bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comprehensive genome-wide analysis and expression pattern profiling of the SlHVA22 gene family unravels their likely involvement in the abiotic stress adaptation of tomato
Authors: Wai Antt Htet , Waseem Muhammad , Cho Lae-Hyeon , Kim Sang Tae , Lee Do-jin , Kim Chang-Kil , Chung Mi-Young
Published: May 2022

Background: HVA22 family proteins with a conserved TB2/DP1/HVA22 domain are ubiquitous in eukaryotes. HVA22 family genes have been identified in a variety of plant species. However, there has been no comprehensive genome-wide analysis of HVA22 family genes in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Results: In the present study, we identified 15 non-redundant SlHVA22 genes with three segmentally duplicated gene pairs on 8 of the 12 tomato chromosomes. The predicted three-dimensional (3D) models and gene ontology (GO) annotations of SlHVA22 proteins pointed to their putative transporter activity and ability to bind to diverse ligands. The co-expression of SlHVA22 genes with various genes implicated in multiple metabolic pathways and localization of SlHVA22-GFP fused proteins to the endoplasmic reticulum suggested that they might have a variety of biological functions, including vesicular transport in stressed cells. Comprehensive expression analysis revealed that SlHVA22 genes were differentially expressed in various organs and in response to abiotic stress conditions. The predominant expression of SlHVA22i at the ripening stage and that of SlHVA22g, SlHVA22k and SlHVA22l in fruits at most developmental stages suggested their probable involvement in tomato fruit development and ripening. Moreover, transcript expression of most tomato HVA22 genes, particularly SlHVA22b, SlHVA22i, SlHVA22k, SlHVA22l, SlHVA22m and SlHVA22n, was affected by abscisic acid (ABA) and diverse abiotic stress treatments, indicating the likely involvement of these genes in tomato abiotic stress responses in an ABA-dependent manner. Conclusions: Overall, our findings provide a foundation to better understand the structures and functional roles of SlHVA22 genes, many of which might be useful to improve the abiotic stress tolerance and fruit quality of tomato through marker-assisted backcrossing or transgenic approaches.
Effects of latitude and altitude on the composition of humus in forest soils in the Low Latitude Plateau
Authors: Zhou Hong , Yan Youjin , Dai Quanhou , He Zhongjun , Yi Xingsong
Published: May 2022

The forest soil humus carbon pool is a significant part of the global carbon cycle. However, there are currently few reports on the pattern of distribution of latitude and altitude and influencing factors on humus carbon in forest soils, although it is highly important to explore the decomposition, mechanism of transformation and storage of soil carbon in forests. We measured the contents of surface soil organic carbon (SOC), humic acid carbon (HAC), fulvic acid carbon (FAC) and humin carbon(HMC) in forest soils of low-latitude and high-altitude and clarified the characteristics and influencing factors of the changes in humus at different latitudes and altitudes. The results showed that the composition of SOC and HAC increased with the increase in latitude and altitude. The influence of altitude on the composition of humus carbon was significant at latitudes of 23°N ~ 25°N but not at other latitudes. The soil moisture content and the C/N were the primary factors that affected the soil SOC and HMC in high latitude and altitude areas. The soil HAC and FAC at low latitudes and altitudes are primarily affected by the mean annual temperature, pH and amount of silt. Therefore, when assessing forest soil carbon sequestration, the focus on should be on carbon sequestration in high-latitude and high-altitude areas. This study revealed the characteristics and influencing factors of soil humus carbon composition in low-latitude and high-altitude regions of China and provide a reference for the evaluation of soil carbon storage in complex terrain and climatic regions of the world.
Relating soil physical properties to other soil properties and crop yields
Authors: Sainju Upendra M. , Liptzin Daniel , Jabro Jalal D.
Published: May 2022

Purpose: Soil physical properties can be related to other soil properties and crop yields, but their evaluations as soil health indicators relating extensive soil properties and long-term crop yields need further exploration. We evaluated the long-term (14 and 36 yr) effect of cropping systems and N fertilizations on selected soil physical properties and related them to 66 soil physical, chemical, biological, and biochemical properties and mean crop yields across years at two dryland farming sites in the semiarid region of the northern Great Plains, USA. Methods: Treatments were rotations of no-tillage and conventional tillage spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), pea (Pisum sativum L.), and fallow with or without N fertilization. Soil samples collected in April 2019 were analyzed for physical, chemical, biological, and biochemical properties and mean crop yields determined. Results: The average slake aggregate (ASA), wet aggregate stability index (WASI), and intact core available water holding capacity (IAWHC) were associated with most soil physical, chemical, biological, and biochemical properties and clay concentration was associated with nutrient concentrations. These parameters were also better related to mean crop yields across years than other soil physical properties. Conclusions: Because of enhanced relationship with soil properties and crop yields and simple and inexpensive measurement, ASA can be used as a potential soil health indicator in dryland cropping systems in the semiarid regions.
Plant genetic diversity affects interactions among multiple trophic levels
Authors: Wan Nian-Feng , Fu Liwan , Dainese Matteo , Hu Yue-Qing , Kiær Lars Pødenphant , Isbell Forest , Scherber Christoph
Published: May 2022

Intraspecific diversity (genetic diversity) is an important component of biodiversity. A substantial body of evidence has demonstrated positive direct or indirect effects of plant genetic diversity on plant performance. However, it has remained unclear whether plant genetic diversity increases plant performance by reducing the pressure of plant-damaging organisms across trophic levels in different plant life forms, ecosystems and climatic zones. Here, we analyse 4702 effect sizes reported in 413 studies that consider effects of plant genetic diversity on trophic groups and their interactions. We found that increasing plant genetic diversity decreases the performance of plant-damaging organisms including invertebrate herbivores, weeds, plant-feeding nematodes and plant diseases, while increasing the performance of plants and natural enemies of herbivores. We also provide evidence that plant genetic diversity increases plant performance by reducing plant-damaging organism pressure. These results reveal that plant genetic diversity often influences multiple trophic levels in ways that enhance natural pest control in managed ecosystems and consumer control of plants in natural ecosystems for sustainable plant production.
A nurse-inserted Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter program in General Pediatrics: A single-center experience
Authors: Yu Zhuowen , Hu Xiaojing , Xu Xiaofeng , Lin Lili , Gu Ying , Zhou Jianguo
Published: May 2022

Background A peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) with its tip preferably in the vena cava is essential in caring patients with chronic conditions in general pediatrics. However, the information regarding the experience is limited. Objectives To share the experience of a nurse-inserted peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC) program initiated in a general pediatric department. Methods A retrospective descriptive cohort study based on prospectively collected data was conducted. All PICCs inserted in the departments of gastroenterology and pulmonology in a tertiary pediatric center from Dec. 2015 to Dec. 2019 were included in the study. Complications and risk factors were analyzed by comparing cases with and without complications. We also reported arm movements in malpositioned PICC corrections. Results There were 169 cases with a median(IQR) age of 42(6, 108) months who received PICC insertion during a 4-year period. Inflammatory bowel disease was the leading diagnosis accounting for 25.4%(43/169) of all cases. The overall complication rate was 16.4 per 1000 catheter days with malposition and obstruction as the two most common complications. Multivariate models performed by logistic regression demonstrated that young age [p=0.004, OR(95%CI) = 0.987(0.978, 0.996)] and small PICC diameter (1.9Fr, p=0.003, OR(95%CI) = 3.936(1.578, 9.818)] were risk factors for PICC complications. Correction of malpositioned catheters was attempted and all succeeded in 9 eligible cases by using arm movements. Conclusion The nurse-inserted PICC program in general pediatrics is feasible without causing high complication rate. PICC tip malposition and obstruction were two major PICC-related complications, when low age and small catheter lumina were major risk factors. Furtherly, arm manipulation potentially is an easy and effective approach for correcting malpositioned newly-inserted PICC catheters.
Transcriptome-wide association study identifies novel genes associated with child body mineral density and lean body mass
Authors: Xu jiawen , Ma Jun , Zeng Yi , Si Haibo , Wu Yuangang , Zhang Shaoyun , Shen Bin
Published: May 2022

Objective
To identify novel candidate genes, the expression of which are associated with child body mineral density (BMD) and body lean mass (LM).
Methods
The tissue specific transcriptome-wide association (TWAS) was conducted utilizing a large scale GWAS dataset of BMD and LM, totally involving 10,414 participants. The measurement of BMD and LM phenotypes was made by TB-DXA scans. TWAS was conducted by FUSION software. The reference panels of muscle skeleton (MS), peripheral blood (NBL) and whole blood (YBL) were used for TWAS analysis. Functional enrichment and protein-protein interaction analyses of the genes identified by TWAS were performed by the online tool of Metascape (http://metascape.org).
Results
For BMD, we detected 120, 86 and 174 genes with TWAS P value < 0.05 for MS, NBL and YBL respectively. We also identified 4 common BMD associated genes shared by MS, NBL and YBL, including ZSWIM7, FAM118A, CRIPAK and ZNF641. For LM, we detected 145, 94 and 208 genes with TWAS P value < 0.05 for MS, NBL and YBL respectively. And 3 genes were detected in all of MS, NBL and YBL, including IGHMBP2, TRIT1 and LTA4H. GO enrichment analysis of BMD associated genes detected 200 GO terms, such as steroid hormone mediated signaling pathway (LogP = -3.13), autophagy (LogP = -2.65), cellular response to glucocorticoid stimulus (LogP = -2.95). GO enrichment analysis of LM associated genes detected 287 GO terms, such as Diseases of carbohydrate metabolism (LogP = -2.43), regulation of lipid localization (LogP = -2.80) and lipid storage (LogP = -3.55).
Conclusion
This study identified several candidate genes for child BMD and LM, providing novel clues for revealing the genetic mechanism underlying the development of child BMD and LM.
The generalist – specialist continuum for sharks based on stable isotope analysis of dental collagen
Authors: Valdez Alyssa D , Trayler Robin B. , Tanaka Sho , Kim Sora Lee
Published: May 2022

Dietary variability impacts food web dynamics and resource partitioning among individuals and species in a community. However, it is difficult to characterize the ecological niche of sharks, a mobile and long-lived predator. Stable isotope analysis allows the quantification of niche width since it incorporates both environmental and biological variation. Carbon isotope composition varies between marine productivity regimes while nitrogen isotope composition indicates trophic position, but baseline can vary with seasonal or regional shifts. We sampled dental collagen for stable isotope analysis. The conveyor-like growth of shark teeth provides a time series allowing for multiple measurements per individuals. We sampled 59 individuals from 11 species captured in 2005 at Suruga Bay, Japan (34°50'59.99" N 138°32'59.99" E). We estimated three ecological metrics based on stable isotope composition—standard ellipse area, convex hull area, and Pianka’s measure—which elucidated the extent of ecological variation and allowed comparisons among individuals and species. Our results show a significant positive correlation between dental collagen δ15N values and total length (r2 = 0.23; p = 2⨉10− 16), but individual variability had a low coefficient of determination. The variation in isotopic niche within and among individuals as well between species across all habitat types suggest that many species spanned the generalist – specialist continuum. Our findings indicate there are subtle ecological differences between species and among individuals; multiple measurements of carbon and nitrogen composition from multiple teeth series indicate variable ecological niches. Comparing patterns across habitats suggests sharks have complex food web dynamics with extensive individual- and species-level variation.
miR167d-ARFs module regulates flower opening and stigma size in rice
Authors: Zhao Zhi-Xue , Yin Xiao-Xiao , Li Sha , Peng Yu-Ting , Yan Xiu-Lian , Chen Chen , Hassan Beenish , Zhou Shi-Xin , Pu Mei , Zhao Jing-Hao , Hu Xiao-Hong , Li Guo-Bang , Wang He , Zhang Ji-Wei , Huang Yan-Yan , Fan Jing , Li Yan , Wang Wen-Ming
Published: May 2022

Flower opening and stigma exertion are two critical traits for cross-pollination during seed production of hybrid rice (Oryza sativa L.). In this study, we demonstrate that the miR167d-ARFs module regulates stigma size and flower opening that is associated with the elongation of stamen filaments and the cell arrangement of lodicules, resulting in cleistogamy. The overexpression of miR167d (OX167d) resulted in failed elongation of stamen filaments, increased stigma size, and morphological alteration of lodicule. Blocking miR167 by target mimicry also led to a morphological alteration of the individual floral organs, including a reduction in stigma size and alteration of lodicule cell morphology, but did not show the cleistogamous phenotype. In addition, the four ARFs target genes of miR167d, namely ARF6, ARF12, ARF17, and ARF25, have overlapping functions in flower opening and stigma size. The loss-of-function of a single ARF gene did not influence the flower opening and stigma size, but arf12 single mutant showed a reduced plant height and aborted apical spikelets. However, mutation in ARF12 together with mutation in either ARF6, ARF17, or ARF25 led to the same defective phenotypes that were observed in OX167d, including the failed elongation of stamen filaments, increased stigma size, and morphological alteration of lodicule. These findings indicate that the appropriate expression of miR167d is crucial and the miR167d-ARFs module plays important roles in the regulation of flower opening and stigma size in rice.
Finite element modelling on Micro-machining of graphene reinforced aluminum matrix composites
Authors: Yu Hao , He Zhenpeng , Li Jinbo , Li Baichun , Xin Jia , Yao Lianzheng , Yan Fangchao
Published: May 2022

Graphene reinforced metal matrix composites have received a lot of attention from academia and industry due to their excellent mechanical properties. In this paper, the machinability of graphene reinforced aluminum metal matrix composites (Gr/Al MMCs) during micro-machining is investigated by finite element method. A three-dimensional modeling program based on the Python language is developed independently, this program can generate graphene with random distribution of orientation and position. A three-dimensional two-phase finite element model considering the cutting edge radius is established to simulate the micro-machining process of Gr/Al MMCs. Embedded element method is used in the model to more efficiently simulate the interaction behavior between graphene and aluminum matrix during micro-machining. The accuracy of the model is verified by indirect experiments. Stress distribution, tool-graphene interaction, chip formation, cutting force and specific cutting energy during micro-machining are investigated with different uncut chip thickness. The simulation results show that graphene inhibits stress propagation, resulting in the formation of a stress field with irregular contours within the matrix. Continuous serrated chips are generated during the cutting process. The addition of graphene increases the magnitude and fluctuation of cutting forces.
Clinical features and risk factors of plastic bronchitis caused by refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in children: A nomogram prediction model
Authors: Zhang Han , Yang Jingjing , Zhao Wenqi , Zhou Jing , He Shuangyu , Shang Yunxiao , Cheng Qi
Published: May 2022

Background: Early assessment of refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (RMPP) with plastic bronchitis (PB) allows timely removal of casts using fiberoptic bronchoscopic manipulation, which relieves airway obstruction and limit sequelae development. This study aimed to analyze clinical data for risk factors and develop a nomogram for early predictive evaluation of RMPP with PB.Methods: The clinical data of 1-14 year-old patients with RMPP were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were classified into a PB or non-PB group based on the presence or absence of PB as determined by large consolidation shadows on imaging and bronchoscopic findings. The general characteristics, clinical symptoms, laboratory test results, imaging findings, and microscopic changes of the two groups were compared. A statistical analysis of the risk factors for developing PB was performed, and a nomogram model of risk factors was constructed.Results: Of 120 patients with RMPP included, 68 and 52 were in the non-PB (control) and PB groups, respectively. Using multivariate logistic regression analysis, fever before bronchoscopy, extrapulmonary complications, pleural effusion, cough duration (days), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels were identified as risk factors. A nomogram was constructed based on the results of the multivariate analysis. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve value of the nomogram was 0.944 (95% confidence interval: 0.779-0.962). The Hosmer-Lemeshow test displayed good calibration of the nomogram (p = 0.376, R2 = 0.723).Conclusions: The nomogram model constructed in this study based on five risk factors (persistent fever before bronchoscopy, extrapulmonary complications, pleural effusion, cough duration, and LDH levels) prior to bronchoscopy can be used for the early identification of RMPP-induced PB.
Deep Learning For Diabetic Retinopathy stage prediction
Authors: Garikapati Surua , Yarlagadda Venkata Saiteja
Published: May 2022

Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is a prevalent issue among diabetic individuals, resulting in a constructive loss of vision in such people. If this problem is not diagnosed early on, there is no therapy available to restore vision. As a result, the only way out of this unreversible condition is to diagnose the sickness early on and cure it. The ophthalmologists use the "fundus images" of the patients' eyes, which are the retinal pictures of the patients, to maintain their eyesight. However, detecting an abnormality in a human eye with the naked eye of another person takes time, money, and can occasionally lead to misjudgment owing to subjective differences and concerns among ophthalmologists. As a result, we employ "Deep Learning" algorithms to diagnose diabetic retinopathy using fundus pictures in this article. As a result, a computer-aided diagnosis system is established, which leads to a reduction in misdiagnosis. Deep learning approaches have recently become the most popular ways for improving image recognition or feature detection systems' accuracy for both classification and regression. In this study, we employ Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) for image identification, training the neural network model with retinal pictures, and achieving excellent accuracies. In this work, the difficulties of various methodologies as well as faults with existing methods were examined.
Identification of potential crucial genes in sarcopenia: a bioinformatic analysis
Authors: Su Youxiang , Li Nianhu , Xin Jian , Gao Shang , Song Yun , Qu Xintian , Liu Yan , Ma Xiusen
Published: May 2022

Background: Sarcopenia is a clinical syndrome characterized by continuous loss of skeletal muscle mass, muscle strength or function. Sarcopenia, which increases the risk of falls and fractures, is also closely associated with metabolic diseases and cognitive dysfunction, resulting in serious adverse effects on people’s quality of life and inflicting a heavy socio-economic burden. In the present study, we aim to identify potential crucial genes associated with sarcopenia through bioinformatic analyses of public datasets.Methods: The gene expression profiles (GSE1428) were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The difference expression genes (DEGs) between sarcopenia samples and normal samples were screened. The Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses of the DEGs were performed. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using the STRING database. Cytoscape with CytoHubba were used to identify the hub genes.Results: Totally, 314 up-regulated genes and 289 own-regulated genes were identified. In addition, the most significantly enriched pathway was Cell cycle, Human T-cell leukemia virus 1 infection, Natural killer cell mediated cytotoxicity, T cell receptor signaling pathway, Signaling pathways regulating pluripotency of stem cells. In combination with the results of the protein–protein interaction (PPI) network and CytoHubba, 10 hub genes including CD4、PLK1、CHEK2、LCP2、NANOG、PTPN11、RUNX2、ANXA5、BUB1B、CCR5 were selected. Conclusions: The 10 potential crucial genes may be associated with risk of sarcopenia. Our study provided new insights of sarcopenia into genetics, molecular pathogenesis and new therapeutic targets. It also will contribute to identification of potential biomarkers and novel strategies for sarcopenia.
Clinical Characteristics and Predictors of Adverse Outcomes at Discharge in Neonates with Bacterial Meningitis at a Tertiary Hospital in Suzhou, China
Authors: Wang Huawei , Gu Ying , Wu Zhixin , Zhu Xueping
Published: May 2022

Background: Neonatal bacterial meningitis is a severe infectious disease with a high rate of death and neurological complications. Early clinical signs and outcomes are different between preterm and full-term neonates, and little is known about their combined predictors. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the clinical characteristics and predictors of in-hospital outcomes in neonates with bacterial meningitis.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed hospitalized neonates with bacterial meningitis in the Department of Neonatology, Children’s Hospital of Soochow University from January 1,2013 to March 31, 2018. The clinical manifestations, laboratory data, treatment measures, neuroimaging and outcomes at discharge were recorded. Predictors of adverse outcomes were identified by using univariate analyses.Results: There were 145 neonates diagnosed with bacterial meningitis enrolling in this study, with 39 preterm and 106 full-term neonates. The incidence rate of neonatal bacterial meningitis was 0.56%. There were 28 neonates with birth weight < 2,500 g (19.31%), and 33 neonates presented with an onset of less than 7 days (22.76%). The predominant pathogens were Escherichia coli and Group B Streptococcus (accounting for 42.00% and 32.00%, respectively). The median peak fever during the acute illness in full-term neonates was higher than that in preterm neonates (p<0.05). The median platelet counts in peripheral blood and white blood cells in cerebrospinal fluid in full-term neonates were higher than those in preterm neonates (p<0.05). The positive rate of blood cultures in preterm neonates was higher than that in full-term neonates (71.79% vs. 49.06%, p=0.02). The incidence rates of adverse outcomes at discharge were 10/39 (25.64%) and 23/106 (21.69%) in preterm and full-term neonates, respectively. Preterm neonates with bacterial meningitis who had reduced glucose levels in cerebrospinal fluid were more likely to have adverse outcomes at discharge, while full-term neonates who had a bulging anterior fontanel, seizure/convulsions and reduced glucose levels in cerebrospinal fluid were more likely to have worse outcomes.Conclusions: The incidence rate of hospitalized neonates associated with bacterial meningitis remains high. Escherichia coli and Group B Streptococcus were the predominant pathogens in neonatal bacterial meningitis in our region. The risk factor for an adverse outcome at discharge in preterm neonates with bacterial meningitis was a lower cerebrospinal fluid glucose concentration, meanwhile, the risk factors in full-term neonates were a bulging anterior fontanel, seizure/convulsions, and a lower cerebrospinal fluid glucose concentration.
Expression and prognostic value of Melanoma-associated antigen D2 in gliomas
Authors: Yan Jun , Li Shenyu , Lenahan Cameron , Fu Kaijing , Mo Yong , Chen Hainan , Wen Jing , Huang Qianrong , Wei Zongdang , Jiang Qian , Guo Fangzhou , Deng Teng , Mo Ligen
Published: May 2022

Introduction The melanoma-associated antigen D4 (MAGED2) is one of the melanoma-associated antigen family members. It is commonly overexpressed in a variety of malignancies. However, the mechanism and function of MAGED2 in glioma remain unknown. Methods The TCGA and Oncomine databases were used to determine the expression level of MAGED2 and its relationship to glioma. MAGED2 protein expression in 98 tumor tissues from glioma patients was measured using RT-qPCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry, and the associations between MAGED4 expression and clinicopathological factors were evaluated. qRT-PCR and Western blots were used to assess the levels of MAGED2 and CDKN1A expression in glioma U251-MG cells following transfection of MAGED2 CRISPR. CCK-8, colony formation, and EdU assays were used to assess the effect of MAGED2 on U251-MG cell proliferation, and flowcytometry was used to track changes in the cell cycle and cell apoptosis following MAGED2 CRISPR transfection. Results In the current investigation, MAGED2 was shown to be substantially expressed in human glioma tissues, and high MAGED2 expression predicted poor recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) for glioma patients. The presence of high MAGED2 expression was related to WHO grade, Ki-67, IDH1/2, MGMT, and survival status. Furthermore, MAGED2 expression knockdown significantly inhibited the proliferation and colony formation potential of U251-MG cells by preventing cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase and triggering apoptosis. Moreover, our findings indicated that the mRNA and protein expression levels of CDKN1A were considerably up-regulated in vitro following MAGED2 CRISPR transfection. MAGED2 downregulation inhibited the ability of cell proliferation in the U251-MG cells through restoring CDKN1A. Conclusions To conclude, the current study's findings imply that a high level of MAGED2 expression predicts a poor prognosis for glioma patients. MAGED2 can stimulate the proliferation of glioma U251-MG cells by targeting CDKN1A. MAGED2 may be a possible biomarker for glioma and an important prognostic factor for glioma patients.
Elevated eosinophils as predictor of immune-related adverse events after ipilimumab and nivolumab treatment of advanced and metastatic renal cell carcinoma： a multicenter cohort study Eosinophil could be biomarkers for irAE
Authors: Tasaki Yoshihiko , Hamamoto Shuzo , Sugiyama Yosuke , Tomiyama Nami , Naiki Taku , Etani Toshiki , Taguchi Kazumi , Iwatsuki Shoichiro , Matsuyama Nayuka , Sue Yasuhito , Mimura Yoshihisa , Odagiri Kunihiro , Kubota Hiroki , Noda Yusuke , Hashimoto Yoshihiro , Sakakura Tsuyoshi , Aoki Maria , Ikegami Yosuke , Kobayakawa Yuki , Moritoki Yosinobu , Nozaki Satoshi , Takeda Tomoki , Kurokawa Satoshi , Okada Atsushi , Kawai Noriyasu , Yasui Takahiro , Kimura Kazunori
Published: May 2022

Purpose: Ipilimumab and nivolumab treatment against advanced and metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) causes severe and lethal immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Predicting irAEs might improve clinical outcomes, however no practical biomarkers exist. This study examined whether eosinophils could be effective biomarkers for irAEs in RCC.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 75 patients with RCC treated with ipilimumab and nivolumab between August 2018 and March 2021 in a multicenter study. Eosinophils were examined before and two weeks after treatment, and immediately after irAE development. Median overall (mOS) and progression-free (mPFS) survival were examined by Kaplan–Meier method. The optimal cut-off value for irAE was determined by a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Univariate and multivariate analyses were undertaken to identify predictors of irAEs.Results: The mOS and mPFS of patients who experienced irAEs (irAE group) were longer than those of the non-irAE group. Grade ≧2 irAEs were associated with poor mPFS. The eosinophil level two weeks after treatment was significantly upregulated in the irAE compared to non-irAE group (mean, 3.0% vs. 5.7%; P < 0.05). The ROC curve revealed the optimal cut-off value for eosinophil levels against ≧grade 2 irAE two weeks after treatment was 3.0% (area under the curve=0.699). In multivariate analyses, an eosinophil level ≧3.0% was a risk factor for ≧grade 2 irAE (odds ratio 4.18, 95% confidence interval 1.16–15.1).Conclusion: An increased eosinophil level two weeks after treatment might be an effective biomarker for irAEs in patients with RCC treated with ipilimumab and nivolumab.
Intrascleral four-flanged intraocular lens fixation technique for lens dislocation with Marfan syndrome
Authors: zhou li , wang yong
Published: May 2022

Purpose
To observe the clinical efficacy of intrascleral four-flanged intraocular lens(IOL) fixation technique for lens dislocation with Marfan syndrome.
Methods
A retrospective analysis Observed twelve patients with Marfan syndrome(15 eyes) with lens dislocation who had underwent this operation(A 30g needle was used to puncture into the eye at 2, 4 o'clock or 8, 10 o'clock from the outside of the eye, respectively,.Both ends of the 7 − 0 polypropylene thread were guided through the two eyelets on the ipsilateral side of the Akreos AO IOL and out of the eyeball,and then the two ends of the suture were borned to form flanges. Finally two pairs (four) flanges are formed at 2,4 o'clock and 8,10 o'clock, which were riveted within the scleral tunnel, so as to fix the IOL). Corrected distance visual acuity(CDVA), intraocular pressure(IOP), tilt and decentration of the IOL and postoperative complications were evaluated.
Results
All operations were completed successfully. The CDVA prior to the fixation surgery was 3.36 ± 0.886 logMAR and on the first day aftet the surgery was 4.12 ± 0.928 logMAR. The CDVA was significantly improved following surgery (t = 0.660, p = 0.029). The CDVA on the last visit was 4.48 ± 0.736 logMAR, Compared with the first day after surgery, the difference is not statistically significant (t = 0.332, p = 0.249). No intraoperative complications were reported. Postoperatively, elevated IOP 4h after surgery was recorded in 6 eyes (40.0%), cystoid macular edema (CME) was seen in 2 eyes (13.33%), vitreous hemorrhage and flange exposure were seen in one eye each, corneal edema and anterior chamber inflammation were seen in 4 eyes each. The IOLs were centered without tilt and decentration.
Conclusions
The intrascleral four-flanged IOL for lens dislocation with Marfan syndrome experienced a low incidence of complication with excellent visual outcome. This technique is a simple, effective, and safe method.
Assessment of ecosystem health status using benthic diversity as tools in coastal sediment off the southwest coast, India
Authors: Arya DB , Godson PS , Selvaraj P , Krishnakumar S , Magesh NS , Vincent Salom Gnana Thanga
Published: May 2022

The diversity of macro and meiobenthos was documented in order to assess the ecosystem health of an anthropogenically impacted coastal ecosystem for the first time along the southwest coast of Tamil Nadu. Offshore sediment and water samples (n=63) were collected from 14 sampling stations using the grid sampling method. Water and sediment samples were analysed for environmental variables such as pH, temperature, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), salinity, sulphate, dissolved oxygen (DO), carbohydrate (CHO), protein, lipid, labile organic matter (LOM), total organic carbon (Corg), total organic matter (TOM) and sediment texture using standard methods. Benthic macro and meiobenthos were isolated and identified using standard identification keys. A total of 5 phyla of macrobenthos with 29 species and 5 phyla of benthos with 60 species were identified in the study area. Relative abundance analysis showed that the largest numbers of species belonged to polychaeta for macrobenthos and foraminifera for meiobenthos. Redundancy analysis indicated that sediment carbohydrate content was the highest determining factor for explaining variation in the diversity of benthos. AMBI & M-AMBI results revealed that among the 14 stations, 2 were categorized as “poor” and 9 as “bad”. Multiple anthropogenic activities in the coastal environment leading to increased organic matter input, have resulted in a decline in the ecosystem health of this region which warrants for site-specific management to control organic pollution.
Covid 19 Make us Confident to Perform ESWL Sessions for Treatment of Ureteric Stone
Authors: Memon Waqar Ahmed , Arain Adeel , Jat Javed Altaf , Arain Ahsan , Abid Shariq , Jaffry Ali Raza , Mal Pooran
Published: May 2022

The clinicians prefer URS as a first-line line treatment of upper ureteric stones but with COVID-19 restrictions and considering the patient's benefit, ESWL sessions to remove ureteric stones were preferred as first-line treatment of upper ureteric stones. The aims of this study was to compare the level of stone clearance with EWSL sessions during COVID-19 pandemic as a first-line treatment. A longitudinal study was conducted at the Department of Urology, Liaquat University Hospital for the duration of 6 months. Total thirty patients of age more than 15 years who presented with an upper ureteric stone of 0. Patients were managed for upper ureteric stone with ESWL and complete stone clearance was considered a satisfactory outcome. The mean age of patients enrolled in the study was 31 10. 82 years with a preponderance of males that is 55%. The mean size of the stone observed was 1.10 0. Upon exposure to EWSL sessions, 68% of patients showed complete clearance of stones whereas 10% of patients had no clearance and 16% of patients showed partial clearance. The comparison of different variables among the level of stone clearance showed that complete removal of stone was carried out by a maximum of 4 EWSL sessions having a mean stone size of 1.09 0. 22 cm whereas maximum of 3 sessions were given to patients that resulted in incomplete stone clearance. In conclusion, the decision for carrying out EWSL sessions for ureteric stone clearance was successful in the majority of patients during a pandemic.
Human-correlated genetic HCC models identify combination therapy for precision medicine
Authors: Müller Miryam , May Stephanie , Hall Holly , Kendall Timothy J. , McGarry Lynn , Blukacz Lauriane , Nuciforo Sandro , Jamieson Thomas , Phinichkusolchit Narisa , Dhayade Sandeep , Leslie Jack , Sprangers Joep , Malviya Gaurav , Mrowinska Agata , Johnson Emma , McCain Misti , Halpin John , Kiourtis Christos , Georgakopoulou Anastasia , Nixon Colin , Clark William , Shaw Robin , Hedley Ann , Drake Thomas M. , Tan Ee Hong , Neilson Matt , Murphy Daniel J. , Lewis David , Reeves Helen L. , Mann Derek A. , Blyth Karen , Heim Markus H. , Carlin Leo M. , Sansom Owen J. , Miller Crispin , Bird Thomas G.
Published: May 2022

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common form of primary liver cancer, is a leading cause of cancer related mortality worldwide. HCC occurs typically from a background of chronic liver disease, caused by a spectrum of predisposing conditions. Tumour development is driven by the expansion of clones that accumulated progressive driver mutations, with hepatocytes the most likely cell of origin. However, the landscape of driver mutations in HCC is independent of the underlying aetiologies.
Despite an increasing range of systemic treatment options for advanced HCC outcomes remain heterogeneous and typically poor. Emerging data suggest that drug efficacies depend on disease aetiology and genetic alterations. Exploring subtypes in preclinical models with human relevance will therefore be essential to advance precision medicine in HCC.
We generated over twenty-five new genetically-driven in vivo and in vitro HCC models. Our models represent multiple features of human HCC, including clonal origin, histopathological appearance, and metastasis to distant organs. We integrated transcriptomic data from the mouse models with human HCC data and identified four common human-mouse subtype clusters. The subtype clusters had distinct transcriptomic characteristics that aligned with histopathology.
In a proof-of-principle analysis, we verified response to standard of care treatment and used a linked in vitro-in vivo pipeline to identify a promising therapeutic candidate, cladribine, that has not been linked to HCC treatment before. Cladribine acts in a highly effective subtype-specific manner in combination with standard of care therapy.
Performances of noninvasive prenatal detection for fetal chromosome aneuploidy based on Semiconductor Sequencing Platform (SSP) of difference sequencing depths
Authors: Yang Jiexia , Wu Jing , Wang Dongmei , Peng Haishan , Wang Yixia , Guo Fangfang , Hou Yaping , Yin Aihua
Published: May 2022

Objective：To evaluate the performance of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) for chromosome aneuploidy in different sequencing depths for all chromosome aneuploidies.Methods: A cohort of 61581 pregnancies were recruited to review the results, which contained 49393 cases of NIPT and 12188 cases of NIPT- plus respectively. Cell-free DNA from plasma samples were sequenced by Ion Proton sequencer, with sequencing depths included 0.15X (3 Mb reads) with NIPT and 0.4X (8 Mb reads) with NIPT- plus. All high-risk cases were recommended to undergo invasive prenatal diagnosis, and all pregnant women were followed up.Results: A total of 910 cases were high risk of chromosome aneuploidies predicted by NIPT and NIPT- plus. in which NIPT predicted 682 high risk of chromosome aneuploidies , and NIPT- plus predicted 210, The positive rates were 1.38% and 1.72%, respectively. A total of 811 cases accepted prenatal diagnosis with 627 cases of NIPT and 184 cases of NIPT- plus. The PPV of autosomal aneuploidies in NIPT were 81.99%, 69.23%, 25.00%, 4.55%, respectively. and The PPV of autosomal aneuploidies in NIPT- plus were 86.96%, 80.00%, 35.00%, 8.77%,respectively. The PPV of sex chromosome aneuploidies in NIPT- plus was 50%，which consistent with NIPT. In addition, through follow-up, found 1 cases of false negative with trisomy 18 , both of which was detected by NIPT, and termination of pregnancy after prenatal diagnosis due to ultrasound abnormalities.Conclusion: The PPV of autosomal aneuploidies in NIPT- plus was slightly better than NIPT. It shows that increasing the sequencing depth can improve the detection performance of aneuploidy, which has certain guiding value for clinical application.
Blockchain based Data Integrity Framework for Internet of Things
Authors: Chanal Poornima M. , Kakkasageri Mahabaleshwar S.
Published: May 2022

The Internet of Things (IoT) is one important digital revolution in both the academic world and commerce. It brings convenience to people`s daily lives; but, the challenges of security and privacy have become a very big task in IoT. Attaining safety and data integrity verification of information in IoT networks is one of the hot topics for future IoT applications. The provision of security to any information in an IoT network is a big challenge, which must be given the top priority for many current and future applications of IoT. Traditional data integrity verification approaches only use encryption algorithms to secure information, depending on Third-Party Auditors (TPAs). The blockchain's basic principle is that information produced by users or nodes is tested for accuracy and cannot be altered once it is updated on the blockchain. Blockchain based data integrity schemes can effectively overcome TPA's issues. In this paper, we propose a blockchain based data integrity technique with a bilinear design for IoT information. We achieve data integrity according to the characteristics of bilinear design in the form of blockchain communications. The proposed blockchain based framework for data integrity verification consists of different entities such as client, Key Generation Centre (KGC), cloud storage server, and blockchain. Proposed data integrity verification operates in three stages: Setup stage, Processing stage and Verification stage. Simulation results show that the performance of the proposed blockchain approach for data integrity in IoT is better as compared with the blockchain based cloud data integrity verification scheme with high efficiency (DICF). The results demonstrate that our scheme is better interms of signature generation time, end to end delay, memory utilization as compared to DICF.
A protocol to evaluate unsupervised text clustering to screen and categorize studies in systematic reviews
Authors: Muller Ashley Elizabeth , Ames Heather Melanie R , Borge Tiril C , Hestevik Christine Hillestad , Meneses-Echavez Jose Francisco , Rose Christopher James
Published: May 2022

Background: The evidence base is steadily increasing regarding the time savings of using machine learning (ML) within evidence synthesis, particularly supervised methods such as classification. Unsupervised methods such as clustering have been less explored. Yet clustering – a method to uncover groups of similar data, from a large and heterogenous dataset – may be a particularly relevant tool within the study identification and data extraction processes of reviews, during which researchers must often read thousands of studies to identify the handful relevant to their review. This protocol is for a mixed methods evaluation of clustering implemented within systematic reviews.Research questions: We will answer the following questions: 1) Can clustering while screening at title/abstract level provide useful automatic categorizations of studies that help reviewers extra data to categorize studies? 2) What are reviewers’ perceptions of and experiences with clustering in relation to acceptability and feasibility in future reviews? Methods: We will identify one or two systematic reviews as models to answer these research questions. Reviewers will use the clustering algorithm Lingo3G built into EPPI Reviewer during the screening process. The main outcome to answer research question 1 is content validity, as an indicator of usefulness, defined by similarities between automatic clusters and reviewer-generated categories. We will display multi-class confusion matrices and use these to estimate precision, recall, and F1-score for each useful cluster. Research question 2 will be answered qualitatively, through semi-structured interviews with participating reviewers before and after having been trained on clustering and implementing it in the model review(s), followed by a focus group presenting results and exploring reviewer trust. Conclusion: The planned evaluation will provide important information as to the feasibility of an unsupervised ML method, clustering, in bridging and aligning two currently linear steps in evidence synthesis. We invite interested evidence synthesis organizations to follow this protocol and subsequently share data with us, or to tailor it to produce a more relevant evaluation.
Does women’s literacy affect maternal health services utilization in Ethiopia? A stratified analysis of 2019 mini Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey
Authors: Handebo Simegnew , Demie Takele Gezahegn , Gessese Getachew Tilahun , Woldeamanuel Berhanu Teshome , Biratu Tolosa Diriba
Published: May 2022

Background: Maternal mortality remains unacceptably high in sub-Saharan Africa with 533 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, or 200,000 maternal deaths a year. This is over two-thirds (68%) of all maternal deaths per year worldwide. The lifetime risk of maternal death in low-income countries is 1 in 45. Most maternal deaths can be prevented if births are attended by skilled health personnel. Therefore, the current study examined the utilization of maternal health services among women in different sociodemographic statuses within different literacy strata in Ethiopia.Methods: A total weighted sample of 3,839 women who gave birth within five years preceding the survey and whose literacy status was measured in the survey were included in this study. The dataset from the most recent Ethiopia Mini Demographic and Health Surveys (EMDHS) 2019 was used for this study. The EMDHS was a community-based cross-sectional study conducted in Ethiopia from March 21 to June 28, 2019. The survey used a two-stage stratified cluster sampling technique. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were employed. Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was reported and statistical significance was set at a p-value < 0.05.Results: In this study, nearly two-thirds (63.8%) of reproductive-age women were illiterate. The overall prevalence of ANC 1, ANC 4, skilled birth attendance, and postnatal care utilization was 74.9%, 43.5%, 51.9%, and 32.0%, respectively. Our analysis also revealed that literate women are more likely to receive ANC 1 (literate vs illiterate, 87.9% vs 67.5%), ANC 4 (59.4% vs 34.5%), skilled birth attendance (73.3% vs 39.7%), and PNC (51.2% vs 21.1) as compared to their illiterate counterparts. Regional variation, wealth status, age at first birth, birth order, and birth intervals were found significant factors associated with maternal health care service utilization among both literate and illiterate reproductive-age women in Ethiopia. Similar to this, ANC booking timing and utilization, age of household head, and religious affiliation were associated with institutional delivery and PNC utilization.Conclusion: Women’s literacy is an important associate for utilizing appropriate maternal healthcare, with other sociodemographic and obstetric related factors as modifying factors. Hence, wholehearted efforts should be directed toward educating and empowering women. On the other hand, literacy levels and other modifying factors should be considered when designing interventions that enhance maternal health care service utilization. For instance, such programs need to stratify the interventions according to the literacy level of the women.