bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Prevalence of Angiostrongylus Cantonensis in Rodent Hosts in China and Several Asian Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Bai Huifang , Cao Yizhen , Chen Yunqiu , Zhang Lingmin , Cheng Mei
Published: July 2021

Background: Angiostrogylus cantonensis (A.cantonensis) is a zoonotic parasitic nematode, with a worldwide distribution, causing eosinophilic meningitis or meningoencephalitis in humans. Although the biology of A.cantonensis is relatively well known, little is understood about the transmission level in different zoogeographical regions, especially in Asia. Here, to evaluate the prevalence of A.cantonensis in rodent hosts in China and several Asian countries, we conducted a systematic review registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020161665). Methods: Records were selected systematically from 7 databases (Medline via to Pubmed, Web of science, Scopus, Google Scholar, CNKI, Wangfang, CBM ). Forest plots and random-effects model were used to display pooled estimates. The Freeman-Tukey double arcsine transformation of R software was used to conduct meta-analysis and statistical significance was set at 0.05.Results: A total of 67 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence estimates of A.cantonensis infection in rodents was 0.1003 (95%CI: 0.0765, 0.1268). There was significant heterogeneity in reported outcomes (p<0.0001). So we considered that there was no publication bias in the included studies.Conclusion: The A.cantonensis infection rate among rodent hosts was still high in Asia, particularly in China, especially in Rattus norvegicus, and thus comprehensive measures should be taken for rodent hosts control to avoid an angiostrongyliasis outbreak. Due to the wide distribution and movement of rodent hosts, people in all regions of China, even in other Asia area live at risk of an infection. Hence, the development of more reliable diagnostic tests will be key for an effective identification of cases as well as improved patient care. Consequently, further studies are required to updated strategies for controlling A.cantonensis infection among human population.
A Survey on Convolutional Neural Networks for MRI Analysis
Authors: Hardaha Shreya , Reddy Damodar , Parne Saidi Reddy
Published: July 2021

As of late, Convolutional Neural Networks have been very successful in segmentation and classification tasks. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a favored medical imaging method that comes up with interesting information for the diagnosis of different diseases.MR method is getting to be exceptionally well-known due to its non-invasive rule and for this reason, automated processing of this sort of image is getting noticed. MRI is effectively and widely used for tumor detection. Brain tumor detection is a popular medical application of MRI. Automating segmentation using CNN assists radiologists to lessen the high manual workload of tumor evaluation. CNN classification accuracy depends on network parameters and training data. CNN has the benefit of learning image features automatically directly out of multi-modal MRI images. In this survey paper, we have presented a summary of CNN's recent advancement in its technique applied on MRI images. The aim of this survey is to discuss various architectures and factors affecting the performance of CNN for learning features from different available MRI datasets. Based on the survey, section III (CNN for MRI analysis) comprises three subsections: A) MRI data and processing, B) CNN dimensionality, C) CNN architectures.
Adult Onset Egg Allergy: A Case Report
Authors: Cremonte Elisa Maria , Galdi Eugenia , Roncallo Chiara , Boni Elisa , Cremonte Luigi
Published: July 2021

Background: Egg allergy is one of the most frequent food allergies in childhood while adult onset of egg allergy is a rare condition.Case presentation: We report the case of a 30 years old man sent to our center in order to investigate gastrointestinal symptoms occurring since two years after egg and derivatives intake. He did not suffer from egg or other food allergies in childhood. He is an active smoker with a contact dermatitis related to nickel and mild allergic rhinoconjunctivitis to grass pollen. Skin prick test and serum specific IgE to egg were performed and revealed sensitization to egg proteins. Conclusions: Even though IgE-mediated egg allergy affects children, this report witnesses a rare case of adult onset.
Conversion Therapy of Unresectable Pancreatic Cancer: A Retrospective Study of the Real World
Authors: Wang Mingxing , Zhu Pengfei , Chen Zheling , Yang Liu
Published: July 2021

Objective: A retrospective study of the real world was conducted to analyze whether patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer (URPC) can benefit from conversion therapy, and to screen out pancreatic cancer patients who are suitable for conversion therapy.Patients and Methods: Inquired about patients with URPC who visited Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital from January 2015 to April 2021. We selected 25 patients with URPC who underwent conversion therapy, and 19 patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) who directly underwent surgery to conducted a retrospective analysis. Results: The median overall survival (OS) of 25 patients with URPC who received conversion therapy was 28 months (95%CI: 15.46-40.54 months), and the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 12 months (95%CI: 9.26-14.74 months). The curative resection (R0) rate was 84% (22/25).Conclusions: Conversion therapy improves the R0 rate of patients with URPC, and prolongs OS and PFS.
Effects of High-Dose Radioactive Iodine Treatment On Renal Function In Patients With Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Yin Liang , Li Weilong , Wang Yan , Lin Yangyang , Lin Zhichun , Jia Qiang , Tan Jian , Li Xue , Guo Qing , Meng Zhaowei
Published: July 2021

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the effects of high-dose radioactive iodine (131I) treatment on the clinical metrics of renal function in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC).Patients and methods: The clinical metrics of renal function were analysed in 850 patients with DTC who received 131I therapy between January 2012 and December 2019. According to the baseline renal function metrics, the patients were divided into normal renal function group (group A) and abnormal renal function group (group B). Each group was further divided into three subgroups (subgroups 1, 2, and 3) based on the cumulative dose of 131I. The clinical metrics of renal function including serum creatinine (SCr) levels, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were measured within 1 month before the initiation of 131I therapy, 1 year after the last therapy, and 5 years after the initial therapy. The changes in renal function metrics before and after 131I therapy were compared in each group.Result: In group A (588 patients), no significant difference in the mean levels of SCr and BUN and eGFR was observed in the three subgroups (P >0.05), regardless of gender, before the initial 131I therapy and 1 year after the last therapy. A total of 8, 3, and 2 patients presented with abnormal renal function after 131I treatment in subgroups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. No statistically significant difference was observed in the incidence of renal dysfunction among the three subgroups (P = 0.287). The mean age of patients with renal dysfunction was significantly greater than that of patients without renal dysfunction after 131I treatment. In group B, of the 262 patients with abnormal renal function, SCr and BUN levels were elevated in 168 and 155 patients, respectively, and eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 was found in 87 patients before the initial 131I therapy. No significant difference was observed in the parameters among the three subgroups. However, SCr and BUN levels were found to be increased in all subgroups 5 years after the initial 131I therapy, and they were positively correlated with the cumulative dose of 131I. The difference was statistically significant (P <0.05). Furthermore, eGFR was found to be decreased in all subgroups after 131I therapy, and it was negatively correlated with the cumulative dose of 131I. The difference was statistically significant (P <0.05). A gender bias was not observed in the changing trends of SCr and BUN levels and eGFR.Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the nephrotoxicity of high-dose 131I therapy, regardless of gender, is very low in patients with DTC with normal renal function; however, high-dose 131I therapy may exacerbate the loss of renal function in those with renal dysfunction.
Visual Feedback Improves Bimanual Force Control Performances at Planning and Execution Levels
Authors: Kim Hyun Joon , Lee Joon Ho , Kang Nyeonju , Cauraugh James H.
Published: July 2021

The purpose of this study was to determine whether altered interlimb coordination patterns across trials improved bimanual force control capabilities within a trial. Fourteen healthy young participants completed bimanual force control tasks at 5%, 25%, and 50% of maximum voluntary contraction with and without visual feedback. To estimate synergetic coordination patterns between hands across multiple trials, we analyzed our primary outcome measure by performing an uncontrolled manifold analysis. In addition, we calculated force accuracy, variability, and regularity within a trial to quantify task stabilization. Using Pearson’s correlation analyses, we determined the relation between the changes in bilateral motor synergies (i.e., a proportion of good variability relative to bad variability) and bimanual force control performance from no-vision to vision conditions. The findings revealed that the presence of visual feedback significantly increased bilateral motor synergies with a reduction of bad variability components across multiple trials, and decreased force error, variability, and regularity within a trial. Further, we observed significant positive correlations between higher bilateral motor synergies and increased improvements in force control capabilities. These findings suggested that bimanual synergetic coordination behaviors at the planning level modulated by external sensory feedback may be related to advanced task stabilization patterns at the execution level.
Predictive ability of the Mini Nutritional Assessment short-form (MNA-SF) as compared to serum albumin concentration in the community dwelling elders, Meki, East Ethiopia
Authors: Urgessa Megersso
Published: July 2021

Background: Different tools have been used to perform a nutritional screening and assessment, and MNA is one of the widely used and recommended tools in the geriatrics population. MNA has two forms, long and short. However, MNA short-forms have not been evaluated in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study was aimed to evaluate MNA short form against serum albumin concentration among Ethiopian elders.Methods: One hundred and seventy-six randomly selected elders entered into the community-based cross-sectional validation study. Amputated, bedridden, those with visible deformity were excluded. Original MNA questionnaires were translated to Afan Oromo and Amharic languages. All translated and pretested MNA questionnaires were administered to each participant. The anthropometrics and serum albumin concentration were measured. Reliability, validity, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were calculated. Receiver-operating characteristic curve (ROC-curve) analysis was plotted for MNA, to identify the area under the curve (AUC) and optimal cut-off value for prediction of malnutrition.Result: Strong association between serum albumin concentration score and MNA-short form score indicated by spearman’s rank correlation coefficients of BMI-MNA-SF 0.526,p <0.05 and CC-MNA-SF 0.501, P<0.05. Similar the agreement between the long and short form of MNA was found to be a weighted kappa 0.404(0.288, 0.521) for BMI-MNA-SF and 0.426(0.333, 0.519) for CC-MNA-SF at 95% CI. These values indicate moderate agreement with the serum albumin concentration. There is very good agreement between the BMI-MNA-SF and CC-MNA-SF 0.400(0.322, 0.478). Also, high power to identify two categories using serum albumin concentration as golden standard with AUC for BMI –MNA-SF 0.789 (0.722-0.855) and 0.791 (0.726-0.857) for CC-MNA-SF at 95% CI. Diagnostic accuracy for BMI-MNA-SF showed that 37.1% sensitivity, 90.8% specificity, 58.5% PPV, and 80.5% NPV. Similar sensitivity 77.5%, specificity of 64.4% PPV 73.7%, and 69.0%, NPV for CC-MNA-SF. Total Diagnostic accuracy for BMI-MNA-SF 63.64%, and 71.02% for CC-MNA-SF.Conclusion: Both versions of MNA-SF were found to be valid screening tools in the Ethiopian elders against serum albumin concentration.
Wnt6 Plays a Complex Role in Maintaining Human Limbal Stem/Progenitor Cells
Authors: Bonnet Clémence , Oh Denise , Mei Hua , Robertson Sarah , Chang Derek , Bourges Jean-Louis , Behar-Cohen Francine , Deng Sophie X. , Zheng Jie J.
Published: July 2021

The cornea is consistently regenerated by limbal stem/progenitor cells (LSCs), a very small population of adult stem cells residing in the limbus. Several Wnt ligands, including Wnt6, are preferentially expressed in the limbus. To investigate the role of Wnt6 in regulating proliferation and maintenance of human LSCs in an in vitro LSC expansion setting, we generated NIH-3T3 feeder cells to overexpress different levels of Wnt6. Characterization of LSCs cultured on Wnt6 expressing 3T3 cells showed that high levels of Wnt6 increased proliferation of LSCs. Medium and high levels of Wnt6 also increased the percentage of small cells (diameter ≤ 12 µm), a feature of the stem cell population. Additionally, the percentage of cells expressing the differentiation marker K12 was significantly reduced in the presence of medium and high Wnt6 levels. Although Wnt6 is mostly known as a canonical Wnt ligand, our data showed that canonical and non-canonical Wnt signaling pathways were activated in the Wnt6-supplemented LSC cultures, a finding suggesting that interrelationships between both pathways are required for LSC regulation.
Apoptosis Inducible Factor P53 Decrease Glutamate-Associated Damage via Inhibiting Ferroptosis
Authors: Yang Zeyong , Xuan Wenting , Jin Yaru , Li Yuanhai
Published: July 2021

BACKGROUND: Ferroptosis, a pattern of programmed cell death decided by iron-associated lipid peroxidation, however, its role of p53-mediated xCT pathway in HT22 cell death remains obscure. Herein, this study is to investigate the potential mechanism of the effect of p53-mediated xCT pathway in HT22 cell lines in an iron-relevant mode. METHODS: The viability of HT22 cells were detected by Cell Counting Kit-8(CCK-8) and PI/Hoechst fluorescence double staining. The protein expression levels of p53 and xCT were determined by western boltting. DHE fluorescence staining technique supervised the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), and intracellular lipid oxidant situation was confirmed by BODIPY 581/591 C11 lipid peroxidation sensor. Intracellular ferrous ions were monitored with FeRhoNox™-1 fluoresceent probe. RESULTS: The protein expression levels of p53 was obviously enhanced by tenovin-1 exposure. Accompanied with the upregulation of p53 protein, cell death was decreased significantly because of glutamate and erastin exposure with 8h, and p53-mediated xCT pathway was activated. Intracelluar ROS levels, lipid oxidant situations and ferrous ions were remarkably restricted from Glutamate-p53 groups in comparison with glutamate groups. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, P53-mediated xCT pathway could decrease the glutamate-associated neurotoxicity, which may be relevant to the inhibition of ferroptosis.
Tool Wear Prediction Based on Multidomain Feature Fusion by Attention-Based Depth-Wise Separable Convolutional Neural Network in Manufacturing
Authors: Li Guofa , Wang Yanbo , He Jialong , Huo Yongchao
Published: July 2021

Tool wear during machining has a great influence on the quality of machined surface and dimensional accuracy. Tool wear monitoring is extremely important to improve machining efficiency and workpiece quality. Multidomain features (time domain, frequency domain and time-frequency domain) can accurately characterise the degree of tool wear. However, manual feature fusion is time consuming and prevents the improvement of monitoring accuracy. A new tool wear prediction method based on multidomain feature fusion by attention-based depth-wise separable convolutional neural network is proposed to solve these problems. In this method, multidomain features of cutting force and vibration signals are extracted and recombined into feature tensors. The proposed hypercomplex position encoding and high dimensional self-attention mechanism are used to calculate the new representation of input feature tensor, which emphasizes the tool wear sensitive information and suppresses large area background noise. The designed depth-wise separable convolutional neural network is used to adaptively extract high-level features that can characterize tool wear from the new representation, and the tool wear is predicted automatically. The proposed method is verified on three sets of tool run-to-failure data sets of three-flute ball nose cemented carbide tool in machining centre. Experimental results show that the prediction accuracy of the proposed method is remarkably higher than other state-of-art methods. Therefore, the proposed tool wear prediction method is beneficial to improve the prediction accuracy and provide effective guidance for decision making in processing.
A Novel miRNA Y-56 Mediates the Proliferation of Porcine Skeletal Muscle Satellite Cells by Targeting the IGF-1R-mediated AKT and ERK Pathways
Authors: Song Jie , Hao Linlin , Zeng Xiangfang , Yang Rui , Qiao Shiyan , Wang Chunli , Yu Hao , Wang Siyao , Jiao Yingying , Jia Hongyao , Liu Songcai
Published: July 2021

Background: The skeletal muscle phenotype of the Bama Xiang pig (BM) is significantly different from the Landrace pig (LP). Uncovering the mechanism of porcine skeletal muscle growth will be of great significance to elucidate the mechanism of the different formation. As the key post-transcriptional regulators, miRNAs play an indispensable role in skeletal muscle development. The proliferation of skeletal muscle satellite cells not only maintain the muscle stem cell population, but also provide a large number of muscle derived cells. Thus, the goal of this study is to explore the effects of a novel miRNA Y-56 on the porcine skeletal muscle satellite cells (PSCs). Results: Firstly, we found that Y-56 was highly expressed in porcine muscle tissues, and its expression was higher in the BM than the LP. The EdU staining and CCK-8 assays results showed that increased levels of Y-56 suppressed cell proliferation, whereas decreased levels of Y-56 resulted in the opposite consequences. Furthermore, flow cytometry results showed that overexpression of Y-56 significantly reduced the percentage of S-phase cells, and the qRT-PCR and western blotting results showed that the expression levels of cyclin dependent kinase 2 (CDK4), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and Cyclin D1 were significantly inhibited. Moreover, downregulation of Y-56 increased the number of S-phase cells and the expression of CDK, PCNA and Cyclin D1. Furtherly, we identified that insulin like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) was a direct target of Y-56. Consistently, overexpression of IGF-1R promoted the cell proliferation of the PSCs, and increased the number of S-phase cells, as well as up-regulated the expressions of CDK4, PCNA and Cyclin D1. Meanwhile, knock-down of IGF-1R was associated with the opposite tend. What’s more, overexpression of IGF-1R partially reversed the inhibition of cell proliferation of the PSCs, the decrease of the percentage of S-phase cells and down-regulation of the expression levels of CDK4, PCNA and Cyclin D1, which caused by overexpression of Y-56. Finally, there was a significant decrease in the expression level of p-AKT and p-ERK with transfecting Y-56 mimics in the PSCs, and overexpression of IGF-1R reversed the decrease. Conclusion: Collectively, our findings suggested that Y-56 represses proliferation and cell cycle process of the PSCs through targeting IGF-1R that activated the AKT and ERK pathways.
Molecular Insights Into the Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Artemisia Annua L. As Revealed by Insertional Polymorphisms
Authors: Valizadeh Negar , Holasou Hossein Abbasi , Mohammadi Seyyed Abolghasem , Khawar Khalid Mahmood
Published: July 2021

BackgroundRetrotransposons-RTNs, are main source of variations in plant genomes that copying and pasting themselves into different transposon and work by changing RNA back into DNA via reverse transcription. For that reason, they are largely utilized in plants as optimum molecular markers to determine DNA fingerprinting, genetic mapping, and genetic variability. ResultsInter-retrotransposon amplified polymorphisms (IRAPs) were used to measure genetic variability and structure in a collection of 118 sweet wormwood (A. annua) accessions identifying and amplifying 849 loci using 32 IRAP primers, derived from Rosaceae, Gramineae, and Solanaceae retroelements. Single IRAP primer Tnt1.OL16 based on RTN produced the maximum count of markers. Percentage of polymorphic loci (PPL), mean expected heterozygosity (He), number of effective alleles (Ne) and information index (I) of Shannon, in the studied collection were 95.80%, 0.30, 1.48 and 0.46, in the same order. AMOVA analysis showed nonexistence of significant genetic structures during structure analysis, however, the 4 populations had three clusters based on the NJ dendrogram that depicted a relatively higher level of genetic variation within each population. These clusters were approximately congruent with corresponding geographical distributions. ConclusionsIn conclusion, low genetic diversity of Iranian Sweet wormwood was detected that could be reduced through introduction of appropriate exotic or improved germplasm to reduce the effects of inbreeding depression.
Two Weeks High Glucose is Enough to Induce Liver and Gut Lesion
Authors: Min Cunyun , Fu Tingting , Du Yu , Tan Wei , Huang Xiuhui , Zhan Feng
Published: July 2021

Background: High glucose is critical for diabetes.But in which way it induces diabetes, and which organ trigger the formation of diabetes are not clear.This study is to evaluate the effect of shot time high glucose on different organs,to make clear this question.Methods: Twelve weeks old SD rats were randomly assigned to control group,high glucose infusion (HGI) group and oral high glucose (OHG) group.Fasten blood sugar,TNF-a and IL-6 were measured.Kidneys,intestine and liver samples were collected for pathological examination.Feces of rats were collected for gut microbiota tests.Results: The results indicated that short time high glucose induced hyperglycemia lasted for at least 2 weeks after ceasing of high glucose.It increased serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-a obviously.It led to small intestinal mucosa injury, obvious steatosis of hepatocytes, and broke the balance of gut microbiota.OHG led to swelling and necrosis of individual intestinal villi.HGI led to necrosis and disappearence of cells in the upper layer of intestinal mucosa.The lesion was confined to the mucosa.There is not obvious biopsy change in kidney and pancreas.Conclusions: Short time high glucose induced lesion of liver and intestine,broken the balance of gut microbiota.All of these led to inflammation and triggered diabetes.
An IoT Fast and Low Cost Based Smart Irrigation Intelligent System Using a Fuzzy Energy-Aware Routing Approach
Authors: Rezaeipanah Amin
Published: July 2021

Agriculture plays a major role in the world economy and most people depend on it for their livelihood. This makes water an important resource that must be conserved using the latest available technologies. Today, the Internet of Things (IoT) has extended its capabilities to smart farming. In this paper, an automated and low-cost system for intelligent irrigation based on a Fuzzy-based energy-aware routing approach is presented. In addition, a neural network is trained to determine the best irrigation program, based on information received from sensors (such as temperature, soil moisture, etc.). The user in the system can monitor the data collection process with mobile phones, mobile computers, etc. and manage the irrigation of agricultural products. The proposed system proves its suitability with intelligence and low cost and portability, for greenhouses, farms, etc. The simulation results show that the proposed method offers better results compared to the LEACH protocol as well as the WSN-IoT algorithm in various criteria such as network lifetime and power consumption.
Clinical features and treatment of spinal metastatic pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma: a single institutional experience with 18 patients
Authors: Du Suiyong , Hu Panpan , Yang Shaomin , Zhuang Hongqing , Wei Feng , Liu Xiaoguang , Liu Zhongjun
Published: July 2021

Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs) are rare neuroendocrine tumors, which can potentially metastasize to the spine. Clinical researches and treatment guideline on this entity are lacking. This study described the clinical features and treatment outcomes of metastatic PPGLs on the spine. We reviewed 18 patients with spinal PPGLs who were consecutively treated in our spinal center. The cohort included ten cases of pheochromocytomas and eight paragangliomas. The local pain and neurological deficits were the two most common symptoms. One third of the spinal PPGLs were diagnosed as functional tumors. The surgical strategies for the cohort included percutaneous vertebroplasty, neurological decompression and partial tumor resection with or without internal fixation, and total en-bloc resection. The postoperative courses were uneventful except one patient developed heart failure. The adjuvant therapies were implemented in six patients with 131I-MIBG, five with radiotherapy, two with chemotherapy and one with target therapy. The median survival period was 39 months. The patients’ Karnofsky performance scores were positively correlated with the overall survival (p < 0.05).Therefore, surgery is indicated for intractable local pain and neurological impairment in the patients with spinal PPGLs, while a holistic set of adjuvant therapies shall be incorporated for a better tumor control.
Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: What is the Prevalence of Non-Malignant, Organic Gastrointestinal Disorders Misdiagnosed as Lrritable Bowel Syndrome?
Authors: Poon Dennis , Law Graham , Major Giles , Andreyev H.
Published: July 2021

IntroductionTreatable gastrointestinal disorders in patients with symptoms typical for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may be overlooked. The prevalence of five gastrointestinal conditions - bile acid diarrhoea (BAD), carbohydrate malabsorption (CM), microscopic colitis (MC), pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI) and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) was systematically assessed from studies including consecutive patients meeting diagnostic criteria for IBS. Methods4 databases were searched from 1978-2020. Studies were included if they evaluated the prevalence of these conditions in secondary healthcare setting. Estimated pooled rates were calculated and statistical heterogeneity between studies was evaluated using Q and I2 statistics.ResultsSeven studies (n=597) estimated the pooled prevalence for BAD as 41% (95% CI 29-54). 17 studies (n=5,068) estimated that of MC as 3% (95% CI 2-4%). Two studies (n=478) suggested a rate of 4·6% (range: 1·8-6·1%) for PEI. Using breath testing, 26 studies (n=6,700) and 13 studies (n=3,415) estimated the prevalence of lactose and fructose malabsorption as 54% (95% CI 44-64%) and 43% (95% CI 23-62%); 36 studies (n=4,630) and 22 studies (n=2,149) estimated that of SIBO as 49% (95% CI 40-57%) with lactulose and 19% (95% CI 13-27%) with glucose. Rates of all conditions were significantly higher than in healthy controls.ConclusionA significant proportion of patients presenting to secondary care with IBS have an organic condition which may account for their symptoms. Failure to exclude such conditions will deny patients effective treatment.
Preparation of CoFe2O4@Carboxymethylcellulose/HZSM-5 as a Novel Nano Magnetic Adsorbent for Metronidazole Removal: Isotherm, Kinetic and Thermodynamic Study
Authors: Nasiri Alireza , Heidari Mohammad Reza , Javid Neda , Yazdanpanah Ghazal
Published: July 2021

In this research CoFe2O4@CMC/ HZSM-5 synthesized in the presence of Carboxymethylcellulose as a biopolymer in the green conditions as a new nanomagnetic adsorbent for metronidazole removal from aqueous media. Physical and chemical structure of adsorbent was investigated by FTIR, FESEM, EDS, Mapping, TEM, XRD, VSM, BET and TGA techniques. The results indicated that 94% of the metronidazole concentration removed by CoFe2O4@CMC/HZSM-5 in the optimal conditions including pH 6, temperature 20oC, metronidazole concentration 50 mg/L, contact time 60 min and adsorbent dose 2 g/L. The resulting data from adsorption experimental experiments had better correlated with the Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-second order kinetic. Also, the thermodynamic study demonstrated that the adsorption process was an endothermic process and had a physical mechanism. As well as, the achieved findings demonstrated that following six adsorption runs, the adsorbent chemical structure had no change and the nanomagnetic adsorbent efficiency in the removal process had a slight decrease. CoFe2O4@CMC/HZSM-5 magnetic nanocomposite had effective adsorption capacity for metronidazole removal.
An Automated Solution for Controlling Random Fires on Coal Yards
Authors: Jayasuriya Jeevan Ramesh , Moser Irene , de Mel Ravi
Published: July 2021

In spite of recent moves to wean the world of fossil fuels, coal remains the main source of power in many countries. Coal yards are prone to spontaneous ignition, a problem faced in every country that stores or transports coal. Depending on the environment – temperature, ventilation, and the rank of the coal – heating and self-ignition can be a longer or shorter process, but the possibility can never be entirely dismissed. A plethora of studies have modelled this oxidation behaviour and proposed countermeasures. Most often, human intervention is necessary, which is both slow and dangerous for the firefighters involved. In this study, we propose to build a complete firefighting solution which is mounted on a number of towers sufficient to cover the area of an open coal yard, complete with redundancy. Each tower includes an inexpensive infrared detector, software to identify areas of elevated temperature, and a water dispenser. The heat detection software calculates the parameters to position the water dispenser so that it covers the area. A prototype has been built from inexpensive components to demonstrate the effectiveness at detecting and extinguishing arising fires. This work has been conducted in collaboration with the managers of the coal yard of a power plant.
Preclinical Evaluation of Podoplanin-Targeted Alpha-Radioimmunotherapy with The Novel Antibody NZ-16 for Malignant Mesothelioma
Authors: Sudo Hitomi , Tsuji Atsushi B , Sugyo Aya , Kaneko Mika K. , Kato Yukinari , Nagatsu Kotaro , Suzuki Hisashi , Higashi Tatsuya
Published: July 2021

Purpose This study aimed to evaluate the potential of podoplanin (PDPN)-targeted alpharadiotherapy (RIT) for treating malignant mesothelioma.Methods A newly developed anti-PDPN antibody, NZ-16, and a previous anti-PDPN antibody, NZ-12, were assessed. The in vitro properties of radiolabeled antibodies were evaluated by cell binding and competitive inhibition assays using PDPN-expressing NCI-H226 (H226) mesothelioma cells. The biodistribution of 111 In-labeled antibodies was studied in tumorbearing mice. Tumor volumes and body weights of mice treated with 90 Y- and 225 Ac-labeled NZ-16 were measured for 56 days. The absorbed doses were estimated on the basis of the biodistribution data. Pathologic analysis of tumors and organs was conducted.Results The radiolabeled NZ-16 specifically bound to H226 cells with higher affinity than NZ12. The biodistribution studies showed higher tumor uptake of radiolabeled NZ-16 compared with NZ-12. RIT with 225 Ac-labeled NZ-16 (11.1 and 18.5 kBq) had a significantly higher antitumor effect than RIT with 90 Y-labeled NZ-16 (3.7 MBq; P < 0.01). 225 Ac-labeled NZ-16 induced more necrosis compared with 90 Y-labeled NZ-16, but the Ki-67 index and apoptosis rate were similar. The estimated absorbed doses were expected to be tolerable in mice. Temporary body weight loss occurred, but recovered within several days. No visible damage to major organs was detected.Conclusion The novel anti-PDPN antibody NZ-16 was a more effective RIT agent than NZ12. Radiolabeled NZ-16, especially 225 Ac-labeled NZ-16, markedly suppressed tumor growth and prolonged survival without inducing severe adverse effects. RIT with radiolabeled NZ-16 is a promising therapeutic option for malignant mesothelioma.
Antiretroviral Therapy Switch Rates and Switching Patterns In 16,069 People Living with HIV: A Nationwide, Population-Based Study in Japan
Authors: Naito Toshio , Mori Hirotake , Fujibayashi Kazutoshi , Fukushima Shinichi , Yuda Mayumi , Fukui Nobuyuki , Tsukamoto Shotaro , Suzuki Mai , Goto-Hirano Keiko , Kuwatsuru Ryohei
Published: July 2021

To report the status of switch rates and time-to-switch of antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimens by evaluating anchor drug classes and common switching patterns in Japanese people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV, PLWH). This cross-sectional cohort study extracted data of 28,089 PLWH from the National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups of Japan (NDB), which contains data representing the entire population of Japan. PLWH with first prescription records of ART administered between January 2011 and March 2019 were identified (n = 16,069). The median time-to-switch and switch rates of anchor drug classes were estimated by Kaplan-Meier analysis. Brookmeyer-Crowley and Greenwood methods were used to estimate 95% confidence intervals for switch rates and median days, respectively. Switch rates were compared between anchor drug classes by year using log-rank tests. A total of 3,108 (19·3%) PLWH switched anchor drug classes from first to second regimens. Switch rates increased continuously over eight years for non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) (14·9%–65·5%) and protease inhibitors (PIs) (13·2%–67·7%), with median time-to-switch of 1,826 and 1,583 days, respectively. Integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) maintained a low switch rate (3·0%–7·6%), precluding median-days calculation. The majority of patients treated initially with NNRTIs and PIs switched to INSTIs regardless of switching times (< 1 year: 67·3% and 85·9%, respectively; ≥1 year: 95·5% and 93·6%, respectively). The foremost switching strategies for first-to-second ART regimens are from NNRTI or PI to INSTI regimens that maintain low switch rates long term. INSTI HIV agents may be the most durable anchor drug class for PLWH receiving ART.
Phase 1 trial of apatinib combined with intensity-modulated radiotherapy in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Wang Hongzhi , Zhu Xianggao , Zhao Yuting , Dong Dezuo , Li Lijuan , Cai Yong , Li Yongheng , Wang Weihu
Published: July 2021

Background

To investigate the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of apatinib delivered during and after intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Methods

Patients with unresectable HCC who were not eligible for radiofrequency ablation (RFA), transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), or residual/recurrent after the prior local treatment were enrolled. Patients were scheduled to be treated with IMRT at 50–60 Gy/25–30 fractions. Apatinib was administered concurrently with IMRT and continued after IMRT. In this study, we used a 3 + 3 dose-escalation design. Three dose levels of apatinib (250, 500, and 750mg) were designed. Grade 3 or more severe adverse events (AEs) were defined as dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs). The treatment response was calculated using the Modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumour.
Results

Nine patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage C were included in this study. One patient withdrew from the apatinib 250mg group and another patient was added. No DLT occurred in the apatinib 250mg group. Five patients were included in the apatinib 500mg group, and 2 cases of DLT (grade 3 leukopenia) were found among them. Dose escalation was terminated and the MTD was determined to be 250mg. Common AEs of grade 1–2 included fatigue, hypertension, dizziness, bone marrow suppression, and hyperbilirubinemia. The median follow-up time for all patients was 16.0 months. Three patients achieved complete response and another three achieved partial response. The objective response rate was 6/9 (66.7%), and the disease control rate was 9/9 (100%). Three patients relapsed out of the radiation field. The median progression-free survival was 17.0 months, and the median overall survival was 16.7 months.
Conclusions

When combined with IMRT, apatinib 250mg daily was recommended for a phase 2 study of unresectable HCC. The antitumor activity of the combination treatment was encouraging. The safety and efficacy of apatinib combined with IMRT for unresectable HCC should be further investigated in future studies.
Calcium and phosphorus co-doped carbon dots enhance osteogenic differentiation for calvarial defect repair in situ
Authors: Wu Lin , Wu Yunchao , Liu Jingjin , Liu Suwan , Li Qianzhe , Yang Mengyu , Zhang Miaomiao , Ji Qing , Zhang Feimin , Du Fengyi
Published: July 2021

Calvarial bone defect remains a clinical challenge due to the lack of efficient osteo-inductive agent. Herein, a novel calcium and phosphorus codoped carbon dot (Ca/P-CD) for bone regeneration was synthesized using phosphoethanolamine and calcium gluconate as precursors. The resultant Ca/P-CDs exhibited ultra-small size, stable excitation dependent emission spectra and favorable dispersibility in water. Moreover, Ca/P-CDs with good biocompatibility rapidly entered the cytoplasm through endocytosis and increased the expression of bone differentiation genes. After mixing with temperature-sensitive hydrogel, Ca/P-CDs were injected in situ into calvarial defect and promoted the repair of bone injury. These Ca/P-CDs provide a new treatment method for the bone repair and expend the application in the biomedical fields.
Adult Onset Still's Disease With Multiple Lymphadenopathy: a Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Huang Zhonghua , Xu Hua , Min Qinqin , Li Zhenguo , Bi Jiaxin , Liu Lingyun , Liang Yingying
Published: July 2021

Background: Adult onset Still's disease (AOSD) is a rare systemic autoinflammatory disorder that often presents with systemic multiple lymphadenopathy. In addition to the common paracortical and mixed patterns in AOSD lymph nodes histopathological features, the other morphological patterns include diffuse, necrotic, and follicular patterns. However, there have been very few reports to date on the histopathological description of AOSD lymph nodes.Case presentation: An 18-year-old female presented two months earlier with pain in her large joints with painless rash formation, bilateral posterior cervical lymph nodes, left supraclavicular lymph nodes and left posterior axillary lymph nodes enlargement, and no tenderness. Left cervical lymph node resection was performed for pathological examination. Histologically, lymph node structure is basically preserved, subcapsular sinus, medullary sinus structure exists, there is a lot of histiocytes in the sinus, cortical area is reduced, a few lymphoid follicles of different sizes can be seen, some atrophy, some hyperplasia. The lymphoid tissue in the paracortical region of the lymph node was diffusely proliferative and enlarged, mainly composed of histiocytes with abundant cytoplasm, immunoblasts, and numerous lymphocytes with slightly irregular small to medium-sized nuclei. Nuclear karyorrhexis was easily observed, showing a few nuclear debris and the “starry sky” phenomenon, accompanied by abundant branching high endothelial small vessels with a background of scattered few plasma cells and eosinophil infiltration. Immunohistochemically, lymphoid follicle immunophenotype with reactive proliferative changes. About 40% of the cells in the paracortical region were positive for Ki-67, and the histiocytes expressed CD68, CD163, some expressed S-100, and no MPO. The immunoblasts expressed CD30, CD20, and not ALK or CD15. Background small to medium-sized T cells express CD2, CD3, CD5, CD7, CD4, and CD8, the number of CD8 positive T cells is slightly predominant, and a small number of T cells express GRB and TIA-1. The patient received comprehensive medical treatment after operation, and the condition was stable without progression at the 11-month follow-up evaluation.Conclusion: The presentation of morphologic cases of AOSD lymphadenopathy will increase the awareness of AOSD among pathologists and clinicians, and aid in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of AOSD lymphadenopathy from other reactive lymphadenopathies and lymphomas.
Selective removal of ZnO nanoparticles from water using 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and monitoring by meso-tetra(carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (TCPP)
Authors: Zhang Wenyu , Lai Edward P.C.
Published: July 2021

Metal oxide nanoparticles (MONPs) such as TiO2 and ZnO have been engineered for various industrial manufacturing processes with an annual global production exceeding millions of tonnes. Among MONPs, environmental exposure to ZnO nanoparticles may cause a significant toxicity due to bioaccumulation in the human body. Therefore, detection and removal of ZnO nanoparticles in the aqueous environment is highly desired. In this work, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) was chosen to treat aqueous suspensions containing ZnO and other metal oxide nanoparticles. APTES first formed a thin surface layer on ZnO nanoparticles and continued in branching polymerization to reach out towards other APTES-ZnO nanoparticles. Eventually, a web-like sediment settled down onto the bottom. A high removal efficiency over 99% has attained for ZnO nanoparticles in aqueous suspension. The sedimentation was selective towards ZnO nanoparticles, due to the amino group of ATPES preferentially interacting with ZnO to form a sturdy condensation coagulate. Other MONPs (such as Al2O3, CaO, CeO2, CuO and TiO2) did not form any web-like sediment with APTES but could co-precipitate with the ZnO nanoparticles. Meso-tetra(carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (TCPP) could be added as an indicator to co-precipitate with the sediment, with its color changing from red purple to bright green during the formation of APTES-TCPP-ZnO sediment.
Genome-wide identification and expression profiling of Alba gene family members in response to abiotic stress in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)
Authors: Wai Antt Htet , Cho Lae-Hyeon , Waseem Muhammad , Lee Do-jin , Lee Je-Min , Kim Chang-Kil , Chung Mi-Young
Published: July 2021

Alba (Acetylation lowers binding affinity) proteins are an ancient family of nucleic acid-binding proteins that function in gene regulation, RNA metabolism, mRNA translatability, developmental processes, and stress adaptation. Here, we undertook the first comprehensive genome-wide characterization of the Alba gene family in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). We identified eight tomato Alba genes, which were classified into two groups: genes containing a single Alba domain and genes with a generic Alba domain and RGG/RG repeat motifs. Cis-regulatory elements and target sites for miRNAs, which function in plant development and stress responses, were prevalent in SlAlba genes. To explore the structure–function relationships of tomato Alba proteins, we predicted their 3D structures, highlighting their likely interactions with several putative ligands. Confocal microscopy revealed that SlAlba–GFP fusion proteins were localized to the nucleus and cytoplasm, consistent with putative roles in various signaling cascades. Expression profiling revealed the differential expression patterns of most SlAlba genes across diverse organs. SlAlba1 and SlAlba2 were predominantly expressed in flowers, whereas SlAlba5 expression peaked in 1 cm-diameter fruits. The SlAlba genes were differentially expressed (up- or downregulated) in response to different abiotic stresses. Furthermore, all but one of these genes were induced by abscisic acid treatment, pointing to their possible regulatory roles in stress tolerance via an abscisic acid-dependent pathway. Our characterization of SlAlba genes should facilitate the discovery of additional genes associated with organ and fruit development as well as abiotic stress adaptation in tomato.
Comparison of Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Hospitalized Patients with Seasonal Coronavirus Infection and COVID-19: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Rodriguez-Nava Guillermo , Egoryan Goar , Dong Tianyu , Zhang Qishuo , Hyser Elise , Poudel Bidhya , Yanez-Bello Maria Adriana , Trelles-Garcia Daniela Patricia , Chung Chul Won , Pyakuryal Bimatshu , Imani-Ramos Taraz , Trelles-Garcia Valeria Patricia , Stake Jonathan J
Published: July 2021

Background: Unlike SARS-CoV and MERS-C0V, SARS-CoV-2 can become a recurrent seasonal infection; hence, it is essential to compare the clinical spectrum of COVID-19 to the existent endemic coronaviruses. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of hospitalized patients with seasonal coronavirus (sCoV) infection and COVID-19 to compare their clinical characteristics and outcomes. Methods: A total of 190 patients hospitalized with any documented respiratory tract infection and a positive respiratory viral panel for sCoV from January 1, 2011, to March 31, 2020, were included. Those patients were compared with 190 hospitalized adult patients with molecularly confirmed symptomatic COVID-19 admitted from March 1, 2020, to May 25, 2020. Results: Among 190 patients with sCoV infection, the Human Coronavirus-OC93 was the most common coronavirus with 47.4% of the cases. When comparing demographics and baseline characteristics, both groups were of similar age (sCoV: 74 years vs. COVID-19: 69 years) and presented similar proportions of two or more comorbidities (sCoV: 85.8% vs. COVID-19: 81.6%). More patients with COVID-19 presented with severe disease (78.4% vs. 67.9%), sepsis (36.3% vs. 20.5%), and developed ARDS (15.8% vs. 2.6%) compared to patients with sCoV infection. Patients with COVID-19 had an almost 4-fold increased risk of in-hospital death than patients with sCoV infection (OR 3.86, CI1.99 – 7.49; p <.001). Conclusion: Hospitalized patients with COVID-19 had similar demographics and baseline characteristics to hospitalized patients with sCoV infection; however, patients with COVID-19 presented with higher disease severity, had a higher case fatality rate, and increased risk of death than patients with sCoV.