bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Endoscopic management of early complications following bariatric surgery
Authors: Ardila-Gatas Jessica , English Wayne
Published: May 2022

Bariatric surgery procedures are increasing exponentially with the obesity epidemic. Early complications are defined as those that occur within the first 30 days after surgery. Some of the most common early complications are leaks, bleeding, stricture or stenosis and bezoar, all of which can be diagnosed and treated endoscopically. Upper endoscopy has been proven to be safe in the early postoperative period and different endoscopic modalities, like stenting, clipping, overstitch, among others, are part of the armamentarium the endoscopist should have available to address complications and potentially avoid the morbidity and mortality associated with re-operation.
Facial expression recognition using adapted residual based deep neural network
Authors: Bah Ibrahima , Xue Yu
Published: May 2022

Emotion on our face can determine our feelings, mental state and can directly impact our decisions. Humans are subjected to undergo an emotional change in relation to their living environment and or at a present circumstance. These emotions can be anger, disgust, fear, sadness, happiness, surprise or neutral. Due to the intricacy and nuance of facial expressions and their relationship to emotions, accurate facial expression identification remains a difficult undertaking. As a result, we provide an end-to-end system that uses residual blocks to identify emotions and improve accuracy in this research field. After receiving a facial image, the framework returns its emotional state. The accuracy obtained on the test set of FERGIT dataset (an extension of the FER2013 dataset with 49300 images) was 75%. This proves the efficiency of the model in classifying facial emotions as this database poses a bunch of challenges such as imbalanced data, intraclass variance, and occlusion. To ensure the performance of our model, we also tested it on the CK+ database and its output accuracy was 97% on the test set.
Patient engagement in healthcare: a preliminary set of measures to evaluate patient engagement in the European Reference Networks.
Authors: Marinello Diana , Galetti Ilaria , Dan Dorica , Andersson Ammi Sundqvist , Aguilera Silvia , Louisse Simone , Wiehe Lenja , Aslanian Anne-Laure , Martin Ines Hernando
Published: May 2022

Aim: The European Reference Networks (ERNs) provide clinicians and patients the opportunity to collaborate at EU level to improve diagnosis, care and treatment for people living with rare and complex conditions. However, building a partnership culture to systematically involve patients in ERN activities and decision-making structures is challenging, partly because the role of patient representatives and the value of this collaboration are not always understood. The objective of this project was to develop an evaluation framework to assess the impact of patient engagement in the ERNs and to provide evidence on the value of patient-clinician partnership. Methods: The evaluation was developed by EURORDIS and patient representatives involved in the ERNs (ePAG advocates) through a participatory and iterative process. The work was organised in three different phases: (1) clarify roles and identify common goals for ePAG advocates’ engagement in the ERNs; (2) define a set of measures; and (3) test the measures in three different ePAGs (European Patient Advocacy Groups). Results: The project allowed developing a common understanding among ePAG advocates of their role and goals in the ERNs and defining a patient-driven evaluation framework to assess their level of engagement in the ERNs’ activities and how effectively they were working to fulfil their role. Conclusion: Engaging with ERN clinicians to refine the framework would probably render it more relevant to the reality and priorities of the specific ERNs and more valuable as a tool to build a strong partnership culture. Such an evaluation framework could be integrated into the ERNs’ quality improvement system to ensure that the networks’ activities are driven by and remain responsive to patients’ needs.
The Imprint of Recent Meteorological Events on Boulder Deposits along the Mediterranean Rocky Coasts
Authors: Delle Rose Marco , Martano Paolo
Published: May 2022

In this review, the potential of an emerging field of interdisciplinary climate research, that is the Coastal Boulder Deposits (CBDs) as natural archives for intense storms, is explored with particular reference to the Mediterranean region. First, the identification of the pertinent scientific articles was performed by using Web of Science (WoS) engine. Thus, the selected studies have been analysed to feature CBDs produced and/or activated during the last half century. Then, the meteorological events responsible to the literature reported cases were analysed in some details using the web archives of the Globo-Bolam-Moloch model cascade. The study of synoptical and local characteristics of the storms involved in the documented cases of boulder production/activation proved useful to assess the suitability of selected sites as geomorphological storm proxies. It is argued that a close and fruitful collaboration involving several scientific disciplines is required to develop this climate research field.
Dependence Structure between Bitcoin and Economic Policy Uncertainty: Evidence from Time-Frequency Quantile-Dependence Methods
Authors: Nasreen Samia , Tiwari Aviral Kumar , Jiang Zhuhua , Yoon Seong-Min
Published: May 2022

In this study, the dependence between Bitcoin (BTC) and economic policy uncertainty (EPU) of USA and China is estimated by applying latest methodology of quantile cross-spectral dependence. The findings indicate a positive return interdependence between BTC and EPU is high in short-term, and this dependence decreases as investment horizons increase from weekly to yearly. The information on above interdependence is also extracted by applying wavelet coherence analysis and the estimation results suggest that correlation between BTC and EPU is positive during short-term investment horizon. Furthermore, more diversification benefits of BTC can be obtained during USA-EPU as compared to China-EPU.
POTENTIAL THREATS OF ORDINARY INVESTIGATION AND LITIGATION MODEL OF THE NATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY BUREAU ON THE PHARMACEUTICAL AND HEALTH SYSTEM IN PAKISTAN.
Authors: Nazir Taha
Published: May 2022

Free, fair and ethical process of conduct with the assigned responsibility to completed it with given resources, schedule and environment is called accountability. It is also a confession of an employ to admit an error made in assigned obligations. United State Agency for International Development (USAID), the federal agency, administers civilian foreign aid, defines measures of government accountability by some key factors including a free and fair political justice system; protection of human rights; a vibrant civil society; public confidence in the police and courts, and security sector reform. So, accountability is about employees taking responsibility and ownership for their decisions, actions, performance, and behavior. That also covers the intention, dedication, trust, and commitment to do the right thing for a particular project, institution, state, or business. Unfortunately, corruption is embedded within the health systems. Throughout my academic and research career, the Ministry of Health, public health professionals, and provincial health departments have been able to see deep-rooted dishonesty and fraud. So, the magnitude of the problem of corruption can be outlined, how it happens, what are potential contributing factors and how it is started. We can also describe the people's fears around the topic, methodologies to address the corruption, and responsibilities of communities irrespective of their level of involvement. Policymakers, funding agencies, and researchers are needed to get involved in the discussion as an important component
Investigation of Overburden Movement and Ground Stress Behaviour in Multiseam Mining
Authors: Zhu Zhijie , Yao Zhenhua , Nemcik Jan , Han Jun
Published: May 2022

In multiple-seam mining, severe deformation of roadways and coal bursts caused by overlying coal pillars can occur in the lower seams. Overburden movement and ground pressure behaviour when mining thick seam below the strong roof and upper four extracted coal seams were investigated in the Tongxin coal mine, China. The numerical model indicated that the abutment stress in the lower seam is affected by overlying coal pillars as suggested by the bubble and the cantilever beam models. The microseismic monitoring indicated that high-energy seismic events caused by large overburden movement under the overlying pillars were the source of the dynamic loads. The influence of upper pillar on lower longwall mining conditions can be broken down into three cases: (a) under no pillar area, no excessive deformation or dynamic failure was observed in the tailgate with medium static loads and low dynamic loads; (b) under single pillars or two overlapping pillars, severe deformation occurred in the tailgate with low to medium static loads and medium dynamic loads; and (c) under the three to four overlapping pillars, extreme deformation was observed with the high static loads and high dynamic loads. These findings can provide guidance for the roadway layout in the multiple-seam operations.
Experimental Investigation of Low-Frequency Distributed Acoustic Strain-Rate Responses to Propagating Fractures
Authors: Leggett Smith , Reid Teresa , Zhu Ding , Hill A. D.
Published: May 2022

Low-frequency distributed acoustic sensing (LF-DAS) responds to strain changes due to far-field fracture propagation. To better understand the LF-DAS response to fracture propagation, we performed laboratory-scale hydraulic fracture experiments with embedded optical strain sensors. The objectives of this research are to generate hydraulic fractures of known geometry, measure the strain response along the embedded fiber-optic cable comparable to LF-DAS measurements, and use the results to inform the interpretation of field-derived LF-DAS data.

The experiments were conducted in unconfined transparent cubic blocks with a dimension of 8 in. on each side. The block was made of transparent epoxy to visualize the fracture propagation. Fiber-optic sensing cables were embedded in the block at different distances to the source of injection. We injected dyed water through an injection tubing to generate a transverse, radial fracture along an initial flaw. An optical interrogator recorded the response of offset fiber Bragg grating (FBG) strain sensors normal to the plane of the fracture. The strain data were visualized on a waterfall plot, akin to visualizations of field-derived LF-DAS data. Dimensional analysis was used to scale the laboratory results to field conditions. We compared the evolution of the strain response at the fiber-optic cable, injection pressure, and rate with known fracture geometry. The measured strains were compared with Sneddon’s (1946) linear elastic solution for a penny-shaped crack and found to follow this behavior.

The generated radial fractures in transparent media can be modeled with Sneddon’s linear elastic radial fracture model and a Mode I critical stress intensity factor. The LF-DAS characteristic response of a narrowing region of extension surrounded by compression was exhibited as a fracture that approached and intersected the fiber-optic cable. The experimentally derived strain and strain-rate waterfall plots with known fracture geometry, injection rate, and pressure response provide insight in understanding LF-DAS responses in the field. Furthermore, we developed a method to estimate fracture geometry evolution from the fiber-optic strain data and validated the method against the experimental data.
Geometric Mediator Structures, Transition Dynamics and Force Constants
Authors: Koehler Dale. R.
Published: May 2022

It is shown in the present work that the distorted-space model of matter can describe conventional force-constants and transition-mediator structures. We use the verbiage “distorted” to communicate the concept of “energetic warping” to distinguish “spatial warping” from “classical matter warping”, although the concept of “matter” is in fact, in the present context, the “geometric distortion energy” of the spatial manifold itself without a classical “matter stressenergy source”. The “distorted-geometry” structures exhibit non-Newtonian features wherein the hole or core-region fields of the structures are energetically-repulsive (negative pressure), do not behave functionally in an r -4 manner and terminate at zero at the radial origin (no singularity). Near the core of the distortion the magnetic fields dominate the energy-densities of the structures thereby departing from classical particle-structure descriptions. Black-body radiation-emission and structural modeling lead to a description of transition dynamics and photonic entities.
Comparison of different concentrations of a povidone iodine diluted sitz bath in the prevention of perianal infection in patients undergoing chemotherapy for hematological malignancy: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Luo Yuqin , Wang Yingli , Yang Mei , Luo Ting , Chen Fengjiao , Leng Yamei , Zhou Li , Fang Jinbo , Li Yuan , Chen Chen
Published: May 2022

Background: Infection is one of the most common causes of death in patients with hematological malignancies during chemotherapy. Due to its special location, local warmth and humidity, repeated pollution with stool and urine, and characteristically wrinkled anatomical structure within which bacteria can hide, the perianal becomes a site with a high incidence of infection. Such infection also has a high recurrence rate and high mortality, increasing the economic burden of patients, delaying the time of treatment and reducing the quality of life. In severe cases, sepsis occurs and endangers the patient's life. Previous studies have confirmed the effectiveness of povidone iodine in the prevention of perianal infection in patients with hematologic malignancies during chemotherapy, but these reports have not documented in detail the adverse events associated with sitz bathing and the lack of randomized controlled trials of different concentrations of dilute povidone iodine sitz bathing. Therefore, the evidence are insufficient. Methods: In this study, we plan to include 268 patients with hematological malignancies undergoing chemotherapy who have risk factors for perianal infection. The objective is to determine whether a povidone iodine diluent sitz bath can reduce the incidence of perianal infection compared with conventional perianal cleaning care and to observe the incidence of perianal infection, the severity of perianal infection and the complications related to the sitz bath among groups treated with different concentrations of povidone iodine diluent, especially in high-risk patients prone to perianal infection, so as to screening for the optimal concentration. The primary endpoint of the trial is the incidence of perianal infection. The secondary endpoints of the study will be the results of anal swab bacterial culture, the severity of perianal infection, the incidence of perianal adverse events (dryness, peeling, pigmentation, burning sensation), and pain scores. The length of hospitalization in days and hospitalization expenses will be recorded. Safety will be assessed with consideration of all adverse and severe adverse events related to the study treatment. Discussion: This study has received full ethics committee approval. The first patient was enrolled on May 1, 2021. The results of this trial will finally answer the questions regarding the effectiveness of povidone iodine diluent sit baths in the prevention of perianal infection in patients with hematological malignancies during chemotherapy and will screen for the best concentration.Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (registration ID: ChiCTR2000041073).Registered on December 17, 2020. {2}http://www.chictr.org.cn/edit.aspx?pid=66044&htm=4 {2b}
Antimicrobial peptide AMP-17 exerts anti-Candida albicans effects through ROS-mediated apoptosis and necrosis
Authors: ma huiling , Yang Longbing , Tian Zhuqing , Zhu Lijuan , Peng Jian , Fu Ping , Xiu JiangFan , Guo Guo
Published: May 2022

There is a need for new anti-Candida albicans drugs owing to the emergence of drug resistance in recent years. AMP-17, an antimicrobial peptide from Musca domestica, is known to be an effective inhibitor of many fungal pathogens, including C. albicans. In this study, we investigated the potential mechanism underlying the anti-C. albicans effects of AMP-17 using flow cytometry, transmission electron microscopy, fluorescent probes, fluorescence microplate reader, and confocal laser microscopy. Transmission electron microscopy showed that, following AMP-17 treatment, the shape of C. albicans cells became irregular, and vacuoles could be seen in the cytoplasm. Further, AMP-17 treatment resulted in an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and changes in the cell cycle, leading to the apoptosis and necrosis, which ultimately contributed to the death of C. albicans cells.
LncNONMMUG027912 alleviates lipid accumulation through AMPKα/mTOR/SREBP1C axis in nonalcoholic fatty liver
Authors: Chu Kaifei , Zhao Niannian , Feng Rong , Hu Xudong , Zhang Li , Wang Ganglin , Li Wei , Liu Lin
Published: May 2022

Various metabolic diseases are closely related to lipid metabolism disorders, but the regulatory effect of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) on the function of lipids has been poorly elucidated. Previous our work has found that lncNONMMUG027912 (abbreviated as lnc027912) involved in cholesterol metabolism. Here, we further explored the novel function of lipid metabolism-associated lnc027912. We found that upregulated lnc027912 in AML12 cells treated with oleic acid (OA) and palmitic acid (PA) showed a significant decrease in lipid accumulation, triglyceride (TG) levels, and lipid biosynthesis genes. In terms of regulatory mechanisms, lnc027912 increased the expression of p-AMPKα, inhibited p-mTOR levels, decreased the expression of SREBP1C in nuclei, decreased the promoter activity of SREBP1C, and inhibited the expression of lipid synthesis genes. Most importantly, lnc027912 could reduce lipid accumulation and liver inflammation through AMPKα/mTOR signal axis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) mice model. Altogether, our study revealed a novel molecular mechanism of lnc027912 in lipid metabolism through the AMPKα/mTOR/SREBP1C signaling axis and highlights the potential of lnc027912 as a new treatment target for lipid disorder diseases (such as NAFLD).
In silico designing of a novel epitope-based candidate vaccine against Streptococcus pneumoniae with introduction of a new domain of PepO as adjuvant
Authors: Bahadori zohreh , Shafaghi Mona , Madanchi Hamid , Ranjbar Mohammad Mehdi , Shabani Ali Akbar , Mousavi Seyed Fazlollah
Published: May 2022

Background: Streptococcus pneumoniae is the leading reason for invasive diseases including pneumonia and meningitis, and also secondary infections following viral respiratory diseases such as flu and COVID-19. Currently, serotype-dependent vaccines, which have several insufficiency and limitations, are the only way to prevent pneumococcal infections. Hence, it is plain to need an alternative effective strategy for prevention of this organism. Protein-based vaccine involving conserved pneumococcal protein antigens with different roles in virulence could provide an eligible alternative to existing vaccines. Methods: In this study, PspC, PhtD and PsaA antigens from pneumococcus were taken to account to predict B-cell and helper T-cell epitopes, and epitope-rich regions were chosen to build the construct. To enhance the immunogenicity of the epitope-based vaccine, a truncated N-terminal fragment of pneumococcal endopeptidase O (PepO) was used as a potential TLR2/4 agonist which was identified by molecular docking studies. The ultimate construct was consisted of the chosen epitope-rich regions, along with the adjuvant role (truncated N-PepO) and suitable linkers. Results: The epitope-based vaccine was assessed as regards physicochemical properties, allergenicity, antigenicity, and toxicity. The 3D structure of the engineered construct was modeled, refined, and validated. Molecular docking and simulation of molecular dynamics (MD) indicated the proper and stable interactions between the vaccine and TLR2/4 throughout the simulation periods. Conclusions: The computational outcomes revealed that the suggested vaccine could be deemed an efficient therapeutic vaccine for S. pneumoniae; nevertheless, in vitro and in vivo examinations should be performed to prove the potency of the candidate vaccine.
Association and interaction of O3 and NO2 with emergency room visits for respiratory diseases in Beijing, China: A time-series study
Authors: Fu Yuanwei , Zhang Wenlou , Li Yan , Li Hongyu , Deng Furong , Ma Qingbian
Published: May 2022

Background: Ozone (O3) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are the two main oxidative gaseous pollutants in the atmosphere. Their short-term effect and interaction on emergency room visits (ERVs) for respiratory diseases remain unclear. Methods: We conducted a time-series study based on 144,326 ERVs for respiratory diseases of Peking University Third Hospital from 2014 to 2019 in Beijing, China. Generalized additive models with quasi-Poisson regression were performed to analyze the associations of O3, NO2 and their composite indicators (Ox and Oxwt) with ERVs for respiratory diseases. An interaction model was further performed to evaluate the interaction between O3 and NO2. Results: Exposure to O3, NO2, Ox and Oxwt was positively associated with ERVs for total respiratory diseases (TRDs) and acute upper respiratory infection (AURI). For instance, a 10 μg/m3 increase in O3 and NO2 were associated with 0.93% (95%CI: 0.05%, 1.81%) and 5.87% (95%CI: 3.92%, 7.85%) increase in AURI at lag0-5 days, respectively. More significant linear exposure-response relationships were observed in Ox and Oxwt over the entire concentration range. In stratification analysis, stronger associations were observed in the group aged < 18 years for both O3 and NO2, in the warm season for O3, but in the cold season for NO2. In interaction analysis, the association between O3 and ERVs for respiratory diseases was significantly stronger at high concentrations of NO2 in the <18 years group. Conclusions: Short-term exposure to O3 and NO2 was positively associated with ERVs for respiratory diseases, particularly in younger people (<18 years). This study for the first time demonstrated the synergistic effect of O3 and NO2 on respiratory ERVs, and Ox and Oxwt may be potential proxies.
Analysis of Anti-malarial drug resistant genes of Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 to understand its expression: the bioinformatics approach
Authors: Waktole Gemechis , Cho Donghee
Published: May 2022

Malaria is one of the most important infectious diseases that threaten half of the world’s population. Ethiopia is among countries with a high malaria burden. Plasmodium falciparum is the most common (64%) cause of malaria in Ethiopia while P. vivax accounts for the remaining cases (34%). Despite numerous advances in malaria control strategies, the disease still kills countless children worldwide, mainly in sub-Saharan African countries and malaria still remains a major public health problem in Ethiopia. Analyzing parasite genetics has enormous potential to aid both efforts at elimination as well as international efforts toward eradication. Therefore, this study is aimed to insilico analysis of regulatory elements such as CpG islands, transcription factors (TFs) and their corresponding binding sites (TFBSs) involved in the regulation of gene expression of Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 isolates drug resistant genes. In this analysis nine drug resistance affecting gene coding sequences, available in NCBI database with the start codon at the beginning of the sequence and only functional genes (protein coding) were deliberated. Accordingly, the promoter prediction by neural network promoter prediction result showed Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 drug resistance affecting genes have 1–6 TSS and five common candidate motifs (MPfI, MPfII, MPfIII, MPfIV and MPfV) were identified. The study indicates the poor occurrence of CpG islands in both gene body and promoter regions which may affect the access of promoter region of genes to their transcription factors, hence affecting their expression. In general, this in silico analysis of genes encoding for Plasmodium falciparum drug resistance affecting genes could be helpful to add knowledge about the molecular data and supportive to identify gene regulatory elements in the promoter regions.
Development of an endoplasmic reticulum stress-related signature with potential implications in prognosis and immunotherapy in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Fan Xinlong , Yang Xiao , Guo Nan , Gao Xin , Zhao Yuejiao
Published: May 2022

Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a multisite malignancy which is respond well to immunotherapy. Despite the initial enthusiasm, the clinical benefits of immunotherapy in HNSCC patients are overall limited. Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) has been indicated to play a key role in the process of anti-tumor immune response mediation. However, ERS-related biomarkers which can accurately predict prognosis and immunotherapy response in HNSCC are still lacking. Methods and Results: In this study, we identify and validate an ERS-related signature comprises of six genes (ASNS, EXOSC6, BAK1, TPP1, EXOSC8 and TATDN2) that can predict prognosis of HNSCC patients. GSEA analysis indicates that the ERS-related signature is significantly correlated with tumor immunity in HNSCC. Moreover, the infiltrations of naive B cells and CD8+ T cells are significantly diminished in patients with high-risk scores compared to those with low-risk scores, while macrophages and activated mast cells are remarkably enhanced. Furthermore, the ERS-related signature also displays a tremendous potential for predicting immunotherapy response in HNSCC. Conclusions: Our study identify an ERS-related signature that can predict prognosis of HNSCC patients and highlights its potential value as a predictive biomarker of immunotherapy response, potentially enabling more precise and personalized immunotherapy response and paving the way for further investigation of the prognostic and therapeutic potentials of ERS.
Identification and validation of a novel LncRNA TRG-AS1 that inhibits colorectal cancer proliferation and glycolysis
Authors: Li Lu , Zhang Yong , Li Kunkun , Xing Mengxuan , Xiao Xingguo , Zhang Li , Chu Feifei , Wu Huili
Published: May 2022

Background
Glucose metabolism reprogramming is one of the major hallmarks of malignant tumors and is regulated by long non-coding RNA (LncRNA). However, the role of glycolysis-associated LncRNA in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains largely unknown. In this study, we identified a novel LncRNA TRG-AS1 that inhibits CRC glycolysis and proliferation through comprehensive bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation.
Methods
TRG-AS1 overexpressing stable cell line and silence the target gene cell line were generated. Glucose assay kits and Pyruvate assay kits were utilized to analyze glycolysis. The cell proliferation ability was evaluated by CCK8, Colony formation assays and EdU. Xenograft tumor experiments were performed to assess proliferative capacity. Cell migration and invasion abilities were examined using the Transwell assay.
Results
TRG-AS1 was significantly down-regulated in CRC tumors as revealed by nine independent CRC cohorts, including our own in-house cohort. Clinically, high expression of TRG-AS1 predicts favorable overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in CRC patients, and high level of TRG-AS1 is closely associated with earlier tumor stage. In terms of function, over-expression of TRG-AS1 significantly inhibited CRC aerobic glycolysis, proliferation, metastasis potential and tumor growth, while knockdown of TGR-AS1 dramatically promoted CRC aerobic glycolysis and progression. Data based on bioinformatics analysis suggest that TRG-AS1 may be involved in CRC progression by influencing glycolysis-related molecules, such as SLC2A1, PGK1 and ENO1, etc.
Conclusion
Our study advances the understanding that LncRNA inhibits CRC glycolysis and progression, and provide a promising molecular target for the treatment of CRC.
Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity-null effector developed using mammalian and plant GlycoDelete platform
Authors: Kang Cho Eun , Lee Seungeun , Ahn Taeyoung , Seo Dong Hye , Ko Byung Jun , Jung Minkyu , Lee Jinu , Kim Joo Young , Kim Woo Taek
Published: May 2022

Cancer therapy using immune checkpoint inhibitor antibodies has markedly shifted the paradigm of cancer treatment. However, methods completely eliminating the immunogenicity of these signal-regulating antibodies is urgently required. The heterogeneity of glycan chains in antibodies limits their use as therapeutic agents due to their variability; thus, the development of uniform glycan chains is necessary. Here, we subjected the anti-programmed cell death protein (PD)-1 antibody nivolumab, a representative immune checkpoint inhibitor, to GlycoDelete (GD) engineering to remove the antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) of the antibody, leaving only one glycan in the Fc. Glyco-engineered CHO cells were prepared by overexpressing endo-β-N-acetyl-glucosaminidase in CHO cells, in which N-acetyl-glucosaminyl-transferase I was knocked out using Cas9. GD IgG1 nivolumab and GD IgG4 nivolumab were produced using GD CHO cells, and glycan removal was confirmed using mass spectrometry. Target binding and PD-1 inhibition was not altered; however, ADCC decreased. Furthermore, the IgG4 form, determined to be the most suitable form of GD nivolumab, was produced in a plant GD system. The plant GD nivolumab also reduced ADCC without affecting PD-1 inhibitory function. Thus, CHO and plant GD platforms can be used to improve signal-regulating antibodies by reducing their immunogenicity.
Compliance and outcome of osteoporosis treatment after total knee arthroplasty
Authors: Yoon Jung-Ro , Koh Yeong Yoon , Lee Seung Hoon
Published: May 2022

Background: Treatment compliance is important in the treatment of osteoporosis. Our hypotheses were as follows: 1) compliance with osteoporosis treatment after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) will be high, and 2) osteoporosis treatment results after TKA will be as good as those of patients who do not undergo TKA.Methods and Materials: Patients diagnosed with osteoporosis for the first time in an outpatient clinic (OPD group) and those who were diagnosed at hospitalization for TKA (TKA group) from March 2019 to December 2020 were retrospectively evaluated. Only patients treated with denoxumab were included in the study. Compliance, based on the outpatient follow-up rate after 1 year, was compared between the two groups, and the treatment outcomes were compared based on bone mineral density (BMD). Results: In the OPD group, 29 of 41 patients were followed up 1 year later, and in the TKA group, all 14 patients were followed up after 1 year. In the OPD group, the BMD increased significantly. In the TKA group, there was a significant increase in BMD only in the lumbar spine. However, there were no significant between-group differences in the BMD before and after treatment. Conclusion: Osteoporosis treatment compliance was significantly higher in the TKA group than in the OPD group. When denoxumab was used after TKA, there was no decrease in BMD, and osteoporosis treatment results after TKA were similar to those of the OPD group.
Cellulose Grafted with Polyaniline for Simultaneous Adsorption of Cationic and Anionic Dyes in Wastewater Effluent
Authors: Nguyen Thu Ha , Nguyen Manh Trung , Vuong Bich Hien , Le Trong Huyen
Published: May 2022

The adsorbent for both cationic and anionic dye based on cellulose and polyaniline was prepared. Cellulose was purified from sugarcane bagasse through removal of hemicellulose and lignin. Aniline was polymerized in emulsion state in the presence of cellulose and ammonium persulfate as initiator. The FTIR spectroscopy, SEM observation and determination of porosity confirmed that polyaniline was grafted on the surface of cellulose fiber to form cellulose-graft-polyaniline with high porosity. Polyaniline acted as adsorption sites for both cationic dye (methylene blue) and anionic dye (methyl orange). The adsorption on the surface of cellulose-graft-polyaniline followed the Langmuir model, suggesting that the adsorption sites on its surface was uniform. The extent of adsorbing capacity of cellulose-graft-polyaniline toward methylene blue and methyl orange was 1.57 and 0.75 mmol/g, respectively. These values confirmed that cellulose-graft-polyaniline was an efficient adsorbent for both cationic and anionic dyes. The adsorption of either cationic or anionic dye in a mixture solution did not restrain each other. Cellulose-graft-polyaniline was expected to have potential application in practical.
Follow-up of neonatal screening using automatic auditory brainstem responses in infants with congenital syphilis: prospective cross-sectional study
Authors: Aguiar Livia Barbosa , Cunha Brenda Karla Silva da , Bezerra Mylena Taíse Azevedo Lima , de Brito Maria Edinilma Felinto , Arrais Nívia Maria Rodrigues , Moore David R , Balen Sheila Andreoli
Published: May 2022

Objective: The risk of congenital syphilis for neonatal hearing loss is currently unclear. In this study we determined the occurrence of risk for hearing loss during follow-up of neonatal hearing screening in infants with congenital syphilis during the first two months of life. Methodology: Prospective cross-sectional study. Automatic auditory brainstem response (AABR) was performed after hospital discharge (nine to 60 days). The sample consisted of 93 newborns in public maternity hospitals, divided into three groups: Exposed to syphilis: seven newborns of mothers who underwent the current best practice treatment for syphilis during the prenatal period after detecting positive for the disease using the Venereal diseases research laboratory (VDRL) exam; Congenital syphilis: 37 newborns and their mothers who received syphilis treatment during the perinatal period, following a positive result of VDRL at birth; Control: 49 newborns of women who had a negative result of VDRL, showing absence of syphilis during pre- and perinatal periods. None of the newborns had other risk indicators for hearing loss. Analysis was based on binary pass/failure in AABR, the standard clinical practice. Results: In the Exposed group, 7/7 newborns (100%) passed the test bilaterally. In the Congenital group, 36/37 (97%) passed the test for the right ear and 35/37 (94%) for the left ear. In the Control group, 47/49 (96%) passed the test for the RE and 46/49 (94%) for the left ear. The proportion of passes did not differ statistically between groups or ears. Conclusion: Neither exposure to syphilis nor the presence of congenital syphilis were indicators of a higher occurrence of neonatal hearing screen failure during the first two months of life.
Brewer’s spent yeast replacement in carp diet leads to muscle biomass production, recycling, waste management and resource conservation
Authors: Pradhan Debashish , Mahanty Arabinda , Mohanty Sasmita , Samantaray Kasturi , Mohanty Bimal Prasanna
Published: May 2022

Brewer’s-spent-yeast (BSY) is among the most voluminous byproducts generated in brewery industry that adds to the waste; however, smart utilization of BSY could lead to edible biomass production besides waste management. To utilize it for biomass production, it is being used in fish feeds; however, its effect on the fish physiology has been scantily studied. The present study investigated the proteomic changes in muscle tissues of carp Labeo rohita fed with BSY-based diet, to understand its impact on muscle physiology and biomass. Six feeds were prepared with different grades of BSY (0, 20, 30, 40, 50, 100% replacement of fishmeal with BSY) and fishes were fed for 90 days. Highest weight gain%, feed conversion efficiency, specific growth rate% were observed in 30% BSY-replaced group and this group was considered for the proteomic study. Comparative shotgun proteomic analysis was carried out by LC-MS/MS and data generated have been deposited in ProteomeXchange Consortium with dataset identifier PXD020093. A total of 62 proteins showed differential abundance; 29 increased and 33 decreased in the 30%BSY replaced group. Pathway analysis using IPA and Panther tools revealed that the proteins tyrosine protein kinase, PDGFα, PKRCB and Collagen promote muscle growth by inducing the PI3K-AKT pathway. Conversely, the proteins Serine/threonine-protein phosphatase, Phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate5-phosphatase 2A, Ras-specific guanine- nucleotide-releasing factor inhibit muscle growth indicating that 30% BSY replaced feed promote muscle growth in a highly controlled manner. Findings suggest that BSY could be recycled for carp feed production in large-scale thereby leading to resource conservation, reducing environmental effects.
Effect of feeding sulphate reducing bacteria along with sulphur on growth performance, nutrient utilization and methane emission in goats
Authors: Uniyal Sandeep , chaudhary Lal chandra , Kala Anju , Agarwal NEETA , chaturvedi Vishwa bandu
Published: May 2022

Competitive relationship exist between the sulphate reducing bacteria and the methanogens in the anaerobic environment including rumen for hydrogen where sulphate is not limiting for the growth and consequently inhibit the enteric methane emission as thermodynamically energetic of sulphate reduction (∆Go= -21.1 KJ/mole of H2) is more favourable than methanogenesis (∆Go= -16.9 KJ/mole H2). To validate this hypothesis a study was designed to investigate the effect of supplementation of sulphate reducing bacteria (SRB) as microbial feed additives alone or along with sulphur (as sodium sulphate) on methane production, live weight gain, feed intake, nutrient digestibility and energy metabolism in goats. The SRB used as microbial feed additives were isolated from goat rumen. The experiment was conducted on growing kids (n = 36, 5–6 months of age) with average body weight of 10.08 ± 0.21 kg, divided in six groups (n = 6). The six treatments were control fed basal diet (T1), SRB 0.5ml/kg BW (T2), sulphur (as sodium sulphate) 0.095% of DMI (total sulphur level in the diet 1.5 times the requirement) (T3), sulphur (as sodium sulphate) 0.095% of DMI + SRB 0.5ml/kg BW (T4), sulphur (as sodium sulphate) 0.19% of DMI (total sul- phur level in the diet 2 times the requirement) (T5) and sulphur (as sodium sulphate) 0.19% of DMI + SRB 0.5ml/kg BW (T6). Duration of study was 150 days and the goats were fed as per ICAR (2013) feeding standard. Methane (CH4) production (l/kg DMI) was reduced by 11.8% (P = 0.05) in T6 where sulphur (@ 0.19% DMI) was supplemented along with SRB4 (@ 0.5 ml/kg BW) as compared to T1 (un-supplemented group). However, the dry matter intake (DM), total weight gain (TG), average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), excretion of purine derivatives (allantoin, uric acid, xanthine and hypoxanthine) and digestibility of organic matter (OM), dry matter (DM), ether extract (EE), crude protein (CP), acid detergent fibre (ADF) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) remained comparable (P > 0.05) among all the groups. The experimental data revealed that feeding of SRB as an microbial feed additives along with sulphur (as sodium sulphate) is capable in reducing enteric CH4 emission without any adverse effect on rumen fermentation and digestibility of the nutrients.
Positive solution for weighted logarithmic problem involving continuous potential under exponential nonlinearities growth
Authors: DRIDI Brahim , JAIDANE Rached
Published: May 2022

In this paper, we study the nonlinear weighted elliptic problem
[[EQUATION]]
where $B$ is the unit ball of $\mathbb{R^{N}}$, $N>2$, $ w(x)=\big(\log \frac{1}{|x|}\big)^{\beta(N-1)}$,$~~\beta\in[0,1)$
the singular logarithm weight with the limiting exponent $N-1$ in the Trudinger-Moser embedding. $V$ is a continuous positive potentiel.
The nonlinearities are critical or subcritical growth in view of Trudinger-Moser
inequalities. We prove the existence of non trivial
solutions via the critical point theory. In the critical case, the associated energy functional does not satisfy
the compactness condition. We give a new growth condition and we point out its importance
for checking the Palais-Smale compactness condition.
Strontium (II) biosorption studies on starch-functionalized magnetic nanobiocomposites using full factorial design method
Authors: Prill Busra , Sedir Umitcan , Yusan Sabriye
Published: May 2022

The purpose of this research was to fabricate starch based magnetic nanobiocomposites using 2 different starch types (corn and wheat) and to examine the effects of some experimental parameters (such as starch concentration, NaOH concentration and aging time of nanoparticles) that play a role in the synthesis products. The characterization of the starch-based magnetic-nanobiocomposite materials were realized with several techniques. The usability of starch-based magnetic-nanobiocomposite materials, which can provide rapid separation with their magnetic properties and are not toxic, in removing Sr (II) ions from aqueous solutions has been investigated. The parameters affecting the biosorption were investigated using a full factorial experimental design. In the biosorption study, pH, temperature, initial Sr(II) concentration and contact time were determined as four independent variables. The regression coefficients were found using the least squares method and the response surface graphs were created according to the polynomial equation obtained from the full factorial experimental design. ANOVA (analysis of variance) analysis within the 95% confidence interval of the model applied for the full factorial experimental design was examined and the compatibility of the model with the experimental findings was examine. The composition and chemical state of the magnetic nanobiocomposites were investigated by XPS analysis after Sr(II) biosorption. For the purpose of determine the adsorption model, the relevant parameters were calculated using Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherms. Gibbs free energy change, enthalpy and entropy values, which are the values of adsorption thermodynamics, were calculated.
Mechanical activation of mitochondrial energy metabolism during cell differentiation
Authors: Wang Zong-Heng , Combs Christian , Zhao Wenjing , Knutson Jay , Lilly Mary , Xu Hong
Published: May 2022

In multicellular lives, differentiation of many types of stem and progenitor cells is often accompanied by a metabolic transition from glycolysis to mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. The mechanisms driving this metabolic transition in vivo are largely unknown. Here, we show that, during differentiation of the Drosophila female germline cyst, the surrounding somatic cells compress the cyst and increase the tension of cyst cells’ membranes. Transmembrane channel-like, an evolutionarily conserved ion channel involved in mechanosensation, maintains cytosolic Ca2+ levels in compressed differentiating cysts. Cytosolic Ca2+ induces transcriptional activation of oxidative phosphorylation through a CaMKI-Fray-JNK signaling relay. Our findings demonstrate a molecular link between cell mechanics and mitochondrial energy metabolism, with implications in other developmentally orchestrated metabolic transitions in mammals.
Clinician Reports of Self-Awareness after Traumatic Brain Injury: A Retrospective Chart Review
Authors: Mamman Rinni , Cheng Anika , Tsow Rebecca , Schmidt Julia
Published: May 2022

Background: Impaired self-awareness (i.e., lack of insight) is experienced by most individuals after a moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). These individuals do not recognize their abilities and limitations which can negatively impact daily life and function. Although there are evidence-based approaches to improve self-awareness after TBI, it is not known how clinicians respond and address this impairment in an inpatient rehabilitation setting.Objective: To examine how clinicians report, assess, and provide intervention for impaired self-awareness after TBI.Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted on interdisciplinary rehabilitation clinician entries for individuals with TBI (n=67) who received inpatient rehabilitation within a five-year period (2014-2019). A reflexive thematic analysis approach was used to analyse the data.Results: Three themes were generated to explore clinician responses to their clients’ impaired self-awareness: 1) ‘recalling and understanding’ described clinicians observing client behaviours and expressions of self-awareness, 2) ‘applying and analyzing’ identified clinicians providing relevant tasks and advice to clients, and 3) ‘evaluating and creating’ described clinicians actively interacting with clients by providing feedback, guided prompts, and a follow-up plan. Conclusion: Clinicians described varied responses to clients’ impaired self-awareness after TBI. Findings may help to develop research priorities and integrated knowledge translation initiatives to increase evidence-based practice for impaired self-awareness after TBI.
The Effect of Topical Ketamine Administration on the Corneal Epithelium Repair
Authors: Sanatkar Mehdi , Nozarian Zohre , Bazvand Fatemeh , Abdi Parisa
Published: May 2022

Introduction: The cornea is regarded as a sensitive organ to pain. Ketamine can effectively reduce postoperative neuropathic pain. We hypothesized that topical ketamine could mitigate postoperative corneal neuropathic pain. The aim of this study was to determine whether topical ketamine is safe for cornea and evaluate its effect on the repair procedure the damaged corneal tissue.Methods: Our study was performed on only the right eyes of 15 male rats. All animals underwent general anesthesia and the whole corneal epithelium was removed. All subjects were divided into two groups: group 1 (n = 8), one drop of ketamine, and group 2 (n = 7), one drop of 0.9% sodium chloride administered topically on the scraped cornea every 6 hours for seven days. The rats’ s cornea was carefully monitored daily for the size of epithelial defects under a microscope and was photographed. On the eighth day, the eyes were sent for pathological examination. The eyes were examined for the amount of inflammation, neovascularization, keratinization, epithelial thickness and Descemet's membrane pathologies.Results: The epithelial defect has healed completely on the sixth day in all rats in both groups. There was no significant difference in the speed of complete recovery between the two groups. No significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of inflammation grade, neovascularization grade, and epithelial thickness.Conclusion: Our study showed that topical ketamine had no significant effect on corneal wound healing in a rat animal model and could be used safely for the management of postoperative chronic ocular pain.
Tunable reverse rectification of layed Janus MSeS (M=Hf, Zr) and SnS2 heterojunctions
Authors: Pan Jinghua , Jing Sicheng , Chen Wen , Li Wei , Wang Yu , Bian Baoan , Biao Liao , Wang Guoliang
Published: May 2022

Two-dimensional (2D) Janus transition metal dichalcogenides (JTMDs) exhibit suitable band gaps and strong visible-light absorption, which are extensively applied to the field of optoelectronic devices. Here, we investigate the electronic properties of 2D JTMDs MSeS (M=Hf, Zr) and SnS2 van der Waals heterojunction through density functional theory. The calculated electronic properties reveal that ZrSeS/SnS2 heterojunction has a type-I band alignment, while HfSeS/SnS2 heterojunction has a type-II band alignment. We build the diodes based on the MSeS (M=Hf, Zr)/SnS2 heterojunctions and study the electronic transport. The currents of the devices exhibit the asymmetry and the negative turn-on voltages suggest that constructed devices are backward diodes. Moreover, it is found that the gate voltage can modulate the rectifying ratio, and the rectifying performance of ZrSeS/SnS2 is better than that of HfSeS/SnS2.