bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mudando o ritmo das aulas de alemão como língua adicional por meio de músicas e mídias digitais
Authors: Aquino Marceli Cherchiglia
Published: February 2021

O presente artigo tem o objetivo de discutir e descrever estratégias didáticas durante a realização de um projeto de música em uma disciplina de língua alemã como língua adicional (LA) em contexto universitário. Tendo em vista a importância da inclusão de Tecnologias de Informação e Comunicação (TICs) no ensino de LAs, bem como da promoção do pensamento crítico-reflexivo, focado nos interesses e necessidades da(o)s aluna(o)s de Letras, o projeto de música foi realizado na plataforma Kahoot. Concluímos que as atividades contribuíram para o processo de ensino e aprendizagem em língua alemã, assim como para uma participação mais ativa e crítica por parte da(o)s estudantes.
Quality of Life in Physical, Social, and Cognitive Domains Improves With Endovascular Therapy in the DEFUSE 3 Trial
Authors: Polding Laura C. , Tate William J. , Mlynash Michael , Marks Michael P. , Heit Jeremy J. , Christensen Soren , Kemp Stephanie , Albers Gregory W. , Lansberg Maarten G. ,   on behalf of the DEFUSE 3 Investigators
Published: February 2021

Background and Purpose:

The DEFUSE 3 (Endovascular Therapy Following Imaging Evaluation for Ischemic Stroke 3) randomized clinical trial demonstrated the efficacy of endovascular therapy in treating ischemic stroke 6 to 16 hours after onset, resulting in better functional outcomes than standard medical therapy alone. The objective of this secondary analysis is to analyze the effect of late-window endovascular treatment of ischemic stroke on quality of life (QoL) outcomes.

Methods:

Patients (n=182) who presented between 6 and 16 hours after they were last known to be well with acute anterior circulation ischemic stroke were randomized to endovascular thrombectomy plus standard medical therapy or standard medical therapy alone and followed-up through 90 days poststroke. QoL at day 90 was assessed with the QoL in Neurological Disorders measurement tool.

Results:

Of the 146 subjects alive at day 90, 136 (95%) filled out QoL in Neurological Disorders short forms. Patients treated with endovascular therapy had better QoL scores in each domain: mobility, social participation, cognitive function, and depression (
P
<0.01 for all). Variables other than endovascular therapy that were independently associated with better QoL included lower baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, younger age, and male sex. The degree to which the modified Rankin Scale captures differences in QoL between patients varied by domain; the modified Rankin Scale score accounted for a high proportion of the variability in mobility (Rs
2
=0.82), a moderate proportion in social participation (Rs
2
=0.62), and a low proportion in cognition (Rs
2
=0.31) and depression (Rs
2
=0.19).

Conclusions:

Patients treated with endovascular therapy 6 to 16 hours after stroke have better QoL than patients treated with medical therapy alone, including better mobility, more social participation, superior cognition, and less depression. The modified Rankin Scale fails to capture patients’ outcomes in cognition and depression, which should therefore be assessed with dedicated QoL tools.

Registration:

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT02586415.
Revisiting Multi-Domain Machine Translation
Authors: Pham MinhQuang , Crego Josep Maria , Yvon François
Published: February 2021

When building machine translation systems, one often needs to make the best out of heterogeneous sets of parallel data in training, and to robustly handle inputs from unexpected domains in testing. This multi-domain scenario has attracted a lot of recent work that fall under the general umbrella of transfer learning. In this study, we revisit multi-domain machine translation, with the aim to formulate the motivations for developing such systems and the associated expectations with respect to performance. Our experiments with a large sample of multi-domain systems show that most of these expectations are hardly met and suggest that further work is needed to better analyze the current behaviour of multi-domain systems and to make them fully hold their promises.
The Korean War Prisoners Who Chose Neutral Nations: An Introduction
Authors: Chang David Cheng
Published: February 2021

At the end of the Korean War, 76 Korean and 12 Chinese prisoners of war (pows) refused to return to either side of their divided countries. Instead, they sought asylum in neutral nations that were yet to be determined. Situating this theme issue’s three articles in the larger Korean War historiography, this introduction provides a chronology of major events that culminated in the 88 pows’ departure from Korea and voyage to India on 9 February 1954. Emphasizing that these 88 men were not fundamentally different from the other 150,000 Korean and 21,000 Chinese pows, this paper underscores the fact that these 88 pows, having survived battles and captivity, risked their lives to escaped from their compound leaders and sought neutral nations’ protection. The stories of the 88 prisoners “choosing” neutral nations were in fact tales of survival and escape.
Ideology Was A Uniform to Be Taken On and Off: An Anti-Communist Prisoner’s Survival from Manchuria to Korea to India
Authors: Lee Sunwoo
Published: February 2021

Chi Ki-ch’ŏl’s story reveals a man not driven by ideology, but buffeted by it. He began adulthood as a Korean exile in Manchuria, where the Japanese occupation army conscripted him. After Japan’s defeat in August 1945, he joined a Korean contingent of the Chinese Communist Army and fought in the Chinese Civil War. His unit later repatriated to North Korea, where it joined the invasion of South Korea on 25 June 1950. When U.S.-led forces of the United Nations shattered that invasion in September, he quickly arranged to surrender to U.S. troops. While in custody, Chi worked with Republic of Korea (rok) intelligence to organize prisoner of war (pow) resistance to their being returned to North Korea after the impending armistice. He enjoyed privileges as an anti-Communist in the pow camps, and hoped it would continue. Although an active anti-Communist, Chi judged that he would not be able to live in South Korea as an ex-pow. After refusing repatriation to North Korea, he also rejected staying in South Korea. But Chi would survive elsewhere. He relocated to India, where he thrived as a businessman. He chose the space of neutrality to succeed as an anti-Communist, where life nevertheless reflected the contentious energy of the Cold War. Chi’s decision demonstrated how ideology, despite its importance to him, was not sufficient to translate his rejection of Communist North Korea into a commitment to South Korea.
Cymbidium xichouense (Orchidaceae; Epidendroideae), a new species from China: evidence from morphological and molecular data
Authors: XU XINYU , DING CHANG-CHUN , HU WENQI , YU XIA , ZHENG YU , ZHANG DIYANG , LIAO XINGYU , LIU XUEDIE , LIU ZHONG-JIAN , LAN SIREN
Published: February 2021

A new species of Cymbidium (Orchidaceae), Cymbidium xichouense, from Yunnan Province, China, is described and illustrated based on morphological evidence and molecular analyses. The new orchid is morphologically similar to C. qinbeiense, but it has several morphological features that distinguish it from C. qiubeinense and all other recognized species in Cymbidium. Phylogenetic analyses based on nuclear (ITS) and plastid DNA (matK) were conducted, and the results also supported the status of C. xichouense as a new species, which is sister to C. qiubeiense.
Lectotypification of Sematophyllum latifolium, a new synonym of Wijkia surcularis (Pylaisiadelphaceae, Bryophyta)
Authors: PRINTARAKUL NARIN , CHANTANAORRAPINT SAHUT
Published: February 2021

Sematophyllum latifolium Brotherus (1911: 362), known only from the type collection, was originally described by Brotherus (1911) based on a collection made by C.C. Hosseus from Mt. Doi Suthep (Doi Sutäp), in northern Thailand. Pollawatn (2008) revised the family Sematophyllaceae s.l. in Thailand but did not see the type specimen of S. latifolium. During the study of Hosseus’s collections, however, we found two duplicates of type specimens of S. latifolium one located in H-BR and one in M. We found that several critical features of S. latifolium, such as the 1) irregular-pinnately branching habit with the erect flagelliform branches (Fig. 1A), 2) stem and branch leaves strongly differentiated (Fig. 1B−F), and 3) brotherelloid type alar cells often divided into larger hyaline cells towards leaf margins (Fig. 1G), were indistinguishable from those in the type material of Wijkia surcularis (Mitten 1859: 112) Crum (1971: 173), a common species found growing from India to Indochina (Gangulee 1980; Tan & Iwatsuki 1993; Tan & Jia 1999; Jia et al. 2005). Thus, we here propose S. latifolium as a new synonym of W. sucularis. In the protologue, Brotherus (1911) did not designate the holotype, therefore, it is necessary to select a lectotype for S. latifolium ((see Art. 9.11 of the Shenzhen Code (Turland et al. 2017)). We designate Hosseus’s collection (Hosseus s.n.) in H-BR (H) as the lectotype of the name S. latifolium.
Ascidians collected during the 2013 Singapore Strait International Marine Biodiversity Workshop
Authors: LAMBERT GRETCHEN , LEE SERINA SIEW-CHEN , TEO SERENA LAY-MING
Published: February 2021

During the 2013 Singapore Strait International Marine Biodiversity Workshop, hundreds of ascidians were collected along with numerous other marine phyla. Collections were made intertidally as well as subtidally by snorkel, SCUBA, trawling and dredging. While many ascidian specimens remain unidentified, 14 aplousobranchs, nine phlebobranchs and 17 stolidobranchs have been identified; a surprising 50% of these comprise 20 new records for Singapore. An additional new record of the phlebobranch Perophora namei collected from the same area in 2014 and 2015 is included here. Of the 21 new records, Aplidium cf. grisiatum, Distaplia regina, Euherdmania cf. digitata, Cnemidocarpa irene, Monandrocarpa monotestis and Polyandrocarpa rollandi are also first records for the entire South China Sea region.
Revision of the Litoria watjulumensis (Anura: Pelodryadidae) group from the Australian monsoonal tropics, including the resurrection of L. spaldingi
Authors: DONNELLAN STEPHEN C. , CATALANO SARAH R. , PEDERSON STEPHEN , MITCHELL KIEREN J. , SUHENDRAN AIDAN , PRICE LUKE C. , DOUGHTY PAUL , RICHARDS STEPHEN J.
Published: February 2021

We show that the Wotjulum frog, Litoria watjulumensis (Copland, 1957), comprises two deeply divergent mitochondrial DNA lineages that are also reciprocally monophyletic for a nuclear gene locus and have discrete distributions. The taxa are differentiated in multivariate analysis of shape but show no appreciable differences in colour and pattern. The two taxa differ substantially in the degree of female biased sexual size dimorphism, with the western taxon showing considerably more pronounced dimorphism. We subsequently resurrect Litoria (Hyla) spaldingi (Hosmer, 1964) for populations from east of the Daly River system in the Northern Territory through to western Queensland and restrict L. watjulumensis to populations from the Kimberley region of north-western Australia and the Victoria River system of the western Northern Territory. The complex advertisement call of L. spaldingi is described for the first time.
Characterization of Pottery from Teotihuacan Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy and Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy
Authors: Sobral Hugo , Amador-Mejía Mitzi , Márquez-Herrera Ciro
Published: February 2021

Pottery sherds from Teotihuacan, Mexico, belonging to the Formative and Classic periods (150 BCE–700 CE) were investigated using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). LIBS results show that most of the investigated samples have primarily the same elemental composition. Nevertheless, there are also a few sherds that could be associated to foreign ceramic groups with characteristic concentrations of Na, K, Ca, Mn, Rb, and Sr. The relative elemental composition of red pigments applied on ceramic bodies was also analyzed through a LIBS depth profiling. Diverse hematite-based pigments were distinguished according to the detected iron content. Hematite was also combined with red soils with a high relative content of Mn, Sr, Ba, or Ti. The ICP-OES analysis of ceramic pastes is consistent with the emission intensities obtained using LIBS. Principal component analysis indicates that all samples identified as locals belong to a single chemical group. Moreover, locally made ceramics and the analyzed clays from the nearby area have the same elemental composition, which appears clearly differentiated from imported samples.
Combination treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumour thrombus: A case report
Authors: Wang Jianrong , Wang Junxue , Wang Jianzhu , Qian Ziliang , Xu Wensheng , Hang Xiaofeng
Published: February 2021

We present a case of a 43-year-old man with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein tumour thrombus. Initially, transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) was performed. Although alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels decreased, circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) levels showed an upward trend, and abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed that tumours in the portal vein had increased. Based on ctDNA profiling, apatinib and anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (anti-PD-1) antibodies and were sequentially administered. Approximately three months later, intrahepatic tumours had significantly diminished and AFP and ctDNA levels had reduced. The response was sustained at the 23-month follow-up and the patient was in good health. Combination treatment of TACE, apatinib and anti-PD-1 antibodies was effective, and profiling of ctDNA fragmentation may be beneficial in the therapeutic management of patients with HCC.
Nodular syphilitic scleritis: a rare and forgotten entity
Authors: Kanathur Shilpa , Hongal Amrita A , Radhika SR , Revathi TN
Published: February 2021

Ocular manifestations of syphilis are usually seen in the secondary or tertiary stages of the disease, which is a nonspecific inflammatory response. We report a case of unilateral nodular scleritis in a patient with late latent syphilis, which resolved with intravenous crystalline penicillin for 2 weeks, topical fluorometholone, and tobramycin eye drops for 3 weeks.
Disrupting Dysconsciousness: Confronting Anti-Blackness in Educational Leadership Preparation Programs
Authors: Waite Shannon R.
Published: February 2021

This article examines liberatory pedagogical practices utilized in graduate level courses offered within an educational leadership preparation program (ELPP). The research explores how these tools support the development of culturally responsive school leadership and actively anti-racist leaders in a program purporting to develop social justice-oriented school leaders. The author analyzes data collected from student course evaluations (SCEs) and assignments in courses taught across two years. Findings indicate that students perceived the liberatory pedagogical practices employed within the course to be vital in pushing them towards disrupting the pathologies of racism and anti-Blackness cultivated during their primary through post-secondary schooling experiences. The findings also indicated that students responded positively to the use of liberatory pedagogical practices and frameworks that centered race and explicitly used race language.
Children’s fear and distress during a hospital-based family flu vaccine clinic: A parent survey
Authors: Khadij Sarah , Reszel Jessica , Wilding Jodi , Harrison Denise
Published: February 2021

The aim of this study was to evaluate parents’ perception of their child(ren)’s distress before, during, and after influenza (flu) vaccination, and their perceived effectiveness of pain and distress management strategies used during the vaccination process. This is a cross-sectional survey of parents attending Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario’s 2018 family flu clinic. After vaccination, parents completed a paper-based survey concerning demographics, fear and distress levels, and use and perceived effectiveness of pain/distress management interventions provided before and during the vaccination process. All survey data were entered into Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap). Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics; qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. A total of 164 parents completed the survey, reporting data on 327 children aged 6 months to 18 years (83% of children were vaccinated). Of 327 children, nearly half ( n = 142, 44%) were reported to be moderately to severely distressed before, during, or after the vaccination process. The parents reported that 268 (82%) children received pain/distress management strategies during vaccination. Over half ( n = 138, 57%) of the parents reported that the strategies used were very effective. Despite frequent use and parents’ perceived effectiveness of pain/distress management interventions, nearly half of the children were perceived by parents as moderately to severely distressed during the vaccination process.
Theoretical analysis and experimental research on multi-layer elastic damping track structure
Authors: Xu Guanghui , Su Shengkai , Wang Anbin , Hu Ruolin
Published: February 2021

The increase of axle load and train speed would cause intense wheelrail interactions, and lead to potential vibration related problems in train operation. For the low-frequency vibration reduction of a track system, a multi-layer track structure was proposed and analyzed theoretically and experimentally. Firstly, the analytical solution was derived theoretically, and followed by a parametric analysis to verify the vibration reduction performance. Then, a finite element simulation is carried out to highlight the influence of the tuned slab damper. Finally, the vibration and noise tests are performed to verify the results of the analytical solution and finite element simulation. As the finite element simulation indicates, after installation of the tuned slab damper, the peak reaction force of the foundation can be reduced by 60%, and the peak value of the vertical vibration acceleration would decrease by 50%. The vibration test results show that the insertion losses for the total vibration levels are 13.3 dB in the vertical direction and 21.7 dB in the transverse direction. The noise test results show that the data of each measurement point is smoother and smaller, and the noise in the generating position and propagation path can be reduced by 1.9 dB–5.5 dB.
Spanish Translation and Linguistic Validation of the Glucose Monitoring Experiences Questionnaire (GME-Q) in Continuous Glucose Monitoring Users
Authors: Beato-Víbora Pilar I. , Lázaro-Martín Lucía , Gallego-Gamero Fabiola , Ambrojo-López Ana
Published: February 2021

Background and Aims:

The use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) has become standard practice in people with type 1 diabetes. The evaluation of user satisfaction is crucial. The Glucose Monitoring Experiences questionnaire (GME-Q) includes 23 items with a 5-point Likert scale to produce a total satisfaction score and three subscale scores. The study aimed to translate the GME-Q from English into Spanish and to validate its use in Spanish-speaking CGM users with type 1 diabetes.

Methods:

The linguistic translation and validation process of the GME-Q was established. T1D CGM users were asked to complete the produced Spanish version of the GME-Q and interviewed about difficulties or misunderstandings. Total satisfaction, effectiveness, convenience and intrusiveness subscales and internal consistency reliability were computed.

Results:

Forward and backward translations and cognitive debriefing produced a final version of the GME-Q in Spanish. Ninety-eight subjects with type 1 diabetes were selected (age: 40 ± 12 years, 63% females, Hb1c: 7.2 ± 0.9% (55 ± 10 mmol/l), pump users: 78%, CGM use: 3.7 ± 2.6 years). The completion rate was 99% and the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.8. The total satisfaction score was 3.9 ± 0.4 (effectiveness: 4.1 ± 0.6, convenience: 3.8 ± 0.6, intrusiveness: 2.2 ± 0.7).

Conclusion:

The GME-Q was translated into Spanish and validated for Spanish-speaking CGM users with type 1 diabetes.
Sleep apnoea and incident malignancy in type 2 diabetes
Authors: Driendl Sarah , Arzt Michael , Zimmermann Claudia S. , Jung Bettina , Pukrop Tobias , Böger Carsten A. , Haferkamp Sebastian , Zeman Florian , Heid Iris M. , Stadler Stefan
Published: February 2021

Background

Sleep apnoea and type 2 diabetes (T2D) have been linked to malignancy. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between sleep apnoea and incidence of malignancy in patients with T2D.

Methods

The DIACORE (DIAbetes COhoRtE) study is a prospective, population-based cohort study in T2D patients. In the sleep disordered breathing substudy, the apnoea–hypopnoea index (AHI), oxygen desaturation index (ODI) and percentage of night-time spent with a peripheral oxygen saturation of <90% (tsat90%) were assessed using a two-channel ambulatory monitoring device. Malignancy diagnoses were gathered using self-reported medical history data validated by medical records. Hazard ratios (HRs) for incident malignancy were derived by Cox regression adjusting for sex, age, body mass index, smoking status, alcohol intake, socioeconomic status and HbA1c.

Results

Of 1239 patients with T2D (mean age 67 years, 41% female, mean body mass index 30.9 kg·m−2), 79 (6.4%) were first-time diagnosed with a malignancy within a median follow-up period of 2.7 years (interquartile range 2.2–4.5 years). AHI, ODI andtsat90%were not associated with incident malignancy. In subgroup analysis, females showed increased cancer risk per AHI unit (adjusted HR 1.03 per AHI unit, 95% CI 1.00–1.06; p=0.028) and severe sleep apnoea (defined as AHI ≥30 events·h−1; adjusted HR 4.19, 95% CI 1.39–12.77; p=0.012). This was not seen in males, and a significant interaction was observed (interaction terms p=0.048 and p=0.033, respectively).

Conclusion

Sleep apnoea was not associated with incident malignancy in T2D patients. However, stratified analysis revealed a significant association between sleep apnoea and incident malignancy in females, but not in males.
REINVENT: ERS International survey on REstrictive thoracic diseases IN long term home noninvasive VENTilation
Authors: Pierucci Paola , Crimi Claudia , Carlucci Annalisa , Carpagnano Giovanna E. , Janssens Jean-Paul , Lujan Manel , Noto Alberto , Wijkstra Peter J. , Windisch Wolfram , Scala Raffaele
Published: February 2021

Background and aim

Little is known about the current use of long-term home noninvasive ventilation (LTHNIV) in restrictive thoracic diseases, including chest wall disorders and neuromuscular disorders (NMD). This study aimed to capture the pattern of LTHNIV in patients with restrictive thoracic diseasesviaa web-based international survey.

Methods

The survey involved European Respiratory Society (ERS) Assembly 2.02 (NIV-dedicated group), from October to December 2019.

Results

166 (22.2%) out of 748 members from 41 countries responded; 80% were physicians, of whom 43% worked in a respiratory intermediate intensive care unit. The ratio of NMD to chest wall disorders was 5:1, with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis the most frequent indication within NMD (78%). The main reason to initiate LTHNIV was diurnal hypercapnia (71%). Quality of life/sleep was the most important goal to achieve. In 25% of cases, clinicians based their choice of the ventilator on patients’ feedback. Among NIV modes, spontaneous-timed pressure support ventilation (ST-PSV) was the most frequently prescribed for day- and night-time. Mouthpieces were the preferred daytime NIV interface, whereas oro-nasal masks the first choice overnight. Heated humidification was frequently added to LTHNIV (72%). Single-limb circuits with intentional leaks (79%) were the most frequently prescribed. Follow-up was most often provided in an outpatient setting.

Conclusions

This ERS survey illustrates physicians’ practices of LTHNIV in patients with restrictive thoracic diseases. NMD and, specifically, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis were the main indications for LTHNIV. NIV was started mostly because of diurnal hypoventilation with a primary goal of patient-centred benefits. Bi-level ST-PSV and oro-nasal masks were more likely to be chosen for providing NIV. LTHNIV efficacy was assessed mainly in an outpatient setting.
PartSeg: a tool for quantitative feature extraction from 3D microscopy images for dummies
Authors: Bokota Grzegorz , Sroka Jacek , Basu Subhadip , Das Nirmal , Trzaskoma Pawel , Yushkevich Yana , Grabowska Agnieszka , Magalska Adriana , Plewczynski Dariusz
Published: February 2021

Background

Bioimaging techniques offer a robust tool for studying molecular pathways and morphological phenotypes of cell populations subjected to various conditions. As modern high-resolution 3D microscopy provides access to an ever-increasing amount of high-quality images, there arises a need for their analysis in an automated, unbiased, and simple way. Segmentation of structures within the cell nucleus, which is the focus of this paper, presents a new layer of complexity in the form of dense packing and significant signal overlap. At the same time, the available segmentation tools provide a steep learning curve for new users with a limited technical background. This is especially apparent in the bulk processing of image sets, which requires the use of some form of programming notation.

Results

In this paper, we present PartSeg, a tool for segmentation and reconstruction of 3D microscopy images, optimised for the study of the cell nucleus. PartSeg integrates refined versions of several state-of-the-art algorithms, including a new multi-scale approach for segmentation and quantitative analysis of 3D microscopy images. The features and user-friendly interface of PartSeg were carefully planned with biologists in mind, based on analysis of multiple use cases and difficulties encountered with other tools, to offer an ergonomic interface with a minimal entry barrier. Bulk processing in an ad-hoc manner is possible without the need for programmer support. As the size of datasets of interest grows, such bulk processing solutions become essential for proper statistical analysis of results. Advanced users can use PartSeg components as a library within Python data processing and visualisation pipelines, for example within Jupyter notebooks. The tool is extensible so that new functionality and algorithms can be added by the use of plugins. For biologists, the utility of PartSeg is presented in several scenarios, showing the quantitative analysis of nuclear structures.

Conclusions

In this paper, we have presented PartSeg which is a tool for precise and verifiable segmentation and reconstruction of 3D microscopy images. PartSeg is optimised for cell nucleus analysis and offers multi-scale segmentation algorithms best-suited for this task. PartSeg can also be used for the bulk processing of multiple images and its components can be reused in other systems or computational experiments.
Genome-wide identification, characterization, and expression analysis of tea plant autophagy-related genes (CsARGs) demonstrates that they play diverse roles during development and under abiotic stress
Authors: Wang Huan , Ding Zhaotang , Gou Mengjie , Hu Jianhui , Wang Yu , Wang Lu , Wang Yuchun , Di Taimei , Zhang Xinfu , Hao Xinyuan , Wang Xinchao , Yang Yajun , Qian Wenjun
Published: February 2021

Background

Autophagy, meaning ‘self-eating’, is required for the degradation and recycling of cytoplasmic constituents under stressful and non-stressful conditions, which helps to maintain cellular homeostasis and delay aging and longevity in eukaryotes. To date, the functions of autophagy have been heavily studied in yeast, mammals and model plants, but few studies have focused on economically important crops, especially tea plants (Camellia sinensis). The roles played by autophagy in coping with various environmental stimuli have not been fully elucidated to date. Therefore, investigating the functions of autophagy-related genes in tea plants may help to elucidate the mechanism governing autophagy in response to stresses in woody plants.

Results

In this study, we identified 35 C. sinensis autophagy-related genes (CsARGs). Each CsARG is highly conserved with its homologues from other plant species, except for CsATG14. Tissue-specific expression analysis demonstrated that the abundances of CsARGs varied across different tissues, but CsATG8c/i showed a degree of tissue specificity. Under hormone and abiotic stress conditions, most CsARGs were upregulated at different time points during the treatment. In addition, the expression levels of 10 CsARGs were higher in the cold-resistant cultivar ‘Longjing43’ than in the cold-susceptible cultivar ‘Damianbai’ during the CA period; however, the expression of CsATG101 showed the opposite tendency.

Conclusions

We performed a comprehensive bioinformatic and physiological analysis of CsARGs in tea plants, and these results may help to establish a foundation for further research investigating the molecular mechanisms governing autophagy in tea plant growth, development and response to stress. Meanwhile, some CsARGs could serve as putative molecular markers for the breeding of cold-resistant tea plants in future research.
Comparative genomics reveals broad genetic diversity, extensive recombination and nascent ecological adaptation in Micrococcus luteus
Authors: Li Yisong , Sun Zhong-Zhi , Rong Jin-Cheng , Xie Bin-Bin
Published: February 2021

Background

Micrococcus luteus is a group of actinobacteria that is widely used in biotechnology and is being thought as an emerging nosocomial pathogen. With one of the smallest genomes of free-living actinobacteria, it is found in a wide range of environments, but intraspecies genetic diversity and adaptation strategies to various environments remain unclear. Here, comparative genomics, phylogenomics, and genome-wide association studies were used to investigate the genomic diversity, evolutionary history, and the potential ecological differentiation of the species.

Results

High-quality genomes of 66 M. luteus strains were downloaded from the NCBI GenBank database and core and pan-genome analysis revealed a considerable intraspecies heterogeneity. Phylogenomic analysis, gene content comparison, and average nucleotide identity calculation consistently indicated that the species has diverged into three well-differentiated clades. Population structure analysis further suggested the existence of an unknown ancestor or the fourth, yet unsampled, clade. Reconstruction of gene gain/loss events along the evolutionary history revealed both early events that contributed to the inter-clade divergence and recent events leading to the intra-clade diversity. We also found convincing evidence that recombination has played a key role in the evolutionary process of the species, with upto two-thirds of the core genes having been affected by recombination. Furthermore, distribution of mammal-associated strains (including pathogens) on the phylogenetic tree suggested that the last common ancestor had a free-living lifestyle, and a few recently diverged lineages have developed a mammal-associated lifestyle separately. Consistently, genome-wide association analysis revealed that mammal-associated strains from different lineages shared genes functionally relevant to the host-associated lifestyle, indicating a recent ecological adaption to the new host-associated habitats.

Conclusions

These results revealed high intraspecies genomic diversity of M. luteus and highlighted that gene gain/loss events and extensive recombination events played key roles in the genome evolution. Our study also indicated that, as a free-living species, some lineages have recently developed or are developing a mammal-associated lifestyle. This study provides insights into the mechanisms that drive the genome evolution and adaption to various environments of a bacterial species.
Family medicine residents’ skill levels in emergency chest X-ray interpretation
Authors: Al Shammari Malak , Hassan Ali , AlShamlan Nouf , Alotaibi Sarah , Bamashmoos Manar , Hakami Amani , Althunyan Abdullatif , Basager Shymaa , Motabgani Sameerah , Aljubran Sawsan , Alsaif Hind S.
Published: February 2021

Background

Family medicine physicians may encounter a wide variety of conditions, including acute and urgent cases. Considering the limited access to diagnostic investigations in primary care practice, chest X-ray remains the imaging modality of choice. The current study assessed the competency of family medicine residents in the interpretation of chest X-rays for emergency conditions and to compare it with that of diagnostic radiology residents, general practitioners, and medical interns.

Methods

An online survey was distributed to 600 physicians, including family medicine residents, medical interns, general practitioners, and diagnostic radiology residents. The study included some background information such as gender, years in practice, training type, interest in pulmonary medicine and diagnostic radiology, and having adequate training on the interpretation of chest X-rays. The survey had 10 chest X-ray cases with brief clinical information. Participants were asked to choose the most likely diagnosis and to rate their degree of confidence in the interpretation of the chest X-ray for each case.

Results

The survey was completed by 205 physicians (response rate = 34.2%). The overall diagnostic accuracy was 63.1% with a significant difference between family medicine and radiology residents (58.0% vs. 90.5%; P < 0.001). The COVID-19 pneumonia (85.4%) and pneumoperitoneum (80.5%) cases had the highest diagnostic accuracy scores. There was a significant correlation between the diagnostic confidence and accuracy (rs = 0.39; P < 0.001). Multivariable regression analysis revealed that being diagnostic radiology residents (odds ratio [OR]: 13.0; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.5–67.7) and having higher diagnostic confidence (OR: 2.2; 95% CI: 1.3–3.8) were the only independent predictors of achieving high diagnostic accuracy.

Conclusion

The competency of family medicine residents in the interpretation of chest X-ray for emergency conditions was far from optimal. The introduction of radiology training courses on emergency conditions seems imperative. Alternatively, the use of tele-radiology in primary healthcare centers should be considered.
Comparing mortality between positive and negative blood culture results: an inverse probability of treatment weighting analysis of a multicenter cohort
Authors: Liu Aibo , Yo Chia-Hung , Nie Lu , Yu Hua , Wu Kuihai , Tong Hoi Sin , Hsu Tzu-Chun , Hsu Wan-Ting , Lee Chien-Chang
Published: February 2021

Background

The association between blood culture status and mortality among sepsis patients remains controversial hence we conducted a tri-center retrospective cohort study to compare the early and late mortality of culture-negative versus culture-positive sepsis using the inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) method.

Methods

Adult patients with suspected sepsis who completed the blood culture and procalcitonin tests in the emergency department or hospital floor were eligible for inclusion. Early mortality was defined as 30-day mortality, and late mortality was defined as 30- to 90-day mortality. IPTW was calculated from propensity score and was employed to create two equal-sized hypothetical cohorts with similar covariates for outcome comparison.

Results

A total of 1405 patients met the inclusion criteria, of which 216 (15.4%) yielded positive culture results and 46 (21.3%) died before hospital discharge. The propensity score model showed that diabetes mellitus, urinary tract infection, and hepatobiliary infection were independently associated with positive blood culture results. There was no significant difference in early mortality between patients with positive or negative blood culture results. However, culture-positive patients had increased late mortality as compared with culture-negative patients in the full cohort (IPTW-OR, 1.95, 95%CI: 1.14–3.32) and in patients with severe sepsis or septic shock (IPTW-OR, 1.92, 95%CI: 1.10–3.33). After excluding Staphylococcal bacteremia patients, late mortality difference became nonsignificant (IPTW-OR, 1.78, 95%CI: 0.87–3.62).

Conclusions

Culture-positive sepsis patients had comparable early mortality but worse late mortality than culture-negative sepsis patients in this cohort. Persistent Staphylococcal bacteremia may have contributed to the increased late mortality.
Following cytotoxic nanoconjugates from injection to halting the cell cycle machinery and its therapeutic implications in oral cancer
Authors: Abdel Hamid Hend M. , Darwish Zeinab E. , Elsheikh Sahar M. , Mourad Ghada M. , Donia Hanaa M. , Afifi Marwa M.
Published: February 2021

Background

The concept of personalized therapy has been proven to be a promising approach. A popular technique is to utilize gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as drug delivery vectors for cytotoxic drugs and small molecule inhibitors to target and eradicate oral cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Both drug and nanocarrier designs play important roles in the treatment efficacy. In our study, we standardized the nanosystem regarding NPs type, size, surface ligands and coverage percentage leaving only the drugs mode of action as the confounding variable. We propose that similarly constructed nanoparticles (NPs) can selectively leverage different conjugated drugs irrelevant to their original mode of action. If proven, AuNPs may have a secondary role beyond bypassing cancer cell membrane and delivering their loaded drugs.

Methods

We conjugated 5- fluorouracil (5Fu), camptothecin (CPT), and a fibroblast growth factor receptor1-inhibitor (FGFR1i) to gold nanospheres (AuNSs). We followed their trajectories in Syrian hamsters with chemically induced buccal carcinomas.

Results

Flow cytometry and cell cycle data shows that 5Fu- and CPT- induced a similar ratio of S-phase cell cycle arrest as nanoconjugates and in their free forms. On the other hand, FGFR1i-AuNSs induced significant sub-G1 cell population compared with its free form. Despite cell cycle dynamics variability, there was no significant difference in tumor cells’ proliferation rate between CPT-, 5Fu- and FGFR1i- AuNSs treated groups. In our in vivo model, FGFR1i-AuNSs induced the highest tumor reduction rates followed by 5Fu- AuNSs. CPT-AuNSs induced significantly lower tumor reduction rates compared with the 5Fu- and FGFR1i- AuNSs despite showing similar proliferative rates in tumor cells.

Conclusions

Our data indicates that the cellular biological events do not predict the outcome seen in our in vivo model. Furthermore, our results suggest that AuNSs selectively enhance the therapeutic effect of small molecule inhibitors such as FGFR1i than potent anticancer drugs. Future studies are required to better understand the underlying mechanism.
Preliminary evidence for an influence of exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on the composition of the gut microbiota and neurodevelopment in three-year-old healthy children
Authors: Zhang Wei , Sun Zhongqing , Zhang Qian , Sun Zhitao , Su Ya , Song Jiahui , Wang Bingling , Gao Ruqin
Published: February 2021

Background

During the second and third year after birth the gut microbiota (GM) is subjected to important development. The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure could influence the GM in animal and early postnatal exposure is associated with neurodevelopment disorder in children. This study was designed to explore the possible influence of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on the composition of the gut microbiota (GM) and neurodevelopment in a sample of 38 healthy children at the age of 3 years.

Methods

A brief development (Gesell Development Inventory, GDI) and behavior test (Child Behavior Checklist, CBCL) were completed on 3-yr-olds and stool samples were collected for 16S rRNA V4-V5 sequencing. The PAH-DNA adduct in the umbilical cord blood and the urinary hydroxyl PAHs (OH-PAHs) at the age of 12 months were measured as pre- and postnatal PAH exposure, respectively.

Results

The most abundant two phyla were Bacteroidetes (68.6%) and Firmicutes (24.2%). The phyla Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Tenericutes, and Lentisphaerae were positively correlated with most domain behaviors of the GDI, whereas the Bacteroidetes, Cyanobacteria, and Fusobacteria were negatively correlated. Correspondingly, the phyla Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, and Fusobacteria showed positive correlations with most CBCL core and broadband syndromes, whereas the Firmicutes, Verrucomicrobia, Synergistetes, Proteobacteria and Tenericules were negatively correlated. The OH-PAH levels were not significantly associated with the Firmicutes phylum whereas the Bacteroidetes, Bacteroidia, and Bacteroidales all showed significant negative association with the OH-PAH levels.

Conclusion

The current findings suggest that composition of the GM is associated with neurodevelopment of the child. PAHs seem to change the relative abundance of some taxa (some deleted and some recruited) to counteract the negative effects of the PAHs.
Image classification of osteoporotic vertebral fracture with endplate-disc complex Injury
Authors: Zhang Shuai , Wang Song , Wang Qing , Yang Jin , Xu Shuang
Published: February 2021

Background

The purpose of this study was to use MRI and CT to observe osteoporosis vertebral fracture (OVF) combined with endplate-disc complex (EDC) injury and to classify the degree of EDC injury according to the changes in EDC signal intensity and morphology on the images.

Methods

We investigated the incidence of EDC injury, observed the morphology and signal intensity changes of EDC injury using MRI and CT, and graded the injuries from 0 to 4 according to their severity. We compared whether there were differences in the degree of EDC injury among different vertebral fractures, bone mineral density(BMD), and severity of vertebral fractures.

Results

A total of 479 patients were included in this study, of whom 321 had EDC injury adjacent to the fractured vertebral body. Among those, 158 cases were grade 0, 66 cases were grade 1, 72 cases were grade 2, 78 cases were grade 3, and 92 cases were grade 4. The degree of EDC injury associated with thoracolumbar vertebral fractures was more serious than that of EDC injuries associated with thoracic and lumbar vertebral body fractures. Vertebral fractures with severe osteoporosis were associated with more severe EDC injury. Additionally, the more severe the vertebral fracture, the more severe was the combined EDC injury.

Conclusion

This study found that the incidence rate of EDC injury reached 67.0%. Among patients with OVF, severe osteoporosis and severe fractures in the thoracolumbar segments were often associated with more severe EDC injury.
Long-term outcomes of adding alpha-glucosidase inhibitors in insulin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Yen Fu-Shun , Wei James Cheng-Chung , Lin Mei-Chen , Hsu Chih-Cheng , Hwu Chii-Min
Published: February 2021

Background

In insulin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), glycemic control is usually suboptimal.

Methods

This study compared the risks of mortality and cardiovascular events in insulin-treated patients adding or not adding alpha-glucosidase inhibitors (AGIs).

Results

This cohort study included data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. In total, 17,417 patients newly diagnosed as having T2DM and undergoing insulin therapy during 2000–2012 were enrolled. Overall incidence rates of all-cause mortality, hospitalized coronary artery disease (CAD), stroke, and heart failure were compared between 4165 AGI users and 4165 matched nonusers. The incidence rates of all-cause mortality were 17.10 and 19.61 per 1000 person-years in AGI nonusers and users, respectively. Compared with nonusers, AGI users had a higher mortality risk [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 1.21, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.05–1.40; p = 0.01]. Regarding AGI use, aHRs (95% CI) for cardiovascular death, non-cardiovascular death, hospitalized CAD, stroke, and heart failure were 1.20 (0.83–1.74), 1.27 (1.07–1.50), 1.12 (0.95–1.31), 0.98 (0.85–1.14), and 1.03 (0.87–1.22) respectively.

Conclusion

AGI use was associated with higher risks of all-cause mortality and non-cardiovascular death in insulin-treated patients with T2DM. Therefore, adding AGIs in insulin-treated patients may not be appropriate.
Participant-reported effect of an Indigenous health continuing professional development initiative for specialists
Authors: Barnabe Cheryl , Kherani Raheem B. , Appleton Tom , Umaefulam Valerie , Henderson Rita , Crowshoe Lynden
Published: February 2021

Background

Health outcomes of Indigenous patients are impacted by culturally unsafe specialty care environments. The ‘Educating for Equity (E4E)’ program is a continuing professional development (CPD) intervention which incorporates skill-based teaching to improve Indigenous patient experiences and outcomes in healthcare interactions.

Methods

The E4E program was delivered to rheumatologists in two phases, each delivered as experiential learning workshops where participants engaged with and applied course content within an interactive format focusing on real-time feedback. The phase 1 workshop focused on skill development of E4E Framework concepts and principles. Phase 2 concentrated on building capacity for teaching of E4E content. Evaluation of the program’s effectiveness was through longitudinal responses to the Social Cultural Confidence in Care Survey (SCCCS), self-reported strategies employed to address social issues and improve therapeutic relationships, engagement with teaching others, and satisfaction with the program.

Results

Two cohorts of participants have participated in the program (n = 24 Phase 1, n = 10 Phase 2). For participants completing both phases of training, statistically significant improvements were observed in exploring social factors with patients, gaining knowledge and skills related to cultural aspects of care, improved communication and relationship building, and reflections on held stereotypes. Strategies to address social issues and build therapeutic relationships remained consistent throughout participation, while the training enhanced exploration and confidence to ask about cultural and traditional practices, and stronger communication strategies for exploring beliefs, expectations, social barriers, and residential school impacts on health. Participants reported feeling prepared to teach Indigenous health concepts to others and subsequently lead teaching with residents, fellows, and allied health professionals. Satisfaction with the delivery and content of the workshops was high, and participants valued interactions with peers in learning.

Conclusions

This CPD intervention had a beneficial impact on self-reported confidence and enhanced practice strategies to engage with Indigenous patients.