bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factors Affecting Survival in COVID-19 Patients with Genitourinary Cancer
Authors: OzkanOzturk Semra , Kocaman Specialist Zehra , İnal Ali
Published: February 2022

Background: COVID-19 emerged at the end of 2019 and is still one of the most important health problems today. In cancer patients, COVID-19 disease is more severe and fatal. Increased immune system response in COVID-19 leads to increased disease severity and mortality. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic factors and inflammatory indices in patients with COVID-19 and genitourinary cancer.Methods: This retrospective study included 40 patients diagnosed with genitourinary cancer treated for COVID-19 between April 2020 and July 2021. A total of 27 potential prognostic variables were examined for univariate and multivariate analyzes for survival.Results: A total of 27 variables were analyzed univariable. 3 out of 27 parameters were found to be statistically significant in the univariate analysis: mechanical ventilation requirement (p=0.05), serum fibrinogen level (p=0.046), receiving radiotherapy in the last 28 days (p=0.000). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis; mechanical ventilation requirement independent risk factors for severe COVID-19 in genitourinary cancer (P=0.042).Discussion: In conclusion, mechanical ventilator requirement may be an independent risk factor for prognosis in COVID-19 patients with genitourinary cancer. The increase in fibrinogen due to hypercoagulopathy may be a prognostic independent predictor of survival in patients with genitourinary cancer with COVID-19. Larger, prospective studies are needed.
Sequential Nephron Blockade In Acute Kidney Injury In Critically Ill Patients.
Authors: Samprathi Abhishek , V Padmakumar A , Parekh Aashish
Published: February 2022

Background: Diuretic use in acute kidney injury (AKI) is debatable. Contrasting outcomes have been reported regarding its efficacy in AKI. Sequential nephron blockade (SNB) has never been studied in a diverse ICU population admitted with AKI.Methods: Consecutive patients admitted to medical ICU with oliguric AKI over 1-year period were recruited. SNB as a diuretic strategy was administered. Responders (R) and non-responders (NR) were compared. Demographic data, clinical profile, treatment and outcomes were compared between the groups using t-test and Chi-square test as appropriate. Predictors of mortality were explored using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis and expressed as Odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI).Results: Of the 331 ICU patients admitted with AKI, 312 patients received SNB. The mean (SD) age was 64.14±14·79 years with male preponderance (196:116). Admission SOFA score was significantly (p<0·001) higher (9.6±3.8) in non-responders than responders (6·3±3.6). Overall, 80.13% patients were responders and 19.6% patients received RRT. Significant difference (p<0·001) for diuretic response and dialysis were seen with pre-existing diabetes, higher AKIN stage and SOFA score (>9) at ICU admission, sepsis, shock, mechanical ventilation, positive fluid balance, lengthy ICU stay and mortality. On multivariate logistic regression analysis, SOFA score >9(OR 4.50; 95%CI 2.30-8.80), negative diuretic response (OR 0.45; 95%CI 0.34-0.59), RRT need (OR 1.78; 95%CI 1.25-2.19) and a higher positive fluid balance (OR 2.82; 95%CI 1.76-3.89) were independently associated with death.Conclusions: SNB in oliguric AKI patients resulted in lesser need for dialysis and better outcomes. A negative response, need for dialysis and a higher positive fluid balance were independently associated with mortality.
Assessment of microbiota in the gut and upper respiratory tract associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection
Authors: Li Jiarui , Jing Qiuyu , Li Jie , Hua Mingxi , Di Lin , Song Chuan , Huang Yanyi , Wang Jianbin , Chen Chen , Wu Angela Ruohao
Published: February 2022

Background
The human microbiome plays an important role in modulating the host metabolism and immune system. Connections and interactions have been found between the microbiome of the gut and oral-pharynx in the context of SARS-CoV-2 and other viral infections, hence, to broaden our understanding of host-viral responses in general and to deepen our knowledge of COVID-19, we performed a large-scale, systematic evaluation of the effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection on human microbiota in patients with varying disease severity.
Results
We processed 521 samples from 203 COVID-19 patients with varying disease severity and 94 samples from 31 healthy donors, consisting of 213 pharyngeal swabs, 250 sputum, and 152 faecal samples, and obtained meta-transcriptomes as well as SARS-CoV-2 sequences from each sample. Detailed assessment of these samples revealed altered microbial composition and function in the upper respiratory tract (URT) and gut of COVID-19 patients, and these changes are significantly associated with disease severity. Moreover, URT and gut microbiota show different patterns of alteration, where gut microbiome seems to be more variable and in direct correlation with viral load; and microbial community in upper respiratory tract renders high risk of antibiotic resistance. Longitudinally, microbial composition remains relatively stable during the study period.
Conclusions
Our study has revealed different trends and the relative sensitivity of microbiome in different body sites to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Furthermore, while the use of antibiotics is often essential for prevention and treatment of secondary infections, our results indicate a need to evaluate potential antibiotic resistance in the management of COVID-19 patients in the ongoing pandemic. Moreover, longitudinal follow-up to monitor the restoration of the microbiome could enhance our understanding of the long-term effects of COVID-19.
Quantitatively Assessing Aging Effects In Rapid Motor Behaviours: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Moulton Richard Hugh , Rudie Karen , Dukelow Sean P. , Scott Stephen H.
Published: February 2022

Background: An individual's rapid motor skills allow them to perform many daily activities and are a hallmark of physical health. Although age and sex are both known to affect motor performance, standardized methods for assessing their impact on upper limb function are limited. Methods: Here we perform a cross-sectional study of 643 healthy human participants in two interactive motor tasks developed to quantify sensorimotor abilities, Object-Hit (OH) and Object-Hit-and-Avoid (OHA). The tasks required participants to hit virtual objects with and without the presence of distractor objects. Velocities and positions of hands and objects were recorded by a robotic exoskeleton, allowing motor and cognitive parameters to be calculated for each trial. We verified that these tasks are viable for measuring performance in healthy humans and we examined whether any of the motor or cognitive parameters were related to age or sex. Results: Our analysis shows that both OH and OHA can assess rapid motor behaviours in healthy human participants. It also shows that cognitive parameters in these tasks decline with age, while motor parameters do not. Three cognitive parameters show significant sex-related effects in OH, but these effects disappear in OHA. Conclusions: This study suggests that the underlying effect of aging on rapid motor behaviours is not on the motor system per se, but on the brain's processing rate. Additionally, this study provides a baseline description of healthy human performance in OH and OHA when using these tasks to investigate age-related declines in sensorimotor ability.
A Rare Case of Periprosthetic Streptobacillosis - Rapid Identification via Nanopore Sequencing After Inconclusive VITEK MS Results
Authors: Spott Riccardo , Schleenvoigt Benjamin , Edel Birgit , Pletz Mathias W. , Brandt Christian
Published: February 2022

BackgroundStreptobacillus moniliformis is the main cause of human streptobacillosis, also known as rat-bite or Haverhill fever. Generally transferred by bites or scratches of rats and other rodents or by rat-excrement polluted water, symptoms commonly start to appear after < 10 days and are highly variable. Due to scarcity, non-specific symptoms, and difficulties in cultivating this fastidious organism, the correct diagnosis is frequently delayed.CaseHere, we report an 85-year old male with a left-sided prosthetic hip joint hospitalized because of immobilizing left hip pain. The patient denied fever, chills, and night sweats. There was no swelling or erythema. Via sonography an echo-free round mass was detected at the left hip. Punctuation of the hip joint revealed putrid secretion. From the synovial fluid and from concomitantly drawn blood cultures grew a pleomorphic, gram-negative rod after 48 h and 35 h, respectively. The microorganism formed small, grey, round, and convex colonies. VITEK and VITEK MS (MALDI-TOF) analysis brought no results. Therefore the unknown isolate was sent to the Institute for Infectious Diseases and Infection Control for sequencing. Following isolation, the DNA was sequenced using Nanopore Third-Generation Sequencing. After one hour enough data were generated to identify the microorganism as Streptobacillus moniliformis.ConclusionTo date, this is the second published case of a periprosthetic bone infection caused by Streptobacillus moniliformis. Although streptobacillosis has a mortality rate of around 10% in humans, it is rarely diagnosed and published. In this context, nanopore sequencing enables fast and reliable diagnostic results for identifying microorganisms and their properties.
Predominantly epithelial-type synovial sarcoma with overwhelming neuroendocrine differentiation:a potential diagnostic pitfall
Authors: Chen Ying , Zhou Ning , Guo Deyu , He Xing , Wang Xiaodong , Xu Yujuan
Published: February 2022

Synovial sarcoma is an uncommon tumor of soft tissue, characterized by a specific SS18rearrangement. It generally manifests a lesion composed of monomorphic spindle cells, and can sometimes show variable epithelial differentiation. Predominantly epithelial-type synovial sarcoma is rare and synovial sarcoma with overwhelming neuroendocrine differentiation has never been reported before. Here, we present a case of young man with an epithelial-type synovial sarcoma of the right leg that showed an overwhelming neuroendocrine differentiation. The diagnosis was confirmed by detection of targeted fusion rearrangement associated with synovial sarcoma. This report emphasizes the importance of molecular approaches in modern soft tissue pathology. To avoid misdiagnosis of the tumor such as metastatic neuroendocrine tumor, MPNST with glandular differentiation, and carcinosarcoma, we should understand the expression of neuroendocrine antigens in synovial sarcoma .
A safety study of intraoperative radiation therapy following stereotactic body radiation therapy and multi-agent chemotherapy in the treatment of localized pancreatic adenocarcinoma: study protocol of a phase I trial.
Authors: Reddy Abhinav V. , Hill Colin S. , Zheng Lei , He Jin , Narang Amol K.
Published: February 2022

Background
Localized pancreatic adenocarcinoma carries a poor prognosis even after aggressive therapy. Up to 40% of patients may develop locoregional disease as the first site of failure. As such, there may be a role for intensification of local therapy such as radiation therapy. Radiation dose escalation for pancreatic cancer is limited by proximity of the tumor to the duodenum. However, the duodenum is removed during Whipple procedure, allowing the opportunity to dose escalate with intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT). Although prior studies have shown potential benefit of IORT in pancreatic cancer, these studies did not utilize ablative doses (biologically effective dose [BED10]>100 Gy). Furthermore, the optimal radiation target volume in this setting is unclear. There has been increased interest in a “Triangle Volume” (TV), bordered by the celiac axis, superior mesenteric artery, common hepatic artery, portal vein, and superior mesenteric vein. Dissection of this area, has been advocated for by surgeons from Heidelberg as it contains extra-pancreatic perineural and lymphatic tracts, which may harbor microscopic disease at risk of mediating local failure. Interestingly, a recent analysis from our institution indicated that nearly all local failures occur in the TV. Therefore, the purpose of this protocol is to evaluate the safety of delivering an ablative radiation dose to the TV with IORT following neoadjuvant chemotherapy and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT).
Methods
Patients with non-metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma centered in the head or neck of the pancreas will be enrolled. Following treatment with multi-agent neoadjuvant chemotherapy, patients will undergo SBRT (40 Gy/5 fractions) followed by IORT (15 Gy/1 fraction) to the TV during the Whipple procedure. The primary objective is acute (<90 days) toxicity after IORT measured by Clavien-Dindo classification. Secondary objectives include late (>90 days) toxicity after IORT measured by Clavien-Dindo classification, overall survival, local progression-free survival, distant metastasis-free survival, and progression-free survival.
Discussion
If the results show that delivering an ablative radiation dose to the TV with IORT after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and SBRT is safe and feasible, it warrants further investigation in a phase II trial to evaluate efficacy of this approach.
Trial Registration:
This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov on 12/2/2021 (NCT05141513). https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05141513
Foreign Body: Uncommon Cause of a Catastrophic Upper GI Bleeding: a Case Report
Authors: Nasiri Sara , Ahmadpour Sajjad , Taghavi Ruhollah , Habibi Mohammad Amin , Saeidi Mohammad , Hormati Ahmad , Modarres Mehdi Pezeshgi
Published: February 2022

Background: Upper gastrointestinal bleeding following swallowing foreign body is often caused by a fistula between the large arteries and esophagus, which causes severe and fatal bleeding.Case presentation: A 24-year-old woman presented with severe bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract after unwanted swallowing a toothpick. Due to unstable hemodynamic conditions, endoscopic evaluation was not possible, and she was immediately transferred to the operating room. The source of the bleeding was the upper part of the esophagus, as the site of the bleeding was temporarily packed and ceased the surgery. CT-angiography of the head and neck arteries showed esophageal to carotid fistula.Discussion: Esophageal fistula of large arteries usually causes severe bleeding. Awareness from warning signs and timely diagnosis may propose better clinical outcomes.
A surgical case of high-grade urothelial carcinoma of the renal pelvis complicated with giant hydronephrosis, giving rise to diagnostic difficulties on a cytological examination
Authors: Yamada Sohsuke , Takata Mao , Kumagai Motona , Tsubata Yumi , Okanemasa Yoshiiku , Takenaka Michiho , Takenaka Toshie , Yamashita Manabu , Shioya Akihiro
Published: February 2022

Background: We report a surgical case of urothelial carcinoma of the renal pelvis, resulting in diagnostic difficulties on cytological examination. Case Presentation: A man in his late 70s underwent nephrectomy for giant hydronephrosis and renal cysts after nephrostomy and renal cyst puncture and drainage. On all cytological examinations performed before surgery, including nephrostomy urine, renal cyst fluid, catheterized bladder urine, and bladder washings, we were unable to make any conclusive diagnosis of malignancy. The pathological diagnosis of the surgical specimen concluded that this was a case of high-grade urothelial carcinoma of the renal pelvis with focal squamous differentiation (pT4). Liver and lung metastases were identified three months after surgery, and the patient died two months later. Conclusion: It was very difficult to make a conclusive diagnosis using cytological specimens because of the presence of a small number of atypical cells with severe degenerative changes. Since clinicians cannot predict the potential for malignancy on preoperative imaging findings, it is critical to consider the difficulties in clinically making a correct diagnosis of urothelial carcinoma of the upper urinary tract, especially in cases complicated with giant hydronephrosis.
Changes in the Thyroid After Sclerotherapy With Doxycycline
Authors: Raeymaeckers Steven , Tosi Maurizio , Sol Bastiaan , De Mey Johan
Published: February 2022

Background: The literature considers sclerotherapy to be a safe and effective treatment for benign thyroid cysts. No subsequent diagnostic problems have been reported as a complication. We report the occurrence of focal inflammation after said therapy, mimicking a thyroid malignancy.Case presentation: We report a case of a young male with a solitary strongly suspicious lesion in the thyroid. The patient had undergone prior sclerotherapy of a thyroid cyst with Doxycycline. The lesion appeared to be a focal area of inflammation and thus iatrogenic in nature. Systemic use of doxycycline is known to sometimes cause a non-immune chemical thyroiditis, dubbed as black thyroid due to the intense black discoloration of the thyroid. It might be that the instillation of doxycycline was responsible for a similar, more localized, process of affliction.Conclusions: For the work-out of a solitary suspicious thyroid lesion, the medical history of the patient should always be considered. In case of antecedents of ipsilateral sclerotherapy, a reactive inflammatory response may mimic thyroid malignancy. A fine needle aspiration should be performed to exclude thyroid cancer. Treatment is not necessary; the affliction appears self-limiting as evidenced in the follow-up of this case.
Appendiceal Adenocarcinoma Involving the Uterus and Mimicking Primary Endometrial Atypical Gastric-Type Mucinous Proliferation : A Rare Case Report
Authors: Min Qinqin , Lin Xiao , Liang Yingying , Shao Mumin
Published: February 2022

Gastric/gastrointestinal-type mucious lesion in the endometrium may be mostly primary or cervix gastric-type adenocarcinoma involvement. Gastriointestinal and pancreatobiliary adenocarcinoma involving the endometrium is rare. We report a rare appendiceal adenocarcinoma of a 55-year-old female, involving the uterus, mimicking primary endometrial gastric-type lesion. Endometrial lesion was associated with a polyp, which was composed of significant complex papillary architecture and crowed glands resembling lobular endocervical glandular hyperplasia (LEGH), with cytologically abundant pale eosinophilic cytoplasm and atypical nuclear. Mucinous epithelium cells of endometrial lesion was diffusely positive for MUC6, CK7 and negative for p16, PAX8, ER, NapsinA. This histologic morphology and immunophenotype show gastric-type differentiation. Meanwhile, the appendiceal tumor exhibited conventional intestinal type manifestation but focal invasive adenocarcinoma with abundant pale eosinophilic cytoplasm and focally immunoreactivity for MUC6. On the basis of morphologic and immunoreativity examination of the endometrial and appendix, We believe that the diagnosis of atypical mucinous proliferation of gastric-type of endometrium arising from appendiceal adenocarcinoma can be established. Patient died of disease at 3 months after surgery.
Placental DNA methylation changes in the development of gestational diabetes mellitus
Authors: Chen Fujia , Li Min , Fei Xiaoping , Zhu Weiqiang , Zhang Zhaofeng , Shen Yupei , Mao Yanyan , Zhu Qianxi , Xu Jianhua , Zhou Weijin , Du Jing
Published: February 2022

Aims
The aim of this study was to investigate the association between gene methylation alterations and the development of GDM, as well as to investigate the potential epigenetic mechanisms of GDM.
Methods
Reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis were performed on placental tissues from women with GDM and healthy controls. After pyrosequencing, correlation and linear regression analysis were applied based on the effect of methylated-differentially expressed genes (DEGs).
Results
HOXD9, ALDH1A2, CSMD1, TRIM67, and PAX8, five candidate DEGs, were identified. TRIM67 exhibited significant hypermethylation levels at different CpG sites. Hypermethylation of TRIM67 promoter was significantly positively correlated with 1h and 2h OGTT glucose levels and negatively correlated with Lipoprotein(a).
Conclusions
Hypermethylation of the TRIM67 in the placenta of women with GDM may cause insulin resistance, which may correlate with the development of GDM. These findings provide new insights for further studies on the pathophysiology of GDM.
A novel missense variant of LAMC1 as a possible cause of premature ovarian insufficiency in a Chinese family
Authors: Xu Huanfang , Wang Chunyan , Wei Han , Li Tengyan , Fang Yigong , Wang Binbin
Published: February 2022

Background: Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) results in the loss of ovarian function and reproductive impairment. The cause of most cases of POI is unclear, although genetic factors are thought to be involved. This study aimed to identify novel pathogenic genes and variants in a Chinese family with POI.Results: An assessment of the family pedigree suggested that POI was inherited in an autosomal dominant manner in this family. Whole-exome sequencing of the proband and her affected mother identified a novel heterozygous missense variant in the laminin subunit gamma-1 gene (LAMC1; NM_002293.4:c.A3281T:p.D1094V). This variant was not found in any public databases, and was highly conserved among mammals. Online software predicted it to be deleterious with respect to protein function. Its presence in the POI family was confirmed by Sanger sequencing.Conclusions: We report a novel heterozygous missense variant in LAMC1 in a Chinese POI family, which was inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. This variant may result in the development of POI. Our results provide supporting evidence for a causative role for LAMC1 variants in POI.
Extraventricular Neurocytoma: a Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Wang Liping , Dai Xiaoxiao , Ping Yifang , Chen Ping , Chen Yanming , Cheng Shan , Li Yongdong , Li Suwen , Li Haoran , Yuan Jiaqi , Hou Yanghao , Dong Jun
Published: February 2022

Extraventricular neurocytoma (EVN) is a rare intracranial tumor. The most common locations of EVN were frontal lobe and cerebellum, followed by temporal lobe. Heterogeneous contrast enhancement, cystic changes, perilesional edema and calcification were a few distinct imaging characteristics. EVN is a primary tumor with either glial or neuronal differentiation or potential for atypical changes. The lack of characteristic manifestations in histopathology makes EVN difficult to distinguish from other low-grade neuronal and mixed neuronal-glial tumors. Herein, we describe a case of frontal extraventricular neurocytoma in a 37-year-old male presenting with dizzy and review the literature on this rare tumor. Pathological examination reveals that the tumor mainly composed of oligodendroglia-like cells, with expression of synaptophysin (SYN) and Olig2 (oligodendrocyte transcription factor 2), and microcalcifications. Methylation profile and t-SNE analysis show our sample cluster with the other two reference EVNs. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) shows FGFR1-TACC1 fusion. We report a case of EVN with expression of Olig2, FGFR1-TACC1 fusion, methylation of MGMT promoter, and discuss our experience along with a review of the published literature.
Mechanism of novel enoxaparin sodium high viscosity bone cement reducing thrombosis by regulating the expression of CD40 in endothelial cells
Authors: Sang Linchao , Hao Kangning , Ding luobin , Shen Xiaoyu , Fu Dehao , Qi Xiangbei
Published: February 2022

Objective: To demonstrate, in a simple and reproducible animal model, that ordinary high viscosity bone cements develop local thrombi; To reduce the occurrence of thrombus in joint arthroplasty, we develop a new material, enoxaparin sodium high viscosity bone cement, to reduce local thrombosis and preliminarily explored the molecular mechanism by which it reduced local thrombus occurrence compared with ordinary high viscosity bone cement. Methods: We used New Zealand rabbits to establish two groups of animal models: ordinary high viscosity bone cement group and new enoxaparin sodium high viscosity bone cement group on the basis of carotid artery vein extracorporeal shunt. There were 3 rabbits in each group. The experimental samples were collected 4 hours after modeling, and the amount of thrombosis between the two groups was compared, The collected vascular tissue samples were quantitatively detected for endothelial cell related thrombomodulin.Results: we successfully established the animal model on the basis of arteriovenous shunt in New Zealand rabbits. We found that both ordinary high viscosity bone cement and new enoxaparin sodium high viscosity bone cement could form thrombosis. The weight of thrombosis in ordinary high viscosity bone cement group was 0.00706 ± 0.00136g/cm, The weight of thrombosis in the new enoxaparin sodium high viscosity bone cement group was 0.00551 ± 0.00115g/cm. The amount of thrombosis in the new enoxaparin sodium high viscosity bone cement group was significantly reduced. We detected by RT qPCR and Western blot that the expression of CD40, a related protein that can regulate thrombosis in vascular endothelial cells, was significantly lower in the new enoxaparin sodium high viscosity bone cement group than that in the normal high viscosity bone cement group.Conclusion: We confirm that the new enoxaparin sodium high viscosity bone cement forms less thrombus than common high viscosity bone cement and preliminarily elucidate that the molecular mechanism by which this new material reduces thrombus formation is to decrease the expression of thrombus associated regulatory protein CD40 in vascular endothelial cells.
Finite-time synchronization of different dimensional chaotic systems with uncertain parameters and external disturbances
Authors: Li Juan , Zheng Jiming
Published: February 2022

This paper proposes a new control scheme using two scaling matrices that realizes the finite-time synchronization of different-dimensional chaotic systems with parameter uncertainties and external disturbances. Firstly, based on Lyapunov stability theorem and finite-time stability theorem, the definition of finite-time synchronization of chaotic systems with different dimensions is introduced. Secondly, in the case of external disturbance and parameter uncertainty, an adaptive feedback hybrid controller and parameter adaptive laws are designed to synchronize different dimensional uncertain chaotic systems in finite-time. Then, according to the characteristics of the unknown parameters of the system, a transformation matrix is constructed to meet the needs of chaotic systems with different dimensions, and a simplified synchronization control scheme is designed. Finally, two numerical experiments are carried out to verify the effectiveness of the proposed methods.
Magnetocaloric Effect in ScGdHo Medium-entropy Alloy
Authors: Uporov Sergey , Sterkhov Evgenii , Balyakin Iliya
Published: February 2022

The search for eﬀective solid-state refrigerant for magnetocaloric application is one of the main-stream topics in materials science. Rareearth multi-principal element alloys seem to be promising candidates for these purposes. In this study, we address the issues of structure formation, magnetic and magnetocaloric properties in ScGdHo medium entropy alloy. We perform the ab initio molecular dynamics simulations for the liquid and solid phases in this system and reveal a strong tendency to form a single-phase solid solu-tion. The experimentally fabricated alloy demonstrates a single-phase HCP crystalline structure with high density of defects. The magnetic measurements reveal a complicated magnetic behaviour in the material. The alloy exhibits antiferromagnetic or ferromagnetic behavior depending on the magnetic ﬁeld. We have found that AFM order is preferable under a weak magnetic ﬁeld and FM order occurs when the ﬁeld strength exceeds 12 kOe. The alloy reveals a rather large coercive force in a wide temperature range up to the Neel point. The values of the magnetic entropy change and relative cooling power calculated for a magnetic ﬁeld change of 0-5 T are 8.93 Jkg−1K−1 and 938 J/kg, respectively. The examined ScGdHo alloy demonstrates the best magnetocaloric properties among similar rareearth metal materials discovered to date.
MEEMD Decomposition-Prediction-Reconstruction Model of Precipitation
Authors: Wang Yongtao , Liu Jian , Li Rong , Suo Xinyu , Lu EnHui
Published: February 2022

Aiming at the low prediction accuracy of precipitation time series data, proposes an Modified Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition-prediction-reconstruction model（MDPRM）. First,The non-stationary precipitation time series is decomposed into multiple decomposition terms by MEEMD. Then, according to the characteristics of different decomposition items,the particle swarm optimization support vector machine (PSO-SVM), convolutional neural network (CNN) and recurrent neural network (RNN) models are used for prediction respectively. Finally, the prediction results of each decomposition item are superimposed and reconstructed to form the final prediction results. The summer precipitation in the Wujiang River Basin in Guizhou Province from 1961 to 2018 was used as an example to verify the results. The results show that:compared with BP, SVM, RNN and other prediction methods, the MDPRM proposed in this paper has higher prediction accuracy, and can effectively guide the regional water resources allocation and scheduling, drought relief and disaster reduction.
Immortalized mesenchymal stem cells: a safe cell source for cellular or cell membrane-based treatment of glioma
Authors: Zhang Yuxuan , Liu Jie , Mo Yunzhao , Chen Zetao , Chen Taoliang , Li Yan , Zheng Yaofeng , Deng Shaokang , Xu Xiangdong , Chen Huajian , He Haoqi , Chen Jiansheng , Jin Tao , Sun Xinlin , Ke Yiquan , Wang Jihui
Published: February 2022

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have emerged as putative therapeutic tools due to their intrinsic tumour tropism, and anti-tumour and immunoregulatory properties. The limited passage and self-differentiation abilities of MSCs in vitro hinder preclinical studies on them. In this study, we focused on the safety of immortalized mesenchymal stem cells (im-MSCs) and, for the first time, studied the feasibility of im-MSCs as candidates for the treatment of glioma. The im-MSCs were constructed by lentiviral transfection of genes. The proliferative capacity of im-MSCs and the proliferative phenotype of MSCs and MSCs co-cultured with glioma cells (U87) were measured using CCK-8 or EdU assays. After long-term culture, karyotyping of im-MSCs was conducted. The tumorigenicity of engineered MSCs was evaluated using soft agar cloning assays. Next, the engineered cells were injected into the brain of female BALB/c nude mice. Finally, the cell membranes of im-MSCs were labelled with DiO or DiR to detect their ability to be taken up by glioma cells and target in situ gliomas using the IVIS system. Engineered cells retained the Immunophenotype of MSC; im-MSCs maintained the ability to differentiate into mesenchymal lineages in vitro; and im-MSCs showed stronger proliferative capacity than unengineered MSCs but without colony formation in soft agar, no tumorigenicity in the brain, and normal chromosomes. MSCs or im-MSCs co-cultured with U87 cells showed enhanced proliferation ability, but did not show malignant characteristics in vitro. Immortalized cells continued to express homing molecules. The cell membranes of im-MSCs were taken up by glioma cells and targeted in situ gliomas in vivo, suggesting that im-MSCs and their plasma membranes can be used as natural drug carriers for targeting gliomas, and providing a safe, adequate, quality-controlled, and continuous source for the treatment of gliomas based on whole-cell or cell membranes carriers.
Living with a Frozen Shoulder – A Phenomenological Inquiry.
Authors: Lyne Suellen Anne , Goldblatt Fiona Mary , Shanahan Ernst Michael
Published: February 2022

Background : Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) is an inflammatory condition affecting the capsule of the glenohumeral joint. It is characterised by a painful restricted range of passive and active movement in all planes of motion. The impact of frozen shoulder on affected individuals remains poorly characterised. In this study we sought to better understand the lived experience of people suffering from frozen shoulder to characterise the physical, psychological and socioeconomic impact of the condition. Methods: A qualitative study using a phenomenological approach was undertaken. Purposeful sampling was used to identify individuals for interview. Semi-structured interviews were performed and continued until saturation was achieved. A biopsychosocial framework was used during the analysis in order to generate themes which best described the phenomenon and reflected the lived experience of individuals’ suffering from this condition. Results: Five main themes emerged including; the severity of the pain experience, a loss of independence, an altered sense of self, the significant psychological impact, and the variable experience with healthcare providers. Conclusions: These findings offer an insight into the lived experience of individuals with frozen shoulder, both on a personal and sociocultural level. The pain endured has profound impacts on physical and mental health, with loss of function resulting in a narrative reconstruction and altered sense of self. Our findings illustrate that frozen shoulder is much more than a benign self-limiting musculoskeletal condition and should be managed accordingly.Trial Registration: ANZCTR 12620000677909 Registered 28/04/2020 https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=379719&isReview=true
Identification of pterygium-related conjunctival epithelium microRNA and mRNA expression profiles by high-throughput screening analysis
Authors: Jianfeng Yu , Pengfei Li , Chen Xiaojuan , Zhang Guowei , Huaijin Guan
Published: February 2022

Purpose. To detect the hub mRNAs and construct a microRNA (miRNA)-mRNA regulatory network by comparing pterygium-related conjunctival epithelium (PCE) and normal conjunctival epithelium (NCE) patient samples by high-throughput sequencing.Methods. Bulbar conjunctival epithelium samples were obtained from patients with primary pterygium and from donated normal eyeballs. Bioinformatics analysis, which included differential gene expression, gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis, was applied for the functional enrichment analysis of differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs). Protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) were performed on DEmRNAs whose pathways were related to the development of pterygium. Potential miRNAs binding to these hub DEmRNAs were predicted using software, and a hub mRNA-miRNA regulatory network was constructed. MiRNAs were verified through RT-qPCR.Results. Overall, the results showed 280 upregulated and 256 downregulated DEmRNAs. To explore the potential functions of DEmRNAs, we performed bioinformatics analysis to detect the potential functions of DEmRNAs and the relevant pathways related to the pathogenesis of pterygium in PCE. In addition, we enriched six pathways that were involved in the development of pterygium using a heatmap. Then, the GSEA results showed that galactose metabolism, epithelial mesenchymal transition and so on were significantly enriched among upregulated mRNAs (P＜0.001, and NES ≥ 1). Cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, primary immunodeficiency, MAPK signalling pathway and so on were significantly enriched among downregulated mRNAs (P＜0.001, and NES ≤ -1). Then, a miRNA/mRNA regulatory network was constructed with 20 miRNAs and 48 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The RT-qPCR validation study confirmed nine downregulated miRNAs (miR-653-3p, miR-3617-5p, miR-4681, miR-4802-3p, miR-888-3p, miR-7106-3p, miR-543, miR-200b-3p and miR-203a-3p) and two upregulated miRNAs (miR-5579b-3p and miR-6844).Conclusion. Our study shows the mRNA expression profile and miRNA/mRNA regulatory network of the PCE and provides a new perspective on the pathogenesis of pterygium.
Neuroprotective Effects of Propylgallate Against Oxidative Stress in Retinal Ganglion Cells
Authors: Xiao Qin , Lu Zhanjun , Lu Jinsong , Tao Chun , Ma Ruitong , Wang Eerdun
Published: February 2022

Background: Diabetic retinopathy is a group of eye diseases which result in damage to the optic nerve and vision loss, it has seriously affect peoples' health. The purpose of this study is to contrast the neuroprotective effects of curcumin, gastrodin, propylgallate, adenosine. At the same time, we preliminarily explore the molecular mechanism of protective drugs.Methods: In this study, we used 500μM H2O2 treated RGC-5 cells to induce a cellular oxidative stress model. We treated this cell model with four drug monomers: Propylgallate, Curcumin, Gastrodin and Adenosine to find drug monomers with neuroprotective effect. We used apoptosis PCR array to obtain apoptosis related genes regulated by neuroprotective drugs.Results: We found the Propylgallate treated RGC-5 cells had highest survival rate when compared to Curcumin, Gastrodin, Adenosine treated RGC-5 cells.In addition, it had lowest cell cytotoxicity and apoptotic rate when compared to Curcumin, Gastrodin, Adenosine treated RGC-5 cells.Moreover, the expression of ROS in Propylgallate treated RGC-5 cells was lowest when compared to Curcumin, Gastrodin, Adenosine treated RGC-5 cells. We found that Caspase-3, Caspase-8, and Caspase-9 are the main target genes of Propylgallate which can preliminarily explain the neuroprotective mechanism of Propylgallate against apoptosis..Conclusion: The present study revealed that the propylgallate has best neuroprotective effects, it may provide a promissing drug to prevent and improve the damage of optic nerve. In this article, we also preliminarily expounded the neuroprotective molecular mechanism of Propylgallate.
An Adaptive On-demand Routing Protocol With QoS Support for urban-MANETs
Authors: Khanh Quy Vu
Published: February 2022

Mobile Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANETs) are organizations of mobile network devices that ability of self-configuring and self-setting parameters for effective in-network communication. Thanks to the flexibility and convenience in establishing connections and transfer data, MANETs have demonstrated outstanding capabilities and abilities in a wide range of fields serving humanity, such as healthcare, intelligent transportation systems, smart agriculture, smart retail, and IoT ecosystems. Due to the mobile characteristics of network nodes, the structure of MANETs changes frequently. Moreover, the operating principle of MANETs is distributed, not relying on central devices such as base stations, leading to the guarantee QoS problem is one of the main challenges of MANETs. In this study, we proposed a QoS-aware on-demand routing protocol (QoS-ADRP) for urban-MANET applications. To enhance the feasibility of the proposed solution, we establish a mechanism so that the proposed protocol can work on both Adaptive and Admission modes. The experiment results demonstrated that the QoS-ADRP protocol improved in terms of the QoS flows, packet delivery ratio, latency, throughput compared to existing protocols.
The gut bacterial microbiome of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) from lakes across an altitudinal gradient
Authors: Bereded Negash Kabtimer , Abebe Getachew Beneberu , Fanta Solomon Workneh , Curto Manuel , Waidbacher Herwig , Meimberg Harald , Domig Konrad J
Published: February 2022

BackgroundMicroorganisms inhabiting the gut play a significant role in supporting fundamental physiological processes of the host, which contributes to their survival in varied environments. Several studies have shown that altitude affects the composition and diversity of intestinal microbial communities in terrestrial animals. However, little is known about the impact of altitude on the gut microbiota of aquatic animals. The current study examined the variations in the gut microbiota of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) from four lakes along an altitudinal gradient in Ethiopia by using 16S rDNA Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing. ResultsThe results indicated that low-altitude samples typically displayed greater alpha diversity. The results of principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) showed significant differences across samples from different lakes. Firmicutes was the most abundant phylum in the Lake Awassa and Lake Chamo samples whereas Fusobacteriota was the dominant phylum in samples from Lake Hashengie and Lake Tana. The ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidota in the high-altitude sample (Lake Hashengie, altitude 2440 m) was much higher than the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidota in the low altitude population (Lake Chamo, altitude 1235 m). We found that the relative abundances of Actinobacteriota, Chloroflexi, Cyanobacteria, and Firmicutes were negatively correlated with altitude, while Fusobacteriota showed a positive association with altitude. Despite variability in the abundance of the gut microbiota across the lakes, some shared microbial communities were detected. ConclusionsIn summary, this study showed the indirect influence of altitude on gut microbiota. Altitude has the potential to modulate the gut microbiota composition and diversity of Nile tilapia. Future work will be needed to elucidate the functional significance of gut microbiota variations based on the geographical environment. Significance and Impact of the Study: Our study determined the composition and diversity of the gut microbiota in Nile tilapia collected from lakes across an altitude gradient. Our findings greatly extend the baseline knowledge of fish gut microbiota in Ethiopian lakes that plays an important role in this species sustainable aquaculture activities and conservation.
Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Epidemiology of STDs in China: Based on the GM (1,1) Model
Authors: Yan Jingmin , Li Yanbo , Zhou Pingyu
Published: February 2022

Background: It has been reported that COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted on the epidemiological trend of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) in many countries. However, relevant researches are limited in China. We aimed to analyze the extent of COVID-19 pandemic impact on STDs in China.Methods: The incidence of HIV infection, syphilis and gonorrhea in China from 2008 to 2020 was collected. But only data of these three STDs from 2013 to 2018 were used to establish the Grey Model (1,1) considering about the impact of policies of China. Then we calculated the predictive incidence of each STD in 2019, 2020 and 2021 by the established Model. And then we estimated the extent of the impact of COVID-19 on the epidemiological changes of STDs by analyzing the difference between the absolute percentage error (APE) of the predictive incidence and actual rate in 2019 and 2020. Results: The incidence of HIV infection and syphilis showed an increasing trend from 2008 to 2019 in China, but that for gonorrhea was fluctuant. Of note, the incidence of these three STDs decreased significantly in 2020 compared with that in 2019. The APE of HIV infection, syphilis and gonorrhea in 2020 (20.54%, 15.45% and 60.88%) were about 7 times, 4 times and 2 times of that in 2019 (2.94%, 4.07% and 30.41%). The incidence of HIV infection, syphilis and gonorrhea would be 5.77/100,000, 39.64/100,000 and 13.19/100,000 in 2021 based on our model.Conclusions: Our analysis revealed that the epidemiological trend of STDs in China was significant influenced by COVID-19 pandemic. The result highlights the critical need for transformative strategies in STDs control in the context of the long-term effects of COVID-19 pandemic in the future.
OS REFLEXOS DA PANDEMIA NO COTIDIANO ESCOLAR PARAENSE
Authors: Hora Dinair Leal da , Corrêa Izete Magno , Oliveira Ney Cristina Monteiro de
Published: February 2022

O objetivo do artigo é analisar as dimensões gerais que demarcaram o processo de retomada das aulas no período de pandemia, em uma escola da Região Metropolitana de Belém/PA, considerando as ações efetivadas para o retorno. Foi realizado a análise documental e trabalho de campo. Constatamos que a Escola precisou adequar-se para a organização dos tempos e espaços, das rotinas familiares na realização das tarefas escolares, das atividades dos profissionais diante da readequação do trabalho e do uso das tecnologias, metodologias diversificadas, necessárias ao período de distanciamento.
Application of short time series analysis for the hydrodynamic characterization of a coastal karst aquifer: the Salento aquifer (Southern Italy)
Authors: Balacco Gabriella , Alfio Maria Rosaria , Parisi Alessandro , Panagopoulos Andreas , Fidelibus Maria Dolores
Published: February 2022

Daily precipitation and groundwater level data, registered at 7 rain gauge stations and 11 monitoring wells in the Salento coastal karst aquifer (Southern Italy) were subject to short time series analyses to evaluate the hydrodynamic response of the aquifer. Results show that the Salento karst system has in general great storage capacity, which suggests a poor degree of aquifer karstification, and dominance in the permeability structure of not well-developed hierarchical karst networks. Baseflow generally dominates on quick flow, which only occasionally occurs. The dominant hydraulic behaviour is unimodal baseflow with a bimodal baseflow and quick flow one from time to time. Some local specific features, which emerge depending on the rainfall frequency and depth, and the geological and structural characteristics, point out that some components of the permeability structure, as the epikarst and major faults, only activate depending on the characteristics of the input. The study is novel because the analyses concerned specific sets of hydrological years from 2007 to 2011; also, because the analysis was conducted for a coastal karst aquifer of significant size, characterized by a regional groundwater flow system with an unsteady lower boundary, without inland freshwater springs, and significant exploitation by wells.
DESIGN GRÁFICO E INCLUSÃO SOCIAL: CRIAÇÃO DO GUIA DE DIREITOS DAS CRIANÇAS COM DEFICIÊNCIA NA PRIMEIRA INFÂNCIA
Authors: Sara Miriam Goldchmit  , Rebecca Kamehama  , Denise Dantas
Published: February 2022

Este artigo apresenta o relato do processo do projeto do Guia de Direitos das Crianças com Deficiência na Primeira Infância, desenvolvido em 2017. Fruto de uma parceria entre a Universidade de São Paulo (USP) e a Associação Educacional para Múltipla Deficiência (Ahimsa), a realização desse guia teve como objetivo apoiar as famílias das crianças com deficiência sobre os seus direitos na saúde, educação e assistência social na cidade de São Paulo. Com base nos princípios do design centrado no usuário, foi desenvolvido um material gráfico amplamente ilustrado, visando possibilitar acesso à educação e à informação para implementar a qualidade de vida da população com necessidades especiais.