bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical and Pathological Characteristics of Amoxicillin Associated Hemorrhagic Colitis
Authors: Liu Xiao-bo , Xu Wen , Gao Zi-ye , Sun Chuan-tao , Yang Fan , Li De-ping , Li Sheng-bao , Jin Shu
Published: January 2021

Background and objective: Amoxicillin is an antibiotic with various benefits for patients. However, adverse reactionssometimes occur, and the clinical misdiagnosis rate is highbecause some clinicians have limited knowledge regarding this drug. Combined with literature review, this study explores the clinical pathological features of hemorrhagiccolitis caused by amoxicillin to improveits diagnosis and treatment. Methods: “Amoxicillin”, “hemorrhagiccolitis”, “antibioticassociated colitis (AAC) ”, “antibioticassociated hemorrhagic colitis (AAHC) ”were used as the index words to retrieve Pubmed, EMbase, Wanfang Database and Chinese national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI). Related articles were then selected and combined with thepatient information obtained from our department to complete the clinical pathological files.To summarize the clinicopathological data, diagnosis, treatmentof the disease.Results: A total of 19 articles were included in the study. Patients may have abdominal pain, bloody stools or blood in the stool, but generally no anemia.The laboratory tests for hemoglobin (HGB) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) are normal, andC-reactive protein (CRP) is often elevated. Abdominal ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) findings revealed that the intestinal wall wasthickened and presented edema, and some partsexhibited peritoneal effusion.Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy usually has no bleeding changes. A colonoscope was used to reveal the mucosal erosion, mainly found on the right hemicolon and this finding was consistent with acute colitis. The pathology is consistent with acute hemorrhagic colitis.The symptoms were relieved after drug withdrawal and principally with supportive treatment. The patient’s gastrointestinal symptoms usually did not recur.Conclusion: Patients with acute colitis caused by amoxicillingenerally experienced abdominal cramps and bloody stools, but treatment response was good, and follow-up monitoring revealed norecurrence. The history of antibiotic therpy and early total colonoscopy examination are important to establish the correct diagnosis. Klebsiella oxytoca (K. oxytoca) were cultured in fourteen cases, which is described as a causative organism for AAHC.
MARCH1 Interacts with β-Catenin as a New Oncogene for Gastric Cancer
Authors: Wang Nuan , Yang Lijuan , Yan Da , Jia Xingfang , Dai Juanjuan , Wang Aili , Wang Kai , Liu Chengxia
Published: January 2021

Background:Membrane-associated RING-CH 1 (MARCH1) is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that plays an important role in antigen presentation. The latest research found that MARCH1 can either promote or suppress cancer progression in ovarian, liver, and bladder cancers, but its function in gastric cancer has not been addressed. This study aimed to investigate the role of MARCH1 in gastric cancer.Methods:The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was used to evaluate the expression level and biological function of MARCH1 in gastric cancer. We down-regulated and up-regulated the expression level of MARCH1 in gastric cancer cell line AGS by transfecting siRNAs and overexpression plasmids. Then we detected cell proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis using CCK-8 assay, transwell chamber assay and flow cytometry respectively. The relationship between MARCH1 and β-catenin was analyzed using western blotting assay. Results:The results showed that the expression of MARCH1 in gastric cancer was elevated and significantly related to clinical stage, tumor grade, and lymph node metastasis. It is worth noting that there was no significant correlation between the increase in MARCH1 expression level and overall survival. In addition, knocking down and upregulating the expression level of MARCH1 significantly affected the proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis of gastric cancer cells. Furthermore, the study found that MARCH1 and β-catenin positively regulated each other, suggesting that MARCH1 may participate in the malignant biological behavior of tumors through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.Conclusions:In summary, this study shows the function of MARCH1 in the progression of gastric cancer and provides unique insights into the regulatory mechanism of MARCH1 and β-catenin, which indicates that MARCH1 may be a new target molecule for gastric cancer.
Neutralization Diversity of HIV-1 Indian Subtype C Envelopes Obtained From Cross Sectional and Followed up Individuals Against Broadly Neutralizing Monoclonal Antibodies Having Distinct Gp120 Specificities
Authors: Mullick Ranajoy , Sutar Jyoti , Hingankar Nitin , Deshpande Suprit , Thakar Madhuri , Sahay Seema , Ringe Rajesh , Mukhopadhyay Sampurna , Patil Ajit , Bichare Shubhangi , Murugavel Kailapuri G , Srikrish Aylur K , Goyal Rajat , Sok Devin , Bhattacharya Jayanta
Published: January 2021

Background. The potential use of the broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (bnAbs) towards prophylaxis and treatment to HIV-1 is currently being explored. While a number of promising bnAbs have been discovered and few of them have progressed towards clinical development, their extent of neutralization coverage with respect to global HIV-1 variants given the existence of genetically distinct subtypes and recombinants circulating globally is not clearly known. In the present study, we examined the variation in the neutralization susceptibility of pseudoviruses expressing 71 full length primary HIV-1 subtype C envs obtained from limited cross-sectional individuals over different time points against four bnAbs that target gp120 with distinct specificities: VRC01, CAP256-VRC26.25, PGDM1400 and PGT121. Results. We found significant variations in the susceptibility of Indian clade C to these four bnAbs and were found to be distinct to that observed with that of African subtype C based on the existing datasets and were also found to be concordant with their sequence diversity. Trend analysis indicated an increasing neutralization resistance observed overtime with CAP25-VRC26.25, PGDM1400 and PGT121 when tested on pseudoviruses expressing envs obtained from 1999-2016. Our data was found to be distinct from what was observed in case of African HIV-1 subtype C. However, inconsistent trend in neutralization susceptibility was observed, when pseudoviruses expressing envs obtained from three followed up individuals were examined. Finally, through predictive analysis of the 98 Indian subtype C including those assessed in the present study by employing additive model implemented in CombiNAber (www.hiv.lanl.gov), we observed two possibilities where combinations of three bnAbs (VRC01/CAP56-VRC26.25/PGT121 and PGDM1400/CAP256-VRC26.25/PGT121) could achieve near 100% neutralization coverage. Conclusions. Our findings not only indicate disparate intra-clade C genetic vis-à-vis neutralization diversities but also warrants the need for more comprehensive study using additional isolates towards comparing inter and intra-clade neutralization diversities which will be necessary for selecting the bnAb combinations suitable for optimal coverage of the region-specific HIV-1 circulating subtypes. Expanding these efforts is imperative for designing efficacious bnAb based intervention strategies for India as well as subtype C in general.
Degradation Patterns of GH11 xylanases for Efficiently Hydrolyzing xylan in Aspergillus Niger An76
Authors: Zhang Shu , Zhao Sha , Shang Weihao , Wu Xiuyun , Li Yingjie , Chen Guanjun , Liu Xinli , Wang Lushan
Published: January 2021

Background: Xylan is the most abundant hemicellulose polysaccharide in nature. Endo-xylanases from GH10 and GH11 families are the most critical xylan degrading enzymes. Filamentous fungi are highly effective xylan degraders and possess numerous xylan degrading isoenzyme-encoding genes, especially Aspergillus niger. Most noteworthy, the amplification of the GH11 xylanase-encoding genes occurs frequently in an organism, but the knowledge of each GH11 xylanases is little known. Results: A. niger An76 encoded a comprehensive set of xylan-degrading enzymes, including five endo-xylanases (one GH10 and four GH11). Quantitative transcriptional analysis showed that three xylanases were up-regulated by xylose substrates, and the order and amount of enzyme secretion differed. Specifically, XynA and XynB were initially secreted successively, followed by XynC. Structural bioinformatics analysis indicated that the different modes of action of the three GH11 xylanases may be due to intricate hydrogen bonding between substrates and functional residues in the active site architectures. Heterologous expression and biochemical characterization of three GH11 xylanases (XynA, XynB and XynD) revealed differences in catalytic performance and product profiles. Furthermore, XynA and XynB displayed obvious synergistic action against beechwood xylan. Conclusions: We investigated subtle differences in the functions of different isoenzymes in the same family using a combination of physiological and biochemical experiments. The transcriptional regulation and catalytic functions of enzymes could be the result of long-term evolutionary adaptation. The finding further expanded our understanding of GH-encoding genes amplification in filamentous fungi, which could guide the design of the optimal enzyme cocktails in industrial applications.
Underlying Genes and Molecular Mechanism of Keloids Investigated by Integrated Bioinformatics Analysis
Authors: LI chuying , Jin Mei-Tong , Luo Yin-Li , Jin Zhe-Hu , PI Long-Quan
Published: January 2021

Background: We aimed to identify the overlapping differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of keloids distinguished from normal scar and normal skin and relevant underlying mechanism using integrated bioinformatics methods.Methods: The expression profiles of 18 keloid samples, 7 normal skin and 5 normal scar, were obtained from the GSE7890, GSE44270, GSE92566, and GSE3189 datasets in the Gene Expression Omnibus database. DEGs were identified using the LIMMA package in R. Gene ontology (GO) functional enrichment analysis was performed using the R software. A DEG-associated protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using STRING and MCODE was used for module analysis of the PPI network. Moreover, the hub genes were verified by qRT-PCR. The predicted DEGs, their regulatory miRNA and TF regulation network was analyzed using miRnet. Results: A total of 978 common DEGs were identified in the keloid samples. Genes with more than 45 interaction degrees, including neuropeptide Y (NPY), opioid receptor mu 1 (OPRM1), cholinergic receptor muscarinic 2 (CHRM2), and proopiomelanocortin (POMC), were found in the PPI network. Hsa-miR-335 and Sp1 as upstream-regulators regulated CHRM2, NPY, and POMC. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that hub genes were commonly enriched in the “G protein-coupled receptor signaling pathway” GO_BP termConclusion: Taken together, CHRM2, NPY, POMC, and OPRM1 potentially have crucial roles in keloid disease. Furthermore, miR-335 and Sp1 are potential targets for preventing keloid formation.
Quantitative Profiling of Differentially Produced Oxylipins in Human Adipose Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Under Proinflammatory Stimulation
Authors: Wang Dan , Shen Zhengze , Yu Chaoqun , Cheng Lifang , Chen Daorong , Yuan Zhang
Published: January 2021

Background: MSCs have been proven to have immune modulation and anti-inflammation capabilities, but the mechanisms are still under investigation. Recently, oxylipins have been identified to be involved in the immuno-regulation function of MSCs. However, the impact of proinflammatory stimulation on the profiles of MSCs derived oxylipins has never been studied.Methods: In the present research, we employed a newly developed UPLC-MS/MS method to identify and quantify the oxylipin profile of ADSCs under proinflammatory stimulation (TNF-α and IFN-𝛾).Results: As a result, among the analyzed 71 oxylipins, we detected and quantified 49 oxylipins derived from six major n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) including arachidonic (AA), linoleic (LA), alpha-linolenic (ALA), dihomo-𝛾-linolenic acid (DGLA), eicosapentaenoic (EPA), and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids in all samples, while 4 oxylipins were detected only in a part of samples and 18 were not detected in all samples. Nine oxylipins were found to be significantly differentially produced in ADSCs after 24 hours of inflammatory stimulation, among which, several oxylipins were reported to be having anti-inflammation or proresolving functions and involved in lipid mediator switching.Conclusions: The results reported here make a fundamental step towards a comprehensive characterization of MSCs derived oxylipins as potential modulators of inflammation and immunoreaction.
Risk Factors for Cholesterol Polyp Formation In The Gallbladder - Closely Related to Lipid Metabolism
Authors: Yu Zhihao , Yang Changlin , Bai Xuesong , Yao Guibin , Qian Xia , Gao Wei , Huang Yue , Tian Xiaodong , Cheng Shi , Yamin Zheng
Published: January 2021

Objective The purpose of this study was to assess the risk factors for cholesterol polyp formation in the gallbladder. Method This was a multicenter retrospective study based on pathology. From January 2016 to December 2019, patients receiving cholecystectomy and non-polyp participants confirmed by continuous ultrasound follow-ups were reviewed. Patients in the cholesterol polyp group were recruited from three high-volume centers with diagnosis of pathologically confirmed cholesterol polyps larger than 10mm. Population characteristics and medical data were collected within 24 hours of admission before surgery. The non-polyp group included participants from hospital physical examination center database. They had at least two ultrasound examinations with the interval longer than 180 days. Data from the final follow-up of the non-polyp group were analyzed. The risk factors for cholesterol polyp formation were analyzed by comparing the two groups. Results A total of 4 714 participants were recruited, including 376 cholesterol polyp patients and 4 338 non-polyp participants. In univariate analysis, clinical risk factors for cholesterol polyp were age, male gender, higher body mass index (BMI), higher low-density lipoprotein (LDL), lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL), higher aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). In multivariate logistic analysis, independent risk factors were age>50 years (OR=3.41, 95% CI 2.61-4.47, p<0.001), LDL>2.89mmol/L (OR=1.45, 95% CI 1.13-1.87, p=0.003), AST>40IU/L (OR=3.58, 95% CI 2.03-6.31, p<0.001) and BMI>25kg/m² (OR=1.62, 95% CI 1.23-2.13, p<0.001). Conclusion Age, LDL, AST and BMI are strong risk factors for cholesterol polyp formation. Older overweight patients with polyps, accompanied by abnormal lipid levels, are at high risk of cholesterol polyps.
Import and Transmission of Mycobacterium Orygis and Mycobacterium Africanum, Norway
Authors: eldholm vegard and , rønning Janne Oseberg , Mengshoel Anne Torunn , Arnesen Trude
Published: January 2021

Background : The aim of the current study was to improve our understanding of the origins and transmission of Mycobacterium africanum (MAF) in Norway.Methods : Whole-genome sequences (WGS) were generated for all (n=29) available clinical isolates identified as in Norway in the period 2010 – 2020. Phylogenetic analyses were performed.Results : The analyses indicated multiple imports of MAF lineage 6 from both East and West African countries, whereas MAF lineage 5 was restricted to patients with West African connections. We also find evidence for transmission of MAF in Norway. Finally, our analyses revealed that a group of isolates from patients originating in South Asia, identified as MAF by means of a commercial line-probe assay, in fact belonged to Mycobacterium orygis.Conclusions : Most MAF cases in Norway are the result of import, but transmission is occurring in immigrant communities.
Microbial Interventions to Control And Reduce Blood Pressure In Australia (Microbia): Rationale And Design of A Double-Blinded Randomised Cross-Over Placebo Controlled Trial
Authors: Rhys-Jones Dakota , Climie Rachel , Jama Hamdi , Gill Paul , Head Geoffrey , Gibson Peter , Kaye David , Muir Jane , Mackay Charles , Marques Francine
Published: January 2021

Background: Hypertension is a prevalent chronic disease worldwide that remains poorly controlled. Recent studies support the concept that the gut microbiota is involved in the development of hypertension, and that dietary fibre intake may act through the gut microbiota to lower blood pressure (BP). Resistant starch is a type of prebiotic fibre which is metabolized by commensal bacteria in the colon to produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), including acetate, propionate, and butyrate. Previous work in pre-clinical models provide strong evidence that both prebiotic fibre as well as SCFAs (i.e. postbiotics) can prevent the development of hypertension. The aim of this clinical trial is to determine if acetylated and butyrylated modified resistant starch can decrease BP of hypertensive individuals via the modulation of the gut microbiota and release of high levels of SCFAs. Methods: This is a phase IIa double-blinded, randomised, cross-over, placebo controlled trial. Participants are randomly allocated to receive either a diet containing 40g/day of the modified resistant starch or placebo (corn starch or regular flour) for three weeks on each diet, with a three week washout period between the two diets. BP is measured in the office, at home, and using a 24 hour ambulatory device. Arterial stiffness is measured using carotid-to-femoral pulse wave velocity. Our primary endpoint is a reduction in ambulatory daytime systolic BP. Secondary endpoints include changes to circulating cytokines, immune markers, and modulation to the gut microbiome. Discussion: The findings of this study will provide the first evidence for the use of a combination of pre- and postbiotics to lower BP in humans. The results are expected at the end of 2021.Trial registration: Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry ACTRN12619000916145, registered on 1/07/2019.
Metagenomic and Metabolic Analyses of Poly-Extreme Microbiome from an Active Crater Volcano Lake
Authors: Peña-Ocaña Betsy Anaid , Tamames Javier , Servín-Garcidueñas Luis Eduardo , González-Toril Elena , Ovando-Ovando Cesar Iván , Gutiérrez-Sarmiento Wilbert , Jasso-Chávez Ricardo , Ruíz-Valdiviezo Víctor Manuel
Published: January 2021

Background: El Chichón volcano is one of the most active volcanoes in Mexico. Previous studies have described the poly-extreme conditions of the lake crater but its bacterial composition and the functional features of the complete microbiome have not been characterized yet. Methods: This study integrated two approaches to explain the microbiology diversity and abundance, one focused on the environmental genomic potential by metagenomics approach, and other culturomics of enrichment of bacteria and archaea. The microbial diversity of the anaerobic consortia cultivated in was carried out by metabarcoding analysis, the metabolic capacity by metabolomics fluxes of carbon and enzymologic techniques for the analysis of sulfate reduction in laboratory-grown prokaryotic cells. Results: This work provides new information on the taxonomic and functional diversity of the Archea representative phyla Crenarchaeota and Euryarchaeota as well as the phyla Thermotogales and Aquificae for Bacteria. Through the analysis of microbial consortia cultivation and the genetic information collected from the natural environment sampling, metabolic interactions were identified between the microorganisms that support the life of the microbiome under multi-extreme conditions. A close relationship is proposed between the cycles of carbon and sulfur in an active volcano. Conclusions: This research contributes to the understanding of microbial metabolism under extreme conditions and potential knowledge of "microbial dark matter" that can be applied in biotechnological processes and evolutionary studies.
Renal transplantation outcomes in obese patients: a French cohort-based study
Authors: Foucher Yohann , Lorent Marine , Albano Laetitia , Roux Solène , Quintrec Moglie Le , Vincent Pernin , Legendre Christophe , Buron Fanny , Morelon Emmanuel , Girerd Sophie , Ladrière Marc , Glotz Denis , Lefaucher Carmen , Kerleau Clarisse , Dantal Jacques , Branchereau Julien , Giral Magali
Published: January 2021

Background. Whilst there are a number of publications comparing the relationship between body mass index (BMI) of kidney transplant recipients and graft/patient survival, no study has assessed this for a French patient cohort. Methods. In this study, cause-specific Cox models were used to study patient and graft survival and several other time-to-event measures. Logistic regressions were performed to study surgical complications at 30 days post-transplantation as well as delayed graft function. Results. Among the 4691 included patients, 747 patients were considered obese with a BMI level greater than 30 kg/m². We observed a higher mortality for obese recipients (HR=1.37, p=0.0086) and higher risks of serious bacterial infections (HR=1.24, p=0.0006) and cardiac complications (HR=1.45, p<0.0001). We observed a trend towards death censored graft survival (HR=1.22, p=0.0666) and no significant increased risk of early surgical complications. Conclusions. We showed that obesity increased the risk of death and serious bacterial infections and cardiac complications in obese French kidney transplant recipients. Further epidemiologic studies aiming to compare obese recipients versus obese candidates remaining on dialysis are needed to improve the guidelines for obese patient transplant allocation.
Beliefs about medication as predictors of medication adherence in a prospective cohort study among persons with Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Neter Efrat , Glass-Marmor Lea , Wolkowitz Anat , Lavi Idit , Miller Ariel
Published: January 2021

Background: Though adherence to disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) among persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) varies and is often below 80%, only few prospective studies on adherence examined predictors beyond demographic and clinical characteristics. Objectives: Identify antecedents to adherence and persistence to DMT in a prospective design among PwMS.Methods: PwMS (n=186) were prospectively assessed at three time points: baseline, 6 (Time 1) and 12 months later (Time 2). Clinical, demographic information and patient-reported medication beliefs, illness perceptions, medication habits, perceived health and affect were surveyed in-person. Adherence and persistence were assessed by a combination of self-reports and retrospective review of medication claims. Findings: PwMS were 69.9% (Time 1) and 71% (Time 2) adherent to their DMTs and 64.5.9% were persistent. Beliefs about Medications were consistently predictive at both time points (baseline to Time 1 and Time 1 to Time 2) of medication adherence and persistence whereas other perceptions were predictive in some analyses; clinical and demographic characteristics were mostly not predictive of adherence nor persistence. The prospective association of beliefs about medication with adherence held also in multivariate analyses (OR=0.88, 95% CI 0.78 – 0.99, p=0.029).Conclusions: Adherence and persistence are predicted by medication beliefs of PwMS. As medication beliefs are modifiable, they should be assessed periodically and targeted as a focus of tailored interventions aimed to improve adherence and consequently health outcomes in PwMS.
Age-related impairment of navigation and strategy in virtual reality star maze
Authors: Zhang Jiaxin , Wang Lin , Hou Haiyan , Yue Chunlin , Wang Liang , Li Huijie
Published: January 2021

Background: Although it is well known that aging impairs navigation performance, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Egocentric strategy requires navigators to remember a series of body-turns without relying on the relationship between environmental cues. Previous study suggested that the egocentric strategy, compared with non-egocentric strategy, was relatively unimpaired during aging. In this study, we aimed to examine strategy use during virtual navigation task and the underlying cognitive supporting mechanisms in older adults.Methods: Thirty young adults and thirty-one older adults were recruited from the local community. This study adapted star maze paradigm using non-immersive virtual environment. Participants moved freely in a star maze with adequate landmarks, and were requested to find a fixed destination. After 9 learning trials, participants were probed in the same virtual star maze but with no salient landmarks. Participants were classified as egocentric or non-egocentric strategy group according to their response in the probe trial. Results: The results revealed that older adults adopting egocentric strategy completed the navigation task as accurate as young adults, whereas older adults using non-egocentric strategy completed the navigation task with more detours and lower accuracy. The relatively well-maintained egocentric strategy in older adults was related to better visuo-spatial ability.Conclusions: Visuo-spatial ability might play an important role in navigation accuracy and navigation strategy of older adults. This study demonstrated the potential value of the virtual star maze in evaluating navigation strategy and visuo-spatial ability in older adults.
Epigenomic response of red blood cells to a stress challenge in the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax, L.)
Authors: KRICK Madoka V. , DESMARAIS Erick , SAMARAS Athanasios , GUERET Elise , DIMITROGLOU Arkadios , PAVLIDIS Michalis , TSIGENOPOULOS Costas S , GUINAND Bruno
Published: January 2021

Background: In fish, minimally invasive blood sampling is widely used to monitor physiological stress with blood plasma biomarkers. As fish blood cells are nucleated, they might be a source a potential new markers derived from ‘omics technologies. We modified the epiGBS (epiGenotyping By Sequencing) technique to explore changes in genome-wide cytosine methylation to a repeated acute stress challenge in the red blood cells (RBCs) of the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), species is widely studied in both natural and farmed environments.Results: We retrieved 501,108,033 sequencing reads after trimming, with a mean mapping efficiency of 73.0% (unique best hits). Minor changes in RBC methylome appeared to manifest after the challenge test and a family-effect was detected. Fifty-seven differentially methylated cytosines (DMCs) close to 51 distinct genes distributed on 17 of 24 linkage groups (LGs) were detected between RBCs of pre- and post-challenge individuals. Thirty-seven of these genes were previously reported as differentially expressed in the brain of zebrafish, most of them involved in stress coping differences. While further investigation remains necessary, few DMC-related genes associated to the Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor, a protein that favors stress adaptation and fear memory, appear relevant to integrate a centrally produced stress response in RBCs.Conclusion: Our modified epiGBS protocol was powerful to analyze patterns of cytosine methylation in RBCs of D. labrax and to evaluate the impact of a stress challenge using minimally invasive blood samples. This study is the first approximation to identify epigenetic biomarkers of exposure to stress in fish.
Psychiatric Disorders in Female Psychosexual Disorders—A Nationwide, Cohort Study in Taiwan
Authors: Lin Iau-Jin , Tzeng Nian-Sheng , Chung Chi-Hsiang , Wu-chien Chien
Published: January 2021

We aimed to investigate whether females with psychosexual disorders were associated with the risk of affective and other psychiatric disorders. A total of 2,240 enrolled individuals, with 560 patients with psychosexual disorders and 1,680 subjects without psychosexual disorders (1:3) matched for age and index year, from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database, retrieved from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD), between 2000-2015 in Taiwan. The multivariate Cox regression model was used to compare the risk of developing psychiatric disorders during the 15 years of follow-up. There were 98 in the cohort with psychosexual disorders (736.07 per 100,000 person-year) and 119 in the non-cohort without psychosexual disorders (736.07 per 100,000 person-year) that developed psychiatric disorders. The multivariate Cox regression model revealed that the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) was 9.848 (95% CI= 7.298 — 13.291, p < 0.001), after the adjustment of age, monthly income, urbanization level, geographic region, and comorbidities. Female patients with psychosexual disorders were associated with the risk of psychiatric disorders. This finding could be a reminder for clinicians about the mental health problems in patients with psychosexual disorders.
The Effect Of Salinity On Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei Infection in Penaeus vannamei Under Experimental Conditions
Authors: Aranguren Luis Fernando , Alghamdi Faris , De Belder Katrien , Lin J. , Mai Hung N. , Millabas Jasmine , Alrehaili Y. , Alazwari Anwer , Algetham Saif , Dhar Arun K.
Published: January 2021

Background: Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP) is an enteric pathogen that affects Penaeus vannamei and Penaeus monodon shrimp in many SE Asian countries. In the western hemisphere, EHP was reported for the first time in 2016 in farmed P. vannamei in Venezuela. Anecdotal evidence suggests that EHP is more prevalent in grow-out ponds where the salinity is high (>15 parts per thousand (ppt)) compared to grow-out ponds with low salinities (<5 ppt). Considering that P. vannamei is an euryhaline species, we were interested in knowing if EHP can propagate in P. vannamei in low salinities. Results: In this study, we described an experimental infection using fecal strings as a source inoculum. Specific Pathogen Free (SPF) P. vannamei were maintained at three different salinities (2 ppt, 15 ppt, and 30 ppt) while continuously challenged using feces from known EHP-infected P. vannamei over a period of three weeks. The fecal strings, used as a source of EHP inocula in the challenges, was sufficient to elicit an infection in shrimp maintained at the three salinities. The infectivity of EHP in shrimp reared at 2 ppt, 15 ppt, and 30 ppt salinities was confirmed by PCR and histopathology. The prevalence and the severity of the EHP infection was higher at 30 ppt than at 2 ppt and 15 ppt. Conclusion: The data suggests that fecal strings are a reliable source of EHP inoculum to conduct experimental challenges via the fecal-oral route. An EHP infection can occur at a salinity as low as 2 ppt, however, the prevalence and the severity of the EHP infection is higher at a salinity of 30 ppt.
Total knee arthroplasty in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, severe osteoporosis, and genu valgum
Authors: Zhang Tao , Zhou Yong , Zhang Rui , Li Mi , Zhang Dapeng , Hu Naiwu
Published: January 2021

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic inflammatory disease characterized by symmetric, relapsing, and chronic destructive synovitis. This retrospective study aimed to assess the clinical benefits of TKA in patients with RA, severe osteoporosis, and moderate genu valgum.Methods: This was a retrospective study of patients with RA, osteoporosis, and genu valgus treated using TKA at the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University between 05/2016 and 05/2019. Posterior stable prostheses were used in all patients. The Knee Society Scoring System (KSS) was used to assess surgical outcomes.Results: There were eight males (10 knees) and 24 females (34 knees). Healing by the first intention was achieved in all patients. All patients were followed for a mean of 2.9 (range, 1-4) years. At the last follow-up, the KSS clinical score improved from 32.1±9.8 to 82.0±5.8 (P<0.001). The KSS functional score of the patients improved from 38.3±9.3 to 88.1±10.7 (P<0.001). The flexion-extension range of motion (ROM) of the knee joint improved from 81.8°±27.9° to 105.8°±17.0° (P<0.001). The femorotibial angle (FTA) changed from 23.1°±2.8° to 6.8°±1.9° (P<0.001). Common peroneal nerve paralysis and periarticular infection each occurred in one patient.Conclusion: TKA by the medial parapatellar approach with proper osteotomy and soft tissue balancing can restore knee function in patients with RA, severe osteoporosis, and genu valgum.
Father's experiences during the stay of the premature baby in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU): a systematic review protocol
Authors: Garnica-Torres ZulyKatherine , Dias Greicyani Brarymi , Pedroso Janari da Silva
Published: January 2021

Background: This systematic review aims to understand the father's experience in the neonatal ICU while accompanying his premature baby. Prematurity rates are increasing; every year, millions of parents faced having their premature baby hospitalized in neonatal ICU without being prepared to face this situation. It is relevant to talk about how fathers feel with the experience of being parents of premature babies. The father-baby attachment is affected by prematurity, thus performing the kangaroo care method with the active participation of the father is vital to promote the attachment between the dyad. Method: The authors will include original father-centered research articles, with measurements made in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Databases included articles from 2010 to 2020, are APA PsycNet, BVS, Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and The Cochrane Library (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. CENTRAL). Two researchers will extract the data and evaluate the quality of each study through the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) and the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) and references will be managed in the Mendeley software. This review will not perform a meta-analysis, results will be presented in a qualitative narrative synthesis that includes all the data found.Discussion: This review will contribute to the construction of evidence about the father's experience in the neonatal intensive care unit, as well as how attachment develops between the baby and the father in this field and how the kangaroo care method promotes attachment in this dyad. Ethics and dissemination: This is a protocol for a systematic review, therefore, no approval from an ethics committee is required. We will submit the article to a peer-reviewed health journal, and the results will be published in congresses focused on neonatal, child, and psychological health.PROSPERO registration number: CRD42019142086
Most Root-derived Carbon Inputs Do Not Contribute to the Global Bulk Soil Carbon Pool
Authors: Luo Zhongkui , Wang Guocheng , Xiao Liujun , Mao Xiali , Guo Xiaowei , Cowie Annette , Zhang Shuai , Wang Mingming , Chen Songchao , Zhang Ganlin , Shi Zhou
Published: January 2021

Plant root-derived carbon (C) inputs (Iroot) are the primary source of C in mineral bulk soil. However, a fraction of Iroot may lose directly (Iloss, e.g., via rhizosphere microbial respiration, leaching and fauna feeding) without contributing to bulk soil C pool. This loss has never been quantified, particularly at global scale, inhibiting reliable estimation of soil C dynamics. Here we integrate three observational global datasets including radiocarbon content, allocation of photosynthetically assimilated C, and root biomass distribution in 2,034 soil profiles to quantify Iroot and its contribution to the bulk soil C pool. We show that global average Iroot in the 0-200 cm soil profile is 3.5 Mg ha-1 yr-1, ~80% of which (i.e., Iloss) is lost rather than entering bulk soil. If ignoring Iloss, bulk soil C turnover will be incorrectly estimated to be four times faster. This can explain why Earth system models (in which all Iroot enters bulk soil C pools) predict much faster soil C turnover than radiocarbon-constrained estimates. Iroot decreases exponentially with soil depth, and the top 20 cm soil contains >60% of total Iroot. Actual C input to bulk soil (i.e., Iroot – Iloss) shows a similar depth distribution to Iroot. We also map Iloss and its depth distribution across the globe. Our results demonstrate the global significance of direct C losses which limit the contribution of Iroot to bulk soil C storage; and provide spatially explicit data to facilitate reliable soil C predictions via separating direct C losses from total root-derived C inputs.
Social Bonds as an Instrument of Responsible Investment
Authors: Yelnikova Yuliya , Golochalova Irina
Published: January 2021

Research dedicated to structuring the scientific sphere in social bonds as an instrument responsible investing. The purpose of the paper is to form an information and bibliographic field of research of social bonds as tools of VI and their statistical support in the context of a new type of SIP. It was found that social bonds as a public-private partnership aimed at achieving financial, social impact, and influence on the development fully meets the criteria of the VI instrument, but is studied primarily in the context of the empirical. The reason for this is the fact that the keys were based on practical use, and there is a large number of publications on a wide range of topics in the Scopus database without specifying the sound supply of the arms of 11,207 documents. A donation for the analysis of the informational-biometric field of social oblasts as for the tool BI will be received from the number of publications indexed by Scopus (Elsevier). Hours of progress for analysis at the end of 15 years (2005-2020 years). As for the research methodology, it is quite broad and includes built-in tools for analyzing the publication of the Scopus database, which provide a general idea of the information and bibliometric field of social bonds, software bibliometric analysis based on VOSviewer 1.6.15 for clustering analyzed publications with subsequent visualization, Google tools Trends, and Google Data to study Internet search activity information and statistics for this tool. The first two methods allowed to analyze the publishing activity on the studied tools in academic circles on the leading base of scientific publications. The third is to describe the current trends in the development of information and statistical support of social bonds. The application of these methods for structuring the scientific sphere of social bonds allowed to justify its status – as one that is formed and requires additional information and statistical support.

Keywords: social bonds, responsible investing, Scopus (Elsevier), VOSviewer.
An Analytical Study of Impact of International Merger and Acquisitions on the Financial Performance for Higher Education Institution in the United States
Authors: Frederick Duane T. , Kasztelnik Karina
Published: January 2021

The paper summarizes the arguments and counterarguments within the scientific discussion on the issues such as higher education institutions, mergers and acquisitions, world class universities, integrated postsecondary educational data system in the United States. The main purpose of this scientific research study problem is the impact of international merger and acquisition on the financial performance for higher education institution in the United States. Synthesis of this topic has a significant impact on the financial well-being for all students and professors around the World. The methodology is the observation then synthesis all current and prior existing literature and facts available for the purpose of understanding the current financial situation for all higher education industry. The paper presents the results of a critical thinking analysis integrated postsecondary education data system. The U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics for higher education institutions database system, called the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. This U.S. Government run database has collected annual higher education institutions level information since 1986 and by statute requires all Title IV higher education institutions to report in an accurate and timely manner to this database. This research contributed to the advancement of scientific knowledge in that it provided a research study on the interaction effects between time and merger status upon the performance metrics which generalize across regional, state, and national landscapes. Practical implications address how interested higher education institutions stakeholders can use this study to analyze the historical interaction effects between merger status and time on performance metrics which they wish to improve. The future implications discussion includes how this research study provided what researchers in the field have asked for and how this increased knowledge of merger and acquisitions longitudinal effects on performance metrics provides a framework for further study in this area. Keywords: merger, acquisitions, higher education institutions, revenues.
Shadow Investment Activity as a Factor of Macroeconomic Instability
Authors: Andrii Zolkover , Georgiev Marin
Published: January 2021

This paper summarizes the arguments and counterarguments within the scientific discussion on the issue of countering shadow activities in the context of ensuring macroeconomic stability. The main purpose of the study is to determine the acceptable level of investment transactions with signs of fictitiousness, which corresponds to the balance between the level of shadowing of the national economy and its macroeconomic stability. The relevance of this scientific problem is that the shadow investment activities distort the market mechanism and make it impossible to attract financial resources for expanded reproduction in the country. The research of shadow investment activity in the paper is carried out in the following logical sequence: the dynamics of the level of shadowing of Ukraine’s economy, its macroeconomic stability and volume of investment activity with signs of fictitiousness are analyzed, the forms of functional dependence between the analyzed indicators are determined. national economy and maximizing its macroeconomic stability. Methodological tools of the research methods were linear and nonlinear regression analysis, iterative method of Brown-Robinson, which is the basis for solving the problem of game theory. The study period is 2010-2019. The paper proves the existence of nonlinear functional dependence of the level of investment operations with signs of fictitiousness on the level of shadowing of the national economy and its macroeconomic stability. The study empirically confirms and theoretically proves that the volume of investment activity with signs of fictitiousness at 14.76% of GDP is achieved by increasing macroeconomic stability to 0.840 shares and reducing the shadowing of the national economy to 36.30% of GDP. The results of the study can be useful for the executive branch in the formation of public investment policy aimed at improving the quality of the business environment, reducing administrative burdens, and increasing investment demand from foreign investors. Keywords: macroeconomic stability, shadow economy, shadow investment activity, optimization model, game theory.
The New Italian Legislation on Corporate Governance and Business Crisis. The Impact of Covid – 19 on SMEs and the Recent Rules to Mitigate the Effects
Authors: Di Tommaso rancesco
Published: January 2021

The economic challenges of recent years have been accompanied by numerous and complex economic and social crises, the last of which is caused by the spread of coronavirus COVID-19 – and is convergent in nature, the effects of which are felt in all spheres of society. The COVID-19 pandemic poses serious challenges for politicians and preconditions for an empirical analysis of the direct and indirect consequences of the pandemic for the development of the global economy. As part of the business crisis, Italian legislation is based on the principles of the 2019 EU legal framework, which include legal regulation for the management of economic entities, which allows to anticipate the business crisis, avoiding bankruptcy and improving the market. Legal regulation of the financial crisis contributes to the preservation of production capacity and employment, reduces the possibility of creating non-performing loans, which can negatively affect the balance sheets of banking institutions. A study by the Bank of Italy demonstrates the possibilities of avoiding insolvency if companies anticipate a business crisis by following bankruptcy deflation procedures, such as debt restructuring agreements and agreements with creditors. COVID-19 has led to a significant reduction in world GDP. Governments have different financial means to reduce the negative effects of the pandemic, but all consider the current economic moment exceptional, trying to postpone and mitigate the implementation of bankruptcy of many companies and enterprises in case of failure of legal systems. The results of the study show that the global recession will continue, and no country will avoid strengthening the legal regulation of administrative and accounting management, regardless of the strategy to mitigate the effects of the pandemic. The paper forms the opinion that today’s events require a coordinated multinational political response to the pandemic.

Keywords: corporate governance, financial markets.
The estimation of ship cable condition by the means of measuring its insulation characteristics
Authors: Vlasov A. B. , Buev S. A.
Published: January 2021

Timely detection of defects in electrical equipment and cable network is required for the ensuring the fire safety of a modern marine vessel. The method of continuous monitoring of the resistance value of cable insulation is not very informative and is not applicable for assessing the service life of cables and predicting their replacement during operation and repair. Currently the problem of developing modern non-destructive methods of insulation control is very urgent in order to determine the operability of the cable, search for diagnostic parameters characterizing the state of insulation during prolonged aging, as well as the introduction of traditional methods of diagnostics of electrical equipment that have shown their effectiveness at the facilities of the coastal infrastructure. A promising solution for this problem is a method for monitoring the values of the tangent of the dielectric loss angle tgδ of cable insulation using devices that allow registering parameters with high accuracy. In this study the determination of changes in the parameters of a ship cable subjected to accelerated thermal aging at temperatures 120-130 °C has been made. The tgδ measurements of the cable sheath have been carried out using the Tangent-2000 insulation meter. The tests have shown that aging of cable hose insulation is accompanied by a non-linear change in tgδ; at certain values of the tangent of dielectric loss angle, visible cracks appear indicating the onset of an emergency condition of the cable. The nature of the change in the parameter tgδ is explained by the occurrence of reactions of oxidative dehydrochlorination of polychloroprene in the process of thermal aging of insulation and changes in its mass. Thus, the tangent of the dielectric loss angle can be one of the diagnostic parameters for assessing the state of the insulation of the ship's cable and predicting its service life.