bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Edible Thai rice film incorporated with ginger extract by microwave extraction: optimization of bioactive compounds and functional properties for antimicrobials
Authors: Utama-ang Niramon , Sida Sirinapa , Wanachantararak Phenphichar , Kawee-ai Arthitaya
Published: April 2021

This study aimed to integrate microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) on the dry ginger extract and to develop rice-based edible film incorporated with ginger extract. An efficient MAE was developed to extract the dried ginger using a 32 full factorial design. The optimal condition was a microwave power of 400W and an extraction time of 1 min. The extraction time was a significantly effective factor than microwave power, whist power was not a significant factor for yield, 6-gingerol, 6-shogaol, and paradol. A crude extract of dried-ginger has antimicrobial activity against S. mutans DMST 18777 with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of 0.49 mg/mL and 31.25 mg/mL, respectively. The rice-based edible film incorporated with 32 mg/mL of ginger extract against S. mutans DMST 18777 with a mean zone of inhibition of 12.69 ± 0.07 mm. The functional property of rice film was remarkably better than the original. Significant increases in TPC, antioxidant and bioactive compounds were associated with increase ginger extract contents in rice film. The main phenolic compounds including 6- gingerol 6-shogaol, paradol, and zingerone, and essential oils including α-curcumene, α-zingiberene, γ-muurolene, α-farnesene, β-bisabolene, and β-sesquiphellandrene were found in rice film strip fortify with crude ginger extract.
Drug Interaction Effect of Ketoprofen and Dexamethasone With Thiopental: A Pharmacokinetics and Anesthetics Study in Male Dogs
Authors: Raeeszadeh Mahdieh , Ghaffari Mohammad Pouya , Akbari Abolfazl
Published: April 2021

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Occurrence, Geochemistry and Speciation of Elevated Arsenic Concentrations in a Fractured Bedrock Aquifer System
Authors: McGrory Ellen , Henry Tiernan , Conroy Peter , Morrison Liam
Published: April 2021

The presence of elevated arsenic concentrations (≥10 µg L-1) in groundwaters has been widely reported in areas of south east Asia with recent studies showing its detection in fractured bedrock aquifers mainly in regions of north-eastern United States. Data within Europe remains limited; therefore, the objective of this work was to understand the geochemical mobilisation mechanism of arsenic in this geologic setting. Physiochemical (pH, Eh, d-O2), trace metals, major ion and arsenic speciation samples were collected and analysed using a variety of field and laboratory-based techniques and evaluated using statistical analysis including multivariate analysis. Elevated dissolved arsenic concentrations (up to 73.95 µg L-1) were observed in oxic-alkali groundwaters with the co-occurrence of other oxyanions (e.g. Mo, Se, Sb and U), low dissolved concentrations of Fe and Mn and low Na/Ca ratios indicating that arsenic was mobilised through alkali desorption of Fe oxyhydroxides. Arsenic speciation using a solid-phase extraction methodology (n=20) showed that the dominant species of arsenic present in groundwater was arsenate, with pH being a major controlling factor. The expected source of arsenic is sulfide minerals within fractures of the bedrock aquifer with transportation of arsenic and other oxyanion-forming elements facilitated by secondary Fe mineral phases. However, the presence of methylarsenical compounds detected in the groundwaters illustrates that microbially mediated mobilisation processes were also (co)-occurring. This study demonstrates how field speciation of arsenic can be utilised to overcome analytical limitations of conventional laboratory speciation and to facilitate in the interpretation of the environmental mobility of arsenic within groundwaters.
Comparison of [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-FAPI-04 PET/CT and [18F]FDG PET/CT for diagnosis of metastasis in differentiated thyroid cancer with negative iodine scintigraphy
Authors: Wu Ji , Liao Taiping , Huang Yilin , Rao Zijuan , Ou Lei , Gong Weidong , Wu Junhao , Jiang guohao , zhang chunyin
Published: April 2021

Purpose Evaluation of the potential value of [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-FAPI-04 positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) and [18F]FDG PET/CT in detection of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) metastases. Methods [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-FAPI-04 and [18F]FDG PET/CT scans were performed on suspected metastatic DTC patients. Maximum standard uptake value (SUVmax) was used to quantify the uptake of positive lesions. Histopathology or follow-up images were used as the standard for final diagnosis.Results A total of 35 DTC patients underwent [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-FAPI-04 and [18F]FDG PET/CT scans in the same time period. Average SUVmax of [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-FAPI-04 uptake by DTC lesions was low (average SUVmax<7). The difference in detection rate of SUVmax of[68Ga]Ga-DOTA-FAPI-04compared with that of[18F]FDG in bone metastases was statistically significant (P=0.000, 0.049). There were differences in the detection rate of other distant and lymph node metastases, and SUVmax, with no statistical significance (P>0.05). The specificity, accuracy, and positive predictive value of [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-FAPI-04 in the diagnosis of lymph node lesions were higher than those of [18F]FDG PET/CT, and the difference was statistically significant (c2=16.583，c2=9.910，c2=7.548，c2=2.781, P＜0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive and negative predictive value of the two groups in the diagnosis of distant metastases (c2=0.440，c2=4.956，c2=0.013，c2=1.194，c2=2.618，P＞0.05). Conclusion [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-FAPI-04 has certain advantages over [18F]FDG PET/CT in detecting lymph node and bone metastases. It has the same ability to detect other distant metastases and can be used as a supplementary imaging method for DTC.
A benzothiazole-based fluorescence turn-on sensor for copper(II)
Authors: Kim Gyeongjin , Choi Donghwan , Kim Cheal
Published: April 2021

A new benzothiazole-based chemosensor BTN (1-((Z)-(((E)-3-methylbenzo[d]thiazol-2(3H)-ylidene)hydrazono)methyl)naphthalen-2-ol) was synthesized for the detection of Cu2+. BTN could detect Cu2+ with “off-on” fluorescent response from colorless to yellow irrespective of presence of other cations. Limit of detection for Cu2+ was determined to be 3.3 µM. Binding ratio of BTN and Cu2+ turned out to be a 1:1 with the analysis of Job plot and ESI-MS. Sensing feature of Cu2+ by BTN was explained with theoretical calculations, which might be owing to internal charge transfer and chelation-enhanced fluorescence processes.
Fluorescence Enhancement Based Quantification of Human Serum Albumin from Biological Sample Using Indole Based Nanosuspension: Molecular Interactions and Molecular Docking Studies
Authors: Suryawanshi Sonali B. , Desai Netaji K. , Bodake Anita J. , Patil Shivajirao R.
Published: April 2021

Fluorescent 3-[(E)-(2-phenylhydrazinylidene) methyl]-1H-indole (PHI) was synthesized by condensation of indole-3carboxaldehyde and phenyl hydrazine in presence of acetic acid and ethanol and after spectral characterization used further to prepare its aqueous nano suspension by reprecipitation method using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as stabilizer. The average particle size of nano suspension measured by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) was found 77.5 nm while FESEM microphotograph showed spherical morphology. The blue shift in the absorption spectrum and stokes shifted fluorescence of nanosuspension of PHI compared to its monomer spectrum in dilute solution indicate formation of H-type aggregate by face to face overlapping of the molecules.The aggregation induced enhanced emission (AIEE) of PVP capped nanosuspension of PHI is increased appreciably by presence of aqueous solution of human serum albumin (HSA). A suitable mechanism of molecular binding interactions based on complex formation between PHI nanoaggregate and HSA through PVP is proposed. Fluorescence life time, zeta potential and particle size data of PHI nanoparticles (PHINPs) obtained in presence of different amounts of HSA are in support of molecular interactions leading to complex formation. The molecular docking studies showed that HSA and PVP capped PHINPs exhibit strong hydrogen bonding interaction. The fluorescence enhancement effect induced in PHI nanosuspension is used further to develop analytical method for quantitative estimation of HSA in aqueous biological sample solution.
Finite Element Analysis of Large Plastic Deformation Process of Pure Molybdenum Plate During Hot Rolling
Authors: Hu Ping , Cheng Quan , Xing Hai rui , Li Shi lei , Han Jia yu , Ge Song wei , Hua Xing jiang , Hu Bo liang , Wang Kuai she , Zhang Wen
Published: April 2021

Rare molybdenum resources have been increasingly involved in heavy industries. In this paper, the common unidirectional and cross hot rolling operations, for pure molybdenum plate, are numerically simulated by using MSC. Marc software. An elastic-plastic finite element model is employed together with updated Lagrange method to predict stress and strain fields in the work-piece. The results showed that there was a typical three-dimensional additional compressive stress ( σy > σx > σz ) in deformation zone, while strain could be divided into uniaxial compressive strain and biaxial tensile strain ( Ey > Ex > Ez ). Tensile stress σx increased with the accumulation of reduction and the decrease of friction coefficient at the edge of width spread. More importantly, the interlaced deformation caused by cross commutation was helpful to repair the severe anisotropy created by unidirectional hot rolling. By comparing the theoretical verification of rolling forces and the measured temperatures with the simulated values, eventually, it is demonstrated that the model is aligning well with the actual engineering.
Modified Grasshopper Optimization Algorithm Based Genetic Algorithm for Global Optimization Problems: The System of Nonlinear Equations Case Study
Authors: Omar Hala A. , El-Shorbagy Mohammed
Published: April 2021

Grasshopper optimization algorithm (GOA) is one of the promising optimization algorithms for optimization problems. But, it has the main drawback of trapping into a local minimum, which causes slow convergence or inability to detect a solution. Several modifications and combinations have been proposed to overcome this problem. In this paper, a modified grasshopper optimization algorithm (MGOA) based genetic algorithm (GA) is proposed to overcome this problem. Modifications rely on certain mathematical assumptions and varying the domain of the Cmax control parameter to escape from the local minimum and move the search process to a new improved point. Parameter C is one of the most important parameters in GOA where it balances the exploration and exploitation of the search space. These modifications aim to lead to speed up the convergence rate by reducing the repeated solutions and the number of iterations. The proposed algorithm will be tested on the 19 main test functions to verify and investigate the influence of the proposed modifications. In addition, the algorithm will be applied to solve 5 different cases of nonlinear systems with different types of dimensions and regularity to show the reliability and efficiency of the proposed algorithm. Good results were achieved compared to the original GOA.
Highly Efficient CRISPR/Cas9 System in Plasmodium Falciparum Using Cas9-expressing Parasites and a Linear Donor Template
Authors: Nishi Tsubasa , Shinzawa Naoaki , Yuda Masao , Iwanaga Shiroh
Published: April 2021

The current CRISPR/Cas9 system for Plasmodium falciparum suffers from technical problems caused by plasmid constructs, such as delays in establishing transgenic parasites during drug selection and unexpected integration of circular donor DNA by single-crossover recombination. Although these problems can be solved by using linear donor templates, such an approach requires highly efficient introduction of DNA and rapid completion of recombination because linear DNA is easily lost from the parasites during multiplication. Here, we overcame these problems by developing a highly efficient DNA transfer method and Cas9-expressing parasites. Using our new CRISPR/Cas9 system, transgenic parasites were established in two weeks without any unexpected recombination or off-target mutations. Furthermore, with our system, two genes on different chromosomes were successfully modified in one transfection. Because of its high efficiency and robustness, our new CRISPR/Cas9 system will become a standard technique for genetic engineering of P. falciparum and dramatically advance studies of this parasite.
The Dopamine D2R Antagonist Trifluoperazine Suppresses High-Fat Diet-Induced Hyperglycemia and Hypothalamic Gliosis in Obese Mice
Authors: Huang Hui-Ting , Chen Pei-Chun , Chen Po-See , Chiu Wen-Tai , Kuo Yu-Min , Tzeng Shun-Fen
Published: April 2021

Microglia, the resident macrophages of the central nervous system (CNS), as well as astrocytes, are CNS glia cells to support neurodevelopment and neuronal function. Yet, their activation-associated with CNS inflammation is involved in the initiation and progression of neurological disorders. Mild inflammation in the periphery and glial activation called gliosis in the hypothalamic region, arcuate nucleus (ARC), are generally observed in the obese individuals and animal models. Thus, reduction in peripheral and central inflammation is considered as a strategy to lessen the abnormality of obesity-associated metabolic indices. In this study, we reported that acute peripheral challenge by inflammagen lipopolysaccharide (LPS) triggered an upregulation of hypothalamic dopamine type 2 receptor (D2R) expression, and chronic feeding by high fat diet (HFD) caused an increased levels of D2R in the ARC. The in vitro and in vivo studies indicated that a D2R antagonist named trifluoperazine (TFP) was able to suppress LPS-stimulated activation of microglia and effectively inhibited LPS-induced peripheral inflammation, as well as hypothalamic inflammation. Further findings showed daily peripheral administration intraperitoneally (i.p.) by TFP for 4 weeks was able to reduce the levels of plasma and hypothalamic tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in obese mice receiving HFD for 16 weeks. Moreover, plasma glucose and insulin were effectively decreased by daily treatment with TFP for 4 weeks. In parallel, microglia and astrocytes in the ARC was also inhibited by peripheral administration by TFP. According to our results, TFP has the ability to suppress HFD-induced hyperglycemia, inflammation and gliosis in hypothalamus.
A New Approach to Improve the Hemodynamic Assessment of Cardiac Function Independent of Respiratory Influence
Authors: Ogilvie Leslie , Edgett Brittany A. , Gray Simon , Al-Mufty Sally , Huber Jason S. , Brunt Keith R. , Simpson Jeremy A.
Published: April 2021

Cardiovascular and respiratory systems are anatomically and functionally linked; inspiration produces negative intrathoracic pressures that act on the heart and alter cardiac function. Inspiratory pressures increase with heart failure and can exceed the magnitude of ventricular pressure during diastole. Accordingly, respiratory pressures may be a confounding factor to assessing cardiac function. While the interaction between respiration and the heart is well characterized, the extent to which systolic and diastolic indices are affected by inspiration is unknown. Our objective was to understand how inspiratory pressure affects the hemodynamic assessment of cardiac function. To do this, we developed custom software to assess and separate indices of systolic and diastolic function into inspiratory, early expiratory, and late expiratory phases of respiration. We then compared cardiac parameters during normal breathing and with various respiratory loads. Variations in inspiratory pressure had a small impact on systolic pressure and function. Conversely, diastolic pressure strongly correlated with negative inspiratory pressure. Cardiac pressures were less affected by respiration during expiration; late expiration was the most stable respiratory phase. In conclusion, inspiration is a large confounding influence on diastolic pressure, but minimally affects systolic pressure. Performing cardiac hemodynamic analysis by accounting for respiratory phase yields more accuracy and analytic confidence to the assessment of diastolic function.
Robust data storage in DNA by de Bruijn graph-based decoding
Authors: Song Lifu , Geng Feng , Song Ziyi , Li Bing-Zhi , Yuan Ying-Jin
Published: April 2021

Data storage in DNA, which store information in polymers, is a potential technology with high density and long-term features. However, the indels, strand rearrangements, and strand breaks that emerged during synthesis, amplification, sequencing, and storage of DNA molecules need to be handled. Here, we report a de Bruijn graph-based, greedy path search algorithm (DBG-GPS), which can efficiently handle all these issues by efficient reconstruction of the DNA strands. DBG-GPS achieves accurate data recovery with low-quality, deep error-prone PCR products, and accelerated aged DNA samples (solution, 70℃ for two weeks). The robustness of DBG-GPS was verified with 100 times of multiple retrievals using PCR products with massive unspecific amplifications. Moreover, DBG-GPS shows linear decoding complexity and more than 100 times faster than the multiple alignment-based methods, indicating a suitable solution for large-scale data storage.
Treatment of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tibial Insertion Avulsion Fractures with a Single Tunnel using a Double-strand Suture Anchor Under Arthroscopy
Authors: Guo Dan , Hu Hansheng
Published: April 2021

Purpose Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tibial insertion avulsion fractures cause instability of the knee joint, and minimally invasive techniques are the first choice for treating this type of intra-articular injury. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical effect of a single tunnel with a double-strand suture anchor in the treatment of ACL tibial insertion avulsion fractures. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on the data for 29 patients, comprising 15 males and 14 females, with Meyers-McKeever type II or III ACL tibial insertion avulsion fractures treated with a single tunnel using a double-strand suture anchor under arthroscopy from January 2014 to June 2018. All 29 patients in this group were followed up for 12 months. The Lachman test was used to evaluate knee joint stability, the Lysholm score was used to evaluate knee joint function, and postoperative X-rays were used to evaluate healing after fracture reduction. Results All 29 patients completed the follow-up. During the 12-month follow-up period, postoperative X-rays showed that all ACL tibial insertion avulsion fractures healed well and the pre-fracture function was restored. All incisions performed in patients healed well, and no surgical complications, such as infection or fracture nonunion, occurred. The anterior drawer test (ADT) and Lachman test were negative for the patients, and the knee function recovered well. The preoperative Lysholm score was 51.14 ± 2.34, and the preoperative International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective score was 51.24 ± 3.16; the Lysholm score at the last follow-up was 92.52 ± 1.35, and the IKDC subjective score at the last follow-up was 92.93 ± 2.59 (P < 0.05). Conclusion Within the limitations of this study, a single tunnel with a double-strand suture anchor under arthroscopy for the treatment of ACL tibial insertion avulsion fracture was a simple procedure. The procedure caused minimal trauma, achieved good reduction, had firm fixation, ensured quick recovery, caused few complications, ensured good functional recovery, and provided satisfactory clinical results.Level of evidence: IV
Electroactive nanoparticles loaded Silk protein/Chitosan macromolecular injectable hydrogel to improve therapeutic efficacy of mesenchymal stem cells in functional recovery after ischemic myocardial infarction
Authors: Wu Zheng , Cheng Shujuan , Wang Shaoping , Li Wenzheng , Liu Jinghua
Published: April 2021

Background
Currently, cardiac regeneration by stem cell-based tissue engineering is considered an important strategy for overcoming myocardial infarction. Therefore, this study is designed to explore the potential for differentiation of gold nanoparticles loaded injectable Silk protein/Chitosan hydrogel along with mesenchymal stem cells towards a cardiomyogenic phenotype.
Methods
The incorporated gold nanoparticles into chitosan-silk fibroin hydrogel (Au@Ch-SF) was validated by various analysis including FT-IR, NMR, XRD and SEM analysis. The major properties of Au@Ch-SF hydrogel such as weight loss, mechanical test and drug releasing activities also investigated. Further, the mesenchymal stem cells (MS) were encapsulated into hydrogel by incubating the MS cells with 100 µg/mL of Au@Ch-SF hydrogel in a humidified incubator at 37°C for 3 days in the presence of 5% CO2. In vitro toxicity effect of MS loaded Au@Ch-SF hydrogel was tested against cardiac myoblast H9C2 cells. Further, the tissue regenerative activities in myocardial infraction rats were examined by histology, apoptosis, and Cx43 cardiac-specific marker analysis.
Results
The gel formation time of Au@Ch-SF was comparatively lower than Ch and Ch-SF hydrogels which demonstrates the stronger intermolecular interactions between Ch and SF. The toxicity study showed that the prepared MS loaded Au@Ch-SF hydrogels did not possess toxicity against cardiac myoblast H9C2 cells. Further, the myocardial infarction rats were treated with MS loaded Au@Ch-SF hydrogel promotes the cardiac muscle fibers regeneration performance which was confirmed by β-MHC and Cx43 cardiac markers.
Conclusions
We demonstrate for the first time that encapsulation of MS with Au@Ch-SF hydrogels could promotes tissue regenerative activity in myocardial infraction tissues. The findings of this study suggest that MS encapsulated Au@Ch-SF hydrogels might be useful in the treatment of myocardial infarction.
Quantum theory cannot violate a causal inequality
Authors: Purves Tom , Short Anthony
Published: April 2021

Within quantum theory, we can create superpositions of different causal orders of events, and observe interference between them. This raises the question of whether quantum theory can produce results that would be impossible to replicate with any classical causal model, thereby violating a causal inequality. This would be a temporal analogue of Bell inequality violation, which proves that no local hidden variable model can replicate quantum results. However, unlike the case of non-locality, we show that quantum experiments can be simulated by a classical causal model, and therefore cannot violate a causal inequality.
Health-Related Quality of Life and Influencing Factors in Drug Addicts based on the scale QLICD-DA: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Ma zilin , Liu yuxi , Wan chonghua , Jiang jianming , Li xiaomei , Zhang ying
Published: April 2021

BackgroundDrug abuse has many negative effects not only on individuals but also on society. Nowadays, researchers pay a lot of attention to the quality of life of drug-dependent persons. However, there are few scales available to measure the quality of life of people with substance-abuse disorders. A quality of life scale for patients with drug addiction/dependence (QLICD-DA) developed in China according to their actual situation could be used to measure the quality of life of drug abusers. It has good validity and reliability and is sensitive to the quality of life of drug-dependent persons. MethodsWe selected 192 drug-dependent persons as participants and they all completed the general information questionnaire and the QLICD-DA. We used a t-test to compare the scores of the quality of life of the participants with the norm in different domains, then we used one-way ANOVA to screen for variables. A stepwise regression method was applied to explore the influencing factors of the quality of life of the participants.ResultsThe quality of life of the participants was lower than the norm in the physiological domain, psychological domain, social domain, and common general domain, and the differences were statistically significant (p<.0.001). Sex and mode of drug abuse were the influencing factors in total score (p=0.006, p<0.001) and specific domain (p<0.001, p=0.019). Past family atmosphere and the mode of drug abuse were the influencing factors in the common general domain (p=0.027, p=0.037).ConclusionThe quality of life of people dependent on drugs was worse than that of patients with other chronic diseases, and the influencing factors of the quality of life of drug abusers were sex, mode of drug abuse, and past family atmosphere. This study also verified the application of QLICD-DA in a real-life setting.
Statin Use Is Associated With Reduced Mortality On Mechanically Ventilated Patients:A Retrospective Propensity-Matched Analysis
Authors: Chen Daonan , Wang Liu , Zhang Huifang , Lin Qiuhai , Tian Rui , Xu Jiyao , Miao Congliang , Huang Yuan , Ge Fangxia , Kang Mei , Zhu Yong , Xie Yun , Wang Ruilan , Du Jiang
Published: April 2021

BackgroundThe patients on mechanical ventilation were always critically ill and ventilation may cause injury and inflammatory disorders in the lungs of such patients. We sought to determine whether statin treatment has a protective effect on the outcome of the ventilated patients. MethodsA retrospective observational study of mechanically ventilated patients from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III (MIMIC-III) database. To ensure the robustness of the findings, we utilized the gradient boosted model, propensity score analysis, doubly robust estimation and an inverse probability‐weighting model in the statistical procedure. The propensity score of statin use was calculated by age, sex, severity scores and 32 other variables. ResultsCompared with nonusers, the use of statins was associated with improved 28-day survival in the unmatched cohort (HR 0.85 95% CI 0.80~0.90, p<0.01) and matched cohort (HR 0.79 95% CI 0.73~0.85, p<0.01). Statin use was also associated with improved 60-day (HR 0.81 95%CI 0.75~0.85, p<0.01), 90-day (HR 0.81 95%CI 0.76~0.86, p<0.01) and in-hospital (HR 0.81 95%CI 0.76~0.86, p<0.01) survival in the matched cohort. Statins use was associated with longer ventilator free days (VFD28, 14.93±13.11 vs 12.06±13.26, p<0.01) and longer ICU free days (13.41±12.14 vs 10.86 ±12.19, p<0.01) in the matched cohort. Different types of statins were associated with improved 28-day survival. The subgroup analyses results showed improved 28-day survival in most subgroups, but this improvement was not observed in patients with pneumonia, septicemia or acute respiratory failure. ConclusionsIn a population of mechanically ventilated patients, the use of statins may be associated with reduced mortality. This protective effect was observed only in mild-to-moderate patients instead of critical inflammatory ones.Trial registrationhttp://www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx; Registration number: ChiCTR2000029594
Persistent Homology on Electron Backscatter Diffraction Data in Nano/ultrafine-grained Metallic Materials
Authors: Na Gong , Farzana Nasrin , Yong Wang , Huibin Wu , David Keffer , Vasileios Maroulas , Orlando Rios
Published: April 2021

Nano/ultrafine-grained stainless steel was produced by severe cold deformation followed by annealing. The effect of annealing temperature on additional structural parameters, including the fraction of high-angle grain boundaries (HAGBs) and the kernel average misorientation (KAM), are revealed through electron backscatter diffraction. HAGB and KAM values provide a mechanistic understanding of the impact of structure on mechanical properties, including hardness, strength, and ductility. In this study, a novel application of persistent homology (PH) was employed to reduce the dimensionality of the information describing the complex processing-structure-property relationship. PH emphasizes the relationship between processing (annealing temperature), structure (distribution of the Schmid factor) and property (strength). Specifically, the PH formalism translates multidimensional data sets into clusters, distinguished by common PH features. In this analysis, two clusters emerge. First, at low annealing temperature, incomplete reversion of austenite results in materials with a greater fraction of grain boundaries, resulting in high strength and low ductility. Second, at high annealing temperature, fully reversed austenite results in lower, though still acceptable strength and superior ductility. The PH approach is applicable for identifying salient features in complex processing-structure-property relationships and is amenable to analysis of large data sets based on machine learning.
Impact of ICU saturation on hospital mortality from COVID-19 in a secondary care center in Iztapalapa, Mexico City
Authors: Alanís-Naranjo José Martín , Anguiano-Álvarez Víctor Manuel , Hammeken-Larrondo Eduardo Federico
Published: April 2021

INTRODUCTION: A saturated intensive care unit (ICU) setting and socioeconomic factors such as higher poverty rates have been associated with increased rates of in-hospital mortality in COVID-19 patients. Mexico City has become the national epicenter of the pandemic, with Mexico’s highest death toll. Iztapalapa is the delegation with the highest population density and the most notorious conditions of marginalization in Mexico City. We describe the clinical characteristics and risk factors associated with mortality in 164 patients who received care in a hospital ward setting due to ICU saturation in a hospital in Iztapalapa, Mexico City.MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, data from confirmed COVID-19 patients hospitalized between April 1, 2020 and May 31, 2020 were collected. Patients were categorized into different subgroups: alive vs. deceased and intubated vs. nonintubated for analysis between groups. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.RESULTS: In this setting, 67% of the patients required mechanical ventilation, and 32.3% needed vasopressor support, with an in-hospital mortality of 68.3%. The most common complications during hospitalization were acute kidney injury (36%) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (34.8%). We observed similar factors associated with death as previous studies: male sex, older age, comorbidities, laboratory values indicating increased inflammatory/organ failure markers, and severe disease at admission. Additionally, we found that routine use of intravenous antibiotics was associated with a higher rate of in-hospital mortality (RR 3.45, 95% CI 1.69-7.06, p <0.001).
NCC-BCBM, a Nomogram Prognostic Model in Breast Cancer Patients with Bone Metastases
Authors: Zhai Jie , Liu Qiang , Bai Ping , Wang Zhongzhao , Fang Yi , Wang Jing
Published: April 2021

Purpose Accurate prediction tools to facilitate risk stratification and therapeutic strategies for breast cancer patients with bone metastasis (BCBM) are lacking. We constructed and validated a new nomogram prognostic model, named NCC-BCBM, for breast cancer patients with bone metastasis using a large BCBM cohort from the SEER (Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results) database. Patients and Methods Clinical information for 8655 patients diagnosed from 2011 to 2013 was collected to develop the nomogram prognostic model. The predictive accuracy and discriminative ability of the nomogram were evaluated by concordance index (C-index) and calibration curve. The model was further validated in an independent cohort of 4634 BCBM patients diagnosed from 2014 to 2015. Results The following clinical variables were enrolled in the final prognostic model: age, race, surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, laterality, grade, molecular subtype, American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC T) stage, AJCC N stage and extra metastatic sites except bone. The C-index for the developed model in training cohort was 0.702 (95% CI, 0.696 to 0.709). The calibration curve for probability of 1-year, 3-year and 5-year survival showed good agreement between prediction by nomogram and direct observation. The prognostic model was validated in an independent validation cohort with a concordance index of 0.748 (95% CI, 0.737 to 0.759). Conclusion We developed and validated a nomogram prognostic model for BCBM patients and the proposed nomogram resulted in good performance.
Comparison of Bromocriptine and Hydroxyethyl Starch for Reducing Ohss in in Vitro Fertilization Patients: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Zhang Qiaoli , Ma Yanmin , Bu Xiaomeng , Jia Chanwei , Liu Yanjun , Wang Shuyu
Published: April 2021

Background: The ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is a potentially life-threatening complication associated with controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COS) during assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment, and effective preventive measures are urgently needed. The dopamine agonist can mitigate OHSS incidence through a decreased vascular permeability via reduced vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production. This study evaluated the clinical effectiveness of bromocriptine, an alternative DA, for prevention of OHSS in high risk women.Methods: The retrospective study population consisted of women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles with GnRH antagonist protocols, at risk of OHSS. The study group included 52 women given 2.5 mg bromocriptine daily by rectal insertion for 5 days beginning on the day of oocyte retrieval; the control group included 52 women given 500 ml intravenous (I.V.) hydroxyethyl starch (HES) daily for 5 days also beginning on the day of oocyte retrieval. The outcomes of ovarian stimulation, incidence and severity of OHSS, blood-related indicators, biochemical indicators (liver and renal function), and coagulation and fibrinolytic activities were compared.Results: The groups were not significantly different in age, estradiol concentration on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin injection, or number of retrieved oocytes. The occurrence of mild (13.46% vs 15.48%) and moderate (7.69% vs 5.77%) OHSS were not significantly different between bromocriptine and HES groups (P>0.05). No cases of severe or late OHSS were recorded in either group. Only hemocratin levels were significantly higher and activated partial thromboplastin time was significantly lower in the bromocriptine group (P<0.05) compared to the HES group on Day 5 after oocyte retrieval. No difference in liver or renal function was found between groups.Conclusions: Prophylactic rectal administration of bromocriptine was as effective as I.V. HES for prevention of OHSS.
Translation, Cross-Cultural Adaptation, and Psychometric Properties of the Malay-Translated Kihon Checklist Among Elderly Patients In The Emergency Department
Authors: Suhairi Suhaila Naema Laili , Embong Hashim , Ja Shamsuriani Md , Bakar Afliza Abu
Published: April 2021

BackgroundThe insufficiency of gold standard assessment tools is the current challenge of frailty detection in an emergency department (ED). This study aimed to translate and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Malay-translated Kihon Checklist (KCL) for frailty assessment among Malaysian elderly patients presenting to the ED.MethodThe 25-item English version of the KCL was translated to Malay language through a forward and backward translation procedure. Three expert panels considered the items and pilot-tested on 15 elderly subjects. The final version was administered to 250 elderly patients who presented in the ED. Using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), we compared the prior factorial models of the KCL. Model fits were determined using the Chi-square test/degree of freedom (df), comparative fit index (CFI), Tucker–Lewis index (TLI), root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA), Akaike information criterion (AIC), Bayesian information criterion (BIC), and expected cross-validation index (ECVI).ResultsAnalysis revealed that none of the prior models (seven-, two-, and one-factorial model) fit the data. After modification, one-factor model with 10 items had a superior fit (Chi-square/df, 54.434/35; CFI, 0.962; TLI, 0.951; RMSEA, 0.047 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.019–0.071); AIC, 94.434; BIC, 164.863; ECVI, 0.379). The internal consistency reliability for the pooled 10 items was acceptable, i.e., 0.786.ConclusionThe CFA revealed that a one-factor model with 10 items had superior goodness-of-fit than other hypothesized factorial models. The scale demonstrated adequate construct validity and acceptable reliability with caution interpretation of some items.
Intimate partner violence, spouse extramarital affairs, and depression among women in rural Uganda
Authors: Kaggwa Mark Mohan , Namatanzi Brenda , Kule Moses , Nkola Rahel , Najjuka Sarah Maria , Ashaba Scholastic
Published: April 2021

Background Depression is highly prevalent among women compared to men. Women in rural areas are more at risk of depression compared to their peers in urban areas. Some of the factors associated with depression among married women are spouse related factors including extramarital affairs and intimate partner violence (IPV).Objective To determine the prevalence of depression and factors associated with depression among married women in rural Southwestern Uganda.Methods This was a cross-sectional study in rural southwestern Uganda among married/cohabiting women aged 18 to 45 years. We used the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) to assess for depression, composite abuse scale (Revised) – Short Form (CASR-SF to measure IPV. Logistic regression was used to estimate the associations between depression and several factors including spouse extramarital affair, IPV, and sociodemographic factors.Results We enrolled 153 women, mean (standard deviation) age of 33.3 (6.7) and the majority were unemployed. The mean number of children between the couple was 4.05 (2.17). More than half (65,4%) had depressive symptoms and 64.1% had experienced intimate spouse violence. The reported spouses’ mean (SD) age was 43.4 (9.5). Almost half (49.65%) were known to be involved in an extramarital affair. There was a statically significant association between depression among women and spouse extramarital affairs (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 24.93; 95% CI 1.25–498.34]; p-value = 0.04).Conclusion There was a high prevalence of depression and intimate partner violence among women in rural Uganda. The high prevalence was associated with spouse extramarital affairs. There should be routine screening for depression and intimate partner violence among married women at lower-level health facilities in rural settings especially those whose husbands are involved in extramarital affairs to ensure early diagnosis and access to appropriate mental health care to maintain functionality in society and family level since women are the backbone of their families.
Identification of Mirna Signature and Key Genes in Colorectal Cancer Lymph Node Metastasis
Authors: Wang Xi , Gao Guangyu , Chen Zhengrong , Chen Zhihao , Han Mingxiao , Xie Xiaolu , Jin Qiyuan , Du Hong , Cao Zhifei , Zhang Haifang
Published: April 2021

Background: miRNAs and mRNAs can serve as biomarkers for the diagnosis, prognosis and therapy of colorectal cancer (CRC), whose metastasis to lymph node is closely related to the poor prognosis. The current study aimed to identify the novel gene signatures in the lymph node metastasis of CRC.Methods: GSE56350, GSE70574 and GSE95109 were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and 569 colorectal cancer statistics were also downloaded from the The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Differentially expressed miRNAs (DE-miRNAs) were calculated by using R software. Besides, gene ontology and Enriched pathway analysis of target mRNAs were analyzed by using FunRich. Furthermore, the mRNA-miRNA network was constructed using Cytoscape software. Gene expression level was verified by GEO datasets and forty paired lymph node non-metastasis CRC tissues and lymph node metastatic CRC tissues obtained from patients with CRC using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) .Results: In total, five DE-miRNAs were selected, and 34 mRNAs were identified after filtering. Moreover, 2 key miRNAs and one gene were identified including hsa-miR-99a, has-miR-100 and heparan sulfate-glucosamine 3-sulfotransferase 2 (HS3ST2). The GEO datasets analysis and qPCR results showed the expression of key miRNA and genes were consistent with that in the bioinformatic analysis. A novel miRNA-mRNA network, hsa-miR-99a-HS3ST2-has-miR-100 was found in lymph node metastasis of CRC after expression analysis, prognostic prediction and experiments confirmation.Conclusions: In summary, the potential miRNAs and genes were found and a novel miRNA-mRNA network was established in CRC lymph node metastasis by systematic bioinformatic analysis and experiments validation, which may be used as potential biomarkers in the development of lymph node metastatic CRC.
Modification Of Reading Man Flap For Reconstruction Of Infraorbital Defects: a Case Report
Authors: Asparini Ruby Riana , Perdanakusuma David Sontani , Handajani Retno
Published: April 2021

Background: Reconstruction of the defect in the infraorbital area after wide excision can lead to problems such as distortion of the anatomical point and ectropion. A “reading man” flap is a recent local flap procedure, which has been used to treat this problem.Case Presentation: We report a case of keratotic basal cell carcinoma in the right infraorbital area. After wide excision, a defect of 40x35 mm was found, which was very close to the lid margin and close to the bottom of the eyebrow, which was reconstructed by reading man flap with slight modifications. Our modification is to extend the leg flap laterally, to avoid the lower part of the brow. So that the eyebrows are still protected from the flap incision.Conclusion: Reading man flap as a circular defect closure option is a useful addition to the plastic surgeon's mastery of techniques for performing round periorbital defect reconstruction. Reading man flap can be designed flexibly. It is a good option for the closure of round or elliptical-shaped defects.
Making Sense of Tweets Using Sentiment Analysis on Closely Related Topics
Authors: Bhatnagar Sarvesh , Choubey Nitin
Published: April 2021

Microblogging has taken a considerable upturn in recent years, with the growth of microblogging websites like Twitter people have started to share more of their opinions about various pressing issues on such online social networks. A broader understanding of the domain in question is required to make an informed decision. With this motivation, our study focuses on finding overall sentiments of related topics with reference to a given topic. We propose an architecture that combines sentiment analysis and community detection to get an overall sentiment of related topics. We apply that model on the following topics: shopping, politics, covid19 and electric vehicles to understand emerging trends, issues and its possible marketing, business and political implications.
An Immune-Related Gene Pairs Signature Predicts Overall Survival in Melanoma
Authors: Pan Ding , Ou Qi-Feng , Wu Pan-Feng , Yu Fang , Tang Ju-Yu
Published: April 2021

Background:The incidence rate and mortality rate of melanoma have been increasing in recent decades. Increasing evidence has depicted the correlation between melanoma prognosis and immune signature. Therefore, the aim of this study is to develop a robust prognostic immune-related gene pairs (IRGPs) signature for estimating overall survival (OS) of melanoma.Methods:Gene expression profiling and clinical information of melanoma patients were derived from two public data sets, divided into training and validation cohorts. Immune genes significantly associated with prognosis were selected. Results:Among 1,646 immune genes, a 25 IRGPs signature was built which was significantly associated with OS in the training cohort (P=1.80×10−22; hazard ratio [HR] =9.50 [6.04, 14.93]). In the validation datasets, the IRGPs signature significantly divided patients into high- vs low- risk groups considering their prognosis (P=2.47×10−4; HR =2.99 [1.66, 5.38]) and was prognostic in multivariate analysis. Functional analysis showed that several biological processes, including keratinization and pigment phenotype-related pathways, enriched in the high-risk group. Macrophages M0, NK cells resting and T cells gamma delta were significantly higher in the high-risk group compared with the low-risk group. Conclusions:We successfully constructed a robust IRGPs signature with prognostic values for melanoma, providing new insights into post-operational treatment strategies.
T cell-Epstein-Barr Virus-associated Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) occurs in Non-Asians and is associated with a T cell activation state that is comparable to primary HLH
Authors: Shamriz Oded , Kumar Deepak , Shim Jenny , Briones Michael , Quarmyne Maa-Ohui , Chonat Satheesh , Lucas Laura , Edington Holly , White Michael H. , Mahajan Advay , Park Sunita , Chandrakasan Shanmuganathan
Published: April 2021

PurposeT cell-Epstein-Barr virus-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (T cell-EBV-HLH) is prevalent in East Asia and has poor prognosis. Understanding of this disease is limited and literature regarding prevalence in North America is scarce. Herein, we summarize our experience. MethodsA retrospective analysis of T cell-EBV-HLH patients admitted to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (GA, USA) from 2010-2020 was conducted. Additional immune studies were completed in a subset of patients. ResultsWe report 15 patients (10 months-19 years of age) diagnosed with T cell-EBV-HLH. Nine patients were Hispanic and the majority without primary HLH (p-HLH) gene defects. Soluble interleukin-2 receptor levels in T cell-EBV-HLH were significantly higher than other forms of secondary-HLH but comparable to p-HLH, and it correlated with disease severity at presentation. Natural-Killer cell function was decreased in most patients despite a negative workup for p-HLH. Depending on disease severity, initial therapy included dexamethasone or dexamethasone and etoposide. Refractory patients were managed with blended regimens that included one or more of these therapies - combination chemotherapy, alemtuzumab, emapalumab and nivolumab. Rituximab did not appreciably decrease EBV viremia in most patients. Alemtuzumab resulted in inflammation flare in 2 of the 3 patients. Two patients underwent allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation, with disease relapse noted in one. At a median follow-up of 3 years, 10 of the 15 patients are alive.ConclusionT cell-EBV-HLH occurs in the US among the non-Asian population, especially in those who are Hispanic. The amplitude of T cell activation noted in T cell-EBV-HLH is comparable to p-HLH.