bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring ethnic minority women’s experiences of maternity care during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: a qualitative study
Authors: John Jeeva , Curry Gwenetta , Cunningham-Burley Sarah
Published: January 2024

Objective: To explore ethnic minority women’s experiences of maternity
care during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Design: Qualitative study.
Population: Sixteen Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic women who were
pregnant, or had delivered within 6 weeks prior to interview in a
predominantly urban Scottish health board area. Methods: Thematic
analysis of semi-structured in-depth interviews. Results Four themes
were identified: ‘communication’, ‘interactions with health care
professionals’, ‘racism’ and ‘the pandemic effect’. Each theme had
relevant sub-themes. ‘Communication’ encompassed respect, accent bias,
language barrier and cultural dissonance; ‘interactions with health care
professionals’: continuity of care, empathy, informed decision making
and dissonance with other health care systems; ‘racism’ was deemed to be
institutional, interpersonal and internalised; and ‘the pandemic effect’
consisted of isolation, psychological impact and barriers to access of
care. Main outcome measures: To explore the experiences of pregnancy,
childbirth, antenatal and postnatal care in women belonging to ethnic
minorities and to identify any specific challenges that these women
faced during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Conclusions This study highlights
specific challenges faced by ethnic minority women in pregnancy, which
intersect with the unique problems posed by the ongoing SARS-CoV-2
pandemic to potentially widen existing ethnic disparities in experiences
of maternity care. Funding: Ethical approval for this study was granted
by the Research Ethics Committee of West of Scotland (20/WS/0168) on
26/11/2020.
A proximal point algorithm with perturbation for finding minimizers and fixed points of total asymptotically non-expansive mappings in Hadamard spaces
Authors: Kitkuan Duangkamon , Akkasriworn Naknimit , Padcharoen Anantachai
Published: January 2024

In this paper, we are interested in solving the minimization problem and
common fixed point problem of a finite family consisting of total
asymptotically non-expansive mappings in Hadamard spaces. For finding
common solutions to their problems, we introduce a new modified proximal
point algorithm with perturbation involving the convex combination
technique. Under suitable conditions, Δ-convergence and strong
convergence theorems are proved. Finally, we give some examples of
numerical.
The natural inducer adenosine triggers larval settlement and metamorphosis of an invasive biofouling mussel through the ADK-AMPK-FoxO pathway
Authors: He Jian , Wu Zhiwen , Chen Liying , Dai Qi , Hao Huanhuan , Su Pei , Ke Caihuan , Feng Danqing
Published: January 2024

Settlement and metamorphosis of planktonic larvae into benthic adults is
a critical part of a diverse range of marine invertebrate-mediated
processes such as the formation of mussel beds and coral reefs, the
recruitment of marine shellfisheries and the initiation of
macrobiofouling. Although larval settlement and metamorphosis induced by
natural chemical cues is widespread among marine invertebrates, their
mechanisms of action remain poorly understood. Here, we identified that
the molecular target of adenosine (an inducer of larval settlement and
metamorphosis from conspecific adults in the invasive biofouling mussel
Mytilopsis sallei) is adenosine kinase (ADK). Results of transcriptomic
analyses, pharmacological assays, temporal and spatial gene expression
analyses, and siRNA interference, suggest ATP-dependent phosphorylation
of adenosine catalyzed by ADK, activates the downstream AMPK-FoxO
signaling pathway, inducing larval settlement and metamorphosis in M.
sallei. This study not only reveals the role of the ADK-AMPK-FoxO
pathway in larval settlement and metamorphosis of marine invertebrates,
but also deepens our understanding of the functions and evolution of
adenosine signaling which is widespread in biology.
Using computer vision to understand the global biogeography of ant color
Authors: Idec Jacob , Bishop Tom , Fisher Brian
Published: January 2024

Organisms use color to serve a variety of biological functions, and
these functions can be revealed by examining patterns of color variation
across geographic and biological gradients. This approach, however,
presents a data collection trade-off whereby researchers must either
maximize intraspecific detail or taxonomic and geographic coverage. This
limits our ability to fully understand color variation across entire
taxonomic groups at global scales. We provide a solution by extracting
color data from 47,000 individual specimens of ants, representing 10,000
species, using a computer vision algorithm. Our analyses on this dataset
reveal that ants are dominated by variation in the dark-pale spectrum,
that half of this variation is held within species, and that, overall,
ant specimens tend to be darker in colder environments. Similar
approaches may unlock a vast amount of data residing in museum and
specimen databases and establish a digital platform for a data
collection revolution in functional biogeography.
Bioinformatic study of the Phylogeny of house mouse complex (Mus musculus) using mitochondrial genome of D-loop region (mtDNA) and Cytochrome b & c
Authors: Abad Farid Faizi-Baghel , Rajabi-Maham Hassan , Lorian keivan
Published: January 2024

Mus musculus is a valuable laboratory model more than a century and in
the worldwide studies have been done about it. There are three main
subspecies Mus musculus with the scientific name (Mus musculus musculus,
Mus musculus domesticus, Mus musculus castaneus) with worldwide
distribution. There are several theories about the origin of subspecies
Mus musculus one of which Iran is referred to as the origin. To study
Bioinformatics and phylogenetic species Phylogeography complex Mus
musculus mtDNA sequence was 1730, including 1330 D-loop sequences and
400 sequences of cytochrome b, and c (310 cytochrome b sequences and 90
sequences of cytochrome c), Using the mitochondrial sequences, performed
phylogenetic analyzes and draw trees and were examined the subspecies
Mus musculus. The amino acid sequences of cytochrome b and c
three-dimensional shapes were analyzed by using phylogenetic and
Bioinformatics software. Population genetic analyzes showed that Iran is
an origin of complex Mus musculus, and haplotypes were identified by
evolutionary paths and ancestral haplotype was examined in Iran.
Bioinformatics amino acid analysis results showed that cytochrome b is
cytochrome variable and subunits of cytochrome c have the fewest
changes. As part of the cytochrome b, which is located in the cytoplasm
of the cell is significantly more amino acid changes. The results showed
that the protected areas are not exclusive to D-loop and different
cytochrome regions have protected areas. Using cytochrome b and c amino
acids changes in each subspecies and it can be used as reliable
indicators for detection and a stable model to identifying the
subspecies Mus musculus.
High hydraulic risk is linked with high phosphorus availability across a broad range of tropical and subtropical species
Authors: Yi Ruzhou , Xu Xianli , Zhu Shidan , Xu Chaohao , Zhang Yaohua
Published: January 2024

N or P availability constrains plant growth in tropical and subtropical
regions, and may influence plant hydraulic system that mediated forest
vulnerability to drought. Although the effects of N/P availability on
plant hydraulic traits have drawn much attention, most studies neglected
the hydraulic failure threshold, and were limited to single species
using fertilization experiments. This study aimed to fill this gap by
examining how variation in the relative availability of N/P, as
reflected by foliar N:P ratios, influences plant hydraulic failure
threshold across a broad range of species by collecting published data
and doing field experiments. The results demonstrated that increasing P
availability would decrease the hydraulic safety margin (increase
hydraulic failure risk) by regulating the leaf area: stem area ratio and
vessel wall reinforcement. Forest drought-induced mortality was
predicted to increase with increasing temperature; however, this study
suggests N deposition-driven decreases in P availability would
potentially alleviate this trend.
Pediatric thyroid cancer in Cyprus 1998-2017, incidence, trends, survival: A population-based study from the Cyprus Pediatric Oncology Registry
Authors: Loizou Loizos , Demetriou Anna , Erdmann Friederike , Borkhardt Arndt , Brozou Triantafyllia , Sharp Linda , McNally Richard
Published: January 2024

Background: Pediatric and adolescent thyroid cancer (PATC) incidence
rates (IR) are increasing in many countries. We determined IRs, temporal
trends and survival from PATC diagnosed in Cyprus during 1998-2017.
Procedure: Patients aged 0-19 years, diagnosed with PATC in the
Pediatric Oncology Registry of Cyprus were included. Crude IR (cIR), age
standardized rates (ASRW), time trends and overall survival were
analysed. Annual IRs and temporal trends were calculated using Microsoft
Excel 2016 and Joinpoint Regression analysis. Results: Eighty-one cases
(76.5% female, 23.5% male) were identified. The cIR (per 100 000
persons) were for both sexes 2.00 (95% CI 1.61, 2.49), females 3.15
(95% CI 2.45, 4.03) and males 0.92 (95% CI 0.58, 1.44). The annual
percentage changes (APC) for cIR and ASRW were 7.5% (p <
0.05) and 7.6% (p < 0.05). The APC of cIR were for females
5.1%, males 8.4% and 15-19-year-olds 7.6%. The female to male RR
(rate ratio) was 3.42 (95% CI 2.06, 5.74). The papillary carcinoma
(PTC) represented 86.4% of all cases. The RR of 2nd (2008-2017) to 1st
(1998-2007) periods for metastatic (regional) stages was 3.76 (95% CI
1.74, 8.31). Survival until 2018 was 100%. Conclusion: This
population-based study demonstrated that IR in 0-19-year-olds was among
the highest reported. Increasing time trends mainly affected both males
and females aged 15-19 years with PTC, the dominant type. Increase of
metastatic cases suggests a true increase of thyroid carcinogenesis
rather than overdiagnosis. Although prognosis is excellent, rising IR is
unexplained, indicating the need to identify causal factors.
First report of variant pseudorabies virus infection in goats in China: a neglected infectious disease to ruminants
Authors: Tan lei , Xu Kaiwen , Yang Shibiao , Wang Wen , Lin Gao , Yang Lincheng , Yao Jun , Wang Aibng
Published: January 2024

Pseudorabies virus (PRV), the cause agent of Aujeszky’s disease, is an
infectious pathogen which greatly affects the heathy development of pig
industry worldwide. The low specific host tropism of PRV allows this
virus to infect a variety of animals, such as pigs, cattle, minks, dogs,
and even possible humans. However, the occurrence of PRV natural
infection in goats has never been documented. Herein we provided robust
evidences demonstrating the first case of a variant PRV infection
leading to the acute goat death in Yunnan Province, China, which might
be resulted from mixed feeding with PRV-infected fattening pigs.
Therefore, this report not only highlights the potential threat of newly
emerging variant PRV strain(s) to goat industry, but also appeals the
development of effective and safe vaccines against PRV variants for
goats/ruminants in future.
Exosomal miR-483-5p facilitates granulosa cell autophagy in polycystic ovary syndrome through suppressing VAPB
Authors: Xu Changlong , Liu Xiaodong , Wei Tao , Zhou Zheng , Li Changze , He Zilin , Sui Hongshu
Published: January 2024

This study explores the role of exosomal miR-483-5p derived from the
serum of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients on PCOS progression.
The expressions of miRNAs in exosomes from patients with or without PCOS
(PCOS-exo or HC-exo) were quantified. Serum sex steroids, endocrine
indexes, the association of miR-483-5p with PCOS were assessed in the
clinical samples. HC-exo or PCOS-exo was injected into PCOS rats, and
the location of exosomes was examined, in addition to detection on
pathology changes, and autophagic vacuole. VAPB expression was measured
as well as the uptake of exosomes by human ovarian granulosa cells,
COV434 cells. COV434 cells were incubated or transfected with PCOS-exo,
pcDNA3.1-VAPB, miR-483-5p Agomir, or miR-483-5p Antagomir, and then
autophagy levels were detected. Interactions between miR-483-5p and VAPB
were revealed. High expression of miR-483-5p was found in PCOS-exo,
which was positively associated with PCOS-related indicators. PCOS-exo
mainly located in follicles. Increased miR-483-5p and autophagosome
formation as well as decreased VAPB were found in PCOS-exo. Human
ovarian granulosa cells could endocytosed exosomes. PCOS-exo elicited
autophagy in COV434 cells, which was reversed by miR-483-5p Antagomir or
pcDNA3.1-VAPB. miR-483-5p targeted VAPB. Collectively, PCOS-exo derived
miR-483-5p downregulates VAPB in granulosa cells, thus promoting
granulosa cell autophagy and affecting PCOS.
The Effect of Rotation on the Free Vibrations in a Non-homogeneous Orthotropic Elastic Hollow Sphere
Authors: Farhan Ashraf , Abd-Alla A.
Published: January 2024

This article examines the radial vibrations of spherical isotropy
embedded in an elastic medium according to the one-dimensional (1D)
elastic theory. Based on the linear theory of elasticity, the rotation
and inhomogeneity effects on wave propagation in orthotropic material
are analyzed. The 1Delastodynamicsequation is solved in terms of radial
displacement. We consider three boundaries: free, fixed, and mixed
orthotropic materials. In the case of harmonic vibrations, the
eigenvalues of the natural frequency of the radial vibrations for
different boundary conditions are determined. For each case, the
numerical results are presented, illustrated graphically, and then
compared with those in the absence of rotation and non-homogeneity. An
increase in the rotation and non-homogeneity parameters is observed,
similar to the findings of the classical sphere theory. Therefore, this
study can also be used in the design and optimization of microplates and
nanoplates. The findings show that rotation and non-homogeneity have a
strong impact on wave propagation in orthotropic material.
Open window technique for accessory pathway mapping and ablation: Case report
Authors: Paredes Nick , Mazuelos Francisco , Carnero Lucia , Jimenez Adriano , Pan Manuel , Segura Jose
Published: January 2024

We introduce a novel three-dimensional (3D) mapping technique to
approach a mid-septal accessory pathway (AP) ablation in a 21-year-old
male with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, this technique allowed the
correct identification and localization of the AP and lead to a
successful single shot ablation.
Co-culture of liver parenchymal cells with non-parenchymal cells under 2D and 3D culture systems; a review paper
Authors: farzaneh zahra , keivan mona , farzaneh maryam
Published: January 2024

Primary hepatocytes as liver stem cells can proliferate under liver
injury. Hepatocytes are the major parenchymal cells (PC) in the liver
and play an important role in liver metabolism. Hepatocytes are
considered as a gold standard tool for drug toxicity/screening or liver
disease modeling. Though the maturation and functions of hepatocytes are
lost under routine 2-dimensional (2D) culture conditions. Recent studies
revealed that interactions of hepatocytes with non-parenchyma cells
(NPC) under 3D culture conditions can be an alternative option to
overcome these problems. Co-culture of hepatocytes with NPC facilitated
in-vitro liver disease models such as fibrosis, steatosis and
non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), cholestasis, and viral
hepatitis. This review described the co-culture of liver PC with NPC
under 2D and 3D culture systems.
Eco-epidemiological characteristics of the 2006 – 2007 Rift Valley fever outbreak in Tanzania: A retrospective analysis
Authors: Kivaria Fredrick , Fasina F. O. , Makungu Selemani , Nyasebwa Obed , Bebay Charles , Sallu Raphael , Malamsha Niwael
Published: January 2024

Tanzania was one of the countries that were heavily affected by the
2006/07 Rift Valley fever (RVF) epizootic that affected the entire
Eastern Africa region. In this study we used information on the
geographical locations of the reported cases (abortions and serological
data) to explore the eco-epidemiologic characteristics of the 2006/07
RVF outbreak in the north-eastern Tanzania. A total of 3819 small
ruminant serological samples were investigated, of which 68.40% (2614)
had serological results on IgM antibodies, and positive history of
abortions. Of the 2614 data, 1826 (69.9%), and 1135 (43.4%) had
information on abortion and IgM positive status respectively.
Suitability analysis showed that 80% of the study area favours the
occurrence of RVF. While a pair wise comparison of the risk difference
indicated short distances (≤ 15Km) to the points of livestock
congregations such auctions (Z = 20.32; P < 0.00001), dip
tanks (Z = 7.997; P < 0.00001), water bodies (Z = 19.209; P
< 0.00001), and transport network (Z = 13.589; P <
0.00001) were highly associated with the IgM seropositivity. Also,
proximity (≤ 30 Km) to the wildlife reservoirs was significantly (Z =
14.51; P < 0.00001) associated with the occurrence of RVF. The
same risk factors were highly (P < 0.00001) associated with
the occurrence of RVF related abortions. This work could have future
implications in informing a collaborative approach to develop and adapt
prevention and control strategies that will help manage the disease
risks, and the associated socio-economic and public health impacts.
Hospital administrative measures to prevent nosocomial outbreak of COVID-19 in Taiwan
Authors: Wu Tai-Yin , Woung Lin-Chung , Huang Sheng-Jean , Tsai Ching-Yao , Hsiao Sheng-Huang , Chu Dachen , Hsu Chia-Chen , Huang Tsun-cheng
Published: January 2024

Rationale, aims and objectives. Hospitals are at the frontline of the
COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to infection control measures, effective
administrative strategies are equally important. We aimed to present
administrative measures implemented in a large community hospital in
Taiwan. Methods. The strategies employed included regular administrative
meetings, entrance control, outdoor fever screen station, ward control,
proactive inpatient and outpatient case identification, outdoor walk
through dispensary, resource relocation and supplies distribution,
guidelines, telemedicine, and group quarantine. Results. After one year
of effort, nosocomial infection in a large community hospital of over
7,000 staffs remained zero. Conclusion. In face of the re-emergence of
COVID-19 pandemic, by sharing our experiences we may contribute to the
global community.
Mitochondrial DNA Cytochrome Oxidase I Gene analysis in Apis dorsata worker honeybee population from different geo-locations of southern India
Authors: Rajak Bidisha , George Jaimee , Sekarappa Basavarajappa
Published: January 2024

The aim of present study was to characterize the mitochondrial
cytochrome oxidase sub unit 1 gene (COI) from Apis dorsata population
inhabited at different geo-locations of southern India. A. dorsata
worker bees were obtained randomly from the natural colonies in urban
location, malnad, semi-arid and arid locations. Thorax was used for
subsequent DNA extraction and was amplified by PCR, followed by Sanger
sequencing. The mt-DNA COI nucleotides were matched with BLAST to obtain
sequences from the NCBI that have high levels of homology
(>90%). The gene was amplified using universal primers.
Surprisingly, phylogenetic tree of A. dorsata derived from different
geo-locations indicated interesting outcome. Nevertheless, the mt- COI
sequences of A. dorsata derived from arid and semi-arid locations were
lying on the same clade and showing 90% similarity however, mt-DNA COI
sequences of A. dorsata from malnad location lies in another clade, but
mt-DNA COI sequences of A. dorsata from urban location showed close
relation to AY58841511-321. Moreover, the evolutionary relationship
indicated 58% similarity between A. dorsata populations live in malnad
and urban locations. Interestingly, the urban location has shown
significant variation in nucleotide sequence compared to other geo
locations based on neighbor joining and maximum likelihood methods and
thus, sequence divergence existed among the A. dorsata population.
On the error analysis of generalized Schwarz parallel algorithm for a class of elliptic variational inequalities
Authors: BOUZOUALEGH Ikram , SAADI Samira
Published: January 2024

In this work, we study a parallel Schwarz method for a class of elliptic
variational inequalities. The domain is split into m sub-domains with
overlapping nonmatching grids. The principal result of this
investigation is to prove the error estimate in L∞-norm, making use of a
geometrical convergence, and the uniform convergence.
Giant left atrial appendage aneurysm associated with thrombus: A case report
Authors: Wang Yanqiu , Zhou Weiwei
Published: January 2024

Congenital left atrial appendage aneurysm is an extremely rare heart
malformation. Some researchers also call it left atrial appendage
diverticulum. Here, we report a patient who was hospitalized due to
paroxysmal palpitations that became worse for 2 months. Transthoracic
echocardiography and contrast echocardiography suggest a left atrial
appendage aneurysm with thrombosis. Magnetic resonance imaging showed
long T2 and slightly short T1 signal at the top of the left atrial
appendage aneurysm. Computed tomography examination showed that the left
atrium was connected to the giant left atrial appendage. The patient
refused surgery despite the high risk of thromboembolism. Key words:
left atrial appendage aneurysm, congenital heart malformation, thrombus
Cryoablation versus Antiarrhythmic therapy for initial treatment of Atrial Fibrillation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Authors: Patel Mitra , Changal Khalid , Patel Neha
Published: January 2024

Guidelines suggest the use of antiarrhythmic agents as initial therapy
in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, however using
cryoballoon ablation as a first line therapy might have increased
efficacy. The safety and efficacy of cryoballoon ablation as an initial
therapy has not yet been established. A comprehensive search of multiple
databases was performed to find randomized control trials (RCT) that
directly compared cryoablation therapy versus antiarrhythmic therapy as
initial treatment for patients with atrial fibrillation. A total of
three RCTs met the inclusion criteria (724 patients) and were used in
the meta-analysis. The primary outcome of our meta-analysis was
recurrence of atrial tachyarrhythmias. The secondary outcome evaluated
serious adverse events of each therapy. The results showed a
statistically significant reduction of recurrence of atrial
tachyarrhythmic events in patients receiving cryoballoon ablation
compared to antiarrhythmic therapy [Risk Ratio (RR): 0.60, 95% CI
(0.49, 0.72), P<0.00001, I2 = 0%]. There was no significant
difference in serious adverse events between patients receiving
cryoballoon ablation compared to patients receiving antiarrhythmic
therapy. [Risk Ratio (RR): 1.19, 95% CI (0.71, 2.00), P=0.52, I2 =
0%]. Our meta-analysis showed that cryoballoon ablation as an initial
therapy is more efficacious than drug therapy with antiarrhythmics in
patients with atrial fibrillation without an increased risk of serious
adverse events. Keywords: Cryoablation, antiarrhythmics, atrial
fibrillation, conduction disturbance, meta-analysis.
Comparison of three different methods of transfection for production of recombinant adenovirus vector expressing human carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) gene
Authors: Bamdad Taravat , Yari Atefeh , hosseini seyed younes
Published: January 2024

Adenoviral vectors (AdV) are widely used as gene delivery vehicle and
vaccine design due to their genetic stability, large transfer gene
capacity, production at high titers, remarkable efficacy of
transduction, etc. Using of AdV in cancer immunotherapy is one of their
important applications. Tumor-associated antigens are overexpressed in
cancer cells but cannot able to induce immune responses sufficiently. In
this study we described the construction steps of a recombinant AdV
expressing human carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) gene. Furthermore, in
order to achieve a high titer of the virus, an efficient transfection is
required. Three various transfection reagents including polyethylenimine
(PEI), calcium phosphate and DMRIE-C for transfection of the CEA cloned
plasmid were compared. Our results showed the PEI had a higher
transfection efficiency which was used for transfection of the
recombinant plasmid. The virus produced in this study can be applied as
a vaccine in cancer immunotherapy for stimulating the immune system
against CEA expressing tumors.
Use of thromboelastometry-guided surgery in a pediatric patient with adrenal neuroblastoma complicated with disseminated intravascular coagulation.
Authors: Lobato MR Pérez-Torres , Molina Maria , López Mercedes Livia Llempén , Pineda Israel Fernández , Cabello Rosa , Infante Eloy Rivas , Herrera Cristina Hernández , Márquez-Vega Catalina , Martorell Javier Rodrigez
Published: January 2024

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is a rare oncological
emergency. We report a pediatric neuroblastoma complicated with DIC
which required thromboelastometry-guided surgery. A 6-year-old female
diagnosed with intermediate risk adrenal neuroblastoma developed
tumor-related DIC after chemotherapy first cycle. She remained stable
without clinical bleeding and emergent tumor resection guided by
intraoperative-thromboelastometry was decided. DIC resolved early after
surgery and complete remission was achieved. Treatment of the underlying
condition is critical to manage DIC. Thromboelastometry can guide
goal-directed therapy, including surgery in pediatric patients. However,
larger studies are needed to examine its applicability in different
clinical settings, such as cancer related DIC.
OsALMT7 transports malate as a homodimer
Authors: long yu , Heng Yueqin , Lin Ping , Luo Yunxin , Gilliham Matthew
Published: January 2024

The Aluminum Activated Malate Transporter (ALMT) family members are
anion channels that play important roles in organic acid transport,
stress resistance, growth, development, fertilization and GABA
responses. The rice malate permeable OsALMT7 influences panicle
development and grain yield. A truncated OsALMT7 mutant caused a
reduction in malate permeability panicle apical abortion1 (paab1),
lacking of 2 (3) transmembrane helices still have the ability of
mediating malate efflux. We further investigated the characteristic of
the truncated channels and the activity contribution of these
transmembrane helices with TEVC and single channel analysis in X. laevis
oocytes, and found that OsALMT7 formed as a homodimer by co-expressing
OsALMT7 and paab1 in oocytes and detecting the physical interaction
between two OsALMT7, and between OsALMT7 and paab1 mutant protein.
Further study proved that not just OsALMT7, mutants of TaALMT1 inhibit
wild-type TaALMT1 channel, indicating that ALMTs might perform channel
function as homodimers. Our discovery brings a light for ion channel
structure and homomultimer regulation understanding for ALMT anion
channels and potential for crop grain yield and stress response
improvement in the context of the essential role of ALMTs in these plant
processes.
Glypican 1 and syndecan 1 differently regulate noradrenergic hypertension development: focus on IP3R and calcium.
Authors: Potje Simone Regina , Isbatan Ayman , Tostes Rita , Bendhack Lusiane , Dull Randal , Carvalho-de-Souza Joao , Chignalia Andreia
Published: January 2024

Background– Vascular dysfunction is a checkpoint to the development of
hypertension. Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG) participate in nitric
oxide (NO) production and calcium signaling, key regulators of vascular
function. The relationship between HSPG and vascular dysfunction
associated to impaired -NO and calcium signaling has not been explored.
Likewise, the role of HSPG on the control of systemic blood arterial
pressure is unknown. Herein, we sought to determine if the HSPG syndecan
1 and glypican 1 control systemic blood pressure and the progression of
hypertension. Purpose– To determine the mechanisms whereby glypican 1
and syndecan 1 regulate vascular tone and contribute to the development
of noradrenergic hypertension. Experimental Approach and Key Results–
By assessing systemic arterial blood pressure we observed that syndecan
1 (Sdc1-/-) and glypican 1 (Gpc1-/-) knockout mice show a similar
phenotype of decreased systemic blood pressure that is presented in a
striking manner in the Gpc1-/- strain. Gpc1-/- has uniquely shown to be
protected from a norepinephrine hypertensive challenge failing to become
hypertensive. This phenotype was associated with impaired
calcium-induced vasoconstriction, exquisitely dependent on exogenous
calcium, and altered expression of calcium-sensitive proteins including
SERCA and calmodulin. In addition, Gpc1-/- distinctively showed
decreased IP3R activity and reduced calcium storage in the endoplasmic
reticulum. Conclusions and Implications– Glypican 1 is a trigger for
the development of noradrenergic hypertension that acts via IP3R- and
calcium-dependent signaling pathways. Glypican 1 may be a potential
target for the development of new therapies for resistant hypertension
or conditions where norepinephrine levels are increased.
Antibiotic Use and Resistance: A cross-sectional study exploring Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices among Medical, Dental, Pharmacy and Nursing students
Authors: Allam Uday , Chilukuri Hari , Kota Neela Mani Kanta , Natarajan Kannan , Kamatham Shilpa , Kiranmai Chadipiralla , Deepthi Karumanchi , Reddy Pichili Vijaya Bhaskar
Published: January 2024

Background Antibiotic resistance is a global concern of public health
resulting due to the indiscriminate use, abuse and misuse of
antibiotics. In order to encounter this health issue, it is highly
essential to primarily understand the knowledge and attitude of the
healthcare professional students towards the use of antibiotics and
antibiotic resistance Objective The objective of the present study was
to assess the levels of knowledge, attitudes and practices pertaining to
antibiotics use and resistance among the healthcare professional
students (MBBS, BDS, B.Pharma and B.Sc (Nursing) students of Andhra
Pradesh, India. Methods A cross sectional survey was conducted using
structured questionnaire. Collected data was analyzed using Chi-square
test, ANOVA and adjusted odd ratios (AORs) with 95% significance by
SPSS version 20. A total of 326 participants responded giving
information in the structured questionnaire given to them. Results The
prevalence of self-medication among the participants was 27% (n =
87/326). A proportionately larger number of MBBS students were
self-medicating (51%) compared to the other students
(p<0.05). The reason for student’s self-medication was because
of the illness being too simple for consultation. Nearly one third of
the participants (53.1%) stated that their earlier familiarity with the
disease (old prescriptions for the same illness) was a source of
information about the drug to be used. The results of ANOVA analysis
indicated that knowledge, attitudes and patient doctor relationship are
not uniform among individual groups with mean squares of 2.0, 2.122, and
2.69 respectively. Correlation analysis indicates moderately strong
positive linear relationship that attitude shares with patient doctor
relationship regarding antibiotic use. Conclusions The results of the
current study suggest that majority of the students are aware of the
antimicrobial resistance and its consequences. However, the students
were found to have very casual attitude towards the use of antibiotics.
On the importance of being heterozygote -- Effects of Rh-genotype on the physical and mental health of a non-clinical population
Authors: Flegr Jaroslav , Příplatová Lenka , Hlaváčová Jana , Šebánková Blanka , Žďárský Emanuel , Kaňková Šárka
Published: January 2024

Human populations, especially European, are polymorphic in the RHD gene.
A significant fraction of their members carries two copies of a mutated
(deleted) allele, which results in their Rh-negative blood type.
Theoretically, this polymorphism should be unstable. Carriers of the
less frequent allele are penalized by reduced fertility because of the
immunization of Rh-negative mothers by their Rh-positive babies, which
results in hemolytic disease of newborns in their subsequent progeny.
For about 90 years, some form of balancing selection has been suspected
to sustain this polymorphism. Several recent studies showed that the
Rh-positive heterozygotes express higher viability than both types of
homozygotes. However, the genotype of subjects in these studies was
estimated only by indirect methods. Here we compared the physical and
mental health of 178 women and 86 men who were directly tested for their
Rh genotype. The results showed that Rh-positive homozygotic women had
worse and Rh-positive homozygotic men better physical health than
Rh-negative homozygotes; the difference between Rh-negative homozygotes
and heterozygotes was not significant. Our results confirmed that health
of Rh-positive heterozygotes and homozygotes differ. Therefore, any
result of the comparison of subjects with Rh-positive and Rh-negative
phenotype depends on the heterozygote-to-homozygote ratio in the
Rh-positive sample. It is, therefore, crucial to analyze the effects of
Rh-genotypes, not phenotypes in future studies.
A Comprehensive Review of Drivers influencing Flu Vaccine Acceptance in the Middle East: Using Health Belief Model
Authors: Al-Alag Zahraa , Al-Jumaili Ali Azeez , Al-Hamadani Fadya
Published: January 2024

Rationale, aims and objectives: A review of studies published over the
last six years gives update about this hot topic. In the middle of
COVID-19 pandemic, this study findings can help understand how
population may perceive vaccinations. The objectives of this study were
to review the literature covering the perceptions about influenza
vaccines and to determine factors influencing the acceptance of
vaccination using Health Belief Model (HBM). Methods: A comprehensive
literature search was performed utilizing PubMed and Google Scholar
databases. Three keywords were used: Influenza vaccine, perceptions, and
Middle East. Empirical studies that dealt with people/ HCW perceptions
of influenza vaccine in the Middle East and written in English were
included. The search covered articles published between January 2015 and
November 2020. Results: A total of 34 cross-sectional studies from of 22
countries were included in this review. The vaccination rates in Middle
East varied widely. However, the overall influenza vaccination rates
were generally low (<50%) among general population,
particularly among pregnant women and children. HCWs had relatively
higher vaccination rates compared to general population. Old age, health
comorbidities or working in high-risk environments were noted as major
motivators to receive the vaccine. Concerns about adverse reactions and
the lack of vaccine efficacy were the most predominant reported barriers
to receiving the vaccines. Lastly, cues to actions included receiving
advice from HCWs, influence of institutional requirement, awareness/
educational pamphlets and influence from the media. Conclusions: The HBM
can be helpful in identifying and analyzing motivators and barriers to
vaccination. Additionally, by looking at the root causation, this model
can help plan campaigns to increase vaccination rates in the region.
Finally, we recommend empowering HCWs to proactively advocate for
vaccination as part of preventive care.
The development of a novel pluripotent cell-based assay for human IVF media quality control
Authors: Adjirackor Naki , Beckitt Tom , Harvey Katie , Harvey Simon
Published: January 2024

Quality control systems for assays and assay components are crucial to
achieving optimum standards in healthcare. In human IVF, the mouse
embryo assay is commonly used to assess the quality of media and
instruments. Despite its popularity, there are some well-known issues
with the assay, including insensitivity to sub-optimal conditions,
ethical issues due to animal use and variation in end-point
interpretation between operators. Here, we detail the development of a
P19 embryonic carcinoma cell-based assay with the potential to be an
alternative method for quality control testing of human IVF media, and
we use this assay to test varying levels of the critical energy sources
pyruvate, glutamine and calcium lactate in human blastocyst media.
Trademark features of the mammalian cold stress response were also
incorporated as potential tools for increasing assay sensitivity.
Assessed by resorufin fluorescence, P19 cells responded to changes in
pyruvate and glutamine in the presence of cold stress and the mTOR
inhibitor rapamycin but demonstrated natural sensitivity to calcium
lactate concentrations. In addition to increasing cell sensitivity, cold
stress enhanced cell growth, whilst rapamycin treatment further
amplified the effects of cold stress. The assay described is robust,
suitable for detecting sub-optimal culture conditions and indicates the
extent to which different energy substrates affect cell growth and
proliferation.
Effect of Magneto Hydro Dynamic Oscillatory Nanofluid in an Asymmetric Tapered channel
Authors: R Prathiba S , A Karthika , J Sasikumar , M Uma Devi
Published: January 2024

Abstract In this paper, the effects of heat and mass transfer on
oscillatory incompressible electrically conducting viscous nanofluid has
been discussed under the influence of couple stress force is an
asymmetric channel filled with porous medium. A uniform magnetic field
is applied to this fluid flow. The governing equations of flow have been
formulated using Boussinesq approximation. The effects of various fluid
flow parameters are discussed using graphs.
Coiflet wavelet-homotopy solution of free convection ina closed cavity subjected to an inclined externalmagnetic field
Authors: Chen Qing-Bo , Xu Hang
Published: January 2024

he Coiflet wavelet-homotopy method is extend to analyze the problemof
natural convection in cavities under the effect of an inclined external
magneticfield. The Coiflet wavelet solutions for a wide range of various
physical parameterssuch as the Grashof number, the Hartmann number and
the angle of the magneticfield are obtained via a very efficient
homotopy iteration method. Rigid comparisonwith previous studies shows
excellent computational efficiency and accuracy of theproposed method.
Supplemental Micronutrients Administration in Pregnant Women with COVID-19: Indicated or Not?
Authors: Ghasemiyeh Parisa , Vazin Afsaneh
Published: January 2024

More than one year has been passed since the first report of COVID-19
from Wuhan city of China. Soon this virus was spread around the world
and became a pandemic and till now, over 122 million people have been
infected and over 2.69 million of them have been dead due to COVID-19
infection. Many efforts have been done regarding different aspects of
COVID-19 pharmacotherapy and its challenges. Coronavirus can negatively
affect the immune system. This complication can be exaggerated in
pregnant women with micronutrient and elemental deficiencies. Also,
coronavirus itself can induce micronutrients malabsorption and result in
their severe deficiencies that can lead to increased risk of infection
in these group of patients. The most important micronutrients that can
support the immune system are zinc, selenium, iron, vitamin A, C, D, and
E. So, it has been suggested that administration of supplemental
micronutrients would be helpful to prevent the severe complications of
COVID-19 infection in pregnant women [4]. Vitamin A deficiency
during pregnancy can result in congenital defects, anorectal
malformation, schizophrenia, gestational diabetes, and diabetes
mellitus. Also, excessive administration of supplemental vitamin A
should be avoided during pregnancy. Vitamin C deficiency during
pregnancy could be accompanied by several pregnancy complications
including gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, and
preeclampsia. So, administration of supplemental vitamin C would be
promising in pregnant women who are infected with new coronavirus to
prevent these complications during pregnancy and boosting of the
immunity system. VitaminD can play an important role in protection
against viral respiratory tract infection.
How to promote learning of evidence-based medicine among Japanese medical students
Authors: Kataoka Yoshihiro , Maeno Takami , Inaba Takashi , Ninn Sayaka , Suzuki Masatsune , Maeno Tetsuhiro
Published: January 2024

Rationale, aims, and objectives: Evidence-based medicine (EBM) has
become increasingly widespread over the last 30 years. However, the
ideal curriculum for undergraduate EBM education has yet to be
developed. To establish an EBM curriculum suitable for the educational
environment in Japan, a qualitative study was conducted to identify the
elements needed to facilitate undergraduate EBM learning among Japanese
medical students. Method: Participants were supervising physicians
working in teaching hospitals or clinics. Six physicians who consented
to participate in the study were interviewed individually from October
2019 to January 2020. In addition to basic demographics, the
interviewees were asked about their own EBM learning and teaching
experiences, what they kept in mind when teaching EBM to medical
students and what they felt was needed to improve current undergraduate
EBM education. Interview transcripts were analyzed using thematic
analysis. Results: Thematic analysis extracted five themes: awareness of
foreground questions in clinical practice, motivating learning through
observation of role models, awareness of the role of medical students
and active learning, understanding patient background as a starting
point for practicing EBM, and prioritizing understanding “why” rather
than “how” in EBM. Conclusions: Japanese medical students with limited
clinical experience may first need to observe their supervisors practice
EBM to develop the motivation to learn and grasp the bigger picture of
EBM. It is important for medical students to develop an interest in
their patients through conversations and to learn that EBM is a means to
solve the patients’ problems. Focusing on learning the rationale rather
than the skills for practicing EBM may be the key to facilitating
initial interest in undergraduate EBM education for subsequent
continuous learning.
The necessity of early anti-inflammatory therapy in mild-to-moderate COVID-19: A personal experience from an attending pharmacist and his resident
Authors: Ghasemiyeh Parisa , Mohammadi-Samani Soliman
Published: January 2024

I am a professor and attending pharmacist in the field of pharmaceutical
sciences and writer or co-author of at least 5 manuscripts about
different aspects of COVID-19. More than 15 months from the first report
of COVID-19, over 120 million people all over the world infected by this
virus, and more than 2.5 million of them have died. Although different
treatment approaches have been proposed, management of the COVID-19
patients is steal remained controversial. In this regard, I want to
share my personal experience from the exposure to the coronavirus and
the consequence of this infection on my health status. I am a 51 years
old male, known case of hypertension, dyslipidemia, and chronic kidney
disease. During working hours of colleagues in the Faculty of Pharmacy,
I visited one of my colleagues in his office. After leaving the Faculty,
my colleague declares that his RT-PCR test of COVID-19 is positive and
it took 3 days for me to experience the first sign of the COVID-19 as
fever. Many complications have occurred for me during the different
stages of COVID-19 infection that I shared and explained in detail with
the suggested pharmacotherapies. According to the pathophysiology of
COVID-19 infection and my personal experience during COVID-19 infection,
I want to emphasize the necessity of early initiation of
anti-inflammatory agents including corticosteroids and colchicine in
high-risk patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 pneumonia who shows
respiratory system involvement, in order to prevent progression to the
severe and critical stages of this disease.
Guillain-Barré syndrome after bortezomib therapy in a child with relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Ceolin Valeria , Cenna Rosita , Resente Francesca , Spadea Manuela , Fagioli Franca , Bertorello Nicoletta
Published: January 2024

A 12-year-old male being treated for a high-risk relapsed T-acute
lymphoblastic leukemia presented progressive weakness and numbness of
both legs after having received a chemotherapy regimen that included
bortezomib. Diagnosis of acute Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS)-like
inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy was made following clinical
examination, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, electrodiagnostic studies,
magnetic resonance imaging, and serum immunoglobulin antibodies to
anti-ganglioside. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment was
started, resulting in complete clinical recovery. Although in rare
cases, GBS after bortezomib therapy has been reported; this paper
suggests that GBS may occur when bortezomib is administered and
high‑dose IVIGs lead to a resolution of the symptoms.
Phosphorylation of intestine-specific homeobox by ERK1 modulates oncogenic activity and sorafenib resistance
Authors: Wang Li-Ting , Liu Kwei-Yan , Chiou Shyh-Shin , Huang Shau-Ku , Wang Shen-Nien , Hsu Shih-Hsien
Published: January 2024

Nuclear translocation regulated by phosphorylation is a key step in
providing activated mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) access to
their nuclear targets; however, the mechanisms linking MAPK-induced
nuclear translocation and target gene expression mediating oncologic
activity remain obscure. Here, we show that the MAPK extracellular
signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1, but not ERK2, phosphorylated
intestine-specific homeobox (ISX), leading to its nuclear translocation
and downstream oncogenic signaling. Mechanistically, ERK1 phosphorylated
serine 183 of ISX, facilitating its nuclear translocation and downstream
target gene expression. In contrast, dominant-negative ERK1 expression
in hepatoma cells inhibited the nuclear translocation of ISX and the
expression of downstream genes involved in cell proliferation, malignant
transformation, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in vitro and in
vivo. An activating mutation in ISX (S183D) exhibited a constitutive
nuclear localization and resistance to sorafenib. Additionally, in 576
paired clinical hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) samples and adjacent
normal tissues, ERK1 and ISX were co-expressed in a tumor-specific
manner at mRNA and protein levels, while their mRNA levels showed
significant correlation with survival duration, tumor size, number, and
stage. These results highlight the significance of ERK1/ISX signaling in
HCC progression and its potential as a prognostic and therapeutic target
in HCC.