bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sinergisitas Penegakan Hukum Pada Kasus Pertambangan Emas Tanpa Izin di Kabupaten Banyumas, Jawa Tengah
Authors: Muryani Eni
Published: July 2020

Traditional unlicensed gold mining is found in various places in Indonesia. Mining is carried out by the people and processing gold using mercury, solely to make ends meet, they do not think the impact on environmental damage and pollution and legal aspects that can ensnare it. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the synergy of the legal umbrella and law enforcement practices in unlicensed gold mining (PETI), especially in the case of gold mining in Banyumas Regency, Central Java Province. The research method used is juridical-normative. The research data used are primary and secondary legal materials. The results showed that gold mining carried out without permission in Banyumas District was prone to cause pollution to the environment and workplace accidents. The rise of unlicensed gold mining makes it difficult for government supervision. All existing regulations and laws in synergy regulate how the people's gold mining activities should not create problems for the environment. It's just that implementation in the field is still a lot of violations, especially licensing issues. Law enforcement against illegal gold mining is carried out with preventive and repressive measures.

 

Keywords: Banyumas, Law Enforcement, Gold Mining.
Biodiversitas Capung Subordo Anisoptera di Sekitar Aliran Sungai Muria Desa Colo Kudus
Authors: Rokhmah Ellatur , Setyawati Siti Mukhlishoh , Hidayat Saifullah
Published: July 2020

Perairan yang memiliki kualitas air bersih sangat mempengaruhi keragaman jenis capung. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menghitung indeks keanekaragaman, indeks kemerataan, dominansi dan FBI (Family Biotic Indeks) capung Anisoptera dan untuk membandingkan kualitas air pada tiga area  yang berbeda terhadap keanekaragaman jenis capung Anisoptera di sekitar aliran sungai gunung Muria Desa Colo Kudus Jawa Tengah. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan metode deskriptif. Hasil dari penelitian tersebut ditemukan lima spesies capung pada tiga area  penelitian. Hasil analisis indeks keanekaragaman bahwa area  1 (0,99) dan area  3 (0,97) tergolong rendah, sedangkan area  2 (1,12) tergolong sedang. Analisis indeks kemerataan menunjukkan bahwa area  1 (0,71) dan area  2 (0,62) cukup merata, sedangkan area  3 (0,88) hampir merata. Hasil analisis indeks dominansi menunjukkan bahwa area  1 (0,42) dan area  2 (0,37) tergolong sedang, sedangkan area  3 (0,20) rendah. Hasil analisis FBI (Family Biotic Indeks) menunjukkan bahwa ketiga area  tersebut memiliki kualitas air paling baik atau tidak tercemar bahan organik. Perbandingan kualitas air pada ketiga area  terhadap keanekaragaman jenis capung Anisoptera yaitu area  1 dan area  3 memiliki kualitas air bersih akan tetapi memiliki keanekaragaman jenis capung Anisoptera rendah, sedangkan untuk area  2 memiliki kualitas air tercemar akan tetapi memiliki keanekaragaman jenis capung Anisoptera sedang.

 

Kata kunci : Biodiversitas, Capung Anisoptera, Kualitas air
Keanekaragaman Tanaman Terestrial Di Pulau Panjang Jepara
Authors: Fauzia Fara El Alfa , Salsabila Ananda , Asyhari Andi
Published: July 2020

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan jenis-jenis keanekaragaman tanaman teresterial yang terdapat di Pulau Panjang, Desa Ujung Batu, Kabupaten Jepara. Pengamatan ini dilaksanakan di hutan pantai yang ada di Pulau Panjang. Metode yang digunakan adalah metode observasi dengan pengambilan data sampel di area seluruh area Pulau Panjang. Data yang diperoleh dianalisis secara deskripstif dengan cara membuat deskripsi dan klasifikasi dari jenis yang ditemukan. Hasil penelitian menemukan 15 spesies yang terdiri atas 10 ordo dan 11 famili, terdiri dari 13 spesies pohon, 1 spesies semak, dan 1 spesies perdu. Adapun tanaman yang mendominasi di Pulau Panjang adalah Casuarina equisetifolia L. (Cemara Laut), Pemphis acidula (Stigi), Leucaena sp. (Lamtoro), Ceiba sp. (Kapuk Randu), Tamarindus sp. (Asam), dan Terminalia sp. (Ketapang).

Kata Kunci: Keanekaragaman Tumbuhan, Hutan Pantai, Pulau Panjang.
Profil Kemampuan dan Kreativitas Guru IPA dalam Menyusun Karya Tulis Ilmiah Pada Pembelajaran Kurikulum 2013
Authors: Sulaiman Asep Agus
Published: July 2020

Penyusunan karya tulis ilmiah (KTI) oleh guru IPA erat kaitannya dengan usaha mereka dalam memperbaiki proses dan hasil belajar serta menunjang untuk kenaikan pangkatnya. Dalam rangka membekalkan kemampuan menyusun KTI kepada guru, PPPPTK IPA telah mengembangkan diklatnya secara daring yang terdiri atas dua tahap dan telah diselesaikan Tahap I. Sebelum memasuki kegiatan belajar di Tahap II, diperlukan informasi tentang kemampuan guru dalam menyusun KTI. Oleh karena itu, kajian ini bertujuan menggambarkan:1) profil guru IPA dalam menyusun KTI dan 2) profil kreativitasnya setelah mengikuti diklat Tahap I. Responden dalam kajian ini adalah 42 guru IPA peserta diklat yang dilakukan pada Bulan April sampai Mei 2020. Pada kajian ini digunakan data kemampuan guru dalam menyusun KTI melalui penilaian dokumen proposal dan persepsi sikap kreatif guru dengan menggunakan kuesioner. Data tersebut dianalisis secara deskriptif kuantitatif. Hasilnya, kemampuan guru meyusun KTI dengan nilai tertinggi pada aspek penggunaan bahasa yang baik dan terendah pada aspek menulis secara ilmiah dengan baik. Berdasarkan Profil sikap kreatif menunjukkaan bahwa nilai tertinggi aspek imajinasi yang tinggi dan nilai terendah pada aspek berani mengambil risiko.

 

Kata kunci: Karya Tulis Ilmiah, kemampuan, kreativitas, guru IPA
Burden of Talaromyces marneffei infection in people living with HIV/AIDS in Asia during ART era: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Qin Yuanyuan , Huang Xiaojie , Chen Hui , Liu Xinchao , Li Yao , Hou Jianhua , Li Aixin , Yan Xiaofeng , Chen Yaokai
Published: July 2020

Background： Talaromyces marneffei (TM) is a dimorphic fungus mainly prevalent in Southeast Asian countries, which often causes disseminated life-threatening infection. TM infection often occurs in HIV/AIDS patients even in the antiretroviral therapy (ART) era. However, there has as yet, not been a systematic analysis of the prevalence of TM infection in HIV-infected populations in AsiaMethods：In this study, we searched Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, CNKI, and WanFang from inception to 21 November 2018 for studies reporting TM infection in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Our meta-analysis included studies investigating the prevalence of TM infection in PLWHA. Reviews, duplicate studies, and animal studies were excluded. A random effects model was used to estimate pooled prevalence, and meta-regression analysis was conducted to explore potential factors for heterogeneity.Results： 159,064 patients with HIV infection in 33 eligible studies were included in our meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of TM infection in PLWHA was 3.6%. Vietnam had the highest prevalence (6.4%), followed by Thailand (3.9%), China (3.3%), India (3.2%) and Malaysia (2.1%). In China, TM infection was most prevalent in South China (15.0%), while the burden in Southwest China was not very heavy (0.3%). CD4+ T-cell counts below 200cells/mm3 contributed to the increased risk of TM infection in PLWHA (OR 12.68, 95%CI: 9.58-16.77). However, access to ART did not significantly decrease the risk of TM infection in PLWHA.Conclusions： The burden of TM infection in Asia is heavy, and varies from region to region. PLWHA in lower latitude areas are more likely to suffer from TM infection. Optimization of diagnostic tools and universal screening for TM in vulnerable people to ensure early case detection and prompt antifungal treatment should be considered.
Loneliness as a risk factor for frailty transition among Chinese old people
Authors: SHA SHA , Yuebin Xu , Lin Chen
Published: July 2020

Background: previous literature has reported that loneliness is a strong predictor of frailty risk, yet less is known about the role of loneliness in frailty transition types. In this study, we examined whether and how loneliness is related to frailty transition among Chinese old people. Methods: our study used participants (aged>=60) from 2008/2009, 2011/2012 and 2014 waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). Loneliness was assessed by a single question asking how often the respondent feels lonely. FRAIL Scale was created to measure physical frailty for our study, and frailty was also assessed by a broader definition of frailty index. Frailty transition as an outcome variable has been designed as two types according to the measurement of frailty. Results: greater loneliness at baseline reduced the possibility of remaining robust or prefrail physical frailty state after 3 years (OR=0.78, 95%CI: 0.68 - 0.91, p<0.01), adjusted for all confounding variables. Greater loneliness was associated with an increased risk of worsening physical frailty after years: compared with those who had never felt lonely, the odds ratios for people who often felt lonely were 1.19 (95%CI: 1.01 - 1.41, p<0.05) after 3 years and 1.34 (95%CI: 1.08 - 1.66, p<0.01) after 6 years, adjusted for confounding variables. The association between loneliness and change in the frailty index differed in survey periods: loneliness at baselines was found to increase the possibility of participants remaining in frailty (seldom loneliness: OR= 1.78, 95%CI: 1.25 - 2.55, p<0.01; often loneliness: OR= 1.74, 95%CI: 1.21 - 2.50, p<0.01) after 6 years, but no significant sign was shown in 3 years follow-up. Besides, loneliness at baselines was significantly associated with frailty transition at follow-up among males, even after adjusting for all potential confounding variables. However, a similar association was not observed among females. Conclusion: old people with a high level of loneliness tend to be frail in the future, and greater loneliness is related to increased risk of worsening frailty and remaining frail. Male elderly with a high level of loneliness were more likely to suffer from frailty transition than female elderly in China.
Genetic diversity and different cross-neutralization capability of porcine circovirus type 2 isolates recently circulating in South Korea
Authors: Kang Seok-Jin , Kang Hyeonjeong , Yu Su-Hwa , Lee Hye Jeong , Lee Nakhyung , Hyun Bang-Hun , Cha Sang-Ho
Published: July 2020

Background: Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is a small single-stranded DNA virus and a primary cause of PCV-associated diseases (PCVAD) that result in substantial economic loss for swine farms. Between 2016 and 2018, PCV2 field viruses were isolated from PCVAD-affected swine farms in South Korea and investigated for genetic and antigenic heterogeneity. Results: The genetic analysis of ORF2 showed that the genotype of the Korean PCV2 field isolates has been rapidly shifted from PCV2a or 2b to mutant PCV2b known as PCV2d with 82.6% to 100% amino acid sequence similarity. PCV2-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) demonstrated variable antigen-binding activity to four representative Korean PCV2 field isolates [QIA215 (PCV2a), QIA418 (PCV2b), QIA169 (PCV2d), and QIA244 (PCV2d)] without genotype specificity, and one mAb showed neutralization activity to QIA215. In a cross-virus neutralization assay using anti-PCV2 sera of pigs and guinea pigs injected with a commercial vaccine and the Korean PCV2 field isolates, the anti-porcine sera of a commercial vaccine had high neutralization activity against QIA215 and QIA418 with statistically lower activity against PCV2d viruses. Anti-guinea pig sera of QIA215, QIA418, QIA169, and a commercial vaccine had high neutralization activity against all of the viruses with significantly lower activity against QIA244. Importantly, anti-guinea pig sera of QIA244 had high neutralization activity against all of the viruses. Conclusions: This study confirmed genetic and antigenic diversity among recent PCV2 field isolates in Korean swine farms, and the strain-based difference in virus neutralization capability should be considered for more effective control by vaccination.
Consumers’ satisfaction factors mining and sentiment analysis of B2C online pharmacy reviews
Authors: liu jingfang , zhou yingyi , jiang xiaoyan , zhang wei
Published: July 2020

Background In recent years, online pharmacies have been accepted by increasingly more consumers, and the prospects for online pharmacies are optimistic. This article explores the consumers’ satisfaction factors addressed in Business to Customer (B2C) online pharmacy reviews and analyzes the sentiments expressed in the reviews. The goal of this work is to help B2C online pharmacy enterprises identify consumers’ concerns, continuously improve the health services level.Methods This article was based on the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic model. From a third-party platform-based B2C online pharmacy and a proprietary B2C online pharmacy (JD Pharmacy and J1.COM, respectively), 136,630 pieces of over-the-counter (OTC) drug review data posted from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2018 were selected as samples and used to explore the satisfaction factors of B2C online pharmacy consumers regarding the entire drug purchasing process. Then, the sentiments expressed in the drug reviews were analyzed with SnowNLP.Result Categorization of the 12 factors identified by LDA showed that 5 factors were related to logistics; these 5 factors, which also included the most drug reviews, made up 38.5% of the reviews. The number of factors related to drug prices was second, with 3 factors, and reviews of drug prices made up 25.5% of the reviews. Customer service and drug effects each had two related factors, and a smaller percentage of these reviews (13.95%) were related to drug effects. Consumers still maintain positive opinions of JD Pharmacy and J1.COM. However, some opinions on logistics and drug prices are expressed.Conclusion The most important task for online pharmacies is to improve logistics. It is better to develop self-built logistics. Both types of B2C online pharmacies can improve consumer viscosity by implementing marketing strategies. With regard to customer service, focusing on improving employees' service attitudes is necessary.
Contraceptive Use and Maternal Mortality in Indonesia: A Community-Level Ecological Analysis
Authors: Aryanty Riznawaty Imma , Romadlona Nohan Arum , Besral Besral , Panggabean Elvi Debora P. , Utomo Budi , Makalew Richard , Magnani Robert J.
Published: July 2020

Background: Prior studies have shown that contraceptive use reduces maternal mortality independently of other maternal health services. The present study took advantage of geographically detailed Indonesian data to study the interplay between contraceptive use and other risk and protective factors for maternal mortality at the community level, a level of analysis where the protective effects of family planning can be best understood.Methods: Data from the 2015 Intercensal Population Survey (SUPAS) and the 2014 Village Potential Survey (PODES) were used to construct a series of census block-level variables measuring key risk and protective factors for maternal mortality. The relationships between these factors and maternal mortality, measured via natural log-transformation of past five-year maternal mortality ratios in each of the 40,748 census blocks were assessed via log-linear regressions.Results: Higher community maternal mortality ratios were associated with lower community contraceptive prevalence, higher percentage of parity four-plus births, higher proportion of poor households, lower population density of hospitals, higher density of traditional birth attendants (TBA), and residence outside of Java-Bali. For every percentage point increase in CPR, community maternal mortality ratios were lower by 7.0 points (95% CI = 0.9, 14.3). Community-level household wealth was the strongest predictor of maternal mortality.Conclusions: Community contraceptive prevalence made a significant contribution to reducing maternal mortality net of other risk and protective factors during 2010-2015. Increased health system responsiveness to the needs of pregnant women and reductions in socioeconomic and geographic disparities in maternal health services will be needed for Indonesia to reach the 2030 SDG maternal mortality goal.
Precise annotation of tick mitochondrial genomes reveals multiple copy number variation of short tandem repeats and one transposon-like element
Authors: Chen Ze , Xuan Yibo , Liang Guangcai , Yang Xiaolong , Yu Zhijun , Barker Stephen C. , Kelava Samuel , Bu Wenjun , Liu Jingze , Gao Shan
Published: July 2020

Background: In the present study, we used long-PCR amplification coupled with Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) to obtain complete mitochondrial (mt) genomes of individual ticks and unprecedently performed precise annotation of these mt genomes. We aimed to: (1) to develop a simple, cost-effective and accurate method for the study of extremely high AT-content mt genomes within an individual animal (e.g. Dermacentor silvarum) containing miniscule DNA; (2) to provide a high-quality reference genome for D. silvarum with precise annotation and also for future studies of other tick mt genomes; and (3) to detect and analyze mt DNA variation within an individual tick.Results: These annotations were confirmed by the PacBio full-length transcriptome data to cover both entire strands of the mitochondrial genomes without any gaps or overlaps. Moreover, two new and important findings were reported for the first time, contributing fundamental knowledge to mt biology. The first was the discovery of a transposon-like element that may eventually reveal much about mechanisms of gene rearrangements in mt genomes. Another finding was that Copy Number Variation (CNV) of Short Tandem Repeats (STRs) account for mitochondrial sequence diversity (heterogeneity) within an individual tick, insect, mouse or human, whereas SNPs were not detected. The CNV of STRs in the protein-coding genes resulted in frameshift mutations in the proteins, which can cause deleterious effects. Mitochondria containing these deleterious STR mutations accumulate in cells and can produce deleterious proteins. Conclusions: We proposed that the accumulation of CNV of STRs in mitochondria may cause aging or diseases. Future tests of the CNV of STRs hypothesis help to ultimately reveal the genetic basis of mitochondrial DNA variation and its consequences (e.g., aging and diseases) in animals. Our study will lead to the reconsideration of the importance of STRs and a unified study of CNV of STRs with longer and shorter repeat units (particularly polynucleotides) in both nuclear and mt genomes.
Microglia prevent beta-amyloid plaque formation in the early stage of an Alzheimer’s disease mouse model with suppression of glymphatic clearance
Authors: Feng Weixi , Zhang Yanli , Wang Ze , Xu Hanrong , Wu Ting , Marshall Charles , Gao Junying , Xiao Ming
Published: July 2020

Background: Soluble beta-amyloid (Aβ) can be cleared from the brain through various mechanisms including enzymatic degradation, glial cell phagocytosis, transport across the blood-brain barrier and glymphatic clearance. However, the relative contribution of each clearance system and their compensatory effects in delaying the pathological process of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are currently unknown. Methods: Fluorescent trace, immunofluorescence and Western blot analyses were performed to compare glymphatic clearance ability and Aβ accumulation among 3-month-old APP695/PS1-dE9 transgenic (APP/PS1) mice, wild-type mice, aquaporin 4 knock out (AQP4 -/- ) mice and AQP4 -/- /APP/PS1 mice. The consequence of selectively eliminating microglial cells, or downregulating apolipoprotein E (apoE) expression, on Aβ burden was also investigated in the frontal cortex of AQP4 -/- /APP/PS1 mice and APP/PS1 mice. Results: AQP4 deletion in APP/PS1 mice significantly exaggerated glymphatic clearance dysfunction and intraneuronal accumulation of Aβ and apoE, although it did not lead to Aβ plaque deposition. Notably, microglia, but not astrocytes, increased activation and phagocytosis of Aβ in the cerebral cortex of AQP4 -/- /APP/PS1 mice, compared with APP/PS1 mice. Selectively eliminating microglia in the frontal cortex via local injection of clodronate liposomes resulted in deposition of Aβ plaques in AQP4 -/- /APP/PS1 mice, but not APP/PS1 mice. Moreover, knockdown of apoE reduced intraneuronal Aβ levels in both APP/PS1 mice and AQP4 -/- /APP/PS1 mice, indicating an inhibitory effect of apoE on Aβ clearance. Conclusion: The above results suggest that the glymphatic system mediated Aβ and apoE clearance and microglia mediated Aβ degradation synergistically prevent Aβ plague formation in the early stages of the AD mouse model. Protecting one or both of them might be beneficial to delaying the onset of AD.
Clinical Diagnostic Value for Colorectal Cancer Based on Serum CEA, CA24-2 and CA19-9
Authors: Rao Hui , Wu Heming , Huang Qingyan , Yu Zhikang , Zhang Qunji , Zhong Zhixiong
Published: July 2020

Background

To explore the clinical value of a combined detection of serum concentration of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 24-2 (CA24-2), and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) for colorectal cancer (CRC).

Methods

The levels of serum tumor markers (CEA, CA24-2 and CA19-9) and clinical characteristics in patients with colorectal cancer were evaluated. In addition, KRAS/NRAS/PIK3CA/BRAF mutations were detected in some patients with colorectal cancer.

Results

A total of 2,281 patients were recruited in the study, included 1,578 colorectal cancer patients and 703 controls. The levels of CEA, CA24-2 and CA19-9 in colorectal cancer group was significantly higher than control group. The sensitivities of three individual markers were lower than 30%, which individual sensitivity of the tumor markers sorted in descending order was CEA>CA19-9>CA24-2. The specificities of three individual markers were more than 92%, and the specificity sorted in descending order was CA24-2>CA19-9>CEA. The combination of CEA+CA19-9+CA24-2 ranked the highest in sensitivity index and specificity index for colorectal cancer diagnosis. The prediction equation excluding the risk of colorectal cancer was. Probability (normal) = Exp (-5.47 - 0.28CEA - 0.11 CA242 + 0.001 CA199)/ (1+ Exp (-5.47 - 0.28CEA - 0.11 CA242 + 0.001 CA199)). There were no significant differences in age, gender, histology type, differentiation, depth of invasion and TNM stage between mutations in KRAS/NRAS, BRAF and PIK3CA genes or not, respectively.

Conclusions

Serum CEA, CA24-2, and CA19-9 are valuable noninvasive indicators for prediction the risk of colorectal cancer. We need to look for other, more sensitive tumor markers.
Differential Expression of MicroRNAs in Fibrotic Liver Tissues of Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B
Authors: Hai Long , Ma Li-Na , Zhao Ying-Xia , Luo Xia , Liu Xiao-Yan , Hu Yan-Chao , DING Xiang Chun , Zhang Yan-Li , Nawaz Shah
Published: July 2020

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs), which are single-stranded small RNAs approximately 21 to 23 bases long, are involved in the regulation of cell proliferation, apoptosis, and lipid metabolism/fatty acid metabolism, and play important roles in the differentiation of the liver and the maintenance of its morphology and function MiRNAs are also closely related to the occurrence, development, treatment, and prognosis of liver diseases. Fibrotic Liver is a chronic process of the intrahepatic damage–repair response. The mixed effects of these pathogenic factors result in an abnormal comprehensive proliferation of fibrous tissue in the liver, diffused production and deposition of the extracellular matrix (ECM), and an imbalance in ECM synthesis and degradation. These lead to secondary inflammatory responses in the liver and the reversible pathological process of self-healing.Methods: Liver tissues were obtained from 3 patients with CHB with liver histopathological fibrosis grade ≥ S2, 2 patients with CHB with fibrosis grade < S2, and 1 healthy individual with a normal liver. The high-throughput miRNA microarray technique was used for miRNA expression analysis. The screening criteria for differential miRNA expression were a fold-change ≥ 2 and P< 0.005. The miRNAs with significantly different expression levels were verified by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR), and the target gene functions were predicted by Gene Ontology (GO) and pathway analyses. Finally, an miRNA-gene network map was constructed.Results: In the CHB groups of tissues, 34 miRNAs with ≥ 2-fold difference in expression were found, of which 18 were upregulated and 16 were downregulated. qPCR was used to verify these miRNAs that showed significant differences, with the results showing consistency with the microarray results, indicating that the miRNA microarray results were credible. Bioinformatics analysis results demonstrate that some of the key upregulated miRNAs found in the network map were hsa-miR-125b-2-3p, hsa-miR-4639-3p, hsa-miR-4764-3p, and hsa-miR-3133, whereas some of the key downregulated ones were hsa-miR-1297, hsa-miR-154-5p, hsa-miR-3183 and hsa-miR-663a.Conclusion: In patients with CHB, the miRNA expression profile changes significantly with the severity of fibrotic liver. The development of fibrotic liver may be related to the miRNA-mediated regulation of cell development, metabolism, and apoptosis, and the positive/negative regulation of cell processes.This study was approved by the ethics committee of general hospital of Ningxia medical university (2015-134).
Effects of Fluoride and Calcium Phosphate-Based Varnishes on pH, Lactic Acid and Trace Elements in Saliva: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
Authors: Pascual Andrea Poza , Muñoz Clara Serna , Silva Amparo Perez , Martínez-Beneyto Yolanda , Ruiz Antonio Jose Ortiz
Published: July 2020

Background: When dental plaque is not regularly removed, bacteria break down sugars in the diet forming acids as by-products. Lactic acid is the main acid involved in caries. As acids accumulate minerals are lost from the surface layer of the tooth. The imbalance in demineralization/remineralization favours the loss of calcium and phosphate from the teeth. Saliva contains the most important microelements for the remineralization and maturation of dental tissue and plays a crucial role in maintaining the oral environment. Fluoride is the agent par excellence in preventing and detaining cavities. However, remineralization may be hampered by limited levels of calcium and phosphate, and new products have been developed to ensure a constant supply. Two of the most used products are amorphous calcium phosphate stabilized with casein phosphopeptide (CPP-ACP) and tricalcium phosphate modified by fumaric acid (fTCP).Methods: We conducted a controlled, randomized clinical trial of the effect on the saliva of the application of two varnishes − MI Varnish (CPP-ACP with sodium fluoride 5%) and Clinpro White Varnish (fTCP with sodium fluoride 5%) – applied every three months in children with a high risk of caries, for 12 months. We included 58 children aged 4-12 years, assigned to control (placebo), Clinpro and MI groups. Baseline and three-monthly saliva samples were taken. We assessed changes in pH, lactic acid concentrations and trace elements in saliva.Results: At 12 months, all groups showed a nonsignificant increase in pH levels and a reduction in lactic acid, which was greatest in the placebo group. There was a significant reduction in 24Mg, 31P and 66Zn levels in the placebo group (p≤0.05), but not in the other elements studied: 23Na, 27Al, 39K, 44Ca, 52Cr, 55Mn, 57Fe, 59Co, 63Cu, 75As, 111Cd, 137Ba, 208Pb and 19F.Conclusions: Neither pH, lactic acid concentrations or most salivary trace elements were useful in defining patients at high risk of caries or in monitoring the effect of MI Varnish and Clinpro White Varnish after three-monthly application for 12 months.Trial registration: ISRCTN13681286. Registered 26 May 2020 - Retrospectively registered, http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN13681286
The Variation Tendency of Serum C-Reactive Protein is A Good Marker to Exclude Anastomotic Leakage after Laparoscopic Gastrectomy for Adenocarcinoma of Esophagogastric Junction
Authors: Luo Bin , Liao Qianchao , Zheng Jiabin , Hu Weixian , Yao Xueqing , Cai Guanfu , Li Yong , Wang Junjiang
Published: July 2020

Backgroud:Esophagojejunal anastomotic leakage (EJAL) after laparoscopic gastrectomy with mediastinal lymph nodes resection for adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction (AEG) constituted the most common and serious postoperative complications (PCs). Early diagnosis of EJAL was of great importance. This retrospective study aimed to investigate whether the variation tendency of serum C-reactive protein can be used as an early marker to exclude EJAL after laparoscopic gastrectomy for AEG.Methods:Data for patients underwent laparoscopic gastrectomy for AEG, from January 2015 to March 2020, were retrospectively analyzed. Diagnostic accuracy was determined by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for PCs of grade II or more，according to the Clavien-Dindo classification. Results:A total of 114 patients were analyzed, of whom 21 (18.4%, 95% CI 11.4-25.4 %) developed major PCs, including anastomotic leakage in 13. The ratio of CRP level on postoperative day 3 to day 2 (POD3/2 CRP) provided the best diagnostic accuracy (AUC 0.903, 95% CI 0.814-0.993, p＜0.001). Proximal gastrectomy (OR 8.224, 95% CI 1.976-34.234, p=0.004) and operation time ≥360 minutes (OR 6.753, 95% CI 2.037-22.395, p=0.002) were identified as significant independent risk factors for major postoperative complications.Conclusions:The POD3/2 CRP was the best marker to exclude anastomotic leakage after laparoscopic gastrectomy for AEG.
To what extent are social determinants of health, including household overcrowding, air pollution and housing quality deprivation, modulators of presentation, ITU admission and outcomes among patients with SARS-COV-2 infection in an urban catchment area in Birmingham, United Kingdom?
Authors: Soltan Marina , Crowley LE , Melville CR , Varney Justin , Cassidy Sam , Mahida Rahul , Grudzinska Frances , Parekh Dhruv , Dosanjh Davinder P. , Thickett David
Published: July 2020

Background: Internationally, researchers have called for evidence to support tackling health inequalities during the Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(COVID19) pandemic. UK Office for National Statistics data suggests that patients in regions of most deprived overall, generic Index of Multiple Deprivation Score(IMDS) are twice as likely to die of COVID19 than other causes. The Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre (ICNARC) report that BAME patients account for 34% of critically ill COVID19 patients nationally despite constituting 14% of the population. This paper is the first to explore the roles of social determinants of health, including specific IMDS sub-indices with indicators for household quality deprivation, household overcrowding deprivation and air pollution deprivation, as modulators of presentation, Intensive Care Unit(ITU) admission and outcomes among COVID19 patients of all ethnicities. Methods: An in-depth retrospective cohort study of 408 hospitalised COVID19 patients admitted to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham was conducted. Quantitative data analyses including two-step cluster analyses were applied. Results: Patients admitted from highest living environment(LE) deprivation indices were at increased risk of presenting with multi-lobar pneumonia and, in turn, ITU admission whilst patients admitted from highest Barriers to Housing and Services(BHS) deprivation indices were at increased risk of ITU admission. Admission to ITU significantly increased the risk of death. Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic(BAME) patients were more likely, than white patients, to present with multi-lobar pneumonia, be admitted to ITU and be admitted from highest BHS and LE deprivation indices. Comorbidities and frailty significantly increased the risk of death among COVID19 patients irrespective of deprivation.Conclusions: Air pollution and housing quality deprivation are potential modulators of presentation with multi-lobar pneumonia. Household overcrowding deprivation and presentation with multi-lobar pneumonia are potential modulators of ITU admission. Patents of BAME ethnicity are more likely to be admitted from regions of highest air pollution, housing quality and household overcrowding deprivation; this is likely to contribute an explanation towards the higher ITU admissions reported among COVID19 BAME patients. These findings have urgent implications for supporting front line clinical decisions, disseminating practical advice around applying social distancing messages at the household level and informing wider pandemic strategy.
Comparison of Ultrasound and 99mTc-DMSA Scan Findings with Voiding Cystourethrography in Detecting Vesicoureteral Reflux in Children
Authors: Farkhani Ahmad Ramezani , Hekmat Sepideh , Armandeh Jilla , Khodadost Mahmoud , Zarei Elham
Published: July 2020

Background: Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is a common urinary tract disorder in pediatrics and could increase the risk of severe complications. The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of ultrasound (US) and 99mTc-DMSA scan in detecting VUR in comparison with voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) among children hospitalized with urinary tract infection (UTI).Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the total numbers of 540 children with UTI referred to Ali-Asghar children’s hospital were enrolled, from April 2017 to May 2019. All patients underwent US and VCUG , 99mTc-DMSA performed for some of them to detect VUR. Accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, negative predicted value (NPV), positive predicted value (PPV) and Kappa agreement coefficient was used to compare the US and 99mTc-DMSA with VCUG results. Results: Among 540 patients, VUR was detected in 143 children on VCUG including 90 (63 %) with grades III –V. US was abnormal in 97 of 143 patients (67.8 %) with confirmed VUR on VCUG and 99mTc-DMSA scan was abnormal in 41 of 69 (59 %) with VUR detected by VCUG. The overall accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, NPV and PPV for US were 61.30%, 67.83%, 58.94%, 37.31 and 83.57%, respectively. Among children with high grade VUR (grade III –V) on VCUG, the sensitivity, specificity and NPV of US were 80%, 58.2% and 93.60 respectively. However, when using both US and 99mTc-DMSA scan results for detecting the high grade VUR, the sensitivity, specificity and NPV were 92%, 42.30% and 93.20% respectively. Conclusion: Although neither the US nor the 99mTc-DMSA scan can alone be sufficiently accurate to detect all grades of VUR, US, especially when combined with 99mTc-DMSA scan has enough sensitivity and NPV for ruling out high-grade VUR. These results indicate that there is no need to do VCUG in children with normal US and 99mTc-DMSA scans.
Effect of Pre-treatment on Quality Attributes of Pentaclethra macrophylla Benth Oil Expressed using an Oil Expeller: A Response Surface Approach
Authors: Ogunlade Clement Adesoji , Aremu Ademola Kabir , Akinoso Rahman
Published: July 2020

Investigations into some unexploited oleaginous seeds is imperative to supplement existing ones and boost supply of vegetable oil (VO). This work determined the impact of pre-treatment on some quality attributes of VO expressed from Pentaclethra macrophylla kernels using an oil expeller. Pre-treatment variables include Moisture Content (Mc), Roasting Temperature (RT), and Roasting Time (Rt) while quality parameters include pH, Iron content (IC), Acid Value (Av), Peroxide Value (Pv) and Saponification value (Sv). Standard procedures were followed in determination of oil quality and values obtained were compared with acceptable levels for VO. Optimum condition (8%db, 11.7 min Rt and 59.3oC RT) gave 5.8 pH, 0.044 mg/kg IC, 2.3 mgKOH/g AV, and 7 ml/g PV. The oil quality attributes conforms to acceptable levels for edible oils and was influenced by pre-treatment. The models developed to predict the relationships between pre-treatment and quality attributes are valid (p < 0.05).
Comprehensive Analysis of Differentially Expressed Profiles of circRNAs in Diabetic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Wu Yuanbin , Cheng Nan , Zhang Yuhai , Li Libing , Mao Lei , Wang Rong
Published: July 2020

Objective: To assess the circular RNAs (circRNA) expression profile and explore their potential functions in diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). Methods: Using an STZ induced DCM model, microarray analysis was adopted to assess the circRNAs profiles. Then 6 differentially expressed circRNAs were confirmed by quantitative Real-Time PCR. Furthermore, gene ontology (GO) analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis and TargetScan were used to reveal the underlying function of the differentially expressed circRNAs. Cytoscape was used to visualize the interaction networks as well. Results: We revealed a total of 171dyrgulated circRNAs, including 89 upregulated, and 82 downregulated circRNAs in DCM. And confirmed 5 circRNAs distinct expressions (rno_circRNA_000466, rno_circRNA_000964, rno_circRNA_003395, rno_circRNA_000173, rno_circRNA_013989) in DCM by qRT-PCR. GO, and KEGG pathway enrichment revealed the differentially expressed circRNAs might participate in the insulin signaling pathway, autophagy, HIF-1 signaling pathway, inflammatory mediator regulation of TRP channels. rno_circRNA_000466 function through competing endogenous RNA mechanism, and may involve in the TGF-β signaling pathway, regulation of glucose transmembrane transport, endocrine process and response to lipoprotein particle. Conclusions: This study opens new avenues for a better understanding of the involvement of circRNA leading to DCM. And unveiled the specific role of rno_circRNA_000466 in the pathogenesis of DCM. These results may provide important information and direction for the future development of novel targets for the treatment of DCM.
A Classification Method for Judging the Depth of Chest Compression Based on CNN
Authors: Zhao Liang , Bao Yu , Ye Ruidong , Zhang Aijuan , Zhang Yu
Published: July 2020

The displacement can be calculated based on the integrated value of the acceleration signal waveform obtained by the acceleration sensor or gyroscope. However, this method is not effective in accurate measurement. Although some studies have improved the method of calculating accurate distance values by overcoming the effects of sensor noise or integration delay, the evaluation is still affected by sensor accuracy and environment. However, there are some special displacements, such as the chest compression. The displacement is a reciprocating motion and will return to the starting point again. Therefore, the acceleration waveform changes have obvious characteristics in the two stages from moving to the equilibrium position and returning to the starting point. Therefore, we propose an embedded classification method based on one-dimensional Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), which directly learns from the data of chest compressions and performs the signal formed by the Classification, distinguish the signal waveform under the standard pressing distance, so as to replace the calculation of distance measurement, and is not affected by factors such as pressure occlusion and electromagnetic wave interference, and has certain practical value on site. We tagged compressions and collected data from the simulator. The experiment evaluates the proposed CNN structure, and compares the classification results of the sample data with several CNN networks and SVMs with different structures in the literature. The results show that with sufficient training, the proposed 1D-CNN method can achieve an accuracy rate of more than 95%, and balances the accuracy rate and the hardware requirements.
Association of Plasma Lactate Level With 28-day Mortality in Non-elderly and Elderly Sepsis Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study Based on the Mimic-III Database
Authors: Dong Yihua , Miao Xiaoyang , Hu Yufeng , Huang Yueyue , Chen Jie , Lu Yingru , Pan Jingye
Published: July 2020

Purpose: The objective of this study is to assess the clinical usefulness of lactate as a predictor of 28-day mortality and the relationship between lactate and 28-day mortality in non-elderly (<65 years) and elderly (≥65 years) sepsis patients who were admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU).Methods: This retrospective study used the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care Ⅲ, a publicly available database of ICUs. Prognosis was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Univariate and multivariable binary logistic regression models were used to identify the association lactate with 28-day mortality. We converted continuous variable lactate into a categorical variable based on tri-segment quantile to explore segmentation effects.Results: The average age of 2848 patients was 68.01 years old, and about 55.40% of them were male. The overall 28-day mortality was 30.41%, and the rate in elderly patients was 65.82%. Among non-survivors, the lactate level was significantly greater for the non-elderly than the elderly. Lactate level was positively associated with risk of 28-day mortality of the non-elderly sepsis patients (p for trend < 0.001), but there was no significant association between lactate level and 28-day mortality in the elderly group (p for trend = 0.830). The association between lactate and 28-day mortality for sepsis patients without liver cirrhosis was stronger than for sepsis patients with liver cirrhosis (OR 1.28 vs. OR 1.10, P =0.027).Conclusion: Increased lactate level is associated with higher 28-day mortality in the non-elderly sepsis patients, but there is no significant association between the lactate level and 28-day mortality in the elderly group.
Dual-atom Pt heterogeneous catalyst with excellent catalytic performances for the selective hydrogenation and epoxidation
Authors: Tian Shubo , He Zizhan , Gong Wanbing , Xu Qi , Chen Wenxing , Zhu Youqi , Yang Jiarui , Fu Qiang , Chen Chun , Bu Yuxiang , Sun Xiaoming , Zhao Huijun , Wang Dingsheng , Li Yadong
Published: July 2020

Atomically monodispersed heterogeneous catalysts with uniform active sites and high atom utilization efficiency are ideal heterogeneous catalytic materials. Designing such type of catalysts, however, remains a formidable challenge. Herein, using a wet-chemical method, we successfully achieved a mesoporous graphitic carbon nitride (mpg-C3N4) supported dual-atom Pt2 catalyst, which exhibited excellent catalytic performance for the highly selective hydrogenation of nitrobenzene to aniline. The conversion of ˃99% is significantly superior to the corresponding values of mpg-C3N4-supported single Pt atoms and ultra-small Pt nanoparticles. First-principles calculations revealed that the excellent performance of the dual-atomic Pt2 species originates from an effective activation of the nitro groups in the reactant. The produced Pt2/mpg-C3N4 samples are versatile and can be applied in catalyzing other important reactions, such as the selective hydrogenation of benzaldehyde and the epoxidation of styrene.
Clinical Features and Outcomes of COVID-19 in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Singhal Sunny , Kumar Pramod , Singh Sumitabh , Saha Srishti , Dey Aparajit Ballav
Published: July 2020

Background Few studies have focused on exploring the clinical characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 in older patients. We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to have a better understanding of the clinical characteristics of older COVID-19 patients.Methods A systematic search of PubMed and Scopus was performed from December 2019 to May 3rd, 2020. Observational studies including older adults (age ≥60 years) with COVID-19 infection and reporting clinical characteristics or outcome were included. Primary outcome was assessing weighted pooled prevalence (WPP) of severity and outcomes. Secondary outcomes were clinical features including comorbidities and need of respiratory support.Result 46 studies with 13,624 older patients were included. Severe infection was seen in 51% (95% CI– 36-65%, I2- 95%) patients while 22% (95% CI– 16-28%, I2- 88%) were critically ill. Overall, 11% (95% CI– 5-21%, I2- 98%) patients died. The common comorbidities were hypertension (48%, 95% CI– 36-60% I2- 92%), diabetes mellitus (22%, 95% CI– 13-32%, I2- 86%) and cardiovascular disease (19%, 95% CI – 11-28%, I2- 85%). Common symptoms were fever (83%, 95% CI– 66-97%, I2-91%), cough (60%, 95% CI– 50-70%, I2- 71%) and dyspnoea (42%, 95% CI– 19-67%, I2- 94%). Overall, 84% (95% CI– 60-100%, I2- 81%) required oxygen support and 21% (95% CI– 0-49%, I2- 91%) required mechanical ventilation. Majority of studies had medium to high risk of bias and overall quality of evidence was low for all outcomes.Conclusion Approximately half of older patients with COVID-19 have severe infection, one in five are critically ill and one in ten die. More high quality evidence is needed to study outcomes in this vulnerable patient population and factors affecting these outcomes.
Suhuai suckling piglet ionomic-metabolome responses to different dietary copper level in antibiotic free creep feed
Authors: Zhang Feng , Zheng Weijiang , Xue Yongqiang , Yao Wen
Published: July 2020

Background: High levels of dietary copper may enhance co-selection in favor of antibiotic resistant bacteria and promote the spread of antibiotic resistance. This possibility necessitates further assessment of the safety and utility of supplementing feed with copper. Methods: Eighteen Suhuai sows at second parity were divided into 3 experimental groups in which their 180 suckling piglets had access to antibiotic free creep feed with different levels of copper supplementation: low copper diet (LC, 6 mg·kg -1 ), control diet (CON, 20 mg·kg -1 ), and high copper diet (HC, 300 mg·kg -1 ), which was offered ad libitum from day 14 until weaning at day 40. The growth performance, serum biochemical parameters, ionomic profiles (hair, serum, and feces), fecal significant metabolites of suckling piglets, and the correlations were analyzed. Results: In HC group, the average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) increased during d 14 to 28 ( P < 0.05), but ADG was decreased with extension of feeding time (d 29 to 40) ( P < 0.01). Compared with the CON group, the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) ( P < 0.05) was decreased while total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) ( P < 0.05) was increased in HC group. The hair Na ( P < 0.01) and K ( P < 0.01) concentrations were increased in HC group than CON group; hair Cu ( P < 0.01), fecal Cu ( P < 0.01) increased in the HC group than LC group. The hair Na and K were negatively correlated with serum TNF-α and fecal inosine ( P < 0.05), while positively correlated with serum insulin-like growth factors-1 (IGF-1) and T-AOC ( P < 0.05); the hair Cu was negatively correlated with serum malondialdehyde (MDA), total bile acid (TBA) and fecal putrescine, glucose-6-phosphate, fumaric acid ( P < 0.05); the fecal Cu was positively correlated with serum growth hormone ( P < 0.05), negatively correlated with fecal methionine, pantothenic acid, and uracil ( P < 0.05). Further metabolic pathway enrichment analysis showed that the hair Cu was negatively correlated with phenylalanine and tyrosine metabolism, and mitochondrial electron transport chain pathways; fecal Cu was negatively correlated with betaine metabolism, and pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis pathways. Conclusions: Dietary 300 mg·kg -1 copper altered the ion balance and further affected the body’s redox balance state and metabolic homeostasis, which adverse to the health of piglets; dietary 20 mg·kg -1 copper maintain ion homeostasis and suitable to meet the nutritional needs of suckling piglets than 6 mg·kg -1 dietary copper.