bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Physical exercise behavior characteristics and influencing factors of police officers
Authors: Feng Yuliang , Wang Dexin
Published: July 2023

Purpose
The present study was to explore the physical exercise behavior characteristics, motivation and influencing factors of police officers. To analyse the police's exercise behavior and influencing factors. In order to better promote the physical exercise behavior and health status of the police.
Methods
Stratified cluster sampling was adopted to investigate 3682 policemen from 16 district public security substations in a city in eastern China, in terms of physical exercise participation and influencing factors, and logistic regression analysis was utilized to investigate the three aspects of exercise behavior, health cognition and influencing factors.
Results
The physical exercise behavior of police showed long range of time, but less frequency and low intensity. The exercise programs were diverse but mainly was running. The exercise motivation was mainly to keep fit and stress relief. Logistic regression analysis indicates that source of police entry (OR = 1.467, 95%CI: 1.338 ~ 1.609), exercise conditions of workplace (OR = 1.069, 95%CI: 1.051 ~ 1.088), exercise conditions near home(OR = 1.123, 95%CI: 1.047 ~ 1.205), high volume physical labor required little exersise(OR = 1.372,95%CI: 1.038 ~ 1.813), lack of organization(OR = 1.415,95%CI: 1.164 ~ 1.720), economic conditions constraints(OR = 1.439, 95%CI: 1.114 ~ 1.858), weather restrictions(OR = 2.292, 95%CI: 2.418 ~ 3.548), were the main factors influencing police physical exercise behavior.
Conclusion
In view of all kinds of influencing factors and combining with the actual police work, the participation and effect of physical exercise of police officers should be improved, so as to better promote the physical health of police officers and serve the development of public security cause.
Evaluation of quality of life and associated factors in patients with intertrochanteric femoral fracture
Authors: Afzal Sina , Esmaeilnejad-Ganji Seyyed Mokhtar , Ghasemi Fatemeh , baroutkoub Mojtaba , Barati Hasan , Tavassoli Mehdi
Published: July 2023

Background: Intertrochanteric fracture is a common injury among the elderly population causing fundamental lifestyle derangements, which influences the patients’ social and psychological functioning. We aimed to study the quality of life (QoL) and its different parameters in patients with this type of injury.
Materials and methods: In this cohort study, all patients hospitalized with intertrochanteric fracture and aged above 50 from 2020 to the 2022 at the Shahid Beheshti Hospital in Babol, Iran, were included. Patients were managed mostly surgically and in exceptional cases non-surgically, were followed up for at least 12 months after receiving treatment. During the follow-up period, patients were dialed and completed a questionnaire to assess the patients' QoL by the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). QoL parameters were analyzed based on patients’ sex, age, type of treatment, and height of fall causing fracture.
Result: A total number of 200 patients including 101 (50.5%) males and 99 (49.5%) females with mean age of patients was 74.76 ± 11.36 years (range: 50-99) were included. Regarding the received treatment, 192 (96.0%) patients underwent surgery, and 8 (4.0%) underwent non-surgical treatment. In the study of SF-36 scores, the mean score of male patients was 42.31±14.58 and females scored 37.83±15.35, and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.04). The mean score of QoL and its subscales among the patients of the 50-75 group was significantly higher than the 76-99 group (P<0.001). The average score of QoL was considerably higher in patients who had surgery (40.75±14.57) compared to those who has non-surgical treatment (24.30±19.85) (P=0.01). Patients having a fall from a higher height had higher QoL after treatment.
Conclusion: This study revealed that patients with an intertrochanteric femoral fracture had a poor QoL in all aspects. The overall QoL was significantly higher among male patients, younger patients, those who underwent surgical treatment, and the falls from higher heights. These findings highlight the necessity of long-term follow-up and support in patients with intertrochanteric fractures.
InflANNet: A neural network predictor for Influenza A CTL & HTL epitopes to aid robust vaccine design
Authors: Karthika R , Muthusamy Sathya , Prabhu Prince R
Published: July 2023

Background
An efficient and reliable data-driven method is essential to aid robust vaccine design, particularly in the case of an epidemic like Influenza A. Although various prediction tools are existing, most of them focus on the MHC-peptide binding affinity predictions. A tool which can incorporate more features other than binding affinity which characterizes the T-cell epitopes as vaccine candidates would be of much value in this scenario. The objective of this study is to develop two separate neural network models for the predictions of CTLs (cytotoxic T lymphocyte) and HTLs (helper T lymphocyte) with the manually curated datasets as a part of this study from the raw viral sequences of Influenza A.
Results
The epitope datasets curated from the raw sequences of the broadly protective Neuraminidase protein was utilized for building and training the models for CTLs and HTLs. Each set consisted of nearly a balanced mix of vaccine candidates and non-vaccine candidates for both CTLs and HTLs. These were fed to neural networks as they are proven to be powerful for the predictions when compared with the other machine/deep learning algorithms. A set of epitopes experimentally proved were chosen to validate the model which was also tested through mutational analysis and cross-reactivity. The prepared dataset gave some valuable insights into the epitope distribution statistics and their conservancy in various outbreaks. An idea about the most probable range of peptide-MHC binding affinities were also obtained. Both the models performed well giving high accuracies when validated. These epitopes were checked for cross-reactivity with other antigens upon which it proved to be highly conservative and ideal for vaccine formulation.
Conclusions
The combination of various features and the resulting model efficiencies in turn proved that the collected features are valuable in the easy identification of the vaccine candidates. This suggests that our proposed models have more potential for conserved epitope prediction compared to other existing models trained on similar data and features. The possibility of refining the model with more set threshold values based on more parameters is an added feature that makes it more user driven. Furthermore, the uniqueness of the model due to exclusive set of Neuraminidase epitopes paves a robust way for rapid vaccine design.
Preoperative deep vein thrombosis in elderly hip fracture patients: a retrospective observational study
Authors: Tian Miao , Song Bixuan , Zhu Yanbin , Tian Yunxu , Zhang Kexin , Li Xiuting , Zhang Yahui
Published: July 2023

Objective: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a frequent and life-threatening complication in elderly patients with hip fractures. The purpose of this study was to identify the incidence, predilection site, and associated risk factors of preoperative DVT.
Methods: This was a retrospective study of elderly patients who presented with hip fractures at our institution between January 2020 and December 2021. All patients received antithrombotic chemoprophylaxis during hospitalization. Patients were categorized into the non-DVT group and the DVT group based on ultrasonography results. The demographic data and laboratory findings at the admission of the two groups were extracted from electronic medical records. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to obtain the associated risk factors for DVT.
Results: A total of 516 elderly hip fracture patients were included in the study, of whom 64 (12.4%) developed preoperative DVT. Of the 64 patients, 41 (64.1%) patients developed DVT in the injured limb, 11 (17.2%) patients had DVT in the uninjured limb, and 12 (18.8%) cases of DVT occurred on both sides. Multivariate analysis revealed that hypertension (OR, 2.5, 95%CI, 1.4 to 4.7; P=0.003), aged-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index (ACCI) ≥ 6 (OR, 1.4, 95%CI, 1.1 to 1.8; P=0.009), D-dimer at admission ≥ 2.5mg/L (OR, 3.1, 95%CI, 1.7 to 5.9; P=0.001), the time interval between injury and admission (OR, 1.1, 95%CI, 1.0 to 1.2; P=0.003), and the time interval between injury and operation (OR, 1.1, 95%CI, 1.0 to 1.1; P=0.002) were independent risk factors for preoperative DVT.
Conclusions: Elderly patients with hip fractures should be evaluated for the risk of DVT as soon as possible after admission. Providing effectively preventive measures to patients at high risk of DVT can avoid the occurrence of DVT to some extent.
Revealing Hidden Diversity and Community Dynamics of Land Snails through DNA Barcoding: Implications for Conservation and Ecological Studies
Authors: Mohammadi Sima , Ahmadzadeh Faraham
Published: July 2023

Land snails play a crucial role in maintaining ecosystem sustainability within their habitats. Therefore, understanding the characteristics of their communities is vital for ecological studies and the development of effective conservation strategies. In this study, we employed DNA barcoding (COI gene) to identify land snails inhabiting the Hyrcanian Forest. Furthermore, we examined the variations in their community composition along elevational gradients. Snail samples were collected from three distinct elevations in three different forest locations within the Hyrcanian area of Iran. Through our comprehensive analysis, we identified a total of 10 OTUs, which were further classified into seven families and nine genera. Remarkably, five of these genera had never been reported in the study region before. By employing statistical analyses such as ANOVA and PERMANOVA, we determined significant differences in the features of snail communities across different elevations. Interestingly, we observed a decline in OTU richness with increasing elevation; however, the maximum abundance of snails was found at higher elevations. The unique climatic conditions and spatial distribution of precipitation from lowlands to highlands, as well as from west to east, make the Hyrcanian forests an ideal case study area for understanding the dynamics of land snail communities. In summary, this study provides novel insights into the land snail communities thriving in the Hyrcanian forests. The findings from our research can contribute significantly to the development of effective conservation management strategies for forest ecosystems. By understanding the factors influencing the distribution and composition of land snail communities, we can make informed decisions to protect and preserve these valuable organisms and the balance they maintain within their habitats.
Isolation, Characterization, and Identification of Multiple Heavy Metal and Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria From Wastewater
Authors: Hussain Muhammad Bakir , Abbas Saba , Raza Muhammad , Mehmood Noshaba , Amin Zeemal Seemab , Fatima Noor , Hamza Muhammad
Published: July 2023

Heavy metals are the most persistent pollutant in wastewater and cause several health and environmental hazards, contaminate soil, and reduced plant growth and productivity. Novel biotechnological approaches through inoculating bacterial strains might be adopted for the remediation of wastewater containing heavy metals. The study was conducted to reduce the toxicity of heavy metals in wastewater through inoculation of bacterial strains. The wastewater samples were collected under aseptic conditions from wastewater canals in Lahore. Bacterial strains were isolated by using nutrient agar media amended with 50 µg mL− 1 of heavy metals e.g. Zn, Cd, Co, and Hg. The multiple heavy metal-resistant bacterial strains were screened for different biochemical and morphological characteristics. Furthermore, selected multiple-heavy metals tolerant strains were evaluated resistance for multiple antibiotics resistance under in vitro conditions. A total of eighty multiple heavy tolerant bacterial strains were isolated from industrial effluents. The biomass of these multiple heavy metals-resistant bacterial strains was recorded in terms of optical density (OD). The strains with heavy maximum OD in 50 µg mL− 1 were selected for antibiotics resistance and revealed five bacterial strains were most resistant against antibiotics. The best-performing strains were identified as Klebsiella sp. strain BH49 and Salmonella sp. BH67 heaving accession numbers of MT074326 and MT074327, respectively, through 16S rRNA partial gene sequencing. Those identified strains might be used as a bioremediation agent for the efficient removal of heavy metals in contaminated wastewater.
Vibration analysis of 2D-functionally graded multiple nanobeam system by meshless method
Authors: Ahmadi Isa , Davarpanah Mahdi , Sladek Jan , Sladek Vladimir , Moradi Mohammad Naeim
Published: July 2023

In this study, the free vibration of two-directional functionally graded (2D-FG) multiple nanobeam system are studied by considering Winkler elastic medium between each nanobeam. Effects of small-scale are considered using the theory of nonlocal elasticity. The material properties of the FG nanobeams are considered to vary over the length and thickness of the nanobeams. The equations of motion are derived using Hamilton's principle and the first order shear deformation beam theory (FSDBT), and a meshless formulation is developed to discreteze the governing equations. Numerical results are obtained for both cases of free-chain and clamped-chain multiple nanobeam system (MNBS). In order to validate the accuracy of the meshless formulation, numerical results for free vibration of 1D-FG single nanobeam are compared with the predictions of various beam theories and solution approaches. Also, free vibration of homogeneous double nanobeam system is analyzed and good agreement is observed while comparing these results with analytical solutions. In the numerical results, the effects of nonlocal parameter, slenderness ratio, power FG indices, elastic medium stiffness, number of nanobeams, boundary conditions and concentrated mass on the free vibration of 1D- and 2D-FG single and multiple nanobeam system are investigated.
The influence of anesthesia clerkship for medical students on timings in surgical cases: An observational study.
Authors: Saetang Mantana , Chatmongkolchart Sunisa , Kunapaisal Thitikan , Yongsata Dararat , Saelim Kantaros
Published: July 2023

Background: The anesthesia clerkship is one of several specialties which medical students learn in the operating room. Learning from the clerkship in the operating room may affect patient care and starting time for surgical cases. We hypothesized actual time spent teaching the medical student affects the starting time surgical cases more than residents and student nurse anesthetists.
Methods: This prospective study was conducted between April-July 2022. We included the patients with American Society of Anesthesiologist status I-III, underwent elective Obstetric-Gynecologic surgery/ General surgery. We examined actual time spent teaching in these cases between the fifth-year medical student, anesthesiology residents, and student nurse anesthetists by using ANOVA comparison. The actual time spent teaching were defined as Anesthesia Release Time, Anesthesia-Controlled Time, Anesthetic Preparation Time, and Anesthetic Procedure Time.
Results: 111 procedures were performed (33.3% 5th year medical students, 33.3% residents, and 33.3% student nurse anesthetist). Our study examined statistically significant increased time spent in the 5th year medical student group when compared with resident group and student nurse anesthetist: Anesthesia Release Time spent more prolong than that in residents group (5.486 minutes, p=0.0015), and student nurse anesthetists (4.973 minutes, p=0.0038), Anesthesia-Controlled Time spent longer than residents and student nurse anesthetists (11.243 minutes (p <0.001) and 3.27 minutes (p= 0.067), respectively), and Anesthetic Procedure Time spent longer than that in residents and student nurse anesthetists (4.027 minutes (p = 0.0015), and 2.7297 minutes (p= 0.03), respectively). The scale for difficulty of case induction in the 5th year medical student group was higher than that of the other groups (p < 0.001). However, the number of successful of procedures were not statistically significant difference between the groups. Also, intraoperative and 24-hour postoperative complications were not significantly different between the groups (p=0.371, p=0.385, respectively).
Conclusions: We examined the presence of 5th-year medical students contributed to a prolonged case time, the overall impact did not appear to be clinically significant. However, teaching undergraduate medical education to 5th-year medical students remains the key roles of teaching hospitals and does not contribute significantly to a reduction in operating theatre output in this clinical setting.
Trial registration: TCTR20220418006
Who is your prenatal care provider? An algorithm to identify the predominant prenatal care provider with claims data.
Authors: Deng Songyuan , Renaud Samantha , Bennett Kevin
Published: July 2023

Background: Using claims data to identify a predominant prenatal care (PNC) provider is not always straightforward, but it is essential for assessing access, cost, and outcomes. Previous algorithms applied plurality (providing the most visits) and majority (providing majority of visits) to identify the predominant provider in primary care setting, but they lacked visit sequence information. This study proposes an algorithm that includes both PNC frequency and sequence information to identify the predominant provider and estimates the percentage of identified predominant providers. Additionally, differences in travel distances to the predominant and nearest provider are compared.
Method: The dataset used for this study consisted of 108,441 live births and 2,155,076 associated claims from the 2015-2018 South Carolina Medicaid. Analysis focused on patients who were continuously enrolled throughout their pregnancy and had any PNC visit, resulting in 32,609 pregnancies. PNC visits were identified with diagnosis and procedure codes and specialty within the estimated gestational age.
To classify PNC providers, seven subgroups were created based on PNC frequency and sequence information. Our algorithm was developed by considering both the frequency and sequence information. Percentage of identified predominant providers was reported. Chi-square tests were conducted to assess whether the probability of being identified as a predominant provider for a specific subgroup differed from that of the reference group (who provided majority of all PNC). Paired t-tests were used to examine differences in travel distance.
Results: Pregnancies in the sample had an average of 7.86 PNC visits. Fewer than 30% of the sample had an exclusive provider. By applying PNC frequency information, a predominant provider can be identified for 81% of pregnancies. After adding sequential information, a predominant provider can be identified for 92% of pregnancies. Distance was significantly longer for pregnant women traveling to the identified predominant provider (an average of 5 miles) than to the nearest provider.
Conclusions: Inclusion of PNC sequential information in the algorithm has increased the proportion of identifiable predominant providers by 11%. Applying this algorithm reveals a longer distance for pregnant women travelling to their predominant provider than to the nearest provider. (1)
Determining the Optimal Tank Size for Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting in Jordan: An Evaluation of Potential
Authors: Jaradat Anas , Özkök Enes
Published: July 2023

This study aimed to assess the potential of rainwater harvesting from rooftops in Jordan, recognizing its significance in mitigating water scarcity. Using the Ripple Method and Water Balance Model, data on daily rainfall rates and total rooftop area were collected and analyzed for each of Jordan’s 12 governorates to estimate the potential benefits and identify specific regions with high potential. The study found that Jordan has a total potential for rooftop rainwater harvesting estimated at 23.74 Mm3/year, with Irbid and Amman having the highest potential for water harvesting, with estimated potentials of 7.754 Mm3/year and 8.453 Mm3/year, respectively. Moreover, the optimal tank sizes for storing rainwater that would be used only to flush toilets were determined to be 2.7 Mm3 and 2 Mm3 per household in Ajlun and Irbid Governorates, respectively. These findings may provide valuable insights for policymakers, water resource managers, and communities interested in sustainable water management strategies.
Regulation of FUS ubiquitination and localization by HFM1 is essential for oocyte meiosis prophase I progression in mice
Authors: Pu Danhua , Zhong Chenyi , Wang Huiyuan , Yuan Xiong , He Yuheng , Cong Jing , Yang Rui , Ma Wenjie , Gao Li , Gao Chao , Cui Yu-gui , Wu Jie , Tan Rongrong
Published: July 2023

Helicase for meiosis 1 (HFM1), a putative DNA helicase expressed in germ-line cells, has been reported to be closely associated with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI). However, the underlying molecular mechanism has not been elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate the function of HFM1 in the first meiotic prophase of mouse oocytes. In our study, we found that the deficiency of HFM1 resulted in increased apoptosis and depletion of oocytes in mice. Interestingly, the oocytes were arrested in the first meiotic prophase in the pachytene stage. In addition, impaired DNA double-strand break repair and impaired synapsis were observed in the absence of HFM1. Further investigation revealed that knockout of HFM1 promoted ubiquitination and degradation of FUS protein mediated by FBXW11. Additionally, the depletion of HFM1 altered the intranuclear localization of FUS and regulated meiotic- and oocyte development-related genes in oocytes by regulating the expression of BRCA1. These findings uncovered the critical role of HFM1 in orchestrating the regulation of DNA double-strand break repair and synapsis to ensure meiosis procession and primordial follicle formation, which provided clues for pathogenesis of POI.
“We just don't have the resources”: Supervisor perspectives on introducing workplace-based assessments into medical specialist training in South Africa, a qualitative study
Authors: Ras Tasleem , Jenkins Louis , Lazarus Colin , Rensburg Jean Janse van , Cooke Richard , Senkubuge Flavia , Dlova Abegail , Singaram Veena , Daitz Emma , Buch Eric , Green-Thompson Lionel , Burch Vanessa
Published: July 2023

Background
There have been some significant international shifts in the education of medical specialists over the past few years. These include the adoption of competency based medical education (CBME), increasing utilisation of workplace-based assessment (WBA), and the incorporation of WBA into systems of programmatic assessment in the context of CBME. Continuous assessment of workplace performance following an iterative standardized in‐service process has the potential to bring assessment of clinical competence from an artificial context into the real world of clinical medicine, without compromising patient safety. To date, insufficient exploration of WBA practices, experiences, perceptions, and aspirations in healthcare have been undertaken in South Africa or Africa. The aim of this study was to identify social factors that could contribute to WBA implementation from the perspective of medical consultants. This entailed describing knowledge of perceived barriers and enabling factors to WBA.
Methods
This was a cross-sectional observational study, using a mixed methods, self-administered online questionnaire to collect data from participants. We report the qualitative data here.
Results
The barriers to enabling WBA were: 1) lack of resources at in the health care facilities where registrars are trained; 2) the need for training of the trainers/assessors; 3) the effects of bias and favoritism in training and assessment of WBA; 4) subjectivity in assessment as problematic; 5) lack of standardization /agreement of Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs); 6) the need for all stakeholders (consultants, university administration, HR etc.) to buy-in to WBA; 7) and the need for adequate technological support. Enablers were 1) existing opportunities for implementing WBA; 2) stakeholder support and buy-in; 3) agile technology; 4) a well-regulated and monitored environment; 5) resources; 6) standardization; 7) and training.
Conclusions
Participants demonstrated impressive levels of insight into their respective working environments, producing an extensive list of barriers and enablers. Despite significant structural and social barriers, this cohort perceives the impending implementation of WBA to be a positive development in registrar training in South Africa. Future research should explore the outlining of WBA programmes, training for WBA, and the implementation of WBA pilot projects, and include registrar perspectives.
Solidification mechanism of heavy metal of red mud-based engineered cementitious composites
Authors: Li Zhaofeng , Zhang Chen , Gao Yifan , Zhang Jian , Wang Chuan
Published: July 2023

In this paper, the occurrence form and leaching characteristics of heavy metals in red mud were clarified, the solidification mechanism of heavy metals by the hydration products and solidification agents was explored. The results show that the contents of heavy metals in red mud from high to low are Cr, Pb, Ni, Cu, As and Cd, which are 754 mg/kg, 78.2 mg/kg, 41.8 mg/kg, 33.2 mg/kg, 15.0 mg/kg and 0.77 mg/kg respectively. The potential ecological hazard level is moderate. The occurrence form of heavy metals in red mud-based cementitious materials gradually changes from effective state to stable state with the increase of curing age. When the curing age is 120 days, the curing rate tends to be stable, and the curing rates of As, Cu, Ni, Cd, Cr, Pb reach 99.91%, 97.62%, 97.02%, 96.83%, 95.91%, 91.11% respectively. The lifting effect of three heavy metal curing agents is: 5A zeolite < fly ash < attapulgite. The optimum heavy metal curing agent is attapulgite with a content of 6%. When the curing period is 28 days, the curing rate of heavy metal element Pb reaches 99.74%, and the curing rate of Cr reaches 99.40%, increased by 8.86% and 4.28% respectively. The results can realize the green and safe application of red mud based cementitious materials.
Two cephalic screws combined compression proximal-femur intramedullary nailing internal fixation versus long-stemmed cemented bipolar hemiarthroplasty for treating intertrochanteric fractures in Patients 75 Years and Older: a retrospective study
Authors: Deng Yan , Zhou Xiang-ping , Sun Bin , Li Guo-hui , Tong Zuo-Ming
Published: July 2023

Background: As the population continues to age, the occurrence of intertrochanteric femoral fractures (IFF) has been steadily increasing. Presently, the primary surgical treatment modality for this condition is intramedullary nailing fixation. However, primary cemented hemiarthroplasty is being considered a viable treatment option. The main aims of this investigation were to evaluate and draw comparisons between the clinical outcomes, ambulatory ability, overall survival, and all-cause mortality between two cephalic screws combined compression proximal-femur intramedullary nailing internal fixation (IF) and long-stemmed cemented bipolar hemiarthroplasty (LCHA) treatment of IFF in patients aged 75 years and older. The secondary objective was investigating relative independent risk factors contributing to postoperative all-cause mortality.
Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 251 elderly patients (≥ 75 years) with IFF who underwent IF or LCHA between January 2018 and October 2022. We employed generalized estimating equations along with univariate and multivariate analyses to examine the impact of various surgical interventions and other pertinent factors on postoperative ambulatory ability and all-cause mortality outcomes. Associations between sex, age, number of comorbidities, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels, total blood transfusions, and mortality were analysed using Cox proportional hazards models.
Results: The analysis included a cohort of 120 patients from the IF group and 121 patients from the LCHA group. Statistically significant differences were not observed in the clinical outcomes, ambulatory ability, overall survival, or all-cause mortality after surgical treatment between the groups receiving IF and LCHA (p > 0.05).Nevertheless, among patients (age ≥ 85 years),the IF group demonstrated a lower rate of all-cause mortality compared to the LCHA group (p < 0.05). The older the patient, the greater the number of preoperative comorbidities and amount of perioperative transfusion; a lower preoperative AST level was associated with a higher risk of postoperative death (p < 0.05).
Conclusions: The results imply that the choice of IF or LCHA treatment for elderly patients with IFF aged 75 years or older may need to be tailored to the number of preoperative comorbidities, sex, age, preoperative AST level, and cost-effectiveness.
Safe and promising outcomes of in-hospital preoperative rehabilitation for coronary artery bypass grafting after an acute coronary syndrome
Authors: Nakamura Ken , Arai Shusuke , Kobayashi Kimihiro , Nakai Shingo , Sho Ri , Ishizawa Ai , Watanabe Daisuke , Hirooka Shuto , Ohba Eiichi , Mizumoto Masahiro , Kuroda Yoshinori , Kim Cholsu , Uchino Hideaki , Shimanuki Takao , Uchida Tetsuro
Published: July 2023

Objective:
In patients with stable hemodynamic status after an acute coronary syndrome (ACS), coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) after preoperative investigations can provide outcomes comparable to those of emergency surgery. However, no established guidelines exist regarding the preparation period before surgery. We report the results of the use of an inpatient cardiac rehabilitation program followed by CABG after an ACS to improve post-operative deconditioning and prognosis after discharge.
Methods: From 2005 to 2017, 471 patients underwent either isolated or combined CABG at our institution, and of those, the 393 who received isolated CABG were included in the analysis. Twenty-seven patients (6.9%) were admitted with ACS and underwent preoperative rehabilitation before undergoing CABG, with a subsequent review of surgical morbidity and mortality rates. Propensity score matching yielded a cohort of 26 patients who underwent preoperative rehabilitation (group A) and 26 controls (group B). Preoperative characteristics were similar between groups.
Results: The completion rate of the rehabilitation program was 96.3%. All programs were conducted with inpatients, with an average length of stay of 23 ± 12 days. All patients completed in-bed exercises, and 85% completed out-of-bed exercises. The 30-day postoperative mortality was 0% in both groups A and B, and the rate of postoperative major adverse cardiac or cerebrovascular events at 12 months did not differ significantly between groups (7.7% vs 3.9%, respectively; p=1.0). The duration of mechanical ventilation (1.3 ± 0.3 vs 1.5 ± 0.3 days, respectively; p=0.633), length of intensive care unit stay (4.4 ± 2.1 vs 4.8 ± 2.3 days, respectively; p=0.584) and length of hospital stay (25 ± 13 vs 22 ± 9 days, respectively; p=0.378) did not differ significantly between groups.
Conclusions:
No complications of preoperative rehabilitation were observed, suggesting that it is an acceptable option for patients who experience ACS and undergo CABG.
Mechanically strong, self‐healing and pH‐responsive lignocellulose nanofibril‐based hydrogels towards drug delivery applications
Authors: Cheng Gege , Wang Shuangju , Li Wenwen , Zhou Xin , Jiang Yan , Liu Xiuyu , Huang Qin
Published: July 2023

Employing lignocellulosic nanofibers (LCNF) with natural, high specific mechanical performance and abundant functional groups to design a hydrogel as a drug-sustained release carrier, which conforms to the concept of green and sustainable development. Herein, we facilely extracted carboxylated lignocellulose nanofibrils (CLCNF) from bagasse via a deep eutectic solvent (DES) and mechanical defibrillation-based strategy. The CLCNF crosslinked with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) to obtain a nanocomposite hydrogel (PVA/CLCNF/B) whereupon the mechanical strength and drug release behavior were improved in the process. Consequently, the lignocellulose nanocomposite hydrogel presented a high compression modulus (3.92 MPa) and significant sustained‐release effect with a release rate of 80.73% after 36 h. TH delivery behavior of the PVA/CLCNF/B composite hydrogel could be controlled by acidic pH conditions. The TH release kinetics of PVA/CLCNF/B hydrogel in different phosphate buffer saline (PBS) followed the Korsmeyer‐Peppas model better, and the release of TH through the Fickian diffusion mechanism. Importantly, the vitro cytotoxicity tests showed PVA/CLCNF/B hydrogel had good biocompatibility. Overall, adding CLCNF to hydrogel may present great potential in drug release and therapy as a drug delivery carrier.
Etiology of lower respiratory tract in pneumonia based on metagenomic next-generation sequencing: a retrospective study
Authors: Wang Jin-zhu , Yuan Ding , Yang Xiang-hong , Sun Chang-hua , Hou Lin-lin , Zhang Yan , Gao Yanxia
Published: July 2023

The purpose of this study was to explore the ability of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) to detect pathogens in lower respiratory tract of patients with pulmonary infection. A retrospective study was conducted on 112 patients with pulmonary infection admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from April 30th 2018 to June 30th 2020. Sputum and pharyngeal swabs were collected from all patients, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was collected during bronchoalveolar lavage. Respiratory tract pathogenic microorganisms were detected by routine methods (bacterial smear, PCR, culture, etc.), and BALF pathogenic microorganisms were detected by mNGS. The average age of the patients was 53.0 years old and 94.6% (106/112) of the patients obtained the results of pathogenic microorganisms. The overall detection rate of pathogenic microorganisms by mNGS was significantly higher than that of conventional methods (93.7% vs. 33.1%,P<0.05). mNGS detected bacteria in 75.0% (84/112) of patients, while conventional methods detected bacteria in only 28.6% (32/112) of all patients. The most commonly detected bacteria were Acinetobacter baumannii (19.6%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (17.9%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (14.3%), Staphylococcus faecium (12.5%), Enterococcus faecium (12.5%) and Haemophilus parainfluenzae (11.6%). Fungi were detected by mNGS in 29.5% (33/112) of patients, including 23 cases of Candida albicans (20.5%), 18 cases of Pneumocystis carinii (16.1%), and 10 cases of Aspergillus (8.9%). Conventional methods detected fungi only in 7.1% (8/112) of patients. The detection rate of virus by mNGS was significantly higher than that by conventional methods (43.8% vs.0.9%,P<0.05). The most commonly detected viruses were EBV (15.2%), CMV (13.4%), circovirus (8.9%), human coronavirus (4.5%) and rhinovirus (4.5%). The results of Kappa analysis showed that the consistency of the two methods was poor (P= 0.276), only 32.1% (36/112) of patients were positive for both methods, and 5.4% (6/112) of patients were negative for both methods. mNGS shows great advantages in the detection of pathogenic microorganisms in patients with pulmonary infection. For those with poor therapeutic effect, mNGS detection can obtain etiological basis as far as possible, which is helpful to achieve accurate anti-infective treatment.
High thrombospondin 1 expression is associated with aging and poor prognosis in patients with acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Chen Guojie , Dou Xiaofeng , Wang Ling , Chen Jianjun , Xu Shuo , Lin Mei , Shi Wenyu
Published: July 2023

Acute myeloid leukemia is a heterogeneous disease with high morbidity and mortality under current treatment strategies. We screened the key gene thrombospondin 1 by analyzing The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus databases using a bioinformatics approach and further analyzed it using clinical data from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. For validation, we collected bone marrow samples from 20 patients with acute myeloid leukemia and 10 healthy controls. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were conducted to quantify the platelet-reactive thrombospondin 1 mRNA and protein expression. Then, we analyzed the different levels in patients and controls using clinical data. We discovered that thrombospondin 1 expression is upregulated in patients with acute myeloid leukemia, and high thrombospondin 1 expression is associated with age and poor prognosis. Thus, as an age-related factor, thrombospondin 1 may be a potential factor in the prognostic prediction of patients with acute myeloid leukemia.
Association between grip strength and stress urinary incontinence of NHANES 2011–2014
Authors: Zhang Nieke , Mao Weipu , Sun Si , Zhang Guanyuan , Shi Naipeng , Yao Chi , Liu Ning , Chen Shuqiu , Gao Wei , Zhang Lei , Chen Ming , Zou Xiangyu
Published: July 2023

Objectives: To investigate the association between grip strength (GS) and relative grip strength (rGS) with the prevalence and severity risk of SUI.
Methods: Female patients were retrieved from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2014. GS was measured using a digital hand dynamometer, rGS was calculated based on GS. Chi-square test was adopted to analyze the categorical variables, and t-test for slope was performed in generalized linear models for the continuous variables. The potential bias of baseline variables between different groups was controlled by performing the propensity score matching (PSM). Logistic regression models were established to detect the relationship between GS or rGS and the prevalence or severity risk of SUI before and after PSM.
Results: A total of 4263 participants were included, with 3085 (85%) people in SUI group and 1178 (27.6%) people in non-SUI group. rGS level of people without SUI (2.06, 0.57) was higher than that of SUI patients (1.75, 0.54). Monthly SUI patients' rGS level (1.81, 0.55) was higher than weekly SUI patients' level (1.57, 0.46). A similar result was observed for GS. Logistic regression analysis showed that risks of prevalence and severity of SUI decreased with increasing levels of GS and rGS. rGS was found to have a stronger association with SUI than GS [prevalence: GS: Q4 vs. Q1: aOR=0.633, 95%CI=0.508-0.789, p<0.001; rGS: Q4 vs. Q1: aOR=0.365, 95%CI=0.290-0.459, p<0.001; severity: GS: Q4 vs. Q1: aOR=0.727, 95%CI=0.600-0.881, p=0.001; rGS: Q4 vs. Q1: aOR=0.371, 95%CI=0.282-0.488, p<0.001]. The results of PSM confirmed that GS and rGS were correlated with SUI.
Conclusions: Lower levels of GS and rGS are associated with an increased prevalence and severity risk of SUI, with rGS having a stronger association than GS.
A near real time flood hazard assessment tool using Satellite Data and Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Gemitzi Alexandra , Kopsidas Odysseas , Stefani Foteini , Polymeros Apostolos , Bellos Vasilis
Published: July 2023

This work aims to develop a constantly updated flood hazard assessment tool that utilizes readily available datasets. It is based on the recently released global land use/land cover (LULC) dataset Dynamic World, which is readily available as an open data source within Google Earth Engine platform. It is updated constantly following the release rate of Senitnel-2 images, i.e., every 2 to 5 days depending on the location. The tool presented herein identifies the number of times each 10 m pixel is characterized as flooded for a selected time period, and it is updated accordingly with the new flood events, thus providing a near real time detection of flooded areas. The detected areas are compared against the Regional Flood Hazard Maps developed in the frames of the EU Water Framework Directive, and several inconsistencies of the two approaches were highlighted and commented on. Besides, a new variable is proposed, named Maximum Potential Economic Loss is introduced in order to assess the socioeconomic implications. The presented methodology demonstrates how remotely sensed based datasets, becoming available at increasing rates, can be used as an operational instrument in order to define and update the flood hazard zones required for water resources management plans and policy makers. Our results indicated the usefulness of the complementary use of the conventional flood hazard mapping approaches with those based on emerging techniques and datasets.
Degraded inferior colliculus responses to complex sounds in prenatally exposed VPA rats
Authors: Tamaoki Yuko , Pasapula Varun , Chandler Collin , Borland Michael S. , Olajubutu Olayinka I. , Tharakan Liza S. , Engineer Crystal T.
Published: July 2023

Background
Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often exhibit altered sensory processing and deficits in language development. Prenatal exposure to valproic acid (VPA) increases the risk for ASD and impairs both receptive and expressive language. Like individuals with ASD, rodents prenatally exposed to VPA exhibit degraded auditory cortical processing and abnormal neural activity to sounds. Disrupted neuronal morphology has been documented in earlier processing areas of the auditory pathway in VPA-exposed rodents, but there are no studies documenting early auditory pathway physiology. Therefore, the objective of this study is to characterize inferior colliculus (IC) responses to different sounds in rats prenatally exposed to VPA compared to saline-exposed rats.
Methods
Neural recordings from the inferior colliculus were collected in response to tones, speech sounds, and noise burst trains.
Results
Our results indicate that the overall response to speech sounds was degraded in VPA-exposed rats compared saline-exposed controls, but responses to tones and noise burst trains were unaltered.
Conclusions
These results are consistent with observations in individuals with autism that neural responses to complex sounds, like speech, are often altered, and lays the foundation for future studies of potential therapeutics to improve auditory processing in the VPA rat model of ASD.
Single-cell combined transcriptional sequencing to explore key genes and regulatory mechanisms in diabetic retinopathy
Authors: Li Fei , Xiang Qingping , Hou Peixian , Dai Yan , Liu Longqian
Published: July 2023

Background
Diabetic retinopathy (DR), a prevalent complication of diabetes with a poor prognosis, remains incompletely understood. Therefore, an in-depth study on the pathogenesis of DR at the molecular level is essential to identify key DR-related genes. The objective of this study was to employ bioinformatics approaches to explore key genes and potential molecular mechanisms underlying DR.
Results
The single-cell sequencing dataset (GSE209872) and transcriptome sequencing datasets (GSE94019 and GSE102485) from the GEO database were utilized to screen for differentially expressed genes. Through WGCNA analysis and GSEA enrichment analysis, key genes and potential mechanisms were identified. Six key genes associated with the development of DR, namely CD44, CPLX4, MMP14, PMEPA1, PMP22, and POSTN were screened, and the specific signaling mechanisms associated with the key genes causing DR were predicted. To assess the immune infiltration, the CIBERSORT method was employed. The immune profiling revealed significant heterogeneity in immune response between the control group and the DR group.
Conclusions
These six key genes have the potential to become biomarkers for the diagnosis of DR and provide new targets and research directions for the treatment of DR.
Evaluation of the Separate and Combined Effects of Anodal tDCS over the M1 and F3 Regions on Pain Relief in Patients with Type-2 Diabetes Suffering from Neuropathic Pain
Authors: Alipour Ahmad , Mohammadi Roghayeh
Published: July 2023

Neuropathic pain (NP) is a common complication of chronic diabetes that negatively affects the routine functioning and sleep of patients. The present study aimed to investigate the separate and combined effects of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the primary motor cortex (M1) and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (F3) regions on pain relief in patients with type-2 diabetes suffering from NP. The statistical population of this double-blind randomized clinical trial consisted of all the members of the Bonab Diabetes Association in 2022 aged 45 to 65 years who were diagnosed with NP by a specialist. A total of 48 patients who met the inclusion criteria were selected as the sample through purposive sampling. The participants were then randomly assigned into 4 groups, each attending 12 sessions of a special intervention (three times a week). The Short Form-McGill Pain Questionnaire-2 (SF-MPQ-2) was used for data collection. Data were statistically analyzed using SPANOVA, analysis of covariance, and the Bonferroni test. The results showed that perceived pain intensity significantly changed in all groups over time (F=11.48, P<0.001). The mean perceived pain intensity in the posttest was significantly lower in the M1 stimulation group than in the F3 stimulation group. Nevertheless, there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of perceived pain intensity in the one-month and two-month follow-up stages. Considering its therapeutic potential for pain relief, the application of tDCS (over both M1 and F3) can be expanded for diabetic patients.