bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring Factors Associated With Hepatitis B Screening Among a Multilingual and Diverse Population
Authors: Chu Janet N. , Nguyen Tung T. , Rivadeneira Natalie A. , Hiatt Robert A. , Sarkar Urmimala
Published: July 2021

Background: Racial/ethnic minorities bear a disproportionate burden of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and disease. Disparities in HBV screening contribute to worse outcomes for communities of color. We examined the impact of race/ethnicity, language preference, and having a usual place of care on HBV screening in a multilingual, urban cohort. Methods: We used questions from the Health Information National Trends Survey and added validated questions about healthcare access and health literacy. We administered this survey in English, Spanish, and Chinese to a selected convenience sample of San Francisco city/county residents in 2017, with pre-specified targets for populations with known cancer disparities: 25% Spanish-speaking, 25% Chinese- speaking, and 25% African Americans. Using weighted multivariable logistic regression analyses, we assessed how race/ethnicity, language preference, and having a usual place of care impacts self-report of HBV screening. Results: Overall, 1,027 participants completed the survey (50% of surveys administered in English, 25% in Spanish, and 25% in Chinese). Only 50% of participants reported HBV screening. In multivariable analysis, Black (OR=0.20, 95% CI 0.08-0.49), Latinx (OR=0.33, 95% CI 0.13-0.85), Asian (OR=0.31, 95% CI 0.10, 0.94), and ‘Other’ race/ethnicity (OR=0.17, 95% CI 0.05-0.53) respondents had lower odds of HBV screening compared to non-Hispanic White respondents. Participants who had insurance had increased odds of HBV screening (OR=2.70, 95% CI 1.48-4.93).Conclusions: HBV screening disparities persist for African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinx, and the uninsured. Future studies should explore reasons why current strategies have not been implemented or are not successful, particularly in addressing racial/ethnic and insurance disparities.
The influence of technological parameters on the hygroscopic properties of textiles
Authors: Endiiarova E. V. , Osipov A. A. , Alexandrov S. E.
Published: July 2021

In this paper the method of wet chemistry used for hydrophobization of coarse calico surface was described. It was found that hydrophobicity of coarse calico surface is achieved by the formation of aluminum oxide on the surface. The effect of soap solution temperature, aluminum chloride solution concentration, sample treatment time in aluminum chloride solution and heat treatment temperature on water absorption, contact angle, capillary absorption and calico moisture content was studied. The dependences of gyroscopic properties on the process parameters were obtained. Capillary absorption and water absorption of the test samples increased with increasing concentration of aluminum chloride solution. An increase in the processing time of coarse calico samples in an aluminum chloride solution of lead to a decrease in the hydrophobicity of the samples. The characters of the dependences of hygroscopic properties on the temperature of heat treatment and the temperature of the soap solution are similar.
Imaging and modelling of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) synthesis in Paracoccus denitrificans
Authors: Bordel Sergio , Spanning Rob J. M. van , Santos-Beneit Fernando
Published: July 2021

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) granule formation in Paracoccus denitrificans Pd1222 was investigated by laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) and gas chromatography analysis. Cells that had been starved for 2 days were free of PHB granules but resynthesized them within 30 minutes of growth in fresh medium with succinate. In most cases, the granules were distributed randomly, although in some cases they appeared in a more organized pattern. The rates of growth and PHB accumulation were analyzed within the frame of a Genome-Scale Metabolic Model (GSMM) containing 781 metabolic genes, 1403 reactions and 1503 metabolites. The model was used to obtain quantitative predictions of biomass yields and PHB synthesis during aerobic growth on succinate as sole carbon and energy sources. The results revealed an initial fast stage of PHB accumulation, during which all of the acetyl-CoA originating from succinate was diverted to PHB production. The next stage was characterized by a tenfold lower PHB production rate and the simultaneous onset of exponential growth, during which acetyl-CoA was predominantly drained into the TCA cycle. Previous research has shown that PHB accumulation correlates with cytosolic acetyl-CoA concentration. It has also been shown that PHB accumulation is not transcriptionally regulated. Our results are consistent with the mentioned findings and suggest that, in absence of cell growth, most of the cellular acetyl-CoA is channeled to PHB synthesis, while during exponential growth, it is drained to the TCA cycle, causing a reduction of the cytosolic acetyl-CoA pool and a concomitant decrease of the synthesis of acetoacetyl-CoA (the precursor of PHB synthesis).
Automatic Detection of CO2 Rebreathing During BiPAP Ventilation
Authors: Szkulmowski Zbigniew , Robert Dominique , Argaud Laurent
Published: July 2021

Background
CO2 rebreathing significantly influences respiratory drive and the work of breathing during BiPAP ventilation. We analyzed CO2 movement during BiPAP ventilation to find a method of real time detection of CO2 rebreathing without the need of CO2 concentration measurement sampled from the circuit (method expensive and not routinely used).
Methods
Observational study during routine care in 15 bed university hospital ICU. At 18 patients who required BiPAP ventilation, intubated or by mask ventilation, during weaning period airflow, pressure and CO2 concentration signals were registered on both sides of venting port and 17 respiratory parameters were measured or calculated for each of 4747 respiratory cycles analyzed. Based on CO2 movement (expiration-inspiration sequences) 3 types of cycle were identified, type I and II do not induce rebreathing but type III does. To test differences between the 3 types ANOVA, t-tests, and canonical discriminant analysis (CDA) were used. Then a multilayer perceptron (MLP) network, a type of artificial neural network, using the above parameters (excluding CO2 concentration) was applied to automatically identify the three types of respiratory cycles.
Results
Of the 4747 respiratory cycles, 1849 were type I, 1545 type II, and 1353 type III. ANOVA and t-tests showed significant differences between the types of respiratory cycles. CDA confirmed a correct apportionment of 93.9% of the cycles; notably, of 97.9% of type III. MLP automatically classified the respiratory cycles into the three types with 99.2% accuracy.
Conclusions
Three types of respiratory cycles could be distinguished based on CO2 movement during BiPAP ventilation. Artificial neural networks can be used to automatically detect respiratory cycle type III, the only inducing CO2 rebreathing.
Identification of key N6-Methyladenosine-Related lncRNAs in Colon Adenocarcinoma using Bioinformatics Analysis
Authors: Huang Yuancheng , Yan Yanhua , Huang Chaoyuan , Jiang Xiaotao , Yang Zehong , Zhuang Kunhai , Liu Fengbin , Li Peiwu , Wen Yi
Published: July 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of m6A-related lncRNAs in colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) and determine their prognostic value.Material and methods: Gene expression and clinicopathological data were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Correlation and univariate Cox regression analysis were conducted to identify m6A-related prognostic lncRNAs. A prognostic signature was established via least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression analyses. The prognostic value of risk scores was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method, receiver operating characteristic curves, and univariate and multivariate regression analyses. Whether the prognostic model could serve as a prognostic indicator for overall survival (OS) in subgroups of patients with different clinical characteristics were explored. Next, We established a competing endogenous RNA network. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway, and Gene Ontology analysis were performed for biological functional analysis.Results: 36 lncRNAs that were highly correlated with OS of patients were identified. A prognostic signature comprising 11 m6A-related lncRNAs was constructed, which had significant value in predicting the OS of patients . Univariate and Multivariate Cox regression analyses suggested that the risk score was an independent prognostic factor. This m6A-related lncRNA prognostic model could serve as a prognostic indicator for OS in subgroups of patients with diﬀerent clinical characteristics. Biological processes and pathways associated with cancer were identified.Conclusion: We revealed the role and prognostic value of m6A-related lncRNAs in COAD. Our finding refreshed the understanding of m6A-related lncRNAs and provided novel insights to identify predictive biomarkers and develop targeted therapy for COAD.
Transmissibility of hand, foot, and mouth disease in 97 counties of China.
Authors: Zhang Wei , Rui Jia , Cheng Xiaoqing , Deng Bin , Zhang Hesong , Huang Lijing , Zhang Lexin , Zuo Simiao , Li Junru , Huang XingCheng , Su Yanhua , Zhao Benhua , Niu Yan , Li Hongwei , Hu Jian-li , Chen Tianmu
Published: July 2021

Background
Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) has been a serious disease burden in the Asia Pacific region represented by China, and the transmission characteristics of HFMD in regions haven’t been clear. This study calculated the transmissibility of HFMD at county levels in Jiangsu Province, China, analyzed the differences of transmissibility and explored the reasons.
Methods
We built susceptible-exposed-infectious-asymptomatic-removed (SEIAR) model for seasonal characteristics of HFMD, estimated effective reproduction number (Reff) by fitting the incidence of HFMD in 97 counties of Jiangsu Province from 2015 to 2020, compared incidence rate and transmissibility in different counties by non -parametric test, rapid cluster analysis and rank-sum ratio.
Results
The average daily incidence rate was between 0 and 4 per 100,000 in Jiangsu province from 2015–2020. The 97 counties could be divided into three levels: low incidence, medium incidence and high incidence, and occurred that the average daily incidence rate dropped sharply in 2016–2017, and increased sharply in 2017–2018 years. The Quartile of Reff in Jiangsu Province from 2015 to 2020 was 1.54 (0.49, 2.50), Rugao district in Central Jiangsu and Jianhu district in Northern Jiangsu had the highest transmissibility by rank-sum ratio. Reff generally decreased in 2017 and increased in 2018 in most counties, and the median level of Reff was lowest in 2017 (P < 0.05).
Conclusion
Transmissibility was different in 97 counties of Jiangsu Province, and the reasons for the differences may be related to the climate, demographic characteristics, virus subtypes, vaccination and other infectious diseases.
ALKBH5 Regulates m6A Methylation-modified Pre-miR-21 to Promote Lung Injury in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Rat Model
Authors: Liu Zhijuan , Li Ran , Wang Yeying , Niu Xiaoqun , He Xiaojie , He Chunxia , Li Yongxia , Ai Li
Published: July 2021

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) is closely associated with pulmonary diseases. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is involved in the process of intermittent hypoxia-reoxygenation (IR) promoting lung injury. However, it is unclear whether m6A regulates the progression of lung injury under IR.Methods: Pathological examination by using Hematoxylin and eosin and Masson staining. Protein and mRNA were determined by Western blot and RT-qPCR, respectively. The m6A levels and concentrations of inflammatory cytokines were measured using ELISA. Cell apoptosis was measured by Annexin V-FITC/PI staining. m6A methylation modification of pre-miR-21 detected by gene-specific m6A assay.Results: Toll-like receptors 4 (TLR4) was elevated in IR-induced rat lung tissues and pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVEC). Knockdown of TLR4 alleviated IR-induced PMVEC cell inflammation and apoptosis via inhibiting MyD88/NF-kB signaling pathway. Next, we found the miR-21-5p expression downregulated and targeted TLR4 expression. Overexpression miR-21-5p alleviated IR-induced PMVEC cells inflammation and apoptosis, and inhibited MyD88/NF-kB signaling pathway by targeting TLR4. Interestingly, we found the m6A demethylase AlkB homolog 5 (ALKHB5) was increased in IR-induced rat lung tissues and PMVEC cells, which was associated with decreased m6A levels. ALKBH5 overexpression decreased m6A methylations of pre-miR-21 and reduced the levels of both pre-miR-21 and miR-21-5p. In addition, suppression of ALKBH5 alleviates IR-induced lung injury by reducing the activity of TLR4/MyD88/NF-kB signaling pathway in a miR-21-5p-dependent manner.Conclusion: Our findings demonstrated that ALKBH5 promotes OSA-induced lung injury through activation of TLR4/MyD88/NF-kB signaling pathway by reducing m6A methylations of pre-miR-21 to decrease the expression levels of both pre-miR-21 and miR-21-5p.
The Cerebellum Plays a Role in Cognitive, but Not Affective, Theory of Mind: A Voxel-Based Lesion Mapping Study
Authors: beuriat pierre-aurélien , Cohen-Zimerman Shira , Smith Gretchen , Krueger Frank , Gordon Barry , Grafman Jordan
Published: July 2021

Introduction: Theory of Mind (ToM) is a social-cognitive skill that allows the understanding of the intentions, beliefs, and desires of others. There is a distinction between affective and cognitive ToM, with evidence showing that these processes rely on partially distinct neural networks. The role of the cerebellum in social cognition has only been rarely explored. In this study, we tested whether the cerebellum is necessary for cognitive and affective ToM performance. Material and methods: We investigated adults with traumatic brain injury (n=193) and healthy controls (n=52) using voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping (VLSM) and by measuring the impact on functional connectivity. Results: First, we observed that damage to the cerebellum affected Cognitive but not Affective ToM processing. Further, we found a lateralization effect for the role of the cerebellum in cognitive ToM with participants with left cerebellar injury performing worse than those with right cerebellar injury. Both VLSM and standard statistical analysis provided evidence that left cerebellar Crus I and lobule VI contributed to ToM processing. Lastly, we found that disconnection of the left thalamic projection and the left fronto-striatal fasciculus was associated with poor cognitive ToM performance. Conclusions: Our study is the first to reveal direct causal neuropsychological evidence for a role of the cerebellum in cognitive, but not in affective, ToM, processing. It reinforces the idea that social cognition relies on a complex network functionally connected through white matter pathways that include the cerebellum. It supports evidence that the neural networks underpinning cognitive and affective ToM can be differentiated.
Combination Use of Antibiotic-Loaded Calcium Sulfate Beads in Spinal Surgery for Patients with Spondylodiscitis：A Clinical Retrospective Study
Authors: Tang Xiaojie , Li Jianyi , Wang Chunxiao , Liu Fang , Guo Jianwei , Tan Jiangwei , Song Qinyong , Cao Haifei , Zhang Yao
Published: July 2021

Background.

Various surgical techniques for treating spondylodiscitis have been proposed, but the optimal surgical treatment remains controversial. In this study, we propose a new procedure that is implanting antibiotic-loaded calcium sulfate (CS) beads into the disc after infection site debrided by Quadrant channel combined with percutaneous fixation through a single-stage posterior approach for the treatment of spondylodiscitis. Thus, the purpose of this study is to assess the safety and efficacy of this procedure.
Methods.

This study collected 32 patients’ clinical data of whom had spine spondylodiscitis treated in our department from July of 2015 to August of 2020. The Demographic data included age, gender, involved segment and complications were collected. The intra-operative details, results of culture, functional outcome, radiologic outcome, and length of hospital stay, laboratory examination were recorded.
Results.

The mean age of the 32 patients was 61.1 ± 9.7 years old. The mean operative time was 135.0 ± 30.6 minutes, and the mean blood loss was 243.4 ± 92.1 ml. The positive rate of culture was 72%. The mean Visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) score significantly improved from 7.5 to 1.6 and from 65–10%. Cobb angle was significantly improved and could be maintained at final follow-up. Solid bone fusion was achieved in all patients. There were no recurrences of infection in our study.
Conclusions.

The procedure we proposed is effective in the treatment of spondylodiscitis, the infection site can be debrided and controlled exactly, and spinal stabilization can also be achieved.
Comparing Two Measures of L2 Depth of Vocabulary Knowledge Using the Association With Vocabulary Size
Authors: Dabbagh Ali , Enayat Mostafa Janebi
Published: July 2021

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Carbene-Catalyzed Atroposelective Synthesis of Axially Chiral Styrenes Bearing Acyclic Alkenes
Authors: Yan Jia-Lei , Maiti Rakesh , Ren Shi-Chao , Tian Weiyi , Li Tingting , Xu Jun , Mondal Bivas , Jin Zhichao , Chi Yonggui Robin
Published: July 2021

Axially chiral styrenes bearing a chiral axis between a sterically non-congested acyclic alkene and an aryl ring are difficult to prepare due to low rotational barrier of the axis. Disclosed here is an N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) catalytic asymmetric solution to this problem. Our reaction involves ynals, sulfinic acids, and phenols as the substrates with an NHC as the catalyst. Key steps involve selective 1,4-addition of sulfinic anion to acetylenic acylazolium intermediate and sequential E-selective protonation to set up the chiral axis. Our reaction affords axially chiral styrenes bearing a chiral axis as the product with up to >99:1 e.r., >20:1 E/Z selectivity, and excellent yields. The sulfone and carboxylic ester moieties in our styrene products are common moieties in bioactive molecules and asymmetric catalysis.
Spatiotemporal Slip Distributions Associated with the 2018-2019 Bungo Channel Long-Term Slow Slip Event Inverted from GNSS Data
Authors: Seshimo Yukinari , Yoshioka Shoichi
Published: July 2021

Long-term slow slip events (L-SSEs) have occurred beneath the Bungo Channel with durations of several months to a couple of years repeatedly with a recurrence interval of approximately six years. We estimated the spatiotemporal slip distributions of the 2018–2019 Bungo Channel L-SSE inverted from processed GNSS time series data. This event was divided into two subevents, with the first on the southwest side of the Bungo Channel from 2018.3 to 2018.7 and the second beneath the Bungo Channel from 2018.8 to 2019.4. Tectonic tremors became active on the downdip side of the L-SSE occurrence region when large slow slips took place beneath the Bungo Channel. Compared with the previous Bungo Channel L-SSEs, this spatiotemporal slip pattern and amount were similar to those of the 2003 L-SSE. However, the slip expanded in the northeast-southwest direction in the latter half of the second subevent. We also found that the total duration of the two subevents was 1.0 year, which was the shortest among the four recent L-SSEs beneath the Bungo Channel identified using GNSS time series data. The maximum amount of slip, the maximum slip velocity, the total released seismic moment, and the moment magnitude of the 2018–2019 L-SSE were estimated to be 27 cm, 53 cm/year, 4.1×1019 Nm, and 7.0, respectively, all of which were the largest among the four L-SSEs.
Distribution of the compression and expansion of morbidity in 194 countries and territories, 1990–2016: The role of income inequality
Authors: Chen He , Ning Jing , Hu Hongwei , Jiang Haochen
Published: July 2021

Background

Compression and expansion of morbidity are two critical hypotheses to analyze the relationship among morbidity, disability, and mortality. This study aims to analyze the global distribution of the compression and expansion of morbidity and to investigate its relationship with income inequality.
Methods

Data was from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016 and Standardized World Income Inequality Database, version 8.2. Seven types of health changes were defined. Income inequality was measured with Gini coefficient index. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the association of income inequality with the compression and expansion of morbidity.
Results

All the seven types of the compression and expansion of morbidity exist in the world, despite their uneven distribution. The relative expansion of morbidity with increased or constant life expectancy (Type 6) was the most popular type occurring to more than half of populations in the last quarter of century, which was followed by the relative compression of morbidity with increased or constant LE (Type 3, 30.71%). The income inequality was significantly associated with the health changes, which still held after controlling a variety of confounders and in robustness tests. Those societies with lower income inequality were more likely to incur Type 3.
Conclusions

It is necessary to distinguish the positive and negative changes in life expectancy when examing the compression and expansion of morbidity. The increasing popularity of Type 6 implies higher needs for health and social care. Measures to reduce income inequality or mitigate its negative influence on health changes might promote the occurrence of Type 3.
Exploring Co-dispensed Drug Use in Patients on Sevelamer or Polystyrene Sulfonate to Identify Potential Novel Binding Interactions: a Cross Sectional in Silico Study
Authors: de Inge RF Berlo van - Laar van , Can Ilona Prins - , Schuiling-Veninga C.C.M. , Taxis Katja , Jansman Frank GA
Published: July 2021

BackgroundSevelamer and polystyrene sulfonate are used for treating hyperphosphatemia and hyperkalaemia in chronic kidney disease patients. Because of their binding properties, these resins potentially bind other drugs in the gastrointestinal tract, thereby decreasing their bioavailability and clinical effectiveness.AimThe aim of this study was to explore co-dispensed drug use in patients on sevelamer or polystyrene sulfonate to identify potential novel binding interactions. MethodIn this in silico study, the 100 drugs most frequently co-dispensed with sevelamer/polystyrene sulfonate in the period 2000-2018 from the University Groningen IADB.nl database were extracted. Drugs dispensed to < 5% of patients, drugs not orally administered, drugs administered once daily before bedtime and drugs for which information on binding interactions with sevelamer or polystyrene was already available were excluded. The likelihood of an interaction (yes or no) of the included drugs was assessed based on pKa- and Log P values. For sevelamer, drugs with a pKa (acid) between 1.5 and 7.4 and or a Log P value > 2.0 were identified as potential interacting drug. For polystyrene sulfonate, drugs with a pKa (base) > 1.5 were identified as potential interacting drug. ResultsOf the top 100 drugs most frequently co-dispensed with sevelamer/polystyrene sulfonate, 22 and 27 potentially clinically relevant new interacting drugs were identified for sevelamer and polystyrene sulfonate respectively. ConclusionSeveral potentially relevant novel binding interactions for sevelamer and polystyrene sulfonate were identified based on dispensing data and assessment of chemical properties for which further interaction research is warranted.
Characterization of The Microbiome That Colonizes The Digestive Tract of Calves From 0 To 42 Days of Age, Raised In The Mexican Tropics.
Authors: Rodríguez Carolina Robles , Dávalos María Laura González , Shimada Armando , Espinoza Carla Daniela Robles , Mora Maria Ofelia
Published: July 2021

In the first few weeks of a calf's life, the early colonization of microbes throughout the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is critical in its digestive system and immunity development. Analyses of data generated from next-generation sequencing platforms have revolutionized the understanding of host-associated microbial communities; these analyses can be done through a variety of bioinformatics pipelines. This study aimed to describe the diversity and evolution of gastrointestinal tract microbial communities in the first days of life of calves; for which we used the USEARCH and KRAKEN2 algorithms, in terms of alpha and beta diversity analysis in the rumen and jejunum contents of calves from 0, 7, 28, 42 days-born in the Mexican Tropic and its changes. The two pipelines detected similar abundance distributions in the three most abundant taxa Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes. The present study revealed the changes occurring in the rumen and jejunum ecosystem in the first week of life, reflected by a decline in the phylum Proteobacteria and an increase in phylum Bacteroidetes in rumen and Firmicutes in the jejunum. We observed an increase in the similarity in the phylum taxa with age, suggesting a homogeneous and specific mature community, compared with the primary community.
Study on Meso-scale Grinding Surface Roughness and Sub-surface Quality of High Volume Fraction SiCp/Al2024 composites
Authors: Guo Guangyan , Gao Qi , Wang Quanzhao , Hu Yuanhe
Published: July 2021

In order to improve the surface grinding quality of high volume fraction aluminum matrix composites, the cutting tool models with different rake angles are established, the grinding process is simulated, and the material removal mechanism and the broken state of SiC particles are obtained. Through single factor experiment, the 60% volume fraction SiCp/Al2024 composites are ground by diamond grinding rod with 3mm diameter, the surface roughness (Ra) is measured, and the surface and sub-surface quality of SiCp/Al2024 composites with meso-scale grinding is investigated. Meanwhile, the influence mechanism of grinding depth (ap) on surface quality is put forward, and the influence of different grinding depth on the fragmentation of SiC particles in sub-surface layer is discussed, which verifies the correctness of grinding simulation. The relevant research and theoretical model are of great significance to the study of grinding properties of composite materials.
Appendicitis Prognostic Score: A Preoperative Scoring System to Help Determine Surgical Timing for Appendectomy
Authors: Lai Shuo-Lun , Lee Po-Chu , Ho Cheng-Maw , Wu Jin-Ming , Chang Chin-Hao , Lai Hong-Shiee , LIN BEEN-REN
Published: July 2021

Background: Several factors are considered to be associated with increased postoperative complications after appendectomies, yet whether high-risk patients benefit from a shorter waiting time for surgery remains unclear. This study aimed to propose an appendicitis prognostic score (APS) for predicting surgical outcome and assessing the influence of surgical delay on postoperative complications.Methods: From 2013 to 2019 patients diagnosed with acute appendicitis requiring an emergent appendectomy were divided into training (2013-2018) and validation groups (2019). The APS was developed from preoperative characteristics related to a perforated appendicitis in the training group, then correlated with postoperative complications (surgical site infection, intra-abdominal abscess and ileus) and verified by the validation group. The effects of surgical delay on postoperative complications was evaluated between high and low APS subgroups. Results: APS criteria included age >45, body temperature >37.5°C, heart rate >95bpm, breathing rate >20/min, diastolic blood pressure <75mmHg, and abdominal pain duration 24-48h and >48h, with a maximum of 8 points. A high APS (≥4 points) was significantly associated with an increased complication rate in the validation group (p=0.016). Further analysis of the training group showed that patients with ≥4 points had a higher overall complication (21.85% vs. 11.27%, p=0.006) and surgical site infection rate (11.92% vs. 4.69%, p=0.011) if surgical delay exceeded 12 hours.Conclusion: The APS is a practical metric for predicting postoperative complications. It is recommended that patients with an APS score ≥4 undergo an appendectomy within 12 hours to avoid an increased risk of overall complications and surgical site infection.
The Possibility of Adiponectin in Islet Transplantation
Authors: Sakata Naoaki , Yoshimatsu Gumpei , Chinen Kiyoshi , Kawakami Ryo , Kodama Shohta
Published: July 2021

Islet transplantation (ITx), a promising therapy for severe diabetes mellitus, needs further evolution. Adiponectin, an adipokine that regulates lipid and glucose metabolism, has some benefits that may improve (e.g., reinforcement of insulin-releasing function). This study attempted to evaluate the possibility of adiponectin for ITx improvement. Mouse islets were treated with 10 µg/mL recombinant mouse adiponectin by overnight culture (defined as adiponectin (+)). The islets’ insulin-releasing, angiogenic, and adhesion functions were assessed and compared with islets without adiponectin treatment (adiponectin (−)). Furthermore, 80 syngeneic islets, with or without adiponectin treatment, were transplanted into the renal subcapsular space of diabetic mice. In vitro assessment showed improved insulin-releasing, angiogenic, and adhesion functions adiponectin (+). Moreover, released insulin volume at high glucose stimulation, insulin content, and expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor and integrin β1 were improved in islets with adiponectin treatment. Furthermore, the ITx therapeutic effect with adiponectin treatment was partial. There was a significant improvement in blood glucose levels in adiponectin (+). No significant differences were noted in plasma insulin and area under the curve of blood glucose level in glucose tolerance test. In conclusion, adiponectin has various usefulness for improving ITx outcomes. Thus, further studies are necessary for this possibility.
Up-regulation of Mitotic Nuclear Division-related Genes and Down-regulation of TGF-β-related Genes Correlate with Survival in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma
Authors: Su Lili , Wang Yonggang , Li Daowei , Wang Xingguang , Liang Bin , Ma Weixia , Guo Honglin , You Wenjie , Jiang Shujuan
Published: July 2021

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a highly aggressive and lethal malignancy; however, its molecular origins remain largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to use transcriptomics to explore the molecular mechanisms of MPM tumorigenesis toward gaining a better understanding of disease development. The transcriptomes from MPM tissues and paired normal pleural tissues were compared to identify significantly differentially expressed genes. These genes were then subject to Gene Ontology analysis to explore pathways that are dysregulated in MPM, and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) gene expression profile data were analyzed to assess the correlation between the significantly dysregulated pathways and patient survival. Moreover, three independent transcriptomic datasets were used to validate the association between significantly dysregulated genes and the clinical features of MPM. We identified 136 up-regulated and 599 down-regulated genes in MPM tissues as compared to normal pleural tissues. Functional enrichment analysis showed that the up-regulated genes were mainly associated with mitotic nuclear division, whereas the down-regulated genes were mainly associated with transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) signaling. The 14 most significantly up-regulated mitotic nuclear division-related genes were more likely to be highly expressed in pathological subtypes with higher malignancy, whereas the down-regulated TGF-β pathway-related gene PPARGC1A displayed the opposite trend. In the TCGA dataset, up-regulation of mitotic nuclear division-related genes was associated with a poor prognosis, whereas down-regulation of TGF-β pathway-related genes was associated with a positive prognosis. The down-regulated PPARGC1A were further validated by immunohistochemical analysis. In summary, the correlation between up-regulation of mitotic nuclear division-related genes and down-regulation of the TGF-β pathway-related gene PPARGC1A with overall survival indicates an important role for these genes in MPM development and progression.
Risk Factors, Assessments, and Treatment of Intra- and Postoperative New Neurologic Deficits in Complex Spine Disorders
Authors: Zhang Hongqi , Xiao Lige , Tang Mingxing , Sun Yang , Yang Guanteng
Published: July 2021

Background: New Neurologic Deficits (NND) is one of the most threatening complications of spinal surgery, and its incidence in complex spine disorders ranges from 0.99% to 3.54%, which is higher than that in noncomplex spine disorders. To date, the early management of NNDs in complex spine disorders remains poorly researched.Methods. A retrospective review was performed for patients with complex spine disorders who experienced NNDs from 2010 to 2020. The pre- and postoperative neurologic condition was assessed using the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) scale. Patient age, sex, diagnosis, lesion level, operating time, blood loss, intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring (IONM) test results, wake-up test results, lowest mean arterial pressure (MAP) at surgery, NND types, possible etiology of NNDs, treatment, and total recovery time were reviewed retrospectively.Results: Five patients with complex spine disorders who experienced NNDs were included (4 males and 1 female; average age of 23±17 years) in the present study. The primary diseases varied from congenital scoliosis to Langerhans histiocytosis. The mean operation time was 488±264 min with a mean blood loss of 1920±1413 mL, and the mean lowest MAP at surgery was 66.2±7.6 mmHg. Regarding the type of NND, 4 cases had spinal cord injuries, and 1 case had nerve root injury. The possible etiologies of NNDs in the patients were as follows: spinal cord overtraction and spinal cord ischemia in 2 cases; spinal cord compression and spinal cord ischemia in 2 cases; and spinal cord ischemia 1 case. Two patients underwent revision surgery, and 1 patient underwent prolonged surgery. The average hospital stay was 37±11 days. The preoperative ASIA score was 4.4±0.8, while the postoperative ASIA score was 0.8±0.7. All patients achieved full recovery at a mean follow-up period of 6.8±4.5 months.Conclusion: Surgeries for complex spine disorders carry significant risks that can lead to intraoperative or postoperative NNDs. NNDs can occur secondary to spinal cord overtraction (overcorrection of deformity), spinal cord compression (due to implants, bone tissue, soft tissue, or hematoma), and spinal cord ischemia (owing to anemia, low MAP, vascular embolism, or intramedullary vascular malformation). Patients with risk factors should be closely observed during and after the operation. Once NNDs are confirmed, emergency examination should be performed to rule out spinal cord overtraction and spinal cord compression. If a mechanical obstruction is found, emergency revision surgery is recommended. If no mass lesion is identified, conservative treatment should be utilized for the principle of maintaining arterial pressure, nutriating nerves, dilating blood vessels, and eliminating edema.
Analysis of microRNA expression reveals convergent evolution of the molecular control of diapause in annual fish
Authors: Barth Emanuel , Baumgart Mario , Dolfi Luca , Cui Rongfeng , Groth Marco , Ripa Roberto , Savino Aurora , Valenzano Dario R. , Marz Manja , Cellerino Alessandro
Published: July 2021

BackgroundDiapause is a key adaptation that enabled the colonization of ephemeral habitats subject to the alternation of dry and wet seasons by annual killifishes. Upon desiccation of the ponds, killifish embryos remain vital but quiescent in the clay, where they can survive months or even years. Diapause can occur at three different developmental stages, but Diapause II (DII), which occurs at mid-somitogenesis, is the primary point of developmental arrest. However, diapause is not obligatory, and some embryos can proceed to direct development, skipping one or more diapauses. The precise molecular mechanisms that regulate entry and exit from diapause are beginning to be investigated, but this knowledge is yet fragmentary. Diapause has evolved independently several times in killifish clades from Africa and South America, enabling the identification of possible molecular determinants of diapause by comparative expression analysis. MicroRNAs are small RNAs that represent central nodes in the control of gene expression at the post-transcriptional level and are involved in many developmental processes. Here, we compare microRNA expression profiles of annual killifishes during DII with non-annual killifish in a comparable stage of morphological development. ResultsWe used smallRNA-Seq to quantify microRNA expression from four annual- and four non-annual killifish species from three independent clades and from direct-developing embryos of the annual fish Nothobranchius furzeri. We analyzed the expression of broadly conserved microRNAs and microRNAs that appear to have evolved in the killifish lineage.We found several microRNAs that showed convergent regulation in the three different clades, and for some microRNAs also a phenomenon of switch in the prevalent form between 3p and 5p or vice versa was noted. In addition, we detected a significant overlap between the microRNA regulation during diapause and aging. Particularly interesting is the regulation of the miR-430 family. These microRNAs represent the second most expressed microRNA family in the killifish embryos, and diapause is associated with dramatic down-regulation of the prevalent -3p form and up-regulation of the -5p form. Members of the miR-430 family are contained in a large repetitive cluster whose organization is variable among teleost. Analysis of recently sequenced 45 low-coverage killifish genomes revealed that the miR-430 locus contains a lower number of copies in annual- as opposed to non-annual killifish. ConclusionsThe Evolution of diapause is reflected in the convergent evolution of microRNA regulation in killifishes. A prominent feature is a dramatic down-regulation of miR-430 expression that could be partially explained with a reduction of its copy numbers in the genome.
Relationship Between Idiopathic Normal-Pressure Hydrocephalus and Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
Authors: Tominaga Hiroyuki , Tokumoto Hiroto , Kawamura Ichiro , Sanada Masato , Kawazoe Kazumasa , Taketomi Eiji , Taniguchi Noboru
Published: July 2021

Object: To evaluate the relationship between idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) and lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS).Methods: With the aging of society, the numbers of patients with iNPH and LSS are likely to increase. iNPH and LSS have similar symptoms including gait disturbance and urinary dysfunction. The prevalence of dementia is higher in older adults with LSS. However, the relationship of LSS with iNPH and the prevalence of LSS in patients with iNPH are unknown. In our department between April 2011 and March 2017, 226 patients were diagnosed with iNPH and underwent shunt operation including lumboperitoneal shunts and ventriculoperitoneal shunts. Two spine surgeons evaluated LSS on magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar spine. Age, sex, body mass index, Timed Up and Go test, Mini Mental State Examination score, and urinary dysfunction were examined before and after surgery for iNPH. Changes in these variables were compared between patients with iNPH without LSS and with iNPH and LSS.Results: In the overall cohort, the median patient age was 78 years and there were 121 males. Among 226 patients with iNPH, 73 (32.3%) had LSS. Neurological symptoms were improved in all patients at final follow-up. The rate of symptom improvement was lower for the iNPH and LSS group compared with the iNPH without LSS group.Conclusions: Surgery to improve gait disturbance might be difficult in patients with iNPH with LSS. When examining patients with iNPH, we should consider the possibility of concomitant LSS.
Objective discovery of dominant dynamical processes with machine learning
Authors: Kaiser Bryan , Saenz Juan , Sonnewald Maike , Livescu Daniel
Published: July 2021

Significant advances in the understanding and modeling of dynamical systems has been enabled by the identification of processes that locally and approximately dominate system behavior, or dynamical regimes. The conventional regime identification method involves tedious and ad hoc parsing of data to judiciously obtain scales to ascertain which governing equation terms are dominant in each regime. Surprisingly, no objective and universally applicable criterion exists to robustly identify dynamical regimes in an unbiased manner, neither for conventional nor for machine learning-based methods of analysis. Here, we formally define dynamical regime identification as an optimization problem by using a verification criterion, and we show that an unsupervised learning framework can automatically and credibly identify regimes. This eliminates reliance upon ad hoc conventional analyses, with vast potential to accelerate discovery. Our verification criterion also enables unbiased comparison of regimes identified by different methods. In addition to diagnostic applications, the verification criterion and learning framework are immediately useful for data-driven dynamical process modeling, and are relevant to researchers interested in the development of inherently interpretable methods for scientific machine learning. Automation of this kind of approximate mechanistic analysis is necessary for scientists to gain new dynamical insights from increasingly large data streams.
An Efficient Machine Learning Approach to Nephrology Through Iris Recognition
Authors: Divya C D , L Gururaj H , Rohan R , Bhagyalakshmi V , Rashmi H A , Domnick A , Flammini Francesco
Published: July 2021

Iridology is a technique in science used to analyze color, patterns, and various other properties of the iris to assess an individual's general health. Few regions in the iris are connected by nerves coming from different organs of body, this shows some special unique qualities which is advantageous along with which assist in psychological condition, particular organ conditions and construction of the body. The structural and designed patterns present on specific part of iris represent the level of intensity of disorder caused by the organs. This method of approach can be employed as reasonable and logical guidelines for the detection and identification of disorders. Therefore, after scanning the image of iris advance study of disorder can be carried out for detecting the condition of organ. Initially by the service of an adaptive histogram, the image of eye should be separated from part of the image captured. Next the images of iris are classified and recognized using machine learning algorithm Support Vector machine or Support Vector Networks. The features are extracted from images of iris using white Gaussian filters which are then used as a feature descriptor. These descriptors count the occurrences of gradient orientation and magnitude in localized portions of an image. Then convert the image of iris to a gray scaled image, final image is standardized. Next is to convert it into rectangular shape and then assembling the HMM images of eyes related to the kidney. The final level is to diagnose the edge of image of iris HMM. By analysing end results, condition of the organ can be diagnosed and results can be obtained from the iris recognition system.
Adaptive tracking control for uncertain nonlinear systems subject to unknown control coefficients, state constraints, and input saturation
Authors: Wang Chunxiao , Qi Lu , Zhao Yan , Yu Jiali
Published: July 2021

This article is committed to studying the tracking control problem for a class of uncertain nonlinear system with unknown control coefficients. The system is subject to full state constraints, input saturation constraint, and external disturbances simultaneously. By introducing a hyperbolic tangent function to approximate the saturated input function, the sharp corner caused by the input saturation is avoided. In the meanwhile, an auxiliary system is constructed to compensate the resulting approximation error. By using the barrier Lyapunov function (BLF) based adaptive backsteping control, the Nussbaum-type adaptive controllers are constructed for the augmented system with unknown control direction. It not only ensures the system states are always within the constrained range, but also guarantees the tracking performance of the system, no matter whether the control direction of the system is known or not. Meanwhile, dynamic surface control (DSC) is used in the controller design, which avoids ”computation explosion” caused by the repeated derivation of virtual control law. Aiming at the nonparametric uncertainty of the system, a common adaptive law is designed by combining the unknown constant bounds of the external disturbance with the error term caused by input saturation estimation. It improves the tracking performance of the system and reduces the burden of the controller greatly. Finally, a simulation example is given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme in three scenarios.
Enhanced Magnetization in a Frustrated Spin System by Ni+ Ion Beam Irradiation
Authors: Park Jun Kue , Jang Hye Min , Cho Won-Je , Kim Chorong , Suk Jaekwon , Kim Dong-Seok , Lee Jae Sang
Published: July 2021

We investigate the magnetic properties in a frustrated spin system of carbonyl iron (CI) particles before and after Ni+ ion beam irradiation. Upon increasing temperatures, the saturation magnetization exhibits an anomalous increase, which is more intense after the beam irradiation. The zero-field cooled (ZFC) magnetization data show an anomalous increase up to 300 K, regardless of the beam irradiation. After the irradiation, unlike in the unirradiated CI particles, the ZFC curve shows separated regimes, reflecting two distributions of the blocking temperature, which may be related to the particle distribution summed with two distribution functions. After the irradiation, strong interparticle interaction may be present due to the effect of dipolar interaction among CI particles doped Ni ions, leading to the enhanced magnetization. We may suggest that the anomalous magnetization behavior can be ascribed to frustration in the internal magnetic order for the unirradiated CI particles, and further interparticle interaction for the irradiated CI particles.