bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vaccination concerns, beliefs and practices among Ukrainian migrants in Poland: A qualitative study
Authors: Ganczak Maria , Bielecki Klaudia , Drozd-Dąbrowska Marzena , Topczewska Katarzyna , Biesiada Daniel , Molas-Biesiada Agnieszka , Dubiel Paulina , Gorman Dermot
Published: October 2020

Background: Ukrainians numbering approximately 1.2 million are the largest migrant group in Poland. Data on vaccination coverage among migrants are not collected in EU, including Poland. Therefore, this qualitative study aimed to identify vaccination practices in this migrant group, to explore facilitators and barriers to vaccination and related access to Polish healthcare services.Methods: In September 2019, a qualitative study of Ukrainian migrants (UMs) living in Szczecin, Poland, and recruited through a snowball sampling method, was conducted. Using a semi-structured topic guide, four focus groups were held with 22 UMs aged 18-45. Participants were asked about their attitudes towards vaccination in general with comparison between services in Poland and Ukraine. Following transcription and translation, a thematic analysis was conducted.Results: Respondents were distrustful of Ukrainian vaccination policy, medical personnel and individual vaccines, however, they often returned to Ukraine for dental and gynaecological appoint-ments. While critical with regards to registering with Polish GPs practices, UMs were confident in health professionals, as well as vaccine delivery. Vaccines were perceived as safer and of better quality than in Ukraine. Difficulties in translating vaccination records were rarely reported, verbal communi-cation was not problematic due to language similarities. All UM parents reported vaccinating their children according to the Polish schedule. However, a significant number of adult UMs have not completed mandatory vaccinations, although they may have obtained false immunization certificates; according to UMs those can be obtained by bribing. Participants reported lower acceptance of the influenza vaccine, mainly due to perceptions around its importance; none had been vaccinated against influenza. None of UMs had heard of the HPV vaccine. UMs experienced challenges in accessing credible online vaccination information in Ukrainian, no official local health authority vaccination material existed either, except for information about measles.Conclusions: This study pinpointed positive UM attitudes and practices regarding child vaccination in the Polish healthcare system and identified issues for improvement, such as adult vaccination. Health communication should be more tailored within UMs information delivery systems to enable migrants to make informed choices about vaccination. Further research is needed to better assess factors affecting vaccine uptake identified in this study.
The Synergetic Effect of Imipenem-Clarithromycin Combination in the Mycobacteroides abscessus Complex
Authors: Takei Satomi , Ihara Hiroaki , Togo Shinsaku , Nakamura Ayako , Fujimoto Yuichi , Watanabe Junko , Kurokawa Kana , Shibayama Kohei , Sumiyoshi Issei , Ochi Yusuke , Iwai Moe , Okabe Takahiro , Chonan Masayoshi , Misawa Shigeki , Ohsaka Akimichi , Takahashi Kazuhisa
Published: October 2020

Background: Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are ubiquitous organisms and the incidence of NTM infections has been increasing in recent years. Mycobacteroides abscessus (M. abscessus) is one of the most antimicrobial-resistant NTM; however, no reliable antibiotic regimen can be officially advocated. We evaluated the efficacy of clarithromycin in combination with various antimicrobial agents against the M. abscessus complex. Results: Twenty-nine clinical strains of M. abscessus were isolated from various clinical samples. Of the isolates, 10 (34.5%) were of M. abscessus subsp. abscessus, 18 (62.1%) of M. abscessus subsp. massiliense, and 1 (3.4%) of M. abscessus subsp. bolletii. MICs of three antimicrobial agents (amikacin, imipenem, and moxifloxacin) were measured with or without clarithromycin. The imipenem-clarithromycin combination significantly reduced MICs compared to clarithromycin and imipenem monotherapies, including against resistant strains. The association between susceptibility of the M. abscessus complex and each combination of agents was significant (p = 0.001). Adjusted residuals indicated that the imipenem-clarithromycin combination had the synergistic effect (adjusted residual = 3.1) and suppressed the antagonistic effect (adjusted residual = -3.1). In subspecies of M. abscessus complex, the association with susceptibility of M. abscessus subsp. massiliense was similarly statistically significant (p = 0.036: adjusted residuals of synergistic and antagonistic effect respectively: 2.6 and -2.6). The association with susceptibility of M. abscessus subsp. abscessus also showed a similar trend but did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion: Our data suggest that the imipenem-clarithromycin combination could be the recommended therapeutic choice for the treatment of M. abscessus complex owing to its ability to restore antimicrobial susceptibility.
A Generalised Approach for High-throughput Instance Segmentation of Stomata in Microscope Images
Authors: Jayakody Hiranya Samanga , Petrie Paul , de Boer Hugo , Whitty Mark
Published: October 2020

Background: Stomata analysis using microscope imagery provides important insight into plant physiology, health and the surrounding environmental conditions. Plant scientists are now able to conduct automated high-throughput analysis of stomata in microscope data, however, existing detection methods are sensitive to the appearance of stomata in the training images, thereby limiting general applicability. In addition, existing methods only generate bounding-boxes around detected stomata, which require users to implement additional image processing steps to study stomata morphology. In this paper, we develop a fully automated, robust stomata detection algorithm which can also identify individualstomata boundaries regardless of the plant species, sample collection method, imaging technique and magnfication level.Results: The proposed solution consists of three stages. First, the input image is pre-processed to remove any colour space biases occurring from different sample collection and imaging techniques. Then, a Mask R-CNN is applied to estimate individual stomata boundaries. The feature pyramid network embedded in the Mask R-CNN is utilised to identify stomata at different scales. Finally, a statistical lter is implemented at the Mask R-CNN output to reduce the number of false positive generated by the network.The algorithm was tested using 16 datasets from 12 sources, containing over 60,000 stomata. For the rst time in this domain, the proposed solution was tested against 7 microscope datasets never seen by the algorithm to show the generalisability of the solution. Results indicated that the proposed approach can detect stomata with a precision, recall, and F-score of 95.10%, 83.34%, and 88.61%, respectively. A separate test conducted by comparing estimated stomata boundary values with manually measured data showed that the proposed method has an IoU score of 0.70; a 7% improvement over the bounding-box approach.Conclusions: The proposed method shows robust performance across multiple microscope image datasets of different quality and scale. This generalised stomata detection algorithm allows plant scientists to conduct stomata analysis whilst eliminating the need to re-label and re-train for each new dataset. The open-source code shared with this project can be directly deployed in Google Colab or any other Tensorflow environment.
The Role of the Media on Maternal Confidence in Provider HPV Recommendation
Authors: Walker Kimberly , Owens Heather , Zimet Gregory
Published: October 2020

Background: Despite a growing understanding of the importance of provider HPV recommendation on parental acceptance, U.S. HPV vaccination rates remain suboptimal. Given the prevalence and use of the media for health decisions, this study examined the relationship between the media and provider HPV recommendation on maternal HPV vaccine hesitancy. Methods: Thirty individual interviews with HPV vaccine-accepting mothers in the Midwest U.S. were conducted to examine their feelings of hesitancy around the decision to accept HPV vaccination at the time of provider recommendation and their suggestions for improving the recommendation experience by addressing media concerns. Results: Media exposure was an antecedent to hesitancy for three main vaccination concerns: protection, efficacy and sexual stigma. Although mothers accepted vaccination, they continued to feel confused and hesitant about HPV vaccination. They had several recommendations for how providers could combat hesitancy to improve confidence in HPV vaccine acceptance. Conclusions: Providers’ approach to HPV vaccination recommendation must consider concerns reported in the media with delivery techniques modified to adjust to maternal fears absorbed from adverse media information.
LncRNA IMFlnc1 Promotes Porcine Intramuscular Adipocyte Adipogenesis by Sponging miR-199a-5p to Up-regulate CAV-1
Authors: Wang Jing , Chen Mingyue , Chen Junfeng , Ren Qiaoling , Zhang Jiaqing , Cao Hai , Xing Baosong , Pan Chuanying
Published: October 2020

Background: Local Chinese local pig breeds have thinner muscle fiber and higher intramuscular-fat (IMF) content. But its regulation mechanism has not been discussed in-depth. Studies indicated that long non coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important role in muscle and fat development.Results: The lncRNAs expressional differences in the longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle were identified between Huainan pigs (local Chinese pigs, fat-type, HN) and Large White pigs (lean-type, LW) at 38, 58, and 78 days post conception (dpc). In total, 2131 novel lncRNAs were identified in 18 samples, and 291, 305, and 683 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs) were found between these two breeds at three stages, respectively. The mRNAs that co-expressed with these DELs were used for GO and KEGG analysis, and the results showed that muscle development and energy metabolism were more active at 58 dpc in HN, but at 78 dpc in LW pigs. Muscle cell differentiation and myofibril assembly might associated with earlier myogenesis and primary-muscle-fiber assembly in HN, and cell proliferation, insulin, and the MAPK pathway might be contribute to longer proliferation and elevated energy metabolism in LW pigs at 78 dpc. The PI3K/Akt and cAMP pathways were associated with higher IMF deposition in HN. Intramuscular fat deposition-associated long noncoding RNA 1 (IMFlnc1) was selected for functional verification, and results indicated that it regulated the expressional level of caveolin-1 (CAV-1) by acting as competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) to sponge miR-199a-5p.Conclusions: Our data contributed to understanding the role of lncRNAs in porcine-muscle development and IMF deposition, and provided valuable information for improving pig-meat quality.
Molecular detection of drug resistant polymorphisms in Plasmodium falciparum isolates from Southwest, Nigeria.
Authors: Tola Monday , Ajibola Olumide , Idowu Taiwo Emmanuel , Omidiji Olusesan , Awolola Samson Taiwo , Amambua-Ngwa Alfred
Published: October 2020

Objective Nigeria bears 25% of global malaria burden despite concerted efforts towards its control and elimination. The emergence of drug resistance to first line drugs, artemisinin combination therapies (ACTs), indicates an urgent need for continuous molecular surveillance of drug resistance especially in high burden countries where drug interventions are heavily relied on. This study describes mutations in Plasmodium falciparum genes associated with drug resistance in malaria; Pfk13, Pfmdr1, PfATPase6 and Pfcrt in isolates obtained from 83 symptomatic malaria patients collected in August 2014, aged 1-61 years old from South-west Nigeria. Results Two Pfmdr1, N86 and Y184 variants were present at a prevalence of 56% and 13.25% of isolates respectively. There was one synonymous (S679S) and two non-synonymous (M699V, S769M) mutations in the PATPase6 gene, while Pfcrt genotype (CVIET), had a prevalence of 45%. The Pfk13 C580Y mutant allele was suspected by allelic discrimination in two samples with mixed genotypes although this could not be validated with independent isolation or additional methods. Our findings call for robust molecular surveillance of antimalarial drug resistance markers in west Africa especially with increased use of antimalarial drugs as prophylaxis for Covid-19.
Real-time PCR on skin biopsies for super-spreaders’ detection in bovine besnoitiosis
Authors: Grisez Christelle , Bottari Leslie , Prévot Françoise , Alzieu Jean-Pierre , Liénard Emmanuel , Corbière Fabien , Rameil Marie , Desclaux Xavier , Lacz Christophe , Boulon Christian , Petermann Julie , Mével Jeanne Le , Vilardell Carine , Jacquiet Philippe
Published: October 2020

Background: Bovine besnoitiosis, an emerging disease in Europe that can be transmitted by vectors, is caused by the apicomplexan Besnoitia besnoiti. Bovine besnoitiosis is difficult to control due to the complexity of its diagnosis in the acute stage of the disease, poor treatment success and chronically asymptomatic cattle acting as parasite reservoirs. When serological prevalence is low, detection and specific culling of seropositive cattle is feasible; however, economic considerations preclude this approach when serological prevalence is high. The aims of this study were to evaluate the accuracy of detection of super-spreaders in highly infected herds and to test their selective elimination as a new control strategy for bovine besnoitiosis. Methods: Previous real-time PCR analyses performed on skin tissues from 160 asymptomatic animals sampled at slaughterhouses showed that the tail base was the best location to evaluate the dermal parasite DNA load. All seropositive animals (n = 518) from eight dairy or beef cattle farms facing a high serological prevalence of besnoitiosis were sampled at the tail base and their skin sample analysed by real-time PCR. A recommendation of rapid and selective culling of super-spreaders was formulated and provided to the cattle breeders. Subsequent serological monitoring of naïve animals was used to evaluate the interest of this control strategy over time.Results: Among the 518 seropositive animals, a low proportion of individuals (14.5%) showed Cq values below 36, 17.8% had doubtful results (36 < Cq ≤ 40) and 67.8% had negative PCR results. These proportions were grossly similar on the eight farms, regardless of their production type (beef or dairy cattle), size, geographical location or history of besnoitiosis. Within two weeks of the biopsy, the rapid culling of super-spreaders was implemented on only three farms. The numbers of newly infected animals were lower on these farms compared to those where super-spreaders were maintained in the herd. Conclusions: Real-time PCR analyses performed on skin biopsies of seropositive cattle showed huge individual variabilities in parasite DNA load. The rapid culling of individuals considered as super-spreaders seems to be a new and encouraging strategy for bovine besnoitiosis control.
Kinetic changes in virology, specific antibody response and imaging during the clinical course of COVID-19: A descriptive study
Authors: Wang Qiu-jing , Yao Yan-zhen , Song Jun-shuai , Wang Qiao , Xu Li-yun , Bao Zhou-jun , Mao Dai-wen , Zhou Ji-hang , Zhang Zhe-en , Wang Yan , Li Yi-wei , Wang He-ping , Li Lue , Pan Hai-yan , Zhang Guo-qiang , Li Shi-bo
Published: October 2020

Background: To explore the kinetic changes in virology, specific antibody response and imaging during the clinical course of COVID-19.Methods: This observational study enrolled 20 patients with COVID-19, who were hospitalized between January 20-April 6, 2020, in the two COVID-19 designated hospitals of Zhoushan, Zhejiang and Rushan, Shandong, China, The laboratory findings, imaging, serum response to viral infection, and viral RNA level in the throat and stool samples were assessed from onset to recovery phase in patients with COVID-19. Results: SARS-COV-2 RNA was positive as early as day four. It remained positive until day 55 post-onset in the sputum-throat swabs and became negative in most cases (55%) within 14 days after onset. Lymphocytopenia occurred in 40% (8/20) of patients during the peak infection period and returned to normal at week five. The most severe inflammation in the lungs appeared in week 2 or 3 after onset, and this was completely absorbed between week 6 and 8 in 85.7% of patients. All patients had detectable antibodies to the receptor binding domain (RBD), and 95% of these patients had IgG to viral N proteins. The antibody titer peaked at week four. Anti-S IgM was positive in 7 of 20 patients after week three. Conclusions: All COVID-19 patients in this study were self-limiting and recovered well though it may take as long as 6-8 weeks. Our findings on the kinetic changes in imaging, serum response to viral infection and viral RNA level may help understand pathogenesis and define clinical course of COVID-19.
A novel cell permeability assay for macromolecules
Authors: Bueso Yensi Alejandra Flores , Walker Sidney Peter , Quinn Jennifer , Tangney Mark
Published: October 2020

Background: Many cell permeabilisation methods to mediate internalisation of various molecules to mammalian or bacterial cells have been developed. However, no size-specific permeability assay suitable for both cell types exists. Results: We report the use of intrinsically biotinylated cell components as the target for reporter molecules for assessing permeabilisation. Due to its well-described biotin binding activity, we developed an assay using Streptavidin (SAv) as a molecular weight marker for assessing eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell internalisation, using flow cytometry as a readout. This concept was tested here as part of the development of host DNA depletion strategies for microbiome analysis of formalin-fixed (FF) samples. Host depletion (HD) strategies require differential cell permeabilisation, where mammalian cells but not bacterial cells are permeabilised, and are subsequently treated with a nuclease. Here, the internalisation of a SAv-conjugate was used as a reference for nucleases of similar dimensions. With this assay, it was possible to demonstrate that formalin fixation does not generate pores which allow the introduction of 60 KDa molecules in mammalian or bacterial membranes/envelopes. Among surfactants tested, Saponin derived from Quillaja bark showed the best selectivity for mammalian cell permeabilisation, which, when coupled with Benzonase nuclease, provided the best results for host DNA depletion, representing a new HD strategy for formalin fixed samples.Conclusion: The assay presented provides researchers with a sensitive and accessible tool for discerning membrane/cell envelop permeability for different size macromolecules.
Ketamine can be produced by Pochonia chlamydosporia: an old molecule and a new anthelmintic?
Authors: Ferreira Sebastiao Rodrigo , Machado Alan Rodrigues T. , Furtado Luís Fernando , Gomes Jose Hugo de S. , de Almeida Raquel M. , Mendes Thiago de Oliveira , Maciel Valentina N. , Barbosa Fernando Sergio , Carvalho Lorendane M. , Bueno Lilian Lacerda , Bartholomeu Daniella Castanheira , de Araújo Jackson Victor , Rabelo Elida M. L. , de Pádua Rodrigo Maia , Pimenta Lucia Pinheiro Santos , Fujiwara Ricardo Toshio
Published: October 2020

Background: Infection by nematodes is a problem for human health, livestock, and agriculture, as it causes deficits in host health, increases production costs, and incurs a reduced food supply. The control of these parasites is usually done using anthelmintics, which, in most cases, have not been fully effective. Therefore, the search for new molecules with anthelmintic potential is necessary. Methods: In the present study, we isolated and characterized molecules from the nematophagous fungus Pochonia chlamydosporia and tested these compounds on three nematodes: Caenorhabditis elegans; Ancylostoma ceylanicum; and Ascaris suum.Results: The ethyl acetate extract showed nematicidal activity on the nematode model C. elegans. We identified the major substance present in two sub-fractions of this extract as ketamine. Then, we tested this compound on C. elegans and the parasites A. ceylanicum and A. suum using hamsters and mice as hosts, respectively. We did not find a difference between the animal groups when considering the number of worms recovered from the intestines of animals treated with ketamine (6 mg) and albendazole (P > 0.05). The parasite burden of larvae recovered from the lungs of mice treated with ketamine was similar to those treated with ivermectin. Conclusions: The results presented here demonstrate the nematicidal activity of ketamine in vitro and in vivo, thus confirming the nematicidal potential of the molecule present in the fungus P. chlamydosporia may consist of a new method of controlling parasites.
Comparative Proteomic Analysis Reveals Novel Insights into the Interaction between Rice and Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae
Authors: Zhang Fan , Zhang Fan , Huang Liyu , Zeng Dan , Cruz Casiana Vera , Li Zhikang , Zhou Yongli
Published: October 2020

Background: Bacterial blight, which is caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), is a devastating rice disease worldwide. Rice introgression line H471, derived from the recurrent parent Huang-Hua-Zhan (HHZ) and the donor parent PSBRC28, exhibits broad-spectrum resistance to Xoo, including to the highly virulent Xoo strain PXO99A, whereas its parents are susceptible to PXO99A. To characterize the responses to Xoo, we compared the proteome profiles of the host and pathogen in the incompatible interaction (H471 inoculated with PXO99A) and the compatible interaction (HHZ inoculated with PXO99A).Results: In this study, a total of 374 rice differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) and 117 Xoo DAPs were detected in the comparison between H471 + PXO99A and HHZ + PXO99A. Most of the Xoo DAPs related to pathogen virulence, including the outer member proteins, type III secretion system proteins, TonB-dependent receptors, and transcription activator-like effectors, were less abundant in the incompatible interaction than in the compatible interaction. The rice DAPs were mainly involved in secondary metabolic processes, including phenylalanine metabolism and the biosynthesis of flavonoids and phenylpropanoids. Additionally, some DAPs involved in the phenolic phytoalexin and salicylic acid (SA) biosynthetic pathways accumulated much more in H471 than in HHZ after the inoculation with PXO99A, suggesting that phytoalexin and SA production was induced faster in H471 than in HHZ. Further analysis revealed that the SA content in H471 increased much more rapidly after inoculation than in HHZ, suggesting that SA signaling pathway was activated faster in the incompatible interaction than in compatible interaction.Conclusions: Overall, our results indicate that during an incompatible interaction between H471 and PXO99A, rice plants prevent pathogen invasion and also initiate multi-component defense responses that inhibit disease development.
Landscape disturbance impacts on Attalea butyracea palm distribution in central Panama
Authors: Mertzlufft Caitlin , Madden Marguerite , Gottdenker Nicole , Runk Julie Velasquez , Saldaña Azael , Tanner Susan , Calzada Jose , Yao Xiaobai
Published: October 2020

Background: Increased Attalea butyracea palm propagation, notable for its role as key habitat for the primary Chagas disease vector in Panama, has been linked to landscape disturbance in single-palm observations in this region. Close proximity of these palms to human dwellings is proposed to increase risk of Chagas disease transmission from sylvatic transmission cycles to domestic transmission involving human populations. This study examines the relationship between landscape disturbance and mature A. butyracea spatial distribution, density, and proximity to human populations and vector and reservoir species’ movement corridors at a regional scale in a 300-km2 heterogeneous tropical landscape in central Panama.Methods: We remotely identified the locations of over 50,000 mature A. butyracea palms using high-resolution WorldView2 satellite imagery. A local Getis-Ord Gi* spatial analysis identified significant clusters of aggregated palms. Associations between palm and cluster abundance and a landscape disturbance gradient, derived from official Panama land cover data, were tested using Chi-square tests for Homogeneity and Z-test for proportions. Kruskall-Wallis non-parametric analysis of variance tests were run to assess whether palm cluster area varied by disturbance level, or whether disturbance influenced average proximity of palms and palm clusters to susceptible populations or vector movement corridors.Results: Our findings indicate a regional relationship between landscape disturbance and A. butyracea occurrence. We observe a significant increase in both individual and clustered A. butyracea in secondary forest, but a reduction of palms in agricultural settings. We do not detect evidence of any reduction in abundance of palms in residential settings. A majority of residential and commercial buildings in our study area are within vector flight distance of potential vector habitat in palm crowns.Conclusions: We observe probable anthropogenic elimination of A. butyracea palms in agricultural, but not residential, settings. Even in heavily deforested regions, significant concentrations of mature palms remain in close proximity to human establishments.
Self-assembly study of Type I collagen extracted from male Wistar Hannover rat tail tendons
Authors: González-Masís Jeimmy C. , Cubero-Sesin Jorge M. , Guerrero Simón , González-Camacho Sara , Corrales-Ureña Yendry Regina , Redondo-Gómez Carlos , Vega-Baudrit José Roberto , Gonzalez-Paz Rodolfo J.
Published: October 2020

BackgroundCollagen, the most abundant protein in the animal kingdom, represents a promising biomaterial for regenerative medicine applications due to its structural diversity and self-assembling complexity. Despite collagen’s widely known structural and functional features, the thermodynamics behind its fibrillogenic self-assembling process is still to be fully understood. In this work we report on a series of spectroscopic, mechanical, morphological and thermodynamic characterizations of high purity type I collagen (with a D-pattern of 65 nm) extracted from Wistar Hannover rat tail. Our herein reported results can be of help to elucidate differences in self-assembly states of proteins using ITC to improve the design of energy responsive and dynamic materials for applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.MethodsHerein we report the systematic study on the self-assembling fibrillogenesis mechanism of type I collagen, we provide morphological and thermodynamic evidence associated to different self-assembly events using ITC titrations. We provide thorough characterization of the effect of pH, effect of salts and protein conformation on self-assembled collagen samples via several complementary biophysical techniques, including circular dichroism (CD), Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).ResultsEmphasis was made on the use of isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) for the thermodynamic monitoring of fibrillogenesis stages of the protein. An overall self-assembly enthalpy value of 3.27 ± 0.85 J/mol was found. Different stages of the self-assembly mechanism were identified, initial stages take place at pH values lower than the protein isoelectric point (pI), however, higher energy release events were recorded at collagen's pI. Denatured collagen employed as a control exhibited higher energy absorption at its pI, suggesting different energy exchange mechanisms as a consequence of different aggregation routes.
Dissecting the Mechanism of Yuzhi Zhixue Granule on Ovulatory Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding by Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking
Authors: Li Jialin , Luo Hua , Liu Xinkui , Zhang Jingyuan , Zhou Wei , Guo Siyu , Chen Xiuping , Liu Yingying , Jia Shanshan , Wang Haojia , Li Bingbing , Cheng Guoliang , Wu Jiarui
Published: October 2020

Background: Yuzhi Zhixue Granule (YZG)is a traditional Chinese patent medicine for treating excessive menstrual flow caused by ovulatory dysfunctional uterine bleeding (ODUB) accompanied by heat syndrome. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms, potential targets, and active ingredients of this prescription are still unknown. Therefore, it is imperative to explore the molecular mechanism of YZG.Methods: The active compounds in YZG were screened by the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP). The putative targets of YZG were collected via TCMSP and Search Tool for Interacting Chemicals (STITCH) databases. The Therapeutic Target Database (TTD) and Pharmacogenomics Knowledgebase (PharmGKB) databases were used to identify the therapeutic targets of ODUB. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network containing both the putative targets of YZG and known therapeutic targets of ODUB was built. Furthermore, bioinformatics resources from the database for annotation, visualization and integrated discovery (DAVID) were utilized for Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses. Finally, molecular docking was performed to verify the binding effect between the YZG screened compounds and potential therapeutic target molecules.Results: The study employed a network pharmacology method, mainly containing target prediction, network construction, functional enrichment analysis, and molecular docking to systematically research the mechanisms of YZG in treating ODUB. The putative targets of YZG that treat ODUB mainly involved PTGS1, PTGS2, ALOX5, CASP3, LTA4H, F7 and F10. The functional enrichment analysis suggested that the produced therapeutic effect of YZG against ODUB is mediated by synergistical regulation of several biological pathways, including apoptosis arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism, serotonergic synapse, complement and coagulation cascades and C-type lectin receptor signaling pathways. Molecular docking simulation revealed good binding afﬁnity of the seven putative targets with the corresponding compounds.Conclusion: This novel and scientific network pharmacology-based study holistically elucidated the basic pharmacological effects and the underlying mechanisms of YZG in the treatment of ODUB.
Flow of Antarctic Bottom Water from the Vema Channel 
Authors: Morozov Eugene G , Frey Dmitry I. , Tarakanov Roman Y.
Published: October 2020

We analyze measurements of bottom currents and thermohaline properties of water north of the Vema Channel with the goal to find pathway continuations of Antarctic Bottom Water flow from the Vema Channel into the Brazil Basin. The analysis is based on CTD/LADCP casts north of the Vema Channel. The flow in the deep Vema Channel consists of two branches. The deepest current flows along the bottom in the center of the channel and the other branch flows above the western wall of the channel. We found two smaller channels of the northern continuation of the deeper bottom flow. These flows become weak and almost disappear at a latitude of 25°30’S. The upper current flows at a depth of 4100-4200 m along the continental slope. We traced this current up to 24°S over a distance exceeding 250 km. This branch transports bottom water that eventually fills the deep basins of the North Atlantic.
Effects of a Dietary Modification Intervention on Menstrual Pain and Urinary BPA Levels: A Single Group Clinical Trial
Authors: Park SoMi , Chung ChaeWeon
Published: October 2020

Background: Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) occurs mainly through dietary intake. Due to current lifestyle trends, young people tend to consume fast food, to use disposable products, and to utilize convenient household items, all of which are major sources of EDCs. In this study, we investigated the effects of a dietary modification intervention on menstrual pain and urinary bisphenol A (BPA) levels in female college students who experienced severe menstrual pain. In addition, we analyzed participants’ adherence to the intervention and examined whether their level of adherence was associated with differences in the effects of the intervention. Methods: A single-group pretest and repeated posttest experimental design was employed. Thirty female college students with a score of 5 or higher (out of 10) on a menstrual pain scale were recruited through convenience sampling. During three menstrual cycles, menstrual pain was scored on a 10-point scale after each cycle, and urinary BPA levels were measured from the first morning urine collected after each cycle. The intervention involved three components: small-group education, follow-up monitoring, and peer support via social network communication. Statistical analyses were conducted using Friedman one-way repeated-measure analysis of variance by ranks, non-parametric two-way analysis of variance, and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test as a post-hoc test.Results: The dietary modification intervention had significant effects on menstrual pain at all three time points of menstrual cycles (Z=-4.66~-4.56. p=0.000) and on urinary BPA levels until the 2nd menstrual cycle (Z=-3.39~-2.78, p=0.005). Slightly fewer than half (43.3%) of the participants were highly adherent. Menstrual pain differed according to adherence (F=4.67, p=0.032) and decreased over time through the third cycle post-intervention (F=18.30, p=0.000). Urinary BPA levels also decreased significantly (F=7.94, p=0.000). Conclusions: The dietary modification intervention was effective and sustainable for reducing menstrual pain and urinary BPA levels. Detailed information about EDCs and dietary experiences seemed to encourage the young women to become more concerned about EDCs and to perform self-protective actions. Further experimental research is suggested to examine the relationships of EDCs with various health indicators in women. Trial registrationKCT0005472 at 2020-9-24 retrospectively registered.
Transcriptome differences between Cupriavidus necator NH9 grown with 3-chlorobenzoate and that grown with benzoate
Authors: Moriuchi Ryota , Dohra Hideo , Kanesaki Yu , Ogawa Naoto
Published: October 2020

Background

Aromatic compounds derived from human activities are often released into the environment. Many of them, especially halogenated aromatics, are persistent in nature and pose threats to organisms. Therefore, the microbial degradation of these compounds has been studied intensively. Our laboratory has studied the expression of genes in Cupriavidus necator NH9 involved in the degradation of 3-chlorobenzoate (3-CB), a model compound for studies on bacterial degradation of chlorinated aromatic compounds. In this study aimed at exploring how this bacterium has adapted to the utilization of chlorinated aromatic compounds, we performed RNA-seq analysis of NH9 cells cultured with 3-CB, benzoate (BA), or citric acid (CA). The purpose of these analyses was to identify differentially expressed genes encoding products with various biological functions involved in the degradation of 3-CB and BA.

Results

Differential expression analysis confirmed strong induction of genes encoding enzymes in degradation pathways of 3-CB and BA, including benABCD (more than 256-fold compared with CA) encoding benzoate 1,2-dioxygenase involved in initial hydroxylation of both 3-CB and BA, and cbnABCD (more than 200-fold compared with BA and CA) encoding enzymes of chlorocatechol ortho -cleavage pathway. Four genes encoding major facilitator superfamily transporters were specifically induced by 3-CB or BA, and one cluster of genes encoding components of the ATP-binding cassette transporter system was significantly induced by 3-CB. Stress response genes encoding chaperones, proteases, the phosphate transporter PstBACS, and superoxide oxidase were upregulated in response to 3-CB and/or BA. Gene Ontology enrichment analysis revealed that genes encoding dioxygenases were upregulated by both 3-CB and BA. Intriguingly, the “cell motility,” “signal transduction,” and “chemotaxis” terms were significantly upregulated by BA compared with 3-CB. Consistent with this, in semi-solid agar plate assays, NH9 cells showed stronger chemotaxis to BA than to 3-CB.

Conclusions

Our results showed that the chemotaxis behavior of NH9 differs between 3-CB and BA. We inferred that NH9 has not fully adapted to the utilization of chlorinated benzoate, unlike its analogous aromatic compound BA, in nature.
Predictors of Growth of Escherichia Coli on Lab Coats as Part of Hospital-Acquired Infection Transmission Through Healthcare Personnel Attire
Authors: Hayajneh Audai A. , Jaradat Ziad W. , Al-Satari Eman S. , Abloom Mohamad H.
Published: October 2020

Background: Healthcare personnel (HCP) attire could be potential vehicles for microbial transmission. This study aimed to explore the extent of bacterial contamination and hygiene and handling practices of healthcare personnel attire that could influence bacterial growth. Methods: Descriptive, cross-sectional study was used in this study. Convenience sampling of the 188 healthcare personnel was recruited from a main holistic hospital in the northern part of Jordan. Three swab samples were collected from three different parts of lab coats used by each participant. ANOVA test and the generalized mixed linear model were used for the categorical variables of three or more levels and identify the predictors of positive growth of Escherichia Coli on healthcare personnel attire. Results: Enterococcus faecalis was the most common species of bacteria found on lab coat. Despite of no statistically significant differences were found, the HCP attire coming from the critical care units and the emergency department were highlighted with slightly higher contamination compared to other departments. Escherichia coli ‘s near-significant growth differences (p=0.057) were found based on different locations on lab coats compared to other types of bacteria. Factors associated with significant growth of Escherichia coli on healthcare personnel attire were age ≥36 years, a high income, bachelor marital status, working as a physician, lab coat use preferred over scrubs, and borrowing of lab coats. Conclusion: Healthcare personnel should be cautious about the method of use and storage of lab coats they wear.
Chronic pain after breast surgery: incidence, associated factors and impact on quality of life, an observational prospective study
Authors: Villa Gianluca , Mandarano Raffaele , Calabrisotto Caterina Scirè , Rizzelli Valeria , Duca Martina Del , Montin Diego Pomarè , Paparella Laura , De Gaudio A. Raffaele , Romagnoli Stefano
Published: October 2020

Background. Chronic pain after breast surgery (CPBS) has a disabling impact on postoperative health status. Mainly because of the lack of a clear definition, inconsistency does exist in the literature concerning both the actual incidence and the risk factors associated to CPBS. The aim of this prospective, observational study is to describe the incidence of and risk factors for CPBS, according to the definition provided by the IASP taskforce. The impact of CPBS on patients’ function and quality of life is also described. Methods. Adult female patients scheduled for oncological or reconstructive breast surgery at the Breast Unit of Careggi Hospital (Florence, Italy) were prospectively observed. Postoperative pain was evaluated at 2 months (“pain becoming chronic”) and at 3 months (CPBS) after surgery. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative factors were compared in CPBS and No-CPBS groups through multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results. Among the 307 patients considered in this study, the incidence of “pain becoming chronic” was 25.4% [95%CI 20.6%-30.7%], while that of CPBS was 28% [95%CI 23.1%-33.4%]. The presence of pain at 2 months concords with the presence of CPBS at 3 months (Cohen k coefficient 0.63, IC95% 0.54-0.73). Results from the logistic regression analysis suggest that axillary surgery (OR [95%CI], 2.99 [1.13-7.87], p=0.03), preoperative use of pain medications (OR [95%CI], 2.04 [1.20-3.46], p=0.01), and higher dynamic NRS values at 6 hours postoperatively (OR [95%CI], 1.28 [1.05-1.55], p=0.01) were all independent predictors for CPBS. Conclusions. Chronic pain after breast surgery is a frequent complication. The presence of early pain at 2 months after surgery concords with the occurrence of CPBS. The possibility to early detect persistent pain, particularly in those patients at high risk for CPBS, might help physicians to more effectively prevent pain chronicization. In our cohort, long-term use of analgesics for preexisting chronic pain, axillary surgery, and higher dynamic NRS values at 6 hours postoperatively were all factors associated with increased risk of developing CPBS. Trial registration: clinicalTrials.gov registration NCT04309929
Microbial upgrading of acetate into 2,3-butanediol and acetoin by E. coli W
Authors: Novak Katharina , Kutscha Regina , Pflügl Stefan
Published: October 2020

Background: Acetate is an abundant carbon source and its use as an alternative feedstock has great potential for the production of fuel and platform chemicals. Acetoin and 2,3-butanediol represent two of these potential platform chemicals.Results: The aim of this study was to produce 2,3-butanediol and acetoin from acetate in Escherichia coli W. The key strategies to achieve this goal were: strain engineering, in detail the deletion of mixed acid fermentation pathways E. coli W ΔldhA ΔadhE Δpta ΔfrdA 445_Ediss and the development of a new defined medium containing five amino acids and seven vitamins. Stepwise reduction of the media additives further revealed that diol production from acetate is mediated by the availability of aspartate. Other amino acids or TCA cycle intermediates did not enable growth on acetate. Cultivation under controlled conditions in batch and pulsed fed-batch experiments showed that aspartate was consumed before acetate, indicating that co-utilization is not a prerequisite for diol production. The addition of aspartate gave cultures a start-kick and was not required for feeding. Pulsed fed-batches resulted in the production of 1.43 g l-1 from aspartate and acetate and 1.16 g l-1 diols (2,3-butanediol and acetoin) from acetate alone. The yield reached 0.09 g diols per g acetate, which accounts for 26 % of the theoretical maximum.Conclusion: This study for the first time showed acetoin and 2,3-butanediol production from acetate as well as the use of chemically defined medium for product formation from acetate in E. coli. Hereby, we provide a solid base for process intensification and the investigation of other potential products.
Association between nontraditional lipid profiles and peripheral arterial disease in Chinese adults with hypertension
Authors: Ding Congcong , Chen Yang , Shi Yumeng , Li Minghui , Hu Lihua , Zhou Wei , Wang Tao , Zhu Lingjuan , Huang Xiao , Bao Huihui , Cheng Xiaoshu
Published: October 2020

Background: Data on the relationship of nontraditional lipid profiles [total cholesterol (TC)/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio, triglyceride (TG)/HDL-C ratio, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)/HDL-C ratio, non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C)] with the risk of peripheral artery disease (PAD) are limited. The present study investigated the relationship of nontraditional lipid indices with PAD in hypertensive patients.Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed among 10,900 adults with hypertension. Participants were diagnosed with PAD when their ankle-brachial index (ABI) < 0.9. The association of nontraditional lipid profiles with PAD was examined using multivariate logistic regression analysis and the restricted cubic spline.Results: All nontraditional lipid indices were independently and positively associated with PAD in a dose-response fashion. After multivariable adjustment, the per SD increments of the TC/HDL-C, TG/HDL-C, LDL-C/HDL-C ratios and non-HDL-C were all significantly associated with 37%, 14%, 40%, and 24% higher risk for PAD, respectively. The adjusted ORs (95% CI) for PAD were 1.77 (1.31, 2.40), 1.71 (1.25, 2.34), 2.03 (1.50, 2.74), and 1.70 (1.25, 2.31) when comparing the highest tertile to the lowest tertile of the TC/HDL-C, TG/HDL-C, LDL-C/HDL-C ratios and non-HDL-C, respectively. Conclusions: Among Chinese hypertensive adults, all nontraditional lipid indices were positively associated with PAD, and the LDL-C/HDL-C and TC/HDL-C ratios were better for predicting PAD than other nontraditional lipid indices, which may improve the risk stratification of cardiovascular disease and dyslipidemia management. Trial registration: CHiCTR, ChiCTR1800017274. Registered 20 July 2018
CD137 agonist induces gastric cancer cell apoptosis by enhancing the functions of CD8+ T cells via NF-κB signaling
Authors: Hu Ben-Shun , Tang Tian , Jia Jun-Li , Xie Bi-Chen , Wu Tie-Long , Sheng Ying-Yue , yuzheng xue , Tang Hua-Min
Published: October 2020

Background: CD137 is a target for tumor immunotherapy. However, the role of CD137 in gastric cancer (GC), especially in inducing GC cell apoptosis, has not been studied. Methods: Foxp3+ and CD8+ T cells in GCs were investigated using immunohistochemistry (IHC). CD137 expression in GCs was detected using flow cytometry, IHC and immunofluorescence (IF). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and CD8+ T cells isolated from peripheral blood were stimulated with a CD137 agonist in vitro. CD8+ T cell proliferation and p65 expression was examined using flow cytometry. P65 nuclear translocation was analyzed using IF. IL-10, TGF-β, IFN-γ, perforin and granzyme B were detected using real-time quantitative PCR (real-time PCR). PBMCs and primary GC cells were cocultured and stimulated with a CD137 agonist in vitro. Apoptosis of primary GC cells was detected using flow cytometry. Results: Our data demonstrated that GC tumors showed characteristics of an immunosuppressive microenvironment. CD137 was predominantly expressed in CD8+ T cells in GCs and had a positive correlation with tumor cell differentiation. The CD137 agonist promoted CD8+ T cell proliferation and increased the secretion of IFN-γ, perforin and granzyme B, which induced primary GC cell apoptosis. Mechanistically, this study found that the CD137 agonist induced NF-κB nuclear translocation in CD8+ T cells. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that a CD137 agonist induced primary GC cell apoptosis by enhancing CD8+ T cells via activation of NF-κB signaling.