bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Procalcitonin and C-reactive Protein Perform Better Than Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Count Ratio on Evaluation of Hospital Acquired Pneumonia
Authors: Zheng Nan , HAN YI
Published: January 2020

Background: Early diagnosis and severity evaluation are key factors to achieve improved outcomes of hospital acquired pneumonia (HAP). We are constantly in search of more sensitive and specific biomarkers to improve timely diagnosis and survival.Methods: 593 cases of adult patients were enrolled into this retrospective cohort study to determine neutrophil-lymphocyte count ratio (NLCR), procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), serum lactate level and APACHE (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation) II score at the admission of ICU. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to diagnosis: non-infection and HAP. Discriminant analysis was applied to which marker or what composition of markers performed better regarding to the diagnostic value and severity evaluation. The diagnostic value of each individual biomarker was assessed by construction of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, calculation of the area under each ROC curves (AUROC). Multivariate analysis was also applied to detect most appropriate prognostic factors.Results: Remarkable differences were observed on NLCR, PCT, CRP and APACHE II scores between non-infection and HAP group. Regarding to discriminant ability of severe infection, the AUROC of NLCR (0.56; 95%CI 0.52-0.61) was not comparative with any of other single markers such as PCT (0.63; 95% CI 0.59-0.68), CRP (0.60; 95% CI 0.54-0.67), or APACHE II score (0.68; 95% CI 0.64-0.73). Compared to the single biomarkers, APACHE II score presented higher discriminant ability with greater AUROC. Besides, AUROC of the composite biomarker PCT-CRP-NLCR (0.66; 95% CI 0.61-0.70) was significantly greater than any of the single biomarkers, and its discriminant ability was comparable to APACHE II score.Conclusions: NLCR is not comparable to other single biomarkers such as PCT, CRP, or APACHE II score regarding to diagnosis or to severity evaluation of HAP. Composite biomarkers can prompt early diagnosis and severity evaluation with improved accessibility, especially the composition of PCT-CRP-NLCR.
Difference in autonomic nervous effect of blue light depending on the angle of incidence on the eye
Authors: Yuda Emi , Yoshida Yutaka , Ueda Norihiro , Hayano Junichiro
Published: January 2020

Objective: Blue light has been attributed to the adverse biological effects caused by the use of smartphones and tablet devices at night. However, it is not realistic to immediately avoid nighttime exposure to blue light in the lifestyle of modern society, so other effective methods to reduce the unwanted influences should be investigated. Earlier studies reported that inferior retinal light exposure causes greater melatonin suppression than superior retinal exposure. We examined whether the autonomic responses to blue light depends on the angle of incidence on the eye. Results: In eight healthy subjects, blue light from organic electroluminescent lighting device (15.4 lx at subjects’ eye) was exposed from 6 angles (0º, 30º, 45º, 135º, 150º, and 180º) for 5 min each with a 10-min interval of darkness. After adjusting the order effect of angles, however, no significant difference was detected in autonomic indices of heart rate variability with the angle of incidence, except that the exposure from 45º caused lower heart rate than exposures from 0º, 150º, and 180º. Further researches on the physiological properties of the biological effects of blue light are needed to control and reduce the health risks of using blue-light-emitting devices.
Restless leg syndrome among Sudanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A case-control study
Authors: Mirghani Hyder Osman
Published: January 2020

Objectives: There is an increasing awareness about the association of the restless leg syndrome (RLS) with type 2 diabetes, the present study assessed RLS and its associations among patients with diabetes. Results: This case-control study conducted among 160 subjects (eighty-two patients with diabetes and 78 controls) attending a diabetic clinic in Omdurman, Sudan during the period from June 2018 to September 2019. A structured questionnaire based on restless syndrome, demographic data, and diabetes complications was used. The neck circumference was measured to assess adiposity, and a blood sample was taken for the glycated hemoglobin estimation.There were 82 patients with type 2 diabetes and 78 controls matched for age and sex, the restless syndrome was higher among patients with diabetes (31.7% vs. 10.3%%) with significant statistical difference, P-<0.05, A direct positive relationship was found between restless leg syndrome and diabetic neuropathy (Wald =5.48, P-value=0.019, 95% CI 1.70-410.76, no relationship was found between RLS, diabetic retinopathy, HbA1 c , sex, and neck circumference, P-values (0.757, 0.804, 0.317, and 0.361 respectively). RLS was prevalent among patients with type 2 diabetes and related to diabetic neuropathy, no relationship was found between restless syndrome, age, sex, neck circumference, HbA1 c , and retinopathy.
DLI-IT: A Deep Learning Approach to Drug Label Identification Through Image and Text Embedding
Authors: Liu Xiangwen , Meehan Joe , Tong Weida , Wu Leihong , Xu Xiaowei , Xu Joshua
Published: January 2020

[Background] Drug label, or packaging insert play a significant role in all the operations from production through drug distribution channels to the end consumer. Image of the label also called Display Panel or label could be used to identify illegal, illicit, unapproved and potentially dangerous drugs. Due to the time-consuming process and high labor cost of investigation, an artificial intelligence-based deep learning model is necessary for fast and accurate identification of the drugs. [Methods] In addition to image-based identification technology, we take advantages of rich text information on the pharmaceutical package insert of drug label images. In this study, we developed the Drug Label Identification through Image and Text embedding model (DLI-IT) to model text-based patterns of historical data for detection of suspicious drugs. In DLI-IT, we first trained a Connectionist Text Proposal Network (CTPN) to crop the raw image into sub-images based on the text. The texts from the cropped sub-images are recognized independently through the Tesseract OCR Engine and combined as one document for each raw image. Finally, we applied universal sentence embedding to transform these documents into vectors and find the most similar reference images to the test image through the cosine similarity. Results] We trained the DLI-IT model on 1749 opioid and 2365 non-opioid drug label images. The model was then tested on 300 external opioid drug label images, the result demonstrated our model achieves up-to 88% of the precision in drug label identification, which outperforms previous image-based or text-based identification method by up-to 35% improvement. [Conclusion] To conclude, by combining Image and Text embedding analysis under deep learning framework, our DLI-IT approach achieved a competitive performance in advancing drug label identification.
Effects of social support, hope and resilience on depressive symptoms among patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancer
Authors: Zhao Xinxin , Sun Ming , Yang Ye
Published: January 2020

Background The prevalence of depression symptoms and related modifiable factors in prostate cancer (PCa) are not well evaluated. We aimed to assess the effects of perceived social support, hope and resilience on depressive symptoms in newly diagnosed PCa patients, and to evaluate the role of hope and resilience as mediators of that relationship. Method A cross-sectional study was analyzed in consecutive inpatients with PCa during the months of January 2018 and August 2019. A questionnaire was administered to 667 patients. All registered patients were all volunteers and anonymous. Depressive symptoms, perceived social support, hope and resilience were measured anonymously. Out of 667 patients, a total of 564 effective respondents became our subjects. Hierarchical linear regression was used to identify the factors associated with depressive symptoms. Asymptotic and resampling strategies were used to conduct the mediating effects of hope and resilience Results The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 65.9% in PCa patients . Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that perceived social support, hope, and resilience together accounted for 27.5% variance of depressive symptoms. Support from family, hope, and resilience significantly associated with depressive symptoms, respectively. Hope (a*b = -0.0783, BCa95% CI:–0.134 to–0.0319, p < 0.05), and resilience (a*b = -0.1315, BCa95% CI:–0.1894 to–0.0783, p < 0.05) significantly mediated the association between perceived social support and depressive symptoms. Conclusions The high prevalence of depressive symptoms among newly diagnosed PCa patients should receive more attention. Perceived social support, hope and resilience could be positive resources for combating depressive symptoms, and hope and resilience mediated the association between perceived social support and depressive symptoms. Enhancing social support, particularly the support form family, and improving patients’ outlook and resilience may be potential targets for future psychosocial interventions aimed at reducing depressive symptoms.
Genome-wide identification and characterization of non-specific lipid transfer protein (nsLTP) genes in Arachis duranensis
Authors: Song Xiaojun , Li Enguang , Song Hui , Du Guoning , Li Shuai , Zhu Hong , Chen Guanxu , Zhao Chunmei , Qiao Lixian , Wang Jingshan , Yu Shanlin , Sui Jiongming
Published: January 2020

Background: Non-specific lipid transfer proteins (nsLTPs) are known to transfer various lipid molecules between lipid bilayers in plants. In Arachis duranensis, however, little is known about the nsLTPs and their responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Results: In this study, we identified 64 nsLTP family members (AdLTPs) in A. duranensis. These AdLTPs were classified into six subfamilies (Types 1, 2, C, D, E, and G) and were randomly distributed along nine chromosomes. The Ks value and Ka/Ks value significantly differed between Type 1 and Type D subfamilies. Among paralogs, eight AdLTPs were under positive selection, indicating that these AdLTPs might have different functions in the evolutionary history of A. duranensis. qRT-PCR results showed that the expression of AdLTPs changed in response to abiotic stresses, including salinity, PEG, low temperature, and ABA. Using RNA-seq data, we also found three AdLTPs (AdLTP1.14, AdLTPd8, and AdLTPe2) that were possibly associated with resistance to nematode infection. Among them, AdLTP1.14, which belongs to the Type 1 subfamily, was up-regulated at three time points after nematode infection. Co-expression analysis indicated that DOF and WRI1 transcription factors may regulate the AdLTP response to nematode infection. Conclusions: We identified AdLTPs in A. duranensis. Based on both RNA-seq and qRT-PCR datasets, we found that AdLTPs are involved in responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Our results could provide valuable genomic information for the breeding of peanut cultivars that are resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses.
Bioinformatics analysis of the expression and role of microRNA-221-3p in the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Zhou Ziyan , Wenling Wu , Jixi Li , Chang Liu , Zixi Xiao , Qinqiao Lai , Rongxing Qin , Mingjun Shen , Min Kang
Published: January 2020

Background Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer subtype globally, associated with a high rate of morbidity and mortality. However, the target genes of miR-221-3p and the underlying mechanism involved in HNSCC were not known. Therefore, in the current study, we studied the role of miR-221-3p in the HNSCC. Methods Tissues collected from 48 control and 21 HNSCC patients were processed to check the differential expression of miR-221-3p by Real-time RT-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR). Overexpression of microRNA-221-3p (miR-221-3p) is significantly correlated to the onset and progression of HNSCC. We also conducted the meta-analysis of the cancer literature from the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to estimate the expression of miR-221-3p in HNSCC. The miR-221-3p target genes in the HNSCC were predicted with the miRWalk and TCGA databases, and functionally annotated via the Gene Ontology Finally, Spearman’s analysis was used to determine the role of the related target genes in important pathways involved in the development of HNSCC. Results We observed a significantly higher expression of miR-221-3p in HNSCC compared to the normal with a summary receiver operating characteristic (sROC) of 0.86(95% Cl: 0.83,0.89). The KEGG and GO comprehensive analysis predicted that miR-221-3p might be involved in the development of HNSCC through the following metabolic pathways, viz Drug metabolism - cytochrome P450 UGT1A7 and MAOB may be important genes for the role of mir-221-3p. Conclusions Our results indicate that miR-221-3p may be used as a non-invasive and hypersensitive biomarker in the diagnosis. Thus, it can be concluded that miR-221-3p is an extremely important gene locus involved in the process of the deterioration and eventual tumorigenesis of HNSCC.
Diagnostic and prognostic values of KRAS mutations on EUS-FNA specimens and circulating tumor DNA in patients with pancreatic cancer
Authors: Wang Ronghua , Wang Jinlin , Zhao Yuchong , Wang Yun , Zhao Zhenxiong , Chen Qian , Duan Yaqi , Cheng Bin
Published: January 2020

Background: Early diagnosis is critical in reducing pancreatic cancer mortality. We explore the diagnostic values of detecting KRAS gene mutations and plasma circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in patients with primary pancreatic cancer. Methods: The cohort study is comprised of 149 consecutive patients with pancreatic solid mass underwent Endoscopic ultrasound fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) between September, 2014 and May, 2016. KRAS point mutations (G12V, G12D, and G12R) were analyzed by droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) in EUS-guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) histopathology tissue samples and blood samples were tested for plasma ctDNA. The final diagnosis was based on surgical resection pathology or follow up for at least 2 years. Results: The sensitivity and accuracy of EUS-FNA diagnose was increased from 71.4% to 91.6% (P<0.001) and 75.8% to 88.6% (P <0.001), respectively, when KRAS mutation ddPCR analysis was added to standard EUS-FNA assessment. The sensitivity and accuracy of circulating biomarkers combination (ctDNA and CA19-9) were 78.9% and 76.2%, respectively. The median survival time was significantly shorter in patients with G12D mutations (180 days) compared to patients with other mutations (240 days) (long-rank test, P<0.001). Conclusions: KRAS mutation analysis in tissues significantly improves the sensitivity and accuracy of cyto/histopathological evaluation in EUS-FNA samples. The accuracy of KRAS mutation analysis in EUS-FNA samples was obviously higher than non-invasive blood-based ctDNA KRAS mutation in detecting pancreatic cancer. G12D KRAS mutation in pancreatic cancer were independently associated with poor overall survival.
Albumin infusion reduces the risk of rebleeding and in-hospital mortality in cirrhotic patients admitted for acute gastrointestinal bleeding: retrospective analysis of a single institute
Authors: Wang Zhu , Xie Ya-Wen , Lu Qing , Yan Hai-Lin , Liu Xin-Bin , Long Yi , Zhang Xian , Yang Jinlin
Published: January 2020

BackgroundTo investigate the effect of albumin infusion in cirrhotic patients admitted for acute gastrointestinal bleeding.MethodsMedical records of cirrhotic patients who admitted due to acute gastrointestinal bleeding through January 2009 to December 2018 were systemically reviewed. Clinical data and the total amount of albumin and red blood cell used during hospitalization were recorded. For patients with rebleeding, the amount of albumin and red blood cell used before rebleeding was also documented. The primary outcome was the occurrence of rebleeding and the second outcome was in-hospital mortality. Univariate and multivariate logistic analysis were performed to identify risk factors associated with rebleeding and in-hospital mortality.ResultsA total of 2239 cirrhotic patients were included in the analysis. There were 245 episodes of in-patient rebleeding occurred, while 135 patients died. Overall, more red blood cells and albumin were prescribed to patients who suffered rebleeding. In terms of the amount before rebleeding, the red blood cell was higher in patients with rebleeding, but the albumin infusion were similar. In the multivariate model, the albumin infusion was an independent risk factor associated with rebleeding (adjusted OR for ≤40g, 0.385 [0.252-0.588], p<0.001; OR for >40g, 0.295 [0.169-0.514], p<0.001). The use of albumin more than 40g during hospitalization reduces the risk of in-patient mortality (adjusted OR for ≤40g, 0.730 [0.375-1.423], p=0.356; OR for >40g, 0.389 [0.180-0.838], p=0.016).ConclusionsAlbumin infusion could reduce risk of in-hospital rebleeding. Moreover, more than 40g albumin infusion decrease numbers of mortality in cirrhosis admitted for acute gastrointestinal bleeding.
Colonisation by native shrubby species enhances the carbon storage capacity of exotic mangrove monocultures
Authors: He Ziying , Sun Huaye , Peng Yisheng , Hu Zhan , Cao Yingjie , Lee Shing Yip
Published: January 2020

BackgroundThe exotic Sonneratia apetala and native Kandelia obovata have been widely planted in mangrove afforestation and reforestation programmes in China. However, their capacity for carbon sequestration is still controversial. ResultsThe total vegetation biomass was highest in K. obovata monoculture, followed by the mixed forest and lowest in S. apetala monoculture. Such difference is attributed to the inconsistency by means of stem density of forests. This trend also applies to total vegetation and soil organic carbon storages. ConclusionsContrary to the original expectation, shrubby native K. obovata may be preferred to exotic S. apetala for mangrove carbon-based reforestation/afforestation prgrammes. It is recommended the carbon storage capacity of the existing S. apetala plantation may be enhanced by introducing native mangrove species. As an optional strategy of mangrove rehabilitation, the establishment of mixed plantations with different stem densities could improve the capacity of carbon storage for mono-specific plantations dominated by exotic species in Southern China.
Regional AET indicating oasis water consumption and groundwater dynamics under a background of climate change
Authors: Wu Lei , Changbin Li , Xie Xuhong , He Zhibin , Wang Wanrui , Zhang Yuan , Wei Jianmei , Lv Jianan
Published: January 2020

Background: Development of agriculture-dominated socio-economy have led to remarkable increase of water consumption in arid regions of the world. Frequent over-exploitation of water resources resulted in widely environmental degradation in the water-scarce and eco-fragile area, especially in China’s inland river basins. The Shiyang River Basin (SYRB) is the one where the most contradictive situation was found between socio-economic development and environmental sustainability in recent decades. In this study, a case study clarifying groundwater responses to intensive oasis water utilization was conducted during the time period from 1981 to 2010. Result: Regional AET was stepwise regressed with observed series of T, P and NDVI, the accuracy was found satisfactory. Module analysis revealed that the continuous warming had facilitated the AET rather than the other two factors (P and NDVI). The 30-year statistics revealed that total volume of oasis water utilization far exceeded mountainous discharges in the SYRB. Local abstractions offset the insufficiency and resulted in considerable drawdown of groundwater level. Dynamics of groundwater were found remarkably influenced by land surface water division, oasis scale and water consumption. Driven module calibrated upon regional averages of the above variables, suitable scale of the oasis was quantitatively discussed. Results revealed that the near-complete development of mountainous discharges, along with the over-exploitation of groundwater, have brought about degradation of the underground water system. Groundwater level drawdown showed annual rates of 0.17 m/a and 0.31 m/a in the middle and lower areas, respectively, during the time period from 1981 to 2010. Conclusions: Overexploitation of water resources and its negative consequences for regional hydrology and ecology in arid regions should be considered as a warning for pursuing economic well-being at the expense of the environment. Given the huge water demand for oasis survival and the background of climatic warming, reduction of arable scale combined with water transfer from outside should be conducted. This study serves as a 30-year case example when above contradictions presented remarkably in inland river systems in the arid northwestern China.
Are one-year changes in adherence to the 24-hour movement guidelines associated with depressive symptoms among youth?
Authors: Patte Karen A , Faulkner Guy , Qian Wei , Duncan Markus , Leatherdale Scott T.
Published: January 2020

Background There remains a need for prospective research examining movement behaviours in the prevention and management of mental illness. This study examined whether changes in adherence to the 24-hour movement guidelines (moderate-to-vigorous physical activity [MVPA], sleep duration, screen time) were associated with depression symptoms among youth.Methods Conditional change models were used to analyze two waves of longitudinal questionnaire data (2016/17, 2017/18) from students in grades 9-12 (N=2292) attending 12 schools in Ontario and British Columbia, Canada, as part of the COMPASS study. One-year change in adherence to the MVPA, screen time, and sleep duration guidelines were modeled as predictors of depressive symptoms, adjusting for covariates and prior year depressive symptoms. Models were stratified by sex.Results Continued adherence to sleep guidelines and transitioning from inadequate to sufficient sleep were associated with lower depressive symptoms than continued nonadherence, and continued adherence was associated with lower depression than transitioning from sufficient to short sleep. For screen time, transitioning from exceeding guidelines to guideline adherence was associated with lower depressive symptoms than continued nonadherence. MVPA guideline adherence was not associated with depression scores, when controlling for sleep and screen time guideline adherence change and covariates. When combined, meeting additional guidelines than the year prior was associated with lower depressive symptoms among females only.Conclusions Adherence to the sleep guidelines emerged as the most consistent predictor of depression symptoms. Promoting adherence to the movement guidelines, particularly sleep, should be considered priorities for youth mental health at a population level.
DMFT in Iranian 12-year-old students residing in the desert region and its association with their individual and family factors- 2016
Authors: Alami Ali , erfanpoor saeed , Ramezani Ali , Jafari Alireza
Published: January 2020

Introduction Oral health in students, as an important health-related subject, would be effective on their growth, self-confidence, socialization, learning ability, daily activities, and quality of life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the DMFT index of 12-year-old students in Gonabad and Bajistan and its relation with their personal and family factors.Methods An analytic-cross sectional study conducted among 1280 the students residing in the two desert districts of Iran in 2016. The required data including the subjects’ demographic and family factors as well as their oral health situation extracted from The National School Oral Health Program. The data entered in SPSS (20) and analyzed via Kruskal Wallis, Mann-Whitney, and logistic regression model.Findings Mean (SD) of the students’ DMFT was 1.47 (1.82). This index was calculated 0.98 (1.47) for boy students and 1.91 (1.98) for girl students (P<0.001). There were significant association between mean of the students’ DMFT and their residency location (P=0.015), birth rank (P=0.032), and level of education of their mothers (P=0.035).Conclusion According to the findings, attention to oral health in students, especially in girls, seems necessary. Increasing the knowledge and sensitivity of parents (especially mothers) concerning oral health of their children, especially their girls, the use of intermediate forces such healthcare providers in school and oral health technicians in health centers, and the implementation of preventive interventions such as fissure sealant, fluoride varnish Therapy, and use of sodium fluoride mouthwash by students would be effective for improving the oral health of students.
The prevalence of domestic violence and its correlation with family factors: A cross-sectional study among pregnant women in urban communities of Hengyang City, China
Authors: Zheng Baohua , Zhu Xidi , Hu Zhao , Zhou Wensu , Yu Yunhan , Yin Shilin , Xu Huilan
Published: January 2020

BackgroundDomestic violence (DV) against pregnant women is a serious public health problem that affects the health of the women’s children. This study aimed to explore the prevalence and correlation between family factors and DV among women in late pregnancy. MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted from July-October, 2019 among pregnant women in urban communities of Hengyang City, Hunan Province, China. A total of 813 participants were included by a multi-staged cluster random sampling method. DV was assessed by the Abuse Assessment Screen Questionnaire (AAS). A binary logistic regression model was used to evaluate the relationship between family factors and DV. ResultsUltimately, 127 (15.62%) participants were identified as victims of DV. After adjustment, the potential risk factors of DV were strained relations with their mother-in-law and other family members (OR: 6.59; 95% CI: 3.28 to 13.24 and OR: 6.32; 95% CI: 3.28 to 12.16), medium household debt (OR: 2.17; 95% CI: 1.22 to 3.85), separation (OR: 1.94; 95% CI: 1.19 to 3.14), partner’s extramarital relations (OR: 4.94; 95% CI: 1.19 to 13.58), and middle and low family APGAR (OR: 2.25; 95% CI: 1.47 to 3.46 and OR: 5.36; 95% CI: 2.95 to 9.76). ConclusionsIn summary, the correlation between DV and family factors may help medical personnel intervene in cases of domestic violence against pregnant women in a reasonable and timely manner.
Status and influential factors of vitamin D among children aged 0 to 6 years in a Chinese population
Authors: Zhang Heng , Li Zhijuan , Wei Yarong , Fu Jinyan , Feng Yaling , Chen Daozhen , Xu De-xiang
Published: January 2020

Background：Vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency in childhood are common, and they are closely related to bone development. However, the status and influential factors of vitamin D during different ages are not clear. This study aimed to survey vitamin D status in children aged 0 to 6 years and explore its influential factors. Materials and methods: A total of 6953 children were recruited in Wuxi City of East China from January to December 2016. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D]. Results: The median vitamin D level in the infancy group (0-1 years of age) was 69.40 nmol/L, which was higher than that in both the toddlerhood group (1-3 years of age; 62.30 nmol/L) and the preschool group (3-6 years of age; 50.85 nmol/L) (P < 0.001). In addition, the median vitamin D level was 71.70 nmol/L in summer, which was higher than that in spring (64.25 nmol/L), autumn (62.95 nmol/L) and winter (64.10 nmol/L; P < 0.001). However, no difference was observed between genders (P = 0.974). Furthermore, the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (<50 nmol/L) was 48.1% in the preschool group (3-6 years of age), which was higher than the 21.2% vitamin D deficiency in the toddlerhood group (2-3 years of age) and the 17.9% vitamin D deficiency in the infancy group (0-1 years of age). Interestingly, a nonlinear association between 25(OH)D and air temperature was observed. Conclusions: A high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was common in a Chinese population of children 0-6 years old, especially in the preschool-aged group. Season and air temperature were related to vitamin D status. Therefore, we suggest that the recommendation for vitamin D supplementation in the Chinese pediatric population should be revised to include older children and adolescents.
Association between convenience stores near school and obesity among school-aged children in Bejing, China
Authors: Zhou Shuang , Cheng Yu , Cheng Lan , Wang Di , Li Qin , Liu Zheng , Wang Haijun
Published: January 2020

Background: Food environments have rapidly changed over the past years in China and children have more access to unhealthy food in convenience stores near school. Since the studies on the association between convenience stores near school and obesity had inconsistent results and no similar study in China, we conducted the study on the association in Beijing of China, which will provide scientific evidence for intervention of childhood obesity. Methods: The study included 2201 students at grade 4 of 37 primary schools in Dongcheng or Miyun district of Beijing. The food environment data was acquired from AMAP, the free web-based geospatial service provider. The numbers of convenience stores were captured within the 800 meter network buffer near school using Geographic Information System. The weight and height of each student were measured by trained health professionals. Students’ dietary and physical behaviors and other information associated with obesity were collected with questionnaires for students and their parents. Generalized linear mixed model was used to analyze the data. Results : The average age of the students was 10.2 years (SD=0.33). The prevalence of obesity in students was 14.9%. The median number of convenience stores within the 800 meter network buffer near school was 24 in two districts. The number of convenience stores near each school varied from 5 to 67 (median: 25) in Dongcheng district and from 1 to 57 (median: 22) in Miyun district. After adjusting for the confounding factors at the family and individual levels, the association between convenience stores and childhood obesity was statistically significant. Additional ten convenience stores near school were associated with an increased risk of obesity (OR=1.13, 95%CI : 1.03,1.24, P =0.011). Compared with less than 24 convenience stores near school, the students with more than or equal to 24 convenience stores near school had an increased risk of obesity (OR=1.49, 95% CI : 1.09, 2.03, P =0.013). Conclusion: The students with more convenience stores near their schools had an increased risk of obesity. The findings provided evidences for developing public health policy to restrict the number of convenience stores near school to prevent and control childhood obesity.
Insecticidal activity of the metabolites of sand soil bacteria in Northern Senegal
Authors: Dahmana Handi , Sambou Masse , Raoult Didier , Fenollar Florence , Mediannikov Oleg
Published: January 2020

BackgroundVector-borne deadly diseases cause more than 700,000 deaths annually. They are transmitted by several vectors, among which the mosquito is the most important. Chemical compounds often have devastating side effects, which has led to the abandonment of the majority of them. Biological control has been performed by using formulations of Bacillus sphaericus and Bacillus thuringiensis, but their intensive use has led to the emergence of resistance. Currently, there is an urgent need to develop new alterative molecules from bacteria to use in mosaics or in rotation with already known insecticides and bacteria for the control of vectors, especially mosquitos. Here, we attempted to identify bacterial species with potential anti-mosquito actions.ResultsAmong 208 strains isolated from dry sandy soil from Senegal, eleven bacterial strains from the Bacillus genus (5) and Actinomycetales order (6) were chosen for the following experiments. Then, we tested their secondary metabolites, which were obtained from the supernatant fraction, and their cell wall and cytoplasmic compounds, which were found in the pellet fraction, in 3rd and early 4th Aedes albopictus larvae instars and compared the larval mortality rate with that obtained by using a commercial product. A total of 4/11 (36.4%) of the isolated species exhibited insecticidal activity. B. nealsonii, which is not a well-known bacterium, had the highest larvicidal effect with 70% larval mortality, which highlighted for the first time. The Streptomyces spp. we isolated seem to be potential new species, and 3/5 (60%) of them exhibited insecticidal activity.Conclusion﻿The bacterial strains isolated in this study may be used to identify the molecular mechanisms of their insecticidal activity.
Simultaneous detection of 37 Lactobacillus species using a real-time PCR assay based on whole-genome sequence analysis
Authors: Kim Eiseul , Yang Seung-Min , Lim Bora , Park Si Hong , Rackerby Bryna , Kim Hae-Yeong
Published: January 2020

BackgroundLactobacillus species are used as probiotics and play an important role in fermented food production. However, use of 16S rRNA gene sequences as standard markers for the differentiation of Lactobacillus species offers a very limited scope, as several species of Lactobacillus share similar 16S rRNA gene sequences. In this study, we developed a rapid and accurate method based on comparative genomic analysis for the simultaneous identification of 37 Lactobacillus species that are commonly used in probiotics and fermented foods. ResultsTo select species-specific sequences or genes, a total of 143 Lactobacillus complete genome sequences were compared using Python scripts. In 14 out of 37 species, species-specific sequences could not be found due to the similarity of the 16S–23S rRNA gene. Selected unique genes were obtained using comparative genomic analysis and all genes were confirmed to be specific for 52,478,804 genomes via in silico analysis; they were found not to be strain-specific, but to exist in all strains of the same species. Species-specific primer pairs were designed from the selected 16S–23S rRNA gene sequences or unique genes of species. The specificity of the species-specific primer pairs was confirmed using reference strains, and the accuracy and efficiency of the real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with the standard curve were confirmed. The real-time PCR method developed in this study is able to accurately differentiate species that were not distinguishable using the 16S rRNA gene alone. This Real-time PCR method was designed to detect 37 Lactobacillus species in a single reaction. The developed method was then applied in the monitoring of 19 probiotics and 12 dairy products. The applied tests confirmed that the species detected in 17 products matched those indicated on their labels, whereas the remaining products contained species other than those appearing on the label. ConclusionsThe method developed in this study is able to rapidly and accurately distinguish different species of Lactobacillus, and can be used to monitor specific Lactobacillus species in foods such as probiotics and dairy products.
Identifying of protein complexes and functional modules in E.coli PPI networks
Authors: Kong Ping , Liu Wei
Published: January 2020

Background: Escherichia coli has been at the center of microbial research for decades, making it a standard microorganism for studying molecular mechanism. Molecular complexes, operons and functional modules are important molecular functional domains of Escherichia coli. Most previous studies focused on the detection of E. coli protein complexes based on the experimental methods. While the research of prediction of protein complexes in E. coli based on large-scale proteomic data, especially the functional modules of E. coli are relatively few. Identifying protein complexes and functional modules of E. coli is crucial to reveal principles of cellular organizations, processes and functions. Results: In this study, the protein complexes and functional modules of two high-quality binary interaction datasets of E. coli are predicted by an efficient edge clustering algorithm (ELPA) for complex biological network, respectively. According to the gold standard protein complexes and function annotations provided by EcoCyc dataset, the experimental results show that most topological modules predicted in the two datasets match very well with the real protein complexes, cellular processes and biological functions. By analyzing the corresponding complexes and functional modules shows that all predicted protein complexes are fully covered by one or more functional modules. Furthermore, we compared the results of ELPA with a famous node clustering algorithm (MCL) on the same PPI network of E. coli , and found that ELPA outperforms MCL in terms of matching with gold standard complexes. Conclusions: As a consequence, we surmise that topological modules of PPI network detected by ELPA fits well with real protein complexes and functional units. In most predicted topological modules, the protein complexes and corresponding functional modules are highly overlapping. ELPA is an effective tool to predict protein complexes and functional modules in PPI networks of E. coli.
Chemical composition of surgical smoke produced during Loop electrosurgical excision procedure treating cervical intraepithelial neoplasia
Authors: Liu Yi , Zhao Menghuang , Shao Yongqiang , Yan Linzhi , zhu xueqiong
Published: January 2020

Background As LEEP (Loop electrosurgical excision procedure) is being increasingly used for diagnosis and treatment of uterine cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, the surgical smoke during LEEP becomes an inevitable health issue.Therefore in this study, the exposure to chemical substances of surgical smoke produced during LEEP was assessed.Methods Smoke samples from patients with high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia undergoing LEEP were collected by smoke absorbing devices situated 1 meter away the operating table and near the nose of operator during LEEP, respectively. Each plume sample was collected after 5 patients proceeding LEEP and each patient take 5 min for smoke collection. The expected chemicals of exposure to surgical smoke includedbenzene, toluene, xylene, ethylbenzene, styrene, butyl acetate, hendecane, acetone, acrylonitrile, 1,2-dichloroethane, phenol, chlorine, cyanide and hydrogen cyanide. Additionally,hazards classes of these chemical components were observed in International Agency for Research on Cancer.Results Qualitative analysis of the smoke produced during LEEP revealed the varieties of potentially toxic chemicals were under the standard detection, such as benzene, toluene, xylene, ethylbenzene, styrene, butyl acetate, acrylonitrile, 1,2-dichloroethane, phenol, chlorine, cyanide and hydrogen cyanide. Additionally, the average concentrations of carbon dioxide were 0.098±0.015 during the surgery and higher than before the surgery (0.072±0.007), P <0.001, and formaldehyde was significantly higher during the surgery (0.023±0.009) than before it (0.012±0.001), P <0.05.Conclusions The most of detected chemicals in smoke generated during LEEP were under the exposure limits when local exhaust ventilation procedures were efficiently used. However, concentrations of carbon dioxide and formaldehyde found in the smoke were significantly higher after the surgery. To use evacuation devices routinely and consistently when performing LEEP was recommended to protect the perioperative personnel.
Minocycline prevents and repairs the skin disorder associated with afatinib, one of the epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors for non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Sano Kazumi , Nakadate Kazuhiko , Hanada Kazuhiko
Published: January 2020

Background While epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors(TKIs) exert a breakthrough effect, the incidence of skin disorders as a side effect has significantly reduced patients' quality of life. Objective This study aimed to develop a treatment for inflammatory ulcers as one of the side effects of afatinib (Geotrif®), a second-generation EGFR-TKI, and established a skin disorder mouse model to investigate the protective effect of minocycline. Methods First, under inhalation anesthesia with isoflurane, the back of a male ddy mouse was shaved, and afatinib petrolatum was applied alone or in combination with minocycline to observe the state of the skin and measure transepidermal water transpiration (TEWL). Next, afatinib was administered orally to mice, and minocycline petrolatum was applied to observe whether the skin disorder was prevented and its effect on repair of the skin disorder. Results Skin injury occurred on the back of the mouse following afatinib (1 mg/g in petrolatum) application, and scab formation was observed. Application of minocycline prevented and improved the skin disorder caused by afatinib. When the minocycline-petrolatum mixture was applied to the mouse that developed the skin disorder, a significant improvement in TEWL was observed, and skin repair was observed macroscopically. Discussion These results suggest that minocycline applied both locally and orally prevents and repairs afatinib-induced skin disorders. Histological examination of skin elucidated the mechanism of the occurrence of the EGFR-TKI-related skin disorder and suggested the efficacy of minocycline topical application in clinical practice.
Co-relation with novel phosphorylation sites of IκBα and necroptosis in breast cancer cells
Authors: Choi Sung Hoon , Yoon Hee-sub , Yun Sung Ho , Park Joo-Hee , Han Eun Hee , Chi Sung-Gil , Chung Young Ho
Published: January 2020

Background: The phosphorylation of NF-kappaB inhibitor alpha (IκBα) protein is pivotal to the regulation of NF-κB transcription factor activity in the cell. The phosphorylation of IκBα by IκB kinase family have been so many identified, but the phosphorylation sites of IκBα by other kinases remain poorly understood. We investigated the new phosphorylation site for IκBα and identified its biological function in breast cancer cells. Methods: Previously we observed that aurora kinase (AURK) binds IκBα in the cell. To identify the essential domains of IκBα for phosphorylation of IκBα by AURK, kinase assay was performed with a series of IκBα truncation mutants. AURK significantly promotes activation of IκBα at serine 32, but not serine 36 residues, unlike IκB kinase (IKK) family proteins activate both IκBα serine residues. We also confirmed phosphorylation of IκBα by the matrix-assisted laser-desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF MS) and nano-liquid chromatography hybrid quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometer (nanoLC-MS/MS; Q Exactive). Results: We identified two novel sites of serine phosphorylation at S63 and S262. Alanine transition of S63 and S262 (S63A and S262A) of IκBα induced inhibition of cell proliferation and suppression of p65 transcription activity. Besides, S63A and/or S262A of IκBα regulated apoptotic and necroptic effects in breast cancer cells. Conclusions: Therefore, we identified novel phosphorylation site of IκBα by AURK, and its site was related to apoptosis and necroptosis pathway in breast cancer cells.
Contralateral C7 Transfer to Axillary and Median Nerves in Rats with Total Brachial Plexus Avulsion
Authors: Liu Yuzhou , Xiao Feng , Zhuang Yongqing , Lao Jie
Published: January 2020

Background: Contralateral cervical 7 nerve (cC7) was used to repair two recipient nerves simultaneously for patients with total brachial plexus avulsion (TBPA). Objective: To evaluate the effect of cC7 transfer to axillary and median nerves in rats with TBPA. Methods: Eighty S-D rats were divided into 4 groups averagely. Group A: cC7 － median nerve, Group B: cC7 － axillary nerve, Group C: cC7 － median and axillary nerves, Group D: TBPA without repair. The evaluation tools included behavioral test, electromyogram (EMG), cross-sectional area of muscle fiber, nerve fiber count and gene expression. Results: The positive rates of EMG were 90% and 70% in Flexor Carpi Radialis (FCR) in Group A and C, while 70% and 60% in deltoid (DEL) In Group B and C. The difference of effective rates in grip or shoulder abduction between groups was not significant. The mean cross-sectional area of FCR in Group A or C was significantly larger than that in Group D. Either the number of median or axillary nerve fibers in Group A, B or C was statistically more than that in Group D. No matter for FCR or DEL, there were no significant differences of the ratios of relative expression of MAFBOX and MURF1 among these groups. Conclusion: Compared with cC7 transfer to median nerve, cC7 transfer to both median and axillary nerves did not affect median nerve recovery and the deltoid muscle also could be restored. The recovery proportion of axillary nerve was less than that of median nerve.
Potential Prognostic Roles of Serum Lactate and Creatine Kinase Levels in Poisoned Patients
Authors: Golaghaei Alireza , Hassanian-Moghaddam Hossein , Shadnia Shahin , Zamani Nasim , Amraei Fatemeh
Published: January 2020

Background Examination of serum lactate Level and its changes, as an indicator of tissue oxygenation, as well as level of creatine kinase (CK) inhibitors, as a factor of mortality which partially expresses heart, brain, and muscle damage, may be considered as tools to determine prognosis in critically ill patients. We aimed to evaluate these two factors as potential prognostic factors in critically poisoned patients admitted to our toxicology ICU.Method This is a cross-sectional descriptive-analytic study that was performed on poisoned patients referred to emergency department of Loghman Hakim Hospital. Those critically poisoned patients who were admitted to ICU were conveniently chosen and included into the study after obtaining written consent forms form their next of kin. Their serum lactate and CK levels were checked on admission. These levels were compared subsequently between survivors and non-survivors to seek for their potential prognostic role.Results In a total of 100 patients enrolled, 61 were male. Serum level of lactate (with a cut off of 26 mg/dL) and serum CK with a cutoff point of 169 U/L could have prognosticated death with sensitivity and specificity of 78% and 77% (for lactate) and 74% and 62% (for serum CK), respectively.Conclusions In poisoned patients, serum lactate and CK can be used as possible prognostic factors because they rapidly increase in the serum and are easily detectable.