bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Sense of Competence in Dementia Care Staff Scale in Chinese(SCIDS-C): Adapatation and Validation Amongst Chinese Dememtia Care Staff in Nursing Homes
Authors: Bian Xueli , Wang Jing , Wang Junqiao
Published: January 2022

Background: Nursing teams experience a high level of stress and caregiving burden when providing care for older residents with dementia. Competence of nursing staff in dementia care is not only essential to improve quality of care for older residents with dementia in nursing homes, but also to improve their own quality of work life. Appropriately assessing their level of competence in dementia care is the first step to develop precision interventions to improve quality dementia care. The Sense of Competence in Dementia Care Staff scale (SCIDS) is a user-friendly tool with satisfactory reliability and validity. Although China has the largest population of persons with dementia, there is no validated tools available to accurately assess formal caregivers’ competence in demenetia care in long-term care settings. Thus, we decided to adapt SCIDS into a Chinese version (SCIDS-C) and validate its use in China’s socio-cultural context to assess nursing staff’s capability and competence in dementia care in nursing homes. Aims: We aimed to adapt and psychometrically test amongst frontline nursing staff in long-term care settings in China.Methods: This two-phase psychometric research employed a correlational design with repeated measures. In phase one, we adapted and tailored the original scale by taking into account the cultural and social context in nursing homes in China. The scale’s adaptation consists of translation and semantic equivalence. In phase two, we tested the validity and reliability of the scale. Internal consistency and stability were used to examine the reliability of the scale. Construct validity was tested using exploratory factor analysis (EFA), including principal component analysis and maximum variance rotation method. We included 174 nursing staff from six nursing homes between September and December in 2020.Results: The SCIDS-C has two sub-scales and 17 items, including the Relationship-Centered Care (RCC) and Professional Care (PC) subscales. The item-total correlation coefficient ranges from0.41 to 0.69 (P<0.001), showing that all items were compatible by the positive correlation. The Cronbach’s alpha of the scale was 0.88, showing a good internal consistency. Test-retest reliability was 0.82. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) extracted 2 common factors in each sub-scale cumulative variance contribution rate was 56.71% and 53.92%, respectively. The named four factors are the same as the Sense of Competence in Dementia Care Staff (SCIDS) scale in English, i.e. Building Relationships, Sustaining Personhood, Professionalism and Care Challenges.Conclusion The SCIDS-C has shown good reliability and validity. It can be used as an appropriate tool to evaluate the competence of nursing care staff of providing dementia care for residents in nursing homes.
A micro-level explanation for suicidal intention based on marriage-squeeze and social support among rural men in China
Authors: Yang Xueyan , Li Rui , Wang Sasa
Published: January 2022

Background.
Higher sex ratio at birth often lead to gender imbalance and a severe squeeze on the marriage market.Currently, no systematic studies have examined the relationship between marriage squeeze and suicidal intention among rural men in a context of marriage squeeze.
Methods.
Using surveys conducted in Chaohu (Anhui Province) and Ankang (Shaanxi Province) in China, this study analyzed the impact of marriage squeeze and social support on suicidal intention among rural men.
Results.
The perceived marriage squeeze significantly and positively affected suicidal intention among married and unmarried rural men and that perceived social support negatively affected suicidal intention among married and unmarried men. Objective social support did not significantly affect suicidal intention among married men; however, it negatively affected suicidal intention among unmarried men.
Conclusions.
Marriage squeeze increased the possibility of suicidal intention among rural men, but perceived social support acted as a protective factor against suicidal intention. These findings agree with the main effect hypothesis of social support. Thus, objective social support is a double-edged sword, which may increase suicidal intention rates among rural men. The article ends with the limitations of this study and future directions for further research.
Randomized Controlled Trial of Early Endoscopy for Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients
Authors: Chung Chen-Shuan , Chen Chieh-Chang , Chen Kuan-Chih , Fang Yu-Jen , Hsu Wen-Feng , Chen Yen-Nien , Tseng Wei-Chuang , Lin Cheng-Kuan , Lee Tzong-Hsi , Wang Hsiu-Po , Wu Yen-Wen
Published: January 2022

Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients are not uncommon, particularly under dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT). Whether early endoscopy (EE) for UGIB in these patients is efficient and safe needs to be elucidated. This multicenter randomized controlled trial randomized recent ACS patients presenting acute UGIB to non-EE and EE groups. All eligible patients received intravenous proton pump inhibitor therapy. Those in EE group underwent therapeutic endoscopy within 24 hours after bleeding. The data regarding efficacy and safety of EE were analyzed. In total, 43 patients were randomized to non-EE (21 patients) and EE (22 patients) groups. The failure rate of control hemorrhage (4.55% vs. 23.81%, p<0.001) and 3-day rebleeding rate (4.55% vs. 28.57%, p=0.033) were lower in EE than non-EE group. The mortality, minor and major complication rates were not different between two groups. Male patients were at higher risk of minor and major complications after EE with OR (95%CI) of 3.50 (1.15~10.63) and 4.25 (1.43~12.63), respectively. In multivariate analysis, EE was associated with lower needs for blood transfusion (HR 0.13, 95%CI 0.02~0.98). Among patients who discontinued DAPT during acute UGIB, a higher risk (OR 5.25, 95%CI 1.21~22.74) of coronary artery stent re-thrombosis within 6 months was noticed. EE for acute UGIB in recent ACS patients has higher rate of bleeding control, lower 3-day rebleeding rate and lower needs for blood transfusion, but more complications in male patients. (ClinicalTrial.gov Number NCT02618980, registration date 02/12/2015)
R&D intensity and its influence on renewable energy consumption: Evidence from selected Asian economies
Authors: Li Wei , Ullah Sana
Published: January 2022

The main objective of this study is to investigate the impact of research and development (R&D) intensity on renewable energy consumption in Asian economies. We have relied on the autoregressive distributive lag (ARDL) model to get empirical estimates. The results show that the short and long-run estimates attached to R&D intensity are significantly positive in China and Japan, signifying that a rise in R&D intensity increases the renewable energy consumption in China and Japan. Conversely, the short-run estimated coefficients of energy intensity are significantly negative in India and positive in Japan. In the long run, the estimates of energy intensity are positive and significant in India and Japan only. Among the control variables, the rise in CO2 emissions causes renewable energy consumption to rise in all three economies in the long run. However, the long-run effects of an increase in trade also positively affect renewable energy consumption in China and Japan. Lastly, a rise in financial development gives rise to renewable energy consumption in the long run in China only. On the policy front, policymakers should promote investment in R&D to minimize the costs of conventional energy consumption.
Solitary Fibrous Tumor: A Rare Differential for Submandibular Gland Swelling
Authors: kushwaha naveen kumar
Published: January 2022

INTRODUCTION-

Solitary fibrous tumour is a spindle cell neoplasm that commonly arise in the pleura and other serosal regions with more than 50% of these tumours located in the thoracic cavity, however extrathoracic tumours have been reported in various sites such as the liver, skin and the head and neck. Solitary fibrous tumours (SFTs) of the head and neck region are extremely rare with oral cavity being the most common site
MATERIALS AND METHODS-

A 60 yr. old lady presented with a painless right submandibular swelling that had increased in size during the previous 8 months with no constitutional symptoms. Clinically, there was a firm, mobile,6x5 cm right submandibular swelling with no palpable cervical lymph nodes, calculi and the submandibular duct opening was patent. MRI showed a well-defined heterogeneously enhancing lesion involving the right submandibular gland likely neoplastic. FNAC and USG guided core needle biopsy failed to yield any conclusive results. The patient then underwent complete removal of the tumour.
RESULTS-

Since SFT are rare and share many histological features with other spindle cell neoplasms of the salivary gland, immunohistochemistry is an essential tool to correctly diagnose SFT. NAB2-STAT6 gene fusion product is a highly sensitive and specific marker for SFT and is considered the molecular hallmark. In our case, the resection specimen showed the characteristic histopathological findings for SFT and stained positive for STAT6, CD34, CD99, and BCL-2.
CONCLUSION-

Clinicians should include SFT in the differential diagnosis of tumours that arise from soft tissues of the head and neck. Immunohistochemical staining is essential to diagnose SFT. Management is complete excision of the mass with long term follow up, because of the potential for recurrence and malignant transformation.
The Effectiveness And Safety of Gemcitabine Plus Nab-Paclitaxel In Elderly Patients With Advanced Pancreatic Cancer: A Single-Center Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Ohwada Sae , Todaka Akiko , Nakase Hiroshi , Shirasu Hiromichi , Kawakami Takeshi , Hamauchi Satoshi , Tsushima Takahiro , Yokota Tomoya , Onozawa Yusuke , Yasui Hirofumi , Yamazaki Kentaro
Published: January 2022

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of gemcitabine (GEM) plus nab-paclitaxel (GnP) in patients aged ≥75 years with advanced pancreatic cancer and compare it with monotherapy (GEM or S-1).Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer aged ≥75 years who received either GnP or monotherapy (GEM or S-1) between January 2014 and May 2020. The primary efficacy outcome was overall survival (OS).Results: A total of 96 patients were included in this study; 51 were treated with GnP and 45 with monotherapy (31 with GEM and 14 with S-1). The median OS and progression-free survival were 10.8 and 6.7 months in the GnP group and 10.7 and 4.3 months in the monotherapy group, respectively. The treatment effect on OS was consistently favorable in the GnP group across most subgroups, particularly in patients with locally advanced cancer, modified Glasgow prognostic score of 0 or 1, and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio <3.1. The disease control rates were 76% and 48% in the GnP and monotherapy groups, respectively, and grade 3 or 4 neutropenia occurred in 23 (45%) and 11 (24%) patients of the GnP and monotherapy groups, respectively.Conclusions: This study demonstrated that GnP was not superior to monotherapy with regard to OS. However, multivariate analysis showed that GnP treatment positively affected the OS and could be considered a treatment option, even for elderly patients.
Cytokines and Vascular Mediators Fingerprints Based on Interaction Networks in Kidney Transplanted and Non-Transplanted Moderately Ill COVID-19 Patients
Authors: Brunialti Milena Karina Coló , Leite Giuseppe Gianini Figueirêdo , Araújo Orlei Ribeiro , Eburneo Gabriela Strafolino , Peçanha-Pietrobom Paula M , Ferreira Paulo Roberto Abrão , Bellei Nancy Junqueira , Arakaki Jaquelina Sonoe Ota , Requião-Moura Lúcio R. , Salomao Reinaldo
Published: January 2022

This prospective study enrolled 68 hospitalized COVID-19 patients (including 20 kidney transplant recipients, KTRs) and 29 controls, and a panel comprising 23 circulating cytokines and vascular mediators was run at different time points. The associations between in-hospital mortality and mediators were determined using logistic regression and correlation-based network (CBN) analysis. In total, 17.6% of patients died, and the in-hospital mortality was associated with early and over-time levels of several mediators. Death was predicted by sVCAM, IL-9, and KTR in the multivariable model (AUC-ROC=0.94). Overall, circulating mediator levels were similar in the non-KTR and KTR COVID-19 patients. Compared to their respective controls, the number of interactions in the networks increased more in non-KTRs (14–55) than in KTRs (16–26), with a higher positive/negative edges (pe/ne) ratio in non-KTRs than in KTRs patients. The correlation network was also more connected in survivors than in non-survivors. Changing the pe/ne ratio from the first to the third day of hospitalization seems to be associated with survival: from 12 to 21.5 among survivors and from 4.0 to 2.37 among non-survivors. In conclusion, in-hospital mortality was associated with increased levels of cytokines and vascular mediators, but survivors and non-KTR patients showed more densely connected CBNs.
DeepPVC: Prediction of A Partial Volume-Corrected Map for Brain Positron Emission Tomography Studies Via a Deep Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Matsubara Keisuke , Ibaraki Masanobu , Kinoshita Toshibumi
Published: January 2022

Background

Partial volume correction with anatomical magnetic resonance (MR) images (MR-PVC) is useful for accurately quantifying tracer uptake on brain positron emission tomography (PET) images. However, MR segmentation processes for MR-PVC are time-consuming and prevent the widespread clinical use of MR-PVC. Here we aimed to develop a deep learning model to directly predict PV-corrected maps from PET and MR images, ultimately improving the MR-PVC throughput.
Methods

We used MR T1-weighted and [11C]PiB PET images as training input data from 156 participants from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative database using the U-Net model. We calculated PV-corrected maps as the training target using the region-based voxel-wise PVC method. The trained deepPVC model was validated by six-fold cross-validation and then tested using MR T1-weighted and [11C]PiB PET images from 36 participants acquired at sites other than the training dataset. We calculated the structural similarity index (SSIM) of the PV-corrected maps and intraclass correlation (ICC) of the PV-corrected standardized uptake value (SUV) between the RBV PVC and deepPVC as indicators for validation and testing.
Results

A high SSIM (0.810 ± 0.042) and ICC (0.867 ± 0.086) were observed in the validation and test data (SSIM, 0.828 ± 0.032; ICC, 0.910 ± 0.053). The computation time required to predict a PV-corrected map for a participant (48 s without a graphics processing unit) was much shorter than that for the RBV PVC and MR segmentation processes.
Conclusion

These results suggest that the deepPVC model directly predicts PV-corrected maps from MR and PET images and improves the throughput of MR-PVC by skipping the MR segmentation processes.
Determination of ERG(+), EZH2, NKX3.1, and SPINK-1 Subtypes to Evaluate Their Association With Clonal Origin and Disease Progression in Multifocal Prostate Cancer
Authors: SEGURA-MORENO Yenifer Yamile , SANABRIA-SALAS María Carolina , de Mesa Jorge Andrés Mesa-López , VARELA-RAMIREZ Rodolfo , ACOSTA-VEGA Natalia Lizeth , Serrano Martha Lucía
Published: January 2022

BackgroundThe prognostic relevance of prostate cancer (PCa) molecular subtypes remains controversial, given the presence of multiple foci, with the possibility of different subtypes, in the same PCa patient. To help elucidate the clonal origin of heterogeneity in PCa and its association with disease progression, SPOP, ERG(+), EZH2, NKX3.1, and SPINK-1 subtypes were analyzed.MethodsEighty-three samples of different foci (n=50) and positive lymph nodes (LN) (n=13) from 20 PCa patients were used to analyze the presence of the TMPRSS2-ERG fusion and expression levels of ERG, EZH2, NKX3.1, and SPINK-1, using RT-PCR. Mutations in exons 6 and 7 of the SPOP gene were searched by sequencing. The presence of subtypes and molecular patterns were established, combining the presence of all subtypes analyzed. To establish the clonal origin of multifocal PCa, the molecular concordance between different foci of the same patient was determined. Association of these subtypes with histopathological groups and time to biochemical recurrence (BCR) was assessed. ResultsNo mutation in SPOP was found in any sample. The ERG(+) subtype was the most frequent. The molecular pattern with the four PCa subtypes was detected only in 3 samples (4%), all LN, but it was the most frequent (40%) in patients. Molecular discordance was the predominant status (55%) when all the analyzed molecular characteristics were considered. All the subtypes could be found starting from preneoplastic lesion, and all but one LN molecular subtype were ERG(+) and NKX3.1 subtypes. Only the expression of the NKX3.1 gene was significantly different among the histopathological groups. No association was found between BCR time in patients, and molecular subtypes or molecular concordance, or between clinicopathological characteristics and molecular subtype with ERG, EZH2, and SPINK-1 subtypes.ConclusionThe predominance of molecular discordance in prostatic foci per patient, which reflects the multifocal origin of PCa foci, highlights the importance of analyzing multiple samples, to establish the prognostic and therapeutic relevance of molecular subtypes in a patient. All the subtypes analyzed here are of early onset, starting from preneoplastic lesions. NKX3.1 gene expression is the only molecular characteristic that shows a progression pattern by sample.
Prognostic Value and Possible Mechanism of m6A Methyltransferase METTL3 in Prostate Cancer
Authors: Li Huifeng , Fei Xiawei , Shen Yanting , Wu Zhenqi
Published: January 2022

Background: The N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methyltransferase METTL3 has been reported to be closely related to prostate cancer (PCa). Thus, we aimed to explore its prognostic value and possible mechanism in PCa.Methods: The METTL3 gene and protein expression status in between the PCa and normal tissues as well as the correlation between METTL3 and Gleason score (GS) were evaluated using The Cancer Genome Atlas Project (TCGA) dataset and the tissue microarray (TMA) dataset. The prognostic value of METTL3 was evaluated using 490 PCa patients from TCGA cohort followed by the verification using 515 PCa patients from the dataset integrated by TCGA cohort and International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) cohort. The machine learning methods were used for the possible mechanism of METTL3 which was closely related to the prognosis of PCa. A nomogram was constructed to provide a quantitative approach to predict the prognosis of PCa. Results: The gene and protein expression levels of METTL3 in the PCa tissues were significantly higher than those in the normal tissues, and the gene and protein expression levels of METTL3 in the high (GS>7) risk PCa tissues were significantly higher than those in the low-moderate risk PCa (GS≤7) tissues. The PCa patients with high expression level of METTL3 had higher risk for the progression-free survival (PFS) events and poorer short-term and long-term PFS than those with low expression level of METTL3. Through using machine learning, a METTL3 related risk model (M-RM) consisted of seven m6A methyltransferase METTL3 target genes was obtained. The high M-RM score was revealed to be significantly related to the poor PFS of PCa as well as the high activity of the KEGG pathways closely related to the process of cell cycle. Conclusion: METTL3 has the potential to be the prognostic predictor of PCa. Its coded protein may affect the prognosis of PCa mainly through regulating the expression of their target genes closely related to the process of cell cycle. These outcomes will be benefit to improve the prognosis of patients, as well as reduce the mortality of PCa.
Relationship of N6-Methyladenosine-Related lncRNAs With Tumor Microenvironment and Clinical Prognosis in Osteosarcoma
Authors: Chen Wen-Kang , Zhang Han-Jing , Jiang Yong-Hui , Liu An-Song , Yin Ke , Xie Pei-Han , Chen Ying-Ying , Dai Zhu , Zhan Xin-Li
Published: January 2022

Background: The aberrant expression of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) can affect the occurrence and progression of various cancers, including osteosarcoma (OS), by regulation of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification. However, their interaction involved in the prognostic value of OS and tumor microenvironment remains unclear.Methods: We collected data from TCGA and GEO datasets. Using Pearson correlation, univariate, multivariate, LASSO Cox regression analyses, we identified the prognostic m6A-related lncRNAs and conducted the prognostic cluster and model. Survival analyses were used to analyze different clusters and models, respectively. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and independent prognosis analysis was used to evaluate the performance of the risk model. We also examined the relationship of the risk model and cluster with immune checkpoint (PD1 and CTLA-4) and tumor microenvironment (TME).Results: A total of 43 m6A-related lncRNAs have significant prognostic significance for OS patients. Patients of cluster 2 have a longer survival time than cluster 1. CD8+ T cells, resting NK cells, and Monocytes were highly inflamed tissues in cluster 2, while gamma delta T cells and M0 macrophages were lowly in cluster 1. Meantime, OS patients with lower prognosis scores had better overall survival status, and ROC curves proved that the risk model had better prognostic abilities with the area under the curve (AUC) of 0.938 and 0.924 in train and test datasets, respectively. The risk score of 17 m6A-related lncRNAs was identified as an independent risk factor for OS. Both PD1 and CTLA-4 were closely associated with m6A-related lncRNAs and prognostic scores. The risk score was higher in cluster 2, while cluster 1 had a lower purity of tumor cells and a higher density of immune-related cells in the TME. Conclusions: We established a new m6A-related lncRNAs prognostic biomarker that can predict the prognostic risk of OS was significantly linked with the OS tumor microenvironment.
Mining Metagenomes Reveals Diverse Antibiotic Biosynthetic Genes in Uncultured Microbial Communities
Authors: Amin Dina H. , Nageeb Wedad M. , Elkelish Amr , Makharita Rabab R.
Published: January 2022

Background: Pathogens resistant to antimicrobials form a significant threat to public health worldwide. Tackling multidrug-resistant pathogens via screening metagenomic libraries has become a common approach for the discovery of new antibiotics from uncultured microorganisms. This study focuses on capturing non-ribosomal peptide synthase (NRPS) gene clusters implicated in the synthesis of many natural compounds of industrial relevance. A NRPS PCR assay was used to screen 2976 Escherichia coli clones in a soil metagenomic library to target NRPS genes. Bioinformatics analysis were conducted to detect predict NRPS domains and their substrate specificity.Results: Successfully, 17 NRPS positive hits with a biosynthetic potential were identified. DNA sequencing and BLAST analysis confirmed that NRPS protein sequences shared similarities with members of genus Delftia in the Proteobacteria taxonomic position. Multiple alignment and phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that clones no. 15cd35 and 15cd37 shared low bootstrap values (54%) and were distantly far from close phylogenetic neighbors. Additionally, NRPS domain substrates specificity has no hits with the known ones hence they are more likely to use different substrates to produce new diverse antimicrobials. Conclusions: We confirmed that the analyses of the soil metagenomic library revealed a diverse set of NRPS related to the genus Delftia. An in-depth understanding of those positive NRPS hits is a crucial step for genetic manipulation of NRPS, shedding light on alternative novel antimicrobial compounds that can be used in drug discovery and hence supports the pharmaceutical sector.
Influences of Induction Time and Additional LacI on the Growth Rate and Yield of the T7 Expression System in Three Escherichia Coli Strains
Authors: Arias-Vaccari Nicolás , Guerra Daniel Giraldez
Published: January 2022

The T7 expression system is commonly used to obtain high yields of heterologous proteins in Escherichia coli. Still, laboratories empirically optimize its use, frequently with little information for rationally choosing the change of settings in each case. Here, we monitored the expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a function of growth in three strains, with and without additional LacI repressor and IPTG added at different times. BL21(DE3) strain showed the best yield; however, its inability to repress T7 harmed the culture unless additional LacI was provided. The BLR(DE3) and MG1655 strains suppressed T7 leaking by themselves but differed in the outcomes of additional LacI. While LacI overexpression improved BLR’s growth and yield, it severely harmed the MG1655 culture. In all cases, early induction with IPTG offered a better outcome than adding it too late. MG1655 was least sensitive to this timing thanks to its capability of keeping a high growth rate for longer. Notably, the GFP production rate was linear to growth rates throughout the culture, meaning that the ribosomal fraction allocated to GFP production was constant at all the analyzed time points. This observation is consistent with a general, time-resolved regulation function and supports the interpretation of our data through a proteome allocation model (PAM). A simple PAM simulated correctly the carbon overflow triggered by heterologous overexpression, indicating that if any anabolic fraction is added to compete for proteome allocation, the rate of precursors consumption will decrease, thus leading to said overflow. This model proposes that a LacI promiscuous repression activity can explain its observed opposite effects on BLR(DE3) and MG1655 strains. Through different levels of downregulation, the carbon fixating proteome fraction would reach a state closer or farther from optimum in each host.
Developmental Independence of Median Fins From the larval Fin Fold Revises Their Evolutionary Origin
Authors: Miyamoto Kazuhide , Kawakami Koichi , Tamura Koji , Abe Gembu
Published: January 2022

The median fins in modern fish that show separated forms (dorsal, anal, and caudal fins) are derived from a continuous fold-like structure, both in ontogeny and phylogeny. The median fin fold (MFF) hypothesis assumes that the median fins evolved by reducing some positions in the continuous fin fold of basal chordates, based on the classical morphological observation of developmental reduction in the larval fin folds of living fish. However, the developmental processes of median fins are still unclear at the cellular and molecular levels. Here, we describe the transition from the larval fin fold into the median fins in zebrafish at the cellar and molecular developmental level. We demonstrate that reduction does not play a role in the emergence of the dorsal fin primordium: the reduction occurs passively after the primordium formation, rather than actively scrapping the non-fin forming region by inducing cell death. We also report that the emergence of specific mesenchymal cells and their proliferation promote the dorsal fin primordium formation. Based on these results, we propose a revised hypothesis of median fin evolution in which acquisition of de novo developmental mechanisms is a crucial evolutionary component of the separated forms of median fins.
Predictors of Recurrence and Survival in Malignant Triton Tumours: A Case Report and Systematic Review
Authors: Pumputis Allison E. , Callan Laura , Branch Anna , Boldt R. Gabriel , Warner Andrew , Logan Diane , Read Nancy , Siddiqi Fawaz , Ross Douglas , Dubois Luc , Fortin Dalilah , Palma David A. , Nichols Anthony C.
Published: January 2022

1.1 Introduction: Malignant triton tumours (MTTs) are a rare and aggressive subset of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumours (MPNSTs). A systematic review was conducted to better understand the prognosis and prognostic factors of MTTs in adult patients, and provide treatment guidance for clinicians encountering this rare tumour. 1.2 Methods: A PubMed search was conducted using keywords: “rhabdomyoblastic,” “rhabdomyosarcomatous,” “triton,” “case series” and “case report”. Reference list search was also completed. Two independent investigators completed abstract and full-text reviews. Articles were restricted to peer-reviewed articles in English language only containing adult MTT cases (≥ 18 years), and excluding articles with insufficient treatment/outcome data. Univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression was performed to identify significant predictors of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). 1.3 Results: A total of 123 cases from the literature and 1 case from our institution were included in the final analysis. The 2-year and 5-year OS was 46.2% and 32.2%, and the 2-year and 5-year PFS was 27.1% and 21.3%, respectively. On multivariable analysis for OS, prior radiation exposure (hazard ratio [HR]: 3.99, p = 0.027), central nervous system or spine disease site (HR: 5.86, p < 0.001) and positive neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) status (HR: 3.42, p < 0.001) were associated with worse survival. Adjuvant radiotherapy (HR: 0.58, p = 0.038) was associated with improved survival. Positive NF1 status (HR: 2.34, p < 0.001) and positive margins (HR: 3.28, p < 0.001) were associated with worse PFS. 1.4 Conclusions: MTTs are rare and have poor long-term survival. Negative surgical margins and adjuvant radiation were found to be associated with improved outcomes.
Functional Connectivity Disturbances of the Locus Coeruleus in Chronic Insomnia Disorder
Authors: Li Chunlong , Ma Xiaofen , Liu Yuexia , Yang Ning , Lan Zhihong , Huang Shumei , Wu Yunfan , Jiang Guihua
Published: January 2022

In recent years, people have gained a profound understanding of chronic insomnia disorder (CID), but the pathophysiological mechanism of CID is still unclear. There is some evidence that the locus coeruleus (LC) is involved in the regulation of wakefulness in CID, but there have been few studies using brain functional imaging. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the resting-state functional connectivity (FC) between the LC and other brain voxels in CID and whether these abnormal FC are involved in the regulation of wakefulness. A total of 49 patients with chronic insomnia disorder and 47 healthy controls (HC) matched for gender, age, and education were examined with rs-fMRI in this study. The LC was selected as the region of interest, and then seed-based analysis was conducted on the LC and other voxels to obtain the brain regions with abnormal FC. The correlation between the FC value of the abnormal connection area and the clinical scale score was analyzed. Compared with the HC, the FC between the LC and right precuneus, right posterior cingulate cortex, left middle temporal gyrus, left calcarine, and right superior orbitofrontal cortex was significantly enhanced (p < 0.05, FDR correction), and the functional connectivity signal value between the locus coeruleus and left middle temporal gyrus was positively correlated with the Self-Rating Depression Scale (p = 0.021).The abnormal FC between the LC and multiple brain regions may contribute to a better understanding of the neurobiological mechanism of CID.
A novel MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry sample preparation strategy for improved proteomic biotyping of clinically significant Mycobacteria
Authors: Pillay Melendhran , Myende Siyanda , Krishna Suresh Babu Naidu , Green Ezekiel , Govender Patrick
Published: January 2022

A precise routine method is essential for the rapid identification of pathogenic mycobacterial species to support our publicly maintained health care management systems to efficiently treat and control and emerging tuberculosis pandemic that is threatening populations of global third world economies. To date, many conventional and more recently developed molecular genotyping methods are employed to this end. However, current technologies are limited in respect in that they are time consuming nature and dependent on highly skilled technical personnel expertise. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has been recently reported as reliable, economical, and highly efficient method for both bacteria, yeast and to a limited extent for mycobacterial strain identification. Unlike other microbes, a major impediment exists in the efficient extraction of cellular proteins from mycobacteria, especially due to their complex cell wall associated lipid structure. In this study, the manufacturer prescribed mycobacterial sample preparation method for MALDI TOF MS is modified and optimised to generate more efficient cellular protein extraction for efficient biotyping. In this regard, the newly developed sample preparation method is inclusive of a glass bead cellular disruption/delipidation followed by a chloroform-methanol solvent extraction event. Interestingly, the data from this locally based study shows that newly developed method generates unique and highly reproducible mass spectra profiles. A new and independent main spectral profile reference library (CMEFA-MSP) representing clinically relevant American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) mycobacterial strains and clinical isolates was established and subsequently used to unequivocally identify 110 (n = 100) blind-coded clinical mycobacterial isolates to the species level that displayed log score values of ≥2.3. This strongly suggests that MALDI-TOF MS when used in conjunction with the CMEFA sample preparation protocol has potential as a simple and cost-effective alternative for the unambiguous identification of clinically important mycobacteria.
Performance Evaluation of IRI-Plas 2017 model with Ionosonde Data Measurements of Ionospheric Parameters
Authors: Lake Endeshaw , Seyoum Alene
Published: January 2022

This study presents the performance evaluation of International Reference Ionosphere extended to the plasmasphere (IRI-Plas 2017) model from the Addis Ababa ionosonde station, Ethiopia ionospheric parameters measurement with geographic latitude 9.00o N and longitude 38.70o E; geomagnetic latitude 0.16, geomagnetic longitude 110.44) in selected days of the year 2014. During comparison, hourly and day-to-day variability of ionospheric parameters of the electron density profile, peak electron density (NmF2), peak height (hmF2) and critical frequency (foF2) measurements are consider. In the evaluation of the IRI-Plas 2017 model with the ionosonde data, the percentage deviation and the correlation coefficient (R) is used as the measure of the performance of the IRI-Plas 2017 model. The overall results, show that the IRI-Plas 2017 model mostly overestimates in most altitudes and hours of electron density measurements. The IRI-Plas 2017 model has a good agreement with the ionosonde electron density measurement from 100 km to 200 km altitude and mostly during in between 0:00-06:00 UT and 12:00-18:00 UT hours, while the model biases in other altitudes and hours with overestimate or underestimate in the ionosonde electron density measurements. The IRI-Plas 2017 model has a good correlation during after midnight and around midday hours with about ±2 percentage deviation from the ionosonde electron density measurement. The model has high percentage deviation value of electron density measurements mostly in between altitudes from 200 km to 450 km and during early nighttime and before midnight hours. The IRI-Plas 2017 model measurements of the NmF2, hmF2 and foF2 mostly underestimates from the ionosonde data during the night-time (18:00 UT- 06:00 UT) and overestimates during day-time (06:00 UT-18:00 UT). The IRI-Plas 2017 model measurement of the foF2 values are in a good agreement with the ionosonde result than in hmF2 and NmF2 and the model measurement of the NmF2 values are closer than hmF2.
Spatial and Temporal Variability of Key Bio-Temperature Indicators and their Effects on Vegetation Dynamics in the Great Lakes Region of Central Asia
Authors: Gao Xuan , Zhao Dongsheng , Liu Lei
Published: January 2022

Dryland ecosystems are fragile to climate change due to harsh environmental condition. Climate change affects vegetation growth primarily by altering some key bio-temperature thresholds. Key bio-temperatures are closely related to vegetation growth, and slight changes could produce substantial effects on ecosystem structure and function. Therefore, this study selected the number of days with daily mean temperature above 0 °C (DT0), 5 °C (DT5), 10 °C (DT10), 20 °C (DT20), the start of growing season (SGS), the end of growing season (EGS), and the length of growing season (LGS) as bio-temperature indicators to analyze the response of vegetation dynamics to climate change in the Great Lakes Region of Central Asia (GLRCA) for the period 1982–2014. On the regional scale, DT0, DT5, DT10, and DT20 exhibited an overall increasing trend. Spatially, most of the study area showed that the negative correlation between DT0, DT5, DT10, DT20 with annual NDVI increased with increasing bio-temperature thresholds. Especially, more than 88.3% of the study area showed a negative correlation between annual NDVI and DT20, as increased DT20 exacerbated ecosystem drought. Moreover, SGS exhibited insignificantly advanced trend, and EGS experienced a significantly delayed trend. The overall extending trend in LGS was mainly attributed to the delayed EGS. Besides, our study revealed that about 54.7% of the study area showed a negative correlation between annual NDVI and LGS, especially in the north, indicating a negative effect of climate warming on vegetation growth in the drylands. The results of this study will help assess the stability of vegetation to climate variability, and predict the response of vegetation to future climate change in the GLRCA.
Fat Mass and Obesity–Associated Protein Promotes Liver Steatosis By Targeting PPARα
Authors: Wei Xiaohui , Zhang Jielei , Tang Min , Wang Xuejiao , Fan Nengguang , Peng Yongde
Published: January 2022

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease worldwide. The fat mass and obesity–associated protein (FTO) has been shown to be involved in obesity; however, its role in NAFLD and the underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown. Methods: FTO expression was first examined in the livers of patients with NAFLD and animal and cellular models of NAFLD by real-time PCR and Western blotting. Next, its role in lipid accumulation in hepatocytes was assessed both in vitro and in vivo via gene overexpression and knockdown studies. Results: FTO expression was obviously elevated in the livers of mice and humans with hepatic steatosis, probably due to its decreased ubiquitination. FTO overexpression in HepG2 cells induced triglyceride accumulation, whereas FTO knockdown exerted an opposing effect. Consistent with the findings of in vitro studies, adeno-associated viruses 8 (AAV8)-mediated FTO overexpression in the liver promoted hepatic steatosis in C57BL/6J mice. Mechanistically, FTO inhibited the mRNA of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) in hepatocytes. Activation of PPARα by the its agonist GW7647 reversed lipid accumulation in hepatocytes induced by FTO overexpression.Conclusions: Overall, FTO expression is increased in NAFLD, and it promotes hepatic steatosis by targeting PPARα.
Application of Deep Learning Technology in Glioma for Healthcare Applications
Authors: Hoang Doan T.
Published: January 2022

Glioma is the most common primary brain tumor, and it's extremely dangerous for the patient's health. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) based glioma segmentation is an important tool for doctors to use when examining, analyzing, and diagnosing glioma's outward appearance both for the indoor and outdoor patients. Among other methods, deep learning-based glioma segmentation is the most widely used in literature. Therefore, in this paper, we have proposed glioma segmentation methods which is primarily based on deep learning more specifically convolution neural networks. A DM-DA-based cascade method for glioma segmentation based on 2DResUnet is proposed to address the problem of insufficient 3D spatial information acquisition in 2D full convolutional networks and the memory consumption problem of 3D full convolutional networks. Use of multiple-scale fusion mechanisms, DenseBlock, Attention, and multi-scale convolutional networks to segment gliomas at different stages and fixed region sampling to reduce the model's three-dimensionality in the Unet model using the glioma image's multi-sequence information, the convolutional network can better segment the tumor by using less memory. Use the BraTS18 data set for local five-fold cross-validation, and use the BraTS17 data set for official online evaluation. The evaluation results show that the average Dice Score of the edema, core and enhancement areas of the glioma segmentation results on the BraTS17 validation set by DM-DA-Unet achieves higher performance. The average sensitivity is also high, which is close to the best model segmentation effect on the BraTS17 validation set, and can accurately segment gliomas.
Comparisons of Watershed Delineation of River Network Representation and Morphometric Analysis in Karnaphuli River Basin, Chittagong, Bangladesh: A study with Different Digital Elevation Model (DEM)
Authors: Roy Sujit Kumar , Chowdhury Md. Arif , Talukdar Swapan , Billah Md Mostaim , Banik Anik Chandra , Mallick Javed
Published: January 2022

The present study aimed to delineate robust watershed boundary and extract its morphometric parameters in Karnaphuli watershed, Bangladesh using different types of digital elevation models (DEMs). Two DEMs, such as Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM) and the Terra Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER), were utilized to delineate watershed boundary and evaluate several morphometric characteristics. From the findings, it is revealed that there is a visual difference between the data sets as ASTER has a larger watershed area than SRTM. Also, regarding stream order, there are actually 1 to 6 orders of stream, so there are so many small, medium and main channels of the river, where the drainage density for SRTM (spatial resolution: 30m) and ASTER (spatial resolution: 30m) is 0.52 km/km2 and 0.51 km/km2. The bifurcation ratio ranges from 1.94 and 2.45 for SRTM and ASTER, respectively, representing the influence of geological structure as well as suffering more structural disturbances. The form factor denotes the study area's elongated shape. The entire dimension of the stream and the extent of the watershed imply that the mean annual rainfall discharge is moderate. The watershed has rather high denudation rates, according to the basin relief. The watershed's drainage density is low, demonstrating that infiltration is more important. This study may help policymakers to take decisions on the Karnaphuli River on conservation of the river stream and flow path, which will ultimately enrich the river ecology and other vegetation cover in Chittagong, Bangladesh.
The Conformational Impact of Eliminating the C-Terminal Peptide Extension from IMPDH1-604 Retinal Isoform Via Experimental and Molecular Dynamics Simulation Approaches
Authors: Ebli Parisa Elyasi , Yazdanparast Razieh , Gharaghani Sajjad
Published: January 2022

Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), blindness with acquired and hereditary origins, includes 2 percent of global cases of blindness. RP10, a gene involved in autosomal dominant form of the RP, encodes for isoform 1 of inosine 5'-monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH1). IMPDH1, the rate-limiting enzyme in the purine nucleotide de novo synthesis pathway, retinal isoforms are identified as the root cause of observing diverse phenotypes of IMPDH1 mutations in other tissue cells in comparison to the retinal photoreceptors. Considering previously reported significant varied kinetic activity among retinal isoforms, the central focus of the current article is prediction of possible structural explanations. The recombinant 604-isoform lacking carboxyl terminus peptide fragment has been used in proteolytic digestion with α-Chymotrypsin as a means of detecting intermolecular interactions. Dimer models of wild type 604-isoform were subjected to Molecular dynamics simulation. Our results indicated that a 604-isoform lacking C-terminal peptide tends to have a more accessible surface and thus a more rapid proteolysis. Our computational data predict a possible spontaneous inhibition due to formation of a novel helix in GTP binding site in the engineered protein.
A Decision Support System for Preclinical Assessment of Nanomaterials in Medical Products: The REFINE DSS
Authors: Zabeo Alex , Rosada Fabio , Pizzol Lisa , Caputo Fanny , Borgos Sven Even , Parot Jeremie , Geertsma Robert E , Pouw Joost Jacob , Vandebriel Rob J , Moreno Oihane Ibarrola , Hristozov Danail
Published: January 2022

The application of nanomaterials in medicine has led to novel pharmaceuticals and medical devices that have demonstrated a strong potential for increasing the efficacy/performance and safety of therapeutic and diagnostic procedures to address a wide range of diseases. However, the successful translation of these technologies from their inception (proof-of-concept) to clinical practice has been challenged by substantial gaps in the scientific and technical capacity of R&D companies, especially SMEs, to keep up with the ever-evolving regulatory expectations in the emerging area of nanomedicine. To address these challenges, the EU Horizon 2020 project REFINE has developed a Decision Support System (DSS) to support developers of nanotechnology-enabled health products in bringing their products to the clinic. The REFINE DSS has been developed to support experts, innovators and regulators in the implementation of Intelligent Testing Strategies (ITS) for efficient preclinical assessment of nanotechnology-enabled health products. The DSS applies logical rules provided by REFINE experts which generate prioritized lists of assays to be performed (i.e. ITSs) for physicochemical characterisation and for immunotoxicological endpoints. The DSS has been tested against several case studies and was validated by internal project experts as well as external ones.