bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Highly sensitive biomarker biosensor for early detection of cancer biomarkers
Authors: Upponi Jaydev , Musacchio Tiziana , Siavoshi Salome , Malima Asanterabi , Yilmaz Cihan , Hartner William C. , Levchenko Tatyana , Somu Sivasubramanian , Torchilin Vladimir P. , Busnaina Ahmed
Published: February 2021

Biomarkers are emerging as potentially important diagnostic tools for cancer and many other diseases. However, many current detection systems for suffer from insufficient sensitivity. To address this concern, we developed a highly sensitive biosensor, featuring monoclonal antibody-coated polystyrene nanobeads assembled in the trenches of a microchip, for the detection of cancer biomarkers. These biosensors detected nucleosomes and carcinoembryonic antigen in serum at concentrations of 62.5 and 15.6 pg/mL, respectively. Very low detection limits that suggest such devices might be beneficial for the early detection of tumors and for monitoring of patients in remission.
Using a new HSPC aging model in vitro to explore the mechanism of cellular memory in aging HSPCs
Authors: Dong Yongpin , Li Wenfang , Zhou Wuxiong , Zhang Lina
Published: February 2021

Age-associated changes attenuate human blood system functionality through the aging of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). Hematopoietic aging is manifested in human populations in the form of an increase in myeloproliferative disease,therefore, study on hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) senescence bears great significance to treat hematopoietic associated disease. However, the mechanism of HSPC aging is lacking, especially cellular memory mechanism. Here, we not only reported a new HSPC aging model in vitro, but also propose and verify the cellular memory mechanism of HSPC aging of Polycomb/Trithorax system. In this model cells, the senescence-related β-gal activity, cell cycle, colony-forming ability, aging-related cell morphology and metabolic pathway are significantly changed compare to the young group. Furthermore, we found the model HSPCs have more obvious aging manifestation than those of natural mice and IL3 is the major factor contributing to HSPC aging in the model. We also observed dramatically changes in the expression level of PRC/TrxG complexes. We further identified downstream molecules of PRC/TrxG complexes,Uhrf1 and TopII, which were found to play a critical role in HSPC aging based on the HSPC aging model. So, these findings proposed a new aging HSPC model in vitro which we forecasted could be used to preliminary screen the drugs of the HSPC aging related hemopathy and suggested cellular memory mechanism of HSPC aging.
Precise engineering of ultrasound-mediated cerium oxide nanoparticles: Investigations on antioxidant, antibacterial activity and human osteomyelitis
Authors: Dai Xiusong , Wang Xiaopan , Chen Xiaotian , Ye Longfei , Wu Min
Published: February 2021

In this study, the antibacterial activity of cerium oxide nanoparticles on two Gram-negative and three Gram-positive foodborne pathogens was investigated. CeO2 nanoparticles (CeO2 NPs) were synthesized by a Wet Chemical Synthesis route, using the precipitation method and the Simultaneous Addition of reactants (WCS–SimAdd). The as-obtained precursor powders were investigated by thermal analysis (TG–DTA), to study their decomposition process and to understand the CeO2 NPs formation. The composition, structure, and morphology of the thermally treated sample were investigated by FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, TEM, and DLS. The cubic structure and average particle size ranging between 5 and 15 nm were evidenced. Optical absorption measurements (UV–Vis) reveal that the band gap of CeO2 NPs is 2.61 eV, which is smaller than the band gap of bulk ceria. The antioxidant effect of CeO2 NPs was determined, and the antibacterial test was carried out both in liquid and on solid growth media against five pathogenic microorganisms, namely Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus cereus. Cerium oxide nanoparticles showed growth inhibition toward all five pathogens tested with notable results. This paper highlights the CeO2 NPs showed antibacterial activity with significant variations due to the differences in the membrane structure and cell wall composition among the two groups tested. Consequently, synthesized CeO2 NPs can be potential candidates for the treatment of osteomyelitis.
Survival Outcomes of In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in Pediatric Patients in the United States
Authors: Hamzah Mohammed , Othman Hasan F. , Almasri Murad , Al-Subu Awni , Lutfi Riad
Published: February 2021

We report on in-hospital cardiac arrest outcomes in the United States. The data were obtained from the National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample datasets for the years 2000–2017, which includes data from participating hospitals in 47 US states and the District of Columbia. We included pediatric patients (< 18 years of age) with cardiac arrest and we excluded patients with no cardiopulmonary resuscitation during the hospitalization. Primary outcome of the study was in-hospital mortality after cardiac arrest. A multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with survival. A total of 20,654 patients were identified, 8226 (39.82%) patients survived to discharge. The median length of stay and cost of hospitalization were significantly higher in the survivors vs. Non- survivors (LOS 18 days vs. 1 day, and cost $187,434 vs. $45,811, respectively, p < 0.001). In a multivariable model, patients admitted to teaching hospitals, elective admissions and those admitted on weekdays had higher survival (aOR=1.19, CI: 1.06–1.33, aOR=2.65, CI: 2.37–2.97 and aOR=1.17, CI: 1.07–1.27, respectively). Acute renal failure was associated with decrease in survival (aOR=0.66, CI: 0.60–0.73). There was no difference in mortality between patients with Extracorporeal CardioPulmonary Resuscitation (E-CPR) and those with conventional CardioPulmonary Resuscitation. E-CPR patients were likely to have congenital heart surgery (51.0% vs. 20.8%). In conclusion, we highlighted the survival predictors in these events, which can guide future studies aimed at improving outcomes in pediatric cardiac arrest.
Can a Quantitative Assessment of SARS-CoV-2 PCR Predict Degree of Severity and Outcomes in Critical Care Patients with COVID-19
Authors: Stonham Rosalind , Monck Chantelle , Orchard Laurence , Baker Laurence , Ahmad-Saeed Nusreen , Friar Simon , Samaraweera Buddhini , Mahanama Adhyana , Pelosi Emanuela , Wilson-Davies Eleri , Dushianathan Ahilanadan , Saeed Kordo
Published: February 2021

Real-Time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is the gold standard diagnostic method for acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. Cycle threshold (Ct) is defined as the number of heating and cooling cycles required during the PCR process. Ct-values are inversely proportional to the amount of target nucleic acid in a sample. Our aim in this retrospective study was to determine the impact of serial SARS-CoV-2 qPCR Ct-values, among critically ill COVID-19 patients both prior and during intensive care unit (ICU) stay, on: mortality, need for mechanical ventilation (MV) and development of acute kidney injury (AKI). There was a continuous increment in Ct-values over the ICU stay from 1st-week through to 3rd-week. Although not significant, lower ICU 1st-week Ct-values were associated with Black ethnicity, increased need for MV and mortality. However, patients who had developed AKI at any stage of their illness had significantly lower Ct-values compared to those with normal renal function. When ICU 1st-week Ct-values are subcategorised as <20, 20-30 and >30 the 28-day survival probability was less for patients with Ct-values of <20.To our knowledge this is the first report showing the impact of Ct-values and outcomes, especially AKI, among patients at different time point’s prior to and during ICU stay.
Bi2S3 and MoS2 Soft Coatings: A Comparative Study of Their Frictional Behavior Under Different Humidity Levels, Contact Stresses, and Sliding Speeds
Authors: Pilotti Bruno A. , Prieto Germán , Juan Alfredo , Faccio Ricardo , Broitman Esteban , Dennehy Mariana , Tuckart Walter
Published: February 2021

Bi2S3 is a promising solid lubricant for demanding applications, such as oil extraction, heavy mining, and aerospace components. However, so far its tribological behavior has not been studied in depth. Bi2S3 soft coatings were evaluated utilizing reciprocating sliding tests under different levels of relative humidity level, contact stress, and sliding speed and the results were benchmarked against MoS2 coatings. In addition, ab initio calculations using density functional theory modeling were employed for studying the interaction between the sulfides and the steel substrates and the effect of water intercalation at an atomic level. It was found that Bi2S3 presents excellent environmental adaptability and substrate protection over a wide range of testing conditions, thanks to its characteristic crystal structure.
Revealing the Composition of the Eukaryotic Microbiome of Oyster Spat by CRISPR-Cas Selective Amplicon Sequencing (CCSAS)
Authors: Zhong Kevin Xu , Cho Anna , Deeg Christophe M. , Chan Amy M. , Suttle Curtis A.
Published: February 2021

BackgroundThe microbiome affects the health of plants and animals, including humans, and has many biological, ecological and evolutionary consequences. Microbiome studies typically rely on sequencing ribosomal 16S RNA gene fragments, which serve as taxonomic markers for prokaryotic communities; however, for eukaryotic microbes this approach is compromised, because 18S rRNA gene sequences from microbial eukaryotes are swamped by contaminating host rRNA gene sequences. ResultsTo overcome this problem, we developed CRISPR-Cas Selective Amplicon Sequencing (CCSAS), a high-resolution and efficient approach for characterizing eukaryotic microbiomes. CCSAS uses taxon-specific single-guide RNA (sgRNA) to direct Cas9 to cut 18S rRNA gene sequences of the host, while leaving protistan and fungal sequences intact. We validated the specificity of the sgRNA on ten model organisms and an artificially constructed (mock) community of nine protistan and fungal pathogens. The results showed that >96.5% of host rRNA gene amplicons were cleaved, while 18S rRNA gene sequences from protists and fungi were unaffected. When used to assess the eukaryotic microbiome of oyster spat from a hatchery, CCSAS revealed a diverse community of eukaryotic microbes, typically with much less contamination from oyster 18S rRNA gene sequences than other methods using non-metazoan or blocking primers. However, each method revealed taxonomic groups that were not detected using the other methods, showing that a single approach is unlikely to uncover the entire eukaryotic microbiome in complex communities. To facilitate the application of CCSAS, we designed taxon-specific sgRNA for ~16,000 metazoan and plant taxa, making CCSAS widely available for characterizing eukaryotic microbiomes that have largely been neglected. ConclusionCCSAS provides a high-through-put and cost-effective approach for resolving the eukaryotic microbiome of metazoa and plants with minimal contamination from host 18S rRNA gene sequences. Keywords: Eukaryotic microbiome, 18S rRNA gene, Microeukaryote, CRISPR-Cas, Taxon-specific single-guide RNA, gRNA-target-site, CasOligo, CCSAS
Clinical study on the effect of multifocal contact lenses on myopia progression in myopia school children
Authors: Hieda Osamu , Nakamura Yo , Hiraoka Takahiro , Kojima Miho , Oshika Tesuro , Sotozono Chie
Published: February 2021

Background: The efficacy of peripheral low add multifocal soft contact lenses for suppressing the progression of myopia is controversial. The aim of the on-going present clinical study is to investigate whether or not multifocal soft contact lenses with +0.50 D addition suppress the progression of myopia in myopic elementary school children.Design: Prospective randomized controlled trialSubjects and Methods: The study plans to include a total of 100 myopic school children. Target subjects are primary school male and female students with mild to moderate myopia. Children, who have eye related diseases other than myopia, are excluded from the study because they may affect the evaluation of the outcome. Subjects will be randomly assigned to wear daily disposable multifocal contact lenses with +0.50 D addition or daily disposable soft contact lenses. Subjects will wear contact lenses on both eyes and will be observed for two years under double-masked. Primary outcome is a change in the axial length over the two-year period. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to identify whether or not multifocal soft contact lenses with +0.5D addition suppress the progression of myopia in myopic elementary school children as compared with standard soft contact lenses.
Genetic Differentiation and Phylogeography of Rotifer Polyarthra Dolichoptera and P. Vulgaris Complexes Between Southern China and Eastern North America: High Intercontinental Differences
Authors: Liang Diwen , McManus George , Wang Qing , Sun Xian , Liu Zhiwei , Lin Senjie , Yang Yufeng
Published: February 2021

Genetic differentiations and phylogeographical patterns of small organisms may be shaped by spatial isolation, environmental gradients and gene flow. However, knowledge about genetic differentiation of rotifers on intercontinental gradient is still limited. Polyarthra dolichoptera and P. vulgaris are cosmopolitan rotifers and tolerant to environmental changes, offering an excellent model to address the research gap. Here, we investigated the populations in Southern China and eastern North America, and evaluated the phylogeographical patterns from their geographical range sizes, geographic-genetic distance relationships and their response to spatial-environmental factors. Using mitichondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene as the DNA marker, we analyzed a total of 170 individuals. At least 24 putative cryptic species, including 20 of P. dolichoptera and 4 of P. vulgaris were detected based on three delimitation methods. Our results showed that some cryptic species were widely distributed but most of them were limited to single areas. The divergence of P. dolichoptera and P. vulgaris complexes indicated that gene flow between continents was limited while that within each continent was stronger. Furthermore, on the intercontinental scale spatial distance had a stronger influence than physicochemical variables on the genetic differentiations of P. dolichoptera and P. vulgaris complexes. However, the relationship between genetic distance and geographic distance was not continuously linear and the P. dolichoptera data best fitted the power-law model. This might be due to the effects of habitat heterogeneity, long-distance colonization and oceanographic barriers. Outliers above the correlation line between geographic distance and genetic distance suggest a significant dispersal barrier on large geographic scales studies.
Your Pain Is Not My Gain: How the in-utero Experience of Piglets Born From Sows With Lameness Shapes Their Life Trajectory
Authors: Sarmiento Marisol Parada , Bernardino Thiago , Tatemoto Patricia , Polo Gina , Zanella Adroaldo José
Published: February 2021

Experiences during gestation can alter the mother’s behavior and physiology, affecting the development of the offspring, including the organization of their brains and emotional system. In livestock, one common challenge for pregnant animals is lameness: a multifactorial condition that causes pain, stress, and compromises welfare. Since pain experienced during gestation can affect offspring development, we aimed to quantify the emotional outcomes of 156 piglets born from sows with lameness during pregnancy. Gait scores of 22 pregnant group-housed sows were assessed six times at two-week intervals. Lameness scores varied from 0 (no lameness) to 5 (most severe lameness score). Saliva samples and behavior were assessed in the sows throughout the pregnancy. Sows were moved to individual farrowing pens and placental tissue was collected for glucocorticoids assessment. At 28 days of age, piglets were weaned, weighed, and grouped by body size and sex. Skin lesions were counted in each piglet on days 28, 29, and 30 after birth. During open field and novel object tests the vocalization and activity levels were evaluated. Piglet data were grouped by the lameness score of the sows as G1 (lameness score 0-1), G2 (lameness score 2-3), and G3 (lameness score 4-5). Data analysis included ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis tests and pairwise comparisons were performed using Tukey and Kramer (Nemenyi) test with Tukey-Dist approximation for independent samples. G2 piglets were heavier than G3 at weaning. G1 piglets had fewer skin lesions at days 28 and 29 than G2 piglets. Moreover, G1 piglets vocalized more than G2 when they were subjected to the combined open field and novel object test. We did not identify differences in the concentration of placental or salivary glucocorticoids among the sampled sows showing different lameness scores. Lameness in pregnant sows has negative effects on the offspring, affecting weight gain, increasing aggressiveness, altering vocalization during an open field, and novel object tests in piglets.
Paradigms and Paradoxes: The Ionization Potential of Atomic Astatine (Z =85), Polonium (Z = 84) and some other Elements: What Does This Value Tell Us About the Energetics of Atomic and Diatomic Halogens
Authors: Ponikvar-Svet Maja , Edwards Kathleen F. , Liebman Joel F.
Published: February 2021

The ionization potential of atomic astatine is discussed and compared with that of polonium and the other halogens. Some surprises remain.
Doxycycline Injection Treatment for Unicameral Bone Cysts: a Case Series
Authors: Albert Andrew , Squiers Monte , Poole Eric E. , Hartley Bennett W. , Phillips Maxwell V. , Cassidy Jeffrey , MacFarlane Jarrod , Steensma Matthew R.
Published: February 2021

Background: Unicameral bone cysts (UBCs) are frequently associated with pathologic fracture due to aggressive osteolysis. Methods/Results: We present a case series (n=5) with complex or refractory bone cysts treated with doxycycline injections that exhibited increased ossification and symptom resolution at short term follow up with minimal side effects. Conclusions: In addition to its antibiotic properties, doxycycline is also known to inhibit matrix metalloproteinases, angiogenesis, and osteoclast activity suggesting that UBCs are dependent on MMP, VEGF or RANKL-mediated osteolysis. Further investigation is warranted regarding the use of doxycycline injections in UBCs.
Start-Online: Acceptability And Feasibility Of An Online Intervention For Carers Of People Living With Dementia
Authors: Loi Samantha M , Tropea Joanne , Gaffy Ellen , Panayiotou Anita , Capon Hannah , Chiang Jodi , Bryant Christina , Doyle Colleen , Kelly Michelle , Livingston Gill , Dow Briony
Published: February 2021

Background: With increasing numbers of people living with dementia relying on family to care for them at home, there is an urgent need for practical and evidence-based programs to support carers in maintaining their mental health and well-being. The objective of this study was to evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of a modified STrAtegies for RelaTives (START) program delivered online (START-online). Method: A mixed methods non-blinded evaluation of START-online (using Zoom as videoconferencing platform) for acceptability and feasibility (completion rates and qualitative feedback through surveys and focus groups) and quantitative evaluation. This occurred at the National Ageing Research Institute, in metropolitan Victoria, Australia.Results: Twenty-nine eligible carers were referred, 20 (70%) consented to the study. Of these 16 (80%) completed all eight sessions, two completed only three sessions, and two withdrew. Carers’ qualitative feedback indicated that the therapist interaction was valued, content and online delivery of the program was acceptable. Feedback was mixed on the appropriate stage of caring. Conclusion: START-online was feasible and acceptable for carers, including those living outside of metropolitan areas who might otherwise be unable to access face-to-face programs. With the recent COVID-19 pandemic necessitating social distancing to avoid infection, interventions such as this one have increasing relevance in the provision of flexible services.
Method of Computing Direction-dependent Margins for the Development of Consensus Contouring Guidelines
Authors: Lawrence Liam S. P. , Chin Lee , Chan Rachel W. , Nguyen Timothy K. , Sahgal Arjun , Tseng Chia-Lin , Lau Angus Z.
Published: February 2021

Background: Clinical target volume (CTV) contouring guidelines are frequently developed through studies in which experts contour the CTV for a representative set of cases for a given treatment site and the consensus CTVs are analyzed to generate margin recommendations. Measures of interobserver variability are used to quantify agreement between experts. In cases where an isotropic margin is not appropriate, however, there is no standard method to compute margins in specified directions that represent possible routes of tumor spread. Moreover, interobserver variability metrics are often measures of volume overlap that do not account for the dependence of disagreement on direction. To aid in the development of consensus contouring guidelines, this study demonstrates a novel method of quantifying CTV margins and interobserver variability in clinician-specified directions.Methods: The proposed algorithm was applied to 11 cases of non-spine bone metastases to compute the consensus CTV margin in each direction of intraosseous and extraosseous disease. The median over all cases for each route of spread yielded the recommended margins. The disagreement between experts on the CTV margin was quantified by computing the median of the coefficients of variation for intraosseous and extraosseous margins.Results: The recommended intraosseous and extraosseous margins were 7.0 mm and 8.0 mm, respectively. The median coefficient of variation quantifying the margin disagreement between experts was 0.59 and 0.48 for intraosseous and extraosseous disease.Conclusions: The proposed algorithm permits the generation of margin recommendations in relation to adjacent anatomy and quantifies interobserver variability in specified directions. This method can be applied to future consensus CTV contouring studies.
Comparative Assessment of LDL-C and VLDL-C Estimation in Familial Combined Hyperlipidemia using Sampson’s, Martin’s and Friedewald’s Equations.
Authors: Vargas-Vázquez Arsenio , Bello-Chavolla Omar , Antonio-Villa Neftali Eduardo , Mehta Roopa , Cruz-Bautista Ivette , Aguilar-Salinas Carlos A.
Published: February 2021

Background: Sampson et al developed a novel method to estimate very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in the setting of hypertriglyceridemia. Familial Combined Hyperlipidemia (FCHL) is a common primary dyslipidemia in which lipoprotein composition interferes with LDL-C estimation. This study aimed to evaluate performance of LDL-C using this new method (LDL-S) compared with LDL-C estimated by Friedewald’s and Martin equation (LDL-F, LDL-M) in FCHL.Methods: Data were collected from 340 subjects with confirmed FCHL. Concordance for VLDL-C measured by ultracentrifugation and LDL-C estimated using these measures compared to Sampson’s, Martin’s and Friedewald’s equations was performed using correlation coefficients, root mean squared error (RMSE) and bias. We also assessed concordance of misclassified metrics according to LDL-C (<70 and <100mg/dL) and ApoB (<80 and <65mg/dL) thresholds.Results: Sampson’s equation was more accurate (RMSE 11.21 mg/dL; R2=0.88) compared to Martin’s (RMSE 13.15 mg/dL; R2=0.875) and the Friedewald equation (RMSE 13.7 mg/dL; R2= 0.869). When assessing performance according to LDL-C, Sampson’s had highest correlation and lowest RMSE compared to other equations (RMSE 19.99 mg/dL; R2=0.840). Comparing performance strength across triglyceride levels, Sampson’s showed consistently improved correlations compared to Martin’s and Friedewald’s formulas for increasing triglycerides and for the FCHL phenotype of mixed dyslipidemia. Sampson’s also had improved concordance with treatment goals.Conclusions: In FCHL, VLDL-C and LDL-C estimation using Sampson’s formula showed higher concordance with lipid targets assessed using VLDL-C obtained by ultracentrifugation compared with Friedewald’s and Martin’s equations. Implementation of Sampson’s formula could improve treatment monitoring in FCHL.
Unsupervised Outlier Detection in Multidimensional Data
Authors: Rehman Atiq , Belhaouari Samir Brahim
Published: February 2021

Detection and removal of outliers in a dataset is a fundamental preprocessing task without which the analysis of the data can be misleading. Furthermore, the existence of anomalies in the data can heavily degrade the performance of machine learning algorithms. In order to detect the anomalies in a dataset in an unsupervised manner, some novel statistical techniques are proposed in this paper. The proposed techniques are based on statistical methods considering data compactness and other properties. The newly proposed ideas are found efficient in terms of performance, ease of implementation, and computational complexity. Furthermore, two proposed techniques presented in this paper use only a single dimensional distance vector to detect the outliers, so irrespective of the data’s high dimensions, the techniques remain computationally inexpensive and feasible. Comprehensive performance analysis of the proposed anomaly detection schemes is presented in the paper, and the newly proposed schemes are found better than the state-of-the-art methods when tested on several benchmark datasets.
Body Composition Analysis in Septic Shock Patients Receiving Protocol-Driven Resuscitation Bundle Therapy: A Prospective Observational Study
Authors: Chae Bora , Shin Yo Sep , Hong Seok-In , Kim Sang Min , Kim Youn-Jung , Ryoo Seung Mok , Kim Won Young
Published: February 2021

Background: Bio-electrical impedance analysis (BIA) is a rapid, simple, and noninvasive tool for assessing volume status in various diseases. Body composition analysis using BIA may identify factors associated with poor outcomes in critically ill patients. Little is known, however, about the relationship between the results of body composition analysis in the emergency department (ED) and mortality in septic shock patients.Objectives: This study assessed the association between parameters identified by body composition analysis and mortality in patients with septic shock who underwent protocol-driven resuscitation bundle therapy in the ED.Methods: Data were prospectively collected on adult patients with septic shock who underwent protocol-driven resuscitation bundle therapy between December 2019 and December 2020. Body composition was determined in the ED using BIA with the patient in the supine position. Septic shock was defined by sepsis-3 criteria, and the primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Results: The study included 218 patients, of whom 58 (26.6%) died within 30 days. The mean time from ED admission to the measurement of body composition was 5.4 hours. The average ratio of extracellular water (ECW) to total body water (TBW) was significantly higher in non-survivors than in survivors (0.412 vs. 0.400, p=0.001). The optimal ECW/TBW cutoff for predicting 30-day mortality was 0.40, with mortality rates being significantly higher in patients with ECW/TBW >0.4 than in patients with ECW/TBW≦0.4 (37.8% vs. 17.5%, p=0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that ECW/TBW >0.4 (odds ratio [OR], 2.11; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05–4.23, p = 0.036), active cancer (OR, 2.39; 95% CI, 1.06–5.38, p=0.036), prothrombin time (OR, 2.77; 95% CI, 1.29–5.93, p=0.009), and initial lactate level (OR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.03–1.28, p=0.010) were significantly associated with 30-day mortality.Conclusions: The ECW/TBW>0.40 is the only body composition parameter associated with 30-day mortality in patients with septic shock.
Piezophototronic Solar cell based on Third Generation Semiconductor Materials
Authors: GYAN MICHAEL , Parbey Joseph , BOTCHWEY FRANCIS
Published: February 2021

By applying the outward uniform strain on the non-centrosymmetric piezoelectric semiconductor, the polarization charges on the material surface are induced. Polarization charges are often generated within the crystals provided that the applied strain is non-uniform. The strain applied has an effect on electronic transport and can be utilized to modulate the properties of the material. The effect of multiway coupling between piezoelectricity, semiconductor transport properties, and photoexcitation results in piezo-phototronic effects. Recent studies have shown the piezoelectric and semiconductor properties of third-generation semiconductors have been used in photodetectors, LEDs, and nanogenerators. The third-generation piezoelectric semiconductor can be used in high-performance photovoltaic cells. A third-generation piezo-phototronic solar cell material is theoretically explored in this manuscript on the basis of a GaN metal-semiconductor interaction. This study aims to determine the effects of piezoelectric polarization on the electrical performance characteristics of this solar cell material. Performance parameters such as Power Conversion Efficiency, Fill Factors, I-V Characteristics, Open Circuit Voltage, and Maximum Output Power have been evaluated. The piezophototronic effect can enhance the open-circuit current voltage by 5.5 percent with an externally applied strain by 0.9 percent. The study will open a new window for the next generation of high-performance piezo-phototronic effects.
Comparisons of Clinical Outcomes in Patients Transferred to Combined Therapy with Peritoneal Dialysis and Hemodialysis over those Directly Transferred to Hemodialysis: A Prospective Multicenter Study in Japan
Authors: Maruyama Yukio , Yokoyama Keitaro , Higuchi Chieko , Sanaka Tsutomu , Tanaka Yoshihide , Sakai Ken , Kanno Yoshihiko , Ryuzaki Munekazu , Sakurada Tsutomu , Hosoya Tatsuo , Nakayama Masaaki
Published: February 2021

Background. Combined therapy with peritoneal dialysis (PD) and hemodialysis (HD) represents a treatment option for PD patients who cannot maintain adequacy of dialysis. Although several reports have indicated the clinical utility of combined therapy, most such studies have been small-scale, single-centered, retrospective and before-and-after test investigations lacking a control group. Methods. We conducted a prospective, multicenter, observational cohort study of 176 incident PD patients and compared patient survival and time-course changes in clinical parameters between patients switched from PD alone to combined therapy and patients switched directly to HD. Results. During a median follow-up of 41 months, 47 patients transferred to combined therapy and 35 patients transferred directly to HD. Among patients transferred to combined therapy, 66% transferred because of inadequate dialysis, and/or fluid overload, compared to only 29% among patients directly transferred to HD. Five patients died after transfer to HD alone, whereas 1 patient died after transfer to combined therapy. Although mortality was greater among patients transferred to HD directly than among patients transferred to combined therapy, this difference disappeared after matching for fluid overload and/or inadequate dialysis.Conclusion. This is the first report comparing clinical outcomes for patients on PD alone transferred to combined therapy with those for patients directly transferred to HD. Although comparison of patient survival was difficult because of the small number of deaths, PD patients suffering from inadequate dialysis and/or volume overload could clearly continue PD therapy safely by switching to combined therapy. Further study with a larger number of outcomes is needed.
Plant viral vectors: Expanding the Possibilities of Precise Gene Editing in Plant Genomes
Authors: Kujur Stuti , Senthil-Kumar Muthappa , Kumar Rahul
Published: February 2021

The lack of a highly efficient method for delivering reagents for genome engineering to plant cells remains a bottleneck in achieving efficient gene-editing in plant genomes. A suite of recent reports uncovers the newly emerged roles of viral vectors, which can introduce gene-edits in plants with high mutation frequencies through in planta delivery. Here, we focus on the emerging protocols that utilized different approaches for virus-mediated genome editing in model plants. Testing of these protocols and the newly identified hypercompact Casɸ systems is needed to broaden the scope of genome-editing in most plant species, including crops, with minimized reliance on conventional plant transformation methods in the future.
Evaluation of essential and non-essential elemental composition of commonly used medicinal plants from district Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Authors: malook khan , Haque Ihsan Ul
Published: February 2021

This study illustrates a profile of some essential and non-essential elements (Na, K, Mg, Ca, Cu, Zn, Mn, Fe, Pb, Cr, Cd, Co, Al and Sn) in the aerial parts of six medicinal plants i.e Coriandrum sativum (P-1), Mentha spicata (P-2), Papaver somniferum (P-3), Calotropis gigantean (P-4), Withania coagulans (P-5) and Fagonia arabica (P-6) widely consumed in district Peshawar, the capital city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The samples were converted into liquid state via wet digestion method and analyzed for elemental composition by using atomic absorption spectrometry. After determining the concentration, hazard quotient (HQ) was calculated for the elements having available maximum permissible limit set by FAO/WHO or any other agency for 50 mg daily intake of the herbal plants by a person of body mass 70 kg. K/Na ratio for the studied plants varied between 14.88:1 and 113.75:1 which was in agreement with the reported permissible range. The amount of Mg, Ca, Cu and Co was within the permissible limit in all the enlisted plants. However, the HQ value for Mg and Ca was greater than the safe limit for some of the plants. The concentration and HQ value of Zn, Mn, Fe, Pb, Cr and Cd was beyond the permissible and unsafe limits for almost all the plants. This study suggests that the plants of this area must be pretreated for lessening the concentration of some elements before consumption.
A Randomized Clinical Trial Using Cyclopentolate and Tropiacmide to Compare Cycloplegic Refractions in Chinese Young Adults
Authors: Pei Ruxia , Liu Zhuzhu , Rong Hua , Zhao Liqiong , Du Bei , Jin Nan , Zhang Hongmei , Wang Biying , Pang Yi , Wei Ruihua
Published: February 2021

Background: To evaluate the necessity of cycloplegia for epidemiological studies of refraction in Chinese young adults (aged 17-22 years) with dark irises, and to compare the cycloplegic effects of 1% cyclopentolate and 0.5% tropicamide in them. Methods: A total of 300 young adults (108 males and 192 females) aged 17 to 22 years ( mean 19.03±1.01 ) were recruited from Tianjin Medical University from November 2019 to January 2020. Participants were randomly divided into two groups. In the cyclopentolate group, two drops of 1% cyclopentolate eye drop were administrated (one drop every 5 min), followed by autorefraction and subjective refraction 30 to 45 min later. In the tropicamide group, four drops of 1% Mydrin P (Tropicamide 0.5%, phenylephrine HCl 0.5%) eye drop were given (one drop every 5 min), followed by autorefraction and subjective refraction 20 to 30 min later. The participants and the examiners were masked to the medication. Distance visual acuity, intraocular pressure (IOP), non-cycloplegic and cycloplegic autorefraction (Topcon KR-800, Topcon Co. Tokyo, Japan), non-cycloplegic and cycloplegic subjective refraction and ocular biometry (Lenstar LS-900) were performed.Results: The values of spherical equivalent (SE) and sphere component were significantly different before and after cycloplegia in the cyclopentolate group and the tropicamide group (p<0.05). The mean difference between noncycloplegic and cycloplegic autorefraction SE was 0.39 D (±0.66 D) in the cyclopentolate group and 0.39 D (±0.34 D) in the tropicamide group. There was no significant difference in the change of SE and sphere component after cycloplegia between the cyclopentolate group and the tropicamide group (p>0.05). In each group, no significant difference was found between autorefraction and subjective refraction after cycloplegia (p>0.05). We also found that more positive or less negative cycloplegic refraction was associated with the higher difference in SE in each group.Conclusions: Cycloplegic refractions were generally more positive or less negative than non-cycloplegic refractions. It is necessary to perform cycloplegia for Chinese young adults with dark irises to obtain accurate refractive errors. We suggest that cycloplegic autorefraction using tropicamide may be considered as a reliable method for epidemiological studies of refraction in Chinese young adults with dark irises.
Development of an Early Prediction Model for Postoperative Delirium in Neurosurgical Patients Admitted to the ICU after Elective Craniotomy (E-PREPOD-NS): A Secondary Analysis of A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Huang Hua-Wei , Zhang Guo-Bin , Li Hao-Yi , Wang Chun-Mei , Wang Yu-Mei , Sun Xiu-Mei , Chen Jing-Ran , Chen Guang-Qiang , Xu Ming , Zhou Jian-Xin
Published: February 2021

Background: Postoperative delirium (POD) is a significant clinical problem in neurosurgical patients after intracranial surgery. Identification of high-risk patients may optimise individual perioperative management, but an adequate and simple risk model for use at super early phase after operation has not been developed.Methods: Adult patients were admitted to the ICU after elective intracranial surgery under general anaesthesia. The POD was diagnosed as Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU positive on postoperative day 1 to 3. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to develop the early prediction model (E-PREPOD-NS) and the final model was validated with 200 bootstrap samples.Results: Among 800 patients included in the study, POD occurred in 157 cases (19.6%). We identified nine variables independently associated with POD in the final E-PREPOD-NS model: age > 65 years [odds ratio (OR) = 3.336, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.765-6.305, 1 risk score point], education level < 9 years (OR = 2.528, 95% CI = 1.446-4.419, 1 point), history of smoking (OR = 2.582, 95% CI = 1.611-4.140, 1 point), history of diabetes (OR = 2.541, 95% CI = 1.201-5.377, 1 point), supra-tentorial lesions (OR = 3.424, 95% CI = 2.021-5.802, 1 point), anesthesia duration > 360 min (OR = 1.686, 95% CI = 1.062-2.674, 0.5 point), GCS <9 at ICU admission (OR = 6.059, 95% CI = 3.789-9.690, 1.5 points), metabolic acidosis (OR = 13.903, 95% CI = 6.248-30.938, 2.5 points), and positioning of neurosurgical drainage tube (OR = 1.924, 95% CI = 1.132-3.269, 0.5 point). The area under the receiver operator curve (AUROC) of the risk score for prediction of POD was 0.865 (95% CI = 0.835-0.895). After internal validation by bootstrap, the AUROC was 0.851 (95% CI = 0.791-0.912). The model showed good calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow P = 0.593).Conclusions: The E-PREPOD-NS model based on nine perioperative risk factors can predict POD in patients admitted to the ICU after elective intracranial surgery with fairly good accuracy. External validation is needed before use in clinical practice.
Clinical Relevance of Covid-19 in the Second Half of Pregnancy
Authors: RUGGIERO Marta , Somigliana Edgardo , TASSIS Beatrice , PIANI Letizia LI , Renteria Sara Uceda , BARBARA Giussy , LUNGHI Giovanna , FERRAZZI Enrico
Published: February 2021

Background: Evidence on the outcome of Covid-19 in pregnancy is generally reassuring but yet not definitive. Methods: To specifically assess the impact of Covid-19 in the second half of pregnancy, we prospectively recruited 315 consecutive women delivering in a referral hospital located in Lombardy, Italy in the early phase of the epidemic. Restriction of the recruitment to this peculiar historical time period allowed to exclude infections occurring early in pregnancy and to limit the recall bias. All recruited subjects underwent a nasopharyngeal swab to assess the presence of Sars-Cov-2 using Real-time PCR. In addition, two different types of antibodies for the virus were evaluated in peripheral blood, those against the spike proteins S1 and S2 of the envelope and those against the nucleoprotein of the nucleocapsid. Women were considered to have had Covid-19 in pregnancy if at least one of the three assessments was positive. Results: Overall, 28 women had a diagnosis of Covid-19 in pregnancy (8.9%). Women diagnosed with the infection were more likely to report one or more episodes of symptoms suggestive for Covid-19 (n=11, 39.3%) compared to unaffected women (n=39, 13.6%). The corresponding OR was 4.11 (95%CI: 1.79-9.44). Symptoms significantly associated with Covid-19 in pregnancy included fever, cough, dyspnea and anosmia. Only one woman necessitated intensive care. Pregnancy outcome in women with and without Covid-19 did not also differ. Conclusions: Covid-19 is asymptomatic in three out of five women in the second half of pregnancy and is rarely severe. In addition, pregnancy outcome may not be significantly affected.
Changes in the Incidence of Birth Defects in Sichuan Province, Southwest China from 2006 to 2019: A Retrospective Analysis Based on Hospital Birth Defect Monitoring
Authors: Zhou Tianjin , Liu Weixin , Zhao Ziling , Zhang Gang , Liu Jingtao , He Linkun , Luo Min , su bingzhong
Published: February 2021

Background: As a province with a large population in Southwest China, Sichuan has a relatively high incidence of birth defects (BDs), but the current status and characteristics of BDs are unclear. This study aimed to analyse the changing trends of BDs in the past 14 years and propose countermeasures.Methods: Data were obtained from the Sichuan Provincial Birth Defects Hospital Surveillance Network (SPBDHSN); the surveillance objects were perinatal infants (PIs) and BD infants who were hospitalized in the surveillance hospital from 2006 to 2019. SPSS 22.0 software was used for relevant statistics and analysis; descriptive and chi-square test analyses were used to calculate the incidence of BDs in the whole province, region of the mother, sex of the baby and maternal age.Results: From 2006 to 2019, 1,799,914 PI cases were monitored, and 26,797 newborns were diagnosed with BDs. The average incidence of BDs was 148.88 per 10,000 births. The average incidence of BDs based on region (urban, rural) and sex (male, female) was 237.01, 87.6, 166.4, and 129.63 per 10,000 births, respectively. The average rates of birth defects for maternal age (<20, 20-25, 25-30, 30-35, >35 years) were 142.77, 133.01, 147.96, 170.39 and 180.37 per 10,000, respectively. P values according to the chi-square test for the incidence of BDs by region, sex of the baby, and maternal age were all less than 0.01, with significant differences. The incidence of BDs in the province varied from year to year, with the first deformity gradually transitioning from body surface deformity to visceral deformity.Conclusions: The prevention and treatment of BDs in Sichuan has achieved remarkable results, and the incidence of birth defects has begun to show a downward trend in recent years. However, due to the imbalance of economic and social development between regions in the province, the prevention and treatment of birth defects still faces huge challenges.
Isolation and Identification of Exosomes from Feline Plasma, Urine and Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Authors: Li Dongsheng , Luo Huina , Ruan Huimin , Chen Zhisheng , Chen Shengfeng , Wang Bingyun , Xie Yong
Published: February 2021

Background: Exosomes, internal proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids coated by phospholipid bilayer membranes, are one type of small extracellular vesicles, which can mediate cell-cell communication. In recent years, exosomes have gained considerable scientific interest due to their widely applied prospect in the diagnosis and therapeutics of human and animal diseases. In this study, we describe for the first time a feasible method designed to isolate and characterize exosomes from feline plasma, urine and adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells. Results: Exosomes from feline plasma, urine and adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells were successfully isolated by differential centrifugation. Quantification and sizing of exosomes were assessed by transmission electron microscopy, flow nano analysis and western blotting. Detected particles showed the normal size (30-100 nm) and morphology described for exosomes, as well as presence of the transmembrane protein (TSG101, CD9, CD63, and CD81) known as exosomal marker.Conclusions: The results suggest that differential centrifugation is a feasible method for isolation of exosomes from different types of feline samples. Moreover, these exosomes can be used to further diagnosis and therapeutics in veterinary pre-clinical and clinical studies.
On stay at home orders: Using the power of data science for spatial and temporal modeling and visualization of COVID-19
Authors: Prentice Christopher R , Carroll Rachel
Published: February 2021

Coronavirus disease 2019 dominated and augmented many aspects of life beginning in early 2020. Related research and data generation developed alongside its spread. We developed a Bayesian spatio-temporal Poisson disease mapping model for estimating real-time characteristics of the coronavirus disease in the United States. We also created several dashboards for visualization of the statistical model for fellow researchers and simpler spatial and temporal representations of the disease for consumption by community members in our region. Findings suggest that the risk of confirmed cases is higher for health regions under partial stay at home orders and lower in health regions under full stay at home orders, when compared to before stay at home orders were declared. These results confirm the benefit of state-issued stay at home orders as well as suggest compliance to the directives towards the older population for adhering to social distancing guidelines.
The Concept of the Pictography as a Background for «Free Hands» Written by Paul Eluard and Man Ray
Authors: Ivlieva Yuliia
Published: February 2021

This article is part of a deeper study of the phenomenon of "picto-poetry" on the example of Paul Eluard and Man Ray's collection "Free Hands". The article proves the intermediality hypothesis of a collection based on the history of its creation, where the two types of arts not only complement each other, but merge into one, creating new forms and genres of French poetry. The purpose of the study is to determine the nature and imagery of the interaction of visual and verbal codes of artistic reality in the collection "Free Hands", as well as to identify the basic features of the composition " in four hands" on the example of the frontispiece of the collection. Research methods: descriptive, structural and semantic analysis methods that allow the identification of relationships between different sign systems (visual, plastic, etc.). The main feature of Paul Eluard and Man Ray's picto-poetic collection "Free Hands", in the preface to which P. Eluard outlined the principles of a single picto-poetic reproduction of the world, is the special principle of organizing the artistic space, when graphic realities also become "literary text", and the poetic text and its graphic "second voice" cannot be interpreted separately. The multi-layered and heterogeneous internal connections in the texts and graphics of authors serve as a form of reproduction of the underlying processes that take place in the human psyche, and the texts of Eluard create visual metaphors that resemble dreams.