bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Shine: To explore specific, sensitive and conserved biomarkers from massive microbial genomic data within intra-populations
Authors: Ji Cong , Shao Junbin Jack
Published: April 2022

BackgroundSince DNA concentrations of pathogenic microorganisms in biological samples were mostly very low and close to the detection limit with time consuming and costly with poor accuracy, pathogen detection was lack of shared universal phylogenetic repetitive biomarkers and utilization has become one of the most challenging aspects in clinical applications. Limited by failing to cover updated epidemic testing samples, some service was hard to practice in clinical applications without customized settings in order to lower the quality of nucleic acid detection reagents. Furthermore, in order to maintain the high conservations, biomarker combinations may not be cost effective and could cause several experimental mistakes in actual mechanical processes in many clinical settings. With the limit of recent developing technology and knowledge, 16s rRNA was too conservative to distinguish the closely related species, and likely mosaic plasmid was always not effective because of its unevenly distributed across prokaryotic taxa. ResultsHere we provided a new strategy, Shine, to explore specific, sensitive and conserved biomarkers from massive microbial genomic data within intra-populations in order to improve detection sensitivity and accuracy. Distinguished with simple concatenations with blast-based filtering, our method was constructed by a de novo genome alignment-based pipeline to explore the original and specific repetitive biomarkers of the defined intra-population to cover all members to detect newly discovered multi-copy conserved species-specific or even subspecies-specific target probes and primers sets, which has been successfully applied on a number of clinical projects and have the overwhelming advantages of quantitative systematic and automated detection of all pathogenic microorganisms without limits of genome annotation and incompletely assembled motifs. Based on our strategy, users may select different configuration parameters depending on the purpose of the project to realize routine clinical detection practices on the website https://bioinfo.liferiver.com.cn with easy-to-go registration.ConclusionsIt is recommended that our strategy is suitable to identify shared universal phylogenetic markers with few false positive or false negative errors and to automate the design of minimal high effective primers and probes to detect pathogenic communities with cost-effective predictive power.
Some Thoughts about Infrared Radiation Response Characteristics during Loading of Coal and Sandstone Samples
Authors: Sun Hai , Konietzky Heinz , Wang Fei , Herbst Martin
Published: April 2022

The infrared radiation response characteristics and mechanisms of coal and sandstone samples under uniaxial compression were investigated by using infrared thermal imaging and strain measurement techniques. The stress-strain curves were divided into different damage stages (i.e. crack closure, elastic deformation, stable crack growth, unstable crack growth, and post-failure) by the damage thresholds determined by using transverse and vertical strains. Experimental results show that the infrared radiation response characteristics of coal and sandstone are the superposition of different mechanisms, which lead to either temperature increase or decrease. The response mechanisms of infrared radiation vary depending on the damage stage. During crack closure and elastic deformation stage, temperature variations are governed mainly by thermoelastic effects and nearly adiabatic compression of the air in the pore space. In the stable and unstable crack growth phase, the temperature variations are dominated by two reverse acting processes: heat production by frictional sliding and cooling by the expansion of gases in pore spaces. This leads to complex inhomogeneous radiation and consequently temperature distribution at the sample surface with local hotspots.
Effect of intermediate lesions on the 10-years clinical outcomes in patients with significant coronary artery disease
Authors: Kim Yong Kyun , Yang Dong Ju , Jang Chae Won , Kwon Soon Ho , Lee Jae Kwang , Park Seong Soo , Seo Young Hoon , Kim Ki Hong , Kwon Taek Geun , Lee Moo-Sik , Bae Jang-Ho
Published: April 2022

Background: Intermediate lesions (ILs) are challenging to treat. This study aimed to assess the impact of ILs on long-term clinical outcomes in patients with significant coronary lesions (SLs).Methods: This was a non-randomized, retrospective, single-center study. The study subjects were patients with SL (n=403, Men=249), followed up for 10 years (118.5±5.5 months), and divided into 2 groups according to the presence of IL (IL (-) and IL (+) groups with 192 and 211 patients, respectively). The primary outcome was the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), which included all-cause death, myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and revascularization (RVSC).Results: There were no significant differences in MACEs between the IL (-) and IL (+) groups (death, 7.8% vs. 12.3%; MI, 0.0% vs. 2.4%; stroke, 5.7% vs. 6.6%; and RVSC, 19.8% vs. 24.6%). However, the RVSC rate related to IL was lower (5.2% vs. 13.2%) than that related to stented lesions in all subjects. The important predictors for total MACEs in all subjects were the number of ILs and ejection fraction. The predictors of total RVSC events were IL location (right coronary artery [RCA]) and hypertension. The predictor of IL-related RVSC was the number of ILs.Conclusion: Ten-year clinical outcomes of IL were excellent and better than those of stented lesions in patients with SL. Thus, ILs can be managed with optimal medical treatment with acceptable clinical outcomes in patients with SL. The increased risk of MACE in patients with multiple ILs and ILS in the RCA should be carefully managed.
Determination of Quizalofop-p-ethyl in onion spices: Residual profile, weed control efficiency and food safety assessment under field conditions
Authors: Hazra Dipak Kumar , MONDAL PRITHUSAYAK , Purkait Aloke , Mandal Swagata , Bhattacharyya Sudip , Karmakar Rajib , Roy Sankhajit , Banerjee Tirthankar , Banerjee Hemanta
Published: April 2022

Monitoring for pesticide residues in onion (Allium cepa L.) is important to protect consumer health and to ensure food safety. A field experiment was conducted for two consecutive seasons with quizalofop ethyl (5% EC) @ 50 and 100 g a.i. ha-1 to evaluate weed control efficiency and to determine terminal residues. Double the recommended dose (100 g a.i. ha-1) produced higher weed control efficiency (88.53-95.13 %), lower weed density (4.15-7.73 m-2), and weed dry weight. A rapid, sensitive, and analytical method was developed using high-performance liquid chromatography with excellent linearity (r2 > 0.99). Accuracy of the method in terms of average recoveries ranged from 94.4 to 99.9 % at spiking levels of 0.04, 0.20 and 0.40 mg kg-1 with intra and inter-day precision expressed relative standard deviation RSD (%) between 0.1-2.3 and 1.7-3. The limit of quantification for quizalofop-p-ethyl was established at 0.04 mg kg-1 with signal to noise (S/N) ratio ≥10. The method was successfully applied and initial quantified residues were in the range of 2.5-4.4 mg kg-1 irrespective of seasons and doses. Finally, the presence of targeted herbicide residues in harvested samples was confirmed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) under optimized operating conditions. The herbicide dissipated to the lowest validated level (0.04 mg kg-1) between 10-15 days with half-life values (DT50) of 1.5-1.6 days. Dietary risk assessment assured harvested onions were safe for consumption at the recommended dose.
A novel method to quantify the immune status and regulate the immunosuppressants in liver transplant recipients
Authors: He Qiang , Zhu Ji-Qiao , Zhou Lin , Kou Jian-Tao , Ma Jun , Jia Ya-Nan , Wang Ruo-lin , Li Xian-Liang
Published: April 2022

Background: Due to the lack of a reliable means to evaluate the immune status, we proposed a novel method, namely Mingdao immune cells analysis and Mingdao immune score system, to quantify the immunity by scores. Methods: Data from healthy controls in addition to liver transplant recipients, who underwent a single liver transplant or were followed up at Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, were retrospectively collected and analyzed between January 2017 and June 2020. Furthermore, peripheral blood was taken for flow cytometric measurement. Results: A total of 376 healthy controls with 376 tests and 148 liver transplant recipients with 284 tests were included in this study. Evaluated by Mingdao immune cells analysis and Mingdao immune score system, the mean values of healthy controls were near zero inspite of different age groups and gender in contrast to negative mean values in liver transplant recipients before and after liver transplantation. The preoperative scores were used to decide the first dose of the immunosuppressants as patients with lower scores (≤ -5) were suggested to give a lower dose in an attempt to reach a balance between over- and under- immunosuppression. Moreover, we found positive scores or increased scores (≥ 5) could reflect immune activation. Finally, the score was defined to be the only significant independent risk factor for clinical acute rejection (odds ratio, 0.913; confidence interval, 0.845-0.987; P = 0.021). Conclusion: The novel method could be used as an indicator to reflect the immunity and to regulate the immunosuppressants.
Biomechanical Analyses of Gait and Balance in Patients with Subacute Stroke
Authors: Yoo Seung Don , Choi Min Kyu , Kim Dong Hwan , Lee Seung Ah , Chung Seung Jun , Park Eo Jin , Kim Min Gyun , Kim Ji Min
Published: April 2022

Objective: Stroke patients may have balance and gait disturbances due to decreased muscle strength and loss of proprioception. Although previous studies have evaluated balance, walking ability, and functional status of stroke patients, studies that quantitatively evaluate these problems and clarify the correlation between each parameter are insufficient. The purpose of this study was to measure the biomechanical gait parameters of subacute stroke patients and investigate their association with balance and function.Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted on patients admitted with stroke as the main diagnosis between November 2020 and November 2021. Functional evaluation was performed using the Korean version of the Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI) and the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB); balance was evaluated using Berg balance scale (BBS), Trunk Control Test (TCT), and Trunk Impairment Scale (TIS). Quantitative gait parameters were measured using the Zebris gait analysis system. Bilateral hand grip strength, and bilateral knee extension and flexion strength were measured using a dynamometer. The correlation between each evaluation item was analyzed using Spearman’s correlation analysis.Results: Analysis confirmed a strong positive correlation between K-MBI and SPPB, indicators of functional status, and BBS, TIS, and TCT, indicators of balance. Grip, knee extension, and knee flexion strength of the hemiplegic side were positively correlated with overall balance and functional status. The hemiplegic side showed a shorter stance phase and a longer swing phase, and these values showed a significant correlation with functional status. Step length, step time, and gait line length were significantly correlated with balance.Conclusion: It may be helpful to focus on measuring and correcting the center of pressure and stance phase of the hemiplegic side during gait for balance and functional status improvements. Quantitative biomechanical gait analysis may be helpful in assessing balance and functional status in patients with subacute stroke.
Numerical simulation of Quantum Dots as a buffer layer in CIGS Solar Cells: A Comparative study
Authors: Abdulghani Zuhair R. , Najm Asmaa Soheil , Holi Araa Mebdir , Al-Zahrani Asla Abdullah , Al-Zahrani Khaled S , Moria Hazim
Published: April 2022

Quantum bandgap buffer layers can improve sunlight absorption in the short wavelength region, hence improving the performance of CIGS solar cells. In this study, we use numerical modelling to determine the impact of various buffer layers' electrical characteristics on the performance of CIGS thin film photovoltaic devices, particularly, carrier concentration and the quantum effect. As well Ag2S buffer layer has been experimentally examined to fulfilment its effect in term of bulk and quantum bandgap. Experimental results depicted that, Ag2S QDs has polycrystalline nature of films, with smooth surface roughness, and average diameter 4 nm. Meanwhile, a simulation revealed that the Fermi level of the (n- buffer layer) material shifts closer to the conduction band with an increase in carrier concentration. The findings indicate that, a buffer layer with a wider bandgap and carrier concentration is an essential demand for achieving a device with a higher conversion efficiency and a broader bandgap-CBO window. It was attributed to beneficial synergistic effects of high carrier concentration and narrower depletion region, which enable carriers to overcome high CBO barrier. Most importantly, modelling results indicate that the optic-electrical characteristics of the buffer layer are critical in determining the progress of a CIGS solar cell.
Analysis of the relationship between proteins of microorganisms and MS disease by bioinformatics methods
Authors: Bigdeli Ali , Arab Seyed Shahriar , Behmanesh Mehrdad
Published: April 2022

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that is caused by the invasion and destruction of the myelin sheath in the human nervous system. Several studies have shown that there is a powerful link between infectious agents such as bacteria and viruses, with the development or severity of MS disease. With regards to the normal duty of the immune system, we hypothesize that this attack can be caused by sensitizing the immune system to an antigen/s containing resemble myelin sheath components. This study is tried to use bioinformatics and its related tools as a new approach to finding the possible resemble protein amino acid sequences or 3D structures in different microorganisms with human myelin basic protein as a main protein component of myelin sheath human nerve system. Based on the limitations of the proteins 3D structures prediction, the study was categorized in two ways: 1. Simultaneous study and analysis of protein structure and sequence 2. Study exclusively through Sequence similarities between proteins. The similarity of the sequence in several analysis suggests that the presence of these microorganisms or their entry into the body increases the risk of MS. The results indicated the presence of species of fungi is highly capable of infecting immune cells associated with MS. The sequence similarity in the bacterial structures, specifically in the intestinal flora, indicates the class of bacteria that intercede the metabolism of the human body and promote natural activities. Their imbalance increases the possibility of the immune system activating against the body itself.
Non-invasive Electrical Stimulation Upregulates Genes Encoding Melatonin-Related Machinery in Pineal and Salivary Glands, with Dermatome and Frequency-Specific Effects
Authors: Lumsden S. C. , Clarkson A. , Cakmak Yusuf Ozgur
Published: April 2022

Pineal Gland (PG) neuromodulation is possible via invasive, electrical stimulation of its sympathetic pathway. The present study aimed to investigate the potential of non-invasive neuromodulation of the pineal and salivary glands via electrical stimulation. Bilateral electrical stimulation at 10 or 80 Hz or sham stimulation was applied to either the C2 or T1 dermatomes of rats during the dark period for 2-hours. PG, salivary, and lacrimal glands were removed following stimulation and qPCR used to assess expression changes in genes associated with melatonin synthesis, regulation, and signalling. 80 Hz C2 dermatome stimulation significantly upregulated Hiomt within both the PG and submandibular glands, and Rarβ within PG only. 10 Hz C2 dermatome stimulation upregulated Mt3 within the submandibular gland, and both 10 and 80 Hz C2 dermatome stimulation upregulated Rorβ within the parotid gland. Expression was unchanged following 10 or 80 Hz T1 dermatome stimulation and no changes were found in the lacrimal gland following stimulation of either dermatome. Our findings demonstrated that non-invasive, electrical stimulation can modulate gene expression within both the PG and salivary glands with frequency- and dermatome-specific effects. The potential therapeutic effects of this neuromodulation modality need to be uncovered through further research.
Effect of Tenomodulin overexpression treatment on bone formation activity is dependent on gene transfection vectors
Authors: Wang Han , Tenkumo Taichi , Nemoto Eiji , Ogawa Toru , Kanda Yoshiaki , Sasaki Keiichi
Published: April 2022

Tenomodulin (Tnmd) has been confirmed in periodontal ligament and reported to inhibit angiogenesis or involved in collagen fibril maturation; however, the effect of Tnmd overexpression treatment on bone regeneration therapy is not clear.Therefore, in this study we investigated the effect of Tnmd overexpression on bone formation activity in vitro and in vivo, using a calcium phosphate-based gene transfection vector (CaP) or a cationic polymer-based reagent (JetPEI). Osteogenesis- and chondrogenesis-related gene expression levels in MC3T3E1 and rat bone marrow derived cells (rBMSCs) were detected using qPCR test 3 days after gene transfection with plasmid DNA (Tnmd). The bone filling ratio was evaluated at 28 days after implantation of a collagen sponge scaffold with or without CaP (Tnmd) or JetPEI (Tnmd) in rat calvaria bone defects. The bone filling ratio of JetPEI (Tnmd) was lower than that of the scaffold alone, while that of CaP (Tnmd) was higher. The present study demonstrates that the effect of Tnmd overexpression treatment was dependent on cell lines and a non-viral gene transfection vector in vitro. The gene transfection vector should be used depending on the targeting tissue in the introduction of Tnmd overexpression treatment in tissue regeneration therapy.
Globulin, albumin to globulin ratio, and plasma fibrinogen may be potential diagnostic biomarkers for tibial infected nonunion
Authors: Xu Guangyue , Mao Haijun , Wang Zhen
Published: April 2022

Aims: The accurate preoperative diagnosis of infected nonunion remains challenging. Here, we evaluated the diagnostic potential of novel biomarkers for tibial infected nonunion. Methods: A single-center retrospective study was conducted on 155 patients divided into two groups: 59 with tibial infected nonunion (Group A) and 96 with tibial aseptic nonunion (Group B). Preoperatively analyzed clinical parameters included plasma D-dimer, plasma fibrinogen, albumin (ALB), globulin (GLB), albumin-to-globulin ratio (AGR), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), and white blood cell (WBC) count. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, sensitivity, and specificity were utilized to compare the diagnostic potential of these biomarkers. Results: The WBC, ESR, CRP, plasma D-dimer, plasma fibrinogen, and GLB levels of Group A were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than in Group B. The ALB and AGR levels of Group A were significantly lower (P < 0.05) than in Group B. The area under the curve (AUC) of ESR, plasma fibrinogen, and AGR were greater than 0.8. An analysis of a combination of ESR, plasma fibrinogen, GLB, and AGR had the highest AUC. In patients with comorbidities, the diagnostic accuracy of ESR, plasma fibrinogen, GLB, and AGR also performed well. Higher levels of WBC, CRP, and ESR were detected in patients who had recently used antibiotics (P < 0.05). Conclusion: GLB, AGR, and plasma fibrinogen are promising biomarkers for improving the diagnosis of tibial infected nonunion. The integrated analysis of ESR, plasma fibrinogen, GLB, and AGR provided more accurate and more specific diagnosis than the four biomarkers individually.
Time-Resolved β-lactam Cleavage by L1 Metallo-β-Lactamase
Authors: Joachimiak Andrzej , Wilamowski Mateusz , Sherrell Darren , Kim Youngchang , Lavens Alex , Henning Robert , Lazarski Krzysztof , Shigemoto Austin , Endres Michael , Maltseva Natalia , Babnigg Gyorgy , Burdette Shawn , Sra Vukica
Published: April 2022

Serial x-ray crystallography can uncover binding events, and subsequent chemical conversions occurring during enzymatic reaction. Here we reveal the structure, binding and cleavage of moxalactam antibiotic bound to L1 metallo-β-lactamase (MBL). Using time-resolved serial synchrotron crystallography we showed the time course of β-lactam hydrolysis and assembled molecular movie spanning 4 seconds. The reaction was initiated by laser pulse releasing Zn2+ ions from a UV-labile photocage. Two metal ions bind to the active site, followed by binding of moxalactam and the intact β-lactam ring is observed for 100 ms after photolysis. Cleavage of β-lactam is detected at 150 ms and the ligand is significantly displaced. The reaction product adjusts its conformation reaching steady state at 2000 ms corresponding to the relaxed state of the enzyme. Only small changes are observed in the positions of Zn2+ ions and the active site residues. Mechanistic details captured here should be generalized to other MBLs.
Neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease: a case report and literature review
Authors: Chen Xinhao , Xing Jian , Wu Chunfa , Zhang Chaotuan , Ji Zhenzhen , Liu Xinjian , Zhou Xianju , Tang Wei
Published: April 2022

Neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease (NIID) is a slowly progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the presence of eosinophilic intranuclear inclusions in the nervous system and multiple visceral organs. Clinical manifestations of NIIDs vary widely, with familial and sporadic cases reported. The clinical manifestations of NIIDs are highly heterogeneous, complex and diverse, and may present with damage to the corticosphere, pyramidal bundles, extrapyramidal lineages, cerebellum, peripheral nerves, and autonomic nerves. At present, there are no cases in China where skin biopsy and genetic testing have been confirmed at the same time. We reported a case of NIID patient with dementia and behavioral abnormalities as the main clinical features, reviewed the relevant literature, analyzed its clinical characteristics, imaging changes, skin biopsy pathological changes, genetic test results, and reviewed the relevant literature, aiming to help clinicians improve their understanding of NIID.
TGF-β1-Sp1 signaling pathway regulates the expression of collagen I in guinea pig scleral fibroblasts
Authors: Ying Chonghui , Liu Xiawei , Zhang Chu , Zhu Zicheng
Published: April 2022

Background
TGF-β1(Transforming growth factor beta 1)has been shown to be involved in scleral remodeling in myopia; however, it is not fully clear how this pathway regulates collagen I expression.This aim to study the effect of TGF-β1-Sp1(specificity protein 1 )signaling pathway on the expression of collagen I in guinea pig scleral fibroblasts.
Methods
A primary cell culture was prepared from guinea pig scleral tissue. The obtained fibroblasts were divided into four groups, which were given the following treatments: no treatment, TGF-β1, TGF-β1 + Sp1 inhibitor, and TGF-β1 + TGF-β1 inhibitor. The mRNA and protein expression of collagen I and Sp1 was examined by immunohistochemistry, quantitative real-time PCR and western blotting.
Results
Compared with the control group, the protein and mRNA expression levels of Sp1 and collagen I were increased in the TGF-β1 group (P < 0.05), whereas they were decreased in the TGF-β1 + TGF-β1 inhibitor group (P < 0.05). The expression levels of these genes in the TGF-β1 + Sp1 inhibitor group were weaker than in the control, but stronger than those in the TGF-β1 + TGF-β1 inhibitor group (P < 0.05).
Conclusions
To a certain extent, TGF-β1 can mediate the expression of type I collagen through the Sp1 signaling pathway.
Effect of dry-wet alternation on denitrogen bacteria in constructed wetland
Authors: Zhu Jing , Chen Xinyong , Lu Jianjian , Tian Zaifeng , Wu Yihong , Zhao Qi
Published: April 2022

The metagenome sequencing technique was used to study the effect of dry-wet alternation on denitrogen bacteria in constructed wetland. The results showed that the dry-wet alternate condition had a great effect on the abundance of denitrogen bacteria in the system. With the increase of dry-wet alternation time (DWAT4h-DWAT8h-DWAT12h), the number of nitrifying bacteria showed an inverted "V" pattern, the distribution of denitrifying bacteria showed an inverted "V" pattern at 10°C, a "V" pattern at 20°C, and a stable pattern at 30°C (both appeared peak at DWAT8h). The DWAT was important factors affecting the distribution of denitrogen bacteria (P < 0.05). RDA Analysis showed that NH3-N (AN) and TN were significantly correlated with denitrogen bacteria (P < 0.05) and were the main factors affecting the distribution of denitrogen bacteria. Reasonable control of dry-wet alternation time was crucial to increase the number of denitrogen bacteria and denitrogen efficiency.
Effects of continuous nursing based on the WeChat platform in neonates after enterostomy：a single centre retrospective cohort study
Authors: Wu Lijuan , Lin Ying , Xue RuiYun , Guo Bin , Bai Jianxi
Published: April 2022

Background: Nursing after neonatal enterostomy is difficult for many families. A reasonable and efficient mode of continuous nursing management after neonatal enterostomy is a major and difficult issue that urgently need be addressed clinically. The purpose of this research was to analysis the effects of continuous nursing based on the WeChat platform in neonates after enterostomy. Methods: Neonates who underwent enterostomy from January 2014 to December 2020 in our hospital were retrospective analysied. According to the nursing mode, the patients were divided into the traditional nursing group and the continuous nursing group. Peri-stomal skin was evaluated with DET scale. Mental status of families was evaluated with SAS and SDS. Results: There were 143 patients in the traditional nursing group and 165 in the continuous nursing group. No statistically significant differences were found in demographic information between the two groups. The continuous nursing group has an obviously lower DET score for peri-stomal skin than the traditional nursing group (P=0.003). Three months after discharge from the hospital, the continuous nursing group replaces 7.2±1.8 ostomy bags every week, much fewer than the traditional nursing group (P=0.002). For SAS score and SDS score three months after discharge, the continuous nursing group considerably outperforms the traditional nursing group. Conclusions: The continuous nursing based on the WeChat can effectively improve nursing quality for neonatal stoma after discharge. The patients’ families also receives proper psychological counseling to relieve their anxiety and depression and improve the patients’ life quality.
Examining the Role of Community Resilience and Social Capital on Mental Health in Public Health Emergency and Disaster Response: A Scoping Review
Authors: Hall Charlotte E , Wehling Helena , Stansfield Jude , South Jane , Brooks Samantha K , Greenberg Neil , Amlôt Richard , Weston Dale
Published: April 2022

The ability of the public to remain psychologically resilient in the face of public health emergencies and disasters (such as the COVID-19 pandemic) is a key factor in the effectiveness of a national response to such events. Community resilience and social capital are often perceived as beneficial and ensuring that a community is socially and psychologically resilient may aid emergency response and recovery. This review presents a synthesis of literature which answers the following research questions: How are community resilience and social capital quantified in research?; What is the impact of community resilience on mental wellbeing?; What is the impact of infectious disease outbreaks, disasters and emergencies on community resilience and social capital?; and, What types of interventions enhance community resilience and social capital? A scoping review procedure was followed. Searches were run across Medline, PsycInfo, and EMBASE, with search terms covering community resilience or social capital, public health emergencies, and mental health. 26 papers met the inclusion criteria. The majority of retained papers originated in the USA, used a survey methodology to collect data, and involved a natural disaster. There was no common method of measuring community resilience or social capital. The association between community resilience and social capital with mental health was regarded as positive in most cases. However, we found that community resilience, and social capital, were initially negatively impacted by public health emergencies and enhanced by social group activities. Several key recommendations are proposed based on the outcomes from the review, which include: the need for a standardised and validated approach to measuring community resilience or social capital; that there should be enhanced effort to improve preparedness to public health emergencies in communities by gauging current levels of community resilience and social capital; that community resilience and social capital should be bolstered if areas are at risk of disasters or public health emergencies; the need to ensure that suitable short-term support is provided to communities with high resilience in the immediate aftermath of a public health emergency or disaster; the importance of conducting robust evaluation of community resilience initiatives deployed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Epidural Stimulation of the Cervical Spinal Cord Improves Voluntary Motor Control in Post-stroke Upper Limb Paresis
Authors: Capogrosso Marco , Powell Marc , Verma Nikhil , Sorensen Erynn , Carranza Erick , Boos Amy , Fields Daryl , Roy Souvik , Ensel Scott , Barra Beatrice , Balzer Jeffery , Goldsmith Jeffery , Friedlander Robert , Wittenberg George , Fisher Lee , Krakauer John , Gerzsten Peter , Pirondini Elvira , Weber Douglas
Published: April 2022

A large proportion of cerebral strokes disrupt descending commands from motor cortical areas to the spinal cord which can results in permanent motor deficits of the arm and hand1,2. However, below the lesion, the spinal circuits that control movement5 remain intact and could be targeted by neurotechnologies to restore movement6–9. Here we demonstrate that by engaging spinal circuits with targeted electrical stimulation we immediately improved voluntary motor control in two participants with chronic post-stroke hemiparesis. We implanted a pair of 8-contact percutaneous epidural leads on the lateral aspect of the cervical spinal cord to selectively target the dorsal roots that provide excitatory inputs to motoneurons controlling the arm and hand10,11. With this strategy, we obtained independent activation of shoulder, elbow and hand muscles. Continuous stimulation through selected contacts at specific frequencies enabled participants to perform movements that they had been unable to perform for many years. Overall, stimulation improved strength, kinematics, and functional performance. Unexpectedly, both participants retained some of these improvements even without stimulation, suggesting that spinal cord stimulation could be a restorative as well as an assistive approach for upper limb recovery after stroke.
Coronary Artery Disease - risk factors and causes: In western Libyan patients
Authors: Bheleel Osama , Abdulhamid Alaa Hadi , Alhadi Ibtisam , Grash Hanaa , Almoaket Hajer , Abdelhamid Mohamed Hadi Mohamed
Published: April 2022

BackgroundCoronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death worldwide in both men and women. Accordingly, we retrospectively reviewed the effects of various risk factors on coronary angiography outcomes in Libyan patients. MethodsData were collected from the catheter lab through Tripoli university hospital records, whereas the team reviewed clinical data and coronary artery diagrams for one year from 01/04/2019 to 31/03/2020. In our study, the total number of cases was 666; 401 male and 265 female, ranging in age between 27 and 91 years. ResultsConsidering the data, a significantly increased incidence of coronary artery disease (CAD) among male who smokes, and who were less than 60 years of age. Furthermore, in the present study, the total number of normal patients was predominantly female. The most common risk factors for women were diabetes mellitus (DM), and hypertension (HTN) (12%,13% respectively). While the men share the significant effects of smoking on coronary angiography (C. Angio) findings (40.52%), most of them underwent a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).ConclusionsIn our study, there was evidence that CAD is a prevalent disease among middle-aged populations with male gender preference. The risk factors including diabetes, hypertension, and smoking are the most contributing factors for the developing CAD in Libya.
Transient lateral photovoltaic effect observed in Ti-SiO 2 -Si structure
Authors: Ling Xiang , Zhu Peng Fei , Zhu Kun , Ping Yun Xia , Song Pei , Du Jin Yi
Published: April 2022

The transient response of the lateral photovoltaic effect (LPE) was observed when Ti-SiO2-Si structure was irradiated by a 650 nm laser at room temperature. The lateral photovoltage (LPV) was measured by voltmeter, which is linearly dependent on the laser irradiation position. In this paper, we described the dynamic process of LPE when Ti-SiO2-Si was irradiated by laser. The LPE has high sensitivity of 59mV/mm and linearity of 0.9924, respectively. Furthermore, the experimental phenomenon is explained by the carrier diffusion theory. And a resistor-capacitor (RC) circuits model combines with traditional LPE is established to simulate the transient response. These results suggest that the Ti-SiO2-Si structure is a potential choice for optoelectronic devices applied in the sensors field.
Effects of plastic fragment size and concentration on plant performance are mediated by soil properties and water availability
Authors: Krehl Anne , Schöllkopf Undine Marulla , Májeková Maria , Tielbörger Katja , Tomiolo Sara
Published: April 2022

Purpose: Increasing attention has been devoted to the effects of plastic contamination on soil water content and plant performance. However, little is known about how plastic in soil may interact with climate change factors, such as drought. We hypothesized that 1) Plastic affects soil water content negatively, and such effect is mediated by plastic size and concentrations, water availability and soil texture; 2) plants attain higher growth in soil where the negative effects of drought and plastic are small. Methods: We tested the joint effects of water availability, soil texture, and plastic fragments (varying in concentration and size), on soil water content and growth of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Results: While increasing concentrations and size of plastic negatively affected soil water content, likely by favoring the formation of fractures within soil aggregates, they positively affected plant growth, likely by increasing soil porosity and facilitating root growth. In low water availability such responses were generally stronger, while soil texture mediated linear vs. unimodal responses in soil water content.Conclusion: Plastic contamination in soil is bound to increase overtime, and it may interact with drought in affecting soil and plants in non-linear ways. This implies that plastic contamination may either amplify or mitigate the effects of climate change on plants, soil and their interactions.
Prevalence of depression, anxiety, stress, and their associated factors among university students in Bangladesh
Authors: Kamruzzaman Md. , Hossain Ahammad , Islam Md. Aminul , Ahmed Md. Shakil , Kabir Enamul
Published: April 2022

BackgroundLife at higher educational institutions is very challenging and stressful due to the very nature, structure, and functions of the institutions. It is well established that the prevalence of various mental illnesses, such as depression, anxiety, and stress, is high among university students around the world. But little is known about the prevalence of the phenomenon in the context of a developing country, like Bangladesh.AimsThe goal of this research is to investigate the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress levels among students of a public and a private university in Bangladesh. MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted among sampled two universities located in Rajshahi city, about 300km northwest of Bangladesh capital Dhaka. A total of 738 students (380 from Rajshahi University (RU, public) and 358 from Varendra University (VU, private) took part in the study. Data were collected through a face-to-face questionnaire survey from January to March 2020. The Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-42) was used to measure the depression, anxiety, and stress levels among the participants. Bivariate and multivariate techniques were to analyze the data. Results The results indicate that private university students are more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, and stress compared to the students of public universities due to various contributing factors. Female students from both public and private universities are more likely to suffer from severe/extreme levels of anxiety compared to male students. Conclusion There exists a high prevalence of mental illnesses among university students in Bangladesh. The university authorities should build up an effective support system such as setting up of counseling center, raising awareness of seeking help, and measures for reducing mental illness stigma on the campuses.
Assessment of Heavy Metal and Metalloid Concentrations at Horicon National Wildlife Refuge
Authors: Woody Sarah , O’Dell Sadie , Krapfl Jon , Warner Sarah , McPhee M. Elsbeth
Published: April 2022

Anthropogenic inputs of heavy metals and metalloids pose a risk to wetland ecosystems due to their long retention time in sediment, high toxicity at low concentrations, and ability to biomagnify in the food chain. Our study involved an extensive monitoring effort for seven heavy metals (cadmium:Cd, chromium:Cr, copper:Cu, mercury:Hg, nickel:Ni, lead:Pb, zinc:Zn) and one metalloid (arsenic:As) in sediment, roots of the invasive hybrid cattail (Typha x glauca), and livers from muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus) at Horicon National Wildlife Refuge, a wetland of international importance in southeastern Wisconsin, United States. Overall, our comparison to literature values and thresholds led us to conclude that heavy metals and metalloids pose a low risk to the refuge. The highest concentrations were found in the sediment, followed by T. x glauca roots, and with negligible concentrations in muskrat liver tissue for all but the essential metals Cu, Ni and Zn, indicating low biomagnification in this food chain. A spatial analysis using GIS revealed hotspots for Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn in sediment in one particular subplot, which we hypothesize may be from runoff of agricultural amendments. However, since concentrations in sediment were similar to or lower than concentrations found in a prior survey from 1990, there may have been improvement over the last three decades. Overall, while anthropogenic influences are present, we recommend that our relatively low concentrations be used as healthy points of comparison regarding risk to plants and mammals for others conducting metal and metalloid surveys on wetlands.
Application of semiparametric model in modelling diabetic retinopathy among type II diabetic patients
Authors: Yirdaw Bezalem Eshetu , Debusho Legesse Kassa
Published: April 2022

Background: The proportion of patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR) has grown with increasing number of diabetic mellitus patients in the world. It is among the top risk factors of blindness worldwide, especially those living in developing countries. The main objective of this study was to identify contributing risk factors of diabetic retinopathy among type II diabetic patients. Method: A sample of 191 type II diabetic patients was selected from the Black Lion Specialized Hospital diabetic unit from 1 March 2018 to 1 April 2018. A multivariate stochastic regression imputation technique was applied to impute the missing values. The response variable, diabetic retinopathy is a categorical variable with two outcomes. Based on the relationship derived from the exploratory analysis, the odds of diabetic retinopathy were not necessarily linearly related to the continuous predictors for this sample of patients. Therefore, a semiparametric model was proposed to identify the contributing factors of diabetic retinopathy. Result: From the sample of 191 type II diabetic patients, 98(51.3%) of them experienced diabetic retinopathy. The results of semiparametric regression model revealed that gender, hypertension, insulin treatment, and frequency of clinical visits had a significant linear relationships with the odds of diabetic retinopathy. In addition, the log-odds of DR has a significant nonlinear relation with the interaction of age by gender (for female patients), duration of diabetes, interaction of cholesterol level by gender (for female patients), haemoglobin A1c, and interaction of haemoglobin A1c by fasting blood glucose with degrees of freedom 3.2, 2.7, 3.6, 2.3 and 3.7, respectively. The interaction of age by gender and cholesterol level by gender appear non significant for male patients. The result from the interaction of haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) by fasting blood glucose (FBG) showed that the risk of diabetic retinopathy is high when the level of HbA1c and FBG were simultaneously high. Conclusion: Clinical variables related to type II diabetic patients were strong predictive factors of diabetic retinopathy. Hence, health professionals should be cautious about the possible effects and complications of diabetic mellitus which can be caused by the clinical variables. Furthermore, to improve intervention strategies similar studies should be conducted across the country.
Towards Anger Phenotyping of Indian Perimenopausal Females with Lyfas Anger Screening Optical Biomarker Instrument LASI
Authors: Chattopadhyay Subhagata , Das Rupam
Published: April 2022

Background
Anger phenotyping in perimenopausal women is a complex task due to multifactor involvement. Anger sets sympathetic overdrive and affects the sympathovagal balance. Lyfas is a novel smartphone-based non-invasive optical biomarker instrument. It captures short Heart rate variability (HRV) and its correlated optical biomarkers using the method of arterial photoplethysmography and assesses the sympathovagal balance.
Aims
This study is designed to mine the significant optical biomarkers (SDNN, RMSSD, pNN50, SD1/SD2, and LF/HF) and physical parameters (Age, HR, BMI, systolic and diastolic BP, estradiol, TSH, HbA1c, and cortisol) to construct a novel hybrid Lyfas Anger Screening Instrument (LASI) and then validated against the well-acclaimed Clinical Anger Scale (CAS) in anger phenotyping. Settings and Design: It is a case-control study with a total of 415 perimenopausal women (case: 205 and healthy control: 210).
Methods and material:
Lyfas tests were performed thrice/day for 2 weeks and their biomarkers’ scores are captured. During the same period, they have also recorded the anger episodes as per the CAS scoresheet. Statistical analysis used: LASI is constructed using Spearman’s correlation (ρ and p-values) and validated against the CAS instrument with Bland Altman's inter-rater reliability assessment by noting the strength of agreement.
Results
BMI, BP, TSH, and HbA1c shows a significant positive correlation with anger. LASI scores high for recall (95%), specificity (75%), precision (92%), accuracy (71%), Youden’s index (J-statistic, 74%), and fscore (74%).
Conclusion
LASI is qualified to be used in the clinical setup in anger screening and monitoring.
Comparison of high- and low-dose prednisolone in the treatment of idiopathic granulomatous mastitis: a retrospective study
Authors: Mashoori Negar , Omranipour Ramesh , Alipour Sadaf , Saberi Azin
Published: April 2022

Background:There is no consensus regarding best treatment for Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis(IGM). Regarding the inflammatory entity of this disease, corticosteroids have been used with good results. However, prescribing lower dosages are more appealing, regarding their side effects. The aim of this study is to compare the response and recurrence rates in IGM patients treated with low dose and high dose prednisolone.Methods: Medical records of patients diagnosed with IGM in the Cancer Institute and Arash Women's Hospital hospital of Tehran University of Medical Sciences from November 2012 to December 2020 were evaluated retrospectively. Patients with first presentation of disease who had been treated with oral prednisolone were included, and were classified as low dose group(less than 25mg) and high dose group(equal or more than 25mg) according to the maximum received dose of prednisolone during their treatment. The response and recurrence rate between two groups were compared.Results: 108 patients were included in this study. Totally, 84.3% of patients responded to corticosteroids: 82.5% in the high dose group and 85.3% in low dose group (P-value=0.7). Total recurrence was 21.9% in all patients. 21.7% of patients in high dose group and 22% of patients in low dose experienced recurrence(P-value=0.984). Conclusion: Our study suggests that lower safe doses of corticosteroids may be used to treat IGM patients without influencing the treatment efficacy. Prospective randomized trials with larger sample sizes and matched case-control groups are necessary to further clarify this issue.
An immune-related signature predicted survival in patients with Kidney clear cell carcinoma
Authors: junwen Shen , rongjiang Wang , yu Chen , zhihai Fang , jianer Tang , jianxiang Yao , yuhang Ling , liya Guan , Huan Zhong
Published: April 2022

Objective
The main aim of this study was to identify immune-related genes in Kidney clear cell carcinoma (ccRcc) patients.
Methods
We downloaded RNAseq data and clinical information of ccRcc patients from the TCGA database and retrieved the immune-related genes list from the web of Immport. We performed Cox and LASSO analyses, using “survival” and “glmnt’ packages implemented in R, to reveal survival immune-related genes. Next, we verified the prognostic signature of these genes, and further confirmed its survival value using Kaplan-Meier analysis and ROC time dependent curves. We also evaluated the signature’s immune cell component and the results of immunotherapy.
Results
Analysis of 526 tumor samples revealed a total of 770 immune-related genes, after four steps of primary screening. Cox and LASSO analyses revealed 11 hub immune-related survival genes, namely ADRB2, AGER, BIRC5, CDNF, CXCL2, ESR2, F2RL1, IFITM1, PTX3, SEMA3G, and TCF7L2. Kaplan-Meier curves revealed prognostic signature of the 11 DEGs, with the high-risk score group in ccRcc patients exhibiting a worse survival rate (P < 0.001 in both the training and test sets, respectively). ROC analysis in the training set revealed an AUC value of 0.71 for both 1- and 3-year survival, and 0.65 for 5 years). Furthermore compared with low-risk score group, we found that the high-risk score group had a higher percentage of 10 cells in the immune component (Exhausted cells, Tr1 cells, nTreg cells, Th1 cells, Tfh cells, Effect memory cells, MAIT cells, Macrophage cells, CD8 T cells, and iTreg cells), a low percentage of 6 cells (CD4 native cells, CD8 native cells, Th17 cells, central memory cells, Neutrophil cells, and Gamma delta cells).
Conclusion
Our results revealed 11 survival immune-related genes (ADRB2, AGER, BIRC5, CDNF, CXCL2, ESR2, F2RL1, IFITM1, PTX3, SEMA3G, TCF7L2) in ccRcc patients. We used these genes to develop a signature that can act as an independent prognostic predictor for overall survival and response of ccRcc patients to immunotherapy.