bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Genomic Basis of the Streptococcus Thermophilus Health-Promoting Properties
Authors: Roux Emeline , Nicolas Aurélie , Valence Florence , Siekaniec Grégoire , Chuat Victoria , Nicolas Jacques , Loir yves Le , Guédon Eric
Published: December 2021

BackgroundStreptococcus thermophilus is a Gram-positive bacterium widely used as starter in the dairy industry as well as in many traditional fermented products. In addition to its technological importance, it has also gained interest in recent years as beneficial bacterium due to human health-promoting functionalities. The objective of this study was to inventory the main health-promoting properties of S. thermophilus and to study their intra-species diversity at the genomic and genetic level within a collection of representative strains. ResultsIn this study various health-related functions were analyzed at the genome level from 79 genome sequences of strains isolated over a long time period from diverse products and different geographic locations. While some functions are widely conserved among isolates (e.g., degradation of lactose, and folate production) suggesting their central physiological and ecological role for the species, others including the tagatose-6-phosphate pathway involved in the catabolism of galactose, and the production of bioactive peptides and g-aminobutyric acid are strain-specific. Most of these strain-specific health-promoting properties seems to have been acquired via horizontal gene transfer events. The genetic basis for the phenotypic diversity between strains for some health related traits have also been investigated. For instance, substitutions in the galK and gadBC promoter region correlate with the ability of some strains to catabolize galactose via the Leloir pathway and to produce high level of g-aminobutyric acid, respectively. Finally, the low occurrence in S. thermophilus genomes of genes coding for biogenic amine production and antibiotic resistance is also a contributing factor to its safety status.ConclusionsThe natural intra-species diversity of S. thermophilus, therefore, represents an interesting source for innovation in the field of fermented products enriched for healthy components that can be exploited to improve human health. A better knowledge of the health-promoting properties and their genomic and genetic diversity within the species may facilitate the selection and application of strains for specific biotechnological and human health-promoting purpose. Moreover, by pointing out that a substantial part of its functional potential still defies us, our work opens the way to uncover additional health-related functions through the intra-species diversity exploration of S. thermophilus by comparative genomics approaches.
Assessing Rectocele Depth and Its Association with Symptoms of Pelvic Floor Disorders Using Transperineal Ultrasound
Authors: Jeong Hongyoon , Park Duk Hoon , Won Daeyoun , Lee Jong Kyun
Published: December 2021

Aim
We investigated the clinical features of symptomatic rectoceles, as measured by transperineal ultrasound (TPUS), and evaluated the association between rectocele size and the clinical symptoms of pelvic floor disorders.
Method
This was a retrospective study using data obtained at a pelvic floor centre between August 2020 and January 2021. A total of 125 patients with defaecation disorders, such as constipation and faecal incontinence, were included. The preoperative questionnaire included the Cleveland Clinic Constipation Scoring System (CCCS, Wexner constipation score), Cleveland Clinic Incontinence Score (CCIS, Wexner incontinence score), faecal incontinence severity index (FISI), and faecal incontinence quality of life (FIQOL) scale. The size of the rectocele was measured on the trans-perineal 2D images. Patients were assigned to three groups based on rectocele size: no rectocele (<10 mm), ≥10 mm rectocele, and ≥15 mm rectocele.
Results
In the study population, 43 participants (34.4%) had no rectocele, 50 (40.0%) had ≥10 mm rectocele, and 32 (25.6%) had ≥15 mm rectocele. From the no rectocele to ≥15 mm rectocele group, the scores for the symptoms of incontinence and constipation increased, and the quality of life worsened. The CCIS (6.00±4.95 vs 8.62±5.77 vs 11.08±5.63, P = 0.004), FIQOL (13.72±4.19 vs 13.42±4.35 vs 10.38±3.88, P = 0.006), FISI (18.83±17.67 vs 25.15±17.34 vs 33.42±15.49, P = 0.010), and CCCS (7.50±6.26 vs 8.65±5.31 vs 13.11±5.90, P = 0.006), respectively.
Conclusion
The TPUS was a valuable method for the anatomical evaluation of symptomatic rectocele. The larger the size of the symptomatic rectocele measured using TPUS, the more severe the clinical symptoms.
A Joint Optimization Framework Integrated with Biological Knowledge for Clustering Incomplete Gene Expression Data
Authors: Li Dan , Gu Hong , Chang Qiaozhen , Wang Jia , Qin Pan
Published: December 2021

Clustering algorithms have been successfully applied to identify co-expressed gene groups from gene expression data. Missing values often occur in gene expression data, which presents a challenge for gene clustering. When partitioning incomplete gene expression data into co-expressed gene groups, missing value imputation and clustering are generally performed as two separate processes. These two-stage methods are likely to result in unsuitable imputation values for clustering task and unsatisfying clustering performance. This paper proposes a multi-objective joint optimization framework for clustering incomplete gene expression data that addresses this problem. The proposed framework can impute the missing expression values under the guidance of clustering, and therefore realize the synergistic improvement of imputation and clustering. In addition, gene expression similarity and gene semantic similarity extracted from the Gene Ontology are combined, as the form of functional neighbor interval for each missing expression value, to provide reasonable constraints for the joint optimization framework. Experiments on several benchmark data sets confirm the effectiveness of the proposed framework.
Elution profile of cationic and anionic adsorbate from exhausted adsorbent using solvent desorption
Authors: Patel Himanshu
Published: December 2021

Present invention involves to study the elution profile of anionic and cationic compounds from exhausted adsorbents using various eluents. Batch elution studies of anionic components like Congo Red dye and Carbonate ion; and cationic compounds such as Methylene blue dye and Cadmium metal from previously used naturally prepared adsorbents i.e. Gulmohar (Delonix regia) leaf powder - GLP; and Neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf powder – NLP and their derivatives were conducted. Different eluents used for batch study were various acids and alkaline solution having various concentration and solvents having different functional groups in seven sorption-desorption cycles. The batch data were accessed by kinetic models (Pseudo First-, Pseudo Second-order, Intra-partice and Elovic equation). Column elution experiments of Congo red and Cadmium from NLP and activated charcoal from NLP (AC-NLP) respectively was performed using selected eluent. Sorption and elution process plots and parameters for seven sorption–desorption cycles were evaluated and discussed. Plots of life cycle indicating activity-indicator equations were drawn, and their parameters were calculated and mentioned. From desorption efficiencies, it revealed that desorption exploration is predominately depends upon pH factor.
Excessive Positive Fluid Balance Has A Negative Effect On Short-Term Renal Outcomes After Kidney Transplantation
Authors: Gwon Jun Gyo , Jung Cheol Woong , Lee Chang Hun , Kim Myung-Gyu
Published: December 2021

Background: Optimized postoperative fluid management is important for maintaining early allograft function after kidney transplantation (KT). However, there is still no clear guidance regarding fluid treatment after KT. In this study, we investigated the effect of perioperative fluid balance on postoperative allograft function.Methods: Recipients who underwent KT between March 2012 and August 2018 were included, and their medical records were reviewed retrospectively. We calculated fluid balance, which is the difference between total input and output during the 3 days after KT, and analyzed the change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) according to fluid balance.Results: A total of 178 patients were included after excluding those with delayed graft function or urine output <2000 ml on the first day after KT. Among them, 116 received kidneys from living donors and 62 received kidneys from deceased donors. The total fluid balance up to day 3 was 4,236.9 ± 2830.4 ml. Old age, high body mass index (BMI), excessive positive fluid balance of the recipient, and high final creatinine of the donor were significantly associated with low eGFR at 1 week. In addition, old age, BMI, and fluid balance of the recipient predicted the 1-month eGFR. In multivariate analysis, an excessive positive fluid balance was an independent predictor of low 1-week eGFR (p=0.031). Conclusions: This study demonstrated that excessive positive fluid balance can negatively affect early graft function after KT. Proper fluid management strategies based on volume conditions may provide important therapeutic opportunities to improve early renal outcomes after KT.
Resilience among undergraduate nursing students: Findings of the first cross-sectional study in Palestine
Authors: Alkaissi A , Said N.B , Qadous Sh , AlMahmoud O , AlKony M
Published: December 2021

Background
Resilience has emerged as a concept that could explain and predict good academic and well-being of students in stressful and traumatic situations. This study was conducted to assess resilience and identify predictors of high resilience scores among nursing students in Palestine.
Methods
This cross-sectional study adhered to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology statement. Undergraduate nursing students in all academic years were recruited and asked to complete a questionnaire the contained the trait and state resilience scales.
Results
In this study, 290 students completed the questionnaire (response rate = 92.4%). The mean combined resilience score was 134.1 (SD: 12.8). Higher combined resilience scores were predicted by being in first academic year (p-value < 0.003), living in Israeli seized areas (p-value < 0.044), absence of chronic diseases (p-value = 0.035), experiencing addiction issues (p-value = 0.031), living in a house with enough number of rooms per siblings (p-value = 0.015), and having a study routine on daily basis (p-value < 0.001).
Conclusions
Undergraduate nursing students in Palestine reported relatively high trait and state resilience. Higher resilience scores were predicted by favorable living and study conditions. More studies are still needed to investigate the relationship between resilience scores, perceived well-being, willingness to care, and future success of nursing students in Palestine.
C-Reactive Protein Levels in Patients with Infectious Mononucleosis
Authors: Nevet Alon , Shapira Maanit
Published: December 2021

Background: Plasma level of C-reactive protein (CRP) is used as a biomarker of systemic inflammation. Differential distributions of CRP levels related to different pathogens aid clinicians in the differential diagnosis of patients.Objectives: To evaluate the distribution of CRP levels in patients with Infectious Mononucleosis (IMN) and its correlation with different pathogen and host characteristics.Methods: A retrospective study conducted on electronic medical records of patients diagnosed clinically and serologically with IMN in a public regional hospital during consecutive five years.Results: CRP levels were significantly elevated in patients hospitalized with clinical diagnosis of IMN and serologic evidence of EBV (average 6.8 md/dL) or CMV (average 6.3 md/dL). However, levels of CRP were not significantly correlated with plasma levels of liver enzymes. Conclusions: Although CRP levels may aid in the differential diagnosis of respiratory syndromes, its distribution in patients infected by hepatotrophic viruses is similar to that in bacterial infections.
HMMR Potential as a Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarker of Cancer - Speculation Based on a Pan-cancer Analysis
Authors: Shang junyi , Qi Yong
Published: December 2021

BackgroundAlthough the status of universal upregulation for the Hyaluronan-Mediated Motility Receptor (HMMR) in pan-cancer is still unknown, HMMR has been found to be upregulated and associated with poor prognosis for some tumors. The aims of our study included: exploring HMMR expression in different tumor types using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) or other public databases for a pan-cancer analysis, exploring the relationship between HMMR and tumor prognosis, and exploring the role of HMMR in tumor immunity. MethodsWe evaluated HMMR expression in pan-cancer and in different tumor cells using the TCGA, TIMER, ONCOMINE, and CCLE databases. Next, we analyzed the relationship between HMMR and the prognosis of different tumors subtypes. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed based on the expression of HMMR, and analyzed using a correlation between HMMR and pathological stage and tumor immunity in pan-cancer. In the final step, we analyzed protein-protein interactions using STRING and implemented a GO/KEGG enrichment analysis.ResultsNo matter the pairing or unpairing of data, HMMR expression generally increased as compared to corresponding normal tissue. Based on a CCLE study, our results indicated that HMMR is widely expressed in a variety of tumor cells. For most tumor types, high HMMR expression was associated with reduced Overall Survival (OS), Return to Functional Status (RFS), and Platinum Free Interval (PFI). ROC curves indicated that HMMR displays a high degree of prediction potential for most tumor types. In pan-cancer, HMMR is correlated with some clinical staging, immune cells, and immune checkpoints for some tumors. The results of the GO/KEGG enrichment analysis for proteins most closely related to HMMR, indicating that the most highly enriched pathways are all related to tumor development.ConclusionOur pan-cancer analysis of HMMR suggests that HMMR can be used as a potential diagnostic and prognostic indicator of pan-cancer and that HMMR may be involved in tumor development.
Investigation of the Effect of Vibration Characteristics on the Grinding Performance of Aero-Engine Blade Tip
Authors: Li Wei , Chen Qidi , Wu Jian , Liu Mingjia , Ren Yinghui , Ibrahim Ahmed Mohamed Mahmoud
Published: December 2021

The machining quality of the blade tip has a great influence on the service performance and life of the aero-engine blade. The recent paper investigates the effect of vibration during the grinding process of the GH4169 nickel-based superalloy blade tip. Moreover, this paper proposes a theoretical model to link the unbalance of the grinding wheel, the vibration, and the surface topography characteristics of the blade. The results show that the blade vibration during grinding and the resulting non-linear change of the grinding depth could reduce the surface quality of the blade tip, and lead to differences in the surface quality of the blade tip in different areas, where the surface roughness in the entry area zone I is the largest, in the exit area zone III is the second largest, and the intermediate area zone III is the smallest. Grinding depth has a greater impact on the difference of the surface quality in the blade tip grinding process, especially when the grinding depth is greater than 4 μm, the difference of surface roughness increases significantly. On the other hand, the feed rate has little effect on the difference in surface quality. Adding damping block can reduce the surface roughness of the blade tip, however, it does not reduce the difference in surface quality.
Evaluating Diagnostic Accuracy and Determining Optimal Diagnostic Thresholds of Three Different Approaches to [68Ga]-DOTATATE PET/MRI Analysis in Patients with Meningioma
Authors: Kim Sean , Roytman Michelle , Madera Gabriela , Magge Rajiv , Liechty Benjamin , Ramakrishna Rohan , Pannullo Susan , Schwartz Theodore , Karakatsanis Nicolas , Osborne Joseph , Lin Eaton , Knisely Jonathan , Ivanidze Jana
Published: December 2021

PURPOSEMultiple approaches with [Ga68]-DOTATATE, a somatostatin analog PET radiotracer, have demonstrated clinical utility in evaluation of meningioma but have not been compared directly. Our purpose was to compare diagnostic performance of three approaches to quantitative brain [68Ga]-DOTATATE PET/MRI analysis in patients with suspected meningioma recurrence and to establish the optimal diagnostic threshold for each method.METHODSPatients with suspected meningioma were imaged prospectively with [68Ga]-DOTATATE brain PET/MRI. Lesions were classified as meningiomas and post-treatment change (PTC), based on pathology findings and follow up MRI appearance. Lesions were reclassified using the following methods: absolute SUV threshold (SUV), SUV ratio (SUVR) to superior sagittal sinus (SSS) (SUVRsss), and SUVR to the pituitary gland (SUVRpit). Diagnostic performance of the three methods was compared using contingency tables and McNemar’s test. Previously published pre-determined thresholds were assessed where applicable. The optimal thresholds for each method were identified using Youden’s J statistics.RESULTS166 meningiomas and 41 PTC lesions were identified across 62 patients. SUV, SUVRsss, and SUVRpit of meningioma were significantly higher than those of PTC (P<0.0001). The optimal thresholds for SUV, SUVRsss, and SUVRpit were 4.65, 3.23, and 0.260, respectively. At the optimal thresholds, SUV had the highest specificity (97.6%) and SUVRsss had the highest sensitivity (86.1%). An ROC analysis of SUV, SUVRsss, and SUVRpit revealed AUC of 0.932, 0.910, and 0.915, respectively (P<0.0001).CONCLUSIONWe found that the SUVRsss method may have the most robust combination of sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of meningioma in the post-treatment setting, with the optimal threshold of 3.23. Future studies validating our findings in different patient populations are needed to continue optimizing the diagnostic performance of [68Ga]-DOTATATE PET/MRI in meningioma patients. Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04081701. Registered 9 September 2019. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04081701
Bonding Integrity of Hybrid 18Ni300-17-4 PH Steel Using The Laser Powder Bed Fusion Process For The Fabrication of Plastic Injection Mould Inserts
Authors: Chan Yuk Lun Simon , Diegel Olaf , Xu Xun
Published: December 2021

Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) is a metal additive manufacturing (AM) process for fabricating high-performance functional parts and tools in various metallic alloys, such as titanium, aluminium and tool steels. The process can produce geometrically complex features such as conformal cooling channels (CCC) in plastic injection mould inserts to improve cooling efficiency. A recent attempt using a hybrid-build LPBF AM technique to fabricate aluminium mould inserts with CCC attained a substantial reduction in processing time, making it an attractive alternative method to the mould-making industry. Also, the successful bonding of aluminium powder with wrought aluminium alloys proved the practicability of this concept. This study further investigates whether a similarly successful outcome could apply to tool steel since tool steel is the preferred material for constructing high-grade high-volume plastic injection moulds. In this investigation, hybrid 18Ni300 powder-wrought 17-4 PH steel parts were additively fabricated using the hybrid-build LPBF technique, followed by various post-build heat treatments. The mechanical and metallurgical properties of the samples’ bonded interface were examined. Microstructure analysis revealed homogenous powder-substrate fusion across the interface region. Results from tensile tests confirmed strong powder-substrate bonding as none of the tensile fractures occurred at the interface. A direct post-build one-hour age-hardening treatment achieved the best combination of hardness, tensile strength, and ductility. The overall result demonstrates that hybrid-built 18Ni300-17-4 PH steel can be a material choice for manufacturing durable and high-performance injection mould inserts for high-volume production.
Perception Regarding Live Kidney Donation in the General Population of South Korea
Authors: Kang Eunjeong , Lee Jangwook , Park Sehoon , Kim Yaerim , Kim Hyo Jeong , Kim Yong Chul , Kim Dong Ki , Joo Kwon Wook , Kim Yon Su , Choi Insun , Lee Hajeong
Published: December 2021

Background: It is necessary to know how the general population recognizes live kidney donation in Korea, where living donor kidney transplantations (KT) are the mainstream.Methods: Participants were randomly selected from the general population after proportional allocation by region, sex, and age. Selected participants received a questionnaire that included demographic information, socioeconomic and marital statuses, prior recognition of live donor KT, expected changes after donation, and the need for support after donor nephrectomy.Results: In total, 1,000 participants responded to the web-based survey. After reading the detailed explanation, 83.8% of the respondents answered that they fully understood living donor KT. Among the participants, 811(81.1%) answered that they knew about living donor KT, and 51.1% were willing to donate. Various complications after nephrectomy (54.4%) and deterioration in health after donation (69.1%) were the most important reasons for those who were reluctant to donate, and the possibility of a decrease in economic activities after donation accounted for 33.8%. Overall, 73.2% were more likely to agree that the government should provide social and economic support to living kidney donors; this number increased to 81.3% after exposure to the description of donor nephrectomy (P<0.001). Financial support, including surgery (74.2%) and regular medical check-up costs (70.1%), was the most preferred government support.Conclusions: The Korean general population seemed to be aware of the value and safety of kidney donation, although only half of them were willing to donate due to concerns about possible complications. Most participants agreed on social and economic support for living kidney donors, especially for surgery-related costs.
Identification of a Novel Secreted Metabolite Cyclo(Phenylalanyl-Prolyl) from Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis and its effect on Galleria Mellonella.
Authors: Starr Amanda Michelle , Zabet-Moghaddam Masoud , Francisco Michael San
Published: December 2021

The fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, is the causative agent of chytridiomycosis and a leading cause of global decline in amphibian populations . The first stages of chytridiomycosis include: inflammation, hyperkeratosis, lethargy, loss of righting reflex, and disruption of internal electrolyte levels leading to eventual death of the host. Previous work indicates that B. dendrobatidis can produce immunomodulatory compounds and other secreted molecules that regulate the growth of the fungus. In this study, filtrates of the fungus grown in media and water were subjected to ultra performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and analyzed using Compound Discoverer 3.0. Identification of cyclo(phenylalanyl-prolyl), chitobiose, and S-adenosylmethionine were verified by their retention times and fragmentation patterns from B. dendrobatidis supernatants. Previous studies have analyzed the effects of B. dendrobatidis on amphibian models, in vitro, or in cell culture. We studied the effects of live B. dendrobatidis cells, spent culture filtrates containing secreted metabolites, and cyclo(pheylalanyl-prolyl) on wax moth larvae ( Galleria mellonella) . Concentrated filtrates caused melanization within 24 hours, while live B. dendrobatidis caused melanization within 48 hours. Our results indicate B. dendrobatidis produces secreted metabolites previously unreported. These findings provide another alternative for the use of a non-amphibian model system to study pathogenicity traits in this fungus.
Single-Cell RNA-Seq Analysis of Diabetic Wound Macrophages in STZ-Induced Mice
Authors: Yin Siyuan , Ma Jiaxu , Song Ru , Liu Chunyan , Cao Guoqi , Zhang Guang , Wu Zhenjie , Zhang Huayu , Sun Rui , Chen Aoyu , Wang Yibing
Published: December 2021

Background: The crucial role of macrophages in the healing of chronic diabetic wounds is widely known, but previous in vitro classification and marker genes of macrophages may not be fully applicable to cells in the microenvironment of chronic wounds. The heterogeneity of macrophages was studied and classified at the single-cell level in a chronic wound model. Results: We performed single-cell sequencing of CD45+ immune cells within the wound edge and obtained 17 clusters of cells, including 4 clusters of macrophages. One of these clusters is a previously undescribed population of macrophages possessing osteoclast gene expression, for which analysis of differential genes revealed possible functions. We also analysed the differences in gene expression between groups of macrophages in the control and diabetic wound groups at different sampling times. Conclusions: we described the differentiation profile of mononuclear macrophages, which has provided an important reference for the study of immune-related mechanisms in diabetic chronic wounds.
Seismic Precursors to the Whakaari 2019 Phreatic Eruption detected in Five Other Volcanoes
Authors: Ardid Alberto , Dempsey David , Caudron Corentin , Cronin Shane
Published: December 2021

Volcanic eruptions that occur without warning can be deadly in touristic and populated areas. Even with real-time geophysical monitoring, forecasting sudden eruptions is difficult because their precursors are hard to recognize and can vary between volcanoes. Here, we describe a general seismic precursor signal for gas-driven eruptions, identified through correlation analysis of 18 well-recorded eruptions in New Zealand, Alaska and Kamchatka. We show that the displacement seismic amplitude ratio, a ratio between high and medium frequency volcanic tremor, has a characteristic rise in the days prior to eruptions that likely indicates formation of a hydrothermal seal that enables rapid pressurization. Applying this model to the fatal 2019 eruption at Whakaari (New Zealand), we identify pressurization in the week before the eruption, and cascading seal failure in the 16 hours prior to the explosion. This method for identifying and proving generalizable eruption precursors can help improve short term forecasting systems.
Comparative Phosphoproteomic Profiling in Prefrontal Cortex of Prenatal Stressed Offspring Rats
Authors: He Wei , Huang Huimei , Zhang Huiping , Sun Hongli
Published: December 2021

Background: Many investigations indicate that prenatal stress caused depressive-like disturbances in offspring rats. The underlying pathogenic mechanisms have not yet been fully unravelled. The PFC has been shown to play a role in susceptibility to stress during fetal, thus we focus our attention on differential protein phosphorylation in this region of PS-S(Susceptibility to PS) offspring rats.Method: SPT was used to screen for susceptibility to PS. The validity of prenatally stressed model was verified by other common depression-like behaviors. We used MS-based TMT quantitative proteomics in combination with phosphopeptide enrichment method to compare phosphoproteomic profiling in prefrontal cortex of of PS-S and CON offspring rats. Results: Totally, 3418 phosphoproteins, 8404 phosphopeptides and 12175 phosphosites were identified in this analysis. According to the screening criteria, 902 phosphopeptides increased and 609 decreased in the PFC of PS-S group compared to the control rats. GO enrichment analysis indicated that the main enriched terms in CC category were ‘synapse part’, ‘myelin sheath’, ‘synapse’, ‘neuron part’ and ‘axon’. The phosphorproteins enriched in MF and BP category were mainly related to cytoskeleton and projection morphogenesis associated proteins. KEGG pathway enrichment analyses identified 30 significant KEGG pathways, the top five pathways included salivary secretion, Endocrine and other factor-regulated calcium reabsorption, Pancreatic secretion and Insulin secretion. Motifs such as......_S_P...RR, ......_S_PE...., ......_S_PV...., ......_S_P.H...and ..S..._S_PT....were the top five motifs enriched in phosphorylated sites.Conclusion: PS may induce depressive-like behaviors in offspring rats through regulating the phosphorylation of protein mainly related to synapse, myelin sheath, neuron and cytoskeleton. And the phosphorylation of related proteins may act as key pathogenic hits. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD026563.
Investigation of Droplet Size Distribution for Vibrating Mesh Atomizer
Authors: Sharma Pallavi , Quazi Mohammed , Vazquez Irma Rocio , Jackson Nathan
Published: December 2021

Vibrating mesh atomizers (VMA) are increasing in demand for various aerosol applications due to their ability to generate uniformly sized droplets. Currently there are two types of VMA (commercial metallic membranes and silicon based). High Uniformity and control of small droplet size are the basic requirements for many aerosol applications, for which ultrasonic or VMA are employed. However, there is limited research on understanding the droplet size distribution of different types of atomizers. In this study three aerosol generators were investigated: Ultrasonic, metallic VMA, and MEMS-based silicon VMA. The primary objective was to compare these devices on droplet size distribution and mechanism of action. A systematic study to compare the performance of the two VMA was investigated based on droplet distribution, volumetric median diameter (VMD) using liquids with different physiochemical properties. Size distribution of the droplet produced by the metallic VMA was twice the span compared to silicon VMA for fluids with viscosity <2cP. The metallic VMA also resulted in an increase in VMD as the viscosity increased, whereas the Si VMA did not see a significant increase in VMD. The silicon-based VMA demonstrated a 4-15x increase in fine particle fraction control compared to metallic VMA. The results demonstrate that silicon based VMA has narrower droplet distribution with more uniform droplet size and lower span compared to metallic VMA.
The German Quality Network Sepsis: Evaluation of a Quality Collaborative on Decreasing Sepsis-Related Mortality in a Quasi-Experimental Difference-in-Differences Design
Authors: Schwarzkopf Daniel , Rüddel Hendrik , Brinkmann Alexander , Fleischmann-Struzek Carolin , Friedrich Marcus E. , Glas Michael , Gogoll Christian , Gründling Matthias , Meybohm Patrick , Pletz Mathias W. , Schreiber Torsten , Thomas-Rüddel Daniel O. , Reinhart Konrad
Published: December 2021

BackgroundSepsis is one of the leading causes of preventable deaths in hospitals. This study presents the evaluation of a quality collaborative network, which aimed to decrease sepsis-related hospital mortality.MethodsThe German Quality Network Sepsis (GQNS) offers quality reporting based on claims data, peer reviews, and support for establishing continuous quality improvement and staff education to participating hospitals. The primary outcome of the evaluation was all-cause risk-adjusted hospital mortality among cases with sepsis per hospital. Sepsis was identified by ICD-10 codes in claims data for sepsis with organ dysfunction or septic shock according to the sepsis-1 definition. To evaluate the effect of the GQNS, the change in outcomes from a retrospective baseline (January 2014 – March 2016) to the intervention phase (April 2016 – June 2018) was compared between the hospitals in the GQNS and the national German diagnosis-related-groups statistics. Tests were conducted by interrupted time-series analyses using hierarchical models. Implementation processes and barriers were assessed by a survey of local leaders of quality improvement teams in autumn 2018.ResultsSeventy-four hospitals participated, of which 17 were university hospitals and 18 were tertiary care facilities. Observed mortality was 43.5% during baseline period and 42.7% during intervention period. Interrupted time-series analyses did not show effects on course or level of risk-adjusted mortality of cases with sepsis compared to the national DRG-statistics after the beginning of the intervention period (p=0.632, and p=0.512, respectively). There were also no significant effects in the subgroups of patients with septic shock or ventilation >24h or subgroups of hospitals. Surveys among 48 local quality improvement leaders revealed that most hospitals did not succeed in implementing a continuous quality improvement program or relevant measures to improve early recognition and treatment of sepsis. Barriers perceived most commonly were lack of time (77.6%), staff shortage (59.2%), and lack of participation of relevant departments (38.8%).ConclusionsAs long as hospital-wide sepsis quality improvement efforts will not become a high priority for the hospital leadership by assuring adequate resources and involvement of all pertinent stakeholders, voluntary initiatives to improve the quality of sepsis care will remain prone to failure.
Effects of Iron Deficiency Stress on Plant Growth and Quality in Flowering Chinese Cabbage and Its Adaptive Response
Authors: Yang Xian
Published: December 2021

Iron (Fe) plays an important role in the growth and development of the human body and plants. The effects of different Fe concentrations, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), and cobalt chloride (Co2+) treatments on plant growth, quality and the adaptive response to Fe deficiency stress were investigated in flowering Chinese cabbage. The results revealed that Fe deficiency stress inhibited plant growth. The content of vitamin C (Vc), soluble protein, and soluble sugar in leaves and stalks were significantly reduced under Fe deficiency stress, while the content of cellulose and nitrate was increased. Meanwhile, Fe deficiency stress obviously reduced the net photosynthetic rate and nitrate reductase (NR) activity of leaves. The balance system of active oxygen metabolism was destroyed due to Fe deficiency, resulting in the decrease of catalase (CAT) activity, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity of roots and leaves, and peroxidase (POD) activity of leaves, while POD activity in roots and malonaldehyde (MDA) content were significantly increased. The treatments of Fe deficiency and ACC significantly reduced pH value of the root medium, promoted release of ethylene, and increased Fe3+ reductase activity, while Co2+ treatment showed the results opposite to those of Fe deficiency and ACC treatments. Thus, Fe deficiency stress could induce nitrogen metabolism, photosynthesis, reactive oxygen metabolism, pH of root medium, and Fe3+ reductase activity that was related to physiological adaptive response and tolerance mechanisms. We also found that ethylene could involve in regulating the adaptive response to Fe deficiency stress and improve the availability of Fe in flowering Chinese cabbage.Main ConclusionFe deficiency stress could induce nitrogen metabolism, photosynthesis, reactive oxygen metabolism, pH of root medium, and Fe3+ reductase activity that was related to physiological adaptive response and tolerance mechanisms.
Syrian Refugee Crisis in Turkey: Is Migration from Syria Bad for Turkey’s demographic and economic structure?
Authors: Altun Ali Erdem
Published: December 2021

The main objective of this paper is to understand whether international migration is detrimental for the host country or not by using the example of Turkey. This paper primarily claims that refugees are beneficial for the host country Turkey as they stimulate the economy while integrating into the society they live in and taking the jobs that native people aren't enthusiastic about doing. As a result, they are easing the burden on the insurance system. From a demographical and a sociological perspective, they are increasing the rate of population in territories of Turkey where the fertility rate has declined. However, some economists and sociologists argue those claims with some counterarguments, which this paper is refuting. They claim that refugees have a terrible influence on Turkey’s economy and the country's wellbeing by overburdening schools and healthcare facilities, boosting the crime rates, spreading disease, and heating the wage competition.
Anteroinferior Bundle of The Acromioclavicular Ligament Plays a Substantial Role in The Joint Function During Shoulder Elevation and Horizontal Adduction: A Dynamic Finite Element Model.
Authors: Garcia Ausberto Velasquez , Castillo Farid Salamé , Ekdahl Max , Mardones Joaquin Mura
Published: December 2021

Background: Postoperative acromioclavicular (AC) ligament deficiency has been identified as a common cause of failure after isolated coracoclavicular reconstruction. The two-bundle arrangement of the acromioclavicular ligament has recently been reported in histological and anatomical research. In addition, a clear structural advantage of the superoposterior bundle (SPB) over the less consistent anteroinferior bundle (AIB) was also found. However, the current understanding of the function of the acromioclavicular ligament in joint stability is based on uniaxial bone loading experiments and sequential ligament sectioning. Consequently, these rigid biomechanics models do not reproduce the coupled physiological kinematics, neither in the normal joint nor in the postoperative condition. Therefore, our goal was to build a dynamic finite element model to study the function of the acromioclavicular ligament based on its biomechanical performance patterns using the benefits of computational models.Methods: A three-dimensional bone model is reconstructed using images from a healthy shoulder. The ligament structures were modeled according to the architecture and dimensions of the bone. The kinematics conditions for the shoulder girdle were determined after the osseous axes aligned to simulate the shoulder elevation in the coronal plane and horizontal adduction. Three patterns evaluated ligament function. The peak von Mises stress values were recorded using a clock model that identified the stress distribution. In addition, the variation in length and displacement of the ligament during shoulder motion were compared using a two-tailed hypotheses test. P values < 0.01 were considered statistically significant.Results: The peak von Mises stress was consistently observed in the AIB at 2:30 in coronal elevation (4.058 MPa) and horizontal adduction (2.323 MPa). Except in the position 2:00, statistically significant higher deformations were identified in the two bundles during shoulder elevation. The highest ligament displacement was observed on the Y- and Z- axes. Conclusions: The AIB has the primary role in restricting the acromioclavicular joint during shoulder motion, even though the two bundles of the AC ligament have a complementary mode of action. During horizontal adduction, the SPB appears to prevent anterior and superior translation.
Clinical Characteristics of Comorbid Retinal Dystrophies and Primary Angle Closure Disease
Authors: Parameswarappa Deepika , Doctor Mariya Bashir , Natarajan Ramya , MS Padmaja Kumari Rani , Garudadri Chandrasekhar , Jalali Subhadra , Senthil Sirisha
Published: December 2021

Purpose: To assess the clinical characteristics of comorbid retinal dystrophies and primary angle closure disease.Design: Retrospective study from January 1992 to June 2020.Methods: This descriptive study included 92 eyes of 46 patients with comorbid retinal dystrophies and primary angle closure disease (PACD) that included eyes with primary angle closure suspect, primary angle closure and primary angle closure glaucoma. Demographic profile, clinical characteristics of PACD and its association with retinal dystrophies are described. Results: The study included 46 patients (92 eyes). Males were majority, 63%. Mean (± standard deviation) age when retinal dystrophy was diagnosed was 29.6 ± 9.4 years and PACD was diagnosed at 32.23±7.92 years. Mean BCVA at presentation was 1.07±0.87 log MAR (95% confidence interval (CI):0.87,1.26). Mean Intraocular pressure at diagnosis of glaucoma was 27±16 mmHg (95% CI:23.5,31.5 mmHg). The most common retinal dystrophy associated with PACD was retinitis pigmentosa (RP) followed by RP with retinoschisis. The hospital-based prevalence of PACD among all patients with RP and retinoschisis was 0.19% and 0.15% respectively. Laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI) was performed in 74 eyes (80.5%). Glaucoma was managed medically in majority of the eyes (58 eyes, 63.04%) and minority required surgical management with trabeculectomy (11, 11.9%). Conclusion: Retinitis pigmentosa is the most common retinal dystrophy associated with PACD. Comorbid PACD in eyes with retinal dystrophies was observed in 2nd to 3rd decade of life. This calls for screening for angle closure in eyes with retinal dystrophies from second decade onwards to identify the comorbid PACD and treat or refer them appropriately.
Diabetes Type 2 in the Berlin Aging Study II: Prevalence, Incidence and Severity Over up to Ten Years of Follow-up
Authors: Spieker Johanne , Vetter Valentin Max , Spira Dominik , Steinhagen-Thiessen Elisabeth , Regitz-Zagrosek Vera , Buchmann Nikolaus , Demuth Ilja
Published: December 2021

Aim: To describe the prevalence, incidence, and severity of diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2D) and antidiabetic medication in older people and to assess the prognostic value of diagnostic laboratory parameters.Methods: Baseline data of 1,671 participants of the Berlin Aging Study II (68.8 ±3.7 years) and follow-up data assessed 7.4 ±1.5 years later were analysed. T2D was diagnosed based on self-report, antidiabetic medication use, laboratory parameters. T2D severity was determined by the diabetes complications severity index (DCSI). Prognostic capacity of laboratory parameters was evaluated by Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) and Areas Under the Curve (AUCs).Results: The proportion of participants with T2D increased from 12.9% (37.3% women) at baseline to 17.1% (41.1% women) with 74 incident cases and 22.2% not being aware of the disease at follow-up. More than half of the 41 newly identified incident T2D cases were diagnosed solely by the 2h-plasma glucose test (OGTT) and diagnosis based on OGTT as the only criterion among incident cases was found more frequently in women (p=0.028). The OGTT assessed at baseline predicted incident T2D less accurate in men (AUC: 0.671, 95% CI 0.570-0.771) when compared to women (AUC: 0.7893, 95% CI 0.7036-0.8751). No sex differences were detected with respect to antidiabetic medication used and T2D severity. Conclusions: A comprehensive picture of T2D with respect to prevalence, incidence, and severity in older people is provided. Clinically relevant sex differences in the capacity of the commonly used T2D diagnostic laboratory parameters to predict incident T2D on average 7.4 years later were detected.
Stable near-to-ideal performance of a solution-grown single-crystal perovskite X-ray detector
Authors: Kovalenko Maksym , Sakhatskyi Kostiantyn , Turedi Bekir , Matt Gebhard , Lintangpradipto Muhammad , Naphade Rounak , Mohammed Omar , Yakunin Sergii , Bakr Osman
Published: December 2021

The ideal photodetector is the one able to detect every single incoming photon. In particular, in X-ray medical imaging, the radiation dose for patients can then approach its fundamentally lowest limit set by the Poisson photon statistics. Such near-to-ideal X-ray detection characteristics have been demonstrated with only a few semiconductor materials such as Si1 and CdTe2; however, their industrial deployment in medical diagnostics is still impeded by elaborate and costly fabrication processes. Hybrid metal halide perovskites – newcomer semiconductors -– make for a viable alternative3,4,5 owing to their scalable, inexpensive, robust, and versatile solution growth and recent demonstrations of single gamma-photon counting under high applied bias voltages6,7. The major hurdle with perovskites as mixed electronic-ionic conductors, however, arises from the rapid material's degradation under high electric field8,9,10,11, thus far used in perovskite X-ray detectors12,13. Here we show that both near-to-ideal and long-term stable performance of perovskite X-ray detectors can be attained in the photovoltaic mode of operation at zero-voltage bias, employing thick and uniform methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) single crystal (SC) films (up to 300 µm), solution-grown directly on hole-transporting electrodes. The operational device stability is equivalent to the intrinsic chemical shelf lifetime of MAPbI3, being at least one year in the studied case. Detection efficiency of 88% and noise equivalent dose of 90 pGyair (lower than the dose of a single incident photon) are obtained with 18 keV X-rays, allowing for single-photon counting, as well as low-dose and energy-resolved X-ray imaging. These findings benchmark hybrid perovskites as practically suited materials for developing low-cost commercial detector arrays for X-ray imaging technologies.
Study of Relationship Between Dry Eye and Expressions of CXCR3 and CCR5 After Ocular Acid Burn
Authors: Jiang Bo , Hu Qianqian , Li Tao , She Man , Zhou Xiaodong
Published: December 2021

Objective

To investigate the manifestation of dry eye and its relationship with CXCR3 and CCR5 expression in patients with ocular acid burns.
Methods

This is a case-control study. A total of 27 eyes of 22 cases ocular with acid burns of I-V degrees from Jan.2020 to Feb.2021 in this hospital were selected as observation group, and 8 eyes of 8 cases of normal people were selected as control group. The followed up time was 3 months. The visual acuity, intraocular pressure, BUT, Schirmer Ⅰ test, corneal thickness and tear meniscus height (TMH) were observed at 1 day, 1 and 3 months after injury. The protein expression of CXCR3 and CCR5 were examined by ELISA and were compared among groups at each time point.
Results

BUT and Schirmer I tests value in the observation group were lower than those in the control group 3 months after injury (all p < 0.05). The corneal thickness and the tear meniscus height 1 day after injury were higher than those in the control group (p < 0.05), and also higher than those at 1 month and 3 months after injury (p < 0.05). The expression levels of CXCR3 and CCR5 protein were significantly negatively correlated with BUT (p < 0.05), and CXCR3 and CCR5 were also significantly negatively correlated with Schirmer I test value (p < 0.05).
Conclusion

Ocular acid burns can cause dry eye, and the expression of CXCR3 and CCR5 protein in tears may be related to the occurrence of dry eye after ocular acid burn.
Association Between Statin use and Chronic Periodontitis: A Longitudinal Follow-Up Study using Korean National Health Screening Cohort
Authors: Kwon Mi Jung , Byun Soo-Hwan , Kim Joo-Hee , Kim Ji Hee , Kim Se Hoon , Kim Nan Young , Park Hye-Rim , Choi Hyo Geun
Published: December 2021

Background: Since potential link between statin and the risk of adverse chronic periodontitis (CP) has been raised, we aimed to validate the associations of statin use on the incidence of CP using a nationwide cohort data. Methods: This longitudinal follow-up study included 169,381 patients who were administered statins matched with an equal number of controls using propensity score from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-Health Screening Cohort database (2002–2015). A Cox proportional hazard model was used to assess the occurrence of CP following statin use after adjusting for multiple covariates.Results: The occurrence of CP was significantly higher with long-term use (1–3 years, 3–5 years, or >5 years) than with short-term use (≤1 year). After adjustment, statin users exhibited a 1.32-fold higher occurrence of CP (95% confidence interval=1.30–1.33) than the matched non-users (incidence: 25.0 and 22.0 per 100 person-years, respectively). Subgroup analyses supported the adverse impact of statins on CP independent of age and sex.Conclusions: Statin use in individuals aged >40 years, of both sexes, may slightly increase the risk of occurrence of CP, especially with long-term use, warranting a caution regarding the onset of CP as a possible adverse effect of long-term statin use.