bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structuralism: The Beginning of a New Era
Authors:   Omsk State University named after F. M. Dostoevsky, Kuparashvili Mzia D.
Published: May 2022

The book of Philosophy Professor M.D. Kuparashvili is devoted to the revision of the widespread idea that modernity and postmodernity are genetically linked. The research is based on three methodological theses: modernism is the end of the classics, structuralism is the foundation of a different vision of the world and the main tool of de-constructivism, postmodernism is the process of destruction and liberation of the perception space for a new vision of the world. In the author’s concept structuralism is interpreted as the basis for the formation of a new style of thinking and practice of constructing the world. The author describes in detail the Russian regional aspects of structuralism. The book is addressed to a wide audience, scientists and students of philosophical and philological faculties who are engaged in the philosophy of language, as well as to all those interested in the theory and history of language.
Modelo para representação de indicadores de experiência em espaços de coworking
Authors: Sansão Marcos Marciel , Vaz Carlos Eduardo Verzola , Gonçalves Alexandre Leopoldo
Published: May 2022

Este artigo intenciona combinar ontologia de domínio e grafos de conhecimento como métodos para a exploração e representação de informações sobre a experiência de usuários em espaços de trabalho compartilhados, utilizando um modelo semântico de análise em comentários retirados de plataformas digitais. E também utilizar o estudo de caso para explorar a estruturação da realidade de relações entre pessoas e ambientes sob a ótica do desempenho do espaço e das organizações. A estratégia adotada utiliza indicadores de desempenho como base conceitual e para o estabelecimento de relações semânticas entre entidades (objetos) e propriedades (características) quanto às observações qualitativas de um grupo de usuários. Os procedimentos metodológicos, aplicados a um conjunto de dados composto de 261 comentários, resultaram em uma base para análise com 567 indicadores individuais. Desse montante foram extraídas 76 classes de objetos associados por meio de 14 relações representativas das preferências e interações do usuário com o ambiente. Os resultados demonstram um conjunto de informações robustas que evidencia o potencial de exploração de dados digitais presentes nos espaços através de redes semânticas. A tecnologia semântica apresenta-se como solução para o mapeamento das informações sobre espaços em análise e para a representação da satisfação do usuário com seus respectivos espaços ocupados, auxiliando a retroalimentação de conhecimento para gestão organizacional e requalificação arquitetônica.
The Hepplemeyer Phenomenon: Subtly Demonstrating the Co-opting of Science into Unscientific Contexts
Authors: Pittaway D.
Published: May 2022

In this article I propose that a short story, in this case Howard Fast’s “The Hoop” (1975), can be used for educational purposes to demonstrate (in a quick and undivisive manner) how science can be co-opted into unscientific contexts. I also show how the story paves the way for brief explorations of three philosophical topic areas relevant in the context of science education, namely Horkheimer’s (2004) operationalism and instrumentalism, Kuhn’s (1977) take on theory choice, and Heidegger’s (1977) technological Enframing. The foregrounding of a short story for the purpose of education within the sustainability sciences is offered as an interim step towards transgressive learning and disruptive capacity-building processes called for elsewhere.
COVID-19: Exposing unmatched historical disparities in the South African institutions of higher learning
Authors: Mtshweni B. V.
Published: May 2022

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has been on the rampage and severely affected lives of many globally. The disruption resulting from the pandemic cuts across various aspects of the society such as the economic, social, environmental and educational domains. This article specifically explores the impact of COVID-19 on the higher education system in South Africa and also delves into academic challenges experienced by students during the pandemic. The article explores students’ experiences during the pandemic in conjunction with challenges which existed in the higher education system before the advent of COVID-19 owing to the legacy of apartheid, transformational and other developmental issues in the South African context.
Opening the doors of learning: Increasing access to music degrees
Authors: de Villiers A. C.
Published: May 2022

This article is contextualized for Music and is a response to the CHE (2013) Report that proposes a flexible curriculum structure for undergraduate degrees in South Africa, to address student under preparedness. Research states that music graduates need well developed identities in music, as well as generic, transferable skills to ensure lifelong employment and that a bachelor of music degree is best suited for this. However, in the South African context, the bachelor of music degree qualification is not accessible to the majority of prospective students as they are under prepared to study music at tertiary level. Only a minority of learners receive quality music education at school, while the majority of learners, including those from low socio-economic communities, do not receive formal music education. Under preparedness to study music, has traditionally been addressed through certificates and diploma qualifications in music. A discussion, and interpretation of the literature, has led to the researcher to develop an alternate framework to both improve student access to music degrees and manage under preparedness. The proposed approach advocates that music departments at universities adopt the framework of the national certificate vocation as an alternative to certificates and diplomas. The alternative curriculum structure for music, would be a more cost effective way to address under preparedness, improve academic success and lead to high skill levels. The study is situated in a constructivist, interpretive worldview, with a qualitative research design. Purposive sampling in the form of the choice of literature for the theoretical framework was adopted. While this theoretical study is contextualized for music, it is applicable to other fields.
Filling a theoretical void: The lived experiences of “coloured” women as mathematics educators in higher education
Authors: Kenny S. , Davids N.
Published: May 2022

Thanks to intense prohibition and regulation of access to higher education during apartheid, a significant number of teachers from historically marginalised groups did not necessarily enter the profession as a first choice or as a desirable profession. Instead, post-schooling choices were based on access and financial support, restricting many marginalised groups to enrol at teacher training colleges. Beyond schools, there were no career pathways for “coloured”, “black”, and “Indian” teachers to teach at a higher education level. In mathematics education, the challenges experienced by “coloured” women are especially pronounced yet unexplored. To date, the dominant literature has leaned towards a negative portrayal, informed by stereotypical imagery and caricature. By exploring the lived experiences of six “coloured” women, who succeeded in establishing themselves as mathematics educators in higher education, the article is driven by a twofold imperative. On the one hand, it seeks to highlight the intersectional barriers of discrimination and marginalisation encountered by these women during apartheid and democratic South Africa. On the other hand, the article is interested in filling the theoretical void on the lives and capabilities of “coloured” women as mathematics educators in higher education.
Banka Kredi Kanalı Faiz Kanalını Güçlendiriyor mu? Türkiye Üzerine SVAR Analizi
Authors: BAKKAL Hakan
Published: May 2022

Amaç: Para politikası kararları aktarım kanalları yoluyla reel ekonomi üzerinde etkide bulunabilmektedir. Bu çalışmada Türkiye için para politikası kararlarının ekonomik büyümeye olan katkısında iki parasal aktarım kanalının rolü değerlendirilmektedir. Çalışmanın başlıca amacı faiz kanalı ve banka kredi kanalının geçerliliği ile banka kredi kanalının faiz kanalını destekleyip desteklemediğini ortaya koymaktır.
Tasarım/Yöntem: 2010:Q1-2021:Q2 dönemine ilişkin politika faiz oranı, banka mevduatları, banka kredileri, gayrisafi sabit sermaye oluşumu ve gayrisafi yurtiçi hâsıla değişkenlerine ait verileri kullanarak analiz gerçekleştirilmiştir. Değişkenlerin durağanlıkları, tüm veri yapılarını tek bir birim kök testinde birlikte dikkate alan keskin ve yumuşak kırılmalı birim kök testi (SOR) ile belirlenmiştir. Uzun dönem kısıtı altında yapısal VAR modeli tahmin edilmiş, etki tepki fonksiyonlarına ve yapısal varyans ayrıştırmasına göre ampirik sonuçlara ulaşılmıştır.
Bulgular: Elde edilen bulgulara göre, faiz kanalı ve banka kredi kanalının her ikisi de kısmen çalışmakta ve ekonomik büyümede sınırlı role sahip oldukları görülmektedir. Ayrıca, banka kredi kanalı faiz kanalını zayıf da olsa güçlendirmektedir.
Sınırlılıklar: Çalışmanın temel sınırlılığı faiz kanalı ve banka kredi kanalının geçerliliğinin Türkiye açısından ele alınmasıdır.
Özgünlük/Değer: Çalışmada, para politikası alanında ilk defa SOR birim kök testi kullanılmaktadır. Ayrıca Blanchard-Quah yöntemine dayalı uzun dönem kısıtı ile yapısal VAR analizi gerçekleştirilmektedir.
Mechanical Properties of Multi-walled Beryllium-Oxide Nanotubes: A molecular Dynamics Simulation Study
Authors: Rostamiyan Yaser , Shahab Navid , Spitas Christos , Mashhadzadeh Amin Hamed
Published: May 2022

Molecular Dynamic (MD) simulation was employed to take the molecular fingerprint of mechanical properties of Beryllium-Oxide nanotubes (BeONTs). In this regard, the effect of the radius, the number of walls (single-, double- and triple-walled), and interlayer distance, as well as temperature on the Young’s modulus, failure stress and failure strain are visualized and discussed. It was unveiled that larger single-walled BeONTs have lower Young’s modulus in zigzag and armchair direction, and the highest Young’s modulus were obtained for the (8,0) zigzag and (4,4) armchair SWBeONTs as of 645.71GPa and 624.81GPa, respectively. Unlike Young’s modulus, however, the failure properties of the armchair structures were higher than those of zigzag ones. Furthermore, similar to SWBEONTs, an increase in the interlayer distance of double-walled BeONTs (DWBeONTs) led to a slight reduction in Young’s modulus value, while no meaningful trend was found among failure behavior. For double-walled BeONTs (TWBeONTs), the elastic modulus was obviously higher in both armchair and zigzag directions compared to DWBeONTs.
PV-DC Double Controller Scheme
Authors: Uzorka Afam
Published: May 2022

Dynamic model simulation and implementation of a photovoltaic solar powered Permanent magnet DC motor (PMDC) controlled by dual chopper action are studied. The simulation results of the PMDC motor and resistive load excursion are discussed. In order to maximize the power output from the solar array and to make the energy system fully stable under varying photovoltaic condition and load excursions two different controllers developed by Dr. A.M. Sharaf are validated. The basic description of the photovoltaic system and dual controllers are given. The dynamic validation results with and without the controllers are given. The validation results shows an increase in the photovoltaic output power.
Ligand GA: a genetic algorithm for automated protein inhibitor design
Authors: Chalmers Gordon
Published: May 2022

Ligand GA is introduced in this work and approaches the problem of finding small molecules inhibiting protein functions by using the protein site to find close to optimal or optimal small molecule binders. Genetic algorithms (GA) are an effective means for approximating or solving computationally hard mathematics problems with large search spaces such as this one. The algorithm is designed to include constraints on the generated molecules from ADME restriction, localization in a binding site, specified hydrogen bond requirements, toxicity prevention from multiple proteins, sub-structure restrictions, and database inclusion. This algorithm and work is in the context of computational modeling, ligand design and docking to protein sites.
The BE (2)-M17 cell line has a better dopaminergic phenotype than the traditionally used for Parkinson´s research SH-SY5Y, which is mostly serotonergic.
Authors: Carvajal-Oliveros Angel , Uriostegui-Arcos Maritere , Zurita Mario , Melchy-Perez Erika I. , Narváez-Padilla Verónica , Reynaud Enrique
Published: May 2022

SH-SY5Y is a cell line derived from human neuroblastoma. It is one of the most widely used in vitro models to study Parkinson’s disease. Surprisingly, it has been found that it does not develop a dopaminergic phenotype after differentiation, questioning its usefulness as a Parkinson’s model. There are other in vitro models with better dopaminergic characteristics. BE (2)-M17 is a human neuroblastoma cell line that differentiates when treated with retinoic acid. We compared the dopaminergic and serotonergic properties of both cell lines. BE (2)-M17 has higher basal levels of dopaminergic markers and acquires a serotonergic phenotype during differentiation while maintaining the dopaminergic phenotype. SH-SY5Y has higher basal levels of serotonergic markers but does not acquire a dopaminergic phenotype upon differentiation.
Paenibacillus arenilitoris sp. nov., isolated from seashore sand and genome mining revealed the biosynthesis potential as antibiotic producer
Authors: Deng Na , Huang Huiqin , Hu Yonghua , Wang Xu , mo kunlian
Published: May 2022

Strain IB182493T, a marine, aerobic, Gram-stain-negative and motile bacterium, was isolated from seashore sand of South China Sea. Cells grew optimally at 25–30°C, pH 7.0–8.0 and in 2–4 % NaCl (w/v). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence comparison revealed that the strain formed a distinct lineage within the genus Paenibacillus, and was most closely related to Paenibacillus harenae DSM 16969T (similarity 96.6%) and Paenibacillus alkaliterrae DSM 17040T (similarity 96.1%). The chemotaxonomic characteristics of strain IB182493T included MK-7 as the predominant isoprenoid quinone, anteiso-C15:0 and iso-C16:0 as the major cellular fatty acids and meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diaminoacid in cell wall peptidoglycan. The polar lipids comprised phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol and two unidentified phospholipids. The DNA G+C content of strain IB182493T was 56.2 mol%. The values of whole genome average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) between the isolate and the closely related type strains were less than 84.7 % and 23.6 %, respectively. On the basis of phenotypic and chemotaxonomic properties, phylogenetic distinctiveness and genomic data, we named strain IB182493T as Paenibacillus arenilitoris sp. nov. and proposed that strain IB182493T (=MCCC 1K04626T = JCM 34215T) in the genus Paenibacillus represents a novel species.
Cholinergic signals promote esophageal squamous cell carcinoma metastasis by activating EGFR/AKT signaling pathway
Authors: Wang Tao , Ge Bei-Bei , Liu Chang , Xu Li-Juan , Wei Bin , Gao Yong
Published: May 2022

Purpose Increasing evidence has shown that the nervous system plays a vital role in the regulation of tumorigenesis. However, the regulatory mechanism of the parasympathetic nervous system in the progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) has not been elucidated. Methods Vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) protein expression was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and parasympathetic nerve density was analyzed in human ESCC tissues. The co-culture model of ESCC cells and dorsal root ganglia (DRG) was established in vitro. The effects of cholinergic stimulation on cell growth, migration and invasion were investigated through CCK-8, Transwell and wound healing assays using acetylcholine (ACh). PCR and western blotting were utilized respectively for the purpose of detecting Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) related transcripts proteins. M3 muscarinic receptor (CHRM3) was knocked down using small interfering RNA (siRNA). RNA sequencing explored the possible altered gene transcriptome and signal pathways, which were further verified by Western blotting and CO-IP analysis. Results The intensity of parasympathetic nerve in ESCC was significantly higher than that in adjacent tissues, and was positively correlated with higher clinical staging and poorer prognosis. Co-incubation with DRG enhanced the migration and invasion ability of ESCC cells in vitro. Moreover, exogenous choline stimulation enhanced the migration, invasion ability together with EMT of ESCC cells, while CHRM3 knockdown were opposite. Mechanistically, cholinergic activation enhanced the phosphorylation levels of EGFR and AKT through CHRM3, which bound directly to EGFR.Conclusion We revealed a critical role of cholinergic signals ACh/CHRM3 in mediating the effects of parasympathetic nerve activity on ESCC through the EGFR/AKT signaling pathway, which might provide a novel therapeutic target for ESCC.
Quality of Family Planning Among Married Women at Ngo Supported and Non-supported Districts in Bati Woreda Oromia Special Zone Amhara Region, Ethiopia, 2021
Authors: Abebaw Nigusie , Girma Natnael , Berhanu Wosensew , Tefera Zenebe
Published: May 2022

Background: Good quality of family planning service helps individuals and couples meet their reproductive health needs safely and effectively. This study may provide important information to family planning providers, policy makers, and program managers to improve quality of family planning service.Objective: To assess quality of family planning among married women at NGO supported and non-supported in Bati Woreda Oromia special zone Amhara region, Ethiopia, 2021.Method: Institutional based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted during study period. Data was collected from March 1-30/2021 by using 344 sample size . Data were entered to Epi Data 4.1 and exported to SPSS version 20.0 for analysis. Adjusted odds ratio with 95%Confidence interval was used to measure association variable with p-value <0.05 Result: 344 participants were enrolled to this study making the response rate of 100 %.This finding showed that , 63.3% were supported and 58.1% non-supported by NGO. The mean age was 36 SD + 6.17 years old with range between 23-49 years. Contraceptive users who are supported by NGO [95% CI, 2.17(1.19-6.13)],Short waiting time [95% CI, 1.276(0.54-2.99)], Availability of different choice, [95% CI, 0.3(0.12-0.71)], Good counseling, [95% CI, 0.04(0.0-0.0043)] and Keeping privacy for contraceptive users[95% CI,0.21(0.08-0.48)] were significantly associated with the dependent variable. Conclusion: Supported status, waiting time availability of method, provider good service and Clear and satisfactory counseling were the most determinant factor for the dependent variable. Therefore, all health care provider gives clear and precise about contraceptive method.
Influence of microalgal diets in the mass production and nutrient enrichment of Apocyclops royi (Cyclopoida, Copepoda) - A potential live food for marine fish larvae
Authors: Vijayaraj Radha , Jayaprakshvel Mani , Altaff Kareem
Published: May 2022

This study investigated the effects of three microalgal diets (Chloroidium saccharophilum, Chlorella vulgaris and Nannochloropsis oculata) on the population growth, nutritional composition of Apocyclops royi. The microalgal strains were taxonomically identified using 18S rRNA Technique. This copepod is mass cultured with C. saccharophilum diet is identified as potential live prey for marine finfish larval rearing. Under optimal water quality parameters and microalgal diet of C. saccharophilum, C. vulgaris and N. oculata at the concentration of 30,000 cells/mL, the A. royi showed high survival and ovisac production with the C. saccharophilum feeding regime. Mass culture of this copepod reached a density of (12700 ± 454 ind./L). on 21st day of culture period. The fatty acid profile showed enhanced content of saturated and PUFAs in A. royi (p < .05) with C. saccharophilum diet. The contents of EPA, DHA and ARA in A. royi are high with C. saccharophilum diet compared to other microalgal diets. Amino acid profile of A. royi fed C. saccharophilum showed significantly high content of Glycine, Alanine, Aspartic acid, Glutamic acid, Threonine and Histidine. The total essential amino acid content is significantly higher than the animals fed on C. vulgaris and N. oculata (p < .05). Our findings illustrate that the C. saccharophilum is the most suitable microalgal diet for mass culture of A. royi because it increases productivity and enhances the nutritional value of the copepods for use as fish larvae prey.
Design and Construction of Heterojunction-type TiO2-CdS Photocatalyst on Bacterial Cellulose with Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity
Authors: Qian Xin , Xu Yongjian , Xu Yang
Published: May 2022

Photocatalytic degradation, a green and promising technology, has been extensively explored to reduce environmental pollutions. Herein, a Z-scheme TiO2-CdS photocatalyst with binary hierarchical structural was designed and constructed on bacterial cellulose (BC) via microwave-assisted solvothermal in-situ synthesis.The as-prepared BC@TiO2-CdS nanocomposite gel possesses enhanced photocatalytic activity with 94.47% removal of methylene blue (MB) after 180 min visible light irradiation. The enhancement of photocatalytic activity is attributed to the hierarchical structure of the TiO2-CdS nanospheres on BC, which was characterized and confirmed by SEM, EDS, XRD, XPS and Raman spectral. Meanwhile, the photoluminescence (PL) analysis reveals that the BC@TiO2-CdS nanocomposite gel follows the direct redox Z-scheme photocatalytic reaction system, which is advantageous for photogenerated charge separation and migration from TiO2 conduction band (CB) to CdS valence band (VB). Therefore, this work provides a facile route to design and construct a direct Z-scheme system for photocatalytic degradation.
Performance and increase fatigue life for Ti workpiece produced by EDM process
Authors: Liu Zhi-wei , Hsu Chung-Wei , Wu Shang-Hua , Zhou Jia-Sheng , Kao Jin-Yih , Hsu Chun-Yao
Published: May 2022

Effect of discharge current (range from 5 to 13 A) in electrical discharge machining (EDM) on the machining characteristics of pure Ti is investigated. The electrode wear rates (EWR), material removal rates (MRR), surface roughness (SR), micro-hardness, fatigue life and recast layer are measured. Increasing discharge current, the EWR, MRR, SR and the recast layer thickness also increases. Fatigue life is positively correlated with the micro-hardness of EDMed workpiece. Control charts are used to ensure the EDM process is well regulated and stable. EDMed surface is modified by plasma etching, the surface defects are gradually removed. EDMed surface coated with a TiAlN film has better surface quality and a significantly greater fatigue life.
Stakeholder’s perspective on the slow progress towards elimination of trachoma as a public health problem, and suggested recommendations for future intervention improvements: A pilot case study in Bugna district, 2020, Northeast Ethiopia
Authors: Kassaw Mesfin Wudu , Tegegne Kindie Mekuria , Ahmed Mohammed , Tegegne Kirubel Dagnaw
Published: May 2022

Background: Blinding Trachoma is considered a neglected tropical disease and earmarked for global elimination as a public health problem by 2020 using the advocated World Health Organization's (WHO) recommendation, SAFE (surgery, antibiotics, facial cleanness, and environmental change) strategy. In Sub-Saharan Africa, Trachoma is a leading cause of preventable blindness, and Ethiopia is the most affected and bears the highest burden. In many rural parts of Ethiopia, Trachoma continues to be rampant. In the North and South Wollo zones of the Amhara region, the overall prevalence of active Trachoma among children aged 1–9 was 21.6%. In the Gazegibela district of Wagehemra zone, Amhara region, among children aged 1–9 years, 52.4% were positive for active Trachoma. This study aimed to explore the determinates of SAFE strategy failure when WHO and MoH implement a SAFE strategy to control Trachoma from 2006 until 2020 and reconsider the recommendation of stakeholders in Bugna district, Ethiopia. Methods: The design used in this study is an exploratory case study to highlight the determinants of SAFE strategy failure. The data were collected in Bugna district, Northeast Ethiopia. The study data were collected from Health Extension Workers (HEWs) and kebele leaders. We employed an in-depth interview and Focus Group Discussion (FGD) to gain access to the participants' experiences and conducted an inductive qualitative content analysis. The study population includes 28 health extension workers, 16 kebele leaders, 2 district health office leaders, 2 district trachoma officers, and 5 district health officers. Both the interview and FGD sessions were audio-taped, and an interview lasted one to two hours, but the FGD lasted two to three hours. Result: The study subjects live in 16 kebeles (sub-districts) of the Bugna district. The age of health extension workers ranged from 23 to 35 years old, with a mean age of 30.57 years (SD±2.68). Participants' opinions were categorized into two major categories; determinants for failing in controlling Trachoma in the Bugna district and forwarded recommendations to reduce the prevalence of trachomatous inflammation-follicular(TF) below 5%, and the prevalence of trachomatous trichiasis (TT) below 0.2%. In these two major categories, four themes were identified as determinants for failing to control Trachoma below 5% in the Bugna district in 2020, while six themes were deduced as recommendations to reduce the prevalence of TF below 5% and TT below 0.2% in Bugna district post-2020.Conclusion: Many organizations like The Carter center played a great deal and still investing their time, money, and knowledge to control TF below 5% and TT below 0.2% as per WHO recommendation through global elimination of Trachoma by 2020 (GET2020).
Probable human origin of the SARS-CoV-2 polybasic furin cleavage site
Authors: Romeu Antonio R.
Published: May 2022

The origin of the SARS-CoV-2 is still unclear. Simply said, its emergence was due to the acquisition of the polybasic furin cleavage site at the S protein in one of its closest relatives. The discovery in Laos of bat Rhinolophus coronaviruses that contain receptor binding domains almost identical to that of SARS-CoV-2, and despite not having that polybasic furin cleavage site, they can therefore infect human cells (1), is the cornerstone to identify the SARS-CoV-2 progenitor. However, it is not yet known where the furin site inserted at the S1/S2 junction in the S protein of the pandemic virus come from, nor the how and when of such acquisition. The CGG-CGG encoded arginine dimer is rare in coronaviruses (2), however, an arginine dimer with this code is present at the SARS-CoV-2 acquired furin site: the PRRA four amino acid residue motif. Then, my question was if the SARS-CoV-2 S gene insert encoding the furin site would match to human transcripts. Here, I address this issue by using NCBI and GISAID databases, the NCBI Human Genome Resources, sequence analysis tools and in-house developed bioinformatic tools. I found that the possible 12-nucleotide fragments which properly inserted in the S gene encode the SARS-CoV-2 furin site 100% match to several NCBI RefSeq human transcripts. Taking this into consideration and the expression patterns of these genes, together with further evidences found here, such as the codon optimization of that SARS-CoV-2 furin site arginine dimer and other PRRA-like insertions in the S protein, results provide insight into the human-virus recombination link as origin of the SARS-CoV-2 furin site, during undetected human-to-human virus transmission.
Analgesic effect of ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block(ESPB) in general anesthesia for cesarean section: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: hu Jia , Chen Qi , Xu Qian , Song Yun , Wei Ke , Lei Xiaofeng
Published: May 2022

Background: The analgesic effects of the erector spinae plane block in general anesthesia for cesarean section and the recovery from puerperae remain unclear.Methods: Sixty patients with contraindications for spinal anesthesia who required general anesthesia for cesarean section were enrolled and randomly divided into the erector spinal plane block (ESPB) combined with general anesthesia group (group E) and the general anesthesia group (group G). Group E received bilateral ESPB (20 ml of 0.25% ropivacaine on each side) under ultrasound guidance 30 min before general anesthesia. The heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP) were recorded 10 min before the start of anesthesia (T0), at the induction of anesthesia (T1), at skin incision (T2), fetal delivery (T3), and immediately after surgery (T4). Intraoperative anesthesia dosage, fetal delivery time, and puerperae emergence time were also recorded. Visual analog scale (VAS) and Bruggrman comfort scale (BCS) scores at 2h, 6h, 12h, and 24h after operation were compared between the two groups. Number of patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) boluses, and adverse reactions were also recorded.Results: The MAP and HR of T2 and T3 in group G were significantly increased compared with T1 (P<0.05), as well as with those in group E at the same time point (P<0.05); compared with group G, the doses of propofol and remifentanil were significantly reduced (P<0.0001), the emergence time of the puerpera was shortened (P=0.003), the VAS score at 2h and 6h after the operation was reduced, the BCS score was increased (P<0.05), the number of PCIA boluses was reduced (P<0.001), and the incidence of nausea and vomiting significant decreased (P=0.014).Conclusion: Ultrasound-guided ESPB applied to general anesthesia for cesarean section can significantly reduce the required dose of general anesthetic drugs, shorten the recovery time of puerperae, and improve postoperative analgesia.
The Clinicopathological and Prognostic Significance of Foxp3 Expression in Gastric Cancer: A Meta-Analysis and TCGA Analysis
Authors: Gao Jiacheng , Jia Zirui , Wang Yuhang , Zhou Tingting , Zhang Xiangwen , Zu Guo
Published: May 2022

Purpose：In gastric cancer (GC) patients, the relationship between Forkhead Box P3 (Foxp3) expression and clinicopathological parameters and prognosis is controversial. Our purpose was to study the association between Foxp3 expression and clinicopathological parameters and overall survival (OS) of GC patients.Method：The data for this article was analyzed by Stata 15.1 software. The association between Foxp3 expression and clinicopathological data and OS was explored by pooled odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). We used deek’s plots to evaluate publication bias. By The Cancer Genome Altlas (TCGA) data, we detected that the association between Foxp3 expression and OS in stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD) patients.Results：We obtained 12 articles including 1,583 GC patients. Our research observed that Foxp3 expression was not related to age (OR = 0.899, 95% CI = 0.549-1.472, p = 0.672), gender (OR = 0.836, 95% CI = 0.647-1.080, p = 0.171), differentiation (OR = 1.083, 95% CI = 0.616-1.904, p = 0.781), and TNM stage (OR = 0.967, 95% CI = 0.583-1.605, p = 0.898) in GC patients. We found that Foxp3 expression was related to tumor size (OR = 0.489, 95% CI = 0.2857-0.839, p = 0.009) and lymph node metastasis (OR = 0.514, 95% CI = 0.280-0.944, p = 0.032) in GC patients. Our studies showed that high Foxp3 expression of 1-year OS (OR = 0.606, 95% CI = 0.399-0.921, p = 0.019), 3-year OS (OR = 0.629, 95% CI = 0.436-0,908, p = 0.013), and 5-year OS (OR = 0.412, 95% CI = 0.231-0.734, p = 0.003) was better than low Foxp3 expression in GC patients. The OS of high Foxp3 expression group was better than low Foxp3 expression group by TCGA, but there was no different in statistic (p=0.34).Conclusion：Foxp3 expression was relate to tumor sizes, lymph node metastasis and better OS in GC patients. Foxp3 expression was not related to age, sex, differentiation, and TNM stage. Foxp3 might be a prognosis maker in GC patients.
Immunogenicity and safety of the BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 vaccine in patients with melanoma treated with immunotherapy
Authors: Diamantopoulos Panagiotis , Kontandreopoulou Christina-Nefeli , Gkoufa Aikaterini , Solomou Elena , Anastasopoulou Amalia , Palli Eleni , Kouzis Panagiotis , Bouros Spyros , Samarkos Mihalis , Magiorkinis Gkikas , Gogas Helen
Published: May 2022

Introduction. The BNT162b2 vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 has a proven efficacy and a favorable safety profile. In cancer patients under immunotherapy in the form of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), the efficacy of the vaccine has not been thoroughly studied, while a theoretical concern about the triggering of immune related adverse events (irAEs) by the vaccine has also been raised. Patients and methods. We conducted a prospective, non-interventional study on the immunogenicity and safety of the BNT162b2 vaccine in patients with advanced or metastatic melanoma treated with ICIs. Blood samples were obtained 0-4 days before the first and 12-21 days after the second dose of the vaccine for the quantification of the SARS-CoV-2 anti-spike antibody with an ELISA and immunophenotyping of the T and myeloid cell subpopulations. Active recording of the AEs for a two-month period was conducted. Results. Forty patients were included in the study. All but one (97.3%) achieved seroconversion after two doses of the vaccine and no correlations of the antibody titers with any of the studied parameters (age, gender, stage and duration of the disease, type of ICI, previous treatment, etc.) were found. Moreover, no differences in the subpopulations of the T cells (including the T-regulatory cells) or the myeloid cells were found pre- and post-vaccination. All AEs were low-grade, while one case or arthritis exacerbation was noted.Discussion. The seroconversion rate in the studied population was high, comparable to that of healthy subjects, while no major safety issues were raised during the safety follow-up. Finally, no derangements in the subpopulations of T cells or myeloid cells were noted. This is the first study focusing on the immunogenicity, safety, and effect on the blood cell immunophenotype status of anti-SARS-Cov-2 vaccines in patients with melanoma treated with ICIs.
Association of Pre-pregnancy low-carbohydrate diet with maternal oral glucose tolerance test levels in Gestational Diabetes
Authors: Hao Yanhui , Qu Lei , Guo Yuna , Ma Liying , Guo Muhe , Zhu Yiqing , Jin Yan , Gu Qin , Zhang Yue , Sun Wenguang
Published: May 2022

Background
Limited evidence exists on the correlation between the pre-pregnancy low-carbohydrate (LC) diet and maternal oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) levels during pregnancy. Our aim was to compare the differences in maternal OGTT levels among women who had been diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) during pregnancy and adopted different dietary patterns in the pre-pregnancy period.
Methods
This was a case-control study in 20 GDM women with LC diet during pre-conception (LC/GDM), using 80 GDM women with conventional diet (Con/GDM) and 80 women with conventional diet but without GDM as reference (Con/Healthy), respectively. Potential risk factors of GDM were controlled. We used unadjusted raw data to compare the dietary composition data and biomarkers of the three study groups.
Results
Compared with the Con/GDM group, the OGTT-1h and OGTT-2h values in LC/GDM group were significantly higher (10.36 ± 1.28 mmol/L vs. 9.75 ± 0.98 mmol/L; 9.12 ± 0.98 mmol/L vs. 8.29 ± 1.06 mmol/L). Furthermore, 40% of the LC/GDM group participants had abnormal values in both OGTT-1h and OGTT-2h, significantly higher than 16.3% of the Con/GDM group.
Conclusions
We observed a relationship between the pre-pregnancy LC diet and more detrimental OGTT values in patients with GDM. This finding warrants further studies to understand the effect of pre-pregnancy LC diet behavior on maternal glucose tolerance.
Did Medicaid expansion close African American-white health care disparities nationwide? A scoping review
Authors: Snowden Lonnie R. , Graaf Genevieve , Keyes Latocia , Kitchens Katherine , Ryan Amanda , Wallace Neal
Published: May 2022

Objectives
To investigate the impact of the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) Medicaid expansion on African American-white disparities in health coverage, access to healthcare, receipt of treatment, and health outcomes.
Design:
A search of research reports, following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, identified twenty-six national studies investigating changes in health care disparities between African American and white non-disabled, non-elderly adults before and after ACA Medicaid expansion, comparing states that did and did not expand Medicaid. Analysis examined research design and findings.
Results
Whether Medicaid eligibility expansion reduced African American-white health coverage disparities remains an open question: Absolute disparities in coverage appear to have declined in expansion states, although exceptions have been reported. African American disparities in health access, treatment, or health outcomes showed little evidence of change for the general population.
Conclusions
Future research addressing key weaknesses in existing research may help to uncover sources of continuing disparities and clarify the impact of future Medicaid expansion on African American health care disparities.
Predictive value of reactogenicity for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody response in mRNA-1273 recipients: a multicenter prospective cohort study
Authors: Choi Min Joo , Heo Jung Yeon , Seo Yu Bin , Yoon Young Kyung , Sohn Jang Wook , Noh Ji Yun , Cheong Hee Jin , Kim Woo Joo , Choi Ju-Yeon , Lee Young Jae , Lee Hye Won , Kim Sung Soon , Kim Byoungguk , Song Joon Young
Published: May 2022

Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccination has been implemented to mitigate the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. However, data on antibody kinetics and factors influencing mRNA vaccines’ immunogenicity are limited. We conducted a prospective study on healthy young adults who received two doses of the mRNA-1273 vaccine at 28-day intervals. After each dose, adverse events were prospectively evaluated and blood samples were collected. The correlation between humoral immune response and reactogenicity after vaccination was determined. In 177 participants (19–55 years), the geometric mean titers of the anti-S IgG antibody were 178.07 and 4409.61 U/mL, whereas those of 50% neutralizing titers were 479.95 and 2851.67 U/mL 4 weeks after the first and second doses, respectively. The anti-S IgG antibody titers were not associated with local reactogenicity, but they were significantly higher in participants who experienced systemic adverse events (fever, headache, and muscle pain). Antipyretic use was an independent predictive factor of strong anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody response after receiving both doses. Systemic reactogenicity after the first dose influenced antibody response after the second dose. mRNA-1273 induced a robust antibody response in healthy young adults. Post-vaccination immunogenicity might be related to systemic reactogenicity. Antipyretic use did not decrease the anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody response after mRNA-1273 vaccination.Funding: This work was supported by the Korea National Institute of Health, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency [2021ER260300].
Chained Dual-GAN: A Generalized Defense against Adversarial Attacks
Authors: Singh Amitoj Bir , Awasthi Lalit Kumar , Bansal Urvashi
Published: May 2022

Neural networks play a significant role in the field of image classification. When an input image is modified by adversarial attacks, the changes are imperceptible to the human eye, but it still leads to misclassification of the images. In this paper, we create a new approach to defend against adversarial attacks, dubbed Chained Dual-GAN (CD-GAN) that tackles the defense against adversarial attacks by minimizing the perturbations of the adversarial image using iterative undersampling and oversampling.
Quantitative measurement and potential diagnosis of dental caries based on fusion modeling of IOS and CBCT images
Authors: Lian Xiaoli , Zhang Lanrui , Shen Lin , Wang Guanhua , Dai Xiaohua , Han Lei , Lin Xin , Dai Yanmei , Han Jianda , Wang Hongpeng , Zou Huiru
Published: May 2022

Objective: To evaluate the effects of a quantitative measurement and potential diagnosis of dental caries methodology based on fusion modeling of intraoral scanner (IOS) and cone-beam computerized tomography (CBCT).Materials and methods: Sixty extracted human permanent mandibular molar teeth were collected from Tianjin Stomatological Hospital. Two independent caries detection methods were used as index tests: assessment using fusion modeling of IOS and CBCT, visual-tactile examination with periapical radiographic assessment using international caries detection and assessment system (ICDAS) criteria. Histological assessment was used as the reference test. One-way ANOVA test was used for statistical analysis.Results: The teeth samples presented various caries stages among each groups. Fusion modeling of IOS and CBCT gave an accuracy of 96.7% while visual-tactile examination with periapical radiographic assessment reached 83.3% and 81.7%, respectively. Most index tests showed significant correlation with histological assessments. IOS-CBCT fusion group resulted in the highest reliability, and the highest sum of sensitivity (SE) and specificity (SP) (sum SE-SP: 1.60–1.84). Conclusions: The measurement and diagnosis of dental caries methodology based on fusion modeling of IOS and CBCT images was noninvasive and sensitive. The findings reported here shed new light on dental caries detection, classification, diagnosis, treatment and prevention. Clinical relevance: This dental caries measurement and diagnosis method offered a foundation for risk assessment and surveillance, disease prevention and health promotion of dental caries. It could be helpful in supporting the continuing development of caries lesion classification and disease management systems, and facilitating communication between practitioners, patients, researchers and policymakers.
Digital Financial Services for Health in Support of Universal Health Coverage: Qualitative Programmatic Case Studies from Kenya and Rwanda
Authors: Wilson David Randolph , Haas Sherri , Gelder Sicco van , Hitimana Regis
Published: May 2022

Background: This document describes two programmatic case studies documenting experiences implementing digital financial systems (DFS) for health with a focus on expanding access to universal health coverage (UHC). The CBHI 3MS system in Rwanda and the i-PUSH and Medical Credit Fund programs in Kenya were selected because they represent innovative use of digital financing technologies to support UHC programs at scale.Methods: These studies were conducted from April-August 2021 using a mixed methods process evaluation approach to answer three questions: 1) what was the experience implementing the program, 2) how was it perceived to influence health systems performance, and 3) what was the client/beneficiary experience? Qualitative interviews involved a range of engaged stakeholders, including implementers, developers, and clients/users from the examined programs in both countries. Secondary data were used to describe key program trends.Results: Respondents agreed that DFS contributed to health system performance by making systems more responsive, enabling programs to implement changes to digital services based on new laws or client-proposed features, and improving access to quality data for better management and improved quality of services. Key informants and secondary data confirmed that both implementations likely contributed to increasing health insurance coverage; however, other changes in market dynamics were also likely to influence these changes. Program managers and some beneficiaries praised the utility of digital functions, compared to paper-based systems, and noted their effect on individual savings behavior to contribute to household resilience. Discussion/Conclusions: Several implementation considerations emerged as facilitators or barriers to successful implementation of DFS for health, including the importance of multisectoral investments in general ICT infrastructure, the value of leveraging existing community resources (CHWs and mobile money agents) to boost enrollment and help overcome the digital divide, and the significance of developing trust across government and private sector organizations.The studies led to the development of four main recommendations for the design and implementation of health programs incorporating DFS.
COVID-19 Patients With Altered Steroid Hormone Levels Are More Likely To Have Higher Disease Severity
Authors: Sezer Sevilay , Bal Ceylan , Kalem Ayşe Kaya , Kayaaslan Bircan , Eser Fatma , Hasanoğlu İmran , Akıncı Esragül , Güner Rahmet , Erel Özcan , Yılmaz Gülsen
Published: May 2022

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the correlations between the severity of the disease and serum steroid levels by analyzing the serum steroid levels in COVID-19 patients with different levels of disease progression and the control group.Methods: Morning plasma Aldosterone, 11-deoxycortisol, Androstenedione, 17- hydroxyprogesterone, Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), Dihydroepiandrostenedion (DHEA), Corticosterone, Dihydroepiandrostenedion sulfate (DHEAS), Estrone, 11- deoxycorticosterone, Cortisol, Corticosterone, Androsterone, Pregnenolone, 17- hydroxypregnenolone levels were measured in 153 consecutive patients were grouped as mild, moderate, and severe based on the WHO COVID-19 disease severity classification and the control group. Steroid hormone levels were analyzed at once with a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric method (LC-MS/MS). Results: In our study, all of the steroids except DHT and DHEAS were statistically significantly higher in the patients’ group than in the control group (p>0.001). Also, DHEA was an independent predictor of the disease severity with COVID-19Conclusions: Our study reveals that altered steroid hormone levels have a negative impact on COVID-19 prognosis by simultaneous measurement of steroid hormones levels with LC-MS/MS. Also, adrenal insufficiency due to COVID-19 is an endocrinological pathology that should be followed up.