bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Wrist Function Recovery Course in Patients with Scaphoid Nonunion Treated with Combined Volar Bone Grafting and a Dorsal Antegrade Headless Screw
Authors: Yeh Chen-Wei , Hsu Cheng-En , Wang Wei-Chih , Chiu Yung-Cheng
Published: October 2020

Objectives:Surgical treatment is necessary for scaphoid nonunion. Open surgery with a combined volar and dorsal approach is thought to have poor functional outcomes and a prolonged recovery course. However, the detailed recovery course for this approach is rarely reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the recovery course and radiographic outcome for patients with scaphoid nonunion who underwent a combined volar bone grafting and dorsal antegrade headless screw approach.Material and methods:Eighteen patients with scaphoid nonunion who underwent combined volar bone grafting and dorsal antegrade headless screw fixation were enrolled in this retrospective study. Preoperative and serial postoperative wrist functional and radiographic outcomes were collected and analysed.Results:All 18 patients achieved bone union at a mean time of 14 weeks. Compared to the preoperative status, the grip strength was significantly recovered, and the Mayo wrist score improved significantly 6 months after surgery. Wrist motion arc was significantly improved 9 months after surgery, while the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) score did not recover until 12 months after surgery. Significant improvements were found in all scaphoid radiographic parameters.Conclusion:The surgical outcomes for scaphoid nonunion treated with a combined volar bone grafting and dorsal antegrade headless screw achieved a high union rate, with great wrist functional and radiographic outcomes. The earliest recovered wrist functional parameters were grip strength and Mayo wrist score followed by the motion arc and finally the DASH score at postoperative 6, 9 months and 12 months, respectively.
Biomechanical Effect of 3D-Printed Foot Orthoses in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis
Authors: Lin Kuang-Wei , Chou Li-Wei , Su Yi-Tien , Wei Shun-Hwa , Chen Chen-Sheng
Published: October 2020

Background: Lateral wedges comprise a common conservative treatment for medial knee osteoarthritis (OA). However, use of lateral wedges might increases the ankle eversion moment. To minimize the risk of ankle joint, lateral wedges with custom arch support are suggested. However, the manufacturing process of a custom foot orthosis (FO) is complicated, labor intensive, and time consuming. The technology of 3D printing is an ideal method for mass customization. Therefore. the purpose of this study was to develop custom FOs using 3D printing techniques and to evaluate the biomechanical effects of 3D-printed FOs in patients with medial knee OA.Methods: Fifteen patients with medial knee OA were enrolled into this study. Kinematic and kinetic data were collected during walking by using an optical motion capture system. A paired-sample t-test was conducted to compare biomechanical variables under two conditions: walking in standard shoes (Shoe) and walking in shoes embedded with 3D-printed FOs (Shoe + FO).Results: Under the Shoe + FO condition, the center of pressure at the peak knee adduction moment significantly shifted laterally by 2.71 mm compared with the Shoe condition. No significant difference in the peak knee flexion moment was observed between the two conditions. In addition, both the first and second peak knee adduction moments were significantly reduced by 4.08% and 9.09% under the Shoe + FO condition. The 3D-printed FOs did not affect the ankle eversion moment but caused a decrease in the peak ankle inversion moment.Conclusions: The 3D-printed FOs caused a decrease in the ankle inversion moment, the first and second peak knee adduction moments by changing the center of pressure path laterally. Although the decrease in the knee flexion moment from the use of 3D-printed FOs was nonsignificant, such FOs engender biomechanical changes and positively influence the biomechanics of patients with knee OA.
Vehicular Trajectory Estimation Utilizing Slip Angle Based on GNSS Doppler/IMU
Authors: Takikawa Kanamu , Atsumi Yoshiki , Takanose Aoki , Meguro Junichi
Published: October 2020

Accurate vehicular trajectory estimation is important for the recently developed autonomous driving systems. As the accuracy of the vehicular trajectory estimation is reduced with the slippage that occurs during turning, we propose a method in this study to accurately estimate the trajectory of a vehicle, focusing on the slip angle estimation. Although the two-wheel model is used as a general concept slip angle estimation, the accurate estimation of the parameters was difficult using the conventional methods. Therefore, a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) Doppler was used for parameter estimation. In addition, the roll angle was estimated as it occurs during turning and affects the slip angle of the vehicle. Specifically, we verified the improvement in accuracy of the vehicular trajectory estimation using the cost-effective GNSS Doppler/inertial measurement unit.
Analysis on the Trend of AIDS Incidence in Zhejiang, China Based on the Age-Period-Cohort Model from 2004 to 2018
Authors: Lu Zhenzhen , Ji Weidong , Yin Yi , Jin Xinye , Wang Lu , Li Zhongjie , Wang Ning , Wang Kai , Peng Zhihang
Published: October 2020

Background: To predict the trend of acquired immune deficiency syndrome(AIDS) in specific age groups and to determine the objective population for AIDS screening, we explored the three transmission routes (homosexual transmission, heterosexual transmission, drug injection and others) and characterized each patients group using the Age-Period-Cohort(APC) model based on the whole, local and immigrant populations in Zhejiang, China.Methods: The data recruited in this paper was obtained from the national "Comprehensive AIDS Prevention and Control Information System - Antiviral Therapy Management" database and the Chinese Disease Prevention and Control Information System and the Statistical Yearbook of Zhejiang, China. An APC model was used to estimate the impact of age, period and cohort on the incidence rate of AIDS, and to predict the AIDS incidence rate in specific age groups based on sexes and transmission routes.Results: The AIDS incidence rate peaked in males between 20 and 35 years old; the incidence rate of males was higher than that of females due to the impact of period; obvious cohort effect was observed among the immigrants. In the whole and local populations, the incidence rates of males in all age groups and females in both the 35-year-old group and the whole age group were predicted to increase sharply in five years. In the immigrant population, the AIDS incidence rates of males and females in all age groups were expected to increase significantly in five years; influenced by age, the incidence of AIDS through homosexual transmission peaked between 20 and 35 years old in the whole and local populations; under the influence of period, the incidence of AIDS via homosexual transmission in the whole and local populations increased and remained stable after 2015, and the incidence of AIDS transmitted by homosexual and heterosexual routes in the immigrants also showed an increasing trend. As a result of the cohort effect, the incidence of AIDS transmitted through homosexual route among the whole and local populations peaked in 1990; the incidence of AIDS in all age groups through different transmission routes would show an upward trend over the next five years.Conclusions: The results elucidate that there are sex differences in AIDS incidence rate, and the incidence of AIDS through various transmission routes in all groups is predicted to exhibit an upward trend in the five years to come. Effective intervention strategies should be developed and implemented by the public health departments in Zhejiang to control the epidemic of AIDS.
Three-Dimensional Culture and Characterization of Patient-Derived Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Organoids
Authors: Wang Li , Zhang Xiujuan , Feng Xiaoyu , Duan Chen , Luo Jiqin , Zhu Bijun , Yu Hongmeng , Yu Yiqun
Published: October 2020

Background: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a malignant tumor with high incidence in East and Southeast Asia. A proper and effective model is urgently needed to explore the mechanisms of tumorigenesis and provide new ideas and methods of cancer treatment.Methods: In this study, we established a three-dimensional (3D) organoid model by patient-derived NPC tissues and adjacent tissues. We described a detailed protocol for culturing of human NPC organoids (including tissue preparation, digestion, culture, subculture, section and immunostaining). The organoids were identified by immunostaining against NPC biomarkers. The drug sensitivity against cisplatin was tested by immunostaining against Ki67 and cleaved Caspase 3.Results: This method was proved to be feasible due to the presence of biomarkers including Vimentin, P63, EGFR and CK34βE12 as well as proliferative/progenitor characteristics such as Ki67, Sox2 and CD54 in NPC organoids. The chemotherapy sensitivity of NPC organoids to cisplatin treatment showed that NPC organoids may be utilized as a platform to verify the effectiveness of different antineoplastic drugs, facilitating to achieve personalized treatment.Conclusions: The NPC organoid may inspire a personalized approach to the management of NPC and expand the repertoire of anti-NPC drugs.
Synthesis and characterization of Eu3+ doped TiO2 thin films deposited by spray pyrolysis technique for photocatalytic application
Authors: Alshomar Shereen
Published: October 2020

In this study, nanocrystalline TiO 2 : Eu 3+ thin films are successfully formed by spray pyrolysis technique deposited on glass substrate. Optical, electrical, structure, surface morphology, and photocatalytic degradation of Methylene blue have been examined. The optical properties of the films are analyzed using transmittance and reflectance spectra, which are measured using UV-Vis-NIR double-beam spectrophotometer. Optical properties such as refractive index (n), extinction coefficient (k), optical conductivity (σ) and Urbach energy (E u ) have been calculated as a function of Eu 3+ concentration. Film thickness were evaluated using the refractive index dependence on wavelength . The films thickness were determined as 97.13, 122.62, 123.24, 117.14 and 128.25 nm, respectively, for Eu doped TiO 2 at 0,4, 6, 8 and 10 wt % doping concentration. The band gap values raised from 3.29 to 3.42 eV with increasing the Eu 3+ dopant concentration. The highest electrical conductivity was found to be 3.01x10 -2 (Ω.cm) -1 at high doping level with 10 wt% Eu 3+ . The XRD analysis illustrate the tetragonal crystal structure of films with anatase phase and reduces crystallite size linearly with increasing Eu 3+ concentration. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis indicated consistent allocation of irregular and spherical shaped grains covering the substrate surface. The average grain size in range of 82.5 – 51.1 nm is observed and films show porous nature. The photocatalytic effect of TiO 2 : Eu 3+ thin films is predicted from the degradation of methylene blue (MB) at room temperature under UV light irradiation. An enhancement in photocatalytic degradation observed by increasing the amount of Eu 3+ due to increase in the e/h pair production and increase of ﬁlm thickness. These results make TiO 2 : Eu 3+ thin films as attractive candidate for photovoltaic cells and other optoelectronic device applications
Selecting optimal reference genes for breast cancer research
Authors: Song Qiang , Huang Man , Wu Guicheng , Dou Lu , Zhang Wenjin , Peng Yang , Wang Jiangen , Wang Chaoyi , Zhao Qiurong , Wu Shaobo , Luo Xiaohe , Zhang Jipan , Wang Mengyuan
Published: October 2020

Background Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) is the most sensitive technique for evaluating gene expression levels. Choosing appropriate reference genes (RGs) is critical for normalizing and evaluating changes in the expression of target genes. However, uniform and reliable RGs for breast cancer research have not been identified, limiting the value of target gene expression studies. Here, we provide a novel approach for mining RGs by using the RNA-seq dataset to identify reliable and accurate RGs that can be applied to different types of breast cancer tissues and cell lines. Methods First, we compiled the transcriptome profiling data from the TCGA database involving 1217 samples to identify novel RGs and then ten genes (SF1, TARDBP, THRAP3, QRICH1, TRA2B, SRSF3, YY1, DNAJC8, RNF10, and RHOA) with relatively stable expression levels were chosen as novel candidate RGs. Additionally, six conventional RGs (ACTB, TUBA1A, RPL13A, B2M, GAPDH, and GUSB) were also selected. To determine and validate the optimal RGs we performed qRT-PCR experiments on 87 samples from 5 types of surgically excised breast tumor specimens including HR+HER2-, HR+HER2+, HR-HER2-, HR-HER2+, breast cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and their matched para-carcinoma tissues, furthermore, we also included a benign breast tumor sample. Six biological replicates were included for each tissue. Moreover, we assessed 7 breast cancer cell lines (MCF-10A, MCF-7, T-47D, MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468, as well as MDA-MB-231 with either CNR2 knockdown or overexpression; 3 biological replicates for each line). Five statistical algorithms (geNorm, NormFinder, ΔCt method, BestKeeper, and ComprFinder) were used to assess the stability of expression of each RG across all breast cancer tissues and cell lines. Results Our results show that RG combinations SF1+TRA2B+THRAP3 and THRAP3+RHOA+QRICH1 showed stable expression in breast cancer tissues and cell lines, respectively, and that these two combinations displayed good interchangeability. Therefore, we propose that the above two combinations are optimal triplet RGs for breast cancer research. Conclusions In summary, we identified novel and reliable RG combinations for breast cancer research based on a public RNA-seq dataset which lays a solid foundation for accurate normalization of qRT-PCR results across different breast cancer tissues and cells.
Prediction of Immune-Checkpoint Blockade Monotherapy Response in Patients with Melanoma Based on Easily Accessible Clinical Indicators
Authors: Byun Hwa Kyung , Chang Jeesuk , Jung Minkyu , Koom Woong Sub , Chung Kee Yang , Oh Byung Ho , Roh Mi Ryung , Kim Kyung Hwan , Lee Choong-Kun , Shin Sang Joon
Published: October 2020

Background: Immune checkpoint blocker (ICB) has shown significant clinical activity in melanoma. However, there are no clinically approved biomarkers to aid patient selection. We aimed to identify patients with advanced or metastatic melanoma who are likely to benefit from ICB monotherapy using easily accessible clinical indicators. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 134 patients with advanced or metastatic melanoma who received ICB monotherapy between 2014 and 2018. Prognostic factors of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were determined using Cox regression analysis. Results: During the median follow-up of 13.7 months, the median OS and PFS were 18.4 and 3.4 months, respectively. Visceral/central nervous system (CNS) metastasis (OS: adjusted hazards ratio [HR], 1.82; p=.014; PFS: HR, 1.59; p=.024), lymphopenia (<1000 cells/µL) within 3 months (OS: HR, 1.89, p=.006; PFS: HR, 1.70; p=.010), and elevated baseline lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level (OS: HR, 2.61; p<.001; PFS: HR, 2.66; p<.001) were independent prognostic factors for both poor OS and PFS. Development of immune-related adverse events (irAE; e.g., hypothyroidism or vitiligo) within 6 months showed a trend toward better OS in multivariate analysis (HR, 0.37; p=.058). Patients with normal LDH levels and no visceral/CNS metastasis had a substantially better OS than the others (median, 40.4 vs. 13.6 months; p<.001). Among others, patients who developed irAE within 6 months achieved long-term OS (median, 43.6 vs. 13.1 months; p=.008). A decision tree was suggested using four risk factors, and the risk stratification provided significant distinction between the survival curves. Conclusion: The four easily accessible clinical indicators associated with better treatment outcomes after ICB monotherapy in patients with advanced or metastatic melanoma were LDH level, the extent of disease, lymphopenia, and irAE. The combined use of these indicators can be clinically useful in improving risk stratification of patients treated with ICB monotherapy.
Accuracy of p16/Ki-67 dual staining for improved cervical cancer risk stratification in women aged ≤30 years with hr-HPV positive
Authors: Wang Xingmin , Wang Xindan , Wu Ping , Fu Jinjian , Yi Guixian , Xu Jianhua
Published: October 2020

Background: Cervical cancer (CC) is the most common malignancy inwomen on the earth. Cervical cancer usually develops from cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) grade 1 or above. Early detection of CIN1 or above precancerous lesion can effective control of cervical cancer incidence. The goal of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of p16/Ki67 dual staining in triaging hr-HPV positive population aged ≤ 30 years. Methods: A total of 336 women with an average age of 27.8 years old were included in this study. Liquid based cytology (LBC) samples were detected by p16/Ki67 immunocytochemical dual staining, liquid-based cytology, high-risk human papillomavirus (hr-HPV) and HPV 16/18 test. Diagnosis of each method was verified by histopathological test. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and AUC (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, ROC curve) was obtained. Results: All assays had a high sensitivity for the detection of CIN2+. p16/Ki67 dual staining had similar sensitivity with hr-HPV test for CIN2+ detection (89.9% vs 93.9%, P = 0.781), and had similar sensitivity with LBC test (89.9% vs 82.7%, P=0.588). However, p16/Ki67 dual staining had higher specificity than that of both hr-HPV test (70.1% vs 25.5%, P<0.001) and LBC test (70.1% vs 38.9%, P=0.002) for CIN2+ detection. p16/Ki67 dual staining had bigger AUC (0.80) than that of hr-HPV test (0.60) and LBC test (0.61), the P value was 0.002, 0.003, respectively. The specificity of dual staining for CIN2+ detection in hr-HPV positive women was 70.1%, which was higher than that of LBC test (41.9%, P=0.020). Colposcopy referral rate of p16/Ki67 was lower than that of both hr-HPV and LBC (P=0.002, <0.001, respectively). HPV infection was significantly associated with p16/Ki67 expression in all patients. p16/Ki67 expression in HPV16/18 and other 15 types of hr-HPV infection was significantly higher than negative hr-HPV infection, odds ratio (OR) was 12.16 (95% confidence interval, 95% CI = 5.82-25.41) and 2.65 (95% CI = 1.27-5.51), respectively. Conclusions: p16/Ki67 dual staining has a good specificity of high-grade cervical lesions detection and is a promising tool in triage of CIN2+ and hr-HPV positive population and avoid over diagnosis and treatment.
Gastric Cancer Stem Cells Survive in Stress Environments via Their Autophagy System
Authors: Togano Shingo , Yashiro Masakazu , Masuda Go , Sugimoto Atsushi , Miki Yuichiro , Yamamoto Yurie , Sera Tomohiro , Kushiyama Shuhei , Nishimura Sadaaki , Kuroda Kenji , Okuno Tomohisa , Ohira Masaichi
Published: October 2020

Background: It has been reported that cancer stem cells (CSCs) play an important role in the progression of carcinoma and have a high potential for survival in various stress environments such as starvation and hypoxia. However, the mechanisms responsible for the capacity of CSCs to survive under stresses have been unclear. The aim of this study was to clarify the significance of the autophagy systems of CSCs under stress environments.Methods: Four human gastric cancer cell line, OCUM-12, OCUM-2MD3, MKN-45 and MKN-74 were used. Side population (SP) cells were sorted from the parent OCUM-12 and OCUM-2MD3, as CSC rich cells. The expression of stem cell markers was examined by RT-PCR. The viability of cancer cells under starvation and hypoxia (1%O2) was evaluated by MTT assay with or without the autophagy inhibitor, chloroquine. The expression level of the autophagy molecule LC3-II was examined by western blot. The numbers of autophagosomes and autolysosomes were counted by electron microscope.Results: SP cells of OCUM-12 showed a higher expression of stem cell markers and higher viability in starvation and hypoxia. Western blot and electron microscope examinations indicated that the autophagy was more induced in SP cells than in parent cells. The autophagy inhibitor significantly decreased the viability and the proportion of SP cells under the stress environments.Conclusions: Cancer stem cells of gastric cancer might maintain their viability under stress environments of starvation and hypoxia via the autophagy system. Autophagy inhibitors might be a promising therapeutic agent for gastric cancer.
Data science in economics: comprehensive review of advanced machine learning and deep learning methods
Authors: Nosratabadi Saeed , Mosavi Amir , Duan Puhong , Ghamisi Pedram , Ferdinand Filip , Band Shahab S. , Reuter Uwe , Gama Joao , Gandomi Amir H.
Published: October 2020

This paper provides the state of the art of data science in economics. Through a novel taxonomy of applications and methods advances in data science are investigated. The data science advances are investigated in three individual classes of deep learning models, ensemble models, and hybrid models. Application domains include stock market, marketing, E-commerce, corporate banking, and cryptocurrency. Prisma method, a systematic literature review methodology is used to ensure the quality of the survey. The findings revealed that the trends are on advancement of hybrid models as more than 51% of the reviewed articles applied hybrid model. On the other hand, it is found that based on the RMSE accuracy metric, hybrid models had higher prediction accuracy than other algorithms. While it is expected the trends go toward the advancements of deep learning models.
Smart Governance of City’s Culture: Theoretical and Empirical Aspects
Authors: Milkintas Rytis
Published: October 2020

The goal of the research is to prepare a theoretical model of smart cultural governance and to evaluate the smart cultural management of Šiauliai city according to it. The background of creating a smart culture governance model is to define the theoretical constructs of smart city and smart culture management by looking for correlations between these concepts in order to closely link cultural management with the implementation of cultural policy in city management processes and to highlight the specifics of smart cultural management. A systematic model of a smart city is formed and presented, of which cultural management is an integral part. The model highlights the links between cultural management and other dimensions of the smart city. The theoretical model of smart culture management, which was adapted to investigate the expression of smart culture management in Šiauliai city, is presented. This kind of research has not been done so far in analyzing smart culture management in Šiauliai city. The need for the research was inspired by culture specialists of Šiauliai City Municipality Administration and heads of cultural institutions. The qualitative content analysis of theoretical sources of foreign countries and Lithuania was conducted as well as in-depth interviews to collect information that was processed through qualitative content analysis and systematized using matrices. The assessment of model expression based on the informants’ attitudes enabled the researcher to draw substantive conclusions.

The research is relevant to Šiauliai city culture field institutions (private, subordinate municipality, subordinate to the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania), Šiauliai city culture field policymakers. In a broader sense, the improvement in the quality of the intelligent social system highlighted in the study will significantly contribute to the general level of culture in Šiauliai. These positive changes will be experienced by the recipients of cultural services.

Further research in the field of smart city cultural management is planned to analyze not only the situation of Šiauliai city but also the cultural field of Lithuania as a whole, in connection with the practices of the international cultural field. It is planned to study the smoothness of the transformation of cultural field institutions, adaptation to smart cultural management, and the emerging challenges. Further research is planned to analyze the scientific studies prepared by smart cities, to look for specific actions highlighted in them, challenges for the cultural sector in adapting to the gradual transformation of cities into smart cities.
Long-term Results of the Combined Use of Rotational Atherectomy and Drug-Coated Balloon in Isolated Total Occlusion of the Superficial Femoral Artery
Authors: BAYRAKTAR Fatih Avni , KOCAASLAN Cemal , BADEMCİ Mehmet Şenel , SELÇUK Emre , AYDIN Ebuzer
Published: October 2020

Aim: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the long-term results of combined treatment with rotational atherectomy (RA) and drug-coated balloon (DCB) in isolated total occlusion of the superficial femoral artery (SFA).

Materials and Methods: The retrospective study was conducted between February 2016 and January 2018 and included a total of 23 limbs of 20 patients with isolated total occlusion of the SFA. Patient data on demographic and clinical characteristics were obtained from the hospital records. The stage of the disease was classified according to the Rutherford classification. The ankle–brachial index was measured pre- and postoperatively.

Results: Of the patients, 19 (95%) were male and one (5%) was female. The mean patient age was 67.40±7.50 (49–77) years. The patient distribution according to the preoperative Rutherford classification was as follows: stage 5, four (17.40%) patients; stage 4, eight (34.80%) patients; stage 3, eleven (47.80%) patients. The rates of one- and two-year freedom from target lesion revascularization were 82.61% and 69.57%, respectively.

Discussion and Conclusion: Our study results showed that combined treatment with RA and DCB was an effective method in SFA lesions with a high calcified plaque burden, providing high rates of primary patency and freedom from target lesion revascularization as well as low rates of complication.
In Silico Investigation of Signal Peptide Sequences to Enhance Secretion of CD44 Nanobodies Expressed in Escherichia coli
Authors: Kavousipour Soudabeh , Mohammadi Shiva , Eftekhar Ebrahim , Barazesh Mahdi , Morowvat Mohammad H.
Published: October 2020

Background:

The selection of a suitable signal peptide that can direct recombinant proteins from the cytoplasm
to the extracellular space is an important criterion affecting the production of recombinant proteins in Escherichia coli, a
widely used host. Nanobodies are currently attracting the attention of scientists as antibody alternatives due to their specific
properties and feasibility of production in E. coli.

Objective:

CD44 nanobodies constitute a potent therapeutic agent that can block CD44/HA interaction in cancer and inflammatory diseases. This molecule may also function as a drug against cancer cells and has been produced previously in E.
coli without a signal peptide sequence. The goal of this project was to find a suitable signal peptide to direct CD44 nanobody extracellular secretion in E. coli that will potentially lead to optimization of experimental methods and facilitate downstream steps such as purification.

Methods:

We analyzed 40 E. coli derived signal peptides retrieved from the Signal Peptide database and selected the best
candidate signal peptides according to relevant criteria including signal peptide probability, stability, and physicochemical
features, which were evaluated using signalP software version 4.1 and the ProtParam tool, respectively.

Results:

In this in silico study, suitable candidate signal peptide(s) for CD44 nanobody secretory expression were identified.
CSGA, TRBC, YTFQ, NIKA, and DGAL were selected as appropriate signal peptides with acceptable D-scores, and appropriate physicochemical and structural properties. Following further analysis, TRBC was selected as the best signal peptide to
direct CD44 nanobody expression to the extracellular space of E. coli.

Conclusion:

The selected signal peptide, TRBC is the most suitable to promote high level secretory production of CD44
nanobodies in E. coli and potentially will be useful for scaling up CD44 nanobody production in experimental research as
well as in other CD44 nanobody applications. However, experimental work is needed to confirm the data.
A Five-gene Signature for Predicting the Prognosis of Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Hong Junfeng , Lin Xiangwu , Hu Xinyu , Wu Xiaolong , Fang Wenzheng
Published: October 2020

Background:

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a kind of tumor with high incidence and its
treatment situation is still very difficult despite the constant renewal and development of treatment
methods.

Objective:

To assist the prognosis, monitoring and survival of CRC patients with a model.

Methods:

In this study, we established a new prognostic model for CRC. Four groups of CRC data
were accessed from the GEO database, and then differential analysis (logFoldChange>1, adjust-
P<0.05) was carried out by using the limma package along with the RobustRankAggreg package
used to identify the overlapping differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Univariate and multivariate
Cox regression analyses were performed on the DEGs to screen the genes related to the patient’s
prognosis, and a five-gene prognostic prediction model (including RPX, CXCL13, MMP10,
FABP4 and CLDN23) was constructed. Then, we further plotted ROC curves to evaluate the predictive
performance of the five-gene prognostic signature in the TCGA data sets (the AUC values
of 1, 3, 5-year survival were 0.68, 0.632, 0.675, respectively) and an external independent data set
GSE2962 (the AUC values of 1, 3, 5-year survival were 0.689, 0.702, 0.631, respectively).

Results:

The results showed that the model could effectively predict the prognosis of CRC patients,
which provides a robust predictive model for the prognosis of CRC patients.

Conclusion:

The model could effectively predict the prognosis of CRC patients, which provides a
robust predictive model for the prognosis of CRC patients.
In vitro Anti-HIV-1 Activity of the Recombinant HIV-1 TAT Protein Along With Tenofovir Drug
Authors: Yadavar-Nikravesh Maryam-Sadat , Milani Alireza , Vahabpour Rouhollah , Khoobi Mehdi , Bakhshandeh Haleh , Bolhassani Azam
Published: October 2020

Background:

HIV-1 TAT protein is essential for the regulation of viral genome transcription.
The first exon of TAT protein has a fundamental role in the stimulation of the extrinsic
and intrinsic apoptosis pathways, but its anti-HIV activity is not clear yet.

Methods:

In the current study, we firstly cloned the first exon of the TAT coding sequence in the
pET-24a expression vector and then protein expression was done in the Rosetta expression host.
Next, the expressed TAT protein was purified by Ni-NTA column under native conditions. After
that, the protein yield was determined by Bradford kit and NanoDrop spectrophotometry. Finally,
the cytotoxicity effect and anti-Scr-HIV-1 activity of the recombinant TAT protein alone and along
with Tenofovir drug were assessed by MTT and ELISA, respectively.

Results:

The recombinant TAT protein was successfully generated in E. coli, as confirmed by
13.5% SDS-PAGE and western blotting. The protein yield was ~150-200 μg/ml. In addition, the recombinant
TAT protein at a certain dose with low toxicity could suppress Scr-HIV replication in
the infected HeLa cells (~30%) that was comparable with a low toxic dose of Tenofovir drug
(~40%). It was interesting that the recombinant TAT protein could enhance anti-HIV potency of
Tenofovir drug up to 66%.

Conclusion:

Generally, a combination of TAT protein and Tenofovir drug could significantly inhibit
HIV-1 replication. It will be required to determine their mechanism of action in the next
studies.
Alpha-1-Antichymotrypsin: A Common Player for Type 2 Diabetes and Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Guzmán-Herrera Nataly , Pérez-Nájera Viridiana C. , Salazar-Olivo Luis A.
Published: October 2020

Background:

Numerous studies have shown a significant association between Type 2
Diabetes Mellitus (T2D) and Alzheimer's Disease (AD), two pathologies affecting millions of people
worldwide. Chronic inflammation and oxidative stress are two conditions common to these diseases,
also affecting the activity of the serpin Alpha-1-antichymotrypsin (ACT), but a possible common
role for this serpin in T2D and AD remains unclear.

Objective:

To explore the possible regulatory networks linking ACT to T2D and AD.

Materials and Methods:

A bibliographic search was carried out in PubMed, Medline, Open-i, ScienceDirect,
Scopus, and SpringerLink for data indicating or suggesting association among T2D,
AD, and ACT. Searched terms like “alpha-1-antichymotrypsin”, “type 2 diabetes”, “Alzheimer's
disease”, “oxidative stress”, “pro-inflammatory mediators” among others were used. Moreover,
common therapeutic strategies between T2D and AD as well as the use of ACT as a therapeutic target
for both diseases were included.

Results:

ACT has been linked with the development and maintenance of T2D and AD and studies
suggest their participation through the activation of inflammatory pathways and oxidative stress,
mechanisms also associated with both diseases. Likewise, evidences indicate that diverse therapeutic
approaches are common to both diseases.

Conclusion:

Inflammatory and oxidative stresses constitute a crossroad for T2D and AD, where
ACT could play an important role. In-depth research on ACT involvement in these two dysfunctions
could generate new therapeutic strategies for T2D and AD.
Studying the Anti-Tumor Effects of siRNA Gene Silencing of Some Metabolic Genes in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Al Hanjori Ahmad S. , Alshaer Walhan , Al-Anati Bayan , Wehaibi Suha , Zihlif Malek
Published: October 2020

Background:

Earlier diagnosis and advances in treatment strategies have increased the
average survival of cancer patients over the last decades. Despite the increased number of new anti-
neoplastic agents, there has been no adequate therapy for intricate malignancies, such as pancreatic
cancer. Cancer metabolism is the main building block standing behind cancer promotion and progression,
even in the presence of a harsh environment. Targeting metabolic pathways, such as glycolysis
and pentose phosphate pathway, are regarded as a promising new strategy for cancer treatment.

Objective:

The current study aimed to investigate the effects of knocking-down pancreatic cancer
glycolytic and pentose phosphate pathway's regulators (HIF-1α, ARNT, PFKFB4, and RBKS) on
cell’s viability and resistance to Gemcitabine and Doxorubicin, using small interference RNA.

Methodology:

The human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cell line, Panc-1, was used to study
the anti-proliferative activity of targeting HIF-1α, ARNT, PFKFB4, and RBKS mRNAs by transfection
with small interference RNAs, alone and in combination. The transfected cells were also treated
with Doxorubicin and Gemcitabine to study the relationship between the concerned genes and
the resistance of Panc-1 cells to these drugs. The effect on cell proliferation was determined using
a colorimetric assay and Inhibitory Concentration ((IC50) calculation. A cross-talk study was done
to investigate the silencing effect of one of the above genes on the expression of others using Real
Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction.

Results:

In vitro transfection with small interference-RNAs, siHIF-1α, siPFKFB4, and siARNT decreased
tumor cell proliferation with a maximum effect shown by siPFKFB4; but there was no anti-
proliferative effect with RBKS silencing. Suppression of transcription of HIF-1α, ARNT,
PFKFB4, and RBKS sensitize pancreatic cancer cells, Panc-1, to Doxorubicin and Gemcitabine.

Conclusion:

This study demonstrated the major tumor-promoting and progressive effects of
PFKFB4, while HIF-1α and ARNT had modulator effects in pancreatic cancer cells (Panc-1).
RBKS had a chemo-resistant role, justifying its enhanced expression in Panc-1 cells, but not a proliferative
one. Silencing of all genes of interest decreased Doxorubicin and Gemcitabine's resistance
and improved their antitumor effect Din the pancreatic cancer cell line, Panc-1.
Nuclear Imaging of Post-infarction Inflammation in Ischemic Cardiac Diseases - New Radiotracers for Potential Clinical Applications
Authors: Krenning Boudewijn J. , der Heiden Kim van , Duncker Dirk J. , de Jong Marion , Bernsen Monique R.
Published: October 2020

Acute myocardial infarction is one of the leading causes of death in the western world.
Despite major improvements in myocardial reperfusion with sophisticated percutaneous coronary
intervention technologies and new antithrombotic agents, there is still no effective therapy for preventing
post- infarction myocardial injury and remodeling. Death of cardiomyocytes following ischemia
results in “danger signals” that elicit an inflammatory reaction to remove cell debris and
form scar tissue. Optimal healing of the damaged myocardial tissue requires a coordinated cellular
response for sufficient wound healing and scar formation. However, if this inflammatory reaction
is overactive or incompletely resolved, adverse left ventricular remodeling and heart failure may occur.
Treatment aimed at the modulation of the post-MI inflammatory response has been widely pursued
and investigated. Although improved infarct healing was shown in many experimental preclinical
studies, to date, clinical trials using anti-inflammatory treatment strategies have been far less
successful. Clearly, a need exists for predicting and selecting patients at risk and selecting the most
appropriate therapy for individual patients. To this end, imaging of the post-MI response has been
a topic of significant interest. In this review, we first discuss the clinical complications resulting
from myocardial inflammation following AMI and the need for non-invasive imaging techniques
using radiolabeled tracers. We then discuss the inflammatory reaction cascade following acute myocardial
infarction, the inflammatory reaction cascade following acute myocardial infarction focusing
on inflammatory cell types involved herein, and potential imaging targets for identifying these
cells during the inflammatory process. In addition, we discuss specific characteristics and limitations
of various preclinical animal models for ischemic heart disease since they are crucial in the development
and evaluation of the imaging techniques. Finally, we discuss the need for non-invasive
imaging approaches using radiolabeled tracers.
Solidifying Essential Balm into Electrospun Core-sheath Nanofibers for Prolonged Release
Authors: Zhao Kun , Yang Yao-Yao , Kang Shi-Xiong , Yu Deng-Guang
Published: October 2020

Background:

Essential Balm (EB) is a commonly used medicine with high volatility and
short shelf-life during storage.

Objective:

Slowing down the volatilization rate of EB and exploring the effect of fiber on the volatilization
rate of EB.

Methods:

In this study, electrospinning technology was used to convert the liquid EB into solid EB
in order to improve the balm’s storage and longevity.

Results:

Specifically, core-sheath nanofibers coated with EB were prepared by traditional coaxial
electrospinning technology, in which polyvinylpyrrolidone K90 was used as polymer sheath to reduce
the volatilization of EB in the core layer. Scanning electron microscopy images showed that
the core-sheath flow rate ratio is proportional to the sizes and number of spindles. EB was successfully
placed into the fibers and showed good compatibility with the carriers. Infrared spectroscopy
indicated the presence of a hydrogen bond between them. Volatility tests showed that all prepared
composites could delay the volatility of EB and improve its physical stability.

Conclusion:

This methodology can be applied toward increasing the shelf-life of liquid drugs by
using core-sheath nanofibers. The core-sheath fibers with good morphology are more propitious to
delay the volatilization rate of EB.
The impact of statins on the course of a new coronavirus infection: myth or reality?
Authors: Tarlovsky E. I.
Published: October 2020

The review presents data regarding the non-lipid effects of statins that may be useful in the treatment of patients with new coronavirus infection. The effects of statins such as antiflammatory, immunomodulatory, antithrombotic, as well as the restoration of endothelial dysfunction and the normalization of fibrinolysis are discussed. The effect of statins on SARS-CoV2 entry into the cell and viral replication is discussed. Recent data from observational clinical studies on the effect of statins on the severity of the course of a new coronavirus infection are presented.
AI-Provided Instant Differential Diagnosis of Pemphigus Vulgaris and Bullous Pemphigoid: Qualitative Study (Preprint)
Authors: He Xiaoyu , Su Juan , Wang Guangyu , Zhang Kang , Alexander Navarini , HSU Christophe , Li Fangfang , Chen Mingliang , Huang Kai , Yu Nianzhou , Huang Weihong , Bu Wenbo , Wang Yong , Zhao Shuang , Chen Xiang
Published: October 2020

BACKGROUND

Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) and bullous pemphigoid (BP) are two rare but severe inflammatory dermatoses. Due to the regional lack of trained dermatologists, many patients with these two diseases are misdiagnosed and therefore incorrectly treated. An artificial intelligence diagnosis framework would be highly adaptable for the early diagnosis of these two diseases.

OBJECTIVE

Design and evaluate an artificial intelligence diagnosis framework for PV and BP.

METHODS

The work was conducted on a dermatological dataset consisting of 17,735 clinical images and 346 patient metadata of bullous dermatoses. A two-stage diagnosis framework was designed, where the first stage trained a clinical image classification model to classify bullous dermatoses from five common skin diseases and normal skin and the second stage developed a multimodal classification model of clinical images and patient metadata to further differentiate PV and BP.

RESULTS

The clinical image classification model and the multimodal classification model achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.998 and 0.942, respectively. On the independent test set of 20 PV and 20 BP cases, our multimodal classification model (sensitivity: 0.85, specificity: 0.95) performed better than the average of 27 junior dermatologists (sensitivity: 0.68, specificity: 0.78) and comparable to the average of 69 senior dermatologists (sensitivity: 0.80, specificity: 0.87).

CONCLUSIONS

Our diagnosis framework based on clinical images and patient metadata achieved expert-level identification of PV and BP, and is potential to be an effective tool for dermatologists in remote areas in the early diagnosis of these two diseases.
Decline of Psychological Health Following the Designation of COVID-19 as a Pandemic: Descriptive Study (Preprint)
Authors: Patel Darpan I , Gamez Yazmin , Shah Lajja , Patel Jaini
Published: October 2020

BACKGROUND

COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020, and as of this writing, Texas, United States, has reported >675,000 cases with over 14,000 deaths. Many of the preventive measures implemented during the pandemic can increase sedentary lifestyles, which can lead to the development of chronic diseases, including obesity, among the general population and cause serious threats to people’s physical health and overall quality of life. Individuals with pre-existing comorbidities are at an increased risk of COVID-19 and may hence have higher levels of stress.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between physical activity levels and mental health status on an individual level and to compare them between those with and those without comorbidities in a cohort of Texas residents, before and after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic.

METHODS

An electronic survey was disseminated throughout various regions of Texas. In total, 160 individuals were asked questions about their demographic characteristics, time spent on daily physical activities, and daily mental health status before and after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. Frequency distributions and descriptive statistics were analyzed.

RESULTS

Overall, 94 (58%) participants reported having ≥1 medical condition, and 31 (13.1%) had >3 medical conditions. Physical activity levels among participants with ≥1 pre-existing comorbidity drastically—but not significantly—decreased, as evident from a 10% increase in sedentary lifestyles after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. On the contrary, we observed a 9% increase in the number of individuals without a pre-existing comorbidity who reported 30-60 min of physical activity per week. There was a 2-fold increase in the number of participants reporting more frequent feelings of nervousness, too much worry, trouble relaxing, and the fear of something awful happening after the pandemic. More specifically, individuals with pre-existing medical conditions reported, on average, a 10% higher incidence of feelings of stress, anxiety, and sadness compared to their healthy counterparts after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic.

CONCLUSIONS

Stressful life conditions and chronic comorbidities are risk factors that can affect mental health and reduce the ability to perform activities of daily life. Therefore, when implementing pandemic protocols, municipalities should consider providing mental health support to their citizens to protect them from this rather inconspicuous adverse effect.
EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF STANDARDIZED CINNAMON BARK EXTRACT FOR THE PREVENTION OF CHEMOTHERAPY-INDUCED WEIGHT LOSS AND ALOPECIA IN PATIENTS WITH BREAST CANCER: A RANDOMIZED, DOUBLE-BLIND, AND PLACEBO-CONTROLLED STUDY
Authors: AJAY MEHTA  , SUCHITRA MEHTA  , PRASAD THAKURDESAI
Published: October 2020

Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of IND02 (standardized Cinnamon bark extract) supplementation for the prevention of side effects of cancer chemotherapy in female patients with breast cancer.

Methods: The study was conducted using double-blind, placebo-controlled design in 34 female breast cancer patients during the first 4 consecutive 21-day cycles of the standard chemotherapy regimen. The active treatment (IND02 capsules, 400 mg, one capsule, and thrice a day) or matching placebo was orally administrated in randomized (1:1 ratio) patients. The efficacy outcome measures were reduction in chemotherapy-induced weight loss, alopecia (hair fall), and other side effects. The safety outcome measures were hematology, ECG, vital signs, adverse event monitoring, and laboratory safety measurements.

Results: The patients on the treatment with IND02 had shown significant protection from chemotherapy-induced severe weight loss (cachexia) and alopecia (reduced hair density and % hairs in the anagen phase, and increased % hairs in telogen phase) which was seen in the placebo group. IND02 treatment was found safe and well-tolerated during the study.

Conclusion: Concomitant use of IND02 in breast cancer patients during breast cancer chemotherapy showed a clinical promise regarding efficacy and safety in preventing chemotherapy-induced weight loss and alopecia.