bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reduction of peripheral regulatory T cells in active rheumatoid arthritis patients with coronary artery disease
Authors: Wang Yanyan , Su Rui , Li Baochen , Guo Qiaoling , Hu Fangyuan , Yu Xiaopu , Ma Mingxia , Wang Lizhi , Gao Chong , Li Xiaofeng , Wang Caihong
Published: December 2021

Objective

To identify lymphocyte and CD4 + T cell subset characteristics, particularly regulatory T cells (Tregs), in active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods

A total of 54 RA patients with CAD (RA-CAD group), 43 RA patients without CAD (pure RA group), and 43 healthy controls (HC group) were enrolled. The absolute number and frequency of lymphocyte subpopulations and CD4 + T cell subsets were analyzed by flow cytometry. Serum levels of cytokines were analyzed using a cytometric bead array. Clinical and laboratory data were collected retrospectively and their correlation with CD4 + T subsets were analyzed.

Results

There was a significant decrease in the absolute number of Treg cells (CD4 + CD25 + Foxp3 + T cells) in the RA-CAD group compared to the pure RA group (p < 0.001). Similarly, both the absolute number (p = 0.001) and frequency (p = 0.011) of Tregs in the RA-CAD group were decreased compared to the HCs, causing a Th17/Treg imbalance (p = 0.044). No difference was found in the absolute number and frequency of Treg cells between the pure RA and HC groups. However, the absolute Th17 cell count was increased in the pure RA group (p = 0.032). The serum level of cytokine IL-17 was lower in the RA-CAD group than in the pure RA group (p = 0.023). In the RA-CAD group, the Treg number was negatively correlated with the RA disease activity score and ESR value, and LDL and ApoB100 levels were negatively correlated with the number of Th17 cells.

Conclusions

Active RA patients with CAD sustain more severe immune tolerance damage and Th17/Treg disorder. Monitoring of lymphocyte and CD4 + T cell subsets, particularly Treg cells, is crucial to understanding immune status in this group. Focusing on RA activity and CAD risk control, immune-regulatory therapy based on the Treg level may be more beneficial for RA patients with CAD.
Genome-wide identification of PIP5K in wheat and its relationship with anther male sterility induced by high temperature
Authors: Liu Hongzhan , Sun Zhongke , Hu Lizong , Yue Zonghao
Published: December 2021

Background

Phosphatidylinositol 4 phosphate 5-kinase (PIP5K) plays a key enzyme role in the inositol signal transduction system and has essential functions in plants in terms of growth, development, and stress responses. However, systematic studies on the wheat PIP5K gene family and its relation to male sterility have not been reported yet.

Results

Sixty-four TaPIP5K genes were identified. The TaPIP5K genes contained similar gene structures and conserved motifs on the same branches of the evolutionary tree, and their cis-regulatory elements were related to MeJA-responsiveness. Furthermore, 49 pairs of collinearity genes were identified and mainly subjected to purification selection during evolution. Synteny analyses showed that some PIP5K genes in wheat and the other four species shared a relatively conserved evolutionary process. The expression levels of many conservative TaPIP5K genes in HT-ms anthers were significantly lower than that in Normal anthers. In addition, HT-ms anthers have no dehiscence, and levels of OPDA and JA-ILE are significantly lower at the trinucleus stage.

Conclusion

These results indicate that the PIP5K gene family may be associated with male sterility induced by HT, and the reduction of JA-ILE levels and the abnormal levels of these genes expression may be one reason for the HT-ms anthers having no dehiscence, ultimately leading to the abortion of the anthers.
Oxidative damage, antioxidant mechanism and gene expression in tomato responding to salinity stress under in vitro conditions and application of iron and zinc oxide nanoparticles on callus induction and plant regeneration
Authors: Aazami Mohammad Ali , Rasouli Farzad , Ebrahimzadeh Asghar
Published: December 2021

Background

Salinity is one of the most challenging abiotic stresses restricting the growth of plants.In vitroscreening will increase the efficiency and speed of salinity tolerant genotypes identifications. The response of four tomato cultivars under salinity was analyzedin vitroto evaluate the seedlings growth, biochemical, and gene expression responses as well as the effect of nano zinc and iron on callus induction and plant regeneration.

Results

The results showed that an increase in salinity stress in the medium decreased the germination percentage, fresh and dry weight of shoot, root length, chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids content, K and Ca content, and on the other hand, Na content was increased. MDA content (‘Nora’, ‘PS-10’, ‘Peto’ and ‘Roma’: 1.71, 1.78, 1.66 and 2.16 folds, respectively), electrolyte leakage (‘PS-10’: 33.33%; ‘Roma’: 56.33%), were increased with salinity of 100 mM compared to control. Proline content was increased in 50 mM NaCl (10.8 fold). The most activity of antioxidant enzymes including CAT, SOD, APX, GPX, and GR was observed in the ‘PS-10’ cultivar, and the lowest activity of these enzymes was observed in ‘Roma’ under salinity stress. The AsA and GSH were decreased and DHA and GSSG were increased with the increased intensity of salinity. The relative expression ofSOD,APX, andGRgenes varied in different cultivars at different salinity concentrations. The most percentage of callus induction was observed with applying iron oxide nanoparticles, and the most regeneration rate was recorded using zinc oxide nanoparticles.

Conclusion

The results showed that salt-tolerant cultivars such as ‘PS-10’ with better osmotic adjustment, are suitable candidates for the future production and breeding programs. The use of nutrient nanoparticles under salinity stress for different tomato cultivars increased their performance.
Co-designing a remote rehabilitation tool for Parkinson’s disease: exploratory values and challenges
Authors: Abril-Jiménez Patricia , Merino-Barbancho Beatriz , Vera-Muñoz Cecilia , Arredondo Waldmeyer María Teresa
Published: December 2021

Background

Impaired motor function is one of the early symptoms shown in patients with Parkinson Disease (PD). For this reason, rehabilitative interventions have been used for many years to improve motor and non-motor symptoms. Among them, the use of music therapy has shown benefits in helping to overcome some of the most common motor dysfunction. Addressing the challenge of providing access to this type of therapy, this document presents the collaborative design process to develop a remote training support tool for PD based on music therapy.

Methods

A qualitative study with creative co-design methods was used in which different groups of healthcare professionals, patients, and relatives participated in six iterative sessions. Workshops were designed and structured to incrementally discover requirements and needs and validate the proposed prototype ideas.

Results

The study provided key aspects that were used for the development and validation of the proposed prototypes for the remote music-based training support tool for PD. Up to 20 factors that had a positive and/or negative influence on patient access to training were detected. These factors were classified into three common themes: daily activities and independence, participation in treatment and barriers to daily treatment, and self-management and personalization of information and telecommunication technologies (ICT).

Conclusions

This paper shows the results of a collaborative design process aimed at identifying the different factors, relevant to patients with PD, to improve their access to remote ICT-based training therapy and their expectations regarding alternative therapies, such as music. The participatory design methods and the iterative model used helped overcome many of the traditionally barriers that this type of technological support solutions usually have, facilitating the future participation.
The prevalence of premature ejaculation and its relationship with polygamous men: a cross-sectional observational study at a tertiary hospital in Somalia
Authors: Mohamed Abdikarim Hussein , Mohamud Hussein Ali , Yasar Adem
Published: December 2021

Background

Premature ejaculation (PE) is the most common and prevalent sexual disorder among men. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study aimed at evaluating the relationship of PE among polygamous men.

Method

Over a 1-year period, a cross-sectional observational study was carried out among 202 married men who visited the urology polyclinic due to different clinical conditions and contributed by completing a standardized structured questionnaire regarding their sociodemographic data, as well as sexual and past medical history.

Results

In our study, the prevalence of PE was 37.1%; half of the monogamous men (50%) complained of PE, while 22% of men with two wives, 20% of men with three wives, and 12% of men with four wives complained of PE (p < 0.0001, 95% CI 0.122–1.920). Seventy percent of erectile dysfunction (ED) patients had PE concurrence (p < 0.0001, 95% CI 0.057–5.543). Regarding frequency of sexual intercourse, 48% of patients who complained of PE performed sexual intercourse less than two times/week, while two-thirds of the participants who did not complain of PE had sexual intercourse two to four times/week (p < 0.0001, 95% CI 0.203–0.568). Among the men who reported ED, 42% had one wife, 21.5% had two wives, 40% had three wives, and 12.5% had four wives (p < 0.029, 95% CI 0.417–0.962).

Conclusions

We report that polygamous men have a lower incidence of premature ejaculation and higher sexual satisfaction than monogamous men. There is a significant association between ED and PE, showing a complex and bidirectional relationship between the two conditions. The new taxonomic entity called loss of control of erection and ejaculation (LCEE) views the two sexual symptoms as deeply interrelated. The study results indicate that a sexual intercourse frequency of two or more times per week significantly lowers the risk of PE.
Imaging findings of uterine adenosarcoma with sarcomatous overgrowth: two case reports, emphasizing restricted diffusion on diffusion weighted imaging
Authors: Nakai Go , Matsutani Hiroki , Yamada Takashi , Ohmichi Masahide , Yamamoto Kazuhiro , Osuga Keigo
Published: December 2021

Background

Adenosarcoma is classified as a mixed epithelial and mesenchymal tumor composed of a benign epithelial component and a malignant stromal component. The stromal component in adenosarcoma is usually low grade, and consequently the prognosis is relatively favorable. While, adenosarcoma with sarcomatous overgrowth (SO) is defined as an adenosarcoma in which the sarcomatous component constitutes more than 25% of the tumor. The stromal component is also high-grade sarcoma showing greater nuclear pleomorphism and mitotic activity, thus, it is associated with worse prognosis. MRI findings of adenosarcoma without SO have been described in previous literatures but the imaging findings in adenosarcoma with SO may be poorly defined. Therefore we present two cases of uterine adenosarcoma with SO.

Case presentation

Patient 1 was a 76-year-old woman referred to our hospital with complaint of abdominal distension and postmenopausal bleeding. Patient 2 was a 57-year-old woman with complaint of lower abdominal pain and abnormal uterine bleeding. On magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), T2 weighted imaging showed a large, heterogeneous high-intensity mass with hyperintense tiny cysts that expanded the uterine cavity and extended into the cervical canal for both patients. On diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), both masses appeared as high signal intensity. Patient 2 also had a right ovarian adult granulosa cell tumor that may have contributed to development of the adenosarcoma. Patient 1 recurred with peritoneal sarcomatosis 6 months after surgery and died of the disease. Patient 2 also recurred with a left upper lung metastasis 3 months after surgery.

Conclusions

DWI may depict pathological changes produced by SO of adenosarcoma as high signal intensity, even though SO does not seem to change MRI findings of adenosarcoma on other sequences. Therefore, DWI could potentially predict SO in presumptive adenosarcoma on MRI and the patient’s prognosis. It is also important for pathologists to know if SO can arise in adenosarcoma because they need to examine the tumor thoroughly to determine the percentage of SO component in the tumor volume when SO is present.
Psychometric evaluation of the 8-item Altarum Consumer Engagement (ACE) Measure™ in community-dwelling adults in Singapore
Authors: Ge Lixia , Yap Chun Wei , Kaur Palvinder , Ong Reuben , Heng Bee Hoon
Published: December 2021

Background

A valid and reliable measure is essential to assess patient engagement and its impact on health outcomes. This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the 8-item Altarum Consumer Engagement Measure™ (ACE Measure) among English-speaking community-dwelling adults in Singapore.

Methods

This cross-sectional study involved 400 randomly selected community-dwelling adults (mean age: 49.7 years, 50.0% were female, 72.3% were Chinese) who completed the English version of the 8-item ACE Measure independently. The item-level statistics were described. The internal consistency of the measure was measured by Cronbach alpha and item-rest correlations. Validity of the tool was assessed by 1) factorial validity using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), 2) hypothesis-testing validity by correlating ACE subscales (Commitment and Navigation) with health-related outcomes, and 3) criterion validity against the Patient Activation Measure and Health Confidence Measure.

Results

There was no floor or ceiling effect for Commitment and Navigation subscales, and the Cronbach alpha for each subscale was 0.76 and 0.54, respectively. The two-factor structure was confirmed by CFA. In general, Commitment and Navigation subscales were positively correlated with frequency of activity participation (rho = 0.30 - 0.33) and EQ-5D visual analog scale (rho = 0.15 - 0.30). Individuals who perceived better health than peers had higher subscale scores (p < 0.01). Each subscale score had moderate and positive correlations with activation score (rho = 0.48 - 0.55) and health confidence score (rho = 0.35 - 0.47).

Conclusions

The two-subscale ACE Measure demonstrated good construct validity in English-speaking Singapore community-dwelling adults. Evidence in internal consistency was mixed, indicating further investigation.
Training medical educators to teach: bridging the gap between perception and reality
Authors: Trainor Alison , Richards Jeremy B.
Published: December 2021

Teaching is a core expectation of physicians in academic hospitals and academic medical centers, but best practices for training physicians to teach have not been established. There is significant variability in how physicians are trained to teach medical students and residents across the world, and between Israeli hospitals. In an article published earlier this year in the Israel Journal of Health Policy Research, Nothman and colleagues describe a survey of 245 Israeli physicians in departments of internal medicine, pediatrics, and obstetrics and gynecology, at four different faculties of medicine across Israel. The majority of Israeli physicians responding to this survey reported receiving minimal training to teach, with only 35% receiving any training focused on medical education skills, most (55%) receiving training of only 1–2 days duration. In addition, the physicians surveyed perceived their training as inadequate and not aligned with their self-perceived educational needs. Furthermore, the respondents felt strongly that “compensation and appreciation” for medical education was less than for those involved in research. Despite the general lack of training in teaching skills and the perception that teaching physicians are less valued than researchers, survey respondents rated themselves as highly confident in most domains of medical education. In this context, this commentary reviews the disconnect between the general perception that all physicians can and should engage in teaching in the clinical setting with the well-described observation that competence in medical education requires dedicated and longitudinal training. Leveraging best practices in curriculum design by aligning educational interventions for teaching physicians with their self-perceived needs is discussed, and models for dedicated faculty development strategies for teaching medical education skills to physicians are reviewed. Finally, the importance of and potential strategies for assessing teaching physicians’ effectiveness in Israel and elsewhere are considered as a means to address these physicians’ perception that they are not as valued as researchers. Understanding teaching physicians’ perspectives on and motivations for training medical students and residents is critical for supporting the frontline teaching faculty who educate future healthcare providers at the bedside in medical schools, hospitals, and academic medical centers in Israel and beyond.
Impacts of family household dynamics on residential energy demands in Hebei Province of China
Authors: Zeng Yi , Yang Hanmo , Wang Zhenglian , Li Lan
Published: December 2021

This article presents analyses and projections of the residential energy demands in Hebei Province of China, using the ProFamy extended cohort-component method and user-friendly free software and conventional demographic data as input. The results indicate that the future increase in residential energy demands will be dominated by large increase in small households with 1–2 persons. We found that increase of residential energy demands will be mainly driven by the rapid increase of older adults’ households. Comparisons between residential energy demand projections by household changes and by population changes demonstrate that projections by population changes seriously under-estimate the future residential energy demands. We recommend that China needs to adopt policies to encourage and facilitate older parents and adult children to live together or near-by, and support rural-to-urban family migration. Promoting inter-generation co-residence or living near-by between older parents and young adults would result in a mutually beneficial outcome for both older and younger generations as well as to effectively reduce energy demands. We suggest governments to carefully formulate strategies on efficient residential energy use to cope with the rapid households and population aging, and strengthen data collections/analyses on household residential energy demands for sound policy-making and sustainable development.
CBD-enriched cannabis for autism spectrum disorder: an experience of a single center in Turkey and reviews of the literature
Authors: Bilge Serap , Ekici Barış
Published: December 2021

Introduction

Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in communication, social interaction, restricted interest, and repetitive behaviors. Although more cases are being diagnosed, no drugs are approved to treat the core symptoms or cognitive and behavioral problems associated with autism. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop an effective and safe treatment.

Objective

In this study, we aim to share our 2-year experience with CBD-enriched cannabis treatment in autism and review the latest studies.

Materials and methods

The study included 33 (27 males, six females) children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder who were followed up between January 2018 and August 2020. The mean age was 7.7 ± 5.5 years. The average daily dosage of cannabidiol (CBD) was 0.7 mg/kg/day (0.3–2 mg/kg/day). The median duration of treatment was 6.5 months (3–28 months). The preparations used in this study contained full-spectrum CBD and trace elements tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) of less than 3%.

Results

The outcomes were evaluated before and after treatment based on clinical interviews. At each follow-up visit, parents were asked to evaluate the effectiveness of the CBD-enriched cannabis treatment. According to the parents’ reports, no change in daily life activity was reported in 6 (19.35%) patients. The main improvements of the treatment were as follows: a decrease in behavioral problems was reported in 10 patients (32.2%), an increase in expressive language was reported in 7 patients (22.5%), improved cognition was reported in 4 patients (12,9%), an increase in social interaction was reported in 3 patients (9.6%), and a decrease in stereotypes was reported in 1 patient (3.2%). The parents reported improvement in cognition among patients who adhered to CBD-enriched cannabis treatment for over two years. The antipsychotic drug could be stopped only in one patient who showed mild ASD symptoms. No change could be made in other drug use and doses. Additionally, this study includes an extensive review of the literature regarding CBD treatment in autism spectrum disorder. According to recent studies, the average dose of CBD was 3.8±2.6 mg/kg/day. The ratio of CBD to THC in the used preparations was 20:1. The most significant improvements were seen in the behavioral problems reported in 20–70% of the patients.

Conclusion

Using lower doses of CBD and trace THC seems to be promising in managing behavioral problems associated with autism. In addition, this treatment could be effective in managing the core symptoms and cognitive functions. No significant side effects were seen at the low doses of CBD-enriched cannabis when compared to other studies.
Measuring public knowledge on nuclear weapons in the post-Cold War: dimensionality and measurement invariance across eight European countries
Authors: Fialho Fabrício M.
Published: December 2021

Research on public opinion and international security has extensively examined attitudes toward nuclear weapons, but the diffusion of basic knowledge about nuclear weapons among the everyday citizens has nevertheless been mostly missed. This study proposes a working definition and advances a measurement model of knowledge on nuclear weapons in the general public. It analyzes data from two novel surveys conducted in 2018 (N = 6559) and 2019 (N = 6227) where respondents from Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom answered a web survey on attitudes and factual knowledge on nuclear weapons. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analytic models are used to examine the dimensionality and to assess the measurement invariance of a scale of knowledge about nuclear weapons. A bifactor measurement model, where a strong general factor represents the construct of interest and specific factors account for the presence of testlets due to questionnaire design, is established and validated. Configural, metric, and scalar invariance are established across the eight samples. The findings indicate that knowledge about nuclear weapons in the general, non-expert public can be reliably measured cross-nationally.
Does strong governance stimulate the effect of economic freedom and financial literacy on financial inclusion? a cross-country evidence
Authors: Hussain Muhammad , Yahya Farzan , Waqas Muhammad
Published: December 2021

This study examines the interlinkages between financial literacy, economic freedom, government quality, and financial inclusion using cross-sectional and panel data analysis. Using a sample of 98 countries from the year 2007 to 2018, OLS and system GMM estimators were used to analyze the results. The estimation results indicate that financial literacy and government quality positively influence financial inclusion. Results also find that governance quality strengthens the effect of financial literacy on financial inclusion. The results derived from the dynamic panel model also reasonably conclude the positive effect of economic freedom on financial inclusion while government quality acts as a catalyst for their link. Our results are also robust to sub-panels based on the level of country risk.
Forward modeling and 3D inversion of electromagnetic data collected over the McArthur River uranium deposit in the Athabasca Basin, Canada
Authors: Mir Reza , Fullagar Peter , Darijani Mehrdad , Smith Richard , Scott Shawn , Ross Martin , Shamsipour Pejman , Chouteau Michel , Ansdell Kevin , Gouiza Mohamed
Published: December 2021

Detection and assessment of the deeply buried high-grade uranium deposits in the Athabasca Basin rely on geophysical methods to map conductive rocks. Variable Quaternary surface cover can mask the anomalous signals from depth and affect the interpretation of inverted conductivity models. We present the analysis of several electromagnetic (EM) modeling studies and two field data sets to demonstrate the effects of varying Quaternary cover resistivity and thickness, on the ability to resolve the parameters of underlying sandstone, alteration, and basement conductors. Synthetic data, assuming a typical shallow EM sounding system and realistic resistivities found in the Athabasca Basin, indicate that resistivity and thickness parameters of the Quaternary cover can be separately recovered in cases in which this cover is more conductive than the underlying sandstone, but not when the cover is significantly more resistive. A 3D modeling study indicates that by using airborne EM data, it is possible to detect a basement conductor of 20 S at a depth of at least 600 m below the surface, even in the presence of Quaternary cover thickness variations of the up to 20% (40–60 m). Furthermore, although Quaternary cover variations and deeper sandstone alteration can produce comparable anomalous signal amplitudes in a time-domain EM response, their effects are most visible in distinctly separate time windows. Ground-penetrating radar and other data to characterize the Quaternary cover in the McArthur River area indicate that this cover consists mostly of sandy tills ranging in thickness from 0 to 117 m. Constrained 3D inversion of an airborne EM data set from the same area indicates basement conductors consistent with the depth and location of a known fault. Elevated conductivity in the sandstone by up to a factor of two over the background values could indicate possible alteration.
A high-order finite-difference scheme for time-domain modeling of time-varying seismoelectric waves
Authors: Ji Yanju , Han Li , Huang Xingguo , Zhao Xuejiao , Jensen Kristian , Yu Yibing
Published: December 2021

Simulation of the seismoelectric effect serves as a useful tool to capture the observed seismoelectric conversion phenomenon in porous media, thus offering promising potential in underground exploration activities to detect pore fluids such as water, oil, and gas. The static electromagnetic (EM) approximation is among the most widely used methods for numerical simulation of the seismoelectric responses. However, the static approximation ignores the accompanying electric field generated by the shear wave, resulting in considerable errors when compared to analytical results, particularly under high-salinity conditions. To mitigate this problem, we have adopted a spatial high-order finite-difference time-domain method based on Maxwell’s full equations of time-varying EM fields to simulate the seismoelectric response in 2D mode. To improve the computational efficiency influenced by the velocity differences between seismic and EM waves, different time steps are set according to the stability conditions, and the seismic feedback values of EM time nodes are obtained by linear approximation within the seismic unit time step. To improve the simulation accuracy of the seismoelectric response with the time-varying EM calculation method, finite-difference coefficients are obtained by solving the spatial high-order difference approximation based on the Taylor expansion. Our method yields consistent simulation results compared to those obtained from the analytical method under different salinity conditions, thus indicating its validity for simulating seismoelectric responses in porous media. We further apply our method to layered and anomalous body models and extend our algorithm to three dimensions. Results indicate that the time-varying EM calculation method can effectively capture the reflection and transmission phenomena of the seismic and EM wavefields at the interfaces of contrasting media. This may allow for the identification of abnormal locations, thus highlighting the capability of seismoelectric response simulation to detect subsurface properties.
Duration of respiratory sample stability at -80ºC for SARS-CoV-2 PCR
Authors: Aijaz Javeria , Naseer Fouzia , Dojki Maqboola , Jamal Saba
Published: December 2021

Objective: To determine the stability of respiratory samples for SARS-CoV-2 PCR at standard laboratory ultra-freezer temperatures (-80°C).

Methods: Five hundred and sixty-five archived, SARS-CoV-2 PCR positive patient specimens received at the Pathology Department of the Indus Hospital & Health Network between January 2021 and June 2021 were retested in June 2021. Samples had been stored at -70°C or below throughout this duration. Sample integrity following storage was assessed as the percentage of samples with reproducible results, and as consistency of cycle threshold (Ct) values between the original testing and the repeat testing.

Results: Of the 565 samples evaluated in this study, 86% gave reproducible results upon retesting. However, there was no correlation between the duration of storage and result reproducibility, though the majority (69% for PCR Target-I and 78% for PCR Target-II respectively) of non-reproducible results had Ct values above 30. Similarly, there was a consistent increase of Ct values upon storage at ultra-freezer temperatures, though the effect again was more contingent upon freezing the sample in the ultra-freezer rather than the duration of storage.

Conclusion: SARS-CoV-2 positive respiratory specimens for PCR can be stored for up to six months at -70°C or below without loss of sample integrity, though there is some loss of PCR-detected viral targets as evidenced by an immediate increased in the PCR-generated Ct values. In addition, samples with initial Ct values above 30 are more likely to give non-reproducible results.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.ICON-2022.5777

How to cite this:Aijaz J, Naseer F, Dojki M, Jamal S. Duration of respiratory sample stability at -80ºC for SARS-CoV-2 PCR. Pak J Med Sci. 2022;38(2):393-398. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.ICON-2022.5777

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
High risk histopathological factors in retinoblastoma in upfront enucleated eyes: An experience from a tertiary care centre of Pakistan
Authors: Yaqoob Nausheen , Mansoor Salima , Aftab Kanwal , Kaleem Bushra , Hamid Ahmer , Jamal Saba
Published: December 2021

Background & Objectives: The assessment of histopathological risk factors (HRFs) in retinoblastoma in upfront enucleated eyes is important in deciding treatment protocols. Limited data is available from the developing countries as very few studies were conducted on retinoblastoma. The study aims to report this data from Pakistan.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included treatment naïve retinoblastoma patients who underwent upfront enucleation between 2017 to 2021. Various tumor characteristics i.e. laterality, size, histologic grade, anaplasia grade, growth pattern, extent and length of optic nerve invasion, pathologic staging, tumor involvement of ocular structures were assessed. High-risk factors such as involvement of anterior chamber, choroidal, scleral, extrascleral, and optic nerve were also noted.

Results: A total number of 54 patients were enrolled, out of which 53.7% were females while remaining were males. Median age at presentation was 24 months. Unilateral tumor was seen in 92.6% cases. Most frequent histologic grade was G2 (64.7%) and moderate anaplasia was observed in 59.2% cases. Vitreous involvement was seen in (86.5%). Pathologic staging of most of the tumors was pT1 (39.2%). Assessment of high-risk factors revealed that optic nerve involvement (35.1%) was the most common finding with retrolaminar tumor invasion seen in 75% cases. Choroidal invasion (≤3mm) was seen in 55.6% of patients. Limited involvement of anterior chamber (3.8%), sclera (7.4%), and extrascleral (3.8%) tissue was also observed.

Conclusion: The presence of high risk histopathological factors in enucleated eyes diagnosed with retinoblastoma are known to have a profound impact on the risk stratification as well as decision of future treatment plan.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.ICON-2022.5787

How to cite this:Yaqoob N, Mansoor S, Aftab K, Kaleem B, Hamid A, Jamal S. High risk histopathological factors in retinoblastoma in upfront enucleated eyes: An experience from a tertiary care centre of Pakistan. Pak J Med Sci. 2022;38(2):369-374.  doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.ICON-2022.5787

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Μελέτη των πεποιθήσεων και των πρακτικών γραμματισμού γονέων παιδιών προσχολικής ηλικίας και διερεύνηση των παραγόντων που σχετίζονται και διευκολύνουν τη μετάβαση στο σχολικό γραμματισμό
Authors: Τσίρμπα Χρυσούλα
Published: December 2021

Σκοπός της παρούσας διδακτορικής διατριβής είναι η διερεύνηση των πεποιθήσεων των γονέων για τον γραμματισμό των νηπίων και τον τρόπο που γίνεται κάποιος εγγράμματος και το πώς αυτές σχετίζονται με τις πρακτικές γραμματισμού στο οικογενειακό τους περιβάλλον. Η έρευνα πραγματοποιήθηκε σε 13 Νηπιαγωγεία στον Πύργο Ηλείας το σχολικό έτος 2017-2018. Το δείγμα αποτελούνταν από 168 γονείς νηπίων, τα αντίστοιχα νήπια (172) και τις νηπιαγωγούς τους (29). Εφαρμόστηκε μεικτή ερευνητική μεθοδολογία και η συλλογή δεδομένων έγινε μέσω ερωτηματολογίων, συνεντεύξεων και φύλλων εργασίας. Τα ποσοτικά δεδομένα αναλύθηκαν με στατιστικές τεχνικές, ενώ τα ποιοτικά με τη μέθοδο της ανάλυσης περιεχομένου. Με βάση τα αποτελέσματα, οι γονείς φαίνεται να διακρίνονται σε δύο ομάδες, τους «Ενισχυτικούς» και τους «Παραδοσιακούς», ανάλογα με τις πεποιθήσεις τους για τον γραμματισμό και για τον τρόπο που γίνεται κάποιος εγγράμματος. Η ομάδα των Ενισχυτικών γονέων φαίνεται να έχει πιο ενεργό ρόλο στην εκπαίδευση του παιδιού. Εκδηλώνει πιο υποστηρικτικές τάσεις έναντι του γραμματισμού, τον αντιμετωπίζει μ’ ένα πιο ολιστικό τρόπο και τείνει να εμπλέκεται περισσότερο σε άτυπες πρακτικές γραμματισμού. Από την άλλη, η ομάδα των Παραδοσιακών γονέων φαίνεται να μεταβιβάζει την ευθύνη της εκπαίδευσης των παιδιών στο σχολείο και εκδηλώνει πιο παραδοσιακές τάσεις έναντι του γραμματισμού. Τον αντιμετωπίζει περισσότερο ως κατάκτηση μεμονωμένων δεξιοτήτων οι οποίες έχουν σχέση με τον αλφαβητικό κώδικα και εμπλέκεται περισσότερο σε τυπικές πρακτικές γραμματισμού. Επιπλέον, οι πεποιθήσεις των γονέων για το γραμματισμό φαίνεται να σχετίζονται με το ενδιαφέρον των νηπίων για ανάγνωση και να μη διαφοροποιούνται ιδιαίτερα στη βάση των αντιλήψεων των νηπιαγωγών γι’ αυτές. Τα αποτελέσματα της έρευνας συνηγορούν υπέρ της συνεργασίας μεταξύ Οικογένειας και Νηπιαγωγείου, ώστε να υπάρχει «συνέχεια» μεταξύ τους. Επιπλέον, υποδεικνύουν ότι μπορούν να συνεισφέρουν στο σχεδιασμό Προγραμμάτων Οικογενειακού Γραμματισμού, με σκοπό την υποστήριξη των γονέων για την ενίσχυση του γραμματισμού στο σπίτι.
Studies on the biochemistry of the targeting domain of lysostaphin
Authors: Αντωνιάδου Ελένη
Published: December 2021

Λυσοσταφίνη από το βακτήριο S. simulans κλωνοποιήθηκε στον φορέα έκφρασης pET21a και εκφράστηκε και καθαρίστηκε μέσω του βακτηρίου E.coli. Κάνοντας χρήση της μεθόδου διάχυσης σε άγαρ με δοκιμή κηλίδας και της μεθόδου αραίωσης σε ζωμό βρέθηκε ότι η ελάχιστη ανασταλτική πυκνότητα της λυσοσταφίνης που απαιτείται για να λύσει το μικρόβιο EMRSA ήταν 40nM. Η λυσοσταφίνη αποτελείται από έναν ενδοπεπτιδικό τομέα και έναν τομέα στόχευσης. Ο πρώτος ευθύνεται για την κωδικοποίηση της καταλυτικής δράσης της λυσοσταφίνης ενώ ο δεύτερος καθορίζει την εξειδίκευση του υποστρώματος. Προκειμένου να ανακαλύψουμε αν ο τομέας στόχευσης της λυσοσταφίνης είναι ένας αυτόνομος λειτουργικά τομέας, τον κλωνοποιήσαμε στον φορέα έκφρασης pET21d και τον εκφράσαμε μέσω του βακτηρίου E. coli. Η καθαρισμένη πρωτεΐνη δοκιμάστηκε με τον EMRSA-16 παρουσία ώριμης λυσοσταφίνης και βρέθηκε ότι ο τομέας στόχευσης από μόνος του μπορεί να προστατεύσει το βακτήριο EMRSA-16. Επιπλέον, το αποτέλεσμα αυτό μας υπέδειξε την δυνατότητα του τομέα στόχευσης της λυσοσταφίνης να χρησιμοποιηθεί σε μελλοντικές μελέτες ανταλλαγής τομέων με άλλες πρωτεΐνες. Η μέθοδος της τυχαίας μεταλλαξιογένεσης μέσω της αλυσιδωτής αντίδρασης πολυμεράσης (PCR) χρησιμοποιήθηκε για την αναγνώριση πιθανών καταλοίπων ενεργών θέσεων στο C-τερματικό του τομέα στόχευσης της λυσοσταφίνης. Απομονώσαμε μία μετάλλαξη η οποία αφορά στην αντικατάσταση της φαινυλαλανίνης από σερίνη στην θέση 172 της ώριμης πρωτεΐνης. Ευθυγράμμιση αλληλουχίας με άλλα ομόλογα της λυσοσταφίνης υπέδειξαν την παρουσία τριών ακόμα διατηρημένων αμινοξέων, δύο τυροσινών στις θέσεις 203 και 226 και μίας τρυπτοφάνης στην θέση 214. Η μέθοδος της κατευθυνόμενης μεταλλαξιογένεσης χρησιμοποιήθηκε για να μεταλλάξει όλα τα διατηρημένα αμινοξέα σε αλανίνη και το αμινοξύ της θέσης F172 σε τυροσίνη ώστε να διακρίνουμε μεταξύ σημαντικών και μη σημαντικών θέσεων. Και οι έξι μεταλλάξεις (F172S, F172A, F172Y, Y203A, Y226A και W214A) κλωνοποιήθηκαν και οι πρωτεΐνες τους εκφράστηκαν και καθαρίστηκαν μέσω του βακτηρίου E.coli. Η βακτηριολυτική τους δράση δοκιμάστηκε μέσω της μεθόδου διάχυσης σε άγαρ, της μεθόδου διάλυσης σε ζωμό και μέσω της τεχνικής μεταφοράς ενέργειας φθορισμού με αντήχηση (FRET-assay). Τα αποτελέσματα έδειξαν ότι οι πρωτεΐνες με τις μεταλλάξεις F172S, F172Y, Y203A και Y226A παρέμειναν ενεργές ενώ οι πρωτεΐνες με τις μεταλλάξεις F172A και W214A είχαν χάσει όλη την βακτηριολυτική τους ικανότητα, υποδηλώνοντας την σημασία τους στην δράση της λυσοσταφίνης. Τέλος, διεξήχθη πείραμα επαναφοράς με την μετάλλαξη F172A επιβεβαιώνοντας την σημασία της φαινιλαλανίνης στην θέση 172 της ώριμης πρωτεΐνης.
Σχεδιασμός και σύνθεση νέων λιπόφιλων χηλικών παραγόντων με αντιική και αντιπαρασιτική δράση
Authors: Παρδάλη Βασιλική
Published: December 2021

Η παρούσα διδακτορική διατριβή περιγράφει το σχεδιασμό και τη σύνθεση νέων μορίων που φέρουν δισχιδή χηλικό υποκαταστάτη συμπλοκοποίησης μετάλλων, τα οποία μπορούν να δράσουν ως ισχυροί αναστολείς μεταλλοενζύμων με αντιπαρασιτική και αντιική δράση. Το περιεχόμενο αυτής της εργασίας κατανέμεται σε δύο μέρη. Το πρώτο μέρος περιλαμβάνει μια σειρά υδαντοϊνικών αναλόγων, τα οποία είναι υποκατεστημένα με την καρβοϋδροξαμική ομάδα και επιδεικνύουν δράση έναντι των μαστιγοφόρων παρασίτων Τ. brucei και T. cruzi. Ο σχεδιασμός αυτών των ενώσεων βασίστηκε σε προηγούμενες μελέτες και δημοσιεύσεις της ερευνητικής μας ομάδας, οι οποίες έδειξαν ότι η εισαγωγή της ακετοϋδροξαμικής ομάδας επί του ιμιδικού ατόμου του αζώτου λιπόφιλων σπειροκαρβοκυκλικών 2,6-δικετοπιπεραζινών, οδηγεί σε ανάλογα με σημαντική αντιτρυπανοσωμιακή δράση. Αναλυτικά, συντέθηκαν ακετοϋδροξαμικά οξέα, που φέρουν αιθυλομάδα ή βενζυλομάδα επί του αμιδικού αζώτου του υδαντοϊνικού δακτυλίου, ακετοϋδροξαμικά οξέα ενσωματωμένα στο δακτύλιο Ν1-αλεικυκλικών/αρυλ υδαντοϊνών, Ν-υδροξυπροπαναμιδικές ενώσεις και γλυκινοϋδροξαμικά οξέα. Λαμβάνοντας υπ' όψιν την προσέγγιση για περαιτέρω εκμετάλλευση ενώσεων, που δεσμεύουν μεταλλικά ιόντα σε περισσότερους από έναν μικροοργανισμούς και ότι αρκετοί χηλικοί παράγοντες με anti-HCV δράση έχουν αναφερθεί στη βιβλιογραφία, τα νέα συνθετικά ανάλογα εξετάστηκαν, ως προς την επίδρασή τους στην αντιγραφή του HCV RNA και έναντι επανεμφανιζόμενων Φλαβοϊών, της οικογένειας Flaviviridae. Τα νέα ανάλογα έδειξαν πολύ ισχυρή αντιτρυπανοσωμιακή δράση, έναντι του Τ. brucei με τιμές EC50, που ποικίλλουν από 8 nM έως 31.8 μΜ και αξιοσημείωτους δείκτες εκλεκτικότητας. Ορισμένα υδροξαμικά παράγωγα είναι επίσης δραστικά έναντι του T. cruzi με τιμές EC50 σε υπομικρομοριακά έως μικρομοριακά επίπεδα. Επιπλέον, οι περισσότερες ενώσεις εμφανίζουν ισχυρή δράση σε νανομοριακή και υπομικρομοριακή κλίμακα, έναντι δύο διαφορετικών υπογονιδιωματικών αλληλουχιών του HCV, και ορισμένες είναι δραστικές έναντι ενός ή περισσότερων Φλαβοϊών. Το δεύτερο μέρος περιλαμβάνει μια σειρά N-υδροξυπυριδινοδιονών (HPDs) που σχεδιάστηκαν ως αναστολείς της HBV RNaseH, βάσει της ικανότητας ορισμένων ενώσεων, που φέρουν την Ν-υδροξυιμιδική ομάδα να αναστέλλουν την αντιγραφή του HBV. Κατ' αυτό τον τρόπο, συντέθηκαν HPDs συζευγμένες με αρυλ- αμίνες, αρυλ- αλκυλ- αμίνες και υδροξυλαμίνες, οι οποίες καταστέλλουν κατά προτίμηση τη σύνθεση του DNA κλώνου θετικής πολικότητας σε αντιγραφόμενα HBV κύτταρα. Είκοσι δύο ενώσεις ελέγχθηκαν, ως προς τη δράση τους έναντι της αντιγραφής του HBV, σε καλλιέργεια, και είκοσι από αυτές είναι δραστικές με υπομικρομοριακές έως χαμηλές μικρομοριακές τιμές EC50. Με τη σύνθεση αυτών των νέων HPDs επιτεύχθηκε βελτίωση του θεραπευτικού δείκτη της ένωσης-οδηγού, χωρίς ταυτόχρονη καταστολή του ανθρώπινου ενζύμου, huRNaseH1.
Accelerating Large-Scale-Structure data analyses by emulating Boltzmann solvers and Lagrangian Perturbation Theory
Authors: Arico' Giovanni , Angulo Raul , Zennaro Matteo
Published: December 2021

The linear matter power spectrum is an essential ingredient in all theoretical models for interpreting large-scale-structure observables. Although Boltzmann codes such as CLASS or CAMB are very efficient at computing the linear spectrum, the analysis of data usually requires 104-106 evaluations, which means this task can be the most computationally expensive aspect of data analysis. Here, we address this problem by building a neural network emulator that provides the linear theory (total and cold) matter power spectrum in about one millisecond with ≈0.2%(0.5%) accuracy over redshifts z ≤ 3 (z ≤ 9), and scales10-4 ≤ k [h Mpc-1] < 50. We train this emulator with more than 200,000 measurements, spanning a broad cosmological parameter space that includes massive neutrinos and dynamical dark energy. We show that the parameter range and accuracy of our emulator is enough to get unbiased cosmological constraints in the analysis of a Euclid-like weak lensing survey. Complementing this emulator, we train 15 other emulators for the cross-spectra of various linear fields in Eulerian space, as predicted by 2nd-order Lagrangian Perturbation theory, which can be used to accelerate perturbative bias descriptions of galaxy clustering. Our emulators are specially designed to be used in combination with emulators for the nonlinear matter power spectrum and for baryonic effects, all of which are publicly available at http://www.dipc.org/bacco.
A reflection on participatory research methodologies in the light of the COVID-19 – lessons learnt from the European Research Project TRIPS
Authors: König Alexandra , Hatzakis Tally , Andrushevich Alexey , Hoogerwerf Evert-Jan , Vasconcelos Eliva , Launo Carolina , Alčiauskaitė Laura , Barbosa Steven , Andersen Kristina
Published: December 2021

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak has had considerable impacts on research projects, particularly those adopting participatory approaches. This paper reflects on the methodological adaptations employed by the European research project TRIPS to facilitate co-design and open innovation practices towards the development of accessible mobility solutions. The article reports how the methods were adapted to facilitate participatory research with almost no physical meetings. In doing so, the paper presents the alternative ‘distanced-based’ participatory approaches employed to engage users with disabilities and institutional stakeholders in the transport ecosystem, like online workshops, social media content analysis, online surveys and peer-to-peer telephone interviews. Lessons learnt and practical guidelines for distance-based participatory research are presented and discussed with the aim of increasing resilience in the light of future changes.
Additions to the Estonian Bryoflora 2019-2021: Liverworts and Mosses
Authors: Vellak Kai , Ehrlich Loore , Leis Mare , Kupper Tiiu , Kannukene Leiti , Ingerpuu Nele
Published: December 2021

Six species and one subspecies new for Estonia have been found during recent fieldworks. In addition, three varieties from our bryoflora are now accepted as species and so the number of species in Estonian bryoflora is currently 611. Voucher specimens are selected for all new species reported here. Most of the species are included preliminarily into category Data Deficient (DD) according to IUCN structure. Besides this, updated proposals for threat categories are given for four noteworthy bryophytes, which localities were inspected in 2019-2020. Estonian names are given to all new species.
Updates to the list of Estonian lichenized, lichenicolous and allied fungi
Authors: Suija Ave , Gerasimova Julia , Jüriado Inga , Lõhmus Piret , Marmor-Ohtla Liis , Martin Ljudmilla , Randlane Tiina , Zhdanov Ilya S.
Published: December 2021

Sixteen species are reported as new for Estonia. Among these species, ten are lichenized and six are lichen-habiting fungi. One lichen-habiting species – Bryostigma molendoi (Heufl. ex Arnold) S.Y. Kondr. & Hur (= Arthonia molendoi (Heufl. ex Arnold) R. Sant.) and one lichenized species – Lecania nylanderiana A. Massal. should be excluded from the Estonian list of lichenized and allied fungi as misidentifications. New locality data are given for two critically endangered (CR) lichens last found more than 45 years ago – Hypogymnia vittata (Ach.) Parrique and Nephroma bellum (Spreng.) Tuck. (Lõhmus et al., 2019). Additional information on the distribution in Estonia is provided for recently described Toniniopsis separabilis (Nyl.) Gerasimova & A. Beck (Gerasimova et al., 2021).
PATRIOTIC EDUCATION OF TEENAGERS IN THE FRAMEWORK OF ADDITIONAL EDUCATION (KARATE CLASSES)
Authors: Klestova Ekaterina , Klestov Aleksej
Published: December 2021

The article deals with various forms and methods of work that are carried out in institutions of additional education in the field of physical culture and sports for patriotic education of students. In particular, karate classes in sports schools contribute to the socialization of teenagers through participation in the educational and training process, competitions, mass sports events
Manifestation in the English Grammar of Cultural Context as One of the Dimensions of Intercultural Communication
Authors: Baranova O.
Published: December 2021

The current trends of globalization and active intercultural contacts reveal practical importance of developing awareness in the issue of correlation of language and culture. The article studies the linguistic side thereof, namely, manifestation of cultural dimensions (cultural context) in the language structure, which can contribute to more conscious study of the language, on the one hand, and to implementation of intercultural communication practices on the other, as correlation between structural (grammar) phenomena and cultural dimensions could make it possible to create a cultural portrait of a nation basing on the linguistic data.