bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Cytotoxic Effect of the Extract of Anchusa strigosa (Him Him) Grown in Jordan Against Different Cancer Cell Lines
Authors: Al-Khatib Arwa Omar , Khateeb Iqbal , Dahab Rana , Al-Rawi Naseer
Published: March 2021

Anchusa strigosa - prickly alkanet from Boraginaceae grows in roadsides, and fields of a broad range of habitats from mediterranean woodlands, to steppe vegetation, to true desert. It is commonly known as" him him" or "lisan al thawr". Anchusa can withstand hard weather conditions and hence is widely cultivated. The color of its flowers can range from pure white to deep cobalt blue. Various parts of A. strigosa are used in traditional medicine for treating several diseases or symptoms, such as abdominal pain, bronchitis, cough, and diarrhea. The goal of this study was to examine the cytotoxic effect of the crude extract of A. strigosa roots and leaves and their fractions against various tumor cell lines: adenocarcinoma MCF-7, human breast ductal carcinoma T-47D; human breast carcinoma MDA-MB-231; and colorectal carcinomas Caco-2. In conclusion the antiproliferative effect was assessed by SRB assay where it showed that the phytochemical constituents in the leaf part of the plant (A. strigosa) do have more potential in depressing the proliferation rate of the cell lines than the root part.
Spatial and temporal expansion of global fire activity in response to climate change
Authors: Senande-Rivera Martín , Insua-Costa Damián , Miguez-Macho Gonzalo
Published: March 2021

Global warming is expected to alter wildfire potential and fire season severity, but the magnitude and location of change is still unclear. Here, we show that climate largely determines present fire-prone regions and their fire season. We categorize these regions according to the climatic characteristics of their fire season into four classes, within general Boreal, Temperate, Tropical and Arid climate zones. Based on climate model projections, we assess the modification of the fire-prone regions in extent and fire season length at the end of the 21st century. We find that due to global warming, the global fire-prone area will increase by 27%, mostly in Boreal (+95%) and Temperate (+17%) zones, where there will also be significant lengthenings of the potential fire season. Our estimates of the global expansion of fire-prone areas highlight the large but uneven impact of a warming climate on Earth’s environment.
Simplification of Dosimetry in 90Y-Radioembolization Therapy Using Dual Planar Images.
Authors: abuqbeitah mohammad , Akdağ Özgür , demir mustafa , asa sertaç , sönmezoğlu kerim
Published: March 2021

Aim: The purpose was to provide practical and effective method for performing 90Y dosimetry with 99mTc-MAA. The impact of scatter and attenuation correction (AC) on the injected 90Y activity and absorbed doses to critical organs was also further target beyond this study.Material and Methods: 18 patients (F: 3, M: 15) were subjected to 90Y therapy. 99mTc-MAA (111-222 MBq) was injected into the targeted liver, followed by a whole-body scan (WBS) with peak-window at 140 keV (15% width), and one down-scatter window. SPECT/CT scan was acquired over the lungs and liver regions. The lung shunt fractions were fashioned from the standard WBS, scatter corrected WBS, only scatter corrected SPECT and SPECT/CT with attenuation and scatter correction. The absorbed doses to tumor and surrounding healthy tissue were estimated with alternative approaches involving AC-SC (SPECT/CT), NoAC-SC (SPECT), NoAC-NoSC+LSF (SC-WBS), AC-SC+LSF (WBS), and NoAC-NoSC+LSF (WBS).Results: The average LSF deviations between the standard LSF and those obtained from AC-SC, NoAC-SC, and SC-WBS was -50% (-29/-71), -32%(-8/-67), and -45%(-13/80), respectively. The prescribed 90Y activity (GBq/Gy) was decreased by a range of 2-11%, 1-9%, and 2-7% with using LSFs from AC-SC, NoAC-SC, SC-WBS images. The absorbed dose to tumour and healthy liver tissue were calculated as 112±90 Gy and 30±18 Gy/GBq by AC-SC (SPECT/CT), 117±108 and 30±22 by NoAC-SC (SPECT), 110±100 and 31±21 Gy/GBq by NoAC-NoSC+LSF (SC-WBS), 106±84 and 28±17 Gy/GBq by AC-SC+LSF (WBS), while the absorbed dose was 90±85 and 28±20 Gy/GBq by using NoAC-NoSC+ LSF (WBS). Overall, no significant difference (p< 0.05) in the tomour and the health liver dose between all the approaches with/and without scatter correction. However, the scatter correction caused a significant difference in the lung shunt fractions (p <0.05).Conclusion: Scatter correction has a significant effect on the lung shunt fractions, planned activity and number of 90Y treatments. However, a minimal or negligible change was occurred on the absorbed dose to tumours and surrounding healthy liver. The good agreement between SPECT/CT approach, and scatter corrected whole-body scan might be practical and effective route for 90Y dosimetry.
Pyrolysis of Polyethylene Terephthalate Granules in Presence of Lewis Brønsted Acid Sites Catalysts
Authors: Shahi Aref , Roozbehani Behrooz , Mirdrikvand Mojtaba
Published: March 2021

Among municipal polymer wastes, Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) is a unique agent because of its widespread usage and broad range of gaseous products in its catalytic cracking process. Pyrolysis of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) in a semi-batch reactor was investigated using a Lewis Brønsted acid sites catalysts. Experiments were performed under isothermal condition to determine reaction kinetic parameters, product compositions, catalyst/PET mass ratio and temperature effect on the conversion. The products of reaction consist of gas, solid, and liquid phase with a maximum liquid product of 6% at 350 ºC. The optimal catalyst/PET mass ratio and temperature were determined. Additionally, the reaction order and activation energy for the reaction were detected.
Activity of probiotics from food origin for oxalate degradation
Authors: Ramadan Nariman , .Effat Baher A. M , Mehanna Nayra Sh. , F.Tawfik Nabil , Ibrahim Mohamed K.
Published: March 2021

There has been a concentrated attempt to introduce bacteria with oxalate degrading activity into the mammalian gut microbiota to enhance ecosystem function towards more effective oxalate degradation and prevent diseases. A few reports have studied Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) as promising intestinal oxalate degrading probiotic to treat kidney stone disease. In the present study, a total of 495 LAB isolates from different dairy products samples were primary characterized. Eighty-eight of the isolates belonged to genus Lactobacillus and were screened for their ability to degrade oxalate. Twenty-three of isolated lactobacilli showed oxalate degradation ability. According to the diameter of clear zone and the viable count, ten isolates were the most potent isolates for oxalate degradation. After the genotypic identification using 16s rDNA sequencing for these potent isolates, only seven strains were belonging to genus Lactobacillus spp. Lactobacillus fermentum (5 strains) and Lactobacillus gastricus (2 strains). These isolates were assessed for potential probiotic properties in vitro for further in vivo assessment. In conclusion, they exhibited good probiotic characters that suggested them to serve as good probiotic candidates for managing hyperoxaluria.
Sway and Disturbance Rejection Control for Varying Rope Tower Cranes Suffering from Friction and Unknown Payload Mass
Authors: Tian Zheng , Yu Lili , Ouyang Huimin , Zhang Guangming
Published: March 2021

Tower cranes are well-known underactuated systems, where the design of controllers for them with time-varying rope length was weak in the past because of their complex dynamic characteristic. The payload oscillation will become worse when the jib slew angle, the trolley position and the rope length are changed simultaneously. The proposed method is designed based on robust adaptive sliding mode control via tracking non-zero initial reference trajectories, in which, frictions and lumped disturbances in the crane system are eliminated, as well as unknown payload mass is effectively estimated online. Lyapunov technique is combined with LaSalle's invariance theorem to design controller and analyze stability. Various and strict simulations are applied, which validate the effectiveness and extreme robustness of the proposed method.
Specific properties of shRNA-mediated CCR5 downregulation that enhance the inhibition of HIV-1 infection in combination with shRNA targeting HIV-1 rev
Authors: Cardona Maria E , Hinkula Jorma , Gustafsson Kristin , Christensson Birger , Wahren Britta , Mohamed Abdalla J , Smith Edvard C.I , Arteaga Jose H
Published: March 2021

Treatment with RNAi against HIV-1 transcripts efficiently inhibits viral replication but induces selection of escape mutants; therefore, the CCR5 coreceptor was suggested as an additional target. Blocking viral and host transcripts improved the antiviral effect. We have used short hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeting the human CCR5 (shCCR5) or the HIV-1 rev (shRev) transcripts to demonstrate distinctive properties of anti-CCR5 shRNA: shCCR5 induced more sustained protection than shRev; partial reduction in CCR5 expression substantially decreased HIV-1 infection, and shCCR5 performed better than shRev in the mixed shRNA-treated and untreated cultures. These observations indicate that CCR5 inhibitors should be conveniently included in HIV-1 gene silencing treatment schedules when only a certain cell fraction is protected to further reduce endogenous virus in a properly ART-treated HIV-1 infected individual.
Improvement of stability for cellulose polymer by calcium oxide for application to porous materials
Authors: Lee Hye Ji , KANG SANG WOOK
Published: March 2021

In this study, calcium oxide (CaO) was used as an additive to form pores in a cellulose acetate (CA) membrane and at the same time improve the thermal stability of the cellulose acetate membrane. When the CA/CaO membrane was exposed to water pressure, the solvent was removed from the CA matrix area plasticized by the CaO particle size and water channels were formed. In addition, the high melting point of CaO and its bonding with the carbonyl group of CA caused a crosslinking effect. We succeeded in membrane synthesis with a high porosity of 73.1% and flux data of 95.25 L/m2h at 8 bar, which was enhanced thermally with an increased decomposition temperature of 50°C on thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The pores generated in the cellulose acetate film were confirmed using a scanning electron microscope machine (SEM) and mercury porosimeter. Thermal stability and interactions in materials were measured using TGA and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR).
The Development Of Neutrosophic Form Of The Satisfaction With Life Scale And Proposal For A Confirmatory Analysis Based On Neutrosphic Logic
Authors: Duran Volkan , Topal Selçuk
Published: March 2021

The main concept of neutrosophy, introduced by Smarandache (1998) is that any idea has not only a certain degree of truth but also a degree of falsity and indeterminacy in its own right. Although there are many applications of neutrosophy in different disciplines, the incorporation of its logic in education and psychology is rather scarce compared to other fields. In this study, the Satisfaction with Life Scale adapted into the Turkish by Dağlı and Baysal (2016) which was developed by Diener, Emmons, Larsen ve Griffin (1985) was converted into the neutrosophic form and the results were compared in terms of confirmatory analysis by convolutional neural networks. To sum up, two different formulas are proposed at the end of the study in order to determine the validity of any scale in terms of neutrosophy.
Reproducibility of Repeated Breathhold and Impact of Breathhold Failure in Whole Breast and Regional Nodal Irradiation in Prone Crawl Position
Authors: Deseyne Pieter , Speleers Bruno , Paelinck Leen , De Gersem Werner , De Neve Wilfried , Schoepen Max , Greveling Annick Van , Hulle Hans Van , Vakaet Vincent , Post Giselle , Monten Chris , Depypere Herman , Veldeman Liv
Published: March 2021

In whole breast and regional nodal irradiation (WB + RNI), breathhold increases organ at risk (OAR) sparing. WB + RNI is usually performed in supine position, because positioning materials obstruct beam paths in prone position. Recent advancements allow prone WB + RNI (pWB + RNI) with increased sparing of OARs compared to supine WB + RNI. We evaluate positional and dosimetrical impact of repeated breathhold (RBH) and failure to breathhold (FTBH) in pWB + RNI. Twenty left-sided breast cancer patients were scanned twice in breathhold (baseline and RBH) and once free breathing (i.e. FTBH). Positional impact was evaluated using overlap index (OI) and Dice similarity coefficient (DSC). Dosimetrical impact was assessed by beam transposition from the baseline plan. Mean OI and DSC ranges were 0.01–0.98 and 0.01–0.92 for FTBH, and 0.73–1 and 0.69–1 for RBH. Dosimetric impact of RBH was negligible. FTBH significantly decreased minimal dose to CTV WBI, level II and the internal mammary nodes, with adequate mean doses. FTBH significantly increased heart, LAD, left lung and esophagus dose. OI and DSC for RBH and FTBH show reproducible large ROI positions. Small ROIs show poor overlap. FTBH maintained adequate target coverage but increased heart, LAD, ipsilateral lung and esophagus dose. RBH is a robust technique in pWB + RNI.
Effect of thiram on rat kidney: inhibition of brush border membrane and antioxidant enzymes, diminution of antioxidant capacity, enhanced DNA damage and DNA-protein cross-linking
Authors: Salam Samreen , Arif Amin , Khan Aijaz Ahmed , Mahmood Riaz
Published: March 2021

Thiram is a dithiocarbamate pesticide that is widely used as a fungicide to protect crops and seeds, especially in China and India. Although thiram is considered relatively safe for humans but due to its persistent nature it may become a health hazard for human beings and animal if long term exposure takes place. The aim of the present work was to study the effects of oral administration of thiram on kidney of male rats given different doses of thiram (100, 250, 500, 750 mg/kg body weight) for 4 consecutive days. This treatment significantly reduced cellular glutathione and total sulfhydryl content but enhanced protein carbonyl and hydrogen peroxide levels. The plasma creatinine and BUN levels were also elevated indicating nephrotoxicity. The activities of antioxidant enzymes catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, thioredoxin reductase and glutathione-S-transferase were significantly decreased. The antioxidant capacity was diminished resulting in less free radical quenching and metal reducing ability of kidney. Administration of thiram also led to inhibition of intestinal brush border membrane enzymes: alkaline phosphatase, leucine aminopeptidase, γ-glutamyl transferase and maltase. Activities of enzymes of glucose metabolism viz. glycolysis, citric acid cycle, pentose phosphate pathway and gluconeogenesis were also inhibited. Histopathology of kidney tissue revealed tubular dilation, tubular cast, breaking of apical cytoplasm and intestinal hemorrhage. A significant increase in DNA fragmentation, DNA strand breaks and DNA-protein cross-linking was also observed in thiram treated rats compare to control group. These changes in kidney could be due to marked perturbation in antioxidant defense system induced by free radicals generated upon exposure to thiram.
Managing Stress Effectively: A Longitudinal Transtheoretical Comparison of Successful Changers, Relapsers, and Non-Changers
Authors: Gökbayrak N. Simay , Redding Colleen , Evers Kerry , Lipschitz Jessica , Yusufov Miryam , Paiva Andrea , Velicer Wayne , Rossi Joseph , Robbins Mark , Prochaska James
Published: March 2021

Background. Stress levels among Americans are considerable. This research examined Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change (TTM) constructs for stress management in groups organized by longitudinal progress (dynatypes): Maintainers, Relapsers, and Stable Non-Changers. Methods. Secondary data analysis of a computer-tailored intervention group examined construct use over time across the three groups. Adults (n=427) meeting criteria for not engaging in stress management behaviors at baseline comprised the analytic sample. Participants received three TTM-tailored feedback interventions to help facilitate change at baseline, 3 and 6 months. Demographics, Stage of Change, 10 Processes of Change, Decisional Balance (Pros and Cons), and Self-Efficacy were assessed at baseline, 6, 12, and 18 months. Repeated measures MANOVA followed by ANOVAs, with Tukey follow-up tests assessed differences in use of TTM constructs longitudinally across dynatype groups. Results. Ten of the 13 TTM constructs differentiated between Successful Changers and Stable Non-Changers at baseline and over time. Relapsers were more similar to Successful Changers than to Stable Non-Changers in their use of all constructs, except Self-Efficacy. Conclusion. Findings suggest that baseline cognitive and behavioral constructs can improve prediction of different intervention outcomes 18 months later.
Occurrence, human health and ecotoxicological risk assessment of pesticides in surface waters of the River Nile's Rosetta Branch, Egypt
Authors: Eissa Fawzy Ismail , Al-Sisi Mahmoud , Ghanem Khaled
Published: March 2021

In Egypt, the shortage of freshwater resources and their pollution constitutes a growing concern. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to (i) monitor the occurrence and spatiotemporal variations of 100 pesticides in surface water samples collected monthly (from July 2018 to June 2019) from El-Rahawy, Sabal, and Tala sampling sites along the Rosetta branch of the River Nile in Egypt, (ii) identify potential non-carcinogenic health risks for the local people through the lifetime consumption of contaminated drinking water, and (iii) perform an ecological risk assessment of aquatic organisms upon exposure to pesticides detected in surface waters based on the risk quotients (RQs) method. Of the 100 pesticides analyzed, 22 belonging to 11 chemical families were detected, and 75.5% of surface water samples were contaminated with one or more pesticide residues. The most frequently detected pesticide was malathion (57%), followed by chlorpyrifos (54%), atrazine (23%), and carbendazim (20%). Spatial distribution showed that the El-Rahawy site had the highest pesticide load (38.47 µg/L), and Sabal had the lowest (16.29 µg/L). Temporal variations revealed that the highest total pesticide concentrations were detected in summer (27.98 µg/L) compared to spring (23.16 µg/L), winter (19.18 µg/L), and autumn (11.85 µg/L). For non-carcinogenic risks of pesticides detected in surface water, the target hazard quotient (THQ) values were less than one. This implies that there is no potential human risk from exposure to drinking water at the sites under study. However, 13 pesticides presented high-risk quotients (RQ > 1), posing potential ecological risks to aquatic organisms.
Fabrication of thermo-regulating cotton fabric with enhanced flame retardancy via layer-by-layer assembly
Authors: Chen Yunbo , Zhu Xiangyu , Li Xiang , Wang Bijia , Mao Zhiping , Feng Xueling , Sui Xiaofeng , Xu Hong
Published: March 2021

The lack of thermo-regulation functionality and high flammability of cotton fabrics greatly restrict their application in high-performance fields. Herein, we report a versatile layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly strategy for introducing to cotton fabrics a multilayered coating consisted of phase change microcapsules and ammonium polyphosphate, endowing them with thermo-regulating and flame retardancy. The coated fabrics were characterized by limiting oxygen index (LOI), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetry (TG), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and infrared thermal imaging. The fabric deposited with 20 bilayers (MCPM/APP-20) showed improved flame retardancy with a LOI of 24.4% and residual carbon of 34.24%. It also shows a melting enthalpy of 30.16 J/g, which transferred to a temperature difference of 6.4 ℃ compared with pristine cotton. The functional endowed by the LbL assembly was reasonably durable, with melting enthalpy and residual carbon of MPCM/APP-20 reduced to 17.14 J/g and 19.82% after 30 laundering cycles. These results suggest that LbL assembly was a convenient way for functionalization of cotton fabrics.
Facilely Constructed Two-Sided Microstructure Interfaces Between Electrodes and Cellulose Paper Active Layer: Eco-Friendly, Low-Cost and High-Performance Piezoresistive Sensor
Authors: Duan Zaihua , Jiang Yadong , Huang Qi , Wang Si , Zhao Qiuni , Zhang Yajie , Liu Bohao , Yuan Zhen , Wang Yang , Tai Huiling
Published: March 2021

The microstructure plays an important role in improving the sensing performance of pressure sensor. However, the design of microstructural active layer of pressure sensor usually involves complex process and expensive raw materials. Herein, the common polyester conductive electrodes and cellulose paper that both have inherent microstructure surface are ingeniously combined to form two-sided microstructure interfaces for low-cost, eco-friendly and high-performance flexible piezoresistive pressure sensor. In order to obtain conductive and low-cost active layer paper, daily carbon ink, which is usually used for writing, is preferred as a conductive material. Meanwhile, we experimentally confirm that the proposed structure is also suitable for other conductive materials, such as carbon nanotubes. The results show that as-fabricated piezoresistive sensor has high pressure sensitivities of 5.54 and 1.61 kPa−1 in the wide linear ranges of 0.5−5 and 5−60 kPa, respectively, and good durability (5000 cycles under 2 kPa). The sensing mechanism of the piezoresistive sensor is analyzed by combining the characterization results and finite element simulation. Benefitting from the high sensing performance, the good flexibility and non-toxic property, the piezoresistive sensor is demonstrated for multiple wearable applications (e.g., wrist pulse, speech recognition, finger bending, abdominal respiration, counting steps, and pressure distribution). This work provides a simple and universal strategy for the design of piezoresistive sensor from the microstructure interfaces between electrodes and active layer.
The Usefulness of Saliva in Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Caffeine in Preterm Infants.
Authors: García-Robles Ana , Solaz-García Álvaro , Verdú-Andrés Jorge , Poveda-Andrés José Luis , Cañada-Martínez Antonio José , Cháfer-Pericás Consuelo , Ponce-Rodriguez Henry Daniel , Torres Máximo Vento , Sáenz-González Pilar
Published: March 2021

Aim

To verify if the concentrations of caffeine in saliva are comparable to the serum concentrations in preterm infants treated with caffeine for apnoea of prematurity.
Methods

Prospective observational study. Eligible patients were newborn infants < 37 weeks of gestational age treated with oral or intravenous caffeine for apnoea of prematurity. Two paired samples of saliva-blood were collected per patient. Tube solid phase microextraction coupled on-line to capillary liquid chromatography with diode array detection were used for analysis.
Results

A total of 47 newborns with a median gestational age 28 [26–30] weeks and mean of 1.11 ± 0.4 kg of birth weight. Median postmenstrual age, when samples were collected, was 31 [29–33] weeks. Serum caffeine median levels of 19.30 µg/mL [1.9–53.90]and salivary caffeine median levels of 16.36 µg/mL [2.20–56.90] were obtained. There was a strong positive Pearson’s correlation between the two variables r = 0.83 (p < 0.001).
Conclusion

The measurement of caffeine salivary concentrations after intravenous or oral administration offers an alternative to serum caffeine monitoring in apnoea of prematurity.
Chlorogenic Acid and Geniposide Combination Prevents NASH in Rats Fed High-fat diet via Microbiota and TLR4-LPS Pathway
Authors: Zhou Zhijia , Xu Lingxia , Zhang Shaoliang , Xu Shilin , Yang Yanmiao , Qu Ning , Lai Penghua , Li Xiaoying , Zhang Ting , Sun Xue , Gao Liangqin , Lu Dawei , Wang Yujie , Liang Huiqing , Chen Shaodong
Published: March 2021

Objective: Chlorogenic acid and geniposide (CG) are derived from traditional Chinese medicine, Yinchenhao Recipe (QCHR), and can improve the clinical efficacy of NASH patients. This study investigated the effects of CG on NASH and expounded its Potential mechanism of action through the LPS-TLR4 pathway and microbiota. Methods: Rats were randomized into Control (C), Model (M), Chlorogenic Acid and Geniposide (CG), Pioglitazone (PH) and Bifico (B) groups. After an 8-week high-fat diet (HFD), CG, PH and B oral treatment were initiated and carried out for a further 8 weeks. The stool samples were used in a16S rDNA V4 highly variable region measurement method in order to regulate the role of CG in gut microbiota. The concentrations of triglyceride (TG), cholesterol (CHO), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in LPS were detected by the corresponding methods. Results: Observations were made that CG significantly improved the pathology of the liver and terminal ileum tissue. The accumulation of TG and the content of inflammatory cytokines in the liver were significantly decreased and the abundance of Proteobacteria was significantly down-regulated. The expression of TLR4, AP-1, MyD88, and phosphorylated NF-κB p65 were significantly decreased. All the findings above indicated that CG was highly effective in improving the composition of gut microbiota, decreasing the production of endogenous LPS, and reducing the secretion of inflammatory cytokines through the gut-liver axis.Conclusion: CG can regulate the abundance and diversity of the intestinal microbial community and improve liver inflammation and steatosis in NASH rats by reducing LPS-TLR4-mediated inflammation.
Substance Use Disorders and Their Correlates Among Inmates in a Sri Lankan Prison
Authors: Hapangama Aruni , Dasanayake G.B.M.S , Kuruppuarachchi K A L A , Pathmeswaran A , de Silva H
Published: March 2021

IntroductionSubstance abuse and dependence are common among prison populations. However, there is few data regarding this problem in Sri Lankan. Objective: To determine the prevalence of substance use disorders among inmates in a Sri Lankan prisonMethod: A semi- structured interviewer administered questionnaire and ICD 10 clinical diagnostic criteria were applied to 410 randomly selected male and female prisoners in minimum/medium security settings in the largest prison in Sri Lanka.Results: 75.6% (95% CI 71.2 – 79.5) of prisoners had lifetime substance use disorder while 24.4% (95% CI 20.2– 28.6) met criteria for current substance use disorder. 56.8% and 67 % of participants met criteria for lifetime alcohol and tobacco use disorders, respectively, while and 42 %and 25.6% had lifetime cannabis and opioid dependence, respectively. Factors significantly associated with lifetime substance use disorder were male gender, residence in an urban area, younger age and being unemployed or having only temporary employment. 23% of participants who met criteria for dependence were intravenous substance users.Conclusions: Services should be improved in the prison health system to minimize harm from substance use disorders.
A Cytogenetic, Morphological, and Ecological Comparison of Seven Different Species of Achillea.ssp. Accessions in Kurdistan Province, Iran
Authors: Nezhadi Fatemeh , fayaz farzad , Safari Hooshmand , Karami Ezzat , Rahimi Abdol Rahman
Published: March 2021

We conducted the present study on seven important medicinal species of Achillea (4 replications per species) (in a total of 28 samples) in their natural habitats in two consecutive years (2018, 2019) in terms of morphological, cytogenetic, and ecological aspects. This study aimed to examine the environmental variables affecting the morphology, cytogenetics, and evolution of the plant. The results indicated that the populations had a Ploidy base number (x= 9) and the diploid, tetraploid, and hexaploid levels were observed. In addition to the inter-species diversity, there was the intra-species genetic diversity as (4x, 6x) Ac. millefolium (2x, 4x), Ac.vermicularis (2x, 4x), Ac. tenuifolia (2x, 4x), Ac. Alppica(2x) , Ac.talagonica(2x),Ac. biebersteinii, and Ac.wilhelmsii (4x). Further studies also indicated that 11 out of 28 populations had 1A symmetry, 15 populations had 2B symmetry, a population had 2A, and another population had 2B. Principal component analysis (PCA) of cytogenetic variables could not differentiate the species well probably due to the superiority of intra-species diversity of populations to inter-species diversity. Therefore, it seems that the evolution and speciation of this genus are mostly due to the increase or decrease in the amount of chromatin and chromosome length. The examination of principal component analysis in environmental indices also showed that Ac. millefolium hexaploid species was more adapted to the environment with higher percentages of clay and silt while the Ac.tenuifolia tetraploid species preferred a sandy habitat over other environmental factors. Furthermore, Ac.vermicularis tetraploid species indicated the greatest sensitivity to altitude. However, the Ac.biebersteinii tetraploid species reacted to meteorological parameters, such as perception rate and minimum temperature.
Work Engagement and Associated Factors Among Dental Nurses in China
Authors: Wang Yujing , Gao Yuqin , Xun Yang
Published: March 2021

Aim: To identify the level of work engagement among dental nurses in China and explore the correlation between work engagement and psychological characteristics.Background: Work engagement is affected by many factors, level of work engagement among dental nurses is unknown.Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among 215 dental nurses. The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-9), Chinese Nurse Stressors Scale (CNSS), Work-related Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (WAAQ), Multi-Dimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and General Well-Being Schedule (GWBS) were applied to measure Chinese nurses’ work engagement, job stress, psychological flexibility, perceived social support and subjective well-being respectively. Univariate analysis was used to identify the relationships of work engagement with demographic and psychological characteristics. Hierarchical regression analysis was applied to test the variance in work engagement accounted for by factors related to work engagement in the univariate analysis.Results: The level of work engagement in Chinese dental nurses was moderate or above. Work engagement was positively associated with perceived social support, psychological flexibility and subjective well-being but negatively correlated with job stress. The hierarchical regression analysis showed that job stress, psychological flexibility and subjective well-being were significantly correlated with work engagement, which explained 36.2% of the variance in work engagement.Conclusions: Dental nurses in China had an acceptable level of work engagement in terms of vigour, dedication and absorption. Increased job stress would result in lower work engagement. Nurses who had higher levels of psychological flexibility and subjective well-being also had higher work engagement. We should emphasize the job stress of nurses, strengthen support for organizational culture, create a good work environment and interpersonal relationships, relieve nurses’ job stress, improve nurses’ levels of subjective well-being, and thus improve nurses’ work engagement levels.
Evolving Solutions in the Surgical Treatment of Isolated Pulmonary Valve Stenosis
Authors: Albanese Sonia B. , Trezzi Matteo , Pelliccione Elena , Gatta Francesca , Pasqua Alessia Del , Calcagni Giulio
Published: March 2021

Background. Surgical treatment of isolated pulmonary valve stenosis in infants and children has evolved over the years, shifting from the original exclusive aim at lowering right ventricle pressure to the current concomitant focus on preserving pulmonary valve function. In our study, we sought to analyze the effect of such evolving philosophy on mid-term results.Methods. 123 consecutive patients were treated in our center between 07/1983 and 03/2019. Mean age and weight were 3.0 ± 0.36 years and 16.6 ± 1.7 kg, respectively. Patients were categorized into 2 groups based on the onset of sparing valve techniques (1995). Short- and long-term mortality, freedom from reintervention on the right outflow tract, transvalvular mean pressure gradient decrease and pulmonary valve insufficiency were analyzed.Results. Early mortality occurred exclusively before 1995 (Group 1, 3.76%, p=ns). Transvalvular mean pressure gradient decreased in the entire patient population (from 63.28 ± 12.9 mmHg to 16.46 ± 7.9 mmHg), but right outflow tract reintervention rate was greater in Group 1 (14.10% vs 2.3%, p = 0.04). At a mean follow-up interval of 4.9 ± 33 years, pulmonary valve insufficiency was severe in 2.47% of patients in Group 1, whereas it was mild to moderate in 33.3% of patients in Group 2, the latter having undergone unsuccessful percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty prior to surgery in the vast majority of cases (14/20 vs 6/22, p=0.023).Conclusions. Current pulmonary valve sparing techniques are associated with better results, both in terms of survival and freedom from re-intervention at follow-up. Balloon valvuloplasty prior to surgery may worsen operative results, promoting pulmonary insufficiency and therefore should probably be avoided in all patients in whom anatomical characteristics predict failure of percutaneous therapy.
Assessment of Drug Proarrhythmicity Using Artificial Neural Network with in Silico Deterministic Model Outputs
Authors: Yoo Yedam , Marcellinus Aroli , Jeong Da Un , Kim Ki-Suk , Lim Ki Moo
Published: March 2021

Methodologies for predicting the occurrence of torsade de pointes by drugs via computer simulations have been developed and verified recently, as part of the Comprehensive in vitro Proarrhythmia Assay initiative. However, the predictive performance still requires improvement. Herein, we propose a deep learning algorithm based on artificial neural networks that receives nine multiple features and ​considers the action potential morphology, calcium concentration morphology, and charge characteristics to further improve drug toxicity evaluation performance. The voltage clamp experimental data for 28 drugs were augmented to 2,000 data entries using an uncertainty quantification technique. By applying these data to the modified Ohara Rudy in silico model, nine features (dVm/dtmax, APresting, APD90, APD50, Caresting, CaD90, CaD50, qNet, and qInward) were predicted. These nine features were used as inputs to an artificial neural network (ANN) model to classify drug toxicity into high-risk, intermediate, and low-risk groups. The model was trained with data of 12 drugs and tested with the data of the remaining 16 drugs. The proposed ANN model demonstrated an AUC of 0.94 in the high-risk group, 0.73 in the intermediate group, and 0.91 in the low-risk group. This is higher than the classification performance of the method proposed in previous studies.
Genetic Associations With Rapid Motor and Cognitive Deterioration in Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Cao Ling-Xiao , Piao Yingshan , Huang Yue
Published: March 2021

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is caused by the interplay of genetic and environmental factors during brain aging. About 90 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been recently discovered associating with PD, but their associations with PD clinical features have not been fully characterized yet. Methods: Clinical data of 377 patients with PD who enrolled in Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) study were obtained. Patients with rapid cognitive or motor progression were determined through clinical assessments over five years follow-up. In addition, genetic information of 50 targeted SNPs was extracted from the genetic database of NeuroX for the same cohort. Genetic associations with rapid motor and cognitive dysfunction of PD were analyzed using SPSS-logistic regression. Results: Among 377 patients with PD, there are more male (31%) than female (17%) prone to have rapid motor progression (p<0.01), who demonstrate 16 points increase in the motor part assessment of MDS-UPDRS. There is no gender difference in rapid cognitive deterioration. Four SNPs (rs11724635, rs12528068, rs591323, rs17649553) were associated with fast cognitive decline (p<0.05) and the extended 50 SNPs researches excellent predicative value of area under curve (AUC) at 0.961. Three SNPs (rs823118, rs10797576, rs12456492) were associated with faster motor progression (p<0.05), and the extended 50 SNPs and gender researches fair prediction of AUC at 0.736. There were multiple genetic associations with initial clinical presentations of PD at baseline as well. Conclusions: Genetic factors contribute to the disease progression as well as the clinical features at the disease onset.
Relationship Between Fluorine-18 Fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT Uptake and the Plasma Cell Infiltration Rate in the Bone Marrow of Patients With Multiple Myeloma
Authors: Ganbold Tsengel , Nakagami Yoshihiro , Inamura Kensuke , Misu Yosuke , Arakawa Hiroaki , Ishida Kazuyuki , Kano Daisuke , Hosokawa Shota , Kaji Yasushi
Published: March 2021

Background: The present study investigated the relationship between maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) on Fluorine-18 Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) and the plasma cell (PC) proliferation percentage in the bone marrow (BM) of patients with multiple myeloma (MM).Material and methods: Patients clinically and pathologically diagnosed with MM between January 2012 and October 2019 were selected from the database of Dokkyo Medical University Hospital (DMU Hospital), Japan. Patients with other malignancies and those who received chemotherapy and radiation therapy or hematopoietic treatments in the previous 4 weeks and 2-3 months prior to PET/CT scans were excluded from the present study to avoid false uptake. We examined 60 patients (female: male; 27:33; 1:1.22) aged between 37 and 91 years; mean ± SD; 67.3 ± 10.2 years. Hematological and biochemical tests with results on hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Ht), C reactive protein (CRP), beta-2 microglobulin (b2m), creatinine (Cre), albumin (Alb), calcium (Ca), white blood cells (WBC), and red blood cells (RBC) were recorded and evaluated. The percentage of PC in BM biopsy samples was calculated. On PET/CT images, the SUVmax of the region of interest (ROI) of the right anterior iliac crest, the biopsy site, was measured. Relationships were examined using Pearson’s correlation coefficient with SPSS.Results: The types of MM diagnosed were IgGk in 31 patients (51.6%), IgGλ in 19 (31.6%), IgAλ in 5 (8.3%), IgAk in 2 (3.3%), IgDλ in 2 (3.3%), and IgDk in 1 (1.6%). According to the Durie-Salmon staging system, 4 patients had stage I, 6 stage II, and 33 stage III, while stages were not recorded in the remaining 17 patients. A positive correlation was observed between FDG uptake and the percentage of PC (r=0.7, p<0.001), but not between FDG uptake and hematological and biochemical parameters in all patients. However, a correlation was observed between FDG uptake and b2m (r=0.596, p=0.004) in 21 patients (35%).Conclusion: Increased FDG uptake by BM correlated with the percentage of PC. PET/CT is crucial for the diagnosis, treatment evaluation, and follow-up of MM patients.
Cluster Analysis of Short Sensory Profile Data Reveals Sensory-based Subgroups in Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Lyons-Warren Ariel Maia , Wan Ying-Wooi
Published: March 2021

Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairment in social interactions and communication. Additional features include restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviors, and differences in sensory processing. The clinical presentation of patients with ASD is heterogeneous, likely reflecting multiple underlying etiologies. Heterogeneity in presentation and treatment response are barriers to development of precise therapeutic approaches. Therefore, identification of clinically meaningful subgroups within ASD is critical to develop targeted interventions. We hypothesized that sensory features can be used to identify clinically recognizable subgroups with shared underlying etiologies. Methods: Subjects included 378 individuals with a clinical diagnosis of ASD who contributed Short Sensory Profile (SSP) data assessing the frequency of sensory behaviors and whole genome sequencing results to the Autism Speaks’ MSSNG database. To determine if the SSP could be used to subgroup individuals with ASD, we performed cluster analysis on responses to all 38 questions, followed by an independent cluster analysis using only a subset of questions selected specifically to assay hyper- and hypo-sensitivity to sensory stimulation. Cross-validation of the resulting clusters determined the final subgroups. To test for shared underlying etiologies, we correlated variant frequency across subgroups for each of 24,896 genes. Variant frequency included any variation in each gene regardless of the type of variant. To be significantly associated with a subgroup, a gene variant frequency had to be greater than four standard deviations (SD) from the mean frequency for all subgroups and 3 SD different from each subgroup.Results: We identified seven distinct sensory-based ASD subgroups. Subgroup 1, characterized by atypical scores in all sensory areas, was not associated with any genes. Subgroups 2, 4 and 6 were significantly associated with four to six genes each. Subgroups 3, 5 and 7 were enriched for 126, 12 and 50 genes, respectively. Limitations: This study was performed using retrospective data that did not include other phenotypic data such as age, comorbidities, or measures of disease severity. All those likely contribute to the variability of the identified subgroupsConclusions: These results support the use of sensory features to identify ASD subgroups with shared genetic mechanisms.
Selecting the Appropriate Carbon Source in the Synthesis of SiC Nano-powders using an Optimized Fuzzy Model
Authors: Zeraati Malihe , Barani Mahmood , Sargazi Ghasem
Published: March 2021

Different sources of carbon in the synthesis of silicon carbide were evaluated using a multi-attribute group decision making fuzzy model. In this model, the aim was to find the carbon precursor which has the minimum price, highest carbon content, good water solubility, lowest synthesis temperature and the optimum crystallite size. Based on the model results, sugar was the best candidate. Therefore, sugar was selected as carbon source in the synthesis of SiC, also tetraethyl ortho-silicate (TEOS) used as source of Silicon. The XRD and SEM results showed that the SiC powder prepared by this method was fully crystalline and has the average crystallite size of 40 nm, and a flake-like morphology. The synthesis temperature was 800°C, which is a relatively low temperature for synthesis of crystalline SiC. To optimize the carbothermal process, microwave heating and just 15 minutes was enough to form crystalline SiC with this method.
Intrinsic and Acquired Drug Resistance to LSD1 Inhibitors in SCLC Occurs through a TEAD4 Driven Transcriptional State
Authors: Yan Wen , Chung Chi-Yeh , Xie Tao , Ozeck Mark , Nichols Timothy C. , Frey Jessica , Udyavar Akshata R. , Sharma Shikhar , Paul Thomas
Published: March 2021

BackgroundSCLC is a heterogeneous disease, consisting of intra-tumoral and inter-tumoral neuroendocrine (ASCL1/NEUROD1), mesenchymal-like, and YAP-driven transcriptional states. Lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1/KDM1A) inhibitors have recently been progressed to clinical trials in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) based on a promising pre-clinical anti-tumor activity. Potential clinical limitation of LSD1 inhibitors are the heterogeneous drug responses that have been observed in SCLC cell lines and patient-derived models. Based on these observations, we studied molecular and transcriptional signatures that predict patient response to this class of drugs. MethodsLSD1 inhibitors, GSK690 and OG-86, were screened in a panel of SCLC cell line models facilitating the computational analysis of differentially expressed gene signatures correlated with intrinsic drug resistance, which were further evaluated experimentally in a SCLC mesenchymal variant form of NCI-H69 cells, NCI-H69V. Adaptive drug resistance was elucidated through bulk RNA-seq, ATAC-seq and single-cell RNA-seq, allowing study of transcriptional reprogramming in response to the drug treatment.ResultsEmploying SCLC patient-derived transcriptional signatures, we define that SCLC cell lines sensitive to LSD1 inhibitors are enriched in neuroendocrine transcriptional markers while cell lines enriched in a mesenchymal-like transcriptional program demonstrate intrinsic resistance to LSD1 inhibitors. We have identified a reversible, adaptive resistance mechanism to LSD1 inhibitors through epigenetic reprogramming to a TEAD4-driven mesenchymal-like state. ConclusionsOur data suggests that only a segment of SCLC patients, with a defined neuroendocrine differentiation state, will likely benefit from LSD1 inhibitors. It provides novel evidence for the selection of a TEAD4-driven mesenchymal-like subpopulation resistant to LSD1 inhibitors in SCLC patients that may require effective drug combinations to sustain effective clinical responses.
Significance of secretory leukocyte peptidase inhibitors in pleural fluid for the diagnosis of benign asbestos pleural effusion
Authors: Kishimoto Takumi , Kojima Yoko , Fujimoto Nobukazu
Published: March 2021

Background

Secretory leukocyte peptidase inhibitor (SLPI) is a biomarker present in the respiratory tract that protects against tissue destruction and aids wound healing. However, it is difficult to distinguish early-stage malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) from benign asbestos pleural effusion (BAPE) presenting as pleural effusion in diagnostic imaging. More biomarkers of pleural effusion are needed to identify early-stage MPM. We examined whether SLPI in pleural effusion can be used to distinguish BAPE from MPM and other conditions that involve pleural effusion.
Methods

We measured levels of SLPI, hyaluronic acid (HA), soluble mesothelin-related peptides (SMRP), galectin-3, CCL2, and CYFRA21-1 in 51 BAPE patients, 37 MPM patients, 77 patients with pleural effusions due to non-small cell lung cancer (LCa), and 74 patients with other pleural effusions diagnosed at Okayama Rosai Hospital.
Results

SLPI levels in pleural fluid of BAPE patients were significantly lower (p < 0.0001) than those in patients with MPM, LCa, and other pleural effusions. The area under curve (AUC) for SLPI’s ability to distinguish BAPE from MPM was 0.902, with a sensitivity of 82.4% and a specificity of 86.5%. These values were not only favorable, but were better than the AUC for the ability to distinguish BAPE from HA (0.802), and SMRP (0.746). Galectin-3 levels were significantly lower in patients with BAPE compared with those in patients with MPM and the other two diseases, whereas CCL2 levels were significantly higher in patients with BAPE compared with patients with MPM and the other two diseases. Moreover, CYFRA21-1 levels were significantly lower in BAPE patients compared with levels in patients with MPM and LCa. Using these six markers enabled BAPE to be distinguished from MPM and other diseases. As a single marker, SLPI proved to be superior to HA and SMRP for the diagnosis of BAPE.
Conclusions

The measurement of pleural fluid SLPI as well as HA and SMRP is useful as a biomarker to diagnose BAPE, which needs to be distinguished from early-stage MPM.