bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
WITHDRAWN: Dexamethasone reduces podocyte injury through the PTEN-PI3K/Akt signaling pathway
Authors: rRen Qi , Yu Shengyou , Zeng Huasong , Xia Huimin 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Objective: To study the role of Akt and its downstream molecules in the PTEN-PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, namely,GSK3β and Bad, in the Dexamethasone(DEX)-mediated regulation of PAN-induced glomerular podocyte injury and to elucidate the molecular mechanism of podocyte injury regulation. Methods: Glomerular podocytes (MPC5) were cultured in vitro and divided into four groups: the control group, PTEN silencing group (siPTEN group), puromycin group (PAN group), and puromycin group + DEX group (PAN+ DEX group). The cells in each group were treated for 8h, 24h, and 48h, and then, the experiment was carried out. The cells in the control group were cultured in RPMI 1640 with 0.02% DMSO, the cells in the siPTEN group were used to construct a silencing kit, the podocytes in the PAN group were treated with puromycin (final concentration of 50μg/ml), and the podocytes in the DEX+PAN group were pretreated with 0.1μmol/L DEX followed by PAN (final concentration of 50μg/ml). An inverted phase contrast microscope was used to observe the morphological changes in the podocytes and the changes in the cell body area in each group, laser confocal microscopy was used to detect the expression and distribution of the PTEN protein, and flow cytometry was used to detect and analyze the apoptosis rate and mitochondrial membrane potential of each group of podocytes. Western blot was used to detect the expression of the PTEN, P-Akt, Akt, P-GSK3β and GSK3β proteins in each group of podocytes, and transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the changes in the morphology and structure of each group of podocytes. Results: After PAN was used to injure the podocytes, the expression of the PTEN protein decreased, the rate of apoptosis increased, and the flux of autophagy was inhibited. DEX treatment reversed the changes described above.After PAN was used to injure the podocytes, the expression of p-Ak and p-GSK3β decreased, and DEX reversed these effects on the expression of p-Akt and p-GSK3β in the podocytes. Compared with the control group, in the PAN group, the mitochondria gradually swelled and rounded, mitochondrial cristae arrangement became disordered, mitochondrial autophagy was inhibited; DEX reversed the changes described above after the PTEN gene was silenced. Conclusion: This study confirmed that PAN can inhibit podocyte autophagy and induce podocyte damage. DEX can reduce the PAN-induced suppression of podocyte autophagy, enhance podocyte autophagy, and ameliorate podocyte damage. The protective mechanism may be through the upregulation of PTEN expression, which is achieved by inhibiting the activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.
Determinants and Incidence of Chronic Kidney Disease on Tenofovir-Based Antiretroviral Therapy Regimens: A Cohort Study in HIV-Infected Adults in South China
Authors: Liu Fang , Liu Hong , Chen Chen , Miao Liang-bin , Li Zhao-yi , Wang Yi , Wang Miao-chan , Huang Jin-song , Bao Jian-feng 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Background: To evaluate the incidence and risk factors of stage 3 chronic kidney disease (CKD) and rapid kidney function decline (RKFD) among Chinese HIV-1 infected patients starting with tenofovir (TDF)-based regimen.Methods: We enrolled in 797 TDF-initiated HIV-1-infected patients in a Chinese cohort. Kidney dysfunction were defined as stage 3 CKD (eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 during follow-up) and RKFD (eGFR decline > 10 mL/min/1.73 m2/year). A linear mixed-effects model was used to quantify the average eGFR change per 48 weeks. A generalized estimating equation regression analysis was conducted to determine the risk factors associated with renal dysfunction. The method of multiple imputation was used to reduce bias caused by missing data.Results: In this retrospective study, 14 (2%) patients experienced stage 3 CKD, and 272 (34%) individuals experienced RKFD during a median of 26 (IQR, 4-78; maximum 325) weeks follow-up period. The mean loss in eGFR per 48 weeks increased consistently over time, from -2.59 mL/min/1.73 m2 before 48 weeks to -17.61 mL/min/1.73 m2 after 288 weeks. For every 10 mL/min/1.73 m2 increase of eGFR, the risk of RKFD increased by 29% (95%CI: 18%, 40%). Each 10 years older and every 10 mL/min/1.73 m2 higher in baseline eGFR, the risk of stage 3 CKD increased to 1.56 (95% CI: 1.00, 2.43) and decreased by 65% (95% CI: 48%, 76%), respectively. Anemia and higher viral load were significantly associated with RKFD. The results were robust across a range of multiple imputation analysis.Conclusions: TDF-associated CKD is rare in HIV-1 infected Chinese adults. Longer TDF-exposed patients are more likely to have renal dysfunction, especially those with older age, anemia, lower baseline eGFR and higher viral load.
Application of exchange transfusion in the treatment of hyperleukocytosis:a retrospective analysis
Authors: Wu Xiao-Ying , Xu HongMei , gan chuan 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Background

Few reports have described the application of exchange transfusion in patients with hyperleukocytosis.
Methods

A retrospective clinical analysis of infants with exchange transfusion in the treatment of hyperleukocytosis was performed.
Results

A total of 13 patients were enrolled in the study.7 patients survived and 6 died after exchange transfusion.The incidence of pulmonary hypertension, heart failure, pertussis encephalopathy, Increased C-reactive protein, and increased PCT in the survival group were lower than those in the death group,The incidence of received Gamma globulin and received steroids were higher than those in the death group.The highest WBC count in the survival group was 74.15 ± 19.68*10^9/L, and in the death group patients was 86.29 ± 23.51*10^9/L.There were not significant differences two groups(P = 0.332). Decrease rate of WBC after the first ET in the survival group was significantly higher than that of the death group (P༜0.05). In the survival group, there were 5 patients (71.42%) which decrease rate of WBC after the first ET more than 50%, and the remaining 2 patients (28.58%) all exceeded 45%.In contrast, there was 1 patient which decrease rate of WBC exceeded 45% ,no patient exceed 50%. All patients with Decrease rate of WBC after the first ET exceed 50% survived. In the death group, there were 4 patients (66.67%) which N/L exceeded 1, 3patients (50%) which N/L exceeded 2. In the survival group, only 3 patients (42.85%) which N/L exceeded 1, but there was no patient which N/L exceed 2.
Conclusion

Exchange transfusion is an effective method to reduce WBC count. Patient with Decrease rate of WBC after the first ET exceed 50% were easier to survive. Patients with hyperleukocytoemia which N/L exceeding 2 predict death.
Effect of Family Stress on Life Satisfaction Among Female Workers During the COVID-19 Epidemic in China: Exploring the Roles of Anxiety Symptoms and Age
Authors: Mei Songli , Yuan Tongshuang , Liang Leilei , Ren Hui , Hu Yueyang , Qin Zeying , Fei Junsong , Cao Ruilin , Li Chuanen , Hu Yuanchao 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Background: High level of life satisfaction (LS) means an individual’s positive evaluation of life, bringing a happy and upward attitude towards life, which is beneficial to physical and mental health. However, The LS of a particular group such as female workers has not yet been fully explored. The present study aimed to investigate the level of LS among female workers after the resumption of work during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic in Jilin Province, China, and to further explore the potential mediating and moderating roles in the association between family stress and LS. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from July to August in 2020. A self-reported questionnaire including the background information, family stress, anxiety symptoms, and LS was used to collect information in this research. A total of 10,175 female workers completed questionnaires.Results: The results showed the LS score was 20.73±7.08. The family stress was negatively related to LS, and anxiety symptoms could partially mediate the effect of family stress on LS. Additionally, age moderated the relationship between family stress and LS, as well as the relationship between anxiety symptoms and LS.Conclusion: Our results indicated that the LS of female workers has declined due to the impact of the epidemic, and family stress impacted LS via anxiety symptoms. The effect of family stress on LS decreased as age increased. Overall, Interventions and preventions aiming to improve LS should thoroughly consider targeting these aspects and young female workers should be given special attention.
Improving the sensitivity of gastrointestinal helminths detection using the Mini-FLOTAC technique in wild birds
Authors: Lobos-Ovalle Dante , Navarrete Claudio , Navedo Juan G. , Peña-Espinoza Miguel , Verdugo Claudio 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
High-performance validated tests are essential for successful epidemiological monitoring, surveillance of parasitic infections, and comparative studies in wildlife populations. The Mini-FLOTAC is a novel flotation-based technique for the sensitive detection and quantification of gastrointestinal parasites that is recently being explored for use in wildlife. A limitation of any flotation-based copromicroscopic method is the selection of the flotation solution (FS), which might influence the performance of the test. However, no study has compared the influence of using different FS in the Mini-FLOTAC technique for parasite detection in wild birds. Here, we evaluated the diagnostic performance of the Mini-FLOTAC in three waterbird host species using two widely used FS: saturated salt (NaCl; specific gravity 1.20) and saturated zinc sulfate (ZnSO4; specific gravity 1.35). One hundred fresh fecal samples were analyzed for parasite fecal egg counts (FEC). Regardless of the host species, fecal samples evaluated with the Mini-FLOTAC method using ZnSO4 resulted in a significantly higher detection rate and higher FEC of strongylid, capillarid, cestode, and trematode parasites, than samples analyzed with the NaCl solution. Our concise study demonstrated the importance of using an appropriate FS for the identification of parasite eggs in wildlife species, especially in hosts with an expected aggregated distribution and low parasite load such as waterbird hosts. The higher analytical sensitivity of the Mini-FLOTAC technique achieved with ZnSO4, and its applicability to fieldwork, highlights this method as a promising tool for the quantitative surveillance of parasite infections in wild bird populations.
Identifying Potential Novel Pathways and Therapeutic Targets of Major Depressive Disorder with Functional Genomics
Authors: Bao Kevin 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a debilitating illness and a leading cause of disability, but its pathophysiology remains to be completely elucidated. Resistance to traditional antidepressant treatment is highly prevalent within patient populations. Ketamine, a rapid-acting antidepressant that has shown success in treating resistant patients, is hypothesized to function by modulating excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters. This has led to a paradigm shift from the monoaminergic hypothesis, towards a glutamate and neuroplasticity hypothesis, though this picture may still be incomplete. The purpose of this study is to identify novel systems potentially implicated in MDD and suggest potential therapeutic mechanisms.Methods: An integrative genomics and systems biology approach was used to identify genes and pathways that may be relevant to MDD. Starting with genes implicated in current, well-established paradigms, a correlation analysis was used to query publicly available microarray datasets to identify potential genes that may be relevant to MDD. Systems and pathways of interest were identified through functional enrichment. Through a manual review, genes of systems and pathways potentially relevant to MDD were used to generate a protein interaction network. Interesting genes identified from the network were functionally enriched and clustered to identify new high-level themes. Genes from the protein interaction network were then classified into sets based on different paradigms using functional annotations. Genes belonging to multiple sets – and thus being involved in multiple different paradigms relevant to MDD – were identified for future research.Results: The highest-ranked enrichment cluster contained GABAeric signaling, retrograde endocannabinoid signaling, and morphine addiction. Other interesting pathways identified were T cell receptor signaling, cocaine addiction, and nicotine addiction. Other broad themes identified in other clusters were calcium, serotonin, the immune system, TGF beta, glutamate, telomeres, the guanine nucleotide exchange factor, the extracellular matrix, and DNA regulation. Potential genes of interest are listed in Chart 3.Conclusions: Throughout the study, interesting genes, groups of genes, and systems were identified manually and systematically, some of which validate existing literature and some give possible directions for future research. Further experiments are required to confirm causal links.
Active Learning and Competency Preconditioning: Strengthens Osteopathic Medical Student Performance, Physician Attributes and Competency Assessments.
Authors: Joshi Vivek , Younger Michael , Joshi Bhargavi 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Abstract: The medical education has been reliant on didactic lectures which are predominantly teacher centered learning method. The competency based medical education was introduced in North America and with this came the paradigm shift in how schools conceptualize curriculum and measure the outcomes to learning. This new and modern approach started a change away from the traditional lecture based and teacher centered curriculum to more student centric by using various tools. The competency-based education is vastly regarded as an outcome-based approach to design, implement and evaluate the curriculum using widely accepted competencies. AACOM recommends seven core competencies with in which you have various indicators which address the student’s performances. The main purpose of this research is to utilize active learning tools to assess the competencies in the first year of medical school which will provide better academic outcome, physician who is knowledgeable and satisfies all the competencies as needed by the Licensure authority. Materials & Methods: The study was conducted at medical school during the first semester of medical school and included 145 students. Various active learning tools like, team-based learning, quizzes, popup quizzes, case discussions were used to assess the competency in biochemistry and genetics course, and they were compared to questions based on concepts delivered by traditional lecture method. Results: The student’s performance on high stake examination after the active learning session on the content and concepts delivered and learnt had a statistically higher average percent point in the second, third and fourth examination. The average Diff (p) for second, third and fourth examination to the questions being considered for the study were (Diff p= 0.84, 0.83 and 0.92) with positive moderate correlation for second examination(r= 0.535) and strong positive correlation for third and fourth examination ( r=0.745 and r=0.856) with their final biochemistry grades. Conclusion: The study does not prove that active learning methods are the best way to deliver curriculum for competency based education system, but there are some positive and significant data that has emerged which does convince that these active learning methods may be better suited for providing and assessing the competencies .
Investigation of the relationship between the diaphragm muscle relaxation therapy, voice emission and postural stability in amateur and professional singers of Academy of Music – preliminary study
Authors: Julia Ciuryk , Dominika Michalik , Katarzyna Hordyjewicz , Paweł Małecki , Grzegorz Frankowski , Maciej Kłaczyński , Małgorzata Kulesa Mrowiecka 
Published: March 2021

The present study aims at presenting the impact of manual diaphragm relaxation therapy on the voice emission tested in an anechoic chamber and changes in the body posture during singing using the Zebris posturographic and pedobarographic platform. A pilot study on three cases has been conducted (patient 1 – male aged 21, student of the 2nd year of Academy of Music in Krakow, patient 2 – male aged 34, with more than 25 years of choral singing and advanced musical experience, patient 3 – female 24, with around 10 years of choral singing experience and primary musical school graduation). An original survey questionnaire was used, enabling determination the problematics associated with the profession of singer. A posturographic platform (Zebris) was used that revealed deviations during the scenic movement (by performing an appropriately developed repertoire). Subsequently, a voice emission examination was carried out in an anechoic chamber of the Department of Mechanics and Vibroacoustics, AGH University of Science and Technology. Directly after the examination, the examined individual was subject to a manual therapy lasting several minutes. The applied fascial techniques for diaphragm consisted in the implementation of a prolonged stretching of the myofascial complex with the use of low load. After the therapy, testing with the use of the aforementioned methods was repeated. The present study refers to the impact of the diaphragm function on voice emission parameters. In the pilot study for patient 1 and 2, 15 voice emission parameters improved. The analysis of the above results showed the variability before and after the diaphragm relaxation therapy in parameters such as Fo, Jitt and Shim. In the examined case of patient 1 and 2, the value of the parameter Jitt decreased by almost half, while Shim decreased by about 40 % after the therapy. However, such changes were not observed for patient 3. It may be influenced by many factors, such as stress or worse disposition on the day of the examination. The presented preliminary study expands the knowledge on the function of the diaphragm and the awareness of the function of ventilatory muscles during singing, which may result in enhanced efficiency of working with voice. In the future it is planned the study on bigger group students of Academy of Music in Krakow with the control group.
Remarkable phosphate removal from saline solution by using a novel trimetallic oxide nanocomposite
Authors: Alimohammadi Mahsa , Ayati Bita 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Phosphate removal is an important measure to control eutrophication in aquatic environments, as it inhibits algal bloom. Salinity exists in these media along with high phosphate and currently available phosphate removal methods function poorly under this condition. In this study, the main objective is to fabricate a nanocomposite to improve and accelerate phosphate removal from saline solutions. To achieve this goal, Fe3O4/ZnO and a novel nanoadsorbent, Fe3O4/ZnO/CuO, were synthesized. Their characteristics were determined using FE-SEM, EDX, FT-IR, and XRD analyses, and their capability to adsorb phosphate from saline solutions was investigated and compared. The overall results suggest that the trimetallic oxide nanocomposite has great potential for the efficient removal of phosphate, in comparison with Fe3O4/ZnO. Experiments showed that Fe3O4/ZnO/CuO exhibited a remarkable sorption capacity of 156.35 mg P/g, fast sorption kinetic, strong selectivity for phosphate even in the presence of a high concentration of salinity (60 mg/L), and a wide applicable pH range of 3–6. Furthermore, using Fe3O4/ZnO/CuO, even a low dosage of 0.1 g/L was sufficient to reach an adsorption efficiency of 96.13% within 15 min compared to Fe3O4/ZnO (80.47% within 30 min). Moreover, the pseudo-second-order kinetic model best described the experimental adsorption data for both nanocomposites.
Indicator-based rural water service sustainability assessment: a review
Authors: Dang Mvongo Victor , Defo Célestin , Tchoffo Martin 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
The aim of this paper is to present the state of the art on the sustainability indices of rural water services in order to identify gaps in knowledge. The methodological approach used was to conduct online searches using the databases of Google Scholar, Web of Science, Pub Med, the International Water Association, and ResearchGate. Several indices have been identified in the literature including the Canadian Water Sustainability Index, Index of Drinking Water Adequacy, the Sustainable Water Governance Index, equity index in water and sanitation, WASH performance Index, Sustainable Water Management Index, and Index of water service quality. However, these indices do not provide an integrative, contextualized and prospective analysis of the sustainability of water services. In addition, these indices select only a few evaluation criteria deemed relevant. In other words, these indices choose to make visible certain phenomena and therefore make others invisible, according to the logic of action of each and to certain social compromises. These difficulties therefore encourage the development of a new index to provide an integrative, contextualized and prospective analysis of the sustainability of rural water services.
Unwanted mainstream nitritation–denitritation causing massive N2O emissions in a continuous activated sludge process
Authors: Kuokkanen A. , Blomberg K. , Mikola A. , Heinonen M. 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Nitrous oxide emissions can contribute significantly to the carbon footprint of municipal wastewater treatment plants even though emissions from conventional nitrogen removal processes are assumed to be moderate. An increased risk for high emissions can occur in connection with process disturbances and nitrite (NO2−) accumulation. This work describes the findings at a large municipal wastewater treatment plant where the levels of NO2− in the activated sludge process effluent were spontaneously and strongly increased on several activated sludge lines which was suspected to be due to shortcut nitrogen removal that stabilized for several months. The high NO2− levels were linked to a dramatic increase in nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. As much as over 20% of the daily influent nitrogen load was emitted as N2O. These observations indicate that highly increased NO2− levels can occur in conventional activated sludge processes and result in high nitrous oxide emissions. They also raise questions concerning the risk of increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the nitritation–denitritation processes – although the uncontrolled nature of the event described here must be taken into consideration – and underline the importance of continuous monitoring and control of N2O emissions.