bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Relevance of cancer cachexia models – muscle whole genome gene expression in human and animal cachexia
Authors: Plas Rogier L.C. , Hooiveld Guido , Witkamp Renger F. , Norren Klaske van
Published: October 2020

BackgroundCancer cachexia is a complex and multi-factorial syndrome. As currently available therapeutic options are limited, more in-depth knowledge on cachexia pathophysiology and the underlying molecular mechanisms remains warranted. Studies with animal models provide useful insights but they only mimic the human situation to a certain degree. Furthermore, there is heterogeneity in the design of published animal studies and outcomes. To further address this issue, we performed a comparative study analysing muscle whole genome gene expression of different cachexia studies in mice and human.MethodsWe selected data sets from the NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus database containing muscle gene expression data measured by micro-array or RNA-sequencing, at least comprising a cachectic/tumour bearing group (n>3) and a non-cachectic/control group (n>3). This provided 12 datasets; 9 from mouse models and 3 human datasets. All datasets were quality checked, normalised and annotated. Datasets were merged and compared at different levels. General similarity and differences in gene expression were determined using ordered list analysis and principal component analysis (PCA). Moreover, similarities and differences at pathway level were studied by applying gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) of KEGG pathways.ResultsAnimal models displayed similarities to each other and to human datasets at different levels and with different processes. At the gene level, a similarity analysis indicated little similarity between the animal models and the human datasets, while animal models showed high similarity. Only one of the C26 mice models (GSE121972) showed significant similarity to more than one human dataset. Moreover, one human dataset comparing cachectic and non-cachectic cancer patients showed no similarity to any of the other datasets. PCA results indicated that a xenograft model showed most different expression from the other datasets and the Lewis lung carcinoma model to be least different from the human datasets. GSEA results showed four pathways clearly standing out across experiments with downregulation of oxidative phosphorylation and thermogenesis pathway, and upregulation of the proteasome and RNA transport pathway. However, these pathways were not consistently changed in the human datasets.ConclusionsOur comparative analysis showed that there is currently no basis to define a preferred animal model for human cachexia. More human datasets containing proper controls are needed. Repetition of the current analysis upon publication of additional human datasets is warranted.
Relationship Between Forest Strata Structure and Regeneration in the Subtropical Evergreen Broad-Leaved Forest
Authors: Long Junsong , Tang Mengping , Chen Guangsheng
Published: October 2020

Background: Regeneration is an extremely important and complex ecological process, which is disturbed by many factors. The current stand structure has an important influence on regeneration. The aim of this study is to provide theoretical reference for improving the regeneration capacity subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest and formulating management measures of regeneration restoration.Methods: A permanent plot of 100m × 100m was set up in the evergreen broad-leaved forest of Tianmu Mountain National Nature Reserve, Zhejiang Province, China. The plot was divided into 25 survey units of 20m × 20m by the adjacent grid survey method, and all the trees in the plot were investigated. The tree height, DBH, crown width, density, species richness index, aggregation index, competition index and mingling of each forest stratum were used as the stand structure index. The tree height, DBH, crown width, density and species richness index of regeneration trees were used as regeneration indicators. Redundancy analysis (RDA) was used to explore the relationship between forest strata structure and regeneration of evergreen broad-leaved forest. Results: In the whole stand, DBH, tree species richness index and crown width were the main structure factors affecting regeneration. In the upper forest stratum, the tree height was the main structure factor affecting regeneration. In the middle forest stratum, the tree species richness index and crown width were the main factors affecting regeneration. In the lower forest stratum, crown width, competition index, tree height and tree species richness index were the main factors affecting regeneration. The effects of tree species richness index and crown width on regeneration in the whole stand were mainly reflected in the middle and lower forest strata in each forest stratum. Conclusions: The influencing order of each forest stratum structure on regeneration was: lower forest stratum > middle forest stratum > upper forest stratum. Different regeneration indicators had different responses to the main stand structure indices, while the young tree height and DBH, and the tree species diversity and density of regeneration trees were most affected by the main stand structure indices. In order to promote the regeneration of evergreen broad-leaved forest in the future, different management measures should be taken for different forest strata, and the threshold value of each index should be controlled.
Dietary Assessment and Patient-Perspective Reasons for Poor Adherence to Diet and Exercise Post Bariatric Surgery
Authors: Assakran Bandar Saad , Widyan Adel Mefleh , Alhumaidan Najla Abdulaziz , Alharbi Fadiyah Abdullah , Alhnaya Mohammed Abdullah , Aljabali Abdullatif Abdullah , Aleid Mohammed Abdulrahman
Published: October 2020

Objective: Obesity prevalence is increasing, and as an outcome, bariatric procedures are on the rise. Previous articles about bariatric surgery disclosed tremendous results. This study aims to assess dietary eating patterns and identify the reasons behind poor adherence to diet and exercise in postbariatric patients.Results: According to the questionnaire used, the majority (85.5%) of our patients scored “good”, 12% scored “fair”, and only 2% scored “excellent”. None scored “needs improvement”. Fruits had a mean consumption of 1.51 ± 0.79 and vegetables 1.78 ± 0.76. The main reasons for patient nonadherence to healthy eating were low self-discipline (48%), lack of motivation (28%), and availability of healthy food and being too busy to prepare healthy meals, both at 25%. Additionally, 55.9% of the study subjects engaged in physical activity. Lack of time (47%), low self-discipline (38%), and weather (32%) were the primary reasons for not exercising regularly.
Quantitative determination of energy potential of refuse derived fuel from the waste recovered from Indian landfill
Authors: Cheela V R Sankar , John Michele , Dubey Brajesh
Published: October 2020

Landfills are urban stocks and resource reservoirs for potential energy recovery. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the amount of energy that could be recovered from aged waste (around 5 - 20 years old) recovered from landfills. Investigations were conducted on the physical and chemical properties of refuse-derived fuel (RDF) prepared from recovered landfill waste (RLW) in Andhra Pradesh, India. Waste characterization studies included determination of waste composition, proximity analysis, ultimate analysis, and energy content. The moisture content ranged between 25.70 to 31.30%, however, no trend was observed with age. In the ultimate analysis, the percentage of carbon increased from 42.94% to 71.66% with the age of the samples, this is due to an increase in the plastic content over time. The calorific value of the recovered landfill waste ranged from 10.35 MJ/kg to 21.83 MJ/kg. From the findings, it can be summarized that the RDF can potentially be utilized as a feedstock for the recovery of energy from RLW. The results from this study will assist policy makers and local authorities in designing and developing strategies for resource and energy recovery from landfills in different urban cites across the globe.
Evaluation of in-vitro antibacterial and antifungal activities of crude extracts and solvent fractions of methanol extract of leaves of Ricinus communis Linn (Euphorbiaceae) against selected pathogens
Authors: Kebede Bedaso , Shibeshi Workineh
Published: October 2020

Background Impacts of infectious diseases are reduced due to development of antimicrobial agents. However, the effectiveness of the antimicrobial agents is reduced over time because of the emergence of antimicrobial resistance.To overcome these problems scholars have been searching for alternative medicines, particularly focusing on traditionally used medicinal plants. Ricinus communis Linn is used as a traditional treatment for bovine mastitis, wound infection, and other medicinal purposes. Moreover, the antimicrobial activity of Ricinus communis Linn leaf at crude extract level has been confirmed against human originated pathogens in the previous studies. The objective of the present study was to further evaluate the antimicrobial activities of Ricinus communis Linn leaf extracts and fractions. The Ricinus communis Linn leaves were macerated in absolute methanol and acetone solvents. The methanol crude extract was shown best antimicrobial activity and exposed to further fractionation via increasing polarity of solvents (n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and aqueous). Test microorganisms included in the study were six laboratory reference bacteria (E. coli, S. aureus, S. agalactiae, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, and S. Pyogenes), two clinical isolate bacteria (E. coli and S. aureus), and Candida albicans. The agar well diffusion method was employed to determine antimicrobial activity. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum bactericidal/fungicidal concentrations (MBC/MFC) were determined through broth microdilution method. Results The results indicated that the best antimicrobial activity(based on zone of inhibition) for ethyl acetate fraction ranging from 14.67 mm (clinical E. coli) to 20.33 mm (S. aureus) at 400mg/ml however, n-hexane exhibited lowest antimicrobial activity. Among tested fractions, ethyl acetate fraction was produced lowest MIC values ranging from 1.5625mg/ml (S. aureus) to 16.67 mg/ml (Candida albicans). The ethyl acetate fraction showed bactericidal activity against all tested microorganisms. Conclusion Methanol extract of Ricinus communis Linn leaf exhibited better antimicrobial activity than acetone extract. Hence, ethyl acetate fraction of crude methanol extract exhibited best antimicrobial activity indicating its potential for development of antimicrobial products.
Quality Improvement Questionnaires – Nursing Homes (QIQ-NH): validation of questionnaires for measuring quality of care in nursing homes from various perspectives
Authors: Triemstra Mattanja , Menting Juliane , Berg Bellis van den
Published: October 2020

Background

This study aims to describe the validation and optimization of a new instrument specifically designed to measure and improve the quality of care in nursing homes; the Quality Improvement Questionnaires for Nursing Homes (QIQ-NH). This instrument comprises several questionnaires on the perceived quality of care for various perspectives (e.g. clients, family and professional caregivers) and covers eight themes of the national quality framework for nursing home care in the Netherlands.
Methods

Data was collected in six nursing homes between September 2017 and June 2018, among 359 residents, 48 family caregivers and 648 professional caregivers who completed a subgroup-specific questionnaire of the QIQ-NH. The construct and criterion validity of the three questionnaires were tested with item- and scale analyses. The content validity of the questionnaires was tested in cognitive interviews with 20 participants (7 residents, 5 family caregivers, 8 professional caregivers).
Results

Psychometric analyses confirmed the multidimensionality and reliability of the three questionnaires, and the cognitive interviews showed various possibilities for further optimization of the instruments. The construct, criterion and content validity of the three questionnaires ranged from acceptable to good. Cronbach’s alphas were > .70 for almost all scales. More than half of the items were candidate for optimization according to the cognitive interviews, mainly due to clarity or knowledge problems, and the questionnaires of the QIQ-NH were optimized accordingly.
Conclusions

The Quality Improvement Questionnaires for Nursing Homes (QIQ-NH) provides a solid basis to continuously measure and improve the quality of nursing home care, by covering the national quality themes and by integrating the various perspectives of all parties involved. With real-time feedback, the instrument enables the management and care teams to select possibilities or areas for improvement and to implement and continuously monitor the effects of quality improvement strategies in nursing homes.
The miR-204-5p/FOXC1/GDF7 axis regulates the osteogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells via the AKT and p38 signalling pathways
Authors: Zhou You , Liu Siyu , Wang Wei , Sun Qiang , Lv Mengzhu , Yang Shude , Tong Shuang , Guo Shu
Published: October 2020

Background: Human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) are stem cells with the potential to differentiate in multiple directions. MiR-204-5p is expressed at low levels during the osteogenic differentiation of hADSCs, and its specific regulatory mechanism remains unclear. Here, we aimed to explore the function and possible molecular mechanism of miR-204-5p in the osteogenic differentiation of hADSCs.Methods: The expression patterns of miR-204-5p, Runx2, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteocalcin (OCN), forkhead box C1 (FOXC1) and growth differentiation factor 7 (GDF7) in hADSCs during osteogenesis were detected by qRT-PCR. Then, ALP and alizarin red staining (ARS) were used to detect osteoblast activitie and mineral deposition. Western blotting was conducted to confirm the protein levels. The regulatory relationship among miR-204-5p, FOXC1 and GDF7 was verified by dual-luciferase activity and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays.Results: MiR-204-5p expression was downregulated in hADSC osteogenesis, and overexpression of miR-204-5p suppressed osteogenic differentiation. Furthermore, the levels of FOXC1 and GDF7 were decreased in the miR-204-5p mimics group, which indicates that miR-204-5p overexpression suppresses the expression of FOXC1 and GDF7 by binding to their 3'-untranslated regions (UTRs). Overexpression of FOXC1 or GDF7 improved the inhibition of osteogenic differentiation of hADSCs induced by the miR-204-5p mimics. Moreover, FOXC1 was found to bind to the promoter of miR-204-5p and GDF7, promote the deacetylation of miR-204-5p and reduce the expression of miR-204-5p, thus promoting the expression of GDF7 during osteogenic differentiation. GDF7 induced hADSC osteogenesis differentiation by activating the AKT and P38 signalling pathways.Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that the miR-204-5p/FOXC1/GDF7 axis regulates the osteogenic differentiation of hADSCs via the AKT and p38 signalling pathways. This study further revealed the regulatory mechanism of hADSC differentiation from the perspective of miRNA regulation.
Symbol analysis of intangible heritage Miao paintings in Xiangxi of China
Authors: Liu Yifeng
Published: October 2020

Intangible heritage Miao Paintings in Xiangxi is a Chinese symbol with great ethnic characteristics and a Chinese memory and living cultural gene worthy of further analysis. Its material form is a living manifestation of the Miao folk culture, and its material surface contains a narration of the national spirit. Its image symbols have magical powers of good fortune, awe, and imitation of natural objects and show the deepest spiritual core of the primitive Miao people. The construction of its symbolic system and the expression of its image show its direct transcendence of fatalism over the cycle of human life and death. The daily functions of Xiangxi Miao paintings have been gradually marginalized. Simultaneously, their additional functions (aesthetic and symbolic functions) have become increasingly prominent and show a vague value. This appearance from prosperity to decline represents the historical fate of the end of the agricultural era.
The use of artificial teeth in a pre-clinical fixed prosthodontics post-core undergraduate teaching program
Authors: Dudley James
Published: October 2020

Background

The use of artificial teeth in pre-clinical simulation clinic teaching of post-core techniques has clear educational benefits for students and staff. This study explored the reasons for selection and direct student experiences with artificial teeth in a recently conducted pre-clinical fixed prosthodontics post-core technique teaching program.
Methods

An online anonymous survey was delivered to fourth year undergraduate dental students who had completed the fixed prosthodontics pre-clinical program seeking information on the choice of artificial or natural teeth and direct experiences. Quantitative data was summarised and qualitative data was clustered into topics.
Results

A 100% response rate was received. 36% of 70 respondents chose to use one or more artificial teeth for the post-core exercises which was predominantly driven by difficulty in sourcing appropriate natural teeth (59%) rather than educational benefit (13%). 45 (64%) chose not to use artificial teeth largely due to the cost of the teeth (49%).
Conclusions

Direct student experiences in using the artificial teeth for post-core exercises were positive. In the choice to select artificial or natural teeth for post-core exercises, teaching staff may focus on educational benefits while students focus on the practicalities of sourcing teeth, associated costs and ease of use. As the first known research of its kind, within the limitations of this study artificial teeth provided an appropriate and realistic simulation compared to extracted natural teeth and were easier to source for the post-core exercises of the pre-clinical fixed prosthodontics program. More widespread use of artificial teeth was limited by cost.
Deep Learning Without Neural Networks: Fractal-nets for Rare Event Modeling
Authors: Chattopadhyay Ishanu , Huang Yi , Evans James
Published: October 2020

Complex phenomena of societal interest such as weather, seismic activity and urban crime, are often punctuated by rare and extreme events, which are difficult to model and predict. Evidence of long-range persistence of such events has underscored the need to learn deep stochastic structures in data for effective forecasts. Recently neural networks (NN) have emerged as a defacto standard for deep learning. However, key problems remain with NN inference, including a high sample complexity, a general lack of transparency, and a limited ability to directly model stochastic phenomena. In this study we suggest that deep learning and the NN paradigm are conceptually distinct -- and that it is possible to learn ``deep' associations without invoking the ubiquitous NN strategy of global optimization via back-propagation. We show that deep learning of stochastic phenomena is related to uncovering the emergent self-similarities in data, which avoids the NN pitfalls offering crucial insights into underlying mechanisms. Using the Fractal Net (FN) architecture introduced here, we actionably forecast various categories of rare weather and seismic events, and property and violent crimes in major US cities. Compared to carefully tuned NNs, we boost recall at 90% precision by 161.9% for extreme weather events, 191.3% for light-to-severe seismic events with magnitudes above the local third quartile, and 50.8% - 404.9% for urban crime, demonstrating applicability in diverse systems of societal interest. This study opens the door to precise prediction of rare events in spatio-temporal phenomena, adding a new tool to the data science revolution.
Higher perceived risk of COVID-19 pandemic, higher concern for climate change: evidence from a longitudinal study in China
Authors: Gong Yuanchao , Sun Yan
Published: October 2020

COVID-19 is raging globally taking a huge toll on public health. Although there seems to be a silver lining regarding mitigation of climate change given decreased emission of greenhouse gases during the pandemic, climate disruption actually constantly keeps apace. Therefore, it is important for the public to maintain alert to climate change amid the devastating pandemic. The current longitudinal study made a preliminary exploration of the relationship between public risk perception of the pandemic and climate change and we examined two possibly competing mediators which might lead to opposite effects—negative emotions and limited cognitive resources. The results show that pandemic risk perception has positive predictive effect on climate change concern mediated by negative emotions, but public attention to climate change is not impaired by increased concern for the pandemic. We discuss the value of our results and offer inspiring advice to better address climate change during COVID-19 outbreak.
A suspected case of SARS-CoV-2 persistence with reactivation
Authors: Molina Derly Andrade , Fernández-Cadena Juan , Fernández-Cadena Telmo , Consortium Paúl Cárdenas & USFQ-COVID , Morey-León Gabriel , Armas-Gonzales Rubén , Amaya-Márquez Darlyn , Sacheri-Viteri Katheryn , Falconi Ketty Cordova , Fuentes Fernando Espinoza , Barberán Jose , Valiente-Echeverría Fernando , Soto-Rifo Ricardo
Published: October 2020

Reinfections with SARS-CoV-2 have been verified by the presence of phylogenetically distant viruses in each episode. Here, we report a suspected case of SARS-CoV-2 persistence with reactivation in a 35-years old patient presenting positive RT-PCR on April 7th and August 7th, each episode characterized by mild and severe symptoms, respectively. Sequencing of viral genomes identified only two SNPs indicating the presence of genetically linked viruses for the first time. Subsequently to hospital discharge, the patient presented a positive diagnosis for SARS-CoV-2 in stool, urine and semen samples.
Generation of even and odd high harmonics in resonant metasurfaces using single and multiple ultra-intense laser pulses
Authors: Shcherbakov Maxim , Zhang Haizhong , Tripepi Michael , Sartorello Giovanni , Talisa Noah , AlShafey Abdallah , Fan Zhiyuan , Twardowski Justin , Krivitsky Leonid , Kuznetsov Arseniy , Chowdhury Enam , Shvets Gennady
Published: October 2020

High harmonic generation (HHG) opens a window on the fundamental science of strong-field light-mater interaction and serves as a key building block for attosecond optics and metrology. Resonantly enhanced HHG from hot spots in nanostructures is an attractive route to overcoming the well-known limitations of gases and bulk solids. We demonstrate a nanoscale platform for highly efficient HHG driven by strong mid-infrared laser pulses: an ultra-thin resonant gallium phosphide (GaP) metasurface. The wide bandgap and the lack of inversion symmetry of the GaP crystal enable the generation of even and odd harmonics covering a wide range of photon energies between 1.3 and 3 eV with minimal reabsorption. The resonantly enhanced conversion efficiency facilitates single-shot measurements that avoid material damage and pave the way to controllable transition between perturbative and non-perturbative regimes of light-matter interactions at the nanoscale.
Adverse Neonatal Birth Outcomes Among Adolescent Pregnancies in Kampala, Uganda Between 2015 –2018
Authors: Serunjogi Robert , Barlow-Mosha Linda , Mumpe-Mwanja Daniel , Williamson Dhelia , Valencia Diana , Tinker Sarah C. , Adler Michelle R. , Namale-Matovu Joyce , Kalibbala Dennis , Nankunda Jolly , Nabunya Evelyn , Birabwa-Male Doreen , Byamugisha Josaphat , Musoke Philippa
Published: October 2020

Background: Uganda has one of the highest adolescent pregnancy rates in sub-Saharan Africa. We compared the risk of adverse birth outcomes between adolescents (age 12-19 years) and older mothers (age 20-34 years) in four urban hospitals.Methods: Maternal demographics, HIV status, and birth outcomes of all live births, stillbirths, and spontaneous abortions delivered from August 2015 to December 2018 were extracted from a hospital-based birth defects surveillance database. Differences in the distributions of maternal and infant characteristics by maternal age groups were tested with Pearson’s chi-square. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) were calculated using logistic regression to compare the prevalence of adverse birth outcomes among adolescents to older mothers.Results: A total of 100,189 births were analyzed, with 11.1% among adolescent mothers and 89.0% among older mothers. Adolescent mothers had an increased risk of preterm delivery (aOR: 1.14; CI: 1.06-1.23), low birth weight (aOR: 1.46; CI: 1.34-1.59), and early neonatal deaths (aOR: 1.58; CI: 1.23-2.02). Newborns of adolescent mothers had an increased risk of major external birth defects (aOR: 1.33; CI: 1.02-1.76), specifically, gastroschisis (aOR: 3.20; CI: 1.12-9.13) compared to older mothers. The difference between the prevalence of gastroschisis among adolescent mothers (7.3 per 10,000 births; 95% CI: 3.7-14.3) was statistically significant when compared to older mothers (1.6 per 10,000 births; 95% CI: 0.9-2.6).Conclusions: This study found that adolescent mothers had an increased risk for several adverse birth outcomes compared to older mothers, similar to findings in the region and globally. Interventions are needed to improve birth outcomes in this vulnerable population.
Psychosocial Antecedents of Knowledge Sharing in Healthcare Research Centers: A Mixed Methods Approach.
Authors: Gonçalves Tiago Rodrigues , Curado Carla , Balle Andrea
Published: October 2020

Background Knowledge sharing is a complex psychosocial phenomenon related to organizational performance and innovation. While considered knowledge intensive environments, healthcare organizations rely heavily on knowledge as a resource. However, effective knowledge management policies and research in healthcare organizations is still scarce, being of extreme shortage in specific environments, such as healthcare research centers. This study addresses this gap by using the Theory of Reasoned Action to investigate the impact of psychosocial factors as antecedents of knowledge sharing between healthcare research peers in such environments.Methods We follow a mixed-methods design using a sample of 150 healthcare researchers to study the relation between perceptions of social network, shared goals, social trust, and knowledge sharing. A quantitative approach uses a structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the links in an original model and the mediation effect of the intention to share knowledge on knowledge sharing behavior. A fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) identifies alternative configurations that lead knowledge sharing intention and its absence as well as the knowledge sharing behavior and its absence considering additional sample characteristics. Results Findings show evidence of the proposed antecedents of the effect on knowledge sharing, namely social network and social trust (p<0.001). Shared Goals, while addressed in the literature, seem to be unrelated to knowledge sharing intention and behavioral output in research centers. While knowledge sharing intention is directly related to knowledge sharing behavior, additional configurations of causal conditions that lead to the presence or absence of the intention and knowledge sharing behavior are discussed, with emphasis on both psychosocial antecedent configuration and sample characteristics to enlarge potential theoretical and practical outcomes. Conclusions This study identifies the influence of both psychosocial and team characteristic aspects leading to knowledge sharing behavior between healthcare researchers. The importance of a rich social network lying on trust is vital for a sharing environment inside research environments. Given the complex nature of behavioral intentionality, additional findings allow an articulation between individual characteristics based on gender, age, experience and seniority and the psychosocial antecedents – therefore substantiating the proposition of complex configurations between antecedents that hints for team configuration strategies and managerial practices in healthcare research teams.
Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles enhance glioma radiosensitivity via inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis
Authors: Mao Jinning , Jiang Meng , Dai Xingliang , Liu Guodong , Zhuang Zhixiang , Dong Jun
Published: October 2020

Aim: Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) is a widely used biomedical material for imaging and targeting drug delivery. We synthesized SPIONs and tested their effects on the radiosensitization of glioma.Methods: Acetylated 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTS)-coated iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) were synthesized via a one-step hydrothermal approach and the surface was chemically modified with acetic anhydride to generate surface charge-neutralized NPs. NPs were characterized by TEM and ICP-AES. Radiosensitivity of U87MG glioma cells was evaluated by MTT assay. Cell cycle and apoptosis in glioma cells were examined by flow cytometry. Results: APTS-coated Fe3O4 NPs had a spherical or quasi-spherical shape with average size of 10.5±1.1 nm. NPs had excellent biocompatibility and intracellular uptake of NPs reached the peak 24 hours after treatment. U87 cell viability decreased significantly after treatment with both X-ray and NPs compared to X-ray treatment alone. Compared to X-ray treatment alone, the percentage of cells in G2/M phase (31.83%) significantly increased in APTS-coated Fe3O4 NPs plus X-ray treated group (P<0.05). In addition, the percentage of apoptotic cells was significant higher in APTS-coated Fe3O4 NPs plus X-ray treated group than in X-ray treatment alone group (P<0.05). Conclusion: APTS-coated Fe3O4 NPs achieved excellent biocompatibility and increased radiosensitivity for glioma cells.
Prognostic impact of atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention
Authors: Ma Xiaoteng , Sun Yan , Cheng Yujing , Shen Hua , Gao Fei , Qi Jing , Yang Lixia , Wang Zhijian , Shi Dongmei , Liu Yuyang , Liu Xiaoli , Zhou Yujie
Published: October 2020

Background: The association of atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), an emerging lipid index which can predict risk for cardiovascular (CV) disease, with adverse outcomes in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has been undetermined. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate whether AIP could independently predict adverse CV events in T2DM patients with ACS undergoing PCI.Methods: This study was a retrospective analysis of a single-centre prospective registry involving 826 consecutive T2DM patients who underwent primary or elective PCI for ACS at our CV center from June 2016 to November 2017. This study eventually included 798 patients (age, 61±10 years, male, 72.7%). AIP was calculated as the base 10 logarithm of the ratio of plasma concentration of triglycerides to high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C). All patients were divided into 4 groups based on the AIP quartiles. The primary endpoint was a composite of all-cause death, non-fatal ischemic stroke, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), or unplanned repeat revascularization. The key secondary endpoint was a composite of cardiovascular death, non-fatal ischemic stroke, or non-fatal MI.Results: During a median follow-up period of 927 days, 198 patients developed at least one event. An unadjusted Kaplan–Meier analysis showed the incidence of the primary endpoint increased gradually with rising AIP quartiles (log-rank test, P =0.001). A multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis revealed that compared with the lowest AIP quartile, the top AIP quartile was associated with significantly increased risk for the primary and key secondary endpoints (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.153; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.355 to 3.421; P =0.001, and HR: 2.613; 95% CI: 1.024 to 6.666; P =0.044, respectively). Inclusion of AIP quartiles in a baseline prediction model for the primary endpoint increased the Harrell’s C statistic from 0.697 to 0.707. More importantly, addition of AIP quartiles to the above model significantly improved the continuous net reclassification improvement (continuous NRI =19.1%, P <0.001).Conclusions: A higher AIP value on admission was independently and strongly associated with adverse CV events in T2DM patients with ACS undergoing PCI.
Mosquito Population Diversity and Abundance Patterns In Linzhi, Xizang, China
Authors: Xie Gui-Lin , Ma Xin-Ran , Liu Qi-Yong , Meng Feng-Xia , Yang Xiao-Dong , Xiu Peng-Cheng , Qu Feng-Tian , Yue Yu-Juan , ciwang baima , Ma De-Long , Wang Jun , Guo Yuhong
Published: October 2020

Background: In 2009, China CDC found the distribution of Culex tritaeniorhynchus and Aedes albopictus in Motuo county, Linzhi, Xizang and isolated the epidemic encephalitis V virus from Culex tritaeniorhynchus. However, with the road opend in Motuo County, the trade between people and mosquitoes transmission were more frequent. To illustrate patterns of mosquito population in Linzhi, Xizang, a mosquitoes surveillance was carried.Methods: Adult mosquitoes were collected by light traps and human landing catches, larva by container survey in six counties of Linzhi during August and September 2019. The trapped adult mosquitoes were initially counted and identified according to morphological criteria, and a part of mosquitoes were further identified by PCR. The monitoring data were recorded by Excel 2007, analyzed by SPSS 20.0 software and R.Results: Eight species of mosquitoes belonging to four genera were identified. Culex pipiens pallens (86.80%), Armigeres subalbalus (5.29%) and Aedes vexans (2.99%) were the top three species coolected by 164 light traps on 12 nights with the average mosquito density was 21.20 (mosquitoes per trap per night); Aedes albopictus were only collected in Chayu County Xiachayu Town by human landing catches with high average mosquito density (26.33 mosquitoes per hour per person). The larva were collected from waste tires, cement tanks and drums in Bomi, Milin and Lang Counties. The results of molecular identification are consistent with morphological identification. Aedes albopictus and Culex orientalis were newly recorded species for the first time. It is preliminarily speculated that there is a high potential risk of dengue fever in Xiachayu Town and a certain epidemic risk of Japanese encephalitis, while the risk of malaria is low in Linzhi.Conclusion: Mosquitoes had heterogeneous distribution throughout Linzhi, Xizang. The dominant mosquito species are Culex pipiens pallens. It is emphasized to carry out mosquito surveillance again during the peak period of mosquito activities so as to better understand the distribution and composition of local mosquitoes and assess the mosquito-borne disease risk in this area.
Spatiotemporal 7q11.23 Protein Network Implicates the GTF2I-PRKDC-DDR Pathway During Early-Fetal Brain Development in Psychiatric Diseases
Authors: Lin Guan Ning , Chen Liang , Wang Weidi , Cai Wenxiang , Song Weichen , Qian Wei
Published: October 2020

Background: Recurrent deletions and duplications of chromosome 7q11.23 copy number variants (CNVs) are associated with several psychiatric disorders. Previous works showed GTF2I associated with Williams-Beuren syndrome, but pathways affected by GTF2I are poorly defined. Although phenotypic abnormalities have been observed in patients and animal models, the targeted human brain regions, developmental stages, protein networks, and signaling pathways, influenced by this CNV remain unclear. Results: Topological changes were observed in protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks throughout different stages of brain development. Early and late fetal periods of development in the cortex, striatum, hippocampus, and amygdale were observed as the vital periods and regions for 7q11.23 CNV proteins. As a driver gene, GTF2I interacted with PRKDC and BRCA1 to involve in DNA Damaging Response (DDR) pathway. The physical interaction between GTF2I with PRKDC was confirmed experimentally by the liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Conclusion: We identified that striatum, hippocampus, and amygdala are crucial regions for establishing connectivity between 7q11.23 proteins and their partners in early and late fetal periods. Our results suggested that GTF2I-PRKDC-DDR and GTF2I-BRCA1-DDR pathway is crucial for the 7q11.23 CNV genes to contribute to the pathogenesis of psychiatric diseases.
Canadian Adolescents’ Internalized Symptoms in Pandemic Times: Sex Differences and Association with Sociodemographic Characteristics, Confinement Habits, and Support
Authors: Tardif-Grenier Kristel , Archambault Isabelle , Dupéré Véronique , Marks Amy , Olivier Elizabeth
Published: October 2020

Background Adolescents, especially girls, are more at risk of developing anxiety and depression symptoms and it can be assumed that the stress and social isolation experienced during confinement has had negative consequences on adolescents’ mental health. However, not all of them experienced confinement in the same way. This study is aimed at determining which sociodemographic characteristics (age, family composition, achievement), confinement habits (schedule, new hobby, sleep duration, cellphone and computer use, sports, schoolwork), and sources of support (parents and teachers) are associated with more or less internalized symptoms (anxiety and depression) in Canadian adolescents. Given the increased vulnerability of girls, the results take gender into account. Methods Between April 8 and 30 (2020) and through an online survey, 895 Canadian adolescents (74% girls) aged between 12 and 17 years (M = 14.73) were recruited. Path analysis was performed to identify significant associations between sociodemographic characteristics, confinement habits, and support variables with internalized symptoms. Independent samples t-tests and invariance tests were conducted to compare boys and girls. Data was analyzed with Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 27 and Mplus8. Results Certain confinement habits (time spent using cellphones, doing sports and schoolwork, finding a new hobby) and support (parents working outside the home) variables were significantly and negatively associated with anxiety and/or depressive symptoms. Regarding the sex differences, girls had higher levels of anxiety and depression symptoms, used their cellphones more, while boys used their computers more. Only the association between sleep duration and physical symptoms of anxiety significantly differed between boys and girls. However, it was not significant for both groups. Conclusions The results of this study help to better understand the experience of adolescents in confinement and how it is different for boys and girls. It sheds light on the characteristics and habits likely to characterize those who are more at risk of experiencing distress and thus make it possible to better support adolescents during this difficult period.
The Future of Physician Advocacy: Attitudes and Intentions of U.S. Medical Students
Authors: Chimonas Susan , Mamoor Maha , Kaltenboeck Anna , Korenstein Deborah
Published: October 2020

Background: Advocacy is a core component of medical professionalism. Medical organizations frequently emphasize advocacy, particularly around just resource distribution and social determinants of health, but it is unclear how educators can best prepare trainees for this professional obligation. Objective: We sought to assess medical students’ attitudes toward advocacy, including activities and issues of interest, and to determine congruence with professional obligations.Design, Participants, and Measures: A cross-sectional, web-based survey probed U.S. medical students’ attitudes toward advocacy around 7 issues directly related to health (e.g. nutrition/obesity, addiction) and 11 indirect determinants of health (e.g. housing, transportation, education). Descriptive statistics, Kruskal-Wallis tests, and regression analysis investigated associations with gender, race, political identification, and intended future field.Key Results: Of 240 students completing the survey, 53% were female; most were white (62%) or Asian (28%). Clinical/non-primary-care was the most common intended future field (61%). Most agreed it is very important that physicians encourage medical organizations to advocate for public health (76%) and provide health-related expertise to the community (57%). More participants rated advocacy for medical issues as very important (e.g. drug addiction [83%], nutrition [81%]), compared to issues with indirect connections to health (e.g. national security [22%], transportation [36%], criminal justice [40%]) (p<0.001). Generally, liberals and non-whites were more likely than others to value advocacy. Conclusions: Medical students reported strong interest in advocacy, particularly around health issues, consistent with professional standards. Many attitudes were associated with political affiliation and race. To optimize future physician advocacy, educators should provide opportunities for learning and engagement in issues of interest.
Understanding Junior Doctors’ Experiences of Teaching on the Acute Take: A Mixed-Methods Study.
Authors: Hayden Charlotte , Raidan Jedd , Rees Jonathan , Oswal Abhishek
Published: October 2020

Background New medical graduates report significant unpreparedness in managing acutely unwell patients, due to limited first-hand clinical exposure in the undergraduate curriculum. Supporting undergraduate learning around acute admissions can be challenging for junior doctors balancing teaching and clinical responsibilities. We aimed to explore junior doctors’ first-hand experiences of supporting undergraduate education in the acute admissions setting (take).Methods Fourteen junior doctors in one teaching hospital in South West England took part in a short web-based questionnaire exploring frequency, duration, efficacy, planning and delivery of teaching in the clinical environment. Participants subsequently took part in semi-structured focus groups (4-6 participants in each) which were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim before being thematically analysed.Results Quantitative results demonstrated junior doctors reported difficulties finding time to teach, with many feeling their teaching was ineffective and rarely planned, with challenges finding suitable resources to support teaching delivery.Key qualitative themes were organised into six key areas: junior doctor, medical student and clinical team factors alongside clinical service, educational service, and resource factors. Junior doctors perceived themselves as novice clinical practitioners and lacked confidence in their ability to teach. Medical students were felt to be poorly engaged with clinical learning due to variable learning value of acute take experiences. Participants recognised value of the clinical team in ensuring student integration and noted a shared responsibility for teaching, driven by senior team members.Clinical service was prioritised over delivery of education, though workload variations were common, and patient acuity often affected the degree to which students could actively participate. Educational experiences in this environment are frequent but highly varied; teaching must be adapted in response to opportunities that arise. Participants noted scarcity of resources to support teaching and these were prioritised for patient care. Improvements are suggested in defining an active role for students, supporting junior doctors to deliver education, and providing appropriate resources.Conclusions Educational opportunities for undergraduate students on the acute take are varied, yet highly valuable. This study provides insight into provision of workplace education and its challenges from a junior doctors’ perspective and offers focus for targeted improvement for educational providers.
Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation Attenuates Lung Injury Caused by Tourniquet-induced Limb Ischemia/reperfusion During Lower Extremity Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Gong Lirong , Zhao Dinghuan , Li Cui , Ji Yue , Kan Yongxing , yu jianbo
Published: October 2020

Background: Tourniquet-induced extremity ischemia-reperfusion injury is one of the major complications in patients with lower extremity surgery, while lung is the most vulnerable organ to insult subsequent to ischemia-reperfusion. Current scientific research data has shown that electric stimulation at special acupoints could suppress inflammasome activation and subsequently exert protective effects in the lungs. Thus, the effect of transcutaneous electrical acupuncture point stimulation (TEAS) on lung injury induced by limb ischemia/reperfusion remains to be elucidated. Methods: One hundred individuals scheduled for unilateral lower extremity surgery were randomly divided into 2 groups (n=50 each): transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation group (group T) and control group (group C). Patients in group T were given TEAS at FeiShu (BL13, bilateral) acupoints and ZuSanLi (ST36, non-surgical side) acupoint, while patients in group C received sham stimulation (no current) at the same acupoints for the same time as the TEAS group. Arterial blood samples were collected to assess blood gas analysis and other indicators. Results: The TEAS group showed significant improvements in blood gas analysis. Compared with group C, PaO2 and oxygenation index (OI) in group T were significantly increased at T4(4h after removing the tourniquet), while A-aDO2 and respiratory index (RI) were decreased at T4. There was an increase in the HO-1 levels in group T at T3(2h after removing the tourniquet) and T4 compared with group C. Compared with group T, SOD levels were signiﬁcantly lower at T4 in group C. At T4, the levels of ICAM-1, IL-6 and IL8 were significantly lower in group T when compared to group C. At T3 and T4, IL-10 levels were higher when compared to group C, while TNF-a levels were significantly lower.Conclusions: Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation attenuates lung injury following tourniquet-induced extremity ischemia-reperfusion in patients, and HO-1 is endowed of potential mechanism of cytoprotective effects against tourniquet-induced lung injury. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR-IOR-16008264. Registered 11 April 2016, http://www.chictr.org.cn/ ChiCTR-IOR-16008264