bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Observing UT1-UTC with VGOS
Authors: Haas Rüdiger , Varenius Eskil , Matsumoto Saho , Schartner Matthias
Published: December 2020

We present rst results of UT1-UTC determinations using the VLBI Global Observing System (VGOS). During December 2019 through February 2020 a series of 1 hour long observing sessions were performed using the VGOS stations at Ishioka in Japan and the Onsala twin telescopes in Sweden. The data of this VGOS-B series were correlated, post-correlation processed, and analysed at the Onsala Space Observatory. The derived UT1-UTC results were compared to corresponding results from standard legacy S/X Intensive sessions (INT1/INT2), as well to the nal values of the International Earth Rotation and Reference Frame Service (IERS), provided in IERS Bulletin B. The VGOS-B series achieve 3-4 times lower formal uncertainties for the UT1-UTC results than standard legacy S/X INT series. Furthermore, the root mean square (RMS) agreement with respect to the IERS Bulletin B is 30-40 % better for the VGOS-B results than for the INT1/INT2 results.
Oblique Lumbar Interbody Fusion at the L5-S1 Segment via an Approach Between the Psoas Muscle and the Great Vessels: Technique Note and Case Presentations.
Authors: Li Xigong , Diao Weiyi , Zhang Yuzhu , Wu Junsong , Xing Chunyang , Du Junhua , Chen Bin , Xu Sanzhong
Published: December 2020

Study DesignTechnique note.ObjectivesTo describe our modified oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) technique in the reconstruction of the L5-S1 segment.Summary of Background DataRecently, OLIF has been generally recognized as an effective procedure in the treatment of various spinal pathologies at L2-L5 segments. However, the usage of OLIF at the L5-S1 segment doesn’t have gained widespread acceptance in spine community. Some authors still concern about the feasibility of OLIF used in lumbosacral fusionMethodsTen consecutive patients underwent L5-S1 interbody fusion using the OLIF technique in our institution. The L5–S1 disc space is approached via one retroperitoneal oblique corridor between the psoas muscle and the great vessels. The discectomy and endplate preparation are performed through a surgical window developed on the anterolateral side of L5-S1 disc. A secondary cage insertion technique is used for safe placement of interbody fusion cages.ResultsOf the 10 patients, 6 were males and 4 were females, with an average age of 55.4±6.8 years. There were 8 single-level and 2 two-level procedures, including 2 at L4–L5 and 10 at L5–S1. Preoperative axial MR images confirmed 1 patient with type I LCIV (left common iliac vein), 6 with type II LCIV and 3 with type III LCIV. The average blood loss was 133.4±88.5 ml, and the average operative times were 153.6±38.3 minutes. Postoperative radiographs examination confirmed all patients obtained a better reconstruction at the lumbosacral junction. Two patients with type III LCIV sustained iliolumbar vein laceration during the exposure, and no other perioperative complications were encountered.ConclusionOur novel OLIF L5-S1 technique is a more feasible procedure of lumbosacral fusion, which shared the common surgical plane with OLIF L2-5, allowing for L2 to S1 reproducible multi-levels interbody fusions via a retroperitoneal oblique corridor between the psoas muscle and the great vessels. Detailed preoperative plan and meticulous intraoperative manipulation are prerequisite for the success of OLIF L5-S1 procedure.
Locoregional Treatment in De Novo Metastatic Breast Cancer: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Jianna Sun , Lingjun Kong , Nana Feng , Hong Liu , Chongxi Ren
Published: December 2020

Background: In an earlier analysis of this cohort study, local therapy based on surgical resection of the primary tumor might confer a survival benefit in women with de novo metastatic breast cancer (dnMBC). Here we report the survival outcomes of locoregional treatment (LRT), focusing on the association of surgical timings and surgical margins with survival in these patients. Methods: The retrospective study included patients with dnMBC in two Chinese tertiary hospitals, between March 1, 2007, and December 31, 2017. Overall survival (OS) was evaluated by means of a stratified log-rank test and summarized with the use of Kaplan–Meier methods. Results: A total of 153 patients were included, of whom 87 underwent LRT and 66 systemic therapy alone (STA). LRT showed a significant OS benefit over STA (HR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.33 to 0.69; p<.0001). Median OS of LRT group and STA group were 42 months (95% CI, 35.0 to 48.9 months) and 21 months (95% CI, 16.1 to 25.9 months), respectively. The benefit was consistent across most subgroups. The OS of patients undergoing surgery was better than that of patients without surgery (HR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.33 to 0.70; p=.0001), and there was difference in survival improvement at different surgical timings (surgery before chemotherapy, during chemotherapy and after chemotherapy) (HR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.65 to 0.95; p=.013). The survival benefit of surgery after chemotherapy was the most, followed by surgery during chemotherapy (Median 56 months, 95% CI, 40.8 to 71.2 months). Moreover, compared with patients with positive margins, the OS of patients with negative margins was significantly improved (HR, 2.35; 95% CI, 1.65 to 3.35; p<.0001), with a median OS of 56 months (95% CI, 45.9 to 66.1 months). Conclusions: Our results suggest that LRT is associated with improved OS in women with dnMBC, and patients who had surgery after or during systemic chemotherapy with negative surgical margins, are expected to benefit more.
Small-molecule HDAC and Akt Inhibitors Suppress Tumor Growth and Enhance Immunotherapy in Multiple Myeloma
Authors: Hirano Mitsuhito , Imai Yoichi , Kaito Yuta , Murayama Takahiko , Sato Kota , Ishida Tadao , Yamamoto Junichi , Ito Takumi , Futami Muneyoshi , Ri Masaki , Yasui Hiroshi , Nojima Masanori , Kamikubo Yasuhiko , Gotoh Noriko , Iida Shinsuke , Handa Hiroshi , Tojo Arinobu
Published: December 2020

Background: Multiple myeloma (MM) patients may undergo relapse and experience resistance to existing therapies. Cereblon (CRBN) is key mediator of the bioactivities of immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs), including lenalidomide. Moreover, genetic alteration of CRBN is frequently detected in IMiD-resistant patients and considered to contribute to IMiD resistance. Thus, overcoming resistance to drugs, including IMiDs, is expected to improve clinical outcomes. Here, we examined potential mechanisms of a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor and Akt inhibitor in treatment of relapsed/refractory MM patients.Methods: We established lenalidomide-resistant cells by knocking down or knocking out CRBN in MM cells. Additionally, we derived multi-drug (bortezomib, doxorubicin, or dexamethasone)-resistant cell lines and primary cells from relapsed/refractory MM patients. The effects of HDAC and Akt inhibitors on these drug-resistant MM cells were then observed with a particular focus placed on whether HDAC inhibitors enhance immunotherapy efficacy. We also investigated the effect of lenalidomide on CRBN-deficient cells.Results: HDAC inhibitor suppressed the growth of drug-resistant MM cell lines, and enhanced antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) of therapeutic antibodies by upregulating natural killer group 2D (NKG2D) ligands in MM cells. CRBN-deficient cells showed lenalidomide-induced upregulation of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (p-GSK-3) and c-Myc phosphorylation. Meanwhile, HDAC and Akt inhibitors downregulated c-Myc by blocking GSK-3 phosphorylation. HDAC and Akt inhibitors also exhibited synergistic cytotoxic and c-Myc–suppressive effects. Moreover, the dual HDAC and PI3K inhibitor, CUDC-907, exhibited cytotoxic and immunotherapy-enhancing effects for MM cells, including for multi-drug-resistant lines and primary cells including lenalidomide-resistant patients.Conclusions: Combined HDAC and Akt inhibition represents a promising approach for the treatment of relapsed/refractory MM.
Development and Validation of a Unique Gignature of Cancer Stemness-related Genes for Predicting the Overall survival of Colorectal Cancer Patients
Authors: Wei Ran , Quan Jichuan , Li Shuofeng , Lu Zhao , Guan Xu , Jiang Zheng , Wang Xishan
Published: December 2020

Background: Cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are characterized by self-renewal and plasticity, are highly correlated with tumor metastasis and drug resistance. To fully understand the role of CSCs in colorectal cancer (CRC), we evaluated the stemness traits and prognostic value of stemness-related genes in CRC.Methods: In this study, the data from 616 CRC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were assessed and subtyped based on the mRNA expression-based stemness index (mRNAsi). The correlations of cancer stemness with the immune microenvironment, tumor mutational burden (TMB) and N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA methylation regulators were analyzed. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was performed to identify the crucial stemness-related genes and modules. Furthermore, a prognostic expression signature was constructed using Lasso-penalized Cox regression analysis. The signature was validated via multiplex immunofluorescence staining of tissue samples in an independent cohort of 48 CRC patients.Results: This study suggests that high mRNAsi scores are associated with poor overall survival in stage Ⅳ CRC patients. Moreover, the levels of TMB and m6A RNA methylation regulators were positively correlated with mRNAsi scores, and low mRNAsi scores were characterized by increased immune activity in CRC. The analysis identified 2 key modules and 34 key genes as prognosis-related candidate biomarkers. Finally, a 3-gene prognostic signature (PARPBP, KNSTRN and KIF2C) was explored together with specific clinical features to construct a nomogram, which was successfully validated in an external cohort. Conclusions: There is a unique correlation between CSCs and the prognosis of CRC patients, and the novel biomarkers related to cell stemness could accurately predict the clinical outcomes of these patients.
Therapeutic Potential of CUDC-907 (Fimepinostat) for Hepatocarcinoma Treatment Revealed by Tumor Spheroids-based Drug Screening
Authors: Liao Wei , Yang Wanren , Zhang Yue , Zeng Fanhong , Xu Jiecheng , Yan Zhengming , Pan Mingxin , Xu Xiaoping , Zhou Shuqin , Zeng Min , Weng Jun , Han Xu , Li Shao , Li Yang , Liang Kangyan , Peng Qing , Gao Yi
Published: December 2020

Background: Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally. However, most of the new anti-cancer agents screened by traditional drug screening methods fail in the clinic because of lack of efficacy. One of the reasons for this dilemma is that the two-dimensional (2D) culture cancer cell lines could not represent the in vivo cancer cells well. Fortunately, the development of a three-dimensional (3D) culture technique helps in this problem. Methods: The high-throughput spheroid culture plate was fabricated by using 3D print technique and agarose. 4 hepatocarcinoma (HCC) cell lines were 3D cultured to screen 19 small molecular agents based on the spheroid culture plate. 3D cultured primary HCC cells and tumor-bearing mice model were established to verify the candidate anti-hepatocarcinoma agent. Cell function experiments and western blotting were conducted to explore the anti-hepatocarcinoma mechanism of the candidate agent. Results: Based on the previous study, we established an in vitro 3D drug screening method by using our invented spheroid culture device and found that CUDC-907 can serve as a potent anti-hepatocarcinoma agent. The study data show that CUDC-907 (fimepinostat), a novel dual acting inhibitor of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and histone deacetylase (HDAC), has potent inhibitory effects on HCC cell lines and primary HCC cells in vitro, Animal studies have shown that CUDC-907 can also suppress HCC cells in vivo. Furthermore, we investigated the antitumor mechanism of CUDC-907 in HCC cells. We found that it inhibits the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and downregulates the expression of c-Myc, leading to the suppression of HCC cells. Conclusion: Our results suggest that CUDC-907 can be a candidate anti-HCC drug, and the 3D in vitro drug screening method based on our novel spheroid culture device is promising for drug screening.
Bi-specific Antibody Y111, Targeting PD-L1 and CD3 Considerably Enhances the Therapeutic Efficacy of Adoptive Transferred Vγ2Vδ2 T Cells
Authors: Yang Rui , Shen Susu , Gong Cheng , Wang Xin , Luo Fang , Luo Fengyan , Lei Yang , Wang Zili , Xu Shasha , Ni Qian , Xue Yan , Fu Zhen , Zeng Liang , Fang Lijuan , Yan Yongxiang , Zhang Jing , Gan Lu , Yi Jizu , Zhou Pengfei
Published: December 2020

Background: Anti-cancer immunotherapy based on the adoptive transfer of Vγ2Vδ2 T cells has benefited to some patients in clinical trials, but the overall responses are inconsistent. Therefore, new strategies are urgently needed to improve the current therapy.Methods: In this study, a designed bispecific antibody Y111, which binds to both CD3 and PD-L1, is applied to optimally potentiate Vγ2Vδ2 T cell-based killing of cancer cells. The binding activities of Y111 was determined by Flow cytometry. CFSE/PI-based flow cytometry was applied to check the re-directed killing ability induced by Y111 in the condition of using T cell subsets, or expanded- and purified- Vγ2Vδ2 T cells as effector cells. Moreover, expanded- and purified- Vγ2Vδ2 T cells were co-cultured with tumor cells in the presence/absence of Y111 to assess the activation, degranulation, and cytokine production by intracellular cytokine staining, and CBA method. Finally, NPG-based subcutaneous tumor mouse models were used to check the in vivo therapeutic efficacy of the combination of transfused Vγ2Vδ2 T cells and Y111.Results: Due to its binding activities, Y111 apparently prompts fresh αβ-mediated lysis of tumor cell line H358 cells, but spare the effect on the fresh enriched Vγ2Vδ2 T cells from the same donors. However, Y111 increases cytotoxicity of expanded and purified Vγ2Vδ2 T cells against various NSCLC-derived tumor cell lines in a tumor cell dependent fashion. Y111 also prompted the releases of granzyme B, IFNγ and TNFα. Supporting to these observations in vitro, a combination of adoptive transferring Vγ2Vδ2 T cell and Y111 into the tumor-bearing NPG mice inhibited the growth of the established tumors in the mice.Conclusions: Taken together, our data suggest clinical potential for adoptive transferring the bispecific antibody-armored Vγ2Vδ2 T cells to treat solid tumors, such as NSCLC.
LncRNA APOC1P1-3 Promoting Anoikis-resistance of Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Lu Qi , Wang Li , Zhu Ping , Gao Yabiao , Li Luying , Wang Xue , Jin Youping , Zhi Xiuling , Yu Jerry , Li Xin , Qin Xingjun , Zhou Ping
Published: December 2020

Background: Anoikis resistance plays a critical role in the tumor metastasis by allowing survival of cancer cells in the systemic circulation. We previously showed that long non-coding RNAs APOC1P1-3 (lncRNA APOC1P1-3) inhibits breast cancer cell apoptosis. However, its role in the anoikis resistance remains unclear. Methods: We induced anoikis resistance in two breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) under anchorage-independent culture condition and studied the effects of lncRNA APOC1P1-3 on the apoptosis. The Dual-Luciferase activity assay were used to whether miRNA-188-3P can specifically bind to lncRNA APOC1P1-3. We further explored the role of APOC1P1-3 in the lung metastasis by injecting MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-231-APOC1P1-3-knock-down cells in the female BALB/c nude mice.Results: We found that it suppressed early apoptosis of these cells by gain or loss of their function, respectively. We further explored its mechanism related to anoikis resistance, and found this molecule promoted the resistance via activating Caspase 3, 8, 9 and PARP. Moreover, it was specifically binding to the target miRNA-188-3p to block its inhibition of Bcl-2 (an anti-apoptosis protein). These findings suggest that lncRNA APOC1P1-3 plays an important role in the development of breast cancer metastasis via anoikis resistance. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that lncRNA APOC1P1-3 can promote the anoikis resistance of breast cancer cells and specifically bind to miRNA-188-3p acting as a “sponge” to block the inhibition of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2.
Generation of heritable double muscle buttocks rabbits via myostatin mutation with CRISPR/Cas9 system
Authors: Zhang Yu , Zheng Yalin , Wu Liyan , Li Zhipeng , Xiao Ning , Li Hongli , An Lei , Shi Deshun , Liu Qingyou , Cui Kuiqing
Published: December 2020

Background

Myostatin (MSTN) is a member of the transforming growth factor (TGF-β) superfamily and is considered to be a negative regulator that inhibits muscle development and regeneration, inactivity of MSTN gene may affect the development and regeneration of muscle in a few of animals.
Results

In the present study, the muscle mass negative regulator gene myostatin (MSTN) was knocked out at two novel sits in exon3, and the function of these mutation was determined in the offspring rabbits. The typical double muscle phenotype with hyperplasia and hypertrophy of muscle fiber was observed in the MSTN KO rabbits, and similar phenotype was confirmed in the F1 generation rabbits. The body weight of MSTN-KO+/− rabbits 3708 ± 43.06 g were significant heavier at 180 days than that of control WT rabbit 3224 ± 48.64 g (P < 0.001). Fourteen litters of F1 generation rabbits were produced, and the mutation of MSTN could be stably inherited in the MSTN KO rabbits.
Conclusions

Heritable double muscle buttocks rabbits via myostatin mutation with CRISPR/Cas9 system were generated, which will be valuable in meat rabbits breeding and a useful animal model for the study of human muscle development related diseases.
Improving Biomedical Named Entity Recognition with Label Re-correction and Knowledge Distillation
Authors: Zhou Huiwei , Liu Zhe , Lang Chengkun , Lin Yingyu , Hou Junjie
Published: December 2020

Background: Biomedical named entities recognition is one of the most essential tasks in biomedical information extraction. Previous studies suffer from inadequate annotation datasets, especially the limited knowledge contained in them. Methods: To remedy the above issue, we propose a novel Chemical and Disease Named Entity Recognition (CDNER) framework with label re-correction and knowledge distillation strategies, which could not only create large and high-quality datasets but also obtain a high-performance entity recognition model. Our framework is inspired by two points: 1) named entity recognition should be considered from the perspective of both coverage and accuracy; 2) trustable annotations should be yielded by iterative correction. Firstly, for coverage, we annotate chemical and disease entities in a large unlabeled dataset by PubTator to generate a weakly labeled dataset. For accuracy, we then filter it by utilizing multiple knowledge bases to generate another dataset. Next, the two datasets are revised by a label re-correction strategy to construct two high-quality datasets, which are used to train two CDNER models, respectively. Finally, we compress the knowledge in the two models into a single model with knowledge distillation. Results: Experiments on the BioCreative V chemical-disease relation corpus show that knowledge from large datasets significantly improves CDNER performance, leading to new state-of-the-art results.Conclusions: We propose a framework with label re-correction and knowledge distillation strategies. Comparison results show that the two perspectives of knowledge in the two re-corrected datasets respectively are complementary and both effective for biomedical named entity recognition.
Evaluation of a Clinical Decision Support System for Rare Diseases - A Qualitative Study
Authors: Schaaf Jannik , Sedlmayr Martin , Sedlmayr Brita , Prokosch Hans-Ulrich , Storf Holger
Published: December 2020

BackgroundRare Diseases (RDs) are difficult to diagnose. Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS) could support the diagnosis for RDs. The MIRACUM (Medical Informatics in Research and Medicine) consortium developed a CDSS for RDs based on distributed clinical data from ten German university hospitals. To support the diagnosis for difficult patient cases, the CDSS uses data from the different hospitals to perform a patient similarity analysis in order to obtain an indication of a diagnosis. To optimize our CDSS, we conducted this qualitative study to investigate the usability of the CDSS with its functionality and information included. Methods A Thinking Aloud Test (TA-Test) was performed with RDs experts recruited from Rare Diseases Centres (RDCs) at the MIRACUM locations which were specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of RDs.An instruction sheet with tasks was prepared that the participants should perform with the CDSS during the study. Participants were asked to share any thoughts about the CDSS. The TA-Test was recorded on audio and video. A questionnaire was handed out at the end of the study including the System Usability Scale (SUS). Afterwards, the data was analysed with the qualitative content analysis according to Mayring, which includes a category-guided deductive approach.ResultsA total of eight experts were included in the study since eight MIRACUM locations have established an RDC.The results show that more detailed information about the patients, such as descriptive attributes or findings, are needed. The given functionality of the CDSS was rated positively, such as the function for the overview of similar patients and medical history. However, there is a lack of transparency regarding the results of the CDSS patient similarity analysis. The participants stated that the system should present exactly which symptoms, diagnosis etc. have matched. Regarding usability, the CDSS received a score of 73.21 points according to the SUS, which is ranked as a good usability.ConclusionsThis qualitative study investigated the usability of a CDSS of RDs. Despite the promising results, the CDSS still needs some revisions before use in clinical practice, e.g. by improving the transparency of the patient similarity analysis.
Role of Sequential Functional Echocardiography in Predicting Clinically Apparent Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Preterm Very Low Birth Weight Newborns-An Observational Study
Authors: Bhardwaj Anchala , SAILI ARVIND , Yadav Dinesh Kumar , Kumar Ajay
Published: December 2020

Background The management of patent ductus arteriosus in preterm neonates continues to be a topic of discussion and controversy. Prolonged ductal patency in preterm neonates has been associated with significant short and long term morbidities and with increased mortality however, policy of routine treatment of all during neonatal period has failed to show significant improvement in long term outcome. Echocardiography has emerged as a promising modality to screen the newborns at risk of adverse effects of ductal shunting. This helps in identifying PDAs that require treatment to ultimately prevent unnecessary therapy or delay of necessary therapy. There are multitude of studies that have evaluated large number of echocardiographic markers for their predictive utility but only few have included all ductal markers together in a single study. The reported sensitivity (26-100%) and specificity (6-100%) of echocardiographic markers vary over a wide range. Thus, this study was planned with an aim to assess the predictive utility of all available ductal markers and their added advantage of having all over few ones in clinically apparent PDA in preterm VLBW newborns.Methods It was an observational prospective study conducted in tertiary care NICU at Lady Hardinge Medical College, Delhi. Fifty preterm very low birth weight (VLBW) newborns underwent four sequential Echo scans within first 72 hrs; first scan within 12 hours then at 24 hrs ,48 hrs and 72 hrs of age and were monitored clinically for the signs of PDA up to two weeks of life or discharge whichever comes later.Results The Ductal diameter, pulsatile ductal flow pattern, Left pulmonary artery (LPA) velocity, Left atrial to aortic width (La/Ao) ratio, Left atrial volume index (LAVI), Left ventricle to aortic width (Lv/Ao) ratio, E/A ratio and Left ventricular output/superior vena caval (LVO/SVC) flow ratio predicted clinically apparent PDA during first 72 hours of life.Conclusion This study provides insights into the predictive utility of other ductal echo markers along with the routinely measured conventional ones during first 72 hours of life in preterm VLBW newborns.
A modified intrafocal pinning technique with three-dimensional planning to facilitate volar plating in dorsally comminuted AO/OTA C2 and C3 distal radius fractures
Authors: Gui Xue-yang , Shi Hong-fei , Xiong Jin , Chen Yi-xin , Wang Jun-fei , Huang Jie , Qiu Xu-sheng , Wang Yin-he
Published: December 2020

Backgrounds: The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of a modified intrafocal pinning technique with three-dimensional (3D) planning to facilitate volar plating in dorsally comminuted intra-articular distal radius fractures.Methods: In total 35 AO/OTA type C2 and C3 fractures were finally included. The 3D digital model of the fracture was reconstructed based on preoperative computed tomographic (CT) images, with the displacement of the comminuted dorsal fragment and the intra-articular fragment analyzed for preoperative planning. During operation, a modified intrafocal pinning technique was applied percutaneously from the dorsal aspect of the radius to reduce the collapsed intra-articular fragment following volar plating. Adequate reduction was confirmed in all of patients considering radial height, radial inclination and volar tilt in postoperative radiographs.Results: No significant fracture re-displacement was observed in most of the cases during a mean follow-up period of 17.4 months, except for two patients with the C3 fracture. All of the patients achieved adequate clinical ROMs at 12 months postoperatively, with a mean DASH score of 12.0. Most of the patients achieved an excellent (n = 21) or good (n = 12) Gartland and Werley wrist score.Conclusions: Our modified intrafocal pinning technique with 3D planning contributes to a satisfactory clinical and radiological outcome in dorsally comminuted intra-articular distal radius fractures fixed with a volar locking plate.Trial registration: Not applicable because the design of the study is retrospective.
An Improved AODV Routing Security Algorithm Based on Blockchain in Ad Hoc Network
Authors: Ran Conglin , Yan Shuailing , Huang Liang , Zhang Lei
Published: December 2020

Ad Hoc network is a special network with no center and dynamic topology changes. Due to the free mobility of nodes, routing security has always been a bottleneck problem that plagues network development. Therefore, this paper proposes a multi-path QoS (Quality of Service) routing security algorithm based on blockchain by improving the traditional AODV (Ad hoc On-Demand Distance Vector) protocol (AODV-MQS). The algorithm first establishes a blockchain network and saves the state of all nodes by making the intermediate nodes on the chain. Then the smart contract in the blockchain is set to filter out the nodes that meet the QoS constraints. Finally, two largest unrelated communication paths are found in the blockchain network through smart contract, one of which is the main path and the other is the standby path. Simulation experiments show that this algorithm has better performance than other algorithms in an unsafe environment.
Quality Blues: Indigenous Knowledge of Natural Indigo Identification in Southern China
Authors: Shi Yuru , Zhang Libin , Wang Lu , Li Shan , Qiu Zuchuan , Ding Xiaoyong , Wang Yuhua
Published: December 2020

Background: As one of the oldest traditional dyes, natural indigo is commonly used for centuries by the people worldwide. In the process of indigo production, indigenous people have formed unique knowledge of indigo identification because the indigo identification is crucial for indigo quality control and the dyeing effects. However, such indigenous knowledge is rarely documented and explained. Therefore, the aims of this study were to i) document and assess the indigenous knowledge of local people identifying the natural indigo paste and ii) to explore the characteristics and material basis of such indigenous knowledge.Method: Three ethnobotanical studies were conducted in 2019 and 2020. A total of 283 traditional indigo-paste artisans were interviewed in Guizhou, Yunnan, and Fujian Provinces. Frequency of citation, Mention index, and Fidelity level of each indigo-paste quality criterion were calculated to determine the most commonly used, most recognized, and most important quality criterion. To explore the characteristics and material basis of such traditional knowledge, we analyzed 21 samples we collected by using HPLC, pH and particle size analysis methods.Results: Local people possess unique knowledge to identify natural indigo. After thousands of years, they finally chose four criteria (color, taste, touch, and dyeing ability) and based on this, the nature indigo was divided into five quality grades. The best folk criterion was as following: dark blue with purple-red luster, smooth and difficult to wipe off; it should have a "sweet" or "spicy" taste, and dye cloth easily. It found that the higher the indigo and indirubin contents, especially indirubin content, the better the quality of the indigo paste. Within the 9-12 range, pH of high quality indigo-paste was lower. However, there was no significance difference between particle size and quality.Conclusion: The ancient methods used by the local people for identifying natural indigo are comprehensive and unique. This study revealed the importance of indirubin and pH for assessing the quality of indigo paste by documenting the various folk quality criteria and quantitative experiments. These findings differ from existing synthetic indigo-quality standards. Amid rapid modernization, traditional knowledge remains invaluable in world heritage of humanity that warrants preservation.
Effect of Different Levels of I.B.A Concentration on Clonal Propagation of Eucalyptus Species in Ghana West Africa.
Authors: Sarpong Nana Yaw , Agyemang Frank Ofori , Siaw Daniel E.K.A , Menason Essakku
Published: December 2020

BackgroundIncreasing global wood demands have necessitated an overall push for cost-effective methods of vegetative propagation using cuttings. Vegetative plant propagation through cuttings although a breakthrough is mostly hampered with the inability of cuttings to root effectively to achieve maximum yield. Ten clones each of Eucalyptus grandis x Eucalyptus urophylla (E. grandis x E. urophylla) and Eucalyptus pellita (E. pellita) were treated with Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) concentrations of 0 ppm (control), 2000 ppm, 3000 ppm and 4000 ppm respectively.ResultsOverall mean survival of cuttings was low (< 50%) for all concentrations of IBA used in this research. Survival rates of individual clones however varied from clone to clone. E. grandis x E. urophylla cuttings had the highest mean survival (43.39%) when treated with 2000 ppm of IBA and lowest mean survival (37.86%) when treated with 0 ppm. Results from the survival rates of E. grandis × E. Urophylla and Eucalyptus pellita cuttings were subjected to an Analysis of Variance test to identify any significant differences between hormone concentration and cutting survival. ANOVA results indicated that differences between cutting–IBA concentrations for E. grandis × E. Urophylla were significant (p=1.85x10-08) which is lower than standard p value (p=0.05) used in the test.For E. pellita (P) cuttings the highest mean survival (27.14%) was achieved when treated with 2000 ppm of Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA). Individual clones however showed significant differences in survival. E. pellita clone P2 achieved the highest survival (52.68%) in the control experiment (0 ppm). Some clones i.e P51 and P82 achieved survivals of less than 10% in all four levels of IBAConclusionThe best surviving Eucalyptus grandis x Eucalyptus urophylla clone (GH11) achieved a mean survival rate of 75% when the GH11 basal cutting was treated with 2000 ppm IBA. The results indicated that the production of clones with survival rates of less than 20% should be discarded since it makes no economic sense clones with survival rates of more than 40% should be planted out in the field to compare field performance with greenhouse survival.
Cloning and Functional Verification of Gene GmELF4-LIKE4 in Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr]
Authors: Jin Yukun , Zhao He , Lamboro Abraham , Xiao Zhifeng , Zhang Qi , Guan Shuyan , Qu Jing , Zhao Rengui , Wang Piwu
Published: December 2020

BackgroundSoybean grain is an important oil crop with high-quality vegetable protein and vegetable oil. Extreme weather can cause crop yield reduction, among which drought is most likely to cause a decline in annual soybean yield. How to overcome the impact of drought on soybean yield has become a major work in current breeding research.ResultsIn our study, the gene GmELF4-LIKE4 was obtained through RNA-Seq and differential gene screening technology, and the plant over expression vector and RNAi vector were constructed. Then, the Colombian Arabidopsis thaliana and soybean JN18 were genetically transformed and added to the Agrobacterium-mediated method in to T2 generation. We have verified in Arabidopsis thaliana that over expression of ELF4-LIKE4 will delay the flowering of Arabidopsis thaliana, while inhibition of ELF4-LIKE4 expression will advance the flowering period. At the same time, we verified the regulation analysis of GmELF4-LIKE4 on EARLY FLOWERING 3 and CONSTANTS-like in soybeans, and found that GmELF4-LIKE4 positively regulates ELF3 and COL; meanwhile, over expression soybeans and RNAi soybeans were tested in drought. Stressing the relative conductivity, malondialdehyde content and peroxidase activity under 0 days and 5 days, the result indicate that the over expression of GmELF4-LIKE4 gene can reduce the drought resistance of soybean. This study laid a theoretical foundation for the identification of GmELF4-LIKE4 gene function and the breeding of drought-resistant varieties.ConclusionWe found that overexpression of GmELF4-LIKE4 will delay the flowering period of Arabidopsis thaliana and reduce the drought resistance of soybeans. Conversely, inhibiting GmELF4-LIKE4 will advance the flowering of Arabidopsis thaliana and increase the drought resistance of soybeans.
A Mathematical Calculation Method for Hysteresis Characteristics Analysis of Arc-Shaped Finger Seal
Authors: Du Chun-Hua , Zhang Yan-Chao , Cui Ya-Hui , Dong Shu-Na , Ji Hong-Hu , Song Dan-Long
Published: December 2020

In order to accurately predict the hysteresis characteristics of finger seal, the minimum hysteresis which can directly reflect the hysteresis of finger seal is proposed to characterize the hysteresis of finger seal. The mathematical model for calculating the minimum hysteresis of finger seal is established, the correction coefficient in the mathematical model is determined, and the mathematical model is verified by experiments. The influence of the structure and working condition parameters of finger laminates on the hysteresis characteristics is studied based on the modified calculation model, and the rule of influence is obtained in the end. Research results show that the maximum error between the leakage characteristics numerical calculation of finger seal base on modified calculation model and the experiment results is 7.64%, and the mathematical model of the minimum hysteresis is reasonable and reliable. The descending order of influence degree of structural parameters on the hysteresis characteristics of finger seal is: thickness of each finger laminate, finger repeat angle, arc radius of the finger beam arcs‘ centers, diameter of the finger base circle, width of the interstice between fingers, arc radius of finger beam. The research results provide a theoretical basis for further research on the influence of hysteresis on the finger seal leakage characteristics and the optimal design of finger seal structure.
Acute Aggression After Progesterone Discontinuation in a Young Female
Authors: Shad Mujeeb U
Published: December 2020

Background:Although cyclical changes in progesterone activity have been linked with various psychiatric symptoms, such as anxiety, mood, and premenstrual dysphoria, less is known about the effects of contraceptive use of progesterone and behavioral aggression. Case Presentation:We report a case of a 23-year old hospitalized African female diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolarity and history of alcohol use disorder, who developed significant behavioral aggression within a short time of removing her progestin (progesterone) implant. The association between abrupt behavioral deterioration and discontinuation of the contraceptive implant was further supported by resolution of patient’s aggression after 3 days of starting a long-acting progesterone contraceptive, medroxyprogesterone acetate, instead of the progestin implant to prevent non-adherence. This, to our knowledge, is the first case to document relationship between discontinuation of a progesterone contraceptive and aggressive behavior in a patient with significant trauma and psychiatric history.Discussion & Conclusion:This may be the first documented case of behavioral aggression in a young African female after removal of a progesterone implant followed by resolution of aggression after initiating a long acting progesterone injection. Although several studies, mostly in animals, have shown a link between progesterone levels and aggression, there are no reports of aggression concerning contraceptive use of progesterone. Such aggression may be rare in healthy subjects but may be more common in a psychiatrically vulnerable patient with significant trauma history.
Using Thermodynamics to Improve Bat Houses in Cold Climates
Authors: Fontaine Amélie , Simard Anouk , Dutel Julien , Dubois Bryan , Elliott Kyle
Published: December 2020

Wildlife managers design artificial structures, such as bird and bat houses, to provide alternative habitats that aid wildlife conservation. However, prototypes may not be equally efficient at all sites due to varying climate or habitat characteristics influencing thermal properties. For example, bat houses are a popular measure employed to protect bats and educate citizens, yet bat houses have achieved limited success in cool climates. To address this problem, we tested different orientations and mountings for both traditional and newly designed bat house models based on modern architectural energy saving concepts, by recording temperatures in bat houses across a climate gradient in Quebec, Canada. Bat houses mounted on buildings had warmer conditions at night than those on poles and warmed sooner in the morning when facing east. Our new insulated model with passive heating maximized the time in the extended optimal temperature range (22 − 40 °C) of targeted species by up to 13% compared to the Classic model, providing bats with an estimated average daily energy savings of up to 7.8% when mounted on a building. We conclude that the use of energy-saving concepts from architecture can improve the thermal performance of wildlife structures.
Profiles of 2-Drug Regimen in People Living with HIV-1 in A Real World Setting: A Large-Scale Medical Claim Database Analysis in Japan
Authors: Ruzicka Daniel J. , Kamakura Mayuko , Kuroishi Naho , Oshima Nobuyuki , Yamatani Miyuki , Yi Jingbo , Crawford Bruce , Tsukada Kunihisa , Oka Shinichi
Published: December 2020

Background Regimen simplification to 2-drug antiretroviral therapy (2-ART) may address potential tolerability issues, increase adherence, and reduce toxicity and potential drug-drug-interactions among people living with HIV-1 (PLWH). However, real-world treatment patterns and patient profiles associated with 2-ART are unclear. Methods This retrospective observational cohort study employed a large-scale medical claim database of Japanese hospitals to extract data on 4,293 PLWH aged ≥18 years with diagnosis of HIV and treated with any ART regimens between April 2008 and April 2019. A 2-ART cohort was compared with a 3-drug antiretroviral therapy (3-ART) cohort in terms of patient characteristics, comorbid conditions, and treatment patterns. Treatment switching rates were calculated for each cohort followed by sensitivity analysis to confirm the robustness of the findings.Results There were 94 patients identified in the 2-ART cohort. Compared to the standard 3-ART cohort (n=3,993), the 2-ART cohort was older (mean age 54.4 vs 43.4 years), with a lower proportion of males (87.2% vs 93.8%), higher Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) (mean score 6.9 vs 5.3), more co-medications (mean 8.3 vs 5.0), and a higher percentage of AIDS-defining conditions (66.0% vs 42.8%). The most common 2-ART were protease inhibitor (PI) + integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) + INSTI (33.0% and 31.9%, respectively). Overall, most of the regimens were nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI)-sparing (71.3%), with a decreasing trend over time (76.2% to 70.2%). ART regimen switch occurred more often in the 2-ART cohort than in the 3-ART cohort (33.0% vs 21.2%). Conclusion The profiles of patients on 2-ART in Japan were demonstrated to be complex. Most patients were treated with NRTI-sparing regimens which may reflect an effort to reduce treatment-related toxicities.
Platelet to Lymphocyte Ratio and Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio as New Diagnostic Markers for Detection of Early-onset Neonatal Sepsis in Full-term Newborns.
Authors: Mahmoud Nagwa Mohamed Sabry Abdelsalam , Baheeg Gamal , Abdelhakeem Mohammed , Mohamed Hadir Haroun Ahmed
Published: December 2020

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of the platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in term neonates and its impact on management of Early-Onset Neonatal Sepsis (EOS).Materials and Methods: This prospective cross-sectional observational study was conducted with 40 term neonates diagnosed with EOS compared with 40 healthy controls. Exclusion criteria were prematurity, post- maturity, small or large for gestational age according to week of pregnancy, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes mellitus, chorioamnionitis, congenital major anomalies, and cyanotic congenital heart disease. Results: A total of 80 term neonates were included in the study. Of these, 40 were diagnosed with EOS and 40 were healthy controls. NLR and PLR as predictors of early-onset neonatal sepsis, sensitivity of NLR was 67% and PLR was 70% and specificity of NLR was 99% and PLR was 73% and PPV of NLR was 98%, PLR was 72%. There is a significant weak positive correlation between platelets and sepsis, significant fair positive correlation between WBCs and PLR with sepsis, significant moderate positive correlation between immature neutrophils, I.T and NLR with sepsis, finally a significant negative fair correlation between lymphocytes and sepsis.Conclusions: NLRs and PLRs were positively correlated with EOS in term neonates, and these ratios can be used as diagnostic adjunct tests for neonate EOS workups.
Community knowledge, attitudes and practices towards Malaria in Ha-Lambani, Limpopo Province, South Africa: A cross-sectional household survey
Authors: Munzhedzi Mukhethwa , McQuade Elizabeth T. Rogawski , Guler Jennifer L. , Shifflett Piper E. , Krivacsy Sara , Dillingham Rebecca , Bessong Pascal O.
Published: December 2020

Background
Malaria remains a global health concern and is endemic in Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu Natal Provinces of South Africa, which aims to eliminate malaria by 2025. Community engagement plays a significant role in improving the acceptability and effectiveness of programmes aimed at reducing malaria transmission. The success of such intervention efforts depends on the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of the community, and understanding the KAP of community residents may support malaria control efforts in the locality. In this context, we conducted a cross-sectional household survey to assess community KAP on malaria transmission and prevention in the Ha-Lambani village, Vhembe District, Limpopo Province.
Methods
Data were collected between November 2018 and May 2019 by questionnaire of 261 consenting adults (213 females and 48 males, ages between 18–95 years) selected from different households. We also conducted a focus group discussion among 13 randomly selected participants. Chi Square tests were used to determine statistical differences by village.
Results
Study participants (100%, 261/261) were aware of the presence of malaria in their community and 95% associated it with mosquito bites. The local health clinic was the most prominent source of malaria information (85%). Only 22% correctly identified headache, chills and fever as the three most common symptoms of malaria. The majority of participants (98%) knew that effective medication for malaria is available and had a positive treatment seeking behavior. Knowledge of malaria prevention measures was high (82%); contrarily, 97% of respondents did not sleep under a bednet the previous night. The focus group data concurred with these results and also revealed that poor bednet use resulted from lack of access to bednets because community residents could not afford them.
Conclusions
The study demonstrates that participants have appropriate knowledge about malaria transmission and a positive treatment seeking behavior. However, economic barriers are responsible for the inadequate use of bednets. Therefore, distribution of bednets to the community should be considered to improve practice of malaria prevention measures. Furthermore, knowledge of signs and symptoms and appropriate malaria treatment was limited, and initiatives to improve awareness on these topics should be continued.
Measuring Concern Over Coronavirus in an Iranian Non-clinical Sample Using the Coronavirus Disease Concern Scale (COVID-19CS)
Authors: Dadfar Mahboubeh , Lester David
Published: December 2020

BackgroundThe Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) outbreak is a public health problem and a great challenge in the world, including Iran. The aims of the present study were: (a) to investigate the psychometric properties and the factorial structure of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Concern Scale (COVID-19CS), (b) to explore correlations of the COVID-19CS scores with the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), and (c) to examine gender differences. MethodsThis was a descriptive cross-sectional study. A convenience sample of 125 medical students was recruited. The COVID-19CS and FCV-19S were administered to the students. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, t-tests, Pearson correlation coefficients, and a Principal Components factor analysis.ResultsCronbach's α was .94. Three factors were extracted labeled “Infection/Unsafety”, “Instability/Fear of Social Isolation”, and “Insecurity/Death Fear.” The COVID-19CS score was positively correlated with the FCV-19S score. There was no sex difference in the COVID-19CS score.ConclusionsThe COVID-19CS is a multidimensional scale. Just over half (56.3%) of students reported concern of COVID-19 and, therefore, appropriate policy-making and evidence-based psycho educational training are necessary to reduce their concern over COVID-19.