bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design, Analysis and Experimental Eerification of a Epatial Constant Force End-Effector for Polishing/Deburring Operations
Authors: Ding Bingxiao , Zhao Jixu , Li Yangmin
Published: May 2021

Controlling the contact force on workpieces is a challenging task for industrial deburring operations. To solve this issue, a novel constant force mechanism(CFM) based on the combination of positive and negative sti ness mechanism is proposed by using folding beam and bi-stable beam. Without using any additional sensors and control algorithms, the proposed mechanism can produce a travel range in constant force manner. In this paper, the design concepts, analytical modeling, finite element analysis (FEA) simulation and experimental studies are presented and discussed. Firstly, a novel spatial CFM is proposed and using the pseudo rigid body(PRB) to established the mathematical model of the whole mechanism. Then, the FEA simulation is performed to validate the correctness of theoretical analysis. In addition, to eliminate the force variation, particle swarm optimization (PSO) method is utilized to find optimal architectural parameters solutions of the CFM. Finally, the experimental tests are performed to verify the performance of the designed CFM. The confguration design and parameter optimization can be further applied to the design of other CFM mechanisms for polishing operations.
Depression, Anxiety, and Suicide Risk Among Ugandan Youth in Vocational Training
Authors: Bukenya Badru , Kasirye Rogers , Lunkuse Joanne , Kinobi Moses , Vargas Sylvanna M. , Legha Rupinder , Tang Lingqi , Miranda Jeanne
Published: May 2021

Background: The current study examines the prevalence of depression, anxiety, suicide risk, and PTSD in Ugandan youth (13-25 years) attending vocational training programs.Methods: Youth from five urban (n=224 females, 81 males) and four rural (n=153 females only) vocational training centers operated by a non-governmental organization completed demographic and mental health questionnaires.Results: Nearly half of the youth reported moderate or severe depression and/or anxiety. More than half reported anxiety and depression-related impairment. Nearly a quarter of youth had considered or attempted suicide. More than half screened positive on the PC-PTSD screen. Rural female youth reported the most food insecurity (56.9%), trafficking (37.9%), severe depression (35.9%), depression-related impairment (56.9%), severe anxiety (26.1%), and anxiety-related impairment (55.6%).Conclusions: Results from this study suggest that Ugandan youth have exceedingly high rates of depression, anxiety, suicide risk, and probable PTSD. Rural female youth may be especially at risk. Relevant treatment interventions are needed that can be adapted to youth in vocational training centers.
Comparison of demographic and clinical characteristics in distinguishing testicular torsion from torsion of the appendix testis
Authors: Zvizdic Zlatan , Aganovic Amila , Milisic Emir , Jonuzi Asmir , Zvizdic Denisa , Vranic Semir
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The acute scrotum (AS) in the pediatric population is a medical emergency. The most common causes of AS include testicular torsion (TT) and torsion of the appendix testis (TAT). Their distinction may be clinically challenging. The purpose of our study was to compare demographic and clinical characteristics of the pediatric cases of TT and TAT and thus provide clinical evidence for distinguishing these two conditions.
Methods

We retrospectively analyzed all children ≤ 16 years who underwent surgical exploration for AS. The patients were divided into Group 1 or TT and Group 2 or TAT groups.
Results

Ninety patients were included in the study (24 with TT and 66 with TAT). Patients with TT were significantly older than those with TAT (p < 0.001). The peak incidence of TT was in the age of 12–16 years (p < 0.001), whereas the peak of TAT was in the age group of 7–11 years (p < 0.001). Scrotal pain was more prevalent in patients with TAT (p = 0.02), whereas systemic signs (nausea/vomiting and abdominal pain) affected more frequently the TT patients (p = 0.003 and p < 0.001, respectively). The mean duration of symptoms was significantly longer in the TAT group than in the TT group (p < 0.001). Color-Doppler Ultrasound (CDUS) findings of absent or decreased testicular blood flow in the affected testis strongly favored the diagnosis of TT (p < 0.001).
Conclusion

Our data indicate that the older age, shorter duration of symptoms, systemic signs (nausea/vomiting and abdominal pain), and characteristics CDUS findings can help distinguish between the two most common acute scrotum causes.
Forecasting of China’s Solar PV Industry Installed Capacity and Analyzing of Employment Effect: Based on GRA-BiLSTM Model
Authors: liu bingchun , Song Chengyuan , Wang Qingshan , Wang Yuan
Published: May 2021

With the acceleration of China's energy transformation process and the rapid increase of renewable energy market demand, the photovoltaic (PV) industry has created more jobs and effectively alleviated the employment pressure of the labor market under the normalization of the epidemic situation. First, to accurately predict China’s solar PV installed capacity, this paper proposes a multi-factor installed capacity prediction model based on Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory-Grey Relation Analysis. Compared with the prediction results of GRU and LSTM models, the prediction accuracy of the GRA-BiLSTM model is higher. Second, the BiLSTM model is used to forecast China’s installed solar PV capacity from 2020 to 2035. The forecast results show that China’s newly installed solar PV capacity will continue to grow and reach 2,833GW in 2035. Third, the employment number in China’s solar PV industry during 2020–2035 is predicted by the Employment Factors method. The results show that the energy transition in China during 2020–2035 will have a positive impact on the future stability and growth of the labor market in the solar PV industry. Overall, an accurate forecast of solar PV installed capacity can provide effective decision support for planning electric power development strategy and formulating employment policy of solar PV industry.
Groundwater Fluoride Contamination and Probabilistic Health-risk Assessment in Fluoride Endemic Areas of the Lower Satluj Basin, Punjab, India
Authors: Chaudhry Akshay Kumar , Sachdeva Payal
Published: May 2021

Groundwater fluoride contamination in some parts of the study region was long recognized as a water quality issue. The results of WQI showed that 85% and 15% of sampling sites fall within the class of “good” and “poor” quality, respectively. Non-carcinogenic health risk (NCHR) assessment (using Hazard quotient (HQ)), and sensitivity analysis for three age groups were also carried out using the Monte Carlo simulation technique. The estimated levels of HQoral were greater in magnitude than those estimated from HQdermal, thus the main source for fluoride toxicity is oral ingestion. Amongst the three age groups studied, children >female >male were found to be more prone to NCHR with HQoral ranging from (0.13-5.45), (0.07-2.97), and (0.06-2.51), respectively. Sensitivity analyses indicated that fluoride concentration, ingestion rate, shower exposure time, and fractional skin contact with water were the most relevant variables in the model to reduce the potential health effect.
The Impact of Meteorological Parameters on the Pattern of Malaria Incidence Rate in the Northwest, Ethiopia; Repeated Cross-sectional Study Design With Bayesian Approach
Authors: Adimasu Asefa , Baraki Adhanom Gebreegziabher , Gelaye Kassahun Alemu , Wendimsigegn Dawit
Published: May 2021

Background: Commonly the incidence of malaria was determined by some meteorological parameters. However, updated evidences were not reported in the study area and recently malaria is reported as an epidemic disease in Ethiopia particularly in Amhara regional state. Therefore the study was aimed to estimate malaria incidence proportion linked with some meteorological parameters.Methods: A repeated cross-sectional study design was done in 8 districts of northwest Ethiopia. All malaria patients who visited the local health institutions in the study area were the study participants. A monthly malaria surveillance data were retrieved from 8 districts of North Gondar zone health department and metrological data were obtained from west Amhara metrology agency office monthly reported databases. Data was clean and analyzed by using R2 win bugs software. The bayesian generalized negative binomial regression model was fitted for parameter estimation. Results: The overall average cumulative annual malaria incidence rate during the study period was 29.9 per 100 populations. In this study relative humidity (IRR; 1.04 (95% BCI, 1.01-1.05), normalized difference vegetation index [IRR; 2.74(95% BCI, 1.35-5.58)], altitude [IRR; 0.97(95% BCI, 0.95 - 0.99], average maximum temperature [IRR; 1.07(95% BCI (1.05 - 1.09)] and average minimum temperature [IRR; 1.04 (95% BCI (1.02-1.07)] were the statistically significant predictors. However, monthly rainfall, length of a sunshine hour, monthly wind speed was not associated with malaria incidence. Conclusion: The research showed a greater incidence of malaria in the study area when compared to the national statistics. Climatic variability changes the pattern of the malaria incidence in the study area.
Enhancement of Photocatalytic And Biological Activities of Chitosan/Activated Carbon Incorporated With TiO2 Nanoparticles
Authors: Owda Medhat E. , Elfeky Ahmed S. , Abouzeid Ragab E. , Saleh Ahmed K. , Awad Mohamed A. , Abdellatif Hitham A. , Ahmed Fakher M. , Elzaref Ahmed S.
Published: May 2021

A Novel and sustainable chitosan (CS)/ activated charcoal (AC) composites were prepared by cross linking with epichlorohydrine (ECH) to form a porous structure. Different titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) concentrations (0, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.8% w/w) were added to enhance the photocatalytic, antibacterial, larvicidal, and pupicidal activities efficiency toward rose bengal (RB) dye and the Culex Pipiens. The composites were characterized by FT-IR, XRD and SEM. The SEM images revealed the porous structure of CS/AC and TiO2 nanoparticles were uniformly distributed in the CS/AC matrix. The degradation of RB dye was used to test the photocatalytic behavior of the composites. Supporting TiO2 on a CS/AC matrix resulted in a significant increase in photocatalytic performance. The antibacterial activities supported by CS/AC/TiO2 NPs were evaluated by bacterial growth inhibition against B. subtilis, S. aureus, E. coli and P. aeruginosa. The results showed that CS/AC/TiO2 NPs composite has an inhibitory effect and therefore considered as antibacterial agents. CS/AC/0.4%TiO2NPs showed maximum efficacy against larvicidal activity and pupicidal of mosquito vector which recorded 99.00 ± 1.14, 95.00 ± 1.43, 92.20 ± 2.64 for first, second and third larval instars and 66.00 ± 2.39 for pupal mortality, while the repellent activity reported high protection at 82.95 ± 2.99 with 3.24 mg/cm2 dose compared to control DEET.
Environmental Regulation, Technological Innovation and Industrial Environmental Efficiency : An Empirical Study Based on Chinese Cement Industry
Authors: Tu Hongxing , Xu Songtao , Xiao Xu
Published: May 2021

Using DEA-Tobit model, the paper empirically analyzes the impact of environmental regulation and technological innovation on industrial environmental efficiency with the data from Chinese Cement Industry. The results show that both environmental regulation and technological innovation all have a significant role in promoting the environmental efficiency of cement industry. Among all the influencing factors, the improvement of pollution disposal capacity has the biggest positive effect on environmental efficiency, while the energy-saving effect caused by environmental regulation is not obvious, the factor endowment structure has no substantial impact on environmental efficiency. Adhering to the strategy of "reducing emissions mainly and saving energy as auxiliary", continuously optimizing the energy consumption structure, raising the level of industrialization and industrial agglomeration are conducive to the sustainable development of China’s cement industry.
A Qualitative Study on the Impact of COVID-19 on the Behavior and Attitudes of Smokers and Non-smokers in South Korea
Authors: Hwang Jieun , Chun Hae-ryong , Cheon Eunsil
Published: May 2021

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has affected all aspects of human society, including education, culture, and economy, and has also brought changes in health behaviors such as drinking alcohol, nutrition intake, and practicing healthy living. This study conducted a qualitative research in the Korean context to examine the changes in the smoking behavior of smokers and secondhand smoke exposure of non-smokers during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods Focus group interviews were conducted with 36 Korean participants (18 men and 18 women): groups were composed of cigarette smokers, e-cigarette users, heated tobacco products users, or non-smokers. ResultsDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, regardless tobacco products, in the case of users who were not participating in engaging in social interaction, such as working from home or online classes, the frequency of using increased, and for users who continued engaging in social interactions, the amount of using increased each time they used. Smokers showed a tendency to avoid smoking rooms and to smoke alone in places where there were no people. In addition, non-smokers’ exposure to secondhand smoke did not decrease, but since non-smokers used masks, they reported more relief about the risk of exposure to secondhand smoke than before.ConclusionsSmokers being a high-risk group for COVID-19 did not result in smoking cessation among smokers. Therefore, policy and educational campaigns to raise awareness about the dangers of smoking and to encourage smoking cessation are needed in the future.
Directional Synthesis of Furfural Compounds From Holocellulose Catalyzed by Sulfamic Acid
Authors: Lu Yuchan , He Qiao , Peng Qiao , Chen Wenhai , Fan Guozhi , Cheng Qunpeng , Song Guangsen
Published: May 2021

The coproduction of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) and furfural (FUR) via the direct hydrolysis of holocellulose analogue composed of cellulose and hemicellulose was investigated. The effects of catalyst amount, solvent type and amount, reaction temperature and time using sulfamic acid with dual active sites as catalyst were also studied. The yields of 5-HMF and FUR at 37.2% and 62.0% were obtained with the volume ratio of γ-valerolactone to water of 25:1 at 180 oC for 3 h. The conversion of corn cob holocellulose and wheat straw holocellulose to furfural compounds was then carried out under the identical conditions. Yields of 5-HMF at 26.6% and 28.5%, and yields of FUR at 34.5% and 26.1% were obtained, respectively. A possible mechanism for the coproduction of 5-HMF and FUR from holocellulose was proposed. It is believed that there is a synergistic effect between the hydrolysis of cellulose and hemicellulose during the conversion of holocellulose.
The Association Between Diurnal Temperature Range and Clinic Visits for Upper Respiratory Tract Infection Among College Students in Wuhan, China
Authors: Zhang Faxue , Wu Chuangxin , Zhang Miaoxuan , Zhang Han , Feng Huan , Zhu Wei
Published: May 2021

The effects of daily mean temperature on health outcomes have been discussed in many previous studies, but few have considered the adverse impacts due to variance of temperature in one day. Diurnal temperature range (DTR) was a novel indicator calculated as maximum temperature minus minimum temperature in the same day. In this study, generalized additive model (GAM) with quasi-Poisson distribution was used to investigate the association between DTR and the number of daily outpatient visits for upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) among college students. Data about meteorological factors and air pollutants were provided by Hubei Meteorological Bureau and Wuhan Environmental Protection Bureau, respectively. Outpatient visits data were provided by the Hospital of Wuhan University from January 1, 2016 to November 31, 2018. Short-term exposure to DTR was associated with the increased risk of outpatient for URTI among all college students. Per 1 ℃ increased in DTR was associated with 0.89% (95%CI: 0.40, 1.38) increased in outpatient visits of all college students for URTI at lag 0 day. The greatest effect values were observed in males [1.83% (95%CI: 0.81, 2.86)], and in females [1.44% (95%CI: 0.51, 2.38)] at lag 0–6 days. DTR had more adverse health impact in the warm season than that in the cold season. Public health departments should consider the negative effect of DTR to formulate more effective preventive and control measures for protecting vulnerable people.
Phase 1 Dose Escalation Study of Seribantumab (MM-121), an anti-HER3 Monoclonal Antibody, in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors
Authors: Denliger Crystal , Keedy Vicki L , Moyo Victor , MacBeath Gavin , Shapiro Geoffrey I
Published: May 2021

BACKGROUND: Overactivation of human epidermal growth factor receptor 3 (HER3) triggers multiple intracellular pathways resulting in tumor cell survival. This Phase 1 study assessed the safety, efficacy, and pharmacokinetics (PK) of seribantumab, a fully human anti-HER3 monoclonal antibody.METHODS: Adult patients with advanced or refractory solid tumors were treated in six dose cohorts of seribantumab: 3.2, 6, 10, 15, or 20 mg/kg weekly, or 40 mg/kg loading dose followed by 20 mg/kg weekly maintenance dose (40/20 mg/kg) using a modified 3+3 dose escalation strategy with cohort expansion. Primary objectives were identification of a recommended Phase 2 dose (RP2D) and determination of objective response rate. Secondary objectives were assessment of safety, dose-limiting toxicities, and PK.RESULTS: Forty-four patients (26 dose escalation; 18 dose expansion) were enrolled. Seribantumab monotherapy was well tolerated with most adverse events being transient and mild to moderate (grade 1 or 2) in severity; maximum tolerated dose was not reached. The highest dose, 40/20 mg/kg, was identified as RP2D. Best response was stable disease, achieved by 24% and 39% of patients during the dose escalation and expansion portions of the study, respectively. Seribantumab terminal half-life was ≈100 hours; steady state concentrations were reached after 3–4 weekly doses. CONCLUSIONS: Seribantumab monotherapy was well tolerated across all dose levels. Safety and PK data from this study support further seribantumab investigations in genomically defined populations. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT00734305.DATE OF REGISTRATION: August 12, 2008.
E3 Ubiquitin Ligase TRIM29 Promotes Pancreatic Cancer Growth and Progression via Stabilizing Yes-associated Protein 1
Authors: Deng Xueqiang , Fu Xiaowei , Teng Hong , Fang Lu , Liang Bo , Zeng Rengui , Chen Lian , Zou Yeqing
Published: May 2021

Background: Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most fatal digestive system cancers. tripartite motif-29 (TRIM29) has been reported as oncogene in several human cancers. However, the precise role and underlying signal cascade of TRIM29 in PC progression remain unclear.Methods: Western blot, qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to analyze TRIM29 and Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1) levels. CCK8 assays, EdU assays and flow cytometry were designed to explore the function and potential mechanism of TRIM29 and YAP1 in the proliferation of PC. Next, a nude mouse model of PC was established for validating the roles of TRIM29 and YAP1 in vivo. The relationship among TRIM29 and YAP1 was explored by co-immunoprecipitation and in vitro ubiquitination assay.Results: TRIM29 and YAP1 was significantly upregulated in PC patient samples, and TRIM29 expression was closely related to a malignant phenotype and poorer overall survival (OS) of PC patients. Functional assays revealed that TRIM29 knockdown suppresses cell growth, arrests cell cycle progression and promotes cell apoptosis of PC cells in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, the rescue experiments demonstrated that TRIM29-induced proliferation is dependent on YAP1 in PC cells. Mechanistically, TRIM29 regulates YAP1 expression by directly binding to YAP1, and reduced its ubiquitination and degradation.Conclusion: Taken together, these results identify a novel mechanism used by PC growth, and provide insight regarding the role of TRIM29 in PC.
Optimal Design of Bistable Nonlinear Energy Sink Based on Global Vibration Control
Authors: Wang Guo-Xu , Ding Hu , Chen Li-Qun
Published: May 2021

Although a linear vibration absorber (LVA) or nonlinear energy sink (NES) can effectively mitigate the vibration of the main system in harmonic excitation, the amplitude of the absorber can be very large. Using the single-objective differential evolutionary (DE) algorithm, this paper pioneers the global control of the main system and a bistable NES to achieve decent vibration mitigation effects and decrease the global response of the system. Using the multi-objective DE algorithms and comparing the optimization results of the LVA, this paper proposes multi-objective and multi-parameter design criteria of a bistable NES. The mass ratio, the displacement amplitude, and the mechanical energy are optimization goals. The results show that the maximum amplitude of the main system and the absorber can be controlled at the same level, and the global control strategy does not change the resonance frequency of the main system. Compared with the LVA, the bistable NES has similar vibration mitigation effects with the variation of the mass ratio in the multi-objective optimization. However, the bistable NES can achieve better control over a larger spring stiffness range. Therefore, through single- and multi-objective optimization design, this paper proves the superiority of the bistable NES in the vibration mitigation. Meanwhile, this paper provides an optimization design method for global vibration control.
An in-Depth Analysis Identifies Two New Genetic Variants in 22q11.2 Associated with Vitiligo in the Chinese Han Population
Authors: Tang Xianfa , Cheng Hui , Cheng Lu , Liang Bo , Chen Mengyun , Zheng Xiaodong , Xiao Fengli
Published: May 2021

Background Vitiligo is a complex disease in which patchy depigmentation results from autoimmune loss of melanocytes in affected regions. Previously, we provided significant linkage evidence on 22q12 by genomewide linkage analysis of vitiligo in the Chinese Han population. Our aim is to identify susceptibility variants associated with vitiligo at an expanded region for 22q12. Methods and Results A deep analysis of the expanded region for 22q12 locus was performed in a large GWAS dataset consisting of 1117 cases and 1701 controls by imputation. Eight nominal SNPs were selected and genotyped in an independent cohort of 2069 cases and 1370 controls of Chinese Han by using the Sequenom MassArray iPLEX1 system. Data were analyzed with PLINK 1.07 software. The C allele of rs730669 located in ZDHHC8/RTN4R was observed a strong evidence of association for vitiligo (P = 3.25×10-8, OR = 0.81). The C allele of rs4820338 located in VPREB1 and A allele of rs2051582 (a reported SNP in our previous study) located in IL2RB were suggestive evidence of association for vitligo (P = 1.04×10-5, OR = 0.86; P = 1.78×10-6, OR = 1.27). The three identified SNPs showed independent associations with vitiligo by conditional logistic regression (all P < 1.0 ×10-5; all D′< 0.05, r 2 < 0.0001). Conclusions The study identifies that two novel variants rs730669 (ZDHHC8/RTN4R) and rs4820338 (VPREB1) in 22q11.2 might confer susceptibility to vitiligo and affect its disease phenotypes. The presence of multiple independent variants emphasizes an important role in the genetic pathogenesis of disease.
Efficacy and Safety of the Chinese Herbal Formula Hewei Jiangni Recipe for NERD With Cold-heat Complex Syndrome: Study Protocol for a Double-blinded Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Xiaosi Zhang , Cheng Yuan , Li Xiaohong , Li Junxiang , Tan Xiang , Shi Lei , Shi Xiaojun , Zhang Xiancui , Xie Chune
Published: May 2021

Background Proton pump inhibitor (PPI) is effective for the treatment of non-erosive gastroesophageal reflux (NERD ), but long-term use of PPI is prone to have complications and recurrence after withdrawal. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) can relieve the symptoms of reflux and improve the quality of life. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Hewei Jiangni recipe (HWJNR) in the treatment of NERD with cold-heat complex syndrome, clarify the mechanism of HWJNR on NERD based on the correlation analysis of intestinal flora and metabolites. Methods This is a single-center, randomized controlled, double-blind, double-simulation clinical trial in which 72 eligible participants with NERD and TCM syndrome of intermingled heat and cold will be randomly allocated in the ratio of 1:1 to two groups: TCM group and western medicine group. The TCM group will receive HWJNR with Omeprazole Enteric-coated Tablets simulator, while the western medicine group will receive Omeprazole Enteric-coated Tablets with HWJNR simulator. Each group will be treated for 8 weeks. The primary outcome is the score of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) health related quality of life questionnaire (GERD-Q). Secondary outcomes include SF-36 quality of Life scale, patient reported outcomes (PRO) self-rating scale score, syndrome score of TCM, and adverse events. Mechanistic outcome is the correlation analysis of intestinal flora and metabolites from healthy individuals and NERD participants before and after the treatment respectively. Discussion The goal of this trial is to investigate the efficacy and safety of HWJNR in the treatment of NERD with cold-heat complex syndrome, and to study the composition structure and metabolite expression profile of intestinal flora in patients with NERD through 16SrRNA sequencing and metabonomic correlation analysis of fecal flora, which makes us identify the dominant links of treatment and reveal the potential mechanism of HWJNR.ChiCTR2000041225. Registered on 22 December 2020http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=66217
The Cytotoxicity, DNA Fragmentation, and Decreasing Velocity Induced by Chromium (III) Oxide on Rainbow Trout Spermatozoa
Authors: Özgür Mustafa Erkan , Ulu Ahmet , Gürses Canbolat , Özcan İmren , Noma Samir Abbas Ali , Köytepe Süleyman , Ateş Burhan
Published: May 2021

The present study aimed to determine the cytotoxicity of Chromium (III) oxide micro particles (Cr2O3-Ps) in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) spermatozoa. Firstly, Cr2O3-Ps were synthesized and structurally characterized the surface, morphological for particle size and thermal properties. In addition, its structural and elemental purity was determined using EDX spectrum and elemental maps. Structural purity, thermal properties, and stability of Cr2O3-Ps were also examined in detail by performing thermal analysis techniques. The cytotoxicity of structurally defined Cr2O3-Ps was measured by the observation of velocities, antioxidant activities, and DNA damages in spermatozoa after exposure in vitro. The straight line velocity (VSL), the curvilinear velocity (VCL), and the angular path velocity (VAP) of spermatozoa decreased after exposure to Cr2O3-Ps. While the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the catalase (CAT) decreased, the lipid peroxidation increased in a dose-dependent manner. However, the total glutathione (tGSH) did not affect in this period. DNA damages was also determined in spermatozoa using Comet assay. According to DNA in tail (%) data, DNA damages have been detected with gradually increasing concentrations of Cr2O3-Ps. Furthermore, all of class types related to DNA fragmentation has been observed between 50 µg/L and 500 µg/L concentrations of Cr2O3-Ps exposed to rainbow trout spermatozoa. At the end of this study, we determined that the effective concentrations (EC50) were 76.67 µg/L for VSL and 87.77 µg/L for VCL. Finally, these results about Cr2O3-Ps may say to be major risk concentrations over 70 µg/L for fish reproduction in aquatic environments.
Behaviour-based Pricing in the Green Product Supply Chain
Authors: Liu Kanying , Li Wei , Cao Erbao , Lan Yong
Published: May 2021

We study the pricing strategies of supply chains of green products under behaviour-based pricing. Considering consumer preferences for green product functional attributes and environmental attributes, we construct a two-stage supply chain. The optimal behaviour pricing of green products is solved, and the effects of green sensitivity and the cost coefficient on the optimal price are analysed. We find that when consumers are less sensitive to the greenness, with the increase in the market share of green products, green product retailers will increase the loyalty price. An increase in greenness sensitivity and a decrease in the greenness cost coefficient will increase the wholesale prices and retail prices of green products. Consumer attention to the greenness and a decrease in the initial market share of green products will be conducive to promoting the greenness and improving the environment. Consumers' emphasis on the greenness of their products will lead to higher profits for the manufacturers and retailers of green products.
Design of SNP Markers for Aldabra Giant Tortoises using ddRAD-seq
Authors: Çilingir F. Gözde , Hansen Dennis , Ozgul Arpat , Grossen Christine
Published: May 2021

The Aldabra giant tortoise ( Aldabrachelys gigantea ) is one of only two remaining giant tortoise species worldwide. Captive-bred A. gigantea are being used in rewilding projects in the Western Indian Ocean to functionally replace the extinct endemic giant tortoise species and restore degraded island ecosystems. Furthermore, large-scale translocations may become necessary as rising sea levels threaten the only wild population on the low-lying Aldabra Atoll. Critical management decisions would be greatly facilitated by insights on the genetic structure of breeding populations. We used a double-digest restriction-associated DNA sequencing (ddRAD-seq) approach to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) among the wild population and two additional captive populations of A. gigantea . A total of 149 unlinked, putatively neutral genome-wide SNPs were identified. The values of expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.32 to 0.5, whereas the minor allele frequency ranged from 0.20 to 0.5. These novel SNP markers will serve as useful tools for informing the conservation of A. gigantea .
Current Status of Newborn Screening for Pompe Disease in Japan
Authors: Sawada Takaaki , Kido Jun , Sugawara Keishin , Momosaki Ken , Yoshida Shinichiro , Kojima-Ishii Kanako , Inoue Takahito , Matsumoto Shirou , Endo Fumio , Ohga Shouichi , Hirose Shinichi , Nakamura Kimitoshi
Published: May 2021

Background: Pompe disease is an autosomal recessive inherited metabolic disorder caused by a deficiency of the acid α-glucosidase (AαGlu). Pompe disease manifests as an accumulation of lysosomal glycogen in the skeletal and heart muscle. We conducted newborn screening (NBS) for Pompe disease in Japan from April 2013 to October 2020 to determine the feasibility and utility of NBS for Pompe disease.Results: From the 296,759 newborns whose enzyme activity was measured, 107 of which underwent GAA analysis, we found one patient with infantile-onset Pompe disease (IOPD) and seven with potential late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD). We identified 34 pseudodeficient individuals and 65 carriers or potential carriers. The frequency of patients with IOPD was similar to that in the United States, but significantly lower than that in Taiwan. One patient with IOPD underwent early enzyme replacement therapy within a month after birth before presenting exacerbated manifestations, whereas those with potential LOPD showed no manifestations during the follow-up period of six years.Conclusions: The frequency of IOPD in Japan was similar to that in the United States, where NBS for Pompe disease is recommended. This indicates that NBS for Pompe disease may also be useful in Japan. Therefore, it should be used over a wider region in Japan.
Efficacy and Safety of Two Salts of Trientine in the Treatment of Wilson Disease
Authors: Woimant France , Debray Dominique , Morvan Erwan , Obadia Mickael Alexandre , Poujois Aurélia
Published: May 2021

BackgroundWilson disease (WD) is one of the few genetic disorders that can be successfully treated with pharmacological agents. Copper-chelating agents (D-penicillamine and Trientine salts) and zinc salts have been demonstrated to be effective. There are two salts of trientine. Trientine dihydrochloride salt (TETA 2HCL) is unstable at room temperature and requires storage at 2-8°C. Trientine tetrahydrochloride (TETA 4HCL) is a more stable salt of trientine that can be stored at room temperature. No comparative study between both salts of trientine has been performed to date. As the two chemical forms were available in France between 1970 and 2009, we conducted a study to evaluate their efficacy and safety profiles. MethodsThis retrospective cohort study was conducted by reviewing data from the national WD registry in France. Forty-three WD patients who received TETA 2HCL or TETA 4HCL monotherapy for at least one year until 2010 were included. Primary endpoints were hepatic and neurological outcomes. Secondary endpoints were the events leading to a discontinuation of medication. Results: Changes in medication were common, leading to the analysis of 57 treatment sequences of TETA 4HCL or TETA 2HCL. The mean duration of treatment sequence was significantly longer in the TETA 4 HCL group (12.6 years) than in the TETA 2HCL group (7.6 years) (p=0.011). No difference in efficacy was detected. Both treatments were well tolerated except for a case of recurrence of lupus erythematosus-like syndrome in the TETA 2HCL group. The major reason for interruption of TETA 4HCL was due to a discontinuation in production of this salt. The reasons for stopping TETA 2HCL were mainly due to adherence issues largely attributed to the cold storage requirement. ConclusionsThe two salts of trientine were effective in treating patients with WD. However, interruption of TETA 2HCL was frequent, linked to the cold storage requirement. As adherence to treatment is a key factor in the successful management of WD, physicians need to be even more vigilant in detecting adherence difficulties in patients receiving treatment with TETA 2HCL.
Evaluation of the Ultrastructure and Expression of Desmoglein 2 in Breast Cancer: A Novel Biomarker
Authors: Mohammadhosseini Maryam , Mirzaei Hamidreza , Majd Ahmad , Farhadi Mona , Shayanfar Nasrin
Published: May 2021

BackgroundBreast cancer is the most common malignancy among Iranian women. In recent years, the study of dysfunction in the expression of cell-cell junction genes and the related proteins in the malignant process has been at the center of attention. MethodsIn this study, 50 patients were selected who had both cancerous tissue and adjacent healthy tissue. The expression of the desmoglein 2 gene was evaluated. Healthy and cancerous tissue were compared using routine hematoxylin and eosin staining. The total protein was also compared between these two groups. The ultrastructural examination was performed.ResultsThe real-time polymerase chain reaction results showed a decrease in the expression of the desmoglein 2 gene in all tumor samples compared to the healthy samples (p-value <0.0001). Besides, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the area under the curve was equal to 0.98. Transmission electron microscopy microscopic studies revealed a change in the status of desmosomal junctions. These findings were consistent with the qualitative decrease in the protein expression between the two target groups.ConclusionOverall, the findings showed that the association between desmoglein 2 gene expression and alterations in cellular connections leads to impaired cellular connections, which is an important risk factor for breast cancer. This result proposed the understudy gene as a new biomarker in the development of breast cancer.
Lysyl Oxidase Down-Regulates The Osteoblastic Potential of BMP9 Through Inhibiting HIF-1α/Wnt/β-Catenin Axis in Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Authors: Deng Yan , Luo Honghong , Deng Yixuan , Yang Yuanyuan , Yao Xintong , Zhang Jie , Su Yuxi , He Baicheng
Published: May 2021

Background: Bone morphogenetic protein 9 (BMP9) is one of excellent osteogenic factors, but it can also initiate adipogenesis concomitantly. Thus, the osteogenic potential of BMP9 may be enhanced if the adipogenesis were reduced. It was reported that lysyl oxidase (Lox) may function as a critical switcher for adipogenesis. Up to date, the role of Lox in BMP9-induced osteoblastic differentiation remains unknown.Methods: The effect and possible mechanism of Lox on the osteogenic function of BMP9 were evaluated with RT-PCR, western blotting, immunofluorescent and histochemical staining. The same results were also confirmed with the in vivo BMP9-induced ectopic bone formation model.Results: The mRNA and protein of Lox are both detectable in progenitor cells, and it was increased by BMP9 in 3T3-L1 cells. BMP9-induced Runx2, OPN and mineralization were all enhanced by inhibiting or silencing Lox, but reduced by exogenous Lox. BMP9 increased the mRNA level of c-Myc, which was enhanced by inhibiting Lox, so did the protein level of β-catenin. Effects of Lox specific inhibitor on BMP9-induced Runx2, OPN and mineralization were reduced obviously by silencing β-catenin. HIF-1α was up-regulated by BMP9, which was enhanced by inhibiting or silencing Lox, but decreased by Lox over-expression. The effects of Lox specific inhibitor on increasing BMP9-induced osteogenic markers were reduced greatly by silencing HIF-1α. On the contrary, the inhibitory effect of Lox on BMP9-induced osteoblastic markers was almost abolished by HIF-1α over-expression. BMP9-induced bone formation was increased by silencing Lox or over-expressing HIF-1α. The effect of silencing Lox on potentiating BMP9-induced bone formation was attenuated by silencing HIF-1α. Lox specific inhibitor increased the level of β-catenin and decreased that of SOST, but these effects were almost reversed by silencing HIF-1α.Conclusions: Lox may reducing the osteoblastic-induction function of BMP9 through inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin signal via down-regulation of HIF-1α partly.
C-Protein α-Antigen Modulates the Lantibiotic Thusin Resistance in Streptococcus Agalactiae
Authors: Mirkovic Nemanja , Obradovic Mina , O’Connor Paula M. , Filipic Brankica , Jovcic Branko , Cotter Paul D. , Kojic Milan
Published: May 2021

Screening for producers of potent antimicrobial peptides, resulted in the isolation of Bacillus cereus BGNM1 with strong antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes. Genome sequence analysis revealed that BGNM1 contains the gene cluster associated with the production of the lantibiotic, thusin, previously identified in B. thuringiensis. Purification of the antimicrobial activity confirmed that strain BGMN1 produces thusin. Both thusin sensitive and resistant strains were detected among clinical isolates of Streptococcus agalactiae. Random mutagenesis of a thusin sensitive strain, S. agalactiae B782, was performed in an attempt to identify the receptor protein for thusin. Three independent thusin resistant mutants were selected and their complete genomes sequenced. Comparative sequence analysis of these mutants with the WT strain revealed that duplication of a region encoding a 79 amino acids repeat in a C-protein a-antigen was a common difference, suggesting it to be responsible for increased resistance to thusin. Since induced thusin resistant mutants showed higher level of resistance than the naturally resistant B761 strain, complete genome sequencing of strain B761 was performed to check the integrity of the C-protein a-antigen-encoding gene. This analysis revealed that this gene is deleted in B761, providing further evidence that this protein promotes interaction of the thusin with receptor.
The Association of Estrogen Receptor Activity, Interferon Signaling, and MHC Class I Expression in Breast Cancer
Authors: Song In Hye , Kim Young-Ae , Heo Sun-Hee , Bang Won Seon , Park Hye Seon , Choi Yeon ho , Lee Heejae , Seo Jeong-Han , Cho Youngjin , Jung Sung Wook , Kim Hee Jeong , Ahn Sei Hyun , Lee Hee Jin , Gong Gyungyub
Published: May 2021

Background: The expression of major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC I) has previously been reported to be negatively associated with estrogen receptor (ER) expression. Furthermore, the expression of MHC I, the level of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), and the expression of interferon (IFN) mediator MxA are positively associated with one another in human breast cancers. This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms of association of MHC I with estrogen and IFN signaling. Methods: The human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-ABC protein expression was analyzed in breast cancer cell lines. The expressions of HLA-A and MxA mRNAs were analyzed in MCF-7 cells in Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) data. ER and HLA-ABC expressions and TIL levels in tumor tissue were also analyzed in ER+/ human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)- breast cancer patients who randomly received either neoadjuvant chemotherapy or estrogen modulator treatment following surgical resection. Results: HLA-ABC protein expression was decreased after β-estradiol treatment or hESR-GFP transfection and increased after fulvestrant or IFN-γ treatment in breast cancer cell lines. In GEO data, HLA-A and MxA expression was increased after ESR1 shRNA transfection. When comparing the two patient groups, ER Allred score was significantly lower and the HLA-ABC expression and TIL levels were significantly higher in the estrogen modulator treated group than the chemotherapy treated group. Conclusion: MHC I expression and TIL levels might be affected by ER pathway modulation and IFN treatment. Further studies elucidating the mechanism of MHC I regulation could suggest a way to boost TIL influx in cancer in a clinical setting.
Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Shujun Wang , Huijie Zhang , Xia Bai , Hongjian Wang
Published: May 2021

BACKGROUND: Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is a rare and devastating complication of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Early diagnose and prompt treatment could improve prognosis.AIM: The aim of our study was to investigate the clinical data and risk factors of inflammatory bowel disease with diagnosis of CVST. METHODS: All data of IBD patients were collected from July 2013 and September 2020. Clinical data, risk factors and prognosis were compared between CVST in IBD patients and IBD control group. RESULTS: The incidence of CVST in our study was 0.48%. The mean age of IBD patients with CVST was 34.9 years. Average disease duration of IBD was 4 years when cerebrovascular events occur. Clinical presentation of CVST included headache (73.1%), vomiting (30.8%), limb dysmetria (26.9%), speech impairment (11.5%), blurred vision (7.7%), Epileptic seizures (7.7%) and drowsiness (3.8%). The most common location for CVST was transverse sinus (61.5%), followed by superior sagittal sinus (30.8%). Anemia, low albumin and elevated D-dimer were independent predictors of CVST in IBD patients. Anticoagulation therapy was effective. Prognosis of IBD patients with CVST was worse than those without CVST.CONCLUSION: Early identification the risk of and clinical features of CVST in IBD patients is important. Prompt antithrombotic therapy is safe and effective treatment.
The impact of face masks on interpersonal trust in times of COVID-19
Authors: Malik Samreen , Mihm Benedikt , Reichelt Malte
Published: May 2021

Despite the widespread use of face masks to combat COVID-19, little is known about their social and behavioral consequences. To understand the impact of face masks on interpersonal trust, we designed a novel experiment to assess the causal impact of face mask use on whether individuals follow economically relevant advice from a stranger. From a survey of more than 2,000 US citizens conducted during July and August 2020, we find that almost 5 percent fewer individuals trust advice when it is given by someone wearing a mask than when it is given by someone not wearing a mask. While, surprisingly, health-related risks do not seem to alter the way masks affect trust, the effects of masks are particularly large among individuals whose households face economic risks due to COVID-19 and those with below-average normative beliefs about mask wearing. Our results highlight the non-health-related meaning that face masks have developed during COVID-19 and suggest that mask use undermines trust in others among a substantial share of the US population.
Urban Nocturnal Cooling Mediated by Bluespace
Authors: Cui Yuanfeng , Hu Leiqiu , Wang Zhihua , Li Qi
Published: May 2021

The spatiotemporal characteristics of air temperature and humidity mediated by urban bluespace are investigated using a combination of dense network of climatological observations in a medium-sized US city, computational fluid dynamics and analytical modeling approaches. Both numerical simulation and observational results show that the rate of change of hourly averaged air temperature and humidity at 3.5 m over urban areas peaks two hours after sunset, while it decreases with time monotonically over greenspace, indicating different impacts due to presence of urban lakes. The apparent temperature decreases with distance to lakes in urban area due to higher near-shore humidity. This highlights that urban lakes located near city center can deteriorate the nighttime cooling effects due to elevated humidity. Finally, two analytical models are presented to explain the connection between the surface and air temperature as well as the spatial variation of air temperature and humidity adjacent to the urban lakes. These simplified models with parameters being inferred from the network of measurements have reasonably good performance compared to the observations. Compared to other sophisticated numerical simulations, these analytical models offer an alternative means that is easily accessible for evaluating the efficacy of bluespace on urban nocturnal cooling.
Intracerebral Pro-inflammatory Cytokine Increase in Surgically Evacuated Intracerebral Hemorrhage - an Observational Microdialysis Study
Authors: Tobieson Lovisa , Gard Anna , Ruscher Karsten , Marklund Niklas
Published: May 2021

Background: Treatment options for spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) are limited. A possible inflammatory response in the brain tissue surrounding an ICH may exacerbate the initial injury and could be a target for treatment. Methods: In this observational study, ten patients needing surgical evacuation of supratentorial ICH received two cerebral microdialysis (MD) catheters; one in the perihemorrhagic zone (PHZ), and one in non-eloquent cortex (SNX) remote from the ICH. The microdialysate was analysed for energy metabolites (including lactate/pyruvate ratio (LPR) and glucose) and for inflammatory mediators using a multiplex immunoassay of 27 cytokines and chemokines at 6-10 hours, 20-26 hours and 44-50 hours after surgery. Results: Deranged energy metabolic markers suggestive of a metabolic crisis were found in PHZ compared to SNX, persistent throughout the 50 hours. Pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-8, TNF-α, IL-2, IL-1β, IL-6 and IFN-γ, anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-13, IL-4, and VEGF-A were significantly higher in PHZ compared to SNX, most prominent at 20-26 hours following ICH evacuation.Conclusions: Higher levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the perihemorrhagic brain tissue suggests a role for inflammatory mediators involved in secondary injury cascades potentially exacerbating tissue injury, which may constitute a target for future medical interventions.