention and treatment.
Adverse Cardiovascular Complications Following Prescription of Programmed Cell Death 1 (PD-1) and Programmed Cell Death Ligand 1 (PD-L1) Inhibitors: A Propensity-Score Matched Cohort Study With Competing Risk Analysis
Authors: Zhou Jiandong , Lee Sharen , Lakhani Ishan , Yang Lei , Liu Tong , Zhang Yuhui , Xia Yunlong , Chan Esther W , Wong Ian Chi Kei , Tse Gary , Zhang Qingpeng
Published: August 2021

Background: Programmed death-1 (PD-1) and programmed death- ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors, such as pembrolizumab, nivolumab and atezolizumab, are major classes of immune checkpoint inhibitors that are increasingly used for cancer treatment. However, their use is associated with adverse cardiovascular events. We examined the incidence of new-onset cardiac complications in patients receiving PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitors.Methods: Patients receiving PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitors since their launch up to 31st December 2019 at the Hospital Authority of Hong Kong, without pre-existing cardiac complications were included. The primary outcome was a composite of incident heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter with the last follow-up date of 31st December 2020. Propensity score matching between PD-L1 inhibitor use and PD-1 inhibitor use with a 1:2 ratio for patient demographics, past comorbidities and non-PD-1/PD-L1 medications was performed.Results: A total of 1959 patients were included. Over a median follow-up of 247 days (interquartile range [IQR]: 72-506), 320 (incidence rate [IR]: 16.31%) patients met the primary outcome after PD-1/PD-L1 treatment: 244 (IR: 12.57%) with heart failure, 38 (IR: 1.93%) with acute myocardial infarction, 54 (IR: 2.75%) with atrial fibrillation, 6 (IR: 0.31%) with atrial flutter. Compared with PD-1 inhibitor treatment, PD-L1 inhibitor treatment was significantly associated with a lower risk of composite outcome both before (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.32, 95% CI: [0.18-0.59], P value=0.0002) and after matching (HR: 0.34, 95% CI: [0.18-0.65], P value=0.001), and lower all-cause mortality risk before matching (HR: 0.77, 95% CI: [0.64-0.93], P value=0.0078) and after matching (HR: 0.80, 95% CI: [0.65-1.00], P value=0.0463). Patients who developed cardiac complications had shorter average readmission intervals and a higher number of hospitalizations after treatment with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors both before and after matching (P value<0.0001). Competing risk analysis with cause-specific hazard and subdistribution hazard models, and multiple approaches based on the propensity score all confirmed these observations. Conclusions: Compared with PD-1 treatment, PD-L1 treatment was significantly associated with lower risk of new onset cardiac composite outcome and all-cause mortality both before and after propensity score matching.
Topological phase singularities in atomically thin high-refractive-index materials
Authors: Ermolaev Georgy , Voronin Kirill , Baranov Denis , Kravets Vasyl , Tselikov G. , Stebunov Yury , Yakubovsky Dmitry , Novikov Sergey , Vyshnevyy Andrey , Mazitov Arslan , Kruglov Ivan , Zhukov Sergey , Romanov Roman , Markeev Andrey , Arsenin Aleksey , Novoselov Konstantin , Grigorenko Alexander , Volkov Valentyn
Published: August 2021

Atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) present a promising platform for numerous photonic applications due to excitonic spectral features, possibility to tune their constants by external gating, doping, or light, and mechanical stability. Utilization of such materials for sensing or optical modulation purposes would require a clever optical design, as by itself the 2D materials can offer only a small optical phase delay – consequence of the atomic thickness. To address this issue, we combine films of 2D semiconductors which exhibit excitonic lines with the Fabry-Perot resonators of the standard commercial SiO2/Si substrate, in order to realize topological phase singularities in reflection. Around these singularities, reflection spectra demonstrate rapid phase changes while the structure behaves as a perfect absorber. Furthermore, we demonstrate that such topological phase singularities are ubiquitous for the entire class of atomically thin TMDCs and other high-refractive-index materials, making it a powerful tool for phase engineering in flat optics. As a practical demonstration, we employ PdSe2 topological phase singularities for a refractive index sensor and demonstrate its superior phase sensitivity compared to typical surface plasmon resonance sensors.
Systemic Evaluation of Mechanism of Cytotoxicity in Human Colon Cancer HCT-116 Cells of Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized Using Marine Algae Ulva Lactuca Extract.
Authors: Acharya Diptikanta , Satapathy Sagarika , Yadav Kanti Kusum , Somu Prathap , Mishra Gitanjali
Published: August 2021

In the current study, biogenic silver nanoparticles (U-AgNPs) were synthesized using marine green macro-algal Ulva Lactuca extract, and evaluated mechanism behind the anticancer activity against the Human colon cancer (HCT-116). The novel biogenic U-AgNPs were characterized using various physiochemical techniques. The TEM micrographs confirmed the spherical morphology of synthesized U-AgNPs, with a mean size of 8–14 nm. FTIR Spectra analysis of U-AgNPs confirmed Ulva Lactuca extract bioactive molecules presence over U-AgNPs surface as a stabilizing agent, thereby improving biocompatibility. The cytotoxicity study revealed the dose dependent cell death in colon cancer cells with no loss of viability in normal human colon epithelial cells. Furthermore, the fluorescence micrographs of nucleus staining assay revealed the DNA fragmentation and nucleus condensation of cancer cells treated with U-AgNPs, indicating an apoptosis-mediated cell death. The western bolt and RT-PCR analysis of U-AgNPs treated cancer cells showed the rise in proapoptotic markers (P53, Bax, and P21) and decline in anti-apoptotic markers (Bcl-2), thus confirming the p53-dependent apoptosis mediated cell death in HCT-116. Overall, our study concluded that novel biogenic U-AgNPs nanoparticles, synthesized using marine green macro-algal Ulva Lactuca extract showed efficient anticancer activity against HCT-116 cell line and hence could work as potential therapeutic agent for targeted anti-cancer therapy.
Residue-resolved monitoring of protein hyperpolarization at sub-second time resolution
Authors: Negroni Mattia , Kurzbach Dennis
Published: August 2021

We propose a method for real-time nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy of hyperpolarized proteins at residue resolution. The approach is based on dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization (d-DNP), which enables the use of hyperpolarized buffers that selectively boost NMR signals of backbone amides that incur magnetization fast from their surroundings. Capitalizing on the resulting spectral sparseness and simultaneous signal enhancement, we obtained residue-resolved NMR spectra at a sampling rate of 2 Hz. We could thus track the evolution of hyperpolarization at different protein residues simultaneously with time. This was achieved under near-physiological conditions, i.e., in aqueous solution at physiological salt concentration and at 37° C. With this development, two often encountered limitations of conventional solution-state NMR can be addressed: 1) NMR experiments are typically performed under conditions that increase sensitivity but are physiologically not relevant (low pH, low temperature) and; 2) signal accumulation over long periods impedes the determination of fast (on the order of seconds) real-time monitoring. Both limitations are of equal fundamental relevance: interaction studies under non-native conditions are of limited pharmacological relevance, and the key to the function of proteins often resides in their interaction kinetics. The proposed technique possibly opens new routes towards residue and temporally resolved spectroscopy at the atomistic level by overcoming the need for signal averaging in residue-resolved protein biomolecular NMR.
Development of a sticker sealed microfluidic device for in situ analytical measurements using synchrotron radiation
Authors: NECKEL ITAMAR , de Castro Lucas F. , Callefo Flavia , Teixeira Verônica , Gobbi Angelo , Piazzetta Maria , de Oliveira Ricardo , Lima Renato , Vicente Rafael , Galante Douglas , Tolentino Helio
Published: August 2021

Shedding synchrotron light on microfluidic systems, exploring several contrasts in situ operando at the nanoscale, like X-ray fluorescence, diffraction, luminescence, and absorption, has the potential to reveal new properties and functionalities of materials across diverse areas, such as green energy, photonics, and nanomedicine. In this work, we present the micro-fabrication and characterization of a multifunctional polyester/glass sealed microfluidic device well-suited to combine with analytical X-ray techniques. The device consists of smooth microchannels patterned on glass, where three gold electrodes are deposited into the channels to serve in situ electrochemistry analysis or standard electrical measurements. It has been efficiently sealed through an ultraviolet-sensitive sticker-like layer based on a polyester film, and The burst pressure determined by pumping water through the microchannel(up to 0.22 MPa). Overall, the device has demonstrated exquisite chemical resistance to organic solvents, and its efficiency in the presence of biological samples (proteins) is remarkable. The device potentialities, and its high transparency to X-rays, have been demonstrated by taking advantage of the X-ray nanoprobe Carnaúba/Sirius/LNLS, by obtaining 2D X-ray nanofluorescence maps on the microchannel filled with water and after an electrochemical nucleation reaction. To wrap up, the microfluidic device characterized here has the potential to be employed in standard laboratory experiments as well as in situ and in vivo analytical experiments using a wide electromagnetic window, from infrared to X-rays, which could serve experiments in many branches of science.
The fliR gene contributes to the virulence of S. marcescens in a Drosophila intestinal infection model
Authors: Rahme Bechara Sina , Lestradet Matthieu , Venanzio Gisela Di , Ayyaz Arshad , Yamba Miriam Wennida , Lazzaro Martina , Véscovi Eleonora García , Ferrandon Dominique
Published: August 2021

Serratia marcescens is an opportunistic bacterium that infects a wide range of hosts including humans. It is a potent pathogen in a septic injury model of Drosophila melanogaster as five bacteria directly injected in the body cavity of the fly kill the host within a day. In contrast, flies do not succumb to ingested bacteria for days even though some bacteria traverse the intestinal barrier into the hemolymph within a couple of hours. The mechanisms by which S. marcescens attacks enterocytes and damages the intestinal epithelium remain uncharacterized. To better understand intestinal infections, we performed a genetic screen for loss of virulence of ingested S. marcescens in which we identified FliR, a structural component of the flagellum, as a virulence factor. Next, we compared the virulence of two flagellum mutants fliR and flhD using two Serratia strains. Both genes are required for S. marcescens to escape the gut lumen into the hemocoel indicating that the flagellum plays an important role for the passage of bacteria through the intestinal barrier. In contrast, fliR but not flhD is needed to severely damage the intestinal epithelium and ultimately kill the host. Our results therefore suggest a flagellum-independent role for fliR in bacterial virulence.
Interferon Gamma Therapy in a Novel Case of Homozygous Interferon Alpha/beta Receptor Alpha Chain (IFNAR1) Deficiency Infected With SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Khanmohammadi Shaghayegh , Rezaei Nima , Khazaei Mehdi , Shirkani Afshin
Published: August 2021

Background: Interferons play a crucial role in antiviral immunity. Genetic defects in interferon receptors (IFNRs) can lead to the development of life-threatening forms of infectious diseases.Case presentation: A thirteen-year-old boy with a novel mutation in interferon alpha/beta receptor subunit 1 (IFNAR1)(c.674-2A>G) was diagnosed with COVID-19. He had cold symptoms and a high-grade fever at the time of admission. He was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit after showing no response to favipiravir. High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scanning revealed lung involvement of 70% with extensive areas of consolidation in both lungs. Antibiotics, interferon gamma (IFN-γ), remdesivir, methylprednisolone pulse, and other medications were started in the patient. However, remdesivir and methylprednisolone pulse were discontinued after the occurrence of hypertension and bradycardia in the patient. His general condition improved, and a few days later was discharged from the hospital.Conclusion: We reported a COVID-19 patient who had a novel mutation in IFNAR1 and was treated with IFN-γ. Our findings and approach to managing this COVID-19 patient suggest that IFN-γ therapy could be an appropriate choice to treat patients with defects in IFN-α/β signaling pathways.
EOESGC: Predicting miRNA−disease Associations Based on Embedding of Embedding and Simplified Graph Convolutional Network
Authors: Pang Shanchen , Zhuang yu , Wang Xinzeng , Wang Fuyu , Qiao Sibo
Published: August 2021

Background: A large number of biological studies have shown that miRNAs are inextricably linked to many complex diseases. Studying the miRNA−disease associations could provide us a root cause understanding on the underlying pathogenesis in which promotes the progress of drug development. However, traditional biological experiments are very time consuming and costly. Therefore, we come up with more efficient models to solve this challenge. Results: In this work, we propose a deep learning model called EOESGC to predict potential miRNA−disease associations based on embedding of embedding and simplified convolutional network. Firstly, a coupled heterogeneous graph is constructed by using the integrated disease similarity, integrated miRNA similarity and miRNA−disease association networks where parts of the connected edges with less similarity values are removed to simplify the graph structure. The initial feature representation of nodes in the graph is learned using the embedding of embedding model(EOE) based on the principle that the nodes with associations are close to each other and the nodes without association are far from each other. The use of EOE can effectively learn the positional information among nodes and protect the graph structure information to some extent. Then the initial features of the nodes are fed into the simplified graph convolutional network(SGC), and in this step we only use miRNA−disease association network to further simplify the graph structure and thus reduce the computational complexity. Finally, feature embeddings of both miRNA and disease spliced into the MLP for prediction. The two graph simplifications of our model effectively reduce the computational difficulty, and the experimental results show that our model can indeed predict the potential miRNA−disease associations effectively. Compared with the latest published models, our model shows better results. On EOESGC evaluation part, the AUC, AUPR and F1 of our model are 0.9658, 0.8543 and 0.8644 by 5−fold cross validation respectively. In addition, we predict the top 20 potential miRNAs for breast cancer and lung cancer, most of which are validated in the dbDEMC and HMDD3.2 databases. Conclusion: The comprehensive experimental results show that EOESGC can effectively identify the potential miRNA−disease associations.
Treatment Outcomes of Mycobacterium Avium Complex Pulmonary Disease According to Disease Severity
Authors: Kim Bo-Guen , Jhun Byung Woo , Kim Hojoong , Kwon O Jung
Published: August 2021

Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease (MAC-PD) requires long-term treatment. We analyzed the outcomes of 992 MAC-PD patients according to disease severity and compared the outcomes of intermittent and daily therapy for mild disease. Patients were divided into groups according to severity using the body mass index, age, cavity, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and sex (BACES) system, and culture conversion rates were evaluated. We also evaluated the effects of intermittent treatment on the culture conversion rates in mild disease group. Using the BACES, 992 patients were divided into mild (n=331), moderate (n=503), and severe (n=158) disease groups, and culture conversion at the end of treatment was achieved in 85% (282/331), 80% (403/503), and 61% (97/158), respectively. Differences in culture conversion among the severity groups were significant (p<0.001). In patients with mild disease, culture conversion rates were similar between intermittent (84%, 166/198) and daily (87%, 116/133) treatment (p=0.396), and intermittent antibiotic therapy did not negatively impact culture conversion (adjusted hazard ratio 1.08; confidence interval 0.83–1.15; p=0.552). MAC-PD patients with mild disease had higher culture conversion rates. Daily and intermittent therapy yielded similar culture conversion rates for mild disease. Treatment strategies with lower pill burden may be applicable in mild MAC-PD.
Success Rate in Micropulse Diode Laser Treatment in Regards to the Phakic Versus Non-phakic Status, as Well as Refractive Errors and Glaucoma Subtypes
Authors: Zanutigh Virginia , Perrone Luciano Daniel , Gómez-Caride Gastón , Perrone Franco , Valvecchia Gerardo , Logioco Celina
Published: August 2021

Purpose. To evaluate the efficiency of micropulse transscleral cyclophotocoagulation (MP-TSCPC) considering different characteristics: lens status, spherical equivalent (SE), and glaucoma sub-types. Methods. A retrospective case-series study was designed to evaluate intraocular pressure (IOP), and the number of IOP lowering medications, used by glaucoma patients treated with MP-TSCPC between 2016 and 2019. Cases had a follow-up period of 12 months and 24 months. Achieving an IOP reduction higher than 20%, or the decrease of at least one IOP lowering medication, was considered a successful outcome. The same population was analyzed by classifying them in three groups according to certain characteristics: lens status, refractive errors (calculated according to their SE), glaucoma sub-types. Results. A total of 86 eyes were included. In most cases, IOP and IOP lowering medications were decreased with a statistically significant difference (P<0.0001), and all of them had a successful outcome. The percentage of IOP drop oscillated between 15.5% (open angle glaucoma sub-groups), and 41.5% (pseudoexfoliative glaucoma sub-groups), 24 months after surgery. The Person’s coefficient obtained was low for the SE and IOP association, at both the 12 and the 24-month postoperative mark (-0.009 and 0.08, respectively). Conclusions. The MP-TSCPC treatment was successful in decreasing IOP and IOP lowering medications, with similar efficacy between phakic and pseudophakic eyes. The higher effect was observed in the pseudoexfoliative glaucoma. No association was found between the SE and the IOP drop after MS-TSCPC treatment.
Influence of manufacturing errors of bearing components on rotational accuracy of cylindrical roller bearings
Authors: Yu Yongjian , Li Jishun , Xue Yujun
Published: August 2021

Understanding the influence of bearing component manufacturing errors and roller number on the rotational accuracy of rolling bearings is crucial in the design of high precision bearings. The rotational accuracy of an assembled bearing is dependent upon roller number and manufacturing error of the bearing components. We propose a model for calculating the rotational accuracy of a cylindrical roller bearing; we experimentally verified the effectiveness of the model in predicting the radial run-out of the inner ring proposed in the previous paper in this series. We sought to define the key contributing factors to the rotational accuracy by studying both the influence of the coupling effect of the roller number and the influence of the manufacturing errors in the inner raceway, outer raceway, and rollers on the motion error. The model and results will help engineers choose reasonable manufacturing tolerances for bearing components to achieve the required rotational accuracy.
Blast-Induced Axonal Degeneration In The Rat Cerebellum In The Absence of Head Movement
Authors: Bishop Robin , Won Seok Joon , Irvine Karen-Amanda , Basu Jayinee , Rome Eric S. , Swanson Raymond A
Published: August 2021

Blast exposure can injure brain by multiple mechanisms, and injury attributable to direct effects of the blast wave itself have been difficult to distinguish from that caused by rapid head displacement and other secondary processes. To resolve this issue, we used a rat model of blast exposure in which head movement was either strictly prevented or permitted in the lateral plane. Blast was found to produce axonal injury even with strict prevention of head movement. This axonal injury was restricted to the cerebellum, with the exception of injury in visual tracts secondary to ocular trauma. The cerebellar axonal injury was increased in rats in which blast-induced head movement was permitted, but the pattern of injury was unchanged. These findings support the contentions that blast per se, independent of head movement, is sufficient to induce axonal injury, and that axons in cerebellar white matter are particularly vulnerable to direct blast - induced injury.
Orai1 Mediated Calcium Influx Improves Sepsis-induced T Lymphocyte Immunosuppression and Acute Organ Dysfunction
Authors: Chen Longwang , Zhao Guangju , Ke Heliang , Liu Xinyong , Lian Jie , Lin Miaotong , Hong Guangliang , Lu Zhongqiu
Published: August 2021

Sepsis-triggered immune paralysis, particularly CD4+ T-cell dysfunction, increases susceptibility to infections. Ca2+ signals arising from store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) in T lymphocytes are critical mediators to infection, inflammation, and autoimmunity. Orai1 is a major component of SOCE. The role of Orai1 and SOCE in sepsis-induced immunosuppression remain to be elucidated. In this study, we first identified the immunosuppression of splenic CD4+ T cells and CD4+CD25+Treg cell/T helper 17 (Th17) cell imbalance in septic mice. Following this, we found that Ca2+-calcineurin-calcineurin-nuclear factor of activated T cell (NFAT) signaling pathways as well as SOCE were inhibited in septic mice. Further, Upregulation of Orai1 not only can improve immune function of T cell in sepsis but also reduce the mortality and organ damage in septic mice. Lastly, Overexpression of Orai1 can partially recovery of SOCE in sepsis. These data suggest that Orai1 mediated calcium influx can improve sepsis-induced T lymphocyte immunosuppression and acute organ dysfunction.
Spatial Assessment of Drought Features over Different Climates and Seasons Across Iran
Authors: Sharafi Saeed , Ghaleni Mehdi Mohammadi
Published: August 2021

Drought is one of the most complex phenomena in the world, so proper management is very important in monitoring and reducing its damage. For this purpose, Standard Precipitation Index (SPI), Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) and Reconnaissance Drought Index (RDI) indices were used to analyze the intensity and frequency of drought in the coastal wet, mountain, semi mountain, semi desert, desert and coastal desert climates of Iran in four seasons, separately: autumn, winter, spring and summer. 43 synoptic stations with a common statistical period of 50 years (1969–2019) were selected. The results showed that the trend of drought in winter and summer is increasing in all studied climates. The highest correlation (0.80–0.99) between SPI-RDI and SPEI-RDI indices in coastal desert, mountain and semi mountain climates and the lowest correlation (0.34) between SPI-SPEI and SPEI-RDI indices in semi desert, desert and coastal desert climates were obtained. The comparison of the results in the trend analysis of the drought showed the same trend, but the SPEI index compared to the other indicators showed a quicker response to changes in drier climates. SPI-RDI variations showed similar values in colder climates. The SPEI is based on precipitation and temperature data, and it has the advantage of combining multi-scalar character with the capacity to include the effects of temperature variability in the drought assessment. Thus, SPEI is recommended as a suitable index for studying and identifying the effect of climate change on drought conditions.
Texture and Anisotropy of Hot-Pressed h-BN Matrix Composite Ceramics With in Situ Formed YAG
Authors: Zhang Zhuo , Duan Xiaoming , Tian Zhuo , Wang Yujin , Wang Lan , Chen Lei , Qiu Baofu , Cai Delong , He Peigang , Jia Dechang , Zhou Yu
Published: August 2021

Textured h-BN matrix composite ceramics were prepared by hot-pressing using different contents of 3Y2O3-5Al2O3 (mole ratio of 3:5) as the liquid phase sintering additive. During the hot-pressing process, the liquid Y3Al5O12 (YAG) phase with good wettability to h-BN grains was in situ formed through the reaction between Y2O3 and Al2O3, and a coherent relationship between h-BN and YAG was observed with [010]h-BN // [1̅11]YAG and (002)h-BN // (321)YAG. Plate-like h-BN grains in the YAG liquid phase environment were rotated under the action of the uniaxial sintering pressure, making their basal surfaces preferentially arranged perpendicular to the sintering pressure, forming textured microstructures with the c-axis of h-BN grains oriented parallel to the sintering pressure, which give these composite ceramics anisotropy in their mechanical and thermal properties. The highest texture degree was found in the specimen with 30 wt.% YAG content, which also possesses the most anisotropic thermal conductivity. The aggregation of YAG phase resulting in the buckling of h-BN plates was observed in the specimen with 40 wt.% YAG content, which significantly reduced its texture degree.
Effective, Shortened Drying of Agar-Gelcasting Al2O3 Tube Through Immersing in Acetone
Authors: Kaemkit Ramnaree , Vichaphund Supawan , Phureungrat Anukorn , Promsawat Methee , Sirijarukul Suksawat , Lertwittayanon Kowit
Published: August 2021

A liquid drying agent, i.e. acetone, was employed for allowing the faster drying of Al2O3 tubes fabricated by agar gelcasting than the conventional air drying. The mixture of Al2O3 slurry and agar solution was separately prepared and then mixed prior to molding out of a set of warmed glass tubes. After the mixture transformed into gelled tube, the gelled tube was demolded and then immersed in acetone at different periods of time from 0 to 50 h. The immersed periods of 50 h led to the acetone replacement for water being inside of the gelling tube by 74 wt.% and then shortened the drying period to be 25 min. On the other hand, the conventional air drying spent 420 min drying completely. After drying, the immersed tubes possessed spherical cross section; whereas, no immersed tubes showed the deformation of cross section. The shortened drying was in line with the smaller drying shrinkage (4.7%), broader pore-size distribution and higher porous microstructure, comparing to the conventional air drying. The mechanism of acetone replacement for water was attributed to the acetone-water concentration gradient creating their inter-diffusion.
Outstanding Piezoelectricity of (K, Na)(Nb, Sb)O3-SrZrO3-(Bi, Ag)ZrO3 Piezoceramics and Their Application to a Planar-Type Actuator
Authors: Go Su-Hwan , Eum Jae-min , Kim Dae-Su , Chae Seok-Jun , Kim Sun-Woo , Kim Eun-Ji , Chae Yeon-Gyeong , Woo Jong-Un , Nahm S.
Published: August 2021

Fe2O3-added 0.96(K0.5Na0.5)(Nb0.94Sb0.06)-0.01SrZrO3-0.03(BiAg)ZrO3 [KNNS-0.01SZ-0.03BAZ] piezoceramic was well densified at 1090 °C. It exhibited a large piezoelectric charge constant (d33) of 650 pC/N, which is similar to the largest d33 value reported in the literature. This sample has a tetragonal-orthorhombic-rhombohedral (T-O-R) structure, in which each structure has a similar proportion. Moreover, nanodomains (2 nm × 15 nm) with low domain boundary energy were found in this sample, which exhibited relaxor properties. Therefore, the presence of a T-O-R multi-structure and nanodomains is responsible for the large d33 value of this sample. A KNNS-0.01SZ-0.03BAZ thick film was synthesized, and it also had a T-O-R multi-structure with a large d33 (630 pC/N). A planar-type actuator was produced using this thick film, and this actuator exhibited a large acceleration (335 G at 120 V/mm) and displacement (231 μm at 120 V/mm). Hence, the KNNS-0.01SZ-0.03BAZ thick film is a good candidate for lead-free piezoelectric actuators.
The thirst sensation failure in keeping body water balance delivered by the modern civilization should be corrected by wearable technologies
Authors: Davydov Dmitry M.
Published: August 2021

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
A review of transfer learning for medical image classification
Authors: Kim Hee E. , Cosa-Linan Alejandro , Maros Mate E. , Santhanam Nandhini , Jannesari Mahboubeh , Ganslandt Thomas
Published: August 2021

This review paper provides an overview of the peer-reviewed articles using transfer learning for medical image analysis, while also providing guidelines for selecting a convolutional neural network model and its configurations for the image classification task. The data characteristics and the trend of models and transfer learning types in the medical domain are additionally analyzed. Publications were retrieved from the databases PubMed and Web of Science of peer-reviewed articles published in English until December 31, 2020. We followed the PRISMA guidelines for the paper selection and 121 studies were regarded as eligible for the scope of this review. With respect to the model, the majority of studies (n = 57) empirically evaluated numerous models followed by deep (n = 33) and shallow (n = 24) models. With respect to the transfer learning approaches, the majority of studies (n = 46) empirically searched for the optimal transfer learning configuration followed by feature extractor (n = 38) and fine-tuning scratch (n = 27), feature extractor hybrid (n = 7) and fine-tuning (n = 3). The investigated studies showed that transfer learning demonstrates either a better or at least a similar performance compared to medical experts despite the limited data sets. We hence encourage data scientists and practitioners to use models such as ResNet or Inception with a feature extractor approach, which saves computational costs and time without degrading the predictive power.
Artificial-intelligence-driven discovery of catalyst “genes” with application to CO2 activation on semiconductor oxides
Authors: Mazheika Aliaksei , Wang Yanggang , Valero Rosendo , Vines Francesc , Illas Francesc , Ghiringhelli Luca , Levchenko Sergey , Scheffler Matthias
Published: August 2021

Using subgroup discovery, an artificial intelligence (AI) approach that identifies statistically exceptional subgroups in a dataset, we develop a strategy for a rational design of catalytic materials. We identify “materials genes” (features of catalyst materials) that correlate with mechanisms that trigger, facilitate, or hinder the activation of carbon dioxide (CO2) towards a chemical conversion. The approach is used to address the conversion of CO2 to fuels and other useful chemicals. The AI model is trained on high-throughput first-principles data for a broad family of oxides. We demonstrate that bending of the gas-phase linear molecule, previously proposed as the indicator of activation, is insufficient to account for the good catalytic performance of experimentally characterized oxide surfaces. Instead, our AI approach identifies the common feature of these surfaces in the binding of a molecular O atom to a surface cation, which results in a strong elongation and therefore weakening of one molecular C-O bond. The same conclusion is obtained by using the bending indicator only when incombination with the Sabatier principle. Based on these findings, we propose a set of new promising oxide-based catalyst materials for CO2 conversion, and a recipe to find more. Our analysis also reveals advantages of local pattern discovery methods such as subgroup discovery over standard global regression approaches in discovering combinations of materials properties that result in a catalytic activation.
Identification and validation of immunotypes for clear cell RCC prognosis
Authors: Yang Zhaolin , Zhou Jiale , Xue Yizheng , Zhang Yu , Zhou Kaijun , Zhang Ying , Zhang Jin , Huang Jiwei , Huang Yiran , Xue Wei , Li Yan , Zhai Wei , Chen Yonghui
Published: August 2021

Purpose To develop an immunotype-based prognostic model for predicting the overall survival (OS) of patients with clear cell renal carcinoma (ccRCC). We explored novel immunotypes of patients with ccRCC, particularly those associated with overall survival. A risk-metastasis model was constructed by integrating the immunotypes with immune genes and used to test the accuracy of the immunotype model. Patients and Methods Patient cohort data were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, Renji database, and Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. We employed the R software to select 3 immune cells and construct an immunotype-based prediction model. Immune genes selected using random Forest Algorithm were validated by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The H&L risk-metastasis model was constructed to assess the accuracy of the immunotype model through Multivariate COX regression analysis. Result Patients with ccRCC were categorized into immunotype H subgroup and immunotype L subgroup based on the overall survival rates. The immunotypes were found to be the independent prognostic index for ccRCC prognosis. As such, we constructed a new immunotypes-based SSIGN model. Three immune genes associated with difference between immunotype H and L were identified. An H&L risk-metastasis model was constructed to evaluate the accuracy of the immunotype model. Compared to the W-Risk-metastasis model which did not incorporate immunotypes, the H&L risk-metastasis model was more precise in predicting the survival of ccRCC patients. Conclusion The established immunotype model can effectively predict the survival of ccRCC patients. Except for mast cells, T cells and macrophages are positively associated with the overall survival of patients. The three immune genes identified, herein, can predict the survival rate of ccRCC patients, and expression of these immune genes is strongly linked to poor survival. The new SSIGN model provides an accurate tool for predicting the survival of ccRCC patients. H&L risk-metastasis model can effectively predict the risk of tumor metastasis.
Assessing the impact of climate on annual and seasonal discharges at the Sremska Mitrovica station on the Sava River, Serbia
Authors: Leščešen Igor , Šraj Mojca , Pantelić Milana , Dolinaj Dragan
Published: August 2021

Flood frequency analysis was performed on annual maxima series for 90 years (1928–2017) of discharge data recorded at the Sremska Mitrovica gauging station on the Sava River. The three-parameter distributions (PearsonIII, Log-PearsonIII) are more suitable for modelling annual maxima than distribution functions with only two parameters (Normal, Log-normal, Gumbel). The Mann–Kendall test statistic indicated that there is no statistically significant trend identified in annual maximum discharges or average annual discharges. A positive increasing trend was observed in annual temperature, while annual precipitation shows a decreasing trend which is non-significant. The seasonality analysis found a statistically non-significant weak negative trend in discharge in spring, summer and autumn and a statistically non-significant weak positive trend in winter. During winter, spring, and summer a non-significant negative trend in precipitation was observed, while autumn has experienced a statistically significant increasing trend. Temperatures show a positive trend in all seasons, but only temperatures during the warm period show a statistically significant increase. The results demonstrate that decreasing discharges of the Sava River at the Sremska Mitrovica gauging station are mainly the consequence of decreasing precipitation and increasing temperature (increasing evaporation), which is consistent with the results of other studies of the region.
Quantitative detection of human- and canine-associated Bacteroides genetic markers from an urban coastal lagoon
Authors: Yasar Serhat A. , Mills Toby J. T. , Uluturk Zehra I. , Ruszczyk Jason M. S. , LeBard Rebecca J. , Neilan Brett A.
Published: August 2021

The contamination of water catchments by nonpoint source faecal pollution is a major issue affecting the microbial quality of receiving waters and is associated with the occurrence of a range of enteric illnesses in humans. The potential sources of faecal pollution in surface waters are diverse, including urban sewage leaks, surface runoff and wildlife contamination originating from a range of hosts. The major contributing hosts require identification to allow targeted management of this public health concern. In this study, two high-performing Microbial Source Tracking (MST) assays, HF183/Bac242 and BacCan-UCDmodif, were used for their ability to detect host-specific Bacteroides 16Sr RNA markers for faecal pollution in a 12-month study on an urban coastal lagoon in Sydney, Australia. The lagoon was found to contain year-round high numbers of human and canine faecal markers, as well as faecal indicator bacteria counts, suggesting considerable human and animal faecal pollution. The high sensitivity and specificity of the HF183/Bac242 and BacCan-UCDmodif assays, together with the manageable levels of PCR inhibition and high level DNA extraction efficiency obtained from lagoon water samples make these markers candidates for inclusion in an MST ‘toolbox’ for investigating host origins of faecal pollution in urban surface waters.