bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of Active and Passive Evidence-Based Practice Training for Postgraduate Medical Residents: A Non-Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Goodarzi Hassan , Teymourzadeh Ehsan , Rahimi Siyavash , Nasiri Taha
Published: April 2021

ObjectiveThis study examined the effects of two evidence-based practice (EBP) educational programs for postgraduate medical residents on their attitude, behavior, knowledge, outcome, and competencies in EBP. ResultsThirty-nine and thirty postgraduate medical residents were recruited for the active intervention and passive intervention groups. 66.6% of the active group participants and 66.6% of participants in the passive group were males (p>0.05). Participants in the active group were significantly younger than the passive group (p<0.0001). The active and passive intervention groups were not significantly different from each other at the baseline in the EBP-KABQ questionnaire (p>0.05). However, most questions were significantly different from the pre-intervention measurement and the passive intervention group after the educational intervention. Before the educational intervention, both groups had similar ACE tool scores (4.14 ± 1.72 in the active group vs. 4.79 ± 0.94 in the passive group, p>0.05). However, educational intervention in both groups led to a significant difference between groups (8.86 ± 2.62 vs. 7.31 ± 2.92, p= 0.029, in the active and passive group, respectively). Paired t-test analysis revealed that our intervention has lead to a significant increase in ACE tool scores in both groups (p<0.000, in both groups).
Sonogames: Sounds of the Right Kind; Introducing Gamification Into Radiology Training
Authors: Ali Maria Fatima , Nadeem Naila , Khalid Farah , Anwar Naveed Muhammad , Nabie Ghulam , Docherty Charles
Published: April 2021

ObjectiveRadiology as compared to other fields of medicine has lagged, in incorporating modern training modalities such as gamification and simulation into its teaching curriculum. This study aims to evaluate effectiveness of simulation-based teaching (SBT) in collaboration with gamification. Albert Bandura's conception of self-efficacy was used to provide qualitative assessment of participants' learning process through training event. Modified competitive game-based teaching methodology was utilized. Workshop was divided into two sessions, first being three interactive didactic lectures followed by three competitive rounds. All participants were required to fill a self-administered pre- and post-self-efficacy questionnaire along with an activity evaluation form. ResultsSelf-efficacy scores for simulation-based stations for knowledge assessment and hands-on stations showed a significant p-value <0.05. Whereas significant association with respect to gender and knowledge assessment was found in communication skill (0.054), Professionalism (0.004), and general knowledge (0.018). Significant association was found between gender and all the hands-on skills. In conclusion, study reported an overall increase in knowledge of post-test scores compared to pre-test scores. Use of gamification in combination with SBT shows a positive role in clinical training. However, this field needs further consideration to better the process of integrating simulation in clinical training of participants.
Gastrointestinal perforation following dabrafenib and trametinib administration in non-small cell lung carcinoma with BRAF V600E mutation: a case report and literature review
Authors: Shimada Yuri , Sato Yuki , Tachikawa Ryo , Hara Shigeo , Tomii Keisuke
Published: April 2021

Gastrointestinal perforation related to mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitors has been reported previously; however, there has been no case report of such a condition in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Herein, we report a case of small intestinal perforation secondary to dabrafenib and trametinib administration, but not related to tumor regression. A 62-year-old man with non-small cell lung cancer harboring BRAF V600E mutation was treated with dabrafenib and trametinib. Four months after the initiation of treatment, a small intestinal perforation was diagnosed. Dabrafenib and trametinib rechallenge was performed after gastrointestinal perforation. The patient responded well to therapy and did not experience recurrence of gastrointestinal perforation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of gastrointestinal perforation in a patient with NSCLC treated with a MEK inhibitor. The mechanism and risk factors of trametinib-induced perforation are currently unknown. Physicians should be aware of such severe gastrointestinal side effects of trametinib.
Continuous Low-Intensity Ultrasound Preserves Mitochondrial Potential, Inhibits NFκB Activation and Rescues Chondrogenesis of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells
Authors: Bhogoju Sarayu , Khan Shahid , Wang Denzhi , Subramanian Anuradha
Published: April 2021

Objective: Dysregulation of the anabolic processes in a proinflammatory joint environment coupled with impeded chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) led to inferior cartilage repair outcomes. The preponderance of proinflammatory cytokines activated nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) and impeded the chondrogenesis of MSCs. Thus, strategies that minimize the deleterious effects of activated NFκB while promoting MSC chondrogenesis are of interest. The present study establishes the ability of continuous low-intensity ultrasound (cLIUS) to rescue MSC chondrogenesis impacted by a proinflammatory environment. Methods: Human bone marrow-derived MSCs were seeded in alginate:collagen hydrogels and cultured for 21-days in an ultrasound-assisted bioreactor 14 kPa (5.0 MHz, 2.5 Vpp; 4-applications/day) for 21 days in the presence of IL1β and evaluated by qRT-PCR (n=10), immunofluorescence (n=15), western blotting (WB) (n=6), and immunohistochemistry (n=3). The differential expression of markers associated with NFκB pathway under cLIUS were evaluated upon a single exposure of cLIUS and assayed by qRT-PCR (n=3), immunofluorescence (n=30-60), WB (n=6) and tetramethylrhodamine methyl ester assay (n=50) was used to assess the mitochondrial potential under IL1β and cLIUS treatment.Results: Chondroinductive potential of cLIUS was preserved as noted by the increased expression of SOX9 and deposition of collagen II. cLIUS extended its chondroprotective effects by stabilizing the NFκB complex in the cytoplasm via engaging the IκBα feedback mechanism, thus preventing its nuclear translocation. cLIUS acted as a mitochondrial protective agent by restoring the mitochondrial potential and the mitochondrial mRNA expression in a proinflammatory environment. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated the potential of cLIUS for cartilage repair and regeneration under proinflammatory conditions.
Effect of Textile-Substrate Pore Size on Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Performance of Conductive Nanocomposite Coated Fabrics
Authors: Hou Yijie , Guo Min , Li Xiangpeng , Duan Minghan , Jia Yongtang , Yan Jianhua , Wang Xianfeng , MA Ying
Published: April 2021

Textile-substrate electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials show great promise for next-generation electronic communication technology challenges. However, new strategies based on structure optimization are desired for improving EMI shielding performance. Here, we demonstrate the controlling effect of fabric structure on the shielding effectiveness of the EMI fabrics. Plain fabrics with different fabric densities were weaved and used as the substrate to be layer-by-layer assembled by graphite oxide (GO) and polypyrrole (PPy). The conductive GO/PPy nanocomposite coating endows commercial cotton fabrics with an EMI shielding ability. In comparison, the EMI shielding effectiveness of the GO/PPy fabrics is depended on the fabric density, that is, the pore size. The EMI shielding effectiveness of the 100 × 100 picks/ 10cm coated fabric was 19.2 dB in 3.9−6.0 GHz frequency range, which is increased by about 71% through the control of the textile-substrate pore size. Interestingly, the EMI shielding effectiveness always peaks at the fabric density of 100 × 100 picks/ 10cm, different from the electrical conductivity. Moreover, the sueding treatment can further improve the EMI shielding effectiveness of the GO/PPy coated fabrics. It is because that the creation of plush increases the multi-reflection of electromagnetic waves in the fabric. This work presents the significance of fabric structure to EMI shielding performance, offering new opportunities for the development of high efficiency EMI shielding fabrics.
Proteomics of the radioresistant phenotype in H1299 cells: SLC2A1 as a radiosensitivity marker
Authors: Xie Xiaoling , Li Yang , Liu Zhiwu , Tang Yan
Published: April 2021

Background: Radiotherapy is a main method for the treatment of malignant tumors. However, radiation resistance of tumor cells is the main reason for poor prognosis. The purpose of this study was to screen the differentially expressed protein (DEP), and its key protein related to radiation resistance in photon-resistant lung adenocarcinoma cell line H1299. Methods: In this study, we investigated the cell viability and colony formation were examined to evaluate the potent proliferation-inhibiting effect of photo therapy on the H1299 cells. Flow cytometry was used to detect apoptosis. Further we selected the appropriate irradiation dose after photon irradiation of radioresistant cell H1299 for screening and validation of radioresistance-related DEPs by proteomic analysis. Furthermore, we also studied the SLC2A1 and irradiation sensitivity potential. Results: The results showed a dose‑dependent decrease of viable cell percentage following high dose of exposure (at dose of 8 and 10 Gy), and a prolonged the prolongation of H1299 cell cycle arrest, induced apoptosis. Proteomic analysis using iTRAQ revealed a total of 46 DEPs were identified including 30 up-regulated and 16 down-regulated DEPs in inhibition. Western blotting validated the respective changes in protein expression. DEPs were significantly associated with five-year survival in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. In addition, after knocking down SLC2A1, it was found that 4Gy radiation could significantly inhibit the proliferation of H1299 cells and regulate G2 phase arrest of cell cycle by down-regulating Cdk2. Conclusions: These findings suggest the ITGA6,EIF4G1 and SLC2A1 protein is closely related to radiation resistance of lung adenocarcinoma, and SLC2A1 expression is significantly related to patient survival, so it can increase the sensitivity of H1299 cells to photon rays.
Macroporous cellulose/carbon nanotube microspheres prepared by surfactant micelles swelling strategy for rapid and high-capacity adsorption of bilirubin
Authors: Qiao Liangzhi , Du Kaifeng
Published: April 2021

It remains a formidable challenge to construct high-performance haemoperfusion adsorbents with fast adsorption kinetic and high adsorption capacity for efficiently removing bilirubin from human blood. In this work, we report a facile yet efficient strategy to manufacture lysine-modified macroporous cellulose/carbon nanotube microspheres (LMCMs) by surfactant micelles swelling strategy followed by modification with lysine. The macroporous structure not only provides wide channels for fast mass transfer, but also shortens the diffusion path into meso/micropores, increasing the accessibility of mesopores and micropores. The experimental results reveal that LMCMs can remove bilirubin with fast adsorption kinetic (> 90% of its equilibrium uptake within 2h) and high adsorption capacity of 338.14 mg/g. More importantly, the adsorbent can remove about 79% of bilirubin in rabbit serum, and the bilirubin concentration decreases from 213.36 mg/L to small than 45.78 mg/L within 2h, indicating a very appealing application prospect.
No signs of neuroinflammation in women with chronic fatigue syndrome or Q fever fatigue syndrome using the TSPO ligand [11C]-PK11195
Authors: Raijmakers Ruud , Roerink Megan E. , Keijmel Stephan P. , Joosten Leo A.B. , Netea Mihai G. , Meer Jos W.M. van der , Knoop Hans , Klein Hans C. , Bleeker-Rovers Chantal P. , Doorduin Janine
Published: April 2021

Background
The pathophysiology of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and Q fever fatigue syndrome (QFS) remains elusive. Recent data suggest a role for neuroinflammation as defined by increased expression of translocator protein (TSPO). In the present study we investigated neuroinflammation in female CFS and QFS patients compared with healthy women, using Positron Emission Tomography (PET) with the TSPO ligand [11C]-PK11195.
Methods
The study population consisted of CFS patients (n = 9), QFS patients (n = 10), and healthy controls (n = 9). All subjects were women, matched for age (± 5 years) and neighbourhood, between 18 and 59 years of age, who did not use any medication other than paracetamol or oral contraceptives, and were not vaccinated in the last six months. None of the subjects reported substance abuse in the past 3 months or reported signs of underlying psychiatric disease on the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). All subjects underwent a [11C]-PK11195 PET scan and the [11C]-PK11195 binding potential (BPND) was calculated.
Results
No statistically significant differences in BPND were found for CFS patients or QFS patients when compared to healthy controls. BPND of [11C]-PK11195 positively correlated with symptom severity scores in QFS patients, but a negative correlation was found in CFS patients.
Conclusions
In contrast to what was previously reported for CFS, we found no significant difference in BPND of [11C]-PK11195 when comparing CFS or QFS patients to healthy neighbourhood controls. In this small series we were unable to find signs of neuroinflammation in patients with CFS and QFS.
Trial registration
EudraCT number: 2014-004448-37
Identification of four linear B-cell epitopes on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein able to elicit neutralizing antibodiesIdentification of four linear B-cell epitopes on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein able to elicit neutralizing antibodies
Authors: Li Lin , Zhao Zhongpeng , Yang Xiaolan , Li Wendong , Chen Shaolong , Sun Ting , Wang Lu , He Yufei , Liu Guang , Han Xiaohan , Wen Hao , Liu Yong , Chen Yifan , Wang Haoyu , Li Jing , Su Zhongyi , Du Chen , Wang Yiting , Li Ziyi , Yang Zeqian , Li Min , Wang Tiecheng , Wang Ying , Fan Yubo , Wang Hui , Zhang Jing
Published: April 2021

SARS-CoV-2 unprecedentedly threatens the public health at worldwide level. There is an urgent need to develop an effective vaccine within a highly accelerated time. Here, we present the most comprehensive S-protein-based linear B-cell epitope candidate list by combining epitopes predicted by eight widely-used immune-informatics methods with the epitopes curated from literature published between Feb 6, 2020 and July 10, 2020. We find four top prioritized linear B-cell epitopes in the hotspot regions of S protein can specifically bind with pooled serum antibodies from horses, mice, and monkeys inoculated with different SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidates or five patients recovering from COVID-19. The four linear B-cell epitopes can induce neutralizing antibodies against both pseudo and live SARS-CoV-2 virus in immunized wild-type BALB/c mice. This study suggests that the four linear B-cell epitopes are potentially important candidates for serological assay or vaccine development.
Quantitative experiments about falling and rebounding bodies of different shapes in view of Newton’s Third Law of Motion.
Authors: Sharma Ajay
Published: April 2021

Newton stated third law of motion in the Principia implies that action and reaction are always equal and opposite in all possible cases (i.e. universally). The action and reaction occur in pairs simultaneously and inherently. In the Principia Newton gave examples to elaborate statement of the law expressing action and reaction in terms of push or pull (force). In the current physics the action and reaction as such are not regarded as physical quantities because units and dimensions are not assigned to action and reaction directly. Practically Newton initiated physics (without mathematical equations) separating it from natural philosophy. Here very sensitive aspect of the law is elaborated. In experiments we may have bodies of different materials such as wool, wood, cloth, spring, steel, rubber, clay, kneaded flour, chewing gum, sponge, typical plastic, porous material, air / fluid filled artifact, etc. The intrinsic characteristics of various bodies (inherent composition, nature, flexibility, elasticity, plasticity, rigidity, magnitude, size, distinctiveness of interacting bodies or mode of interactions, and other relevant factors like surfaces on which bodies interact.) may be different. Likewise, bodies may have different shapes (spherical, semi-spherical, umbrella shaped, triangular, square, cone, long pipe, flat, irregular or any possible shape). It has to be verified in all cases specifically. Newton has not mentioned about characteristics of target. The third law must be specifically confirmed in various simple experiments with the latest technological equipment. The quantitative nature of falling and rebounding bodies (preferably in vacuum) must be studied. In some qualitative observations the shape of bodies appears to be a significant factor. So, the law has been theoretically modified as reaction is proportional to action i.e. Reaction =- Q Action, where Q is coefficient of proportionality (accounts for shape of body and other factors which are not accounted for original form of the law). The effect of shape is equally applicable in one dimensional elastic collision. The collisions are theoretically studied but in typical experiments, shape of bodies play significant role. In 2016 in EM Drive experiments some deviations have been reported by NASA from third law, but the results are still inconclusive. Thus, the proposed experiments may lead to significant results in Newtonian Mechanics.
A Novel Non-Collision Paths Planning Strategy For Multi-Manipulator Cooperate Manufacturing System
Authors: Su Chang , Jianfeng Xu
Published: April 2021

Analogy to the definition of Human-robot Interaction (HRI), the case of multiple manipulators with shared workspace, non-simultaneous manufacturing tasks and separate objects is named as multi-manipulator cooperation, which is becoming more widely employed in modern industrial manufacturing system and requiring non-collision path planning as a key issue in terms of safety and efficiency. In this paper, a novel method called Sampling based Position Space Map Search (SbPSMS) method which combines the map search method with the time-sampling based method will be proposed, including a minimum distance prediction method based on PSO-BP neural network for collision detection and two candidate position determination methods for search map establishing of all manipulators. After the specific search map simplification process, the local path fragments during each sampling time interval can be determined via cost function, which will be glued together to generate the final collision-free paths. The simulation results not only show that the PSO-BP hybrid algorithm has more accurate of nearly 2mm than the standard BP neural network in minimum distance prediction, but also demonstrated that our proposal can successfully achieve collision avoidance of dual manipulators system whilst meeting the real-time requirements for multi-manipulator cooperate assembling scenarios. The further satisfactory simulation results of triple manipulators suggesting our algorithm can be extended to applications of multiple manipulators cooperate manufacturing.
Ligand-Induced and -Independent Internalization of the Chemerin Receptor GPR1
Authors: Fischer Tobias F. , Czerniak Anne S. , Weiß Tina , Schoeder Clara T. , Wolf Philipp , Seitz Oliver , Meiler Jens , Beck-Sickinger Annette G
Published: April 2021

1. Tight regulation of cytokines is essential for the initiation and resolution of inflammation. Chemerin, a mediator of innate immunity, mainly acts on chemokine-like receptor 1 (CMKLR1) to induce the migration of macrophages and dendritic cells. The role of the second chemerin receptor, G protein-coupled receptor 1 (GPR1), is still unclear. Here we demonstrate that GPR1 shows ligand-induced arrestin3 recruitment and internalization. The chemerin C-terminus triggers this activation by folding into a loop structure, binding to aromatic residues in the extracellular loops of GPR1. While this overall binding mode is shared between GPR1 and CMKLR1, differences in their respective extracellular loop 2 allowed for the design of the first GPR1-selective peptide. However, our results suggest that ligand-induced arrestin recruitment is not the only mode of action of GPR1. This receptor also displays constitutive internalization and recycling, which allows GPR1 to internalize inactive peptides efficiently by an activation-independent pathway. Our results demonstrate that GPR1 takes a dual role in regulating chemerin activity: As a signaling receptor for arrestin-based signaling on one hand, and as a scavenging receptor with broader ligand specificity on the other.
Transcriptomic analysis and Novel gene pair-based signatures for Hepatitis B-related hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Song Biao , Wang Yulin , Mo Shaocong
Published: April 2021

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) misses the opportunity for surgery because it is not detected early. The molecular mechanism of hepatitis B-related liver cancer needs further understanding, and effective diagnostic and prognostic models are in urgent need. Methods: Expression profiles from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma (LIHC), GSE121248, GSE94660 GSE76724 from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database were obtained. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between normal and tumor HBV-related HCC samples based on GSE121248 and GSE94660. Gene pairs are generated by comparing the expression levels of every two DEGs. A diagnostic signature of pairs of DEGs was built using cross-validation Lasso and Best Subset Selection regression. Hub genes and significant modules were screened by Cytoscape, and potential drugs were predicted by DGIdb. A prognostic signature was established and xCell and ssGSEA were utilized to reveal the cell composition and cancer hallmarks to get an elucidation for the risk.Results: 457 DEGs were screened. A powerful diagnostic signature of 2 pairs of DEGs was built and validated in TCGA-LIHC and GEO datasets repeatedly with assured performance. 10 Hub genes were found and fostamatinib was predicted to have potential therapeutic effect on HBV-related HCC. A prognostic signature with good efficiency (Log-rank P value<0.05, AUC=93.1%) were established, with stromal score and several hallmarks related to the risk Conclusion: Taken together, the study provided sight into the molecular mechanism as well as a novel strategy for the early diagnosis and prognosis for HBV-related HCC.
The stem anatomy of the Clematis species (Ranunculaceae) in Taiwan
Authors: Yang Sheng-Zehn , Chen Po-Hao , Chen Chien-Fan
Published: April 2021

Background

Studies on the stem anatomical characteristics of Taiwanese species from the Clematis genus (Ranunculaceae) are scarce. This study aimed to investigate and compare the patterns of secondary growth in stems of 22 Clematis species.
Results

The rhytidome is composed of periderm and non-conducting phloem and formed either cogwheel-like or continuous segment bark. Key features of the genus were stem with an irregular conformation, wedge-like phloem and rays, indentations in the axial parenchyma, ray dilatation, and narrow rays. Approximately eight Clematis species formed bark arc shape, which developed the cogwheel- like rhytidome. There were with approximately 27% of the Clematis species in Taiwan having 12 vascular bundles. The vessels dispersed throughout the stem were semi-ring-porous in most species but were ring-porous in others. No species had diffuse-porous vessels. The vessel restriction pattern was only found in the two shrubs, C. psilandra and C. tsugetorum. The primary xylem ring was located around the pith in C. uncinata var. uncinata, making its pith cavity hexagon in shape. Four species had the pith cavity feature. Narrow rays that occurred in the secondary xylem increased with increasing stem diameter.
Conclusions

The cambial variants described in this study provide a foundation for further morphological studies of the Clematis genus.
Sulfated modification and anti-HIV activity evaluation of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides
Authors: Zhao Yanping , Wang Hongjun , Tian Nana , Wang Huiqin , Yan Hong
Published: April 2021

BACKGROUND: Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBPs) belong to a very important class of biological macromolecules from Lycium barbarum berries in nature, and have received much attention due to their various biological activities. Since sulfated polysaccharides have antiviral activity in vitro, there is no published research on the sulfated modification of LBPs. RESULTS: The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of sulfated modification of LBPs and their potential application in inhibiting HIV-1. The LBPs with different molecular weight were prepared by fractional precipitation from crude LBP through aqueous extraction, ethanol precipitation and deproteinization. The purified LBPs (G1, G2 and G3) were sulfated by chlorosulfonic acid pyridine method to give rise to the sulfated LBPs (G1S1-G1S4, G2S1-G2S4 and G3S1-G3S4) with different degrees of substitution. The anti-HIV-1activities were evaluated by TD50 of the cytotoxicity and IC50 of inhibitory activity using the CCK-8 and Magi test with Azidothymidine (AZT) as positive control. The results showed that LBPs and sulfated LBPs showed non-toxicity with the TD50 >100 μg/mL. Compared with the LBPs, the inhibition of anti-HIV-1 activity of sulfated LBPs was increased significantly with the IC50 value from 0.0924-0.1206 μg/mL to 0.0206-0.0722 μg/mL. The G1S4 (Mw=2.13×104 Da and DS=1.12) showed excellent anti-HIV-1 activity with the IC50 value near to that of AZT (0.0200μg/mL), which would make it possible to become a candidate compound with anti-HIV-1 activity.CONCLUSION: The outcome of the study indicated that sulfated modification of LBPs was feasible and sulfated LBPs had good potential as an anti-HIV drug.
Novel insight into Potential Leishmanicidal Activities of Transdermal Patches of Nigella Sativa: Formulation Development, Physical Characterizations and In vitro In vivo Assays
Authors: Khan Barkat Ali , Asmat Yasmin , Khan Tariq Hayat , Qayum Mughal , Alshahrani Sultan Muhammad , Alqahtani Ali , Khan Muhammad Khalid
Published: April 2021

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) is the most common type of Leishmaniasis which annually affects 1.5 million people worldwide. About 90% of cases are reported from countries such as Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. The purpose of the present study was to fabricate transdermal patches of Nigella sativa (NS), characterize and to check its in vitro in vivo anti-Lieshmanial activity. Hydroalcohlic extract was analyzed for preliminary phytochemicals. Five formulations of transdermal patches (NS1, NS2, NS3, NS4 and NS5) were prepared by solvent evaporation method. The optimized formulation NS5 was characterized for FTIR, smoothness, brittleness, clarity, thickness, folding endurance, uniformity of weight, percent moisture content, in-vitro drug release, release kinetics, ex vivo drug permeation and in-vitro anti-Lieshmanial activity. In vivo anti-Lieshmanial activity was assessed in 30 patients (n = 30) suffering from CL. The FTIR studies showed no incompatibility among the active extract and polymers. In vitro anti-Lieshmanial assay was 194.6 ± 1.88 % as compared to standard drug (p > 0.05) and in vivo anti-Lieshmanial activity was 75 %. The drug release after 24 hours was 87.0 ± 0.94% in NS5 which showed non-Fickian diffusion mechanism while drug permeation across rabbit skin after 24 hours was up to 80.0 ± 0.91%. The results concluded that problems related to the medications parenterally used for Lieshmanial treatment can be managed by applying extract of Nigella sativa seeds in the form of transdermal patch.
An examination of extreme floods, effects on land-use change and seasonality in the Lower St. Johns River Basin, Florida using HSPF and statistical methods
Authors: Kovalenko Samantha , Brown Christopher James , Akan Cigdem , Schonning Alexandra
Published: April 2021

As population growth and urbanization are steadily rising, the need for dependable flood estimation techniques is crucial. This study evaluates extreme flood events in select sub-basins of the Lower St. Johns River in Florida, USA. The study summarizes work of a recent thesis and combines that work with new research regarding the effect of urbanization on the natural hydrologic processes and flood magnitudes in the watershed. Additionally, the effects of varying seasonality into the hydrologic modeling procedure are also investigated. This research focuses on determining the 10-, 25-, 50-, and 100-year return frequency flood flows in Julington Creek, Ortega River, and Pablo Creek of the Lower St. Johns River Basin in Florida, USA. The major findings of this research indicate that by implementing a range of flood estimation methods one can better describe the inherent uncertainty with traditional estimates. Also, the research showed that varying seasonality in the hydrologic modeling procedure does not result in vast differences in the resulting flood estimates. However, various land-use scenarios may produce simulated flood flows of greater magnitude – especially when a more urbanized land-use scenario is modeled.
Dynamic restructuring of coordinatively unsaturated copper paddle wheel clusters drives CO2 reduction efficiently
Authors: Zhang Wei , Huang Chuqiang , Zhu Jiexin , Zhou Qiancheng , Yu Ruohan , Wang Yali , An Pengfei , Zhang Jing , Qiu Ming , Zhou Liang , Mai Liqiang , Yi Zhiguo , Yu Ying
Published: April 2021

Coordinatively unsaturated metal sites in metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) hold promises for improving activity and selectivity of catalyst. As the building unit of many MOFs, copper paddle-wheel (CPW) is of great interest to function as activity sites for CO2 reduction due to the ability of copper cations to attract and activate CO2 molecules. However, little is known about the real structure of these active sites for their dynamic structural changes under realistic operating conditions. Here, we apply to design defect metal−organic framework HKUST-1 with coordinatively unsaturated copper paddle wheel through a facile “atomized trimesic acid” strategy, reveal its dynamic behaviour during electrochemical reconstruction and prove its superior CO2 reduction activity. Through comprehensive analysis of various in situ spectroscopy characterizations, it is demonstrated that unsaturated copper paddle wheel clusters [CU-CPWC, Cu2(HCOO)3] are finally formed during electrochemical reconstruction and act as the real active sites. Mechanistic studies based on density functional theory calculations reveal that the higher d band center in CU-CPWC compared with that in CPW accelerates the electron transport from copper atoms to CO2 molecules, which can be exploited to improve the CO2 reduction performance.
Ascorbic Acid as an Adjunctive Therapy in Critically Ill Patients with COVID-19: A Multicenter Propensity Score Matched Study
Authors: Sulaiman Khalid Al , Juhani Ohoud Al , Salah Khalid Bin , Badreldin Hisham A. , Harthi Abdullah Al , Alenazi Mohammed , Alharbi Aisha , Algarni Rahmah , Harbi Shmeylan Al , Alhammad Abdullah , Vishwakarma Ramesh , Aldekhyl Sarah
Published: April 2021

Background: Ascorbic acid represents an appealing option for clinicians to utilize in the context of a global health pandemic of COVID-19 patients due to its proposed clinical efficacy, relative safety, and low cost.Objectives:The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of using ascorbic acid in supplemental dose as adjunctive therapy in critically ill patients with COVID-19. Methods: This was a multi-center, non-interventional, retrospective cohort study. All critically ill adult patients admitted to ICU with a confirmed COVID-19 between March 1st to December 31st, 2020 were included in the final analysis. The study was conducted at two large governmental tertiary hospitals in Saudi Arabia. The purpose was to investigate the association between clinical outcomes with ascorbic acid use as an adjunctive therapy in COVID-19 after propensity score matching using baseline severity scores, systemic use of corticosteroids and study centers. Results:A 739 patients were included in this study; 296 patients were included after propensity score matching. There was no association between the administration of ascorbic acid and in-hospital mortality nor 30-day ICU mortality (OR (95%CI): 0.77 (0.476, 1.234), p-value=0.2738 and OR (95%CI): 0.73 (0.438 ,1.204), p-value=0.215 respectively). Using ascorbic acid was associated with lower incidence of thrombosis compared with the non-ascorbic acid group (6.1% vs. 13% respectively); OR (95%CI): 0.42 (0.184, 0.937), p-value=0.0342).Conclusion:Supplemental dose of ascorbic acid as an adjunctive therapy in COVID19 critically ill patients was not associated with mortality benefits; but associated with lower incidence of thrombosis. Further studies are required to confirm these findings.
Expression Pattern of CircRNA in Naringin-induced Fate Dicision of BMSCs
Authors: Zhang Xuan , Liao Jian-zhao , Li Shi-bin , Zhou Yi , Chen Long-hao , Zhang Xiao-yun , Huang You-rong
Published: April 2021

Objective

To investigate the effect of Naringin (NG) on the differentiation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) in vitro.
Methods

BMSCs with different concentrations of NG were treated. The cell morphology, proliferation, toxicity analysis of each group, the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs, and the expressions of markers related to osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs, osteogenic marker protein and CircRNAs were observed by Cell Counting Kit-8(CCK-8)method, Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction༈RT-PCR༉ method, etc. We used Miranda to predict the microRNA targets of CircRNAs and the targets of CircRNA-miRNA interaction, and constructed a CircRNA-microRNA co-expression network by analyzing the correlation between differentially expressed CircRNAs and microRNAs. The diagram of CircRNA-microRNA network was created with Cytoscape.
Results

The research results showed that NG of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 200µg/mL played an important role in accelerating the proliferation of BMSCs in vitro. It is found that osteocalcin (OCN), Sp7 transcription factor(SP7) and runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) were significantly enhanced in mRNA and protein expression levels. Furthermore, 633 CircRNAs showed an upward trend of expression, while 762 CircRNAs showed a downward trend of expression. Compared to those in the control group, the expression level of CircTll 1 decreased significantly (P < 0.01), the expression level of CircFkbp5 increased (P < 0.05), and the expression level of Circzbtbl6-2 and CircCped1 increased significantly (P < 0.001). In addition, we analyzed the target mRNAs of miR-342-3p by GO and Panther pathways and found that Circ14046, Circ10410 and Circ7511 were not only closely related to calcium signaling pathway, but also to the regulation of actin cytoskeleton involved in cell growth and differentiation.
Conclusion

This paper confirmed that Circ14046, Circ10410 and Circ7511 were related to osteogenic differentiation. NG may induce osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs through Circ14046/Circ10410/Circ7511 targeting miRNA-mRNA axis.
GMP Production of 6- [18F] Fluoro-L-DOPA for PET/CT Imaging by Different Synthetic Routes: A Three Center Experience
Authors: Andersen Valdemar Lykke , Soerensen Mikkel Agerbaek , Dam Johan Hygum , Langkjaer Niels , Petersen Henrik , Bender Dirk Andreas , Fugloe Dan , Huynh Tri Hien Viet
Published: April 2021

Background: The radiofluorinated levodopa analogue 6-[18F]F-l-DOPA (3,4-dihydroxy-6-18F-l-phenylalanine) is a commonly employed radiotracer for PET/CT imaging of multiple oncological and neurological indications. An unusually large number of different radiosyntheses have been published to the point where two different Ph. Eur. monographs exist depending on whether the chemistry relies on electrophilic or nucleophilic radiosubstitution of appropriate chemical precursors. For new PET imaging sites wishing to adopt [18F]FDOPA into clinical practice, selecting the appropriate production process may be difficult and dependent on the clinical needs of the site. Methods: Data from four years of [18F]FDOPA production at three different clinical sites in Denmark are collected and compared. These three sites, Aarhus (AUH), Odense (OUH), and Herlev University Hospitals (HUH), produce the radiotracer by different radiosynthetic routes with AUH adopting an electrophilic strategy, while OUH and HUH employ two different nucleophilic approaches. Production failure rates, radiochemical yields, and molar activities are compared across sites and time. Additionally, the clinical use of the radiotracer over the time period considered at the different sites are presented and discussed.Results: The electrophilic substitution route suffers from being demanding in terms of cyclotron operation and maintenance. This challenge, however, was found to be compensated by a production failure rate significantly below that of both nucleophilic approaches; a result of simpler chemistry. The five-step nucleophilic approach employed at HUH produces superior radiochemical yields compared to the three-step approach adopted at OUH but suffers from the need for more comprehensive synthesis equipment given the multi-step nature of the procedure, including HPLC purification. While the procedure at OUH furnishes the lowest radiochemical yield of the synthetic routes considered, it produces the highest molar activity. This is of importance across the clinical applications of the tracer discussed here, including dopamine synthesis in striatum of subjects with schizophrenia and congenital hyperinsulinism in infants.Conclusion: For most sites either of the two nucleophilic substitution strategies should be favored. However, which of the two will depend on whether a given site wishes to optimize the radiochemical yield or the ease of the use.
All-Metal Terahertz Metamaterial Biosensor for Protein Detection
Authors: Wang Gangqi , Zhu Fengjie , Lang Tingting , Liu Jianjun , Hong Zhi , Qin Jianyuan
Published: April 2021

In this paper, a terahertz (THz) biosensor based on all-metal metamaterial is theoretically investigated and experimentally verified. This THz metamaterial biosensor uses stainless steel materials that are manufactured via laser-drilling technology. The simulation results show that the maximum refractive index (RI) sensitivity and the figure of merit (FOM) of this metamaterial sensor are 294.95 GHz/RIU and 4.03, respectively. Then, bovine serum albumin (BSA) was chosen as the detection substance to assess this biosensor’s effectiveness. The experiment results show that the detection sensitivity is 72.81 GHz/(ng/mm2) and the limit of detection (LOD) is 0.035 mg/mL. This THz metamaterial biosensor is simple, cost-effective, easy to fabricate, and have great potential in various biosensing applications.
Shear Modulus of Single Wood Pulp Fibers From Torsion Tests
Authors: Dauer Michael , Wolfbauer Angela , Seidlhofer Tristan , Hirn Ulrich
Published: April 2021

The shear modulus of pulp fibers is difficult to measure and only very little literature is available on the topic. In this work we are introducing a method to measure this highly relevant fiber property utilizing a custom built instrument. From the geometry of the fiber, the fiber twisting angle and the applied torque, the shear modulus is derived by de Saint Venant's theory of torsion. The deformation of the fiber is applied by a moving coil mechanism. The support of the rotating part consists of taut bands, making it nearly frictionless, which allows easy control of the torque to twist the fiber. A permanent magnet moving coil meter was fitted with a sample holder for fibers and torque references. Measurements on fine metal bands were performed to validate the instrument. The irregular shape of the fibers was reconstructed from several microtome cuts and an apparent torsion constant was computed by applying de Saint Venant's torsion theory. Fibers from two types of industrial pulp were measured: thermomechanical pulp (TMP) and Kraft pulp. The average shear modulus was determined as 2.13 GPa for TMP and 2.51 GPa for kraft fibers, respectively. The TMP fibers showed a smaller shear modulus but, due to their less collapsed state, a higher torsional rigidity than the kraft fibers.
A nomogram to predict the upgrading rate of ISUP grades of RP in patients undergoing transrectal prostate biopsy and transperineal prostate biopsy
Authors: Zhang Zhilei , Qin Fei , Ma Guofeng , Yuan Hang , Yu Yongbo , Sun Yefeng , Jiang Yanxia , Jiao Wei , Zhang Mingxin , Niu Haitao
Published: April 2021

Backgroud: This study was aimed to develop and internally validate a nomogram for risk of upgrade of ISUP (International Society of Urology Pathology) grade group from biopsy tissue to RP (radical prostatectomy) final histology.Methods: 166 patients with prostate cancer were retrospectively analyzed and divided into two groups based on ISUP upgrade status from needle biopsy to radical prostatectomy specimen, these being the 'ISUP upgrade' group and the 'no ISUP upgrade' group. Logistic regression analysis was used to predict the significant independent factors for ISUP upgrade. A nonogram was then developed based on these independent factors, which would predict risk of ISUP upgrade. The C-index, calibration plot, and decision curve analysis were used to assess the discrimination, calibration, and clinical usefulness of the predicting model. Internal validation was evaluated by using the bootstrapping validation. Results: There were 47 patients in the ISUP upgrade group and 119 patients in the no ISUP upgrade group respectively. Patients in the ISUP upgrade group tended to be of younger age, smaller PV (prostate volume), lower GS (Gleason score) of PB (prostate biopsy) tissue than the no ISUP upgrade group (p=0.043, p=0.041, p < 0.001, p =0.04, respectively). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that GS ≤6 (OR=14.236, P=0.001), prostate biopsy approach (TB-SB (transperineal prostate systematic biopsy) VS TR-SB (transrectal prostate systematic biopsy), OR=0.361, P=0.03) and number of positive cores < 10 (OR=0.396, P=0.04) were the independent risk factors for ISUP upgrade. A prediction nomogram model of ISUP upgrade was built based on these significant factors above, the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUC) curve of which was 0.802. The C-index for the prediction nomogram was 0.798 (95%CI: 0.655–0.941) and the nomogram showed good calibration. High C-index value of 0.772 could still be reached in the interval validation. Decision curve analysis also demonstrated that the threshold value of RP-ISUP upgrade risk was 3% to 67%. Conclusion: A novel nomogram incorporating PSA, GS of PCa, ways of prostate biopsy and number of positive cores was built with a relatively good accuracy to assist clinicians to evaluate the risk of ISUP upgrade in the RP specimen, especially for the low-risk prostate cancer diagnosed by TR-SB.
Willingness of Medical Undergraduates to Work as Volunteers for anti-epidemic of COVID-19: Reflections on Medical Education in the post-epidemic era of China
Authors: Feng Ye , Zhang Xin , Wang Hui , Pan Yutong , Chen Shunrui , Chen Zhaoqiong , Chen Jian , Liu Xin , Chen Weizhong , Zhang Can , Mou Chunxiao
Published: April 2021

Objective To identify the willingness of medical undergraduates to work as volunteers for fighting COVID-19 and effect factors of willingness to volunteer. Methods A cross-sectional online questionnaire survey which consisted of three sections with 26 items was conducted. The primary outcome was the willingness to volunteer. Descriptive analysis was used for the results of characteristics, a univariant analysis was performed by chi-square test and a multivariate analysis was performed by multivariate logistic regression. Results A total of 5499 questionnaires were issued and 5379 effective questionnaires were finally recovered. There were 1797 males (33.4%) and 3582 females (66.6%), with an average age of 20±1.5 years old. 3553(66.1%) students wanted to volunteer. Male was associated with less adjusted OR (0.68, 0.56 to 0.81) for willingness. The undergraduates in school of public health was most (3.81, 2.26 to 6.40) willing to work. The undergraduates who had often participated in voluntary activities but not regularly was 3.23(2.03-5.16) times more willing than those that never participate. Conclusion It suggested that medical educators should emphasize voluntary activities in undergraduate medical education and continue to insistence of medical humanities and public health education to improve the social responsibility and professional identity of medical undergraduates.
Preserving the vitality of adjacent teeth by microsurgical enucleation of a large radicular cyst: A case report with 4-year follow-up
Authors: Elhakim Ahmed , Kim Sunil , Kim Euiseong , Elshazli Alaa H.
Published: April 2021

Background: Radicular cysts may enlarge considerably, cause extensive bone destruction, and jeopardize the integrity of the associated vital teeth. The different treatment approaches are aimed mainly at eliminating the cystic epithelial membrane while reducing the risk of injury to vital structures. Contrary to other treatment modalities, preapical surgery offers an unequivocal single occasion resolution for the patient. However, it has been associated with higher risk of collateral damages.Case presentation: When a patient presented with a large radicular cyst originating from a maxillary lateral incisor, the adjacent central and canine teeth initially failed to exhibit responses to sensibility tests but showed signs of vitality. Microsurgical management was aimed at enucleating the cystic membrane while maintaining adjacent teeth vitality by preserving their apical vascular supply. Upon careful and controlled cyst enucleation under the dental operating microscope, the neurovascular bundle of one of the involved teeth was visualized and its integrity was maintained throughout the procedure.Results: The procedure was successful and follow up recalls revealed recovery of normal sensibility of tooth 11 and 13 with complete bone regeneration around their apices.Conclusions: The findings of this report demonstrate that teeth adjacent to radicular cysts albeit vital, may fail to respond to sensibility tests and that their vitality can be successfully preserved by utilizing the appropriate microsurgical techniques for direct cyst enucleation.