bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
[Retracted] Effect of Dihydroquercetin on Energy Metabolism in LPS‐Induced Inflammatory Mice
Authors: Yu Xiaoying , Hussein Saddam , Li Lijia , Liu Qingyu , Ban Zhibin , Jiang Hailong
Published: July 2022

This study investigated the effects and alterations of dihydroquercetin on the growth performance, nutriment metabolism, antioxidant and immune function, and energy substrate utilization in lipopolysaccharide‐challenged mice. A total of 0, 50, and 200 mg/kg of dihydroquercetin were intragastrically administered once a day for 21 days. After the pretreatment with dihydroquercetin, each group was subjected to a lipopolysaccharide challenge (except for the control group). After lipopolysaccharide injection, food intake, body weight, metabolic indexes of blood and liver nutrients, blood inflammatory factors, and liver oxidative stress indexes were measured at 6, 12, 24, and 48 h, respectively. Indirect calorimetry analysis was performed by respiratory gas analysis for 48 h to calculate the energy substrate metabolism of carbohydrate, fat, and protein. Urinary nitrogen excretion was measured to evaluate the urinary protein metabolism to calculate the substrate utilization. The results showed that dihydroquercetin pretreatment can significantly increase the weight gain and average food intake and decrease the mortality rate in lipopolysaccharide‐induced inflammation mice. Furthermore, dihydroquercetin pretreatment can alleviate the negative effects of lipopolysaccharides by increasing levels of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase and by decreasing the malondialdehyde and serum inflammatory cytokines (interleukin‐1β, nuclear factor κB, and interleukin‐6). Dihydroquercetin pretreatment also can relieve nutrient metabolic disorder by increasing blood glucose, serum total protein, and liver glycogen levels and reducing serum and liver triglycerides, serum cholesterol, serum lactate dehydrogenase, and serum urea nitrogen levels. Meanwhile, it increases the relative utilization of carbohydrate, reducing relative utilization of protein and lipid, alleviating the change in energy metabolism pattern from glucose‐predominant to lipid‐predominant caused by lipopolysaccharide stimulation. In addition, the degree of metabolic pattern transformation depends on the dose of dihydroquercetin supplement. Finally, according to principal component analysis, we found that the inflammation was strongest in the mice at 24 h and was subsequently relieved in the LPS‐stimulated group, whereas in the dihydroquercetin‐pretreated group, the inflammation was initially relieved. To summarize, dihydroquercetin pretreatment can improve energy metabolism disorder and attenuate the negative effects of lipopolysaccharide challenge in mice from the initial stage of inflammation.
A Novel Prognostic Signature Revealed the Interaction of Immune Cells in Tumor Microenvironment Based on Single-Cell RNA Sequencing for Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Jin Xing , Hu Zhengyang , Sui Qihai , Zhao Mengnan , Liang Jiaqi , Liao Zhenyu , Zheng Yuansheng , Wang Hao , Shi Yu
Published: July 2022

Background. The tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) played an important role in immunotherapy prognosis and treatment response. Immune cells constitute a large part of the tumor microenvironment and regulate tumor progression. Our research is dedicated to studying the infiltrating immune cell in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and seeking potential targets. Methods. The scRNA-seq data were collected from our FDZSH and two public datasets. The code for cell-type mapping algorithms was downloaded from the CIBERSORTx portal. The bioinformatics data of LUAD patients could be approached from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) portal. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) analyses were performed to construct a risk model. TIMER2 and TIDE helped with the immune infiltration estimation, while PROGENy helped the cancer-related pathways’ enrichment analysis. GSE31210 dataset and IMVigor ICB therapy cohort validated our findings as the external validation datasets. Results. We clustered the scRNA-seq dataset (integrating our FDZSH datasets and other public datasets) into 23 subpopulations. After curated cell annotation, we implemented Cibersort and WGCNA analysis to anchor the brown module and natural killer cell cluster1 due to the most relationship with tumor trait. The overlap of the brown module gene, natural killer cell signature, and DEGs of tumor and adjacent normal samples was screened by LASSO Cox regression. The obtained 5-gene risk model showed an excellent prognostic performance in the validation dataset. Furthermore, there was a correlation between risk score and tumor-infiltrating immune cells and tumor genomics abnormity. Patients with higher risk scores had a significantly lower immunotherapy response rate. Conclusion. Our observations implied that immune cells played a pivotal role in TIME and established a 5-gene signature (including IDH2, ADRB2, SFTPC, CCDC69, and CCND2) on the basement of nature killer markers targeted by WGCNA analysis. The significance of clinical outcome and immunotherapy response prediction was validated robustly.
Influence of Nanosemiconductor Materials on Thermal Stability of Solar Cells
Authors: Ma Aijie
Published: July 2022

In order to overcome the problem of long-term stability of perovskite solar cells, the author proposes a method to study the effects of nanosemiconductor materials on the thermal stability of solar cells. In this method, n = 3 and n = 1 (C6H5(CH2)2NH3)2(CH3NH3)n-1Pbn I3n+1 two-dimensional nanoperovskite films were investigated on glass substrates and indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates, respectively, on the thermal stability. Experimental results show that the glass-based nanoperovskite PMPI3 film was partially decomposed into PbI2 after being heated at 160°C. When the temperature reaches 180°C, the film is completely decomposed into PbI2, and the perovskite PMPI3 film with ITO as the substrate is completely decomposed into PbI2 when the heating temperature reaches 140°C. The charge transfer between the perovskite film and the substrate is the physical reason for its easier thermal decomposition on the ITO substrate. Suggestions for improving the thermal stability of perovskite solar cell devices are given from the aspects of device design and fabrication process.
Methylated Septin 9 as a Promising Biomarker in the Diagnosis and Recurrence Monitoring of Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Lu Pingxia , Zhu Xianjin , Song Yanfang , Luo Yue , Lin Junsheng , Zhang Junrong , Cao Yingping , Huang Zhengyuan
Published: July 2022

Purpose. The clinical utility of plasma methylated septin 9 (mSEPT9) DNA in screening and recurrence monitoring for colorectal cancer (CRC) is highly promising. The present study was performed to determine the diagnostic value of mSEPT9 in CRC detection and recurrence monitoring in Chinese patients. Methods. Overall, 616 patients newly diagnosed with CRC and 122 individuals with no evidence of disease were recruited from October 1, 2019, to May 31, 2021, at Fujian Medical University Union Hospital. Plasma and serum samples were collected for analyzing mSEPT9, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and carbohydrate antigen-19-9 (CA19-9). Data on clinicopathological characteristics were collected and analyzed. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated to evaluate the diagnostic potential of each marker; the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was applied for the assessment of diagnostic value, and comparisons among mSEPT9, CEA, CA19-9, and their combination were assessed via ROC curves. Results. mSEPT9 achieved an overall sensitivity and specificity of 72.94% and 81.97%, respectively, with an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.826, which were higher than those of CEA (sensitivity: 43.96%; specificity: 96.72%; AUC: 0.789) and CA19-9 (sensitivity: 14.99%; specificity: 96.61%; AUC: 0.590). The combination of mSEPT9, CEA, and CA19-9 further improved sensitivity, specificity, and AUC value (sensitivity: 78.43%; specificity: 86.07%; AUC: 0.878), respectively. Notably, the mSEPT9 positivity rate was significantly associated with TNM stage, T stage, N stage, tumor size, vascular invasion, and nerve invasion among patients with CRC. A 100% correlation was observed between the positive results of the mSEPT9 test and recurrence or metastasis in patients after therapeutic intervention. Conclusion. Our findings suggest that mSEPT9 may represent a potential biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of CRC compared with CEA and CA19-9. Postoperative mSEPT9 status may represent the first noninvasive marker of CRC recurrence or metastasis.
Computational Intelligence-Based Method for Automated Identification of COVID-19 and Pneumonia by Utilizing CXR Scans
Authors: Kaushik Bhavana , Koundal Deepika , Goel Neelam , Zaguia Atef , Belay Assaye , Turabieh Hamza
Published: July 2022

Chest X-ray (CXR) scans are emerging as an important diagnostic tool for the early spotting of COVID and other significant lung diseases. The recognition of visual symptoms is difficult and can take longer time by radiologists as CXR provides various signs of viral infection. Therefore, artificial intelligence-based method for automated identification of COVID by utilizing X-ray images has been found to be very promising. In the era of deep learning, effective utilization of existing pretrained generalized models is playing a decisive role in terms of time and accuracy. In this paper, the benefits of weights of existing pretrained model VGG16 and InceptionV3 have been taken. Base model has been created using pretrained models (VGG16 and InceptionV3). The last fully connected (FC) layer has been added as per the number of classes for classification of CXR in binary and multi-class classification by appropriately using transfer learning. Finally, combination of layers is made by integrating the FC layer weights of both the models (VGG16 and InceptionV3). The image dataset used for experimentation consists of healthy, COVID, pneumonia viral, and pneumonia bacterial. The proposed weight fusion method has outperformed the existing models in terms of accuracy, achieved 99.5% accuracy in binary classification over 20 epochs, and 98.2% accuracy in three-class classification over 100 epochs.
Weighted Gene Correlation Network Analysis (WGCNA) of Arabidopsis Somatic Embryogenesis (SE) and Identification of Key Gene Modules to Uncover SE-Associated Hub Genes
Authors: de Silva Kithmee K. , Dunwell Jim M. , Wickramasuriya Anushka M.
Published: July 2022

Somatic embryogenesis (SE), which occurs naturally in many plant species, serves as a model to elucidate cellular and molecular mechanisms of embryo patterning in plants. Decoding the regulatory landscape of SE is essential for its further application. Hence, the present study was aimed at employing Weighted Gene Correlation Network Analysis (WGCNA) to construct a gene coexpression network (GCN) for Arabidopsis SE and then identifying highly correlated gene modules to uncover the hub genes associated with SE that may serve as potential molecular targets. A total of 17,059 genes were filtered from a microarray dataset comprising four stages of SE, i.e., stage I (zygotic embryos), stage II (proliferating tissues at 7 days of induction), stage III (proliferating tissues at 14 days of induction), and stage IV (mature somatic embryos). This included 1,711 transcription factors and 445 EMBRYO DEFECTIVE genes. GCN analysis identified a total of 26 gene modules with the module size ranging from 35 to 3,418 genes using a dynamic cut tree algorithm. The module-trait analysis revealed that four, four, seven, and four modules were associated with stages I, II, III, and IV, respectively. Further, we identified a total of 260 hub genes based on the degree of intramodular connectivity. Validation of the hub genes using publicly available expression datasets demonstrated that at least 78 hub genes are potentially associated with embryogenesis; of these, many genes remain functionally uncharacterized thus far. In silico promoter analysis of these genes revealed the presence of cis-acting regulatory elements, “soybean embryo factor 4 (SEF4) binding site,” and “E-box” of the napA storage-protein gene of Brassica napus; this suggests that these genes may play important roles in plant embryo development. The present study successfully applied WGCNA to construct a GCN for SE in Arabidopsis and identified hub genes involved in the development of somatic embryos. These hub genes could be used as molecular targets to further elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying SE in plants.
[Retracted] Effect of Early Low‐Calorie Enteral Nutrition Support in Critically Ill Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta‐analysis
Authors: Jiang Qidong , Xu Tao
Published: July 2022

Objective. The purpose of this research was to rigorously assess the impact of early low‐fever enteral feeding supplementation in critically sick patients. Methods. PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Physiotherapy Evidence Database were searched for randomized controlled trials related to enteral nutrition support of critically ill patients (retrieval time was limited to June 30, 2021); data were extracted after screening the literature, and the quality of meta‐analysis was evaluated. Results. When compared to adequate caloric enteral nutrition support, early low caloric enteral nutrition support reduces the incidence of intolerance to nutrition support (MD = 0.60, 95 percent CI: ‐0.18 to 1.39, P = 0.13) and the insulin dose during enteral nutrition support (MD = −17.21, 95 percent CI: ‐19.91 to ‐14.51, P = 0.00001). However, it had no effect on intensive care unit (ICU) treatment duration (MD = 0.60, 95 percent CI: ‐0.18 to 1.39, P = 0.13), in‐hospital mortality (MD = 0.60, 95 percent CI: ‐0.18 to 1.39, P = 0.13), or infection incidence (OR = 1.00, 95 percent CI: 0.85, 1.19, P = 0.98). Conclusion. When compared to sufficient caloric enteral nutrition support, early low‐calorie enteral nutrition support lowers the risk of severe illness. The rate of intolerance to nutritional assistance and the decrease in insulin dosage supplied had no effect on the length of ICU therapy, patient death, or infection incidence.
The Influence of Ixeris sonchifolia Hance Injection Combined with Isosorbide Mononitrate in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease and Diabetes
Authors: Zhang Li , Qin Xiaomin
Published: July 2022

Objective. To evaluate the influence of Ixeris sonchifolia Hance injection combined with isosorbide mononitrate in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and diabetes. Methods. 60 patients with CHD and diabetes mellitus admitted to our hospital between January 2019 and June 2020 were recruited and assigned via the random number table method at a ratio of 1 : 1 to receive either isosorbide mononitrate treatment (control group) or Ixeris sonchifolia Hance injection plus isosorbide mononitrate treatment (observation group). Outcome measures included left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP), left ventricular end systolic volume (LVESV), left ventricular function (LVEF), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), and the total treatment efficiency. Results. The two groups had similar LVEDP, LVESV, and LVEF before treatment (

p
>
0.05

). After treatment, the LVEDP and LVESV of the two groups declined (

p
<
0.05

), whereas LVEF increased (

p
<
0.05

), with lower LVEDP and LVESV and higher LVEF in the observation group than in the control group (

p
<
0.05

). Before treatment, there were no significant differences in the BNP levels between the two groups (

p
>
0.05

). After treatment, the observation group had a more significant reduction in the BNP levels versus the observation group (

p
<
0.05

). The observation group showed a higher treatment efficacy than the control group (

p
<
0.05

). Conclusion. Ixeris sonchifolia Hance plus isosorbide mononitrate may offer a viable alternative in the treatment of patients with CHD and diabetes mellitus. Future trials are, however, required prior to clinical promotion.
Experimental and Analytical Study of a Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolyser Integrated with Thermal Energy Storage for Performance Enhancement
Authors: Peng Xiaodong , Deng Zhanfeng , Zhao Xueying , Li Gendi , Song Jie , Liang Danxi , Sun Xiaotong , Xu Guizhi , Kang Wei , Liu Min
Published: July 2022

To peak carbon dioxide emissions and carbon neutrality, hydrogen energy plays a pivotal role in the energy system dominated by wind power and solar power. The proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolytic hydrogen production technology has advantages of higher current density, higher hydrogen purity, higher load flexibility, and balanced grid load, becoming one of effective ways to consume renewable energy. Experimental analysis finds that the present PEM electrolyser cannot maintain a stable operating temperature as the input power changes; the polarization curve would distort with the change of temperature. This work proposes a PEM electrolyser coupled with the thermal energy storage device to meet power fluctuation and frequent start and stop caused by renewable resources. Through the involvement of the thermal storage device, electrolytic system is able to operate quickly and persistently in an efficient condition. The coupled system effectively reduces energy consumption in the process of start-stop or load changing, which can effectively adapt to the power fluctuation and frequent start and stop caused by renewable energy.
The Efficacy of Minocycline Hydrochloride Combined with Multiple Antibiotic Paste in Elderly Patients with Chronic Periodontitis and Concomitant Pulp Lesions
Authors: Chen Qiang , Yan Wen , Geng Nan
Published: July 2022

Objective. To explore the efficacy of Minocycline hydrochloride combined with multiple antibiotic pastes in the treatment of chronic periodontitis with concomitant pulp lesions in elderly patients, as well as to analyze the changes in the levels of inflammatory markers. Methods. 100 patients suffering from chronic periodontitis with concomitant pulp lesions treated in our hospital from July 2018 to January 2020 were selected as the study subjects, and were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n = 50) or a control group (n = 50). Patients in the experimental group were treated with Minocycline hydrochloride combined with multiple antibiotic pastes, while those in the control group were treated with Minocycline hydrochloride alone. The treatment efficacy in the two groups was then assessed using such factors as periodontal probing depth, dental plaque index, gingival index, periodontal attachment level, and the presence or absence of adverse effects. We also measured and compared the levels of inflammatory markers such as CRP, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-5, IL-6, and others in both groups, before treatment, as well as after a week of treatment. Results. There was a statistically significant difference in the treatment efficacy between the two groups (

P
<
0.05

), with a higher treatment efficacy seen in the experimental group as compared to the control group. When compared to the control group, the experimental group had lower depths of periodontal probing, lower dental plaque indices, lower gingival indices, lower periodontal attachment levels, as well a significantly lower incidence of adverse reactions (

P
<
0.05

). Before treatment, the levels of inflammatory markers such as CRP, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-5, and IL-6 were elevated in both groups. After a week of treatment, there were reductions in the levels of inflammatory markers in both groups, but a more significant reduction was seen in the experimental than in the control group (

P
<
0.05

). Conclusion. Minocycline hydrochloride combined with various antibiotic pastes is more effective in the treatment of chronic periodontitis with concomitant pulp lesions in elderly patients than monotherapy with Minocycline hydrochloride alone.
Piano Intelligent Teaching Evaluation with IoT and Multimedia Technology
Authors: Wang Dongkui , Bai Zuolian
Published: July 2022

With deepening of the economic development process, the overall spiritual and cultural needs of the people have increased, and quality education has received more and more attention. Piano education is an important part of quality education. Nowadays, piano education has also been able to move forward continuously. As the king of musical instruments, the piano is widely used in music learning. Learning the piano can exercise willpower, develop intelligence, and cultivate sentiment. With development of computer software as well as hardware, Internet of Things technology and multimedia technology provide the material basis and preconditions for intelligent piano teaching. Therefore, how to evaluate the impact of the IoT and multimedia technology on intelligent teaching of piano has become a very important topic. Based on this, this work combines BP network with artificial fish swarm algorithm (AFS) and proposes network model (IAFS-BP) for evaluating the quality of piano intelligent teaching in the context of Internet of Things and multimedia. The specific contents of this work are as follows: (1) Aiming at the shortcomings of AFS, an IAFS with mutation operator, dynamic vision, and step size is proposed. (2) In view of shortcomings for BP network, IAFS is used in BP network. By using the IAFS algorithm in the training of the weights as well as thresholds, the training speed and training accuracy of the network are improved. (3) This work has carried out a comprehensive and systematic experiment to verify effectiveness and feasibility of IAFS-BP applied to quality assessment of piano intelligent teaching in the context of the IoT and multimedia.
Parameter Optimization and Bending Performance Analysis of a Corrugated Steel Plate-UHPC Composite Bridge Deck with PZ Shear Connectors
Authors: Wang Anhua , Zheng Xiaobo , Hou Wei , He Shuanhai
Published: July 2022

Composite bridge decks consisting of steel plates and concrete are used to minimize fatigue cracking and damage of asphalt pavement of orthotropic steel bridge decks subjected to wheel loads. This paper presents a methodology to optimize the parameters and mechanical performance of a corrugated steel plate-ultrahigh-performance concrete (UHPC) composite bridge deck with panel zone (PZ) shear connectors using the improved non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II). A 3-D finite element model is established in ANSYS Workbench software to conduct numerical parameter analysis, and ABAQUS software is used to analyze the optimized model’s mechanical performance. The results show a significant improvement in the mechanical performance of the optimized composite bridge deck, with a 27.66% decrease in the maximum stress in the UHPC layer. The vertical displacement of the optimized composite bridge deck increases sharply when the load reaches 90% of the ultimate load, and a significant change in the strain is caused by the sliding displacement between the UHPC layer and steel plate. The bottom part of the corrugation yields first in the middle span, followed by failures of the ribs. In addition, as the tensile stress increases, damage occurs first in the UHPC layer near the PZ shear connectors in the shear bending area and the bottom in the bending area, expanding significantly to the entire bending and loading areas. The results indicate that the parameter optimization of the corrugated steel plate-UHPC composite bridge deck using NSGA-II improves the structure’s bending performance.
Recovery and Enrichment of Platinum from Spent Al2O3 Carrier Catalysts by Matte Smelting-Acid Leaching Process
Authors: Sun Lida , Jiang Yan , Huang Mengyang , Fan Xingxiang
Published: July 2022

Recovery of platinum from spent catalysts can meet the comprehensive recycling of secondary resources. Recovery and enrichment of platinum from the spent Al2O3 carrier catalyst using matte smelting for the pyrite-acid leaching process were studied. In melting process, the effects of pyrite, CaO, quartz sand, and Na2B4O7 dosage on the recovery rate of Pt were investigated. In leaching process, the effect of H2SO4 concentration, temperature, time, and liquid/solid (L/S) ratio on Pt enriching efficiency was also investigated. The slag, iron matte, and leaching residue were analyzed using XRD. The molten platinum content in the slag was measured using an atomic absorption spectrometer. The experimental results showed that 98% recovery of platinum was obtained under the following optimum conditions: 1400°C temperature, 50 min smelting time, 1 : 2 mass ratio of pyrite to spent catalysts, 0.5 : 1 ratio of CaO to spent catalysts, and 2 : 1 ratio of quartz sand to the raw material with optimum conditions, which include 15% dosage of Na2B4O7. Moreover, the acid leaching was more efficient under the following optimum conditions: H2SO4 concentration of 1.8 mol/L, time of 70 min, temperature of 60°C, and L/S ratio of 10 : 1. The enrichment and recovery of Pt were achieved at the disappearance of FeS during the acid-leaching process.
Effect of Media Richness on Older Adults’ Routinized Use of Social Media in Mobile Applications
Authors: Zheng Supeng , Gu Jie
Published: July 2022

Given the ambivalent relationship between social media’s characteristics and the elderly usage, the missing link of the older consumers’ emotional attachment to the media product, and the lack of theoretical and empirical insights on the contextual family influence issue, this study examines how media richness drives the older users’ routine usage of media in a mobile application by considering the mediating role of emotional attachment and the moderating role of reverse intergeneration influence. Based on the data collected through 294 older users aged 60 and over in China, the hypothesized structural model is tested using path analysis. First, this study validates that media richness has a positive impact on the elderly’s routine use via a partial mediator emotional attachment. Second, this study reveals that the direct and indirect effect of media richness on routine use is moderated by the moderator reverse intergenerational influence. Third, this study finds that reverse intergenerational influence serves as a double-edge moderating role in the routine usage decision. These findings shed light on the underlying mechanism of the elderly’s routine use and provide applicable implications for the mobile application development practice in evoking the elderly’s routine use.
A Novel Framework for Automation Technology Based on Machine Vision and Robotics in Electrical Power Inspection Processing
Authors: Zhao Heng , Hu Shengnan , Chen Qingmiao , Tao Jiagui , Dai Jianzhuo
Published: July 2022

As a well-known support, computer vision is a powerful factor to improve the application and development of the electronic system. Whether the power system can operate safely and stably can greatly influence the deduction of providence. All types of electric swinging devices are easily disturbed by various factors during the assistance operation. The ubiquitous power system that operates everywhere becomes extremely small once the electrical equipment is abandoned. For the current complexity system, if the old-fashioned hand-written visual monitoring system is still used, not only will their ability fails to meet the requirements but also the number of cumbersome, important, and financial context will be unsatisfactory. It is natural to reason about some problems. Serious problems are due to incompetent human investigation. Issues are not optimally handled during this period. The application of Coach Ken technology can fully utilize machine vision technology to analyze the salient data and identify dominant devices that support shape vision. Meanwhile, it can truly realize the supervision system of perception and machine control. In view of this, we in this work mainly expound the artifact recognition technology supported by machine vision reproduction. Besides, we disassemble the composition method of the electric power supply recognition system supported by machine vision parallel, in order to enhance the future work.
Association Lp-PLA2 Gene Polymorphisms with Coronary Heart Disease
Authors: Ma Sha , Ding Liangcai , Cai Mengdi , Chen Lu , Yan Bo , Yang Jian
Published: July 2022

Objectives. The study evaluated the association between lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) gene polymorphisms and coronary heart disease (CHD), in order to explore the molecular genetics of CHD. Methods. Groups of CHD patients (

n
=
283

) and healthy controls (

n
=
261

) were involved in this study. R92H, V279F, and A379V polymorphisms of LP-PLA2 gene were confirmed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct DNA sequencing. These polymorphisms and their interaction were also analyzed as potential risk factors of CHD. Results. In this study population, the genotypes of R92H (GG, GA, and AA), V279F (CC, AC, and AA) and A379V (GG, GA, and AA) were studied. There was a significantly difference in frequencies of R92H between CHD patients and controls (

P
<
0.05

). In contrast, no significant difference in frequencies of V279F and A379V existed between CHD patients and controls. Furthermore, R92H and A379V were in strong linkage disequilibrium. Conclusions. These results suggested that R92H polymorphism might contribute to increased risk of CHD.
Prolonged Intermittent Renal Replacement Therapy Combined with Hemoperfusion Can Improve Early Recovery of Moderate and Severe Acute Pancreatitis, Especially in Patients with Acute Kidney Injury
Authors: Gong Meiling , Pan Hao , Yang Xi , Pan Chunyu , Ning Yong , Li Junhua
Published: July 2022

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of prolonged intermittent renal replacement therapy (PIRRT) plus hemoperfusion (HP) in treating moderately severe acute pancreatitis (MSAP) and severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). Methods: A total of 105 MSAP and SAP patients were enrolled. Sixty of them received routine internal medical therapy (control group), and 45 received PIRRT and HP in addition to routine internal medical therapy (PIRRT + HP group). The vital signs, laboratory results, and the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score were compared between the two groups before treatment and on the 3rd and 7th days of treatment. Results: No deaths or treatment-related serious adverse reactions occurred in both groups. After 3 and 7 days of treatment, the APACHE II score decreased more significantly in the PIRRT + HP group than in the control group (3 days: 5.47 [±3.30] vs. 7.53 [±3.89], p = 0.005. 7 days: 4.82 [±3.49] vs. 6.87 [±3.54], p = 0.004). After 3 days of treatment, the inflammatory combination parameters systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in the PIRRT + HP group decreased more significantly than those in the control group (SII: 1,239.00 [737.80–1,769.00] vs. 2,013.00 [1,260.00–3,167.00], p = 0.001. NLR: 8.78 [±4.52] vs. 11.88 [±7.30], p = 0.009). After 7 days of treatment, SII, NLR, and hypersensitive C-reactive protein decreased significantly compared with baseline, but no statistical differences between the two groups were observed. AST in both groups remained stable with treatment. There was no significant difference in baseline creatinine between the two groups of AKI patients, but after 3 and 7 days of treatment, the proportion of acute kidney injury (AKI) patients in the PIRRT + HP group whose creatinine decreased by 50% from baseline or fell to the normal range was significantly higher than that in the control group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: PIRRT + HP therapy could not only improve the general conditions, as measured by APACHE II score, but also reduce the inflammatory cascade of patients with acute pancreatitis. For MSAP and SAP patients complicated with AKI, this therapy may accelerate the recovery of renal function.
Comparison of Accuracy in Keratometries Measured by Different Camera Devices for Predicting the Intraocular Lens Power in Lens-Dislocated Patients
Authors: Chen Tian-Hui , Song Ling-Hao , Liu Yan , Zhao Ye , Chen Ze-Xu , Jiang Yong-Xiang
Published: July 2022

Introduction: This is a cross-sectional cohort study focused on assessing the influence of ocular biometric parameters of different camera devices for accurately predicting the intraocular lens (IOL) power in congenital ectopia lentis (EL) patients. Methods: This study includes a total of 91 eyes of 60 patients with congenital EL from June 2018 to April 2021. All patients underwent lens subluxation surgery with Cionni modified capsular tension rings implantation. Ocular parameters measured by partial coherence interferometry (IOLMaster 700; Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Jena, Germany) and rotating Scheimpflug camera (Pentacam HR system; Oculus Optikgeräte GmbH, Wetzlar, Germany) were acquired from the database. The authenticity of the different keratometries (Ks) was analyzed by comparing the prediction error in spherical equivalent under controlled formula SRK/T, Haigis, and after Wang-Koch (WK) adjustment. Results: We observed significant greater K values were obtained in IOLMaster than Pentacam, resulting in more significant hyperopia error while calculating SRK/T. The IOL power calculated with the total corneal refractive power (TCRP) from Pentacam revealed the highest prediction accuracy, indicating that TCRP is the closest to the actual refractive power of the cornea. However, in an exceptional case for long eye patients, total K from IOLMaster was better recommended when using formula Haigis with WK adjustment. Conclusions: For most instances, TCRP is the best-recommended source of K value while calculating IOL power for EL patients. However, the total K from IOLMaster preferably fits for long eye patients, who require WK adjustment for Haigis formula.
Early Autonomic Symptoms Predict Functional Decline in Parkinson’s Disease Independent of Dopaminergic Therapy
Authors: Miller-Patterson Cameron , Hsu Jesse Y. , Chahine Lana M.
Published: July 2022

Introduction: Parkinson’s disease (PD) has variable progression; identifying determinants of functional decline in PD is needed for accurate prognostication. Autonomic symptoms can result from dopaminergic therapy but may also independently predict functional decline. Methods: The sample included individuals with newly diagnosed PD in Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative. Autonomic symptoms were measured with the Scales-for-Outcomes-in-Parkinson’s-Disease-Autonomic (SCOPA-AUT). Presence/absence of autonomic symptoms for SCOPA-AUT total scale and seven subscales was defined, and baseline demographic/clinical data were compared between groups with and without autonomic symptoms. Time-to-functional-dependence, or Schwab-and-England Activities-of-Daily-Living (SE-ADL) ≤70, was compared between groups using hazard models, adjusting for covariates including time-varying levodopa-equivalent daily dosage. If a subscale was associated with a significant subhazard ratio (SHR), hazard models for items in that subscale were generated and gender was evaluated as an effect modifier. Results: 399 participants were included. Over a median of 72 months (range 6–84), 91 (22.81%) reached SE-ADL ≤70. SCOPA-AUT total/gastrointestinal/urinary/pupillomotor scales were associated with SE-ADL ≤70; respective multivariable SHRs (95% CI, p value) were 1.98 (1.06–3.70, 0.03), 1.71 (1.04–2.81, 0.03), 1.94 (1.25–3.01, <0.01), 2.56 (1.24–5.31, 0.01). Individual items in the gastrointestinal and urinary scales drove associations. Urinary scale associations were seen in males only. Conclusions: Symptoms of gastrointestinal, urinary, pupillomotor dysfunction are associated with functional decline risk in PD, independent of dopaminergic therapy. Detailed assessments of autonomic symptomatology should be utilized in studies attempting to refine predictive models of PD progression.
Assessment of Intracoronary Adenosine-Induced Hyperemia in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation in Comparison with Patients in Sinus Rhythm
Authors: Pintea Bentea Georgiana , Berdaoui Brahim , Samyn Sophie , Morissens Marielle , Van de Borne Philippe , Castro Rodriguez Jose
Published: July 2022

Background: Fractional flow reserve (FFR) is routinely used to evaluate coronary stenosis in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), although no studies currently address its reliability in this particular population. The clinical impact of correct assessment of coronary stenosis in AF is particularly high in light of the antithrombotic therapy imposed by both AF and coronary stenting. Objectives: Given the hemodynamic variability and microvascular dysfunction described in AF, the aim of this study was to evaluate the hyperemic response to intracoronary adenosine in AF in comparison with sinus rhythm (SR). Methods and Results: This retrospective study included 36 patients in AF and 36 patients in SR. The hyperemic curves were derived in a subset of patients where the required information was available (n = 16 AF, n = 10 SR). AF patients presented a hyperemic response after intracoronary administration of adenosine, which was equivalent to SR in terms of magnitude and time to maximal hyperemia. Conclusion: There is equivalent hyperemic response in FFR-guided revascularization in AF versus SR population. Our findings support the use of FFR in evaluating intermediate coronary stenosis in AF.
Weighing the Risk Profile of Cervical Spine MRI in Evaluating Pediatric Cervical Spine Injuries
Authors: Lee Ryan P. , Zhou Nancy Jianing , Hidalgo Joaquin , Titsworth W. Lee , Uribe-Cardenas Rafael , Chowdhury Rahin , Chun Young , Nasr Isam , Stewart F. Dylan , Sponseller Paul , Groves Mari L. , Jackson Eric M.
Published: July 2022

Objective: Screening for cervical spine injury after blunt trauma is common, but there remains varied practice patterns and clinical uncertainty regarding adequate radiographic evaluation. An oft-cited downside of MRI is the added risk compared to CT in the pediatric population; however, these specific risks have not yet been reported. This study examines the risks of cervical spine MRI in pediatric trauma patients in the context of what value MRI adds. Methods: This was a retrospective observational study of all pediatric blunt trauma patients who were evaluated with a cervical spine MRI over a 4-year period at a level 1 pediatric trauma center. Clinical and radiographic data were abstracted, as well as anesthesia requirements and MRI-related major adverse events. CT and MRI results were compared for their ability to detect clinically unstable injuries – those requiring halo or surgery. Results: There was one major adverse event related to MRI among the 269 patients who underwent cervical spine MRI – a rate of 0.37%. While 55% of children had an airway and anesthesia for MRI, only 57% of these airways were newly placed for the MRI. None of the 85 patients newly intubated for MRI developed aspiration pneumonitis or ventilator-associated pneumonia, and no patients had a significant neurologic event while at MRI. Another area of the body was imaged concurrently with the cervical spine MRI in 64% of patients and 83% of MRIs were performed within 48 h. CT and MRI were both 100% sensitive for injuries requiring halo or operative intervention. Eighty-three patients had an MRI performed after a negative CT, 11% (9/83) of these patients had a clinically stable injury detected on subsequent MRI, and none of these patients presented for delayed cervical spine complications. Conclusions: Overall, the safety profile of MRI in this setting is excellent and less than one-third of patients need new airway and anesthesia solely for MRI. In this clinical scenario, MRIs can happen relatively quickly and many patients require another body part to be imaged concurrently anyway. MRI and CT were both 100% sensitive for clinically unstable injuries. In the appropriate patients, MRI remains a safe and radiation-free alternative to CT.
The Effect of Organizational Culture, Transformational Leadership, and Teacher Motivation Towards Teacher Organizational Commitment at State Vocational High Schools Banjarbaru
Authors: Sugeng  , Aslamiah  , Sulaiman
Published: July 2022

This study aimed to describe and analyze the direct and indirect effects of organizational culture, transformational leadership of school principals, and teacher motivation on the organizational commitment of teachers of State Vocational High Schools in Banjarbaru. This study used a quantitative approach. The population in this study was 177 teachers with samples of 122 teachers. The researcher used a random sampling technique to select the samples. To collect the data, the researcher used a questionnaire as an instrument that had been tested to ensure its validity and reliability requirements. The data were analyzed through descriptive analysis, classical assumption test, multiple regression analysis, and path analysis. The results of this study indicate that there was an effect of organizational culture on teachers' organizational commitment, teachers' motivation on teacher organizational commitment, organizational culture on teachers' motivation, transformational leadership of principals on teachers' motivation, organizational culture through motivation towards teacher organizational commitment, and transformational leadership of principals through motivation to the commitment of the teacher's organization. There was no effect of the principal's transformational leadership on teachers' organizational commitment. Thus, this study concludes that there was a direct and indirect positive influence on organizational culture, principal transformational leadership, and teacher motivation on teacher organizational commitment.
The Correlation Between the Implementation of Supervision of Education and Leadership of School Principals on Improving Teacher Performance in Junior High Schools in The City of Palangka Raya
Authors: Norhadaniah  , Saleh Muhammad , Metroyadi
Published: July 2022

The purpose of this study was to determine: (1) the correlation between the implementation of school principals supervision and the performance of teachers of state junior high schools in Palangka Raya City, (2) the correlation between leadership and teacher performance in public junior high schools in Palangka Raya City, (3) the correlation between the implementation of the principal's supervision and leadership together on the performance of the teachers of state junior high schools in the city of Palangka Raya. This study uses quantitative descriptive research methods. The variables in this study include independent variables; implementation of supervision and leadership of the Principal, while the dependent variable is the performance of teachers of Public Middle Schools in the City of Palangka Raya. The population in this study were all teachers from seven junior high schools in the city of Palangkaaya totaling 315 teachers. Sampling is done by using the formula from Taro Yamane so that 176 teachers are obtained. The questionnaire that has been tested for validity and reliability is used as the main data digging tool, while the feasibility of the data is tested using normality test, autocorrelation test, multicollinearity test, and heteroscedasticity test. To find out the contribution between each variable the study was carried out using simple and multiple regression. The results of the study show that: (1) There is a correlation between the implementation of the Principal Supervision and the performance of the teachers of Public Middle Schools in the City of Palangka Raya. (2) There is a correlation between Principal Leadership and teacher performance in Public Middle Schools in the City of Palangka Raya, and (3) There is a correlation between the implementation of Principal Supervision and Leadership of Principals of Public Middle Schools in the City of Palangka Raya. Based on the results of the study, it can be concluded that the implementation of Education Supervision and Principal Leadership has a positive and significant impact on improving the performance of junior high school teachers in the city of Palangka Raya.
The Effect of Principal's Transformational Leadership on Work Achievement Through Motivation and Discipline of State Vocational High School Teachers in Tanah Laut Regency
Authors: Rusmila R , Suriansyah Ahmad , Sulaiman S
Published: July 2022

The achievement of work performance by teachers involves efficient professional duties with quality, speed, accuracy, initiative, ability, and building communication. However, their effectiveness is influenced by several, factors, including the principal's transformational leadership, motivation, and work discipline. This study aimed to analyze the effect of the principal's transformational leadership on work performance through achievement motivation and work discipline of State Vocational High School teachers in Tanah Laut Regency, in Indonesia. Furthermore, it was meant to determine the effect of transformational leadership on work performance, achievement motivation, and work discipline using a quantitative approach with a descriptive correlational method. The study population comprised 231 people, with a sample of 147 selected by proportional sampling. Data were collected using a questionnaire that fulfilled the validity test requirements with Pearson correlation and Cronbach Alpha reliability tested with 30 respondents. The regression model was tested for classical assumptions, while path analysis and the Sobel test methods were used in hypothesis testing. The results showed a direct effect of the principal's transformational leadership on the work performance of teachers' achievement motivation and discipline. Furthermore, the principal's transformational leadership, achievement motivation, and work discipline directly affect the teacher's work performance. The principal's transformational leadership indirectly affects work performance through achievement motivation and work discipline of State Vocational High School teachers in Tanah Laut Regency.
Detection of beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in a veterinary hospital environment
Authors: Oliveira Angélica Franco de , Arrais Bruna Ribeiro , Bannwart Paloma Fiorini , Pinto Jefferson Fernando Naves , Stella Ariel Eurides
Published: July 2022

Due to the strong selective pressure resulting from the misuse of antibiotics, the natural process of bacterial resistance has been accelerated, leading to the increasingly constant appearance of multiresistant isolates. The high number of multiresistant bacteria is a one health problem. Enterobacteriaceae are usually commensal bacteria of the gastrointestinal tract. However, they can cause infections, and the most important resistance characteristic among them is the production of β-lactamases. This study aimed to identify ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae of types of TEM, SHV, and the CTX-M groups. To isolate the enterobacteria, swabs were collected by swiping objects that had contact with the patients and professionals, and the water of the hospital environment. Ten collections were carried out, yielding 306 samples, from which 118 enterobacteria were identified: Escherichia coli, Enterobacter spp., Klebsiella spp., Proteus mirabilis, Serratia spp., and Citrobacter spp. Isolates. The genes TEM and CTX-M, for the production of β lactamases, were detected in 12.7% of the 118 enterobacterial isolates. It is very important to know the bacterial population circulating in the veterinary hospital environment and its resistance to  antimicrobials so that professionals can take appropriate measures to minimize the risks of transmission, especially from cages and consultation tables. In addition, the correct control of the microbiological quality of the supply water, as well as environmental cleaning procedures, are essential to prevent the transmission of these microorganisms.