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Abstract Background This study investigated whether maternal serum D-dimer (DD) alone or DD combined with alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and free β-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (free β-hCG) in the second trimester could be used to predict hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP). Materials and methods In this retrospective case–control study, the data of gravidas patients who delivered at hospital were divided into the following groups: control (n = 136), gestational hypertension (GH, n = 126), preeclampsia (PE, n = 53), and severe preeclampsia (SPE, n = 41). Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the diagnostic value of maternal serum DD, AFP, and free β-hCG levels for HDP. Results DD levels of the GH, PE, and SPE groups were significantly higher than that of the control group (P DD > DD + AFP > DD + free β-hCG > AFP + free β-hCG > AFP > free β-hCG. For predicting different types of HDP, DD alone had the best diagnostic value for SPE, followed by PE and GH. DD alone had a sensitivity of 100% with a 0% false negative rate and had the highest positive likelihood ratio (+ LR) for SPE. DD alone in combination with AFP alone, free β-hCG alone and AFP + free β-hCG could reduce false positive rate and improve + LR. Conclusion DD is possible the best individual predictive marker for predicting HDP. Levels of DD alone in the second trimester were positively correlated with the progression of elevated blood pressure in the third trimester, demonstrating the predicting the occurrence of HDP. The risk calculation model constructed with DD + free β-hCG + AFP had the greatest diagnostic value for SPE.

Abstract Objective To investigate the effect of sequential distalization on increasing gaps in the maxillary anterior teeth, focusing on the control of torque and three-dimensional teeth movement during anterior retraction with clear aligners in extraction cases. Methods We recruited 24 patients who were undergoing extraction bilateral maxillary first premolars with clear aligners. According to a predetermined increment in the spaces between the maxillary anterior teeth, the patients were divided into three groups: those with no gap (9 cases), a 0.5 mm gap (6 cases) and a 1.0 mm gap (9 cases). In each group, a 2.0 mm en-mass retraction was applied on the anterior teeth. Plaster casts of the upper full dentition were obtained both before and after a 2 mm retraction. The palatal folds were used to overlap each pair of models. The three-dimensional movement of the teeth and the change of torque for the anterior teeth were subsequently analyzed using Geomagic Studio 2014 software. Results The change in torque in the groups with added gaps was significantly smaller than that in the group with no gaps (P 0.05). In the labial-lingual and vertical directions, the displacements of the central and lateral incisors were smaller in the groups with additional gaps compared to those in the groups without gaps (P 0.05). Then, a comparison was made between the displacement of the second premolar to the second molar in the mesial-distal direction across all groups. The study revealed that the anchorage molars in the group without gaps demonstrated significantly smaller displacement compared to those in the group with additional gaps (P

Abstract Background During maxillary arch expansion with a clear aligner (CA), buccal tipping of the posterior teeth often occurs, resulting in an unsatisfactory arch expansion effect. The aim of this study was to analyze the appropriate maxillary arch expansion stride length and torque compensation angle for maxillary dentition to achieve an ideal moving state when a CA was used for upper arch expansion. Methods This study established a three-dimensional (3D) finite element model including a CA, maxilla, periodontal ligament (PDL), and maxillary dentition. The stress distribution, stress situation, expansion efficiency, and movement trends of the maxillary dentition during upper arch expansion of different stride (0.1 mm, 0.2 mm, and 0.3 mm) and torque compensation (0°, 0.5°, 1°, and 1.5°) were measured. Results Maxillary arch expansion lead to buccal tilt of the posterior teeth, lingual tilt of the anterior teeth, and extrusion of the incisors. As the angle of compensation increased, the degree of buccal tilt on the posterior teeth decreased, with this reducing the efficiency of upper arch expansion. When the stride length was 0.1 mm, the torque compensation was 1.2°, and when stride length was 0.2 mm and the torque compensation was approximately 2°, there was a tendency for the posterior teeth to move bodily. However, when the stride length was 0.3 mm, the increase in torque compensation could not significantly improve the buccal tilt phenomenon. In addition, the equivalent von-Mises stress values of the maxillary root, PDL, and alveolar bone were in the same order of magnitude. Conclusions This study indicated that the posterior teeth cause a degree of buccal tilt when maxillary arch expansion is ensured. The specific torque compensation angle should be determined based on the patient’s situation and the desired effect.

This work aimed at developing a fluorescence assay for rapid and sensitive determination of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in fresh milk using nitrogen doped carbon dots (N-CDs) as fluorescence probe. Green-emissive N-CDs were synthesized by using ethylenediamine as the nitrogen source and catechol as the carbon source through a hydrothermal method. The obtained N-CDs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-vis spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra. Control experiments were used to verify the feasibility for constructing the fluorescent assay using the N-CDs. Single-factor experiments were conducted to optimize the pH of working buffer, the concentration of disodium p-nitrophenyl phosphate (PNPP) and enzymatic reaction time for ALP detection. The results indicated that the as-synthesized N-CDs were successfully prepared with all the characterization results being consistent with those in previous works. The optimal working conditions for this assay were as follows: Tris-HCl (20 mmol/L, pH10) as working buffer, 1 mmol/L of PNPP as enzymatic substrate, incubation for 50 min. Under the optimal conditions, it was found that fluorescence intensity of N-CDs linearly corelated with ALP concentration from 0.01 to 25 U/L with correlation coefficients of 0.995. The linear regression equation was Y=15397.05X+70344.46 with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.001 U/L (S/N=3). Recoveries for two kinds of fresh milk were in the range from 100.1% to 107.2%, and the coefficients of variations were less than 14.3%, which indicated that the proposed method had good accuracy and reliability. This study provides an accurate and efficient method for the detection of ALP in fresh milk.

Abstract Severe muscle injury is hard to heal and always results in a poor prognosis. Recent studies found that extracellular vesicle-based therapy has promising prospects for regeneration medicine, however, whether extracellular vesicles have therapeutic effects on severe muscle injury is still unknown. Herein, we extracted apoptotic extracellular vesicles derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs-ApoEVs) to treat cardiotoxin induced tibialis anterior (TA) injury and found that MSCs-ApoEVs promoted muscles regeneration and increased the proportion of multinucleated cells. Besides that, we also found that apoptosis was synchronized during myoblasts fusion and MSCs-ApoEVs promoted the apoptosis ratio as well as the fusion index of myoblasts. Furthermore, we revealed that MSCs-ApoEVs increased the relative level of creatine during myoblasts fusion, which was released via activated Pannexin 1 channel. Moreover, we also found that activated Pannexin 1 channel was highly expressed on the membrane of myoblasts-derived ApoEVs (Myo-ApoEVs) instead of apoptotic myoblasts, and creatine was the pivotal metabolite involved in myoblasts fusion. Collectively, our findings firstly revealed that MSCs-ApoEVs can promote muscle regeneration and elucidated that the new function of ApoEVs as passing inter-cell messages through releasing metabolites from activated Pannexin 1 channel, which will provide new evidence for extracellular vesicles-based therapy as well as improving the understanding of new functions of extracellular vesicles.

In this study, we introduce the current situation of the membrane inspection industry. We have developed a new integrated rapid membrane inspection machine (MIM) to test the performances of nanofiltration or ultrafiltration membranes by measuring the silt density index (SDI) value (i.e., the key performance indicator) of the water filtered. This study optimizes many key conditions include temperature, pH value and pressures, then establishes a new SDI detection method of ultrafiltration membranes by using MIM. We set the temperature of the test liquid to 25 °C, pH in the range of 7–8, and pressure to approximately 0.10 MPa. The results reflect that MIM can be used to effectively determine the SDI of ultrafiltration membranes using the new method and the results of the method validation are satisfactory. HIGHLIGHTS A new integrated rapid membrane inspection machine (MIM) is developed.; The performances are reported of ultrafiltration membranes by measuring silt density index (SDI) value.; By optimizing the conditions, we established a new SDI detection method of ultrafiltration membranes by using MIM.; The new method is efficient and accurate.; MIM can be used in ultrafiltration or nanofiltration in the future, and can also be used to determine the water flux and desalination rate of membranes.;

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of global competence, agility, empathy, and innovation in managing opportunities, crises, and problems. Global learning and engagement in higher education is the pathway towards developing learners' intercultural competence, fostering an appreciation of diversity, inclusion, and equity, and empowering individual agency towards collective wellbeing and sustainability. Digital transformation and available tools have expanded the scope and depth of global learning in virtual environments. This article reports a critical reflective study on virtual global learning and shares high-impact, evidenced-based strategies to make virtual global learning more equitable, inclusive, meaningful, and relevant to all learners in higher education.

As newcomers, immigrants and refugees contribute to social and cultural diversity, and play an important role in communities’ social and economic development. However, their talent, energy, and entrepreneurial spirit and skills can only be fully harnessed when the communities are welcoming and inclusive. Drawing from a two-year qualitative research study conducted in the Province of Prince Edward Island, Canada, this paper examines the degree of civic capacity, along with policies and practices related to building a welcoming and inclusive community for immigrants and refugees. Through examining civic capacity and high-impact practices and programs to support the integration of immigrants and refugees, this paper shares new insights on how community stakeholders interact with each other to support or subvert the inclusion and equity in the community and offers policy implications and practical recommendations on building welcoming communities for immigrants and refugees in small communities.

Hermeneutics has been theorized and applied as a philosophical framework and interpretive research methodology which pays particular attention to linguistic, social, cultural, and historical contexts to understand the life world and human experiences. While adopted as a qualitative research approach in the fields of education, nursing, psychology, and legal studies, its use is emerging in other human service disciplines. The rich philosophical and theoretical legacy embedded in this research methodology often presents unique challenges and a steep learning curve for researchers, particularly when the research is conducted in international settings. Drawing from insights gained from two hermeneutic studies conducted in Kenya and China, this paper presents considerations for designing a hermeneutic research inquiry. In addition to philosophical, practical, and ethical issues researchers need to consider when designing and implementing hermeneutic studies in international settings, we examine factors and strategies to facilitate successful data collection and interpretation.

In the West, the teaching of critical thinking, albeit differentially defined, is seen as the core of work at a graduate level. Despite the fact that developing such critical skills is increasing as an expectation of schools in the West, the literature reflects concerns that Canadian educated students arrive at university unprepared to engage at the expected level of criticality. If this is true of domestic students, what is the situation facing those international students who were educated in intellectual traditions, such as China’s, where critical thinking, at least as understood in the West, is rarely encouraged, and often actually discouraged? Do such students arrive prepared to work at a post-secondary level that involves critical thinking? Do such students embrace or resist critical thinking when these skills are taught to them? Is teaching critical thinking to these students a legitimate scholarly pursuit or is it, in effect, a neocolonial conceit? Can the Asian notion of harmony be reconciled with the Western notion of often-times sharp engagement with ideas and debate with their classmates and instructors? The authors, one a Canadian born and raised professor of comparative and international education to Chinese students studying in Canada, the other, a Chinese scholar who recently completed her doctorate in Canada where she now teaches, engage in a dialogue on Western concepts of critical thinking and the reaction of one class of Chinese international students to this pedagogy.