bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Parental Segregation Study Reveals Rare Benign and Likely Benign Variants in a Brazilian Cohort of Rare Diseases
Authors: Quaio Caio Robledo D' Angioli Costa , Ceroni Jose Ricardo Magliocco , Cervato Murilo Castro , Thurow Helena Strelow , Moreira Caroline Monaco , Trindade Ana Carolina Gomes , Furuzawa Cintia Reys , Souza Rafaela Rogerio Floriano , Perazzio Sandro Felix , Dutra Aurelio Pimenta , Chung Christine Hsiaoyun , Kim Chong Ae
Published: December 2021

Genomic studies may generate massive amounts of data, bringing interpretation challenges. Efforts for the differentiation of benign and pathogenic variants gain importance.In this article, we used segregation analysis and other molecular data to reclassify to benign or likely benign several rare clinically curated variants of autosomal dominant inheritance from a cohort of 500 Brazilian patients with rare diseases.This study included only symptomatic patients who had undergone molecular investigation with exome sequencing for suspected diseases of genetic etiology. Variants clinically suspected as the causative etiology and harbored by genes associated with highly-penetrant conditions of autosomal dominant inheritance underwent Sanger confirmation in the proband and inheritance pattern determination because a “de novo” event was expected.Among all 327 variants studied, 321 variants were inherited from asymptomatic parents. Considering segregation analysis, we have reclassified 51 rare variants as benign (n=51) and 211 as likely benign (n=211).In our study, the inheritance of a highly penetrant variant expected to be de novo for pathogenicity assumption was considered as a non-segregation and, therefore, a key step for benign or likely benign classification. Studies like ours may help to identify rare benign variants and improve the correct interpretation of genetic findings.
Bayesian Parametric Modeling of Time to Tuberculosis Co-Infection of HIV/AIDS Patients Under Antiretroviral Therapy Treatment at Jimma University Medical Center, Ethiopia
Authors: Umeta Abdi Kenesa , Yermosa Samuel Fikadu , Dufera Abdisa G.
Published: December 2021

Background: Tuberculosis is the most common opportunistic infection among HIV/AIDS patients, including those following Antiretroviral Therapy treatment. The risk of Tuberculosis infection is higher in people living with HIV/AIDS than in people who are free from HIV/AIDS. Many studies focused on prevalence and determinants of Tuberculosis in HIV/AIDS patients without taking into account the censoring aspects of the time to event data. Therefore, this study was undertaken with aim to model time to Tuberculosis co-infection of HIV/AIDS patients following Antiretroviral Therapy treatment using Bayesian parametric survival models.Methods: A data of a retrospective cohort of HIV/AIDS patients under Antiretroviral Therapy treatment follow-up from January 2016 to December 2020 until Tuberculosis was clinically diagnosed or until the end of the study was collected from Antiretroviral Therapy treatment center of Jimma University Medical Center, Ethiopia. In order to identify the risk factors which have association with Tuberculosis co-infection survival time, Bayesian parametric Accelerated failure time survival models were fitted to the data using Integrated Nested Laplace Approximation methodology.Results: About 26.37% of the study subjects had been co-infected with tuberculosis during the study period. Among the parametric Accelerated failure time models, the Bayesian log-logistic Accelerated failure time model was found to be the best fitting model for the data.Conclusions: Tuberculosis co-infection survival time was significantly associated with place of residence, smoking, drinking alcohol, family size, WHO clinical stages, functional status, CD4 count, BMI and hemoglobin level. The finding of this study provide timely information on the risk factors associated with TB co-infection survival time for healthy policy makers and planners.
Ragweed Pollen Concentration Predict Seasonal Oculo-rhinitis and Asthma Severity in Subjects Allergic to Ragweed.
Authors: Bonini Maira , MONTI GIANNA , PELAGATTI MATTEO , CERIOTTI VALENTINA , RE ELISABETTA , BRAME' BARBARA , BOTTERO PAOLO , TOSI ANNA , VAGHI ADRIANO , MARTELLI ALBERTO , TRAINA GIOVANNI , RIVOLTA LOREDANA , RIVOLTA FEDERICA , ORTOLANI CLAUDIO MARIA
Published: December 2021

Objectives: 1. To investigate the correlation between ragweed pollen concentration and conjunctival, nasal and asthma symptoms severity in patients allergic to ragweed using ambient pollen exposure in the Milan area during the 2014 ragweed season; 2. to calculate the pollen / symptom thresholds and 3. to assess the effectiveness of ragweed Allergen Immuno Therapy (AIT).Patients: 66 subjects allergic to Amb a 1 enrolled in the study and were divided into two cohorts: AIT treated (24) and non-AIT treated (42).Measurements: Pollen counts and daily symptom/medication patient diaries. Autoregressive Distributed Lag Models were used to develop predictive models of daily symptoms and to evaluate the short-term effects of temporal variations in pollen concentration on the onset of symptoms. Results: We found significant correlations between ragweed pollen load and the intensity of symptoms, for all three symptom categories respectively, both in non-AIT treated (𝛕= 0.341, 0.352, 0.721 and ρ = 0.48, 0.432, 0.881, p-value < 0.001) and in AIT treated patients (O= 0.46, 0.610, 0.66 and ρ = 0.692, 0.805, 0.824; p-value < 0.001). In both cohorts, we observed a positive correlation between the number of symptoms reported and drug use. Mean symptom levels were significantly greater in non-AIT treated than in AIT treated patients (p < 0.001) for all symptom categories. Pollen concentration thresholds for three symptom severity levels were calculated.Conclusions: Ragweed pollen concentration is predictive of symptom severity in ragweed (Amb a 1) allergy patients. AIT treated patients had significantly reduced mean symptom levels compared to non-AIT patients.
The Integrated Optokinetic Nystagmus Inter-saccadic Interval Scales Statistical Different In a Group of Vertigo Patients Depended On The Stimulation Velocity, But Not For Healthy Subjects
Authors: Aasen Torbjørn
Published: December 2021

Optokinetic nystagmus is rhythmic eye movements, back and forth, with a slow and fast phase, when the eyes are presented for full-field visual stimulus. OKN was recorded in 20 healthy subjects and 20 patients suffering from vertigo, for four conditions: stripes moving 30 o/s left and right and 60 o/s left and right. Calculating the scaling, the spread over time, for the integrated optokinetic nystagmus inter-saccadic interval, the time intervals between the onsets of consecutive fast components, shows lower Hurst exponent for velocity stimulation of 30o/s compared to 60o/s for both patients and health subjects, but only reach statistical differences for the group of patients.
Approximating Stackelberg Equilibrium in Anti-UAV Jamming Markov Game with Hierarchical Multi-Agent Deep Reinforcement Learning Algorithm
Authors: Feng Zikai , Wu Yuanyuan , Huang Mengxing , Wu Di
Published: December 2021

In order to avoid the malicious jamming of the intelligent unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to ground users in the downlink communications, a new anti-UAV jamming strategy based on multi-agent deep reinforcement learning is studied in this paper. In this method, ground users aim to learn the best mobile strategies to avoid the jamming of UAV. The problem is modeled as a Stackelberg game to describe the competitive interaction between the UAV jammer (leader) and ground users (followers). To reduce the computational cost of equilibrium solution for the complex game with large state space, a hierarchical multi-agent proximal policy optimization (HMAPPO) algorithm is proposed to decouple the hybrid game into several sub-Markov games, which updates the actor and critic network of the UAV jammer and ground users at different time scales. Simulation results suggest that the hierarchical multi-agent proximal policy optimization -based anti-jamming strategy achieves comparable performance with lower time complexity than the benchmark strategies. The well-trained HMAPPO has the ability to obtain the optimal jamming strategy and the optimal anti-jamming strategies, which can approximate the Stackelberg equilibrium (SE).
Determinants for Postpartum Care of Women in Rakhine State, Myanmar: A Descriptive Cross- sectional Study
Authors: Khine Thiri Thazin , Sawangdee Yothin
Published: December 2021

Background – The maternal mortality ratio of Rakhine State is cited as being the highest level among the states of Myanmar. In contrast, the usage of healthcare providers for the delivery process is at the lowest rate in the Union. Therefore, this study sought to discover the factors influencing women from Rakhine State in receiving postpartum care from healthcare providers.Methodology – All in all, 278 women from the 15- to 49-year-old age group collected from the Myanmar Demographic Health Survey (2015-2016) were used for this study. Binary logistic regression was likewise employed. Results –Among the 104 cases receiving postpartum care, only 42 cases were home deliveries. Maternal health knowledge status, the role of healthcare providers, and places of delivery, rather than socioeconomic status and social structure, were the most essential factors in promoting postpartum care status. The occupation status of women also influenced their postpartum care receiving status.Conclusion – By strengthening the health care system setting and promoting the job efficacy of women, the postdelivery care status of Rakhine state can be increased and the maternal death after child birth can be reduced to reach the SDGs.
Long-Range Transport of Sulfur Dioxide Emissions From External Sources to Tehran
Authors: Khuzestani Reza Bashiri , Taheri Ahmad , Yeganeh Bijan
Published: December 2021

Large-scale emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) from the combustion of heavy fuel oils are deteriorating the air quality in Tehran and regularly causing complex atmospheric pollution situations and human health concerns. Our analysis of the long-term SO2 emission data in Tehran confirmed that the magnitude of local SO2 emission sources is not adequate to reach SO2 concentrations to their present levels. Tehran is predominantly affected by regional transport of SO2 from exterior sources further away located in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and adjacent provinces neighboring Tehran. Approximately 80% of total SO2 emissions in Tehran were observed to have impacts from the external hotspots outside of Tehran. While local emission sources only contribute around 20% of the total SO2 emissions. Bivariate polar plots, k-mean cluster, pairwise polar correlation, and PSCF analysis provided evidence for the impact of large-scale transport of SO2 emissions from external locations from the west/northwest, north/northeast, and south/southwestern areas of the region. Further observations of these hotspot areas observed in our analysis with TROPOMI satellite data confirmed significant SO2 emissions resulting from the consumption of heavy fuel oils in thermal power plants and oil/gas refineries. Overall, the results suggested that the regulatory strategies for controlling local traffic emissions of SO2 in Tehran would not be beneficial for reducing public health exposures to SO2 in Tehran. Such improvements can be attained mainly by diminishing the emission sources located further away from Tehran.
Large-Scale Deployment of Pyriproxyfen-Treated Lehmann Funnel Entry Traps to Control Malaria Mosquito Populations
Authors: Sanou Roger , Maïga Hamidou , Sow Bazoumana D. , Ouema Adama , Millogo Abdoul Azize , Bayili Koama , Hien Aristide Sawdetuo , Sawadogo Simon P. , Millogo Souro Abel , Belem Adrien Marie Gaston , Dabiré Roch K. , Toé Léa Paré , Diabaté Abdoulaye
Published: December 2021

Background: The Lehmann Funnel Entry Trap has proven to be effective in catching and killing up to 70% of mosquitoes even in a high mosquito density setting. A medium-sized prototype was selected and deployed at large scale in Vallée du Kou 3 (VK3) in the Southwest of Burkina Faso to assess its entomological and sociological impact.Method: Overall, 1,313 traps impregnated with Pyriproxyfen (PPF), were deployed. Of them, 12 traps were randomly selected across the intervention village compared to houses without traps in the control village, Vallée du Kou 5 (VK5). Traps were placed at the windows while doors were blocked with curtains. Mosquitoes were collected in traps and matching houses in VK3 and in houses only in VK5, for nine days per month from July to October 2015. Collected mosquitoes were morphologically identified, counted, and preserved in 80% ethanol vials for subsequent analyses, including resistance genes and female mosquito age structure. The impact of the trap on mosquito density at community level was assessed by performing a pyrethrum spray catch (PSC) with bioassays to assess the effect of PPF. Results: Overall mosquito density was reduced by ~90% in all houses equipped with traps in VK3. At the community level, while mosquito density before intervention was 33% higher in VK3 than in VK5, it was 47% higher in VK5 after the intervention. Old female mosquito numbers increased in VK5 by 12% in October but not in VK3, indicating that the traps were cumulatively killing old females. The additional effect of PPF was to limit egg-laying, with a smaller number of eggs counted, and with a low hatching rate. Mosquitoes were highly resistant to pyrethroids with ~0.9 frequency of the kdr mutation. The trap was well accepted by the communities as 85.4% and 93.8% of interviewees in VK3 found the traps reducing mosquito bites with peaceful sleep respectively. Conclusion: The Lehmann Funnel Entry Trap has real potential to control malaria mosquito populations and can be widely used to sustain the global effort of malaria elimination.
Diagnoses and Procedures of Inpatients with Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting in Swiss University Hospitals: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Horowicz Mathilde , Cottler-Casanova Sara , Abdulcadir Jasmine
Published: December 2021

Background: Female genital mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) can result in short and long-term complications, which can impact physical, psychological and sexual health. Our objective was to obtain descriptive data about the most frequent health conditions and procedures associated with FGM/C in Swiss university hospitals inpatient women and girls with a diagnosis of FGM/C. Our research focused on the gynaecology and obstetrics departments. Methods: We conducted an exploratory descriptive study to identify the health outcomes of women and girls with a coded FGM/C diagnose who had been admitted to Swiss university hospitals between 2016 and 2018. Four of the five Swiss university hospitals provided anonymized data on primary and secondary diagnoses coded with the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and interventions coded in their medical files. Results: Between 2016 and 2018, 207 inpatients had a diagnosis of FGM/C. The majority (96%) were admitted either to gynaecology or obstetrics divisions with few genito-urinary and psychosexual conditions coded.Conclusions: FGM/C coding capacities in Swiss university hospitals are low, and some complications of FGM/C are probably not diagnosed. Pregnancy and delivery represent key moments to identify and offer medical care to women and girls who live with FGM/C. Trial registration: This cross-sectional study (protocol number 2018-01851) was conducted in 2019, and approved by the Swiss ethics committee.
Understanding the Invisible Workforce: Lessons for General Practice from a Survey of Receptionists
Authors: Litchfield Lan , Burrows Michael , Gale Nicola , Greenfield Sheila
Published: December 2021

Introduction

The significance of the role of receptionists during the recent shift to remote triage has been widely recognised and they will have a significant role to play in UK general practice as it continues to cope with a huge increase in demand exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. To maximise their contribution it is important the social and occupational characteristics of the modern receptionist are understood, alongside their attitudes towards the role and their perceptions of the support and training they receive.
Methods

We surveyed the demographic characteristics of receptionists and various aspects of their role and responsibilities exploring the training received, specific tasks, job satisfaction, the importance of the role, and their interaction with clinical and non-clinical colleagues. We also captured data on the characteristics of their practice including the size of their patient list and location.
Results

A total of 70 participants completed the survey (16 postal and 54 online responses) of whom the majority were white (97.2%), female (98.6%), and aged 40 and over (56.7%). The majority of the training focussed on customer service (72.9%), telephone (64.3%), and medical administration skills (58.6%). Just over a quarter had received training in basic triage (25.7%). A standard multiple regression model revealed that the strongest predictor of satisfaction was support from practice GPs (β = .65, p <.001) there were also significant positive correlations between satisfaction and appreciation from GPs, r(68) = .609, p < .001.
Conclusion

This study has provided a much needed update on the demographics, duties and job satisfaction of GP receptionists. The need for diversification of the workforce to reflect the range of primary care patients was apparent and needs to be addressed in light of differential access along lines of gender or ethnicity. Training continues to focus on administrative duties not on the clinically-relevant aspects of their role such as triage.
Ayurveda and Management of COVID-19 in Rural Indian Population: A pilot, double blind, randomized control trial
Authors: Chandra K P Bharath , Subramanian Saumya , Wadhawan Rohini , Wodeyar Akhilesh Mohan , Marfatia Alefia Zakir , Pathak Jeetu , Kanchibhotla Divya
Published: December 2021

Background

The SARS-CoV-2 virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic is a highly contagious and rapidly mutating virus. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected millions globally over the last 18 months and continues to overwhelm the healthcare system in several countries to date. The healthcare and scientific community has been vigorously searching for ways to manage the disease. Several solutions based on traditional systems of medicine like Ayurveda are also being explored for their effectiveness in managing COVID-19. The study explored the efficacy of a 19 ingredient Ayurvedic polyherbal formulation called NOQ19, on the recovery of mild, RT-PCR positive COVID-19 patients.
Methods

This was a prospective, double blind, randomized control trial that included 92 patients with a RT-PCR positive mild case of COVID-19. The patients were enrolled from rural areas of Karnataka, a state in India. The patients were randomized between the NF2 and placebo arms, in a 1:1 ratio, and were provided their respective intervention, along with the standard of care treatment (SOC). The trial took place at the Community Care Center, Konnanuru, Hassan, Karnataka. The study duration was around 2 months and the follow-up period for an individual patient was 14 days. RT-PCR analysis was done at baseline, Day 3, 7 and 10. Blood markers to track inflammation were assessed at baseline, Day 3 and 7.
Result

A statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups with regards to the percentage of population who turned RT-PCR negative on Day 3 and Day 10. On all three assessment time points (Day 3, 7 and 10), the NF2+SOC arm showed a greater percentage of population who were RT-PCR negative compared to the placebo+SOC arm: Day 3 (NF2 -19%, Placebo - 0%) ; Day 7 (NF2- 41%, Placebo - 19%) ; Day 10 (NF2-73%, Placebo 44%). No significant changes were observed in blood markers for both the groups.
Conclusion

NF2 administered along with standard of care treatment aided early recovery from COVID-19 as demonstrated by a higher percentage of population who were RT-PCR negative on Day 3, 7 and 10. No side effects were observed during the entire study duration. Early recovery of patients is essential for rational usage of limited healthcare resources in a pandemic.
Abandoned, Lost or Otherwise Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG) in Tuna Pole-and-Line Fisheries
Authors: Pham Christopher K. , Machete Miguel , Edwards Zaccari , Adam Shiham , Bealey Roy , Rodríguez Yasmina , Pereira João M. , Saneeh Ibrahim , Nadheeh Ibrahim
Published: December 2021

The fishing industry is recognized as one of the primary sources of at-sea marine litter, largely through its contributions via abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG). Individual fleet’s contributions to ALDFG vary significantly across this global industry. While much information is available for some fisheries, the rate of ALDFG remains poorly known for many techniques. In this study, we used data collected by fisheries observers onboard pole-and-line fishing vessels in the Azores (Atlantic Ocean) and the Maldives (Indian Ocean) to provide an accurate and representative estimate of ALDFG for this gear. Our analysis of 993 fishing events demonstrated ALDFG contributions much lower than have been recorded for any other commercial tuna fishing gear. Overall, we found that an angler loses some monofilament line in 1.4% (±0.2) of fishing events. This informs that for every thousand tonnes of tuna harvested using this fishing technique, 0.3 kg of nylon is entering the marine environment. Globally, we estimate that all pole-and-line fisheries together contribute to 96 kg ± 42.6 kg of ALDFG per year. These results further evidence the low environmental impact of this traditional fishing practice, as well as the need for other methods to convert to less damaging gears.
Modeling The Impact of Vaccination On COVID-19 And Its Delta Variant
Authors: Wang Jianbo , Chan Yin-Chi , Niu Ruiwu , Wong Eric W. M. , Wyk Michaël Antonie Van
Published: December 2021

Vaccination is an important means to fight against the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and its variants. In this work, we propose a general susceptible-vaccinated-exposed-infected-hospitalized-removed (SVEIHR) model and derive its basic and effective reproduction numbers. We set Hong Kong as an example to prove the validity of our model. The model shows how the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Hong Kong during the second and third waves of the COVID-19 pandemic would have been reduced had vaccination been available then. We then investigate the relationships between various model parameters and the cumulative number of hospitalized COVID-19 cases in Hong Kong for the ancestral and Delta strains of the virus. Next, we compare the evolution of the SVEIHR model to the traditional “herd immunity” threshold where the proportion of vaccinated individuals is static and no further vaccination takes place after model initialization. Numerical results for Hong Kong demonstrate that the static herd immunity threshold corresponds to a cumulative hospitalization ratio of about one percent (assuming the current hospitalization rate of infected individuals is maintained). We also demonstrate that when the vaccination rate is high, the initial proportion of vaccinated individuals can be lowered for while still maintaining the same proportion of cumulative hospitalized individuals.
Effects of CdS NPs on Sulfate Bioreduction and Oxidative Stress to Desulfovibrio Desulfuricans
Authors: Cheng Guoqing , Ding Huili , Chen Guanglin , Shi Hongjie , Zhang Xu , Zhu Minglong , Tan Wensong
Published: December 2021

Sulfate-containing wastewater has a serious threat to the environment and human health. Microbial technology has great potential for the treatment of sulfate-containing wastewater. It was found that nano-photocatalysts could be used as extracellular electron donors to promote the growth and metabolic activity of non-photosynthetic microorganisms. However, nano-photocatalysts could also induce oxidative stress and damage cells. In this paper, the mechanism and regulation strategy of cadmium sulfide nanoparticles（CdS NPs）on the growth of sulfate reducing bacteria and the sulfate reduction process were investigated. The results shows that the sulfate reduction efficiency could be increased by 6.43% through CdS NPs under light conditions. However, the growth of C09 was seriously inhibited by 55.00% due to the oxidative stress induced by CdS NPs on cells. The biomass and sulfate reduction efficiency could be enhanced by 6.84% and 5.85%, respectively, through external addition of humic acid (HA). At the same time, the mechanism of the CdS NPs strengthening the sulfate reduction process by sulfate bacteria was also studied. Which can provide important theoretical guidance and technical support for the development of microbial technology combined with extracellular electron transfer (EET) for the treatment of sulfate-containing wastewater.
SMAFED: Real-Time Event Detection in Social Media Streams
Authors: Kolajo Taiwo , Daramola Olawande , Adebiyi Ayodele A.
Published: December 2021

Interactions via social media platforms have made it possible for anyone, irrespective of physical location, to gain access to quick information on events taking place all over the globe. However, the semantic processing of social media data is complicated due to challenges such as language complexity, unstructured data, and ambiguity. In this paper, we proposed the Social Media Analysis Framework for Event Detection (SMAFED). SMAFED aims to facilitate improved semantic analysis of noisy terms in social media streams, improved representation/embedding of social media stream content, and improved summarisation of event clusters in social media streams. For this, we employed key concepts such as integrated knowledge base, resolving ambiguity, semantic representation of social media streams, and Semantic Histogram-based Incremental Clustering based on semantic relatedness. Two evaluation experiments were conducted to validate the approach. First, we evaluated the impact of the data enrichment layer of SMAFED. We found that SMAFED outperformed other pre-processing frameworks with a lower loss function of 0.15 on the first dataset and 0.05 on the second dataset. Secondly, we determined the accuracy of SMAFED at detecting events from social media streams. The result of this second experiment showed that SMAFED outperformed existing event detection approaches with better Precision (0.922), Recall (0.793), and F-Measure (0.853) metric scores. The findings of the study present SMAFED as a more efficient approach to event detection in social media.
Role of Zn And Polyaniline In Magnetic Nanocomposites And Enhanced Arsenic Adsorption Capacity In Wastewater
Authors: Thi Tran Minh , Lam Nguyen Mau , Tung Do Khanh , Nghia Nguyen Manh , Van Duong Quoc , Manh Vu Quoc , Viet Nguyen Thi Bich , Linh Duong Khanh , Chinh Nguyen Thuy , Hoang Thai , Vu Quoc Trung
Published: December 2021

Polyaniline/Fe0.90Zn0.10Fe2O4 (PANI/Zn0.10Fe2.90O4) nanocomposites were synthesized by a chemical method and an onsite polymerization method. XRD patterns showed that the Zn0.10Fe2.90O4 grain size about 12 nm, while TEM image showed grain size from 10 to 20 nm. The results of Raman spectra and DTA analyses showed that PANI participated in part of the PANI/Zn0.10Fe2.90O4 nanocomposite samples. The grain size of PANI/Zn0.10Fe2.90O4 samples measured by SEM was about 35–50 nm. These results demonstrated the shell–core structures of the nanocomposite material. The magnetization measurements at room temperature showed that in 1250 Oe magnetic field, the saturation magnetic moment of PANI/Zn0.10Fe2.90O4 samples decreased from 71.2 to 42.3 emu/g when the PANI concentration increased from 0 % to 15 %. The surface area and porous structure of nanoparticles were investigated by the BET method at 77 K and a relative pressure P/P0 of about 1. The arsenic adsorption capacity of the PANI/Zn0.10Fe2.90O4 sample with the PANI concentration of 5 % was better than that of Fe3O4 and Zn0.10Fe2.90O4 in a solution of pH 7. In the solution with pH P14, the arsenic adsorption of magnetic nanoparticles was insignificant. Due to substitution of Fe ions by Zn transition metal and coating polyaniline, these materials could be reabsorbed and reused.
Immediate Effect of Trunk Flexion And Extension Isometric Exercise Using An External Compression Device On Electromyography of The Hip Extensor And Trunk Range of Motion Of Healthy Subjects
Authors: Huang Tian-Zong , Kim Suhn Yeop
Published: December 2021

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is a very common symptom experienced by individuals across all age groups. Previous study established that using a device known as Active Therapeutic Movement version 2 (ATM®2) has been developed to improve pain and joint range of motion (ROM) in patients with LBP. However, no study has examined the physiological change in the muscle through ATM®2-based exercise thus far. This study aimed to determine the immediate effects of ATM®2 exercise on the contraction timing, back extension endurance, muscle fatigue, and trunk ROM of lumbar and lower limb muscles in healthy subjects.Methods: Thirty-six healthy subjects (mean age=23.16±2.3) volunteered to participate in this study. Subjects were instructed to perform ROM test using sit and reach test, back extensor endurance test using Biering-Sorensen test, erector spinae (ES), lumbar multifidus (LM) fatigue and onset time of Gluteus maximus (GM) in prone hip extension using electromyography before and after trunk flexion and extension isometric exercises.Results: The ROM in trunk flexion showed a significant increase by 7.9% after exercise compared to that before exercise (p<0.05). Relative GM contraction onset timing significantly decreased after exercise (p<0.05). The result of the Sorensen test after exercise showed a trend of increase in duration time. Muscle fatigue in the LM, however, showed a significant increase (p<0.05), whereas muscle fatigue in the ES was reduced without statistical significance.Conclusions: The results base on this study showed a significant increase in the trunk ROM after trunk flexion and extension isometric exercise using an external compression device, while the relative contraction onset timing in the GM significantly reduced. Furthermore, the muscle endurance test after exercise showed a trend of increase in the duration time with a decreasing trend in muscle fatigue in the ES. Exercise based on ATM®2 is an effective exercise protocol with an effect on biomechanics of healthy subjects. This exercise may be suitable in clinical practice for patients with LBP, for which long-term effects can be expected.
Embryo Rescue and Moleclar Marker-Assisted Selection of Hybrid Seedless Grape
Authors: Wang Yong , Li Yuling , Sun Feng , Wu Guohong , Sulaiman Aizezi , Bai Shijian , Hua Zhaorong , Guo Pingfeng
Published: December 2021

Seedless grapes play an important role in fresh food and dry production. New varieties breeding by hybridization with seedless varieties as female parents is the most effective way to cultivate seedless varieties. However, the embryos of Seedless varieties can not develop normally, so it is difficult to obtain hybrid offspring as hybrid female parent. Moreover, grape is a perennial tree species with highly heterozygous genes, with long breeding cycle and low efficiency. In this study, embryo rescue technology was used to cultivate hybrid offspring by crossing with ‘Ruby Seedless’ as female parent and ‘Hongqitezao’ as male parent, so as to solve the problem that seedless varieties can not be female parent; and molecular technology was used to carry out assisted breeding research to solve the problems of long cycle and low efficiency. TP-M13-SSR technique was used to carry out authenticity breeding. SCAR marker SCF27-2000 was used to detect the seedless traits of hybrid plants, phenotypic traits was used to verify the results of molecular markers, and Seedless trait-related SSR markers VMC7F2, VrSD10 and P3_VvAGL11 was used to detect and verify the genotypes of individual plants with inconsistent detection results by the two methods. In this study, a total of 384 hybrid offspring were finally obtained, and the hybridization rate was 84.43%. A total of 163 fruit-bearing plants were identified, and the phenotypes of their seeds were identified. The coincidence rate of genotypic and phenotypic analyses was 93.88%. Additionally, 305 F1 plants were detected using the SCF27-2000 marker, and the abortion rate was 64.92%. We speculate that the inconsistent results were caused by parthenocarpy, SCF27 marker limitation, among other factors. Overall, this study shows that embryo rescue is an effective method for breeding seedless grape cultivars, and the application of molecular markers could facilitate the early identification of hybrid traits,and improve breeding efficiency.
A Novel Prognostic Risk Score Based on Ferroptosis-related LncRNAs Predicting Ovarian Cancer Patient Survival
Authors: Chen Keyu , Li Xiaohong , Qi Caixia
Published: December 2021

Background: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are thought to be associated with several processes during cancer development and have been shown to be involved in the regulation of ferroptosis. Ovarian cancer is highly malignant tumour with a poor prognosis. The identification biomarkers with prognostic value in ovarian cancer may improve patient outcomes and can help to elucidate potential future therapeutic targets.Results: We report differential expression of 187 ferroptosis-related lncRNAs in normal and ovarian cancer tissue. Using univariate and multivariable Cox regression analysis, we identified four lncRNAs that were strongly associated with prognosis. We constructed a prognostic risk score based on these four lncRNAs which was effectively able to distinguish between low- and high-risk OC patients based on survival time. Univariate and multivariable Cox regression analyses and time-related receiver operating characteristic curve analyses revealed that this risk score represented an independent prognostic factor in patients with ovarian cancer. For clinical implementation, we developed a nomogram based on the prognostic feature and patient age. Gene Ontology(GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis revealed that the four ferroptosis-related lncRNAs were related to tumour immunity.Conclusions: we identify four novel ferroptosis-related lncRNAs as predictors of ovarian cancer prognosis and potential future therapeutic targets for ovarian cancer.
Unified Phase Field Theory Based on the Interaction of Positive and Negative Magnetic poles and Analysis of ATLAS, CMS Experiment at the LHC
Authors: wu xianjin
Published: December 2021

This article assumes that the elementary particle is a magnetic poles field formed by the interaction of positive and negative magnetic pole, believes that the gravity, the electromagnetic force, the strong force and the weak force are all produced by the interaction of positive and negative magnetic pole. The collision of the high-energy elementary particles appears as a strong force, and the decay of the high-energy elementary particles appears as a weak force, the cohesive force of the high-energy elementary particle magnetic pole field (the gravitational field) to its magnetic pole is the gravity, and the spin force of the high-energy elementary particle magnetic pole field in the external field (the gravitational field) is the electromagnetic force. This article discuss the high-energy proton-antiproton collision experiment based on the interaction of positive and negative magnetic pole, reveals the production mechanism of the protonium, tauium, muonium, positronium, three generation of leptons and neutrinos, and final state. This article explains unify of the strong force, weak force, electromagnetic force and gravity with unified phase field theory, and tested with the data of ATLAS and CMS experiment at the LHC. The data of ATLAS and CMS experiment at the LHC is completely consistent with the calculated data of the phase field curvature tensor equation; Differential geometric variables are covariant with physical variables; The Lagrangian function of Einstein's mass-energy equation, the Lagrangian function of Schrodinger particle differential motion wave function based on the theory of relativity, the Lagrangian density of Young-Mills gauge field equation, and the planets phase difference momentum-energy tensor of the curvature tensor equation is completely consistent in the high-energy proton-antiproton collision experiment. These fully prove that the unified phase field theory is more in line with the physical reality of the high-energy proton-antiproton collision experiment.
Transcriptome and Metabolome Analyses Reveal an Insight of Chlorophyll, Photosynthesis, Metal Ion and Phenylpropanoids Related Pathways in Sugarcane Ratoon Chlorosis
Authors: Luo Ting , Zhou Zhongfeng , Deng Yuchi , Fan Yegeng , Qiu Lihang , Chen Rongfa , Yan Haifeng , Zhou Huiwen , Wu Jianming , Chen Qi
Published: December 2021

BackgroundRatoon sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) is susceptible to chlorosis, significantly reducing production. The molecular mechanism underlying this phenomenon remains unknown. We analyzed the transcriptome and metabolome of chlorotic and non-chlorotic sugarcane leaves from the same field to gain insight into the symptom. ResultsThe agronomic traits, like plant height, leaf number, stalk nod number, and tiller number, declined in chlorotic sugarcane. The chlorophyll content in chlorosis leaves was significantly lower than non-chlorotic leaves. A total of 11,776 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were discovered in transcriptome analysis. In the KEGG enriched chlorophyll metabolism pathway, sixteen DEGs were found, eleven of which were down-regulated. Two photosynthesis pathways were also enriched, with 32 genes downregulated and four genes upregulated. Among the 81 enriched GO biological processes, there were four categories related to metal ion homeostasis and three related to metal ion transport. Approximately 400 metabolites were identified in metabolome analysis. The thirteen classified differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) were found all down-regulated. The phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway was enriched in DEGs and DEMs, indicating phenylpropanoids' vital role in chlorosis. ConclusionsAccording to our study, chlorophyll production, metal ion metabolism, photosynthesis, and some secondary metabolites of the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway, were considerably altered in chlorotic ratoon sugarcane. Our finding revealed the relation between chlorosis and these pathways, which would further the understanding of the mechanism of ratoon sugarcane chlorosis.
The Effect of Integrating Midwifery Counseling with A Spiritual content on Improving the Antenatal Quality of Life: A Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: MonfaredKashki Masoumeh , Maleki Azam , Amini Kourosh
Published: December 2021

Background: poor pregnancy QoL is associated with adverse outcomes.Objective: To examine the effect of integrating midwifery counseling with spiritual content on improving the antenatal quality of life. Method: This randomized controlled trial was carried out on 60 first time pregnant women who were referred to two childbirth preparation centers in Zanjan city, Iran in 2019. The counseling was conducted in eight sessions. The quality of life was measured before and two months after the intervention. Data were analyzed using the chi-square test, independent t-test, paired-samples t-test, and linear regression model. The level of significance was p< 0.05.Results: After intervention based on an independent t-test the total score of QoL was significantly greater in the intervention group compared to the control group (p=0.001). after the intervention the mean score of four domains of QoL (Role-Physical, General Health, Vitality, Role-Emotional, and Mental Health) was significantly higher than the control group(p=0.001). While in terms of Physical Functioning, Bodily Pain and Social Functioning domains were not statistically significant (p>0.05).Conclusion: Integrating midwifery counseling with spiritual content had a positive impact on improving the psychological aspect of quality of life more than the physical aspect. It can be used by providers for planning childbirth package.Trial registration: The study registered at the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials website under the code IRCT20150731023423N12, Registration date: 2018-11-06, started recruitment start date: 2018-11-11(https://en.irct.ir/user/trial/32031/view)
Application of a Custom-designed External Fixation Restorer for Pediatric Femoral Fractures
Authors: Liu Yuchang , Yuan Jia-Yu , Li Chunfang , Pei Xinjian , Li Yazhou
Published: December 2021

Background: Closed reduction of pediatric femoral shaft fractures is one of the most difficult types of partial fracture reductions. Open reduction increases the harm to children. Although smaller invasive open reduction is mostly used at present, it has an impact on the microenvironment around the fracture and results in increased intraoperative bleeding, an increased risk of postoperative infection and surgical scarring, which has a great psychological impact on children. Methods: Given the above challenges, we propose another intraoperative reduction method. The technique described involves closed reduction and internal fixation for pediatric femoral shaft fractures using a new type of intraoperative fixator. Result: This technique brings hope that the success rate of closed reduction for pediatric femoral shaft fractures can reach 100%. Conclution: The method is demonstrated in a patient.
CoSe2@N-Doped Graphene Nanocomposite High-Efficiency Counter Electrode For Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells
Authors: Ahamad Tansir
Published: December 2021

Photovoltaics is defined as a group of solar cells that convert solar energy into electricity. Among these cells, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have received considerable attention due to of their low cost and high efficiency for energy conversion. In present study, CoSe2@N-doped graphene nanocomposite has been prepared in an inert atmosphere and used as a DSSC counter electrode. The fabricated nanocomposite was characterised using analytical techniques including FTIR, TGA, XRD, Raman, XPS, and BET. The assembled DSSC obtains a photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) of 7.65%, which is higher than the PCE (7.19%) of the Pt electrode assembly cell under the same conditions. The promising performance of the fabricated counter electrodes may be due to the excellent surface area of the nanocomposites, the doping of hetroatomes which provide the active sites to boost the catalytic activities towards I3- reduction.
Pre-treatment and continuous administration of simvastatin during sepsis improve metabolic parameters and prevent CNS injuries in survivor rats
Authors: Catalão Carlos Henrique Rocha , Souza Anderson de Oliveira , Santos-Júnior Nilton Nascimento , Costa Luís Henrique Angenendt da , Santos Jonathas Rodrigo dos , Alberici Luciane Carla , Rocha Maria José Alves
Published: December 2021

Sepsis causes overproduction of inflammatory cytokines, organ dysfunction and cognitive impairment in survivors. In addition to inflammation, metabolic changes occur according to the stage and severity of the disease. Understanding the role and place of metabolic disturbances in the pathophysiology of sepsis is essential to evaluate the framework of septic patients, predict the syndrome progress and define treatment strategies. We investigated the effect of simvastatin on the disease time course and on metabolic alterations, especially with respect to their possible consequences in the CNS of surviving rats. The animals of this study were weighed daily and followed for 10 days to determine the survival rate. In the first experiment, control or CLP-animals were randomized in 24 h, 48 h and 10 days after septic induction, for bacterial load determination and, quantification of cytokines. In the second experiment, control or CLP-animals were treated or not with simvastatin and randomized in the same three time points for cytokines quantification and assessment of their body metabolism and locomotor activity (at 48 h and 10 days), as well as the evaluation of cytoarchitecture and astrogliosis (at 10 days). The CLP-rats treated with simvastatin showed a reduction in plasma cytokines and improvement in metabolic parameters and locomotor activity, followed by minor alterations compatible with apoptosis and astrogliosis in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. These results suggest that the anti-inflammatory effect of simvastatin plays a crucial role in restoring energy production, maintaining a hypermetabolic state necessary for the recovery and survival of these CLP-rats.
A comprehensive cancer-associated microRNA expression profiling and proteomic analysis of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell derived exosomes.
Authors: Jothimani Ganesan , Pathak Surajait , Dutta Suman , Duttaroy Asim K. , Banerjee Antara
Published: December 2021

Background

The mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have enormous therapeutic potential owing to their multi-lineage differentiation and self-renewal properties. MSCs express growth factors, cytokines, chemokines, and non-coding regulatory RNAs with immunosuppressive, anti-tumor, and migratory properties. MSCs also release several anti-cancer molecules via extracellular vesicles, that act as pro-apoptotic/tumor suppressor factors. This study aimed to identify the stem cell-derived secretome that could exhibit anti-cancer properties through molecular profiling of cargos in MSC-derived exosomes.
Methods

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs) were isolated from umbilical cord tissues and cultured expanded. After that, exosomes were isolated from the hUCMSC conditioned medium. The miRNA profiling of hUCMSCs and hUCMSC-derived exosomes was performed, followed by functional enrichment analysis.
Results

The miRNA expression profile and gene ontology (GO) depicts the differential expression patterns of high and less-expressed miRNAs that are delineated to be involved in the regulation of the apoptosis process. The LCMS/MS data and GO analysis indicate that hUCMSC secretomes are involved in several oncogenic and inflammatory signaling cascades.
Conclusion

Primary human MSCs releases miRNAs and growth factors via exosomes that are increasingly implicated in intercellular communications, and hUCMSC-exosomal miRNAs may have a critical influence in regulating cell death and apoptosis of cancer cells.