Nevin Manimala

Nanotechnology. 2021 Mar 15. doi: 10.1088/1361-6528/abeeb2. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Point defects may significantly influence the electrical and optoelectronic properties of two-dimensional tungsten diselenide (WSe2), while precise information about point defects distribution (e.g., species and concentration) in monolayer (ML-) WSe2 are hard to obtain. In this letter, we tried to partly fill this knowledge gap via performing quantitative and statistical analysis of intrinsic point defects in WSe2 monolayers prepared by three so-called main-stream approaches i.e., mechanical exfoliation (ME), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), which are promising for providing high-quality samples. Via a conjunction of statistic atomic-resolution annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (ADF-STEM) imaging, software-based automated defect identification and counting, together with image simulations, defect species and concentrations were quantitatively determined. Seven types of intrinsic point defects were identified in ML-WSe2 and the most dominant one is selenium mono-vacancy (VSe) (corresponding to one Se atom missing), irrespective of the synthetic route and growth conditions. Exact contents and diversity of point defects depend on the specific preparation method: CVD grown ML-WSe2 is the most defective (for example, the density of VSe reaches 1.40% in atomic ratio), followed by ME (~ 0.79 at% for VSe) and MBE grown samples (~ 0.42 at% for VSe). Our results, though still with limited sampling, provide preliminary quantitative information of point defects in ML-WSe2, which can serve as a reference to achieve the precisely controlled large-scale sample growth and establish the structure-property relationship of two-dimensional transition-metal dichalcogenides (2D TMDCs) materials.

PMID:33721843 | DOI:10.1088/1361-6528/abeeb2

Phys Med. 2021 Mar 12;82:321-331. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2021.02.014. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The aim of this methods work is to explore the different behavior of radiomic features resulting by using or not the contrast medium in chest CT imaging of non-small cell lung cancer.

METHODS: Chest CT scans, unenhanced and contrast-enhanced, of 17 patients were selected from images collected as part of the staging process. The major T1-T3 lesion was contoured through a semi-automatic approach. These lesions formed the lesion phantoms to study features behavior. The stability of 94 features of the 3D-Slicer package Radiomics was analyzed. Feature discrimination power was quantified by means of Gini’s coefficient. Correlation between distance matrices was evaluated through Mantel statistic. Heatmap, cluster and silhouette plots were applied to find well-structured partitions of lesions.

RESULTS: The Gini’s coefficient evidenced a low discrimination power, <0.05, for four features and a large discrimination power, around 0.8, for five features. About 90% of features was affected by the contrast medium, masking tumor lesions variability; thirteen features only were found stable. On 8178 combinations of stable features, only one group of four features produced the same partition of lesions with the silhouette width greater than 0.51, both on unenhanced and contrast-enhanced images.

CONCLUSIONS: Gini’s coefficient highlighted the features discrimination power in both CT series. Many features were sensitive to the use of the contrast medium, masking the lesions intrinsic variability. Four stable features produced, on both series, the same partition of cancer lesions with reasonable structure; this may merit being objects of further validation studies and interpretative investigations.

PMID:33721791 | DOI:10.1016/j.ejmp.2021.02.014

Psychiatry Res. 2021 Feb 24;299:113837. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2021.113837. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

ABO blood types and their corresponding antigens have long been assumed to be related to different human diseases. So far, smaller studies on the relationship between mental disorders and blood types yielded contradicting results. In this study we analyzed the association between ABO blood types and lifetime major depressive disorder (MDD). We performed a pooled analysis with data from 26 cohorts that are part of the MDD working group of the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (PGC). The dataset included 37,208 individuals of largely European ancestry of which 41.6% were diagnosed with lifetime MDD. ABO blood types were identified using three single nucleotide polymorphisms in the ABO gene: rs505922, rs8176746 and rs8176747. Regression analyses were performed to assess associations between the individual ABO blood types and MDD diagnosis as well as putative interaction effects with sex. The models were adjusted for sex, cohort and the first ten genetic principal components. The percentage of blood type A was slightly lower in cases than controls while blood type O was more prominent in cases. However, these differences were not statistically significant. Our analyses found no evidence of an association between ABO blood types and major depressive disorder.

PMID:33721783 | DOI:10.1016/j.psychres.2021.113837

Int Immunopharmacol. 2021 Mar 12;95:107524. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2021.107524. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Rituximab (RTX) is widely used in the treatment of connective tissue disease (CTD) because it can target and eliminate pathogenic B cells. Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is one of the common complications of CTD; however, the clinical benefits of RTX in connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD) are still controversial. This meta-analysis was performed to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of RTX in CTD-ILD patients.

METHODS: We performed a systematic online query in PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase up to February 2020. Randomized controlled trials and observational studies on the use of RTX and conventional treatment in CTD-ILD patients were comprehensively reviewed and investigated.

RESULTS: In total, 6 studies, including 242 participants, were analysed. The pooled results showed that RTX is superior to conventional treatment methods in improving forced vital capacity and modified Rodnan skin scores (MRSS) in patients with systemic sclerosis (P＜0. 05), but there was no statistically significant difference between RTX and conventional treatment method in the improvement of lung diffusion function. The risk of adverse effects declined in the RTX therapy groups compared with the conventional therapy groups in terms of infection and the blood system.

CONCLUSION: The pooled results of this meta-analysis indicated that RTX is well tolerated, and RTX is able to improve or stabilize pulmonary function in CTD-ILD patients.

PMID:33721757 | DOI:10.1016/j.intimp.2021.107524

Biomed Pharmacother. 2021 Mar 3;138:111457. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.111457. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

With continued expansion of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome 2 (SARS-CoV-2), both antiviral drugs as well as effective vaccines are desperately needed to treat patients at high risk of life-threatening disease. Here, we present in vitro evidence for significant inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 by oleandrin and a defined extract of N. oleander (designated as PBI-06150). Using Vero cells, we found that prophylactic (pre-infection) oleandrin (as either the pure compound or as the active principal ingredient in PBI-06150) administration at concentrations as low as 0.05 µg/ml exhibited potent antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2, with an 800-fold reduction in virus production, and a 0.1 µg/ml concentration resulted in a greater than 3000-fold reduction in infectious virus production. The half maximal effective concentration (EC₅₀) values were 11.98 ng/ml when virus output was measured at 24 h post-infection, and 7.07 ng/ml measured at 48 h post-infection. Therapeutic (post-infection) treatment up to 24 h after SARS-CoV-2 infection of Vero cells also reduced viral titers, with 0.1 µg/ml and 0.05 µg/ml concentrations causing greater than 100-fold reduction as measured at 48 h, and the 0.05 µg/ml concentration resulting in a 78-fold reduction. Concentrations of oleandrin up to 10 µg/ml were well tolerated in Vero cells. We also present in vivo evidence of the safety and efficacy of defined N. oleander extract (PBI-06150), which was administered to golden Syrian hamsters in a preparation containing as high as 130 µg/ml of oleandrin. In comparison to administration of control vehicle, PBI-06150 provided a statistically significant reduction of the viral titer in the nasal turbinates (nasal conchae). The potent prophylactic and therapeutic antiviral activities demonstrated here, together with initial evidence of its safety and efficacy in a relevant hamster model of COVID-19, support the further development of oleandrin and/or defined extracts containing this molecule for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 and associated COVID-19 disease and potentially also for reduction of virus spread by persons diagnosed early after infection.

PMID:33721754 | DOI:10.1016/j.biopha.2021.111457

Epilepsy Res. 2021 Mar 5;172:106600. doi: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2021.106600. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Seizures are a frequent complication after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). The CAVE score was developed in Europeans to predict late seizures after ICH. Given the higher incidence of ICH in Asians, we aimed to develop and validate a clinical scoring tool for predicting post-ICH late seizures in Chinese.

METHODS: We retrospectively included patients admitted with ICH to a major stroke center in Shandong province, China, in the derivation cohort, who were followed up for occurrence of late seizures (more than seven days after ICH). We applied Cox regression model to identify significant clinical factors which were used to derive a predictive scoring model. The performance of this model was compared with CAVE, and validated in a separate cohort of patients with ICH admitted to another stroke center.

RESULTS: In the derivation cohort (n = 602; median age 65 years; 57 % male；median follow up 24 months), 47 (7.8 %) patients had late seizures during follow up. Four significant risk factors were identified and selected to derive the LANE score (Lobar hemorrhage, Age <65 years, NIHSS score ≥15, Early seizures). The total possible points ranged from 0 to 6, corresponding to positive predictive values of 10.1%-100%, and negative predictive values of 96.8%-92.2%, respectively. The c-statistics of the LANE score in the derivation cohort and validation cohort (n = 521) were 0.83 and 0.78, respectively, while those of the CAVE score were 0.81 and 0.74, respectively.

CONCLUSION: We have developed and validated a clinical scoring tool for predicting late seizures after ICH in Chinese. This tool may be used to identify high risk patients for closer monitoring and clinical trials of therapies to prevent post-ICH epilepsy in the future.

PMID:33721707 | DOI:10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2021.106600

Respir Med. 2021 Mar 6;180:106355. doi: 10.1016/j.rmed.2021.106355. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Non-pharmacological interventions and tracing-testing strategy proved insufficient to reduce SARS-CoV-2 spreading worldwide. Several vaccines with different mechanisms of action are currently under development. This review describes the potential target antigens evaluated for SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in the context of both conventional and next-generation platforms. We reported experimental data from phase-3 trials with a focus on different definitions of efficacy as well as factors affecting real-life effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, including logistical issues associated to vaccine availability, delivery, and immunization strategies. On this background, new variants of SARS-CoV-2 are discussed. We also provided a critical view on vaccination in special populations at higher risk of infection or severe disease as elderly people, pregnant women and immunocompromised patients. A final paragraph addresses safety on the light of the unprecedented reduction of length of the vaccine development process and faster authorization.

PMID:33721697 | DOI:10.1016/j.rmed.2021.106355

Arch Oral Biol. 2021 Mar 4;125:105103. doi: 10.1016/j.archoralbio.2021.105103. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To determine nickel levels and their impact on protein carbonylation in gum samples from patients with gingival overgrowth by orthodontic treatment.

DESIGN: A retrospective observational study with 33 patients divided into three groups. Group 1 patients with gingival overgrowth by orthodontic appliances; group 2 patients without gingival overgrowth but with a history of orthodontic treatment; group 3 patients without overgrowth and history of orthodontic appliances. Nickel level in gingiva samples was measured by atomic absorption while protein carbonylation was determined by Western Blot. Furthermore, three proteins were identified in carbonylated protein bands by mass spectrometry.

RESULTS: Statistically significant differences (p < 0,05) in tissue nickel levels among groups were established (nickel levels group 1: 1.33 ± 1.52; group 2: 0.33 ± 0.44; group 3: 0.20 ± 0.22 μg Ni/g tissue). Protein carbonylation was higher in patients with gingival enlargement (group 1) and history of appliance use (group 2) than controls (group 3). It was observed that band A of the Western blots presented the highest intensity (Rf 0.23) with an average intensity of 4.133.830 ± 1.958.569 for group 1; 4.420.146 ± 1.594.679 for group 2 and 2.110. 727 ± 1.640.721 for group 3. Also, the proteins Teneurin-4, Bromodomain adjacent to zinc finger domain protein 2B, Lysine-specific demethylase 5B, and Serum albumin, were identified from oxidized bands.

CONCLUSIONS: The gum of patients with gingival overgrowth by orthodontic appliances contains higher nickel residues and carbonylation of its proteins.

PMID:33721694 | DOI:10.1016/j.archoralbio.2021.105103

Prev Vet Med. 2021 Feb 22;189:105306. doi: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2021.105306. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Inadequate transfer of passive immunity (TPI) is associated with increased risk for calfhood disease and increased risk of mortality and morbidity. Accurately diagnosing calves and herds with inadequate TPI is of primary importance and brix (BRIX) or classical refractometer (REF) devices are more practical for this purpose than measuring the serum immunoglobulin G concentration in neonatal calves. We previously reported a systematic review and meta-analysis for quantifying the pooled accuracy of BRIX and REF for detecting calves with serum IgG < 10 g/L noting that sparse data were available especially because studies did not report the same thresholds. We updated the previous systematic review using different methods that accounted for the test results distribution in calves with or without inadequate TPI. With this approach, all reported cut-offs for a specific study are used in that Bayesian approach that quantifies how accuracy varied among all reported thresholds. Five new manuscripts were included, which represented 4 new studies since the initial study was performed. A total of 11 REF and 9 BRIX studies were available. The meta-analytic methods allowed reporting variation of the true and false positive rate across and among all reported cut-offs. Pooled points estimates (95 % Bayesian credible intervals) for sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) of REF < 5.5 g/L were 86.1 % (68.5-97.9%) and 76.2 % (65.9-88.4%) whereas BRIX < 8.4 % was associated with Se of 91.6 % (77.2-99.5%) and Sp of 88.2 % (65.4-99.8%). Interestingly, the accuracy (Se + Sp-1) was generally higher for BRIX than for REF at the reported cut-offs. Besides the benefit of providing pooled estimates for all reported and unreported BRIX and REF thresholds, the general framework used in this study could potentially be used in many veterinary diagnostic tests studies that reported multiple thresholds accounting for potentially different tests distributions in population with and without the target condition.

PMID:33721672 | DOI:10.1016/j.prevetmed.2021.105306

Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2021 Feb 19;260:42-47. doi: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2021.02.017. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To compare efficacy of myoinositol as an adjuvant to dietary modification for treatment of gestational diabetes mellitus in Asian Indian women compared to controls.

STUDY DESIGN: Setting: This pilot randomized open label trial was conducted in a single antenatal clinic in India.

SUBJECTS: One hundred women with singleton pregnancy and gestational diabetes diagnosed between 14-28 weeks’ gestation were included. Overt diabetes, twin pregnancy, pre-existing renal disease, heart disease and other chronic medical disorders were exclusions.

INTERVENTION: Participants were randomized in two groups (1:1 ratio) by opaque envelope method. Individualized nutrition counseling with dietary modification and routine antenatal care was provided to all. Fifty women received myoinositol 1000 mg twice daily; 50 controls did not receive myoinositol. Fasting and postprandial glucose levels were assessed after two weeks. Women not achieving glycemic targets (fasting glucose <95 and postprandial glucose <120 mg/dL) were given pharmacologic therapy. Contributory factors in women requiring additional pharmacologic therapy, maternal and fetal outcomes were noted.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Between group comparisons reported relative risk and mean difference. To assess predictive factors for need for pharmacologic therapy, univariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis were used.

RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were comparable in both groups. Except one woman in the myoinositol group, all women provided glycaemia data throughout their pregnancy. Glycemic control was achieved in 44/ 49 (89.8 %) women in myoinositol group which was significantly higher than 34/50 (68 %) in the controls ((relative risk 0.31, 95 % confidence interval 0.13 to 0.80, p = 0.008). Mean duration of myoinositol treatment was 17.6 weeks (standard deviation 5.3). Additional treatment with metformin/insulin was needed in all women failing to achieve glycaemic control. The mean (range) dose of insulin was 25.3 units in myoinositol group compared to 14.27 units in controls (p = 0.058). Secondary outcomes were similar in two groups except baby weight which was higher in controls (p = 0.018).

CONCLUSIONS: Oral supplementation with myoinositol in dose of 1 gm twice-daily, when started soon after the diagnosis of GDM, is effective in achieving glycemic control and decreasing the need for additional pharmacological therapy in Asian Indian women.

PMID:33721623 | DOI:10.1016/j.ejogrb.2021.02.017