bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diagnostic Utility of Serum and Urine Biomarkers in Idiopathic Membranous Nephropathy: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Gao Dan , Lu Li-Ping , Zhao Zhi-Guo
Published: December 2021

Background

Membranous nephropathy is an autoimmune nephropathy that is one of the most common pathological types of nephrotic syndrome. It is important to find and apply specific biomarkers for the noninvasive diagnosis of idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN). However, there are limited data about their diagnostic value. Therefore, an overall meta-analysis helps to identify effective biomarkers for the clinical diagnosis of IMN.
Methods

A systematic literature search was carried out in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane and Web of Science from inception until December 31, 2020. Two researchers searched for studies that met the inclusion criteria. The results of the joint study were expressed in terms of sensitivity and specificity.
Results

The meta-analysis included 24 studies with biomarkers for the clinical diagnosis of IMN, including phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R), thrombospondin type I domain-containing 7A (THSD7A), lysosome membrane protein-2 (LIMP-2) and circular RNAs. The diagnostic efficiency of PLA2R for IMN had a combined sensitivity of 60% and a combined specificity of 100%. The diagnostic efficiency of THSD7A for IMN had a combined sensitivity of 3% and a combined specificity of 99%. The diagnostic efficiency of urinary LIMP-2 for IMN was 100%, and the specificity was 100%. The diagnostic efficiency of exosomal circRNAs for IMN was 100%, and the specificity was 100%.
Conclusions

This meta-analysis shows that PLA2R and THSD7A are of important diagnostic value for IMN. More studies are needed in the future to reveal the diagnostic value of LIMP-2 and circRNAs for IMN. At the same time, other new diagnostic biomarkers in IMN need to be found in the future.
Post-Traumatic Headache After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury In A One-Year Follow Up Study – Risk Factors And Return To Work
Authors: Kraemer Yvonn , Mäki Kaisa , Marinkovic Ivan , Nybo Taina , Isokuortti Harri , Huovinen Antti , Korvenoja Antti , Melkas Susanna , Harno Hanna
Published: December 2021

Background: Post-traumatic headache (PTH) is a common symptom following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Patients at risk to develop acute PTH (aPTH) and further persistent PTH (pPTH) need to be recognized. Methods: This is a one-year follow-up of 127 patients with mTBI, aged 18 to 68, referred to outpatient clinic in the Helsinki University Hospital. Symptoms were assessed at the emergency department (ED), with structured interview at outpatient clinic visit and with Rivermead post-concussion symptom questionnaire at one, three, and 12 months after injury. Psychiatric disorders were assessed with Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I disorders at 3-4 months and return to work (RTW) from patient records. Results: At one month, 77/127 patients (61%) had aPTH. According to multiple logistic regression analysis, risk factors for aPTH were headache at the emergency department (ED) (OR 5.43), other pain (OR 3.19), insomnia (OR 3.23), and vertigo (OR 5.98). At three months, 17 patients (22% of aPTH patients) had developed pPTH, and at one year, 4 patients (24% of pPTH patients) still presented with pPTH. Risk factors for pPTH at three months were older age (OR 1.06) and current insomnia (OR 12.3). The frequency of psychiatric disorders did not differ between the groups. pPTH patients performed worse on their RTW. Conclusions: Risk factors for aPTH were insomnia, headache at ED, other pain, and vertigo and for pPTH, insomnia and older age. RTW rate was lower among pPTH patients.
Motor Development Problems in Infancy Predict Mental Disorders in Childhood: Longitudinal Child Cohort Study
Authors: Pant Sofie Weber , Skovgaard Anne Mette , Ammitzbøll Janni , Holstein Bjørn Evald , Pedersen Trine Pagh
Published: December 2021

The aim was to examine whether motor development problems in infancy predicted mental disorders later in childhood, taking a wide array of potential confounder variables into consideration. This longitudinal study included an unselected study population of 33,238 newborn children from the Copenhagen area in Denmark. Data on the predictor variable motor development problems at age 8-10 months was obtained from the community health nurses’ systematic evaluation of the child’s motor development problems during a home visit stored in the Child Health Database. Data on outcome, diagnosed mental disorders before age 8 years, was obtained from the Danish National Patient Register. The study included potential confounders obtained from the Child Health Database, the National Birth Register, and the Civil Registration System. The prevalence of motor development problems at age 8-10 months was 19.3% and the incidence of any diagnosed mental disorder from age 11 months to the 8th birthday was 4.0%. Motor development problems were associated with an overall increased risk of being diagnosed with a mental disorder before the 8th birthday, adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.47 (1.29-1.67), in particular diagnosed neuro-developmental disorders, AOR 1.77 (1.52-2.06), such as autism-spectrum disorders, AOR 1.63 (1.31-2.03), hyperactivity/ attention deficit disorders, AOR 1.29 (1.03-1.61) and disorders of intellectual disability, AOR 3.28 (2.39-4.49). Conclusion: Motor development problems as early at age 9-10 months are predictive of neurodevelopmental disorders at age 1-8 years. The findings call for clinical attention and more research in the preventive potentials in the community child health care.
Laparoscopic Splenic Hilar Lymph Node Dissection is Recommended for Pathologic Stage IIIA Middle and Upper Gastric Cancer: A Comparative Study with Standard D2 Laparoscopic Distal Gastrectomy
Authors: Lin Jian-Xian , Huang Ying-Qi , Tang Yi-Hui , Xie Jian-Wei , Wang Jia-Bin , Lu Jun , Chen Qi-Yue , Cao Long-Long , Lin Mi , Tu Ru-Hong , Huang Ze-Ning , Lin Ju-Li , Li Ping , Huang Chang-Ming , Zheng Chao-Hui
Published: December 2021

Purpose

D2 lymphadenectomy is considered a standard procedure for distal gastrectomy (DG). However, whether splenic hilar (No. 10) lymph node (LN) should be included in the extent of D2 lymphadenectomy for total gastrectomy (TG) is still controversial. Therefore, we assessed the survival benefit of laparoscopic No.10 LN dissection based on the comparison of long-term survival of patients undergoing laparoscopic TG (LTG) with laparoscopic No.10 LN dissection and laparoscopic DG (LDG).
Methods

The clinicopathological data of 2069 patients who underwent laparoscopic radical gastrectomy were retrospectively analyzed. The survival of the LDG group, the LTG with dissection of No. 10 LN (LTG+No. 10) group and the LTG without dissection of No. 10 LN (LTG-No. 10) group was compared.
Results

After adjusting for age, pT stage, pN stage and pTNM stage by 1:1:1 propensity score matching (PSM), there were 373 patients in each group. Kaplan-Meier (K-M) survival analysis showed that only in the pIIIA stage, the 5-year survival overall survival (OS) and cancer specific survival (CSS) of the LTG+No. 10 group was significantly better than that of the LTG-No. 10 group and comparable with that of the LDG group. Multivariate Cox regression analyses showed that dissection of No. 10 LN was an independent favorable factor for OS and CSS in all patients and patients with pIIIA.
Conclusion

In patients with stage pIIIA, those undergoing LTG with No. 10 LN dissection could achieve a long-term outcome comparable to that of patients at the same pathological stage undergoing LDG.
Varus Morphology And Its Surgical Implication In Osteoarthritic Knee And Total Knee Arthroplasty
Authors: Suardi Chiara , Innocenti Matteo , Stimolo Davide , Zanna Luigi , Carulli Christian , Matassi Fabrizio , Civinini Roberto
Published: December 2021

Background

Knee varus alignment represents a notorious cause of knee osteoarthritis. It can be caused by tibial deformity, combined tibial-femoral deformity and/or ligament imbalance. Understanding malalignment is crucial in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) to restore frontal plane neutral mechanical axis. The aim of this study was to determine which factor contributes the most to varus osteoarthritic knee and its related surgical implications in performing a TKA.
Methods

We retrospectively evaluated 140 patients operated for TKA due to a varus knee. Full-leg hip to ankle preoperative X-rays were taken. Radiological parameters recorded were: mechanical axis deviation (MAD), hip-knee-ankle (HKA), anatomical-mechanical Angle (AMA), medial neck-shaft angle (MNSA), mechanical lateral distal femoral angle (mLDFA), medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA), joint line convergence angle (JLCA), lateral proximal femoral angle (LPFA), lateral distal tibial angle (LDTA), femoral bowing and length of tibia and femur. We also determined ideals tibial and femoral cuts in mm according to mechanical alignment technique. A R2 was calculated based on the linear regression between the predicted values and the observed data.
Results

The greatest contributor to arthritic varus (R=0,444) was MPTA. Minor contributors were mLDFA (R= 0.076), JLCA (R = 0,1554), LDTA (R = 0.065), Femoral Bowing (R= 0,049). We recorded an average of 7,6 mm in lateral tibial cut thickness to restore neutral alignment.
Conclusions

The radiological major contributor to osteoarthritic varus knee alignment is related to proximal tibia deformity. As a surgical consequence, during performing TKA, the majority of the correction should therefore be made on tibial cut.
Exploration On Definition And The Components of Food And Nutrition Literacy Among Junior Secondary School Students: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Samruayruen Kingkaew , Kitreerawutiwong Nithra
Published: December 2021

Background: Food and nutrition literacy (FANLit) has been proposed to promote healthy diet behaviour and is believed to decrease the prevalence of overweight, obesity and chronic disease. However, the perspective of junior secondary school students, aged 12-15 years and stakeholders on FANLit is not well-defined. This study aims to explore the definition and the components of FANLit.Methods: This qualitative study were carried out in Health region 2 includes Phitsanulok, Sukhothai, Tak, Uttradit and Pethchboon province. 49 participants were recruited from national and regional levels of Thailand. Data were collected by in-depth interview and focus group discussion using semi-structured questionnaire. Interview data were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis.Results: FANLit is defined as an individual’s level of knowledge and skills (fundamental, interactive and critical) that relates to food and nutrition to make appropriate food selection and nutrients. Four themes of FANLit were identified as follows: 1) food and nutrition knowledge (Subthemes: food knowledge, food understanding, nutrition knowledge, and nutrition understanding), 2) functional food and nutrition literacy (Subthemes: accessing to food and nutrition information, food selection, food preparation, daily food and nutrition planning and management), 3) interactive food and nutrition literacy (Subthemes: communication with others, sharing and discussion), and 4) critical food and nutrition literacy (Subthemes: information used in decision making, healthy food selection, effective budgeting.Conclusions: The results provide beneficial information regarding FANLit definition which is the initial stage to develop the assessing instrument and the intervention to improve FANlit in the adolescent group.
Unveiling the Synthesis of Spirocyclic, Tricyclic and Bicyclic Triazolooxazines From Intramolecular [3+2] Azide-alkyne Cycloadditions With a Molecular Electron Density Theory Perspective
Authors: Acharjee Nivedita , Mohammad-Salim Haydar A , Chakraborty Mrinmoy
Published: December 2021

The intramolecular [3+2] cycloaddition (32CA) reactions of azido alkynes leading to spirocyclic, tricyclic and bicyclic triazolooxazines has been studied within the molecular electron density theory (MEDT) at the MPWB1K/6-311G(d,p) level. The Electron localization function (ELF) characterizes the azido alkynes as zwitterionic species. Analysis of the Conceptual DFT indices allows classifying the azide moiety as the electrophilic counterpart and the alkyne as the nucleophilic one. These 32CA reactions are under kinetic control with the activation free energies of 23.4 - 26.7 kcal mol-1. Along the reaction path, the pseudoradical center is created initially at C4, consistent with the Parr function analysis, however the sequence of bond formation is controlled by the energetically feasible formation of the six membered oxazine ring. The intermolecular interactions at the TSs were characterized from the Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules (QTAIM) study and the Non covalent interaction (NCI) gradient isosurfaces.
Occurrence of Infestation with the Isopod, Alitropus Typus M. Edwards (Crustacea: Flabellifera: Aegidae) on Commercially Important Freshwater Fishes of Kerala, India
Authors: Suresh Kummari , Gopi Shalini , Rakesh C.G. , Ittoop Gijo , Pillai Devika
Published: December 2021

Rapidly rising temperatures and increasing organic load in the inland and coastal waters has led to a significant increase in parasite population. The isopod Alitropus typus infestation on fish in these waters have become more frequent, causing mortalities in both wild and cultured fishes. The present study was aimed to investigate the infestation on different fish hosts, mean intensity, prevalence, environmental influences on the parasite abundance and the histopathological changes it causes in the host. A total of 219 isopod specimens were collected from 149 infested fishes in two districts of Kerala, India. Among the different fish hosts, Channa striata was found to be the most susceptible, followed by Catla catla, Cyprinus carpio, and Wallago attu, with 81%, 10%, 7%, and 2% occurrence, respectively. The prevalence and mean intensity of infestation were found to be 69.8%, 44.4%, 68.2%, 62.5% and 1.33, 4.25, 1.26, 1.80 in C. striata, W. attu, C. catla, and C. carpio, respectively. The parasite abundance was directly influenced by temperature and rainfall patterns. The histopathology of affected gill tissues showed epithelial lifting, rupture of secondary gill filaments, vacuole formation and hemocytic infiltration. The findings indicated that the isopod parasite, A. typus had a negative impact on fish health and appearance, causing economic losses to the small scale farmers/fishermen. This is the first reported record of the infestation of isopod parasite, A. typus on the Indian major carp C. catla and C. carpio from India.
TRAIL-R Deficient Mice Are Protected From Neurotoxic Effects of Amyloid-β
Authors: Benedetto Giulia Di , Burgaletto Chiara , Serapide Maria Francesca , Munafò Antonio , Bellanca Carlo Maria , Mauro Rosaria Di , Bernardini Renato , Cantarella Giuseppina
Published: December 2021

TRAIL, a member of TNF superfamily, is a potent inducer of neuronal death. Neurotoxic effects of TRAIL appear mediated by its death receptor TRAIL-R2/DR5. To assess the role of TRAIL/TRAIL-R2 pathway in AD-related neurodegeneration, we studied the impact of the treatment with amyloid-β (Aβ) upon cell viability and inflammation in TRAIL-R-deficient mice (TRAIL-R-/-). Here, we demonstrate that the lack of TRAIL-R2 protects from death cultured TRAIL-R-/- mouse embryonic hippocampal cells undergone treatment with either Aβ1-42 or TRAIL. Consistently, stereotaxic injection of Aβ1-42 resulted in blunted caspase activation, as well as in reduction of JNK phosphorylation and increased AKT phosphorylation in TRAIL-R-/- mice. Moreover, the lack of TRAIL-R2 was associated with blunted constitutive p53 expression in mice undergone Aβ1-42 treatment, as well as in decrease of phosphorylated forms of tau and GSK3β protein. Likewise, TRAIL-R2 appears essential to both TRAIL-Aβ mediated neurotoxicity and inflammation. Indeed, hippocampi of TRAIL-R-/- mice, challenged with Aβ1-42, showed a scanty expression of microglial (Iba-1) and astrocytic (GFAP) markers along with attenuated levels of IL-1β, TNF-a, iNOS and COX2. In conclusion, the bulk of these results demonstrate that the constitutive lack of TRAIL-R2 is associated with a substantial reduction of noxious effects of Aβ1-42, providing further evidence on the prominent role played by TRAIL in course of Aβ-related neurodegeneration and confirming that the TRAIL system represents a potential target for innovative AD therapy.
Tregs Biomimetic Nanoparticle to Reprogram Inflammatory and Redox Microenvironment in Infarct Tissue to Inhibit the Remodeling of the Left Ventricle of Myocardial Ischemia Reperfusion Injury in Mice
Authors: Li Fangyuan , Liu Daozhou , Liu Miao , Ji Qifeng , Zhang Bangle , Mei Qibing , Cheng Ying , Zhou Si-yuan
Published: December 2021

Background

At present, patients with myocardial infarction remain an increased risk for myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (MI/RI), which currently lacks an effective therapeutic method. It is still a bottleneck that effectively deliver drug to ischemic myocardium to treat MI/RI. Inspired by the protective effect of regulatory T cells (Tregs) on MI/RI and natural role of platelets in adhesion with damaged blood vessel in heart during myocardial infarct, a Tregs biomimetic nanoparticle (CsA@PPTK) was prepared by camouflaging a cyclosporin A (CsA)-loaded and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-sensitive nanoparticle with platelet membrane.
Results

In MI/RI mice, CsA@PPTK could be preferentially delivered to ischemic myocardium. CsA@PPTK significantly scavenged ROS in ischemic myocardium, while it also markedly increased the generation of Tregs and the ratio of M2 type macrophage to M1 type macrophage in ischemic myocardium. Furthermore, CsA@PPTK significantly attenuated apoptosis of cardiomyocytes in ischemic myocardium. At the same time, CsA@PPTK obviously reduced the infarct size, fibrosis area and the protein expression of MMP-9, while increased the protein expression of CX43. Subsequently, the remodeling of the left ventricle was significant alleviated. Finally, heart function of MI/RI mice was markedly improved.
Conclusion

CsA@PPTK has great potential in the treatment of MI/RI. This study provides a novel class of heart protective biomimetic platform that is beneficial for treatment of MI/RI.
Fast Anther Dehiscence Status Recognition System Establishing by Deep Learning to Screen Heat Tolerant Cotton
Authors: Tan Zhihao , Shi Jiawei , Lv Rongjie , Li Qingyuan , Yang Jing , Ma Yizan , Li Yanlong , Wu Yuanlong , Zhang Rui , Ma Huanhuan , Li Yawei , Zhu Li , Zhu Longfu , Zhang Xianlong , Kong Jie , Yang Wanneng , Min Ling
Published: December 2021

BackgroundCotton is one of the most economically important crops in the world. The fertility of male reproductive organs is a key determinant of cotton yield. The anther dehiscence or indehiscence directly determine the probability of fertilization in cotton. Thus, the rapid and accurate identification of cotton anther dehiscence status is important for judging anther growth status and promoting genetic breeding research. The development of computer vision technology and the advent of big data have prompted the application of deep learning techniques to agricultural phenotype research. Therefore, two deep learning models (Faster R-CNN and YOLOv5) were proposed to detect the number and dehiscence status of anthers. ResultThe single-stage model based on YOLOv5 has higher recognition efficiency and the ability to deploy to the mobile end. Breeding researchers can apply this model to terminals to achieve a more intuitive understanding of cotton anther dehiscence status. Moreover, three improvement strategies of Faster R-CNN model were proposed, the improved model has higher detection accuracy than YOLOv5 model. We have made four improvements to the Faster R-CNN model and after the ensemble of the four models, R2 of “open” reaches 0.8765, R2 of “close” reaches 0.8539, R2 of “all” reaches 0.8481, higher than the prediction result of either model alone, and can completely replace the manual counting method. We can use this model to quickly extract the dehiscence rate of cotton anther under high temperature (HT) condition. In addition, the percentage of dehiscent anther of randomly selected 30 cotton varieties were observed from cotton population under normal conditions and HT conditions through the ensemble of Faster R-CNN model and manual observation. The result showed HT varying decreased the percentage of dehiscent anther in different cotton lines, consistent with the manual method. ConclusionsThe deep learning technology first time been applied to cotton anther dehiscence status recognition instead of manual method to quickly screen the HT tolerant cotton varieties and can help to explore the key genetic improvement genes in the future, promote cotton breeding and improvement.
Clinical Prevalence of Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy in Onco-hematological Patients
Authors: Frigotto Katia Gleicielly , Garcia Giovana Salviano Braga , Valviesse Vitor Ribeiro Gomes de Almeida , Pires Karina Lebeis
Published: December 2021

Background
Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (CIPN) is a side effect common to many drugs in cancer treatment. CIPN symptoms are mainly sensory, as paresthesia and pain, especially in body extremities. It can affect the patient's life, requiring a dose reduction or interruption of therapy, which can impact patient's survival.
Method
Twenty-one hematology outpatients who were treated by neurotoxic potential drugs were selected. The Douleur neuropathique 4 questionnaire was applied, a patient form was made for data collection, and the data obtained was analyzed.
Results
The prevalence of CIPN was 47,62%. Five patients (23,81%) did not had signs of neurotoxicity, four (19,05%) patients were classified as Grade 1, seven (33,33% ) as Grade 2, and four (19,05%) as Grade 3, and one (4,76%) patient as Grade 4. Patients who had symptoms of CIPN had already received an average of 55,42% of the scheduled treatment. Three patients (14,29%) had to reduce the dose or change the drugs, and one patient (4,76%) had to discontinue it.
Conclusions
This study support the hypothesis that CIPN is an important side effect in cancer treatments. Being a cause of reducing the dose or temporarily suspending it, which can affect the success of the treatment and patient’s survival.
Universal synthesis of conductive liquid network in polymers enabling elastic printed circuit board technology
Authors: Kang Jiheong , Lee Wonbeom , Kim Hyunjun , Kang Inho , Park Hongjun , Jung Jiyoung , Lee Haeseung , Park Hyunchnag , Ryu Seunghwa , Jeong Jae-Woong
Published: December 2021

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
The Effects of Administration of Exogenous Albumin Early after Non-cardiac Surgery on Postoperative AKI in Patients with Preoperative Hypoalbuminemia: A Prospective Propensity-score Matching Analysis
Authors: Yan Miao , Zhou Wei-Jie , Xie Min , Zhu Sai-Nan , Li Nan , Li Shuang-Ling
Published: December 2021

BackgroundEvidence have shown that preoperative hypoalbuminemia is independently associated with acute kidney injury (AKI) after non-cardiac surgery. However, little study has investigated the effects of administration of exogenous albumin early after non-cardiac surgery on postoperative AKI in patients with preoperative hypoalbuminemia.MethodsThis study was a secondary analysis of the database of a previously conducted prospective cohort study. Data of 661 adult patients who underwent non-cardiac surgery and were admitted to Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) after surgery from May 1, 2019 to November 30, 2020 were collected. 267 patients with preoperative hypoalbuminemia were screened, and divided into two groups according to whether they were administrated with exogenous albumin on the day of SICU admission. The demographic and perioperative data of the two groups were propensity-matched. ResultsAfter propensity score matching, 64 pairs of patients were included in the final analysis. The patients of albumin group showed relatively higher serum albumin level on postoperative day 1 than that in patients of control group (31.3±3.4 vs. 29.7±3.8, P=0.008), however, no difference was observed in postoperative AKI incidence in patients of the two groups (59.4% vs. 62.5%, P=0.717). Furthermore, there was no difference in other prognostic factors, such as the use of mechanical ventilation, occurrence of other postoperative complications, in-hospital mortality, length of SICU stay and postoperative hospital stay.ConclusionsFor patients with preoperative hypoalbuminemia following non-cardiac surgery, administration of exogenous albumin early after surgery had no beneficial effect on the incidence of postoperative AKI and other clinical outcomes.
Genetic Mapping and Genomic Prediction of Sclerotinia Stem Rot Resistance to Rapeseed/Canola (Brassica Napus L.) at Seedling Stage
Authors: Roy Jayanta , Mendoza Luis E. del Río , Bandillo Nonoy , McClean Phillip E. , Rahman Mukhlesur
Published: December 2021

The lack of complete host resistance and a complex resistance inheritance nature between rapeseed/canola and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum often limits the development of functional molecular markers that enable breeding for sclerotinia stem rot (SSR) resistance. However, genomics-assisted selection has the potential to accelerate the breeding for SSR resistance. Therefore, genome-wide association (GWA) mapping and genomic prediction (GP) was performed using a diverse panel of 337 rapeseed/canola genotypes. Three-weeks old seedlings were screened using the petiole inoculation technique (PIT). Days to wilt (DW) up to 2 weeks and lesion phenotypes (LP) at 3, 4, and 7 days post inoculation (dpi) were recorded. A strong correlation (r = -0.94) between DW and LP_4dpi implied that a single time point scoring at four days could be used as a proxy trait. GWA analyses using single-locus (SL) and multi-locus (ML) models identified a total of 35, and 219 significantly associated SNPs, respectively. Out of these, seventy-one SNPs were identified by a combination of the SL model and any of the ML models, at least two ML models, or two traits. These SNPs explained 1.4-13.3% of the phenotypic variance, and considered as significant, could be associated with SSR resistance. Eighty-one candidate genes with a function in disease resistance were associated with the significant SNPs. Six GP models resulted in moderate to high (0.45-0.68) predictive ability depending on SSR resistance traits. The resistant genotypes and significant SNPs will serve as valuable resources for future SSR resistance breeding. Our results also highlight the potential of genomic selection to improve rapeseed/canola breeding for SSR resistance.
Local Interactions Affect Spread of Resource in a Consumer-resource System With Group Defense
Authors: Arroyo-Esqu Jorge , Hastings Alan , Baskett Marissa L.
Published: December 2021

Integrodifference equations are a discrete time spatially explicit model that describes dispersal of ecological populations through space. This framework is useful to study spread dynamics of organisms and how ecological interactions can affect their spread. When studying interactions such as consumption, dispersal rates might vary with life cycle stage, such as cases with dispersive juveniles and sessile adults. In the non-dispersive stage, resources may engage in group defense to protect themselves from consumption. These local nondispersive interactions may limit the number of dispersing recruits that are produced and therefore affect how fast populations can spread. We present a spatial consumer-resource system using an integrodifference framework with limited movement of their adult stages and group defense mechanisms in the resource population. We model group defense using a Type IV Holling functional response, which limits survival of adult resource population and enhances juvenile consumers production. We find that high mortality levels for sessile adults can destabilize resource at carrying capacity. Furthermore, we find that at high resource densities, group defense leads to a slower local growth of resource in newly invaded regions due to intraspecific competition outweighing the effect of consumption on resource growth.
Soil Microbes Alter the Diversity-Invasibility Relationship by Promoting a Complementarity Effect on Community Invasion Resistance
Authors: Wang Xiao-Yan , Gao Song , Chen Tong , Wang Jiang , Yu Fei-Hai
Published: December 2021

Background Soil microbes can affect both the invasiveness of exotic plants and the invasibility of native plant communities, but it still remains unclear whether soil microbes can influence the relationship between native plant diversity and community invasibility.Methods We constructed native plant communities with three levels of species richness (one, three, or six species) in unsterilized or sterilized soil (i.e., with or without soil microbes) and either prevented their invasion by exotic plants or allowed them to be invaded by each of three exotic species (Solidago canadensis, Erigeron canadensis or Symphyotrichum subulatum), which are highly invasive in China. The soils conditioned by the native plant communities that were not invaded by the exotic species were used as soil microbe inocula to test whether species richness-induced differences in soil microbes affected the growth of each of the three invasive species.Results Compared with soils containing microbes, the absence of soil microbes weakened the negative species richness-invasibility relationship, indicating that soil microbes can contribute to higher invasion resistance in more diverse native plant communities. In the presence of soil microbes, the higher invasion resistance of more diverse communities was mainly ascribed to the complementarity effect. However, soil microbes from communities with a higher species richness did not have a stronger negative effect on the growth of any of the three invasive species. Conclusion Soil microbes can alter the diversity-invasibility relationship by promoting the complementarity effect on community invasion resistance. Our results highlight the importance of integrating the role of soil microbes when testing the diversity-invasibility hypothesis.
Sensory prediction errors increase coding efficiency in mouse visual cortex through gain amplification
Authors: Tang Matthew , Kheradpezhouh Ehsan , Lee Conrad , Dickinson J , Mattingley Jason , Arabzadeh Ehsan
Published: December 2021

The efficiency of sensory coding is affected both by past events (adaptation) and by expectation of future events (prediction). Here we employed a novel visual stimulus paradigm to determine whether expectation influences orientation selectivity in the primary visual cortex. We used two-photon calcium imaging (GCaMP6f) in awake mice viewing visual stimuli with different levels of predictability. The stimuli consisted of sequences of grating stimuli that randomly shifted in orientation or systematically rotated with occasionally unexpected rotations. At the single neuron and population level, there was significantly enhanced orientation-selective response to unexpected visual stimuli through a boost in gain, which was prominent in awake mice but also present to a lesser extent under anesthesia. We implemented a computational model to demonstrate how neuronal responses were best characterized when adaptation and expectation parameters were combined. Our results demonstrated that adaptation and prediction have unique signatures on activity of V1 neurons.
Ciliary transition zone proteins coordinate ciliary protein composition and ectosome shedding
Authors: Wang Liang , Wen Xin , Wang Zhengmao , Lin Zaisheng , Li Chunhong , Zhou Huilin , Yu Huimin , Li Yuhan , Cheng Yifei , Lou Geer , Pan Junmin , Cao Muqing
Published: December 2021

The transition zone (TZ) of the cilium/flagellum serves as a diffusion barrier that controls the entry/exit of ciliary proteins. Mutations of the TZ proteins disrupt barrier function and lead to multiple human diseases. However, the systematic regulation of ciliary composition and signaling-related processes by different TZ proteins is not completely understood. Here, we reveal that loss of TCTN1 in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii disrupts the assembly of Y-links in the TZ. Proteomic analysis of cilia from WT and three TZ mutants, tctn1, cep290, and nphp4, showed a unique role of each TZ subunit in the regulation of ciliary composition, explaining the phenotypic diversity of different TZ mutants. Interestingly, we found that defects in the TZ impair the formation and biological activity of ciliary ectosomes. Collectively, our findings provide systematic insights into the regulation of ciliary composition by TZ proteins and reveal a link between the TZ and ciliary ectosomes.
Preparation of Polyethylene Glycol Monomethyl Ether Chitosan-diethylenetriamine Pentaacetic Acid and Its Effect on 89SrCl2 Excretion and Radiation Protection in the Digestive Tract of Rats
Authors: Zeng Feng , Xiao Yao , Fu Weilin , Chen Xiangyu , Zeng Hao , Zhang Yi , Liu Chuanchuan , Cai Linghu , Liu Minghua
Published: December 2021

In this study, hydrophilic polymer polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether chitosan-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (mPEGCS-DTPA) was synthesized via chemical synthesis and cross-linking, and its cytotoxicity and radiation protective effect in vivo were studied. The results revealed that mPEGCS-DTPA exhibits good cytocompatibility and increases the excretion of radionuclides through the digestiveand urinary tracts. The pathological results of the small intestine revealed that mPEGCS-DTPA exerts a good radiation-protective effect and could reduce the α and β-emitting radiation-induced damage of the intestinal mucosa. MPEGCS-DTPA can increase the excretion of radionuclides in the digestive tract and exhibits effective protection against radiation.
Acute Stress Induces Cerumen Secretion: Case series of Four Medical Students during Exams
Authors: Sameh Rahma Mohamed , Afify Mohamed , Kamal Manar Ahmed
Published: December 2021

Background and Objectives: Cerumen is a common physiological condition; it only becomes a problem if it causes a hearing impairment or other ear-related symptoms. There is increasing evidence for a relationship between stress and hearing problems. The study aims to understand the association between acute stress and increasing cerumen secretion among medical students during exams. Materials and Methods: The study is a retrospective, single-center, and consecutive case series conducted in Benha University Hospitals in Egypt We defined four cases of medical students who complained of earwax accumulation during their final exams from the 15th to the 13th of July 2021. Results: Four medical students participated in the study. Younger Females and males’ percentages were equal, and the mean age was 19.625 years old. Headache, ear discomfort, and ear pruritus are most common, followed by tinnitus, ear debris, and otitis media with effusion, while hearing loss, fever, and ear pain are slightly rare. The bilateral accumulation of earwax is typical than unilateral accumulation. Remowax was used in almost of cases and then ear wash. Males had high perceived stress, while females had moderate stress. Conclusions: This retrospective case series showed an association between acute stress and excessive cerumen secretion among small medical students during their final exams.
Analysis of Risk Factors for Postoperative Complications in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Comparison With The Japanese National Clinical Database Risk Calculator
Authors: Motono Nozomu , Ishikawa Masahito , Iwai Shun , Yamagata Aika , Iijima Yoshihito , Uramoto Hidetaka
Published: December 2021

Background: Although the risk calculator of the National Clinical Database (RC-NCD) has been widely used to predict the occurrence of mortality and major morbidity in Japan, it has not been demonstrated whether a correlation between the calculated RC-NCD risk score and the actual occurrence of mortality and severe morbidity exists.Methods: The clinical data of 739 patients who underwent pulmonary resection for non-small cell lung cancer were collected, and the risk factors for postoperative morbidity were analyzed to verify the validity of the RC-NCD.Results: The coexistence of asthma (p=0.02), smoking status (p=0.04), forced expiratory volume % in one second (p=0.02), pulmonary lobe (p<0.01), and type of operative procedure (p<0.01) were significant risk factors for postoperative morbidity in the present study, and the body mass index (BMI) (p<0.01) and type of operative procedure (p<0.01) were significant risk factors for severe postoperative morbidity. Furthermore, in patients received lobectomy, coexistence of asthma (p=0.01) and pulmonary lobe (p<0.01) were identified as significant risk factors for postoperative morbidity. Meanwhile, male sex (p=0.01), high BMI (p<0.01),　low vital capacity (p=0.04), and pulmonary lobe (p=0.03) were identified as significant risk factors for severe postoperative morbidity.Conclusions: Given that the pulmonary lobe was a significant risk factor for postoperative morbidity in patients received pulmonary resection and for severe postoperative morbidity in patients received lobectomy, the RC-NCD for postoperative morbidity needs to be modified according to high-risk lobes.Trial registration: The Institutional Review Board of Kanazawa Medical University approved the protocol of this retrospective study (approval number: I392), and written informed consent was obtained from all patients.
Oridonin Attenuates Diabetes‑Induced Renal Fibrosis via Inhibition of the TXNIP/NLRP3 and NF‑κB Pathway in Rats
Authors: Huang Gengzhen , Zhang Yaodan , Zhang Yingying , Zhou Xiaotao , Xu Yuan , Wei Huiting , Ma Yuerong
Published: December 2021

Background: Oxidative stress and its induced inflammation are important pathological processes of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Oridonin, a component isolated from Rabdosia rubescens, possesses remarkable anti-inflammatory, immunoregulatory properties, it is also a newly reported NLRP3 inhibitor. However, the renoprotective effects of Oridonin and the underlying molecular mechanisms have not been explored in DN. We hypothesized that Oridonin could reduce NLRP3 pathway and ameliorate diabetes‑induced renal fibrosis.Methods: We used STZ-induced diabetic rats combined high-fat diet to establish a T2DM animal model, and then treated with Oridonin (10, 20 mg/kg/day) for two weeks. Kidney function and renal fibrosis were assessed. In addition, the expression of inflammatory factors and fibrotic markers were analyzed by western blot.Results: Oridonin treatment preserved kidney function and markedly limited the renal fibrosis size in diabetic rats. The renal fibrotic markers were inhibited in the 10 mg/kg/day group and 20 mg/kg/day group compared to the T2DM group. Moreover, the expression levels of TXNIP/NLRP3 and NF‑κB pathway were decreased in the Oridonin treatment group compared to non-treated group. Conclusions: The NLRP3-inflammasome inhibitor Oridonin reduces renal fibrosis and preserves kidney function in T2DM rat model, which indicates potential therapeutic effect of Oridonin on DN.
Tacit Knowledge Elicitation Process for Industry 4.0
Authors: Fenoglio Enzo , Kazim Emre , Latapie Hugo , Koshiyama Adriano
Published: December 2021

Manufacturers migrate their processes to Industry 4.0 that includes new technologies for improving productivity and efficiency of operations. One of the issues is capturing, recreating, and documenting the tacit knowledge of the aging workers. However, there are no systematic procedures to incorporate this knowledge into Enterprise Resource Planning systems for maintaining a competitive advantage. This paper describes a solution proposal for a tacit knowledge elici-tation process for capturing operational best practices of experienced workers in industrial domains for on-site training. We use Concept Maps mining and domain ontologies to discover and integrate information into a Knowledge Graph in a role game played by human and virtual agents. Ethical and societal concerns are discussed as well.
First draft Genome of Loach (Orenectus shuilongensis; Cypriniformes: Nemacheilidae) provide insights into the Evolution of Cavefish
Authors: Liu Zhi-Jin , Zhang Xiong-Fei , Wen Hua-Mei , Han Ling , Zhou Jiang
Published: December 2021

BackgroundLoaches from the superfamily Cobitoidea (Cypriniformes, Nemacheilidae) are small elongated bottom-dwelling freshwater fishes with several barbels near the mouth, and some species of loach inhabit the underground drainage. The genus Oreonectes with 18 currently recognized loach species represent the three key stages of the evolutionary process (a surface-dwelling lifestyle, facultative cave persistence, and permanent cave dwelling). Some Oreonectes species show typical cave dwelling-related traits, such as partial or complete leucism and regression of the eyes, rendering them as suitable study objects of micro-evolution. Genome information of Oreonectes species is therefore an indispensable research resource of the evolution of cavefishes.ResultWe assembled the genome sequence of O. shuilongensis, a surface-dwelling species, using an integrated approach that combined PacBio single-molecule real-time sequencing and Illumina X-ten paired-end sequencing. The genome assembly contains 803 contigs with N50 values of 5.58 Mb. 25,247 protein-coding genes were predicted, of which 95.65% have been functionally annotated. Meanwhile,we found that dozens of genes related to eye development and melanogenesis were pseudogenised during the evolutionary process in cave environment, providing novel insights into complex phenotypic adaptations of animals in specific environment. ConclusionHere we report the first draft genome assembly of Oreonectes fishes, which is also the first genome reference for Cobitidea fishes. This genome assembly will contribute to the study of the evolution and adaptation of cavefishes within Oreonectes and beyond (Cobitidea) and provid valuable genomic resources for studies on the evolutionary history of the rapid speciation processes of family Nemacheilidae.
Does M-Health Based Exercise (Guidance Plus Education) Improve Efficacy in Patients with Chronic Low-Back Pain？A Preliminary Report on The Intervention’s Significance
Authors: Zheng Fu-ming , Liu Shu-feng , Zhang Shanshan , Yu Qiu-hua , Lo Wai Leung Ambrose , Li Ting-ni , Wang Chuhuai
Published: December 2021

Background: : The utilization of mobile health (m-health) has rapidly expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic, and there is still a lack of relevant clinical data pertaining to chronic low-back pain（CLBP）management. This study was designed to compare the effectiveness of m-health based exercise (via guidance plus education) versus exercise (via guidance) during CLBP management.Methods: Participants (n = 40) were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. The intervention group received m-health based exercise (via guidance plus education), whereas the control group received m-health based exercise (via guidance). The exercise prescription video and educational content were sent to participants by the application (app), Ding Talk. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to test the baseline’s intervention effects, 6-week follow-up, and 18-week follow-up. We selected function（Roland and Morris Disability Questionnaire）and pain intensity (current, mean, and most severe Numeric Rating Scale in the last 2 weeks）as the primary outcomes, changes of negative emotion (depression, anxious), and quality of life as the secondary outcomes.Results: Time’s significant effect was found in pain, function, and health-related quality of life in both groups, but time did not show significant interaction effects. Participants were able to use m-based education with their anxiety and depression after treatment, but the relief only lasted until Week 6. No differences were found on the aspect of mental health-related quality of life.Conclusion: M-health based exercise (via guidance) is a convenient and effective method to treat CLBP. Additionally, plus education is more helpful in improving treatment adherence than guidance only. However, at the last follow-up（18-week）, no significant differences were found between the intervention and control groups.Trial registration:The trial was prospectively registered with the Chinese Clinical Trials Registry Number: ChiCTR2000041459（12/26/2020）.
Metasurface Superstrate Beam Steering Antenna with AMC for 5G/WiMAX/WLAN Applications
Authors: Verma Akhilesh , Arya Ravi Kumar , Raghava Srinivasa Nallanthighal
Published: December 2021

A beam-steering antenna based on non-uniform metasurface superstrate and AMC, operating at 3.5 GHz, is presented. The antenna can steer the beam along θ = -18° and 18° with the superstrate and along θ = 0° in the absence of the superstrate with almost zero scan loss. Antenna structure consists of a top layer of non-uniform metasurface superstrate made of a 20 × 20 grid of electrically-small square-shaped metallic pixels while the bottom part consists of AMC with a grid of 5 × 5 pixels. The radiating element, CPW-fed monopole antenna, is placed between AMC and superstrate. The fabricated prototype shows desired beam steering in directions of θ = -18°, 0°, and 18° while maintaining uniform realized gain of 5.5 dB and matches well with simulations.
Bioinformatic Modelling of SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic with a Focus on Country-Specific Dynamics
Authors: Liu Jakub , Suchocki Tomasz , Szyda Joanna
Published: December 2021

Background: One of the seminal events since 2019 has been the outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Countries have adopted various policies to deal with it, but they also differ in their socio-geographical characteristics and the public health care facilities. Our study aimed to investigate differences between epidemiological parameters across countries.Method: The analysed data represents SARS-CoV-2 repository provided by the Johns Hopkins University. Separately for each country, we estimated recovery and mortality rates using the SIRD model applied to the first 30, 60, 150, and 300 days of the pandemic. Moreover, a mixture of normal distributions was fitted to the number of confirmed cases and deaths during the first 300 days. The estimates of peaks’ means and variances were used to identify countries with outlying parameters.Results: For 300 days Belgium, Cyprus, France, the Netherlands, Serbia, and the UK were classified as outliers by all three outlier detection methods. Yemen was classified as an outlier for each of the four considered timeframes, due to high mortality rates. During the first 300 days of the pandemic, the majority of countries underwent three peaks in the number of confirmed cases, except Australia and Kazakhstan with two peaks.Conclusions: Considering recovery and mortality rates we observed heterogeneity between countries. Liechtenstein was the “positive” outlier with low mortality rates and high recovery rates, at the opposite, Yemen represented a “negative” outlier with high mortality for all four considered periods and low recovery for 30 and 60 days.