bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Decoupling of temperature and pH gradients along the equatorial Pacific during the Pliocene
Authors: Hull Pincelli , Shankle Madison , Burls Natalie , Fedorov Alexey , Thomas Matthew , Penman Donald , Ford Heather , Jacobs Peter , Planavsky Noah
Published: December 2020

Equatorial Pacific dynamics drive tropical climate patterns such as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation and provide nutrients for one of the world’s most productive marine ecosystems. How this region will respond to global warming remains an important area of study with profound implications for both human wellbeing and economic and ecosystem stability. In light of this, numerous studies have investigated equatorial Pacific dynamics during the Pliocene epoch (5.3-2.6 million years ago) as an analogue for future behavior of the region under global warming (1–12). Current paleoceanographic records from the Pliocene tropical Pacific present an apparent paradox, with proxy evidence of a reduced east-west sea surface temperature gradient along the equator(1,5,6,11)– indicative of reduced wind-driven upwelling – conflicting with evidence of enhanced biological productivity in the region (13–15) which is typically driven by upwelling. Here we reconcile these observations by providing new evidence for older, more acidic, and nutrient-rich water reaching the equatorial Pacific by way of a Pacific meridional overturning cell during the Pliocene (16). This provides a mechanism by which enhanced productivity could have existed alongside a reduced east-west sea surface temperature gradient in the Pliocene equatorial Pacific. Furthermore, these results challenge the current paradigm of a decline in biological productivity in warmer worlds due to enhanced thermal stratification (17). Our findings shed a new light on equatorial Pacific dynamics and help constrain potential changes to them in the near-future, given that the Earth is expected to reach Pliocene-like temperatures by the end of the century. The equatorial Pacific is a region of great significance as it hosts one of the most important climate phenomena on the planet, the El Niño Southern Oscillation (18), and supports massively productive fisheries that provide key ecosystem services to numerous communities (19,20), and our results provide novel insight on how it might change as the oceans adjust to a warming world.
A Hybrid Design Technique to Improve the Structure and Performance of Microstrip Components
Authors: Jamshidi Mohammad (Behdad) , Roshani Saeed , Talla Jakub , Roshani Sobhan , Peroutka Zdenek
Published: December 2020

A hybrid approach to improving the structures of microstrip devices is presented in this study. The proposed technique includes a combination of simple series inductor (L) and capacitor (C) circuits with microstrip-based structures and transmission lines. In this method, the LC circuits are replaced with those parts of the microstrip components that need to act like a bandpass filter. Not only does this simple modification lead to a 100% size reduction, an infinite number of harmonics suppression and high frequency selectivity theoretically, but it will also result in a noticeable performance practically compared to the conventional arrangements of microstrip lines. To show the capability of the proposed method, two quarter-wavelength branches of a Wilkinson Power Divider (WPD) have been rectified and implemented using the LC circuit, which is called LC branches in this paper. Extreme size reduction and harmonic suppression in this implementation of the Filtering Power Divider (FPD) can be considered two important outcomes of this design technique. Furthermore, by tuning the LC circuit, the arbitrary numbers of unwanted harmonics can be blocked, and the operating frequency, the stopband bandwidth and the operating bandwidth could be opted optionally. The experimental result has verified the theoretical and simulated results of the proposed technique. The results clearly demonstrate the considerable potential of this technique to improve the design process of the microstrip devices with desirable specifications.
Homopeptide and Homocodon Levels are Coupled to GC/AT Bias Levels, Intrinsic Disorder Propensity and other Factors Across Diverse Fungi
Authors: Wang Yue , Harrison Paul
Published: December 2020

Homopeptides (consecutive runs of one amino-acid type) are suggested to play important roles in proteome evolution, since they are prone to expand/contract during DNA replication, recombination and repair. It is currently not clear how homopeptide frequencies vary as organisms evolve, and which genomic/proteomic traits drive variation. Thus, to gain insight, we analyzed how homopeptides and homocodons (which are pure codon repeats) vary across 405 Dikarya, and probed how this variation is linked to GC/AT bias amongst other factors. We observe that amino-acid homopeptide frequencies vary diversely between clades (even close relatives), with the AT-rich Saccharomycotina trending distinctly. As organisms evolve, homocodon and homopeptide numbers are majorly coupled to GC/AT-bias, with medium GC/AT genomes having markedly fewer. Despite this, homopeptides tend to be more GC-rich than other proteome areas, even in AT-rich organisms, indicating they absorb AT bias less or are inherently more GC-rich. Furthermore, the purity of homopeptides (i.e., the degree one codon type predominates in them) varies least for amino acids with GC/AT-balanced codon repertoires, with most variation for arginine since it has only one AT-rich codon (out of six). The most frequent and most variable homopeptide amino acids have greater intrinsic disorder propensity, and annotated intrinsic disorder fractions are strongly correlated with homopeptide levels (unlike structured domain fractions, which are anti-correlated). Poly-glutamine uniquely behaves as an evolutionarily very variable homopeptide with a codon repertoire unbiased for GC/AT. In summary, homopeptide/homocodon levels are coupled to or influenced by several factors, including GC/AT bias and amino-acid intrinsic disorder propensity.
Knowledge about cervical cancer and awareness about human Papillomavirus vaccination amid Medical students in Jordan
Authors: Alsous Mervat , Ali Ahlam , Al-Azzam Sayer , Karasneh Reema , Amawi Haneen
Published: December 2020

BackgroundCervical cancer (CC) is the most common gynecologic malignancy worldwide and the fourth most common cancer in women. Most cases of cervical cancer are attributed to Human Papillomavirus (HPV). Assessment of knowledge about cervical cancer and HPV vaccination is needed.Results504 students took part in the study. 42.3% of males and 57.7% of females. The mean knowledge score of students in our survey 21.4 ± 4.4 out of 34, which was categorized as a moderate level of knowledge regarding cervical cancer and HPV. Only 40.5% knew about the availability of HPV vaccine in Jordan, and 65.9% accept the idea that it is necessary to introduce HPV vaccine in schoolgirls in Jordan.ConclusionsThis study highlights inadequate knowledge about cervical cancer and its screening among medical students in Jordan. Despite the limited awareness about HPV vaccine among the study’s participants, there is a favorable opinion towards the introduction of the vaccine in school girls in Jordan. The data provide a benchmark on the level of knowledge about cervical cancer and awareness about HPV, which can be used to formulate an effective awareness program.
Key Biomarkers Within the Colorectal Cancer Related Inflammatory Microenvironment
Authors: Calu Valentin , Ionescu Adriana , Stanca Loredana , Geicu Ovidiu , Iordache Florin , Pisoschi Aurelia , Serban Andreea , Bilteanu Liviu
Published: December 2020

The necessity of therapeutic approaches focused on the inflammatory microenvironment of colorectal cancer (CRC) is becoming more and more apparent, both in order to improve post-surgical care and subsequent therapeutic strategies, and also for better quality of life for the patients. We have investigated a panel of 39 inflammatory factors using a multiplex magnetic bead-based immunoassay, in relation with CEA and CA19-9, classical tumor markers and the expression levels of pErk, occludin, and STAT1 and STAT3 transcriptional factors. Within the tumor and paired normal tissue samples collected during tumor resection surgery, we have identified 32 biomarkers displaying statistically significant differences. Several relevant correlations have been observed in a combined multi-type correlation matrix. Chitinase 3-like 1 seems to be a trigger for activation pathways for tumor growth and metastasis. Through IL-22 and IL1β, IL-8 correlates indirectly with CA19-9 and CEA, respectively. We also emphasize the diminished APRIL and high BAFF levels in colon cancer tumor tissue, which is quite unique. The strong correlation between APRIL, BAFF, IL-8 and MMP2 recommends these as combined targets in immunotherapies for colon cancer treatment, and indicates the marker quartet may serve as a starting point in colon cancer screening.
Engineering self-organized criticality in living cells
Authors: Vidiella Blai , Guillamon Antoni , Sardanyes Josep , Maull Victor , Conde Nuria , Solé Ricard V.
Published: December 2020

Complex dynamical fluctuations, from molecular noise within cells, collective intelligence, brain dynamics or computer traffic have been shown to display noisy behaviour consistent with a critical state between order and disorder. Living close to the critical point can have a number of adaptive advantages and it has been conjectured that evolution could select (and even tend to) these critical states. One way of approaching such state is by means of so called self-organized criticality (SOC) where the system poises itself close to the critical point. Is this the case of living cells? It is difficult to test this idea given the enormous dimensionality associated with gene and metabolic webs. In this paper we present an alternative approach: to engineer synthetic gene networks displaying SOC behaviour. This is achieved by exploiting the presence of a saturation (congestion) phenomenon of the ClpXP protein degradation machinery in E. coli cells. Using a feedback design that detects and then reduces ClpXP congestion, a critical motif is built from a two-gene network system, where SOC can be successfully implemented. Both deterministic and stochastic models are used, consistently supporting the presence of criticality in intracellular traffic. The potential implications for both cellular dynamics and designed intracellular noise are discussed.
Donor type and 3-month hospital readmission following kidney transplantation: results from the Netherlands Organ Transplant Registry
Authors: Wang Yiman , Heemskerk Martin , Michels Wieneke , Vries Aiko , Dekker Friedo , Meuleman Yvette Yvette
Published: December 2020

Background: Hospital readmission after transplantation is common in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). In this study, we aim to investigate the effect of donor type on post-transplant 3-month hospital readmission in the overall population and in both young (<65 years) and elderly (≥65 years) KTRs.Methods: We included all first-time adult KTRs from 2016 to 2018 in the Netherlands Organ Transplant Registry. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate the effect while adjusting for baseline confounders.Results: Among 1917 KTRs, 615 (32.1%) had at least one hospital readmission. Living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) recipients had an adjusted OR of 0.76 (95%CI, 0.61 to 0.96; p=0.02) for hospital readmission compared to deceased donor kidney transplantation (DDKT) recipients. In the young and elderly, the adjusted ORs were 0.69 (95%CI, 0.52 to 0.90, p=0.00) and 0.93 (95%CI, 0.62 to 1.39, p=0.45) and did not differ significantly from each other (p-value for interaction = 0.38). In DDKT, the risk of hospital readmission is similar between recipients with donation after cardiac death (DCD) or brain death (DBD) and the risk was similar between the young and elderly.Conclusion: A lower risk of post-transplant 3-month hospital readmission was found in recipients after LDKT compared to DDKT, and this benefit of LDKT might be less dominant in elderly patients. In DDKT, having either DCD or DBD donors is not associated with post-transplant 3-month hospital readmission, regardless of age. More sophisticated care is needed for recipients with DDKT and elderly KTRs.
Tsunami Detection by GPS-derived Ionospheric Total Electron Content
Authors: Shrivastava Mahesh , Maurya Ajeet , Gonzalez Gabriel , Sunil P , Gonzalez Juan , Salazar Pablo , Aranguiz Rafael
Published: December 2020

To unravel the relationship between earthquake and tsunami using ionospheric total electron content (TEC) changes, we analyzed two Chilean tsunamigenic subduction earthquakes: the 2014 Pisagua Mw 8.1 and the 2015 Illapel Mw 8.3. During the Pisagua earthquake, the TEC changes were detected at the GPS sites located to the north and south of the earthquake epicenter, whereas during the Illapel earthquake, we registered the changes only in the northward direction. Tide-gauge sites mimicked the propagation direction of tsunami waves similar to the TEC change pattern during both earthquakes. The TEC changes were represented by two signals. The initial weaker signal correlated well with seismic Rayleigh waves, while the following stronger perturbation was interpreted to be caused by acoustic and gravity waves induced by earthquakes and subsequent tsunamis. As a result, TEC changes can be utilized to evaluate earthquake occurrence and tsunami propagation within a framework of multi-parameter early warning systems.
Diabetes prescription patterns in Costa Rica and Panama among patients switching to a second-line medication. Evidence from the DISCOVER real-world diabetes registry.
Authors: Chen-Ku Chih Hao , de Sucre Pilar Grimaldo , Vinocour-Fournieri Mary , Ramírez-Zamora Luis , Andrés-Jiménez Fernando , Slon-Hitti Claudio , Cob-Sánchez Alejandro , Rodríguez Guiselle
Published: December 2020

Aims: to describe the prescriptions patters of second line medications in patients with diabetes in Costa Rica and Panama.Methods: DISCOVER is a registry of patients with type 2 diabetes that are switching from first- to second-line medications. We analyzed medication choice and reasons to switch by country. Results: 219 patients were included, 127 in Costa Rica and 92 in Panama. The most frequently prescribed first-line medication was metformin, followed by sulphonylureas in Panama and a combination of metformin and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (iDPP4) in Costa Rica. DPP4 inhibitors plus metformin was the most commonly prescribed second line medication in both countries, followed by metformin combined with SGLT2 inhibitors in Costa Rica and iDPP4 in monotherapy in Panama. The main reason to switch was efficacy. When choosing the second-line medication, the main reasons were efficacy, weight loss, and hypoglycemia risk in both countries (tolerability was also common in Panama). Conclusions: In these two Latin American countries the main reason to switch to second line medication was efficacy and the most prescribed agent was metformin plus iDPP4.
Distribution of Incubation Period of COVID-19 in the Canadian Context: Modeling and Computational Study
Authors: Paul Subhendu , Lorin Emmanuel
Published: December 2020

We propose a novel model based on a set of coupled delay differential equations with fourteen delays in order to accurately estimate the incubation period of COVID-19, employing publicly available data of confirmed corona cases. In this goal, we separate the total cases into fourteen groups for the corresponding fourteen incubation periods. The estimated mean incubation period we obtain is 6.74 days (95% Confidence Interval(CI): 6.35 to 7.13), and the 90th percentile is 11.64 days (95% CI: 11.22 to 12.17), corresponding to a good agreement with statistical supported studies. This model provides an almost zero-cost approach to estimate the incubation period.
Genome-wide profiling of active enhancers in colorectal cancer
Authors: Wu Min , Li Qinglan , Lin Xiang , Yu Ya-Li , Chen Lin , Hu Qi-Xin , Chen Meng , Cao Nan , Zhao Chen , Wang Chen-Yu , Huang Cheng-Wei , Li Lian-Yun , Ye Mei
Published: December 2020

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers in the world. Although genomic mutations and SNPs have been extensively studied, the epigenomic status in CRC patient tissues remains elusive. Here, we profiled active enhancers genome-widely in paired CRC patient tissues through H3K27ac ChIP-Seq, together with genomic and transcriptomic analysis. Totally we sequenced 73 pairs of CRC tissues and generated 147 H3K27ac ChIP-Seq, 144 RNA-Seq, 147 whole genome sequencing and 86 H3K4me3 ChIP-Seq files. Our analysis discovered 5590 gain variant enhancer loci (VEL) and 1100 lost VELs in CRC, and 334 gain variant super enhancer loci (VSEL) and 121 lost VSELs. Multiple key transcription factors in CRC were predicted with motif analysis and core regulatory circuitry analysis. Further experiments verified the functions of 6 super enhancers governing PHF19, LIF, SLC7A5, CYP2S1, RNF43 and TBC1D16 in regulating cancer cell migration, and we identified KLF3 as a novel oncogenic transcription factor in CRC. Taken together, our work provides important epigenomic resource and novel functional factors for epigenetic studies in CRC.
Use of Plasma Nitriding to Improve the Wear and Corrosion Resistance of 18Ni-300 Maraging Steel Manufactured by Selective Laser Melting
Authors: Godec Matjaž , Podgornik Bojan , Kocijan Aleksandra , Donik Črtomir , Balantič Danijela Skobir
Published: December 2020

18Ni-300 maraging steel manufactured by selective laser melting was plasma nitrided to improve its wear and corrosion resistance. The effects of a prior solution treatment, aging and the combination of both on the microstructure and the properties after nitriding were investigated. The results were compared with conventionally produced 18Ni-300 counterparts subjected to the same heat- and thermo-chemical treatments. The plasma nitriding was performed under the same conditions (temperature of 520 °C and time of 6 hours) as the aging in order to investigate whether the nitriding and the aging could be carried out simultaneously in a single step. The aim of this work was to provide a better understanding of the morphology and chemical composition of the nitrided layer in the additive-manufactured maraging steel as a function of the prior heat treatments and to compare the wear and corrosion resistance with those of conventional maraging steel. The results show that nitriding without any prior aging leads to cracks in the compound layer, while nitriding of the prior-heat-treated additive-manufactured maraging steel leads to benefits from the thermochemical treatment in terms of wear and corrosion resistance. Some explanations for the origins of the cracks and pores in the nitride layers are provided.
New microstructural insights into neutron-irradiated tungsten
Authors: Dürrschnabel Michael , Klimenkov Michael , Jäntsch Ute , Rieth Michael , Schneider Hans-Christian , Terentyev Dmitry
Published: December 2020

The development of appropriate materials for fusion reactors that can sustain high neutron fluencies at elevated temperatures remains a great challenge. Tungsten is one of the promising candidate materials for plasma-facing components of future fusion reactors, due to several favorable properties as for example a high melting point, a high sputtering resistivity, and a low coefficient of thermal expansion. The microstructural details of a tungsten sample with a 1.25 dpa (displacements per atom) damage dose after irradiation at 800°C were examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Three types of radiation-induced defects were observed, analyzed and characterized: (i) voids with sizes ranging from 10 nm to 65 nm, (ii) dislocation loops with a size of up to 10 nm and (iii) W-Re-Os containing σ- and χ-type precipitates. The distribution of voids as well as the nature of the occurring dislocation loops were studied in detail. In addition, nano-chemical analyses revealed that the σ- and χ-type precipitates, which are sometimes attached to voids, are surrounded by a solid solution cloud enriched with Re. For the first time the crystallographic orientation relationship of the σ- and χ-phases to the W-matrix was specified. Furthermore, electron energy-loss spectroscopy could not unambiguously verify the presence of He within individual cavities.
Variability in ITS1 and ITS2 Sequences of Historic (herbaria) and Extant (fresh) Phalaris Species
Authors: Graper Allison , Noyszewski Andrzej , Anderson Neil , Smith Alan
Published: December 2020

Background: Phalaris species occupy diverse environments throughout all continents except Antarctica. Phalaris arundinacea is an important forage, ornamental, wetland restoration and biofuel crop grown globally as well as being a wetland invasive. The ITS (internal transcribed spacer) region has been used for Phalaris barcoding as a DNA region with high nucleotide diversity for Phalaris species identification. Recent findings that P. arundinacea populations in Minnesota USA are most likely native and not European prompted this analysis to determine whether Eurasian vs. native North American P. arundinacea differed in ITS regions. Our objectives were to amplify and compare ITS regions (ITS1 and ITS2) of historic (herbaria) and extant (fresh) Phalaris specimens; analyze ITS regions for species-specific polymorphisms (diagnostic SNPs); compare ITS regions of historic Phalaris specimens with known, extant Phalaris species.Results: We obtained complete ITS1 and ITS2 sequences from 31 Phalaris historic (herbaria samples, 1908 to 2001) and five extant (fresh) specimens. Herbaria Phalaris specimens did not produce new SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) not present in extant specimens. Diagnostic SNPs were identified in 8/12 (66.6%) Phalaris species. This study demonstrates the use of herbaria tissue for barcoding as a means for improved species identification of Phalaris herbaria type specimens. No significant correlation between specimen age and genomic DNA concentration was found. Phalaris arundinacea showed high SNP variation within its clade, with the North American being distinctly different than other U.S. and most Eurasian types, potentially allowing for future identification of specific SNPs to geographic origin.Conclusions: While not as efficient as extant specimens to obtain DNA, Phalaris herbaria specimens can produce high quality ITS sequences to evaluate historic genetic resources and facilitate identification of new species-specific barcodes. No correlation between DNA concentration and age of historic samples (119 years) occurred. Considerable polymorphism was exhibited in the P. arundinacea clade with several N. American accessions being distinct from Eurasian types. Further development of within species- and genus-specific barcodes could contribute to designing PCR primers for efficient and accurate identification of N. American P. arundinacea. Our finding of misidentified Phalaris species indicates the need for DNA sequence database curation for proper specimen identification.
Association Between Mode of Birth and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Following Childbirth: A Prospective Cohort Study of Chinese Women
Authors: Chen YanFang , Xie Ri-hua , Li Meng , Hu Wenxing , Chen Innie , Krewski Daniel , Wen Shi Wu
Published: December 2020

Background Previous studies on the association between mode of delivery and posttraumatic stress disorder have yielded inconsistent results. This study aimed to further investigate the association between mode of delivery and posttraumatic stress disorder in a cohort of Chinese women with a high rate of cesarean delivery.Methods We conducted a prospective cohort study in Guangdong, China between October 2019 and August 2020. Women aged 20-45 years who visited Nanhai Hospital of Southern Medical University for prenatal care and planned to give birth at the same hospital during the study period were approached and were enrolled after a written consent was obtained. Posttraumatic stress disorder was assessed by the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-Civilian Version. We first compared the sociodemographic and obstetric characteristics between cesarean delivery group and vaginal delivery group. We then examined the independent association between mode of birth and posttraumatic stress disorder by log binomial regression analysis.Results A total of 630 women were included in the final analysis, with 385 (61%) who delivered vaginally and 245 (39%) who delivered by cesarean section. Fifty-six (8.9%) women developed posttraumatic stress disorder. Of them, 31 (12.7%) occurred in women with cesarean section, and 25 (6.5%) occurred in women with vaginal delivery. The risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder in women with cesarean section was more than twice of that in women with vaginal delivery after adjusting for confounding variables (adjusted RR 1.91, 95% CI 1.08 to 3.36).Conclusion Cesarean section is an independent risk factor of posttraumatic stress disorder in a cohort of Chinese women with a high cesarean section rate.
The Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy and Expandable Prosthesis Reconstruction to Treat Osteosarcoma Around the Knee in Child
Authors: Cheng Jiajia , Huang Junqi , Bi Wenzhi , Han Gang , Jia Jinpeng , Xu Meng , Wang Wei
Published: December 2020

Background: To investigate: (1) what are the prognosis in patients treated with this chemotherapy scheme and limb salvage; (2) what are the clinical outcomes of expandable endoprosthesis reconstruction in child?Methods: From January 2009 to December 2014, we retropected 29 skeletally immature kids ( mean age, 10.5 years; range, 6-15 years) with osteosarcoma around knee. Of the 29 patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy and limb salvage surgery, this expandable prosthesis was implanted to reconstruct. These 29 patients were included in our retrospection. No patients were missed during follow-up. The evaluation index involved follow-up time, complication, functional results, lengthening procedures. The survivorship and recurrence were assessed by SPSS software. The function was assessed by Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) scoring system.Results: A mean of follow-up time was 8.9 years (range, 6-12years). The overall 5-year survival was 89.1% based on Kaplan-Meier. Relapse suffered in three patients and one underwent amputation. Lung metastasis developed in one patient. At six months after operation, patients had a mean MSTS score of 27 points (range, 24-29). Two patients underwent revision surgery--one for implant infection and one for aseptic loosening.Conclusions: Chemotherapy scheme and limb salvage could achieved high survival rate. Use of this expandable prosthesis was associated with good function and low complication. The character of expandability could be a method to overcome discrepancy in the growth period.Level of Evidence Level IV, therapeutic study.
Macular vessel density differs in multiple sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder: an optical coherence tomography angiography study.
Authors: Rogaczewska Małgorzata , Michalak Sławomir , Stopa Marcin
Published: December 2020

Multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) are inflammatory and demyelinating diseases that commonly manifest with optic neuritis (ON) but differ in the pathogenic mechanism. Although it was shown that retinal vessels might alter in MS and NMOSD, a comparative study has not been reported. This study evaluated the macular vessel density in 40 MS patients, 13 NMOSD patients, and 20 controls by using optical coherence tomography angiography. The vessel density of superficial capillary plexus (SCP) was significantly lower in ON eyes (MS + ON, NMOSD + ON) than in non-ON eyes (MS-ON, NMOSD-ON) and controls. The density of deep capillary plexus (DCP) was significantly increased in MS + ON, and MS-ON eyes compared to healthy eyes and decreased in NMOSD + ON compared to MS + ON. A significant positive correlation was noted between SCP and ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness in MS + ON, MS-ON, and NMOSD + ON. The DCP did not significantly correlate with GCC thickness, but it increased or decreased with ganglion cell loss in MS and NMOSD, respectively. In conclusion, our findings suggest that the capillary changes in MS patients are secondary to the reduced metabolic demand of the atrophied ganglion cell layer, while the vasculopathy seems to be a primary process in NMOSD patients.
Insights Into the Zebrafish Olfactory System: A comprehensive Structural, Lectin- and Immunohistochemical Approach
Authors: VILLAMAYOR PAULA , ARANA ALVARO , COPPEL CARLOS , ORTIZ-LEAL IRENE , TORRES MATEO , SANCHEZ-QUINTEIRO PABLO , SANCHEZ LAURA
Published: December 2020

Fish chemosensory olfactory receptors allow them to detect a wide range of water-soluble chemicals, that mediate fundamental behaviours. Zebrafish possess a well-developed sense of smell which governs reproduction, appetite, and fear responses. The spatial organization of functional properties within the olfactory epithelium and bulb are comparable to those of mammals, making this species suitable for studies of olfactory differentiation and regeneration and neuronal representation of olfactory information. The advent of genomic techniques has been decisive for the discovery of specific olfactory cell types and the identification of cell populations expressing vomeronasal receptors. These advances have marched ahead of morphological and neurochemical studies. This study aims to fill the existing gap in specific histological, lectin-histochemical and immunohistochemical studies on the olfactory rosette and the olfactory bulb of the zebrafish. Tissue dissection and microdissection techniques were employed, followed by histological staining techniques, lectin-histochemical labelling (UEA, LEA, BSI-B4) and immunohistochemistry using antibodies against G proteins subunits ao and ai2, growth-associated protein-43, calbindin, calretinin, glial-fibrillary-acidic-protein and luteinizing-hormone-releasing-hormone. The results obtained enrich the available information on the neurochemical patterns of the zebrafish olfactory system, pointing to a greater complexity than the one currently considered, especially when taking into account the peculiarities of the nonsensory epithelium.
Simulation Study on Radiation Exposure of Emergency Medical Responders From Radioactively Contaminated Patients
Authors: Tsujiguchi Takakiyo , Suzuki Yoko , Sakamoto Mizuki , Narumi Kazuki , Ito Katsuhiro , Yasuda Hiroshi , Tokonami Shinji , Kashiwakura Ikuo
Published: December 2020

Emergency medical responders (EMRs), who save victims in a radiation emergency, are at risk of radiation exposure. In this study, the exposure dose to EMRs assisting contaminated patients was estimated using a Monte Carlo simulation, and will produce data that contributes to EMR education and anxiety reduction. Using the Monte Carlo simulation, we estimated radiation doses for adult computational phantoms with radioactive contamination conditions radiation dosages were based on findings from previous studies. At the contamination condition corresponding to the typical upper limit of general GM survey meters, the radiation doses of EMRs were estimated to be less than μSv per hour. In case of a heavier contamination due to mishandling of an intense radioactive source with hundreds of GBq or more, their radiation doses would be close to 100 mSv per hour. The results have implied that the radiological accident with a highly radioactive source would expose EMR to the risk of significant radiation exposure exceeding the dose limit. It is thus crucial that the authority or other party who are responsible for the health of EMRs ensures that they shall have necessary education and training on the effective measures for protecting themselves from the possible, excessive radiation exposure.
Outcomes of Cryptococcus meningoencephalitis and associated magnetic resonance imaging findings
Authors: Lee Woo-Jin , Ryu Young Jin , Moon Jangsup , Lee Soon-Tae , Jung Keun-Hwa , park Kyung-Il , Kim Manho , Lee Sang Kun , Chu Kon
Published: December 2020

In Cryptococcus Neoformans meningoencephalitis, brain MRI findings might reflect the phathomechanism of disease progression that is fungal accumulation in the peri-venular space and consequent invasion into the parenchyma. This study analyzed serial brain MRI findings of 76 patients with cryptococcus meningoencephalitis in association with the disease progression and outcomes. MRI parameters included the enlarged periventricular space (ePVS) score (range 0 − 8), periventricular lesion extension, cryptococcoma, and hydrocephalus. Clinical outcomes at 2-week, 10-week, and 6-month were evaluated using modified Rankin scale (mRS) scores. At 6 months, 15 (19.7%) patient died and 34 (44.1%) had poor neurological outcomes (mRS scores > 2). At baseline, an ePVS score of ≥ 5 (Odds-ratio [OR]: 94.173, 95% confidence-interval [95% CI]: 7.507 − 1181.295, P < 0.001), periventricular lesion extension (OR: 51.965, 95% CI: 2.592 − 1041.673, P = 0.010), and presence of encephalitis feature (OR: 44.487, 95% CI: 1.689 − 1172.082, P = 0.023) were associated with 6-month poor outcomes. Presence of two or more risk factors at baseline was highly associated with the 6-month poor outcomes (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.978, P < 0.001) and mortality (AUC: 0.836, P < 0.001). Disease progression was associated with interval development of cryptococcoma and hydrocephalus. In conclusion, brain MRI findings might be useful in predicting poor outcomes and monitoring the disease progression of cryptococcus meningoencephalitis.
Evaluation of Oxidative Stress and Biochemical Biomarkers, and Psychological Parameters in Cement Plant Workers
Authors: Darabi Faezeh , Keshavarzi Majid , Abdullah Media Noori , Dehghani Fatemeh , Yousefinejad Saeed , Khanjani Narges , khajehnasiri Farahnaz , zamanian zahra
Published: December 2020

BackgroundThe cement industry is one of the main world industries with exposure to a wide range of hazardous chemical and physical occupational agents that can increase free radicals and cause diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate oxidative stress, and biochemical markers and psychological parameters among cement plant workers who were exposed to variety of hazardous occupational agents.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study 40 workers exposed to cement and 40 office employees, were selected as the exposed and control group, respectively. Exposure to cement dust, silica and noise were respectively assessed using the NIOSH 0600, NIOSH 7601 and noise dosimetry methods. Oxidative stress biomarkers including malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and biochemical parameters were measured in the serum of all participants. Depression, anxiety and stress were assessed by Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21) questioner. Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS22 software. Independent t-test, Mann-Whitney U, Chi-square were used to evaluate the relation between variables. ResultsThe results demonstrated that the level of MDA as a marker of oxidative stress was significantly higher in the exposed group.Antioxidant enzymes including SOD and CAT were significantly higher, and TAC was insignificantly lower in the exposed group. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate transaminase (AST), depression and stress were also significantly higher in the exposure group. It seems like working in cement plants, can have hazardous effects on liver function, enzyme activity and mental health.
Anisotropic Ferroelectric Distortion Effects on the RKKY Interaction in Topological Crystalline Insulators
Authors: Cheraghchi Hosein , Yarmohammadi Mohsen
Published: December 2020

Manipulation of electronic and magnetic properties of topological materials is a topic of much interest in spintronic and valleytronic applications. Perturbation tuning of multiple Dirac cones on the (001) surface of topological crystalline insulators (TCIs) is also a related topic of growing interest. Here we show the numerical evidence for the ferroelectric structural distortion effects on the Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) interaction between two magnetic impurity moments on the SnTe (001) and related alloys. The mirror symmetry breaking between Dirac cones induced by the ferroelectric distortion could be divided into various possible configurations including the isotropically gapped, coexistence of gapless and gapped, and anisotropically gapped phases. Based on the retarded perturbed Green’s functions of the generalized gapped Dirac model, we numerically find the RKKY response for each phase. The distortion-induced symmetry breaking constitutes complex and interesting magnetic responses between magnetic moments compared to the pristine TCIs. In the specific case of coexisted gapless and gapped phases, a nontrivial behavior of the RKKY interaction is observed, which has not been seen in other Dirac materials up until now. For two impurities resided on the same sublattices, depending on the distortion strength, magnetic orders above of a critical impurity separation exhibit irregular ferromagnetic $ antiferromagnetic phase transitions. However, independent ofthe impurity separation and distortion strength, no phase transition emerges for two impurities resided on different sublattices. This essential study sheds light on magnetic properties of Dirac materials with anisotropic mass terms and also makes TCIs applications relatively easy to understand.
Prognostic Significance of the Proximal Margin for Esophagogastric Junction Adenocarcinoma With Type II and III Tumors After Surgery
Authors: Yan Qian , Hu Weixian , Zheng Jiabin , Lv Zejian , Wang Junjiang , Li Yong
Published: December 2020

BackgroundThe incidence of esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma (EJA) has increased in recent years, with surgical resection the main choice of treatment. The optimal length of the proximal margin for EJA is still under debate, and the impact of EJA survival and recurrence remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of the optimal length of the proximal margin on EJA.MethodsFrom January 2011 to December 2015, 131 patients who had EJA with type II tumors were included and retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent radical R0 resection. The proximal margin was measured promptly after resection, and the frozen-section pathological examination was negative for the margin.ResultsThere were 3 cases of Siewert type I EJA (2.9 %), 75 cases of Siewert type II EJA (57.9 %), and 53 cases (40.1%) of Siewert type III EJA. The median number of lymph nodes examined was 19 (range: 1–41), and the median number of positive lymph nodes was 2 (range: 0–18). Sixty-three patients underwent total gastrectomy (48.1%), and 68 underwent proximal gastrectomy (51.9%). The median follow-up time was 57.3 months: (range 1.9–174.1); 34 patients (26%) relapsed and 74 (56.5%) died. The 5-year overall survival rate of type II tumor patients was 68.2%, and that of type III tumor patients was 38.5% (P = 0.02). For patients with a proximal margin <2 cm, the median recurrence time was 41.6 months, whereas it was for 42.8 months for patients with proximal margin >2 cm (log–rank: 0.496). Our data analysis found that a proximal margin length of 2 cm was a prognostic variable for type II and type III tumors.ConclusionsThere are a number of factors associated with recurrence and overall survival at 5 years for patients who have EJA with type II and type III tumors, and a proximal margin >2 cm may indicate better prognosis.
Relationship Between Parents’ Health Literacy and Children’s Sleep Problems: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study in Japan
Authors: Ono Sae , Ogi Hiroto , Ogawa Masato , Nakamura Daisuke , Nakamura Teruhiko , Izawa Kazuhiro
Published: December 2020

Background: Sleep disorder in preschool children can stunt their health and growth. However, the factors that cause sleep disorders in children are not well understood. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between parents’ health literacy (HL) and children's sleep problems. The study was conducted at two kindergartens, two nursery schools, and a center for early childhood education in Chitose-city, Hokkaido, Japan.Method: This study used a multicenter cross-sectional design. The sample comprised 354 preschoolers (aged 3–6 years) and their parents. In families with two or more children attending the same facility, only the oldest child was asked to participate in the study. Exclusion criteria included participants whose completed questionnaires had missing values. Children’s sleep disorder was assessed using the Japanese version of the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ-J). Parents’ HL was assessed using the 14-item Health Literacy Scale (HLS-14). The parents were classified into two groups (high HL group and low HL group). Multiple regression modelling was used to determine the association between HLS-14 and CSHQ-J scores.Results: Of the 354 parents, 255 (72%) were in the high HL group and 99 (28%) in the low HL group. The mean CSHQ-J score was significantly lower in the high HL group than in the low HL group (45.3 ± 6.0 points vs. 46.8 ± 5.9 points, p = 0.043). In multiple regression analyses, CSHQ-J was independently associated with parents’ HL after adjusting for all confounding factors (R² = 0.41, β = -0.11; p = 0.0043).　 Conclusions: Parents’ HL appears to affect their children's sleep disorder. This finding suggests that parents’ HL may be a target for intervention to improve children’s sleep disorders.
Interleukin-6 As An Enhancer of Anti-Angiogenic Therapy for Ovarian Clear Cell Carcinoma.
Authors: Seki Toshiyuki , Yanaihara Nozomu , Shapiro Jason , Saito Misato , Tabata Junya , Yokomizo Ryo , Noguchi Daito , Kuroda Takafumi , Kawabata Ayako , Suzuki Jiro , Takahashi Kazuaki , Matsuzawa Haruka , Miyake Misayo , Takenaka Masataka , Iida Yasushi , Yanagida Satoshi , Okamoto Aikou
Published: December 2020

Ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC) is a subtype of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and associated with elevated interleukin-6 (IL-6) expression, resistance to chemotherapy, and increased mortality. Although bevacizumab (Bev) is a widely used anti-angiogenic agent for EOC, the efficacy of Bev and the role of IL-6 in modulating angiogenesis in OCCC are unknown. We performed tube formation assays on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) cultured in OCCC conditioned media and in direct co-culture with OCCC cells and observed that IL-6 inhibition significantly mitigated the ability of Bev to impede tube formation in both cases. Furthermore, the IL-6 blockade not only disrupted the anti-angiogenic efficacy of Bev but also the concomitant anti-tumor activity. We also found that IL-6 inhibition resulted in a significant increase in the secreted levels of angiopoietin-1 (Ang1) in addition to decreased vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression. Clinical specimens also exhibited this reciprocal relationship between IL-6 and Ang1 expression. Finally, knockdown of Ang1 prevented IL-6 inhibition from mitigating the effects of Bev, demonstrating that IL-6 supports the anti-angiogenic activity of Bev by suppressing Ang1 and promoting dependence on VEGF for angiogenesis. Altogether, our data suggest that OCCC tumors with high IL-6 are candidates for Bev therapy.
Qualitative And Quantitative Detection of Surgical Pathogenic Microorganisms Escherichia Coli and Staphylococcus Aureus Based on ddPCR System
Authors: Zhang Tiantian , Niu Zhiqiang , Wu Feng , Chen Zongkun , xu Jun , Jiang Kewei , Lai Zhiyong
Published: December 2020

Bacterial culture and drug susceptibility testing are used to identify bacteria associated with infections. Nevertheless, the process requires several days from collection to the identification of bacterial species and drug resistance patterns. The digital PCR system is a rapidly developing quantitative detection technology widely used in many fields, including pathogenic microorganism detection, early diagnosis of tumor markers, and analysis of gene expression with its advantages. The purpose of this study was to use a droplet digital PCR system to identify bacteria in blood samples, to explore its ability to identify common pathogenic microorganisms. We designed primers and probes for Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus specific genes for the ddPCR system to identify in blood samples mixed with both organisms. The system had extremely high detection accuracy in samples and the detection rate of E. coli was 13.1–21.4% and that of S. aureus was 50–88.3%. The system identified blood samples containing both bacteria, with detection rates of 18.1%–97%. The ddPCR system qualitatively and quantitatively measured common pathogenic microorganisms in blood samples with high sensitivity and accuracy, providing rapid and accurate detection of pathogenic microorganisms.
Metabolomics Analysis of Tilletia Controversa Kühn Infected and Non-infected Grains of Wheat
Authors: Ren Zhaoyu , Muhae-Ud-Din Ghulam , Liu Jianjian , Liu Taiguo , Chen Wanquan , Gao Li
Published: December 2020

Dwarf bunt caused by the pathogen Tilletia controversa Kühn is one of the most serious quarantine disease of winter wheat. Metabolomics studies provide detailed information about biochemical changes at the cell and tissue level of the plants. In the present study, liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) metabolomic approach was used to investigate the changes in the grains metabolomics of T. controversa infected and non-infected samples. PCA analysis suggested that T. controversa infected and non-infected samples scattered separately during the interaction. LC/MS analysis showed that 62 different metabolites were recorded in the grains, among them total of 34 metabolites were up-regulated and 28 metabolite were down-regulated. The prostaglandins (PGs) and 9-hydroxyoctadecaenoic acids (9-HODEs) are fungal toxin related substances and their expression significantly increased in T. controversa infected grains. Additionally, the concentration of cucurbic acid and octadecatrienoic acid were changed significantly after pathogen infection, which has great role in plant defense. The eight different metabolic pathways activated during the T. controversa and wheat plants interactions including phenylalanine metabolism, isoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis, starch and sucrose metabolism, tyrosine metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism, alanine, aspartate, glutamate metabolism, and tryptophan metabolism.
Fluorescence Fluctuation Spectroscopy Enables Quantification of Potassium Channel Subunit Dynamics and Stoichiometry
Authors: Tedeschi Giulia , Scipioni Lorenzo , Papanikolaou Maria , Abbott Geoffrey , Digman Michelle
Published: December 2020

Voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels are a family of membrane proteins that facilitate K+ ion diffusion across the plasma membrane, regulating both resting and action potentials. Kv channels comprise four pore-forming α subunits, each with a voltage sensing domain, and they are regulated by interaction with β subunits such as those belonging to the KCNE family. Here we conducted a comprehensive biophysical characterization of stoichiometry and protein diffusion across the plasma membrane of the epithelial KCNQ1-KCNE2 complex, combining total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy and a series of complementary Fluorescence Fluctuation Spectroscopy (FFS) techniques. Using this approach, we found that KCNQ1-KCNE2 has a predominant 4:4 stoichiometry, while non-bound KCNE2 subunits are mostly present as dimers in the plasma membrane. At the same time, we identified unique spatio-temporal diffusion modalities and nano-environment organization for each channel subunit. These findings improve our understanding of KCNQ1-KCNE2 channel function and suggest strategies for elucidating the subunit stoichiometry and forces directing localization and diffusion of ion channel complexes in general.