bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multi-proxy provenance of the lower Pennsylvanian Pottsville sandstone of the northern Appalachian basin in Pennsylvania, U.S.A: Paleodrainage, sources, and detrital history
Authors: Monami Shifat J. , Uddin Ashraf , Hames Willis E.
Published: April 2022

The lower Pennsylvanian Pottsville Formation, in the Appalachian foreland basin, constitutes a late Paleozoic clastic wedge formed close to the Appalachian orogenic belt. In this study, we analyzed Pottsville sandstone from the western bituminous and eastern anthracite fields in Pennsylvania to evaluate the detrital history of the sediments. Petrographic modal analyses show that sandstone in the western bituminous field ranges from quartzarenite to sublitharenite, with mean composition of Qt84F1L15; sampled sandstone from the eastern anthracite field is dominated by sublitharenite to litharenite with mean composition of Qt70F2L29. Heavy-mineral assemblages from both fields are dominated by ultrastable minerals (zircon, rutile, and tourmaline), apatite, sphene, spinel, siderite, and abundant opaques. Almost all the studied sandstone samples are garnet-depleted except one from the eastern anthracite field. The chemical composition of chromium- and zinc-rich spinel in samples from both fields might suggest exhumation of an arc terrane and ophiolitic belt with ultramafic igneous rocks. Particularly, the ternary plot of Fe3+–Cr3+–Al3+ end members for the chrome spinels possibly suggest a derivation from an alpine-type peridotite complex. Laser 40Ar/39Ar analyses of detrital muscovite from eastern anthracite fields and western bituminous fields record separate ages, with the former characterized by prominent Middle to Late Ordovician Taconic and Middle Devonian Acadian ages with two discrete modes at 463 and 369 Ma, and the latter dominated by Late Ordovician Taconic, Middle Devonian Acadian, and Late Devonian Neoacadian ages with discrete modes at 445, 397, 360, and 351 Ma. The new data suggest that early Pennsylvanian sedimentation in the Appalachian foreland basin was controlled by southward, southwestward, and westward drainage systems that originated in the Appalachian orogenic belt to the east and northeast.
A Flownet-Based Method for History Matching and Production Prediction of Shale or Tight Reservoirs with Fracturing Treatment
Authors: Zhao Hui , Rao Xiang , Liu Deng , Xu Yunfeng , Zhan Wentao , Peng Xiaoying
Published: April 2022

Based on a newly developed physics-based data-driven model FlowNet, this paper presents an effective method for history matching and production prediction of fractured shale or tight reservoirs without any prior information about fracture geometry. In this method, four types of well nodes including fracturing cluster nodes, fracture nodes, stimulated reservoir volume (SRV) nodes, and matrix nodes are allocated in the reservoir. Then, the reservoir model is simplified as a flow network composed of some 1D connection elements between these nodes. Some grids are divided on each connection element, and the grids on the same connection element are of equal width and permeability. Subsequently, a fully implicit nonlinear solver is used to solve flow equations in this FlowNet grid system to obtain pressure, phase saturation, and production rates, etc. Efficient history-matching procedure based on the FlowNet model of the fractured reservoir is used to determine the parameters of connection elements, and then fast production prediction can be conducted. Five numerical examples including single-well depletion, waterflooding development with natural fractures, multiple-well interference, three-phase flow, and an actual waterflooding field case validate that this presented FlowNet-based method can achieve good history matching and production prediction for various flow problems in shale or tight reservoirs with fracturing treatment, and the history-matched transmissibility and volume of connection elements can reflect the existence of high-conductivity fractures.
Hybrid energy system for Dier El Balah quarantine center in Gaza Strip, Palestine
Authors: El-Khozondar Hala , El-batta Fady , EL-Khozondar Rifa , Alramlawi Mansour
Published: April 2022

A new off-grid Hybrid Energy System (HES) for Dier El Balah quarantine center (middle Gaza Strip, Palestine) that was built to host the infected Corona virus (COVID-19) people is studied. The proposed system is made up of three energy sources mainly photovoltaic (PV), wind, and a diesel generator. The HES is developed to adequately supply a load of 3952 KW/day. The technical and economic considerations are presented. HOMER program is used to develop an optimal system from the practical view point. The results revealed the potential of the HES to provide environment friendly, cost-effective and affordable electricity for the Dier El Balah quarantine center, as compared to using only diesel generators with lowest COE equals 0.348 US$/kWh.
Transcriptomic profiling of mouse amygdala during opioid dependence and withdrawal by single-cell RNA sequencing
Authors: Yan Yan , Herlihy Bridget , Boyles Sean , Tao Junyi , Hulme William , Roy Sabita
Published: April 2022

Substance use disorder (SUD) is a complex process in which several neurocircuits are disturbed and various brain regions are involved. The amygdala is a region that mediates the withdrawal effect as well as anxiety and depression-like behaviors. However, the specific transcriptional changes in each cell type during SUD is largely unknown. Here we performed single-cell RNA sequencing and classified all cell types in mouse amygdala under opioid dependence and withdrawal conditions. Our data revealed key biological processes, such as immune response, inflammation, synaptic transmission, and mitochondrial respiration, changed in a distinct manner in different cell populations. Dramatic differences were unraveled in the transcriptional profiles between dependence and withdrawal states. Overall, our work has provided a comprehensive dataset of genes, biological pathways and cell-cell interactions for all the identified cell types in the amygdala, thus expanding our limited understanding of brain alterations during SUD, especially at the molecular and cellular levels.
Prevalence of intestinal parasites and associated risk factors among HIV/AIDS patients attending at anti-retroviral treatment (ART) clinic at Mizan-Tepi university teaching hospital, southwest Ethiopia
Authors: Abayneh Mengistu , Duguma Tadesse
Published: April 2022

Background
Intestinal parasitic infections are still very common, especially in areas where immune-compromised patients like HIV/AIDS patients are high prevalent. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of intestinal parasite and risk factor among HIV/ AIDS patients attending ART clinic in Mizan-Tepi university teaching hospital, Southwest Ethiopia.
Method
A cross -sectional survey was conducted from July to September, 2021. A total of 191 study subjects were participated in this study. A structured questionnaire was used for collecting socio-demographic and risk factors data. Stool sample was collected and processed using direct wet mount, formol-ether concentration technique and modified Ziehl-Neelson staining techniques. Data was analyzed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) Version 25 software and logistic regressions were applied to assess any association between explanatory factors and outcome variables.
Result
From a total of 191 stool samples, 67 (35.1%) were positive for intestinal parasites. The prevalence of intestinal parasites among patients on-ART was 31.5% (45/143) and 45.8% (22/48) among ART naïve group. Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (7.7%) and (12.5%) and Giardia lamblia (7.0%) and (10.4%) was the most predominant parasites detected both in ART and ART naïve groups (p > 0.05). Drinking untreated water (AOR = 0.13; 95% CI: 0.016–1.012), consuming raw food (AOR = 0.23; 95% CI: 0.025–2.108), eating unwashed raw vegetables (AOR = 2.26; 95% CI: 1.052–4.843); CD4 count < 200cells/ mm3 (AOR = 0.22; 95% CI: 0.062–0.798), CD4 count 200-500cells/mm3 (AOR = 0.40; 95% CI: 0.195–0.811), WHO stage II (AOR = 0.30; 95% CI: 0.156–0.589), WHO stage III (AOR = 0.32; 95% CI: 0.108–0.917) and viral load ≥ 150 copies/ml (AOR = 0.44; 95% CI: 0.220–0.873) were showed significant association with prevalence of intestinal parasite.
Conclusion
In this study, higher rate of intestinal parasitosis were associated with hygienic practices like drinking untreated water, consuming raw food and eating unwashed raw vegetables and with some clinical findings such as lower CD4 counts, increased viral load and being WHO stage II & III. Therefore, public health measures and adherence to ART should be strengthened to improve the immune status and to reducing vulnerability of the patients for intestinal parasites.
Development of an efficient transgenic system of Lagenaria siceraria using seed germination pouches as a growth carrier
Authors: Wang Ying , Huang Lijuan , Li Yanwei , Feng Zishan , Mu Zihan , Wang Jian , Wu Xinyi , Wang Baogen , Lu Zhongfu , Li Guojing , Wu Xiaohua
Published: April 2022

Bottle gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standl.] is one of the most common horticultural and medicinal crops. Genetic transformation is a rate-limiting step in unraveling the function of genes and molecular breeding in this non-model crop. In this study, we established an optimized protocol for transformation using a seed germination pouch as a growth carrier and developed bottle gourd composite plants. Overground explants were inoculated with Agrobacterium rhizogenes strain R1000, which harbored a binary vector pBI121 carrying the GUS reporter gene. The integration of GUS into transgenic roots was confirmed via reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and histochemical staining. Furthermore, we screened for desirable genotypes from 14 bottle gourd germplasm collections based on the number of induced roots, transformation efficiency, and induction rate, and “Changguang” (transformation efficiency, approximately 36.8%) was selected as the genotype suitable for hairy root induction in bottle gourd. The optimized protocol presented here is a rapid, suitable, and efficient tool for studying the function of genes and root biology of bottle gourd in the future.
Determining the Key Performance Indicators of Human Resource Management of Military Hospital Managers; A TOPSIS Study
Authors: fanaei Sadegh , Zareiyan Armin , shahraki saeid , Mirzaei Abasat
Published: April 2022

BackgroundHuman resource management in health centers influences the management of the military health system, and the development of the military health system due to its complexity requires sustainable development and improving the quality of services. As a result, this study aims to determine the key performance indicators of human resource management for military hospital managers.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was performed by the TOPSIS method in the fall of 2021. This study used a checklist consisting of 20 performance indicators of human resource management, which were scored by 20 senior military hospital managers based on two criteria: "importance" and "measurability in military hospitals". The Shannon entropy method was used to weight the indicators, and the BT-TOPSIS Solver software was used to analyze and prioritize them.ResultsAmong the 20 indicators in human resource management, the staff satisfaction index in military hospitals, the competitiveness rate of salaries in military hospitals relative to the national sector, the number of permanent staff in military hospitals, and the percentage of contract labor costs in military hospitals have the highest coefficient, respectively.ConclusionsOrganizational performance and human resource management have a significant relationship. As a result, human resource management should pay special attention to the professional and personal development of human resources, as this has an impact on the performance of the organization in the long run. In light of the sensitive nature of human resource management and its crucial role in achieving any organization's strategic goals, selecting appropriate indicators is essential.The Department of Military Health requires indicators unique to the military sector to assess the human resource management of the military hospital, since according to the existing circumstances, the indicators of the military sector and those of the civilian sector are different.
Comparable effectiveness of 45-min and 20-min post-infusion scalp cooling time in preventing paclitaxel-induced alopecia – a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Lugtenberg Rieneke T , Hurk Corina JG van den , Smorenburg Carolien H , Mosch Linda , Houtsma Danny , Deursen Margaret AG den Hollander - van , Kaptein Ad A , Gelderblom Hans , Kroep Judith R
Published: April 2022

Purpose
Scalp cooling can prevent chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA). Previously, the post-infusion cooling time (PICT) could be successfully reduced in docetaxel-treated patients from 90 to 45 and 20 minutes. Therefore it seems plausible that the PICT can be shortened for paclitaxel-treated patients as well.
Methods
Patients treated with weekly paclitaxel were included in this multi-center trial and randomly assigned to a PICT of 45 or 20 minutes. The results were compared to a standard PICT of 90 minutes, derived from prospective collected data from the Dutch Scalp Cooling Registry. The primary endpoint was the percentage of patients who decide to not wear a wig or head covering. Secondary endpoints were the degree of CIA assessed with the Dean scale for assessment of hair loss; alopecia graded according to NCI CTC toxicity version 4.03 (CTCAE4.03); tolerance of scalp cooling and perceived distress of CIA.
Results
91 patients were enrolled in this study, 74 patients were evaluable for hair loss. Hair preservation was successful in 27 patients (75%) with a PICT of 45 minutes and in 31 patients (82%) with a PICT of 20 minutes. There was no difference in success rate with the standard PICT of 90 minutes (85%, p = 0.29). Similar success rates were seen when using the Dean sale and CTCAE assessment, with no differences between groups (p = 0.12 and p = 0.38).
Conclusions
A 20 minute PICT is as effective as 45 and 90 minutes to prevent weekly paclitaxel-induced alopecia and should be the new standard of care.
Preoperative orbital CT scan findings in patients with nasolacrimal duct obstruction and its impact on surgical planning
Authors: Medghalchi Abdolreza , Alizadeh Yousef , Dourandeesh Maryam , Arzpeima Sima Fallah , Soltani-Moghadam Reza , Akbari Mitra , Khadem Sara , Kazemnejad Ehsan
Published: April 2022

Objective
External dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) failure is sometimes due to pathologies located within the nasal cavity. Preoperative computerized tomography (CT) scan is useful in the assessment of nasolacrimal drainage and adjacent anatomical structures; however, it is not routinely performed before DCR. The present study evaluates abnormal findings in CT scans of patients with nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO) and its effect on changing treatment approaches.
Methods
This prospective descriptive cross-sectional study included 162 patients with NLDO. All the patients underwent a supine axial CT scan. Patients with signs of rhinosinusitis, sinus mucositis, nasal septal deviation, nasal polyps or masses, and turbinate deformities were referred to an otolaryngologist. The rest of the patients underwent external DCR. The demographics and radiologic characteristics of the patients undergoing CT scans and their effect on changing treatment approaches were evaluated.
Results
The study participants included 162 patients with a mean ± SD age of 62.5 ± 14.0 years (age range of 35–93 years). The percentage of endonasal DCR in cases with an abnormal nasal cavity on CT scan was almost 30% higher compared to those without this problem (59.6% vs. 30.2%). Septum deviation and turbinate deformity led to 3.6-fold and 3.9-fold changes in the surgical approach, respectively.
Conclusion
A significant association existed between the sinonasal pathologies in patients with NLDO and changing surgical approach. It is believed that a preoperative CT scan is necessary to detect such pathologies and manage them appropriately.
Application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour to understand physical activity intentions and behavior among Korean breast cancer survivors
Authors: Min Jihee , Yu Ye-Won , Lee Jeongmin , Yeon Sujin , Park Ha-Nui , Lee Joon Sung , Courneya Kerry S. , Park Hyung Seok , Kim Seung Il , Jeon Justin
Published: April 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to apply the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to understand physical activity intentions and behaviors among Korean breast cancer survivors.Methods: A total of 286 Korean breast cancer survivors (Mage52.3±8.3) completed a self-reported survey administered face-to-face by a trained interviewer. The survey assessed the physical activity frequency and intensity in a typical week after breast cancer diagnosis, demographic factors, and theory of planned behavior variables including attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control (PBC), planning, and intentions to participate in physical activity. We used structural equation modeling to examine the direct and indirect effects of the TPB variables on physical activity intentions and behavior. Covariates included age, cancer stage, and clinical treatment.Results: Confirmatory factor analyses indicated a satisfactory model fit. We observed direct effects for instrumental attitude (ß=0.34, p<0.001), subjective norm (ß=0.12, p<0.05), and PBC (ß=0.57, p<0.001) on physical activity intentions. PBC (ß=.17, p<0.01) and physical activity intentions (ß=0.46, p<0.01) had direct effects on planning. PBC (ß=0.28, p<0.01) and planning (ß=0.22, p<0.01) had direct effects on physical activity behavior. Conclusion: The TPB was a useful model for understanding Korean breast cancer survivors’ physical activity intentions and behavior. Interventions that can enhance attitudes, subjective norm, PBC, intention, and planning may facilitate physical activity intentions and behaviors in this population.
What predicts people’s adherence to COVID-19 misinformation? A retrospective study using a nationwide online survey among adults residing in the United States
Authors: Kim Sooyoung , Capasso Ariadna , Ali Shahmir H. , Headley Tyler , DiClemente Ralph J. , Tozan Yesim
Published: April 2022

Background: Tackling infodemics with flooding misinformation is key to managing the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet only a few studies have attempted to understand the characteristics of the people who believe in and adhere to misinformation. Methods: Data was used from an online survey that was administered in April 2020 to 6,518 English-speaking adult participants in the United States. We created binary variables to represent four misinformation categories related to COVID-19: general COVID-19-related, vaccine/anti-vaccine, COVID-19 as an act of bioterrorism, and mode of transmission. Using binary logistic regression and the LASSO regularization, we then identified the important predictors of adherence to each type of misinformation. Nested vector bootstrapping approach was used to estimate the standard error of the LASSO coefficients. Results: About 30% of our sample reported adhering to at least one type of COVID-19-related misinformation. Adherence to one type of misinformation was not strongly associated with adherence to other types. We also identified 58 demographic and socioeconomic factors that predicted people’s susceptibility to at least one type of COVID-19 misinformation. Different groups, characterized by distinct sets of predictors, were susceptible to different types of misinformation. There were 25 predictors for general COVID-19 misinformation, 42 for COVID-19 vaccine, 36 for COVID-19 as an act of bioterrorism, and 27 for mode of COVID-transmission. Conclusion: Our findings confirm the existence of groups with unique characteristics that adheres to different types of COVID-19 misinformation. Findings are readily applicable by policymakers to inform careful targeting of misinformation mitigation strategies.
The variable clinical spectrum of nephroblastomatosis – results from the German Society of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology (GPOH) childhood kidney tumor group.
Authors: Furtwängler Rhoikos , Schenk Jens-Peter , Friesenbichler Waltraud , Gessler Manfred , Wagenpfeil Stefan , Kager Leo , Müller Marina , Welter Nils , Fuchs Jürgen , Warmann Steven , Meier Clemens M , Hubertus Jochen , Rübe Christian , Vokuhl Christian , Melchior Patrick , Graf Norbert
Published: April 2022

Background: Nephroblastomatosis is defined histologically as ≥2 microscopic foci of nephrogenic rests. In contrast, clinicans’ nephroblastomatosis consists of single, multiple or diffuse hyperplastic nephrogenic rests (HNR) apparent on imaging as a renal tumor. Methods: Analysis of 78 patients having clinically apparent uni- or bilateral nephroblastomatosis out of 2347 patients registered in two consecutive International Society of Pediatric Oncology SIOP93-01/GPOH and SIOP2001/GPOH renal-tumor studies (1993 - 2014). Results: Median follow-up and age at diagnosis was 9.2 years and 13 months (0-12.7 years). 59% of patients were female, 57% had bilateral and 53% multifocal or diffuse HNR. Imaging diagnosis was conclusive in 67% when reviewed centrally versus 30% without review (p=0.015). 27% of patients developed nephroblastoma(s). 45% had high-risk, 30% intermediate-risk histology and 25% upfront-surgery-blastemal subtype. 5-year-event-free-(EFS), nephroblastoma-free-(NFS) and overall-survival(OS) were 60.7%, 79.8% and 95.5%, respectively. Univariate risk factors for EFS/NFS were female gender (p<0.001/p=0.031), bilateral(p=0.002/p=0.03), diffuse HNR at diagnosis (p<0.001/p=0.016), and non-complete-remission(non-CR) at end of first-line-treatment (both p<0.001). Gender and non-CR remained significant in multivariate COX regression analysis for EFS(p=0.005/p<0.001), non-CR also for NFS(p=0.002). 34 patients achieved CR within 12 weeks from diagnosis: 25 of them were only followed, 9 received further chemotherapy. EFS was 78% and 100%, respectively.Conclusion: Patients having Nephroblastomatosis have an excellent OS but need an extended follow-up for more than a decade. A short treatment is sufficient for those who achieved CR within 12 weeks. Bilateral and diffuse HNR are significant risk factors. Consensus terminology is needed for future trials to facilitate true comparability of results.
Tele-yoga in the management of Ankylosing Spondylitis amidst COVID pandemic: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Singh Jyoti , Metri Kashinath , Tekur Padmini , Mohanty Sriloy , Singh Amit , R Nagaratna
Published: April 2022

Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) often report mental and physical problems and have a poor quality of life (QoL). This study intended to investigate the efficacy of a 3-months tele-yogic intervention on the disease activity, inflammatory markers, and mental health measures in patients with AS. Hundred and twenty AS patients were assigned to either the yoga intervention or control arm. The yoga intervention arm (YG) (n = 57) received a 60-minutes structured yoga module for 3-months on online in addition to standard medical care. The control (CG) participants (n = 52) followed only standard care for the same period. BASDAI, BASFI, ASQOL, psychological and inflammatory biomarkers were assessed at baseline and three months. YG showed significant improvement in BASDAI (p = 0.001), anxiety (p = 0.0004), and depression (p = 0.001) at 3-months compared to the baseline. The CG showed no change. After 3-months, the intervention resulted in a significant improvement in BASDI (-0.79; 95% CI (-1.3, to -0.29); p = 0.0021),BASFI (-0.86; 95% CI (-1.59, to -0.14); p = 0.0193), anxiety (-0.42; 95% CI (-0.84 to -0.01); p = 0.0468), and AS-QoL (-3.37; 95% CI (-5.21, to 1.53); p = 0.0004) compared to the CG. The present study suggests that Yoga helps to improve the pain, functional index, and mental health among patients with AS. The tele-yoga intervention is feasible and effective in the management of AS.
RETRACTED: Arterial injury mechanism of homocysteine in patients with premature coronary heart disease after PCI
Authors: Liu Mei , Yin Ya-Juan , Zheng Ming-qi , Shi Xiao-Cui , Liu Da , Liu Dong-Yue , Liu Gang , Wei Mei
Published: April 2022

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Expression relationship and significance of NEAT1 and miR-27a-3p in serum and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with Alzheimer's disease
Authors: feng heqiang , HE LIJIE , chen zongnan , wang jing
Published: April 2022

Objective To explore the expression relationship and significance of long chain non-coding RNA nuclear-enriched abundant transcript 1 (LncRNA NEAT1) and miR-27a-3p in serum and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD).Methods Sixty-six AD patients received by the Department of Neurology of our hospital from October 2019 to September 2021 were gathered, according to the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR) score, they were grouped into mild group (≤1 point, n=41) and moderate-to-severe group (>1 point, n=25).Another 32 cases of serum and cerebrospinal fluid samples from outpatient physical examination personnel were regarded as the control group. The general materials on all subjects was recorded and cognition was assessed;real-time quantitative PCR was performed to measure the expression levels of miR-27a-3p and NEAT1 in serum and cerebrospinal fluid;enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to measure the protein levels of β-amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1), β-amyloid (Aβ) 40 and Aβ42 in cerebrospinal fluid;Spearman's method was performed to analyze the correlation of serum miR-27a-3p and NEAT1 levels with MMSE and MoCA scores;Pearson method was performed to analyze the correlation between serum miR-27a-3p and NEAT1 levels and Aβ deposition standard uptake value ratio (SUVR) and cerebrospinal fluid miR-27a-3p, NEAT1, BACE1, Aβ42 and Aβ40 levels.Results The MMSE score, MoCA score, serum miR-27a-3p level, cerebrospinal fluid miR-27a-3p, Aβ42 levels and Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio of AD patients in mild group and moderate-to-severe group were all lower than those in the control group, and the moderate-to-severe group were lower than the mild group (all P<0.05);the serum NEAT1 level, SUVR, and cerebrospinal fluid NEAT1 and BACE1 levels were higher than those in the control group, and the moderate-to-severe group were higher than the mild group (all P<0.05).Serum NEAT1 level in AD patients was positively correlated with SUVR, cerebrospinal fluid NEAT1 and BACE1 (r=0.350, 0.606, 0.341, all P<0.05);serum miR-27a-3p level was positively correlated with cerebrospinal fluid miR-27a-3p level (r=0.695, P<0.05), and negatively correlated with SUVR and cerebrospinal fluid BACE1 level (r=-0.521, -0.447, both P<0.05).Conclusions The expression trends of NEAT1 and miR-27a-3p in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid of AD patients are consistent, the level of NEAT1 is increased, and the level of miR-27a-3p is decreased. The levels of the two are negatively correlated, which is related to the degree of Aβ deposition in the brain of AD patients and is involved in the progression of AD.
Antioxidant activation, cell wall reinforcement and ROS regulation promote resistance to waterlogging stress in hot pepper (Capsicum annum L.)
Authors: Gong Xuefeng , Xu Yi , Li Hong , Chen Xin , Song Zhanfeng
Published: April 2022

Hot pepper (Capsicum annuum) is one of the oldest domesticated crops in the world. Pepper has poor waterlogging tolerance and flooding often leads to plant death and yield reduction. It is important to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in pepper waterlogging tolerance to cultivate new varieties with stronger tolerance. In the present study, we found that the growth rate of waterlogging-tolerant pepper varieties was not strongly affected after five days of exposure to flooding. Physiological data showed that chlorophyll content was not strongly affected by flooding, but stomatal conductance changed significantly 0–5 days after flooding and the net photosynthesis rate changed significantly 5–10 days after flooding. We also found that waterlogging-tolerant varieties showed significantly higher root activity after flooding for 10 days than a control. This suggests that the impact of flooding is related to changes in the root environment, which indirectly affects photosynthesis. A comparison of transcriptome data found that antioxidase genes, cell wall synthesis pathway genes and calcium ion regulation pathway genes may also be related to waterlogging tolerance. Other genes identified in tolerant peppers include those related to lignin synthesis regulation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) regulation pathways and others related to stress resistance. We recorded significant changes in the expression levels of these genes at five days after waterlogging, which was consistent with a significant increase in oxidase content that was also observed on the fifth day after flooding. Our results show that ROS regulation, increases in antioxidase activity, the accumulation of lignin and the expression of stress resistance genes may facilitate flooding resistance in waterlogging-tolerant peppers to flooding stress in the early stage. These results provide a foundation for further analysis of the molecular mechanisms responsible for waterlogging tolerance in pepper and may be a useful reference for the breeding of other Solanaceae plants.
Dexmedetomidine Preconditioning Protects Isolated Rat Hearts with Hyperglycemia Against Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury through PI3K/AKT signaling pathway
Authors: Qu Yan , Xiong Wei , Zhou Rui , Song Ning , Qian Jinqiao
Published: April 2022

Background
Dexmedetomidine (Dex) has myocardial protective effects, but fewer researches focus on the cardioprotection of dexmedetomidine in high glucose environment. The purpose of this research was to unveil this protective effect and mechanism of Dex preconditioning against ischemia/reperfusion(I/R) injury of hearts and H2O2-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis with hyperglycemia.
Methods
Langendorff model was established. Test groups were pretreated with dexmedetomidine for 30 min and washed out for 10 min, subsequently exposed to 30 min of ischemia and 60 min of reperfusion. We randomly separated isolated hearts to seven groups. Furthermore, the perfusate of Krebs-Henseleit buffer (KHB) in experimental groups contained 33 mM glucose, while the glucose concentration in control group was 11 mM. Left ventricular developed pressure, +dp/dtmax, -dp/dtmax, heart rates as well as high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T(hs-cTnT) of coronary perfusion were assessed. Triphenyl tetrazolium chloride staining was used to test infarct size at last. To explore the mechanism of Dex protective effect, H9C2 cardiomyocytes were pretreated with or without 10 nM Dex and PI3K inhibitor LY294002 before being exposed to H2O2 to induce oxidative cellular damage in low or high glucose culture medium. Cell viability, apoptosis ratio and protein expressions were detected by CCK8, TUNEL, flow cytometry and Western blot.
Results
After 33mM glucose-KHS treatment and global ischemia/reperfusion, left ventricular function indexes of the isolated hearts in I/R group were significantly reduced (p < 0.001), nonetheless infarct sizes of the left ventricle and hs-cTnT (p < 0.001) were obviously increased. Dexmedetomidine preconditioning reduced I/R-induced left ventricular dysfunction and left ventricle infarct size (p < 0.001). hs-cTnT was lower in rat hearts preconditioned with Dex (p < 0.001). Moreover, the myocardial protective effects of Dex in high glucose perfusate were not related to osmotic pressure changes. H2O2 significantly decreased cell viability and increased necroptotic and apoptotic cell deaths in high glucose culture medium group (p < 0.01, HG + H2O2 vs. Control). Dex prevented H2O2‑induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis through PI3K/AKT signaling pathway under high glucose circumstances, for it significantly decreased expressions of proteins caspase 3, Bax and increased expressions of proteins Bcl-2, p-PI3K and p-AKT. While all these protective effects of Dex were reversed by LY294002 (p < 0.01, HG + H2O2 vs. HG + DP + H2O2 and LY294002 + HG + DP + H2O2 vs. HG + DP + H2O2). These findings indicated that Dex attenuates H2O2-induced cardiomyocyte apoptotic cell death through PI3K/AKT signaling pathway under high glucose circumstances.
Conclusions
Acute hyperglycemia exacerbates myocardial I/R injury but dexmedetomidine attenuates myocardial I/R injury and H2O2-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis through PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.
Transthyretin in promoting cholangiocarcinoma cell invasion by macrophages in tumor microenvironment
Authors: Ke Kun , Lin Junqing , Huang Ning , Yan Leye , Liao Rihua , yang weizhu
Published: April 2022

Purpose: To investigate the involvement of transthyretin (TTR) in promoting cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) cell invasion by macrophages and to elucidate the role of TTR in cholangiocarcinoma migration and invasion.Methods: Immunohistochemical detection of TTR, TNF-α and IL-6 expression in CCA tissues. CCA cells (HCCC9810) with high expression of TTR were co-cultured with macrophages (THP-1) in the presence of TNF- α (25 ng/L), which were divided into: blank control group (BC group), negative control group (NC group), HCCC9810 + si-RNA TTR, HCCC9810 + recombinant TTR, HCCC9810 + Akt inhibitor (mk-2206). BC group were without THP-1 and TNF- α and no THP-1 were in NC group. The quantitative real-time PCR was used to determine the TTR levels in cells. Cell proliferation was detected by CCK8 assay. The metastatic ability was detected by wound-healing migration assay, and Transwell assay was used to detect the invasive ability, TTR, NF-κB and p-Akt protein levels were detected by Western blot.Results: Expression of IL-6 and TTR was increased in CCA tissues. Both THP-1 and downregulation of TTR could inhibit the metastatic and invasive abilities of HCCC9810 cells (P < 0.05), and downregulated NF-κB and p-Akt expression (P < 0.05). Recombinant TTR recovered the metastatic and invasive abilities of HCCC9810 cells and upregulated NF-κB and p-Akt expression (P < 0.05). Mk-2206 downregulated the metastatic ability and the expression of TTR and NF-κB in HCCC9810 cells (P < 0.05).Conclusion: TTR promotes the invasion abilities of HCCC9810 cells by macrophages in the tumor microenvironment though Akt and NF-κB signaling pathways.
Connected vehicles could greatly reduce carbon emissions in shared mobility
Authors: Hu Zhiqun , Lu Zhaoming , Li Chenghao , Zhang Lei , Gao Yuchong , Ren Dakai , Xu Qing , Wang Luhan , Wen Xiangming
Published: April 2022

Mobile communication technologies accelerate the development of intelligent transportation by providing connectivity among vehicles and other vehicles, roadside infrastructures, and cloud platforms, thus creating opportunities to achieve carbon neutrality by promoting intelligent shared mobility. Here, we construct a city-level carbon emission model to quantitatively analyze the relationship between emissions and shared mobility based on a series of trips in several cities. Additionally, vehicle dispatching and urban road planning at low carbon cost are considered. We test our model on a dataset of over 17.6 million trips in five metropolises. Our method yields a reduction in carbon emissions compared with that obtained with the original method and dataset. This difference mainly results from the decrease in vehicle miles traveled via ridesharing and the reduction in energy consumption resulting from vehicle platooning. Although the analysis results depend on a number of assumptions, they are proven robust and could become even more relevant with the ongoing development of autonomous mobility and network intelligence.
R2R3 MYB Transcription Factor, AhMYB94 Plays a Crucial Role in Stress Tolerance of a Salt Susceptible Groundnut Cultivar
Authors: kumar Nulu Jagadeesh , Johnson AM Anthony , Venkatesh Boya , Jayamma N , Reddy B Manohara , Pandurangaiah M , Sudhakar Chinta
Published: April 2022

R2R3 MYB transcription factors are involved in plant growth and development and abiotic and biotic stress responses. Several MYB genes are involved in salt tolerance in several plant species. In this study, salt-tolerant groundnut cultivar K-9's stress-responsive transcription factor AhMYB94 was overexpressed in salt-susceptible groundnut cultivar K-6. The AhMYB94 gene was activated under drought and salinity. Relative gene expression analysis revealed that AhMYB94 was significantly higher by salt stress treatments than drought stress in groundnut cultivar K-6. Overexpression of AhMYB94 in a salt susceptible groundnut cultivar improved the salt tolerance as evidenced by better growth status, fresh and dry biomass of overexpression lines than wild type (WT) under salt stress conditions. Further, less reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulated in AhMYB94 overexpressing lines when exposed to salt stress, as estimated by diaminobenzidine (DAB) or nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) histochemical staining. Further overexpression of AhMYB94 in groundnut confers significantly increased tolerance ability of plants to oxidative damage under salt stress, mainly by increasing the osmolyte content, the activities of antioxidative enzymes such as SOD, and APX, reducing malonaldehyde (MDA) content, and upregulation of the expression of stress-related genes. When exposed to salt stress, the AhMYB94 transgenic lines demonstrated a higher Na + and K + content and a lower Na + /K + ratio than the wild type (WT). These results demonstrated that AhMYB94 plays a positive role in enhancing salt tolerance and could be a candidate for improved tolerance of plants to salt stress.
Self-Management Ability of Patients with PICC Catheter and Its Influencing Factors
Authors: Tung Tao-Hsin , Chen liguang , Wang Gang , Zhang Xinxin , Xu Weijiao , Chen Xiaodan , Xu Ying
Published: April 2022

Objective: Explore the self-management ability of patients with PICC catheter and its influencing factors, so as to provide basis for improving self-management ability. Methods: A total of 240 patients with PICC catheter in a Grade-A hospital are investigated by convenient sampling. Personal Information Questionnaire, Tumor Patient PICC Self-management Ability Scale, and Social Support Scale (SSRS) are used to complete the questionnaire survey. Results: The overall average score of self-management ability of the patients with PICC catheter is 138.43 ±20.34 (< 144th), and the self-management ability is moderate. The results of Single factor analysis shows that the patients with low age, high education, long-term caregivers, high monthly income, non-self-expense, religious belief and mental work had higher scores of self-management ability (P < 0.05). There is a significant positive correlation between the score of social support and the score of self-management ability (P < 0.05). The results of multivariate analysis suggests that education, long-term care, age, monthly per capita income, payment method, religious belief, occupational nature and social support are all influencing factors of self-management ability of patients with PICC catheter. Conclusions: 1. The overall level of self-management ability of patients with PICC catheter is medium, and the ability of information acquisition and daily catheter observation need to be improved. 2. Age, education level, long-term caregivers, monthly per capita income, payment method, religious belief, professional nature and social support, etc. will pose a direct impact on the self-management ability of patients with PICC catheter.
Mobile resistome of microbial communities and antimicrobial residues from drinking water supply systems in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Authors: Bianco Kayo , Farias Beatriz Oliveira , Gonçalves-Brito Andressa Silva , Magaldi Mariana , Montenegro Kaylanne , Flores Claudia , Oliveira Samara , Monteiro Mychelle Alves , Spisso Bernardete Ferraz , Pereira Mararlene Ulberg , Ferreira Rosana Gomes , Albano Rodolpho Mattos , Cardoso Alexander Machado , Clementino Maysa Mandetta
Published: April 2022

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are widespread in the environment due to the overuse of antibiotics and other pollutants, posing a threat to human and animal health. In this study, we evaluated antimicrobial residues, bacterial diversity and ARGs in two important watersheds, Guandu and São João, that supply drinking water to Rio de Janeiro city, Brazil. In addition, tap water samples were collected from three different cities in Rio de Janeiro State, including the metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro city. Clarithromycin, sulfamethoxazole and azithromycin were found in untreated water and drinking water in all samples. A greater abundance of Proteobacteria was observed in Guandu and São João watersheds, with most of the sequences belonging to the Gammaproteobacteria class. A plasmidome-focused metagenomics approach revealed 4,881 (Guandu), 3,705 (São João) and 3,385 (drinking water) ARGs mainly associated with efflux systems. The genes encoding metallo-β-lactamase enzymes (blaAIM, blaGIM, blaIMP, and blaVIM) were detected in the two watersheds and in drinking water samples. Moreover, we demonstrated the presence of the colistin resistance genes mcr-3 and mcr-4 (both watersheds) and mcr-9 (drinking water and Guandu) for the first time in Brazil. Our data emphasize the importance of introducing measures to reduce the disposal of antibiotics and other pollutants capable of promoting the occurrence and spread of the microbial resistome on aquatic environments and predicting possible negative impacts on human health.
Discovery of multitargeting inhibitors for the treatment of COVID-19: An in- silico studies
Authors: HASAN ASO HAMEED , Hussen Narmin Hamaamin , Shakya Sonam , Jamalis Joazaizulfazli , Pratama Mohammad Rizki Fadhil , Chander Subhash , Kharkwal Harsha , Murugesan Sankaranarayanan
Published: April 2022

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), a global pandemic has currently infected more than 247 million people around the world. Nowadays, several receptors of COVID-19 have been reported, and few of them are explored for drug discovery. New mutant strains of COVID-19 are emerging since the first outbreak of disease and causing significant morbidity and mortality across the world. Although, few of drugs were approved for an emergency uses, however, promising drug with well proven clinical efficacy is yet to be discovered. Hence, researchers are continuously attempting for search of potential drug candidates targeting the well-established enzymatic targets of the virus. The present study is aiming to discover the antiviral compounds as potential inhibitors against the five targets in various stages of the SARS-CoV-2 life cycle, i.e., virus attachments (ACE2 and TMPRSS2), viral replication and transcription (Mpro, PLpro and RdRp), using the most reliable molecular docking and molecular dynamics method. The ADMET study was then carried out to determine the pharmacokinetics and toxicity of several compounds with the best docking results. To provide a more effective mechanism for demonstrating protein-ligand interactions, molecular docking data were subjected to a molecular dynamic (MD) simulation at 300K for 100 ns. In terms of structural stability, structure compactness, solvent accessible surface area, residue flexibility, and hydrogen bond interactions, the dynamic features of complexes have been compared.
A scoping review of gestational diabetes mellitus healthcare: Experiences of care reported by pregnant women internationally
Authors: Pham Sheila , Churruca Kate , Ellis Louise A. , Braithwaite Jeffrey
Published: April 2022

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a condition associated with pregnancy that engenders additional healthcare demand. A growing body of research includes empirical studies focused on pregnant women’s GDM healthcare experiences. The aim of this scoping review is to map findings, highlight gaps and investigate the way research has been conducted into the healthcare experiences of women with GDM.Methods: A systematic search of primary research using a number of databases was conducted in September 2021. Studies were included if they had an explicit aim of focusing on GDM and included direct reporting of participants’ experiences of healthcare. Key data from each study was extracted into a purposely-designed form and synthesised using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis.Results: Fifty-seven articles were included in the analysis. The majority of studies used qualitative methodology, and did not have an explicit theoretical orientation. Most studies were conducted in urban areas of high-income countries and recruitment and research was almost fully conducted in clinical and other healthcare settings. Women reported significant mental distress in relation to their experience of GDM with inadequate information a key challenge and support from healthcare providers a critical factor. Experiences of prescribed diet and medication as well as monitoring greatly varied across settings. Additional costs associated with managing GDM was cited as a problem in some studies.Conclusions: This scoping review draws together reported healthcare experiences of pregnant women with GDM from around the world. Commonalities and differences in the global patient experience of GDM healthcare are identified.
Groningen Frailty Indicator–Chinese (GFI-C) for pre-frailty and frailty assessment among older people living in communities: Psychometric properties and diagnostic accuracy
Authors: HUANG Emma Yun-zhi , Cheung Jasmine , Liu Justina Yat Wa , Kwan Rick Yiu Cho , Lam Simon Ching
Published: April 2022

BackgroundThe early identification of pre-frail and frail older people is a global priority because of increasing incidence of frailty and associated adverse health outcomes. This study aimed to validate the Groningen Frailty Indicator-Chinese (GFI-C), a widely used screening instrument, and determine the optimal cut-off value in Chinese communities to facilitate pre-frailty and frailty screening. MethodsThis methodological study employed a cross-sectional and correlational design to examine the psychometric properties of GFI-C, namely, internal consistency, stability and concurrent and construct validity. The appropriate cut-off values for screening pre-frailty and frailty in the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve were determined through sensitivity and specificity analysis. ResultsA total of 350 community older people had been assessed and interviewed by a nurse. The GFI-C showed satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.87) and two-week test-retest reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient = 0.87). Concurrent validity (r = 0.76, p < 0.001) showed moderate correlation with Fried’s frailty phenotype. The known-groups method, hypothesis testing and confirmatory factory analysis (three-factor model; χ2/df = 2.87, TLI = 0.92, CFI = 0.93, GFI = 0.92, RMR = 0.014, RMSEA = 0.073) were suitable for establishing construct validity. Based on the ROC and Youden’s index, the optimal cut-off GFI-C values were 2 (sensitivity, 71.5%; specificity, 84.7%) for pre-frailty and 3 for frailty (sensitivity, 88.2%; specificity, 79.6%).ConclusionsResult indicates that GFI-C is a reliable and valid instrument for screening pre-frailty and frailty among older Chinese people in communities. For optimal diagnostic accuracy, cut-off values of 3 for frailty and 2 for pre-frailty were recommended.