bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reconstruction and Repairment with Mini- Plate and Bone Graft for HIV Positive Patients of Giant Cell Tumor of Long Bone: Retrospective Analysis of A Single-Center Experience
Authors: Xu Biao , Ma Rui , Wang Jie , Zhang Qiang , Zhao Changsong , Zhang Wensheng
Published: May 2021

Background

To evaluate the effect of reconstruction and repairment with mini- plate and bone graft for HIV positive patients of giant cell tumor of long bone.
Methods

This research retrospectively analyzed 12 HIV positive patients with giant cell tumor of long bone, 11 male and 1 female, with a age range 16 to 68 years old (43.5 years old on average) were included. There were 5 cases of proximal tibia,3 cases of distal femur, 2 case of distal tibia, and 2 case of talus. From June 2012 to August 2020, curettage by ultrasonic scalpel were performed in all patients, combined with min- plate and bone graft treatment. All patients were followed up for 18–60 months. Limb function was evaluated by MSTS93 scoring system, and postoperative recurrence and distant metastasis, complications, MSTS93 score and fracture prognosis were observed.
Results

No local recurrence and pulmonary metastases was observed. After surgery, all the 12 patients showed good bone morphologic repair and reconstruction, good bone healing, good joint function, and no pathological fracture around the lesion. One case of giant cell tumor of proximal tibia showed mild articular surface collapse, and mild valgus deformity of knee joint, but good joint function. The MSTS93 score of the patients 6 months after the operation was 24–27 points (24.5 ± 1.08), with a significant difference (P < 0.05).
Conclusion

Reconstruction and repairment with mini- plate and bone graft for HIV positive patients of giant cell tumor of long bone has achieved satisfactory results. The mini- plate takes up little space and is flexible for reconstruction and fixation, significantly reducing complications such as surgical site infection, preserving joint function and avoiding amputation. It is a safe and effective treatment method.
Study protocol and baseline characteristics of newly induced dialysis patients: a prospective multi-center cohort study with biological sample bank, the Ibaraki Dialysis Initiation Cohort Study (iDIC Study)
Authors: Tawara-Iida Takashi , Usui Joichi , Ebihara Itaru , Ishizu Takashi , Kobayashi Masaki , Maeda Yoshitaka , Kobayashi Hiroaki , Kobayashi Tokuro , Ueda Atsushi , Tsuchida Makoto , Sakai Shinichiro , Yamagata Kunihiro
Published: May 2021

Background: Patients with end stage kidney disease (ESKD) face higher risk of life-threatening event including cardiovascular disease. Various risk factors have identified as an agent influencing their life prognosis. The study's purpose was to evaluate the risk factors related to the outcomes of Japanese patients with dialysis induction. In this brief report, we present this cohort study protocol and the baseline characteristics. Methods: Ibaraki Dialysis Initiation Cohort Study, iDIC Study, is a prospective multi-center cohort study in collaboration with 60 facilities in Ibaraki prefecture, Japan. We collected baseline data from clinical records, blood and urine samples in diabetic nephropathy, hypertensive nephrosclerosis and chronic glomerulonephritis Results: Sixty tertiary care institutions participated in the iDIC study, and 636 entries were analyzed. In this brief report, we present the baseline data of the entries in a comparison with the data of other similar cohort studies. Of the 636 patients, 424 were males and 212 were females. The average age was 67.4±13.1 years old. As the primary kidney disease, 327 cases (51.4%) were diagnosed as diabetic nephropathy, 101 cases (15.9%) as hypertensive nephrosclerosis, and 114 cases (17.9%) as chronic glomerulonephritis. The average serum creatinine value was 9.1 ± 2.9 mg/dL, and the average estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was 5.6 ± 1.8 mL/min/1.73m2. Conclusion: We presented the study protocols and baseline characteristics of iDIC Study. Regarding as clinical characteristics of newly induced dialysis patients, the same trend was observed in the other cohort studies. Another study is underway to explore prognostic factors based on the iDIC Study's findings.
Radiation Dose Reduction During Adrenal Vein Sampling Using a New Angiographic Noise Reduction Imaging Technology
Authors: Spink Clemens , Avanesov Maxim , Lenz Alexander , Henes Frank Oliver , Well Lennart , Schmidt Thomas , Grass Michael , Adam Gerhard , Ittrich Harald , Bannas Peter
Published: May 2021

Purpose: To compare the patient radiation doses during angiographic selective adrenal vein sampling (AVS) before and after a noise reduction imaging technology upgrade.Methods: In this retrospective single-center-study, cumulative air kerma (AK), cumulative dose area product (DAP), fluoroscopy time and contrast agent dosage were recorded from 70 patients during AVS. 35 procedures were performed before and 35 after a noise reduction imaging processing technology upgrade. Mean values were calculated and compared using an unpaired student’s t-test. DSA image quality was assessed independently by two blinded readers using a four-point Likert scale (1=poor; 4=excellent) and compared using Wilcoxon signed-rank test.Results: After the technology upgrade we observed a significant reduction of 35% in AK (1.7±0.7 vs. 1.1±0.7 Gy, p=0.01) and a significant reduction of 28% in DAP (235.1±113 vs. 170.1±94 Gy*cm2, p=0.01) in comparison to procedures before the upgrade. There were no significant differences between the number of exposure frames (143±86 vs. 132±61frames, p=0.53), fluoroscopy time (42±23 vs. 36±18 min, p=0.22), or the amount of contrast medium used (179.5±84 vs. 198.1±109 ml, p=0.41). There was also no significant difference regarding image quality (3 (2-4) vs. 3 (2-4), p=0.67). ​Conclusion: The angiographic noise reduction imaging technology upgrade significantly decreases the radiation dose during adrenal vein sampling without increasing time of fluoroscopy or contrast volume and without compromising image quality.
Interpretable Machine Learning for Early Neurological Deterioration Prediction in Atrial Fibrillation-Related Stroke
Authors: Kim Seong Hwan , Jeon Eun-Tae , Yu Sungwook , O Kyungmi , Kim Chi Kyung , Song Tae-Jin , Kim Yong-Jae , Heo Sung Hyuk , Park Kwang-Yeol , Kim Jeong-Min , Park Jong-Ho , Choi Jay Chol , Park Man-Seok , Kim Joon-Tae , Choi Kang-Ho , Hwang Yang Ha , Kim Bum Joon , Chung Jong-Won , Bang Oh Young , Kim Gyeongmoon , Seo Woo-Keun , Jung Jin-Man
Published: May 2021

We aimed to develop a novel prediction model for early neurological deterioration (END) based on an interpretable machine learning (ML) algorithm for atrial fibrillation (AF)-related stroke and to evaluate the prediction accuracy and feature importance of ML models. Data from multi-center prospective stroke registries in South Korea were collected. After stepwise data preprocessing, we utilized logistic regression, support vector machine, extreme gradient boosting, light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM), and multilayer perceptron models. We used the Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) method to evaluate feature importance. Of the 3,623 stroke patients, the 2,363 who had arrived at the hospital within 24 hours of symptom onset and had available information regarding END were included. Of these, 318 (13.5%) had END. The LightGBM model showed the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (0.778, 95% CI, 0.726 - 0.830). The feature importance analysis revealed that fasting glucose level and the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score were the most influential factors. Among ML algorithms, the LightGBM model was particularly useful for predicting END, as it revealed new and diverse predictors. Additionally, the SHAP method can be adjusted to individualize the features’ effects on the predictive power of the model.
Genetically Encoded Dihydroxyphenylalanine Coupled with Tyrosinase for Strain Promoted Labeling
Authors: George Augustine , Indhu Mohan , Ashokraj Sundarapandian , Shanmugam Ganesh , Ganesan Ponesakki , Kamini Numbi Ramudu , Niraikulam Ayyadurai
Published: May 2021

The newly developed molecular biology approach expanding the genetic code was used to incorporate the non-canonical amino acid dihydroxyphenylalanine for fine-tuning of proteins. Further, the congener protein was enzymatically converted to form quinone for strain promoted click chemistry. The reaction yields a single product with defined stereochemistry and temporally controlled conjugation with bicyclonon[6.1.0]-4-yne (BCN) as well as dibenzocyclooctyne-PEG-Fluor 545. The promising bioconjugation of congener protein with dibenzocyclooctyne-PEG-Fluor 545 was used as a fluorescent marker for selective cell imaging and detection of programmed cell death in EAhy926 cells.
Perceived Risk and Severity of the Uptake of Safe Male Circumcision Services among Young Men Aged 15-24 Years in Rhino Camp Refugees Settlement, Arua District- Uganda
Authors: David Blate M. , Bandaru Juliet M. , Namajja Khawa E. , Kajoba David , Atuhaire Shallon
Published: May 2021

Background
Safe male circumcision is a proven cost-effective intervention in reducing the risk of sexual transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus /Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome among heterosexual individuals by 60%. This study aimed at exploring the perceived risk and severity to the uptake of safe male circumcision among young men aged 15–24 years in Rhino Camp Refugees Settlement, Arua District, Uganda.
Methods
This was a cross-sectional study among 378 respondents, which utilized both quantitative and qualitative approaches with a semi-structured and three focus group discussions conducted among young men aged 15–24 years. Univariate analysis was used to determine the uptake of safe male circumcision. Chi-square test and binary regression model were used to determine the odds ratio at 95% confidence levels of safe male circumcision uptake and other exposure variables. Results from the focus group discussions were analysed thematically.
Results
The prevalence of safe male circumcision uptake was 42.1%. The major factor associated with increased likelihood of safe male circumcision uptake was the perceived benefit of cervical cancer prevention in my partner (AOR = 2.455, 95% CI = 1.278–3.627). Factors associated with reduced likelihood safe male circumcision uptake included: fear of perceived increased risk of meatitis (AOR = 0.726, 95% CI = 0.338- .959), fear that undergoing safe male circumcision is very painful and uncomfortable (AOR = 0.742, 95%, CI = 0.279–1.973). Also, the perception that safe make circumcision is not affordable at most private health facilities (AOR = 0.167, 95%, CI = 0.058–0.478).
Conclusions
Safe make circumcision uptake in Rhino Refugees Settlement is lower than Uganda’s national target of 80%. This is attributed to the perceived risks such as perceived risk of infection, pain, irritability, and costs involved. Awareness creation on myths and misconceptions is key to increasing up take of safe make circumcision.
Effects of Early Respiratory Physiotherapy on Spontaneous Respiratory Activity of Preterm Infants: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Polito Alessia Di , Vecchio Arianna Del , Tana Milena , Papacci Patrizia , Vento Anna Laura , Campagnola Benedetta , Celona Sefora , Cricenti Laura , Bastoni Ilaria , Tirone Chiara , Lio Alessandra , Aurilia Claudia , Bottoni Anthea , Paladini Angela , Cota Francesco , Ferrara Paola Emilia , Ronconi Gianpaolo , Vento Giovanni
Published: May 2021

Background: Tactile maneuvers stimulating spontaneous respiratory activity in preterm infants are recommended since birth, but data on how and how often these maneuvers are applied in clinical practice are unknown. In the last years, most preterm newborns with respiratory failure are preferentially managed with non-invasive respiratory support and by stimulating spontaneous respiratory activity from the delivery room and in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), in order to avoid the risks of intubation and prolonged mechanical ventilation.Methods: Preterm infants with gestational age ≤ 30 weeks not intubated in the delivery room and requiring non-invasive respiratory support at birth will be eligible for the study. They will be randomized and allocated to one of two treatment groups: 1) the Study Group infants will be subject to the technique of respiratory facilitation within the first 24 h of life, according to the reflex stimulations, by the physiotherapist. The newborn is placed in supine decubitus and a slight digital pressure is exerted on a hemithorax. The respiratory facilitation technique will be performed for about three minutes and repeated for a total of 4/6 times in sequence, three times a day until spontaneous respiratory activity is achieved, thus no respiratory support is required; 2) the Control Group Infants will take part exclusively in the Individualized Postural Care program. They will perform the technique of respiratory facilitation and autogenous drainage. The primary outcome of the study will be the incidence of intubation and mechanical ventilation in the first week of life. Discussion: The technique of respiratory facilitation is based on reflex stimulations, applied early to preterm infant. Slight digital pressure is exerted on a "trigger point” of each hemithorax, to stimulate the respiratory activity with subsequent increase of the ipsilateral pulmonary minute ventilation and to facilitate the contralateral pulmonary expansion. This mechanism will determine the concatenation of input to all anatomical structures in relation to the area being treated, to promote spontaneous respiratory activity and reducing work of breathing, avoiding or minimizing the use of invasive respiratory support.Trial registration: UMIN-CTR Clinical Trial, Identifier: UMIN000036066, Registered March 1, 2019. Protocol 1. https://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr
Multiple clonal types of nonvaccine serotypes constitute β-lactams nonsusceptible pneumococcus isolates from adult pneumonia patients in Japan
Authors: Kakiuchi Satoshi , Dhoubhadel Bhim Gopal , Suzuki Motoi , Ishifuji Tomoko , Watanabe Kiwao , Parry Christopher M , Morimoto Konosuke , Ariyoshi Koya
Published: May 2021

Background and objective The global spread of antimicrobial-nonsusceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major concern. Molecular epidemiology of those strains in relation to vaccine serotype remains to be explored in Japan. This study aimed to elucidate the distribution of molecular types with the serotypes and antimicrobial susceptibility of pneumococcus strains isolated from adult pneumonia patients. Methods We enrolled adult pneumonia patients from four sites in Japan between September 2011 and August 2014. S. pneumoniae isolates from sputum and blood were analyzed for serotyping by the Quellung reaction and for antimicrobial susceptibility by the agar dilution method and e-test and for multilocus sequence typing. Results In total, 204 isolates were analyzed from 200 patients with a median age of 72.5 years, of whom 55 (27.5%) patients had received a 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23). We detected 41 clonal complexes (CCs) and 62 sequence types (STs), including 10 new STs: CC/ST 180 of serotype 3 was the most common followed by CC/ST 236 of serotype 19F and CC/ST 99 of serotype 11A; 144 (70.6%) isolates were PPSV23 serotypes; 40 (19.6%) and 121 (59.3%) isolates were b-lactam nonsusceptible (bNS) and multidrug-nonsusceptible strains, respectively. Among the bNS strains, 18 (45%) were nonvaccine serotypes, and 4 CCs (CC236, CC63, CC242, and CC558) comprised of 62.5% of them.Conclusion Multiple CCs of bNS strains, including nonvaccine serotype are spreading. It is crucial to monitor the antimicrobial susceptibility, serotypes, and molecular types of pneumococci to predict the effectiveness of vaccines in preventing pneumonia by bNS pneumococci strains.
Effectiveness of Kangaroo Mother Care by Role-Playing Method on Mother’s Resilience and Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, a Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: mohammadi fateme , Basiri Behnaz , Barati Majid , Khazaei Salman , Masoumi Seyedeh Zahra , Sadeghian Efat , Gillespie Mark , Oshvandi Khodayar
Published: May 2021

Background

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of kangaroo mother care by role-playing method on mother’s resilience and breastfeeding self-efficacy in neonatal intensive care unit.
Methods

In this one-blind a randomized controlled trial,78 mothers of infants admitted to neonatal intensive care unit were randomly assigned into two groups: role-playing method (n = 39), routine method (n = 39). The mothers of the intervention group were trained individually in two 30-minute sessions. After training, mothers performed kangaroo mother Care for their infants three times a day and each time 30 min for 7 days. Mothers in the control group received routine embrace care training (booklet training). Questionnaires were collected before the intervention, one day after and one week after intervention. Data analyses were conducted using SPSS version 22.
Results

mother’s resilience and breastfeeding self-efficacy in the study groups was significant at the end of the two among groups. Funding demonstrated a statistically significant difference in the score of the resilience (P = < 0.001) and breastfeeding self-efficacy (P = < 0.001) in the each group one day and one week after performing the intervention. In addition, revealed a statistically significant difference between the both groups in of resilience score(P < 0.01) and breastfeeding self-efficacy (P < 0.01) one day and one week after performing the intervention (P < 0.01), So that the role playing method was more effective than the routine method (booklet training).
Conclusion

Training kangaroo mother care by role-playing and routine methods were both effective in mother’s resilience and breastfeeding self-efficacy, but role-playing method was More effective and can be recommended role playing and routine methods as therapeutic care methods in clinical settings at the beginning of the admission of infants in the neonatal intensive care unit to improve mother’s resilience and breastfeeding self-efficacy.
Can Fetal Weight Discordancy Measured by Ultrasound During Pregnancy Predict Maternal Complications and Neonatal Outcomes in Dichorionic Diamniotic Twins?
Authors: Kim Hyun Mi , Cha Hyun-Hwa , Seong Won Joon , Kim Mi Ju
Published: May 2021

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the relationships between the estimated fetal weight discordancy, which was measured by ultrasound during pregnancy, and maternal pregnancy complications and neonatal outcomes in dichorionic diamniotic twin pregnancies.Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of the medical records of 320 twin pregnancies delivered at Chilgok Kyungpook National University Hospital between January 2011 and February 2020. This study included dichorionic diamniotic twin mothers who delivered between 32+1 and 38+0 weeks of gestation. Mothers who had one fetal demise, a major anomaly, or twin-specific complications were excluded. At 20–24 weeks and 28–32 weeks of gestation, participants were divided into 2 groups: discordant twins with an estimated fetal weight difference of more than 20% and concordant twins with a weight difference of less than 20%. The maternal complications and neonatal outcomes were compared between the two groups. Results: The incidences of preeclampsia and placenta previa were significantly higher in discordant twins measured between 20 and 24 weeks compared with concordant twins, but no statistical significance was found in the neonatal outcomes between the two groups. Delivery times were earlier and neonatal weights were lower in discordant twins measured between 28 and 32 weeks. Neonatal outcomes such as ventilator use and neurodevelopment were also significantly different. Conclusion: Discordance in estimated fetal weight measured by ultrasound between 20 and 24 weeks is a risk factor for maternal preeclampsia and placenta previa, whereas discordancy at 28–32 weeks can predict poor neonatal outcomes.
Comprehensive Analysis of The Significance of Hypoxia-Related Genes in Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Zhao Wancheng , Yin Lili
Published: May 2021

Background: Hypoxia-related genes have been reported to play important roles in a variety of cancers. However, their roles in ovarian cancer (OC) have remained unknown. The aim of our research was to explore the significance of hypoxia-related genes in OC patients.Methods: In this study, 15 hypoxia-related genes were screened from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database to group the ovarian cancer patients using the consensus clustering method. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to calculate the hypoxia score for each patient to quantify the hypoxic status. Results: The OC patients from TCGA-OV dataset were divided into two distinct hypoxia statuses (cluster.A and cluster.B) based on the expression level of the 15 hypoxia-related genes. Most hypoxia-related genes were expressed more highly in the cluster.A group than in the cluster.B group. We also found that patients in the cluster.A group exhibited higher expression of immune checkpoint-related genes, epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related genes, and immune activation-related genes, as well as elevated immune infiltrates. PCA algorithm indicated that patients in the cluster.A group had higher hypoxia scores than that in in the cluster.B group.Conclusions: In summary, our research elucidated the vital role of hypoxia-related genes in immune infiltrates of OC. Our investigation of hypoxic status may be able to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy for OC.
Mental Healthcare-Seeking Behavior during The Perinatal Period among Rural Women in Bangladesh
Authors: Dutta Goutam Kumar , Sarker Bidhan Krishna , Ahamed Helal Uddin , Bhattacharyya Dipika Shankar , Rahman Musfikur , Biswas Taposh Kumar
Published: May 2021

Introduction: Mental health conditions are of rising concern due to their increased contribution to the global burden of disease. Mental health issues are inextricably linked with other sociocultural and health dimensions, especially in the rural areas in developing countries. The complex relationship between mental health issues and sociocultural settings may largely toll upon the healthcare-seeking behavior. Evidence suggests that mental illness affects more than 10% of women and one year after childbirth. So, it urges to document the current status of mental healthcare-seeking behavior during the perinatal period among rural women in Bangladesh to develop a context-specific intervention in the future.Methods: This study was carried out in one sub-district in Bangladesh from April 2017 to June 2018. We conducted 21 In-depth Interviews and seven Focus Group Discussions with different groups of purposively selected participants such as perinatal women, head of the family, community stakeholders, and community level healthcare providers. After collecting the recorded interview and making the verbatim transcription, the data were coded through Atlasti 5.7.a. Data were analyzed thematically to explain the findings.Results: Most of the women with mental disorders at the community level did not seek healthcare during the perinatal period. Women with mental illness also did not know who and where the mental health services are provided. The study found that only one respondent out of twenty-one sought maternal mental healthcare from a gynecologist from a private hospital. In this regard, socio-cultural factors such as social stigma traditional beliefs and practices, social and religious taboos, and social capital also negatively influence healthcare-seeking behaviors. Besides, the community-level service providers were not trained and did not have any guidelines regarding its proper management.Conclusion: The study findings provide us evidence that there is an urgent need to increase the awareness for service users and formulate a guideline for the community-level service provider to manage maternal mental problems during the perinatal period of women in rural Bangladesh.
Molecular Characterization of Isolated Chicken Infectious Anemia Viruses in Central China
Authors: Wang Xinwei , Feng Jie , Liu Ying , Sun Aijun , Liu Huayuan , Wang Xiangru , Wang Jingjing , Wang Rui , Zhu Xiaojing , Xu Yijie , Qin Jinglin , Yang Xia , Chen Lu , Zhuang Guoqing
Published: May 2021

Background: Chicken infectious anemia (CIA) is an immunosuppressive disease induced by the chicken infectious anemia virus (CIAV) causing heavy economic losses once outbreak. This study conducted a systematic analysis of the epidemiology and pathology of CIA in Henan province, central China.Methods: A total of 437 clinical tissue samples and 120 poultry disease-related live attenuated vaccines were collected during 2017-2019; of which 45 were positive for CIAV nucleic acid, with a positive rate of 8.08%. Results: Our results showed that genome sequences similarity among a total of 12 CIAV isolates was high, and ranged from 97.1% to 99.3%, and their similarity to the vaccine strains Cux-1 and Del-Ros ranged from 97.8% to 98.6%. However, There were non-synonymous amino acid mutations in the locus of the major capsid proteins VP1, VP2 and VP3 among all isolates. The subsequent sequence analysis indicated that the isolates of HN-4 and HN-8 showed genetic recombination and follow up animal experiments revealed that HN-4 might be a high pathogenic strain. Conclusions: Our results reveal that both field infection and vaccine contamination promote epidemiology of CIAV in China. Some dominant epidemic viruses have undergone recombination and evolution. This study provides important information for CIAV prevention and control in poultry industry development.
Lonosphere-thermosphere Relation as Seen in Measured and Modeled Electron and Neutral Densities
Authors: Vielberg Kristin , Corbin Armin , Kusche Jürgen , Xiong Chao , Stolle Claudia
Published: May 2021

The availability of in-situ neutral and electron densities along the orbit of the satellite missions GRACE and CHAMP provide a good opportunity to study the ionosphere-thermosphere (IT) system. The aim of this paper is (1) to use these data sets, to study the IT density relation empirically via correlation properties for different conditions depending on solar activity, geomagnetic latitude, and local time and (2) to verify whether these relations are consistent with the output of the TIE-GCM model of the thermosphere and ionosphere.
Our results show that the correlations of electron and neutral densities strongly depend on magnetic local time (MLT) with a minimal correlation between 6-9h MLT, e.g., every 131 days for CHAMP around 400km altitude and every 160 days for GRACE around 500km. During low solar activity, the correlation of modeled and measured densities agrees well for both satellites. On the contrary, we note that the correlations between the modeled values are higher, especially during high solar activity, where the difference between correlations of modeled and measured densities is about 0.2. We suggest that the reason for this misalignment might be related to the poor representation of the equatorial density anomaly in the model especially during high solar activity.
We believe our results will be useful for studies that aim at assimilating electron densities into a physical model to improve the prediction of neutral densities, since the skill of data assimilation depends to a large extent on the representation of the correlation between both densities.
Computational Identification of Guillain-Barre Syndrome Related Genes by an mRNA Gene Expression Profile and a Protein-Protein Interaction Network
Authors: Wang Chunyang , Liao Shiwei , xu jing
Published: May 2021

In this study, we developed a computational method to identify Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) related genes based on (i) a gene expression profile, and (ii) the shortest path analysis in a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. The mRMR (Maximum Relevance Minimum Redundancy) method was employed to select significant genes from an mRNA profile dataset of GBS patients and healthy controls. The protein products of the significant genes were then mapped to a PPI network generated from the STRING database. Shortest paths were computed and all shortest path proteins were picked out and were ranked according to their betweenness. Related genes of the top-most proteins in the ordered list were then retrieved and were regarded as potential GBS related genes in this study. As a result, totally 30 GBS related genes were screened out, in which 20 were retrieved from PPI analysis of up-regulated expressed genes and 23 were from down-regulated expressed genes (13 overlap genes). GO enrichment and KEGG enrichment analysis were performed respectively. Results showed that there were some overlap GO terms and KEGG pathway terms in both up-regulated and down-regulated analysis, which indicated these terms may play critical role during GBS process. These results could shed some light on the understanding of the Genetic and molecular pathogenesis of GBS disease, providing basis for future experimental biology studies and for the development of effective genetic strategies for GBS clinical therapies.
Co-digestion of hybrid Pennisetum and peanut shell after adding TiO2 nanoparticles: Focusing on the synergistic effects on methane production
Authors: Zhao HongMei , Jiang Meng
Published: May 2021

Anaerobic digestion is a widely accepted method to treat wastes such as peanut shell. The energy and nutrients are simultaneously recovered by this method. The objective of this study was to elucidate the effect of TiO 2 nanoparticles in co-digestion of hybrid Pennisetum and peanut shell under mesophilic conditions. The results demonstrated the methane (CH 4 ) production was improved by adding the TiO 2 nanoparticles. The cumulative gas production is best (up to 11,133.3 mL) by adding 0.15% nano-TiO 2 particles. The microbial community analysis showed that Methanobacterium and Methanosarcina were enriched in the presence of TiO 2 nanoparticles indicating that TiO 2 can improve CH 4 production by stimulating the growth of methanogens.
Comprehensive Analysis of Metabolism-Related lncRNA Related To The Progression And Prognosis In Osteosarcoma From TCGA
Authors: Chen Xingyin , Ye Zhengyun , Lou Pan , Liu Wei , Liu Ying
Published: May 2021

Background: Osteosarcoma is one of the most common malignant neoplasm among children and adolescents. Studies have shown that metabolism-related pathways are more important for the development and metastasis of osteosarcoma. Long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) plays a key role in the occurrence and progression of cancer in a variety of ways, Metabolism-related lncRNA-mediated molecular mechanisms in the regulation of osteosarcoma have not been fully elucidated.Methods: In this study, all metabolic-related mRNAs and metabolic-related LncRNA in osteosarcoma were extracted and identified based on transcriptomic data from the TCGA database. The survival analysis, The univariable and multivariable independent prognostic analysis, The results of gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and the nomogram were used to construct a prognosis signature with metabolic LncRNA as prognostic factor.Results: 9 prognostic factors including that LncRNA AC009779.2, LncRNA AL591895.1, LncRNA AC026271.3, LncRNA LPP-AS2, LncRNA LINC01857, LncRNA AP005264.1, LncRNA LINC02454, LncRNA AL133338.1 and LncRNA AC135178.5, respectively. The survival analysis showed that the difference in expression of an individual LncRNA was closely related to poor prognosis in osteosarcoma. The univariable and multivariable independent prognostic analysis showed that the signature had good independent predictive ability for patient survival. The results of gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) suggest that these predictors may be involved in the metabolism of certain substances or energy in cancer. The nomogram is further drawn for clinical guidance and assistance in clinical decision-making.Conclusions: This study identified multiple metabolic-related lncRNA that can be considered as novel therapeutic targets for osteosarcoma and contribute to better exploring the specific regulatory mechanisms of lncRNA in the metabolism of osteosarcoma.
Overcoming Chemoresistance to Vemurafenib in Melanoma via Targeted Inhibition of PCK1 Using 3-mercaptopropionic Acid
Authors: Ren Ming , Wang Lu , Deng Xin-Yi , Gao Zi-Xu , Wang Qiang , Tao Meng-Yuan , Shen Kang-Jie , Ding Yi-Teng , Qian Le-Qi , Wei Chuan-Yuan , Gu Jian-Ying
Published: May 2021

Background:BRAF inhibitors are the mainstay treatment for melanoma with the V600E mutation, but its resistance to BRAFi remains a clinical challenge. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the mechanism of BRAFi resistance and develop new therapeutic targets. Methods:We established an A2058 melanoma cell line with acquired resistance to vemurafenib in vitro. RNA sequencing was used to identify the target gene and signaling pathway which were related to the resistance.A series of in vitro assays were applied to confirm the function of PCK1, including test of scratch,transwell,cell viability,flow cytometry,sphere formation,western blot and ROS detection.Western blot was taken to identify the activation of PI3K/Akt pathway.We constructed the subcutaneous xenograft model of melanoma,and the mice were randomly injected with DMSO,vemurafenib,and combination of vemurafenib and 3-mercaptopropionic acid.Finally, tumor size,ROS in tissue,and immunohistochemistry were analyzed to validate the findings.Results:We identified that the activation of PI3K/Akt pathway led to the overexpression of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1, a key enzyme of gluconeogenesis. An elevated PCK1 level induced intracellular metabolic reprogramming, thereby lowering oxidative stress contributed to the chemoresistance to vemurafenib. 3-mercaptopropionic acid , an antihyperglycemic agent, could inhibit the viability of PCK1 then bring oxidative damage to drug-resistant cells. As a result, 3-mercaptopropionic acid sensitized the cells to the killing effect of vemurafenib, exerting a synergistic anti-tumor effect in combination with vemurafenib. Conclusions:Our study demonstrates that the PI3K/Akt-PCK1-ROS axis plays an important role in BRAFi-resistant melanoma and that using the antihyperglycemic agent 3-MPA is a feasible strategy to restore its therapeutic sensitivity.
High Voc Fullerene-Free Organic Photovoltaics Composed of PTB7 and Axially-Substituted Silicon Phthalocyanines
Authors: Vebber Mario , Rice Nicole A. , Brusso Jaclyn L. , Lessard Benoît H.
Published: May 2021

While the efficiency of organic photovoltaics (OPV) has improved drastically in the past decade, such devices rely on exorbitantly expensive materials that are unfeasible for commercial applications. Moreover, examples of high voltage single-junction devices, which are necessary for several applications, particularly low-power electronics and rechargeable batteries, are lacking in literature. Alternatively, silicon phthalocyanines (R2-SiPc) are inexpensive, industrially scalable organic semiconductors, having a minimal synthetic complexity (SC) index, and are capable of producing high voltages when used as acceptors in OPVs. In the present work, we have developed high voltage OPVs composed of Poly({4,8-bis[(2-ethylhexyl)oxy]benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene-2,6-diyl}{3-fluoro-2-[(2-ethylhexyl)carbonyl] thieno [3,4 b]thiophenediyl}) (PTB7) and an SiPc derivative ((3BS)2-SiPc). Interestingly, while changes to the solvent system had a strong effect on performance, the PTB7:3BS-SiPc active layer were robust to spin speed, annealing and components ratio. This invariance is a desirable characteristic for industrial production. All PTB7:(3BS)2-SiPc devices produced high open circuit voltages between 1.0 and 1.07 V, while maintaining 80% of the overall efficiency, when compared to their fullerene-based counterpart.
Comparison of In-hospital Mortality Prognostic Accuracy of the pSOFA Score and SIRS Criteria Among Children With Infection Admitted to Pediatric Intensive Care Units: A Retrospective Multi-center Cohort Study
Authors: Zhao Chun , Xin Meiyun , Li Jing , Zhao Jinfang , Wang Yujuan , Wang Wei , Gao Qian , Chen Jie , Wang Qiwei , Jin Youpeng
Published: May 2021

Background: The sepsis version 3.0 highlights the co-existence of infection with organ dysfunction, assessed by the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score. However, the prognostic accuracy of the Pediatric SOFA score (pSOFA) for in-hospital mortality was not fully validated. We compared the performance of the pSOFA with the SIRS criteria as predictors of in-hospital mortality in children with infectious disease and evaluate whether the pSOFA is suitable to be used in pediatric intensive care units (PICU) in Shandong Province, China.Methods::A retrospective multicenter cohort study was conducted on children hospitalized with confirmed or suspected infection, between January 2011 and December 2019, in three PICUs of three tertiary care hospitals in Shandong Province. The maximum pSOFA score and SIRS criteria within the first 24 hr of PICU admission were calculated. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were conducted to analyze the risk factors for in-hospital mortality. Three sub-components of the pSOFA score with relatively good predictive value were identified according to the Yuden Index and formed a simple-pSOFA score. The efficiency and diagnostic ability of these scores were compared by measuring the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) and Delong’s test.Results: 1092 patients were included and the overall in-hospital mortality was 23.4%. Multivariate logistic regressions showed that high 24h pSOFA score, bloodstream as the main infection site, and the need for MV were the risk factors for in-hospital mortality. The AUROC analysis verified that simple-pSOFA had the best diagnostic ability in predicting in-hospital mortality of infected children compared with the 24h pSOFA score and SIRS criteria. The sensitivity and specificity of 24h pSOFA score ≥2 were the highest, 97.6% and 78.9%, respectively.Conclusions: The pSOFA score was superior to SIRS criteria in identifying children with infection and a high risk of mortality, but it is expensive and time-consuming to complete the pSOFA score. Simple-pSOFA score is superior to pSOFA score in early identification of infected children with a high risk of death, but further validation studies with a larger size is needed.
A geometric progression on the mass of elementary fermions
Authors: Mishulan Li-Gong
Published: May 2021

The Standard Model of particle physics contains three generations of elementary fermions, which have prominent mass hierarchies. Through careful analysis of the observational data on the mass of elementary fermions, we determine that an intrinsic pattern does exist. A geometric progression is proposed to describe the mass distribution of elementary fermions, and using the observational data of neutrino oscillations, we can estimate the neutrino masses for all three generations. At the same time, we propose a hypothesis about the mass distribution of elementary fermions and explore the quantum physical mechanism of the origin of the elementary fermions masses hierarchies.
Biomechanical Role of Fibula in Lower Limbs: a Fracture Mechanics Analysis
Authors: Shao Bin , Xing Jianqiang , Liu Dong , Wang Dawei , Zhao Bei , Wang Tingguang , Mu Weidong
Published: May 2021

Background Fibular grafting is widely used in the treatment of various bone nonunion and bone defect because of its good therapeutic effect. Besides, partial fibular resection has also been used as a treatment for fibular tumors, injuries, etc. However, fibula plays an important role in the biomechanics of the lower limbs. Some experts have used cadaver specimens to study these aspect. In this study, the biomechanical effects of fibula in lower limbs were researched based on mechanics analysis.Methods The CT image data of a middle-aged male normal knee joint were selected. The tibia and fibula were extracted by CT-bone function in Mimics software, and the 3D model of tibia and fibula was obtained. The model was imported into 3-matic and LS-DYNA software to smooth the surface, mesh, define material properties, set failure parameters and interface properties, and set vertical loads and boundary conditions. The tibial fractures in both models were calculated to evaluate the biomechanical role of the fibula in the lower leg.Results The validity of the model was verified, and the fibula load condition was similar to the previous references. In the model with fibula support, the fracture load of the tibia was 78.5KN, the initial fracture time was 0.67164S, and the complete fracture time was 0.73225S. The fibula distributes about 7% of the load on the lower leg. In the fibula defect model, the fracture load of tibia was 73.5KN, the initial fracture time was 0.54034S, and the complete fracture time was 0.61105S.Conclusions Fibula plays an irreplaceable biomechanical role in the process of lower limb load-bearing, which is worthy of clinical attention. Meanwhile, LS-DYNA can be used as an effective tool for bone fracture and numerical analysis.
Relationship Between Hyperuricemia and Apolipoprotein AI in Chinese Healthy People: a Cohort Study
Authors: Duan Yan , Chang Xiaona , Ding Xiaoyu , An Yu , Wang Guang , Liu Jia
Published: May 2021

Background: Hyperuricemia is an independent risk factor for various cardiovascular diseases. However the association of plasma uric acid and Apolipoprotein AI among Chinese healthy people is still unclear.Aims: To evaluate the relationship between blood uric acid and Apolipoprotein AI level in Chinese healthy people. Method; A total of 3501 normal healthy subjects who were undergone physical examination were divided into hyperuricemia (HUA) group and normouricemia (NUA) group.Result: Apo AI (1.33±0.21 vs. 1.47±0.26) and HDL-c (1.12±0.27 vs. 1.36±0.33)decreased significantly in HUA group than NUA group. LDL-C(2.81±0.77 vs. 2.69±0.73),Apo B(0.96±0.20 vs. 0.89±0.20), FBG(5.48±0.48 vs. 5.36±0.48) and HOMA-IR(2.75（1.92-3.91）vs. 2.18（1.50-3.12）) was significantly higher in HAU group than NUA group. Increased plasma UA was correlated with decreased HDL-c(r=-0.289, P<0.01 ) and Apo AI(r=-0.236, p<0.01) .Conclusion: Hyperuricemia was associated with decreased plasma Apolipoprotein AI and HDL-c. Inhibiting Apolipoprotein AI may be one of the mechanisms of UA involved in the progression of cardiovascular disease.
Landscape-scale Remote Sensing and Classification of Pond and Lake Habitat Diversity in a Tropical City
Authors: Teo Hoong Chen , Hill Matthew J. , Lechner Alex M. , Teo Fang Yenn , Gibbins Christopher N.
Published: May 2021

Ponds and lakes are common freshwater habitats in urban landscapes, and often have a high biodiversity and conservation value. The importance of landscape-scale conservation of pond networks has recently been recognised, yet the categorisation and classification of pond network spatial structures is missing. Developing spatial methods and tools to characterise and understand pond networks is a critical first step to accurately conserve pond habitats and inhabiting species. This paper presents an inventory of ponds and lakes in Greater Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, characterising their distribution, abundance and type. Remote sensing was first employed to map and characterise these habitats, followed by multivariate cluster analysis to classify and develop a typology of the ponds identified. Physicochemical data was collected from a sample (n=60) of ponds to compare with the remotely sensed pond classification. Results demonstrated that multi-source remote sensing can be highly accurate and effective in inventorying ponds and lakes of varying sizes. A total of 1013 ponds and lakes were identified within the Greater Kuala Lumpur region and were found to be highly environmentally heterogeneous. Typology clusters were driven by land cover rather than local physicochemical variables demonstrating that specific remotely-sensed variables may be sufficient proxies for certain chemical variables. Landscape-scale conservation and management of pond networks should utilise remote sensing tools, to establish pond network structure, and to maintain wide environmental heterogeneity among pond habitats. Incorporating remote sensing tools into pond conservation will ensure that effective pond conservation can be achieved and biodiversity protection can be maximised.
Competency Development for Military Nursing: Developing the Competency Framework for Global Health
Authors: Ma Huijuan , Cheng Zhen , Tan Jing , Luo Yu
Published: May 2021

Background: As military nurses are required to maintain high level of clinical expertise and currency for short-notice deployments of global health missions, competency assessment and capability building is a basic paradigm of military nursing. However, research focusing on the competencies of military nurses is limited.Methods: A two-phased procedure was implemented. In phase 1, the competency framework was developed by scoping review and crosschecking the common used competency framework of nurses. During phase 2, two rounds of a Delphi process were carried out and a penal of experts used a 5-point Likert scale to rate their level of agreement with the competency statement. Results: Experts of military nursing and military medicine responded to the first round (n = 19), and the second round (n = 19). The final competency framework consisted of 67 competencies and was classified into five domains: clinical nursing knowledge and skills, military nursing knowledge and skills, professional ability, management ability, and comprehensive quality. Conclusion: The competency framework developed in this study lays solid foundation for competency-based education of a competent nursing team to play a significant role in the global health.
Protective Effect of SCUBE1 on Oxidative Stress-induced Apoptosis in Human Ovarian Granulosa Cells
Authors: Fu Huijiao , Cai Xuzi , Liu Qiwen , Yang Wei , Wang Xuefeng
Published: May 2021

Background: Apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) is a sign of follicular atresia. This study aimed to explore the role and mechanism of signal peptide, CUB domain, epidermal growth factor-like protein1 (SCUBE1) in protecting GCs from apoptosis induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Results: SCUBE1 was expressed in women of all ages and had the highest expression level in the ovaries in multiple organs and tissues of KM mouse. In vitro cell experiments show that SCUBE1 pretreatment reduced H2O2-induced apoptosis and improved cell viability. SCUBE1 also blocked the production of ROS in cells and improved mitochondrial membrane potential. After SCUBE1 pretreatment, anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 expression was upregulated, whereas the expression of the pro-apoptotic proteins Bax, Bax/Bcl-2, Caspase-3, and p53 were downregulated. Analysis of the impact of SCUBE1 (c.1169C >G, p.P390R) mutation from the aspect of mutation pathogenicity; protein stability; and gene haplotype insufficiency, indicated that the p.P390R mutation is significantly pathogenic.Conclusions: This is the first time that the potential role of SCUBE1 in protecting GCs from H2O2-induced damage by blocking the production of ROS, increasing the mitochondrial membrane potential and regulating apoptosis-related proteins, attributing to POI, is studied. SCUBE1 (c.1169C >G, p.P390R) mutation has significant pathogenicity but the specific harm needs to be confirmed by further studies.