bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Optical, Morphological, and Structural Properties of Porous Silicon Tablets.
Authors: Carrillo Francisco Severiano , Salgado Godofredo García , Villanueva Martin Salazar 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Porous silicon (PS) is a material whit a great interest due to its optical (photoluminescent) and chemical (reactive surface) properties, for this reason, it is important to find new ways to be applied in the development of new devices. In this work the optic, chemical and morphologic properties of PS compressed into a tablet were characterized. The porous silicon was removed physically from the crystalline silicon and then was compressed to obtain a tablet. The optical characterization was performed through photoluminescence (PL) spectra. The PL spectrum from the PS tablet showed a small shift to lower wavelengths in comparison with the PS layers used to obtain the tablet. The x-ray diffraction pattern showed a loss in PS tablet crystallinity after being subjected to the compression process. The morphological characterization was carried out with a scanning electron microscope and showed a compact surface with high rugosity. This result was supported by the profilometry analysis, which also showed an irregular surface. The chemical properties of the surface were characterized with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The FTIR characterization showed an oxidized and highly hydrogenated surface.
Existing Bone-Derived Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 Initiates Contact Osteogenesis on the Surface of a Titanium Implant
Authors: Kim Ung-Gyu , Choi Jung-Yoo , Lee Junbeom , Yeo In-Sung 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
The dental implant relies on osseointegration and the response of bone to the implant surface. This process comprises bidirectional bone formation, including bone deposition on the implant surface toward the existing bone (contact osteogenesis) and vice versa (distance osteogenesis). It is unclear whether these processes are independent or whether contact osteogenesis is initiated by other factors. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the initiator of contact osteogenesis. We hypothesized that contact osteogenesis does not occur when it is physically isolated from distance osteogenesis, which would imply that some factors from the wounded bone normally promote contact osteogenesis. Using a rabbit tibial implant model, we tested the effects of human recombinant bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) and plasma-rich plasma, which are possible initiators from bone and blood, respectively. Titanium implants with BMP-2 showed a better bone-to-implant contact (BIC) ratio. We concluded that BMP-2 initiated contact osteogenesis on the surface of titanium implants.
Integrated Design of Active And Passive Gripper For Robotic Pick And Place Applications
Authors: Huseynov Mahmud 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Grippers developed in recent years either cannot achieve a complete universality due to grasping stability issues or are designed with excessive complexity. In this paper, the design of a three-fingered tendon-driven integrated gripper based on the concept of integrating Universal Active Gripper (UAG) with Universal Passive Gripper (UPG) fingertips, which ensures achieving adjustable fingertip stiffness and is practically proven to solve grasping stability issues, is proposed. Furthermore, kinematic, dynamic, and force analyses was conducted to calculate the specifications of the designed gripper, which was compared to four commercial grippers. Finite element analysis was also carried out for the designed gripper. When the final design of the gripper was compared to that of Hou et al.'s (2018) (the only comparable design present for the integrated gripper), one crucial similarity noted was based on both designs adopting the same kinematic configuration. This fact further increases the confidence in the optimal development of the designed gripper. According to FEA results, the maximum stress acting on the components of the gripper was 15.78 MPa, 39.45% of the yield stress of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS). In conclusion, it was theoretically established that the designed gripper with the tendon-driven actuation is operating efficiently.
Tea Polyphenol Modified, Photothermal Responsive and ROS Generative Black Phosphorus Quantum Dots as Nanoplatforms for Promoting MRSA Infected Wounds Healing in Diabetic Rats
Authors: Xu Shibo , Chang Linna , Zhao Xingjun , Hu Yanan , Huang Shuocheng , Chen Zhenhua , Ren Xiuli , Mei Xifan 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
BackgroundHealing of MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) infected deep burn wounds (MIDBW) in diabetic patients remains an obstacle, but is a cutting-edge research problem in clinical science. Surgical debridement and continuous antibiotic use remain the primary clinical treatment for MIDBW. However, suboptimal pharmacokinetics and high doses of antibiotics often cause serious side effects such as fatal complications of drug-resistant bacterial infections. MRSA, which causes wound infection, is currently a bacterium of concern in the treatment of diabetic wound healing, and in more severe cases it can even lead to amputation of the patient's limb.ResultsThe present work proposed a strategy of using EGCG (Epigallocatechin gallate) modified black phosphorus quantum dots (BPQDs) as a therapeutic nanoplatform for MIDBW to achieve the synergistic functions of NIR (near infrared)-response, ROS-generation, sterilization and promoted wound healing. The electron spin resonance results revealed that EGCG-BPQDs@H had a stronger photocatalytic ability to produce singlet oxygen than BPQDs@H and the inhibition results indicated an effective bactericidal rate of 88.6% against MRSA. Molecular biology analysis demonstrated that EGCG-BPQDs significantly upregulated CD31 nearly 4-fold and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) nearly 2-fold, which were beneficial for promoting proliferation of vascular endothelial cells and skin epidermal cells. Under NIR irradiation, EGCG-BPQDs hydrogel (EGCG-BPQDs@H) treated MIDBW area could rapidly raise temperature up to 55°C for sterilization. The MIBDW closure rate of rat after 21 days of treatment was 92.4%, much better than that of 61.1% of the control group. The engineered EGCG-BPQDs@H were found to promote MIDBW healing by triggering the PI3K/AKT and ERK1/2 signaling pathways, which could enhance cell proliferation and differentiation. In addition, intravenous circulation experiment showed good biocompatibility of EGCG-BPQDs@H, no obvious damage to rat major organs were observed.ConclusionsThe obtained results demonstrated that EGCG-BPQDs@H achieved the synergistic functions of photocatalytic property, photothermal effects and promoted wound healing, and are promising multifunctional nanoplatforms for MIDBW healing in diabetics.
Treatment-resistant Abuse of Oxybutynin With Psychotic Symptoms: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Aras Neriman 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
BackroundAnticholinergic drugs are the most commonly used addictive drugs among non-prescription drugs. Oxybutynin is one of the anticholinergic drugs widely used for overactive bladder and nocturnal enuresis treatment for both adults and children. Here is a new case of oxybutynin use with high dose and long-term use despite recurrent treatment applications. Case PresentationA 25 years old, unemployed man that was graduated from primary school applied to the inpatient clinic. He reported that he has been using oxybutynin for 8 years. He was taking 500 mg/day of oxybutynin (100 pills in a day), approximately. He stated that he had taken 250-300 pills in some days (1000-1500 mg/day). He described agitation, irritability, anxiety, visual and auditory hallucinations, reference thoughts, and persecution delusions. The patient was diagnosed with Other Substance Use Disorders according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 (DSM-5) criteria. Carbamazepine 400 mg/day, olanzapine 10 mg/day, and lorazepam 2.5 mg/day treatments were started. At the end of the five weeks, both symptoms improved completely. In the follow-up, he had no psychiatric symptoms two months after the discharge. He was not using any substance or addictive drugs; working regularly in his father’s family business. ConclusionsOxybutynin is one of the non-controlled drugs, so can be obtained easily from pharmacies without a prescription in Turkey. Interestingly, case reports about oxybutynin use are all from Turkey. Oxybutynin should be considered for the potential for addiction due to its anticholinergic properties, easily accessible, and cumulative cases. Psychiatrists and non-psychiatric physicians, especially urologists should be aware of the addiction potential of the drug because of anticholinergic effects, especially between substance users, and oxybutynin may cause some psychotic effects.
5′-N-Ethylcarboxamido Adenosine Attenuates Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury In Type 2 Diabetic Rats Through A2AR/PKCα/miR-15a Signaling
Authors: Chen Chao , Ke Jianjuan , Ding Huang , Hu Chengjun , Wang Zhenggang , Li Mengyun , Wang Yanlin 
Published: September 2021

Abstract

Background/aims: Type 2 diabetes mellitus aggravates myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (MI/RI). Activation of adenosine receptors (ARs) confer to attenuated MI/RI in nondiabetic animals and human. However, this effects and mechanism of ARs in the type 2 diabetic state are still unknown. In present study, we established a type 2 diabetic rat in vivo myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (MI/R) model to evaluate the effect of ARs on MI/RI with a focus on the A2A adenosine receptor (A2 AR) -mediated cardioprotective effects. Methods: Type 2 diabetic rat were subjected to myocardial infarction by LAD ligation in situ and randomly received ARs agonist and/or antagonists or vehicle treatment. After 2h marker of the extent of myocardial damage(ejection fraction of the LV, Infarct size, plasma cardiac troponin I) were measured and pro- and anti-apoptotic signals (protein kinase Cα，Bcl-2, Bax, miR-15), and marker of apoptosis execution (cleaved caspase-3, TUNEL) were quantified in the infarcted myocardium.Results: non-selective adenosine receptor agonist 5′-(N-ethylcarboxamido) adenosine treatment attenuates MI/RI, improve post-MI/R left ventricular function, limit infarct size, reduce cardiac troponin I release, reduce myocardial apoptosis, up-regulates bcl2 and down-regulates miR-15a, bax and cleaved caspase-3 expression; This protective effects were attenuated by pretreatment with selective A2AR antagonist ZM241385 or PKCα-selective inhibitor Go6976; and duplicated by treatment with A2AR-selective agonist CGS21680 or PKCα-potent activator PMA.Conclusions: NECA reduces MI/RI in T2DM rats via the A2AR/PKCα/miR-15a signaling pathway; NECA is a useful target candidate for the treatment of MI/RI in patient with type 2diabetes.
Case Report – Direct Percutaneous Approach to Treat Peristomal Varices: A Simple and Effective Option
Authors: Grange Rémi , Roy Bertrand Le , Chevalier Clément , Barral Fabrice-Guy , Grange Sylvain 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Introduction:Bleeding secondary to peristomal varices is a rare but potentially fatal complication of portal hypertension. TIPS is its first-line etiologic treatment in the setting of cirrhosis with portal hypertension. However, TIPS is not always feasible, especially in cases of contraindication or portal trunk occlusion.Case presentation: A patient of 63-year old male was referred for persistent peristomal variceal bleeding. He had a past history cirrhosis with portal hypertension due to alcohol consumption and more recently, rectal cancer with metachronous liver metastasis. He was treated by proctectomy with placement of a stoma in the left flank. An evaluation CT scan showed a tumour-like occlusion of the portal vein, the origin of which is uncertain.He was regularly referred to the emergency department for peristomal bleeding with anaemia, without haemodynamic instability. CT-scan angiogram confirmed ectopic peristomal varices without active bleeding. After multidisciplinary meeting, a minimal invasive approach was decided. Under local anaesthesia and ultrasoung guidance, the varicose vein was punctured by direct percutaneous access using a 22G-needle, and embolized using a mixture of N-Butyl-Cyanoacrylate and Lipiodol. The patient had no complication, and no recurrent bleeding occurred after more than 6 months of follow-up. He was discharged from the hospital 8 days later.Conclusion: The percutaneous approach is a simple and effective technique. This approach should be the first line treatment when TIPS is not indicated.
The Relationship of C-reactive Protein/interleukin-6 Concentrations Between Serum and Synovial Fluid in the Diagnosis of Periprosthetic Joint Infection
Authors: Yu Bao-Zhan , Li Rui , Li Xiang , Chai Wei , Zhou Yong-Gang , Chen Jiying 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Background: The relationship of C-reactive protein (CRP)/interleukin-6 (IL-6) concentrations between serum and synovial fluid and whether synovial CRP/IL-6 testing in addition to serum CRP/IL-6 testing would result in a benefit in the diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) deserves to be investigated.Methods: From June 2016 to July 2019, 139 patients were included in the study. Synovial CRP and IL-6 were tested by ELISA. The serum CRP and IL-6 were obtained from medical records. The definition of PJI was based on the modified Musculoskeletal Infection Society (MSIS) criteria. The relationship of serum and synovial CRP and IL-6 and the value of each index in the diagnosis of PJI were evaluated.Results: The Receiver operating characteristic（ROC）curves showed that synovial IL-6 had the highest area under the curve（AUC） at 0.935, which was followed by synovial CRP, serum IL-6 and serum CRP 0.861, 0.847 and 0.821, respectively. When combining serum CRP and synovial CRP to diagnose PJI, the AUC was 0.849, which was slightly higher than the result obtained when using serum CRP alone. In contrast, when combining serum IL-6 and synovial IL-6 to diagnose PJI, the AUC increased to 0.940, which was significantly higher than that obtained using serum IL-6 alone.Conclusion: The synovial IL-6 has the highest diagnostic accuracy for PJI. However，inferring the level of CRP/IL-6 in the synovial fluid from the serum level of CRP/IL-6 was not feasible. Synovial CRP testing did not offer an advantage when combined with an existing serum CRP result to diagnose PJI, while additional synovial IL-6 was worthy of testing even if there was an existing serum IL-6 result.
Study on the Mechanism of Injury of Chicken Tracheal Epithelium Caused by Mycoplasma Gallisepticum Infection
Authors: WU Chunlin , Zhong Lemiao , Zhang Ligen , Li Wenji , Liu Binhui , Huang Baoqin , Luo Zhongbao , Wu Yijian 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) is a pathogenic microorganism that is seriously harmful to the poultry industry. It mainly adsorbs on the cilia and mucosa of respiratory epithelial cells, resulting in tracheal mucosal epithelial injury or ciliary shedding, causing chronic respiratory disease (CRD). In order to study the damage of tracheal mucosal epithelium induced by MG infection in chickens and explore its possible mechanism, SPF chicks were challenged with the wild-type Mycoplasma gallisepticum strain MG-HY strain. Then, transcriptome sequencing analysis was performed to study the mechanism of MG tracheal mucosal epithelial injury. During infection, MG localizes and proliferates in the chicken trachea, and induces mucosal epithelial damage.A total of 3112 significantly (P < 0.01) differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were selected by RNA-seq, including 1646 up-regulated genes and 1466 down-regulated genes. Functional analysis showed increased expression levels of genes involved in immune defense response and mechanical barrier of tracheal mucosa in infected chicks. The expression level of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α) increased, activating the upstream protein Ras of the ERK-MLCK signaling pathway, Ras causing ERK1/2 phosphorylation levels to rise and MLCK activation, thus causing phosphationalization of MLC, and further regulating the expression and mucous distribution of tight junction protein (TJ), leading to tracheal mucosal epithelial injury in chicks. The results of qRT-PCR assay and immunohistochemical analysis were consistent with the results of transcriptome analysis. Overall, our results provide a basis for further investigation of the mechanisms underlying the epithelial damage of the tracheal membrane in chicks caused by MG-infection, contributing to the understanding of how MG affects avian respiratory diseases.
Improving Lookup and Query Execution Performance in Distributed Big Data Systems using Cuckoo Filter
Authors: Mosharraf Sharafat Ibn Mollah , Adnan Muhammad Abdullah 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Performance is a critical concern when reading and writing data from billions of records stored in Big Data warehouse. We introduce two scopes for query performance improvement. One is to improve performance of lookup queries after data deletion in Big Data systems that use Eventual Consistency. We propose a scheme to improve lookup performance after data deletion by using Cuckoo Filter. Another scope for improvement is to avoid unnecessary network round-trip for querying in remote nodes in a distributed Big Data cluster when it is known that the nodes do not have requested partition of data. We propose a scheme using probabilistic filters that are looked up before querying remote nodes, so that queries resulting in no data can be skipped from passing through the network. We evaluate our schemes with Cassandra using real dataset and show that each scheme can improve performance of lookup queries for up to 100%.
Health-related Quality of Life of Children Treated for Non-syndromic Craniosynostosis
Authors: Kljajic Marizela , Maltese Giovanni , Tarnow Peter , Sand Peter , Kölby Lars 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Background: Assessing health-related quality of life (HRQoL) allows acquisition of the subjective perspective of patients regarding their health and functioning; however, little is known about the experiences of patients living with treated craniosynostosis (CS). Methods: School-aged children (7–16 years) treated for non-syndromic CS were assessed using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) 4.0 Generic Core Scales via both self- and proxy reports.Results: Seventy-three patients and their parents responded to the PedsQL (response rate: 80.2%). Patients generally estimated HRQoL as high, with no difference in HRQoL found between treated sagittal (SS) or metopic (MS) synostosis. In the SS group, surgical methods involving spring-assisted surgery and pi-plasty were unrelated to HRQoL outcomes. Additionally, HRQoL was highly correlated with intelligence quotient (IQ) and adaptive behavior skills (ABAS). Furthermore, we observed differences in estimated HRQoL between self- and proxy reports (i.e., parents estimated child HRQoL as higher than did the children). Conclusions: Children treated for CS have a generally high HRQoL, and neither CS type nor surgical method influenced HRQoL outcomes. Moreover, children and parents estimated HRQoL differently, suggesting the importance of using both self- and proxy reporting in patient-reported measures. We found that HRQoL was strongly related to IQ and ABAS, indicating that the PedsQL can be used as a screening instrument to identify craniofacial patients in need of further psychological assessment.
The Effect of Curcumin on Aβ, Akt, and GSK3β in Brain and Retina of APP/PS1 Mice and Blood of Alzheimer’s Patients With Early Stage Disease
Authors: Mei Xi , Qiu Conglong , Shi Lingli , Li Xingxing , Yang Mengxiang , Hu Jun , Chen Zhongming , Zou Chenjun 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
BackgroundCurcumin has multifunctional pharmacological properties, including anti-oxidant, anti-inﬂammatory, and anti-diabetic properties. We investigated whether curcumin can improve pathological changes associated with Alzheimer's disease, including amyloid β (Aβ), protein kinase B (PKB, also termed Akt), and glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) levels and expression. MethodsAlzheimer’s transgenic APPSWE/PS1ΔE9 mice and wild type mice were treated with curcumin by intragastric administration for 2 weeks at 2 and 5 months of age. Aβ plaques and contents in the brain and retina were measured by immunohistochemistry and enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay, respectively, while the expression of Akt and GSK3β was tested by RNA isolation and quantitative real-time poly merase chain reaction. Bloods of patients with AD and age-matched health controls were used to determine the contents of Aβ, Akt and GSK3β. ResultsCurcumin treatment decreased Aβ accumulation in the early stages of AD at 5 months (p < 0.001). It also improved AD-associated pathological changes, including upregulation of Akt (p < 0.01) and downregulation of GSK3β (p < 0.01). In addition to AD-associated changes, the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β was significantly decreased by curcumin treatment (p < 0.05). ConclusionsCurcumin can suppress Aβ accumulation during the early stages of AD, upregulate the expression of Akt, downregulate the expression of GSK3β, and inhibit the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β. Curcumin can be used to improve pathological features of AD in the early stages of disease
Assessing and Projecting Surface Air Temperature Conditions Required To Sustain Permafrost in Japan
Authors: Yokohata Tokuta , IWAHANA Go , Saito Kazuyuki , Ishizaki Noriko , Matsushita Taiga , Sueyoshi Tetsuo 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Permafrost covers a wide area of the Northern Hemisphere, including high-altitude mountainous areas even at mid-low latitudes. There is concern that the thawing of mountain permafrost can cause slope instability and substantially impact alpine ecosystems. However, permafrost in mountainous areas is difficult to observe, and detailed analyses have not been performed on its current distribution and future changes. Here, we show that the surface air temperature required to sustain Japan's mountain permafrost is estimated to decrease rapidly at present; most mountain permafrost in Japan is projected to disappear by the second half of the 21st century, and disappear very quickly in some places from approximately 2020–2030, regardless of climate scenarios. Our projections indicate that climate change has a considerable impact on mountain environments and that even if climate stabilization is achieved, Japan's mountain permafrost may almost disappear. It is important to consider measures to adapt to the changing mountain environment.