bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical Outcomes of Endoscopic Submucosal Tunnel Dissection Vs Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection in Gastric Lesions: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Li Jianglei , Xu Mengmeng , Tan Yuyong , Wang Yongjun , Liu Deliang
Published: June 2021

Background and objectives: Many studies have verified that endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has prominent advantages in en bloc resection and low recurrence rate. However, ESD also has technical difficulty for some large-area gastric lesions. Endoscopic submucosal tunneling dissection (ESTD) combined the tunnel technique with the traditional ESD technique for treating gastrointestinal mucosal lesions under tunnel endoscopy. This technique has been gradually applied to the treatment of large-scale early cancer and precancerous lesions, and has achieved good results. Yet no meta-analysis has been published, so we performed this study to determine the efficacy and safety of ESTD vs ESD in gastric lesions through clinical outcomes.Methods: We performed the literature search in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, Wanfang, and CNKI dating up to February 9, 2021. Studies comparing the clinical outcomes of ESTD and ESD in gastric lesions were enrolled. The Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale was used to evaluate the quality of these studies. Results: Four articles were included that involved a total of 920 patients (187 from the ESTD group and 733 from ESD group). ESTD has higher en bloc resection and R0 resection rate, faster dissection speed, and lower complication rate. The curative resection rate and recurrence rate of ESTD group is comparable with ESD group.Conclusions: ESTD technique is an effective and safe treatment procedure in gastric lesions, and may be prior to ESD for large gastric lesions.
MicroRNA-744-5p Suppresses Tumorigenesis and Metastasis of Osteosarcoma Through the MAPK/ERK Signaling Pathway by Targeting TGFB1
Authors: Liang Haofeng , Li Lin , Tan Jianye , Yang Bingsheng , Zhu Shuang , Wang Xiaoping , Wu Guofeng , Xie Chao , Li Lutao , Liu Zhengwei , Li Yucong , Song Haoqiang , Chen Guoli , Lin Lijun
Published: June 2021

Background: Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common malignant bone tumor in children and adolescents, and accumulating evidence has revealed that microRNAs (miRNAs) exert a crucial part in the progression of OS. Methods: GSE65071 from the GEO database was analyzed and miR-744-5p was found to be the lowest expressed miRNA. Real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR), Western blotting (WB), colony formation assay, 5-Ethynyl-2-Deoxyuridine (EdU) incorporation assay and Transwell migration and invasion assay were performed to examine the effects of miR-744-5p in vitro, Luciferase-reporter assay was performed to detect the interactions between miR-744-5p and its specific target gene. Subcutaneous tumor-forming animal models and tail vein injection lung metastatic models were conducted in animal experiments to detect the effects of miR-744-5p in vivo. Results: miR-744-5p expression was down-regulated in OS cells and tissues. Higher expression of miR-744-5p was related with better clinical prognosis and lower malignancy degree of OS, including cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro and vivo. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGFB1) was negatively regulated by miR-744-5p and could reverse the effects of miR-744-5p on OS proliferation, migration and invasion. The MAPK/ERK signaling pathway was involved in the miR-744-5p/TGFB1 axis. Conclusions: In general, this study suggests that miR-744-5p is a negative regulator of TGFB1, and suppresses OS progression and metastasis via MAPK/ERK signaling pathway.
The Association Between RNF213 , MMP3 , and Moyamoya Disease: Screening the Full Exons of Susceptibility Genes in Families with Moyamoya Disease
Authors: Xiao Yilei , Yu Donghu , Liu Weidong , Hao Jiheng , Pang Yuejiu , Jiang Qunlong , Zhang Min , Wang Xingbang , Li Xueyuan , Guo Zixin , Liu Xiaoping , Yao Jie , Zhang Liyong , Dong Zhaogang , Wang Jiyue
Published: June 2021

Background: In this study, we aimed to investigate the association between polymorphisms in the RNF213 and MMP3 genes and Moyamoya disease (MMD) and to screen susceptibility genes for families with MMD.Methods: The mutation of RNF213 gene (rs112735431,rs148731719) and MMP3 gene rs3025058 were detected by first generation sequencing and CRISPR-Cas12a. The genetic susceptibility genes of MMD families samples were studied by whole exome sequencing (WES). Results: The application of CRISPR-Cas12a and Sanger sequencing identified rs112735431 and rs148731719 mutations in the RNF213 gene, and an insertion mutation in the MMP3 gene (rs3025058) with significant regional differences (P<0.05). Additionally, we identified 100% agreement between CRISPR-Cas12a and Sanger sequencing with regards to the detection of these mutations in samples, thus indicating that CRISPR-Cas12a can be used for the detection of MMD mutations. Next, we carried out whole exon screening for family members with MMD and identified multiple recessive genes associated with genetic disease. Notably, the Titin (TTN) gene (rs771533925, rs559712998 and rs72677250) was significantly associated with point mutations. Screening of the Exome Aggregation Consortium (EXAC) database identified significant differences between these populations with respect to frequency. PROVEAN，nvariant Feature Transform (SIFT) and PolyPhen algorithms further demonstrated that rs771533925 and rs72677250 were potentially damaging in three databases, rs559712998 was considered to be tolerated in above mentioned databases. Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) and PolyPhen algorithms further demonstrated that rs771533925 and rs72677250 were potentially damaging by all three databases and that rs559712998 was considered to be tolerated in above mentioned databases. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis demonstrated that the target of TTN is involved in many important biological processes. The screening of 50 sporadic MMD samples failed to identify any mutations, thus indicating that single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) mutation sites (rs771533925, rs559712998, and rs72677250) within the TTN gene may play an important role in the inheritance of MMD. Conclusions: In summary, our study investigated susceptibility genes for MMD from multiple perspectives and found that CRISPR-Cas12a technology can efficiently detect MMD mutation sites. Our findings provide a theoretical basis for future investigations of the molecular mechanisms that underlie MMD.
Foodscapes, Finance and Faith: A Qualitative Investigation of Multi-Sectoral Stakeholder Perspectives on a New Mall and Supermarket in Kenya
Authors: Wadende Pamela , Francis Oliver , Musuva Rosemary , Mogo Ebele , Turner-Moss Eleanor , Were Vincent , Obonyo Charles , Foley Louise
Published: June 2021

IntroductionThe nutritional transition is fuelling a concerning rise in Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). These countries lack strong health infrastructure capable of supporting the long-term and expensive medical treatment for those living with NCDs. It is important to identify stakeholders involved in influencing food retail and dietary choices as part of a population-level strategy to reduce the burden of NCDs in LMICs. The aim of this study is to explore stakeholder perspectives on the impacts of new and existing food retail on local diets in Kenya.MethodsRegulatory and local community stakeholders from Kisumu and Homabay Counties of Western Kenya in this study responded to a semi-structured, open-ended interview schedule. We sought their perspectives on the impact of a proposed new mall and supermarket in Kisumu and existing supermarkets in Homabay on local dietary practices. Digital voice recorders captured the responses, which were transcribed verbatim then translated from Kiswahili or Dholuo languages into English. NVivo12 PRO software was used to analyse the coded responses using a thematic discourse analysis approach. FindingsBoth regulatory and local community stakeholders were similarly concerned that supermarkets make unhealthy food items (including fast food) more accessible and therefore easily incorporated into local diets, with the result that more people develop diet-related NCDs. At the same time, both groups of stakeholders indicated the usefulness of supermarkets as a reliable food source, albeit requiring that the shopper discern healthy from unhealthy food items. Overall, they were unsure whether such aspects as the pricing and convenience of supermarkets would be sufficient to cause the local population to stop patronising their usual small-scale food vendors, and had similarly mixed views on wider impacts on the local economy and livelihoods.ConclusionThe prominent themes identified in our analysis were fear of fast food and health implications, supermarkets as reliable (but selective) food outlets, and uncertainty and differences of opinion about the potential mixed impacts of supermarkets on local communities. We found evidence of a multi-sectoral approach with a widely held interest in potential impacts on health.
Diagnostic Performance of Esophagogastroduodenoscopy, Colonoscopy, and Small Bowel Endoscopy in Thai Adults with Chronic Diarrhea
Authors: Limsrivilai Julajak , Sakjirapapong Choompunuj , Pongpaibul Ananya , Apisarnthanarak Piyaporn , Phaophu Phutthaphorn , Subdee Nichcha , Charatcharoenwitthaya Phunchai , Pausawasdi Nonthalee
Published: June 2021

Background: Gastrointestinal endoscopy is recommended to investigate chronic diarrhea in Western countries, but its benefits have infrequently been investigated in Southeast Asia. This study aimed to determine the diagnostic utility of esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), colonoscopy, and small bowel endoscopy in Thai chronic diarrhea. Methods: Medical records of consecutive patients who underwent EGD and/or colonoscopy to investigate chronic diarrhea at our center from 2008 to 2012 were reviewed. We also evaluated consecutive patients with negative EGD and colonoscopy who underwent subsequent small bowel endoscopy, including push enteroscopy, balloon-assisted enteroscopy (BAE), and video capsule endoscopy (VCE), from 2008 to 2018. The diagnostic yield of each endoscopic modality was analyzed. Results: A total of 272 patients underwent EGD and/or colonoscopy. Mean hemoglobin and albumin levels were 11.6 g/dL and 3.8 g/dL, respectively. EGD and colonoscopy were performed in 135 and 269 patients, respectively, and the diagnostic yield was 5.9% for EGD and 42.7% for colonoscopy. No patient with normal colonoscopy had positive EGD findings. Thirty-nine patients with normal EGD and colonoscopy underwent small bowel endoscopy. Mean hemoglobin and albumin levels were 10.9 and 2.7 g/dL, respectively. Push enteroscopy, BAE, and VCE were performed in 22, 20, and 11 patients with a diagnostic yield of 22.7%, 60.0%, and 45.5%, respectively. Conclusion: Colonoscopy was shown to be an essential investigation in chronic diarrhea. In contrast to western, EGD did not add benefit to colonoscopy. Enteroscopy played an important role in the diagnosis of chronic diarrhea when colonoscopy was negative.
Characteristics of Collapse Accumulation Body in Roadway and Numerical Simulation of Rescue Channel Excavation
Authors: Chen Guangbo , Teng Pengcheng , Duan Huiqiang , Zhang Guohua , Li Tan
Published: June 2021

After the coal mine disaster, the collapsed accumulation body blocked the roadway and interrupted the rescue route, which seriously affected the development of rescue. Based on the post-disaster blockage rescue route of the collapsed accumulation body, the morphology and structural characteristics of the accumulation body were analyzed, and the process of excavating the rescue channel in the collapsed accumulation body in the mining roadway was simulated using CDEM software, and the moving mode of accumulation body fragments was discussed. The study found that: the formation of the accumulation body is the process of continuous “self-organization” adjustment of the rock fragments; the accumulation body along the direction of the roadway axis is divided into three areas: pre-sorting accumulation area, post-sorting accumulation area, and non-sorting accumulation area; the particle size of the accumulation body-particle content conforms to the normal distribution; the harder the rock fragments constituting the accumulation body is, the particle size of the fragments is more different; the number of contact points of the fragments of the tightly accumulation body is more than that of the loose accumulation body; the excavation of the rescue channel is accompanied by the random “self-organization” movement of the accumulated body; the settlement and deformation of the accumulated body is actually the continuous collapse of the old arch structure, and the process of continuous formation of a new arch structure; the initial force of the rescue channel excavation is small, then it increases sharply, and finally stabilizes; the fragment adjustment forms are mainly divided into horizontal movement adjustment, vertical movement adjustment, rotation movement adjustment, and multi-directional movement adjustment. The research conclusion has certain guiding significance for the rescue channel excavation under the condition that the collapsed accumulation body blocks the roadway after the coal mine disaster.
Title Does Definitive Local Therapy Offer Cure in Select HER2+ De Novo Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients Treated with Dual Anti-HER2 Blockade?
Authors: Rosier Luderve , Wang Youth , Lee Jihyun , Daily Karen
Published: June 2021

Purpose: The role of surgery with curative intent in HER2+ de novo metastatic breast cancer (dnMBC) is uncertain in the era of dual antibody therapy. We sought to determine from existing retrospective data current practice patterns and if an association exists between surgery to the primary tumor and improved survival in HER2+ dnMBC patients treated with dual anti-HER2 blockade, accounting for selection bias.Methods: This study employed data from the National Cancer Database (NCDB) from the years 2013 to 2015. Study inclusion was limited to adult women with HER2+ dnMBC, who received immunotherapy/biologic response modifier drugs (BRM) as a first line treatment. Patients who received both systemic therapy and surgery to the primary breast tumor and patients who received systemic therapy alone were analyzed in two groups. Chi-square test for discrete variables and Wilcox on Rank-Sum test for numeric variables was used to compare the two groups based on patient, tumor, and treatment characteristics. The primary endpoint was overall survival from the time of diagnosis to the time of death.Results: 928 women with HER2+ dnMBC treated with BRM were identified with 43.5% (n= 404) receiving surgery and 56.5% (n= 524) receiving systemic therapy alone. The 3-year overall survival was superior for the surgery group (74.1%, 95% CI 67.9-79.2%) compared to the no surgery group (53.3%; 95% CI 47.6-58.6%). The no surgery group had median overall survival of 39.8 months (95% CI 34.1-44.9), while the surgery group had not yet reached median overall survival.Conclusion: In a group of HER2+ dnMBC patients receiving systemic treatment in the era of dual antibody therapy, patients who underwent surgery had a superior 3-year survival rate than those who did not. There may be a role for HER2+ dnMBC patients with an excellent response to dual HER2 blockade to undergo curative intent local therapy to the primary tumor.
The Potential Oncogenic and MLN4924-Resistant Effects of CSN5 on Cervical Cancer Cells
Authors: Zhang Huilin , He Ping , Zhou Qing , Lu Yan , Lu Bingjian
Published: June 2021

BackgroundsCSN5, a member of Cop9 signalosome, is essential for protein neddylation. It has been supposed to serve as an oncogene in some cancers. However, the role of CSN5 has not been investigated in cervical cancer yet.MethodsData from TCGA cohorts and GEO dataset was analyzed to examine the expression profile of CSN5 in cervical cancers. The role of CSN5 on cervical cancer cell proliferation was investigated in cervical cancer cell lines, Siha and Hela, through CSN5 knockdown via CRISPR-CAS9. Western blot was used to detect the effect of CSN5 knockdown and overexpression. CCK8, clone formation assay and cell cycle assay were also employed. Besides, the role CSN5 knockdown in vivo was evaluated by xenograft tumor model. Moreover, MLN4924 was applied in Siha and Hela with CSN5 overexpression.ResultsWe found that downregulation of CSN5 in Siha and Hela cells inhibited cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo, and the inhibitory effects were largely rescued by CSN5 overexpression. Moreover, deletion of CSN5 caused cell cycle arrest rather than inducing apoptosis. Importantly, CSN5 overexpression confers resistance to the anti-cancer effects of MLN4924 (pevonedistat) in cervical cancer cells.ConclusionsOur findings demonstrated that CSN5 functions as an oncogene in cervical cancers and may serve as a potential indicator for predicting the effects of MLN4924 treatment in the future.
Chinese Medical Paraphrase Generation: Based on Neural Machine Translation
Authors: Sun Bo , Zhang Fei , Yuan Jing , Wei Zhao , Ting Shu
Published: June 2021

Background: As people prefer to obtain medical knowledge online, medical intelligence question-answer systems based on question matching have attracted more and more attention, especially in China. However, due to the lack of paraphrase corpus of medical question, the development of this field is limited.Objective: We propose a method for paraphrase generation which suitable for the Chinese medical field and use deep learning models instead of artificial evaluation for the first time. The method is designed to be able to automatically construct high quality Chinese medical paraphrase.Methods: Validation experiments were carried out on two Chinese paraphrase data (one is general data, the other is medical data). Neural machine translation is used to generated paraphrase, that is, translate a sentence into other languages, and then reverse-translate it back to the original language to get the corresponding paraphrase. BLUE, ROUGEs, are used as quantitative evaluation metrics. Three deep text matching models are used to evaluate the generated paraphrase, instead of manual. Precision, Recall, F1 and AUC are used as qualitative evaluation metrics.Results: 49908 and 4062 paraphrases were generated on the two datasets, and the generated efficiency was 97.03% and 98.38%, respectively. For the data in the two fields, the generated and original paraphrase pairs are very similar at the quantitative and qualitative evaluation metrics, especially the medical field. Take medical data as example, BLUE of generated and original paraphrase pairs are 0.556 and 0.626, respectively; the mean difference of AUC between the two groups was 0.015. Conclusions: We first propose a paraphrase generation method based on neural machine translation and use deep text matching model instead of manual evaluation to evaluate the generated paraphrase. By analyzing the evaluation metrics, it can be concluded that：the paraphrase generated method has reached or even exceeded the level of artificial construction at the semantic level, especially in medical field; the deep text matching model can replace manual evaluation and realize automated paraphrase generation. This is of great significance to the development of Chinese medical paraphrase generation.
Precise tuning of bacterial translation initiation by non-equilibrium 5’-UTR unfolding observed in single mRNAs
Authors: Ray Sujay , Dandpat Shiba , Chatterjee Surajit , Walter Nils
Published: June 2021

Noncoding, structured 5’- untranslated regions (5’-UTRs) of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) control translation efficiency by forming structures that can either recruit or repel the ribosome. Here we exploit a bacterial, preQ1-sensing translational riboswitch to probe how binding of a small ligand controls binding of the bacterial ribosome to the Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence. Combining single-molecule fluorescence microscopy with mutational analyses, we find that the stability of 30S ribosomal subunit binding is inversely correlated with the free energy needed to unfold the 5’-UTR during mRNA accommodation from the standby site to the binding cleft. Ligand binding stabilizes 5’-UTR structure to both antagonize 30S recruitment and accelerate 30S dissociation. Depletion of small ribosomal subunit protein S1, known to resolve structured 5’-UTRs, further increases the energetic penalty for mRNA accommodation. The resulting model of rapid standby site exploration followed by gated non-equilibrium unfolding of the 5’-UTR during accommodation provides a mechanistic understanding of translation efficiency.
Inhibition of TRIM32 Attenuates the Apoptosis, Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Injury of Podocytes Induced by High Glucose by Affecting the Akt/GSK-3β/Nrf2 Pathway
Authors: Chen Zhao , Tian Lifang , Wang Li , Ma Xiaotao , Lei Fuqian , Chen Xianghui , Fu Rongguo
Published: June 2021

Hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress of podocytes exerts a major role in the pathological process of diabetic nephropathy. Tripartite motif-containing protein 32 (TRIM32) has been reported as a key protein in the modulation of cellular apoptosis and oxidative stress under various pathological processes. However, whether TRIM32 participates in the regulation of high glucose (HG)-induced injury in podocytes has not been investigated. The aims of this work were to assess the possible role of TRIM32 in mediating HG-induced apoptosis, oxidative stress and inflammatory response in podocytes in vitro. Herein, our results showed a marked increase in TRIM32 expression in HG-exposed podocytes. Loss-of-function experiments showed that the knockdown of TRIM32 improved the viability of HG-stimulated podocytes, and suppressed HG-induced apoptosis, oxidative stress and inflammatory response in podocytes. Further investigation revealed that the inhibition of TRIM32 enhanced the activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling associated with modulation of the Akt/glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) axis in podocytes following HG exposure. However, the suppression of Akt abrogated the TRIM32-knockdown-mediated activation of Nrf2 in HG-exposed podocytes. In addition, the knockdown of Nrf2 markedly abolished the TRIM32-inhibition-induced protective effects in HG-exposed podocytes. In summary, the results of this work show that the inhibition of TRIM32 protects podocytes from HG-induced injury by potentiating Nrf2 signaling via the modulation of Akt/GSK-3β signaling. This study indicates a potential role of TRIM32 in mediating podocyte injury during the progression of diabetic nephropathy.
Genome Sequencing-based Coverage Analyses Facilitate High-resolution Detection of Causal Deletions in Gamma-Irradiated Wheat Mutants
Authors: Komura Shoya , Jinno Hironobu , Sonoda Tatsuya , Oono Yoko , Handa Hirokazu , Takumi Shigeo , Yoshida Kentaro , Kobayashi Fuminori
Published: June 2021

BackgroundGamma-irradiated mutants of hexaploid wheat, Triticum aestivum L., have been providing novel and agriculturally important traits and are used for breeding materials. However, identification of causative genomic regions of mutant phenotypes was challenging due to the large and complicated genome of hexaploid wheat. Recently, the combined use of high-quality reference genome sequences of common wheat and cost-effective resequencing technologies has made it possible to evaluate genome-wide polymorphisms even in hexaploid wheat.ResultsTo investigate whether genome sequencing approach can effectively detect structural variations such as deletions that are frequently caused by gamma irradiation, we selected a grain-hardness mutant from gamma-irradiated population of Japanese elite wheat cultivar “Kitahonami”. It is known that a Hardness (Ha) locus including puroindoline protein-encoding genes Pina-D1 and Pinb-D1 on the short arm of chromosome 5D mainly regulates the grain hardness variation in common wheat. We performed short-read genome sequencings of the wild-type and the grain-hardness mutant, and then aligned their short reads to the reference genome of wheat cultivar “Chinese Spring.” The genome-wide comparisons of depth-of-coverage between wild-type and the mutant detected a ~130 Mbp deletion on the short arm of chromosome 5D in the mutant genome. Molecular markers for this deletion were applied to the progeny populations generated by a crosse between wild-type and the mutant. The large deletion in the region including the Ha locus was exactly associated with the mutant phenotype, indicating that genome sequencing approach is powerful and efficient to detect a causal deletion of a gamma-irradiated mutant. We also investigated a pre-harvest sprouting tolerance mutant and identified a 67.8 Mbp deletion on chromosome 3B where Viviparous-B1 and GRAS family transcription factor are located. Co-dominant markers designed to detect the deletion-polymorphism clearly confirmed an association with the low germination rate led to pre-harvest sprouting tolerance. ConclusionsShort-read-based genome sequencings of gamma-irradiated mutants facilitate the identification of large deletions responsible for mutant phenotypes when combined with segregation analyses in progeny populations. The method we adopted in this study allows the effective application of mutants with agriculturally important traits to breeding with marker-assisted selection.
Detecting Dengue Fever in Children Using A Combined Scheme Compared with Individual Algorithms: An APP Development and Usability Study
Authors: Chow Julie Chi , WEI CHIEN TSAI , Chou Willy
Published: June 2021

BackgroundDengue fever (DF) is an important public health issue in Asia. However, the disease is extremely hard to detect using traditional dichotomous (i.e., absent vs. present) evaluations of symptoms. Convolution neural network (CNN) and artificial neural networks(ANN) can improve prediction accuracy on account of its usage of a large number of parameters for modeling. A hypothesis using a combined scheme of algorithms, including convolutional neural networks(CNN), artificial neural networks(ANN), K-nearest Neighbors Algorithm(KNN), and logis-tical regression(LR), was made to improve the prediction DF accuracy for children. MethodsWe extracted 19 feature variables of DF-related symptoms from 177 pediatric patients (69 diagnosed with DF). A 11-variables were eligible by observing the statistical significance in predicting DF risk. The prediction accuracy was based on two training (80%) and testing (20%) sets on model accuracy of the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) greater than 0.80 and 0.70, respectively, for discriminating DF+ and DF− in the two sets. Two scenarios of the combined scheme and individual algorithms were compared using the training set to predict the testing set. ResultsWe observed that (i) k-nearest neighbors algorithm has poorer AUC(<0.50), (ii)LR has relatively higher AUC(=0.70), and (ii) the three alternatives have almost equal AUC(=0.68), but smaller than the individual algorithms of NaiveBayes, Logistic regression in raw data and NaiveBayes in normalized data. Conclusion﻿An LR-based APP was designed to detect DF in children. The 11-item model is suggested to develop the APP for helping patients, family members, and clinicians discriminate DF from other febrile illnesses at an early stage.
Risk and Prognostic Factors of Replantation Failure in Patients With Severe Traumatic Major Limb Mutilation: a Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Gao Chang , Yang Ling , Ju Jihui , Zhang Keran , Wu Mingming , Yang Lijuan , Lu Xiaoting , Hou Ruixing , Guo Qiang
Published: June 2021

Background: Traumatic mutilation of major limbs can result in limb loss, motor disability, or even death. Despite advancements in treatment, replantation failure could result in additional financial burden and severe psychosocial pressure on patients. Here, we determine the risk and prognostic factors of replantation failure in patients with traumatic major limb mutilation.Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, severed adult inpatients with traumatic major limb mutilation who underwent replantation from three hospitals in the Suzhou Ruixing Medical Group were included. Data obtained from electronic medical records were used to analyze predictors and risk factors for replantation failure.Results: From the 66 patients included, replantation failure occurred in 48 patients (72.7%). The area under the curve of the joint prediction of lactic acid on admission, 72 h cumulative fluid balance, and albumin level immediately postoperatively was 0.838 (95% CI, 0.722-0.954; P < 0.001) with a sensitivity of 89.7% and a specificity of 69.2%. Lower limb trauma (OR 8.65, 95%CI 1.64-45.56, P = 0.011), mangled extremity severity scores (OR 2.24, 95%CI 1.25-4.01, P = 0.007), and first 72 h cumulative fluid balance > 4885.6 ml (OR 10.25, 95%CI 1.37-76.93, P = 0.024) were independent risk factors for replantation failure.Conclusions: Lower limb trauma, mangled extremity severity scores, and cumulative water balance were associated with replantation failure. This implies that fluid management is necessary for major limb salvage. More studies are needed to explore the predictive power of indicators related to tissue oxygenation and wound healing for replantation failure.
A Comprehensive Nonlinear Dynamic Model for Ball Screw Feed System With Rolling Joint Characteristics
Authors: Xu Mengtao , Li Changyou , Zhang Hongzhuang , Liu Zhendong , Zhang Yimin
Published: June 2021

Modern tendency of machine tools design requires more accurate model to predict the system dynamics, in order to anticipate its interaction with machining process. In this paper, a comprehensive dynamic model of ball screw feed system (BSFS) considering nonlinear kinematic joints is introduced to investigate the varying dynamic characteristics when worktable is subjected to combined load from six directions. The load-deformation relationship of each kinematic joint is dealt with a set of translational and angular spring elements. The nonlinear restoring force function of each joint involving coupling displacement is calculated. Based on the lumped mass method, the analytical 18-DOF dynamic equation is formulated by the analysis of force dependence between joints. Model verification tests are conducted. The worktable response exhibits the abundant and fascinating nonlinear phenomena arising in nonlinear joint and coupling effect. The nonlinear behavior behaves significant difference owing to the variations of excitation, platform position, screw length, preload and damping of joints. Thus, the model is promising for comprehension of machine dynamic behavior and for development of sophisticated control strategy.
(Mis)trusting the Process: How Post-Disaster Home Buyout Processes Can Degrade Public Trust
Authors: Schwaller Nora Louise , Campbell Leah , Nguyen Mai Thi , Smith Gavin
Published: June 2021

Federally funded housing buyout programs are the dominant method of government-supported retreat in the United States. Done correctly, buyouts can reduce pre-disaster vulnerability and facilitate post-disaster recovery. However, the success of buyout programs hinges on successful coordination and implementation by local administrators, who represent buyout participants, manage the buyout process at the community level, and connect them to state and federal resources. Because of this, trust between local administrators and the members of their communities is crucial for project participation and successful outcomes. While local administrators play a critical role in the buyout program, their role in building trust throughout the process has been an understudied aspect of the buyout literature. To address this gap, our paper looks at the conditions following Hurricane Matthew’s landfall in North Carolina, USA in 2016 through in-depth interviews with 18 local HMGP administrators, and an analysis of over 300 local newspaper articles to analyze how trust is built and lost in the buyout process. Our findings indicate that a lack of program clarity, unclear communication about the program’s guidelines across all levels of governments, and extended timeframes deteriorated public trust in a manner that hindered program success and diminished program results.
Collaboration Challenges of Non-Governmental Organizations in Healthcare System in Iran
Authors: Hooshmand elahe , Pardasi Esmat , jamali Jamshid , Javan-Noughabi Javad , vafaee-Najar Ali
Published: June 2021

Background: Despite the strong emphasize of government on collaboration and application of non-governmental organizations in healthcare, there can be seen a research gap in this area in developing countries. The present study aims to investigate collaboration challenges of non-governmental organizations in healthcare from the viewpoint of healthcare managers and active managers of non-governmental organizations of Iran as an example of low-middle income country. Methods: This study is carried out via 54 semi-structured interviews with the managers of governmental sector and the active managers of non-governmental organizations at the national level from 2019 to 2020. Data framework analysis method in Atlas.T software is used for analysis of the interviews. Results: The results of this study highlight five major concepts in collaboration challenges of non-governmental organizations in healthcare: political issues, operational issues, cultural issues, management issues, and communication issues. Conclusions: This study presents a clear framework for identification of collaboration challenges of non-governmental organizations in healthcare Especially for developing countries. This framework should be taken into consideration by authorities of Ministry of health in their policy makings.
Diagnostic Efficacy of Pelvic Ultrasound in Central Precocious Puberty in Girls: a Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Zarei Elham , Rakhshankhah Nima , Khodadost Mahmoud , Abouie Abolfazl , Mohammadnejad Kosar , Vafadar Mehdi
Published: June 2021

Background: Differentiating central precocious puberty (CPP) patients from normal cases and CPP-like patients “isolated premature thelarche (IPA) and isolated premature thelarche (IPT)” is important for beginning of treatment. Although the GnRH stimulation test is considered the gold standard for diagnosis of CPP, Because of its wide limitations, our study targets to evaluate pelvic sonography parameters as a contributory tool for CPP diagnosis.Methods: We consecutively enrolled 183 cases (93 CPP, 16 IPT, 12 IPA and 62 of age-matched normal controls) in our study over four years. All cases are classified by clinical and laboratory findings and are followed up for at least 2 years. Pelvic sonography parameters included uterine fundus, body and cervix anteroposterior diameter, fundus/cervix ratio, uterine length and transverse diameter, uterine volume, endometrial thickness, ovarian volumes and diameter of the largest follicle are evaluated in all classified groups. One-way ANOVA, post hoc and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to compare the study groups.Results: Our study found that all sonography parameters differ significantly between CPP and normal control cases, also a significant difference is found between CPP compared to IPT or IPA cases in all parameters except in cervix anteroposterior diameter, ovarian volumes and diameter of the largest follicle. In order of best parameters for differentiating CPP compared to study groups, uterine volume (a cut-off of 1.40 ml had a sensitivity of 75.27% and a specificity of 75.56%), transverse diameter (a cut-off of 13.5 mm had a sensitivity of 72.04% and a specificity of 71.11%) and F/C ratio (a cut-off of 0.98 had a sensitivity of 78.49% and a specificity of 70%) was selected. Our study also classified sonography parameters as in equal diagnostic value to uterine volume (as the best diagnostic parameter with area under the curve of 0.826) and not equal diagnostic value to uterine volume.Conclusions: Pelvic Sonography parameters may improve the diagnosis of CPP patients and can have a contributory role in distinguishing treatment needed patients from other patients. The best diagnostic parameter and its cut-off value could change according to different ethnicities and studies.
Field and Numerical Modelling Investigations on the Stability of Underground Strata during Longwall Workings
Authors: Budi G , Rao Kolikipogu Nageswara , Mohanty Punit
Published: June 2021

Understanding the behaviour of underground workings is essential for the success of any mining method. The longwall mining method is one of the predominant underground methods to extract coal. Since 1978, in India, 22 underground coal mines of different collieries have been implemented the mechanized longwall method. SCCL is one of that colliery has mixed working experiences with longwall method in their mines. The longwall faces in GDK-10A, JK-5, and VK-7 of SCCL had produced good results, but the faces in GDK-7, GDK-9, GDK-11A, and PVK-5 had suffered due to the geological disturbances and unavailability of real-time information about the strata behaviour. By addressing the previous experiences of longwall workings, Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) has implemented a high capacity (1 × 1152T) powered support system in Adriyala Longwall Project (ALP) at a depth of 375m. In this study, extensive field monitoring with different strata monitoring instruments was conducted in ALP to analyze the gate roads convergence, stress variation on longwall and chain pillars at different stages of extraction (i.e., 8m, 25m, 35m, and 45m) and the pressure variation on the powered support systems. It was observed from the results that the convergence in the gate roads was increasing with the advance of the longwall face and the area of exposure. The pressure of the legs on the dip side was less than the pressure of the legs on the rise side, which implies a stable roof condition over the longwall face. To better understand the behaviour of ALP workings, a numerical modelling study with FLAC 7.0 has been conducted with actual physio-mechanical properties. The computed numerical modelling results have been remarkably well in consistent with the field monitoring results. The stability of chain pillars has been estimated at every stage of extraction by the Factor of Safety (FoS) criterion and it was found that the pillars could be ensured stability in longwall workings.
Genome Sequencing and Analysis Reveal the Mechanism of Terpenoids Biosynthesis in Deep-See-Derived Fungus Aspergillus Tubingensis
Authors: Lin Shan , Hu Shiping , Han Zhenyun , Chen Xiaoni , Lu Xueying , Wu Fenfang
Published: June 2021

In recent years, deep-sea-derived fungi have become an important source of marine natural products. Aspergillus tubingensis is extremely rich in secondary metabolites, which is a valuable deep-sea-derived fungus needs to be further explored. So far, many small molecular compounds with novel structure and significant biological activity have been discovered from A. tubingensis, among which terpenoids account for about 20%, showing great research potential in anti-tumor, antiviral and antibacteria. Although more and more new terpenoids have been discovered from A. tubingensis and their structures have been identified, few studies have investigated the biosynthetic pathway of terpenoid. In order to further elucidate the mechanism of terpenoid biosynthesis, the key genes and enzymes involved in terpenoid biosynthesis were successfully mined and further analyzed based on genome sequencing analysis. Subsequently, hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA synthase, mevalonate kinase, phosphomevalonate kinase as well as diphosphomevalonate decarboxylase were annotated, which played important roles in terpenoid biosynthesis of A. tubingensis. Furthermore, the biosynthetic pathway of terpenoid in A. tubingensis has been constructed, which could be applied to develop the metabolic regulation of A. tubingensis. This study would provide more sufficient scientific basis and new ideas for the genetic regulation of terpenoid biosynthesis in A. tubingensis.
Bioprocess Optimization of Glutathione Production by Saccharomyces Boulardii: Biochemical Characterization of Glutathione Peroxidase
Authors: Badr Hossam , El-Baz Ashraf , Mohamed Ismail , Shetaia Yousseria , El-Sayed Ashraf , Sorour Noha
Published: June 2021

The well-known probiotic GRAS Saccharomyces boulardii (CNCM I-745) was used for the first time to produce glutathione (GSH). The culture conditions affecting GSH biosynthesis were screened using a Plackett-Burman design (PBD). Analyzing the regression coefficients for 12 tested variables; 6 of them, including yeast extract, glucose, peptone and cysteine; temperature and agitation rate had a positive significant effect on GSH production with a maximum production of 192 mg/L. The impact of addition time of cysteine was investigated in 19 experiments during the growth time course (0-36 h), the best addition time was 8h post-inoculation producing 235 mg/L of GSH. The most significant variables were further explored at 5-levels using Central Composite Rotatable Design (CCRD), giving a maximum production of GSH (552 mg/L). Using baffled flasks, the GSH was increased to 730 mg/L, i.e 1.32-folds increment than obtained using CCRD. The two rate-limiting genes of GSH biosynthesis “γ-glutamyl cysteine synthetase (gsh1) and GSH-synthetase (gsh2) were amplified and sequenced to validate the GSH biosynthetic potency of S. boulardii. The sequences of genes showed 99% similarity with gsh1 and gsh2 genes of S. cerevisiae. Glutathione peroxidase was purified and characterized from S. boulardii with molecular mass and subunit structure of 80 kDa and 35 kDa as revealed from native and SDS-PAGE, ensuring its homodimeric identity. The activity of GPx was reduced by 2.5-folds upon demetallization confirming its metalloproteinic identity. The enzyme was strongly inhibited by hydroxylamine and DTNB, ensuring the implication of surface lysine and cysteine residues on the enzyme active site domains.
Association Between Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Osteoarthritis
Authors: Han A Lum , Kim Youngjon
Published: June 2021

Background: The prevalence of knee osteoarthritis is increasing due to population aging and an increase in obesity. Besides the mechanical stress caused by weight-bearing and age, osteoarthritis is associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome. Aim: We analyzed the association between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and knee osteoarthritis.Methods: This cross-sectional, retrospective study was conducted among adults aged >50 years that were enrolled from the 5th National Health and Nutrition Survey (2010–2012). After excluding those diagnosed with chronic diseases, liver diseases, and a history of excessive alcohol consumption, 2,193 individuals were included. A hepatic steatosis index >36 and <30 was considered to indicate the presence and absence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, respectively. Knee osteoarthritis was diagnosed according to the Kellgren–Lawrence grade based on knee radiography findings. Results: The risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease was 3.653 times higher in the mild osteoarthritis group than in the normal group, and 11.969 and 6.331 times higher in patients with moderate osteoarthritis and severe osteoarthritis, respectively.Conclusions: We found that non-alcoholic fatty liver disease was significantly associated with knee osteoarthritis, and that different odds ratios for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease were observed depending on the severity of the knee osteoarthritis.
Confined Electrochemical Behaviors of Single Platinum Nanoparticles Revealing Ultrahigh Density of Gas Molecules inside a Nanobubble
Authors: Ma Wei , Sun Ze-Hui , Gu Zhihao
Published: June 2021

Understanding the basic physicochemical properties of gas molecules confined within nanobubbles is of fundamental importance for chemical and biological process. Here we successfully monitored the nanobubble-confined electrochemical behaviors of single platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) at a carbon fiber ultramicroelectrode in HClO4 and H2O2 solution. Owing to the catalytic decomposition of H2O2, a single oxygen nanobubble formed on individual PtNPs to block the active surface of particle for proton reduction and suppress their stochastic motion, resulting in significantly distinguished current traces. Furthermore, the combination of theoretical calculation and high-resolution electrochemical measurement allowed the size of nanobubble and the oxygen gas density inside a single nanobubble to be quantified. And the ultrahigh oxygen density inside (9286 kg/m3) was revealed, indicating gas molecules in a nanosized space existed with a high state of aggregation. Our approach sheds light on gas aggregation behaviors of nanoscale bubbles using single-entity electrochemical measurement.
Uncovering Genomic Regions Regulating the Superoxide Dismutase, Flavonoids, Anthocyanins, Carotenoids, γ-Oryzanol and Antioxidant Activity in Rice Through Association Mapping
Authors: Pandit E , Sanghamitra P , Barik SR , Bastia R , Mohanty SP , Behera A , Moharana A , Basak N , Pradhan SK
Published: June 2021

Consumption of antioxidants rich rice has impressive health benefits. Five antioxidant traits viz., superoxide dismutase, flavonoids, anthocyanins, γ-oryzanol and ABTS were mapped in a panel population using 136 SSR markers through association mapping. A panel population containing 120 germplasm lines by including genotypes from all the phenotypic groups of the six antioxidant traits from the original shortlisted 270 rice genotypes. Donor lines rich in multiple antioxidant compounds were identified from the population. The population was classified into 4 genetic groups and showed fair degree of correspondence with the antioxidants content. A total of 14 significant marker-trait associations for antioxidants were detected of which 3 QTLs namely qANC3, qPAC12-2 for anthocyanin content and qAC12 for ABTS activity were validated in the population. Eleven putative QTLs such as qTAC1.1 and qTAC5.1 for anthocyanin content; qSOD1.1, qSOD5.1 and qSOD10.1 for SOD; qTFC6.1, qTFC11.1 and qTFC12.1 for TFC; qOZ8.1 and qOZ11.1 for γ-oryzanol and qAC11.1 for ABTS were detected to be novel loci. Co-localization of the QTLs detected for OZ11.1, TFC11.1 and AC11.1 regulating γ-oryzanol, flavonoid and anthocyanin content, respectively while PAC12.2 for anthocyanin content remained closer to TFC12.1 for flavonoid content. These QTLs will be useful in the antioxidant improvement programs in rice.
Role of Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS) in the Paediatric Population With Blunt Abdominal Trauma: a Prospective Single Center Case Series
Authors: Deftereos Savvas , Skarentzos Konstantinos , Foutzitzi Soultana , Aggelidou Maria , Oikonomou Panagoula , Kambouri Katerina
Published: June 2021

Aim: The aim of our study is to evaluate the diagnostic ability of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in pediatric population with history of blunt abdominal trauma (BAT). Materials and Methods: In an eight-year period (1/2012-1/2020) fifty-nine children (4-14 years old) were transferred to Emergency Department with referred BAT. The initial imaging method was ultrasound scan (US). Thirty-two children were discharged in good condition 24/hours after their admission. The rest 27 with moderate to severe injuries and according to their laboratory tests and US results, were evaluated with CEUS and contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT).Results: Five children were confirmed with splenic injury, two with liver lacerations, one with liver lacerations and right kidney contusion, while in nineteen, no visceral pathology was found by US, CEUS and CECT. The CEUS and CECT were in complete agreement. In contrary, unenhanced-US showed in eleven children free peritoneal fluid and in two possible parenchymal lesions. In two of the patients with negative US-study splenic contusions in CECT and CEUS were revealed. The CEUS study was also used as follow-up method. No adverse reactions were observed from CEUS contrast agent in all patients (27) follow-up in 1-week and in 6-months period. Furthermore, in 27 patients no adverse reactions were observed from CEUS contrast agent in a 1-year period. Conclusion: CEUS is effective, easily performed, low cost and radiation free, imaging method. It is ideal both for initial and follow up evaluation of trauma and thus we encourage the usage of the method in paediatric BAT cases.