bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bioinformatics Analysis Predicts hsa_circ_0026337/miR-197-3p as a Potential Oncogenic ceRNA Network for Non-small Cell Lung Cancers
Authors: Zhang Qian , Kang Lingkai , Li Xiaoyue , Li Zhirui , Wen Shimin , Fu Xi
Published: April 2021

BackgroundCircular RNAs (circRNAs) play an essential role in developing tumors, but their role in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is unclear. Thus, the present study explored the possible molecular mechanism of circRNAs in NSCLC.MethodsThree circular RNA (circRNA) microarray datasets were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differential expressions of circRNAs (DECs) were identified in NSCLC tissue and compared to adjacent healthy tissue. The online cancer-specific circRNA database(CSCD) was used for the analysis of the DECs function. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), Gene Ontology (GO), Cytoscape and UALCAN were used to predict the critical nodes and perform patient survival analysis, respectively. The interaction between the DECs, the predicted miRNAs, and hub genes was also determined. Finally, the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network was established.ResultsThe expression of hsa_circ_0049271, hsa_circ_0026337, hsa_circ_0043256, and hsa_circ_0008234 was decreased in NSCLC tissues. The Encyclopedia of RNA Interactomes (ENCORI) and CSCD database results showed that hsa_circ_0026337 was found to sponge with miR-1193, miR-197-3p, miR-3605-5p, miR-433-3p and miR-652-3p, and hsa_circ_0043256 to sponge with miR-1252-5p, miR-494-3p and miR-558 respectively. Subsequently, 100 mRNAs were predicted to bind with these seven miRNA response elements (MREs). The GO analysis and KEGG pathway revealed that these 100 MREs might be involved in “histone deacetylase binding” and “cellular senescence”. PPI network and Cytoscape identified the top ten hub genes. Survival analysis data showed that the low expression of hsa_circ_0026337 was significantly associated with shortened survival time in NSCLC (P=0.037) ,which increased the expression level of hsa-miR-197-3p, thereby inhibiting the translation of specific proteins.ConclusionThis study examined the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network associated with NSCLC and explored the potential functions of DECs in the network to elucidate the mechanisms underlying disease progression in NSCLC.
A Generalized Analysis of Energy Saving Strategies Through Experiment for CNC Milling Machine Tools
Authors: Feng Chunhua , Chen Xiang , Zhang Jingyang , Huang Yugui
Published: April 2021

This paper proposes the elaboration model of energy requirement prediction taking into account the power of standby, spindle rotation in non-load, feeding and rapid movement in X, Y, Z+ and Z- axially, and specific energy consumption (SEC) in the X and Y cutting directions respectively, which could not be considered completely in other models. Each part energy of specific machine tools could be obtained through little experiments for identifying the relationship between energy and tool path with cutting parameters. The method is validated by 27 trial cutting experiment in X and Y cutting directions in VMC850E machine, the results show that the SEC in the X and Y cutting directions are exactly different. Moreover, it is found that spindle power should be piecewise linear representation according to spindle speed characteristic, due to the correlation coefficient of power model only has 25.45% without segmented. Additionally, the correlation coefficient of improved SEC model could reach to more than 99.98% in each segment. The contribution of this paper is mainly the elaboration energy consumption model considering the cutting direction, which is an efficient approach for predicting energy consumption through tool path to achieve sustainable production in manufacturing sectors.
Genomic Insights Into Antibiotic Resistance Pattern of Tetracycline Degrading Bacterium Arthrobacter Nicotianae OTC-16
Authors: Zhang Xin , Zhu Rongrong , Li Weilin , Ma Junwei , Lin Hui
Published: April 2021

Although many bacteria have the potential to remove antibiotic residues from environmental niches, the benefits of using antibiotic degrading bacteria to manage antibiotic pollution should be assessed against the risk of the potential expansion of antimicrobial resistance. This study investigated the antibiotic resistance pattern of the bacterium Arthrobacter nicotianae OTC 16, which shows substantial biodegradation of oxytetracycline/tetracycline. The results showed that this strain could be resistant to at least seven categories, 15 antibiotics, based on antimicrobial susceptibility testing. The genome of A. nicotianae OTC 16 contains one chromosome(3,643,989 bp) and two plasmids (plasmid1,123,894 bp and plasmid2, 29,841bp). Of the 3,561 genes isolated, eight were related to antibiotic resistance. During oxytetracycline (OTC) degradation by the strain OTC 16, the expression of ant2ia, sul1, tet33, and cml_e8 in the plasmid, and one gene(tetV) in the chromosome were tracked by real time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(qRT PCR). Only the plasmid derived resistance genes were up regulated under the pressure of OTC. The presence of OTC increased the tolerance of strain OTC 16 to streptomycin sulphate. This work deepens our understanding of the behavioural characteristics of resistance genes and adaptive evolution of resistant drug bacteria under the pressure of antibiotics.
Human Chromosome 3p21.3 Carries TERT  Transcriptional Regulators in Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Yagyu Takuki , Ohira Takahito , Shimizu Ryutaro , Morimoto Masaki , Murakami Yuki , Hanaki Takehiko , Kihara Kyoichi , Matsunaga Tomoyuki , Yamamoto Manabu , Tokuyasu Naruo , Sakamoto Teruhisa , Fujiwara Yoshiyuki , Kugoh Hiroyuki
Published: April 2021

Frequent loss of heterozygosity (LOH) on the short arm of human chromosome 3 (3p) region has been found in pancreatic cancer (PC), which suggests the likely presence of tumor suppressor genes in this region. However, the functional significance of LOH in this region in the development of PC has not been clearly defined. The human telomerase reverse transcriptase gene (hTERT) contributes to unlimited proliferative and tumorigenicity of malignant tumors. We previously demonstrated that hTERT expression was suppressed by the introduction of human chromosome 3 in several cancer cell lines. To examine the functional role of putative TERT suppressor genes on chromosome 3 in PC, we introduced an intact human chromosome 3 into the human PK9 and murine LTPA PC cell lines using microcell-mediated chromosome transfer. PK9 microcell hybrids with an introduced human chromosome 3 showed significant morphological changes and rapid growth arrest. Intriguingly, microcell hybrid clones of LTPA cells with an introduced human chromosome 3 (LTPA#3) showed suppression of mTert transcription, cell proliferation, and invasion compared with LTPA#4 cells containing human chromosome 4 and parental LTPA cells. Additionally, the promoter activity of mTert was downregulated in LTPA#3. Furthermore, we confirmed that TERT regulatory gene(s) are present in the 3p21.3 region by transfer of truncated chromosomes at arbitrary regions. These results provide important information on the functional significance of the LOH at 3p for development and progression of PC.
TRPV4 is a Prognostic Biomarker That Correlates With the Immunosuppressive Microenvironment and Chemoresistance of Anti-Cancer Drugs
Authors: wang kai , Feng Jun xing , Zheng Zhi ling , Chai Ying ze , Yu Hui jun , You Xin xin , Li Dan xiao , Cheng Dong xiao
Published: April 2021

Background: Transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 4 (TRPV4) has been reported to regulate tumor progression in many tumor types. However, its association with the tumor immune microenvironment remains unclear.Methods: TRPV4 expression was assessed using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) database. The clinical features and prognostic roles of TRPV4 were assessed using TCGA cohort. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) of TRPV4 was conducted using the R package clusterProfiler. We analyzed the association between TRPV4 and immune cell infiltration scores of TCGA samples downloaded from published articles and the TIMER2 database.Results: TRPV4 was highly expressed and associated with worse overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), disease-free interval (DFI), and progression-free interval (PFI) in colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) and ovarian cancer. Furthermore, TRPV4 expression was closely associated with immune regulation-related pathways. Moreover, tumor-associated macrophage (TAM) infiltration levels were positively correlated with TRPV4 expression in TCGA pan-cancer samples. Immunosuppressive genes such as PD-L1, PD-1, CTLA4, LAG3, TIGIT, TGFB1, and TGFBR1 were positively correlated with TRPV4 expression in most tumors.Conclusions: Our results suggest that TRPV4 is an oncogene and a prognostic marker in COAD and ovarian cancer. High TRPV4 expression is associated with tumor immunosuppressive status and may contribute to TAM infiltration based on TCGA data from pan-cancer samples.
Offset of Openings in Optic Nerve Head Canal at Level of Bruch’s Membrane, Anterior Sclera, and Lamina Cribrosa
Authors: Lee Kyoung Min , Ahn Hyoung Jun , Kim Martha , Oh Sohee , Kim Seok Hwan
Published: April 2021

We compared the central retinal vascular trunk (CRVT) position, as a surrogate of lamina cribrosa (LC) offset, with the anterior scleral opening (ASCO) offset from the Bruch’s membrane opening (BMO). Based on the BMO-centered radial scans, the BMO and ASCO margins were demarcated, and each center was determined as the center of the best-fitted ellipse for each margin. The ASCO/BMO offset was defined as the offset between each center. Angular deviations and the extent of ASCO and CRVT offsets from the BMO center were compared directly. Incomplete demarcation of ASCO was found in 20%, which was associated with a larger BMO area and a larger ASCO offset from the BMO. The angular deviation of ASCO offset was associated with that of CRVT offset and that of the longest externally oblique border. The ASCO offset was smaller than the CRVT offset, and, unlike the CRVT offset, it was rarely deviated to the inferior side. The complete ASCO margin might not be demarcateable when determined on BMO-centered radial scans in the presence of an offset. Also, the ASCO, which reflects only the superficial scleral layer, might not reflect the LC position, because the LC might be shifted further from the ASCO.
SCD2-mediated monounsaturated fatty acid metabolism regulates cGAS-STING-dependent type I IFN in CD4+ T cells
Authors: Kanno Toshio , Nakajima Takahiro , Yokoyama Satoru , Asou Hikari , Sasamoto Shigemi , Kamii Yasuhiro , Hayashizaki Koji , Ouchi Yasuo , Onodera Taishi , Takahashi Yoshimasa , Hasegawa Yoshinori , Kinjo Yuki , Ohara Osamu , Nakayama Toshinori , Endo Yusuke
Published: April 2021

Intimate interactions exist between the host lipid metabolism and viral responses. However, how acquired immune systems adapt lipid metabolism to meet demands and whether or not the metabolic rewiring confers a selective advantage in host immunity remains unclear. We found that viral infection attenuated the expression of genes related to lipid metabolism in CD4+ T cells, which in turn increased the anti-viral gene expression. The inhibition of the fatty acid synthesis pathway substantially increased the basal expression of anti-viral genes via the spontaneous production of type I interferon. Using a combination of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing technology and a global lipidomics analysis, we found that the decreased monounsaturated fatty acid by genetic deletion of Scd2 was crucial for the induction of an anti-viral response through the activation of cGAS-STING pathway. These findings demonstrate the novel relationship between fatty acid biosynthesis and type I IFN responses that enhances the anti-viral response.
Longitudinal imaging of VIP interneurons reveals sup-population specific effects of stroke that can be rescued with chemogenetic therapy
Authors: Motaharinia Mohamad , Gerrow Kimberly , Boghozian Roobina , White Emily , Choi Sun-Eui , Brown Craig
Published: April 2021

Stroke profoundly disrupts cortical excitability which impedes recovery, but how it affects the function of specific inhibitory interneurons, or subpopulations therein, is poorly understood. Interneurons expressing vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) represent an intriguing stroke target because they can regulate cortical excitability through disinhibition. Here we chemogenetically augmented VIP interneuron excitability after stroke to show that it enhances somatosensory responses and improves recovery of paw function. Using longitudinal calcium imaging, we discovered that stroke primarily disrupts the fidelity (fraction of responsive trials) and predictability of sensory responses within a subset of highly active VIP neurons. Partial recovery of responses occurred largely within these active neurons and was not accompanied by the recruitment of minimally active neurons. Importantly, chemogenetic stimulation preserved sensory response fidelity and predictability in highly active neurons. These findings provide a new depth of understanding into how stroke and prospective therapies (chemogenetics), can influence subpopulations of inhibitory interneurons.
Mathematical Modelling of a Novel Hetero-junction SIS Front Surface and Interdigitated Back Contact Solar Cell
Authors: Dasgupta Kaustuv , Mondal Anup , Ray Soma , Gangopadhyay Utpal
Published: April 2021

In this paper we have proposed the design and fabrication of a novel hetero junction SIS front surface and interdigitated back contact solar cell. We have approximated the performance parameters and loss analysis of the proposed solar cell by using MATLAB software programming. Many groups of scientists have reported the experimental analysis of a-Si back contact interdigitated solar cell in different studies. Many silicon hetero junction solar cell design and results have been reported with some promising efficiency in last few decades. In this study a high life time(~2 ms) n-Si substrate was considered so that a sufficient amount of light generated career can reach to the interdigitated layer to get absorbed. The availability of the careers at the interdigitated back surface was further enhanced by considering and high-low junction at the front surface created by a ZnO n+ layer at the front surface. A very thin layer of thermally generated insulator SiO2 was considered in between ZnO and n-Si. This layer improves the detrimental effect of interface defects. This is the first time we have theorized interdigitated back contact (IBC) solar cell using metal oxide semiconductors layer deposition avoiding the expensive and complicated doping and diffusion process. In general a high concentration n+ layer is doped to create the high-low junction at front to accelerate the carriers to the back junctions. We are proposing a cost effective thermal deposition of SiO2 layer followed by sol-gel ZnO layer deposition which serves the same purpose of an n+ layer by introducing an SIS junction potential at front. The interdigitated back surface was designed with subsequent n+ a:Si and p+ a:Si vertical junctions.
Effects of Leadership Styles on Quality of Health Services
Authors: Warri Denis
Published: April 2021

Background

Leadership and quality of services have been linked together, where both influence each other in a significant manner. Effective leadership in the field of healthcare has attracted research attention over the last few years. One of the key areas of focus by the Cameroon government, which is believed to better the country's health care sector, has been the quality of leadership. Claims have been made that the most effective way of achieving high-quality service delivery would be through strong leadership. On the other hand, the strength of the leadership within an organization was linked to the type of leadership style adopted by the organization. Therefore, it is paramount that research is conducted to assess the link between the type of leadership style and the quality of services among health workers.
Methods

The study used a descriptive research design with a simple random size of 150 health workers of the CBCHS. Data were collected using closed-ended questions and analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics™ Version 20. Inferential statistics were used to determine the effects of leadership style on the performance of health workers. The mean comparison of quality scores across the different types of leadership styles was using One Way ANOVA.
Results

The most common leadership style among the hospitals of the CBCHS is the transformational leadership style followed by task-focused, person-focused, transactional, and passive-laissez-faire. Transformational leadership style was associated with higher scores for maintaining good public relations and customer care than other leadership styles. The effect of leadership styles on the quality of work was not confirmed as the results were not statistically significant.
Conclusion

Leadership styles play a critical role in improving the quality of work in healthcare settings. Health-related outcomes differ from one setting to another based on the different leadership styles. Although the effect of leadership style on the quality of work was not statistically significant, further studies should explore the role of leadership in influencing other organizational parameters such as motivation and quality of care expectations.
Study on the Density, Hydrostatic Setting Velocity and Locomotion of Biomphalaria Straminea
Authors: Min Fengyang , Wang Jiasheng , Li Shizhu , Chen Jiazhou , Xu Xingjian , Yuan Yi , Guo Yunhai , Chen Muxin
Published: April 2021

[Background]Schistosomiasis mansoni is one of the most prevalent neglected tropical diseases transmitted by snails of the genus Biomphalaria . The pla norbid freshwater snail Biomphalaria straminea as an invasive vector is expanding its geographic range for its great dispersal capacity in Gonuangdong Province, causing potential risk of an epidemic of S. mansoni in southern China . Previous studies have mainly focus ed on the environmental factors that affect B straminea’ s distribution, but few studies have looked at its hydraulic characteristics for the water conservancy control. This stud y explored its primary parameters of the hydraulics characteristic s including density, hydrostatic setting velocity and l ocomotion in different water depth to evaluate its peculiar dispersion characteristics in natural environment. [Methods] The density and hydrostatic setting velocity of B. stramine were measured by the drainage volume method and setting tube method, respectively. T he behavior and distribution characteristics of B. stramine in different water depths were observed by the Plexiglas tube method and the effect s of hydrostatic pressure on the climbing speed of B. stramine were also analyzed. [Results] Our results show that the average density of the B. stramine is 1.08 g/cm 3 . The hydrostatic setting velocity of B. stramine is between 2.32 cm/s and 12.92 cm/s in the water , there is no significant difference betwe en the settling velocity and their shape type. In the Plexiglas tubes with different depths, we noted that the locomotion can occur in six manners. The B. stramine distribute mainly along the surface and at the bottom layer of the tubes and the proportion of the B. stramine on the surface water generally raised as time increase d. Also, we observed the climbing speed of B. stramine at different water depth, and obtained the regression equation of the hydrostatic pressure and their climbing speed of the B. stramine . It revealed that the climbing speed of B. stramine increases first and then decreases with the water depth increase, and reaches the maximum when the water depth at 120cm. [Conclusion] The findings of this study indicate that there are si gnificant differen ces between the 50 density , the hydrostatic setting velocity and climbing speed of B. stramine compared with 51 Oncomelania hupensis . Future studies should be conducted more intensive on h ydraulics 52 characteristics of B . straminea and thus establish adequ ate water conservancy measures to control 53 its dispersion
Eliminating Vascular Obstruction in Myocardial Infarction by Accelerated Ferromagnetic Microrobot
Authors: Moghanizadeh Abbas , Khanzadi Milad , Rajabi Mandana
Published: April 2021

Background

vascular obstruction by clots is one of the main reasons of cardiovascular disease such as myocardial infarction. There is a short time, less than 6 minutes, to establish the blood flow, especially in vital organs. While conventional techniques are not very fast and effective, current micro-robots have inherent limitations such as being slow to achieving this goal.
Objective

There is a strong requirement to develop microrobots with new principles that can quickly eliminate clot blockage in the vascular. The aim of this study is to evaluate, in-vitro, the efficiency of accelerated ferromagnetic micro-robots in destroying blood clots in an artificial vascular precipitately.
Methods

An artificial graft with a diameter of 10 mm were used as the vessel. Blood clots with various lengths (5*10 and 10*10 and 20*10mm3 (dimeter*length)) are formed inside the graft. Microrobots made of steel with a length of 1 mm and a width of 0.05 mm are utilized. Besides, an electromagnetic accelerator is prototyped to instantly raise the magnetic field, which accelerates the magnetic micro-robot toward the blocked artery. Blood clots with various lengths (5*10 and 10*10 and 20*10mm3(Dimeter*length)) are formed inside the tube. The effect of voltage from 100 to 400 volts on destroying different lengths of clot has been studied.
Results

The microrobot enables to destroy the clot and reopen the vessel in a fraction of a second. By increasing the voltage from 100 to 400 volt, the micro-robot is able to destroy clots with longer lengths from 5 to 30 mm.
Conclusion

results confirm that accelerated microbes have a unique potential in piercing clots to reestablish blood flow.
The Stromal Vascular Fraction Mitigates Radiation-induced Gastro-intestinal Syndrome in Mice
Authors: Bensemmane Lydia , Squiban Claire , Demarquay Christelle , Mathieu Noëlle , Benderitter Marc , Milliat Fabien , Linard Christine
Published: April 2021

Background: The intestine is particularly sensitive to moderate-high radiation dose and the development of gastrointestinal syndrome (GIS) leads to the rapid loss of intestinal mucosal integrity, resulting in bacterial infiltration, sepsis that comprise patient survival. There is an urgent need for effective and rapid therapeutic countermeasures. The stromal vascular fraction (SVF) derived from adipose tissue is an easily accessible source of cells with angiogenic, anti-inflammatory and regenerative properties. We studied the therapeutic impact of SVF and its action on the intestinal stem cell compartment.Methods: Mice exposed to the abdominal radiation (18 Gy) received a single intravenous injection of stromal vascular fraction (SVF) (2.5*106 cells), obtained by enzymatic digestion of inguinal fat tissue, on the day of irradiation. Mortality was evaluated as well as intestinal regeneration by histological analyses and absorption function. Results: The SVF treatment limited the weight loss of the mice and inhibited the intestinal permeability and mortality after abdominal irradiation. Histological analyses showed that SVF treatment stimulated the regeneration of the epithelium by promoting numerous enlarged hyperproliferative zones. SVF restored CD24+/lysozyme- and Paneth cell populations in the ISC compartment with the presence of Paneth Ki67+ cells. SVF has an anti-inflammatory effect by repressing pro-inflammatory cytokines, increasing M2 macrophages in the ileum and anti-inflammatory monocyte subtypes CD11b+Ly6clowCX3CR1high in the spleen. Conclusions: Through the pleiotropic effects that contribute to limiting radiation-induced lethality, SVF opens up attractive prospects for the treatment of emergency GIS.
Molecular Theory Considering Nuclear Potential Wells
Authors: Zadeh Dariush Habibollah
Published: April 2021

This article introduces potential wells around nuclei and their roles in chemical bonds. The approach uses one-electron Bohr atomic model concept. Multi-electron atoms are converted to one-electron atoms by grounding all inactive, non-reacting electrons using the Apparent Nuclear Charge (ANC) and Electron Shielding Effect (ESE) concepts introduced in earlier publications. Then the resulting two one-electron atoms and their potential wells are utilized to obtain the related chemical bond length. The methodology is applicable to all elements of periodic table without a need for any additional tool. To test the concept, calculated bond lengths were compared to experimental ones for about 90 different bonds which showed an average error of less than 5%. The article discusses some nontraditional views for chemical bonds which may contradict the traditional beliefs in chemistry. Hopefully, readers would consider the calculated results in support of the presented views. Attached to this article is a computer software program which was prepared with sample input and output files for readers. The software can be utilized to obtain any interested bond length. The software is applicable to all elements in the periodic table up to the element Hassium with the atomic number of 108.
Intention to use and its predictors towards preconception care utilization among reproductive age women in Mizan-Aman town, Bench-Sheko Zone, southwest Ethiopia, 2020: Based on Theory of planned behaviour
Authors: Setegn Melsew
Published: April 2021

Background: World health organization recommended the universal package of preconception care. The government of Ethiopia gives the emphasis to maternal and child health but the progress of its improvement is too slow. Most studies in Ethiopia were on maternal health during pregnancy and after deliver but none of the study on women’s intention to use preconception care based on theory of planned behavior, hence this study aimed to determine behavioral intention and its predictors towards preconception care utilization among reproductive age women in Southwest, Ethiopia.Methods: A community based cross sectional study was conducted among 419 reproductive age women at Mizan-Aman town Southwest Ethiopia. All assumptions of theory of planned behavior (TPB) were considered to measure intention, attitude, perceived social pressure and perceived ability to control circumstances against preconception care utilization. A systematic random sampling was used to select study participants. Data were collected by interviewer administered structured questionnaire through face to face interview. The collected data were entered Epi-data version 3.1 then exported to SPSS version 25 for further analysis. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to identify independent predictors of intention to use preconception care. P-value less than 5% was considered to indicate significant association.Results: A total of 419 women were interviewed with response rate of 98.13%. The mean age of respondents was 34.21 (±6.21) years. Nearly twenty (19.8%) of the respondents were used preconception care previously. The attitude (β =0.320, p=0.0418), subjective norm (β =0.344, p<0.001), perceived behavioral control (β =0.512, p<0.001), indirect subjective norm (β =-0.108, p=0.002) and age of respondents (β =0.046, p=0.020) were the independent predictors of intension to use preconception care.Conclusion: The utilization of preconception care is low in this study. Overall, the intention to use preconception care is the implication of attitude, perceived social pressure and perceived behavioral control confirming the hypothesis of the study. Age is the only socio-demographic variables associated to intention. Health behavior change interventions should focus on empowering women that could enable them to evaluate their control beliefs and develop ability beside social norms and circumstances that compete with the use of preconception care services.
Climate Refugia for Pinus Spp. In Topographic and Bioclimatic Environments of the Madrean Sky Islands of México and the United States 
Authors: Haire Sandra L , Villarreal Miguel , Cortés-Montaño Citlali , Flesch Aaron , Iniguez Jose , Romo-Leon Jose Raul , Sanderlin Jamie
Published: April 2021

ContextRefugia are island-like habitats that are linked to environmental stability. Where topography acts as a deterministic control, microrefugia may continue to function as habitat under reduced rates of climate change. Continental island ecosystems provide propitious settings for identifying patterns of refugia at multiple scales and applying that knowledge to conservation. Objectives Our main objective was to identify microrefugia for pines where habitats are defined by topographic heterogeneity. Secondary aims were to describe climatic variation within microrefugia and examine how species’ response to seasonal climate alters spatial predictions of microrefugia. Methods We investigated how topography forms microrefugia in the Madrean sky islands, located in the borderlands of México and the United States. Our design incorporated pine species presence and absence field observations (P. strobiformis, P. engelmannii and P. chihuahuana, P. arizonica and P. discolor), modeled in relation to terrain, bioclimatic and remote sensing predictors. Results Terrain ruggedness, slope position and aspect defined microrefugia for pines within specific elevation ranges. Some species had narrow habitat preferences (e.g., P. chihuahuana); others exhibited a broader range of tolerance (e.g., P. arizonica). Hotspots of microrefugia were either limited to northern islands or occurred across central or southern latitudes. Response to seasonal climates shifted distributions of hotspots for species with open canopy structure and where regular fires occur. ConclusionsPine habitats with greater climate stability may provide holdouts and stepping-stones critical to species persistence with future change. Networks of refugia provide a promising focus for conservation, restoration, and fire management across a diverse, binational region.
Elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone is associated with poor sleep: a cross-sectional and longitudinal study
Authors: Yan Yuerong , Li Jiaqi , Tang Huairong , Wang Youjuan , Zhang Weiwei , Liu Hui , Zhu Leilei , Xiao Zhen , Yu Yerong
Published: April 2021

Purpose

Poor sleep and the accompanying TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) elevation are not uncommon since TSH secretion is controlled by the circadian rhythm. However, the true relationship between poor sleep and TSH elevation is unclear, and hence we aimed to elucidate this association by cross-sectional and longitudinal studies.
Methods

Participants with isolated elevated and normal TSH concentration were recruited, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PQSI) was used to assess sleep status. The patients with isolated TSH elevation were followed up longitudinally, and TSH levels were remeasured when sleep status improved.
Results

The proportion of poor sleep and occasional poor sleep among subjects with isolated TSH elevation was significantly higher than that in subjects with normal TSH (70.24% vs. 49.58%, p = 0.001; 9.52% vs. 1.68%, p = 0.006), and the ratio of good sleep was obviously decreased in subjects with isolated TSH elevation than normal TSH (20.24% vs. 48.74%, p < 0.001). Patients with isolated TSH elevation had significantly higher PSQI scores in the subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, and habitual sleep efficiency dimensions than subjects with normal TSH (all p < 0.05). In the follow-up study, among patients with isolated TSH elevation at baseline, the ratio of TSH normalization in patients who slept better was significantly higher than that in patients who still slept poorly (85.42% vs. 6.45%, p < 0.001).
Conclusion

This study revealed isolated elevated TSH concentrations tends to normalize when sleep status improves, and we recommend that clinicians inquire about sleep status thoroughly and reexamine thyroid hormone levels when sleep status improves.
Heaps' Law and Vocabulary Richness in the History of Classical Music Harmony
Authors: Serra-Peralta Marc , Serrà Joan , Corral Álvaro
Published: April 2021

Music is a fundamental human construct, and harmony provides the building blocks of musical language. Using the Kunstderfuge corpus of classical music, we analyze the historical evolution of the richness of harmonic vocabulary of 76 classical composers, covering almost 6 centuries. Such corpus comprises about 9500 pieces, resulting in more than 5 million tokens of music codewords. The fulfilment of Heaps' law for the relation between the size of the harmonic vocabulary of a composer (in codeword types) and the total length of his works (in codeword tokens), with an exponent around 0.35, allows us to define a relative measure of vocabulary richness that has a transparent interpretation. When coupled with the considered corpus, this measure allows us to quantify harmony richness across centuries, unveiling a clear increasing linear trend. In this way, we are able to rank the composers in terms of richness of vocabulary, in the same way as for other related metrics, such as entropy. We find that the latter is particularly highly correlated with our measure of richness. Our approach is not specific for music and can be applied to other systems built by tokens of different types, as for instance natural language.
Up-regulation thioredoxin contributes to inhibite diabetic hearing impairment
Authors: Ren Xiang , Lv Jin juan , Fu Yu zhen , Zhang Na , Zhang Cheng hong , Dong Zheng hao , Chudhary Maryam , Zhong Si wen , Kong Li , Kong Hui
Published: April 2021

Background

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by chronic hyperglycemia. An association between DM and hearing impairment has been widely discussed. It’s essential to find effective prevetion or diagnosis of diabetic hearing loss. Thioredoxin (Trx) is a small molecule protein (12kDa) and plays biological functions such as anti-apoptotic, transcriptional regulation. In this study, our aim is to clarify the protective effect of Trx on diabetic hearing loss to find the early potential therapeutic target of diabetic hearing impairment in clinic in the future.
Methods

Trx transgenic(Tg) mice was used to induce diabetic model by intraperitoneal injected Streptozotocin (STZ) and with/without SF or PX12 treatment. Succinate Dehydrogenase (SDH) Staining was used to evaluate the loss of hair cells. The relative expression of related proteins and genes was detected by Western blot and qRT-PCR.
Results

In diabetic mice, the outer hair cells were lost significantly. However, the loss of hair cells was delayed over-expression Trx. Moreover, the expression of PGC-1α, bcl-2 and LC3 was increased in Tg(+)-DM mice compared with Tg(-)-DM mice. The expression of ASK1, Txnip, GRP78, CHOP and p62 was decreased in Tg(+)-DM mice compared with Tg(-)-DM mice.
Conclusion

Taken together, up-regulation Trx can protect cochlear hair cell from damage in diabetes. The underlying mechanism may be related to regulate ER stress through ASK1 and mitochondria pathway or autophagy via Txnip.
Globe Perforation During Peribulbar Anesthesia: Experience of Half a Million Consecutive Injections
Authors: Babu Naresh , Kumar Jayant , Kohli Piyush , Ahuja Ashish , Shah Prerna , RD Ravindran , Ramasamy Kim
Published: April 2021

Aim: To evaluate the risk factors, clinical presentation, management and outcome of inadvertent globe perforation during peribulbar anaesthesia.Methods: This retrospective study evaluated the medical records of all the patients treated for globe perforation secondary to peribulbar block preceding ocular surgery from 2012 to 2020. The patients were divided into three groups; Group 1 - clear media with no retinal detachment (RD); group 2 - vitreous hemorrhage (VH) without RD; and group 3 - RD with/without VH.Results: Twenty-five patients (25 eyes) were identified. The incidence of globe perforation was 0.002 %. The mean axial length (AL) was 24.7±2.7mm (Range, 20.9-31.2mm). Eleven eyes (45.8%) had AL≥24mm. The most common presenting features were VH (n=14), ocular hypotony (n=7) and RD (n=7). The treatment included laser photocoagulation for the retinal break(s) (n=7) and vitrectomy (n=17). Retinal breaks were identified in all the patients (total breaks, 37). Other complications included full-thickness macular hole (n=5), subretinal haemorrhage (n=4) and retinal vascular occlusions (n=4). Mean presenting best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in group 1,2 and 3 were logMAR 0.79±0.73, 1.82±0.78 and 2.13±0.59 respectively. All the patients, except one who did not undergo surgery due to advanced proliferative vitreoretinopathy, had an attached retina at the time of last follow-up. The mean final BCVA was logMAR 0.59±0.79, 0.48±0.26 and 1.25±0.64 respectively. Conclusion: Early intervention can help manage the eyes with inadvertent perforation successfully. The presence of retinal detachment, as well as macular and vascular complications are risk factors for poor prognosis.
Drought stress introduces growth, physiological traits and ecological stoichiometry changes in two contrasting Cunninghamia lanceolata cultivars planted in continuous-plantation soils
Authors: Bian Fangyuan , Wang Yukui , Duan Baoli , Wu Zhizhuang , Zhang Yuanbing , Bi Yufang , Wang Anke , Zhong Hao , Du Xuhua
Published: April 2021

Background: The decrease of Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) production on continually planted soil is an essential problem. In this study, two cultivars (a normal cultivar, NC, and a super cultivar, SC) with two-year-old seedlings were grown in two types of soil (non-planting of Chinese fir, NP soil; continuous planting of Chinese fir, CP soil) with three watering regimes, and the interaction effects on plant growth and physiological traits were investigated. Results: The water contents of normal water control (CK), medium water content (MWC) and low water content (LWC) soil reached 75%-80%, 45%-50% and 20%-25%, respectively, of the field water capacity. The results indicated that both CP soil and LWC soil had negative effects on growth and physiological traits. In both cultivars, CP soil significantly decreased plant growth and the performance of physiological traits. The LWC soil changed the ecological stoichiometry in the three organs, induced oxidative stress, promoted water use efficiency and damaged chloroplast ultrastructure. Compared with NC, the SC cultivar was more tolerant to CP soil and drought stress. Conclusions: The CP soil shows negative effect on C. lanceolata’s physiological traits, and these effects can be exacerbated by drought stress. Therefore, the utilization of continuous planted soil can cultivate improved varieties of C. lanceolata and maintain water capacity. This can improve their growth and physiological performance to a certain extent.
Denosumab in the treatment on structural damage caused by rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Cai Shuang , Zhang Anhang , Cheng Bokai , Bao Qiligeer , Wang Shuxia
Published: April 2021

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory joint disease, which can cause cartilage and bone damage as well as disability. The effects of denosumab in patients with RA have been analyzed in several clinical studies. These results provide strong evidence to suggest that denosumab significantly inhibited the progression of bone erosion, increased BMD in patients with RA. We undertook a meta-analysis to summarize the efficacy and safety of denosumab in the treatment on structural damage caused by rheumatoid arthritis.Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Medline, The Cochrane Library, and collected randomized controlled trials of denosumab in patients with rheumatoid arthritis from the database was established until January 19, 2021.Literature was screened according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, and RevMan 5.3 software was used for Meta-analysis after quality assessment.Results: Five eligible studies were included in the primary meta-analysis. Denosumab significantly inhibited the increase of the modified Sharp erosion score(MD=-0.62, 95%CI＝-0.91～-0.33,P＜0.0001)、modified total Sharp score(MD=-0.78, 95%CI＝1.23～-0.33,P=0.0007)compared to placebo groups at 12 months. In addition, denosumab also significantly increased lumbar spine BMD (3.73, 95% CI 2.00, 5.46, P<0.0001) compared to placebo or bisphosphonates. There was no evidence of an effect of denosumab on joint space narrowing. Adverse events, serious adverse events were similar between denosumab and placebo arms.Conclusion: Results suggest that denosumab inhibits the progression of structural damage caused by rheumatoid arthritis, with no increase in the rates of adverse events as compared with control group. Preliminary research suggests that denosumab is reasonable and promising options for preventing and treating structural destruction in rheumatoid arthritis.Trial registration: We registered our study with PROSPERO (registration number CRD42021239783); no other meta-analysis focusing on denosumab use for structural damage caused by rheumatoid arthritis were found in the PROSPERO database.
Synchronization of a Generalized High-dimensional Kuramoto Model With Directed Graphs
Authors: Zhang Jinxing , Zhu Jiandong , Li Xiaodi
Published: April 2021

In this paper, a generalized high-dimensional Kuramoto model with directed graphs is investigated. A necessary and sufficient condition for equilibria is given and the synchronization is proved under weaker directed graph conditions and more general initial state constrains. Finally, an example is given to validate the theoretical results.
PD-L1 promotes malignant progression by inducing EMT and enhancing stemness in muscle-invasive bladder cancer
Authors: Jiang Fujin , Ding Ying , Chen Ting , Zhang Xianyun , Ma Song , Zhang Yongjie
Published: April 2021

Objective: Despite radical treatment for aggressive muscle-invasive bladder cancer(MIBC), the prognosis remained poor. Programmed cell death ligand 1(PD-L1) plays an important role in suppressing immune responses.We investigate if PD-L1 and EMT synergistically contribute to MIBC progression. Methods: In vitro experiments, we evaluated the effects of PD-L1 on proliferation, invasion, migration of MIBC cells and studied the relationship between PD-L1 and CSC/EMT markers by overexpressing and knocking down PD-L. The association of PD-L1 with EMT was detected in MIBC human specimens and the synergistic effect of PD-L1and EMT was assessed by analysis of overall survival (OS). Results: Our data demonstrated that PD-L1 promotes proliferation, invasion and migration of MIBC cells. The positive correlation between PD-L1 and CSC/EMT markers was verified both in vitro experiments and in 130 MIBC specimens. Moreover, patients with positive PD-L1/positive EMT exhibited poorer overall survival than patients with other combinations. Conclusion: The close relationship between PD-L1 and EMT may offer potential therapeutic strategy that co-targeting PD-L1 and EMT may improve the prognosis of MIBC patients.
Intraretinal cysts in Macular Hole: A structure-function correlation based on en face imaging
Authors: Nair Unnikrishnan , Sheth Jay , Indurkar Asmita , Soman Manoj
Published: April 2021

This study determines and characterizes the role of retinal micromorphic changes on en-face optical-coherence tomography(OCT) in macular-hole(MH) surgery. Pre-and post-operative parameters including MH basal-diameter(BD) and minimal inlet-area(MIA), inner-plexiform layer(IPL) and outer-plexiform layer(OPL) cyst-area, IPL and OPL cyst-percentage, and amount of defect in ellipsoid-zone(EZ) and external-limiting membrane(ELM) were compared amongst 28 eyes undergoing successful MH surgery. Their relationship with visual-acuity(VA) outcomes(Group-1: ≥ 20/60;14 eyes; Group-2: < 20/60;14 eyes) was also evaluated. We noted a significant positive correlation between the OPL and IPL cyst-area(r = 0.768;p < 0.001), which in turn were positively correlated with the MH-BD in all eyes. The cyst area was significantly more in IPL as compared to OPL in all eyes (p = 0.049) and in group-2(p = 0.03), but not in group-1(p = 0.62). As compared to group-2, eyes in group-1 had significantly better pre-and post-operative-VA, and significantly smaller BD, MIA, IPL and OPL cyst-area, and ELM(post-operative) and EZ(Pre-and post-operative) defect, respectively. To conclude, an increase in the MH-BD is associated with a simultaneous congruous enlargement of the IPL and OPL cyst-area. The origin of intraretinal cysts could be secondary to breakdown in the physiological retinal-pigment epithelium(RPE) pump due to the anatomical separation of the neurosensory retina from the underlying RPE, i.e., "RPE contact-loss" theory.
A novel model to predict mental distress among medical graduate students in China.
Authors: Guo Fei , Yi Min , Sun Li , Luo Ting , Han Ruili , Zheng Lanlan , Jin Shengyang , Wang Jun , Lei Mingxing , Gao Changjun
Published: April 2021

Background: Several studies have reported serious mental status among medical graduate students, which triggered a negative impact on their physical and psychological health. This study aimed to develop a novel prediction model to calculate the risk of mental distress among medical graduate students. Methods: This study analyzed 1079 graduate students via an online questionnaire. Included subjects were randomly divided into the training group and validation group. In the training group, a formula was developed, and validation of the formula was performed in the validation group. The discrimination and calibration ability were assessed for the predictive performance of the formula. Results: One thousand and fifteen subjects were enrolled and randomly divided into the training group (n=508) and the validation group (n=507). The prevalence of severe mental distress was 14.96% in the training group, and 16.77% in the validation group. The formula included six variables, including year of study, type of student, daily research time, monthly income, scientific learning style, and feeling of time stress. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) and calibration slope for the formula were 0.70 and 0.90 (95% CI: 0.65~1.15) in the training group, respectively; and 0.66 and 0.80 (95% CI: 0.51~1.09) in the validation group, respectively. Conclusion: Six risk factors for anxiety and depression were identified and a prediction model was created. The formula may be a useful model that can identify a high risk of mental distress among medical students.
Simple and Cost-effective Microfabrication of Flexible and Stretchable Electronics for Wearable Multi-functional Electrophysiological Monitoring
Authors: Kim Chae Hyun , Lee Dong Hyeon , Youn Jiman , Lee Hongje , Jeong Joonsoo
Published: April 2021

The fabrication of flexible and stretchable electronics is a critical requirement for the successful application of wearable healthcare devices. Although such flexible electronics have been commonly fabricated by microelectromechanical system (MEMS) technologies, they require a specialised equipment for vacuum deposition, photolithography, and wet and dry etching. A photolithography-free simple patterning method using a desktop plotter cutter has been proposed; however, the metal formation and electrode opening still rely on the MEMS technology. To address this issue, we demonstrate a simple, rapid, cost-effective, and a complete microfabrication process for flexible and stretchable sensor platforms encompassing conductor formation and patterning to encapsulate and open sensing windows, which only require an economic plotter cutter and readily available supplies. Despite its simplicity, the proposed process could stably create microscale features of 200 μm wide conductor lines and 1 mm window openings, which are in the useful range for various wearable applications. The feasibility of the simple fabrication of multi-functional sensors for various physiological monitoring applications was successfully demonstrated in electrochemical (glucose), electrical (electrocardiogram), mechanical (strain), and thermal (body temperature) modalities.