bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Determinants and spatial distribution of institutional delivery in Ethiopia: evidence from Ethiopian Mini Demographic and Health Surveys 2019
Authors: Gilano Girma , Hailegebreal Samuel , Seboka Binyam Tariku
Published: August 2021

Background
over the past few decades, maternal and child mortality had drawn the attention of governments and policymakers. Institutional delivery has been among the implementations to reduce maternal and child mortality. The fact that the problem was persisted made studies research for more factors. Thus, the current study was intended for further analyses of EMDHS to identify the magnitude and its spatial patterns and predictors of in institutional delivery.
Methods
A cross-sectional survey data from EMDHS 2019 was analyzed involving 5,488 reproductive-age women regarding institutional deliveries. We presented descriptive statistics using mean, standard deviations, and proportions. To check the nature of the distribution of institutional delivery, we applied the global Moran’s I statistics. Getis-Ord Gi statistics was applied to detect spatial locations, and we applied spatial interpolation to predict unknown locations of institutional delivery using the Ordinary Kriging method. Kulldorff’s SatScan was also applied to identify the specific local clustering nature of institutional delivery using the Bernoulli method. We applied multilevel binary logistic regression for the scrutiny of Individual and community-level factors. We applied P < 0.25 to include variables in the model and P < 0.05 to declare associations. AOR with 95% CI was used to describe variables
Results
The prevalence of institution/facility delivery was 2,666.45(48.58%) in the survey. The average number of children was 4.03 ± 2.47, and most women in this survey were in the age group of the 25-29years (31.84%) and 30–34 years (21.61%). Women who learned primary education (AOR = 1.52; 95% CI 1.20–1.95), secondary education (AOR = 1.77; 95% CI 1.03–3.07), and higher education (AOR = 5.41; 95% 1.91–15.25), while those who can read and write sentence (AOR = 1.94; 95% 1.28–2.94), Rich (AOR = 2.40 95% CI 1.82–3.16), and those followed 1–2 ANC (AOR = 2.08; 95% CI 1.57–2.76), 3 ANCs (AOR = 3.24; 95% CI 2.51–418), and ≥ 4 ANCs (AOR = 4.91; 95% CI 3.93–6.15) had higher odds of delivering at health institutions.
Conclusion
The institutional delivery was unsatisfactory in Ethiopia, and there were various factors associated differently across the regions. Pastoralist regions showed high home delivery than institutions which invites further interventions specific to those regions. Factors like age, highest education level achieved, preceding birth interval, literacy status, wealth status, birth order, regions, and rural residences were all affected institutional delivery so that interventions considering awareness, access, and availability of the services are vital.
Can fecal calprotectin levels be used to monitor infant milk protein allergies?
Authors: Qiu Liyan , Wang Junli , Ren Fang , Shen Lixiao , Li Feng
Published: August 2021

Background
A milk protein allergy is one of the most common food allergies in infants. We aimed to test whether fecal calprotectin can be used to monitor food allergies in infants by comparing the fecal calprotectin levels in infants with a milk protein allergy before and after an intervention treatment.
Methods
Stool samples were collected at follow-up, and the concentration of fecal calprotectin was determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The infant's weight and length were measured.
Results
The allergic group comprised 90 milk-allergic infants (41 boys, 49 girls), and the nonallergic group comprised 90 nonallergic infants (51 boys, 39 girls). Compared with the fecal calprotectin level in the nonallergic group (141 µg/g), that in the allergic group (410 µg/g) was significantly higher (z=-9.335, p < 0.001). After two dietary interventions and treatments, the fecal calprotectin levels of the infants with a milk protein allergy at the first (253 µg/g) and second follow-up visits (160 µg/g) were decreased significantly compared with those before the intervention (z=-7.884, p < 0.001 and z=-8.239, p < 0.001, respectively). The growth index values (LAZ and WAZ) ​​of the infants with a milk protein allergy at the first follow-up visit and at the second follow-up visit were significantly higher than those before dietary intervention (p < 0.05). Fecal calprotectin was negatively and significantly correlated with the WLZ and WAZ at the second follow-up visit (Spearman’s rho =-0.234, p = 0.01 and Spearman’s rho =-0.193, p = 0.03, respectively).
Conclusion
The level of fecal calprotectin in infants with a milk protein allergy decreased after dietary intervention and seems to be a promising biological indicator for monitoring intestinal allergies.
Selective sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor 1 modulation augments thrombolysis of low-dose tissue plasminogen activator following cerebrovascular thrombosis
Authors: Li Handong , Kong Ying , Zhang Wenyan , Qi Caiyun , Wang Dan , Liu Qiang
Published: August 2021

BackgroundResults from our recent study demonstrate that sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1PR1) modulation improves microvascular hemodynamics after cerebrovascular thrombosis. This study was to determine the microvascular hemodynamic effects of sub-thrombolytic dose of tPA combined with a selective S1PR1 modulator ozanimod in a mouse model of cerebrovascular thrombosis.MethodsMicrovascular circulation in mice was monitored in vivo by two-photon microscopy. Thrombosis was induced in cortical arterioles by laser irradiation. Arteriolar flow velocity was measured by line-scanning following plasma-labeling with fluorescein-dextran.ResultsLaser-induced thrombosis led to a persistent reduction of flow velocity in cortical arterioles. Sub-thrombolytic dose of tPA along with vehicle control did not improve the flow velocity in cortical arterioles following thrombosis. In contrast, sub-thrombolytic dose of tPA along with ozanimod dramatically restored flow velocity in cortical arterioles following thrombosis. Ozanimod did not affect coagulation and bleeding time. Notably, ozanimod reduced thrombus volume without altering microvascular lumen diameter. In addition, ozanimod reduced leukocyte components within the thrombus.ConclutionsThese findings demonstrate that the thrombolytic effect of sub-thrombolytic dose of tPA is markedly enhanced by S1PR1 modulation, implying that S1PR1 modulation may improve the therapeutic benefit of low-dose tPA in patients with acute ischemic stroke.
Ranking the Biases: The Choice of OTUs vs. ASVs in 16S rRNA Amplicon Data Analysis Has Stronger Effects On Diversity Measures Than Rarefaction and Similarity Threshold
Authors: Chiarello Marlène , McCauley Mark , Villéger Sébastien , Jackson Colin R
Published: August 2021

BackgroundAdvances in the analysis of amplicon sequence datasets have introduced a methodological shift in how research teams investigate microbial biodiversity, away from the classification and downstream analyses of traditional operational taxonomic units (OTUs), and towards the usage of amplicon sequence variants (ASVs). While ASVs have several inherent properties that make them desirable compared to OTUs, questions remain as to the influence that these pipelines have on the ecological patterns being assessed, especially when compared to other methodological choices made when processing data (e.g. rarefaction) and computing diversity indices. ResultsWe compared the respective influences of using ASVs vs. OTU-based pipelines, rarefaction of the community table, and OTU similarity threshold (97% vs. 99%) on the ecological signals detected in freshwater invertebrate and environmental (sediment, seston) 16S rRNA data sets, determining the effects on alpha diversity, beta diversity and taxonomic composition. While the choice of OTU vs. ASV pipeline significantly influenced unweighted alpha and beta diversities and changed the ecological signal detected, weighted indices such as the Shannon index, Bray-Curtis dissimilarity, and weighted Unifrac scores were not impacted by the pipeline followed. By comparison, OTU threshold and rarefaction had a minimal impact effect on all measurements, although rarefaction improved overall signals, especially in OTU-based datasets. The identification of major classes and genera identified revealed significant discrepancies across methodologies. ConclusionWe provide a list of recommendations for the analysis of 16S rRNA amplicon data. We notably recommend the use of ASVs when analyzing alpha-diversity patterns, especially in species-rich or environmental samples. Abundance weighted alpha- and beta-diversity indices should also be preferred compared to ones based on the presence-absence of biological units.
Sorption of Polycyclic Musks on Soil Components of Different Aggregate Sizes: The Effect of Organic-mineral Interactions
Authors: Bu Qingwei , Cao Hongmei , Wu Dongkui , Zhou Ming
Published: August 2021

Polycyclic musks (PCMs) in soil environments have been of increasing concern because of their potential characteristic of persistence, bioaccumulation, and potential ecological risk. However, little is known about their fate process in soil environments. Here, we selected two PCMs as sorbates, namely galaxolide (HHCB) and tonalite (AHTN), to explore their sorption process in soils. Sorption batch experiments with six nature soils and their different aggregate fractions were carried out to elucidate the effect of organic–mineral interactions in different aggregate sizes on sorption of these two PCMs. The possible causes of variation in the organic carbon-normalized partition coefficient (Koc) for HHCB and AHTN have been investigated. The results indicated that the sorption contribution to different aggregate fractions to the overall sorption was dependent on both Koc and content of each aggregate fraction. The strong influence of organic–mineral interactions on Koc was evidenced by the large variation in Koc on HF-treatment for both bulk soils and their different aggregate fractions. This study verified the dual effect of organic–mineral interactions among selected soils. By comparing the measured and theoretical overlay ∆ Koc values, it was indicated that the interaction between particles of different size fractions will also affect Koc variation. This study represents a valuable contribution to the understanding of the fate processes and behaviors of PCMs in soil and its implication on the risk assessment.
Outcomes from the Medication Assisted Treatment Pilot Program for Adults With Opioid Use Disorders in Rural Colorado
Authors: Amura Claudia R. , Sorrell Tanya R. , Weber Mary , Alvarez Andrea , Beste Nancy , Hollins Ursula , Cook Paul F.
Published: August 2021

Background. As Colorado ranked among the top nationally in non-medical use of opioids, a pilot medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) program was developed to increase the number of NPs and PAs providing MOUD in order to bring this evidence based treatment 2 counties showing disproportionally high opioid overdose deaths. Over the first 18 months, the MOUD Pilot Program led to 15 new health care providers receiving MOUD waiver training and 1,005 patients receiving MOUD from the 3 participating organizations. Here we evaluate the impact of the pilot MOUD program implemented in 2 rural counties severely affected by the opioid crisis on patient centered clinical and functional outcomes. Methods. Under state-funded law, three rural agencies submitted patient-level data at baseline (N = 1005) and after 6 months of treatment (N = 190, 25%) between December 2017 and January 2020. The Addiction Severity Index with McNemar-Bowker and t tests were used to measure program impact. Results. Patients in treatment reported using less heroin (13.0 vs. 3.7 days), opioids (3.7 vs. 1.9 days), and alcohol (3.2 vs 0.7 days, all P < 0.01). Patients reported improved health (53.4% vs. 68.2%, P = 0.04), less days of disability (8.69 vs. 6.51, P = 0.02), symptoms (29.8% vs 21.3%), pain (67.5 % to 53.6), worry (45.3% vs 62.3%), anxiety (49.7% vs 23.2%), depression (54.1% vs 23.3%, all P < 0.02) after treatment. Conclusions. This study shows decreased substance use, improved physical and mental health, and reduced symptoms after 6 months of MOUD. Although more research on retention and long-term effects is needed, data shows improved health outcomes after 6 months of MOUD. Lessons learned from implementing this pilot program informed program expansion into other rural areas in need to address some of Colorado’ major public health crises.
Detection of low-frequency earthquakes by matched filter technique using the product of mutual information and correlation coefficient
Authors: Kurihara Ryo , Kato Aitaro , Kurata Sumito , Nagao Hiromichi
Published: August 2021

Matched filter technique is often used to detect microearthquakes such as deep low-frequency (DLF) earthquakes. It compares correlation coefficients (CC) between waveforms of template earthquakes and the observed data. Conventionally, the sum of CC at multiple seismic stations is used as an index to detect the DLF earthquakes. A major disadvantage of conventional method is drastically reduced detection accuracy when there are too few seismic stations. A new matched filter method proposed in this study can accurately detect microearthquakes using only a single station. It adopts mutual information (MI) in addition to CC to measure the similarity between the template and target waveforms. The method uses the product of MI and CC (MICC) as an index to detect DLF earthquakes. This index shows a distinct peak corresponding to an earthquake signal in a synthetic data set consisting of artificial noise and the waveform of a DLF earthquake. Application of this single-station method to field observations of Kirishima volcano, one of the most active volcanoes in Japan, detected a total of 354 DLF earthquakes from the data in December 2010, whereas the catalog of the Japan Meteorological Agency shows only two. The catalog of DLF earthquakes constructed here shows similar temporal behavior to that found by conventional matched filter method using the sum of the CC of the six stations near the volcano. The proposed method successfully identified approximately 80% of the earthquakes in the conventionally constructed catalogs. These results suggest that the proposed method can greatly contribute to the accurate cataloging of DLF earthquakes using only a single seismic station.
Pancreatic Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide Polypeptide-secreting Tumor With a Good Prognosis: a Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Liu Xuemei , Zhao Yingying , Zhou Quanzhong , Wang Kai , Wu Xinglong , Tuo Biguang , Wu Huichao
Published: August 2021

Background: Pancreatic vasoactive intestinal polypeptide secreting tumor is a rare pancreatic endocrine tumor, which has high rate of misdiagnosis because of its rarity. We are always seeking for some novel treatment methods, constantly summarizing experience and lessons, and improving the diagnosis. Case presentation: Here we report the case, a 48-year-old female patient was admitted to the hospital for 2 years with recurrent diarrhea. The computerized tomography scan of the upper abdomen demonstrated a 27 mm×31 mm space-occupying lesion in the tail of the pancreas. Electrolyte results suggest hypokalemia and elevated serum vasoactive intestinal peptide levels. After evaluating the condition, consider surgical removal of the pancreatic tail and active symptomatic treatment. Postoperative pathological biopsy was diagnosed as pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, serum potassium recovered, serum VIP value decreased, and diarrhea stopped. After 8 years of follow-up, all indicators were normal and the prognosis was good. Conclusions: We hope to draw the attention of clinicians from this situation in order to increase the correct rate of disease diagnosis and improve the prognosis.
Differential Analysis of Expressed Genes in Diabetic Nephropathy Based on Bioinformatics Technology
Authors: Liu Yu , Wang Jundong , Chi wencheng , Xie Jing , Teh LaiKuan , Wu Ling , Wu Lihua , Qiao Luhan , Yan Meichao , Deng Junye , Li Mingquan
Published: August 2021

Objective: Bioinformatics technology was used in this study to analyze the expression data of patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN) and normal subjects from the microarray. The purpose of this study was to screen the differentially expressed genes in DN and to explore the pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets of DN. Methods: The data of gene expression in the gse142153 gene chip was downloaded from the gene expression database (GEO). The up-regulated and down-regulated expressed genes were analyzed by R language. The core genes of differentially expressed genes were analyzed by string database, Cytoscape software and its plug-in. The differentially expressed genes were analyzed by gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of genes and genomes. Results: A total of 112 differentially expressed genes were screened, including 50 down-regulated genes and 62 up-regulated genes. There are 10 up-regulated core genes including CXCL8, MMP9, IL1B, IL6, IL10, CXCL2, CCL20, ATF3, CXCL3, F3. Their biological effects are mainly concentrated in the IL-17 signaling pathway, rheumatoid arthritis, viral protein interaction with cytokine and cytokine receptor, Amoebiasis, TNF signaling pathway, Legionellosis, Cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, Lipid, and atherosclerosis, Malaria, NOD-like receptor signaling pathway, etc. Conclusion: Analysis of differentially expressed genes and core genes enhanced the understanding of the pathogenesis of DN and provided a potential train of thought for the treatment of DN.
Trajectories of Hypoxemia & Pulmonary Mechanics of COVID-19 ARDS in the NorthCARDS Dataset
Authors: Jafari Daniel , Sereshki Amir Gandomi , Makhnevich Alexander , Qiu Michael , Rolston Daniel , Gottesman Eric , Tsegaye Adey , Mayo Paul , Stewart Molly , Zhang Meng , Hajizadeh Negin
Published: August 2021

Background: Understanding heterogeneity seen in patients with COVIDARDS and comparing to non-COVIDARDS may inform tailored treatments.  Methods: A multidisciplinary team of frontline clinicians and data scientists worked to create the Northwell COVIDARDS dataset (NorthCARDS) leveraging over 11,542 COVID-19 hospital admissions. The data was then summarized to examine descriptive differences based on clinically meaningful categories of lung compliance, and to examine trends in oxygenation. Findings: Of the 1595 COVIDARDS patients in the NorthCARDS dataset, there were 538 (34·6%) who had very low lung compliance (<20ml/cmH2O), 982 (63·2%) with low-normal compliance (20-50ml/cmH2O), and 34 (2·2%) with high lung compliance (>50ml/cmH2O). The very low compliance group had double the median time to intubation compared to the low-normal group (107 hours (IQR 26·3, 238·3) vs. 37·9 hours (IQR 4·8, 90·7)). Overall, 67·5% (n=1049) of the patients died during the hospitalization. In comparison to non-COVIDARDS reports, there were less patients in the high compliance category (2.2%vs.12%, compliance ≥50mL/cmH20), and more patients with P/F ≤ 150 (57·8% vs. 45.6%). No correlation was apparent between lung compliance and P/F ratio. The Oxygenation Index was similar, (11·12(SD 5·67) vs.12·8(SD 10·8)).1
Training-Associated Alterations In Equine Respiratory Immunity – A Multi-Omics Comparative Approach.
Authors: Karagianni Anna Eleonora , Kurian Dominic , Cillán-Garcia Eugenio , Eaton Samantha , Wishart Thomas M. , Pirie R. Scott
Published: August 2021

Background: Neutrophilic airway inflammation is highly prevalent in racehorses in training, with the term mild to moderate equine asthma (MMEA) being applied to the majority of such cases. Our proposed study is largely derived from the strong association between MMEA in racehorses and their entry into a race training program; this has led to our primary aim of measuring the effect of race training on pulmonary immune cell function. The objectives of this study are to characterise the effect of training on the local pulmonary immune system and quantify the magnitude of effect by defining (a) the gene expression of tracheal wash (TW) derived cells and (b) the protein expression of TW samples derived from Thoroughbred racehorses prior to (T0) and following commencement of race training (T1). Results: Tracheal wash samples were obtained at both time points (T0, T1) from the same Thoroughbred horses (n=16). Gene expression of TW derived cells, determined by RNAseq and analysed by DEseq2 detected 2,138 differentially expressed (DE) genes during the training period; 1,122 of these were upregulated. The proteome of TW samples was also evaluated and contained 260 DE proteins during the training period; 103 of these were upregulated and the rest downregulated. Gene and protein sets were enriched for biological processes related to acute phase response and oxidative stress, as well as to immune response and inflammation. Many genes, including ISG15, ISG20, IFI35, SOCS1 and TRIM21, were highly enriched for IFN signaling. Interestingly, pathway analysis also highlighted genes and proteins related to haemopoietic processes.Conclusions: This study demonstrated TW samples to represent a rich source of airway cells, protein and RNA to study airway immunity in the horse and highlighted the benefits of a multi-omics methodological approach to studying the dynamics of equine airway immunity. Intense training induced quantifiable alterations in both gene and protein expression of airway derived cells is consistent with deregulation of airway immunity and haemopoietic abnormalities. Respectively, these findings likely reflect the known associations between race training and both airway inflammation and bleeding, in particular offering further insight into the potential mechanisms which underpin training associated airway inflammation.
PET/CT radiomics and machine learning enable non-invasive survival stratification and histologic tumor risk profiling in patients with lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Zhao Meixin , Kluge Kilian , Papp Laszlo , Grahovac Marko , Yang Shaomin , Jiang Chunting , Krajnc Denis , Spielvogel Clemens P. , Ecsedi Boglarka , Haug Alexander , Wang Shiwei , Hacker Marcus , Zhang Weifang , Li Xiang
Published: August 2021

Purpose

Risk stratification in patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is mandatory for treatment guiding and outcome prediction. Amongst clinical parameters including histological analyses, imaging procedures provide important information. The present study aimed to investigate the ability of machine learning models trained on clinical and 2-deoxy-2-[¹⁸F]fluoro-D-glucose ([18F]FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) derived radiomic data to predict overall survival (OS), tumor grade (TG), and histologic growth pattern risk (GPR) in treatment naïve LUAD patients.
Methods

421 treatment naïve patients with histologically diagnosed lung adenocarcinoma and available [18F]FDG PET/CT imaging were retrospectively analyzed. Four patient cohorts were generated based on the available data for predicting 4-year OS (n = 276), 3-year OS (n = 280), TG (n = 298) and GPR (n = 265). [18F]FDG-positive lesions were delineated semiautomatically, from which 2082 radiomic features were extracted and combined with endpoint-specific clinical and demographic parameters. Machine learning models were built for the prediction of 4-year OS (M4OS), 3-year OS (M3OS), tumor grading (MTG) and histologic growth pattern risk (MGPR), respectively. Monte Carlo (MC) cross-validation with 100-folds and 80:20 training to validation split was employed as a performance evaluation for all models. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed to assess the association between the M4OS and M3OS predictions with OS.
Results

Area under the receiver operator characteristics curve (AUC) was highest for M4OS (AUC 0.88), followed by M3OS (AUC 0.84), while MTG and MGPR performed equally well (AUC 0.76). Predictions of M4OS (HR 0.128, p < 0.000001) and M3OS (HR 0.0942, p < 0.000001) were independently associated with OS.
Conclusion

In our retrospective cohorts, machine learning models demonstrated the ability to prognosticate long-term survival outcomes in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. Furthermore, tumor lesions could be characterized according to their histologic grade and predominant growth pattern risk with high accuracy.
Risk Factors for Post-Intensive Care Syndrome in Family Members (PICS-F) of Adult Patients: A Systematic Review.
Authors: Putowski Zbigniew , Rachfalska Natalia , Majewska Karolina , Megger Katarzyna , Krzych Łukasz J.
Published: August 2021

Background: Relatives of critically ill patients who either die or survive the intensive care unit (ICU) may develop substantial mental health problems that are collectively defined as Post-Intensive Care Syndrome in Family (PICS-F). It is important to document in a systematic manner all of the possible risk factors associated with the development of the latter.Methods: By using a systematized search strategy we included studies that focused on PICS-F in relatives of adult ICU patients and reported the risk factors associated with its development. The search was conducted within PubMed, Embase, SCOPUS, clinicaltrials.gov and Cochrane Library on the 2nd of May, 2021. PRISMA guidelines were implemented for appropriate reporting. Results: We included 52 papers covering 8293 relatives. The prevalence of PICS-F varied between 2.5-69%. We identified over 70 different risk factors of PICS-F, among which we distinguished patient-related (n=28), relative-related (n=33) and medical staff-related (n=9) risk factors. Among 17 studies with the highest quality we identified the 7 following factors associated with the development of PICS-F: younger age of a patient, death of a patient, depression in relatives during the ICU stay, history of mental disorders in relatives, being a spouse and low satisfaction with communication & care in the ICU.Conclusions: PICS-F is a highly prevalent phenomenon that may be exacerbated by a number of risk factors. Special attention should be paid to proper identification of susceptible relatives in order to prevent PICS.
Enhanced Electrokinetic Remediation of Cadmium (Cd)-Contaminated Soil With Interval Power breaking
Authors: Cai Zongping , Sun Yan , Deng Yanghong , Zheng Xiaojie , Sun Shuiyu , Sinkkonen Aki , Romantschuk Martin
Published: August 2021

This study compared electrokinetic (EK) remediation with and without interval power breaking in the removal of total and plant available cadmium (Cd) in the soil. Two laboratory experiments, i.e. EK remediation with interval power breaking (24-12 h power-on-off cycles) and conventional EK remediation (continuous power supply) with the same accumulated time (192 h) of power supply were conducted to remove soil Cd. After the EK remediation by interval power breaking, the total Cd removal efficiency in the soil rose to 38%, in comparison to 28% by the conventional EK remediation. As for the plant available Cd, the removal efficiency was enhanced from 52% to 63%. Additionally, the electric current during the EK remediation and electric conductivity after the EK remediation were higher in the soil treated by interval power breaking, which indicated an enhanced desorption and/or migration of charged species. It further meant that the higher removal efficiency of soil Cd by interval power breaking could be related to the enhanced desorption and/or migration of Cd species. This study indicated that both conventional EK remediation and EK remediation with interval power breaking were effective methods to remove soil Cd but EK remediation with interval power breaking was more efficient.
Synthesis of α-Al2O3 Nanoparticles From Pepsi Cans Wastes and Its Fungicidal Effect on Some Mycotoxins Producing Fungal Isolates
Authors: Ismail Asmaa , Kabary Hoda , Samy Ahmed
Published: August 2021

Green synthesis of nanomaterials is the most recent trend in nanotechology because it is synthesized the highly valuable compounds (nanomaterials) from wastes to reduce the highly negative impact of these wastes in environment. The aim of this study was to isolate and purify the most common mycotoxin, aflatoxin producing fungi from Maize and soybean grains which considered as the great economical importance as both animal and human feed. In addition to green synthesized of a-Al2O3 from cans and to detect its antifungal effect on the isolate’s growth at different concentrations. Thereafter, determining the fungicidal concentration of the tested nanoparticles on the isolated fungal strains. The structural, morphological, optical and antifungal activity of the prepared a-Al2O3. are characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), High resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM), Attenuated total Reflection-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) and Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometer. Results shows that, the most common fungal strains presented were belonging to Aspergillus flavus, Fusarium oxysporum and Alternaria sp.. Formation of Al2O3 is confirmed using XRD, FESEM and ATR –FTIR. The average particle size of a-Al2O3 is 4-10 nm. Optical band gap of a-Al2O3 are calculated using Tauc relation. Through investigating the fungicide concentration, Data showed that the maximum antifungal activity of aluminum nanoparticles a-Al2O3 was detected for A. flavus, Fusarium sp.and Alternaria sp. in concentration 1, 6 and 50 mg/100ml respectively.
Downstream Fish Passage at Hanover Pond Dam Through the Use of an Archimedes Screw Generator
Authors: Steeves Michael E. , Malvezzi Alex , Nebiolo Kevin
Published: August 2021

Background: In 2016, an Archimedes Screw Generator (ASG) was installed at the Hanover Pond Dam located in Meriden, CT on the Quinnipiac River to support hydroelectric operations for New England Hydropower Company, LLC (NEHC). The ASG is the first of its kind implemented in the United States, and while they are largely described as ‘fish-friendly’, adequate scientific literature evaluating fish passage is lacking at these facilities. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) with consultation from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and Kleinschmidt Associates designed and implemented a study to evaluate American Shad downstream fish passage at Hanover Pond Dam. The objective of this study was to document whether American Shad would enter the darkened penstock, pass beneath the downward closing sluice gate, and utilize the ASG for safe downstream passage. A radio telemetry study was designed with three fixed monitoring stations; including one station upstream of the dam, another station within the intake structure, and a third station downstream of the dam. Twenty adult American Shad were collected from Holyoke Dam Fish lift, transported to Hanover Pond, and radio-tagged. Fish were released upstream of the dam and monitored from May 30 to July 15, 2019.Results: In total, 16 fish were detected upstream of the dam, and 8 of those fish passed downstream. Seven of the eight fish that passed through the project (87.5%) utilized the intake of the ASG before being detected at the downstream receiver. One fish passed downstream via the spillway and/or use of a notch in the dam. All fish that passed downstream were detected with subsequent 2-second tag bursts at the downstream monitoring station, suggesting a 100% survival rate through the ASG.Conclusions: These results support the suggestion that the Archimedes Screw Generator is a ‘fish friendly’ operation.
Performance of Graphene-zinc Oxide Nanocomposite Coated-glassy Carbon Electrode in the Sensitive Determination of Para-nitrophenol
Authors: Dar Riyaz Ahmad , Naikoo Gowhar Ahmad , Srivast Ashwini Kumar , Hassan Israr Ul , Karna Shashi P. , Giri Lily , Shaikh Ahamad M. H. , Rezakazemi Mashallah , Ahmed Waqar
Published: August 2021

Graphene: zinc oxide nanocomposite (GN:ZnO NC) platform was tried for the sensitive determination of para-nitrophenol (p-NP) through the electrochemical method. ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by the modified wet-chemical method where in potassium hydroxide and zinc nitrate were used as precursors and starch as a stabilizing agent. A green and facile approach was applied to synthesize GN:ZnO NC in which glucose was employed as a reductant to reduce graphene-oxide to graphene in the presence of ZnO NPs. The synthesized NC was characterized using scanning and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray analysis, X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopic techniques to examine the crystal phase, crystallinity, morphology, chemical composition and phase structure. GN:ZnO NC layer deposited over the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was initially probed for its electrochemical performance using the standard 1 mM K3[Fe(CN)6] model complex. GN:ZnO NC modified GCE was monitored based on p-NP concentration. An enhanced current response was observed in 0.1 M phosphate buffer of pH 6.8 for the determination of p-NP in a linear working range of 0.09 x10− 6 to 21.80 x10− 6 M with a lower detection limit of 8.8 x 10− 9 M employing square wave adsorptive stripping voltammetric technique at a deposition-potential and deposition-time of -1.0 V and 300 s, respectively. This electrochemical sensor displayed very high specificity for p-NP with no observed interference from some other possible interfering substances such as 2, 4-di-NP, ortho-NP, and meta-NP. The developed strategy was useful for sensitive detection of p-NP quantity in canals/rivers and ground H2O samples with good recoveries.
A way to reduce the time consumption effect of for-loops for training neural networks: optimized propagation
Authors: Valizadeh Amir
Published: August 2021

In this paper, an alternative approach to the conventional backpropagation algorithm is presented that results in faster convergence of the loss of neural network models. The new algorithm (called optimized propagation) was used to model a neural network that was trained on some data and results were compared with the same data being modeled using the conventional backpropagation algorithm. These results indicate the superiority of optimized propagation to conventional backpropagation in the terms of reducing the loss of the model faster.
Identification of Potential Biomarkers and Pathways in Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Injury: Based on Bioinformatics Technology
Authors: Li Shangbin , Li Shuangshuang , Zhao Qian , Huang Jiayu , Meng Jinfeng , Yan Weichen , Wang Jie , Ren Changjun , Hao Ling
Published: August 2021

Background Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD) is one of the most common serious diseases in newborns, with a high mortality and disability rate. This study aims to use the bioinformatics analysis to identify potential hematologic/immune systems tissue-specific genes and related signaling pathways neonatal HIBD.Methods Microarray datasets in HIBD were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, and DEGs were identified by R software.Enrichment analyses were performed and protein–protein interaction networks were constructed to understand the functions and enriched pathways of DEGs and to identify central genes and key modules. Results In the cerebral cortex tissue with HIBD, 2598 DEGs were identified, including 2362 up-regulated and 236 down-regulated DEGs. In the blood with HIBD, 1442 DEGs were identified, including 540 up-regulated and 902 down-regulated DEGs. The results of biological processes and KEGG enrichment were very similar in DEGs of the two kinds of tissues, and both involved inflammation, immunity and apoptosis. The common DEGs of the two kinds of tissues also showed similar results in biological processes and KEGG enrichment.and four hematologic/immune system tissues specifically expressed potential biomarker genes were confirmed through a variety of methods, which were verified by GEO datasets and published experimental research. Conclusion The DEGs of HIBD including the potential peripheral biomarkers TYROBP, ITGAM, EGR1 and HMOX1, which may play a role in the pathogenesis of HIBD through inflammation and immune-mediated signaling pathways.
Emergency Department Referral Profile of Traumatic Brain Injury Records at a Tertiary Care Hospital of Pakistan
Authors: Khan Maria , Yaqoob Uzair , Hassan Zair , Uddin Muhammad Muizz
Published: August 2021

Background: Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality all over the world and the impact is much worse in Pakistan. The objective here is to describe the epidemiological characteristics of patients with TBI in our country and to determine the immediate outcomes of patients with TBI after the presentation.Method: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at the Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan. Data were extracted from the medical records from January 1st to December 31st, 2019. Patient age, sex, type of trauma, and immediate outcome of the referral to the Emergency Department were recorded. The severity of TBI was categorized based on Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) in mild (GCS 13-15), moderate (GCS 9-12), and severe (GCS <8) classes. The Emergency Department referral profile was classified as admissions, disposed, detained and disposed, referred.Results: Out of 5047 patients, 3689 (73.1%) males and 1358 (26.9%) females. The most commonly affected age group was 0-10 years (25.6%) and 21-30 years (20.1%). Road Traffic accident was the predominant cause of injury (38.8%, n=1960) followed by fall (32.7%, n=1649). Most (93.6%, n=4710) of the TBIs were mild. After the full initial assessment and workup, and completing all first-aid management, the immediate outcome was divided into four, most frequent (67.2%, n=3393) of which was “disposed (discharged)”, and 9.3% (n=470) were admitted for further management.Conclusion: Our study represents a relatively commonplace picture of epidemiological data on the burden of TBI in Pakistan. As a large proportion of patients had a mild TBI, and there is a high risk of mild TBI being under-diagnosed, we warrant further investigation of mild TBI in population-based studies.
Morphological and molecular characterization of Filenchus pseudodiscus n. sp. from east Golestan province, north Iran; with an updated phylogeny of Malenchus Andrássy, 1968 (Tylenchomorpha: Tylenchidae)
Authors: Mortazavi Parnaz , Heydari Fariba , Abolafia Joaquín , Castillo Pablo , Pedram Majid
Published: August 2021

During a survey in Golestan province, north Iran, two populations belonging to the family Tylenchidae were recovered in association with Quercus sp., and a rotten wood sample of an unidentified forest tree. The first recovered species was mainly characterized by having a disc-like differentiation in the frontal end under the light microscope (LM), proposing it as a tentative member of the genus Discotylenchus. Detailed morphological studies using scanning electron microscope (SEM), however, did not reveal a true disc, but showing the smooth cephalic region, and a narrow annulus behind the cephalic plate. Based upon the cephalic region structure, and by lacking a true disc, the species was identified as a member of the genus Filenchus. This population was further characterized by 555 to 618 μm long females, lateral fields with four incisures, 9 to 10 μm long stylet, spermatheca large, including spheroid sperm, post-vulval uterine sac (PUS) 8 to 12 µm long and gradually tapering to an elongate conoid tail with pointed tip. It was compared with relevant species of Filenchus having four incisures in the lateral fields and similar general morphology. By having a disc-like differentiation in the frontal end under the LM, it was further compared with three similar known species of Discotylenchus. The morphological comparisons with species under two aforementioned genera showed the recovered population belongs to an unknown species, described herein as Filenchus pseudodiscus n. sp. The molecular phylogenetic relationships of the new species using partial small and large subunit ribosomal RNA gene (SSU and LSU D2-D3 rDNA) sequences were reconstructed and discussed. Malenchus gilanensis, the second recovered and studied species was originally established based upon traditional criteria. An updated LSU phylogeny of the genus Malenchus by including M. gilanensis was also presented and its results were discussed.
Iranian Bazaars and the Social Sustainability of Modern Commercial Spaces in Iranian Cities
Authors:   School of Architecture and Urban Development, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, IRAN, Ghasemi Kimia , Behzadfa Mostafa ,   School of Architecture and Urban Development, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, IRAN, Hamzenejad Mahdi ,   School of Architecture and Urban Development, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, IRAN
Published: August 2021

According to some factors such as participation, interactions, identification and security, Iran's traditional bazaars are good examples of social sustainability. In fact, bazaars are not considered as merely an economic environment but also an environment for many social activities due to their status and their location in the important environments and centres of the city, and the significant role and social status of market's businessmen in the city. However, in the modern industrial era and with appearance of new urban elements, it can be observed that many spaces for commuting and many urban traditional environments took important social-cultural functions. Under these circumstances, this research used the descriptive analytical method to focus on evaluating the environments of persistent traditional social business centres in order to achieve persistence in modern social business centres through evaluating and studying the historical background of business centres, urban services and traditional elements that form them.
Berberine in the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Nanotechnology Enabled Targeted Delivery
Authors: Mohi-ud-din Roohi , Mir Reyaz Hassan , Wani Taha Umair , Shah Abdul Jalil , Banday Nazia , Pottoo Faheem Hyder
Published: August 2021

Background:

Berberine (BBR), an alkaloidal compound found in many plants, is widely
used for hundreds of years in the traditional system of Chinese medicine.

Objective/Aim:

The present review is aimed to summarize the potential of Berberine in the
amelioration of various neurological disorders.

Methods:

The collection of data for the compilation of this review work was searched in PubMed
Scopus, Google Scholar, and Science Direct. Of late, researchers are more focused on its beneficial
role in neurodegenerative diseases.

Result:

BBR has proven its protective role in numerous neurotoxicity models including,
oxygen-glucose deprivation, mercury-induced, neurodegenerative model by ibotenic acid, and
hypoxia caused by COCl2. BBR treatment averts the generation of reactive oxygen species in the
oxygen-glucose deprivation model. Further, it subdues cytochrome c along with the divulge of
apoptosis-inducing factors that indicate its beneficial action in the management of stroke. BBR
diminished hydrogen peroxide-induced neuronal damage by enhancing the PI3k / Akt / Nrf-2
based pathway and showed a preventive impact on neurites of SH-SY5Y cells by averting the
formation of ROS and inhibiting apoptosis. The impact of BBR on neurological disorder using a
transgenic AD type mouse strain (TgCRND8) showed a reduction in the piling up of amyloid-β
plaque. In mice, administration of BBR in the dose range of 5-10m/kg has been reported to raise
the levels of serotonin (47%), dopamine (31%), and norepinephrine (29%) in CNS to allay
depression.

Conclusion:

The present review is aimed to summarize the potential of Berberine in the
amelioration of various neurological disorders.
Investigating the Preventive Effects of 99Tc-Methylenediphosphonate on a Glucocorticoid-Induced Osteoporosis Rabbit Model
Authors: Li Ying , Cai Min , Zhang Ruihuan , Wang Jun , Zhu Huijing , Wang Chunhua , Min Weiqi , Chen Yiheng , Yan Li
Published: August 2021

Background and Objective:

Osteoporosis is a worldwide healthcare challenge. Conventional
medications for osteoporosis prevention are not clinically effective or associated with gastrointestinal
tract adverse effects. The present study aimed to comparatively investigate the effects
of technetium-99 conjugated with methylene diphosphonate (99Tc-MDP) and calcium carbonate
and alendronate on the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis in glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis
rabbit model through evaluating bone alkaline phosphatase (B-ALP), TRAP-5b levels and
histopathological parameters.

Methods:

Forty healthy female New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into five groups (each
n=8), including control group (Control Group), osteoporosis model group (GIO Group), osteoporosis
model + 99Tc-MDP group (99Tc-MDP Group), osteoporosis model + alendronate group (Alendronate
Group), and osteoporosis model + calcium carbonate group (calcium carbonate Group). Animals
in each group were treated with corresponding interventions for 14 weeks. The blood samples
were collected at the first and 14th week, and B-ALP and TRAP-5b levels were detected by enzyme-
linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The rabbits were anesthetized at the 14th week, and
pathological cytological observation was performed on both femurs.

Results:

The age and weights of rabbits in different groups had no statistically significant differences
(P>0.05). B-ALP levels in serum of all groups except for the Control Group decreased after
treatment, but the differences were not statistically significant (P>0.05). TRAP-5b levels in serum
of all groups increased after treatment. Specifically, differences in the GIO Group and calcium carbonate
group were statistically significant (P<0.05), while differences in 99Tc-MDP Group and alendronate
Group were not statistically significant (P<0.05). Pathological sections revealed that the
control group presented normal bone tissue morphology. The bone tissue morphology of the 99Tc-
MDP group and alendronate group was similar to control group and GIO group. Moreover, the calcium
carbonate group and GIO group exhibited similar bone tissue morphology.

Conclusions:

99Tc-MDP has a preventive effect on the glucocorticoid-induced osteoporotic rabbit
model. This osteoporosis preventive effect might be attributed to the capacities of 99Tc-MDP in promoting
the osteoblasts generation and inhibiting the generation and reducing the activity of osteoclasts.
Current Scenario of Acridine Hybrids with Anticancer Potential
Authors: Zhang Qihong , Yu Xia
Published: August 2021

Cancer, a complex disease which involves abnormalities of multiple cellular pathways,
is one of the most serious threatens to human health across the world. Chemotherapy with a single
agent or a combined regimen is a standardized strategy for the treatment of almost all human cancers,
and the cure rate of cancer increases with the continuous discovery of anticancer agents and
the optimization of chemotherapy options. However, drug resistance, especially multidrug resistance,
remains an obstacle in the effective treatment of cancer. Hence, it is urgent to develop novel
agents with potential activity against cancers, especially drug-resistant forms. Acridine, which
bears three fused rings, could intercalate into DNA and interfere with metabolic processes. Recently,
acridines have been found with anticancer activity in a variety of malignancies through suppressing
cell proliferation, stimulating apoptosis, and inducing cell cycle arrest, retarding migration, invasion
and metastasis. Thus, acridines are useful scaffolds for the discovery of novel drug candidates
with potent anticancer activity. This review focused on the current scenario of acridine hybrids
with potential activity against cancers reported from Jan, 2015 to Feb, 2021. The mechanisms
of action, the criteria of compound design as well as structure-activity relationships were also summarized
to pave the way for a further rational design of novel anticancer agents.