bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Different Methods for Inducing Final Oocyte Maturation When Employing Progesterone-Primed Ovarian Stimulation Protocols
Authors: Sung Yen-Ju , Chen Liang-Hsuan , Chin Tzu-Hsuan , Huang Shang-Yu , Yu Hsing-Tse , Chang Chia-Lin , Huang Hong-Yuan , Wang Hsin-Shih , Soong Yung-Kuei , Wu Hsien-Ming
Published: November 2021

Background
Evidently, when undergoing GnRH-antagonist protocols, dual trigger has proven to produce not just better quality and quantity of oocytes but also pregnancy outcome. However, not much comparative studies have been published when PPOS protocol is used for ovarian stimulation. Can the same positive outcomes be expected after the patients have been exposed to the high level of progesterone required for PPOS protocols?
Methods
In this retrospective cohort study, patients undergoing PPOS protocols were separated into three groups based on the method employed for triggering final follicular maturation, which included: (a) human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG); (b) Gonadotropin-releasing hormone-agonist (GnRH-agonist); or (c)dual trigger (GnRH-agonist + hCG). Either in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) was utilized for fertilization. Assessment comprised of their dynamic hormone profiles, embryonic analysis, and clinical outcomes.
Results
Of the 344 recruited patients, those fulfilling the Bologna criteria as poor ovarian responders and showing Estradiol (E2)<1000 pg/ml on the day of triggering had higher oocyte maturation rate (82% vs 58%, p<0.05) when triggered with dual trigger (GnRH-agonist + hCG) than hCG alone. For the patients with E2> 6500 pg/ml on the day of triggering, none of the three triggering methods demonstrated a significant advantage regarding the number of oocytes, percentage of matured oocytes, and rate of oocytes at fertilization or cleavage stages.
Conclusions
Implementing dual trigger for stimulating final follicular maturation in patients undergoing PPOS protocols is debatable. For poor ovarian response (POR) patients, dual trigger appeared to yield higher percentage of matured oocytes. In contrast, for hyper-responders, methods of triggering oocyte maturation did not affect the percentage of matured oocytes or the qualities of the embryos. For this group of patients, therefore, the agent used should be one that would reduce the risks of ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome (OHSS).
Diagnostic Accuracy of Probe-Based Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy and Tissue Sampling by Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography in Indeterminate Biliary Strictures: A Meta‑Analysis
Authors: Mi Junjie , Han Xiaofang , Wang Rong , Ma Ruijun , Zhao Danyu
Published: November 2021

Probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (pCLE), also known as optical biopsy, is a new endoscopic technique that provides real-time magnification of 1000x microscopic tissue information to diagnose indeterminate biliary strictures. Tissue sampling by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is routinely performed to evaluate indeterminate biliary strictures. To evaluate the accuracy of pCLE and tissue sampling by ERCP in the diagnosis of indeterminate biliary strictures, 18 articles were included from 2008 to 2021 through Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane library databases. The summary estimates for the pCLE diagnosis of indeterminate biliary strictures were: sensitivity 0.88 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.84-0.91); specificity 0.79 (95% CI, 0.74-0.83); and Diagnostic Odds Ratio (DOR) 24.63 (95% CI, 15.76-38.48). The summary estimates for tissue sampling by ERCP diagnosis for indeterminate biliary strictures were: sensitivity 0.54 (95% CI, 0.49-0.59); specificity 0.96 (95% CI, 0.94-0.98); and DOR 11.31 (95% CI 3.90-32.82). The area under the sROC curve of pCLE diagnosis of indeterminate biliary strictures is 0.90 higher than 0.65 of tissue sampling by ERCP. The pCLE is a better approach than tissue sampling by ERCP for the diagnosis of indeterminate biliary strictures by providing real-time microscopic images of the bile ducts.
Protection to Six Vaccinable Pathogens in Paired Plasma/DBS and HIV Impact in Infected and Uninfected Children From Kinshasa
Authors: Ana Rodríguez-Galet , Marina Rubio-Garrido , Ana Valadés-Alcaraz , Mario Rodríguez-Domínguez , Carlos Galán Juan , Adolphe Ndarabu , Gabriel Reina , África Holguín
Published: November 2021

Child vaccination reduces infant mortality rates. HIV-infected children present higher risk of diseases than non-infected. We report the protection coverage rates to 6 vaccine-preventable diseases in a paediatric population from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the impact of HIV infection, providing the first data on the validity of dried blood samples (DBS) to monitor the immune protection. During 2016-2018 DBS from 143 children/adolescents were collected in Kinshasa (DRC), being 52 HIV-infected. Forty-two had a paired plasma sample. Protective IgG was quantified (VirClia®IgG,Vircell) to obtain the optimal cut-off in IgG detection in DBS. ROC curves were generated with R software and statistical analyses with Stata. Protective IgG levels varied across pathogens, not reaching the herd immunity. HIV-infected presented lower vaccine protection than uninfected for all analysed pathogens, except rubella, with statistically significant differences for measles (30.8% vs. 53.8%;p=0.008) and tetanus (3.8% vs. 22%;p=0.004). New cut-offs were calculated when using DBS to improve test performance. We reinforce the necessity to increase pediatric vaccination coverage in Kinshasa, specially in HIV seropositive, with less capacity to maintain adequate antibody levels. DBS were useful to monitor vaccination coverage in seroprevalence studies in resource-limited settings, after optimizing the cut-off value for each pathogen.
Nomogram to Predict Delayed Complications in Patients with Uncomplicated Acute Type B Aortic Dissection
Authors: Liu Hanbo , Chen Jun , Feng Ri , Fang Wenbin , Liu Yi , Deng Min , Lai Jifu
Published: November 2021

Background
Delayed complications within the first 2 weeks in initially uncomplicated acute type B aortic dissection (uATBAD) are not scarce, which needs special attention to prevent potentially fatal complications. This study aims to develop a nomogram for estimating the probability of patients with uATBAD developing delayed complications.
Methods
The nomogram was derived from a retrospectively study of 135 patients with uATBAD from 2011 to 2021 at a single medical center. The performance of the nomogram was evaluated from discrimination, calibration, and clinical usefulness. The results were internally validated by bootstrapping.
Results
In the multivariate analysis, the independent predictors of delayed complications identified were age ≥65 years (OR, 0.320; 95%CI, 0.108-0.831; P = 0.027), C-reactive protein (OR, 1.017; 95%CI, 1.006-1.029; P = 0.003), and maximum diameter of primary entry tear (OR, 1.089; 95%CI, 1.025-1.162; P = 0.007). The prediction model was internally validated by bootstrapping and revealed good discrimination (optimism-corrected C statistic, 0.706) and good calibration (Hosmer–Lemeshow test, P = 0.6468). Decision curve analysis demonstrated that the prediction nomogram was clinically useful.
Conclusions
This study presents a nomogram based on independent predictors of clinical and morphological parameters that could help identify patients with uATBAD who might occur delayed complications and thus improve the prognosis of patients.
Impact of the “Drugspeak” Program on Drug Name Pronunciation Skills and Perceptions in a Pharmacy Student Cohort
Authors: Cheesman Matthew J. , Do Darren , Alcorn Sean , Grant Gary , Cardell Elizabeth
Published: November 2021

Background: Medication errors can lead to life-threatening outcomes. Such errors can arise from the poor pronunciation of drug names, leading to the unintentional administration of incorrect medicines to patients. In our experience, students experience difficulties in pronouncing many drug names. We have devised a pilot study called DrugSpeak to provide students with the educational scaffolding required to pronounce both familiar and unfamiliar drug names correctly.Methods: A total of 26 willing student participants from a second-year Pharmacy course were provided access to online videos and audio recordings of drug names, and undertook a workshop that provided them with basic phonetics training to assist them in pronouncing drug names correctly. Students conducted audio recordings of a list of drug names at the start and end of the course, as well as surveys both before and after the intervention with the DrugSpeak Program. Results: Significant increases in student performances in terms of drug pronunciation and accuracy were observed following the DrugSpeak program. Students were strongly supportive of the DrugSpeak program in their coursework and perceived a high importance of drug pronunciation at university and in their future career paths. They also reported reductions in anxiety and improvements in their confidence levels arising from DrugSpeak in terms of their drug pronunciation proficiency levels.Conclusions: The DrugSpeak Program yielded promising outcomes in the improvement of student drug pronunciation skills, and in providing students with confidence to tackle drug names unfamiliar to them. Future studies will address the extensibility and effectiveness of the program in other health degree courses.
Computational Investigation of Thermal Decomposition Mechanism of 5-Nitro-5-R-1,3-Dioxane Compounds
Authors: Ruiz Pablo Andrés , Quijano Silvia , Quijano Jairo
Published: November 2021

This paper features the results of the computational study of thermal decomposition reaction of 5-nitro-5-R-1,3-dioxane compounds, with R=H, Br and CH3. Computational calculations were performed on M06-2X/6-311+G(d,p) in gas phase and also in solution with DMSO, at different temperatures. The kinetic and thermodynamic data obtained indicate a favoring of the reaction when the molecule presents a CH3 substituent group in position 5 and when carried out in DMSO, the stability of the molecules in their energetic components was discussed, too. For R=H two different reaction mechanisms were proposed and studied. Wiberg bonds indices were obtained for the reactions studied and the results were examined in terms of bond formation and bond breaking progress as well.
Development of a Core Set of Outcome Measures for Use During Treatment of Children With Idiopathic Toe Walking: A Delphi Study and Online Parent Survey
Authors: Gray Kelly , Pacey Verity , Caserta Antoni , Polt Desiree , Williams Cylie M
Published: November 2021

Introduction

There is diversity in outcome measures used during monitoring and treatment of the exclusionary diagnosis idiopathic toe walking (ITW) in children. This diversity makes synthesis of treatment effects difficult. The primary aim of this research was to develop a core set of outcome measures identified by health professionals for use when undertaking treatment with children who have ITW. The secondary aims were to understand if parents agreed with this core set, and if parents believed they could undertake any of these measures in the absence of the clinician.
Methods

Study 1 was the development of consensus and agreement through the modified Delphi technique with 10 expert health professionals. The first round gathered questions and assessments for consensus, the second and third round enabled agreement with these questions and assessments. Study 2 was an online survey where parents of children who toe walked were invited to provide opinions on the importance of these measures and if they believed they may be able to collect the data about their child without the health professional being present.
Results

Ten health professionals provided 21 questions and assessments in Round 1 to measure treatment effectiveness for ITW in children. Following consensus and agreement by health professionals over the three rounds, there were nine questions and assessments presented to parent participants in Study 2. There were 34 parents who provided information about their satisfaction with toe walking assessments and treatments. There 27 parents provide detailed responses about the outcome questions and assessments, most parents in support of the core set identified by the experts. Parents also expressed a willingness to self-complete questions or be taught assessments to monitor their child’s progress.
Conclusion

This research developed a core set of questions and measures clinicians, and researchers could implement during health care provision and any research of children with ITW. Use of these measures will enable consistent data collection regardless of the setting and provide the foundation for large data pooling in future treatment research.
Spectroscopic and Transport Behavior of HAB-6FDA Thermally Rearranged (TR) Nanocomposite Membranes
Authors: Patel Harsh , ACHARYA NAVEEN KUMAR
Published: November 2021

Nanocomposite membranes are a class of innovative filtering materials made up of nanofillers embedded in a polymeric or inorganic oxide matrix that functionalized for the membrane. Thermally rearranged (TR) polymers are found to have a good blending of selectivity and permeability. Chemical iridization is a process for used to make HAB-6FDA polyimide from 3,3 dihydroxy-4,4 diamino-biphenyl (HAB) & 2,2-bis-(3,4-dicarboxyphenyl) hexafluoro propane dianhydride (6FDA). The sample is first changed from a pure polymer membrane to a silica nanofiller doped polymer layer and explain thermally rearrangement for gas permeability in polymer nanocomposite layers and its relationship with kinetic diameter of different gases. The selectivity is decreases as the permeability increases that shows on a trade-off relationship between permeability & selectivity. The CO2 permeability of the HAB-6FDA TR polymers is greater than that of other classes of polymers by equal free volume and indicating that these TR polymers have free volume distribution that supports high permeability. Thermally rearranged polymer nanocomposite exhibits higher gas permeability than that of silica doped and pure polymer. The selectivity for H2/N2 and H2/CO2 gas pairs exceeds towards Robeson's upper bound limit and in case of H2/CH4 gas pair this limit were crossed the Robeson’s upper bond limit. UV spectroscopy shows the change in transmission at higher wavelengths, while XRD show the reduction in FWHM with thermal treatment temperature. Polymer nanocomposite can be utilized to obtain high purity hydrogen gas for refinery and petrochemical applications.
Subclinical Carotid Artery Atherosclerosis and Cognitive Function in Older Adults
Authors: Lin Felice , Pa Judy , Karim Roksana , Hodis Howard N. , Han S. Duke , Henderson Victor W. , John Jan A. St. , Mack Wendy J.
Published: November 2021

BackgroundThe combined effects of increased life expectancy and the considerable number of persons reaching old age will magnify the dementia epidemic in the United States. Demonstration that subclinical atherosclerosis precedes and is associated with cognitive impairment suggests a modifiable risk factor for age-associated cognitive impairment and dementia. The purpose of this study is to determine whether subclinical atherosclerosis as measured by carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) is associated with changes in cognitive function over time in older adults.MethodsThis cohort study combined longitudinal data from three clinical trials conducted between 2000-2013: the B-Vitamin Atherosclerosis Intervention Trial (BVAIT), the Women’s Isoflavone Soy Health (WISH) trial, and the Early versus Late Intervention Trial with Estradiol (ELITE). Participants were recruited from the general population in the Greater Los Angeles area and were free of cardiovascular disease and diabetes; no cognitive or psychiatric exclusion criteria were specified. The same standardized protocol for ultrasound image acquisition and measurement of CIMT was used in all trials. CIMT measurements performed at baseline were used in these analyses. Cognitive function was assessed at baseline and at 2.5 years using a battery of 14 standardized cognitive tests. All clinical trials were conducted at the University of Southern California Atherosclerosis Research Unit, Los Angeles and had at least 2.5 years of cognitive follow-up.Results308 men and 1,187 women, mean age of 61 years, were included in the combined longitudinal dataset for the primary analysis. No associations were found between CIMT and cognitive function at baseline. There was a weak inverse association between CIMT at baseline and change in global cognition assessed over 2.5 years (β (SE)=-0.056 (0.278) units per 0.1 mm CIMT, SE: 0.278, 95% CI: -0.110, -0.001, p=0.045). No associations between CIMT at baseline and changes in executive function, verbal memory, or visual memory were found.ConclusionsIn this sample of healthy older adults, our findings suggest an association between subclinical atherosclerosis and change in global cognitive function over 2.5 years. Subclinical atherosclerosis of the carotid artery may be a modifiable predictor of cognitive decline in middle and older age.Trial RegistrationBVAIT (NCT00114400), WISH (NCT00118846), ELITE (NCT00114517)
Symmetrical Sporotrichosis: Self-Inoculated by Frequently Contacting Skin Lesion?
Authors: zheng Lu , Ran Xin , Pradhan Sushmita , RAN Yuping
Published: November 2021

An 85-years-old farmer presented with verrucous mass in the right lower leg inner side for five years, and then the left leg inner side gradually developed a similar lesion. Yeast cells were observed in the tissue with PAS and GMS. Sporothrix globose was identified by culture, ITS, and CAL. The patient improved after 4 months of oral terbinafine. The development and distribution of exceptional characteristics lesion indicated self-inoculation by the close touch of legs during sleeping resulted in symmetrical sporotrichosis.
Dual Target of EGFR and mTOR Suppress Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cell Growth Via Regulation The Phosphorylation of mTOR Downstream Proteins
Authors: Ma Jing , Li Hongtao , Cao Yanzhen , Fan Jingjing , Ma Binlin
Published: November 2021

Background：Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC) are the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer, accounting for 15% - 20% of all cases, and have no response to available hormonal therapies and anti-HER2-targeted therapies due to the absence of corresponding targets. Over half of TNBC patients have overexpressed EGFR, but they are insensitive to EGFR inhibitors from monotherapy. Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) connected with EGFR in the downstream signaling and involved in the progress of TNBC. The purpose of this study is to determine the combined effect of everolimus and geftinib in a TNBC cell model and investigate the possible mechanism. Results: This work showed the expression EGFR and p-mTOR protein in TNBC tissues were significantly higher than that in non-TNBC(p<0.05), while the expression of mTOR, S6K1, pEGFR and p-S6K1 were significantly higher in the EGF stimulation. EGFR and p-mTOR protein are related to poor prognosis. EGFR inhibitor gefitinib and mTOR inhibitor everolimus significantly inhibited the proliferation of human triple-negative breast cancer MDA-MB-468 cells and arrested cells in G0/G1 phase when applied separately and in combination in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.05). Meanwhile, the rate of apoptosis of MDA-MB-468 cells was significantly incresased separately by two drugs (P<0.01). Furthermore, the combination of everolimus and geftinib reduced the phosphorylation of mTOR downstream proteins. Instead, the phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 was enhanced after the everolimus and geftinib treatment, indicated an alternative activation pattern. Conclusions: These results suggested that dual inhibition of mTOR and EGFR could be a promising approach to treat TNBC.
Jujuboside A Attenuates Sepsis-Induced Cardiomyopathy By Inhibiting Inflammation and Regulating Autophagy
Authors: Wang Zi , Ji Qingqi , Li Yanjie , Cai Zhaohua , Fang Liang , Huo Huanhuan , Zhou Guo , Yan Xiangming , Shen Linghong , He Ben
Published: November 2021

Background: Jujuboside A (JuA), as a main effective component of Jujubogenin, which was extracted from the seed of Ziziphus jujuba Mill, has long been known as a sedative-hypnotic drug. The aim of the current study was to investigate the potential effect of JuA on sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy (SIC) induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in mouse models. Method: Wide type C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into four groups: ddH2O+control, ddH2O+JuA, LPS+NS and LPS +JuA, and the cardiac function of septic mice were detected by echocardiography. Moreover, the survival rate at each time point was calculated for 7 days. ELISA assays were used to analyze inflammatory factors in serum. Furthermore, Western blotting, flow cytometry and TUNEL staining were performed to assess cell apoptosis and transmission electron microscopy detecting the number of autophagosomes. Finally, the expression of autophagy-related and oxidative stress-related proteins was analyzed by western blotting and immunohistochemistry staining. Results: Results showed that JuA pretreatment significantly improved the survival rate and cardiac function, and suppressed systemic inflammatory response in septic mice. Further study revealed that JuA could decrease cell apoptosis and enhanced autophagy. Moreover, JuA pretreatment also significantly decreased oxidative stress and nitrodative stress, as evidenced by downregulating iNOS and gp91 expression in vivo. In addition, the autophagy inhibitor 3‑MA significantly abolished the effect of JuA on autophagic activity in SIC. Conclusion: In conclusion, the findings indicated that JuA enhanced autophagy blocking inflammasome-mediated cardiomyocyte apoptosis and suppress myocardial iNOS and gp91 expression to improve cardiac function of SIC in septic mice.
Can sarcopenia index serve as a predictor of myocarditis from mRNA based COVID-19 vaccine, insights from clustered cases and potential involvement of micro-RNAs in its pathogenesis.
Authors: AbdelMassih Antoine , Shershaby Meryam El , Gaber Hanya , Ismail Habiba-Allah , El-Hussseiny Nadine , Amin Abeer , ElBoraie Aly , Ayad Aya , Menshawey Esraa , Sefein Fady , Osman Ibrahim , Moursi Mai , Hanafy Maram , AbdelAziz Mariam , Arsanyous Mariem , Khaled-Ibn-El-Walid Mariam , Tawfik Marwa , Habib Menna , Mansour Mina , Ashraf Mirette , Khattab Mohamed , AlShehry Nada , Hafez Nada , ElDeeb Naheel Essam , Ashraf Nirvana , Khalil Noha , AbdElSalam Noheir , Shebl Noura , Hafez Nouran , Youssef Nourhan , Bahnan Odette , Ismail Passant , Kelada Peter , Menshawey Rahma , Saeed Rana , Husseiny Reem , Yasser Reem , Sharaf Safa , Adel Veronia , Naeem Youstina , Nicola Youstina , Kamel Aya , Hozaien Rafeef , Fouda Raghda
Published: November 2021

Background: With the current mass international roll out of several vaccines against SARS-Cov-2, several reports of unheeded complications have made headlines. One of which involves myocarditis with the now FDA fully approved vaccine, Pfizer, and others. We hypothesize through this study that a dysregulated micro-RNA response resulting from such type of vaccines can be involved in triggering myocarditis. Methodology: Embase, Medline and the Cochrane Central Register were used to search for specific keywords such as “mRNA COVID-19 vaccines” AND “Myocarditis” for relevant publications up to 1st of September 2021. The systematic review was performed using PRISMA protocolResults:Literature review has identified 26 cases series and reports involving the development of myocarditis from mRNA vaccines, a total of 89 patients were included. Age range was clearly identified in 66 patients. Among those 66 patients, 94% were below 50 years of age, also out of 89 patients, 94% were males. Myocarditis developed, after a median time of 72 hours of the 2nd dose. 90 of cases of myocarditis developed myocarditis after the 2nd dose, the few patients developing myocarditis after the first dose were either predisposed by a history of myocarditis or a history of previous COVID-19 infection. Conclusion:In conclusion, interpretation of the results in view of the suggested hypothesis, reveals that the micro-RNAs implicated in myocarditis in general are as well implicated in the pathogenesis of severe COVID-19, this can explain why patients having a first dose with a history of COVID-19 can develop myocarditis from mRNA vaccines, also the relatively higher likelihood of this complication in males and younger aged individuals can be explained by the upregulation of key myocarditis related miRNAs in those two strata, due to higher muscle mass and suggests performing a sarcopenia index in recipients of the vaccine to correlate it with the likelihood of this complication. This could later set a cut-off of this easy bed-side index to stratify cases a higher risk of this rare complication.
Sublobectomy versus lobectomy for postoperative cough-related quality of life and recovery in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer patients: a longitudinal study.
Authors: Lin Rongjia , CHEN Wen , ZHU Leilei , PAN Xiaojie
Published: November 2021

Background

To quantitatively evaluate postoperative cough regarding changes in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and recovery trajectory with the Leicester Cough Questionnaire in Mandarin-Chinese (LCQ-MC) in patients undergoing video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Methods

Overall, 156 patients with NSCLC underwent either VATS lobectomy or VATS sublobectomy; LCQ-MC was used to report the impact of postoperative cough on HRQOL for 6 months after discharge. Recovery from postoperative cough was defined as LCQ-MC scores returning to preoperative levels. The sensitivity of LCQ-MC to changes in postoperative cough recovery over time was evaluated via its ability to distinguish between surgery types.
Results

The VATS sublobectomy group reported significantly higher mean LCQ-MC scores 1 month after discharge, but without no significant differences postoperatively at 3 and 6 months after discharge, and returned to preoperative physical (69 vs. 99 days), psychological (67 vs. 99 days), social (50 vs. 98 days) and total (69 vs. 99 days) scores faster than the VATS lobectomy group (all p <0.05).
Conclusion

The LCQ-MC can adequately assess the impact of postoperative cough on HRQOL. Routine monitoring of postoperative cough recovery through LCQ-MC scores could be added to enhanced recovery after surgery.
Analysis of Wavelength Sensitivity of Coupling Coefficients and Inter-core Crosstalk in a 9 core Multi-core Fiber
Authors: Hossain Afzal , Majumder Satya Prasad
Published: November 2021

Wavelength dependence of coupling coefficients and inter-core crosstalk in a 9-core homogeneous multi-core optical fiber (MCF) are investigated analytically. The analysis is further extended to evaluate the mean crosstalk power at the output of any core with light launched into other core of the MCF. Propagation length dependence of mean crosstalk power is investigated using both coupled mode theory (CMT) and coupled power theory (CPT). CPT based results show that mean crosstalk power linearly dependent on propagation distance, and it is higher for higher values of coupling coefficient. On the other hand, the mean crosstalk power is found to oscillate with the propagation distance in case of CMT. It is also observed that the mean crosstalk power (dB) is more prominent at a lower wavelength for a given propagation distance. The behavour of relative crosstalk power is also investigated analytically where it is noticed that the relative crosstalk power increases almost linearly with core pitch and with wavelength. It is also seen that the relative crosstalk power (dB) is more in an MCF with lower number of cores when it is varied with respect to wavelength. This is due to the increase of core pitch under the same cladding diameter and cladding thickness limitations.
BCOR-CCNB3 Sarcoma with Concurrent RNF213-SLC26A11 Gene Fusion: A Rare Sarcoma with Altered Histopathological Features After Chemotherapy
Authors: Huang Wen , Wang Wei , Huang Liang-Liang , Li Heng , Zhou Wen-Chao , Wu Hai-Bo
Published: November 2021

Background Chemotherapy is a common approach for cancer treatment, but intrinsic genetic mutations in different individuals may cause different responses to chemotherapy, resulting in unique histopathological changes. The genetic mutation along with the distinct histopathological features may indicate new tumor entities. BCOR-CCNB3 sarcomas are a kind of Ewing-like sarcomas (ELS) occurring mostly in bone and soft tissues. No gene fusion other than BCOR-CCNB3 has been found in this type of tumor. Case presentation Here, we report a case of 17-year-old male patient presented with a mass on his left shoulder that was diagnosed as undifferentiated small round cell sarcoma according to core biopsy. The patient received 5 courses of pre-operational chemotherapy, and the tumor was resected and analyzed. We observed primitive small round cells and larger myoid cells in the resected tumor tissue but not in biopsy, arterioles stenosis and occlusion were also detected, indicating a dramatic change of histopathological features of this tumor. In addition, the immunohistochemical results showed the altered staining patterns of BCOR, bcl2, CyclinD1, TLE1, AR, SMA, CD117, STAB2, CD56 and CD99 in tumor tissues after chemotherapy. Importantly, RNA sequencing revealed a RNF213-SLC26A11 fusion in the tumor sample. Conclusions We propose that the BCOR-CCNB3 sarcoma with RNF213-SLC26A11 fusion may indicate a subset of tumors that undergo histopathological changes in response to chemotherapy. More similar cases in the future may help to clarify the clinical meanings of RNF213-SLC26A11 fusion in BCOR-CCNB3 sarcomas and the underlying mechanisms.
Positive Changes in Life Outcomes over the Pandemic in Chinese Adolescents: The Role of Resilience and Relation to Mental Health
Authors: Li Jian-Bin , Dou Kai , Liu Zi-Hao
Published: November 2021

Background

Although the existing literature has well documented the negative effects of COVID-19 on multiple life outcomes in adolescents, some research has also revealed that some life outcomes have become better during COVID-19. Scant research has specifically examined to what extent and in what aspects COVID-19 is beneficial to adolescent development so far. With person-centered approach, this research addressed this gap by: (1) exploring different profiles of positive changes in life outcomes in Chinese adolescents since the outbreak of COVID-19; (2) examining the role of resilience in relation to different profiles; (3) comparing mental health across adolescents categorized into different profiles.
Method

Participants were 2,567 Chinese adolescents aged 12 to 24. They rated how much their lives of different domains had experienced positive changes since the outbreak of the pandemic. They also answered the questionnaires that measured their resilience and mental health.
Results

Results of latent profile analysis revealed three different profiles: limited positive changes (33.3%), partial positive changes (49.5%), and overall strong positive changes (17.2%). Moreover, adolescents with a higher level of resilience were more likely to be categorized into the partial positive changes profile compared to the limited positive changes profile and into the overall strong positive changes profile compared to the other two profiles, after controlling for the covariates. Finally, adolescents in the overall strong positive changes profile had better mental health than their counterparts in the other two profiles.
Conclusion

COVID-19 might be helpful to adolescent development to some extent, especially for those with higher resilience.
The Clinicopathological Features and Unusual Immunophenotype of Primary Tracheobronchial Granular Cell Tumors
Authors: Wan Ying , Zhang Ying , Pang Zhongguo , Lu Changli , Jiang Lili
Published: November 2021

BackgroundPrimary tracheobronchial granular cell tumors (GCTs) are rare. The characteristics of these tumors are unclear, and they are easily misdiagnosed. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the clinicopathological features and immunophenotype profile of these tumors of the tracheobronchial tree.MethodsFour patients were treated for GCTs of the tracheobronchial tree at our institution during 2009–2020. The clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical (IHC) findings were performed in all cases. In addition, seven typical GCTs involving the subcutaneous tissues (4/7) and esophagus (3/7) were also selected as control groups to evaluate the differences in IHC characteristics in different locations. Fisher’s exact test was adopted in analysis of categorical data.ResultsThere were four patients, two females and two males, aged 15, 22, 45 and 52. Three tracheobronchial tumors were solitary with a range from 2.0 to 3.1 cm (mean, 2.6 cm) in its large axis, while one sample was multiple. Chest computed tomography (CT) often suggested lung infectious lesions. On histopathology, three samples were typical GCTs, and the other sample was atypical with a fusiform or spindled morphology. All tumor cells stained positive for S100 protein, CD68, and Nestin and negative for Inhibin-α and thyroid transcription factor-1（TTF-1）. The Ki-67 index was less than 5%. Tracheobronchial GCTs exhibited occasional focal and weakly positive transcription factor E3 (TFE3) staining and had a lower ratio than those in other sites, while calretinin showed predominant subcutaneous expression. Two patients treated with tumor resection and the others only performed an endoscopic biopsy. Follow-up period ranged from 24 to 68 months with a mean of 42 months.ConclusionsPrimary tracheobronchial GCTs are rare and are often mimics pneumonia, which have a good prognosis even without surgical resections. Tracheobronchial GCTs had an unusual immunophenotype of TFE3 expression compared with other sites. This result may reflect a site-specific phenomenon distinguishing GCTs of the tracheobronchial tree.
Evaluation of Liquefaction Potential of Some Sites in Uyo Metropolis, Akwa Ibom State, Southeastern Nigeria
Authors: Ilori Abidemi O , Unufi Iniobong Uloh
Published: November 2021

Liquefaction potential analysis were carried out for some locations within Uyo metropolis, Akwa- Ibom state, Southeastern Nigeria using mostly cone penetration test data. The dominant soil is the Coastal Plain Sands. Unified Soil Classification System places soil within 20 m depth in the clayey sand (SC), silty sand(SM), poorly graded sand(SP) and dual combination of the three, namely SC-SM, SM-SP. Factor of safety(FS) was calculated for potential earth tremors with 7.5 and 4.5 moment magnitude and a peak ground acceleration (PGA) value of 0.16g. Other than the first layer in some the sites in which values of FS is greater than 1.0, the factors of safety for the 7.5 magnitude for all depth up to 20.0 m are less than one. For the 4.5 moment magnitude, the FS is less than 1.0 in some layers and greater than 1.0 in others. Liquefaction potential index (LPI) values for the sites range from 0 to 26.65, this places the level of liquefaction severity for all the sites in the ‘very low’ to ‘very high’ category based on level of severity classification. Potential settlement of the liquefiable layers estimated at the sites ranges from 8.38 cm to 58.48 cm. Settlement values were used to correlate liquefaction zones. Liquefaction potential index has a coefficient of correlation of 0.54 with settlement values.
Neutralizing antibody-independent immunity to SARS-CoV-2 in Syrian hamsters and human ACE-2 transgenic mice immunized with a RBD/Nucleocapsid fusion protein
Authors: Gazzinelli Ricardo , de Castro Julia Teixeira , Fumagalli Marcilio , Hojo-Souza Natalia , Azevedo Patrick , Salazar Natalia , Rattis Bruna , Ramos Simone , Faustino Lidia , Almeida Gregorio , Oliveira Livia , Marçal Tomas , Augusto Marconi , Magalhaes Rubens , Cassaro Bruno , Burle-Caldas Gabriela , Doro Daniel , Kalil Jorge , Durigon Edson , Salazar Andres , Caballero Otávia , Machado Alexandre , Silva Joao S. , Fonseca Flávio , Fernandes Ana Paula , Teixeira Santuza , Gazzinelli Ricardo
Published: November 2021

The nucleocapsid (N) and the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the Spike (S) proteins elicit robust antibody and T cell responses either in vaccinated or COVID-19 convalescent individuals. We generated a chimeric protein that comprises the sequences of RBD from S and N antigens (SpiN). SpiN was highly immunogenic and elicited a strong IFNγ response from T cells and high levels of antibodies to the inactivated virus, but no neutralizing antibodies (nAb). Importantly, hamsters and the human Angiotensin Convertase Enzyme-2-transgenic mice immunized with SpiN were highly resistant to challenge with the wild type SARS-CoV-2, as indicated by viral load, clinical outcome, lung inflammation and lethality. This protective immunity was dependent of CD4+ T and CD8+ T cells, but not by transfer of antibody of vaccinated mice. Thus, our experiment provides an example T cell-mediated immunity and reinforce the concept that T cell target antigens other that the S protein maybe considered to improve SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, and eventually circumvent the immune scape by variants.
Early Intensive Physical and Respiratory Therapy after Emergency Abdominal Surgery: Pilot Phase of the Incidence of Complications Following Emergency Abdominal Surgery Get Exercising (ICEAGE) Randomised Controlled Trial.
Authors: Boden Ianthe , Sullivan Kate , Hackett Claire , Winzer Brooke , Hwang Rita , Story David , Denehy Linda
Published: November 2021

Background: After emergency abdominal surgery, patients are at significantly greater risk of delayed physical recovery and developing a pulmonary complication compared to patients having the equivalent elective procedure. No randomised controlled trial has assessed the feasibility, safety, or effectiveness of intensive postoperative physiotherapy in this high-risk acute population. Methods: The internal pilot phase of the Incidence of Complications after Emergency Abdominal surgery Get Exercising (ICEAGE) trial was a prospective, parallel-group, single-centre, active-placebo controlled, randomised trial that evaluated the feasibility, safety, and clinical trial processes of providing early intensive physiotherapy following emergency abdominal surgery, prior to rolling into a planned multicentre efficacy phase. The internal pilot phase of ICEAGE recruited fifty consecutive patients having emergency abdominal surgery at the principal participating hospital. Eligible patients were randomly assigned to standard-care physiotherapy (single session of education and coached breathing exercises plus daily assisted ambulation for 15-minutes) or intensive physiotherapy (unlimited education, twice daily coached breathing exercises for two days, and 30-minutes of daily supervised rehabilitation over the first five postoperative days). Results: Interventions were successfully provided as per-protocol in 35% (78/221) of planned treatment sessions. Primary barriers to protocol delivery were physiotherapist unavailability on weekends (59/221 (27%)), awaiting patient consent (18/99 (18%)), and patient fatigue (26/221 (12%)). Despite these inhibitors to treatment delivery, the intervention group received twice as many breathing exercise sessions and four-fold the total duration of assisted exercise over the first five postoperative days (86 minutes (IQR 53 – 121) versus 23 minutes (IQR 12 – 29), p<0.001). One adverse event was reported from 78 supervised physical activity sessions (1.3%) which resolved fully on cessation of activity without the need for escalation of medical care.Conclusions: Intensive postoperative physiotherapy was safely delivered within a randomised controlled trial environment and resulted in significantly more coached breathing exercises and greater time spent physically active over the first five days after emergency abdominal surgery. The multicentre phase of ICEAGE conducted within a pragmatic and widely generalisable clinical environment will provide inaugural evidence on the effectiveness of intensive physiotherapy to prevent pulmonary complications and improve physical recovery after emergency abdominal surgery.Trial registration: ANZCTRN 12615000318583. Prospectively registered 8th April 2015.
A quick and simple spectrophotometric method to determine total carbon concentrations in root exudation samples
Authors: Oburger Eva , Wenzel Walter , Santangeli Michael
Published: November 2021

PurposeRoot exudates are key components driving belowground interaction between plant, microbes and soil. While high-end analytical approaches provide advanced insights into exudate metabolite diversity, the amount of total carbon (C) released by roots is the most basic parameter that should always be measured when characterizing root exudation as it (i) provides quantitative information of C exuded into the surrounding soil and (ii) allows to relate the abundance of individual exudate compounds to total C released. Here we propose a simple and quick, spectrophotometry-based method to quantify total dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration in exudation samples that is based on measuring the absorption of a pre-filtered but otherwise untreated exudate sample at 260 nm.MethodExudate samples collected from different species and experimental approaches were analysed with our DOC assay and results were compared with C concentrations obtained by liquid TOC-analyser, demonstrating the suitability of our method.ConclusionOur method will facilitate quick and inexpensive measurements and thus increase our understanding of root exudation and related rhizosphere processes.
Impact of a Spatial Repellent (SR) product on Anopheles and non-Anopheles mosquitoes in Sumba, Indonesia
Authors: Permana Dendi Hadi , Zubaidah Siti , Syahrani Lepa , Asih Puji Budi Setia , Syafruddin Din , Rozi Ismail Ekoprayitno , Hidayati Anggi Puspa Nur , Kosasih Sully , Dewayanti Farahana Kresno , Rachmawati Nia , Risandi Rifqi , Bangs Michael J , Bøgh Claus , Davidson Jenna R , Hendershot Allison , Burton Timothy , Grieco John P , Eugenio Evercita Cuevas , Liu Fang , Achee Nicole L , Lobo Neil Francis
Published: November 2021

Background East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia, contributed to 5% of malaria cases nationally in 2020, with other mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue and filariasis also being endemic. Monitoring of spatial and temporal vector species compositions and bionomic traits is an efficient method for generating evidence towards intervention strategy optimization and meeting disease elimination goals. MethodsThe impact of a spatial repellent (SR) on human biting mosquitoes was evaluated as part of a parent cluster-randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial, in Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara. A ten-month (June 2015–March 2016) baseline study was followed by a 24-month intervention period (April 2016 to April 2018) - where half the clusters were randomly assigned either a passive transfluthrin emanator or a placebo control. ResultsHuman-landing mosquito catches documented a reduction in landing rates related to the SR. Overall, there was a 16.4% reduction (21% indoors, and 11.3% outdoors) in human biting rates (HBR) for Anopheles. For Aedes, there was a 44.3% HBR reduction indoors and a 35.6% reduction outdoors. This reduction was 38.3% indoors and 39.1% outdoors for Armigeres, and 36.0% indoors and 32.3% outdoors for Culex species. Intervention impacts on the HBRs were not significant and are attributed to large inter-household and inter cluster variation. Anopheles flavirostris, An. balabacensis and An. maculatus individually impacted the overall malaria infections hazard rate with statistically significance. Though there was SR-based protection against malaria for all Anopheles species (except An. sundaicus s.l.), only five (An. aconitus, An. kochi, An. maculatus, An. tessellatus and An. sundaicus s.l.) demonstrated statistical significance. The SR numerically reduced Anopheles parity rates indoors and outdoors when compared to the placebo. ConclusionEvidence demonstrating that Anopheles vectors bite both indoors and outdoors indicates that currently implemented indoor-based vector control tools may not be sufficient to eliminate malaria. The documented impact of the SR intervention on Aedes, Armigeres and Culex species points to its importance in combatting other vector borne diseases. Studies to determine the impact of spatial repellents on other mosquito-borne diseases is recommended.
Distinct evolution of infection-enhancing and neutralizing epitopes in the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 variants (alpha, beta, gamma, delta, lambda and mu) : a structural and molecular epidemiology study
Authors: GUERIN Patrick , YAHI Nouara , AZZAZ Fodil , CHAHINIAN Henri , SABATIER Jean-Marc , FANTINI Jacques
Published: November 2021

Objectives. The efficiency of Covid-19 vaccination is determined by cellular and humoral immune responses, and for the latter, by the balance between neutralizing and infection-enhancing antibodies. Here we analyzed the evolution of neutralizing and facilitating epitopes in the spike protein among SARS-CoV-2 variants. Methods. Amino acid alignments were performed on 929,203 spike sequences over the 4 last months. Molecular modeling studies of the N-terminal domain (NTD) and rod-like regions of the spike protein were performed on a representative panel of SARS-CoV-2 variants that were structurally compared with the original Wuhan strain. Results. D614, which belongs to an antibody-dependent-enhancement (ADE) epitope common to SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2, has rapidly mutated to D614G in the first months of 2020, explaining why ADE has not been detected following mass vaccination. We show that this epitope is conformationally linked to the main ADE epitope of the SARS-CoV-2 NTD which is highly conserved among most variants. In contrast, the neutralizing epitope of the NTD showed extensive variations in SARS-CoV-2 variants. Conclusions. This molecular epidemiology study coupled with structural analysis of the spike protein indicates that the balance between facilitating and neutralizing antibodies in vaccinated people is in favor of neutralization for the Wuhan strain,alpha and beta variants, but not for gamma, delta, lambda and mu. The evolution of SARS-CoV-2 has dramatically affected the ADE/neutralization balance which is nowadays in favor of ADE. Future vaccines should consider these data to design new formulations adapted to SARS-CoV-2 variants and lacking ADE epitopes in the spike protein.