bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of different drying methods on drying characteristics, three- dimensional appearance, physicochemical property and microstructure of Pleurotus eryngii
Authors: Bai Jun-Wen , Wang Yu-Chi , Cai Jian-Rong , Zhang Lu , Dai Yi , Tian Xiao-Yu
Published: June 2022

This study investigated the effects of different drying methods, including hot air drying (HAD ), infrared drying (ID), and microwave drying (MD), on the drying characteristics, three-dimensional (3D) appearance, color, total polysaccharide content (TPC), antioxidant activity and microstructure of Pleurotus eryngii slices, and used a new machine vision technology, with the shrinkage, roughness and curvature as an index to evaluate the appearance changes during drying. The results showed that compared with HAD and ID, MD greatly reduced the drying time. The 3D appearance and microstructure image of P. eryngii slices showed that high temperature and high power could easily destroy the cell structure, and increase the shrinkage and curl. Besides, the color, TPC and antioxidant activity of slices were also related to temperature and power. This experiment can provide reference for the quality evaluation of other agricultural products in the subsequent drying process by studying the 3D morphological changes.
Estimating Annualized Earthquake Loss for Residential Buildings in Tehran, Iran
Authors: Kalantari Mohsen , Firuzi Erfan , Ahmadipour masoud , Soroushian Siavash
Published: June 2022

A probabilistic seismic risk assessment is conducted in this study to quantify Annualized Earthquake Loss (AEL) of Tehran, the capital of Iran. To do so, a comprehensive review of three main components of risk assessment including the seismic hazard analysis, exposure model and vulnerability functions is performed. The classical seismic hazard analysis is carried out based on the most recent earthquake catalog by considering the available uncertainties. A high-quality building exposure model based on recent census data with geographic resolution of census blocks is also compiled. According to available information, buildings are classified into 19 groups by considering their construction material, quality and height. The results show that sum of AEL in Tehran is about 10488 million USD, which is equivalent to 0.16% of exposed economic value. The spatial distribution of AEL indicated that value of AEL in the eastern districts is higher; however, the relative seismic risk in term of AELR in the southern districts of the city is much higher. In addition, a disaggregation analysis per building typology is performed to identify the contribution of different building taxonomies in AEL. The results show that the masonry and low-quality steel and concrete structures with poor designing specifications have the highest contribution in AEL. The finding from this study can be used by local authorities, government and insurance sector in order to develop effective risk mitigation plans and a robust insurance scheme for Tehran, Iran.
Do Traditional Food Commodities Transform Food Security? Evidence From Indigenous Knowledge in West Part of Ethiopia
Authors: Wana Hika , Kudama Gezahang
Published: June 2022

This article describes the role of traditional food commodities in transforming food security in the west part of Ethiopia. The study used both secondary and primary data to identify the types of traditional, indigenous, and cultural foods in the areas. The descriptive result revealed that Dinnicha Oromoo, Abbaa Coomaa, Qoccoo, Caccabsaa, Mushroom, Qoc-qocaa, Ancootee, and Goodarree were the indigenous food commodities found and widely consumed in west Oromia. Though these foods are cheap and low cost in the areas, they have not yet been well utilized due to low peoples’ perceptions towards these foods termed as ‘food for poor’ since they consider it as inferior goods. Moreover, lack of awareness, poor policies that recognize their contributions in improving food availability, and lack of promotion to promote traditional and indigenous foods are determinants in the area. The paper also describes the integration concept between modern technology and indigenous knowledge to rise food security status. Traditional and indigenous food systems once lost are hard to recreate, underlining the imperative for timely documentation, adaptations, compilation, and dissemination of diminishing knowledge of indigenous foods, biodiversity, and the use of food culture for promoting sustainable and secured diets. Therefore government, extensions, and all stakeholders should give high consideration to promote such foods and create awareness on their importance to solve food security problems in the study areas and Ethiopia at large. Let Ethiopia recovery come to tell new development.
Highly efficient removal of Rhodamine B dye using nanocomposites made from cotton seed oil-based polyurethane and silylated nanocellulose
Authors: Chandrashekar Akshatha , Vargheese Siji , Vijayan Jyothy G , Gopi Jineesh Ayippadath , Prabhu T Niranjana
Published: June 2022

Biobased polyurethane nanocellulose nanocomposites were synthesized from cottonseed oil as the source for the biopolyol. The prepared composites were used to study the adsorption of Rhodamine B dye from water. Low functional polyol was derived from cottonseed oil using one-pot synthesis method. Nanocellulose was derived from pineapple leaves and then it was surface-functionalized via silylation. In-situ polymerization technique was used to incorporate the silylated nanocellulose into the polyurethane matrix. The prepared polyol from cottonseed oil was found to have an OH functionality of 2 which was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Low functionality of polyol is the key factor in achieving flexible porous polyurethane. The silylated nanocellulose, polyurethane, and composites were characterized by FT-IR, X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The adsorption parameters were optimized using the Taguchi methodology and the adsorption efficiency was determined by carrying out adsorption at optimized parameters (5 wt% loading of silylated nanocellulose, pH 9, and temperature of 30 °C) for 8 hours. Studies showed that the prepared composite has a high adsorption efficiency of 597 mg/g of silylated nanocellulose towards Rh-B.
Low-energy shock wave therapy ameliorates ischemic-induced overactive bladder in a rat model with angiogenesis and increased expression of guanylate cyclase
Authors: Kimura Shingo , Kawamorita Naoki , Kikuchi Yoku , Shindo Tomohiko , Ishizuka Yuichi , Satake Yoichi , Sato Takuma , Izumi Hideaki , Yamashita Shinichi , Yasuda Satoshi , Shimokawa Hiroaki , Ito Akihiro
Published: June 2022

This study was to evaluate whether Low-energy shock wave therapy (LESW) improves ischemic-induced overactive bladder in a rat model and investigate its therapeutic mechanisms. Sixteen-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups: arterial injury (AI), AI with LESW (AI-SW), and control groups. LESW was irradiated in AI-SW during 20–23 weeks of age. At 24 weeks of age, a conscious cystometry was performed (each n = 8). Voiding interval was significantly shortened in AI (mean ± SEM: 5.1 ± 0.8 min) than in the control group (17.3 ± 3.0 min), whereas significant improvements were observed in AI-SW (14.9 ± 3.3 min). The bladder blood flow significantly increased in AI-SW than in AI. Gene expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the bladder was elevated 24 hours after LESW followed by increased protein expression in the late phase. Following results of microarray analysis, protein expression of GC alpha was higher in AI-SW and control groups than in AI. Cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) was also elevated in AI-SW. In histological examinations, rich vascularity was observed with positive stains of VEGF and GC in AI-SW. In addition to angiogenesis, activation of GC-cGMP may play a therapeutic role in the functional recovery of the bladder.
Upregulation of Dual-Specificity Phosphatase-26 is Required for Transforming Growth Factor β1(TGFβ1)-induced Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in A549 and PANC1 Cells
Authors: GULER Sabire , Zik Berrin , Yalcin Abdullah
Published: June 2022

Background: Transforming Growth Factor β (TGFβ) proteins are potent inducers of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in tumor cells. Although mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family has been shown to be involved in TGFβ-induced EMT, role of Dual Specificity Phosphatases (DUSP), key regulators of MAPK activity, in TGFβ-induced EMT is largely unkonwn. Methods and Results: Real-time qPCR analyses were performed to determine the effect of TGFβ1 on expression of EMT genes and DUSP proteins in the non-small cell lung cancer model A549 and pancreatic adenocarcinoma model PANC1 cells. Western blot analyses were conducted to study the changes in protein levels of EMT proteins and select DUSP proteins, as well as phosphorylations of MAPK proteins upon TGFβ1 stimulation. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) was utilized to reduce expressions of DUSP genes. We observed that the EMT phenotype coincided with increases in phosphorylations of the MAPK proteins ERK1/2, p38MAPK, and JNK upon TGFβ1 stimulation. Real-time qPCR analysis showed increases in DUSP15 and DUSP26 mRNA levels and Western blot analysis confirmed the increase in DUSP26 protein levels in both A549 and PANC1 cells treated with TGFβ1 relative to control. Silencing of DUSP26 expression by siRNA markedly suppressed the effect of TGFβ1 on E-cadherin and mesenchymal genes in the cells.Conclusions: Data provided suggest that TGFβ1 modulates the expression of DUSP genes and that upregulation of DUSP26 may be required for TGFβ1-promoted EMT in A549 and PANC1 cells. Further studies should be carried out to elucidate the requirement of individual DUSPs in TGFβ1-associated EMT in tumor cells.
Identification of repurposed drugs targeting significant long non-coding RNAs in the cross-talk between Diabetes Mellitus and Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Ghiam Shokoofeh , Eslahchi Changiz , Shahpasand Koorosh , Habibi-Rezaei Mehran , Gharaghani Sajjad
Published: June 2022

Background: The relationship between Diabetes Mellitus (DM) and Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is so strong that scientists called it "brain diabetes". According to several studies, the critical factor in this relationship is brain insulin resistance. Due to the rapid spread of both diseases throughout the world, overcoming this cross-talk has a significant impact on societies. Long non-coding RNAs (lnc RNAs), on the other hand, have a substantial impact on complex diseases due to their ability to influence gene expression via a variety of mechanisms. As a result, regulating the expression of lncRNAs in chronic diseases enables the development of novel therapeutic strategies. However, developing a new drug requires considerable time and money. Recently repurposing existing drugs has gained popularity due to the use of low-risk compounds, which may result in cost and time savings.Results: We identified drug repurposing candidates that could control the expression of common lncRNAs in the cross-talk between DM and AD. We also utilized drugs that interfered with this cross-talk. To do so, high degree common lncRNAs were extracted from microRNA-lncRNA bipartite network. The drugs that interact with the specified lncRNAs were then collected from multiple data sources. These drugs, referred to as set D, were classified in to positive (D+) and negative (D-) groups based on their effects on the expression of the interacting lncRNAs. Six significant features for D were chosen using a feature selection algorithm. These features were capable of classifying D+ and D- with an accuracy of 82.5% using random forest classifier. Finally, the same six features were extracted for the most recently Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drugs to choose those with the highest likelihood of belonging to D+ or D-. The most major FDA-approved positive drugs, chromium nicotinate and tapentadol, were introduced as repurposing candidates, while cefepime and dihydro-alpha-ergocryptine were proposed as significant adverse drugs. Moreover, curcumin and quercetin, two natural chemicals, were recommended to prevent this cross-talk. Conclusions: Less attention has been paid to the role of lncRNAs in this cross-talk. Our research not only identified significant lncRNAs, but also introduced candidate repurposing drugs to control them.
Predicting Graft Failure in Pediatric Liver Transplantation Based on Early Biomarkers Using Machine Learning Models
Authors: Jung Seungho , Park Kyemyung , Ihn Kyong , Kim Seon Ju , Kim Myoung Soo , Chae Dongwoo , Koo Bon-Nyeo
Published: June 2022

The early detection of graft failure in pediatric liver transplantation is crucial for appropriate intervention. Graft survival is associated with numerous perioperative risk factors. This study aimed to develop a predictive model for 90-days graft survival in pediatric liver transplantation using machine learning methods. We conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study. A total of 87 liver transplantation cases performed in patients aged < 12 years at the Severance Hospital between January 2010 and September 2020 were included as data samples. Patient characteristics, serial laboratory parameters, and events observed within seven days of surgery were collected as features. A LASSO (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator) -based method was used for feature selection to overcome the high dimensionality and collinearity of variables. A risk scoring system was constructed based on the final selected model. Four variables were selected as the resultant features, namely, preoperative hepatic encephalopathy, sodium level at the end of surgery, hepatic artery thrombosis, and total bilirubin level on postoperative day 7. The model with logistic regression demonstrated good prediction performance (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) = 0.898 and area under the precision–recall curve (AUPR) = 0.882). The risk scoring system developed by selected features showed AUROC of 0.910 and AUPR of 0.830. The prediction of graft survival in pediatric liver transplantation using the proposed machine learning method exhibited superior discrimination power. This could provide relevant information to clinicians during medical decision making.
Filterless fluorescent DNA sensing in capillary tube PCR
Authors: Abid Hassan Ali , Ong Jian Wern , Lin Eric Shen , Song Zhixiong , Liew Oi Wah , Ng Tuck Wah
Published: June 2022

The method of applying programmed tilt displacements on Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) reactants held in capillary tubes that are displaced to and from closely adjacent holding regions kept at different constant temperatures overcomes many of the issues encountered with other approaches. Investigations here found laser diode line generators to provide sufficient excitation light levels but not electroluminescent (EL) wires for fluorescent emission detection. When optical fiber sensing was used, the levels of excited light from scattering far exceeded the fluorescent emission levels from the reagent. Camera recording however enabled filterless detection of the fluorescent emission as the excitation light levels from the scattering was low enough and fluorescent imaging was facilitated by the point spread function (PSF) axial length conditions being met. The capacity for quantitative PCR was also illustrated using an architecture comprising a heated glass block.
The Synthesis and the effect of Cu on optoelectronic qualities of β-In2S3 as a window layer for CIGS thin film solar cells
Authors: Alamoudi Elaf , timoumi abdelmajid
Published: June 2022

In this paper, the vacuum thermal evaporation technique was used to investigate β-In2S3 doped with copper (Cu) as window layer thin film for solar cells. For various Cu doping levels, the characteristics of the thin films were studied utilizing structural, morphological, and optical characterization techniques, as well as dielectric testing. The research included X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Infrared analysis (FTIR), XPS, Ellipsometry and UV-NIR spectroscopy. The measurements demonstrated that the real and imaginary isolation constants were over the wavelength range and successfully estimated the Urbach energy (Eu) and band gap energy. Moreover, employing the Wemple-Didomenico model helped uncover the Cauchy coefficients’ refractive index and the dispersion and oscillation energies. Therefore, the results presented in this paper show that the use of Cu-In2S3 for perovskite cells offers a high-efficiency alternative in the solar energy field.
Predicting diagnostic gene biomarkers in patients with diabetic kidney disease based on weighted gene co-expression network analysis and machine-learning algorithms
Authors: Gao Qian , Wang Yanan , Xu Wenfang , Jin Huawei
Published: June 2022

Objective: The present study was designed to identify potential diagnostic markers for diabetic kidney disease (DKD).Methods: One publicly available gene expression profile (GSE142153 dataset) from human DKD and control samples were downloaded from the GEO database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened between 23 DKD and 10 control samples. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to find the modules related to DKD. The overlapping genes of DEGs and Turquoise modules were narrowed down using the LASSO regression model and support vector machine recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) analysis to identify candidate biomarkers. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) value was obtained and used to evaluate discriminatory ability. Results: A total of 110 DEGs were obtained: 64 genes were significantly upregulated and 46 genes were significantly downregulated. WGCNA found that the turquoise module had the strongest correlation with DKD (R= -0.58, P=4×10-4). Thirty-eight overlapping genes of DEGs and turquoise modules were extracted. The identified DEGs were mainly involved in p53 signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway, JAK−STAT signaling pathway and FoxO signaling pathway between and the control. CXCL3 and LINC00282 were identified as diagnostic markers of DKD with an AUC of 0.97 (95% CI 0.9–1.0) in CXCL3, AUC of 1 (95% CI1–1) in LINC00282.Conclusion: CXCL3 and LINC00282 were identified as diagnostic biomarkers of DKD and can provide new insights for future studies on the occurrence and the molecular mechanisms of DKD.
A predictive model of macrosomic birth based upon real-world clinical data from pregnant women
Authors: Gao Jing , Shi Huwei , Chen Chao , Xiao Zhongzhou , Chen Lei , Wang Ping , Yang Sen , Chen Jiayuan , Chen Ruiyao , Lu Lu , Luo Shuqing , Yang Kaixiang , Xu Jie , Cheng Weiwei
Published: June 2022

Aim: To develop a nomogram model for the prediction of macrosomia using real-world clinical data.Methods: In the present study, we retrospectively analyzed the medical records of pregnant women who delivered singleton infants at a tertiary hospital in Shanghai from 1 January 2018 through 31 December 2019. We extracted the data from a total of 13,403 pregnant women for this study, with the original dataset split into a training set (n = 9,382) and a validation set (n = 4,021) at a 7:3 ratio to generate and validate our model. The independent risk factors for macrosomia in pregnant women were analyzed employing multivariate logistic regression, and the nomogram model used to predict the risk of macrosomia in pregnant women was established and verified with R software.Results: We compared the differences between the macrosomic and non-macrosomic groups within the training set and found 16 independent risk factors for macrosomia (P < 0.05), including biparietal diameter (BPD), head circumference (HC), femur length (FL), amniotic fluid index (AFI) at the last prenatal examination, pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), and triglycerides (TG). Values for the areas under the curve (AUC) for the nomogram model were 0.917 (95% CI, 0.908-0.927) and 0.910 (95% CI, 0.894-0.927) in the training set and validation set, respectively. The internal and external validation of the nomogram demonstrated favorable calibration as well as discriminatory capability of the model.Conclusions: Our model has precise discrimination and calibration capabilities, which can help clinical healthcare staff accurately predict macrosomia in pregnant women.
Electrogenic Staphylococcus epidermidis colonizes nasal cavities and alleviates IL-6 progression induced by SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid phosphoprotein
Authors: Zayabaatar Enkhbat , Trinh Tang Nguyen Mai , Pham Minh Tan
Published: June 2022

The cytokine storm leads to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and multi-organ dysfunction in COVID-19 cases. One of the major cytokines is IL-6, which is positively associated with the severity of the condition. In the present study, nasal inoculation of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid phosphoprotein (NPP) elevated IL-6 abundancy in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in mice. Staphylococcus epidermidis K1 (S. epidermidis K1)-colonized mice nasally administered with glycerol or FMN resulted in a reduction of NPP-induced IL-6. S. epidermidis fermented glycerol to generate a large amount of electrons which further supported bacterial colonization. Inhibition of riboflavin kinase in S. epidermidis considerably suppressed the effect of nasal S. epidermidis plus glycerol on the decrement of NPP-induced IL-6. Taken together, our results show that nasal colonization of S. epidermidis mitigates a cytokine storm caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Evaluation of a Competency Based Medical Curriculum in a Sub-Saharan African Medical School
Authors: McKenzie-White Jane , Mubuuke Aloysius G. , Westergaard Sara , Munabi Ian G , Bollinger Robert C , Opoka Robert , Mbalinda Scovia N , Katete David , Manabe Yukari C , Kiguli Sarah
Published: June 2022

Background
Medical schools in Sub-Saharan Africa have adopted competency based medical education (CBME) to improve the quality of graduates trained. In 2015, Makerere University College of Health Sciences (MaKCHS) implemented CBME for the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) programme in order to produce doctors with the required attributes to address community health needs. However, no formal evaluation of the curriculum has been conducted to assess the alignment of the assessment methods to the competencies.
Objective
To evaluate the MBChB curriculum for alignment of the assessment methods with the stated competencies.
Methods
The evaluation adopted a cross-sectional study design in which the MBChB curriculum was evaluated using the Essential Course Evidence Form (ECEF) that was developed to collect information about each assessment used for each course. Information was collected on: 1) Assessment title, 2) Description, 3) Competency domain 4) Sub-competency measured, 5) Student instructions, and 6) Grading method/details. Data were entered into a structured Access data base. In addition, face-to-face interviews were conducted with faculty course coordinators.
Results
The MBChB curriculum consisted of 62 courses over 5 years, focusing on preclinical skills in years 1–2 and clinical skills in years 3–5. Fifty-nine competencies were identified and aggregated into the 9 domains. Fifty-eight competencies were assessed at least one time in the curriculum. Faculty cited limited training in assessment as well as large student numbers as hindrances to designing robust assessments for the competencies.
Conclusion
CBME was successfully implemented at MaKCHS and the faculty interviewed were largely aware of it. All but one of the 59 competencies within the nine domains established were assessed within the MBChB curriculum. Faculty need more training in competency-based assessment to improve the implementation of CBME.
Prediction of difficult laryngoscopy / difficult intubation cases using upper airway ultrasound measurements in emergency department; A diagnostic study
Authors: Sotoodehnia Mehran , Khodayar Maryam , Jalali Alireza , Momeni Mehdi , Safaie Arash , Abdollahi Atefeh
Published: June 2022

Introduction: Difficult laryngoscopy and intubation are serious problems among critically ill patients in emergency department (ED) so utility of a rapid, accurate and noninvasive method for predicting of these patients are necessary. Ultrasonography has been recently used in this regard and this study was conducted to investigate the correlation of some introduced upper airway ultrasound parameters with difficult laryngoscopy / difficult intubation in patients referred to the ED. Method: In this diagnostic study all patients ≥18-year-old who had an indication for rapid sequence intubation (RSI) were included. Ultrasound parameters including Hyoid Bone Visibility (HBV), Distance from Skin to Hyoid Bone (DSHB), Distance from Skin to Vocal Cords (DSVC), Distance from Skin to Thyroid Isthmus (DSTI), and Distance between Arytenoids Cartilages (DBAC) were measured in all cases. The patients underwent RSI and thereafter the patients’ baseline characteristics, Cormack-Lehane grade, number of attempted laryngoscopy were recorded in a pre-prepared check list and compared with measured ultrasound parameters. The “difficult laryngoscopy” was defined as Cormack-Lehane classification grades III/IV; and need for more than 3 intubation attempts was considered as “difficult intubation”.Results: One hundred and twenty-three patients (52% male) were included of whom 10 patients (8.1%) were categorized as difficult laryngoscopy cases; and just 4 (3.3%) cases underwent more than 3 laryngoscopy attempts who considered as difficult intubation cases. The mean age of the patients in non-difficult and difficult intubation groups were 69.2±15.16 and 68.77±17.37 years, respectively (p>0.05). There was no significant relationship between difficult laryngoscopy and HBV (P=0.381) but has significant correlation with difficult intubation (p=0.004). The DSHB had a significant correlation with difficult laryngoscopy (p=0.002) but its correlation with difficult intubation was not significant (p=0.629). The DSVC and DSTI had a significant relationship with both difficult laryngoscopy (p=0.003 and p=0.001), and difficult intubation (p=0.025 and p=0.001). The DBAC had not significant correlation neither with the difficult laryngoscopy (p=0.142), nor with difficult intubation (p=0.526).Conclusion: The findings showed that ultrasound parameters including soft tissue DSHB, DSVC and DSTI could be proper predictors of difficult laryngoscopy. Also, HBV, DSVC and DSTI may be proper predictors for difficult intubation. But DBAC was not useful in this regard.
Loss of parasitoid diversity in China’s corn agro-ecosystem over a 30-year time period
Authors: Hu Zunrui , Myint Yee Yee , Zhang Tiantao , Bai Shuxiong , He Kanglai , Wyckhuys Kris A.G. , Li Zhengxi , Wang Zhenying
Published: June 2022

Globally, insects are undergoing a rapid decline in abundance and diversity. Despite varying degrees of scientific attention across insect taxa and geographies, these patterns can entail an extinction of ecological interactions and a decay of ecosystem functions. In this study, we compared the spatial distribution, abundance and species composition of Trichogramma spp. egg parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) over a 30-year time period in China. During the 1980s and in 2016–2018, egg masses of the Asian corn borer (ACB), Ostrinia furnacalis, were systematically sampled in multiple key farming regions. In 2018, five species were identified using morphological and molecular methods, with Trichogramma ostriniae representing 90% of the species complex. Since the 1980s, two new species have made their appearance (i.e., T. brassicae, T. bilinggensis), while nine (out of 12; i.e., 75%) species have disappeared. Across sites, species richness and diversity have declined by a respective 25–86% and 56–100% (except for Heilongjiang province) over this time frame. We hypothesize that this loss of functional diversity is attributed to the progressive intensification of corn cropping systems, involving landscape simplification, pesticide use and the loss of (crop, non-crop) plant diversity. Conversely, no evidence was found that augmentative biological control (as compared to pesticide-based measures) negatively affected the resident parasitoid community in farm settings. Given the drastic reduction in ACB parasitoid richness, agro-ecological measures and diversification strategies should be deployed to restore the ecological resilience of local farming systems. Our work thus carries major implications for food security and helps to muster support for more nature-friendly, pest-resilient farming systems in China and abroad.
TransPrompt v2: Transferable Prompt-based Fine-tuning for Few-shot Text Classification
Authors: Wang Jianing , Wang Chengyu , Chen Cen , Gao Ming , Huang Jun , Zhou Aoying
Published: June 2022

Recent studies have shown that prompt-based fine-tuning improves the performance of large Pre-trained Language Models (PLMs) for few-shot text classification. Specifically, this type of method transforms the text classification task into the inherent Masked Language Modeling (MLM) with some natural language prompts and verbalizers to bridge the gap between the pre-training stage and the fine-tuning stage. Yet, it is unclear how the prompting knowledge can be transferred across similar or distant NLP tasks, for the purpose of mutual reinforcement. Based on continuous prompt embeddings, we propose TransPrompt v2, a novel transferable prompting framework for few-shot learning across similar or distant text classification tasks. For transferable prompt learning across similar tasks, we employ a multi-task meta-knowledge acquisition procedure to train a meta-learner that captures the cross-task transferable knowledge. For learning across distant tasks, we further introduce the task type descriptions and propose intra-type and inter-type prompt encoders to capture implicit mutual relations among multiple distant tasks. Additionally, two de-biasing techniques are further designed to make the trained meta-learner more task-agnostic and unbiased towards any tasks. After that, the meta-learner can be fine-tuned for specific tasks with better parameters initialization. Extensive experiments show that TransPrompt v2 outperforms single-task and cross-task strong baselines over multiple NLP tasks and datasets. We further show that the meta-learner can effectively improve the performance of PLMs on previously unseen tasks. In addition, TransPrompt v2 also outperforms strong fine-tuning baselines when learning with full training sets.
p53 downregulates PD-L1 expression via miR-34a to inhibit the growth of triple-negative breast cancer cells: A potential clinical immunotherapeutic target
Authors: Deng Siyu , Wang Mengna , Wang Chenglong , Zeng Yan , Qin Xue , Tan Yiwen , Liang Bing , Cao Youde
Published: June 2022

Compared with other breast cancer subtypes, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has poorer responses to therapy and lower overall survival rates. The use of an inhibitor of immune checkpoint programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) is a promising treatment strategy and is approved for malignant tumors, especially for TNBC. p53 regulates various biological processes, but the association between p53 and immune evasion remains unknown. miR-34a is a known tumor suppressor and p53-regulated miRNA that is downregulated in several cancers; however, it has not been reported in TNBC. Herein, we aimed to explore the regulatory signaling axis among p53, miR-34a and PD-L1 in TNBC cells in vivo and in tissue and to improve our understanding of immunotherapy for TNBC. p53-EGFP, p53-siRNA and miR-34a mimics were transfected into TNBC cell lines, and the interaction between miR-34a and PD-L1 was analyzed via dual-luciferase reporter assays. We found that p53 could inhibit the expression of PD-L1 via miR-34a and that miR-34a could inhibit both cell activity and migration and promoted apoptosis and cytotoxicity in TNBC. Furthermore, miR-34a agomir was injected into MDA-MB-231 tumors of nude mice. The results showed that miR-34a could inhibit tumor growth and downregulate the expression of PD-L1 in vivo. A total of 133 TNBC tissue samples were analyzed by immunochemistry; the proportion of positive expression of PD-L1 was 57.14% (76/133), and the proportion of samples with negative expression of PD-L1 was 42.86% (57/133). Our research may provide a novel potential target for TNBC.
Ventriculoperitoneal shunt versus endoscopic third ventriculostomy for post-thalamic hemorrhage hydrocephalus
Authors: Chen Bin , Lu Wenchao , Feng Kang , Xu Jun , Jia Dong
Published: June 2022

Objective
To compare the efficacy of ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) and endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) in the treatment of hydrocephalus after thalamic hemorrhage (TH), so as to provide reasonable surgical treatment.
Methods
The clinical data of 87 patients with hydrocephalus after TH admitted to our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into VPS group and ETV group according to different surgical methods. The operation time, hospital stay, complications and reoperation rate of the two groups were compared.
Results
There was no statistical difference in intraoperative bleeding and length of hospital stay between the two groups, and all patients had external ventricular drainage. (EVD) removed successfully after surgery. 7 (16.6%) complications in the ETV group and 5 (11.0%) complications in the VPS group. There was no significant difference in postoperative complications between the two groups. 10 cases (26.2%) in the ETV group required reoperation and 4 cases (8.9%) in the VPS group required reoperation. There was significant difference in reoperation rate between the two groups. In subgroup analysis, TH with fourth ventricular hemorrhage, 7 cases (16.7%) required reoperation in the ETV and 1 case (2.2%) required reoperation in the VPS group. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant.
Conclusion
Both ETV and VPS have good efficacy in treating hydrocephalus caused by TH and TH breaking into the lateral ventricle and the third ventricle, and the EVD can be successfully removed after surgery. However, if the hydrocephalus caused by TH with fourth ventricular hematoma, the reoperation rate of ETV is higher, and such patients are more suitable for VPS. Therefore, the choice of surgical methods should be adopted based on the patient's clinical manifestations, hematoma type.
Evolution of moist wound healing: Methods of autologous tissue regeneration
Authors: Yamamoto Kenji , Miwa Senri , Yamada Tomoyuki , Setozaki Shuji , Hamuro Mamoru , Kurokawa Shunji , Enomoto Sakae
Published: June 2022

Since the first report of an autologous tissue regeneration technique in 1962, hydrocolloids have been widely used for wound closure. However, complete closure of the wound may result in an infection, which is a major setback. Several dressing types have been unable to circumvent this issue and are not recommended in infected wounds. Wound infection is difficult to determine; in several countries, the wound is often covered with conventional gauze rather than a covering material. The novel ability of irreversible membrane dressings to absorb leachate irreversibly while retaining surface moisture has dramatically improved outcomes in Japan. Our results show that moist wound healing maximizes autologous tissue regeneration, hastens epithelialization, and reduces infection.
Clinical outcome and genotype analysis of 4 Chinese children with pyruvate kinase deficiency
Authors: Xie Fei , Gan Lu , Lei Lei , Cai Tengguang , Gao Yu , Liu Xiaoying , Cai Bin , Zhou Lin
Published: June 2022

Objective: To summarize the clinical features and laboratory examinations of 4 Chinese children with pyruvate kinase deficiency (PKD)，and analyze genomic mutations. Method: Collected and analyzed the clinical data of all children and their parents, and completed the relevant laboratory examinations of all children. Analyzed the sequences of related genes in children by second-generation sequencing technology, and verified the suspected mutations in children's family by Sanger sequencing method or second-generation sequencing technology. Results: A total of 6 mutations in gene PKLR were detected in 4 cases. Except for c.1510C>T (P1) and c.941T>C(P2 and P4), which had been reported in previous studies, the other 4 novel gene mutations were reported for the first time, including a rare homozygous mutation with large fragment deletion. All those gene mutations cause changes in the amino acids encoded by the gene, as well as subsequent changes in protein structure or loss of function. Conclusion: Compound heterozygous or homozygous mutations in the coding region of PKLR gene are the causes of PKD in these 4 Chinese children. The second-generation sequencing technology is an effective means to diagnose PKD. The mutations of c.457-c.462delATCGCC, c.1297T>C, c.1096C>T and Exon4-10del of PKLR reported in this article have not been included in the Thousand Genome Database, dbSNP(v138) and ExAC Database. The PKLR gene mutations found in these children with PKD can provide references for further research of the genetic characteristics of PKD and subsequent gene therapy.
Implementation of distance learning IMCI training in rural districts of Tanzania
Authors: Isangula Kahabi , Ngadaya Esther , Manu Alexander , Mmweteni Mary , Philbert Doreen , Burengelo Dorica , Kagaruki Gibson , Senkoro Mbazi , Kimaro Godfather , Kahwa Amos , Mazige Fikiri , Bundala Felix , Iriya Nemes , Donard Francis , Kitinya Caritas , Minja Victor , Nyakairo Festo , Gupta Gagan , Pearson Luwei , Kim Minjoon , Mfinanga Sayoki , Baker Ulrika , Hailegebriel Tedbabe Degefie
Published: June 2022

BACKGROUND: The standard face-to-face IMCI training continues to be surrounded by concerns of low coverage of trainees, absenteeism of trainees from health facility for prolonged time and high cost of training. Consequently, distance learning IMCI training model is increasingly promoted to partly address some of these challenges in resource limited settings. This paper examines participants’ accounts of implementation of the paper based IMCI distance learning training programme in the three district councils in Mbeya regionMETHODS: A cross-sectional qualitative design was employed as part of an endline evaluation study of PSBI implementation in Busokelo, Kyela and Mbarali District Councils in Mbeya Region of Tanzania. KII were conducted with purposefully selected policymakers, partners, programme managers and healthcare workers including beneficiaries and training facilitators.RESULTS: About 60 KIIs were conducted of which, 53% of participants were healthcare workers composed of nurses, clinicians, and pharmacists and; 22% were healthcare administrators including DMOs, RCH coordinators and programme officers. The findings indicate that DIMCI was designed to address concerns of standard IMCI by enhancing efficiency, increasing outputs and reducing training costs. DIMCI included a mix of brief face-to-face orientation sessions, several weeks of self-directed learning, group discussions and brief face-to-face review sessions with facilitators. DIMCI course covered topics related to management of sick newborns, referral decisions and reporting with nurses and clinicians as the main beneficiaries of the training. The problems with DIMCI included technological challenges related to limited access to proper learning technology such as computers and unfriendly learning materials, personal challenges including work-study-family demands, and design and coordination challenges including low financial incentives contributing to defaulters and limited mentorship and follow-ups due to limited funding and transport.CONCLUSION: DMICI appears to have been implemented successfully in rural Tanzania, it facilitated training of many HCWs at a low cost and resulted into improved knowledge, competence and confidence among HCWs in management of sick newborns. However, technological, personal, and design and coordination challenges continue to face learners in rural areas that need to be addressed to maximize the success of DIMCI.
Dietary Inflammatory Index and osteoporosis: the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2017–2018
Authors: Jin Lina , Yang Shuman , Zhao Saisai , Tong Li , Gao Wenhui , Sun Mengzi , he yue , wang yanfang , zhang yuan , xu yan , fang jiaxin
Published: June 2022

Purpose: The dietary inflammatory index (DII) is a scoring system to quantify the inflammatory effects of nutrients and foods, while inflammation could affect osteoporosis. The purpose of this study was to further explore the relationships between DII and BMD and osteoporosis in both women and men. Methods: This study was involved 1070 women and 1136 men (age ≥ 50) in the US National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES) from 2017 to 2018. Multivariable linear regression models were used to estimate the associations between DII and BMD. And the correlations of DII and the risk of osteoporosis were estimated with multivariable logistic regression models. Results: In women, DII was negatively associated with lumbar spine, total hip and femoral neck BMD after adjusting for covariates in model 3, respectively (P<0.05). In men, DII was negatively associated with lumbar spine BMD (P<0.05). Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that in women DII was positively associated with the risk of osteoporosis in models (P<0.05). The significantly increased odds ratios (ORs) (95% CI) of the model 3 between the risk of osteoporosis and DII across quartiles 2, 3 and 4 compared with quartile 1 were 3.071 (95% CI 1.168,8.070), 5.631 (95% CI 2.808,11.293), and 6.169(95% CI 2.964,12.838), respectively. But no significant association was observed in men. Conclusions: This study revealed that higher DII score was associated with higher osteoporosis risk in women, while no association was found in men. more pro-inflammatory diets might be associated with lower BMD in both women and men.
Fabrication of nanocomposite membrane based on post-synthetic modification of two-dimensional metal-organic framework nanosheet
Authors: Zhang Liying , Li Mengchu , Wang Xuanhe , Zhang Xuemin , Wang Tieqiang , Fan Fuqiang , Fu Yu
Published: June 2022

Two-dimensional metal-organic framework (2D MOF) nanosheet is becoming as an attractive type of 2D materials. And Post-synthetic modification (PSM) provides a powerful method to modify the structure of MOF without altering its crystal topology, which can generate functional MOFs not accessible from direct synthesis and improve the compatibility between MOFs and other components in MOF-based composite materials, especially in MOF/polymer composite. In this work, a facile method based on PSM of 2D MOF with polymers is conducted to prepare functional nanocomposite membrane. First, the amino-functioned 2D MOF nanosheet, CuBDC-NH2 (BDC-NH2 is 2-amino-1,4-benzenedicarboxylate), is prepared by a feasible and convenient method as the PSM precursors. Then CuBDC-NH2 nanosheet reacts with isocyanate-terminated polyurethane (PU) oligomer through PSM to obtain CuBDC-NH2/PU nanocomposite membrane. As-prepared nanocomposite membrane shows over 93.0% removal rate for dye removal, such as methylene blue, Rhodamine B and Eosin Y, which paves new ways for the application of 2D MOF by facilely fabrication of functional 2D MOF-based nanocomposite membrane through PSM.
The expression, prognostic value and potential mechanism of PLCB2 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Ji Xing , Zhu Zhenpeng , Cai Tianyu , Xu Chunru , Lin Jian
Published: June 2022

Objective: Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a malignant tumor with dismay outcome. Probing the potential mechanisms of tumorigenesis and progression, identifying valid diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of ccRCC remain urgent. This study aimed to screen out novel biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets of ccRCC. Methods: In this study, based on our own database and public databases such as TCGA, GEO, GTEx, CPTAC and CCLE, we performed a systematic study of the expression and prognostic value of PLCB2. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between ccRCC and normal tissues were explored for further functional enrichment analysis includes Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). Afterward, immune cell infiltrates analysis was established to evaluate the correlation between PLCB2 expression and immune cell infiltration level. Results: PLCB2 weas significantly higher in tumors than in normal tissues not only at transcriptional but translational levels in various cancers, including ccRCC. Logistic regression analysis revealed that higher expression level of PLCB2 was significantly correlated with worse clinicopathological characteristics. Furthermore, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated that ccRCC cases with high PLCB2 expression had poor OS. Cox regression demonstrated that the transcriptional level of PLCB2 was confirmed to be an independent prognostic factor for OS in ccRCC patients. In functional enrichment analysis, except for classical oncogenic signaling pathways, most DEGs were enriched in immune response related pathways, indicating that PLCB2 may influence the occurrence and progression of ccRCC by regulating immune infiltration. Afterward, immune cell infiltrates analysis comfirmed that the expression level of PLCB2 has a significantly relationship with the infiltration levels of CD8+ T cells, which indicated that PLCB2 might be a candidate target for cancer immunotherapy. Conclusions: Our study provides valuable insights into the role of PLCB2 as a new diagnostic and prognostic biomarker and novel therapeutic target for ccRCC.
Efficacy and safety of nitazoxanide in treating SARS-CoV-2 infection: A systematic review and meta-analysis of blinded, placebo- controlled, randomized clinical trials
Authors: Martins-Filho Paulo Ricardo , Nascimento-Júnior Edmundo Marques do , Barreto-Alves José Antônio , Fakhouri Ricardo , Ferreira Lis Campos
Published: June 2022

Purpose: Nitazoxanide is a broad-spectrum antiparasitic that has been tested for COVID-19 due to its anti-inflammatory effects and in vitro antiviral activity. This study synthesized the best evidence on the efficacy and safety of nitazoxanide in COVID-19. Methods: Searches for studies were performed in peer-reviewed and grey-literature. The following elements were used to define eligibility criteria: (1) Population, individuals with COVID-19; (2) Intervention, nitazoxanide; (3) Comparison, placebo; (4) Outcomes: viral load, positive RT-PCR status, composite measure of disease progression (ICU admission or invasive mechanical ventilation), death, serum biomarkers of inflammation, and any adverse events; (5) Study type: blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trials (RCTs). Results: Five blinded, placebo-controlled RCTs were included and enrolled individuals with mild or moderate SARS-CoV-2 infection. We found no difference between nitazoxanide and placebo in reducing viral load and frequency of positive RTP-PCR results. In addition, there was no decreased risk for disease progression and death among patients receiving nitazoxanide. Patients with COVID-19 treated with nitazoxanide had decreased levels of white blood cells, lactate dehydrogenase, and D-dimer compared to placebo, but the magnitude of effect was considered small to moderate. Conclusion: Available evidence based on the results of blinded, placebo-controlled, RCTs showed no clinical benefits of nitazoxanide in COVID-19.