bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Glyphosate And Ciprofloxacin Eexposure On The Gut Bacterial Microbiota Diversity of Rhinella Arenarum (Anura: Bufonidae) Tadpoles
Authors: Boccioni Ana Paula Paula Cuzziol , García-Effron Guillermo , Peltzer Paola M. , Lajmanovich Rafael Carlos
Published: May 2021

The high load of agrochemicals and antibiotics coexisting in aquatic environments within agroecosystems represents a risk for wildlife. As the gut microbiota plays a key role on its host’s functioning and is sensitive to a wide variety of pollutants, its study allows evaluating organisms’ health and therefore, the ecosystem. We studied toxic effects of commercial formulations of a glyphosate-based herbicide (GBH) and the antibiotic ciprofloxacin (CIP) on gut bacterial microbiota diversity of the common toad (Rhinella arenarum) tadpoles, considered a sentinel species. The study was carried out by classic microbiological analysis and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry. The microbiota from GBH treatment had greater taxa diversity and richness, including some genera, such as Proteus spp. and Yersinia spp. that were absent in control. In contrast, microbiota from CIP treatment registered a decrease of diversity indexes, dominance of Aeromonas spp. and presence of Leclercia spp. The GBH-CIP treatment showed changes in taxa composition, including decrease of Klebsiella spp. and Pseudomonas spp. and trends of individual pollutant treatments. For all cases, changes in the composition of bacterial community (dysbiosis) were linked to a significant decrease in tadpoles’ weight. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the disruption of gut bacterial microbiota of tadpoles by a mixture of two contaminants of emerging concern worldwide. These findings contribute to understanding how the presence of two co-occurring pollutants in freshwaters results in deleterious effects on the amphibian community and potentially affect the microbiota of those environments.
Fluid Shear Stress Regulates Placental Growth Factor Expression via Heme Oxygenase 1 and Iron
Authors: Rashdan Nabil A. , Zhai Bo , Lovern Pamela C.
Published: May 2021

Increased fluid shear stress (FSS) is a key initiating stimulus for arteriogenesis, the outward remodeling of collateral arterioles in response to upstream occlusion. Placental growth factor (PLGF) is an important arteriogenic mediator. We previously showed that elevated FSS increases PLGF in a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent fashion both in vitro and ex vivo. Heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) is a cytoprotective enzyme that is upregulated by stress and has arteriogenic effects. In the current study, we used isolated murine mesentery arterioles and cocultures of human coronary artery endothelial cells (EC) and smooth muscle cells (SMC) to test the hypothesis that HO-1 mediates the effects of FSS on PLGF. HO-1 mRNA was increased by conditions of increased flow and shear stress in both cocultures and vessels. Both inhibition of HO-1 with zinc protoporphyrin and HO-1 knockdown abolished the effect of FSS on PLGF. Conversely, induction of HO-1 activity increased PLGF. To determine which HO-1 product upregulates PLGF, cocultures were treated with a CO donor (CORM-A1), biliverdin, ferric ammonium citrate (FAC), or iron-nitrilotriacetic acid (iron-NTA). Of these FAC and iron-NTA induced an increase PLGF expression. This study demonstrates that FSS acts through iron to induce pro-arteriogenic PLGF, suggesting iron supplementation as a novel potential treatment for revascularization.
Optimization Design and Simulation of Light Broadband Multilayer Composite Absorber
Authors: Yang Ping-an , Huang Yuxuan , Li Rui , Sun Yang , Huang Xin , Shou Mengjie , Wang Xiaojie
Published: May 2021

Multilayer plate structure is an effective way to design the absorbing coating with excellent performance. Based on the analysis of the electromagnetic (EM) absorbing principle of multilayer structure, this paper selects materials with magnetic loss type and resistance loss type to establish the database of EM parameters. Genetic algorithm is used to optimize the design of the multilayer structure. Finally, COMSOL is used for simulation verification. The results show that the multilayer materials prepared by different types of EM loss materials have the characteristics of large absorption bandwidth and strong absorption capacity. When optimizing for different frequency bands and the thickness is limited to 5 mm, the absorption band can be adjusted freely between 5 GHz and 15 GHz by selecting the materials and thickness of each layer, which solves the limitation that a single material only meet the requirements in a specific frequency band. When optimizing for absorption intensity, the minimum reflection loss (RLmin) can reach -30.7 dB and the effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) is 3.3 GHz (13.1 GHz -16.4 GHz) achieved with only 2.44 mm. This design method provides the possibility to design multilayer composite materials with high absorption and low reflection in a wider frequency band range.
The Use of a Formative OSCE to Prepare Emergency Medicine Residents for Summative OSCEs: A Mixed-Methods Cohort Study
Authors: Lee Magdalene Hui Min , Phua Dong Haur , Heng Kenneth Wei Jian
Published: May 2021

BackgroundThe objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) is a part of Emergency Medicine (EM) examinations such as the Masters of Medicine in Emergency Medicine (MMed) examination and the equivalent Member of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (MRCEM) examination. The use of formative OSCEs to prepare EM residents for summative OSCEs has not been investigated. This study aimed to evaluate the role of formative OSCEs in preparing EM residents for the MMed and MRCEM OSCE.MethodsThis was an observational, retrospective, mixed-methods cohort study. We analysed data from formative OSCEs conducted by the National Healthcare Group EM residency programme from 2013 to 2019, and from a questionnaire distributed to all residents during the study period. Residents’ formative OSCE participation and scores were compared with first-attempt summative OSCE success. Qualitative analysis of residents’ opinions on the usefulness of the formative OSCE was performed.Results43/50 (86.0%) residents attended at least one formative OSCE. Of the 46 who responded to the questionnaire, 40 (87.0%) had attempted and succeeded in the MMed or MRCEM OSCE, of whom 35 (87.5%) had succeeded on the first attempt. Residents who succeeded in the summative OSCE on the first attempt tended to have higher proximate (mean = 70.6, SD = 8.9 vs mean = 64.3, SD = 10.8) and mean (mean = 67.4, SD = 7.1 vs mean = 62.8, SD = 7.3) formative OSCE scores. All 8/40 (20.0%) residents who attended more than three formative OSCEs succeeded in the summative OSCE on their first attempt. Residents’ formative OSCE scores tended to improve with successive formative OSCEs, demonstrating a positive training effect. All residents felt that the formative OSCE was useful in preparing them for the summative OSCE.Conclusions﻿Participation in multiple formative OSCEs was beneficial in preparing residents for the summative OSCE. The formative OSCE was useful in familiarising residents with the examination, giving them an opportunity to perform in near-examination conditions, and providing feedback to residents and faculty about their progress. Our findings may support the implementation of formative OSCEs in other training programmes to prepare learners for high-stake summative OSCEs.
Kiwiberry (Actinidia Arguta) Hexaploid Plant Regeneration Through Culture of Endosperm Isolated From Fresh and Year-old Dry Seeds
Authors: Abdullah Mohib , Sliwinska Elwira , Góralski Grzegorz , Latocha Piotr , Tuleja Monika , Widyna Patrycja , Popielarska-Konieczna Marzena
Published: May 2021

Endosperm, an ephemeral and storage tissue, serves as a source of nutrition and protection during embryo development and germination. It can be used for the cultivation of polyploid plants in vitro. Here, a protocol of plant regeneration and acclimatization from the endosperm-derived calli of Actinidia arguta has been developed. Seeds excised from fresh fruit and dry seeds stored for one year served as the sources of endosperm explants of selected tetraploid cultivars of A. arguta. Callus Induction Medium (CIM; containing 0.25, 0.5, or 1 mg/l of TDZ) and Actinidia Endosperm Medium (AEM; containing 2 mg/l of 2,4-D and 5 mg/l of kinetin) were used to study the organogenic responses of the calli. On AEM, the source of explant did not significantly affect the rate of callus induction for any of the tested cultivars. Similarly, no organogenic events were observed. In contrast, on CIM both the source of explants and the cultivar origin caused significant differences in callus formation and subsequent organogenic events. Histological and ultrastructural analyses revealed the adventitious nature of shoot bud formation on these media. The most efficient elongation of shoot buds was achieved after transferring organogenic calli with adventitious shoot buds to a medium supplemented with zeatin or meta-topolin. Robust root induction with minimal basal callus formation occurred on the medium with indole-3-acetic acid. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that the nuclear DNA content in the leaves of some regenerants (4.5 pg/2C) was approximately 50% higher than that in the tetraploid seedlings (3.1 pg). This finding confirmed that those regenerants originated from the endosperm. The regeneration of hexaploid plants was more efficient when endosperm from fresh seeds served as an explant; therefore, fresh rather than dry seeds are recommended for endosperm-derived plant production. The hexaploid plants of A. arguta can serve as an important source of breeding material.
Synthetic Curcumin Analog: Inhibiting the Invasion, Angiogenesis, and Metastasis in Human Laryngeal Carcinoma Cells via NF-kB Pathway
Authors: Mohankumar Kumaravel , Francis Arul Prakash , Pajaniradje Sankar , Rajagopalan Rukkumani
Published: May 2021

Laryngeal carcinoma, the most common among head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) induces 1% of all cancer deaths. Curcumin, the active constituent of turmeric is more effective in the treatment of various cancer. In the present study, with an aim to explore the mechanistic role of BDMC-A as a chemotherapeutic agent, we have investigated the inhibitory effect of BDMC-A on invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis in Hep-2 cells and compared it with curcumin. Curcumin and BDMC-A treated Hep-2 cells were quantified using western blotting and RT-PCR technique to investigate the effect of Curcumin and BDMC-A on transcription factors involved in signal transduction cascade, invasion and angiogenesis associated markers. Pro-inflammatory markers of curcumin and BDMC-A treated Hep-2 cells were estimated using the ELISA kit. The results showed that BDMC-A might exhibit the anti-cancer activity by inhibiting transcription factors mainly NF-κB, p65, c-Jun, c-Fos, STAT3, 5, PPAR-γ and β-catenin, which are responsible for tumor progression and malignancy. Downregulation of MMP-9, VEGF, IL-6 and IL-8 and upregulation of TIMP-2 levels further supports the anti-tumor potential of BDMC-A. Our overall results revealed that BDMC-A more effectively inhibited the markers of invasion, angiogenesis and metastasis in comparison with curcumin.
Comparison of ACIOL Exchange and Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty with ACIOL Retention and Descemet Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty in the Setting of Pseudophakic Bullous Keratopathy
Authors: Dubinsky-Pertzov Biana , Santaella Gissela , Sorkin Nir , Or Lior , Gazit Inbal , Chan Clara C. , Rootman David S. , Einan-Lifshitz Adi
Published: May 2021

Objective: To compare the clinical outcomes and complications of anterior chamber intraocular lens (ACIOL) exchange and Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) with ACIOL retention and Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) in patients with PBK.Methods: A multicenter retrospective cohort study. Patients with ACIOL who underwent endothelial keratoplasty procedure due to PBK between 2012-2018 in two tertiary medical centers, were identified. Clinical and demographical data including preoperative and postoperative characteristics were collected.Results: Thirteen eyes in the “DMEK and ACIOL exchange” group and 15 in the “DSAEK and ACIOL retention” group were included in the analysis. Mean BCVA six months postoperatively was 0.51±0.20 LogMAR (Snellen 20/64) and 0.57±0.22 LogMAR (Snellen 20/83) in the “DMEK and ACIOL exchange” group and “DSAEK and ACIOL retention” group, respectively (P=0.38). Graft failure occurred in 6 eyes (40%) in the “DSAEK and ACIOL retention” group; four of them were secondary failures occurring at an average follow-up time of 15±11.9 months. In the “DMEK and ACIOL exchange” group, graft failure occurred in one eye and was a primary failure (P=0.046). In the “DMEK and ACIOL exchange” group, postoperative complications were seen in 4 eyes (30.7%). No postoperative complications were recorded in the “DSAEK and ACIOL retention” group (P=0.035).Conclusion: Despite the lower complication rate, the higher incidence of graft failure and the need for second keratoplasty in the DSAEK group along with the similar visual outcomes, might suggest that in the indication of PBK, ACIOL exchange with DMEK offers a good alternative to ACIOL retention with DSAEK.
Quality of life and fear of COVID-19 in 2600 baccalaureate nursing students at five universities – a cross-sectional study
Authors: Beisland Elisabeth Grov , Gjeilo Kari Hanne , Andersen John Roger , Bratås Ola , Bø Bodil , Haraldstad Kristin , Hjelmeland Inger Helen Hardeland , Iversen Marjolein Memelink , Løyland Borghild , Norekvål Tone Merete , Riiser Kirsti , Rohde Gudrun , Urstad Kristin Hjorthaug , Utne Inger , Flølo Tone Nygaard
Published: May 2021

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruptions in the implementation of programs across educational institutions. Nursing students, being both young adults and by practical training, part of the health care system, may be particularly vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to explore the associations between self-reported fear of COVID-19, general health, psychological distress and overall quality of life (QoL) in a sample of Norwegian undergraduate nursing students compared to reference data. Methods The survey targeted baccalaureate nursing students from five universities in February 2021. An electronic questionnaire consisted of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), the Hopkins Symptom Checklist 5 (SCL-5), one general health and one overall QoL question. The respondents’ mean scores were compared to reference data. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted, and effect sizes (Cohen’s d) were evaluated. Results In total, 2605 out of 6088 (43%) students responded. Their FCV-19S scores (mean 2.45, CI: 2.42, 2.48) were significantly higher than those of the reference population (mean 1.8, P< 0.001). Nursing students scores showed significantly lower general health (mean 3.50 ± 0.93 SD, population mean = 3.57, Cohen’s d = 0.07), higher levels of psychological distress (mean 2.68 ± 1.03 SD, population mean = 2.12, Cohen’s d = 0.55) and lower overall QoL (mean 5.50 ± 2.16 SD, population mean = 8.00, Cohen’s d = 1.16) compared to pre-pandemic reference data. FCV-19S scores were significantly associated with levels of general health (Cohen’s d = 0.26), psychological distress (Cohen’s d = 0.76) and overall QoL (Cohen’s d = 0.18).Conclusions Baccalaureate nursing students reported worse outcomes during the Covid-19 pandemic on general health, psychological distress and overall QoL compared to the reference population. Level of fear of Covid-19, however, accounted for few of these differences. Other factors related to the pandemic may have reduced nursing students’ overall QoL.
Robust IgM responses following vaccination are associated with prevention of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in macaques
Authors: Alter Galit , Irvine Edward , O'Neil Anthony , Darrah Patricia , Shin Sally , Choudhary Alok , Li Wenjun , Honnen William , Mehra Smriti , Kaushal Deepak , Gideon Hannah , Flynn JoAnne , Roederer Mario , Seder Robert , Pinter Abraham , Fortune Sarah
Published: May 2021

Development of an effective tuberculosis (TB) vaccine has suffered from an incomplete understanding of the correlates of protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). However, recent work has shown that compared to standard intradermal Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination, intravenous (IV) BCG vaccination provides nearly complete protection against TB in rhesus macaques. While studies have focused on cellular immunity in this setting, the antibody response elicited by IV BCG vaccination remains incompletely defined. Using an agnostic antibody profiling approach, here we show that IV BCG drives superior antibody responses in the plasma and the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL). While IV BCG immunization resulted in the expansion of a robust IgM, IgG, IgA, Fc-receptor binding antibodies, and antibody effector functions in the BAL, IgM titers were among the strongest markers of reduced bacterial burden in the plasma and BAL of BCG immunized animals. Moreover, IgM immunity was also enriched among animals receiving protective vaccination with an attenuated Mtb strain. Finally, a LAM-specific IgM monoclonal antibody reduced Mtb survival in vitro. Collectively, these data highlight the potential importance of IgM responses as a marker and as a functional mediator of protection against TB.
Oncological Safety of Axillary Reverse Mapping in Patients With Clinically Node-Negative Breast Cancer
Authors: Noguchi Masakuni , Inokuchi Masafumi , Yokoi-Noguchi Miki , Morioka Emi
Published: May 2021

Background

Axillary reverse mapping (ARM) was developed to preserve the lymphatic drainage from the upper arm during sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy or axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). However, the oncological safety of ARM has been controversial.
Methods

Patients with clinically negative nodes (cN0) underwent SLN biopsy and ARM. SLNs were identified using blue dye and radioisotope, and ARM nodes were traced using the fluorescent method. Patients with positive SLN underwent the standard ALND. After surgery, they were followed up for more than three years.
Results

A total of 507 patients with cN0 breast cancer were enrolled between May 2009 and November 2017. SLNs were identified in 499 (98%) of 507 patients, and ARM nodes were identified in 159 (31%) patients in the SLN field. The crossover rate of SLN-ARM nodes was 28%. Among 95 patients with positive SLNs, 70 patients underwent conventional ALND. ARM nodes were identified in 65 (93%) of those patients in the ALND field. The mean number of removed ARM nodes was 7.2 (range 0–25) in patients who underwent the standard ALND. Although ARM nodes were involved in 18 of 65 patients, the involved ARM nodes were the same SLNs identified in 14 (78%) patients. Since SLN-ARM nodes should be removed, ARM nodes were involved only in 4 (5.7 %) patients after SLN biopsy.
Conclusions

ARM nodes were not infrequently involved in patients with positive SLNs, but they were most often SLNs. Therefore, conservative ALND with ARM is oncologically acceptable in patients with positive SLN.
Rectus Femoris Muscle Mass Measured by Ultrasound is an Indicator of Whole-Body Muscle Mass at Intensive Care Unit Admission: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Arai Yuta , Nakanishi Nobuto , Ono Yuko , Inoue Shigeaki , Kotani Joji , Harada Masafumi , Oto Jun
Published: May 2021

Background: Muscle mass is an important biomarker of survival from a critical illness, but it is not a widely accepted method to assess whole-body muscle mass when patients are admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). We hypothesize that ultrasound-based muscle mass assessments can reflect whole-body muscle mass. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of prospectively obtained ultrasound data at ICU admission. We included patients who underwent computed tomography (CT) imaging at the third lumbar vertebral level, within 2 days before and after ICU admission. Primary outcomes included the correlation between the muscle mass (thickness and cross-sectional area) of the rectus femoris measured using ultrasound and whole-body muscle mass measurements obtained from CT. We aimed to determine whether ultrasound assessments can identify sarcopenia, defined as a skeletal muscle index of 29.0 cm2/m2 for males and 36.0 cm2/m2 for females. Secondary outcomes included the ultrasound measurements of the biceps brachii muscle mass and diaphragm thickness. Results: Among 133 patients, 89 patients underwent CT imaging, which included the third lumbar vertebra. The patients’ mean age was 72 ± 13 years, and 60 patients were male. The correlation between rectus femoris muscle ultrasound and CT was ρ = 0.57 (p < 0.01, n = 89) and ρ = 0.48 (p < 0.01, n = 89) on thickness and cross-sectional area, respectively. The thickness of the rectus femoris and cross-sectional area had the discriminative power to assess sarcopenia when the areas under the curve were 0.84 and 0.76, respectively. Ultrasound measurements of the biceps brachii muscle mass and diaphragm thickness were correlated with CT imaging [ρ = 0.57–0.60 (p < 0.01, n = 52) and ρ = 0.35 (p < 0.01, n = 79)]. Conclusions: Ultrasound measurements of muscle mass are a promising method to assess whole-body muscle mass and sarcopenia at ICU admission.Trial registration: UMIN000044032. Retrospectively registered on 25 April 2021
Spatiotemporal Features of Pollutant Loads in the Yan River Basin, a Typical Loess hilly and Gully Watershed in the Chinese Loess Plateau
Authors: Song Yanni , Wu Yiping , Sun Changshun , Zhao Fubo , Hu Jingyi , Chen Ji , Qiu Linjing
Published: May 2021

Water quality is the restrictive factor for both ecosystem health and social development in the Chinese Loess Plateau, a unique area with most severe soil erosion, fragile ecology, and water shortage. Understanding the characteristics of the pollutant loads is of vital importance for the sustainability of eco-environment in the Loess Plateau. This study investigated the spatiotemporal changes of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) loads by combining the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and regression model Load Estimator (LOADEST) in a typical loess hilly and gully watershed—the Yan River Basin (YanRB). Results showed that the model simulations of monthly streamflow and pollutant loads were in good agreement with those derived from the in-situ observations. The temporal variation analysis suggested that the pollutant loads were generally rising in the study period (2001–2018) at four of the five stations and reached the maximum in 2014, and the multi-year (i.e., 2001–2018 with 2013 being excluded due to extreme rainfall) average loads of COD, TN, and TP at the Tanjiahe station, which is close to the outlet of the basin, were 15,021 kg/d, 3,835 kg/d, and 168 kg/d, respectively. The spatial distribution of the TN and TP loads along the river seemed to be quite unique because the TP level were obviously higher at the midstream (e.g., Zhujiagou and Ganguyi) than the downstream (e.g., Tanjiahe), and the TN level decreased when the river flowed from Zhujiagou to Ganguyi. Further, the seasonal analysis indicated that the nutrient loads were the highest in summer, followed by autumn, and the loads in these two wet seasons contributed the most of the annual pollution loads—about 76% and 84% for TN and TP, respectively, indicating the higher flow, the higher pollution load, a similar point based on the inter-annual analysis. In addition, the contribution analysis of point source and non-point source pollutions demonstrated that NPS led to most of the pollutant loads at the whole watershed—87%, 85%, and 84% of the COD, TN, and TP loads, respectively. Overall, this study provided spatiotemporal distributions of the key pollutant loads in the YanRB and can be valuable for water quality protection and pollution control in this area.
Bacterial Biomass Effect on Performance Improving of Vertical Flow Constructed Wetlands for Domestic Wastewater Treatment
Authors: ZAHUI Franck Michael , Ouattara Jean-Marie Pétémanagnan , Kamagaté Mahamadou , Coulibaly Lacina
Published: May 2021

Bacteria are frequently studied in constructed wetlands (CWs) due to their effective involvement in pollutants purification processes. In this study, aerobic, anaerobic and total bacteria densities and their vertical distribution profile within pilot-scale vertical flow CWs planted with different plant species were investigated. Five beds were planted in monoculture with Andropogon gayanus, Chrysopogon zizanioides, Echinochloa pyramidalis, Pennisetum purpureum and Tripsacum laxum, and one unplanted bed was used as control. At the end of the treatment trial, bacteria were collected by taking cores of sediment samples at the corners and the center of each bed following six layers in the vertical profile. In fact, the presence of plants on CWs improved the bacterial density and removal efficiencies in the system, with yields from 5.9 to 24.1% regardless the pollutant. However, few anaerobic bacteria were obtained in the different wetlands, and unable to reduce NO3−, excluding for beds planted with T. laxum and P. purpureum. Besides, the number of aerobic bacteria determined decreased (i.e., 17.4 106 to 0.1 106 CFU.g− 1), while that of anaerobic bacteria increased (i.e., 0.1 106 to 2.1 106 CFU.g− 1) from the upper to the bottom layers in the planted beds. Otherwise, anaerobic bacteria were more abundant in the control than in planted beds. Then, total bacteria were dominated by aerobic bacteria, and decreased from surface toward the bottom. As P purpureum promotes the best performance, CWs with this type of plant could be a cost-effective alternative method of treating wastewater.
Effect of melatonin on the clinical outcome of patients with repeated cycles after failed cycles of in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection
Authors: Zhu Qi , Wang Kaijuan , Zhang Chao , Chen Beili , Zou Huijuan , Zou Weiwei , Xue Rufeng , Ji Dongmei , Yu Zhaojuan , Rao Bihua , Cao Yunxia , Ding Ding , Zhang Zhiguo
Published: May 2021

Background: Melatonin (MT), a powerful antioxidant, can effectively ameliorate the in vitro development of animal embryos, but few studies have been performed on human embryos. Therefore, we investigated whether the application of MT in embryo cultures can improve embryonic development and clinical outcomes of patients with repeated cycles after failed in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) cycles.Methods: Human immature oocytes from controlled ovarian hyperstimulation cycles were collected for in vitro maturation culture and ICSI fertilization. The obtained embryos were cultured in vitro in medium containing 0, 10-11, 10-9, 10-7 or 10-5 M MT, and 10-9 M was determined to be the optimal concentration. Subsequently, 140 patients who experienced failed IVF/ICSI cycles underwent 140 cycles of embryo culture in vitro with medium containing 10-9 M MT. High-quality blastocysts were collected and cryopreserved for three months before vitrified-warmed embryo transfer. These culture cycles served as the experimental (10-9 M) group. The control (0 M) group comprised previous failed cycles. The patients were further divided into subgroups of 1, 2 or ≥3 failed cycles. The fertilization and embryo development statuses were compared.Results: The fertilization, cleavage, high-quality embryo, blastocyst, and high-quality blastocyst rates of the 10-9 M group were significantly higher than those of the 0 M group (87.7% vs. 83.6%, p <0.01; 94.1% vs. 90.5%, p <0.01; 58.3% vs. 43.8%, 51.1% vs. 41.8%, 43.4% vs. 22.9%, all p <0.0001). To date, a total of 50 vitrified-warmed cycle transfers were performed in the 10-9 M group and the implantation rate, biochemical pregnancy rate and clinical pregnancy rate were significantly higher than those in the 0 M group (65.6% vs. 9.7%, p <0.0001; 64.0% vs. 12.5%, p <0.0001; 40.0% vs. 11.7%, p <0.0001). Two healthy infants were delivered successfully and the other 18 women who achieved clinical pregnancy also had good examination indexes.Conclusion: The application of MT to embryo cultures in vitro improved embryonic development in patients with repeated cycles after failed IVF/ICSI cycles and had good clinical outcomes. The optimal concentration of MT was 10-9 M.Trial registration: Name in the registry: Effect of melatonin on the clinical outcome of patients with repeated cycles after failed cycles of in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection; registration number: ChiCTR2100045552; date of registration: April 19, 2021(retrospectively registered); URL of trial registry record: www.medresman.org.cn.
A Travel Route Recommendation Algorithm based on Interest Theme and Distance Matching
Authors: Cheng Xi
Published: May 2021

To solve the problem of low accuracy of traditional travel route recommendation algorithm, a travel route recommendation algorithm based on interest theme and distance matching is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the real historical travel footprints of users are obtained through analysis. Then, the user's preferences of interest theme and distance matching are proposed based on the user's stay in each scenic spot. Finally, the optimal travel route calculation method is designed under the given travel time limit, starting point and end point. Experiments on the real data set of the Flickr social network showed that the proposed algorithm has a higher accuracy rate and recall rate, compared with the traditional algorithm that only considers the interest theme and the algorithm which only considers the distance matching
Novel pretreatment performance evaluation for cellulose nanofibrils extraction from Ficus natalensis barkcloth
Authors: Farooq Amjad , Li Mengmeng , Alasood Abeer , Farooq Aamir , Ashraf Muhammad , Patoary Mohammed Kayes , Liu Lifang
Published: May 2021

Recently, nanosized cellulose materials extraction is extensively interesting from the sources of sustainable materials. Cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) extraction through green bio-based materials featured as promising interest in the field of science. In this study, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) was applied to examine its effectiveness in pretreating the Ficus natalensis barkcloth cellulose (FNBC) for CNF production perior to 2,2,6,6,-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO) oxidation. The pretreatment performance of DMSO was evaluated based on the structural and morphological changes. DMSO pretreated FNBC attained the most dramatic morphological changes as compared to untreated cellulose samples. The results of scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) shows that there is an extentive structural disruption of FNBC during the pretreatment process, could be because of outstanding ability to eliminate non-cellulosic materials and amorphous regions from the FNBC, confirmed by the X-ray diffractometry (XRD) showing higher crystallinity values as well as higher thermal stablilites values of pretreated FNBC samples were also noted. Overall, this study revealed tremendously effective and pioneer pretreatment method for fractionating FNBC, to stimulate the successive extraction of cellulose nanofibrils. Furthermore, on the basis of the cellulose and CNF characterizations, this study showed that Ficus natalensis barkcloth could be considered as an alternative source of cellulose for potential value-added industrial applications such as food industry, paper making, and biomedicines.
Skin-skin contact: The normal-force dependence of the coefficient of friction between a bare finger and artificial skin changes randomly
Authors: Inoue Koki , Okamoto Shogo , Akiyama Yasuhiro , Yamada Yoji
Published: May 2021

This study investigates the dependence of the coefficients of friction on the normal force produced by sliding a bare finger over different artificial skins with seven levels of hardness. The coefficient of friction was modeled as a power function of the normal force. An experimental study that involved sliding a finger over artificial skin surfaces was carried out under two conditions: the fingertip being wiped by a dry cloth or a cloth soaked in ethanol. Although the exponential term was assumed to be nearly constant for identical tribological conditions, we observed that the exponent varied randomly and could be negative, zero, or positive. This probabilistic behavior has not been explicitly analyzed in previous studies on human fingertips. The probability density function of the exponent depended on the moisture content of the finger. The exponent was either nearly zero or positive when the finger sliding on the skin surface was wiped with an alcohol-soaked cloth and dried. These findings play an important role in analyzing the frictional forces produced during skin–skin contact in terms of determining the root cause behind the random variations in the dependence of the coefficient of friction on the normal force.
Primary Abdominal Wall Clear Cell Carcinoma: Case Report and review of literature
Authors: Zhai J J , Feng H Y , Ying R B , Chen C H
Published: May 2021

Background: Endometriosis occurring in a surgical scar is well recognized and occurs mainly in patients with a history of hysterectomy or Caesarean section. Scar endometriosis, as well as endometriosis at other sites, can undergo malignant change. Clear cell carcinoma of the endometrium is a very rare and highly malignant neoplasm that accounts for less than 5% of endometrial carcinoma.Case presentation: We report a very rare case of clear cell adenocarcinoma arising from endometriosis of the abdominal scar. We must pay more attention on the following points in the surgical treatment of clear cell carcinoma：(1) Extensively resect tumors as far as possible；(2) Surgical treatment of clear cell carcinoma would easily result in poor wound healing especially in the patients receiving chemotherapy or radiotherapy because of extensive soft tissue stripping .Conclusion: The patient died only 25 months after she was first diagnosed with the cancer.Lessons: This case highlights the difficulties in preoperative diagnosis as well as the poor prognosis of these tumors .Accurate diagnosis of a lump within a scar is important to define the prognosis and treatment. These therapeutic principles are increasingly being applied to patients presenting with tumors greater than 5cm and negative lymph nodes or even smaller tumors, who are considered to have operable disease and a better outcome .Early recognition and prompt treatment can be essential to these patients' survival.
The Novel Hepatokine Ectodysplasin A Is Increased in Obesity and Reduced after Liraglutide Management
Authors: Cai Zhensheng , Deng Xia , Zhang Panpan , Zhao Zhicong , Guo Chang , Wang Chenxi , Li Lian , Li Haoxiang , Gu Tian , Yang Ling , Wang Dong , Zhao Li , Yuan Guoyue
Published: May 2021

Background Ectodysplasin A (EDA), a new hepatokine, has been recently characterized to play a role in liver lipid metabolism and insulin resistance, but its physiological role remains scarcely acquainted in obesity. This study was the first time to determine the level of serum EDA in obesity, and to assess change in the levels of EDA after weight loss in obese mice.Methods We analyzed the serum concentrations of EDA by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 60 subjects including 30 normal weight and 30 obesity. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed with high-fat diet and injected by liraglutide to reduce weight. AML12 cells were induced by palmitic acid and treated with liraglutide. Quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot analysis were conducted to evaluate the expression of EDA. Results Serum EDA levels were significantly higher in obesity than in normal weight subjects. It was positively correlated with body mass index (BMI). More importantly, the mRNA and protein expression of EDA reduced after liraglutide management in vivo and in vitro.Conclusions The level of EDA increased significantly in obesity and decreased significantly after weight loss. It is suggested that EDA may be a novel hepatokine associated with obesity-related metabolic diseases.
Assessment of a Website Aimed at Providing Information on Mental Health to Secondary School Students in Cantho City, Vietnam
Authors: Nguyen Dat Tan , Pham Tam Thi , Wright E. Pamela , Bunders Joske
Published: May 2021

Background: The stigmatization of mental health problems is a primary barrier for young people to approach mental health services when they suspect they might have a problem. Instead it is becoming common, especially for youth, to look for information on the Internet. This study explored the responses of secondary school students in Cantho city to the suckhoetre.vn website, which aimed to provide information on health and mental health, and to assess its potential relevance, appeal, accessibility, usefulness, and sustainability. Methods: A cross-sectional study included 643 secondary school students in Cantho city selected by cluster sampling. Students were introduced to the website; after two weeks they were invited to evaluate it using an anonymous questionnaire. The Chi-squared test was used to assess the significance of differences in the distribution of selected sociodemographic characteristics.Results: Most (98.6%) of the students visited the website in the two-week period, 74% once or twice a week, the others more often, up to once a day. Their activities included reading information (85.8%), seeking help (17.7%), sharing information (15.5%), giving advice to others (11.0%), and chatting or giving comments (9.8%). Most students rated the website very highly in terms of appeal, relevance, accessibility, and usefulness, and wanted to have access to the website in the future. These findings are positive signals to pursue the application of a website on mental health for secondary school students as a contribution to better mental health for adolescents in Cantho city and elsewhere.Conclusion: A website designed to provide information to secondary school students appeared to be an effective way to provide access to information on the sensitive topic of mental health. The website should be maintained and introduced more widely to students, teachers and parents, with a continuous evaluation of its effectiveness.
Perception of Telephone-assisted Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Among Emergency Medical Personnel in China: a Web-based Survey
Authors: Kang Xuqin , Lou Jing , Tian Sijia , Niu Shengmei , Zhang Luxi , Lian Huixin , Zhang Jinjun
Published: May 2021

Background: To investigate the perception of telephone-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (T-CPR) after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) among emergency medical service (EMS) providers in China.Methods: A multicentre, cross-sectional, descriptive, online questionnaire survey study was conducted on the perception among emergency centres in various regions across China from December 2018 to June 2019. Answers to questions concerning baseline characteristics of survey respondents, cognition and implementation of T-CPR, and use of automated external defibrillators were surveyed.Results: Of 1,191 questionnaires obtained from 15 provinces in China, 1,187 were valid. Among the 1,187 respondents, the mean age was 38.0±1.1 (20–60) years; 436 (36.7%) were male and 751 (63.3%) female; there were 256 dispatchers, 494 emergency doctors, 400 emergency nurses, and 37 medical emergency assistants; 960 (80.9%) had previously learned T-CPR and 227 (19.1%) had not. Of the 960 participants who knew T-CPR, 796 (82.9%) recognised CA, 714 of whom (89.7%) would further implement T-CPR. The difference in the cognition rate of T-CPR was statistically significant among EMS providers (chi-square test, 38.1; P<.001). In multivariate analysis, dispatchers had a significantly improved knowledge of T-CPR as their workload increased (P<.001; OR=1.002; 95%CI, 1.001–1.003).Conclusion: Substantial and important differences in the perception and implementation of T-CPR among EMS personnel were observed throughout China. Further professional training in T-CPR is urgently required for improvement in outcomes of OHCA countrywide.Trial registration: not applicable.
Arctigenin Inhibits Cholangiocarcinoma Progression by Regulating Cell Migration and Cell Viability via the N-cadherin and Apoptosis Pathway
Authors: Janthamala Sutthiwan , Jusakul Apinya , Kongpetch Sarinya , Kimawaha Phongsaran , Klanrit Poramate , Loilome Watcharin , Namwat Nisana , Techasen Anchalee
Published: May 2021

Northeast Thailand has the highest incidence of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) in the world. The lack of promising diagnostic markers and appropriate therapeutic drugs are the main problem for metastatic stage CCA patients who have a poor prognosis. N-cadherin, a cell adhesion molecule, is usually upregulated in cancers and has been proposed as an important mediator in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), one of the metastasis processes. Additionally, it has been shown that arctigenin, a seed extract from Arctium lappa, can inhibit cancer cell progression via suppression of N-cadherin pathway. In this study, we investigated the protein expression of N-cadherin and its correlation with clinicopathological data of CCA patients, as well as the impact of arctigenin on KKU-213A and KKU-100 CCA cell lines and its underlying mechanisms. Immunohistochemistry results demonstrated that high expression of N-cadherin was significantly associated with severe CCA stage (p=0.027), and shorter survival time (p=0.002) of CCA patients. The mean overall survival times between low and high expression of N-cadherin were 31.6 and 14.8 months, respectively. Wound healing assays showed that arctigenin significantly inhibited CCA cell migration by downregulating N-cadherin whereas upregulating E-cadherin expression. Immunocytochemical staining revealed that arctigenin suppressed the expression of N-cadherin in both CCA cell lines. Furthermore, flow cytometry and western blot analysis revealed that arctigenin significantly reduced CCA cell viability and induced apoptosis via the Bax/Bcl-2/Caspase-3 pathway. This research supports the use of N-cadherin as a prognostic marker for CCA and arctigenin as a potential alternative therapy for improving CCA treatment outcomes.
Spectroscopic Analysis of Ancient Ceramic From Agror Valley Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Authors: Zahoor Muhammad , Ullah Shakir , Abrar Muhammad , Iqbal Tahir , Hameed Abdul
Published: May 2021

The study of material remains has been very essential to reconstruct the past human lifestyle. Archaeologists use different scientific techniques to analyze the elemental composition of the material remains to locate the raw materials, to discover production sites and to understand ancient manufacturing technologies. Of these, Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) method have been extensively used for the compositional analysis of different crystalline and non-crystalline materials of archaeological, historical and artistic interest for the last two decades. The present study was carried out to investigate the elemental composition of ceramic potsherds collected from the historic period. The present paper focuses on the major and minor elements identified through LIBS in the ceramic samples collected from different archaeological sites located in Mansehra, the easternmost district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan. The LIBS results show the presence of Fe, Mg, Ca, and Na as major elements in the ancient ceramic along with traces of Si, Ti, Al and K. LIBS results show differences in the concentration of each elements present in every selected ceramic potsherds which indicates the source of raw material, production strategies and time periods of these objects were related to each other.
Target Occupancy Study and Whole-Body Dosimetry With a MAGL PET Ligand 11C-PF-06809247 in Non-Human Primates
Authors: Arakawa Ryosuke , Takano Akihiro , Nag Sangram , Jia Zhisheng , Amini Nahid , Maresca Kevin P , Zhang Lei , Keliher Edmund J , Butler Christopher R , Piro Justin R , Samad Tarek A , Smith Deborah , Nason Deane , O’Neil Steve , Trapa Patrick , Fonseca Kari R , Litchfield John , McCarthy Timothy , Carson Richard E , Halldin Christer
Published: May 2021

Purpose
Monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) is a key serine hydrolase which terminates endocannabinoid signaling and regulates arachidonic acid driven inflammatory responses within the central nervous system (CNS). To develop 11C-PF-06809247 into a clinically usable positron emission tomography (PET) radioligand, we assessed the brain target occupancy of a MAGL inhibitor using non-human primate (NHP). Additionally, we measured the whole-body distribution of 11C-PF-06809247 in NHP and estimated human effective radiation doses.
Methods
Seven cynomolgus monkeys were enrolled for brain PET measurements. Two PET measurements were performed in each NHP: one baseline and one pretreatment condition with intravenous administration of PF-06818883, a selective MAGL inhibitor, (total of seven doses between 0.01–1.27 mg/kg). Kinetic parameters K1, k2 and k3 were estimated by an irreversible two tissue compartment (2TC) model using metabolite corrected plasma radioactivity as the input function. Ki by 2TC and Patlak analysis were calculated. The target occupancy was calculated using Ki at baseline and pretreatment conditions. Two cynomolgus monkeys were enrolled for whole-body PET measurements. Estimates of the absorbed radiation dose in humans were calculated with OLINDA/EXM 1.1 using the adult male reference model.
Results
Radioactivity was decreased in all brain regions following pretreatment with PF-06818883. Occupancy was measured as 25.4%-100.5% in a dose dependent manner. Whole-body PET showed high uptake values in the liver, small intestine, kidney, and brain. The effective dose was calculated as 4.3 µSv/MBq.
Conclusion
11C-PF-06809247 is a promising PET ligand for further MAGL studies in human brain.
Clinical Effects and Safety of Different Transarterial Chemoembolization Methods for Bridging and Palliative Treatments in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Mohr Isabelle , Vogeler Marie , Pfeiffenberger Jan , Sprengel Simon David , Klauss Miriam , Radeleff Boris , Teufel Andreas , Chang De-Hua , Springfeld Christoph , Longerich Thomas , Merle Uta , Mehrabi Arianeb , Weiss Karl Heinz , Mieth Markus
Published: May 2021

Purpose: We assessed and compared clinical effects and safety endpoints of three methods of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), conventional (cTACE), with drug-eluting beads (DEB-TACE), and with degradable starch microspheres (DSM-TACE), used in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the bridging to liver transplant (LT) and the palliative setting. Methods: In our center, 148 patients with HCC underwent 492 completed TACE procedures between 2008 and 2017 (158 for bridging to LT; 334 for palliative treatment) which we analyzed retrospectively. Of these procedures, 348 were DEB-TACE, 60 cTACE, and 84 DSM-TACE. Results: The cTACE procedure revealed a significantly longer period of hospitalization (p = 0.02), increased occurrence of nausea (p = 0.025), and rise in alanine transaminase (ALT) levels (p = 0.001), especially in the palliative setting. In the bridging to LT cohort, these clinical endpoints did not reach statistical significance.Conclusions: The clinical safety of different TACE methods for HCC in both the palliative and the bridging to LT setting was equivalent. In the palliative setting, the cTACE procedure revealed an increased risk for adverse clinical effects such as nausea, elevation of ALT, and a prolonged period of hospitalization what might either be related to the systemic effects of the chemotherapeutic agent or to the differences in both collectives. Thus, further studies must be conducted on a larger number of TACE procedures to effectively explore the clinical side effects of the various TACE variants.