bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Similarity criteria for canopy porosity and environmental impact analysis of air permeability
Authors: Zhang Siyu , Yu Li , Jia He , Zhao Xiaoshun
Published: October 2020

The porosity is one of the important properties of canopy fabric, which affects the stability, aerodynamic performance and inflation performance of parachutes. The similarity criteria for canopy porosity were presented on the principle of similarity analysis. The Ergun theory of porous medium was introduced to establish the model of air permeability and differential pressure between canopies fully considering the air flow property during decelerating process of parachutes. And the differential pressure equation of micro-pore jets of fabric was established based on Bernoulli's theorem. Then, a novel model of air permeability for parachute canopy under different flying environment was proposed. The air permeability calculated by the model is in good agreement with the experiment. According to different environmental conditions, the impact analysis of air permeability and effective permeability of parachute canopies was studied. The results show that geometric and dynamic similarity are sufficient conditions for porous similarity of canopy. The air permeability and effective permeability of canopy are positively correlated with flight velocity and air density, negatively correlated with aerodynamic viscosity and less affected. There exists blockage effect in micro-pore jets of fabric.
Thelma: A Happy Modern Woman
Authors: Johnson John M.
Published: October 2020

This interpretive biography of the author’s mother Thelma Boyd Johnson (1913-2001) charts various critical points in her life, from its beginning on a farm in central Indiana to an urban life of motherhood, a career in banking, and her passions for reading and family.
Romidepsin Induces G2/M Phase Arrest and Apoptosis in Cholangiocarcinoma Cells
Authors: Li Pihong , Liu Luguang , Dang Xiangguo , Tian Xingsong
Published: October 2020

Background:

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is an extremely intractable malignancy since most patients are already in an advanced stage when firstly discovered. CCA needs more effective treatment, especially for advanced cases. Our study aimed to evaluate the effect of romidepsin on CCA cells in vitro and in vivo and explore the underlying mechanisms.

Methods:

The antitumor effect was determined by cell viability, cell cycle and apoptosis assays. A CCK-8 assay was performed to measure the cytotoxicity of romidepsin on CCA cells, and flow cytometry was used to evaluate the effects of romidepsin on the cell cycle and apoptosis. Moreover, the in vivo effects of romidepsin were measured in a CCA xenograft model.

Results:

Romidepsin could reduce the viability of CCA cells and induce G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, indicating that romidepsin has a significant antitumor effect on CCA cells in vitro. Mechanistically, the antitumor effect of romidepsin on the CCA cell lines was mediated by the induction of G2/M cell cycle arrest and promotion of cell apoptosis. The G2/M phase arrest of the CCA cells was associated with the downregulation of cyclinB and upregulation of the p-cdc2 protein, resulting in cell cycle arrest. The apoptosis of the CCA cells induced by romidepsin was attributed to the activation of caspase-3. Furthermore, romidepsin significantly inhibited the growth of the tumor volume of the CCLP-1 xenograft, indicating that romidepsin significantly inhibited the proliferation of CCA cells in vivo.

Conclusions:

Romidepsin suppressed the proliferation of CCA cells by inducing cell cycle arrest through cdc2/cyclinB and cell apoptosis by targeting caspase-3/PARP both in vitro and in vivo, indicating that romidepsin is a potential therapeutic agent for CCA.
Reading Tutors’ Interpretation of Curriculum-Based Measurement Graphs
Authors: Hammerschmidt-Snidarich Stephanie M. , Wagner Dana , Parker David C. , Wagner Kyle
Published: October 2020

This study examined reading tutors’ interpretation of reading progress-monitoring graphs. A think-aloud procedure was used to evaluate tutors at two points in time, before and after a year of service as an AmeriCorps reading tutor. During their service, the reading tutors received extensive training and ongoing coaching. Descriptive results showed a positive change from the Time 1–think-aloud (pretest) to the Time 2–think aloud (posttest). There were statistically significant changes from Time 1 to Time 2 for the majority of graph interpretation variables measured. Data suggest that the right type of support and training may serve to enable reading tutors to develop the skills to contribute to data-based decision-making within multitiered systems.
Rapidly Expanding Renal Artery Aneurysm Open Repair: A Case Report
Authors: Schafer Kristin , Al-Balbissi Laith , Goldschmidt Eric , Afridi Sophia , Lurie Fedor
Published: October 2020

Renal artery aneurysms are rare occurrences, representing less than 1% of all aneurysms in the general population. Little is known about the natural history and optimal management of these aneurysms. We report a 58-year-old female patient with bilateral renal artery aneurysms with significant rapid growth of the right aneurysm on 1-year follow-up. Due to her age and the anatomical complexity of the aneurysm, the patient was not a candidate for endovascular repair. She therefore underwent open repair of the right renal artery aneurysm with resection and primary anastomosis. This case offers an example of surgical management of this rare disease process.
A safe human–robot interactive control structure with human arm movement detection for an upper-limb wearable robot used during lifting tasks
Authors: Hao Lina , Zhao Zhirui , Li Xing , Liu Mingfang , Yang Hui , Sun Yao
Published: October 2020

Manual lifting tasks involve repetitive raising, holding and stacking movements with heavy objects. These arm movements are notable risk factors for muscle pain, fatigue, and musculoskeletal disorders in workers. An upper-limb wearable robot, as a 6-DOF dual-arm exoskeleton, which was designed to augment workers’ strength and minimize muscular activation in the arm during repetitive lifting tasks. To adjust the robot joint trajectory, the user needs to apply an interactive torque to operate the robot during lifting tasks when a standard virtual mechanical impedance control structure is used. To reduce overshooting of the interactive torque on the user’s joint, a three-tier hierarchical control structure was developed for the robot in this study. At the highest level, a human arm movement detection module is used to detect the user’s arm motion according to the surface electromyography signals. Then, a Hammerstein adaptive virtual mechanical impedance controller is used at the middle level to reduce overshooting and yield an acceptable value of torque for the user’s elbow joint in actual lifting tasks. At the lowest level, the actuator controller on each joint of the robot controls the robot to complete lifting tasks. Several experiments were conducted, and the results showed that the interactive torque on the user’s elbow was limited and the muscular activations of erector spinae and biceps brachii muscles were effectively decreased. The proposed scheme prevents potential harm to the user due to excessive interactive torque on the human elbow joint, such as related muscle fatigue and joint injuries.
Choosing the right treatment for patients with psoriatic arthritis
Authors: Noviani Maria , Feletar Marie , Nash Peter , Leung Ying Ying
Published: October 2020

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic inflammatory condition with articular and extra-articular manifestations: peripheral arthritis, axial disease, enthesitis, dactylitis, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease and uveitis. Anti-tumour necrosis factors (anti-TNFs) have demonstrated clinical efficacies exceeding those of conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). New understanding in pathogenic pathways have led to novel therapeutic targets. The current treatment paradigms emphasize early diagnosis and treatment, and treating towards remission and low disease activity status, particularly in long-standing disease. This review addresses the evidence of current treatment options for each of the domains of PsA. We present a simple guide that weighs on clinical efficacies for each PsA domain to aid clinicians in choosing the most appropriate treatment for patients. We highlight the unmet need for biomarkers of treatment response, and future perspectives with precision medicine in PsA.
Rural-to-Urban Transition in Chongqing’s Hinterland: State-Led Urbanisation or Urbanisation From Below?
Authors: Thünken Florian
Published: October 2020

Since 2014 the Chinese state has been pushing for “new-style urbanisation.” Its main goals are accelerated urban–rural integration, development of small-to-medium cities and towns, and a “people-centered” urbanisation, all while limiting movement towards big cities. Similar reforms have been experimented with in Chongqing since 2007. This article argues that we need to take both top-down and bottom-up processes into view if we are to understand completely the intricate transformation currently underway in China’s urbanising society. Thus, policies and programmes at the national and provincial level are examined and then contrasted with findings from field research, that has been conducted in Chongqing’s urbanising hinterland. Findings show patterns of rural-to-urban transitioning which apparently match the central and municipal governments’ plans, but further evidence points to the rejection or modification of state-led urbanisation efforts and towards an urbanisation on the people’s own terms.
Endoscopic Orbital Decompression: Technical Pearls and Pitfalls of an Evolving Technique
Authors: Shah Janki , Ting Jonathan , Sindwani Raj
Published: October 2020

Background

First described in the early 1990s, endoscopic orbital decompression has become increasingly popular and has been shown to be a safe and effective approach for surgical decompression of the medial and inferior orbit.

Methods

We present our preferred technique for performing an endoscopic orbital decompression, highlighting key pearls and pitfalls.

Results

An endoscopic wide maxillary antrostomy and sphenoethmoidectomy is performed in standard fashion. We prefer to resect the middle turbinate for optimal exposure and access. The medial orbital wall is skeletonized and the lamina papyracea is carefully elevated, preserving the underlying periorbita. The orbital floor medial to the infraorbital nerve is resected. Once the periorbita is fully exposed, parallel axial incisions along the medial orbit and orbital floor are made from posterior to anterior using a sickle knife, taking care not to bury the tip to avoid injuring underlying orbital contents. The remaining fibrous bands are incised and prolapse of orbital fat is observed. Post extubation bag mask ventilation is limited to avoid subcutaneous emphysema.

Conclusion

Compared to open techniques, endoscopic orbital decompression provides superior visualization of critical anatomical landmarks, assures healthy sinus functioning post procedure, offers a lower complication rate, and avoids external incisions.
Anti-leukemic effect of CDK9 inhibition in T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia
Authors: Johansson Patricia , Dierichs Laura , Klein-Hitpass Ludger , Bergmann Anke K. , Möllmann Michael , Menninger Sascha , Habenberger Peter , Klebl Bert , Siveke Jens T. , Dührsen Ulrich , Choidas Axel , Dürig Jan
Published: October 2020

T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia (T-PLL) is an aggressive malignancy characterized by chemotherapy resistance and a median survival of less than 2 years. Here, we investigated the pharmacological effects of the novel highly specific cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) inhibitor LDC526 and its clinically used derivate atuveciclib employing primary T-PLL cells in an ex vivo drug sensitivity testing platform. Importantly, all T-PLL samples were sensitive to CDK9 inhibition at submicromolar concentrations, while conventional cytotoxic drugs were found to be largely ineffective. At the cellular level LDC526 inhibited the phosphorylation at serine 2 of the RNA polymerase II C-terminal domain resulting in decreased de novo RNA transcription. LDC526 induced apoptotic leukemic cell death through down-regulating MYC and MCL1 both at the mRNA and protein level. Microarray-based transcriptomic profiling revealed that genes down-modulated in response to CDK9 inhibition were enriched for MYC and JAK-STAT targets. By contrast, CDK9 inhibition increased the expression of the tumor suppressor FBXW7, which may contribute to decreased MYC and MCL1 protein levels. Finally, the combination of atuvecliclib and the BCL2 inhibitor venetoclax exhibited synergistic anti-leukemic activity, providing the rationale for a novel targeted-agent-based treatment of T-PLL.
Chronic Facial Pain
Authors: Ormond Martyn , Nayee Shalini , Poate Tim
Published: October 2020

Orofacial pain is a common complaint with the vast majority of cases the result of an acute dental cause. There are, however, a number of patients who experience chronic orofacial pain in whom no dental cause can be found, and it is therefore important to identify these patients in order to avoid unnecessary dental procedures. Successful management of chronic orofacial pain depends on the correct diagnosis and appropriate interventions with a biopsychosocial approach.
Dry Mouth and Clinical Oral Dryness Scoring Systems
Authors: Das Piali , Challacombe Stephen J
Published: October 2020

Dry mouth or xerostomia is the feeling that there is not sufficient saliva in the mouth. If this is present all or most of the time then it can be uncomfortable. It can also sometimes indicate health problems and as a result should be brought to the attention of a health care professional. Xerostomia does not always equate to hyposalivation. There are ways to assess degrees of oral dryness, namely-CODS (clinical oral dryness scoring) which helps to give a numerical value to the oral signs.
Management of Tooth Wear: A Holistic, Dental, Medical, and Mental Healthcare Approach
Authors: Ahmed Khaled E
Published: October 2020

Tooth wear is a condition that affects a substantial cohort of dental patients. It has a measurable impact on patients’ satisfaction, and overall quality of life. Recently, with growing evidence, our understanding of the aetiology, progression, and management of tooth wear has evolved. The paper argues that pathological tooth wear should not be solely considered as a dental condition, but rather a dental manifestation of other mental and medical disorders. As such, successful management of tooth wear, and its underlying aetiology, requires a holistic, multidisciplinary management approach, involving dental, medical, and mental healthcare providers.
Main Non-Clinical Factors Influencing Endodontic Referral
Authors: Broome Joseph L
Published: October 2020

Specialisation in endodontics allows for endodontic referrals by general dental practitioner (GDPs) and the study of factors influencing referral. These centre on a triad consisting of the referral process, non-clinical and clinical reasons for referral.

Many non-clinical factors have been identified which may influence the referral process to the endodontist. A systematic review study was undertaken into the main non-clinical factors influencing endodontic referral by general dental practitioners to endodontists. Such awareness and appreciation of these factors benefits the commercial aspect of the referral practice, increases access by reducing barriers to care, and ultimately improves patient care. A literature search yielded three papers that met the eligibility criteria. All studies included were cross sectional survey studies completed by GDPs. The main non-clinical factors seen from the studies include:

• Availability.

• Personality, relationships and communication.

• Location.

Availability presented as a common thread throughout all the studies. In conclusion, endodontic referral is multifactorial and influenced by several factors, that are not related to the nature of the endodontic disease, and this is a dynamic process. Due to the lack of high level studies, and limitations of the available studies, further research is suggested into relevant area of non-clinical endodontic factors for endodontic referral and thus allowing for further analysis.
Managing the Medically Complex Patient: Risk Assessment and Information Gathering
Authors: Browne Maeve , Bebb Kathryn , Macpherson Avril , Kwasnicki Andrew
Published: October 2020

Primary care dentists are providing dental care for an increasingly medically complex cohort of patients. The ability to understand medical histories, how and when to get further information, and then to be able to risk assess the information is paramount to providing safe and effective dental care. The success of modern medicine combined with a population who are retaining their teeth and choosing to have ever more complex dentistry, means that primary care dentists are facing challenges not seen previously. This article seeks to inform the reader of the importance of risk assessment and how to gather information pertinent to delivering safe dental treatment to a cohort of medically complex patients.
Contemporary Challenges and Management of Dental Caries in the Older Population
Authors: Hayes Martina , Blum Igor R. , da Mata Cristiane
Published: October 2020

The prevalence of caries is set to increase in the coming years as a result of a growing ageing population and a concomitant reduction in levels of edentulousness. Evidence for management of caries in older adults is scarce compared to that for the child population, however, similar principles of risk assessment, prevention and minimal intervention should be applied by dental health professionals. Early identification of high-risk older adults facilitates the implementation of risk reduction strategies, such as topical fluoride regimes. When operative intervention cannot be avoided, Atraumatic Restorative Technique (ART) may allow for conservative cavity preparation and has the advantage of being suitable for the domiciliary setting.
Awareness and Understanding of Decision-Making Capacity and Its Relationship to Legally Valid Consent for Older Patients in Dentistry
Authors: Dhadwal Amardeep Singh , Sibanda Lwazi , Blum Igor R.
Published: October 2020

With a growing ageing population and increased life expectancy in the UK, oral healthcare professionals will be exposed to a greater number of patients with health conditions which may affect cognitive function, communication and capacity to consent to treatment. This often gives rise to a conundrum which clinicians may face when considering capacity, consent and the legal implications and frameworks surrounding this. Assessing patient capacity is encountered routinely in dental practice and so oral healthcare professionals should be well informed of their responsibilities in this context. This article summarises and introduces readers to key concepts regarding consent and capacity with reference to relevant cross-jurisdictional legislation.
Patients’ perception of radiation safety of radiological investigations in urology
Authors: Kumar Prakrit R , Irving Stuart
Published: October 2020

Background:

This study analyses patients’ knowledge of common radiological investigations.

Methods:

At a university teaching hospital, 100 patients attending urological clinics, who had had a plain X-ray of the kidney, ureter and bladder, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) or ultrasound scan (USS), completed a 14-item Likert scale questionnaire assessing patients’ perception of safety (both qualitatively and quantitatively) and the hazards of radiological investigations.

Results:

Using a radiation risk score, patients perceived the following investigations to be in rank order of increasing radiation risk: USS (0.84), MRI (1.4), CT (1.5) and plain X-ray (1.6). On the same scale (0–5), only 17% of patients correctly attributed a risk score of 3 or 4 for a CT scan, and 49% were able to identify a plain X-ray’s risk score correctly as 1 or 2. In addition, more patients identified CT (34%) as having a lower risk of 0 than an X-ray (24%). The mean (1.35 vs. 1.60), median (1 vs. 1) and mode (0 vs. 1) for the CT risk scores are less than those for a plain X-ray, demonstrating that patients perceived CT scans to be safer. Further, the majority of patients understood USS to have no radiation exposure (56%) but thought that MRI posed a radiation risk (62%). Patients were unable to quantify radiation exposure correctly: USS (37% correctly attributed – 0 mSv), MRI (22% – 0 mSv), X-ray (47% – 1 mSv) and CT scan (28% – 10 mSv).

Conclusion:

This demonstration of suboptimal patient awareness of radiation exposure of common radiological investigations highlights the need to educate patients in order to improve patient autonomy and possibly reduce the demand for unnecessary radiological investigations such as CT.

Level of evidence:

Level 2.
Cost-Effectiveness of Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery
Authors: Alvarado Anthony M. , Schatmeyer Bryan A. , Arnold Paul M.
Published: October 2020

Study Design:

Review article.

Objective:

A review of the literature evaluating the cost-effectiveness of undergoing adult spinal deformity surgery and potential avenues for reducing costs.

Methods:

A review of the current literature and synthesis of data to provide an update on the cost effectiveness of undergoing adult spinal deformity surgery.

Results:

Compared with nonoperative management, operative management for adult spinal deformity is associated with improved patient-reported outcomes and quality of life; however, it is associated with significant financial and resource use.

Conclusion:

Operative management for adult spinal deformity has been shown to be effective but is associated with significant cost and resource utilization. The optimal operative treatment is highly dependent on the patients’ symptomatology and is surgeon dependent. Maximizing preoperative surgical health and minimizing postoperative complications are key measures in reducing the cost and resource utilization of adult spinal deformity surgery. Future studies are needed to evaluate how to optimize the cost-effectiveness.
Epilepsy and Malaria in Children Aged 1 to 15 Years in Parakou in 2018: Case-Control Study
Authors: Thierry Adoukonou , Falilatou Agbeille , Covalic Bokossa , Elodie Dovoedo , Mendinatou Agbétou , Didier Adedemy , Alphonse Noudamadjo , Joseph Agossou
Published: October 2020

Objective:

To study the link between malaria and epilepsy in children in Parakou district.

Methods:

This case-control study included children 1-15 years of age with epilepsy. Each case of epilepsy was matched to 2 controls for age, sex and neighborhood of residence. The exposure variables were a history of malaria (number and type), family history of epilepsy and other past medical history. The odds ratios (OR) and their confidence interval were used to estimate association.

Results:

A total of 123 children including 41 children with epilepsy and 82 controls were included. The overall average number of malaria episodes per year in both groups combined was 1.8 ± 0.9 episodes. In the multivariate analysis, cerebral malaria (OR: 50.35 [5.28-480.30]), family history of epilepsy (OR: 12.17 [2.15-69.01]) and number of malaria episodes (OR: 13.27 [4.53-98.48]) were associated.

Conclusion:

This study supports the association between cerebral malaria and the onset of epilepsy.
Anatomical Study of the Cuboid and Its Ligamentous Attachments and Its Implications for a Cuboid Osteotomy
Authors: Tazaki Masakazu , Hirano Takaaki , Akiyama Yui , Mitsui Hiroyuki , Hirata Kazuaki , Niki Hisateru
Published: October 2020

Background:

Lateral column lengthening (LCL) for flexible flatfoot is an effective surgery with powerful correction of deformity because it tightens only the lateral third of the long plantar ligament (LPL). However, LCL has been associated with joint damage at the osteotomy site and loss of foot flexibility owing to joint fixation. We focused on the cuboid and investigate a novel anatomical LCL osteotomy site that effectively tightens the LPL without damaging any joints.

Methods:

We studied 24 feet of 12 cadavers (mean age, 80.8 years). The lengths of the LPL and short plantar ligament, locations of the attachments, and shape and location of the cuneocuboid joint on the medial side of the cuboid were studied. ImageJ software was used to measure the osteotomy angle.

Results:

The lateral cuboid attachment of the LPL on average was located 4.6 mm from the calcaneocuboid joint, and the cuneocuboid joint on average was located 6.7 mm from the cuboid-metatarsal joint on the medial surface of the cuboid. The direct line connecting the anterior cuneocuboid joint and the oblique crest of the cuboid on average was at a 10.3-degree inclination posterior to the cuboid-metatarsal joint.

Conclusion:

A straight line must be selected between a point 4 mm from the calcaneocuboid joint laterally and 6 mm from the cuboid-metatarsal joint medially at a 10-degree posterior tilt to the cuboid-metatarsal joint to perform a cuboid osteotomy LCL without damaging the articular surface.

Clinical Relevance:

We investigated a potential novel cuboid osteotomy method for LCL.
Reduced prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in ABO blood group O
Authors: Barnkob Mike Bogetofte , Pottegård Anton , Støvring Henrik , Haunstrup Thure Mors , Homburg Keld , Larsen Rune , Hansen Morten Bagge , Titlestad Kjell , Aagaard Bitten , Møller Bjarne Kuno , Barington Torben
Published: October 2020

Identification of risk factors for contracting and developing serious illness following infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is of paramount interest. Here, we performed a retrospective cohort analysis of all Danish individuals tested for SARS-CoV-2 between 27 February 2020 and 30 July 2020, with a known ABO and RhD blood group, to determine the influence of common blood groups on virus susceptibility. Distribution of blood groups was compared with data from nontested individuals. Participants (29% of whom were male) included 473 654 individuals tested for SARS-CoV-2 using real-time polymerase chain reaction (7422 positive and 466 232 negative) and 2 204 742 nontested individuals, accounting for ∼38% of the total Danish population. Hospitalization and death from COVID-19, age, cardiovascular comorbidities, and job status were also collected for confirmed infected cases. ABO blood groups varied significantly between patients and the reference group, with only 38.41% (95% confidence interval [CI], 37.30-39.50) of the patients belonging to blood group O compared with 41.70% (95% CI, 41.60-41.80) in the controls, corresponding to a relative risk of 0.87 (95% CI, 0.83-0.91) for acquiring COVID-19. This study identifies ABO blood group as a risk factor for SARS-CoV-2 infection but not for hospitalization or death from COVID-19.
Fabrication and Physical Properties of Single-Crystalline Βeta-FeSi2 Nanowires
Authors: Yang Chih-Yung , Yang Shu-Meng , Chen Yu-Yang , Lu Kuo-Chang
Published: October 2020

In this study, self-catalyzed β-FeSi2 nanowires, having been wanted but seldom achieved in a furnace, were synthesized via chemical vapor deposition method where the fabrication of β-FeSi2 nanowires occurred on Si (100) substrates through the decomposition of the single-source precursor of anhydrous FeCl3 powders at 750–950 °C. We carefully varied temperatures, duration time, and the flow rates of carrier gases to control and investigate the growth of the nanowires. The morphology of the β-FeSi2 nanowires was observed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), while the structure of them was analyzed with X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The growth mechanism has been proposed and the physical properties of the iron disilicide nanowires were measured as well. In terms of the magnetization of β-FeSi2, nanowires were found to be different from bulk and thin film; additionally, longer β-FeSi2 nanowires possessed better magnetic properties, showing the room-temperature ferromagnetic behavior. Field emission measurements demonstrate that β-FeSi2 nanowires can be applied in field emitters.
A Highly Sensitive FET-Type Humidity Sensor with Inkjet-Printed Pt-In2O3 Nanoparticles at Room Temperature
Authors: Wu Meile , Wu Zhanyu , Jin Xiaoshi , Lee Jong-Ho
Published: October 2020

In this work, Pt-doped In2O3 nanoparticles (Pt-In2O3) were inkjet printed on a FET-type sensor platform that has a floating gate horizontally aligned with a control gate for humidity detection at room temperature. The relative humidity (RH)-sensing behavior of the FET-type sensor was investigated in a range from 3.3 (dry air in the work) to about 18%. A pulsed measurement method was applied to the transient RH-sensing tests of the FET-type sensor to suppress sensor baseline drift. An inkjet-printed Pt-In2O3 resistive-type sensor was also fabricated on the same wafer for comparison, and it showed no response to low RH levels (below 18%). In contrast, the FET-type sensor presented excellent low humidity sensitivity and fast response (32% of response and 58 s of response time for 18% RH) as it is able to detect the work-function changes of the sensing material induced by the physisorption of water molecules. The sensing mechanism of the FET-type sensor and the principle behind the difference in sensing performance between two types of sensors were explained through the analysis on the adsorption processes of water molecules and energy band diagrams. This research is very useful for the in-depth study of the humidity-sensing behaviors of Pt-In2O3, and the proposed FET-type humidity sensor could be a potential candidate in the field of real-time gas detection.
Prevalence and factors associated with tobacco use among men in India: findings from a nationally representative data
Authors: Islam Md Shariful , Saif-Ur-Rahman K. M. , Bulbul Md. Mofijul Islam , Singh Deepak
Published: October 2020

Background

Tobacco consumption causes almost 638,000 premature deaths per year in India. This study sought to examine the prevalence and determinants of tobacco use among men in India.

Methods

We analyzed data from the fourth round of the National Family Health Survey in India. These nationally representative cross-sectional sample data were collected from January 20, 2015, to December 4, 2016. A total of 112,122 men aged 15–54 years were included in this study. Primary outcomes were tobacco use categorized into smoking, smokeless, any tobacco, and both smoked and smokeless tobacco use. Complex survey design and sampling weights were applied in both the descriptive analyses and logistic regression models. We present the findings using odds ratios.

Results

The prevalence of tobacco use among men in India for the studied period was 45.5% (95% CI 44.9–46.1), smoking was 24.6% (95% CI 24.1–25.1), smokeless tobacco use was 29.1% (95% CI 28.6–29.6), and both smoked and smokeless tobacco use was 8.4% (95% CI 8.1–8.7). The prevalence of tobacco use among men was higher among the elderly, separated/divorced/widowed individuals, those with lower education and wealth status, alcohol consumers, manual workers, and residents of the northeast region. Multivariate analysis showed that age, lower education, occupation, region, alcohol consumption, separated/divorced/widowed status, and economic status were substantially associated with tobacco use among Indian men.

Conclusions

Innovative and cost-effective strategies targeting high-risk groups are crucial to curbing the tobacco epidemic in India. Anti-smoking campaigns should also focus on mitigating alcohol abuse. Reducing tobacco marketing and implementing formal education about the dangers of tobacco use, progressive taxing, packaging, and labeling of tobacco products and price strategies should be harmonized in legal provisions.
Regional difference in semen quality of young men: a review on the implication of environmental and lifestyle factors during fetal life and adulthood
Authors: Rahban Rita , Nef Serge
Published: October 2020

The prevalence of low semen quality and the incidence of testicular cancer have been steadily increasing over the past decades in different parts of the World. Although these conditions may have a genetic or epigenetic origin, there is growing evidence that multiple environmental and lifestyle factors can act alone or in combination to induce adverse effects. Exposure to these factors may occur as early as during fetal life, via the mother, and directly throughout adulthood after full spermatogenic capacity is reached. This review aims at providing an overview of past and current trends in semen quality and its relevance to fertility as well as a barometer of men’s general health. The focus will be on recent epidemiological studies of young men from the general population highlighting geographic variations in Europe. The impact of some lifestyle and environmental factors will be discussed with their role in both fetal life and adulthood. These factors include smoking, alcohol consumption, psychological stress, exposure to electromagnetic radiation, and Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs). Finally, the challenges in investigating the influence of environmental factors on semen quality in a fast changing world are presented.
Why breed disease-resilient livestock, and how?
Authors: Knap Pieter W. , Doeschl-Wilson Andrea
Published: October 2020

Background

Fighting and controlling epidemic and endemic diseases represents a considerable cost to livestock production. Much research is dedicated to breeding disease resilient livestock, but this is not yet a common objective in practical breeding programs. In this paper, we investigate how future breeding programs may benefit from recent research on disease resilience.

Main body

We define disease resilience in terms of its component traits resistance (R: the ability of a host animal to limit within-host pathogen load (PL)) and tolerance (T: the ability of an infected host to limit the damage caused by a given PL), and model the host's production performance as a reaction norm on PL, depending on R and T. Based on this, we derive equations for the economic values of resilience and its component traits. A case study on porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome (PRRS) in pigs illustrates that the economic value of increasing production in infectious conditions through selection for R and T can be more than three times higher than by selection for production in disease-free conditions. Although this reaction norm model of resilience is helpful for quantifying its relationship to its component traits, its parameters are difficult and expensive to quantify. We consider the consequences of ignoring R and T in breeding programs that measure resilience as production in infectious conditions with unknown PL—particularly, the risk that the genetic correlation between R and T is unfavourable (antagonistic) and that a trade-off between them neutralizes the resilience improvement. We describe four approaches to avoid such antagonisms: (1) by producing sufficient PL records to estimate this correlation and check for antagonisms—if found, continue routine PL recording, and if not found, shift to cheaper proxies for PL; (2) by selection on quantitative trait loci (QTL) known to influence both R and T in favourable ways; (3) by rapidly modifying towards near-complete resistance or tolerance, (4) by re-defining resilience as the animal's capacity to resist (or recover from) the perturbation caused by an infection, measured as temporal deviations of production traits in within-host longitudinal data series.

Conclusions

All four alternatives offer promising options for genetic improvement of disease resilience, and most rely on technological and methodological developments and innovation in automated data generation.
MCCMF: collaborative matrix factorization based on matrix completion for predicting miRNA-disease associations
Authors: Wu Tian-Ru , Yin Meng-Meng , Jiao Cui-Na , Gao Ying-Lian , Kong Xiang-Zhen , Liu Jin-Xing
Published: October 2020

Background

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding RNAs with regulatory functions. Many studies have shown that miRNAs are closely associated with human diseases. Among the methods to explore the relationship between the miRNA and the disease, traditional methods are time-consuming and the accuracy needs to be improved. In view of the shortcoming of previous models, a method, collaborative matrix factorization based on matrix completion (MCCMF) is proposed to predict the unknown miRNA-disease associations.

Results

The complete matrix of the miRNA and the disease is obtained by matrix completion. Moreover, Gaussian Interaction Profile kernel is added to the miRNA functional similarity matrix and the disease semantic similarity matrix. Then the Weight K Nearest Known Neighbors method is used to pretreat the association matrix, so the model is close to the reality. Finally, collaborative matrix factorization method is applied to obtain the prediction results. Therefore, the MCCMF obtains a satisfactory result in the fivefold cross-validation, with an AUC of 0.9569 (0.0005).

Conclusions

The AUC value of MCCMF is higher than other advanced methods in the fivefold cross validation experiment. In order to comprehensively evaluate the performance of MCCMF, accuracy, precision, recall and f-measure are also added. The final experimental results demonstrate that MCCMF outperforms other methods in predicting miRNA-disease associations. In the end, the effectiveness and practicability of MCCMF are further verified by researching three specific diseases.
Assessment and molecular characterization of Bacillus cereus isolated from edible fungi in China
Authors: Liu Chengcheng , Yu Pengfei , Yu Shubo , Wang Juan , Guo Hui , Zhang Ying , Zhang Junhui , Liao Xiyu , Li Chun , Wu Shi , Gu Qihui , Zeng Haiyan , Zhang Youxiong , Wei Xianhu , Zhang Jumei , Wu Qingping , Ding Yu
Published: October 2020

Background

Bacillus cereus is a foodborne pathogen commonly found in nature and food and can cause food spoilage and health issues. Although the prevalence of B. cereus in foods has been reported worldwide, the extent of contamination in edible fungi, which has become increasingly popular as traditional or functional food, is largely unknown. Here we investigated the prevalence, toxin genes’ distribution, antibiotic resistance, and genetic diversity of B. cereus isolated from edible fungi in China.

Results

Six hundred and ninety-nine edible fungi samples were collected across China, with 198 (28.3%) samples found to be contaminated by B. cereus, with an average contamination level of 55.4 most probable number (MPN)/g. Two hundred and forty-seven B. cereus strains were isolated from the contaminated samples. Seven enterotoxin genes and one cereulide synthetase gene were detected. The detection frequencies of all enterotoxin genes were ≥ 80%, whereas the positive rate of the cesB gene in B. cereus was 3%. Most isolates were resistant to penicillins, β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combinations, cephems, and ansamycins, but were susceptible to penems, aminoglycosides, macrolides, ketolide, glycopeptides, quinolones, phenylpropanol, tetracyclines, lincosamides, streptogramins, and nitrofurans. Meanwhile, 99.6% of all isolates displayed multiple antimicrobial resistance to three or more classes of antimicrobials. Using genetic diversity analysis, all isolates were defined in 171 sequence types (STs), of which 83 isolates were assigned to 78 new STs.

Conclusions

This study provides large-scale insight into the prevalence and potential risk of B. cereus in edible fungi in China. Approximately one-third of the samples were contaminated with B. cereus, and almost all isolates showed multiple antimicrobial resistance. Detection frequencies of all seven enterotoxin genes were equal to or more than 80%. These new findings may indicate a need for proper pre-/post-processing of edible fungi to eliminate B. cereus, thereby preventing the potential risk to public health.
Molecular cytological analysis of alien introgressions in common wheat lines derived from the cross of TRITICUM AESTIVUM with T. kiharae
Authors: Orlovskaya Оlga , Dubovets Nadezhda , Solovey Lylia , Leonova Irina
Published: October 2020

Background

Triticum kiharae (AtAtGGDD, 2n = 42) is of interest for the improvement of bread wheat as a source of high grain protein and gluten content, as well as resistance to many diseases. The use of T. kiharae for the improvement of T. aestivum L. is complicated by the fact that the homology degree of their genomes is low and this leads to an unbalanced set of chromosomes in the gametes of its first generations and the elimination of some genotypes. The aim of this study was to analyze the nature of alien introgressions and their effect on the cytological stability of hybrids obtained from crossing of bread wheat varieties with T. kiharae.

Results

Using C-banding, the presence of entire chromosomes of T. kiharae in the karyotypes of hybrid lines (intergenomic substitution 2G/2B), chromosome arms (centric translocation Т2AtS:2AL) and large inserts in the form of terminal translocations involving chromosomes of 1st, 3rd and 5th homoeologous groups of B- and G-genomes were found. Molecular markers revealed short introgression of T. kiharae into the genome of common wheat varieties. The highest introgression frequency was shown for 1A, 1B, 2A, 5B, and 6A chromosomes, while no foreign chromatin was detected in 4A and 4B chromosomes. A high level of cytological stability (a meiotic index of 88.18–93.0%) was noted for the majority of introgression lines. An exception was found for the lines containing the structural reorganization of chromosome 5B, affecting the main genes of chromosome synapsis in terms of their functioning.

Conclusions

During the stabilization of hybrid karyotypes, the introgression of genetic material from T. kiharae into the genome of T. aestivum occurs in the form of short fragments detectable only by molecular markers and in the form of whole chromosomes (intergenomic substitution) and their large fragments (centric and terminal translocations). The level of cytological stability achieved in F10 by the majority of introgression lines ensures the formation of functional gametes sufficient for the successful reproduction of the obtained hybrids.
Genetic diversity of SAD and FAD genes responsible for the fatty acid composition in flax cultivars and lines
Authors: Dmitriev Alexey A. , Kezimana Parfait , Rozhmina Tatiana A. , Zhuchenko Alexander A. , Povkhova Liubov V. , Pushkova Elena N. , Novakovskiy Roman O. , Pavelek Martin , Vladimirov Gleb N. , Nikolaev Evgeny N. , Kovaleva Oxana A. , Kostyukevich Yury I. , Chagovets Vitaliy V. , Romanova Elena V. , Snezhkina Anastasiya V. , Kudryavtseva Anna V. , Krasnov George S. , Melnikova Nataliya V.
Published: October 2020

Background

Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) is grown for fiber and seed in many countries. Flax cultivars differ in the oil composition and, depending on the ratio of fatty acids, are used in pharmaceutical, food, or paint industries. It is known that genes of SAD (stearoyl-ACP desaturase) and FAD (fatty acid desaturase) families play a key role in the synthesis of fatty acids, and some alleles of these genes are associated with a certain composition of flax oil. However, data on genetic polymorphism of these genes are still insufficient.

Results

On the basis of the collection of the Institute for Flax (Torzhok, Russia), we formed a representative set of 84 cultivars and lines reflecting the diversity of fatty acid composition of flax oil. An approach for the determination of full-length sequences of SAD1, SAD2, FAD2A, FAD2B, FAD3A, and FAD3B genes using the Illumina platform was developed and deep sequencing of the 6 genes in 84 flax samples was performed on MiSeq. The obtained high coverage (about 400x on average) enabled accurate assessment of polymorphisms in SAD1, SAD2, FAD2A, FAD2B, FAD3A, and FAD3B genes and evaluation of cultivar/line heterogeneity. The highest level of genetic diversity was observed for FAD3A and FAD3B genes – 91 and 62 polymorphisms respectively. Correlation analysis revealed associations between particular variants in SAD and FAD genes and predominantly those fatty acids whose conversion they catalyze: SAD – stearic and oleic acids, FAD2 – oleic and linoleic acids, FAD3 – linoleic and linolenic acids. All except one low-linolenic flax cultivars/lines contained both the substitution of tryptophan to stop codon in the FAD3A gene and histidine to tyrosine substitution in the FAD3B gene, while samples with only one of these polymorphisms had medium content of linolenic acid and cultivars/lines without them were high-linolenic.

Conclusions

Genetic polymorphism of SAD and FAD genes was evaluated in the collection of flax cultivars and lines with diverse oil composition, and associations between particular polymorphisms and the ratio of fatty acids were revealed. The achieved results are the basis for the development of marker-assisted selection and DNA-based certification of flax cultivars.
Effects of Rht17 in combination with Vrn-B1 and Ppd-D1 alleles on agronomic traits in wheat in black earth and non-black earth regions
Authors: Kroupin Pavel Yu. , Karlov Gennady I. , Bespalova Ludmila A. , Salina Elena A. , Chernook Anastasiya G. , Watanabe Nobuyoshi , Bazhenov Mikhail S. , Panchenko Vladimir V. , Nazarova Lubov A. , Kovtunenko Victor Ya. , Divashuk Mikhail G.
Published: October 2020

Background

Plant height is an important wheat trait that is regulated by multiple genes, among which Rht is of the utmost value. In wheat, Rht-B1p (=Rht17) is a mutant allele of the Rht gene that encodes for a DELLA-protein and results in the development of gibberellin-insensitive plants with a dwarfing phenotype. The pleiotropic effects of dwarfing genes on yield are highly dependent on both the genetic background and the environmental conditions. In Russia, the Central Non-Black Earth Region and Krasnodar Krai are two economically important regions that require differing management for sustainable wheat production for food, feed and industry. The purpose of our study was to compare the pleiotropic effects of Rht-B1p on the main valuable agronomic traits in the F3:4 families of the spring bread wheat Chris Mutant/Novosibirskaya 67 in the genetic background of Vrn-B1a/vrn-B1 (spring/winter phenotype) and Ppd-D1a/Ppd-D1b (insensitivity/sensitivity to photoperiod) alleles in a field experiment in Moscow and Krasnodar Krai.

Results

Plant height was reduced on average by 21 cm (28%) and 25 cm (30%), respectively; Ppd-D1a slightly strengthened the dwarfing effect in Moscow and mitigated it in Krasnodar Krai. Grain weight of the main spike was reduced by Rht-B1p in Moscow and to lesser extent in Krasnodar; Ppd-D1a and Vrn-B1a tended to partially compensate for this loss in Krasnodar Krai. Thousand grain weight was reduced on average by 5.3 g (16%) and 2.9 g (10%) in Moscow and Krasnodar Krai, respectively, but was partially compensated for by Ppd-D1a in Krasnodar Krai. Harvest index was increased due to Rht-B1p by 6 and 10% in Moscow and Krasnodar Krai, respectively. Rht-B1p resulted in a delay of heading by 1–2 days in Moscow. Ppd-D1a accelerated heading by 1 day and 6 days in Moscow and in Krasnodar Krai, respectively.

Conclusions

Rht-B1p could be introduced into wheat breeding along with dwarfing genes such as Rht-B1b and Rht-D1b. Special attention should be paid to its combination with Ppd-D1a and Vrn-B1a as regulators of developmental rates, compensators of adverse effects of Rht-B1p on productivity and enhancers of positive effect of Rht-B1p on harvest index.