bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Single-Cell Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals Two Molecularly and Clinically Distinct Subtypes of Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Guohe Song , Shi Yang , Meng Lu , Huang Siyuan , Ma Jiaqiang , Zhang Juan , Yang Yang , Li Jiaxin , Lin Youpei , Yang Shuaixi , Rao Dongning , Cheng Yifei , Lin Jian , Ji Shuyi , Liu Yuming , Jiang Shan , Wang Xiaoliang , Zhang Shu , Ke Ai-Wu , Wang Xiaoying , Cao Ya , Ji Yuan , Zhou Jian , Fan Jia , Zhang Xiaoming , Xi Ruibin , Gao Qiang
Published: June 2021

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is a highly heterogeneous cancer with limited understanding of its classification and tumor microenvironment. Here, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing on 144,878 cells from 14 pairs of iCCA tumors and non-tumor liver tissues. We found that S100P and SPP1 are two reliable markers for iCCA perihilar large duct type (iCCAphl) and peripheral small duct type (iCCApps). S100P + SPP1- iCCAphl has significantly reduced levels of infiltrating CD3+ T cells, CD56+ NK cells, and increased CCL18+ macrophages compared to S100P-SPP1 + iCCApps. The transcriptor CREB3L1 is identified to regulate the S100P expression and promote tumor cell invasion. S100P-SPP1 + iCCApps has significantly more SPP1+ macrophage infiltration, less aggressiveness and better survival than S100P + SPP1- iCCAphl. Moreover, S100P-SPP1 + iCCApps harbors tumor cells at different status of differentiation, such as ALB + hepatocyte differentiation and ID3 + stemness. Our study extends our understanding of the diversity of tumor cells in iCCA and provides clearer understanding of iCCA classification.
Evaluation of preoperative blood test as a useful tool to differentiate glioblastoma, brain metastases and primary central nervous system lymphoma
Authors: Wang Song-Quan , Yuan Qing , Zhang Guang-Tao , Qian Hai-Peng , Liu Zhi-Dan , Wang Jia-Wei , Cai Hong-Qing , Wan Jing-Hai
Published: June 2021

BackgroundIn clinal practice, differentiating glioblastoma (GBM), brain metastases (BM) and primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) preoperatively is difficult and directly affects the therapy of patients. This study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of routine blood biomarkers in patients with GBM, BM and PCNSL, and find a preoperative differential diagnostic tool for the three brain tumors.MethodsThe perioperative medical records of 70 GBMs, 41 PCNSLs and 81 BMs and their preoperative blood test results were compared and analyzed. A diagnosis model was founded for differentiating GBM, BM and PCNSL.ResultsPatient age, plateletcrit (PCT), international normalized ratio (INR) and thrombin time (TT) were found independently associated with differentiating diagnosis of the three brain tumors analyzed by multinomial logistic regression. Compared with GBM patients, BM patients tend to be elder (OR=1.055, 95% CI 1.016-1.094, p=0.005) and have lower PCT level (OR=0.008, 95% CI 0.004-0.017, p=0.027). Besides, GBM patients own lower INR and higher TT when compared with PCNSL patients and BM patients. We build an efficient diagnostic model with these parameters and diagnosis accuracies of this model were 88.2% and 76.1% in BM and GBM, respectively. ConclusionsThe preoperative PCT, INR and TT may be used as inexpensive blood diagnostic biomarkers for differentiating patients with brain metastases from other intracranial malignant tumors.
Risk Factors for Readmission in the Patients with COVID-19 Admitted to Hospital
Authors: Nematshahi Mohammad , Neamatshahi Mahboubeh , attarian fahimeh , Rahimi Faeze , Soroosh Davood
Published: June 2021

Objective: COVID-19 has been introduced by the World Health Organization as a health emergency worldwide. Although more than 5% of the patients with COVID-19 require hospitalization, there are still no clear guidelines on patients' discharge time and factors influencing post-discharge outcomes. This study aimed to determine risk factors for readmission in the patients with COVID-19 admitted to hospital. In this prospective study, 416 discharged patients with a minimum follow-up of one month and the need for readmission were recorded. Evaluated characteristics included age, gender, CT scan, RT-PCR test and treatment modalities. After describing the data, any relationship between the patients' characteristics and readmission was assessed and predictive factors of readmission risk were estimated using regression model. The data were analyzed through STATA and P value less than of 0.05 was considered significant.Results: Regarding readmission, 51 patients were readmitted during the study period. The median follow-up time was 20 days (IQR: 7-120) and the mean follow-up time was 61±11.2 days. The mean duration of first hospitalization was 5.5 days and the rate of readmission of the patients between 30 and 60 days after discharge was 7.6% and 8.1%, respectively. The median age of these patients was 67 years (IQR: 53-78). About 65% of readmitted patients had underlying disease. The difference in readmission time was based on blood creatinine level and lung involvement. The odds ratio of readmission in the patients with abnormal creatinine levels (higher and equal to 1.2 mg/dl) and diabetes was equal to 2.15 and 3.43, respectively. Also, the odds ratio of readmission in the patients with basal lung involvement was 4.16. The highest readmission rate was 30 days after discharge. Age over 60 years, underlying disease especially diabetes, high creatinine level and lung involvement were the most important predictors of readmission in the patients with COVID-19.
A Minimal Model for Gene Expression Dynamics of Bacterial Toxin-antitoxin Systems
Authors: Kosmidis Kosmas , Hutt Marc-Thorsten
Published: June 2021

Toxin-antitoxin (TA) modules are part of most bacteria’s regulatory machinery for stress responses and general aspects of their physiology. Due to the interplay of a long-lived toxin with a short-lived antitoxin, TA modules have also become systems of interest for mathematical modelling. Here we resort to previous modelling efforts and extract from these a minimal model of TA dynamics on a timescale of hours, which can be used to describe time courses derived from gene expression data of TA pairs. We show that this model provides a good quantitative description of TA dynamics for the 11 TA pairs under investigation here, while simpler models do not. Our study brings together aspects of Biophysics with its focus on mathematical modelling and Computational Systems Biology with its focus on the quantitative interpretation of ’omics’ data. This mechanistic model serves as a generic transformation of time course information into kinetic parameters. The resulting parameter vector can, in turn, be mechanistically interpreted. We expect that TA pairs with similar mechanisms are characterized by similar vectors of kinetic parameters, allowing us to hypothesize on the mode of action for TA pairs still under discussion.
Excess Risk of Mortality Due to Heatwaves in Dezful city, Southwest of Iran
Authors: Aghababaeian Hamidreza , Ostadtaghizadeh Abbas , Ardalan Ali , Asgary Ali , Akbary Mehry , Yekaninejad Mir Saeed , Sharafkhani Rahim , Stephens Carolyn
Published: June 2021

Background: Recent studies show that heatwaves pose risks to human health. Iran is exposed to heatwaves, but the evidence for the health impact of heatwaves is scarce. We aimed to evaluate the impact of heatwaves on daily deaths from non-accidental, cardiovascular, and respiratory in the city of Dezful in Iran from 2013 to 2019.Method: We collected daily ambient temperature and mortality and defined two types of heatwaves by combining daily temperature ³90thin each month of the study period or since 30 years with duration ³2 and 3 days. We used a distributed lag non-linear model to investigate the association between each type of heatwave definition and deaths from non-accidental, cardiovascular, and respiratory with lags up to 13 days.Results: Heat waves of both definitions were associated with a higher risk of non-accidental mortality. The association between heat waves and mortality appeared acutely and lasted for 3 and 4 days. The main effect and added effect are more pronounced among male and older adults than their counterparts. We found no evidence of an association of cardiovascular and respiratory deaths with heat waves.Conclusion: Dezful is a city with a hot climate. However, the results showed that heatwaves could have detrimental effects on health, even in populations accustomed to the extreme heat. Therefore, early warning systems which monitor heat waves should provide the necessary warnings to all exposed groups, especially the elderly and the male groups.
High Performance Recycled CFRP Composites Based on Reused Carbon Fabrics Through Mild Solvolysis Route
Authors: Ballout Wael , Sallem-Idrissi Naima , Sclavons Michel , Doneux Catherine , Bailly Christian , Pardoen Thomas , Velthem Pascal Van
Published: June 2021

An original wet recycling method is developed for large carbon-fibers reinforced-polymers composite panels, addressed through a proof-of-concept fabrication of a new composite part based on recycled fibers. The recycling process relies on formic acid as separation reagent at room temperature and under atmospheric pressure conditions. Electron microscopy and thermal analysis indicate that the recycled fibers are covered by a thin layer of about 10wt.% of residual resin, alternating with few small particles, as compared to the virgin fibers exhibiting a smooth surface. The mechanical properties of composites based on neat and recycled fibers are determined from interlaminar shear strength, compression, compression after impact and Iosipescu shear tests. The recycled composites show promising shear and strength values with a deterioration of performances limited to about 10 to 33% depending on the property as compared to the reference. The recycled carbon fibers can thus be reused for structural applications requiring moderate to high performances. The loss of properties is attributed to a lower adhesion between fresh epoxy resin and recycled carbon fibers having lost their sizing, partly compensated by a good interface between fresh and residual cured epoxy thanks to mechanical anchoring as well as chemical reactions.
Different Soil Salinity Imparts Clear Alteration In Rhizospheric Bacterial Community Dynamics In Rice And Peanut.
Authors: Islam Md Majharul , Bhattacharya Rajarshi , Sarkar Biraj , Maiti Pulak Kumar , Mahanty Shouvik , Chaudhuri Punarbasu , Biswas Swadesh , Mandal Sukhendu
Published: June 2021

The rhizospheric microbiome is capable of changing the physio-chemical properties of its own micro-environment and found to be indispensable in overall health of the host-plant. The interplay between the rhizospheric environment and the microbiota residing therein tune the physiology of the associated plant. In this study, we have determined how the soil properties and the host-plant remains as an important parameter for microbial community-dynamics in the rhizosphere of rice and peanut. In addition to check the physio-chemical parameters of the rhizospheric soil, we have also prepared the metagenomic DNA from each rhizospheric soil followed by high-throughput sequencing and sequence-analysis to predict the OTUs that represents the community structure. The alpha-diversity of the bacterial community in the RRN sample was highest, while the lowest was in PRS sample. Actinobacteria is the most predominant phylum in PRN, PRS and RRN whereas Acidobacteria in RRS. We found a clear shift in bacterial community over the rice and peanut rhizosphere and also over these host-rhizospheres from normal and high saline region. The rhizospheric bacterial community composition found to be affected by the close-by environmental factors. Thus, the rhizospheric bacterial community-structure is related to both the adjoining soil characters and the type of the hosts.
Simulation Study of Monolithic MoSe 2 /CIGS Tandem Solar Cells
Authors: Zaidi B. , Shekhar C. , Hadjoudja B. , Gagui S. , Zahra S. , Saeed M. A.
Published: June 2021

This article aims to study MoSe2/CIGS tandem solar cells employing SCAPS-1D computational package based on ant colony algorithm. The simulation of Monolithic MoSe2/CIGS tandem solar cells has been implemented successfully by employing the Matlab/Simulink. The power output of the Monolithic MoSe2/CIGS tandem modules increases by the solar irradiations during the first few days of operation. The J-V characteristic and average daily energy production throughout the year has been calculated. The results show 80.71 % FF and 19.29 % efficiency of the solar cell. The other parameter for the ZnO/ZnS/MoSe2 solar cell are Voc = 0.62 V; Jsc = 38.69 mA/cm2.
High-throughput Sequencing for Species Authentication and Contamination Detection of 63 Cell Lines
Authors: Lung Oliver , Candlish Rebecca , Nebroski Michelle , Kruckiewicz Peter , Buchanan Cody , Moniwa Mariko
Published: June 2021

Cell lines are widely used in research and for diagnostic tests and are often shared between laboratories. Lack of cell line authentication can result in the use of contaminated or misidentified cell lines, potentially affecting the results from research and diagnostic activities. Cell line authentication and contamination detection based on metagenomic high-throughput sequencing (HTS) was tested on DNA and RNA from 63 cell lines available at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease. Through sequence comparison of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COX1) gene, the species identity of 53 cell lines was confirmed, and eight cell lines were found to show a greater pairwise nucleotide identity in the COX1 sequence of a different species within the same expected genus. Two cell lines, LFBK-αvβ6 and SCP-HS, were determined to be composed of cells from a different species and genus. Mycoplasma contamination was not detected in any cell lines. However, several expected and unexpected viral sequences were detected, including part of the classical swine fever virus genome in the IB-RS-2 Clone D10 cell line. Metagenomics-based HTS is a useful laboratory QA tool for cell line authentication and contamination detection that should be conducted regularly.
Social Media Analytics of the Internet of Things
Authors: Scheibmeir Jim , Malaiya Yashwant K.
Published: June 2021

The Internet of Things technology offers convenience and innovation in areas such as smart homes and smart cities. Internet of Things solutions require careful management of devices and the risk mitigation of potential vulnerabilities within cyber-physical systems. The Internet of Things concept, its implementations, and applications are frequently discussed on social media platforms. This article illuminates the public view of the Internet of Things through a content-based analysis of contemporary conversations occurring on the Twitter platform. Tweets can be analyzed with machine learning methods to converge the volume and variety of conversations into predictive and descriptive models. We have reviewed 684,503 tweets collected in a two-week period. Using supervised and unsupervised machine learning methods, we have identified interconnecting relationships between trending themes and the most mentioned industries. We have identified characteristics of language sentiment which can help to predict popularity within the realm of IoT conversation. We found the healthcare industry as the leading use case industry for IoT implementations. This is not surprising as the current Covid-19 pandemic is driving significant social media discussions. There was an alarming dearth of conversations towards cybersecurity. Only 12% of the tweets relating to the Internet of Things contained any mention of topics such as encryption, vulnerabilities, or risk, among other cybersecurity-related terms.
Advantages and limitations of intraoperative ultrasound strain elastography applied in brain tumor surgery: a single-center experience
Authors: Cepeda Santiago , García-García Sergio , Arrese Ignacio , Velasco-Casares María , Sarabia Rosario
Published: June 2021

Objective Strain elastography is an intraoperative ultrasound (ioUS) modality currently under development with various potential applications in neurosurgery. However, certain technical aspects and limitations have not yet been adequately explained. The objective of our work is to share the experience of our center in a case series of operated brain tumors in which we have applied strain elastography.Methods We retrospectively analyzed patients who underwent craniotomy for a brain tumor between March 2018 to March 2021. Cases with an ioUS strain elastography study were included. The elastograms were processed semi-quantitatively by decomposing the image in HSB (Hue, Saturation, Brightness) format. Subsequently, the mean tissue elasticity (MTE) values were calculated from the histogram of intensities of the pixels of the hue images. The tumor was manually segmented, and regions of interest (ROIs) were placed in the peritumoral area. An analysis was performed to correlate the histopathological groups and the tumor and peritumoral MTE values using the Kruskal-Wallis test. In addition, a classification model was developed using an algorithm based on a decision tree. Then, model predictive capacity was evaluated through 10-folds cross-validation. Finally, elastogram’s quality was assessed to discuss possible sources of artifacts and weaknesses of the ultrasound technique.Results One hundred two patients with the following histopathological diagnosis were analyzed: 43 high-grade gliomas, 11 low-grade gliomas, 28 meningiomas, and 20 metastases. The tumor MTE values ​​were significantly different between the histopathological groups, p <.001, c2 = 46.34, e2 = .45. There were also significant differences for the MTE values ​​concerning the peritumor, p<.001, c2 = 25.47, e2 = .25. The decision tree classifier showed an area under the curve (AUC) of the average over classes of 0.97, and the classification accuracy (CA) was 86%. After 10-folds cross-validation, the AUC was 0.73, and the CA was 72%. The main technical limitations found in our series were: the presence of artifacts after dural opening, the variability of the frequency and amplitude of the mechanical pulsations, and the challenge in evaluating deep lesions.Conclusion ioUS strain elastography is a fast and versatile technique that provides relevant information to adapt the surgical strategy. Furthermore, the stiffness of the tissues has a plausible histopathological correlation. For these reasons, this technique has enormous potential to be exploited in the coming years.
The prognostic factors of in-hospital death among patients with pneumonic COPD acute exacerbation
Authors: Shirakawa Chigusa , Shiroshita Akihiro , Shiba Hiroshi , Sato Kenya , Matsushita Shinya , Tomii Keisuke , Kataoka Yuki
Published: June 2021

Purpose: Pneumonic acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD-AE) is associated with worse outcomes compared with non-pneumonic COPD-AE. Currently, only one study has been evaluated the prognostic factors of pneumonic COPD-AE; the study is limited by sample size, and ignoring heterogeneity of the treatment strategy. Thus, we aimed to include more patients and explore the more focused prognostic factors of patients with pneumonic COPD-AE who were treated with systemic steroids. Patients and methods: This multicentered retrospective cohort study was conducted across five acute hospitals in Japan. Hospitalized patients ≥ 40 years of age with pneumonic COPD-AE who were administered systemic corticosteroids during hospitalization were included. Patients with other causes of respiratory failure (heart failure, pneumothorax, asthma exacerbation, and obstructive pneumonia), daily systemic steroids users, and patients who were not treated with systemic steroids were excluded. The following potential prognostic factors were selected in advance based on the existing clinical prediction models: age (> 70 years), eosinophilic count ( ≥ 0.05 × 109 /L), blood urea nitrogen (> 7 mmol/L), respiratory rate (≥ 30/min), diastolic blood pressure (≤ 60 mmHg), and altered mental status. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to determine whether the potential prognostic factors were associated with in-hospital death.Results: After excluding 897 patients based on the exclusion criteria, 669 patients with pneumonic COPD-AE who were administered systemic corticosteroids were included. The in-hospital mortality rate was 5.1 %; the median age was 78.0; 15 patients were intubated; and the median length of hospital was 12 days. Altered mental status was associated with mortality (odds ratio, 4.47; 95% confidence intervals, 2.00 to 10.00]) and a high eosinophil count was associated with a lower risk of mortality (odds ratio, 0.19; 95% confidence intervals: 0.06 to 0.56).Conclusion: Altered mental status may be the prognostic factor of in-hospital death among patients with pneumonic COPD-AE who are receive systemic corticosteroids. Moreover, high eosinophilia may be a prognostic factor for lower in-hospital mortality in hospital among these patients.
Statistical model for prediction of ABO hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn in India
Authors: Patale D.S. , Lokhande T.L. , Chaudhary R.K.
Published: June 2021

ABO incompatibility is the most common cause of immune hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN). The American Academy of Pediatrics lists blood group incompatibility as one of the major risk factors for severe hyperbilirubinemia in newborns. We have estimated the risk of ABO HDFN to determine the need for its routine screening. Blood group data from all blood donors who donated in the last 10 years were collected and analyzed. The population prevalence of ABO blood group genes using the phenotype data of blood donors was estimated. This information was further used to calculate an incidence of ABO HDFN requiring intervention in the population. ABO blood group typing was analyzed in 425,743 blood donors. The ABO phenotypes of A, B, O, and AB were 22.48, 36.73, 31.59, and 9.2 percent, respectively. The gene frequencies were 0.1733, 0.2647, and 0.5620 for A, B, and O, respectively. It was estimated that 13.84 percent of group O women would give birth to a non–group O baby and that approximately 2.77 percent of deliveries would likely have ABO HDFN in the study population. In India, the estimated risk of ABO HDFN is 2.9 percent, with a daily 2196 babies at risk of ABO HDFN requiring intervention. This analysis estimates the overall burden of ABO HDFN in the population, which could aid in the decision-making of policymakers, physicians, and community health practitioners to improve neonatal care.
Anti-A1Leb: a mind boggler
Authors: Gupta A. , Chaudhary K. , Asati S. , Kakkar B.
Published: June 2021

The Lewis blood group system is unique because antigens are neither alleles of the same gene nor are they synthesized by red blood cells (RBCs); rather, they are adsorbed onto the RBC membrane from plasma as glycolipids. Antibodies against Lewis antigens are predominantly naturally occurring immunoglobulin (Ig)M type that sometimes react at 37°C and the antihuman globulin phase. Lewis compound antigens, ALeb and BLeb, have been described that were confirmed because of the presence of antibodies against them. These compound antigens are the result of an interaction between ABO, H, SE, and LE genes.
Woman Exploitation in Warkop DKI Poster Film
Authors: Patria Asidigisianti Surya , Kristiana Nova , Aryanto Hendro
Published: June 2021

The research aimed to determine a representation of women in the poster of Warkop DKI comedy film (Dono, Kasino, Indro) in 1980-1989 from a woman point of view. The involvement of women as models in the film poster media was not yet clear in terms of their roles; however, women could be used more as commodities of capitalism to reap profits. In the patriarchal rule, men were assumed to be created as culture-making in the other women were subordinated. The research applied a descriptive qualitative methods by collecting data using documentation techniques. The collected data was reducted, presented, and concluded. Roland Barthes’ semiotic theory was used to analyze poster design elements that contained the exploitation of the female body. The research results find that (1) women in the film poster media are only subordinated to the poster to attract men, potential viewers. (2) Film posters show sexual exploitation and eroticism that is made into a high-selling and quite promising commodification.
Correction and resocialization of convicted persons on the territory of Ukraine in the XIX–XX centuries: theoretical and practical aspects
Authors: Denysov S. F. , Zaika D. Ye.
Published: June 2021

The article is devoted to a step-by-step study aimed at reproducing the chain of historical events, peculiarities of the origin and primary legislative consolidation of the processes of correction and resocialization in the system of execution of criminal punishments on the territory of Ukraine. The authors set the goal to analyze not only the gradation of scientific and philosophical thought on the correction and resocialization of convicts in the XIX–XX centuries, but also to investigate the level of practical implementation of doctrinal provisions. The main historical events that influenced the development of correction and resocialization in the demarcation, repressive and reorganization periods of the history of Ukraine were outlined. Particular attention was paid to the analysis of regulations. The aim was to investigate not only the terminological component, but also the actual presence, because the resocialization of convicts existed long before its legislative consolidation in its modern form. To write the article, the authors used quotes from leading scholars of the period under study, statistics on the number of convicts in Ukraine in different periods of history, materials of public speeches of leading lawyers and a number of primary sources of historical significance.
It was found that in the XIX–XX centuries. correction and resocialization have gone through a difficult path of formation and further transformation. The formation of a modern approach to understanding these concepts was influenced by several complex reforms of the pre-revolutionary and Soviet periods, two world wars, a series of civil revolutions, the influence of about five separate state formations during political instability and destruction, periods of state formation, political usurpation with totalitarian regime. and a network of correctional labor camps, "thaw", complete Sovietization and a radical paradigm shift, which was associated with the improvement of domestic and foreign experience in the late twentieth century.
The Network University of the World-Class Research and Academic Center “Kuzbass” as a Regional Strategy on Capacity Building through Infrastructure and Human Capital
Authors: Prosekov Aleksander
Published: June 2021

Introduction. The paper introduces the concept of the Network University on the basis of the World-Class Research and Academic Center “Kuzbass”. It is one of the largest projects aimed at improving the scientific and academic landscape of the Kemerovo region. The digital twin technology can increase the current efficiency of the Kemerovo State University and develop its resources. The research objective was to assess this potential. Study objects and methods. The Network University project presupposes establishing a number of interacting Kuzbass campuses that will prepare competitive post-industrial production specialists able to solve various administrative, analytical, and economic problems that the region is currently facing. Results and discussion. The research involved an urban planning analysis of the future Network University campuses. It resulted in several infrastructure solutions in the context of digital education and the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.5). Conclusion. In case of network universities, higher education does not equal qualifications: education provides each student with a conscious choice and a development pathway in the world of digital economy. A successfully operating link between education and professional activity makes this pathway attractive for investments. The author gave an initial assessment and defined the infrastructure solutions for the future campuses. All these issues are part of research on the capacity of the Kuzbass Network University and integrate the project into Priority 2030, which is the former Strategic Academic Leadership Program.
Warming of water temperature in spring and nutrient release from sediment in a shallow eutrophic lake
Authors: Shinohara Ryuichiro , Tsuchiya Kenji , Kohzu Ayato
Published: June 2021

We investigated whether recent springtime water temperature increases in a shallow eutrophic lake affected bottom sediment temperature and fluxes of ammonia (NH4+) and phosphate (PO43−) from the sediment. We conducted a lake-wide survey of Lake Kasumigaura, Japan, and analyzed the relationship between water temperature increases in spring and NH4+ and PO43− release fluxes. We also developed a numerical model to analyze how water temperature increase affects sediment temperature. Water temperature in May increased during 2010–2019 at a rate of 1.8–3.2 °C decade−1. The numerical simulation results showed that the water temperature increase was accompanied by a sediment temperature increase from a minimum of 18.3 °C in 2011 to a maximum of 21.6 °C in 2015. Despite the substantial difference in the observed sediment temperature (2.9 °C), no significant differences in NH4+ and PO43− fluxes in May between 2013/2014 and 2015 were found. These results suggest that both water and sediment temperatures are increasing in Lake Kasumigaura in spring, but it is unclear whether this warming has affected NH4+ and PO43− releases from the sediment. However, because a nonlinear response to sediment temperature was observed, future springtime warming may accelerate NH4+ and PO43− releases.
Evaluation of Best Management Practices for non-point source pollution based on the SWAT model in the Hanjiang River Basin, China
Authors: Li Shu , Li Jiake , Hao Gairui , Li Yajiao
Published: June 2021

Taking the Hanjiang River Basin with the Ankang hydrological station as the control section and as the study area, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was used to identify the spatial and temporal distribution of non-point source (NPS) pollution and determine the critical source areas (CSA). We set up 11 Best Management Practices (BMPs) in the CSA and evaluated their environmental and comprehensive benefits. The results showed that TN and TP loads in flood season were significantly higher than that in the non-flood season. The distribution of loss intensity of TN and TP load has a strong correlation with runoff and sediment erosion intensity, respectively. Among the eight individual BMPs, the reduction rates of stubble coverage, grassed waterway and returning farmland to forest land were relatively high, and the comprehensive attribute value Z of stubble coverage was the highest. Among the three combined BMPs, the reduction rate of ‘stubble coverage + grassed waterway + returning farmland to forest land (>25°)’ was the highest and the Z value was the largest. Overall, the BMPs such as stubble coverage, grassed waterway, and returning farmland to forest land can be adopted alternately to control NPS pollution in the Hanjiang River Basin.
Efficient removal of acetic acid by a regenerable resin-based spherical activated carbon
Authors: Wu Huiling , Sun Wenjing , Wei Huangzhao , Zhao Ying , Jin Chengyu , Yang Xu , Rong Xin , Sun Chenglin
Published: June 2021

Carboxylic acids are the main pollutant of industrial wastewater during the advanced oxidation process (AOPs). In this study, a resin-based spherical activated carbon (RSAC, AF5) as an adsorbent was examined and acetic acid was used as a model substrate for adsorption investigation. The pH = 3, temperature = 298 K were fixed by batch technique. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model, the intraparticle and external models are fitted well, and it was found that the adsorption of acetic acid onto AF5 was controlled by liquid film diffusion. A Freundlich model indicated that the adsorption process was heterogeneous multimolecular layer adsorption on the surface. AF5 shows good regenerative ability; the recovery rate of adsorption capacity was ∼88% after five cycles. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) adsorption removal rate could be maintained at 100% for over 35 h in an actual AOPs effluent, and could be eluted for 100% after 8 h by 0.8wt% NaOH. Characterizations, including XRF, XRD, TG/DSC,FTIR, SEM and N2 adsorption, showed that the excellent adsorption performance was mainly due to the microporous structure and large specific surface area (1,512.88 m2/g), the adsorption mechanism mainly included pore filling effect and electrostatic attraction. After five adsorption recycles, AF5's pore characteristic did not change significantly. This study provides a scientific basis for the wastewater standard discharge process of AOPs coupled adsorption.
Experimental method for the assessment and characterization of hazardous waste for long-term storage
Authors:   National Research and Development Institute for Industrial Ecology, Catrina Gina Alina , Stanescu Bogdan , Serbanescu Agnes , Cernica Georgiana , Kim Lidia
Published: June 2021

Long-term landfilling of hazardous waste should be a careful choice for any producer or generator of waste, as the behavior of the waste is different due to the physical-chemical conditions or following contact with other hazardous waste. In this study, the research undertaken was aimed at developing an experimental method for the assessment and characterization of hazardous waste for long-term storage. The method consists in the assessment of the behavior of heavy metals from waste, under different leaching conditions. To study various hazardous wastes, fly ash from the incineration of medical waste and slag from aluminum casting were chosen. Contact time, pH and redox potential are important parameters in the leaching process. The solubility of metals increases at pH values between 2 - 5 pH units and decreases at pH values between 6-12 pH units. The highest solubility of metals (As, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) in the tested waste was obtained after 48 hours at pH values between 2 - 5 pH units. Also, the values of the redox potential decrease almost linearly as the pH value increases. The developed method is a useful tool to assess the behavior of hazardous waste for long-term storage in landfills for this category of wastes.
Neonicotinoid insecticides as emerging contaminants in agricultural soil
Authors:   National Research and Development Institute for Industrial Ecology, Iancu Vasile Ion , Scutariu Roxana Elena , Lucian Gabriel Radu ,   University Politehnica of Bucharest, Romania, Niculescu Marcela ,   National Research and Development Institute for Industrial Ecology, Dinu Cristina , Paun Iuliana , Chiriac Florentina Laura
Published: June 2021

Using an LC-MS-MS method for detection of 6 neonicotinoid insecticides (imidacloprid, dinotefuran, acetamiprid, clothianidin, thiamethoxam, nitenpyram) was developed a new performant extraction method based on sonication treatment of soil samples, which were previously dried, grounded, homogenized, sieved (2 mm) and subjected to the selective extraction process with acetonitrile. Then the obtained extracts were diluted with ultrapure water (ratio 1: 100) and subjected to purification by Strata C18 SPE extraction using cartridges loaded with 200 mg/6 mL of octa-dodecyl-silica adsorbent phase. The entire methodology allowed obtaining quantification limits at trace level that varied in the range 0.3-0.9 ng/g and recoveries between 71.4% and 109.6%. In the agricultural soil samples, taken from the lands cultivated with wheat, corn, sunflower, beans, located in Prahova and Giurgiu counties (Romania), only four neonicotinoids out of the total of six were quantified imidacloprid (0.38 ng/g-56.9 ng/g), acetamiprid (1.7-7.2 ng/g), thiamethoxam (1.05-6.7 ng/g), clothianidin (1.1-1.5 ng/g).
Prevention of Mother-to-child HIV Transmission in Nigeria: Six Years’ Experience from a Tertiary Institution
Authors: Jalo Rabiu Ibrahim , Amole Taiwo Gboluwaga , Dongarwar Deepa , Abdullahi Hadiza Musa , Tsiga-Ahmed Fatimah Ismail , Gaya Sule Abdullahi , Bello Musa Mohammed , Bashir Usman , Aminu Aliyu , Kwaku Aminatu Ayaba , Aliyu Muktar Hassan , Salihu Hamisu Mohammed , Galadanci Hadiza Shehu
Published: June 2021

Background:

In line with global standards and progress made in Prevention of Motherto-
Child Transmission (PMTCT), an assessment of the outcome of Early Infant Diagnosis in northern
Nigeria is necessary to evaluate progress towards zero Human immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
infection among children.

Objectives:

This study assessed the infection rate and risk factors for mother-to-child HIV transmission
among HIV-exposed children in Kano, northwest Nigeria.

Method:

Using a retrospective cohort design, pregnant HIV-positive women and their exposed infants
were recruited over a period of six years (2010 to 2016). Participants were enrolled during
pregnancy or at delivery in the PMTCT clinic of a tertiary health facility in Kano, Nigeria. The
main outcomes for the study were Early infant diagnosis positivity for HIV at 6 weeks and risk factors
for positivity.

Results:

Of the 1,514 infants studied, early infant diagnosis was positive for HIV among 13 infants
(0.86%). Infants whose mothers did not have antiretroviral therapy (adjusted Prevalence Ratio aPR
= 2.58, 95%CI (1.85- 3.57)), who had mixed feeding (aPR = 12.06, 95%CI (9.86- 14.70)), and
those not on antiretroviral prophylaxis (aPR = 20.39, 95%CI (16.04- 25.71)) were more likely to be
infected with HIV. HIV-exposed infants on nevirapine and zidovudine prophylaxis were 95% and
74%, respectively, less likely to be infected with HIV.

Conclusion:

HIV infection rate remains high among HIV-exposed infants whose mothers did not
receive PMTCT services. Scaling up proven interventions of early commencement of antiretroviral
treatment for mothers, adherence to antiretroviral prophylaxis, and avoidance of mixed feeding
among HIV-exposed infants would protect future generations from HIV infection.
ZnCl2/PhI=O Mediated Selective ortho-Chlorination of Amides
Authors: Liu Haixuan , Sha Qiang
Published: June 2021

A new ortho-chlorination system consisting of zinc(II) and hypervalent iodine(III) reagent was developed for ortho-chlorination of amides, and the desired products were obtained in moderate to good yields (38-85%). This highly facile and convenient methodology is tolerant of aromatic amide and alkyl amide with diverse substituted groups. A plausible mechanism has been illustrated, in which carbocation rearrangement and metal salt coordinate facilitated orthochlorination are involved.
Colonic adenocarcinoma resulting in recurrent colic and hematochezia in an Arabian stallion
Authors: Maalouf R. , Alonso-Sousa S. , Graham R.
Published: June 2021

A fourteen-year-old Arabian stallion was presented with general weakness and hematochezia. Clinical examination showed tachycardia but the rest of the physical parameters were within normal limits. Transcutaneous abdominal ultrasonography showed distended small intestinal loops with normal motility but increased mural thickness. Gastroscopic examination revealed small focal lesions in the non-glandular part of the stomach around the margo plicatus of the greater curvature, with a score of II/IV Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome. Blood analysis revealed anemia, hypoproteinemia and neutrophilia. Treatment was palliative and was determined based on the initial findings. Despite intensive medical treatment, the horse was euthanized due to progressive deterioration of its condition. Post-mortem necropsy and histopathology revealed an adenocarcinoma with osseous metaplasia within the left dorsal colon.
Vraag & Antwoord
Authors: Cuypers C.
Published: June 2021

Sedatie bij drachtige merries
Practices and mechanisms to mitigate the negative effects of accountingbased earnings management: An empirical study from the professionals’ perspective
Authors:   Porto Accounting and Business School, Polytechnic of Porto, CEOS.PP, Porto, Portugal, et al. Monteiro
Published: June 2021

Accounting conservatism and Accounting-based Earnings Management Practices (AEMP) introduce bias in financial information (FI), thereby influencing stakeholder behavior in the decision-making process. This study aims to analyze, from the certified accountants’ perspective, the AEMP in Portugal. Specifically, it analyses (1) the development of the AEMP and its impact on FI reporting, (2) the main hampered on its implementation, and (3) the need for the instruments and corporate governance mechanisms to mitigate the AEMP. Besides this research analyses (4) the relationship between the certified accountant’s characteristics (gender, age, professional experience, educational qualifications, and training area. To achieve the proposed objectives, we have used a quantitative methodological approach with a survey questionnaire, conducting an empirical study based on a sample of certified accountants. Based on a sample of 159 certified accountants, the results found that the majority of respondents indicate that Portuguese companies develop AEMP and that these practices have a negative and significant impact on the quality of financial statements (FS). Moreover, most certified accountants point out that is important to adopt measures that will prevent the abuse of AEMP and the main instruments for this are the establishments of more precise and concrete accounting standards and the application of the sanctions. The results also indicate that the audit committee and efficient internal control are corporate governance mechanisms AEMP able of mitigating the effects of the AEMP. Finally, the individual characteristics of certified accountants, such as professional experience, educational qualifications, and training area, significantly influence their perception of the need to mitigate the AEMP. This study presents relevant contributions to theory and practice. First, it develops the literature that evaluates AEMP, particularly in Portugal, where studies are scarce. Second, this study is original because it considers the relationship characteristics of accounting and AEMP professionals. Third, it allows entities that operate in accounting standardization and for accountants and FI users to have a more in-depth knowledge of the AEMP’s instruments and mechanisms.
Влияние столкновений на спектр резонансной флуоресценции трехуровневых атомов с V-конфигурацией уровней
Authors: Пархоменко А.И. , Шалагин А.М.
Published: June 2021

Теоретически исследовано влияние столкновений на спектр резонансной флуоресценции трехуровневых атомов с V-конфигурацией уровней при возбуждении двумя монохроматическими резонансными полями. Анализ проведен для систем с малым доплеровским уширением по сравнению с частотой столкновений (большие давления буферного газа) и для общего случая произвольного изменения (от полного сбоя до полного сохранения) фазовой памяти на любом из трех переходов в V-системе. Показано, что в трехуровневых атомах V-типа, возбуждаемых двумя монохроматическими полями, спектр резонансной флуоресценции на одном из переходов (количество спектральных линий и их ширины) сильно зависит от присутствия резонансного излучения на смежном переходе. В определенных условиях ширины линий будут полностью определяться релаксационными характеристиками смежного перехода и, в частности, могут быть многократно сужены при росте интенсивности излучения на смежном переходе. Показано, что несмотря на однородный характер уширения линий поглощения спектр резонансной флуоресценции обладает ярко выраженной анизотропией по отношению к взаимной ориентации волновых векторов спонтанного и возбуждающих излучений. Установлено, что ширины линий в спектре резонансной флуоресценции в определенных условиях пропорциональны коэффициенту диффузии взаимодействующих с излучением атомов. Этот факт может служить основой спектроскопического метода измерения транспортных частот столкновений поглощающих излучение частиц с буферными. Показано, что эффекты фазовой памяти при столкновениях приводят к сильной качественной и количественной модификации спектра резонансной флуоресценции. Ключевые слова: резонансная флуоресценция, трехуровневые атомы, столкновения, когерентность, спектр.
Оптические и структурные свойства нанопленок палладия в атмосфере водорода
Authors: Шутаев В.А. , Матвеев В.А. , Гребенщикова Е.А. , Щелоков В.Г. , Яковлев Ю.П.
Published: June 2021

The crystal structure and optical properties of thermal-vacuum deposited palladium nanolayers at the thickness range of 10-130 nm was studied. It was found that Pd nanolayers are polycrystalline and the value of an average crystallite size depends on the layer thickness. The optical transparency of Pd nanolayers was investigated on the radiation wavelength about 0.95 μm in air and in hydrogen medium (100 vol.%). It was experimentally found that both in air and in hydrogen medium the optical transparency of Pd nanolayers in the thickness range of 10-45 nm obeys the Bouger law. The thickness range of Pd thin films suitable for practical application in hydrogen sensor was determined.
Emergence of the First Strains of SARS-CoV-2 Lineage B.1.1.7 in Romania: Genomic Analysis
Authors: Lobiuc Andrei , Dimian Mihai , Sturdza Olga , Filip Roxana , Covasa Mihai
Published: June 2021

Background

The United Kingdom reported the emergence of a new and highly transmissible SARS-CoV-2 variant (B.1.1.7) that rapidly spread to other countries. The impact of this new mutation—which occurs in the S protein—on infectivity, virulence, and current vaccine effectiveness is still under evaluation.

Objective

The aim of this study is to sequence SARS-CoV-2 samples of cases in Romania to detect the B.1.1.7 variant and compare these samples with sequences submitted to GISAID.

Methods

SARS-CoV-2 samples were sequenced and amino acid substitution analysis was performed using the CoV-GLUE platform.

Results

We have identified the first cases of the B.1.1.7 variant in samples collected from Romanian patients, of which one was traced to the region of the United Kingdom where the new variant was originally sequenced. Mutations in nonstructural protein 3 (Nsp3; N844S and D455N) and ORF3a (L15F) were also detected, indicating common ancestry with UK strains as well as remote connections with strains from Nagasaki, Japan.

Conclusions

These results indicate, for the first time, the presence and characteristics of the new variant B.1.1.7 in Romania and underscore the need for increased genomic sequencing in patients with confirmed COVID-19.
Techniques to Teach Students Effectively Using Telemedicine. Comment on “Incorporating Medical Students Into Primary Care Telehealth Visits: Tutorial” (Preprint)
Authors: Kandola Hardeep , Minhas Sonica
Published: June 2021

UNSTRUCTURED

N/A
Correction: Community Mitigation of COVID-19 and Portrayal of Testing on TikTok: Descriptive Study (Preprint)
Authors: Basch Corey H , Mohlman Jan , Fera Joseph , Tang Hao , Pellicane Alessia , Basch Charles E
Published: June 2021

UNSTRUCTURED

REMOVE