bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
One-Step Direct Oxidation of Alkoxy to Ketone for Evaporable Fullerene-Fused Ketone as Efficient Electron-Transport Materials
Authors: Lin Hao-Sheng , Ma Yue , Xiang Rong , Manzhos Sergei , Jeon Il , Maruyama Shigeo , Matsuo Yutaka
Published: January 2021

Ketones, one of widely applied moieties in designing electrical and medical materials, commonly converted from the alcohols through the oxidation reactions. However, when alcohols are protected/functionalized, the direct oxidation strategies are substantially curbed. Here we show a highly efficient copper bromide promoted one-step direct oxidation of alkoxy to ketone with the aid of a fullerene pendant. Mechanistic studies unveil that fullerene can serve as an electron poor proceeding the one-step oxidation of alkoxy group to ketone. In the absence of fullerene pendant, the unreachable activation energy threshold hampers the direct oxidation of alkoxy group. In the presence of fullerene pendant, copper bromide oxidized fullerene radical cation can activate neighboring C–H bond of alkoxy moieties, allowing a favorable energy barrier for initiating the direct oxidation of alkoxy group. Produced fullerene-fused ketone indicates high thermal stability, affording the pin-hole free and amorphous electron-transport layer with high electron-transport mobility.
Ferroelectric-tuned van der Waals heterojunction with band alignment evolution
Authors: Chen Yan , Wang Xudong , Huang Le , Wang Xiaoting , Jiang Wei , Wang Zhen , Wang Peng , Wu Binmin , Lin Tie , Shen Hong , Wei Zhongming , Hu Weida , Meng Xiangjian , Chu Junhao , Wang Jianlu
Published: January 2021

Van der Waals (vdW) integration with abundant two-dimensional materials provides a broad basis for assembling functional devices. However, band alignment in a specific vdW heterojunction (VHJ) is difficult to tune, restricting its multifunctionality and structural simplicity. Here, we designed a ferroelectric-tuned VHJ (Fe-VHJ) device structure by integrating a GeSe/MoS2 VHJ and poly (vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE))-based ferroelectric polymer. An ultrahigh electric field derived from the ferroelectric polarization that can effectively modulate the band alignment of the GeSe/MoS2 heterojunction. Band alignment transition of the heterojunction from type II to type I was demonstrated. The combination of anisotropic GeSe with MoS2 realised a high-performance polarization-sensitive photodetector exhibiting low dark current of approximately 1.5 pA, quick response of 14 μs, and high detectivity (D*) of 4.7 × 1013 Jones. Dichroism ratios were also enhanced by ferroelectric polarization in a broad-spectrum from visible to near-infrared. The GeSe/MoS2 Fe-VHJ has great potential for multifunctional detection applications in sophisticated light information sensing. More profoundly, the Fe-VHJ structure provides a valid band-engineering approach to creating versatile devices.
Mapping flows on hypergraphs
Authors: Eriksson Anton , Edler Daniel , Rojas Alexis , Rosvall Martin
Published: January 2021

Hypergraphs offer an explicit formalism to describe multibody interactions in complex systems. To connect dynamics and function in systems with these higher-order interactions, network scientists have generalised random walk models to hypergraphs and studied the multibody effects on flow-based centrality measures. But mapping the large-scale structure of those flows requires effective community detection methods. We derive unipartite, bipartite, and multilayer network representations of hypergraph flows and explore how they and the underlying random walk model change the number, size, depth, and overlap of identified multilevel communities. These results help researchers choose the appropriate modelling approach when mapping flows on hypergraphs.
Risk factors of sleep disturbances in elderly patients after thoracic surgery: a preliminary clinical trial
Authors: Li Bing , Liu Yao , Jia Jia , Tang Fudong , Zhang Wei , Zhang Jiaqiang
Published: January 2021

BackgroundTo identify the risk factors of sleep disturbances in elderly patients after thoracic surgery.MethodsWe enrolled 200 patients, all aged > 65, who underwent elective thoracic surgery and had American Society of Anesthesiology physical status II–III. We recorded general information, surgical diagnosis, type of operation, surgical duration, bleeding, nerve block, and dexmedetomidine dose given by controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA). We used the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) at the end of PCIA to evaluate subjective sleep quality; we also recorded postoperative pain, nausea, and vomiting. We divided patients into a non-sleep disturbances group and a sleep disturbances group with PSQI \(\ge\)5 as the cutoff.ResultsA total of 76 (45%) of the patients had sleep disturbances after thoracic surgery. There were significant differences between groups in terms of chronic insomnia, hypertension, diabetes, BMI, age, surgical diagnosis, type of operation, surgical duration, bleeding, nerve block, and dexmedetomidine dose in PCIA. Logistic regression analysis revealed that chronic insomnia, BMI, diabetes, surgical diagnosis, type of operation, surgical duration, bleeding, and postoperative pain were independent risk factors of postoperative sleep disturbances. This analysis also showed that nerve block and dexmedetomidine dose in PCIA were significant protective factors of postoperative sleep disturbances.ConclusionChronic insomnia, BMI, diabetes, surgical diagnosis, type of operation, surgical duration, bleeding, and postoperative pain are independent risk factors of postoperative sleep disturbances in elderly patients. Nerve block and the dose of dexmedetomidine in PCIA are protective.Trial registrationChiCTR2000035169; retrospectively registered on 01.08.2020.
Prognostic Biomarker MUC4 Mutations in Colon Adenocarcinoma Correlating with Tumor Microenvironment
Authors: Li Ting , Hui Wenjia , Gao Feng
Published: January 2021

Background: Immunotherapy is a new strategy for Colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment. Tumor mutation burden (TMB) may act as an emerging biomarker for predicting responses to immunotherapy. Nevertheless, no studies investigate if these gene mutations correlate to TMB and tumor-infiltrating immune cells. Methods: Somatic mutation data for CRC samples were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) datasets. Then, we investigated the relationship between these mutant genes, TMB and overall survival outcomes. GSEA analysis was performed to explore the underlying mechanism of mutant gene. Finally, we further verified the connection between gene mutations and immune response.Results: We identified 17 common mutant genes shared by both two cohorts. Further analysis found that MUC4 mutation was strongly related to higher TMB and predicted a poorer prognosis. Moreover, functional enrichment analysis of samples with MUC4 mutation revealed that they were involved in regulating the natural killer cell mediated cytotoxicity signaling pathway. Significant changes in the proportion of the immune cells of CD8+ T cells, activated NK cells, M1 macrophages and resting memory CD4+ T cells were observed using the CIBERSORT algorithm. Conclusions: Our research revealed that MUC4 mutation significantly correlated with increased TMB, a worse prognosis and modulating the immune microenvironment, which may be considered a biomarker to predict the outcome of the immune response in colorectal cancer.
Insurance Disparity in Cardiovascular Mortality among Non-Elderly Cancer Survivors
Authors: Shi Tiantian , Jiang Changchuan , Zhu Cenjing , Wu Fangcheng , Fotjhadi Irma , Zarich Stuart
Published: January 2021

Background:Insurance status plays a vital role in cancer diagnosis, treatments and survival. Cancer patients have higher cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality than the general population. Methods: The Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program 2007-2016 was used to estimate the CVD mortality among cancer patients aged 18 to 64 years at the time of diagnosis of an initial malignancy with the eight most prevalent cancers. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated for each insurance (Private vs Medicaid vs Uninsured) using coded cause of death from CVD with adjustment of age, race, and gender. The Fine-Grey Model was used to estimate adjusted Hazard Ratios (HR) of each insurance in CVD mortality. Results: A total of 768,055 patients were included in the final analysis. CVD death in patients with Medicaid insurance remained higher than in those with private insurance (HR=1.71; 95%CI, 1.61-1.81; p<0.001). Older age, male gender, and black race were all associated with increased CVD mortality in the multivariable model. Compared to the general population, patients with Medicaid had the highest SMRs of CVD mortality, regardless of year of cancer diagnosis, follow-up time, cancer site, and race. Private insured patients had similar CVD mortality to the general population after 2 years out from their cancer diagnosis. Conclusion: Cancer patients with private insurance have significantly lower CVD mortality than those with no insurance or Medicaid. The insurance disparity remained significant regardless of type of CVD, cancer site, year of diagnosis and follow-up time.
Loss of PR55α promotes proliferation and metastasis by activating MAPK/AKT signaling in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: JiangSheng Zhao , GuoFeng Chen , JingQi Li , ShiQi Liu , Quan Jin , ZhengWei Zhang , FUZhen Qi , JianHuai Zhang , JianBo Xu
Published: January 2021

Background: PR55α plays important roles in oncogenesis and progression of numerous malignancies. However, its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is unclear. Methods: PR55α expressions in HCC tissues and paired healthy liver samples were detected using Western blot and tissue microarray immunohistochemistry. We knocked down the expression of PR55α in SMMC-7721 and LM3 cell lines via small interfering and lentivirus. In vitro cell counting, colony formation, migration and invasion assays were performed along with in vivo xenograft implantation and lung metastases experiments. The potential mechanisms involving target signal pathways were investigated by RNA-sequencing.Results: PR55α expression level was suppressed in HCC tissues in comparison to healthy liver samples and was indicative of poorer prognosis. Knockdown of PR55α significantly promoted cell proliferation and migration, induced repression of the cell cycle progression and apoptosis in vitro while accelerating in vivo HCC growth and metastasis. Mechanistic analysis indicated that PR55α silencing was involved with MAPK/AKT signal pathway activation and resulted in increased phosphorylation of both AKT and ERK1/2.Conclusion: This study identifies PR55α to be a candidate novel therapeutic target in the treatment of HCC.
Artesunate Ameliorates Cigarette Smoke-Induced Airway Remodeling via PPAR-γ/TGF-β1/Smad2/3 Signaling Pathway
Authors: Pan Kunming , Lu Juanjuan , Song Yun
Published: January 2021

Background: Airway remodeling, the major pathological feature of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), leads to poorly reversible airway obstructions. Current pharmacological interventions are ineffective in controlling airway remodeling. Herein, in this study, we investigated the potential role of artesunate in preventing and treating airway remodeling and the underlying molecular mechanisms in vitro and in vivo.Methods: The COPD rat model was established by cigarette smoke (CS) exposure. After 12 weeks’ treatment of artesunate for COPD rats, the pathological changes of lung tissues were observed by ELISA test, histochemical and immunohistochemical staining. Lung functional experiment was also carried out to elucidate artesunates’ effects. The human bronchial smooth muscle (HBSM) cells were used to clarify the underlying molecular mechanisms. Results: Artesunate treatment inhibited CS-induced airway inflammation and oxidative stress in a dose-dependent manner, simultaneously significantly reduced airway remodeling through inhibiting α-SMA and cyclin D1 expressions. Mechanistically, upregulation of PPAR-γ expression and inactivation of TGF-β1/Smad2/3 signaling by artesunate treatment were found in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, PPAR-γ knockdown by siRNA transfection abolished the ability of artesunate to inhibiting HBSM cell proliferation, via triggering the activation of TGF-β1/Smad2/3 signaling pathway and downregulating the expression of α-SMA and cyclin D1 in HBSM cells.Conclusions: These findings suggest that artesunate could be valuable for treating airway remodeling by targeting PPAR-γ/TGF-β1/Smad signaling in COPD.
Rapid-Flow Expulsion Maneuver in Subglottic Secretion Clearance to Prevent Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia: A Randomized Controlled Study
Authors: Li Ying , Yuan Xue , Sun Bing , Li Hai-chao , Chu Hui-wen , Wang Li , Zhao Yu , Tang Xiao , Wang Rui , Li Xu-yan , Tong Zhao-hui , Wang Chen
Published: January 2021

Background: Following endotracheal intubation, clearing secretions above the endotracheal tube cuff decreases the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP); therefore, subglottic secretion drainage (SSD) is widely advocated. Our group developed a novel technique to remove the subglottic secretions, the rapid-flow expulsion maneuver (RFEM). The objective of this study is to explore the effectiveness and safety of RFEM compared with SSD.Methods: This study was a single center, prospective, randomized and controlled trial, conducted at Respiratory Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, a university-affiliated tertiary hospital. The primary outcome was the incidence of VAP, assessed for non-inferiority.Results: Patients with an endotracheal tube allowing drainage of subglottic secretions (n=241) were randomly assigned to either the RFEM group (n=120) or SSD group (n=121). Eleven patients (9.17%) in the RFEM group and 13 (10.74%) in the SSD group developed VAP (difference, -1.59; 95% confidence interval [CI], [-9.20 6.03]), as the upper limit of 95% CI was not greater than pre-defined non-inferiority limit(10%), RFEM was declared non-inferior to SSD. There were no statistically significant differences in the duration of mechanical ventilation, ICU mortality, or ICU length of stay and costs between groups. In terms of safety, no accidental extubation or maneuver-related barotrauma occurred in the RFEM group. The incidence of post-extubation laryngeal edema and reintubation was similar in both groups.Conclusions: RFEM is effective and safe, with non-inferiority compared to SSD in terms of the incidence of VAP. RFEM could be an alternative method in first-line treatment of respiratory ICU patients. Trial registration: This study has been registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (registration number: NCT02032849, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02032849); registered on January 2014.
Adaptation and preliminary psychometric properties of three self-stigma outcome measures for people living with dementia
Authors: Bhatt Jemini , Stoner Charlotte R , Scior Katrina , Charlesworth Georgina
Published: January 2021

Background: A diagnosis of dementia presents individuals with both social and psychological challenges but research on self-stigma in dementia has been largely confined to qualitative approaches due to a lack of robust outcome measures that assess change. The Stigma Impact Scale (SIS) is the most commonly used measure of self-stigma in dementia but its suitability as a tool to assess change in a diverse UK population is unclear. Thus, the aim of this study was to identify, adapt and evaluate the acceptability and preliminary psychometric properties of self-stigma measures for people with dementia for use as measures of change. Method: A 4-step sequential design of identifying, selecting, adapting and testing psychometric measures as follows: 1) identification of stigma outcome measures through reviewing anti-stigma intervention literature, 2) selection of candidate measures through quality assessment (Terwee criteria) and expert consultation, 3) adaptation for UK dementia population (Stewart and colleagues Modification Framework) 4) testing of adapted measures in people living with dementia (N=40) to establish acceptability and preliminary reproducibility (test retest), criterion (concurrent with SIS) and construct (negative convergence with Rosenberg self-esteem scale) validity. Results: Seven measures were identified from the review, but most were poor quality (Terwee range: 0-4). Three measures were selected for modification: Stigma Stress Scale; Secrecy subscale of the Stigma Coping Orientation Scale; Disclosure Related Distress Scale. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were acceptable (.866≤α≤ .938; ICC .721-.774), except for the Stigma Stress Scale (α= .643) for which the component subscales (perceived harm, ability to cope) had stronger psychometric properties. Concurrent validity with the SIS was not established (r<.7) although there were significant correlations between total SIS and perceived harm (r=.587) and between internalized shame and secrecy (r=.488). Relationships with self-esteem were in the hypothesized direction for all scales and subscales indicating convergent validity.Conclusion: Stigma scales from mental health are not readily adapted for use with people with dementia. However there is preliminary evidence for the acceptability, reliability and validity of measures of perceived harm, secrecy and stigma impact. Further conceptual and psychometric development is required.
The prevalence of type 2 diabetes and prediabetes among armed forces personnel: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Fathalipour Mohammad , Taghdir Maryam , Hassanipour Soheil , Sepandi Mojtaba , Abbaszadeh Sepideh
Published: January 2021

Background: Previous studies of diabetes among armed forces personnel did not assess a comprehensive disease prevalence. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the prevalence of type 2 diabetes and prediabetes among military personnel and police officers.Methods: We carried out a systematic search on electronic databases from January 2000 to July 2020. All studies with a report of the prevalence of diabetes and/or prediabetes among armed forces personnel were selected. The Cochran test and I2 statistics were used to determine the heterogeneity of the studies. Random- or fixed-effects model, along with subgroup analysis on diabetes or prediabetes as well as the component of armed forces, was carried out to determine the overall prevalence. All analyses were conducted using STATA software.Results: Among 858 citations, 30 studies were entered into the meta-analysis, involving 1879170 individuals. The meta-analysis estimated the prevalence of type 2 diabetes among the military personnel (9.15%; 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 5.35-12.96) and police officers (9.58%; CI: 5.98-13.18). The overall prevalence of prediabetes among the military personnel and the police officers were 7.32% (CI: 4.22-10.42) and 6.35% (CI: 5.26-7.44), respectively. Conclusion: The prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes among armed forces was consistent with global reports among the general population. These results will inform policy-makers and healthcare providers to find solutions and help to take action to reduce diabetes risk factors on a wider scale, particularly among armed forces personnel.
The effectiveness of a training programme in everyday cognition in healthy older adults: A randomised controlled trial
Authors: Gómez Celia Sánchez , Rodríguez Eduardo José Fernández
Published: January 2021

Background: Everyday cognition is the application of basic cognitive skills and knowledge of the specific cognitive domain for the resolution of problems that are integrated within the instrumental domains of functioning. The main objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of a Training Programme in Everyday Cognition in order to improve the levels of everyday cognition and global cognitive performance in older adults.Methods: A randomised controlled trial of two groups. The sample was composed of healthy older adults. The intervention of the experimental group consisted of an Everyday Cognition Training Programme, and the intervention of the control group consisted of a Conventional Cognitive Training Programme. The Rapid Assessment of Cognitive Functions test (ERFC) and the Everyday Cognition Battery test (ECB) were used to assess the intervention.Results: Total sample (n=237) composed of 44 men and 223 women, with a mean age of 73.45 years. Statistically significant differences (p <0.001) were evidenced between the control group and the experimental group in both the ECB and ERFC; in the final evaluation of the study and in the follow-up.Conclusion: The use of a Daily Cognition Training Programme presents greater benefits in terms of both global cognitive performance and everyday cognition than the use of a Conventional Cognitive Training Programme in elderly adults.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04041999 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04041999)Retrospectively registered. Date of trial registration: 8th July 2019.
Determinants of successful guideline implementation: A national cross-sectional survey
Authors: Jin Yinghui , Tan Li-Ming , Khan Khalid S. , Deng Tong , Huang Chao , Han Fei , Zhang Jing , Huang Qiao , Huang Di , Wang Dan-qi , Wang Yu , Zeng Xiantao , Wang Qiang , Wang Xing-huan
Published: January 2021

Background: CPGs are not uniformly successful in improving care and several instances of implementation failure have been reported. Performing a comprehensive assessment of the barriers and enablers is key to developing an informed implementation strategy. Our objective was to investigate determinants of guideline implementation and explore associations of self-reported adherence to guidelines with characteristics of participants in China.Methods: This is a cross-sectional survey, using multi-stage stratified typical sampling based on China's economic regional divisions (the East, the Middle, the West and the Northeast). 2-5 provinces were selected from each region. 2-3 cities were selected in each province, and secondary and tertiary hospitals from each city were included. We developed a questionnaire underpinned by recommended methods for the design and conduct of self-administered surveys and based on conceptual framework of guideline use, in-depth related literature analysis, guideline development manuals, related behavior change theory. Finally, multivariate analyses were performed using logistic regression to produce adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI).Results: The questionnaire consisted of four sections: knowledge of methodology for developing guidelines; barriers to accessing guideline; barriers to guideline implementation; and methods for improving guideline implementation. There were 1732 participants (87.3% response rate) from 51 hospitals. Of these, 77.2% reported to have used guidelines frequently or very frequently. The key barriers to guideline use were lack of education or training (46.2%), and overly simplistic wording or overly broad scope of recommendations (43.8%). Level of adherence to guidelines was associated with geographical regions (the northeast P＜0.001; the west P=0.02; the middle P＜0.001 compared with the east), hospital grades(P=0.028), length of practitioners’ practice (P =0.006), education background (PhD, P=0.027; Master, P=0.002), evidence-based medicine skills acquired in work unit (P=0.012), and medical specialty of practitioner (General Practice, P=0.006; Surgery, P=0.043). Conclusion: Despite general acknowledgement of the importance of guidelines, the use of guidelines was not as frequent as might have been expected. To optimize the likelihood of adherence to guidelines, guideline implementation should follow an actively developed dissemination plan incorporating features associated with adherence in our study.
Evaluation of automated molecular tests for detection of SARS-CoV-2 in pooled nasopharyngeal and saliva specimens
Authors: Al-Hail Hamad , Mirza Faheem , Hashemi Alaa Al , Ahmad Muneera Naseer , Tang Patrick , Hasan Mohammad Rubayet
Published: January 2021

Pooling of samples for SARS-CoV-2 testing in low prevalence settings has been used as an effective strategy to expand testing capacity and mitigate challenges associated with the shortage of supplies. We evaluated two automated molecular test systems for detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in pooled specimens. Pooled nasopharyngeal and saliva specimens were tested by Qiagen QIAstat-Dx Respiratory SARS-CoV-2 Panel (QIAstat) or Cepheid Xpert Xpress SARS-CoV-2 (Xpert), and the results were compared to that of standard RT-qPCR tests without pooling. In nasopharyngeal specimens, the sensitivity/specificity of the pool-testing approach, with 5 and 10 specimens per pool, were 77%/100% (n=105) and 74.1%/100% (n=260) by QIAstat, and 97.1%/100% (n=250) and 100%/99.5% (n=200) by Xpert, respectively. Pool-testing of saliva (10 specimens per pool; n=150) by Xpert resulted in 87.5% sensitivity and 99.3% specificity compared to individual tests. Pool size of 5 or 10 specimens did not significantly affect the difference of RT-qPCR cycle threshold (CT) values from standard testing. RT-qPCR CT values obtained with pool testing by both QIAstat or Xpert were positively correlated with that of individual testing (Pearson correlation coefficient r=0.85 to 0.99, p<0.05). However, the CT values from Xpert were significantly stronger (p<0.01, paired T-test) than that of QIAstat in a subset of SARS-CoV-2 positive specimens, with mean differences of -4.3±2.43 and -4.6±2 for individual and pooled tests, respectively. Our results suggest that Xpert SARS-CoV-2 can be utilized for pooled sample testing for COVID-19 screening in low prevalence settings providing significant cost savings and improving throughput without affecting test quality.
Ketamine treatment safety in treatment-resistant depression with somatic comorbidities: focus on dissociation and psychotic symptomatology.
Authors: Włodarczyk Adam , Cubała Wiesław J. , Węgielnik-Gałuszko Maria , Wiglusz Mariusz S.
Published: January 2021

Background and objectives: There is evidence for ketamine use in treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Several safety concerns arise regarding adverse drug reactions and specific subpopulations. The aim of this paper is to investigate the safety of intravenous ketamine treatment concerning dissociative and psychotic measures in TRD inpatients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Bipolar depression (BP) with somatic comorbidities.Methods: The study population of forty-nine inpatients comprises of MDD and BP subjects treated with ketamine registered in the naturalistic observational protocol of the tertiary reference unit for mood disorders (NCT04226963). This dataset represents an intermittent analysis of an observational study performed for interim modelling of observational learning. The study may be underpowered due to the small sample size. The observations apply to the inhomogeneous TRD population in a single-site with no blinding and are limited to the acute administration. Results: The epilepsy was significantly associated with changes in BPRS over time (p=0.008). Psychotic symptomatology with BPRS scores for comorbid somatic conditions excluding epilepsy turned out to be insignificant (p = 0.198) regardless of the diagnosis. However, for a subgroup of patients with epilepsy substantial fluctuation was seen across all administrations in the time course of the study. Conclusions: In ketamine use, careful consideration of comorbidities and concomitant medication is needed. In ketamine administration, close-clinical supervision is necessary at every visit. Psychotic symptoms must be taken into consideration in planning treatment with TRD patients with epilepsy. Somatic comorbidity may impact dissociative symptomatology. Trial Registration: Study registered: 04DEC2019, clinicaltrials.com no. NCT04226963 https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04226963
Characterization of neoplastic cells outlining the cystic space of invasive micropapillary carcinoma of the canine mammary gland.
Authors: Rodrigues Michele Angela , Caldeira-Brant Andre L. , Gomes Dawidson Assis , Silveira Tatiany L. , Chiarini-Garcia Hélio , Cassali Geovanni Dantas
Published: January 2021

Background: Invasive micropapillary carcinoma (IMPC) is a rare malignant breast tumor and a variant form of invasive ductal carcinoma that is an aggressive neoplasm of the human breast and canine mammary gland. The importance of the tumor microenvironment in cancer development has gradually been recognized, but little is known about the cell types outlining the cystic space of canine IMPC. This study aimed to characterize the neoplastic cells outlining the cystic space of IMPC.Methods: Immunohistochemistry (IHC), immunofluorescence (IF), superresolution and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to assess the cell types in the cystic areas of IMPCs.Results: Cells expressing the mesenchymal markers alpha-smooth muscle actin (aSMA), Vimentin, and S100A4 outlined the cystic space of IMPC. Furthermore, loss of epithelial cell polarity in IMPC was shown by the localization of MUC1 at the stroma-facing surface. This protein modulates lumen formation and inhibits the cell-stroma interaction. Immunohistochemical and IF staining for the myoepithelial cell marker p63 were negative in IMPC samples, and TEM revealed morphological aspects of myoepithelial-like cells with thin cytoplasmic extensions outlining the cystic space.Conclusions: The cells outlining the cystic space of IMPC in the canine mammary gland were characterized using IHC, IF and TEM. The presence of cells expressing aSMA, Vimentin, and S100A4 in the IMPC stroma suggested a role for tumor-associated fibroblasts in the IMPC microenvironment. The reversal of cell polarity revealed by the limited basal localization of MUC1 may be an important factor contributing to the invasiveness of IMPC. For the first time, the cystic space of canine mammary gland IMPC was shown to be delimited by myoepithelial-like cells that had lost p63 expression. These findings may enhance our understanding of the cellular microenvironment of invasive tumors to improve cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Impact of a transition education program on health-related quality of life in pediatric patients with congenital heart disease: study design for a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Werner Oscar , Bredy Charlene , Lavastre Kathleen , Guillaumont Sophie , Villeon Gregoire De La , Vincenti Marie , Gerl Cristelle , Dulac Yves , Souletie Nathalie , Acar Philippe , Pages Laurence , Picot Marie-Christine , Bourrel Gerard , Engberink Agnes Oude , Millon Elodie , Abassi Hamouda , Amedro Pascal
Published: January 2021

Background: Recent advances in the field of congenital heart disease (CHD) led to an improved prognosis of the patients and in consequence the growth of a new population: the grown up with congenital heart disease. Until recently, more than 50% of these patients were lost to follow up because of the lack of specialized structures. The critical moment is the transition between paediatric and adult unit. Therapeutic education is crucial to solve this issue by helping patients to become independent and responsible. The TRANSITION randomized trial aims to assess the impact of a transition education program on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of adolescents and young adults with CHD. Methods: Multicentre, randomised, controlled, parallel arm study in CHD patients aged from 13 to 25 years old. Patients will be randomised into 2 groups (education program vs. no intervention). The primary outcome is the change in self-reported HRQoL between baseline and 12-month follow-up. A total of 100 patients in each group is required to observe a significant increase of the overall HRQoL score of 7±13.5 points (on 100) with a power of 80% and an alpha risk of 5%. The secondary outcomes are: clinical outcomes, cardiopulmonary exercise test parameters (peak VO2, VAT, VE/VCO2 slope), level of knowledge of the disease using the Leuven knowledge questionnaire for CHD, physical and psychological status. Discussion: As the current research is opening on patient related outcomes, and as the level of proof in therapeutic education is still low, we sought to assess the efficacy of a therapeutic education program on HRQoL of CHD patients with a randomized trial. Trial registration: This study was approved by the National Ethics Committee (South-Mediterranean IV 2016-A01681-50) and was registered on Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03005626) on 29th December 2016 Key word: transition; therapeutic education; congenital heart disease; quality of life; adolescent.
Surgical outcomes of the thoracic ossification of ligamentum flavum: A retrospective analysis of 61 cases
Authors: Yamada Tsuyoshi , Shindo Shigeo , Yoshii Toshitaka , Ushio Shuta , Kusano Kazuo , Miyake Norihiko , Arai Yoshiyasu , Otani Kazuyuki , Okawa Atsushi , Nakai Osamu
Published: January 2021

Background: Thoracic ossification of ligamentum flavum (T-OLF), as one of the causes of thoracic myelopathy, is often combined with other spinal disorders. Concurrent lumbar spinal canal stenosis (LCS) is often obscured by symptoms due to T-OLF, leading to difficulty in identifying the origin of these neurological findings. It is common to be misdiagnosed or delayed diagnosis due to the complicated nature. We evaluated the prevalence, distribution, and clinical characteristics of OLF, especially in patients with LCS. Methods: The authors performed a retrospective analysis of the outcomes of 61 patients who underwent thoracic surgeries performed for symptomatic T-OLF. In all the patients, whole spine lesions were evaluated preoperatively. We examined the factors related to poor outcomes (the recovery rate of the Japanese Orthopedic Association score for thoracic myelopathy is less than 40%) following OLF surgeries. We compared the clinical outcomes according to whether there was concurrent LCS, and determined the optimal surgical approach. Results: The occurrence of T-OLF increased with age. Forty-six cases (75.4%) were considered to be tandem T-OLF and LCS (LCS group). An advanced age, and concurrent LCS were associated with a poor outcome after the surgery. The LCS group significantly included a greater number of elderly, and more light-weighted patients with Modic change in thoracic spine and a greater sagittal vertical axis, resulting in the lower neurological recovery. Additional lumbar surgery (13cases) effectively improved both the T-JOA and L-JOA scores (from 6.5 ± 2.0 points to 8.0 ± 1.8 points, p=0.0406, and from 14.5 ± 4.7 points to 20.7 ± 2.6 points, p=0.001, respectively) in OLF patients with LCS. Conclusions: T-OLF was highly associated with other spinal disorders. Poor outcomes in T-OLF surgery could be associated with age and concurrent LCS, and an additional surgery for another lumbar lesion significantly improved neurological findings in T-OLF patients.
Tailored Liposomal Nanotraps for the Treatment of Streptococcal Infections
Authors: Besançon Hervé , Babiychuk Viktoriia , Larpin Yu , Köffel René , Schittny Dominik , Brockhus Lara , Hathaway Lucy J. , Sendi Parham , Draeger Annette , Babiychuk Eduard
Published: January 2021

Background: Streptococcal infections are associated with life-threatening pneumonia and sepsis. The rise in antibiotic resistance calls for novel approaches to treat bacterial diseases. Anti-virulence strategies promote a natural way of pathogen clearance by eliminating the advantage provided to bacteria by their virulence factors. In contrast to antibiotics, anti-virulence agents are less likely to exert selective evolutionary pressure, which is a prerequisite for the development of drug resistance. As part of their virulence mechanism, many bacterial pathogens secrete cytolytic exotoxins (hemolysins) that destroy the host cell by destabilizing their plasma membrane. Liposomal nanotraps, mimicking plasmalemmal structures of host cells that are specifically targeted by bacterial toxins are being developed in order to neutralize - by competitive sequestration - numerous exotoxins. Results: In this study, the liposomal nanotrap technology is further developed to simultaneously neutralize the whole palette of cytolysins produced by Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes and Streptococcus dysgalactiae subspecies equisimilis - pathogens that can cause life-threatening streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. We show that the mixture of liposomes containing high amounts of cholesterol and liposomes composed exclusively of choline-containing phospholipids is fully protective against the combined action of exotoxins secreted by these pathogens. Conclusions: Unravelling the universal mechanisms that define targeting of host cells by streptococcal cytolysins paves the way for a broad-spectrum anti-toxin therapy that can be applied without a diagnostic delay for the treatment of bacterial infections including those caused by antibiotic-resistant pathogens.
Maternal DHA supplementation influences sex-specific disruption of placental gene expression following early prenatal stress
Authors: Jašarević Eldin , Hecht Patrick M. , Fritsche Kevin L. , Geary David C. , Rivera Rocío M. , Beversdorf David
Published: January 2021

Early life adversity is widely recognized as a key risk factor for early developmental perturbations and contributes to the presentation of neuropsychiatric disorders in adulthood. Neurodevelopmental disorders exhibit a strong sex-bias in susceptibility, presentation, onset and severity, although the underlying mechanisms conferring vulnerability are not well understood. Environmental perturbations during pregnancy, such as malnutrition or stress, have been associated with sex-specific reprogramming that contribute to increased disease risk in adulthood, whereby stress and nutritional insufficiency may be additive and further exacerbate poor offspring outcomes. To determine whether maternal supplementation of docosahexanoic acid (DHA) exerts an effect on offspring outcome following exposure to early prenatal stress (EPS), dams were fed a purified 10:1 omega-6/omega-3 diet supplemented with either 1.0% preformed DHA/kg feed weight (DHA-enriched) or no additional DHA (denoted as the control diet, CTL). Dams were administered chronic variable stress during the first week of pregnancy (Embryonic day, E0.5 – 7.5) and developmental milestones were assessed at E 12.5. Exposure to early prenatal stress (EPS) decreased placenta and embryo weight in males, but not females, exposed to the CTL diet. DHA-enrichment reversed the sex-specific decrease in placenta and embryo weight following EPS. Early prenatal exposure upregulated expression of genes associated with oxygen and nutrient transport, including hypoxia inducible factor 3α (HIF3α), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα), and insulin like growth binding factor 1 (IGFBP1), in placenta of CTL diet males exposed to EPS. DHA-enrichment in EPS-exposed animals abrogated the male-specific upregulation of PPARα, HIF3α, and IGFBP1. Taken together, these studies suggest that maternal dietary DHA enrichment may buffer against maternal stress programming of sex-specific outcomes during early development.
A New Task Offloading Algorithm in Edge Computing
Authors: Zhang Zhenjiang , Li Chen , Peng ShengLung , Pei Xintong
Published: January 2021

In the last few years, the Internet of Things (IOT), as a new disruptive technology, has gradually changed the world. With the prosperous development of the mobile Internet and the rapid growth of the Internet of Things, various new applications continue to emerge, such as mobile payment, face recognition, wearable devices, driverless, VR/AR, etc. Although the computing power of mobile terminals is getting higher and the traditional cloud computing model has higher computing power, it is often accompanied by higher latency and cannot meet the needs of users. In order to reduce user delay to improve user experience, and at the same time reduce network load to a certain extent, edge computing, as an application of IOT, came into being. In view of the new architecture after dating edge computing, this paper focuses on the task offloading in edge computing, from task migration in multi-user scenarios and edge server resource management expansion, and proposes a multi-agent load balancing distribution based on deep reinforcement learning DTOMALB, a distributed task allocation algorithm, can perform a reasonable offload method for this scenario to improve user experience and balance resource utilization. Simulations show that the algorithm has a certain adaptability compared to the traditional algorithm in the scenario of multi-user single cell, and reduces the complexity of the algorithm compared to the centralized algorithm, and reduces the average response delay of the overall user. And balance the load of each edge computing server, improve the robustness and scalability of the system.
The Barriers and Facilitators of Iranian Men's Involvement in perinatal Care: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Hajian Sepideh , Mehran Nahid , Simbar Masoumeh , Majd Hamid Alavi
Published: January 2021

Introduction: Pregnancy and childbirth are crucial events in women's lives that can be done well with the support of people around them, especially their husbands. However, a number of factors can reduce or increase the supportive role of spouses during this period. The aim of the present study was to explore the barriers and facilitators of Iranian men's involvement in perinatal care.Materials and Methods: This was a qualitative phenomenological study that sampling of respondents (pregnant women or the women who have recently given birth (one week to six months after childbirth), spouses, policy makers and midwifery service providers) was done through purposive sampling. The inclusion criteria included: being Iranian, the ability to understand and transfer the concepts into Persian, and employment in a midwifery center for at least one year (for service providers). Data were collected through in-depth interviews until the data saturation. The collected data were analyzed by conventional content analysis based on Graneheim and Lundman method steps. MAXQDA version 10 software was used to manage the data and Guba and Lincoln criteria were also used to ensure the trustworthiness of findings. Results: Men's involvement in perinatal care was found to be influenced by certain incentives, particular constraints and some gender authoritarian attitudes. There were 5, 4, and 3 subcategories in incentives, constraints, and gender attitudes respectively. Conclusion: The results revealed that men face a dual mechanisms in participating in perinatal care, in which some of these factors can facilitate their participation and others can reduce it.
STUDY OF AFLATOXINS IN CASHEW NUTS PRODUCED IN COTE DIVOIRE BY HIGH PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY (LCHP)
Authors:   UFR-Sciences des Structures de la Matiere et de Technologie, Universite de Felix HOUPHOUET-BOIGNY. Laboratoire de Chimie Physique, 22 BP. 582, Abidjan 22 (Cote dIvoire)., Gouli M. , Zran E. ,   UFR-Sciences des Structures de la Matiere et de Technologie, Universite de Felix HOUPHOUET-BOIGNY. Laboratoire de Chimie Physique, 22 BP. 582, Abidjan 22 (Cote dIvoire)., Yapi A. ,   Universite LOROUGNON GUEDE de DALOA (Cote dIvoire). Laboratoire des Sciences et Technique de lEnvironnement (LSTE), BP 150 Daloa (Cote dIvoire)., Trokourey A. ,   UFR-Sciences des Structures de la Matiere et de Technologie, Universite de Felix HOUPHOUET-BOIGNY. Laboratoire de Chimie Physique, 22 BP. 582, Abidjan 22 (Cote dIvoire)., Drogui P. ,   Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique. Departement INRS-Eau Terre et Environnement, Universite du Quebec, 490 rue de la Couronne, Quebec, QC G1K 9A9, Canada.
Published: January 2021

The objective of this study is to isolate, identify and quantify four types of aflatoxins noted AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, and AFG2 that can be found in cashews grown in Cote dIvoire. These carcinogenic mycotoxins (AF) are secondary metabolite toxins produced by Aspergillus molds in plant foods.This work involved eleven (11) samples of 500 g of cashew nuts from eleven (11) cities of Cote dIvoire for the 2018-2019 campaign. These cities are: Beoumi, Bondoukou, Dabakala, Daloa, Douekoue, Ferkessedougou, Korhogo, Mignignan, Odienne, Sinematiali, and Touba. The test were carried out by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) after extraction of the four (4) mycotoxins on an immunoaffinity column at a flow rate of 3 mL / minute. These aflatoxins were identified and quantified from the following pairs of Retention time (Rt) in minutes and Limit of Detection (LD) in Ã‚Âµg / kg: (13.777 0.00143), (10.583 0.00136), (9.901 0.00151), and (8.184 0.00564) respectively for AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, and AFG2. Our results show that all eleven (11) samples from these eleven (11) different cities contain aflatoxin (AFB1, AFB2, AFG2 and AFG1) contents below the national standard (2 Ã‚Âµg / kg), that of the CODEX Alimentarius (1.4 Ã‚Âµg / kg) and that of the European Union (2 Ã‚Âµg / kg) indicating that cashews produced in Cote dIvoire comply with international standards and their consumption does not pose any risk to human health caused by the studied aflatoxins.
POLITIQUES PUBLIQUES DE TRANSFORMATION DIGITALE: APPROCHE THEORIQUE ET DIAGNOSTIC
Authors:   Department Of Economics and Management., Azariz Majda , el Menzhi Kaoutar ,   School Of Law, Economic and Social Sciences -Souissi - Mohammed V University in Rabat.
Published: January 2021

La digitalisation est devenue le sujet dactualite non seulement des cercles politiques, economiques et sociaux, mais egalement un sujet de predilection de nombreux chercheurs. En effet les theoriciens de tout horizon tentent de construire une doctrine autour de cette notion dont les aspects sont encore confus et difficiles a cerner.Dans ce travail de recherche, nous tentons de dresser dans un premier lieu un etat de lart des recherches et publications en ce qui concerne leconomie numerique. En deuxieme lieu, nous analysons lexperience marocaine a travers lhistoriques des politiques publiques numeriques et leur evaluation par les instances nationales et internationales.
EVALUATION MULTI-SITE DE LEFFET DU PARASITISME AU STRIGA GESNERIOIDES (WILLD) VATKE SUR LES TRAITS FONCTIONNELS DES VARIETES DE NIEBE
Authors:   UMR DAP,Universite Dan Dicko Dankoulodo de Maradi, BP 465,ADS Maradi/Niger., Hassane Bil-Assanou Issoufou , Na Neitoabdoul Rafiou Moussa ,   UMR DAP,Universite Dan Dicko Dankoulodo de Maradi, BP 465,ADS Maradi/Niger.
Published: January 2021

Cowpea(Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) is a major legume crop in West African farming systems. Although cowpea is a drought tolerant crop, its production level is very low due to biotic constraints such as Strigagesnerioides parasitism. The present study aims to assess the effect of S. gesnerioides(Willd.) Vatkeon photosynthesis efficiency of cowpea varieties. Multilocal trialwas carried out rural areas during the 2017 rainy season to assess the number of Striga emergence likely to cause a change in photosynthetic efficiency on a panel of 26 cowpea varieties and to determine tolerant varieties. The observations were made on six experimental sites along a south-north climatic gradient representative ofMaradi region agro-ecological zones.The results showed a marked decrease of relative chlorophyll content when the number of visible Strigaemergence exceeded five per plant. Likewise, the LEF * PAR saturation curve is higher when the plants showed no visible attack of Striga. The Striga emergence have declined CRC in varieties CS001 and CS127 and led in rapid saturation in variety CS133.