bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The treatment and prophylaxis usage profile of intravenous vancomycin medication in orthopedics
Authors: Wang Liang , Qi Lei , Jiang Yunpeng , Li Mu
Published: May 2020

Background

Despite vancomycin has been widely used in orthopedics, the details of vancomycin usage in orthopedics remains unknown. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the usage profile of intravenous vancomycin medication in orthopedics.
Methods

The medical records of inpatients receiving intravenous vancomycin medication from January 2015 to December 2019 in a single center of orthopedics department were retrospectively reviewed. The gender, age, diagnosis, surgical information, microbiological data, duration of vancomycin medication were collected. The related data were analyzed and compared between subgroups.
Results

A total of 258 cases receiving intravenous vancomycin medication (≥ 3 days) were enrolled. The mean age was 57.3 years. There were 141 cases in treatment and 117 in Prophylaxis group. The mean duration of vancomycin medication was 11.2 days. The duration was longer in Treatment than Prophylaxis group (14.8 versus 6.9 days, P < 0.05). The main reasons for treatment were PJI after TKA (46.7%) and THA (18.2%) in Joint subgroup and SSI after spine surgery (51.5%) for Spine subgroup. For prophylaxis usage, the main reasons were postoperative clinical suspicious infection. The bacteria responsible for infections in Treatment group were S. epidermidis (34.6%), S. aureus (31.8%), other Staphylococcus (12.1%), MRSA (7.5%), Streptococcus (7.5%), Enterococcus faecalis (3.7%) and Bacillus (2.8%).
Conclusion

Taken together, our research firstly revealed the treatment and prophylaxis usage profile of intravenous vancomycin medication in orthopedics. It provides the different purposes, main causes, bacteriological data and medication duration for treatment and prophylaxis vancomycin usage in orthopedics.
Gut Dysbiosis Is Related With Activity And Remission Phases Of Ulcerative Colitis And Healthy Condition
Authors: Maldonado-Arriaga Brenda , Sandoval-Jimenez Sergio , Rodríguez-Silverio Juan Rodríguez-Silverio , Alcaráz-Estrada Sofía Lizeth , Cortés-Espinosa Tomás , Vaca Rebeca Pérez-Cabeza de , Licona-Cassani Cuauhtémoc , Gámez-Valdez July Stephany , Shaw Jonathan , Mondragón-Terán Paul , Hernández-Cortez Cecilia , Suárez-Cuenca Juan Antonio , CASTRO-ESCARPULLI GRACIELA
Published: May 2020

Background. Ulcerative Colitis (UC) is a frequent type of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, characterized by periods of remission and exacerbation. Gut dysbiosis may influence pathophysiology and clinical response in UC. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether gut microbiota is related to the active and remission phases of UC compared to healthy subjects. Results. Cross-sectional study. Fecal samples from 18 patients with UC (clinically characterized as active (n=9), remission (n=9)) and 15 healthy subjects were collected. After fecal DNA extraction, the 16S rRNA gene was amplified and sequenced (Illumina MiSeq platform), operational taxonomic units were analyzed with the QIIME (Quantitative Insights Into Microbial Ecology) software. Alpha and beta diversities were compared between clinical settings, as well as the relation between most frequent genus with UC severity indicators. Gut microbiota composition revealed higher abundance of the phyla Proteobacteria and Fusobacteria in active UC, as compared with remission UC and healthy subjects. Likewise, marked abundance of the genus Bilophila and Fusobacteria were present in active UC, as compared with the other groups, whereas higher abundance of Faecalibacterium characterized both remission UC and healthy subjects. Microbial community’s richness and diversity in active UC were significantly different from the other groups. Relative abundance of Fecalibacterium and Roseburia showed higher correlation with fecal calprotectin, while relative abundance of Bilophila and Fusobacterium showed AUCs (Area under the curve) 0.917 and 0.988 for active vs remission UC, respectively. Conclusion. Gut dysbiosis is related to clinically relevant phases of UC and healthy controls. Particularly, Fecalibacterium, Roseburia, Bilophila, and Fusobacterium were identified as genus highly related with clinical phases of UC.
LGR5 promotes invasion and migration by regulating YAP activity in hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma cells
Authors: Zhu Zijia , Yu Shuyuan , Wen Jihong , Wang Ping
Published: May 2020

Background High leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein coupled receptor 5 (LGR5) expression caused by an inflammatory microenvironment was reported to promote tumor proliferation and the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) in various malignant tumors, but those effects have not been studied in hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HSCC) and the molecular mechanism remains unclear. Additionally, YAP/TAZ, an upstream or downstream factor of multiple signaling pathways, can promote tumor proliferation, invasion, and angiogenesis. Our study was aimed to determine whether YAP/TAZ is involved in the regulation of LGR5 expression in the inflammatory microenvironment.Methods We stimulated FaDu cells, a hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma cell line, with inflammatory medium. The expression levels of EMT-related proteins, LGR5, and p-YAP were detected by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, and immunofluorescence.Results The results showed that LGR5 expression and the EMT process were significantly enhanced. The expression of EMT-related proteins was up-regulated, while that of p-YAP was decreased. After inhibiting the high LGR5 expression with short interfering RNA, the expression of EMT-related proteins was also down-regulated, while that of p-YAP was significantly increased. The use of verteporfin (VP), an inhibitor of YAP activity that promotes YAP phosphorylation, did not affect LGR5 expression.Conclusions Our findings suggest that the inflammatory microenvironment leads to high LGR5 expression, up-regulating the expression of EMT-related proteins by inhibiting the YAP phosphorylation.
Clinical Spectrum Of CACNA1C Variants, Revisited
Authors: Baban Anwar , Corica Bernadette , Gnazzo Maria , Calì Federica , Cantarutti Nicoletta , Righi Daniela , Mambro Corrado Di , Silvetti Massimo Stefano , Dallapiccola Bruno , Novelli Antonio , Amin Ahmad S. , Drago Fabrizio
Published: May 2020

Background CACNA1C is a gene encoding the CaV1.2 calcium channel and several cardiac conditions are potentially associated with pathogenic variants in this gene. The aim of this study is to explore genotype-phenotype correlations related to CACNA1C ever described variants and vast phenotypic spectrum.MethodsWe analyzed 102 patients with CACNA1C variants (CACNA1Cv) (9 our cohort and 93 from literature). We studied the association between CACNA1Cv and clinical parameters: arrhythmias, structural heart defects, cardiomyopathy and survival. We followed the American College Medical Genetics (ACMG) scoring system to grade variants’ pathogenicity and their domains.Results CACNA1Cvwith high ACMG scores were associated with higher mortality than variants with lower scores (p < 0.001). CACNA1Cv in Cytoplasmic and Transmembrane domains were associated with higher mortality than other domains (p = 0.005). Multivariate analysis for higher ACMG scores, indicates cardiomyopathy and a lesser extent domain, as independent risk factor for mortality (p = 0.031 and p = 0.04). Cytoplasmic domain variants were frequently associated with long-QT syndrome; C-terminal variants were often linked to Brugada syndrome. Parental mosaicism was relatively high (4–5%) and must not be overlooked in parents’ phenotypic analysis and in calculation of disease recurrence riskConclusionTo the best of our knowledge, this is the first study trying to create genotype-phenotype correlation and better risk stratification in CACNA1Cv in relation to survival and long-term results.
A fraction of Prunella vulgaris spike extract inhibited neutrophil elastase and protected mice against lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury
Authors: Yu Huang-Ping , Cheng Chieh-Lun , Chong Kowit-Yu , Huang Yu-Ling , Chen Kung-Ju , Chen Yu-Li , Hsieh Pei-Wen
Published: May 2020

Background

Human neutrophil elastase (HNE) is an abundantly expressed neutrophil serine protease that promotes neutrophil invasion and neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation, thereby mediating lung tissue destruction and enhancing pulmonary inflammation in acute lung injury (ALI). Chemical agents that target HNE and manipulate HNE level homeostasis are desired to prevent or treat ALI.
Methods

In a search for HNE inhibitors, traditional Chinese medicines were evaluated, leading to the identification of the water extract of spikes of Prunella vulgaris as an inhibitor of HNE activity. Using bioactivity-guided fractionation, a bioactive fraction (PVAP) that inhibited NHE activity was prepared, and its effects on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI were studied.
Results

The results suggested that PVAP elicited protective effects against LPS-induced ALI by inhibiting HNE activity, thereby reducing neutrophil invasion, pro-inflammatory cytokine release, and NET formation.
Conclusions

These findings illustrated the utility of PVAP as an agent for preventing ALI.
Patients’ perception of the practice of anaesthesia in a Jordanian teaching hospital: A survey
Authors: Bataineh Adel M. , Qudaisat Ibraheem Y. , El-Radaideh Khaled , Alzoubi Rawand A. , Abu-Shehab Mohammad I
Published: May 2020

Background and Aim: Despite big leaps of progress in its scope, the practice of anesthesia is still suffering from poor public image worldwide, especially in developing countries. Little research investigated the public awareness of anesthesia in the Middle East. This study aimed to examine the perception of the practice of anaesthesia among Jordanian patients.Methods: A total of 505 patients admitted for elective surgery were interviewed using a standard questionnaire. In addition to demographic data, questions covered patients' awareness of anaesthetists qualifications, importance, and roles inside and outside the operating theatre. Awareness was measured using the frequency of correct answers to survey questions plus a patient’s total knowledge percentage score of his/her correct answers. Effects of demographic variables on results were also investigated. Appropriate statistical tests were used to summarize and compare results. Results: Most patients identified anesthesia as a separate practice from surgery (86%). The anaesthetist was identified as a physician by only 37% of patients. Equal importance to both anaesthetists and surgeons was assumed by 71.5% of patents. Only 15% of patients showed good level of total knowledge of anaesthetist roles, while 51% scored poorly. highest awareness was of anaesthetist’s preoperative roles (65.1%). Age was the only demographic factor affecting studied awareness (P=0.009).Conclusion: Although the importance of anesthesia is well perceived among Jordanian patients, there is still a deficient perception of the details of the practice. Active efforts of communication, and patient education by anesthetists are needed for improvement of the public status of the specialty.
Effects of Concentrated Growth Factor on the Proliferation, Migration, and Osteogenic Differentiation of Rat Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells: An in vitro study
Authors: Yu Xiang , Ren Hui , Shang Qi , Shen Gengyang , Tang Kai , Yu Fuyong , Chen Guifeng , Zhang Zhida , Zhao Wenhua , Zhang Peng , Liang De , Jiang Xiaobing
Published: May 2020

Background

Concentrated growth factor (CGF) has been reported to be effective in bone formation or soft/hard tissue healing in recent years. Despite a few studies regarding the effects of CGF on the proliferation, migration, and osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs, their underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects and possible mechanisms of CGF on the proliferation, migration, and osteogenic differentiation of rat-derived bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) in vitro.
Methods

CGF was extracted from the Sprague Dawley (SD) rats by venipuncture of the abdominal aortic vein, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used for the structural characterization. The release of bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) from CGF was measured over the periods of 1 ~ 14 days, using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent (Elisa) assay. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was used to measure cell proliferation. Migration capacity was analyzed using the transwell assay. The osteogenic differentiation and mineralization ability were determined by Alkaline phosphatase activity (ALP) staining and Alizarin Red staining respectively. Quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR), was used to evaluate the mRNA expression levels of Runx2, Ocn, Smad1, and Smad5 after culture for 14 days. Further, the protein expression of BMP-2, phosphorylated-Smad1/5 (p-Smad1/5), and Smad1/5/8 was determined by Western blot after a 14-day cell culture.
Results

The SEM analysis showed a porous and dense three-dimensional fibrin network in CGF. The Elisa assay showed that BMP-2 was released from CGF extract for more than 14d, and it reached a peak at the time point of 5d. The cell densities of the CGF group at the different concentrations (5%, 10%, and 20%) were significantly higher than that of the control group at the periods of day 1 to day 5 (p < 0.05). Moreover, the number of migratory cells of the CGF group was greater than that of the control group at 24 h. ALP activity analysis and Alizarin Red staining results demonstrated that CGF may successfully induce osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. Moreover, the RT-qPCR results showed that CGF extracts dramatically enhanced the mRNA expression levels of Runx2, Ocn, Smad1, and Smad5 in BMSCs at days 14 (p < 0.05). Furthermore, Western blot results showed that CGF extracts markedly up-regulated the protein expression levels of BMP-2, p-Smad1/5, and Smad1/5/8.
Conclusions

CGF can promote the proliferation, migration, and promote the osteogenic differentiation potential of BMSCs in vitro. The BMP-2/Smad signaling pathway was involved in the osteogenic differentiation and mineralization of BMSCs induced by CGF. Therefore, CGF has good application potential in tissue engineering for bone regeneration and repair.
Coronavirus mapping in scientific publications: when science advances rapidly and collectively, is access to this knowledge open to society?
Authors: Belli Simone , Mugnaini Rogério , Baltà Joan , Abadal Ernest
Published: May 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic is creating a global health emergency. Mapping this health emergency in scientific publications demands multiple approaches to obtain a picture as complete as possible. To progress in the knowledge of this pandemic and to control its effects, international collaborations between researchers are essentials, as well as having open and immediate access to scientific publications, what we called “coopetition”. The following questions have been addressed: Which are the countries with the most scientific publications, how do organizations collaborate (international scientific collaborations) and how much impact can be observed? What percentage of these publications and cited references are open access (identifying countries and organizations)?We have analyzed 18,875 articles indexed in Web of Science. We performed the descriptive statistical analysis in order to explore the performance of the more prolific countries and organizations, as well as paying attention to the last two years. Registers have been analyzed separately via the VOSviewer software, drawing a network of links among countries and organizations to identify the starred countries and organizations, and the strongest links of the net.We have explored the capacity of researchers to generate scientific knowledge about a health crisis emergency, and their global capacity to collaborate among them in a global emergency. We consider that science is moving rapidly to find solutions to international health problems but access to this knowledge by society is not so quick due to several limitations (open access policies, corporate interests, etc.). We have observed that papers from China in the last 3 months (from January 2020 to March 2020) have a strong impact compared with papers published in years before. The United States and China are the major producers of documents of our sample, followed by all European countries, especially the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, and France. At the same time, the leading role of Saudi Arabia, Canada or South Korea should be noted, with a significant number of documents submitted but very different dynamics of international collaboration.
Performance of Smallholder Soybean Farmers in Ghana; Evidence from Upper West Region of Ghana
Authors: Asodina Francis Akabo , Adams Faizal , Nimoh Fred , Asante Bright Owusu , Mensah Amos
Published: May 2020

The economic importance of soybean towards poverty alleviation and food security is gaining wider popularity and common acceptance among smallholder farmers in sub-Sahara Africa, especially in Ghana. Commercial soybean cultivation is relatively new in Ghana; hence it has recently benefited from several productivities enhancing innovation/technologies. However, despite these efforts, productivity has remained low. This paper investigates factors affecting production efficiency among commercial soybean farmers, across the three commercial districts of the Upper West region of Ghana. A cross-sectional data collected from 271 soybean farmers were used to investigate technical efficiency of soybean production. The overall mean technical efficiency estimate is 59% with a scale elasticity of 0.89-indicating a huge scope for efficiency improvement. The result shows that, factors affecting technical efficiency are dependent on the farmer’s socioeconomic status. With the existing technology and production recourses, soybean farmers can improve their current levels of soybean production by 41% through the adoption of best production practices.
Attitude of emergency doctors in providing palliative and end-of-life care in Hong Kong and education needs: A prospective cross-sectional analysis based on self-reported surveys.
Authors: Hang WONG Kwun , Yang Marc L.C. , Raymond WOO Kam Wing , Fung WONG Oi , Yan KWONG Wing , Fung TSE Choi , Tommy LAM Shing Kit , Man MA Hing , Albert LIT Chau Hung , Ngai SHIH Yau
Published: May 2020

Introduction: In view of the growth of the aging population in Hong Kong, the importance and need of palliative care and end-of-life (EOL) care were brought into the spotlight. The Department of Accident and Emergency (AED) was one of first medical contacts for the public. Despite the urge to investigate this issue, there were no related studies involving emergency physicians in Hong Kong previously. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the attitude of emergency doctors in providing palliative and EOL care in Hong Kong, and to investigate the education needs for emergency doctors in palliative and EOL care. Methods: This research was a questionnaire study. Emergency physicians from 6 AED in Hong Kong were recruited. The questionnaires were designed to cover the attitudes of emergency physicians towards palliative and EOL care in terms of the role of palliative and EOL care in AED, the specific obstacles in providing it and the comfort level with the care; and further education needs.Results: 145 emergency physicians completed the questionnaires, in which 60 respondents from the service-providing hospitals. Significant proportions from both groups recognized palliative and EOL care was an important competence for them, but was uncertain about its role and priority in AED. Lack of time and access to palliative and EOL care specialists/ teams were the major barriers. Group 1 staff was more comfortable to provide the care and discuss it with patients and relatives. Further education needs, apart from the management of physical complaints like pain management, topics including communication skills and EOL care ethics were also emphasized.Conclusions: The study revealed several obstacles which required additional resources and manpower for overcoming them, in order to further promote the palliative and EOL care in Emergency Medicine. Further education, especially communication skills and ethical issues, were necessary as well. With the combination of elements of routine AED practice and the basic palliative medicine skill set, it would promote the development of this emerging field in Emergency Medicine in the future.
Epidemiology of Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVD-19)Outbreak Cases in Oyo State South West Nigeria March -April 2020
Authors: Usman Aishat Bukola , Ayinde Olubunmi , Akinyode Akinfemi , Gbolahan Abass , Lawal Wole , Bello Bashir
Published: May 2020

Introduction: On March 17th, 2020, Oyo State recorded her first case of COVID-19 through a United Kingdom returnee. Oyo State Ministry of Health with the support of technical and development partners responded quickly and effectively to contain the outbreak. The outbreak was characterized by place, person and time.Methods: Field investigations were conducted and contact tracing and follow up done, all confirmed cases were identified, line-listed and analyzed using Epi-info version 7.Results: A total of 34confirmed cases were identified all within the capital city of Oyo State and two transferred from other states .The mean age was 49.1 ± 2.0 years with over 40% within the age group 50-59 years. There were 11(35.5%) health care workers infection. The case-fatality was 6.5%. The epidemic curve initially shows a typical propagated pattern, followed by a point source; though atypical.Conclusion: Outbreak of COVID-19 was confirmed in Oyo State. Field investigation provided information on the characteristics of persons, time and place. Intensified surveillance activities such as contact tracing and follow- up ,drive through testing and active case search were useful in early case detection and control of the outbreak
Shikonin ameliorates Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE) via Immuno-modulatory, anti-apototic, and anti-oxidative activity
Authors: Sabet Mehrdad Nasrollahzadeh , Biglari Sajjad , Esmaeilzadeh Emran
Published: May 2020

Background Multiple sclerosis is a common auto-immuno-inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system in adults. There are several underlying mechanisms for pathogenesis of the disease, including inflammation, oligodendrocyte apoptosis, and oxidative stress. Methods We have investigated the mechanism of Shikonin action in C57BL/6 experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model of multiple sclerosis. Results Our results revealed that EAE induction significantly increased the extent of demyelination in the corpus callosum tissues of the animals, while treatment of the mice with Shikonin, significantly decreased the extent of demyelination. Real-time PCR based analyzing the brain samples from the EAE mice, revealed a significant enhancement in the expression level of TNF-α , IFN-γ and Bax genes as well as a reduction in the expression level of TGF-β and Bcl2. Shikonin treatment significantly reduced the expression level of TNF-α , IFN-γ and Bax. On the other hand, the expression levels of TGF-β and Bcl2 as well as the Glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPX-1) enzyme were significantly increased following Shikonin treatment. Conclusion This study emphasizes the immune-modulatory, anti-apoptotic, and anti-oxitive effects of Shikonin, which may have an important healing influence on the severity of EAE.
Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Attenuate Acute Lung Injury Through Regulation of the Gut Microbiota in Septic Rats
Authors: Sun Junyi , Ding Xianfei , Liu Shaohua , Duan Xiaoguang , Liang Huoyan , sun tongwen
Published: May 2020

Background
We hypothesized that adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs) may ameliorate sepsis-induced acute lung injury (ALI) by increasing or decreasing microorganism populations in the gut microbiota, such as that of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes.
Methods
A total of 60 male adult Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were separated into three groups: the sham control (SC) group, the sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) group, and the ADMSC treatment (CLP-ADMSCs) group, in which rats underwent the CLP procedure and then received 1 × 106 ADMSCs. Rats were sacrificed 24 hours after the SC or CLP procedures. To investigate the relationship between sepsis-induced ALI and the gut microbiota, rat lungs were histologically evaluated using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, serum levels of pro-inflammatory factors were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and fecal samples were collected and analyzed using 16S rDNA sequencing.
Results
The serum levels of inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-6, were significantly increased in rats after the CLP procedure, but were significantly decreased in rats treated with ADMSCs. Histological evaluation of the rat lungs yielded results consistent with the changes in IL-6 levels among all groups. Treatment with ADMSCs significantly increased the diversity of the gut microbiota in rats with sepsis. The principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) results showed that there was a significant difference between the gut microbiota of the CLP-ADMSCs group and that of the CLP group. In rats with sepsis, the proportion of Bacteroides related to energy consumption and Escherichia–Shigella related to lipopolysaccharide production increased, and the proportion of Akkermansia related to the regulation of intestinal mucosal thickness and the maintenance of intestinal barrier function decreased. Furthermore, the proportion of Firmicutes related to energy storage, such as Verrucomicrobia, decreased. Intervention with ADMSCs increased the proportion of beneficial bacteria, reduced the proportion of harmful bacteria, and normalized the gut microbiota, thus, improving the sepsis-induced ALI.
Conclusions
Therapeutically administered ADMSCs may improve CLP-induced ALI by regulating the gut microbiota, providing a potential mechanism by which mesenchymal stem cells treat sepsis.
Resveratrol Attenuates High-Fat Diet Induced Hepatic Lipid Homeostasis Disorder and Decreases m6A RNA Methylation
Authors: Wu Jiamin , Li Yi , Yu Jiayao , Gan Zhending , Wei wenyao , Wang Chao , Zhang Lili , Wang Tian , zhong xiang
Published: May 2020

Purpose: N 6 -methyladenosine (m6A) mRNA methylation is affected by dietary factors and associated with lipid metabolism, however, whether the regulatory role of resveratrol in lipid metabolism is involved in m6A mRNA methylation remain unknown. Here, the objective of this study was to investigate the effect of resveratrol on hepatic lipid metabolism and m6A RNA methylation in the liver of mice.Methods: A total of 24 male mice were randomly allocated to LFD (low-fat diet), LFDR (low-fat diet + resveratrol), HFD (high-fat diet), and HFDR (high-fat diet + resveratrol) groups for 12 weeks (n = 6/group).Results: Compared to the HFD group, dietary resveratrol supplementation reduced the body weight, relative abdominal, epididymal, and perirhemtric fat weight, however, significantly increased average daily feed intake in mice given high-fat diet. The amounts of serum low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), liver total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerol (TAG) were significantly decreased by resveratrol supplementation. In addition, Resveratrol significantly enhanced the levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor beta/delta (PPARβ/δ), cytochrome P450 family 4 subfamily a polypeptide 10/14 (CYP4A10/14), acyl-CoA oxidase 1 (ACOX1), and fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) mRNA, and inhibited acyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) mRNA levels in the liver. Furthermore, the resveratrol in high-fat diet increased the transcript levels of methyltransferase like 3 (METTL3), alkB homolog 5 (ALKBH5), fat mass and obesity associated protein (FTO), and YTH domain family 2 (YTHDF2), whereas decreased the level of YTH domain family 3 (YTHDF3) and m6A abundance in mice liver.Conclusion: The beneficial effect of resveratrol on lipid metabolism disorder under high-fat diet may be due to decrease of m6A RNA methylation and increase of PPARα mRNA, providing mechanistic insights into the function of resveratrol in alleviating the disturbance of lipid metabolism in mice.
Integrated Puncture Score: Force-Displacement Weighted Rind Penetration Tests Improve Stalk Lodging Resistance Estimations in Maize
Authors: Stubbs Christopher J , McMahan Christopher , Seegmiller Will , Cook Douglas D , Robertson Daniel J
Published: May 2020

Background: Stalk lodging (breaking of agricultural plant stalks prior to harvest) is a multi-billion dollar a year problem. Rind penetration resistance tests have been used by plant scientists and breeders to estimate the stalk lodging resistance of maize for nearly a hundred years. However, the rind puncture method has two key limitations: (1) the predictive power of the test decreases significantly when measuring elite or pre-commercial hybrids, and (2) using rind penetration measurements as a breeding metric does not necessarily create stronger stalks. In this study, we present a new rind penetration method called the Integrated Puncture Score, which uses a modified rind penetration testing protocol and a physics-based model to provide a robust measure of stalk lodging resistance.Results: Two datasets, one with a diverse array of maize hybrids and one with only elite hybrids, were evaluated by comparing traditional rind penetration testing and the Integrated Puncture Score method to measurements of stalk bending strength. When evaluating the diverse set of hybrids, both methods performed well, but when evaluating the elite hybrids, the integrated Puncture Score outperformed the traditional rind penetration method. Additionally, the Integrated Puncture Score was able to differentiate the best- and worst-performing hybrids, even in the elite hybrid data set. Additional experiments revealed strong evidence in favor of the data aggregation steps utilized to compute the Integrated Puncture Score.Conclusions: This study presents a new method for evaluating rind penetration resistance that highly correlates with stalk bending strength and can possibly be used as a breeding index for assessing stalk lodging resistance. This research lays the foundation required to develop a field-based high-throughput phenotyping device for stalk lodging resistance.
Cervical Spine Osteoradionecrosis or Bone Metastasis after Radiotherapy for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma? The MRI-Based Radiomics for Characterization
Authors: Zhong Xi , Li Li , Yin Jinxue , Lu Bingui , Han Wen , Li Jiansheng , Zhang Jian
Published: May 2020

Background
To develop and validate a MRI-based radiomics nomogram for differentiation of cervical spine ORN from metastasis after radiotherapy (RT) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).
Methods
A radiomics nomogram was developed in a training set that comprised 46 NPC patients after RT with 95 cervical spine lesions (ORN, n = 51; metastasis, n = 44), and data was gathered from January 2008 to December 2012. 279 radiomics features were extracted from axial contrast-enhanced T1-weighted image (CE-T1WI), a radiomics signature was created by using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) algorithmin, and a nomogram was developed based on the radiomics scores. The performance of the nomogram was determined in terms of its discrimination, calibration, and clinical utility. An independent validation set contained 25 consecutive patients with 47 lesions (ORN, n = 25; metastasis, n = 22) from January 2013 to December 2015.
Results
The radiomics signature that comprised eight selected features was significantly associated with the differentiation of cervical spine ORN and metastasis. The nomogram model demonstrated good calibration and discrimination in the training set [AUC, 0.725; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.622–0.828] and the validation set (AUC, 0.720; 95% CI, 0.573–0.867). Decision curve analysis indicated that the radiomics nomogram was clinically useful.
Conclusions
MRI-based radiomics nomogram shows potential value to differentiate cervical spine ORN from metastasis after RT in NPC.
Efficient Whole-Cell Oxidation of α,β-Unsaturated Alcohols to α,β-Unsaturated Aldehydes through Cascade Biocatalysis of Alcohol Dehydrogenase, NADPH Oxidase and Hemoglobin
Authors: Qiao Yan , Wang Can , Zeng Yin , Wang Tairan , Qiao Jingjing , Lu Chenze , Wang Zhao , Ying Xiangxian
Published: May 2020

Background: α,β-unsaturated aldehydes are widely used in as organic synthesis of fine chemicals such as flavor, fragrances and pharmaceuticals. The selective oxidation of α,β-unsaturated alcohols to the corresponding α,β-unsaturated aldehydes remains challenging to overcome poor selectivity, over-oxidation and low atom efficiency in chemical routes.Results: An E. coli strain co-expressing NADP+-specific alcohol dehydrogenase YsADH and oxygen-dependent NADPH oxidase TkNOX was constructed, which enabled the NADP+ regeneration and catalyzed the oxidation of 100 mM 3-methyl-2-buten-1-ol to 3-methyl-2-butenal with the yield of 21.3%. The oxygen supply was strengthened by introducing the hemoglobin VsHGB into recombinant E. coli cells and replacing the atmosphere of the reactor with pure oxygen, which increased the yield up to 51.3%. To further improve catalytic performance, the E. coli cells expressing the multifunctional fusion enzyme YsADH-(GSG)-TkNOX-(GSG)-VsHGB was achieved, which totally converted 250 mM 3-methyl-2-buten-1-ol to 3-methyl-2-butenal after 8 h of whole-cell oxidation. The reaction conditions of the cascade biocatalysis were optimized, in which the supplement of 0.2 mM FAD and 0.4 NADP+ was essential for maintaining high catalytic activity. Finally, the established whole-cell system could serve as a platform for the synthesis of valuable α,β-unsaturated aldehydes from selective oxidation of various α,β-unsaturated aldehydes.Conclusions: The construction of the strain expressing the fusion enzyme YsADH-(GSG)-TkNOX-(GSG)-VsHGB fulfilled efficient NADP+ regeneration and selective oxidation of various α,β-unsaturated alcohols to the corresponding α,β-unsaturated aldehydes. With the scope of redox enzymes, the fusion enzyme YsADH-(GSG)-TkNOX-(GSG)-VsHGB has become the latest successful example to improve catalytic performance in comparison with separated counterparts.
Analysis of the Spontaneous Conception Outcome in Infertile Women After Four-dimensional Hysterosalpingo-Contrast-Sonography
Authors: liu yu , zhang ning , he yanni , shi jiayao , zhou meijun , xu jingjiao , Liu Hongmei
Published: May 2020

Background: to evaluate the correlation between spontaneous conception outcome and the patients’ clinical characteristics as well as tubal patency in infertile women after four-dimensional hysterosalpingo-contrast sonography (4D-HyCoSy).Methods:Two hundred and eighty three infertile patients performed 4D-HyCoSy between December 2014 and October 2017,based on a normal semen analysis according to World Health Organization criteria, spontaneous conception without clinical interventions after 4D-HyCoSy, were trying to become conception. We analyzed the relationship between spontaneous conception outcome and clinical characteristics and tubal patency of infertile women after 4D-HyCoSy.Result(s): One hundred and sixteen patients (40.9%) conceived spontaneously and the mean conception time was (8.8 ± 0.3) months. With Cox regression analysis, two factors associated with spontaneous conception outcome appeared to increase spontaneous conception rate: patients with type IV or type VI tubes and duration of infertility less than 2 years.The age, type of infertility, multiparas, history of pelvic surgery, history of uterine cavity operation, uterine fibromyomata and polycystic ovary were unrelated to spontaneous conception outcome after 4D-HyCoSy.Conclusion(s):This study showed that some infertile women could succeed in spontaneous conception after 4D-HyCoSy. Hence, infertile patients should be advised to accept 4D-HyCoSy examination as soon as possible and based on the 4D-HyCoSy they could chose the appropriate clinical intervention. According to the results, expectant treatment of about 8-9 months is reported to be feasible for infertile women whose 4D-HyCoSy findings showed one tube patency or poor patency, especially for those with bilateral tubes patency or bilateral tubes poor patency.Alternatively, an immediate clinical intervention is recommended for those with bilateralobstructed tubes.
Perception of Childbirth Experiences of Japanese Women in Bali, Indonesia: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Tanaka Kazuko , Kurniasari Ni Made Dian , Widyanthini Desak Nyoman , Suariyani Ni Luh Putu , Listyowati Rina , Urayama Akimi , Wirawan I Made Ady , Yoshimura Koichi
Published: May 2020

Background:Maternal healthcare services in Indonesia have seen dramatic improvements over the past 25 years and yet there is still room for improvement. The perception,by the women,of the perinatalcare provided,is a vital input to further improving theseservices. This study examineshow the perinatal care provided is experienced by Japanese women in Bali, using an interview survey.Methods:We conducted semi-structured interviews, from August to October 2017, with 14 Japanese women living in Badung Regency and Denpasar City in Bali Province, Indonesia to reporttheir perception of the perinatal care they experienced during their pregnancies. The interview guide included among others, the reasons for choosing specific (perinatal care) health facilities and their satisfaction with their experience of using the antenatal, delivery, and postnatal care services. The data were analysed using the qualitative content analysis method.Results:From the interview data, 12 categories across five themes were extracted. Participants reported experiencing various concerns during their pregnancies such as difficulty in obtaining perinatal care related information. Participants,from the beginning of their pregnancies gradually establishedtrusting relationships with midwives, but in many situations, they were disappointed with their childbirth experiences, as they felt that the care provided was not woman-centred.Through their own efforts and with the support of family members and other Japanese residents, many women were able to eventually consider their childbirth experiences as positive. Nonetheless, some women could not overcome their negative impressions even years after childbirth.Conclusions:Participants desired close attention and encouragement from nurses and midwives. Our results suggest that Japanese women in Bali expected a woman-centred perinatal care and active support from nursing/midwifery staff during their pregnancies and postnatal care.
Prevalence and Antibiotic Resistance of Bacteria Isolated From Cerebrospinal Fluid Among Children With Bacterial Meningitis in China From 2016 to 2018: A Multicenter Retrospective Study
Authors: Peng Xiaoshan , Liu Jing , Zhu Qingxiong , Zhu Yu , Zhu Chunhui , Cheng Yibing , Zhou Yibo , Xu Yi , Chen Minxia , Wen Zhengwang , Chen Yiping , Li Rui , Tong Jianning , Shan Qingwen , Lin Daojiong , Wu Shouye , Zhuo Zhiqiang , Wang Caihong , Zhao Shiyong , Qi Zhenghong , Sun Xiaofeng , Maihebuba Bieerding , Jia Chunmei , Gao Huiling , Li Shuangjie , Wan Chaomin
Published: May 2020

Background: Bacterial meningitis (BM) remains a devastating disease among children and can cause substantial neurological morbidity and mortality worldwide. However, there are limited large-scale data concerning the pathogens responsible for pediatric bacterial meningitis (PBM) and their antimicrobial resistance (AMR) patterns in China. The objective of this multi-centre survey was tosummarize the features of etiologies causing BM among children and to characterize their AMR patterns.Methods: Data of 1193 cerebrospinal ﬂuid bacterial isolates from children with BM admitted to thirteen children’s hospitals in China from 2016 to 2018 wereanalyzed retrospectively.Results:Of the 1142 patients with PBM,65.9% (753) were less than 1yearold, among which more than two-thirds (513, 68.1%) were younger than 3 months. The three leading pathogens causing PBM were Staphylococcus epidermidis (16.5%), Escherichia coli (12.4%) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (10.6%). The age group of under 3 months was at a relatively high risk of infection by Escherichia coli(116/523; 22.2%), Enterococcus faecium (75/523; 14.3%), Staphylococcus epidermidis (57/523; 10.9%), and Group B Streptococcus(55/523,10.5%). However, the age group of more than 3 months was at a relatively high risk of infection by Staphylococcus epidermidis (140/670; 20.9%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (117/670; 17.5%), and Staphylococcus hominis (57/670;8.5%). More than 93.0% of E. coli isolates were sensitive to cefoxitin, piperacillin/tazobactam, cefoperazone/sulbactam,amikacin, carbapenems, while the resistance rates to ceftriaxone, cefotaxime and ceftazidime were 49.4%,49.2% and 26.4%, respectively. From 2016 to 2018, the proportion of methicillin-resistant Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (MRCoNS) isolates declined from 80.5% to 72.3%, while the frequency of penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae (PRSP) isolates increased from 75.0% to 87.5%. The proportion of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli fluctuated between 44.4% and 49.2%, and the detection rate of ESBLproduction among K. pneumoniae ranged from 55.6% to 88.9%. The resistance of E. coli strains to carbapenems was 5.0%, but the overall prevalence of carbapenem-resistant (CR) K. pneumoniae was high (54.5%).Conclusions: The resistance of CoNS to methicillin and the high incidence of ESBL production among gram-negative Enterobacteriaceae posed a critical challenge to infection control. Carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae isolates are a large issue for the treatment of children with PBM.
Investigation of the Clinical Significance and Pathological Features of Lanthanum Deposition in the Gastric Mucosa
Authors: Nishida Shinya , Ota Kazuhiro , Hattori Kimiaki , Iwatsubo Taro , Kojima Yuichi , Takeuchi Toshihisa , Maeda Tamaki , Sakaguchi Masahiro , Higuchi Kazuhide , Kawaguchi Shimpei
Published: May 2020

Background: There are often specific endoscopic findings caused by deposition of lanthanum (La) in the gastric mucosa of patients taking lanthanum carbonate (LaC), a novel phosphate binder for patients on hemodialysis. We conducted a retrospective study to investigate the clinical significance of Ladeposition in the gastric mucosa, and the association between endoscopic features and histologic findings in the same population.Methods:We compared background factors in patients taking LaC with and without Ladeposition in their gastroscopic biopsy specimen. We also investigated the relationship between gastric endoscopic biopsy specimens with Ladeposition and the concurrent endoscopic images.Results:There was a significant difference in the total dose of LaC between the La-positive and La-negative groups(990 g [180–3150 g] vs. 480 g [225–1328 g]; p=0.013). In 27 biopsy specimens with specific whitish mucosa, 10 showed mild histiocytic infiltration and 17 showed strong infiltration. In contrast, among 24 specimens with non-whitishmucosa, five showed no histiocytic infiltration, 10 showed mild infiltration, and nine showed strong infiltration. There was a significant relationship between endoscopic features and the degree of histiocytic infiltration (p=0.026).Conclusions: We demonstrated that Ladeposition in the gastric mucosa depended on the total dose of LaC and was not affected by background factors. The specific endoscopic features of Ladeposition are associated with the infiltration of histiocytes, which represents the body’s normal response to foreign bodies.The protocol was registered in the University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trial Registry (UMIN000038929).
Targeting the SARS-CoV-2 main protease using FDA-approved Isavuconazonium, a P2-P3 α-ketoamide derivative and Pentagastrin: an in-silico drug discovery approach
Authors: Achilonu Ikechukwu , Iwuchukwu Emmanuel Amarachi , Achilonu Okechinyere Juliet , Fernandes Manuel Antonio
Published: May 2020

The SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) is an attractive target towards discovery of drugs to treat COVID-19 because of its key role in virus replication. The atomic structure of Mpro in complex with an α-ketoamide inhibitor (Lig13b) is available (PDB ID:6Y2G). Using 6Y2G and the prior knowledge that protease inhibitors could eradicate COVID-19, we designed a computational study aimed at identifying FDA-approved drugs that could interact with Mpro. We searched the DrugBank and PubChem for analogs and built a virtual library containing ~33000 conformers. Using high-throughput virtual screening and ligand docking, we identified Isavuconazonium, a ketoamide inhibitor (α-KI) and Pentagastrin as the top three molecules (Lig13b as the benchmark) based on docking energy. The ΔGbind of Lig13b, Isavuconazonium, α-KI, Pentagastrin was -117.68, -191.11, -187.36, -145.76 kJ/mol, respectively. Molecular dynamics simulation revealed that these ligands are stable within the Mpro active site. Binding of these ligands is driven by a variety of non-bonded interaction, including polar bonds, H-bonds, van der Waals and salt bridges. The overall conformational dynamics of the complexed-Mpro was slightly altered relative to apo-Mpro. This study demonstrates that three distinct classes molecules, Isavuconazonium (triazole), α-KI (ketoamide) and Pentagastrin (peptide) could serve as potential drugs to treat patients with COVID-19.
Analysis of Initial Clinical and CT Features of COVID-19 Pneumonia in Different Clinical Types
Authors: Li Wei , Yu Wenjun , Liao Jianwei , Yao Lin , Fang Yijie , Pan Cunxue , Xie Qing , Cui Huaqian , Zeng Xiang , Li Shaolin
Published: May 2020

Background Different clinical classifications of COVID-19 pneumonia patients have different clinical and CT features, which is very important for the treatment after admission. As the epidemic situation in China continues to improve, it is particularly important to re-clarify the correlation between them.Methods 97 confirmed patients with COVID-19 pneumonia were enrolled from January 17, 2019 to February 21, 2020, including 75 mild/ordinary cases and 22 severe/critical cases. The clinical data and initial chest CT images of the patients were reviewed and compared. The risk factors associated with disease severity were analyzed.Results Compared with the mild/ordinary patients, the severe/critical patients had older ages, higher incidence of comorbidities, first CT positive, CT always negative and fever. Mild/ordinary patients had lower body temperature than mild/ordinary patients. The incidences of large/multiple GGO in severe/critical patients were significantly higher than those of the mild/ordinary patients, furthermore, severe/critical patients showed higher incidences of 4-5 lobe infections than the ordinary patients. The CT scores of severe/critical patients were significantly higher than those of the ordinary patients (P < 0.001). The clinical factors of age, sex, comorbidities, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, heart disease, pharyngeal discomfort, abdominal pain/diarrhea, temperature and CT score were risk factors for severe/critical COVID-19 pneumonia.Conclusion The initial clinical and CT characteristics have certain significance for the clinical classification of COVID-19 respiratory infection. Especially in terms of CT score, it can predict the trend of clinical classification of patients to a certain extent.