bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genomes From Verteba Cave Suggest Diversity Within The Trypillians In Ukraine
Authors: Gelabert Pere , Schmidt Ryan W. , Fernandes Daniel M. , Karsten Jordan K. , Harper Thomas K. , Madden Gwyn D. , Ledogar Sarah H. , Sokhatsky Mykhailo , Oota Hiroki , Kennett Douglas j. , Pinhasi Ron
Published: November 2021

The transition to agriculture occurred relatively late in Eastern Europe, leading researchers to debate whether it was a gradual, interactive process or a colonization event. In the forest and forest-steppe regions of Ukraine, farming appeared during the fifth millennium BCE, associated with the Cucuteni-Trypillian Archaeological Complex (CTCC, 4800-3000 BCE). Across Europe, the Neolithization process was highly variable across space and over time. Here, we investigate the population dynamics of early agriculturalists from the eastern forest-steppe region based on analyses of 20 ancient genomes from the Verteba Cave site (3789-980 BCE). The results reveal that the CTCC individuals’ ancestry is related to both western hunter gatherers and Near Eastern farmers, lacks local ancestry associated with Ukrainian Neolithic hunter gatherers and has steppe ancestry. An Early Bronze Age individual has an ancestry profile related to the Yamnaya expansions but with 20% ancestry related to the other Trypillian individuals, which suggests admixture between the Trypillians and the incoming populations carrying steppe-related ancestry. A Late Bronze Age individual dated to 980-948 BCE has a genetic profile indicating affinity to Beaker-related populations, detected close to 1,000 years after the end of the Bell Beaker phenomenon during the Third millennium BCE.
Soil Chemical Fertility Change Over 4 Decades In The Morvan Mountains And Influence of Tree Species (Burgundy, France)
Authors: Margaux Clesse , Arnaud Legout , Jacques Ranger , Bernd Zeller , Gregory Van Der Heijden
Published: November 2021

Background: Intensive silvicultural practices and the planting of monospecific forests of coniferous, more productive compared to hardwoods, may threaten over the mid to long-term the sustainability of soil chemical fertility of forest ecosystems and is a major concern for forest managers and policy.Methods: We investigated the tree species effect (Quercus sessiliflora Smith, Fagus sylvatica L., Picea abies Karst., Pseudotsuga menziesii Mirb. Franco., Abies nordmanniana Spach. and Pinus nigra Arn. ssp laricio Poiret var corsicana) on the change over time of soil chemical properties and nutrient pool sizes in the mineral and organic layers of the soil during the 45 years after the plantation of the Breuil-Chenue common garden experiment (Burgundy, France). The organic and mineral soil layers down to 70 cm depth were sampled in the different monospecific plots in 1974, 2001 and 2019. Results: The Ca and Mg exchangeable pools and soil pH increased over the entire soil profile in most stands. However, the decrease of pH and the increase of exchange acidity in the topsoil layers under conifers and the overall decrease of exchangeable K pools in most stands highlighted that soil acidification is still on-going at this site but the intensity of this process depends on the tree species. Indeed, three groups of species could be distinguished: i) Nordmann fir / Norway spruce where acidolysis and chelation occurred, resulting in the most pronounced pH decrease in the topsoil, ii) Douglas fir / Laricio pine where acidification caused by elevated nitrification rates is probably currently compensated by larger weathering and/or atmospheric depositions fluxes, iii) and oak / beech where soil acidification was less intense. Counterintuitively, soil acidification at this site resulted in an increase in soil CEC which limited the loss of nutrient cations. This change in soil CEC was most likely explained by the precipitation/dissolution dynamics of aluminium (Al) (hydr)oxides in the interfoliar space of phyllosilicates and/or the increase in soil carbon (C) content in the topsoil layers. Conclusion: Tree species greatly and fairly rapidly (<45 years) influence the soil chemical fertility and the pedogenetic processes which in turn may impact forest ecosystem functions and services.
Identification of the Key Serum Biomarkers to Diagnose and Predict Metastasis of Osteosarcoma Based on the Analysis of Immune Cell Infiltration Characteristics
Authors: Chen Zhihao , Li Liubing , Li Ziyuan , Wang Xi , Han Mingxiao , Gao Zongshuai , Wang Min , Hu Gangfeng , Xie Xiaolu , Du Hong , Xie Zonggang , Zhang Haifang
Published: November 2021

Background: The potential functions of circular RNAs (circRNAs) and micro RNAs (miRNAs) in osteosarcoma (OS) have not been fully elucidated. Especially, the behavior and mechanism of immune responses in OS development and progression have not been fully demonstrated. It was reported that circRNAs and miRNAs can serve as biomarkers for the diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy of many cancers. This study aimed to identify novel key serum biomarkers to diagnose and predict metastasis of OS based on the analysis of immune cell infiltration characteristics.Methods: The differentially-expressed circRNAs (DEcircRNAs), differentially-expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs),and differentially-expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs) of human OS were investigated based on the microarray data downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets. Then, we analyzed immune characteristics pattern of tumor-infiltrating immune cells in OS. On this basis, we identified statistically-significant transcription factors and performed pathway enrichment analysis. Subsequently, we constructed protein-protein interaction (PPI) and competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks. Moreover, the biological characteristic of targets in ceRNA networks was proposed. Finally, the expression and diagnostic capability of these potential biomarkers from ceRNA network were confirmed by RT-qPCR in patients’ serum.Results: Seven differentially-expressed circRNAs (DEcircRNAs), 166 differentially-expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) and 175 differentially-expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs) were identified in total. The highest level of infiltration in OS patients were M0 macrophages, M2 macrophages and CD8+ T cells. Further, M0 macrophages and CD8+ T cells were showed the largest negative correlation coefficients. These significant immune characteristics pattern of tumor-infiltrating immune cells were revealed by the principal component analysis in OS. Moreover, we found 185 statistically-significant transcription factors in which the main significant molecules show the potential in immunotherapy of OS. Hsa-circ-0010220, hsa-miR-326, hsa-miR-338-3p, and FAM98A from ceRNA networks associated with immune cell infiltration were confirmed as the potential novel biomarkers for OS diagnosis, of which FAM98A could distinguish and predict metastasis. Most importantly, a novel diagnostic model consisting of the four promising biomarkers (hsa-circ-0010220, hsa-miR-326, hsa-miR-338-3p, and FAM98A) was highlighted with 0.928 AUC value.Conclusions: In summary, the potenial serum biomarkers to diagnose and predict metastasis of OS based on the analysis of immune cell infiltration characteristics were found, and a novel diagnostic model consisting of four promising serum biomarkers was proposed firstly. These results provided a new perspective for the immunotherapy of OS.
Prevalence of Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) In Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review
Authors: Tarigan Tri Juli Edi , Caputra Hadyanto , Hasan Irsan , Shatri Hamzah
Published: November 2021

Purpose: Gastrointestinal symptoms affect 50-70% of diabetic patients, resulting in a microbiota composition imbalance. Autonomic neuropathy is irreversible, resulting in diabetic enteropathy and sometimes even small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). SIBO can result in bile acid deconjugation, diarrhea, steatorrhea, vitamin and micronutrient malabsorption, weight loss, mucosal injury, bacterial translocation, and worsened intestinal motility. Carbohydrate malabsorption is related to the pathogenesis of diabetic macrovascular complications. The goal of this study is to find out how prevalent SIBO is in type 2 diabetes patients. Methods: "Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth," "small bowel bacterial overgrowth," “SIBO,” "type 2 diabetes mellitus," and "type 2 DM," are the keywords used. We searched Proquest, CINAHL, SCOPUS, ScienceDirect, PubMed/MEDLINE, and manual searches through world diabetes associations such as ADA, EASD, EFSD, IDF, FASEB, and PERKENI using the keywords. We use the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Checklist for bias risk assessment, and for data analysis, we use STATA 16. Results: Six articles covered 1072 type 2 diabetes patients in clinics and hospitals. With a minimum score of 7.42% and a maximum value of 53.85%, 95% CI 9.97-38.86, and an I2 of 97.17%, the pooled prevalence was 24.39% SD 15.31. HbA1c levels were higher (p=0.02) in type 2 DM patients with SIBO, and blood insulin levels were lower (p=0.001) in type 2 DM patients with SIBO. Each study was pretty varied, and there was evidence of publication bias. Assessment of findings based on GRADE is moderate. Conclusion: According to this study, SIBO is present in 24.39% of type 2 diabetes patients. SIBO conditions exacerbate the morbidity of patients with type 2 diabetes, as indicated by lower insulin levels and a higher HbA1c. In type 2 diabetes patients, a hydrogen breath test (HBT) is recommended to be performed regularly, especially in those who have had DM for more than 5 years.
Wavelets Based Feature Extraction With PCA For Predicting Autism In Neonates Using Navïe Bayes Classifier
Authors: Mensah Isabel , Amoako-Yirenkyi Peter , Frempong Nana K , Lamptey George P
Published: November 2021

Background: Current studies show early interventions of autism increase significant long-term positive effects, symptoms and, later skills. Currently, These interventions are based on the use of an early diagnostic test. Existing methods for diagnosing Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) such as cognitive tests, Intelligence Quotient, and standardized tests like the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) are functionally limited since they rely on child development for diagnoses. The standard is that a child must be at least three(3) years to undergo these tests. Accurate diagnosis is only possible after this period, and this may contribute to delayed diagnosis with an overall effect on the health system. In this era of increasing genetic data, it is possible to infer the genetic patterns of the disorder. This study introduces a novel and rigorous approach for predicting ASDs in neonates and their subsequent severity by identifying significant genes that contribute to the disorder. Methods: We used a wavelet transform and t-test to identify the significant genes that contribute to the disease. We subsequently employed the Naive Bayes classifier in the prediction of the autistic status of the neonate. Additionally, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was employed to remove all the dependencies among the genes to enhance classification. Finally, we used the K-means clustering method to predict the severity level of the disease in the neonate. Results: Up to 200 differentially expressed genes were identified and used for predicting the ASD status of the child with a classification accuracy of 95.91%. Also, the results of the K-means demonstrated that the higher the mean of the cluster, the more severe the disease would be among that corresponding group. Optimizing and implementing these models in clinical settings may significantly reduce the health burden of ASDs.
Effect of Various Depth of Pupation On Adult Emergence of Interspecific Hybrid of Bactrocera Carambolae And Bactrocera Dorsalis
Authors: Susanto Agus , Faradilla Maura Gita , Sumekar Yayan , Yudistira Dwi Harya , Murdita Wayan , Permana Agus Dana , Djaya Luciana , Putri Syifa Nabilah Subakti
Published: November 2021

Bactrocera carambolae and B. dorsalis are genetically related in that both have the same type of host plant, and hybridization between B. carambolae and B. dorsalis may occur naturally. The depth of the pupation is one of the important factors in adult emergence rate. This objective of this study was to estimate the depth of the pupation that can suppress the emergence of adult interspecific hybrids of B. carambolae and B. dorsalis. The experiments consisting of seven depths of pupation treatments (4 cm, 10 cm, 20 cm, 30 cm, 40 cm, 50 cm, and 60 cm) with four replications. The results showed that 91% of the adult interspecific hybrids of B. carambolae and B. dorsalis emerged successfully at 4 cm depth of pupation. Furthermore, the emergence rate was found to decrease with the increase in pupation depth. Soil depths ranging between 50 and 60 cm can suppress the emergence rate of adult interspecific hybrids of B. carambolae and B. dorsalis.
An Arc-consistent Viscous-spring Artificial Boundary for Numerical Analysis of the Seismic Response of Underground Structures
Authors: Ye Dan , Yin Shangzhi , Quan Dengzhou
Published: November 2021

A new arc consistent viscous-spring artificial boundary (ACVAB) was proposed by changing a traditional flat artificial boundary based on the theory of viscous-spring artificial boundaries. Through examples, the concept underpinning the establishment, and specific setting of, the boundary in the finite element software were described. Through comparison with other commonly used artificial boundaries in an example for near-field wave analysis using the two-dimensional (2-d) half-space model, the reliability of the ACVAB was verified. Furthermore, the ACVAB was used in the numerical analysis of the effects of an earthquake of underground structures. The results were compared with shaking-table test results on underground structures. On this basis, the applicability of the ACVAB to a numerical model of the seismic response of underground structures was evaluated. The results show that the boundary is superior to common viscous-spring boundaries in terms of accuracy and stability, and therefore it can be used to evaluate radiation damping effects of seismic response of underground structures and is easier to use.
Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of 93 Rice Cultivars (Lines) (Oryza Sativa Xian Group) in Qinba in China by 3 Types of Genetic Markers
Authors: Zhang Yu , Wang Yewen , Li Peijiang , Wang Yuexing , Zheng Shimao , He Qiaoqiao , Zhou Xixi
Published: November 2021

Background: The Qinba region is the transition region between Indica and Japonica varieties in China. It has a long history of Indica rice planting of more than 7000 years and is also a planting area for fine-quality Indica rice. The aims of this study are to explore different genetic markers applied to the analysis population structure, genetic diversity, selection and optimization of molecular markers of Indica rice, thus providing more information for the protection and utilization on germplasm resources of Indica rice. Methods: 15 phenotypic traits, a core set of 48 SSR markers as well as SNPs data obtained by genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS, NlaIII and MseI digestion, referred to as SNPs-NlaIII and SNPs-MseI, respectively) for this panel of 93 samples using the Illumina HiSeq2000 sequencing platform, were employed to explore the genetic diversity and population structure of 93 samples.Results: The average of coefficient of variation (CV) and diversity index (He) were 29.72% and 1.83 ranging from 3.07% to 137.43%, and from 1.45 to 2.03, respectively. The correlation coefficient between 15 phenotypic traits ranged from 0.984 to -0.604. The first four PCs accounted for 70.693% phenotypic variation based on phenotypic analysis. A total of 379 alleles were obtained using SSR markers, encompassing an average of 8.0 alleles per primer. Polymorphic bands (PPB) and polymorphism information content (PIC) was 88.65% and 0.77, respectively. The Mantel test showed that the correlation between the genetic distance matrix based on SNPs-NlaIII and SNPs-MseI was the largest (R2=0.88), and that based on 15 phenotypic traits and SSR was the smallest (R2=0.09). The 93 samples could be clustered into two subgroups by 3 types of genetic markers. Molecular variance analysis revealed that the genetic variation was 2% among populations and 98% within populations (the Nm was 0.16), Tajima’s D value was 1.66, the FST between the two populations was 0.61 based on 72,824 SNPs. Conclusions: The population genetic variation explained by SNPs was larger than that explained by SSRs. The gene flow of 93 samples used in this study was larger than that of naturally self-pollinated crops, which may be caused by long-term breeding selection of Indica rice in the Qinba region. The genetic structure of the 93 samples was simple and lacked rare alleles.
Non-Hermitian Skin Custers from Strong Interactions
Authors: Lee Ching Hua , Shen Ruizhe
Published: November 2021

Strong, non-perturbative interactions often lead to new exciting physics, as epitomized by emergent anyons from the Fractional Quantum hall effect. Within the actively investigated domain of non-Hermitian physics, we discover a new family of states known as non-Hermitian skin clusters. Taking distinct forms as Vertex, Topological, Interface, Extended and Localized skin clusters, they generically originate from asymmetric correlated hoppings on a lattice, in the strongly interacting limit with quenched single-body energetics. Distinct from non-Hermitian skin modes which accumulate at boundaries, our skin clusters are predominantly translation invariant particle clusters. As purely interacting phenomena, they fall outside the purview of generalized Brillouin zone analysis, although our effective lattice formulation provides alternative analytic and topological characterization. Non-Hermitian skin clusters fundamentally originate from the fragmentation structure of the Hilbert space, and may thus be of significant interest in modern many-body contexts like the ETH and quantum scars.
A Single Injection of Pregabalin Induces Short- and Long-Term Beneficial Effects on Fear Memory and Anxiety-Like Behavior in Rats with Experimental Type-1 Diabetes Mellitus.
Authors: Silva Alvaro Henrique Bernardo de Lima , Radulski Debora Rasec , Pereira Gabriela , Acco Alexandra , Zanoveli Janaína Menezes
Published: November 2021

Anxiety Disorders and Posttraumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD) associated with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1) are increasingly common comorbidities and the treatment is quite challenging. In that sense, evidence indicates that the anticonvulsant pregabalin is highly effective in treating severe cases of anxiety, as well as PTSD and diabetic neuropathic pain which is also very prevalent in T1DM. Herein, the short- and long-term effects of a single injection of pregabalin on the acquisition of a fear extinction memory and parameters of anxiety in induced-T1DM animals were investigated. For that, we used the contextual fear conditioning (CFC) and elevated plus maze (EPM) paradigms, respectively. A putative antioxidant activity was also evaluated. Our findings demonstrated that induced-T1DM animals presented greater expression of fear memory, difficulty in extinguishing this fear memory, associated with a more pronounced anxiety-like response. Pregabalin was able to induce a short and long-lasting effect by facilitating the acquisition of the fear extinction memory and inducing a later anxiolytic-like effect. Also, the increased lipid peroxidation levels in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of induced-T1DM rats were reduced after pregabalin injection, while the decreased levels of reduced glutathione were increased in the hippocampus. Despite the need for more studies to understand the mechanism of action of pregabalin under these conditions, our data demonstrate for the first time that a single injection of pregabalin in a specific time window was able to improve behavioral parameters in addition to inducing neuroprotective effect. Thus, pregabalin has potential worth exploring for the treatment of PTSD and/or Anxiety associated with T1DM.
Anticancer Potential of Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles Using Bioactive Metabolites of Actinobacteria Against A549 Lung Cancer Cells
Authors: Bano Naushin , Siddiqui Saba , Hasan Adria , Amir Mohammad , Mir Snober S , Baker Abu , Roohi Roohi
Published: November 2021

Multi-drug resistance microorganisms and the rising numbers of cancer cases possess a critical threat to humankind, thereby motivating research on new weapons to combat the problem. To address these issues, researchers are now focusing on secondary metabolites produced by bacteria. Because of having outstanding antibiotic capabilities, actinobacteria are being explored as a potential solution to this problem. Silver nanoparticles of actinobacteria are green, eco-friendly, and cost-effective, as well as having antibacterial and anti-cancer properties and potential use in pharmaceuticals. Antibacterial potential of secondary metabolites produced by actinobacteria namely Microbacterium proteolyticum LA2(R) and Streptomyces rochei LA2(O) has been demonstrated by the well diffusion method. GC-MS was used to detect compounds in bioactive metabolites. The most abundant compound found in metabolites was n-hexadecanoic acid. UV-Vis spectroscopy was used to determine the extracellular development of silver nanoparticles of actinobacteria secondary metabolites, while transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to inspect their morphological appearances, stability, crystalline structure, and coating. The activity of anticancer was assessed using the MTT test to evaluate the cytotoxicity of the secondar metabolites (pure and nanoparticles) against A549 lung cancer cells. We also evaluated the effect of secondar metabolites (pure and nanoparticles) on Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and Chromatin condensation through DCFDA, Mito Tracker and DAPI staining. Our result suggested that their secondary metabolites can be used a potential lead compound against cancer. However, more investigation is needed to totally grasp their mechanism of action.
Antibacterial Action and Target Mechanisms of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Against Bacterial Pathogens
Authors: Mendes Carolina Rosai , Dilarri Guilherme , Forsan Carolina Froes , Sapata Vinícius de Moraes Ruy , Lopes Paulo Renato Matos , de Moraes Peterson Bueno , Montagnolli Renato Nallin , Ferreira Henrique , Bidoia Ederio Dino
Published: November 2021

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are one of the most widely used nanoparticulate materials due to their antimicrobial properties, but their main mechanism of action (MOA) has not been fully elucidated. The study characterized ZnO NPs using X-ray diffraction, FT-IR spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Antimicrobial activity of clinically bacteria Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was evaluated by REMA after exposure to the ZnO NP at concentrations from 0.2 to 1.4 mM. Sensitivity was achieved at 0.6 mM for the Gram-negatives and 1.0 mM for Gram-positives cells. The effect of ZnO NPs on the membrane integrity and in the interference of cell division was investigated by its effect on the divisional ring, through fluorescence microscopy assays using B. subtilis (amy::pspac-ftsZ-gfpmut1) expressing FtsZ-GFP. Results showed that ZnO NPs did not interfere with the assembly of the divisional Z-ring. However, 70% of the cells showed damage in the cytoplasmic membrane after 15 min of exposure to the ZnO NPs. Electrostatic forces, production of Zn2+ ions, generation of reactive oxygen species were described as pathways of bactericidal action by ZnO. Thus, understanding bactericidal MOA can produce predictive models to prevent bacterial resistance and lead to further research.
Synthesis and Characterization of Dual-Ion-Crosslinked Magnetic Sodium Alginate-Based Fe-SA-Y@Fe3O4 Biogel Composite with Ultrastrong Performance for Azo Dye Removal
Authors: Li Beigang , Lv Ting , Shen Yanlong
Published: November 2021

Magnetic sodium alginate(SA)-based biogel composite Fe-SA-Y@Fe3O4 macroparticles were polymerized by co-crosslinking of yttrium(III) and iron(III) ions according to the optimized preparation conditions and characterized by various modern analytical techniques. The results show that the biogel beads have unique cauliflower-shaped surface and sensitive magnetic response. Fe-SA-Y@Fe3O4 composite was used for the removal of Direct Red 13 (DR 13) and Direct Black 19 (DB 19) dyes from water. The adsorption capacities and removal efficiency can reach 2487 mg/g and 99.5% for DR-13 and 2992 mg/g and 99.7% for DB-19 respectively within the equilibrium time of 60 min at 298K and pH 2.0, and decrease slightly with pH up to 10.0. The kinetic and equilibrium adsorption data followed the Pseudo-second-order rate model and Langmuir isothermal model well, respectively. Electrostatic adsorption, various H-bonding and complexation were largely involved in dye adsorption processes with spontaneous and exothermic character by the biogel beads, which were explained by thermodynamic studies, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), respectively. Fe-SA-Y@Fe3O4 gel composite with ultrahigh adsorption capacity and fast magnetic separation property will be a promising eco-friendly bio-based adsorbent for the superefficient purification of practical azo-dye effluents.
Investigating The Lived Experience of People With Diabetic Foot Ulcers Receiving Podiatry Care in a Tertiary Hospital Clinic
Authors: Ong Emilee Kim Ming , Fryer Caroline , Graham Kristin , Causby Ryan Scott
Published: November 2021

Background:

Diabetic foot ulcers can have physical, social, emotional, and financial impacts on the daily life and wellbeing of many people living with diabetes. Effective treatment of diabetic foot ulcers requires a multi-faceted, multi-disciplinary approach involving a podiatrist, other healthcare professionals, and the person with diabetes however, limited research has been conducted on the lived experience of managing a diabetic foot ulcer with podiatry treatment. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the lived experience of receiving podiatric treatment for diabetic foot ulcers in a tertiary care outpatient setting.
Methods:

Participants with diabetic foot ulcers were purposively recruited from the outpatient podiatry clinic at a tertiary hospital in a metropolitan region of South Australia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gain insight into the lived experience of people receiving podiatric treatment for their foot ulcer. Data were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis method.
Results:

Ten participants were interviewed. All were male, with mean age of 69 (SD 15) years and currently undergoing podiatric treatment for a diabetic foot ulcer in a tertiary care setting. Four themes were identified that provide an understanding of the lived experience of participants: ‘Trusting the podiatrists with the right expertise’, ‘Personalised information’, ‘Happy with the service, not the equipment’, and ‘It’s a long journey’. Participants perceived professional behaviour and demonstrated expertise as key to trusting a podiatrist’s care. Information tailored to individual needs was helpful for participants. Offloading devices and ulcer dressings were often burdensome. Podiatric treatment for foot ulcers was a lengthy and onerous experience for all participants.
Conclusions:

The findings of this study suggest podiatrists can use practical strategies of maintaining consistency in who provides podiatry care for the person, demonstration of high organisational and hygiene standards, and using innovation to adapt information and equipment to suit an individual’s lifestyle to support positive experiences of podiatric ulcer care. There is a need for further research to understand how a person’s experience of podiatric ulcer treatment differs between genders and healthcare settings to facilitate positive care experiences and reduce treatment burden for all people with diabetes requiring podiatric ulcer treatment.
Inhibition of Post-Surgery Tumour Recurrence via a Sprayable Chemoimmunotherapy Gel Releasing PD-L1 Antibody and Platelet-Derived Exosomes
Authors: Zhao Jian , Ye Hao , Lu Qi , Wang Kaiyuan , Chen Xiaofeng , Song Jiaxuan , Wang Helin , Lu Yutong , Cheng Maosheng , He Zhonggui , Zhai Yinglei , Zhang Haotian , Sun Jin
Published: November 2021

Background: Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer, and surgery is an effective method to treat melanoma. Unfortunately, local residual micro-infiltrated tumour cells and systemic circulating tumour cells (CTCs) are significant causes of treatment failure, leading to tumour recurrence and metastasis. Methods: Exosomes were isolated from platelets by differential centrifugation, and exosome-loaded doxorubicin (PexD) was prepared by mixing exosomes with doxorubicin (DOX). PexD and an anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody (aPD-L1) were coencapsulated in fibrin gel. The synergistic antitumour efficacy of the gel containing PexD and aPD-L1 was assessed both in vitro and in vivo. Results: Herein, we developed an in situ-formed bioresponsive gel combined with chemoimmunotherapeutic agents as a drug reservoir that could effectively inhibit both local tumour recurrence and tumour metastasis. In comparison with a DOX solution, PexD could better bind to tumour cells, induce more tumour immunogenic cell death (ICD) and promote a stronger antitumour immune response. PexD could enter the blood circulation through damaged blood vessels to track and eliminate CTCs. The concurrent release of aPD-L1 at the tumour site could impair the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway and restore the tumour-killing effect of cytotoxic T cells. This chemoimmunotherapeutic strategy triggered relatively strong T cell immune responses, significantly improving the tumour immune microenvironment. Conclusion: Our findings indicated that the immunotherapeutic fibrin gel could “awaken” the host innate immune system to inhibit both local tumour recurrence postsurgery and metastatic potential, thus, it could serve as a promising approach to prevent tumour recurrence.
Low Back Pain Effects, Management and Coping Strategies among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinic in Eastern Uganda: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Authors: ZAVUGA Robert , Waako Susan , Twimukye Moses , Mugambe Richard K , Isunju John Bosco , Muwonge Haruna , Masete Ivan , Kusasira Stephen , Guwatudde David
Published: November 2021

Background

Despite Low back pain (LBP) being one of the most common complaints among pregnant women, healthcare workers write it off as a normal experience of the pregnancy, thus remaining untreated. It is known to affect the daily functionality of many pregnant women in activities including those that involve sitting, walking, standing and lifting. The inadequacy of information on LBP among pregnant women in Uganda may have led to the unavailability of obstetric guidelines for its diagnosis and management. This study established the effects of LBP effects on daily performance, management and coping strategies among pregnant women attending an antenatal clinic in Eastern Uganda.
Methods

This was a cross-sectional study that enrolled 341 pregnant women attending antenatal care. The primary outcome measure was LBP. The study enrolled pregnant women who reported having LBP and correctly located the site of the pain using the pain and body chart as having LBP. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, pain intensity, functional disability, effects of LBP on daily performance, management and coping strategies were collected.
Results

Of the 341 respondents, (105, 30.8%) reported LBP. Majority of the women with LBP (71, 67.6%) had minimal disability with an Owestry Disability Index (ODI) score of 0-20%. The activities that were most affected with mild interference on daily routine activities were lifting 81%, standing 74%, personal care 74% and traveling 74%. Majority of the respondents (80, 76.19%) reported their LBP during the Antenatal care (ANC) visits at the hospital and of these 62 (79.49%) were given painkillers, 13 (16.67%) received counselling and patient education, 3 (3.85%). For the respondents who did not receive any treatment from the ANC visits, the majority (23, 60.53%) used herbs and others used self-medication (5, 13.16%)
Conclusion

LBP affects most of the daily functional activities of pregnant women with minimal and moderate disability. Although the disability is not severe, it affects their quality of life and productivity. The pregnant women managed their LBP mainly by conservative means of treatment, especially by the use of pharmacological management and rest from activities.
Microbial Communities of Ascocarps and Soils in a Natural Habitat of Tuber Indicum
Authors: Wang Deyuan , Xu Qiang , Guo Wenjiao , Wu Fanlin , Chen Juan , Liu Peigui , Tian Wei , Qiao Peng
Published: November 2021

Truffles are the fruiting bodies of hypogeous fungi in the genus Tuber. Some truffle species usually grow in an area devoid of vegetation, called brûlé, which knowledge about the microbial composition and structure is still limited. Here, we investigated the bacterial and fungal communities of Tuber indicum ascocarps and soils inside and outside a characteristic brûlé from a poplar plantation with no truffle production history in northeastern China using a high-throughput sequencing approach. A predominance of bacterial phylum Proteobacteria was observed in all samples, with Bacillus among the main genera in the ascocarps, while members of Lysobacter and unidentified Acidobacteria were more abundant in the soil. In addition, Gibberella, Fusarium and Absidia were the dominant fungi in the ascocarps, while Tuber were enriched in the ascocarps and soils inside the brûlé. Soil samples from inside the brûlé had a lower bacterial diversity and a greater fungal diversity than did those from outside the brûlé. Furthermore, some mycorrhization helper bacteria (Rhizobium) and ectomycorrhiza-associated bacteria (Lysobacter) were detected, indicating their potential roles in the complex development of underground fruiting bodies and brûlé formation. These findings may contribute to the protection and cultivation of truffles.
Analysis of the prognostic biomarkers associated with cancer stem cell characteristics and immune infiltration of Helicobacter pylori-induced gastric cancer
Authors: Chen Qili , Lv Xuemei , Zhou Shuqi , Yan Yuanyuan , Zhang Jing , Wei Minjie , He Miao , Liu XinLI
Published: November 2021

BackgroundChina is a country with a high incidence of gastric cancer, accounting for about half of the new cases in the world every year. The development of Gastric cancer (GC) is closely related to Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) play important roles in the survival, proliferation, metastasis and recurrence of tumors. However, the mechanism of CSCs and H. pylori-induced GC remains unclear.At the same time, the effect of tumor microenvironment on tumor stem cells and GC with H. pylori infection is also worth exploring. On the basis of the existing research on GC, it is still of great significance to further understand and explore the pathogenesis of GC through bioinformatics analysis.ResultsThere was higher mRNA expression-based stemness index (mRNAsi) in H. pylori (+) GC tumor tissue than in normal tissue. The clinical features of stage T and N were highly correlated with mRNAsi. The purple module was the most significant modules related to the mRNAsi by WGCNA and its key genes played played a major function related to tumor immunity, mainly involved in regulating the Jak-STAT signal pathway, Th17 cell differentiation pathway, and so on. These key genes were correlated with the high level of immune infiltration of CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, macrophages, neutrophils and dendritic cells in GC via Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER). 28 genes were found to be closely related to the characteristics of gastric CSCs (GCSCs) associated with H. pylori infection. 13 genes were associated with lymph node metastasis in GC, which may lead to poor prognosis in patients.ConclusionThe characteristics of GCSCs were related to the interleukins signaling, cytokine signaling, Jak-STAT signaling pathway, which provides a new idea for screening therapeutic targets to inhibit the characteristics of GCSCs and a basis for the eradication of H. pylori and the prevention of GC.
Multiscale Graph Attention Neural Networks for Mapping Materials and Molecules beyond Short-Range Interatomic Correlations
Authors: Liu Yuanbin , Liu Xin , Cao Bingyang
Published: November 2021

Bringing advances of machine learning to chemical science is leading to a revolutionary change in the way of accelerating materials discovery and atomic-scale simulations. Currently, most successful machine learning schemes can be largely traced to the use of localized atomic environments in the structural representation of materials and molecules. However, this may undermine the reliability of machine learning models for mapping complex systems and describing long-range physical effects because of the lack of non-local correlations between atoms. To overcome such limitations, here we report a unified framework named the multiscale graph attention neural network to map materials and molecules into a generalizable and interpretable representation which combines local and non-local information of atomic environments from multiple scales. As an exemplary study, our model is applied to predict electronic structure properties of one class of technologically important reticular materials, i.e., metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) which have notable diversity in compositions and structures. Our model is trained on density functional theory calculated datasets and the results show that it achieves the state-of-the-art performance for such a challenging task. The clustering analysis further demonstrates that our model leads to a high-level identification of MOFs with spatial and chemical resolution, which would be capable of revealing new insights into complex systems and efficiently guiding the search for reticular materials with desired properties.
The Identification and Validation of EphA7 Hypermethylation, a Novel Biomarker, in Cervical Cancer
Authors: Zhang Wenfan , Cao Huiling , Zhao Jing , Yang Jinhao , Liang Zheng , Kang Xiaodong , Wang Rong
Published: November 2021

Background

Aberrant methylation of EphA7 has been reported in the process of carcinogenesis,but not including cervical cancer.Therefore,an integration study was performed to explore the association between EphA7 hypermethylation and cervical cancer and validate the potential value of EphA7 hypermethylation in the diagnosis of cervical cancer.
Results

Here, we performed an integration study to identify and validate the association between EphA7 methylation and cervical cancer. First, data on EphA7 methylation and expression in cervical cancer were extracted and analyzed via bioinformatics tools. The results showed that EphA7 promoter methylation levels were significantly increased in cervical cancer compared to normal tissues (P<0.001) and negatively correlated with EphA7 expression. Subsequently, these prediction results were confirmed in cell lines; moreover, CRISPR-based methylation perturbation tools (dCas9-Tet1/DNMT3a) were constructed to further demonstrate that DNA methylation participates in the regulation of EphA7 expression directly. Ultimately, the clinical value of EphA7 methylation in cervical cancer was validated in cervical tissues and Thinprep cytologic test (TCT) samples by methylation-specific PCR (MSP) and quantitative methylation-specific PCR (QMSP), respectively. Consistently, the methylation level and the positive rate of EphA7 gradually increased with severity from normal to cancer stages in TCT samples (P<0.01).
Conclusion

Above all, EphA7 presents hypermethylation in the cervical cancer,which is a potential biomarker in the diagnosis of cervical cancer.
Bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells from acute myelogenous leukemiapatients exhibit aberrant gene expression profiles and secreted protein levels
Authors: Wu Jinxian , Liu Xiaoyan , Zhang Nan , Li Xinqi , Shen Hui , Liu Li , Huang Tingting , Xu Lihua , Zhou Fuling
Published: November 2021

Purpose: In hematopoietic malignancies, bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs) are believed to promote tumor development through cellular and molecular abnormalities. However, there are several discrepancies among BMSCs in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML-MSCs) and healthy individuals (HD-MSCs) . Our aim was to analyze the differences in gene and protein levels between AML-MSCs and HD-MSCs, and to explore the role of AML-MSCs in the tumor microenvironment.Methods: We obtained MSCs from leukemia patients and healthy individuals and identified them by flow cytometry and differentiation. Transcriptome sequencing was performed on MSCs from leukemia patients and healthy individuals and label-free proteomics analysis was conducted on cultured supernatants of MSCs. Finally, we analyzed the results for bioinformatics analysis.Results: MSCs were preliminarily isolated and identified from AML patients and healthy controls. Through bioinformatics analysis, AML-MSCs and HD-MSCs showed great differences in Gene expression profiles and protein expression profiles of MSCs culture supernatants. Notably, inhibition of PI3K-Akt signal pathway can attenuate chemotherapy resistance of AML cells induced by MSC to AraC.Conclusions: Together, our findings suggest that Gene expression profiles and secreted protein levels of MSCs culture supernatants differed significantly between AML-MSCs and HD-MSCs, which should greatly facilitate the understanding of the role of MSCs in driving the development of acute myeloid leukemia and exploring new therapeutic strategies in future.
Research on the escape mechanism and influencing factors of harmful gas induced by blasting excavation in deep rock tunnel
Authors: Luo Yi , Gong Hangli , Qu Dengxing , Li Xinping , Hu Shaohua , Zhu Yingwei , Pu Qingsong
Published: November 2021

The escape of toxic and harmful gases is a common disaster effect in tunnel engineering. Frequent drilling and blasting excavation disturbances under high in-situ stress environment will inevitably lead to cumulative damage effect on surrounding rock, which will increase the permeability coefficient of surrounding rock, increase the risk of toxic and harmful gas escape, and seriously endanger construction safety. In this paper, based on real-time monitoring data of harmful gases during blasting and excavation of Yuelongmen Tunnel on Chengdu-Lanzhou Railway, this study summarized laws and distribution characteristics of harmful gas escape intensified by the blasting excavation, and the effectiveness of shotcreting and grouting for water blocking to inhibit gas escape is verified. Then, taking water-containing and gas-containing voids as carriers, considering the influence of different in-situ stress, explosion load and void parameters (including void pressure, void diameter and distance between void and tunnel), to carry out research on the escape mechanism of water-soluble (H 2 S) and insoluble (CH 4 ) toxic and harmful gases under the coupling effect of stress-seepage-damage. The relationship between the amount of harmful gas escaped and the damage degree of the surrounding rock of the tunnel is analyzed, and the functional relationship between it and the in-situ stress, explosion load and cave parameters is established. The results further demonstrate that the amount of escaped harmful gases, such as methane and H 2 S is closely related to lithology of surrounding rock, occurrence conditions of the deep rock mass, development degree of structural fractures and void parameters. The damage of surrounding rock caused by dynamic disturbance during blasting excavation is the main reason of aggravating harmful gas escape. The research results can provide a theoretical reference for preventing harmful gas from escaping in the similar engineering construction.
Identification of Tumor Specific Neoantigens and Their Implications in Dendritic Cell Immunotherapy Using Liquid Biopsy Results: Findings from an Observational Cohort Study
Authors: Myint Khin Zay Yar , Shimabuku Masanari , Horio Ruriko , Kaneda Munehisa , Shimizu Yoko , Taguchi Junichi
Published: November 2021

Liquid biopsies can be a rapid, cost-effective and noninvasive alternative to tumor biopsies for detecting genetic mutations in somatic tumors. Genetic profiling of liquid biopsies can also be used to identify novel antigens for targeted therapy, provide updated information on disease prognosis and evaluate treatment efficacy. In this study, we aimed to examine mutations that could be identified in liquid biopsy and their potential implications for personalized dendritic cell immunotherapy using neoantigens. We analyzed the genomic profiles of 99 blood samples from 85 patients with 22 different types of cancer using two commercially available liquid biopsy tests before the patients underwent standard cancer treatment and dendritic cell immunotherapy. Nonsynonymous mutations were detected in more than 90% of the samples, with an average frequency of 3.6 mutations per sample. The tumor mutations were specific to each patient, as approximately 94.7% of the mutations were so unique that there was almost no duplication among the patients. Clonal evolution was observed in two patients just before or after chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy. These findings indicate that liquid biopsy can be a potential surrogate for neoantigen-based immunotherapy and the importance of tailoring neoantigen-based immunotherapy in accordance with the liquid biopsy result in each treatment stage.
Acyl-CoA Medium-Chain Synthetase-3 Promotes Chemosensitivity of Ovarian Cancer through the Inhibition of PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway
Authors: An Yuanyuan , Duan Hua
Published: November 2021

Introduction: Dysregulation of fatty acid metabolism often occurs in tumor, which mainly constitutes of fatty acid synthesis and oxidation. In recent years, studies found that fatty acid metabolism participated in regulation of tumor immune microenvironment, which further influenced the progress of cancer. Thus, it is important to explore the key fatty acid metabolism-related molecules, which not only affects the prognosis of ovarian cancer, but also shows a close correlation with immune microenvironment of cancer.Methods: Database from TCGA was used to explore the fatty acid metabolism-related molecules, which correlated with the prognosis of ovarian cancer using univariate and multivariate cox proportional regression model. Nomogram was constructed to predict the prognostic probability based on ACSM3 and clinicopathological parameters. GDSC database was used to investigate the chemosensitivity of ovarian cancer cells. The correlation between ACSM3 and immune status of ovarian cancer was analyzed by TIMER and TISIDB online tools. In addition, CCK8 assay was used to investigate the chemosensitivity of ovarian cancer cells, real time-PCR and western blot were used to investigate the expression of chemoresistance-related genes.Results: ACSM3 worked as an independent favorable prognostic molecule through univariate and multivariate cox regression analysis. For the use in clinical, nomogram was constructed, and higher expression of ACSM3 showed better prognosis. We found that ACSM3 could regulate PI3K/AKT signaling, and GDSC database showed that PI3K/AKT inhibitor could promote the chemosensitivity of ovarian cancer cells. In addition, the expression of ACSM3 showed significantly correlated with the immune status of ovarian cancer. In vitro experiments showed that ACSM3 can promote the chemosensitivity of ovarian cancer cells by inhibiting PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.Conclusion: Our results showed that ACSM3 acted as a favorable prognostic-related biomarker for ovarian cancer, which could promote chemosensitivity of ovarian cancer through inhibiting PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. This might be due to participate in regulating immune status of ovarian cancer microenvironment.