bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Optimized Ustilago Chassis for Itaconic Acid Production at Theoretical Maximal Yield
Authors: Becker J. , Hosseinpour Tehrani H. , Ernst P. , Blank L. M. , Wierckx N.
Published: November 2020

Ustilago maydis, member of the Ustilaginaceae family, is a promising host for the production of several metabolites including itaconic acid. This dicarboxylate has great potential as a bio-based building block in the polymer industry, and is of special interest for pharmaceutical applications. Several itaconate overproducing Ustilago strains have been generated by metabolic and morphology engineering. This yielded stabilized unicellular morphology through fuz7 deletion, reduction of by-product formation through deletion of genes responsible for itaconate oxidation and (glyco)lipid production, and the overexpression of the regulator of the itaconate cluster ria1 and the mitochondrial tricarboxylate transporter encoded by mttA from Aspergillus terreus. In this study, itaconate production was further optimized by consolidating these different optimizations into one strain. The combined modifications resulted in itaconic acid production at theoretical maximal yield, which was achieved under biotechnologically relevant fed-batch fermentations with continuous feed.
The Genetic Evidence of Burn-Induced Cardiac Mitochondrial Metabolism Confusion
Authors: Wen Jake J. , Cummins Claire B. , Williams Taylor P. , Radhakrishnan Ravi S.
Published: November 2020

Burn-induced cardiac dysfunction is thought to involve mitochondrial dysfunction although the mechanisms responsible are unclear. In this study, we used our established model of in vivo burn injury to understand the genetic evidence of burn-induced mitochondrial metabolism confusion by describing cardiac mitochondrial metabolism-related gene expression after burn. Cardiac tissue was collected at 24 hours after burn injury. An O2K respirometer system was utilized to measure cardiac mitochondrial function. Oxidative phosphorylation complex activities were determined using enzyme activity assays. RT Profiler PCR array was used to identify differential regulation of genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis and metabolism. Quantitative qPCR and Western Blotting were applied to validate differentially expressed genes. Burn-induced cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction was supported by the finding of decreased state 3 respiration and decreased mitochondrial electron transport chain activity in complex I, III, IV, and V following burn injury. Eighty-four mitochondrial metabolism-related gene profiles were measured. The mitochondrial gene profile showed that one third of genes related to mitochondrial energy and metabolism was differentially expressed. Of these 28 genes, 15 were more than 2-fold upregulated and 13 were more than 2-fold downregulated. All genes were validated using qPCR; 4 genes had a protein level which correlated with the observed change in gene expression. This study provides preliminary evidence that a large percentage of mitochondrial metabolism-related genes in cardiomyocytes were significantly affected by burn injury.
Constructing a Reliable Health Indicator for Bearings Using Convolutional Autoencoder and Continuous Wavelet Transform
Authors: Kaji Mohammadreza , Parvizian Jamshid , Venn Hans Wernher van de
Published: November 2020

Estimating the remaining useful life (RUL) of components is a crucial task to enhance the reliability, safety, productivity, and to reduce maintenance cost. In general, predicting the RUL of a component includes constructing a health indicator (HI) to infer the current condition of the component, and modelling the degradation process, to estimate the future behavior. Although many signal processing and data-driven based methods were proposed to construct the HI, most of the existing methods are based on manual feature extraction techniques, and need the prior knowledge of experts, or rely on a large amount of failure data. Therefore, in this study, a new data-driven method based on the convolutional autoencoder (CAE) is presented to construct the HI. For this purpose, the continuous wavelet transform (CWT) technique is used to convert the raw acquired vibrational signals into a two-dimensional image; then, the CAE model, which learns the healthy operation data distribution, is used to construct the HI. The proposed method is tested on a benchmark bearing dataset and compared with several other traditional HI construction models. Experimental results indicate that the constructed HI exhibits a monotonically increasing degradation trend and has a good performance to detect incipient faults.
On the Physical Nature of the Problems of Frequency Control of Asynchronous Electric Drives
Authors: Кодкин Владимир
Published: November 2020

Abstract: The article proposes to consider the possibility of connecting the problems of engineering synthesis of frequency control systems for asynchronous electric drives with the basic provisions of the theory of identification of asynchronous electric motors based on the equations of a generalized AC electric machine.The article presents the results of experimental studies of load parrying processes in asynchronous electric drives with vector and scalar controls. These results indicate the absence of fundamental advantages as processes in a drive with vector control. This advantage should have manifested itself in a more efficient formation of the moment and fast transients. It is suggested that the reason for this is in too significant errors, assumptions and simplifications of the equations adopted in the derivation of vector control and which are its theoretical basis. A method is proposed for describing asynchronous electric motors by nonlinear transfer functions, which made it possible to formulate the principle of correction of electric drives and a method for assessing their efficiency.The article shows. that the correction based on the proposed nonlinear transfer functions of the induction motor is much more efficient than the traditional vector control, which was confirmed by detailed experiments and modeling. The results of the most important of which are given in the article. An assumption was made. that the advantage in efficiency is due to a more accurate identification of the dynamics of an asynchronous electric motor with a gear function instead of vector equations.
Acquisition and inheritance of agricultural land in Bulgaria - from fragmentation towards consolidation
Authors: Georgiev Minko , Grozdanova Dafinka
Published: November 2020

The theory of agricultural land mobility tries to answer the question whether or not it is possible to produce more and cheaper agricultural goods through land consolidation. Acquisition, inheritance, and in the Bulgarian case also the use of property of agricultural lands, are an instrument for the vertical and real/literal integration of the farmers. However, they indirectly affect the access to agricultural land.
Peace Journalism in Framing Radical Islamic Issues in Bali
Authors: Amanda Gelgel Ni Made Ras
Published: November 2020

Nowadays, radical Islamic issues has becoming an international’s issues. News stories in media filled by this issue. Even local media also put this issue in their agenda, like local media in Bali Province. Since Bali bombing in 2002, people in Bali have their own trauma related to radical Islamic especially terrorism. Media have the power to shape people’s agenda, and to shape people’s perspective in any issues. So, local media in Bali have power to influence how people in Bali to see and understand the issue. The research’s quetions is how the media in Bali framing radical Islamic issues in 2018? Unit analysis in this research are Bali Post and Tribun Bali. Both of them have the highest traffic and the oldest newspaper in Bali. Research is using Entman’s Framing Method, which focus in how media selected issues and what aspect is highlighted by the media during 2018. The result is peace journalism has been practiced in framing radical issues in Bali.
Entrepreneurship Verses Reinterpretation of Qur’an Surah Quraisy Based on Humanism Hassan Hanafi Theology
Authors: Karim Abdul , Afandi Yuyun
Published: November 2020

This qualitative research aims to comprehensively determine the gap between classical and contemporary interpretations of Qur’an Surah Quraisy that needs to be decomposed with the theological theory of humanism Hassan Hanafi, using the tahlili-muqaran interpretation method. The study found that the difference was apparent in explaining the term with the classical and modern interpretation methods used to define ilaf as habit or love and expertise in entrepreneurship, respectively. Furthermore, the word “Quraisy” is interpreted as a tribal name according to classical interpretation and branding in accordance with modern interpretations. The word rihlah is interpreted as a trade trip by classical interpretations, while in modern interpretation, it is known as an effort to maintain and improve quality. The word worship is interpreted as vertical and horizontal relationships by classical and modern interpretations, respectively. The differences are analyzed with the humanistic theology of Hassan Hanafi’s four points including, dialectics, eclectic, hermeneutics, and phenomenology. This research provides a new contribution to the interpretation of tahlili in collaboration with muqôron. It also tries to determine a common ground between classical and modern interpretations.
Gender, Non- Violence and Character Education: Contextualising Raden Adjeng Kartini’s Thoughts in Reconstructing Islamic Education
Authors: Rohmat Nur Fajriyah , Widiyanto Asfa
Published: November 2020

This paper seeks to examine the strategy, creativity and social involvement of Raden Adjeng Kartini (1879-1904) in developing education in Indonesia, especially women’s education, and its relevance for Islamic education in present-day Indonesia. This study uses qualitative content analysis and hermeneutics to analyse and contextualise Kartini’s ideas in reconstructing Islamic education, most specifically in the context of Indonesia. This paper argues that even though Kartini lived in the late 19th century, her thoughts still found its relevance in the present context. Her thoughts may serve as inspiration and foundation for reconstructing Islamic education in Indonesia. This reconstruction touch upon such issues as gender-conscious education, non-violent education, and character education.
Leading Islamic University Through Excellent Higher Pesantren: Challenges, and Strategies in Integrated Curriculum Development
Authors: Thoyib Muhammad , Nurdin Muhammad , Djohan M Widda
Published: November 2020

Along with the pace of globalization, and the severity of educational competitions, not a few actors of Islamic higher education tried to integrate two 'educational entities' (university and pesantren), in an integrated education curriculum system. Some were successful, but not a few was failed. This qualitative research article is based on interactive model data analysis technique that aims to 'initiate' the efforts of integrated curriculum development model of excellent higher pesantren at UII Yogyakarta, considering its good institutional achievement, so it should be the pilot project of the integration effort. This research concluded that the indigenous values in integrated curriculum development based on its excellent pesantren are to be oriented at the value of establishment of a 'progressive-inclusive-integrative' scholars candidate. The challenges of its integrated curriculum development include the alignment of synergical idea of university values and modern pesantren; institutionalization of university and pesantren policies; and integrating the curriculum products of university-based pesantren and community service. While, the strategies of its integrated curriculum development are implementing a top down and bottom up approach that involve all its stakehoders through a forum for feasibility of pesantren curriculum development that supported by phases that are determination of the pesantren curriculum enforcement area, development procedures; curriculum implementation; and evaluation results. However, it still needs strengthening ‘the outsider’s perspective’, especially from the users of its pesantren curriculum products in order to be able more adaptive to global needs as the idea of Beauchamp
Learning Material Changes as the Impact of the 2013 Curriculum Policy for the Primary School/Madrasah Ibtidaiyah
Authors: Prastowo Andi , Fitriyaningsih Fitriyaningsih
Published: November 2020

 Every curriculum change in Indonesia impacts other components in the national education system, including the learning material. However, main material changes have not been discussed completely. This article presents the analysis result about the impact of 2013 curriculum for Primary School (PS) and Madrasah Ibtidaiyah (MI) in Indonesia on the subject materials. This study used a literature review which examined various applicable 2013 policy documents and textbooks as a representation of the core materials. The findings of this study indicate that the change from the 2006 curriculum to the 2013 curriculum in PS/MI level has an impact on changes in teaching material. The structure and method changes are more structured, hierarchical and not overlap among levels, due to core competencies. The presentation is thematic and from concrete to abstract. Material content also changes. Teaching materials in the 2013 curriculum in PS/MI level are contextual, integrative and focused on character and soft skills. Teaching materials in the 2013 Curriculum also covers critical and creative thinking, communicative, and collaborative learning.
Mortality in Patients with Proximal Femoral Fracture During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Mamarelis Georgios , Oduoza Uche , Chekuri Ravi , Estfan Rami , Greer Tony
Published: November 2020

Background:

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a worldwide pandemic, with a case mortality ratio of approximately 6.4% at the time of writing (May 2020). Mortality increases in elderly patients with comorbidities. Patients with hip fracture have an average age of 80 years, with an estimated 2.8 comorbidities per patient. Evidence is lacking regarding the mortality rate of patients with hip fracture admitted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our aim was to investigate the mortality rate among patients with a proximal femoral fracture who were admitted to our hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods:

We conducted a retrospective review of all patients with a proximal femoral fracture admitted to Southend University Hospital in the U.K. from March to April 2020 (during the COVID-19 pandemic). Data collected included demographics (patient age, body mass index, sex), comorbidities, and blood test values along with COVID-19 diagnosis (based on positive microbiological sample and clinical and radiographic findings) and operative characteristics (time to operation, length of stay, American Society of Anesthesiologists [ASA] classification, Nottingham Hip Fracture Score). The primary outcome was the 30-day mortality rate for patients with a hip fracture who were COVID-19 positive or negative. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was conducted along with Mann-Whitney U tests and Fisher exact tests.

Results:

Forty-one patients were included in the study, of whom 37 had an available SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2) swab test result. The overall 30-day mortality was 22%. Eleven patients tested positive for COVID-19. There was a significant difference in the mortality rate between those who tested positive and those who tested negative (54.5% versus 7.69%, respectively; Fisher exact test, p = 0.004) and between the operative patients who tested positive and the operative patients who tested negative (37.5% versus 4.34%, respectively; Fisher exact test, p = 0.043).

Conclusions:

Patients with a proximal femoral fracture may be at higher risk for mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic. We noted that patients with a proximal femoral fracture who tested positive for COVID-19 had a higher 30-day mortality rate compared with those who tested negative. Additional research is required to ascertain the benefits of a reduction in time to operation.

Level of Evidence:

Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
How mHealth can facilitate collaboration in diabetes care: qualitative analysis of co-design workshops
Authors: Bradway Meghan , Morris Rebecca L , Giordanengo Alain , Årsand Eirik
Published: November 2020

Background: Individuals with diabetes are using mobile health (mHealth) to track their self-management. However, individuals can understand even more about their diabetes by sharing these patient-gathered data (PGD) with health professionals. We conducted experience-based co-design (EBCD) workshops, with the aim of gathering end-users’ needs and expectations for a PGD-sharing system. Methods: N=15 participants provided feedback about their experiences and needs in diabetes care and expectations for sharing PGD. The first workshop (2017) included patients with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) (n=4) and general practitioners (GPs) (n=3). The second workshop (2018) included patients with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) (n=5), diabetes specialists (n=2) and a nurse. The workshops involved two sessions: separate morning sessions for patients and healthcare providers (HCPs), and afternoon session for all participants. Discussion guides included questions about end-users’ perceptions of mHealth and expectations for a data-sharing system. Activities included brainstorming and designing paper-prototypes. Workshops were audio recorded, transcribed and translated from Norwegian to English. An abductive approach to thematic analysis was taken. Results: Emergent themes were mHealth technologies’ impacts on end-users, and functionalities of a data-sharing system. Within these themes, similarities and differences between those with T1D and T2D, and between HCPs, were revealed. Patients and providers agreed that HCPs could use PGD to provide more concrete self-management recommendations. Participants’ paper-prototypes revealed which data types should be gathered and displayed during consultations, and how this could facilitate shared-decision making. Conclusion: The diverse and differentiated results suggests the need for flexible and tailorable systems that allow patients and providers to review summaries, with the option to explore details, and identify an individual’s challenges, together. Participants’ feedback revealed that both patients and HCPs acknowledge that for mHealth integration to be successful, not only must the technology be validated but feasible changes throughout the healthcare education and practice must be addressed. Only then can both sides be adequately prepared for mHealth data-sharing in diabetes consultations. Subsequently, the design and performance of the joint workshop sessions demonstrated that involving both participant groups together led to efficient and concrete discussions about realistic solutions and limitations of sharing mHealth data in consultations.
County-level Correlates of Dental Service Utilization for Low Income Pregnant Women. Ecologic study of the North Carolina Medicaid for Pregnant Women (MPW) program.
Authors: Moss Mark E , Grodner Andrew , Dasanayake Ananda P. , Beasley Cherry M.
Published: November 2020

Background: Dental care utilization for low income pregnant women is met with challenges in the traditional dentist-centered model of care. County-level measures provide insights for policy and roles for stakeholders that extend beyond the dentist-patient relationship. We examined county-level data to generate hypotheses about factors that influence utilization of dental services in North Carolina’s Medicaid for Pregnant Women (MPW) program.Methods: County-level Medicaid utilization data for dental services for 2014-2016 were pooled to get mean county estimates of dental utilization in the MPW program. Descriptive statistics and multivariate regression models of dental utilization and county-level measures are presented. Data used were collected by NC Child and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s County Health Rankings Reports. USDA Economic Research Service data were used to categorize counties in terms of Farming, Recreation, Persistent Poverty, and metro/non-metro status using Rural Urban Continuum Codes.Results: Dental utilization ranged from 1% to 26% with a median of 8.5% across the 100 counties of North Carolina. Strong patterns linking utilization of dental services in the MPW program to contextual social measures of well-being emerged, specifically, increased reporting of child abuse and neglect, elevated infant mortality, poor quality of life, and worse ranking in years of potential life lost. Counties with persistent poverty had lower rates of dental utilization. Conclusions: Utilization of dental services in the MPW program is generally low. Patterns identify the potential for enhancing community-clinical linkages to improve birth outcomes and care coordination for pregnant women to enhance dental utilization in this population.Dental coverage in the Medicaid program in most states is administered separately from medical coverage. The separation of the funding mechanisms adds a further layer of complexity to care integration. Efforts to enhance dental care for pregnant women in the Medicaid program may benefit from policy that aligns incentives for care coordination within the community. Policy that extends the window of eligibility for dental benefits to 24 months after the birth of the child will help women complete the dental treatment that is needed. This also leverages the value of care coordination for community stakeholders from diverse child health sectors.
Precise Puncture Combined With Simplified Percutaneous Vertebroplasty to Treat Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression Fractures: A Comparative Analysis With Conventional Percutaneous Vertebroplasty
Authors: Pang Ju-tao , Chen Hong , Liu Bin , Zhang Xin-hu
Published: November 2020

ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the feasibility and clinical efficacy of precise puncture combined with simplified percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) for treating osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF).MethodsA total of 82 patients with single-segment osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF) were treated with PVP from Dec. 2016 to Nov. 2018. Among the patients, 45 cases in group A and accepted precise puncture combined with simplified PVP, 37 cases in group B and underwent conventional PVP. The operative time, number of intraoperative fluoroscopy, vertebral height restoration, postoperative bone cement distribution and bone cement leakage were observed and compared. The pain relief and improvement of quality of life (QOL) were assessed by visual analog score (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI).ResultsThere were no difference in injected cement volume and hospital stays in group A versus group B (P > 0.05). The operative time, number of intraoperative fluoroscopy and material cost were lower in group A compared with group B (P < 0.05). After surgery, both of the VAS scores and ODI had a significant decrease (P < 0.05). The average vertebral height and Cobb angle were significantly improved (P < 0.05), there was no statistically significant difference between groups at different time points (P > 0.05). The proportion of patients with bone cement dispersion exceeding the midline of vertebra in group A was significantly higher than that in group B (82.2% vs 62.1%) (P < 0.05), whereas the bone cement leakage rate was lower than group B (8.9% vs 27.0%) (P < 0.05). Patients were followed-up for 12-23 months (mean 17.6 months) after surgery, and 3 cases (6.6%) of adjacent vertebral fractures occurred in group A and 2 cases (5.4%) occurred in group B (P > 0.05).Conclusion﻿Precise puncture can improve the accuracy of puncture needle through pedicle to vertebral body. It conducive to obtain a better diffusion of bone cement across the midline with lower bone cement leakage rate. Simplified PVP can reduce the surgery procedures, shorten the operatige time, reduces the X-ray frequency, but also saves material cost.
Effects of Potent Neutralizing Antibodies from Convalescent Plasma in Patients Hospitalized for Severe SARS-CoV-2 Infection.
Authors: Gharbharan Arvind , Jordans Carlijn , GeurtsvanKessel Corine , Hollander Jan den , Karim Faiz , Mollema Femke , Stalenhoef-Schukken Janneke , Dofferhof Anthonius , Ludwig Inge , Koster Adrianus , Hassing Robert-Jan , Bos Jeannet , Pottelberge Geert van , Vlasveld Imro , Ammerlaan Heidi , Segarceanu Elena van Leeuwen – , Miedema Jelle , Eerden Menno van der , Schrama Thijs , Papageorgiou Grigorois , Boekhorst Peter te , Swaneveld Francis , Mueller Yvonne , Scheurs Marco , Kampen Jeroen J. A. van , Rockx Barry , Okba Nisreen , Katsikis Peter , Koopmans Marion , Haagmans Bart , Rokx Casper , Rijnders Bart
Published: November 2020

Convalescent plasma could be an inexpensive and widely available treatment for COVID-19 patients but reports on effectiveness are inconclusive. We collected convalescent plasma from donors with high titers of neutralizing anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies effectively blocking SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro. In a randomized clinical trial of 86 COVID-19 patients, no overall clinical benefit of 300 mL convalescent plasma was found in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in the Netherlands. Using a comprehensive translational approach, we unraveled the virological and immunological responses following plasma treatment which helps to understand which COVID-19 patients may benefit from this therapy and should be the focus of future studies. Convalescent plasma treatment in this patient group did not improve survival, had no effect on the clinical course of disease, nor did plasma enhance viral clearance in the respiratory tract, influence anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody development or serum proinflammatory cytokines levels. The vast majority of patients already had potent neutralizing anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies at hospital admission and at comparable titers as the carefully selected plasma donors. Together, these data indicate that the variable effectivity observed in trials on convalescent plasma for COVID-19 may be explained by the timing of treatment and varying levels of preexisting anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunity in patients. It also substantiates that convalescent plasma should be studied as early as possible in the disease course or at least preceding the start of an autologous humoral response. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT04342182
Chemical Weathering of the Southern Tibetan Plateau: Study the Geochemical Weathering Indices in the Top Soils
Authors: Yang Xiaoyan , Hou Juzhi , San Feixue
Published: November 2020

Continental chemical weathering has been suggested to affect the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide that influences global climate change at different time scales. Various indices for chemical weathering have been adopted to investigate past change in chemical weathering intensity and climate change on oceanic and lacustrine sediment archives. The reliability of the chemical weathering indices has been questioned as most sediments likely originate from multiple types of bedrock that may experience various degrees of chemical weathering and can thus be reliably robust indicators of climate and paleoclimate. Here we present Sr-type (e.g. Rb/Sr Sr/Ba) and Na-type (e.g. CIA CIW PIA CPA) chemical weathering indices for top soils across the southern Tibetan Plateau to discuss the chemical weathering characteristic in the Tibetan Plateau and to examine their response to regional climate variation. The results of chemical indices and the A-CN-K ternary plot show that the southern Tibetan Plateau is under the carbonate control of the primary chemical weathering stage with the cold-dry climate. Correlation analyses show shat Sr-type indices co-vary with mean annual temperature and annual precipitation while Na-type indices show little consistence with regional climate. The climate condition is the dominant control of Sr-type indices of top soils in the study area and the bedrock may be the dominant control for the Na-type indices. We also compared the corresponding indices at a Holocene lacustrine sediment profile in the Qaidam Basin in the northeast Tibetan Plateau with regional climatic records which strongly supports our observation in the top soils. The results of the study suggest that for the relative cold and dry climate in Tibetan Plateau the Sr-type indices are more sensitive to climate condition than Na-type indices. This suggests that the Sr-type indices are likely more suitable than Na-type indices to reflect the change of climate on the Tibetan Plateau. Caution should be taken for using the Na-type indices for reconstructing the past change in climate for the study area.
Acinetobacter Corneal Ulcer, an Ocular Involvement by an Uncommon Organism; a Case Report and a Review of Literature
Authors: Sardarinia Mahsa , Rabani SeyedHossein , Aghai Gholamhoseyn , Ghiasian Leila
Published: November 2020

Acinetobacter group has been known as gram-negative, opportunistic, aerobic coccobacilli which exists on skin, mucus membranes and in the urinary tract with relatively low virulence. Some predisposing factors including underlying systemic diseases, using broad spectrum antibiotic, mechanical ventilation and etc. could pose the more sever involvement with Acinetobacter. In this study, we reported a patient with Acinetobacter corneal ulcer and a relatively comprehensive review literature about this rarely ocular involvement with this bacteria.
WITHDRAWN: Incidence and Predictors of Cardiovascular Disease Among Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Tertiary Health Care Setting of Ethiopia: 8-Year Retrospective Follow Up Study.
Authors: Debele Gebiso , Kefeni Bilisumamulifna , Kanfe Shuma , Ayele Tadesse , Wolde Haileab , Yenit Melaku , Ahmed Mohammedjud
Published: November 2020

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of death and disability among people with diabetes in the world and it is being a major barrier to sustainable human development. Despite, CVDs have continued to devastate human survival, few studies in Ethiopia have focused on its prevalence which alone are insufficient to assess the risk of incident cardiovascular events. Therefore, we determined the incidence and predictors of cardiovascular disease among diabetic patients.Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 399 randomly selected diabetes patients. Data were entered using Epi-Data and analyzed using Stata version 14. Multivariable Weibull proportional hazards regression analysis was used to identify the predictors of CVDs (namely, coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, and peripheral arterial disease (PAD)) at 5% level of significance. Results: After a median follow-up of 5.9 years, the overall incidence rate of CVD per 100 person–years was 2.71 (95% CI: 16.9–17.6). The Multivariable survival analysis showed a significant association of CKD; (Adjusted Hazard Ratio (AHR) (95%CI) 2.53 [1.36, 4.72]), Systolic blood pressure (SBP) >/= 140; (AHR (95%CI) (4.30 [2.12, 8.73]) and triglyceride >/= 200 mg/dl; (AHR (95%CI) (5.10 [2.02, 12.89]) with risk of incident CVD.Conclusion: CVD is being a public health problem among diabetic patients in Ethiopia. SBP >/= 140, chronic kidney disease and high triglyceride were independent predictors of new CVD among diabetic patients. These findings emphasize the need of attention for CVD patients with CKD and HTN comorbidities and longer follow up period using prospective study design to determine the long-term effects of predictors of CVD among diabetic patients.
Cardiovascular Disease Prevalence in Type 2 Diabetes – An Analysis of A Large German Statutory Health Insurance Database
Authors: Gabler Maximilian , Geier Silke , Mayerhoff Lukas , Rathmann Wolfgang
Published: November 2020

Background The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of cardiovascular disease in persons with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) in Germany. Methods A claims database with an age- and sex-stratified sample of nearly 4 million individuals insured within the German statutory health system was used. All patients aged ≥ 18 years with T2D documented between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2015 and complete retrospective documentation of ≥ 5 years (continuous enrollment in the German statutory health system) before 2015 were selected based on a validated algorithm. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) events were identified based on ICD-10 and OPS codes according to a previous clinical study (EMPA-REG OUTCOME trial).Results The prevalence of T2D in Germany in 2015 was 9.9% (n=324,708). Using a narrow definition of CVD, the 6-year observation period prevalence of CVD was estimated as 46.7% [95% CI: 46.52%;46.86%]. Applying a wider CVD definition, the proportion of T2D patients who showed a history of CVD was 57.1% [95% CI: 56.9%;57.24%]. The prevalence of CVD in patients with T2D ranged from 36.3% to 57.1%, depending on the observation period and definition of CVD.Conclusions The results underline the need for a population-based registration of cardiovascular complications in T2D.
Non-esterified Very Long-chain Fatty Acids Are Accumulated in Colorectal Cancer Tissues
Authors: Hama Kotaro , Fujiwara Yuko , Hayama Tamuro , Ozawa Tsuyoshi , Nozawa Keijiro , Matsuda Keiji , Hashiguchi Yojiro , Yokoyama Kazuaki
Published: November 2020

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major cancer, and its precise diagnosis is especially important for the development of effective therapeutics. In a series of metabolome analyses, the levels of very long chain fatty acids (VLCFA) was shown to be elevated in CRC tissues, although the endogenous form of VLCFA has not been fully elucidated. In this study we analyzed the amount of non-esterified fatty acids, phospholipids and acyl-CoA species by liquid-chromatography–mass spectrometry and showed that VLCFA is accumulated as the non-esterified form in CRC tissues. We also showed that the expression level of elongation of very long-chain fatty acids 1 (ELOVL1) is increased, whereas fatty acid transport protein 4 (FATP4) is decreased in CRC tissues. Finally, we showed that the amount of non-esterified VLCFA species was significantly up-regulated in cultured cells overexpressing ELOVL1. Our results suggest that the upregulation of ELOVL1 and the down-regulation of FATP4 cooperatively lead to the accumulation of non-esterified VLCFA in CRC tissues.
Photonic-Plasmonic Mode Coupling in Nanopillar Ge-On-Si Pin Photodiodes
Authors: Augel Lion , Schlipf Jon , Bullert Sergej , Bürzele Sebastian , Schulze Jörg , Fischer Inga
Published: November 2020

Incorporating group IV photonic nanostructures within active top-illuminated photonic devices often requires light-transmissive contact schemes. In this context, plasmonic nanoapertures in metallic films can not only be realized using CMOS compatible metals and processes, they can also serve to influence the wavelength-dependent device responsivities. Here, we investigate crescent-shaped nanoapertures in close proximity to Ge-on-Si PIN nanopillar photodetectors both in simulation and experiment. In our geometries, the absorption within the devices is mainly shaped by the absorption characteristics of the vertical semiconductor nanopillar structures (leaky waveguide modes). The plasmonic resonances can be used to influence how incident light couples into the leaky modes within the nanopillars. Our results can serve as a starting point to selectively tune our device geometries for applications in spectroscopy or refractive index sensing.
Quantitative Determination of Spin-Orbit-Induced Magnetic Field in GaMnAs by Field-Scan Planar Hall Measurements
Authors: Park Seongjoon , Lee Shinwoo , Lee Kyung Jae , park SeongJin , Chongthanaphisut Phunvira , Jang Jiyeong , Liu Xinyu , Dobrowolska M. , Furdyna Jacek , Lee Sanghoon
Published: November 2020

Spin-orbit-induced (SOI) effective magnetic field in GaMnAs film with in-plane magnetic anisotropy has been investigated by planar Hall effect measurements. The presence of SOI field was identified by a shift between planar Hall resistance (PHR) hystereses observed with positive and negative currents. The difference of switching fields occurring between the two current polarities, which is determined by the strength of the SOI field, is shown to depend on the external field direction. In this paper we have developed a method for obtaining the magnitude of the SOI fields based on magnetic free energy that includes the effects of magnetic anisotropy and the SOI field. Using this approach, the SOI field for a given current density was accurately obtained by fitting to the observed dependence of the switching fields on the applied field directions. Values of the SOI field obtained with field scan PHR measurements give results that are consistent with those obtained by analyzing the angular dependence of PHR, indicating the reliability of the field scan PHR method for quantifying the SOI-field in GaMnAs films. The magnitude of the SOI field systematically increases with increasing current density, demonstrating the usefulness of SOI fields for manipulation of magnetization by current in GaMnAs films.
Ivermectin as an adjunct treatment for hospitalized adult COVID-19 patients: A randomized multi-center clinical trial
Authors: Niaee Morteza Shakhsi , Gheibi Nematollah , Namdar Peyman , Allami Abbas , Zolghadr Leila , Javadi Amir , Karampour Amin , Varnaseri Mehran , Bizhani Behzad , Cheraghi Fatemeh , Naderi Yazdan , Amini Fatemeh , Karamyan Masoumeh , Yadyad Mohammad Jafar , Jamshidian Ramin
Published: November 2020

Background: It appears that ivermectin can potentially act against COVID-19 infection. Today, it is an urgent need to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ivermectin. The effect of ivermectin therapy on mild to severe COVID-19 patients was investigated.Methods: A 45-days randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter, phase 2 clinical trial was designed at five hospitals. A total number of 180 mild to severe hospitalized patients with confirmed PCR and chest image tests were enrolled. The radiographic findings, hospitalization and low O2 saturation duration, and clinical outcomes such as mortality and variables of blood samples were analyzed using standard statistical analyses in SPSS (V20).Results: Average age of the participants was 56 years (45-67) and 50% were women. The primary and secondary results showed significant changes between day zero and day five of admission (∆ 0/5) in terms of ΔALC5/0, ΔPLT5/0, ΔESR5/0, ΔCRP5/0, duration of low O2 saturation, and duration of hospitalization (CI = 95% ). Risk of mortality was also decreased significantly in the study groups.Conclusion: Ivermectin as an adjunct reduced the rate of mortality, low O2 duration, and duration of hospitalization in adult COVID 19 patients. The improvement of other clinical parameters showed that the ivermectin, with a wide margin of safety, had a high therapeutic effect on COVID-19.Trial Registration: This trial was registered with the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials website (registration ID IRCT20200408046987N1).
Coal and Gas Outbursts Prediction Based on DWT+FICA-LDA Feature Extraction and QPSO-DELM Classifier
Authors: Liu Xuning , Li Zhixiang , Zhang Zixian , Zhang Guoying
Published: November 2020

Due to the severity and great harm of coal and gas outbursts accidents, outbursts prediction becomes very necessary, the paper presents a hybrid prediction model of feature extraction and pattern classification for coal and gas outbursts. First, Discrete wavelet transform (DWT) is utilized as a processing technique to decompose subseries and extract the features with different frequency, and the optimal feature components are retained; Second, in order to eliminate the redundancy between the features and uncorrelation between feature and outbursts, we use the fast independent component analysis(FICA) feature extraction method based on high-order statistics to obtain each independent feature, obtaining the global information in the feature; then the obtained features are input into linear discriminant analysis(LDA) , under the guidance of class label, then the local information in features are obtained; Finally, the projected features are input into the deep extreme learning machine(DELM) classifier based on the optimal parameters by quantum particle swarm optimization(QPSO) for training and classification. The experimental results on the data set of coal and gas outbursts show that compared with other models in the current prediction of coal and gas outbursts, this method has significant effect on various indicators such as speed and recognition effect.
RNF216 Promotes Occurrence and Progression of Cholangiocarcinoma via Regulation of the DIAPH3 Ubiquitination
Authors: Tu Jianfei , Chen Weiqian , Meng Miaomiao , Zhao Siyu , Wu Fazong , Fang Shiji , Shen Lin , Kong Chunli , Ying Xihui , Chen Li , Liu Lu , Hu Xianghua , Zhao Zhongwei , Fan Xiaoxi , Ji Jiansong
Published: November 2020

BackgroundCholangiocarcinoma is a relatively uncommon malignant tumor with high mortality. However, the molecular underpinnings behind malignant progression of cholangiocarcinoma are incompletely understood. Here we demonstrate that RNF216 plays a suppressive role in cholangiocarcinoma occurrence and metastasis.MethodsIHC and Western blot analysis were performed to examine the expression pattern of RNF216 and DIAPH3 in the clinical CRC cholangiocarcinoma. The relationship between RNF216 and DIAPH3 was then validated using in western blot analysis. The mechanism of RNF216-mediated ubiquitination modification of DIAPH3 was analyzed via Co-IP analysis. Gain- or loss-of-function approaches were manipulated to evaluate the modulatory effects of RNF216 and DIAPH3 on cell growth and metastasis. The mediatory effects of RNF216 and DIAPH3 on cancerogenesis were validated in vivo.ResultsClinical data indicated that expression levels of RNF216 were associated with favorable clinical outcomes. RNF216 was downregulated in cholangiocarcinoma and inhibited cell proliferation and colony formation in vitro and xenograft tumorigenicity in vivo. Moreover, RNF216 suppressed Invasion and migration of cholangiocarcinoma. Mechanistic investigations further showed that RNF216 was involved in the ubiquitination of DIAPH3, a member of formin family related to assembly of actin cytoskeleton. RNF216 elicits tumor suppressor role by promoting degradation of DIAPH3. Importantly, expression of DIAPH3 rescued RNF216-mediated suppression of proliferation, cell migration, and invasion. Conclusion﻿Our findings uncover a suppressive role for RNF216 in cholangiocarcinoma proliferation and metastatic progression and provide novel insight into that RNF216 is a potential biomarker or serves as a therapeutic target for cholangiocarcinoma.
Sarcopenia and Coronary Heart Disease Synergistically Increase the Risk of New Onset Depressive Symptoms in Older Adults
Authors: Chen Xiaoyu , Han Peipei , Yu Xing , Zhang Yuanyuan , Song Peiyu , Liu Yuewen , Liu Jinghuan , Tang Jiawei , Zhang Yisong , Zhao Yong , Zheng Jiejiao , Chu Lixi , Guo Qi
Published: November 2020

Background: It is well known that psychological and physical are very common among the elderly. This study aimed to investigate the additive effects of coronary heart disease (CHD) and sarcopenia on the risk of new onset depressive symptoms in older adults. Methods: The prospective cohort study comprised 897 Chinese community-dwelling participants who were aged 60 years and older (386 men; mean age 66.9±5.9 years) without depressive symptoms at baseline, recruited from Chadian of Tianjin, China. Sarcopenia was defined according to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) criteria. CHD was identified via medical records or new diagnosed by at least two physicians. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) ≥11. Longitudinal data on new onset depressive symptoms were collected up to 12 months after baseline.Results: We found that 103 (11.5%) of the 897 participants without depressive symptoms at baseline had developed depressive symptoms. Participants were classified into mutually exclusive groups based on sarcopenia status and CHD: normal, CHD alone, sarcopenia alone, and co-occurring groups. A logistic regression showed that the CHD alone [odd ratios (OR) = 1.81, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.07-3.07]], sarcopenia alone (OR = 2.77, 95% CI = 1.24-6.16), and co-occurring (OR = 7.12, 95% CI = 2.73-18.61) had higher risk of depressive symptoms than the normal group after adjusting for the covariates.Conclusions: CHD and sarcopenia synergistically increase the risk of new onset depressive symptoms in older adults. Thus, older adults may require early detection, and appropriate interventions should be implemented.
Clinical impact and imaging results after a modified procedure of ACDF: a prospective case-controlled study based on ninety cases with two-year follow-up
Authors: Wang Shunmin , Zhu Jian , Sun Kaiqiang , Chen Rongzi , Cao Jie , Guo Yongfei , Liu Aigang , Zhao Feng , Shi Jiangang
Published: November 2020

Study design This is a prospective case-controlled studyPurpose: To analyze the postoperative axial pain and cage subsidence of patients presenting with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) after a modified procedure of ACDF (mACDF). Methods: 90 patients with CSM were prospectively collected from 2014 to 2018. The patients were divided into spread group and non-spread group (48:42 ratio) according to the cage placement with or without releasing the Caspar cervical retractor after decompression. Spread group received conventional ACDF and non-spread group received mACDF. Patients were followed-up for at least 24 months after surgery. Radiologic data, including height of intervertebral space and Cobb Angle, were collected. Nervous system function was obtained using JOA scores, and level of pain was assessed using VAS scores.Results: A total of 90 patients were enrolled and the patients were divided into spread group (n=48) and none-spread group(n=42). Cage subsidence of (spread group vs none-spread group) was (0.82±0.68 vs 0.58±0.81) mm, (0.64±0.77 vs 0.34±0.46) mm, (0.48±0.43 vs 0.25±0.28) mm, and (0.45±0.47 vs 0.17±0.32) mm at 3months, 6months, 12months and 24 months, respectively. The period exhibiting the most decrease of the height of intervertebral space was 3 months postoperatively. However, there was no statistical difference in the height of intervertebral space, JOA or VAS scores at the final follow-up between the two groups. Conclusion: The mACDF can avoid excessive distraction by releasing the Caspar Cervical retractor, restore the "natural height" of cervical vertebra, reduce the occurrence of axial pain in patients with CSM involving single-level, and prevent rapid Cage subsidence and the loss of cervical curvatur