bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Molecular Typing and Epidemiology Profiles of Human Metapneumovirus Infection Among Children With Severe Acute Respiratory Infection in Huzhou, China
Authors: ji lei , chen liping , xu deshun , wu xiaofang 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Background: Severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) threaten human health and cause a large number of hospitalized patients every year. However, as one of the most common pathogen that cause acute respiratory tract infection, the molecular epidemiological information relating to hMPV among patients with SARI is limited. Here, we evaluate the epidemiological and molecular characteristics of hMPV infections among children hospitalized patients with SARI from January 2016 to December 2020 in Huzhou, China.Methods: From January 2016 to December 2020, a total of 1133 nasopharyngeal swabs collected from children inpatients with SARI were screened for hMPV by real-time PCR. All samples that tested positive for hMPV were further typed by sequencing partial sequences of hexon gene. Genotypes of hMPV were confirmed by phylogenetic analysis. Epidemiological data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2010 and service solutions (SPSS) 21.0 software.Results: 56 (4.94%) samples were positive for hMPV, children under 5 years old accounted for 85.71% (48/56) of the infections. Higher activity of hMPV infection could be seen in the period in Spring and Winter. 3 different types of hMPV were identified in hospitalized SARI cases, with hMPV-B1 (42.86 %) was the most prevalent types, followed by HAdV-B2 (35.71 %) and hMPV-A1(21.42 %). The predominant genotypes of hMPV during our study period varied according to surveillance year. Overall, 1 type (hMPV-B1) were detected in 2016, 2 different types(hMPV-B1 and HAdV-A1) were detected in 2017, 3 different types(hMPV-B1, hMPV-B2 and hMPV-A1) were detected in 2018, 2 different types(hMPV-B1 and hMPV-B2) were detected in 2019, 1 type (hMPV-B2) were detected in 2020.Conclusions: This study revealed the prevalence and the molecular epidemiological characteristics of hMPV infections among children hospitalized patients with SARI in Huzhou from January 2016 to December 2020. The hMPV prevalence is related to age and season. As the most prevalent hMPV types, hMPV-B1 was co-circulating with other types and presented an alternate prevalence pattern.
Investigations on the occurrence of fatty muscular dystrophy in Austrian slaughter pigs
Authors: Schwarz Lukas , Schöner Carolin , Brunthaler Rene , Weißenböck Herbert , Bernreiter-Hofer Tanja , Wallner Barbara , Ladinig Andrea 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Background

In slaughterhouses, veterinarians responsible for meat inspection are often confronted with abnormalities in carcasses, not only in pigs but in all livestock species. Regularly occurring pathological abnormalities such as abscesses, milk spots or muscular necrosis in case of vitamin E/selenium deficiency usually are undoubtful and need no further investigations for a diagnosis. Contrarily, sometimes rare and unexpected observations are reported. In 2017, a veterinarian responsible for meat inspection in a slaughterhouse in Styria, Austria, observed gluteal muscles infiltrated by fat and muscle tissue obviously being replaced by fat in two different slaughter pigs. These muscles were sent for further diagnostics to the University Clinic for Swine. In 2013, Japanese researchers reported of a disease similar to Becker Muscular Dystrophy of humans in slaughter pigs, which can be assumed also in our case.
Results

The two muscle samples were investigated histopathologically and diagnosed with fatty muscular dystrophy. The results of routine histopathology were confirmed by dystrophin-specific immunohistochemistry. Sex of the two affected animals was determined retrospectively using a PCR-based protocol and resulted in one male and one female pig. A survey to determine the prevalence of fatty muscular dystrophy of pork revealed that this phenomenon gets frequently observed in Styria, but also occurs in Upper Austria and Lower Austria. Mostly gluteal and lumbal muscles were affected and approximately 20% – 40% of the affected muscles were replaced by fat.
Conclusions

Fatty muscular dystrophy or muscular steatosis, as it was sometimes called in early literature, seems not to be an uncommon and rare event. As it was detected in both sexes, our observations are different to the described case in Japan, where only one male individual was affected. To avoid further increase of such cases (fatty muscular dystrophy), it would be useful to clarify the cause. First, whether the cause is environmental or genetic, and in case it is genetic it would be key to disentangle the underlying genomic architecture. Having causal variants described – one could think about integrating this information (depending on the mode of inheritance and the number of loci involved) in the breeding program of pigs. Furthermore, the proportion of non-Austrian pig genetics used for commercial pig production in Austria should be reviewed in order to be able to make reliable statements about the spread of the disease not only in Austrian pig breeds, but also in pig breeds worldwide.
Ticks and tick-borne pathogens in popular recreational areas in Tallinn, Estonia: an underestimated risk of tick-borne diseases
Authors: Vikentjeva Maria , Bragina Olga , Geller Julia 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
BACKGROUND

For over several decades ticks are noticed to be widely present in the green spaces of urban environments. Rodents that provide essential blood-meals for subadult ticks and serve as natural reservoirs for many known tick-borne diseases, such as Lyme borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis, might be quite abundant in green areas within urban settlements. In that way, the improvement of green infrastructures within cities possess not only to better human well-being but might also increase the risk of being bitten by a tick and having a tick-borne disease. This study aimed to provide a first insight into ticks and tick-borne pathogen presence and prevalence in popular recreational green areas in Tallinn, Estonia.
METHODS

Ticks were collected by flagging in May-June, 2018. Tick species identification was performed on morphological criteria. Tick-borne pathogens detection was performed by pathogen-specific PCR and qPCR reactions.
RESULTS

855 Ixodes ticks were collected from a total area of 12 000 m2. An estimated tick abundance were up to 18.5 ticks per 100 m2. 34.3% of all ticks were revealed positive for at least one tick-borne pathogen. Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. was found in 17.5%, Rickettsia sp in 13.8%, Neoehrlichia mikurensis on 5.4%, B. miyamotoi in 2.5%, Anaplasma phagocytophilum in 0.6% and tick-borne encephalitis virus in 0.5% of ticks.
CONCLUSION

This study reports the occurrence of Ixodes tick species in popular recreational, outdoor sports and leisure areas in the largest city of Estonia, with abundance and prevalence rates compatible or even exceeding those detected previously in the most endemic foci in the natural environments. Taking into account increasing Lyme borreliosis incidence, the risk of acquiring a tick bite and being infected with a tick-borne disease in urban recreational sites should not be ignored and proper information about the precautions might be considered.
Antitumour effect of neoantigen-reactive T cells induced by RNA mutanome vaccine in mouse lung cancer
Authors: Sun Jiaxing , Zhang Jing , Hu Haiyan , Qin Huan , Liao Ximing , Wang Feilong , Zhang Wei , Yin Qi , Su Xiaoping , He Yanan , Li Wenfeng , Wang Kun , Li Qiang 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Purpose
Mutation-specific T-cell response to epithelial cancers and T-cell-based immunotherapy has been successfully used to treat several human solid cancers. We aimed to investigate the antitumour effect of neoantigen-reactive T(NRT) cells induced by RNA mutanome vaccine, which may serve as a feasible and effective therapeutic approach for lung cancer.
Methods
We predicted candidate neoantigens according to the mutant gene analysis by sequencing the mouse Lewis cells and C57BL/6 mouse tail tissue. RNA vaccine was prepared with the neoantigens as the template. We assessed antitumor efficacy, cytokine secretion and pathological changes after adoptive transfer of NRT cells in vitro and vivo experiments.
Results
We identified 10 nonsynonymous somatic mutations and successfully generated NRT cells. The percentage of T-cell activation proportion was increased from 0.072% in conventional T cells to 9.96% in NRT cells. Interferon-γ secretion augmented from 17.8–24.2% as well. As an in vivo model, adoptive NRT cell infusion could promote active T-cell infiltration into the tumour tissue and could delay tumour progression.
Conclusions
NRT cells induced by RNA mutanome vaccine exert a significant antitumour effect in mouse lung cancer, and adoptive NRT cell therapy might be considered a feasible, effective therapeutic approach for lung cancer.
An Amalgam of Mg-Doped TiO2 Nanoparticles Prepared by Sol-Gel Method for Effective Antimicrobial and Photocatalytic Activity
Authors: NITHYA N , Gopi S , Bhoopathi G 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
In this study, undoped and Magnesium doped TiO2 nanoparticles (Mg-TiO2 NPs) were successfully synthesized via a simple sol-gel method cost-effectively. The prepared Mg- TiO2 NPs were characterized by UV-Vis, FTIR, PL, XRD, FESEM, TEM, and EDAX. UV – Visible Spectroscopy showed that an increase in the optical bandgap concerning the concentration of dopant Mg increases. The bandgap values were found to be 3.57-3.54 eV. FTIR spectra showed that the presence of the characteristic stretching and bending vibrational band of Ti – O bonding at 468 cm-1 and shifts in vibrational bands were observed for Mg-TiO2 NPs. PL spectra of Mg- TiO2 NPs at different concentrations exhibit a strong UV emission band. X-ray diffraction confirmed the formation of the tetragonal anatase phase. The average crystallite size of prepared samples was found to be 22-19 nm. The average crystallite size of Mg- TiO2 NPs decreases with increasing the concentration of dopant Mg. The FESEM and TEM analysis confirmed that the spherical morphology for both TiO2 and Mg-TiO2 NPs. SAED pattern confirms the crystalline nature of prepared samples. EDAX spectra confirm the presence of Ti, O, and Mg and confirm that Mg2+ ions are present in the TiO2 lattices. The prepared samples were investigated against gram-positive (B. subtilis and S. aureus) and gram-negative (P. eugenia and K. Pneumonia) bacteria. The prepared samples showed potent antibacterial activity against gram-negative bacteria than the gram-positive bacteria. The prepared samples show the excellent photocatalytic degradation for Methylene blue.
Age-dependent electroencephalogram characteristics during different levels of anesthetic depth
Authors: Li Feixiang , Lu Yunchun , Dang Yaoyao , Chen Huiming , Lv Huanhuan , Sun Jian 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Objective

The monitoring of anesthetic depth based on electroencephalogram (EEG) derivation is not currently adjusted for age. Here we analyze the influence of age factors on EEG characteristics.
Methods

Frontal EEG recordings were obtained from 80 adults during routine clinical anesthesia. The characteristics of EEG with age and anesthesia were observed during four kinds of anesthesia.
Results

Relative slow wave power, relative delta power, absolute slow wave power, BIS value and approximate entropy were statistically different in the adjacent anesthesia states (P < 0.05). Under very deep anesthesia, the relative slow wave power increases linearly with age (R2 = 0.1802; P = 0.0001), the relative delta power decreased linearly with age (R2 = 0.3587; P < 0.0001), the BIS value increased linearly with age (R2 = 0.0986; P = 0.005), and the approximate entropy increases linearly with age (R2 = 0.0565; P = 0.036). The relative slow wave power did not change in an age-dependent manner.
Conclusions

When using relative delta power, absolute slow wave power, BIS value and approximate entropy to monitor the depth of anesthesia, the influence of age should be considered, However, when using relative slow wave power, age should not be considered.
Comparison of metabolic phenotypes and BMI as indicators of recurrent stroke in Chinese hospitalized stroke patients: a retrospective study
Authors: Huang Xiaolin , Zhou Jiaojiao , Zhang Hong , Gao Pei , Wang Long , Yang Yuting , Jiang Xiaohong , Chen Lu , Hua Fei 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Background

Metabolic status and body mass index (BMI) are known as apparent risk factors of recurrent stroke, but which one is more likely related to recurrent stroke remains uncertain. This study aimed to compare the metabolic phenotypes and BMI as indicators of recurrent stroke in Chinese hospitalized stroke patients.
Methods

In this retrospective population-based study, 856 hospitalized stroke patients from the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University were enrolled. Recurrent stroke was defined as newly-onset stroke patients with a history of previous stroke. Metabolic phenotypes were based on Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. BMI ≥ 25kg/m2 was defined as obesity.
Results

Among the hospitalized stroke patients, the prevalence of recurrent stroke was 21.9%. Metabolic phenotypes rather than BMI were significantly associated with recurrent stroke. Compared with metabolically healthy patients, metabolically unhealthy ones had 72% (odds ratio [OR] = 1.72, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01–2.68) increased recurrent stroke, regardless of BMI and other confounding factors. Whereas, no statistical association between BMI and recurrent stroke were found. Metabolic status improved risk prediction of recurrent stroke when adding to conventional risk factors (net reclassification index 17.6%, P = 0.0047; integrated discrimination improvement 0.7%, P = 0.014), while BMI did not.
Conclusions

Recurrent stroke was likely associated with poor metabolic status rather than with BMI, suggesting that controlling metabolic abnormalities could be an important method for recurrent stroke prevention.
Meta-Analysis of the Disease Spectrum of Hospitalized Crew-Members
Authors: Ye Zhouheng , Zhang Tianyi , Liu Jianchao , Meng Guo , Han Lei 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Background: The disease spectrum of hospitalized crew-members could give good service to the support of health management. However, the disease spectrum of Chinese crew-members is still obscure. Methods: Four different database were searched with keywords. Papers were included and excluded using given rules. Data such as publishing year, investigation period, subject resources, total number of subjects, name of diagnosis, proportion of diseases were extracted for investigation. Then the investigation year(before 2010 or after 2011) was applied for sub-analysis in further research. Results: 24 results of disease spectrum of crew-members from numbers of hospitals were meta-analyzed. The first common disease was cervical and lumbar spine disorder which occupied 10% of diseases for hospitalization. And the other diseases followed it were hyperlipidemia(8%), cervical spine disease(7%), neurasthenia(6%), hypertension(6%), gastritis and duodenitis(6%), headache(6%), vegetative nerve functional disturbance(6%), upper respiratory infection(6%), fatty liver(5%), gastric and duodenal ulcers(4%), arrhythmia(4%), ground syncope(3%), urinary calculus(3%) and poor acceleration tolerance(2%), respectively. The spectrum of diseases was sub-analyzed by investigation year for further exploration. The proportion of cervical and lumbar spine disorder increased dramatically in the group of after 2011. Conclusion: Our work gave evidenced-based support for disease spectrum of crew-members, pointed research directions for treatment and prevention of crew-members’ common diseases, supported health strategy constitution of crew-members and guided well allocation of medical resources.
Beyond biopolitics: the importance of the later work of Foucault to understand care practices of healthcare workers caring for undocumented migrants
Authors: Lafaut Dirk 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
BackgroundUndocumented migrants experience multiple institutional and legal barriers when trying to access healthcare services. Due to such limitations, healthcare workers often experience ethical dilemmas when caring for undocumented migrants. This article aims to understand how individual healthcare workers who regularly take care of undocumented migrants deal with these dilemmas in practice. So far, the role of healthcare workers in this context has mainly been theorized through the lens of biopolitics, conceiving of healthcare workers as merely obedient instruments of humanitarian government or gatekeeping.MethodsBased on semi-structured, in-depth interviews and ethnographic observations with healthcare workers in Belgium, we explore how they ascribe meaning, reflect upon and give shape to care practices in relation to undocumented migrants. We use Foucault’s later work on care of the self to interpret the accounts given by the healthcare workers.ResultsHealthcare workers in clinical roles exercise a certain degree of freedom in relation to the existing limitations to healthcare access of undocumented migrants. They developed techniques such as purposefully being inattentive to the undocumented status of the migrants. They also try to master their affective responses and transform their bodily attitude towards undocumented patients. They perform practical mental exercises to remind themselves of their role or position in the wider healthcare system and about their commitment to treat all patients equally. These techniques and exercises are inspired by colleagues who function as role models, inspiring them to relate in an ethical way to limitations in healthcare access. The developed care practices sometimes reproduce, sometimes transform the legal and institutional limitations to care for undocumented migrants.ConclusionsThe findings nuance the biopolitical analysis regarding the role of healthcare workers in healthcare delivery to undocumented migrants that has been dominant so far. Theoretically this article provides a reconceptualization of healthcare ethics as care of the self, an ethical practice that is somewhat independent of the traditional professional ethics.Trial RegistrationMedical ethics committee UZ Jette, Brussels, Belgium – Registration date: 18/05/2016 – Registration number: B.U.N. 143201628279
Folate Supplementation during Oocyte Maturation Positively Impacts the Folate-Methionine Metabolism in Pre-Implantation Embryos
Authors: Saini Sikander , Sharma Vishal , Ansari Shama , Kumar Amit , Thakur Abhishek , Malik Hruda Nanda , Kumar Satish , Malakar Dhruba 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Folic acid is vital for DNA synthesis and methylations through one-carbon (C1) metabolism. Thus, it is essential for cell division during embryonic development. The present study investigated the effect of folic acid supplementation on oocyte maturation, blastocyst development and the expression of folate transporters as well as folate metabolism enzymes in oocytes and pre-implantation embryos of goat. Immature goat oocytes, matured in maturation medium comprising different folic acid concentrations (0, 10, 50, 100 and 150 µM), were in vitro fertilized and cultured. Cumulus expansion markers (Ptx3 and Ptgs2) in cumulus cells were highly upregulated after 50 µM folic acid supplementation indicating higher degree of maturation. Supplementation of 50 µM folic acid during oocyte maturation resulted in significantly higher blastocyst production rate, reduction in intracellular ROS levels as well as upregulation of the transcripts for folate transporters and key folate-methionine cycle enzymes in comparison to control. The present study demonstrates the existence of active folate-methionine cycle in oocytes and pre-implantation goat embryos. Supplementation of 50 µM folic acid in maturation medium increases the blastocyst production rate, improves oocyte maturation, reduces ROS production as well as upregulate the expression of Folr1 and folate metabolism enzyme, Mtr.
Potts Clustering with Complete Shrinkage: a novel clustering methodology with its Software Package pottscompleteshrinkage in Python
Authors: ALAHASSA Nonvikan Karl-Augustt 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
We have modified the Potts Model Swendsen-Wang algorithm to insert some clusters constraints by applying a modified agglomerative clustering approach (Kurita, 1991). We have called the induced Potts Model, the Potts Clustering with Complete Shrinkage (PCCS), under the Python package pottscompleteshrinkage deployed on PyPi Index under its current release. In this approach, we deal with the increasing number of small clusters generated in a given partition by merging all small clusters of size ≤ h with their closest cluster in terms of minimal distance respectively, where h is an integer greater or equal to 2. The algorithm uses a technique in which distances of all pairs of observations are stored. Then the nearest cluster (with size ≥ h) is given by the cluster with the closest node in terms of minimal distance to the cluster to be merged using complete linkage. This approach is truly effective as it helps to control the clusters size, and we have found empirical evidence of Chi-Square and Gamma density curves for the constrained cluster size distribution of PCCS, when applied to some datasets taken from the multiple-output benchmark datasets available in the Mulan project website (Tsoumakas et al., 2020). We add a last framework based on Frequency of frequency distribution (FoF) to find the conditional bonds distribution given the clusters size constraints which results in an intractable distribution for large datasets, but its computation framework is a land of rich mathematical developments.
Immune infiltration of MMP14 in Pan-cancer and its prognostic effect on tumor
Authors: Li Minde , Li Shaoyang , Zhou Lin , Yang Le , Wu Xiao , Tang Bin , Xie Shenhao , Fang Linchun , Zheng Suyue , Hong Tao 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Background: Matrix metallopeptidase 14(MMPL4) is a member of the matrix metalloproteinase family, which interacts with tissue metalloproteinase inhibitors (TIMPs), and is involved in normal physiological functions such as cell migration, invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis and proliferation, as well as tumor genesis and progression. However, there has been a lack of relevant reports on the effect of MMP14 on pan-cancer. This study aims to explore the correlation between MMP14 and pan-cancer prognosis, immune infiltration, and the effects of pan-cancer gene mismatch repair (MMR), microsatellite instability (MSI), tumor mutation load (TMB), DNA methylation, and immune checkpoint genes.Methods: In this study, we used bioinformatics to analyze data from multiple databases, including TCGA, Oncomine and Kaplan-Meier Plotter. We investigated the relationship between the expression of MMP14 in tumors and tumor prognosis, the relationship between MMP14 expression and tumor cell immune infiltration, and the relationship between MMR gene mismatch repair (MMR), microsatellite instability (MSI), tumor mutation load (TMB), DNA methylation, and immune checkpoint genes.Results: MMP14 expression is highly associated with prognosis of a variety of cancers, tumor immunoinvasion, and has important effects on pan-oncologic mismatch repair (MMR), microsatellite instability (MSI), tumor mutation load (TMB), DNA methylation, and immune checkpoint genes. Conclusion: MMP14 is highly correlated with tumor prognosis and immunoinvasion, and affects the occurrence and progression of many tumors. All these fully indicate that MMP14 may be a biomarker for the prognosis, diagnosis and treatment of many tumors, and provide a new idea and direction for subsequent tumor immune research and treatment strategies.