bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Blood pressure-lowering medicines implemented in 12 African countries: the cross-sectional multination EIGHT study
Authors: Cavagna Pauline , Takombe Jean Laurent , Damorou Jean Marie , Kouam Kouam Charles , Diop Ibrahima Bara , Ikama Stephane Méo , Kramoh Kouadio Euloge , Ali Toure Ibrahim , Balde Dadhi , Dzudie Anastase , Ferreira Beatriz , Houenassi Martin , Kane Adama , Kimbally-kaki Suzy Gisele , Kingue Samuel , Limbole Emmanuel , Mfeukeu Kuate Liliane , Mipinda Jean Bruno , N'Guetta Roland , Nhavoto Carol , Sidy Ali Abdallahi , Gaye Bamba , Tajeu Gabriel S , Macquart De Terline Diane , Perier Marie Cécile , Azizi Michel , Jouven Xavier , Antignac Marie
Published: December 2021

Objective

In Africa, the number of patients with hypertension is expected to reach 216.8 million by 2030. Large-scale data on antihypertensive medications used in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are scarce.

Here, we describe antihypertensive drug strategies and identify treatment factors associated with blood pressure (BP) control in 12 Sub-Saharan countries.

Setting

Outpatient consultations for hypertension in urban tertiary cardiology centres of 29 hospitals from 17 cities across 12 SSA countries between January 2014 and November 2015.

Participants

Patients ≥18 years of age with hypertension were enrolled at any visit during outpatient consultations in the cardiology departments

Main outcome measure

We collected BP levels, demographic characteristics and antihypertensive treatment use (including traditional medicine) of patients with hypertension attending outpatient visits. BP control was defined as seated office BP <140/90 mm Hg. We used logistic regression with a random effect on countries to assess factors of BP control.

Results

Overall, 2198 hypertensive patients were included and a total of 96.6% (n=2123) were on antihypertensive medications. Among treated patients, 653 (30.8%) patients received a monotherapy by calcium channel blocker (n=324, 49.6%), renin–angiotensin system blocker (RAS) (n=126, 19.3%) or diuretic (n=122, 18.7%). Two-drug strategies were prescribed in 927 (43.6%) patients including mainly diuretics and RAS (n=327, 42% of two-drug strategies). Prescriptions of three-drugs or more were used in 543 (25.6%) patients. Overall, among treated patients, 1630 (76.7%) had uncontrolled BP, of whom 462 (28.3%) had BP levels ≥180/110 mm Hg, mainly in those on monotherapy. After adjustment for sociodemographic factors, the use of traditional medicine was the only factor significantly associated with uncontrolled BP (OR 1.72 (1.19 to 2.49) p<0.01).

Conclusion

Our study provided large-scale data on antihypertensive prescriptions in the African continent. Among patients declared adherent to drugs, poor BP control was significantly associated with the use of traditional medicine.
Global Health Security Preparedness and Response: An Analysis of the Relationship between Joint External Evaluation Scores and COVID-19 Response Performance
Authors: Nguyen Laura , Brown Sydney Morgan , Couture Alexia , Krishnan Sharanya , Shamout Mays , Hernandez Luis , Beaver Jennifer , Gomez Lopez Arianna , Whitson Cassidy , Dick Leah , Greiner Ashley Lauren
Published: December 2021

Objectives

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance and complexity of a country’s ability to effectively respond. The Joint External Evaluation (JEE) assessment was launched in 2016 to assess a country’s ability to prevent, detect and respond to public health emergencies. We examined whether JEE indicators could be used to predict a country’s COVID-19 response performance to tailor a country’s support more effectively.

Design

From April to August 2020, we conducted interviews with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention country offices that requested COVID-19 support and previously completed the JEE (version 1.0). We used an assessment tool, the ‘Emergency Response Capacity Tool’ (ERCT), to assess COVID-19 response performance. We analysed 28 ERCT indicators aligned with eight JEE indicators to assess concordance and discordance using strict agreement and weighted kappa statistics. Generalised estimating equation (GEE) models were used to generate predicted probabilities for ERCT scores using JEE scores as the independent model variable.

Results

Twenty-three countries met inclusion criteria. Of the 163 indicators analysed, 42.3% of JEE and ERCT scores were in agreement (p value=0.02). The JEE indicator with the highest agreement (62%) was ‘Emergency Operations Center (EOC) operating procedures and plans’, while the lowest (16%) was ‘capacity to activate emergency operations’. Findings were consistent with weighted kappa statistics. In the GEE model, EOC operating procedures and plans had the highest predicted probability (0.86), while indicators concerning response strategy and coordination had the lowest (≤0.5).

Conclusions

Overall, there was low agreement between JEE scores and COVID-19 response performance, with JEE scores often trending higher. JEE indicators concerning coordination and operations were least predictive of COVID-19 response performance, underscoring the importance of not inferring country response readiness from JEE scores alone. More in-depth country-specific investigations are likely needed to accurately estimate response capacity and tailor countries’ global health security activities.
Diamorphine for pain and distress in young patients: case examples and discussion of mechanisms
Authors: Morris Caradoc
Published: December 2021

Diamorphine is a strong opioid licensed in the UK for many uses, including moderate and severe pain. In the early 2000s, its use in palliative medicine was widespread before a supply disruption led to preferential use of alternative, cheaper opioids. Though these supply issues were resolved, the use of diamorphine in palliative medicine has remained reduced, particularly with another UK supply disruption in 2021. Following anecdotal reports of good results from diamorphine use in younger patients, this piece discusses two cases of young patients with metastatic cancers suffering significant pain and psychological distress. Both patients were approaching end of life and required high doses of opioids, benzodiazepines and co-analgesics, all given to limited benefit. Both patients were rotated to diamorphine giving objective and subjective improvement in symptoms. These cases are presented in the context of newer information and description of the biochemical actions of diamorphine and its metabolites, which exert their own clinical effect before themselves generating active metabolites. Various trials on, and discussion about, diamorphine’s unique metabolism and subsequent central nervous system effects help argue for its use in situations where extreme pain and psychological distress overlap.
Shear strength and yield surface of a partially saturated sandy silt under generalized stress states
Authors: Weber Rodrigo C. , Romero Enrique , Lloret Antonio
Published: December 2021

This paper studies the hydromechanical behavior of a slightly compacted mixture of sand and clayey silt (30%/70%) under a generalized stress state. The experimental study focused on analyzing the yielding response and shear strength behavior at different stress states (characterized by the intermediate principal stress parameter b, or Lode angle) and at different initial total suctions (as-compacted state). For the investigation, a hollow cylinder apparatus was used. The shear strength results allowed defining the variation of the critical state line with the Lode angle and the suction. Different models were proposed for isotropic and anisotropic yield surfaces, and their shape and rotation were calibrated with experimental results. The modeled yield surfaces fitted reasonably well the experimental results, considering their inclination and dependence on the suction, mean and deviatoric stresses, and Lode angle. In addition, some relationships between the stresses and the model parameters were proposed to normalize the yield surface equation.
Long non-coding RNA LINC01194 promotes the inflammatory response and apoptosis of lipopolysaccharide-treated MLE-12 cells through the miR-203a-3p/MIP-2 axis
Authors: Shen Yuyao , Zhao Senwei , Hua Minglei
Published: December 2021

Acute lung injury (ALI) induced by bacteria lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is characterized by the upregulation of the apoptosis rate of tissue cells and aggravation of inflammatory response. Although many studies have focused on the pathogenesis of this disease, its mechanism remains unknown. This study examined the regulatory role of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) LINC01194 in the progression of ALI through various bioinformatics analyses and experimental work, including ELISA assay, dual-luciferase reporter assay, biotinylated RNA pull-down assay, and Western blot analysis. The result showed that the LINC01194 was overexpressed in the ALI-induced mice model. We observed a significant upregulation of LINC01194 in LPS-treated mouse lung epithelial type II cells (MLE-12 cells) after 24 h of induction. Bioinformatics analysis, ELISA assay, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis, biotinylated RNA pull-down assay, apoptosis test, and Western blot analysis demonstrated that the LINC01194 could act as a microRNA (miR) miR-203a-3p sponge to activate the inflammatory response in LPS-induced ALI model through post-transcriptional upregulation of macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP-2). We showed that LINC01194 regulates the inflammatory response and apoptosis of LPS-induced mice and MLE-12 cells via the miR-203a-3p/MIP-2 axis. LINC01194 could be a potential biomarker for early diagnosis and the treatment of ALI.
Resonant leptogenesis and TM$$_1$$ mixing in minimal type-I seesaw model with S$$_4$$ symmetry
Authors: Thapa Bikash , Francis Ng. K.
Published: December 2021

We present an S$$_4$$

4

flavour symmetric model within a minimal seesaw framework resulting in mass matrices that leads to TM$$_1$$

1

mixing. Minimal seesaw is realized by adding two right-handed neutrinos to the Standard Model. The model predicts Normal Hierarchy (NH) for neutrino masses. Using the constrained six-dimensional parameter space of the model, we have evaluated the effective Majorana neutrino mass, which is the parameter of interest in neutrinoless double beta decay experiments. The possibility of explaining baryogenesis via resonant leptogenesis is also examined within the model. A non-zero, resonantly enhanced CP asymmetry generated from the decay of right-handed neutrinos at the TeV scale is studied, considering flavour effects. The evolution of lepton asymmetry is discussed by solving the set of Boltzmann equations numerically and obtain the value of baryon asymmetry to be $$|\eta _B| = 6.3 \times 10^{-10}$$

|

η
B

|
=
6.3
×

10

-
10

with the choice of right-handed neutrino mass, $$M_1 = 10$$

M
1

=
10

TeV and mass splitting, $$d \simeq 10^{-8}$$

d
≃

10

-
8

.
Effect of energy, temperature, and Cu-doped coatings on crystallinity of Hydroxyapatite thin films obtained by pulsed laser deposition
Authors: Kashi Nooshin , Momeni Mahdi , Hamidinezhad Habib
Published: December 2021

In this work, a pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique with an Nd:YAG laser source was used to produce pure Hydroxyapatite (HA) and Cu-substituted HA (Cu-HA) coatings on stainless steel substrates in vacuum at room temperature. It is observed that the combined effects of percentages of Cu dopants and laser energy as well as annealing temperature significantly modify the crystallinity of the films. The morphology and structural properties of the deposited HA films were analyzed by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman spectroscopy. FESEM images displayed various shapes of nanoparticles with high-surface density throughout the area of the substrate and with typical sizes around 26–208 nm. XRD analysis confirmed that post-deposition annealing is essential to achieve the desired crystallinity and uniformity of coatings. The Raman spectrum of HA has peaks at 958.22, 437.48, and 587.05 cm[Formula: see text] attributed to the [Formula: see text] PO[Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] PO[Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] PO[Formula: see text], respectively. The synthesized HA and Cu-HA crystalline films are nanostructures with dense and compact microstructures. Finally, irregular surface and crystalline structure of fabricated films lead to the extension of the surface and enhance the cell’s proliferation in medical uses and biomedical applications.
GEMAS: adaptation of weathering indices for European agricultural soil derived from carbonate parent materials
Authors: Négrel Philippe , Ladenberger Anna , Reimann Clemens , Demetriades Alecos , Birke Manfred , Sadeghi Martiya ,   GEMAS Project Team
Published: December 2021

Carbonate rocks are very soluble and export elements in dissolved form, and precipitation of secondary phases can occur on a large scale. They leave a strong chemical signature in soil that can be quantified and classified by geochemical indices, and which is useful for evaluating chemical weathering trends (e.g. the Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA) or the Mafic Index of Alteration (MIA)). Due to contrasting chemical compositions and high Ca content, a special adaptation of classical weathering indices is necessary to interpret weathering trends in carbonate-derived soil. In fact, this adaptation seems to be a good tool for distinguishing weathering grades of source-rock types at the continental scale, and allows a more robust interpretation of soil parent-material weathering grade and its impact on the current chemical composition of soil. An increasing degree of weathering results in Al enrichment and Mg loss in addition to Fe loss and Si enrichment, leaching of mobile cations such as Ca and Na, and precipitation of Fe-oxides and hydroxides. The relation between soil weathering status and its spatial distribution in Europe provides important information about the role played by climate and terrain. The geographical distribution of soil chemistry contributes to a better understanding of soil nutritional status, element enrichment, degradation mechanisms, desertification, soil erosion and contamination.
Palaeolithic assemblages associated with Youngest Toba Tuff deposits from the upper Gundlakamma River basin, Andhra Pradesh, India
Authors: Anil Devara , Pottentavida Ajithprasad , Mahesh Vrushab
Published: December 2021

Archaeological and geological remains associated with the Youngest Toba Tuff (YTT) deposits in India are seen as significant proxies for reconstructing (1) initial modern human colonization of India and (2) possible climatic impacts of the Toba super-eruption of 74 ka on the Indian climate and hominin behaviour. In order to gain further insights into the environmental impacts and behavioural adaptations of human populations in India before and after the Toba eruption, we investigated archaeological horizons associated with the Toba ash beds along the Gundlakamma basin in Prakasam District, Andhra Pradesh, India. Here, lithic artefacts were identified below and above the YTT deposits. The YTT deposits in the Gundlakamma River basin have a maximum thickness of 50 cm, comparatively thinner than those at the better investigated valleys of the adjacent Jurreru and Sagileru in Andhra Pradesh and the Son, Madhya Pradesh, India. Our surveys indicate that the Palaeolithic assemblages associated with YTT deposits from the Gundlakamma River basin can provide significant insights into the issues and debates surrounding the Toba archaeology.
Preparation Protocol and Properties of YSZ Ceramic Electrolytes for Solid Oxide Cells
Authors: Carda Michal , Adamová Nela , Budáč Daniel , Paidar Martin , Bouzek Karel
Published: December 2021

Electrolytes utilized in solid oxide cells (SOCs) are based on oxide ion-conductive ceramic materials. The conductivity occurs via oxygen vacancies in the crystal lattice, which are created by the introduction of dopant into the material. Fast and simple preparation of electrolytes using variable dopant content is of great importance for SOCs development. ZrO2 doped by Y2O3 (YSZ) is still considered to be a state-of-the-art material due to its conductivity and thermomechanical compatibility with electrodes. Therefore, a detailed procedure to fabricate YSZ electrolytes with desired dopant content is of significant importance. Each prepared electrolyte was examined by means of spectroscopic methods in combination with electrochemical ones. The results obtained allows to understand connection between electrolyte composition and structural properties.
Reproducibility and diurnal variation of the directional sensitivity of the cerebral pressure-flow relationship in men and women
Authors: Labrecque Lawrence , Burma Joel S. , Roy Marc-Antoine , Smirl Jonathan D. , Brassard Patrice
Published: December 2021

The findings of the current study indicate that our time-adjusted metric to evaluate the directional sensitivity of the cerebral pressure-flow relationship is reproducible throughout the day in both the anterior and posterior cerebral circulations. Although a diurnal variation was noted across the day within this metric, this appeared to be of minimal physiological relevance. Finally, the metric is not impacted by biological sex.
High-Isolation UWB MIMO Antenna with Multiple X-Shaped Stubs Loaded between Ground Planes
Authors: Wang Minghuan , Nan Jingchang , Liu Jing
Published: December 2021

A miniaturized ultra-wideband multiple-input multiple-output (UWB MIMO) two-port antenna with high isolation based on FR4 is designed in this article. The size of the antenna is only 18 × 28 × 1.6 mm3. The MIMO antenna consists of two identical antenna elements symmetrically placed on the same dielectric substrate in opposite directions. By loading three crossed X-shaped stubs between two unconnected ground planes, high isolation and good impedance matching are achieved. The working frequency band measured by this UWB MIMO antenna is 1.9–14 GHz, and the isolation is kept above 20.2 dB in the whole analysis frequency band. Good radiation characteristics as well as envelope correlation coefficient (ECC, <0.09), mean effective gain (MEG), and channel capacity loss (CCL) in the passband meet the requirements of the application, which can be applied to the UWB wireless communication system. To verify the applicability of the proposed method for enhancing the isolation between antenna elements, the two-port antenna structure was extended to a four-port antenna structure. In the case of loading the X-shaped stubs to connect to the ground plane, the isolation of the antenna is maintained above 15.5 dB within 1.7–14 GHz.
Novel Rotating Machinery Structural Faults Signal Adaptive Multiband Filtering and Automatic Diagnosis
Authors: Xuewei Song , Zhiqiang Liao , Hongfeng Wang , Weiwei Song , Peng Chen
Published: December 2021

To realize an automatic diagnosis of rotating machinery structure faults, this paper presents a novel fault diagnosis model based on adaptive multiband filter and stacked autoencoders (SAEs). First, to solve the problem where the actual rotating frequency and its harmonics cannot be accurately extracted in engineering applications, an improved adaptive multiband filtering method is designed. This method takes the theoretical rotating frequency as the search center, extracts the maximum within the positive and negative deviation as the actual rotating frequency, and sets a threshold according to the actual value to realize multiband filtering. This method can effectively remove background noise and accurately extract the actual rotating frequency and its harmonics. Second, an unsupervised SAE multiclassification model is established to realize an automatic diagnosis of fault types. This model can automatically extract the in-depth features of the filtered signal and improve the fault classification accuracy. Third, engineering and comparative experiments were carried out to verify the effectiveness and superiority of this model. Results show that the proposed automatic diagnosis model can extract the characteristic components abundantly and accurately recognize rotating machinery structural faults.
Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Study of Zhishi-Baizhu Herb Pair in the Treatment of Gastric Cancer
Authors: Qu Ying , Yang Xiangyang , Li Jingxiang , Zhang Shuxin , Li Shiying , Wang Mengyuan , Zhou Lu , Wang Zhiying , Lin Zi , Yin Yuzhang , Liu Jinlong , Wang Nan , Yang Yang
Published: December 2021

Objective. This study aimed to investigate the possible mechanism of the Zhishi and Baizhu herb pair in the treatment of gastric cancer by means of network pharmacology and molecular docking and to provide a theoretical basis for experiments and clinical application of traditional Chinese medicine for treating gastric cancer. Methods. The main active chemical components of Zhishi and Baizhu were screened through Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) database and selected by using the thresholds of oral bioavailability ≥30% and drug-likeness ≥18%. The targets of Zhishi and Baizhu were obtained from TCMSP, Therapeutic Targets Database (TTD), and the DrugBank database. The corresponding genes of the targets were retrieved from the UniProt database, and the gastric cancer targets were obtained from the GeneCards database and TTD. Subsequently, the networks were built between the main drug components, drug targets, and gastric cancer targets. Then, the enrichment analyses of GO and KEGG were applied to predict the potential roles of gastric cancer pathogenesis via the R package clusterProfiler. Finally, molecular docking was used to determine the affinity between the targets and components. Results. Twenty-seven main active components were predicted from the Zhishi-Baizhu herb pair, and a total of 120 intersection genes were screened from 303 potential medicine genes and 1,839 disease genes. The enrichment included the PI3K-Akt and IL-17 signaling pathways, and the network analysis showed that the Zhishi-Baizhu herb pair acted on seven key targets, namely, AKT1, MMP9, IL-6, CCND1, BCL2, MTOR, and MDM2 (where they played a role in treating gastric cancer). Molecular docking showed that luteolin and naringenin could stably bind to the targets. Conclusion. The possible mechanisms of the components of the Zhishi-Baizhu herb pair in treating gastric cancer might be related to luteolin and naringenin, which intervened with the targets AKT1, MMP9, IL-6, CCND1, BCL2, MTOR, and MDM2, and are linked with the PI3K-Akt and IL-17 signaling pathways. This knowledge will lay a solid foundation for further experimental and clinical studies.
Efficacy and Safety of the Chinese Patent Medicine Yuquan Pill on Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Peng Sihan , Xie Ziyan , Zhang Xiyu , Xie Chunguang , Kang Jian , Yuan Haipo , Xu Gang , Zhang Xiangeng , Liu Ya
Published: December 2021

Background. Yuquan Pill (YQP), a Chinese patent medicine for the treatment of diabetes, is widely used in the treatment of diabetes and its complications in China. However, the efficacy of YQP on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has not been completely assessed. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of YQP in the treatment of T2DM. Materials and Methods. We systematically searched 9 databases for specific keywords from inception to Oct 2021. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving YQP in the treatment of T2DM without language limitation. The study conformed to the Cochrane Handbook and Review Manager software was used for data analysis. The weighted mean differences (WMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to measure treatment effects. Results. The final analysis included 10 publications. Analysis showed that the combination of YQP and conventional treatment was more effective than conventional treatment alone with regard to the levels of fasting blood glucose (WMD = −0.83; 95% CI [−1.01,−0.66];

p
<
0.00001

), two-hour postprandial glucose (WMD = −1.40; 95% CI [−1.49,−1.31];

p
<
0.00001

), glycosylated hemoglobin (WMD = −0.87; 95% CI [−1.26, −0.49];

p
<
0.00001

), total cholesterol (WMD = −0.50; 95% CI [−0.61, −0.39];

p
<
0.00001

), c-reactive protein (WMD = −0.58; 95%CI [−0.88, −0.28];

p
=
0.0002

), and overall effective rate (RR = 1.21; 95% CI [1.12, 1.31];

p
<
0.00001

). Conclusion. Evidence suggested that YQP might improve glucose and lipid metabolism and inflammation in patients with T2DM. Serious adverse events were not reported. The quality of the evidence analyzed was low and therefore our results should be interpreted with caution. More high-quality RCTs are now needed to verify these findings.
Analysis of Foundation Pit Design of Metro Station in Complex Environment
Authors: Tao Yunchao
Published: December 2021

The complex engineering geological conditions and the surrounding environmental conditions of the existing subway lines and adjacent buildings have significantly deepened the difficulty of metro station foundation pit design and construction. Based on the foundation pit project of Luboyuan Station of Nanjing Metro Line 9, this study chooses a reasonable foundation pit support design scheme to carry out related research by analyzing the site geological environmental conditions. Through the analysis and evaluation of the engineering geological conditions of the engineering site, the engineering geological problems that may occur in the process of construction are given. According to the lithologic characteristics of the site strata, the hydrogeological conditions, and the features of the underground engineering structure, the design of the foundation pit supporting system is optimized and analyzed. The results show that making full use of the geological features of strata and adopting effective support methods can ensure the safety of foundation pit construction, reduce the cost of engineering description, and shorten the construction period, which can be used as a reference for similar projects and construction.
Hereditary Tyrosinemia Type 1 in Jordan: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Megdadi Noor A. , Almigdad Ahmad K. , Alakil Mo’men O. , Alqiam Shahrazad M. , Rababah Sumaia G. , Dwiari Moshera A.
Published: December 2021

Background. Hereditary tyrosinemia type 1 (HT1) is a recessively inherited inborn error of metabolism affecting the final step of tyrosine catabolism. The accumulation of tyrosine toxic metabolites leads to progressive hepatic, renal, and neurological manifestations. Treatment of HT1 consists of tyrosine-restricted diets and nitisinone. The untreated disease progresses into life-threatening liver failure with an increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods. From April 2010 to March 2021, eighteen patients were diagnosed with HT1 in the metabolic department at Queen Rania Al Abdullah Hospital for Children in Jordan. Patients were reviewed retrospectively regarding their clinical features, laboratory data, and sociodemographic history. Results. The mean age of nine boys and nine girls was 6.03 years (

SD
±
3.85

). The mean age for symptom onset was 5.61 months (

SD
±
6.02

). However, the diagnosis was belated from the onset by 10.50 months (±10.42). Nitisinone treatment was delayed from diagnosis around 12.28 months (

SD
±
25.36

). Most of the patients (66.7%) had acute onset of the disease. Two children (11.1%) died due to hepatic complications. Positive family history was identified in 61.1% of patients, and a similar percentage were born to parents with consanguineous marriage. The most common presentation was abdominal pain, vomiting, and fever. Hepatomegaly and abdominal distention were the most common findings. Six patients’ (42.9%) first presentation was rickets. Conclusion. HT1 diagnosis is usually delayed because it is not part of newborn screening and nonfamiliarity with the clinical features of the disease. Therefore, nationwide newborn screening should be expanded to include HT1.
Hypoglycemic and Hepatoprotective Effects of Dried and Rice-Fried Psidium guajava Leaves in Diabetic Rats
Authors: Li Dan , Yang Sen , Ding Hai-yan , Chen Hong-ping , Liu You-ping , Hu Yuan
Published: December 2021

Psidium guajava leaves (PGL) have been long used as an adjuvant therapy for diabetics. The present study evaluated the in vivo hypoglycemic and hepatoprotective effects of dried and the rice-fried PGL decoctions (PGLD and RPGLD). Our results indicated that both PGLD and RPGLD could significantly decrease the contents of fasting blood glucose (FBG) and haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in diabetic rats. Compared with the HFD/STZ (high-fat diet with streptozotocin) group, the PGLD and RPGLD-treated diabetic rats showed different degrees of recovery against the liver pathological changes. The upregulated expressions of glucokinase (GK), glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2), insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1), insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1), and insulin receptor substrate-2 (IRS-2) in PGLD and RPGLD-treated groups were observed. In general, RPGLD exhibited a much better antidiabetic effect than PGLD, which was further verified by the comprehensive evaluation with the TOPSIS method. Besides, HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography) and UPLC-MS/MS (ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry) analyses revealed that the contents of the primary constituents (ellagic acid, hyperoside, isoquercitroside, reynoutrin, guaijaverin, auicularin, and quercetin) in RPGLD increased obviously compared with PGLD. These results shed new light on the antidiabetic potential and mechanism of PGL, as well as the “higher efficacy” of the rice-fried processing method in traditional Chinese medicine.
Short‐Term Effects of Supplemental L‐Arginine, Diosmin, Troxerutin, and Hesperidin in Diabetic Patients: A Pilot Study
Authors: Bagnati Marco , Puricelli Chiara , Bauce Giulia , Basile Matteo , Grigollo Barbara , Prodam Flavia , Dianzani Umberto , Bellomo Giorgio , Rolla Roberta
Published: December 2021

Background and Aims. Inflammatory, oxidative stress, and endothelial dysfunction play a key role in the pathogenesis of long‐term cardiovascular complications in patients with diabetes. The present observational prospective study is aimed at evaluating the effects of micronutrients and phytochemicals contained in the dietary supplement Flebotrofine® (AMNOL Chimica Biologica) on biochemical markers of inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and glycemic control in patients with diabetes. Methods. 105 type 1 or type 2 diabetes patients regularly took a daily dose of the dietary supplement Flebotrofine® for three consecutive months, and haematological and biochemical parameters were checked at baseline, after three months of treatment, and one month after its suspension. Statistical comparison of the laboratory parameters was performed using the two‐tailed ANOVA test for repeated samples with a statistical significance level set at p < 0.05. Results. The daily use of Flebotrofine® did not change the glycemic metabolic compensation of enrolled patients. After three months of regular Flebotrofine® intake, the plasma levels of the antioxidant β‐carotene and of arginine were significantly higher compared with the baseline values, with a decrease in the ADMA/arginine ratio. In contrast, apolipoprotein B, ApoB/ApoA1 ratio, and platelet and leukocyte counts significantly dropped. Conclusion. The daily use of Flebotrofine® might be a valid supplement of arginine, the precursor of NO, and essential in the prevention of endothelial dysfunction. The regular intake of arginine and phytochemicals also improved the antioxidant and antithrombotic profile of enrolled patients. Therefore, Flebotrofine® could be a useful dietary supplement to prevent long‐term complications in patients with diabetes.
Quantitative of Badminton Practice Based on Wireless Sensor Network
Authors: Huang Hui , Zhang Yibo , Pang Geng , Ye Aoting
Published: December 2021

In recent years, badminton sports have attracted the public and the majority of young students. Badminton training has received extensive attention in the field of sports. However, there is currently no effective and accurate method for effective analysis of badminton training. In order to solve this problem, this paper combines the training teaching theory and the representation training theory and applies the fuzzy algorithm to construct the fuzzy evaluation model based on the analytic hierarchy process. After the experiment, the test scores of the sports quality of the two groups of badminton special students were improved. Through the screening of the seven functional modes of action, it was found that the special students’ left and right symmetry differences were obvious, the lower limbs were not stable, the core area was weak, and the muscle control ability on both sides of the spine needed to be strengthened.
Tianxiangdan Improves Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction in Rats by Inhibiting Microvascular Inflammation via Nrf2 Activation
Authors: Sawuer Guligena , Ma Xue-Kuan , Zhang Ya-Jie , Zhang Xuan-Ming , Ainiwaer Zulihumaer , An Dong-Qing
Published: December 2021

Background. Tianxiangdan (TXD) is used in traditional Chinese medicine because of its therapeutic and preventive effects in the treatment of coronary heart disease. However, the underlying mechanism of TXD in coronary microvascular disease (CMD) remains unclear. Methods. A rat model of CMD was developed to study the mechanism of TXD activity. Sodium laurate was injected into the left ventricle of Sprague–Dawley rats to induce CMD. The rats were divided into six groups: a sham-operated (sham) group, an untreated CMD group, a low-dose TXD group (0.81 g·kg−1·d−1), a mid-dose TXD (TXD-M) group (1.62 g·kg−1·d−1), a high-dose TXD (TXD-H) group (3.24 g·kg−1·d−1), and a nicorandil (NCR) group (1.35 mg·kg−1·d−1). The effect of TXD on rats with CMD was observed after four weeks, and the mechanism of TXD in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cardiac microvascular endothelial cells (CMECs) was explored through treatment with 50 μg/mL TXD. Results. Compared with the rats in the untreated CMD group, rats in the TXD-M and TXD-H groups showed higher left ventricular ejection fraction values, improved pathological structures, decreased expressions of interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), phosphorylated nuclear factor-κB inhibitor α (IκBα) and phosphorylated p65, and increased expressions of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (

P
<
0.05

). These effects were more pronounced in the TXD-H group than in the TXD-M group. In vitro experiments showed that TXD treatment increased the viability of LPS-induced CMECs and decreased the expression of IL-1β, TNF-α, phosphorylated IκBα, and phosphorylated p65 (

P
<
0.05

). However, the effects of TXD on CMECs were markedly reversed upon treatment with ML385 (Nrf2 inhibitor). Conclusion. The results showed that TXD exerts a protective effect on rats with CMD and related inflammatory injuries, and its anti-inflammatory mechanism is related to the activation of Nrf2 signalling.
Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Peripheral Artery Disease and Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment
Authors: Liang Zenghui , Zhang Wentao , Zhu Tianyi , Li Yunsong , Cao Pengkai , Wu Yanping , Zhang Yanrong
Published: December 2021

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a serious public health issue, characterized by circulation disorder of the lower extreme that reduces the physical activity of the lower extremity muscle. The artery narrowed by atherosclerotic lesions initiates limb ischemia. In the progression of treatment, reperfusion injury is still inevitable. Ischemia-reperfusion injury induced by PAD is responsible for hypoxia and nutrient deficiency. PAD triggers hindlimb ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) cycles through various mechanisms, mainly including mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammation. Alternatively, mitochondrial dysfunction plays a central role. The I/R injury may cause cells’ injury and even death. However, the mechanism of I/R injury and the way of cell damage or death are still unclear. We review the pathophysiology of I/R injury, which is majorly about mitochondrial dysfunction. Then, we focus on the cell damage and death during I/R injury. Further comprehension of the progress of I/R will help identify biomarkers for diagnosis and therapeutic targets to PAD. In addition, traditional Chinese medicine has played an important role in the treatment of I/R injury, and we will make a brief introduction.
MicroRNA-21-5p Reduces Hypoxia/Reoxygenation-Induced Neuronal Cell Damage through Negative Regulation of CPEB3
Authors: Wang Bin , Yu Ping , Lin Wei , Zhai Zhaohui
Published: December 2021

Objectives. To explore the role of microRNA-21-5p (miR-21-5p) in hypoxia/reoxygenation- (H/R-) induced HT22 cell damage. Methods. The hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) model was established in mouse neuronal cells HT22. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and qRT-PCR were used to determine the effects of H/R treatment on cell viability and miR-21-5p expression. HT22 cells were transfected with miR-21-5p mimic or negative control (NC) followed by the induction of H/R; cell viability, apoptosis, and SOD, MDA, and LDH activities were detected. Besides, the apoptosis-related proteins including BAX, BCL2, cleaved caspase-3, and caspase-3 as well as proteins of EGFR/PI3K/AKT signaling pathways were measured by Western blot. To verify the target relation between cytoplasmic polyadenylation element binding protein 3 (CPEB3) and miR-21-5p, luciferase reporter gene experiment was performed. After cotransfection with miR-21-5p mimic and CPEB3 plasmids, the reversal effects of CPEB3 on miR-21-5p in H/R damage were studied. Results. H/R treatment could significantly reduce the cell viability (

P
<
0.05

) and miR-21-5p levels (

P
<
0.05

) in HT22 cells. After overexpressing miR-21-5p, cell viability was increased (

P
<
0.05

) under H/R treatment, and the apoptosis rate and the levels of apoptosis-related proteins were suppressed (all

P
<
0.05

). Furthermore, SOD activity was increased (

P
<
0.05

), while MDA and LDH activity was decreased (both

P
<
0.05

). Besides, miR-21-5p could restore the activation of the EGFR/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway inhibited by H/R treatment (all

P
<
0.05

). The luciferase reporter gene experiment verified that CPEB3 is the target of miR-21-5p (

P
<
0.05

). When coexpressing miR-21-5p mimic and CPEB3 in the cells, the protective effects of miR-21-5p under H/R were reversed (all

P
<
0.05

), and the activation of the EGFR/PI3K/AKT pathway was also inhibited (all

P
<
0.05

). Conclusion. This study showed that miR-21-5p may regulate the EGFR/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway by targeting CPEB3 to reduce H/R-induced cell damage and apoptosis.
Diastolic Dysfunction Is a Predictor of Poor Survival in Patients with Decompensated Cirrhosis
Authors: Behera Manas Kumar , Swain Surendra Nath , Sahu Manoj Kumar , Behera Gaurav Kumar , Mishra Debakanta , Narayan Jimmy , Singh Ayaskant , Agarwal Shobhit , Mallick Pradeep Kumar
Published: December 2021

Background. Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) appears to be the earliest cardiac disturbance in cirrhosis patients. There are many previous reports reporting the significance of severity of LVDD on the outcome of liver transplantation or TIPS insertion, a few Indian studies have addressed the role of LVDD on survival in decompensated cirrhosis. The objective of this study is to assess the effect of LVDD on the survival of decompensated cirrhotic patients. Methods. We prospectively evaluated 92 decompensated cirrhotic patients from April 2015 to March 2017 at IMS and SUM Hospital, Bhubaneswar, India. 2D echocardiography with tissue Doppler imaging was used to evaluate cardiac function, as per the American society of echocardiography guidelines. The primary endpoint was to evaluate the effect of LVDD on overall mortality. Results. Ninety-two decompensated cirrhotic patients were evaluated in this prospective cohort study. Twenty-eight out of 92 patients (30%) died due to liver-related complications after a follow-up of 24 months. The decompensated cirrhotic patients with

MELD
 
score
≥
15

had a significantly higher

E
/

e

′

ratio (

11.94
±
4.24

vs.

8.74
±
3.32

,

p
<
0.001

) suggesting severe LV dysfunction in advanced cirrhosis. Patients with

E
/

e

′

 
ratio
>
10

had significantly higher MELD score and Child-Pugh score (

19.88
±
7.72

vs.

14.31
±
5.83

;

10.25
±
1.74

vs.

9.02
±
1.74

,

p
<
0.01

, respectively) as compared to the

E
/

e

′

 
ratio
<
10

group. In Cox proportional hazard multivariate analysis,

E
/

e

′

≥
10

(HR 2.72, 95% CI 1.07-6.9,

p
=
0.03

) and serum albumin (HR 0.32, 95% CI 0.14-0.7,

p
<
0.01

) were found to be independent predictors of mortality in decompensated cirrhotic patients. Conclusion: The presence of LVDD and low serum albumin were independent predictors of mortality in decompensated cirrhotic patients. Hence, LVDD is an indicator of advanced cirrhosis and mortality.
The Research of Chronic Gastritis Diagnosis with Electronic Noses
Authors: Chen Yifei , Xia Rongfei , Feng Yongjian
Published: December 2021

In order to solve the problem of existing diagnostic methods for chronic gastritis which are complex and traumatic, a novel noninvasive method for diagnosis of chronic gastric based on e‐nose and deep convolutional neural network is proposed. Firstly, in order to collect samples, a respiratory gas sampling device was established and the response curve of respiratory gas is generated. Then, a deep convolutional neural network for the diagnosis of chronic gastritis is proposed to recognize and classify the respiratory gas response curve. The DCNN model attained good results with accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 85.00%, 90.00%, and 80.00%, respectively, for chronic gastric prediction. The proposed method provides a new way for the clinical auxiliary diagnoses of chronic gastric.
Serum Galectin‐3 as a Potential Predictive Biomarker Is Associated with Poststroke Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Wang Qian , Wang Kai , Ma Yihong , Li Simin , Xu Yuzhen
Published: December 2021

Objective. Galectin‐3, an inflammatory mediator derived from microglia, participates in the pathophysiological process of various neurological diseases. However, the relationship between galectin‐3 and poststroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) remains ambiguous. This research purposed to prove whether serum galectin‐3 can predict PSCI. Methods. In the end, an aggregate of 416 patients with the first acute ischemic stroke (AIS) were continuously and prospectively enrolled in the study. Upon admission, the baseline data of AIS patients were collected, and their serum galectin‐3 levels were measured. Three months after the stroke, the Montreal Cognitive Scale (MoCA) was utilized to measure the cognitive function of AIS patients, and PSCI was defined as a MoCA score less than 26 points. Results. Premised on the MoCA scores, patients were categorized into PSCI cohort and non‐PSCI cohort. The two AIS patient cohorts did not exhibit any statistical difference in their baseline characteristics (p > 0.05). However, the serum galectin‐3 level of AIS patients in the PSCI cohort was considerably elevated (p < 0.001). Pearson correlation analysis illustrated that serum galectin‐3 level was negatively linked to MoCA score (r = −0.396, p < 0.05). The findings from the receiver‐operating curve (ROC) illustrated that the sensitivity of serum galectin‐3 as a possible biomarker for diagnosing PSCI was 66%, and the specificity was 94%. The cut‐off value of serum galectin‐3 to diagnose PSCI is 6.3 ng/mL (OR = 5.49, p < 0.001). Upon controlling for different variables, serum galectin‐3 level remained to be an independent predictor of PSCI (p < 0.001). Conclusions. Elevated serum galectin‐3 levels are linked to a higher risk of PSCI. Serum galectin‐3 could be a prospective biomarker for predicting PSCI.
Effect of Combination of Traditional Chinese Medicine with Western Medicine on Endometrial Carcinoma and Its Influence on Ultrasound, MRI, Tumor Markers HE4 and CA125
Authors: Gao Xia , Li Qiuying , Qu Yanwen , Zhang Jinzhi , Xing Yougang , Li Shichun
Published: December 2021

Objective. To study the clinical efficacy of integrated traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine (WM) in treating endometrial cancer and the influence on ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), tumor markers, human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) and carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125). Method. A total of 152 cases of patients with endometrial carcinoma were randomly divided into two groups: the TCM + WM group and the WM group. The WM group was treated with megestrol acetate tablets, and the TCM + WM group was treated with Radix Astragali injection on the basis of the control group. The levels of inflammatory factors, HE4 and CA125 in serum, were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or radioimmunoassay. The characteristics of ultrasound images and MRI images were observed and recorded. Toxicity, side effects, and the 3-year cumulative survival rate after treatment were assessed. Results. After treatment, the levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in both groups decreased, and the decrease in the TCM + WM group was more obvious than that in the WM group. There were statistically significant differences between the two groups in lesion shape, boundary, blood flow signal, lesion diameter, resistance index (RI), echo, intima thickness, and muscle layer infiltration from transvaginal ultrasound images after treatment. The diameter, echo, boundary, shape, composition, and enhancement degree of lesions between the two groups have a significant difference. Moreover, the levels of serum HE4 and CA125 in both groups decreased after treatment, and the decrease in the TCM + WM group was more obvious than that in the WM group. There were statistically significant differences between the two groups in the occurrence of myelosuppression, abnormal liver function, decreased platelet number, gastrointestinal reactions, leukopenia, and cardiotoxicity. After three years of follow-up, the cumulative survival rate of the TCM + WM group was 76.32%, and the cumulative survival rate of the WM group was 57.89%. Conclusion. Radix Astragali injection combined with megestrol acetate tablets has obvious therapeutic effects against endometrial cancer. Through vaginal ultrasonography and MRI, it can significantly improve the size, shape, and blood flow signals of patients’ lesions, reduce the level of serum inflammatory factors and tumor markers HE4 and CA125, reduce the incidence of toxic and side reactions, improve the patient’s immunity, improve the patient’s condition significantly, and prolong the survival time of patients.