bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comprehensive Evaluation of Some Toxic Metals in the Surface Water of Louhajang River, Bangladesh
Authors: Proshad Ram , Zhang Dan , Idris Abubakr Mustafa , Islam Md. Saiful , Kormoker Tapos , Sarker Md Nazirul Islam , Khadka Sujan , Shuvo Abu Sayed , Islam Maksudul
Published: February 2021

Louhajang River, Bangladesh, crosses Tangail, which is a densely industrialized and urbanized city. Louhajang River is an essential water source for domestic, irrigation, and urbanization purposes. This study reports the levels of pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and some toxic heavy metals in 40 water samples collected during summer and winter seasons from Louhajang River. The levels were found to be in the ranges of pH 6.22-7.43 and EC 345-798 mS/cm, Cr 0.18-13.2, Ni 0.02-19.04, Cu 0.96-15.92, As 2.18-12.51, Cd 0.02-2.42, and Pb 0.49-15.74 µg/L. The winter season reported higher levels of the examined parameters than the summer season with significant variation (p < 0.05) for all parameters, with the exception of Cd. The metal contents were assessed against local and international standards for drinking, irrigation and aquatic life purposes where different trends were observed. The heavy metal evaluation index (HEI) and the ecological risk index (ERI) reported low to moderate risks. The spatial distribution of metal contents assigned hot spots in some sites along the riverbed, which were attributed to specific manmade sources. The health risk assessment for three population categories, i.e., adult male, adult female, and children, were examined in terms of hazard index (HI) and total cancer risk (TCR) for oral and dermal pathways during both seasons. Cr and Cd recorded HI more than unit in all cases, indicating possible non-cancer risk. TCR values of As for the three examined population categories during both seasons were > 1.0×10-6, indicating possible cancer risk, while that of Pb were < 1.0×10-6. For Ni, about 10-25% of the sampled sites recorded TCR > 1.0×10-6.
Obstructing Action: Foundation Funding and U.S. Climate Change Counter-movement Organizations
Authors: Brulle Robert J. , Hall Galen , Loy Loredana , Schell-Smith Kennedy
Published: February 2021

This paper updates the analysis of funding of the Climate Change Countermovement from 2003 – 2010 to 2003 – 2018, doubling the time period of the previous analysis. Funding for the organizations in the CCCM has continually increased at a rate of 3.4% throughout the time period. The source of the vast majority (74%) of this funding cannot be identified. Where funding can be identified, it is dominated by contributions from a few large conservative philanthropies.
The Clinical and Radiological Effectiveness of Autologous Bone Marrow Derived Osteoblasts in the Management of Avascular Necrosis of Femoral Head in Sickle Cell Disease.
Authors: Sadat-Ali Mir , Al-Omran Abdallah S , Acharya Sadananda , Hijazi Tarek M , Gullenpet Abid H
Published: February 2021

Background and Objective: Avascular necrosis of femoral head is a common Issue faced by orthopaedic surgeons which ranges between 10-18% but in sickle cell Disease the incidence reaches 30%. There is no definite treatment except joint arthroplasty. Regenerative medicine is an option to cure or delay joint arthroplasty. We report here our experience with injection of ABMDO to manage ANFH and report our long term results,progression of the ANFH if any and delay in THA (Total Hip Arthoplasty).Patients and Methods: Sixty-Three (63) consecutive patients with SCD with ANFH were examined, thoroughly investigated and those who had ANFH < grade II were consented to receive ABMDO. Pre-operatively patients were clinically assessed using Visual analogue scale (VAS), Modified Harris Hips Score (MHHS) and Azam-Sadat Score (ASS) for Quality of Life Score for Chronic Hip Disease. Ten milliliter of bone marrow was aspirated under local anesthesia and was placed in 20 CC culture media. Osteoblasts were cultured from the bone marrow aspirated. Under anesthesia using 3 mm cannulated drill, the osteonecrosed lesion was drilled and 5 million osteoblasts were injected at the lesion site. Patients were evaluated in out patient clinic after two weeks. At four months a repeat MRI was done and patients were followed up a minimum for 2 years.Results: The average age was 25.93±5.48 years. There were 41 (65%) females and 22 (35%) males. The mean hemoglobin S was 83.2±5.1 percent. The average follow up was 49.05±12.9 ( range 24-60) months. VAS significantly improved from 7.79±1.06 at 2 weeks 4.07±1.08 p<0.0001 continued to improve for the next 24 months 2.38±0.55 (P<0.0001). MHHS improved from 41.77±5.37 to 73.19± 6.48 at 4 months (P<0.001) and at 24 months it was 88.93±3.6 (p<0.001). The ASS also significantly improved from 2.76±0.49 preoperatively to 7.92±0.09 (p<0.0001) at 24 months. A comparison of the MRI’s of before and after osteoblast implantation revealed new bone formation and amelioration of the avascular lesions. Three patients were unhappy with the outcome and one patients repeated attacks of the vaso-occlusive crisis within six months of the osteoblasts injection.Conclusions: The results give credence to our earlier short follow up results that osteoblasts transplantation has a great potential in healing of avascular lesions. Our study fits the criteria of Phase II clinical trial and We believe a larger study equivalent to Phase III numbers and include patients not only with sickle cell disease but also steroid induced and idiopathic avascular necrosis.
Down-regulation LncRNA-SNHG15 Contributes to Proliferation and Invasion of Bladder Cancer Cells
Authors: Mokhtar Aldhabi , Kong Chuize , Zhang Zhe , Du Yan
Published: February 2021

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate effect of lncRNA-SNHG15 in bladder carcinoma using cell lines experiments and the relationship between clinical characteristics and lncRNA-SNHG15 expression was analyzed.Methods. Bladder cancer tissues and near-cancer tissues were collected. The expression of lncRNA-SNHG15 in tissues and cell lines was detected by real-time PCR (RT-PCR). The expression of lncRNA-SNHG15 was downregulated by interference (siRNA) as detected by RT-PCR that was used to detect the interference efficiency. CCK-8, and Transwell assays were used to evaluate the effect of lncRNA-SNHG15 on the proliferation, invasion capa­bility of bladder cancer cells.t-test was used for Statistical analyses, were performed using the Statistical Graph pad 8.0.1.224 software.Result: The expression of lncRNA-SNHG15 was up regulated in 5637, UMUC3 and T24 cell lines compared with corresponding normal controls (P<0.05). up regulation was positively related to tumor stage (P = 0.015), and tumor size (P =0.0465) . The down-regulation of lncRNA-SNHG15 with siRNA significantly inhibited UMUC3 and T24 cell proliferation and invasion.Conclusion: This study showed that lncRNA-SNHG15 is overexpressed in bladder cancer tissues and (5637, UMUC3 T24) cell lines. up regulation was positively related to tumor stage (P = 0.015), and tumor size (P =0.0465) .The down-regulation of lncRNA-SNHG15 with siRNA significantly inhibited UMUC3 and T24 cell proliferation and invasion, which provides a potential molecular target for future tumor targeted therapy.
Performance Investigation of The Bed Adsorption of An Adsorption Desalination Using CFD Simulation
Authors: Bakhshandeh Mohamad Hossein , Zarei Taleb , Khorshidi Jamshid
Published: February 2021

One of the critical elements of an adsorption desalination system is the adsorption bed. System dynamics of a 2-bed single-stage silica gel plus water-based AD system was analyzed. A great pattern is expanded using energy conservation and mass connected with the kinetics of the ad- sorption/desorption process. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling was handled for simulation of the adsorption process for a rectangular finned tube-based adsorption bed featured with silica gel adsorbent substance. For the simulation, the adsorbents were considered as a solid volume with defined porosity based on Darcy equation. The adsorption and desorption mode of the adsorption bed was simulated. The CFD techniques were then applied to study fin thickness and fin height. The results showed that decreasing the fin thickness increased the water uptake by up to 8% and decreased the fin height from 30mm to 20mm, which resulted in an increase of the water uptake up to 17%. The CFD technique was also used to investigate the effect of plate type on the adsorption bed performance. The results showed that the copper plate improved the water uptake up to 9%. The copper plate decreased the temperature of the adsorption bed up to 11% more than the aluminum plate.
Current Status of Black-Necked Crane Grus Nigricollis in Southern Xinjiang China: Conservation Implications
Authors: Turghan Mardan Aghabey , Buzzard Paul Jason , Maming Roller
Published: February 2021

In this paper, we update the status of Black-necked cranes (Grus nigricollis) in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China where it has hardly been recorded. We report on research in Southern Xinjiang，mainly in Altun (Arjin in Chinese) and Kunlun Mountain ranges and their adjacent areas, including part of Pamir Plateau and the southern edge of Lop Nur Basin. Black-necked cranes were observed in seven counties, by direct observation in 2010 to 2017, and we deduced that 180-220 individuals of the species inhabited Kunlun and Altun Mountains and the surrounding areas. 137 cranes, the largest population, were recorded in the autumn migration season in the Altun Mountain Nature Reserve in 2013. The most recent record of Black-necked cranes in the Lop Nur Basin ( N 40°19', E 91°58', alt. 790 m) was observed on May 2010 would be the northernmost distribution location with the lowest latitude and extreme arid environment．
Warm Perches: A Novel Approach For Reducing Cold Stress Effect on Production, Plasma Hormones, and Immunity in Laying Hens
Authors: Hu Jiaying , Cheng Heng Wei
Published: February 2021

Background: Cold temperature is a common environmental stressor that has a great impact on the poultry industries, inducing pathophysiological stress in birds with profound economic losses. Current methods used for preventing cold stress, such as reducing ventilation and using gas heaters, are facing challenges due to poor indoor air quality and its deleterious effects on bird and caretaker health. The aim of this study was to examine if the novelly designed warmed perch system, as a thermal device, can reduce cold stress-associated adverse effects on laying hens. Methods: Seventy-two 32-week-old DeKalb hens were randomly assigned to 36 cages arranged to 3 banks. The banks were assigned to 1 of 3 treatments: cages with warmed perches (WP; perches with circulating water at 30 oC), air perches (AP, regular perches only) or no perches (NP) for a 21- day trial. The room temperature was set at 10 oC during the entire experimental period. Rectal temperature and body weight were measured from the same bird of each cage at day 1, 8, 15, and 21 during the cold exposure. Egg production was recorded daily. Feed intake, egg and eggshell quality were determined during the 1st and 3rd week of cold stress. Plasma levels of corticosterone, thyroid hormones (3, 3’, 5-triiodothyronine and thyroxine), interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10, were determined at day 1 and 21 post initiation of cold exposure. Results: Compared to both AP and NP hens, WP hens were able to maintain their body temperature without increasing feed intake and losing body weight. The eggs laid by WP hens had thicker eggshell during the 3rd week of cold exposure. Warmed perch hens also had a lower thyroxine conversion rate (3, 3’, 5-triiodothyronine/thyroxine) at day 1, while higher plasma concentrations of IL-6 at day 21. Plasma levels of corticosterone, 3, 3’, 5-triiodothyronine, and IL-10 were not different among treatments. Conclusions: Our results indicate that the warmed perch system can be used as a novel thermal device for preventing cold stress-induced negative effects on hen health and welfare through regulating innate immunity and metabolic hormonal homeostasis.
A Simple Analysis of Texture Induced Friction Reduction Based on Surface Roughness Ratio
Authors: Ye Jiaxin , Xuan Jiazhou , Qiao Yongliang , Zhang Yifan , Zhang Haiyang , Xu Jimin , Liu Xiaojun , Liu Kun
Published: February 2021

The effect of surface texture on friction reduction under fluid lubrication has been broadly acknowledged in the tribology community. However, the lack of understanding of the underlying mechanisms remains a challenge for the advancement of textured enhanced lubrication. Numerous models have been proposed, but they are almost all based on the hydrodynamic effect alone and have proven cumbersome, system specific and unreflective of the beneficial secondary lubrication provided by the residual lubricants within the texture. This paper presents a simple analysis of texture induced friction reduction based on the actual liquid-solid interface area and the secondary lubrication hypothesis. A simple model based on the surface roughness ratio (the ratio between the actual and projected solid surface area) of the textured surface was proposed which 1) is simple, intuitive, quantitative and sensitive to texture shape and area fraction; 2) directly reflects proposed secondary lubrication mechanisms; 3) reflects the general data trend in the collected literature. By focusing on the variations of key texture parameters, the proposed model combined with a sampling of independent studies in literature has demonstrated that 1) the effect of increased pit depth-to-diameter ratio (d/D) on friction reduction is most significant between 0.01 and 0.2; 2) further increase in d/D only marginally affects the friction coefficient; 3) texture’s area fraction plays a much weaker role than the depth/diameter ratio in friction reduction. By quantitatively isolating the secondary lubrication effects, this model may help to link disparate studies in the literature while providing defensible quantitative insights into texture induced lubrication mechanisms.
A Highly Contiguous Genome Assembly of a Major Forest Pest, the Eurasian Spruce Bark Beetle Ips Typographus
Authors: Powell Daniel , Grosse-Wilde Ewald , Krokene Paal , Roy Amit , Chakraborty Amrita , Vogel Heiko , Löfstedt Christer , Andersson Martin , Schlyter Fredrik
Published: February 2021

Conifer-feeding bark beetles are important herbivores and decomposers in forest ecosystems. These species have evolved specializations to complete their life cycle in nutritionally poor wooden substrates and some can overwhelm tree defences and kill enormous numbers of trees during population outbreaks. The Eurasian spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus) is one tree-killing species; during a recent epidemic it destroyed >100 million m3 of spruce in a single year. We report a 236 Mb, highly contiguous I. typographus genome assembly using PacBio long-read sequencing. The final phased assembly had a contig N50 of 6.65 Mb in 272 contigs and was predicted to contain 23,923 protein-coding genes. Comparative genomic analysis including 11 additional coleopterans revealed expanded gene families associated with plant cell wall degradation, including pectinases, aspartyl proteases, and glycosyl hydrolases. This first whole-genome sequence from the genus Ips provides timely resources to address important questions about the evolutionary biology of the true weevils (Curculionidae), one of the most species-rich animal families. This resource will also allow for improved studies of functional genomics of both fundamental and applied value. In forests of today, increasingly stressed by global warming, this draft genome may ultimately assist in developing novel pest control strategies to mitigate outbreaks.
Landslide Hazard Assessment Based on Bayesian Optimization-Support Vector Machine in Nanping City, China
Authors: Xie Wei , Nie Wen , Saffari Pooya , Robledo Luis F. , Descote Pierre-Yves , Jian Wenbin
Published: February 2021

Landslide hazard assessment is critical for preventing and mitigating landslide disasters. The tuning of model hyperparameters is of great importance to the accuracy and precision of one landslide hazard assessment model. In this study, Bayesian Optimization (BO) method was used to tune the hyperparameters of Support Vector Machine (SVM) model to obtain a high accuracy landslide hazard zoning map. 1711 historical landslide disaster points were obtained as landslide inventory in a case of Nanping City landslide hazard assessment. A total of 12 factors including elevation, slope, aspect, curvature, lithology, soil type, soil erosion, rainfall, river, land use, highway, and railway were selected as landslide conditional factors. The multicollinearity diagnosis was performed on factors using the Spearman correlation coefficient. 1711 landslides and 1711 non-landslides were collected as the dataset and divided into the same number of training dataset and testing dataset. The confusion matrix and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used to verify the models. The results of confusion matrix accuracy and the area under ROC curve (AUC) showed that BO-SVM (89.53%, 97%) performed better than only SVM (84.91%, 0.93), which indicated the superiority of the proposed method during this study.
Isolation and Characterization of Urine Microvesicles from Prostate Cancer Patients: Different Approaches, Different Visions
Authors: García-Flores María , Sánchez-López Christian M. , Ramírez-Calvo Marta , Fernández-Serra Antonio , Marcilla Antonio , López-Guerrero José Antonio
Published: February 2021

BackgroundBecause of their specific and biologically relevant cargo, urine extracellular vesicles (EVs) constitute a valuable source of potential non-invasive biomarkers that could support the clinical decision-making to improve the management of prostate cancer (PCa) patients. Different EV isolation methods differ in terms of complexity and yield, conditioning, as consequence, the analytical result. MethodsThe aim of this study was to compare three different isolation methods for urine EVs: ultracentrifugation (UC), size exclusion chromatography (SEC), and a commercial kit (Exolute® Urine Kit). Urine samples were collected from 6 PCa patients and 4 healthy donors (HDs). After filtered through 0.22 µm filters, urine was divided in 3 equal volumes to perform EVs isolation with each of the three approaches. Isolated EVs were characterized by spectrophotometric protein quantification, nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), AlphaScreen Technology, and whole miRNA Transcriptome. ResultsOur results showed that UC and SEC provided better results in terms of EVs yield and purity than Exolute®, non-significant differences were observed in terms of EV-size. Interestingly, luminescent AlphaScreen assay demonstrated a significant enrichment of CD9 and CD63 positive microvesicles in SEC and UC methods compared with Exolute®. This heterogeneity was also demonstrated in terms of miRNA content indicating that the best correlation was observed between UC and SEC. ConclusionsOur study highlights the importance of standardizing the urine EV isolation methods to guaranty the analytical reproducibility necessary for their implementation in a clinical setting.
RT001 in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy—Clinical and In-Vitro Observations.
Authors: Angelova Plamena , Andruska Kristin , Midei Mark G. , Barilani Mario , Atwal Paldeep , Tucher Oliver , Milner Peter , Heerinckx Frederic , Shchepinov Misha S.
Published: February 2021

Background: Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a progressive movement disorder associated with lipid peroxidation and intracerebral accumulation of tau. RT001 is a deuterium reinforced isotopologue of linoleic acid that prevents lipid peroxidation (LPO) through the kinetic isotope effect. Methods: The effects of RT001 pre-treatment on various oxidative and bioenergetic parameters were evaluated in mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) derived from patients with PSP compared to controls. In parallel, 3 patients with PSP were treated with RT001 and followed clinically. Results: MSCs derived from PSP patients had a significantly higher rate of LPO (161.8 ± 8.2% of control; p<0.001). A 72-hour incubation with RT001 restored the PSP MSCs to normal levels. Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction in PSP-MSCs significantly decreased the level of GSH compared to control MSCs (to 56% and 47% of control; p<0.05). Incubation with RT001 significantly increased level of GSH in PSP MSCs. The level of mitochondrial DNA in the cells was significantly lower in PSP-MSCs (67.5%), compared to control MSCs. Changes in mitochondrial membrane potential, size, and shape were also observed.Three subjects with possible or probable PSP were treated with RT001 for a mean duration of 26 months. The slope of the PSPRS changed from the historical decline of 0.91 points/month to a mean of decline of 0.16 points/month (+/- 0.23 SEM). The UPDRS slope changed from an expected increase of 0.95 points/month to an average increase in score of 0.28 points/month (+/- 0.41 SEM).Conclusions: MSCs derived from patients with PSP have elevated basal levels of LPO, ROS, and mitochondrial dysfunction. These findings are reversed after incubation with RT001. In PSP patients, the progression of disease may be reduced by treatment with RT001.
Complex Seasonal and Day-to-day Movements of an Alpine Passerine May Act as an Insurance Against Environmental Variability
Authors: Barras Arnaud Gian , Liechti Felix , Arlettaz Raphaël
Published: February 2021

Mountains naturally offer very contrasted habitat conditions, but their biodiversity is nowadays facing the extra challenge of adapting to rapid environmental shifts that are much more pronounced than in the lowlands. Among the possible adaptive responses of wildlife, intra- and inter-seasonal movements represent an important coping strategy that remains largely unexplored. We investigated the seasonal and day-to-day movements of the ring ouzel Turdus torquatus, a European mountain bird species that declines in many parts of its distribution. We tracked individuals breeding in the Swiss Alps using geolocators, multi-sensor loggers and GPS. Of the birds traced to their non-breeding quarters, two thirds reached the Atlas Mountains while one third stayed in Spain, a region potentially more significant for overwintering than previously thought. The birds remained mostly above 1000 m throughout the annual cycle, highlighting a strict association of ring ouzels with mountain habitats. We also evidenced daily transhumance, especially upon spring arrival on the breeding grounds, which provides some noticeable behavioural flexibility, i.e. adaptative potential in response to environmental variation. This study shows how modern technology can deliver deeper insights into animal movements, paving the way for refined assessments of species vulnerability to ongoing global change while providing basic conservation guidance.
Multifunctional Composite Film Based on Biodegradable Grape Skin and Polyvinyl Alcohol
Authors: Qiu Zhe , Niu Weidong , Wang Shuo , Yu Fanjun , Yu Yang , Fan Jing , Zheng Longhong , Wang Yonggui , Xiao Zefang , Xie Yanjun
Published: February 2021

In winemaking, large amounts of grape skin (GS) are produced as by-products, which contain not only abundant degradable cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin but various functional polyphenols. In contrast to most studies focusing on the utilization of extractives, the current study investigates the use of an ultrasonicated grape skin (UGS) containing all components to develop a multifunctional composite film. Owing to dissociation during ultrasonication, all GS components were well dispersed in water to obtain the UGS suspension. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) indicated that the celluloses were successfully transformed into cellulose nanofibers (CNFs), which can improve the uniformity of the composite film. Subsequently, biodegradable and multifunctional composite films were fabricated by combining the UGS and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The UGS and PVA formed a good interface owing to strong hydrogen bonds, and the resulting films exhibited excellent thermal stability and moisture-sensitive mechanical properties. The polyphenols in the UGS suspension endowed the composite film with multiple functions, including pH-responsive color change, excellent antioxidant activity, ultraviolet shielding, and antimicrobial properties. The use of PVA enhanced the flexibility, strength, and elongation of the UGS film. The easily prepared, tailored, multifunctional, and biodegradable UGS/PVA composite film exhibits excellent potential for application in agriculture, cosmetics, and healthcare.
Enhanced Thermal Decomposition and Laser Ignition Properties of Nanostructured NC/Al/RDX Composite Fibers Fabricated by Electrospinning
Authors: Wang Weimin , Li Hui , Yang Yanjing , Zhao Fengqi , Li Heng , Xu Kangzhen
Published: February 2021

Nano Al has always been the research hotspot in the field of energetic materials because of its high energy density and combustion temperature, and has been considered as a fuel to enhance the energy release of various propulsive systems. In this work, nanocomposite fibers were fabricated by electrospinning technology, in which nano Al and recrystallized RDX particles were integrated with NC fibers. The morphology and chemical components of NC/Al, NC/RDX, and NC/Al/RDX composite fibers were characterized by XRD, FT-IR, SEM, TEM and BET. The agglomeration of nano Al particles in fibers is significantly inhibited, and the recrystallized RDX and nano Al particles are uniformly dispersed in NC fibers, resulting in the rough surfaces of the composite fibers. The thermal analysis shows that nano NC fibers have lower thermal decomposition temperature (202.1 ℃) and apparent activation energy (149.32 kJ mol-1) than raw NC (208.2 ℃ and 218.5 kJ mol-1), and NC/Al/RDX exhibits improved thermal decomposition properties compared with NC/RDX and NC/Al. The laser ignition experiments suggest that the uniformly dispersed nano Al particles could obviously promote the combustion and shorten ignition delay time. However, RDX may delay ignition due to its high decomposition temperature, but can significantly enhance the combustion properties of NC/Al/RDX fibers. Among the all samples, the NC/Al/RDX (1:1:0.2) exhibits shortest ignition delay time and most violent combustion flames, which can be attributed to the fibrous structure and the enhanced heat and mass transfer between the components.
ISPRF: A Machine Learning Model to Predict the Immune Subtype of Kidney Cancer Samples by Four Genes
Authors: Wang Zhifeng , Chen Zihao , Zhao Hongfan , Lin Hao , Wang Junjie , Wang Ning , Li Xiqing , Ding Degang
Published: February 2021

Background Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common type of renal cell carcinoma. Immunotherapy, especially anti-PD-1, is becoming a pillar of ccRCC treatment. However, precise biomarkers and robust models are needed to select the appropriate patients for immunotherapy.MethodsA total of 831 ccRCC transcriptomic profiles were obtained from 6 datasets. Unsupervised clustering was performed to identify the immune subtypes among ccRCC samples based on immune cell enrichment scores. Weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) was used to identify hub genes distinguishing subtypes and related to prognosis. A machine learning model was established by random forest algorithm, and employed to an open and free online website to predict the immune subtype. ResultsIn the identified immune subtypes, subtype2 was enriched in immune cell enrichment scores and immunotherapy biomarkers. WGCNA analysis identified 4 hub genes related to immune subtype, CTLA4, FOXP3, IFNG, and CD19. The random forest model was constructed by mRNA expression of these four hub genes, and the value of areas under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic (AUC) was 0.78. Subtype2 patients in the independent validation cohort had a better drug response and prognosis for immunotherapy treatment. Moreover, an open and free website was developed by the random forest model (https://immunotype.shinyapps.io/ISPRF/). ConclusionsThe current study constructs a model and provides a free online website that could identify suitable ccRCC patients for immunotherapy, and it is an important step forward to personalized treatment.
670nm Photobiomodulation Modulates Bioenergetics And Oxidative Stress, Decreasing Inflammatory Mediator Production In An In Vitro Model Of Diabetic Retinopathy
Authors: Nonarath Hannah J. , Hall Alexandria E. , SenthilKumar Gopika , Abroe Betsy , Eells Janis T. , Liedhegner Elizabeth
Published: February 2021

Diabetic retinopathy (DR), the most common complication of diabetes mellitus, is associated with oxidative stress, nuclear factor-kB (NFkB) activation, and excess production of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1). Current therapies are invasive, frequently ineffective, and have adverse effects. The application of far-red to near-infrared (NIR) light (630-1000nm) reduces oxidative stress and inflammation in vitro and in vivo. Thus, we hypothesize that 670nm light treatment will dimish oxidative stress preventing downstream inflammatory mechanisms associated with DR. We used an in vitro model system of rat Müller glial cells grown under normal (5 mM) or high (25 mM) glucose conditions and treated with a 670 nm light emitting diode array (LED) (4.5 J/cm2) or no light (sham) daily. We report that a single 670 nm light treatment diminished ROS production and preserved mitochondrial integrity and ATP production in this in vitro model of diabetic retinopathy. Furthermore, treatment for 3 days in culture reduced NFkB activity to levels observed in normal glucose and prevented the subsequent increase in ICAM-1. The ability of 670nm light treatment to prevent early molecular changes in this established DR model system suggests light treatment could become an early therapeutic option for DR.
Fairly-Decided Maltreatment Determinations Significantly Reduce Recidivism? A Quasi-experimental Evaluation of a System-Level Intervention Implementation
Authors: Slep Amy M. Smith , Heyman Richard , Mitnick Danielle , Lorber Michael , Nichols Sara , Perkins Daniel
Published: February 2021

Background. This study examined the impact of the implementation of the Field-tested Assessment, Intervention-planning, and Response (FAIR) system for maltreatment determination on two measures recidivism of family maltreatment. Methods. The 10 U.S. Army installations with the largest caseloads participated. Data were collected when Family Advocacy Program staff used the then-in-place system and then the FAIR system. Cases in each system were followed for six months following their abuse determination to measure the probability of subsequent allegations. Additionally, at five installations, alleged victims of partner abuse were recruited into a confidential study in which they anonymously reported on intimate partner violence via telephone. Results. Both studies found that the FAIR system results in decreased recidivism, measured through subsequent formal reports and anonymous victim reports. Conclusions. This study replicates and extends earlier findings that employing the FAIR system can result in decreased family maltreatment re-offense.
Electrical Properties of Silicon Nanowires Schottky Barriers Prepared by MACE at Different Etching Time
Authors: Rouis Ahlem , Hizem Neila , Hassen Mohamed , kalboussi Adel
Published: February 2021

This article focused on the electrical characterization of silicon nanowires Schottky barriers following structural analysis of nanowires grown on p-type silicon by Metal (Ag) Assisted Chemical Etching (MACE) method distinguished by their different etching time (5min, 10min, 25min). The SiNWs are well aligned and distributed almost uniformly over the surface of a silicon wafer. In order to enable electrical measurement on the silicon nanowires device, Schottky barriers were performed by depositing Al on the vertically aligned SiNWs arrays. The electrical properties of the resulting Al/SiNWs diodes were characterized by current voltage (I-V) and capacity voltage (C-V) measurements. Unlike the conventional Schottky diode, symmetrical current-voltage (I-V) characteristics have been observed with a rectification ratio < 4. The metal-semiconductor-metal (M-S-M) model was used to analyze the (I-V) characteristics by including two Schottky barriers at the interface between metal and SiNWs. The electron transport behavior is explained by the thermionic field emission method (TFE) which added the effect of the tunneling current compared to the conventional thermionic emission theory. The capacitance-voltage C-V characteristics of SiNWs depend on the bias voltage showing that the samples have an obvious space charge region. Symmetric behavior also appears in the C –V curves that confirm the MSM model.
Preferential Tumor Localization in Relation to 18F-FDOPA Uptake for Lower-Grade Gliomas
Authors: Tatekawa Hiroyuki , Uetani Hiroyuki , Hagiwara Akifumi , Yao Jingwen , Oughourlian Talia C. , Ueda Issei , Raymond Catalina , Lai Albert , Cloughesy Timothy F. , Nghiemphu Phioanh L. , Liau Linda M. , Bahri Shadfar , Pope Whitney B. , Salamon Noriko , Ellingson Benjamin M.
Published: February 2021

PurposeAlthough tumor localization and 3,4-dihydroxy-6-18F-fluoro-L-phenylalanine (FDOPA) uptake may have an association, preferential tumor localization in relation to FDOPA uptake is yet to be investigated in lower-grade gliomas (LGGs). This study aimed to identify differences in the frequency of tumor localization between FDOPA hypometabolic and hypermetabolic LGGs using a probabilistic radiographic atlas.MethodsFifty-one patients with newly diagnosed LGG (WHO grade II, 29; III, 22; isocitrate dehydrogenase wild-type, 21; mutant 1p19q non-codeleted ,16; mutant codeleted, 14) who underwent FDOPA positron emission tomography (PET) were retrospectively selected. Semiautomated tumor segmentation on FLAIR was performed. Patients with LGGs were separated into two groups (FDOPA hypometabolic and hypermetabolic LGGs) according to the normalized maximum standardized uptake value of FDOPA PET (a threshold of the uptake in the striatum) within the segmented regions. Spatial normalization procedures to build a 3D MRI-based atlas using each segmented region were validated by an analysis of differential involvement statistical mapping.ResultsSuperimposition of regions of interest showed a high number of hypometabolic LGGs localized in the frontal lobe, while a high number of hypermetabolic LGGs was localized in the insula, putamen, and temporal lobe. The statistical mapping revealed that hypometabolic LGGs occurred more frequently in the superior frontal gyrus (close to the supplementary motor area), while hypermetabolic LGGs occurred more frequently in the insula. ConclusionRadiographic atlases revealed preferential frontal lobe localization for FDOPA hypometabolic LGGs, which may be associated with relatively early detection.
Synthesis of 2D-CZTS Nanoplate as Photocathode Material for Efficient PEC Water Splitting
Authors: Mahalakshmi V. , D Venugopal , Ramachandran K. , Ramesh R.
Published: February 2021

Fabrication of economically viable photocathode for hydrogen energy production through solar water splitting is a major research among the scientific community for a decade. P-type compound Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) is very interesting material due to its absorption property, earth-abundant constituents and environmental friendliness that serves as a suitable candidate to act as a photocathode. In the present work, Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) nanoparticles are synthesized by simple one-step chemical method and annealed at 350 °C for three different times (60 minutes, 90 minutes and 120 minutes). The effect of annealing time on the structural, optical and photoelectrochemical properties are investigated. XRD pattern indicates the formation of tetragonal crystal structure and the crystallinity increases according to the annealing time. 2-D nanoplate morphology is obtained for the sample that was annealed for 120 minutes. From the absorption spectra, it was found that the band gap decreases with increase of annealing time. Further, the prepared nanoparticle thin films are used as a cathode for photoelectrochemical water splitting application. Among these, the nanoparticles that are annealed for 120 minutes showed higher photocurrent density when compared to nanoparticles annealed for 60 minutes and 90 minutes.
A Single Nucleotide Polymorphism in an R2R3 MYB Transcription Factor Triggers ms6 (Ames1) Male Sterility in Soybean
Authors: Yu Junping , Zhao Guolong , Li Wei , Zhang Ying , Wang Peng , Fu Aigen , Zhao Limei , Zhang Chunbao , Xu Min
Published: February 2021

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] is an important crop providing vegetable oils and proteins. Increasing demand on soy products heightens the urgency of soybean yield improvement. Hybrid breeding with male sterility system is an effective method to improve crop production. Cloning of genic male sterile (GMS) gene combined with biotechnology method can contribute to constructing GMS-based hybrid Seed Production Technology (SPT) to promote soybean performance and yield. In this research, we identified a soybean GMS locus, GmMS6, by combining bulked segregant analysis (BSA)-sequencing and map-based cloning technology. GmMS6 encodes an R2R3 MYB transcription factor, whose mutant allele in ms6 (Ames1) harbors a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) substitution, leading to the 76th Leucine to Histidine change in the DNA binding domain. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrates GmMS6 is a homolog of Tapetal Development and Function 1 (TDF1)/MYB35 that is an anther development key factor co-evolved with angiosperm. It has a recently duplicated homolog GmMS6LIKE (GmMS6L), both of which can rescue the male fertility of Arabidopsis homologous mutant attdf1 while GmMS6L76H cannot, denoting that both proteins are functional and L76 is a critical residue for TDF1’s function. However, compared to anther specific expressed GmMS6, GmMS6L is constitutively expressed at a very low level, explaining deficiency of GmMS6 alone causes pollen abortion. Moreover, the expression levels of major regulatory and structural genes for anther development are significantly decreased in ms6, unveiling that GmMS6 is a core transcription factor regulating soybean anther development.
Towards Ubiquitous Data Access Service of 3D Part Library in Cloud Scheme with Host Independence
Authors: Liu Wei , Kong Chuipin , Niu Qiang , Zhou Xionghui
Published: February 2021

Most current part libraries are created and deployed in specific usage environments or CAD platforms, which inevitably brings obstacles in the share and exchange for part information. To reduce repeated development and provide a uniform interface for designers in different sites, a 3D part library in cloud scheme is presented in this paper. Host programs with predetermined specification can access the part data through an adapter according to their customized requests with uniform interfaces, which constructs a ubiquitous service. To realize host independence, the part models are created in a native ACIS modeler, and then they are converted into 3D files in various formats for practical needs, finally these files are imported into CAD systems or other platforms in real designs. The whole framework can be divided into three components, namely, PLS(Part Library Service) provider, PLS adapters and hosts. PLS provider is the kernel of 3D data access service in cloud scheme, while PLS adapters serve as the bridges that connect PLS provider and hosts, and the PLS can be grafted on various applications including current mainstream CAD systems as a plug-in module or run on the websites or even mobile terminals. The PLS provider is deployed and maintained on cloud and users can acquire remote part information within a local ongoing project. In the detailed construction of this part library, diversiform knowledge for part parameters and structures is implanted to define the geometry and rule constraints in the 3D modeling, with which the backstage has the ability of conveniently editing the information in the part library for better upgrade and contrapuntally services. The concept has been implemented within a PaaS framework to provide the ubiquitous 3D part data access, which has been successfully applied in a large number of manufacturing enterprises, and accumulates considerable practical cases.
Bibliometric Keyword Analysis Across Fifteen Years (2004–2018) of Knee Surgery and Related Research Articles
Authors: Jeon Young-Dae , Park Ki-Bong , Ko Sang-Hun , Jang Seong-Min , Han Jung-Won
Published: February 2021

Background: Bibliometric is a branch of library science that uses mathematical and statistical techniques to analyze articles and the ‘keyword’ describes the most important concept of the article among the structure of the articles of journal. There was no bibliometric analysis that only analyzed the keywords of articles published in a specific single journal focusing on knee-related surgery. The authors analyzed the keywords of the articles published in the Knee Surgery and Related Research (KSRR), which is an official journal of the Korean Knee Society for the last 15 years to identify popular research topics in the field of knee.Methods: Of the 622 articles published in the KSRR from 2004 to 2018, 424 original articles were analyzed and a total of 1,703 keywords were extracted. The authors selected and classified ‘keyword categories’ to comprehensively analyze each keyword describing the same research topic. Among them, the authors selected the top 20 keywords and analyzed research concepts using related keywords. Keywords were classified by publication year to analyze the frequency and tendency of the keywords used in each study.Results: The frequency of use of the top 20 keywords accounted for 48.2% of the keywords used in the journal for the last 15 years. Excluding the keyword “knee”, which represents the affected joint, the top 5 keywords most commonly used were “total knee arthroplasty (TKA)”, “osteoarthritis”, “anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction”, “meniscus”, and “navigation”. The top 5 keywords used together with “TKA”, were “navigation”, “infection”, “management of posterior cruciate ligament”, “transfusion”, and “revision”.Conclusions: We conducted bibliometric research for the KSRR across a 15-year span. The results help define an overall command of the latest topics in knee research and provide insight for launching new projects.
Body Mass Index and Leptin Levels in Serum and Cerebrospinal Fluid in Relation to Delayed Cerebral Ischemia and Outcome after Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Authors: Veldeman Michael , Weiss Miriam , Simon Tim Philipp , Hoellig Anke , Clusmann Hans , Albanna Walid
Published: February 2021

ObjectiveAneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is associated with a high mortality rate and may leave surviving patients severely disabled. After the initial hemorrhage, clinical outcome is further compromised by the occurrence of delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI). Overweight and obesity have previously been associated with protective effects in the post-bleeding phase. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of patient’s body mass index (BMI) and leptin levels on the occurrence of DCI, DCI-related cerebral infarction and clinical outcome. METHODS263 SAH patients were included of which leptin levels were assessed in 24 cases. BMI was recorded along disease severity documented by the Hunt and Hess and modified Fisher scales. The occurrence of clinical or functional DCI (neuromonitoring, CT Perfusion) was assessed. Long-term clinical outcome was documented after 12 months (extended Glasgow outcome scale). RESULTSA total of 136 (51.7%) patients developed DCI of which 72 (27.4%) developed DCI-related cerebral infarctions. No association between BMI and DCI occurrence (P=.410) or better clinical outcome (P=.643) was identified. Early leptin concentration in serum (P=.258) and CSF (P=.159) showed no predictive value in identifying patients at risk of unfavorable outcome. However, a significant increase of leptin levels in CSF occurred from 326.0 pg/ml IQR 171.9 prior to DCI development to 579.2 pg/ml IQR 211.9 during ongoing DCI (P =.049). CONCLUSIONSIn our data, no association between obesity and clinical outcome was detected. After DCI-development, leptin levels in CSF increased either by an upsurge of active transport or disruption of the blood-CSF barrier.Trial registration: This trial has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02142166) as part of a larger scale prospective data collection. BioSAB: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02142166
The Significance of KL-6 as Prognosis Monitoring Biomarker in Patients With Severe COVID-19 From Stabilized Stage Toward Convalescence
Authors: He Long , Lu Liu , Zong Ming , Zhou Huang , Wang Lan , Chen Nian Zhen , Yuan Jia Yi , Jiang Er Peng , Zheng Liang , Li Qiang , Fan Lie Ying , Liu Zhong Min
Published: February 2021

Background: This study aims to identify some biomarkers for monitoring the recovery of lung injury in severe COVID-19 patients from stabilized stage toward convalescence.Methods: We enrolled participants who diagnosed with severe COVID-19 (n = 28) and health volunteers (n = 25) from Taikang Tongji (Wuhan) Hospital. The patients were in a stabilized stage and had a course of 48.1±12.8 days. We followed these patients for 90 days. The blood routine, cytokines (IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-17A, TNF-α, IFN-α, IFN-γ), type II alveolar epithelium injury indicators (Surfactant protein A (SP-A), Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6)) and chest CT were tested on the 1, 30, 60, and 90 days after enrollment. Results: In stabilized stage, the parameters of blood routine and some cytokines (IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-12p70, TNF-α) had bounced back to normal (p>0.05). Some cytokines (IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17A, IFN-α, IFN-γ) and type II alveolar epithelium injury indicators (SP-A and KL-6) were still higher than normal (p<0.05). During the stabilized stage to convalescence, in spite of the variation of monocyte count, monocyte/lymphocyte ratio, IL-5, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-17A, IFN-γ, IFN-α, SP-A and KL-6 were downward trend (p<0.05), only KL-6 level (p<0.05) could simultaneously reflect the lung injury volume which be measured by CT. Conclusions: Our preliminary data indicated that KL-6 could be an effective prognostic biomarker for monitoring the recovery of lung function in patients with severe COVID-19 from stabilized stage toward convalescence.
The Psychometric Properties Persian Version of the Hearing Handicap Inventory Screening Version (HHIE-S) Among Older Adults
Authors: Behboodi Leila , Chattu Vijay Kumar , Adelirad Fatemeh , Heizomi Heleh , Asghari-Jafarabadi Mohammad , Allahverdipour Hamid
Published: February 2021

Background: There is a great need for a valid hearing loss measurement tool in the Persian language to help identify hearing handicap and potential communicational difﬁculties among Persian speaking older adults. The present study was aimed to validate and adapt the original English version of Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE) into Persian language.Methods: A cross-sectional study was designed and data was collected from August to November 2019 in Tabriz, Iran among the older adults aged 60 years and above whose hearing loss had been confirmed by audiometry. Self-reporting and face-to-face interviews were the data collection methods in this study. The statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 26.0 (SPSS and STATA 14).Results: An exploratory factor analysis of data resulted in two factors, which included 9 of the 10 items and accounted for 87.00% of the variance. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (0.85) and the test–retest reliability score (0.73) indicated good internal consistency.Conclusions: The results showed that HHIE-S is a valid and reliable tool for assessing hearing handicap among Persian speaking and Iranian older adults.