bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is Deescalation Training Effective in Reducing Violent Incidents in Forensic Psychiatric Settings? – A Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: BRENIG DANIEL , GADE PAULINE , VOELLM BIRGIT
Published: April 2022

Background: Inpatient violence is a relevant issue in forensic psychiatric settings. Coercive measures are used as a last resort to prevent further harm although they are often regarded as untherapeutic. In order to enable staff to intervene before inpatient violence or other serious incidents occur and thus to avoid coercion, deescalation training programs are being adopted in general as well as forensic mental health settings. There is growing evidence for the efficacy of de-escalation training in general psychiatry. However, there are no reviews evaluating the effectiveness of deescalation training in reducing violent incidents in forensic psychiatric settings. Here we present the first literature review on the effectiveness of de-escalation training in the field of forensic psychiatry.Method: We searched relevant databases for original research on the effectiveness of reducing violence in forensic psychiatric settings. Studies were included if they investigated staff training programs with deescalation techniques in forensic mental health settings.Results: A total of 6 relevant studies were identified. Only one study was a randomized controlled trial. Four studies were before and after comparisons without control group. A one group post-test-only design was used in one study. Methodological quality was low. The maximum sample size was 112 participants. Results indicated some impact of deescalation training on the rate of violent incidents in forensic-psychiatric wards. Moreover, staff felt safer following the training. However, results have to be interpreted cautiously due to methodological limitations. Discussion: Evidence for the effectiveness of deescalation training on violent incidents in forensic settings remains limited. However, positive changes are reported across a variety of outcome measures providing initial indications that deescalation training might contribute to a reduction in aggressive incidents in forensic psychiatry. High quality studies are required to add to the evidence base on this topic.
Solutions to Nonlocal Evolution Equations Governed by Non-autonomous Forms and Demicontinuous Nonlinearities
Authors: Colao Vittorio , Muglia Luigi
Published: April 2022

We deal with the existence of solutions having L 2 − regularity for a class of non-autonomous evolution equations. Associated with the equation, a general non-local condition is studied. The technique we used combines a finite dimensional reduction together with the Leray-Schauder continuation principle. This approach permits to consider a wide class of nonlinear terms by allowing demicontinuity assumptions on the nonlinearity.
Conclusive Evidence for Cattle Traction in Middle Neolithic Ireland: A Pivotal Element for Resource Exploitation
Authors: Pigière Fabienne , Smyth Jessica
Published: April 2022

While cattle traction is a major technological innovation of the Neolithic period, data are still lacking on the chronology, purposes, and intensity of exploitation. This paper investigates cattle traction in the northwest Atlantic islands for which information is particularly restricted as evidence in Neolithic Britain and Ireland has been so far patchy and inconclusive. Using a suite of methods and refined criteria for traction identification, we present new and robust data on a large faunal assemblage from Kilshane, Co. Dublin that conclusively demonstrate cattle traction in the middle 4th millennium BC in Ireland. Bone pathology data combined with osteometric analysis point out specialised husbandry practices, producing large male, likely oxen, for the purpose of cattle traction. This new technology has important implications for the early agriculture in the region since it provides a key support for more extensive land management practices as well as for megalithic construction, which increased considerably in scale during this period. The access to draught animals and the exploitation of associated resources were most likely at the heart of wider changes that took place in Neolithic society in the second half of the 4th millennium BC.
Conformal and Polarization Adjustable Cloaking Metasurface Utilizing Graphene with Low Radar Cross Section for Terahertz Applications
Authors: K Srilatha , BTP Madhav , Badisa Anilbabu , Das Sudipta , Patel Shobhit Kiritkumar , Parmar Juveriya
Published: April 2022

Metamaterials with precisely chosen negative permittivity and permeability are preferable to cloak the target without scattering. In this work, a metasurface is designed by using graphene as conducting material to cloak a target cylinder under the instancing of TM and TE polarized waves in terahertz range of frequencies. The electric sheet impedance and magnetic sheet admittance played the crucial role to achieve the cloaking with good scattering reduction. Various incident angles are simulated and analyzed for obtaining the good radar cross section. The proposed metasurface resonates at three different frequencies in terahertz range of 3.8 THz, 9 THz and 13.8 THz and the bandwidth of the three resonating frequencies are 3.5 to 4.58 THZ, 8.8 to 9.5 THz and 13 to 14.98 THz respectively. In addition, the parametric analysis of chemical potential and relaxation time shows effective results in scattering reduction. The monostatic and bistatic RCS are simulated, which results high scattering reduction under different polarizations of different incident angles. The proposed structure is adjustable to various angle of incidence with less than 40 dB scattering reduction for various selected frequencies.
CombPDX: a unified statistical framework for evaluating drug synergism in patient-derived xenografts
Authors: Huang Licai , Wang Jing , Fang Bingliang , Meric-Bernstam Funda , Roth Jack A. , Ha Min Jin
Published: April 2022

Anticancer combination therapy has been developed to increase efficacy by enhancing synergy. Patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) have emerged as reliable preclinical models to develop effective treatments in translational cancer research. However, most PDX combination study designs focus on single dose levels, and dose-response surface models are not appropriate for testing synergism. We propose a comprehensive statistical framework to assess joint action of drug combinations from PDX tumor growth curve data. We provide various metrics and robust statistical inference procedures that locally (at a fixed time) and globally (across time) access combination effects under classical drug interaction models. Integrating genomic and pharmacological profiles in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), we have shown the utilities of combPDX in discovering effective therapeutic combinations and relevant biological mechanisms. We provide an interactive web server, combPDX (https://licaih.shinyapps.io/CombPDX/), to analyze PDX tumor growth curve data and perform power analyses.
Hidden pathway for cytokine receptor activation: a marine sponge-derived lectin reveals sugar-mediated thrombopoietin receptor activation
Authors: Watari Hiromi , Kageyama Hiromu , Masubuchi Nami , Nakajima Hiroya , Onodera Kako , Focia Pamela , Oshiro Takumi , Matsui Takashi , Kodera Yoshio , Ogawa Tomohisa , Yokoyama Takeshi , Hirayama Makoto , Hori Kanji , Freymann Douglas , Komatsu Norio , Araki Marito , Tanaka Yoshikazu , Sakai Ryuichi
Published: April 2022

N-glycan-mediated activation of the thrombopoietin receptor (MPL) under pathological conditions has been implicated in myeloproliferative neoplasms induced by mutant calreticulin, which forms an endogenous receptor-agonist complex that traffics to the cell surface and constitutively activates the receptor. However, the molecular basis for this mechanism is elusive because oncogenic activation occurs only in the cell-intrinsic complex and is thus cannot be replicated with external agonists. Here, we describe the structure and function of a marine sponge-derived MPL agonist, thrombocorticin (ThC), a homodimerized lectin with calcium-dependent fucose-binding properties. In-depth characterization of lectin-induced activation showed that, similar to oncogenic activation, sugar chain-mediated activation persists due to limited receptor internalization. The strong synergy between ThC and thrombopoietin suggests that ThC catalyzes the formation of receptor dimers on the cell surface. Overall, the existence of sugar-mediated MPL activation, in which the mode of activation is different from the original ligand, suggests that receptor activation is unpredictably diverse in living organisms.
Construction of CeRNA Regulatory Network based on WGCNA Reveals Diagnosis Biomarkers for Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Xiang Jun , Jing HaoYu , Liu Yun Xiao , Wang HuFei , Chang ZeWen , Liu ShiHao , Yu Lei , Wang GuiYu , Gao Li
Published: April 2022

Background: Colorectal cancer is the third primary cause of death among cancers in the world. Although improvements in various treatments have greatly improved the survival time of colorectal cancer patients, since colorectal cancer is often at an advanced stage when diagnosed, the prognosis of patients still very poor. Since the ceRNA regulatory network was proposed in 2011, it has greatly promoted the study of the molecular mechanism ofcolorectal cancer occurrence and development. Objective: Exploring the new molecular mechanism of the occurrence and development of colorectal cancer, and providing new targets for the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer. Method: We analyzed the colorectal cancer RNA-seq data in TCGA, such as, difference analysis, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and construction of ceRNA regulatory network,et.al. Results: Eventually, 19 hub genes with significant prognostic significance were identified in the ceRNA regulatory network, including 8 lncRNAs, 2 mRNAs and 9 miRNAs.These hub genes constitute the lncRNA-miRNA, miRNA-mRNA and lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory axis.Some of these ceRNA regulatory axes have been confirmed to exist in colorectal cancer or other cancers. Conclusion: In this article, some new ceRNA regulatory axes have been discovered, which provides new molecular mechanisms for the occurrence and development of colorectal cancer, thereby providing new targets for clinical diagnosis and treatment.
Prognostic and clinicopathologic significance of circZFR in multiple human cancers
Authors: Liu Zhongyue , Zhang Wenchao , Tu Chao , Li Wenyi , Qi Lin , Zhang Zhiming , Wan Lu , Yang Zhimin , Ren Xiaolei , Li Zhihong
Published: April 2022

Abnormally expressed in diverse cancers, circZFR has been correlated with clinical outcomes of cancer patients. Aim of this meta-analysis was to elucidate the prognostic role for circZFR in multiple human malignancies. Literature retrieval was conducted by systematically searching on Pubmed, Web of Science, and Cochrane library up to December 2, 2021. Hazard ratios (HRs) or odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled to evaluate the association between circZFR expression and overall survival (OS). The reliability of the pooled results was assessed by sensitivity analysis and the publication bias was measured by Begg’s and Egger’s test. A total of seventeen studies comprising 1098 patients were enrolled in this meta-analysis. Results demonstrated that high circZFR expression was correlated with an unfavorable OS (HR = 2.14, 95%CI: 1.74, 2.64). High circZFR expression predicted larger tumor size (OR = 2.79, 95%CI: 1.52, 5.12), advanced clinical stage (OR = 3.38, 95% CI: 1.49, 7.65), tendentiousness of lymph node metastasis (OR = 3.08, 95% CI: 2.01, 4.71) and malignant grade (OR = 3.18, 95%CI: 1.09, 9.30), but not related to age, gender and distant metastasis (DM). High circZFR expression was associated with unfavorable OS and clinicopathologic parameters including tumor size, clinical stage, LNM and histology grade, implicating a promising prognostic factor in cancers.
Apocynin exerts neuroprotective effects in fumonisin b1 induced neurotoxicity via attenuation of oxidative stress and apoptosis
Authors: Krupashree K , Rachitha P
Published: April 2022

The mycotoxin fumonisin b1 (Fb1) is produced by fusarium verticillioides, which commonly infects corn and other agricultural products. Fb1 found to be a source of vast range of toxic effects like hepatotoxicity, neurotoxicity and carcinogenicity in a number of animal species. However, the information available currently regarding neurotoxic effects exerted by Fb1 is scanty. Hence, the present study was aimed to evaluate the neurotoxic effects of Fb1 and the possible mechanisms of toxicity in mice and as well as the role of cytotoxic, oxidative stress and apoptosis in neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cell line. In this context, the toxicity of Fb1 was examined in male albino mice. Apocynin with 25,50,100mg/kg b/wt was pretreated for 7 days oral administration. Fb1 6.75 mg/kg b/wt was injected subcutaneously for 5 days. A significant elevation of 5-HT was observed in mice treated with Fb1 in whole brain showed biogenic amines may reflect Fb1 neurotoxicity which was attenuated by pretreatment of apocynin. Fb1 treatment increased oxidative damage in the brain, as evidenced by a decrease in GSH level along with significant increases in ROS, lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyl. Apocynin supplementation significantly ameliorated these biological parameter changes. In addition, apocynin pretreatment normalized the degenerative changes in histology studies. The cytotoxicity of Fb1 was evaluated by MTT and LDH assay showed that, Fb1 induced dose-dependent cell death in SH-SY5Y cells and IC50 value was determined as 150µM. Fb1 showed elevated reactive oxygen species, depolarized mitochondrial membrane potential and TEM observation showed vacuolation in SH-SY5Y cells. Further, apoptotic changes revealed in DAPI staining and DNA damage in comet assay. To overcome these toxicological effects, apocynin was pretreated followed by Fb1 exposure for 24 h. Pretreatment with apocynin resulted in significant increase in cell viability, restored membrane integrity, reactive oxygen species level was maintained and neutralized apoptotic changes. The protein expression CAT, GPx downregulated with Fb1 treatment and apoptotic markers caspase-3 and caspase-8 was upregulated. Pretretment with apocynin restored the antioxidant enzymes and overexpressed apocynin markers also altered. Collectively, these results suggest that ROS is the main upstream signal leading to increased Fb1 mediated neurotoxicity in mice and SH-SY5Y cells. Use of an antioxidant apocynin reversed the toxin-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis by its antioxidant potency.
A Metric Based On Mathematics And Information Theory For Software Reliability
Authors: Wen Zhang
Published: April 2022

This paper will introduce a new metric which is based on statistics, majorization theory and information theory, and provides two dimensional values to describe software reliability with predefined importance of features taken into consideration along a software development process.
Stability is essential for insecticidal activity of Vip3Aa toxin against Spodoptera exigua
Authors: Fu Bai-Wen , Xu Lian , Zheng Mei-Xia , Chen Qing-Xi , Shi Yan , Zhu Yu-Jing
Published: April 2022

Vegetative insecticidal proteins 3A (Vip3A) were important insecticidal proteins for control of lepidopteran pests. Previous study demonstrated that Vip3Aa and Vip3Ad showed significant difference in insecticidal activities against Spodoptera exigua, while the molecular mechanism remained ambiguous. Here we demonstrated that the difference in insecticidal activities between Vip3Aa and Vip3Ad might be caused by the difference in stability of Vip3Aa and Vip3Ad in S. exigua midgut protease. Vip3Aa was quite stable while Vip3Ad could be further degraded. Molecular dynamics simulation revealed that Vip3Aa was more stable than Vip3Ad, with smaller RMSD and RMSF value. Amino acid sequence alignment indicated that three were three extra prolines (P591, P605 and P779) located on Vip3Aa. We further identified that residue P591 played a crucial role on stability and insecticidal activity of Vip3Aa. Taken together, our study demonstrated that the stability was essential for the insecticidal activity of Vip3A toxins, which might provide new insight into the action mode of Vip3A toxins and contribute to the design Vip3A variants with improved stability and insecticidal activity.
SARS-CoV-2-reactive IFN-γ CD4 + and CD8 + T cells, clinical severity biomarkers and mortality in unvaccinated critically ill COVID-19 patients
Authors: Olea Beatriz , Albert Eliseo , Giménez Estela , Torres Ignacio , Amat Paula , Remigia María José , Alberola Juan , Carbonell Nieves , Ferreres José , Blasco María Luisa , Navarro David
Published: April 2022

Objectives: We examined the relationship between peripheral blood levels of SARS-CoV-2 S1/M-reactive IFN-γ-producing CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, serum levels of biomarkers of clinical severity and mortality in critically ill COVID-19 patients. Methods: Immune responses were monitored in 71 non-consecutive patients (49 male and 22 female; median age, 65 years) by whole-blood flow cytometry (326 specimens). SARS-CoV-2 RNA loads in paired tracheal aspirates [TA] (n=147) were available from 54 patients. Serum levels of interleukin-6, ferritin, D-Dimer, lactose dehydrogenase and C-reactive protein in paired sera were known. Results: SARS-CoV-2 T cells (either CD4+, CD8+ or both) were detectable in 70 patients. SARS-CoV-2 IFN-γ CD4+ T-cell responses were documented more frequently than their CD8+ counterparts (62 vs. 56 patients) and were of greater magnitude overall. Detectable SARS-CoV-2 S1/M-reactive CD8+ and CD4+ T-cell responses were associated with higher SARS-CoV-2 RNA loads in TA. SARS-CoV-2 RNA load in TA decreased over time, irrespective of the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2-reactive CD8+ and CD4+ T cells. Conclusion: Enumeration of peripheral blood levels of SARS-CoV-2-S1/M-reactive IFN-γ CD4+ and CD8+ T cells does not predict viral clearance from the lower respiratory tract or poor clinical outcomes in critically ill COVID-19 patients.
Microglial Response in Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells 2 (Trem2) Knock-out Mice After Systemic Stimulation With Escherichia Coli
Authors: Hoogland Inge C.M. , Yik Jutka , Westhoff Dunja , Engelen-Lee Joo-Yeon , Seron Merche Valls , Man Wing-Kit , Houben-Weerts Judith H.P.M. , Tanck Michael W. , Westerloo David J. van , Poll Tom van der , Gool Willem A. van , de Beek Diederik van
Published: April 2022

Background: Systemic infection is an important risk factor for delirium, associated with neurodegeneration and subsequent cognitive impairment in older people. Microglial cell response is a known key player in this process and we hypothesize that the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) plays an important role in the regulation of this response. Methods: 8- to 10-week old male wild-type (WT) and TREM2 knock-out (Trem2-/-) mice were intraperitoneally inoculated with live Escherichia coli (E. coli) or saline. After inoculation, all mice were treated with ceftriaxone (an antimicrobial drug) at 12 and 24 hours and were sacrificed after 2 and 3 days. Microglial response was determined by immunohistochemical staining with an ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba-1) antibody and flow cytometry. mRNA expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators was measured to quantify the inflammatory response.Results: We observed increased Iba-1 positive cells number in thalamus of Trem2-/- mice at 3d after inoculation compared to WT mice (mean 120 cell/mm2 [SD 8] vs. 105 cell/mm2 [SD 11]; p=0.03). Flow cytometry showed no differences in forward scatter or expression of CD11b, CD45 and CD14 between WT and Trem2-/- mice. The brain mRNA expression levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) of Trem2-/- mice at 2d were higher compared to WT mice (p=0.003). Higher mRNA expression of interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), Iba-1, CD11b and mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK-1) was found in brain of WT mice at 2d compared to Trem2-/- mice (respectively p=0.02; p=0.001; p=0.03 and p=0.02). In spleen there were no differences in inflammatory mediators, between WT and Trem2-/- mice.Interpretation: Although the loss of function of TREM2 during systemic infection led to an increased number of activated microglia in the thalamus, we did not observe a consistent increase in expression of inflammatory genes in the brain. The role of TREM2 in the neuro-inflammatory response following systemic infection therefore appears to be limited.
Investigation on pore structure regulation of activated carbon derived from sargassum and its application in supercapacitor
Authors: Li Shijie , Tan Xiaopeng , Li Hui , Gao Yan , Wang Qian , Li Guoning , Guo Min
Published: April 2022

In order to realize the effective regulation of the pore structure of activated carbon and optimize its pore structure properties as electrode material, the effects of activation temperature, activation time and impregnation ratio on the specific surface area, total pore volume and average pore diameter of activated carbon are studied by orthogonal experiment with sargassum as raw material. In addition, the electrochemical properties of sargassum-based activated carbon (SAC) and the relationship between the gravimetric capacitance and specific surface area of SAC are also studied. The SACs prepared under all conditions have high specific surface area (≥2227 m2 g-1) and developed pore structure, in which the micropore diameter is mainly concentrated in 0.4~0.8 nm, the mesopore diameter is mainly concentrated in 2~4 nm, and the micropore content is much higher than that of the mesopore. In the activation process, the impregnation ratio has the greatest effect on the specific surface area of SAC, the activation temperature and impregnation ratio have significant effect on the total pore volume of SAC, and the regulation of the average pore diameter of SAC is mainly realized by adjusting the activation temperature. The SACs exhibit typical electric double layer capacitance performances on supercapacitors, delivering superior gravimetric capacitance of 237.3 F g-1 in 6 mol L-1 KOH electrolyte system at current density of 0.5 A g-1 and excellent cycling stability of capacitance retention of 92% after 10000 cycles. A good linear relationship between gravimetric capacitance and specific surface area of SAC is observed.
Inverted Acetabular Labrum Causes Insufficiency-type Stress Fracture of the Femoral Head: A Biomechanical Study
Authors: Fukui Kiyokazu , Chen Mingliang , Kaneuji Ayumi , Takahishi Eiji , Takano Masahiro , Miyakawa Hiroyasu , Hirosaki Kenichi , Kawahara Norio
Published: April 2022

Purpose: Subchondral insufficiency-type fracture is associated with rapidly progressive osteoarthritis of the hip, but are these fractures caused by a single load event such as an injury from a fall or by stress (fatigue) from repeated loading during the activities of daily life? Our biomechanical study applied repeated loading to a simulated osteoporotic bone model to investigate the relationship between an inverted acetabular labrum and the incidence of subchondral insufficiency-type fracture of the femoral head.Methods: We performed fatigue load testing on 15 osteoporotic composite femurs, applying 2000 N at 1 Hz, 1 million times or to failure, on 5 composite femurs without silicone rubber and 10 with 10x5 mm silicone rubber. Silicone rubber was inserted as a surrogate for inversion of the acetabular labrum between the acetabulum and femoral head.Results: No breakage was noted in the 5 specimens without silicone rubber, even after the application of 1 million individual loads at 1 Hz. Fractures appeared in the anterior femoral head in all 10 specimens with 10×5 mm silicone rubber, and mean number of loads to fracture was 6389. Conclusion: Our research selected an osteoporotic bone model to investigate the effects of loading tests that were designed to mimic typical repeated loads in daily activities, using silicone rubber as a surrogate for inversion of the acetabular labrum and resulting in the development of insufficiency-type stress fracture on the femoral head.Concept diagram or graphical abstract
Performance analysis of the BDSBAS-B1C message in trial operation stage
Authors: Xin Jie , Guo Rui , Tian Yijun , Chen Jinping , Cao Yueling , Liu Yuchen , Li Xiaojie , Wang Dongxia , Cai Hongliang
Published: April 2022

BeiDou Satellite-based Augmentation System (BDSBAS) has come into the trial operation stage since July, 2020. To evaluate the characteristic of the augmentation message in BDSBAS-B1C signal, the effectiveness of the message content was firstly analyzed, and then the validity of the broadcasting strategy was estimated. Finally, the accuracy of the user equivalent ranging error (UERE) and the single frequency (SF) positioning error (PE) with different correction parameters in BDSBAS-B1C message were evaluated. Based on the above analysis, the effectiveness of the augmentation message was preliminarily verified with the results showing that: 1) the BDSBAS-B1C message type, information content and update interval have basically met the international standard; 2) the accuracy of the UERE obtained with the augmentation message had an obvious improvement in contrast to that of the UERE obtained with the usual navigation message of the GPS satellites, and the ionospheric delay was one of the important factors which affected the accuracy of the UERE; 3) the positioning accuracy obtained with the augmentation message was also improved, and the improvement was more obvious in the service areas with high availability of the ionospheric parameters.
Evaluation of micro-textured tool performance in Ultrasonic Elliptical Vibration-assisted turning of 304 stainless steel
Authors: Usman Mustapha Mukhtar , Zou Ping , Yang Zhenyu , Lin Tianyu , Muhammad Isyaku
Published: April 2022

The application of micro-textured cutting tools in various machining operations has been widely recommended as an efficient method for improving cutting performance. However, the realm of micro-textured tool utilization is rarely found in non-conventional cutting processes. This paper investigates the performance capability of a rake-faced micro-textured tool in Ultrasonic elliptical vibration cutting (UEVC) which is a typical non-conventional cutting technique. A comparative experimental turning of 304 stainless steel with the micro-textured tool was performed under UEVC and Conventional Cutting (CC) while employing variable cutting parameters as governing factors. The cutting performance of the micro-textured tool was measured in terms of Cutting forces, Surface topography, Chip morphology, and Wear mechanism. The experimental findings revealed that the micro-textured tool outperformed the non-textured tool (NTT) in the overall machining-related outputs and the combined effect of utilizing the UEVC mechanism and cutting tool texturing techniques can significantly enhance the remarkable machining benefits of UEVC.
Silencing plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 promotes the anticancer activity of sorafenib in papillary thyroid carcinoma cells
Authors: Ya Wen , Li Hong-yi , Zhai Zi-Xin , Yuan Si-Jie , Xin Yu-Wei , Yan Xiao-Hui , Hao Yan-Hong , Fan Wen-Wen , Liu Li-Ping
Published: April 2022

Background: Sorafenib is an effective treatment for radioiodine (RAI)-refractory differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC), but adverse events limit its use. We investigated the synergistic anticancer effects of silencing lncRNA-PVT1 and sorafenib in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) cell lines.Methods: B-CPAP, TPC-1, IHH-4 and K1 papillary thyroid carcinoma cell lines were used. A small interfering RNA (siRNA)-PVT1 sequence was used to silence lncRNA-PVT1 expression. Cell proliferation, migration and invasion, apoptosis, and cell cycle assays were conducted following PVT1 silencing and/or sorafenib treatment.Results: Sorafenib had inhibitory effects on PTC cell lines, and the cell survival rate decreased with increasing concentrations. LncRNA-PVT1 knockdown combined with 9 μM sorafenib in B-CPAP cells and 13 μM sorafenib in TPC-1 cells synergistically reduced the number of colonies formed, reduced invasion and migration, and promoted cell apoptosis.Conclusion: Sorafenib had inhibitory effects on TPC-1, B-CPAP, IHH4, and K1 cells, and lncRNA-PVT1 knockdown combined with sorafenib in B-CPAP and TPC-1 cells synergistically reduced the number of colonies formed, reduced invasion and migration, and promoted cell apoptosis.
The Change Assessment and Analysis of Impacts From Land Use Policies on Wetland Ecosystems Based on Multitemporal Satellite Image Data: a Case Study in Dong Rui Commune, Tien Yen District, Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam
Authors: Trung Dung Ngo , Dang Hoi Nguyen , Viet Huu Nguyen Huu
Published: April 2022

Wetlands are one of the most important ecosystems on Earth and are an important habitat for many species of animals and plants, for disaster mitigation, for improving environmental quality, for storing carbon, and for responding to climate change. However, they are sensitive ecosystems that have been strongly affected by human economic activities, including aquaculture. In this study, we used multitemporal satellite imagery integrated with a verified field survey method to map the mantle of the wetland ecosystem in the Dong Rui commune, Tien Yen district, Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam at 5 times for 4 periods from 1975 to 2020 with high accuracy (overall accuracy = 92,3%, Kappa = 0,91). The results of the study showed that from 1975 to 2000, the area of mangrove forests declined sharply (nearly 2,000 hectares), mainly due to policies on the development and conversion of land use purposes. From 2000 to 2020, the area of mangrove forests was gradually restored, and the area of aquaculture land shrank. Human impacts, especially the effects of local economic development, conservation and development policies, have directly affected and are the main cause of continuous change in each very short period of the Dong Rui commune wetland ecosystem. Assessing the fluctuations of multitemporal wetland ecosystems and analysing the impact of development policies is the basis for planning, conservation strategies, and sustainable development of wetland ecosystems associated with the livelihoods of the council.
Timothy Syndrome and Torsades De Pointes in a Newborn - Case Report
Authors: Lucas Eliane , Bravo-Valenzuela Nathalie Jeanne Magioli , Loureiro Talita Nolasco , Madruga Anette Presciliana Boabaid , Sacramento Lívia Maria Andrade , Lima Camille Caetano
Published: April 2022

Timothy syndrome (TS) is a rare multisystem disease has a characterized association of long QT syndrome (LQTS) type-8 with the congenital cardiac and extracardiac malformations (neurological and dysmorphic facial features, syndactyly). It is caused by heterozygous mutations in the CACNA 1C gene, which participates in decoding the calcium channels. In this study, we describe a case of TS, which has systemic phenotypic characteristics associated with a long QT interval on the electrocardiogram.. The LQTS predisposes to a characteristic life-threatening ventricular arrhythmia known as Torsades de pointes or "twisting of the points". In this scenario, the authors describes the main clinical characteristics in a case of TS focusing on improve the ability of early diagnosis and better management of LTQS type-8.
Choroid Thickness Changes Analysis in Adolescents with Different Types of High Myopia
Authors: Ji Yanyan , Chen Song , LI Zhong-qing , Wang Jia , Cui Ying-chun , Lu Shi-lin
Published: April 2022

AIM: To evaluate the changes of choroid thickness in adolescence with different types of high myopia. METHODS: From January to November 2021, 134 eyes of 78 adolescents with myopia in Liaocheng Aier Eye Hospital were collected and analyzed. According to the Mean Spherical Equivalent(MSE) and Corneal Curvature(CC), subjects are divided into mild myopia or emmetical eye group (ME group), high myopia group (HM group), occult high myopia group(OHM group) and super high myopia group(SHM group). The macular foveal choroidal thickness(CT) of the four groups was analyzed by Using Zeiss frequecy domain optical coherence tomography (Cirrus HD OCT), acquire horizontal and vertical cross-sectional images of macular. The CT values were measured manually subfoveal choroidal thickness(SFCT) and 1mm,3mm from the fovea at 9 sites, including the superior, nasal, inferior, temporal. The same operator completed the measurement 3 times ,and took the average numerical value as the final reference data.RESULTS:. There were significant differences in choroid thickness at 1mm and 3mm in macular fovea (P < 0.05). Compared with the ME group, SFCT, 1mm and 3mm in the HM group, OHM group and SHM group were significantly thinner than those in ME group (P < 0.05). Compared with SHM, HM and OHM group were significant differences in CT (P < 0.05). There was no statistical significance in CT of each point in HM group and OHM group (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The CT of SHM is significantly lower than that of HM and OHM. Although OHM has a lower degree of myopia, the CT has become significantly thinner, and the degree of choroid thinning is almost the same as that of OHM.
“Rice Stubble: Cotton Fly Waste Composites for Acoustic Applications”
Authors: SINGH MUKESH Kumar , Kishor Kaushal
Published: April 2022

Management of noise in everyday life is critical task to enhance the comfort level in present environment or not to resentfully affectthe external environment. The burning of rice stubble particularly in rice growing Asian countries makes the situation bad to worst. Rice stubble, cotton fly waste were used to manufacture composite material to be used as acoustic panel. Rice stubble powder 60,70 and 80%, cotton fly waste 20,30, and 40% by weight, and polyurethane (PU) resin were used to produce composite for acoustic applications. The composites were tested for pore size, morphology, water absorbability, and noise reduction coefficient mainly. Acceptable level of NRC and other features were achieved. This study will provide a new pathway to use the discarded challenging waste materials to manufacture wealth generating products.
PIK3CA mutations in breast cancer
Authors: Reinhardt Kristin , Stückrath Kathrin , Kaufhold Sandy , Uleer Christoph , Hanf Volker , Lantzsch Tilmann , Peschel Susanne , John Jutta , Pöhler Marleen , Bauer Marcus , Bürrig Friedrich Karl , Weigert Edith , Buchmann Jörg , Kantelhardt Eva Johanna , Thomssen Christoph , Vetter Martina
Published: April 2022

Purpose: The phosphatidylinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) pathway regulates intracellular processes in relation to proliferation and apoptosis, which can be activated by somatic PIK3CA mutations. The aim of this work was to analyze the prevalence of PIK3CA mutations in an unselected cohort of patients with early stage breast cancer and their association with survival.Patients and methods: From a prospective, multicentre cohort of 1,270-breast cancer patients (PiA, Prognostic Assessment in routine application, NCT 01592825) 1,123 tumors were tested for PIK3CA-mutations in three hotspots C775 (H1047R), C763 (E545K) and C760 (E542K) by quantitative PCR. The primary objectives were the prevalence of somatic PIK3CA mutations and the associations between PIK3CA mutations and clinical and histopathological parameters. Secondary objectives were the association of PIK3CA mutations with recurrence free interval (RFI) and overall survival.Results: The overall PIK3CA mutation rate was 26.7% (300 out of 1,123). PIK3CA mutations were significantly more frequent in tumors with more favorable factors like steroid hormone receptor (HR)-positive and HER2-negative (31.4%), and G1/ G2 tumours (32.8%). We found a significant detrimental prognostic impact of PIK3CA-mutations on RFI for patients with HR-positive BCs who had only aromatase inhibitors as adjuvant therapy (adjusted HR 3.71, 95% CI 1.24-11.11), whereas PIK3CA mutations in HR-negative BCs were insignificantly associated with improved RFI (adjusted HR=0.43; 95% CI 0.10-1.82).Conclusion: The impaired prognosis for HR-positive BCs and concurrent PIK3CA mutations supports the hypothesis that the activation of PI3K might lead to endocrine resistance. Conversely, patients with HR-negative tumors and PIK3CA mutations might benefit from chemotherapy compared to patients with wildtype PIK3CA gene.
The circular RNA 0010117 promotes the aggressive behavior of glioblastoma by regulating miRNA-6779-5p/SPEN axis
Authors: Yang Xuanyong , Liu Yue , Zhou Xinhui , Chen Kang , Xu Jiang , Xu Shan
Published: April 2022

Background: Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) play important roles in cancer biology, providing potential targets for cancer intervention. As a new class of endogenous noncoding RNAs, circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been recently identified in cell development and function, and certain types of pathological responses, to contribute to cancer progression including glioblastoma. However, the potential mechanisms underlying the relationship between circRNAs and glioblastoma progression are still largely unknow. Methods: The expression and roles of circular RNA 0010117 (circ-0010117) were examined in vitro and in vivo. Quantitative RT-PCR and western blotting were used to measure the expression of circ RNA, miRNA, each gene, or relative proteins. Cell biology experiments were performed to detect the biological function of circ-0010117 in glioblastoma cell lines. Moreover, bioinformatics analysis, luciferase reporter assay, and functional complementation analysis were carried out to investigate the target gene. Tumorigenesis was also evaluated by xenografting cells into nude mice. Results: In this study, we find that circ-0010117 is down-regulated in glioblastoma compared with corresponding paratumoral tissues. Subsequently, we observe that circ-0010117 can regulate aggressiveness in glioblastoma cells through miR-6779-5p. Furthermore, SPEN is verified as a direct target of miR-6779-5p and also contributes to circ-0010117 regulatory network. In addition, we identify that overexpression of circ-0010117 can suppresses tumorigenesis in nude mice. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that the circular RNA 0010117 promotes the aggressive behavior of glioblastoma by regulating miRNA-6779-5p/SPEN axis. And our results provide the rationale for the use of circ-0010117 as a novel potential therapeutic target in glioblastoma.
Study of the Accuracy of a Radial Arterial Pressure Waveform Cardiac Output Measurement Device After Cardiac Surgery
Authors: Ordoñez-Rufat Pilar , Fora Núria Mancho , Cordomí Cristian Tebé , Martínez Victoria Polit , Lencina Ricardo Abellán Abellán , Álvarez Joaquin Fernandez Fernandez , Esteve-Urbano Francisco , Lopez-Delgado Juan Carlos
Published: April 2022

Purpose: To evaluate the accuracy of ProAQT® sensor in patients who underwent cardiac surgery. Less-invasive monitoring, such as arterial pulse contour analysis (ProAQT® sensor), represents an alternative when hemodynamic monitoring is necessary for guiding postoperative resuscitation but invasive monitoring is not technically possible. Methods: Prospective observational study in a Surgical Intensive Care Unit of a tertiary university hospital. Ten patients who underwent cardiac surgery were included. We compared cardiac index (CI) measured simultaneously by ProAQT® sensor (i.e., radial arterial pressure waveform) with pulmonary arterial catheter (PAC). Parameters were assessed at predefined time points during early postoperative courses (6h, 12h, 24h, 48h and 72h). The degree of agreement with CI between PAC and ProAQT® sensors across time points was measured by the concordance correlation coefficient, Bland-Altman and four-quadrant plot analyses.Results: Sixty-three pairs of measurements were analyzed. We showed that measurements of CI were slightly higher with PAC (β ̂=-0.146, p-value=0.094). The concordance correlation coefficient for the additive model of CI was 0.64 (95% Confidence Interval: 0.36, 0.82), indicating a high concordance between both sensors. Bland-Altmann analysis showed a mean bias of 0.45 L·min-1·m-2, limits of agreement from -1.65 to 2.3 L·min-1·m-2, and percentage of error was 82.5%. Four-quadrant plot of changes in CI showed a good concordance rate (75%), which increases after applying the exclusion zone (87%).Conclusion: In patients undergoing cardiac surgery, the ProAQT® sensor may be useful to monitor CI and it may provide a reliable estimate of its absolute value during postoperative period.
Intraseasonal variability of global land monsoon precipitation and its recent trend
Authors: Liu Fei , Wang Bin , Ouyang Yu , Wang Hui , Qiao Shaobo , Chen Guosen , Dong Wenjie
Published: April 2022

Accurate prediction of global land monsoon rainfall on a sub-seasonal (2-8 weeks) time scale has become a worldwide demand. Current forecasts of weekly-mean rainfall in most monsoon regions, however, have limited skills beyond two weeks, calling for a more profound understanding of monsoon intraseasonal variability (ISV). We show that the high-frequency (HF; 8-20 days) ISV, crucial for the Week 2 and Week 3 predictions, accounts for about 53-70% of the total (8-70 days) ISV, generally dominating the sub-seasonal predictability of various land monsoons, while the low-frequency (LF; 20-70 days)’s contribution is comparable to HF only over Australia (AU; 47%), South Asia (SA; 43%), and South America (SAM; 40%). The leading modes of HFISVs in Northern Hemisphere (NH) monsoons primarily originate from different convectively coupled equatorial waves, while from mid-latitude wave trains for Southern Hemisphere (SH) monsoons and East Asian (EA) monsoon. The Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) directly regulates LFISVs in Asian-Australian monsoon and affects American and African monsoons by exciting Kelvin waves and mid-latitude teleconnections. During the past four decades, the HF (LF) ISVs have considerably intensified over Asian (Asian-Australian) monsoon but weakened over American (SAM) monsoon. Sub-seasonal to seasonal (S2S) prediction models exhibit higher sub-seasonal prediction skills over AU, SA, and SAM monsoons that have larger LFISV contributions than other monsoons. These results suggest an urgent need to improve the simulation of convectively coupled equatorial waves and two-way interactions between regional monsoon ISVs and mid-latitude processes and between MJO and regional monsoons, especially under the global warming scenarios.
Challenges and Barriers of Blended Learning Among Asian Health Sciences Students: A Pilot Study
Authors:   Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia, Saber Huda , Abdul Manaf Rosliza ,   Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia, Basman Anna Tasnim ,   Kulliyyah of Education, International Islamic University Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia, Sanip Suhaila ,   Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, Lee Ping Yein ,   UM eHealth Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Kamalludeen Rosemaliza ,   Kulliyyah of Education, International Islamic University Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia, Ibrahim Rosni ,   Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia, Amin-Nordin Syafinaz ,   Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
Published: April 2022

This study explored the perception, engagement, learning experiences, as well as challenges and barriers in blended learning (BL) or the combination of multiple delivery methods designed to complement educators and learners, of students in the health sciences courses in Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). A qualitative approach was performed using focus group discussions (FGDs). Eight medical, eight nursing and seven biomedical students were selected according to a set of criteria. Three FGDs were conducted using a semi-structured topic guide. Data were collected through audiorecordings and transcriptions. Data coding and analysis were performed using inductive content approach. Three topic highlights were developed from the analysis. Students referred to BL as an online learning platform which does not involve lectures nor lecturers. They agreed that BL allows self-directed and collaborative learning, besides it fits their learning styles. Some of them highlighted some limitations of BL when it comes to slow-learners, student-lecturer engagement and the existing infrastructure. The students also shared their good and bad experiences regarding BL, as well as feedbacks to help improve its implementation. There are a mix of positive and negative perceptions and experiences highlighted in this study. The integration of BL to the existing traditional learning style is challenging. Therefore, by examining the strengths and weaknesses of BL that have been identified in this study, it is hoped that the students’ learning experiences could be made better. Future studies could investigate more on BL implementation in larger student population to ensure its beneficial aspects towards enhancing students’ learning progress.
Evolution of Resilience Construct, Its Distinction with Hardiness, Mental Toughness, Work Engagement and Grit, and Implications to Future Healthcare Research
Authors:   Department of Medical Education, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia, Roslan Nurhanis Syazni , Yusoff Muhamad Saiful Bahri ,   Department of Medical Education, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia, Morgan Karen ,   Perdana University-Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,   Department of Health Psychology, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin 2, Ireland, Ab Razak Asrenee ,   Department of Psychiatry, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia,   Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia, Ahmad Shauki Nor Izzah ,   Institute for Health Systems Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health, Selangor, Malaysia
Published: April 2022

Over the past three decades, growing literature have examined the role of resilience in helping individuals to thrive from adversities. Resilience was studied among children growing under high-risk conditions, genocide survivors, immigrants, patients, and recently, physicians. Through a narrative review, this article critically examines resilience construct development, definitions, and themes, its generalisability across domains, and stability over time. Similarities and distinguishing characteristics of resilience and related terms such as hardiness, mental toughness, work engagement and grit are discussed. The article then discusses the evolution of resilience studies, available interventions and the implication of the current understanding for future research in the context of physicians.