bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification and Evolutionary Characteristic Analysis of STARD Gene Family, and Overexpression VvSTARD5 Responses to Salt Stress in Tomato
Authors: He Honghong , lu Shixiong , Gou Huiming , Cao Xuejing , Wang Ping , Ma Zonghuang , Chen Baihong , Mao Juan
Published: January 2022

This study aimed to have a full understanding of the steroidogenic acute regulatory gene family member and evolutionary relationship in grape. 23 VvSTARD gene members were identified and divided into five groups in different species. Analyses of the gene codon preference, selective pressure, and tandem duplication of the VvSTARD, AtSTARD, and OsSTARD genes indicated that synteny relationship occurred in grapes, Arabidopsis thaliana, and rice genomes. The 8 lipid transporter proteins were found in the tertiary structure of the STARD gene family in grape. Expression profiles of the three species microarrays showed that the expression levels of the STARD genes in different organs and the response to abiotic stress in the same subgroup had similar characteristics. In addition, analysis of the VvSTARD genes expression levels was detected in response to different hormones and abiotic stresses by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and the results were the same as those predicted by the cis-elements and the expression profiles. Meanwhile, VvSTARD5 gene was screened in high concentration NaCl treatment by qRT-PCR. Furthermore, the VvSTARD5 was located at the nucleus by subcellular location. Through the function analysis of salt tolerance in transgenic tomato, overexpression VvSTARD5 obviously improved tolerance to salt stress. Taken together, our findings Preliminary identify the functions of VvSTARD gene family and vertify STARD5 that be likely involved in regulating salt tolerance, which may have potential application molecular breeding in grape.
Personal protective equipment use during COVID-19 pandemic and associated waste management in households in Sri Lanka
Authors: Kankanamge Champika Ellawala , Nilojan Thayanathan , Samarasekara Ganga Nirosha , Rajapakse R.D. Upuli Indrachapa
Published: January 2022

The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is compulsory when accessing public places due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in many countries. Facemasks are the most common PPE used, however, some people use face shields and gloves. Frequent hand sanitizing is also recommended aiming to control the spread of the disease. All these activities generate a large amount of plastic waste daily. In Sri Lanka, it is estimated that 12 million facemasks are used daily, while 0.22 million gloves and 0.29 million face shields are used. Out of 12 million facemasks, 10 million are surgical or N95 masks. In addition, 0.79 million sanitizer bottles are used in a day, leaving empty plastic bottles. The most common method of disposing of facemasks in Sri Lanka is open burning by the users at their homes (55%). The rate of burning is comparatively low for other PPE. Although nearly 30% of people handover used facemasks to the municipal solid waste collection, there are no special precautions taken for separate collection and safe disposal. Guidelines are in place for handling healthcare waste generated in households under self-quarantine, but they are not applied for PPE waste generated in other households. Major drawbacks in PPE waste management is identified and mitigation measures were proposed. The estimate of waste plastics generated due to PPE use is 88.5 tonnes per day in the country. Energy recovery via pyrolysis may be a viable alternative to landfilling and affordable for developing countries.
Developing Hybrid Car to Car Communication System Based on MIMO Visible Light and Radio Frequency
Authors: Okasha Nermeen Maged , Zekry AbdelHalem A. , Newagy Fatma A.
Published: January 2022

This paper combines the advantages of both VLC communication and RF communication for car-to-car applications to achieve a higher data rate, more range coverage, smaller delay, and smaller BER. In the proposed scheme, the VLC maximum communication distance is chosen as 100 m per-hop approximately, which can be extended through multi-hop up to the timeout window of 5 hops. In contrast, the RF maximum communication distance is chosen as 200 m per-hop approximately, which is reasonable at the frequency band of 70 GHz to 90 GHz due to the high attenuation at this frequency band. A MATLAB simulation for a car-to-car framework is built to demonstrate and compare the BER, throughput, and delay outcomes at a hybrid VLC and RF communication. Our results show that VLC can achieve up to four times of the RF throughput while maintaining low BER of 10-6 and small delay of 10-4 with respect to RF communication only.
A Bulk-Driven Quasi-Floating Gate Regulated Cascode Current Mirror and Its Application in Squarer Circuit
Authors: bchir bchir , Bchir Mounira , Aloui Imen , Hassen Nejib
Published: January 2022

A regulated cascode current mirror (RGC) and its improved version with bulk driven quasi floating gate technique (BD-QFG) are presented in this paper. The proposed BD-QFG RGC current mirror (CM) is compared with the conventional (GD) RGC CM to show the performance improvement. The conventional and unconventional CM are implemented in Candace Virtuoso using 90 nm CMOS technology. For input current (Iin) varied from 0 to 200 μA and for 0.8 V supply voltage, the simulation results present that the proposed BD-QFG RGC CM has less variation in current transfer error (0.2%) as compared to the GD RGC CM (12%). The output voltage requirement for 200 µA input current is respectively 0.7 V and 0.17 V for the GD RGC CM and the BD-QFG RGC CM. The power consumption of the proposed circuit is 22.71 μW which is 0.15 μW higher than the GD RGC (22.56 μW). The total harmonic distortion (THD) of the proposed circuit is 0.4% which is 1.1% less than the conventional circuit (1.5%). All these improvements in the proposed BD-QFG RGC CM are attained at a cost of 0.05 GHz reduction in frequency (2.31 GHz). The minimum supply voltage of BD-QFG RGC CM and GD RGC CM is 0.4 V and
The Oxidation Mechanism of Aniline by Ozone Water and Ozone Micro-nano Bubble Water and Its Influencing Factors
Authors: Xie Zeming , Shentu Jiali , Long Yuyang , Lu Li , Shen Dongsheng , Qi Shengqi
Published: January 2022

Aniline is a kind of refractory contaminant that is difficult to be degraded by microorganisms. Ozone is a green and efficient reagent to oxidize aniline, while the ozone oxidation efficiency is restricted by the low ozone mass transfer rate. Micro-nano bubble ozonation has been developed as a new method to significantly improve the ozone utilization rate, while the characteristics of ozone micro-nano bubble when compared with dissolved ozone is not clear. The paper carried out batch experiments to research the oxidation effect of aniline by ozone water (OW) and ozone micro-nano bubble water (OMNBW), and found that the degradation rate of aniline by OMNBW was 2.8~5.9% higher than that by OW. The increase of pH had a negative effect on the degradation of aniline by OW and OMNBW. SO42-, Cl-, HCO­3- and Mg2+ could inhibit the degradation efficiency by 0.04%, 0.99%, 0.44% and 10.4% for OW, while the ratios were 1.1%, 6.4%, 4.1% and 1.5% for OMNBW. The addition of humic acid and fulvic acid could decrease the oxidation rate of aniline by 35% and 49% for OW, while the ratios were 41% and 62% for OMNBW. Through quenching experiment, it was found that the direct oxidation by ozone molecules and the indirect oxidation by superoxide radicals were main pathways for aniline oxidation by OW and OMNBW. This work provided a practical guide for the application of OMNBW in wastewater and groundwater treatment process.
Is the Clinical Course of Non-Arteritic Ischemic Optic Neuropathy Associated with Oxidative Damage and the Dynamics of the Antioxidant Response?
Authors: engin kaya N , Karagülle Duygu Harmancı , Engin Ceren Durmaz , Kant Melis , Yaman Aylin , Akış Merve , Yıldız Sevda Özel , İşlekel Hüray , Akdoğan Gül Güner , Bajin Meltem Söylev
Published: January 2022

Purpose: Oxidative stress is known to be a decisive factor in the wide etiopathogenesis of optic neuropathy. This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the interaction of optic neuropathy’s clinical course with systemic oxidative damage and antioxidant response dynamics in a large series.Methods: This case-controlled clinical study included 33 non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy patients and 32 healthy individuals. Extensive systemic oxidation profiles were statistically compared between the two groups, and correlations between the clinical and biochemical data in the patient group were analyzed.Results: Vitamin E and MDA levels were significantly higher in the patient group. Significant correlations were observed in the analyses between clinical findings and oxidative stress parameters. Correlations between vitamin E and intraocular pressure, between B12 and cup-to-disc ratio, between antioxidant glutathione and SOD enzyme systems, and between uric acid and age were found to be very significant. As significant correlations were found in either clinical and biochemical data or in oxidative stress parameters, correlations between vitamin E and cholesterol, MDA was found to be very significant. Conclusions: This study not only supplies significant information regarding oxidative damage and antioxidant response in NAION, but also points out the specific interactions of neuromodulators, like vitamin E, in intracellular signaling pathways and regulation mechanisms. A better reading of these connections may help improve diagnosis, follow-ups and treatment criteria and strategies.
Increasing Incidence of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: A Trend Over 31 Years in Southern Sweden
Authors: Berthold Elisabet , Dahlberg Alma , Tydén Helena , Månsson Bengt , Kahn Robin
Published: January 2022

Background The reported incidence of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) varies from studies around the world, depending on patient collection techniques, geographic region, and time. Our aim was to study the mean annual incidence of juvenile arthritis in a population-based setting using two regional cohorts of children diagnosed with juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA) and JIA over a period of 31 years.Findings The study population was 651 children diagnosed 1980-2010. The mean annual incidence over the period was 9.9 per 100,000 children, with a range from 4.2 per 100,000 in 1980 to 17.1 per 100,000 children in 2010. When comparing incidence rate between the decade of diagnosis using rate ratios, there is a significant difference with diagnosis 1980-1989 as comparator.Conclusions We show a statistically significant increase in the incidence of JIA over three decades in a population-based cohort of children with juvenile arthritis.
Biotransformation and oxidative stress responses in fish (Astyanax aeneus) inhabiting a Caribbean estuary contaminated with pesticide residues from agricultural runoff
Authors: Mena Freylan , Vargas Seiling , Guevara-Mora Meyer , Vargas-Hernández J. Mauro , Ruepert Clemens
Published: January 2022

The estuarine ecosystem of Laguna Madre de Dios (LMD), in the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, is exposed to contamination with pesticide residues coming from the upstream agricultural areas. Biomarkers can provide a better indication of the fitness of biota in real mixture exposure scenarios than traditional lethal dose toxicity measurements. Here, we measured biomarkers of biotransformation, oxidative stress and neurotoxicity on Astyanax aeneus, an abundant fish species in LMD. Glutathione S-transferase activity (GST), catalase activity (CAT), lipid peroxidation (LPO), and cholinesterase activity (ChE) were measured in fish collected during seven sampling campaigns, carried out between 2016 and 2018. Pesticide residues were analysed in surface water samples collected every time fish were sampled. Residues of 25 pesticides, including fungicides, insecticides and herbicides, were detected. The biomarkers measured in A. aeneus varied along the sampling moments, however, biotransformation and oxidative stress signals showed coupled responses throughout the assessment. Furthermore, significant correlations were established between three biomarkers (GST, LPO and CAT) and individual pesticides, as well as between GST and LPO with groups of pesticides with shared biocide action. Among pesticides, insecticide residues had a major influence on the responses observed in fish. This work shows that the frequent exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of pesticides can be related to physiological responses in fish that affect their health. This early warning information should be considered to improve the protection of estuarine ecosystems in the tropics.
Identification of Novel Prognostic Risk Signature of Breast Cancer Based on Ferroptosis-Related Genes
Authors: Wang Nan , Gu Yuanting , Li Lin , Chi Jiangrui , Liu Xinwei , Xiong Youyi , Jiang Shan , Zhang Wudi , Zhong Chaochao
Published: January 2022

Ferroptosis is a non-small molecule-induced form of tumor cell apoptosis, which has been shown to regulate the biological behavior of tumors. Therefore, genes controlling ferroptosis may be promising candidate biomarkers for tumor therapy. In this study, we investigate the function of genes associated with ferroptosis in breast cancer (BC) and systematically evaluate the relationship between ferroptosis-related gene expression profiles and prognosis in BC patients based on the Cancer Genome Atlas RNA-sequencing dataset (TCGA). By using the non-negative matrix factorization clustering method, 1,203 breast cancer samples were clustered into two clearly divided subgroups based on the expression of 237 ferroptosis-related genes. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) was used to develop risk profiles for five genes, and then these five genes were verified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The relationship between genetic risk characteristics and clinical characteristics of BC is described. The results show that the genetic risk signature associated with clinical characteristics can be used as independent prognostic indicators for BC patients.
Management of Nitrogen Flow in Livestock Waste System Towards an Efficient Circular Economy in Agriculture.
Authors: Doyeni Modupe Olufemi , Barčauskaitė Karolina , Bunevičienė Kristina , Venslauskas Kęstutis , Navickas Kestutis , Rubežius Mantas , Bakšinskaitė Aušra , Supronienė Skaidrė , Tilvikienė Vita
Published: January 2022

The race is on to achieve high level of efficiency in the attainment of circular economy in Agriculture especially with the aim of sustainable nitrogen management. This cycle in the agricultural sector cuts across livestock farming, agriculture induced waste generation, recycling and utilization, energy generation, crop production, ecosystem protection and environmental management through the mitigation of climate changes. In this work, we access the process and functionalities of livestock waste generated from the piggery farm and the combinations with other by-products such as biochar and ash in comparison with mineral fertilisation (MN) as sources of nitrogen (N) applied in agricultural soil. The experiment was performed in a controlled environment with wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grown in a neutral and an acidic soil. Pig manure was used as the primary feedstock, fed, and processed to biogas and nutrient rich digestate by anaerobic digestion process. The digestate generated were amended with biochar and ash. In the course of the cultivation period, pig manure digestate with other co-amendments showed a positive influence on mobile potassium and phosphorus contents, biomass yield and nitrogen use efficiency. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the form of methane, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide released in both soil types from the amendments were significantly lower when compared to mineral nitrogen treatment. The amendments did not have any significant influence on dehydrogenase activity, especially in the acid soil with the pH negatively influencing the enzymatic activities. The pig manure and pig manure digestate treatments showed positive response in the soil microbial biomass-C in the two soil types when compared to other co-amendments. Application of single use amendment application or in combination with biochar and ash as a means of waste management can enhance the N flow to meet up with crop needs, reduce GHG emissions and reduce potential agriculture’s negative environmental footprint.
Development of a Nomogram for Predicting the Occurrence of Symptomatic Intracranial Haemorrhage after Thrombectomy: A Single-Center Retrospective Observational Study
Authors: Li Zequn
Published: January 2022

Background
Symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage (SICH) is a severe and deadly complication in patients with large vessel occlusion (LVO) who receive endovascular treatment (EVT). Recent studies have indicated that many risk factors, including pretreatment scores and the operation process, may be associated with the occurrence of SICH after thrombectomy. This study aims to identify independent risk factors and establish a novel nomogram-based model for patients with anterior LVO to predict the occurrence of SICH after direct thrombectomy or bridge therapy (thrombectomy based on intravenous thrombolysis).
Methods
Patients with acute ischaemic stroke after EVT to recanalize the blocked artery in anterior circulation were consecutively recruited from November 2017 to March 2019. Baseline information was collected from each patient. These data were subsequently analysed by R Project for Statistical Computing.
Results
A total of 127 patients with complete data were classified into the training set, among whom 37 patients (29.1%) fulfilled the criteria for SICH. The results of the multivariate analyses showed that NIHSS (P=0.024), ASPECT (P<0.001) and ASITN (P=0.017) scores were independently associated with the occurrence of SICH after thrombectomy. Ultimately, three independent pretreatment predictors were included in the NIHSS/ASPECT/ASITN (NAA) prediction model, and the receiver operating characteristic analysis results showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.845 (95% CI=0.763–0.928). The calibration plots showed that the actual observations were consistent with the measured and predicted results of the nomogram.
Conclusions
In this study, a novel model based on NAA for predicting the occurrence of SICH after thrombectomy in patients with anterior LVO was established and validated internally. The results suggest that this model can help improve perioperative evaluations and individualized treatment strategies.
Inherent anharmonicity of harmonic solids
Authors: Agne Matthias , Anand Shashwat , Snyder Jeffrey
Published: January 2022

Atomic vibrations, in the form of phonons, are foundational in describing the thermal behavior of materials. The possible frequencies of phonons in materials are governed by the complex bonding between atoms, which is physically represented by a spring-mass model that can account for interactions (spring forces) between the atoms (masses). The lowest order, harmonic, approximation only considers linear forces between atoms and is thought incapable of explaining phenomena like thermal expansion and thermal conductivity, which are attributed to non-linear, anharmonic, interactions. Here we show that the kinetic energy of atoms in a solid produces a pressure much like the kinetic energy of atoms in a gas does. This vibrational or phonon pressure naturally increases with temperature, as it does in a gas, and therefore results in a thermal expansion. Because thermal expansion thermodynamically defines a Grüneisen parameter, which is a typical metric of anharmonicity, we show that even a harmonic solid will necessarily have some anharmonicity. A consequence of this phonon pressure model is a harmonic estimation of the Grüneisen parameter from the
ratio of the transverse and longitudinal speeds of sound. We demonstrate the immediate utility of this model by developing
a high-throughput harmonic estimate of lattice thermal conductivity that is comparable to other state-of-the-art estimations. By linking harmonic and anharmonic properties explicitly, this study provokes new ideas about the fundamental nature of anharmonicity, while also providing a basis for new materials engineering design metrics.
Pre-Operative Point-of-Care Assessment of Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction, an Observational Study
Authors: Stenberg Ylva , Rhodin Ylva , Lindberg Anne , Aroch Roman , Hultin Magnus , Walldén Jakob , Myrberg Tomi
Published: January 2022

Background
Left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction is an acknowledged peri-operative risk factor that should be identified before surgery. This study aimed to evaluate a simplified echocardiographic method using e’ and E/e’ for identification and grading of diastolic dysfunction pre-operatively.
Methods
96 ambulatory surgical patients were consecutively included to this prospective observational study. Pre-operative transthoracic echocardiography was conducted prior to surgery, and diagnosis of LV diastolic dysfunction was established by comprehensive and simplified assessment, and the results were compared. The accuracy of e’-velocities in order to discriminate patients with diastolic dysfunction was established by calculating accuracy, efficiency, positive (PPV) and negative predictive (NPV) values, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC).
Results
Comprehensive assessment established diastolic dysfunction in 77% (74/96) of patients. Of these, 22/74 was categorized as mild dysfunction, 43/74 as moderate dysfunction and 9/74 as severe dysfunction. Using the simplified method with e’ and E/e’, diastolic dysfunction was established in 70.8% (68/96) of patients. Of these, 8/68 was categorized as mild dysfunction, 36/68 as moderate dysfunction and 24/68 as severe dysfunction. To discriminate diastolic dysfunction of any grade, e’-velocities (mean<9 cm s−1) had an AUROC of 0.901 (95%CI 0.840-0.962), with a PPV of 55.2%, a NPV of 90.9% and a test efficiency of 0.78.
Conclusions
The results of this study indicate that a simplified approach with tissue Doppler e’-velocities may be used to rule out patients with diastolic dysfunction pre-operatively, but together with E/e’ ratio the severity of diastolic dysfunction may be overestimated.
Trial registration:
Clinicaltrials.gov, Identifier: NCT 03349593. Date of registration 2017-11-21. https://clinicaltrials.gov.
LRP6 modulates the phosphorylation of Cx43 via Gαs in ventricular tachycardia of myocardial infarction
Authors: Zhang Xuming , Liu Ya-ling , Cai Ying , Hao Ying , Kang Sheng
Published: January 2022

Background
Ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation are the most causes of early death in patients with myocardial infarction (MI). This study was aimed to explore whether LRP6 and its upstream genes circRNA1615 and miR-152-3p modulated the phosphorylation of Connexin-43 (Cx43) via Gαs in ventricular tachycardia of MI.
Method
we constructed the hypoxia cardiomyocyte model and AMI mice, and explored the modulation relationship of LRP6 and its upstream genes circRNA1615 and miR-152-3p. In addition, the immunoblot analysis with monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies were used to detect whether LRP6 and Cx43 were phosphorylated, further investigated that the LRP6 regulated the phosphorylation of its downstream target Cx43 via G-protein alpha subunit Gαs by using cell transfection, FISH assay, HE staining, RT-qPCR, and Western blot techniques.
Result
LRP6 mRNA expression was significantly reduced in AMI group compared with the control group. Hypoxia could inhibit the protein and phosphorylation levels of LRP6 and Cx43. The expression of circRNA1615 in AMI mice was significantly decreased, but overexpression of circRNA1615 significantly reversed it. Also overexpression of circRNA1615 could weaken the effect of miR-152-3p mimic, and the miR-152-3p mimic increased the hypoxia injury of LRP6 and Cx43, further LRP6 interference fragments could aggravate hypoxia injury of Cx43. The overexpression of LRP6 could significantly increase the protein level and phosphorylation level of Cx43, but the interference with LRP6 showed the opposite trend. Noticeably, the interference with Gαs weakened the protein and phosphorylation levels of Cx43, however, the interference with LRP6 further inhibited the protein and phosphorylation levels of Cx43. Finally, the transcriptions of circRNA1615 and LRP6 were inhibited in AMI, but the transcription of miR-152-3p was promoted, and the overexpression of circRNA1615 could weaken the damage effect and VT of AMI.
Conclusion
LRP6 and its upstream genes circRNA1615 and miR-152-3p modulated the phosphorylation of Cx43 via Gαs in ventricular tachycardia of myocardial infarction.
Patient Handoff Among General Surgery Residents in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Saleem Abdulaziz M. , Kadi Mai
Published: January 2022

Background

Communication failure is a common cause of adverse events. An essential element of communication among healthcare providers is patient handoffs. To explore this practice, we assessed patient handoffs among general surgery residents in Saudi Arabia.
Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted with individuals in accredited general surgery residency programs in Saudi Arabia between 2020 to 2021.
Results

Participants comprised 118 general surgery residents—66 (57.3%) were females; 67 (72.8%) did not receive any formal training on patient handoff; 35 (38.8%) reported that they were sometimes interrupted during the patient handoff process. The most common reason for such interruptions was medical personnel paging. Further, 60 (68.1%) general surgery residents stated that such interruptions led to a decreased quality of effective communication, 39 (44.3%) believed it led to decreased quality of patient care, 63(71.5%) believed it led to the loss of some information related to patient handoff, and 16 (18.1%) believed it led to patient harm. Finally, 31 (34.4%) general surgery residents believed that the existing handoff system at their institutions neither adequately protected the patient’s safety nor allowed for continuity of care; and 51 (68%) reported that they did not have a standardized protocol for patients’ verbal handoff process at their institution. There were higher proportion of patients with minor harm in residents who did not, rare or some time received verbal or written hand off (67% vs 33%).
Conclusion

The patient handoff process among general surgery residents in Saudi Arabia is subjective, not standardized, and can contribute to patient harm. Standardizing it is paramount to improve patient safety.
Differential Uptake of Murine and Human Exosomes by Normal and Inflamed Peripheral Tissues and Brain
Authors: Banks William A , Sharma Priyanka , Hansen K. M. , Ludwig Nils , Whiteside T. L.
Published: January 2022

Background: Exosomes function as an intercellular communication system conveying messages from donor to target cells in nearby or distant tissues. Many aspects of exosome trafficking remain unresolved, however. Here, we investigated uptake of ten radiolabeled murine or human exosomes of various cellular origins by the liver, kidney, spleen, and lung of male CD-1 mice. Methods: We radioactively labeled 10 exosomes from mouse or human cancerous or non-cancerous lines, injected them intravenously into male CD-1 mice, and studied their tissue uptake. We examined the ability of wheatgerm agglutinin (WGA), mannose-6 phosphate (M6P), and inflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to modulate uptake. We measured uptake rate using multiple-time regression analysis and used heat mapping and path analysis to correlate tissue and exosomal influences on uptake. Results: Except for the uptake of SCCVII exosomes by kidney, all exosomes were taken up by all tissues, although the uptake levels varied broadly among exosomes and tissues. The liver/serum uptake ratio for exosomes from primary human T-cells was the highest at 4,500 mL/g. Species of origin (mouse vs human) or source (cancerous vs noncancerous cells) did not influence tissue uptake. The uptake of some exosomes was altered by WGA and LPS but not by M6P, except for uptake inhibition of J774A.1 exosomes by liver, suggesting use of the M6P receptor. WGA or LPS treatments enhanced uptake of exosomes by brain and lung but inhibited uptake by liver and spleen. Response to LPS was not, however, predictive of response to WGA. No evidence for a universal binding site controlling exosome uptake was obtained. Applying path analysis and heat map analysis to the data, including our published results for brain, we found that exosome uptake patterns for lung and brain responded similarly to WGA or to LPS, whereas those for liver and spleen clustered together. In path analysis, the 10 exosomes clustered into distinct groups, suggesting that their bindings sites are similarly clustered. Conclusions: Uptake of exosomes by peripheral tissues is differentially regulated by both exosomes and target tissues and is dependent on the number and types of mutually interactive binding sites.
The BOOST Paediatric Advance Care Planning Intervention for Adolescents with Cancer and Their Parents: Development, Acceptability and Feasibility
Authors: Driessche Anne van , Gilissen Joni , De Vleminck Aline , Kars Marijke , Fahner Jurrianne , Bosch Jutte van der Werff ten , Deliens Luc , Cohen Joachim , Beernaert Kim
Published: January 2022

Background
Although advance care planning (ACP) has been widely recommended to support patient and family engagement in understanding the patient’s values, preferences and goals of care, there are only a few models in paediatric oncology that capture ACP as a process of behaviour change. We aimed to develop and test the acceptability and feasibility of BOOST pACP (Benefits of Obtaining Ownership Systematically Together in paediatric Advance Care Planning) – an intervention to improve ACP in adolescents with cancer, their parents and paediatric oncologists.
Methods
Several methods informed the intervention development process: 1) Problem identification: interviews with 11 healthcare professionals working in paediatric oncology; 2) Identification of evidence: literature review of existing pACP tools and barriers and facilitators in performing pACP; 3) Logic model and 4) Intervention design: collaborative expert meetings with researchers and professionals in pACP; 5a) Acceptability test of the materials: interviews with 9 healthcare professionals, 4 adolescents and young adults with cancer and 6 parents; 5b) Feasibility test of core intervention components with 3 families, including interviews about their experiences.
Results
The BOOST pACP intervention was iteratively developed and adapted, based on feedback from families, healthcare professionals, and pACP experts (e.g., components were changed, deleted, and added; formulation of themes and associated questions were amended to enhance acceptability). The core components of the BOOST pACP intervention include: 4 ACP conversation sessions with the adolescent and/or parent(s) provided by a trained facilitator, structured by interactive conversation cards covering different ACP themes, followed by a transfer of information from the intervention facilitator to the paediatric oncologist. Core intervention components were deemed feasible by all participating families.
Conclusion
The BOOST pACP intervention was developed by close involvement of both adolescent patients and their parents, healthcare professionals and pACP experts. The final intervention and supporting materials are considered appropriate and feasible. Its effectiveness in improving parent-adolescent communication on ACP themes is currently being tested in a multi-centre randomised controlled trial. Researchers aiming to develop a complex psychosocial intervention for a vulnerable target group could use the step-by-step approach described in this paper.
Variant Type X91+ Chronic Granulomatous Disease: Clinical and Molecular Characterization in a Chinese Cohort
Authors: Sun Bijun , Zhu Zeyu , Hui Xiaoying , Sun Jinqiao , Wang Wenjie , Ying Wenjing , Zhou Qinhua , Yao Haili , Hou Jia , Wang Xiaochuan
Published: January 2022

Purpose: We aimed to report the clinical and immunological characteristics of variant type X91+ CGD in a Chinese cohort.Methods: The clinical manifestations and immunological phenotypes of X91+ CGD patients were collected. Dihydrorhodamine (DHR) analysis was performed to evaluate neutrophil function. Gp91phox protein expression was determined by flow cytometry-based extracellular staining with the monoclonal antibody (mAb) 7D5. Results: X91+CGD patients accounted for 8% (7/85) of all patients with GCD. The median onset age in the 7 X91+ CGD patients was 4 months. Six patients received the same BCG vaccine strain, and three had probable BCG infections. Moreover, 4 patients were highly suspected of having Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Recurrent infections of the lungs and soft tissues (3/7) were the most common symptoms. Two patients had noninfectious recurrent oral ulcers and received interferon gamma (IFN-γ) treatment afterward. In our cohort, the stimulation index (SI) of the 7 X91+ CGD patients ranged widely from 1.9 to 67.5, while the SI ranged from 1.2 to 35.7 in patents with X910 CGD. The level of SI between these two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). CYBB mutations associated with X91+CGD were usually located in or near the FAD and NADPH binding domains. Three new X91+ CGD related mutations (c.1462-2 A>T, c.1243C>T and c.925G>A) were identified. Conclusions: Variant type X91+ CGD may have varied severities of clinical manifestations. Moreover, the laboratory findings of X91+ CGD could present with a moderate neutrophil stimulation index. We should deepen our understanding of the X91+ variant CGD to prevent missed diagnosis.
Public Transit Development Predicts Spatial Distribution of Dengue Virus Incidence in Medellín, Colombia
Authors: Shragai Talya , Perez-Perez Juliana , Quimbayo-Forero Marcela , Rojo Raul , Harrington Laura , Rua-Uribe Guillermo
Published: January 2022

Dengue is a growing global threat in some of the world’s most rapidly growing landscapes. Urbanization and human movement affect the spatial dynamics and magnitude of dengue outbreaks; however, precise effects of urban growth on dengue is not well understood because of a lack of sufficiently fine-scaled data. We analyzed nine years of address-level dengue case data in Medellin, Colombia during a period of public transit expansion. We correlate changes in the spread and magnitude of localized outbreaks to changes in accessibility and usage of public transit. Locations closer to and with a greater utilization of public transit had greater dengue incidence. This relationship was modulated by socioeconomic status; lower socioeconomic status locations experienced stronger effects of public transit accessibility and usage on dengue incidence. Public transit is a vital urban resource, particularly among low socioeconomic populations; these results highlight the importance of public health services concurrent with urban growth.
Identification And Evaluation of Reference Genes For Cynanchum Auriculatum Under Various Stress Conditions
Authors: Zhu Zhi-Peng , Yu Jian-Xiang , Wu Ke-Xin , Xu Qin-Yi , Kang Yi-Jun , Sun Miao , Shen Min
Published: January 2022

Baishouwu (Cynanchum auriculatum) is a kind of critical Chinese herbal medicine. However, compared with the studies of other Chinese herbal medicines, the screening study on the reference genes of C. auriculatum is still the blank. Deterioration of the natural environment severely affects the growth and development of C. auriculatum. This study screened and identified suitable reference genes of C. auriculatum under various stress conditions. Based on qRT-PCR, geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and RefFinder were used for the expression stability evaluation of 12 potential reference genes from C. auriculatum. The ranking table showed that optimal reference genes included EF2 and SAMDC (heat stress), CYP and TUB-β (cold stress), TUB-α and GAPDH (drought stress), SAMDC and TUB-α (waterlogging stress), along with EF2 and ACT7 (salt stress). These results also demonstrated that under different abiotic stresses, suitable reference genes of plants should be selected for qRT-PCR analysis.
Disparities in Outcomes Among Patients Diagnosed With Cancer in Proximity to an Emergency Department Visit
Authors: Pettit Nicholas , Sarmiento Elisa , Kline Jeffrey
Published: January 2022

A suspected diagnosis of cancer in the emergency department (ED) may be associated with poor outcomes, related to health disparities, however data are limited. This study is a case-control analysis of the Indiana State Department of Health Cancer Registry, and the Indiana Network for Patient Care. First time cancer diagnoses appearing in the registry between January 2013 and December 2017 were included. Cases were patients who had an ED visit in the 6 months before their cancer diagnosis; controls had no recent ED visits. The primary outcome was mortality, comparing ED-associated mortality to non-ED-associated. 134,761 first-time cancer patients were identified, including 15,432 (11.5%) cases. The mean age was same at 65, more of the cases were Black than the controls (12.4% vs 7.4%, P<.0001) and more were low income (36.4%. vs 29.3%). The top 3 ED-associated cancer diagnoses were lung (18.4%), breast (8.9%), and colorectal cancers (8.9%), whereas the controls were breast (17%), lung (14.9%), and prostate cancers (10.1%). Cases observed an over three-fold higher mortality, with cumulative death rate of 32.9% for cases vs 9.0% for controls (P<.0001). Regression analysis predicting mortality, controlling for many confounders produced an odds ratio of 4.12 (95% CI 3.72-4.56 for cases). This study found that an ED visit within 6 months prior to the first time of ICD-coded cancer is associated with Black race, low income and an overall three-fold increased adjusted risk of death. The mortality rates for ED-associated cancers are uniformly worse for all cancer types. These data suggest that additional work is needed to reduce disparities among ED-associated cancer diagnoses.
A Practical Underwater Information Sensing System Based on Intermittent Chaos Under the Background of Lévy Noise
Authors: Zhang Hanwen , Qin Zhen , Zhang Yichao , Chen Dajiang , Gen Ji , Qin Hao
Published: January 2022

The Gaussian noise model has been chosen for underwater information sensing tasks under substantial interference for most of the research at present. However, it often contains a strong impact and does not conform to the Gaussian distribution. In this paper, a practical underwater information sensing system is proposed based on intermittent chaos under the background of Lévy noise. In this system, a novel Lévy noise model is presented to describe the underwater natural environment interference and estimate its parameters, which can better describe the impact characteristics of the underwater environment. Then an underwater environment sensing method of dual-coupled intermittent chaotic Duffing oscillator is improved by using the variable step-size method and scale transformation. The simulation results show that the method can sense weak signals and estimate their frequencies under the background of strong Lévy noise, and the estimation error is as low as 0.03%. Compared with the intermittent chaos of the single Duffing oscillator and the intermittent chaotic Duffing of double coupling, the minimum SNR ratio threshold has been reduced by 11.5dB and 6.9dB, respectively, and the computational cost significantly reduced, and the sensing efficiency is significantly improved.
Compatibility of indigenous isolates HR1, HR2 of entomopathogenic nematodes, with low-toxicity insecticides for control of fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)
Authors: Kasi Indra Kumar , Singh Mohinder , Waiba Kanchhi Maya
Published: January 2022

Invasive species are a major danger to agronomic and natural ecosystems, and due to environmental concerns about pesticide use, EPNs have the potential to replace larvicidal action in pest management. The goal was to see how well local isolates of Steinernema feltiae (HR1) and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (HR2) controlled invasive species when combined with low-toxicity pesticides. HR1 + Spinosad, chlorantraniliprole produced over 90% mortality in larvae at 96 hours, while HR2 + Spinosad, chlorantraniliprole caused over 95% mortality at 96 hours. After treatment, the high dose was regarded the least hazardous technique for controlling fall armyworm. At the high dose, HR1 + Spinosad, chlorantraniliprole produced larvae death of over 100 percent at 96 hours, and HR2 + Spinosad, chlorantraniliprole caused mortality of over 97.50 percent at 96 hours, and should be considered as a least hazardous strategy for T. absoluta management. Controlling larvae mortality of above 100% at 96 hours in combination with low-toxicity insecticide dosages should be included as a least harmful technique to control T. absoluta. The results showed that these HR2 strains have high pathogenicity against T. absoluta and S. frugiperda and have potential for control in integrated approaches, causing 100 percent and 90.00 percent mortality of T. absoluta and S. frugiperda at 96 hours at the high dose as a least toxic strategy to control.
Lambs Fed Diets Containing By-Product from Coconut Processing: Histomorphometry Characteristics in the Digestive and Renal Systems
Authors: Silva Felipe José Santos da , Júnior Dorgival Morais de Lima , Guerra Ricardo Romão , de Almeida Vitor Visintin Silva , Ribeiro Julimar do Sacramento , Fernandes Beatriz Dantas Oliveira , Souza Anaiane Pereira , de Medeiros Ariosvaldo Nunes
Published: January 2022

This study aimed to evaluate the histological characteristics in the digestive and renal systems of lambs fed diets containing coconut by-product (CB). A total of 35 male lambs with an initial weight of 16.9 ± 2.93 kg were distributed in a completely randomized design with five levels of CB in the diet (0; 4.8; 9.6; 14.4 and 19.2% in total dry matter). Samples of the liver, kidney, rumen, and intestine were histomorphometrically evaluated and the data were submitted to regression analysis, at a 5% error probability. The inclusion of CB linearly decreased the dry matter intake and caused a quadratic effect for the height of ruminal papillae, absorption area, epithelium thickness, as well as for average daily gain. The inclusion of CB linearly increased the mucous layer and reduced the submucosal layer, as well as promoted a decrease in goblet cells in the small intestine. The inclusion of BC did not influence hepatic glycogen, additionally, the histopathological examination did not reveal liver damage or congestion, vacuolization, and necrosis of the renal tissue. Therefore, our results indicate that CB can be included in lambs diet up to the level of 7.2% without causing changes in the histomorphometry characteristics of the gastrointestinal tract and changes in liver and kidney tissue that compromise animal performance.
Elastic Material Damage of Rotational Atherectomy and Orbital Atherectomy: An in Vitro Assessment
Authors: Higami Hirooki , Kashima Yoshifumi , Yokoi Kensuke , Nomura Shinnosuke , Tateyama Hikaru , Kaitani Kazuaki
Published: January 2022

PurposeRotational atherectomy (RA) and orbital atherectomy (OA) are effective procedures for severe calcified coronary artery disease. Nonetheless, vessel perforation remains an adverse complication of these procedures. This study aimed to evaluate factors affecting elastic material damage caused by RA and OA.MethodsAn in vitro assessment was conducted in which the damage to the rubber latex, an elastic material, after RA was evaluated under various conditions, including burr rotational speed (100,000–220,000 rotations per minute), approaching curve, burr size (1.25 mm, 1.75 mm, and 2.0 mm), and fluid viscosity (water and low-molecular weight dextran). Similarly, the rubber latex damage after OA was evaluated in the same experimental system under various conditions, including crown rotational speed, approaching curve, and fluid viscosity.ResultsIn RA, the rubber latex was damaged at lower rotational speeds (p = 0.003), tighter approaching curves (p < 0.0001), and lower fluid viscosity (p = 0.03). In OA, the rubber latex was generally severely damaged.ConclusionA higher rotational speed, coaxial approach for the wall, and higher viscosity contributed to lesser elastic material damage in RA. The safety mechanism for elastic material in OA proved less effective.
Role of Sub-Silicone Oil Application of Triamcinolone Acetonide (TA) Drops on Outcomes After 360° Relaxing Retinectomy in Extreme Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy Cases- A Pilot Study.
Authors: Boral Subhendu Kumar , Agarwal Deepak , Das Arnab , Chakraborty Debdulal
Published: January 2022

Purpose: To perform a pilot study to evaluate the role of sub-silicone oil Triamcinolone Acetonide (TA) crystal drops in complex Retinal Detachment (RD) with extreme proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) requiring 360-degree relaxing retinectomy (RR). Design: It was a retrospective pilot studyMaterials & methods : It was a retrospective, case-control pilot study. TA assisted 23G or 25G vitrectomy was done in 24 complex RDs with extreme PVR where 360 degree RR had to be performed. Group A (n=13) included cases where additional TA crystal drops were applied, after settling the detached retina, over the site of RR under silicone oil (SO 5000 cSt) tamponade. In control arm, group B (n=11), additional TA crystals were not applied. Main outcomes measured : Mean pre and post operative BCVA, ultra-widefield retinograph by Optos 200Tx, macular OCT and the propensity to remove silicone oil were measured. Results: Mean preoperative and postoperative BCVA at final follow up were Log MAR 2.69 (20/9795) ± 0.41 and Log MAR 1.51 (20/647) ±0.90 (p<0.05) respectively in Group A and Log MAR 2.9 (20/15886) and Log MAR 2.37 (20/4688) ±0.86 (p<0.05) respectively in group B. Visual improvement in group A was significantly better than group B (two-sample t-test, p<0.05) with significantly less recurrence of RD (Fisher’s Exact Test, p=0.002). Silicone oil removal was done significantly more in group A (Fisher’s Exact Test, p=0.0017). Conclusion: Sub-silicone oil TA crystals application over sites of RR after 360-degree relaxing retinectomy leads to improved postoperative visual recovery as well as improved anatomical outcomes with fewer complications.
Can Status Inequality Organize Cooperation in Multi-leader Systems? An Evolutionary Theory
Authors: Lee Hsuan-Wei , Chang Yen-Ping , Chiang Yen-Sheng
Published: January 2022

Status hierarchies often emerge in small collective task groups. In these groups, clearly defined hierarchies facilitate and stabilize structured cooperative interactions among group members, supporting their evolutionary function in the real world. What the existing research in this field has failed to consider, however, is that cooperation matters in these hierarchies with clear status inequality, as well as in other more realistic, multiple-leader groups with less clear hierarchies. Multi-leadership is ubiquitous but, by definition, flattens status inequality and may, in turn, jeopardize its capacity to sustain cooperation. Leveraging the relationship between multi-leadership and cooperation, our evolutionary game model reveals that hierarchies, in general, promote cooperation in groups with multiple leaders, but these hierarchies only do that up to a point, after which multi-leadership backfires. Accordingly, the model provides not only a theoretical account for how multi-leadership coexists with cooperation but also the conditions under which the coexistence would break.