bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intraperitoneal Administration of Synthetic MicroRNA-214 Exhibits Tumor Suppression in an Intraperitoneal Dissemination Mouse Model of Canine Hemangiosarcoma
Authors: Yoshikawa Ryutaro , Maeda Atsushi , Ueno Yoshihito , Sakai Hiroki , Kimura Shintaro , Sawadaishi Tomohiro , Kohgo Satoru , Yamada Kohei , Mori Takashi
Published: August 2021

Canine hemangiosarcoma (HSA) has extremely poor prognosis, making it necessary to develop new systemic treatment methods. MicroRNA-214 (miR-214) is one of many microRNAs (miRNA) that can induce apoptosis in HSA cell lines. Synthetic miR-214 (miR-214/5AE), which showed higher cytotoxicity and greater nuclease resistance than mature miR-214, has been developed for clinical application. In this study, we evaluated the effects of miR-214/5AE on stage 2 HSA in a mouse model. Mice intraperitoneally administered with miR-214/5AE (5AE group) had significantly fewer intraperitoneal dissemination tumor foci (median number: 80 vs. 233; p < 0.05) and lighter median foci weight (0.26 g vs. 0.74 g; p < 0.05). There was an increase in p53 and cleaved caspase-3 expression in the 5AE group. The mice in this group also had a significantly lower proportion of Ki-67-positive cells than those in the non-specific miR group. Notably, there were no significant side effects observed. These results indicate that intraperitoneal administration of miR-214/5AE exhibits antitumor effects in the intraperitoneal dissemination mouse model of HSA by inducing apoptosis and suppressing cell proliferation. We strongly believe that miR-214/5AE could be a novel miRNA-based chemotherapeutic agent capable of improving the prognosis of HSA.
Prediction of Dispersion Behavior of Typical Exhaust Pollutants From Mine Hydraulic Support Transporters Based on Numerical Simulation
Authors: Nie Wen , Liu Xiaofei , Liu Chengyi , Guo Lidian , Hua Yun
Published: August 2021

To analyze the impact of exhaust emissions from mine hydraulic support transporters on the roadway environment. In this paper, the dispersion distribution of diesel exhaust pollutant during the functioning of a hydraulic support transporters were all-round simulated by Dynamic Mesh of Computational Fluid Dynamics. More specifically, the dispersion and distribution of the main exhaust pollutants CO, HC, and NOx emitted by vehicles under the influence of the roadway wind flow were simulated with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and the dispersion of exhaust pollutants from hydraulic support transporters during multiple driving phases in an alleyway (from hauling in material, unloading at idle speed, to driving off with no load) was predicted. The simulation results show that the exhaust pollutants emitted during the movement of hydraulic support transporters can pollute the roadway environment and negatively affect gas monitoring devices in the roadway. Therefore, coal mining enterprises should optimize the ventilation design scheme to improve the roadway environment: they should increase the ventilation volume to dilute the emitted pollutants; in addition, the locations of underground gas monitoring devices should be adjusted to avoid interference from exhaust pollutants emitted by vehicles. This paper provides a theoretical basis for the preliminary investigation of the dispersion and transportation characteristics of exhaust pollutants emitted by vehicles in roadways, the research in this paper is of guiding significance to reduce the inhalation of the diesel exhaust pollutants of the miners and reduce the probability of suffering from occupational diseases.
Psychological Predictors of Negative Treatment Outcome with Erenumab in Chronic Migraine: Data From an Open Label Long-Term Prospective Study
Authors: Bottiroli Sara , De Icco Roberto , Vaghi Gloria , Pazzi Stefania , Guaschino Elena , Allena Marta , Ghiotto Natascia , Martinelli Daniele , Tassorelli Cristina , Sances Grazia
Published: August 2021

BackgroundMonoclonal antibodies (mABs) targeting the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) pathway represent the first disease-specific preventive migraine therapy. A wealth of evidence has shown that they are effective in the preventive treatment of difficult-to-treat patients. In this study, we evaluated the psychological predictors of the outcome of treatment with the anti-CGRP monoclonal antibody erenumab in patients with chronic migraine (CM).MethodsSeventy-five patients with CM who had already failed at least 3 preventive therapies received erenumab every 28 days for a period of 12 months. Before the first administration, patients received a full psychological evaluation using The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 Clinician Version (SCID-5-CV) to assess personality disturbances (primary outcome), mood and anxiety disorders, and as well specific questionnaires to evaluate alexithymia traits, childhood traumas, and current stressors (secondary outcomes).ResultsAfter 12 months of treatment, 53 patients reported a reduction of at least 50% in headache days/per month (Responders-R), whereas 22 did not (Non Responders-NR). When compared to R, NR were characterized by a higher prevalence of personality disorders belonging to Cluster C (avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive) (77% vs 37%, p = .001). NR were also characterized by a higher prevalence of anxiety disorders (90% vs 60%, p = 0.007), showed more alexithymic traits (51.7 ± 13.7 vs 42.9 ± 14.3, p = 0.017), and reported a higher number of at least serious current stressors (3.2 ± 4.0 vs 0.8 ± 1.4, p < .0001) than R. At the multivariate analysis, higher prevalence of Cluster C personality disorders (OR 3.697; p = 0.05) and higher number of at least serious life events (OR 1.382; p = 0.017) arose as prognostic factors of erenumab failure.ConclusionsErenumab confirmed its effectiveness in a population of difficult-to-treat migraine. The presence of “anxious-fearful” personality together with current stressors and anxiety represent negative predictors of treatment outcome.Trial registrationThe study protocol was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04361721).
Design of an Ultra-Compact and High-Contrast Ratio All-Optical NOR Gate
Authors: Parandin Fariborz , Mahtabi Naser
Published: August 2021

In this research, an all-optical NOR gate is designed and simulated based on two-dimensional photonic crystals. A square lattice has been used to design this structure. This logic gate has two main inputs, a bias input and an output. Because the output of the NOR gate must be “1” for zero inputs, a bias input is required. One of the characteristics of this structure is its small size for use in optical integrated circuits. Also, in order to reduce the detection error in the output, it has been tried that the outputs have a suitable distance in two “0” and “1” logical states. The use of a small number and simple point defects makes the design of this gate easier. The simulation results show that the proposed structure is suitable for working at a wavelength of 1.55µm. Also, the amount of optical power at the output is high in the “1” logical mode and low in the “0” logical mode. This indicates that this structure has a reliable output for detecting logical values. In this paper, a photonic crystal structure is proposed to realize the NOR logic gate, which is small in size and uses simple linear and point defects. The use of very few point defects has made the design simpler and thus easier to build this gate. Due to these characteristics, this structure can be suitable for optically integrated circuits.
Relationship between muscle strength and Rehospitalization in ventricular assist device patients
Authors: Kobayashi Kiyonori , Mutsuga Masato , Usui Akihiko
Published: August 2021

Background
The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between leg extensor muscle strength (LMS) at the time of discharge and rehospitalization within 1 year in patients with a newly implanted ventricular assist device (VAD).
Methods
From October 2013 to February 2019, 28 patients who had received a VAD at our institution and been discharged for 1 year were included. Patients were divided into two groups [higher (group H) and lower (group L)] according to their LMS at discharge based on a median value of 55.2 kgf/BW. Data on additional exercise performance parameters including grip strength, 6-min walk distance, and Peak VO2 as well as laboratory data on nutritional status were also evaluated.
Results
Nine patients (64.3 %) in group L were rehospitalized within 1 year after discharge. The rehospitalization rate was significantly higher in group L (p = 0.020). Compared to values at discharge, patients exhibited higher grip strength (56.3 vs. 48.6 kg/BW, respectively; p = 0.011), 6-min walk distance scores (588 vs. 470 m, respectively; p = 0.002), and Peak VO2 (15.4 vs. 11.9 mL/min/kg, respectively; p < 0.001) 1 year later. However, the LMS (57.4 vs. 58.0 kgf/BW, respectively; p = 0.798) was less likely to increase after discharge in VAD patients who avoided rehospitalization.
Conclusions
The LMS at the time of discharge exhibited a strong relationship with rehospitalization after VAD surgery. The target level for LMS at discharge should be increased.
Alpha-Solanine Anti-Tumor Effects in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Through Regulating the Glycolysis Pathway
Authors: Zou Tao , Si Yuankai , Hu Yifan , Yang Liqiong , Wei Junsong , Li Junxin , Zhao Yueshui , Shen Jing , Li Mingxing , Wu Xu , Du Fukuan , Chen Yu , Chen Meijuan , Ye Yun , Xiao Zhangang , Wu Zhigui
Published: August 2021

Background: Lung cancer is a malignant tumor with a high incidence in China, especially non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which is the main threat to human life, with terrible morbidity and mortality. The research on the treatment and mechanism of lung cancer and NSCLC has been the forefront and hotspot of research. Alpha-solanine (α-solanine) has anti-tumor effect, but its target and related mechanism remain to be elucidated. Methods: Network pharmacology was used to predict the possible targets and mechanisms of α-solanine on NSCLC. The targets were derived from TGCC database, and α-solanine targets were derived from PharmMapper. Gene-related potential pathways were identified by gene ontology and pathway enrichment analysis. Compound-target and target-pathway networks were constructed and validated by molecular biology and targeted energy metabolomics.Experiments were used to verify the results of network pharmacology in vitro, such as cell migration and invasion, cell apoptosis, immunofluorescenceand western blot.Results: Network pharmacology showed that there were 130 potential targets of α-solanine and NSCLC, and the main core was the pathway of glycolysis. In addition, experiment results showed that α-solanine inhibited cell proliferation, migration, invasion and promoted cell apoptosis. At the same time, α-solanine mainly regulated cell proliferation and survival throughglycolytic signaling pathway, which included GPI, ALDOA, TPI1, PKLR, LDHA and ALDH3. After α-solanine treatment, the expression of the above-mentioned proteins was reduced.Conclusion: Combination of network pharmacological prediction and experimental verification, α-solanine affected the expression of related proteins and cell functions by regulating the glycolytic pathway, thereby achieving anti- NSCLC effects.
Evidence of Long-Distance Coastal Sea Migration of Atlantic Salmon, Salmo Salar, Smolts from Northwest England (River Derwent).
Authors: Green Amy , Honkanen Hannele , Ramsden Philip , Shields Brian , Delvillar Diego , Fletcher Melanie , Walton Silas , Kennedy Richard , Rosell Robert , O'Maoiléidigh Niall , Barry James , Whoriskey Fred , Klimley Peter , Adams Colin E
Published: August 2021

Combining data from multiple acoustic telemetry studies has revealed that west coast England Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) smolts use a northward migration pathway through the Irish Sea to reach their feeding grounds. 100 Atlantic salmon smolts were tagged in May 2020 in the River Derwent, northwest England as part of an Environment Agency/Natural England funded project. Three tagged smolts were detected on marine acoustic receivers distributed across two separate arrays from different projects in the Irish Sea. One fish had migrated approximately 262km in 10 days from the river mouth at Workington Harbour, Cumbria to the northernmost receiver array operated by the SeaMonitor project; this is the longest tracked marine migration of an Atlantic salmon smolt migrating from United Kingdom. This migrating fish displayed behaviours which resulted in fast northward migration. The remaining two fish were detected on a receiver array operated by a third project: “COMPASS”. These detections further provide evidence that migration to reach marine feeding grounds of salmon smolts from rivers draining into the Irish Sea is northerly. The pattern of these detections would not have been possible without the collaborative efforts of three distinct and separately funded projects to share data. Further work is required to fully understand migration trajectories in this species on the west coast of the British Isles.
Universal upper bound for the entropy of superconducting vortices and the quantum Nernst effect
Authors: Diamantini Cristina , Trugenberger Carlo , Vinokur Valerii
Published: August 2021

We show that the entropy per quantum vortex per layer in superconductors in external magnetic fields is bounded
by the universal value kBln 2, which explains puzzling results of recent experiments on the Nernst effect. The observed
plateau of the Nernst signal as a function of the magnetic field is correspondingly attributed to a manifestation of the integer
quantum Nernst effect.
Device Simulation of Perovskite/Silicon Tandem Solar Cell with Antireflective Coating
Authors: Burra Gopal Krishna , Ghosh Dhriti Sundar , Tiwari Sanjay
Published: August 2021

Semi-transparent perovskite solar cells have significant potential for their use in tandem solar cells with silicon (Si) or copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) materials. Light management and optical design are important for developing a highly efficient solar cell. Herein, numerical simulation of a perovskite/silicon tandem solar cell was performed using a Matlab analytical program. The single-diode model for a solar cell is used for simulation with ideal working conditions. The tandem solar cell is comprised of two configurations which are the thin film-based perovskite solar cell on top and a wafer-based silicon solar cell on the bottom, and the silicon sub-cell with silicon nitride (SiNx) anti-reflection coatings (ARC) in series-connected configuration. The material properties like energy bandgap, diffusion length, doping concentration are considered for calculating the device parameters. The bandgap and thickness of the perovskite material, refractive indices, photon flux, and wavelength of light are varied to calculate voltage, current, quantum efficiency, and other parameters of the tandem solar cell. The silicon sub-cell with silicon nitride (SiNx) anti-reflection coatings (ARC) in series-connected configuration decreased the reflectivity and increased the overall voltage and current of the tandem cell. The double-layer ARC films have increased the efficiency up to 1%. The efficiency of the two-terminal tandem device is found out to be over 32%. This work provides a pathway for further enhancing the power conversion efficiency of perovskite/Si tandem cells.
Protective effects of ginkgolide on a cellular model of Alzheimer’s disease via suppression of the NF-κB signaling pathway
Authors: Niu Tiantong , Yin He , Xu Baolei , Yang Tingting , Li Huiqin , Sun Yi , Liu Guangzhi
Published: August 2021

NF-κB signaling has been reported to play a key regulatory role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of ginkgolide on cell viability in an AD cellular model involving an APP/PS1 double gene-transfected HEK293 cell line (APP/PS1-HEK293) and further explored the mechanisms of action related to NF-κB signaling. The optimal time point and concentration of ginkgolide for cell proliferation were screened using a cell counting kit-8 assay. Based on the results, an in vitro study was performed by co-culture of APP/PS1-HEK293 with different dosages of ginkgolide, followed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to measure the levels of supernatant tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6, as well as western blotting and real-time polymerase chain reaction to detect intracellular protein and mRNA expression of NF-κB p65, IκBa, Bcl-2 and Bax. APP/PS1-HEK293 cells exhibited the highest cell viability at a concentration of 100 µg/ml after 48 h of treatment with ginkgolide. The supernatant levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 in the high-dosage ginkgolide-treated groups were lower than those in the control group. Compared with the control group, there were decreased intracellular protein and mRNA expression of NF-κB p65 and Bax, but increased protein and mRNA expression of IκBa in both high-dosage and low-dosage group. Ginkgolide may enhance cell viability, indicative of its neuroprotective effects on AD, at least partially via suppression of the NF-κB signaling pathway involving anti-apoptosis and anti-inflammation mechanisms. Therefore, ginkgolide might be a promising therapeutic agent against AD.
Association of Daily Number of Steps with Walking Ability in Hospitalized Patients with Sub-acute Stroke
Authors: Kubo Hiroki , Kanai Masashi , Nozoe Masafumi , Inamoto Asami , Taguchi Akira , Mase Kyoshi , Shimada Shinichi
Published: August 2021

Increased physical activity is required in patients with stroke that are hospitalized in the rehabilitation unit. This study investigated the association between the daily number of steps and walking independence in order to determine the cutoff value of daily number of steps for walking independence in hospitalized patients with sub-acute stroke. This cross-sectional observational study included 85 stroke patients admitted to the rehabilitation unit. The average daily number of steps, 6-minute walk test, and Fugl-Meyer assessment of the lower extremities were measured at 30 days after stroke onset. The category of walking independence was classified using the Functional Ambulation Category (FAC). The subjects were divided into two groups according to the FAC score: a walking independence group (FAC ≥ 4) and a walking non-independence group (FAC ≤ 3). Logistic regression analysis was conducted to investigate the association of daily number of steps with walking independence and a receiver operating characteristic curve was used to identify the cutoff value of daily number of steps for walking independence. The daily number of steps was independently associated with walking independence (odds ratio (OR); 1.001, 95% confidence interval (CI); 1.001–1.002, p = 0.009). The cutoff value of daily number of steps for independent walking was 4286 steps (area under the curve = 0.914, sensitivity of 0.731, and specificity of 0.949). The daily number of steps was associated with independent walking in hospitalized patients with sub-acute stroke. The daily number of steps may be a useful target in rehabilitation for patients with sub-acute stroke.
Biosynthesis of Lactones From Diols Mediated by an Artificial Flavin
Authors: Zhang Xiaowang , Tan Zhuotao , Li Chaojian , Qi Siyu , Xu Mengjiao , Li Ming , Zhuang Wei , Liu Dong , Zhu Chenjie , Ying Hanjie
Published: August 2021

Background: Lactones are important compounds in the field of medicine, material and chemical industry. One of the promising accesses to these flexible scaffolds is NAD(P)+-dependent alcohol dehydrogenases-catalyzed oxidative lactonization of diols, which relies on the construction of an efficient NAD(P)+ regeneration system. Results: In this study, a novel system combining horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase (HLADH) with the synthetic bridged flavin cofactor was established for biosynthesis of lactones. The reaction conditions of this system were optimized and a variety of lactones including chiral lactones were efficiently obtained from various diols. Compared to the previously reported NAD(P)+-regeneration systems, this system showed better regeneration efficiency and product yield. A two-phase system was further applied to solve the problem of product inhibition, and 80% yield was obtained at the condition of 300 mM substrate.Conclusions: This study provides an efficient method to synthesis of lactones from diols under mild conditions. We believe this system will be a promising alternative to promote the synthesis of other valuable compounds.
Influences of the Workpiece Pose Errors on Gear Skiving Accuracy
Authors: Lin Xiaochuan , hong rongjing , Wang Yawen , Peng Yun , Ren Xiaolei
Published: August 2021

This paper investigates the influence of the workpiece pose errors on gear skiving accuracy. First, based on the theory of homogeneous coordinate transformation, the mapping relationship between the tooth flank of the workpiece and the skiving tool is established according to the principle of gear skiving. Second, the workpiece pose errors are defined, and the relationship between each workpiece pose error and cutting depth is analyzed. According to the kinematic chain of the machine tool, a method for measuring the workpiece pose errors based on actual inverse kinematics is proposed. Third, the tooth deviations from individual workpiece pose errors, and the coupling workpiece pose errors are studied. The sensitive errors are obtained from the tooth deviation by numerical simulation. Finally, the numerical analysis is verified by gear skiving experiments, and the proposed method can be used to identify the possible workpiece pose errors. Furthermore, the PSO algorithm is introduced to guide the workpiece setting pose errors in the gear skiving process.
Effects of Inflammatory Response Genes on the Immune Microenvironment in Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Wang Yachen , Wang Ying , Shi Guanghuan , Liu Mingqing , Zhang Luping , Zhao Weidan , Zhang Yingli , Zhang Nan , Yang Xige
Published: August 2021

Background: The close relationship between colorectal cancer and inflammation has been widely reported. However, the relationship between colorectal cancer and inflammation at the genetic level is not fully understood. From a genetic perspective, this study explored the relationship between inflammation-related genes and the immune microenvironment in colorectal cancer.Method: We identified prognostic genes, namely CX3CL1, CCL22, SERPINE1, LTB4R, XCL1, GAL, TIMP1, ADIPOQ, and CRH, by using univariate and multivariate regression analyses. A risk scoring model for inflammatory response was established, and patients in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database were divided into two groups: high risk group and low risk group. Result: The analysis showed that the prognosis of the two groups was significantly different, and the low-risk group had a higher survival rate and longer survival time. Pathways related to apoptosis, inflammatory response, and hypoxia were significantly enriched as shown via Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). Activated dendritic cell infiltration was found in both the TCGA and GEO databases, and the CCL21 gene played a significant role in the process of activated dendritic cell infiltration. CCL21 gene was also positively correlated with inflammatory response, and the gene expression and risk score were significantly different between the two groups.Conclusion: In summary, inflammatory response has a direct impact on patients with colorectal cancer in the prognosis and immune infiltration and further research studies on the inflammatory response can help in advancing the development of immunotherapy for colorectal cancer.
Automated Analysis of Three-dimensional CBCT Images Taken in Natural Head Position That Combines Facial Profile Processing and Multiple Deep-learning Models
Authors: Ahn Janghoon , Nguyen Thong Phi , Kim Yoon-Ji , Kim Taeyong , Yoon Jonghun
Published: August 2021

Analysing cephalometric X-rays, which is mostly performed by orthodontists or dentists, is an indispensable procedure for diagnosis and treatment planning with orthodontic patients. Artificial intelligence, especially deep-learning techniques for analysing image data, shows great potential for medical and dental image analysis and diagnosis. To explore the feasibility of automating measurement of 13 geometric parameters from three-dimensional cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images taken in a natural head position, we here describe a smart system that combines a facial profile analysis algorithm with deep-learning models. Using multiple views extracted from the CBCT data as the dataset, our proposed method partitions and detects regions of interest by extracting the facial profile and applying Mask-RCNN, a trained decentralized convolutional neural network (CNN) that positions the key parameters. All the techniques are integrated into a software application with a graphical user interface designed for user convenience. To demonstrate the system’s ability to replace human experts, we validated the performance of the proposed method by comparing it with measurements made by two orthodontists and one advanced general dentist using a commercial dental program. The time savings compared with the traditional approach was remarkable, reducing the processing time from about 30 minutes to about 30 seconds.
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Enhances Muscle Strength of Non-dominant Knee in Healthy Young Males
Authors: Lu PanPan , Hanson Nicholas J. , Wen Lin , Guo Feng
Published: August 2021

Background: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been applied in training and competition, but its effects on physical performance remain largely unknown. The present study aimed to observe the effect of tDCS on muscular strength and activation of the knee in healthy subjects. Methods: Nineteen healthy young males were subjected to 20 min real stimulation (2 mA) and sham stimulation (0 mA) on different days. The maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) of knee extensors and flexors and surface electromyography (sEMG) of the rectus femoris (RF) and biceps femoris (BF) were recorded before, immediately after, and 30 min after stimulation. MVC, rate of force development (RFD), and sEMG activity were analyzed before and after each condition. Results: MVC of left leg extensor and flexor was significantly higher immediately after real stimulation and 30 min after stimulation than before, and MVC of left leg flexor was significantly higher 30 min after real stimulation than that after sham stimulation (P < 0.05). The RFD of left leg extensor and flexor immediately after real stimulation was significantly higher than before stimulation, and the RFD of left leg extensor immediately after real stimulation and 30 min after stimulation was significantly higher than that of sham stimulation (P < 0.05). EMG analysis showed the root mean square amplitude(RMS) and mean power frequency (MPF) of left BF and RF were significantly higher immediately after real stimulation and 30 min after stimulation than before stimulation, and the MPF of left BF EMG was significantly higher 30 min after real stimulation than that after sham stimulation (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Bilateral tDCS of the primary motor cortex can significantly improve the muscle strength and explosive force of the non-dominant knee extensor and flexor, which is manifested by the increase of the amount of motor units recruited during exercise. This effect can last until 30 min after stimulation, but there is no significant effect on the dominant knee.
Stability for a Class of State Constrained Impulsive Nonlinear Systems: Barrier Lyapunov Functions Method
Authors: Li Liangliang , Tu Zhengwen , Zhou Guanghui
Published: August 2021

This paper studies the problem for a class of state constrained impulsive nonlinear systems. Firstly, we establish two sufficient conditions for the stability of invariant sets of state constrained hybrid systems. Secondly, we construct the symmetric and asymmetric barrier Lyapunov functions, respectively. A feedback method is presented to solve the stabilization problem of constrained hybrid systems. Introduce the auxiliary matrix, combining with inductive method and linear matrix inequality theory, some sufficient conditions are obtained to ensure stability for state constrained hybrid dynamical networks by the attractive ellipsoid method approach. Finally, one example with simulations is given to validate the effectiveness of the proposed criteria.
Joint Effect of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and Secondhand Smoke Exposure on Hypertension in Non-smoking Women of Childbearing Age: NHANES 2007-2014
Authors: Shen Qianqian , Xu Qian , Li Guoju , Ren Lisheng , Zhang Zhenhong , Zhang Yangting , Zhong Zhaoyi , Li Xiaona , Wang Qiuzhen
Published: August 2021

BackgroundVitamin D deficiency (VDD) may increase the risk for hypertension in women of childbearing age, and they may expose to secondhand smoke exposure (SHS) simultaneously. Till now, few studies have investigated the joint effects of VDD and SHS. We evaluated whether exposure to SHS modified the association between VDD and hypertension.MethodsData from 2007-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) were analyzed. Our research subjects were 2802 nonsmoking and nonpregnant women of childbearing age (20-44 years old). Hypertension was defined based either on systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≥ 130 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≥ 80 mmHg or on now taking prescribed medicine for hypertension. The interactive effect of VDD and SHS on hypertension was evaluated by using logistic regression models, followed by strata-specific analyses.ResultsThe prevalence of VDD in the hypertension group was significantly higher than that in the non-hypertension group (48.2% vs 40.7%, P = 0.005), as well as the exposure rate of SHS (35.7% vs 30.5%, P = 0.017). VDD was positively associated with hypertension [adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 1.47, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.03-2.08]. There was no association between secondhand smoke exposure and hypertension (aOR: 1.10, 95%CI: 0.85-1.43). However, when exposed to SHS and VDD simultaneously, the aOR estimation of the risk of hypertension increased to 1.83 (1.17, 2.87) with a significant interactive effect between SHS and VDD (Padjusted = 0.009). When stratified according to BMI and race, the interactive effect was about twice the effect of VDD on hypertension alone in women who were overweight (for VDD: aOR = 2.37, 95%CI: 1.05-5.47; for interaction: aOR = 4.14, 95%CI: 1.48-11.58), and a similar pattern could also be observed in Non-Hispanic Black (for VDD: aOR = 2.74, 95%CI: 1.11-6.73; for interaction: aOR = 4.60, 95%CI: 1.53-13.80).Conclusion﻿There exist synergistic effects of SHS and VDD on the prevalence of hypertension in American women of childbearing age, with more significant effects in overweight women and Non-Hispanic Black women. Further studies are warranted to verify in other populations, and the molecular mechanisms underlying the joint effect of SHS and VDD need to be elucidated.
Genome-wide Identification and Transcriptional Profiling of New Cobra-like Genes in Bread Wheat (Triticum Aestivum)
Authors: Zaheer Muhammad , Rehman Shoaib Ur , Khan Sultan Habibullah , Shahid Shahmeer , Rasheed Awais , Naz Rabia , Sajjad Muhammad
Published: August 2021

Background: The COBL gene encodes a plant-specific glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored protein. Recently identified COBRA genes supposed as a key regulator of the orientation of cell expansion in the root indicating that Cobra gene family members are likely to be important new players at the plasma membrane-cell wall interface. Methods and Results: By performing a database search and domain prediction, we identified five genes named as TaCOBL 1, TaCOBL 2, TaCOBL 3, TaCOBL 4 and TaCOBL 5, and selected for further analysis. Chromosomal locations of each gene were drawn on karyotype. Structure of genes, promoter analysis and phylogenetic analysis were done using bioinformatics tools and databases. Set of novel SNPs were also predicted. Gene ontologies were analyzed, and pathways involving cobra genes were predicted. Whole genes of 3kb to 4kb were successfully amplified. Five set of primers were designed targeting TaCOBL 1, TaCOBL 2, TaCOBL 3 TaCOBL 4 and TaCOBL 5 genes. Expression of COBL genes were checked in root and shoot by using qPCR. The qRT-PCR revealed that expression TaCOBL genes can be regulated under abiotic stress such drought stress. Conclusion: The comprehensive annotation and expression profiling of COBL genes performed in this study enhanced our understanding and these genes were found to play a significant role in drought stress. Our findings lay the groundwork for further functional investigation of COBL genes mechanism.
Combined Transcriptome and Metabolome Integrated Analysis of Acer mandshuricum to Reveal Candidate Genes Involved in Anthocyanin Accumulation
Authors: Zhang Shikai , Zhan Wang , Sun Anran , Xie Ying , Han Zhiming , Qu Xibin , Wang Jiayi , Zhang Laifu , Tian Mingshun , Pang Xuhong , Zhang Jinbao , Zhao Xiyang
Published: August 2021

The red color formation of Acer mandshuricum leaves is caused by the accumulation of anthocyanins primarily, but the molecular mechanism researches which underlie anthocyanin biosynthesis in A. mandshuricum were still lacking. Therefore, we combined the transcriptome and metabolome and analyzed the regulatory mechanism and accumulation pattern of anthocyanins in leaf color change periods in three different leaf color states. In our results, 26 anthocyanins were identified. Notably, the metabolite cyanidin 3-O-glucoside was found that significantly correlated with the color formation, was the predominant metabolite in anthocyanin biosynthesis of A. mandshuricum. By the way, two key structural genes ANS (Cluster-20561.86285) and BZ1 (Cluster-20561.99238) in anthocyanidin biosynthesis pathway were significantly up-regulated in RL, suggesting that they might enhance accumulation of cyanidin 3-O-glucoside which is their downstream metabolite, and contributed the red formation of A. mandshuricum leaves. Additionally, most TFs (e.g., MYBs, bZIPs and bHLHs) were detected differentially expressed in three leaf color stages that could participate in anthocyanin accumulation. This study sheds light on the anthocyanin molecular regulation of anthocyanidin bio-synthesis and accumulation underlying the different leaf color change periods in A. mandshuricum, and it could provide basic theory and new insight for the leaf color related genetic improvement of A. mandshuricum.
Supervised Machine Learning for Risk Stratification of Influenza-Like Illness: A Model to Prioritize Emerging Infectious Disease Disaster Responses
Authors: Chiu Han-Yi Robert , Hwang Chun-Kai , Chen Shey-Ying , Shih Fuh-Yuan , Han Hsieh-Cheng , King Chwan-Chuen , Gilbert John Reuben , Fang Cheng-Chung , Oyang Yen-Jen
Published: August 2021

Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs), including the latest COVID-19 pandemic, have emerged and raised global public health crises in recent decades. Without existing protective immunity, an EID may spread rapidly and cause mass casualties in a very short time. Therefore, it is imperative to identify cases with risk of disease progression for the best allocation of medical resources in case medical facilities are overwhelmed with a flood of patients. This study aimed to exploit machine learning technologies to cope with this challenge. The study was based on 83,227 hospital admissions with influenza-like illness and we analysed the risk effects of 19 comorbidities along with age and gender for severe illness or mortality risk. The experimental results revealed that the conventional decision tree (DT) models built with only 6 features, including age, gender, and four comorbidities, delivered the same level of prediction accuracy as the state-of-the-art deep neural network models built with 18 features. Accordingly, we further studied how to exploit the DT models with different sensitivity levels to determine patient triage and optimize medical resource allocation in different stages of an EID disaster to aid the frontline clinicians and policy-makers. In conclusion, our study demonstrated an approach to exploit machine learning technologies to cope with the challenges during the outbreak of an EID.
Allobacillus salarius sp. nov., and Allobacillus saliphilus sp. nov., Isolated from Shrimp Paste (ka-pi) in Thailand
Authors: Yiamsombut Supalurk , Kanchanasin Pawina , Phongsopitanun Wongsakorn , Kuncharoen Nattakorn , Savarajara Ancharida , Shi Wenyu , Wu Linhuan , Ma Juncai , Tanasupawat Somboon
Published: August 2021

The moderately halophilic, Gram-stain-positive, spore-forming rods, designated SKP4-8T and SKP8-2T isolated from a traditional fermented shrimp paste (Ka-pi), were taxonomic studied based on polyphasic approach. Strain SKP4-8T grew at pH 6.0-9.0 (optimum 7.0), at 25-45°C (optimum 37°C) and in 1-16 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 5-10). Strain SKP8-2T grew at pH 6.0-9.0 (optimum 8.0), at 25-45°C (optimum 37°C) and in 0-20 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 3-10 %). The strains contained meso-diaminopimelic acid in cell-wall peptidoglycan and the major menaquinone was MK-7. Strain SKP4-8T contained iso-C15:0, antesio-C15:0 and iso-C17:0; and strain SKP8-2T contained antesio-C15:0, iso-C15:0, iso-C16:0 and antesio-C17:0 as major cellular fatty acids.Phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, unknown phospholipids and an unknown glycolipid were detected as major polar lipids. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strains SKP4-8T and SKP8-2T belonged to the genus Allobacillus and was closely related to Allobacillus halotolerans LMG 24826T with 98.8 % and 99.3 % similarity, respectively. The comparative genome analysis based on average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization revealed that both strains showed the values below 95 and 70 %, from each other and the Allobacillus halotolerans LMG 24826T, respectively. Based on data from this polyphasic study, strains SKP4-8T and SKP8-2T represent the novel species of the genus Allobacillus and the name Allobacillus salarius sp. nov. was proposed for SKP4-8T (=KCTC 33905T =LMG 30016T =TISTR 2499T); and Allobacillus saliphilus sp. nov. for SKP8-2T (=KCTC 33906T =LMG 29682T =TISTR 2558T).
Intravenous Immunoglobulin Therapy Restores the Quantity and Phenotype of Circulating Dendritic Cells and CD4+ T Cells in Children with Acute Kawasaki Disease
Authors: Wang Nana , Chen Zhongyue , Zhang Fan , Zhang Qianwen , Sun Ling , Lv Haitao , Wang Bo , Shen Jie , Zhou Xufang , Chen Feiyan , Zhang Binwei , Meng Lijun , Zhou Huiting , Bai ZhenJiang , Huang Jie
Published: August 2021

Background: Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is widely used to treat Kawasaki disease (KD). However, the mechanisms by which it reduces systemic inflammation are not completely understood. Dendritic cells (DCs) and T cells play critical roles in the pathogenic processes of immune disorders. Assessing the quantity of DC subsets and T cells and identifying functional molecules present on these cells, which provide information about KD, in the peripheral blood may provide new insights into the mechanisms of immunoglobulin therapy. Methods: In total, 54 patients with KD and 27 age-matched healthy controls (HCs) were included in this study. The number, percentage, and phenotype of DC subsets and CD4+ T cells in peripheral blood were analysed through flow cytometry.Results: Patients with KD exhibited fewer peripheral DC subsets and CD4+ T cells than HCs. Human leucocyte antigen-DR (HLA-DR) expression was reduced on myeloid DCs (CD1c+ mDCs), whereas that on plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs) did not change significantly. Both pDCs and CD1c+ mDCs displayed significantly reduced expression of co-stimulatory molecules, including CD40, CD86. Expression of T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 3 (TIM-3) was increased on CD4+ T cells. No significant differences were observed concerning the quantity and phenotype of DC subsets and CD4+ T cells in patients with KD with and without coronary artery lesions. Importantly, these altered quantity and phenotypes on DC subsets and CD4+ T cells were restored to a great extent after IVIG treatment. T helper (Th) subsets including Th1 and Th2 among CD4+ T cells did not show alteration pre- and post-IVIG treatment, although the Th1-related cytokine IFN-γ level increased dramatically in patients with KD pre-IVIG treatment.Conclusions: pDCs and CD1c+ DCs presented an immature or tolerant phenotype in acute stages of KD, IVIG treatment restored the quantity and functional molecules of DCs and CD4+ T cells to distinct levels, indicating the involvement of DCs and CD4+ T cells in the inflammation in KD. The findings provide insights into the immunomodulatory actions of IVIG.
DLHO-:An Enhanced Version of Harris Hawks Optimization By Dimension Learning-Based Hunting For Breast Cancer And Other Serious Diseases Detection
Authors: Kaur Navneet , Kaur Lakhwinder , Singh Sikander
Published: August 2021

In the bio-medical science various diseases are most serious and are prevalent causes of death among the human whole world out of which breast cancer is the most serious issue. Mammography is the initial screening assessment of breast cancer. Swarm intelligence techniques play an important role for the solution of these types of diseases. However due to some shortcomings of these methods such as slow convergence, premature convergence and weak local avoidance etc various complexities are faced. In this study, An enhanced version of Harris Hawks Optimization (HHO) approach has been developed for biomedical datasets, it is known as DLHO. This approach has been introduced by integrating the merits of dimension learning-based hunting (DLH) search strategy with HHO. The main objective of this study is to alleviate the lack of crowd diversity, premature convergence of the HHO and the imbalance amid the exploration and exploitation. DLH search strategy utilizes a dissimilar method to paradigm a neighborhood for each search member in which the neighboring information can be shared amid search agents. This strategy helps in maintaining the diversity and the balance amid global and local search. To test the performance of the proposed technique different set of experiments have been performed and results are compared with various recent metaheuristics. First, the performance of optimizer is analysed by using 29-CEC -2017 test suites. Second, to demonstrate the robustness of the proposed technique results have been taken on five bio-medical datasets such as XOR, Balloon, Iris, Breast Cancer and Heart. All the results are in the favour of proposed technique.
Sustainable Biopolymer Soil Stabilization in Saline Rich, Arid Conditions – A ‘Micro to Macro’ Approach.
Authors: Armistead S. J. , Smith C. C. , Staniland S. S.
Published: August 2021

Water scarcity in semi-arid/arid regions is driving the use of salt water in mining operations. A consequence of this shift, is the potentially unheeded effect upon Mine Tailing (MT) management. With existing stabilization/solidification methodologies exhibiting vulnerability to MT toxicity and salinity effects, it is essential to explore the scope for more environmentally durable sustainable alternatives under these conditions.
Within this study we investigate the effects of salinity (NaCl, 0-2.5 M) and temperatures associated with arid regions (25 , 40), on Locust Bean Gum (LB) biopolymer stabilization of MT exemplar and sand (control) soil systems. A cross-disciplinary ‘micro to macro’ pipeline is employed, from a Membrane Enabled Bio-mineral Affinity Screen (MEBAS), to Mineral Binding Characterisation (MBC), leading finally to Geotechnical Verification (GV).
As predicted by higher Fe2O3 LB binding affinity in the MEBAS studies, LB with 1.25M NaCl, results in the greatest soil strength in the MT exemplar after 7 days of curing at 40 °C. Under these most challenging conditions for other soil strengthening systems, an overall UCS peak of 5033 kPa is achieved. MBC shows the critical and direct relationship between Fe2O3 LB ‘high-affinity’ at the molecular level and ‘high-strength’ achieved at the geotechnical level. This is attributed to biopolymer binding group’s increased availability, with their ‘salting-in’ as NaCl concentrations rises to 1.25M and then ‘salting-out’ at higher concentrations. This study highlights the potential of biopolymers as robust, sustainable, soil stabilization additives in challenging environments.
In-vitro Reactivity and Antibacterial Activity of Agro-waste Derived Silicate and Phosphate Glasses
Authors: Kaur Damandeep , Reddy M.S. , Pandey Om Prakash
Published: August 2021

Two different categories of bioactive glasses prepared from biomass using SiO2 and P2O5 as glass formers are reported in this study. These glasses are prepared by melt-quench technique. The glasses are evaluated in-vitro for their bioactivity assessment with the help of simulated body fluid (SBF). The formation of hydroxyapatite (HAp) above the glass surface is taken as an indicator for the glasses to be bioactive. Hence, various experimental techniques like X-Ray diffraction, Scanning electron microscopy, Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and Microwave plasma atomic emission spectroscopy are employed to assess the formation of HAp layer above the glass surface. All these results confirmed the formation of HAp layer. Further, drug loading and antibacterial studies were carried out to investigate the application of glass samples as drug delivery vehicles and antibacterial agents, respectively. These investigations proved that the as-prepared glass samples have high drug loading efficiency and antibacterial activity.
Assessment of Ki-67 proliferation index with deep learning in DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ)
Authors: Fulawka Lukasz , Błaszczyk Jakub , Tabakov Martin , Halon Agnieszka
Published: August 2021

The proliferation index (PI) is crucial in histopathologic diagnostics, in particular tumors. It is calculated based on Ki-67 protein expression by immunohistochemistry. PI is routinely evaluated by a visual assessment of the sample by a pathologist. However, this approach is far from ideal due to its poor intra- and interobserver variability and time-consuming. These factors force the community to seek out more precise solutions. Virtual pathology as being increasingly popular in diagnostics, armed with artificial intelligence, may potentially address this issue. The proposed solution calculates the Ki-67 proliferation index by utilizing a deep learning model and fuzzy-set interpretations for hot-spots detection. The obtained region-of-interest is then used to segment relevant cells via classical methods of image processing. The index value is approximated by relating the total surface area occupied by immunopositive cells to the total surface area of relevant cells. The achieved results are compared to the manual calculation of the Ki-67 index made by a domain expert. To increase results reliability, we trained several models in a 3-fold manner and compared the impact of different hyper-parameters. Our best-proposed method estimates PI with 0,026 mean absolute error, which gives a significant advantage over the current state-of-the-art solution.
Discovery of the Crystal Phase Transition on Lead-free Cesium Manganese Bromine Perovskite Nanocrystal by Solvent Concentration
Authors: Kang Tae Wook , Choi Eun Jin , Park Young Ji , Hwang Jonghee , Bae Byungseo , Kim Sun Woog
Published: August 2021

We have been demonstrated the crystal phase transition for lead-free cesium manganese bromine perovskite nanocrystal synthesized by the modified hot-injection method due to change the concentration of solvent (trioctylphosphine; TOP). The compositions to be synthesized were determined by the amount of TOP solvent, and the structure phase of nanocrystal was changed from hexagonal CsMnBr3 to tetragonal Cs3MnBr5 as the amount of TOP solvent increased. The emission peaks of CsMnBr3 and Cs3MnBr5 nanocrystals were observed at 650 nm (red) and 520 nm (green), respectively. After a durability test at 85 °C and 85% humidity for 24 h, the lead-free perovskite CsMnBr3 nanocrystal powder maintained its initial emission intensity, and the metal halide Cs3MnBr5 nanocrystal powder exhibited an increase in red emission due to the post-synthesis of CsMnBr3 nanocrystals.