bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation and Selection of Urban Public Transport Paths based on Entroy Weight TOPSIS and Hamilton Cycle
Authors: Bei HongHan , Fang ShengYue , Zhang Xu
Published: May 2021

The public transportation system of cities, including subway and public transportation, is becoming more and more perfect. With the rapid development of urban public transport, the path selection considering multiple factors has become a new problem. Based on the optimization model, we take urban public transport operators and travelers as the objects, and use the entroy weight TOPSIS method to comprehensively evaluate the feasible lines and paths between multiple OD pairs. Besides, the optimal path to traverse all nodes was solved by Hamilton cycle problem algorithm, which can also provide reference for both operators and travelers. According to the latest urban public transport data in 2021, we select Beijing, China as the empirical research object. This paper chooses the existing public transport network of Beijing to verify, and selects the optimal path of 5 nodes and 10 paths to traverse all nodes.
Biopsy-Proven Kidney Involvement in Hypocomplementemic Urticarial Vasculitis
Authors: Corthier Alice , Jachiet Marie , Bertin Daniel , Servais Aude , Barbet Christelle , Bigot Adrien , Doutre Marie-Sylvie , Bessis Didier , Bouffandeau Ancuta , Moranne Olivier , Jarrot Pierre-André , Bardin Nathalie , Terrier Benjamin , Burtey Stephane , Puéchal Xavier , Daniel Laurent , Jourde-Chiche Noémie
Published: May 2021

Background. Hypocomplementemic urticarial vasculitis (HUV) is a rare systemic vasculitis. We aimed to describe the kidney involvement of HUV in a multicenter national cohort with an extended follow-up. Methods. All patients with HUV (international Schwartz criteria) with a biopsy-proven kidney involvement, identified through a survey of the French Vasculitis Study Group, were included. A systematic literature review on kidney involvement of HUV was performed. Results. Twelve patients were included, among whom 8 had positive anti-C1q antibodies. All presented with proteinuria, from mild to nephrotic, and 8 displayed acute kidney injury (AKI), requiring temporary haemodialysis in 2. Kidney biopsy showed membrano-proliferative glomerulonephritis (GN) in 8 patients, pauci-immune crescentic GN or necrotizing vasculitis in 3 patients (with a mild to severe interstitial inflammation), and an isolated interstitial nephritis in 1 patient. C1q deposits were observed in the glomeruli (n=6), tubules (n=4) or renal arterioles (n=3) of 8 patients. All patients received corticosteroids, and 9 were also treated with immunosuppressants or apheresis. After a mean follow-up of 8.9 years, 6 patients had a preserved renal function, but 2 patients had developed stage 3-4 chronic kidney disease (CKD) and 4 patients had reached end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), among whom 1 had received a kidney transplant. Conclusion. Renal involvement of HUV can be responsible for severe AKI, CKD and ESKD. It is not always associated with circulating anti-C1q antibodies. Kidney biopsy shows mostly membrano-proliferative GN or crescentic GN, with frequent C1q deposits in the glomeruli, tubules or arterioles.
Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Analysis of Sitamarhi near Bihar-Nepal Region
Authors: Paul Abhik , Chakrabortty Pradipta , Burman Avijit , Kumar Sapan
Published: May 2021

This article presents the results of a probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) for Sitamarhi, Bihar considering the region-specific maximum magnitude and ground motion prediction equation (GMPEs). North Bihar region is one of the seismically unstable areas in India facing several destructive earthquakes for the Himalayan Mountains that was created by the collision of Indian and Eurasian plate. The Gutenberg-Richter (G-R) seismic hazard parameter ‘a’ and ‘b’ have been evaluated by considering the available local earthquake data. Earthquake data were collected from the United States geological survey (USGS), Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), New Delhi, Seismotectonic Atlas of India (GIS 2000) within 500 km radius of the study area, and 62 seismotectonic sources were identified and considered in this study. Seismic source zones for the region have been defined based on large-scale geological features, which are used for assigning the maximum possible earthquake potential. Estimated PGA values are 0.89 g and 0.61 g for the 2% and 10% probabilities of exceedance in 50 years. The results showed that West Patna fault and Sitamarhi Fault are the two main faults, which contribute maximum in the peak ground acceleration (PGA) values for Sitamarhi region.
RpoS Mutation Leads to Prolonged Biofilm Mode of Growth and a Higher Fitness in Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Biofilms
Authors: Duan Xiangke , Pan Yanrong , Cai Zhao , Liu Yumei , Zhang Yingdan , Liu Moxiao , Liu Yang , Wang Ke , Zhang Lianhui , Yang Liang
Published: May 2021

BackgroundPseudomonas aeruginosa is a notorious opportunistic pathogen causing various biofilm-related infections. Biofilm formation is a unique microbial strategy that allows P. aeruginosa to survive adverse conditions such as antibiotic treatment and human immune responses. ResultsIn this study, we experimentally evolved P. aeruginosa PAO1 bioﬁlms for cyclic treatment in the presence of high dose of imipenem, and enriched hyperbiofilm mutants within six cycles in two independent lineages. The competition assay showed the evolved hyperbiofilm mutants can outcompete the ancestral strain within biofilm by prolonging the biofilm mode of growth but not in planktonic cultures. Whole-genome sequencing analysis revealed the hyperbiofilm phenotype is caused by point mutations in rpoS gene in all independently evolved mutants and the same mutation was found in P. aeruginosa clinical isolates. We further showed that mutation in rpoS enhanced biofilm formation by prolonging the biofilm mode of growth and elevating the intracellular c-di-GMP level. Mutation in rpoS increased pyocyanin production and virulence in both P. aeruginosa laboratory strains and clinical isolates. ConclusionHere, our study revealed that antibiotic treatment of biofilm-related P. aeruginosa infections might induce a hyperbiofilm phenotype via rpoS mutation, which might partially explain antimicrobial treatment failure of many P. aeruginosa biofilm-related infections.
Determination of Thermal Material Properties for the Numerical Simulation of Cutting Processes
Authors: Storchak Michael , Stehle Thomas , Möhring Hans-Christian
Published: May 2021

Thermal properties of work materials, which depend significantly on the change in cutting temperature, have a considerable effect on thermal machining characteristics. Therefore, the thermal properties used for the numerical simulation of the cutting process should be determined depending on the cutting temperature. To determine the thermal properties of the work materials, a methodology and a software-implemented algorithm were developed for their calculation. This methodology is based on analytical models for the determination of tangential stress in the primary cutting zone. Based on this stress and experimentally or analytically determined cutting temperatures, thermal properties of the work material were calculated, namely the coefficient of the heat capacity as well as the coefficient of thermal conductivity. Three variants were provided for determining the tangential stress: based on the normal stress calculated using the Johnson-Cook constitutive equation, based on the experimentally determined cutting and thrust forces as well as by directly calculating the tangential stress. The thermal properties were determined using the example of three different materials: AISI 1045 and AISI 4140 steel as well as Ti10V2Fe3Al titanium alloy (Ti-1023). With the developed FE cutting model, the deviation between experimental and simulated temperature values ranged from approx. 7.5–14.4%.
Pregnancy- and Lactation-associated Osteoporosis with Vertebral Fractures: A Systematic Review
Authors: Qian Ying , Wang Lei , Yu Lili , Huang Weimin
Published: May 2021

Backgroud: To review, analyze and characterize the pregnancy and lactation-related osteoporosis (PLO) with vertebral fractures based on the extraction data in the previous studies. Methods: A comprehensive literature search of electronic databases including the PubMed, Embase and Web of Science was conducted from January 1st,1990 to December 1st, 2020. The enrolled data were pooled to analyze the baseline characteristics, clinical features, risk factors and treatment options. Results: A total of 65 articles with 338 cases were enrolled for data extraction. The enrolled cases aged from 19 to 47 years, with a mean value of 35.7 years old. The average body mass index (BMI) was 22.2kg/m2 ranged from 16.0 to 39.0 kg/m2. Of the 173 cases, 149 cases with vertebral fractures occurred in the first pregnancy, 19 cases in the second pregnancy, four cases in the third pregnancy and one case in the fourth pregnancy. Up to 91.5% of the back pain occurred within the last three months of pregnancy and the first three months after delivery. The most involved vertebral levels were L2, L1 and T12 accounting for 32.6% of all the fractures. The average fracture numbers were 4.4 levels per patient. The lumbar Z-scores were mostly recorded with a mean value of -3.2 ranged from -7.8 to 0. Conclusions: PLO with vertebral fractures is a rare clinical entity, which is more likely to occur in older and thinner pregnant women. Back pain is the clinical complaint and mostly occurs in the late pregnancy and early lactation periods. Most vertebral fractures appear in the first pregnancy but it can occur in any time of pregnancy. Thoracolumbar region is the mostly involved region. As compared with postmenopausal osteoporotic fractures, PLO usually has multiple levels fractures. Bisphosphonates are the most widely used treatment so far, but teriparatide has become an effective alternative to bisphosphonates.
Caspian Sea Level changes based on Satellite altimetry
Authors: Sorkhabi Omid Memarian
Published: May 2021

Today, despite the satellite altimetry, it is possible to determine the average sea level and determine the sea level change with high accuracy. In this research, data from 1992-2017 TOPEX / Poseidon, Jason1, OSTM and Jason3 altimeter satellites in the Caspian Sea have been used. The results show that every year the average of 75 mm of the Caspian Sea water level decreases and the downward trend.
Flu Vaccination due to COVID 19 as a Risk-Aversion Health Measure among Low-Risk Populations
Authors: JI Meng , Huang Chu-Ren , Hall Brian
Published: May 2021

Fear, social responsibility, or vulnerability - which is the main driver of seasonable influenza vaccination in times of the pandemic? Our study using first-hand survey data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that none of these factors explains conclusively Australians who had the flu vaccination in 2020 due to COVID19 only. It was Australians who had higher education, without chronic health conditions, those in employment, fully covered by health insurance, living with families who reported statistically higher rates of flu vaccination due to COVID19 only. By contrast, people with one or more chronic health issues, single people without support reported statistically lower rates of seasonal influenza immunisation. Similar results are reported in the study of flu vaccination in countries like Canada, where among Canadians aged over 65, it was populations of higher education, married, in better health conditions (non-smokers), higher household income who reported consistently, statistically higher rates of flu vaccination between 2000-2019. The Australian survey data collected during the pandemic provided further evidence of flu vaccination as a risk-aversion health measure by low-risk populations - a social behavioural phenomenon observed across countries, ages, in normal circumstances or health crises. We interpreted our finding from the hypothesized human propensity to be risk-averse (chose to be vaccinated) when the perceived probability of an improvement over their status quo after vaccination was high (the certainty effect); and human tendency to be risk-seeking (chose not to be vaccinated) when the perceived probability of an improvement post-immunisation was low (the possibility effect). The higher rates of risk-averse behaviours (chose to be vaccinated) among people in better education, socio-economic and health conditions, and the lower rates of risk-seeking behaviours (chose not to be vaccinated) among people with chronic health issues and those living alone suggest that flu vaccination was perceived by low-risk populations as an effective risk-aversion measure leading to better outcomes of higher certainty; by contrast, flu vaccination was perceived by high-risk populations as a health measure of higher uncertainty, not aiding in improving their status quo as the implicit reference point, according to the Prospect Theory as applied in the study of people’s health behaviours.
Epidemiological Survey of Dirofilaria Spp. and Acanthocheilonema Spp. in Dogs from the Republic of Moldova
Authors: Dumitrache Mirabela Oana , D'Amico Gianluca , Voinitchi Eugeniu , Maximencu Sergiu , Mircean Viorica , Ionica Angela Monica
Published: May 2021

Background: During the last decades, the spread of the infection with filarial nematodes Dirofilaria spp. in dog’s population in various European countries has been dynamic and rapid. The increased interest of the scientific community as well as the availability of new diagnosis tools, allowed a better knowledge on the biology, morphology and epidemiology of different species of filarial worms. However, in some countries, data are still scarce on this topic. To address some knowledge gaps, we assessed the epidemiological status of different canine filariasis in the Republic of Moldova. Methods: A total of 120 blood samples were collected between June 2018 and July 2019 from dogs originating from Cahul and Chișinău cities. The samples were microscopically examinated and multiplex PCR was performed to evaluate filarioid species diversity. Results: Microscopic examination revealed that 12 dogs (10%) were positive for circulating microfilariae. Molecular test showed that 1 dog was positive for Acanthocheilonema reconditum (0.83%), 1 for D. immitis (0.83%), 6 for D. repens (5%), and 4 (3.33%) harboured a coinfection with D. immitis and D. repens. Conclusions: This study is the first epidemiological survey of filaroid worms in dogs from the Republic of Moldova and the first to show the presence of D. repens and A. reconditum in this species.
Performance Evaluation of a Solar Hybrid Air-Conditioner
Authors: Nwasuka Nnamdi Cyprian , Nwankwojike Nduka , Nwaiwu Uchechukwu
Published: May 2021

This research presents a solar hybrid air-conditioning system with R410a refrigerant. The sole aim was to compare the performance of a solar hybrid air-conditioner with that of the conventional split-unit air-conditioning systems in the market today. From the experiments conducted, the room temperature of a solar hybrid air conditioner was found to be :27.2, 27.0, 27.0, 27.2, 27.2, 27.0, 28.0, and 29.5 while that of the conventional air conditioner was found to be:69,66,64,66,73,69,66,62 indicating that solar hybrid system had lower values in terms of room temperature than that of the split units air conditioner. Laboratory results, field assessments, and simulations clearly established that hybrid air conditioners can deliver substantial energy savings and demand reduction. Therefore, in the present study, performance evaluation of the solar hybrid system with that of the split units is used to develop approximate analytical solutions for heat transfer in boundary layer flow and heat transfer.
Habitat Patch Size and Landscape Structure Influence, Although Weakly, the Parasite Richness of an Arboreal Folivorous-frugivorous Primate in Anthropogenic Landscapes
Authors: Klain Vinícius Freitas , Mentz Márcia Bohrer , Bustamante-Manrique Sebastián , Bicca-Marques Júlio César
Published: May 2021

ContextAnthropogenic habitat disturbances that affect the ecology and behavior of parasites and hosts can either facilitate or compromise their interactions and modulate the parasite richness.ObjectivesWe assessed if the size of the habitat patch, the composition and configuration of the landscape (forest cover, patch density and mean distance to the nearest patch) and host group size influence the parasite richness of brown howler monkeys (Alouatta guariba clamitans) inhabiting forest fragments immersed in an anthropogenic matrix.MethodsWe collected fecal samples from 60 howler monkey groups inhabiting distinct forest fragments (one group/fragment) from January to July 2019. We used generalized linear models to assess the power of the independent variables in predicting parasite richness at the patch- and patch-landscape scales.ResultsWe found 10 parasite taxa (five basal eukaryotes, four nematodes and one platyhelminth), nine of which also infect humans or domestic animals. Overall parasite richness showed an inverse relationship with habitat patch size and forest cover, and a direct relationship with the mean distance to the nearest patch and group size. Patch-landscape metrics and host group size also influenced the infection with parasites with direct cycle and transmission via ingestion of the infective stage in the arboreal environment or with parasites with indirect cycle and transmission via ingestion of intermediate hosts. However, all significant models presented low weight.ConclusionsWe suggest that characteristics of parasite and host populations among other factors are more critical modulators of the relationship between howler monkeys and their parasites in anthropogenic landscapes.
What Are the Effective Behaviour Change Techniques Used to Improve General Health Check Attendance: A Systematic Review Protocol
Authors: Lau Wing Yan , Lian Jinxiao , Yap Maurice
Published: May 2021

BackgroundThe general health check serves as an important preventive service to manage chronic illness. While previous studies have identified interventions used to improve utilization, few have provided evidence on the techniques used within an intervention. This has limited the scope of evaluating the intervention’s effectiveness. This systematic review aims to use the Behaviour Change Wheel to identify the intervention options and identify the specific behaviour change techniques implemented. The result is expected to provide comprehensive evidence-based information to inform future intervention development. MethodsA search strategy has been developed using the relevant keywords. Literature searches on four electronic databases have proceeded on 18 August 2021. No data analysis has been carried out yet. The search strategy will be updated towards the end to ensure all relevant literature is included in this review. The retrieved studies will be screened for eligibility following the PRISMA guideline. The quality of the included articles will be appraised using an appropriate quality assessment tool. For data analysis, intervention functions will be identified using the Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW). A content analysis will be followed, by using the Behaviour Change Technique Taxonomy (BCTTv1) to identify the techniques implemented in each intervention. The result will be presented in a narrative synthesis, summarizing the key techniques used, their frequency of identification and possible patterns of techniques implemented across different studies. Where deemed appropriate, a meta-analysis will be performed.DiscussionThis systematic review may provide evidence for explaining intervention effectiveness in more detail by providing a detailed comparison of intervention components. The results are expected to aid future intervention design to improve the general health check attendance and promote universal health coverage.Systematic review registrationThis protocol is registered on PROSPERO (ref: CRD42021221041).
Biosynthesis and Structural Characterization of Levan by a Recombinant Levansucrase From Bacillus Subtilis ZW019
Authors: Wang Jingyue , Xu Xinan , Zhao Fangkun , Yin Nan , Zhou Zhijiang , Han Ye
Published: May 2021

ObjectivesThe yield of levan extracted from microbial fermentation broth is low, so in vitro catalytic synthesis of levan by levansucrase is expected to be one of the industrial production approaches of levan. ResultsA recombinant plasmid Pet-28A-AcmA-Z constructed in the previous study was used to produce levansucrase. The recombinant levansucrase could be easily purified in one step and the purified enzyme had a single band clearly visible in SDS-PAGE. The conditions for enzymatic reactions was optimal at pH 5.2 and 40 ℃, and the activity of enzymes was stimulated by K+ and Ca2+. The yield of levan biosynthesis from 10% (w/v) sucrose with 6.45 U/g sucrose of levansucrase was 30.6 g/L. The molecular weight of the levan was about 1.56×106 Da, as measured by GPC. HPIC analysis showed that the monosaccharide composition of the levan was fructose and glucose. The results of FTIR and NMR analysis indicated that the polymer produced by the recombinant levansucrase was β-(2, 6) levan.Conclusions﻿The results of this study provide a basis for large-scale production of levan by enzymatic method.
Honorary Authorship in Health Sciences: A Protocol for a Systematic Review of Survey Research
Authors: Reynders Reint A Meursinge , Riet Gerben Ter , Girolamo Nicola Di , Malički Mario
Published: May 2021

BackgroundHonorary authorship refers to the practice of naming an individual who has made little or no contribution to a publication as an author. Honorary authorship inflates the output estimates of honorary authors and deflates the value of the work by authors who truly merit authorship. This manuscript presents the protocol for a systematic review that will assess the prevalence of five honorary authorship issues in health sciences.MethodsSurveys of authors of scientific publications in health sciences that assess prevalence estimates will be eligible. No selection criteria will be set for the time point for measuring outcomes, the setting, the language of the publication, and the publication status. Eligible manuscripts are searched from inception onwards in PubMed, Lens.org, and Dimensions.ai. Two calibrated authors will independently search, determine eligibility of manuscripts and conduct data extraction. The quality of each review outcome for each eligible manuscript will be assessed with a 14 items checklist developed and piloted for this review. Data will be qualitatively synthesized and quantitative syntheses will be performed where feasible. Criteria for precluding quantitative syntheses were defined a priori. The pooled random effects double arcsine transformed summary event rates of five outcomes on honorary authorship issues with the pertinent 95% confidence intervals will be calculated if these criteria are met. Summary estimates will be displayed after back-transformation. Stata software (Stata Corporation, College Station, Texas, USA) version 16 will be used for all statistical analyses. Statistical heterogeneity will be assessed using Tau2 and Chi2 tests and I2 to quantify inconsistency.DiscussionThe outcomes of the planned systematic review will give insights in the magnitude of honorary authorship in health sciences and could direct new research studies to develop and implement strategies to address this problem. However, the validity of the outcomes could be influenced by low response rates, inadequate research design, weighting issues, and recall bias in the eligible surveys. Systematic review registration This protocol was registered a priori in the Open Science Framework (OSF) link: https://osf.io/5nvar/
Antitrypanosomal Activity of Hydromethanol Extract of Leaves of Cymbopogon Citratus and Seeds of Lepidium Sativum: in-vivo Mice Model
Authors: Emiru Ayechew Yetayeh , Eshetu Eyasu Makonnen , Gari Fikru Regassa , Gudeta Fekadu Regassa , Tufa Takele Beyene
Published: May 2021

Background: Trypanosomiasis is one of the neglected tropical diseases of both humans and animals which decreases their productivity and causes death in the worst scenario. Unavailability of vaccine, low therapeutic index of trypanocidal drugs, and development of resistance lead to the need for research focused on developing alternative treatment options especially from medicinal plants. The present study was aimed to investigate antitrypanosomal activities of leaves of Cymbopogon citratus and seeds of Lepidium sativum in in vivo mice model. Methods: The plant extracts were prepared by maceration using 80% methanol and reconstituted with 10% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to have the desired concentration. The test doses were adjusted to 100, 200 and 400mg/kg based on the toxicity profile. The Plants extracts were administered to the respective groups of mice after the 12th day of field isolate T. congolense inoculation for seven consecutive days. The level of parasitemia, body weight, packed cell volume, and differential white blood cell counts were measured.Results: The in vivo test results revealed that both plant extracts had dose dependent antitrypanosomal activity. Both crude extracts showed a significant reduction in parasite load (P<0.05), ameliorate anaemia (increased or prevent the fall of PCV value) (P<0.05), decreased lymphocytosis and increased neutrophil counts (p<0.05) and improved body weight but significant body weight increment (P<0.05) was observed only in C. citratus treated mice compared to the negative and positive controls. Comparative results from all tested parameters showed that the best activities were observed with C. citratus treated groups of mice. Conclusion: The present study concluded that the crude extracts of leaves of C. citratus and seeds of L. sativum had antitrypanosomal effects and can be potential targets for further studies on the development of alternative antitrypanosomal agents.
Estimates of the social cost of carbon have not changed over time
Authors: Tol Richard
Published: May 2021

Some claim that as knowledge about climate change accumulates, the social cost of carbon increases. A meta-analysis of published estimates shows that this is not the case. Correcting for inflation and emission year and controlling for the discount rate, kernel density decomposition reveals a stationary distribution. Actual carbon prices are almost everywhere below the estimated social cost of carbon.
N-Staging in Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Lung: Diagnostic Value of FDG PET/CT Compared to the Histopathology Reference Standard
Authors: Hautzel Hubertus , Alnajdawi Yazan , Fendler Wolfgang P , Rischpler Christoph , Darwiche Kaid , Eberhardt Wilfried E , Umutlu Lale , Theegarten Dirk , Stuschke Martin , Schuler Martin , Aigner Clemens , Herrmann Ken , Plönes Till
Published: May 2021

Background:Large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas of the lung (LCNEC) is a rare entity occurring in less than 4% of all lung cancers. Due to its low differentiation and high glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) expression LCNEC demonstrates an increased glucose turnover. Thus, PET/CT with 2-[18F]-fluoro-deoxyglucose (FDG) is suitable for LCNEC staging. Surgery with curative intent is the treatment of choice in early stage LCNEC. Prerequisite for this is correct lymph node staging. This study aimed at evaluating the diagnostic performance of FDG PET/CT validated by histopathology following surgical resection or mediastinoscopy. N-staging interrater-reliability was assessed to test for robustness of the FDG PET/CT findings.Methods:Between 03/2014 and 12/2020 46 patients with LCNEC were included in this single center retrospective analysis. All underwent FDG PET/CT for pre-operative staging and subsequently either surgery (n=38) or mediastinoscopy (n=8). Regarding the lymph node involvement, sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated for FDG PET/CT using the final histopathological N-staging (pN0 to pN3) as reference.Results:Per patient 14 ± 7 (range 4 - 32) lymph nodes were resected and histologically processed. 31/46 patients had no LCNEC spread into the lymph nodes. In 8/46 patients final stage was pN1, in 5/46 pN2 and in 2/46 pN3. FDG PET/CT diagnosed lymph node metastasis of LCNEC with a sensitivity of 93%, a specificity of 87%, an accuracy of 89%, a PPV of 78% and a NPV of 96%. Interrater-reliability was high with a strong level of agreement (κ=0.82).Conclusions:In LCNEC N-staging with FDG PET/CT demonstrates both high sensitivity and specificity, an excellent NPV but a slightly reduced PPV. Accordingly, preoperative invasive mediastinal staging may be omitted in cases with cN0 disease by FDG PET/CT. In FDG PET/CT cN1-cN3 stages histological confirmation is warranted, particularly in case of only moderate FDG uptake.
Synergistic Effect of Metformin and Vemurufenib (PLX4032) as a Molecular Targeted Therapy in Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer – An In Vitro Study
Authors: Durai Latha , Ravindran Soundharya , Karunagaran Devarajan , Arvind Krishnamurthy , Vijayalakshmi Ramshankar
Published: May 2021

Survival rate of patients with anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is less than 5% with current treatment. Deregulated cell signaling pathways such as BRAF/MAPK/ERK pathway and AMPK pathway along with suppression of iodine metabolising genes including NIS and TSHR are seen in ATC. In ATC, BRAFV600E mutation is the major mutation occurring in ATC that constitutively activate MAPK/ERK signaling and result in the transformation of normal cells in to undifferentiated cancer cells. Although Vemurufenib is a selective oral drug for the BRAFV600E mutant kinase with a response rate of nearly 50% in metastatic melanoma, our study on ATC has showed resistance to Vemurafenib. Metformin, a diabetic drug is an AMPK activator and has recently proved to be involved in preventing or treating several types of cancer. Using iGEMDock software, a protein-ligand interaction was successful between Metformin and TSHR in our study and demonstrated that combination of Vemurufenib with metformin has synergistic anti-cancer effects and provide the evidence that the combination of drugs suppressed the progression of ATC cells growth by inducing significant apoptosis through downregulation of ERK signaling, upregulation of AMPK pathway and by reversing epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers - E-cadherin and Vimentin expression. Our results suggest that Metformin act as a demethylating agent in anaplastic thyroid cancer cells by inducing the expression of NIS and TSHR. cAMP signaling has been studied in ATC for the first time through our study wherein cAMP signaling is downregulated due to decrease in intracellular cAMP level upon metformin treatment. To conclude, our findings demonstrate novel therapeutic targets and treatment strategies for undifferentiated ATC.
Medical Cannabis in Children and Adolescents in Switzerland: a Retrospective Study
Authors: Zürcher Kathrin , Dupont Carole , Weber Peter , Grunt Sebastian , Wilhelm Ilca , Eigenmann Daniela E , Reichmuth Martina L , Fankhauser Manfred , Egger Matthias , Fenner Lukas
Published: May 2021

Background: Evidence on use and efficacy of medical cannabis for children is limited. We examined clinical and epidemiological characteristics of medical cannabis treatment and caregiver-reported effects in children and adolescents in Switzerland.Methods: We collected clinical data from children and adolescents (<18 years) who received Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), or a combination of the two between 2008 and 2019 in Switzerland. Results: Out of 205 contacted families, 90 agreed to participate. The median age at the first prescription was 11.5 years (interquartile range (IQR) 6-16), and 32 patients were female (36%). Fifty-one (57%) patients received CBD and 39 (43%) THC. Patients were more likely to receive THC therapy if one of the following symptoms or signs were present: spasticity, pain, lack of weight gain, vomiting, or nausea, whereas seizures were the dominant indication for CBD therapy. Improvements were reported in 59 (66%) study participants. The largest treatment effects were reported for pain, spasticity, and frequency of seizures in participants treated with THC, and for those treated with pure CBD, the frequency of seizures. However, 43% of caregivers reported treatment interruption, mainly because of lack of improvement (56%), side effects (46%), the need for a gastric tube (44%), and cost considerations (23%).Conclusions: The effects of medical cannabis in children and adolescents with chronic conditions are unknown, but the caregiver-reported data reported here may justify trials of medical cannabis with standardized concentrations of THC or CBD to assess its efficacy in the young.
A novel Aloe Vera-Loaded Ethylcellulose/Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose Nanofibrous Mat Designed For Wound Healing Application
Authors: Yavari Leila , Ghorbani Marjan
Published: May 2021

Newly, the usage of nanofibers (NFs) as wound dressings with the aim of their rapid healing and prevention of bacterial infection has been considered by researchers. In this regard, we produced the ethylcellulose/hydroxypropyl methylcellulose NFs incorporated with Aloe-vera (EC/HPMC/Alv) by the electrospinning technique. The produced NFs were investigated for their chemical structure, morphological, mechanical, thermal stability, degradation, swelling, cell viability, and antibacterial properties. Amongst the produced NFs, the NF samples containing 10% Alv illustrated the appropriate thermal stability and tensile properties. The produced NFs did not show any cell cytotoxicity which indicates their good compatibility. Also, NFs containing Alv significantly (P<0.05) increased cell proliferation and adhesion. In addition, the NFs/Alv sample was indicated antibacterial ability against S. aureus (10.21 ± 1.21 mm) and E. coli (5.06 ± 1.3 mm) pathogenic bacteria. As a result, these findings suggest that the produced NFs could be applied as an active mat for wound dressing application.
Prevalence of Nephropathy Among Type Two Diabetes Patients in Eastern Mediterranean Region: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Zeighami Shahryar , Shaabani Sonia , Moheb Mohammad , Pakfetrat Maryam , Azarchehry Seyede Pegah , Dehghankhalili Saeid , Mirahmadizadeh Alireza , Heiran Alireza
Published: May 2021

Objectives: The high prevalence of diabetes leads to an increase in diabetic complications, and diabetic nephropathy as one them is a leading cause of end stage renal disease and renal replacement therapies. Individual studies on the prevalence diabetic nephropathy in Eastern Mediterranean region (EMR) showed the high prevalence of diabetic nephropathy. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of relevant studies to estimate nephropathy among type two diabetes patients in EMR. Method: We searched for the relevant keywords in title and abstract of Medline/PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Web of knowledge, as well as Google Scholar and manual search to identify the published target studies from Jan 1st, 2000 to December 13, 2020. The two-step screening was carried out by two independent researchers and relevant data were extracted. Estimation of summary proportions, subgroup analysis, meta-regressions, and publication bias assessment were performed.Results: Amongst 3225 identified citations, 38 articles were entered into meta-analysis, involving 112,235 patients. We found that the prevalence of nephropathy in type two diabetes was 26.34% (95% confidence interval (CI)= 21.04%, 32%). Prevalence of nephropathy was 30.42% (95% CI= 23.38%, 37.94%) in males 22.1% (95% CI= 16.05%, 28.79%) in females. Low HDI countries and very high HDI countries had the lowest (21.17% (95% CI= 1.1%, 56.22%)) and the highest (30.93% (95% CI= 22.16%, 40.44%)) prevalence rates. The meta-regression analysis showed that HDI, publication year, mean duration of diabetes, mean age, and diagnostic test were not significant moderators (p = .3323, .7247, .2802, .2199, and .4680, respectively).Conclusions: We estimated a high prevalence of diabetic nephropathy in EMR. Our results implicate the importance of diabetes screening, on time and periodic examinations for nephropathy, diabetes care, and risk factor controls. Large-scale longitudinal studies should be conducted in EMR.
Experimental Investigation and Optimization of Delamination Factors in the Drilling of Jute Fiber Reinforced Polymer Biocomposites with Multiple Estimators
Authors: Adda Bachir , Belaadi Ahmed , Boumaaza Messaouda , Bourchak Mostefa
Published: May 2021

Currently, the manufacture of composite structures often requires material removal operations using a cutting tool. Indeed, since biocomposites are generally materials that do not conduct electricity, electro-erosion cannot be utilized. As a result, the processes that can be used are limited to conventional machining, called chip removal machining, such as drilling. Delamination factors are widely recognized for controlling the damaged area (delamination) induced by drilling in industry. As discussed in the literature, several approaches are available to evaluate and quantify the delamination surrounding a hole. In this context, the objective of this study is to compare the three Fd evaluation methods that have been most frequently used in previous investigations. To this end, three rotational and feed speeds and three BSD tool diameters were selected (L27) for drilling 155 g/m2 density jute fabric reinforced polyester biocomposites. The response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural networks (ANNs) were applied to validate the results obtained experimentally as well as to predict the behavior of the structure depending on the cutting conditions.
A Study on the Evaluation Method of Autonomous Vehicle for Fixed Targets
Authors: Kim Bong-Ju , Lee Seon-Bong
Published: May 2021

Recently, the automobile industry aims to commercialize autonomous vehicles, standardization and research and development are actively underway based on the specifications of automotive electronic control systems and the verification of functional errors. Based on this, autonomous driving technology is becoming more advanced, and it is preparing for an era of full autonomous driving through V2X technology convergence. It is also, expanding the models of ADAS applied vehicles such as FCW, BSD, LCA. Based on this, research is also actively underway to secure safety of vehicles and pedestrians, such as V2X, Localization, Fail Safe, to supplement the limitations of sensor-based autonomous driving. In this regard, this study proposes a theoretical formula for longitudinal relative distance computation for autonomous vehicles evaluation method, and uses test device such as DGPS to collects and verify data. In addition, a scenario was proposed for the fixed target, based on this, four types of test were formed to conduct the actual test, and the relative distances were compared, analyzed and verified. Comparative analysis results, in the second test of the first test scenario, the avoidance test of the fixed target in driving own lane, the minimum error rate was 0.5%, and in the second test of fourth test scenario, the avoidance test of the fixed target in driving own lane, the maximum error rate was 7.4%. The main cause of error is, it was judged as an error due to sensor recognition, depending on the scenario progress method, the condition of the test path, and the weather such as sunlight. In the future, we plan to conduct an evaluation on moving target.
Exploration of IAA Producing Bacteria And Amylolitic Bacteria From Several East Java Lakes, and Their Potency For Microbial Consortium To Accelerate Chlorella Vulgaris Growth
Authors: Nafi'ah Imroatun , Prabaningtyas Sitoresmi , Witjoro Agung , Basitoh Yanis Kurnia , Rodiansyah Achmad , Aridhowi Dhiyauddin
Published: May 2021

The consortium of various types of bacteria from lakes in East Java has the potency to stimulate microalgae Chlorella vulgaris growth. Increased microalgae density from co-culture has an excellent potency for sources of biomass that can be developed for renewable energy. Several stages conducted of this research started from an exploration of IAA producing bacteria and amylolytic bacteria from several East Java Lakes; then, the highest bacterial isolates were identified with morphological and genotypical characteristics. The well-characterized bacterial isolates were used for the microbial consortium in co-culture with C. vulgaris. The treatment used in this study as follows: I) C. vulgaris without bacteria culture as a control, II) amylolytic bacteria + C. vulgaris, III) IAA-producing bacteria + C. vulgaris, IV) potential amylolytic bacteria and IAA-producing bacteria + C. vulgaris. The exploration result of potential bacteria from Ranu Pani, Ranu Regulo, Telaga Ngebel, and Ranu Grati lakes was found 53 amylolytic bacterial isolates, and 90 isolates IAA-producing bacteria. The highest amylolytic bacteria (isolate L) is related to Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, while the most elevated IAA-producing bacteria (isolate C) is related to Bacillus paramycoides. The highest cell density was produced in treatment III, reaching 2.7 x 106 cells/mL on day 50th. The treatments with supplement bacteria showed a significant effect for accelerating the growth of microalgae compared to control.
A Note on Neutrosophic Soft Set With Rough Set
Authors: Das Minakhi , Mohanty Debadutta , Parida Kedar Chandra
Published: May 2021

Rough set is a very powerful invention to the whole world for dealing with uncertain, incomplete and imprecise problems. Also soft set theory and neutrosophic set theory both are advance mathematical tools to handle these uncertain, incomplete, inconsistent information in a better way. The purpose of this article is to expand the scope of rough set, soft set and neutrosophic set theory. We have introduced the concept of neutrosophic soft set with roughness without using full soft set. Some definition, properties and examples have been established on neutrosophic soft rough set. Moreover, dispensable and equalities are written on roughness with neutrosophic soft set.
Contribution of SOS Genes to H2O2-induced Apoptosis-like Death in Escherichia Coli
Authors: Kim Heesu , Lee Dong Gun
Published: May 2021

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a debriding agent that damages the microbial structure and function by generating various reactive oxygen species (ROS). H2O2-produced hydroxyl radical (OH∙) also exert oxidative stress on microorganisms. The spread of antibiotic resistance in bacteria is a serious issue worldwide, and greater efforts are needed to identify and characterize novel antibacterial mechanisms to develop new treatment strategies. Therefore, this study aimed to clarify the relationship between H2O2 and Escherichia coli and to elucidate a novel antibacterial mechanism(s) of H2O2. Following H2O2 exposure, increased levels of 8-hydroxyldeoxyguanosine and malondialdehyde indicated that H2O2 accelerates oxidation of bacterial DNA and lipids in E. coli. As oxidative damage worsened, the SOS response was triggered. Cell division arrest and resulting filamentation were identified in cells, indicating that LexA was involved in DNA replication. It was also verified that RecA, a representative SOS gene, helps self-cleavage of LexA and acts as a bacterial caspase-like protein. Our findings also showed that dinF is essential to preserve E. coli from H2O2-induced ROS, and furthermore, demonstrated that H2O2-induced SOS response and SOS genes participate differently in guarding E. coli from oxidative stress. As an extreme SOS response is considered apoptosis-like death (ALD) in bacteria, additional experiments were performed to examine the characteristics of ALD. DNA fragmentation and membrane depolarization appeared in H2O2-treated cells, suggesting that H2O2 causes ALD in E. coli. In conclusion, our investigations revealed that ALD is a novel antibacterial mode of action(s) of H2O2 with important contributions from SOS genes.
A Multi- institutional Prospective Analysis of Impact of CanAssist Breast (Morphometric Immunohistochemistry Based Test) on Adjuvant Chemotherapy Decisions in Early Breast Cancer
Authors: SP Somashekhar , Patil Shekhar , Thippeswamy Ravi , Rajeevkumar Rajeevkumar , Agrawal Chaturbhuj R , Doval Dinesh Chandra , DG Vijay , Bapna Ajay , Shankar Kiran , CB Avinash , Udapa Karthik S , Prasad Krishna
Published: May 2021

Purpose: CanAssist Breast (CAB) has been validated retrospectively for assessing risk of recurrence and thereby usefulness of chemotherapy in HR+/HER2- breast cancer. The objective of this study is to assess the agreement between physician’s treatment plan and CAB risk stratification and evaluate whether CAB results aid in the physician’s treatment decision.Methods: The data on the physician’s treatment plan before and after the CAB test was collected prospectively between 2016 and 2021 in 249 patients. Changes in treatment recommendations and compliance with CAB reports were analyzed. Results: Based on conventional clinicopathological features physicians planned to treat 46% of patients with endocrine therapy (ET) (low-risk-LR)), 24% with chemoendocrine therapy (CET) (high-risk-HR)) and in 30% physicians were uncertain of prescribing chemotherapy (intermediate-risk-IR)) before CAB testing. The correlation between clinical risk assessment and CAB risk stratification (k=0.2 (0.05-0.35) was nonsignificant. CAB classified 64% as LR, which was 18% (9.3-25, P=0.0001) higher compared to clinical LR. In the clinical IR category, CAB risk proportions were 55:45 (LR: HR). We observed a substantial shift in treatment recommendation from CET to ET in 54% (40.75- 66.84, P<0.0001) of clinical HR and ET to CET in 26% (18.27- 35.01, P<0.0001) of clinical LR patients. Overall CAB lead to change in treatment recommendation in 42% of the cohort.Conclusions: There was a significant impact of CAB on the physician’s treatment decision. CAB provided definite treatment recommendation to IR patients where the physician had dilemma on prescribing chemotherapy and provided precise treatment plan to clinical LR and HR patients.
A Comparison Between Tau and Amyloid-β Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers in Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy and Alzheimer Disease
Authors: Turk Katherine W. , Geada Alexandra , Alvarez Victor E. , Xia Weiming , Cherry Jonathan D. , Nicks Raymond , Meng Gaoyuan , Daley Sarah , Tripodis Yorghos , Huber Bertrand R. , Budson Andrew E. , Dwyer Brigid , Kowall Neil W. , Cantu Robert C. , Goldstein Lee E. , Katz Douglas I. , Stern Robert A. , Alosco Michael L. , Mez Jesse , McKee Ann C. , Stein Thor D.
Published: May 2021

Background
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tau and beta-amyloid levels in chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a disease which can be clinically indistinguishable from Alzheimer’s disease (AD), are largely unknown. We examined postmortem CSF analytes among participants with autopsy confirmed CTE and AD.
Methods
In this cross-sectional study 192 participants from the Boston University AD Research Center, VA-BU-CLF Center, and Framingham Heart Study (FHS) had post-mortem CSF collected at autopsy. Participants were divided into pathological groups based on AD and CTE criteria, with 61 CTE participants (18 low, 43 high stage), 79 AD participants (23 low, 56 intermediate to high), 11 participants with CTE combined with AD, and 41 participants lacking both CTE and AD neuropathology. The Meso Scale Discovery immunoassay system was utilized to measure amyloid-beta (Aβ1 − 40, Aβ1 − 42), total tau (t-tau), and phosphorylated tau (p-tau181 and p-tau231). CSF analytes were then compared across the six pathological groups: no CTE/no AD, Low CTE, Low AD, High CTE, Intermediate/High AD, and AD + CTE.
Results
The low CTE group had higher levels of p-tau231 compared no CTE/no AD (p < 0.001), and compared to the low AD group (p = 0.002). The low CTE group had lower levels of Aβ1−42 compared to no CTE/no AD (p = 0.009). The high CTE group had higher levels of p-tau231 compared to intermediate/high AD (p < 0.001).
Conclusions
Importantly, p-tau231 and Aβ1−42 were predictors of diagnosis of CTE vs. no CTE/no AD and CTE vs. AD. Increased CSF p-tau231 is a promising potentially sensitive biomarker of CTE, and CSF Aβ1−42 needs further investigation in CTE.