bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The impact of the Syrian Refugee Crisis on the health access in Turkiye: A synthetic control analysis
Authors: İKİZLER Hüseyin , DOLU Aslı , YÜKSEL Emre
Published: August 2022

One of the most critical determinants of a healthy life is the level of accessibility to health services when needed. The literature defines the unmet need for healthcare services as "whether the individual (in the last twelve months) cannot apply to a doctor despite the need for medical examination or treatment." One of the main reasons to cause an unmet health care need is the expensive healthcare cost due to increased demand. Mainly, there are increases in demand due to reasons such as population growth and migration movements. Turkey experienced a large-scale migration as a consequence of the Syrian civil war. Based on the Disaster and Emergency Management Agency figures, as of 2018, Turkey is home to about 3.4 million Syrian refugees under temporary protection status. İkizler et al. (2020) point out that this large-scale migration results in a nearly 6.3% increase in unmet healthcare need at the beginning of the refugee crisis. However, the effect weakens gradually. This paper aims to support the results of İkizler et al. (2020) by exploiting the synthetic control method, and OECD's and EUROSTAT's country-level data set related to health care. Even though we control for the 2009 crisis, we observe that the synthetic values of the UHCN for Turkey do not coincide well, especially for the period 2009-2010. The results suggest that the impact of the mass influx of refugees on Turkey's UHCN ceases to exist, wiped away mostly by the government's increase in health investment. Although this makes the synthetic series slightly different from Turkey's series, the results provide intuitive information.
Construction Contracting, Second edition
Authors: Bartholomew Stuart
Published: August 2022

About Construction Contracting: Business and Legal Principles, 2nd edition by Stuart H. Bartholomew: Exceptionally practical and authoritative, this introduction to construction contracting as it applies to typical, every-day situations explains “theoretical” ideas in terms of what really happens in practice. It emphasizes the more common case law holdings and industry customs that help avoid troublesome legal issues during the completion of a project.
circ_0052184 promotes colorectal cancer progression via targeting miR-604/HOXA9 axis
Authors: Huang Yandong , Bai Qinyang , Wang Zhanlong , Yu Hongbo , Li Yanru , Lu Hao , Kang Huimin , Shi Xuewei , Feng Kai
Published: August 2022

Background:The mortality rate of colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks second. CircRNAs are abnormal expression in some diseases, and their dysregulation is associated with cancer progression. Recent studies have shown that the malignant progression of colorectal cancer is inseparable from the abnormal expression of circRNAs.Methods:First, the circ_0052184 expression in clinical tissue and cell samples was analyzed by qRT-PCR. Then, we constructed circ_0052184-silenced CRC cells and detected by qRT-PCR. Furthermore, the proliferation ability of cells was detected by colony formation assay. Cell migration ability was tested by wound healing assay and transwell assay. Cell invasion ability were detected by transwell assay.Results:Expression of circ_0052184 was significantly increased in colorectal cancer cell lines and tissues. Silencing circ_0052184 affected the proliferation, migration and invasion of colorectal cancer cells. MiR-604 was targeted by circ_0052184. The downstream target of miR-604 was HOXA9, and silencing circ_0052184 inhibited HOXA9 expression. The existence of circ_0052184/miR-604/HOXA9 regulatory network in colorectal cancer was validated. Circ_0052184 promoted the occurrence and development of colorectal cancer by targeting the miR-604/HOXA9 axis.Conclusions:Our study revealed that the molecular mechanism of circ_0052184 regulated the miR-604/HOXA9 axis, which might promote the malignant progression of colorectal cancer cells.
Potential Antibacterial Co-culture first-reported Streptomyces flavalbus from Indonesian mangroves induces the production of pyocyanin by Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Azhar Nuril , Yudiati Ervia
Published: August 2022

The potential Actinobacteria from the sediment and root Soneratia alba with co-culture as an antibacterial agent. Out of 580 fermentation, 540 fermenter co-cultures and 34 single fermenter cultures were assessed. Twenty-one pairs of co-culture were resulted positively against Staphylococcus aureus, and 16 pairs were positive against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The highest clearance zone against S. aureus was obtained from 10 (Actino)-Aspergillus fumigatus (dead body) extract (21.57±0.90 mm) while against P. aeruginosa was resulted from co-culture strains 3/37 extract (19.18±0.80 mm). Strain 41 was determined to be Streptomyces flavalbus (98.07%) with the accession number MZ540332 when co-cultured with Pseudomonas aeruginosa to produce pyocyanin. This is the first report of Streptomyces flavalbus, a novel species from mangrove sediments, and the second one from natural habitat. It is concluded that co-culture is a valuable strategy to develop the new Actinobacteria product as a powerful antibacterial agent.
Anomaly detection at the subnetwork level: traffic classification for machine learning algorithms
Authors: Rivas Lucia , Leira Rafael , Aracil Javier
Published: August 2022

In this paper we propose a traffic classification methodology for subnetwork level anomaly detection using machine learning algorithms. Our proposed techniques allow researchers and practitioners in the field to classify the corresponding traffic multiplex constituents (subnetworks) according to their predictability level beforehand. Subnetworks deemed as predictable yield smaller prediction error than the rest, under well-known machine learning prediction algorithms, such as ANN, GRU and LSTM. Thus, such predictability features makes the former better suited for anomaly detection purposes, that are based on deviations from predicted values, while the rest are prone to produce false positives.
Evaluation of CT Imaging Protocol for Suspected Acute Aortic Syndrome in the Emergency Department Setting
Authors: Goh Xin Lyn , Seah Sebastian , Duong Peter , Mong Lisa , Rotella Joe-Anthony , Lim Ruth
Published: August 2022

Background: Acute aortic syndromes (AAS) are highly fatal cardiovascular emergencies. Rapid and accurate diagnosis is essential to improve survival due to their high mortality rate. Thoracic AAS can extend distally into the abdominal aorta and iliac arteries; therefore, simultaneous imaging of the abdomen and pelvis is often performed to identify concomitant mesenteric or abdominal visceral malperfusion. However, there is a paucity in the literature regarding incidence of extra-thoracic extension with AAS. Use of large coverage CT in a low-prevalence population may result in unnecessary radiation, and increase false-positives due to artefacts mimicking aortic dissection. The primary objective of the study was to evaluate the positive rate of diagnosis and of extra-thoracic extension of AAS in patients presenting to a tertiary teaching hospital Emergency Department with suspected AAS. A secondary objective was to evaluate impact of a standardized CT imaging protocol for AAS on radiation dose.Methods: Retrospective single-center cohort study of Emergency Department patients undergoing CT for suspected AAS over two one-year periods, comparing a baseline study period (no standardized protocol) to a post-standardization imaging protocol period. Positivity rate and extent of AAS, and radiation dose for studies were recorded and compared with the χ2 test, paired t-test and Mann-Whitney U test. Additional positive cases where AAS was not suspected were also recorded.Results: 228 and 266 patients were investigated during baseline and post-standardization periods respectively. Of the total 494 patients, there were 13 (2.6%) cases of AAS; 6/13 with extra-thoracic extension, of which 5/6 presentation CTs included abdominopelvic imaging for extrathoracic symptoms/signs. Post-standardization, the standardized protocol was used in 78.3% of examinations versus 53.7% at baseline (p <0.001) with a decreased median effective dose per study (9.1 to 8.4 mSv, p=0.049). Median effective dose of the standardized protocol was 8.0 mSv and compared to 13.9 mSv for NC and CTA of the chest, abdomen and pelvis was (p <0.001). Conclusions: The overall positivity rate of AAS was low. In the absence of extrathoracic signs/symptoms, a standardized CT protocol for investigation of AAS omitting abdominopelvic imaging during initial work up could save approximately 6 mSv of radiation dose per study.
Co-Cultivation of Human Granulosa Cells with Ovarian Cancer Cells Leads to a Significant Increase in Progesterone Production
Authors: Pietrowski Detlef , Grgic Martina , Haslinger Isabella , Marschalek Julian , Schneeberger Christian
Published: August 2022

In humans, granulosa cells (GCs) are part of the follicle and nourish the growing oocyte. GCs produce oestrogen and, after ovulation, progesterone. They are embedded in a multicellular tissue structure of the ovary, which consists of a variety of different cell types that are essential for the physiological function of the ovary. However, the extent to which individual ovarian cell types contribute to overall functionality has not yet been fully elucidated. In this study, we aim to investigate the effects of co-culturing human granulosa cells with ovarian cancer cells on their progesterone and oestrogen production in an in vitro model. After seeding, the cells were stimulated with 200µM forskolin in DMEM for 72 hours and the medium of the different cell culture experiments was collected. Subsequently, progesterone and oestradiol concentrations were determined using an Elisa assay. Morphologically, it was striking that the cells self-organise and form spatially separated areas. Compared to culturing granulosa cells alone, co-culturing human granulosa cells together with the ovarian cancer cell line OvCar-3 resulted in a significant increase in progesterone production (20.3ng/ml versus 50.2ng/ml; p < 0.01). Using a simple in vitro model, we highlight the importance of cellular crosstalk between different ovarian cells in a complex cellular network and that it strongly influences granulosa cell hormone production. This could have potential implications for the procedure of transplanting endocrine tissues after cryopreservation, as it highlights the importance of survival of all cells for the functionality of the transplanted tissue.
Evaluation of impact of continuous KMC initiated immediately after birth compared to KMC initiated after stabilization, in newborns with birth weight 1.0 to <1.8 kg on neurodevelopmental outcomes: protocol for a follow-up study
Authors: Adejuyigbe EA , Agyeman I , Anand P , Anyabolu HC , Arya S , Assenga EN , Badhal S , Brobby NW , Chellani HK , Chopra N , Debata PK , Dube Q , Dua T , Gadama L , Gera R , Hammond CK , Jain S , Kantumbiza F , Kawaza K , Kija EN , Lal P , Mallewa M , Manu MK , Mehta A , Mhango T , Naburi HE , Newton S , Nyanor I , Nyarko PA , Oke OJ , Patel A , Phlange-Rhule G , Sehgal R , Singhal R , Wadhwa N , Yiadom AB
Published: August 2022

Background:Preterm birth or low birth weight is the single largest cause of death in newborns, but the mortality can be reduced through newborn care interventions, including Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC). Previously, a multi-country randomized controlled trial, coordinated by the World Health Organization reported a significant survival advantage with initiation of continuous KMC immediately after birth compared with initiation of continuous KMC a few days after birth when the baby is considered clinically stable.Whether the survival advantage would lead to higher rates of neurodevelopmental morbidity, or the immediate KMC will have a beneficial effect on cognitive development also, has not been investigated. We therefore propose to test the hypothesis that low-birth-weight infants exposed to immediate KMC will have lower rates of neurodevelopmental impairment in comparison to traditional KMC-treated infants, by prospectively following up infants already enrolled in the immediate KMC trial, for the first two years of life, and assessing their growth and neurodevelopment. Methods:This prospective cohort study will enroll surviving neonates from the main immediate KMC trial. The main trial as well as this follow-up study are being conducted in five low- and middle-income income countries in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. The sample size for comparison of risk of neurodevelopmental impairment is a total of about 2200 neonates. The primary outcomes will include rates of cerebral palsy, hearing impairment, vision impairment, mental and motor development, and epilepsy and will be assessed by the age of three years. The analysis will be by intention to treat.DiscussionImmediate KMC can potentially reduce low-birth-weight associated complications such as respiratory disease, hypothermia, hypoglycemia and infection that can result in impaired neurocognitive development. Neuroprotection may also be mediated by improved physiological stabilization that may lead to better maturation of neural pathways, reduced risk of hypoxia, positive parental impact, improved sleep cycles and improved stress responses. The present study will, therefore, help in evaluating the overall impact of KMC by investigating the long-term effect on neurodevelopmental impairment in the survivors.Trial registrationClinical Trials Registry-India: CTRI/2019/11/021899 on 06 November 2019
Seismic fragility assessment of steel moment-resisting frames equipped with superelastic viscous dampers
Authors: ghasemi abbas , Arkavazi Fatemeh , Shakib Hamzeh
Published: August 2022

The superelastic viscous damper (SVD) is a hybrid passive control device comprising a viscoelastic damper and shape memory alloy (SMA) cables connected in series. The SVD is an innovative damper through which a large amount of seismic energy can dissipate. The current study assessed the seismic collapse induced by steel momentresisting frames (SMRFs) equipped with SVDs and compared them with the performance of special MRFs and buckling restrained brace frames (BRBFs). For this purpose, nonlinear dynamic and incremental dynamic analysis (IDA) were conducted in OpenSees software. Both 5- and 9-story special MRFs, BRBFs, and MRFs equipped with the SVDs were examined. The results indicated that the annual exceedance rate for maximum residual drifts of 0.2% and 0.5% for the BRBFs and MRFs with SVDs, respectively, were considerably less than for SMRFs with reduced-beam section (RBS) connections and that the seismic performances of these structures were enhanced with the use of the BRB and SVD. The probability of collapse due to residual drift in the SVD, BRB, and RBS frames in the 9-story structure was 1.45, 1.75, and 1.05 times greater than for the 5-story frame.
Psychopathology and Eating Behaviour in People with Type 2 Diabetes Referred to Bariatric Surgery
Authors: Pekin Clare , McHale Mala , Seymour Matthew , Strodl Esben , Hopkins George , Mitchell David , Byrne Gerard
Published: August 2022

Purpose
Psychopathology and disordered eating behaviours are putative pre-operative risk factors for suboptimal post-operative outcomes among people seeking bariatric surgery. Studies vary in the prevalence rates reported for psychopathology in bariatric candidates. Further, less attention has been paid to vulnerable subgroups such as people with diabetes who might be at an elevated risk. For these reasons this study aimed to investigate the rates of psychopathology and disordered eating in pre-surgical candidates with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM).
Methods
Participants were 401 consecutive patients from a statewide bariatric surgery service for people with T2DM comparing indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. Psychopathology was measured using multi-modal assessment (e.g. diagnostic interview and battery of validated questionnaires). The mean age of the sample was 51 years (18–65 years) with a mean body mass index (BMI) of 46 (30.5–69.3). The majority of the sample was female (60.6%) and born in Australia (87%), and 19.2% identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
Results
High prevalence rates of depression, history of attempted suicide, generalised anxiety, emotional eating and post-traumatic stress disorder were found in this sample in comparison to reference groups. There were no significant differences between those who identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander and those who did not.
Conclusion
Our cross-sectional findings indicate psychopathology is common in this population. Longitudinal designs in future studies could provide important insights into how psychopathology and disordered eating relate to post-bariatric surgical outcomes for people with T2DM. Further research is warranted to explore mood, anxiety, emotional eating and alcohol use post-operatively.
Discovery of a pyrano[2,3-b]pyridine derivative YX-2102 as a cannabinoid receptor 2 agonist for alleviating lung fibrosis
Authors: Liu Tao , Gu Jing , Yuan Yi , Yang Qunfang , Zheng Peng-Fei , Shan Changyu , Wang Fangqin , Li Hongwei , Xie Xiang-Qun , Chen Xiao-Hong , Ouyang Qin
Published: August 2022

Background
Pharmacological modulation of cannabinoid 2 receptor (CB2R) is a promising therapeutic strategy for pulmonary fibrosis (PF). Thus, to develop CB2R selective ligands with new chemical space has attracted much research interests. This work aims to discover a novel CB2R agonist from an in-house library, and to evaluate its therapeutic effects on PF model, as well as to disclose the pharmacological mechanism.
Methods
Virtual screening was used to identify the candidate ligand for CB2R from a newly established in-house library. Both in vivo experiments on PF rat model and in vitro experiments on cells were performed to investigate the therapeutic effects of the lead compound and underlying mechanism.
Results
A “natural product-like” pyrano[2,3-b]pyridine derivative, YX-2102 was identified that bound to CB2R with high affinity. Intraperitoneal YX-2102 injections significantly ameliorated lung injury, inflammation and fibrosis in a rat model of PF induced by BLM. YX-2102 significantly upregulated CB2R expression in alveolar epithelial cells in vivo. Moreover, YX-2102 pretreatment inhibited lung alveolar epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in vitro (and PF model induced by TGF-β1) via a CB2 receptor-dependent pathway. Further studies suggested that the Nrf2-Smad7 pathway might be involved in.
Conclusion
These findings suggest that CB2R is a potential target for PF treatment and YX-2102 is a promising CB2R agonist with new chemical space.
Oral and maxillofacial injuries associated with e-scooter use at Broomfield Hospital: a cohort study of 24 months of data since e-scooter legalisation in the UK
Authors: Jones Kate , Parkin James , Rathod Neelam , Bhatt Vyomesh
Published: August 2022

Rental electronic-scooters (e-scooters) were legalised in July 2020 in the UK for use on public roads. This has led to higher numbers of emergency department (ED) attendances for head and neck injuries managed by the oral and maxillofacial surgical (OMFS) department.The aim of this research is to assess the increase in e-scooter injuries requiring OMFS input, and analyse factors and management associated.Data was collected retrospectively over an 18-month period (July 2020 to December 2021) and prospectively for a 6-month period (January 2022 to June 2022). A total of 212 e-scooter related ED presentations were recorded with 34 patients requiring input from the OMFS department.Basic descriptive analysis was performed for the 34 patients referred to OMFS. Numerical and categorical factors used independent T-tests and one-way ANOVA tests respectively to determine statistical significance at the 5% confidence level (p<0.05).The mean age was 32.8 years (SD =15.9) in a predominately male cohort (79.4%). Alcohol intoxication was observed in 55.8% of accidents. Injuries were most common on Saturdays (41.2%). Soft tissue injuries were present in 64.7% of patients, bony injuries 38.2% of patients and dental injuries 11.8% of patients. Imaging was required for 76.5% of patients. 44% of patients required surgical treatment, 5.9% major surgery and 38.2% minor surgery. This research supports the literature suggesting significant growth in e-scooter related injuries and their associated burden of disease managed by the OMFS department. We have found that alcohol increases the risk of complex e-scooter injury, as measured by dual speciality involvement. We recommend for public health bodies to direct spending on educating patients on the dangers of alcohol and e-scooter use. We suggest a multicentre study to build on the literature and determine other factors associated with e-scooter injury.
Surface corrosion inhibition effect and action mechanism analysis of 5-methyl-benzotriazole on cobalt-based copper film chemical mechanical polishing for GLSI
Authors: Yan Han , Niu Xinhuan , Luo Fu , Qu Minghui , Wang Jing , Zhan Ni , Liu Jianghao , Zou Yida
Published: August 2022

With integrated circuit (IC) technology nodes below 20 nm, the chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) of cobalt (Co)-based copper (Cu) interconnection has been gradually changed to one-step polishing, which requires rapid removal rate (RR) of Cu while controlling the height differences of concave and convex areas on the Cu surface, and finally achieving global planarization. Co as the barrier material is also required a lower RR to ensure a high Cu/Co removal rate selection ratio. Therefore, choosing the appropriate inhibitor in the slurry is extremely important. The corrosion inhibitor 5-methyl-benzotriazole (TTA) was thoroughly examined in this study for its ability to prevent corrosion on Cu film as well as its mode of action. The experimental results showed that TTA can effectively inhibit the removal of Cu under both dynamic and static conditions, which was also confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) tests. The corrosion inhibition effect and mechanism of TTA was further revealed by open circuit potential (OCP), polarization curve, adsorption isotherm, quantum chemical calculation, UV-Visible and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) tests. It was found that TTA can inhibit the corrosion of Cu by physical and chemical adsorption on the Cu surface, which is conductive to obtain excellent planarization properties. At the same time, it was also found TTA can also inhibit the corrosion of Co by forming Co-TTA and promoting the conversion of Co(OH)2 to Co3O4, and a Cu/Co removal rate selection ratio of 104 was obtained, which provides a suitable corrosion inhibitor for the polishing of Co-based Cu interconnection CMP and has a broad application prospect.
Adherence to Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy in Breast Cancer Patients
Authors: Rosso Roberta , D'Alonzo Marta , Bounous Valentina Elisabetta , Actis Silvia , Salerno Elena , Nicoletta Biglia
Published: August 2022

Background.
Adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) significantly reduces breast cancer recurrence and mortality in women with hormone receptor positive tumors, but poor adherence to treatment remains a significant problem. The aim of this study is to analyze AET side effects, their impact on adherence to treatment and possible support strategies.
Methods.
The study included 373 breast cancer patients treated with AET, who were asked to fill out a specific questionnaire during their follow up visits at the Breast Unit of "Mauriziano Umberto I” Hospital.
Results.
Side effects were reported by 82% of patients, 81% of those taking tamoxifen and 67.5% of those taking aromatase inhibitors (AI). The most common side effect in tamoxifen group were hot flashes (52%), while it was arthralgia in AI group (60%). The addition of GnRH agonist to both tamoxifen and AI significantly worsened menopausal symptoms and premenopausal women were significantly more likely to report side effects than those who were menopausal at diagnosis. Globally, 21% of patients considered to discontinue therapy due to side effects, 8.2% reported an irregular assumption and 12% definitively discontinued the treatment. The discontinuation rate was 6.4% during the first 5 years of treatment and 24% during extended therapy. Arthralgia was the main side effect which led patients to discontinue AET. Most patients felt well supported during follow up visits, but only 9% used the dedicated menopause service and 15% received psychological support.
Conclusions.
AET side effects significantly affect the quality of life of breast cancer survivors leading to irregular assumption and discontinuation of therapy, but our study showed that adherence to AET may be improved by proper patient-physician communication and a good quality care network. The challenge is to be more aware of treatment-related side effects and to offer therapies to improve their tolerance and adequate medical and psychological support.
Chemotherapy for mesothelioma: a qualitative exploration of patient, caregiver and health professionals’ perceptions of treatment and what influences access
Authors: Dhillon Haryana M , Warby Anne , Kao Steven , Vardy Janette L
Published: August 2022

Purpose: Guidelines for management of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) suggest optimal chemotherapy utilisation rate is around 65%. Internationally, chemotherapy utilisation rates range from 16-61%; reasons for under-utilisation are unknown. We aimed to explore patient, caregiver and health professionals’ perceptions of chemotherapy treatment for MPM, and potential barriers and facilitators to accessing treatment.Methods: A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was conducted with people with MPM, caregivers, and health professionals. Thematic analysis was performed.Results: Overall 71 interviews were conducted: 16 MPM patients, 14 caregivers, 30 medical specialists and 11 lung cancer nurses. All patient respondents, and most cared for by caregivers, had received active intervention for MPM. Health professionals’ responses to estimated 11% chemotherapy under-utilisation rate varied. Four overarching topic areas for patients and three for health care professionals (HCP) pertaining to diagnosis, treatment, decision-making, and coping with disease were identified. Within decision-making three subthemes were extracted: the decision-making process, influences on decision-making, and response to decision outcomes. Barriers to accessing chemotherapy included: nihilistic views regarding chemotherapy; patient frailty; lack of multi-disciplinary team meeting (MDTM) involvement; and, low volume MPM centres. Conclusion: Nihilism across all groups was a major barrier to accessing evidence-based care for MPM. Reasons for lower than expected chemotherapy utilisation in people with MPM are multifaceted and complex. These results informed the development of quantitative surveys to further investigate chemotherapy use in MPM populations.
Comparison between Invasive and Echocardiographic Assessment of Left Ventricular Function in Healthy participants
Authors: Li Jiaxin , Mutailipu Kelibinuer , Zhou Yiwu , Zhao Song , Ding Sixiao , Tang Jiamin , Zheng Yixing , Xu Yawei , Chi Chen , Zhang Yi
Published: August 2022

Objectives Accurate assessment of LV function is of great importance but still challenging. Despite the invasive measure is the gold standard, non-invasive ultrasound is widely used due to its convenience. We aimed to compare the accuracy of several methods assessing LV function in echocardiography.Methods 49 healthy participants who underwent transthoracic echocardiography and catheterization simultaneously were included. Invasive LVEF and LVFP were measured with Sandler-Dodge method. Non-invasive LV systolic function was measured with both the M-mode method and the modified Simpson method. Parameters related to LV diastolic function in echocardiography including E/A, E/e′, tricuspid regurgitation velocity, left atrial volume index, etc., were measured.Results Correlations between invasive and non-invasive LVESV, LVEDV, and LVEF were not significant ((P=0.07 and P=0.97, P=0.17 and P=0.74, P=0.64 and P=0.52). Compared to invasive measurements, the modified Simpson method overestimated the LV end-systolic volume (P=0.001), and M-mode method overestimated the LV end-diastolic volume (P=0.047). Both of these two methods underestimated the LVEF (P=0.027 and P<0.001). Invasive left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) was elevated in 23 of the 49 patients (47%). Compared to participants with normal LVEDP, participants with elevated LVEDP (>16mmHg) had higher A peak velocity (P=0.009) and lower E/A ratio (P=0.001). Multiple linear regression showed that, among all parameters related to LV diastolic function, only E/A significantly associated with LVEDP after adjustment (P=0.006). We further compared the sensitivity and specificity of E/A ,E/e’ and the method recommended by 2016 ASE/EACVI guideline in identifying LV diastolic dysfunction. E/A was with both higher sensitivity and higher specificity in the detection of LVEDP elevation. Conclusions Both the Simpson method and the M-mode method underestimate the LVEF. In terms of LV diastolic function assessment, E/A ratio is better associated with invasively-measured LVEDP compared to other conventional parameters.
Bioinformatics and Metabolic flux analysis highlight a new mechanism involved in lactate oxidation in Clostridium tyrobutyricum
Authors: Munier Edouard , Licandro Hélène , Beuvier Eric , Cachon Rémy
Published: August 2022

Background
One of todays’ scientific challenge due to climate change and environmental issues is to find alternatives to the production of molecules of interest from petrochemistry. This study focuses on the understanding of the production of butyrate, hydrogen and CO2 from the oxidation of lactate with acetate in C. tyrobutyricum and thus propose an alternative carbon source to glucose. This species is known to produce more butyrate than the other butyrate-producing Clostridium species due to a lack of solventgenesis phase. The recent discoveries of flavin-based electron bifurcation mechanism as a mode of energy conservation have allowed us to propose a new metabolic scheme for the formation of butyrate from lactate-acetate co-metabolism.
Results
The search for genes encoding for EtfAB complexes and neighboring genes in the genome of C. tyrobutyricum identified a cluster of genes involved in butyrate formation and another cluster involved in lactate oxidation homologous to Acetobacterium woodii. A phylogenetic approach with other butyrate-producing and/or lactate-oxidizing species based on EtfAB complexes confirms these results with A. woodii and Clostridium kluyveri as references. A metabolic scheme on the production of butyrate, hydrogens and CO2 from the lactate-acetate co-metabolism in C. tyrobutyricum has been constructed. From data of steady-state continuous culture, an in silico metabolic carbon flux analysis model was built and made it possible to show the coherence of the scheme from the carbon recovery, the cofactor ratio and the ATP yield.
Conclusions
Bioinformatics analyzes have highlighted the use of flavin-based electron bifurcation. A metabolic scheme on the conversion of lactate and acetate has been proposed in C. tyrobutyricum, involving electron-transferring flavoprotein (Etf) complexes specific to the butyrate production and the lactate oxidation. The carbon metabolic fluxes analysis has validated this scheme involving the EtfAB complex at the origin of the oxidation of lactate in C. tyrobutyricum. This study contributes significantly to our understanding of the lactate oxidation metabolic pathways, the utility of the presence of acetate and the role of intracellular redox balance, and opens new perspectives for the production of molecules of interest as butyrate and hydrogen with C. tyrobutyricum.
QTL detection and fine mapping of qCTB1 for cold tolerance at the early seedling and booting stages in rice
Authors: Guo Haifeng , Guo Yongmei , Zeng Yawen , Khan Najeeb Ullah , Lou Qijin , Gu Yunsong , Li Jin , Li Huahui , Wu Zhigang , Zhang Zhanying , Zhang Hongliang , Peng Youliang , Yuan Pingrong , Li Jinjie , Li Zichao
Published: August 2022

Key message QTLs for cold tolerance at the early seedling and booting stages were identified and qCTB1 was delimited to a 342-kb interval, and the breeding potential of QTL pyramiding was assessed.
Abstract Cold stress is one of the main abiotic stresses that affects rice growth and production worldwide. Dissection of the genetic basis is important for genetic improvement of cold tolerance in rice. In this study, a new source of cold-tolerant accession from the Yunnan plateau, Lijiangxiaoheigu, was used as the donor parent and crossed with a cold-sensitive cultivar Deyou17, to develop 130 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) for quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis. In total, three QTLs for cold tolerance at the early seedling stage on chromosomes 2 and 7, and four QTLs at the booting stage on chromosomes 1, 3, 5, and 7 were identified. Under the cold stress conditions in deep water and in a high-altitude area, qCTB1 , a locus for cold tolerance at the booting stage, was fine mapped to a 342-kb interval between markers M3 and M4. Effect assessment in the RIL and BC 3 F 3 populations demonstrated that qCTB1 showed a stable effect in the genetic segregation populations. Haplotype and linear regression analyses showed that QTL pyramiding based on the additive effect of favorable loci possesses good potential for cold tolerance breeding. This study will provide genetic resources for molecular breeding and gene cloning of cold tolerance in rice.
Plasma Exosome-Derived MicroRNAs Panel: A Novel Predictor of Liver Injury in Cholecystitis Patients
Authors: Wu Zixin , Hou Mei , Peng Hui , Jin Yong , Tian Wenhao , Zhuang Xingjin , Zhang Qi , Zhang Liangliang , Xing Xuewei , Yu Qingsheng , Feng Qiyu , Tao Qianqian , Wang Hong-Yang
Published: August 2022

Impaired liver function is one of the complications of acute cholecystitis, and improper treatment can lead to acute liver failure and even death. Therefore, timely evaluation of liver function provides a reliable basis for clinical diagnosis and treatment. However, no biomarkers have been identified to predict liver injury in patients with cholecystitis.
Deep sequencing was used to analyze microRNA expression profiles in plasma exosomes from cholecystitis patients. Sequencing results were confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR).
The findings demonstrated that biomarker panels consisting of multiple exosome-derived miRNAs improved the sensitivity of cholecystitis prediction. Further analysis revealed that hsa-miR-4440 and hsa-miR-6808-5p could specifically suggest the risk of early liver injury in patients with cholecystitis, with AUROCs of 0.895(95% CI: 0.764 to 1.025) and 0.804(95% CI: 0.6495 to 0.9589) respectively. Additionally, our GWAS analysis based on the results published by the FinnGen Biobank found that ALT was limitedly associated with cholecystitis, demonstrating the importance of our research into novel predictive biomarkers of early liver injury.
Biomarker panels composed of multiple exosome-derived miRNAs could accurately predict cholecystitis. Furthermore, hsa-miR-4440 and hsa-miR-6808-5p could serve as early predictors of liver injury in patients with cholecystitis, thereby aiding in the selection of clinical treatment modalities.
Ferroelectric Properties Study of Si 0.5 Sn 0.5 ZnO 3 Thin Films Deposited by PLD Technique
Authors: Ali Ahmed I. , Basaty A. B. El , Abbas W. , Ahmed M. M.
Published: August 2022

Si0.5Sn0.5ZnO3 thin films deposited on two different substrates (STO) and (MgO) using pulsed laser deposition technique. The current study aims to explore both effects of Si-doped in SnZnO3 and the rule of the SrTiO3 (STO) buffer layer in the adjustment of the ferroelectricity of the grown samples. Structure, morphology, uniformity, thickness, and the crack-free film growth are confirmed using X-Ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Both resistivity and carriers’s mobility of Si0.5Sn0.5ZnO3 film’s values are 3.22×103, 7.35×107 Ω−1.m− 1 (semiconductor) and 4.31×103, 63.1 m/(V⋅s) (insulator) on MgO and STO substrates, respectively. The P-E loops show Lossy capacitor response and Non-linear ferroelectric response for MgO, and STO substrates, respectively. Furthermore, the ferroelectricity parameters of the Si0.5Sn0.5ZnO3 films deposited on the SrTiO3 layer are improved orders of magnitude compared to the thin film on the MgO substrate to be suitable for Ferroelectric RAM applications.
Subtotal gastrectomy pancreaticoduodenectomy versus conventional pancreaticoduodenectomy in the incidence of delayed gastric emptying: single-center retrospective cohort study
Authors: Zhang Jinzhu , Li Shu , Zhu Weihua , Leng Xisheng , Gao Jie , Zhang Dafang
Published: August 2022

BACKGROUND: Delayed gastric emptying (DGE) is one of the most common complications after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). There is currently no widely accepted procedure for PD to reduce the incidence of DGE. Our institution attempts to perform subtotal gastrectomy in patients undergoing PD to reduce DGE. Here we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of PD with subtotal gastric resection. METHODS: Patients who underwent PD between January 2014 and December 2021 were reviewed. They were stratified by extent of gastrectomy into a conventional PD group (PD that resected approximately 1/3 of the distal stomach) and a subtotal gastrectomy PD group (PD that resected approximately 3/4 of the distal stomach), which were compared in terms of intraoperative and postoperative parameters. Result: From January 2014 to December 2021, a total of 512 patients underwent PD in the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Peking University People’s Hospital. Nineteen patients were excluded from this study due to benign disease. A total of 493 patients were included, with 378 in the conventional PD group and 115 in the subtotal gastrectomy PD group. Compared with the conventional PD group, the subtotal gastrectomy PD group had a lower incidence of DGE (8.7% vs. 17.7%, p=0.019), and a shorter hospital stay. Multivariate analysis showed that conventional PD and higher body mass index were independent risk factors for grade B/C DGE. Conclusion: This study showed that, compared with conventional PD, subtotal gastrectomy PD can reduce the incidence of DGE and shorten the length of hospital stay. At the same time, subtotal gastrectomy PD is comparable to conventional PD in terms of surgical safety. Furthermore, high BMI is an independent risk factor for postoperative DGE.
Responses of subtropical deciduous and evergreen trees to varying intensities of herbivory
Authors: Liu Xiaoyu , LeRoy Carri J. , Guo Yuan , Song Shuwang , Wu Jingfang , Wang Zhipei , Luan Fenggang , Song Qingni , Fang Xiong , Yang Qingpei , Liu Jun
Published: August 2022

AimsGenerally, deciduous and evergreen trees coexist in subtropical forests, and both types of leaves are attacked by numerous insect herbivores. However, trees respond to and defend themselves from herbivores in different ways, and these responses may vary between evergreen and deciduous species. To understand tree responses to leaf herbivore attack under varying intensities of herbivory.MethodsWe examined both the percentage of leaf area removed by herbivores as well as the percentage of leaves attacked by herbivores to evaluate leaf herbivore damage across 15 subtropical deciduous and evergreen trees, quantified plant responses to varying intensities of herbivory and analyzed both leaf herbivore attack and leaf traits among species.ResultsWe have found that there was a higher intensity of herbivory on deciduous species than evergreen species, both as percentage of leaf area removed and the percentage of leaves attacked. In addition, leaf herbivory was positively correlated with defensive traits (concentrations of tannin and lignin), and negatively correlated with nutrient content (ratios of NSC:lignin and NSC:cellulose), which may be largely attributed to long-term and frequent insect herbivore stress and potentially evolutionary arms races between plants and insects.ConclusionsThis study highlights that leaf responses to varying intensities of herbivory differed widely among subtropical plant species and there was a stronger defensive response for deciduous trees to leaf herbivore attack than that of evergreen trees. These results have implications for better understanding plant responses and defenses to varying intensities of herbivory, and reveal several underlying relationships between leaf traits and herbivory.
Noninvasive studies may have potential to replace cystoscopy in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer follow-up
Authors: Lee Jongsoo , Heo Ji Eun , Lee Kwang Suk , Han Hyunho , Jang Won Sik , Choi Young Deuk
Published: August 2022

BackgroundBladder cancer has a high recurrence rate which requires frequent follow-up. Cystoscopy is currently the gold standard for follow-up which is invasive and undesirable procedure for patients.ObjectivesWe aimed to investigate the feasibility of noninvasive studies for follow-up of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.MethodsThis retrospective study was done for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer patients with abnormal lesion at follow up cystoscopy, therefore those needed transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TUR-BT). Inclusion criteria was patients who had preoperative bladder magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) within one month to TUR-BT and urine cytology results. MRI, urine cytology, and surgical pathology results were analyzed for sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, accuracy, diagnostic odds ratio, and number needed to misdiagnose for the diagnostic performance of non-invasive studies.ResultsFrom total of 2,258 TUR-BT cases, 1,532 cases of initial TUR-BT and 481 cases which bladder MRI were not done was excluded. Finally, 245 cases of TUR-BT were included. Combined urine cytology and bladder MRI showed 96% sensitivity, 43% specificity, 89% positive and 67% negative predictive values, 87% accuracy, 16.2 diagnostic odds ratio, and 7.4 number needed to misdiagnose values. Among nine false-negative cases, three (1.2%) were missed by the radiologist, two (0.8%) had an empty bladder during magnetic resonance imaging, and three (1.2%) had gross hematuria which needed cystoscopy despite of bladder MRI or urine cytology result. Only one case (0.4%) was missed based on symptoms and noninvasive tests. However, none of the false-negative cases showed rapid extensive progression requiring radical or partial cystectomy.ConclusionsThe combination of bladder MRI and urine cytology was comparable to cystoscopy for the follow-up of recurred lesions in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer patients This may reduce the need for cystoscopy and allowing patients to have choices for follow up diagnostic methods. Also, additional imaging tests to evaluate kidney, ureter and peri-vesical lesions can be reduced.
Risk factors related to endoscopic resection conversion to laparoscopic resection for gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors
Authors: Liu Luojie , Xu Xiaodan , Ye Ye , Shi Dongtao , Li Rui , Chen Weichang
Published: August 2022

Background: Endoscopic resection (ER) of gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors (gGISTs) is a commonly used treatment; however, there is a risk of conversion to laparoscopic resection (LR). The purpose of this study was to determine factors influencing conversion from ER to LR, and the effects of such a conversion on outcomes.Methods: From March 2010 to May 2021, patients with gGISTs were retrospectively reviewed at the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China. Patient’s clinicopathological features and endoscopic procedure information were collected. Endpoints included the determination of risk factors associated with ER conversion to LR, with comparisons of surgical outcomes with and without conversion.Results：In total, 371 gGISTs were analyzed. Sixteen patients (4.3%) required conversion to LR during gGIST ER. Invasion depth (muscularis propria (MP)-ex: odds ratio (OR) 16.026, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.949–87.092, p<0.001) and gGIST size (≥ 3 cm: OR 6.747, 95% CI: 2.062–22.071, p=0.002) were independent risk factors for LR conversion. Conversion reasons included technical difficulties (nine patients had severe intraoperative bleeding and five had failed gastric perforation closure) and ER accidents (two patients had tumors accidentally fell into the abdominal cavity). Procedure (median 160.5 vs. 58.0 min, p<0.001), postoperative hospitalization (median 8 vs. 6 days, p<0.001), and postoperative fasting times (median 5 vs. 3 days, p<0.001) were significantly longer in LR conversion patients.However, En bloc R0 resection (93.8 vs. 90.4%, p>0.999) and recurrence (0 vs. 0.6%, p>0.999) were no different in patients with or without LR conversion. Conclusions: An increased awareness of conversion risk factors is important for better patient selection for gGIST ER. Accurate preoperative measurements of tumor size and invasion depth can help determine more appropriate surgical approaches for patients.
The involvement of cannabis sativa/CBD in prostate cancer pc3 cells progression inhibition
Authors: motadi lesetja Raymond , Jantjies Zodwa , Moleya Boitumelo
Published: August 2022

Prostate cancer is the second most frequently occurring carcinoma in males worldwide and one of the leading causes of death in men around the world. Recent studies estimate that over 1.4 million males are diagnosed with prostate cancer on an annual basis, with approximately 375 000 succumbing to the disease annually. With current treatments continuing to show severe side effects, there is a need for new treatments. In this study we looked at the effect of cannabis sativa extract, cannabidiol and cisplatin on prostate cancer cells, PC3.

Methods
In addressing the above questions, we employed the MTT assay to measure the antiproliferative effect on PC3 cells following treatment with varying concentrations of Cannabis sativa extract, cisplatin and cannabidiol. xCELLigence was also used to confirm the IC50 activity in which cells were grown in a 16 well plate coated with gold and monitor cell attachment. Caspase 3/7 activity was also measured using 96 well-plate following treatment. Western-blot and qRT-PCR was also used to measure the gene expression of tumour suppressor genes, p53, Bax and Bcl2. Animal studies were employed to measure the growth of PC3-mouse derived cancer to evaluate the effect of compounds in vivo .

Results
From the treatment with varying concentrations of Cannabis sativa extract, cannabidiol and cisplatin, we have observed that the three compounds induced antiproliferation of PC3 cancer cell lines through the activation of caspase 3/7 activity. We also observed induction of apoptosis in these cells following silencing of retinoblastoma binding protein 6 (RBBP6), with upregulation of p53 and bax mRNA expression, and a reduction in Bcl2 gene expression. The growth of tumours in the mouse models were reduced following treatment with cisplatin and cannabidiol.
Conclusion
We demonstrated that cannabidiol is a viable therapy to treat prostate cancer cells, in combination with silencing of RBBP6. This suggests that cannabidiol rather Cannabis sativa extract may play an important role in reducing cancer progression.