bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preparation of Islamic Religious Education Teachers in Secular Countries: A Study in Austria
Authors: Munadi Muhammad
Published: October 2020

Especially in Austria itself, it is estimated that in 2050 the Muslim population will be around 19.9% of the total population and the population increase will be second in Europe after Sweden with 30.6%. Interestingly again in Austria apart from being a secular country but it provides concern for Muslims to develop Islamic religious education there. Therefore, this study aimed to determine how universities in Austria prepared Islamic religion teachers at undergraduate level both in terms of models and curricula to face increasingly complex challenges and a growing number of Muslim citizens. This study used library research, while the approach used interpretative approach. The main reference source was the content on the university website that offers Islamic Religious Education programs. In addition, various sources lead to discourse and curriculum development in Austria. The number of data were displayed using descriptive statistics and described using descriptive qualitative. Then research design that would be carried out was to reveal the course content contained in the web and then reduced, especially in terms of the preparation curriculum for Islamic Religious Education teachers. Of the various courses presented were analyzed using content analysis where the important point was to take the most fundamental content that was related to the principles of curriculum development, namely contextual and responding to the challenges of the times. The results showed that the preparation of Islamic teachers in one of the colleges in Austria consists of undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate degrees. Undergraduate program of Islamic Religious Education consists of two models, namely Bachelor’s Program Secondary School Teacher Training (General Education) – Subject: Islamic Religion and the specific name is Bachelor’s Program - Islamic Religious Education. In general, the content emphasis applied in the preparation of Islamic religious education teachers is still material-based.
Evaluation of Problem-based Learning Method for Teaching Islamic Education Courses to Students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences
Authors: Shamsaei Maryam
Published: October 2020

Emphasis on teaching religious education in the university and raising the level of religious awareness of students in parallel with specialized education, raises attention to the important point that the set of Islamic education courses was in line with the demands and desires of students? The aim of this study is to an increase of the analytic mood among the students and faculty members of the department of Islamic education by the teaching method of Problem-based learning. The present study was performed cross-sectionally on students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in Islamic education courses that they had taken as a general course. One of the strengths of this method is the student-centered and process-oriented instead of text-centric and moving from central memorization to research-oriented.
Evaluation of Child-Friendly Schools Program in Islamic Schools using the CIPP Model
Authors: Jumari Jumari , Suwandi Suwandi
Published: October 2020

This study aims to evaluate the extent of the implementation of the Child Friendly School program at MTsN 6 Jombang. This evaluation research uses the CIPP evaluation model. This research is an evaluative research with a qualitative approach with a type of case study. The data collection technique is done by interview, observation, and documentation methods. While the data analysis stage was carried out in three stages, namely reduction, presentation, and verification. The results showed that: (1) In the context evaluation, it can be said that the program is in accordance with the needs of the community and there is also a legal basis for the implementation of the program; (2) In the evaluation, the input aspect can be said to be very good, because the implementation of the program is handled very well, namely by the formation of a Child Friendly School Team and also the existence of facilities that support the program; (3) Evaluation of the process aspects related to the program shows that the program is carried out very well, including that almost all existing learning processes must include child-friendly elements in the curriculum. Apart from that cooperation is also carried out to all stakeholders; and (4) Regarding the evaluation of the results, it can be seen from the awards that the school has received, both in the academic and non-academic fields, including those related to the Child Friendly School program, which is winning the highest award or the best national level predicate as a Child Friendly School. The results of this evaluation research are expected to contribute to Islamic education institutions as best practice in implementing the Child Friendly School program.
INTRINSIC ELEMENT IN THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA BY ERNEST HEMINGWAY
Authors: Zainuddin Zainuddin
Published: October 2020

Penelitian ini berjudul “Intrinsic Element in The Old Man And The Sea by Ernest Hemingway”. The Old Man and the Sea adalah novel pendek karya seorang jurnalis dan sastrawan besar Amerika, Ernest Hemingway, diterbitkan pada tahun 1952 dan mendapat hadiah Pulitzer pada 1953 untuk karya fiksi. Pada 1954, Hemingway memenangkan hadiah nobel berkat karya terakhirnya ini. Cerita dalam novel ini sangat menginspirasi, tentang seorang nelayan yang sangat gigih bertarung untuk mendapatkan ikan marlin besar. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mendeskripsikan tokoh, latar, alur, konflik, dan sudut pandang di dalam novel The Old Man and The Sea. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode dokumenter yang menganalisis karya-karya berbentuk dokumen. Data yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah kalimat-kalimat dalam novel The Old Man And The Sea karya Ernest Hemingway dan disesuaikan dengan teori.Hasil penelitian novel The Old Man and The Sea meliputi tokoh, latar, alur, dan sudut pandang sebagai berikut; Tokoh yang ada di dalam novel ini adalah dua orang bernama Santiago dan Manolin. Santiago digambarkan sebagai orang tua dan tidak banyak berkomunikasi dengan orang lain sedangkan Manolin digambarkan sebagai seorang bocah yang polos dan mempunyai semangat membantu Santiago, tetapi juga memiliki kebingungan karena ayahnya tidak menyukai pertemanannya dengan Santiago. Latar novel meliputi latar tempat, kebanyakan di tengah lautan, latar waktu, dan latar sosial yang beragam. Alur dalam cerpen ini memakai alur campuran atau dengan lebih dominan alur maju. Sudut pandang yang digunakan dalam cerpen ini adalah sudut pandang campuran atau omniscient.
Surface Modification of Proppant Using Hydrophobic Coating To Enhance Long-Term Production
Authors: Tabatabaei Maryam , Dahi Taleghani Arash , Cai Yuzhe , Santos Livio , Alem Nasim
Published: October 2020

Proppant bed can play a critical role in enhancing oil and gas production in stimulated wells. In the last 2 decades, there have been consistent efforts to improve shape characteristics and mechanical strength properties to guarantee high permeability in the resultant propped fracture. However, engineering the surface properties of proppants, such as tuning their wettability, has not received considerable attention. Considering that water-wet proppants can not only limit production because of reduced hydrocarbon relative permeability but also facilitate fines migration through the proppant bed, a methodology is presented here to alter the wettability of proppants using graphite nanoplatelets (GNPs). The idea benefits from the intrinsic hydrophobicity of graphitic surfaces, their relatively low cost, and their planar geometry for coating proppants. Conductivity tests are conducted according to ISO 13503-5:2006 (2006) and API RP 19D (2008) to examine how the coating process changes the relative permeability to water and oil. According to the simulation results, the newly developed graphite-coated proppants speed up the water cleanup and increase long-term oil production in an oil-wet reservoir.
Burden of stillbirths and associated factors in Yirgalem Hospital, Southern Ethiopia: a facility based cross-sectional study
Authors: Mengesha Sintayehu , Dangisso Mesay Hailu
Published: October 2020

Background Stillbirth is an adverse pregnancy outcome of public health importance causing considerable psychosocial burden on parents and their family. Studies on stillbirth are scarce in southern Ethiopia. An assessment of stillbirths and associated factors in health care settings helps in devising strategies for tailored interventions. Therefore, we assessed the burden of stillbirths and associated factors in Yirgalem Hospital, southern Ethiopia. Methods: A facility based cross-sectional study was conducted between 1 August 2015 and 30 July 2016. We randomly selected medical records of pregnant women from a hospital delivery registry. Bivariate analysis was employed to assess the association between independent and dependent variables using chi-square with significant p-value. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify independent risk factors for stillbirths and to control for confounding variables.Results: Of 374 reviewed records of pregnant women, 370 were included for the study. The magnitude of stillbirths was 92 per 1000 births. Fifteen (44.1%) of fetal deaths occurred after admission to the hospital. In multivariate logistic regression, stillbirths were higher among low birth-weight babies (<2500grams) (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 10.70, 95% CI 3.18-35.97) than normal birth-weight babies (2500-<4000). Pregnant women who experienced a prolonged labour for more than 48 hours were 12 times (AOR: 12.15, 95% CI 1.76-84.12) more likely to have stillbirths than pregnant women without a prolonged labour. Pregnant women with obstetric complications were 18.9 times more likely to have stillbirths than pregnant women without obstetric complications. Similarly, pregnant women with at least two pregnancies were more likely to have stillbirths than pregnant women with less than two pregnancies (AOR: 4.39, 95% CI 1.21-15.85).Conclusion: We found a high burden of stillbirths in the study setting. Modifiable risk factors contributed to a higher risk of stillbirths; therefore, tailored interventions such as early identification and management of prolonged labour and obstetric complication at each level of health system could avert preventable stillbirths.
Role of mean platelet volume in hypertriglyceridemia-induced acute pancreatitis during pregnancy
Authors: Zeng Longhuan , Cai Xueying , Chen Jiayi , Jin Guangyong , Zheng Yongke
Published: October 2020

Background: Hypertriglyceridemia-induced acute pancreatitis during pregnancy (HTG-APP) is a rare but severe disease with high maternal-fetal mortality risk, which constitutes a systemic inflammatory process accompanied by thrombosis and bleeding disorders. However, the role of mean platelet volume (MPV) in HTG-APP remains unclear.Methods: In the retrospective study, we collected 45 patients with HTG-APP as the HTG-APP group and 49 pregnant females with hypertriglyceridemia as the control group. MPV and other relevant variables at onset and remission were collected and compared. Results: MPV were significantly higher in the HTG-APP group than in the control group (P < 0.001), and lower in remission than on onset (P = 0.002). According to the severity of acute pancreatitis, all subjects were classified into mild AP (MAP), moderately severe AP (MSAP), and severe AP (SAP) groups. There was a significant difference in MPV on onset among the three groups (P = 0.048), and the SAP patients had the highest levels of MPV. In addition, only in the SAP group, MPV was lower in remission than on onset (P = 0.010). Logistic regression analyses revealed that MPV was significantly associated with SAP (odds ratio = 2.077, 95% confdence interval, 1.038-4.154; P = 0.039). Conclusions: These results may indicate an important role of mean platelet volume in evaluating the severity of HTG-APP.
The Effect of the Mobile ‘Blood Pressure Management Application’ on Hypertension Self-Management Enhancement: A Randomized Controlled Trial 
Authors: Bozorgi Ali , Hosseini Hamed , Eftekhar Hassan , Majdzadeh Reza , Yoonessi Ali , Ramezankhani Ali , Mansouri Mehdi , Ashoorkhani Mahnaz
Published: October 2020

Background: Self-management of hypertension is of great significance given its increasing incidence and its associated disabilities. In view of the increased use of mobile health in medicine, the present study evaluated the effect of a self-management application on patient adherence to hypertension treatment.Methods: This clinical trial was performed on 120 hypertensive patients who were provided with a mobile intervention for 8 weeks and followed-up until the 24th week. Data on the primary outcome (adherence to treatment) and secondary outcomes (adherence to the DASH diet, regular monitoring of blood pressure, and physical activity) were collected using a questionnaire and a mobile application, respectively. The inter-group change difference over time was analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA (General Linear Model).Results: The treatment adherence score increased by an average of 5.9 (95% CI: 5.0-6.7) in the intervention group compared to the control group. Scores of 'adherence to the low-fat and low-salt diet plans' were 1.7 (95% CI: 1.3-2.1) and 1.5 (95% CI: 1.2-1.9), respectively. Moreover, moderate physical activity increased to 100.0 minutes (95% CI: 61.7-138.3) per week in the intervention group.Conclusion: The treatment and control of blood pressure require a multifaceted approach given its complexity and multifactorial nature. Considering the widespread use of smartphones, mHealth interventions can be effective in self-management and better patient adherence to treatments. Our results showed that this application can be used as a successful tool for hypertension self-management in patients attending public hospitals in developing countries.Trial registration: This study was registered in the Iran Randomized Clinical Trial Center under the number IRCT2015111712211N2 on January 1st 2016.
Diagnostic biomarker candidates for pulpitis revealed by bioinformatics analysis of merged microarray gene expression datasets
Authors: Chen Ming , Zeng Junkai , Yang Yeqing , Wu Buling
Published: October 2020

Background: Pulpitis is an inflammatory disease, the grade of which is classified according to the level of inflammation. Traditional methods of evaluating the status of dental pulp tissue in clinical practice have limitations. The rapid and accurate diagnosis of pulpitis is essential for determining the appropriate treatment. By integrating different datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, we analysed a merged expression matrix of pulpitis, aiming to identify biological pathways and diagnostic biomarkers of pulpitis. Methods: By integrating two datasets (GSE77459 and GSE92681) in the GEO database using the sva and limma packages of R, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of pulpitis were identified. Then, the DEGs were analysed to identify biological pathways of dental pulp inflammation with Gene Ontology (GO) analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). Protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks and modules were constructed to identify hub genes with the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins (STRING) and Cytoscape.Results: A total of 470 DEGs comprising 394 upregulated and 76 downregulated genes were found in pulpitis tissue. GO analysis revealed that the DEGs were enriched in biological processes related to inflammation, and the enriched pathways in the KEGG pathway analysis were cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, chemokine signalling pathway and NF-κB signalling pathway. The GSEA results provided further functional annotations, including complement system, IL6/JAK/STAT3 signalling pathway and inflammatory response pathways. According to the degrees of nodes in the PPI network, 10 hub genes were identified, and 8 diagnostic biomarker candidates were screened: PTPRC, CD86, CCL2, IL6, TLR8, MMP9, CXCL8 and ICAM1.Conclusions: With bioinformatics analysis of merged datasets, biomarker candidates of pulpitis were screened and the findings may be as reference to develop a new method of pulpitis diagnosis.
Prevalence and risk factors for HBV and HCV among incarcerated people who inject drugs in Iran: a cross sectional study
Authors: Moradi Ghobad , Mohamadi Parvin , Zareie Bushra , Rasouli Mohammad Aziz , Gouya Mohammad Mehdi , Jafari Saeede
Published: October 2020

Background: This study aimed at determining the prevalence of and risk factors for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) among incarcerated people who inject drugs (PWID) in Iran in 2015-16. Methods: The required data was collected from a database provided by Iranian national bio-behavioral surveillance surveys (BBSSs) on 11988 prisoners selected from among 55 prisons in 19 provinces in 2015-16. The data on demographics and behavioral variables were collected through interviews and the status of exposure to HBV and HCV were determined using ELISA blood test. A total of 1387 individuals with a history of drug injection in their lifetime were enrolled into the study. Data were analyzed using the survey package in Stata/SE software, Version 14.0. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression tests were used to investigate the relationships between risk factors and outcomes.Results: The mean age of the incarcerated PWID was 36.83 ± 8.13 years. Of all the studied subjects, 98.46% were male and 50.97% were married. The prevalence of HCV and HBV among the subjects were 40.52% and 2.46%, respectively. The prevalence of HCV was associated with age≥30 years, being single, illiteracy and low level of education, prison term>5 years, history of piercing, and extramarital sex in lifetime (P<0.05).Conclusions: The prevalence of HCV is alarmingly high. In general, it is recommended to adopt measures to screen and treat patients with HCV and vaccinat incarcerated PWID without a history of vaccination against HBV.
Tiotropium/Olodaterol Reduce Cigarette Smoking Extract-induced Cell Death in BEAS-2B Bronchial Epithelial Cells
Authors: Chen Cheng-Hsiung , Li Yi-Rong , Lin Sheng-Hao , Chang Hsiu-Hui , Chai Woei-Horng , Chan Po-Chiang , Lin Ching-Hsiung
Published: October 2020

Background: Cigarette smoking is a critical risk factor for the destruction of lung parenchyma or the development of emphysema, which is characteristic of COPD. Disruption of epithelial layer integrity may contribute to lung injury following cigarette smoke extract (CSE) exposure. Tiotropium/olodaterol acts as a bronchodilator for COPD treatment; however, the effect of dual bronchodilators on epithelial cell injury and its underlying mechanism remain unclear. In this study, we evaluated the effect of tiotropium/olodaterol on CSE-mediated cell death and the underlying mechanisms.Methods: Cell viability was determined using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Apoptosis, necrosis, and autophagy were evaluated using flow cytometry. Autophagy-related protein, phosphorylated ERK, expression was determined using Western blotting.Results: Tiotropium/olodaterol significantly inhibited CSE-induced cell death, mitochondria dysfunction, and autophagy, which had no significant effect on apoptosis or necrosis in BEAS-2B human bronchial epithelial cells. Moreover, tiotropium/olodaterol attenuated CSE-induced upregulation of JNK.Conclusions: CSE induced cell death and caused consistent patterns of autophagy and JNK activation in BEAS-2B human bronchial epithelial cells. Tiotropium/olodaterol treatment protected bronchial epithelial cells from CSE-induced injury and inhibited activation of autophagy and upregulation of JNK phosphorylation. These results indicate that tiotropium/olodaterol may protect epithelial cells from the deleterious effects of CSE exposure, which is associated with the regulation of autophagy and JNK activation.
Artificial Intelligence for Good Health: A Scoping Review of the Ethics Literature
Authors: Murphy Kathleen , Ruggiero Erica Di , Upshur Ross , Willison Donald J. , Malhotra Neha , Cai Jia Ce , Malhotra Nakul , Lui Vincci , Gibson Jennifer
Published: October 2020

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) has been described as the “fourth industrial revolution” with transformative and global implications, including in healthcare, public health, and global health. AI approaches hold promise for improving health systems worldwide, as well as individual and population health outcomes. While AI may have potential for advancing health equity within and between countries, we must consider the ethical implications of its deployment in order to mitigate its potential harms, particularly for the most vulnerable. This scoping review addresses the following question: What ethical issues have been identified in relation to AI in the field of health, including from a global health perspective? Methods: Eight electronic databases were searched for peer reviewed and grey literature published before April 2018 using the concepts of health, ethics, and AI, and their related terms. Records were independently screened by two reviewers and were included if they reported on AI in relation to health and ethics and were written in the English language. Data was charted on a piloted data charting form, and a descriptive and thematic analysis was performed. Results: Upon reviewing 12,722 articles, 103 met the predetermined inclusion criteria. The literature was primarily focused on the ethics of AI in health care, particularly on carer robots, diagnostics, and precision medicine, but was largely silent on ethics of AI in public and population health. The literature highlighted a number of common ethical concerns related to privacy, trust, accountability, and bias. Largely missing from the literature was the ethics of AI in global health, particularly in the context of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Conclusions: The ethical issues surrounding AI in the field of health are both vast and complex. While AI holds the potential to improve health and health systems, our analysis suggests that its introduction should be approached with cautious optimism. The dearth of literature on the ethics of AI within LMICs, as well as in public health, also points to a critical need for further research into the ethical implications of AI within both global and public health, to ensure that its development and implementation is ethical for everyone, everywhere.
Short-duration, submaximal intensity exercise stress combined with adenosine triphosphate decreases artifacts in myocardial perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography
Authors: Shinoda Yukinori , Tachibana Koichi , Minamisaka Tomoko , Fukuoka Hidetada , Inui Hirooki , Ueno Keisuke , Inoue Soki , Mine Kentaro , Ueda Kumpei , Hoshida Shiro
Published: October 2020

Background: Myocardial perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging with stress is a useful examination for detecting coronary artery disease. Since the presence of artifacts is remaining challenges, we aimed to define the minimum intensity of low-grade exercise stress levels combined with drug stress to reduce undesired artifacts and their related factors.Methods: We divided patients with suspicious coronary artery disease into 4 groups as follows: group A, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for 6 min; group A+25 W, ATP+25 W exercise for 6 min; group A+35 W, ATP+35 W exercise for 6 min; group A+45 W, ATP+45 W exercise for 6 min) and enrolled only those whose summed stress scores were <3. Undesired artifacts were evaluated on the basis of heart-to-liver activity (H/L) ratio and heart-to-10 pixels below the heart (H/below the H) ratio. Results: The logarithmic values of H/L and H/below the H ratios were significantly higher in groups A+35 W and A+45 W than in group A (p<0.05, each). In all the patients, the logarithmic values of H/L and H/below the H ratios positively correlated with the increment of rate pressure product (RPP, p=0.002 and p=0.005, respectively) after stress in the univariate analysis. The left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) after stress (p=0.002) negatively correlated with the logarithmic value of H/below the H ratio, but not H/L ratio. Although the increment of RPP was independently associated with the logarithmic values of both H/L (p=0.001) and H/below the H ratios (p=0.005), LVEDV was also independently associated with the logarithmic value of H/below the H ratio (p<0.001) in multivariate regression analysis under adjusting with age and sex.Conclusion: ATP plus ≥35 W exercise stress for 6 min was useful for reducing undesired artifacts after stress in myocardial perfusion SPECT. LVEDV after stress in addition to the increment of RPP was independently associated with the H/below the H ratio, but not the H/L ratio.
Confirmed or unconfirmed cases of 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia in Italian patients: a retrospective analysis of clinical features
Authors: De Angelis Giulia , Posteraro Brunella , Biscetti Federico , Ianiro Gianluca , Verme Lorenzo Zileri Dal , Cattani Paola , Franceschi Francesco , Sanguinetti Maurizio , Gasbarrini Antonio
Published: October 2020

Background: Since December 2019, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged as a novel etiologic agent of viral pneumonia. We aimed to compare clinical features of 165 Italian patients with laboratory confirmed or unconfirmed 2019-nCoV pneumonia.Methods: On March 31 2020, hospitalized patients who presented with fever and/or respiratory symptoms, exposures, and presence of lung imaging features consistent with 2019-nCoV pneumonia, were included. Before admission to a hospital ward, patients underwent RT-PCR based SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection in their nasopharyngeal swab samples.Results: Of 165 patients studied, 119 had positive RT-PCR results and 46 were RT-PCR negative for two days or longer (i.e., when the last swab sample was obtained). The median age was 70 years (IQR, 58–78), and 123 (74.6%) of 165 patients had at least one comorbidity. The majority of patients (101/165, 61.2%) had a mild pneumonia, and the remaining patients (64/165, 38.8%) a severe/critical pneumonia. We did not find any substantial difference in symptoms, incubation periods, and radiographic/CT abnormalities as well as in many of the biological abnormalities recorded. However, at multivariable analysis, higher concentrations of hemoglobin (OR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.11‒1.65; P = 0.003) and lower counts of leukocytes (OR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.72‒0.90; P <0.001) were statistically associated with confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis. While mortality rates were similar, patients with confirmed diagnosis were more likely to receive antivirals (95% vs 19.6%, P <0.001) and to develop ARDS (63% vs 37%, P = 0.003) than those with unconfirmed COVID-19 diagnosis.Conclusions: Our findings suggest that unconfirmed 2019-nCoV pneumonia cases may be actually COVID-19 cases and that clinicians should be cautious when managing patients with presentations compatible with COVID-19.
Risk Factors for Neonatal Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia in Extremely Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Nakamura Eishin , Matsunaga Shigetaka , Ono Yoshihisa , Takai Yasushi , Seki Hiroyuki
Published: October 2020

Background: Determination of the optimal timing for termination of pregnancy in cases of preterm premature rupture of membranes (pPROM) during the extremely preterm period is still difficult. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a major disease widely taken into account when determining the prognosis of respiratory disorders in a neonate. Many aspects of this disease remain unclear. With the aim of further improving the prognosis of neonates born to mothers with pPROM, this study examined cases who were diagnosed with pPROM before 28 weeks of gestation. The study analysed risk factors for neonatal BPD. Methods: This study included 73 subjects with singleton pregnancy, diagnosed with pPROM during the gestational period from 22 weeks and 0 days to 27 weeks and 6 days. The following factors were retrospectively examined: the gestational week at which pPROM was diagnosed, the gestational week at which delivery occurred, the period for which the volume of amniotic fluid was maintained, and neonatal BPD as a complication. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were conducted to analyse the relationship of the onset of BPD with the duration of oligohydramnios and the gestational weeks of delivery. Results: The mean gestational week at which a diagnosis of amniorrhexis was made was 24.5±1.9 weeks (mean±SD), and that at which delivery occurred was 27.0±3.0 weeks. Fifty-seven cases (78.1%) were diagnosed with oligohydramnios, the mean duration of which was 17.4±20.5 days. The mean birth weight of neonates was 1000±455 g, of which 49 (67.1%) were diagnosed with BPD following birth. No neonates died in this study. The ROC curve indicated that the cut-off values for the duration of oligohydramnios and gestational age at delivery were 4 days and 24.1 weeks, respectively. Multivariate analysis indicated that the duration of oligohydramnios for more than 4 days before delivery and preterm delivery at less than 24.1 weeks were risk factors for the onset of BPD. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that duration of oligohydramnios for more than 4 days before delivery and preterm delivery less than 24.1 weeks are risk factors for BPD in cases who are diagnosed with pPROM before 28 weeks of gestation.
LASSO type Penalized Spline Regression for Binary Data
Authors: Mullah Muhammad , Hanley James , Benedetti Andrea
Published: October 2020

Background: Generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs), typically used for analyzing correlated data, can also be used for smoothing by considering the knot coefficients from a regression spline as random effects. The resulting models are called semiparametric mixed models (SPMMs). Allowing the random knot coefficients to follow a normal distribution with mean zero and a constant variance is equivalent to using a penalized spline with a ridge regression type penalty. We introduce the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) type penalty in the SPMM setting by considering the coefficients at the knots to follow a Laplace double exponential distribution with mean zero. Methods: We adopt a Bayesian approach and use the Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm for model fitting. Through simulations, we compare the performance of curve fitting in a SPMM using a LASSO type penalty to that of using ridge penalty for binary data. We apply the proposed method to obtain smooth curves from data on the relationship between the amount of pack years of smoking and the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Results: The LASSO penalty performs as well as ridge penalty for simple shapes of association and outperforms the ridge penalty when the shape of association is complex or linear. Conclusion: We demonstrated that LASSO penalty captured complex dose-response association better than the Ridge penalty in a SPMM.
PET/MR Imaging for the Evaluation of Cervical Cancer During Pregnancy
Authors: Ishiguro Tatsuya , Nishikawa Nobumichi , Ishii Shiro , Yoshihara Kosuke , Haino Kazufumi , Yamaguchi Masayuki , Adachi Sosuke , Watanabe Takafumi , Soeda Shu , Enomoto Takayuki
Published: October 2020

Background: To assess the diagnostic value of positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI) for cervical cancer propagation before surgery, especially in pregnant women.Methods: 18F Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET/MRI was performed in seven pregnant cervical cancer patients (28 - 34 years old) at 9-18 gestational weeks. In case #5, a second PET/MRI was performed at 24 gestational weeks. Results: Of seven FDG-PET/MRI examination series in six cases (cases #1-#6), FDG-PET/MR imaging could detect cervical tumors with abnormal FDG accumulation; these tumors were confirmed with a standardized uptake value max (SUV max) titer of 4.5 - 16. A second PET/MRI examination in case #5 revealed the same SUV max titer as the first examination. In these six imaging series (cases #1-#5), there were no signs of cancer metastasis to the parametrium and lymph nodes. However, in case #6, abnormal FDG accumulation in the left parametrial lymph nodes was also detectable. Pathological examination showed lymph node metastasis in case #6. In case #7, PET/MRI could not detect any abnormal FDG accumulation in the cervix and other sites. Cone biopsy demonstrated only micro-invasive squamous cell carcinoma. After treatment for cervical cancer, all seven patients have had no recurrence of disease within the follow-up period (2.4 – 5.2 years), and their children have developed appropriately.Conclusion: PET/MRI is an effective and relatively safe imaging tool to evaluate cervical cancer progression in pregnancy.
Clinical effects of probiotic or azithromycin as an adjunct to scaling and root planing in the treatment of periodontitis stage III: A pilot randomized controlled clinical trial
Authors: Morales Alicia , Contador Rafael , Bravo Joel , Carvajal Paola , Silva Nora , Strauss Franz Josef , Gamonal Jorge
Published: October 2020

Background: The aim of this triple- blind placebo- controlled parallel- arm randomized clinical trial was to evaluate the clinical effects of Lactobacillus rhamnosus SP1 or azithromycin as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) in patients with stage III periodontitis.Methods: Forty-seven systemically healthy participants with stage III periodontitis were recruited. Following SRP, the participants were randomly assigned to one of three treatment modalities; 1) placebo (n=15), 2) probiotics (n=16) and 3) antibiotics-azithromycin (n=16). The participants were monitored at baseline, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after therapy. Probing pocket depth (PPD), bleeding on probing (BOP), clinical attachment loss (CAL) and plaque accumulation (PI) were evaluated. Results: All 47 participants completed the study. At 12 months, all groups showed significant improvements of PPD and PI (p<0.012) irrespective of the treatment modality and without significant differences between the groups. Probiotics and azithromycin showed no added benefit in terms of CAL. While the placebo (p=0.002) and the antibiotic-azithromycin (p=0.002) group showed a significant reduction of BOP, only the placebo group revealed a significant reduction of CAL at 12 months follow-up (p=0.003). The number of sites and teeth with PPD ≥5, ≥6 and ≥7mm were significantly reduced in all groups at 12 months follow-up (p<0.025) irrespective of the treatment regime and without significant differences between the groups. Conclusion: The use of probiotics or azithromycin as an adjunct to SRP failed to provide additional benefits in the treatment of stage III periodontitis. The benefits of these two treatment regimes as an adjunct to SRP remain unclear.
Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Ameliorate Airway Inflammation in a Rat Model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Authors: Ridzuan Noridzzaida , Zakaria Norashikin , Widera Darius , Sheard Jonathan , Morimoto Mitsuru , Kiyokawa Hirofumi , Isa Seoparjoo Azmel Mohd , Singh Gurjeet Kaur Chatar , Then Kong-Yong , Ooi Ghee-Chien , Yahaya Badrul Hisham
Published: October 2020

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an incurable and debilitating chronic disease characterized by progressive airflow limitation associated with abnormal levels of tissue inflammation. Therefore, stem cell-based approaches to tackle the condition are currently a focus of regenerative therapies for COPD. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) released by all cell types are crucially involved in paracrine, extracellular communication. Recent advances in the field suggest that stem cell-derived EVs possess a therapeutic potential which is comparable to the cells of their origin. Methods: In this study, we assessed the potential anti-inflammatory effects of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (hUC-MSCs) derived EVs in a rat model of COPD. EVs were isolated from hUC-MSCs and characterized by the transmission electron microscope, western blotting, and nanoparticle tracking analysis. As a model of COPD, male Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to cigarette smoke for up to 12 weeks, followed by transplantation of hUC-MSCs or application of hUC-MSCs-derived EVs. Lung tissue was subjected to histological analysis using hematoxylin and eosin staining, alcian blue-periodic acid Schiff (AB-PAS) staining, and immunofluorescence staining. Gene expression in the lung tissue was assessed using microarray analysis. Statistical analyses were performed using GraphPad Prism 7 version 7.0 (GraphPad Software, USA). Student’s t-test was used to compare between 2 groups. Comparison among more than 2 groups was done using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Data presented as median±standard deviation (SD). Results: Both, transplantation of hUC-MSCs and application of EVs resulted in a reduction of peribronchial and perivascular inflammation, alveolar septal thickening associated with mononuclear inflammation, as well as a decreased number of goblet cells. Moreover, hUC-MSCs and EVs ameliorated the loss of alveolar septa in the emphysematous lung of COPD rats and reduced the levels of NF-κB subunit p65 in the tissue. Subsequent microarray analysis revealed that both hUC-MSCs and EVs significantly regulate multiple pathways known to be associated with COPD. Conclusions: In conclusion, we show that hUC-MSCs-derived EVs effectively ameliorate by COPD-induced inflammation. Thus, EVs could serve as a new cell-free based therapy for the treatment of COPD.
Feeding malic acid to chickens at slaughter age benefits poultry production and microbial safety in regard to Campylobacter
Authors: Ren Fangzhe , Yang Wenbin , Hu Juanjuan , Huang Pinyu , Jiao Xin-an , huang jinlin
Published: October 2020

Background

Chicken meat has become popular for consumption worldwide. However, chicken flocks suffer the Campylobacter infection during the rearing period, which allows chicken meat products act as a vehicle for transmitting this pathogen through the food chain and bring great health and economic burden to the public. Malic acid is a dicarboxylic organic acid with antimicrobial activity, the application of malic acid during food animal rearing period also found could improve the performance of animals and the quality of their products. This study applied malic acid to chicken flocks and evaluated its potential benefits on the poultry production and microbial safety.
Results

In Experiment 1, AA broilers and partridge chicken were provided with the malic acid-supplemented drinking water for three weeks, although the Campylobacter carriages were found decreased by 0.91–0.98 log after the first week of use (P < 0.05). However, this effect was not consistent, significant decontamination could not be found in the second and the third week of application. Thus, in Experiment 2, the malic acid-supplemented drinking water was used for five days to flocks at slaughter age, the Campylobacter carriage was found decreased by 1.05–1.55 log (P < 0.05), suggesting an effective reduction effect exist. Malic acid has no adverse effects on chicken performance, including body weight, intestinal indices and microflora. However, the meat quality of AA broilers was found to be promoted, the moisture increased by 5.12% − 5.92% (P < 0.05), and the fat decreased by 1.60% (P < 0.05). In Experiment 3, the malic acid-supplemented drinking water was provided to AA broilers which were suffering from respiratory disease. The results showed that the mortality rate of malic acid treated group was consistently lower than that of the control group during the experimental period, and the total mortality was decreased from 52% in the control group, to 32% in malic acid treated group.
Conclusions

Our results suggest that feeding malic acid to flocks could decrease the contamination of Campylobacter while also benefit chicken farming, and is worthy of application to promote safe development of the poultry production and its products.
Integrative MicroRNAome Analysis of Skeletal Muscle of Colossoma Macropomum (Tambaqui), Piaractus Mesopotamicus (Pacu), and the Hybrid Tambacu, based on Next-generation Sequencing Data.
Authors: Fantinatti Bruno EA , Perez Erika S , Zanella Bruna TT , Valente Jéssica S , de Paula Tassiana G , Mareco Edson A , Carvalho Robson F , Piazza Silvano , Denti Michela A , Pai Maeli Dal
Published: October 2020

Background: Colossoma macropomum (tambaqui) and Piaractus mesopotamicus (pacu) are good fish species for aquaculture. The tambacu, individuals originating from the induced hybridization of the female tambaqui with the male pacu, present rapid growth and robustness, characteristics which have made the tambacu a good choice for Brazilian fish farms. Here, we used small RNA sequencing to examine global miRNA expression in the genotypes pacu (PC), tambaqui (TQ), and hybrid tambacu (TC), (Juveniles, n=5 per genotype), in order to better understand the relationship between tambacu and its parental species, and also to clarify the mechanisms involved in tambacu muscle growth and maintenance based on miRNAs expression. Results: Regarding differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs between the three genotypes, we observed 8 upregulated and 7 downregulated miRNAs considering TC vs. PC; 14 miRNAs were upregulated and 10 were downregulated considering TC vs. TQ, and 15 miRNAs upregulated and 9 were downregulated considering PC vs. TQ. The majority of the miRNAs showed specific regulation for each genotype pair, and no miRNA were shared between the 3 genotype pairs, in both up- and down-regulated miRNAs. Considering only the miRNAs with validated target genes, we observed the miRNAs miR-144-3p, miR-138-5p, miR-206-3p, and miR-499-5p. GO enrichment analysis showed that the main target genes for these miRNAs were grouped in pathways related to oxygen homeostasis, blood vessel modulation, and oxidative metabolism.Conclusions: Our global miRNA analysis provided interesting DE miRNAs in the skeletal muscle of pacu, tambaqui, and the hybrid tambacu. In addition, in the hybrid tambacu, we identified some miRNAs controlling important molecular muscle markers that could be relevant for the farming maximization.
Heparinized chitosan/hydroxyapatite scaffolds stimulate angiogenesis
Authors: Nájera-Romero Griselda V , Yar Muhammad , Rehman Ihtesham Ur
Published: October 2020

Formation of blood vessels during bone regeneration represents a major challenge for tissue engineered constructs. Poor revascularization can lead to scaffold failure and consequently, leads to non-healing fracture. Heparin is known to bind with angiogenic growth factors influencing the process of new blood vessels formation. There are several problems associated with the use of growth factors in clinic such as low stability, controlled delivery to the site, and price. The aim of the present study was to explore the potential of heparin to produce pro-angiogenic bone regeneration materials. Chitosan/hydroxyapatite freeze-gelled scaffolds were prepared and loaded with heparin. Different concentrations of heparin were successfully loaded onto the scaffolds, its release from the scaffold was analysed by toluidine blue assay and their angiogenic effect was evaluated by chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay to determine the optimal concentration of heparin to induce a proangiogenic effect. It was noted that low heparin concentrations exhibited a positive effect, with approximately 28μg per scaffold indicating a significant increment in blood vessels. The synthesized materials showed no cytotoxic effects when evaluated by using U2OS cell line.
Significantly Reducing Blood Loss Using Intra-muscular Injection of Tranexamic Acid during Total Knee Arthroplasty
Authors: Lin Yu-Kuan , Tsai Shang-Wen , Wu Po-Kuei , Chen Chao-Ming , Yang Jesse Chieh-Szu , Chen Cheng Fong , Chen Wei-Ming
Published: October 2020

Background
Administration of an intra-muscular injection (IMI) of tranexamic acid (TXA) had been demonstrated to be effective in reducing both blood loss and the transfusion rate during total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, few studies have reported on the efficiency of IMI of TXA. We studied the efficiency of IMI of TXA to reduce blood loss during TKA.
Methods
In this prospective study, 50 patients undergoing primary simultaneous bilateral TKA were enrolled. The right knee received a IMI of 1 g of TXA (Group I), and the left knee received an intra-articular injection (IAI) of 1 g of TXA (Group II). The clinical outcome measures were a change in hemoglobin levels, blood loss from Hemovac, and number of allogeneic blood units.
Results
Compared with Group II, the decrease in blood loss from Hemovac was significantly less for Group I (460.1 ± 36.79 vs. 576.0 ± 34.01, P < 0.001), and no significant difference in surgical times was observed.
Conclusions
IMI of TXA can significantly reduce blood loss than IAI of TXA during TKA without increased complications such as surgical site infection, poor wound healing, skin necrosis, pulmonary embolism, and deep vein thrombosis.
Transcriptome Analysis Reveals that Long Noncoding RNAs Contribute to Development Differences of Medium-sized Ovarian Follicle between Meishan and Duroc Sows
Authors: Li Mengxun , Liu Yi , Ma Lipeng , Zhao Zhichao , Xie Su , Gong Hongbin , Sun Yishan , Huang Tao
Published: October 2020

Background: Ovulation rate is an extremely important factor of litter size in sows. It differs greatly among pig breeds of different genetic backgrounds. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) can regulate follicle development, granulosa cell(GC) growth and hormone secretion, which in turn affects sow litter size.Results: In our research, we identified 3554 lncRNAs and 25491 mRNAs in M2 follicle from Meishan and Duroc pigs. lncRNAs sequence and open reading frame(ORF) length is shorter than mRNAs, and it has fewer exons, lower abundance and conserved than protein-coding RNAs. Furthermore, 201 lncRNAs were differentially expressed in breeds, and quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis of differential expression (DE) lncRNAs were performed. 127 DE lncRNAs are located in 119 reproduction trait-related loci. In addition, the lncRNAs potential target genes (PTGs) in cis or trans were predicted. Gene ontology(GO) and KEGG pathway analysis revealed that some PTGs were include some follicular development and hormone secretion-related biological processes or pathways, such as regulation of progesterone biosynthetic process, oestrogen metabolic process and ovarian steroidogenesis and PI3K-Akt signalling pathway. Furthermore，We also screened 19 differentially expressed lncRNAs of PI3K-Akt signalling pathway as candidates. Conclusions: This study provided a new significance on the roles of lncRNAs in follicular growth and development and porcine reproduction.