bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
International Sexual Health And REproductive health (I-SHARE) survey during COVID-19: study protocol for online national surveys and global comparative analyses
Authors: Michielsen Kristien , Larrson Elin C , Kågesten Anna , Erausquin Jennifer Toller , Griffin Sally , Van de Velde Sarah , Tucker Joseph D
Published: October 2020

Background

COVID-19 may have a profound impact on sexual health, reproductive health and social life across the world. Shelter in place regulations that have extended across the globe may influence condomless sex, exacerbate intimate partner violence and reduce access to essential reproductive health services. Population representative research is challenging during shelter in place, leaving major gaps in our understanding of sexual and reproductive health during COVID-19. This International Sexual Health And ReproductivE health (I-SHARE) study protocol manuscript describes a common plan for online national surveys and global comparative analyses.

Methods

The purpose of this cross-sectional study is to better understand sexual and reproductive health in selected countries during the COVID-19 pandemic and facilitate multinational comparisons. Participants will be recruited through an online survey link disseminated through local, regional and national networks. In each country, a lead organisation will be responsible for organising ethical review, translation and survey administration. The consortium network provides support for national studies, coordination and multinational comparison. We will use multilevel modelling to determine the relationship between COVID-19 and condomless sex, intimate partner violence, access to reproductive health services, HIV testing and other key items. This study protocol defines primary outcomes, prespecified subanalyses and analysis plans.

Conclusion

The I-SHARE study examines sexual and reproductive health at the national and global level during the COVID-19 pandemic. We will use multilevel modelling to investigate country-level variables associated with outcomes of interest. This will provide a foundation for subsequent online multicountry comparison using more robust sampling methodologies.
Use of fluorescent light energy for the management of bacterial skin infection associated with canine calcinosis cutis lesions
Authors: Apostolopoulos Neoklis , Mayer Ursula
Published: October 2020

A 15‐year‐old male golden retriever who had been receiving prednisolone for orthopaedic problems for the past 2 years was presented for multifocal symmetrical alopecia, skin nodules and plaques on the dorsal aspect of the body. Cytology was compatible with calcinosis cutis due to suspected iatrogenic hypercortisolism, with secondary pyoderma. The Phovia system, a device that emits fluorescent light energy (FLE), was used as an adjunct to systemic antimicrobial and topical (spray and shampoo) therapies. Part of the lesions were covered with a towel and not exposed to Phovia, to evaluate efficacy. Cytology confirmed accelerated improvement of the Phovia‐illuminated lesions compared with unexposed lesions. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report of FLE being used to manage bacterial skin infection associated with canine calcinosis cutis. It highlights the importance of this type of topical management against bacterial skin infections.
Physical activity energy expenditure and fat-free mass: relationship with metabolic syndrome in overweight or obese postmenopausal women
Authors: Maréchal René , Ghachem Ahmed , Prud’homme Denis , Rabasa-Lhoret Rémi , Dionne Isabelle J. , Brochu Martin
Published: October 2020

Menopause transition is associated with detrimental changes in physical activity, body composition, and metabolic profile. Although physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) is inversely associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS) in individuals at higher risk of cardiovascular disease, the association is unknown in low-risk individuals. The aim of the study was to investigate the association between PAEE and MetS (prevalence and severity) in inactive overweight or obese postmenopausal women with a low Framingham Risk Score (<10%). Cross-sectional data of 126 participants were divided into quartiles based on PAEE (Quartile (Q)1 = lowest PAEE) while fat-free mass (FFM) and fat mass were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. MetS prevalence was significantly different between Q1 and Q4 (37.9% vs 13.3%, p = 0.03). After controlling for potential confounders, MetS severity was negatively associated with PAEE (B = −0.057, p < 0.01) and positively with FFM (B = 0.038, p < 0.001). Moderation analyses indicated that a greater FFM exacerbated the association between PAEE and MetS severity in Q1 and Q2 (PAEE × FFM; B = −0.004; p = 0.1). Our results suggest that displaying a low FRS and lower PAEE increase MetS prevalence and severity. In addition, greater FFM interacts with lower PAEE to worsens MetS severity, while higher PAEE lessened this effect.

Novelty: Inactive individuals displaying higher daily PAEE also have a lower MetS prevalence. Greater FFM is associated with a worse MetS severity where a higher PAEE mitigated this deleterious effect in our cohort.
The influence of human population change and aquatic invasive species establishment on future recreational fishing activities to the Canadian portion of the Laurentian Great Lakes
Authors: Hunt Len M. , Phaneuf Daniel J. , Abbott Joshua K. , Fenichel Eli P. , Rodgers Jennifer A. , Buckley Jeffrey D. , Drake D. Andrew R. , Johnson Timothy B.
Published: October 2020

We project how human population change (2018 to 2046) and aquatic invasive species (AIS) establishment events of bigheaded carps (Hypophthalmichthys spp.) and grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) might combine to affect future Canadian recreational fishing activity for the Laurentian Great Lakes. Human population change is expected to affect the total number of fishing trips (increase of about 143 000 trips or 11.4%) more than any of the AIS establishment events (maximum decrease of about 44 000 trips or 3.5%). The projected 11.4% increase to the number of fishing trips from human population change, however, lags the 38% projected increase to Ontario, Canada’s population from 2018 to 2046. Increasing urbanization and an aging population, which are associated with reduced rates of fishing participation, were responsible for this difference. The combined effects of human population change and AIS establishment illustrate the importance of accounting for human population change as it reverses the conclusions and results in a projected net increase of between 92 000 and 125 000 in the number of fishing trips. The combined model also identifies potential growth areas for fishing such as shore fishing by urbanites on the western portion of Lake Ontario.
Understanding connections and roles of gut microbiome in cardiovascular diseases
Authors: Rajendiran Ethendhar , Ramadass Balamurugan , Ramprasath Vanu
Published: October 2020

The gut microbiome encompasses trillions of residing microbes, mainly bacteria, which play a crucial role in maintaining the physiological and metabolic health of the host. The gut microbiome has been associated with several diseases, including cardiovascular disease (CVD). A growing body of evidence suggests that an altered gut environment and gut-microbiome-derived metabolites are associated with CVD events. The gut microbiome communicates with host physiology through different mechanisms, including trimethylamine N-oxide generation, primary and secondary bile acid metabolism pathways, and short-chain fatty acids production. The main focus of this review is to understand the association of the gut microbiome with CVD and its implications on the interactions between the gut microbiome and the host. Manipulation of the gut microbiome through specific dietary intervention is a simple approach to identifying novel targets for therapy or better dietary recommendations, and new preventive measures for screening biomarkers to reduce CVD risk in humans.
CDC Plava oilseed flax
Authors: Booker Helen M. , Rowland Gordon G. , Kutcher H. Randy , Rashid Khalid Y.
Published: October 2020

CDC Plava oilseed flax (Linum usitatissimum L.), registered in 2015 by the Crop Development Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, is targeted to the shorter growing season and the Dark Brown, Black, Grey, and Dark Grey soil zones of the northern prairies. This cultivar has a high seed yield (106%) compared with cultivar CDC Bethune and a medium maturity rating equal to Prairie Thunder. It has medium oil content (47.0%), α-linolenic acid content (57.8%), seed size (6.1 g 1000-seed weight), and good lodging resistance. It is resistant to North American races of rust caused by Melampsora lini (Ehrenb.) Thüm. and moderately resistant to wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum Schltdl. f. sp. lini (Bolley) W.C. Snyder & H.N. Hansen.
AAC Brown 18 brown mustard
Authors: Cheng Bifang , Williams David J. , Roslinsky Vicky
Published: October 2020

AAC Brown 18 is the first brown mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern.] hybrid variety developed using an improved Ogura cytoplasmic male sterility hybrid system at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada — Saskatoon Research and Development Centre (AAFC-SRDC). AAC Brown 18 has significantly higher (24%) yield than the check variety Centennial Brown. It is resistant to white rust race 2a, whereas Centennial Brown is susceptible to race 2a. AAC Brown 18 is well adapted to all mustard growing areas of western Canada.
Wormhole modeling in f(R,T) gravity with minimally-coupled massless scalar field
Authors: Godani Nisha , Samanta Gauranga C.
Published: October 2020

In this paper, the strong gravitational lensing is explored for traversable wormholes in [Formula: see text] theory of gravity with minimally-coupled massless scalar field. First, the effective wormhole solutions are obtained using the model [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is constant, [Formula: see text] is scalar curvature and [Formula: see text] is the trace of stress-energy tensor. Furthermore, three different shape functions namely, [Formula: see text] (Ref. 36), [Formula: see text] (Refs. 35 and 37) and [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] (Refs. 34, 35, 39, 73) are considered and studied their qualitative behavior for the construction of wormhole geometry respectively. Subsequently, gravitational lensing effect is implemented to detect the existence of photon spheres at or outside the throat of wormholes.
Numerical analysis on formation and transition of white-eye square superlattice patterns in dielectric barrier discharge system
Authors: Li Xin-Zheng , Bai Zhan-Guo , Li Yan , Ni Zhi-Wei
Published: October 2020

The mechanism of formation and transformation of white-eye square patterns in dielectric barrier discharge system is investigated numerically, using the two-layer Lengyel–Epstein model with asymmetric and symmetric coupling. When the scale of the simulation system [Formula: see text] is two to three times of pattern wavelength [Formula: see text], it is found that an obvious intermediate state with square distribution appears by adjusting the ratio of diffusion coefficients [Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text]. When it is coupled with a suitable short-wavelength Turing mode in the range of [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text], a new spatial resonance structure can be formed in the short-wavelength mode subsystem, and the pattern evolves from a simple square pattern to a white-eye square pattern. Although the two coupling methods achieve the same results, the duration time of the white-eye square pattern in the symmetric coupling method is significantly longer than that in the asymmetric coupling method. Because the quadratic coefficient of the amplitude equation in the reaction–diffusion system is not zero, the simple square pattern of the long wavelength mode subsystem gradually transits into a stable hexagon pattern gradually. As a result, the white-eye pattern transits from a square to a hexagon.
Global well-posedness of the Cauchy problem for the 3D Jordan–Moore–Gibson–Thompson equation
Authors: Racke Reinhard , Said-Houari Belkacem
Published: October 2020

We consider the Cauchy problem of a third order in time nonlinear equation known as the Jordan–Moore–Gibson–Thompson (JMGT) equation arising in acoustics as an alternative model to the well-known Kuznetsov equation. We show a local existence result in appropriate function spaces, and, using the energy method together with a bootstrap argument, we prove a global existence result for small data, without using the linear decay. Finally, polynomial decay rates in time for a norm related to the solution will be obtained.
Do We Still Need the World Trade Organization?
Authors: Nenci Silvia
Published: October 2020

The recent explosion of bilateral and regional deals, President Trump’s policy against multilateralism, and, lastly, the restrictions to international trade because of the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted the issue of the need for a multilateral trading system, currently embodied by the World Trade Organization (WTO). Although the WTO has achieved most of its goals over the last two decades, it is undeniable that it is facing major challenges that question its relevance, effectiveness, fitness and responsiveness to contemporary issues. Is the lack of multilateralism worrisome? What will be the future of the WTO? By summarizing the past and current debate and proposing a critical reading of the WTO, this paper aims to answer these crucial questions.
Using Genericity and Reflection to Create a Declarative Elaboration Logger for Large Scale Real-time Embedded Ada Systems
Authors: Galvin David S.
Published: October 2020

Large complex Ada real-time embedded software systems typically contain critical order-dependent unit elaboration sequences executed during system startup. However, software enhancements and maintenance activities can inadvertently alter unit dependencies and produce grammatically legal yet semantically illegal elaboration sequence orders. Location of failure during system boot-up is traditionally difficult to diagnose, as large legacy systems typically do not contain trace logging capabilities in unit elaboration regions. Additionally, the Ada language does not provide constructs for executing non-declarative expressions in package specifications, making unit specification elaboration trace logging impossible. Typical system boot failure diagnosis is a combination of educated guesswork, ad-hoc insertions of trace logging code at suspicious locations, and/or the creation of large quantities of temporary trace logging code, resulting in time-consuming iterations of altered builds, system execution, and subsequent analysis. This paper describes a Generic Reflective Declarative Elaboration Logger (GRDEL) which can be used in non-traditional source code locations anywhere declarations are grammatically legal. The tool provides previously unavailable Ada package Specification elaboration trace logging, formal run-time discovery of arbitrarily deeply nested unit name usage locations, implicit generation of trace information during separate logging instance creations, and facilitation of electronic code augmentation via identically formed logging usage expressions, which can automate a repeatable and deterministic instrumentation of extremely large and complex systems with or without permanent source code modifications.
Maintaining Trust in VANETs using Blockchain
Authors: Tomar Ravi , Sarishma
Published: October 2020

Vehicular ad-hoc networks are networks formed by fast moving vehicles which come in contact momentarily and exchange information. Since it's an ad-hoc network, it becomes difficult to maintain trust, security and authenticity of information being exchanged in the network. In this paper, we leverage the concepts of blockchain to maintain trust in the network. Since blockchain provides a tamperproof, decentralized mechanism to store data, we use it to store information related to events such as collision, accident, SOS etc. The information stored on blockchain can be used to validate it at later points of time so as to minimize the false benefit cases by use of Proof of Location certificates. The proposed system has the potential to increase the trust of end users in VANETs. It can also be integrated into the design of future vehicles because of its ease of implementation. The paper also discusses the benefits and constraints of the proposed model along with the related future work.
Student assessment of online tools to foster engagement during the COVID-19 quarantine
Authors: Lima Karine Ramires , das Neves Ben-Hur Souto , Ramires Caroline Cadore , dos Santos Soares Marisele , Martini Victória Ávila , Lopes Luiza Freitas , Mello-Carpes Pâmela Billig
Published: October 2020

As a result of the installation of the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 19) pandemic, online education has become an important teaching alternative, and new challenges about how to teach were found. Here we report our experience in offering an online course to review Human Physiology. We proposed synchronous and asynchronous activities using different online tools to address topics considered key to understanding the different systems of human physiology. The students considered important the use of this type of methodology, which uses different online tools to help understand the Human Physiology contents. The students highlighted the use of the Lt platform, Zoom, Mentimeter, and YouTube as the preferred online tools to use in physiology learning.
Risk Factors for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence and Survival after Liver Transplantation in Patients with HCV‐Related Cirrhosis
Authors: Vidal Raphael Iglesias de Oliveira , Vidal Edison Iglesias de Oliveira , Pereira Basilio de Bragança , Assane Cachimo Combo , Ribeiro Alexandre , Nascimento Emilia Matos do , Romeiro Fernando Gomes , Ribeiro Filho Joaquim
Published: October 2020

Purpose. We aimed to identify prognostic factors for survival and recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after liver transplantation (LT) for patients with HCC and hepatitis C virus‐related cirrhosis (HCV‐cirrhosis). Methods. This retrospective cohort study followed all adult patients with HCV‐cirrhosis who underwent LT because of HCC or had incidental HCC identified through pathologic examination of the explanted liver at a university hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, over 11 years (1998‐2008). We used Cox regression models to assess the following risk factors regarding HCC recurrence or death after LT: age, Model for End‐stage Liver Disease score, Child‐Pugh classification, alpha‐fetoprotein (AFP), whether patients had undergone locoregional treatment before transplantation, the number of packed red blood cell units (PRBCU) transfused during surgery, the number and size of HCC lesions in the explanted liver, and the presence of microvascular invasion and necrotic areas within HCC lesions. Results. Seventy‐six patients were followed up for a median (interquartile range (IQR)) of 4.4 (0.7‐6.6) years. Thirteen (17%) patients had HCC recurrence during the follow‐up period, and 26 (34%) died. The median survival time was 6.6 years (95% CI: 2.4‐12.0), and the 5‐year survival was 52.5% (95% CI: 42.3‐65.0%). The final regression model for overall survival included four variables: age (hazard ratio (HR): 1.02, 95% CI: 0.96‐1.08, P = 0.603), transplantation waiting time (HR: 1.00, 95% CI: 1.00‐1.00, P = 0.190), preoperative AFP serum levels (HR: 1.01, 95% CI: 1.00‐1.02, P = 0.006), and whether >4 PRBCU were transfused during surgery (HR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.05‐1.25, P = 0.001). The final cause‐specific Cox regression model for HCC recurrence included only microvascular invasion (HR: 14.86, 95% CI: 4.47‐49.39, P < 0.001). Conclusion. In this study of LT for HCV‐cirrhosis, preoperative AFP levels and the number of PRBCU transfused during surgery were associated with overall survival, whereas microvascular invasion with HCC recurrence.
Study on the Strategy of Playing Doudizhu Game Based on Multirole Modeling
Authors: Li Shuqin , Li Saisai , Cao Hengyang , Meng Kun , Ding Meng
Published: October 2020

Doudizhu poker is a very popular and interesting national poker game in China, and now it has become a national competition in China. As this game is a typical example of incomplete information game problem, it has received more and more attention from artificial intelligence experts. This paper proposes a multirole modeling-based card-playing framework. This framework includes three parts: role modeling, cards carrying, and decision-making strategies. Role modeling learns different roles and behaviors by using a convolutional neural network. Cards carrying can calculate reasonable rules especially for “triplet” by using an evaluation algorithm. Decision making is for implementing different card strategies for different player roles. Experimental results showed that this card-playing framework makes playing decisions like human beings, and it can to some extent learn, collaborate, and reason when facing an incomplete information game problem. This framework won the runner-up in the 2018 China Computer Game Competition.
On the Fractional Derivative of Dirac Delta Function and Its Application
Authors: Feng Zaiyong , Ye Linghua , Zhang Yi
Published: October 2020

The Dirac delta function and its integer-order derivative are widely used to solve integer-order differential/integral equation and integer-order system in related fields. On the other hand, the fractional-order system gets more and more attention. This paper investigates the fractional derivative of the Dirac delta function and its Laplace transform to explore the solution for fractional-order system. The paper presents the Riemann-Liouville and the Caputo fractional derivative of the Dirac delta function, and their analytic expression. The Laplace transform of the fractional derivative of the Dirac delta function is given later. The proposed fractional derivative of the Dirac delta function and its Laplace transform are effectively used to solve fractional-order integral equation and fractional-order system, the correctness of each solution is also verified.
Simulation Model of Bottom Hole Dynamic Pressure and Reservoir Dynamic Stress in Hydraulic Fracturing with Pulse Injection
Authors: Zhu Ge , Dong Shimin
Published: October 2020

To study the mechanism of hydraulic fracturing with pulse injection theoretically, in this paper, the transient flow model of fracturing fluid in the pipe string was established, and it was solved by method of characteristics and finite difference method, respectively. Furthermore, the elastodynamic model of reservoir was also established. Based on the finite element method, the dynamic stress distribution in the reservoir was simulated and calculated. In addition, the influence of parameters in the pulse injection scheme on dynamic stress was analyzed. The results indicate that the unsteady injection produces a pulse pressure wave at the wellhead. The pressure wave propagates along the pipe string to the bottom of the well, and its amplitude attenuates due to the resistance loss. When the pressure wave propagates to the bottom of the well, it will be reflected and there is a superposition area of the downward pressure wave and upward reflection wave near the bottom hole. The bottom hole pressure of pulse injection is the sum of stable injection pressure and the above pressure wave. Simultaneously, this fluid pressure with pulse variation will stimulate reservoir to produce dynamic stress in its interior. The pulse adjustment time and adjustment amplitude in the injection scheme have a significant impact on the dynamic stress. The results of this paper are helpful to understand the mechanism of hydraulic fracturing with pulse fluid injection and provide guidance for its parameter design.
Fertility Status of Acid Soils under Different Land Use Types in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia
Authors: Kassa Cholbe Mesfin , Kebede Yeme Fassil , Haile Woldeyohannes Wassie
Published: October 2020

Information on soil fertility status of acid soil of a particular area as affected by land use type is important for developing sound soil management systems for improved and sustainable agricultural productivity. The main objective of this study was to assess the fertility status and effect of land use change on soil physicochemical properties. In this study, adjacent three land use types, namely, enset-coffee, crop, and grazing land use were considered in four districts (i.e., Bolos Sore, Damot Gale, Damot Sore, and Sodo Zuria) of Wolaita Zone, southern Ethiopia. Soil samples were collected from a depth of 0–20 cm from each land use type of the respective districts for physicochemical analyses. The results showed that land use types significantly affected (P≤0.05) soil properties such as bulk density, available P, exchangeable potassium, exchangeable acidity, exchangeable bases (Na, K, Ca, Mg), exchangeable acidity, and CEC. Besides, soil pH, OC, and TN were influenced significantly (P≤0.05) both by districts and land use types. The very strongly acidic soils were found predominantly in the crop and grazing lands whereas a neutral acidity level was found in the enset-coffee land use type of four districts. In conclusion, the study proves that land use type change within the same geographic setting can affect the severity of soil acidity due to over cultivation and rapid organic matter decomposition. Finally, the study recommends an in-depth study and analysis on the root causes in aggravating soil acidity under crop and grazing land use types.
Quality Prediction and Control of Assembly and Welding Process for Ship Group Product Based on Digital Twin
Authors: Li Lei , Liu Di , Liu Jinfeng , Zhou Hong-gen , Zhou Jiasheng
Published: October 2020

In view of the problems of lagging and poor predictability for ship assembly and welding quality control, the digital twin technology is applied to realize the quality prediction and control of ship group product. Based on the analysis of internal and external quality factors, a digital twin-based quality prediction and control process was proposed. Furthermore, the digital twin model of quality prediction and control was established, including physical assembly and welding entity, virtual assembly and welding model, the quality prediction and control system, and twin data. Next, the real-time data collection based on the Internet of Things and the twin data organization based on XML were used to create a virtual-real mapping mechanism. Then, the machine learning technology is applied to predict the process quality of ship group products. Finally, a small group is taken as an example to verify the proposed method. The results show that the established prediction model can accurately evaluate the welding angular deformation of group products and also provide a new idea for the quality control of shipbuilding.
Prevalence of Alcohol Use and Associated Factors among Dilla University Students, Dilla Town, Southern Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Chekole Yigrem Ali
Published: October 2020

Introduction. Globally, alcohol is one of the most prevalent forms of substance use that is particularly high among young age groups. Despite the adverse health and social challenges associated with alcohol use, it is one of the most common risky behaviours among university students. Objective. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of alcohol use and associated factors among Dilla University students in Southern Ethiopia. Methods. An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted at Dilla University among undergraduate regular students from January to February 2018. A systematic random sampling technique was used to get a total sample of 803 students each year from the department of the university. The collected data were coded, entered into Epi Info version 7.1, and analyzed with SPSS version 20. Results. A total of 803 participants were successfully interviewed with a response rate of 91.7%. Alcohol use prevalence was 41.8% (n = 336) among participants. Being in fourth year (AOR = 2.66, 95% CI: 1.64, 4.31), having friends who use the substance (AOR = 1.53, 95% CI: 1.09, 2.1), being a khat user (AOR = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.05, 2.09), and being a cigarette smoker (AOR = 1.76, 95% CI: 1.09, 2.84) were found to be significantly associated with alcohol use. Conclusion. The current study revealed that fourth-year students, having friends who use the substance, being khat user, and being cigarette smoker had higher odds of alcohol use among the students. So the findings suggest that effective campus-based counselling and peer education should be implemented for early prevention, detection, and alleviation of alcohol use among students in the university.
Colorimetric Detection of Ammonia Using Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles from Durian Fruit Shell
Authors: Alzahrani Eman
Published: October 2020

There has been increased interest in the production of nanoparticles (NP) through green chemistry. This article used durian fruit shell aqueous solution that acts as a reductive preparation of silver NPs. The silver nanoparticles have a size of approximately 25 nm. The NP size uniformity was determined by the SEM and TEM analysis. X-ray diffraction technique was used to characterize crystalline silver nanoparticles face-centered cubic structure. XPS spectrum showed distinct silver peaks on the nanoparticles’ surface. An optical method that was based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) was used to perform the green Ag NPs aqueous ammonia sensing study. Optical measurement facilitated the ammonia sensing study of Ag NPs that had been prepared. The study also investigated the performance of the optical sensor, thus adding validity to the study. Also, the research sought to determine how the concentration of ammonia in ammonia sensing affects the Ag NPs that had been obtained. The study observed a linear relationship with R2 as the correlation factor which was equal to 0.9831. This was observed from the ammonia concentration plot versus absorption ratio that suggested that there was a linear increase in absorption ratio with increase in ammonia concentration. The study significance is that the room temperature optical ammonia sensor can be used in future for medical diagnosis in the detection of low levels of ammonia in biological fluid like sweat, cerebrospinal fluid, saliva, plasma, or biological samples. This enhances the application of the technique in human biomedical applications.
Eligibility of the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) to the Chinese Adults
Authors: Chen Liping , Zhang Yiyan , Jin Juan , Li Nannan , Liu Dan , Zhai Xinkun , Chen Xiaodong , Yuan Xiaodan
Published: October 2020

Objective. To explore the proportion and characteristic of Chinese adults meeting The Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) eligibility criteria and assess its generalizability. Method. Our study was based on a cross‐sectional, population‐based survey with a sample of 26,093 participants aged over 20 years. The SPRINT eligibility criteria were age ≥ 50 years, elevated SBP of 130 to 180 mmHg depending on the number of antihypertensive medication classes being taken, and increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) but without diabetes, history of stroke and estimated glomerular filtration rate < 20 ml/min/1.73 m2, or receiving dialysis. Results. Overall, we estimated that 4,036 (15.5%) participants would meet the SPRINT eligibility criteria. They were generally older, likely to be female, lower educational level, tended to be more overweight, and had higher Framingham risk score compared with overall population or subjects aged ≥ 50 years. Of participants eligible for SPRINT, most (56.2%) of them were not treated for hypertension, and 542 (13.4%) were not previously considered to have hypertension or need for antihypertension therapy. Among the 11,637 adults with hypertension, 3,494 (30.0%) would potentially benefit from treatment intensification. The most common antihypertensive medication class being taken was diuretic agents. Conclusion. A substantial percentage of Chinese subjects meet the SPRINT eligibility criteria. Further studies are needed to assess the cost‐effectiveness from treatment intensification in Chinese setting.
Quality Evaluation and Functional Properties of Reduced Sugar Jellies Formulated from Citrus Fruits
Authors: Ben Rejeb Ines , Dhen Nahla , Kassebi Salma , Gargouri Mohamed
Published: October 2020

In Tunisia, despite the large annual production and the numerous citrus varieties under cultivation, citrus processing industries lack product diversity. Products based on dietary properties are a new trend aiming to develop innovative foods and to meet the requirements of the new customer class. In the present study, formulations of reduced sugar jelly products using antioxidant rich-fruit, citrus, were carried out. The effects of citrus juices on the jelly’s antioxidant properties, colour, consistency, and sensory evaluation were also investigated. Results showed that all citrus jellies maintain their antioxidant activity, correlated with phenolic content presence. In fact, total phenolic contents ranged between 123.16 and 192.76 mg GAE/100 g, while flavonoid content varied between 1.54 and 9.06 mg QE/100 g for grapefruit jelly and blood orange jelly, respectively. Results illustrated that antioxidant activity varies according to the variety. A sensory evaluation employing hedonic scale technique exhibited satisfactory acceptance of the reduced sugar blood orange and blond maltase jellies. These results highlight and promote the potential use of these citrus varieties in jelly industry as they present a rich source of phenolic compounds and may generate numerous phytochemicals with potential health promoting properties.
Orosomucoid 1 Attenuates Doxorubicin‐Induced Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis in Cardiomyocytes via Nrf2 Signaling
Authors: Cheng Xiaoli , Liu Dan , Xing Ruinan , Song Haixu , Tian Xiaoxiang , Yan Chenghui , Han Yaling
Published: October 2020

Doxorubicin (DOX) is an effective anticancer drug, but its therapeutic use is limited by its cardiotoxicity. The principal mechanisms of DOX‐induced cardiotoxicity are oxidative stress and apoptosis in cardiomyocytes. Orosomucoid 1 (ORM1), an acute‐phase protein, plays important roles in inflammation and ischemic stroke; however, the roles and mechanisms of ORM1 in DOX‐induced cardiotoxicity remain unknown. Therefore, in the present study, we aimed to investigate the function of ORM1 in cardiomyocytes experiencing DOX‐induced oxidative stress and apoptosis. A DOX‐induced cardiotoxicity animal model was established in C57BL/6 mice by administering an intraperitoneal injection of DOX (20 mg/kg), and the control group was intraperitoneally injected with the same volume of sterilized saline. The effects were assessed after 7 d. Additionally, H9c2 cells were stimulated with DOX (10 μM) for 24 h. The results showed decreased ORM1 and increased oxidative stress and apoptosis after DOX stimulation in vivo and in vitro. ORM1 overexpression significantly reduced DOX‐induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in H9c2 cells. ORM1 significantly increased the expression of nuclear factor‐like 2 (Nrf2) and its downstream protein heme oxygenase 1 (HO‐1) and reduced the expression of the lipid peroxidation end product 4‐hydroxynonenal (4‐HNE) and the level of cleaved caspase‐3. In addition, Nrf2 silencing reversed the effects of ORM1 on DOX‐induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in cardiomyocytes. In conclusion, ORM1 inhibited DOX‐induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in cardiomyocytes by regulating the Nrf2/HO‐1 pathway, which might provide a new treatment strategy for DOX‐induced cardiotoxicity.
Giant Intrahepatic Subcapsular Haematoma: A Rare Complication following Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy—A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Saad Eltaib , O’Connell Lauren , Browne Anne M. , Khan W. , Waldron R. , Barry K. , Khan Iqbal Z.
Published: October 2020

We report on a 59-year-old female with symptomatic cholelithiasis on a background of morbid obesity who underwent an elective LC with an uncomplicated intraoperative course; however, she experienced a refractory hypotension within one hour postoperatively with an acute haemoglobin drop requiring fluid resuscitation and blood transfusion. A triphasic computed tomography scan revealed a large intrahepatic subcapsular haematoma (ISH) measuring21 cm×3.1 cm×17 cmsurrounding the lateral surface of the right hepatic lobe without active bleeding. She was managed conservatively with serial monitoring of haemoglobin and haematoma size. A follow-up ultrasound scan after eight weeks confirmed complete resolution of the haematoma. Giant ISH is a fairly rare, but life-threatening complication following LC which merits special attention. This case demonstrates the necessity of close postoperative monitoring of patients undergoing LC and considering the possibility of ISH, although being rare event, in those who experience a refractory postoperative hypotension. It also highlights the decisive role of diagnostic imaging in securing a timely and accurate diagnosis of post LC-ISH.
The Protective Effects of Melatonin on Aluminum-Induced Hepatotoxicity and Nephrotoxicity in Rats
Authors: Othman Mohamed S. , Fareid Mohamed A. , Abdel Hameed Reda S. , Abdel Moneim Ahmed E.
Published: October 2020

Aluminum (Al) is a ubiquitous element with known toxicity for both humans and animals. Herein, we aimed to investigate the potential role of melatonin (MEL) in hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity following aluminum chloride (AlCl3) treatment in rats. Adult male rats were treated with AlCl3 (34 mg/kg bwt) for eight weeks. Exposure to AlCl3 enhanced the serum activities of the liver transaminases (alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase) and increased the level of bilirubin, in addition to the serum kidney function markers urea and creatinine. AlCl3 intoxication boosted oxidative stress, as evidenced by increases in the levels of lipid peroxidation (LPO) and nitric oxide (NO) along with simultaneous decreases in the levels of glutathione (GSH), various antioxidant enzymes, and Nrf2 mRNA expression. MEL (5 mg/kg bwt) treatment repressed LPO and NO levels, whereas it augmented GSH content. The activities of the antioxidant enzymes GPx, SOD, CAT, and GR were also restored concomitantly when MEL was administered before AlCl3. MEL also suppressed the apoptotic effect of AlCl3 by enhancing Bcl-2 protein expression in the liver and kidney and decreasing the expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines. Histopathological findings in the liver and kidney tissues confirmed the beneficial effect of MEL against AlCl3 toxicity. These findings indicate that MEL prevents AlCl3 toxicity by enhancing the antioxidant defense system.
Network Pharmacology‐Based Strategy Reveals the Effects of Hedysarum multijugum Maxim.‐Radix Salviae Compound on Oxidative Capacity and Cardiomyocyte Apoptosis in Rats with Diabetic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Zhang Shiying , Yuan Zhiying , Wu Huaying , Li Weiqing , Li Liang , Huang Huiyong
Published: October 2020

Objective. To explore the effects of the Hedysarum multijugum Maxim.‐Radix Salviae compound (Huangqi‐Danshen Compound (HDC)) on oxidative capacity and cardiomyocyte apoptosis in rats with diabetic cardiomyopathy by a network pharmacology‐based strategy. Methods. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)@Taiwan, TCM Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP), TCM Integrated Database (TCMID), and High‐Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) technology were used to obtain and screen HDC’s active components, and the PharmMapper database was used to predict HDC human target protein targets. The DCM genes were collected from the GeneCards and OMIM databases, and the network was constructed and analyzed by Cytoscape 3.7.1 and the Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID). Finally, HDC was used to intervene in diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) model rats, and important biological processes and signaling pathways were verified using techniques such as immunohistochemistry. Results. A total of 176 of HDC’s active components and 442 potential targets were obtained. The results of network analysis show that HDC can regulate DCM‐related biological processes (such as negative regulation of the apoptotic process, response to hypoxia, the steroid hormone‐mediated signaling pathway, cellular iron ion homeostasis, and positive regulation of phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase signaling) and signaling pathways (such as the HIF‐1 signaling pathway, the estrogen signaling pathway, insulin resistance, the PPAR signaling pathway, the VEGF signaling pathway, and the PI3K‐Akt signaling pathway). Animal experiments show that HDC can reduce fasting plasma glucose (FPG), HbA1c, and malondialdehyde (MDA) and increase superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐Px) (P < 0.05). The results of immunohistochemistry showed that HDC can regulate the protein expression of apoptosis‐related signaling pathways in DCM rats (P < 0.05). Conclusion. It was initially revealed that HDC improves DCM through its antiapoptotic and anti‐inflammatory effects. HDC may play a therapeutic role by improving cardiomyocyte apoptosis in DCM rats.
Downregulated METTL14 Expression Correlates with Breast Cancer Tumor Grade and Molecular Classification
Authors: Dong Xiao-Fang , Wang Yan , Huang Bi-Fei , Hu Gui-Nv , Shao Jun-Kang , Wang Qian , Tang Chih-Hsin , Wang Chao-Qun
Published: October 2020

It is unclear whether the methyltransferase‐like 14 (METTL14) protein promotes or suppresses cancer growth. We examined the association between METTL14 expression, cancer progression, and patient prognosis in a total of 398 breast cancer tissue specimens. Significantly fewer cancer tissue specimens compared with normal breast tissue expressed high levels of METTL14 (52.8% vs. 75.0%). METTL14 expression was negatively associated with tumor grade and positively associated with patient age, estrogen, and progesterone receptor status. High METTL14 expression was more common in luminal A and luminal B tissue (75.9% and 60.8%, respectively), compared with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2‐ (HER2‐) enriched and triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) samples (38.2% and 18.6%, respectively). In multiple logistic regression analysis, independent predictors of METTL14 expression in breast cancer included higher tumor grade (odds ratio (OR) = 0.494, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.289–0.844; P = 0.010), TNBC subtype (OR = 0.109, 95% CI: 0.054–0.222; P < 0.001), and HER2‐enriched subtype (OR = 0.298, 95% CI: 0.156–0.567; P < 0.001). No clear relationship was observed between patient prognosis and METTL14 expression. It appears that downregulated METTL14 expression in breast cancer is associated with tumor grade and molecular classification.
Polymer-Based Composites: An Indispensable Material for Present and Future Applications
Authors: Oladele Isiaka Oluwole , Omotosho Taiwo Fisayo , Adediran Adeolu Adesoji
Published: October 2020

Right from the early days, polymer materials have been discovered as being beneficial for various applications but a poor understanding of these materials greatly handicapped their usage. However, with a change in this trend, polymer materials have gradually displaced other materials in most applications. In recent times, due to improved research and knowledge, polymer-based materials are the first choice materials for several applications and are now replacing other materials rapidly. More advanced materials from polymers are being developed daily as a substitute for other materials even in areas where polymers are considered not to be suitable in the time past. More recently, polymers have replaced metals and ceramics in applications like constructions, aerospace, automobiles, and medical. It is no doubt that this trend will continue due to the inherent properties of polymers and sustainability potential. Today, most of the limitations of polymers are being taken care of in the formulation of composite materials. Besides, the adaptation to positive environmental influence is being handled by scientists and researchers. Hence, this review reveals core areas of application of polymer-based composites and the significance of these materials to the advancement of humanity.
Clinical Characteristics of Patients with Different N-Terminal Probrain Natriuretic Peptide Levels after Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Authors: Se Zhen , Zhou Haobin , Li Hanlin , Sun Jing , Zhan Qiong , Zeng Qingchun , Liu Qifa , Xu Dingli
Published: October 2020

Heart failure (HF) is not uncommon among patients with hematologic malignancies (HM) undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and is associated with an increased mortality. Among HSCT patients without signs or symptoms of HF, groups with elevated and normal N-terminal probrain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels have been poorly characterized in previous literature. Herein, we reviewed consecutive admissions for HM undergoing HSCT (

n
=
301

). Based on NT-proBNP levels and clinical signs or symptoms of HF at follow-up (one month after HSCT), patients were grouped into ENPH (elevated

N
T
‐
proBNP
>
125
 
pg
/
mL

, presence of HF symptoms or signs), ENAH (elevated

N
T
‐
proBNP
>
125
 
pg
/
mL

, absence of HF symptoms or signs), and NN (normal

N
T
‐
proBNP
<
125
 
pg
/
mL

). ENPH, ENAH, and NN were observed in 22.9%, 54.5%, and 22.6% of patients, respectively. ENPH patients had a significantly higher baseline NT-proBNP level, followed by the ENAH and NN groups, respectively (

P
<
0.001

). Frequencies of HLA partially matched related donors, stem cell source (bone marrow+peripheral blood), and utilization of graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis regimens (ciclosporin+methotrexate+antithymocyte globulin±mycophenolate mofetil) were also the highest in the ENPH group, followed by ENAH and NN groups, respectively (all

P
<
0.05

). Uric acid and hemoglobin levels, transplant type, and cyclophosphamide-based conditioning regimens utilized were similar between the ENAH and ENPH groups. We found that ENPH and ENAH are commonly observed in HM hospitalized for HSCT. Serum NT-proBNP levels may allow for earlier identification of HSCT patients at high risk of developing cardiac dysfunction.
Influencing Factors on Strength of Waste Rock Tailing Cemented Backfill
Authors: Qiu Huafu , Zhang Fushun , Liu Lang , Hou Dongzhuang , Tu Bingbing
Published: October 2020

Tailing cement filling is an important development direction in mine filling, as it is a green and environmentally friendly method for efficiently treating solid waste in mines. Adding a certain amount of waste rock can effectively improve the backfill strength and better meet the filling strength requirements. To address the use of waste rock tailings in cemented filling materials, a uniaxial compression test was carried out on backfills with different cement/sand ratios and waste rock contents, and the influence of the cement/sand ratio and waste rock content on the strength of the backfill was studied. This study found that when the waste rock content is certain, the strength of the backfill increases with the increase in the cement/sand ratio, and the increase in strength slows with the increase in the cement/sand ratio until the strength of the backfill reaches a limit and no longer increases. When the cement/sand ratio is constant, the strength of the backfill first increases and then decreases as the waste rock content increases. When the cement content is constant, the addition of a certain amount of waste rock reduces the specific surface area of the solid materials in the backfill, increases the amount of cement per unit area, and improves the strength of the backfill. When the waste rock content is too high, due to the large particle size of the waste rock, the tailings cannot completely wrap around the waste rock, resulting in a weakening of the cement in the backfill, which reduces the strength of the backfill. This study found that the waste rock content and the cement/sand ratio in the backfill have a significant impact on backfill damage. The damage is mainly caused by insufficient cement strength. The presence of waste rock will change the original direction of crack propagation, resulting in more crack bifurcation, and the form of the destruction surface on the backfill is complicated and diverse.