bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preliminary Feasibility Study of a Community-Based Wellness Coaching for Cancer Survivors Program
Authors: Berzins Nicole J , Mackenzie Michael , Galantino Mary Lou , Pickles Nicole , Hebbel Sean , Leonard Tara , Beneck Diane , Peterson Michael
Published: March 2021

Purpose: In the United States, there are almost 17 million cancer survivors who often have poorer health outcomes and an increased risk for developing a second cancer and other chronic illnesses. Evidence suggests substantial cancer burden may be prevented through lifestyle modifications. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of health coaching for the improvement of health, fitness, and overall well-being of cancer survivors in a community setting. Methods: Participants were recruited from community-based cancer agency locations. Health coaching was provided to people diagnosed with cancer anywhere along the cancer survivorship continuum. Coaches provided six individual sessions to each participant. Surveys were sent pre- and post-intervention on topics including fitness, eating habits, perceived stress, anxiety, depression, and quality of life. Results were analyzed using repeated measures multilevel modeling. Results: 48 participants completed an average of 85% of health coaching sessions. Coaching participants noted significant improvements in weekly physical activity, including moderate-vigorous physical activity. Small significant increases were found in healthy eating behavior. Participants reported moderate change in the quality of their sleep and smaller significant changes in sleep duration and sleep efficiency. Moderate significant reductions were found in perceived stress and anxiety, with small but significant decreases in depression. Importantly, participants reported improved quality of life, particularly in areas of physical and emotional well-being. Smaller increases were found in functional and total well-being. Conclusion: Preliminary findings indicate real behavior change in the measured outcomes and suggests health coaching may be an important tool for cancer survivorship.
Distribution of Arsenic in Fresh and Weathered Rocks in Sri Lanka
Authors: Jayawardena U.de S.
Published: March 2021

This study was carried out to determine the distribution of arsenic, which may slowly harm human health, in the weathered rocks of different parent rocks in the country. 293 samples were collected from different crystalline rocks and in-situ weathered formations above the particular parent rock in 50 localities. Selected minor elements (including arsenic) were analysed by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry on RIGAKU KG-X system (Japan). Results indicated that the maximum arsenic amount in the fresh rock was 12 and 48 ppm in completely weathered rocks. About 86.9% of fresh rocks showed less than 5 ppm of arsenic, while 89.8% of their weathered grades showed the arsenic concentration to be less than 10 ppm. Average arsenic in all fresh rock samples was 3.5ppm (lowest); it was 7.6 ppm (highest) in residual soils. This is the normal condition of arsenic distribution worldwide. Under this condition, the arsenic concentration in natural groundwater in the residual soil areas should be below the acceptable limit. Therefore, the amount of arsenic released from parent rocks and their weathered products due to natural geological processes is very low in Sri Lanka.
A Novel 4.25kb Deletion in PAX6 in A Chinese Han Family with Congenital Aniridia Combined with Cataract and Nystagmus
Authors: Qian Tianwei , Chen Chong , Li Caihua , Gong Qiaoyun , Liu Kun , Wang Gao , Schrauwen Isabelle , Xu Xun
Published: March 2021

Background: The aim of this study is to identify the genetic defect in a Chinese family with congenital aniridia combined with cataract and nystagmus.Methods: Complete ophthalmic examinations, including slit-lamp biomicroscopy, dilatedindirect ophthalmoscopy, anterior segment photography, and anterior segment optical coherence tomography (OCT) were performed. Blood samples were collected from all family members and genomic DNA was extracted. Genome sequencing was performed in all family members and Sanger sequencing was used to verify variant breakpoints.Results: All the thirteen members in this Chinese family, including seven patients and six normal people, were recruited in this study. The ophthalmic examination of affected patients in this family was consistent with congenital aniridia combined with cataract and nystagmus. A novel heterozygous deletion (NC_000011.10:g.31802307_31806556del) containing the 5’ region of PAX6 gene was detected that segregated with the disease. Conclusion: We detected a novel deletion in PAX6 responsible for congenital aniridia in the affected individuals of this Chinese family. The novel 4.25kb deletion in PAX6 gene of our study would further broaden the genetic defects of PAX6 associated with congenital aniridia.
Non-respiratory Particles Emitted by Guinea Pigs in Airborne Disease Transmission Experiments
Authors: Asadi Sima , Tupas Manilyn J. , Barre Ramya S. , Wexler Anthony S. , Bouvier Nicole M. , Ristenpart William D.
Published: March 2021

Animal models are often used to assess the airborne transmissibility of various pathogens, which are typically assumed to be carried by expiratory droplets emitted directly from the respiratory tract of the infected animal. We recently established that influenza virus is also transmissible via “aerosolized fomites,” micron-scale dust particulates released from virus-contaminated surfaces (Asadi et al., Nature Communications, 2020). Here we expand on this observation, by counting and characterizing the particles emitted from guinea pig cages using an Aerodynamic Particle Sizer (APS) and an Interferometric Mie Imaging (IMI) system. Of over 9,000 airborne particles emitted from guinea pig cages and directly imaged with IMI, none had an interference pattern indicative of a liquid droplet. Separate measurements of the particle count using the APS indicate that particle concentrations spike upwards immediately following animal motion, then decay exponentially with a time constant commensurate with the air exchange rate in the cage. Taken together, the results presented here raise the possibility that a non-negligible fraction of airborne influenza transmission events between guinea pigs occurs via aerosolized fomites rather than respiratory droplets, though the relative frequencies of these two routes have yet to be definitively determined.
Mitochondrial creatine kinase 1 in non-small cell lung cancer progression and hypoxia adaptation
Authors: Li Ming , Liu Huan , Li Jinwen , Guo Shuai , Lv Yan , Li Juan
Published: March 2021

Background

Hypoxia is a prominent feature of solid cancer. This research aims to expose the role of mitochondrial creatine kinase 1 (CKMT1) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) progression and hypoxia adaptation.
Methods

The mRNA and protein expression of CKMT1 in NSCLC tissues and cells were detected using GEPIA web, immunohistochemistry, qRT-PCR and western blot. Cells were exposed to a hypoxic chamber with atmosphere containing 5% CO2, 1% O2 and residual N2. The protein levels of HIF-1α and CKMT1 in H1650 and H1299 cells exposed to hypoxia were determined by western blot. Luciferase activity assay and HIF1 specific inhibitor (LW6) assay indicated the related function of HIF-1 and CKMT1. The role of CKMT1 to NSCLC cells biological function on hypoxic condition was measured by CCK8, colony formation, transwell and apoptosis assay.
Results

CKMT1 was highly expressed in NSCLC tissues and cells using GEPIA web, immunohistochemistry, qRT-PCR and western blot. Hypoxia induced the accumulation of HIF-1α and the expression of CKMT1 in H1650 and H1299 cells. The results of luciferase activity assay and HIF1 specific inhibitor (LW6) assay indicated that HIF-1, as a transcription factor of CKMT1, up-regulated the expression of CKMT1 under hypoxic conditions. Further, knockdown of CKMT1 inhibited the cell proliferation and invasion of H1650 and H1299 cells, which could be rescued by hypoxia.
Conclusions

In summary, CKMT1 has the potential as a target for NSCLC hypoxic targeted therapy.
An Energy-Equivalent Simplified Model for Lateral Nonlinear Vibrations of Coupled Water Turbine Generator Set Shaft-Foundation System
Authors: Sun Wanquan , Guo Zhiqiang , Ma Zhenyue
Published: March 2021

The traditional whole finite element method (WFEM[1]) has several shortcomings, including that it has too many degrees of freedom so the execution is not efficient and is difficult to solve in nonlinear dynamic analysis. In this paper, a novel simplified modeling approach is proposed to investigate the lateral nonlinear vibration characteristics of coupled water turbine generator set shaft-foundation system (CSFS[2]). The simplified coupled model is generated in two stages. First, a more reasonable simplified model for foundation subsystem considering coupling with each other is constructed to simulate the lateral vibrations of guide bearing foundations in hydropower house. Based on the response spectra of WFEM of hydropower house and a constructed energy error objective function, the optimal equivalent parameters of the simplified foundation model are then determined by using the genetic algorithm. Second, considering actions of various nonlinear factors and the pulsating water pressure acting on turbine runner, a nonlinear dynamic differential equations of CSFS based on Lagrange equation are derived. The nonlinear dynamic responses of CSFS using the optimal equivalent model are also compared with the field test data. It is demonstrated that the method proposed to develop the equivalent model is more efficient and more convenient in capturing the nonlinear dynamic behavior of CSFS. In addition, this energy-equivalent model is more adaptable to the stochastic uncertainty and frequency band variation in hydropower station system. Some novel dynamic laws and inner mechanism of the coupled system are also revealed further based on the proposed model. Footnotes: [1] WFEM: whole finite element method[2] CSFS: coupled water turbine generator set shaft-foundation system
The Global Prevalence of Depression, Suicide Ideation, and Attempts in the Military Forces: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Cross Sectional Studies
Authors: Moradi Yousef , Dowran Behnaz , Sepandi Mojtaba
Published: March 2021

Background

Given the wide range of depressive disorders, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in various military studies around the world, determining the exact prevalence of these disorders in line with health planning as well as care and treatment service designing for military forces can be useful. The aim of the present meta-analysis was to determine the pooled prevalence of depressive disorders, suicide thoughts, and attempts in the military.
Methods

The present systematic review and meta-analysis study was performed based on PRISMA criteria in 5 steps of the search strategy, screening and selection of articles, data extraction, evaluation of article quality and meta-analysis. International databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Sciences, Embase, Cochrane, PsycInfo) were searched using related keywords extracted from Mesh and Emtree. After screening and final selection of articles, data were extracted and qualitative evaluation was performed using the NOS checklist.
Results

The results of meta-analysis showed that the prevalence of depression in active military forces and veterans was 23% (%95 CI: 20–26 %) and 20% (%95 CI: 18–22 %), respectively. In addition, the prevalence of suicidal ideation and attempts in the military was 11% (%95 CI: 10–13 %) and 11% (%95 CI: 9–13 %), respectively. The prevalence of suicide ideation and attempts in drug-using military was 18% (%95 CI: 7–33 %) and 30% (%95 CI: 23–36 %), respectively. The prevalence of suicidal ideation and attempts in military consuming alcohol were 9% (%95 CI: 4–13 %) and 8% (%95 CI: 7–10 %), respectively. In militaries with AIDS / HIV, the prevalence of suicide attempts was 5% (%95 CI: 4–8 %).
Conclusion

Therefore, it is necessary to develop and design training and intervention programs in order to increase the awareness of the military, especially veterans, to prevent the occurrence of suicide and depression.
Effect of coagulase-negative staphylococci on colostrum composition, properties and fatty acid profile
Authors: Pikhtirova Alina , Pecka-Kiełb Ewa , Zachwieja Andrzej , Bujok Jolanta , Zigo František
Published: March 2021

Background: Colostrum is the first food for mammals that should give a head start to the newborn organism. By providing the body with essential nutrients, colostrum plays an immune and immunostimulating function. Colostrum quality depends on multiple factors, including microbial effect. Widespread coagulase-negative staphylococci have a great impact on colostrum qualitative indicators. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of staphylococci on colostrum quality. Results: Physical, chemical properties and fatty acid profile of cow’s colostrum were determined. In our study we identified three pathogenic coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species in the cows’ colostrum: S. sciuri (64.29 %), S. xylosus (28.57 %) and S. warneri (7.14 %). We noted that the somatic cell count (SCC) in the affected colostrum samples wasn’t noticeably higher than that in the uninfected colostrum samples. Percentage of dry matter in infected and uninfected colostrum samples was nearly the same. Contents of fat, protein, and lactose in the studied colostrum were not significantly different. The content of butyric (С4:0) and capric (С10:0) acids was significantly higher (P<0.05) in the colostrum fat of cows infected with CNS compared to that of the uninfected animals. Conclusions: According to our research infection with coagulase-negative staphylococci negatively affects colostrum patameters primarily due to an increase in SCC, acidity and decrease in β-casein level. Moreover, significant decrease in total bacterial count in infected by CNS samples may be caused by a decrease in the level of beneficial microflora. Minor changes in fatty acid profile of fat in colostrum with CNS do not have a significant negative effect on colostrum as a whole. But in view of the fact that colostrum is intended for feeding a newborn with a "sterile" gastrointestinal tract, the presence of CNS will undoubtedly leads to a great threat to an immature organism.
Maintaining and Improving Biodiversity in Urban Centers: Landscape Spatial Design in Mexico City and New York City
Authors: Zambrano Luis , Handel Steven N , Fernandez Tania , Brostella Isabel
Published: March 2021

ContextLarge cities contain different sizes and distributions of green spaces in a sea of buildings and roads. This urban landscape establishes the habitat for different species that persist in cities.ObjectivesHow does this “archipelago” of habitat space function? How does the arrangement of green spaces affect plant and animal species' biodiversity and movement through this urban pattern?MethodsBy using Patch Analyst Metrics, we propose a novel method to analyze and improve the current spatial arrangement of green spaces using Mexico City and New York City, long-established urban areas.ResultsThe two cities differ in the number, size, and spatial distribution of green spaces. Frequency analysis suggests that Mexico City has a high number of large green spaces for native species conservation; but most of them are in one vast cluster of green areas at the south. In New York City large spaces are distributed along the whole territory, comprising most potential habitats, but it has much more small areas. This spatial analysis shows particular areas in which both cities have the potential to add connectivity among existing green spaces for dispersal of many taxa of plants and animals. ConclusionsMuch data is available on the potential dispersion through cities, but a better framework for understanding the existing distribution is needed for future landscape decisions. Results suggest ways that new urban areas can better increase plant and animal movement patterns.
A humanized mouse model of chronic COVID-19 to evaluate disease mechanisms and treatment options
Authors: Sefik Esen , Israelow Ben , Zhao Jun , Qu Rihao , Song Eric , Mirza Haris , Kaffe Eleanna , Halene Stephanie , Meffre Eric , Kluger Yuval , Nussenzweig Michel , Wilen Craig , Iwasaki Akiko , Flavell Richard A.
Published: March 2021

Coronavirus-associated acute respiratory disease, called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). More than 90 million people have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 and more than 2 million people have died of complications due to COVID-19 worldwide. COVID-19, in its severe form, presents with an uncontrolled, hyperactive immune response and severe immunological injury or organ damage that accounts for morbidity and mortality. Even in the absence of complications, COVID-19 can last for several months with lingering effects of an overactive immune system. Dysregulated myeloid and lymphocyte compartments have been implicated in lung immunopathology. Currently, there are limited clinically-tested treatments of COVID-19 with disparities in the apparent efficacy in patients. Accurate model systems are essential to rapidly evaluate promising discoveries but most currently available in mice, ferrets and hamsters do not recapitulate sustained immunopathology described in COVID19 patients. Here, we present a comprehensively humanized mouse COVID-19 model that faithfully recapitulates the innate and adaptive human immune responses during infection with SARS-CoV-2 by adapting recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV)-driven gene therapy to deliver human ACE2 to the lungs1 of MISTRG6 mice. Our unique model allows for the first time the study of chronic disease due to infection with SARS-CoV-2 in the context of patient-derived antibodies to characterize in real time the potential culprits of the observed human driving immunopathology; most importantly this model provides a live view into the aberrant macrophage response that is thought to be the effector of disease morbidity and ARDS in patients. Application of therapeutics such as patient-derived antibodies and steroids to our model allowed separation of the two aspects of the immune response, infectious viral clearance and immunopathology. Inflammatory cells seeded early in infection drove immune-patholgy later, but this very same early anti-viral response was also crucial to contain infection.
The Clinical Efficacy, Safety and Biomechanical Mechanism of Tai Chi in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: FUWEI PAN , Zhang Min , Du Guoqing , Chen Yuanchuan , Yang Guangyue , Li Zhengyan , Lu Jiehang , Zhan Hongsheng
Published: March 2021

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA), one of the most common degenerative joint disease, is the leading cause of disability among elder people. Many previous studies demonstrated that Tai chi is an effective treatment in the management of KOA, but there has been a lack of study evaluated the effect of Tai chi on both clinical and biomechanical outcomes in individuals with KOA. The purpose of the study is to identify the clinical and biomechanical effect of the Tai chi, the results will help to improve the understanding of possible underlying biomechanical effects of the Tai chi. Methods: We will conduct a prospective, randomized controlled trials of 72 individuals with medial KOA. The participants with medial KOA will be randomly divided into Tai chi group or a control group. The Tai chi group will participant in Tai chi twice a week for eight weeks. The control group will receive health care education. After the 8-week intervention period there will be a 16-week follow-period with no active intervention in either group. The primary and secondary outcomes will be assessed at baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks and 24 weeks. The primary measure will be Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). The secondary outcome measures will include the kinetics, kinematics changing of the knee joint at sagittal, frontal, and transverse plane, the muscle co-contraction.Discussion: This study aims to investigate the clinical and biomechanical effect of the Tai chi, and the results will help to improve the understanding of possible underlying biomechanical effects of the Tai chi in the management of KOA. Trail Registration: The study was approved by China registered clinical trial ethics review committee with No.ChiECRCT20200335. The study plan was registered on the website of China Registered Clinical Trial Registration Center with No.ChiCTR2000040769 .Registered 09 December 2020, http://www.chictr.org.cn/showprojen.aspx?proj=65571
Tree Mortality and Regeneration in Euphrates Poplar Riparian Forests Along the Tarim River, Northwest China
Authors: Keram Ayjamal , Halik Ümüt , Aishan Tayierjiang , Keyimu Maierdang , Jiapaer Kadeliya , Li Guolei
Published: March 2021

BackgroundTree mortality and seedling and sapling recruitment are essential components of forest dynamics in arid regions, especially those with serious eco-hydrological problems. In recent decades, the mortality of the Euphrates poplar ( Populus euphratica ) along the Tarim River in Northwest China has increased. However, few studies have quantified the causes of mortality and regeneration in this azonal riparian forest type. MethodsThe present paper describes the annual hydrological response of tree mortality and regeneration in forest gaps. A total of 60 canopy gaps were investigated in six replicate grid plots (50 m × 50 m) and the annual runoff and water consumption data during the period of 1955–2016 were collected from hydrological stations along the middle reaches of the Tarim River. In addition, we compared the regeneration density of seedlings and saplings within the canopy gap areas (CGAs), undercanopy areas (UCAs), and uncovered riverbank areas (RBAs) through detailed field investigation. ResultsOur study found that the mortality of young and middle aged gap makers has increased markedly over recent decades, particularly since 1996. The main results indicated that regional water scarcity was the primary limiting factor for long-term changes in tree mortality, as shown by a significant correlation between the diameter at breast height (DBH) of dead trees and the annual surface water. The average density (or regeneration rate) of seedlings and saplings was highest in the RBAs, intermediate in the CGAs, and lowest in the UCAs. Compared with the UCAs, the CGAs promote tree regeneration to some extent by providing favorable conditions for the survival and growth of seedlings and saplings, which would otherwise be suppressed in the understory. Furthermore, although the density of seedlings and saplings in the CGAs was not as high as in the RBAs, the survival rate was higher in the CGAs than in the RBAs. ConclusionThis study shows that forest canopy gaps can play a decisive role in the long-term germination and regeneration of plant species. However, as a typical phreatophyte in this hyper-arid region, the ecosystem structure, functions and services of this fragile P. euphratica , floodplain forests are threatened by a continuous decrease of water resources, due to excessive water use for monocultural cotton irrigation, which has resulted in a severe reduction in intact poplar forests. Furthermore, the survival of seedlings and saplings is influenced by light availability and soil water at the regional scale. Our findings suggest that policymakers may need to reconsider the restoration and regeneration measures implemented in riparian P. euphratica forests to improve flood water efficiency and create canopy gaps. Our results provide valuable reference information for the conservation and sustainable development of floodplain forest ecosystems.
Soybean Plant Disease Classification using Archimedes Optimization Algorithm based Hybrid Deep Learning Model
Authors: Annrose J. , Rufus N. Herald Anantha , Rex C. R. Edwin Selva , Immanuel D. Godwin
Published: March 2021

Bean which is botanically called Phaseolus vulgaris L belongs to the Fabaceae family.During bean disease identification, unnecessary economical losses occur due to the delay of the treatment period, incorrect treatment, and lack of knowledge. The existing deep learning and machine learning techniques met few issues such as high computational complexity, higher cost associated with the training data, more execution time, noise, feature dimensionality, lower accuracy, low speed, etc. To tackle these problems, we have proposed a hybrid deep learning model with an Archimedes optimization algorithm (HDL-AOA) for bean disease classification. In this work, there are five bean classes of which one is a healthy class whereas the remaining four classes indicate different diseases such as Bean halo blight, Pythium diseases, Rhizoctonia root rot, and Anthracnose abnormalities acquired from the Soybean (Large) Data Set.The hybrid deep learning technique is the combination of wavelet packet decomposition (WPD) and long short term memory (LSTM). Initially, the WPD decomposes the input images into four sub-series. For these sub-series, four LSTM networks were developed. During bean disease classification, an Archimedes optimization algorithm (AOA) enhances the classification accuracy for multiple single LSTM networks. MATLAB software implements the HDL-AOA model for bean disease classification. The proposed model accomplishes lower MAPE than other exiting methods. Finally, the proposed HDL-AOA model outperforms excellent classification results using different evaluation measures such as accuracy, specificity, sensitivity, precision, recall, and F-score.
Geo-Environmental investigation of Sahure pyramid complex, Abusir Archeological site, Giza, Egypt
Authors: Ahmed Abdelrhman Muhamed Fahmy Sayed , Helmy Fatma Muhamed
Published: March 2021

Abusir is the name of an elaborate burial area, dotted with 19 pyramids other temples, stretching on the western side of the Nile from the south of the Giza Plateau to the northern rim of Saqqara. It seems to have been created as the resting site for the Pharaos dated from 2494 to 2345 BC. The name Abusir, originally spoken as Busiri, means” temple of Osiris”. Over time, the name has become so popular, that more than 60 villages now carry this name. But only one is the archaeological site. This paper does not refer to all of the Abusir archaeological area, but focuses one of its most important sites: Sahure pyramid, one of Egypt’s little known, but heavily damaged treasure. One of the highlights of the relevant research is the discovery of a piece of cement (Basaltic mortar/concrete), which consists of several materials and which is harder than any cement produced today and detection of a clear and significant Anorthite mineral (Plagioclase) in the mortar sample which had been proven by XRD, XRF (analysis) and Polarized light microscope (investigation). The main objectives of this paper are 1) to reveal and identify the construction materials of the pyramid and the construction of the pyramid,2) to evaluate the durability and vulnerability of the Ancient construction materials of Sahure pyramid,3) to compare the decayed patterns of the different construction materials, 4) to study the pyramid building materials from geological, meteorological, geochemical, petrological and petrophysical point of view, and 5) to present a proposal for scientific conservation and protection of the pyramid. Laboratories and field studies have been carried out by researchers from various countries to investigate and understand the problems of the pyramid leading to the final results which confirmed the impact of the geo environment conditions on the structural and engineering stability of the pyramid.
Extraction of Preisach Model Parameters for Fluorite-Structure Ferroelectrics and Antiferroelectrics
Authors: Wang Zheng , Hur Jae , Tasneem Nujhat , Chern Winston , Yu Shimeng , Khan Asif
Published: March 2021

Flourite-structure ferroelectrics (FEs) and antiferroelectrics (AFEs) such as HfO2 and its variants have gained copious attentionfrom the semiconductor community, because they enable complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS)-compatible platforms for high-density, high-performance non-volatile and volatile memory technologies. While many individual experiments have been conducted to characterize and understand fluorite-structure FEs and AFEs, there has been little effort to aggregatethe information needed to benchmark and provide insights into their properties. We present a fast and robust modeling framework that automatically fits the Preisach model to the experimental polarization (QFE) vs. electric field (EFE) hysteresis characterizations of fluorite-structure FEs. The modifications to the original Preisach model allow the double hysteresis loops influorite-structure antiferroelectrics to be captured as well. By fitting the measured data reported in the literature, we observe that ferroelectric polarization and dielectric constant decrease as the coercive field rises in general.
Short-Term and Long-Term Effects of Social Isolation on Health Outcomes among Older People in China
Authors: Zhang Yun , Feng Zhixin
Published: March 2021

Background Social isolation and loneliness are serious public health risks affecting a significant number of older adults globally. However, it is uncertain whether their health effects are short-term or long-term, which impedes the developing of more effective and precising interventions. We therefore assessed the varied health effects of short-term and long-term exposure of social isolation and loneliness among a nationwide sample of older adults from China. Methods We assessed social isolation and loneliness in 6,066 men and women aged 65 and older who took part in both 2011 and 2014 waves of Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. Social isolation was assessed in terms of absence of key family members, including spouse, children or siblings, and a deficiency in participating in social activities. Loneliness was administered by using a questionnaire. Four health outcomes were investigated: self-rated health, activities of daily living (ADLs), Instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), and cognitive function measured by Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). We used different tests and multivariate regression analyses to examine the short-term (< 3 years) and long-term (>= 3 years) effects of social isolation and loneliness on health outcomes.Results After controlling for covariates of demographic, socioeconomic, lifestyle, and baseline health factors, in the short-term effects, there are significant associations found between absence of children and poor SRH and cognitive impairment (ORs=1.53 and 9.87); absence of siblings and poor SRH, cognitive impairment, and difficulty with ADLs and IADLs (ORs=1.29, 1.35, 1.26 and 1.22 respectively); loneliness and poor SRH and difficulties with IADLs (ORs=1.92 and 1.55). While, in the long-term effects, absence of siblings is marginally significantly associated with cognitive impairment (OR=1.21), but significant associations are found between deficiency in participating in social activities and poor SRH, difficulty with ADLs and IADLs (ORs=1.33, 1.55 and 1.69, respectively); loneliness and poor SRH, difficulty with IADLs and less difficulties in ADLs (ORs=2.96, 2.45 and 0.32, respectively).Conclusions The results of this study show that social isolation at family level mainly have short-term effects, while social isolation at societal level have mainly have long-term, and loneliness has both short-term and long-term effects on older people’s health outcomes.
Mortality Risk Estimation in Acute Calculous Cholecystitis: Beyond the Tokyo Guidelines
Authors: González-Castillo Ana-María , Sancho-Insenser Juan , Miguel-Palacio Maite De , Morera-Casaponsa Josep-Ricard , Membrilla-Fernández Estela , Pons-Fragero María-José , Pera-Román Miguel , Grande-Posa Luis
Published: March 2021

Background: Acute Calculous Cholecystitis (ACC) is the second most frequent surgical condition in Emergency Departments. The recommended treatment is the Early Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy, however, the Tokyo Guidelines (TG) advocate for different initial treatments in some subgroups of patients without a strong evidence that all patients will benefit from them. There is no clear consensus in the literature about who is the unfit patients for surgical treatment. The objective of the study is to identify the risk factors for mortality in ACC and compare them with Tokyo Guidelines (TG) classification.Methods: retrospective unicentric cohort study of patients emergently admitted with and ACC during January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2016. The study comprised 963 patients. Primary outcome was the mortality after the diagnosis. A propensity score method was used to avoid confunding factors comparing surgical treatment and non-surgical treatment.Results: the overall mortality was 3.6%. Mortality was associated with older age (68 + IQR 27 vs. 83 + IQR 5.5; P 0.001) and higher Charlson Comorbidity Index (3.5 + 5.3 vs. 0+2; P 0.001). A logistic regression model isolated four mortality risk factors (ACME): chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR 4.66:95%CI: 1.7-12.8 P=0.001), dementia (OR 4.12;95%CI: 1.34-12.7 P=0.001), age > 80 years (OR 1.12:95% CI: 1.02-1.21 P=0.001) and the need of preoperative vasoactive amines (OR 9.9:95%CI: 3.5-28.3 P=0.001) which predicted the mortality in a 92% of the patients. The receiver operating characteristic curve yielded an area of 88% significantly higher that 68% (P=0.003) from the TG classification. When comparing subgroups selected using propensity score matching with the same morbidity and severity of ACC, mortality was higher in the non-surgical treatment group. (26.2% vs. 10.5%).Conclusions: mortality was higher in ACC patients treated with non-surgical treatment. ACME identifies high-risk patients. The validation to ACME could allow us to create a new alternative guideline to TG for treating ACC.Trial Registration: retrospectively registered and recorded in Clinical Trials (NTC 0474441).
Prolyl isomerase Pin1 plays an essential role in SARS-CoV-2 proliferation, indicating its possibility as a novel therapeutic target
Authors: Yamamotoya Takeshi , Nakatsu Yusuke , Hasei Shun , Ohata Yukino , Encinas Jeffrey , Ito Hisanaka , Okabe Takayoshi , Asano Tomoichiro , Sakaguchi Takemasa
Published: March 2021

Novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has emerged as a global pandemic with far-reaching societal impact. Here we demonstrate that Pin1 is a key cellular molecule necessary for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) propagation. In this study, siRNA-mediated silencing of Pin1 expression markedly suppressed the proliferation of SARS-CoV-2 in VeroE6/TMPRSS2 cells. In addition, several recently generated Pin1 inhibitors showed strong inhibitory effects on SARS-CoV-2 proliferation, measured by both viral mRNA and protein synthesis, and alleviated the cytopathic effect (CPE) on VeroE6/TMPRSS2 cells. One compound, termed H-77, was found to block SARS-CoV-2 proliferation at an EC50 below 5 µM regardless of whether it was added to the culture medium prior to or after SARS-CoV-2 infection. The inhibition of viral N protein mRNA synthesis by H-77 implies that the molecular mechanism underlying SARS-CoV-2 inhibition is likely to be associated with viral gene transcription or earlier steps. Another Pin1 inhibitor, all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA)—a commercially available drug used to treat acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) and which both activates the retinoic acid receptor and inhibits the activity of Pin1—similarly reduced the proliferation of SARS-CoV-2. Taken together, the results indicate that Pin1 inhibitors could serve as potential therapeutic agents for COVID-19.
Identification and Characterization of the OsCR4 Extracellular Domain-Interacting Proteins OsCIP1 and OsCIP2 in Rice
Authors: Yan Lin-Lin , Pu Cui-Xia , Sun Ying
Published: March 2021

The receptor-like kinase OsCR4 plays an important role in vegetative and reproductive growth in rice; it controls embryo morphogenesis, leaf development, and interlocking of the palea and lemma. To identify proteins capable of interacting with the OsCR4 extracellular domain (OsCR4E), we performed a yeast two-hybrid assay and obtained two candidate proteins, OsCIP1 and OsCIP2. Both proteins are cysteine-rich and harbor an N-terminal signal peptide. Localization studies showed OsCIP1-GFP accumulation at the cell surface and OsCIP2-GFP accumulation in cytoplasmic vesicles. Immunoblotting revealed the presence of full-length and truncated OsCIP1-GFP fusion proteins in tobacco leaves and rice roots, and Q62 was identified as the key site for protein cleavage. OsCIP1 was mainly expressed in vascular bundles and the interlocking tissues of the palea and lemma, while OsCIP2 was mainly expressed in mature seeds. Compared to wild type, oscip1 mutant plants exhibited a short seminal root. A phylogenetic tree analysis showed that the homologs of OsCIP1 we identified all belong to the family Gramineae. Our results suggest that OsCIP1 interacts with the extracellular domain of OsCR4.
Vibration Based Tool Condition Monitoring in Milling of Ti-6Al-4V using an Optimization Model of GM(1,N) and SVM
Authors: Rao K Venkata , Kumar Y Prasanna , Sing Vijay K , Raju L Suvarna , Jinka Ranganayakulu
Published: March 2021

Titanium alloys are the difficult to cut metals due to their low thermal conductivity and chemical affinity with tool material. Since the tool vibration is a replica of tool wear and surface roughness, the present study has proposed a methodology for estimating tool wear and surface roughness based on tool vibration for milling of Ti-6Al-4V alloy using cemented carbide mill cutter. Experiments are conducted at optimum levels of cutting speed, feed per tooth and depth of cut and experimental results for the tool vibration, tool wear and surface roughness are collected until the flank wear reached 0.3 mm (ISO3685:1993). In the next stage, an optimization model of grey prediction GM(1,N) system and support vector machine (SVM) are used and estimated tool wear and surface roughness related to tool vibration. The predicted values of tool wear and surface roughness are compared with the experimental results. The optimization model of GM(1,N) predicted the tool wear and surface roughness with an average error of 3.03% and as 0.7% respectively while the SVM predicted with an average error of 7.67% and 4.45% respectively.
Mechanochemical preparation of chrysomycin A self-micelle solid dispersion with improved solubility and enhanced oral bioavailability
Authors: Xu Zhuomin , Zheng Shanshan , Hong Yulu , Cai Yue , Zhang Qiuqin , Xiang Jiani , Xie Dehui , Song Fuxing , Zhang Huawei , Wang Hong , Sun Xuanrong
Published: March 2021

Background: Chrysomycin A (CA) has been reported as numerous excellent biological activities, such as antineoplastic and antibacterial. Though, poor solubility of CA limited its application in medical field. Due to good amphiphilicity and potential anticancer effect of disodium glycyrrhizin (Na2GA) as an excipient, an amorphous solid dispersion (Na2GA/CA-BM) consisting of CA and Na2GA was prepared in the present study by mechanochemical technology (roll mill ML-007, zirconium balls, 30 rpm, 2.5 h) to improve the solubility and oral bioavailability of CA. Then, Na2GA/CA-BM was self-assembled to micelles in water. The interaction of CA and Na2GA in solid state were investigated by X-ray diffraction studies, polarized light microscopy, and scanning electron microscope. Meanwhile, the properties of the sample solution were analyzed by dynamic light scattering and transmission electron. Furthermore, the oral bioavailability and antitumor ability of Na2GA/CA-BM in vivo were tested, providing a theoretical basis for future application of CA on cancer therapy.Results: CA encapsulated by Na2GA was self-assembled to nano-micelles in water. The average diameter of nano-micelle was 131.6 nm, and zeta potential was -11.7 mV. Three physicochemical detections showed that CA was transformed from crystal into amorphous form after treated with ball milling and the solubility increased by 50 times. Na2GA/CA-BM showed a significant increase of the bioavailability about 2 time that of free CA. Compared with free CA, the in-vivo antitumor studies also exhibited that Na2GA/CA-BM had an excellent inhibition of tumor growth.Conclusions: Na2GA/CA-BM nanoparticles (131.6 nm, -11.7 mV) prepared by simple and low-cost mechanochemical technology can improve oral bioavailability and antitumor efficacy of CA in vivo, suggesting a potential formulation for efficient anticancer treatment.
Distributed context-dependent choice information in mouse dorsal-parietal cortex
Authors: Orlandi Javier , Adbolrahmani Mohammad , Aoki Ryo , Lyamzin Dmitry , Benucci Andrea
Published: March 2021

Choice information appears in the brain as distributed signals with top-down and bottom-up components that together support decision-making computations. In sensory and associative cortical regions, the presence of choice signals, their strength, and area specificity are known to be elusive and changeable, limiting a cohesive understanding of their computational significance.
In this study, examining the mesoscale activity in mouse posterior cortex during a complex visual discrimination task, we found that broadly distributed choice signals defined a decision variable in a low-dimensional embedding space of multi-area activations, particularly along the ventral visual stream. The subspace they defined was near-orthogonal to concurrently represented sensory and motor-related activations, and it was modulated by task difficulty and contextually by the animals’ attention state.
To mechanistically relate choice representations to decision-making computations, we trained recurrent neural networks with the animals’ choices and found an equivalent decision variable whose context-dependent dynamics agreed with that of the neural data.
In conclusion, our results demonstrated an independent decision variable broadly represented in the posterior cortex, controlled by task features and cognitive demands. Its dynamics reflected decision computations, possibly linked to context-dependent feedback signals used for probabilistic-inference computations in variable animal-environment interactions.
Association mapping of seed vigor in spring soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) in northeast China
Authors: Wang Caijin , Zhao Huiyan , Wang Yang
Published: March 2021

High-vigor soybean seeds can result in the rapid and uniform emergence of seeds under a wide range of field conditions. We aimed to explore the quantitative trait loci of seed vigor traits and superior allelic and carrier materials from the soybean in northeast China. A total of 257 improved lines and 104 soybean landraces were used to evaluate seed vigor, using normal seedling fresh weight, normal seedling length, main root length, hypocotyl length, and germination percentage, in 2018 and 2019. In this study, the different degrees of LD was detected not only among syntenic markers but also among nonsyntenic ones, suggesting that there had been historical recombination among linkage groups. A total of 19 and 10 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers associated with seed vigor were detected in improved lines and soybean landraces in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Our results also showed five SSR markers co-associated with two or three vigor traits. In addition, 41 superior alleles and their carrier materials were mined. Based on the elite alleles detected, the best cross combinations for improving seed vigor traits were proposed. The results demonstrate that association mapping is a valuable foundation for molecular breeding for soybean seed vigor.
Forecasting the Length-of-Stay of Pediatric Patients in Hospitals: A Scoping Review
Authors: Medeiros Natalia B. , Fogliatto Flavio S. , Rocha Miriam K. , Tortorella Guilherme L.
Published: March 2021

Background: Healthcare management faces complex challenges in allocating hospital resources and predicting patients' length-of-stay (LOS) is critical in effectively managing those resources. This work aims to identify approaches used to forecast the LOS of Pediatric Patients in Hospitals (LOS–P), and patients' populations and environments used to develop the models. Methods: Based on a scoping review, 28 studies were identified and analyzed. Methods reported in the literature were classified according to the stage in which they are used in the modeling process: (i) pre-processing of data, (ii) variable selection, and (iii) cross-validation. Results: Forecasting models are most often applied to newborn patients and, consequently, in neonatal intensive care units. Regression analysis is the most widely used modeling approach; techniques associated with Machine Learning are still incipient and mostly used in emergency departments to model patients in specific situations.Conclusions: The studies' main benefits include informing family members about the patient's expected discharge date and enabling hospital resources' allocation and planning. Main research gaps are associated with the lack of generalization of forecasting models and limited reported applicability in hospital management. This study also provides a practical guide to methods applied for LOS–P forecasting and a future research agenda.
Job satisfaction of female radiological technologists: Factor analysis using Quantification Theory Type II
Authors: Tani Yuji , Kishiume Akane , Suzuki Teppei , Karino Manami , Ishikawa Tomoki , Ogasawara Katsuhiko
Published: March 2021

Background: Recently, there has been an increased demand for female radiological technologists (hereinafter referred to as female technologists) due to the spread of mammography, but there have been no previous studies on the job satisfaction of female technologists. In this study, we attempted to extract factors that affect the job satisfaction of female technologists to identify factors in the working environment that make it easy for female technologists to work. Methods: In this study, the results of a questionnaire survey of 287 female technologists in Hokkaido, conducted by the Hokkaido Radiological Technologist Organization “Furattokai”, were analyzed using Quantification Theory Type II. The factors considered were years of experience, number of duty shifts, number of technologists, male-female gender gap, number of job changes, sexual harassment, overtime, and paid holiday usage rate. Results: The results revealed that in addition to work environments where female technologists can work for a long time, the work content and relationships with male technologists, including sexual harassment, affected the job satisfaction of female technologists.Conclusions:This study extracted factors that affected the job satisfaction of female technologists as basic data for creating a working environment that makes it easier for female technologists to continue working for a long period of time, as the demand for female technologists is expected to increase in the future. The factors that strongly correlated with job satisfaction were not specific to women, as they are also common to men, including “years of experience” and “number of shifts on duty”.