bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Impact of target site mutations and plasmid associated resistance genes acquisition on resistance of Acinetobacter baumannii to fluoroquinolones
Authors: Mohammed Mostafa Ahmed , Salim Mohammed T. A. , Anwer Bahaa E. , Aboshanab Khaled M. , Aboulwafa Mohammad M. 
Published: October 2021

AbstractAmong bacterial species implicated in hospital-acquired infections are the emerging Pan-Drug Resistant (PDR) and Extensively Drug-Resistant (XDR) Acinetobacter (A.) baumannii strains as they are difficult to eradicate. From 1600 clinical specimens, only 100 A. baumannii isolates could be recovered. A high prevalence of ≥ 78% resistant isolates was recorded for the recovered isolates against a total of 19 tested antimicrobial agents. These isolates could be divided into 12 profiles according to the number of antimicrobial agents to which they were resistant. The isolates were assorted as XDR (68; 68%), Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR: 30; 30%), and PDR (2; 2%). Genotypically, the isolates showed three major clusters with similarities ranging from 10.5 to 97.8% as revealed by ERIC-PCR technique. As a resistance mechanism to fluoroquinolones (FQs), target site mutation analyses in gyrA and parC genes amplified from twelve selected A. baumannii isolates and subjected to sequencing showed 12 profiles. The selected isolates included two CIP-susceptible ones, these showed the wild-type profile of being have no mutations. For the ten selected CIP-resistant isolates, 9 of them (9/10; 90%) had 1 gyrA/1 parC mutations (Ser 81 → Leu mutation for gyrA gene and Ser 84 → Leu mutation for parC gene). The remaining CIP-resistant isolate (1/10; 10%) had 0 gyrA/1 parC mutation (Ser 84 → Leu mutation for parC gene). Detection of plasmid-associated resistance genes revealed that the 86 ciprofloxacin-resistant isolates carry qnrA (66.27%; 57/86), qnrS (70.93%; 61/86), aac (6')-Ib-cr (52.32%; 45/86), oqxA (73.25%; 63/86) and oqxB (39.53%; 34/86), while qepA and qnrB were undetected in these isolates. Different isolates were selected from profiles 1, 2, and 3 and qnrS, acc(6,)-ib-cr, oqxA, and oqxB genes harbored by these isolates were amplified and sequenced. The BLAST results revealed that the oqxA and oqxB sequences were not identified previously in A. baumannii but they were identified in Klebsiella aerogenes strain NCTC9793 and Klebsiella pneumoniae, respectively. On the other hand, the sequence of qnrS, and acc(6,)-ib-cr showed homology to those of A. baumannii. MDR, XDR, and PDR A. baumannii isolates are becoming prevalent in certain hospitals. Chromosomal mutations in the sequences of GyrA and ParC encoding genes and acquisition of PAFQR encoding genes (up to five genes per isolate) are demonstrated to be resistance mechanisms exhibited by fluoroquinolones resistant A. baumannii isolates. It is advisable to monitor the antimicrobial resistance profiles of pathogens causing nosocomial infections and properly apply and update antibiotic stewardship in hospitals and outpatients to control infectious diseases and prevent development of the microbial resistance to antimicrobial agents.
Attenuated Salmonella carrying plasmid co-expressing HPV16 L1 and siRNA-E6 for cervical cancer therapy
Authors: Chen Junyu , Zhao Shuhua , Tan Wenxi , Wang Taiwei , Wu Shan , Wang Changshuai , Jiang Yu , Zhou Tuo , Zhang Zhuo , Zhao Lijing 
Published: October 2021

AbstractHuman papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the major etiological factor for cervical cancer. HPV prophylactic vaccines based on L1 virus-like particles have been considered as an effective prevention method. However, existing recombination vaccines are too expensive for developing countries. DNA vaccines might be a lower-cost and effective alternative. In this study, a plasmid (pcDNA3.1-HPV16-L1) and a co-expressing plasmid (pcDNA3.1-HPV16-L1-siE6) carried by attenuated Salmonella were constructed and their prevention and treatment effect on cervical cancer were observed, respectively. The results showed that pcDNA3.1-HPV16-L1 carried by attenuated Salmonella could induce the production of HPV16-L1 antibodies, IL-2 and INF-γ in mice serum, which presented its prevention effect on HPV. Subsequently, E6 and E7 gene silencing by pCG-siE6 inhibited the growth of cervical cancer both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, L1 up-regulation and E6/E7 down-regulation caused by co-expressing plasmid (pcDNA3.1-HPV16-L1-siE6) contributed to a significant anti-tumor effect on the mice. This study suggests that pcDNA3.1-HPV16-L1-siE6 carried by attenuated Salmonella has a synergistic effect of immune regulation and RNA interference in cervical cancer treatment.
The three muscle layers in the pyloric sphincter and their possible function during antropyloroduodenal motility
Authors: Hur Mi-Sun , Lee Seunggyu , Kang Tong Mook , Oh Chang-Seok 
Published: October 2021

AbstractThis study was conducted to determine the muscular arrangement of the human pyloric sphincter using a comprehensive approach that involved microdissection, histology, and microcomputed tomography (micro‐CT). The stomachs of 80 embalmed Korean adult cadavers were obtained. In all specimens, loose muscular tissue of the innermost aspect of the sphincter wall ran aborally, forming the newly found inner longitudinal muscle bundles, entered the duodenum, and connected with the nearby circular bundles. In all specimens, approximately one-third of the outer longitudinal layer of the sphincter entered its inner circular layer, divided the circular layer into several parts, and finally connected with the circular bundles. Anatomical findings around the sphincter were confirmed in micro-CT images. The sphincter wall comprised three layers: an inner layer of longitudinal bundles, a middle layer of major circular and minor longitudinal bundles, and an outer layer of longitudinal bundles. The stomach outer longitudinal bundles were connected to the sphincter circular bundles. The inner longitudinal bundles of the sphincter were connected to the adjacent circular bundles of the duodenum.
Constraining the axion–photon coupling using radio data of the Bullet cluster
Authors: Chan Man Ho 
Published: October 2021

AbstractAxion is one of the most popular candidates of the cosmological dark matter. Recent studies considering the misalignment production of axions suggest some benchmark axion mass ranges near $$m_a \sim 20$$

m
a

∼
20

μeV. For such axion mass, the spontaneous decay of axions can give photons in radio band frequency $$\nu \sim 1{-}3$$

ν
∼
1
-
3

GHz, which can be detected by radio telescopes. In this article, we show that using radio data of galaxy clusters would be excellent to constrain axion dark matter. Specifically, by using radio data of the Bullet cluster (1E 0657-55.8), we find that the upper limit of the axion–photon coupling constant can be constrained to $$g_{a \gamma \gamma } \sim 10^{-12}{-}10^{-11}$$

g

a
γ
γ

∼

10

-
12

-

10

-
11

GeV$$^{-1}$$

-
1

for $$m_a \sim 20$$

m
a

∼
20

μeV, which is tighter than the limit obtained by the CERN Axion Solar Telescope (CAST).
The contribution of semantics to the sentence superiority effect
Authors: Massol Stéphanie , Mirault Jonathan , Grainger Jonathan 
Published: October 2021

AbstractWhen a sequence of written words is presented briefly and participants are asked to report the identity of one of the words, identification accuracy is higher when the words form a correct sentence. Here we examined the extent to which this sentence superiority effect can be modulated by semantic content. The central hypothesis guiding this study is that the sentence superiority effect is primarily a syntactic effect. We therefore predicted little or no modulation of the effect by semantics. The influence of semantic content was measured by comparing the sentence superiority effect obtained with semantically regular sentences (e.g., son amie danse bien [her friend dances well]) and semantically anomalous but syntactically correct sentences (e.g., votre sac boit gros [your bag drinks big]), with effects being measured against ungrammatical scrambled versions of the same words in both cases. We found sentence superiority effects with both types of sentences, and a significant interaction, such that the effects were greater with semantically regular sentences compared with semantically anomalous sentences. We conclude that sentence-level semantic information can constrain word identities under parallel word processing, albeit with less impact than that exerted by syntax.
Toy model of harmonic and sum frequency generation in 2D dielectric nanostructures
Authors: Xu Jie , Savinov Vassili , Plum Eric 
Published: October 2021

AbstractOptical nonlinearities of matter are often associated with the response of individual atoms. Here, using a toy oscillator model, we show that in the confined geometry of a two-dimensional dielectric nanoparticle a collective nonlinear response of the atomic array can arise from the Coulomb interactions of the bound optical electrons, even if the individual atoms exhibit no nonlinearity. We determine the multipole contributions to the nonlinear response of nanoparticles and demonstrate that the odd order and even order nonlinear electric dipole moments scale with the area and perimeter of the nanoparticle, respectively.
The profile of microorganisms that associate with acute tonsillitis in children and their antibiotics sensitivity pattern in Nigeria
Authors: Ughasoro Maduka Donatus , Akpeh James Onuorah , Echendu Nneamaka , Mgbachi Nneka Gertrude , Okpala Somkene , Amah Linda , Okolo Onyinye Henrietta , Udem Ngozika 
Published: October 2021

AbstractAcute tonsillitis remains one of the common childhood diseases in developing countries. Prompt and appropriate treatment based on the knowledge of the causative microbiota and their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern will improve the treatment outcome and reduce time and resources spent on treatment. This study aims to determine the pattern of microbiota isolates and their susceptibility pattern. The study was a combination of the retrospective and cross-sectional method. The medical records of children treated for tonsillitis were retrieved, as well as those of children who presented with acute tonsillitis for the study. Interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data, as well as document information retrieved from their medical record: presenting symptoms, treatments received. Swab sample was taken for culture and antibiotic susceptibility test. Out of the 72 swab cultures, 29 (40.3%) yielded insignificant growth of gram positive cocci. A total of nine (9) different isolates were obtained from all the significant swab cultures. Streptococcus species (13, 18.6%) and staphylococcus species (11, 15.3%) were the commonest isolates. Imipenem and levofloxacin revealed high level of susceptibility, while Ampicillin and Cefexine recorded high resistance rates. The proportion of the cultures that were positive of significant growth, the proportion of these positive isolates that were Streptococcus spp. and varied sensitivity pattern obtained underpinned the importance to advocate for culture isolates and susceptibility pattern guided treatment. These will not only an efficient approach to management of acute tonsillitis, but also a strong approach towards effective implementation of antibiotic stewardship.
Global processing provides malignancy evidence complementary to the information captured by humans or machines following detailed mammogram inspection
Authors: Gandomkar Ziba , Siviengphanom Somphone , Ekpo Ernest U. , Suleiman Mo’ayyad , Taba‬ Seyedamir Tavakoli , Li Tong , Xu Dong , Evans Karla K. , Lewis Sarah J. , Wolfe Jeremy M. , Brennan Patrick C. 
Published: October 2021

AbstractThe information captured by the gist signal, which refers to radiologists’ first impression arising from an initial global image processing, is poorly understood. We examined whether the gist signal can provide complementary information to data captured by radiologists (experiment 1), or computer algorithms (experiment 2) based on detailed mammogram inspection. In the first experiment, 19 radiologists assessed a case set twice, once based on a half-second image presentation (i.e., gist signal) and once in the usual viewing condition. Their performances in two viewing conditions were compared using repeated measure correlation (rm-corr). The cancer cases (19 cases × 19 readers) exhibited non-significant trend with rm-corr = 0.012 (p = 0.82, CI: −0.09, 0.12). For normal cases (41 cases × 19 readers), a weak correlation of rm-corr = 0.238 (p < 0.001, CI: 0.17, 0.30) was found. In the second experiment, we combined the abnormality score from a state-of-the-art deep learning-based tool (DL) with the radiological gist signal using a support vector machine (SVM). To obtain the gist signal, 53 radiologists assessed images based on half-second image presentation. The SVM performance for each radiologist and an average reader, whose gist responses were the mean abnormality scores given by all 53 readers to each image was assessed using leave-one-out cross-validation. For the average reader, the AUC for gist, DL, and the SVM, were 0.76 (CI: 0.62–0.86), 0.79 (CI: 0.63–0.89), and 0.88 (CI: 0.79–0.94). For all readers with a gist AUC significantly better than chance-level, the SVM outperformed DL. The gist signal provided malignancy evidence with no or weak associations with the information captured by humans in normal radiologic reporting, which involves detailed mammogram inspection. Adding gist signal to a state-of-the-art deep learning-based tool improved its performance for the breast cancer detection.
Unraveling the complexity of human behavior and urbanization on community vulnerability to floods
Authors: Hemmati Mona , Mahmoud Hussam N. , Ellingwood Bruce R. , Crooks Andrew T. 
Published: October 2021

AbstractFloods are among the costliest natural hazards and their consequences are expected to increase further in the future due to urbanization in flood-prone areas. It is essential that policymakers understand the factors governing the dynamics of urbanization to adopt proper disaster risk reduction techniques. Peoples’ relocation preferences and their perception of flood risk (collectively called human behavior) are among the most important factors that influence urbanization in flood-prone areas. Current studies focusing on flood risk assessment do not consider the effect of human behavior on urbanization and how it may change the nature of the risk. Moreover, flood mitigation policies are implemented without considering the role of human behavior and how the community will cope with measures such as buyout, land acquisition, and relocation that are often adopted to minimize development in flood-prone regions. Therefore, such policies may either be resisted by the community or result in severe socioeconomic consequences. In this study, we present a new Agent-Based Model (ABM) to investigate the complex interaction between human behavior and urbanization and its role in creating future communities vulnerable to flood events. We identify critical factors in the decisions of households to locate or relocate and adopt policies compatible with human behavior. The results show that when people are informed about the flood risk and proper incentives are provided, the demand for housing within 500-year floodplain may be reduced as much as 15% by 2040 for the case study considered. On the contrary, if people are not informed of the risk, 29% of the housing choices will reside in floodplains. The analyses also demonstrate that neighborhood quality—influenced by accessibility to highways, education facilities, the city center, water bodies, and green spaces, respectively—is the most influential factor in peoples’ decisions on where to locate. These results provide new insights that may be used to assist city planners and stakeholders in examining tradeoffs between costs and benefits of future land development in achieving sustainable and resilient cities.
Assessment of the relationship between serum uric acid levels and liver enzymes activity in Bangladeshi adults
Authors: Molla Noyan Hossain , Kathak Rahanuma Raihanu , Sumon Abu Hasan , Barman Zitu , Mou Ananya Dutta , Hasan Akibul , Mahmud Firoz , Fariha Khandaker Atkia , Ali Nurshad 
Published: October 2021

AbstractSerum uric acid (SUA) level has been suggested to be associated with cardiovascular disease, diabetes and metabolic syndrome. However, little is known about the relationship between SUA and liver enzymes activity in the general population. The present study aimed to assess the relationship between SUA and serum liver enzymes in an adult population in Bangladesh. In this cross-sectional study, a total of 410 blood samples were collected from apparently healthy adults aged > 18 years. SUA, liver enzymes, lipid profile and other biochemical markers were measured in the collected samples by using standard methods. Multinomial logistic regression model was used to assess the relationship between SUA and elevated levels of liver enzymes among the participants. Overall, the prevalence of hyperuricemia was 30.1% with 32.2% in male and 18.6% in female participants. About 33% of the participants had at least one or more elevated levels of liver enzymes. The mean level of SUA was significantly higher in males (389.3 ± 96.9 µmol/L) than in the female (290.4 ± 89.8 µmol/L) subjects (p < 0.001). There was a significant difference in the mean levels of serum ALT and GGT between the male (34.5 ± 16.0 U/L and 26.7 ± 19.5 U/L, respectively) and female (25.0 ± 13.0 U/L and 19.5 ± 13.2 U/L, respectively) participants (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01, respectively). An increasing trend was observed in the mean levels of serum ALT and GGT across the SUA quartile groups (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01, respectively). SUA showed a positive and significant correlation with serum ALT (p < 0.001) and GGT (p < 0.01). In further statistical analysis after adjustment for potential confounders, SUA showed an independent and significant association with serum ALT and GGT in all regression models. In conclusion, SUA was strongly associated with serum levels of ALT and GGT after adjustment for potential confounders. More prospective studies are needed to clarify the complex relationship between SUA and liver enzymes in the general population.
Real world experience of the treatment outcome between photodynamic therapy combined with ranibizumab and aflibercept monotherapy in polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy
Authors: Ma I-Hsin , Hsia Yun , Hsieh Yi-Ting , Ho Tzyy-Chang , Lai Tso-Ting , Yang Chung-May , Yang Chang-Hao 
Published: October 2021

AbstractTo provide real-world experiences of treating polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) patients with photodynamic therapy (PDT) plus intravitreal injection of ranibizumab or intravitreal injection of aflibercept alone. Retrospective chart review of patients with PCV in a single tertiary referral center in Taiwan. Chart review of PCV patients treated with PDT and injection of ranibizumab or injection of aflibercept. A total of 101 eyes of 101 patients (38 females and 63 males) were reviewed. Of those, 48 and 53 eyes received primary/adjunctive PDT along with injections of ranibizumab or intravitreal injections of aflibercept only, respectively. Initial visual acuity (VA) and central subfield choroidal thickness were similar between the two groups (p > 0.05). In addition, changes in VA at 3, 6, and 12 months post treatment were similar. The central retinal thickness decreased with either treatment (p < 0.01); however, this change did not translate into VA performance (p > 0.05). In the subgroup analysis of pachychoroid and non-pachychoroid patients, better initial VA and post-treatment VA at 3 months and 6 months was noted in the latter group of patients treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor monotherapy (p < 0.05). Aflibercept monotherapy is comparable with PDT plus ranibizumab in PCV patients with PCV (pachychoroid and non-pachychoroid patients). In addition, better prognosis regarding VA was observed in non-pachychoroid patients treated with aflibercept monotherapy.
Extracellular matrix and cellular senescence in venous leg ulcers
Authors: Lim Debbie X. E. , Richards Toby , Kanapathy Muholan , Sudhaharan Thankiah , Wright Graham D. , Phillips Anthony R. J. , Becker David L. 
Published: October 2021

AbstractHigh prevalence of non-healing chronic wounds contributes to a huge healthcare burden across the world. Early treatment interventions for non-healing wounds are vital. It was previously shown that accumulation of 15% or more of senescent cells in a chronic wound edge is an indicator that the wound is unlikely to heal. However, determining the presence of senescent cells would require invasive procedures such as tissue biopsies to be taken. In this study, we found a strong correlation between decreased collagen area and presence of senescent cells in human chronic wounds i.e. venous leg ulcer (VLU), diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) and pressure ulcer (PRU). We also report that the lowest collagen levels were found in VLU patients less than 60 years of age, with a persistent wound of > 24 months. Elevated levels of senescent cells were also found in VLU of males. Second harmonic imaging of collagen at the edge of chronic wounds with a handheld multiphoton device could be used to predict the number of senescent cells, indicating if the wound is on a healing trajectory or not. Our data support the use of collagen imaging in cutaneous wound assessment for a faster and non-invasive method to predict cellular senescence and determining wound trajectory of healing.
A comparison of the clinical, laboratory and epidemiological features of two divergent subpopulations of Plasmodium knowlesi
Authors: Hu Ting Huey , Rosli Nawal , Mohamad Dayang S. A. , Kadir Khamisah A. , Ching Zhen Hao , Chai Yaw Hung , Ideris Nur Naqibah , Ting Linda S. C. , Dihom Adeline A. , Kong Sing Ling , Wong Edmund K. Y. , Sia Jenny E. H. , Ti Tiana , Chai Irene P. F. , Tang Wei Yieng , Hii King Ching , Divis Paul C. S. , Davis Timothy M. E. , Daneshvar Cyrus , Singh Balbir 
Published: October 2021

AbstractPlasmodium knowlesi, a simian malaria parasite responsible for all recent indigenous cases of malaria in Malaysia, infects humans throughout Southeast Asia. There are two genetically distinct subpopulations of Plasmodium knowlesi in Malaysian Borneo, one associated with long-tailed macaques (termed cluster 1) and the other with pig-tailed macaques (cluster 2). A prospective study was conducted to determine whether there were any between-subpopulation differences in clinical and laboratory features, as well as in epidemiological characteristics. Over 2 years, 420 adults admitted to Kapit Hospital, Malaysian Borneo with knowlesi malaria were studied. Infections with each subpopulation resulted in mostly uncomplicated malaria. Severe disease was observed in 35/298 (11.7%) of single cluster 1 and 8/115 (7.0%) of single cluster 2 infections (p = 0.208). There was no clinically significant difference in outcome between the two subpopulations. Cluster 1 infections were more likely to be associated with peri-domestic activities while cluster 2 were associated with interior forest activities consistent with the preferred habitats of the respective macaque hosts. Infections with both P. knowlesi subpopulations cause a wide spectrum of disease including potentially life-threatening complications, with no implications for differential patient management.