bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microbiological and Physico-Chemical Parameters of the Danube River (Romanian–Bulgarian Sector) with Ichthyofaunal Diversity
Authors: Ivan Mădălina-Andreea , Curuțiu Carmen , Craciun Nicolai , Jujea Valentin , Pop Cristian-Emilian
Published: January 2021

Water and water habitats are essential to life and to the wellness of the communities that rely on them, as the Danube river is subject to human impact and vice versa, periodic surveys are required to determine the status of its pollution levels. In this work we used known microbiological indicators as well as physico-chemical ones to assess the ecotoxicological status of the Danube river from eleven locations partially forming the “Romanian–Bulgarian Danube Sector”. Most of the microbial communities found, and their densities, could be explained by point and diffuse sources scattered along the sector such as discharged household and farm wastewater, as well as nearby agricultural areas where fertilizers have been used and then leaked in the water stream during rainfalls. However, microbial data on non-point sources that lead to diffuse pollution of surface waters could be linked to such parameters and furthermore shown a slight correlation with the current status of fish communities.
Investigation of Optimum Grinding Condition Using cBN Electroplated End-Mill for CFRP Machining
Authors: Yamashita Shinnosuke , Furuki Tatsuya , Kousaka Hiroyuki , Hirogaki Toshiki , Aoyama Eiichi , Inaba Kiyofumi , Fujiwara Kazuna ,   Gifu University 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, Gifu 501-1193, Japan,   Doshisha University, Kyotanabe, Japan,   Kamogawa Co., Ltd., Ritto, Japan
Published: January 2021

Recently, carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) have been used in various applications such as airplanes and automobiles. In CFRP molding, there are unnecessary portions on the outer area. Therefore, a machining process is required to remove them. Cutting and grinding are conventionally used in the finish machining of CFRPs. End-milling allows the removal of most of these portions. However, uncut fibers easily occur during end-milling. In contrast, a precise machined surface and edge are easily obtained using a grinding tool. Therefore, this research has developed a novel cubic boron nitride (cBN) electroplated end-mill that combines an end-mill and a grinding tool. This is a versatile tool that can cut and grind CFRPs by changing the direction of rotation of the tool. In this study, the effectiveness of the developed tool is investigated. First, the developed tool machined the CFRP by side milling. Consequently, cBN abrasives that were fixed on the outer surface of the developed tool did not detach in certain cutting conditions. Next, in order to generate a sharp edge on the CFRP and restrict the increase in the CFRP temperature with the cBN electroplated end-mill, the optimum abrasive size and grinding condition were investigated through the design of experiments. Moreover, the effectiveness of the developed tool was verified by comparing it with a conventional tool. As a result, smaller burrs and uncut fibers were observed after final machining with the developed tool under the derived optimum condition than those with conventional tools. However, the desired surface roughness could not be achieved as required by the airline industry. Therefore, oscillating grinding was applied. In addition, the formula of the theoretical surface roughness while using the developed tool was derived using the theory of slant grinding. As a result, the oscillating condition that led to the required surface roughness was obtained by theoretical analysis. In addition, the required value for the airline industry was achieved by oscillating grinding.
Investigation on Polishing of Zirconia Ceramics Using Magnetic Compound Fluid: Relationship Between Material Removal and Surface Roughness
Authors: Feng Ming , Wang Youliang , Wu Yongbo ,   College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Wenzhou University Wenzhou City, Zhejiang 325035, China,   Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China,   School of Mechanical and Electronical Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou, China
Published: January 2021

Zirconia ceramics have excellent applicability in the aerospace, defense, new energy, automotive, electronics, and biomedical fields. However, few investigations have been conducted on the high-precision polishing of zirconia ceramics. In this work, a polishing method using a magnetic compound fluid slurry is proposed. First, the principle and the constructed experimental setup were presented. Then, the experiments were performed that characterized the surface profile after polishing, the effect of the working gap, and the effect of the concentration of carbonyl iron particles (CIPs) on the material removal and surface quality. The results showed that the material removal ability correlated positively with the surface roughness; the smallest working gap (0.5 mm) induced greater material removal ability and better surface roughness; higher CIP concentration enabled a higher polishing force to obtain higher material removal and better surface quality. The polishing results show that surface roughness Rz of 55 nm was obtained at the surfaces of zirconia ceramics, confirming that the proposed method has the potential for polishing of zirconia ceramics.
Investigation on Feasibility of Polishing Concave Surfaces Using Magnetic Compound Fluid Slurry
Authors: Feng Ming , Xie Yingrui , Chen Leran , Wu Yongbo ,   College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Wenzhou University Wenzhou City, Zhejiang 325035, China,   Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
Published: January 2021

Concave surfaces are widely used in the shells of smart devices, such as smartphones, watches, or molds. The quality of the concave surface is important in enhancing the value of these products. In order to improve the surface quality, the polishing process is crucial for removing defects on the concave surface and for smoothing the surface after machining or grinding. Magnetic assisted polishing is a promising method that can be used to meet the high standard of surface quality required. In this work, as a promising smart material in nano-precision polishing, magnetic compound fluid (MCF) slurry was used for the first time to polish a concave surface with a magnet that is magnetized in the radial direction. A simulation of the magnetic field distribution was performed in advance to clarify the polishing characteristics in theory. Subsequently, a polishing experiment was conducted to investigate the feasibility of this polishing method. Finally, the results demonstrated that both a curved surface and a flat surface could be polished successfully. Furthermore, the nano-precision PV value (the distance from the peak to the valley in the surface profile) and the surface roughness Ra were obtained for both areas, and this method was demonstrated to be capable of polishing concave surfaces and worthy of further research.
Effect of Ultrafine Bubbles on Pseudomonas Aeruginosa and Staphylococcus Aureus During Sterilization of Machining Fluid
Authors: Yamada Hiroko , Konishi Kensuke , Shimada Keita , Mizutani Masayoshi , Kuriyagawa Tsunemoto ,   Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Tohoku University 6-6-01 Aramaki Aza-Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan,   Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
Published: January 2021

Bacterial growth is one of the common causes of putrefaction and deterioration of water-soluble machining fluid. The 16S ribosomal DNA metagenome analysis of the bacterial species composing the microbial flora present in the machining fluid derived after processing demonstrated a high amount of species belonging to the Pseudomonas genus. Therefore, we prepared two types of ultrafine bubbles water (gas species: air and CO2) containing different types of gas and confirmed the bactericidal effect on Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 10145), a typical Pseudomonas species. The grinding fluid was prepared using sterile purified water containing ultrafine bubbles (hereafter referred to as UFB) as diluted water, and the Pseudomonas aeruginosa was inoculated to obtain 106 CFU/mL. The sterilization rate of the number of bacteria was determined immediately after immersion in each fluid and subsequently after two hours. The sterilization rate was determined to be 100% in the test group using the ultrafine bubbles water of CO2 (CO2-UFB water). As a comparative control, a similar test was performed on Staphylococcus aureus IFO12732, and the sterilization rate was determined as 0%. Fluorescence microscopic observation of bacteria after immersion in the CO2-UFB water demonstrated damage to the cell wall as the cause of death of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Therefore, CO2-UFB demonstrated sterilization of machining fluid by killing Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the machining fluid. The bactericidal mechanism of UFB involved the induction of damage in bacterial cell walls. This can be attributed to crushing due to the increase in the particle size of UFB.
Fault-Tolerant Aircraft Control Based on Self-Constructing Fuzzy Neural Network for Quadcopter
Authors: Li Dejie ,   College of Automation Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics  29 Yudao Street, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211106, China, Yang Pu , Liu Zhangxi , Wang Zixin , Zhang Zhiqing
Published: January 2021

This paper proposes a fault-tolerant aircraft control method based on a self-constructed fuzzy neural network for quadcopters with multiple actuator faults. We first introduce the actuator failure model and the model uncertainty. Subsequently, we establish a framework for a self-constructed fuzzy neural network observer with an adaptive rate to obtain the estimated value of the nonlinear term of the module uncertainty. We also design a multivariable sliding mode fault-tolerant controller to ensure the stability of the aircraft under this fault condition. Finally, we conduct experiments using the Pixhawk 4 flight controller installed on the QBall-X4 UAV experimental platform, such that the use of the flight controller’s fault coprocessor and redundant sensor design reduces the crash that occurs during the debugging of the control algorithm. Compared to the existing intelligent fault-tolerant control technology, our proposed method employs fewer fuzzy rules, and the number of these rules can be adaptively adjusted when the system model changes. In the experimental test, the aircraft was still able to fly stably under multi-actuator failure and interference conditions, thereby proving the stability of the proposed controller.
La desarticulación matemática en Ingeniería. Una alternativa para su estudio y atención, desde la Matemática Educativa
Authors: Torres Corrales Diana del Carmen , Montiel Espinosa Gisela
Published: January 2021

Presentamos el resultado y análisis de la primera etapa, Documentación del escenario, de una investigación en Matemática Educativa que emplea la Teoría Socioepistemológica y el Método Etnográfico para identificar y caracterizar los usos de las nociones trigonométricas que se presentan en el problema cinemático directo en la Robótica, desde la Ingeniería Mecatrónica, en particular en el escenario formativo profesionalizante de una universidad mexicana. Evidenciamos que aunque se da una articulación curricular es insuficiente para responder a la necesidad de una articulación de usos robusta de las nociones trigonométricas, de donde se resalta la construcción de referentes visuales como el contexto que da significado, pero que está ausente en las asignaturas de Matemáticas, que es donde se enseña Trigonometría. Finalmente especificamos dos variables sociales de naturaleza distinta a la matemática que son importantes para nuestro estudio, y planteamos una hipótesis para la siguiente etapa.
The Public Librarian Low-Morale Experience: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Davis Kendrick Kaetrena
Published: January 2021

Recent studies on low morale in academic libraries reveal impacts on workplace health and organizational culture and concerns about leadership training and development. Additionally, established research on library dysfunction and emotional labor in librarianship, along with emerging scholarship on incivility in librarian-patron interactions, highlight a growing area of practice concerns for information professionals. This qualitative study centers public librarians’ experience of low morale. Data validate the development and practice- and health-related outcomes of low morale and illuminate the realities of public library work, organizational culture and behaviours, impact of leadership practices, and the perceptions of the value and role of librarians and the public library in North America.
Response of Intertidal Foraminiferal Assemblages to Salinity Changes in a Laboratory Culture Experiment
Authors: Li Meng , Lei Yanli , Li Tiegang , Dong Shuaishuai
Published: January 2021

This study explored the response to salinity of intertidal foraminiferal assemblages from the Yellow Sea by culturing them for 100 days at six constant salinity levels (17, 22, 27, 32, 37, and 42 psu) in laboratory microcosms with four replicates each. A total of 7,471 live (stained) foraminiferal specimens were obtained and analyzed. The diversity parameters of foraminiferal assemblages (species richness, Margalef index, Shannon-Wiener index, and Fisher's alpha) declined significantly when the salinity was increased or decreased from the field value, but foraminiferal abundance was highly resistant to salinity. In addition, salinity exerted different effects on foraminifera from different orders. Specifically, the proportion of species from Order Miliolida significantly increased whereas that of species from Order Rotaliida decreased with increasing salinity. High salinity-tolerant species Ammonia aomoriensis, Cribrononion gnythosuturatum, Ammonia tepida, and Quinqueloculina seminula could fill unoccupied ecological niches when the proportion of salinity-sensitive species has declined. Furthermore, our morphometric results showed that foraminiferal test size was significantly negatively correlated with salinity, and numerous abnormal specimens appeared in foraminiferal assemblages when salinity deviated from the field value. Our study revealed that intertidal foraminiferal assemblages had high adaptability at different salinities because of the existence of high salinity-tolerant dominant species. In addition, salinity variation can significantly alter foraminiferal morphology in test size and abnormality.
Distribution of Foraminifera off the Terengganu River Mouth, East Coast Peninsular Malaysia
Authors: Culver Stephen J. , Twarog Michael , Mallinson David J. , Shazili Noor Azhar Mohd , Bidai Joseph
Published: January 2021

The distributions of modern foraminiferal species represent an important tool for petroleum geologists to characterize paleoenvironments. This paper documents the distribution of benthic foraminifera on the inner shelf (<40 m water depth) immediately offshore of the Terengganu River mouth, one of the three major drainages on the east coast of peninsular Malaysia. Sediment substrate type primarily controls the distribution of species; temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and pH vary little in the study area and have little influence. Sandy substrates (mostly coarse and very coarse sand) from 20 to 40 m water depth are characterized by abundant specimens of the larger foraminifera Amphistegina spp. Muddy substrates immediately adjacent to the Terengganu River mouth from 12 to 20 m water depth are characterized by higher diversity assemblages dominated by several smaller calcareous taxa and the agglutinated species Ammobaculites exiguus. The latter species has been documented in muddy sediments at other river mouths on the east coast of peninsular Malaysia. Strong, seasonally reversing monsoon-driven currents affect sediment transport along the east coast of peninsular Malaysia and therefore indirectly influence the distributions of foraminiferal species. The results of this study add to the increasingly extensive database on modern foraminiferal distributions that provides a model for paleoenvironmental interpretations of hydrocarbon-bearing Neogene strata off the east coast of Thailand and peninsular Malaysia.
Targeting EZH2-mediated methylation of histone 3 inhibits proliferation of pediatric acute monocytic leukemia cells in vitro
Authors: Ghabkari Abdulhameed , Narendran Aru
Published: January 2021

Background: Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) is a histone methyltransferase and a catalytic subunit of the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) that catalyzes the mono-, di-, and tri-methylation of histone H3 at Lys 27 (H3K27me3) to facilitate chromatin remodeling and gene silencing functions. The overexpression of EZH2 is associated with high levels of H3K27me3 in various types of cancers. Previous reports showed a significant association of EZH2 aberrations in pediatric cancers such as soft tissue sarcomas and glioblastoma. Recent reports in human subjects and animal models have also suggested a central role of EZH2 in the induction and progression of acute myeloid leukemia. Methods: In this study, we aimed to investigate the molecular status of EZH in cell lines derived from distinct pediatric leukemia to assess the efficacy of targeting EZH2 to suppress cancer cell survival and proliferation. Cell cytotoxicity and the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) were measured by Alamar blue cytotoxicity assay. The molecular status of EZH2 was profiled by DNA sequencing and western blot analysis of EZH2 protein levels in THP-1, SEM, and MV4:11. In addition, Methylation of histone H3 was evaluated by immunoblotting and immunostaining analyses. Results: Our results showed that EZH2 protein is overexpressed in the pediatric monocytic cell line THP-1 , but not in other leukemia derived cell lines MV4;11 and SEM. Screening a panel of methyltransferase inhibitors revealed that three inhibitors; GSK126, UNC1999 and EPZ-5687 are the most potent inhibitors that suppressed EZH2 activity selectively on lysine 27 which resulted in increased apoptosis and inhibition of AKT and ERK protein phosphorylation in THP-1 cells. Our data demonstrated a significant increase in apoptosis in cells treated with drug combination (EZH2i and selinexor) compared to EZH2i inhibitors alone. Conclusions: Taken together, our data provide initial evidence that targeting EZH2 is a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of subtypes of pediatric AML. Also, combining EZH2 inhibitors with selinexor may increase the treatment efficacy in these patients. Findings from this study indicate further evaluation and consideration of these compounds for early phase clinical studies in selected pediatric malignancies in the future.
Volcanic Activity Sparks Arctic Oscillation
Authors: Qu Weizheng , Huang Fei , Zhao Jinping , Du Ling , Cao Yong
Published: January 2021

The parasol effect of volcanic dust and aerosol caused by volcanic eruption results in the deepening and strengthening of the Arctic vortex system, thus stimulating or strengthening the Arctic Oscillation (AO). Three of the strongest AOs in more than a century have been linked to volcanic eruptions. Every significant fluctuation of the AO index (AOI) for many years has been associated with a volcanic eruption. Volcanic activity occurring at different locations in the Arctic vortex circulation will exert different effects on the polar vortex. Strong volcanic activity above level 5 erupting outside the Arctic vortex circulation can have a certain degree of influence on the Arctic oscillation and only cause small AOI fluctuations.
The Competition between DNA Methylation and Demethylation is Associated with Transcription Regulation and Tumorigenesis
Authors: Li Wei , Shi Jiejun , Xu Jianfeng , Chen Yiling , Li Jingyi Jessica , Shen Lanlan
Published: January 2021

The mammalian DNA methylome is formed by two antagonizing processes, methylation by DNA methyltransferases (DNMT) and demethylation by ten-eleven translocation (TET) dioxygenases. Although the dynamics of either methylation or demethylation have been intensively studied in the past decade, their competition effect remains elusive. Here, we quantify the competition between DNA methylation and demethylation by the percentage of unmethylated CpGs within a partially methylated read from bisulfite sequencing. After verifying methylation competition by its strong association with the co-localization of DNMT and TET enzymes, we observe that methylation competition is strongly correlated with gene expression. In particular, during tumorigenesis, the elevation of methylation competition is associated with the repression of 40 ~ 60% of tumor suppressor genes, which cannot be explained by promoter hypermethylation alone. Furthermore, methylation competition can be used to stratify large undermethylated regions with negligible differences in average methylation into two subgroups with distinct chromatin accessibility and gene regulation patterns. Together, methylation competition represents a novel methylation metric important for transcription regulation and tumorigenesis and is largely distinct from conventional metrics, such as average methylation and methylation variation.
Dynamic super-enhancer core regulatory circuits and epigenetic landscapes drive malignant progression and refractory disease in multiple myeloma
Authors: Silva Ariosto Siqueira , Canevarolo Rafael , Meads Mark , Silva Maria , Sudalagunta Praneeth , Avila Gabriel De , Alugubelli Raghunandan , Tungesvik Alexandre , Bell Elissa , Burger Karen , Kulkarni Amit , Hampton Oliver , Jiang Zhijie , Dai Hongyue , Cubitt Christopher , Teer Jamie , Welsh Eric , Yoder Sean , Shah Bijal , Tao Jianguo , Hazlehurst Lori , Gatenby Robert , Sullivan Daniel , Alsina Melissa , Nishihori Taiga , Brayer Jason , Cleveland John L. , William Dalton , Gillies Robert , Baz Rachid , Shain Kenneth
Published: January 2021

The plasma cell malignancy multiple myeloma (MM) evolves from a pre-malignant state and remains all but incurable due to emergence of therapy resistance. Despite intensive analyses, mechanisms driving MM progression and refractory disease are poorly understood. Integrating topologic, expression and epigenetic analyses of 1,016 patient specimens, we report super-enhancer core regulatory circuits (SECRCs) that drive and sustain MM epigenetic states. Reprogramming of cell identity and tumor microenvironment genes drive malignant conversion, while alterations in cell cycle and metabolic control genes cause refractory disease. Thus, select epigenetic states drive progression and therapy resistance, providing strategies to prevent and effectively treat MM.
Scientific Validation of Three-Dimensional Stereophotogrammetry Compared to the IGAIS Clinical Scale for Assessing Wrinkles and Scars after Laser Treatment
Authors: Machado Barbara , SIlva Ivy Melo e , Pautrat Walter , Frame James , Najlah Mohammad
Published: January 2021

Background: Measuring outcomes from treatments to the skin is either reliant upon patient’s subjective feedback or scale-based peer assessments. Three-Dimensional stereophotogrammetry intend to accurately quantify skin microtopography before and after treatments. Objective: To compare the accuracy of stereophotogrammetry and a scale-based peer evaluation in assessing topographical changes to skin surface following laser treatment. Methods: A 3D stereophotogrammetry system photographed skin surface of 48 patients with facial wrinkles or scars before and three months after laser resurfacing, followed immediately by topical application of vitamin C. The software measured changes in skin roughness, wrinkle depth and scar volume. Images were presented to three observers, each independently scoring cutaneous improvement according to Investigator Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale (IGAIS) Scale. Results: A trend reflecting skin/scar improvement was reported by 3D-SPM measurements and raters. The percentage of topographical change given by the raters matched 3D SPM findings. Agreement was highest when observers analyzed 3D images. However, observers overestimated skin improvement in a nontreatment control whilst 3D-SPM was precise in detecting absence of intervention. Conclusion: This study confirmed a direct correlation between the IGAIS clinical scale and 3D-SPM and confirmed the efficacy and accuracy of the latter when assessing cutaneous microtopography alterations as a response to laser treatment.
Investigate Knowledge Management Technology Implementation for Supporting Decision Making in Ethiopian Health Sectors
Authors: Zeru Mniyichel , Desta Amare , Smithson Steve , Meshesha Million
Published: January 2021

Introduction: Knowledge management technology is a key tool for facilitating and improving the quality of health care delivery in hospitals. However, the use and implementation of this technology is not an easy task. The aim of this study is to investigate a knowledge management technology implementation in Ethiopian hospitals, with a particular reference to Jimma University Specialized Hospital. Methodology: Information about challenges of knowledge management technology implementation was gathered using qualitative research methods, through conducting semi-structured interviews. Purposive sampling method was applied to select fifty-four participants from a well-defined population. Findings were first validated, according to published literature and research works, and then sorted into three main areas with recommended solutions, such as current usage of KM technology to enhance and improve decision-making, factors affecting implementation of KM technology Results: This study revealed that overall level of KM technology implementation in Ethiopia hospitals is still low. Conclusion: Implementation and use of KM technology with a view to improving the quality of hospital health services is needed. Thus, it suggested that hospital managers should make much more effort to develop a strategy and policy on the implementation and use of KM technology so that the hospital could improve the quality of healthcare services.
Laparoendoscopic Two-Site Myomectomy (LETS-M) Using Conventional Laparoscopic Instruments and The Glove-Port Technique
Authors: Wu Pei-Chi , Sheu Bor-Ching , Huang Kuan-Ju , Huang Su-Cheng , Chang Wen-Chun
Published: January 2021

We aim to evaluate the surgical outcome of laparoendoscopic two-site myomectomy (LETS-M). The medical records of 204 women receiving LETS-M in a tertiary referral center, including 183 surgeries performed by the experienced surgeon and 21 surgeries performed by 3 well-supervised trainees were retrospectively reviewed. The age of the participants was 39.3±6.4 years. The mean diameter of the largest myoma was 8.5±2.2 cm. The mean weight of the myomas was 281.1±183.1 g. The operation time was 97.6±40.2 min, and the intraoperative blood loss was 99.3±115.2 mL. There were 3 (1%) cases of excessive blood loss (more than 500 mL) and 2 (1%) of postoperative hematoma. The only significant difference between the experienced surgeon and trainees was the operation time (92.3±32.2 min vs. 141.2±54 min, p<.001), while the myoma number, myoma diameter, myoma weight, and intraoperative blood loss were not significantly different. The operation time did not differ among different myoma locations. In multivariate analysis, virginity, myoma number, more than 2 large myomas, and myoma size were independent variables for longer operation times. No patient experienced any major complications. The result revealed that LETS-M is a minimally invasive surgical method that is safe, effective, and easy to learn for managing uterine myoma.
Impact of Clinical Pharmacist Interventions on Potentially Inappropriate Medications in Elderly Primary Care Patients With Mental Disorders Using Polypharmacy: A Cohort Retrospective Study
Authors: Štuhec Matej , Nemec Alja
Published: January 2021

Potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) are highly prevalent in elderly patients with mental disorders (MPHs) treated with polypharmacy. This study's main aim was to determine the impact of a clinical pharmacist (CP)’s recommendations on the total number of PIMs and to evaluate the differences in PIMs between two patient subgroups with mental disorders with either fully or partially accepted recommendations that have not been studied until now.A retrospective observational cohort study involving primary care patients aged 65 or above in 2015–2017 was conducted. To evaluate the impact of the interventions on the number of PIMs, odds ratios (ORs) were used. Ninety-nine patients were included (79.4 y, SD=7.92). At least one PIM was present in 69.7% or 92.9% of the patients (PRISCUS and Beers list). The interventions led to a 21.2% decrease (n=23; PRISCUS) and a 17.3% decrease (n=38; Beers) (p<0.05). The ORs for PIMs were significantly smaller in the full-acceptance subgroup (OR=3.8, CI 1.4-10.1; Beers) and insignificantly smaller for another group (OR=2.8, CI 1.0-8.2; PRISCUS). The CP's interventions decreased the number of PIMs according to the PRISCUS and the Beers list, and ORs for PIMs decreased if all proposed interventions were accepted.
Comprehensive Profiling of Urinary Peptides in Cow Reveals Physiology Specific Signatures and Several Bioactive Properties
Authors: Kumar Rohit , Ali Syed , Singh Sumit , Bhushan Vanya , Kaushik Jai , Mohanty Ashok , Kumar Sudarshan
Published: January 2021

Peptidomics allows the identification of thousands of peptides that are derived from proteins. Urinary peptidomics has revolutionized the field of diagnostics as the sample represents complete systemic changes of the body and is collected non-invasively. We profiled the peptides in urine collected from different physiological states of Sahiwal cows namely heifer, pregnancy, and lactation. Endogenous peptides were extracted from 30 individual cows belonging to three groups, each group comprising of ten animals (biological replicates n = 10). Nano Liquid chromatography Mass spectrometry (nLC-MS/MS) experiments revealed 5239, 4774, and 5466 peptides in the heifer, pregnant, and lactating animals, respectively. The diversity in endogenous peptides in urine sets baseline information substantiating various bioactivities (anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antihypertensive, and anticancerous) associated with cow urine. Several proteases have been traced back in the body which was found responsible for the physiology specific peptide signature of urine. The in silico study also highlights the enrichment of progenitor proteins on the specific chromosome and their relative expression in context to specific physiology. The urinary peptides, precursor proteins, and proteases identified in the study thus set a solid foundation for future research in biomarker discovery and a better understanding of the pathophysiology of the body.
In Silico Prediction and Prioritisation of Novel Selective Antimicrobial Drug Targets in Escherichia Coli
Authors: Frisinger Frida Svanberg , Jana Bimal , Donadio Stefano , Guardabassi Luca
Published: January 2021

Treatment of infections caused by Escherichia coli and other Enterobacteriaceae often requires broad-spectrum antimicrobials, which cause perturbations of the gut microbiota (dysbiosis). Novel antimicrobial drugs interfering with pathogen-specific targets would minimize the risk of such dysbiosis. Here, we employed an in silico approach to identify essential proteins in E. coli, including pathogenic ST131, that are either absent or have low homology to humans and beneficial taxa of the gut microbiota. We identified 37 potential new targets with little or no homology to the proteomes seven taxa representative of the healthy gut microbiota. The suitability of these proteins as drug targets was further analysed through essentiality and conservation in the closely related pathogen Klebsiella pneumoniae. None of them are targets of commercially used antibiotics. Eighteen proteins are involved in four functionally connected essential biological processes (replication, chromosome segregation, cell division, and outer membrane biogenesis). Our results indicate that it may be possible to selectively interfere with essential biological processes in Enterobacteriaceae that are absent or mediated by unrelated proteins in beneficial bacterial taxa residing in the gut. The identified targets can be used to discover antimicrobial drugs that are effective against these opportunistic pathogens with a decreased potential of causing dysbiosis.
Prevalence of Sexually Transmitted Infections among cervical cancer suspected women at University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, North-west Ethiopia
Authors: Abebe Milkias , Eshetie Setegn , Tessema Belay
Published: January 2021

Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), and Syphilis have continued a significant public health problem, especially in areas with substandard infection prevention and control programs. It is known that STIs are largely associated with the increased occurrence of cervical cancer. To date, little is known about the burden of STIs among cervical cancer suspected women in Ethiopia. Objectives: To assess the seroprevalence of STIs and associated risk factors among cervical cancer suspected women with special emphasis on HIV, HBV, HCV, and Syphilis. Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among cervical cancer suspected women at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital from February to April 2017. A pre-tested and structured questionnaire was used to collect data on patients’ characteristics. The patient’s serum or plasma samples were tested for HIV, HBV, HCV, and syphilis using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In all aspects, the standard operational procedure was strictly followed. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 software and presented using tables. Statistical associations were measured using bivariate and multivariable logistic regression. A p-value of below 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Result: A total of 403 cervical cancer suspected women with the mean age of 42.54 (SD+11. 24) years were enrolled in the study. The overall prevalence of STIs was 16.6% (67/403) and the prevalence of HIV, HBV, HCV, and syphilis was 36/403 (8.9 %), 10/403 (2.5 %), 4/403 (1 %), and 29/403 (7.2 %) respectively. History of multiple sexual partners (Adjusted OR=3.02, 95%CI 1.57-5.79, P=0.001), alcohol addiction (Adjusted OR=2.2, 95%CI 1.07-4.5, P=0.031), history of STI (Adjusted OR= 3.38; 95% CI: 1.76-6.47, P= 0.00) and not use of condom (Adjusted OR= 4.99; 95% CI: 1.5-16.16, P= 0.007) were significantly associated with STIs. Conclusion: The prevalence of STIs was generally higher among cervical cancer suspected patients. Health education is encouraged to promote awareness about the prevention of STIs.
Diagnostic Value of non-contrast CT in Cerebrospinal Fluid Leakage after Endoscopic Transnasal Surgery for Sellar and Suprasellar Tumors
Authors: Gao Wei , Wang Xiaoyu , Zhang Sheng , Fang Yuanjian , Li Chenguang
Published: January 2021

Background
To study the relationship between pneumocephalus on non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT) and post-operative cerebrospinal fluid leakage (p-CFL) after endoscopic transsphenoidal sellar and suprasellar tumors surgeries.
Methods
Patients who underwent endoscopic treatment for sellar or suprasellar tumors from January 2018 to March 2020 were consecutively collected and reviewed. The NCCT pneumocephalus (NP) was measured on the first day after operation and the first day after expansive sponge was extracted, respectively. p-CFL was defined as the glucose rhinorrhea content ≥ 1.7 mmol/L in patients who had persistent nasal discharge of clear water-like fluid exacerbated by bending over or performing a Valsalva maneuver.
Results
Of 253 patients finally enrolled into this study, 32 patients (12.6%) were identified as p-CFL. Compared with patients who had no p-CFL, patients with p-CFL had a higher occurrence of intraoperative CFL, a longer operation duration time, a higher rate of the presence of pneumocephalus on the first-day NCCT after operation (referred to as the first-day NP), and a higher rate of NP volume change between two times NCCT measurements (referred to as the NP change) (all P < 0.05). In multivariate regression analysis, the first-day NP was independently associated with the occurrence of p-CFL (OR = 6.176, 95%CI = 2.134–17.871, P = 0.001). While adding the NP change into the regression model, the first-day NP was no longer independently associated with the occurrence of p-CFL, and the NP change (OR = 21.192, 95%CI = 6.292–71.373, P < 0.001) was independently associated with p-CFL. The ROCs comparison analysis showed that the NP change had a significantly better predicting value than the first-day NP (AUC: 0.988 vs 0.742, Z = 6.451, P = 0.001).
Conclusions
NP is an effective imaging marker for predicting p-CFL after endoscopic sellar and suprasellar tumors operation, especially the NP change shows a better predicting value.
Genome-Wide Identification of Potential Biomarkers in Multiple Myeloma Using Meta-Analysis of mRNA and miRNA Expression Data
Authors: Katiyar Amit , Kaur Gurvinder , Rani Lata , Singh Harpreet , Kaur Punit , Gupta Ritu
Published: January 2021

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell malignancy with diverse clinical phenotypes and molecular heterogeneity that is not completely understood. Recent studies have identified differentially expressed patterns of genes (DEGs) or miRNAs (DEMs) in MM. But these signatures overlap partially, plausibly due to complexity of myeloma genome, diversity in cell lines studied, molecular technologies and analytical tools utilized in these studies. This warrants further investigations since DEGs/DEMs can impact clinical outcomes and guide personalized therapy. We conducted the genome-wide meta-analysis of expression datasets on DEGs/DEMs in MM and derive net putative signatures and potential biomarkers for MM. A set of 110 DEMs and 3,817 DEGs were identified to be differentially expressed. Among these, 86 DEMs (60 downregulated; 26 upregulated) correlated with 1,970 target DEGs (1373 downregulated; 597 upregulated). Signatures of 23 DEMs (‘Union 23’) and 196 DEGs (‘Union 196’) were deduced that shared 10 DEMs and 13 DEGs with published signatures, respectively. The study has identified five topmost nodal genes (APP, KIAA0101, CDK2, ESR1 and FN1) derived from functional modules in PPI networks and has paved the way for further studies to establish their prognostic potential and role in therapeutics for MM. The integrated bioinformatics methods and expression profiling techniques may lead to the identification of putative hub genes and expression signatures that can serve as predictive biomarkers of MM progression.
Characterization of the Key Aroma Compounds in Three Types of Bagels by Means of the Sensomics Approach
Authors: Lasekan Ola , Dabaj Fatma , Muniandy Megala , Juhari Hanisah , Lasekan Adeseye
Published: January 2021

Background:To evaluate the impact of cold fermentation time on bagel rolls, the key aroma-active compounds in the volatile fractions obtained from three different bagel rolls through solvent assisted flavor evaporation (SAFE) were sequentially characterized by an aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA), quantified by stable isotope dilution and analyzed by odor activity values (OAVs) respectively.. Results: Findings revealed Forty aroma-active compounds with flavor dilution (FD) factor ranges of 2 – 1024. Of these, 22 compounds (FD≥ 16) were quantified by stable isotope dilution assays (SIDA). Subsequent analysis of the 22 compounds by odor activity values (OAVs) revealed 14 compounds with OAVs ≥ 1 and the highest concentrations were obtained for 2,3-butanedione, 2-phenylethanol, 3-methylbutanal and acetoin respectively. Two recombination models of the bagels (i.e. 24 h and 48 h bagels) showed similarity to the corresponding bagels. Omission tests confirmed that 2,3-butanedione (buttery), acetoin (buttery), 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (roasty), 5-methyl-2-furanmethanol (bread-like), (Z)-4-heptenal (biscuit-like) and 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone, were the key aroma compounds. Additionally, acetic acid, butanoic acid, 2-phenylethanol (honey-like), 3-methylbutanoic acid, 2/3-methylbutanal, vanillin, 3-methylbutanol, methional were also important odorants of the bagel. Conclusion: Whilst the long, cold fermented bagels exhibited roasty, malty, buttery, baked potato-like, smoky and biscuit-like notes, the control bagels produced similar but less intense odor notes.
Two-Lung Ventilation: A Safer and More Efficient Method Than One-Lung Ventilation in Bilateral Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Extended Thymectomy in Myasthenia Gravis
Authors: Yun Mijung , Kim Gunn Hee , Ko Sung-chul , Kim Wooshik
Published: January 2021

Background Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease and early thymectomy has been recommended. After the introduction of VATS, the safety and effectiveness of carbon dioxide (CO2) insufflation in thoracic cavity (capnothorax) has been continuously controversial. This study aimed to compare the safety and effectiveness of ventilation methods in bilateral video-assisted thoracoscopic extended thymectomy (BVET) with capnothorax.Methods We retrospectively investigated the medical records of MG patients who underwent BVET between August 2016 and January 2018.Patients were divided into two groups: group D (n=26) for one-lung ventilation and group S (n=28) for two lung-ventilation. We set nine anesthesia time points (T0–T8) and collected respiratory and hemodynamic variables including arterial O2 index (PaO2/FiO2).Results The EtCO2 at T0, T1–T4, and T7 were insignificantly higher in group D than those in group S. The SpO2 at T1–T3 and T8 were significantly lower in group D than those in group S. The FiO2 in group S was lower than that in group D at all-time points. The number of PaO2/FiO2 ≤ 300 and PaO2/FiO2 ≤ 200 were significantly higher in group D than those in group S. Hemodynamic variables were not insignificantly different between the two groups at all-time points. The duration of surgery and anesthesia was shorter in group S than that in group D. Conclusions This retrospective study suggests that anesthesia using two-lung ventilation during BVET with capnothorax was a safe and effective method to improve lung oxygenation and reduce the operation and anesthesia time.
A Photonic-Assisted Generation of Triangular Waveform With Frequency Octupling
Authors: Yuan Jin , Su Jianxun , Li Zengrui
Published: January 2021

A new photonic approach for generating a triangular waveform with octupled-frequency is presented. The core principle is the frequency outupling technique based on two cascaded dual-parallel Mach-Zehnder modulators (DP-MZMs). A dual-electrode MZM (De-MZM) and a single mode fiber (SMF) are subsequently applied to manipulate the signal spectrum to satisfy the characteristics of that of a triangular waveform. By applying a 2-GHz radio frequency (RF) signal, a full-duty-cycle triangular waveform with repetition rate of 16-GHz is obtained. The high frequency multiplying factor shows great potential in generating a cost-effective waveform. Additionally, the phase imbalance of hybrid coupler and bias drift of MZM have been considered in our simulation, which further verify the feasibility and stability of our proposal.
Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3β Inhibitor Lithium Chloride Protects Against Inflammation-Mediated Skeletal Muscle Wasting
Authors: Lee Ji-Hyung , Kim Seon-Wook , Kim Jun-Hyeong , Kim Hyung-Jun , Um JungIn , Jung Da-Woon , Williams Darren
Published: January 2021

Inflammation-mediated skeletal muscle wasting is induced by inflammatory cytokines. It occurs in critically ill patients with sepsis (termed intensive care unit acquired weakness) and patients with advanced metastasis (termed cancer cachexia). Both conditions severely impact on patient morbidity and mortality. Lithium chloride has been investigated as a drug repurposing candidate for numerous diseases. In this study, we assessed whether lithium chloride affects inflammation-mediated muscle wasting, using in vitro and in vivo models of cancer cachexia and sepsis. Lithium chloride prevented wasting in myotubes cultured with cancer cell conditioned media, maintained expression of the muscle fiber contractile protein, myosin heavy chain 2 and blocked upregulation of the E3 ubiquitin ligase, Atrogin-1. Glycogen synthase kinase-3β inhibition was indicated as the target mechanism, due to the following observations: 1) β-catenin was upregulated in the myotubes and 2) inhibition of IMPA1, the secondary biological target of lithium chloride, did not inhibit the effects of cancer conditioned media. Lithium chloride inhibited upregulation of the inflammation-associated cytokines Il-1β, Il-6 and inos in macrophages treated with lipopolysaccharide. Lithium chloride treatment in an animal model of sepsis improved body weight, increased muscle mass, preserved the survival of larger fibers and decreased expression of the wasting effector genes, Atrogin-1 and Murf-1. In a model of cancer cachexia, lithium chloride increased muscle mass, enhanced muscle strength and increased fiber cross sectional area, with no significant effect on tumorigenesis. These results indicate that lithium chloride could be repurposed as a drug to treat patients with inflammation-mediated skeletal muscle wasting.
A Deep Learning Approach to Annotating Immunogold-Labeled Electron Microscopy Images
Authors: Jerez Diego , Stuart Eleanor , Schmitt Kylie , Guerrero-Given Debbie , Christie Jason , Kamasawa Naomi , Smirnov Michael
Published: January 2021

Electron microscopy (EM) enables high-resolution visualization of protein distributions in biological tissues. For detection, gold nanoparticles are typically used as an electron-dense marker for immunohistochemically labeled proteins. Manual annotation of gold particle labels is laborious and time consuming, as gold particle counts can exceed 100,000 across hundreds of image segments to obtain conclusive data sets. To automate this process, we developed Gold Digger, a software tool that uses a modified pix2pix deep learning network capable of detecting and annotating colloidal gold particles in biological EM images obtained from both freeze-fracture replicas and plastic sections prepared with the post-embedding method. Gold Digger performs at near-human-level accuracy, can handle large images, and includes a user-friendly tool with a graphical interface for proof reading outputs by users. Manual error correction also helps for continued re-training of the network to improve annotation accuracy over time. Gold Digger thus enables rapid high-throughput analysis of immunogold-labeled EM data and is freely available to the research community.
The Elimination of Trace Arsenic Via Hollow Fiber Supported Liquid Membrane: Experiment and Mathematical Model
Authors: Suren Sira , Ampronpong Watcharapong , Pancharoen Ura , Maneeintr Kreangkrai
Published: January 2021

This work presents the elimination of arsenic ions from synthetic produced water via hollow fiber supported liquid membrane (HFSLM). The effects of extractants, pH of feed solution, strippant solutions, and flow rates of feed and strippant solutions are duly investigated. Results demonstrate that arsenic ions in synthetic wastewater could be treated to comply with the standard of wastewater discharged (< 0.25 mg/L) via HFSLM. Percentages of extraction and stripping proved to be 100% and 98%, respectively. Thus, in a single-step operation, arsenic ions are extracted and stripped, using 0.5 M Aliquat 336 as the extractant, at pH of feed solution of 12, with a mixture of thiourea and hydrochloric acid (0.5 M each) as the synergistic strippant solution, and flow rates of both feed and strippant solutions of 100 mL/min. A mathematical model has also been developed to predict the final concentration of arsenic ions in feed and strippant solutions. The results predicted by the mathematical model fit in well with the experimental results.