bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Preoperative Oral Carbohydrate on Cirrhotic Patients under Endoscopic Therapy with Anesthesia: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Wang Yan , Tu Yichun , Liu Zhenglv , Li Hui , Chen Hongtan , Cheng Baoli , Fang Xiangming
Published: September 2021

Preoperative fasting causes significant perioperative discomfort in patients. Preoperative oral carbohydrate (POC) is an important element of the enhanced recovery after surgery protocol, but its effect on cirrhotic patients who tend to have abnormal gastric emptying remains unclarified. We investigated the influence of POC on gastric emptying and preprocedural well‐being in cirrhotic patients. A prospective, randomized, controlled study of cirrhotic patients with gastroesophageal varices scheduled for elective therapeutic endoscopy under intravenous anesthesia was conducted. We enrolled 180 patients and divided them into three groups: those not supplemented with carbohydrates for 8 h before therapeutic endoscopy (control group) and those administered a carbohydrate beverage 2 h (2 h group) and 4 h (4 h group) before endoscopy. The residual gastric volume was quantified before anesthesia, gastric emptying was evaluated using gastric ultrasonography, and preprocedural well‐being was assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS). Preanesthesia gastric sonography scores were similar among the three groups. No patient had residual gastric volume > 1.5 ml/kg in the control and 4 h groups, but six patients (11%) had a residual gastric volume of >1.5 ml/kg in the 2 h group, hence were at a risk of regurgitation and aspiration. Moreover, VAS scores for six parameters (thirst, hunger, mouth dryness, nausea, vomiting, and fatigue) in the 2 h group and three parameters (thirst, hunger, and mouth dryness) in the 4 h group were significantly lower than those in the control group, suggesting a beneficial effect on cirrhotic patients’ well‐being. Preoperative gastric peristaltic and operation scores, postoperative complications, length of hospital stay, and in‐hospital expenses were not significantly different among the three groups. Our study indicated that avoiding preoperative fasting with oral carbohydrates administered 4 h before anesthesia can be achieved in cirrhotic patients. Further studies to assess whether POC can help improve postoperative outcomes in cirrhotic patients are needed.
Clinical Study of Stellate Ganglion Block Combined with General Anesthesia on Hemodynamics, Cognitive Function, and Gastrointestinal Function in Elderly Patients Undergoing Partial Hepatectomy
Authors: Chen Wen , Chen Baohua , Wang Fengxiang , Wu Qingsong , Liu Wenying , Wei Hong , Li Changke
Published: September 2021

Partial hepatectomy under general anesthesia is prone to hemodynamic alterations, and stress reactions are the main contributing factors to postoperative cognitive function in elderly partial hepatectomy patients. Postoperative cognitive dysfunction increases the incidence of postoperative complications and long-term morbidity and mortality in elderly patients. With the increasing trend of aging population and the gradual increase of elderly people undergoing surgical treatment, it is especially important to study the corresponding prevention and treatment measures. In this study, a total of 90 patients with primary liver cancer who received hepatectomy in our hospital from July 2020 to July 2021 were included as the research subject. The changes in hemorheology, stress-related indexes, cognitive function, postoperative pain, and gastrointestinal function were compared between the two groups The results showed that SGB combined with general anesthesia can effectively reduce hemodynamic fluctuations in elderly partial hepatectomy patients, alleviate surgical stress, promote postoperative recovery of cognitive function and gastrointestinal function with high safety, and is worthy of clinical promotion.
Altered Functional Connectivity Strength at Rest in Medication-Free Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Authors: Lv Dan , Ou Yangpan , Wang Yuhua , Ma Jidong , Zhan Chuang , Yang Ru , Chen Yunhui , Shang Tinghuizi , Jia Cuicui , Sun Lei , Zhang Guangfeng , Sun Zhenghai , Li Jinyang , Wang Xiaoping , Guo Wenbin , Li Ping
Published: September 2021

Background. Previous studies explored the whole-brain functional connectome using the degree approach in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, whether the altered degree values can be used to discriminate OCD from healthy controls (HCs) remains unclear. Methods. A total of 40 medication-free patients with OCD and 38 HCs underwent a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) scan. Data were analyzed with the degree approach and a support vector machine (SVM) classifier. Results. Patients with OCD showed increased degree values in the left thalamus and left cerebellum Crus I and decreased degree values in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, right precuneus, and left postcentral gyrus. SVM classification analysis indicated that the increased degree value in the left thalamus is a marker of OCD, with an acceptable accuracy of 88.46%, sensitivity of 87.50%, and specificity of 89.47%. Conclusion. Altered degree values within and outside the cortical-striatal-thalamic-cortical (CSTC) circuit may cocontribute to the pathophysiology of OCD. Increased degree values of the left thalamus can be used as a future marker for OCD understanding-classification.
Abnormal Expression and Prognosis Value of COG Complex Members in Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma (KIRC)
Authors: Zhang Yanjun , Lai Hui , Tang Bin
Published: September 2021

Kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) is the most aggressive subtype of kidney tumours with poor prognosis as well as the increasing incidence rate in worldwide. The conserved oligomeric Golgi (COG) complex is an eight-subunit (Cog1-8) peripheral Golgi protein that controls membrane trafficking and protein glycosylation and plays vital roles in human disease including cancers. Therefore, to uncover the prognostic value of COG complex in KIRC, a series of databases, including UALCAN database, GEPIA database, and Kaplan-Meier plotter, were used to analyse the mRNA expression of COG complex subunits and their prognostic values in patients with KIRC in this study. Compared with normal counterparts, mRNA expression of six COG complex subunits was significantly downregulated in KIRC tissue in UALCAN database, while COG4 mRNA expression was significantly upregulated in KIRC tissue. Moreover, the survival analysis indicated that all members of COG complex subunits were closely related with the prognosis of KIRC patients, while COG1 and COG4 were significantly associated with unfavourable overall survival (OS), the rest of COG complex subunits were importantly correlated with favourable OS. Simultaneously, higher mRNA expression of COG3, COG6, and COG8 exhibits better progression-free survival (PFS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in KIRC patients. These results identified that COG complex subunits, especially COG3, COG6, and COG8, are potential prognostic biomarkers of KIRC patients and may offer effective and new strategies for more accurately diagnosing the patients with KIRC in advance.
Endodontic Perforation Closure by Five Mineral Oxides Silicate-Based Cement with/without Collagen Sponge Matrix
Authors: Al-Nahlawi Talal , Ala Rachi Maisour , Abu Hasna Amjad
Published: September 2021

Endodontic perforations are common accidents that occasionally happen as a result of misuse or difficult anatomy of some teeth; it may lead to teeth loss unless a good management is provided. Bioceramic (silicate-based) cements like mineral trioxide aggregate have a big role in management of such accidents. This case report aimed to evaluate the ability of five mineral oxides cement “5MO” in sealing two root canal perforations (furcation and postdrill perforations) and inducing clinical and radiographic healing in the periodontal tissues with/without the use of collagen sponge matrix. A 58-year-old healthy female was referred to our dental office complaining of severe pain in the upper left premolars’ region. Periapical radiographic examination revealed unsatisfactory root canal treatment of the teeth #24 and #25 with a furcation perforation and a postdrill perforation, respectively. Cone-beam computed tomography “CBCT” scans confirmed the findings of the periapical radiography and revealed the presence of radiolucent lesions surrounding the apex of both teeth #24 and #25. The treatment plan was a nonsurgical root canal retreatment by endodontic access through the full-ceramic crowns. After three years of follow-up, CBCT scans revealed a complete healing and bone formation on both premolars. This case report indicates the use of 5MO cement for endodontic perforations management.
Power Fan Design of Blended-Wing-Body Aircraft with Distributed Propulsion System
Authors: Jia Yuan , Li Jinye , Wu Jianghao
Published: September 2021

A blended-wing-body aircraft has the advantages of high lift-to-drag ratio, low noise, and high economy compared with traditional aircraft. It is currently a solution with great potential to become a future civilian passenger aircraft. However, most airplanes with this layout use distributed power, and the power system is on the back of the fuselage, with embedded or back-supported engines. This type of design causes the boundary layer suction effect. The boundary layer ingestion (BLI) effect can fill the wake of the aircraft and improve the propulsion efficiency of the engine. However, it causes huge design difficulties, especially when the aircraft and the engine are strongly coupled. In this paper, an aircraft with a coupled engine configuration is studied. The internal and external flow fields are calculated through numerical simulation. A realistic calculation model is obtained through the coupling of boundary conditions. On the basis of the influence of the external flow on the internal flow under the coupled condition, the influence of the BLI effect on the aerodynamic performance of the fan is investigated.
Trimetallic@Cyclodextrin Nanocomposite: Photocatalyst for Degradation of Amoxicillin and Catalyst for Esterification Reactions
Authors: Sharma Gaurav , García-Peñas Alberto , Naushad Mu. , Kumar Amit , Sillanpää Mika , Stadler Forian J.
Published: September 2021

The industry is looking for new materials which can respond to specific applications that exclusively advance materials can provide. In this context, nanoparticles and nanocomposites opened an interesting method for designing specific properties which can be modulated according to the requirements. The preparation of biomolecules supported trimetallic nanoparticles and some other derives is a good example of the complex systems that can be designed for getting exclusive properties. This study is based on the preparation of new cyclodextrin supported Fe/La/Zn trimetallic nanocomposite by the microemulsion technique. Photocatalytic degradation of amoxicillin was performed using cyclodextrin-Fe/La/Zn. 78% of amoxicillin photodegradation along 4 hours of photoirradiation was achieved. Finally, the catalytic nature of new material was explored for oxidation and esterification reactions. The present study revealed that this advanced multifunctional nanomaterial can be successfully employed for environmental remediation and catalytic activities.
The Study of Cost-Effectiveness of Rivaroxaban versus Warfarin in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation Who Developed Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Jaberi Neda , Kavosi Zahra , Hooshmandi Etrat , Moradi Nasrin , Keshavarz Khosro , Borhani-Haghighi Afshin
Published: September 2021

Introduction. Rivaroxaban is a new anticoagulant providing benefits for the treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). This study is aimed at evaluating the cost-effectiveness of rivaroxaban compared to warfarin in patients with AF. Method. This economic evaluation study was conducted among 144 selected nonrandomly patients who were treated with rivaroxaban or warfarin and suffered from AF leading to stroke, in the stroke ward of Shiraz Nemazee Hospital in 2019. The final and clinical (intermediate) outcomes were QALYs and no bleeding and prevention of ischemic stroke, respectively. The study was performed from the social perspective, and a deterministic one-way sensitivity analysis was conducted to identify the effects of uncertainty. The analysis of the collected data was carried out using SPSS18 and TreeAge software. Results. Patients who received rivaroxaban had lower costs ($ 25275 vs. $ 26554) and higher QALYs (0.5 vs. 0.33) compared to those taking warfarin. Bleeding and stroke occurred in (9 vs. 40) and (1 vs. 3) patients in the rivaroxaban and warfarin groups, respectively, and there was a significant decrease in the incidence of bleeding in the rivaroxaban group (81.9% vs 44.4%). Thus, rivaroxaban in all the outcomes was cheaper and more effective than warfarin. The one-way sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of the results. Conclusions. Considering the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, rivaroxaban is more cost-effective and can be a dominant alternative. Therefore, it is suggested to use rivaroxaban as the first priority in AF patients because rivaroxaban reduces costs and increases clinical outcomes compared with warfarin.
Automatic Recharging Path Planning for Cleaning Robots
Authors: Hao Bing , Du He , Dai Xuefeng , Liang Hong
Published: September 2021

To solve the problem of automatic recharging path planning for cleaning robots in complex industrial environments, this paper proposes two environmental path planning types based on designated charging location and multiple charging locations. First, we use the improved Maklink graph to plan the complex environment; then, we use the Dijkstra algorithm to plan the global path to reduce the complex two-dimensional path planning to one dimension; finally, we use the improved fruit fly optimization algorithm (IFOA) to adjust the path nodes for shorting the path length. Simulation experiments show that the effectiveness of using this path planning method in a complex industrial environment enables the cleaning robot to select a designated location or the nearest charging location to recharge when the power is limited. The proposed improved algorithm has the characteristics of a small amount of calculation, high precision, and fast convergence speed.
Effect of Kangfuxin Solution Fumigation Bath on Postoperative Patients with Hemorrhoid PPH and Influence on the Postoperative Complications
Authors: Zeng Aiying , Gu Gang , Deng Lin
Published: September 2021

Surgery is now the main clinical treatment for hemorrhoids, and the procedure for prolapse and hemorrhoids (PPH) is the commonly used procedure. The key to evaluating the efficacy of surgery includes the quality of postoperative wound healing and the occurrence of complications, so it is especially important to enhance the postoperative rehabilitation of hemorrhoids. This study investigates the method of postoperative treatment with Kangfuxin solution fumigation bath to explore the role of this method in the efficacy of patients after hemorrhoid PHH surgery and its effect on postoperative complications. It will accumulate some relevant information to improve the efficacy of hemorrhoid surgery and postoperative complications and open new ideas for further postoperative rehabilitation of other diseases in the anal area. A total of 106 patients with hemorrhoids were included in this study, all of whom were treated with PHH surgery. After surgery, they were randomly divided into a control group treated with warm water sitz bath and an observation group treated with Kangfuxin solution fumigation bath, with 53 cases in each group. We observed all patients’ postoperative pain, bleeding, and perianal edema on a daily basis after surgery; we recorded the time of wound healing and hospital stay. The maximum anal squeeze pressure (MASP), anal defecation diastole pressure (ADDP), anal resting pressure (ARP), and the length of the high-pressure zone (HPZ) were used as observation indicators to evaluate the anal function of the patients before and after treatment. The results of the evaluation of the efficacy of patients after the treatment period showed that the total effective rate of treatment in the observation group (92.45%) was significantly higher than that of the control group (77.36%). The postoperative recovery showed that the wound healing time, hospitalization time, pain, bleeding, and edema scores at 3 and 5 days after surgery were lower in the observation group than in the control group; MASP and ARP increased in both groups after treatment compared to before treatment, with more increase in the observation group. The results suggest that patients with hemorrhoids after PPH should pay attention to postoperative care and rehabilitation. It also reveals that the application of Kangfuxin solution fumigation treatment has a significant effect, which can effectively reduce the patient’s wound healing and hospital stay, while improving the patient’s anal function and reducing postoperative complications, and is worthy of clinical promotion and application.
Braking Control System of Oilfield Minor Repair Machine Based on Wireless Sensor Network
Authors: Zhuang Li , Qi Yaoguang , Zhang Fenna
Published: September 2021

Traditional minor repair machines have low control efficiency and low automation. In order to improve the brake control efficiency of the oilfield minor repair machine, the oilfield minor repair machine brake control system based on wireless sensor network is designed. The front-end controller collects the data of the oilfield repair machine through the wireless sensor and realizes the communication between the sensor nodes and the data interaction with the communication node through the field bus inside the equipment. The server uploads the processed data through the 3G network, and the server receives the data from the front-end controller and saves it in the database. The remote-control center accesses the server through the Internet to view the front-end controller data. The brake control module uses the expert fuzzy PID control method to control the speed, oil pressure, and operating status of the oilfield minor repair machine and sends the data to the front-end control center to complete the oilfield minor repair remote-control machine by sending control instructions. Experimental results show that the system can meet the braking control requirements of oilfield minor repair machines, the output can quickly track input changes, the braking control effect is good, the dynamic deviation of the machine can be reduced, and the braking control efficiency can be improved.
Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Is Associated with the Mesencephalic Dopaminergic Neuron Injury in Stressed Rats
Authors: Niu Shiba , Shi Weibo , Li Yingmin , Yi Shanyong , Li Yang , Liu Xia , Cong Bin , He Guanglong
Published: September 2021

An increasing number of people are in a state of stress due to social and psychological pressures, which may result in mental disorders. Previous studies indicated that mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons are associated with not only reward-related behaviors but also with stress-induced mental disorders. To explore the effect of stress on dopaminergic neuron and potential mechanism, we established stressed rat models of different time durations and observed pathological changes in dopaminergic neurons of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) through HE and thionine staining. Immunohistochemistry coupled with microscopy-based multicolor tissue cytometry (MMTC) was employed to investigate the number changes of dopaminergic neurons. Double immunofluorescence labelling was used to investigate expression changes of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) protein GRP78 and CHOP in dopaminergic neurons. Our results showed that prolonged stress led to pathological alteration in dopaminergic neurons of VTA, such as missing of Nissl bodies and pyknosis in dopaminergic neurons. Immunohistochemistry with MMTC indicated that chronic stress exposure resulted in a significant decrease in dopaminergic neurons. Double immunofluorescence labelling showed that the endoplasmic reticulum stress protein took part in the injury of dopaminergic neurons. Taken together, these results indicated the involvement of ERS in mesencephalic dopaminergic neuron injury induced by stress exposure.
[Retracted] Optimization Algorithm of Tourism Security Early Warning Information System Based on Long Short‐Term Memory (LSTM)
Authors: Feng Lei , Hao Yukai
Published: September 2021

Tourism safety is the focus of the tourism industry. It is not only related to the safety of tourists’ lives and property, but also related to social stability and sustainable development of the tourism industry. However, the security early warning of many scenic spots focuses on the response measures and remedial plans after the occurrence of security incidents, and the staff of many scenic spots have limited security awareness and information analysis ability, which is prone to lag in information release, and do not pay attention to the information of potential security problems. Therefore, this paper studies the optimization algorithm of the tourism security early warning information system based on the LSTM model and uses the recurrent neural network and LSTM to improve the processing and prediction ability of time‐series data. The experimental results show that the number of three hidden layers in the tourism security early warning information system based on the LSTM model can reduce the training time of the model and improve the performance. Compared with the tourism safety early warning information system based on the BP neural network, it has better accuracy and stability, has better processing and prediction ability for time series data, and can monitor and analyze data scientifically in real‐time and dynamically analyze data.
Pulmonary Embolism as a Rare Complication of Clomiphene Therapy: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Solipuram Vinod , Pokharel Kishor , Ihedinmah Temple
Published: September 2021

Background. Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a medical emergency. Certain medications like oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapies have been associated with PE. Clomiphene citrate is a selective estrogen receptor modulator, approved for treating infertility in females, but is being used as an off-label therapy in treating male hypogonadism. Very rarely, clomiphene can cause pulmonary embolism. Case Report. A 56-year-old gentleman presented with acute onset shortness of breath and chest discomfort. Upon further workup, he was found to have large volume pulmonary embolism. He was prescribed clomiphene citrate (CC) 2 years ago for hypogonadism. He was started on anticoagulation with improvement in his symptoms, and clomiphene was discontinued. Conclusion. Pulmonary embolism is a rare but potential complication of clomiphene therapy. In male patients with suspected hypogonadism, the risk of serious thromboembolic complications should be discussed before prescribing CC. Patients on CC have to be carefully monitored for serious side effects.
Prenatal Percutaneous Fetoscopic Laser Photocoagulation of Chorioangioma: Report of Two Cases and Review of the Literature
Authors: Bouchghoul Hanane , Benachi Alexandra , Senat Marie-Victoire
Published: September 2021

Introduction: In Doppler flow diagnosis of a large placental chorioangioma with vascularization, there may be fetal consequences as cardiac output failure and polyhydramnios. Prenatal percutaneous fetoscopic laser photocoagulation of chorioangioma is a therapeutic option. First, we present 2 cases of chorioangioma treated by fetoscopic laser photocoagulation. Second, we conducted a narrative review to identify all reported cases of chorioangioma treated by fetoscopic laser photocoagulation. Case Presentation: Case 1 presented a chorioangioma measuring 48 × 36 × 42 mm, and the Doppler flow study showed vascularization with a high flow rate. The fetus showed dilatation of the right cardiac chambers, moderate tricuspid insufficiency, normal Doppler indices, and polyhydramnios. Case 2 presented a chorioangioma measuring 58 × 36 × 31 mm associated with polyhydramnios and elevated peak systolic velocity of the middle cerebral artery at 49 cm/s, that is, 1.65 MoM. The procedure was performed at 22+2 and 23+5 WG for both cases. Photocoagulation of the chorioangioma vessels was performed first on the small superficial vessels (capillaries) and then on the feeding vessels (artery first and then vein), until complete cessation of blood flow on ultrasound. Successful devascularization was achieved when flow within the chorioangioma’s feeding vessels was no longer visualized on intraoperative ultrasound examination using Doppler flow. The ultrasound follow-up showed complete cessation of blood flow in the chorioangioma, normalization of fetal signs, and normal fetal growth in both cases. In case 1, a 2,350-g boy was delivered vaginally after spontaneous labor at 33+6 WG. In case 2, a 2,700-g boy was delivered vaginally after spontaneous labor at 39+2 WG. Neonatal findings were normal, and the outcome at 1 year was normal for both children. Conclusion: Prenatal percutaneous fetoscopic laser photocoagulation improves survival in large chorioangioma, despite a risk of fetal death in utero.
The Association of Cortisol Excretion with Weight and Metabolic Parameters in Nondiabetic Patients with Morbid Obesity
Authors: Brix Johanna Maria , Tura Andrea , Herz Carsten Thilo , Feder Astrid , Krzizek Eva-Christina , Parzer Verena , Pacini Giovanni , Ludvik Bernhard
Published: September 2021

Introduction: Cortisol is involved in the regulation of gluconeogenesis and glucose utilization. In morbid obesity (MO), the association of cortisol excretion with metabolic parameters is not well-characterized. In our study, we evaluated cortisol excretion in nondiabetic subjects with MO and its effect on glucose metabolism. Methods: We included 1,249 nondiabetic patients with MO (79.8% females, mean BMI 44.9 ± 6.5 kg/m2, mean age 38 ± 11 years). Anthropometric data and cardiovascular risk factors were assessed, and an oral glucose tolerance test for calculation of insulin resistance was performed. Cortisol excretion was assessed on 2 consecutive days (24 h urine specimens). Results: Regarding cortisol excretion, patients were divided into 3 tertiles (urinary cortisol ≤51.6, >51.6 and <117.6, and ≥117.6 μg/24 h, respectively). Patients in the highest tertile were younger (p = 0.003), more obese (BMI: p = 0.040), had lower diastolic blood pressure ([DBP]; p = 0.012), lower total (p = 0.032) and LDL cholesterol (p = 0.021), fasting (p = 0.049) and 2-h glycemia (p = 0.028), 2-h insulinemia (p = 0.020), and HbA1c (p < 0.001), and a higher estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (p < 0.001). The glucose (p < 0.001) and insulin (p = 0.011) area under the curve (AUC) were also lower. Urinary cortisol excretion adjusted for age, sex, and eGFR was positively correlated with body weight (BW, beta = 0.076, p = 0.004) and overall glucose tolerance (oral disposition index, beta = 0.090, p = 0.011), and negatively with HbA1c (beta = −0.179, p < 0.001), 2-h glycemia (beta = −0.075, p = 0.032), AUC glucose (beta = −0.103, p = 0.002), and DBP (beta = −0.139, p < 0.001). HbA1c, BW, and DBP remained significant after multivariable analysis. Discussion/Conclusion: Despite being more obese, patients with higher cortisol excretion have a more favorable metabolic profile. These results deserve further attention regarding the respective mechanisms.
Pregnancy Outcome after Vaginal Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery, a First Retrospective Observational Cohort Study
Authors: Tavano Ine , Housmans Susanne , Bosteels Jan , Baekelandt Jan
Published: September 2021

Study Objective: Vaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (vNOTES) is a novel minimal invasive surgical technique allowing a variety of gynecological procedures. The current literature describes improved patient comfort, improved better cosmetic results, and reduced operation time. This is a first study to assess pregnancy outcome after fertility-preserving vNOTES procedures. Design/Participants/Materials/Setting/Methods: We performed a retrospective observational cohort study including 125 patients under 43 years that underwent fertility-preserving vNOTES over a 5-year period (2014–2019). The gynecological surgical procedures included were vNOTES myomectomy, vNOTES salpingectomy for ectopic pregnancy, vNOTES unilateral adnexectomy, and vNOTES cystectomy. A total of 26 pregnancies in 21 cases were observed, with deliveries between 2015 and 2020. Results: Retrospective analysis in this patient group showed that 18 pregnancies were diagnosed within 1 year after vNOTES (85.7%). Mean interval between surgery and pregnancy was 6 months. Fertility treatment was performed in 28.6%. In the 26 observed pregnancies, no vNOTES-related complications were observed and delivery was at term in all cases. Mode of delivery was a vaginal delivery in twenty cases (76.9% of total) of which 2 cases vacuum assisted (7.7%) and a Caesarean section in 6 cases (23.1% of total). Two cases of trial of labor after Caesarean are described after vNOTES surgery, both ended in an uncomplicated vaginal delivery. In case of vaginal delivery, the perineum was intact in 15%, a mediolateral episiotomy was performed in 50 and 35% a grade 1–2 perineal rupture was described. No grade 3–4 perineal ruptures are described. Limitations: A limitation of this study is the retrospective design which does not correct for confounding factors. Further larger multicenter studies are needed to validate these data. Conclusions: This is the first study describing pregnancy outcome after fertility-preserving vNOTES procedures. vNOTES did not affect the mode of delivery or cause pregnancy-related complications. vNOTES did not increase the risk of extensive perineal tears during vaginal delivery. These preliminary data show no adverse events when vNOTES is performed in women of reproductive age. Posterior colpotomy as performed in all vNOTES procedures is by itself not an indication for an elective Caesarean section.
Activation of SIRT1 by Resveratrol Alleviates Pressure Overload-Induced Cardiac Hypertrophy via Suppression of TGF-β1 Signaling
Authors: Chen Yong , He Ting , Zhang Zhongjun , Zhang Junzhi
Published: September 2021

Introduction: Silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) has been extensively investigated in the cardiovascular system and has been shown to play a pivotal role in mediating cell death/survival, energy production, and oxidative stress. However, the functional role of SIRT1 in pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy and dysfunction remains unclear. Resveratrol (Rsv), a widely used activator of SIRT1, has been reported to protect against cardiovascular disease. We here examine whether activation of SIRT1 by Rsv attenuate pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy and to identify the underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods: In vivo, rat model of pressure overload-induced myocardial hypertrophy was established by abdominal aorta constriction (AAC) procedure. In vitro, Angiotensin II (Ang II) was applied to induce hypertrophy in cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NCMs). Hemodynamics and histological analyses of the heart were evaluated. The expression of SIRT1, transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)/phosphorylated (p)-small mother against decapentaplegic (Smad)3 and hypertrophic markers were determined by immunofluorescence, real-time PCR, and Western blotting techniques. Results: In the current study, Rsv treatment improved left ventricular function and reduced left ventricular hypertrophy and cardiac fibrosis significantly in the pressure overload rats. The expression of SIRT1 was significantly reduced, while the expression of TGF-β1/p-Smad3 was significantly enhanced in AAC afflicted rat heart. Strikingly, treatment with Rsv restored the expressions of SIRT1 and TGF-β1/p-Smad3 under AAC influence. However, SIRT1 inhibitor Sirtinol (Snl) markedly prevented the effects of Rsv, which suggest that SIRT1 signaling pathway was involved in the cardiac protective effect of Rsv. In vitro studies performed in Ang II-induced hypertrophy in NCMs confirmed the cardiac protective effect of Rsv. Furthermore, the study presented that SIRT1 negatively correlated with the cardiac hypertrophy, cardiac fibrosis, and the TGF-β1/p-Smad3 expression. Conclusions: Taken together, these results indicated that activation of SIRT1 by Rsv attenuates cardiac hypertrophy, cardiac fibrosis, and improves cardiac function possibly via regulation of the TGF-β1/p-Smad3 signaling pathway. Our study may provide a potential therapeutic strategy for cardiac hypertrophy.
Silencing of lncRNA MEG8 Represses the Viability, Migration, and Invasion of Wilms’ Tumor Cells through Mediating miR-23a-3p/CRK Axis
Authors: Shen Jing , Shu Qiang
Published: September 2021

Purpose: Compelling evidence has unveiled the importance of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in malignant behavior of Wilms’ tumor (WT). Hereon, we intend to assess the function and associated molecular mechanism of lncRNA maternally expressed gene 8 (MEG8) in WT cells. Methods: Expression levels of MEG8, miR-23a-3p, and CT10 regulator of kinase (CRK) were determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Cell viability was assessed by MTT assay. Besides, wound healing assay and transwell assay were applied to examine abilities of cell migration and invasion, respectively. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was employed to test the interplay among MEG8, miR-23a-3p, and CRK. Western blot was used to detect relative protein expression of CRK. Results: MEG8 and CRK expression was elevated, while miR-23a-3p expression was decreased in WT tissues and cells. The histologic type, lymphatic metastasis, and National Wilms Tumor Study (NWTS) stage were associated with the expression of MEG8, miR-23a-3p, and CRK in WT patients. MEG8 knockdown or miR-23a-3p overexpression restrained WT cells in cell viability, migration, and invasiveness in vitro. As to mechanism exploration, MEG8 could directly bind to miR-23a-3p and then miR-23a-3p targeted CRK. MEG8 was inversely correlated with miR-23a-3p and positively correlated with CRK in WT tissues. Meantime, miR-23a-3p was inversely correlated with CRK in WT tissues. Additionally, MEG8 knockdown-mediated suppressive impacts on cell viability, migration, and invasiveness were reversed by overexpression of CRK or repression of miR-23a-3p in WT cells. Conclusions: The cell viability, migration, and invasiveness of WT cells were repressed by MEG8 knockdown via targeting the miR-23a-3p/CRK axis.
Primary Renal BCOR-CCNB3 Fusion Sarcoma: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Zhao Ming , Zhang Qi , He Xianglei , Zhang Dahong
Published: September 2021

BCOR-CCNB3 fusion sarcoma is a recently described undifferentiated sarcoma with a novel recurrent inversion of 2 nearby genes BCOR and CCNB3. It typically affects bone and soft tissues of the pelvis, extremity, and paraspinal region and pursues variable clinical course. Primary renal BCOR-CCNB3 fusion sarcoma is very rare, and only a small number of cases have been documented. Accurate diagnosis is often challenging, and there is not any agreement for the treatment of this entity due to its rarity. We report findings of primary renal BCOR-CCNB3 fusion sarcoma in a 16-year-old boy with a brief review of the literature.
Unusual Presentations of Eccrine Porocarcinomas
Authors: Juay Lester , Choi Ellie , Huang Jingxiang , Jaffar Huma , Ho Sue-Ann Ju Ee
Published: September 2021

Eccrine porocarcinomas (EPCs) are rare tumours, albeit the most common malignant adnexal tumours of the skin. They can present with very heterogeneous clinical and dermoscopic features, rendering diagnosis limited to histopathological examination alone. We share 2 cases of EPCs, one of which arose in a patient with a prior diagnosis of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and another whose EPC was likely a malignant transformation of an existing poroma. An occurrence of porocarcinoma after the diagnosis of SCC may suggest the possibility of unknown risk factors for both. Positivity to androgen, oestrogen, and epidermal growth factor receptors was seen in a proportion of porocarcinomas, and this may prompt further research on combination therapy between conventional treatment modalities with hormone receptor antagonists. Malignant change of a poroma may be a more common phenomenon than we would expect based on the current literature.
The Relationship between Size of Core Network and Frequency of Contacts with Agitation and Positive Affect in Older Adults with Dementia
Authors: Al Ghassani Amal , Rababa Mohammad
Published: September 2021

Background: Few studies have explored the associations of agitation symptoms among older adults with core network size and with frequency of contact with core network care providers. The present study aimed to investigate the associations of agitation and affect among older adult people with dementia (PWD) with core network size and frequency of contact with core network care providers. Methods: A convenience sample of 98 Omani older adult PWD residing in their homes was recruited. Most of the participants (63.3%) were female, and the mean age of the participants was 80 years (standard deviation = 9.0). A total of 77 participants suffered from severe dementia, while the remaining 21 had mild to moderate dementia levels. Valid and reliable instruments completed by either the participating PWD or their caregivers were used to measure the study variables. Results: The main hypothesis of the study was not supported, whereby core network size and frequency of contact with the core network were not found to be significantly associated with activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental ADL (IADL) core networks or agitation and affect. Further, the findings indicated no significant associations between core network size or closeness between PWD and their IADL and ADL caregivers and the amount of ADL and IADL care provided. The level of care provided by the caregivers and the participants’ frequency of contact with the core network remained consistent throughout the progress of the dementia patients’ conditions. Discussion/Conclusion: The findings of this study are incongruent with the findings of studies conducted in Western countries, which have reported that older adults prefer to have meaningful interactions with small, close social networks as opposed to large networks. Our findings may be explained by the strong cultural values in Oman which place great emphasis on caring for elderly family members. It is essential to understand these relationships in order to develop effective home care interventions for older adult PWD in Oman.
Soluble (Pro)Renin Receptor as a Negative Regulator of NCC (Na
+
-Cl
–
Cotransporter) Activity
Authors: Xu Chuanming , Chen Yanting , Wang Fei , Xie Shiying , Yang Tianxin
Published: September 2021

NCC (Na
+
-Cl
−
cotransporter), uniquely located at the distal convoluted tubule (DCT), is the target of thiazide diuretics and critically involved in renal handling of both Na
+
and K
+
. However, the mechanism of how NCC activity is regulated remains incompletely understood. Here, we report a novel role of PRR ([pro]renin receptor) and its cleavage product sPRR (soluble PRR) via S1P (site-1 protease) as negative regulators of NCC during high-salt or high K
+
loading. Under basal condition, mice with DCT-specific deletion of PRR (DCT PRR KO) exhibited modest hypertension associated with reduced urinary Na
+
, K
+
, and Cl
−
excretion due to increased NCC activity. Following a high-salt diet, DCT PRR KO mice exhibited a ≈25 mm Hg increase of mean arterial pressure contrasting to salt resistance in the floxed controls. The null mice also exhibited impaired kaliuresis and hyperkalemia after high K
+
intake. This phenotype was recapitulated by treatment of C57/BL6 mice with S1P inhibitor PF429242. In cultured Flp-In T-REx 293 NCC cells, S1P-derived sPRR directly dephosphorylated NCC via activation of AT1R (angiotensin II receptor type 1). Taken together, the present study has demonstrated that S1P-derived sPRR via AT1R negatively regulates NCC activity in the DCT to render salt resistance and to promote K
+
excretion.
Case as an Anaphor Agreement Effect: Evidence from Inuktitut
Authors: Yuan Michelle
Published: September 2021

The anaphor agreement effect (AAE) is the crosslinguistic inability for anaphors to covary with φ-agreement (Rizzi 1990, Woolford 1999); languages use various strategies that conspire to circumvent this effect. In this squib, I identify and confirm a prediction arising from two previous observations by Woolford (1999) concerning the scope of the AAE, based on new evidence from Inuktitut (Eastern Canadian Inuit). I propose that anaphors in Inuktitut are lexically specified as projecting additional syntactic structure, spelled out as oblique case morphology; because φ-Agree in Inuktitut may only target ERG and ABS arguments, encountering an anaphor inevitably leads to failed Agree in the sense of Preminger 2011, 2014. I moreover argue that this exact AAE pattern is previously unattested, yet is predicted to arise given the range of existing strategies. Finally, this squib provides evidence against previous detransitivization-based approaches to reflexivity in Inuktitut (e.g., Bok-Bennema 1991).
Forms as Forces: The Causal Regime of Morphology in Biology
Authors: Toepfer Georg
Published: September 2021

Traditionally, morphology is seen merely as an auxiliary subdiscipline of biology and other fields. Allegedly, it does not provide explanations for phenomena but merely describes forms as a preliminary step in their analysis. Here, the view is defended that forms, and hence morphology, can also take over an important explanatory function and even, ultimately, constitute the explanatory level fundamental to biology as a distinct science. According to this thesis, the form of organisms and their parts provide the only specifically biological causal factors. Nothing but the form, the specific spatial arrangement of matter, determines the peculiarity of organisms’ ways of being. Therefore, biological explanation must start from specific structures. These structures provide the respective boundary conditions for harnessing the general laws of nature, thus determining their trajectory. Ultimately, then, forms play the most fundamental explanatory role in biology.
A revision of the Ewartia oldfieldi (Distant) species complex (Hemiptera: Cicadidae: Cicadettinae) with five new species from eastern and northern Australia
Authors: POPPLE LINDSAY W.
Published: September 2021

The identity of Ewartia oldfieldi (Distant) is re-examined and this species is redescribed. Five new species belonging to the genus Ewartia Moulds are described. Ewartia oldfieldi s. str. occurs in association with wattles (Acacia spp.; Mimosaceae) with large or fleshy phyllodes growing in soils derived from sandstone and coarse-grained metasediments throughout the south-eastern third of Queensland. Ewartia roberti n. sp. is associated with wattles that possess narrow or delicate phyllodes, growing in loam soils in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales. Ewartia lapidosa n. sp. occurs in dryer inland and semi-arid areas between Croydon in northern Queensland and the Capertee Valley in central New South Wales where it occurs on various wattles growing in hard, rocky soils, including those derived from laterite and sandstone. Ewartia etesia n. sp. occurs principally on wattles growing along drainage lines in the Top End of the Northern Territory and the eastern edge of the Kimberley in Western Australia. Ewartia thamna n. sp. occurs in low, shrubby vegetation (presumably on wattles) in gravelly soils on low rises and along floodplains at the southern edge of the Top End in the Northern Territory. Ewartia carina n. sp. occurs in transitional habitats with tropical rainforest elements on the eastern edge of Cape York Peninsula in north Queensland. The distinctive, sometimes variable and typically complex calling songs specific to each of the species are illustrated and documented as part of these descriptions and comparisons.
Erratum: ANDREA PARIMUCHOVÁ & ĽUBOMÍR KOVÁČ (2016) Redescription of two troglobiotic species of Deuteraphorura Absolon, 1901 (Collembola, Onychiuridae) from the Western Carpathians. Zootaxa, 4168: 327–340.
Authors: PARIMUCHOVÁ ANDREA , KOVÁČ ĽUBOMÍR
Published: September 2021

N/A
New data on the bush-cricket Montana medvedevi (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae), critically endangered in Europe (EU 28), and a comparison of its song with all known song patterns within the genus
Authors: IVKOVIĆ SLOBODAN , IORGU IONUȚ ȘTEFAN , HORVAT LASLO , CHOBANOV DRAGAN , KORSUNOVSKAYA OLGA , HELLER KLAUS-GERHARD
Published: September 2021

Montana medvedevi is reported for the first time from Serbia. New information about the distribution, morphology and song of this species is discussed. The song of M. medvedevi is different from that of all other members of the genus, all figured for comparison. Montana is quite diverse regarding the amplitude pattern of the calling song of its members (known in 15 species). Surprisingly, some Montana species seem to have two song patterns, one produced during the day and one at night.
Two new species and a new record of the genus Meganola Dyar, 1898 (Lepidoptera, Nolidae, Nolinae) from Laos
Authors: CHA YEONG-BIN , LÁSZLÓ GYULA M. , BAYARSAIKHAN ULZIIJARGAL , KO JAE-HO , LEE TAK-GI , JANG CHANG-MOON , KIM HANUL , KIM JEONG-NAM , BAE YANG-SEOP
Published: September 2021

The paper contains the description of two new Meganola Dyar, 1898 species (M. canaliculata Cha & Bae, sp. n. and M. phuana Cha & Bae, sp. n.) and a new record of M. tetrodon (de Joannis, 1928) from Laos. Color figures of adults and genitalia of the examined species are provided.
‘Respect’ and ‘justice’ for whom? Culturally irresponsive ethical practices with refugee communities
Authors: Bilotta Neil
Published: September 2021

This article explores how two common social work ethical principles, respect for persons and justice, are understood by refugee young people aged 18–30 years old in Kenya. Through 31 semi-structured, in-depth interviews with refugee young people who had previously participated in academic and/or organization-based qualitative research, this article explores how this group conceptualizes research ethics. The analysis suggests that refugee young people in Kenya did not necessarily feel that researchers were respectful. As such, the article claims that researchers must reconsider how Eurocentric social work and research ethics codes are understood globally.
Life-course Variations in Spouses’ Division of Roles in Urban Areas of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Authors: Torabi Fatemeh
Published: September 2021

Despite a growing acceptance of egalitarian gender attitudes, there is no empirical evidence about the division of roles between wives and husbands and its variation across their family life in the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI). This paper uses data from the 2014 to 2015 Time Use Survey, representing urban areas of the IRI, to examine the dynamics of the spouses’ division of roles across their family life. The findings confirm a gender division of roles. The mapping of the spouses’ role behaviours during their family life provides a combination of gender similarities and differences. Role configurations (or role variations across family life) clearly differ between spouses but the pathways (or life-course variations in role behaviours) are quite similar in some roles (i.e., community, individual and parental roles) and different in others (i.e., occupational and domestic roles). To the extent that the existing gender patterns are perceived as unjustified, they can be consequential not only for marital satisfaction and quality, but also for marriage and childbearing decisions.