bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An OLE Centred Production Line Maintenance Prioritisation: Guided by the Criticalities of the Specific Characteristics of Equipment Operational Reliability
Authors: Yang Zhaojun , Li Jieli , Chen Chuanhai , He Jialong , Tian Hailong , Yu Lijuan
Published: April 2021

Maintenance task prioritisation is essential for production system, especially when available resources are limited. Related studies take either system safety or productivity as the objective of system maintenance prioritisation. While since improper system maintenance can make bad equipment cooperation thus induce unstable manufacturing process and big equipment operation time loss, system process ability is also necessary to be improved in production line maintenance. Therefore, the overall line efficiency (OLE) which comprehensively evaluates production line productivity and process ability is adopted as the objective to develop maintenance prioritisation in this study. Specifically, an OLE centred maintenance prioritisation policy which assigns priorities according to the influences of the specific characteristics of equipment operational reliability on OLE is proposed: To correctly allocate limited maintenance resources to truly critical equipment and achieve good maintenance effect, equipment influences on OLE are analysed from the level of the specific performances of their operational reliability: equipment mean time between stops (mtbs), mean time to resume from stops (mttr) and buffer size N. Considering the interactions between these parameters, a surrogate modelextended Fourier amplitude sensitivity test (SM-EFAST) process is integrated to accurately and rapidly analyse the total effects of them on OLE. In the end, an application case adopting the proposed OLE centred maintenance prioritisation method achieved higher OLE and lower total maintenance cost than two current popular maintenance prioritisation methods.
The effect of a multimodal comprehensive care methodology for family caregivers of people with dementia
Authors: Kobayashi Masaki , Honda Miwako
Published: April 2021

Background: Caregivers experience social, physical and psychological burdens in caring for people with dementia. A study was conducted to assess the efficacy of a multimodal comprehensive care methodology training programme for the family caregivers of people with dementia.Methods: This research was a pre-post prospective study. A total of 148 family caregivers of people with dementia participated in a multimodal comprehensive care methodology training programme for six hours (three times for two hours) in three months, which was followed by weekly delivery of information via postcard. The care burden of the caregivers was evaluated by the Japanese short version of the Zarit Burden Interview (J-ZBI) before the training, one month post-training and three months post-training (primary outcome). Each caregiver assessed the symptoms of the people with dementia for whom they provided care with the Behavioral Pathology in Alzheimer’s Disease (Behave-AD) (secondary outcome).Results: A total of 117 family caregivers (79%) were assessed three months after training. Over the course of the programme, the care burden significantly decreased from pre-training to three months post-training (P<0.001). The mean care burden scores before, one month after, and three months after the intervention were 13.3, 10.9 and 10.6, respectively. The mean Behave-AD score of 101 people with dementia (68%) three months post-training was lower than that at pre-training, but the difference was not statistically significant (from 13.6 to 11.8, P=0.005).Conclusions: The multimodal comprehensive care methodology training was associated with a reduction in the care burden of family caregivers. These findings suggest that randomized controlled trials with large sample sizes are needed. Trial registration: UMIN Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN-CTR), UMIN000043245. Registered 4 February 2021 – Retrospectively registered, https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000049032
An online GPCR structure analysis platform
Authors: Gloriam David , Kooistra Albert , Munk Christian , Hauser Alexander
Published: April 2021

We present an online, interactive platform for comparative analysis of all available G protein-coupled receptor structures while correlating to functional data. The comprehensive platform encompasses structure similarity, secondary structure, protein backbone packing and movement, residue-residue contact networks, amino acid properties and prospective design of experimental mutagenesis studies. This lets any researcher tap the potential of sophisticated structural analyses enabling a plethora of basic and applied research studies.
Use of dual priming oligonucleotide system-based multiplex RT-PCR assay to detect five diarrhea viruses in pig herds in South China
Authors: Si Guangbin , Niu Jiawei , Zhou Xia , Xie Yongsheng , Chen Zhifei , Li Gen , Chen Ruiai , He Dongsheng
Published: April 2021

In this study, a specific and simple method based on the dual priming oligonucleotide (DPO) system was developed to simultaneously detect transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), porcine rotavirus A (PRV-A), porcine delta coronavirus (PDCoV), and swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus (SADS-CoV), associated with the major enteric RNA viruses in pigs. The multiplex RT-PCR method based on the DPO system simplified the primer design and did not require optimization of the annealing temperature. Specificity analysis revealed that the method could specifically detect TGEV, PEDV, PRV-A, PDCoV, and SADS-CoV without any cross-amplification of other circulating swine viruses. The limit of detection of the method was as low as 103–104 copies/μL plasmid of each virus. The method also had good repeatability, and obvious results were seen in three repeat experiments with an interval of 45 days. This optimized multiplex RT-PCR method was used to evaluate 181 clinical swine samples that were collected from four provinces of China between September 2016 and August 2018. The results showed that the positive detection rates of PEDV, PDCoV, SADS-CoV, PRV-A, and TGEV were 30.94% (56/181), 17.67% (32/181), 11.6% (21/181), 9.39% (17/181), and 0.55% (1/181), respectively. Mixed infection of two or more viruses was also common. The DPO system-based multiplex RT-PCR could be a useful tool for detecting enteric virus infections. This method has the advantages of easy operation, low cost, high detection efficiency, and short running time for early diagnosis in clinical cases.
Gut microbiota changes in pre-eclampsia, abnormal placental growth and healthy pregnant women
Authors: Huang Lihui , Cai Min , Li Li , Zhang Xin , Xu Yang , Liu Jinyang , Huang Qian , Luo Guijuan , Zeng Zhaoyang , Jin Cuiyuan , Jin Yuanxiang , He Jun , Yang Weitao
Published: April 2021

Pre-eclampsia (PE) is a condition of high blood pressure which usually concurrent with proteinuria in pregnancy. PE complicate the management of both maternal and fetal health and contribute the most of adverse pregnancy outcome, but the mechanism underlying the development of PE remains unclear. In this study, we performed a case-control study to compare the gut microbiota of PE, abnormal placental growth (APG) and health pregnant women and analyzed the potential pathogenic role of gut microbiota in PE progression. Although the clinical pathophysiological state did not affect the bacterial diversity, the compositions of the gut microbiota were significant altered in both PE and APG groups when compared with health pregnant woman. At phylum level, TM7 was significantly increased in woman with APG and, although with no significance, the percentage of Proteobacteria were extended especially in patient with PE. Heterogeneity was observed at genus level, especially in the genus with positive LDA scores suggested the stage-dependent manner effort of gut microbiota to the development of PE. The beneficial bacteria lactobacillus was markedly depleted in PE and APG group but only correlated with blood pressure (BP) and proteinuria levels in PE group and, different lactobacillus species shown different contributions (otu255 and otu784 were significant related to PE and APG separately). Our results indicated that shifts in the gut microbiota might occur from the early stages of the development of PE, which is of possible etiological and therapeutic importance.
Sanziguben Polysaccharides Inhibit Diabetic Nephropathy Through NF-κB-Mediated Anti-Inflammation
Authors: Zhou Kang , zhang jianing , Liu Chang , Ou Lijuan , Wang Fan , Yu Yang , wang yumei , Bai Shasha
Published: April 2021

Background

Sanziguben polysaccharides (SZP) are large amounts of classical Chinese medicines from Sanziguben (SZGB). Moreover, SZGB is a widely applied compound prescription for diabetic nephropathy (DN) treatment.
Methods

The high-fat diet plus streptozotocin injections were used to replicate the DN models in male C57BL/6 mice. DN mice were divided into five groups: DN mice, DN mice treated with SZP(1.01 or 2.02g/kg), DN mice treated with SZGB decoction(4.7g/kg), and DN mice treated with metformin (300 mg/kg). HG and LPS plus TNFα stimulated human tubule epithelial (HK-2) cells to establish an in vitro model and treated with SZP (100 or 200 µg/mL).
Results

SZP was found to comprise sugar, protein, and uronic acid. Furthermore, SZP alleviated the progression of inflammation in vivo and in vitro by inhibiting the expression of NF-κB.
Conclusions

NF-κB plays a critical role in the development of DN induced by STZ and HG. Furthermore, SZP can attenuate the NF-κB-mediated progression of DN, which could be explored further for developing a new novel choice for the prevention and treatment of DN.
Female Sexual Function in Different Phenotypes of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: A Comparative Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Yarjanli Mahsa , Sadatmahalleh shahideh Jahanian , Mirzaei Negin , Azarbajani Khadijeh
Published: April 2021

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) coexisting mood disorders along with a combination of aesthetic manifestations may have a detrimental effect on women's sexual function. Hence, different phenotypes of PCOS have different clinical and biochemical signs and symptoms. The aim of this study was to compare women's sexual function (SF) in different phenotypes of PCOS.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 364 women who met the Rotterdam diagnostic criteria to compare different PCOS phenotypes (A=95, B=78, C=95, and D=95). All patients were invited to fill out the female sexual function index (FSFI).Results: Significant differences were observed between the different phenotypes in terms of total score, sexual desire, arousal, lubrication, and satisfaction (P<0.001); however, no significant differences were found between them in the terms of pain (P>0.05) and orgasm (P>0.05). In addition, phenotype B had the lowest mean score of total FSFI (P<0.05).Conclusion: The results indicated that women's SF is significantly different in different PCOS phenotypes. It is concluded that in order to solve the SF problems of women with PCOS, different treatment and care measures should be considered according to the relevant phenotype.
Preparation, characterization and application of the nanocomposite PCL-PEG-PCL / Bentonite-TBHSA to the removal of methylene blue (MB) dye: Adsorption, Kinetics, and Isotherm studies
Authors: Draoua Zohra , Harrane Amine , Adjdir Mehdi
Published: April 2021

This study focuses on the synthesis, characterization, and application of amphiphilic PCL-PEG-PCL/Bentonite-TBHSA (A2). The prepared of A2 nanocomposite was prepared from Algerian Bentonite modified by the intercalation of tetrabutylammonium hydrogen sulfate (TBHSA) (A1), were characterized by different techniques including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction(XRD), (TEM),(DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA ). The removal efficiency of of methylene blue, from aqueous solutions. The effects of the initial pH of a solution, contact time, and nanocomposite mass on the adsorption efficiency were investigated. Pseudo-first/second-order isotherms were applied to determine the efficiency of nanocomposite solid. The experimental data fitted well with the pseudo-second-order model for MB dye adsorption. The mass of nanocomposite increased, the adsorption capacity of dye increases to reach an optimal value at 0.13 g of adsorbent in pH = 6.8. The Langmuir isotherm exhibited the best fit, with an adsorption capacity equal to 600 mg/g .
Dynamic Subspecies Population Structure of Vibrio Cholerae in Dhaka, Bangladesh
Authors: Islam Mohammad , Nasreen Tania , Liang Kevin Y. H. , Johura Fatema-Tuz , Kirchberger Paul C. , Sultana Marzia , Case Rebecca J. , Alam Munirul , Boucher Yann F.
Published: April 2021

Cholera has been endemic to the Ganges delta for centuries. Although the causative agent, Vibrio cholerae, is autochthonous to coastal and brackish water, cholera occurs continually in Dhaka, the inland capital city of Bangladesh which is surrounded by fresh water. Despite the persistence of this problem, little is known about the environmental abundance and distribution of lineages of V. cholerae, the most important being the pandemic generating lineage (PG) consisting mostly of serogroup O1 strains. To understand spatial and temporal dynamics of PG and other lineages belonging to the V. cholerae species in surface water in and around Dhaka city, we used qPCR and high throughput amplicon sequencing. Seven different freshwater sites across Dhaka were investigated for six consecutive months and physiochemical parameters were measured in situ. Total abundance of V. cholerae was found to be relatively stable throughout the six months sampling period, with 2×105 to 4×105 genome copies/L at six sites and around 5 ×105 genome copies/L at the site located in the most densely populated part of Dhaka city. PG O1 V. cholerae was present in high abundance during the entire sampling period and composed between 24-92% of the total V. cholerae population, only showing occasional but sudden reductions in abundance. In instances where PG O1 lost its dominance, other lineages underwent a rapid expansion while the size of the total V. cholerae population remained almost unchanged. Intraspecies richness of V. cholerae was positively correlated to salinity, conductivity and total dissolved solids (TDS), while it was negatively correlated to dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration in water. Interestingly, negative correlation was observed specifically between PG O1 and salinity, even though the changes in this variable were minor (0-0.8 ppt). Observations in this study suggest that at the subspecies level, population composition of naturally occurring V. cholerae can be influenced by fluctuations in environmental factors, which can lead to altered competition dynamics among the lineages.
Construction of CRISPR/CAS9 system for industrial Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain and genetic manipulation effect on 2-phenylethanol pathway
Authors: Xu Zhiwei , Chen Zhe , Lin Lucheng , Wang Kun , Sun Jie , Zhu Tingheng
Published: April 2021

Background

The market demand for natural 2-phenylethanol (2-PE) continues to increase. Saccharomyces cerevisiae can synthesize 2-PE through the Ehrlich pathway. There are few studies on the improvement of the diploid industrial strains of S. cerevisiae by gene editing technology. There is no report on the comparison of genetic manipulation effect among S.cerevisiae strains with different 2-PE yield background, and the study on knockout of 2-PE downstream product synthesis gene and its effect on the yield of 2-PE have not been found.
Results

The CRISPR/CAS9 system with high efficiency for diploid S.cerevisiae CWY132 strain for industrial production of 2-PE was constructed. When the length of the homology arm of donor DNA is increased from 60bp to 500bp, the efficiency of gene editing increased from 0–100%. Using CRISPR/CAS9 technology, the branched acetaldehyde dehydrogenase genes ALD2 and ALD3 and the terminal acetyltransferase gene ATF1 in the Ehrlich pathway of S.cerevisiae strains with different 2-PE yields were knocked out. The results showed that in the high-yielding CWY-132 strain, the 2-PE yield decreased from 3.50 g/L to 1.65 g/L when double ALD2 and ALD3 were knocked out, a decrease of 52.8%. When ATF1 was knocked out, the yield of 2-PE decreased to 0.83 g/L, a decrease of 76.2%; In the low-yielding strain PK-2C, the yield of 2-PE increased from 0.21 g/L to 1.20 g/L when ALD2 was knocked out, an increase of 471%. When ATF1 was knocked out, the yield of 2-PE increased to 0.45g/L, an increase of 114%. The results show that the same genetic manipulation strategy for strains with different 2-PE yeilds backgrounds produces significantly different or even opposite effects. In addition, we found that the insufficient supply of NADH in cells can significantly affect the production of 2-PE, and the tolerance of cells to 2-PE is also a key factor that limits the further increase of 2-PE production in high-yielding strain.
Conclusions

This study shows that the length of the Donor DNA homology arm is a key factor affecting the efficiency of CRISPR/CAS9 gene editing in industrial diploid S. cerevisiae strains. Our result also shows that it is not feasible to increase the 2-PE production in high-yielding strains by blocking the branch pathway in the Ehrlich pathway. Breakthrough in the 2-PE yield of the high-yielding strains requires improved strains’ tolerance to 2-PE and increase the cellular NADH level.
Malaria Elimination in Unguja Island Zanzibar: Individual Risk Factors for Continued Transmission.
Authors: Garimo Issa Ally , Gasarasi Dinah , Kishimba Rogath , Ali Abdulla , Shirazi Wahida Hasan , Al-mafazy Abdul-wahid , Ali Mohamedi , Mkali Humphrey , Abade Ahmed
Published: April 2021

Introduction: To achieve malaria elimination, understanding of the individual risk factors for malaria infection is critical to inform strategic planning and implementation. To address this, a community-based individual risk-factor study was conducted in Unguja Island Zanzibar.Methods: A matched case control study with a sample size of 103 cases and 309 controls was conducted in Unguja Island. Malaria cases from health facilities were reported via Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) mobile phones to a central database, after which an SMS alert was sent to the District Malaria Surveillance Officer’s (DMSO) mobile phone. DMSO followed up index cases up to household level and performed malaria test on all household members using rapid diagnostic tests (mRDT). Family members tested negative were considered as controls. Both cases and controls were interviewed with the same questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Epi-info version 3.5.1 using conditional logistic regression model. Results: The findings revealed that chance of malaria infection was higher among individuals who travelled outside Zanzibar [AOR = 60.47, 95% CI 15.73 - 232.44], who spend their time in outdoor activities during the night [AOR = 8.53, 95% CI 1.96 - 37.11], whose rooms were not sprayed with indoor residual spray (IRS) [AOR= 29.60, 95% CI 2.68 - 326.49] and those who did not have a bed net [AOR=16.25, 95% CI 3.32 - 79.50].Conclusion: Travel outside Zanzibar, outdoors activities during the night, lack of access to malaria interventions (IRS or bed nets) were the risk factors for malaria infection in Unguja. Ministry of Health should set a mechanism of encouraging people who travel to malaria endemic areas to attend the nearby health facility for malaria screening. Sensitizing people on using protective gear during the night and ensuring good coverage of malaria interventions would reduce the risk of malaria in Unguja Zanzibar.
The Financial Protection of National Health Insurance: Evidence From a Cross Section of State and Federal Workers in Akwa Ibom, Nigeria 
Authors: Flannery Darragh , Garvey John , Inyang Uduakobong
Published: April 2021

Background: Public health insurance schemes can offer households financial protection against health care costs and help to resolve inequality in health care provision. The current study evaluates the impact of the Nigerian National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in reducing financial hardship for a sample of Nigerian households working in the health and higher education sectors. The data allows us to examine the variation in the financial protection effects across different income groups and explore differences in standard of living by households with coverage and those without.Methods: Data was gathered in Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria. A cluster sampling technique is used to compare participants and non-participants in the NHIS and within this, identify equivalent groups with regard to household characteristics such as education level, income and household composition. A propensity score matching approach examines variations in out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE), catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) and number of household assets across the insured and uninsured groups controlling for cofounding factors.Results: The likelihood of experiencing CHE for a household that is insured is estimated to be 82% lower than that of an insured household, even after controlling for our variety of observable characteristics. OOPEs are ₦50,000 lower in households with insurance compared to those without. We additionally find a significant difference in standard of living, as measured by household asset ownership across the insured and non-insured groupsConclusions: There is a statistically and practically significant association between participation in the NHIS scheme and household financial protection. This provides support to policy-makers seeking to design and extend equitable health-financing policies.
Evaluation of bioconcentration of trace elements in the Western Mediterranean mouse (Mus spretus Lataste, 1883) at two Moroccan wetland sites
Authors: tifarouine LOUBNA , Benabbou Asmae , Idrissi Hamid Rguibi , Benhoussa Abdelaziz
Published: April 2021

Many micromammals were shown to be vulnerable to metallic trace elements and are therefore suitable for biomonitoring. The objective of our research is to assess the exposure of a small rodent, Mus spretus, as a bioindicator of pollution to trace elements. We have determined the concentrations of Cu, Pb, Cr, Zn and Fe in the liver, kidneys and heart of 71 individuals of Mus spretus in north-west Morocco in two areas: Merja Zerga and Dayet Erroumi. Tissue metal concentrations in this species varied widely with age, sex, sites and organs. The concentration of Cu in the liver was the highest among all the metals and was recorded in adult females of Merja Zerga with a maximum of 60 µg / g ; at Dayet Erroumi, it was around 14 µg / g. At the same time, we found a similar trend for Fe, Pb, Cr and Zn in the three organs in males and females at the two sites. Highly significant differences between females at the two sites were recorded for the variables weight (W) and head to body length (TL) (t = -3.992; p < 0.001 and t = -2.242, p < 0.05), however, males obtained equal values ​​in the two sites. Spatiotemporal monitoring in small mammals must be studied, but requires the application of a non-lethal estimator.
Alternate Delivery Platforms and Implementation Models for Bringing Evidence-Based Behavioral Interventions to Scale for Youth Facing Adversity: A Case Study in West Africa
Authors: Bond Laura , Farrar Jordan , Borg Ryan C. , Keegan Katrina , Journeay Katharine , Hansen Nathan , Mac-Boima Emmanuel , Rassin Alimamy , Betancourt Theresa S.
Published: April 2021

Background: Youth Functioning and Organizational Success for West African Regional Development (Youth FORWARD) was launched as an implementation science collaboration focused on scaling out evidence-based mental health interventions for youth exposed to war and other adversities through novel delivery platforms. This implementation science case study examines the use of a collaborative team approach (CTA) as a scale-out strategy to foster the integration of an evidence-based group mental health intervention, the Youth Readiness Intervention, into youth employment programs tied to regional economic development in Sierra Leone.Methods: A case study methodology is used to explore the feasibility and acceptability of integrating an evidence-based intervention, the Youth Readiness Intervention (YRI), into youth employment/entrepreneurship programs (EPP) in Sierra Leone, facilitated by the CTA. The authors analyzed field notes logged during program implementation, eight weeks of supervision notes, and 20 interviews with agency leaders and front-line staff delivering the YRI within this alternate delivery strategy. A linked Hybrid Type II effectiveness-implementation cluster randomized trial is evaluating the clinical effectiveness of the YRI within this delivery platform.Results: Extant data indicate the strong feasibility and acceptability of integrating the Youth Readiness Intervention into the EPP. Facilitators of integration of the YRI into the EPP include: mission alignment of the organizations with the delivery of psychosocial interventions, shared commitment to serving vulnerable youth, support from local District Youth Councils, and high interest from the youth served. Barriers include perceived competition between frontline organizations seeking funding for psychosocial interventions and EPPs, and challenges in flexibility between donors and implementation partners operating in a fragile/post conflict setting. The CTA was a feasible and acceptable strategy to support fidelity and quality improvement while scaling out the YRI.Conclusions: Youth entrepreneurship and livelihood programs offer a promising mechanism for expanding the reach of evidence-based interventions (EBIs) to youth in fragile and post-conflict settings. Quality improvement and sustainment of EBIs are novel concepts in such settings. The CTA strategy institutionalizes the integration of an EBI into youth employment and entrepreneurship programs.Trial Registration: NCT03603613 (phase 1 pilot, registered May 18, 2018) and NCT03542500 (phase 2 scale-out study, registered May 18, 2018).
Factors Affecting the Sustainability of Microfinance Institutions: A Case of Malawi Microfinance Institutions
Authors: Kayembe Helex , Lin Yunjian , Munthali George N. Chidimbah , Xuelian Wu , Banda Lazarus Obed Livingstone , Dzimbiri Mastano N. Woleson , Mbughi Colleen
Published: April 2021

Background: Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs) have been used as a tool for poverty alleviation in many developing economies globally, including Malawi. However, their sustainability in many countries has been dependent solely on loan repayment, donor aid, and subsidies. Aim: This study aimed at investigating the factors that influence the sustainability of MFIs in Malawi. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from November to December 2020 among the MFIs employees in the central region of Malawi. Convenience and purposive sampling techniques were used to collect data online using a google form sent via social media platforms. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS software with Statistical significance placed at .05. Results: 120 respondents completed the survey representing a 79.3% response rate, of which 63% were male. The majority of the respondents fell within the age group of 31-40 years, representing 58%, having attained universities and vocational colleges' education level, representing 32.8%. With an experience of above 16 years, representing 41.2% of which were branch managers, representing 49.6%. The results of the ordinary least square regression indicated that reporting and loan management system (RLMS) (β=0.200, P=0.021), corporate-governance (β=0.257, P=0.004), and commercialization (β=0.161, P=0.047) were positively significantly influencing the sustainability of MFI. On the other hand, loan design/type (β =-0.211, P=0.006), loan portfolio management (β =-0.179, P=0.050) were found to be negatively impacting the MFI. Lastly, variables of over-indebtedness (B= 0.077, P=0.426), loan disbursement (β =0.121, P=0.104) were found statistically insignificant. Conclusion: Our study argues that commercialization, standardized reporting, and effective loan portfolio management systems, stakeholder-based approach to corporate governance, and favored board independence through scale and cost management is critical to improving MFIs' financial sustainability.
Hepatectomy with simultaneous resection of portal vein for Bismuth IV perihilar cholangiocarcinoma: a case report
Authors: Wang Shuo , Yang Zhe , Chang Kai-Wun , Zheng Shusen
Published: April 2021

Background: Surgical resection is the only potential treatment choice for patients with cholangiocarcinoma. Portal vein invasion used to be a primary cause of irresectable tumor. Nowadays, portal vein resection and reconstruction has become a routine surgical procedure.Case presentation: A 65-year-old male patient, suffering from jaundice and abnormal liver function was referred to our hospital for intensive examination. Before admission to our center, the patient had been undergoing percutaneous transhepatic cholangial drainage (PTCD) for six days for the palliation of jaundice and liver function. A series of check-ups and examinations resulted in the diagnosis of Bismuth type IV perihilar cholangiocarcinoma. The patient later received right hemihepatectomy and Roux-en-Y choledochojejunostomy. As the portal vein was affected by tumor, it was partially removed and reconstructed. In addition, the portal vein thrombus (PVT) was removed, and a portal vein stent was placed. After surgery, the patient received six courses of chemotherapy. A gemcitabine-based regimen in combination with S-1 were used. Nineteen months after the surgery, the patient is still healthy.Conclusions: This report demonstrates that hepatectomy with simultaneous resection of portal vein for Bismuth type IV perihilar cholangiocarcinoma may contribute to a satisfactory result. Consequently, combined resection and reconstruction is often required when negative pathological resection (R0 resection) is performed.
Changes in Triglyceride-glucose Index Predict the Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases in the General Population: a Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Wang Anxin , Tian Xue , Zuo Yingting , Chen Shuohua , Meng Xia , Wu Shouling , Wang Yongjun
Published: April 2021

Background: The relationship between baseline triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index and cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been confirmed by former studies. However, the effect of longitudinal changes in TyG index on CVD remains uncertain. This study aimed to investigate the association of changes in TyG index with CVD in the general population. Methods: The current study included 62,443 Chinese population who were free of CVD. TyG index was calculated as ln [fasting triglyceride (mg/dL) × fasting glucose (mg/dL)/2], changes in TyG index was defined as the difference in TyG index between 2010 and 2006. Cox proportional hazard model and restricted cubic spline was used to examine the association between changes in TyG index and CVD.Results: During a median follow-up of 7.01 years, 2,530 (4.05%) incident CVD occurred, including 2,018 (3.23%) stroke and 545 (0.87%) MI. Risk of CVD was increased with quartiles of changes in TyG index, the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) in Q4 group versus Q1 group was 1.37 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21-1.54) for the overall CVD, 1.38 (95% CI, 1.19-1.60) for stroke, and 1.36 (95% CI, 1.05-1.76) for MI. Restricted cubic spline also showed cumulative increased risk of CVD with increasing changes in TyG index. Furthermore, the addition of changes in TyG index to a baseline risk model for CVD improved the C-statistics (P=0.0097), the integrated discrimination improvement (P<0.0001), and the category-free net reclassification improvement (P<0.0001). Similar results were observed for stroke and MI.Conclusions: Substantial changes in TyG index can independently predict the risk of CVD in the general population. Monitoring long-term changes in TyG may be helpful in the early identification of individuals at high risk of CVD.
Shortest Link Scheduling in Wireless Networks Under The Rayleigh Fading Model
Authors: Huang Baogui , Yu Jiguo , Ma Chunmei , Li Fengyin , Li Guangshun
Published: April 2021

Many shortest link scheduling algorithms adopt non-fading SINR interference model, which assumes that the received signal power will always remain determinate as long as the transmission power of the corresponding sender is fixed. In fact, because environment always influences the propagation of radio signals, the received signal power is by no means a certain value. Rayleigh fading is a statistical model for radio signals propagation. It assumes that the strength of a signal on a receiver is a random variable, varying with the Rayleigh distribution. This paper proposes a shortest link scheduling algorithm under the Rayleigh fading model (SLSRF). The SLSRF partitions the wireless network area into hexagons and colors the hexagons with 3 different colors such that two neighboring hexagons have different colors. The senders of the links scheduled simultaneously are arranged in hexagons with the same color. The correctness of the SLSRF is proved through theoretical analysis, and the efficiency is illustrated by elaborate simulations. Our simulation results demonstrate that the schedule delay of SLSRF is less than that of some results under the non-fading SINR interference model. Furthermore, we extend the SLSRF to a distributed version, which is suitable for large wireless networks.
Efficacy of melatonin supplementation in the treatment of periodontitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Zhen Yuexiang , Yue Hui , Xiao Yiting , Liu Qin , Zhao Meilin
Published: April 2021

Background: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to analyze the additive effects of the melatonin supplementation with nonsurgical periodontal therapy (NSPT) on periodontal status in patients affected by chronic periodontitis. Methods: In December 2020, We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, CENTRAL databases and Google Scholar databases. Four RCTs were recruited with the same inclusion criteria. PD and CAL were the primary outcome measures. Subgroup analyses were performed according to health statuses and follow-up times, and Cochran’s Q and I-square ( I2 ) tests were used to assess heterogeneity.Results: This review included four RCTs. Four studies reported probing depth (PD) and 3 studies reported clinical attachment loss (CAL). Compared with the placebo groups, the melatonin groups showed a significant reduction in PD (weighted mean difference [WMD], -1.01; 95% confidence intervals [CI], -1.67 to -0.35; I2 = 76%) and CAL (WMD, -1.08; 95% CI: -1.36 to -0.79, I2 = 0%). Subgroup analyses revealed that the use of systemic melatonin + NSPT significantly reduced PD and CAL at the 2-, 3-, and 6-month follow-ups compared to NSPT alone, and stronger treatment effects of reducing PD were observed at shorter follow-ups than at longer follow-ups when adjunctive systemic melatonin was used.Conclusions: Melatonin supplementation in adjunct with nonsurgical periodontal therapy can moderately improve the efficacy of NSPT in reducing PD and greater CAL gain in patients with periodontitis. With the limited evidence available, it is evident that additional good quality RCTs are required to demonstrate additional beneficial effects of oral melatonin supplementation on periodontal clinical parameters after NSPT.
Clothing type and vitamin D status: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Mohamed Shimels Hussien , Alizadeh Shahab , Tessema Masresha , Samuel Aregash , Petros Alemnesh , Hussen Alemayehu
Published: April 2021

Background Inconsistent reports have been made on the link of clothing style to vitamin D deficiency (VDD). However, there is no meta-analysis report on the link. Thus, we pooled the existing empirical evidence on the association of wearing concealing clothing with VDD and serum 25(OH)D level among healthy adult women.Method PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Sciences, and Google Scholar were searched for studies published until December 15, 2020 on the relation of clothing type with vitamin D status. Odds ratio (OR) and standardized mean difference (SMD) were used to summarize the estimates on the association of concealing clothing with VDD status and 25(OH)D level, respectively. The summary estimates were calculated with random-effects meta-analyses, with heterogeneity assessed by I2–metrics and subgroup analyses done by types of clothing and regions of residence. Result In total, 14 studies with a total of 11,332 individual participants were included. Overall, women who wear concealing clothing were 2.28 times more likely to develop VDD compared with women who do not wear concealing clothing (pooled OR=2.28, 95%CI=1.67, 3.10, P<0.001). The summary odds of VDD was 1.36 times higher among women who wear veil hijab compared with women who do not wear veil hijab (95%CI=1.49, 3.59, P<0.001). The summary odds of VDD was 2.25 times higher among women who wear long sleeve clothes compared with those who wear short sleeve clothes (95%CI=1.63, 3.11, P<0.001). The mean serum 25(OH)D level of women who wear veil hijab was also significantly lower by 6.48 ng/ml (pooled SMD= -6.48, 95%CI= -8.24, -4.73, P<0.001). Conclusion Clothing type, particularly fully concealing clothes like hijab, might be contributing to the burden of VDD. Further studies are warranted to investigate the role and dose of additional VD supplement to compensate the effect of concealing clothing (hijab) on VD status of women.
Prediction of species composition ratios in pooled specimens of the Anopheles Hyrcanus Group using quantitative sequencing
Authors: Lee Do Eun , Kim Heung-Chul , Chong Sung-Tae , Klein Terry A. , Kim Ju Hyeon , Lee Si Hyeock
Published: April 2021

Background
Vivax malaria is transmitted by members of the Anopheles Hyrcanus Group that includes six species (Anopheles sinensis s.s., An. pullus, An. kleini, An. belenrae, An. lesteri, and An. sineroides) in Republic of Korea. Individual Anopheles species within the Hyrcanus Group demonstrate differences in their geographical distributions, vector competence and insecticide resistance, making it crucial for accurate species identification. Conventional species identification conducted using individual genotyping (or barcoding) based on species specific molecular markers requires extensive time commitment and financial resources.
Results
A population-based quantitative sequencing (QS) protocol developed in this study provided a rapid estimate of species composition ratios among pooled mosquitoes as a cost-effective alternative to individual genotyping. This can be accomplished by using species- or group-specific nucleotide sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase subunit I (COI) and the ribosomal RNA internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region as species identification markers in a two-step prediction protocol. Standard genomic DNA fragments of COI and ITS2 genes were amplified from each Anopheles species using group-specific universal primer sets. Following sequencing of the COI or ITS2 amplicons generated from sets of standard DNA mixtures, equations were generated via linear regression to predict species-specific nucleotide sequence frequencies at different loci. Species composition ratios between An. sineroides, An. pullus and An. lesteri were estimated from QS of the COI amplicons based on the mC.260A, mC.122C and mC.525C markers at the first step, followed by the prediction of species composition ratios between An. sinensis, An. kleini and An. belenrae based on QS of the ITS2 amplicons using the rI.370G and rI.389T markers. A blind test proved that predicted species composition ratios were not statistically different from the actual values, demonstrating that the QS-based prediction is accurate and reliable.
Conclusions
This two-step prediction protocol will facilitate rapid estimation of the species composition ratios in field-collected Anopheles Hyrcanus Group populations and is particularly useful for studying the vector ecology of Anopheles population and epidemiology of malaria.
Collider and Reporting Biases Involved in the Analyses of Cause of Death Associations in Death Certificates: an Illustration with Cancer and Suicide
Authors: Laanani Moussa , Viallon Vivian , Coste Joël , Rey Grégoire
Published: April 2021

Background: Data from death certificates have been studied to explore causal associations between diseases. However, these analyses are subject to collider and reporting biases (selection and information biases, respectively). Methods: We aimed to assess to what extent associations of causes of death estimated from individual mortality data can be extrapolated to the general population. We used a multistate model to generate populations of individuals and simulate their health states up to death from national health statistics and artificially replicate collider bias. Associations between health states can then be estimated from such simulated deaths by logistic regression and the magnitude of collider bias assessed. Reporting bias can be approximated by comparing the estimates obtained from the observed death certificates (subject to collider and reporting biases) with those obtained from the simulated deaths (subject to collider bias only). Results: As an illustrative example, we estimated the association between cancer and suicide in French death certificates, and found that cancer was negatively associated with suicide. Collider bias, due to conditioning inclusion in the study population on death, increasingly downwarded the associations with cancer site lethality. Reporting bias was much stronger than collider bias and depended on the cancer site, but not prognosis. Conclusions: These results argue for an assessment of the magnitude of both collider and reporting biases before performing analyses of cause of death associations exclusively from death certificates. If these biases cannot be corrected, results from these analyses should not be extrapolated to the general population.
Gadobutrol-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome rescued by intravenous immunoglobulin and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
Authors: Chen Yu-Chen , Hsu Yi-Chih , Chen Hsiang-Cheng , LU CHUN-CHI
Published: April 2021

BackgroundGadobutrol-induced life-threatening allergies, such as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), is rarely reported. The severe allergies publishing in previous literature report involves IgE and tryptase-mediated immune responses. Gadobutrol-related non-IgE-mediated allergy has not been reported.Case presentationA 39-year-old woman underwent Gadobutrol-contrast magnetic resonance imaging of both lower limbs for clinically suspected vasculitis. One hour after injection of 8 ml Gadobutrol, the patient developed dizziness without respiratory symptoms. Eight hours after the contrast injection, she exhibited vomiting, dyspnea, and rapid progression of edema. She visited the emergency room, where chest imaging showed increased infiltration in both lungs. Arterial blood gas analysis revealed hypoxemia when she was given 100% inspired oxygen. The patient was admitted to intensive care unit and received inotropic agents. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was applied due to the diagnosis of ARDS and persistent hypoxia after using mechanical ventilation. Systemic intravenous glucocorticoid and antihistamine were prescribed for allergic reaction. Contrast-relevant non-IgE-mediated allergy was confirmed by detailed medical record and laboratory data. An additional 2 days of intravenous immunoglobulin was prescribed. By 3 days after admission, the patient’s shock and acute respiratory distress syndrome had responded great. She was discharged 13 days after admission.ConclusionsHere, we present the first case of gadobutrol-induced non-IgE-mediated allergy complicated by ARDS. This condition was successfully rescued by dual therapy of venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and intravenous immunoglobulin without any complications.
Ablation of Red Stable Transfected Prostate Cancer Cell Lines by C-CPE Gold-Nanoparticle Mediated Laser Intervention
Authors: Alnajjar Suhayla , Nolte Ingo , Becker Annegret , Kostka Tina , Schille Jan Torben , Sender Sina , Perez Simon Villa , Frank Marcus , Ngezahayo Anaclet , Escobar Hugo Murua
Published: April 2021

Background: Claudin (CLDN) proteins have been described to be found and accordingly targeted to evaluate novel therapeutic approaches. C-terminus of Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin (C-CPE) binds efficiently several claudins and thus recombinant C-CPE conjugated to gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) has been used for cancer cell targeting using gold nanoparticle- mediated laser perforation (GNOME-LP). Cancer cells inoculation is routinely used to generate in vivo models to evaluate novel therapeutic approaches in prostate cancer. However, detailed characterization of cancer spreading and early tumor development and therapeutic response is often limited as conventional cell lines do not allow advanced deep tissue imaging.Methods: two canine prostate cancer cell lines were stably transfected with red fluorescent protein (RFP), followed by G418 selection. RFP marker as well as CLDN3, -4 and -7 expression was comparatively confirmed by flow cytometry, qPCR and immunofluorescences. For cancer cells targeting, GNOME-LP at a laser fluence of 72 mJ/cm² and a scanning speed of 0.5 cm/s was used. Statistical analysis was performed using SAS software 7.1, Dunnett´s Multiple Comparison Test and Student´s two-sided t-test. Differences were considered statistically significant for p<0.05.Results: we established two canine prostate carcinoma cell lines, stably expressing RFP allowing perspective deep tissue imaging. Directed C-CPE-AuNP binding to native and RFP transfected cells verified the capability to specifically target CLDN receptors. Cancer cell ablation was demonstrated in vitro setting using a combination of gold nanoparticle mediated laser perforation and C-CPE-AuNPs treatment reducing tumor cell viability to less than 10 % depending on cell line. Conclusion: the results confirm that this therapeutic approach can be used efficiently to target prostate carcinoma cells carrying a marker protein allowing deep tissue imaging. The established cell lines and the verified proof of concept in vitro study provide the basis for perspective Xenograft model in vivo studies. The introduce red fluorescence enables deep tissue imaging in living animals and therefore detailed characterization of tumor growth and subsequently possible tumor ablation through C-CPE-AuNPs treatment.