bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of Pathogenic Klebsiella Pneumoniae based on PCR Capsular Typing Harbouring&nbsp;Carbapenemases Encoding Genes in Ugandan Tertiary Hospitals
Authors: Ssekatawa Kenneth , Byarugaba Denis K. , Nakavuma Jesca L. , Kato Charles D. , Ejobi Francis , Tweyongyere Robert , Wampande Eddie M. 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae is an opportunistic pathogen that has been implicated as one of commonest cause of hospital and community acquired infections. The K. pneumoniae infections have considerably contributed to morbidity and mortality in patients with protracted ailments. The capacity of K. pneumonia to cause diseases depends on presence of an array virulent factors. Coexistence and expression of virulent factors and genetic determinants of antibiotic resistance complicates treatment outcomes. Thus, emergence of pathogenic MDR K. pneumoniae poses a great threat to the healthcare system. However, the carriage of antibiotic resistance among pathogenic K. pneumoniae is yet to be investigated in Uganda. We sought to investigate the carbapenem resistance profiles and pathogenic potential based on capsular serotypes of K. pneumoniae clinical isolates. Methods: This was a cross sectional study involving use of archived Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates collected between January and December, 2019 at four tertiary hospitals in Uganda. All isolates were subject to antimicrobial susceptibility assays to determine phenotypic antibiotic resistance, pentaplex PCR to detect carbapenemases encoding genes and heptaplex PCR to identify capsular serotypes K1, K2, K3, K5, K20, K54 and K57.Results: The study found an overall phenotypic carbapenem resistance of 23.3% (53/227) and significantly higher genotypic resistance prevalence of 43.1% (98/227). Over all, the most prevalent gene was blaOXA-48-like (36.4%), followed by blaIMP-type (19.4%), blaVIM-type (17.1), blaKP-type (14.0%) and blaNDM-type (13.2%). blaVIM-type and blaOXA-48-like conferred phenotypic resistance in all isolates and 38.3% isolates that harbored them respectively. Capsular multiplex PCR revealed that 46.7% (106/227) isolates were pathogenic and the predominantly prevalent pathotype was K5 (18.5%) followed by K20 (14.1%), K3 (7.1%), K2 (3.1%) and K1 (2.2%). Of the 106 capsular serotypes, 37 expressed phenotypic resistance; thus, 37 of the 53 carbapenem resistant K. pneumoniae were pathogenic.Conclusion: The high prevalence of virulent and antibiotic resistant K. pneumoniae among clinical isolates obtained from the four tertiary hospital as revealed by this study pose a great threat to healthcare. Our findings underline the epidemiological and public health risks and implications of this pathogen.
Frequency of Antibiotic Resistance of Escherichia Coli and Klebsiella Pneumoniae by Production of TOHO-type β-lactamases at Saint Camille Hospital, Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)
Authors: Sougué Serge , Mètuor-Dabiré Amana , Ouermi Djéneba , Tiemtoré Yasmine Rahimatou Wend-Kouni , Zohoncon Théodora Mahoukèdè , Bangré Yasmine Aminata , Kabré Elie , Simporé Jacques 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Background: Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) appeared some years after the introduction in hospital environment of unhydrolysable or extended-spectrum cephalosporins. Several studies have been reported on the blaTEM, blaCTX-M and blaSHV genes in ESBL producing Enterobacteria, however very few studies reported in the literature are related to blaCTX-M subgroup blaTOHO. TOHO enzymes were responsible for healthcare-associated infections in hospitals and in the community. In Burkina Faso, data related to these types of enzymes were scarce. The purpose of this study was to detect TOHO enzymes in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae in order to know the prevalence of infections related to bacterial resistance due to TOHO enzymes at Saint Camille Hospital of Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso).Materials and methods: The study was conducted firstly by microbiological identification of ESBL-producing by Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae using API 20 E gallery; secondly the antibiogram was performed by the diffusion method and finally the molecular characterization was made by conventional PCR to search for the blaTOHO gene. The visualization of the specific bands was made using the ultraviolet lamp (Gene Flash) for the photography of the gels. Data were entered and analyzed using Excel 2013 and EPI Info version 6.0 software. A p-value < 0.05 was considered as significant.Results: We obtained at all 39 strains constituted by 21 (53.8%) Escherichia coli and 18 (46.2%) Klebsiella pneumoniae. Molecular characterization showed the presence of the blaTOHO gene in 25 bacterial strains (64.1 %). Conclusion: It was therefore established in this study the existence of blaTOHO gene at Saint Camille Hospital in Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso. Our study made it possible to know the distribution of the blaTOHO gene in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae.
Implication of BAG5 Downregulation in Metabolic Reprogramming of Cisplatin-resistant Ovarian Cancer Cells via mTORC2 Signaling Pathway
Authors: Wang Jia-Mei , Zhang Qi , Hao Liang , Jiang Jing-Yi , Huyan Ling-Yue , Liu Bao-Qin , Yan Jing , Li Chao , Wang Huaqin 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Background: Ovarian cancer is the most frequent cause of death among gynecologic malignancies due to the absence of an early effective diagnostic approach. Although the majority of patients typically respond well to the first line of chemotherapy based on platinum compounds and taxanes, recurrence and chemoresistance limits its clinical utility. Remarkably, cancer stem cells (CSC) tend to form minimal residual disease after chemotherapy and exhibit recurrent potential. The ability of cancer cells to reprogram their metabolism has recently been related with resistance to chemotherapies.Methods: BAG5 expression was studied in 16 cisplatin-sensitive and 8 cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer tissues by Western blot. BAG5-induced cell proliferation, migration and invasion were investigated by CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, wound healing and Transwell assay. To investigate whether BAG5 is implicated in metabolism regulation, mitochondrial function was monitored by real-time measurement of changes in the oxygen consumption rate (OCR) and glycolysis was also determined by measuring the extracellular acidification rate (ECAR). Immunohistochemical staining measured correlations between BAG5 and Bcl6, Rictor in most ovarian serous adenocarcinoma tissues.Results: The current study found BAG5 expression was decreased in cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells and clinical tissues. Our data demonstrated that BAG5 knockdown was implicated in metabolic reprogramming and maintenance of cancer stem cell (CSC)-like features of cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells via regulation of Rictor and subsequent mTORC2 signaling pathway. In addition, the current study demonstrated that Bcl6 upregulation was responsible for repression of BAG5 transactivation via recruitment on the BAG5 promoter in cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer. The current study also demonstrated reverse correlations between BAG5 and Bcl6, BAG5 and Rictor in ovarian serous adenocarcinoma tissues. Conclusions: Collectively, the current study identified the implication of Bcl6/BAG5/Rictor-mTORC2 signaling pathway in metabolic reprograming and maintenance of CSC-like features including cisplatin-resistance in cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells. Therefore, further studies on the mechanism underlying regulation of metabolic reprogramming and CSC-like characteristics of cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells may contribute to the establishment of novel therapeutic strategy for cisplatin-resistance.
Efficient and Genotype Independent Maize pollen Transfection Mediated by Magnetic Nanoparticles
Authors: Wang Zuo-Ping , Zhang Zhong-Bao , Li Xiang-Long , Zhang Chun , Yin Long-Fei , Yu Rong , Wei Jian-Hua , Wu Zhong-Yi 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Background: Biotechnological engineering of maize to introduce favorable new traits relies on delivery of foreign DNA into its cells. Current gene delivery methods for maize is limited to specific genotypes, and depend on time-consuming and labor-intensive processes of tissue culture. Results: Here, we report a new method to transfect maize that is culture-free and genotype independent. Enhanced green fluorescent protein gene (EGFP) or bialaphos resistance gene (Bar) bound with magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) was delivered into maize pollens, and female florets of five maize varieties were pollinated. Green fluorescence was detected in 92% transfected pollens and 70% immature embryos. EGFP gene detected by PCR ranged from 29 to 68% in T1 generation of these five transfected varieties, and 7-16% of the T1 seedlings showed immunologically active EGFP protein. Moreover, 1.41% of the Bar transfected T1 plants were glufosinate resistant, and heritable Bar gene was integrated into the maize genome effectively (verified by Southern blot), expressed normally and inherited stably in their progenies.Conclusion: These results demonstrate that exogenous DNA could be delivered into maize efficiently and expressed normally through our genotype-independent pollen transfection system, providing a reliable, fast and large-scale gene delivery choice for most elite maize varieties recalcitrant to tissue culture.
Efficacy of Alcohol/sugar Aqueous Biphasic System on Partition of Bovine Serum Albumin
Authors: Chow Yin Hui , Sahlini Alagan , Ng Hui-Suan , Lan Chi-Wei 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
A green bio-separation alternative can be performed with a non-toxic and biodegradable aqueous biphasic system (ABS) composed of short-chain aliphatic alcohol-based top phase (1-propanol and 2-propanol) and carbohydrate-based bottom phase (glucose, sucrose, and maltose). A model protein, bovine serum albumin (BSA) was adopted to determine the effects of types and concentration of phase-forming components; protein concentration; and system pH on the protein partition efficiency in the ABS. Results showed that the 1-propanol/maltose ABS gave an overall better partition efficiency of BSA to the alcohol-rich top phase compared to the 1-propanol/sucrose ABS, 1-propanol/glucose ABS, and 2-propanol/sugar ABS attributed to the lower hydrophilicity of 1-propanol and the stronger sugaring-out effect exerted by the maltose. A maximum partition coefficient (K) of 20.01 ± 0.05 and recovery yield (Y) of 95.42% ± 0.01 of BSA were obtained with the 35% (w/w) 1-propanol/22% (w/w) maltose ABS at pH 5.0 which contained 10% (w/w) BSA. The K and Y of BSA in 1-propanol/maltose ABS was further enhanced with the addition of 3% (w/w) of ionic liquids, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide ([Bmim]Br) as the adjuvants which provides the protein stabilizing effect. The Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrum (FTIR) analysis revealed that the protein structure remained unaltered upon the separation process.
A Finite Pool of Worry or a Finite Pool of Attention? Evidence and Qualifications
Authors: Sisco Matthew , Constantino Sara , Gao Yu , Tavoni Massimo , Cooperman Alicia , Bosetti Valentina , Weber Elke 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
The Finite Pool of Worry (FPW) hypothesis states that humans have finite emotional resources for worry, so that when we become more worried about one threat, it can decrease worry about other threats. Despite its relevance, no conclusive empirical evidence for the hypothesis exists. We leverage the sudden onset of new worries introduced by the COVID-19 pandemic as a natural experiment to test the FPW. In six metropolitan areas across three countries (USA, Italy, and China) we assessed social media attention, news attention, self-reported attention, and self-reported worries about various threats (climate change, terrorism, economy, and unemployment) throughout the pandemic. As attention to and worry about COVID-19 increased, we find that attention to climate change decreased but worry about it did not. Results are confirmed by further analysis with a large, and nationally representative U.S. sample. We find some perceived similarity between COVID-19 and climate change, but this does not fully explain the positive relationship in worry we see between them. We also find that more negative personal experience with COVID-19 is positively associated with climate change worry even while controlling for relevant covariates. We lastly examine the aggregate effect of COVID-19 worry on support for climate policies and find that greater COVID-19 worry is associated with more cross-partisan support for climate change policies, even when controlling for political ideology and other covariates. In summary, our findings suggest that while there appears to be a Finite Pool of Attention to threats, we do not see evidence of a Finite Pool of Worry.
Peripheral Uric Acid as a Biomarker in Individuals with Bipolar Disorder
Authors: Lu Zhe , Wang Yingtan , Xun Guanglei 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Background: At present, no well-established biomarkers were ever found to distinguish unipolar disorder (UD) and bipolar disorder (BD). This study aimed to explore whether uric acid (UA) could be a biomarker to distinguish UD and BD. Methods: Peripheral UA of 119 patients with BD in acute stage (AS) and 77 in remission stage (RS), and 95 patients with UD in AS and 61 in RS were measured, so were 180 healthy controls. Results: UA levels in BD group were higher than UD and HC groups regardless of the AS or RS, while differences in UA levels between UD group and HC group were not significant. Differences of UA levels between BD-M and BD-D subgroups were not significant, and UA levels of BD-M and BD-D subgroups were higher than UD and HC groups. Only in UD group, UA levels of drug-use subgroup were higher than drug-naïve/free subgroup, but differences disappeared when analyzed stratified by sex; whether in drug-use or drug-naïve/free subgroup, differences of UA levels between BD-M and BD-D groups were not significant.Conclusion: The study suggests UA levels may be a biomarker of BD to distinguish from UD.
The German Version of the Veterans Rand – 36/12 Item Health Survey: Translation and Adaptation of a Generic Health Assessment Instrument in a Sample of Inpatient Rehabilitation Patients
Authors: Buchholz Ines , Feng You-Shan , Buchholz Maresa , Kazis Lewis E. , Kohlmann Thomas 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
BackgroundThe translated and culturally adapted German version of the Veterans Rand 36 Items Health Survey (VR-36), and its short form, the VR-12 counterpart, were validated in a German sample of orthopedic (n = 399) and psychosomatic (n = 292) inpatient rehabilitation patients.MethodsThe instruments were analyzed regarding their acceptance, distributional properties, validity, responsiveness and ability to discriminate between groups by age, sex and clinically specific groups. Eligible study participants completed the VR-36 (n = 169) and the VR-12 (n = 177). They also completed validated patient-reported outcome measures (PROs) including the Euroqol-5 Dimensions 5 Level (EQ-5D-5L); Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS); Hannover Functional Abilities Questionnaire (HFAQ); and CDC Healthy Days. The VR-12 and the VR-36 were compared to the reference instruments MOS Short Form-12 Items Health Survey (SF-12) version 1.0 and MOS Short Form-36 Items Health Survey (SF-36) version 1.0, using percent of completed items, distributional properties, correlation patterns, distribution measures of known groups validity, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and effect size measures.ResultsItem non-response varied between 1.8%/1.1% (SFVR−36/RESF−36) and 6.5%/8.6% (GHVR−36/GHSF−36). PCS was normally distributed (Kolmogorov-Smirnov Tests: p > 0.05) with means, standard deviations and ranges very similar between SF-36 (37.5 ± 11.7[13.8–66.1]) and VR-36 (38.5 ± 10.1[11.7–67.8]), SF-12 (36.9 ± 10.9[15.5–61.6]) and VR-12 (36.2 ± 11.5[12.7–59.3]). MCS was not normally distributed with slightly differing means and ranges between the instruments (MCSVR−36: 36.2 ± 14.2[12.9–66.6], MCSSF−36: 39.0 ± 15.6[2.0-73.2], MCSVR−12: 37.2 ± 13.8[8.4–70.2], MCSSF−12: 39.0 ± 12.3[17.6–65.4]). Construct validity was established by comparing correlation patterns of the MCSVR and PCSVR with measures of physical and mental health. For both PCSVR and MCSVR there were moderate (0.4–0.7) to high (> 0.7) correlations with convergent (PCSVR: 0.55–0.76, MCSVR: 0.60–0.78) and small correlations (< 0.3) with divergence (PCSVR: <0.12, MCSVR: <0.16) self-report measures. Known-groups validity was demonstrated for both VR-12 and VR-36 (MCS and PCS) via comparisons of distribution parameters with significant higher mean PCS and MCS scores in both VR instruments found in younger patients with fewer sick days in the last year and a shorter duration of rehabilitation.ConclusionsThe psychometric analysis confirmed that the German VR is a valid and reliable instrument for use in orthopedic and psychosomatic rehabilitation. Yet further research is needed to evaluate its usefulness in other populations.
Effects of microRNA-27a Targeting Smad1 on Intervertebral Disc Degeneration and Biological Characteristics of Nucleus Pulposus Cells
Authors: Tang Heng-Tao , Zhang Song , Lu Xin-Chang , Geng Tong-Yu 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Objective: The present study aimed to analyze the expression of microRNA-27a (miR-27a) in intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) and its effect on the biological characteristics of nucleus pulposus (NP) cells. Methods: An IDD rat model was established, and the expression of miR-27a and Smad1 in the intervertebral disc tissue was detected. An oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) NP cell model was established to simulate the IDD microenvironment, and the effects of downregulated miR-27a on the proliferation, apoptosis, inflammatory response, and extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins of OGD-NP cells were analyzed. The target relationship of miR-27a and Smad1 was verified by luciferase reporter assays, and siRNA-Smad1 was transfected to reverse the experiment. Results: The level of miR-27a in the IDD model group was significantly increased, whereas that of Smad1 was decreased compared with the sham group (P<0.05). Inhibition of miR-27a improved cell proliferation, and inhibited apoptosis, degradation of the ECM, and inflammatory response of OGD-NP cells compared with the OGD group (P<0.05). The results of the double luciferase reporter assays indicated that Smad1 was the target gene of miR-27a. Smad1 silencing reversed the increase in ECM proteins induced by inhibition of miR-27a; However, it did not affect cell proliferation and apoptosis. Conclusion: The expression levels of miR-27a were upregulated in IDD and it may be involved in the progression of IDD by promoting the apoptosis of NP cells and ECM degradation by targeting Smad1.
Flotation Performance Analysis on Coal Washery Rejects&nbsp;
Authors: Palthur Sharath Kumar , Sivrikaya Osman , Pradhan Sushanta Kumar , Nagannor P.C. 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Coal washery rejected coals and coal slurries have better options in froth flotation as a separation process. In this study, coal slurry received from Sudamdih coal washery, Jharkhand, India, examined for cleaning through fixed cell flotation. The Petrography study of the feed sample showed the presence of vitrinite, semi vitrinite and liptinite and inertinite as major minerals. General full factorial statistical design package (Minitab V17) was used to develop the regression models for the responses like froth height, froth density, recovery and ash content of clean coal. Results showed that experimental responses like froth height, froth density, recovery and ash content were found to be more sensitive to the frother dosage. The coefficient of correlation (R2) values between the experimental and the predicted values of the flotation responses was found to be >0.98 for all the models. Further, flotation tests were conducted for varying pulp density and its effect on recovery, froth height, ash content, tests with five levels of pulp density (8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13%solids by weight). It found that the coal slurry sample from the study area could be cleaned with sufficient efficiency. The cleaned coal is suitable for powder coal consuming industries.
“Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis: Radiological and Microbiological Profile of Patients Presented in an Outpatient Pulmonary Clinic of a Developing Country”.
Authors: Iqbal Nousheen , Irfan Muhammad , Zuabairi Mustafa bin Ali , Ayub Maaha , Awan Safia , Jabeen Kausar , Zuabairi Ali 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Structural Network Alterations Induced by ART-naive and ART-treated Subjects Infected with HIV
Authors: Liu Jiaojiao , Wang Wei , Wang Yuanyuan , Liu Mingming , Liu Dan , Li Ruili , Gao Quansheng , Li Hongjun 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
BackgroundTo investigate how the structural connectivity altered in cART-treated HIV patients and cART-naïve HIV patients by conducting Network analysis of Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) data.MethodsWe enrolled 22 cART-naïve, 23 cART-treated and 28 normal controls in our current study. Firstly, the DTI imaging data pre-processing was conducted and the asymmetric 90 × 90 matrix for each participant from their DTI data was obtained with the use of PANDA. Then, we applied a graph-theoretical network analysis toolkit, GRETNA v2.0, to calculate metrics such as small-“worldness,” characteristic path length, clustering coefficient, global efficiency, local efficiency, and nodal “betweenness”. Finally, we took comparisons among the three groups to investigate topological alterations, and we also conducted relevant analysis with current CD4 T cell counts and neuropsychological evaluation.ResultsResults (1) the regional characteristics (nodal efficiency) were altered in CART- and CART+ patients predominantly in the frontal cortical regions; (2) changes in various network properties in CART- and CART+ patients were associated with the performance of behavior functions; (3) Reduced network segregation was associated with lower current CD4 count in cART- participants, suggesting that brain network segregation may be adversely affected by a history of greater immune suppression. (4) Hubs redistributed in HIV subjects especially in cART+ patients. Conclusion1) The regional characteristics (nodal efficiency) were altered in cART-naïve and cART-treated patients predominantly in the frontal cortical regions; (2) changes in various network properties in cART-naïve and cART-treated patients were associated with the performance of behavior functions; (3) reduced network segregation was associated with lower current CD4 count in cART-naïve participants, suggesting that brain network segregation may have been adversely affected by a history of greater immune suppression. (4) Hubs redistributed in HIV subjects especially in cART-treated patients.