bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unexpectedly efficient ion desorption of graphene–based materials
Authors: Xia Xinming , Zhou Feng , Xu Jing , Wang Zhongteng , Lan Jian , Yang Zhou , Fan Yan , Wang Zhikun , Liu Wei , Chen Junlang , Feng Shangshen , Chen Liang , Fang Haiping
Published: June 2021

Ion desorption is extensive and extremely challenging for adsorbents with superior performance, for which conventional desorption methods involving high acid or base concentrations and large consumption of reagents are widely used. Here we experimentally demonstrated the unexpectedly rapid and efficient desorption of ions on magnetite–graphene oxide (M–GO) by adding trace amounts of Al3+. The corresponding concentration of Al3+ used was reduced by a factor of at least 250 compared with the conventional desorption method. The desorption rate reached up to ~ 97.0% for the typical radioactive and bivalent ions of Co2+, Mn2+, and Sr2+ within ~ 1 min. Importantly, we achieved the effective enrichment of radioactive 60Co, with the volume of the concentrated 60Co solution reduced by approximately 10 times compared with the initial solution. Density functional theory calculations revealed that the interaction of graphene with Al3+ was much stronger than that with divalent ions, yielding the adsorption probability of Al3+ superior to Co2+, Mn2+, and Sr2+ ions, suggesting that the proposed method could be used to enrich a wider range of ions in the fields of energy, biology, environment, and materials science.
Construction of Higher-Order Smooth Positons and Breather Positons via Hirota's Bilinear Method
Authors: Zhang Zhao , Li Biao , Chen Junchao , GUO QI
Published: June 2021

Based on the Hirota's bilinear method, a more classic limit technique is perfected to obtain second-order smooth positons. Immediately afterwards, we propose an extremely ingenious limit approach in which higher-order smooth positons and breather positons can be quickly derived from N-soliton solution. Under this ingenious technique, the smooth positons and breather positons of the modified Korteweg-de Vries system are quickly and easily derived. Compared with the generalized Darboux transformation, the approach mentioned in this paper has the following advantages and disadvantages: the advantage is that it is simple and fast; the disadvantage is that this method cannot get a concise general mathematical expression of nth-order smooth positons.
Combining Global Climate Models Using Graph Cuts
Authors: Thao Soulivanh , Garvik Mats , Mariethoz Grégoire , Vrac Mathieu
Published: June 2021

Global Climate Models are the main tools for climate projections. Since many models exist, it is common to use Multi-Model Ensembles to reduce biases and assess uncertainties in climate projections. Several approaches have been proposed to combine individual models and extract a robust signal from an ensemble. Among them, the Multi-Model Mean (MMM) is the most commonly used. Based on the assumption that the models are centered around the truth, it consists in averaging the ensemble, with the possibility of using equal weights for all models or to adjust weights to favor some models. In this paper, we propose a new alternative to reconstruct multi-decadal means of climate variables from a Multi-Model Ensemble, where the local performance of the models is taken into account. This is in contrast with MMM where a model has the same weight for all locations. Our approach is based on a computer vision method called graph cuts and consists in selecting for each grid point the most appropriate model, while at the same time considering the overall spatial consistency of the resulting field. The performance of the graph cuts approach is assessed based on two experiments: one where the ERA5 reanalyses are considered as the reference, and another involving a perfect model experiment where each model is in turn considered as the reference. We show that the graph cuts approach generally results in lower biases than other model combination approaches such as MMM, while at the same time preserving a similar level of spatial continuity.
Optical Flow Field Measurements of The Coolant In A Grinding Machine
Authors: Espenhahn Björn , Schumski Lukas , Vanselow Christoph , Stöbener Dirk , Meyer Daniel , Fischer Andreas
Published: June 2021

Since the cooling mechanism of industrial grinding is not yet fully understood, a measurement of the coolant liquid flow field near the grinding wheel is desired. However, the curved surfaces of the liquid phase result in unpredictable light deflections and reflections, which impedes optical flow measurements. In order to obtain qualitative and quantitative information regarding the flow velocity field of the coolant liquid, shadowgraphy in combination with a pattern correlation technique as well as particle image velocimetry are applied in a grinding machine and studied with respect to their measurement capabilities. Particle image velocimetry enables flow measurements inside the laminar coolant jet, whereby the shadowgraph imaging velocimetry complements these measurements and is in particular suitable for spray-like flow regimes. As a result, optical flow field measurements of the coolant flow in a grinding machine are shown to be feasible, which is required to understand the flow mechanisms that affect the grinding cooling process.
Pareidolia in Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder
Authors: Hamza Eid G. Abo , Kéri Szabolcs , Csigó Katalin , Bedewy Dalia , Moustafa Ahmed A.
Published: June 2021

While there are many studies on pareidolia in healthy individuals and patients with schizophrenia, to our knowledge, there are no prior studies on pareidolia in patients with bipolar disorder. Accordingly, in this study, we, for the first time, measured pareidolia in patients with bipolar disorder (N = 50), and compared that to patients with schizophrenia (N = 50) and healthy controls (N = 50). We have used (a) the scene test, which consists of 10 blurred images of natural scenes that was previously found to produce illusory face responses and (b) the noise test which had 32 black and white images consisting of visual noise and 8 images depicting human faces; participants indicated whether a face was present on these images and to point to the location where they saw the face. Illusory responses were defined as answers when observers falsely identified objects that were not on the images in the scene task (maximum illusory score: 10), and the number of noise images in which they reported the presence of a face (maximum illusory score: 32). Further, we also calculated the total pareidolia score for each task (the sum number of images with illusory responses in the scene and noise tests). The responses were scored by two independent raters with an excellent congruence (kappa > 0.9). Our results show that schizophrenia patients scored higher on pareidolia measures than both healthy controls and patients with bipolar disorder. Our findings are agreement with prior findings on more impaired cognitive processes in schizophrenia than in bipolar patients.
Feruloyl Esterase Fae1 is Required Specifically for Host Colonisation by The Rice-Blast Fungus Magnaporthe Oryzae
Authors: Thaker Akhil , Mehta Khyati , Patkar Rajesh
Published: June 2021

Plant cell wall acts as a primary barrier for microbial pathogens during infection. A cell wall degrading enzyme thus may be a crucial virulence factor, as it may aid the pathogen in successful host invasion. Nine genes coding for feruloyl esterases (Fae), likely involved in plant cell wall degradation, have been annotated in the genome of the cereal-blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae . However, role of any Fae in pathogenicity of M. oryzae remains hitherto under explored. Here, we identified FAE1 gene (MGG_08737) that was significantly upregulated during host penetration and subsequent colonisation stages of infection. Accordingly, while deletion of FAE1 in M. oryzae did not affect the vegetative growth and asexual development, the fae1Δ mutant showed significantly reduced pathogenesis on rice plants, mainly due to impaired host invasion and colonisation. Very few (<10%) fae1Δ appressoria that formed the primary invasive hyphae, failed to elaborate from the first invaded cell to the neighboring plant cells. Interestingly, exogenously added glucose, as a simple carbon source, or ferulic acid, a product of the Fae activity, significantly supported the invasive growth of the fae1Δ mutant. We show that the Fae1-based feruloyl esterase activity, by targeting the plant cell wall, plays an important role in accumulating ferulic acid and/or sugar molecules, as a likely energy source, to enable host invasion and colonisation by M. oryzae. Given its role in plant cell wall digestion and host colonisation, M. oryzae Fae1 could be a potential candidate for a novel antifungal strategy and a biotechnological application in biofuel production.
A Quantitative Interspecies Comparison of The Respiratory Mucociliary Clearance Mechanism
Authors: Burn Andreas , Schneiter Martin , Ryser Manuel , Gehr Peter , Ricka Jaroslav , Frenz Martin
Published: June 2021

Background: Collectively coordinated ciliary activity constantly propels the airway surface liquid, which lines the luminal surface of the vertebrate respiratory system, in cranial direction – constituting mucociliary clearance, the primary defence mechanism of our airways. Our contemporary understanding on how the quantitative characteristics of the metachronal wave field determines the resulting mucociliary transport is still limited, which is partly due to the sparse availability of quantitative observational data. Methods: We employed high-speed video reflection contrast microscopy to simultaneously image and quantitatively characterize the metachronal wave field as well as the mucociliary transport in excised bovine, porcine, ovine, lapine, turkey and ostrich samples of the luminal tracheal wall. Advanced image processing techniques were used to determine the ciliary beating frequency (CBF), the velocity and the wavelength of the metachronal wave as well as the mucociliary transport velocity. Results: The mucociliary transport direction was found to strongly correlate with the mean wave propagation direction in all six species. The CBF yielded similar values (10−15 Hz) for all six species. Birds were found to exhibit considerably higher transport speeds (130−260 μm/s) than mammals (20−80 μm/s). While the average transport direction significantly deviates from the tracheal long axis (TLA) in mammals, no significant deviation from the TLA was found in birds. In comparison to mammals, longer metachronal wavelengths were found in birds. Finally, the metachronal waves were found to propagate at about 4−8 times the speed of mucociliary transport in mammals, whereas the metachronal waves propagate at about the speed of mucociliary transport in birds. Conclusions: The tracheal mucociliary clearance mechanism is based on a symplectic metachronsim in all examined species. The mucociliary transport in birds is fast and roughly follows the TLA, whereas the transport is slower and proceeds along a left-handed spiral in mammals. The longer wavelengths and the lower ratio between the metachronal wave speed and the mucociliary transport speed provide further evidence that the mucociliary clearance mechanism operates differently in birds than in mammals.
Ensemble Classification for Intrusion Detection via Feature Extraction Based on Deep Learning
Authors: Yousefnezhad Maryam , Hamidzadeh Javad , Aliannejadi Mohammad
Published: June 2021

An intrusion detection system is a security system that aims to detect sabotage and intrusions on networks to inform experts of the attack and abuse of the network. Different classification methods have been used in the intrusion detection systems such as fuzzy, genetic algorithms, decision trees, artificial neural networks, and support vector machines. Moreover, ensemble classifiers have shown more robust and effective performance for various tasks in the field. In this paper, we adopt ensemble models in order to improve the performance of intrusion detection and, at thesame time, decrease the false alarm rate. We use kNN for multi-class classification, as well as SVM to approach the classification problem in normal-based detection. In order to combine multiple outputs, we use the Dempster-Shafer method in which there is the possibility of explicit retrieval of uncertainty. Moreover, we utilize deep learning for extracting features to train the samples, selected by the sample selection algorithm based on ensemble margin. We compare our results with state-of-the-art methods on benchmarking datasets such as UNSW-NB15, CICIDS2017, and NSLKDD. Our proposed method indicate the superiority in terms of prominent metrics Accuracy, Precision, Recall, and F-measure.
Tumor-immune Profiling of CT-26 and Colon 26 Syngeneic Mouse Models Reveals Mechanism to Anti-PD-1 response
Authors: Sato Yosuke , Fu Yu , Liu Hong , Lee Min Young , Shaw Michael
Published: June 2021

Background: Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapies have changed the paradigm of cancer therapies. However, anti-tumor response of the ICB is insufficient for many patients and limited to specific tumor types. Despite many preclinical and clinical studies to understand the mechanism of anti-tumor efficacy of ICB, the mechanism is not completely understood. Harnessing preclinical tumor models is one way to understand the mechanism of treatment response.Methods: In order to delineate the mechanisms of anti-tumor activity of ICB in preclinical syngeneic tumor models, we selected two syngeneic murine colorectal cancer models based on in vivo screening for sensitivity with anti-PD-1 therapy. We performed tumor-immune profiling of the two models to identify the potential mechanism for anti-PD-1 response.Results: We performed in vivo screening for anti-PD-1 therapy across 23 syngeneic tumor models and found that CT-26 and Colon 26, which are murine colorectal carcinoma derived from BALB/c mice, showed different sensitivity to anti-PD-1. CT-26 tumor mice were more sensitive to the anti-PD-1 antibody than Colon 26, while both models show similarly sensitivity to anti-CTLA4 antibody. Immune-profiling and genomic/transcriptomic analysis showed that CT-26 tumor tissue was infiltrated with more immune cells than Colon 26 and that Wnt pathway was highlighted as one of the potential differences between CT-26 and Colon 26 and conferred sensitivity to anti-PD-1 therapy.Conclusions: CT-26 and Colon 26 syngeneic tumor models showed different sensitivity to anti-PD-1 therapy, although both tumor cells are murine colorectal carcinoma cell lines from BALB/c strain. By characterizing the mouse cells lines and tumor-immune context in the tumor tissues with comprehensive analysis approaches, we found that CT-26 showed “hot tumor” profile with more infiltrated immune cells than Colon 26. Further pathway analyses enable us to propose a hypothesis that Wnt pathway could be one of the major factors to differentiate CT-26 from Colon 26 model and link to anti-PD-1 response. Our approach to focus on preclinical tumor models with similar genetic background but different sensitivity to anti-PD-1 therapy would contribute to illustrating the potential mechanism of anti-PD-1 response and to generating a novel concept to synergize current anti-PD-1 therapies for cancer patients.
Consumption of Dietary Folate Estimates and Its Implication for Reproductive Outcome among Women of Reproductive Age in Kersa: Cross-Sectional Survey
Authors: Assefa Nega , Abdullahi Yasir Y , Abrham Aklilu , Hemler Elena C , Madzorera Isabel , Dessie Yadeta , Teji Kedir , Fawzi Wafaie W
Published: June 2021

Background: Dietary folate inadequacy is one the most common micronutrient deficiencies that causes neural tube defect (NTD) among infants in Sub-Saharan African countries. This study aims to determine the dietary intake of folate among women of reproductive age (WRA) of Kersa, Eastern Ethiopia.Methods: A cross-sectional study took place among voluntary women that were selected from 1140 random households. Using a validated Food Frequency Questionnaire, participants weekly dietary intake history of Ethiopian foods and dietary folate intake was worked out. Statistical analysis was done at 95% confidence interval. Modified Poisson regression was used to identify factors that associated with dietary folate consumptionResult: The estimated median usual intake of folate was 170 ug/d (IQR: 118.3; 252.2) and about 33% WRA had low folate intake and 73.9% were at risk for folate inadequacy. From the reported food groups, Beans and Peas, Starchy staples, and Vitamin-A rich dark-green leafy vegetables were the top three ranked foods that contributed much of the dietary folate. The following conditions were statistically related with dietary folate inadequacy; women’s age, being in poor wealth index, low dietary diversity, having seasonal employment, and reliance on market food source.Conclusions: We found that women’s dietary intake of folate in Kersa is very low and cannot protect their offspring from having NTD. They could also potentially be predisposed poor health outcomes. Diversifying and fortification Ethiopian wheats and salts could decrease the burden of folate deficiency in the country.
An Assessment of Polish Women’s Level of Knowledge about Endometriosis – A Pilot Study
Authors: Szymańska Joanna , Dąbrowska-Galas Magdalena
Published: June 2021

Introduction: Insufficient knowledge about endometriosis among women is one of the causes of its delayed diagnoses. Due to the exceptional trickiness of symptoms, the most important part is played by proper and exhaustive knowledge, allowing its early detection. The objective of the study was to assess Polish women's awareness of endometriosis. Methods: The pilot studies were performed with the participation of 200 women, in an average age of M=33.65 years (SD = 11.45), who filled in the authors’ questionnaire related to self-assessment of the level of knowledge about the disease, its symptoms, late effects and directions of a remediation procedure. The statistical analysis was performed using the IBM SPSS Statistics 25 suite. It included a frequency analysis, a one-way analysis of variance ANOVA, a single variable regression analysis and Student’s t-test for independent samples. Results: Almost 84% of women had heard about endometriosis, while only 1/3 of them considered their knowledge sufficient or good. Very good knowledge was declared by 4.5% of women, and 16.1% had never heard about it. The knowledge level turned out significantly higher (p = 0.001) among women with medical education. Polish women acquired their knowledge mainly from the Internet and the experience of other women. They see reasons behind their lack of knowledge in the still existing ‘taboo’ related to menstruation, the absence of information in the media and education in schools, which is critical according to 92.4% women.Conclusions: Polish women's level of knowledge about endometriosis is insufficient, which should be changed. Higher awareness is presented by women with medical education, and the higher the level of knowledge, the larger the interest of women in healthy behaviour.
Hypothetical Protein Predicted to Be Tumor Suppressor: A protein Functional Analysis
Authors: Kader Md. Abdul , Ahmed Md. Akash , Khan Md. Sharif , Ashik Sheikh Abdullah Al , Islam Md. Shariful , Hossain Mohammad Uzzal
Published: June 2021

BackgroundLitorilituus sediminis is a Gram-negative, aerobic, novel bacterium under the family of Colwelliaceae, has a stunning hypothetical protein containing domain called von Hippel–Lindau (pVHL) that has significant tumor suppressor activity. Therefore, this study was designed to elucidate the structure and function of the biologically important hypothetical protein EMK97_00595 (QBG34344.1) using several bioinformatics tools. ResultsThe functional annotation exposed that the hypothetical protein is an extracellular secretory soluble signal peptide and containing the VHL (VHL beta) domain that has a significant role in tumor suppression. This domain is conserved throughout evolution, as its homologs are available in various types of the organism like mammals, insects, and nematode. The gene product of VHL has a critical regulatory activity in the ubiquitous oxygen-sensing pathway. This domain has a significant role to inhibit cell proliferation, angiogenesis progression, kidney cancer, breast cancer, and colon cancer. ConclusionAt last, the current study depicts that the annotated hypothetical protein is linked with tumor suppressor activity which might be of great interest to future research in the higher organism.
Fibroblast Activation Protein Targeted Therapy Using [177Lu]FAPI-46 Compared with [225Ac]FAPI-46 in a Pancreatic Cancer Model
Authors: Liu Yuwei , Watabe Tadashi , Kaneda-Nakashima Kazuko , Shirakami Yoshifumi , Naka Sadahiro , Ooe Kazuhiro , Toyoshima Atsushi , Nagata Kojiro , Haberkorn Uwe , Kratochwil Clemens , Shinohara Atsushi , Hatazawa Jun , Giesel Frederik
Published: June 2021

Purpose
Fibroblast activation protein (FAP), which has high expression in cancer-associated fibroblasts of epithelial cancers, can be used as a theranostic target. Our previous study used 64Cu and 225Ac-labelled FAP inhibitors (FAPI-04) for a FAP-expressing pancreatic cancer xenograft imaging and therapy. However, the optimal therapeutic radionuclide for FAPI still needs to be further investigated. In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic effects of beta-emitter(177Lu)-labelled FAPI-46 and alpha-emitter(225Ac)-labelled FAPI-46 in pancreatic cancer models.
Methods
PET scans (1 h post injection) were acquired in PANC-1 xenograft mice (n = 9) after the administration of [18F]FAPI-74 (12.4 ± 1.7 MBq) for the companion imaging. The biodistribution of [177Lu]FAPI-46 was evaluated in the same tumour model (n = 6). For the determination of treatment effects, [177Lu]FAPI-46 and [225Ac]FAPI-46 were injected into PANC-1 xenograft mice with different doses: 3 MBq (n = 6), 10 MBq (n = 6), 30 MBq (n = 6), control (n = 4) for [177Lu]FAPI-46, and 3 kBq (n = 3), 10 kBq (n = 2), 30 kBq (n = 5), control (n = 7) for [225Ac]FAPI-46. Tumour size and body weight were followed.
Results
[18F]FAPI-74 showed rapid clearance via kidneys and high accumulation in the tumour and intestine 1h after administration. [177Lu]FAPI-46 also showed rapid clearance through kidneys and relatively high accumulation in the tumour and large intestine at 24h. Both [177Lu]FAPI-46 and [225Ac]FAPI-46 showed tumour-suppressive effects in a dose-dependent manner, with a mild decrease in body weight. The treatment effects of [177Lu]FAPI-46 were relatively slow but lasted longer than those of [225Ac]FAPI-46.
Conclusion
The dose-dependent tumour-suppressive effect of [177Lu]FAPI-46 and [225Ac]FAPI-46 suggested promising application in FAP-expressing pancreatic cancer.
BB-DCA Based Adaptive Beam Forming for Wireless Communication System
Authors: P Sekhar Babu , V Naganjaneyulu P , K Satya Prasad
Published: June 2021

The traditional mobile radio channel has suffered always from multipath fading which invites many researchers to provide better solutions using MIMO systems. Adaptive beam forming is necessary to obtain maximum signal strength by using uplink and downlink channels. Many researchers have found different technologies to increase the performance of channel allocation. One such technology is to adapt DCA technique – Dynamic Channel Allocation in which the channels are allocated effectively by avoiding the channel interference using CCS- Cooperative Carrier Signaling technique. Also, optimization after allocating channels by defining the lower bound and upper bound in the search space using Branch and Bound technique. There are different methods of state space search available to optimise the solution. The aim of this work is to use branch and bound technique which is considered to be an effective method of finding optimal solutions by having set of feasible solutions in the search space. Multiuser MIMO system will be implemented by using this branch and bound method which is assumed to be a powerful technique among all the available existing approaches. Heuristic search is one of the efficient techniques to be applied in search space tree to find out the optimal solution among all the feasible solutions. It is designed to use MATLAB for simulating the results. This proposed Branch and Bound Dynamic Channel Allocation (BB-DCA) system using optimal search will be compared with the existing approach Channel allocation with respect to new model of channel allocation. The results of the simulation indicate that the suggested approach outperforms other current techniques.
A Retrospective Cross Sectional Study of Clinical Characteristics and Prognostic Factors of Covid 19 Patients Admitted to a Gambian Teaching Hospital
Authors: Bittaye Sheikh Omar , Jagne Abubacarr , Badjan Abdoulie , Fofana Babakunta , Barrow Ebrima , Sonko Ismaila , Danso Morikebba , Secka Ramatoulie , Jarjue Landing , Goddard George , Cham Musa , Sallah Sainabou , Joof Sohna , Sohna Momodou , Danso Maimuna , Estrada William , Ramos Julio Antonio Perez , Acevedo Marcos Antonio Sastre , Mendez Federico Carlos , Roberts Charles Adeyemi , Bittaye Mustapha , Samateh Ahmadou , Njie Ramatoulie , Nyan Ousman
Published: June 2021

Background: The first case of Novel coronavirus disease (COVID 19) was diagnosed in The Gambia on the 17th March 2020. We therefore investigate the clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of COVID 19 patients admitted at a Gambian teaching Hospital. Method: Out of 407 suspected COVID 19 patients, 137 (33.7%) tested positive for COVID 19 and were recruited. Clinical features, treatment and outcomes were recorded. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to assess prognostic factors of survival in our patients. Results: The median age of our patients was 60 years (19-100) and 86 (62.8%) were men. Eighty nine (64.9%) patients had co-morbidities, mostly Hypertension 51 (37.2%) and Diabetes Mellitus 47 (34.3%). The most common symptoms were cough 71 (51.8%) and dyspnea 53 (38.7%) and majority of patients presented with SPO ≤ 93% 75 (54.7%). Patients with SPO2 ≤ 93% were older 63.2 vs. 53.1 years (p=0.001), more likely to present with dyspnea (p=0.002), Cough (0.035), higher respiratory rate (p<0.001) and co-morbidities (p=0.009) compared to patients with SPO2>93%. Non survivors were older 63.2 vs 53.1 years (p=0.001), more likely to present with higher respiratory rate (p=0.014), lower oxygen saturation (p=<0.001), to be referred from lower level health facility (p=0.012) and to have Diabetes mellitus (p=0.007) as compared to survivors. Our cumulative mortality is 49 (35.8%) and mortality rate of patients referred from lower level heath facilities was 46 % as compared to 25 % for self referred patients. Multivariate analysis showed increasing odds of mortality independently associated with Age≥ 60 years (odd ratio, 2.87: 95% CI, 1.21 to 6.83, p=0.012), Diabetes mellitus (odd ratio, 3.47: 95% CI, 1.44 to 8.36, p=0.006), oxygen saturation ≤ 93% (odd ratio, 3.18: 95% CI, 1.27 to 7.99, p=0.014) and referral from lower level health facility (odd ratio, 2.87: 95% CI, 1.11 to 6.82, p=0.017).Conclusion: Older patients, patients with Diabetes Mellitus, hypoxemia or patients referred from lower level health facilities are at increased risk of death. In resource limited countries where critical care/emergency medicine resources are limited, our results may help guide the clinical management of patients with severe COVID-19.
Optimizing Genomic Selection in Dezhou Donkey Using Low Coverage Whole Genome Sequencing
Authors: Zhao Changheng , Teng Jun , Zhang Xinhao , Wang Dan , Zhang Xinyi , Li Shiyin , Li Haijing , Jiang Xin , Ning Chao , Zhang Qin
Published: June 2021

Background

Low coverage whole genome sequencing is a low-cost genotyping technology. Combining with genotype imputation approaches, it is likely to become a critical component of cost-efficient genomic selection programs in agricultural livestock. Here, we used the low-coverage sequence data of 617 Dezhou donkeys to investigate the performance of genotype imputation for low coverage whole genome sequence data and genomic selection based on the imputed genotype data. The specific aims were: (i) to measure the accuracy of genotype imputation under different sequencing depths, sample sizes, MAFs, and imputation pipelines; and (ii) to assess the accuracy of genomic selection under different marker densities derived from the imputed sequence data, different strategies for constructing the genomic relationship matrixes, and single- vs multi-trait models.
Results

We found that a high imputation accuracy (> 0.95) can be achieved for sequence data with sequencing depth as low as 1x and the number of sequenced individuals equal to 400. For genomic selection, the best performance was obtained by using a marker density of 410K and a G matrix constructed using marker dosage information. Multi-trait GBLUP performed better than single-trait GBLUP.
Conclusions

Our study demonstrates that low coverage whole genome sequencing would be a cost-effective method for genomic selection in Dezhou Donkey.
Mechanism of Baicalein in Brain Injury After Intracerebral Hemorrhage by Inhibiting the ROS/NLRP3 Inflammasome Pathway
Authors: Chen Xuan , Zhou Yue , Wang Shanshan , Wang Wei
Published: June 2021

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a devastating subtype of stroke with high disability/mortality. Baicalein has strong anti-inflammatory activity. This study aims to explore the mechanism of baicalein on brain injury after ICH. The model of brain injury after ICH was established by collagenase induction, followed by the evaluation of neurological severity, brain water content, the degenerated neurons, neuronal apoptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS). The ICH model was treated with baicalein and silencing NLRP3 to detect brain injury. The expression of NLRP3 inflammasome was detected after treatment with ROS scavenger. The expression of oxidative stress markers and inflammatory factors were detected, and the levels of components in NLRP3 inflammasome were detected. Baicalein reduced the damage of nervous system, lesion surface, brain water content and apoptosis. Baicalein inhibited malondialdehyde and increased IL-10 by inhibiting ROS in brain tissue after ICH. Baicalein inhibited the high expression of NLRP3 inflammasome in ICH. ROS scavenger inhibited the NLRP3 inflammatory response by inhibiting ROS levels. Silencing NLRP3 alleviated the brain injury after ICH by inhibiting excessive oxidative stress and inflammatory factors. Overall, baicalein alleviated the brain injury after ICH by inhibiting ROS and NLRP3 inflammasome.
Development of an Artificial Neural Network Model and Comparison with Nomogram for Prediction of Pathological Complete Response After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer
Authors: Jung Ji-Jung , Kang Eunyoung , Kim Eun-Kyu , Kim Jee Hyun , Kim Se Hyun , Suh Koung Jin , Kim Sun Mi , Jang Mijung , Yun Bo La , Park So Yeon , Shin Hee-Chul
Published: June 2021

Identifying breast cancer patients who may benefit from neoadjuvant chemotherapy will facilitate personalized treatment regarding chemotherapy and surgery. In our work, we developed two predictive models, nomogram and a machine learning model based on artificial neural network (ANN), to anticipate pathological complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in breast cancer. We demonstrated that high level of estrogen receptor (ER) positivity, positive human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status, complete response on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), abnormal CEA level after NAC, and abnormal CA15-3 level after NAC were significant predictors of pCR. A nomogram and ANN model trained to predict pCR were developed using these five predictors. The performance of the two models were tested using a fully independent test set. Validation test showed the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.789 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.707-0.871) for the nomogram and 0.876 (95% CI, 0.808-0.943) for the ANN model. Both models showed excellent performance, but the ANN model performed better in terms of accuracy and discrimination. Machine-learning algorithms hold promise in medical application and provide better prediction than nomogram.
Are there Predilection Sites for Intracranial Meningioma? A Population-Based Atlas
Authors: Hosainey Sayied Abdol Mohieb , Bouget David , Reinertsen Ingerid , Sagberg Lisa Millgård , Torp Sverre Helge , Jakola Asgeir Store , Solheim Ole
Published: June 2021

Meningioma is the most common benign intracranial tumor and is believed to arise from arachnoid cap cells of arachnoid granulations. We sought to develop a population-based based atlas from pre-treatment MRIs to explore the distribution of intracranial meningiomas. All adults (≥ 18 years old) diagnosed with intracranial meningiomas and referred to a department of neurosurgery from a defined catchment region between 2006 and 2015 were eligible for inclusion. Pre-treatment T1 contrast-enhanced MRI weighted brain scans were used for semi-automated tumor segmentation to develop the meningioma atlas. Patient variables used in the statistical analyses included age, gender, tumor locations, WHO grade and tumor volume. A total of 602 patients with intracranial meningiomas were identified. The spatial distribution of meningioma within the brain is not uniform and there were more tumors in the frontal region, especially parasagittally, along the anterior part of the falx, and on the skull base of the frontal and middle cranial fossa. More than 2/3 meningioma patients were females (p < 0.001) who also were more likely to have multiple meningiomas (p < 0.01), while men more often have supratentorial meningiomas (p < 0.01). Tumor location was not associated with age or WHO grade. The distribution of meningioma exhibit an anterior to posterior gradient in the brain. Distribution of meningiomas is not dependent on histopathological WHO grade, but may be gender related.
Genetic Mapping And Genomic Prediction For Northern Corn Leaf Blight (Exserohilum Turcicum (Pass.) Leonard And Suggs) Resistance
Authors: Balasundara D.C. , Lohithaswa H. C. , Rahul M. , Ravikumar R. L. , Pandravada Anand , Bhatia Bhupendra S.
Published: June 2021

Background: Northern corn leaf blight (NCLB) of maize caused by Exserohilum turcicum is a serious foliar disease. Resistance to NCLB is complexly inherited and the highly significant genotype x environment interaction effect makes selection of resistant genotypes difficult through conventional breeding methods. Hence an attempt was made to identify the genomic regions associated with NCLB resistance and perform genomic selection (GS) in two F2:3 populations derived from the crosses CM212 × MAI172 (Population-1) and CM202 × SKV50 (Population-2). Results: Two populations, each comprising of 366 progenies, were phenotyped at three different locations in the disease screening nurseries. Linkage analysis using 297 polymorphic SNPs in Population-1 and 290 polymorphic SNPs in Population-2 revealed 10 linkage groups spanning 3623.88cM and 4261.92cM with an average distance of 12.40 cM and 14.9 cM, respectively. Location-wise and pooled data across locations indicated that QTL expression was population and environment specific. The genomic prediction accuracies of 0.83 and 0.79 were achieved for NCLB Population 1 and Population 2, respectively. The resistant progenies from both populations were advanced to derive inbred lines and crossed with four different testers in line x tester mating design to test for their combining ability. High overall general combining ability was exhibited by 21 inbred lines. Among crosses 48 % were assigned high overall specific combining ability status. Out of 136 single crosses, seven recorded significant positive standard heterosis over the best check for grain yield. The clustering pattern of inbred lines developed from the two populations revealed high molecular diversity. Conclusions: In this study, comparatively better genomic prediction accuracies were achieved for NCLB and the worth of F3 progenies with high genomic predictions was proved by advancing them to derive inbred lines and establishing their higher combining ability for yield and yield related traits.
Exosomes From Human Umbilical Cord-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Alleviate Osteoarthritis by Balancing the Synthesis and Degradation of Cartilage Extracellular Matrix and Regulating Macrophage Polarization
Authors: Li Pengdong , Lv Shuang , Jiang Wenyue , Si Lihui , Liao Baojian , Zhao Guifang , Xu Ziran , Wang Lina , Zhang Jia , Wu Haitao , Peng Qian , Li Zhaohui , Qi Ling , Chi Guangfan , Li Yulin
Published: June 2021

BackgroundOsteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common joint diseases and a major public health concern. Current therapies for OA can relieve symptoms but offer no potential for cartilage regeneration. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been widely used for the treatment of OA owing to their paracrine secretion of trophic factors, a phenomenon in which exosomes may play a major role. Here, we investigated the potential of exosomes from human umbilical cord-derived MSCs (hUC-MSCs-Exos) at alleviating OA.MethodshUC-MSCs were isolated, cultured, and identified based on the expression of MSC markers and multipotency differentiation. hUC-MSCs-Exos were harvested from hUC-MSC conditioned medium using a sequential centrifugation method. Transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, flow cytometry, and western blotting were used to identify the exosomes. The effects of hUC-MSCs-Exos on the proliferation and migration of human chondrocytes were evaluated using the cell counting kit-8, EdU-555 cell proliferation kit, and transwell assays. Annexin V-FITC/PI staining and flow cytometry were used to evaluate the effect of exosomes on chondrocyte apoptosis. An in vitro model of human articular chondrocytes treated with interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) was used to evaluate the effects of exosomes; analyses involved using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), immunofluorescence, and western blotting. The role of exosomes in macrophage polarization was examined in the monocyte cell line, THP-1. Rats with surgically induced OA (ACLT+pMMx method) were intra-articularly injected with hUC-MSCs-Exos. The efficacy of exosome injections was assessed using hematoxylin and eosin and safranin-O and fast green staining, and immunohistochemistry.ResultsWe confirmed the superior efficacy of hUC-MSCs-Exos at promoting chondrocyte proliferation and migration and inhibiting chondrocyte apoptosis. Additionally, hUC-MSCs-Exos reversed IL-1β-induced injury in vitro. hUC-MSCs-Exos could inhibit the secretion of pro-inflammatory factors, promote the expression of anti-inflammatory factors, and regulate the polarization of macrophages. hUC-MSCs-Exos attenuated the progression of OA and prevented severe damage to the knee articular cartilage in the rat OA model. ConclusionshUC-MSCs-Exos exerted immunomodulatory and therapeutic effects in a rat model of OA. These exosomes derived from hUC-MSCs can potentially serve as treatments for OA.
Development of Medical Radiation Shield Using Density-Enhanced Recycled Oyster Shells
Authors: Kim Seon-Chil
Published: June 2021

As radiation-based techniques become an increasingly important tool for medical diagnostics, medical professionals face an increasing risk from the long-term effects of scattered radiation exposure. Although existing radiation-shielding products used in medicine are traditionally lead-based, recently, attention has turned to the development of more eco-friendly materials such as tungsten, bismuth, and barium sulfate. To date, however, the proposed alternative materials have struggled to compete with lead in terms of shielding performance and economic feasibility. This study explores the potential of radiation shielding materials based on the shells of bivalve mollusks such as oysters that are discarded from aquaculture, thereby preventing them from going to landfill. In addition, a firing process for enhancing the shielding performance of the original material is proposed. Experiments showed that shielding sheets comprising 0.3-mm-thick layers of oyster shell achieve a shielding efficiency of 37.32% for the low-energy X-rays typically encountered in medical institutions. In addition, the shielding performance was improved by increasing the density of the powdered oyster shell via plastic working at 1,200°C. This raises the possibility of developing multi-material radiation shields and highlights a new potential avenue for recycling aquacultural waste.
Long-term Outcomes of Intraoperative Radiotherapy For Early-stage Breast Cancer in China: A Multicenter Real-World Study
Authors: Wang Xin , Feng Kexin , Wang Wenyan , Meng Xiangzhi , Liu Jiaqi , Yang Yang , Zhong Yuting , Li Jingruo , Wu Shikai , Li Minghui , Ma Pan , Feng Qinfu , Zeng Hongmei , Gu Yuanting , Li Xiru , Fan Zhaoqing , Wang Xiang
Published: June 2021

Background: To assess the efficacy, safety, and cosmetic effects of breast-conserving surgery (BCS) combined with intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) in Chinese people. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 451 patients who received IORT at four hospitals in China. IORT was delivered directly to the mammary gland before and after surgery. The primary endpoint was ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR). The secondary endpoints were locoregional recurrence (LRR), overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), IORT-related toxicities, and cosmetic outcomes. Results: The median follow-up was 5.4 years (with a range of 1.0 to 11.9 years). The overall IBTR was 1.5%, LRR was 2.8%, and the OS rate and DFS rate were 96.2% and 99.1%, respectively. Only one (0.2%) breast cancer-related death was recorded. The cancer-related distant metastasis rate was 0.6%. There was no intraoperative or postoperative radiation-related acute hematological toxicity or other complications. Overall, 74.3% of patients graded the cosmetic effect as excellent or good. The LRR for pre-excision IORT was 3.0%, whereas that of post-excision IORT was 2.8% (pre-IORT vs. post-IORT, p=0.772). Distant metastases rate was 2.3% for pre-IORT and 1.8% for post-IORT (pre-IORT vs. post-IORT, p=0.692). The cancer-related death rate was 0.7% for pre-IORT and 0.0% for post-IORT (pre-IORT vs. post-IORT, p=0.899). The DFS rate was 94.7% in the pre-IORT group and 95.3% in the post-IORT group. (p=0.672). The LRR was 2.4%, whereas the OS rate was 99.5% after adjusting for the age of patients according to the recommended criteria by the American Society of Therapeutic Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), and the DFS rate was 98.1%. Conclusions: IORT significantly reduced the treatment time while preserving a high degree of locoregional control and cosmetic effects.
Exploring farmers’ perception on climate-induced events and adaptation practices to protect crop production and livestock farming in Haor area of northeastern Bangladesh
Authors: Fahim Tasneem Chowdhury , Sikder Bivuti Bhushan
Published: June 2021

Bangladesh is confronting terrible impacts of climate change on agriculture across the country, especially in the low-lying area like- Haor, coastal region, and islands. This behavioral study (N = 320) examines the perception and knowledge of farmers on climate-induced events and experiences, and explores the adaptation practices they adopt to protect crop production and livestock farming from the impact of climate change in the Northeastern Haor area of the country. Using triangulation method, it is detected that farmers of the study area have erroneous idea on climate change and the causes of frequent climate extremes. Study results show that respondents’ perception and experiences on climate-induced event are verified positively with the historical trend and time-series analysis of climate indicators as well as with the findings of researchers using PRA tools and techniques. This study explores the traditional and systematic adaptation approaches of farmers which are practiced in individual or community level. The rationale of each of the approach from respondents’ side is also analyzed in the study. It is statistically tested using chi-square that some of the scientific and systematic adaptation options for crop production is predominantly influenced by the educational qualifications of the respondents. The study reveals that lack of proper information prevents subsistence farmers to find the most effective adaptation pathways.
“The medications are the decision-makers…” Making reproductive and medication use decisions among female patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a constructivist Grounded Theory
Authors: Rebić Nevena , Munro Sarah , Garg Ria , Hazlewood Glen , Amiri Neda , Baldwin Corisande , Ensworth Stephanie , Proulx Laurie , De Vera Mary A
Published: June 2021

Objective
To examine how female patients with RA form decisions about having children, pregnancy, and medication use.
Methods
We employed a constructivist grounded theory design and recruited female participants who are 18 years or older, have a rheumatologist-confirmed RA diagnosis, live in Canada, and able to communicate in English or French. We collected data through semi-structured individual and focus group interviews using telephone or video conferencing technology. Data collection and analysis were iterative, employed theoretical sampling, reflexive journaling, and peer debriefing, and culminated in a theoretical model.
Results
We recruited 21 participants with a mean age of 34 years and median 10 years since RA diagnosis. Overall, 33% had never been pregnant, 57% had previously been pregnant, and 10% were pregnant at the time of interview. Of those who had experienced pregnancy, 64% had at least one pregnancy while diagnosed with RA and of those, 56% used DMARD(s) during a pregnancy. We constructed a woman-centered framework depicting the dynamic relationships between 4 decision-making processes: 1) using medications, 2) having children, 3) planning pregnancy, and 4) parenting. These processes were influenced by participants’ intersecting identities and contextual factors, particularly attitudes towards health and medications, disease onset and severity, familial support system, and healthcare provider relationship.
Conclusion
Our framework provides insight into how patients make reproductive decisions in the context of managing RA. A patient-centered care approach is suggested to support female patients with RA in making reproductive and medication choices aligning with their individual desires, needs, and values.
Preparation of g-C3N4/MoS2 Composite Material and Its Visible Light Catalytic Performance
Authors: Fan Yu , Yang Yan-ning , Ding Chen
Published: June 2021

The g-C3N4 nanosheet was prepared by calcination method, the MoS2 nanosheet was prepared by hydrothermal method. The g-C3N4/MoS2 composites were prepared by ultrasonic composite in anhydrous ethanol. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), and photoluminescence (PL) techniques were used to characterize the materials. The photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (Rh B) by g-C3N4/MoS2 composites with different mass ratios was investigated under visible light. The results show that a small amount of MoS2 combined with g-C3N4 can significantly improve photocatalytic activity. The g-C3N4/MoS2 composite with a mass ratio of 1:8 has the highest photocatalytic activity, and the degradation rate of Rh B increases from 50% to 99.6%. The main reason is that MoS2 and g-C3N4 have a matching band structure. The separation rate of photogenerated electron-hole pairs is enhanced. So the g-C3N4/MoS2 composite can improve the photocatalytic activity. The photocatalytic mechanism was proposed through the active matter capture experiment.