bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
‘Usyur Dan Jizyah Dalam Kajian Ekonomi Islam
Authors: Hidayati Nurul
Published: July 2020

Fiscal policy is a policy pursued by the government in managing state income and expenditure. The state of Medina which was led by Muhammad SAW also had a unique fiscal policy system in his day. The implementation of fiscal policy at the time of the Prophet Muhammad and Abu Bakr was almost the same, because there were not many problems that emerged along with the expansion of the territory of the Islamic Caliphate. Sources of state revenues in the early days of Islam included the zakat, khums, jizyah, fai, ‘usyūr and other sources of income. One of the state revenues in the early days of Islam was ‘usyūr and jizyah. The discussion of 'usyur revolves around the definition, who is obliged to pay ‘usyūr, the item affected by‘ usyūr, the time of collection ‘usyūr, and the amount of levies. As for jizyah, the discussion revolves around the definition, the jizyah payer, the large number of levies, the termination of jizyah, the rights and obligations of Ahlu Zhimmah, the use of jizyah, orientalist criticism of jizyah, and then analyzing both. The policies exemplified by the Prophet Muhammad both legal, political and economic issues became guidelines for the Khulafa ar-Rashidin, his tireless friends always accompanied him. Among the policies relating to the economy are the collection of usyūr and jizyah. ‘Usyūr and jizyah are one of the sources of income at the beginning of Islam which is quite important for state finance. This policy is also used by followers in managing the economic life of the country.
Tindak Pidana Kejahatan Pencucian Uang (Money Laundering) dalam Pandangan KUHP dan Hukum Pidana Islam
Authors: Geno Ali
Published: July 2020

Money Laundering is an attempt to hide or disguise the origin of money or assets resulting from a criminal act through various financial transactions so that the money or assets appear as if they came from legal activities. There are three stages taken to " purification" the proceeds of crime in laundring money. First, the money generated from a crime activity is changed into a form that does not or does not arouse suspicion through placement in the financial system in various ways (placement). The second step is to conduct financial transactions that are complex, layered and anonymous with the aim of separating the proceeds of crime from various sources so that it is difficult to trace the origin of the fund which in other words hides or disguises the origin of the proceeds of crime (layering). The last step is the stage where the actor re-enters funds that have escaped their origins into Assets that appear legitimate both to be enjoyed directly, invested in various forms of material and financial assets, used to finance legitimate business activities or to refinance activities criminal act (integration).
Orientasi kewirausahaan sebagai mediasi faktor demografis terhadap kinerja bisnis
Authors: Nurfarida Iva Nurdiana , Sarwoko Endi
Published: July 2020

Extant literatures suggest that personal characteristics of entrepreneurs have a large impact on a business performance. The Resource Based View, regards the characteristics of the entrepreneur as a unique resource for the company that will become a competitive advantage. So far, personal characteristics and entrepreneurial demographic factors are more associated with entrepreneurial intentions, this study will analyze the role of demographic factors, namely educational background, family, experience, and motivation on a business performance, while also examining the role of entrepreneurial orientation, namely innovation, proactivity, and risk taking in mediating these effects. The research sample consisted of owners/managers from 160 business units in Malang area (Malang City, Batu, and Malang Regency), while the data analysis technique used Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results showed that demographic factors influence business performance and entrepreneurial orientation, so educational background, family background, business experience, and motivation are determinants of a business performance while enhancing entrepreneurial orientation. Entrepreneurial orientation acts as a mediator of demographic factors affecting business performance.
Programming in Groups: developing industry-facing software development skills in the undergraduate mathematics curriculum
Authors: Jones Matthew M. , Megeney Alison
Published: July 2020

Programming is increasingly becoming an expected graduate skill for mathematics students. We argue in this article that programming should be given the same priority as any other graduate skill. Given the practical and philosophical constraints placed on undergraduate mathematics curricula, however, we acknowledge the difficulty in introducing, in a meaningful way, many of the core ideas of programming. We therefore present a case study of a second year course on an undergraduate mathematics programme that introduces Object Oriented Programming and aspects of software design, as well as key practical skill such as version control. We will argue that group assessment in this context is a more natural setting for students to be working and reflects more closely the experience of programming in industry; furthermore, it serves as a convenient platform to introduce students to aspects of software design and practical programming considerations. We will present an example of the type of assessment that can be used and how Version Control Systems like Git can be used to give students a more realistic experience of programming with the advantage of allowing tutors and other group members to track student work.
Automated Assessment of Python Code
Authors: Morley Sam
Published: July 2020

In this article we discuss some packages and techniques that might be useful for those who wish to assess Python code automatically.
Assessment of computing in the mathematics curriculum using Numbas
Authors: Graham Chris
Published: July 2020

This case study discusses the use of the Numbas e-assessment system to assess computing skills across several modules in a mathematics undergraduate degree programme. The modules include basic computing, quantitative analysis of data, and numerical methods. Several approaches are discussed which fit with the teaching of SPSS, R and MATLAB, including randomised data files and questions which can replicate, and therefore mark, calculations made with R data frames and numerical algorithms, such as root finding and curve fitting. In each case, Numbas offers the opportunity to automatically mark and offer immediate feedback to the student. The application of questions inside a computing module is discussed, with a positive response from students to both practice material and hybrid tests, which include some automatic marking alongside submission of the studentsâ€™ code for manual review. There is clear rationale for using an e-assessment system which is already familiar to students, with features such as adaptive marking and the scaffolding of questions, however limitations to the use of Numbas for this purpose are also discussed.
Front matter
Authors: Rowlett Peter , Jones Matthew M.
Published: July 2020

Front matter
Diagnostic performance of clinic and home blood pressure measurements compared with ambulatory blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Karnjanapiboonwong Auttakiat , Anothaisintawee Thunyarat , Chaikledkaew Usa , Dejthevaporn Charungthai , Attia John , Thakkinstian Ammarin
Published: July 2020

Background: Clinic blood pressure measurement (CBPM) is currently the most commonly used form of screening for hypertension, however it might have a problem detecting white coat hypertension (WCHT) and masked hypertension (MHT). Home blood pressure measurement (HBPM) may be an alternative, but its diagnostic performance is inconclusive relative to CBPM. Therefore, this systematic review aimed to estimate the performance of CBPM and HBPM compared with ambulatory blood pressure measurement(ABPM) and to pool prevalence of WCHT and MHT. Methods: Medline, Scopus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and WHO's International Clinical Trials Registry Platform databases were searched up to 23rd January 2020. Studies having diagnostic tests as CBPM or HBPM with reference standard as ABPM which reported sensitivity and specificity of both tests and/or proportion of WCHT or MHT were eligible. Diagnostic performance of CBPM and HBPM were pooled using bivariate mixed-effect regression model. Random effect model was applied to pool prevalence of WCHT and MHT. Results: Fifty-eight studies were eligible. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) of CBPM, when using 24-hour ABPM as the reference standard, were 74%(95%CI:65%-82%), 79%(95%CI:69%, 87%), and 11.11(95%CI:6.82, 14.20), respectively. Pooled prevalence of WCHT and MHT were 0.24 (95% CI: 0.19, 0.29) and 0.29 (95% CI: 0.20, 0.38). Pooled sensitivity, specificity, and DOR of HBPM were 71%(95%CI:61%, 80%), 82%(95%CI:77%, 87%), and 11.60(95% CI: 8.98, 15.13), respectively. Conclusions: Diagnostic performances of HBPM were slightly higher than CBPM. However, the prevalence of MHT was high in negative CBPM and some persons with normal HBPM had elevated BP from 24-hour ABPM. Therefore, ABPM is still necessary for confirming the diagnosis of HT.
The gut bacterial diversity of sheep associated with different breeds in Qinghai province
Authors: Chang Jianjun , Yao Xiaoting , Zuo Chenxiang , Qi Yuxu , Chen Dekun , Ma Wen-Tao
Published: July 2020

Background: Gut microbiota play important roles in their co-evolution with mammals. However, little is understood about gut bacterial community of Tibetan sheep compared with other sheep breeds. In this study, we investigated the gut bacterial community in 4 different sheep breeds living in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) of China using high-throughput sequencing (HTS) technique. Results: The results suggested that bacterial community abundance and breeds diversity of Tibetan sheep (TS) were significantly lower than that of the other three breeds of sheep [Dorset sheep (DrS), Dorper sheep (DrS) and Small Tail Han sheep (STHS)] (p < 0.05). Principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) and nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis indicated that microbiome composition of TS was significantly different from that of other three sheep breeds (p < 0.01). Firmicutes was the most predominant microbial phylum in the gut, followed by Bacteroidetes. The gut bacterial community of TS showed higher proportions of phylum Spirochaetes, Proteobacteria and Verrucomicrobia, compared to the other three sheep breeds, but the Deferribacteres was absent in TS. At the genus level, Treponema, Succinivibrio, 5-7N15 and Prevotella showed significantly higher abundance in TS than in the other three sheep breeds (p < 0.05). Conclusions: In this study, we first employed HTS to understand the gut microbiomes among different sheep breeds in QTP of China.
Predictive risk score model for severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome mortality based on qSOFA and SIRS scoring system
Authors: Wang Li , Zou Zhiqiang , Ding Kun , Hou Chunguo
Published: July 2020

Background: Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is a severe systemic virus infectious disease usually having multi-organ dysfunction which resembles sepsis.Methods: Data of 321 patients with laboratory-confirmed SFTS from May 2013 to July 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic and clinical characteristics, calculated quick sequential organ failure assessment (qSOFA) score and systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) criteria for survivors and nonsurvivors were compared. Independent risk factors associated with in-hospital mortality were obtained using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Risk score models containing different risk factors for mortality in stratified patients were established whose predictive values were evaluated using the area under ROC curve (AUC).Results: Of 321 patients, 87 died (27.1%). Age (p<0.001) and percentage numbers of patients with qSOFA≥2 and SIRS≥2 (p<0.0001) were profoundly greater in nonsurvivors than in survivors. Age, qSOFA, SIRS score and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were independent risk factors for mortality for all patients. And qSOFA score was the only common risk factor in all patients, those age≥60 years and those enrolled in the intensive care unit (ICU). A risk score model containing all these risk factors (Model1) has high predictive value for in-hospital mortality in these three groups with AUCs (95% CI): 0.919 (0.883-0.946), 0.929 (0.862-0.944) and 0.815 (0.710-0.894), respectively. A model only including age and qSOFA also has high predictive value for mortality in these groups with AUCs (95% CI): 0.872 (0.830-0.906), 0.885(0.801-0.900) and 0.865 (0.767-0.932), respectively.Conclusions: Risk models containing qSOFA have high predictive validity for SFTS mortality.
Intentional Carbofuran Poisoning in 7 dogs
Authors: Pivariu Dalma , Oros Adrian Nechita , Tabaran Flaviu , Gal Adrian , Martonos Cristian , Nagy Andras Laszlo
Published: July 2020

Background: Carbofuran is a widely used broad-spectrum pesticide that, despite strict regulation and being banned for more than a decade, is still encountered in cases of intentional poisoning in dogs and wildlife. The objective of the study was to provide a complete and detailed description of the pathological, histological and toxicological findings of 7 cases of intentional carbofuran poisoning in dogs.Results: In this retrospective study, 7 cases of carbofuran intoxication recorded from July 2015 to June 2017 were analyzed. Following complete history recording, all cases were examined by complete necropsy and histopathology. Carbofuran intoxication was confirmed in all cases by gas chromatography. The postmortem examination revealed extensive hemorrhaging and congestion located mainly within the respiratory, nervous and cardiovascular systems, accompanied by degeneration and necrosis within the lungs, heart, and kidneys.Conclusions: Although carbamates have been banned in the European Union, carbamate poisoning is still frequently encountered, especially in wild animals. This paper will contribute to a better understanding of the occurrence and pathogenesis of acute carbofuran exposure in dogs and contribute some peculiar pathological features of this type of poisoning to the current literature.
Psychosocial barriers and enablers of exclusive breastfeeding: lived experiences of mothers in low-income townships, North West Province, South Africa
Authors: Witten Chantell Beverley , Claasen Nicole , Kruger Herculina S , Coutsoudis Anna , Grobler Herman
Published: July 2020

Background: Despite national efforts to promote exclusive breastfeeding (EBF), South Africa’s EBF rate is only 32%. The aim of this study was to examine the rate of EBF discontinuation and the lived experiences of breastfeeding mothers at postnatal time points 3-14 days, 4-8 weeks, 10-14 weeks and 20-24 weeks. Methods: This community-based mixed-methods study collected data within a prospective cohort study on socio-demographics, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form (BSES-SF) at 6-8 weeks with infant feeding data collected at 4-8, 10-14 and 20-24 weeks from 159 mothers living in low income areas. Six focus groups with 32 mothers with infants aged 6-24 weeks were conducted. Descriptive statistics was used for the quantitative data and thematic analysis for qualitative data.Results: The majority of mothers were unmarried (84.9%), living with family (69.2%) and unemployed (74.2%). EBF decreased from 34% at 4-8 weeks to 9.7% at 20-24 weeks. Mixed feeding with infant formula increased from 17.0% to 30.6% and food feeding from 3.1% to 54.2%. While there were no statistically significant associations between EBF and any of the quantitative socio-demographic variables, in the qualitative data, codes associated with barriers were more than enablers. The themes were Mothers’ attributes (wellbeing, experiences and relationships) with the code mother’s stress the strongest barrier, Mother’s knowledge, attitudes and practices of breastfeeding with the code conventional medicines the strongest barrier, Family environment with the code home setting the strongest barrier, Social environment with public spaces and places a barrier and in Baby cues the code baby stomach ailments the barrier. Within these same themes mother’s positive emotions, benefits of breastfeeding, support in the home, access to information and services from health professionals and baby’s health were strong enabling factors. Conclusions: Low EBF, high mixed feeding and a high EPDS score were explained by the barriers identified in the qualitative data. The data suggests that mothers from low-income households would be better supported through interventions that address food insecurity; family relationships and those that build confidence in mothers and resilience in confronting difficult and hostile breastfeeding environments.
Restless leg syndrome among Sudanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A case-control study
Authors: Mirghani Hyder Osman
Published: July 2020

The authors have withdrawn this preprint due to author disagreement.
Dolphinfish Movements in the Eastern Pacific Ocean of Mexico Using Conventional and Electronic Tags
Authors: Perle Christopher R. , Snyder Stephanie , Merten Wessley , Simmons Melinda , Dacey Justina , Rodriguez-Sanchez Ruben , O’Sullivan John , Ortega-Garcia Sofia
Published: July 2020

Background The dolphinfish, Coryphaena hippurus, is a fast-swimming, predatory fish exhibiting relatively fast growth and early maturation among marine teleosts. It is an important, potentially renewable resource throughout its global subtropical-to-tropical range. Understanding the ecology of this wide-ranging fish is critical to proper fisheries management, but studies have historically depended heavily upon aggregated catch data reported by fisheries. This study uses tagging data to explore finer scale dolphinfish movements in two subregions of the Eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) – the west coasts of Baja California Peninsula (WBC) and Oaxaca (OAX), Mexico.Results Adult dolphinfish (fork length 66 cm - 129 cm) were tagged with conventional (n = 132 tags) and electronic tags (n = 30 tags, miniPAT) between 2010 and 2014. Recapture rate of conventional tags was 4.5% with a maximum days of liberty of 141 days (mean = 56 d); twenty electronic tags reported but all did so prior to programmed release dates, with days at liberty ranging from 4 to 62 (mean = 24 d). Fish remained within the region they were tagged except for six fish tagged in WBC and one in OAX. Latitudinal (WBC) and longitudinal (OAX) extensions of observed fish movements (determined via a novel analytical approach) increased with days at liberty. Despite occasional deep dives (max 262 m), fish remained surface oriented with short excursions below the isothermal layer but larger OAX fish (fork length [103 cm, 120 cm]) inhabiting warmer waters (sea surface temperatures (SST) > ~26 °C) spent more time below the isothermal layer than smaller fish (fork length [90 cm,112 cm]) inhabiting colder WBC surface waters (SST > ~22 °C).Conclusions This study reveals movements of dolphinfish that infer regional differences in thermal habitat utilization and displacement over time. This inference evokes questions important to fisheries management regarding the three-dimensional extent of the dolphinfish’s realized thermal niche, its population structure, and the spatiotemporal connectivity of its habitats within the multinational EPO. With improved tag retention, longer deployments should capture increasing displacements along observed axes (N/S vs. E/W); the orientation of seasonal displacement axes suggest longer-distance movements would provide opportunities for reproductive mixing via trans-national migrations.
Cardiovascular risk screening of patients with serious mental illness or use of antipsychotics in family practice.
Authors: Jakobs Kirsti Marieke , Posthuma Anne , de Grauw Wim JC , Schalk Bianca WM , Akkermans Reinier P , Lucassen Peter , Schermer Tjard , Assendelft Willem JJ , Biermans Marion JC
Published: July 2020

Background Patients with serious mental illness (SMI) and patients on antipsychotics (AP) have an elevated risk for cardiovascular diseases. In the Netherlands, the mental healthcare for these patients is increasingly taken care of by family practitioners (FP) as a result of a shift from secondary to primary care. Therefore, it is essential to increase our knowledge regarding the characteristics of this patient group and the (somatic) care provided by their FPs. The aim was to examine the rate of cardiovascular risk screening in patients with SMI or the use of AP in family practice.Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study of 151.238 patients listed in 24 family practices in the Netherlands.From electronic medical records we extracted data concerning diagnoses, measurement values of CVR factors, medication and frequency of visits over a 2 year period. Primary outcome was the rate of patients who were screened for CVR factors. We compared three groups: patients with SMI/AP without diabetes or CVD (SMI/AP-only), patients with SMI/AP and diabetes mellitus (SMI/AP+DM), patients with SMI/AP and a history of cardiovascular disease (SMI/AP+CVD). We explored factors associated with adequate screening using multilevel logistic regression.Results We identified 1705 patients with SMI/AP, 834 with a SMI diagnosis, 1150 using AP. The screening rate for CVR in the SMI/AP-only group (n=1383) was adequate in 8.5%. Screening was higher in the SMI/AP-+DM (n=206, 68.4% adequate, OR 24.6 (95%CI, 17.3-35.1) and SMI/AP+CVD (n=116, 26.7% adequate, OR 4.2 (95%CI, 2.7-6.6). A high frequency of visits, age, the use of AP and a diagnosis of COPD were associated with a higher screening rate. In addition we also examined differences between patients with SMI and patients using AP without SMI.Conclusion CVR screening in patients with SMI/AP is performed poorly in Dutch family practices. Acceptable screening rates were found only among SMI/AP patients with diabetes mellitus as comorbidity. The finding of a large group of AP users without a SMI diagnosis may indicate that FPs often prescribe AP off-label, lack information about the diagnosis, or use the wrong code.
Facilitating community participation in family planning and contraceptives service provision and uptake: community and health provider perspectives
Authors: Silumbwe Adam , Nkole Theresa , Munakampe Margarate N , Cordero Joanna Paula , Milford Cecilia , Zulu Joseph Mumba , Steyn Petrus S
Published: July 2020

Background: Although community participation has been identified as being important for improved and sustained health outcomes, the challenge of designing and successfully implementing it in large scale public health programmes, including family planning and contraceptive (FP/C) service provision remains. Zambian participants in a multi-country project (the UPTAKE project) took part in the development of an intervention involving community and healthcare provider participation in FP/C services provision and uptake. This study reports key thematic areas identified by the study participants as critical to facilitating community participation in this intervention. Methods: This was an exploratory qualitative research study, conducted in Kabwe District, Central Province, in 2017. Twelve focus group discussions were conducted with community members (n=114), two with healthcare providers (n=19), and ten in-depth interviews with key community and health sector stakeholders. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis approach. Results: Four thematic categories were identified by the participants as critical to facilitating community participation in FP/C services. Firstly, accountability in the recruitment of community participants and incorporation of community feedback in FP/C programming. Secondly, engagement of existing community resources and structures in FP/C services provision. Thirdly, building trust in FP/C methods/services through credible community-based distributors and promotion of appropriate FP/C methods/services. Fourthly, promoting facilitative strategies that address structural failures such as feminisation of FP/C services and the lack of FP/C services responsive to adolescent needs. Conclusions: Understanding and considering community members’ and healthcare providers’ views regarding contextualized and locally relevant participatory approaches, facilitators and challenges to participation, could improve the design, implementation and success of participatory public health programmes, including FP/C.
Impact of a community-based pilot intervention to tackle childhood obesity: a ‘whole-system approach’ case study
Authors: Gadsby Erica Wirrmann , Hotham Sarah , Eida Tamsyn , Lawrence Christopher , Merritt Rowena
Published: July 2020

Background: Go-Golborne was a three-year pilot programme to test an innovative, community-based ‘whole system’ approach to preventing overweight in children in Golborne ward, London. Whilst there is a growing interest in local whole systems approaches to obesity, understandings of what they look like in practice are newly emerging. Go-Golborne was designed, implemented and evaluated within this context. Methods: The evaluation used a case-study design and theory of change approach to assess the effectiveness of the intervention. Height/weight measurements of children in the six participating primary schools were recorded annually for four years. For behavioural outcomes, children aged six-11 completed four annual on-line surveys (total 4331 responses). Parents were surveyed in year one and year four (177 responses). Three focus group discussions were held with children aged 10-11 (N=21); interviews were conducted with parents (N=11), and school representatives (N=4). Stakeholders were surveyed twice (37 responses), and interviews were conducted with key stakeholders (N=11). An extensive range of programme documents were reviewed and additional process data was collected from the programme team. The RE-AIM framework was used to synthesise findings and examine public health impact.Results: Go-Golborne reached a diverse range of partners across Golborne. Events were attended by over 3360 local children and families and all six primary schools in the ward actively engaged in activities. The proportion of children in the above healthy weight categories remained stable over time. A number of changes in home, school and neighbourhood environments to support healthy behaviour change were evidenced. There was some qualitative evidence of positive changes in children’s behaviours, though significant or sustained changes were not evidenced by the quantitative data.Conclusions: Go-Golborne helped stakeholders and parents to develop a shared commitment to improving healthy weight in children, to identify barriers to a healthy lifestyle, and to start to make changes in their services/behaviours. The campaigns and changes made at micro-level appeared to be insufficient, in the face of counteracting forces and personal factors, to achieve significant behaviour change within three years. This highlights the need for local initiatives to be reinforced by supporting action at regional, national and global levels.
The Impact of Irregular Corneal Shape Parameters on Visual Acuity and Contrast Sensitivity
Authors: Liduma Sanita , Luguzis Artis , Krumina Gunta
Published: July 2020

Background: To understand which irregular corneal parameters determine the visual quality in keratoconus subjects. Methods: The cross-sectional study examined thecovered eyes of 44 subjects, graded from the first to third keratoconus stages by Amsler-Krumeich classification. To characterize the shape of cornea, wWe obtained measurements in two ways: (a) by projectinged two perpendicular axes onto a cornea (– the main axis passed first, through the central point of the cornea (visual axis projection) and keratoconus apex; second, as , while the second axis was perpendicular to the main axis) to – and read the elevation values at points on theses axeis as parameters characterising the corneal surface; (b) by projectinged circles with different diameters around the central part of the cornea (1, 2, and 3 mm) and reading elevation values at points equally displaced on these circles as parameters characterising an anterior surface slope. Irregular corneal shape parameters’ correlations with visual acuity and contrast sensitivity were determined The measurements were used to calculate various elevation change (slope) parameters, in order to understand which corneal slope parameter has the strongest correlation with visual acuityquality and contrast sensitivity.Results: According to the acquired data, the visual acuity of a corrected eye does not have a strong correlation with the measured keratoconus apex slope. Parameters characterising the corneal surface’s correlations with contrast sensitivity were from r=0.25 (p=0.03) at 3 cpd to r=0.47 (p<0.01) at 9 cpd for the highest elevation and from r=0.33 (p=0.09) at 5 cpd to r=0.40 (p<0.01) at 11 cpd for the lowest elevation in all subjects together, while for visual acuity the parameters were r=0.30 (p<0.01) for the highest elevation and r=0.21 (p=0.06) for the lowest elevation in all subjects together. The correlation between contrast sensitivity and the highest and lowest corneal point in all measured cornea was stronger for subjects with a peripheral corneal apex than for those with a central apex. In keratoconus subjects, Ccontrast sensitivity displayed a strong correlation with keratoconus slope in the central part of the cornea (with a radius of 1 mm). Correlations in different spatial frequencies ranging from 0.48 (p<0.01) at 3 cpd to 0.61 (p<0.01) at 9 cpd.Conclusion: Contrast sensitivity has a higher correlation with corneal shape parameters than with is more important parameter which describes the visual quality of keratoconus subjects than visual acuity. Subjects with a peripheral corneal apex had stronger correlations with visual acuity and contrast sensitivity than did subjects with a central apex. In keratoconus subjects, Tthe strongest correlation was for contrast sensitivity and elevation (slope) in the region most important region which determines the visual quality in keratoconus subjects is the region within a 1 mm radius of the corneal centre in the opposite direction of the keratoconus apex (direction (ax) CB).
Molecular identification of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome viruses from tick and bitten patient in Southeast China
Authors: Tong Yongxi , wang qiujing , Fu Yongfeng , Li Shibo , Zhang Zhao , Zhang Zheen , Yu Xuewen
Published: July 2020

Background Severe fever and thrombocytopenia bunyavirus (SFTSV) infection causes severe fever and thrombocytopenia syndrome with high mortality. It is extremely rare that a transmitting tick can be directly captured in bite wounds, and that SFTSV can be isolated from both the captured tick and patient’s serum to establish a solid pathogen diagnosis.Case presentation We report a case infected with severe fever and thrombocytopenia bunyavirus. The 69-year-old male patient presented with fever and tenderness on two lymph nodes in the right groin. A visible tick bite mark appeared on right upper quadrant of the patient’s abdomen, and a live tick was captured in the bite wound upon physical examination. The virus was detected in both the blood of the patient and in the tick that stayed in the bite wound for seven days. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that the SFTSV isolated from the tick and the patient’s serum sample belonged to type B, in which the L/S segment of these two isolates shared 100% homology, while the M segment had 99.9% homology. The bitten patient was given various supportive care, but eventually died of multiple organ failure. Conclusion The present case provides strong evidence of SFTSV transmission from H. longicornis to humans, and suggests that direct cross-species transmission can occur without additional intermediate hosts.
Identification of a four-gene panel predicting overall survival for lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Chunyu Li , Qizhong Long , Danni Zhang , Jun Li , Xianming Zhang
Published: July 2020

Background: Lung cancer is the most frequently diagnosed carcinoma and the leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Although molecular targeted therapy and immunotherapy have made great progress, the overall survival (OS) is still poor due to a lack of accurate and available prognostic biomarkers. Therefore, in this study we aimed to establish a multiple-gene panel predicting OS for lung adenocarcinoma.Methods: We obtained the mRNA expression and clinical data of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) from TCGA database for further integrated bioinformatic analysis. Lasso regression and Cox regression were performed to establish a prognosis model based on a multi-gene panel. Nomogram was built based on the model. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the Kaplan–Meier curve were used to assess the predicted capacity of the model. The prognosis value of the multi-gene panel was further validated in TCGA-LUAD patients with EGFR, KRAS and TP53 mutation and a dataset from GEO. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed to explore potential biological mechanisms of a novel prognostic gene signature.Results: A four-gene panel (including DKK1, GNG7, LDHA, MELTF) was established as a prognostic indicator for OS of LUAD. The ROC curve revealed good predicted performance in both test cohort (AUC = 0.740) and validation cohort (AUC = 0.752). Each patient was calculated a risk score according to the model based on the four-gene panel. The results showed that the risk score was an independent prognostic factor, and the high-risk group had a worse OS compared with the low-risk group. The nomogram based on this model shows better prediction performance. The four-gene panel was still good predictors for OS in LUAD patients with EGFR, KRAS and TP53 mutations. The four genes may be significantly related to the metabolism of genetic material, especially in the regulation of cell cycle pathway.Conclusion: Our study proposed a novel four-gene panel to predict the OS of LUAD, which may contribute to predicting prognosis accurately and making the clinical decisions of individual therapy for LUAD patients.
Clear Cell Tumor of the Lung Could Be Aggressive: a case report and review of the literature
Authors: shen leilei , LIN Jixing , REN Zhipeng , WANG Bailin , Liu You , Yuan Jing , ZHAN Lianbin
Published: July 2020

Background: Clear cell tumors of the lung (CCTLs) are rare and mostly benign pulmonary neoplasms arising from perivascular epithelioid cells. Only approximately 100 cases have been reported, and half of them were in China. Limited details about CCTLs often cause diagnostic or therapeutic problems. Case presentation: We describe a case of a 28-year-old woman with multiple gradually replicating and enlarging nodules in the left lower lobe. The patient underwent fine-needle aspiration biopsy and was diagnosed with CCTL. A left lower lobectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection were performed. The gradual changes in size (1.4 cm to 2.8 cm) and quantity (10 to 49) of the CCTLs in this case were the biggest differences from previously reported cases. Conclusions: CCTLs are very uncommon and mostly benign PEComatous tumors with no specific morphologic features. We present a case of CCTL with multiplicity and rapid growth, which may indicate its aggressive nature. The accumulation of similar cases will help clarify the exact nature and improve our understanding of the disease.
Impact of Early Postoperative Oral Nutritional Supplement Utilization on Clinical Outcomes in Colorectal Surgery
Authors: Williams David G.A. , Ohnuma Tetsu , Krishnamoorthy Vijay , Raghunathan Karthik , Sulo Suela , Cassady Bridget A. , Hegazi Refaat , WISCHMEYER PAUL E.
Published: July 2020

Background: Small randomized trials of early postoperative oral nutritional supplementation (ONS) suggest various health benefits following colorectal surgery (CRS). However, real-world evidence of the impact of early ONS on clinical outcomes in CRS is lacking. Methods: Using a nationwide administrative-financial database (Premier Healthcare Database), we examined the association between early ONS use and postoperative clinical outcomes in patients undergoing elective open or laparoscopic CRS between 2008–2014. Early ONS was defined as the presence of charges for ONS before postoperative day (POD) 3. The primary outcome was composite infectious complications. Key secondary efficacy (intensive care unit (ICU) admission and gastrointestinal complications) and falsification (blood transfusion and myocardial infarction) outcomes were also examined. Propensity score matching was used to assemble patient groups that were comparable at baseline and differences in outcomes were examined.Results: Overall, patients receiving early ONS were older with greater comorbidities, and more likely to be Medicare beneficiaries with malnutrition. In a well-matched sample of early-ONS recipients (n=267) versus non-recipients (n= 534), infectious complications were significantly lower in early-ONS recipients (6.7% vs. 11.8%, P<0.03). Early-ONS use was also associated with significantly reduced rates of pneumonia (P<0.04), ICU admissions (P<0.04), and gastrointestinal complications (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in falsification outcomes. Conclusions: Although early postoperative ONS after CRS was more likely to be utilized in elderly patients with greater comorbidities, use of early ONS was associated with reduced infectious complications, pneumonia, ICU admission, and gastrointestinal complications. This propensity-score matched study using real-world data suggests that clinical outcomes are improved with early ONS use, a simple and inexpensive intervention in CRS patients.
Prevalence of antibodies against a cyclic peptide mimicking the FG loop of the human papillomavirus type 16 capsid among Tunisian women
Authors: Hassen Elham , Bansal Devendra , Ghdira Randa , Chaieb Anouar , Khairi Hedi , Zakhama Abdelfatteh , Remadi Sami , Hoebeke Johan , Sultan Ali A , Chouchane Lotfi
Published: July 2020

Background In the past decade, cervical cancer has gone from being the second to the fourth most common cancer in women worldwide, but remains the second most common in developing countries. This cancer is most commonly caused by high-risk types of human papillomavirus (HPV), mainly type 16 (HPV16), which are sexually transmitted. This study aimed to investigate the usefulness of a cyclic synthetic peptide designed from the major L1 capsid protein of HPV16 for detecting anti-HPV16 antibodies. Methods We designed and synthetized a peptide that corresponds to the full sequence of the surface-exposed FG loop. We tested the antigenicity of the linear and the cyclic peptides against HPV16 L1 monoclonal antibodies. We used ELISA to detect anti-peptide antibodies in sera and cervical secretions of 179 Tunisian women, and we applied polymerase chain reaction and direct sequencing methods to detect and genotype HPV DNA. Results Both the linear and the cyclic peptides were recognized by the same neutralizing monoclonal antibodies, but the cyclic peptide was more reactive with human sera. The prevalence of the anti-peptide antibodies in sera was higher in women with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LGSIL) than in women with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HGSIL) (44% and 15%, respectively). This contrasts with HPV16 DNA prevalence. Compared to women from the general population, systemic IgG prevalence was significantly higher among sex workers (25%; P=0.002) and women with LGSIL (44%; P=0.001). In addition, systemic IgA and cervical IgG prevalence was higher among sex workers only (p=0.002 and P=0.001 respectively). We did not observe anti-peptide IgG antibodies in women with a current HPV16 infection.Conclusion Anti-peptide IgG in sera or in cervical secretions could be markers of an effective natural immunization against HPV16. This may open novel perspectives for monitoring vaccinated women and for the design of synthetic peptide-based vaccines.
3D Co-Culture model of Endothelial Colony Forming Cells (ECFCs) Reverses Late Passage Adipose-derived Stem Cell Senescence for Wound Healing
Authors: Hu Wansheng , Zhu Shengqian , Fanai Mimi Lalrimawii , Wang Jing , cai Junrong , Feng Jingwei
Published: July 2020

Background Extensive passage of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) in vitro leads to loss of function. Endothelial colony forming cells (ECFCs) can be isolated from adult peripheral blood. A 3D co-culture system may rescue in vitro ASC senescence.Methods A 3D co-culture model was successfully established using hyaluronic acid (HA) gel and a 10:1 ratio of late-passage ASCs and ECFCs. Cell density and culture conditions were optimized. Stem cell phenotype was characterized by flow cytometry. ELISA was used to measure the trophic effect of angiogenic growth factors and compare the effects of these factors between the 3-D co-culture and single cell culture. Therapeutic potential of ASC/ECFC 3-D co-cultures was evaluated in a mouse chronic injury model.Results Following incubation in a HA substrate 3D co-culture system, ASC morphology, phenotype, secretory profile and differentiation capacity was restored. The ASC/ECFC co-culture increased the secretion of cytokines, such as hepatocyte growth factor, compared with single cell 3D culture or monolayer culture. Mice radiation-ulcer wounds treated with ASC/ECFC 3-D co-cultures (spheroids) showed epithelialization and improved healing compared with wounds treated with ASCs or ECFCs alone. Further, transplanted ASC/ECFC spheroids exhibited superior angiogenic potential due to the ability of the ASCs to transdifferentiate into pericytes.Conclusion 3D co-culture of ECFCs and ASCs in vitro restored native ASC properties by reversing cellular senescence and loss of trophic function. Transplant of ASC/ECFC 3D spheroids in vivo demonstrated pro-angiogenic capacity with improved therapeutic potential.
The characteristics of laboratory tests at admission and the risk factors for adverse clinical outcomes of severe and critical COVID-19 patients
Authors: Wang Liulin , Cheng Xiaobin , Dong Qiufen , Zhou Chenliang , Wang Yeming , Song Bin , Li Weinan , Wang Min , Qin Rui , Long Qi , Liu Juan , Li Jing , Li Dan , Li Gang , Ba Yuanming
Published: July 2020

Background Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) is a worldwide pandemic.In this study, we aimed to evaluate the risk factors of death from severe and critical COVID-19 patients.Method A retrospective study of patients diagnosed with severe and critical COVID-19 from four hospitals in Wuhan, China, describing the clinical characteristics and laboratory results, and using Cox regression to study the risk factors was conducted.Results Four hundred and forty-six patients with COVID-19 showed a high case fatality rate(CFR)(20.2%). All patients required oxygen therapy, and 52(12%) patients required invasive mechanical ventilation,of which 50(96%) patients died.The univariate Cox proportional hazard model showed a white blood cell count of more than 10 × 10⁹/L(HR3.903,95%CI 2.413 to 6.313),patients’ risk of death significantly increased.The multivariate Cox proportional hazard model demonstrated that older age (HR 1.074, 95% CI 1.050 to 1.098) was an independent risk factor and high white blood cell count(HR 1.119, 95% CI 1.056 to 1.186)was a predictive factor for COVID-19 on admission.Conclusions COVID-19 is a new disease entity that carries significant risk of morbidity and CFR.Older age was an independent risk factor and high white blood cell was a predictive factor for COVID-19.
THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN RESIDUAL NEUROMUSCULAR BLOCKADE (RNMB) AND CRITICAL RESPIRATORY EVENTS: A PROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY
Authors: Alenezi Faraj , Alnababtah Khalid , Alqahtani Mohammed , Harbi Mohammed Al , Olayan Lafi
Published: July 2020

Background: Inadequate neuromuscular recovery might impair pulmonary function among adult patients who undergo general anaesthesia and might thus contribute to critical respiratory events in the post-anaesthesia care unit (PACU). The aim of this study to investigate whether critical respiratory events (CREs) that described in a modified Murphy’s criteria are significantly associated with residual neuromuscular blockade (RNMB).Method: A prospective cohort study from January to March 2017 from a tertiary hospital from Saudi Arabia for thirty adult patients over 18 years old scheduled for elective surgery under general anaesthesia with neuromuscular blocking drugs (NMBDs) were enrolled in the study. The Mann-Whitney U tests, Chi-Square tests and Independent-Samples T tests were used. The Train-of-four (TOF) ratios were measured upon arrival in the PACU by using Acceleromyography with TOF-Scan. Subjects’ demographics, perioperative data, and the occurrence of postoperative CREs in the PACU were recorded. Results: 26 (86.7%) patients out of thirty in the study has received Rocuronium as NMBDs while Neostigmine as a reversal drug with only 23 (76.7%). The incidence of RNMB (TOF ratio < 0.9) was in 16 patients (53.3%). The incidence of RNMB was significantly higher in female patients (p= 0.033), in patients who had not undergone quantitative neuromuscular monitoring before extubation (p= 0.046) and in patients with shorter duration of surgery (p= 0.001). Postoperative CREs occurred in twenty patients (66.7%), and there were significantly more of these CREs among patients with RNMB (P= 0.001). In addition, a statistically significant difference was observed in the occurrence of CREs according to body mass index (P= 0.047). Conclusion: This research showed that RNMB is a significant contributing factor to the development of critical respiratory events during PACU stay. Therefore, routine quantitative neuromuscular monitoring is recommended to reduce the incidence of RNMB.
Zymosan Promotes Proliferation, Candida albicans Adhesion and IL-1β Production of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma In Vitro
Authors: CHEN XU , Luo Qingqiong , Ding Jieying , Yang Meng , Zhang Ruiyang , Chen Fuxiang
Published: July 2020

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common type of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), and the effect of zymosan (ZYM), a component of the yeast cell wall, on oral cancer remains unclear. The CCK-8 proliferation assay was performed to evaluate the effect of ZYM on the proliferation of the OSCC cell lines WSU-HN4, WSU-HN6 and CAL27, and the potential mechanism was explored by quantitative real-time PCR, immunofluorescence assay and western blot. A cell adhesion assay was conducted to determine the adhesion of Candida albicans to OSCC cells, and the expression of related genes, including TLR2 , MyD88 , NLRP3 , ASC , Caspase-1 and IL-1β , and proteins, including TLR2, MyD88, NF-κB p65, p-NF-κB p65 and E-cadherin was determined. Additionally, the pro-inflammatory cytokines including IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α and IL-1β produced by OSCC cells were detected using a chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA). In the current study, the CCK-8 assay showed that ZYM promoted the proliferation of WSU-HN4, WSU-HN6 and CAL27 cells via the TLR2/MyD88 pathway. The cell adhesion assay showed that the number of C. albicans cells per field significantly increased in ZYM-treated OSCC cells compared to controls. When treated with ZYM, OSCC cells secreted significantly more pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β, which could enhance inflammation in oral cancer microenvironment. In conclusion, ZYM from the fungal cell wall promotes the proliferation, C. albicans adhesion and IL-1β production in OSCC, as demonstrated by in vitro experiments.