bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Serum Molecular Biomarkers in Neuromyelitis Optical and Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Fu Cong-Cong , Gao Cong , Zhang Hui-Hua , Mao Ying-Qing , Lu Jing-Qiao , Petritis Brianne , Huang Andy S. , Yang Xin-Guang , Long Youming , Huang Ruo-Pan
Published: February 2021

ObjectiveThe aims of this study were to determine whether the expression levels of serological cytokines could distinguish 1) neuromyelitis optical spectrum disorders (NMOSD) from healthy controls (HCs); and 2) NMOSD patients with and without the aquaporin-4 (AQP-4) antibody biomarker from each other; and 3) NMOSD patients without antibody to AQP-4 from multiple sclerosis (MS). MethodsThe expression levels of 200 proteins in serum from 41 NMOSD (32 with antibodies to AQP-4, 9 without antibodies to AQP-4), 12 MS patients, and 34 HCs were measured using glass-based antibody arrays. In parallel, the correlation between protein expression in NMOSD/MS patients and clinical traits was analyzed with Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA).ResultsThirty-nine serological proteins were differentially expressed in NMOSD patients compared to HCs. 29 differentially-expression proteins (DEPs) were specific to NMOSD whereas 10 of these were observed in NMOSD and MS samples. In addition, there were 15 DEPs between AQP-4-IgG seronegative and AQP-4-IgG seropositive NMOSD patients, and 9 DEPs between NMOSD and MS patients who did not have AQP-4-IgG. ConclusionsOur findings highlight that serological Interleukin-17B (IL-17B) may be key biomarker of NMOSD and MS. While epidermal growth factor (EGF) may be correlated with the breakdown of the blood-brain barrier in NMOSD patients, granulocyte chemotactic protein-2 (GCP-2) and monocyte differentiation antigen CD14 (CD14) may play different roles in the pathogenesis of AQP-4-IgG seronegative and seropositive NMOSD and MS. Novel biomarkers identified in our study could potentially be used in the diagnosis and treatment of NMOSD.Trial registrationPublic title: Multi-Center Clinical Study of GFAP AstrocytopathyRegistration number: ChiCTR2000041291Date of registration: 2020-12-23 (Retrospective registration)URL of trail registry record: http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=65306
Method for Detection of Unsafe Actions in Power Field Based on Edge Computing Architecture
Authors: Yin Yanfang , Lin Jinjiao , Sun Nongliang , Zhu Qigang , Zhang Shuaishuai , Zhang Yanjie , Liu Ming
Published: February 2021

Due to the high risk factors in the electric power industry, the safety of power system can be improved by using the surveillance system to predict and warn the operators' nonstandard and unsafe actions by real time. In this paper, aiming at the real-time and accuracy requirements in video intelligent surveillance, a method based on edge computing architecture is proposed to judge unsafe actions of electric power operations in time. In this method, the service of unsafe actions judgment is deployed to the edge cloud, which improves the real-time performance. In order to identify the action being executing, the end-to-end action recognition model proposed in this paper uses the Temporal Convolutional Neural Network (TCN) to extract local temporal features and a Gate Recurrent Unit (GRU) layer to extract global temporal features, which increases the accuracy of action fragment recognition. The result of action recognition is combined with the result of equipment target recognition based on yolov3 model, and the classification rule is used to determine whether the current action is safe.Experiments show that the proposed method has better real-time performance,and the proposed action cgnition is verified on the MSRAction Dataset,which improves the recognition accuracy of action segments.At the same time,the judgment results of unsafe actions also prove the effectiveness of the proposed method.
The Growth of Plants and Indigenous Bacterial Community Were Significantly Affected by Cadmium Contamination in Soil-Plant System
Authors: Du Yunyan , Zhang Dawei , Zhou Dinggang , Liu Lili , Wu Jinfeng , Chen Hongsong , Jin Decai , Yan Mingli
Published: February 2021

Concentrations of heavy metals continue to increase in soil environments as a result of both anthropogenic activities and natural processes. Cadmium (Cd) is one of the most toxic heavy metals and poses health risks to both humans and the ecosystem. Herein, we explore the impacts of Cd on a soil-plant system composed of oilseed rape (Brassica napus and Brassica juncea) and bacteria. The two species of oilseed rape displayed a similar variation trend under Cd treatment. Cd accumulation within plant tissues enhanced with increasing concentrations of Cd in soils, and Cd treatment decreased chlorophyll content and suppressed plant growth. Meanwhile, Cd stress induced the changes of antioxidative enzymes activities including elevating SOD and POD activities and reducing CAT activity. The impact of Cd on the bacterial communities of soils was greater than bacterial communities of plants (phyllosphere and endophyte). The α-diversity of bacterial community in soils declined significantly under higher Cd concentration (30 mg/kg). In addition, soil bacterial communities composition and structure were altered in the presence of higher Cd concentration. Meanwhile, the bacterial community of bulk soil was significantly correlated with Cd, while the variation of rhizosphere soil bacterial community was markedly correlated with Cd and other environmental factors of both soils and plants. These results suggested that Cd could affect both the growth of plants and the indigenous bacterial community in soil-plant system, which might further change ecosystem functions in soils.
Au@Ag Core/Shell Nanoparticles Prepared by Laser-Assisted Method for Optical Limiting Applications
Authors: Mostafa Ayman , Awwad Nasser S.
Published: February 2021

Keeping in view the fascinating properties of noble materials in the nanoscale, we synthesized nanocomposite materials from metals of Au and Ag in the form of core/shell structure by a simple, eco-friendly, inexpensive, smart, and fast method. This method is pulsed laser ablation of Ag plate immersed in chloroauric acid solution using Nd:YAG solid state laser (1064nm, 7ns, 10Hz). The physicochemical investigations were presented by different techniques to investigate its structural characterization, morphological and optical characterization including linear and nonlinear properties. These techniques confirmed that produced sample has a crystalline structure from Au an Ag structure, and its morphology has a core/shell structure with Au in shell and Ag in core. The nonlinear optical characterization of the prepared sample was investigated by Z-scan technique using the second harmonic of the same laser source. The prepared sample of Au@Ag core/shell showed a tuning of nonlinearity characteristic property between that of the nanoparticles from Au or Ag. So, this material could be represented a recommended nonlinear material to be a promising candidate for optical limiting applications
Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Exosomal miR-106a Promotes Breast Cancer Invasion and Metastasis by Down -regulation of TCEAL7
Authors: Yan Ziqian , Sheng Zhimei , Zheng Yuanhang , Feng Ruijun , Shi Lihong , Li Hongli , Yin Chonggao , Xiao Qinpei , Luo Hao , zhang baogang
Published: February 2021

Studies have shown that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play an irreplaceable role in the occurrence and development of tumors. Therefore, exploring the action and mechanism of CAFs on tumor cells is particularly important for designing new and effective treatments and improving prognosis of tumors. For exosomes have been shown to play vital roles in intercellular communication, in this study, we compared the effects of CAFs-derived exosomes and NFs-derived exosomes on breast cancer cell proliferation, migration, and metastasis. The results showed that exosomes from both CAFs and NFs could enter into breast cancer cells and CAFs-derived exosomes had a more enhancing effect on breast cancer cell proliferation and invasion than NFs-derived exosomes. Furthermore, it was found that the expression levels of miR-106a in exosomes derived from CAFs were significantly up-regulated than that of NFs-derived exosomes and what’s more, in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that miR-106a can promote breast cancer cell proliferation, migration and metastasis by specifically binding to the 3'UTR of TCEAL7. It is inspiring to find that the miR-106a-TCEAL7 pathway promotes Snail nuclear ectopic activation by activating NF-κB, thereby inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition and promoting cell proliferation and metastasis. Moreover, a mouse xenograft model confirmed that CAFs-derived exosomes miR-106a could promote tumor metastasis. The above data shows that CAFs-derived exosomes miR-106a promote Snail nuclear ectopic by targeting TCEAL7 to activate the NF-κB pathway, thereby inducing EMT, invasion and metastasis of breast cancer. Targeting CAFs-derived exosome miR-106a may be a potential treatment option to overcome breast cancer progression.
RF Magnetron Sputtering Processed Transparent Conductive Aluminum Doped ZnO thin Films with Excellent Optical and Electrical Properties
Authors: Zhao Chunhu , Liu Junfeng , Guo Yixin , Pan Yanlin , Hu Xiaobo , Weng Guoen , Tao Jiahua , Jiang Jinchun , Chen Shaoqiang , Yang Pingxiong , Chu Junhao
Published: February 2021

Aluminum doped ZnO thin films (AZO), which simultaneously transmit light and conduct electrical current, are widely applied in photovoltaic devices. To achieve high performance AZO thin films, the effects of RF magnetron sputtering conditions on the optical and electrical properties of the films has been explored. The optimized AZO thin films exhibit strong (002) orientated growth with hexagonal wurtzite structure. The minimum resistivity of 0.9Í10-3 Ω·cm, the highest carrier concentration of 2.8Í1020 cm-3, the best Hall mobility of 22.8 cm2·(V·s)-1 and average transmittance above 85% can be achieved at the optimum deposition condition of 0.2 Pa, 120 W and 200 °C. Considering the single parabolic band model, the bandgap shift by carrier concentration of the films can be attributed to the Burstein-Moss effect. The results indicate that RF magnetron sputtered AZO thin films are promising for solar cell applications relying on front contact layers.
Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) Downlink Simulation with Varying PPM Order
Authors: Aboagye Emmanuel Domfeh , Chen Shun-Ping
Published: February 2021

During the course of a typical deep space mission like Mars Earth mission, there exist a wide range of operating points due to the different changes in geometry that consequently cause different Link Budgets in terms of received signal and noise power. These changes include: Distance Range, Sun-Earth-Planet Angle, Zenith Angle and Atmospheric conditions. The different operating points with different losses (background noise, pointing losses and atmospheric losses) lead to different capacities and data rates over the course of a typical Deep Space mission. Consequently, different engineering parameters are adjusted and optimized to combat some of these varying losses in order to get an acceptable data rate and bit error probabilities. This provides a good basis to undertake analysis and simulations of the various operating conditions that occur with the varying spatial orbital time periods on the resulting received signal power level, noise power level, capacity, data rates and bit error probabilities. This paper details results of simulations done in a typical Deep Space Optical Communication link operation.
Effect of Water Exchange Rate on Interspecies Competition Between Submerged Macrophytes: Functional Trait Hierarchy Drives Competition
Authors: Pan Ying , Yuan Duanyang , Wu Qihang , Jin Lin , Xie Mingli , Gu Yang , Duan Changqun
Published: February 2021

Aims: Although the relative contributions of the “competition-trait similarity” and “competition-trait hierarchy” hypotheses in predicting competitive outcomes in response to environmental variation has recently been investigated in terrestrial plants, their validity in aquatic plants remain poorly understood, particularly in terms of variation in the water exchange rate (WER). Methods: To this end, this study investigated the influence of WER variation on interspecies competition and functional traits in two pairs of submerged macrophytes (Vallisneria natans vs. Myriophyllum aquaticum and V. natans vs. Myriophyllum spicatum) under three levels of WER using the replacement series experiment. Results: Results showed that V. natans was a stronger competitor than either Myriophyllum species in static waterbodies. However, the relative competitive ability of V. natans consistently decreased with increasing WER and decreasing its planting proportion, which would eventually change it from a stronger to weaker competitor. Between species pairs, most functional traits showed competently opposite patterns to increasing WER and decreasing the planting proportion of V. natans. Conclusions: Our results indicate that WER affected the outcome of interspecies competition between submerged macrophyte species, and moreover, the relative competition ability of each species within a pair was linked strongly to species’ competition-trait hierarchy than to competition-trait similarity.
Theoretical and Experimental Parameters of the Structure and Crystallization Kinetics of Melt-Quenched As30Te64Ga6 Glassy Alloy
Authors: Mebed Abdelazim M. , Alzaid Meshal , Hassan R.M. , Abd-Elnaiem Alaa
Published: February 2021

The present framework reports the structural, fundamental parameters, and crystallization kinetics of the melt-quenched As30Te64Ga6 chalcogenide glass. The energy dispersive X-ray analysis of the As30Te64Ga6 glassy system reveals that the constituent element ratio of the investigated bulk sample agrees with the nominal composition. Also, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) were used to characterize crystallization kinetics, and structural properties; respectively. Four characteristic temperatures related to various phenomena are observed in the investigated DSC traces. The first one is Tg that corresponds to the glass transition temperature. The second one is TC1, and TC2 that corresponds to the onset of the double crystallization temperatures. The third one TP1, and TP2 identifies the double peak crystallization temperatures. The last characteristic temperature Tm is the melting point. The XRD analysis indicates the amorphous structure of the as-prepared glassy alloy, while the annealed samples are polycrystalline. The crystallization kinetics of the As30Te64Ga6 bulk are studied under non-isothermal conditions. In addition, the values of various kinetic parameters such as the glass transition activation energy, weight stability standard, and Avrami support were determined. The activation energy of the crystallization process for As30Te64Ga6 glass alloy was calculated using classical methods. The results indicated that the rate of crystallization is related to thermal stability and the ability to form glass. Kinetic parameters have been estimated with some conventional methods and found to be dependent on heating rates (β).
A Paraquat-Inducible Protein B-like (pqiB) Gene From Chromobacterium Violaceum Confers Tolerance to Paraquat in Transgenic Tobacco
Authors: Freire Lais Santos , Sena Jamilly Azevedo Leal , Costa Marcio Gilberto , Alvim Fatima
Published: February 2021

Paraquat (1,1'-dimethyl-4,4'-bipyridinium dichloride) is a contact non-selective herbicide, widely used in agriculture in several countries. Proteins induced by paraquat have been the subject of great interest because of the possibility of conferring herbicide resistance when introduced into crops. In this work, we analyzed a paraquat-inducible protein B-like ( cvpqiB ) gene, isolated from Chromobacterium violaceum, in conferring tolerance to paraquat in transgenic tobacco. A DNA fragment containing the pqiB coding sequence was isolated from the C. violaceum ATCC12472 genome, inserted into the pCAMBIA1390 vector, under the control of the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter, and used in Agrobacterium -mediated transformation of Nicotiana tabacum cv. Havana. Analysis of the regenerants revealed the incorporation of cvpqiB into the tobacco genome and its transmission in a Mendelian fashion to the progeny of transgenic plants. Sensitivity assays using tobacco leaves demonstrated that the transgenic plants were tolerant to concentrations up to 50 µM paraquat, whereas the wild-type (WT) plants exhibited intolerance to concentrations higher than 1 μM of the herbicide. Paraquat-treated leaves of the transgenic plants also exhibited significantly reduced electrolyte leakage and their chlorophyll content was not impacted as observed in the WT plants. Besides, in contrast to the WT, negligible amounts of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) were detected in paraquat-treated seedlings of the transgenic plants, as revealed by 3,3’-diaminobenzidine (DAB) staining. Collectively, these results indicate that the cvpqiB gene is functional in plants and may be further used in the genetic engineering of crop plants aiming paraquat tolerance.
Synergistic approach of high-performance N-NiCo/PC environment benign electrode material for energy storage device
Authors: Irfan Muhammad , Liu Xianhua , Mushtaq Suraya , Cabrera Jonnathan , Zhang Pingping
Published: February 2021

Development of sustainable electrochemical energy storage devices faces great challenge in exploring highly efficient and low cost electrode materials. Biomass waste derived carbonaceous materials can be used as an alternative to expensive metals in supercapacitor. However, their application limited by low performance. In this study, the combination use of persimmon waste derived carbon and transition metal nitride demonstrated strong potential for supercapacitor application. Persimmon based carbonaceous gel decorated with bimetallic-nitride (N-NiCo/PC) was firstly synthesized through a green hydrothermal method. Electrochemical properties of N-NiCo/PC as electrode in 6 M KOH electrolyte solution were evaluated by using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and charge-discharge measurements. The N-NiCo/PC exhibited 895.5 F/g specific capacitance at 1 A/g current density and maintained 91.5% capacitance retention after 900 cycles. Hence, the bimetallic nitride-based-composite catalyst is a potentially suitable material for high-performance energy storage devices. In addition, this work demonstrated a promising pathway for transforming environmental waste into sustainable energy conversion materials.
In vivo observation of lidocaine-encapsulated Polymyxin/glycol nanoparticles wound dressing for the treatment and care of abdominal pain incision in intensive care unit
Authors: Pan Zhenfei , Zhu Jinqiang , Mao Yi , Jiang Zhenzhen , Wu Wei , Shao Yamei , Chen Lili
Published: February 2021

The developments of lidocaine chloride loaded nanoparticles are encouraging biomaterials, which could be used for wound healing applications for abdominal pain management. The current work presents the composition of wound dressings based on lidocaine chloride (LCH) (anesthetic drug)-loaded Polymyxin (PMN)/Glycol (GLY). The LCH nanocomposite (LCH@PMN/GLY) were fabricated by the LCH oxide solutions within the PMN/GLY matrix. The influences of different experimental limitations on PMN/GLY nanoparticles formations were examined. The PMN/GLY and LCH@PMN/GLY nanoparticle sizes were evaluated by high resolution-scanning electron microscopy (HR-SEM). Additionally, the antibacterial efficacy of PMN/GLY and LCH@PMN/GLY was developed for gram-positive and negative microorganisms. Moreover, we examined in vivo healing of skin wounds formed in mouse models over 20 days. In contrast to the untreated wounds, rapid healing was perceived in the LCH@PMN/GLY-treated wound with less damage. These findings indicate that LCH@PMN/GLY-based bandaging materials could be a potential innovative biomaterial for tissue repair and implantation and nursing care for wound healing applications for abdominal pain incision in intensive care unit (ICU) management in an animal model.
The Impact of Emergency Surgery versus Self-expanding Metallic Stents on Anal Function and Quality of Life in Patients with Complete Obstructing Left-sided Colon Cancer
Authors: Li GanBin , Yu Tao , Zhang Hao-Yu , Wang Zhen-Jun , Wei Guang-Hui , Qu Hao , Zhai Zhai-Wei , Han Jia Gang
Published: February 2021

Background: Emergence surgery (ES) and self-expanding metallic stents (SEMS) are traditional approaches for complete obstructing left-sided colon cancer. A strategy of “stents-chemotherapy-surgery” was applied in our center recently. Studies assessing the anal function and quality of life of patients with complete obstructing left-sided colon cancer are still lacking.Methods: Patients with complete obstructing left-sided colon cancer were included, and three treatment strategies were used, including ES, SEMS, and SEMS followed by neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for patients with complete obstructing left-sided colon cancer. The Wexner, Vaizey, and low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) scores were used to assess anal function and the EORTC QLQ C30 score was used to assess quality of life. Logistic regression analysis was used to detect risk factors affecting short-term anal function of patients.RESULTS: The Wexner scores were similar among the groups during the follow-up period. The Vaizey (H=18.415, P=0.001) and LARS scores (H=3.660, P=0.04) both revealed that anal function among patients receiving SEMS and NACwas significantly better than patients who underwent ES at the 1-month post-operative follow-up evaluation; no significant difference existed at the 6- and 12-month follow-up evaluations. The EORTC QLQ C30 score revealed that social function of patients receiving SEMS and NAC was also significantly better than patients undergoing ES (H=7.035, P=0.03). Logistic regression analysis suggested that a one-stage stoma in an emergent setting is an independent risk factor for short-term reduction of anal function among patients with complete obstructing left-sided colon cancer (OR=5.238, 95% CI: 1.569~17.484, P=0.007).Conclusion: Compared to ES, SEMS might be able to improve the quality of life and short-term anal function in patients with complete obstructing left-sided colon cancer.
Neoadjuvant on the gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Chen Hongyang , Zhu Chunxian , He XingKang , Dong Wenjie , Sun Leimin
Published: February 2021

Background
Clinical value of neoadjuvant therapy has been proven in many malignancies. With a low prevalence of neuroendocrine tumors, the survival benefits of neoadjuvant therapy in gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NET) are still unclear based on the up-to-date literature.
Aim
To assess the effectiveness of neoadjuvant therapy on GEP-NET.
Methods
Articles were searched electrically on PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov and China National Knowledge from inception to 30th June 2020. The survival benefit was assessed by Hard ratio (HR) for overall survival (OS). Median OS, progression-free survival (PFS) and complications were also compared.
Results
This meta-analysis eventually included eight studies with a total of 457 patients. The overall survival of GEP-NET patients in the neoadjuvant therapy group was improved significantly (HR = 0.52; 95% confidence interval, 0.41–0.66; P = 0.008). There was a dramatic improvement in OS (5-year OS 65.25% vs. 46.79% P < 0.001) and PFS (5-year PFS 30.64% VS 14.46%, P = 0.04) in the neoadjuvant therapy group. There was no difference in the postoperative complications among the two groups (P = 0.52).
Conclusions
Patients with operable GEP-NETs can achieve a significant improvement in overall survival with neoadjuvant therapy. Further large randomized clinical trials are expected to confirm the results.
A General Theoretical Framework to Design Base Editors with Reduced Bystander Effects
Authors: Wang Qian , Yang Jie , Zhong Zhicheng , Gao Xue , Kolomeisky Anatoly
Published: February 2021

Base editors (BEs) hold great potential for gene therapy. However, high precision base editing requires BEs that can discriminate between the target base and multiple bystander bases within a narrow active window (4 - 10 nucleotides). To assist in the design of these optimized editors, we propose a discrete-state stochastic approach to build an analytical model that describes the probabilities of editing the target base and bystanders. Combined with all-atom molecular dynamic simulations, our model well reproduces the experimental data of A3A-BE3 and its variants for target and bystander editing. Building upon this model, we propose several general principles that can guide the design of BEs with a reduced bystander effect. We used these principles to improve the A3G-BEs with high precision and verified their base-editing activities experimentally. In summary, our study provides a computational-aided platform to assist in designing BEs with reduced bystander effects.
The predictive value of baseline volumetric PET/CT parameters on treatment response and prognosis in locally-advanced rectal cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy
Authors: SAKİN Abdullah , Sahin Suleyman , Karyagar Sevda Saglampınar , Karyagar Savas , atci Muhammed Mustafa , Akboru Mustafa Halil , Cihan Sener
Published: February 2021

Purpose:To investigate the prognostic effects of baseline volumetric PET/CT parameters including the maximum standard uptake value(SUVmax), metabolic tumor volume(MTV), and tumor lesion glycolysis(TLG) on treatment response and prognosis in locally-advanced rectal cancer(LARC) treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy(NACRT).Methods:Between 2015 and 2018, 51 patients with LARC treated with NACRT followed by surgery were included in this retrospective study. Patients were divided into 2 groups by tumor regression grade(TRG) as follows;Group I=TRG 1(No detectable cancer cells)+TRG 2(single cells and/or small groups of cancer cells) and Group II=TRG3(residual tumor outgrown by fibrosis)+TRG 4(remarkable fibrosis outgrown by tumor cells)+TRG 5(No fibrosis with extensive residual cancer).Results:Of the 51 patients, 34(66.7%) were male. The median age was 55(range,37-78) years. According to TRG status, 14(27.4%) patients were in group I and 37(72.6%) patients were in group II. The area under the curve(95% CI) was 0.749(0.593-0.905) in the ROC curve plotted for MTV. The cut of value for MTV was 12, with 70% sensitivity and 65% specificity. MTV was≥12 in 32(62.8%) patients. MTV and TLG values were significantly different between Group I and II, whereas there was no significant difference between the groups in terms of SUVmax values (p=0.006, p=0.033, and p=0.673, respectively). The disease-free survival was not reached in patients with MTV<12 vs. 20 months in those with MTV≥12 (p=0.323). In multivariate analysis, MTV(OR, 95% Cl, 5.00[1.17-21.383]) was found to be the factor that affected pathological complete response.Conclusion:In LARC treated with NACRT, MTV prior to treatment can help predict the response to treatment.
Influence of Variations in Wastewater on Simultaneous Nutrient Removal in a Pre-anoxic Selector Attached Full-scale Sewage Treating SBR
Authors: Srivast Ghazal , Rajpal Ankur , Khursheed Anwar , Nadda Ashok Kumar , Tyagi Vinay Kumar , Kazmi Absar Ahmad
Published: February 2021

In addition to many other well-documented factors, local conditions are rudimentary conditions of sharp change observed in wastewater characteristics from place to place. An optimized and flexible treatment strategy is required to handle these fluctuations and variations in quality. Pre-anoxic selector-equipped sequencing batch reactors (SBR) perform efficiently in removing COD, BOD5, TSS, NH4+-N, TN, and Fecal Coliforms. The monitoring of 3-MLD Full-scale SBR installed at IIT, Roorkee, drew attention to the processes involving simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND) and biological phosphorous removal (BPR) undergoing with the variations in influent wastewater, particularly the readily biodegradable COD (rbCOD), and their effects on micro-biota. Regular monitoring of all the units for a period of six months revealed that the overall average treatment/ removal efficiencies were >94% COD (17.9±7.7 mg/L in effluent), >95% BOD5 (5.9±2.2 mg/L in effluent), >95% TSS (9.3±2.1 mg/L in effluent), >96% NH4-N (0.7±0.5 mg/L in effluent), >86% TKN (4.2±2.9 mg/L in effluent), >69% TN (9.7±3.0 mg/L in effluent), >31% Ortho-PO4-P (1.8±0.7 mg/L in effluent) and >42% TP (3.6±1.8 mg/L in effluent) and achieved <50 MPN/ 100 mL fecal coliform in the final effluent after disinfection. Anoxic tri-sectional selector and an aeration tank constituted one SBR followed by the other availed 76± 9% SND at rbCOD/TCOD of 0.12±0.04, rbCOD/sCOD of 0.33±0.10, sCOD/TCOD of 0.35±0.06, and COD/TN of ~13. The study clarifies the degree of variations in key factors included in design guidelines for laying out an optimized treatment system for COD, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus removal in the Indian scenario.
Novel Tocopherol Succinate-Polyoxomolybdate Bioconjugate as Potential Anti-Cancer Agent
Authors: Hosseini Mahnaz Sadat , Javanmard Shaghayegh Haghjooy , Dana nasim , Rafiei Laleh , Rostami Mahboubeh
Published: February 2021

Up to now, polyoxometalates (POMs) have shown encouraging anti-tumor activities. Unfortunately, the general toxicity with a fateful characteristic has prevented their further clinical application as inorganic drugs. In this study, we synthesized tocopherol succinate-polyoxomolybdate conjugate (T2POMo) as a new organic-inorganic hybrid and evaluated its characteristic in-vitro to introduce a safer and more potent POM derivative in the scope of cancer treatment. We synthesized the hybrid via a simple amidation reaction between POMo and tocopherol succinate (TS) using the carbodiimide strategy. The structure was approved by FTIR and HNMR spectroscopy besides the other techniques. The anti-cancer activity was studied on breast cancer cell (MCF-7) and prostate cancer cell (LNCAP) using MTT method and normal cell non-toxicity was checked on Human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) using the same protocol, and the flow cytometry technique was used to investigate the apoptosis. The cytotoxicity studies on the breast cancer cell line (MCF-7), prostate cancer cell line (LNCAP) and human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) showed that the presence of tocopherol succinate could change and modulate the potency of the final hybrid (IC50 of 167.3 mg/mL on MCF-7 & 234.1 mg/mL on LNCap respectivley). The results showed more cytotoxicity compared to the parent POMo for T2POMo conjugation on cancerous cells besides no significant cytotoxicity on normal cells. The flow cytometry results showed that the hybrid conjugation could result in a significant increase in apoptosis (60.88%). So tocopherol succinate bioconjugate of POMo as a novel and potent bioactive POMo could be a promising candidate for further pre-clinical assessments.
Comprehensive genomic survey, structural classification and expression analysis of C2H2-type zinc finger factor in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
Authors: Li Yongliang , Sun Aolong , Wu Qun , Zou Xiaoxiao , Chen Fenglin , Cai Ruqiong , Xie Hai , Zhang Meng , Guo Xinhong
Published: February 2021

Background: The C2H2-type zinc finger proteins (C2H2-ZFPs) are one of major classes of transcription factors that play important roles during plant growth, development and stress responses. Limit information about the C2H2-ZF genes hinders the molecular breeding in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum). Results: In this study, 457 C2H2-ZFP proteins (including 253 splice variants), which contain four types of conserved domain (named Q, M, Z, and D), could be further classified into ten subsets. They were identified to be distributed on 21 chromosomes in T. aestivum. Subset-specific motifs, like NPL-, SFP1-, DL- (EAR-like-motif), R-, PL-, L- and EK-, might make C2H2-ZFP diverse multifunction. Interestingly, NPL- and SFP1-box were firstly found to be located in C2H2-ZFP proteins. Synteny analyses showed that only 4 pairs of C2H2 family genes in T. aestivum, 65 genes in B. distachyon, 66 genes in A. tauschii, 68 genes in rice, 9 genes in A. thaliana, were syntenic relationships respectively. It indicated that TaZFPs were closely related to genes in Poaceae. From the published transcriptome data, totally 198 of 204 TaC2H2-ZF genes have expression data. Among them, 25 TaC2H2-ZF genes were certificated to be significantly differentially expressed in 5 different organs and 15 different development stages by quantitative RT-PCR. The 18 TaC2H2-ZF genes were verified in response to heat, drought, and heat & drought stresses. According to expression pattern analysis, several TaZFPs, like Traes_5BL_D53A846BE.1, were not only highly expressed in L2DAAs, RTLS, RMS, but also endowed tolerance to drought and heat stresses, making them good candidates for molecular breeding. Conclusions: This study systematically characterized the TaC2H2-ZFPs and their potential roles in T. aestivum. Our findings provide new insights into the C2H2-ZF genes in T. aestivum as well as a foundation for further studies on the roles of TaC2H2-ZF genes in T. aestivum molecular breeding.
Aestuariimicrobium ganziense sp. nov., a new Gram-positive bacterium isolated from soil in the Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, China
Authors: Geng Yu , Zhao Jiang-Yuan , Yuan Hui-Ren , Li Le-Le , Wen Meng-Liang , Li Ming-Gang , Tang Shu-Kun
Published: February 2021

A novel Gram-stain positive, oval shaped and non-flagellated bacterium, designated YIM S02566T, was isolated from alpine soil in Shadui Towns, Ganzi County, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, PR China. Growth occurred at 23–35°C (optimum, 30°C) in the presence of 0.5-4 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 1%) and at pH 7.0–8.0 (optimum, pH 7.0). The phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain YIM S02566T was most closely related to the genus Aestuariimicrobium, with Aestuariimicrobium kwangyangense R27T and Aestuariimicrobium soli D6T as its closest relative (sequence similarities were 96.3% and 95.4%, respectively). YIM S02566T contained LL-diaminopimelic acid in the cell wall. MK-9(H4) was the predominant menaquinone. The major fatty acid patterns were anteiso-C15:0 (60.0%). The major polar lipid was DPG. The genome size of strain YIM S02566T was 3.1 Mb, comprising 3078 predicted genes with a DNA G + C content of 69.0 mol%. Based on these genotypic, chemotaxonomic and phenotypic evidences, strain YIM S02566T was identified as a novel species in the genus Aestuariimicrobium, for which the name Aestuariimicrobium ganziense sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIM S02566T (= CGMCC 1.18751 T =KCTC 49477 T).
Plasticity of Pine Tree Roots to Podzolization of Boreal Sandy Soils
Authors: Fujii Kazumichi , Makita Naoki , Küttim Martin , Mouctar Kamara , Shinya Sugita
Published: February 2021

Aims The morphological traits of fine roots change with forest succession and soil weathering. However, low tree species diversity in boreal forests may limit plastic responses of the roots to soil nutrient loss. We tested whether pine trees (Pinus sylvestris L.) have root plasticity to change fine root allocation to deeper soil horizons in response to varying degree of podzolization. Methods We compared root biomass in two sand dune chronosequences (aluminium (Al)/iron (Fe) oxide-poor coarse-textured sand vs. oxide-rich fine-textured sand) in Estonia. Results We found that faster podzolization in coarse-textured soil promotes migration of Al/Fe oxides and phosphorus (P) into deeper horizons and reshapes the depth distribution of fine root biomass. A decrease in P availability in the coarse-textured soil profile increases fine root biomass and length in both the organic and mineral horizons. In the fine-textured old soil, fine root distribution increases in the mineral soil (especially, spodic horizon) rich in oxide-bonded P.Conclusion Pine roots have two plasticities in low-diversity boreal forests – changing root morphological traits and changing depth distribution of root biomass, depending on the abundance of Al and Fe oxides and the depth distribution and dominant form of P.
Warm-white luminescence of Dy3+ and Sm3+ co-doped NaSrPO4 phosphors through energy transfer between Dy3+ and Sm3+ ions
Authors: Yan Wen , Li Junhan , Zhang Wentao , Gao Xi , Zhang Peicong
Published: February 2021

Series of white-light-emitting NaSrPO4:Dy3+ phosphors were synthesized via a sol-gel method. Small amounts of Sm3+ ions were co-doped into the phosphors to enhance their luminescence. The effects of Dy3+/Sm3+ co-doping concentrations and synthesis temperature on the phosphors’ structures and luminescence properties were investigated. The results of X-ray diffraction confirmed that the characteristic diffraction peaks of the phosphors were in accord with those of the standard NaSrPO4 structure. Energy dispersive spectroscopy indicated that the NaSrPO4:Dy3+ samples were prepared with stoichiometric ratios of elements. Under ultraviolet light excitation of 348 nm, the NaSrPO4:Dy3+ phosphors emitted a white light which was composed of two emission peaks at 484 nm (blue) and 577 nm (yellow) corresponding to the magnetic dipole transition 4F9/2 → 6H15/2 and electronic dipole transition 4F9/2 → 6H13/2 of Dy3+ ions, respectively. Based on Sm3+ co-doping, a characteristic red emission at 602 nm arose and a warm-white light containing a lower CCT value was obtained. Besides, the luminescence lifetime of Dy3+ decreased while that of Sm3+ increased as dosages of Sm3+ were added, indicating efficient energy transfer from Dy3+ to Sm3+ happened. Therefore, NaSrPO4:Dy3+, Sm3+ phosphors are promising candidates for application in warm-white light-emitting diodes.
Physical and Chemical Aspects of the interaction of Chitosan and Cellulose acetate with ions Ca2+ and K+ using DFT methods
Authors: Atmani Hajar , Aboulouard Abdelkhalk , Bakkardouch Fatima Ezzahra , Laallam Latifa , Jouaiti Ahmed , Idrissi Mohammed El
Published: February 2021

Motivated by the use of chitosan (Ch), and cellulose acetate (AC) as organic matrices in several therapeutic drugs, a theoretical study has been elaborated through the density functional theory method (DFT) to investigate the interaction mechanism between two essential ions for the human body Ca2+, K+ and two organic matrices chitosan (Ch), and cellulose acetate (AC). Many physical and chemical aspects have been carried out after the achievement of structural optimization. This involves structural parameters, molecular electrostatic potential (MEPs), interaction energy, reactivity indexes, frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs), quantum theory atoms in molecules (QTAIM) analysis and non-covalent interaction (NCI) analysis. The results of FMOs, MEPs and reactivity index studies have revealed that the site of interaction can be predicted. The calculation of electron interaction energies shows that those ions interact with the matrix of AC and Ch. Concretely, the Ca2+ ion interacted efficiently with the AC matrix. The structural analysis results show that the interaction of Ch and ions appear spontaneously (ΔG < 0) while the interaction of AC and ions (ΔG > 0), requires more energy to occur. Finally, the QTAIM analysis data indicates that the interactions of AC -ions and Ch-ions are non-covalent presenting an electrostatic character.
Analysis of the Economic Burden of Noncommunicable Diseases in Dalian City of China, Based on the “System of Health Accounts 2011”
Authors: Fang Quan , Zhang Shunli , Zang Shuang , Zhan Huan , Liu Boxi , Wang Xin
Published: February 2021

Objectives: Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Understanding the distribution of diseases can provide a basis for policy formulation and intervention. This study analyses the status of the NCDs spending based on “System of Health Accounts 2011” (SHA 2011), to provide health policy advice to China, and give guidance for other areas in the world.Methods: Data were collected by multi-stage stratified random sampling in 2018. The medical expenses of patients with NCDs were calculated based on SHA 2011, Analyze from funding sources, dimensions of institutional flow, and financing scheme. The factors influencing the cost of hospitalization were analyzed by linear regression. All analyses were conducted by software SPSS 25.0 and STATA 15.0.Results: A total of 392 institutions and 2,478,359 valid items were included for study. The current curative expenditure (CCE) of NCDs was 15.914 billion CNY. 61.78% of NCDs financing came from public financing scheme. The proportion of family health financing (32.56%) was higher. The expenditures were mainly in general hospitals (74.95%). Elderly patients account for the majority (76.35%). Drug expenses, length of stay, and institution level were the major factors affecting hospitalization expenses.Conclusions: NCDs are the main economic burden of diseases in Dalian, and its resources are not allocated reasonably. To reduce the economic burden of NCDs, the government needs to optimize resource allocation, and rationalize institutional flows and functions.
Factors Influencing Early Antiretroviral Therapy Initiation Amongst HIV Infected Prisoners: A Qualitative Exploration in South Ethiopia
Authors: Fuge Terefe Gone , Tsourtos George , Miller Emma R
Published: February 2021

Background: Early initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) reduces the development of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), non-AIDS related comorbidities and mortality, and prevents transmission. However, the prevalence of delayed ART initiation amongst prisoners in low-and middle-income countries is high and the contributing factors to this are relatively unknown.Methods: Qualitative interviewing was employed to understand the prisoners’ lived world with regard to ART initiation and associated barriers and facilitators in the South Ethiopian prison system. We interviewed eight inmates living with HIV and AIDS (ILWHA) and eleven stakeholders who had a role in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care provision for incarcerated people. A phenomenological approach was used to analyse the interview data in which meaning attributed to the lived experiences of the participants was abstracted.Findings: In this study, participants discussed both barriers to, and facilitators of, early ART initiation during incarceration. The barriers included a lack of access to voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) services, poor linkage to care due to insufficient health staff training, uncooperative prison security systems and loss of privacy regarding disclosure of HIV status. Insufficient health staff training and uncooperative prison security systems both contributed to a loss of patient privacy, ultimately resulting in treatment refusal. Although most participants described the importance of peer education and support for enhancing HIV testing and treatment programs amongst prisoners, there had been a decline in such interventions in the correctional facilities. Service providers suggested opportunities that a prison environment offers for identification and treatment of HIV infected individuals and implementation of peer education programs.Conclusions: Our study identified crucial barriers to and facilitators of early ART initiation amongst prisoners, a key HIV priority population group. Interventions that address the barriers while strengthening the facilitators may enhance a greater utilisation of ART.
Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown on the mental and physical health of adults with Prader-Willi Syndrome
Authors: Mosbah Helena , Coupaye Muriel , Jacques Flavien , Tauber Maithé , Clément Karine , Oppert Jean-Michel , Poitou Christine
Published: February 2021

Background
Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with hypothalamic dysfunction leading to obesity and behavioral disabilities, including eating disorders (EDs). We evaluated the effects of the COVID-19 infection and lockdown on mental and physical health in PWS. At the end of April, 85 adults with PWS completed a self-administered questionnaire, including lockdown conditions, physical activity (PA), ED, and medical and behavioral outcomes. Body weight was measured at home and self-reported.
Results
Patients (53% women, 45% disomic) were assessed, with a mean age of 28.1±8.7 years and body mass index (BMI) of 37±11 kg/m². Seventy percent lived in the Paris region (France) and were confined with their parents. The mean weight change was 1.0±3.3 kg. We compared patients showing weight loss (n=39, -3.3±2.9 kg) to patients showing weight gain (n=22, +2.3±1.5 kg): the BMI was lower (34.6±9.2 versus 40.4±9.5 kg/m², p=0.02), PA increased (26% versus 5%, p=0.04), and EDs improved (51% versus 14%, p=0.005). Behavioral disorders increased for 13% of the cohort. Three individuals (3.5%) were diagnosed with non-severe COVID-19.
Conclusion
Lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with positive effects for most French adults with PWS, with weight loss probably associated with a more favourable environment during this period. We observed no severe forms of COVID-19.
ASSESSING STUDENT NURSES KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY NURSING
Authors:   Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Health, Social Care and Medicine, Edge Hill University, Ormskirk, Lancashire, UK., Elizabeth Okeya Olutoyin
Published: February 2021

Britains rapid increasing diverse population and culturally sensitive care is becoming an important part of nursing and midwifery care, hence the need to explore the level of student nurses skills of cultural diversity nursing. In order to provide the patients with adequate and appropriate holistic care, the nurse must recognise differences in how diverse ethnic groups and cultures view health and sickness. Qualitative descriptive research method was used to assess the knowledge of third-year student nurses and midwives in a North West of England University. The study was conducted using a descriptive survey from a questionnaire that consists of open and closed-ended questions developed by the researcher. Investigations reveal a lack of knowledge and confidence in caring for the cultural needs of the participants patients. It was discovered that participants knowledge and skills of cultural diversity nursing was not enhanced to promote cultural diversity nursing care. The participants identified a lack of opportunities to work with multi-agencies that provide care to culturally diverse patients. These same participants report relatively high awareness of patients culture as a determining factor in achieving efficient and effective treatment regime. It is recommended that nurse educators find creative educational methods to ensure that students have sufficient clinical experience to support students to meet the patients cultural needs and promote high standard of care.