bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Blockchain Technology Investment and Sharing Strategy of Port Supply Chain Under Competitive Environment
Authors: Liu Jiaguo , Zhang Huimin , Zhao Huida
Published: July 2021

Blockchain technology plays a very positive role in promoting the development of the port supply chain. Although there are some practical examples of blockchain in the port supply chain (eg. Trade Len or Cargo Smart), there are few application scenarios. Therefore, blockchain technology has yet to be widely used in the port industry. This may be related to the construction of blockchain. This paper analyzes the impact of blockchain technology on the port supply chain and the technology sharing on the shipping market. It is found that the investment of blockchain technology in a competitive environment has different characteristics. When the efficiency of technology investment and the proportion of market expansion reach a certain combination, there are two different equilibrium strategy choices: Only technology investment or technology sharing. Based on the above research results, this paper further investigates the results of the comprehensive influence of different factors such as competition intensity and market expansion proportion.
Influence of high volumes of silica fume on the rheological behavior of oil well cement pastes
Authors: Burroughs Jedadiah , Weiss Jason , Haddock John
Published: July 2021

Specialized classes of concrete, such as ultra-high-performance concrete, use volumes of silica fume in concrete that are higher than those in conventional concrete, resulting in increased water demand and mixing difficulty. This study considered the effects of eight different silica fumes in three dosages (10%, 20%, 30%) with three w/b (0.20, 0.30, 0.45) on rheological behavior as characterized by the Herschel-Bulkley model. Results indicated that the specific source of silica fume used, in addition to dosage and w/b, had a significant effect on the rheological behavior. As such, all silica fumes cannot be treated as equivalent or be directly substituted one for another without modification of the mixture proportion. The rheology of cement pastes is significantly affected by the physical properties of silica fume more so than any chemical effects.
On Collapse of Quantum State on Measurement
Authors: Chowdhury Basudev Nag , Chattopadhyay Sanatan
Published: July 2021

In the context of the century-long debate on quantum measurement problem, the current work proposes a model that describes the process of collapse of state by quantum interaction, which resolves the controversies of the framework of quantum mechanics and describes the entire domain of quantum-to-classical world including the weak measurement and partial collapse. ‘Measurement’, being the process of physically interacting with a system in order to extracting information from it, is theorized in the current model by synthesizing the quantum interaction between system and measuring apparatus with the information entropy of such process. The model assumes Schrödinger equation to be the only guiding equation for all physical systems including the measuring apparatus, and does not presuppose ‘superposition principle’, rather derives it theoretically from the formulation. The superposed state is shown to be independent of the choice of measurement operator (observable) or basis states (pointers) of the measuring apparatus. Most interestingly, the current model explains the non-observance of ‘superposition principle’ by classical systems as the classical limit of such quantum description of measurement. Along with solving the quantum measurement problem, the work also explains weak measurement and partial collapse, which can be further extended to investigate such several emerging critical phenomena.
Evaluation of skin-surface interleukin 1 α, interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist, CXCL-1/2 and β-defensin-1 as non-invasive biomarkers for monitoring psoriasis vulgaris
Authors: Orro Kadri , Salk Kristiina , Abram Kristi , Arshavskaja Jelena , Meikas Anne , Karelson Maire , Neuman Toomas , Kingo Külli , Spee Pieter
Published: July 2021

Background: There is a need for non-invasive diagnostic tools that can objectively measure psoriasis activity and that can be used to monitor therapeutic effects of psoriasis treatment. This study aimed to determine whether non-invasive measurements of proteins from psoriasis lesional skin can be used to assess disease severity and to measure treatment efficacy. Results: Using FibroTx TAP technology for protein-measurements directly from the surface of skin, clear differences in levels of IL-1a, IL-1RA and CXCL-1/2 were found between psoriasis lesional skin and non-lesional skin. No clear correlations were found between FibroTx TAP measurements and PASI scoring, with the exception of a mild correlation between CXCL-1/2 and scaling. Similarly, no clear correlations were found between FibroTx TAP measurements and ultrasound measurements of skin, with the exception of a weak correlation between IL-1RA and SLEB thickness. Monitoring IL-1RA and CXCL-1/2 on skin lesions undergoing narrow-band UVB phototherapy clearly reflected normalisation of skin. Conclusions: Skin-surface measurements of IL-1RA and CXCL-1/2 have potential for assessing severity of psoriasis and for monitoring treatment efficacy. Measurements of IL-1RA and CXCL-1/2 displayed a disease profile distinct from PASI or sonography, thus confirming that measuring the ‘molecular root’ of inflammation has value for scoring disease severity in its own right.
Catalyst H-ZSM 5 in Amines addition on Carbonyl Compounds α, β-unsaturated catalyzed by H-ZSM 5
Authors: ELMELIANI M'HAMMED , FATIHA DJAFRI , AYADA Djafri
Published: July 2021

Background Zeolites are crystallized aluminum silicates. Their structure consists of an arrangement of TO4 tetrahedral (T = Si, Al ...), creating a regular nonporous system made up of channels with a diameter of less than 1 nm and cages (the channel intersections). These materials were discovered by the mineralogist in 1756. These porous materials are used in the paper industry, in jewelry, and in other fields. Certain applications require pure materials with specific properties, hence the need to develop their synthesis. Zeolites are obtained hydrothermally at temperatures below 200°C. The dimensions of the pores are of the order of a nanometer, close to the dimensions of certain organic molecules which make these zeolitic materials find applications in various fields, separation by molecular sieving, purification by adsorption, cation exchange and catalysis. Result We are successful in the reaction of addition the series of amines to unsaturated alkenes, catalyzed by zeolite H-ZSM-5, the results show good products obtained with excellent yields, in short time, pure products can be obtained after filtering the catalyst and then removing the excess amines, the catalyst is recoverable, reactivated and reused several times for other addition reactions, the products were defined by 1 H NMR spectroscopy. Conclusion According to the results obtained. It can be said that the addition of various aliphatic or aromatic amines reacted successfully with alkenes, in the presence of the catalyst H-ZSM-5, to give the corresponding adducts with excellent yields in time and in perfect conditions, solvent-free and room temperature, so our H-ZSM-5 catalyst is effective, can meet our goal of adding amines to unsaturated carbonyl components.
GC-MS-Based Metabolite Profiling of Key Differential Metabolites Between Superior and Inferior Spikelets of Rice During the Grain Filling Stage
Authors: Min Xiumei , Xu Hailong , Huang Fenglian , Wei Yidong , Lin Wenxiong , Zhang Zhixing
Published: July 2021

Background:The asynchronous filling between superior spikelets (SS) and inferior spikelets (IS) in rice has become a research hotspot. The stagnant development and poor grain filling of IS limit yields and the formation of good quality rice. A large number of studies on this phenomenon have been carried out from the genome, transcriptome and proteome level, indicating that asynchronous filling of SS and IS filling is a complex, but orderly physiological and biochemical process involving changes of a large number of genes, protein expression and modification. However, the analysis of metabolomics differences between SS and IS is rarely reported currently.Results:This study utilized untargeted metabolomics and identified 162 metabolites in rice spikelets. Among them, 17 differential metabolites associated with unsynchronized grain filling between superior spikelets (SS) and IS, 27 metabolites were related to the stagnant development of IS and 35 metabolites related to the lower maximum grain-filling rate of IS compared with the SS. We found that soluble sugars were an important metabolite during grain filling for SS and IS. Absolute quantification was used to further analyze the dynamic changes of 4 types of soluble sugars (sucrose, fructose, glucose, and trehalose) between SS and IS. The results showed that sucrose and trehalose were closely associated with the dynamic characteristics of grain filling between SS and IS. The application of exogenous sugar showed that trehalose functioned as a key sugar signal during grain filling. Trehalose regulated the expression of genes related to sucrose conversion and starch synthesis, thereby promoting the conversion of sucrose to starch. The difference in the spatiotemporal expression of TPS-2 and TPP-1 between SS and IS was an important reason that led to the difference in trehalose contents between SS and IS.Conclusions:The results from this study are helpful for understanding the difference in grain filling between SS and IS at the metabolite level. In addition, the present results can also provide a theoretical basis for the next step of using metabolites to regulate the filling of IS.
The Vision Related Quality of Life and Anxiety-Depression Levels of Age-Related Macular Degeneration During COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Ersan Ismail , Akinci Erhan , Turgut Burak , Cate Sercan
Published: July 2021

Purpose: To evaluate anxiety, depression status, and vision related quality of life (QoL) in patient with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) during the early phase of COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: Seventy-one voluntary patients with AMD and demografic variables matched 36 healthy controls were compared in this study. All the subjects were evaluated with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD-A and HAD-D) and National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire-25 (NEI-VFQ-25). Results: There were no statistically significant difference in HADS-A and HADS-D between the AMD group and controls (p<0.05) When the patients with AMD were assigned to two distinct groups according to binocular visual acuity, proportion of patients above the HADS cut-off points for anxiety did not differ between the groups (p=0.208) and 55.6 % of patients above the HADS cut-off points of depression in low vision AMD group were significantly differ from other groups (p=0,022). The statistically significant lower means of NEI-VFQ-25 parameters except general health and ocular pain were observed in AMD patients compared with controls (p<0.05).Conclusions: The AMD patients had lower vision related QoL scores during COVID-19 pandemic and it is recommended psychiatric counseling opportunities is needed for AMD patients having low binocular visual acuity.
The Effects of Perceived Social Support, Psychological Resilience and Coping Strategies on Life Satisfaction in Men Diagnosed with Testicular Cancer
Authors: Temircan Zekeriya , Demirtaş Türev
Published: July 2021

Testicular cancer is one of the most common cancers among young men. The patients diagnosed with testicular cancer may experience psychological disturbances during its diagnosis and treatment process. The present study was examined the effects of perceived social support, psychological resilience and coping strategies on life satisfaction in men diagnosed with testicular cancer. This cross-sectional data was obtained from the participants through different scales. The statistical analysis was included descriptive analysis and multiple logistic regression model for the variables. A total of 174 patients, mean 36, range=20-60 years, were included in the study. Results showed that the variables of HADS depression, HADS anxiety, perceived social support, psychological resilience and coping strategies included in the multiple logistic regression analysis explained the change in life satisfaction variance by 42% (R2 =6.351; R2 =0.423) determined by p <0.005. The statistical significance was found for HADS depression score (t=-0.31; p=0.000), HADS anxiety (t=-1.07, p=0.002) and psychological resilience (t=-0.23, p=0.001) in terms of life satisfaction levels of patients treated with testicular cancer. There was no statistical significance found among other variables and life satisfaction levels of patients (p>0.005). Testicular cancer, which is common among men, causes negative consequences on the life of individuals. Social support of the patients both during the diagnosis period and during the treatment, it causes changes in life satisfaction and psychological resilience. Therefore, psychological problems such as a decrease in the coping strategies of the patients, depression or anxiety are beginning to be observed.
First Description of Reproductive Behavior and Alternative Reproductive Strategy in the Deep-sea Fish, Careproctus pellucidus.
Authors: Mori Toshiaki , Fukuda Kazuya , Ohtsuka Syouko , Yamauchi Shinya , Yoshinaga Tatsuki
Published: July 2021

The reproductive biology of deep-sea fishes is largely unknown because of the difficulty of behavioral observations in this environment. In this study, the reproductive behavior of the deep-sea snailfish, Careproctus pellucidus, which lives at depths > 200 m, was observed in an aquarium. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to observe and describe the reproductive behavior of deep-sea fish under free-living conditions. Fishes were collected at a depth of approximately 300 m (36°70′ N; 141°00′ E) on July and August 2018 and kept for observation until March 2019. We observed that almost all spawnings took place between one male and one female. Males defended a spawning substrate against other males and exhibited body-wiggling behavior for both courtship and aggressive display. Females visited the male’s territory and spawned a demersal adhesive egg mass on the substrate. The territorial male then sought the spawned eggs using filamentous rays in the lower pectoral-fin lobe and released sperm when he located the eggs. Males remained near the spawning substrate after spawning but did not perform any parental care. Notably, sneaking behavior by a non-territorial male was observed in one case; this is the first report of this alternative reproductive strategy (or tactic) in a deep-sea fish. Our study reveals the unique reproductive biology of the deep-sea fish, C. pellucidus, which does not depend on visual information and uses other sensory modalities.
Analysis of Expression and Bioinformatics of Trehalose-6-phosphate Phosphatases (TPP) Gene Family in Wheat Indicates a Role in Plant Development and Stress Response
Authors: Du Linying , Li Shumin , Ding Li , Cheng Xinxiu , Kang Zhensheng , Mao Hude
Published: July 2021

Background: Trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatases genes (TPPs) are involved in the development and stress response of plants by regulating the biosynthesis of trehalose, though little is currently known about TPPs in common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).Results: In this study, we performed a genome-wide identification of the TPP gene family in common wheat, and identified a total of 31 TPP genes. These were subdivided into six subfamilies based on the phylogenetic relationships and the conservation of protein in six monocot and eudicot plants. The majority of TPP genes were represented by 2-3 wheat homoalleles (named TaTPPX_ZA, TaTPPX_ZB, or TaTPPX_ZD), where Z is the location on the wheat chromosome of the gene number (X). We also analyzed the chromosomal location, exon-intron structure, orthologous genes, and protein motifs of the TaTPPs. The RNA-seq data was used to perform an expression analysis, which found 26 TaTPP genes to be differentially expressed based on spatial and temporal characteristics, indicating they have varied functions in the growth and development of wheat. Additionally, we assessed how the promoter regulatory elements were organized and used qRT-PCR in the leaves to observe how they were expressed following ABA, salt, low tempreture, and drought stress treatments. All of these genes exhibited differential expression against one or more stress treatments. Furthermore, overexpressing TaTPP11 in Arabidopsis results delayed plant development and enhanced drought tolerance, but not affect seed morphology. Conclusions: TaTPPs could serve important roles in the development and stress response in wheat. These results provide a basis for subsequent research into the function of TaTPPs.
The first family of application-specific integrated circuits for programmable metasurfaces
Authors: Petrou Loukas , Kossifos Kypros , Antoniades Marco , Georgiou Julius
Published: July 2021

Reconfigurable metasurfaces are man-made surfaces, which consist of sub-wavelength periodic elements - meta-atoms - that can be reconfigured to manipulate incoming electromagnetic waves. However, reconfigurable metasurfaces developed to-date, have limitations in terms of impedance range, reconfiguration delay and power consumption. Also, these systems are costly and they require bulky electronics and complex control circuits, which makes them unattractive for commercial use. Here, we report the first family of CMOS application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) that enable microsecond and microwatt reconfiguration of complex impedances at microwave frequencies. Our approach utilizes asynchronous digital control circuitry, with networking capabilities, allowing simple and fast reconfiguration via digital devices and user-friendly software. Our solution is low-cost and can cover arbitrary metasurfaces, with different sizes and shapes.
Overcoming the Temperature Effect on a Single Junction and Intermediate Band Solar Cells Using Optical Filter and SECs
Authors: Vahedi S , Eskandari Mohammad , Barzinjy Azeez , Rostami Ali , Dolatyari Mahboubeh , Rostami Ghasem
Published: July 2021

The performance of electronic devices, especially solar cells, at high temperatures is of primary interest to researchers. The design and construction of high-efficiency solar cells face some difficulties. One of these difficulties is the rising temperature, thus solar cells temperature assessment is essential to guarantee high performance. Normally, rising temperature, in solar cells, is associated with the normal ambient temperature and the produced internal temperature due to power dissipation. Accordingly, this investigation aims to reduce the effect of applied temperature from both sources. To reduce the destructive effect, the authors design a simple construction model that utilizes SiO2 and Si3N4 as a filtering layer. The outcomes of this study show that the power conversion is optimum. Si and SiC Solar cells both with and without using a filter are evaluated and compared. Finally, enhancement in power conversion efficiency and other characteristics has been investigated. The intermediate band solar cells were evaluated with both internal and external temperature effects. To reduce the internal temperature, the authors utilized a novel method for extracting the hot carriers from different energy levels by using multilevel energy selective contacts (ESCs). It was shown that ESCs promote efficiency and break the Shockley-Queisser limit.
Elucidation of new xylose metabolizing pathway in Pseudomonas gessardii VXlt-16 and its correlation with xylitol production from sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate
Authors: Ahuja Vishal , Mehta Sanjeev , Rathour Ranju Kumari , Sharma Vaishali , Rana Nidhi , Sheetal Sheetal , Bhatt Arvind Kumar , Kieliszek Marek
Published: July 2021

Scientific interventions have identified lignocellulosic biomass as potential raw material for various industrial processes. However toxic byproducts released during the process result in deterioration of environment to a greater extent. Microbes can utilize these wastes for production of products of commercial value like bio-fuels, protein, organic acids and xylitol. However, high production cost and astringent operating conditions have been the major bottlenecks for its commercial production. In microbes, xylose is metabolized by xylose isomerase (XI) and xylose reductase-xylitol dehydrogenase (XR-XDH) pathways, with later having ability to transform pure xylose as well as xylose rich lignocelluloses. Efforts to find hyper producer isolates for xylitol production resulted in identification of one such isolate Pseudomonas gessardii VXlt-16 (MG770460) by 16s rDNA sequencing. Statistical optimization resulted in 7.28 folds’ increase in xylitol yield with 64.76% xylose bioconversion. Conversion of xylose to xylitol even at large scale suggests the possible application of bacterial isolate for the production of this useful product at industrial scale.
Usefulness of Palliative Radiotherapy in Reducing the Frequency of Red Blood Cell Transfusion in Patients with Malignant Tumor Bleeding
Authors: Katano Atsuto , Yamashita Hideomi
Published: July 2021

Purpose: We aimed to evaluate the usefulness of palliative radiotherapy in reducing the frequency of red blood cell (RBC) transfusions in patients with malignant tumor bleeding as a quantitative value to evaluate the hemostatic effect.Patients and methods: In this study, we conducted a retrospective review of patients visiting our department between June 2013 and April 2021. All patients underwent RBC transfusions for 30 days before the initiation of radiotherapy. We determined the overall survival time and RBC transfusion-free time using statistical tests.Results: In total, 21 patients were enrolled in our study, including 13 women and 8 men; the median patient age was 63 years (range: 32 to 82 years). After radiotherapy, 19 of the 21 patients had a decreased frequency of requirement for RBC transfusion compared to that before radiotherapy. Fourteen patients had achieved an RBC transfusion-free state one month after radiotherapy. The estimated 1-year overall survival and RBC transfusion-free rates were 36.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 14.2%) and 66.7% (95% CI: 42.5%–42.5 %), respectively.Conclusion: The present study revealed a reduction in RBC transfusion after palliative radiotherapy in patients with malignant tumor bleeding. We believe that reducing the frequency of blood transfusions in patients with terminal conditions would have significant clinical benefits.
Effects of Waterlogging on Soybean Rhizosphere Microbial Community Profiled Using Illumina MiSeq, LoopSeq, and PacBio 16S rRNA Genes Sequences
Authors: TaoBing Yu , Lang Cheng , Qi Liu , ShaSha Wang , Yuan Zhou , Hongbin Zhong , Meifang Tang , Hai Nian , Tengxiang Lian
Published: July 2021

Background: Waterlogging on the global environment has led to a significant decline in crop yields. However, the response of plant-associated microbes to waterlogging stress on different soils is not known. Moreover, there are few reports on whether this response is influenced by different sequencing methods. In this study, the effects of waterlogging on soybean rhizosphere microbial structure on two types of soil were examined, using a short reading 16S rRNA sequencing variable region V4 and two full-length 16S rRNA sequencing variable regions V1-V9.Results: The results revealed some similarities and differences in three sequencing methods for soybean rhizosphere microbial response to waterlogging stress. Based on CPCoA analysis, all the sequencing methods showed that waterlogging on both types of soil significantly affected the bacterial community structure of the soybean rhizosphere, and increased the relative abundance of Geobacter. However, the full-length sequencing methods had higher classification resolution than short-read sequencing (except phylum level of all sequencing methods and class level of LoopSeq sequencing). Further, analysis on OTU level and network showed that waterlogging increased the abundance of some microorganisms related to nitrogen cycle using V4 sequencing, and microorganisms related to phosphorus cycling when using two full-length sequencing methods. This is in line with the core microbial analysis. Environmental factors affecting the structure of microbial communities differed among sequencing methods.Conclusions: In summary, this piece of work detected the effects of waterlogging on soybean rhizosphere microbes using three sequencing methods. Some functional microbes were enriched in the rhizosphere, which may benefit soybean in resisting waterlogging stress. On the other hand, there were several differences in results among the three sequencing methods which might affect the response of rhizosphere microbial structure to stress. Our analysis of sequencing methods on various levels provides some useful information on environmental samples sequencing.
A Novel Attributed Community Detection by Integration of Feature Weighting and Node Centrality
Authors: Rostami Mehrdad , Oussalah Mourad
Published: July 2021

Community detection is one of the basic problems in social network analysis. Community detection on an attributed social networks aims to discover communities that have not only adhesive structure but also homogeneous node properties. Although community detection has been extensively studied, attributed community detection of large social networks with a large number of attributes remains a vital challenge. To address this challenge, a novel attributed community detection method through an integration of feature weighting with node centrality techniques is developed in this paper. The developed method includes two main phases: (1) Weight Matrix Calculation, (2) Label Propagation Algorithm-based Attributed Community Detection. The aim of the first phase is to calculate the weight between two linked nodes using structural and attribute similarities, while, in the second phase, an improved label propagation algorithm-based community detection method in attributed social network is proposed. The purpose of the second phase is to detect different communities by employing the calculated weight matrix and node popularity. After implementing the proposed method, its performance is compared with several other state of the art methods using some benchmarked real-world datasets. The results indicate that the developed method outperforms several other state of the art methods and ascertain the effectiveness of the developed method for attributed community detection.
Clinical Manifestations of Orbital Involvement in IgG4-Related Disease: A Retrospective Study of 573 Patients
Authors: Gan Linyang , Luo Xuan , Fei Yunyun , Peng Linyi , Zhou Jiaxin , Li Jieqiong , Lu Hui , Liu Zheng , Zhang Panpan , Liu Xiaowei , Zhang Wen
Published: July 2021

Purpose: To investigate the clinical manifestations of orbital involvement in a large cohort of Chinese patients with IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD). Methods: A total of 573 patients with IgG4-related disease were included. We described and compared the demographic, clinical, laboratory and histopathologic findings from 314 patients with IgG4-related ophthalmic disease (IgG4-ROD) and 259 with extra-ophthalmic IgG4-RD.Results: Male predominance was found significant in extra-ophthalmic IgG4-RD only. Patients with IgG4-ROD showed younger age at diagnosis and longer duration from onset till diagnosis. In patients with extra-ophthalmic IgG4-RD, the most commonly involved extra-ophthalmic organ was pancreas; while in IgG4-ROD patients, salivary gland was most frequently affected. Multivariate analysis exhibited IgG4-ROD was associated with allergy history, higher serum IgG4/IgG ratio, multiple organs involvement and sialoadenitis. Orbital images were reviewed in 173 (55.1%) IgG4-ROD patients. Fifty-one (29.5%) patients had multiple lesions. Lacrimal gland involvement was detected in 151 (87.3%) patients, followed by extraocular muscles (40, 23.1%), other orbital soft tissue (40, 23.1%) and trigeminal nerve (8, 4.6%). Biopsy was performed from various organs in 390 cases. A dense lymphoplasmacytic infiltration and fibrosis were the main feature in orbital specimens. Storiform fibrosis and obliterative phlebitis were absent in lacrimal gland.Conclusions: Lacrimal gland involvement was the most common orbital manifestation of IgG4-ROD. Patients with IgG4-ROD showed different characteristic in demographic, clinical, laboratory findings compared to patients with extra-ophthalmic IgG4-RD. These features might indicate potential differences in the pathogenesis of these two subgroups of IgG4-RD.
Feasibility Study Protocol: Investigating The Impact of Bleed Events On Anticoagulated Patients Diagnosed With Atrial Fibrillation Using Patient Reported Outcome Measures
Authors: Hutchings Hayley A , Lanyon Kirsty , Lister Steven , Alikhan Raza , Fegan Claire , Halcox Julian , Holland Gail , Hughes Arfon , Jenkins Rhys , Laing Hamish , Lobban Trudie , More Lianne , Owen Diane , Pollock Kevin G , Todd Ceri , Wareham Kathie
Published: July 2021

BackgroundAtrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia. Oral anticoagulation therapies (OATs) are often prescribed in conjunction with medications to restore normal heart rate rhythm which can limit the risk of an AF-related stroke and systemic thromboembolism. However, they are associated with the serious side effect of bleeding. Both clinically relevant non-major bleeding (CRNMB) and major bleeding while anticoagulated are believed to have a significant impact on patient quality of life (QoL). There is currently limited research into the effect bleeding has on QoL. The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of identifying and recruiting patients diagnosed with AF, who are taking OATs and have recently experienced a bleed and collecting information on their QoL.MethodsWe will recruit a minimum of 50 patients to this cross sectional, observational study. We will recruit from general practices, secondary care and through an online AF forum. We will ask participants to complete three validated patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs: EQ5D, AFEQT and PACT-Q), approximately four weeks following a bleed and again 3 months later. We will randomly select a subset of 10 participants (of those who agree to be interviewed) to undergo a structured interview with a member of the research team to explore the impact of bleeding on their QoL and to gain feedback on the three PROMs used. We will undertake a descriptive analysis of the PROMs and demographic data. We will analyse the qualitative interviews thematically to identify key themes. DiscussionWe aim to establish if it is possible to recruit patients and use PROMs to collect information regarding how patient QoL is affected when they experience either a CRNMB or major bleed, while taking OATs for the management of AF. We will also explore the appropriateness or otherwise of the three identified PROMs for assessing quality of life following a bleed. Trial registrationThe trial has been adopted onto the NIHR Portfolio (I.D. #47771) and registered with www.ClinicalTrials.gov (#NCT04921176) retrospectively registered in June 2021.
A Graphical Pressure Sensor Array With Multilayered Structure: Written Through Graphene Ink on Cellulose Paper Substrate
Authors: Ji Chao , Zhang Qiang , Li Qiang , Pei Zhen , Zhao Dong , Yuan Zhongyun , Wang Jie , Zhang Wendong , Sang Shengbo
Published: July 2021

Paper based flexible pressure sensors have received extensive attention due to their recoverability and accessibility. In this paper, we proposed graphical pressure sensors array with multilayered structure. A simple writing method was adopted to achieve the adsorption of sensitive materials on the fiber structure of cellulose paper. Pressure sensors with 1, 3, 5 and 7 stacked layers were fabricated and compared, respectively. The results show that the 7layers sensor combined high sensitivity (44 kPa-1) and fast time response (150 ms). The highly sensitive stacked paper-based sensor array realizes the pressure detection of objects and special-shaped surfaces. A pressure sensor base on commercial corrugated box was also fabricated to compare. The corrugated carton array was made to switch reminder devices for its convenience and accessibility. Since there are many scenarios that require a safe distance, especially under the influence of the COVID-19, the writable paper-based sensor array was used to realize graphical distance perception and warning.
Periostin: A Biomarker Useful in Treating Patients with Progressive Fibrosing Interstitial Lung Diseases
Authors: Takai Masayuki , Ono Junya , Okamoto Masaki , Fujimoto Kiminori , Kamei Ayami , Nunomura Satoshi , Nanri Yasuhiro , Ohta Shoichiro , Hoshino Tomoaki , Azuma Arata , Izuhara Kenji
Published: July 2021

Background: The concept of progressive fibrosing interstitial lung diseases (PF-ILD) has been recently proposed to describe a progressive phenotype in fibrosing ILDs, separate from the classical differential diagnosis of ILDs. However, we still do not know enough about how we can differentiate PF-ILD patients from non–PF-ILD patients in advance or how we can predict decline of lung function in PF-ILD patients. Periostin is a matricellular protein playing a critical role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis significantly high in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients. Methods: In this study, we applied three periostin ELISA systems—an original ELISA system recognizing total periostin, an ELISA system recognizing only the monomeric periostin, and a modified ELISA system that can measure periostin independently of the IgA complex established in this study—to serum from idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP) patients to address whether periostin can differentiate PF-ILD from non–PF-ILD patients in advance, whether periostin can predict the decline of lung function in PF-ILD patients, and which ELISA system for periostin is the most suitable for these purposes.Results: We established the modified ELISA system using SS16A recognizing the R3 domain instead of SS18A recognizing the R1 domain as the primary mAb that can measure periostin independently of the IgA complex. All periostin values found by the three systems were significantly higher in PF-ILD patients than in healthy subjects in addition to SP-D and KL-6, whereas all the periostin values, but not SP-D or KL-6, could differentiate PF-ILD patients from patients with IIP other than PF-ILD, in the order of the monomer system, the modified system, and the original system. Moreover, the periostin values by all three systems, but not SP-D or KL-6, showed significant correlations with decline of either %VC or DL, CO, in order of the monomer system, the modified system, and the original system.Conclusions: Serum periostin, but not SP-D and KL-6, differentiates PF-ILD from non–PF-ILD and predicts decline of lung function in PF-ILD patients. The monomer periostin ELISA system is the best at doing so. These results demonstrate that periostin, particularly the monomeric form, is useful in treating PF-ILD patients.
Antidepressants Fluoxetine Mediates Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Autophagy of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells Through ATF4-AKT-Mtor Signaling Pathway.
Authors: Shao Shali , Du Yajing , Wu Duojiao , Wang Xiangdong , Qiao Tiankui
Published: July 2021

Cancer usually coexists with depression, and depression correspondingly influences the progress and prognosis of cancer. Antidepressants are often used on depression, so it’s meaningful to study how antidepressants affect the cancer. Recently, the antidepressants were reported to have an antiproliferation effect in different cancer. However, the specific molecular target in lung cancer remains unclear. In this study, we investigated how fluoxetine influenced different kind of cells and discovered the molecular basis of its inhibitory effect in lung cancer. CCK8 and immunofluorescence found that fluoxetine specifically inhibited the cell proliferation of H460 and A549 cells and induced autophagy. The analysis of the RNA sequence hinted that the ER stress-related protein and mTOR pathway were involved in the treatment of fluoxetine. Western blot results revealed that fluoxetine activated the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress pathway, including PKR-like ER kinase (PERK), activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4), and C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), while inhibited the AKT/mTOR pathway. In addition, the transfection of ATF4 siRNA further discovered that ER stress participated in the inhibition of the AKT/mTOR pathway and the induction of antiproliferation and autophagy in the fluoxetine-treated cells. More importantly, fluoxetine was demonstrated to play cytotoxic activity in cancer cells without affecting normal cells. Our results showed that fluoxetine triggered the ATF4-AKT-mTOR signaling pathway to induce cell cycle arrest and autophagy to restraint cancer cells growth in lung cancer. This study results found that fluoxetine unaffected the proliferation of normal lung epithelial cells, providing a safe clinical therapeutic strategy for lung cancer patients with depression.
Construction and Validation of a Prognostic Risk Model Based on Autophagy-Related Genes in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells
Authors: Feng Rui , Li Jian , Xuan Weiling , Liu Hanbo , Cheng Dexin , Wang Guowei
Published: July 2021

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a prevalent primary liver cancer and the main cause of cancer mortality. Its high complexity and dismal prognosis bring dramatic difficulty to treatment. Due to the disclosed dual functions of autophagy in cancer development, understanding autophagy-related genes devotes into seeking novel biomarkers for HCC.
Methods

Differential expression of genes in normal and tumor groups was analyzed to acquire autophagy-related genes in HCC. GO and KEGG pathway analyses were conducted on these genes. Genes were then screened by univariate regression analysis. The screened genes were subjected to multivariate Cox regression analysis to build a prognostic model. The model was validated by ICGC validation set.
Results

Altogether, 42 autophagy-related differential genes were screened by differential expression analysis. Enrichment analysis showed that they were mainly enriched in pathways including regulation of autophagy and cell apoptosis. Genes were screened by univariate analysis and multivariate Cox regression analysis to build a prognostic model. The model was constituted by 6 feature genes: EIF2S1, BIRC5, SQSTM1, ATG7, HDAC1, FKBP1A. Validation confirmed the accuracy and independence of this model in predicting HCC patient’s prognosis.
Conclusion

A total of 6 feature genes were identified to build a prognostic risk model. This model is conducive to investigating interplay between autophagy-related genes and HCC prognosis.
Trans-Arterial Embolization On A Catastrophic Primary Postpartum Hemorrhage Due To Arterial Aneurysm With Arteriovenous Fistula At Bilateral Lower Vagina: A Case Report
Authors: Wu Cheng-Hsien , Wong Yon-Cheong , Wu Patricia Wanping , Chueh Ho-Yen
Published: July 2021

Background: Failure of the primary management at controlling the post-partum hemorrhage (PPH) is occasionally encountered. A catastrophic cause of PPH as vagina arterial aneurysms with AVF is rare and not reported in English literature.Case presentations: We present a 34-year-old woman of arterial aneurysms with arteriovenous fistulas (AVF) at bilateral lower vagina causing intractable PPH with aggressive bleeding. By trans-arterial embolization (TAE) the bleeding is successfully controlled, and patient then could recover smoothly.Conclusion: These vascular anomalies being fierce culprit of the PPH would result in primary management failure. Knowledge of the possible etiology of post-partum hemorrhage is crucial for treatment management. This case report aims to point out a pivotal role of TAE at detecting and treating this unusual cause of PPH.
The Use of Respondent-Driven Sampling To Assess Febrile Illness Treatment-Seeking Behaviors Among Forest Goers in Cambodia and Vietnam
Authors: Paudel Mahesh , Tesfazghi Kemi , Nguyen Hoa , Phok Sochea , Sriniva Shwetha , Wheeler Jennifer
Published: July 2021

Background

Countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) aim to eliminate all forms of malaria by 2030. In Cambodia and Vietnam Forest goers are at highest risk of malaria. Universal access to prompt diagnosis and treatment is a core malaria intervention. This can only be achieved by understanding the health seeking behaviors among the most vulnerable groups and eliminating the barriers to prompt and effective treatment. This study aimed to improve understanding by exploring health seeking behaviors for febrile illness among populations at risk for malaria in Cambodia and Vietnam.
Methods

In 2019, researchers from Population Services International (PSI) conducted a population-based survey of forest goers in Cambodia and Vietnam using respondent-driven sampling (RDS). In Cambodia two operational districts, Oral and Phnom Srouch, in Kampong Speu Province were included in the study. In Vietnam, communes located within 15 km of the forest edge in Binh Phuoc and Gia Lai provinces were selected. Adults who had spent at least one night per week or four nights per month in the forest over the past three months were considered potential participants for the study.
Results

75% in Cambodia and 65% in Viet Nam of forest goers sought treatment outside the home for illness. In Cambodia 39% sought treatment from the private sector, 32%, from community health workers and 24% from public health facilities. In Vietnam, 62% sought care from community facilities, 29.3% from the private sector and 6.9% went to a public facility. Amongst forest goers who sought care, 33% in Cambodia and 52% in Vietnam did so within 24 hours.
Conclusions

This study is consistent with others that show that early diagnosis and treatment of malaria remains an obstacle to malaria elimination. This study also demonstrates that there are gaps in timeliness of care seeking amongst forest goers. The findings from this study around provider preference and delays in treatment seeking behaviors can be utilized to strengthen the design and targeting of malaria interventions and social behavior change strategies in order to accelerate malaria elimination in Cambodia and Vietnam.
Predicting the Time to Detect Moderately Virulent African Swine Fever Virus in Finisher Swine Herds Using a Stochastic Disease Transmission Model
Authors: Malladi Sasidhar , Ssematimba Amos , Bonney Peter J. , Charles Kaitlyn M. St. , Boyer Timothy , Goldsmith Timothy , Walz Emily , Cardona Carol , Culhane Marie R.
Published: July 2021

Background: African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious and devastating pig disease that has caused extensive global economic losses. Understanding ASF virus (ASFV) transmission dynamics within a herd is necessary in order to prepare for and respond to an outbreak in the United States. Although the transmission parameters for the highly virulent ASF strains have been estimated in several articles, there are relatively few studies focused on moderately virulent strains. Using an approximate Bayesian computation algorithm in conjunction with Monte Carlo simulation, we have estimated the adequate contact rate for moderately virulent ASFV strains and determined the statistical distributions for the durations of mild and severe clinical signs using individual, pig-level data. A discrete individual based disease transmission model was then used to estimate the time to detect ASF infection based on increased mild clinical signs, severe clinical signs, or daily mortality. Results: Our results indicate that it may take two weeks or longer to detect ASF in a finisher swine herd via mild clinical signs or increased mortality beyond levels expected in routine production. A key factor contributing to the extended time to detect ASF in a herd is the fairly long latently infected period for an individual pig (mean 4.5, 95% P.I., 2.4 - 7.2 days). Conclusion: These transmission model parameter estimates and estimated time to detection via clinical signs provide valuable information that can be used not only to support emergency preparedness but also to inform other simulation models of evaluating regional disease spread.
Zanubrutinib Attenuated Bleomycin-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis by Inhibiting the TGF-β1 Signaling Pathway
Authors: Li Xiaohe , Wei Yuli , Gu Jinying , Liang Jingjing , Li Shimeng , Cui Yunyao , Liu Rui , Li Xiaoping , Yang Cheng , Zhou Honggang
Published: July 2021

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive and fatal interstitial lung disease with high mortality and limited treatment. So far, the only drugs approved for the treatment of IPF are Nintedanib and Pirfenidone. Zanubrutinib, a BTK small molecule inhibitor, is approved for the treatment of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)/small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL). In this study, we explored the potential effect and mechanisms of zanubrutinib on pulmonary fibrosis in vivo and in vitro. Methods: In the in vivo experiments, different doses of zanubrutinib were administered in a mouse model of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis, and pathological manifestations and lung function indexes were evaluated. The in vitro experiments were used a TGF-β1-treated fibroblast model to evaluate the effect of zanubrutinib on the activation and autophagy phenotype of fibroblasts and explored the underlying signaling pathways mechanism. Results: In vivo experiments proved that zanubrutinib effectively attenuated bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice. In vitro mechanism study indicated that zanubrutinib could suppress collagen deposition, myofibroblast activation by inhibiting the TGF-β1/Smad pathway and induce autophagy through the TGF-β1/mTOR pathway. Conclusions: Zanubrutinib could alleviate bleomycin- induced lung fibrosis in mice by inhibiting the TGF-β1 signaling pathway.
Popliteal Fossa Sarcomas
Authors: Erdogan Ozgur , Çelik Aykut , Tekçe Ertuğrul , Altun Güray , Ozkan Korhan , Gurkan Volkan
Published: July 2021

Background and Aim: Soft tissue sarcomas of the popliteal fossa are extremely rare tumors of mesenchymal origin accounting for 3%–5% of all extremity sarcomas. However, data regarding the tumor type, neurovascular involvement, and administration of radiation therapy before or after resection are limited. This study aimed to report on popliteal fossa sarcomas analyzing data from two institutions based on a relatively large patient sample.Materials and Method: Twenty-four patients (80%; 9 men and 15 women) with a popliteal fossa soft tissue sarcoma were included in this study. The reviewed patient data included sex, age, duration of complaints, interval to diagnosis, radiology, pre- and postoperative biopsy, tumor histology, surgery type, complications, and pre- and postoperative oncologic and functional outcomes.Results: The mean age of the patients was 48 ± 21.23 (range 3–72) years at the time of diagnosis. The most common histological diagnoses were synovial sarcoma (6 patients), hemangiopericytoma (2 patients), soft tissue osteosarcoma (2 patients), fusiform cell sarcoma (2 patients), and myxofibrosarcoma (2 patients). Local recurrence after limb salvage was observed in six patients (25%). At the latest follow-up, 2 patients died of the disease, 2 patients were still alive with progressive lung disease and soft tissue metastasis, and the remaining 20 patients were free from the disease.Conclusions: Microscopically positive margins may not be an absolute indication for amputation. Also, negative margins do not provide a guarantee that local recurrence will not occur. Lymph node or distant metastasis may be predictive factors for local recurrence rather than positive margins.