bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Perceptions and Experience of Women With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in Taiwan: A Phenomenological Study
Authors: Su Mei-Chen , Chang Min-Yu , Sun Jui-Chiung
Published: January 2021

Background: At present, most research related to GDM investigates disease control from the perspective of medical care givers. Medical professionals often lack understanding of the life context of GDM, which not only alienates them from the experience of patients with GDM but also leads to the provision of health care and the formulation of policies that are not appropriate for women. The objective of the present study was to explore the perceptions and experience of women with GDM in Taiwan.Methods: A descriptive phenomenological approach was applied to conduct this study. Purposive sampling was utilized to select 22 women with GDM from a medical centre in northern Taiwan. Data were collected from October 2017 and July 2018 through in-depth interviews using semi-structured and open-ended questions. Data were analysed according to Giorgi’s phenomenological method.Results: Four themes emerged from the data: Unexpectedly having a high-risk pregnancy, Beliefs of effects of blood glucose control, Perceived obstacles of implementing blood glucose control and Maternal duty to ensure the safety of mother and child.Conclusions: Health professionals must be able to understand the experience and perception of women with GDM. In addition to the medical care needs for women with GDM, their culture, the emotional impact of the disease, and their feelings and difficulties in the face of the disease must be considered to ensure that women receive comprehensive perinatal care.
Association of Intimate Partner Violence and Other Risk Factors With HIV Infection Among Married Women in India: Evidence From National Family Health Survey 2015-16
Authors: Shri Neha , T. Muhammad
Published: January 2021

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. It is fuelled by gender inequality and disparity, which has resulted in a fundamental violation of women’s human rights. This study tries to find the association of intimate partner violence and other risk factors with the occurrence of HIV infection among married women in India.Data and Methods: This study is based on nationally representative data from the Indian National Family Health Survey (2015–16). Bivariate analysis and Multivariate analysis has been performed to determine the prevalence of HIV and Intimate Partner Violence. Logistic regression analysis is performed to find out the association of lifetime intimate partner violence and other factors with HIV infection among currently married women.Results: Married women who had faced physical, sexual, and emotional violence from their husbands/partners were almost twice more likely to have tested HIV positive compared to married women who did not suffer from violence [OR: 1.90, CI: 1.91-1.97]. The likelihood of testing for HIV positive was significantly higher among the married women whose husbands drink alcohol [OR: 2.49, CI: 1.69-3.66]. Interestingly, the use of condoms did not show any significant association with positive HIV status. Again, having more than one partner had a significant positive association with testing positive for HIV among married women [OR: 2.40, CI: 1.30-4.42].Conclusion: The findings of the study have shown that factors such as violence, having an alcoholic husband, increased number of lifetime sexual partners, having no financial autonomy, being sexually inactive for weeks, belonging to vulnerable social groups, and urban place of residence are important risk factors of HIV infection among married women in India.
Structure of Variability in Scanning Movement Predicts Braille Reading Performance in Children
Authors: Nonaka Tetsushi , Ito Kiyohide , Stoffregen Thomas
Published: January 2021

Among children learning to read braille, we asked whether the quantitative kinematics of scanning movements of the reading finger would be related to the proficiency of braille reading. Over a period of 12 months, we recorded the position and orientation of the reading fingers of eight congenitally or early blind children. We found that the strength of long-range power-law temporal correlations in the velocity fluctuations increased with performance in braille reading. In addition, we found that the variations in the angular orientation of the reading finger were related to braille reading performance. These results confirm that the quantitative kinematics of finger scanning movements were related to functional performance in braille reading. The results add to the growing body of evidence that long-range temporal correlations in exploratory behavior can predict perceptual performance, and that scanning movements that center important tactile information on the small, high resolution area contribute to the pickup of information.
Solvent-Free Microwave Extraction of Essential Oil and Hydrosol From Piper Longum Lour. Fruit and Evaluation of Antioxidant Activities
Authors: Song Fei , Huang Liyun , Qin Weiquan , Chen Hua , liu Liyun , Tang Minmin
Published: January 2021

In this study, essential oil (EO) of Piper longum L. (PL) fruit was extracted by solvent-free microwave assisted extraction (SFME) and hydroditillation (HD) with hydrosol obtained as a by-product. Operational conditions for SFME were maximized by response surface methodology (RSM) combined with a Box-Behnken design (BBD). Results indicated that the maximum extraction rate of EO by SFME with the optimal parameters was 0.747%, which was significantly higher than 0.496% of HD method. The EOs analyzed by GC-MS, presented 50 and 36 compounds constituting 95.99% and 98.52% of the total peak area obtained by SFME and HD, respectively. The principal components of the both oils were sesquiterpenes and aliphatics while SFME EO contained more bioactive compounds of terpenoids. The predominant components of SFME and HD hydrosols were eugenol (25.44% SFME; 22.82% HD) and linalool (14.10% SFME; 22.37% HD). Trans-isoeugenol, observed for the first time in PL fruit, was presented in SFME hydrosol and took up 14.33% of all the detected compounds. Both the EO and hydrosol extracted by SFME possessed better antioxidant properties than those from HD method, which indicated that SFME was a superior approach to simultaneously obtain the two products.
Locality and Conservation Laws: How, in the presence of symmetry, locality restricts realizable unitaries
Authors: Marvian Iman
Published: January 2021

According to an elementary result in quantum computing, any unitary transformation on a composite system can be generated using 2-local unitaries, i.e., those that act only on two subsystems. Beside its fundamental importance in quantum computing, this result can also be regarded as a statement about the dynamics of systems with local Hamiltonians: although locality puts various constraints on the short-term dynamics, it does not restrict the possible unitary evolutions that a composite system with a general local Hamiltonian can experience after a sufficiently long time. We ask if such universality remains valid in the presence of conservation laws and global symmetries. In particular, can k-local symmetric unitaries on a composite system generate all symmetric unitaries on that system? Surprisingly, it turns out that the answer is negative in the case of continuous symmetries, such as U(1) and SU(2): generic symmetric unitaries cannot be implemented, even approximately, using local symmetric unitaries. In the context of quantum thermodynamics this means that generic energy-conserving unitary transformations on a composite system cannot be implemented by applying local energy-conserving unitary transformations on the components. We also show how this no-go theorem can be circumvented via catalysis: any globally energy-conserving unitary can be implemented using a sequence of 2-local energy-conserving unitaries, provided that one can use a single ancillary qubit (catalyst).
The Biogeography of Dust in the Eastern Mediterranean
Authors: Rudich Yinon , Gat Daniella , Cytryn Eddie , Zimmermann Ralf
Published: January 2021

The atmospheric microbiome, the aerobiome, represents a complex mixture of suspended microorganisms originating from different environments, e.g., soil, marine environments, and plants. Aerobiomes sampled around the globe show distinct compositions, yet some common features might be observed. Defining these similarities and differences will contribute to our understanding of this understudied environment. In this study, we sequenced the metagenomes of atmospheric dust collected in Israel, representing different particulate matter (PM) concentrations, dust origins and atmospheric trajectories. The metagenomes were compared to publicly available atmospheric metagenomes, as well as to marine and soil metagenomes from the Eastern Mediterranean region. This study helps elucidate the role of dust storms in replenishing the atmosphere with bacteria, fungi and archaea, which facilitate essential biogeochemical processes, by investigating microbiomes and functional genes from dust metagenomes. Our results reveal a high level of similarity between metagenomes of dust sampled in Israel and metagenomes of dust collected in Saudi Arabia asynchronically. Moreover, by identifying taxa and genes that are correlated with PM concentrations, we suggest a possible "core" atmospheric microbiome composed mainly of fungi. Application of the SourceTracker algorithm revealed an inverse correlation between the "core" aerobiome and the fraction of soil-derived bacteria and archaea in the dust metagenomes. Marine microbiomes contributed very little to the dust microbiome, even in dust that traversed the Mediterranean and Red Seas. The dust metagenomes showed a high relative abundance of genes associated with antibiotic resistance, sporulation and the ability to degrade aromatic pollutants, which could not be traced to any of the natural microbiomes that were examined. This study represents an important step toward integrating the knowledge accumulated on the global aerobiome and reveals the important role of dust storms in contributing to the presence of various environmentally relevant microbial functions.
Incidence and Predictive Factors of Distal Pedicle Screw Loosening Followed Posterior Corrective Surgery for Degenerative Lumbar Scoliosis
Authors: Wang Hui , Wang Longjie , Sun Zhuoran , Jiang Shuai , Li Weishi
Published: January 2021

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to identify the prevalence of distal pedicle screw loosening (DPSL) following posterior decompression and instrumented fusion for DLS, to search for predictable risk factors for DPSL, and hope to provide references in decision making and surgical planning for spine surgeons. MethodsOne hundred and fifty-three consecutive DLS patients surgically treated between January 2013 and July 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. The diagnostic criteria for DPSL developed by X-ray include the radiolucent area (thicker than 1 mm) around screw and the “double halo” sign defined as the presence of radiolucent area and radiopaque rim at the same X-ray. According to the occurrence of DPSL at two-year follow-up, patients were divided into two groups: study group (screw loosening) and control group (without screw loosening). To investigate predictive factors for distal pedicle screw loosening, three categorized factors were analyzed statistically.ResultsDPSL was detected in 72 of 153 patients (47.1%) at two-year follow up, and were enrolled as study group. Another 81 patients presented no screw loosening at two-year follow up, and were enrolled as control group. Hounsfield unit (HU) value was lower in study group than that in control group. Fusion level was longer in study group than that in control group. Lower instrumented vertebrae on L5 was less in study group than that in control group. Posterolateral fusion was less in study group than that in control group. Preoperative Cobb angle, postoperative Cobb angle, Cobb angle correction, preoperative lumbosacral coronal angle (LSCA), LSCA correction, preoperative thoracolumbar junction (TL), postoperative TL were larger in study group than those in control group. Logistic regression analysis revealed that low Bone mineral density (BMD) (<169 HU), posterolateral fusion, Cobb angle correction (>16 degrees), LSCA correction (>9 degrees) were independently associated with DPSL.Conclusions﻿The incidence of DPSL following posterior decompression and instrumented fusion for DLS is 47.1%. Low BMD, large correction of both main curve and fractional curve are predictive factors for DPSL, while posterolateral fusion is a protective factor.
Union of foot/ankle Arthrodesis: A Registry Study of Low-intensity Pulsed Ultrasound (LIPUS)
Authors: White Neil , Lau Johnny , Ong Kevin , Kurtz Steven , Lin Sheldon
Published: January 2021

Background: Bone grafts and bone stimulation devices are used as adjuncts to foot/ankle arthrodesis to improve healing and reduce revision risk. Union rates of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) and the factors associated with improved healing were evaluated. Methods: From a prospective arthrodesis/fracture registry for EXOGEN (Bioventus LLC), treatment success for foot/ankle arthrodesis patients were was evaluated, based on both clinical (solid and pain-free on manual stress) and radiological (3 of 4 cortices bridging) criteria. Associations between union rates and surgical treatments, comorbidities, and medications were tested.Results: EXOGEN was used by a total of 235 primary and 16 revision foot/ankle arthrodesis patients. Of these, 41.4% used EXOGEN within 90 days of the fracture/arthrodesis. EXOGEN use within 90 days of the fracture/arthrodesis was associated with improved union rates (overall group (p=0.004, odds ratio (OR) 3.675 (95% CI: 1.459-9.258)); primary group (p=0.007, OR 3.383 (95% CI: 1.335-8.574))). The overall union rate was 86.9% (primary: 86.4%; revision: 93.8%). Patients with the comorbidity of diabetes, obesity, or current smoker were not associated with a higher non-union rate (p=0.779). Other comorbidities were not associated with increased non-union rates (Charcot disease p=0.614, NSAID p=0.862, steroids p=0.647). For all patients, union rates were 94.2% (EXOGEN use ≤90 days post-fracture/arthrodesis) and 81.6% (>90 days). Conclusions: Union rates for foot/ankle arthrodesis with adjunctive LIPUS were comparable to other therapies. Known patient risk factors for non-union were not found to be associated with impaired healing for the LIPUS patients, suggesting the possibility that LIPUS may mitigate these known risk factors.
Extended Myectomy for Apical Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: A Case Report
Authors: Saitoh Daiki , Saji Mike , Takanashi Schuichiro
Published: January 2021

BackgroundApical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a variant of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy that predominantly affects the left ventricle apex and rarely involves the right ventricular apex or both apexes. Traditional treatment for apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is heart transplantation. Although surgical myectomy approaching the apex has been available for decades, its safety and accuracy greatly depend on the surgeon’s skills and experience.Case presentationThe first case is of a 63-year-old man with apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in whom a preoperative contrast computed tomography revealed apical hypertrophy and complete apical cavity obliteration. The patient underwent extended myectomy. The inside of the apex cavity was filled with abnormal muscles. Using the transaortic approach, the location of the bilateral papillary muscle was confirmed, which provided the required orientation. The abnormal muscle mass was successfully resected, and postoperative end-diastolic volume was extremely increased. The second case is of a 43-year-old man with an apical left ventricular aneurysm and mid- hypertrophic cardiomyopathy obstruction. The thin-walled apical aneurysm contained a large apical-basal band. After detecting the bilateral papillary muscle, mid-ventricular myectomy was performed from the apex. During postoperative catheterization, there was no pressure gradient between the left ventricle and aorta.ConclusionsWe reviewed two cases of apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, efficiently treated using extended apical myectomy. Although apical myectomy is an uncommon procedure, the cases presented herein show that it can successfully manage apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. However, it is important to secure the postoperative left ventricular end-diastolic volume.
Association between hyperlipidemia and chronic kidney disease in a Japanese population; a cross-sectional study
Authors: SHIRAISHI Yuko AGO , ISHIKAWA Yukiko , ISHIKAWA Joji , MATSUMURA Masami , ISHIKAWA Shizukiyo
Published: January 2021

Background

Strategies to prevent the development and progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) are now an important theme in clinical practice due to increased life expectancy. The present study investigated the prevalence of CKD as well as lipid profiles affecting CKD.
Methods

In total, 5,169 subjects were eligible for a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the Jichi Medical School Cohort Study. We examined CKD subjects with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 59 (mL/min/1.73m2) or lower and independent factors associated with reductions in eGFR.
Results

The prevalence of CKD was 17.7%. Age, systolic blood pressure, and hyperlipidemia were defined as related factors for CKD. The lowest, second, third, and highest quartile ranges of total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG) were 0-166, 167–188, 189–212, and 213 mg/dL or higher and 0–71, 72–100, 101–148, and 149 mg/dL or higher, respectively. The odds ratio (OR) of Q2 to Q4 of TC relative to that of Q1 for CKD increased linearly [OR (95%CI): Q2, 1.3 (1.0-1.7); Q3, 1.38 (1.1–1.8); Q4, 1.5 (1.4–2.4)]. The ORs of Q2 and Q3 of TG for CKD did not increase, whereas that of Q4 did [OR (95% CI): Q2, 0.95 (0.7–1.2); Q3, 0.98 (0.8–1.2); Q4, 1.21 (1.0-1.5)].
Conclusion

TC and TG elevations were both independently associated with CKD. The relationship with CKD became stronger as TC increased, and TG was considered to have a threshold of 149 mg/dL. Prospective studies are expected in the future.
Human acellular amniotic membrane incorporating exosomes from adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells promotes diabetic wound healing
Authors: Xiao Shune , Xiao Chunfang , Miao Yong , Wang Jin , Chen Ruosi , Fan Zhexiang , Hu Zhiqi
Published: January 2021

Background: Diabetic wounds threaten the health and quality of life of patients and their treatment remains challenging. ADSC-derived exosomes have shown encouraging results in enhancing diabetic wound healing. However, the common method of exosome administration is subcutaneous injection at several sites around the wound, causing further damage and preventing direct contact between the exosomes and the injury site. Methods: A diabetic mouse skin wound model was established. ADSC-derived exosomes (ADSC-Exos) were isolated and in vitro application of exosomes was evaluated using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs). After preparation and characterization of a scaffold of human acellular amniotic membrane (hAAM) loaded with ADSC-Exos in vitro , they were transplanted into wounds in vivo and wound healing phenomena were observed by histological and immunohistochemical analyses to identify the wound healing mechanism of the exosome-hAAM composites. Results: The hAAM scaffold dressing was very suitable for the delivery of exosomes. ADSC-Exos enhanced the proliferation and migration of HDFs and promoted proliferation and tube formation of HUVECs in vitro . In vivo results from a diabetic skin wound model showed that the hAAM-Exos dressing accelerated wound healing by regulating inflammation, stimulating vascularization and promoting the production of extracellular matrix. Conclusion: Exosome-incorporated hAAM scaffolds showed great potential in promoting diabetic skin wound healing, while also providing strong evidence for the future clinical applications of ADSC-derived exosomes.
The Characteristics of Insoluble Softwood Substrates Affect Fungal Morphology, Secretome Composition, and Hydrolytic Efficiency of Enzymes Produced by Trichoderma Reesei
Authors: Novy Vera , Nielsen Fredrik , Cullen Daniel , Sabat Grzegorz , Houtman Carl J. , Hunt Christopher G.
Published: January 2021

BackgroundOn-site enzyme production using Trichoderma reesei can improve yields and lower the overall cost of lignocellulose saccharification by exploiting the fungal gene regulatory mechanism that enables it to continuously adapt enzyme secretion to the substrate used for cultivation. To harness this, the interrelation between substrate characteristics and fungal response must be understood. However, fungal morphology or gene expression studies often lack structural and chemical substrate characterization. Here, T. reesei QM6a was cultivated on three softwood substrates: northern bleached softwood Kraft pulp (NBSK) and lodgepole pine pretreated by dilute-acid-catalyzed steam pretreatment (LP-STEX) and mild alkaline oxidation (LP-ALKOX). With different pretreatments of similar starting materials, we presented the fungus with systematically modified substrates. This allowed the elucidation of substrate-induced changes in the fungal response and the testing of the secreted enzymes’ hydrolytic strength towards the same substrates.ResultsEnzyme activity time courses correlated with hemicellulose content and cellulose accessibility. Specifically, increased amounts of side chain-cleaving hemicellulolytic enzymes in the protein produced on the complex substrates (LP-STEX; LP-ALKOX) was observed by secretome analysis. Confocal laser scanning micrographs showed that fungal micromorphology responded to changes in cellulose accessibility and initial culture viscosity. The latter was caused by surface charge and fiber dimensions, and likely restricted mass transfer, resulting in morphologies of fungi in stress. Supplementing a basic cellulolytic enzyme mixture with concentrated T. reesei supernatant improved saccharification efficiencies of the three substrates, where cellulose, xylan, and mannan conversion was increased by up to 27%, 45%, and 2800%, respectively. The improvement was most pronounced for proteins produced on LP-STEX and LP-ALKOX on those same substrates, and in the best case, efficiencies reached those of a state-of-the-art enzyme preparation.ConclusionCultivation of T. reesei on LP-STEX and LP-ALKOX produced a protein mixture that increased the hydrolytic strength of a basic cellulase mixture to state-of-the-art performance on softwood substrates. This suggests that the fungal adaptation mechanism can be exploited to achieve enhanced performance in enzymatic hydrolysis without a priori knowledge of specific substrate requirements.
Characterization of Simultaneous Uptake of Xylose and Glucose in Caldicellulosiruptor Kronotskyensis for Optimal Hydrogen Production
Authors: Vongkampang Thitiwut , Sreeni Krishnan , Engvall Jonathan , Grey Carl , Niel Ed van
Published: January 2021

BackgroundCaldicellulosiruptor kronotskyensis has gained interest for its ability to grow on various lignocellulosic biomass. The aim of this study was to investigate the growth profiles of C . kronotskyensis in the presence of mixtures of glucose-xylose. Recently, we characterized a diauxic-like pattern for C. saccharolyticus on lignocellulosic sugar mixtures. In this study we aimed to investigated further whether C . kronotskyensis has adapted to uptake glucose in the disaccharide form (cellobiose) rather than the monosaccharide (glucose). ResultsInterestingly, growth of C . kronotskyensis on glucose and xylose mixtures did not display diauxic-like growth patterns. Closer investigation revealed that, in contrast to C. saccharolyticus , C . kronotskyensis does not possess a second uptake system for glucose. Both C. saccharolyticus and C . kronotskyensis share the characteristics of preferring xylose over glucose. Growth on xylose was twice as fast (μ max = 0.57 h -1 ) as on glucose (μ max = 0.28 h -1 ). It was found that C . kronotskyensis takes up glucose and xylose simultaneously with the same transporter. A study of the sugar uptake was made with different glucose-xylose ratios to find a kinetic relationship between the two sugars for transport into the cell. High concentrations of glucose inhibited xylose uptake and vice versa. The inhibition constants were estimated to be K I,glu = 0.01 cmol·L -1 and K I,xyl = 0.001 cmol·L -1 , hence glucose uptake was more severely inhibited by xylose uptake. Bioinformatic analysis indicated the lack of another sugar uptake system in C . kronotskyensis as compared to C. saccharolyticus . Therefore, it was investigated whether glucose uptake by C . kronotskyensis was in the form of cellobiose. Indeed, cellobiose is taken up faster than glucose, nevertheless, the growth rate on each sugar remained similar. ConclusionsC . kronotskyensis possesses a xylose transporter that might take up glucose at an inferior rate even in the absence of xylose. Alternatively, glucose can be taken up in the form of cellobiose, but growth performance is still inferior to growth on xylose. Therefore, we propose that the catabolism of C . kronotskyensis has adapted more strongly to pentose rather than hexose thereby having obtained a specific survival edge in thermophilic lignocellulosic degradation communities.
Analysing the Relationship Between Co2 Emissions and GDP in China; A Fractional Integration and Cointegration Approach
Authors: Caporale Guglielmo Maria , Claudio-Quiroga Gloria , Gil-Alana Luis
Published: January 2021

This paper examines the relationship between the logarithms of CO2 emissions and real GDP in China by applying fractional integration and cointegration methods. These are more general than the standard methods based on the dichotomy between stationary and non-stationary series, allow for a much wider variety of dynamic processes, and provide information about the persistence and long-memory properties of the series and thus on whether or not the effects of shocks are long-lived. The univariate results indicate that the two series are highly persistent, their orders of integration being around 2, whilst the cointegration tests (using both standard and fractional techniques) imply that there exists a long-run equilibrium relationship between the two variables in first differences, i.e. their growth rates are linked together in the long run. This suggests the need for environmental policies aimed at reducing emissions during periods of economic growth. JEL Classification: C22, C32, Q56
The Effect of Preoperative Aminophylline on the Recovery Profile After Major Pelvi-abdominal Surgeries: a Randomized Controlled Double-blinded Study
Authors: Kasim Samaa A. , Bahr Mahmoud Hussien , Abdelkader Mohamed , Rashwan Doaa Abu Elkassim
Published: January 2021

Background: This study compared the effects of premedication with different doses of aminophylline on the recovery profile after general anesthesia.Methods: 45 patients scheduled for pelvi-abdominal surgeries were divided into 3 groups; Group(C): the patients received 100 ml of IV normal saline, Group (A1): received 2 mg/kg aminophylline IV)and Group(A2): received 4 mg/kg aminophylline(IV)30minutes before induction of general anesthesia . The following data were recorded:demographic data, ASA physical status, duration of anesthesia and surgery, heart rate, mean arterial blood pressure, propofol dose, fentanyl dose ,times to reach BIS (48±2)after induction of anesthesia and to reach 80 after discontinuation of sevoflurane anesthesia,time till recovery of consciousness and to tracheal extubation and to discharge from the post-anesthesia care unit,side effects of aminophylline were also recorded .Results :The time till BIS reach 48±2 was statistically significantly less for the control group compared to group A2 (70.67±22.50 and 106.67±34.77 minutes) for group C and A2 respectively;(p -value =0.00),the time till BIS reached 80 was statistically significantly longer for the control group compared to group A2 (5.6±1.40 and 2.53±1.72 minutes ) for group C and A2 respectively;(p -value =0.00),time for ROC was statistically significantly longer for the control group than group A1 and A2(8.93±0.92, 5.6±2.47 and 4.53±3.33 minutes) for group C, A1 and A2 respectively ; (p -value =0.00 ), the extubation time was statistically significantly longer for the control group being12.4±1.08,7.87±3.27and 6.6±2.47 minutes) for group C, A1 and A2 respectively; (p -value =0.00.Conclusion: Premedication with aminophylline enhanced the recovery profile after pelvi-abdominal surgeries under general anesthesia without cardiovascular complications.Trial registration: Number: NCT04151381, date November 5, 2019, retrospectively
A Congenital Brucellosis Case of 34-day-old Girl
Authors: Xu Dan , Li Xuejing , Cheng Beilei , Zhou Yunlian , Zhou Mingming , Gu Weizhong , Chen Zhimin , Wang Yingshuo
Published: January 2021

Background: Brucellosis is the most common zoonotic infection over the world, caused by bacterial genus brucella. The disease is transmitted rarely via human-to-human transmission. Limited data support vertical transmission of human brucellosis. Herein, we reported a case of congenital brucellosis case with solid evidence of pathogen detected in mother’s placental specimen.Case presentation: A 34-day-old girl was admitted to department of pulmonology because of fever for eight days. Her mother had fatigue and arthralgia for 2 weeks, fever and membrane rupture 1 day before the baby was born. Three blood samples and one sample of cerebrospinal fluid showed positive with Brucella meliteusis. The diagnosis of brucellosis and Brucella meliteusis meningitis were established with hyperbilirubinemia and liver dysfunction. Treatment of rifampicin (6 weeks) and meropenem (2 weeks) was applied. However, the disease relapsed 3 weeks. A combination therapy of rifampicin and SMZ/TMP lasted for eight weeks. Brucella meliteusis DNA was detected by next-generation sequencing and bacterial identifying under microscope in mother’s placental specimen, which also proved chorioamnionitis. The baby was still in following-up.Conclusions: We reported a confirmed case of congenital brucellosis. This disease should be paid enough attention even in non epidemic areas. The treatment of brucellosis in infancy face the challenge of medicine choosing and disease relapse.
Inhomogenous Amorphous Content and Enhanced Piezoelectric Properties in Bi12TiO20-based Composite Ceramics
Authors: Yu Dan , Zhao Minglei , Wang Chunlei , Fan Jiyuan , Li Shilei , Li Zhao , Liu Yunyan , Wang Cao , Lu Maozeng
Published: January 2021

Bi12TiO20-based composite ceramics were prepared by sintering a mixture of presynthesized Bi12TiO20 and a second phase around the melting point of Bi12TiO20. These ceramics can exhibit direct as well as inverse piezoelectricity without electrical polarization, and become competitive piezoelectric material with high depoling temperature and stable thermal behavior. However, their piezoelectric constants were, in general, relatively low and do not remain consistent for both the symbol and magnitude over the entire surface. To prevent the permeation of melting Bi12TiO20 into substrate and thus create the inhomogenous amorphous content, samples were sintered on Al2O3 (0001) single crystal substrate. Compared to samples sintered on Al2O3 ceramics, piezoelectric coefficient (d33) of these samples was increased by 80%. Moreover, the symbol of d33 is identical on the whole surface. Here, the enhanced piezoelectricity might be ascribed to increased alignment of distorted BiO5 polyhedra in amorphous Bi12TiO20 phase. These results provided a method to improve the piezoelectric properties of Bi12TiO20-based ceramics and provided some inspiration for further development of Bi12TiO20-based ceramics suitable for practical applications.
FUBP1 Promotes Colorectal Cancer Stemness and Metastasis via DVL1-Mediated Activation of Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling
Authors: Yin Haofan , Gao Tianxiao , Xie Jinye , Huang Zhijian , Zhang Xiaoyan , Yang Fengyu , Qi Weiwei , Yang Zhonghan , Zhou Ti , Gao Guoquan , Yang Xia
Published: January 2021

Background: Most colorectal cancer (CRC) patients die from distant metastasis. Approximately 50% of CRC patients develop liver metastases, while 10% to 30% of patients appear pulmonary metastases. The occurrence of metastasis is considered to be almost exclusively driven by cancer stem cells (CSCs) formation. However, the key molecules that confer the stem-transformation of CRC and subsequent metastasis remain unclear.Methods: FUBP1 was screened in CRC CSCs by mass spectrometry and was examined by immunohistochemistry in a cohort of CRC tissues. The stemness induction and mechanism of FUBP1 were elucidated both in vivo and in vitro.Results: FUBP1 was upregulated in 85% of KRAS mutation and 25% of wildtype CRC patients which correspondence to the metastasis rate. Further, elevated FUBP1 was positively correlated with CRC lymph node metastasis and clinical stages and negatively associated with overall survival, whatever KRAS mutation or wildtype. Overexpression of FUBP1 significantly enhanced migration, invasion, tumor sphere formation and CD133/ALDH1 expression of CRC cells in vitro and the tumorigenicity in vivo. Mechanistically, FUBP1 promoted the initiation of CSCs by activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling via directly binding to the promoter of DVL1, a vigoroso activator of β-catenin. The knockdown of DVL1 tremendously blockaded the stem-transformation and tumorigenicity of CRC. Activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling by DVL1 increased pluripotent transcription factors, including c-Myc, NANOG, SOX2 rather c-Myc alone. Moreover, FUBP1 was upregulated at the post-transcriptional level. Elevated FUBP1 in KRAS wildtype CRC patients is due to the decrease of Smurf2, which promotes ubiquitin-mediated degradation of FUBP1. Whereas FUBP1 was upregulated in mutated KRAS patients through both inhibition of caspase-3-dependent cleavage and decreased Smurf2.Conclusions: Our results demonstrate for the first time that FUBP1 is a novel oncogene for the initiation of CSCs as a new endogenous Wnt signaling powerful agonist and may provide an important prognostic factor and therapeutic target for metastasis in both KRAS mutation and wildtype CRC.
Implications of the Overlapping Degree Between Proximal Fibula and Tibia for Placing the Optimal Syndesmotic Screw: A Virtual Cadaveric Study
Authors: Jung Gu-Hee , Lee Jun-Young , Lim Jae-Hwan , Lee Hyeon-Joon , Lee June-Yeon
Published: January 2021

Background: To determine the optimal direction of the syndesmotic screw and introduce a consistent landmark for practical application by analyzing three-dimensional (3D) modeling and virtual implantation.Methods: A total of 102 cadaveric lower legs (50 males and 55 females, average height of 160.6 ± 7.1cm) were used to reconstruct a 3D model by using the Mimics® software and the joint morphology was evaluated. Syndesmotic cylinders (Ø3.5 mm/Length 100 mm) were transversely placed in the proximal end of the incisura fibularis for simulating screw fixation. The tibial proximal cylinder, which was tangent to the posterior tibial condyles, was traced and the angle between the two cylinders was measured as the tibial torsion angle (TTA). After rotating the syndesmotic cylinder parallel to the ground, the overlapping degree between the proximal fibula and tibia were assessed as a radiologic indicator. Results: Concerning tibial torsion, the TTA was an average of 36.7° (range, 17.2°–54.4°, SD 8.78) When the syndesmotic cylinder was rotated to be parallel to the ground, the proximal fibula had non- or linear overlap with the lateral border of the tibia, regardless of the joint morphology. In this nonoverlapping view, compared to the mortise view, the three criteria for normal fibular length could be better visualized. Conclusion: The syndesmotic cylinder in the proximal end of the incisura fibularis could be consistently placed parallel to the ground by internally rotating the tibia until there was a non- or linear overlap between the proximal fibula and the tibia, regardless of the joint morphology.
Smartphone Apps to Support Laypersons in Bystander CPR Are of Ambivalent Benefit: a Randomized Controlled Trial Using Medical Simulation
Authors: Metelmann Camilla , Metelmann Bibiana , Schuffert Louisa , Hahnenkamp Klaus , Brinkrolf Peter
Published: January 2021

Background: Bystander initiated resuscitation is essential. To encourage medical laypersons to perform resuscitation smartphone apps providing real-time guidance were invented. Are these apps a beneficial addition to traditional resuscitation training?Methods: In a randomized controlled trial impact of app usage on quality of resuscitation in a standardised simulated cardiac arrest scenario was assessed. In a previous study the app “HELP Notfall” was selected for this purpose. Six weeks after a standardised resuscitation training pupils encountered a simulated cardiac arrest (i) without app (control group); (ii) with facultative app usage (facultative group); (iii) with mandatory app usage (mandatory group).Results: 200 pupils attended this study with 74 pupils (37%) in control group, 65 (32,5%) in facultative group and 61 (30,5%) in mandatory group. Participants using the app in mandatory group had a significantly higher percentage of chest compressions with the correct compression rate (65.4% vs. 43.8%; p<0.01) and with correct compression depth (47.6% vs. 24.4%; p=0.001) than pupils of the control group. Participants of the mandatory group had a significant delay compared with control group regarding time until check for breathing (23 sec. vs. 12 sec., p<0.001), call for help (35 sec. vs. 20 sec., p<0.001) and first compression (68 sec. vs. 29 sec., p<0.001). Hands-off-time during compression tended to be shorter in mandatory group (0.5 sec.) compared with control group (1.5 sec.), (p=0.36).Conclusions: Smartphone apps offering real-time guidance in resuscitation are of mixed benefits. An improved quality of chest compression is countered by a delayed start of chest compressions. Both aspects have to be considered before recommending smartphone apps to support laypersons in bystander resuscitation as an addition to traditional hands-on training.
Increased Peak Detection Accuracy in Over-dispersed ChiP-seq Data With Supervised Segmentation Models
Authors: Liehrmann Arnaud , Rigaill Guillem , Hocking Toby Dylan
Published: January 2021

Background: Histone modification constitutes a basic mechanism for the genetic regulation of gene expression. In early 2000s, a powerful technique has emerged that couples chromatin immunoprecipitation with high-throughput sequencing (ChIP-seq). This technique provides a direct survey of the DNA regions associated to these modifications. In order to realize the full potential of this technique, increasingly sophisticated statistical algorithms have been developed or adapted to analyze the massive amount of data it generates. Many of these algorithms were built around natural assumptions such as the Poisson distribution to model the noise in the count data. In this work we start from these natural assumptions and show that it is possible to improve upon them. Results: Our comparisons on seven reference datasets of histone modifications (H3K36me3 & H3K4me3) suggest that natural assumptions are not always realistic under application conditions. We show that the unconstrained multiple changepoint detection model with alternative noise assumptions and supervised learning of the penalty parameter reduces the over-dispersion exhibited by count data. This model detects peaks more accurately than algorithms which rely on natural assumptions. Conclusion: The segmentation model we propose can benefit researchers in the field of epigenetics by providing new high-quality peak prediction tracks for H3K36me3 and H3k4me3 histone modifications.
Efficacy of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for Acute Respiratory Failure with Interstitial Lung Disease; A Case Control Nationwide Dataset Study in Japan
Authors: Usagawa Yuko , Komiya Kosaku , Yamasue Mari , Fushimi Kiyohide , Hiramatsu Kazufumi , Kadota Jun-ichi
Published: January 2021

Background: Since it is uncertain whether acute respiratory failure in patients with interstitial lung disease is reversible, indications for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in these patients remain controversial, except for bridging to lung transplantation. The objective of this study was to clarify in-hospital mortality and prognostic factors in interstitial lung disease patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.Study design and Methods: Case-control study. Using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database, we reviewed hospitalized interstitial lung disease patients receiving invasive mechanical ventilation and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for acute respiratory failure from 2010 to 2017. As we focused on the efficacy of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as an intervention for managing merely acute respiratory failure, patients treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a bridge to lung transplantation were excluded.Results: A total of 164 interstitial lung disease patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation were included, 122 of whom (74.4%) died during hospitalization. Compared with survivors, non-survivors were older and received high-dose cyclophosphamide, protease inhibitors, and antifungal drugs more frequently but macrolides and anti-influenza drugs less frequently. Multivariate analysis revealed the following factors were associated with in-hospital mortality: advanced age with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.048 and a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.015–1.082, non-use of macrolides (OR, 0.264; 95% CI, 0.118–0.589), and use of antifungal drugs (OR, 3.158; 95% CI, 1.377–7.242).Conclusions: Approximately three quarters of interstitial lung disease patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation died in hospital. Moreover, advanced age, non-use of macrolides, and use of antifungal drugs were found to correlate with a poor prognosis.
Effects of government actions on safety and security perceptions of international students during COVID-19 pandemic in China
Authors: Munthali George N. Chidimbah , Xuelian Wu , Yu Shi , Kudzala John Feston
Published: January 2021

Introduction: International students’ safety and security matters as they are migrants and foreigners belonging to a special minority group of people that need to be protected each and every time in breach of which may have diplomatic and international endeavors. This study was aimed at finding the effects of government actions in regards to safety and security perceptions of international students in China during COVID-19 Pandemic. Materials and methods: A cross- sectional design survey was conducted in March 2020 from 13 different universities in Hubei province of China. Data was collected through an online Microsoft questionnaire which was send to selected universities groups that were purposively and conveniently sampled. IBM SPSS version 24 software was used to analyses the data; Pearson correlational was performed at statistical significance put at*p<0.05; **p<0.01. Results: 300 questionnaires were received out of 392, representing a response rate of 76.5%, majority of the respondents were in age group of 20-30 86%, single 93%, undergraduate 79%, stayed 2 years above 61%, belonging to Christianity 51.7% and Islam 37%. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between social distance measures and safety and security perceptions, but there was no correlation between information dissemination and safety and security perception, lastly, the results showed that students were materially supported with their respective authorities and that the political will was good. Conclusion: The actions of the government especially through the social distance measures have proved to positively increase international students’ safety and security perceptions. Further, authorities tried to facilitate material and social support to the students. We recommend authorities to continue putting the safety and security of international students at their heart as it is demonstrated in China.
Parental Communication On Sexual And Reproductive Health Issues To Their Adolescents And Affecting Factors At Asella Town, Ethiopia; A Community-Based, Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Bekele Daniel , Deksisa Abdi , Abera Wondu , Megersa Getu
Published: January 2021

Background: Parents’ communication on sexual and reproductive health issues with their adolescent plays a great role in preventing morbidity and mortality associated with sexual behavior. However lack of parent to adolescent communication was a serious problem in Ethiopia resulted in teenage pregnancy, unsafe abortions, sexually transmitted infections, school problems, and other sexual risk behaviors. Parents have high responsibility on cultivating their son and daughter regarding to sexual and reproductive health issues. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the magnitude of parent’s communication with their adolescents and affecting factors in Ethiopia. Methods: A community- based cross-sectional study was conducted on 347 respondents. A systematic sampling method was used to select the study participants. Data were collected by trained interviewers using a structured questionnaire, entered into Epi- Info version 7.1.2 and exported to SPSS version 23 for analysis. Descriptive statistics, bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used. Variables at P-value <0.05 were considered as significant association. Results: Slightly more than one-fifth of the parents (21.3%) had communicated with their adolescents on sexual and reproductive health issues. Associated factors like: having good knowledge [AOR =3.08, 95% CI: 1.89-5.39] and being having positive attitudes [AOR 3.03, 95% CI: 1.37-6.70] towards sexual and reproductive health issues were significantly associated with communication.Conclusion: Overall a low proportion of parental communication with their children was identified on sexual and reproductive health issues. This was affected by multidimensional factors to determine their discussion. Thus, promotion of parent to adolescent communication, parents training and addressing the importance of parent to young people communication along with health care providers was important.