bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inpatient Satisfaction with Nursing Care and Its Impact Factors in Chinese Tertiary Hospitals: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Yan Mudan , Zhi Mengjia , Xu Yue , Hu Linlin , Liu Yuanli
Published: December 2022

Aims: To evaluate the level of patient satisfaction with nursing care in China’s major tertiary hospitals, and to explore patient and hospital level factors associated with patient satisfaction, in order to provide policy implications for the evaluation and improvement of nursing care, toward a patient-centered healthcare system. Background: Patient satisfaction with nursing care has been designated as a key measure of the quality of nursing care and is one of the main focuses of the current healthcare improvement campaign in China. Methods: We participated in the 2021 China National Patient Survey and designed and administered a survey instrument with five domains, to evaluate patient satisfaction with nursing care among 24,971 inpatients from 143 tertiary hospitals across 31 provinces in China. Descriptive analysis and binary logistic regressions were utilized to assess the level of satisfaction and identify key factors related to nursing satisfaction. Results: The overall satisfaction level is high, but satisfaction with health guidance is relatively low. Patients’ sociodemographic characteristics, including age, income, and education, are significantly associated with their satisfaction. Hospital characteristics, such as geographic location, type, and nurse-to-doctor ratio, significantly impact inpatient satisfaction with nursing care. Patients of hospitals in the eastern region, general hospitals, and hospitals with higher nurse-to-doctor ratios are more satisfied with nursing care. Conclusion: More attention should be paid to equitably allocating healthcare resources among different regions, improving the management and competence of non-general hospitals, and strengthening the recruitment and retention of the nursing workforce. Moreover, patient characteristics should be considered when evaluating patient satisfaction across hospitals. Patient and Public Contribution: These findings will help us better understand patients’ satisfaction regarding nursing care in Chinese tertiary hospitals and develop targeted interventions, to establish a patient-centered healthcare system.
Regular Exercise Rescues Heart Function Defects and Shortens the Lifespan of Drosophila Caused by dMnM Downregulation
Authors: Gu Wenzhi , Li Qiufang , Ding Meng , Cao Yurou , Wang Tongquan , Zhang Shihu , Feng Jiadong , Li Hongyu , Zheng Lan
Published: December 2022

Although studies have shown that myomesin 2 (MYOM2) mutations can lead to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a common cardiovascular disease that has a serious impact on human life, the effect of MYOM2 on cardiac function and lifespan in humans is unknown. In this study, dMnM (MYOM2 homologs) knockdown in cardiomyocytes resulted in diastolic cardiac defects (diastolic dysfunction and arrhythmias) and increased cardiac oxidative stress. Furthermore, the knockdown of dMnM in indirect flight muscle (IFM) reduced climbing ability and shortened lifespan. However, regular exercise significantly ameliorated diastolic cardiac dysfunction, arrhythmias, and oxidative stress triggered by dMnM knockdown in cardiac myocytes and also reversed the reduction in climbing ability and shortening of lifespan caused by dMnM knockdown in Drosophila IFM. In conclusion, these results suggest that Drosophila cardiomyocyte dMnM knockdown leads to cardiac functional defects, while dMnM knockdown in IFM affects climbing ability and lifespan. Furthermore, regular exercise effectively upregulates cardiomyocyte dMnM expression levels and ameliorates cardiac functional defects caused by Drosophila cardiomyocyte dMnM knockdown by increasing cardiac antioxidant capacity. Importantly, regular exercise ameliorates the shortened lifespan caused by dMnM knockdown in IFM.
High Resistance to Antibiotics Recommended in Standard Treatment Guidelines in Ghana: A Cross-Sectional Study of Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns in Patients with Urinary Tract Infections between 2017–2021
Authors: Asamoah Benjamin , Labi Appiah-Korang , Gupte Himanshu A. , Davtyan Hayk , Peprah Georgette Marfo , Adu-Gyan Forster , Nair Divya , Muradyan Karlos , Jessani Nasreen S. , Sekyere-Nyantakyi Paul
Published: December 2022

Management of urinary tract infections is challenged by increasing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) worldwide. In this study, we describe the trends in antimicrobial resistance of uropathogens isolated from the largest private sector laboratory in Ghana over a five-year period. We reviewed positive urine cultures at the MDS Lancet Laboratories from 2017 to 2021. The proportions of uropathogens with antimicrobial resistance to oral and parenteral antimicrobials recommended by the Ghana standard treatment guidelines were determined. The proportion of multi-drug resistant isolates, ESBL and carbapenemase-producing phenotypes were determined. Of 94,134 urine specimens submitted for culture, 20,010 (22.1%) were culture positive. Enterobacterales was the most common group of organisms, E. coli (70.6%) being the most common isolate and Enterococcus spp. the most common gram-positive (1.3%) organisms. Among oral antimicrobials, the highest resistance was observed to ciprofloxacin (62.3%) and cefuroxime (60.2%) and the least resistance to fosfomycin (1.9%). The least resistance among parenteral antimicrobials was to meropenem (0.3%). The highest multi-drug resistance levels were observed among Klebsiella spp. (68.6%) and E. coli (64.0%). Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) positivity was highest in Klebsiella spp. (58.6%) and E. coli (50.0%). There may be a need to review the Ghana standard treatment guidelines to reflect increased resistance among uropathogens to recommended antimicrobials.
Human Milk for Vulnerable Infants: Breastfeeding and Milk Sharing Practice among Ghanaian Women
Authors: Obeng Cecilia , Jackson Frederica , Nsiah-Asamoah Christiana , Amissah-Essel Salome , Obeng-Gyasi Barnabas , Perry Cydne A. , Gonzalez Casanova Ines
Published: December 2022

Human milk has the best impact on childhood survival. In Ghana, it is estimated that 43% of women exclusively breastfeed for 0–5 months and only 42% of breastfeeding mothers continue through 20–23 months. Although the Ghanaian government has implemented policies to facilitate exclusive breastfeeding, substantial gaps to achieve optimal newborn health and wellbeing remain. The purpose of this study was to evaluate breastfeeding prevalence and human milk sharing practices among Ghanaian women. Qualitative responses were received from Ghanaian females (n = 1050). In our sample, 81% indicated they breastfed their children and 8% reported ever sharing breastmilk with another mother. Reasons for sharing milk included (i) insufficient breastmilk production of the recipient mother, and (ii) mother’s unavailability prompting women to offer their milk to a crying baby. About 60% of our sample reported that they were not concerned about sharing their milk. Findings present a strong indicator for milk donation towards the establishment of a human milk bank in Ghana. Health promotion efforts should aim at increasing education about the risks involved in milk sharing as well as the benefits of human milk donation through formal and safer channels such as a Human Milk Bank.
Bitter Taste Receptors and Endocrine Disruptors: Cellular and Molecular Insights from an In Vitro Model of Human Granulosa Cells
Authors: Luongo Francesca Paola , Passaponti Sofia , Haxhiu Alesandro , Raeispour Maryam , Belmonte Giuseppe , Governini Laura , Casarini Livio , Piomboni Paola , Luddi Alice
Published: December 2022

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are compounds that interfere with the synthesis, transport and binding action of hormones responsible for reproduction and homeostasis. Some EDCs compounds are activators of Taste bitter Receptors, a subclass of taste receptors expressed in many extraoral locations, including sperm and follicular somatic cells. This makes TAS2Rs attractive molecules to study and investigate to shed light on the effect of EDCs on female reproduction and fertility. This study aims to assess the effect of selected EDCs [namely Biochanin A (BCA), caffeine, Daidzein, Genistein and Isoflavone] on hGL5, an immortalized cell line exhibiting characteristics coherent with primary follicular granulosa cells. After demonstrating that this model expresses all the TAS2Rs (TAS2R3, TAS2R4, TAS2R14, TAS2R19, TAS2R43) specifically expressed by the primary human granulosa cells, we demonstrated that BCA and caffeine significantly affect mitochondrial footprint and intracellular lipid content, indicating their contribution in steroidogenesis. Our results showed that bitter taste receptors may be involved in steroidogenesis, thus suggesting an appealing mechanism by which these compounds affect the female reproductive system.
Touch DNA Sampling Methods: Efficacy Evaluation and Systematic Review
Authors: Tozzo Pamela , Mazzobel Enrico , Marcante Beatrice , Delicati Arianna , Caenazzo Luciana
Published: December 2022

Collection and interpretation of “touch DNA” from crime scenes represent crucial steps during criminal investigations, with clear consequences in courtrooms. Although the main aspects of this type of evidence have been extensively studied, some controversial issues remain. For instance, there is no conclusive evidence indicating which sampling method results in the highest rate of biological material recovery. Thus, this study aimed to describe the actual considerations on touch DNA and to compare three different sampling procedures, which were “single-swab”, “double-swab”, and “other methods” (i.e., cutting out, adhesive tape, FTA® paper scraping), based on the experimental results published in the recent literature. The data analysis performed shows the higher efficiency of the single-swab method in DNA recovery in a wide variety of experimental settings. On the contrary, the double-swab technique and other methods do not seem to improve recovery rates. Despite the apparent discrepancy with previous research, these results underline certain limitations inherent to the sampling procedures investigated. The application of this information to forensic investigations and laboratories could improve operative standard procedures and enhance this almost fundamental investigative tool’s probative value.
ONC201-Induced Mitochondrial Dysfunction, Senescence-like Phenotype, and Sensitization of Cultured BT474 Human Breast Cancer Cells to TRAIL
Authors: Mishukov Artem , Odinokova Irina , Mndlyan Ekaterina , Kobyakova Margarita , Abdullaev Serazhutdin , Zhalimov Vitaly , Glukhova Xenia , Galat Vasiliy , Galat Yekaterina , Senotov Anatoly , Fadeev Roman , Artykov Artem , Gasparian Marine E. , Solovieva Marina , Beletsky Igor , Holmuhamedov Ekhson
Published: December 2022

ONC201, the anticancer drug, targets and activates mitochondrial ATP-dependent caseinolytic peptidase P (ClpP), a serine protease located in the mitochondrial matrix. Given the promise of ONC201 in cancer treatment, we evaluated its effects on the breast ductal carcinoma cell line (BT474). We showed that the transient single-dose treatment of BT474 cells by 10 µM ONC201 for a period of less than 48 h induced a reversible growth arrest and a transient activation of an integrated stress response indicated by an increased expression of CHOP, ATF4, and GDF-15, and a reduced number of mtDNA nucleoids. A prolonged exposure to the drug (>48 h), however, initiated an irreversible loss of mtDNA, persistent activation of integrated stress response proteins, as well as cell cycle arrest, inhibition of proliferation, and suppression of the intrinsic apoptosis pathway. Since Natural Killer (NK) cells are quickly gaining momentum in cellular anti-cancer therapies, we evaluated the effect of ONC201 on the activity of the peripheral blood derived NK cells. We showed that following the ONC 201 exposure BT474 cells demonstrated enhanced sensitivity toward human NK cells that mediated killing. Together our data revealed that the effects of a single dose of ONC201 are dependent on the duration of exposure, specifically, while short-term exposure led to reversible changes; long-term exposure resulted in irreversible transformation of cells associated with the senescent phenotype. Our data further demonstrated that when used in combination with NK cells, ONC201 created a synergistic anti-cancer effect, thus suggesting its possible benefit in NK-cell based cellular immunotherapies for cancer treatment.
Unique and Shared Proteome Responses of Rice Plants (Oryza sativa) to Individual Abiotic Stresses
Authors: Habibpourmehraban Fatemeh , Atwell Brian J. , Haynes Paul A.
Published: December 2022

Food safety of staple crops such as rice is of global concern and is at the top of the policy agenda worldwide. Abiotic stresses are one of the main limitations to optimizing yields for sustainability, food security and food safety. We analyzed proteome changes in Oryza sativa cv. Nipponbare in response to five adverse abiotic treatments, including three levels of drought (mild, moderate, and severe), soil salinization, and non-optimal temperatures. All treatments had modest, negative effects on plant growth, enabling us to identify proteins that were common to all stresses, or unique to one. More than 75% of the total of differentially abundant proteins in response to abiotic stresses were specific to individual stresses, while fewer than 5% of stress-induced proteins were shared across all abiotic constraints. Stress-specific and non-specific stress-responsive proteins identified were categorized in terms of core biological processes, molecular functions, and cellular localization.
Decoding Strategies to Evade Immunoregulators Galectin-1, -3, and -9 and Their Ligands as Novel Therapeutics in Cancer Immunotherapy
Authors: Lau Lee Seng , Mohammed Norhan B. B. , Dimitroff Charles J.
Published: December 2022

Galectins are a family of ß-galactoside-binding proteins that play a variety of roles in normal physiology. In cancer, their expression levels are typically elevated and often associated with poor prognosis. They are known to fuel a variety of cancer progression pathways through their glycan-binding interactions with cancer, stromal, and immune cell surfaces. Of the 15 galectins in mammals, galectin (Gal)-1, -3, and -9 are particularly notable for their critical roles in tumor immune escape. While these galectins play integral roles in promoting cancer progression, they are also instrumental in regulating the survival, differentiation, and function of anti-tumor T cells that compromise anti-tumor immunity and weaken novel immunotherapies. To this end, there has been a surge in the development of new strategies to inhibit their pro-malignancy characteristics, particularly in reversing tumor immunosuppression through galectin–glycan ligand-targeting methods. This review examines some new approaches to evading Gal-1, -3, and -9–ligand interactions to interfere with their tumor-promoting and immunoregulating activities. Whether using neutralizing antibodies, synthetic peptides, glyco-metabolic modifiers, competitive inhibitors, vaccines, gene editing, exo-glycan modification, or chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells, these methods offer new hope of synergizing their inhibitory effects with current immunotherapeutic methods and yielding highly effective, durable responses.
New Insights into Testosterone Biosynthesis: Novel Observations from HSD17B3 Deficient Mice
Authors: Lawrence Ben M. , O’Donnell Liza , Smith Lee B. , Rebourcet Diane
Published: December 2022

Androgens such as testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) are essential for male sexual development, masculinisation, and fertility. Testosterone is produced via the canonical androgen production pathway and is essential for normal masculinisation and testis function. Disruption to androgen production can result in disorders of sexual development (DSD). In the canonical pathway, 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 3 (HSD17B3) is viewed as a critical enzyme in the production of testosterone, performing the final conversion required. HSD17B3 deficiency in humans is associated with DSD due to low testosterone concentration during development. Individuals with HSD17B3 mutations have poorly masculinised external genitalia that can appear as ambiguous or female, whilst having internal Wolffian structures and testes. Recent studies in mice deficient in HSD17B3 have made the surprising finding that testosterone production is maintained, male mice are masculinised and remain fertile, suggesting differences between mice and human testosterone production exist. We discuss the phenotypic differences observed and the possible other pathways and enzymes that could be contributing to testosterone production and male development. The identification of alternative testosterone synthesising enzymes could inform the development of novel therapies to endogenously regulate testosterone production in individuals with testosterone deficiency.
Vitamin D Metabolic Pathway Components in Orthopedic Patientes—Systematic Review
Authors: Płomiński Janusz , Grzybowski Roman , Fiedorowicz Ewa , Sienkiewicz-Szłapka Edyta , Rozmus Dominika , Król-Grzymała Angelika , Jarmołowska Beata , Kordulewska Natalia , Cieślińska Anna
Published: December 2022

Vitamin D takes part in the functioning of many processes that ensure the homeostasis of the body. In orthopedics, it is indicated as an inseparable element ensuring proper bone growth and functioning, and its deficiencies are indicated in various diseases, mainly in the proper structure and function of the skeleton. In this review, we focus on the most important components of the vitamin D metabolic pathway, in correlation with selected orthopedic conditions. Records were obtained from the PubMed database in a timeline of 2010–2022. The keywords were as follows: vitamin D/cholesterol/vitamin D binding protein/ VDBP/Cytochrome/CYP24A1/CYP 27B1/Vitamin D receptor/VDR/ + diseases (ACL reconstruction, rotator cuff, arthroplasty knee/hip/shoulder). The recent original studies were analyzed, discussed, and the most important data were shown. The vast majority of articles concern the metabolite of vitamin D (25(OH)D), which is measured as a standard in diagnostic laboratories. Even though there is a lot of valuable information in the literature, we believe that the other elements of the vitamin D pathway also deserve attention and suggest their research in correlation with orthopedic disorders to supplement the missing knowledge on this topic.
Cross-Talk between Transcriptome Analysis and Dynamic Changes of Carbohydrates Identifies Stage-Specific Genes during the Flower Bud Differentiation Process of Chinese Cherry (Prunus pseudocerasus L.)
Authors: Shang Chunqiong , Cao Xuejiao , Tian Tian , Hou Qiandong , Wen Zhuang , Qiao Guang , Wen Xiaopeng
Published: December 2022

Flower bud differentiation is crucial to reproductive success in plants. In the present study, RNA-Seq and nutrients quantification were used to identify the stage-specific genes for flower bud differentiation with buds which characterize the marked change during flower bud formation from a widely grown Chinese cherry (Prunus pseudocerasus L.) cultivar ‘Manaohong’. A KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that the sugar metabolism pathways dynamically changed. The gradually decreasing trend in the contents of total sugar, soluble sugar and protein implies that the differentiation was an energy-consuming process. Changes in the contents of D-glucose and sorbitol were conformed with the gene expression trends of bglX and SORD, respectively, which at least partially reflects a key role of the two substances in the transition from physiological to morphological differentiation. Further, the WRKY and SBP families were also significantly differentially expressed during the vegetative-to-reproductive transition. In addition, floral meristem identity genes, e.g., AP1, AP3, PI, AGL6, SEP1, LFY, and UFO demonstrate involvement in the specification of the petal and stamen primordia, and FPF1 might promote the onset of morphological differentiation. Conclusively, the available evidence justifies the involvement of sugar metabolism in the flower bud differentiation of Chinese cherry, and the uncovered candidate genes are beneficial to further elucidate flower bud differentiation in cherries.
Dapsone Lowers Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio and Mortality in COVID-19 Patients Admitted to the ICU
Authors: Kanwar Badar , Khattak Asif , Kast Richard E.
Published: December 2022

Some physicians use dapsone as part of the standard treatment of severe COVID-19 patients entering the ICU, though some do not. To obtain an indication of whether dapsone is helping or not, we undertook a retrospective chart review of 29 consecutive ICU COVID-19 patients receiving dapsone and 30 not receiving dapsone. As we previously reported, of those given dapsone, 9/29 (30%) died, while of those not given dapsone, 18/30 (60%) died. We looked back on that data set to determine if there might be basic laboratory findings in these patients that might give an indication of a mechanism by which dapsone was acting. We found that the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio decreased in 48% of those given dapsone and in 30% of those not given dapsone. We concluded that dapsone might be lowering that ratio. We then reviewed collected data on neutrophil related inflammation pathways on which dapsone might act as presented here. As this was not a controlled study, many variables prevent drawing any conclusions from this work; a formal, randomized controlled study of dapsone in severe COVID-19 is warranted.
The Phosphinate Group in the Formation of 2D Coordination Polymer with Sm(III) Nodes: X-ray Structural, Electrochemical and Mössbauer Study
Authors: Shekurov Ruslan P. , Khrizanforov Mikhail N. , Zagidullin Almaz A. , Zinnatullin Almaz L. , Kholin Kirill V. , Ivshin Kamil A. , Gerasimova Tatiana P. , Sirazieva Aisylu R. , Kataeva Olga N. , Vagizov Farit G. , Miluykov Vasili A.
Published: December 2022

A coordination polymer has been synthesized using ferrocene-based ligand-bearing phosphinic groups of 1,1′-ferrocene-diyl-bis(H-phosphinic acid)), and samarium (III). The coordination polymer’s structure was studied by both single-crystal and powder XRD, TG, IR, and Raman analyses. For the first time, the Mössbauer effect studies were performed on ferrocenyl phosphinate and the polymer based on it. Additionally, the obtained polymer was studied by the method of cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry. It is shown that it has the most positive potential known among ferrocenyl phosphinate-based coordination polymers and metal–organic frameworks. Using the values of the oxidation potential, the polymer was oxidized and the ESR method verified the oxidized Fe(III) form in the solid state. Additionally, the effect of the size of the phosphorus atom substituent of the phosphinate group on the dimension of the resulting coordination compounds is shown.
Complement C3 Regulates Inflammatory Response and Monocyte/Macrophage Phagocytosis of Streptococcus agalactiae in a Teleost Fish
Authors: Bai Hao , Mu Liangliang , Qiu Li , Chen Nuo , Li Jiadong , Zeng Qingliang , Yin Xiaoxue , Ye Jianmin
Published: December 2022

The complement system is composed of a complex protein network and is pivotal to innate immunity. Complement 3 (C3) is a critical protein in the complement cascade and participates in complement activation and immune defense. In this study, C3 from Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) was cloned and its function in resisting pathogen infection was characterized. The full length of OnC3 open reading frame is 4974 bp, encoding 1657 aa, and the predicted protein mass weight is 185.93 kDa. The OnC3 amino acid sequence contains macroglobulin domains. The expression pattern of OnC3 mRNA in the tissues of healthy fish was detected, with the highest in the liver and the lowest in the muscle. After challenged with Streptococcus agalactiae and Aeromonas hydrophila, the expression of OnC3 mRNA was significantly up-regulated in the liver, spleen, and head kidney. Further, the recombinant OnC3 protein alleviated the inflammatory response and pathological damage of tissues after infected with S. agalactiae. Moreover, the OnC3 promoted the phagocytosis of monocytes/macrophages to S. agalactiae. The data obtained in this study provide a theoretical reference for in-depth understanding of C3 in host defense against bacterial infection and the immunomodulatory roles in teleost fish.
Auxin Biosynthesis Genes in Allotetraploid Oilseed Rape Are Essential for Plant Development and Response to Drought Stress
Authors: Hao Mengyu , Wang Wenxiang , Liu Jia , Wang Hui , Zhou Rijin , Mei Desheng , Fu Li , Hu Qiong , Cheng Hongtao
Published: December 2022

Crucial studies have verified that IAA is mainly generated via the two-step pathway in Arabidopsis, in which tryptophan aminotransferase (TAA) and YUCCA (YUC) are the two crucial enzymes. However, the role of the TAA (or TAR) and YUC genes in allotetraploid oilseed rape underlying auxin biosynthesis and development regulation remains elusive. In the present study, all putative TAR and YUC genes were identified in B. napus genome. Most TAR and YUC genes were tissue that were specifically expressed. Most YUC and TAR proteins contained trans-membrane regions and were confirmed to be endoplasmic reticulum localizations. Enzymatic activity revealed that YUC and TAR protein members were involved in the conversion of IPA to IAA and Trp to IPA, respectively. Transgenic plants overexpressing BnaYUC6a in both Arabidopsis and B. napus displayed high auxin production and reduced plant branch angle, together with increased drought resistance. Moreover, mutation in auxin biosynthesis BnaTARs genes by CRISPR/Cas9 caused development defects. All these results suggest the convergent role of BnaYUC and BnaTAR genes in auxin biosynthesis. Different homoeologs of BnaYUC and BnaTAR may be divergent according to sequence and expression variation. Auxin biosynthesis genes in allotetraploid oilseed rape play a pivotal role in coordinating plant development processes and stress resistance.
A Deeper Insight into the Tick Salivary Protein Families under the Light of Alphafold2 and Dali: Introducing the TickSialoFam 2.0 Database
Authors: Mans Ben J. , Andersen John F. , Ribeiro José M. C.
Published: December 2022

Hard ticks feed for several days or weeks on their hosts and their saliva contains thousands of polypeptides belonging to dozens of families, as identified by salivary transcriptomes. Comparison of the coding sequences to protein databases helps to identify putative secreted proteins and their potential functions, directing and focusing future studies, usually done with recombinant proteins that are tested in different bioassays. However, many families of putative secreted peptides have a unique character, not providing significant matches to known sequences. The availability of the Alphafold2 program, which provides in silico predictions of the 3D polypeptide structure, coupled with the Dali program which uses the atomic coordinates of a structural model to search the Protein Data Bank (PDB) allows another layer of investigation to annotate and ascribe a functional role to proteins having so far being characterized as “unique”. In this study, we analyzed the classification of tick salivary proteins under the light of the Alphafold2/Dali programs, detecting novel protein families and gaining new insights relating the structure and function of tick salivary proteins.
Human Placental Lactogen in Relation to Maternal Metabolic Health and Fetal Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Rassie Kate , Giri Rinky , Joham Anju E. , Teede Helena , Mousa Aya
Published: December 2022

Human placental lactogen (hPL) is a placental hormone which appears to have key metabolic functions in pregnancy. Preclinical studies have putatively linked hPL to maternal and fetal outcomes, yet—despite human observational data spanning several decades—evidence on the role and importance of this hormone remains disparate and conflicting. We aimed to explore (via systematic review and meta-analysis) the relationship between hPL levels, maternal pre-existing and gestational metabolic conditions, and fetal growth. MEDLINE via OVID, CINAHL plus, and Embase were searched from inception through 9 May 2022. Eligible studies included women who were pregnant or up to 12 months post-partum, and reported at least one endogenous maternal serum hPL level during pregnancy in relation to pre-specified metabolic outcomes. Two independent reviewers extracted data. Meta-analysis was conducted where possible; for other outcomes narrative synthesis was performed. 35 studies met eligibility criteria. No relationship was noted between hPL and gestational diabetes status. In type 1 diabetes mellitus, hPL levels appeared lower in early pregnancy (possibly reflecting delayed placental development) and higher in late pregnancy (possibly reflecting increased placental mass). Limited data were found in other pre-existing metabolic conditions. Levels of hPL appear to be positively related to placental mass and infant birthweight in pregnancies affected by maternal diabetes. The relationship between hPL, a purported pregnancy metabolic hormone, and maternal metabolism in human pregnancy is complex and remains unclear. This antenatal biomarker may offer value, but future studies in well-defined contemporary populations are required.
An Efficient Malware Classification Method Based on the AIFS-IDL and Multi-Feature Fusion
Authors: Wu Xuan , Song Yafei
Published: December 2022

In recent years, the presence of malware has been growing exponentially, resulting in enormous demand for efficient malware classification methods. However, the existing machine learning-based classifiers have high false positive rates and cannot effectively classify malware variants, packers, and obfuscation. To address this shortcoming, this paper proposes an efficient deep learning-based method named AIFS-IDL (Atanassov Intuitionistic Fuzzy Sets-Integrated Deep Learning), which uses static features to classify malware. The proposed method first extracts six types of features from the disassembly and byte files and then fuses them to solve the single-feature problem in traditional classification methods. Next, Atanassov’s intuitionistic fuzzy set-based method is used to integrate the result of the three deep learning models, namely, GRU (Temporal Convolutional Network), TCN (Temporal Convolutional Network), and CNN (Convolutional Neural Networks), which improves the classification accuracy and generalizability of the classification model. The proposed method is verified by experiments and the results show that the proposed method can effectively improve the accuracy of malware classification compared to the existing methods. Experiments were carried out on the six types of features of malicious code and compared with traditional classification algorithms and ensemble learning algorithms. A variety of comparative experiments show that the classification accuracy rate of integrating multi-feature, multi-model aspects can reach 99.92%. The results show that, compared with other static classification methods, this method has better malware identification and classification ability.
H-Type Hypertension among Black South Africans and the Relationship between Homocysteine, Its Genetic Determinants and Estimates of Vascular Function
Authors: du Plessis Jacomina P. , Lammertyn Leandi , Schutte Aletta E. , Nienaber-Rousseau Cornelie
Published: December 2022

Elevated homocysteine (Hcy) increases cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Our objective was to emphasize Hcy’s contribution in hypertension and CVD management by determining H-type hypertension (hypertension with Hcy ≥ 10 µmol/L) and associations between Hcy, blood pressure (BP) and estimates of vascular function among Black South Africans. We included 1995 adults (63% female). Plasma Hcy and cardiovascular measures (systolic and diastolic BP (SBP, DBP), pulse pressure, heart rate (HR), carotid-radialis pulse wave velocity (cr-PWV), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1) were quantified. Five Hcy-related polymorphisms (cystathionine β-synthase (CBS 844ins68, T833C, G9276A); methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR C677T) and methionine synthase (MTR A2756G)) were genotyped. Hcy was >10 µmol/L in 41% (n = 762), and of the 47% (n = 951) hypertensives, 45% (n = 425) presented with H-type. Hcy was higher in hypertensives vs. normotensives (9.86 vs. 8.78 µmol/L, p < 0.0001, effect size 0.56) and correlated positively with SBP, DBP, cr-PWV and ICAM-1 (r > 0.19, p < 0.0001). Over Hcy quartiles, SBP, DBP, HR, cr-PWV and ICAM-1 increased progressively (all p-trends ≤ 0.001). In multiple regression models, Hcy contributed to the variance of SBP, DBP, HR, cr-PWV and ICAM-1. H-type hypertensives also had the lowest MTHFR 677 CC frequency (p = 0.03). Hcy is positively and independently associated with markers of vascular function and raised BP.
Examining the Indirect Effect of Online Gaming on Depression via Sleep Inequality and Anxiety—A Serial and Parallel Mediation Analysis
Authors: Alshammari Tahani , Alseraye Sarah , Rogowska Aleksandra , Alrasheed Nouf , Alshammari Musaad
Published: December 2022

Stress-related disorders are highly prevalent among first-year college students. Gaming disorder (GD) is an emerging disorder linked to physical and psychological consequences. We aimed to investigate the mechanism linking GD with anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders among first-year undergraduate students. Four hundred fifty-seven participants were recruited, and the survey included the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale Short-Form (IGDS9-SF), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Our results showed that female students scored significantly higher than males in anxiety and depression. Furthermore, we found that depression is positively and strongly correlated to anxiety, and both are moderately associated with sleep quality. Gaming is positively related to depression, anxiety, and sleep quality. Interestingly, the health sciences tracks showed lower sleep quality than undergraduates from other tracks. There was a 64% variance in depression explained by many predictors, including anxiety, sleep quality, gaming, painkiller use, and gender. In addition, the mediation models showed that the association between gaming and depression is mediated indirectly by sleep quality, and sleep quality may be mediated directly by anxiety. The first year in college occurs at a critical developmental and professional stage, and our results highlight the need to establish support programs and conduct mental health educational workshops.
Knee Osteoarthritis in Relation to the Risk Factors of the Metabolic Syndrome Components and Environment of Origin
Authors: Tudorachi Nicoleta Bianca , Totu Tiberiu , Eva Iuliana , Bărbieru Bogdan , Totu Eugenia Eftimie , Fifere Adrian , Pinteală Tudor , Sîrbu Paul-Dan , Ardeleanu Valeriu
Published: December 2022

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a chronic degenerative pathology that is associated with multiple risk factors such as age, sex, obesity, or metabolic syndrome (MetS). The present clinical trial aimed to investigate the influence of the environment of origin, body mass index (BMI), and MetS parameters on the KOA differentiated degrees. Methods: 85 patients were admitted for the clinical study. The KOA presence was investigated using X-rays analysis. The Kellgren–Lawrence classification (KL) of the KOA severity and the MetS characteristic parameters using freshly collected blood were performed for each patient. All data collected were used for ANOVA statistic interpretation. Results: The total cholesterol and glycemia were found to be statistically significant (p < 0.028, and p < 0.03, respectively), with a high level in patients with severe KOA compared to healthy ones. Patients from rural regions are 5.18 times more prone to develop severe KOA when compared to ones from urban areas. Conclusions: The results of the statistical analysis confirmed the correlation between the incidence and severity of KOA and the influence of increased values of BMI, glycemia, triglycerides, and total cholesterol. The investigations revealed a statistically significant influence of the environment of origin on the KOA degree of the patients.
Advanced and Invasive Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Techniques as an Adjunct to Advanced Cardiac Life Support
Authors: Obermaier Manuel , Katzenschlager Stephan , Kofler Othmar , Weilbacher Frank , Popp Erik
Published: December 2022

Background: Despite numerous promising innovations, the chance of survival from sudden cardiac arrest has remained virtually unchanged for decades. Recently, technological advances have been made, user-friendly portable devices have been developed, and advanced invasive procedures have been described that could improve this unsatisfactory situation. Methods: A selective literature search in the core databases with a focus on randomized controlled trials and guidelines. Results: Technical aids, such as feedback systems or automated mechanical cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) devices, can improve chest compression quality. The latter, as well as extracorporeal CPR, might serve as a bridge to treatment (with extracorporeal CPR even as a bridge to recovery). Sonography may be used to improve thoracic compressions on the one hand and to rule out potentially reversible causes of cardiac arrest on the other. Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta might enhance myocardial and cerebral perfusion. Minithoracostomy, pericardiocentesis, or clamshell thoracotomy might resolve reversible causes of cardiac arrest. Conclusions: It is crucial to identify those patients who may benefit from an advanced or invasive procedure and make the decision to implement the intervention in a timely manner. As with all infrequently performed procedures, sound education and regular training are paramount.
Opioid Dose, Pain, and Recovery following Abdominal Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Chen Dongxu , Li Xiaoqing , Chen Yu , Zeng Huolin , Liu Jin , Li Qian
Published: December 2022

Background: The optimal dosage for opioids given to patients after surgery for pain management remains controversial. We examined the association of higher post-surgical opioid use with pain relief and recovery. Methods: We retrospectively enrolled adult patients who underwent elective abdominal surgery at our hospital between August 2021 and April 2022. Patients were divided into the “high-intensity” or “low-intensity” groups based on their post-surgical opioid use. Generalized estimating equation models were used to assess the associations between pain scores at rest and during movement on days 1, 2, 3, and 5 after surgery as primary outcomes. The self-reported recovery and incidence of adverse events were analyzed as secondary outcomes. Results: Among the 1170 patients in the final analysis, 293 were in the high-intensity group. Patients in the high-intensity group received nearly double the amount of oral morphine equivalents per day compared to those in the low-intensity group (84.52 vs. 43.80), with a mean difference of 40.72 (95% confidence interval (CI0 38.96–42.48, p < 0.001) oral morphine equivalents per day. At all timepoints, the high-intensity group reported significantly higher pain scores at rest (difference in means 0.45; 95% CI, 0.32 to 0.58; p < 0.001) and during movement (difference in means 0.56; 95% CI, 0.41 to 0.71; p < 0.001) as well as significantly lower recovery scores (mean difference (MD) −8.65; 95% CI, −10.55 to −6.67; p < 0.001). A post hoc analysis found that patients with moderate to severe pain during movement were more likely to receive postoperative high-intensity opioid use. Furthermore, patients in the non-high-intensity group got out of bed sooner (MD 4.31 h; p = 0.001), required urine catheters for shorter periods of time (MD 12.26 h; p < 0.001), and were hospitalized for shorter periods (MD 1.17 days; p < 0.001). The high-intensity group was at a higher risk of chronic postsurgical pain (odds ratio 1.54; 95% CI, 1.14 to 2.08, p = 0.005). Conclusions: High-intensity opioid use after elective abdominal surgery may not be sufficient for improving pain management or the quality of recovery compared to non-high-intensity use. Our results strengthen the argument for a multimodal approach that does not rely so heavily on opioids.
Malignancies in Patients with Interstitial Lung Diseases: A Single Center Observational Study
Authors: Sun Haishuang , Liu Min , Yang Xiaoyan , Ren Yanhong , Xie Bingbing , Geng Jing , Deng Mei , Dai Huaping , Wang Chen
Published: December 2022

Objective: Current studies focus on the prevalence rate of lung cancer in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease (CTD-LID). Our aim was to investigate the prevalence of malignancies in patients with various subtypes of ILD. Methods: A total of 5350 patients diagnosed with ILD between January 2015 and December 2021 were retrospectively included. The prevalence of different malignancies and different ILDs was assessed using complete follow-up data. Results: A total of 248 patients (139 males; 65—IQR, 57 to 72—years) out of 5350 patients with ILD were confirmed with malignancies. A total of 69% of patients with ILD and malignances were older than 60 years old. The prevalence of malignancies in ILD patients was 4.6%, and lung cancer had the most common incidence of 1.9%, followed by malignancies in the digestive system of 0.9%. Among the different ILD subtypes, the prevalence of malignancies such as organizing pneumonia (OP), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies-associated vasculitis-related ILD(AAV-ILD), nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP), CTD-ILD, hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP), sarcoidosis, and other types of ILD was 6.8%, 5.0%, 4.7%, 4.3%, 2.5%, 2.2%, 1.2%, and 6.9%, respectively. The incidence of lung cancer as the most common tumor in IPF was 3.9%, with adenocarcinoma predominating (1.7%). The highest rate of malignancy occurring in RA of CTD-ILD was 2.4%. Conclusion: Older patients with ILD (≥60 years) including OP, IPF, AAV-ILD, NSIP, CTD-ILD, and HP, were associated with a higher incidence of malignancy, especially males aged from 60 to 69 years. These epidemiological results indicate that it is essential for physicians to pay more attention to the screening of and management strategies for different malignancies, according to the specific ILD subtypes.
Comparison of Regular and Speed Sintering on Low-Temperature Degradation and Fatigue Resistance of Translucent Zirconia Crowns for Implants: An In Vitro Study
Authors: Kongkiatkamon Suchada , Peampring Chaimongkon
Published: December 2022

Background: Although there are a few studies which compare fast and slow sintering in normal zirconia crowns, it is essential to compare the cracks and load-bearing capacity in zirconia screw-retained implant crowns between regular and speed sintering protocols. This research aimed to compare the surface structure, cracks, and load-bearing capacity in zirconia screw-retained implant crowns between regular sintering (RS) and speed sintering (SS) protocol with and without cyclic loading (fatigue). Methods: A total of 60 screw-retained crowns were fabricated from zirconia (Katana STML Block) by the CAD/CAM system. Then, 30 crowns were subjected to the RS protocol and 30 crowns were subjected to the SS protocol. Cyclic loading was done in half zirconia crowns (15 crowns in each group) using a chewing simulator CS-4.8/CS-4.4 at room temperature. The loading force was applied on the middle of the crowns by a metal stylus underwater at room temperature with a chewing simulator at an axial 50 N load for 240,000 cycles and lateral movement at 2 mm. Scanning electron microscopy was done to study the surface of the crowns and the cracks in the crowns of the regular and speed sintering protocols, with and without fatigue. Results: For the speed sintering group, the surface looks more uniform, and the crack lines are present at a short distance compared to regular sintering. The sintering protocol with a larger Weibull module and durability increases the reliability. It showed that the Speed group showed the maximum fracture load, followed by the regular, speed fatigue, and regular fatigue groups. The fracture load in various groups showed significant differences. Conclusions: It was found that the speed group showed the maximum fracture load followed by the regular, speed fatigue, and regular fatigue. The crack lines ran from occlusal to bottoms (gingiva) and the arrest lines were perpendicular to the crack propagations.
Quasi-Static Mechanical Properties and Continuum Constitutive Model of the Thyroid Gland
Authors: Su Peng , Yue Chao , Cui Likun , Zhang Qinjian , Liu Baoguo , Liu Tian
Published: December 2022

The purpose of this study is to obtain the digital twin parameters of the thyroid gland and to build a constitutional model of the thyroid gland based on continuum mechanics, which will lay the foundation for the establishment of a surgical training system for the thyroid surgery robot and the development of the digital twin of the thyroid gland. First, thyroid parenchyma was obtained from fresh porcine thyroid tissue and subjected to quasi-static unconfined uniaxial compression tests using a biomechanical test platform with two strain rates (0.005 s−1 and 0.05 s−1) and two loading orientations (perpendicular to the thyroid surface and parallel to the thyroid surface). Based on this, a tensile thyroid model was established to simulate the stretching process by using the finite element method. The thyroid stretching test was carried out under the same parameters to verify the validity of the hyperelastic constitutive model. The quasi-static mechanical property parameters of the thyroid tissue were obtained by a quasi-static unconstrained uniaxial compression test, and a constitutional model that can describe the quasi-static mechanical properties of thyroid tissue was proposed based on the principle of continuum media mechanics, which is of great value for the establishment of a surgical training system for the head and neck surgery robot and for the development of the thyroid digital twin.
Biomechanical Testing of Two-Unit Bridges and a Comparison of Replacement Retention Depending on a Cementation Medium, Replacement Position, and Gap Size
Authors: Findrik Balogová Alena , Rajťúková Viktória , Chromý Ľuboš , Somoš Andrej , Ižaríková Gabriela , Hudák Radovan
Published: December 2022

Dental replacements are placed between the abutment teeth. The exceptions are two-unit bridges, as they are supported by a single tooth prepared only on one side of the missing tooth. The presented study deals with an analysis of a pressure force action on two-unit bridges placed in the frontal part (20 samples), where the pressure action is lower, and in the distal part (20 samples), where the pressure action is higher. A CAD program by 3Shape was used for digital designing with two different gap settings, 10 μm (20 samples) and 30 μm (20 samples). Two-unit bridges were attached to the prepared tooth using two types of dental cement (20/20 samples), which were selected for their physical and bioactive properties. All two-unit bridges (a total of 80 samples) were fabricated from CoCr alloys on Mlab cusing R by applying the Selective Laser Melting (SLM) technology. Mechanical testing was performed using the Inspekt5 table blue. The obtained data were used to verify the hypotheses—a difference between both types of cement (A ≠ B), a difference between the frontal and distal two-unit bridges (F ≠ D) and a difference between the gap sizes (10 ≠ 30). To confirm the given theories, data were statistically evaluated using the F-test and subsequent t-tests. The resulting p-value was compared with the level of significance (α = 0.05). A statistical evaluation revealed a significant difference between the compared groups; however, no explicit correlation between the individual groups of specimens was identified.