bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of synchronization of firings of different motor unit types on the force variability in a model of the rat medial gastrocnemius muscle
Authors: Raikova Rositsa , Krasteva Vessela , Krutki Piotr , Drzymała-Celichowska Hanna , Kryściak Katarzyna , Celichowski Jan
Published: April 2021

The synchronized firings of active motor units (MUs) increase the oscillations of muscle force, observed as physiological tremor. This study aimed to investigate the effects of synchronizing the firings within three types of MUs (slow—S, fast resistant to fatigue–FR, and fast fatigable–FF) on the muscle force production using a mathematical model of the rat medial gastrocnemius muscle. The model was designed based on the actual proportion and physiological properties of MUs and motoneurons innervating the muscle. The isometric muscle and MU forces were simulated by a model predicting non-synchronized firing of a pool of 57 MUs (including 8 S, 23 FR, and 26 FF) to ascertain a maximum excitatory signal when all MUs were recruited into the contraction. The mean firing frequency of each MU depended upon the twitch contraction time, whereas the recruitment order was determined according to increasing forces (the size principle). The synchronization of firings of individual MUs was simulated using four different modes and inducing the synchronization of firings within three time windows (± 2, ± 4, and ± 6 ms) for four different combinations of MUs. The synchronization was estimated using two parameters, the correlation coefficient and the cross-interval synchronization index. The four scenarios of synchronization increased the values of the root-mean-square, range, and maximum force in correlation with the increase of the time window. Greater synchronization index values resulted in higher root-mean-square, range, and maximum of force outcomes for all MU types as well as for the whole muscle output; however, the mean spectral frequency of the forces decreased, whereas the mean force remained nearly unchanged. The range of variability and the root-mean-square of forces were higher for fast MUs than for slow MUs; meanwhile, the relative values of these parameters were highest for slow MUs, indicating their important contribution to muscle tremor, especially during weak contractions.
Virus-derived variation in diverse human genomes
Authors: Kojima Shohei , Kamada Anselmo Jiro , Parrish Nicholas F.
Published: April 2021

Acquisition of genetic material from viruses by their hosts can generate inter-host structural genome variation. We developed computational tools enabling us to study virus-derived structural variants (SVs) in population-scale whole genome sequencing (WGS) datasets and applied them to 3,332 humans. Although SVs had already been cataloged in these subjects, we found previously-overlooked virus-derived SVs. We detected non-germline SVs derived from squirrel monkey retrovirus (SMRV), human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1), and human T lymphotropic virus (HTLV-1); these variants are attributable to infection of the sequenced lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) or their progenitor cells and may impact gene expression results and the biosafety of experiments using these cells. In addition, we detected new heritable SVs derived from human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) and human endogenous retrovirus-K (HERV-K). We report the first solo-direct repeat (DR) HHV-6 likely to reflect DR rearrangement of a known full-length endogenous HHV-6. We used linkage disequilibrium between single nucleotide variants (SNVs) and variants in reads that align to HERV-K, which often cannot be mapped uniquely using conventional short-read sequencing analysis methods, to locate previously-unknown polymorphic HERV-K loci. Some of these loci are tightly linked to trait-associated SNVs, some are in complex genome regions inaccessible by prior methods, and some contain novel HERV-K haplotypes likely derived from gene conversion from an unknown source or introgression. These tools and results broaden our perspective on the coevolution between viruses and humans, including ongoing virus-to-human gene transfer contributing to genetic variation between humans.
Subunit P60 of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase promotes cell proliferation or apoptosis depending on its phosphorylation status
Authors: Di Yu-Qin , Zhao Yu-Meng , Jin Ke-Yan , Zhao Xiao-Fan
Published: April 2021

The regulatory subunits (P60 in insects, P85 in mammals) determine the activation of the catalytic subunits P110 in phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases (PI3Ks) in the insulin pathway for cell proliferation and body growth. However, the regulatory subunits also promote apoptosis via an unclear regulatory mechanism. UsingHelicoverpa armigera, an agricultural pest, we showed thatH.armigeraP60 (HaP60) was phosphorylated under insulin-like peptides (ILPs) regulation at larval growth stages and played roles in the insulin/ insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling (IIS) to determine HaP110 phosphorylation and cell membrane translocation; whereas, HaP60 was dephosphorylated and its expression increased under steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) regulation during metamorphosis. Protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 6 (HaPTPN6, also named tyrosine-protein phosphatase corkscrew-like isoform X1 in the genome) was upregulated by 20E to dephosphorylate HaP60 and HaP110. 20E blocked HaP60 and HaP110 translocation to the cell membrane and reduced their interaction. The phosphorylated HaP60 mediated a cascade of protein phosphorylation and forkhead box protein O (HaFOXO) cytosol localization in the IIS to promote cell proliferation. However, 20E, via G protein-coupled-receptor-, ecdysone receptor-, and HaFOXO signaling axis, upregulated HaP60 expression, and the non-phosphorylated HaP60 interacted with phosphatase and tensin homolog (HaPTEN) to induce apoptosis. RNA interference-mediated knockdown ofHaP60andHaP110in larvae repressed larval growth and apoptosis. Thus, HaP60 plays dual functions to promote cell proliferation and apoptosis by changing its phosphorylation status under ILPs and 20E regulation, respectively.
Genomic and epidemiological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 in Africa
Authors: Lamptey Jones , Oyelami Favour Oluwapelumi , Owusu Michael , Nkrumah Bernard , Idowu Paul Oluwagbenga , Adu-Gyamfi Enoch Appiah , Czika Armin , El-Duah Philip , Yeboah Richmond , Sylverken Augustina , Olasunkanmi Oluwatayo Israel , Owusu-Dabo Ellis , Drosten Christian , Adu-Sarkodie Yaw
Published: April 2021

Since late 2019, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has rapidly evolved to become a global pandemic. Each country was affected but with a varying number of infected cases and mortality rates. Africa was hit late by the pandemic but the number of cases rose sharply. In this study, we investigated 224 SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences from the Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data (GISAID) in the early part of the outbreak, of which 69 were from Africa. We analyzed a total of 550 mutations by comparing them with the reference SARS-CoV-2 sequence from Wuhan. We classified the mutations observed based on country and region, and afterwards analyzed common and unique mutations on the African continent as a whole. Correlation analyses showed that the duo variants ORF1ab/RdRp 4715L and S protein 614G variants, which are strongly linked to fatality rate, were not significantly and positively correlated with fatality rates (r = -0.03757, P = 0.5331 and r = -0.2876, P = 0.6389, respectively), although increased number of cases correlated with number of deaths (r = 0.997, P = 0.0002). Furthermore, most cases in Africa were mainly imported from American and European countries, except one isolate with no mutation and was similar to the original isolate from Wuhan. Moreover, unique mutations specific to countries were identified in the early phase of the outbreak but these mutations were not regional-specific. There were common mutations in all isolates across the continent as well as similar isolate-specific mutations in different regions. Our findings suggest that mutation is rapid in SARS-CoV-2 in Africa and although these mutations spread across the continent, the duo variants could not possibly be the sole cause of COVID-19 deaths in Africa in the early phase of the outbreak.
Men’s knowledge, attitude, and barriers towards emergency contraception: A facility based cross-sectional study at King Saud University Medical City
Authors: Karim Syed Irfan , Irfan Farhana , Saad Hussain , Alqhtani Mohammed , Alsharhan Abdulmalik , Alzhrani Ahmed , Alhawas Feras , Alatawi Saud , Alassiri Mohammed , M. A. Ahmed Abdullah
Published: April 2021

Background

Male partners have a considerable role in influencing women’s contraceptive decision making to reduce the chance of unintended pregnancy. Most studies are focused on women’s knowledge and barriers for emergency contraception (EC) use. There is limited research on this topic from the male perspective. This study aimed to gather baseline data on men’s knowledge, attitudes and barriers about EC.

Methods

Descriptive analytic cross-sectional study was conducted from Dec 2019 –May 2020 at the King Khalid University Hospital (KKUH); a teaching facility with general and subspecialty medical services in King Saud University Medical City (KSUMC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using a structured pretested questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 23.0. Descriptive statistics and Chi square tests were used. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to find significant predictors for EC awareness and use. A p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

A total of 461 participants completed the questionnaire (response rate 86%). The majority (82%) of the participants were unaware of EC; with only 18% having some knowledge. Knowledgeable men had positive attitudes (73.5%) about EC as compared to non- knowledgeable ones (55.0%). Factors found to be associated with less knowledge of EC were cultural [0.46, 95%CI 0.22. 0.96] and religious unacceptability [OR 0.51, 95%CI 0.29, 0.89)]. Higher level of education [OR 1.83, 95%CI 0.94, 3.53] was associated with more knowledge regarding EC. The study showed that correct information about using contraceptives within 3 days of unprotected sex [OR 4.96, 95%CI 1.81, 13.60]; availability without prescription [OR 5.06, 95%CI 1.68, 15.30], EC advertisement [OR 4.84, 95%CI 0.96, 24.27] and receipt of information from family/friends [OR 18.50, 95%CI 5.19, 65.93] were factors that contributed to men using EC.

Conclusion

The current knowledge of EC among men is limited. Social determinants affect these levels of knowledge, as well as the usage of EC. Factors that were associated with the use of ECPs were correct knowledge, advertisement, availability and receipt of information from family/friends. The findings highlight the need to educate men on this important topic to avoid unintended pregnancy, keeping in view cultural and social values. Future qualitative studies are needed to understand the male perspective.
Blood-brain barrier breakdown in non-enhancing multiple sclerosis lesions detected by 7-Tesla MP2RAGE ΔT1 mapping
Authors: Choi Seongjin , Spini Margaret , Hua Jun , Harrison Daniel M.
Published: April 2021

Although the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is altered in most multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions, gadolinium enhancement is seen only in acute lesions. In this study, we aimed to investigate gadolinium-induced changes in T1 relaxation time in MS lesions on 7-tesla (7T) MRI as a means to quantify BBB breakdown in non-enhancing MS lesions. Forty-seven participants with MS underwent 7T MRI of the brain with a magnitude-prepared rapid acquisition of 2 gradient echoes (MP2RAGE) sequence before and after contrast. Subtraction of pre- and post-contrast T1 maps was used to measure T1 relaxation time change (ΔT1) from gadolinium. ΔT1 values were interrogated in enhancing white matter lesions (ELs), non-enhancing white matter lesions (NELs), and normal appearing white matter (NAWM) and metrics were compared to clinical data. ΔT1 was measurable in NELs (median: -0.139 (-0.304, 0.174) seconds; p < 0.001) and was negligible in NAWM (median: -0.001 (-0.036, 0.155) seconds; p = 0.516). Median ΔT1 in NELs correlated with disability as measured by Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) (rho = -0.331, p = 0.026). Multiple measures of NEL ΔT1 variability also correlated with EDSS. NEL ΔT1 values were greater and more variable in patients with progressive forms of MS and greater in those not on MS treatment. Measurement of the changes in T1 relaxation time caused by contrast on 7T MP2RAGE reveals clinically relevant evidence of BBB breakdown in NELs in MS. This data suggests that NEL ΔT1 should be evaluated further as a potential biomarker of persistently disrupted BBB in MS.
High burden of cryptococcal antigenemia and meningitis among patients presenting at an emergency department in Maputo, Mozambique
Authors: Deiss Robert , Loreti Carolina V. , Gutierrez Ana G. , Filipe Eudoxia , Tatia Milton , Issufo Sheila , Ciglenecki Iza , Loarec Anne , Vivaldo Henriques , Barra Carmen , Siufi Carolina , Molfino Lucas , Tamayo Antabak Natalia
Published: April 2021

Background

Cryptococcal meningitis is a leading cause of HIV-related mortality in sub-Saharan Africa, however, screening for cryptococcal antigenemia has not been universally implemented. As a result, data concerning cryptococcal meningitis and antigenemia are sparse, and in Mozambique, the prevalence of both are unknown.

Methods

We performed a retrospective analysis of routinely collected data from a point-of-care cryptococcal antigen screening program at a public hospital in Maputo, Mozambique. HIV-positive patients admitted to the emergency department underwent CD4 count testing; those with pre-defined abnormal vital signs or CD4 count ≤ 200 cells/μL received cryptococcal antigen testing and lumbar punctures if indicated. Patients with CM were admitted to the hospital and treated with liposomal amphotericin B and flucytosine; their 12-week outcomes were ascertained through review of medical records or telephone contact by program staff made in the routine course of service delivery.

Results

Among 1,795 patients screened for cryptococcal antigenemia between March 2018—March 2019, 134 (7.5%) were positive. Of patients with cryptococcal antigenemia, 96 (71.6%) were diagnosed with CM, representing 5.4% of all screened patients. Treatment outcomes were available for 87 CM patients: 24 patients (27.6%) died during induction treatment and 63 (72.4%) survived until discharge; of these, 38 (60.3%) remained in care, 9 (14.3%) died, and 16 (25.3%) were lost-to follow-up at 12 weeks.

Conclusions

We found a high prevalence of cryptococcal antigenemia and meningitis among patients screened at an emergency department in Maputo, Mozambique. High mortality during and after induction therapy demonstrate missed opportunities for earlier detection of cryptococcal antigenemia, even as point-of-care screening and rapid assessment in an emergency room offer potential to improve outcomes.
An efficient and provably secure key agreement scheme for satellite communication systems
Authors: Zhang Yuanyuan , Zhai Zhibo
Published: April 2021

Satellite communication has played an important part in many different industries because of its advantages of wide coverage, strong disaster tolerance and high flexibility. The security of satellite communication systems has always been the concern of many scholars. Without authentication, user should not obtain his/her required services. Beyond that, the anonymity also needs to be protected during communications. In this study, we design an efficient and provably secure key agreement scheme for satellite communication systems. In each session, we replace user’s true identity by a temporary identity, which will be updated for each session, to guarantee the anonymity. Because the only use of lightweight algorithms, our proposed scheme has high performance. Furthermore, the security of the proposed scheme is proved in the real-or-random model and the performance analysis shows that the proposed scheme is more efficient than some other schemes for satellite communication systems.
Sub-millimetre resolution laminar fMRI using Arterial Spin Labelling in humans at 7 T
Authors: Kashyap Sriranga , Ivanov Dimo , Havlicek Martin , Huber Laurentius , Poser Benedikt A. , Uludağ Kâmil
Published: April 2021

Laminar fMRI at ultra-high magnetic field strength is typically carried out using the Blood Oxygenation Level-Dependent (BOLD) contrast. Despite its unrivalled sensitivity to detecting activation, the BOLD contrast is limited in its spatial specificity due to signals stemming from intra-cortical ascending and pial veins. Alternatively, regional changes in perfusion (i.e., cerebral blood flow through tissue) are colocalised to neuronal activation, which can be non-invasively measured using Arterial Spin Labelling (ASL) MRI. In addition, ASL provides a quantitative marker of neuronal activation in terms of perfusion signal, which is simultaneously acquired along with the BOLD signal. However, ASL for laminar imaging is challenging due to the lower SNR of the perfusion signal and higher RF power deposition i.e., specific absorption rate (SAR) of ASL sequences. In the present study, we present for the first time in humans, isotropic sub-millimetre spatial resolution functional perfusion images using Flow-sensitive Alternating Inversion Recovery (FAIR) ASL with a 3D-EPI readout at 7 T. We show that robust statistical activation maps can be obtained with perfusion-weighting in a single session. We observed the characteristic BOLD amplitude increase towards the superficial laminae, and, in apparent discrepancy, the relative perfusion profile shows a decrease of the amplitude and the absolute perfusion profile a much smaller increase towards the cortical surface. Considering the draining vein effect on the BOLD signal using model-based spatial “convolution”, we show that the empirically measured perfusion and BOLD profiles are, in fact, consistent with each other. This study demonstrates that laminar perfusion fMRI in humans is feasible at 7 T and that caution must be exercised when interpreting BOLD signal laminar profiles as direct representation of the cortical distribution of neuronal activity.
Micro-size plankton abundance and assemblages in the western North Pacific Subtropical Gyre under microscopic observation
Authors: Kodama Taketoshi , Watanabe Tsuyoshi , Taniuchi Yukiko , Kuwata Akira , Hasegawa Daisuke
Published: April 2021

While primary productivity in the oligotrophic North Pacific Subtropical Gyre (NPSG) is changing, the micro-size plankton community has not been evaluated in the last 4 decades, prompting a re-evaluation. We collected samples over three years (2016–2018) from depths of 10 to 200 m (n= 127), and the micro-size plankton were identified and counted to understand the heterogeneity of micro-size plankton community structure. The assemblages were consistent to the those of 4 decades ago. Dinophyceae (dinoflagellates) were the most numerically abundant, followed by Cryptophyceae and Bacillariophyceae (diatoms). The other micro-size plankton classes (Cyanophyceae, Haptophyceae, Dictyochophyceae, Euglenophyceae, and Prasinophyceae) were not always detected, whereas onlyTrichodesmiumspp. was counted in the Cyanophyceae. Other unidentified autotrophic and heterotrophic flagellates were also significantly present, and their numeric abundance was higher than or at the same level as was that of the Dinophyceae. In the Dinophyceae,Gymnodiniaceaeand Peridiniales were abundant. The chlorophyllaconcentration and these class-level assemblages suggested micro-size plankton is not a major primary producer in this area. We applied generalized additive models (GAMs) and principal coordination analyses (PCoAs) to evaluate the habitats of every plankton group and the heterogeneity of the assemblages. The GAMs suggested that every classified plankton abundance showed a similar response to salinity, and we observed differences in habitats in terms of temperature and nitrate concentrations. Based on the PCoAs, we observed unique communities at the 200 m depth layer compared with those at the other sampling layers. The site scores of PCoAs indicated that the micro-size plankton assemblages are most heterogeneous at the 10 m depth layer. At such depth, diazotrophic Cyanophyceae (Trichodesmiumspp.) are abundant, particularly in less-saline water. Therefore, nitrogen fixation may contribute to the heterogeneity in the abundance and assemblages in the western NPSG.
A fused-image-based approach to detect obstructive sleep apnea using a single-lead ECG and a 2D convolutional neural network
Authors: Niroshana S. M. Isuru , Zhu Xin , Nakamura Keijiro , Chen Wenxi
Published: April 2021

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common chronic sleep disorder that disrupts breathing during sleep and is associated with many other medical conditions, including hypertension, coronary heart disease, and depression. Clinically, the standard for diagnosing OSA involves nocturnal polysomnography (PSG). However, this requires expert human intervention and considerable time, which limits the availability of OSA diagnosis in public health sectors. Therefore, electrocardiogram (ECG)-based methods for OSA detection have been proposed to automate the polysomnography procedure and reduce its discomfort. So far, most of the proposed approaches rely on feature engineering, which calls for advanced expert knowledge and experience. This paper proposes a novel fused-image-based technique that detects OSA using only a single-lead ECG signal. In the proposed approach, a convolutional neural network extracts features automatically from images created with one-minute ECG segments. The proposed network comprises 37 layers, including four residual blocks, a dense layer, a dropout layer, and a soft-max layer. In this study, three time–frequency representations, namely the scalogram, the spectrogram, and the Wigner–Ville distribution, were used to investigate the effectiveness of the fused-image-based approach. We found that blending scalogram and spectrogram images further improved the system’s discriminative characteristics. Seventy ECG recordings from the PhysioNet Apnea-ECG database were used to train and evaluate the proposed model using 10-fold cross validation. The results of this study demonstrated that the proposed classifier can perform OSA detection with an average accuracy, recall, and specificity of 92.4%, 92.3%, and 92.6%, respectively, for the fused spectral images.
Small extracellular vesicle-encapsulated miR-181b-5p, miR-222-3p and let-7a-5p: Next generation plasma biopsy-based diagnostic biomarkers for inflammatory breast cancer
Authors: Ahmed Sarah Hamdy , Espinoza-Sánchez Nancy A. , El-Damen Ahmed , Fahim Sarah Atef , Badawy Mohamed A. , Greve Burkhard , El-Shinawi Mohamed , Götte Martin , Ibrahim Sherif Abdelaziz
Published: April 2021

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a rare, but aggressive entity of breast carcinoma with rapid dermal lymphatic invasion in young females. It is either poorly or misdiagnosed as mastitis because of the absence of a distinct lump. Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) circulating in liquid biopsies are a novel class of minimally invasive diagnostic alternative to invasive tissue biopsies. They modulate cancer progression via shuttling their encapsulated cargo including microRNAs (miRNAs) into recipient cells to either trigger signaling or induce malignant transformation of targeted cells. Plasma sEVs < 200 nm were isolated using a modified cost-effective polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based precipitation method and compared to standard methods, namely ultracentrifugation and a commercial kit, where the successful isolation was verified by different approaches. We evaluated the expression levels of selected sEV-derived miR-181b-5p, miR-222-3p and let-7a-5p using quantitative real PCR (qPCR). Relative to non-IBC, our qPCR data showed that sEV-derived miR-181b-5p and miR-222-3p were significantly upregulated, whereas let-7a-5p was downregulated in IBC patients. Interestingly, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves analysis revealed that diagnostic accuracy of let-7a-5p alone was the highest for IBC with an area under curve (AUC) value of 0.9188, and when combined with miR-222-3p the AUC was improved to 0.973. Further, 38 hub genes were identified using bioinformatics analysis. Together, circulating sEV-derived miR-181b-5p, miR-222-3p and let-7a-5p serve as promising non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers for IBC.
Distribution and diversity of eukaryotic microalgae in Kuwait waters assessed using 18S rRNA gene sequencing
Authors: Kumar Vinod , Al Momin Sabah , Kumar Vanitha V. , Ahmed Jasim , Al-Musallam Lamya , Shajan Anisha B. , Al-Aqeel Hamed , Al-Mansour Hamad , Al-Zakri Walid M.
Published: April 2021

The microbial communities play a crucial role in ecosystem functioning through interactions among individuals and taxonomic groups in a highly dynamic marine ecosystem. The structure and functioning of the microbial communities are often influenced by the changes in the surrounding environment. Monitoring the microbial diversity of the marine ecosystem helps to understand spatial patterns of microbial community and changes due to season, climate, and various drivers of biological diversity. Kuwait is characterized by an arid environment with a high degree of temperature variation during summer and winter. Our understanding of spatial distribution patterns of microbial communities, their diversity, and the influence of human activities on the degree of changes in the diversity of the microbial community in Kuwait territorial waters remain unclear. In this study, we employed 18S rRNA sequencing to explore marine microalgal community composition and dynamics in seawater samples collected from Kuwait waters over two seasonal cycles across six locations. A total of 448,184 sequences across 36 replicates corresponding to 12 samples from six stations were obtained. The quality-filtered sequences were clustered into 1,293 representative sequences, which were then classified into different eukaryotic taxa. This study reveals that the phytoplankton community in Kuwait waters is diverse and shows significant variations among different taxa during summer and winter. Dinoflagellates and diatoms were the most abundant season-dependent microalgae taxa in Kuwait waters. Alexandrium and Pyrophacus were abundant in summer, whereas Gonyaulax was abundant during the winter. The abundance of Coscinodiscus and Navicula, of the diatom genera, were also dependent upon both seasonal and possible anthropogenic factors. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of a sequencing-based approach, which could be used to improve the accuracy of quantitative eukaryotic microbial community profiles.
In Silico screening of circulating tumor DNA, circulating microRNAs, and long non-coding RNAs as diagnostic molecular biomarkers in ovarian cancer: A comprehensive meta-analysis
Authors: Zhang Linlin , Hu Chenyan , Huang Zhongping , Li Zhijia , Zhang Qin , He Yang
Published: April 2021

Background

Ovarian cancer (OC) is a leading cause of death in gynecological malignancies worldwide. Multitudinous studies have suggested the potential of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), circulating microRNAs (miRNAs), and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) as novel diagnostic molecular biomarkers for OC. Here, we include three updated meta-analysis methods using different molecular biomarkers to evaluate their discriminative value in OC diagnosis.

Methods

We conducted three meta-analyses after searching different databases, and 23 eligible articles, including 8 concerning ctDNA, 11 concerning miRNAs, and 4 concerning lncRNAs, were found. Further, we pooled data concerning the sensitivity, specificity, and other indicators of accuracy for ctDNA/miRNAs/lncRNAs in the diagnosis of OC. The heterogeneity was further explored by meta-regressions and subgroup analyses, and Deeks’ funnel plots were used to measure the publication bias of these three meta-analyses.

Results

In all, this meta-analysis included 1732 OC patients and 3958 controls. The sensitivity of ctDNA for OC diagnosis was superior to that of lncRNA and miRNA (84% vs. 81% vs. 78%). Moreover, the specificity and area under the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) of ctDNA were 91% and 94%, which were significantly higher than those of miRNA and lncRNAs (78% and 85%; 78% and 86%, respectively). No significant difference was observed among the two meta-analyses of ctDNA and lncRNA (P > 0.05) with regard to publication bias, while the meta-analysis of miRNA observed a significantly small publication bias (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

ctDNA/miRNAs/lncRNAs may be promising molecular biomarkers for OC diagnosis. Further large-scale studies are needed to verify the potential applicability of ctDNA/miRNAs/lncRNAs molecular signatures alone or in combination as diagnostic molecular biomarkers for OC.
Introducción: Ronald N. Giere, un referente y maestro de la filosofía de la ciencia
Authors: Estany Anna , Cuevas Badallo Ana
Published: April 2021

Ronald N. Giere (1938-2020) nació en Cleveland, Ohio, Estados Unidos. Estudió física, doctorándose en Cornell University en Filosofía en 1968. En su larga carrera académica fue profesor en New York University y en University of Pittsburgh. Estuvo también en el Departamento de Historia y Filosofía de la Ciencia de Indiana University (Bloomington) y posteriormente en University of Minnesota. Pertenecía a la Asociación Estadounidense para el Avance de la Cien- cia, fue miembro del consejo editorial de la revista Philosophy of Science y antiguo presidente de la Philosophy of Science Association. Ha sido uno de los referentes de la filosofía de la ciencia de nuestra época, con un impacto muy importante a nivel internacional.

El objetivo del monográfico en ArtefaCToS como homenaje a la figura de Ronald N. Giere es poner de manifiesto su pensamiento en las cuestiones claves que ha abordado la filosofía de la ciencia a lo largo de buena parte del siglo XX y que continúa siendo un punto de referencia para los retos que la filosofía tiene planteados actualmente. Vamos a señalar algunas de sus obras más significativas y sus ideas desarrolladas en las mismas.
El perspectivismo científico de Giere como realismo carte blanche
Authors: Gensollen Mario , Jiménez-Rolland Marc
Published: April 2021

En este artículo exploramos las contribuciones de Ronald N. Giere al debate sobre el realismo científico. Tras esbozar algunas de sus ideas generales en filosofía de la ciencia, ubicamos sus contribuciones al interior del debate sobre el realismo científico. Argumentamos que es mejor concebir al perspectivismo científico de Giere como una forma de realismo carte blache, es decir: una concepción de acuerdo con la cual la ciencia tiene como objetivo la verdad, y puede justificadamente afirmar haberla obtenido; sin embargo, no deposita nuestra confianza invariablemente en algún rasgo específico de las representaciones científicas.
Application of Buccal Fat Pad as Adjunct Flap for Lateral Defect Closure in Palatoplasty
Authors: Nurwahida Nurwahida , Christina Connie , Jonathan Malvin
Published: April 2021

Summary: Cleft lip and palate are the most widely recognized craniofacial congenital malformation. The buccal fat pad (BFP) can be utilized to close lateral fistulas at the time of palatoplasty due to its rich blood supply and simple accessibility. The aim is to report on the use of BFP as a pedicled flap in cleft palate surgery and to discuss promising results for this reconstructive concept. The case subject was a five-year-old male born with cleft lip and palate; the cleft lip was operated on 4 months old. The patient was operated on using Bardach's two flap palatoplasty techniques, and for the closure of the lateral lining defect, the BFP was used as a pedicled flap.
After the surgery, no abnormality was found, including infection, graft loss, palatal fistulas, or cheek depression. All wounds were fully epithelialized. In palatoplasty, BFP is a safe and reliable method with a fast healing benefit.
Apert Syndrome: Case Series and Review of The Literature
Authors: Silvina Silvina , Khairiza Rizka , Setyarto Muhammad Rizqy
Published: April 2021

Summary: Apert syndrome is a type 1  acrocephalosyndactyly, a rare syndrome characterized by the presence of multiple craniosynostoses,  dysmorphic facial manifestations, and syndactyly of hand and feet. It affects 1:100.00 of birth and the second most common of syndromic craniosynostosis. Molecular genetic tests that identify the heterozygous pathogenic variant in FGFR2 genes - identical with Apert syndrome cost too high to be applicable in developing countries. Therefore, the diagnosis of Apert syndrome should be suspected from the clinical findings.
Three cases from the Community of Indonesian Apert Warrior Group were collected. These series were based on medical and surgical records. We obtained the patient characteristic from the phenotypic manifestations only.
We present cases of 6-years-old male, 2-years-old female, and 3-years-old female, respectively, with similar anatomical findings, such as skull shape abnormality, midface hypoplasia, intraoral disfigurement, and hands and feet deformities that resemble Apert Syndrome. Our series presents similar Apert syndrome characteristics, such as typical craniofacial dysmorphic with symmetrical syndactyly of both upper and lower extremities. These clinical findings are essential to establish an initial diagnostic of Apert Syndrome.
Microsurgical Reconstruction During Covid-19 Pandemic Setting: A Systematic Review and Clinical Applications
Authors: Atmodiwirjo Parintosa , Ramadan Mohamad Rachadian , Ralena Nadhira Anindita , Triatmoko Sara Ester
Published: April 2021

Introduction: The outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has taken almost all countries worldwide. This situation has compromised the safety and health of all medical workers, including microsurgeons. Given that there have been various articles published about the recommendations in microsurgical reconstruction during the COVID-19 pandemic, We felt compelled to compile all relevant studies about the microsurgical reconstruction in the COVID-19 pandemic setting, describe the various actions from different perspectives, as well as providing suggestions based on evidence-based medicine.
Method: We did a systematic literature search using electronic databases such as PubMed, Embase, Medline, Wiley, and Cochrane using keywords reconstruction, Microsurgery, coronavirus, and COVID-19. All included studies were critically appraised and reviewed.
Results: Nine relevant articles were included for the final review, four of them were qualitative studies, and 5 were guidelines. Studies look at various surgeon's experiences from different healthcare systems during the COVID-19 pandemic. The focuses of the included studies are also diverse from head and neck surgery, breast surgery, limb surgery, and general Reconstructive Microsurgery.
Conclusion: Microsurgical reconstruction is not suggested to perform during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is indicated only if necessary after a rigorous review by the multi-disciplinary team. A full PPE, including a Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPR) system, fit-tested N95 respirator masks, face shield, and tight-fitting eye protection goggles, are recommended in performing the surgeries.
Towards a Covid-Jihad - Millennialism in the field of Jihadism
Authors: Käsehage Nina
Published: April 2021

Since the appearance of Covid-19, various jihadist voices from the environment of the former Islamic State (IS) emerged and invoked their previous combat fellows to resume the battle towards the »disbelievers«. This article discusses how they see »divine signs« visualized by the pandemic: the »just punishment« for those who have not been true believers. Furthermore, it describes in which manner the narrative of the final battle between the »good« and the »evil«, a well-known concept in the field of millennialism, is used to recruit adherents for a Covid-Jihad. A discussion of the elements of religious fundamentalism, especially in view of its millennialist and apocalyptic elements, is supposed to highlight possible points of reference regarding a deconstruction of the jihadist misuse of the pandemic.
How Central Asian Salafi-Jihadi Groups are Exploiting the Covid-19 Pandemic: New Opportunities and Challenges
Authors: Botobekov Uran
Published: April 2021

The global coronavirus pandemic crisis not only poses serious additional risks, challenges and threats to the security of the modern world, but also creates new opportunities and prospects for the global Salafi-Jihadi-Movement. This report seeks to analyze the actions of both Central Asian Salafi-Jihadi groups' view of COVID-19 and its original parent organizations such as the Taliban, al Qaeda and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham during the coronavirus crisis. The reason for this is the small and fragmented Uighur and Uzbek Islamist extremist groups from Chinese Xinjiang region and post-Soviet Central Asia are affiliated precisely with these major players of the Sunni jihadist world, such as ISIS and al Qaeda, which are their military patron and ideological banner.
OPTIMIZATION OF ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS USING ANT COLONY OPTIMIZATION TO IDENTIFY SIGNATURE IMAGES
Authors: Kurniati Junia
Published: April 2021

Biometrics can be used in identification or recognition systems because it is a method for recognizing humans based on one or more physical features or unique behaviors, one of which is the Signature. In its application, signatures need to be examined (identification) because signatures are often imitated or falsified for various purposes. The signature that will be identified will be taken first by its characteristics by performing the feature extraction process using the Gabor Wavelet Transform (TGW) method. After extracting, the signature identification process is carried out using the Neural Network. In the process of applying the Neural Network method, optimization will be performed using Ant Colony Optimization. The results showed that the identification of signatures made using the Neural Network alone produced an accuracy of 77%, but after optimization using Ant Colony Optimization increased to 83%.
MULTICHANNEL VIRTUAL NETWORK COMPUTING UNTUK PEMBELAJARAN MASTER STATION SCADA DAN PENGARUHNYA TERHADAP KINERJA SERVER SCADA
Authors: Maulana Agus Harya
Published: April 2021

Kondisi New Normal di Indonesia menyebabkan metode pembelajaran berubah dari secara konvensional menjadi digital. Walaupun efektif untuk mengatasi terhentinya pembelajaran, namun demikian belum tersedia fasilitas untuk pelaksanaan praktek oleh siswa secara jarak jauh. Untuk mengatasi permasalahan ini maka diperlukan suatu metode agar siswa di remote area tetap dapat melakukan praktek dengan cara mengakses peralatan di laboratorium UPDL Semarang. Berdasarkan penelusuran di dunia praktis ditemukan adanya metode Virtual Network Computing yang memungkinkan client di remote area dapat mengakses secara jarak jauh dengan berbagai karakteristiknya. Bahkan pada operating system Solaris 10, yang merupakan operating system server SCADA, memiliki kemampuan untuk akses secara multichannel hingga 15 channel pada satu server. Dari hasil percobaan yang dilakukan, akses client dari remote area terhadap 15 channel VNC secara bersamaan berjalan dengan baik, dibuktikan dengan tampilan GUI SCADA yang tetap normal, semua client dapat bekerja pada server SCADA tanpa ada interupsi antara satu client dengan client yang lain, dan tidak terjadinya penurunan kinerja server SCADA secara signifikan. Dengan demikian metode praktek jarak jauh menggunakan multichannel VNC ini dapat diterapkan sebagai solusi pembelajaran praktek operasi dan pemeliharaan master station SCADA di UPDL Semarang, dan dapat dikembangkan secara korporat di PT PLN (Persero).
OPTIMASI OUTPUT DUAL AXIS SOLAR TRACKER MENGGUNAKAN METODE ASTRONOMI BERBASIS SMART RELAY
Authors: Triyono Budi , Prasetyo Yuli , Kusbandono Hendrik
Published: April 2021

Upaya mengatasi terbatasnya energi listrik yaitu penggunaan energi terbarukan. Salah satu energi terbarukan yang berasal dari energi matahari. Pengaplikasian energi listrik yang berasal dari energi matahari pun cukup beragam seperti lampu penerangan jalan, penyuplai energi listrik untuk rumah tangga, battery charging, back up pembangkit listrik untuk industri, heater kolam renang, pompa air, dan lainnya. Dalam penggunaannya, panel surya banyak dipasang statik dan tidak memperhitungkan titik optimal pancaran sinar matahari. Hal ini menyebabkan intensitas cahaya matahari yang diterima kurang optimal. Sehingga mengakibatkan energi listrik yang dihasilkan tidak maksimal. Oleh karena itu diperlukan suatu sistem yang dapat mengendalikan panel surya secara otomatis dan mengikuti arah pergerakan cahaya matahari.  Metode ini menggunakan sensor sudut berupa potensiometer untuk elevation dan rotary encoder sebagai sensor sudut azimuth. Hasil yang diperoleh dari penelitian ini memiliki nilai tegangan maksimal saat pergerakan mengikuti sinar matahari adalah 22 V. Nilai tegangan keluaran dari panel surya lebih besar pada saat mengikuti pergerakan matahari yaitu 22V sedangkan saat kondisi panel surya diam hanya 20V.
OPTIMASI PENEMPATAN RECLOSER PADA PENYULANG OLAK ALEN UNTUK MENINGKATKAN KEANDALAN SISTEM DISTRIBUSI MENGGUNAKAN ALGORITMA DIFFERENTIAL EVOLUTION
Authors: Pakaya Ilham , Basolle Azfar Waris , Zulfatman Zulfatman
Published: April 2021

Keandalan sistem tenaga listrik merupakan salah satu isu utama dalam penyaluran energi listrik. Gangguan berulang pada jaringan distribusi energi listrik sangat mempengaruhi keandalan sistem distribusi. Tujuan dari studi ini adalah meningkatkan keandalan sistem distribusi tenaga listrik dengan melakukukan pemasangan recloser pada jaringan distribusi. Recloser merupakan pengaman yang berfungsi untuk memisahkan daerah yang terganggu sehingga dapat memperkecil daerah yang terdampak gangguan. Pada Penyulang Olak Alen terdapat 2 buah  recloser  yang terpasang pada bus 5 dan 6 dengan indeks keandalan SAIDI 6,0544 jam/tahun dan SAIFI sebesar 1,8724 gangguan/tahun berdasarkan data pada tahun 2019. Pada penelitian ini posisi recloser dioptimalkan dengan algoritma differential evolution (DE) agar keandalan sistem distribusi lebih baik. Berdasarkan simulasi, penempatan recloser  untuk 2 buah recloser terletak pada bus 5 dan 13 dengan indeks keandalan SAIDI 4,5461 jam/tahun dan SAIFI 1,3904 gangguan/tahun. Penempatan posisi  recloser  saat 3 buah terletak pada bus 8, 13 dan 21 dengan indeks keandalan SAIDI 4,0095 jam/tahun dan SAIFI 1,2272 gangguan/tahun. Dari hasil studi tersebut disimpulkan bahwa penempatan recloser menggunakan algoritma DE lebih optimal dibandingkan cara konvensional. Kemudian, semakin banyak recloser yang dipasang, maka keandalan sistem distribusi akan semakin meningkat.
Zakład lecznictwa uzdrowiskowego. Część 2. Status prawny organów zakładowych podmiotu leczniczego i personel uzdrowiskowy zakładu
Authors: Jachimowicz-Jankowska Paulina
Published: April 2021

The spa treatment facility located in the health resort is distinguished by its specificity due to the fact that it conducts spa treatment in this type of medical entity. For the proper performance of the healing function and offering the health services for which a given spa is intended, the human factor plays an important role, taking into account the specificity of the health resort. This applies to those constituting the authorities of a health resort treatment facility, namely the manager and social committee (which in this study are limited to non entrepreneurs), as well as medical professionals and other employees. The special powers of the authorities and staff of spa treatment facilities towards the people using the health services provided there are reflected in the sources of law, which include the statute and organizational regulations of this type of medical facility. The article contains an analysis and assessment of legal regulations relating tothe scope of the activities of the authorities of this type of spa treatment facilities, with particular emphasis on the manager and social council and staff, especially person body plays a fundamental role in managing a medical facility, with responsibility for management and for all facility employees. On the other hand, the social committee, which is the collegiate body of this institution, is appointed only ina non-entrepreneurial medical facility, and this body is characterized by a specific legal nature that performs various tasks. The efficient operation of the plant is also ensured by professional medical staff, other medical workers and other employees. The legal status of company bodies and personnel is presented in terms of generally applicable regulations, as well as in the context of the organizational regulations and the statute of the spa treatment facility.
Morphology and genetics concur that Anoura carishina is a synonym of Anoura latidens (Chiroptera, Glossophaginae)
Authors: Calderón-Acevedo Camilo A. , Rodríguez-Posada Miguel E. , Muchhala Nathan
Published: April 2021

Anoura carishina was described based on cranial and dental morphology, but the original analyses did not include Anoura latidens, a similar species of Anoura. We used morphological, morphometric, and genetic analyses to evaluate the taxonomic identity of A. carishina. We performed a principal components analysis to evaluate the correspondence between morphological and taxonomic groups for 260 specimens of large-bodied Anoura (A. carishina, Anoura geoffroyi, A. latidens, and Anoura peruana), and statistically analyzed traits diagnostic for A. latidens, including (1) morphology of the third upper premolar (P4), (2) size of the second (P3) and third (P4) upper premolars, and (3) angle formed by the maxillary toothrows. We find that A. latidens and A. carishina are indistinguishable, and share several characters lacking in A. geoffroyi, including a P4 with triangular shape, an under-developed anterobasal cusp in the P3, a smaller braincase, and a shorter rostrum. Phylogenetic analyses using ultra-conserved elements infer that the holotype and two paratype specimens of A. carishina are paraphyletic and nested within A. latidens, while one paratype diagnosable by morphology as A. geoffroyi nests within A. geoffroyi samples. We demonstrate that A. carishina should be considered a junior synonym of A. latidens, updating the distribution of the latter.
Development of Pd-supported Catalysts for the Conversion of Palm Oil to Biohydrogenated Diesel in a Microscale-based Reactor
Authors: Sa-ngasaeng Yanika , Nernrimnong Raviporn , Sirimungkalakul Nichaporn , Jovanovic Goran , Jongpatiwut Siriporn
Published: April 2021

In this research, the preparation of Pd-supported catalysts in microreactor was investigated for the production of renewable biohydrogenated diesel (BHD). Pd/Al2O3 and Pd/TiO2 catalysts were prepared by two different coating methods, slurry suspension (SUS), and sol-gel method (SG). Catalysts were coated on microreactor walls and tested for the deoxygenation of palm oil to BHD at 325 ºC, 3.4 MPa, H2/feed molar ratio of 96. The coated catalysts were characterized by several techniques, including
3D-optical profiler, SEM-EDX, XRD, BET, and adhesion test. The experimental results show that SUS method provided a homogeneous catalyst layer, while the SG method gave a non-homogeneous cracked coating. In terms of catalytic activity, Pd/TiO2 (SG) exhibited the highest space-time yield (STY) of BHD (g BHD g–1 catalyst h–1), which could be due to its unique characteristics of pure anatase phase and strong metal-support interaction for hydrogen spillover mechanism.