bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antibacterial Activity of The Iron-Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Synthesized Via Electric Discharge Method
Authors: Shahbazi Fereshteh , Ahmadi Reza , Noghani Mohammad , Karimi Gholamreza
Published: October 2021

With the increase in diseases caused by bacterial and viral infections, the need for antibiotics has increased. On the other hand, by creating drug resistance to organicmoietiesbased antibiotics, novel antibiotics have attracted the attention of researchers.Nano-scale metal oxides are increasingly being considered for medical applications, especially as antibacterial agents.In this study, iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZONPs) were prepared via electrical discharge method in liquid medium by changing parameters such as wire diameter and electric current intensity. Synthesized NPs were evaluated by XRD, UV_Visible, FE_SEM, EDS, HR_TEM and TEM analyzes. Also, the antibacterial properties of these nanoparticles were evaluated in different ways against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.
Soil N2O and CH4 Emissions From Fodder Maize Production With and Without Riparian Buffer Strips of Differing Vegetation
Authors: Dlamini Jerry , Cardenas Laura , Tesfamariam Eyob , Dunn Robert , Evans Jess , Hawkins Jane , Blackwell Martin , Collins Adrian
Published: October 2021

Purpose: Nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) are some of the most important greenhouse gases of the 21st century. Vegetated riparian buffers are primarily implemented for their water quality functions in agroecosystems and their location in the agricultural landscape allows them to intercept and process pollutants from immediately adjacent agricultural land. They recycle increase soil carbon (C), intercept nitrogen (N)-rich runoff from adjacent croplands, and are seasonally anoxic, promoting processes producing environmentally harmful gases including N2O and CH4. Against this context, the study quantified these atmospheric losses between a cropland and vegetated riparian buffers that serve it.Methods: We used the static chamber to measure N2O and CH4 emissions simultaneously with soil. Gas measurements were done simulataneously with soil and environmental variables for a 6-month period in a replicated plot-scale facility comprising of maize cropping served by three vegetated riparian buffers, namely: (i) a novel grass riparian buffer; (ii) a willow riparian buffer, and; (iii) a woodland riparian buffer. These buffered treatments were compared with a no-buffer control. Results: The no-buffer control generated the largest cumulative N2O emissions of 18 929 g ha-1 (95% confidence intervals: 524.1 - 63 643) whilst the maize crop upslope generated the largest cumulative CH4 emissions of 5 050 ± 875 g ha-1. Soil N2O and CH4-based global warming potential (GWP) were lower in the willow (1223.5 ± 362.0 and 134.7 ± 74.0 kg CO2-eq. ha-1 year-1, respectively) and woodland (1771.3 ± 800.5 and 3.4 ± 35.9 kg CO2-eq. ha-1 year-1, respectively) riparian buffers.. Conclusions: Our results suggest that maize production in general, and situations where such cropping is not undertaken in tandem with a riparian buffer strip, result in atmospheric CH4 and N2O concerns.
Autoantibodies neutralizing type I interferons in 20% of COVID-19 deaths in a French hospital
Authors: CHAUVINEAU-GRENIER Angelique , BASTARD Paul , SERVAJEAN Antoine , GERVAIS Adrian , ROSAIN Jeremie , JOUANGUY Emmanuelle , COBAT Aurelie , CASANOVA Jean-Laurent , ROSSI Benjamin
Published: October 2021

Recent studies reported the presence of pre-existing autoantibodies (auto-Abs) neutralizing type I interferons (IFNs) in at least 15% of patients with critical or severe COVID-19 pneumonia. In one study, these auto-Abs were found in almost 20% of deceased patients across all ages. We aimed to assess the prevalence and clinical impact of the auto-Abs to type I IFNs in Seine-Saint-Denis district, which was one of the most affected areas by COVID-19 in France during the first wave. We tested for the presence of auto-Abs neutralizing type I IFNs in a cohort of patients admitted for critical COVID-19 pneumonia during the first wave in the spring of 2020 in medicine departments at Robert Ballanger Hospital, Aulnay sous Bois. We found circulating auto-Abs that neutralized 100 pg/mL IFN-α2 and/or IFN-ω in plasma 1/10 in 7.9% (11 of 139) of patients hospitalized for critical COVID-19. The presence of neutralizing auto-Abs was associated with an increased risk of mortality as these auto-Abs were detected in 21% of patients who died from COVID-19 pneumonia. Deceased patients with and without auto-Abs did not present overt clinical differences. These results confirm both the importance of IFN-I immunity in host defense against SARS-CoV-2 infection and the usefulness of detection of auto-Abs neutralizing type I IFNs in the management of patients.
Tools for Early Screening of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Primary Health Care – A Scoping Review
Authors: Sobieski Mateusz , Korzeniewska Aleksandra , Sekułowicz Małgorzata , Bujnowska-Fedak Maria Magdalena
Published: October 2021

Background. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that manifests itself in early childhood. Early diagnosis of these disorders allows for the initiation of early therapy, which is crucial for the child's further functioning in society. Objectives. This review aims to gather and present the existing ASD screening tools used in primary care and adapted to different countries conditions linguistically and culturally.Eligibility criteria. We searched for English-language publications on ASD screening tools for children aged 0-3 years suitable for use in primary care (i.e. free, requiring no additional training or qualifications).Sources of evidence. Four databases were explored to find English studies on ASD screening tools intended for the rapid assessment of children aged 0–3.Charting methods. The information sought (specific features of the questionnaires relevant to primary health care workers, psychometric and diagnostic values of a given cultural adaptation of screening tools, and the linguistic and cultural changes made) were extracted and collected to create profiles of these tools.Results. We found 81 studies which met inclusion criteria and underwent full data extraction. Three additional data sources were included. These allowed to create 75 profiles of adaptations for 26 different screening tools and collect data on their psychometric values and characteristic features.Conclusions. The results of our review show that there are several diagnostic tools concordant culturally and linguistically with a given population for early ASD screening in primary care setting. They could be an effective method of accelerating the diagnostic process and starting personalized therapy faster. However, most tools have significant limitations – some are only available for research purposes, while others do not have scientific evidence to prove their effectiveness.
A temperature-regulated circuit for feeding behavior
Authors: Qian Shaowen , Yan Sumei , Pang Ruiqi , Zhang Jing , Liu Kai , Shi Zhiyue , Wang Zhaoqun , Penghui Chen , Zhang Yanjie , Luo Tiantian Luo , Hu Xianli , Xiong Ying , Zhou Yi
Published: October 2021

Both rodents and primates have evolved to orchestrate food intake to maintain thermal homeostasis in coping with ambient temperature challenges. However, the mechanisms underlying temperature-coordinated feeding behavior are rarely reported. Here we found that a non-canonical feeding center, the anteroventral and periventricular portions of medial preoptic area (apMPOA) responded to altered dietary states. Two neighboring but distinct apMPOA neurons mediated feeding in receiving anatomical inputs from external and dorsal subnuclei of lateral parabrachial nucleus (LPB). While both populations are glutamatergic, the arcuate nucleus (ARC)-projecting neurons in apMPOA can sense low temperature and promote food intake. The other type, the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVH)-projecting neurons in apMPOA are primarily sensitive to high temperature and suppress food intake. Cutting off both pathways can eliminate the temperature-dependence of feeding. Further projection-specific RNA sequencing identified that the two neuronal populations were molecularly marked by galanin receptor and apelin receptor. These findings reveal an unrecognized cell populations and circuits of apMPOA that orchestrates feeding behavior against thermal challenges.
A Novel Feature-Transferred Prediction Network For Remaining Useful Life of Rotating Machinery
Authors: Lin Tianjiao , Wang Huaqing , Song Liuyang , Cui Lingli
Published: October 2021

With the increasing complexity of CNC machine tools and other rotating machinery, it becomes more and more important to improve the reliability of such machines. It is necessary to estimate the remaining Useful Life (RUL) of the important parts such as bearings of these devices. However, the operating conditions of such parts are often very complicated, and there is a great difference between different devices. Therefore, it is difficult to use the traditional mechanism analysis method, which is not only very hard, but also generally has low prediction accuracy. In order to solve the above problems, this paper proposes a Feature-transferred Prediction Network (FTPN), which can adapt to various working conditions, combining with the neural network method in the field of artificial intelligence, and effectively realizes RUL prediction. Since the existing neural network methods were originally proposed to solve the problems in other fields, such as semantic recognition, this paper uses the feature transfer method to improve them. Firstly, the source network based on Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) is pre-trained for fault recognition, and the fault feature information extracted after training is stored in the fault feature layer. Second, CNN and Gate Recurrent Unit (GRU) are used to build target networks and fit the relationship between time series and remaining longevity. Finally, a special loss function is designed to transfer the features extracted from the source network to the target network to help the target network learn fault features and better predict the mechanical RUL. In order to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, experiments are carried out using the public data set of accelerated life of bearings, and high prediction accuracy is obtained, which proves that the proposed method has certain generalization. The comparison with the existing methods on the same data set shows that the proposed method has a broad industrial application prospect.
Development and Feasibility Testing of a Physical Activity Intervention For Youth With Anxiety and Depression: a Study Protocol
Authors: Kodal Arne , Reilly John J. , Muirhead Fiona , Wergeland Gro Janne H. , Thorsen Paul Joachim Bloch , Bovim Lars Peder , Elgen Irene Bircow
Published: October 2021

Background: Anxiety and depressive disorders in children and adolescents are highly prevalent and account for more than half of all youth psychiatric disorders. Left untreated, anxiety and depression leads to numerous detrimental outcomes, including reduced quality of life, psychiatric and somatic comorbidity and even reduced lifespan. This puts a large strain on child and adolescent mental healthcare services (CAMHS) to provide effective treatments. However, even when provided the best evidence based treatment, between 40-50 % continue to report significant symptom burdens. Thus, there is an immediate need for supplemental and/or new treatment approaches. Physical activity as a supplementary treatment may be such an approach. However, research investigating this approach within this population is scant. This protocol paper describes the development and feasibility trial of a physical activity based intervention targeting anxiety and depressive symptoms in youth treated in CAMHS.Methods/design: The study is based on the UK Medical Council Research Framework (MRC) for developing and evaluating complex interventions. Feasibility and acceptability of the physical activity intervention (Confident, Active and Happy Youth) will be evaluated in an uncontrolled open-label trial using qualitative and quantitative data. Twenty youths with anxiety and/or depressive symptoms will be recruited. Acceptability of assessment procedures, the intervention, and perceived benefits and barriers to participation will be assessed, and qualitative interviews with participants, caregivers and referring specialists will explore contextual and practical factors associated with intervention delivery. Physical activity will be measured using the Actigraph GT3X+ monitor at baseline and post-intervention and change in anxiety and depression will be assessed. Discussion: This study will contribute to the development of supplementary physical treatment interventions for youth with anxiety and depression in contact with CAMHS. The goal is to examine new avenues of treatment that ultimately may improve upon current treatment outcomes of anxiety and depression. This work will be in preparation for a future definitive RCT of this approach, in line with the MRC framework.Trial registration: ClnicalTrials.gov, NCT05049759. Registered 19 August 2021 - Retrospectively registered.
Relationship Between Arteriosclerosis and Body Composition in Patients with type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Furuya Tomoki , Tamura Yuma , Tamiya Hajime , Tsurumi Tomoki , Ogawa Susumu , Kitahama Shinji , Motoyama Takeshi , Nakatani Yuki , Yasu Takanori
Published: October 2021

BackgroundReduced lower limb circumference due to sarcopenia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) could be a useful screening tool for arteriosclerosis. Hence, the objective of this study was to clarify the relation between lower limb circumference and other body composition factors, muscle strength, and patient characteristics,and the progression of arteriosclerosis in patients with T2DM. MethodsWe included114 patients with T2DM receiving outpatient care, and assessed body composition (lower limb circumferences including tibial rough surface-calf 26% [TRSC%]), muscle strength indicators, patient characteristics, clinical diabetic neuropathy status, and examined their associations with brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity (ba-PWV) using multiple regression analysis. Additionally, the severity of ba-PWV was classified into 1400 cm/s, 1650 cm/s, and 1963 cm/s to investigate their associations using logistic regression analysis. ResultsThe mean age was 63.12±11.96 years and participants had T2DM for 11.25±9.45 years. Body mass index (BMI), HbA1c, abnormal ankle reflex, and TRSC% were adopted in the multiple regression analysis with ba-PWV as the dependent variable. In the logistic regression analysis of ba-PWV divided by 1400 cm/s, an index of arteriosclerosis, BMI was adopted, and when divided by 1963 cm/s, a mortality risk index, BMI, abnormal ankle reflex, and TRSC% were adopted.ConclusionArteriosclerosis in patients with T2DM is associated with a decrease in lower limb circumference; TRSC% was independently associated with severe arteriosclerosis when ba-PWV was ≥1963 cm/s, which is an indicator of mortality risk. Thus, lower limb circumference in the form of TRSC% may reflect the progression of arteriosclerosis.
Low-Dose Ranıbızumab Admınıstratıon in Retınopathy of Prematurıty
Authors: Tök Levent , Seyrek Lütfi , Tök Özlem
Published: October 2021

Purpose: To evaluate the efficiency of low dose intravitreal ranibizumab therapy in the treatment of aggressive posterior premature retinopathy (APROP).Methods: A total of 124 eyes of 62 patients who underwent intravitreal ranibizumab with APROP diagnosis between January 2015-January 2021 were evaluated retrospectively. After receiving family-approved informed consent, low-dose intravitreal ranibizumab was administered and regular follow-ups were performed.Results: Patients included in the study had a mean birth week of 26.6 (23-33 weeks), a mean birth weight of 905 (450-1970) grams, an average injection week post-natal 9.1 (4-19) weeks. The mean follow-up period was 63 (24-250) weeks. In all eyes, it was observed that ROP was regressed in the first week control after injection and no asymmetrical response was observed in the eyes of any baby. A 58 eyes recovered with a single dose of intravitreal injection therapy and peripheral retinal vascularization was completed. A second injection was required in 38 eyes. Rescue treatment was applied in addition to intravitreal ranibizumab treatment in 22 eyes of 11 babies. None of the patients had any ocular or systemic side effects.Conclusıon: Low-dose intravitreal ranibizumab injection with close follow-up and appropriate timing is an effective treatment modality in APROP. Even in patients undergoing rescue laser treatment, the treatment can be completed with a wider visual field.
Images Classification of Gurumukhi Month’s Name Images using Various Convolutional Neural Network Optimizers
Authors: Singh Tajinder Pal , Gupta Sheifali , Garg Meenu , Koundal Deepika , Zaguia Atef
Published: October 2021

The Gurumukhi script has a complex structure for which text recognition based on an analytical approach can misinterpret the script. For error-free results in text recognition, the author has proposed a holistic approach based on classification of Gurumukhi month’s name images. For this, a new convolutional neural model has been developed for automatic feature extraction from Gurumukhi text images. The proposed convolutional neural network is designed with five convolutional, three polling layers, one flatten layer and one dense layer. To validate the results of the proposed model, the dataset was self-created from 500 distinct writers. The performance of the model has been analyzed with 100 epochs, 40 batch sizes and different optimizers. The various optimizers that have been used for this experimentation are SGD, Adagrad, Adadelta, RMSprop, Adam, and Nadam. The experimental results show that the proposed CNN model performed best with Adam optimizer in terms of accuracy, computational time, F1 score, precision and recall.
Selenium Supplementation Influences Mice Testicular Selenoproteins Driven By Gut Microbiota
Authors: Ramírez-Acosta Sara , Selma-Royo Marta , Collado M Carmen , Navarro Francisco , Abril Nieves , Barrera Tamara García
Published: October 2021

Selenium is a well-known essential element with important roles in human reproductive health mainly due to its antioxidant character. This study aimed to investigate the potential role of selenoproteins on the gut microbiota-reproductive health. A new assay for the absolute quantification of selenoproteins in testicular tissue based on two dimensional chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was performed for the first time. Gut microbiota profile was obtained by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Numerous associations were found between testicular selenoproteins and gut microbiota (e.g. Mucispirillum, related with sperm activity and testosterone, was associated to glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and selenoalbumin (SeAlb), while Escherichia/Shigella, related to sex hormones, correlated with GPx, selenoprotein P (SelP) and SeAlb). The effects of Se-supplementation on testicular selenoproteins only occurs in conventional mice, suggesting a potential selenoproteins-microbiota interplay that underlies in testicular function. The selenoproteins GPx and SelP have been quantified for the first time in testicles, including the novel identification of SeAlb, a protein with nonspecifically incorporated Se. These findings demonstrates the significant impact of Se-supplementation on gut microbiota and reproductive health. In addition, the analytical methodology applied for selenoproteins quantification in testicular tissue opens new possibilities to evaluate their role on the gut microbiota-reproductive health axis.
miRNA-3651: a Diagnostic Marker in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma?
Authors: Saeidmohamadi Farzane , ghorbanpour Maedeh , Jolehar Maryam
Published: October 2021

Background and aim: microRNAs are a group of small non-coding single-stranded RNAs that control post-transcriptional gene expression. They can act as oncogenes or tumor suppressors by amplifying or preventing the expression of certain genes. present study was conducted to assess the expression of miRNA-3651 in paraffin blocks of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells using qRT-PCR method in Islamic Azad university, dental branch of Tehran in 1399.Material and methods: This case-control study was conducted on 20 paraffin blocks of irritation fibroma (IF) as control group and 20 paraffin blocks of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma as case group. After RNA extraction, qRT-PCR was performed. all experiments were repeated 3 times for each sample. Eventually the data were analyzed by SPSS 24 statistics software. Differences in miRNA expression levels between the two groups were compared using the independent samples t-test. In order to evaluate the correlation between mean levels of miRNA-3651 marker and different variables (grade, age and sex of patients), Kruskal-Wallis test, Pearson's correlation coefficient test and independent samples t-test were used, respectively.Results: The results showed that the mean expression of this biomarker method was 10.15± 5.44 rpm in normal tissue and 8.11± 1.57 rpm in cancerous tissue. Despite the lower expression of miRNA-3651 in cancerous tissue samples than normal samples, this decrease was not statistically significant (P> 0.05). There was no significant difference between the mean level of miRNA-3651 marker and different grades, age and sex of patients (p> 0.05).Conclusion: In the end, it seems that the evaluation of changes in the expression of miRNAs such as miRNA-3651, can be a minimally invasive method, in early detection and screening of patients with OSCC. Decreased expression of miRNA-3651 marker in cancerous tissue compared to normal tissue indicates the importance of these biomarkers, including miRNA-3651 in the diagnosis of oral cancer, and the researchers of this project suggest further and broader investigations on the mechanism of action and signaling cascades associated with this marker in oral cancer.
Genome-Wide Association Studies Dissect the G×E Interaction for Agronomic Traits in a Worldwide Collection of Safflower (Carthamus Tinctorius L.)
Authors: Zhao Huanhuan , Savin Keith W. , Li Yongjun , Breen Edmond J , Maharjan Pankaj , Tibbits Josquin F. , Kant Surya , Hayden Matthew J. , Daetwyler Hans D.
Published: October 2021

Background: Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) has been cultivated worldwide for centuries, originally as a source of textile dyes. Modern safflower breeding has focused on high grain and oil yield and broad adaptability. Here, a genome-wide association study was conducted using a globally diverse Genebank collection of 406 accessions, which included landraces, breeding lines and elite cultivars. We explored the genetic architecture and genotype-by-environment interaction (G × E) patterns of grain yield (YP), days to flowering (DF ), plant height (PH), 500 seed weight (SW), seed oil content (OL), and crude protein content (PR) in four environments (sites) that differed in water availability. Results: Phenotypic variation within the global collection was observed for all traits under differed water stress environments. Two mixed linear models were adopted, and YP exhibited low overall genetic correlations (rGoverall) across sites, while SW and OL had high rGoverall and high pairwise genetic correlations (rGij) across all pairwise sites. Ninety-two marker-trait associations (MTAs) were identified using three methods, single locus genome-wide association studies (GWAS) using a mixed linear model (MLM), the Bayesian multi-locus method (BayesR), and meta-GWAS. MTAs with large effects across all sites were detected for OL, SW, and PR, and MTAs specific for the different water stress sites was identified for all traits. Five MTAs were associated with multiple traits, 4 of 5 MTAs were variously associated with the three traits of SW, OL, and PR and marker effects were consistent with phenotypic observations in different environments. The thresholds of different GWAS methods used in the study affected the number of MTAs identified for complex traits. Conclusions: This study provided insights into the phenotypic variability and genetic architecture of important safflower agronomic traits under different environments. This knowledge is essential to breed for high grain and oil yield and local adaption in safflower.
Hospice Care Providers’ Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices in China: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Shu Zhiqun , Jing Limei
Published: October 2021

Background: In recently years, China has been growing awareness about the hospice service movement although hospice care was Initially introduced 30 years ago. Hospice care providers’ knowledge, attitudes, self-efficiency, and practices status in China should be investigated. This study aims to survey the general actuality of hospice care providers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices of hospice care (KAPHC) in five cities in China, and explore relevant influencing factors.Method: Relying on our KAPHC scale, we randomly surveyed 3647 valid health care providers in five sampled cities of China in 2019, which respectively represent the north, northeast, east, central, and southwest area. In each city, 14 institutions were selected and 50 health providers were surveyed in each institution. Increment of voluntary participation was accepted. The scaling outcomes were compared among each sampled city-groups with Chi-square test or ANOVA. Multiple correspondence analyses were also performed for further results.Results: Of all, 41.46% providers had real experience in providing hospice care, and 58.68% confirmed willingness of providing. The overall knowledge correct rate was 57.13%. The average scores of threats, benefits, barriers, subjective norms, confidence, and self-report behaviour items were 15.40, 41.56, 16.75, 15.65, 41.56, and 38.61. Providers from eastern China, willing to provide hospice care, or experienced death witness in providing hospice care, proved better score in knowledge, threats, benefits, barriers, subjective norms, confidence, and self-report behaviour (P<0.05).Conclusions: The investigation reflected urgent need for systematic training of professional knowledge and skills on hospice care for health care providers. Governments’ attention and policy measures are crucial as most Chinese hospice care providers practiced as “organization actors”. More attention was need on balanced development of different areas.
The Pre-Conception Maternal Exposure To Sofosbuvir Impacts The Mitochondrial Biogenesis In Prenatal Fetal Tissues: Experimental Study On Rats
Authors: Shaker Sara. A. , Abdel-Aziz Maryam. M. , Khafaga Rana HM. , Hafez Hala A. , Kamel Maher A. , Mahmoud Shimaa A.
Published: October 2021

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a global public health problem and Egypt has the highest HCV prevalence worldwide. Hence, global efforts target to eliminate HCV by 2030. Sofosbuvir is a nucleotide analogue inhibitor of HCV polymerase essential for viral replication. Animal studies prove that Sofosbuvir metabolites cross the placenta and are excreted in the milk of nursing animals. We aimed to investigate the possible effects of preconception maternal exposure to Sofosbuvir on the mitochondrial biogenesis in prenatal fetal liver, skeletal muscle and placental tissues using female rats. The study was conducted on 20 female albino rats classified into 2 groups, control group including 10 healthy rats receiving placebo, and exposed group including 10 rats receiving 4 mg/kg of Sofosbuvir. At the end of the 3-month treatment period, pregnancy was induced in both groups by mating with healthy male rats overnight. At gestational day 17, all pregnant female rats were sacrificed. Each fetus was dissected to obtain the fetal liver, skeletal muscle and placental tissues. The results of our study indicated that the preconception exposure of young female rats to Sofosbuvir affects pregnancy outcomes, decreases fertility, and impacts mitochondrial biogenesis and functions in prenatal fetal liver, skeletal muscle and placental.
Comparison of ‘In-Person’ Vs ‘Online’ Teaching, According To Student Perception; A Descriptive Cross Sectional Study From A Medical School In Sri Lanka
Authors: Perera Priyantha Julian , Rajakaruna Mithila Manjaree , Perera Prabash Sandeep
Published: October 2021

Background: Along with all other human activities, education at all levels has been severely curtailed by the Covid 19 pandemic. Most educational institutions responded to this challenge by shifting their teaching activities from the traditional ‘in-person’ teaching to the ‘online’ platform. Though ‘online teaching’ has been around for some time, it was a novelty at many educational settings. This novelty was eagerly embraced by most of the students, but with time, especially in recourse limited settings student opinion might have altered. This study from a newly established medical school in Sri Lanka, discuss the student perceptions comparing ‘in-person’ vs ‘online’ teaching.Methods: A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted at the Medical faculty of Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, between 01.08. 21 and 31.08.21. Medical students currently studying in second and third years, had experienced both ‘in-person’ and ‘online teaching’. They were sent a questionnaire, in the form of a google form. Questionnaire compared ‘in-person’ vs ‘online’ teaching, with regard to different aspects of teaching and teacher- students interactions. Z score for comparing proportions was used to assess statistical significance, which was set at 95% confidant level.Results: Out of 145 google forms sent out, 133 were returned fully completed. Irrespective of the mode of delivery of lessons, there was no significant difference in student’s student active participation or ability to understand contents. However, attendance at lessons, ability to focus during a lessons, and teacher’s enthusiasm during the activity were perceived significantly higher during ‘in-person’ teaching compared to online teaching. A statistically significant number of students had a better overall impression about ‘in-person’ teaching than ‘online’ teaching. However, majority of students preferred online teaching to continue along with ‘in-person’ teaching as a highbred system.Conclusions: Majority of students wanted ‘online’ teaching to continue even after pandemic is over, though there are some shortcomings related to ‘online’ teaching. Educational institutions should constantly evaluate their online teaching program to identify the strengths and shortcomings. Regular student and teacher feedback will be useful in this regard. A highbred system of education, combining online and in-person teaching is recommended for the future.
Effect of Winter Feeding Frequency on Growth Performance, Biochemical Blood Parameters, Oxidative Stress, and Appetite-Related Genes in Takifugu Rubripes
Authors: gao Xiao-Qiang , Wang Xin-Yi , Wang Xi , Li Hong-Xu , Xu Liang , Fang Ying-Ying , Cao Shu-Quan , Huang Bin , Chen Hai-Bin , Xing Rui , Liu Bao-Liang
Published: October 2021

We evaluated the effect of winter feeding frequencies (F1: one daily meal; F2: two daily meals; F3: four daily meals; F4: continuous diurnal feeding using a belt feeder) on the growth performance, biochemical blood parameters, oxidative stress, and appetite-related genes in Takifugu rubripes held at a constant temperature (18.0 ± 1.0°C) for 60 days. The results showed that the final weight, weight gain rate, specific growth rate, and survival of tiger puffer in the F3 group showed the best growth performance. The total cholesterol, triglyceride, and glucose levels were significantly higher with the increased feeding frequency. We also observed the antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione, and glutathione peroxidase) and the digestive enzyme activities (trypsin, amylase, and lipase) in tiger puffers cultured in the F1 group were significantly higher than those in the F3 and F4 groups. In addition, the tiger puffers in the F1 group exhibited the highest expression of orexin and the lowest contents of glucose, tachykinin, cholecystokinin, and leptin among all the groups. In contrast, the mRNA levels of tachykinin, cholecystokinin, and leptin in the tiger puffers in the F4 group may be attributed to the negative feedback mechanism in the brain-hypothalamus-neuropeptide axis. All parameters exhibited relatively optimal levels in the F3 group. In conclusion, inappropriate feeding frequencies could have negative effects on growth and physiological indicators. The optimal feeding frequency for enhanced growth performance while maintaining a relatively good physical condition in juveniles of this species was four times a day.
Scenario-based Analysis of the Impacts of Lake Drying on Sustainable Food Production
Authors: Feizizzadeh Bakhtiar , Lakes Tobia , Omarzadeh Davoud , Sharifi Ayyoob , Blaschke Thomas , Karimzadeh Sadra
Published: October 2021

In many parts of the world, lake drying is caused by water management failures, while the phenomenon is exacerbated by climate change. Lake Urmia in Northern Iran is drying up at such an alarming rate that it is considered to be a dying lake, which has dire consequences for the whole region. While salinization caused by a dying lake is well understood and known to influence the local and regional food production, other potential impacts are as yet unknown. Food production in the Urmia region has predominantly been regionally-oriented and sustainable, particularly in terms of water demand. To explore current and projected impacts of the dying lake on sustainable food production (SFP) we investigated changes in climatic conditions, land use, and land degradation for the period 1990-2020. We examined the environmental impacts of lake drought on SFP through an integrated scenario-based geoinformation framework. The results show that the lake drought has significantly affected food production and has reduced the proportion of SFP over the past three decades. Based on a combination of cellular automata and Markov modelling, the conditions are projected for the next 30 years and are predicted to exacerbate further. To mitigate these issues and support SFP, this research provides some policy recommendations and results for tangible action plans. We consider the modification of cropping patterns towards low water demand crops as one the cheapest and most efficient solutions for reducing the overall agricultural water consumption.
Precise Discrimination for Multiple Underlying Pathologies of Dementia Cases Based on Deep-Learning with Electroencephalography
Authors: Hata Masahiro , Watanabe Yusuke , Tanaka Takumi , Awata Kimihisa , Miyazaki Yuki , Fukuma Ryohei , Taomoto Daiki , Satake Yuto , Suehiro Takashi , Kanemoto Hideki , Yoshiyama Kenji , Iwase Masao , Ikeda Shunichiro , Nishida Keiichiro , Takekita Yoshiteru , Yoshimura Masafumi , Ishii Ryouhei , Kazui Hiroaki , Harada Tatsuya , Kishima Haruhiko , Ikeda Manabu , Yanagisawa Takufumi
Published: October 2021

Background: Developing accurate and universally available biomarkers for dementia diseases is demanded under world-wide rapid increasing of patients with dementia. Electroencephalogram (EEG) offers promising examinations due to their inexpensiveness, high availability, and sensitiveness to neural functions. EEG applicability can be expanded by deep-learning.Methods: We analyzed EEG signals based on novel deep neural network in healthy volunteers (HV, N=55), patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD, N=101), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB, N=75), and idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH, N=60) to evaluate the discriminative accuracy of these diseases.Results: High discriminative accuracies were archived between HV and patients with dementia, yielding 81.7 %(vs AD), 93.9% (vs DLB), and 93.1% (vs iNPH).Conclusions: This study revealed that the EEG data of patients with dementia were successfully discriminated from healthy volunteers based on deep learning and could produce a new purpose of EEG measurement in screening for dementia diseases.
Demand- and supply-side factors affecting utilisation and provision of maternal health services under the free maternal health care policy in one municipality in Northern Ghana
Authors: Dalinjong Philip Ayizem , Wang Alex Y , Homer Caroline SE
Published: October 2021

BackgroundA free maternal health care policy was introduced in Ghana in 2008 to cater for the health needs of pregnant women for the reduction of maternal deaths. Experiences from other regions and countries show that demand- and supply-side factors often affect the success of such policies although this is unknown in this context. The study aimed to assess demand- and supply-side factors affecting the utilisation and provision of services during pregnancy under the policy. MethodsA convergent parallel mixed methods study was undertaken, collecting quantitative and qualitative data. The study was carried out in the Kassena-Nankana East Municipality in Ghana. Questionnaire were used to collect data from women (n=406) who utilised services during pregnancy. Focus group discussions with women (n=10) and in-depth interviews with midwives and nurses (n=25) were also conducted. Quantitative data were analysed and presented using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were audio-recorded, transcribed and coded using themes and sub-themes. ResultsBoth demand- and supply-side factors impacted the use and provision of services. Distance and time to facilities challenged the use of services. Supply-side factors such as laboratory services, equipment, drugs and supplies were not adequately available. Antenatal, childbirth and postnatal services were carried out together in the same rooms at the community-based health planning and services (CHPS) compounds. Emergency transport was also unavailable for referral of emergencies. ConclusionDemand- and supply-side factors were reported to impede the use and provision of services. Government and stakeholders should prioritise building as well as expanding the infrastructure of CHPS compounds. Emergency transport for women should also be provided. These together may contribute to improving the use and provision of services, leading to a reduction in maternal deaths and achievement of universal health coverage.
AK098656 – A New Biomarker of Coronary Stenosis Severity in Hypertensive and Coronary Heart Disease Patients
Authors: Wang Xin , Wu Ya-li , Zhang Yuan-yuan , Ke Jing , Zhang Bao-yu , Ma Yan , Yang Long-yan , Zhao Dong
Published: October 2021

Background: AK098656 may be an adverse factor for coronary heart disease (CHD), especially in patients with hypertension. This study aimed to analyze the effect of AK098656 on CHD and CHD with various complications.Methods: A total of 117 CHD patients and 27 healthy control subjects were enrolled in the study. Plasma AK098656 expression was determined using the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Student’s t-test was used to compare AK098656 expression levels in different groups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and area under the curve (AUC) were used to quantify the discrimination ability between CHD patients and health controls and between CHD and CHD+complications patients. The relationship between AK098656 and coronary stenosis was analyzed using Spearman’s correlation.Results: AK098656 expression was remarkably higher in CHD patients than in healthy controls (P=0.03). The ROC curve revealed an effective predictive AK098656 expression value for CHD risk, with an AUC of 0.656 (95% CI: 0.501–0.809). Moreover, AK098656 expression was increased in CHD+complications patients compared to CHD patients alone (P=0.005), especially in patients with hypertension (CHD+hHTN, P=0.030). The ROC curve revealed a predictive AK098656 prognostic value for discriminating between CHD and CHD+hHTN patients, with an AUC of 0.666 (95% CI: 0.528–0.805). There was no significant difference in AK098656 expression in CHD patients with diabetes mellitus compared to CHD patients alone. In addition, AK098656 expression in CHD patients was positively correlated with stenosis severity (R=0.261, P=0.006).Conclusion: AK098656 expression was significantly increased in patients with CHD, especially those with hypertension, and its expression level was positively correlated with the degree of coronary stenosis. This implied that AK098656 may be a risk factor for CHD and can potentially be applied in clinical diagnosis or provide a novel target for treatment.
DNA methylome and lncRNAome Analysis Provide Insights Into Mechanism of Genome-dosage Effects in Autotetraploid Cassava
Authors: Xiao Liang , Lu Liuying , Zeng Wendan , Shang Xiaohong , Cao Sheng , Yan Huabing
Published: October 2021

BackgroundDuring newly formed polyploidy, one of the most intriguing aspects is that whole-genome duplication (WGD) increase the dosage of all coding and non-coding genes. However, the molecular implications of genome-dosage effects remain elusive.ResultsWe conducted integrated maps of methylomes and lncRNAomes in autotetraploid cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) and its donor parent, both of which were independently clonal propagated for three years. DNA methylation variation of transposable elements (TEs) was observed as widespread in autotetraploid cassava. The hypermethylation of DNA transposons in mCG and mCHH sites may be an effective way to suppress the expression of nearby PCGs in autotetraploid cassava, resulting in similar expression levels for most of PCGs between autotetraploid and diploid cassava. The decreased methylation levels of retrotransposons in mCHG and mCHH sites, which partly attributed to reduction methylation of Cypsy neighboring long intergenic noncoding RNAs in autotetraploid cassava, may be a mechanism that may suppress the expression levels of nearby lncRNA, leading to no significant differences in transcriptome alterations for major of lncRNAs from its diploid parent.ConclusionsThis work highlighted that WGD-induced DNA methylation variation in DNA transposons and retrotransposons may be as direct adaptive responses to dosage of all coding-genes and lncRNAs, respectively.
Three-level algorithm to control COVID-19 spreading
Authors: Dieguez Giovanni M. , Batistela Cristiane M. , Piqueira José Roberto C.
Published: October 2021

As the main ways of the coronavirus (COVID-19) spreading are airand physical contact, actions to mitigate and suppress its spreading must bedeveloped in order to change population behavior, providing efficient controlstrategies. Here, these actions are described as a simple heuristic frameworkto establish public policies. The possible effects of these actions are modeledas a stratified control algorithm applied to an extension of the Susceptible-Infected-Removed (SIR) compartmental model. The model dynamics is an-alyzed and validated with simulations considering parameters obtained fromepidemiological data from Brazil and Uruguay. Model simulations allow theproposition of a three-level control strategy that, as the numerical experimentsshow, presents promising results for the development of strategies to reducethe spread of COVID-19.
Tuning Paclitaxel Release Behavior Using Dually-Responsive Nanomicellar Assemblies with Multiple Diselenide/Disulfide Linkages
Authors: Xu Jingwen , Yan Xiangji , Zhang Yue , Tu Kangsheng , Shen Wen , Li Guoliang , Tian Zhaoqing , Zhao Wei , Zhang Mingzhen
Published: October 2021

Background: There are many reasons that lead to the failure of cancer chemotherapy, such as uncontrolled drug release, low drug utilization, and severe side effects. Methods: To overcome these obstacles, we designed two kinds of copolymers with thermal and redox-responsive properties containing multiple diselenide/disulfide bonds polyethylene glycol -alt- diselenodipropionate/disulfhydryldipropionate-b-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (abbreviated as PEG-alt-DSeDP-b-PNIPAM and PEG-alt-DSDP-b-PNIPAM) by alternative esterification and following atom transfer radical polymerization. Afterward, these prepared copolymers were mixed with the mass ratio of 8:0, 5:3, 3:5, 0:8 (denoted as S1, S2, S3, and S4, respectively), and self-assembled with paclitaxel (PTX) to obtain PTX-loaded S1, S2, S3, and S4 nanomicellar assemblies, aiming to realize PTX controlled and on-demand release. Results: The chemical structures of these two copolymers were characterized by gel permeation chromatography (GPC), indicating eight diselenide/disulfide linkages and eight PEG units were contained in these copolymers. Moreover, the thermal-responsive property was detected by UV-vis spectroscopy, meanwhile, the redox-responsive property was observed by TEM in the presence of 10 mM glutathione (GSH). We found that 76.90% of PTX was released from S1 nanomicelles within 23 h. In contrast, this percentage decreased to 64.53% for S4 nanomicelles even the incubation time prolonged to 82 h, indicating explosive and slow release behaviors of S1 and S4 nanomicelles, respectively. In addition, gradually decreased fluorescence intensity around the cellular nucleus was occurred from S1 to S4 orderly, which was consistent with cellular uptake and in vivo anti-tumor experiments. Conclusion: This work not only provides a strategy for the controlled and effective release of PTX, but also improves drug bioavailability in cancer treatment.
Do MTHFR C677T Genetic Polymorphism Influence in the Pathogenesis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis?
Authors: Azevedo Rômulo Morais , Santos Kamilla de Faria , de Oliveira Rayana Pereira Dantas , Pereira Júllia Costa , Bento Dhiogo da Cruz Pereira , Reis Angela Adamski da Silva , Santos Rodrigo da Silva
Published: October 2021

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive and lethal neurodegenerative disease without a definitive diagnostic test and effective treatment. A plethora of studies suggest that genetic factors play an important role in ALS development, and potentially link folate pathway dysregulation to disease pathogenesis. This study aims to evaluate folate dysregulation due to MTHFR C677T polymorphism and other factors such as sociodemographic and clinical, to better elucidate the involvement of these factors in ALS pathogenesis, and to investigate possible biomarkers for use as disease diagnostics or prognostics. This hospital-based case-control study analyzed 101 patients diagnosed with ALS and 119 considered healthy, with no suspicion or diagnosis of neurodegenerative disease. Blood samples were collected, stored, and underwent DNA extraction. Clinical and sociodemographic data from patients were collected through a questionnaire, as well as consultation of medical records. Genotypic analyses were performed using PCR-RFLP, and statistical analysis of clinical and genotypic data was conducted with SPSS software, version 23. The results show a higher presence of the mutant genotype (p = 0.02) in the case group, and suggest that mutant allele (T) is a risk factor for ALS susceptibility (OR = 1.54; 95% CI = 1.05–2.29; p = 0.03). Mutant genotype (T/T) interacts with both demographics (White p = 0.005 / Brown p = 0,001) and clinical factors (Physical activity p = 0.006) as risk factors for ALS. Also, a significant difference in alcohol consumption (p = 0.001) between the case and control group was observed. Moreover, a statistical trend towards faster disease progression and death was observed for patients with the mutant allele (T) (p = 0.06). Thus, the results of this study suggest that folate deficiency due to MTHFR C677T polymorphism is implicated in ALS through pathogenic mechanisms and interaction with other risk factors, resulting in faster disease progression and early death.