bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Methanol fixed feeder layers altered the pluripotency and metabolism of bovine pluripotent stem cells
Authors: Xu Wenqiang , Hao Ruifeng , Wang Jing , Gao Lingna , Han Xuejie , Li Chen , Zhang Hui , Li Xueling
Published: April 2022

The pluripotency maintenance of pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) cultured in vitro requires the suitable microenvironment, which is commonly provided by the feeder layer. However, the preparation of feeder layer is time consuming and labor exhaustive. More importantly, the feeder cells treated with mitomycin or gamma-ray irradiation brings heterologous contamination to stem cells. The feeder-free PSC cultures are associated with high costs because of the requirement for additional supplements and special media. In this study, we characterize the pluripotency and metabolic status of bovine ESCs-F7 (classic bESCs lines, abbreviated as F7), which were cultured on methanol fixed mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MT-MEFs) or mitomycin C treated MEFs (MC-MEFs). MT-MEFs could be reused several times and were highly resistant to digestive enzymes. The relative expression levels of pluripotenct markers were different between F7 cultured on MT-MEFs (marked as MT-F7) and those cultured on the MC-MEFs (MC-F7). The long-term cultured MT-F7 cells formed embryoid bodies in vitro, showing the ability to differentiate into endodermal, ectodermal, and mesodermal germ layers like MC-F7. RNA-sequencing analysis showed that the replacement of the feeder layer from MC-MEFs to MT-MEFs lead to a novel steady transition of the F7, which included alteration of the expression patterns of genes that regulate pluripotency and metabolism. Further, the long-term cultured bovine expanded pluripotent stem cells (bEPSCs) on MT-MEFs (MT-bEPSCs) formed classical colonies, maintained pluripotency, and demonstrated elevated level of metabolic activity. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that methanol-fixed MEFs were efficient feeder layer that maintain the unique pluripotency and distinctive metabolic characteristics of the bPSCs cultured in vitro.
Assessment of the thermal degradation kinetics of fresh green coconut husk (Cocus nucifera L.) powder and after methyl levulinate production
Authors: Silva Poliana Pinheiro da , Silva Leonete Cristina de Araújo Ferreira Medeiros , Neto Eduardo Lins de Barros , Nascimento Paula Fabiane Pinheiro do , Melo Ricardo Paulo Fonseca , Lopes Francisco Wendell Bezerra , Duarte Lindemberg de Jesus Nogueira
Published: April 2022

This study describes the recycling of green coconut husk powder (CHP) aimed at the sustainable production of methyl levulinate. The preliminary step involved thermogravimetric analysis of green (CHP) and residues after synthesis of methyl levulinate with the catalysts aluminum sulfate (CHP-AS) and titanium dioxide (CHP-TD), based on a compositional analysis, kinetic degradation and determination of activation energy using the Ozawa-Flynn-Wall (OWF) method. Thermogravimetric analyses showed significant differences between the main constituents of CHP, CHP-AS and CHP-TD residues: hemicellulose (18.18, 9.78 and 12.17%), cellulose (44.65, 26.18 and 44.23%) and lignin (20.09, 19.89 and 19.58%), respectively. The methyl levulinate concentration obtained by the reaction between CHP and aluminum sulfate was 16.53 g.L− 1, due to the participation of hemicellulose and cellulose. The results showed that the activation energies calculated using the OFW method were 142 kJ.mol− 1 (CHP), 125 kJ.mol− 1 (CHP-AS) and 180 kJ.mol− 1 (CHP-TD).
Non–Polynomial Quintic Spline Method for solving the generalized regularized long wave (GRLW) equation
Authors: Hammad D. A. , Semary Mourad S. , Khattab Ahmed G.
Published: April 2022

In this paper, a new technique for solving the generalized regularized long wave (GRLW) equation is investigated. This technique depends on a combination of the non–polynomial quintic spline method (NPQSM) with the finite difference approximation and Crank–Nicolson scheme. The stability analysis of the present method is concluded using the Von–Neumann method. Also, the most popular three invariants of motion of GRLW equation are obtained for the given problems and their numerical results are compared with the analytical values. In addition, a comparison between the present method and the previous methods and the error norms L2 and L∞ are presented to show the accuracy of the suggested method.
Electron liquid state in the spin-1/2 anisotropic Kondo lattice
Authors: Karnaukhov Igor N.
Published: April 2022

In the framework of the mean field approach, we provide analytical and numerical solution of the spin- 1/2 anisotropic Kondo lattice for arbitrary dimension at half filling. Nontrivial solution for the amplitude of the field opens a gap in the fermion spectrum of an electron liquid in which local moments on the lattice sites are realized. The ground state in the insulator state is determined by a static Z2 field of local moments, which forms the lattice with a double cell, conduction electrons move in this field. Due to hybridization between electron states a large Fermi surface is formed in the Kondo lattice. A gap in the quasi-particle spectrum is calculated depending on the magnitudes of exchange integrals for the simple lattices with different dimension. The proposed approach is also valid for describing the Kondo lattice with weak anisotropy of the exchange interaction, which makes it possible to study the behavior of the spin- 1/2 Kondo lattice with an isotropic exchange interaction
The impact of teat and bottle design on nipple confusion: a double-blind randomized controlled trial
Authors: Chanprapaph Pharuhas , Sutchritpongsa Sureelak , Rojmahamongkol Pat , Chuchoang Siripan , Arthan Jenjira , Komoltri Chulaluk
Published: April 2022

Background: Nipple confusion has been reported in some infants who receive both breastfeeding and bottle feeding at early stage. Two types of nipple confusion including breast refusal (type A) and bottle refusal (type B) are described. Breast refusal may decrease maternal breast stimulation and result in low breast milk production while bottle refusal could create stress and prevent mothers from resuming their normal lives. This study aimed to explore whether the design of teat and bottle could influence the nipple confusion incidence, infant growth, feeding type and infant behaviors.Method: A double-blind randomized controlled trial study has been conducted during June 2016 and September 2019. Forty normal eligible exclusively breastfed newborn-mother dyads with given informed consent were prospectively enrolled for 8 weeks of mixed feeding due to maternal return to work or study. They were randomly allocated into group A (Pigeon, Peristaltic PlusTM nipple, SS size) and group B (Philips, Avent NaturalTM Slow Flow nipple, SS size). All data including feeding type, milk intake, nipple confusion rate and infant behavior were collected for statistical analysis.Result: Between 21 pairs of group A and 19 pairs of group B, nipple confusion was increasing from 22.5% to 50% during the study. Initially, bottle refusal was found 22.5% while breast refusal was more detected (32.5%) lately. Infant growth and development including weight, length, and head circumference were comparable in both groups. Infants in group A seemed to have lower breast refusal rate than infants in group B (28.6% vs 36.8%). Nevertheless, the bottle refusal rate was rather higher in group A than group B (23.8% vs 10.5%). The earlier the mixed feeding (< 5 weeks), the higher the nipple confusion rate (15% vs 7.5% at 4 weeks; 15% vs 35% at 12 weeks). Infant aerophagia, crying, abnormal latch-on and milk aspiration could be observed in both groups with no statistical difference while constipation was only observed in group B (5.3-15.8 %).Conclusion: Nipple confusion could be found in exclusive breastfed infants after switching to mixed feeding. In Phillips’ group, nipple confusion rate was about 2 times higher than Pigeon’s group at 4 weeks, then, the rate was increasing to approximately 50% in both groups by 12 weeks. Aerophagia was more observed in Pigeon’s group while constipation was commonly found in Philips’ group. Early infant mixed feeding before 5 weeks could cause the higher nipple confusion rate and should be discouraged. As each product has both pros and cons, it has to be thoughtful to choose the proper design to achieve the infant’s need.
The antiviral action of resveratrol against Zika virus through the regulation of interferon responses by HMGB1
Authors: Chin Kim-Ling , Zainal Nurhafiza , Sam Sing-Sin , AbuBakar Sazaly
Published: April 2022

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection is a public health concern and currently there is no specific therapeutic or approved vaccine. Resveratrol (RESV), a natural antiviral compound, has been shown to possess antiviral properties, but the mechanisms of action against ZIKV remain unknown. This study aimed to investigate the role of the high mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1) in the underlying anti-ZIKV mechanisms of RESV. HMGB1 protein expression and ZIKV replication in both RESV-treated wild-type (WT) and HMGB1-knockdown (shHMGB1) Huh7 cells were analyzed using ELISA, immunofluorescence assay, immunoblot assay, focus-forming assay and qRT-PCR. HMGB1’s role was explored by evaluating the changes in the type-1 interferon (IFN) response genes using qRT-PCR and immunoblot assays. The treatment of ZIKV-infected WT Huh7 cells with RESV significantly reduced ZIKV titers by >90% (P < 0.001) and inhibited ZIKV-induced HMGB1 translocation (P < 0.001), resulting in nuclear HMGB1 accumulation. Compared to WT Huh7 cells, shHMGB1 Huh7 cells without RESV treatment showed a significant increase in the infectious virus titers and RNA with a maximum rise of 74% (P < 0.001) and 65% (P < 0.01), respectively. RESV treatment of ZIKV-infected WT Huh7 cells significantly increased the MxA (one of the classical interferon-stimulated genes, ISGs) and IFN-β levels (p < 0.05). The treatment of infected shHMGB1 Huh7 cells with RESV showed a less effective antiviral response (P > 0.05) and did not cause changes in the expressions of MxA and IFN-β. Findings presented here suggest that RESV possesses therapeutic activity against ZIKV infection and the mechanism of action is mainly attributed to HMGB1 nuclear retention, which could upregulate the type-1 IFN and ISGs.
A Study of Dose Painting Guided by Three-Dimensional Arterial Spin Labeling for Non-Enhancing Low-Grade Gliomas During Radiotherapy
Authors: Zhu Zihong , Gong Guanzhong , Wang Lizhen , Su Ya , Lu Jie , Yin Yong
Published: April 2022

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility and dosimetric characteristics of dose painting for non-enhancing low-grade gliomas (NE-LGGs) guided by three-dimensional arterial spin labeling (3D-ASL). Methods: Eighteen patients with NE-LGGs were enrolled. 3D-ASL, T2 fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (T2 Flair) and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted magnetic resonance images were obtained. The gross tumor volume (GTV) was delineated on the T2 Flair. The hyper-perfusion region of the GTV (GTV-ASL) was determined by 3D-ASL, and the GTV-SUB was obtained by subtracting the GTV-ASL from the GTV. The clinical target volume (CTV) was created by isotropically expanding the GTV by 1cm. The planning target volume (PTV), PTV-ASL were obtained by expanding the external margins of the CTV, GTV-ASL, respectively. PTV-SUB was generated by subtracting PTV-ASL from PTV. Three plans were generated for each patient: a conventional plan (plan1) without dose escalation delivering 95%-110% of 45-60Gy in 1.8–2Gy fractions to the PTV and two dose-painted plans (plan2 and plan3) with dose escalating by 10%-20% (range, 50-72Gy) to the PTV-ASL based on plan1. The plan3 was obtained from plan2 without the maximum dose constraint. The dosimetric differences among the three plans were compared. Results: The volume ratio of the PTV-ASL to the PTV was (23.49±11.94) % (Z=-3.724, P=0.000). Compared with plan 1, D2%, D98% and Dmean of PTV-ASL increased by 14.67%,16.17% and 14.31% in plan2 and 19.84%,15.52% and14.27% in plan3, respectively (P<0.05); the D2% of the PTV, PTV-SUB increased by 11.89% and 8.34% in plan2, 15.89% and 8.49% in plan3, respectively (P<0.05). The PTV coverages were comparable among the three plans (P>0.05). In plan2 and plan3, the conformity indexes decreased by 18.60% and 12.79%; while the homogeneity index increased by 1.43 and 2 times (P<0.05). Compared with plan1, the D0.1cc of brain stem and Dmax of optic chiasma were slightly increased in plan 2 and plan 3, and the absolute doses met the dose constraint. The doses of the other organs at risk (OARs) were similar among the three plans (P>0.05). Conclusions: The dose delivered to hyper-perfusion region derived from 3D-ASL can increased by 10-20% while respecting the constraints to the OAR, which provides a basis for future individualized and precise radiotherapy for NE-LGGs.
Sources and Biogeochemical Processing of Dissolved Organic Matter in the Middle Reach of the Yangtze River: Insights from Optical Properties and Nitrate Dual-Isotopes
Authors: Liao Jin , Huang Qinghui , Liu Guangning , Wang Ningtao , Qiu Zhipu , Hu Chaoyong , Spencer Robert G.M.
Published: April 2022

Understanding the sources and biogeochemical processing of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and nutrients within large rivers is vital to carbon cycling and water management. However, there remains great uncertainty regarding aquatic DOM composition and source proportioning resulting from spatial-temporal heterogeneity. In this study, multiple techniques were applied to track riverine DOM and nutrients over different flow regimes along the middle reach of the Yangtze River. Combined with nitrate dual isotopes, three different organic sources have been identified including terrestrial humic substances, “non-natural” terrestrial humic substances associated with the input of urban sewage, and tyrosine-like substances related to microbiological activities. The higher aromatic degree of DOM, higher \({{\delta }}^{18}{\text{O}}_{{\text{N}\text{O}}_{3}}\), and lighter \({{\delta }}^{15}{\text{N}}_{{\text{N}\text{O}}_{3}}\) signals in the rainy season suggested that soil erosion by intensive monsoon rainfall was the main factor for the release of carbon and nitrogen. During the dry season, nitrate from soil solution in the riparian zone with denitrification and inputs of urban sewage might be responsible for the enrichment of \({{\delta }}^{15}{\text{N}}_{{\text{N}\text{O}}_{3}}\) and higher tyrosine-like substances. At the spatial scale, the same terrestrial DOM was observed between the distal surface water in the Three Gorge Reservoir and the outlet, which was mainly caused by the density currents inducing water intrusion in the reservoir. An ever increasing proportion of tyrosine-like substances longitudinally indicated the cumulative intensity of human activities was becoming stronger along the mainstream. The study advances our evaluation of different carbon and nitrogen in sources in the Yangtze River and provides insights into the management of large monsoonal rivers.
Tracing the dispersal route of the invasive Japanese beetle Popillia japonica
Authors: Strangi Agostino , Paoli Francesco , Nardi Francesco , Shimizu Ken , Kimoto Troy , Iovinella Immacolata , Bosio Giovanni , Roversi Pio Federico , Carapelli Antonio , Marianelli Leonardo
Published: April 2022

The Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica, is a highly polyphagous Scarabeidae native to Japan that colonized North America and Azores in the last century and has recently invaded Italy and Switzerland. Considering its economic impact to the horticulture and turfgrass industries, this species was ranked within the EU priority pests list in 2019. In order to reconstruct the source of introductions of this pest, we investigated the genetic variability of P. japonica in its native and invaded areas worldwide by analyzing 9 microsatellite loci and two mitochondrial genes, COI and CytB. There are two populations of Japanese beetles, from a limited area within central Japan, that are likely the source of the North American population. Moreover, the microsatellite data and resulting phylogeographic reconstruction suggests that the two European populations originated from independent introductions from southeast (Azores) and northeastern (Italy and Switzerland) North America (1). (1) For simplicity, in this paper North America refers to Canada and USA
Layered Methods for Updating AI-compatible TCAMS in 5G/6G WSNs
Authors: Abbasi Mahdi , Vakilian Shobeir , Vakilian Shakoor , Khosravi Mohammad. R , Abdoli Hatam
Published: April 2022

Classification is a fundamental processing task in advanced network systems. This technique is exploited in 5G/6G wireless sensors networks where flow-based processing of the internet packets is highly demanded by intelligent applications that analyze big volumes of data in a limited time. In this process, the input packets are classified into specific streams by matching to a set of filters. TCAM memory is used in hardware implementation of internet packets. However, due to the parallel search capabilities, this memory leads to an increase in the speed and drop of hardware bundles compared to other types of software bundles, but with the increase in the number of rules stored in its layers, the power required for searching, inserting and eliminating increases. Various architectures have been proposed to solve this problem, but none of them has proposed a plan to reduce power consumption while updating the rules in the TCAM memory. In this paper, two algorithms are presented for reducing power consumption during TCAM memory upgrades. The key idea in the proposed algorithms is the reduction in the search range as well as the number of displacements while inserting and deleting rules in TCAM. Implementation and evaluation of proposed methods represent a reduction of more than 50% of the number of visits to TCAM in both proposed algorithms, as well as reducing the update time in the second proposed algorithm compared to the first proposed algorithm which confirms the efficiency of both methods.
Biosensing firefly luciferin synthesis in bacteria reveals a cysteine-dependent quinone detoxification route in Coleoptera
Authors: de Souza Daniel Rangel , Silva Jaqueline R da , Moreira Ariele , Viviani Vadim R.
Published: April 2022

The evolutive origin of luciferin in bioluminescent beetles remains a mystery. Luciferin has cysteine and benzoquinone as precursors, and it can be spontaneously produced from these compounds under neutral buffer conditions. However, its biosynthetic pathway and alternative functions remain largely unveiled. We have set up a cellular bioluminescent sensing method for luciferin synthesis from cysteine and benzoquinone using E. coli and Pichia pastoris expressing the bright Amydetes vivianii firefly luciferase and P.termitilluminans click beetle luciferase. In the presence of D-cysteine and benzoquinone, intense bioluminescence is quickly by transformed E.coli, indicating the expected formation of D-luciferin. Starting with L-cysteine and benzoquinone, the bioluminescence is weaker and delayed in comparison with experiments starting with D-cysteine, indicating that bacteria expressing firefly luciferase first produce L-luciferin, and then racemize it to D-luciferin in the presence of endogenous bacterial esterases, CoA and firefly luciferase. Whereas p-benzoquinone is extremely toxic to bacteria (IC50 ~25 µM), in the presence of cysteine this toxicity is considerably reduced, maintaining cell viability even in higher concentrations of p-benzoquinone (3.6 mM). Transcriptional analysis of photogenic and non-photogenic tissues of fireflies, showed the presence of several gene products involved with the sclerotization/tanning pathways in the photogenic tissues, with the exception of enzymes involved with the last steps of these pathways, suggesting the possible accumulation of quinone intermediates in lanterns. These results and the high abundance of cysteine producing enzymes suggest that luciferin arose as a detoxification byproduct of the reaction of accumulated toxic quinone intermediates with cysteine during the sclerotization/tanning in Coleoptera.
Construction of a new automatic grading system for jaw bone mineral density level based on deep learning using cone beam computed tomography
Authors: Xiao Yanjun , Liang Qihui , Zhou Lin , He Xuezhi , Lv Lingfeng , Chen Jiang , Endian Su , Jianbin Guo , Wu Dong , Lin Lin
Published: April 2022

Objective To develop and verify an automatic classification method using artificial intelligence deep learning to determine the bone mineral density level of the implant site in oral implant surgery from radiographic data obtained from cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images.Materials and Methods Seventy patients with mandibular dentition defects were scanned using CBCT. These Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) data were cut into 605 training sets, and then the data were processed with data standardization, and the Hounsfiled Unit (HU) value level was determined as follows: Type 1, 1000–2000; type 2, 700–1000; type 3, 400–700; type 4, 100–400; and type 5, −200–100. Four trained dental implant physicians manually identified and classified the area of the jaw bone density level in the image using the software LabelMe. Then, with the assistance of the HU value generated by LabelMe, a physician with 20 years of clinical experience confirmed the labeling level. Finally, the HU mean values of various categories marked by dental implant physicians were compared to the mean values detected by the artificial intelligence model to assess the accuracy of artificial intelligence classification.Results After the model was trained on 605 training sets, the statistical results of the HU mean values of various categories in the dataset detected by the model were almost the same as the HU grading interval on the data annotation.Conclusion This new classification provides a more detailed solution to guide surgeons to adjust the drilling rate and tool selection during preoperative decision-making and intraoperative hole preparation for oral implant surgery.
Central Nervous Systemic Efficacy of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors and Concordance Between Intra/extracranial Response in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Patients with Brain Metastasis
Authors: Kang Sora , Jeong Hyehyun , Park Ji Eun , Kim Ho Sung , Kim Young-Hoon , Lee Dae Ho , Kim Sang-We , Lee Jae Cheol , Choi Chang Min , Yoon Shinkyo
Published: April 2022

Purposes: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) markedly improve the clinical outcomes of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the intracranial efficacy of ICI is not well elucidated, and previous studies showed discordant outcomes of ICI between intracranial and extracranial diseases. We aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes and the intracranial and extracranial response of patients with NSCLC and brain metastasis who were treated with ICI in the real-world setting. Methods: A total of 55 patients (median age, 63 years [range, 42–80]; male, 78%) who had NSCLC with brain metastasis and treated with ICI monotherapy were retrospectively analyzed. We separately assessed the response rates of brain lesions and systemic lesions, and estimated the overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Results: The median OS and overall PFS were 17.0 months (95% CI, 10.3–25.6) and 3.19 months (95% CI, 2.24-5.03), respectively. The intracranial objective response rate and disease control rate of ICI were 36% and 54%, respectively. Among the 44 patients who showed disease progression, only 32% (n = 14) showed concordant outcomes and 9 patients (20%) showed opposing discordant outcomes. Eight patients continued ICI with local brain therapy after intracranial progression, and their median extracranial PFS and OS were 15 months (95% CI, 5.0–not assessed [NA]) and 23.8 months (95% CI, 14.7–NA), respectively. Conclusions: ICI monotherapy had a clinically meaningful intracranial efficacy in NSCLC patients with brain metastasis. Watchful waiting and close monitoring without local radiotherapy might be feasible in NSCLC patients with asymptomatic active brain metastasis.
Travel Times to Public Primary Healthcare and Hospitals in Jazan Region of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Shubayr Mosa Ali , Kruger Estie , Tennant Marc
Published: April 2022

Background: It is impossible to attain good general health without maintaining oral health. This becomes difficult when dental services are located far from the population that needs to utilize them. The study aimed to assess the geographic accessibility of dental healthcare services and to estimate the served population by the dental services in Jazan of Saudi Arabia. Methods: The location of health facilities, governates borders and road systems was obtained and to model accessibility to health facilities (PHCs and hospitals) using GIS. This study used two scenarios to measure the travel time by car driving and walking to the health facilities. The maximum travel time considered as a serviced area was set at 30 min and underserved area outside 30 min from the health facilities. Results: The finding shows that most of the region’s residents need a long time to reach the PHCs and hospital facilitates weather by walking or car driving. Only 30.73 % and 31.97 % of jazan population live on served area by car drinving. Most of the mountain governates such as Al Aridah, Al Aydabi, Al Harth, Ar Rayth, Baysh, Fayfa and Harub had the highest number of underserved populations. Regarding the walking scenario, only 40% of Jazan region residents need 30 minutes or less to reach PHCs and only 19% of the residents need 30 minutes or less to reach hospitals. The majority of Farasan and Damad residents was considered a served area of PHCs and hospitals.Conclusion: The study shows that there is an accessibility issue due to many Jazan residents needing to drive or walk for a long time (> 30 min.) to reach a healthcare facility whether to PHCs or hospitals. This issue could cause many people to not receive proper health services when needed which could affect their oral health status. Further research is needed focusing in mapping MOH, private and other health facilities and the burden of oral disease in the region.
Role of a bacterial glycolipid in Sec-independent membrane protein integration
Authors: Nomura Kaoru , Mori Shoko , Fujikawa Kohki , Osawa Tsukiho , Tsuda Shugo , Yoshizawa-Kumagaye Kumiko , Masuda Shun , Nishio Hideki , Yoshiya Taku , Yoda Takao , Shionyu Masafumi , Shirai Tsuyoshi , Nishiyama Ken-ichi , Shimamoto Keiko
Published: April 2022

Non-proteinaceous components in membranes regulate membrane protein integration cooperatively with proteinaceous translocons. An endogenous glycolipid in the Escherichia coli membrane called membrane protein integrase (MPIase) is one such component. Here, we focused on the Sec translocon-independent pathway and examined the mechanisms of MPIase-facilitated protein integration using physicochemical techniques. We determined the membrane integration efficiency of a small hydrophobic protein using solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance, which showed good agreement with that determined by the integration assay using an in vitro translation system. The observed integration efficiency was strongly correlated with membrane physicochemical properties measured using fluorescence techniques. Diacylglycerol, a trace component of E. coli membrane, reduced the acyl chains mobility in the core region and inhibited the integration, whereas MPIase increased the mobility and restored the integration. We observed the electrostatic intermolecular interactions between MPIase and the side chain of basic amino acids in the protein, suggesting that the negatively charged pyrophosphate of MPIase attracts the positively charged residues of a protein near the membrane surface, which acts as a trigger during the early stage of integration. Thus, this study demonstrated the ingenious approach of MPIase to support membrane integration of proteins by using its unique molecular structure in various ways.
Thinness among children aged 5- 17 years living in Nakivale refugee settlement, South Western Uganda: A Cross-sectional study
Authors: Namubiru Teddy , Mbabazi Nestor , Namirembe Terry , Lugobe Henry Mark , Musiime Victor
Published: April 2022

Background: Hunger and malnutrition are rampant among refugees and displaced populations, many of whom are infants and children. We sought to determine the prevalence and factors associated with thinness among children aged 5-17 years living in Nakivale refugee settlement, Isingiro district, southwestern Uganda.Methods: This was a cross sectional study that enrolled children aged 5 to 17 years. Data were collected on the participant socio-demographic, family, dietary, medical, hygiene and refugee status factors. The prevalence of thinness was determined by ascertaining the total number of children with thinness over the total number of children studied. Multivariable logistic regression model was used to determine the factors independently associated with thinness with p< 0.05 level of significance. Results: A total of 420 children aged 5- 17 years were enrolled into the study. The median age (IQR) was 8.6 (6.8- 11.8) and majority 248 (59.1%) were female. The prevalence of thinness was 5.5% (95% CI: 3.7%-8.1%). The factors independently associated with thinness were; living with a chronic disease (aOR 6.47, 95%CI; 1.63 - 24.64, p= 0.008), use of water from natural sources (aOR 3.32, 95%CI; 1.27 - 8.71, p= 0.015), and duration of stay in the settlement of less or equal to 10 years (aOR 3.19, 95%CI; 1.15 - 8.83, p= 0.025).Conclusion; Thinness among children 5- 17 years in Nakivale refugee settlement is common. Thinness was more likely among children who are living with a chronic disease, used water from natural sources and had had a shorter duration of stay in the settlement. Our findings suggest that children with chronic disease should receive extra food supplementation and have routine growth monitoring as part of their chronic care. The study reiterates a need to have clean and safe water supply and close nutrition assessment and monitoring, especially for newly registered refugee children.
How do the drinking habits and water sources influence all-cause mortality? A nation-wide longitudinal study on Chinese elderly
Authors: Shen Shisi , Wu Tingting , Zhang Yangchang , Xiong Yang , Xu Jianguo , Yang Jialu , Wang Lianlian , Lei Xun
Published: April 2022

BackgroundFew studies reported the association between water quality with all-cause mortality among the elderly and vulnerable groups susceptible to toxic environmental factors. This study aimed to examine the effect of drinking habits and kinds of water sources on the risk of all-cause mortality in the Chinese elderly population.MethodsData were drawn from the China Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS), and a longitudinal study for 16 years was conducted in this study. All participants aged ≥ 65 years at baseline were potentially eligible. The information on drinking habits and water sources was recorded via a structured questionnaire. The drinking habits referred to drinking boiled or un-boiled water, and the types of water sources included well water, surface water, spring water, and tap water. Cox proportional hazard models, adjusting socio-demographics, lifestyle, and common diseases, were used to estimate the risk of all-cause mortality by drinking water. The subgroup analyses were performed to assess potential interaction effects.ResultsA total of 15,663 participants were included in the study, among whom 4,472 males and 6,166 females died from any causes. Participants drinking un-boiled water were more likely to progress to high risk of all-cause mortality than those drinking boiled water (HR:1.14; 95% CI: 1.06-1.23). Compared to drinking well water, drinking tap water in childhood, around aged 60 years, and at present were all associated with lower risks of all-cause mortality (HR: 0.80, 0.81, and 0.90; and 95% CI: 0.68-0.95, 0.76-0.86, and 0.86-0.94, respectively); drinking surface water in childhood was related to a lower risk of all-cause mortality (HR:0.94, 95%CI:0.90-0.98); drinking spring water was not found to be associated with all-cause mortality in the total sample across all the life span.ConclusionDrinking un-boiled was associated with higher risk of all-cause mortality. Tap water was a safe and healthy source to drink compared with well water in the entire life cycle for the Chinese elderly.
Optimal duration of cardiotocography assessment using the iPREFACE score to predict fetal acidemia
Authors: Ito Ayumu , Hayata Eijiro , Nagasaki Sumito , Kotaki Hikari , Shimabukuro Makiko , Sakuma Junya , Takano Mayumi , Oji Ayako , Maemura Toshimitsu , Nakata Masahiko
Published: April 2022

The applicability of cardiotocography (CTG) to improved fetal outcomes remains controversial. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the clinically optimal duration for CTG assessment using the iPREFACE score to predict fetal acidemia. This single-center, retrospective observational study included 325 normal full-term singleton vaginal deliveries at the Toho University Omori Medical Center, from September 2018 to March 2019. The iPREFACE scores were calculated at 10, 30, and 60 min immediately before delivery, iPREFACE(10), iPREFACE(30), and iPREFACE(60), respectively. The primary outcome was fetal acidemia (umbilical artery blood pH < 7.2). The secondary outcome was the correlation between all iPREFACE and the umbilical cord arterial blood pH, base excess (BE), and lactate values. The area under the curve (AUC)s of the receiver operating characteristic curves were 0.69, 0.85, and 0.79 for iPREFACE(10), iPREFACE(30), and iPREFACE(60), respectively. There was a significant difference between the AUC of iPREFACE(30) and iPREFACE(10), and no significant differences were found between the other arms. All iPREFACE showed significant correlations with umbilical artery blood pH, BE, and lactate. The predictive capacity of the iPREFACE score for fetal acidemia was the highest in iPREFACE(30), suggesting that 30 min immediately before delivery may be useful in clinical practice as the scoring time.
Attention-based Feature Fusion for Reconstructing Gene-Regulatory Interactions
Authors: Xiang Mingrong , Luo Wei , Hou Jingyu , Tao Wenjing
Published: April 2022

Reconstructing gene regulatory networks (GRNs) from expression data is vital for understanding gene transcription. Although increasingly advanced algorithms, particularly deep-learning models, are proposed to mine potential gene-regulatory interactions, an insufficient effort has been invested into improving feature reliability in the presence of biological variability across expression samples. In this research, we propose a robust feature fusion method inspired by emerging attention-based techniques in computer vision. Our method can capture the functional asymmetry between transcription factors (TFs) and target genes with an important adaption using differentiate attentional heads. Based on three different gene-expression datasets: in silico, E.coli and S.cerevisiae, we demonstrated that our method is superior to other state-of-the-art competitors, including that based on graph embeddings.
Fragility curves of Italian school buildings: derivation from L’Aquila 2009 earthquake damage through observational and heuristic approaches
Authors: Ludovico Marco Di , Cattari Serena , Verderame Gerardo , Vecchio Ciro del , Ottonelli Daria , Gaudio Carlo del , Prota Andrea , Lagomarsino Sergio
Published: April 2022

Recent seismic events worldwide demonstrated the high vulnerability of existing school buildings and the urgent need to have reliable tools for the rapid seismic performance assessment and damage and loss quantification. Indeed, the significant damage observed on structural and non-structural components may have a significant impact in terms of direct and indirect losses making critical the recovery of stricken communities. Although a significant amount of work was done in developing fragility curves for the residential building stock, only few contributions clearly refer to school buildings that significantly differ in terms of the main characteristics from the residential ones. This research work proposes fragility curves for reinforced concrete (RC) and unreinforced masonry (UMR) school buildings typical of the Italian construction standard, based on the damage observed in the aftermath of the 2009 L’Aquila earthquake. A comprehensive and unique database including data on damaged and undamaged school buildings (2,037 records) in the Abruzzo region was built using data from four different sources. Due to limited amount of data, the proposed curves can be very sensitive to the adopted approach, thus three different approaches (i.e. empirical, empirical-binomial, heuristic) are considered and the results are compared. Finally, a direct comparison with fragility curves available in literature for residential buildings typical of the Italian construction standards is proposed.
The role of microRNA expression in malignant transformation of pleomorphic adenoma: comparing carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma vs pleomorphic adenoma
Authors: Kim Hyojin , Eun Shin , Jeong Woo-Jin , Ahn Soon-Hyun , Bae Yun Jung , Lee Joong Seob , Kim Heejin
Published: April 2022

Purpose Carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma (CXPA) is a rare malignant tumor which transformed from benign PA. Here we identify the characteristic miRNAs from both the PA (CPA) and carcinomatous (CA) portions of CXPA in an effort to understand their malignant transformation and then compare their expression in CPA and benign PA (BPA) samples to identify candidate miRNAs for their differential diagnosis. Methods We selected 13 CXPA FFPE and 16 BPA samples and then separated the CPA and CA portions of the CXPA FFPE tissues before completing total RNA extraction and miRNA profiling for each group. Results Downstream evaluation of these miRNAs identified 13 transcripts that were differentially expressed between the CPA and CA portions of CXPA. A total of eight of these miRNAs were up-regulated and five down-regulated in CA, where the up-regulated miRNAs were related to cancer progression and the down-regulated miRNAs were associated with tumor suppression. In addition, seven miRNAs were significantly up-regulated in CPA when compared to BPA, even though they present with the same histopathology. These transcripts also all demonstrated a clear relationship with cancer when evaluated using gene ontology and KEGG pathway tools, with almost all of these transcripts interacting with TP53.Conclusion We identified several differentially expressed miRNAs in the CPA and CA portions of CXPA, and confirmed that they were closely associated with TP53 and various cancer-related pathways using target gene and pathway analyses. In addition, we also identified several differentially expressed miRNAs in CPA and BPA, which are also associated with carcinogenesis and may serve as potential biomarkers for differential diagnosis.
Quantum Chemical Examinations of Photoelectrical, Electron injection and Regeneration Properties of D-π-A Dyes in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells incorporating Silole and thieno[3,4- b]pyrazine derivstives units
Authors: Banjo SEMIRE , Felix LATONA Dayo , OYEBAMIJI Abel Kolawole , Dasola ADEOYE Morian , Dele OWONIKOKO Abayomi , OYEBAMIJI Oyetunde Micheal , ABDULSALAMI Ibrahim Olasegun , ODUNOLA Olusegun Ayobami
Published: April 2022

This study reported a theoretical design of four sets of new organic D−π−A sensitizers consisting of three dyes in each set (D1A1‒D4A3) in incorporating Silole and thieno[3,4-b]pyrazine derivstives using DFT and DT-DFT methods. The molecular properties such as, geometries, the frontier molecular orbitals, the energy gaps, reactivity indices, electron accepting power and electron donating power were calculated. The results showed that boron-containing dyes (D1A3, D2A3, D3A3 and D3A3) have shorter C2-C3 bond length, lower energy band gap (∆Eg) and longer absorption wavelengths (λmax) (ordered as S > Se > BH2), which lead to profound effect on the electronic properties for the dyes. The chemical potential (µ), glogal eletrophilicity index (ω) and electron accepting power (ω+) revealed that B-containing dyes are more electrophilic in characters than other dyes in each series; thus electron are withdrawn or depleted from the donor subunit of the dyes by BH2 insertion to thieno[3,4-b]pyrazine subunit. The results of open circuit voltage (Voc), light harvesting efficiency (LHE) and light electron injection driving force (ΔGinject) calculated for the dyes showed that they have good photoelectric conversion efficiency but with low dye regeneration (ΔGregen) ability. Also, high excited state lifetime (τesl) values of B-containing dyes (D2A3, D3A3 and D4A3) would lead to more stability of the dyes in the cationic state for a longer time, which may result in higher charge transfer efficiency; thus enhancing electron injection efficiency of the dye-sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC).
Vector competence of Anopheles quadrimaculatus and Aedes albopictus for genetically distinct Jamestown Canyon virus strains circulating in the Northeast United States
Authors: Dieme Constentin , Kramer Laura D. , Ciota Alexander T.
Published: April 2022

Background: Jamestown Canyon virus (JCV; Peribunyaviridae, Orthobunyavirus) is a mosquito-borne pathogen belonging to the California serogroup. The virus is endemic in North America and increasingly recognized as a public health concern. In this study, we determined the vector competence of Anopheles (An.) quadrimaculatus and Aedes (Ae.) albopictus for five JCV strains belonging to the two lineages circulating in the Northeast. Methods: An. quadrimaculatus and Ae. albopictus were fed blood meals containing two lineage A strains and three lineage B strains. Vector competence of both mosquito species was evaluated at 7- and 14-days post-feeding (dpf) by testing for virus presence in bodies, legs, and saliva. Results: Our results demonstrated that Ae. albopictus mosquitoes are a competent vector for both lineages, with similar transmission levels for all strains tested. Variable levels of infection (46-83%) and dissemination (17-38%) were measured and in An. quadrimaculatus, yet no transmission was detected for the five JCV strains evaluated.Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that establishment of Ae. albopictus in the Northeast could increase the risk of JCV but suggest An. quadrimaculatus are not a competent vector for JCV.
An Efficient Removal of Mordant Orange-1 by Apricot Fruit Mediated Synthesized Copper Oxide Nanoparticles
Authors: Üstün Elvan , Önbaş Sena Ceren , Şahin Neslihan
Published: April 2022

Azo-dyes have been used in many industrial processes for many years and Mordant Orange-1 is one of the most often used. Since dye-wastes are frequently discharged to water resources after industrial processes, they cause serious environmental problems in aquatic systems. Considering the importance of water resources for living organisms, removal of the waste dyes from aquatic systems is very important. Environment-friendly new methods are still required, since many methods developed for the cleaning of wastes also cause environmental problems. In the green synthesis methods, which have recently been used as an alternative to chemical and physical synthesis methods, natural materials such as plants, leaves and seeds are used as caping and reducing agents for synthesizing metal and metal-oxide nanoparticles. In this study, copper oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by using apricot fruit extract and characterized by SEM, EDX, XRD, UV-Vis, and FT-IR, and the removal efficiency of these nanoparticles for Mordant Orange-1 was investigated. It has been determined that the produced copper oxide nanoparticles had high adsorption capacity with the second order reaction rate and removal efficiency of over % 90.
The relationship between Tooth Decay with Stress and BMI among elementary students: A cross-sectional study in Iran
Authors: Hosseinpour Fatemeh , Panahi Rahman , Omidi Baharan Ranjbar , khorasani Erfan , Dehghankar Leila
Published: April 2022

Background
Tooth decay is one of the most common chronic diseases among children worldwide. On the other hand, inappropriate Stress and BMI are risk factors that make children prone to diseases. Therefore, in this study, the relationship between tooth decay with Stress and BMI among children was examined.
Materials and Methods
This was a cross-sectional study of descriptive-analytical type. A total of 350 students referred to the clinic of the faculty of dentistry of Qazvin University of Medical Sciences in 1400 were selected through convenience sampling method to participate in the study. First, the students underwent a dental examination after measuring their height and weight. Then, two questionnaires of demographic information and Children's Stress Symptom Scale (CSSS) of Scherer and Ryan-Wenger were completed by the child's parents through self-reporting. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software version 23 and using descriptive statistics and logistic regression.
Results
The BMI of the participating students was in the normal range. The prevalence of tooth decay among participating students was 76.9% (269 people). The mean and standard deviation of stress scores was 6.85 ± 4.01 out of 26, that was at a low level. Also, the mean and standard deviation of the BMI was 22.78 ± 5.28, that was in the normal range. The results of logistic regression showed that the variables of "father's level of education", "family economic status", "experience of toothache in the past year", "oral health status", "frequency of tooth brushing", "flossing", "stress", and "BMI" were effective factors in tooth decay (P < 0.05).
Conclusion
Students who had inappropriate BMI, more stress, father with low level of education, family with poor economic status, experience of toothache past year, poor oral health status, and those who used less toothbrushes and floss had more tooth decay. Therefore, it is necessary to pay more attention to these students in designing and implementing educational programs to prevent tooth decay.
A review of 14 cases of perianal Paget’s disease: Characteristics of anorectal cancer with Pagetoid spread
Authors: Imaizumi Jun , Moritani Konosuke , Takamizawa Yasuyuki , Inoue Manabu , Tsukamoto Shunsuke , Kanemitsu Yukihide
Published: April 2022

Background: Perianal Paget's disease (PPD) is intraepithelial invasion of the perianal skin and is frequently associated with underlying anorectal carcinoma. The relatively rare nature of this disease has made it difficult to develop treatment recommendations. This study aimed to clarify the clinicopathological characteristics, treatment options that allow preservation of anorectal function, and long-term results.Methods: The National Cancer Center Hospital database was searched for all cases of perianal Paget's disease diagnosed between 2006 and 2021. In the 14 cases identified, we reviewed the diagnosis, management, and outcomes of adenocarcinoma with Pagetoid spread, including suspected or recurrent cases.Results: All 14 cases met the inclusion criteria. The median follow-up period after diagnosis was 4.5 (range, 0.1–13.0) years. Pagetoid spread before initial treatment was suspected in 12 cases (85.7%). Underlying rectal cancer was identified in 6 cases and no primary tumor was detected in the other 6 cases. Seven patients had recurrent disease, with median time to recurrence of 34.6 (range, 19.2–81.7) months. The time to first relapse was 3 months and that to the second relapse was 6 months. The overall 5-year survival rate was 90.0%.Conclusions: Skin biopsy and immunohistological examination are essential to differentiate PPD with and without underlying anorectal carcinoma. If wide local excision is performed to preserve the anus, it is necessary to search carefully for distant metastasis and arrange for regular follow-up, even if recurrence occurs after a long period. Local resection may achieve long-term survival in patients with locoregional recurrence if distant recurrence does not occur within a short interval.