bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Magnesium Biotinate Supplementation on Serum Insulin, Glucose, and Lipid Parameters Along with Gene Expressions of Intermediary Metabolism in Rats
Authors: Sahin Kazim , ORHAN Cemal , KUCUK Osman , Erten Fusun , SAHIN Nurhan , OJALVO Sara PEREZ , KOMOROWSKI James R
Published: July 2020

Background: The objective of this work was to investigate the effects of a novel form of biotin (magnesium biotinate) at various levels on body weight, serum concentrations of glucose, insulin, cholesterol, and triglycerides, and liver expression of lipid metabolism-related genes such as SREBP-1c, FAS, AMPK-α1, ACC-1, ACC-2, PC, PCC and MCC in rats.Methods: A total of 42 male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into six treatment groups and fed a standard diet-based egg white powdered diet supplemented with either commercial biotin (d-biotin) at 0.01, 1 or 100 mg/kg body weight or a novel form of biotin (magnesium biotinate) at 0.01, 1, or 100 mg/kg bodyweight for 35 days. The doses used at 0.01, 1 and 100 mg from each source represented a standard dietary dose (control), high dietary dose, and pharmacologic dose, respectively. Results: Bodyweight changes, feed intake, serum concentrations of glucose, insulin, creatine, and urea, and enzyme activities of ALT and AST were similar among treatments (P > 0.05). Serum total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations of the rats decreased with biotin supplementation from both sources (P < 0.05). Concentrations were significantly lower with magnesium biotinate when comparing the 1 mg/kg dose groups (P < 0.05). Serum, liver, brain biotin concentrations, and liver cGMP contents were greater when rats were treated with magnesium biotinate versus d-biotin, particularly when comparing the 1 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg dose groups (P < 0.05). Both forms of biotin decreased the liver gene expression of SREBP‐1c and FAS and increased liver gene expression of AMPK-α1, ACC-1, ACC-2, PCC and MCC (P < 0.05). The magnitudes of responses were more emphasized with magnesium biotinate. Liver PC gene expression increased with biotin supplementation with no regard to dose or biotin form (P > 0.05).Conclusion: Results of the present work revealed that a new form of biotin, magnesium biotinate, compared with a commercial d-biotin, is more effective in reducing serum lipid concentrations and in regulating gene expressions of intermediary metabolism-related biomarkers.
Association between multi-site atherosclerotic plaques and systemic arteriosclerosis: results from the BEST study (Beijing Vascular Disease Patients Evaluation Study)
Authors: liu huan , Liu Jinbo , Huang Wei , Zhao Hongwei , zhao Na , wang Hongyu
Published: July 2020

Background Arteriosclerosis can be reflected in various aspect of the artery, including atherosclerotic plaque formation or stiffening on the arterial wall. Both arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis are important and closely associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between systemic arteriosclerosis and multi-site atherosclerotic plaques. Methods The study was designed as an observational cross-sectional study. A total of 1178 participants (mean age 67.4 years; 52.2% male) enrolled into the observational study from 2010 to 2017. Systemic arteriosclerosis was assessed by carotid femoral artery pulse wave velocity (CF-PWV) and multi-site atherosclerotic plaques (MAP, >=2 of the below sites) were reflected in the carotid or subclavian artery, abdominal aorta and lower extremities arteries using ultrasound equipment. The associations were assessed by multivariable logistic regression. Results The prevalence of CF-PWV >12 m/s and MAP were 40.2% and 74.4%. Atherosclerotic plaques in 3 sites were more common in male compared with that in female (48.9% versus 36.9%, p<0.05). All CVD factors were worse in participants with MAP than that with <=1 site. Participants with CF-PWV>12m/s corresponded to a mean 82% probability of MAP with age and sex-adjusted. Patients with peripheral artery disease showed the highest odds ratio (OR) (3.88) for MAP, followed by smoking (2.485), CF-PWV>12m/s (2.25), dyslipidemia (1.89), male (1.84), stroke (1.64), hypoglycemic agents (1.56) and age (1.09) (all p<0.001). Conclusions MAP was highly prevalent in this cohort, with male showing a higher prevalence than female. Higher systemic arteriosclerosis was independently associated with MAP, which indicating the supplementary value of arteriosclerosis for the earlier identification and intervention on MAP.Trial registration: Clinical Trial, URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT02569268
Alpha-Lipoic Acid Prevents Atrial Electrical and Structural Remodeling via Inhibition of NADPH Oxidase in a Rabbit Rapid Atrial Pacing Model
Authors: Chen Lei , Chen Wensu , Zhang Yao , Wang Zhirong
Published: July 2020

Background The pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation(AF) is complex, and the treatment method is still not satisfactory. A rapid atrial pacing (RAP) model was constructed to study the effects of alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) on electrical and structural remodeling, as well as its possible mechanism in rabbits.Methods A total of 30 rabbits were randomly divided into a sham-operated group (SHAM group), a rapid atrial pacing model group (RAP group) and an alpha-lipoic acid+rapid atrial pacing model group (ALA+RAP group). Their right atriums were paced at a speed of 600 beats/min for 12 h in the RAP and ALA+RAP groups, and the atrial effective refractory period (AERP) and AERP frequency adaptability were determined during the pace. In each group, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were detected to observe the effects of oxidative stress. The pathological structure of the atrial tissue was observed through HE and Masson staining. Ultrastructural changes in the atrial myocytes were observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and the expression levels of Nox2 and Nox4 were detected by immunohistochemistry, western blot and ELISA.Conclusion ALA can inhibit atrial electrical remodeling and structural remodeling by reducing ROS production and alleviating oxidative stress injury induced by rapid right atrial pacing, and its mechanism may be related to inhibiting the activity of NADPH oxidase.
Computer-assisted femoral head reduction osteotomies an approach for anatomic reconstruction of severely deformed Legg-Calvè-Perthes hips
Authors: Fürnstahl Philipp , Casari Fabio A. , Ackermann Joëlle , Marcon Magda , Leunig Michael , Ganz Reinhold
Published: July 2020

Background: Legg–Calvé–Perthes (LCP) is a common orthopedic childhood disease leading to a deformity of the femoral head and to an adaptive deformity of the acetabulum. The altered joint biomechanics can result in early joint degeneration requiring total hip arthroplasty. In 2002 Ganz et al. introduced the femoral head reduction osteotomy (FHRO) as a direct joint-preserving treatment. The procedure remains one of the most challenging in hip surgery. Computer-based 3D preoperative planning and patient-specific navigation instruments have been successfully used to reduce technical complexity in other anatomies. The goal of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and anatomic reconstruction of such an approach for FHRO. Methods: In this pilot study 6 LCP patients were treated by FHRO in multiple centers between May 2017 and June 2019. Based on patient-specific 3D models of the hips, the surgeries were simulated in a step-wise fashion. Patient-specific intstruments tailored to FHRO were designed 3D-printed and used in the surgeries for navigating the osteotomies. The results were assessed radiographically and time and costs recorded. Results and Interpretation: The clinical feasibility of our approach for FHRO surgery has been demonstrated. The results showed significant improvement compared to the preoperative situation. The sphericity index improved postoperatively by 20% (p=0.028), the postoperative head diameter differed by only 1.8% (p = 0.043) from the contralateral side and Stulberg classification improved from 4.33 poor coxathrosis outcome to 1.5 good outcome (p = 0.026). The average time (minutes) for preliminary analysis, computer simulation, and patient-specific instrument design was 63 (±48), 156 (±64), and 105 (±68.5), respectively. All operations were performed by experienced surgeons, still three complications occurred, showing that FHRO remains one of the most complex hip surgeries, even with computer assistance; however none was directly related to simulation or navigation technique.
COVID-19 pandemic fear and anxiety among healthcare professionals in Pakistan
Authors: Saleem Zohra , Majeed Muhammad Mansoor , Rafique Sara , Siqqiqui Zarah , Ghandhi Dinaz , Tariq Hira , Zegarra-Valdivia Jonathan Adrián
Published: July 2020

During the current pandemic, Pakistan is badly affected. It has exerted great pressure on vigor as well as the psychology of the healthcare professionals. Limited resources, illiteracy, myths, and not following the proper protocol by the general population may have increased the risk for everyone, and anxiety and fear among the frontline healthcare professionals. Anxiety is a common response to any stressful situation and its the fear of the unknown and it may have multiple consequences.In the current study, we attempted to analyze the fear and anxiety among the healthcare professionals of Pakistan. An online questionnaire-based survey was performed using a non-probability snowball sampling technique. The questionnaire was validated and comprised of demographics and 10 questions regarding fear and anxiety as per fear of coronavirus-19 scale (FCV-19S). SPSS 21 was used for data analysis. Data of 404 participants analyzed. A significant difference between gender, age group, and the profession was found (p<0.05). Out of 404 participants, 322 (79.70%) were considered to have high and severe anxiety (p=0.020). Based on the results anxiety was reported higher among the nurses and in females. A significant relationship was observed between fear and anxiety score and the different healthcare professionals with p value< 0.001 (Multilinear regression).Concerning the high occurrence of anxiety and fear among healthcare professionals appropriate psychological/psychiatric intervention necessitates and emphasizes the need to implement urgent measures.
Efficient Masked Face Recognition Method during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Hariri Walid
Published: July 2020

The COVID-19 is an unparalleled crisis leading to huge number of casualties and security problems. In order to reduce the spread of coronavirus, people often wear masks to protect themselves. This makes the face recognition a very difficult task since certain parts of the face are hidden. A primary focus of researchers during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic is to come up with suggestions to handle this problem through rapid and efficient solutions. In this paper, we propose a reliable method based on discard masked region and deep learning based features in order to address the problem of masked face recognition process. The first step is to discard the masked face region. Next, we apply a pre-trained deep Convolutional neural networks (CNN) to extract the best features from the obtained regions (mostly eyes and forehead regions). Finally, the Bag-of-features paradigm is applied on the feature maps of the last convolutional layer in order to quantize them and to get a slight representation comparing to the fully connected layer of classical CNN. Finally, Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) is applied for the classification process. Experimental results on Real-World-Masked-Face-Dataset show high recognition performance.
Dysregulated Circulating micro RNAs Markers: New Evidence into Expression Pattern in Children with T1D among Egyptian Population
Authors: Barseem Naglaa , Mahasab Marwa , Gayed Eman Abd El
Published: July 2020

Background

miRNAs are gaining access as promising markers for a variety of autoimmune disorders yet, deviations between individuals at risk or developed T1D remains to be thoroughly explored. We aimed to study the pattern of miRNA expression profiling in plasma obtained from patients with T1D and the matched control subjects.
Methods

Equally divided numbers of T1D patients (90) and healthy-matched control children (90) were analyzed for their expression profile of plasma miRNAs; miR-101-5p, 146-5p, 21-5p, miR-375, miR-126, and Let7a-5p by reverse transcriptase (RT-PCR) through quantitative real-time technique.
Results

The two studied groups were significantly different in respect to their biochemical parameters; FBG, 2hpp, and HbA1c levels (p< 0.05). Among the deregulated molecules, miR-101, miR-21 and-375 were highly expressed, whereas, miR-146-5p, miR-126, and miR-Let7a-5p showed significantly low levels of expression in patients compared to control subjects (p < 0.05). MiR-101, miR-146 was significantly correlated to the age at diagnosis of T1D and disease duration respectively. Furthermore, miR-126, -Let7a-5p showed a significant negative correlation with meanA1C values, the matter that was confined by multivariate analysis.
Conclusion

Dysregulation of the above mentioned micro RNAs pointed out to their pivotal role to be important biomarkers for T1D development.
Genome-Wide Association Study of Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction in Older Surgical Patients
Authors: Rickenbacher Marc , Reinbold Céline S , Herms Stefan , Hoffmann Per , Cichon Sven , Wueest Alexandra S , Monsch Andreas U , Steiner Luzius A , Goettel Nicolai
Published: July 2020

Background: Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a common neurocognitive complication after surgery and anesthesia, particularly in elderly patients. Various studies have suggested genetic risk factors for POCD. The study aimed to detect genome-wide associations of POCD in older patients.Methods: In this prospective observational cohort study, participants aged ≥65 years completed a set of neuropsychological tests before, at 1 week, and 3 months after major noncardiac surgery. Test variables were converted into standard scores (z-scores) based on demographic characteristics. POCD was diagnosed if the decline was >1 standard deviation in ≥2 of the 15 variables in the assessment battery. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed to determine potential alleles that are linked to the POCD phenotype. In addition, candidate genes for POCD were identified in a literature search for further analysis.Results: Sixty-three patients with blood samples were included in the study. POCD was diagnosed in 47.6% of patients at 1 week and in 34.2% of patients at 3 months after surgery. Insufficient sample quality led to exclusion of 26 patients. In the remaining 37 patients, a GWAS was performed, but no association (P < 5*10-8) with POCD was found. The subsequent gene set enrichment analysis of 34 candidate genes did not reveal any significant associations.Conclusion: In this patient cohort, a GWAS did not reveal an association between specific genetic alleles and POCD at 1 week and 3 months after surgery. Future genetic analysis should focus on specific candidate genes for POCD.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02864173)
All-Optical Switching of an Epsilon-Near-Zero Plasmon in ITO
Authors: Bohn Justus , Luk Ting-Shan , Tollerton Craig , Hutchins Sam , Brener Igal , Horsley Simon , Barnes William , Hendry Euan
Published: July 2020

Nonlinear optical devices and their implementation into modern nanophotonic architectures are constrained by their usually moderate nonlinear response. Recently, epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) materials have been found to have a strong optical nonlinearity, which can be enhanced through the use of cavities or nano-structuring. Here, we study the pump dependent properties of the plasmon resonance in the ENZ region in a thin layer of thin indium tin oxide (ITO). Exciting this mode using the Kretschmann-Raether configuration, we study reflection switching properties of a 60nm layer close to the resonant plasmon frequency. We demonstrate the thermal switching mechanism, which results in a shift in the plasmon resonance frequency of 20THz for a TM pump intensity of 75GW/cm2. For degenerate pump and probe frequencies, we highlight an additional coherent contribution, not previously isolated in ENZ nonlinear optics studies, which leads to an overall pump induced change in reflection from 1% to 45%.
Association of Health Checkups with Health-Related Quality of Life Among Public Servants: A Nationwide Survey in Taiwan
Authors: Shih Dann-Pyng , Kuo Hsien-Wen , Liang Wen-Miin , Lin Ping-Yi , Tseng Pochang , Wang Jong-Yi
Published: July 2020

Background: Preventive health checkups have gained in importance over the last decade. The association of health checkups and the number of diseases with health-related quality of life (HRQoL), including physical and mental health, remains unclear. We sought to investigate the aforementioned association among Taiwanese public servants.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using randomized and multistage stratified cluster sampling based on proportional probabilistic sampling. The questionnaires addressed demographics, job characteristics, health behaviors, health status, 3 types of health checkups during the preceding 3 years (government-paid health checkup [GPHC], self-paid health checkup [SPHC], and no health checkup [NOHC]), and physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) scores of the Short-Form Health Survey. In total 11,454 middle-aged public servants were analyzed. A multivariate general linear model (GLM) was used to estimate PCS and MCS scores by using least square means.Results: Health checkup types were associated with a significant difference in PCS scores among the public servants. Scores of PCS and MCS were both significantly higher in the GPHC group than in the NOHC group for those with no chronic diseases (51.20 vs. 50.66 [P = 0.0078] and 46.23 vs. 45.58 [P = 0.0192], respectively). Compared with the NOHC group, both scores of GPHC and SPHC groups were significantly associated with higher PCS scores for public servants with ≥2 chronic diseases (46.93 vs. 45.13 [P = 0.0023] and 46.52 vs. 45.13 [P = 0.0094], respectively).Conclusion: In Taiwan, public servants undergoing GPHCs are more likely to report higher PCS scores than are those undergoing SPHCs. It is crucial that encourage periodically using the health checkup to improve health status and HRQoL.
The McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire-Revised (MQOL-R). Psychometric Properties and Validation of a Brazilian Version on Palliative Care Patients: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Serrano Paul Vicuña , Serrano Gerardo Beltran , Torres Iraci Lucena da Silva , Graudner Roberta Rossi , Caumo Wolne , Caumo W
Published: July 2020

Background: To assess the psychometric properties, including internal consistency, construct validity, criterion validity, criterion-group validity, and responsiveness, the Reviewed McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire (MQOL-R), into Brazilian Portuguese-(BrP). Also, to analyze the relationship of the BrP-MQOL-R with the scores on the Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) and on the Numerical Pain Scale (NPS 0-10).Methods: The BrP-MQOL-R was administered to a sample of 146 adults (men = 78). A team of experts translated the MQOL-R according to international guidelines. Convergent validity and Conﬁrmatory factor analysis (CFA) were performed. Results: The BrP-MQOL-R Cronbach´s alfa was 0.85. CFA supported the original four-factor structure, with the following revised model fit-indices: PCLOSE = 0.131, Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI) rho2= 0.918, incremental fit index (IFI) delta 2 = 0.936. The convergence validity is supported by a significant correlation between BrP-MQOL-R total scores and their subscales with KPS and with the single item related to the quality of life. And by a converse correlation with the pain scores in the NPS (0-10). Receiver operator characteristics (ROC) analysis showed subjects with KPS equal to or lower than 30% could be discriminated from those with scores on KPS higher 30% by an area under the curve (AUC) = 0.71, sensitivity = 97% and specificity = 92%). Conclusion: The BrP-MQOL-R proves to be a reliable instrument for assessing the quality of life (QOL) in palliative care (PC), with primary evidence of validity. BrP-MQOL-R presented adequate discriminate properties to identify distinct conditions that impact the QOL in PC.
Improvement of stem cell-derived exosome release efficiency by surface modified nanoparticles
Authors: Park Dong Jun , Yun Wan Su , Kim Woo Cheol , Park Jeong-Eun , Lee Su Hoon , Ha Sunmok , Choi Jin Sil , Key Jaehong , Seo YoungJoon
Published: July 2020

Background: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are pluripotent stromal cells that release extracellular vesicles (EVs). EVs contain various growth factors and antioxidants that can positively affect the surrounding cells. Nanoscale MSC-derived EVs, such as exosomes, have been developed as bio-stable nano-type materials. However, some issues such as low yield and difficulty in quantification limit their use. We hypothesized that enhancing exosome production using nanoparticles would stimulate intracellular molecules. Results: Our aim in this study was to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of exosome generation by comparing the internalization of surface-modified, positively charged nanoparticles and exosome generation from MSCs. We determined that Rab7, which is located in the multiple vesicle body and autolysosomal membrane, was increased upon exosome expression and was associated with autophagosome formation. Conclusions: Nanoparticles may migrate to lysosomes during treatment. Simultaneously, intracellular exosome-forming factors can be stimulated during endosomal maturation. MSC-derived exosomes using nanoparticles may increase exosome yield and enable the discovery of nanoparticle-induced genetic factors.
Determining whether age retirement for NBA players is associated with injuries and illnesses: A retrospective study
Authors: Chou Po-Hsin , Yeh Yu-Tsen , WEI CHIEN TSAI , Su Shih-Bin
Published: July 2020

Background: The careers of professional sport players are usually influenced by injuries and skills. The careers of all-star MBA and regular players depend on their health and how rapidly their skills diminish with age, respectively. Whether the above phenomena are considered and supported in the National Basketball Association (NBA) requires verification.Methods: We downloaded injury data from the NBA website in 2010–2018 and extracted all injury events (=9,783) involving 779 NBA players. Among these players, 705 were retired, 236 possessed all-star titles (60 injured and 170 non-injured), and 466 were regular players (408 injured and 58 non-injured) from 2010 to 2018. Both samples of retired all-star (n = 236) and regular players (n = 466) were compared to verify the effect of injury and illness on the retirement age using the bootstrapping method to estimate 95% confidence intervals in medians. We hypothesized that injuries and illnesses are associated with the retirement age of all-star players and irrelative to that of regular NBA players. Social network analysis(SNA) was performed to highlight the top three injuries with the highest degree centralities in their respective clusters.Results: We observed that the top three degree centralities include (1) sprained a left ankle, (2) sprained a right ankle, and (3) illness. The top two most injured NBA teams in 2010-2018, as obtained by the metrics for measurement, were Timberwolves (x-index = 32.86) and Hornets (x-index = 31.42). Most of the careers of NBA all-star players were affected by injuries/illnesses. The NBA careers of regular players were terminated mostly according to their skill.Conclusion: Although a number of things can be debated with regard to NBA, everyone can agree on one thing: Injuries are the worst. We confirmed that injuries and illnesses exhibit significant associations with the retirement age of all-star players and are irrelative to that of regular NBA players. Sports medicine is urgently needed to help players in preventing possible injuries while in the court in the discernible future.
Changes in plastid biogenesis leading to the formation of albino regenerants in barley microspore culture
Authors: Gajecka Monika , Marzec Marek , Chmielewska Beata , Jelonek Janusz , Zbieszczyk Justyna , Szarejko Iwona
Published: July 2020

Background: Microspore embryogenesis is potentially the most effective method of obtaining doubled haploids (DH), which are utilized in breeding programs to accelerate production of new cultivars. However, the regeneration of albino plants significantly limits the exploitation of androgenesis for DH production in cereals. Despite many efforts, the precise mechanisms leading to development of albino regenerants have not yet been elucidated. The objective of this study was to reveal the genotype-dependent molecular differences in chloroplast differentiation that lead to the formation of green and albino regenerants in microspore culture of barley.Results: We performed a detailed analysis of plastid differentiation at successive stages of androgenesis in two barley cultivars, ‘Jersey’ and ‘Mercada’ that differed in their ability to produce green regenerants. We demonstrated the lack of transition from the NEP-dependent to PEP-dependent transcription in plastids of ‘Mercada’ that produced mostly albino regenerants in microspore culture. The failed NEP-to-PEP transition was associated with the lack of activity of Sig2 gene encoding a sigma factor necessary for transcription of plastid rRNA genes. The impaired PEP activity caused a very low level of 16S and 23S rRNA transcripts, lack of plastid translation machinery and inhibition of photomorphogenesis in regenerating embryos and albino regenerants. Furthermore, the plastids present in differentiating ‘Mercada’ embryos contained a low number of plastome copies whose replication was not always completed. Contrary to ‘Mercada’, ‘Jersey’ that produced 90% green regenerants, showed the high activity of PEP, the highly increased expression of Sig2, plastid rRNA and tRNAGlu transcripts, which indicated the NEP inhibition. The increased expression of GLKs genes encoding transcription factors required for induction of photomorphogenesis was also observed in ‘Jersey’ regenerants. Conclusions: Proplastids present in microspore-derived embryos of albino-producing genotypes did not pass the early checkpoint of their development that are required for induction of further light-dependent differentiation of chloroplasts. The failed activation of plastid-encoded RNA polymerase during differentiation of embryos was the main cause of the genotype-dependent inability to regenerate green plants in barley microspore culture. The better understanding of molecular mechanism underlying formation of albino regenerants may be helpful in overcoming the problem of albinism in cereal androgenesis.
Time Taken to Resume Driving Following Hip Arthroscopy Surgery
Authors: Jo Suenghwan , Lee Sang Hong , Jang Se Woong , Choi Hyun Bai , Kim Ba Rom , Jeong Jae Han , Kim Soo Ah
Published: July 2020

Background: Resuming driving is a common concern among patients undergoing hip arthroscopy. The goals of the current study were 1) to assess whether patients who have undergone right hip arthroscopy have poorer driving performance than patients with normal hips and 2) to analyse the time required to regain preoperative driving performance with respect to different types of operations.Methods: Forty-seven patients who had undergone right hip arthroscopy and who consented to our test protocol were included in this study. The patients were divided into two groups based on the type of operation that they underwent, namely, the femoroacetabular impingement surgery (FAI) group and the simple hip arthroscopy (SA) group. Using an immersive driving simulator, the patients were tested for brake reaction time (BRT), total brake time (TBT), and brake pedal depression pressure (BPD). Following the surgery, the first assessments were conducted when the patient could comfortably sit on the driving seat, and follow-up assessments were conducted for 6 consecutive weeks at weekly intervals. For the control group, 20 healthy volunteers were put through driving assessments thrice at weekly intervals. Braking parameters were compared between preoperative and postoperative measurements and between studied and controlled subjects.Results: The preoperative braking parameters of the patients who underwent arthroscopy showed no significant difference compared with normal controls (p values 0. 373, 0.763, and 0.447 for BRT, TBT, and BPD, respectively). All braking parameters returned to normal in 2 weeks in the FAI group and in 1 week in the SA group.Conclusion: Our study indicates that the driving performance of the patients undergoing right hip arthroscopy have comparable driving performance as compare to the normal hips and that the braking reaction returns to the preoperative state 1 week after SA and 2 weeks after FAI surgery.
Do Cognitive Performance and Physical Function Differ between Individuals with Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome and those with Mild Cognitive Impairment?
Authors: Cheng Fang-Yu , Chang Yuanmay , Cheng Shih-Jung , Shaw Jin-Siang , Lee Chuo-Yu , Chen Pei-Hao
Published: July 2020

Background
Motoric cognitive risk syndrome (MCR) is defined by slow gait speed combined with subjective cognitive complaint. MCR is a predementia syndrome, similar to mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, there is currently no study comparing the differences in cognitive performance and physical function between these two types of cognitive impairment. Thus, the aim of this study is to compare cognitive performance and physical function in individuals with MCR versus MCI.
Methods
A total of 77 participants, free of dementia, were recruited from the neurological outpatient clinic of a medical center in Taiwan. Participants were separated into two groups, MCR (n = 33) and MCI (n = 44) groups, based on definition criteria from previous studies. Cognitive performance, including executive function, attention, working memory, episode memory, visuospatial function, and language, were measured. Physical functions such as activities in daily living, the Tinetti Assessment Scale, and the Timed Up and Go test were also measured.
Results
Executive function, attention, working memory, episodic memory and language were all significantly lower in the MCR group than the MCI group. Abilities related to physical function, including those measured by the Tinetti Assessment Scale and the Timed Up and Go test, were significantly lower in the MCR group than the MCI group.
Conclusions
We noted that cognitive performance and physical function were lower in MCR individuals than MCI individuals. The significant differences between those two groups may provide insight that MCR might lead to more severe overall functional deterioration in older adults than MCI patients.
Assessing Socio-Demographic Factors of Cesarean Delivery in India: Insights From National Family Health Survey-4
Authors: Roy Avijit , Paul Pintu , Saha Jay , Rahaman Margubur , Kapasia Nanigopal , Barman Bikash , Chouhan Pradip
Published: July 2020

Background: The rate of cesarean delivery has considerably increased in the world during the last few decades. This paper aims to investigate the prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of cesarean delivery in India with a focus on Bihar and Tamil Nadu, accounting for the lower and higher proportion of cesarean birth.Methods: The study is based on secondary data, collected from the latest National Family Health Survey in 2015-16 (NFHS-4). The present study is based on 190,898 most recent births during the five years preceding the survey. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were carried out to identify the factors associated with cesarean delivery.Results: The highest rate of cesarean delivery was observed in Telengana (60%) and followed by Andhra Pradesh (42%), Tamil Nadu (36%). C-section found to be negligible in low-income states, namely Bihar (7%), Madhya Pradesh (10%) and Jharkhand (11%). Multivariate analysis revealed that the prevalence of cesarean delivery was substantially higher among women who married at higher age, with first birth-order, women in the ‘obese’ category with higher education, those from upper quintile of household wealth. Similarly the incidence of cesarean birth was remarkably higher in private hospitals both in the Indian sample (OR 3.9, 95% CI: 3.77-4.03) and in the selected states, Bihar (12.86, 95% CI: 10.92-15.15) and Tamil Nadu (OR 2.74, 95% CI: 2.40-3.13), compared to the public hospitals. Conclusion: Our study revealed that there are a high proportion of women delivering babies through cesarean section in South India. Thus, medical justifications need to be taken to deal with this concern. On the other hand, Women should also be driven towards regular ANC check-ups for the well-being of maternal and newborn health that can also help to increase the cesarean delivery for women who need C-section delivery especially in low-income states.
An “Expressionistic” Look at Serrated Precancerous Colorectal Lesions
Authors: Marra Giancarlo
Published: July 2020

Background: Approximately 60% of colorectal cancer (CRC) precursor lesions are the genuinely-dysplastic conventional adenomas (cADNs). The others include hyperplastic polyps (HPs), sessile serrated adenoma/polyps (SSA/Ps), and traditional serrated adenomas (TSAs), subtypes of a class of lesions collectively referred to as “serrated.” Endoscopic and histologic differentiation between cADNs and serrated lesions, and between serrated lesion subtypes can be difficult. Methods: We used in situ hybridization to verify the expression patterns in CRC precursors of 21 RNA molecules that appear to be promising differentiation markers on the basis of previous RNA sequencing studies.Results: SSA/Ps could be clearly differentiated from cADNs by the expression patterns of 9 of the 12 RNAs tested for this purpose (VSIG1, ANXA10, ACHE, SEMG1, AQP5, LINC00520, ZIC5/2, FOXD1, NKD1). Expression patterns of all 9 in HPs were similar to those in SSA/Ps. Nine putatively HP-specific RNAs were also investigated, but none could be confirmed as such: most (e.g., HOXD13 and HOXB13), proved instead to be markers of the normal mucosa in the distal colon and rectum, where most HPs arise. TSAs displayed mixed staining patterns reflecting the presence of serrated and dysplastic glands in the same lesion. Conclusions: Using a robust in situ hybridization protocol, we identified promising tissue-staining markers that, if validated in larger series of lesions, could facilitate more precise histologic classification of CRC precursors and, consequently, more tailored clinical follow-up of their carriers. Our findings should also fuel functional studies on the pathogenic significance of specific gene expression alterations in the initiation and evolution of CRC precursor subtypes.
Acute Phase Proteins and Total Antioxidant Capacity in Free-Roaming Cats Infected by Pathogenic Leptospires
Authors: Picco Andrea Murillo , Cuenca Rafaela , Serrano Emmanuel , Tvarijonaviciute Asta , Cerón José , Marga Goris , Ahmed Ahmed , Pastor Josep
Published: July 2020

Background: Leptospirosis is a neglected but widespread zoonotic disease throughout the world. The vast majority of mammals are hosts of Leptospira spp., including domestic cats. Though clinical signs of active leptospirosis are generally mild in cats, chronic infections might result in renal injury. However, there is no consensus either on the clinical presentation nor on the disease diagnosis in cats. The study of acute-phase proteins (APPs) and biomarkers of oxidative status would contribute to knowledge about the development ofthe disease in cats. In this report, we evaluated four APPs: Serum amyloid A-SAA, Haptoglobin–Hp, albumin and Paraoxonase 1-PON1 and the antioxidant response through Total Antioxidant Capacity-TAC, in 13 free-roaming cats naturally infected by pathogenic leptospires and 19 leptospires-free cats, through a Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Results: DNA positive cats showed higher serum SAA and Hp concentrations than seropositive cats and their leptospires-free counterparts. DNA positive individuals, however, had lower serum PON1 activity and albumin concentrations than seropositive and leptospires-free cats. On the other hand, the increase in TAC serum concentrations was positively associated with anti-leptospiral antibodies titre. The PCA retained two principal components (PC1 and PC2), explaining 60.1% of the observed variability of the inflammatory proteins and the antioxidant TAC. PC1 was mainly associated with an inflammatory process, whereas PC2 correlated with the antioxidant status. The most contributing variables in PC1 where albumin (27.46%), SAA (24.71%), Hp (21.56%) and PON1 (20.69%). Variables with significant contribution to the PC2 were the antibody titre against Leptospira spp. (48.41%) and TAC (35.04%). Overall the PCA revealed differences in inflammatory and antioxidant biomarkers in cats naturally infected with leptospires compared to leptospires-free cats.Conclusions: Increases in Serum SAA, Hp, and decreases in serum albumin concentrations and PON1 activity indicate an acute phase response in infected, DNA positive cats. Moreover, we found an increase in TAC serum concentrations indicating an antioxidant response in this infection, which is proportional to the antibody titre and not to the presence of bacterial DNA.
The relationship between tectonism and desertification inferred from the provenance and lithofacies changes of the Cenozoic terrestrial sequence of the southwestern Tarim basin
Authors: Sakuma Aki , Tada Ryuji , Yoshida Tomohiro , Hasegawa Hitoshi , Sugiura Naomi , Karasuda Akinori , Wang Ke , Zheng Hongbo
Published: July 2020

The Tarim basin is one of the most arid areas in the world and its major part is occupied by the Taklimakan desert. Although unraveling the history of aridification of Taklimakan desert is important to understand the global climate change during the Cenozoic, the timing and the mechanism of its formation are still controversial. One of the hypotheses is that the uplift of the Pamir locating to the west of the Tarim basin blocked the intrusion of the moist air and induced the aridification in the Tarim basin. In this study, we explored the linkage between the uplift of the Pamir and the desertification in the Tarim basin during the period from the late Eocene to the middle Miocene. Provenance changes of the fluvial deposits along the Aertashi section, which is located in the southwestern edge of the Tarim basin and offers the longest record with the reliable age model, was examined using Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) signal intensity and crystallinity index (CI) of quartz in the sand fraction of fluvial sandstone and the thin section observation to identify the timings of tectonic events in the Pamir from which clastic materials were supplied by rivers. Our results suggest that major provenance changes in the drainage of the river delivering the clasts to the Aertashi section occurred at ca. 26 Ma, 20 Ma, and 15 Ma. These timings are mostly consistent with the timings observed in the previous provenance studies in the Aertashi section and probably reflect tectonic events in the Pamir. On the other hand, the Tarim basin was under the relatively arid condition after ca. 34 Ma based on the first occurrence of sand dune deposit. Hence, our result does not support the hypothesis that the onset of the aridification in the Tarim basin was caused by the uplift of the Pamir and consequent shut down of the moisture supply from the Paratethys Sea although the afterward intensification of tectonic events in the Pamir might be related to the phased uplift.
Rapid water parcel transport across the Kuroshio Extension in the lower thermocline from dissolved oxygen measurements by Seaglider
Authors: Hosoda Shigeki , Inoue Ryuichiro , Nonaka Masami , Sasaki Hideharu , Sasai Yoshikazu , Hirano Mizue
Published: July 2020

Small water parcels with low salinity and high dissolved oxygen (DO) are observed in the main thermocline south of the Kuroshio Extension (KE). The Seaglider data, which was collected for four months beginning in late winter 2014 with fine spatial and temporal resolutions, identified small water parcels characterized by low salinity and high DO in the subsurface layer (26.0–27.0 σθ) with a few ten kilometers and a few ten meters in the horizontal and vertical scales, respectively. Water mass analyses revealed larger negative salinity anomalies (< − 0.05 PSS-78) and positive DO anomalies (> 15 µmol kg− 1) than those of the surrounding water. The characteristics are similar to those of water mass with low salinity and high DO in the subpolar Northwestern Pacific Ocean. Additionally, higher DO anomaly water parcels appear in the upper layer (< 26.7 σθ) while low salinity parcels appear in the lower layer (> 26.7 σθ). Oxygen consumption rates from the apparent oxygen utility suggest that the small water parcels consume less oxygen than the surrounding water, implying that they migrate in a shorter time across the KE after subduction and their characteristics may reflect the sea surface temperature, salinity, and DO in the subduction region. Similar small water parcels represented by high-resolution numerical simulations indicate that they pass through the KE in one month. The simulations support the oxygen consumption rate from the Seaglider observations. The existence of a faster process for water mass migration by meso- and submesoscale subduction processes across the KE affects the amount, subduction, and exchange process of water mass. Our study indicates a small water mass contributes to the exchange process across the KE rapidly, which had not been identified in previous studies. Consequently, detailed observations using multiple Seagliders should capture detailed spatial and temporal variability of the water mass exchange process.
Challenges in Early Postnatal Care and Growth in Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants: A Multi-Center Study
Authors: Li Shuaijun , Feng Qi , Tong Xiao-mei , Li Qiu-ping , Wang Jun-Yi , Wang Ya-Juan , Liu Wei-Peng , Zeng Chao-Mei , Wang Dan-Hua , Zhao Wen-Li , Li Li-Hua , Cui Hong , Hei Ming-Yan , Li Li , Zhang Xue-Feng , Guo Jiu-Ye , Yang Ming
Published: July 2020

Background

Postnatal care and growth in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants are being increasingly focused on worldwide. However, few data from China have been reported, expecially multicenters. This multicenter study was designed to investigate the problems existing in postnatal care, weight gain and the related risk factors in in-patient ELBW infants.
Methods

Eligible ELBW infants admitted to involved neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in 2017 in Beijing were studied retrospectively. Except for general early outcomes, Weight Z score and feeding practice related information was caculated, and collected. Growth retardation (GR) was diagnosed if body weight Z score at discharge dropped more than one standard deviation (SD) compared with birth.
Results

Of our cohort of 137 ELBW infants, 92 infants discharged with medical advice were analyzed. Full enteral feeding reached at 37.0 (27.0, 51.8)days. Exclusive breast milk feeding rate was 30.4% at discharge. All infants had decreased weight Z score, and its change was similar in different weight subgroups. The incidence of GR was 66.3%. Multiple-factor analysis showed the risk factors for GR were small for gestational age(OR 34.768, 95%CI 1.652-731.728), average weight gain rate < 15 g/(kg.d)(OR 249.062, 95%CI 11.211-5532.889), and non-invasive and/or mechanicl ventilation duration > 28days(OR 6.867, 95%CI 1.211–38.957), P༜0.05. Keeping ELBW infants staying in hospital longer was beneficial to their weight gain (OR = 0.950, 95% CI 0.909–0.993, P < 0.05).
Conclusion

Maintaining appropriate weight gain in early age is still a great challenge in ELBW infants. Fetal growth, early nutrition and sickness are critical influencing factors.
Mature B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia with MLL-AF9 Transcripts: Three Case Reports and Literature Reviews
Authors: Guo Yuxia , Zhou Min , Zou Pinli , Liao Xin , XIAO Jianwen
Published: July 2020

Background: Mature B cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (BAL) is characterized by ALL-L3 morphology and the presence of surface immunoglobulin (sIgM) light chain restriction. t(8;14)(q24;q32) or its variants related to the MYC rearrangement (MYCr) are usually present in BAL, and BAL is considered the leukaemic phase of Burkitt lymphoma (BL). BAL with MLL rearrangement (MLLr) is rare.Case presentation: Three children with BAL and MLLr are presented. We also reviewed the context of 24 previously reported cases, and the features, treatment and prognosis were analysed. Three BAL patients with MLLr were reported, accounting for 1.37% of the B-ALL population; 24 patients were found in the literature. Thirteen males and 14 females were included, and the average age at diagnosis was 19.5 ± 4.95 m. Renal, CNS and skin involvement were present in 6, 4 and 3 patients, respectively. Twenty-six (96.30%) patients showed non-ALL-L3 morphology; negative or suspicious expression of CD20 was found in 64% of patients. MLLr was reported, but MYCr was not observed. Twenty-five (92.59%) patients achieved complete remission. Prospective event-free survival (pEFS) in patients who received allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) was higher than that in patients who received chemotherapy (83.33% vs 41.91%).Conclusion: BAL patients with MLLr had unique manifestations, including a younger age at diagnosis and overexpression of CD19; expression of CD20 was rare, and MYCr was undetectable. The patients were sensitive to chemotherapy, but the pEFS was higher in patients undergoing allo-HSCT than in patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Chemosensitivity based on pathologic complete response in very young patients (<35 years) with ER-positive breast cancer: a large retrospective cohort study
Authors: Woo Joohyun , Oh Se Jeong , Song Jeong-Yoon , Chae Byung Joo , Choi Jung Eun , Lee Jeeyeon , Park Heung Kyu , Lim Woosung
Published: July 2020

Background

In estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer, young age is associated with poor prognosis. Several reports have suggested hormonal mechanism as the possible reason. Conversely, very young patients respond better to chemotherapy, and adjuvant chemotherapy is less effective in ER-positive tumors than in ER-negative tumors. The authors tried to evaluate the chemoinsensitivity of very young patients with ER-positive breast cancer excluding the effect of endocrine treatment to the extent possible.
Methods

We collected individual patient data from 1992 to 2013 from the Korean Breast Cancer Society (KBCS), and 1,049 ER-positive patients aged < 50 years who had been treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy were included for analysis. We compared the pathologic complete response (pCR) rate between patients aged < 35 years and those aged 35–49 years.
Results

One hundred forty seven patients (14.0%) aged < 35 years and 901 patients (86.0%) aged 35–49 years were studied. Although most chracteristics of tumors were comparable in both groups, tumors with high Ki-67 expression were found in 49.4% of patients aged < 35 years and in 32.7% of patients aged 35–49 years (P = 0.007). Breast conservation rates were not significantly different between the two groups (44.2% vs. 46.8%, P = 0.30). pCR rates of both breasts and axilla were not significantly different between the two groups (P = 0.87).
Conclusions

Chemotherapy response based on pCR rates was not better in young patients (< 35 years) with ER-positive breast cancer than in older premenopausal patients with ER-positive breast cancer; however, the proportion of tumors with high Ki-67 proliferative index was greater in the former.
Trial registration:
retrospectively registered