bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Freeze-thaw Performance of Phase Change Material (PCM) Incorporated Canal Foundation Expansive Soil
Authors: Chen Yong , Huang Yinghao , Wang Shuo , Zhu Rui , Liu Xiaohan
Published: July 2021

Drought and water shortages severely restrict the development of agriculture in China. The complex process of freezing and thawing experienced by the canal foundation soil in cold regions will cause leakage and loss of canal water. It is a common measure to improve the foundation soil of canals in cold regions. Phase change material (PCM) store or release heat in the form of latent heat during the phase change process, which is a new type of temperature control material. In this study, PCM-modified soil was used as the research object. Volume deformation measurement, unconfined compressive strength test, differential scanning calorimetry, and scanning electron microscopy tests were carried out on modified soil samples with different PCM content after freeze-thaw (F-T) cycles. The influence of the number of F-T cycles and the content of PCM on the expansion-shrinkage deformation and mechanical properties of the modified soil was revealed. The results show that: the greater the PCM content, the smaller the volume change, but there will be an optimal mixing ratio. The stress-strain curve characteristics, the failure strain with the number of F-T cycles and the PCM content have a great relationship. The effects of F-T cycles have a greater impact on the mechanical properties of PCM-modified soil. Among them, the first cycle is the most obvious, and it stabilizes after the third cycle. PCM can inhibit the attenuation of soil strength, and the greater the amount, the better the effect. The freezing time of PCM-modified soil has been increased, the supercooling phenomenon is no longer obvious, and the thermal stability has been improved. PCM reduces the connectivity of pores, and macroscopically suppresses the expansion and shrinkage characteristics and strength attenuation of expansive soil. The studies have shown that 8% PCM-modified soil has obvious advantages in resisting the harsh weather in cold regions, which can provide a reference for actual engineering design.
Synergetic Effect of Carbon Dot at Cellulose Nanofiber for Sustainable Metal-free Photocatalyst
Authors: Ahn Jungbin , Kim Hyungsup , pak Sewon
Published: July 2021

Metal-free photocatalyst was synthesized by attaching carbon dot (CD) to cellulose nanofiber (CNF) via simple in-situ synthesis. The graphitic core and functional groups of CD on CNF was controlled along the precursor concentration, while the fibrous structure of CNF was intact. The optical property of the samples was profoundly analyzed focusing on the electron recombination pathway. It reveals that the excited electrons in the CD transferred to the CNF and delayed the radiative recombination. The electron-hole pairs were efficiently separated in the composite where abundant amide group and sulfide bonding existed. The CD on the CNF surface improved the morphological stability of CNF under UV irradiation as well. As a result, the composite showed superior photocatalytic performance to degrade 98% of MB molecules within 25 min. The aerogel synthesized from CDCNF had good re-usability without sacrificing its photocatalytic effect. The synthesized CDCNF composite showed superior possibility for applying cellulose nanofiber to sustainable metal-free photocatalyst.
A Rare Case of Bilateral Primary B-Cell Non Hodgkin Lymphoma of Breast
Authors: Raval Maharshi Romelbhai , Patel Yash , Shah Suchi D. , Patel Kishan Gautam , Sharma Kamal
Published: July 2021

Primary B-Cell Non Hodgkin Lymphoma of Breast is a rare presentation of breast malignancy and it is necessary to differentiate it from secondary breast lymphoma as prognosis and treatment varies based on the diagnosis. We present a case of 47-year-old female with bilateral PBNHL of Breast which is rare due to younger age of presentation than earlier reported cases of this malignancy, lump with “peau de orange” appearance seen in both the breasts which is usually seen with high grade lymphoma and complete recovery of the patient while bilateral PBL outlines poor prognosis. Mammosonography findings included dilated ducts with hypoechoiec areas. MRI showed altered signal intensity. Findings of the imaging studies are non-specific and vary widely from case to case which is why biopsy which is gold standard was done to confirm the diagnosis.
Renal Replacement Therapy and Concurrent Fluconazole Therapy Increase Linezolid-Related Thrombocytopenia Among Adult Patients
Authors: Hsu Yueh-Chun , Chen Szu-Ying , Hung Yung-Jun , Huang Yu-Wei
Published: July 2021

Linezolid has been reported to be associated with thrombocytopenia. However, limited information is available on susceptibility to thrombocytopenia after linezolid usage. We aimed to investigate the risk factors for linezolid-associated thrombocytopenia (LAT). We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients aged ≥ 18 years who received linezolid for ≥ 5 d during hospitalization in 2019. Information was extracted from electronic medical records. Thrombocytopenia was defined as a platelet count of < 100×109/L or a reduction from baseline ≥ 25%. Binary logistic regression and survival analyses were used to evaluate the risk factors for LAT. A total of 98 patients were enrolled. Thrombocytopenia occurred in 53.1% patients, with a median of 9 d after initiation of linezolid. There was no significant difference in the mortality or proportion of platelet transfusions between patients with and without thrombocytopenia. A higher risk of LAT was found in patients who received renal replacement therapy (RRT) (OR 4.8 [1.4–16.4]), concurrent fluconazole (OR 3.5 [1.2–9.8]), or a longer duration of linezolid treatment (OR 1.1 [1.0-1.1]). Patients who received RRT (8 vs. 15 d) or concurrent fluconazole (11 vs. 15 d) had a shorter median time to develop thrombocytopenia. Those who simultaneously received RRT and fluconazole had the shortest median of time (6.5 d) and the highest risk of developing thrombocytopenia (87.5%).
The Association of Pulmonary Function, Physical Activity, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Borg Dyspnea Scales and Health Related Quality of Life in Patients With Resected Lung Cancer
Authors: Li Xinping , Chen Yi , Liu Shuangchun , Zhang Mingsheng
Published: July 2021

Purpose

This novel study aims to explore the relationship between pulmonary function, physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), dyspnea, and the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients with resected lung cancer.
Methods

A cross-sectional study design with 38 lung cancer survivors after surgery for one month was conducted. We assessed CRF by measuring maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) and anaerobic threshold (VT). Forced vital capacity (FVC) was measured using a spirometer. Physical activity, dyspnea, and HRQoL were investigated by 6-minute walking distance (6MWD), Borg dyspnea scales, and the SF-36 Health Survey (SF-36), respectively. Data analyses were conducted using SmartPLS to examine path analyses between the measures.
Results

There was a significant relationship between CRF and HRQoL in this cohort of cancer survivors. FVC (f2 = 0.265) and 6MWD (f2 = 0.389) have a medium to large effect size on the perceived CRF while CRF (f2 = 0.467) was found to have large effect sizes on perceived QoL. More importantly, our results showed that CRF positively and significantly mediated the paths between FVC, 6MWD, and HRQoL [β = 0.22 (0.457*0.474),P < 0.01; β = 0.28 (0.525*0.540), P < 0.01; respectively].
Conclusions

Pulmonary function, physical activity, and dyspnea had an indirect effect on the quality of life in patients with resected lung cancer. Furthermore, CRF mediates pulmonary function and physical activity to produce an impact on their quality of life.
Utilization of Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance of Silver Nanoparticles for the Spectrofluorimetric Estimation of Oxymetazoline in Dosage Forms: Application to Aqueous Humor
Authors: Elhaleem Shymaa M. Abd , Elsebaei Fawzi , Shalan Shereen , Belal Fathalla
Published: July 2021

A simple, novel, cost-effective and highly sensitive spectrofluorimetric method was developed for estimation of the nasal decongestant oxymetazoline (OMZ) whether per se or in its pharmaceutical preparations using colloidal silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The method is based on the high catalytic potential activity of AgNPs on the fluorescence intensity of OMZ leading to 12-fold increase in its fluorescene intensity. The response was linear over the range of 20.0 to 700.0 ng/mL with lower detection limit of 5.0 ng/mL and limit of quantification of 14.0 ng/mL. The proposed method was applied to the assay of commercial nasal drops, nasal spray and aqueous humor. Interference likely to be encountered from co-administered drugs was studied. The developed method was optimized and validated as per International Council of Harmonization (ICH). An explanation for the drug-AgNPs interaction was proposed.
Enhanced Ultraviolet-Visible Photocatalysis of RGO/Equaixial Geometry TiO2 Composites on Degradation of Organic Dyes in Water
Authors: Hasan Jaafar , Wang Jing , Wang Zhentao , Idrees Muhammad , Batool Saima , Zhang Caiwei , Qin Chuanguang
Published: July 2021

The reduced graphene oxide dopped equaixial geometry TiO2 (rGO/egTiO2) composite as photocatalyst was synthesized hydrothermally with various mass ratios of tetrabutyl titanate. The photocatalyst is considered to be rGO/equaixial geometry TiO2 in terms of modifying the combined reduced graphene Oxide and TiO2. The rGO plays a vital role in rGO/egTiO2 composite as photocatalysts were analyzed in methylene blue (MB) and rhodamine B (RhB) photocatalytic degradation under UV and simulated solar light irradiation. This synthesized catalyst was characterized by various analytical techniques such as XPS, XRD, SEM, BET and TEM. The rGO/egTiO2 composite exhibits enhanced photo-catalytic performance with degradation rate of 97.5 and 97% on RhB and MB for 60 min under UV radiation respectively, while the degradation rate of 94 and 92 % was observed on the same dyes for 6 h under the simulated sunlight radiation. The enhanced photocatalytic performance of the rGO/egTiO2 composite under ultraviolet irradiation source was owing to a high separation efficiency of the photo-induced electron-hole pairs, while the photocatalytic performance under simulated sunlight radiation was due to the photosensitive and charge separator behavior of rGO. This offers us an excellent potential of significant photo catalytic activity for the removal of organic contaminants from wastewater.
Multi-Mode Circular Dichroism in N-Fold Rotational Symmetric Metamaterials
Authors: Li Shihao , Chen Kejian , Xu Yeli , Chen Yan
Published: July 2021

In this article, the effects of the rotation angle between upper and lower n-fold rotational symmetric nano-structures are studied. Various modes of circular dichroism (single wavelength band, dual-wavelength bands, and more than two wavelength bands) in the wavelength band from 3.3 to 5 µm are realized. Absorption up to 0.994 and absorptive circular dichroism up to 0.867 are observed. Meanwhile, sensitivity of circular dichroism to the rotation angle and reconfigure strategy for opposite responses has been discussed. Based on Born-Kuhn model, physical mechanism of mode’s switching is explained with charge distributions. The multi-mode chiroptical responses in mid-infrared band and the variety of design strategies have potential applications in the field of thermal remote sensing detection and tunable multi-band chiral devices.
Precipitation Variability and its Teleconnection with the Global SST and ENSO Indices in the Food Insecure Rural Areas of Tigray
Authors: Gebre Tewelde , Abreha Zenebe , Zenebe Amanuel , Zewold Woldegebrial
Published: July 2021

The impact of precipitation variability on food production is very significant. For food insecure rural areas, understanding the nature of precipitation variability and its teleconnection has paramount importance in guiding regional and local level decisions. In this study, we analyzed the monthly, seasonal and annual precipitation variability and the strength of its teleconnection with the global sea-surface temperature (SST) and El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) indices in the food insecure rural areas of Tigray region, Ethiopia. The precipitation, SST, and ENSO indices data for the study were used from 1979 to 2019. A Summary of descriptive statistics and Mann Kendall test methods were applied to detect existence of trends; and Sen’s Slope and coefficient of variation are used to analyze the magnitude of the trend, and degree of variation in the trend of precipitation. Further, Pearson’s correlation is used to determine the effect of ENSO, and SST variations on the precipitation using the Canonical Correlation Analysis (CCA). The results revealed that the precipitation over the study areas is characterized by a distinctive bi-modal pattern with limited rains in March – May preceding the main rainy season June – September. The limited amount of precipitation, exacerbated by higher degree of variability, makes the food production in the study areas more uncertain. Besides, there was a very significant decline in the trend of March – May average precipitation and a significant decline in the trend of the annual average precipitation of Hintalo area. The SSTs of the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, and northeast and northwest equatorial Atlantic Ocean was strongly correlated with April’s average precipitation of the study areas. Further, the SST of south, west and southwest of equatorial Indian Ocean, and west equatorial Pacific Ocean were associated with July – September average precipitation with greater variation in strength among of the study areas. Moreover, July’s average precipitation of all the study areas, April’s average precipitation of Atsbi and Eirop, and May’s precipitation of Hintalo are found significantly associated with the ENSO indices of JFM, FMA, MJJ and MAM. Therefore, the task of achieving food security in the study areas should incorporate the design of informed food production strategies that can adapt the limited and variable precipitation based on these SST and ENSO indices.
Integration of Imaging Genomics Data for the Study of Alzheimer's Disease Using Joint-Connectivity-Based Sparse Nonnegative Matrix Factorization
Authors: Wei Kai , Kong Wei , Wang Shuaiqun
Published: July 2021

Image genetics reveal the connection between microscopic genetics and macroscopic imaging and then detect diseases’ biomarkers. In this research, we make full use of the prior knowledge that has significant reference value for exploring the correlation of brain and genetics to explore more biologically substantial biomarkers. In this paper, we propose Joint-Connectivity-Based Sparse Nonnegative Matrix Factorization (JCB-SNMF). The algorithm simultaneously projects structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (sMRI), Single Nucleotide Polymorphism sites (SNPs), and gene expression data onto a common feature space, where heterogeneous variables with large coefficients in the same projection direction form a common module. In addition, the connectivity information of each region of the brain and genetic data are added as prior knowledge to identify regions of interest (ROI), SNP, and gene-related risks related to Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. GraphNet regularization increases the anti-noise performance of the algorithm and the biological interpretability of the results. The simulation results show that compared with other NMF-based algorithms (JNMF, JSNMNMF), JCB-SNMF has better anti-noise performance and can identify and predict biomarkers closely related to AD from significant modules. By constructing a protein-protein interaction network (PPI), we identified SF3B1, RPS20, and RBM14 as potential biomarkers of AD. We also find some significant SNP-ROI and Gene-ROI pairs. Among them, two SNPs of rs4472239 and rs11918049 and three genes of KLHL8, ZC3H11A, and OSGEPL1 may have effects on the gray matter volume of multiple brain regions. This model provides a new way to further integrate multimodal impact genetic data to identify complex disease association patterns.
Study on the Impact of Comprehensive Urbanization on Urban Civil Building CO2 Emissions in China
Authors: Guo Rong , Li Nan , Mu Hailin , Zhang Ming , Yang Xiyue , Han Yixuan , Yao Rongkang , Shao Zhihao
Published: July 2021

With the rapid development of China, urbanization has become an important research topic of China's CO2 emissions. To fill the gap in considering the spatial correlation of the comprehensive urbanization that includes multi-dimensional factors on CO2 emissions from the operation phase of urban civil buildings (ubec). This study constructs a comprehensive evaluation indicator of urbanization from four aspects including population, economy, society and land urbanization by using the entropy method. The spatial spillover effect of ubec and the impact of comprehensive urbanization on ubec are also studied by using the spatial panel model in this paper. This study finds out that ubec has obvious spatial spillover effects. During the early years of the study period, the eastern coastal areas had greater carbon emissions, while in recent years they have gradually transitioned to the northwestern regions. Comprehensive urbanization has a significant promotion effect on it. And foreign direct investment and per capita energy consumption also have positive impact on ubec. This study provides a reference for measuring the effects of urbanization on sector-specific CO2 emissions and maybe useful for energy efficiency and emission abatement efforts in China.
Physicochemical Habitat Traits Preferred by Small Indigenous Fish (Chanda Nama ) in Indian River Discerning through Machine Learning
Authors: Raman Rohan Kumar , Das Archan Kanti , Manna Ranjan Kumar , Sahu Sanjeev Kumar , Das Basanta Kumar
Published: July 2021

Physicochemical traits of river influence the habitat of fish species in aquatic ecosystems. Fish showed a complex relationship with aquatic factors in river. Machine learning (ML) modeling is a useful tool to established relationship between complex systems. This study identified the preferred habitat indicators of Chanda nama (a small indigenous fish), in the Krishna River, of peninsular India, using machine learning modeling. Data were observed on Chanda nama fish distribution (presence/absence) and associated ten physical and chemical parameters of water at 22 sampling sites on the river during year 2001-02. Machine learning models such as random forest (RF), artificial neural network (ANN), support vector machine (SVM), k-nearest neighbors (KNN) used for the classification of Chanda nama distribution in the river. The ML model efficiency was evaluated using classification accuracy (CCI), Cohen’s kappa coefficient (k), sensitivity, specificity and receiver-operating-characteristics (ROC). Results showed that random forest is the best model with 82% accuracy, CCI (0.82), k (0.55), sensitivity (0.57), specificity (0.76) and ROC (0.72) for Chanda nama distribution (presence/absence) in the Krishna River. Random Forest model identified three preferred physicochemical habitat traits like altitude, temperature and depth for Chanda nama distribution in the Krishna River, India. This study will be helpful for researcher and policy maker to understand the important habitat physicochemical traits for sustainable management of small indigenous fish (Chanda nama ) in the river system.
Low density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and all-Cause Mortality rate Findings from a Study on Japanese Community-Dwelling Persons
Authors: Kawamoto Ryuichi , Kikuchi Asuka , Akase Taichi , Ninomiya Daisuke , Kumagi Teru
Published: July 2021

Background: Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) independently impacts aging-related health outcomes and plays a critical role in cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). However, there are limited predictive data on all-cause mortality, especially for the Japanese community population. In this study, it was examined whether LDL-C is related to survival prognosis based on 7 or 10 years of follow-up.Methods: Participants included 1,610 men (63 ± 14 years old) and 2,074 women (65 ± 12 years old) who participated in the Nomura cohort study conducted in 2002 (first cohort) and 2014 (second cohort) and who continued throughout the follow-up periods (follow-up rates: 94.8% and 98.0%). Adjusted relative risk estimates were obtained for all-cause mortality using a basic resident register. The data were analyzed by a Cox regression with age as the time variable and risk factors including gender; age; body mass index (BMI); presence of diabetes; lipid levels; renal function; serum uric acid levels; blood pressure; and history of smoking, drinking, and CVD.Results: Of the 3,684 participants, 326 (8.8%) were confirmed to be deceased. Of these, 180 were men (11.2% of all men) and 146 were women (7.0% of all women). The univariate Cox regression analysis revealed that the hazard ratios (HRs) for all-cause mortality significantly increased with a decrease in LDL-C level (P < 0.001). The multivariate Cox regression analysis with adjustment variables showed that LDL-C grouping (HR: 0.71; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.62–0.82), gender (HR: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.51–0.93), age (HR: 1.09; 95% CI: 1.08–1.11), BMI (HR: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.54–0.86), history of CVD (HR: 1.38; 95% CI: 1.03–1.82), and presence of diabetes (HR: 1.65; 95% CI: 1.23–2.22) were significantly associated with all-cause mortality. Compared with individuals with LDL-C levels of 144 mg/dL or higher, the multivariate-adjusted HRs (95% CI) for all-cause mortality were 2.68 (1.67–4.28) for those with LDL-C levels under 70 mg/dL and 1.74 (1.17–2.59) for those with LDL-C levels between 70 and 92 mg/dL. Conclusions: There is an inverse relationship between the risk of all-cause mortality and LDL-C level, and this association is statistically significant.
Impact of Comorbidities On Physical Function And Survival of Middle-Aged As Compared To Older, Individuals With Cancer.
Authors: Koczwara Bogda , Deckx Laura , Ullah Shahid , Akker Marjan Van den
Published: July 2021

Purpose: To investigate if comorbidity predicts mortality and functional impairment in middle-aged individuals with cancer (50-64 years) as compared to older individuals.Methods: A prospective cohort study. Outcomes were mortality and functional impairment at 5 years follow-up. Comorbidity was assessed using adjusted Charlson comorbidity index and polypharmacy (≥5 drugs) as surrogate for comorbidity. Multivariate Cox-proportional hazards and binary logit models were used to assess the risk of 5-year mortality and functional impairment respectively.Results: We included 477 middle-aged (50-64 years) and 563 older (65+ years) individuals with cancer. The prevalence of comorbidity (at least one disease in addition to cancer) was 29% for middle-aged and 45% for older individuals, with polypharmacy observed in 15% and 31% respectively. Presence of ≥3 comorbidities nearly tripled the mortality risk in middle-aged individuals (HR 2.97, 95% CI: 1.43-6.16). In older individuals the HR was 1.7 (95% CI 1.1-2.8). Polypharmacy also significantly increased the risk for mortality in middle-aged (HR 2.35, 95% CI 1.32- 4.16) but not in older individuals (HR 1.2, 95% CI 0.9-1.8). Polypharmacy quadrupled the risk for functional impairment in middle-aged (OR 4.0, 95% CI 1.59-10.06) and older individuals (OR 4.4, 95% CI 1.6-11.7). Conclusion: Comorbidity and polypharmacy are associated with inferior outcomes in younger and older cancer individuals with the strength of association in younger individuals exceeding that of older individuals. Assessment and management of comorbidity should be a priority for cancer care across all age groups.
Households’ Climate Change Adaptation Strategies for Agriculture on the Eastern Tibetan Plateau
Authors: He Xinjun , Yan Jianzhong , Huang Anyi , Zhou Hong , Wu Ya , Yang Liang Emlyn , Paudel Basanta
Published: July 2021

How agriculture can better adapt to climate change has been a key topic of interest for scholars. This study provides insights from the eastern agricultural region of the Tibetan Plateau (TP). The Yellow River-Huangshui River valley (YHV) is an important food-producing region on the TP. The agricultural production of small households has been affected by significant climate change and by a series of interventions on the part of the local government. Five main adaptation strategies adopted by households include crop rotation (86.71%), increasing agricultural inputs (74.21%), changing the sowing time of crops (61.51%), expanding cropland area (32.94%) and raising more livestock (16.27%) to adapt to the effects of climate change. Regression analysis revealed that households’ perceptions of climate change and five types of livelihood capital are important factors influencing their adoption of various livelihood strategies. In addition, the adaptation strategies used by households in the YHV are incremental adjustments to their existing production, while transformative adaptation strategies (e.g., irrigation facilities, improved crop varieties, agricultural insurance), which are larger in scale and could fundamentally reduce households’ vulnerability to climate change have been planned by the government. Due to the presence of government interventions, households in the YHV area are more proactive in adapting to climate change. Finally, the results of this paper are conducive to guiding the local government to enhance its intervention role to promote households’ climate change adaptation behavior.
Influencing Factors Analysis on Provincial Difference of Rural Energy Efficiency in China Employing Super Efficiency SBM Model and Global Malmquist-Luenberger Index
Authors: Wen Lei , Zhou You
Published: July 2021

Given the current circumstance of increasingly severe resource and environmental deterioration, the progress of Chinese rural energy efficiency has a remarkable impression on Chinese future high-quality development. Energy consumption in rural areas accounts for a considerable proportion, so it is imperative to make a specific and accurate assessment of rural energy efficiency. This paper abandons the traditional method of regional division and separates China into eight economic zones. First of all, this paper applies Super-SBM model to calculate the rural energy efficiency and constructs a Global Malmquist-Luenberger (GML) Index based on 2008–2018 panel data. Subsequently, GML is decomposed into technical efficiency change index (GMLEC) and technological progress change index (GMLTC) to analyze green total-factor productivity (GTFP) in rural areas. Eventually, the GML and its decomposition terms of eight economic zones are explained by practicing a cumulative multiplication method from 2008 to 2018. The consequences of employing panel data of region prove that: (1) There is a severe regional imbalance of Chinese rural energy efficiency. (2) The rural energy efficiency in the northwest and southwest (western region) is higher than the Middle Yangtze River and the Middle Yellow River (central region). (3) GMLTC has a significant impact on GTFP.
Antibiotic Resistance Patterns and Distribution of Ampc β-Lactamases Genes Among Acinetobacter Baumannii Clinical Isolates from Hospitals of Tehran, Iran
Authors: Alizadeh Sajad , Baserisalehi Majid , Bahador Nima
Published: July 2021

Background

Acinetobacter is a Gram-negative coccobacilli bacterium that can produce severe and different infections. Among the species of these bacteria, Acinetobacter baumannii is the most common cause of nosocomial infections. Due to the high prevalence of antibiotic resistance in this bacterium and the significant increase in antibiotic resistance, this study was conducted to investigate the antibiotic susceptibility of A. baumannii isolates from Iran. A total of 60 A. baumannii bacteria were isolated from the different clinical samples in hospitals of Tehran, Iran. The isolates susceptibility to 13 commonly used antibiotics was examined according to the Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Using PCR, three important AmpC β-lactamases relayed genes (DHA, CIT and MOX) were detected.
Results

The highest and lowest resistance rate was related to ampicillin (98.3%) colistin (35%), respectively. Of 60 isolates, 59 isolates (98.34%) were resistant to more than 8 antibiotics. The frequencies of DHA, CIT and MOX genes were 1 (2%), 7 (12%), 27 (46%), respectively. Based on definition, 59 (88.33%), 44 (73.33%) and 13 (21.66%) isolates were MDR, XDR and PDR, respectively. Twenty-four isolates (40%) were negative for all three genes. There was a significant relationship between the presence of MOX gene and antibiotic resistance.
Conclusions

The high resistance rates of the A. baumannii isolates reported in the present study is alarming and need the management of treatment such as performing of antibiogram test before antibiotic therapy for select the appropriate antibiotic and also completes the course of treatment period.
Different Response of Perennial Ryegrass – Epichloë Endophyte Symbiota to the Elevated Concentration of Heavy Metals in Soil
Authors: Żurek Grzegorz , Wiewióra Barbara , Rybka Krystyna , Prokopiuk Kamil
Published: July 2021

The phenomenon of plant mutualistic symbiosis with microbes may have a positive effect on the improvement of plant tolerance to environmental stresses as well as on the ability of plants to accumulate heavy metal (HM) ions from soil. The influence of Epichloë fungal endophyte (Ascomycota, Clavicipitaceae) on perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) plants grown in the presence of elevated concentrations of HM ions (Cd2+, Pb2+ and Cu2+) in soil was studied. The presence of Epichloë in the host grass tissues resulted in different accumulation of HM ions in the aboveground parts of the plants. In some cases endophyte infection positively affected ryegrass ability to accumulate HM ions from soil. In plants with (E+) and without (E-) endophytes the hormesis effect was induced by the elevated concentration of Cu2+ ions, resulting in better growth and photosynthesis, as examined by measurements of Chl a fluorescence. The obtained results indicate that based on the laboratory evaluation of the efficiency of HM accumulation, we were able to choose the best associations of perennial ryegrass with endophytes for HM phytoremediation.
Small Bowel Obstruction Caused by Tubo-Ovarian Abscess Following Chronic Pelvic Inflammatory Disease: A Case Report
Authors: Li Yanan , Zhang Xiao , Zhao Yaxuan , Zhang Zhiqiang , Meng Li , Du Yanfang , Huang Xianghua
Published: July 2021

BackgroundAlthough there are reports of small bowel obstruction (SBO) secondary to tubo-ovarian abscess (TOA), there have been no documented cases of unexpected SBO, multiple intestinal ruptures and adhesions in a patient with chronic PID followed by successful surgical treatment of TOA who was successfully treated by surgery after failure by conservative treatment.Case presentationA 40-year-old female was admitted with main complaint of abdominal pain and fever for six days. A pelvic mass measuring 6.37x7.85x9.04 cm and ascites at rectovaginal pouch were found despite local treatment with metronidazole and cefazolin. Laboratory tests revealed leukocytosis of 8.9x10^9/L with hyper-neutrocytophilia of 82.8%, C-reactive protein increase at 223 mg/L and Procalcitonin 0.14ng/L. The patient was diagnosed with an acute attack of chronic PID. Tests and body temperature improved after 4 days of IV antibiotics. However, two days later, the patient presented abdominal distension, poor appetite, and difficulty in defecation. Abdominal CT suggested possibility of bowel obstruction. Accordingly, an explorative laparoscopy was performed, revealing 500ml pale yellow ascites within the abdominal cavity. The intestinal tube was clearly dilated with poor peristalsis. Multiple intestinal ruptures and adhesions were found. Dense adhesion existed between the intestinal loop and posterior uterus wall, closing the rectouterine pouch. Pale yellow thick pus could be seen from the end of fallopian tube, and part of the right ovary showed serious pyosis. All the adhesions were split, ruptures were repaired and normal anatomy was restored. Postoperative pathology indicated acute and chronic inflammation of both fallopian tubes with focal abscess formation. The patient was discharged 15 days after operation and followed up at one month without any symptoms.ConclusionIn such cases, close attention should be paid to changes in the patient’s condition and lesion changes. Early laparoscopy is advised when there are significant clinical or CT scan signs of bowel obstruction in TOA patients. Precise predictors or a predictive model for the need of invasive intervention to TOA will require further investigation.
Phenological Plasticity and Adaptive Potential of Sugar Maple Populations
Authors: xiali guo , Buttò Valentina , Surget-Groba Yann , Huang Jian-Guo , Delagrange Sylvain , Rossi Sergio
Published: July 2021

Global changes affect the growing conditions of terrestrial ecosystems, mismatching the phenological adaptation of plants to local climates at mid and high latitudes. Their long lifespan and slow reproductive cycles prevent trees from tracking the quick shift in their usual climatic conditions, thus endangering the survival of local populations. In this study, we explored the phenological plasticity and adaptive potential of bud burst in sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) seedlings from 30 Canadian origins with contrasting climates planted in two common gardens near and at the northern boundary of the species range. Bud development and leafing occurred in April-May, with complete bud burst lasting between 21 and 29 days. On average, bud swelling differed by 12 days between common gardens. However, this difference decreased to 4 days for complete leafing. Both factors site and seed origin affected bud burst, which represented the phenological plasticity and adaptation of sugar maple, respectively. Overall, the former (7.4–88.3%) contributed more than the latter (9.2–25.5%) to the variance in bud burst, despite the wide climatic range among the provenance origins compared with that at the two common gardens. Adaptation to local conditions provide the genetic tools for the survival of species across wide climatic ranges. Plasticity enables physiological responses of individuals to quick environmental changes. Our study demonstrated the major role of plasticity in bud phenology, and revealed the importance of investing resources in mechanisms dealing with the climatic challenges due to inter-annual variations in weather events.
Level of Oral Hygiene Practices and its Association with Socio-Demographyic Characters Among Middle School Students in Low Income Countries
Authors: Gebregiorgis Tecleab Okubai , Humed Alhassen Saleh , Tekle Beraki Mael , Ghebremedhin Bereket Tesfamichael , Haile Letebrhan Habtemariam
Published: July 2021

Background: The practice of keeping the mouth clean to prevent common oral health diseases is necessary, especially in children who live in developing countries. Thisstudyaims to assess middle school students’ oral hygiene practice (OHP)Status and its association with socio-demographic factors among children in low- income countries in Asmara, Eritrea.Methods: Descriptivecross-sectionalstudy wasconducted to determine the status ofOHPamongMiddle school studentsage of 12-15years. Data was collected from all participants (N=572) through face -to- face interview using a pretested and semi structured questionnaire. Pearson’s chi-square test and multiple binary logistic regressions were usedto analyze the whole data.Results: Overall, majority (70%) of middle school children were having poor OHP.From the total respondents, only 201 (35.2%) of the middleschool children cleaned their teeth two times or more a day,16(3.1%) used dental floss for dental cleaning and 314(54.9%) brushed their teeth after meals.The most utilized oral hygiene tools were toothbrush 554.8(97%), chewstick411.3(71.9%), and toothpick 192 (33.6%).Most of the participants 554(97.4%) used toothpaste during tooth cleaning, but 509 (89%) of the children were unaware about the presence of fluoride in their toothpaste.From the children, 196 (34.4%) changed their brush every three months,and only 72 (12.6%) applied circular strokes while brushing their tooth. The most frequently consumed sugar foods and drinks were bread and biscuits, sugar containing chewing gum and tea cited as 536(93.7%), 256(54.8%) and 486(85%) of the respondents respectively.Around half (52%) of the respondents didn’t cleaning their tongue at all. Only 112 (19.5%) visited a dentist during the past twelve months. OHP score was significantly different for gender and school type (P<0.05).Females children were having better OHP than males AOR=0.636 (0.441 – 0.918, P=0.012).Moreover, Arbate Asmara was less likely to have poor OHP than Bana AOR=0.426 (0.197 – 0.92, P=0.030).Conclusions: This study found that,majority of the children was having poor OHP. Sex and school ofmiddle school children in low income countries had a significantcorrelation with OHP. The results of this study indicatetheneed of a Comprehensive oral hygiene practiceeducation for the children and their parents to achieve good oral hygiene in the middle school.
The Spatial-Temporal Distribution and Control Measures Evaluation of Droplets and Aerosol Cloud in Dental Procedures
Authors: Yuan Chao , Yang Hongtao , Zheng Siyuan , Sun Xiangyu , Chen Xiaochi , Chen Yuntao , Kang Jian , Liu Moubin , Zheng Shuguo
Published: July 2021

Background: Droplets and aerosol cloud generating procedures in dentistry can increase the risk of airborne transmission of diseases such as COVID-19. To gain insight into the diffusion of spatters and possible preventive measures, we measured the particle spatial-temporal distribution characteristic and evaluated the effectiveness of the control measures.Methods: We conducted an experiment to observe the emitted spatters obtained during the simulated dental preparation by using high-speed videography. We measured the particle size distributions by laser diffraction and preliminarily estimated its velocity. We qualitatively and quantitatively described the spatial-temporal distributions of spatters and their control measure effects. Results: Majority of the dental spatters were small droplets (diameter less than 50 μm). A large number of smallest droplets (diameter less than 10 μm) were generated by high-speed air turbine handpiece. At the oral outlet, the speed of large droplets could exceed 2.63 m/s, and the speed of aerosol clouds ranged from 0.31–2.37 m/s. The evolution of the spatters showed that the more fully developed the state, the greater the number of spatters and the wider the contamination range. When the operation mode was moved from the central incisor to the first molar, the spatter direction became increasingly concentrated, and the velocities were enhanced. Larger droplets randomly moved along trajectories and rapidly settled. The aerosol cloud tended to float as a mass that interacted with the surrounding air. The high-volume evacuation could effectively clear away most of the dental spatters. The suction air purifier could change the diffusion direction of the spatters, compress the contamination range, and control aerosol escape into surrounding air. Conclusions: Our view is that we should combine the ‘point’ control measure (high-volume evacuation) and ‘area’ control measure (suction air purifier) to reduce the scope of pollution and prevent the aerosol escape into the surroundings. The study contributes to devising more accurate infection control guidelines, establishing appropriate interventions for different oral treatments, and minimizing the spread of respiratory diseases so that we can reduce cost and achieve the best results when medical resources are limited.
Comparison of [18F] NaF PET/CT Analysis Methods and Derivation of a Semi-population Input Function for Site Specific Measurements of Bone Formation in a Population With Chronic Kidney Disease Mineral and Bone Disorder
Authors: Vrist Marie Houmaa , Bech Jesper Nørgaard , Lauridsen Thomas Guldager , Fynbo Claire Anne , Theil Jørn
Published: July 2021

PurposeImplementation and comparison of non-invasive dynamic and static whole-body (WB) [18F]NaF PET/CT scan methods to replace invasive bone biopsy, used for quantitative analysis of bone clearance in patients with chronic kidney disease - mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD).MethodsSeventeen patients with CKD-MBD underwent a 60-minute dynamic scan followed by a 30-minute static WB scan. Tracer kinetics in four thoracic vertebrae were analyzed using non-linear regression and Patlak analysis using image-derived arterial input functions. We validated the use of a semi-population input function in this population.ResultsSkeletal plasma clearance (Ki) from Patlak analyses correlated well with non-linear regression analysis, but Ki-results using Patlak analysis were lower compared to Ki-results using non-linear regression analysis. However, no significant difference was found between Ki obtained by static WB scans and Ki obtained by dynamic scans using non-linear regression analysis (p=0.29). ConclusionOur results show good correlation between dynamic and static analysis of skeletal plasma clearance with no significant difference between the Ki-results obtained by non-linear regression analysis and the more clinically suitable static scan analysis method. We found lower Ki-results when Patlak analysis was applied. Thus, WB [18F]NaF PET/CT scans can be applied in future studies to measure Ki in CKD-BMD patients, but the results should not be compared uncritically with results obtained by dynamic scans analysis.
Skp2 Stabilizes Mcl-1 and Confers Radioresistance in Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Yu Xinfang , Zhou Li , Liu Wenbin , Liu lijun , Gao Feng , Li Wei , Liu Haidan
Published: July 2021

Background
Overexpression of Skp2 plays a critical role in tumorigenesis and correlates with poor prognosis in human malignancies. Thus, Skp2 has been proposed as an attractive target for anti-tumor interventions.
Methods
The expression of Skp2 in human colorectal cancer (CRC) and the role of Skp2 in tumorigenic properties and irradiation sensitivities of CRC cells were examined by anchorage-dependent and -independent growth assays, immunoblot, flow cytometry, immunohistochemical staining, ubiquitination analysis, co-immunoprecipitation assay, CRISPR-Cas9-based gene knockout, and xenograft experiments.
Results
Skp2 is highly expressed in CRC patient tissues. Blocking Skp2 expression reduces the tumorigenic properties of CRC cells in vitro and in vivo. Depletion of Skp2 confers sensitivity to irradiation of CRC cells. Skp2 deficiency enhances irradiation-induced intrinsic apoptosis by facilitating E3 ligase FBW7-mediated Mcl-1 ubiquitination and degradation. Knockout of Skp2 sensitizes CRC cells to irradiation treatments in vivo.
Conclusion
Our findings indicate that Skp2 stabilizes Mcl-1, and targeting Skp2 in combination with traditional radiotherapy might be efficacious in treating CRC.
TCF4 and HuR Mediated-METTL14 Suppresses Dissemination of Colorectal Cancer via N6-Methyladenosine-Dependent Silencing of ARRDC4
Authors: Wang Hao , Wei Wei , Zhang Zhong-Yuan , Liu Yao , Shi Bin , Zhong Wen , Zhang Hou-Shun , Fang Xin , Sun Chun-Lei , Wang Jia-Bei , Liu Lian-Xin
Published: July 2021

Background: Metastasis remains the major obstacle to improved survival for colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Dysregulation of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is causally associated with the development of metastasis through poorly understood mechanisms. Methods: The expression of METTL14 and its correlation with clinicopathological features were evaluated by western blot and immunohistochemistry. The roles of METTL14 in CRC metastasis were determined through in vitro and in vivo assays. The underlying mechanisms of METTL14 regulation were explored using transcriptome-sequencing, m6A-seguencing, methylated RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP), m6A dot blot, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay.Results: METTL14 is functionally related to the inhibition of ARRDC4/ZEB1 signaling and to the consequent suppression of CRC metastasis. We unveil METTL14-mediated m6A modification profile and identify ARRDC4 as a direct downstream target of METTL14. Knockdown of METTL14 significantly enhances ARRDC4 mRNA stability relying on the “reader” protein YHTDF2 dependent manner. Moreover, TCF4 can induce METTL14 protein expression, and HuR suppresses METTL14 expression by directly binding to its promoter. Clinically, decreased METTL14 is correlated with poor prognosis and acts as an independent predictor of CRC survival. Conclusion: Our data suggest that TCF4 and HuR mediated-METTL14 can trigger the metastasis of CRC during cancer development via YHTDF2/ARRDC4/ZEB1 axis, which imposes great challenge that inhibition of METTL14 is a potential approach for cancer treatment.
Identifying Functional Brain Abnormalities in Migraine and Depression Comorbidity
Authors: Yang Ying , Wei Kai , Zhang Hongchun , Hu Hongyun , Yan Li , Gui Wei , Liu Ying , Chen Xin
Published: July 2021

Background: Migraine and major depressive disorder (MDD) are both high prevalence brain disorders and often comorbidity. However, the neural mechanisms underlying the migraine and depression comorbidity are largely unknown. We aimed to explore the brain functional abnormalities associated with the co-occurrence of migraine and depression. Methods: High-resolution T1-weighted and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging were required from ninety-three well-matched subjects with migraineurs with depression, migraineurs without depression, patients with MDD and healthy controls (HC). Voxel-wise one-way and two-way analyses of variance in multiple functional variables were performed among the four groups. Furthermore, correlation analysis was conducted to detect the clinical significance of the altered brain functional regions.Results: Migraineurs with depression showed functional alterations in the default mode network (DMN), pain processing network (PPN), and visual network (VN) compared with HC. Migraineurs without depression exhibited abnormalities in the DMN, PPN, VN, and ventral attention network compared with HC. Furthermore, the abnormalities in the right paracentral lobule and left calcarine were significantly correlated with emotional scales in the pooled migraine patients. Conclusions: Migraineurs with and without depression revealed widely shared regional networks of function changes related to the DMN, PPN, and VN. Importantly, the right paracentral lobule and left calcarine may be the core regions for the neuropathological mechanism in migraine and depression comorbidity, and may contribute to the development of depression in migraineurs.
Structural and Vibrational Study of Molecular Interaction in a Ternary Liquid Mixture of Benzylamine, Ethanol and Benzene
Authors: . Hema , Bhatt Tara , Arya Pratibha , Dhondiyal Charu Ch. , Tiwari Himani , Devlal Kamal
Published: July 2021

The structural study of the non-covalent interactions in the ternary mixture of benzylamine (BA), ethanol and benzene have been attempted through Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculation. The optimized structure of monomers (BA, ethanol and benzene), BA dimer and their complexes (BA-benzene, BA-ethanol, BA-ethanol-benzene) and their interaction energy is used to describe the intermolecular interaction between the molecules. In addition to conventional H-bonding, the stability of the system is found to depend on several other interactions such as CH/π, NH/π, OH/π interaction. The Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR) spectroscopy technique is also used to study molecular interaction. An interpretation of the IR stretching bands based on the interactions is also provided. The variation in IR band position and intensity of spectra with change in concentration of the mixture shows that different kinds of interactions are presented in the mixture. The strength of these interactions varies with concentration. At lower concentration (x1=0.0), weak OH/π interaction between benzene and ethanol takes place while at other mole fraction N-H-----O, O-H------N, NH/π interaction is present between molecules.