bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unconventional reconciliation path for quantum mechanics and general relativity
Authors: Yuguru Samuel
Published: September 2020

Physics in general is successfully governed by quantum mechanics at the microscale and principles of relativity at the macroscale. Any attempts to unify them using conventional methods have somewhat remained elusive for nearly a century up to the present stage. Here in this study, a classical gedanken experiment of electron-wave diffraction of a single slit is intuitively examined for its quantized states. A unidirectional monopole field as quanta of the electric field is pictorially conceptualized. Its application towards quantum mechanics and general relativity in accordance with existing knowledge in physics paves an alternative path towards their reconciliation process by assuming a multiverse at a hierarchy of scales. Such an outcome provides an approximate intuitive guide to examine physics in general from alternative perspectives using conventional methods.
Bacterial community assemblages in classroom floor dust of 50 public schools in a large city: characterization using 16s rRNA sequences and associations with environmental factors
Authors: Park Ju-Hyeong , Lemons Angela R. , Roseman Jerry , Green Brett J. , Cox-Ganser Jean M.
Published: September 2020

Characterizing indoor microbial communities using molecular methods provides insight into bacterial assemblages present in environments that can influence occupants’ health. We conducted an environmental assessment as part of an epidemiologic study of 50 elementary schools in a large city in the northeastern United States. We vacuumed dust from the edges of the floor in 500 classrooms accounting for 499 processed dust aliquots for 16S Illumina MiSeq sequencing to characterize bacterial assemblages. DNA sequences were organized into operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and identified using a database derived from the National Center for Biotechnology Information. Bacterial diversity and ecological analyses were performed at the genus level. We identified 29 phyla, 57 classes, 148 orders, 320 families, 1,193 genera, and 2,045 species in 3,073 OTUs. The number of genera per school ranged from 470 to 705. The phylum Proteobacteria was richest, followed by Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Cyanobacteria while Firmicutes was most abundant. The most abundant order included Lactobacillales, Spirulinales, Clostridiales, Bacteroidales, Pseudomonadales, and Micrococcales. Halospirulina was the most abundant genus (the only genus within the order Spirulinales), followed by Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Sphingomonas, Clostridium, and Pseudomonas. Gram-negative bacteria were more abundant and richer (relative abundance=0.53;1,632 OTUs) than gram-positive bacteria (0.47; 1,441). The Bray-Curtis dissimilarity index ranged from 0.22 to 0.63, with a median of 0.40. Effects of school location, degree of water damage, building condition, number of students, air temperature and humidity, floor material, and classroom’s floor level on the bacterial richness or community composition were statistically significant but subtle. Our study indicates that classroom floor dust had a characteristic bacterial community represented by more gram-negative bacteria, in comparison to typical house dust that is represented by more gram-positive bacteria. Health implications of exposure to the microbiomes in classroom floor dust may be different from those in homes for school staff and students.
The Structure of Human Tyrosine Hydroxylase Reveals the Mechanism for Feedback Inhibition by Dopamine
Authors: Valpuesta José , Bueno-Carrasco Teresa , Cuellar Jorge , Flydal Marte , Santiago Cesar , Kråkenes Trond-André , Kleppe Rune , López-Blanco José , Teigen Knut , Alvira Sara , Chacon Pablo , Martínez Aurora
Published: September 2020

Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) is a highly regulated enzyme that catalyses the rate-limiting step in the biosynthesis of dopamine (DA) and other catecholamines. Mutations and dysfunction in this enzyme lead to DA deficiency and parkinsonisms of different severity. An understanding of TH deficiency at the level of structure and stability has been lacking to date, as only structures of truncated TH forms have been available. Here, we used cryoEM to determine the first high-resolution structure of full-length human tetrameric TH in the absence (3.4 Å) and presence (3.8 Å) of the end-product and feedback inhibitor DA bound to the active site. We show that upon DA binding, an α-helix (residues 39-59) included within the flexible N-terminal tail of the regulatory domain, is internalized in the active site. The observed structural changes reveal the molecular basis of the inhibitory and stabilizing DA effect, reversible by TH S40-phosphorylation, which are crucial regulatory mechanisms for catecholamine and TH homeostasis.
Genomic Investigation of the Coronavirus Disease-2019 Outbreak in the Republic of Korea
Authors: Kim Jeong-Min , Park Sung Yong , Lee Daesang , Kim Jun-Sub , Park Youngjoon , Gwack Jin , Kim Mi Young , Song Dong Hyun , Jeong Seong Tae , Chung Yoon-Seok , Yoo Cheon Kwon , Lee Ha Youn , Han Myung-Guk
Published: September 2020

The South Korean government effectively contained the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) outbreak primarily associated with a religious group. We conducted SARS-CoV-2 whole genome sequencing of 66 cases to investigate connections among the initial South Korean cases and the religious group outbreak. We assessed the accuracy of genomic investigation by comparing the whole genome sequences with comprehensive contact tracing records. Five transmission clusters were estimated among the 15 initial cases. The six close-contact cases and two potential exposure pairs identified by contact tracing showed two or fewer nucleotide base differences. Additionally, we identified two transmission clusters from the religious group outbreak that were phylogenetically distinct from the initial clusters, sharing common G11083T, G26144T, and C14805T markers. The strain closest to the two religious group clusters was identified from a pair of identical sequences isolated from individuals who traveled from Wuhan to Italy. Our findings provide insights into the origins of community spread of COVID-19.
Association of whole blood copper and preeclampsia: A Cohort study in China
Authors: Xu Huan Ying , Chen Ying , Wu Su Zhen , Zhu Qiao Ling , Chen Yu , Tan Min Hua , Zhang Miao Miao , Ou Qi Xin
Published: September 2020

Background

Preeclampsia is a leading cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. The associations between whole blood copper and pre-eclampsia were controversial. Our study was aimed to investigate the association between whole blood copper concentration and preeclampsia in pregnant woman in China.
Methods

This retrospective cohort study was conducted between August 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019 in a comprehensive tertiary hospital in Foshan city Guangdong Province, China. We measured copper concentration in maternal whole blood in 12–27 (+ 6) week of pregnancy, using flame atomic absorption spectrometer. We ascertained preeclampsia diagnosis from electronic medical records system. Covariates included demographic, offspring characteristics, serum biomarkers. Logistic regression was applied to explore the association between the concentration of trace element and preeclampsia.
Results

A total of 2134 participants were included, 57 (2.67%) women developed preeclampsia. In the multivariate regression models, per1 SD increment in copper was associated with 28% lower risk of preeclampsia (OR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.54–0.95). After Propensity-Score Matching with similar age at delivery and prepregnancy BMI,per1 SD increment in copper was associated with 28% lower risk of preeclampsia (OR = 0.70,95% CI:0.51–0.97). We observed some extent evidence of a dose–response trend for Cu (P for trend = 0.0321) quintiles. And the result was sustained in mild and severe preeclampsia.
Conclusions

women with higher blood concentration of copper may associated with lower preeclampsia. More well designed studies are needed for the interpretation of these findings.
Maternal outcome of selective feticide due to fetal anomaly in late trimester: a retrospective 10 years’ experience in Taiwan
Authors: Sung Chen-Ai , Lin Tzu-Yi , Lee Han-Ni , Chan Kok-Seong , Hung Tai-Ho , Shaw Steven W.
Published: September 2020

Background
With advanced diagnostic techniques, early identification of fetal anomaly becomes more accurate. However, certain diseases could only be diagnosed in late gestation. Feticide was suggested to avoid delivering children with abnormalities. Recently, twin pregnancies have increased gradually, and so have their complications. Selective feticide was considered to achieve good outcome of pregnancy. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of feticide in twin pregnancy with fetal anomaly.
Methods
This was a retrospective study enrolled from 2009 to 2018. A total of 68 pregnancies complicated with fetal anomalies received feticide were recorded. Potassium Chloride (KCl) was injected into left ventricle to induce fetal asystole. Monochorionic twin pregnancies were excluded, maternal and fetal characteristics of 16 dichorionic twins were documented to compare the effectiveness of feticide performed before and after 24th gestational week.
Results
All the pregnant women received feticide smoothly without any maternal complication. The reasons for choosing feticide were divided into four groups, including morphologic defect (61.8%), genetic-chromosomal abnormality (30.9%), obstetrical complication (5.9%) and maternal request (1.5%). Mean gestational age at delivery was significantly higher in dichorionic twins underwent selective feticide before and after 24th gestational week (36.7 vs 33.4, [p < .05]). No fetal loss in twin pregnancy demonstrated a high successful rate of selective feticide.
Conclusion
Intra-cardiac injection of KCl was effective for feticide and safe for mothers and fetuses. Selective feticide was beneficial to late gestation of dichorionic twin pregnancy. With sufficient discussion with patients, selective feticide served as an alternative approach for twin pregnancy with fetal anomaly.
Serum Sodium in Relation to Various Domains of Cognitive Function in the Elderly US Population
Authors: Lee Sohyae , Min Jin-young , Kim Beom , Ha Sang-Won , Han Jeohng Ho , Min Kyoung-bok
Published: September 2020

Background:Recent evidence suggests that sodium imbalances may be associated with cognitive impairment; however, the association between specific domains of cognition remains unclear. This study examines the association between serum sodium levels and immediate and delayed verbal memory as measured by the CERAD Word Learning Test (CERAD WLT), executive function as measured by the Animal Fluency test (AFT), and sustained attention, working memory, and processing speed as measured by the Digit Symbol Substitution test (DSST) in the elderly population of the US aged 60 and older who participated in the 2011–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (n=2,700). Methods:Cognitive function tests were performed by trained interviewers and sodium levels were measured using indirect ion selective electrode methodology. Results:After adjusting for all covariates, CERAD WLT scores showed significant positive associations with sodium levels (Immediate recall (IR) β = 0.11 (SE = 0.04, p-value 0.018); Delayed recall (DR) β = 0.07 (SE = 0.03, p-value 0.009)). Compared to individuals with normal sodium levels, individuals with hyponatremia were significantly associated with lower CERAD WLT-DR (β = -0.71, SE = 0.23, p-value 0.005) and AFT scores (β = -1.58, SE = 0.68, p-value 0.027), and showed a borderline significant relationship with lower CERAD WLT-DR scores (β = -1.11, SE = 0.56, p-value 0.057). Individuals with hypernatremia did not show any significant relationships with cognitive test scores, compared to those with normal sodium levels. Conclusions:Our cross-sectional study showed that lower sodium levels were associated with cognitive change, especially regarding memory and executive function.
Sexual Dysfunction Among Men With Diabetes Mellitus Attending Chronic Out-patient Department at the Three Hospitals of Northwest Amhara Region, Ethiopia: Prevalence and Associated Factors
Authors: Getie Eskedar , Yenus Hedija , Bishaw Alehegn
Published: September 2020

Background: Sexual dysfunction is the commonest reproductive health problem seen among men with diabetes which has different health and social consequences. Previous studies conducted in this area were concentrated to specific domain of sexual dysfunction and factors were not well addressed.Objective: To determine the prevalence of sexual dysfunction and identify associated factors among men with diabetes at the three hospitals of Amhara region, Ethiopia.Methods: Institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 462 men diabetic patients attending at the three hospitals of northwest Amhara region. Systemic random sampling were used and interviewer administered change in sexual functioning questionnaire were collected from February 20, 2020- April 15, 2020. The collected data were entered to Epi-data and analyzed by SPSS. Binary logistic regression was employed and multi-variable logistic regressions model used to control confounders. Variables that had independent correlation with the outcome were identified (with p-value≤ 0.05 and 95%CI) the direction and the strength of the association were measured by Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR).Results: The prevalence of sexual dysfunction found to be 69.5% (95%CI= (65.1-73.9)). The magnitude of sexual dysfunction has been disproportionately observed among old age individuals (AOR=8.7, 95%CI: (3.3-23.1)), longer duration of diagnosis with diabetes(AOR=10.8, 95%CI: (5.3-21.9)), poor metabolic control (AOR=3.57, 95%CI: (1.81-7.05)), existence of comorbidities (AOR=5.07, 95%CI: (2.16–11.9)) and having diabetic related complications (AOR=3.01, 95%CI=1.31-6.92). Nevertheless, physically active (AOR=0.41, 95%CI: (0.12-0.7)) and couples satisfied with their relationship (AOR=0.15, 95%CI: (0.03-0.7)) were less likely to experience the problem.Conclusion: Well over two-thirds of men with diabetes have experienced sexual dysfunction, implying a public health pressing concern. Older individuals, physical in activity, longer duration of diagnosis with diabetes, having diabetic complication, experiencing co-morbid illnesses, couples un satisfaction, and poor metabolic control increased risk of developing SD. Therefore, promoting physical exercise, preventing co-morbid illnesses, couples counseling to build good relationship are recommended for combating the problem.
Autoencoder-bank Based Design for Adaptive Channel-Blind Robust Transmission
Authors: Safi Hossein , Akbari Mohammad , Vaezpour Elaheh , Parsaeefard Saeedeh , Shubair Raed M.
Published: September 2020

The idea of employing deep autoencoders (AEs) has been recently proposed to capture the end-to-end performance in the physical layer of communication systems. However, most of the current methods for applying AEs are developed based on the assumption that there is an explicit channel model for training that matches the actual channel model in the online transmission. Since the actual channel varies over time, this imposes a major limitation on employing AE-based systems. In this paper, without relying on an explicit channel model, we propose an adaptive scheme to increase the reliability of an AE-based communication system over different channel conditions. More precisely, we divide the interval of random channel coefficients into n sub-intervals. Subsequently, in the offline training phase, we employ an AE bank consisting of n pairs of encoder and decoder and perform training over the sub-intervals. Then, in the online transmission phase, based on the actual channel conditions, the optimal pair of encoder and decoder is selected for data transmission in terms of satisfying an average block error rate (BLER) constraint imposed on the system. To monitor actual channel conditions for adopting the adaptive scheme, we assume a realistic scenario where the instantaneous channel gain is not known to Tx/Rx and it is blindly estimated at the RX, i.e., without using any pilot symbols. Our simulation results confirms the superiority of the proposed adaptive scheme over a non-adaptive scenario in terms of average power consumption. For instance, when the target average BLER is equal to 10−4 , our proposed algorithm with n = 5 can achieve a performance gain over 1.2 dB compared with a non-adaptive scheme
Genotoxic Impact of Aluminum-containing Nanomaterials in Human Intestinal and Hepatic Cells.
Authors: Jalili Pégah , HUET Sylvie , Burel Agnès , Krause Benjamin-Christoph , Fontana Caroline , Chevance Soizic , Gauffre Fabienne , Guichard Yves , Lampen Alfonso , Laux Peter , Luch Andreas , Hogeveen Kevin , Fessard Valerie
Published: September 2020

Background: Exposure of consumers to aluminum-containing nanomaterials (Al NMs) through numerous products is an area of concern for public health agencies since human health risks are not completely elucidated. In addition, the available data on the genotoxicity of Al2O3 and Al0 NMs are inconclusive or rare. In order to provide further information, the present study investigated the in vitro genotoxic potential of Al0 and Al2O3 NMs in intestinal and liver cell models since these tissues represent organs which would be in direct contact or could experience potential accumulation following oral exposure. Methods: Differentiated human intestinal Caco-2 and hepatic HepaRG cells were exposed to Al0 and Al2O3 NMs (0.03 to 80 µg/cm2) and the results were compared with those obtained with the ionic form AlCl3. Several methods, including H2AX labelling, the alkaline comet assay and micronucleus (MN) assays were used. Oxidative stress and oxidative DNA damage were assessed using High Content Analysis (HCA) and the formamidopyrimidine DNA-glycosylase -modified comet assay respectively. Moreover, carcinogenic properties of Al NMs were investigated through the cell transforming assay (CTA) in Bhas 42 cells.Results: The three forms of Al did not induce chromosomal damage when tested in the MN assay. Furthermore, no cell transformation was observed in Bhas 42 cells. However, although no production of oxidative stress was detected in HCA assays, Al2O3 NMs induced oxidative DNA damage in Caco-2 cells in the comet assay following a 24 h treatment. Considerable DNA damage was observed with Al0 NMs in both cell lines in the comet assay, although this was likely due to interference with these NMs. Finally, no genotoxic effects were observed with AlCl3. Conclusion: The slight effects observed with Al NMs are therefore not likely to be related to ion release in the cell media.
Cre-Controlled CRISPR (3C) Mutagenesis: Fast and Easy Conditional Gene Inactivation in Zebrafish
Authors: Hans Stefan , Zöller Daniela , Hammer Juliane , Stucke Johanna , Spieß Sandra , Kesavan Gokul , Kroehne Volker , Eguiguren Juan Sebastian , Ezhkova Diana , Petzold Andreas , Dahl Andreas , Brand Michael
Published: September 2020

Conditional gene inactivation is a powerful tool to determine gene function when constitutive mutations result in detrimental effects. The most commonly used technique to achieve conditional gene inactivation employs the Cre/loxP system and its ability to delete DNA sequences flanked by two loxP sites. However, targeting critical exons or an entire gene with two loxP sites is time and labor consuming. To circumvent these issues, we developed Cre-Controlled CRISPR (3C) mutagenesis. 3C mutagenesis is simple, fast and allows gene inactivation in a Cre-dependent manner. In contrast to loxP-flanked alleles, the recombined cells become fluorescently visible enabling the isolation of these cells and their subjection to various omics techniques. Moreover, 3C will be scalable and will enable the conditional inactivation of multiple genes simultaneously. Hence, 3C mutagenesis provides a valuable alternative to the production of loxP-flanked alleles and should be applicable to all model organisms amenable to single integration transgenesis.
PRIMA-1met Induces Autophagy in Colorectal Cancer Cells With Different p53 Status
Authors: Li Xiao-lan , Zhou Jianbiao , Xia Chen-jing , Lu Zhong-kai , Chen Zhi-rong
Published: September 2020

Background: PRIMA-1met (APR246), a methylated form of PRIMA-1 (p53-reactivation and induction of massive apoptosis-1, APR-017), targets mutant p53 for restoring its wild-type structure and function. We previously demonstrated that PRIMA-1met was efficient in suppressing the growth of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells in a p53-independent manner, and distinctly induced apoptosis mediated by up-regulation of Noxa in p53-mutant cell lines. Here we aimed to the effect of PRIMA-1met on autophagy in different CRC cell lines, to further investigate mechanisms underlying the inhibitory effect in cells with different p53 status.Methods: 3 CRC cell lines with wild-type p53, 5 lines with mutant p53 and 1 line without p53 were obtained for this study. Using western blotting, acridine orange staining, and transmission electron microscopy detection, we assessed autophagy flux in different cells treated with PRIMA-1met, and detected expression of mTOR/AMPK-ULK1-Vps34 autophagic signaling cascade. We also evaluated cell proliferation of cells with PRIMA-1met treatment by cell counting Kit-8 proliferation assay, compared to combination of PRIAM-1met and 3-Methyladenine. Furthermore, we knocked down Noxa gene by siRNA in different CRC cells, to assess LC3 conversion after administration of PRIMA-1met. Values were expressed as mean + standard error of the mean. Comparison between groups of data was made using one-way analysis of variance.Results: In this study, we showed that PRIMA-1met induced autophagy in CRC cells independent on p53 status. PRIMA-1met not only promoted autophagic vesicles (AVs) formation and AV-lysosome fusion, but also increased lysosomal degradation. Mechanistically, activation of mTOR/AMPK-ULK1-Vps34 autophagic signaling cascade was important for PRIMA-1met-induced autophagy. Furthermore, autophagy played a crucial role in the inhibitory effect of PRIMA-1met only in cells harboring wild-type p53, which was closely related to the increased Noxa.Conclusions: Our results indicated that PRIMA-1met induced autophagy in CRC cells regardless of p53 status via activating mTOR/AMPK-ULK1-Vps34 signaling cascade. However, induced autophagy was relevant to the cytotoxicity of PRIMA-1met in cells carrying wild-type p53, along with up-regulation of Noxa. Implying that, PRIMA-1met-based therapy could be an effective strategy for CRC.Trail registration: Not applicable.
In Situ Corn Fiber Conversion for Ethanol Improvement by The Addition of Novel Lignocellulolytic Enzyme Cocktail
Authors: Gao Le , Chen Shulin , Zhang Dongyuan
Published: September 2020

Background: The technology of converting corn mashes to ethanol has been mature, but corn mashes has high-viscosity and high-sugar characteristics which hindered cellulose utilization and yeast-fermentation efficiency. The excessive viscosity of corn mash is caused by the presence of non-starch polysaccharides, such as cellulose in cereal grains. Corn kernel fiber (mostly cellulose) is typically unconverted in the process. Results: A novel lignocellulolytic enzymes cocktail with strong substrate specificity was prepared for high-viscosity, high-sugar corn mash. The in situ conversion of corn mashes with novel lignocellulolytic enzymes at the optimum cellulase dosage of 50 FPU/L resulted in 12.4%, 12.0%, 11.8%, and 12.9% increased ethanol concentration compared with the reference mash at 0.3, 1, 5, and 70 L batch-fermentation scales, respectively. The highest yield of ethanol from corn mash digested with the prepared novel lignocellulolytic enzyme reached 117.0 ± 0.1g/L at the 70 L batch fermentation, which was a 12.9% increase in ethanol yield. Adding the lignocellulolytic enzymes caused the greatest decrease in viscosity of corn mash by 40.9% compared with the reference mash (33.5 ± 1.5 Pa·s), whereas the residual sugars decreased by 56.3%. Simultaneously, the application of novel lignocellulolytic enzymes increased the value of dried distiller’s grain with solubles by increasing the protein content and decreasing the residual cellulose and starch content.Conclusion: The application of novel lignocellulolytic enzymes significantly improved the alcohol concentration, productivity, and yield. With the same amount of material, the application of the novel enzymes cocktail can enhance the ethanol yield by more than 10%. The in situ conversion of cellulose promoted the release of contents, including starch and protein, which can decrease the fermentation broth viscosity and improve the rheological property, thereby improving the ethanol yield. Thus, this technology can increase the net revenue of fuel-ethanol industrialization and promote the technological progress of renewable energy.
Analysis of Perioperative Risk Factors for Deep Vein Thrombosis in Patients With Femoral and Pelvic Fractures
Authors: Wu Linqin , Cheng Bo
Published: September 2020

Objective: Clinical characteristics, anticoagulant protocols and risk factors of deep Vein thrombosis (DVT) in patients with femoral and pelvic fractures were analyzed throughout the perioperative period to provide references for early identification and optimization of risk factors.Methods: This was a retrospective study. A total of 569 patients undergoing surgery of femoral and pelvic fractures from May 2018 to December 2019 were included. The Clinical data including general conditions,trauma, surgery,anticoagulant protocols and laboratory indexes were collected.According to the results of deep vein Doppler ultrasonography of the lower extremities, the patients were divided into non-DVT group and DVT group.Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to identify the independent risk factors of preoperative and postoperative DVT.Results: The incidence of DVT was 40.25%, PE was 1.93%, and preoperative DVT was 26.71%,which was higher than the incidence of postoperative DVT of 17.22%. Most of them were thrombus on the affected side (60.26%) and distal thrombus (81.66%).The average time of DVT formation was 6.55±0.47 days after trauma and 6.67±0.48 days after surgery. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD), anemia, hypoproteinemia, non-anticoagulation before surgery, delayed anticoagulation after trauma and admission, high energy trauma, multiple injuries, drinking history, and advanced age were independent risk factors for perioperative DVT.The increased level of fibrinogen degradation products was an independent risk factor for preoperative DVT. These risk factors were identified to be independently associated with postoperative DVT, including intraoperative blood transfusion, postoperative blood transfusion, pulmonary infection, preoperative non-anticoagulation, postoperative delayed anticoagulation, preoperative waiting time > 7d, operative time > 2h, c-reactive protein, fibrinogen level, platelet count 1 day after surgery, c-reactive protein, fibrinogen, and hemoglobin levels 3 days after surgery, comminuted fracture.Conclusions: At present, anticoagulation and other DVT prevention and treatment programs have not changed the current situation that the incidence of DVT is still high. Through the analysis of the risk factors of DVT throughout the perioperative period, optimizing the perioperative blood transfusion, preoperative lung disease, hypoproteinemia, anemia, inflammation, etc., and surgery as soon as possible after trauma may further reduce its incidence.
A Cross-sectional Online Survey on Knowledge, Attitude, and Perception of COVID-19 among Ghanaians
Authors: Akuoko Ebenezer , Alando Cyril
Published: September 2020

This study examined knowledge, attitude, and perceptions of COVID-19 among Ghanaians. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using Google forms to recruit 503 participants over six weeks. We performed descriptive statistical analysis, and presented results in tables/charts. From the results, 66.4% of respondents depended on social media for COVID-19 related information, and 59.8% mostly heard/read about preventive measures in all COVID-19 information heard/read. Knowledge was adequate, but with noticeable gaps. Attitude was generally positive, with 84.1% willing to accept reintegration of treated COVID-19 patients. Perceptions were healthy, with only 3.8% perceiving insusceptibility. We conclude that these findings contribute significantly to the literature on COVID-19 in Ghana. We recommend the continuous use of social media by the Government of Ghana and relevant stakeholders for COVID-19 communications, and further research in the general population for evidence based COVID-19 prevention interventions in Ghana.
Genome-wide Association Study-based Identification Genes Influencing Agronomic Traits in Rice (Oryza Sativa L.)
Authors: wang aijun , Shu Xinyue , Jiang yuqi , Ma Li , jia xiaomei , ye xiaoying , deng qiming , Li shuangcheng , Wang shiquan , zhu jun , liang yueyang , zou ting , Wang Linxia , zhu jianqing , Li Ping , Zheng Aiping
Published: September 2020

BackgroundRice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the most important cereal crops, providing the daily dietary intake for approximately 50% of the global human population. To needs of the rapidly increasing human population worldwide, cultivation of rice varieties with high yield and quality, more genes or QTLs association with yield traits are required.ResultsCurrently, correlations among different traits and gene interactions both affect the rice breeding. Here, we re-sequenced 259 rice accessions, generating 1, 371.65 Gb of raw data. Furthermore, we performed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on 13 agronomic traits using 2.8 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) characterized in 259 rice accessions. Phenotypic data and best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) values of each of the 13 traits over two years of each trait were used for GWAS. The result showed that 816 SNP signals were significantly associated (−log10P≥5) with the 13 agronomic traits. We detected candidate genes related to target traits within 200 kb upstream and downstream of the associated SNP loci, based on linkage disequilibrium (LD) blocks in the whole rice genome. These candidate genes were further identified though haplotype block construction. ConclusionsThis study provides an important genomic resource and valuable new information for breeding high yielding breeding rice cultivars through genomic selection.
Investigating the Effect of COVID-19 on Spiritual Health and Stress of Pregnant Women
Authors: Nodoushan Reza Jafari , alimoradi Hadi , Nazari Mahsa
Published: September 2020

Introduction: Stress is one of the effective factors in the occurrence of negative effects during pregnancy that can cause adverse outcomes such as preterm delivery and reduced intrauterine growth of the fetus in pregnant women. Therefore, one of the serious concerns during the COVID-19 Pandemic is the physical health and mental health of pregnant women. This study aimed to evaluate the physical health status with the spiritual and mental health of pregnant women during the COVID-19 Pandemic.Methods: The study is a descriptive study in 2019-2020 and the samples were randomly selected from all pregnant women who referred to hospitals and private maternity centers before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic and performed all pregnancy and fetal health tests. It was performed on 560 pregnant female samples. The mental status of pregnant women was assessed using the DASS Spiritual Health and Stress Questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using SPSS statistical software (version 24).Result: The results of this study showed that preterm birth, height, weight and head circumference of babies and lungs and respiratory status of children with mental health and stress levels of pregnant women during the corona is significant compared to the previous of corona (p<0.05).Conclusion: Increasing stress and decreasing the mental health of pregnant women during COVID-19 Pandemic can increase the influencing factors in preterm delivery and unhealthy birth.
Comparison of Lipid Profiles Between Pediatric Living- and Deceased-Donor Liver Recipients
Authors: Dehghani Seyed Mohsen , Najafi Roya , Mehdizadegan Nima , Mohammadi Hamid , Edraki Mohammadreza
Published: September 2020

Background: Hyperlipidemia is very common after liver transplantation and can be observed in up to 71% of patients. The etiology of lipid disorders in these patients is multifactorial, with different lipid profiles observed depending on the immunosuppressive agents administered and the presence of additional risk factors, such as obesity, diabetes mellitus and nutrition. The aim of the present study is to compare the lipid profile in liver transplant recipients from living-related and deceased donors.Methods: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study performed in Shiraz University of Medical Science between 2005 till 2018. Patients under 18 years old who received liver transplant were included in the study and divided in 2 groups who received from living-related and deceased donors and lipid profiles were compared between two groups.Results: 397 patients were included in the study, in the first group 234 received liver from deceased donor and in second group 161 from living-related donor. The mean TG and HDL level were 133 mg/dL and 46 mg/dL in the first group and 118 mg/dL and 54 mg/dL in the second group while the differences were statistically significant.Conclusion: Patients who received liver from a living-related donor have a significantly lower TG and higher HDL and a lower cardiovascular risk.
Extraordinary Hall Effect in Freestanding Oxide Heterostructures
Authors: Lim Z. S. , Zhou Z. , Han K. , Omar Ganesh Ji , Huang Z. , Zeng Shengwei , Ariando A.
Published: September 2020

Recently, Topological Hall Effect (THE) has been unravelled in various perovskite iridate, ruthenate and manganite interfaces, suggesting the presence of magnetic Skyrmion-like bubbles. Among the materials and sample structures investigated so far, the physical properties were not free from influences of substrates, which are templates for crystalline epitaxial growth. Additional contributions of Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya Interaction or Berry curvatures by the substrates may originate from several structural factors such as in-plane strain, octahedral rotation or terminations. In this report, we employ the water-soluble Sr3Al2O6 sacrificial buffer layer to prepare freestanding SrRuO3/SrIrO3 heterostructures with high-quality interfaces, and THE-like humps are observed up to 90 K. Analysing the Hall signal with the rotation of magnetic field direction suggests there are magnetically decoupled regions. This scheme also paves the way for several magnetic texture imaging techniques in transmission mode for future studies.
Rapid PCD Process Promotes Early Maturity in Weedy Rice (Oryza sativa L. f. spontanea)
Authors: Zhao Can , Xu Wenrong , Zhang Zheng , Meng Lingchao , Dai Weimin , Qiang Sheng , Song Xiaoling
Published: September 2020

Background: Shorter grain-filling period and rapid endosperm development contributes to early maturity in weedy rice (Oryza sativa L. f. spontanea). However, the differences in programmed cell death (PCD) process and anti-oxidative enzymes system in the caryopsis between weedy and cultivated rice are largely unexplored. Main Text: we selected four biotypes of weedy rice and associated cultivated rice (ACR, Oryza sativa) from different latitudes to conduct a common garden experiment. The difference of PCD process between weedy rice and ACR was compared by chemical staining, and the cell viability and nuclear morphometry of endosperm cells were observed by optical microscopy, and anti-oxidative enzymes activity were also measured during grain filling. We found that the PCD progress in weedy rice was more rapid and earlier than that in ACR. The percentage of degraded nuclei of weedy rice were 10%-83% higher than that of ACR. Endosperm cells in weedy rice lost cell viability 2-8 days earlier than that in ACR. The anti-oxidant enzymes activity of weedy rice were lower than that of ACR during grain filling. The ability of weedy rice to scavenge reactive oxygen species is weaker than that of ACR, which may contribute to the rapid PCD process in the endosperm cells of weedy rice. Conclusion: The rapid PCD process and weaker ability to scavenge reactive oxygen species in endosperm cells lead to the shorter grain-filling period of weedy rice.
Higher Dietary Inflammatory Index Scores are Associated with Increased Odds of Diabetic Sensorimotor Polyneuropathy in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Case–Control Study
Authors: Asadi Sara , Aminianfar Azadeh , Asadi Sasan , Yarizadeh Habib , Qorbani Mostafa , Mirzaei Khadijeh
Published: September 2020

Background: Diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy (DSPN) is a very common complication of diabetes. Dietary inflammatory score DII) has been associated with some diseases such as diabetes and cancers. Nonetheless, the association between DII and DSPN has not been explored. We aim to examine the association between DII and DSPN in a case-control study. Method: 185 subjects with DSPN and 185 controls were selected in this case-control study. 168-item validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used to assed dietary intake. DII was calculated based on FFQ. DSPN was diagnosed by Toronto clinical neuropathy score. Anthropometric measurements, physical activity, glycemic indices were measured. Information on social demographic data was collected by questionnaires.Result: After adjustment for age, sex, energy in model 1( p-trend< 0.001) (OR=0.25, 95% CI=0.13–0.49), participants at the highest quartile of DII had increased OR for DSPN additionally adjusted for physical activity, education, smokers, FBS, A1C and economic status in model 2 (OR=0.27, 95% CI=0.13–0.57) ( p-trend< 0.001) strengthened the relationship. The association was not altered substantially by further adjustment for BMI in model 3(OR=6.3, 95% CI=2.7–14.6) (p-trend < 0.001). Conclusion: Higher DII score was associated with increased risk of DSPN. Therefore, it is possible that a diet rich in anti-inflammatory nutrients and foods could improve and prevent DSPN.
Accurate recognition of colorectal cancer with semi-supervised deep learning on pathological images
Authors: Yu Gang , Xie Ting , Xu Chao , Shi Xing-Hua , Wu Chong , Meng Run-Qi , Meng Xiang-He , Wang Kuan-Song , Xiao Hong-Mei , Deng Hong-Wen
Published: September 2020

Background: The machine-assisted recognition of colorectal cancer has been mainly focused on supervised deep learning that suffer from a significant bottleneck of requiring massive labeled data. We hypothesize that semi-supervised deep learning leveraging a small number of labeled data can provide a powerful alternative strategy.Method: We proposed a semi-supervised model based on mean teacher that provide pathological predictions at both patch-level and patient-level. We demonstrated the general utility of the model utilizing 13,111 whole slide images from 8,803 subjects gathered from 13 centers. We compared our proposed method with the prevailing supervised learning and six pathologists.Results: with a small amount of labeled training patches (~3,150 labeled, ~40,950 unlabeled or ~6,300 labeled,~37,800 unlabeled), the semi-supervised model performed significantly better than the supervised model (AUC: 0.90 ± 0.06 vs. 0.84 ± 0.07, P value = 0.02 or AUC: 0.98 ± 0.01 vs 0.92 ± 0.04, P value = 0.0004). Moreover, we found no significant difference between the supervised model using massive ~44,100 labeled patches and the semi-supervised model (~6,300 labeled, ~37,800 unlabeled) at patch-level diagnoses (AUC: 0.98 ± 0.01 vs 0.987 ± 0.01, P value = 0.134) and patient-level diagnoses (average AUC: 97.40% vs. 97.96%, P value = 0.117) . Our model was close to human pathologists (average AUC: 97.17% vs. 96.91%).Conclusions: We reported that semi-supervised learning can achieve excellent performance through a multi-center study. We thus suggested that semi-supervised learning has great potentials to build artificial intelligence (AI) platforms, which will dramatically reduce the cost of labeled data and greatly facilitate the development and application of AI in medical sciences.
Principle and Control of Active Engine Mount Based on Magnetostrictive Actuator
Authors: Si Zhi-Yuan , BAI Xianxu , Qian Li-Jun , Chen Peng
Published: September 2020

The engine mount system affects the automobile NVH performance. Active mounts would achieve excellent vibration isolation and relative displacement control performance in a broad frequency bandwidth by outputting controlled force to the mounting system. The actuator and control method of the active mounts determine the system performance. In this paper, an active mount based on the smart material - Terfenol-D rod is proposed, which mainly includes three parts: rubber spring, magnetostrictive actuator (MA), and hydraulic amplification mechanism. Dynamic model of the active mount is correspondingly established. A state feedback control method based on x-LMS algorithm is proposed as well. Specifically, with the consideration of the unmeasurable state parameters in the active mounting system, an x-LMS state feedback controller with the system state as the reference signal is constructed by employing Sage-Husa Kalman filter to realize the state estimation of the active mounting system. Then a detailed analysis of the proposed control method is conducted, with deriving iterative formula of tap-weight vector. Sequentially, the problem of the dependence on the excitation signal in the x-LMS algorithm is addressed. The feasibility and capability of the proposed control method are verified and evaluated by simulation of a two-degree-of-freedom active mounting system.
The circBVES Acts as a Sponge of miR-145-5p to Promote Gastric Cancer Glycolysis and Progression Through Regulating HMGB3 Expression
Authors: Jin Lu , He Zhiwei , Zhu Changhao , Xiao Guoliang , Yang Xianjin , Chen Xiao , Huang Wei
Published: September 2020

Background: CircRNA is a new type of non-coding RNA that has attracted much attention for involvement in the development and progression of various human diseases, especially cancer. The most reported role of circRNA in many tumors is ‘MiRNA sponge’. We aimed to investigate the role of circBVES in the proliferation and glycolysis of gastric cancer cells and its molecular mechanisms.Methods: In this study, higher CircBVES expression in gastric cancer tissues was detected by RNA sequencing. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of CircBVES in gastric cancer tissues, and the relationship between the expression of CircBVES and prognosis was further analyzed. Then, the effects of CircBVES on the growth and glycolysis of gastric cancer cells were investigated through in vitro and in vivo functional experiments. The interaction between CircBVES and miR-145-5p was detected by bioinformatics analysis, luciferase activity assay and RNA immunoprecipitation.Results: We found that the expression of CircBVES in gastric cancer tissues was evidently up-regulated, and its level was closely correlated with the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer. Inhibition of CircBVES decreased cell proliferation and glycolysis in vitro. Low expression of CircBVES inhibited tumor growth in vivo. Mechanism analysis showed that CircBVES may serve as a competitive endogenous RNA of miR-145-5p to reduce the expression of miR-145-5p in gastric cancer cells, and relieve the repressive effect of miR-145-5p on target genes HMGB3 and cycle-related proteins CCNE1 and CDK2.Conclusions: Our results suggest that CircAGFG1 may promote the progress of gastric cancer through the CircBVES / miR-145-5p / HMGB3 axis, providing a new target for the treatment of gastric cancer cells.
3D Visualizations of Multiple Coronaviruses on Whole Genomes
Authors: Zhang Zhongwei , Duan Tingyan , Zheng Jeffrey
Published: September 2020

COVID-19 triggered by SARS-CoV-2 has become a common problem faced by people all over the world. With the development of bioinformatics and the breakthrough progress of gene technologies. It is a challenging topic to use genomic datasets for SARS-CoV-2 research. In this paper, a 3D visualization method is proposed to show the A9 module of the metagenomic analysis system MAS. Seven coronaviruses of genera were illustrated and briefly analyzed. Comparing the visualization results, various SARS-CoV-2 genomes were represented as 2D & 3D maps under different conditions. Through related specific projections, the characteristics of the coronavirus can be observed intuitively from the projection results to provide an effective viewpoint for studying viral genomes.
Geriatric rehabilitation and Covid-19 : a Case Report
Authors: Brika Marine , Bossu Maeva , Fautrelle Lilian , Mourey France , Kubicki Alexandre
Published: September 2020

Introduction : Covid-19 infection has particularly affected older adults. Clinical observations in this population highlight major respiratory impairment associated with development or aggravation of frailty state.Case Presentation : Mr P is a 93 years old frail patient, hospitalized after a COVID-19 infection. The assessment process of this patient has been supported by an innovative multi-systemic tool developed in view of the COVID-19 clinical consequences and a systemic evaluation of motor functions by the Frail BESTest. This process allowed presenting a mixed clinical picture associating an important respiratory distress (linked with the acute respiratory distress syndrome) and an evident motor frailty. The care plan was developed accordingly, and four assessment were done in the same manner until the return home of Mr PConclusion : This case report allows seeing holistically a COVID-19 clinical picture, showing the different axis of clinical reasoning to enhance the rehabilitation process. Furthermore, this case report illustrate the importance of rehabilitation in the Covid-19 context.
Clinical effectiveness of drugs in hospitalized patients with COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Abeldaño Roberto Ariel , Coca Silvia Mercedes , Abeldaño Giuliana Florencia , Villoria Ruth Ana María González
Published: September 2020

Objective: The aim was to assess the clinical effectiveness of drugs used in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 infection.Method: We conducted a systematic review of randomized clinical trials assessing treatment with remdesivir, chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir, ritonavir, dexamethasone, and convalescent plasma, for hospitalized patients with a diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The outcomes were mortality, clinical improvement, duration of ventilation, duration of oxygen support, duration of hospitalization), virological clearance, and severe adverse events.Results: A total of 48 studies were retrieved from the databases. Ten articles were finally included in the data extraction and qualitative synthesis of results. The meta-analysis suggests a benefit of dexamethasone versus standard care in the reduction of risk of mortality at day 28; and the clinical improvement at days 14 and 28 in patients treated with remdesivir.Conclusions: Dexamethasone would have a better result in hospitalized patients, especially in low-resources settings.Significance of results: The analysis of the main treatments proposed for hospitalized patients is of vital importance to reduce mortality in low-income countries; since the COVID-19 pandemic had an economic impact worldwide with the loss of jobs and economic decline in countries with scarce resources.