bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chemically Characterized Nanoencapsulated Homalomena aromatica Schott. Essential oil as Green Preservative Against Fungal and Aflatoxin B1 Contamination of Stored Spices based on in Vitro and in Situ Efficacy and Favourable Safety Profile on Mice
Authors: Tiwari Shikha , Upadhyay Neha , Singh Bijendra Kumar , Singh Vipin Kumar , Dubey Nawal Kishore
Published: April 2021

Present study deals with the efficacy of nanoencapsulated Homalomena aromatica essential oil (HAEO) as a potent green preservative against toxigenic Aspergillus flavus strain (AF-LHP-NS 7), AFB1 and free radical mediated deterioration of stored spices. GC-MS analysis revealed linalool (68.51%) as the major component of HAEO. HAEO was encapsulated into chitosan nanomatrix (CS-HAEO-Ne) and characterized through SEM, FTIR and XRD. CS-HAEO-Ne completely inhibited A. flavus growth and AFB1 biosynthesis at 1.25 µL/mL and 1.0 µL/mL, respectively in comparison to unencapsulated HAEO (1.75 µL/mL and 1.25 µL/mL respectively). CS-HAEO-Ne exhibited superior antioxidant efficacy (IC50 (DPPH) = 4.5 µL/mL) over unencapsulated HAEO (IC50 (DPPH) = 15.9 µL/mL). Further, CS-HAEO-Ne caused significant reduction in ergosterol content in treated A. flavus and provoked leakage of cellular ions (Ca+ 2, Mg+ 2 and K+) as well as 260 nm and 280 nm absorbing materials. Depletion of methylglyoxal level in treated A. flavus cells deals with the novel antiaflatoxigenic efficacy of CS-HAEO-Ne. CS-HAEO-Ne depicted excellent in situ efficacy by inhibiting mold attack and AFB1 contamination, mineral preservation and acceptable sensorial profile. Moreover, broad safety paradigm (LD50 value = 8006.84 µL/kg) of CS-HAEO-Ne also suggest it as novel green preservative to enhance shelf life of stored spices.
Life Cycle Assessment of Rice Bran Oil Production: A Case Study in China
Authors: Sun Lihui , Wang Yuying , Gong Yuqing
Published: April 2021

Environmental problems caused by the food processing industry have always been one of the concerns for the public. Herein, for the first time, a gate-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) was employed to evaluate the environmental impact of rice bran oil production. Four subsystems namely transportation of the raw rice bran to oil factory, crude oil extraction, oil refining as well as oil storage were established. The product sustainability software GaBi and the method CML 2001-Jan. 2016 were used to calculate and analyze the environmental burdens at each stage of the rice bran oil production chain. The results show the oil refining stage had the greatest environmental impact, followed by the oil extraction stage. High demands for coal and electricity, make a critical difference in generating vast majority of environmental impacts. Modifying the electricity source and replacing traditional fuels with cleaner ones will do bring benefits to the sustainable development of the industry.
Prediction of radiation pneumonitis after definitive radiotherapy for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer using multi-region radiomics analysis
Authors: Kawahara Daisuke , Imano Nobuki , Nishioka Riku , Ogawa Kouta , Kimura Tomoki , Nakashima Taku , Iawamoto Hiroshi , Fujitaka Kazunori , Hattori Noboru , Nagata Yasushi
Published: April 2021

Objective To predict grade 2 radiation pneumonitis (RP) in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with high accuracy by using multi-region radiomics analysis.Material and Methods Data from 77 patients with NSCLC who underwent definitive radiotherapy from 2008 to 2018 were analyzed. Radiomic feature extraction from the whole lung (whole-lung radiomics analysis) and imaging- and dosimetric-based segmentation (multi-region radiomics analysis) were performed. The data were split into 2 sets: 54 tumors for model training and 23 tumors for model testing. Patients with RP grade ≥2 or RP grade <2 was classified. Models were built with least absolute shrinkage and selection operator logistic regression and applied to the set of candidate predictors. To build predictive models with clinical features, machine-learning methods with neural network classifiers were used. The precision, accuracy, and sensitivity by generating confusion matrices and the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for each model were evaluated. Results A total of 49383 radiomics features per patient image were extracted from the radiotherapy planning computed tomography scan. We identified 4 features selected in the whole-lung radiomics analysis and 13 radiomics features selected in the multi-region radiomics analysis for the classification. Out of 13 features, the median and high-dose region were selected from the shape analysis. The features of local intensity roughness and variation were selected from the statistical and texture analysis. The accuracy, specificity, sensitivity, and AUC were 80.1%, 79.2%, 88.9%, and 0.84 for our new method of multi-region radiomics analysis, respectively, which was improved from 60.8%, 64.6%, 53.8%, and 0.62 for whole-lung radiomics analysis. Conclusions The developed multi-region radiomics analysis can help predict grade 2 RP for NSCLC after definitive radiotherapy. The radiomics features in the median- and high-dose regions, and that of local intensity roughness and variation were important factors in predicting grade 2 RP.
Performance Analysis of Vertically Stacked Nanosheet Tunnel Field Effect Transistor with Ideal Subthreshold Swing
Authors: Jain Garima , Sawhney Ravinder Singh , Kumar Ravinder , Saini Amit
Published: April 2021

In this paper, a novel vertically stacked silicon Nanosheet Tunnel Field Effect Transistor (NS-TFET) device scaled to a gate length of 12nm with Contact poly pitch (CPP) of 48nm is simulated. NS-TFET device is investigated for its electrostatics characteristics using technology computer-aided design (TCAD) simulator. The inter-band tunneling mechanism with a P-I-N layout has been incorporated in the stacked nanosheet devices. The asymmetric design technique for doping has been used for optimum results. NS-TFET provides a low leakage current of order10-16 A, an excellent subthreshold swing (SW) of 23mv/decade, and negligible drain induced barrier lowering (DIBL) having a value of 10.5 mv/V. The notable ON to OFF current ratio of the order of 1011 has been achieved. The device exhibits a high transconductance of 3.022x10-5 S at the gate to source voltage of 1V. NS-TFET shows tremendous improvement in short channel effects (SCE) and is a good option for advanced technologies.
TESSYS Technique With Small Grade of Facetectomy Has Potential Biomechanical Advantages Compared to the In-Out TED With Intact Articular Process : An In-Silico Study
Authors: Li Jingchi , Xu Chen , Zhang Xiaoyu , Xi Zhipeng , Liu Mengnan , Fang Zhongxin , Wang Nan , Xie Lin , Song Yueming
Published: April 2021

Background: The facetectomy was reported as an important procedure in both in-out and out-in (i.e. transforaminal endoscopic spine system (TESSYS)) techniques in the transforaminal endoscopic discectomy (TED), and which was also related to the deterioration of postoperative biomechanical environment and related poor prognosis. Recently, the facetectomy was reported to be avoided in the modified in-out TED, but iatrogenic injury of annulus and related larger grades of nucleotomy can also be seen as risk factors for the prognosis deterioration. Meanwhile, above mentioned risk factors can be alleviated in TESSYS TED, and the grade of facetectomy can also be reduced in this surgery with the use of endoscopic dynamic drill. Methods: To evaluate the risk of biomechanical deterioration and related postoperative complications of these two surgical modified strategies in TED, an intact lumbo-sacral finite element model and the corresponding model with adjacent segments degeneration have been constructed and validated, modified in-out and TESSYS TED have been simulated in these models. Then, the change of biomechanical indicators have been computed to evaluate the risk of postoperative complications in the surgical segement. Results: Compared with intact FEA models, the tendency of biomechanical deterioration in TESSYS TED models was generally slight. By contrast, obvious biomechanical deterioration can be observed in models with modified in-out TED. The degenerative change in adjacent segments magnifies rather than alters the overall tendency of biomechanical change. Conclusions: Modified TESSYS TED with a small grade of facetectomy has potential biomechanical advantages compared with the in-out TED with intact articular process (i.e. without facetectomy). The iatrogenic injury of annulus and larger grade of nucleotomy can be seen as risk factors for postoperative biomechanical deteriorations and complications in the surgical segment.
The Full-length Genome Sequence of a Novel Mitovirus From the Causal Agent Botrosphaeria Dothidea of Pear Ring Rot Disease
Authors: Zou Qi , Gao Yunjing , Wang Qiong , Yang Yuekun , Wang Fang , Hong Ni , Wang Guoping , Wang Liping
Published: April 2021

Here, we describe a novel mycovirus, Botryosphaeria dothidea mitovirus 2 (tentatively designated as BdMV2), isolated from Botryosphaeria dothidea FJ strain causing pear ring rot disease in Fujian Province, China. The complete genome nucleotide sequence of BdMV2 is 2538 nt in length and contains a single 2070 nt open reading frame (ORF) encoding a putative RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of 689 amino acid (aa) using fungal mitochondrial genetic code. BLASTp analysis revealed that the RdRp of BdMV2 shares 28.91%–69.36% (query sequence coverage more than 90%) sequence identity to those of members in the genus Mitovirus, and the closest similarity is 69.36% and 68.79% with the corresponding protein aa sequences of Rhizoctonia solani mitovirus 10 and Macrophomina phaseolina mitovirus 4, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis based on the RdRp aa sequences further revealed that BdMV2 is a newly member in the genus Mitovirus of the family Narnaviridae. To our knowledge, BdMV2 is thus a novel mitovirus from the causal agent B. dothidea of pear ring rot disease.
Interspecific Complementation-Restoration of Phenotype in Arabidopsis Cuc2cuc3 Mutant By Sugarcane CUC2 Gene
Authors: Aslam Mohammad , She Zeyuan , Jakada Bello Hassan , Fakher Beenish , Greaves Joseph G. , Yan Maokai , Chen Yingzhi , Zheng Ping , Cheng Yan , Qin Yuan
Published: April 2021

BackgroundIn plants, a critical balance between differentiation and proliferation of stem cells at the shoot apical meristem zone is essential for proper growth. The spatiotemporal regulation of some crucial genes dictates the formation of a boundary within and around budding organs. The boundary plays a pivotal role in distinguishing one tissue type from another and provides a defined shape to the organs at their developed stage. NAM/CUC subfamily of the NAC transcription factors control the boundary formation during meristematic development. ResultsHere, we have identified the CUP-SHAPED COTYLEDON (CUC) genes in sugarcane and named SsCUC2 (for the orthologous gene of CUC1 and CUC2) and SsCUC3. The phylogenetic reconstruction showed that SsCUCs occupy the CUC2 and CUC3 clade together with monocots, whereas dicot CUC2 and CUC3 settled separately in the different clade. The structural analysis of CUC genes showed that most of the CUC3 genes were accompanied by an intron gain in monocot to dicot evolution. Besides, the study of SsCUCs expression in the RNA-seq obtained during different stages of ovule development revealed that SsCUCs express in developing young tissues, and the expression of SsCUC2 is regulated by miR164. We also demonstrate that SsCUC2 (a monocot) could complement the cuc2cuc3 mutant phenotype of Arabidopsis (dicot). ConclusionsThis study further supports that CUC2 has diverged in CUC1 and CUC2 during the evolution of monocots and dicots from ancestral plants. The functional analysis of CUC expression patterns during sugarcane ovule development and ectopic expression of SsCUC2 in Arabidopsis showed that SsCUC2 has a conserved role in boundary formation. Overall, these findings improve our understanding of the functions of sugarcane CUC genes. Our results reveal the crucial functional role of CUC genes in sugarcane.
Effects of moderate-intensity intermittent hypoxic training on health outcomes of patients recovered from covid-19: the AEROBICOVID study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Trapé Atila Alexandre , Camacho-Cardenosa Marta , Camacho-Cardenosa Alba , Merellano-Navarro Eugenio , Rodrigues Jhennyfer Aline Lima , Lizzi Elisangela Aparecida da Silva , Sorgi Carlos Arterio , Papoti Marcelo , Brazo-Sayavera Javier
Published: April 2021

Background: Recent studies point to a lower number and a reduction in the severity of cases in higher altitude cities, with decreased oxygen concentration. Specific literature has shown several benefits of physical training, so, in this sense, physical training with hypoxic stimulus appears as an alternative that supports the conventional treatments of the COVID-19 patient's recovery. Thus, this study's primary aim is to analyse the effects of moderate-intensity intermittent hypoxic training on health outcomes in COVID-19 recovered patients. Methods: A clinical trial controlled double-blind study was designed. Participants (30-69 years old) will be recruited among those with moderate to severe COVID-19 symptoms, approximately 30 days after recovery. They will be included in groups according to the training (T) and recovery (R) association with hypoxia (H) or normoxia (N): a) TH:RH, b) TN:RH, c) TN:RN, and, last, d) the control group. The 8-week exercise bike intervention will be carried out with a gradual load increase according to the established periods, three times a week in sets of 5 minutes, 90 to 100% of the anaerobic threshold (AT), and a 2,5-minute break. Blood will be collected for genotyping. First, after four weeks (partial), after eight weeks, and later, four weeks after the end of the physical training intervention, participants will perform assessments. The primary outcome is the maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max). The secondary outcomes include lung function, inflammatory mediators, haematological, autonomic parameters, AT, body composition analysis, quality of life, mental health, anthropometric measurements, and physical fitness. The statistical analysis will be executed using the linear regression model with mixed effects at a 5% significance level. Discussion: This study is designed to provide evidence to support the clinical benefits of moderate-intensity intermittent hypoxic training as a part of the treatment of patients recovered from COVID-19. It may also provide evidence on the efficacy and safety of intermittent hypoxic training in different health conditions. Lastly, this study presents an innovative strategy enabling up to 16 participants in the same training session.Trial registration: Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry, RBR-5d7hkv. Registered after the start of inclusion; 3 November 2020; https://ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-5d7hkv
Factors Associated With Death in Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 in the State of Rio De Janeiro
Authors: Oliveira Marcella Cini , Eleuterio Tatiana de Araujo , Corrêa Allan Bruno de Andrade , Silva Lucas Dalsenter Romano da , Rodrigues Renata Coelho , de Oliveira Bruna Andrade , Martins Marlos Melo , Raymundo Carlos Eduardo , Medronho Roberto de Andrade
Published: April 2021

Background: We analyzed the factors associated with death in confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state of Rio de Janeiro. This cross-sectional study evaluated the association between individual demographic, clinical, and epidemiological variables and the outcome (death) using data from the Unified Health System information systems.Methods: We used the extreme boosting gradient (XGBoost) model to analyze the data, which uses decision trees weighted by the estimation difficulty. To evaluate the relevance of each independent variable, we used the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) metric. From the probabilities generated by the XGBoost model, we transformed the data to the logarithm of odds to estimate the odds ratio for each independent variable.Results: This study showed that older individuals of black race/skin color with heart disease or diabetes who had dyspnea or fever were more likely to die.Conclusions: The early identification of patients who may progress to a more severe form of the disease can help improve the clinical management of patients with COVID-19 and is thus essential to reduce the lethality of the disease.
Distinct soil bacterial patterns along narrow– and broad–scale elevational gradients in grassland of the Mt. Tianshan, China
Authors: Li Rui , Sheng Jiandong , Liu Yunhua , Cheng Junhui , Sun Zongjiu , Zhang Pan , Li Ning , Di Xiaoshuang , Fan Weihua , Deng Jiang , Ma Yucheng , Li Minfei
Published: April 2021

Bacteria plays a crucial role in soil biogeochemical cycles, bacterial elevational patterns have been well studies over the past decade, but the elevational pattern and its driver poorly understood. To determine the distribution patterns of bacterial composition and diversity across narrow– and broad–scale elevational gradients, we collected soil samples from 22 sites in the grasslands of Mt. Tianshan along three elevational transects and the whole elevation transect: (1) 6 sites at 1047 m – 1587 m, (2) 8 sites at 876 m – 3070 m, and (3) 8 sites at 1602 m – 2110 m. We found a hump pattern of the bacterial community diversity on the whole elevation transect, while not have observed consistent patterns in separately elevation transect. Bacterial community composition based on phylum differed with transects and elevation sites. Furthermore, heatmap analysis showed that pH and MAT significantly (P < 0.05) correlated with bacterial community composition, dominant bacterial phylum and class significantly influenced soil pH. Therefore, our results suggested that soil property plays the most important role in shaping bacterial community patterns in grassland of Mt. Tianshan.
Occurrence of heat wave in Korea by the displacement of South Asian High
Authors: Cha Yumi , Choi JaeWon , Kim Eung-Sup , Ahn Joong-Bae
Published: April 2021

The South Asian high (SAH) index was defined using the 200 hPa geopotential height for 1973–2019. Of movements of the SAH center in the north-south, east-west, northwest-southeast, and southwest-northeast directions, movement in the northwest-southeast direction showed the highest positive correlation with heat wave days (HWDs) in South Korea. Thirteen years with the highest SAH values (positive SAH years) and 13 years with the lowest SAH values (negative SAH years) were selected from a time series of SAH indices from which the linear trend was removed, and differences between these two groups were analyzed. An analysis of vertical meridional circulation averaged along 120°-130°E showed that in latitude zones containing Korea, anomalous downward flows with anomalous high pressures formed in the entire troposphere and coincided with positive air temperature and specific humidity. An analysis of stream flows and geopotential heights showed that in positive SAH years, anomalous anticyclones developed in Korea, the North Pacific, North America, western Europe, and the Iranian Plateau. These anticyclones had the wavenumber-5 pattern and showed more distinct barotropic vertical structures at higher altitudes, which resembled the circumglobal teleconnection (CGT) pattern. The maintenance of CGT depends on the interaction between CGT circulation and the Indian summer monsoon (ISM), which has a major influence on the mid-latitude atmosphere. Strengthening of the ISM results in the formation of upper-level anomalous anticyclones in the northwestern Iranian Plateau and creates continuous downstream cells along the waveguide due to Rossby wave dispersion. When diabetic heating by Indian summer monsoon precipitation is strengthened, the SAH is strengthened to the northwest of India, and a positive CGT pattern is formed. As a result, anomalous anticyclones were formed in all layers of the Korean troposphere resulting in heat waves, tropical nights, and droughts exacerbated in South Korea.
Individual, school and natural environment influences on children with motor coordination problems: The Peruvian Health and Optimist Growth Study
Authors: Pereira Sara , Bustamante Alcibíades , Santos Carla , Hedeker Donald , Tani Go , Garganta Rui , Vasconcelos Olga , Baxter-Jones Adam , Katzmarzyk Peter T. , Maia José
Published: April 2021

This study investigates the interplay between individual and natural environments, as well as the effects of school characteristics, on Peruvian children and adolescents’ gross motor coordination (GMC) problems. The sample comprises 7401 participants (4121 girls) aged 6–14 years from three geographical regions: sea-level, Amazon and high-altitude. GMC categories (normal and with problems) were defined from the KörperkoordinationsTest für Kinder test battery. Stunting (height-for-age) and nutritional status (BMI-for-age) were obtained from WHO Growth Standards. Biological maturation was estimated, and physical fitness was measured. School context information was obtained from an objective audit. Logistic multilevel analysis was used. Results showed a high prevalence of GMC problems in Peruvian youth. Sex, age, geographical area of residence, biological maturation, nutritional status, stunting and physical fitness were important predictors of GMC problems. Moreover, there was an interaction between age, sex, and geographical area showing that girls, older subjects, and those from sea level regions were more likely to display GMC problems. The school context was less important in predicting GMC problems than the interplay between individual characteristics and the natural environment. The early identification as well as educational and pediatric care interventions are of utmost importance to reduce GMC problems among Peruvian children and adolescents.
Structural Role of Strontium Oxide in Modified Silicate Glasses
Authors: El-Damrawi Gomaa , Ramadan Rawia , Biomey mohamed
Published: April 2021

In the composition range of x= 0-15 mol%, glasses in the system 24.5Na2O.24.5CaO.6P2O5.xSrO.(45-x)SiO2 have been studied. The glasses are transparent and have an amorphous network structure when they are as prepared. Heat treated glasses, on the other hand, are transformed into opaque white glass ceramics with a highly crystalline network structure. The main well-formed crystalline species in material bioactivity were apatite (calcium phosphate, Ca3(PO4)2, wollastonite (calcium silicate, CaSiO3), and strontium calcium phosphate [Ca2Sr(PO4)2. Increasing SrO improves material crystallite and increases the host glass matrix's hardness. The modification of the apatit Ca(PO3)2 to involve Sr ions inducing Ca2Sr (PO4)2 apatite one is thought to be the cause of the change in XRD spectra, 31P NMR chemical shift, and hardness number as SrO increases. These species help to improve material properties and hardness.
Micro-engineered Nanowire Electron Source for Atomic Resolution Imaging
Authors: Zhang Han , Jimbo Yu , Niwata Akira , Ikeda Akihiro , Yasuhara Akira , Cretu Ovidiu , Kimoto Koji , Kasaya Takeshi , Miyazaki Hideki , Tsujii Naohito , Wang Hongxin , Yamauchi Yasushi , Fujita Daisuke , Kitamura Shin-ichi , Manabe Hironobu
Published: April 2021

The size tunability and chemical versatility of nanostructures provide attractive engineering potential to realize an electron source of high brightness and spatial temporal coherence, which is a characteristic ever pursued by high resolution electron microscopy. (1–3) Regardless of the intensive research efforts, electron sources that have ever produced atomic resolution images are still limited to the conventional field emitters based on a bulk W needle. It is due to the lack of fabrication precision for nanostructured sources, that is required to align a nanometric emission volume along a macroscopic emitter axis with sub-degree angular deviation. (4) In this work, we produced a LaB6 nanowire electron source which was micro-engineered to ensure a highly collimated electron beam with perfect lateral and angular alignment. Such electron source was validated by installing in an aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope, where atomic resolution in both broad-beam and probe-forming modes were demonstrated at 60kV beam energy. The recorded un-monochromated 0.20eV electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) resolution, together with 20% probe forming efficiency and 0.4% probe current peak-to-peak noise ratio under a wide vacuum range, presented the unique advantages of nanotechnology and promised high performance low-cost electron beam instruments.
Central Venous Pressure and Acute Kidney Injury in Critically Ill Patients with Multiple Comorbidities: A Large Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Sun Runlu , Guo Qi , Wang Junjie , Zou Yaoyao , Chen Zhiteng , Wang Jingfeng , Zhang Yuling
Published: April 2021

Background: Given the traditional acceptance of higher central venous pressure (CVP) levels, clinicians ignore the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI). The objective of this study is to assess whether elevated CVP is associated with increased AKI in critically ill patients with multiple comorbidities. Methods: This was a retrospective observational cohort study using data collected from the Multiparameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care (MIMIC-III) open-source clinical database (version 1.4). Critically ill adult patients with CVP and serum creatine measurement records were included. Linear and multivariable logistic regression were performed to determine the association between elevated CVP and AKI. Results: A total of 11135 patients were enrolled in our study. Critically ill patients in higher quartiles of mean CVP presented greater KDIGO AKI severity stages in 2 and 7 days. Linear regression showed CVP quartile was positively correlated with the incidence of AKI within 2 (R2=0.989, P=0.005) and 7 days (R2=0.990, P=0.004). Furthermore, patients in the highest quartile of mean CVP had a higher risk of AKI in 7 days compared with those in the lowest quartile of mean CVP, with an OR of 2.21 (95% CI: 1.85-2.65) after adjusting for demographics, treatments and comorbidities. The adjusted odds of AKI were 1.07 (95% CI: 1.06-1.09) per 1 mmHg increase in mean CVP. Conclusions: Elevated CVP is associated with an increased risk of AKI in critically ill patients with multiple comorbidities. The optimal CVP should be personalized and kept at a low level to avoid AKI in critical care settings.
Reversal of Acquired Resistance to EGFR–TKI in T790M-negative Patients With Non–small-cell Lung Cancer Using Anlotinib
Authors: Zhang Chen , Cao Honggang , Jin Shidai , Gao Wen , Huang Chenjun , Guo Renhua
Published: April 2021

Background: Treatment options for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) T790M-negative patients with non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and acquired resistance (AR) to EGFR–tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR–TKI) are limited. The efficacy of EGFR–TKI and anti-angiogenic drug combination therapy in these patients is known. We investigated the effectiveness of EGFR–TKI+anlotinib combination therapy in patients with T790M-negative NSCLC. Method: We evaluated the antitumor effects of gefitinib combined with anlotinib in gefitinib-resistant lung adenocarcinoma cells. We also investigated the treatment effect and absence of adverse events of EGFR–TKI+anlotinib therapy in 22 T790M-negative patients after EGFR–TKI treatment failure between January 2018 and August 2020. Results: Anlotinib reversed gefitinib resistance in the gefitinib-resistant cell line, PC9/GR, by enhancing anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects of gefitinib. The gefitinib+anlotinib treatment exerted a synergistic antitumor effect by downregulating the activation of VEGFR2 and downstream effectors, Akt and ERK. The EGFR–TKI+anlotinib therapy exhibited an objective response rate of 18.2% and a disease control rate of 95.5%. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 11.53 ± 1.94 months, whereas the median overall survival was not reached. The median PFS was longer in patients exhibiting gradual progression (13.30 ± 1.69 months) than in patients with dramatic progression (8.60 ± 5.39 months, p = 0.041). One Grade 3 adverse event was noted (diarrhea, n = 2, 9.1%), and Grade 4 or 5 adverse events were absent.Conclusion: EGFR–TKI combined with anlotinib demonstrated powerful antitumor activity in vitro and excellent treatment effect in T790M-negative NSCLC patients after AR.
Surface Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration Under Post Agricultural Grasslands Offset by Net Loss at Depth
Authors: Yang Yi , Loecke Terrance , Knops Johanness
Published: April 2021

Post agricultural grasslands are considered to accumulate soil organic carbon (SOC) after cultivation cessation. The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) in the U.S. is a wide scale, covering approximately 8.9 Mha as of 2020, example of row-crop to grassland conversion. To date, SOC sequestration rates, and potential, in CRP has mostly been evaluated at local scales and focused on the surface 20–30 cm of the soil profile. Thus, we lack knowledge of C sequestration rates in CRP lands on a continental scale and of C dynamics in the subsurface soil after agricultural cessation. The Rapid Carbon Assessment (RaCA) project is the most recent effort by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to systematically quantify C stock in the 0-100 cm soil profiles across the conterminous US. Here we analyze data from RaCA to evaluate the C stocks of the CRP on a continental scale of both surface and subsurface soil. We found there was no difference in SOC stock between croplands and CRP lands when comparing the 0-100 cm soil profiles, which indicates that the C sequestration in CRP lands is insignificant overall. We did find that SOC accumulated in the surface soil (0–5 cm) in CRP lands. However, theses C gains in surface (0–5 cm) soil were offset by the lower SOC stock in the subsurface (30–100 cm) of the CRP. We also found that the C: N ratio in the subsurface soil in CRP lands is lower than that of croplands, indicating a lack of labile organic matter inputs in the subsoil. Whether the lower SOC in the subsurface of CRP is caused by legacy effects or is a result of C losses needs to be verified by long-term repeated sampling in both surface and subsurface soil. This analysis highlights the importance of examining C dynamics in subsurface soil after agricultural cessation to accurately measure and improve C sequestration rates in CRP lands.
Clinical Characteristics of Virus-related Uveitic Secondary Glaucoma: Focus on Cytomegalovirus and Varicella Zoster Virus
Authors: Fan Xintong , Li Zhizhe , Zhai Ruyi , Sheng Qilian , Kong Xiangmei
Published: April 2021

Background: We aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics of secondary glaucoma related to cytomegalovirus (CMV)- and varicella zoster virus (VZV)-positive uveitis. Methods: In this retrospective study, we enrolled 60 patients with secondary glaucoma. All the patients underwent aqueous and serum analyses for viral antibody through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Among the 60 included patients, 22 had CMV-negative Posner-Schlossman syndrome (CMV-negative PSS), 25 had CMV-positive PSS (CMV-PSS), and 13 had VZV-positive anterior uveitis secondary glaucoma (VZV-AUSG). We evaluated the following main indicators: age, disease duration, intraocular pressure (IOP), cup-to-disc ratio, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), corneal endothelial cell (CEC) count, ocular morphological changes, and medical treatments.Results: We found that 25 of the 47 patients with PSS were CMV-positive. Patients with CMV-PSS had a larger cup-to-disc ratio (p = .043), lower CEC density (p = .017), and more severe CEC loss (p < .001). The CMV-positive PSS group had more patients with iris depigmentation (p = .006). Compared with patients with CMV-PSS, those with VZV-AUSG were older (p = .003), presented a higher IOP (p = .015), and had poorer BCVA (p < .001). Patients with CMV-PSS and VZV-AUSG all accepted ganciclovir treatment, and those with CMV-PSS used fewer antiglaucoma agents simultaneously compared with CMV-negative PSS (p = .005) and VZV-AUSG (p < .001). All three groups had a comparable proportion of patients requiring antiglaucoma surgery.Conclusions: We observed some distinctive clinical features in CMV-PSS that could help clinicians discriminate it from CMV-negative PSS. Further, we found that patients with VZV-AUSG presented a higher IOP and worse visual acuity, and required more antiglaucoma medication than those with CMV-PSS.
Association of pesticides and kidney function among adults in the US population 2001-2010
Authors: Wan En-Tzu , Darssan Darsy , Karatela Shamshad , Reid Simon , Osborne Nicholas
Published: April 2021

Background
Chronic kidney disease with unknown cause (CKDu) is prevalent in tropical and agricultural communities, however, its aetiology remains unclear. The objective of this study was to examine the association between pesticide exposures and the risk of kidney function loss using four waves of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to identify a pathological pathway.
Methods
We pooled data from four cross-sectional waves of NHANES, providing 41,847 participants in total. Sub-population analyses for 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 3,5,6- trichloropyridinol, 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA) and Malathion were conducted using. Logistic regression to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs of the association between log-pesticide levels and kidney function.
Results
We found that Malathion acid increased the risk of low kidney function among the Malathion sub-population (aOR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.01–1.56) in the adjusted model. Significantly increased risk of low kidney function was not found among the 2,4-D (aOR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.72–1.09), 3,5,6-trichloropyridinol (aOR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.83–1.12) and 3-PBA (aOR = 1.03, 95% CI = 0.94–1.13) subpopulations.
Conclusions
Our findings provide evidence of altered kidney function in people exposed to Malathion, highlighting the need to focus on Malathion acid as a potential cause of renal injury or chronic kidney disease.
Ridge preservation applying a novel hydrogel for early angiogenesis and osteogenesis evaluation: an experimental study in canine
Authors: Yuan Shuai , Li Qingshu , Chen Kaiwen , Mu Zhixiang , Chen Tao , Wang Huanan , Ji Ping
Published: April 2021

Ridge preservation is universally acknowledged as the conventional method for the post-extraction healing yet there are no standard materials for the ideal healing outcome. Herein, a composite gel comprising gelatin nanoparticles (GNPs) and injectable platelet-rich-fibrin (i-PRF) as the potential candidate for extracted socket healing is introduced. The combination of GNPs and i-PRF not only possesses favorable mechanical properties to withstand external force but also accelerate the blood clotting time significantly. In addition, six beagle dogs were adopted to assess the angiogenic and osteogenic capacity of GNPs + i-PRF gel in vivo. The GNPs + i-PRF gel significantly produced the most blood vessels area, woven bone and low osteoclast activity in extracted sockets at 2 weeks postoperation and remarkably generated corticalization on the alveolar ridge crest at 8 weeks postoperation according to histological results. Therefore, GNPs + i-PRF gel can be recommended as the candidate grafting material regarding ridge preservation for its cost effectiveness, excellent biocompatibility, facilitation of blood clotting and favorable capacity of promoting angiogenesis and osteogenesis.
Preferences for End-of-life Care among Terminal Cancer Patients in China: A Discrete Choice Experiment
Authors: Leng Anli , Maitland Elizabeth , Wang Siyuan , Nicholas Stephen , Lan Kuixu , Wang Jian
Published: April 2021

Background

Knowing terminal cancer patients’ treatment preferences will improve patient-centered health care, better inform surrogates and medical staff of patient preferences and enhance the quality of end-of-life (EoL) care. In China, little is known about terminal cancer patients’ preferences. We aimed to examines the preferences for EoL care of terminal cancer patients.
Methods

Data on 183 terminal cancer patients aged over 50 years old was collected by discrete choice experiment (DCE). Each DCE scenario described six attributes: hospitalization days,life extension, quality of life (QoL), adverse treatment reactions, place of death preference and out-of-pocket payments.Patient preferences were derived using a mixed logit model and the marginal willingness to pay (WTP) were estimated from the regression coefficients.
Results

Patients’ preferences for moderate survive time, better quality of life, lower risk of adverse reaction, home death and lower payments were all statistically significant in driving choice between treatment models. Extending life and QoL were the most important attributes. Patients were willing to pay RMB256,895.45 to improve QoL from a bad level to a very good level, significantly higher than their willingness to pay for half additional life year (RMB233,446.16) and one additional life year (RMB182,298.76). This indicates that patients were not willing to blindly pursue life extension and neglect the QoL,but preferred to trade off life extension for QoL. The predicted uptake of optimal end-of-life care scenario was 91.04%.
Conclusions

Our study contributes to the development of patient-centered preferences for end-of-life care models that improve advanced terminal patient’s care and provide empirical evidence for physicians and surrogates to operationalize end-of-life care trade-offs.
The role of coagulation factors VII, VIII, and IX on the tropism and inflammatory effect of Adenovector on liver and breast cell lines
Authors: Ghojoghi Rozita , Nekooei Fatemeh , Vatanparast Fatemeh , Srv Jamal , Tamaddon Ali-Mohammad , Ahmadbeigi Naser , Bordbar Mohammad-Reza , Tavoosi Hakimeh , Moattari Afagh , Hosseini Seyed Younes
Published: April 2021

Introduction: Adenovectors are promising vectors for gene delivery to the target cells. During gene therapy, AdV interact with plasma components particularly vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors. In this study, we analyzed the comparison between cell entrance, inflammatory patterns, and innate immune induction which induced by the Adenoventor and Adenovector coated by FVII, FVIII, and FIX on two cell-lines; HepG2, MCF7. Methods: The Adenovector expressing GFP (AdVGFP) was prepared and then loading of AdV by coagulation factors were analyzed by zeta potential measurement. The non-toxic MOI of vector employed alone or in complex with coagulation factors VII, FVIII, and FIX applied on HepG2 and MCF7 cell lines. The transduction rates of complexes were analyzed by fluorescent microscopy and flow cytometry. The expression levels of innate immune genes (PKR, STING, IRF-3 and MX-1) were measured by Real-time PCR. Also the level of IL-6 and IL-1β were evaluated by using ELISA assay. Results: The loading of Adenovector by FVII and FIX decreased the zeta charge of the complex particles and enhanced the entry rate in both HepG2 (FVII/AdV: 38.3% and FIX/AdV: 61.9%) and MCF7 (FVII/AdV: 31.2% and FIX/AdV: 36.6%). The expression of IL-6 cytokine enhanced when AdV exposed to FVII (P value: 0.005) in MCF7 and also FVII (P value: 0.01) and FIX (P value: 0.009) in HepG2. Adenovector coated by FVII and FIX could significantly alter the expression pattern of innate immune genes. Conclusion: The findings are highlighted the role of FVII and in particular FIX in facilitating the entry of vector into the cells; also they are enhanced the inflammation and innate immune responses. Interestingly, FVIII had no effect or even adverse effect on entry, inflammation, and innate immune induction.
Acidic heap leaching behavior of uranium from El-Sela area, South Eastern Desert, Egypt
Authors: Nagar Mohamed S , Morsy Walid M
Published: April 2021

The column percolation technique was used to examine the leachability of uranium from El-Sela uranium mineralization. The agglomeration effect, particle size, flow rates, acid concentration, solid to liquid ratio, and sand agglomeration effect were all studied in the kinetics of uranium leaching. The acidic leach solution causes alteration and thus dissolves the oxides that fill joints and fractures, resulting in a reduction in ore particle size, as well as the swelling of fine particles caused by acid leaching over time. As a result, the focus of this research is on the possibility of increasing the permeability of ore heaps by adding cobblestone. At a height of 3.0 m within the column, the optimal ratio of cobblestone to ore was found to be 1:4, and the irrigation rate was reduced from 0.15 to 0.1L/ m2/min, increasing the uranium dissolution efficiency from 47.5 to 79 percent. Finally, the column leaching efficiency is confirmed by fitting data from an application first-order kinetic law with data collected.
Modulation of initial movement for double potential targets with specific time constraints
Authors: Onagawa Ryoji , Kudo Kazutoshi
Published: April 2021

In goal-directed behavior, individuals are often required to plan and execute a movement with multiple competing reach targets simultaneously. The time constraint assigned to the target is an important factor that affect the initial movement planning, but the adjustments made to the starting behavior considering the time constraints specific to each target have not yet been clarified. The current study examined how humans adjusted their motor planning for double potential targets with independent time constraints under a go-before-you-know situation. The results revealed that the initial movements were modulated depending on the time constraints for potential targets. However, under tight time constraints, the performance in the double-target condition was lower than the single-target condition, which was a control condition implemented to estimate performance when one target is ignored. These results indicate that the initial movement for multiple potential targets with independent time constraints can be modified, but the planning is suboptimal.
Use of telemedicine for follow-up of lupus nephritis in the COVID-19 outbreak: the 6-month results of a randomized controlled trial
Authors: SO Ho , CHOW Evelyn , CHENG Isaac T , LAU Sze-Lok , LI Tena K , SZETO Cheuk-Chun , TAM Lai Shan
Published: April 2021

Objective To evaluate the short-term patient satisfaction, compliance, disease control and infection risk of telemedicine (TM) compared with standard in-person follow-up (FU) for patients with lupus nephritis (LN) during COVID-19.Methods This was a single-center open-label randomized controlled study. Consecutive patients followed at the LN clinic were randomized to either TM or standard FU (SF) group in a 1:1 ratio. Patients in the TM group received FU via videoconferencing. SF group patients continued conventional in-person outpatient care. The 6-month data were compared and presented.Results From June to December 2020, 122 patients were randomized (TM: 60, SF: 62) and had at least 2 FUs. There were no baseline differences, including SLEDAI-2k and proportion of patients in lupus low disease activity state (LLDAS), between the 2 groups except a higher physician global assessment score (PGA) in the TM group. After a mean FU of 19.8 ± 4.5 weeks, the overall patient satisfaction score was higher in the TM group. More patients in the TM group had hospitalization (15/60, 25.0% vs 7/62, 11.3%; p = 0.049) with higher baseline PGA (OR = 1.15, 95% CI 1.07–1.23) being the independent predictor. The proportions of patients remained in LLDAS were similar in the 2 groups (TM: 75.0% vs SF: 74.2%, p = 0.919). None of the patients had COVID-19.Conclusion TM FU resulted in better patient satisfaction and similar short-term disease control in patients with LN compared to standard care. However, it was associated with more hospitalizations and might need to be complemented by in-person visits especially in patients with higher PGA.
A Smart City Application: Waste Collection System with LoRaWAN Network for Providing Green Environment, Cost Effective and Low Power Consumption Solutions.
Authors: Aktay Erol , Yalçın Nursel
Published: April 2021

The trend towards cities and urbanization, which increases the number of people living in urban areas, makes it necessary for local authorities to be more efficient and effective in providing services and natural resources and to develop some strategies for a sustainable environment. The more effective use of resources, increasing awareness of sustainable environment, climate confidence and motivation to make cities more livable is a new concept Smart City. In this study, the proposed system supports the garbage collection of the city government and works with low budget, low energy and free radio frequencies. The IoT (Internet of Things) sensor node is assembled, and the network is set up based on LoraWan protocol to connect it to the sample garbage can and collect data. Instant data collection by this network through the Internet of Things approaches and designed using this collected data. To establish an ideal system for smart garbage collection for cities and support sustainability in cities by integrating it with city government information systems. The data received from the sensor nodes and the efficiency of the system were demonstrated for the local governments. The primary outcome of this research is how to build a practical smart city application with minimum resources and support local authorities in their daily operation. Moreover, another objective is to investigate how low-power wan communication network in 868Mhz frequency works in İstanbul- TURKEY and the best alternative for cellular networks for excellent communication in smart cities.
Concordance of Acquired Mutations between Metastatic Lesions and Liquid Biopsy in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Treated with Anti-EGFR Therapy
Authors: Taniguchi Fumitaka , Nyuya Akihiro , Toshima Toshiaki , Yasui Kazuya , Mori Yoshiko , Okawaki Makoto , Kishimoto Hiroyuki , Umeda Yuzo , Fujiwara Toshiyoshi , Tanioka Hiroaki , Yamaguchi Yoshiyuki , Goel Ajay , Nagasaka Takeshi
Published: April 2021

Background: Acquired mutations are detected in plasma. However, still few reports examine the concordance between liquid biopsy and metastatic lesions with acquired resistance. Herein we evaluated whether a polymerase chain reaction-reverse sequence-specific oligonucleotide (PCR-rSSO) method can examine the concordance between liquid biopsy and metastatic lesions with acquired resistance.Methods: Firstly, we examined the presence of acquired mutations in 7 chemoresistant metastatic lesions and blood samples obtained from a metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patient without RAS activating mutations treated with anti-EGFR treatment. The patient (patient 1) displayed initial early tumor shrinkage and finally progressed to disease (PD). Blood samples were collected before the development of PD and after acquiring resistance. Next, we evaluated RAS and BRAF mutational status among blood samples, primary tumors, and metastatic lesions obtained from three additional mCRC patients without RAS activating mutations. Acquired mutations were examined using Sanger sequencing and the PCR-rSSO approach.Results: Of patient 1, metastatic tumor specimens harbored diverse acquired mutations in the KRAS gene in all of the 7 (100%) metastases, and the three acquired mutations were detected in blood specimens collected after acquiring resistance. Next, we analyzed primary tumors, metastatic lesions after chemotherapy, and blood samples from three additional mCRC patients but noted that none of the patients exhibited mutations in liquid biopsy except for one case with BRAF V600E mutation, which was confirmed in both primary tumor and peritoneal dissemination. Of the four cases, acquired mutations of RAS, as well as BRAF V600E mutation, was detected in the blood obtained only after confirmation of acquiring resistance by radiological examinations.Conclusions: Our results suggest liquid biopsy based on the PCR-rSSO is a successful procedure for capturing acquired mutations with precise information of mutational spectrum that may lend us to reach selective target agents for RAS mutations.