bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
mTORC1 regulates exosomes release from odontoblasts to regulate DPSCs odontoblastic differentiation
Authors: Luo Xinghong , Feng Weiqing , Huang Shijiang , Miao Shenghong , Jiang Tao , Lei Qian , Zhang Sheng , Bai Xiaochun , Hao Chunbo , Li Weizhong , Ma Dandan
Published: May 2022

Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) are the crucial part of dentin-pulp complex regeneration. A further understanding of the mechanism of how DPSCs stay in a quiescent state can contribute to improvements in dentin-pulp complex and dentinogenesis. Here, our study discovered that mTORC1 activation in odontoblasts resulted in thicker dentin and higher dentin volume/tissue volume of molars and led to increased exosomes marker expression levels of CD63 and Alix. In vitro, we confirmed that mTORC1 inactivation in odontoblasts reverses the inhibition of DPSC odontoblastic differentiation when cocultured with odontoblasts. Besides, our study indicated that exosomes derived from mTORC1-activated or mTORC1-inactivated MDPC23 both inhibited the odontoblastic differentiation of DPSCs and at same concentration. The miRNA sequence of exosomes derived from shTSC1-tansfected MDPC23 or rapamycin-treated MDPC23 or non-treated MDPC23 indicated that the majority of the miRNA was similar. Furthermore, we discovered that the exosomes derived from odontoblasts inhibited the odontoblastic differentiation of DPSCs, and the inhibitory effect was positively correlated with exosomes concentration. Taken together, mTORC1 regulates the exosomes release by odontoblasts to inhibit the odontoblastic differentiation of DPSCs but not the exosomes contents. These findings might provide a new understanding for dental-pulp complex regeneration.
Exploring the role of circulating exosome-derived transfer RNA fragments in patients with ischemic stroke
Authors: Donatti Amanda , Yan Yan , Venø Morten T , Oliveira Fabiana , Sousa Alessandro AVO , Schreiber Roberto , Avelar Wagner M , Nadruz Wilson , Kjems Jørgen , Lopes-Cendes Iscia
Published: May 2022

Objectives: to investigate exosome-derived transfer RNAs (tRNAs) in the plasma of patients in the chronic phase of ischemic stroke (IS). tRFs may be disease biomarkers, especially for disorders linked to hypoxic and extracellular stress. Material and methods: We assessed samples from ten patients who had ischemic stroke (IS), collected them six months after the ictus, and compared to samples obtained from ten controls. We used small RNA sequencing for tRNA identification and quantification. Results: We found that the most abundant class of tRFs identified in the patients’ samples were 3′ fragments (37.7%). Most interestingly, we found increased levels of two tRFs in patients, namely Phe-GAA (p = 0.0146) and Leu-TAG (p = 0.0331). These two fragments originate from mitochondrial tRNAs and may be related to mechanisms leading to abnormal regulation of cellular energy, DNA transcription, and oxidative stress. We also identified decreased tRNA-Gly and tRNA-Val derivatives in patients. Furthermore, we found that the expression signature of tRNA Phe-GAA differentiates patients from controls with an area under the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve (AUC) = 0.78. Conclusions: Our results indicate differential expression of circulating exosome-derived tRFs in the chronic stages of IS. The tRFs with the greatest differences in expression identified in this study may be linked to the mechanisms leading to disease, most likely related to underlying risk factors that may persist after the acute event. Thus, we provide suggestive evidence that tRFs may assist in risk stratification for individuals with increased susceptibility to IS.
Assessment of Knowledge and Skills on Covid-19 among Frontline Nurses in Zanzibar
Authors: Masoud Hamad , Kibusi Stephen
Published: May 2022

Background: Covid-19 is one of the most serious pandemic outbreaks in history the world ever experienced. Its emergency and reemergence poses a substantial threat to nurses who often get close contact with patients, their knowledge and skills on managing the suspected and confirmed cases serve the foundation for positive response toward the outbreak; thus this study aimed at assessing the knowledge and skills of Zanzibar nurses on Covid-19Methods A descriptive cross-section web-based survey was conducted in a set of 139 nurses from Zanzibar to assess their knowledge and skills for the covid-19 pandemic outbreak. Multistage sampling was employed to select the regions, hospitals and final the participants. Computer-generated questionnaires with a total of 50 items were used to collect information on the recruited respondents; data were analyzed using SPSS software.Results: The assessment of knowledge and skills on covid-19 among frontline nurses from Zanzibar indicate that; the overall mean score knowledge of all respondents was (20.7±3.06) ranged from 13-26 while the overall skills scores were (20.69±3.06) ranged from 8-18. Age, level of education and working experience were found to be a significant predictor for both knowledge and skills on covid-19 at the level of 5% while working at the referral was only significant to skill.Conclusion: The participants were knowledgeable and skilled regarding the topic of interest however this competence wasn’t directly associated with the study domain of covid-19 rather were significantly associated with other domains related to nursing activities such as IPC and general nursing care.
Psychometric Evaluation of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale Among Syrian Population
Authors: Khadour Fater , Khadour Younes , Ebrahem B. M. , Nelson Jack , Xu Tao
Published: May 2022

Fear is a common emotional reaction to an impending threat like the pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus. A fear of COVID-19 Scale has been developed to evaluate the severity of COVID-19-related fear. This study investigated the psychometric characteristics a Syrian Arabic version of the scale to give additional validation for the Arabic FCV-19S. The fear of COVID-19 Scale was translated and validated in Syrian context. The sample is comprised of 1637 Syrian individuals, who have participated in this online survey. The results were compared with their responses to the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale and the Satisfaction with Life scale. Cronbach’s alpha for the Syrian version of the fear of COVID-19 scale was determined to 0.84. The scale’s ratings showed a significant negative relationship with life satisfaction and a significant positive association with sub-scales of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the Syrian version of the fear of COVID-19 Scale has a unidimensional structure which fits the data well. The scale has useful psychometric characteristics and can be employed to evaluate the severity of fear of COVID-19 among Syrian populations.
Involvement of LARP7 in activation of SIRT1 to inhibit NF-κB signaling protects microglia from acrylamide-induced neuroinflammation
Authors: Guo Jinxiu , Xue Hongjia , Zhong Haitao , Sun Wenxue , Zhao Shiyuan , Meng Junjun , Jiang Pei
Published: May 2022

Background: Acrylamide (AM) is a potent neurotoxin and carcinogen that is mainly formed by the Maillard reaction of asparagine with starch at high temperatures. However, the toxicity mechanism underlying AM has not been investigated from proteomic perspective, and the regulation of protein expression by AM remains poorly understood.Methods: This research presents is the first to use proteomics to explore the mechanism of AM exposure-induced neuroinflammation. Target proteins were obtained by differential protein analysis, functional annotation and enrichment analysis of proteomics. Then, molecular biology methods, including Western blot, qPCR and immunofluorescence, were used to verify the results and explore possible mechanisms.Results: We identified 100 key differential metabolites by proteomic analysis, which were involved in the occurrence of various biological functions. Among them, the KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that the differential proteins were enriched in the P53 pathway, sulfur metabolism pathway and ferroptosis. Finally, the differential target protein we locked was LARP7. Molecular biological verification found that AM exposure inhibited the expression of LARP7 and induced the burst of inflammation, while SRT1720 agonist treatment showed no effect on LARP7, but significant changes in inflammatory factors and NF-κB.Conclusion: Taken together, these findings suggested that AM may activate NF-κB to induce neuroinflammation by inhibiting the LARP7-SIRT1 pathway. And our study provided a direction for AM-induced neurotoxicity through proteomics and multiple biological analysis methods.
g-C3N4/ bio–Synthesized Silver Nanoparticle for Fluorometric Bio-sensing of Acetylcholinesterase and Malathion
Authors: Hussen Abdu
Published: May 2022

Malathion is widely used in agriculture due to their high efficiency as insecticides. They are very toxic hazardous chemicals to both human health and environment even at low concentration. The detection of pesticides (malathion) at the low levels developed by the environmental protection agency (EPA) still remains a challenge. A highly efficient fluorescent biosensor based on g-C3N4/AgNPs for malathion detection is successfully developed by impregnation method. The structural properties of the developed nanocomposites were characterized by using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and fourier- transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The analysis confirmed that there is a strong interfacial interaction between g-C3N4 and AgNPs. The developed sensor immobilizes by acetylcholestrase (AChE). In the absence of malathion, AChE − g-C3N4/AgNCs exhibit high fluorescence intensity. However, the strong interaction of the basic sites to malathion, causes fluorescence quenching via static quenching and Ag form aggregation on the surface of g-C3N4. The experimental parameter such as pH of buffer (pH = 6), concentration of acetylcholine (1 mM) and malathion (500 µM) were optimized. The sensor was also more sensitive with Stern-Volmer quenching constants (KSV) of 3.48x10 3 M -1. The practical use of this sensor for malathion determination in Khat was also demonstrated. The obtained amount of malathion in Khat is 168.8 µM.
Design, Synthesis and Pharmacological Evaluation of Some Indanone Derivatives For The Treatment of Cognitive Decline
Authors: Piplani Poonam , Bala Madhu , Jain Ankit , Arora Kartik , Garg Monika , Sharma Itika , Bhambri Ashima
Published: May 2022

The present study report the consequences of substituted indanone derivatives on scopolamine induced deficit cholinergic neurotransmission serving lead for the therapeutics of cognitive decline. In total twenty eight compounds 54-81 have been synthesized and among them eighteen compounds 54-72 have been evaluated against behavioral alteration using step down passive avoidance protocol at dose of 0.5 mg/kg with the Donepezil ( 1 ) as a reference standard. All the synthesized compound were evaluated for their in vitro acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition at five different concentration using mice brain homogenate as the source of the enzyme. Compounds 54, 55 and 68 displayed appreciable activity with the IC 50 value of 8.82 µM, 6.94 µM & 9.53 µM towards acetylcholinesterase inhibition. The molecular docking study performed to forecast the binding mode of the compounds suggested that these compounds could bind appreciable to the amino acid present at the active site of recombinant human acetylcholinesterase (rhAChE). The behavioral, biochemical and in-silico studies were in concordance with each other.
Comparative Evaluuation of the Usability and Accessibility of Selected University Websites
Authors: Ohaju Lauretta Obiageri
Published: May 2022

University Websites deliver a comfortable and cost-effective way of retrieving students’ information, a more flexible way of communicating with students and staff and is presently the fundamental point of contact along the entire student life cycle. Website design is often driven by its usability and accessibility from the perspective of students in a university but unfortunately, website designers end up developing websites that are not usable, accessible and do not meet the needs of the students. This study comparatively evaluated the usability and accessibility of University websites in Europe with the best University website in Africa. A total of seventeen websites were compared using six automated tools namely Checkmycolours, TAW, WAVE, AChecker, W3C HTML validator and CSS validator to obtain accessibility reports of the websites. Results from the study show that none of the websites conforms to WCAG 2.0 standard. The overall performance shows that most of the evaluated websites are above average. From the analysis, the University of Szczecin, Poland in Europe has the best website among the evaluated universities’ websites. Based on the analysis results, this study proposes the necessary steps that should be taken to further enhance the accessibility of African University websites.
Inequality of Opportunity in Health Service Utilization among Middle-aged and Elderly Community-dwelling Adults in China
Authors: Zhu Lin , Qiu Qianqian , Jiang Luyan , Wang Zhonghua
Published: May 2022

Background: The inequality caused by circumstances is known as "inequality of opportunity" (IOp). Many scholars have studied IOp in the health field, but few studies have quantified contributors to the IOp of health service utilization among middle-aged and elderly people. This study measured the IOp of health service utilization and decomposed the contributors to IOp present among Chinese middle-aged and elderly people.Methods: Data were obtained from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) in 2013, 2015 and 2018. A mean-based regression method was adopted to measure the IOp of health service utilization. Shapley–Shorrocks decomposition was used to analyze the main contributors to IOp seen among the middle-aged and elderly.Results: Although the absolute IOp of health service utilization decreased over time, the inequality due to circumstance factors still accounted for a large part of the total inequality. The absolute IOp and relative IOp were greatest in the areas of self-treatment and inpatient care utilization, respectively. The IOp of health service utilization in urban areas was greater than that in rural areas, and the heterogeneity between urban and rural areas was more prominent in the area of inpatient care utilization. The out-of-pocket (OOP) ratio contributed most significantly to the IOp of outpatient care utilization; meanwhile, work status and income had a great impact on the IOp of inpatient care utilization. Among urban-dwelling middle-aged and elderly individuals, apart from the OOP ratio, work status largely explained the IOp of outpatient care and self-treatment utilization, while distance greatly explained the IOp of outpatient care utilization in rural areas. Work status, education, and income level contributed more to the IOp of inpatient care utilization in rural areas than in urban areas.Conclusions: Strategies aimed at achieving equal opportunities remain necessary to ensure the fairness of health service utilization. Policy measures should pay more attention to middle-aged and elderly residents of rural areas, and efforts should be made to further optimize health resource allocation, improve social security systems, and narrow the socioeconomic gap between urban and rural areas in China.
Efficacy and safety of first-line carboplatin-paclitaxel and carboplatin-gemcitabine in patients with advanced triple-negative breast cancer: a monocentric, retrospective comparison
Authors: Lobefaro Riccardo , Mariani Luigi , Peverelli Giorgia , Ligorio Francesca , Fucà Giovanni , Rametta Alessandro , Zattarin Emma , Leporati Rita , Cantarelli Beatrice , Depretto Catherine , Vingiani Andrea , Manoukian Siranoush , Scaperrotta Gianfranco , Bianchi Giulia Valeria , Capri Giuseppe , Pruneri Giancarlo , de Braud Filippo , Vernieri Claudio
Published: May 2022

Background: Platinum-based chemotherapy is widely used in patients with advanced triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, the most effective platinum-based chemotherapy combination in the first-line treatment setting remains unclear. Methods: We evaluated the efficacy of first-line carboplatin-paclitaxel (CP) or carboplatin-gemcitabine (CG) combinations in advanced TNBC patients treated at “Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori” between April 2007 and April 2021. CP and CG were compared in terms of progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and incidence of adverse events (AEs). Multivariable Cox Models were used to adjust the efficacy of CP vs. CG for clinically relevant covariates. Results: Of 418 consecutive advanced breast cancer patients receiving carboplatin-based doublet chemotherapy, 88 patients had advanced TNBC and were treated in the first-line setting. Of these, 56 (63.6%) and 32 (36.4%) patients received CP and CG, respectively. Clinically relevant variables were well-balanced in the two treatment cohorts, except for a higher percentage of patients with shorter disease-free interval in the CG group (59.4% vs. 44.6%; p value 0.038). After adjusting for clinically relevant variables, patients receiving CG had significantly better PFS when compared to CP-treated patients [aHR: 0.49 (95%CI: 0.27-0.87), p value 0.014]. Of note, CG was associated with better PFS only among patients previously treated with taxanes in the (neo)adjuvant setting (aHR: 0.39; 95%CI: 0.21-0.75), but not in patients not exposed to taxanes (aHR: 1.20; 95%CI: 0.37-3.88). CG was also independently associated with better OS when compared to CP [aHR: 0.31 (95%CI: 0.15-0.64), p value 0.002]. Overall, grade 3-4 AEs were more common in patients treated with CG than in patients treated with CP (68.8% vs. 21.4%, p value 0.009). Conclusions: CG and CP are effective and well tolerated first-line platinum doublets in advanced TNBC patients. CG could be more effective than CP in patients previous exposed to taxanes despite worse toxicity profile.
Enhanced photocatalytic properties of g-C 3 N 4 /ZnO/attapulgite (CNZATP) composite nano-mineral materials on methylene blue dye degradation
Authors: Khatun Most Munera , Islam Ashraful , Yan Chunjie , Nesa Most Jinnatun
Published: May 2022

The modified nano-ZnO semiconductor material, developed in this research, has an extensive bandgap with a distinctly prohibited bandwidth due to its morphological structure (granular, dumbbell-shaped, sheet-like, four-needle, flower-like). The carrier of photocatalytic materials was attapulgite (ATP), which was loaded with nano-zinc oxide particles. Using ATP as a carrier, a variety of various mixtures of ZnO/ATP composites were created. A scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), and UV-Vis spectrophotometer (UV-Vis) were used to examine the morphology, synergistic effects, and photocatalytic properties of ZnO/ATP Nanocomposites. The target pollutant for photocatalytic degradation is methylene blue solution. When ATP is mixed with pure ZnO, the degrading performance of composite nanomaterials in methylene blue solution is considerably enhanced. The degree of methylene blue degradation increases as the amount of ATP in the composite grows, and the degradation rate of ZnO/40% ATP can reach 96 percent in 45 minutes. The amount of ATP in the system is excessive, and the adsorption effect is visible. The optimal composite ratio was determined to be ZnO/30 percent ATP. Following the discovery of the ideal composite ratio and synergy of ATP and ZnO, g-C3N4 was compounded in the aforesaid system to further increase the composite's photocatalytic activity. After compounding g-C3N4, the photocatalytic performance of the composites improves dramatically and at 45 min, the degradation rate of methylene blue reaches 97%. The absorption range and intensity of ternary composites increase, and the photogenerated electron-hole recombination rate decreases significantly. The reaction rate constant increases from 0.033 min-1 to 0.069 min-1. The degradation rate of g-C3N4/ ZnO/30% ATP to methylene blue was found to be 91.5% after 5 cycles. These characteristics indicate that a long-lasting modified nano-ZnO semiconductor with improved photocatalytic capabilities was created.
Assessing causal dependencies in climatic indices
Authors: Silini Riccardo , Tirabassi Giulio , Barreiro Marcelo , Ferranti Laura , Masoller Cristina
Published: May 2022

We evaluate causal dependencies between thirteen indices that represent large-scale climate patterns (El Nino/Southern Oscillation, the North Atlantic Oscillation, the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, etc.) using a recently proposed approach based on an approximation of the transfer entropy. We demonstrate that this methodology identifies causal relations that are well-known, as well as it uncovers some relations which, to the best of our knowledge, have not yet been reported in the literature. We also identify significant changes in causal dependencies that have occurred in the last three decades.
Practice, Effectiveness and Factors Affecting Self-care Behaviors in Managing Chemotherapy Side effects in Breast Cancer Patients
Authors: Amin Aya A. , Aldin Dalia N. , El-Zawahry Heba M. , Sherif Ghada M.
Published: May 2022

Background and Rationale: Chemotherapy is one of the main treatment modalities for breast cancer, however, it has many side effects. Good patients’ self-care practice to manage and cope with chemotherapy side effects can help the patients to alleviate the severity of these side effects, and improve their quality of life. This study was conducted to assess the practice of self-care behaviors among breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Cairo University (CU), and their effectiveness in alleviating the chemotherapy side effects, as well as detecting factors influencing self-care practice.Patients and Methods: This is an observational cross sectional study that included adult females (> 18 years), who received at least 2 chemotherapy cycles, as outpatients at NCI. A convenience sample of 178 patients was recruited. Personal interviews and revising medical records were performed to collect the relevant data.Results: The mean age of the patients was 47.76 ± 10.5 years. The majority of the study participants were married (88.8%) and residents of urban areas (61.2%). 32.6% of them were illiterate. The overall self-care practice was 48%. Age, stage of the disease and number of experienced side effects had significant effects on the self-care behavior.Conclusion: Breast cancer patients show moderate level of self-care behavior in managing chemotherapy side effects. This highlights the need for engaging the patients into their own management by providing adequate education, and encouraging them to practice proper self-care behaviors.
Keystone phylotypes determine soil functions and nutrient cycling processes in a 33-year field fertilization experiment
Authors: Zhou Guopeng , Gao Songjuan , Chang Danna , Fan Kunkun , Liang Ting , Liang Hai , Li Shun , Zhang Jiudong , Che Zongxian , Cao Weidong
Published: May 2022

Background: Soil microbiome plays a crucial role in terrestrial ecosystem functions. However, its response to long-term fertilization and contribution to soil functions in agricultural ecosystems are unclear. Here, we investigated soil bacterial and fungal communities along vertical profiles (0 to 100 cm) and explored the importance of soil microbiome in controlling soil functions (soil multifunctionality and functionality of C, N, and P cycling) and nutrient cycling processes (C mineralization, N2O release, and biological N-fixation) in a 33-year field fertilization experiment. Results: We obtained solid evidence that long-term fertilization (with chemical N, cow manure, straw, and green manure) enhanced the soil functions compared with no fertilizer control and that the functionality of N cycling was significantly associated with crop production. Soil functions and nutrient cycling processes were more closely correlated with the relative abundance and diversity of keystone phylotypes within the global network than the entire soil microorganism community. These keystone phylotypes were positively associated with the absolute abundance of functional genes related to C, N, and P cycling, and they also contained many essential functional microbes involved in C mineralization, N2O release, and biological N-fixation. The application of chemical N, green manure, and cow manure showed the highest abundance of amoB, nifH, and GH48 genes and Nitrosomonadaceae, Azospirillaceae, and Sphingomonadaceae within keystone phylotypes, which were significantly and positively correlated with N2O release, biological N-fixation, and C mineralization, respectively. Moreover, our results suggested that organic fertilization improved the effects of network size and keystone phylotypes on subsoil functions by facilitating the migration of soil microorganisms across soil profiles.Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of relative abundance and diversity of keystone phylotypes in controlling soil functions and nutrient cycling processes after long-term fertilization, in addition to providing selectable fertilization strategies for regulating them in agricultural ecosystems.
Targeted transcriptomics of the Mexican prickly poppy (Argemone mexicana L.) reveals diverse proteins related to benzylisoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis.
Authors: Serrano-Gamboa José Germán , Xool-Tamayo Jorge , Loza-Müller Lloyd , Tamayo-Ordoñez Yahaira , Vázquez-Flota Felipe
Published: May 2022

A transcriptomic approach was employed to describe a set of putatively protein-coding sequences involved in biosynthesis of berberine and sanguinarine; the two major benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIA) from Argemone mexicana (L.; Papaveraceae). A robust de novo assembled transcriptome was obtained from developing seedlings. Initial screening identified 514 unigenes, from eight different Pfam domains, such as Cyt-P450 dependent proteins, which are recurrently involved in BIA biosynthesis. Additional annotation by KEGG Orthology and Gene Ontology supported putative participation of the selected proteins in alkaloid biosynthesis. Moreover, in silico structure prediction of sanguinarine reductase (SanR), dihydrobenzophenantridine oxidase (DHBO) and tetrahydroprotoberberine oxidase (STOX), involved in the last reactions of sanguinarine and berberine biosynthesis, fitted with that of previously characterized proteins from related species further supporting proper annotation. Hence, the pipeline analysis presented could provide a comprehensive description of the biosynthetic potential of this plant through the functionality associated with its transcripts.
COVID-19 can initiate and trigger henoch-schoenlein purpura; a case series
Authors: Nabavizadeh Seyed Hesamedin , Esmaeilzadeh Hossein , Alyasin Soheila , Askarisarvestani Aida
Published: May 2022

BackgroundAfter each peak of COVID-19 pandemic, an increase in post-COVID syndromes and long COVID-19 symptoms can be observed. Henoch-Schönlein purpura is an IgA-related vasculopathy involving small vessels, mostly in children.Case presentationthe first case was a 15-year-old boy who afflicted COVID-19 and after a while, he developed lower limb weakness, limping, abdominal pain, and proteinuria. In his kidney biopsy mesangioproliferation and IgA deposition in the mesangium were seen. The second case was a 15-year -old girl known case of Henoch-Schönlein purpura who experienced proteinuria and hematuria 10 days after COVID-19 affliction. In her kidney biopsy IgA deposition and hypercellular mesangium were found in favor of Henoch-Schönlein purpura flare up.ConclusionIt is postulated that COVID-19 can induce the first HSP flare up. It can also trigger HSP flare ups in patients with positive history of Henoch-Schoenlein Purpura.
Determinants of continuance intention to use hearing aid among older adults in Tehran (Iran)
Authors: Jorbonyan Abdolhakim , Momtaz Yadollah Abolfathi , Foroughan Mahshid , Mehrkian Saeideh
Published: May 2022

Background & Aim: Continuous use of hearing aid is an effective way of managing hearing impairment consequences in older adults. The present study seeks to evaluate the factor determining the continuance intention to use hearing aids in older adults. Methods: The present cross-sectional study was carried out in 2021. Technology Post-Acceptance Model (PAM) theoretical framework was used to develop a model for continuance intention to use hearing aids. A total of 300 hearing aid users aged 60 or above in Tehran selected through the randomized stratified method completed the self-assessment questionnaires used in the study. The model was tested using the SEM method (path analysis using the maximum likelihood estimate technique) in AMOS V.24 software. Results: The participants had a mean age of 71.38 (SD=8). 50.7% of the participants were female and 49.3% were male. The mean overall continuance intention to use hearing aids was calculated to be 10.14(2.91), and 63.3% of the participants were revealed to have success in the actual use of their hearing aids. Path analysis results indicated that continuance intention to use hearing aids was positively and significantly influenced by the main variables of the study including actual use of hearing aids, self-perceived benefit, satisfaction, confirmation, self-efficacy in using hearing aids, extroversion personality trait, self-reported hearing handicap, and perceived social support. Moreover, regression analysis revealed that the independent variables explained 60% of the variation in continuance intention to use hearing aids and 69% of actual use of hearing aids. The values of fitness indices were CMIN = 2.52, RMSEA = 0.07, IFI = 0.92 and CFI = 0.92, which suggests that the model proposed in the present study is a good fit. Conclusion: The main results of the present study help hearing care providers develop a better understanding of older users to design effective interventions and strategies and make sure of the patients' continuance intention to use hearing aids.
Postoperative analgesic effect of dexmedetomidine combined with TPVB applied to open gastrectomy for gastric cancer
Authors: Wan Weilan , Hou Zhiqi , Qiu Qiuying
Published: May 2022

Purpose: This study is aimed to investigate the analgesic effect of combined dexmedetomidine and thoracic paravertebral nerve block (TPVB) on gastric cancer (GC) patients undergoing open gastrectomy. Methods: From May 2019 to Nov 2020, a total of 80 GC patients preparing for open gastrectomy were enrolled in our hospital and were divided into the ropivacaine (RO) group and the ropivacaine + dexmedetomidine (RD) group ad libitum. All of the patients underwent TPVB. The characteristics, usage of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA), adverse events, visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, inflammatory cytokines, and T cell subgroups between the two groups were compared. Patients in the RD group showed the decreased occurrence rate of postoperative adverse events and VAS scores and improved anti-inflammation and immune function.Results: These findings implied that the application of dexmedetomidine in combination with ropivacaine in TPVB has a good postoperative analgesic effect, as well as anti-inflammatory and immune-enhancing effects. Conclusion: Thus, dexmedetomidine as an adjunct analgesic may be potentially applied in clinical practice for GC patients undergoing open gastrectomy.
effect of gliding arc discharge plasma condition on microbial, physicochemical, and sensory properties of shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei
Authors: mousavi malihe , Hosseini Seyede Marzieh , Hosseini Hedayat , Abedi Abdol-Samad , Khani Mohammadreza , Heshmati Ali , Abhari Khadijeh , Shahraz Farzaneh , Taghizadeh Mansoureh , Akhavan Arash
Published: May 2022

The aim of this study was to determine the optimal conditions for a gliding arc plasma device using a response surface methodology and considering a low total mesophilic aerobic bacteria (TMAB) count, peroxide value (PV), colour different (ΔE), and appropriate sensory properties of stored Pacific white shrimp (PWS; Litopenaeus vannamei). A Box-Behnken design was used with three independent variables: argon gas (50–100%), treatment time (2–10 min), and distance of sample (3–7 cm). Argon gas and treatment time significantly influenced TMAB, PV, ΔE, and the sensory properties of the PWS, while sample distance had less effect. The study also revealed that the use of a high concentration (100%) of argon gas in the plasma caused a decrease in TMAB (1.2 CFU/g) compared to low concentrations (50%) of argon gas (5.41 CFU/mL). The use of a high concentration of argon gas resulted in a decrease in PV and an enhancement in ΔE and in the sensory properties of the shrimp. The results show that the use of 94.15% argon gas for 7.10 min with a sample distance of 6.54 cm provides optional gliding arc plasma conditions of 76.3% desirability. Using these numbers while maintaining PV, ΔE, and sensory properties in stored PWS caused an identical reduction of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Proteus mirabilis under in vitro and in vivo conditions. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis demonstrated that optimized plasma can destroy the cells of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Proteus mirabilis bacteria.
Thyroid membrane invasion: Influencing factors and an analysis of the efficacy of ultrasound evaluation
Authors: Wang Hui , Zhao Shanshan , Yao Jincao , Yu Xiuhua , Xu Dong
Published: May 2022

Purpose: Pathologists have performed detailed explorations of extrathyroidal extension (ETE) in thyroid cancer, but ultrasound doctors are often not concerned with ETE on examination. We investigated factors influencing ETE and the efficacy of ultrasound evaluation of thyroid capsule invasion.Methods: We conducted this retrospective analysis of 1,933 patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) who underwent thyroidectomy from 2018 to 2021. The patients were divided into three groups according to the extent of ETE: no ETE, minor ETE (mETE), and gross ETE (gETE). The differences in clinical characteristics were assessed. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify significant predictors of ETE, and the Kappa consistency test was used to analyze the consistency between ultrasonographic and pathological diagnoses of ETE. Results: The mETE group was more likely to have a larger tumor diameter and lymph node metastasis (LNM) than the no ETE group, and the isthmus was more likely to have mETE. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, longest diameter, lesion site, LNM, and thyroglobulin were all significant predictors of mETE. There was almost no consistency between pathological and ultrasonographic examination in terms of membrane invasion (κ = 0.069, P <0.01).Conclusion: Many clinical differences were observed between patients without ETE and patients with mETE, suggesting that mETE should be focused on. Ultrasonography is needed to describe the relationship between thyroid nodules and the capsule in patients with PTC in more detail to provide surgeons with more accurate preoperative ETE information.
A Mendelian Randomization Study on the Effect of Iron Status on Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Xu Xiaozhuo , Liu Jing , Huang Yilin , Han Xu
Published: May 2022

Background: Observational studies have suggested associations between iron status and myocardial infarction (MI). However, it’s role as a risk factor or as a subeffect because of myocardial infarction is uncertain. Methods: We performed a literature search of genome-wide studies that evaluate iron status. We used a two-sample Mendelian randomization approach to evaluate the causality of iron status on myocardial infarction risk, using 2 cohorts: GIS (n=23,986) and UK Biobank(n=361,194). The two-sample MR study was conducted to estimate causal relationship between iron status and MI, with the inverse-variance weighted (IVW)method, weighted-median method. Moreover, MR-Egger regression, MR-PRESSO and leave-one-out analysis were performed to evaluate the potential pleiotropy effect. Results: Genome-wide association studies of iron status were evaluated. No associations were found in relation to myocardial infarction: iron [odds ratio(OR)=1.03[95% conﬁdence interval CI,0.79-1.35];p-value=8.09×10−1], ferritin(OR=0.99[95% CI, 0.99-1.00];p-value=3.62×10−1), transferrin(OR =0.99[95% CI, 0.99-1.00];p-value=5.98×10−1), transferrin saturation(OR =0.99[95% CI, 0.99-1.00];p-value=4.55×10−1). MR-Egger, MR-PRESSO, and leave-one-out analysis did not indicate horizontal pleiotropy. Conclusion: Our MR study suggested that genetically predicted iron status was not causally associated with MI among the European populations.
Ginsenosides Rb1 and Rg1 Protect Cultured Astrocytes agsinst Oxygen-Glucose Deprivation/Reoxygenation-induced injury via improving glutamate metabolism pathway
Authors: Qiao Yuan , Ma Qing , Tang Minke
Published: May 2022

Glutamate is the most important excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. However, excessive glutamate in the extracellular cause cell apoptosis, and neurodegenerative processed after cerebral ischemia stroke. Glutamate metabolism pathway in astrocytes is necessary for glutamate clearance after ischemic stroke. This study aimed to evaluate whether ginsenoside Rb1 (20-S-protopanaxadiol aglycon) and gensenoside Rg1 (20-S-protopanaxatriol) have glutamate clearance effects against oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R)-induced injury in mouse astrocytes to explore the mechanisms involved. The OGD/R model was used to mimic the pathological process of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion in vitro. Astrocytes were treated with normal conditions, OGD/R, OGD/R plus Rb1, or OGD/R plus Rg1. Cell viability was measured to evaluate the cytotoxicity of Rg1 and Rb1. Glutamate uptake, Na+-K+-ATPase activity was detected to evaluate glutamate clearance function. The expression of glutamate transporter‑1 (GLT‑1) and glutamine synthetase (GS) were measured to evaluate glutamate transport function. We found that ginsenosides Rb1 and Rg1 increased astrocytes viability, and improved morphology of astrocytes under OGD/R. Additionally, we reported that Rb1 and Rg1 enhanced the glutamate uptake and Na+-K+-ATPase activity, and up-regulated the expression levels of glutamate transporter GLT-1 and GS. Ginsenosides Rb1 and Rg1 have different chemical structures, but exert similar protective effects against astrocyte damage induced by OGD/R. The possible mechanism is related with inhibiting glutamate accumulation by improving glutamate metabolism pathway in cultured astrocytes.
Case Study - SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING: creating a sustainable urban area: An Efficient Transportation Network
Authors: Paul Debabrata , Osouli Vahid
Published: May 2022

For decades, transport has been seen as a connection to all aspects of life around the world. In such cases, the natural environment, social well-being, and economic development of the planet are usually dependent on transportation networks. In most cases, safe, clean, sustainable, and fair transportation systems allow countries, especially in cities and urban centers, to prosper. The aim of this paper is to improve the sustainability of a part of the city or a small town or towing. This report deals with the study of a network of the City of Bologna, Italy. The study focuses on the evaluation of the network, the area of the study area, also introduces some suggestions and solutions, that can improve the efficiency of the transit system. All analyses and guidance were based on the use of Openstreetmap (OSM) and SUMOPy tools that allowed the authors to produce the most reliable results. Artifacts are presented using a combination of graphical theory algorithms to obtain sustainable transportation using the example of a part of the City of Bologna, Italy.
Effectiveness of flipped teaching on the knowledge and self-efficacy of nursing personnel in aromatherapy: a quasi-experimental design
Authors: Chiu Ching-Wen , Liu Chieh-Hsing
Published: May 2022

Background
Aromatherapy is effective in treating pain; however, aromatherapy is not offered in formal nursing education in Taiwan.
Methods
This study designed aromatherapy training courses for nurses using the flipped teaching approach and explored the effectiveness of the method, which can serve as a reference for future aromatherapy courses. A quasi-experimental design and convenience sampling were adopted.
Results
The participants were nurses who had been employed for over one year in two hospitals in Taiwan. In the experimental group, 40 participants received 2.5 hours of flipped teaching. In the control group, 40 participants received a one-hour traditional teaching course. Pre- and post-test knowledge and self-efficacy in aromatherapy were assessed. There were no significant differences in the pre-test knowledge and self-efficacy scores between the two groups. The test was analyzed using a generalized estimating equation. Post-test knowledge and self-efficacy results showed that the change in scores in the experimental group was significantly better than that in the control group, indicating that flipped teaching improved the participants’ knowledge and self-efficacy in aromatherapy.
Conclusions
This study confirmed that flipped teaching was effective for helping nursing personnel learn aromatherapy. Implementation of aromatherapy by nurses in clinical practice and its impact on patient care should be further assessed.
The Function of Human Resource Management in Sustainable Future
Authors: Podbregar Iztok , Tot Tijana Savic , Tot Vilmoš , Ristić Marija Runić , Šprajc Polona
Published: May 2022

Background: As the issue of organizational competitiveness and sustainability in today’s business environment becomes crucial in all markets, the need to implement the strategic role of human resource management function in organizations becomes a necessary prerequisite. The research problem defined by the authors refers to the definition of the roles that human management function performs in organizations in the Republic of Serbia in order to examine the level of representation of the strategic role of human resource management function as a prerequisite for sustainability. The main objective of this paper was to define the characteristics of each of the three roles that the human resource management function plays in organizations in Serbia. This will enable organizations to define more specifically the goals that need to be achieved in order to improve the role of the human resource management function from being administrative to operational and from operational to the strategic one, which is the basis for gaining a competitive advantage and sustainability.Results: The study findings showed that the administrative role of human resource management function is still mostly represented in the surveyed organizations in the Republic of Serbia, but that there are positive developments towards a more contemporary operational role as well as a strategic one which is the basis for achieving a competitive advantage and sustainability. Furthermore, the results of the research showed that there are certain specifics of all three examined roles of human resource management function. Overall, the study's findings revealed that the strategic role of human resource management function is still underdeveloped and neglected in order to be a source of competitive advantage and thus a foundation for sustainable business. Conclusion: Based on the research findings, the basic conclusion of this paper is that, first and foremost, it is necessary to conduct a detailed analysis of the situation in organizations, which would primarily refer to defining the role that the human resource management function plays in organizations in order to define further directions of development and transformation of the role as a basis for gaining a competitive advantage and sustainability.the authors proposed measures for upgrading of the role of human resource management function to the strategic role as the basis for gaining a competitive advantage and sustainability, defined the limitations of the study and suggested further research directions.
WITHDRAWN: Effect of equivalence ratio and heat losses on the homogeneous combustion characteristics of methane-air mixtures in millimeter-scale spaces
Authors: Chen Junjie
Published: May 2022

Thermal quenching is the loss of energy generated by combustion through heat transfer out of the combustion region. With sub-millimetric dimensions, the high surface-area-to-volume ratios encourage thermal quenching, which must be overcome. Computational fluid dynamics simulations are performed to understand the homogeneous combustion characteristics of methane-air mixtures in millimeter-scale spaces. The effects of equivalence ratio and heat transfer coefficient on flame stability are investigated. A dimensionless number analysis is performed to better understand the heat transfer characteristics of the homogeneous combustion system. The importance of heat loss on flame propagation and extinction is determined. The results indicate that the cavity structure can induce recirculation of hot products, thereby improving flame stability. The fuel-air equivalence ratio has a strong effect on flame stability. A critical issue of fuel-rich cases is the loss of combustion efficiency. The reduction in overall efficiency arises from heat loss in millimeter-scale spaces. Heat transfer through the structure, in addition to heat loss to the environment, has important effects on the stability and performance of micro-combustors and should be included when estimating micro-combustor performance. Homogeneous combustion systems with large dimensions lead to a delay in flame ignition and may cause blowout. Loss of flame stability due to external heat losses are main issues that require thermal management. Heat-insulating materials are favored to minimize external heat losses. Combustion at the microscale can offer many advantages. Faster ignition and more efficient heat transfer can be achieved, but the design is challenging due to the loss of flame stability.
New understanding of SPAG4 as a tumor marker: SPAG4 is a potential pan-cancer biomarker for prognosis and immunotherapy
Authors: Feng Wanjiang , Wang Guowei , Zhang Xiaobo , Cheng Sha , Song Xiaoyue , Zhang Pan , Wang Jianlong
Published: May 2022

Human sperm-associated antigen 4 (SPAG4), as a member of the cancer-testis antigen family , is considered to be a potential cancer marker. However, it is still unknown about the pathogenic role of SPAG4 in various cancers and whether SPAG4 acts through certain common molecular mechanisms in the immuno-oncological context of the tumor microenvironment, prognosis, and therapeutic response. Here, we explored the oncogenic role of SPAG4 in 33 human tumors based on TCGA and GEO databases using web-based tools such as TIMER2.0, GEPIA2, GSCA, TIDE, and Western Blot experiments. The results showed that SPAG4 was highly expressed in most tumor tissues and predicted a poor clinical prognosis. In addition, SPAG4 may be involved in tumorigenesis and development by affecting the activities of certain kinases on pathways such as FoxO and P53. Moreover, SPAG4 has an important role in the tumor microenvironment and is likely to be involved in the regulation of the immune microenvironment. Most importantly, SPAG4 expression was significantly associated with drug resistance and immune checkpoint blockade therapy in tumor patients, and could potentially mediate the occurrence of immune escape. In conclusion, our study strongly suggests that SPAG4 is an immune oncogenic molecule that can be used as a biomarker for cancer detection, prognosis, treatment design, and follow-up.