bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
5′-N-Ethylcarboxamido Adenosine Attenuates Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury In Type 2 Diabetic Rats Through A2AR/PKCα/miR-15a Signaling
Authors: Chen Chao , Ke Jianjuan , Ding Huang , Hu Chengjun , Wang Zhenggang , Li Mengyun , Wang Yanlin
Published: September 2021

Background/aims: Type 2 diabetes mellitus aggravates myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (MI/RI). Activation of adenosine receptors (ARs) confer to attenuated MI/RI in nondiabetic animals and human. However, this effects and mechanism of ARs in the type 2 diabetic state are still unknown. In present study, we established a type 2 diabetic rat in vivo myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (MI/R) model to evaluate the effect of ARs on MI/RI with a focus on the A2A adenosine receptor (A2 AR) -mediated cardioprotective effects. Methods: Type 2 diabetic rat were subjected to myocardial infarction by LAD ligation in situ and randomly received ARs agonist and/or antagonists or vehicle treatment. After 2h marker of the extent of myocardial damage(ejection fraction of the LV, Infarct size, plasma cardiac troponin I) were measured and pro- and anti-apoptotic signals (protein kinase Cα，Bcl-2, Bax, miR-15), and marker of apoptosis execution (cleaved caspase-3, TUNEL) were quantified in the infarcted myocardium.Results: non-selective adenosine receptor agonist 5′-(N-ethylcarboxamido) adenosine treatment attenuates MI/RI, improve post-MI/R left ventricular function, limit infarct size, reduce cardiac troponin I release, reduce myocardial apoptosis, up-regulates bcl2 and down-regulates miR-15a, bax and cleaved caspase-3 expression; This protective effects were attenuated by pretreatment with selective A2AR antagonist ZM241385 or PKCα-selective inhibitor Go6976; and duplicated by treatment with A2AR-selective agonist CGS21680 or PKCα-potent activator PMA.Conclusions: NECA reduces MI/RI in T2DM rats via the A2AR/PKCα/miR-15a signaling pathway; NECA is a useful target candidate for the treatment of MI/RI in patient with type 2diabetes.
Case Report – Direct Percutaneous Approach to Treat Peristomal Varices: A Simple and Effective Option
Authors: Grange Rémi , Roy Bertrand Le , Chevalier Clément , Barral Fabrice-Guy , Grange Sylvain
Published: September 2021

Introduction:Bleeding secondary to peristomal varices is a rare but potentially fatal complication of portal hypertension. TIPS is its first-line etiologic treatment in the setting of cirrhosis with portal hypertension. However, TIPS is not always feasible, especially in cases of contraindication or portal trunk occlusion.Case presentation: A patient of 63-year old male was referred for persistent peristomal variceal bleeding. He had a past history cirrhosis with portal hypertension due to alcohol consumption and more recently, rectal cancer with metachronous liver metastasis. He was treated by proctectomy with placement of a stoma in the left flank. An evaluation CT scan showed a tumour-like occlusion of the portal vein, the origin of which is uncertain.He was regularly referred to the emergency department for peristomal bleeding with anaemia, without haemodynamic instability. CT-scan angiogram confirmed ectopic peristomal varices without active bleeding. After multidisciplinary meeting, a minimal invasive approach was decided. Under local anaesthesia and ultrasoung guidance, the varicose vein was punctured by direct percutaneous access using a 22G-needle, and embolized using a mixture of N-Butyl-Cyanoacrylate and Lipiodol. The patient had no complication, and no recurrent bleeding occurred after more than 6 months of follow-up. He was discharged from the hospital 8 days later.Conclusion: The percutaneous approach is a simple and effective technique. This approach should be the first line treatment when TIPS is not indicated.
The Relationship of C-reactive Protein/interleukin-6 Concentrations Between Serum and Synovial Fluid in the Diagnosis of Periprosthetic Joint Infection
Authors: Yu Bao-Zhan , Li Rui , Li Xiang , Chai Wei , Zhou Yong-Gang , Chen Jiying
Published: September 2021

Background: The relationship of C-reactive protein (CRP)/interleukin-6 (IL-6) concentrations between serum and synovial fluid and whether synovial CRP/IL-6 testing in addition to serum CRP/IL-6 testing would result in a benefit in the diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) deserves to be investigated.Methods: From June 2016 to July 2019, 139 patients were included in the study. Synovial CRP and IL-6 were tested by ELISA. The serum CRP and IL-6 were obtained from medical records. The definition of PJI was based on the modified Musculoskeletal Infection Society (MSIS) criteria. The relationship of serum and synovial CRP and IL-6 and the value of each index in the diagnosis of PJI were evaluated.Results: The Receiver operating characteristic（ROC）curves showed that synovial IL-6 had the highest area under the curve（AUC） at 0.935, which was followed by synovial CRP, serum IL-6 and serum CRP 0.861, 0.847 and 0.821, respectively. When combining serum CRP and synovial CRP to diagnose PJI, the AUC was 0.849, which was slightly higher than the result obtained when using serum CRP alone. In contrast, when combining serum IL-6 and synovial IL-6 to diagnose PJI, the AUC increased to 0.940, which was significantly higher than that obtained using serum IL-6 alone.Conclusion: The synovial IL-6 has the highest diagnostic accuracy for PJI. However，inferring the level of CRP/IL-6 in the synovial fluid from the serum level of CRP/IL-6 was not feasible. Synovial CRP testing did not offer an advantage when combined with an existing serum CRP result to diagnose PJI, while additional synovial IL-6 was worthy of testing even if there was an existing serum IL-6 result.
Study on the Mechanism of Injury of Chicken Tracheal Epithelium Caused by Mycoplasma Gallisepticum Infection
Authors: WU Chunlin , Zhong Lemiao , Zhang Ligen , Li Wenji , Liu Binhui , Huang Baoqin , Luo Zhongbao , Wu Yijian
Published: September 2021

Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) is a pathogenic microorganism that is seriously harmful to the poultry industry. It mainly adsorbs on the cilia and mucosa of respiratory epithelial cells, resulting in tracheal mucosal epithelial injury or ciliary shedding, causing chronic respiratory disease (CRD). In order to study the damage of tracheal mucosal epithelium induced by MG infection in chickens and explore its possible mechanism, SPF chicks were challenged with the wild-type Mycoplasma gallisepticum strain MG-HY strain. Then, transcriptome sequencing analysis was performed to study the mechanism of MG tracheal mucosal epithelial injury. During infection, MG localizes and proliferates in the chicken trachea, and induces mucosal epithelial damage.A total of 3112 significantly (P < 0.01) differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were selected by RNA-seq, including 1646 up-regulated genes and 1466 down-regulated genes. Functional analysis showed increased expression levels of genes involved in immune defense response and mechanical barrier of tracheal mucosa in infected chicks. The expression level of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α) increased, activating the upstream protein Ras of the ERK-MLCK signaling pathway, Ras causing ERK1/2 phosphorylation levels to rise and MLCK activation, thus causing phosphationalization of MLC, and further regulating the expression and mucous distribution of tight junction protein (TJ), leading to tracheal mucosal epithelial injury in chicks. The results of qRT-PCR assay and immunohistochemical analysis were consistent with the results of transcriptome analysis. Overall, our results provide a basis for further investigation of the mechanisms underlying the epithelial damage of the tracheal membrane in chicks caused by MG-infection, contributing to the understanding of how MG affects avian respiratory diseases.
Improving Lookup and Query Execution Performance in Distributed Big Data Systems using Cuckoo Filter
Authors: Mosharraf Sharafat Ibn Mollah , Adnan Muhammad Abdullah
Published: September 2021

Performance is a critical concern when reading and writing data from billions of records stored in Big Data warehouse. We introduce two scopes for query performance improvement. One is to improve performance of lookup queries after data deletion in Big Data systems that use Eventual Consistency. We propose a scheme to improve lookup performance after data deletion by using Cuckoo Filter. Another scope for improvement is to avoid unnecessary network round-trip for querying in remote nodes in a distributed Big Data cluster when it is known that the nodes do not have requested partition of data. We propose a scheme using probabilistic filters that are looked up before querying remote nodes, so that queries resulting in no data can be skipped from passing through the network. We evaluate our schemes with Cassandra using real dataset and show that each scheme can improve performance of lookup queries for up to 100%.
Health-related Quality of Life of Children Treated for Non-syndromic Craniosynostosis
Authors: Kljajic Marizela , Maltese Giovanni , Tarnow Peter , Sand Peter , Kölby Lars
Published: September 2021

Background: Assessing health-related quality of life (HRQoL) allows acquisition of the subjective perspective of patients regarding their health and functioning; however, little is known about the experiences of patients living with treated craniosynostosis (CS). Methods: School-aged children (7–16 years) treated for non-syndromic CS were assessed using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) 4.0 Generic Core Scales via both self- and proxy reports.Results: Seventy-three patients and their parents responded to the PedsQL (response rate: 80.2%). Patients generally estimated HRQoL as high, with no difference in HRQoL found between treated sagittal (SS) or metopic (MS) synostosis. In the SS group, surgical methods involving spring-assisted surgery and pi-plasty were unrelated to HRQoL outcomes. Additionally, HRQoL was highly correlated with intelligence quotient (IQ) and adaptive behavior skills (ABAS). Furthermore, we observed differences in estimated HRQoL between self- and proxy reports (i.e., parents estimated child HRQoL as higher than did the children). Conclusions: Children treated for CS have a generally high HRQoL, and neither CS type nor surgical method influenced HRQoL outcomes. Moreover, children and parents estimated HRQoL differently, suggesting the importance of using both self- and proxy reporting in patient-reported measures. We found that HRQoL was strongly related to IQ and ABAS, indicating that the PedsQL can be used as a screening instrument to identify craniofacial patients in need of further psychological assessment.
The Effect of Curcumin on Aβ, Akt, and GSK3β in Brain and Retina of APP/PS1 Mice and Blood of Alzheimer’s Patients With Early Stage Disease
Authors: Mei Xi , Qiu Conglong , Shi Lingli , Li Xingxing , Yang Mengxiang , Hu Jun , Chen Zhongming , Zou Chenjun
Published: September 2021

BackgroundCurcumin has multifunctional pharmacological properties, including anti-oxidant, anti-inﬂammatory, and anti-diabetic properties. We investigated whether curcumin can improve pathological changes associated with Alzheimer's disease, including amyloid β (Aβ), protein kinase B (PKB, also termed Akt), and glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) levels and expression. MethodsAlzheimer’s transgenic APPSWE/PS1ΔE9 mice and wild type mice were treated with curcumin by intragastric administration for 2 weeks at 2 and 5 months of age. Aβ plaques and contents in the brain and retina were measured by immunohistochemistry and enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay, respectively, while the expression of Akt and GSK3β was tested by RNA isolation and quantitative real-time poly merase chain reaction. Bloods of patients with AD and age-matched health controls were used to determine the contents of Aβ, Akt and GSK3β. ResultsCurcumin treatment decreased Aβ accumulation in the early stages of AD at 5 months (p < 0.001). It also improved AD-associated pathological changes, including upregulation of Akt (p < 0.01) and downregulation of GSK3β (p < 0.01). In addition to AD-associated changes, the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β was significantly decreased by curcumin treatment (p < 0.05). ConclusionsCurcumin can suppress Aβ accumulation during the early stages of AD, upregulate the expression of Akt, downregulate the expression of GSK3β, and inhibit the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β. Curcumin can be used to improve pathological features of AD in the early stages of disease
Assessing and Projecting Surface Air Temperature Conditions Required To Sustain Permafrost in Japan
Authors: Yokohata Tokuta , IWAHANA Go , Saito Kazuyuki , Ishizaki Noriko , Matsushita Taiga , Sueyoshi Tetsuo
Published: September 2021

Permafrost covers a wide area of the Northern Hemisphere, including high-altitude mountainous areas even at mid-low latitudes. There is concern that the thawing of mountain permafrost can cause slope instability and substantially impact alpine ecosystems. However, permafrost in mountainous areas is difficult to observe, and detailed analyses have not been performed on its current distribution and future changes. Here, we show that the surface air temperature required to sustain Japan's mountain permafrost is estimated to decrease rapidly at present; most mountain permafrost in Japan is projected to disappear by the second half of the 21st century, and disappear very quickly in some places from approximately 2020–2030, regardless of climate scenarios. Our projections indicate that climate change has a considerable impact on mountain environments and that even if climate stabilization is achieved, Japan's mountain permafrost may almost disappear. It is important to consider measures to adapt to the changing mountain environment.
Single-fraction Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Atypical Meningiomas (WHO grade II): Treatment Results Based on a 25-year Experience
Authors: Hasegawa Hirotaka , Vakharia Kunal , Michael Link J , Stafford Scott L , Brown Paul D , Parney Ian F , Burns Terry C , Yan Elizabeth S , Mahajan Anita , Laack Nadia N , Pollock Bruce E
Published: September 2021

PurposeTo clarify the role of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for atypical meningiomas (AM).MethodsA retrospective analysis of 68 patients with AM having SRS from 1995 until 2019. Nineteen patients (28%) had undergone prior external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) (median dose, 54 Gy). The median follow-up period was 52 months.ResultsEighteen (26%), 17 (25%), and 33 (49%) patients received SRS as an upfront adjuvant (≤ 6 months), early salvage (7-18 months), or late salvage treatment (> 18 months), respectively. The 3-, 5-, and 10-year progression-free survivals (PFSs) were 52%, 35%, and 25%, respectively. The 3-, 5-, and 10-year disease-specific survivals (DSSs) were 85%, 78%, and 61%, respectively. Adverse radiation events (AREs) were observed in 12 patients (18%), with increased or new seizures being the most frequent complication (n=7). Prior EBRT was associated with reduced PFS (HR = 5.92, P <0.01), reduced DSS (HR = 5.84, P <0.01), and an increased risk of ARE (HR = 3.31, P = 0.04). Timing of SRS was correlated with reduced PFS for patients having early salvage treatment compared to upfront adjuvant (HR = 3.17, P = 0.01) or late salvage treatment (HR = 4.39, P <0.01). Conclusion﻿PFS for patients with residual/recurrent AM remains poor despite SRS. Prior EBRT was associated with worse tumor control, higher tumor-related mortality, and an increased risk of ARE. Further study on the timing of SRS is needed to determine if upfront adjunctive SRS improves tumor control compared to salvage SRS.
Changes in The Liver Transcriptome and Physiological Parameters of Japanese Black Steers During The Fattening Period
Authors: Kim Minji , Masaki Tatsunori , Ikuta Kentaro , Iwamoto Eiji , Uemoto Yoshinobu , Terada Fuminori , Roh Sanggun
Published: September 2021

We investigated the physiological changes during the fattening period and production characteristics in Japanese Black steers bred and raised using the typical feeding system in Japan. Here, 21 Japanese black steers aged 12 months were used, and the experimental period was divided into early (12–14 months of age), middle (15–22 months), and late fattening phases (23–30 months). The liver transcriptome, blood metabolites, hormones, and rumen fermentation characteristics were analyzed. The blood triglyceride and non-esterified fatty acid concentrations increased, and blood ketone levels decreased, with fattening phases. Blood insulin increased with fattening phases and was higher in groups with high carcass weight and marbling. Rumen fermentation characteristics showed high propionate levels and low butyrate levels in late fattening phases, likely due to increased energy intake. Genes related to glucose metabolism, such as SESN3, INSR, LEPR, and FOXO3, were down-regulated in late fattening phases. Genes related to lipid metabolism, such as FABP4, were up-regulated, whereas FADS1 and FADS2 were down-regulated. These findings suggest that the physiological changes resulted from changes in the energy content and composition of diets. Liver metabolism changed with changes in fat metabolism. Insulin was strongly associated with physiological changes and productivity in Japanese Black cattle.
Risk factor modification reduced incidence of atrial fibrillation in an 18-year prospective cohort study: a time-updated analysis
Authors: Son Mi Kyoung , Song Dae Sub , Lee Kyoungho , Park Hyun-Young
Published: September 2021

Background

Although atrial fibrillation (AF) is an increasing health burden worldwide, strategies for AF prevention are lacking. This study aimed to identify modifiable risk factors (MRF) for and estimate their impact on AF risk in the midlife general population.
Methods

We assessed 9,049 participants who were free of prevalent AF at baseline from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study. Cox models with time-varying assessment of risk factors were used to identify significant MRF for incident AF. The MRF burden was defined as the proportion of times presented MRF during follow-up, based on the number of visits.
Results

Over a median follow-up of 13.1 years, 182 (2.01%) participants developed AF. In time-updated multivariable models accounting for changes in risk factors, three MRF including systolic blood pressure (SBP) more than 140 mmHg, obesity with central obesity, and an inactive lifestyle were significantly associated with incident AF. Compared to subjects with three MRF, those with one or no MRF had a decreased risk of AF (hazard ratio [95% CI] for one MRF, 0.483 [0.256–0.914]; and for no MRF, 0.291 [0.145–0.583]). A decreasing MRF burden was associated with reduced AF risk (hazard ratio [95% CI] per 10% decrease in SBP more than 140 mmHg, 0.937 [0.880–0.997]; in obesity with central obesity, 0.942 [0.907–0.978]; in inactivity, 0.926 [0.882–0.973]).
Conclusions

Maintenance or achievement of optimal MRF control was associated with decreased AF risk, suggesting that minimizing the burden of MRF might help prevent AF.
Altered Hippocampal Functional Connectivity Is Closely Related to Pain and Catastrophic Thinking Habits in Patients With Postherpetic Neuralgia
Authors: Kurosaki Hiromichi , Kan Shigeyuki , Terada Masaki , Shibata Masahiko , Kawamata Tomoyuki
Published: September 2021

Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a chronic pain condition after a cure of herpes zoster. Patients with PHN often suffer from physical pain and psychological distress. We investigated the relationship between functional alternations in the brains of patients with PHN and their clinical manifestations using resting-state fMRI. We acquired resting-state fMRI data from 17 patients with PHN and matched healthy controls. We performed seed-based functional connectivity (FC) analysis and statistical comparisons in FC. We also performed correlation analysis between FC strengths and clinical scores about pain intensity, anxiety, depression and pain catastrophizing. In FC analysis, brain regions in the salience, default mode, sensorimotor and reward network were set as seeds. FC between the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and hippocampus increased in PHN group. In contrast, FC between the hippocampus and primary somatosensory cortex (SI) decreased in PHN group. Furthermore, the SI-hippocampus FC was negatively correlated with pain intensity and the mPFC-hippocampus FC was positively correlated with pain catastrophizing tendency. Our findings indicate that the hippocampus is related to pain perception and catastrophic thinking habits in patients with PHN. Functional alteration of the hippocampus may have a major role in the development and maintenance of chronic pain condition in patients with PHN.
Characteristics of Sexual Behavior in Blind Males: a Cross-sectional Survey
Authors: Huang Shaoming , Zhu Shenghuang , Liu Renfu , Xiong Chuanchuan , Liu Lixin , Li Shuangshuang , Liu Shihan , Shu Yuan , Qian Biao , Huang Jiaguo
Published: September 2021

Objective: To investigate access to sexual knowledge, understanding of the sexual partners' beauty and sexual arousal in blind males and analyze the factors affecting them.Methods: A total of 54 blind males were conducted a face-to-face interview survey and questionnaire by the trained investigators. Results: The sound of mobile phones accounted for 51.9% of access to sexual knowledge, radio for 27.8%, the sound of television for 35.2%, and peer communication for 48.1%. The gentle and pleasant voice (64.8%) was most frequent on understanding of the sexual partners' beauty, followed by sexy and stylish figure (55.5%), fine and smooth skin (51.9%) and attractive body fragrance (18.5%). The results on the stimulation of sexual arousal showed that hearing gentle and pleasant sounds accounted for 40.7%, touching delicate and smooth skin for 44.4%, touching sexy and stylish figure for 53.7%, and pleasant mood for 22.2%. Conclusion: Blind males lack formal and systematic sex education in Ganzhou. And the understanding of the sexual partners' beauty mainly includes hearing, touch and smell. The stimulation of sexual arousal is mainly reflected in sound and touch, and pleasant mood also has a certain impact.
Factors Associated With Virological Suppression of HIV Viral Load in Patients on Antiretroviral Therapy in Conakry, Guinea
Authors: camara Alimou , Diallo Penda Maladho , Diallo Mamadou Bobo , Nioké Talla , Cissé Adama , Sylla Mamadou Alpha , Lamah Gobounet , Diakité Mamady , Bah Amadou Sadio , Keita Mamadou Bhoye , Keita Alpha Kabinet , Conde Mamoudou , Kourouma Kaba , camara Robert , Koita Youssouf , Magassouba Fode Bangaly , camara Alioune , TOURE Abdoulaye Abdoulaye
Published: September 2021

BackgroundThe viral load has become an indispensable tool in evaluating antiretroviral therapy (ART) in people living with HIV / AIDS. This study aimed to assess virological suppression among in people living with HIV / AIDS on antiretroviral therapy in Guinea.MethodsThis was a descriptive cross-sectional study of more than three years that involved adult HIV-positive patients treated in different sites in Conakry. A total of 9815 viral load data were collected. The viral load was quantified by the Generic Biocentric technique and the detection threshold set at 350 copies/ml. Statistical analyses were performed by R software version R4.0.3..ResultsA total of 9815 viral load data collected at the national public health laboratory were analysed. The sample was dominated by women (72%), with an average age of 29 [29, 39]. Of these, 6,706 (68%) of HIV-positive people on ART had viral load suppression. The univaried analysis showed that women were 22% more likely to have VL suppression (p-value <0.001) moreover, the chance for all HIV-positive people on treatment to achieve viral load suppression was related to the length of treatment.Conclusionthe results of this study show viral load suppression greater than 68%. The length of antiretroviral therapy, female gender, and advancing age of PLHIV were all favourable to VL suppression.
The LOX-1 Receptor Ectopically Expressed in the Liver Alleviates Atherosclerosis by Clearing Ox-LDL in the Circulation
Authors: Wang Zhiwen , Chen Juan , Zeng Zhuanglin , Zhang Qing , Du Gaohui , Guo Xiaopeng , Wei Yumiao
Published: September 2021

Objective: Ox-LDL is the core factor in the development of atherosclerosis. However, there are few therapyaimed at eliminating Ox-LDL. Here in this study, we investigate whether the expression of the lectin-like oxidized low density lipoprotein receptor (LOX-1) in the liver could lead to the phagocytosis and degradationof circulating Ox-LDL and prevent the deposition of oxidized lipids in the vascular wall, thereby alleviatingthe progression of atherosclerosis.Methods: ApoE-/- mice were randomly divided into three groups, the control group,the AAV8-TBG-eGFP group and AAV8-TBG-LOX-1 group. In the viral group, mice received an injection of AAV8-TBG-LOX-1 (1.16×1011 virus genome (vg)/animal/100 μl). The mice in the control group and the AAV8-TBG-eGFP group received the same amount of sterile saline and AAV8-TBG-eGFP injections. The expression of LOX-1 in the liver was detected by immunofluorescent, Western blot and immunohistochemistry. The safety was assessed by H&E staining and blood biochemical analyses. The function of LOX-1 in the liver was detected by the co- localization of LOX-1 and Dil-Ox-LDL under laser scanning confocal microscope. The Ox-LDL in plasma was detected by ELISA. Changes in blood lipids were assessed through blood biochemical analysis. The pro- gression of atherosclerotic lesions was detected by oil red O（ORO） staining. And the expression of VCAM- 1 in endothelial cells and the extent of macrophages in plaques were detected by immunofluorescence staining. The protein expression in liver was assessed by qRT-PCR and Western blot. Results: The expression of LOX-1 was stable in liver within 4 weeks. Ectopically expressed LOX-1 in the liver phagocytosed and degraded Ox-LDL and reduced Ox-LDL in circulating plasma but did not have a significant effect on blood lipid levels. After the expression of LOX-1 in liver, Ox-LDL can be cleared by the liver, thereby reducing VCAM-1 expression in vascular endothelium and migration of macrophages in plaques, and eventually alleviating the progression of atherosclerosis. Hepatic LOX-1 expression may facilitate the metabolic clearance of Ox-LDL by upregulating the expression of ABCG5/G8. Conclusions: Ectopic liver-specific expression of LOX-1 alleviates the progression of atherosclerosis by clearing Ox-LDL in circulation.
Cardiovascular, diabetes, and cancer strips: New evidences from clinical cases in Nanchang, China
Authors: Hu Chunsong , Huang Guomei , Han Hong , Zou Lelan , Liu Liyu , Xiao Wen , Zhang Ying , Wu Qinghua
Published: September 2021

Since cardiovascular, diabetes, and cancer (CDC) strips were discovered, more and more evidences support this new concept. Here, we report that clinical features and shared major risk factors (SMRF) of the CDC strips as well as the distribution of hypertension, diabetes, and cancer in Nanchang, China. It aims to provide new and solid clinical evidences by cases randomly collected and carefully screened from 2012/2013 to 2017. Typical cases with the CDC strips were presented with unhealthy “environment-sleep-emotion-exercise-diet” intervention [E(e)SEEDi] related SMRF, the distribution of hypertension, diabetes, and cancer was approximately 2:1:4, and the distribution of various cancer cases was also presented. A graphical abstract showed the association of CDC strips with SMRF. In conclusion, there are indeed the CDC strips due to new and solid clinical evidences, and the CDC strips highly link to unhealthy E(e)SEEDi related SMRF.
Synthesis of a magnetic C@Co material via the design of a MOF precursor for efficient and selective adsorption of water pollutants
Authors: Liu Yu , Wang Yan , Zhang Xiao-Sa , Li Wen-Ze , Yang Ai-Ai , Luan Jian , Liu Hong-Zhu , Wang Zhong-Gang
Published: September 2021

3D metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) can be appropriate templates for the fabrication of nanomaterials due to they have active sites exposed on the channel or surface, which thus provide them with improved catalytic performance. In this study, a 3D cobalt-based MOF [Co(H2bpta)]n (Co-MOF), where H4bpta denotes 2,2′,4,4′-biphenyltetracarboxylic acid, has been constructed with the use of a ligand with a high carbon content. On this basis, a 2D magnetic carbon-coated cobalt nanoparticle composite (C@Co) was prepared by using the title MOF. Magnetic C@Co can readily absorb dye from the solution and can thus act as an inexpensive and fast-acting adsorbent. Moreover, we have explored the adsorption isotherms, kinetics and thermodynamics of the anion dyes in detail. The adsorption capacity of the C@Co for investigated methyl orange (MO) and congo red (CR) dyes were 773.48 and 495.66 mg g− 1, respectively. It is noteworthy that MO adsorption is higher in existing materials. Thermodynamic studies suggest that the adsorption processes are spontaneous and exothermic. This study opens a new insight into the synthesis and application of carbon-based materials that enable the selective removal of organic dyes.
Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes attenuate the maturation of dendritic cells and reduce the rejection of allogeneic skin transplantation in mice model
Authors: ZHAO RENLI , Lai Guohua , Deng Zhiwei , Zhuang Weida , Wu Mingjie , Wu Jiachang , Sang Hongxun
Published: September 2021

Background

Bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs)-derived exosomes (B-exos) are attractive for applications in enabling alloantigen tolerance. An in-depth mechanistic understanding of the interaction between B-exos and dendritic cells (DCs) could lead to novel cell-based therapies for allogeneic transplantation. Herein, the potential of a B-exos-based application combined with DCs was explored for inducing allogeneic transplant tolerance.
Methods

After mixed culture of BMSCs and DCs for 48 hours, DCs from the upper layer were collected to analyze the expression levels of surface markers and mRNAs of inflammation-related cytokines. Then the DCs were co-cultured with B-exo before being collected to detect the mRNA and protein expression levels of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO). The treated DCs from different groups were co-cultured with naïve CD4 + T cells from the mouse spleen. The proliferation of CD4 + T cells and the proportion of CD4 + CD25 + Foxp3 + T cells were analyzed. Finally, the skins of BALB/c mice were transplanted to the back of C57 mice to establish a mouse allogeneic skin transplantation model.
Results

The coculture of DCs with BMSCs in a trans-well system downregulated the expression of the major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II) and CD80/86 costimulatory molecules on DCs, as well as the mRNA expression of interleukin-10 (IL-10), IL-12, and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). However, these findings were abolished when treated with GW4869. Moreover, B-exos (5 µg/mL) increased the expression of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) in DCs treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) compared to the control cells. CD4 + CD25 + Foxp3 + T cells increased when cultured with B-exos-exposed DCs, which was attenuated by 1-methyl tryptophan (1MT). Mice recipients injected with B-exos-treated DCs significantly prolonged the skin allograft survival. The allografts showed slight cell infiltration and significantly preserved graft structure. Also, the level of CD4 + CD25 + Foxp3 + T cells was significantly higher in B-exos-exposed DCs recipient animals than that in other groups.
Conclusions

Taken together, these data suggested that the B-exos suppress the maturation of DCs and increase the expression of IDO, which might shed light on the role of B-exos in inducing alloantigen tolerance.
Research on Ground Liquefaction and Structural Force Characteristics of Underground Utility Tunnels Under CLC Stratigraphic Model
Authors: Tian Tian , Yao aijun , Gong Yifei , Guo Yaozhen
Published: September 2021

Damages to underground structures due to liquefaction of the soils caused by cyclic loads such as earthquakes have always been an important issue in geotechnical underground engineering practices. This paper presents a numerical study of the utility tunnels at different burial depths in "Coh-Liq-Coh" horizontally layered liquefiable grounds using the finite-difference program FLAC3D. "Finn-Byrne" cyclic load volumetric strain increment model simulates the fluid-solid coupling of saturated sand and the increase in pore water pressure during vibration. The numerical model was loaded using an acceleration sine wave for dynamic calculations. The numerical results showed that the burial depths have a strong influence on the liquefaction of the soil beneath the utility tunnels and on the forces and deformations of the structures. Under the numerical simulation conditions in this paper, the greater the burial depth, the greater the liquefaction of the soil beneath the structure, the greater the shear stress on the side walls and the smaller the settlement difference between the structure and the surrounding soil. In the numerical simulations in this paper, a reasonable burial depth for utility tunnels was 0.8 to 1.1 times of the structure height.
Biotic and Abiotic Sources of Stress on Wild Rocket Classified by Leaf-image Hyperspectral Data Mining With an Artificial Intelligence Model
Authors: Navarro Alejandra , Nicastro Nicola , Costa Corrado , Pentangelo Alfonso , Cardarelli Mariateresa , Ortenzi Luciano , Pallottino Federico , Cardi Teodoro , Pane Catello
Published: September 2021

BackgroundWild rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia) is prone to soil-borne stresses under intensive cultivation systems devoted to ready-to-eat salad chain, increasing needs for external inputs. Early detection of the abiotic and biotic stresses by using digital reflectance-based probes may allow optimization and enhance performances of the mitigation strategies.Methodshyperspectral image analysis was applied to D. tenuifolia potted plants subjected, in a greenhouse experiment, to five treatments for one week: a control treatment watered to 100% water holding capacity, two biotic stresses: Fusarium wilting and Rhizoctonia rotting, and two abiotic stresses: water deficit and salinity. Leaf hyperspectral fingerprints were submitted to an artificial intelligence pipeline for training and validating image-based classification models able to work in the stress range. Spectral investigation was corroborated by pertaining physiological parameters. ResultsWater status was mainly affected by water deficit treatment, followed by fungal diseases, while salinity did not change water relations of wild rocket plants compared to control treatment. Biotic stresses triggered discoloration in plants just in a week after application of the treatments, as evidenced by the colour space coordinates and pigment contents values. Some vegetation indices, calculated on the bases of the reflectance data, targeted on plant vitality and chlorophyll content, healthiness, and carotenoid content, agreed with the patterns of variations observed for the physiological parameters. Artificial neural network helped selection of VIS (492-504, 540-568 and 712-720 nm) and NIR (855, 900-908 and 970 nm) bands, whose read reflectance contributed to discriminate stresses by imaging. ConclusionsThis study provided significative spectral information linked to the assessed stresses, allowing the identification of narrowed spectral regions and single wavelengths due to changes in photosynthetically active pigments and in water status revealing the etiological cause.
Production practices, trends, constraints and opportunities of beekeeping in Arba Minch Zuria District, Southern Ethiopia
Authors: Anza Alemayehu , Yemane Nebiyu , Bezabeh Amssalu
Published: September 2021

Background

Beekeeping is an integral component of animal husbandry and it has highly untapped potential for generating household income for rural livelihood. The study was conducted to assess beekeeping practices, honey production trends, constraints and opportunities of beekeeping in Arba Minch Zuria District of Gamo Zone, Southern Ethiopia. The district was selected purposively based on its beekeeping potential and stratified into three agro-ecological zones. Seven representative Kebeles from the District were selected proportional to their agro-ecological variations. A total of 156 beekeepers were selected using systematic random sampling technique. Cross-sectional type of study was conducted to generate data through formal survey. The quantitative and qualitative data were summarized and analysed using one way ANOVA and cross tabulations, respectively.
Result

Mixed crop-livestock farming system was primary means of livelihood in the study area. The result revealed that most (96.8%) of the beekeepers practiced traditional beekeeping system. The average honeybee stocks were about 4.8 ± 1.78 and 5.2 ± 6.98 colonies per household. The average honey yield was 5.8 ± 0.09 kg and 20.1 ± 0.31 kg per year for traditional and modern beehives, respectively.
Conclusion

There was a decreasing trend of total colony number and honey yield over the last five years (2014–2018). Shortage of bee forage during dearth periods, absconding and honeybee enemies were the most important constraints of beekeeping in the study area, while the availability of huge number of honeybee colonies, existence of ample bee forages and the existence of tourist attraction sites in the study area provides a good market opportunity to sell the honey with a premium price.
Serum FGF21 levels are altered with various factors including lifestyle behaviors
Authors: Nakanishi Kaori , Ishibashi Chisaki , Ide Seiko , Yamamoto Ryohei , Nishida Makoto , Nagatomo Izumi , Moriyama Toshiki , Yamauchi-Takihara Keiko
Published: September 2021

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 21 has various functions, including glucose and lipid metabolism, yet the biology of FGF21 remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate specific conditions that might affect the functions of FGF21. Subjects included 398 healthy men who underwent health examinations to obtain information on physical and biochemical parameters and lifestyle behaviors. Associations of serum FGF21 levels with each parameter were assessed in the study. FGF21 levels correlated with age, body mass index, waist circumference (WC), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GTP), uric acid, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, fasting plasma glucose, and HbA1c. Moreover, FGF21 levels were significantly associated with lifestyle behaviors, including smoking status and breakfast and alcohol consumption frequency. Multivariable regression analysis showed that age, ALT, γ-GTP, smoking status, and breakfast and alcohol consumption frequency were independent variables for FGF21 levels. Assessment among the non-obese and obese groups showed that FGF21 levels correlated with WC, SBP, and TC only in the non-obese group. Thus, serum FGF21 levels were affected by several factors, including lifestyle behaviors, age, and liver function. To assess the functions of FGF21 in individuals, considering these factors would be essential. (199 words)
Adenomyosis is an independent risk factor for complications in deep endometriosis laparoscopic surgery
Authors: Gracia Meritxell , de Guirior Cristian , Valdés-Bango Marta , Rius Mariona , Ros Cristina , Matas Isabel , Tortajada Marta , Martínez-Zamora María Ángeles , Quintas Lara , Carmona Francisco
Published: September 2021

Background

Deep endometriosis (DE) occurs in 15–30% of patients with endometriosis and is associated with concomitant adenomyosis in around 49% of cases. There are no data about the effect of the presence of adenomyosis in terms of surgical outcomes and complications. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of adenomyosis on surgical complications in women with deep endometriosis undergoing laparoscopic surgery.
Methods

A retrospective cohort study including women referred to the endometriosis unit of a referral teaching hospital. Two expert sonographers preoperatively diagnosed DE and adenomyosis. DE was defined according to the criteria of the International Deep Endometriosis Analysis group. Adenomyosis was considered when 3 or more ultrasound criteria of the Morphological Uterus Sonographic Assessment group were present. Demographical variables, current medical treatment, symptoms, DE location, surgical time, hospital stay and difference in pre and post hemoglobin levels were collected. The Clavien-Dindo classification was used to assess surgical complications, and multivariate analysis was performed to compare patients with and without adenomyosis.
Results

157 DE patients were included into the study; 77 (49.05%) had adenomyosis according to transvaginal ultrasound (TVS) and were classified in the A group, and 80 (50.95%) had no adenomyosis and were classified in the noA group. Adenomyosis was associated with a higher rate of surgical complications: 33.76% (A group) vs. 12.5% (noA group) (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed a 4.56-fold increased risk of presenting complications in women with adenomyosis (CI: 1.9–11.3; p = 0.001) independently of undergoing hysterectomy. There was a statistically significant association between the number of criteria of adenomyosis present in each patient and the proportion of patients presenting surgical complications (p < 0.001).
Conclusions

Adenomyosis increases the risk of presenting complications in DE surgery after controlling for demographic, clinical and surgical factors and should be considered an independent preoperative risk factor of surgical complications.
Presence of Lipid Vacuoles in Kupffer Cells as a Marker for Early Detection of Niemann-Pick Disease Type C in Neonatal Cholestasis
Authors: Wang Neng-Li , Chen Lian , Lu Yi , Xie Xin-Bao , Lin Jing , Abuduxikuer Kuerbanjiang , Wang Jian-She
Published: September 2021

Background

Early diagnosis of Niemann-Pick disease type C (NP-C) is the key for reduction of organ damage since a medical treatment is available now. However, early detection of patients with a high clinical suspicion of NP-C in neonatal cholestasis is still challenging. Plasma oxysterol studies demonstrate a relatively low specificity for NP-C in neonatal cholestatic patients. This study explores the significance of lipid vacuoles in Kupffer cells for early detection of NP-C in neonatal cholestasis.
Results

Between January 2018 and December 2020, 168 neonatal cholestatic patients with unexplained causes were underwent both liver biopsy and genetic tests, and 26 detected lipid vacuoles in Kupffer cells by CD68 staining. NP-C was diagnosed in 6 out of the 26 patients (23.1%), comparing to none of the remaining 142 neonatal cholestatic patients without vacuolar Kupffer cells (P < 0.001). In neonatal cholestatic patients with vacuolar Kupffer cells plus splenomegaly, the ratio of positive diagnosis of NP-C was 31.6% (6/19). Between January 2015 and December 2017, 3 additional NP-C patients were diagnosed. Of them, 1 patient underwent liver histologic studies also revealing lipid vacuoles in Kupffer cells. The 7 NP-C patients underwent liver biopsy at ages ranging from 35 to 112 days. Lipid vacuoles were only detected in a few Kupffer cells in the early disease course (about 1 month of age). The amount of vacuolar Kupffer cells increased with age, and the size became enlarged. Typical foam cells were only observed in HE sections of liver tissues obtained beyond 3 months of age when enlarged Kupffer cells with lipid vacuoles became obvious. In addition, 4 out of the 9 NP-C patients had fasting hypoglycemia.
Conclusions

Lipid vacuoles in Kupffer cells from liver biopsy can serve as a screening marker for early detection of NP-C in neonatal cholestasis.
Experiencing the Unprecedented COVID-19 Lockdown: Abu Dhabi Older Adults’ Challenges and Concerns
Authors: Badri Masood , Khaili Mugheer Al , Dhaheri Hamad Al , Yang Guang , Rashdi Asma Al , Alhyas Lyla
Published: September 2021

This study focused on older adults (60 + years old) in Abu Dhabi during the COVID-19 pandemic before vaccines were made available to them. They faced more strict rules of movement restriction and isolation that might have resulted in certain psychological feelings and social reactions. Data were gathered through an online survey of community members conducted from April to July of 2020, in which 574 older adults responded. The main objective was to understand Abu Dhabi older adults’ main psychological feelings during the pandemic and to identify their main concerns and challenges considering the various COVID-19 related policies and restrictions. The influence of the pandemic on older adults’ health and weight was also investigated. Results of descriptive analyses show that some negative psychological feelings were common among older adults’ during the pandemic. However, the psychological feelings did not portray significant changes with time, except for sleeping disorders and overeating. The movement restrictions imposed on elderlies and not being able to see children and grandchildren when wanted were the two main concerns reported. The research summaries some policy guidance while noting some limitations of this study and future research directions.
A trusted approach for prediction of data link failure and intrusion detection in wireless sensor networks
Authors: Srivi Putty , Devi Lavadya Nirmala , A Nageswar Rao
Published: September 2021

Typically, wireless senor network (WSN) is widely used in the various fields for several applications. It is a promising technology due to its higher range of the network connectivity and the fast set up of the network. But there will also be a presence of the some of the eradicating issues which will decrease the network growth. In the WSNfield the prediction of link failure is regarded as the baffling one till now. The proposed technique offers a detailed idea on the failure of link. The proficient trusted Node ID dependent resource reservation protocol (PTN-RRP) is presented in this approach. In this, the shortest path is then recognized with the use of approach weighted based end-to-end delay. This technique identifies the shortest path from a specific preliminary position to the target and thus could enhance the detectionrate. By means of recognizing shortest path, the hop address and sequence numeral is being incorporated to the protocol. Once afterwards the shortest pathdetection, the failure of link is estimated. A link failure structure in the trusted etiquetteemployed has the developedcapabilityto predict and fix issues related to link failure. After that, to identify the attack cause intended for the failureof link, a method of posterior probability evaluation is carried out to find the kind of attack. Finally, the proposed method performance isassessedover simulation study. The simulation outcomeauthorizes that the projectedmethod is effective highly in the link breakage detectionand the implemented algorithm for shortest path recognition in this will decreases the detecting shortest path time period. The performance outcome is compared with existing techniques to prove the effectiveness of proposed methodology.