bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Speech Enhancement from Fused Features Based on Deep Neural Network and Gated Recurrent Unit Network
Authors: Wang Youming , Han Jiali , Zhang Tianqi , Qing Didi
Published: June 2021

Speech is easily interfered by the external environment in reality, which will lose the important features. Deep learning method has become the mainstream method of speech enhancement because of its superior potential in complex nonlinear mapping problems. However, there are some problems are exist such as the deficiency for the learning the important information from previous time steps and long-term event dependencies. Due to the lack of the correlation in the same layer of Deep Neural Networks (DNNs), which is an existing typical intelligent deep model of speech signal, it is difficult to capture the long-term dependence between the time-series data. To overcome this problem, we propose a novel speech enhancement method from fused features based on deep neural network and gated recurrent unit network. The method takes advantage of both deep neural network and recurrent neural network to reduce the number of parameters and simultaneously improve speech quality and intelligibility. Firstly, DNN with multiple hidden layers is used to learn the mapping relationship between the logarithmic power spectrum (LPS) features of noisy speech and clean speech. Secondly, the LPS feature of the deep neural network is fused with the noisy speech as the input of gated recurrent unit (GRU) network to compensate the missing context information. Finally, GRU network is performed to learn the mapping relationship between LPS features and log power spectrum features of clean speech spectrum. Experimental results demonstrate that the PESQ, SSNR and STOI of the proposed algorithm are improved by 30.72%, 39.84% and 5.53% respectively compared with the noise signal under the condition of matched noise. Under the condition of unmatched noise, the PESQ and STOI of the algorithm are improved by 23.8% and 37.36% respectively. The advantage of the proposed method is that it uses of the key information of features to suppress noise in both matched and unmatched noise cases and the proposed method outperforms other common methods in speech enhancement.
Personal Exposure To Particulate Matter And Heart Rate Variability Among Informal Electronic Waste Workers At Agbogbloshie: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Nti Afua A. Amoabeng , Robins Thomas G. , Mensah John Arko , Dwomoh Duah , Kwarteng Lawrencia , Takyi Sylvia , Acquah Augustine , Basu Niladri , Batterman Stuart , Fobil Julius N.
Published: June 2021

Background: Informal electronic waste recycling activities are major contributors to ambient air pollution, yet studies assessing the effects or relationship between direct/continuous exposure of informal e-waste workers to particulate matter and cardiovascular function are rare. Methods: Repeated measurements of fractions of PM2.5, PM10-2.5, and PM10 in personal air of informal e-waste workers, (n=142) and a comparable group (n=65) were taken over a period of 20 months (March 2017 to November, 2018). Concurrently, 5-minute resting electrocardiogram was performed on each participant to assess resting heart rate variability indices. Linear mixed-effects models were used to assess the association between PM fractions and cardiac function.Results: SDNN, RMSSD, LF, HF and LH/HF ratio were all associated with PM. Significant associations were observed for PM2.5 and MEANNN (p = 0.039), PM10 and SDNN (p = 0.035) and PM 10-2.5 and LH/HF (p = 0.039). A 10µg/m3 increase in the concentrations of PM 2.5, PM10-2.5, and PM10 in personal air was associated with reduced HRV indices and increased resting HR. A 10µg/m3 per interquartile (IQR) increase in PM10-2.5 and PM10, decreased SDNN by 11% [(95% CI: -0.002- 0.000); (p = 0.187)] and 34% [(95% CI:-0.002-0.001); (p = 0.035)] respectively. However, PM2.5 increased SDNN by 34 % (95% CI: -1.32-0.64); (p = 0.493). Also, 10µg/m3 increase in PM2.5, PM10-2.5 and PM10 decreased RMSSD by 27% [(-1.34-0.79); (p = 0.620)], 11% [(-1.73, 0.95); (p = 0.846)] and 0.57% [(-1.56-0.46); (p = 0.255%)]. Conclusion: Informal e-waste workers are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease from cardiac autonomic dysfunction as seen in reduced HRV and increased heart rate.
Comprehensive Anaemia Programme And Personalized Therapies (CAPPT): Protocol For A Cluster-Randomised Controlled Trial Testing The Effect Women’s Groups, Home Counselling And Iron Supplementation On Haemoglobin In Pregnancy In Southern Nepal
Authors: Saville Naomi M , Kharel Chandani , Morrison Joanna , Harris-Fry Helen A. , James Philip , Copas Andrew , Giri Santosh , Arjyal Abriti , Beard B. James , Haghparast-Bidgoli Hassan , Skordis Jolene , Richter Adam , Baral Sushil , Hillman Sara
Published: June 2021

BackgroundAnaemia in pregnancy remains prevalent in Nepal and causes severe adverse health outcomes.Methods This non-blinded cluster-randomized controlled trial in the plains of Nepal has two study arms: 1) Control: routine antenatal care (ANC); 2) Home visiting, iron supplementation, Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) groups, plus routine ANC. Participants: Women in 54 non-contiguous clusters (mean 2582; range 1299-4865 population) in Southern Kapilbastu district are eligible if they consent to menstrual monitoring, are resident, married, aged 13-49 years and able to respond to questions. After 1-2 missed menses and a positive pregnancy test, consenting women <20 weeks’ gestation, who plan to reside locally for most of the pregnancy, enrol into trial follow-up. Interventions comprise two home-counselling visits (at 12-21- and 22-26-weeks’ gestation) with iron folic acid (IFA) supplement dosage tailored to women’s haemoglobin concentration, plus monthly PLA women’s group meetings using a dialogical problem-solving approach to engage pregnant women and their families. Home visits and PLA meetings will be facilitated by auxiliary nurse midwives.Hypothesis: Haemoglobin of women at 30±2 weeks’ gestation is ≥0.4 g/dL higher in the intervention arm than in the control. A sample of 842 women (421 per arm, average 15.6 per cluster) will provide 88% power, assuming SD 1.2, ICC 0.09 and CV of cluster size 0.27.Outcomes are captured at 30±2 weeks gestation. Primary outcome: Haemoglobin concentration (g/dL). Secondary outcomes: Anaemia prevalence (%), mid-upper arm circumference (cm), Mean Probability of micronutrient Adequacy (MPA) and number of ANC visits at a health facility.Indicators to assess pathways to impact include number of IFA tablets consumed during pregnancy, intake of energy (kcal/d) and dietary iron (mg/d), a score of bioavailability-enhancing behaviours and recall of one nutrition knowledge indicator.Costs and cost-effectiveness of the intervention will be estimated from a provider perspective. Using constrained randomisation we allocated clusters to study arms, ensuring similarity with respect to cluster size, ethnicity, religion and distance to a health facility. Analysis is by intention-to-treat at the individual level, using mixed-effects regression.Discussion: Findings will inform Nepal government policy on approaches to increase adherence to IFA, improve diets and reduce anaemia in pregnancy.Trial registration: ISRCTN 12272130.
Simple Demographics and Laboratory Findings on Admission May Predict f In-hospital Mortality in Patients with SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Authors: Obremska Marta , Pazgan-Simon Monika , Budrewicz Katarzyna , Bilaszewski Lukasz , Wizowska Joanna , Jagielski Dariusz , Jankowska-Polanska Beata , Nadolny Klaudiusz , Madowicz Jarosław , Zuwala-Jagiello Jolanta , Zysko Dorota , Banasiak Waldemar , Simon Krzysztof
Published: June 2021

Background: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection could result in different laboratory abnormalities. The prediction of the outcome based on simple demographics and laboratory parameters could be useful for clinical purposes. The objective of the study is to develop and validate a score (Covid19-score) based on demographics and laboratory findings, performed at hospital admission in patients with a SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed on a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction of the nasopharyngeal swab, to predict in-hospital mortality.Methods: Three cohorts of patients from three different hospitals were studied consecutively. The studied data came from patients’ electronic records. On the basis of the retrospective analysis of the mortality in the developing cohort from the first hospital the cut-off points predicting in-hospital mortality for gender, age, hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, platelet count, leukocyte count, sodium, potassium, creatinine level, C-reactive protein level were found and Covid19-score as a sum of points was calculated for each patient. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of the Covid19-score for predicting survival to hospital discharge was counted. The Covid19-score was validated using data of patients from a second hospital. The significance of Covid19-score was confirmed on the prospective cohort of patients collected from a third hospital,Results: AUC of the Covid19-score for predicting survival to hospital discharge was 0.89 (0.84-0.95) p<0.001 in developing cohort, 0.850 (0.75-0.88) p<0.001 in validation cohort and 0.773 (0.731-0.816) p<0.001 in the prospective cohort.Conclusion: The Covid19-score is useful in predicting the clinical outcome for hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection
Cycle Threshold Probability Score for Immediate and Sensitive Detection of B.1.351 SARS-CoV-2 Lineage
Authors: De Smet Dieter , Vanhee Merijn , Maes Brigitte , Swaerts Koen , De Jaeger Peter , Hoecke Frederik Van , Maelegheer Karel , Martens Geert Antoine
Published: June 2021

Background. Detection of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern associated with immune escape is important to safeguard vaccination efficacy. We describe the potential of delayed N-gene amplification in the Allplex SARS-CoV-2 PCR assay for screening of the B.1.351 lineage.Methods. In a study cohort of 397 consecutive PCR-positive samples genotyped by whole genome sequencing, amplification curves of E/N/S-RdRP targets indicated delayed N- versus E-gene amplification, characteristic for B.1.351. Logistic regression was used to calculate a VOC.V2 probability score that was evaluated as separate screening test in an independent validation cohort versus sequencing. Results. B.1.351 showed a proportionally delayed amplification of N- versus E-gene. In logistic regression only N- and E-gene cycle thresholds independently contributed to B.1.351 prediction, allowing calculation of a VOC.V2 probability score with AUC=0.94. At an optimal dichotomous cut-off point of 0.12, VOC.V2 probability score achieved 98.7% sensitivity at 79.9% specificity resulting in 99.6% and 54.6% NPV and PPV respectively. Probability of B.1.351 increased with increasing VOC.V2 probability score, achieving likelihood ratio of 12.01 above 0.5. Near maximal NPV was confirmed in 153 consecutive validation samples. Conclusion. Delayed N- versus E-gene amplification in the Allplex SARS-CoV-2 PCR assay can be used for fast and highly sensitive screening of B.1.351.
The Effect of Topically Applied Boric Acid on Ephrin-Eph Pathway in Wound Treatment: An Experimental Study
Authors: Büyük Başak , Aydeğer Cemre , Adalı Yasemen , Eroğlu Hüseyin Avni
Published: June 2021

Background: Wound healing has a vital importance for the organism and various agents are used to accelerate wound healing. Although the effect of boron on wound healing is known, its mechanisms are not completely clear yet. In this study, the effect of boron in the Ephrin /Eph pathway will be evaluated.Methods and Results: Forty adult female rats were used in the study. A full-thickness excisional wound model was created in all groups divided as control, Fito cream, Boric acid and Pluronic gel groups. Histopathologically, inflammatory cell infiltration(ICI), edema and fibroblast proliferation density(FPD); immunohistochemically TNF-α(Tumor necrosis factor α), EphrinA1, EphrinB1, EphrinB2 and EphB4 antibodies were evaluated in the skin tissues obtained after the applications performed twice a day and lasting 7 days.The ICI score was found to be higher in the Fito group compared to the boron group(p=0.018). FPD was higher in Plu group than boron group(p=0.012). While TNF-α was lower in boron group than Plu(p=0.027) and Fito(p=0.016) groups, EphrinA1 was higher in Boron group than plu group(p=0.005). EphrinB1 expression was higher in Boron group compared to Plu(p=0.015) and Fito(p=0.015) groups, and the same difference was also observed in EphrinB2 (p values 0.000). Similarly, EphB4 immunoreactivity was higher in the Boron group compared to the plu(p=0.000) and Fito(p=0.002).Coclusion: One of the mechanisms of action of boron in wound healing is to increase EphrinB1, EphrinB2 and EphB4. Low TNF-α and histopathological findings indicate that boron limits extensive wound healing.
Mandibular Florid Cemento-Osseous Dysplasia: A Case Report
Authors: Tang Zirong , Wang Lin , Yang Ming , Jia Yulin
Published: June 2021

Background: Florid cemento-osseous dysplasia (FCOD) is a non-neoplastic lesion involving multiple quadrants of the jaw. Case presentation: Patients are usually asymptomatic, and the diagnosis mainly depends on radiographic and clinical examinations. Here, we describe a 50-year-old female patient with clinical manifestations of bone defect, no pain or swelling, combined with imaging indicators of secondary infection. However, there are no accepted treatment guidelines for complex FCOD. Conclusions: Therefore, based on a review of the literature, this article describes treatment approaches for symptomatic patients and details the successful treatment of FCOD with superimposed fungal osteomyelitis.
A Novel Nomogram for Predicting Cancer-Specific Survival in Women with Uterine Sarcoma: A Large Population-Based Study
Authors: Li Yuan-jie , Lyu Jun , Li Chen , He Hai-rong , Wang Jin-feng , Wang Yue-ling , Fang Jing , Ji Jing
Published: June 2021

Background: To develop a comprehensive nomogram for predicting the cancer-specific survival (CSS) for uterine sarcoma (US).Methods: 3861 patients of US between 2010 to 2015 were identified for this study from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. They were randomly divided into a training cohort (n = 2702) and a validation cohort (n = 1159) in a 7-to-3 ratio by R software. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to select predictive variables and then to identify independent prognostic factors. The concordance index (C-index), the area under the time-dependent receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC), the net reclassification improvement (NRI), the integrated discrimination improvement (IDI), calibration plotting, and decision-curve analysis (DCA) were used to compare the new survival nomogram with the AJCC 7th edition prognosis model.Results: We have established a nomogram for determining the 1-, 3-, and 5-year CSS probabilities of US patients. In this nomogram, pathology grade has the highest risk on CSS in US, followed by the age at diagnosis, then surgery status. The C-index for the nomogram (0.796, 0.767 for the training and validation cohort, respectively) was higher than those for the AJCC staging system (0.706 and 0.713, respectively). Furthermore, AUC value, NRI, IDI, calibration plotting, and DCA showed that this nomogram exhibited better performance than the AJCC staging system alone.Conclusion: Our study validated the first comprehensive nomogram for US which could provide more accurately and individualized survival predictions for US patients in clinical practice.
A Machine Learning Application for Raising WASH Awareness in the Times of COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Pandey Rohan , Gautam Vaibhav , Pal Ridam , Bandhey Harsh , Dhingra Lovedeep Singh , Misra Vihaan , Sharma Himanshu , Jain Chirag , Bhagat Kanav , Arushi Arushi , Patel Lajjaben , Agarwal Mudit , Agrawal Samprati , Jalan Rishabh , Wadhwa Akshat , Garg Ayush , Agrawal Yashwin , Rana Bhavika , Kumaraguru Ponnurangam , Sethi Tavpritesh
Published: June 2021

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has uncovered the potential of digital misinformation in shaping the health of nations. The deluge of unverified information that spreads faster than the epidemic itself is an unprecedented phenomenon that has put millions of lives in danger. Mitigating this ‘Infodemic’ requires robust health messaging systems that are engaging, vernacular, scalable, effective, and continuously learn new misinformation patterns.Objective: We created WashKaro, a multi-pronged intervention for mitigating misinformation through conversational Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine translation and natural language processing (NLP). WashKaro provides the correct information matched against WHO guidelines through AI and delivers it in a suitable format in local languages. Results: A total of 5026 people downloaded the app during the study window; among those, 1545 were actively engaged users. Our study shows that 3.4 times more females engaged with the App in Hindi as compared to males, the relevance of AI-filtered news content doubled within 45 days of continuous machine learning, and the prudence of integrated AI chatbot “Satya” increased thus proving the usefulness of a mHealth platform to mitigate health misinformation.Conclusion: We conclude that a machine learning application delivering bite-sized vernacular audios and conversational AI is a practical approach to mitigate health misinformation.
Emerging Mental Health Problems During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Presumably Resilient Youth? -a 9-month Follow-up
Authors: Lehmann Stine , Skogen Jens Christoffer , Sandal Gro Mjeldheim , Haug Ellen , Bjørknes Ragnhild
Published: June 2021

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic may have multifarious adverse effects on the mental health for some youth. To our knowledge, no study has followed young people beyond the first six months of the pandemic outbreak. The aim of this study was to examine 1) Change in internalizing, externalizing, and total mental health problems over two time-points with a nine-month interval during the COVID-19 outbreak and 2) Whether contextual and COVID-19-related factors contribute to change in mental health problems. Methods: Youth within the municipality of Bergen aged 11-18 years were invited via SMS to participate in an online survey in April and again in December 2020. A total of 2997 (40%) youth participated at baseline in the present study, and 1598 (53.3%) completed the second survey. At baseline, the mean age was 16.0 (SD=1.7) years, about 60% were girls, and 93% were born in Norway. Comparison across time was approached using inferential statistics and mixed linear models with maximum likelihood estimation and mixed effects logistic regression models. Results: There was an overall increase in total mental health problems from the first weeks into lockdown to 9 months after the pandemic outbreak. The overall increase seems to be exclusively driven by internalizing difficulties, i.e., increases in emotional problems and peer problems. The level of externalizing difficulties, i.e., conduct problems and hyperactivity/inattention remained stable between the two time-points. Conclusions: Our results imply that in the wake of the pandemic, one should be aware of emerging mental health problems among presumably resilient youth, in addition to the more expected and pronounced mental health needs of vulnerable groups. Efforts to reach out to the general youth population with preventive measures in schools may be important actions to normalize the situation for young people, and to identify those in need of more targeted mental health interventions.
Deep Forest Model for Diagnosing COVID-19 From Routine Blood Tests
Authors: AlJame Maryam , Imtiaz Ayyub , Ahmad Imtiaz , Mohammed Ameer
Published: June 2021

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic has threatened the lives of people worldwide and poses considerable challenges. Early and accurate screening of infected people is vital for combating the disease. To help with the limited quantity of swab tests, we propose a machine learning prediction model to accurately diagnose COVID-19 from clinical and/or routine laboratory data. The model exploits a new ensemble-based method called the deep forest (DF), where multiple classifiers in multiple layers are used to encourage diversity and improve performance. The cascade level employs the layer-by-layer processing and is constructed from three different classifiers: extra trees, XGBoost, and LightGBM. The prediction model was trained and evaluated on two publicly available datasets. Experimental results show that the proposed DF model has an accuracy of 99.5%, sensitivity of 95.28%, and specificity of 99.96%. These performance metrics are comparable to other well-established machine learning techniques, and hence DF model can serve as a fast screening tool for COVID-19 patients at places where testing is scarce.
Cloning, Expression, and Characteristic Analysis of the Novel β-Galactosidase from Silkworm,Bombyx Mori
Authors: Yi Yong-Zhu , Li Jialei , Zong Zhi-Peng , Liu Xing-Jian , Song Hao-Zhi , Wang Hai-Ning , Zhang Zhi-Fang , Zhang Huan , Li Yinü
Published: June 2021

β-galactosidase is a critical exoglycosidase involved in the hydrolysis of lactose, the modification and degradation of glycoprotein in vivo. In this study, the β-galactosidase gene of silkworm (BmGal), whose cDNA comprises 11 exons and contains an intact ORF of 1821bp, was cloned. The protein sequence of BmGal showed high similarity with other known insect β-galactosidases. No activity of the BmGal expressed in Escherichia coli or Pichia pastoris was detected while it was successfully expressed with high enzyme activity in baculovirus–silkworm expression system, and the electrophoresis result revealed that the BmGal showed activity in oligomer mode. Enzyme activity assay showed that its optimum pH was 8.4 and its optimum temperature was 40℃. What’s more, we found that iron ions can stimulate the activity of the enzyme while cobalt, nickel or lead ions can inhibit its activity significantly. Besides, the temporal-spatial expression pattern of the BmGal mRNA level was analyzed, which showed that BmGal was expressed at the highest level in the fifth larval instar but relatively low level in the pupal and adult stage, and the highest expression level of BmGal was found in testis among all the tissues concerned.
The Impact of Intraoperative Gap Difference Between Extension and Flexion on Perception of Joint Function After Total Knee Arthroplasty: a Comparative Retrospective Study
Authors: Okayoshi Tomohiro , Okamoto Yoshinori , Wakama Hitoshi , Otsuki Shuhei , Neo Masashi
Published: June 2021

Background: The argument presupposes that intra-operative soft tissue balance is associated with patient-reported outcome measures after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Our aim was to assess the association between the extension-to-flexion gap and patients’ reported perception of knee joint function.Methods: This was a retrospective study of 60 cases of primary cruciate-retaining TKAs performed for the treatment of medial-compartment knee osteoarthritis, at a mean follow-up of 2.6 (range, 2.0–5.2) years. Knee perception was evaluated by asking patients whether they considered their knee joint as “natural” (grade I) or “artificial”, with or without restrictions (grades II–V). The following factors were compared between the two groups: age, sex, and the extension-to-flexion gap difference. A multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictive factors of an artificial knee joint perception. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to identify cut-off values of predictive factors. Result: Compared to a natural knee joint perception (26 knees, 43%), an artificial perception (34 knees, 57%) was associated with a smaller gap difference at the distraction force of 20 lbf (p < .001), 30 lbf (p = .022), and 40 lbf (p = .038), a lower EuroQol 5-Dimension score (p = .029), and self-reported joint health (Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score-Joint Replacement [KOOS-JR], p = .032). A gap difference <1.0 mm was a predictive of an artificial perception (odds ratio, 1.63; 95% confidence interval, 1.33–4.54; p < .001). A cut-off gap difference of 0.99 mm at 20 lbf predicted an artificial perception with a sensitivity of 81.5% and a specificity of 87.9%. Post-operative satisfaction (p < .001), KOOS-JR (p < .001), patient’s joint perception (p = .006), pain (p = .015), and EuroQol 5-Dimension (p = .032) differed between the two groups when the gap difference threshold was set to 1.0 mm.Conclusion: Careful balancing of soft tissue during TKA to achieve an extension-to-flexion gap ≥ 1.0 mm can improve patients’ perception of knee joint function and quality of life.
Bioactive Phytochemicals From Salvia Officinalis Attenuate Cadmium-induced Oxidative Damage and Genotoxicity in Rats
Authors: Rashwana Hanan M , Mohammed Hagar E , El-Nekeety Aziza A , Hamza Zeinab K , Abdel-Aziem Sekena H , Hassan Nabila S , Abdel-Wahhab Mosaad A.
Published: June 2021

This study was conducted to identify the bioactive phytochemicals in Salvia officinalis essential oil, to determine the polyphenols in the aqueous extract (SOE), and to evaluate their protective role against cadmium (Cd)-induced oxidative damage, and genotoxicity in rats. Six groups of female rats were treated orally for 2 weeks including the control group, CdCl2-treated group, SOE-treated groups at low or high dose (100 and 200 mg/kg b.w), and CdCl2 plus SOE-treated groups at the two doses. The GC-MS analysis identified 39 compounds the main compounds were 9-Octadecenamide, Eucalyptol, Palmitic acid, Oleic acid. However, the HPLC analysis identified 12 polyphenolic compounds and the majority were coumaric acid, chlorogenic acid, coffeic acid, catechin, vanillin, gallic acid, ellagic acid, and rutin. In the biological study, rats received CdCl2 displayed severe disturbances in liver and kidney indices (ALT, AST, Alb, TP, T. Bil, D. Bil, creatinine, uric acid, and urea), lipid profile (Cho, TG, HDL, and LDL), serum cytokines (TNF-α, AFP and CEA), antioxidant enzymes (GSH, GPx, SOD and CAT), oxidative stress markers (MDA and NO), gene expressions, DNA fragmentation, and histological alterations in the liver and kidney tissue. SOE showed a potent antioxidant and mitigated these alterations in serum and tissue. Moreover, the high dose succeeded to normalize most of the tested parameters and histological features. It could be concluded that Salvia officinalis is a promising source for bioactive compounds with therapeutically benefits against environmental toxicants.
Expression, Prognosis, and Regulation of ULBP1, ULBP2, and ULBP3 in Human Breast Cancer
Authors: Zhang Yutong , Han Caixia , Shao Enze , Sun Litao , Liu Dongzhe
Published: June 2021

The expression of NKG2D ligands (NKG2DLs), induced by stress or malignant transformation, is considered to mark dysfunctional cells for elimination by NK cells or cytotoxic lymphocytes via NKG2D/NKG2DLs pathway. ULBP1, ULBP2, and ULBP3 (ULBP1-3), three members of NKG2DLs, are common expressed in breast cancer. We analyzed the expression of ULBP1-3 in breast cancer and healthy control tissues with several databases, and found that breast cancer had a higher mRNA level of ULBP1 and ULBP2, and a higher protein level of ULBP1-3. Analysis with the bc-GenExMiner database showed that the expression of ULBP1-3 were down-regulated by the wild type P53, PR, and HER2+ in breast cancer. Except for ULBP1, ULBP2 and ULBP3 were associated with poor prognosis in breast cancer. The analysis of the correlated genes suggested that ULBP1-3 have some common pathways including NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity, microRNA in cancer, and IL-17 signaling pathway, whereas they also have their own pathways. But ULBP1-3 expression were also a significantly negative correlation with few immune markers on NK and central memory CD8+ T. The correlations and co-occurrence between ULBP1-3 and the other ligands by using TIMER and cbioportal databases showed the same form proteins or the proteins in the same family were more likely to change at the same time. Together with all these findings, increased ULBP2 and ULBP3 were correlated with poor prognosis and various markers on immune cells. These conclusions indicated that ULBP2 and ULBP3 could serve as potential biomarkers to assess prognosis and they were strong correlation with various markers in immune cells.
Thermoluminescence Properties of Bioglass for Radiation Dosimetry
Authors: Alazab Huda A. , Abdou N.Y. , Saudi H. A. , Abd-Allah wesam
Published: June 2021

The thermoluminescence technique was employed to study bioglass matrices prepared using the traditional technique of glass making. The synthesized bioglass matrices were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), and differential thermal analysis (DTA) has been studied. The highest thermoluminescent intensity was found for the bioglass matric of 26.91% CaO, 46.134% SiO2, 2.60% P2O5, 24.34%Na2O (mol%), with only one glow peak at 460 k. The TL response illustrations linearity in high gamma dose range from 25 to 1000 Gy. This new bioglass matric might become useful in high-dose fields for dosimetry.
Copper Oxide Nanoparticles and Bulk Particles Stress Induced Cytological and Physiological Responses of Vicia Faba L.
Authors: Kumar Vaibhav , Khan Adiba , Srivast Alka , Verma Praveen Chandra , Saxena Gauri
Published: June 2021

CuO nanoparticles (NPs) and their bulk counter parts are being utilized in various industrial preparations. The progressive increase in the use of CuO NPs and bulk particles (BPs) eventually ends up in the environment, causing potential hazard to biota and imbalance in the abiotic components. In order to elucidate the toxic impact of CuO NPs and BPs, plant seedlings of Vicia faba var. Pusa Sumit were exposed to 20-100 mg L⁻1 of CuO NPs and BPs along with a control set up. Root tips and leaf tissues of plant seedlings were used to perform genotoxic and biochemical assays, respectively. Cytological preparations were used to screen mitotic indices (MI), micronuclei and chromosomal abnormalities (CAs). CuO NPs treatment led to 24.1 % reduction in MI and 7.9 % increase in CAs while BPs treatment reduced MI by 12.7 % and raised CAs by 4.3 % only. Bio-uptake of CuO NPs and BPs in the plant tissues is the key cause of oxidative stress. It triggered significant changes in lipid peroxidation and other biochemical parameters including enzymatic (peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione s-transferase and glutathione reductase) and non-enzymatic (photosynthetic pigments and proline content) components of antioxidant system in treated plant seedlings. In this study, CuO NPs caused 49.1 % to 96.7 % enhanced activity of antioxidant enzymes as compared to BPs. These findings revealed that CuO NPs were more toxic to plants than their counter BPs.
A Self-Attention Mechanism Neural Network for Detection and Diagnosis of COVID-19 from Chest X-Ray Images
Authors: Cheng Bo , Xiang Wei , Xue Ruhui , Yang Hang , Zhu Laili
Published: June 2021

The new type of coronavirus is called COVID-19. The virus can cause respiratory diseases, accompanied by cough, fever, difficulty breathing, and in severe cases, it can also cause symptoms such as pneumonia. It began to spread at the end of 2019 and has now spread to all parts of the world. The limited test kits and increasing number of cases encourage us to propose a deep learning model that can help radiologists and clinicians use chest X-rays to detect COVID-19 cases and show the diagnostic features of pneumonia. In this study, our methods are: 1) Propose a data enhancement method to increase the diversity of the data set, thereby improving the generalization performance of the network. 2) Using the deep convolutional neural network model DPN-SE, an attention mechanism is added on the basis of the DPN network, which greatly improves the performance of the network. 3) Use the lime interpretable library to mark the X-ray, the characteristic area on the medical image that is helpful for the doctor to make a diagnosis. The model we proposed can obtain better results with the least amount of data preprocessing given limited data. In general, the proposed method and model can effectively become a very useful tool for clinical practitioners and radiologists.
Polymorphism and Distribution of Ace Gene Involved in the Resistance of Musca Domestica to Organophosphates in Guizhou Province of China
Authors: Mou Rong , Yang Xi , Liang Qiuguo , Cheng Jinzhi , Wu Yuanming , Wang Gang , Tan Weilong , Wu Jia Hong
Published: June 2021

Acetylcholinesterase is the primary target of organophosphates (OPs) and carbamates in insects. As gene mutation has been verified as an important mechanism of insecticide resistance in insects, in this study, we investigated the status of OPs resistance and the polymorphism of ace gene (that encodes acetylcholinesterase) in housefly (Musca domestica L) field populations in Guizhou Province, China. Bioassays showed that the houseflies had 142.16–303.54-fold resistance to dichlorvos (DDVP) and 122.13–363.98-fold resistance to temephos. Molecular analysis revealed resistance-causing mutations of ace gene at loci of 260, 342 and 407 in the housefly populations, with a total frequency of 55%, 100% and 94%, respectively. In addition, 11 combinations of ace mutation were observed across the detected populations. The most frequently detected combination was L/V+A/V+Y, followed by L+A+Y and L/V+A+Y. No significant relationship was found between single mutation/combination mutations and DDVP resistance. These results indicate that the OPs resistance is prevalent among the housefly populations in Guizhou Province, with a similar pattern of allele mutation of ace across China. The target resistance can not fully account for the resistance of houseflies to OPs in Guizhou.
Pyrolysis and Kinetic Analysis of CO2 Fixation Marine (Isochrysis sp.) and Freshwater (Monoraphidium c.) Microalgae
Authors: Osman Noridah B. , Amina Umi Syahirah Binti Mohd , Patrick David Onoja , Zamana Nurul Asyikin Binti Bad ir Noon , Saado Syazmi Zul Arif n Hakimi , Yusup Suzana , Chik Muhammad Nazry , Yahya Liyana
Published: June 2021

Marine and freshwater microalgae grow in two different ecosystems, which influence their properties thus requires attention prior to determining its application. This paper has successfully disclosed the thermal, chemical, and physical properties of two types of microalgae on carbon dioxide (CO2) fixation and underwent pyrolysis process. Slow pyrolysis process for marine and freshwater microalgae (Isochrysis sp. and Monoraphidium c.) was performed in the fixed bed pyrolysis reactor and TGA (thermogravimetric analyzer) to determine the product yield and study their thermal decomposition profile. The pyrolysis was completed at various temperatures (400, 450, 500, and 550°C) at a heating rate of 15 °Cmin-1 and nitrogen flow rate of 200 ml min-1. Pyrolysis in TGA analyzer ran from 27 to 800°C at three heating rates (10, 20, and 40 °Cmin-1). For chemical composition, Fourier-transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis was performed on both microalgae samples. The highest yield (up to 33.9%) of bio-oil was obtained from Isochrysis sp. for all temperatures while the highest average yield (65.78%) of bio-char was collected from Monoraphidium c. species. From TGA pyrolysis, the major decomposition occurred between 200-400°C for Monoraphidium c. species. On the other hand, the decomposition profile of Isochrysis sp. was slightly slower, which may be due to the differences in lipid composition (FTIR peak 2929 cm-1). The activation energy of all tests is lower (33.6-40.3 kJ mol-1) compared to several other biomasses. Marine species fixed with CO2 showed promising results even without addition of catalyst and no additional cost needed.
The Effect of using Repetitively Pulsed Laser Radiation in Selective Laser Melting when Creating a Metal Matrix Composite Ti-6Al-4V – B4C.
Authors: Golyshev Alexander , Malikov Alexander , Orishich Anatoliy , Gulov Mikhail , Ancharov Alexei
Published: June 2021

A metal-matrix composite based on Ti-6Al-4V – B4C with TiB, TiB2 and TiC inclusions was successfully obtained as a result of in-situ synthesis using repetitively pulsed laser radiation. For the first time, the phase composition of the obtained metal-matrix composite was studied using synchrotron radiation. A comparison of the effect of using continuous and pulsed-periodic radiation in selective laser melting on the microstructure and mechanical properties of coatings was made. The use of repetitively pulsed radiation made it possible to form more uniform structures and to improve the mechanical properties of metal-matrix coatings in comparison with the continuous mode of exposure. It has been established that the use of repetitively pulsed radiation and the formation of TiB2, TiB, TiC phases made it possible to increase the wear resistance of the formed composite by a factor of 6 in comparison with the Ti-6Al-4V metal coating.
Green Construction Practices: Ensuring Client Satisfaction Through Health and Safety Performance
Authors: Onubi Hilary Omatule , Yusof Nor'Aini , Hassan Ahmad Sanusi
Published: June 2021

Studies have proved that Client Satisfaction (CS) is greatly affected by the nature of construction practices carried out on site. However, not much attention has been given to CS in projects that adopt green construction practices (GCPs). This study examines the effect of GCPs on CS, and the means by which CS can be achieved through health and safety performance (HSP). This study also analyses how the relationship between HSP and CS could vary depending on the level of GCPs adopted. A questionnaire with 27 items drawn from literature was used in collecting data from class A contractors in Nigeria. The study’s hypotheses were tested using the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) technique. The findings of the study reveal that GCPs has a positive effect on CS. HSP proved to only partially mediate the relationship between GCPs and CS. The findings also show that the effect of HSP on CS is moderated by GCPs with the stronger effect from projects with low adoption of GCPs. The study findings highlight the pivotal role of HSP in ensuring CS in construction projects that adopt GCPs while also making theoretical and practical contributions to guide policy makers, scholars, and contractors.
Clinical Application of One-Position Complete Retroperitoneoscopic Nephroureterectomy
Authors: Xiao Yongshuang , Chen Tan , Li Qinghui , Wen Rumin , Li Shuofeng
Published: June 2021

Objective: To explore the surgical method and the clinical efficacy of complete retroperitoneal laparoscopic radical resection of upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). Methods: A retrospective analysis of 83 patients with upper urothelial carcinoma from January 2016 to December 2019 in the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University was conducted. Among them, 40 patients underwent one-position complete retroperitoneoscopic nephroureterectomy (CRNU) and 43 patients underwent traditional retroperitoneoscopic nephroureterectomy (TRNU). Compare the differences in clinical data, perioperative parameters and postoperative follow-up results of patients with the two surgical methods. CTU and ureteroscopy were used to diagnose. Results: A total of 43 patients (35 males and 8 females) with TRNU were enrolled in this study. Forty patients (31 males and 9 females) received CRNU. The CRNU group had significantly shorter average operation time (105.83±5.80 min versus 147.28 ± 17.58 min) and lower visual pain score (P=0,024). No significant difference was found in age, BMI, T stage, complication, change of albumin and hemoglobin, postoperative hospital stays and tumor recurrence (P>0.05). Conclusion: one-position complete retroperitoneoscopic nephroureterectomy is safe and feasible. The curative effect is affirmative. It has the conspicuous advantages in minimally invasive, no posture change, less postoperative pain, less interference with abdominal organ and shorter operation time, which could particularly reduce the workload of operating room nurses without any additional postoperative complications.
Bowl Surface Laser Forming Process of Stainless Steel Composite Plate
Authors: Wang Xiaogang , Shi Yongjun , Guo Yankuo , Wang Qin
Published: June 2021

In this paper, the three-dimensional bowl surface was obtained by reasonably planning the radial heating path by taking the laser as the heat source and the stainless steel composite plate (06Cr19Ni10/1Cr17Mn6Ni5N/06Cr19Ni10) as the research object, and the forming process of the three-dimensional bowl surface was studied. It was found that the target surface bending forming obtained by inside-outside symmetric scanning strategy (Strategy d) had the highest accuracy. The plate deformation increased with the increase of laser power (P), increased then decreased with the increase of heating line length (L), and decreased with the increase of scanning speed (V). Moreover, the deformation was approximately linear with the number of repeated heating (N), with the optimal process conditions of P = 500W, V = 10 mm/s, L = 20 mm, N = 7. A three-dimensional thermodynamic coupling model of a three-layer composite plate was established and verified experimentally.
Identification of LOXL3-Associating Immune Infiltration Landscape and Prognostic Value in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Wang Ning , Zhou Xue , Tang Fei , Wang Xue , Zhu Xiaowei
Published: June 2021

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common type of hepatic malignancies, remains a global health challenge with multiple aetiologies and low five-year survival rate. In recent years, breakthroughs in the field of tumor immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have made a therapeutic revolution, which has been shown to improve the prognosis of patients with HCC. Immune infiltrates represent a major component of tumor microenvironment (TME), and play an essential role in both tumor progression and therapeutic response. The major unmet challenge in tumor immunotherapy is exploring the intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms of TME promoting the management of HCC. Lysyl oxidase like 3 (LOXL3) participates in the remodeling of extracellular matrix (ECM) and the cross-linking of collagen and elastic fibers. It has been reported that LOXL3 is associated with the development and tumorigenesis of multiple types of cancer. In this study, we first found that LOXL3 gene was upregulated in tumor tissues compared with the normal tissues. Furthermore, LOXL3 expression is positively correlated with the infiltration of multiple immune cells and the expression of immune checkpoint genes in HCC. Meanwhile, high LOXL3 expression predicted poor outcomes of the patients with HCC. Functional enrichment analysis suggested that LOXL3 was mainly linked to extracellular structure and matrix organization, cell−cell adhesion, and T cell activation. This is the first comprehensive study to indicate that LOXL3 is correlated with immune infiltrates and may serve as a novel biomarker predicting prognosis and immunotherapy in HCC.
Isolation, Identification and Genetic Characteristics of an Uncommon Norovirus Genotype, GIX.1[GII.P15], From Kunming, China
Authors: Chen Yanli , Wu Qiongwen , Li Guiman , Li Hongzhe , Li Wenlong , Qin Li , Zheng Huiwen , Liu Changkun , Li Heng , Hou Min , Liu Longding
Published: June 2021

Human norovirus, an RNA virus of the family Caliciviridae, is a common viral pathogen causing acute gastroenteritis of all age groups worldwide. To date, tens of thousands genome sequences of norovirus have been uploaded to NCBI database, more than half of them were epidemic strains of GII.4 or GII.17 genotype. However, sequence information on the non-epidemic norovirus strains remains poorly studied. In this study, an uncommon norovirus genotype, GIX.1[GII.P15], was isolated using Raji cells and the full-genome sequence of the strain was extensively characterized. The norovirus virus particles with a diameter of approximately 30 nm and a morphology of spherical and lace-like appearance were observed by electron microscopy. Viral genome replication in Raji cells were confirmed by real-time quantitative reverse transcription-PCR from viral replication kinetics and passaging experiments of the primary virus. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the strain (KMN1) belonged to the GIX.1[GII.P15] genotype and indicated that no recombination has occurred in this strain thus far. Further compared analysis of the full genome sequence with the consensus sequence of GIX.1[GII.P15] genomes revealed a total of 81 nucleotide substitutions (53 in ORF1, 20 in ORF2, and 8 in ORF3) across the genome, but only 6 substitutions resulted in amino acid changes (3 in ORF1, 1 in ORF2, and 2 in ORF3). Moreover, one amino acid substitution at the 302 amino acid site (P302S) was observed in the P2 domain of the capsid protein, and the site was around one of the predicted conformational epitopes on the VP1 protein structure. The genomic information obtained from the novel strain may extend the understanding of the non-epidemic GIX.1[GII.P15] strains.
Ceftizoxime Loaded ZnO/L-Cysteine Based an Advanced Nanocarrier Drug for Growth Inhibition of Salmonella Typhimurium
Authors: Bacchu Md. Sadek , Ali Md. Romzan , Setu Md. Ali Ahasan , Akter Selina , Khan Md. Zaved Hossain
Published: June 2021

L-Cysteine coated zinc oxide (ZnO) nano hollow spheres were prepared as a potent drug delivery agent to eradicate Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. typhimurium). The ZnO nano hollow spheres were synthesized by following the environmentally-friendly trisodium citrate assisted method and L-Cysteine (L-Cys) conjugate with its surface. ZnO/L-Cys@CFX nanocarrier drug has been fabricated by incorporating ceftizoxime with L-Cys coated ZnO nano hollow spheres and characterized using different techniques such as scanning electron microscope (SEM), attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) etc. Furthermore, the drug-loading and encapsulation efficiency at different pH levels was measured using UV-vis spectrometer and optimized. A control and gradual manner of pH-sensitive release profile was found after investigating the release profile of CFX from the carrier drug. The antibacterial activity of ZnO/L-Cys@CFX and CFX were evaluated through the agar disc diffusion method and the broth dilution method, which indicate the antibacterial properties of antibiotics enhance after conjugating. Surprisingly, the ZnO/L-Cys@CFX exhibits a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 5µg/ml against S. typhimurium is lower than CFX (20µg/ml) itself. These results indicate the nanocarrier can reduce the amount of CFX dosed to eradicate S. typhimurium.
Evaluation of Alveolar Bone Hypomineralization in Hypophosphatasia Patients Using Orthopantomography
Authors: Okawa Rena , Nakamoto Takashi , Matayoshi Saaya , Nakano Kazuhiko , Kakimoto Naoya
Published: June 2021

Hypophosphatasia (HPP) is a metabolic disease characterized by impaired bone mineralization and early exfoliation of primary teeth. The purpose of this study was to develop a method for quantitatively evaluating alveolar bone hypomineralization using orthopantomographic images. Alveolar bone density was defined according to the pixel values and corrected by brightness shown by an indicator applied to the orthopantomographic device. Images of 200 systemically healthy subjects (aged 2–15 years) were classified into five age groups. The corrected pixel values were significantly lower in the younger group than in those aged 14–15 years (2–4, 5–7 and 8–10 years versus 14–15 years: P < 0.0001, 11–13 years versus 14–15 years: P < 0.01). Orthopantomographic images of 17 HPP patients were evaluated. The corrected pixel values of three-quarters of the odonto type HPP patients were lower than the mean values for the healthy group. One-third of patients treated with enzyme replacement therapy showed higher corrected pixel values than the healthy group. Our results suggest that odonto type HPP without skeletal problems is occasionally accompanied by hypomineralization of alveolar bone, and that alveolar bone hypomineralization in severe HPP patients is possibly improved by enzyme replacement therapy.