bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Association of Pericardial Fat and Peri-Aortic Fat With Severity of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Authors: Lee Chun-Wei , Yun Chun-Ho , Huang Wen-Hung , Hung Ta-Chuan , Tsai Cheng-Ting , Kuo Jen-Yuan , Su Cheng-Huang , Cheng Han-En , Hung Chung-Lieh , Hou Charles
Published: October 2021

Background: Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is associated with central obesity, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. However, the association of body-site specific adiposity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has not been well characterized. Methods: We studies 704 consecutive subjects who underwent annual health survey in Taiwan. All subjects have been divided into three groups including normal (341), mild (227) and moderate (136) NAFLD according to ultrasound finding. Pericardial (PCF) and thoracic peri-aortic adipose tissue (TAT) burden was assessed using a non-contrast 16-slice multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) dataset with off-line measurement (Aquarius 3DWorkstation, TeraRecon, SanMateo, CA, USA). We explored the relationship between PCF/TAT, NAFLD and cardiometabolic risk profiles.Result: Patients with moderate and mild NAFLD have greater volume of PCF (100.7±26.3vs. 77.1±21.3 vs. 61.7±21.6ml, P < 0.001) and TAT (11.2±4.1 vs. 7.6±2.6 vs. 5.5±2.6ml, P < 0.001) when compared to the normal groups. Both PCF and TAT remained independently associated with NAFLD after counting for age, sex, triglyceride, cholesterol and other cardiometabolic risk factors. In addition, both PCF and TAT provided incremental prediction value for NAFLD diagnosis. (AUROC: 0.85 and 0.87, 95%, confidence interval: 0.82-0.89 and 0.84-0.90). Conclusion: Both visceral adipose tissues strongly correlated with the severity of NAFLD. Compared to PCF, TAT is more tightly associated with NAFLD diagnosis in a large Asian population.
Moderate Hypothermia Attenuates Pro-Arrhythmic Electromechanical Relations in the Left Ventricle – A Clinical Study
Authors: Wisløff-Aase Kristin , Skulstad Helge , Haugaa Kristina , Lingaas Per Snorre , Beitnes Jan Otto , Halvorsen Per Steinar , Espinoza Andreas
Published: October 2021

BackgroundTargeted temperature management is recommended after cardiac arrest, but the beneficial effects are controversial. The recently published TTM2 study reports that arrhythmias causing hemodynamic compromise are more common during moderate hypothermia. The causation is not explored. Experimentally, moderate hypothermia attenuates electromechanical relations with pro-arrhythmic impact. Mechanical systole outlasts the electrical systole to a greater extent giving increased electromechanical window positivity, and dispersion of electrical and mechanical activity are unaltered. In this prospective clinical study, we explored the effect of moderate hypothermia on electromechanical relations in un-insulted left ventricles. We hypothesized that during moderate hypothermia, prolongation of systolic duration would exceed electrical duration without dispersed electrical- or mechanical activity. Methods20 patients with normal left ventricular function, undergoing surgery on the ascending aorta and connected to cardiopulmonary bypass, were included. Measurements were obtained at 36 °C and 32 °C prior to aortic-repair, and at 36 °C after repair at spontaneous and paced heart rate 90 bpm. Comparable loading conditions were ensured and cardiopulmonary bypass was reduced to 20% of estimated maximum during the measurements. Global cardiac function was measured invasively and with echocardiography. Electromechanical window, dispersion of repolarization by ECG and mechanical dispersion by echocardiography, were calculated. ResultsAt moderate hypothermia (32°C), mechanical systolic prolongation exceeded electrical prolongation so that electromechanical window increased (29 ± 30 to 86 ± 50 ms, p <0.001). Dispersion of repolarization and mechanical dispersion remained unchanged. Myocardial function was preserved with maintained strain, fractional shortening and stroke volume. Similar electromechanical relations were present also at comparable increased heart rate during moderate hypothermia. After rewarming to 36°C, electromechanical alterations were reversed. ConclusionModerate hypothermia increased electromechanical window positivity. Dispersion of repolarisation, mechanical dispersion, and myocardial function were unchanged. Moderate hypothermia did not induce adverse electromechanical changes in the left ventricle during standardized conditions, but rather an attenuation of pro-arrhythmic electromechanical relations.
Focused Versus Conventional Radiotherapy in Spinal Oncology: Is There any Difference in Fusion Rates and Pseudoarthrosis?
Authors: Akinduro Oluwaseun , DeBiase Geatano , Goyal Anshit , Meyer Jenna H , Kowalchuk Roman O , Sandhu Sukhwinder S , Trifiletti Daniel M , Sheehan Jason , Merrell Kenneth W , Vora Sujay A , Broderick Daniel F , Clarke  , Bydon Mohamad , McClendon Jamal , Kalani Maziyar A , Quinones-Hinojosa Alfredo , Abode-Iyamah Kingsley
Published: October 2021

IntroductionRadiotherapy is considered standard of care for adjuvant peri-operative treatment of many spinal tumors, including those with instrumented fusion. Unfortunately, radiation treatment has been linked to increased risk of pseudoarthrosis. Newerfocused radiotherapy strategies with enhanced conformalitycould offer improved fusion rates for these patients, but this has not been confirmed.MethodsWe performed a retrospective analysis of patients at three tertiary care academic institutions withprimary and secondary spinal malignancies that underwent resection, instrumented fusion, and peri-operative radiotherapy. Two board certified neuro-radiologists used theLenke fusion score to grade fusion status at6 and 12-months after surgery. Secondary outcomes includedclinical pseudoarthrosis, wound complications, and the effect of radiation timing, radiobiological dose delivered, the use of photons versus protons, tumor type, tumor location,and use of autograft on fusion outcomes.ResultsAfter reviewof 1252 spinal tumor patients, there were 60 patients with at least 6 months follow-up that were included in our analyses. Twenty-five of these patients received focused radiotherapy,20 patients received conventional radiotherapy, and 15 patients were treated with protons. There was no significant difference between the groups for covariates such assmoking status,obesity, diabetes, intraoperative use of autograft, and use of peri-operative chemotherapy. There was a significantly higher rate of fusion for patients treated with focused radiotherapy compared to those treated with conventional radiotherapy at 6-months (64.0% versus 30.0%, Odds ratio: 4.15, p=0.036) and 12-months (80.0% versus 42.1%, OR: 5.50, p=0.022). There was a significantly higher rate of clinical pseudoarthrosis in the conventional radiotherapy cohortcompared to patients in the focused radiotherapy cohort (19.1% versus 0%,p=0.037). There was no difference in fusion outcomes for any of the secondary outcomes except for use of autograft. The use ofintra-operative autograft was associated with an improved fusion at 12-months (66.7% versus 37.5%, OR: 3.33, p=0.043). ConclusionFocused radiotherapy may be associated withan improved rate of fusion and clinical pseudoarthrosis when compared to conventional radiation delivery strategiesin patients with spinal tumors.Use of autograft at the time of surgery may be associated with improved 12-month fusion rates.Further large-scale prospective and randomized controlled studies are needed to better stratify the effects of radiation delivery modality in these patients.
Analysis of Multiple Pesticides Residues in Market Samples of Okra and Associated Dietary Risk Assessment for Consumers
Authors: Ali Syeda Nazish , Rafique Nazia , Akhtar Shazia , Taj Touqeer , Mehboob Farrakh
Published: October 2021

European Union Reference Laboratory method for Fruits and Vegetable (EURL-FV-2010-M1) for the quantification of pesticide residues was verified for the determination of multiple pesticides residues in okra. The targeted pesticides were extracted using acetonitrile with citrate buffer salts followed by cleanup with primary secondary amine (PSA) and analyzed on LC-MS/MS. The recoveries for all the targeted pesticides were within an acceptable range of 70.1 - 116.6% and precision in terms of RSD was 0.3 - 18.1%, respectively. The limit of quantification ranged from 0.002 mg/kg for carbofuran to 0.5 mg/kg for α-cypermethrin. The status of pesticide residues in okra (n= 21) available to consumers in the main markets of Pakistan has been determined by using this verified method. Sixty-two percent of the tested samples were contaminated out of which three samples were non-compliant with European Union Maximum residue limits (EU-MRL). The pesticides violating the EU-MRL were bifenthrin, thiamethoxam, and triazophos. For all the detected pesticides, estimated daily intake (EDI) ranged between 7.39×10−6 and 1.78×10−4 mg/kg of body weight while the values of Health Index (HI) fluctuated between 8.9×10−5 and 1.8×10−2. Although, residues of some pesticides were reported to be non-compliant with EU-MRLs, yet the risk posed by these pesticides to human health was insignificant.
Correlation of neck circumference with abdominal circumference and body mass index in patients with metabolic syndrome in a hospital from northern Peru: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Failoc-Rojas Virgilio E , Díaz-Guevara Eduardo , Chambergo-Michilot Diego , Zeña-Ñañez Sandra , Sánchez-Sánchez Karoline , Valladares-Garrido Mario J
Published: October 2021

Background
We aimed to evaluate the correlation of neck circumference with abdominal circumference and body mass index in patients with metabolic syndrome in Chocope, Trujillo.
Methods
This cross-sectional study included patients with untreated metabolic syndrome. Health professionals measured the anthropometric parameters of participants as per the international guidelines. Pearson’s correlation coefficients and single and multiple regression models were used for analysis.
Results
Data from 250 participants showed homogeneous distribution with respect to age, comorbidities, and biochemical properties according to sex. The mean age was 53.6 years. A positive correlation of neck circumference with abdominal circumference (r = 0.6 and 0.74 for females and males, respectively) and body mass index (r = 0.51 and 0.65 for females and males, respectively) was observed. The linear correlation model showed that a 1-cm increase in neck circumference increased the abdominal circumference by 2.20 cm (p < 0.001) and 2.27 cm (p < 0.001) and body mass index by 0.72 kg/m2 (p < 0.001) and 0.94 kg/m2 (p < 0.001) in males and females, respectively, independent of other variables.
Conclusions
In participants with metabolic syndrome in this study, neck circumference showed a strong correlation with abdominal circumference and body mass index. This anthropometric parameter can be extremely useful for evaluating obesity among patients with metabolic syndrome.
Exosomes Derived from Dental Pulp Stem Cells Accelerate Cutaneous wound Healing by Enhancing Angiogenesis via Cdc42/p38 MAPK Pathway
Authors: Zhou Ziyu , Zheng Jianmao , Lin Danle , Chen Yanan , Hu Xiaoli
Published: October 2021

Background: Skin wound healing is a common challenging clinical problem and need advanced treatment strategies. Here, we investigated the therapeutic effects of exosomes derived from dental pulp stem cells (DPSC-Exos) on cutaneous wound healing and the underlying mechanisms. Methods: The effects of DPSC-Exos on cutaneous wound healing in mice were examined by measuring wound closure rates, histological and immunohistochemical analysis. A series of functional assays were performed to evaluate the effects of DPSC-Exos on the angiogenic activities of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro. TMT-based quantitative proteomic analysis of DPSCs and DPSC-Exos was performed. Gene ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were used to evaluate biological functions and pathways for the differentially expressed proteins in DPSC-Exos. Western blot was used to assess the protein levels of Cdc42 and p38 in DPSC-Exos-induced angiogenesis of HUVECs. SB203580, a p38 MAPK signaling pathway inhibitor, was employed to verify the role of p38 MAPK pathway in these processes.Results: Histological and immunohistochemical staining revealed that DPSC-Exos accelerated wound healing by improving neovascularization. DPSC-Exos augmented the migration, proliferation, and capillary formation capacity of HUVECs. Proteomic data demonstrated that proteins contained in DPSC-Exos regulated vasculature development and angiogenesis. Pathway analysis showed that proteins expressed in DPSC-Exos were involved in several pathways including MAPK pathway. Western blotting demonstrated that DPSC-Exos increased the protein levels of Cdc42 and phosphorylation of p38 in HUVECs. SB203580 suppressed the angiogenesis of HUVECs induced by DPSC-Exos.Conclusions: DPSC-Exos could accelerate cutaneous wound healing by enhancing the angiogenic properties of HUVECs via Cdc42/p38 MAPK signaling pathway.
A Retrospective Analysis of Pulmonary Cryptococcosis Following Kidney Transplantation: Clinical Presentation, Treatment and Effectiveness
Authors: CHEN Shuyang , CHEN Meiyan , GU Lei , WANG Qing , YOU Yanjing , WANG Huijuan , LAI Guoxiang , YU Zongyang , WEN Wen
Published: October 2021

Background: The use of immunosuppressors and a relatively weaken cell-mediated immunity make organ transplant recipients particularly vulnerable to cryptococcosis infection. Patients infected usually present only nonspecific symptoms, making it extremely possible for misdiagnosis and inappropriate choice of therapeutic approach. Methods: We compiled and analysed data of patients received kidney transplant in our hospital between April 2006 to January 2021. Results: 18 patients were enrolled into the study, ranging between 27-68 years old. The median time from kidney transplantation to pathologically-confirmed infection was 4.09 years. All patient’s respiratory system was affected, showing symptoms including sputum-producing cough and fever. 3 patients (16.67%) also developed central nervous system (CNS) infections. Nodule-shaped infectious sites were frequently observed (10, 58.82%) in chest CT. Blood works showed no specific changes. 7 patients received thoracoscopic lobectomy in suspicion of lung cancer. 3 patients first received antifungal therapy for a period of time and then underwent thoracoscopic lobectomy. No recurrence whatsoever was observed in all 10 surgically-intervened patients. 8 patients received only antifungal therapy, 7 of them showed a substantial reduction in the size of the infectious site. Fluconazole was most frequently prescribed for antifungal therapy. Conclusion: Most patients developed pulmonary cryptococcosis 2 years after transplantation. Patients usually demonstrate symptoms like fever and sputum-producing cough. The possibility of cryptococcal meningitis shouldn’t be ruled out if corresponding symptoms occur. CT presentation may be confused with lung cancer. Fluconazole is commonly prescribed for treatment and can usually yield satisfied outcome. In patients received unsatisfactory antifungal therapy, surgical therapy should be considered a possibility.
Greater local adaptation to temperature in the ocean than on land
Authors: Sasaki Matthew , Barley Jordanna , Gignoux-Wolfsohn Sarah , Hays Cynthia , Kelly Morgan , Putnam Alysha , Sheth Seema , Villeneuve Andrew , Cheng Brian
Published: October 2021

Warming threatens biodiversity but there is considerable uncertainty in which species and ecosystems are most vulnerable. Moreover, our understanding of organismal sensitivity is largely centered on species level assessments, which do not consider variation across populations. Here, we used meta-analysis to quantify differentiation in thermal tolerance across 413 populations from 105 species living in terrestrial, marine, and freshwater realms. Strikingly, we found strong differentiation in heat tolerance across populations in marine and intertidal taxa but not terrestrial or freshwater taxa. This is counter to the expectation that increased dispersal potential in the ocean should reduce intraspecific variation. Our findings are consistent with the “Bogert effect” operating in terrestrial but not marine ecosystems, which predicts that behavioral thermoregulation constrains evolution. Such adaptive differentiation in the ocean suggests that there may be standing genetic variation at the species level to buffer climate impacts. Assessments of organismal vulnerability to warming, especially in marine species, should account for variation in thermal tolerance among populations or risk under- or overestimating climate vulnerability.
Removal of Cd2+ from Water Containing Ca2+, Mg2+ using Titanate Nanotubes Modified by Carbon
Authors: Wu Mingda , Lu Linghong , Zhou Tao , Ma Yi , Weng Zhengsong
Published: October 2021

Ca2+ and Mg2+ usually exist in natural water. When Cd2+ is removed from water by adsorption, it will be inhibited by these two ions. Titanate nanotubes (TNTs) have an effective adsorption capacity for Cd2+ due to extraordinary ion-exchange property. However, TNTs also adsorb Ca2+ and Mg2+ in water. In this study, carbon-modified TNT (TNT/C or TNT/HC) was synthesized by hydrothermal synthesis. The transmission electron microscope (TEM) images show that TNT/C or TNT/HC still keep nanotube morphology. The experimental results show the order of adsorption amount to Cd2+ is TNT > TNT/C > TNT/HC when there is no Ca2+ or Mg2+. But when there is Ca2+ or Mg2+ in the water, the order of Cd2+ adsorption capacity becomes TNT/HC > TNT/C > TNT. It indicates that the surface carbon-modification can alleviate the hindrance of Ca2+ or Mg2+ to Cd2+ removal. This is because the carbon on the surface of TNT captured part of Ca2+ or Mg2+, it made more Cd2+ be successfully absorbed by TNT through ion exchange. This mechanism was confirmed by XPS spectra analysis. The results of this paper can provide ideas for the adsorption and removal of Cd2+ in water in the presence of Ca2+ or Mg2+.
A Predictive Model for Postoperative Progressive Haemorrhagic Injury in Traumatic Brain Injuries
Authors: Chen Tiange , Chen Siming , Chen Yilei , Wang Lei , Wu Yun , Liu Jinfang
Published: October 2021

Background Progressive haemorrhagic injury after surgery in patients with traumatic brain injury often results in poor patient outcomes. This study aimed to develop and validate a practical predictive tool that can reliably estimate the risk of postoperative progressive haemorrhagic injury (PHI) in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Methods Data from 645 patients who underwent surgery for TBI between March 2018 and December 2020 were collected. The outcome was postoperative intracranial PHI, which was assessed on postoperative computed tomography. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression model, univariate analysis, and Delphi method were applied to select the most relevant prognostic predictors. We combined conventional coagulation test (CCT) data, thromboelastography (TEG) variables, and several predictors to develop a predictive model using binary logistic regression and then presented the results as a nomogram. The predictive performance of the model was assessed with calibration and discrimination. Internal validation was assessed. ResultsThe signature, which consisted of 11 selected features, was significantly associated with intracranial PHI (p < 0.05, for both primary and validation cohorts). Predictors in the prediction nomogram included age, S-pressure, D-pressure, pulse, temperature, reaction time, PLT, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, FIB, and kinetics values. The model showed good discrimination, with an area under the curve of 0.8694 (95% CI, 0.8083–0.9304), and good 3 calibration. ConclusionThis model is based on a nomogram incorporating CCT and TEG variables, which can be conveniently derived at hospital admission. It allows determination of this individual risk for postoperative intracranial PHI and will facilitate a timely intervention to improve outcomes.
An Online Cursive Handwritten Medical Words Recognition System for Busy Doctors in Developing Countries for Ensuring Efficient Healthcare Service Delivery
Authors: Tabassum Shaira , Rahman Md Mahmudur , Abedin Nuren , Rahman Md Moshiur , Ahmed Mostafa Taufiq , Ahmed Ashir
Published: October 2021

Doctors in developing countries are too busy to write digital prescriptions. Ninety-seven percent of Bangladeshi doctors write handwritten prescriptions, the majority of which lack legibility. Prescriptions are harder to read as they contain multiple languages. This paper proposes a machine learning approach to recognize doctors' handwriting to create digital prescriptions. A ‘Handwritten Medical Term Corpus’ dataset is developed containing 17,431 samples of 480 medical terms. In order to improve the recognition efficiency, this paper introduces a data augmentation technique to widen the variety and increase the sample size. A sequence of line data is extracted from the augmented images of 1,591,100 samples and fed to a Bidirectional LSTM. Data augmentation includes pattern Rotating, Shifting and Stretching (RSS). Eight different combinations are applied to evaluate the strength of the proposed method. The result shows 93.0% average accuracy (max: 94.5%, min: 92.1%) using Bidirectional LSTM and RSS data augmentation. This accuracy is 19.6% higher than the recognition result with no data expansion. The proposed handwritten recognition technology can be installed in a smartpen for busy doctors which will recognize the writings and digitize them in real-time. It is expected that the smartpen will contribute to reduce medical errors, save medical costs and ensure healthy living in developing countries.
Prediction Algorithm for ICU Mortality and Length of Stay Using Machine Learning
Authors: IWASE Shinya , Nakada Taka-aki , Shimada Tadanaga , Oami Takehiko , Shimazui Takashi , Takahashi Nozomi , Yamabe Jun , Yamao Yasuo , Kawakami Eiryo
Published: October 2021

Background: Machine learning can predict outcomes and determine variables contributing to precise prediction, and can thus classify patients with different risk factors of outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the predictive accuracy for mortality and length of stay in intensive care unit (ICU) patients using machine learning, and to identify the variables contributing to the precise prediction or classification of patients.Methods: Patients (n=12,747) admitted to the ICU at Chiba University Hospital were randomly assigned to the training and test cohorts. After learning using the variables on admission in the training cohort, the area under the curve (AUC) was analyzed in the test cohort to evaluate the predictive accuracy of the supervised machine learning classifiers, including random forest (RF) for outcomes (primary outcome, mortality; secondary outcome, and length of ICU stay). The rank of the variables that contributed to the machine learning prediction was confirmed, and cluster analysis of the patients with risk factors of mortality was performed to identify the important variables associated with patient outcomes.Results: Machine learning using RF revealed a high predictive value for mortality, with an AUC of 0.945. In addition, RF showed high predictive value for short and long ICU stays, with AUCs of 0.881 and 0.889, respectively. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was identified as a variable contributing to the precise prediction in machine learning for both mortality and length of ICU stay. LDH was also identified as a contributing variable to classify patients into sub-populations based on different risk factors of mortality.Conclusion: The machine learning algorithm could predict mortality and length of stay in ICU patients with high accuracy. LDH was identified as a contributing variable in mortality and length of ICU stay prediction and could be used to classify patients based on mortality risk.
Screening Children at Risk for Developmental Disabilities Based on Face Landmark from Video Data of Mobile-Based Application: Preliminary Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Hwang Sang Ho , Yu Yeonsoo , Kim Jichul , Lee Taeyeop , Park Yu Rang , Kim Hyo-Won
Published: October 2021

Background
Early detection and intervention of developmental disabilities (DDs) are critical for improving the long-term outcomes of the afflicted children. Mobile-based applications are easily accessible and may thus help the early identification of DDs.
Objective
We aimed to identify facial expression and head pose based on face landmark data extracted from face recording videos and to differentiate the characteristics between children with DDs and those without.
Methods
Eighty-nine children (DD, n=33; typically developing, n=56) were included in the analysis. Using the mobile-based application, we extracted facial landmarks and head poses from the recorded videos and performed Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM)-based DD classification.
Results
Stratified k-fold cross-validation showed that the average values of accuracy, precision, recall, and f1-score of the LSTM based deep learning model of DD children were 88%, 91%,72%, and 80%, respectively. Through the interpretation of prediction results using SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP), we confirmed that the nodding head angle variable was the most important variable. All of the top 10 variables of importance had significant differences in the distribution between children with DDs and those without (p<0.05).
Conclusions
Our results provide preliminary evidence that the deep-learning classification model using mobile-based children’s video data could be used for the early detection of children with DDs.
Low-intensity Pulsed Ultrasound Enhances the Efficacy of Bone-derived MSCs in Osteoarthritis Cartilage Repair by Regulating Autophagy-mediated Exosome Release
Authors: Xia Peng , Wang Qi , Song Jiulong , Wang Xiaoju , Wang Xinwei , Lin Qiang , Cheng Kai , Cheng Anliang , Li Xueping
Published: October 2021

Background: The present study explored whether low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) enhances the therapeutic efficacy of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in osteoarthritis (OA) cartilage repair by regulating autophagy-mediated exosome release. Methods: MSCs were isolated from the rat bone marrow and treated with rapamycin, 3-methyladenine, or LIPUS. The mechanism of the LIPUS-stimulated exosome release by MSCs was analyzed by inhibiting autophagy. Additionally, the MSCs were co-cultured with OA chondrocytes and stimulated by LIPUS, with or without exosome release inhibitor intervention. The exosome release was detected through transmission electron microscopy (TEM), nanoparticle tracking analysis, and biomarker expression analysis. Autophagy was analyzed through TEM, autophagy-related gene expression analysis, and immunofluorescence analysis in vitro. Furthermore, a rat knee OA model was constructed and treated with MSCs, GW4869, and LIPUS. The cartilage repair was assessed through histopathological analysis and extracellular matrix protein expression analysis. Results: The in vitro results indicated that LIPUS promoted MSC exosome release by activating autophagy. The in vivo results demonstrated that LIPUS significantly enhanced the positive effects of MSCs on OA cartilage. These effects were significantly blocked by GW4869, an inhibitor of exosome release. Conclusion: LIPUS can enhance the therapeutic efficacy of MSCs in OA cartilage repair, and the underlying mechanism is related to the increase in autophagy-mediated exosome release
A Review of Current Publications Trend on Missing Data Imputation Over Three Decades: Direction and Future Research
Authors: adnan farah adibah , Jamaludin Khairur Rijal , Muhamad Wan Zuki Azman Wan , Miskon Suraya
Published: October 2021

Missing value or sometimes synonym as missing data, is an unavoidable issue when collecting data. It is uncontrollable and happen in almost any research fields. Hence, this study focused on identifying the current publications trend on missing data imputation techniques (1991- 2021) specifically in classification problems using bibliometric analysis. Most importantly, this research aims to uncover the potential missing data imputation methods. Two software were used; VOSViewer and Harzing Publish or Perish. Based on the Scopus database extracted in June 2021, the findings indicate an emerging trend in missing data imputation research to date, while there are two imputation methods that get the most attention; the random forest and the nearest neighbor methods.
METHODS AND CAPABILITIES OF DETERMINATION OF ROTATIONAL-TORSIONAL CHANGES IN THE SPINE IN PATIENTS WITH SCOLIOTIC DISEASE
Authors: Shkatula Yuriy V. , Badion Yuriy О. , Rudenko Pavlo V.
Published: October 2021

The article presents an unstructured review of publications that describe methods and technologies for determining the parameters of spinal deformity in the horizontal plane in patients with the scoliotic disease. Descriptiveness and clinical suitability of the most well-known and practically significant methods are investigated.
At X-ray investigation, the character and parameters of curvature are studied in three planes. In the frontal plane, the magnitude of the lateral arcs of deformation is determined; in the sagittal plane, the state of the spine profile is assessed. When studying the parameters of spinal deformation in the horizontal plane, there are rotational displacement and torsional deformation. The authors noted that medical scientists often equal and confuse the two concepts.
Determining the characteristics of spinal deformity in the horizontal plane is an important tool for preoperative planning, while in conservative treatment and dynamic monitoring, the main attention is paid to the parameters of lateral curvature in the frontal plane.
The current trend of a comprehensive examination of patients with the scoliotic disease is the emergence of new, more informative methods for quantitative evaluation of the parameters of spinal deformity in the horizontal plane, which is primarily due to the development and improvement of technology. It should be noted that the study of the features of anatomical-structural, torsional changes is given insufficient attention. Further study of torsional changes of the vertebrae should lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms that cause scoliotic deformity, which will lead to the development of pathogenetic methods of treatment.
Dynamic assessment of rotational-torsional changes of the spine can be used as a predictor of progression in various types of scoliotic deformities, an indicator of the outcome of conservative and surgical treatment.
Benih Mardeka in the Political Movement in East Sumatra, 1916–1923
Authors: Agustono Budi , Affandi Kiki Maulana , Junaidi Junaidi
Published: October 2021

This study aims to explain the movements, relationships and roles of Benih
Mardeka newspaper in the political movement in East Sumatra from the period 1916 to 1923. Political movements took place as a result of rapid developments in the early 20th century in East Sumatra into a prosperous plantation area. The movements were carried by organisations delivered through propaganda tools or media, namely newspapers. One of the newspapers that loudly voiced national movement and nationalism in East Sumatra was Benih Mardeka newspaper, which began to appear in 1916. This study uses historical methods that include heuristic, source criticism, interpretation and historiography. The results showed that many articles in Benih Mardeka frequently criticised the issues of colonialism and capitalism. Meanwhile, the poor life of plantation workers became propaganda material for Benih Mardeka in criticising colonial and self-government as well as capitalists, namely plantation companies. Benih Mardeka was also a mouthpiece or tool for Sarekat Islam in conveying the idea of nation and nationalism. Hence, it can be concluded that Benih Mardeka consistently gave the voice of national movement and nationalism in the political movement and the press in East Sumatra.
Development of a Producer of Recombinant Maral Chimosine based on the Kluyveromyces lactis Yeast
Authors: Elchaninov V.V. , Shcherbakov D.N.
Published: October 2021

Abstract-A pSVB-Cer plasmid vector has been developed that allows integrating an expression cassette containing the maral prochymosin gene into the genome of the commercial strain GG799 of the Kluyveromyces lactis yeast. Controlled expression of the maral prochymosin gene in the recombinant producer was achieved using a hybrid auto-inducible P350 promoter, which is activated in the absence of glucose in the culture medium. This promoter included a 3ʹ-fragment of the core sequence of the promoter of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAP1) and a 5ʹ-fragment of the regulatory sequence of the promoter of isocitrate lyase (ICL1). As a selective marker, the gene of acetamidase (amdS) controlled by the promoter of the gene of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH1) was introduced into the pSVB-Cer vector. Producer clones, which ensure the accumulation of recombinant maral prochymosin in the culture medium, were obtained. The influence of the initial glucose concentration, temperature, cultivation duration, as well as amounts of phosphoric acid salts and B group vitamins on the level of the target pro-enzyme accumulation in the culture fluid was established. The maximum yield of recombinant maral chymosin with an activity of 152 U/ ml was obtained by cultivating the producer strain for 114 hours at 22 oC in a medium containing 3% glucose, 0.75 g/l potassium hydrophosphate and 4.5 mg/l calcium pantothenate.

Key words: recombinant maral chymosin, milk-clotting activity, producer, hybrid auto-inducible promoter, Kluyveromyces lactis

The work was performed within the framework of the state task of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (topic number FZMW-2020-0002, "Development of Recombinant Enzyme Producers for Cheese Making") and by financial support of Russian Foundation for Basic Research and the government of NSO according to the research project №19-44-543018
Application of Mass Spectrometry Methods to the Analysis of Lipid Composition of the Human Brain
Authors: Tkachev A.I. , Osetrova M.S. , Smirnov D.N. , Efimova O.I. , Khrameev E.E.
Published: October 2021

Abstract-Lipids make up more than half of the dry matter of the human brain and play a key role in its functioning. However, the lipid composition of the brain anatomical structures remains poorly understood. The first such studies were carried out more than 50 years ago, but since then, a small number of works have been published describing the concentration of lipids in only a few areas of the human brain. A fundamentally new step towards understanding the molecular organization of the brain and identifying the molecular basis of human cognitive abilities should be a detailed large-scale study of the brain lipidome. However, there is no description in the literature of methods optimized for studying the lipid composition of the human brain. In this work, we develop and present methods for lipid extraction and mass spectrometry analysis, which ensure simultaneous detection of the maximum amount of different lipid classes and individual substances in the human brain, as well as the approaches to bioinformatics analysis of the obtained data. Their use makes it possible to create a comprehensive picture of the molecular organization of the human brain, which has no analogues in the world in terms of its completeness.

Key words: lipidome, brain, mass spectrometry, high-performance liquid chromatography, bioinformatics

The reported study was funded by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, project no. 20-34-70077.
Physiological and Biochemical Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a New Food Ingredient, a Source of Phytoecdysteroids and Flavonoids from Quinoa Grain
Authors: Petrov N.A. , Zorin S.N. , Biryulina N.A. , Mazo V.K.
Published: October 2021

Abstract- One of the promising food sources of biologically active substances is quinoa grain, which is valued for its high content of protein, sulfur-containing amino acids, lysine, fiber, and minerals. In addition, quinoa grain can be a valuable food source of polyphenolic compounds and phytoecdysteroids. The method for production of a concentrate of flavonoids and 20-hydroxyecdysone from quinoa grains sorbed on coagulated egg protein has been developed. The in vivo evaluation of efficacy of the developed food ingredient was conducted using male Wistar rats under immobilization stress and after exhausting physical exertion. The consumption of the food ingredient prevented an increase in the level of the main stress markers, catecholamines, in animals subjected to immobilization stress. The opposite effect was observed in animals that received the food ingredient after exhausting physical exertion: their levels of catecholamines were significantly higher than in the rest comparison groups. Using the Elevated Plus Maze and Open Field tests, it was shown that the consumption of the developed concentrate neutralized the negative effect of immobilization stress and treadmill exercise on anxiety in Wistar rats. The results obtained require additional study under conditions of preventive introduction of the food ingredient into the diet of intact animals, as well as a toxicological safety assessment.

Key words: quinoa, 20-hydroxyecdysone, flavonoids, stress, immobilization, exhaustive physical exercise, catecholamines, corticosterone

This work was supported by the Russian Scientific Foundation, grant no. 19-16-00107.
Uso de visão computacional na análise de testes cognitivos
Authors: Brasil Paulo , Santos Lucas Matheus Rodrigues , Silva Elisson Lima Gomes , Melo Rodrigo , Monteiro Rodrigo de Paula , Bastos-Filho Carmelo José Albanez , Oliveira Sergio Campello
Published: October 2021

O objetivo deste trabalho é apresentar um estudo da aplicação de diversas arquiteturas de redes neurais convolucionais para automação do teste do desenho do pentágono aplicado no processo de avaliação cognitiva que busca identificar a presença de um possível declínio cognitivo. O teste que esse trabalho busca automatizar é aplicado no Mini Exame do Estado Mental (MEEM), que é, atualmente, a avaliação cognitiva mais utilizada para identificar sintomas de demência no mundo. Uma de suas várias etapas consiste em copiar o desenho de dois pentágonos sobrepostos, onde a interseção desses polígonos forma um losango. Esse desenho feito pelo paciente será a entrada do modelo convolucional que deverá classificá-la como correto ou incorreto de acordo com os critérios estabelecidos no MEEM. Nos experimentos realizados neste trabalho foi utilizada uma base de dados desenvolvida através da coleta de amostras de desenhos publicados em artigos da literatura, assim como elaboradas por voluntários que simularam esta etapa do MEEM e forneceram um bom número de imagens que foram utilizadas para treinamento dos modelos. As melhores arquiteturas testadas obtiveram acurácia média de 73% no conjunto de teste.
Assessing climate change effects on declining groundwater levels using wavelet entropy (case study of Khorramabad city)
Authors: Hassanzadeh Reza , Komasi Mehdi , Derikvand Alireza
Published: October 2021

Changing global climate suggests a warmer future which may alter the hydrological cycle, affecting surface water as well as groundwater resources. The wavelet entropy (WE) criterion is a new indicator for analyzing time series fluctuations. In this study, effective factors decreasing the groundwater level in Khorramabad city during the years 2005–2018 were evaluated by the use of WE criterion. In general, it can be said that the decreasing WE criterion or time series complexity of a phenomenon shows the time series decrease of natural fluctuation, which leads to an unfavorable trend. In this regard, in order to identify the factors affecting groundwater level decrease in Khorramabad, the groundwater level was divided into 4 time periods, and after being investigated, the monthly time series of runoff, temperature, and precipitation of this city were also divided into 4 periods. Each of these subsets were decomposed into several other subsets at different time scales under the wavelet transform, and finally, after calculation of the normalized wavelet energy for this subset, the WE criterion was calculated for each period. Investigation of WE complexity shows a 21.3% decrease in groundwater level in the second period, but in the third and fourth periods, it increased by 145 and 272%, respectively. Also, according to the results of analysis of WE changes for the precipitation time series, 35.2, 32.8, and 10.06% decrease in the second, third, and fourth periods were shown, respectively. The air temperature time series complexity decreased by 26.8% only in the third time period and in the second and fourth period, it shows an increase of 29.65 and 34.7%, respectively. However, the runoff time series did not show any reduction complexity according to the WE criterion. These results indicate that the impact of climatic factors has been more effective than human factors in reducing the groundwater level of Khorramabad.
A dynamically controlled anaerobic/aerobic granular sludge reactor efficiently treats brewery/bottling wastewater
Authors: De Vleeschauwer Flinn , Caluwé Michel , Dobbeleers Thomas , Stes Hannah , Dockx Lennert , Kiekens Filip , Copot Cosmin , Dries Jan
Published: October 2021

This study investigated the application of a dynamic control strategy in an aerobic granular sludge (AGS) reactor treating real variable brewery/bottling wastewater. For 482 days, the anaerobic and aerobic reaction steps in a lab-scale AGS system were controlled dynamically. A pH-based control was used for the anaerobic step, and an oxygen uptake rate (OUR) based control for the aerobic step. Additionally, the effect of an elongated aerobic step, and the effect of the removal of the suspended solids from the influent, on AGS formation were also investigated. In comparison to a static operation, the dynamic operation resulted in similar reactor performance, related to effluent quality and the anaerobic dissolved organic carbon (DOC) uptake efficiency, while the organic loading rate was significantly higher. The removal of suspended solids from the influent by chemical coagulation with FeCl3 turned hybrid floccular-granular sludge into fully granular sludge. The granulation coincided with a significant increase in the abundance of the glycogen-accumulating Candidatus Competibacter and an increase in the content of gel-forming EPS to respectively around 14% and 30%. In conclusion, this study showed the successful application of a dynamic control strategy based on common and low-cost sensors for AGS treatment of industrial wastewater.
Long Non-Coding RNA GAS5 in Age-Related Diseases
Authors: Wang Yaqi , Xue Mengzhen , Xia Fangqi , Zhu Leiqi , Jia Dengke , Gao Yan , Li Luoying , Shi Yue , Li Yuanyang , Chen Silong , Xu Guangfu , Yuan Chengfu
Published: October 2021

Aging refers to a natural process and a universal phenomenon in all cells, tissues,
organs, and the whole organism. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are non-coding
RNAs with a length of 200 nucleotides. LncRNA growth arrest-specific 5 (lncRNA
GAS5) is often down-regulated in cancer. The accumulation of lncRNA GAS5 has been
found to be able to inhibit cancer growth, invasion, and metastasis while enhancing the
sensitivity of cells to chemotherapy drugs. LncRNA GAS5 can be a signaling protein,
which is specifically transcribed under different triggering conditions. Subsequently, it is
involved in signal transmission in numerous pathways as a signal node. LncRNA GAS5,
with a close relationship to multiple miRNAs, was suggested to be involved in the signaling
pathway under three action modes (i.e., signal, bait, and guidance). LncRNA GAS5
was found to be involved in different age-related diseases (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, type
2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, multiple sclerosis, cancer, etc.).
This study mainly summarized the regulatory effect exerted by lncRNA GAS5 on age-related
diseases.
Attention Action Needs to be Taken in Regard to the Dietary Intake of
Pregnant Women in Amman
Authors: Ghazzawi Hadeel Ali , Blasi Rand , Lawi Duha Abu
Published: October 2021

Background:

pregnancy, RDA, nutrients intake, malnutrition, the second half of pregnancy, macronutrients, micronutrients,
public health issue, maternal nutrition.

Objective:

The study aimed to assess and evaluate energy and nutrients consumption among a
group of pregnant women in Amman Governorate during the second or third trimesters; in order to
compare the consumption with “Recommended Dietary Allowance” (RDA).

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was carried out in 2018 at the Ministry of Health’s (MoH) Maternal
and Children Health Centers (MCHC) in Amman to assess the dietary intake for a convenient
sample of 300 seemingly healthy pregnant women aged between 17 and 40 years-old and at ≥ 13
weeks of gestation. Maternal demographic cheracteristics, medical history, anthropometric measurements
and dietary data (three days recall) were collected.

Results:

The daily mean intake of carbohydrates exceeded the recommended intake for 45.3% of
pregnant women. Fiber intake was less than 28 g/day for 90% of them. Total fats intake (45.6 g/-
day) was lower than the RDA for 42.3% of the pregnant women. Two-thirds of the pregnant women
consumed a moderate amount of saturated fats (14.6 g/day). The mean daily intake of proteins
was 50.5±20.2g. More than two-thirds consumed protein less than the RDA; subsequently, intakes
of all essential amino acids were below RDAs. The intake of fat-soluble vitamins was lower than
RDA for vitamins D, E, and K.While, the intake of vitamin A, was higher than RDA. The intake of
minerals was lower than RDA for (calcium, fluoride, iodine, iron, zinc, and selenium), while the intakes
of sodium and copper were higher.

Conclusion:

The results showed inadequate and imbalanced dietary intake in comparison with
RDA. Maternal nutrition and diets of pregnant women in this study show alarming indicators that
may negatively affect the well-being of both pregnant women and fetal growth.
The Association between Maternal COVID-19 and the Rates of Cesarean:
A Systematic Review
Authors: Jenabi Ensiyeh , Masoumi Seyedeh Zahra , Refaei Mansoureh , Ladoni Niloofar , Shafiei Sargol
Published: October 2021

Background:

Maternal COVID-19 infection has been reported to be associated with an
increase in the rates of C-sections. However, studies have not reported this association consistently.
Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted regarding this issue.

Methods:

We identified all publications up to January 2021 in databases of PubMed, Scopus, and
Web of Science. In addition, we reviewed gray literature and conference proceedings. The pooled
odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) measured from eligible studies were used as
random effect estimates of association among studies. Heterogeneity testing using I2 statistics was
performed to assess variance between the studies.

Results:

The pooled estimates of OR did not report a significant association between COVID-19
and the risk of cesarean section, respectively (OR = 2.02, 95% CI = 0. 4 to 3.64). There was low
heterogeneity among the studies reporting the risk of diseases associated with cesarean section
among children based on OR (I2=12.7%, P=0.333). The P-values for Begg’s and Eggerʼs regression
were 0.573 and 0.555, respectively.

Conclusion:

While we did not find an association between COVID-19 and increased rates of cesarean
sections, we cannot exclude a type II error; therefore, additional studies, including large cohort
studies by controlling confounding variables, should be performed in the future.