bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The prognostic significance of nomogram-based pretreatment inflammatory indicators in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma receiving intensity- modulated radiotherapy
Authors: Xu Zhiyang , Ke Hongqian , Zheng Binglin , Lin Chuyan , Zhang Yiping , Wang Liyan , Lin Yu , Ye Yuling , Cai Lifang , You Mengxing , Chen Junqiang , Xu Yuanji
Published: April 2022

Background: Currently, there is no objective prognostic index for patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) treated by intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). The current study aimed to develop a nomogram based on hematologic inflammatory indices for prognostic prediction and risk-stratification of patients with ECSS treated by IMRT.Methods: 434 patients with treatment-naïve ESCC in Fujian Cancer Hospital between January 2012 and December 2016 were defined as the training cohort. In addition, 147 newly-diagnosed ESCC patients between January 2008 and December 2011 were used as the validation cohort. Independent predictors of overall survival (OS) identified by multivariate survival analysis were employed to establish a nomogram model. The predictive ability was evaluated by time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, the concordance index (C-index), calibration plots, net reclassification index (NRI), and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI). Decision curve analysis (DCA) was performed to assess the clinical benefits of the nomogram model. The entire series was divided into three risk subgroups stratified by the total nomogram scores.Results: On multivariate analyses, cTNM, primary gross tumor volume (GTVp), chemotherapy (CT), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were independent predictors of OS. Nomogram was developed incorporating these factors. The C-index for 5-year OS (0.627 and 0.629) and the AUC value of 5-year OS (0.706 and 0.719) in the training and validation cohorts (respectively) were superior to the 8th AJCC staging. Furthermore, the nomogram model presented higher NRI and IDI than the 8th AJCC staging (P=0.001; P=0.001, respectively). DCA showed greater clinical benefit of the nomogram model compared to 8th AJCC staging. Finally, according to the total nomogram score, patients with <84.8, 84.8–151.4, and >151.4 points were categorized into low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk groups. Their 5-year OS rates were 44.0%, 23.6% and 8.9%, respectively. The C index was 0.625, which was higher than the 8th AJCC staging.Conclusions: We developed a nomogram model for risk-stratification of ESCC patients receiving definitive IMRT. Our findings may provide a reference for individualized treatment.
Laparoscopic appendectomy for complicated appendicitis in children: Does the post-operative peritoneal drain make any difference? A prospective randomised control trial
Authors: Human MJ , Tshifularo Nyawaleni , Mabitsela Matlou
Published: April 2022

Purpose
This was a randomised, prospective study, which aimed to determine and compare the post-operative complications of paediatric patients undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) for complicated appendicitis, with and without a peritoneal drain.
Methods
Patients younger than 13 years, undergoing LA for complicated appendicitis at the Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital (DGMAH), over a 15-month period during 2019–2020 were enrolled. Randomisation was achieved by a blocked randomisation plan. Patients were randomised in a 1:1 ratio into the “drain” (D) and “no drain” (ND) groups.
Results
Thirty-four patients were included in this study, seventeen in each group. The complication rate was 26%. Intra-abdominal collection accounted for 89% of the complications. The complication rate in the “D” group was 18% and 35% in the “ND” group, with no statistically significant difference. Complication rates were higher (38%) in patients with generalised pus when compared to localised pus (7%), although not statistically significant. The mean theatre time, hospital stay and duration of antibiotic use did not differ significantly between the groups.
Conclusion
From our study, the post-operative peritoneal drain did not make any statistically significant difference in patient outcome. The amount of intra-abdominal contamination is more likely to contribute in the development of complications.
APOBEC3C Served as a Novel Immune-Related Prognosis Biomarker in Glioma: A Pan-Cancer Analysis
Authors: Jiang Xingjun , Kuang Yirui , Xin Zhaoqi , Yin Wen , Zhou Quanwei , Zhou Yi , Guo Youwei , Jiang Zhipeng , Li Can , Cao Yudong , Wu Zhaoping , Huang Haoxuan , Xie Dongcheng , Huang Hailong , Zhan Chaohong , Wang Lei , Ren Caiping
Published: April 2022

Background: Apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme catalytic subunit 3C (APOBEC3C) belongs to the cytidine deaminase family, and its function remains unknown in some cancers. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the role of APOBEC3C in immune infiltration and tumor progression in glioma.Methods: In this study, we comprehensively analyzed the transcriptional expression levels of the APOBEC3C among 33 cancer types by downloading data from TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) and GTEx (the Genotype-Tissue Expression) databases. Moreover, correlation analyses of the APOBEC3C with cancer prognosis, immune infiltration, immune checkpoints, tumor mutation burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI), mismatch repair (MMR) and methylation were explored. Finally, immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining and experiments in vitro were performed to validation our findings.Results: Our study found that APOBEC3C was aberrantly expressed in multiple types of human cancers, and associated with immune infiltration and tumor progression. The overexpression of APOBEC3C was observed in human pan-cancer, and plays an important role in overall survival (OS) of glioma and disease-specific survival (DSS) on glioma according to survival analysis results. Besides, APOBEC3C expression is strongly associated with MMR defects and methylation in glioma. High APOBEC3C expression was associated with malignancy in glioma detected by IHC staining. APOBEC3C knockdown reduced the proliferation, migration and invasion of glioma cells. CCK8, clone formation assay, wound healing and Transwell assays confirmed the results in vitro.Conclusion: Our results indicate that APOBEC3C could be a novel biomarker for predicting prognosis and immune response in glioma.
Genome-wide analysis of the JAZ subfamily and functional verification of BnC8.JAZ1-1 in Brassica napus
Authors: Wang Ying , Li Na , Zhan Jiepeng , Wang Xinfa , Shi Jiaqin , Wang Hanzhong
Published: April 2022

Background
JAZ subfamily plays crucial roles in growth and development, stress, and hormone responses in various plant species. Despite its importance, the structural and functional analyses of the JAZ subfamily in Brassica napus are still limited.
Results
In relative to the 12 JAZ genes in Arabidopsis, there are 28, 31, and 56 JAZ orthologues in the genome of B. rapa, B. oleracea, and B. napus, respectively, in accordance with the proven triplication events during the evolution of Brassicaceae. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the 127 JAZ proteins from A. thaliana, B. rapa, B. oleracea, and B. napus could fall into 5 groups. The gene structure analysis of all 127 JAZs showed that these proteins have the common motifs of TIFY and Jas, indicating their conservation in Brassicaceae species. In addition, cis-element analysis showed that the main motif types are related to phytohormones, biotic and abiotic stresses. The qRT-PCR of the representative 11 JAZ genes in B. napus demonstrated that different groups of BnJAZ individuals have distinct patterns of expression in normal conditions or treatment with distinctive abiotic stresses and phytohormones. Specially, BnJAZ52 (BnC08.JAZ1-1) was significantly repressed by ABA, GA, IAA, PEG and NaCl treatments, while induced under MeJA, cold and waterlogging. Expression pattern analysis showed that BnC08.JAZ1-1 was expressed mainly in vascular bundle and young flower including petal, pistil, stamen and developing ovule, but not in stem, leaf and mature silique and seed. Subcellular localization showed that its protein was localized in the nucleus, in line with its orthologues in Arabidopsis. The further over-expression of BnC08.JAZ1-1 in Arabidopsis resulted in enhanced seed weight, likely through regulating the expression of the downstream response genes involved in the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway and phospholipid metabolism pathway.
Conclusions
The systematic identification, phylogenetic, syntenic, and expression analyses of the BnJAZs subfamily improve our understanding of their roles in responses to stress and phytohormone in B. napus. In addition, the preliminary functional validation of BnC08.JAZ1-1 in Arabidopsis demonstrated that this subfamily might also play a role in regulating seed weight.
Arsenic induced dissolution of neural architecture and signaling are restored through MMPs and AChE inactivation by tea flavonoids in rat, in-silico and in-vitro purified enzyme/theaflavin reaction.
Authors: Medda Nandita , Maiti Sayantani , Acharyya Nirmallya , Samanta Tanmoy , Banerjee Amrita , De Subrata , Ghosh Tamal , maiti smarajit
Published: April 2022

Chronic arsenic-exposure causes gastro-intestinal/nephrotoxic/neurodegenerative disorders with keratosis/melanosis and cancers. The reactive-oxygen-species (ROS) cause intrinsic-antioxidant (thiols/uric-acid) depletion eventuating cytoskeletal-extracellular-matrix and DNA damage. Therapeutic chelating-agents have multiple side-effects. The protective potential of tea-extract against arsenic neurotoxicity was studied. Influence of uric-acid in arsenic-toxicity was verified. Camellia sinensis (CS dry-leaves) 10mg/ml aqueous), uric-acid (UA) or allopurinol (Allo- urate-depletor) was supplemented to arsenic-intoxicated (0.6 ppm/100g bw/day/4-weeks) female albino-rats and cytotoxicity/biochemistry/histo-architecture/matrix-integrity and DNA-stability were evaluated in their cerebrum-cerebellum. In-vitro purified theaflavin-derivatives were tested on purified-AchE (acetyl-cholinesterase). Higher malondialdehyde, lactate-dehydrogenase and lower uric-acid levels were observed in the arsenic/Allo groups. Degenerations of cerebrum/cerebellum by higher matrix-metalloprotease (MMP2/9)/DNA-damages (comets) are observed. The CS-group restored the adverse-markers, protected tissues/DNA integrity which is supported in the UA-group and opposed in the Allo-group. Impairment of the neural-signaling, evident from the arsenic-exposed animal with unstable-movement/vertigo/tremor accompanied with higher AchE in the cerebellum is significantly restored/protected in the CS-group. This suggests that the neural integrity is maintained by the cellular intrinsic antioxidative-capacity, shown in catalase-SOD1 activities. In-vitro and in silico studies suggest that the theaflavin derivatives (pure, SIGMA) i.e theaflavin-digallate (TFDG) showed the strongest inhibition on purified (SIGMA) AchE (IC50 = 2.19 µg/ml) followed by TFMG (IC50 = 3.86 µg/ml). The4 CS is protective in arsenic-toxicity. Theaflavin-gallate is a strong AchE inhibitor which can be used in arsenic-induced neuro-muscular depletion. Beside antioxidant/anti-inflammatory/anti-carcinogenic role CS restores intrinsic-antioxidants.
Change in dissolved oxygen of water bodies is the major driver of alteration in intestinal bacterial community of the bottom-feeding fishCirrhinusmrigala
Authors: Basak Chandana , Mondal Nibendu , Chatterjee Sumit , Ghosh Wriddhiman , Chakraborty Ranadhir
Published: April 2022

Oxygen depletion, or hypoxia, a common consequence of eutrophication, has adverse effect on aquatic flora and fauna. Bacteria living within or around aquatic macroorganisms struggle to thrive in low dissolved oxygen (DO2) conditions. The goal of our study was to see how the bacterial population in the intestine of a bottom-feeding fish, Cirrhinus mrigala, changed when the DO2 level in the water decreased from 7 ± 0.5 ppm to 0.35 ± 0.05 ppm. The V3 regions of 16S rRNA genes derived out of metagenome extracted from the intestines of control and experimental fishes were sequenced and analysed. The findings revealed that during DO2 stress (0.35 ± 0.05ppm), the aerobic bacterial population in the gut (existing when fish lived in 7 ± 0.5ppm DO2) changed significantly, transforming the microbial community into a facultative and/or obligate anaerobic community with dominance of microaerophilic bacterial populations; density of Cetobacterium increased in intestinal samples, which is linked to the prevention of paradoxical anaerobism in fish tissues. The current research advances our understanding of the microbial ecology of intestinal bacterial flora under DO2 stress, as well as their interactions with changing environmental parameters within the host body.
Toxicological signature for thyroid endocrine disruption of dichlorooctylisothiazolinone in zebrafish larvae
Authors: Lee Sujin , Ji Kyunghee
Published: April 2022

Dichlorooctylisothiazolinone (DCOIT), which is one of the isothiazolinone preservatives, is applied to water-based adhesives in food packaging. This study investigated the effects of DCOIT on the embryonic growth and thyroid endocrine system using zebrafish. Organism-level (hatchability, survival, and growth), hormone-level (triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4)), gene-level (genes associated with the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid axis), and microRNA-level (microRNAs related to thyroid endocrine disruption) endpoints were measured. Significant rise in embryonic coagulation, delayed hatching, and decreased larval length were observed in fish exposed to greater than 0.3 μg/L DCOIT. Lower contents of T3 and T4 were observed after exposure to DCOIT, which was accompanied by the upregulation of genes associated with the thyrotropin releasing hormone and thyroid stimulating hormone and the downregulation of genes associated with the thyroid hormone receptors and deiodination. Strong influence of DCOIT on dre-miR-193b and -499 may be a critical mechanism to inhibit transcription of trαa and trβ, which in turn may affect thyroid hormones and development of the organism. Our findings suggest that hypothyroidism induced by the exposure to DCOIT is potentially associated with genetic and microRNA-level changes, which eventually affects development.
Pan-cancer integrative analysis of whole-genome De novo somatic point mutations reveals 17 cancer types
Authors: Kazemi Amirreza , Hamidieh Kimia , Dashti Hamed , Ghareyazi Amin , Tahaei Maedeh Sadat , Rabiee Hamid R. , Alinejad-Rokny Hamid , Dehzangi Iman
Published: April 2022

Background: The advent of high throughput sequencing has enabled researchers to systematically evaluate the genetic variations in cancer, resulting in the identification of many cancer-associated genes. Although cancers in a same tissue are widely categorized in the same group, they demonstrate many differences among them with respect to their mutational profiles. Hence there is no “silver bullet” for treatment of a cancer type. This reveals the importance of developing a pipeline to accurately identify cancer-associated genes and re-classify cancer patients with similar mutational profiles. Classification of cancer patients with similar mutational profiles may help discover subtypes of cancer patients who might benefit from specific treatment types. Results: In this study, we propose a new machine learning pipeline to identify protein-coding genes which are mutated in significant portion of samples to identify cancer subtypes. We applied our pipeline to 12270 samples collected from the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) which covered 19 cancer types. Here we identified 17 different cancer subtypes. Comprehensive phenotypic and genotypic analysis indicates distinguishable properties, including unique cancer-related signaling pathways, in which, for most of them, targeted treatment options are currently available. Conclusions: This new subtyping approach offers a novel opportunity for cancer drug development based on the mutational profile of patients. We also comprehensive study the causes of mutations among samples in each subtype by mining the mutational signatures which provides important insight into their active molecular mechanisms. Some of the pathways that we identified in most subtypes, including the cell cycle and the Axon guidance pathways, are frequently observed in cancer disease. Interestingly, we also identified several mutated genes and different rate of mutation in multiple cancer subtypes. In addition, our study on “gene-motif” suggests the importance of considering both the context of the mutations and mutational processes in identifying cancer-associated genes. The source codes for our proposed clustering pipeline and analysis are publicly available at: https://github.com/bcb-sut/Pan-Cancer.
The Value of CMR Left Ventricular Strain Analysis in Evaluating ICM
Authors: Zhang Houning , Sheng Jiaxi , Li Guoce , Liu Fenghai , Bian Hao , Niu Xiqing , Kang Liqing
Published: April 2022

The purpose of this article is to investigate the value of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) derived left ventricular strain parameters in evaluation of ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM). Thirty-one ICM patients and nineteen non-cardiomyopathy (non-CM) patients who performed CMR examinations during the same period were selected for this retrospective study. The basic clinical data, CMR left ventricular function parameters, left ventricular strain parameters were compared among the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) preserved ICM group, the LVEF impaired ICM group and the non-CM group. The differences of MyoGCS (-21.9 ± 1.9 vs -18.9 ± 2.7 P<0.001), MyoGLS (-20.8 ± 2.3 vs -17.0 ± 2.9 P<0.001) and EndoGLS (-22.2 ± 3.1 vs -17.6 ± 3.7 P<0.001) between LVEF preserved ICM group and non-CM group were statistically significant, while the differences of left heart function parameters between the two groups were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The left ventricular strain analysis can be used to assess cardiac functional and morphological alterations in ICM patients prior to changes of left ventricular function parameters, which has high clinical significance.
Analysis of Diabetes disease using Machine Learning Techniques: A Review
Authors: Ashisha G R , George S Thomas , Mary X Anitha , Sagayam K. Martin , Pramanik Sabyasachi
Published: April 2022

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Polymethylmethacrylate-augmented Cannulated Pedicle Screw Fixation for High-energy Vertebral Compression Fracture with Osteoporosis
Authors: Liu Yao-yao , Xiao Jun , Yin Xiang , Liu Ming-Yong , Wang Zhong , He Lei , Liu Peng , Dai Fei
Published: April 2022

Background
High-energy vertebral compression fractures (HVCFs) with osteoporosis puts forward higher requirement for the stability of pedicle screw internal fixation system. However, few studies have concentrated on the clinical outcomes of cannulated pedicle screw to augment fixation with polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) under this condition. This study aims to investigate the mid-term efficacy of bone cement-injectable cannulated pedicle screw (CICPS) in HVCFs with osteoporosis.
Methods
Eighteen patients with HVCFs (T < -2.5) were underwent spinal fixation by CICPS from 2012 to 2017. The operation time, blood loss, and hospitalization time were recorded. Pain and functional recovery were evaluated by Visual Analog Scale VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), respectively. X-ray films were taken to evaluate the loss of vertebral height, kyphosis angle, pedicle screw loosening, and bony fusion. Surgical related complications were also recorded.
Results
The average follow-up time was 18.5 ± 8.7 months (range, 6–54 months). VAS and ODI scores indicated significant improvements in postoperative pain and activity function (P < 0.05). Comparing the last follow-up with the postoperative imaging findings, the loss of vertebral height and kyphosis angle was 3.4 ± 1.2 mm and 7.8 ± 3.8°, respectively. The rate of bone graft fusion was 100% while no case was involved in screw loosening or extraction. 1 case of superficial infection, 2 cases of PMMA leakage, and 1 case of cerebrospinal fluid leakage were found.
Conclusions
CICPS fixation using PMMA augmentation may be suggested as a feasible surgical technique in osteoporotic patients with HVCFs.
Serum pro-oxidant/antioxidant balance in term versus preterm neonates
Authors: Boskabadi Hassan , Ghayour-Mobarhan Majid , Saeidinia Amin
Published: April 2022

Introduction: The oxidant/antioxidant status balance is a process that begins before birth and premature infants are particularly susceptible to oxidative stress. According to the mechanisms of oxidative stress and lack of study in this field, in this prospective study we aimed to compare the levels of serum pro-oxidant/antioxidant balance (PAB) in preterm versus term babies. Methods: This was a prospective cross sectional study that was performed in Ghaem hospital, a university tertiary hospital, Mashhad, Iran. The study population was included of all term and preterm neonates who were admitted to the hospital within birth time. Results: In our study, 324 neonates were included. One hundred ninety eight neonates were preterm (61.1%) and others were term (38.9%). There was significant difference between PAB level in term and preterm neonates. Serum PAB level was significantly lower in preterm neonates rather than term neonates (21.86± 21.01 versus 50.33± 31.69; P=0.001). There was also significant negative correlation between PAB levels and gestational age. Conclusion: According to previous investigations, we showed for the first time in our study that PAB is lower in preterm newborns rather than term ones.
Synthesis and characterization of activated carbon from red pumpkin skin for the removal of ionic dyes
Authors: Omari S. , Nedjhioui M. , Hamidi N. , Benkortbi O.
Published: April 2022

The aim of this study was to valorize agricultural waste in the form of red pumpkin skin to prepare activated carbon chemically activated by ZnCl2, used as a biosorbent for the removal of two types of dyes, namely methylene blue (MB) and Congo red (CR), present in industrial effluents. Physico-chemical tests were used to characterize the new biosorbent such as Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry, scanning electron microscopy, pH at zero charge potential, X-ray diffraction and Brunauer Emmett Teller. The results obtained showed that the biosorbent owns an amorphous structure and a specific surface area of 36.51 m2/g. The adsorption of CR and MB onto the prepared activated carbon was performed in batch mode. The effect of several parameters such as contact time, initial concentration, dose of activated carbon, pH and temperature on dye removal was investigated. The adsorption of MB and CR on activated carbon is described by the Langmuir model and is governed by a pseudo-second-order kinetics model with a correlation coefficient of 0.999 for both dyes.
Target Therapy and Immunotherapy for Gastric Cancer - Recent Updates
Authors: Karikalan Barani , Chakravarthi Srikumar
Published: April 2022

Gastric cancer, with more than 1 million cases all over the globe, is a leading contributor
to cancer mortality. In the recent past, the evolution of target therapies and the refining of the
already existing chemotherapy have widened the therapeutic choices for advanced gastric cancer to
increase survival. In addition, more studies have been conducted all over the globe to extensively
evaluate epigenomic and genomic heterogeneity of gastric cancer, leading to the recognition of new
sensitive and specific prognostic and predictive biomarkers and the development of new molecular
tumor classifications based on their molecular profiling. But, many clinical studies aimed at evaluating
the efficiency of certain new molecular targets gave negative results. Hence, it is vital to further
study the molecular features of subtypes of gastric carcinoma for the purpose of identifying new
tools for selecting responsive tumor subtypes for future trials. This review provides an overview of
recent developments of target therapy and immunotherapy in advanced gastric cancer.
A Review: Recent Analytical Applications on Anti-epileptic Agents
Authors: Kachave Ramanlal N. , Shelke Reshma N. , Mahale Manoj V.
Published: April 2022

Epilepsy is one of the chronic diseases seen in 1.0% of the world’s population. For the study of antiepileptic medications, a variety of approaches have been used extensively. These methods provide reliable, accurate and reproducible results. The available analytical methods for the determination of AEDs in API, biological fluids and pharmaceutical formulations are reviewed in this context. The drugs categorized under AEDs were studied for differentanalytical procedures, methods and systematically classified on the basis of their applications. The analytical instruments used for determination of AEDs include various chromatographic techniques such as High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), Ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC), Gas chromatography (GC) etc. and other techniques such as hyphenated, spectrophotometric, electrochemical analysis including UV, MS/MS, ECD, CLND, Fluorescence, colometric electrochemical detector (CED) are covered in this review. Supporting electrolyte, pH, panel, mobile phase, measuring or detection potential, sensitivity, and selectivity are all recorded as part of the analytical method formulation and validation process. This review is beneficial for various researchers for further study and advancement in research related to antiepileptic drugs.
Acute Lung Injury with Amphotericin Infusion in a Patient with Invasive
Mucormycosis
Authors: Tripathi Swapnil , Meena Durga Shankar , Kumar Deepak , Bohra Gopal Krishana
Published: April 2022

Background:

Amphotericin B is a pivotal drug for the management of invasive fungal infections.
However, it has a significant toxicity profile with acute infusion reactions like fever, chills,
vomiting, anaphylaxis, and nephrotoxicity in patients with long-term use. Pulmonary reactions mimicking
acute pulmonary edema are unusual with amphotericin.

Case Description:

We report a case of a 51-year-old male diagnosed with rhinomaxillary mucormycosis,
who developed acute onset breathlessness, bilateral diffuse pulmonary infiltrates after amphotericin
infusion. The patient recovered spontaneously within a few hours after the cessation of amphotericin,
which was parallel with the normalization of Chest X-ray. Furthermore, the Naranjo adverse reaction
probability score was 9, which established a definite causal relation between drug use and adverse
event.

Conclusion::

Clinicians should be aware of acute lung injury in patients treated with amphotericin infusion.
In cases with no alternative available, a slow infusion of amphotericin with close monitoring is
required to prevent life-threatening pulmonary reactions.
Treatment and Management of Autosomal Recessive Cerebellar Ataxias: Current Advances and Future Perspectives
Authors: Dupré Nicolas , Salem Ikhlass H. , Beaudin Marie , Klein Christopher J.
Published: April 2022

The autosomal recessive cerebellar ataxias (ARCAs) compose a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of neurodegenerative diseases characterized by prominent cerebellar ataxia, dysmetria, dysarthria, and nystagmus that are inherited in an autosomal recessive fashion. The diagnosis of ARCAs is challenging because of their low prevalence, poor medical recognition, and heterogeneous clinical presentation with many overlapping features between entities. There currently exist no disease-modifying therapies for most ARCAs, and treatment is mainly symptomatic, aimed at prolonging independence and maintaining the quality of life. As knowledge of the common pathogenic pathways underlying several ARCAs grows, so do these pathways to target with new drugs. Chelation or enzyme replacement therapies are available for some specific ataxias caused by amenable metabolic alterations. A large number of drug trials are ongoing and aim to identify new therapeutic approaches to expand the options in our repertoire. Improved protocols of motor rehabilitation and noninvasive cerebellar stimulation have been shown to delay disease progression and maintain quality of life. Furthermore, recent progress in gene and molecular targeting therapies is rapidly expanding and holds promise for repairing defective genes. Neurotransplantation of grafted stem cells, which is still at the experimental preclinical stage, has opened new therapeutic strategies aimed at delaying cell degeneration and facilitating compensatory functions. This article is an overview of the current management and treatment strategies with an emphasis on promising perspectives for patients with ARCAs.
WITHDRAWN: Neuroprotective Effect of 3,3′-Diindolylmethane and ɑ-Naphthoflavone, Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Modulators, in an Experimental Model of Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Dhir Neha , Jain Ashish , Sharma Amit Raj , Prakash Ajay , Bhatia Alka , Medhi Bikash
Published: April 2022

Since the authors are not responding to the editor’s requests to fulfill the editorial requirement, therefore, the article has been
withdrawn.

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Anti-neuropathic Pain Mechanistic Study on A. conyzoides Essential Oil,
Precocene II, Caryophyllene, or Longifolene as Single Agents and in
Combination with Pregabalin
Authors: Sukmawan Y. Purwandi , Anggadiredja Kusnandar , Adnyana I. Ketut
Published: April 2022

Background:

Neuropathic pain has become a contributor to the global burden of illness.
However, the currently available drugs exhibit inadequate pain relief and significant side effects. Our
previous study demonstrated that the essential oil of Ageratum conyzoides exerts potent antineuropathic
pain activity through opioid receptor activation. Precocene II, longifolene, and caryophyllene
are the largest component of the A. conyzoides essential oil.

Objective:

The objective of the study was to determine the anti-neuropathic pain activity of precocene
II, longifolene, and caryophyllene as single agents and in combination with pregabalin. Possible
mechanisms of action involving the opioid receptor, ATP-sensitive potassium channel, and gammaaminobutyric
acid (GABA) were further investigated.

Methods:

The experimental animals (male mice Swiss Webster) were divided randomly into seven
groups, namely, Normal control (naïve mice), Negative control (CMC 1%), Sham (CMC 1%), Positive
control (Pregabalin 0,195 mg/ 20 g BW of mice), Test I (Precocene II 21.09 mg/Kg BW), Test II
(Longifolene 9.94 mg/Kg BW), and Test III (Caryophyllene 3.64 mg/Kg BW). Each group contained
3 animals. The test groups that demonstrated anti-neuropathic pain activity were further tested in combination
with pregabalin, followed by mechanistic studies. The negative, positive, and test I-III groups
were induced with chronic constriction injury.

Results:

The results of the study demonstrated that caryophyllene and longifolene, but not precocene
II, exerted anti-neuropathic pain activity. The caryophyllene was shown to involve in the activation of
opioid receptors and ATP-sensitive potassium channels. It was also reported to increase GABA concentration
in the spinal cord. We further found that longifolene exerted its action via opioid receptor
activation. The combination of A. conyzoides essential oil, longifolene, or caryophyllene with pregabalin
demonstrated additive anti-neuropathic pain activity.

Conclusion:

Taken together, the results of the present study suggested that the A. conyzoides essential
oil and caryophyllene have the potential to be developed as novel drugs to treat neuropathic pain.
Attitudes and Acceptance of the Palestinian Population Towards COVID-19 Health Precautions and Vaccinations: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Hamdan Anas , Ghanim Mustafa , Mosleh Rami , Jarrar Yazun
Published: April 2022

Background:

COVID-19 is a new pandemic and the best protection against this infection is by vaccination.

Aims:

To assess the commitment to COVID-19 health precautions and vaccination willingness among the Palestinian population.

Methods:

An online-based survey was developed in an observational cross-sectional study. A total of 1367 participants were recruited conveniently between February and June 2021. To carry out comparisons, Mann-Whitney or Kruskal–Wallis was used for numerical variables and chi-square or Fisher's exact for categorical. Multiple logistic regression was used for health precautions and multinomial logistic regression for vaccination willingness.

Results:

The commitment to the majority of health precautions was predicted by perceiving COVID-19 threat, educational level, and city residency (P < 0.05). Social distancing and sterilizer usage were associated with city residency (P < 0.001). Students, males, and unemployed participants were less committed to health precautions (P < 0.05). Vaccination willingness was less predicted by the perception of an ineffective vaccine (P < 0.001), perceiving no threat of COVID-19 (P < 0.05) or perception of threat for old/or chronic diseases (P < 0.05), employed participants (P < 0.05), without chronic diseases (P < 0.05), and not committed to wearing a mask (P < 0.001).

Conclusion:

COVID-19 threat perception, high education level, and city residency predict more commitment to health precautions, in contrast to male students and unemployed participants. On the other hand, Having no chronic diseases, perception of ineffective vaccines, unperceived COVID-19 threat, and unwillingness to wear masks predicted less vaccination acceptance. Therefore, it is critical to increase awareness about the COVID-19 threat, health precautions, and vaccination efficacy.
This study is cross-sectional. Future works concerning changes in Attitudes toward COVID-19 health precautions and vaccination should be encouraged including vaccinated participants.
Cuatro razones por las que no existe la “trampa de la pobreza” en la China rural
Authors: Zhizhang Wang , Xia Tan , Zhihong Yang
Published: April 2022

En 2020, China eliminó la pobreza regional general y terminó la ardua tarea de resolver el problema de la pobreza absoluta. Aunque existe un problema real persistente de pobreza relativa, el riesgo objetivo de caer en una trampa de pobreza en las regiones subdesarrolladas de China razonablemente no existe. Este artículo analiza cuatro perspectivas que sustentan tal afirmación: la institucional, la histórica, la individual y la espiritual.
Framework and Practical Guidance for the Ethical Use of Electronic Methods for Communication With Participants in Medical Research (Preprint)
Authors: Kogetsu Atsushi , Kato Kazuto
Published: April 2022

UNSTRUCTURED

Online communication with participants, including online recruitment, electronic informed consent, and data communication, is one of the fields to which information and communication technology (ICT) has been applied in medical research. Online communication provides various benefits, especially for genome research and rare disease research. However, ethical challenges that are derived from or exacerbated by online communication need to be addressed. Here, we present an overview of such ethical issues and provide practical guidance for the ethical implementation of ICT. We specify the ethical issues in the context of using online communication for medical research by an analysis based on the eight ethical principles for clinical research. Informed by this ethical context, we then develop a novel framework for the governance of medical research involving ICT, which consists of eight categories: five research processes (ie, design of research, recruitment, informed consent, data communication, and dissemination and return of results) and three overarching perspectives related to multiple processes of research (ie, access to research and online dialog, community involvement, and independent review). Finally, we present a practical guidance chart for researchers, patient partners, independent reviewers, and funding agencies. We believe that our study will contribute to the ethical implementation of online communication in medical research.
Publicly Available, Interactive Web-Based Tools to Support Advance Care Planning: Systematic Review (Preprint)
Authors: Dupont Charlèss , Smets Tinne , Monnet Fanny , Pivodic Lara , De Vleminck Aline , Van Audenhove Chantal , Van den Block Lieve
Published: April 2022

BACKGROUND

There is an increasing number of interactive web-based advance care planning (ACP) support tools, which are web-based aids in any format encouraging reflection, communication, and processing of publicly available information, most of which cannot be found in the peer-reviewed literature.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to conduct a systematic review of web-based ACP support tools to describe the characteristics, readability, and quality of content and investigate whether and how they are evaluated.

METHODS

We systematically searched the web-based gray literature databases OpenGrey, ClinicalTrials.gov, ProQuest, British Library, Grey Literature in the Netherlands, and Health Services Research Projects in Progress, as well as Google and app stores, and consulted experts using the following eligibility criteria: web-based, designed for the general population, accessible to everyone, interactive (encouraging reflection, communication, and processing of information), and in English or Dutch. The quality of content was evaluated using the Quality Evaluation Scoring Tool (score 0-28—a higher score indicates better quality). To synthesize the characteristics of the ACP tools, readability and quality of content, and whether and how they were evaluated, we used 4 data extraction tables.

RESULTS

A total of 30 tools met the eligibility criteria, including 15 (50%) websites, 10 (33%) web-based portals, 3 (10%) apps, and 2 (7%) with a combination of formats. Of the 30 tools, 24 (80%) mentioned a clear aim, including 7 (23%) that supported reflection or communication, 8 (27%) that supported people in making decisions, 7 (23%) that provided support to document decisions, and 2 (7%) that aimed to achieve all these aims. Of the 30 tools, 7 (23%) provided information on the development, all of which were developed in collaboration with health care professionals, and 3 (10%) with end users. Quality scores ranged between 11 and 28, with most of the lower-scoring tools not referring to information sources.

CONCLUSIONS

A variety of ACP support tools are available on the web, varying in the quality of content. In the future, users should be involved in the development process of ACP support tools, and the content should be substantiated by scientific evidence.

CLINICALTRIAL

PROSPERO CRD42020184112; https://tinyurl.com/mruf8b43
COVID-19 Response Resource Engagement and User Characteristics of the Wichealth Web-Based Nutrition Education System: Comparative Cross-sectional Study (Preprint)
Authors: Brusk John J , Bensley Robert J
Published: April 2022

BACKGROUND

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Wichealth launched 4 information resources on the site’s user landing dashboard page. These resources were used consistently during the period in which they were available (April 1, 2020, through October 31, 2021); however, only 9% (n=50,888) of Wichealth users eligible for inclusion in the study accessed at least one resource. User engagement with emergency response resources within the context of a web-based health educational tool has not been well investigated due to a paucity of opportunities and a lack of the ability to evaluate relevant users at scale.

OBJECTIVE

This investigation was carried out to understand if user characteristics and behaviors measured by the Wichealth web-based education system are associated with a participant's motivation, or lack thereof, to engage with the added COVID-19 resources.

METHODS

Sociodemographic characteristics were gathered from Wichealth users with at least one lesson completed and a complete user profile to identify which factors increase the likelihood of user access of any of the Wichealth COVID-19 response resources during the 19-month period between April 1, 2020, and October 31, 2021. A logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the relative importance of all factors on the likelihood of a user accessing the COVID-19 resources.

RESULTS

A total of 50,888 unique Wichealth users included in the study accessed the COVID-19 response resources 66,849 times during the time period. During the same period, 510,939 unique Wichealth users completed at least one lesson about how to engage in healthy behaviors with respect to parent-child feeding but did not access any COVID-19 resources. Therefore, only 9% of Wichealth users who completed a lesson during the time when COVID-19 response resources were available accessed any of the information in those resources. Users of the Spanish language Wichealth version, older users, those less educated, and users with prior Wichealth lesson engagement demonstrated the greatest likelihood of COVID-19 resource use.

CONCLUSIONS

This investigation presents findings that demonstrate significant differences between Wichealth users that opted to access COVID-19–specific resources and those who chose not to during their web-based educational session. Reaching users of a web-based educational system with supplemental information may require multiple strategies to increase coverage and ensure the widest possible distribution.
Characterization of Cosmos (Cosmos spp.) Accession from The Special Region of Yogyakarta and Riau Origin
Authors: Hilmi Mhd Irfan , Taryono Taryono , Sayekti Rahmi Sri
Published: April 2022

Cosmos has the potential to be developed as an alternative vegetable. Less characterization and evaluation of cosmos become obstacles in the process of its development. Characterization is the process of observing and identifying the physical, biological, and chemical properties of plants that aim to determine the characteristics of a plant. The purpose of this research is to ind the characteristics of each accession of Cosmos spp. and get accession of Cosmos spp. which has the potential to be developed or used as varieties material assembly. The research was conducted at the AIC (Agrotechnology Innovation Center) of Universitas Gadjah Mada in March-July 2019. The planting material used for this study was the collection of seeds of PIAT UGM from the Special Region of Yogyakarta and Riau. Fifteen cosmos accessions came from DIY and the other 18 came from Riau. Thirty-three accessions have diverse characteristics especially lower colours that are divided into 7 groups of lower colours namely yellow, gold, light orange, orange, pink, purple, and white. Accession number 39 has a rare white colour lower
Drought Tolerance of Some Eggplant Accessions (Solanum spp.)
Authors: Setyadi Daniel Bobby , Taryono Taryono , Sayekti Rahmi Sri
Published: April 2022

Eggplant is one of the commodities that started to be favouritely consumed and had economics value. There were many factors that affect the growth and development process of plant. One of those many factors are the environment condition such as drought. This research aims to know the tolerance level of eggplant accessions to drought. Plants grew in two comparative conditions, normal and drought. Drought is given by using interval water application about every 7 days. Observations were carried out to growth and yield components and continue measuring the stress effect using drought sensitivity index. The results show that plants develop an adaptation mechanism to drought by reducing its growth and yield components to survive. The result of further test and drought sensitivity index show that half of accessions have good tolerance to drought. Acessons that had goof tolerance to drought were SLTE 2, SLTE 3, SLTE 5, SLTE 6, SLTE 8, SLTE 13, SLTE 15, SLTE 18, SLTE 42, and SLTE 44.acc
The Effect of The Stake Structure Models Pod Quality of Several Yardlong Bean Varietries
Authors: Sartika Dewi , Taryono Taryono , Sayekti Rahmi Sri
Published: April 2022

Yardlong bean is one of the commodities with very high economic value. To obtain good quality pods, it requires the right cultivating techniques such as the use of stake model and the use of superior varieties. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effect of stake model and varieties on the quality of yardlong bean pods. This research was conducted on the Agrotechnology Innovation Center of Universitas Gadjah Mada at March-June 2019. This research was arranged in factorial treatment design with Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) using three blocks as replication. The irst factor is the stake model i.e. single, double, and triangle. The second factor is varieties included Parade Tavi, Pujangga, Katrina, Wulung, and Kaloka. The observed quantitative data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by Scott-Knott with the level of credibility at 5 %. The results showed that the use of the stake models on different varieties does not indicated a signiicant impact on the quality of produced pod.
Pembentukan Bintil Akar dan Ketahanan Beberapa Aksesi Kacang Hijau (Vigna radiata L.) Pada Kondisi Salin
Authors: Anugrahtama Panji Catur , Supriyanta Supriyanta , Taryono Taryono
Published: April 2022

Salinity or high salt content in the soil became one of the environmental factors that can threaten the sustainability of mungbean in the ield because mungbean is considered as a salinity-sensitive plant. Therefore, it is necessary to develop cultivars that are saline stress tolerance. This study aims to determine the effect of salinity on mungbeans growth and classify the salinity tolerance levels of 16 mungbean accessions and associate the level of salinity tolerance to the formation of root nodules. Comparisons were made by growing mungbean under normal conditions and treated with salinity stress by watering 500 ml of 200 mM NaCl solution every seven days from the age of 21 days after planting. The observations have made on both the vegetative and generative phases of plants. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance, deining levels of salinity stress tolerance based on analysis of salinity sensitivity index values. The results showed that several mungbean accessions made adjustments to the stres environment by reducing growth and yield components. Based on the Scott-Knott test and the values of the salinity sensitivity index found that several mungbean accessions possess tolerance to salinity stress at soil EC reaching 2,73 dS/m. Accessions that are potential as a genetic source of salinity tolerance showed by accessions number 1, 4, 8, and 19. Accessions number 1, 8, and 19 that classiied as salinity tolerance have higher ability to form nodules rather than nontolerance accessions at saline conditions.