Tag: pubmed

Mol Biol (Mosk). 2022 Jul-Aug;56(4):663-670. doi: 10.31857/S0026898422040139.

ABSTRACT

Multiple alignment of amino acid sequences of homologous proteins is a key tool in state-of-the-art bioinformatics and evolutionary analysis. Differences in the spatial orientation of amino acid side-chains can predetermine significant functional diversity among members of one superfamily; however, this is usually not taken into account in any way when constructing alignments and during subsequent comparative analysis. First of all, this is due to the limitation of existing algorithms, which are guided by the biochemical similarity of the “alphabet” of amino acid substitutions and either do not use information about the 3D-structural organization of proteins at all, or are limited to comparing the backbone only (i.e., the atoms of the main-chain). In this work, for the first time, we introduce new software for a systematic analysis of specific orientations of amino acid side-chains in equivalent positions of homologous protein structures. The program is intended to assist the analysis of protein multiple sequence alignments. The new algorithm, based on the machine learning HDBSCAN method, can identify statistically significant differences in the side-chain orientations and classify them into subfamilies at each position of multiple alignment. The method has been tested on a wide set of real biological data. The results allow us to speak of the specific orientation of amino acid side-chains as a common phenomenon that requires further study and deserves attention in a comparative analysis of functionally diverse protein superfamilies. The software is freely available at https://github.com/LimoninaDaria/Sub-family-Specific-Sidechain-Orientations.

PMID:35964322 | DOI:10.31857/S0026898422040139

Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. 2022 Aug 14. doi: 10.1007/s10578-022-01407-7. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to investigate parents’ PDs that could be associated with children and adolescents’ EDs. We studied association of parental PDs with offspring EDs in age group 6-18 years in a nationally representative sample of Iranians with 27,111 children and adolescents and their parents. We used a multistage random cluster sampling method. We used Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-Third Edition and Persian present and lifetime version of Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia to measure parental PDs and children and adolescents’ EDs, respectively. We used descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression analysis methods to analyze the data. Maternal but not paternal PDs were significantly associated with EDs in offspring. Maternal antisocial, borderline, schizoid, histrionic, and compulsive PDs were significantly associated with EDs in offspring by 32.06, 4.66, 4.32, 3.15, and 1.71 odd ratios, respectively. Of EDs in offspring, anorexia nervosa and binge ED were significantly associated with maternal PDs.

PMID:35964272 | DOI:10.1007/s10578-022-01407-7

Qual Life Res. 2022 Aug 14. doi: 10.1007/s11136-022-03230-y. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Against the backdrop of the ever-increasing aging population in Sri Lanka and the scarcity of local evidence on quality of life (QoL) among rural elderly, this study was conducted to assess the QoL of the community-dwelling older adults in rural Sri Lanka.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted among community-dwelling older adults (60-74 years) in a selected rural setting in Sri Lanka. K-means cluster analysis was used to stratify participants into ‘low’ and ‘high’ levels of QoL and then significant associations between these clusters and underlying socio-demographic and self-reported health related factors were estimated using bivariate and subsequent multivariable binary logistic regression models.

RESULTS: The final sample consisted of 3573 community-dwelling older adults (response rate 97.8%). The mean (SD) age of the sample was 66.7 (4.3) years and the majority were females (n = 2130, 59.6%). Amongst the six QoL domains assessed (physical, psychological, social, functional, environmental and spiritual domains), the highest and the lowest mean (SD) scores were reported for the functional [63.4 (16.9)] and the physical [52.9 (15.0)] domains, respectively. Aged 70 years or more, either unmarried/widowed/divorced, lower educational levels and having chronic illnesses were statistically significant associations of QoL (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: The QoL among community-dwelling older adults in rural Sri Lanka is moderate. As having social support, absence of chronic diseases and good education level were found to be associated with better QoL, strengthening community-based interventions to improve these aspects by incorporating the evidence generated by other longitudinal studies is recommended.

PMID:35964270 | DOI:10.1007/s11136-022-03230-y

Odontology. 2022 Aug 14. doi: 10.1007/s10266-022-00733-5. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Periodontitis has a known association with pathological calcification in the cardiovascular system. Considering the close anatomic and circulatory association between dental pulp and the periodontium, this study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of pulp calcification (PC) under different periodontal conditions, as well as the associations of PC with the degree of periodontal damage, via cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) examination. In this study, 55 patients were categorized into three groups according to periodontal condition: group 1 (healthy controls), group 2 (periodontitis stage I-II), and group 3 (periodontitis stage III-IV). PC and radiographic bone loss (RBL) was assessed by CBCT in sagittal, axial, and coronal views, and statistical analyses were conducted. PC was identified in 378 of 1170 teeth (32.3%). The prevalence significantly differed among the three groups (P < 0.001). Group 2 had a 2.43-fold (P < 0.001, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.64-3.61) higher risk of PC than group 1; and the risk of PC was 3.04-fold (P < 0.001, 95% CI 2.06-4.48) higher in group 3 than group 1. Teeth with more severe RBL exhibited a higher prevalence of PC (P < 0.001). Molar teeth had a higher risk of PC than incisors and premolars. In conclusion, the occurrence of PC is related to the periodontal state, and the prevalence of PC is higher in teeth with periodontitis; tooth type and periodontitis status are important risk factors for PC.

PMID:35964264 | DOI:10.1007/s10266-022-00733-5

Biometrics. 2022 Aug 14. doi: 10.1111/biom.13736. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

We propose a constrained maximum partial likelihood estimator for dimension reduction in integrative (e.g., pan-cancer) survival analysis with high-dimensional predictors. We assume that for each population in the study, the hazard function follows a distinct Cox proportional hazards model. To borrow information across populations, we assume that each of the hazard functions depend only on a small number of linear combinations of the predictors (i.e., “factors”). We estimate these linear combinations using an algorithm based on “distance-to-set” penalties. This allows us to impose both low-rankness and sparsity on the regression coefficient matrix estimator. We derive asymptotic results which reveal that our estimator is more efficient than fitting a separate proportional hazards model for each population. Numerical experiments suggest that our method outperforms competitors under various data generating models. We use our method to perform a pan-cancer survival analysis relating protein expression to survival across 18 distinct cancer types. Our approach identifies six linear combinations, depending on only 20 proteins, which explain survival across the cancer types. Finally, to validate our fitted model, we show that our estimated factors can lead to better prediction than competitors on four external datasets. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

PMID:35964256 | DOI:10.1111/biom.13736

Proteins. 2022 Aug 14. doi: 10.1002/prot.26411. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The total free energy of a hydrated biomolecule and its corresponding decomposition of energy and entropy provides detailed information about regions of thermodynamic stability or instability. The free energies of four hydrated globular proteins with different net charges are calculated from a molecular dynamics simulation, with the energy coming from the system Hamiltonian and entropy using multiscale cell correlation. Water is found to be most stable around anionic residues, intermediate around cationic and polar residues, and least stable near hydrophobic residues, especially when more buried, with stability displaying moderate entropy-enthalpy compensation. Conversely, anionic residues in the proteins are energetically destabilised relative to singly solvated amino acids, while trends for other residues are less clear-cut. Almost all residues lose intra-residue entropy when in the protein, enthalpy changes are negative on average but may be positive or negative, and the resulting overall stability is moderate for some proteins and negligible for others. The free energy of water around single amino acids is found to closely match existing hydrophobicity scales. Regarding the effect of secondary structure, water is slightly more stable around loops, of intermediate stability around β strands and turns, and least stable around helices. An interesting asymmetry observed is that cationic residues stabilise a residue when bonded to its N-terminal side but destabilise it when on the C-terminal side, with a weaker reversed trend for anionic residues.

PMID:35964252 | DOI:10.1002/prot.26411

J Prosthodont. 2022 Aug 14. doi: 10.1111/jopr.13593. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To determine the survival rate, incidence of prosthetic complications and patient satisfaction of implant fixed complete dental prostheses (IFCDPs) after a mean observation period of 1.4 years.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-eight (28) eligible participants were recruited according to specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. The definitive metal-acrylic resin IFCDPs consisted of titanium bars veneered with acrylic resin and acrylic denture teeth. Prosthodontic complications, divided into major and minor, were monitored. Parameters such as gender, jaw location, bruxism, and occlusal scheme were evaluated. Moreover, a questionnaire was administered throughout the study to assess patient satisfaction. Poisson regression as well as repeated measures ANOVA were used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS: Fourteen (14) males and 14 females were enrolled and followed-up at 3, 6, and 12 months. All IFCDPs survived (100% survival rate). The most frequent minor complication was the loss of material used to close the screw access hole (20% out of total complications). The most frequent major complication was chipping of the acrylic denture teeth (77.14% out of total complications). Gender (P = 0.008) and bruxism (P = 0.030) were significant predictors for the total major complications (major wear and major chipping) while occlusal scheme was a significant predictor for major chipping events (P = 0.030).

CONCLUSIONS: While IFCDPs demonstrated high prosthetic survival rates, they also exhibited a high number of chipping events of the acrylic veneering material, especially in males, bruxers, and individuals with canine guidance occlusion. However, the occurrence of these prosthetic complications did not negatively affect patient satisfaction. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

PMID:35964246 | DOI:10.1111/jopr.13593

Work. 2022 Aug 6. doi: 10.3233/WOR-220133. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Implications of entrepreneurial education (EE), entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) and personality traits (PT) on the entrepreneurial intentions of the deaf is yet unknown in existing literature.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the influence of EE, ESE and PT on the entrepreneurial intentions among some 250 Deaf and Hard of hearing (DHH) students from two post-secondary institutions in Oyo state, Nigeria.

METHODS: A descriptive research design was adopted, while a structured paper questionnaire was used for data collection. The data generated were analysed using descriptive statistics and the inferential statistics of Pearson Product Moment Correlation and hierarchical multiple regression at a 0.05 level of significance.

RESULTS: The entrepreneurial intentions of DHH college students had a significant positive correlation with EE (r = 0.18, p < 0.05), agreeableness (r = 0.23, p < 0.05), and conscientiousness (r = 0.19, p < 0.05); but had a negative correlation with ESE, neuroticism and openness. Furthermore, personality traits and ESE were the highest predictors of entrepreneurial intention among DHH college students.

CONCLUSIONS: Personality traits were the greatest predictor of the entrepreneurial intention of DHH college students post the COVID-19 lockdowns in Nigeria. Therefore, higher education institutions should intensify their efforts in entrepreneurial education and parents of DHH students should encourage them to seek entrepreneurial opportunities.

PMID:35964226 | DOI:10.3233/WOR-220133

Asian Pac J Allergy Immunol. 2022 Aug 22. doi: 10.12932/AP-120821-1209. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Epinephrine 5 mg administered via the intranasal (IN) route was shown to be bioequivalent to epinephrine 0.3 mg administered via the intramuscular (IM) route in our preliminary study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of IN and IM epinephrine absorption in a larger group of healthy adults (n = 12).

METHODS: Each subject was administered IN saline, IN epinephrine (5 mg), and IM epinephrine (0.3 mg) on 3 separate days. Plasma epinephrine levels were determined using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

RESULTS: IN epinephrine administration showed significant systemic absorption compared to IN saline control with the areas under the curve (AUC0-180 min) of 4.4 (4.9) ± 4.0 and 0.2 (0.5) ± 0.3 ng.min/mL, respectively; the values are mean (median) ± standard deviation. IN epinephrine absorption was about 0.5-fold that of IM epinephrine (AUC0-180 min 10.0 (9.2) ± 8.6 ng.min/mL), but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.16). The mean peak epinephrine concentration and the time to reach it were also not significantly different between the IN and IM routes. The corresponding values were 120 pg/mL and 41 min for IN, and 209 pg/mL and 41 min for IM, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: The systemic absorption of IN epinephrine 5 mg was significantly different from the control IN saline and about 0.5-fold that of IM epinephrine 0.3 mg. Although epinephrine administration via the less invasive IN route is safe and feasible, further investigations are necessary to achieve an adequate and consistent systemic absorption comparable to that of the conventional IM injection.

PMID:35964243 | DOI:10.12932/AP-120821-1209

Technol Health Care. 2022 Aug 5. doi: 10.3233/THC-220190. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Human gait involves activities in nervous and musculoskeletal dynamics to modulate joint torques with time continuously for adapting to varieties of walking conditions.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this paper is to estimate the joint torques of lower limbs in human gait based on Gaussian process.

METHOD: The potential uses of this study include optimization of exoskeleton assistance, control of the active prostheses, and modulating the joint torque for human-like robots. To achieve this, Gaussian process (GP) based data fusion algorithm is established with joint angles as the inputs.

RESULTS: The statistic nature of the proposed model can explore the correlations between joint angles and joint torques, and enable accurate joint-torque estimations. Experiments were conducted for 5 subjects at three walking speed (0.8 m/s, 1.2 m/s, 1.6 m/s).

CONCLUSION: The results show that it is possible to estimate the joint torques at different scenarios.

PMID:35964218 | DOI:10.3233/THC-220190