bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
In-Situ Process and Simulation of High-Performance Piezoelectric-on-Silicon Substrate for SAW Sensor
Authors: Ma Rui , Liu Weiguo , Sun Xueping , Zhou Shun 
Published: June 2021

This paper studied the manufacturing process of Piezoelectric-on-Silicon (POS) substrate which integrates 128° Y–X Lithium niobate thin film and silicon wafer using Smart-Cut technology. The blistering and exfoliation processes of the He as-implanted LN crystal under different annealing temperatures are observed by the in-situ method. Unlike the conventional polishing process, the stripping mechanism of the Lithium niobate thin film is changed by controlling annealing temperature, which can improve the surface morphology of the peeling lithium niobate thin film. We prepared the 128° Y–X POS substrate with high single-crystal Lithium niobate thin film and surface roughness of 3.91 nm through Benzocyclobutene bonding. After simulating the surface acoustic wave (SAW) characteristics of the POS substrate, the results demonstrate that the Benzocyclobutene layer not only performs as a bonding layer but also can couple more vibrations into the LN thin film. The electromechanical coupling coefficient of the POS substrate is up to 7.59% in the Rayleigh mode when hLN/λ is 0.3 and hBCB/λ is 0.1. Therefore, as a high-performance substrate material, the POS substrate has proved to be an efficient method to miniaturize and integrate the SAW sensor.
Comparative Study of the Adverse Events Associated With Adjuvant Use of Dexmedetomidine and Clonidine in Local Anesthesia
Authors: Jiang Jinjin , Shen Huasu , Zhang Jin , Wu Zhen , Shao Xian , Cui Jingjing , Zhang Bao , Ma Xiaoyu 
Published: June 2021

Background: Although clonidine and dexmedetomidine are used as alpha-2 agonists to improve the quality and duration of blockade induced by local anesthetics, no study has been reported to compare their associated adverse events in local anesthesia. The aim of this study is to compare the adverse events associated with the adjuvant use of dexmedetomidine and clonidine in local anesthesia.Methods: A comprehensive search was performed to retrieve any reported adverse event associated with adjuvant use of dexmedetomidine and clonidine in local anesthesia from published literature up to 1 July 2020. Assessment of the quality of included studies was performed by the Jadad score. A comparison of any reported adverse event was made between interventions by pooling data from studies using a direct meta-analysis technique. Dichotomous outcomes were summarized as risk ratios. The review was performed according to PRISMA guideline.Results: From 121 articles retrieved from the search finally 14 articles including 1,120 patients had eligibility criteria for including in the meta-analysis. No significant difference was observed between bradycardia/hypotension (OR = 1.17; 95 % CI = 0.66–2.10; P = 0.580; I2 = 53.78 %, P = 0.027), nausea/vomiting (OR = 0.91; 95% CI = 0.59-1.42; P = 0.706; I2 = 0.0 %, P = 0.940) dizziness/headache (OR = 1.10; 95% CI = 0.44–2.75; P = 0.831; I2 = 0.0 %, P = 0.882) shivering (OR = 0.95 % CI = 0.50–1.66; P = 0.831; I2 = 0.0 %, P = 0.920) and dry mouth (OR = 1.00; 95 % CI = 0.50–1.96; P = 0.996; I2 = 0.0%, P = 0.900). No significant difference was observed in subgroup comparison of adverse events in the intravenous or local adjuvant use of the study drugs (p &gt; 0.05).Conclusion: There is no difference in adverse events associated with the intravenous or local adjuvant use of dexmedetomidine and clonidine in local anesthesia.
Exosomal MicroRNA-181a Derived From Mesenchymal Stem Cells Improves Gut Microbiota Composition, Barrier Function, and Inflammatory Status in an Experimental Colitis Model
Authors: Gu Li , Ren Feng , Fang Xianrui , Yuan Lianwen , Liu Ganglei , Wang Shalong 
Published: June 2021

Background: Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived exosomes (Exos) are recently proved to be a promising candidate for ulcerative colitis (UC), but the mechanism remains unclear. We investigated the effects of MSC-derived exosomal microRNA-181a (miR-181a) on gut microbiota, immune responses, and intestinal barrier function in UC.Methods: Human bone marrow MSC-derived Exos were extracted and identified via transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA), and Western blotting. Dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis model and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced human colonic epithelial cell (HCOEPIC) model were established to determine the effect of MSC-Exos on gut microbiota, immune responses, and intestinal barrier function in vivo and in vitro. The relationship between miR-181a and UC was analyzed using the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. MSC-miR-181-inhibitor was used to reveal the role of exosomal miR-181a in DSS-induced colitis.Results: TEM and NTA results showed that Exos of a diameter of about 100 nm with the round and oval vesicle-like structure were successfully extracted. The expressions of the CD63, CD81, and TSG101 proteins were positive in these Exos. After MSC-Exo treatment, the colon length in colitis mice increased; colon inflammatory injury decreased; TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, IL-17, and IL-18 levels decreased; and Claudin-1, ZO-1, and IκB levels increased. In addition, the structure of the gut microbiota in DSS-induced colitis mice was changed by MSC-Exos. MSC-Exos showed antiapoptotic effects on LPS-induced HCOEPIC. The protective effects decreased significantly by treatment with MSC-Exos interfered with miR-181a inhibitor in vivo and in vitro.Conclusion: MSC-derived exosomal miR-181a could alleviate experimental colitis by promoting intestinal barrier function. It exerted anti-inflammatory function and affected the gut microbiota. This indicated that MSC exosomal miR-181a may exhibit potential as a disease-modifying drug for UC.
Association of Preexisting Asthma and Other Allergic Diseases With Mortality in COVID-19 Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Wu Xianbo , Xu Yihua , Jin Lina , Wang Xiaoou , Zhu Haiyan , Xie Yiqiang 
Published: June 2021

Background: Respiratory viruses are known to contribute to asthma exacerbations. A meta-analysis of three studies reported no association between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) mortality and preexisting asthma. This study aimed to investigate the mortality of patients with COVID-19 in relation to preexisting asthma and other allergic diseases associated with changes in respiratory function.Methods: PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were queried for papers published up to April 9, 2021: (1) population: patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 according to the WHO guidelines; (2) exposure: preexisting asthma or allergic rhinitis; (3) outcomes: mortality, ICU admission, and/or hospitalization; and (4) language: English. For studies that reported adjusted models, the most adjusted model was used for this meta-analysis; otherwise, unadjusted results were used.Results: Twenty-four studies (1,169,441 patients) were included in this meta-analysis. Patients who died of COVID-19 were not more likely to have preexisting asthma (OR = 0.95, 95%CI: 0.78–1.15, P = 0.602; I2 = 63.5%, Pheterogeneity &lt; 0.001). Patients with COVID-19 and admitted to the ICU (OR = 1.17, 95%CI: 0.81–1.68, P = 0.407; I2 = 91.1%, Pheterogeneity = 0.407), or hospitalized (OR = 0.91, 95%CI: 0.76–1.10, P = 0.338; I2 = 79.1%, Pheterogeneity &lt; 0.001) were not more likely to have preexisting asthma. The results for mortality and hospitalization remained non-significant when considering the adjusted and unadjusted models separately. The results from the sensitivity analyses were consistent with the primary analyses, suggesting the robustness of our results.Conclusion: This meta-analysis suggests that the patients who died from COVID-19, were admitted to the ICU, or hospitalized were not more likely to have asthma.
Adiponectin, Leptin, and IGF-1 Are Useful Diagnostic and Stratification Biomarkers of NAFLD
Authors: Marques Vanda , Afonso Marta B. , Bierig Nina , Duarte-Ramos Filipa , Santos-Laso Álvaro , Jimenez-Agüero Raul , Eizaguirre Emma , Bujanda Luis , Pareja Maria J. , Luís Rita , Costa Adília , Machado Mariana V. , Alonso Cristina , Arretxe Enara , Alustiza José M. , Krawczyk Marcin , Lammert Frank , Tiniakos Dina G. , Flehmig Bertram , Cortez-Pinto Helena , Banales Jesus M. , Castro Rui E. , Normann Andrea , Rodrigues Cecília M. P. 
Published: June 2021

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease where liver biopsy remains the gold standard for diagnosis. Here we aimed to evaluate the role of circulating adiponectin, leptin, and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels as non-invasive NAFLD biomarkers and assess their correlation with the metabolome.Materials and Methods: Leptin, adiponectin, and IGF-1 serum levels were measured by ELISA in two independent cohorts of biopsy-proven obese NAFLD patients and healthy-liver controls (discovery: 38 NAFLD, 13 controls; validation: 194 NAFLD, 31 controls) and correlated with clinical data, histology, genetic parameters, and serum metabolomics.Results: In both cohorts, leptin increased in NAFLD vs. controls (discovery: AUROC 0.88; validation: AUROC 0.83; p &lt; 0.0001). The leptin levels were similar between obese and non-obese healthy controls, suggesting that obesity is not a confounding factor. In the discovery cohort, adiponectin was lower in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) vs. non-alcoholic fatty liver (AUROC 0.87; p &lt; 0.0001). For the validation cohort, significance was attained for homozygous for PNPLA3 allele c.444C (AUROC 0.63; p &lt; 0.05). Combining adiponectin with specific serum lipids improved the assay performance (AUROC 0.80; p &lt; 0.0001). For the validation cohort, IGF-1 was lower with advanced fibrosis (AUROC 0.67, p &lt; 0.05), but combination with international normalized ratio (INR) and ferritin increased the assay performance (AUROC 0.81; p &lt; 0.01).Conclusion: Serum leptin discriminates NAFLD, and adiponectin combined with specific lipids stratifies NASH. IGF-1, INR, and ferritin distinguish advanced fibrosis.
Sero-Prevalence and Sero-Incidence of Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in Health Care Workers in Israel, Prior to Mass COVID-19 Vaccination
Authors: Muhsen Khitam , Schwaber Mitchell J. , Bishara Jihad , Kassem Eias , Atamna Alaa , Na'amnih Wasef , Goren Sophy , Bialik Anya , Mohsen Jameel , Zaide Yona , Hazan Nimrod , Ariel-Cohen Ortal , Cohen Regev , Shitrit Pnina , Marchaim Dror , Benenson Shmuel , Ben-David Debby , Rubinovitch Bina , Gotessman Tamar , Nutman Amir , Wiener-Well Yonit , Maor Yasmin , Carmeli Yehuda , Cohen Dani 
Published: June 2021

Objectives: This study aims to examine the prevalence and risk factors of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sero-positivity in health care workers (HCWs), a main risk group, and assess the sero-incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection between the first and second waves of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Israel.Methods: A longitudinal study was conducted among 874 HCWs from nine hospitals. Demographics, health information, and blood samples were obtained at baseline (first wave—April–May 2020) and at follow-up (n = 373) (second wave—September–November 2020). Sero-positivity was determined based on the detection of total antibodies to the nucleocapsid antigen of SARS-CoV-2, using electro-chemiluminescence immunoassay (Elecsys® Anti-SARS-CoV-2, Roche Diagnostics, Rotkreuz, Switzerland).Results: The sero-prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was 1.1% [95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.6–2.1] at baseline and 8.3% (95% CI 5.9–11.6) at follow-up. The sero-conversion of SARS-CoV-2 serum antibody was 6.9% (95% CI 4.7–9.9) during the study period. The increase in SARS-CoV-2 sero-prevalence paralleled the rise in PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections among the HCWs across the country. The likelihood of SARS-CoV-2 sero-prevalence was higher in males vs. females [odds ratio (OR) 2.52 (95% CI 1.05–6.06)] and in nurses vs. physicians [OR 4.26 (95% CI 1.08–16.77)] and was associated with being quarantined due to exposure to COVID-19 patients [OR 3.54 (95% CI 1.58–7.89)] and having a positive PCR result [OR 109.5 (95% CI 23.88–502.12)].Conclusions: A significant increase in the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection was found among HCWs between the first and second waves of COVID-19 in Israel. Nonetheless, the sero-prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies remains low, similar to the general population. Our findings reinforce the rigorous infection control policy, including quarantine, and utilization of personal protective equipment that should be continued together with COVID-19 immunization in HCWs and the general population.
Association Between Visceral Fat and Brain Cortical Thickness in the Elderly: A Neuroimaging Study
Authors: Cho Jaelim , Seo Seongho , Kim Woo-Ram , Kim Changsoo , Noh Young 
Published: June 2021

BackgroundDespite emerging evidence suggesting that visceral fat may play a major role in obesity-induced neurodegeneration, little evidence exists on the association between visceral fat and brain cortical thickness in the elderly.PurposeWe aimed to examine the association between abdominal fat and brain cortical thickness in a Korean elderly population.MethodsThis cross-sectional study included elderly individuals without dementia (n= 316). Areas of visceral fat and subcutaneous fat (cm2) were estimated from computed tomography scans. Regional cortical thicknesses (mm) were obtained by analyzing brain magnetic resonance images. Given the inverted U-shaped relationship between visceral fat area and global cortical thickness (examined using a generalized additive model), visceral fat area was categorized into quintiles, with the middle quintile being the reference group. A generalized linear model was built to explore brain regions associated with visceral fat. The same approach was used for subcutaneous fat.ResultsThe mean (standard deviation) age was 67.6 (5.0) years. The highest quintile (vs. the middle quintile) group of visceral fat area had reduced cortical thicknesses in the global [β = –0.04 mm, standard error (SE) = 0.02 mm,p= 0.004], parietal (β = –0.04 mm,SE= 0.02 mm,p= 0.01), temporal (β = –0.05 mm,SE= 0.02 mm,p= 0.002), cingulate (β = –0.06 mm,SE= 0.02 mm,p= 0.01), and insula lobes (β = –0.06 mm,SE= 0.03 mm,p= 0.02). None of the regional cortical thicknesses significantly differed between the highest and the middle quintile groups of subcutaneous fat area.ConclusionThe findings suggest that a high level of visceral fat, but not subcutaneous fat, is associated with a reduced cortical thickness in the elderly.
Deep Learning for Differentiating Benign From Malignant Parotid Lesions on MR Images
Authors: Xia Xianwu , Feng Bin , Wang Jiazhou , Hua Qianjin , Yang Yide , Sheng Liang , Mou Yonghua , Hu Weigang 
Published: June 2021

Purpose/Objectives(s)Salivary gland tumors are a rare, histologically heterogeneous group of tumors. The distinction between malignant and benign tumors of the parotid gland is clinically important. This study aims to develop and evaluate a deep-learning network for diagnosing parotid gland tumors via the deep learning of MR images.Materials/MethodsTwo hundred thirty-three patients with parotid gland tumors were enrolled in this study. Histology results were available for all tumors. All patients underwent MRI scans, including T1-weighted, CE-T1-weighted and T2-weighted imaging series. The parotid glands and tumors were segmented on all three MR image series by a radiologist with 10 years of clinical experience. A total of 3791 parotid gland region images were cropped from the MR images. A label (pleomorphic adenoma and Warthin tumor, malignant tumor or free of tumor), which was based on histology results, was assigned to each image. To train the deep-learning model, these data were randomly divided into a training dataset (90%, comprising 3035 MR images from 212 patients: 714 pleomorphic adenoma images, 558 Warthin tumor images, 861 malignant tumor images, and 902 images free of tumor) and a validation dataset (10%, comprising 275 images from 21 patients: 57 pleomorphic adenoma images, 36 Warthin tumor images, 93 malignant tumor images, and 89 images free of tumor). A modified ResNet model was developed to classify these images. The input images were resized to 224x224 pixels, including four channels (T1-weighted tumor images only, T2-weighted tumor images only, CE-T1-weighted tumor images only and parotid gland images). Random image flipping and contrast adjustment were used for data enhancement. The model was trained for 1200 epochs with a learning rate of 1e-6, and the Adam optimizer was implemented. It took approximately 2 hours to complete the whole training procedure. The whole program was developed with PyTorch (version 1.2).ResultsThe model accuracy with the training dataset was 92.94% (95% CI [0.91, 0.93]). The micro-AUC was 0.98. The experimental results showed that the accuracy of the final algorithm in the diagnosis and staging of parotid cancer was 82.18% (95% CI [0.77, 0.86]). The micro-AUC was 0.93.ConclusionThe proposed model may be used to assist clinicians in the diagnosis of parotid tumors. However, future larger-scale multicenter studies are required for full validation.
TFPI2 Promotes Perivascular Migration in an Angiotropism Model of Melanoma
Authors: Mo Jing , Zhao Xiulan , Wang Wei , Zhao Nan , Dong Xueyi , Zhang Yanhui , Cheng Runfen , Sun Baocun 
Published: June 2021

PurposeAngiotropism is the process by which cancer cells attach to and migrate along blood vessels to acquire vasculature, disseminate, and metastasize. However, the molecular basis for such vessel–tumor interactions has not been fully elucidated, partly due to limited experimental models. In this study, we aimed to observe and explore the molecular mechanism underlying angiotropism in melanoma.MethodsTo monitor the interactions of human melanoma cells with the vasculature in vivo, a murine coxenograft model was employed by co-injecting highly and poorly invasive melanoma cells subcutaneously. To identify key pathways and genes involved in the angiotropic phenotype of melanoma, analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) were performed. The role of tissue factor pathway inhibitor 2 (TFPI2) in angiotropism was evaluated by immunostaining, adhesion assay, shRNA, and in vivo tumorigenicity. Angiotropism and TFPI2 expression were examined in surgical specimens of melanoma by immunohistochemical staining. Data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were analyzed to explore the expression and prognostic implications of TFPI2 in uveal and cutaneous melanoma.ResultsHighly invasive melanoma cells spread along the branches of intratumor blood vessels to the leading edge of invasion in the coxenograft model, resembling angiotropic migration. Mechanisms underlying angiotropism were primarily associated with molecular function regulators, regulation of cell population proliferation, developmental processes, cell differentiation, responses to cytokines and cell motility/locomotion. TFPI2 downregulation weakened the perivascular migration of highly invasive melanoma cells. High levels of TFPI2 were correlated with worse and better survival in uveal and cutaneous melanoma, respectively.ConclusionThese results provide a straightforward in vivo model for the observation of angiotropism and suggest that TFPI2 could inhibit the angiotropic phenotype of melanoma.
Explanatory Model of Perceived Stress in the General Population: A Cross-Sectional Study in Peru During the COVID-19 Context
Authors: Boluarte-Carbajal Alicia , Navarro-Flores Alba , Villarreal-Zegarra David 
Published: June 2021

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic had negatively impact mental health worldwide. High prevalence of stress had been previously reported in populations during this context. Many theoretical frameworks had been proposed for explaining the stress process, we aim to proposed and explanatory model for the genesis of perceived stress in Peruvian general population.MethodWe conducted an online survey in Peruvian general population assessing sociodemographic variables and evaluating mental health conditions by using The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS), Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and a numerical rating scale (NRS) for fear of COVID-19. Correlation analysis was conducted for the variables of interest. Two regression models were constructed to explore related factor to the dimensions of perceived stress. Finally, a structural regression model was performed with the independent variables.ResultsData of 210 individuals was analyzed. Ages ranged from 15 to 74 years and 39% were women. Additionally, 65.2% of the participants had at least one mental health conditions (depression, anxiety, or stress symptoms). Perceived self-efficacy and positive affect (PA) were correlated, as perceived helplessness with anxious symptoms and negative affect (NA). Regression analysis showed that sex, anxiety symptoms, and NA explained perceived helplessness while positive and NA explained self-efficacy. The structural regression model analysis identified that fear of COVID-19 (composed of fear of infecting others and fear of contagion), predicted mental health conditions (i.e., depressive or anxiety symptoms); also, mental health conditions were predicted by PA and NA. Perceived helplessness and Perceived self-efficacy were interrelated and represented the perceived stress variable.ConclusionWe proposed an explanatory model of perceived stress based on two correlated dimensions (self-efficacy and helplessness) in the Peruvian general population during the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, with two out of three individuals surveyed having at least one mental health condition.
Inverse Correlation Between Distress and Performance in the Medical Rescuers Against COVID-19 in Wuhan
Authors: Xie Fang , Wang Xue , Zhao Yun , Wang Shi Da , Xue Cong , Wang Xiao Tian , Chen Yu Xin , Qian Ling Jia 
Published: June 2021

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chinese government had transferred many medical rescuers to Wuhan, which provided effective support in disease control. The high-intensity working and mental stress during rescue could induce distress and negatively impact the performance of rescuer afterward.Materials and Methods: To identify the characteristics of stress load and its possible effects on performance, the study surveyed 90 medical rescuers in Wuhan using a mobile phone–based self-rated questionnaire.Results: The results showed an existence of universal but mostly mild distress in rescuers. About 95.6% of the participants reported that they had at least one symptom of distress, whereas, the median scores were &lt;30 (100 as max). Compared with civilian rescuers, a higher proportion of working with immediate virus contact was found in military medical rescuers (P = 0.008); however, no statistical differences of stress load were found between civilians and militaries. The rescuers with positive cognition or good psychological preparation were found having lower stress loads than other rescuers. An inverse correlation between the stress load and performance (R = −0.24, P = 0.023) and a positive correlation between social support and working performance (R = 0.349, P = 0.001) were found in our survey, suggesting the possible negative effects of stress and the beneficial effects of social support on performance.Conclusion: Our study indicated that more attention should be paid to the distress of medical rescuers against COVID-19. Positive cognitions, good psychological preparations, and sufficient social support would be necessary to reduce the distress and improve the performance in COVID-19 rescue.