bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF BIOLOGICAL FUNGICIDES AGAINST THE SPARE PARTS OF THE LEAVES OF WINTER WHEAT IN THE CONDITIONS OF THE CENTRAL ZONE OF THE KRASNODAR TERRITORY
Authors: Gvozdeva Mariya , Volkova Galina
Published: August 2021

The biologization of plant growing in modern conditions is becoming an urgent trend in agriculture, which helps to reduce the pesticide load. An important aspect of the transition to organic farming is the use of fungicides based on living microorganisms and their metabolic products to curb the development of diseases. Studies were carried out to assess the effectiveness of modern biofungicides against leaf septoria (Septoria tritici) and yellow spot (Pyrenophora tritici-repentis) of winter wheat - Vitaplan, SP, Gamair, SP, Pseudobacterin-2, Zh, Rizoplan, Zh, Trichocin, SP, Fitosporin -M, SP. Fungicide Amistar Extra, SK was used as a chemical standard. The work was carried out in the conditions of the central zone of the Krasnodar Territory in 2019–2020 on the variety Grom, susceptible to leaf spots. The meteorological conditions of the first year of research were favorable for the development of pathogens of leaf spots. In the second year, conditions were extreme, both for the growth of wheat plants and for the development of phytopathogens. For two years of research, the most effective biofungicides against leaf septoria were Fitosporin-M, SP, Pseudobacterin-2, Zh and Vitaplan, SP, the biological effectiveness was 50.0%, 50.0% and 47.1%, respectively; against yellow spot - Vitaplan, SP and Trichocin, SP, biological efficiency was 48.4% and 45.9%. The use of biological fungicides made it possible to save from 2.5% (Gamair, SP) to 12.6% (Trichocin, SP) of the winter wheat grain yield in comparison with the control (without treatment). The high economic efficiency of the use of biofungicides was established, the maximum net profit was noted in the variant treated with Fitosporin - M, SP (9540 rubles / ha)
THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM IN THE INTERNATIONAL MARKETS OF AQUACULTURE PRODUCTS
Authors: Grigor'ev Vladimir , Fam Thi Dan Chuong , Nizamov Rustam , Grigor'ev Igor'
Published: August 2021

Aquaculture is one of the most promising and dynamically developing types of agricultural production, especially in countries with warm climates. The research was carried out to analyze the current situation in aquaculture in Vietnam to clarify the existing problems and prospects of this industry. When collecting materials, we used statistical data from the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, as well as information from representatives of the Institute of Economics and Business of the Vietnam National University (Hanoi). In the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, aquaculture is well developed and continues to actively expand, annually increasing the production of products that are in significant demand on the world market. One of the most important problems of the industry is the threat to natural biodiversity, primarily due to the reduction of the natural habitats of the inhabitants of rivers and mangroves. An equally important problem is the strong dependence of the production of products, primarily shrimp, on foreign markets, which today is objective and insurmountable. Due to the use of chemicals and antibiotics in aquaculture, especially in natural conditions, environmental degradation is possible. Among the promising areas for the development of the industry is the convergence of natural ecosystems and agriculture, a good example of which is the cultivation of shrimp in mangroves without destroying the forest cover. It is possible to switch to aquaculture as an adaptation to changes in the ecological situation, primarily to the salinization of river deltas. As a result of a decrease in the profitability of fishing in the natural habitat of fish and shrimps, an increase in their populations in natural conditions is possible
Catheters at home: managing urinary catheters in the home environment
Authors: Payne Drew
Published: August 2021

In England, there are some 90000 people with catheters in the community, and community nurses often have to manage catheter-related problems. This article looks at these common catheter problems found in the community, for example, blockage, infections and positioning problems. These problems were identified by a literature review and from the author's experience, from many years working in the community. It has been found that education, knowledge, empowerment and communication are vital factors affecting patients' ability to manager their catheters themselves. The article begins with a discussion about how patients can be involved in and manage many aspects of care for their own catheters. It goes on to talk about the common catheter-associated problems and how these can be avoided or addressed. It is hoped that better management of catheter-associated complications in the community settings can prevent unnecessary visits to the emergency department, which will save time and costs for the health service, as well as avoid the negative impact of these on patient lives.
Use of the National Early Warning Score in community nursing: a scoping review
Authors: Phillips Anne-Marie
Published: August 2021

People in the UK are living longer and with multi-morbidities, increasing the size, complexity and acuity of Community Nursing caseloads. Nurses visiting infrequently and inconsistently on a task-focused basis need an objective method by which to identify / quantify physical deterioration for early treatment avoiding crisis and hospital admission. The National Early Warning Score (NEWS), is the most recognised tool for identification of deterioration in acute settings but is not validated for community use. Using published frameworks for scoping review and evaluation, this study aims to explore the current evidence for use of NEWS in community settings. Although there is work to be done, particularly in terms of frequency of scoring and response, this study identifies benefits in communication and prioritisation of care as well as sensitivity, particularly in predicting poor outcomes. The identified barriers to use include integration into practice and perceived dissonance with clinical judgement.
Conductors of care: exploring the role of the multiple sclerosis nurse in Australasia, phase 2
Authors: Burke Therese , Patching Joanna
Published: August 2021

Background:

Despite tremendous growth and change in the speciality of multiple sclerosis (MS) nursing in the last decade, there is a dearth of research aimed at defining the role of the MS nurse. This article explores phase 2 of a two-part study to define the MS nurse role in Australasia.

Methods:

Qualitative inquiry and a form of focused ethnography, called life history, were used to explore the experiences of 25 MS nurses. Semi-structured, one-on-one interviews were analysed using thematic analysis to explore the role and develop a role definition.

Findings:

The findings reveal five key themes and 21 subthemes to tell the story of a conductor of care. The key themes of holistic healers, sources of support, disease and symptom educators and managers, medication managers and professional development advancers highlights the complex skillset of MS nurses.

Conclusion:

Awareness of the scope and responsibility of the MS nurse role brings understanding and structure to modern MS care. Additionally, this may improve collaborations, relationships and acknowledgement of the role of the MS nurse among healthcare professionals, patients and the wider MS community.
Improving the cementation of the tibial component in knee arthroplasty
Authors: Rodríguez-Collell Juan Ramón , Mifsut Damian , Ruiz-Sauri Amparo , Rodríguez-Pino Luis , González-Soler Eva María , Valverde-Navarro Alfonso Amador
Published: August 2021

Aims

The main objective of this study is to analyze the penetration of bone cement in four different full cementation techniques of the tibial tray.

Methods

In order to determine the best tibial tray cementation technique, we applied cement to 40 cryopreserved donor tibiae by four different techniques: 1) double-layer cementation of the tibial component and tibial bone with bone restrictor; 2) metallic cementation of the tibial component without bone restrictor; 3) bone cementation of the tibia with bone restrictor; and 4) superficial bone cementation of the tibia and metallic keel cementation of the tibial component without bone restrictor. We performed CT exams of all 40 subjects, and measured cement layer thickness at both levels of the resected surface of the epiphysis and the endomedular metaphyseal level.

Results

At the epiphyseal level, Technique 2 gave the greatest depth compared to the other investigated techniques. At the endomedular metaphyseal level, Technique 1 showed greater cement penetration than the other techniques.

Conclusion

The best metaphyseal cementation technique of the tibial component is bone cementation with cement restrictor. Additionally, if full tibial component cementation is to be done, the cement volume used should be about 40 g of cement, and not the usual 20 g. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2021;10(8):467–473.
Use of the parachute system for the collective rescue of passengers and aircraft crew
Authors: KUPRIKOV Mikhail Yu. , UTKIN Yuri A. , KUPRIKOV Nikita M.
Published: August 2021

This study covers the issues of the security system in civil aviation. The relevance of the topic is conditioned by a qualitatively new approach to the design of civil aviation, since the modern equipment has the means intended for rescue directly in the area of contact of an emergency aircraft with the ground. When hitting the ground, as a rule, the lower part of the airframe is crushed, the fuselages break in the centre wing section, and the interior equipment breaking off is very traumatic to passengers, the engines are extremely fire and explosion dangerous, which leads to an emergency situation developing into a catastrophic one. The purpose of the study is to investigate the existing security system of a civil aircraft and develop the modification of aviation equipment with the help of collective rescue systems. Two main areas of application of collective rescue systems in aviation technology are analysed. As a solution to the problem at hand, a modification in the form of a parachute system of collective rescue is proposed. A detailed description of the system operation with the use of the necessary calculations for weight, aerodynamic and similar costs is given. The system under study relates to aviation technology and can be used in the development of transport (passenger, cargo, business class, etc.) aircraft. The proposed modification would significantly increase the level of flight safety due to a preventive measure that would exclude the contact area of the emergency aircraft with the ground.
Unsteady dynamics of a sandwich plate under the influence of a cylindrical wave in an elastic medium
Authors: LOKTEVA Natalia A. , PHUNG Nguyen Duong
Published: August 2021

The interaction of a sandwich plate with a damped cylindrical wave in the ground has been investigated. A sandwich plate is considered as a model of a barrier in the ground, described by a system of equations by V. N. Paimushin, placed in the ground dividing it into two parts. The plane problem formulation is considered. The boundary conditions correspond to the hinge attachment of the barrier, and the initial conditions are zero. A cylindrical damped wave is considered as an external influence. To describe the ground movement, the equations of the elasticity theory, the Cauchy relations and the physical principle, or equivalent displacements in potentials and the Lame equations are used. The problem is solved in a related formulation, where the movement of the plate and its surrounding media is considered together. All components of the equations of motion of the plate and media are decomposed into trigonometric series and the Laplace transform is applied to them. As the conditions for the contact of the plate and the ground, the equality of normal displacements at the boundary of the medium and the plate is assumed. It is also assumed that the pressure amplitudes and normal stresses coincide. After determining the constants from the contact conditions, the displacement values and the values of normal and tangential stresses are found, after which their originals are found.
Device for measuring the moisture content of diesel fuel
Authors: LOMONOSOV Dmitrii , ZHURAVLEV Dmitrii , SHAPAR Mikhail , SAVELYEVA Ekaterina , CHEBAKOV Dmitrii
Published: August 2021

The relevance of the study is conditioned by the wide occurrence of situations in which diesel fuel, during its storage and transportation, reacts with the environment, resulting in its oversaturation with moisture and a decrease in a number of characteristics that are of fundamental importance in the process of practical use, which necessitates the development and practical implementation of a special device that allows determining the moisture content in diesel fuel before its use. The purpose of this study is a theoretical assessment of the prospects for the development of such a device and its practical use, including an assessment of its main technical characteristics that are essential from the standpoint of practical use for measuring the moisture content of diesel fuel in various branches of its application. The leading approach is a combination of a theoretical investigation of the prospects for the development and technical improvement of a device for measuring the moisture content of diesel fuel with a systematic analysis of the main aspects of the effectiveness of its practical application. The results obtained indicate the significant importance of qualitative measurement of the parameters of the moisture content of diesel fuel and the need to use special devices to ensure the high quality of such control. The results and conclusions of this study are of significant importance for developers of special devices designed to measure the moisture content of diesel fuel and for employees of technical services whose duties include monitoring the condition of diesel fuel before its direct use and evaluating its parameters that are of fundamental importance from the standpoint of the safety of its further use.
On the development of mathematical models for the reliability evaluation of aircraft operation in combat conditions
Authors: ROMANCHENKO Ihor S. , SEMENENKO Oleh , SLIUSARENKO Maryna , VASIANOVYCH Mykola , LEVCHENKO Ihor
Published: August 2021

The authors of this study propose a methodological approach to modelling the reliability evaluation of aircraft operation in combat conditions. When developing recommendations on operational and strategic requirements for promising aircraft, a very important aspect is the elicitation of the requirements for their reliability, namely no-failure operation. Reliability as a parameter of any equipment should be set in the technical specifications for development together with other operational requirements in the form of reasonable quantitative indicators – reliability standards. The establishment of specific reliability standards stimulates its growth and creates the basis for rational design, taking into account the requirements of reliable operation. The analysis showed that different models can be used to simulate aircraft reliability. In this case, for example, the final values of mean time to failure (MTTF) would be different. The test results show that the methods and mathematical models used to substantiate the values of time and probability of trouble-free operation of aircraft do not fully correspond to the actual processes of changing their state during the use in the military. This is confirmed by a significant discrepancy in the values of reliability indicators implemented in practice. This was due to the fact that the acquainted mathematical models of aircraft reliability do not take into account the combat conditions in which they are supposed to operate. In addition, the reliability indicators used do not take into account possible changes (decrease) in these indicators during the period of aircraft operation. In general, the shortcomings inherent in the methods and mathematical models currently used to describe the aircraft reliability reduce the accuracy of the results obtained, and also do not quite adequately reflect the features of the corresponding process. When using different models, the cost of time to failure differs significantly. The more factors are taken into account, the greater the operating time to failure will be. This means that when designing aircraft, it is necessary to set the value of this indicator greater than indicated in the form. Taking into account additional factors complicates the model, but at the same time makes it more accurate.
Methodological support of analytical procedures for managing economic security (on the example of an airline)
Authors: DANILOVA Elvira I. , MARCHENKO Valentyna M. , NOVAK Valentyna O. , PALYVODA Olena M. , PEREDERII Nadiia M.
Published: August 2021

This research study examines the issues of methodological support of analytical procedures for managing economic security in relation to both hotel enterprises, in particular airlines, and economic regions in general. The relevance of the selected research topic is determined by the significance of the issues of economic security management of both individual enterprises and economic regions as a whole in view of the current changes in the global economy and the urgent necessity for an adequate and timely response to them in order to create optimal conditions for maintaining economic security at the proper level. The purpose of this research is to determine the main directions of the formation of analytical procedures for managing economic security in the context of the real economic situation in the country in particular and in the world as a whole. The main approach to conducting scientific research is a combination of a systematic approach to the analysis of issues of economic security and its management with the analytical structuring of all the results and conclusions that were obtained and made in the course of this scientific research. The proposed methods were tested on the basis of airlines.
Optimizing sample illumination scanning for reflection and 4Pi tomographic diffractive microscopy
Authors: Taddese Asemare Mengistie , Verrier Nicolas , Debailleul Matthieu , Courbot Jean-Baptiste , Haeberlé Olivier
Published: August 2021

Tomographic diffractive microscopy (TDM) is increasingly gaining attention, owing to its high-resolution, label-free imaging capability. Fast acquisitions necessitate limiting the number of holograms to be recorded. Reconstructions then rely on optimal Fourier space filling to retain image quality and resolution, that is, they rely on optimal scanning of the tomographic illuminations. In this work, we theoretically study reflection TDM, and then the 4Pi TDM, a combination of transmission and reflection systems. Image simulations are conducted to determine optimal angular sweeping. We found that three-dimensional uniform scanning fills Fourier space the best for both reflection and 4Pi configurations, providing a better refractive index estimation for the observed sample.
Observation of the acceleration of light in a tapered optical fiber
Authors: Ge Hui , Sheng Chong , Zhu Shining , Liu Hui
Published: August 2021

One of the most fascinating aspects of quantum fields in curved spacetime is the Unruh effect. The direct experimental detection of Unruh temperature has remained an elusive challenge up to now. Gradient optical waveguides manipulating the dispersion of photons are assumed to realize the great acceleration of effective particles, leading to a high effective Unruh temperature. However, experimentally achieving this optical waveguide has not yet been reported. In this work, we exploit a tapered fiber to simulate the accelerated motion of effective particles and obtain an effective Unruh temperature. When light propagating in a tapered fiber is affected by the external high refractive index medium, a leaky phenomenon akin to bremsstrahlung will be observed, and the pattern of leaky radiation is dependent on the acceleration of photons. During the experiments, different accelerations corresponding to different Unruh temperatures are achieved by controlling the shape of the tapered waveguide.
Defect height estimation via model-less TSOM under optical resolution
Authors: Joo Ji Yong , Lee Jun Ho , Jang Won Hyuk , Lim Yong Woon
Published: August 2021

We propose a new method of through-focus scanning optical microscopy (TSOM) without a reference database, i.e., a model-less TSOM method. Building a TSOM reference database is time-consuming or even impractical in some TSOM applications that involve complex structures, such as 3D NAND, or irregular shapes such as defects. The proposed model-less TSOM method was used to determine just the height of defect particles, for the first time as far as we are aware. Defect height is the only relevant dimension for the display panel application. Specifically, we analyzed 40 organic light-emitting diode (OLED) surface defects using a lab-developed motion-free TSOM tool consisting of a 50× objective lens (numerical aperture (NA) 0.55), a 532-nm light source, an imaging detector with a 7.5-µm pitch, and a deformable mirror. The tool is in-line and capable of achieving high throughput non-destructively, both relevant features for industrial applications. We investigated linear regression relations between newly defined TSOM parameters (TSOM height, TSOM area and TSOM volume) and the defect heights, which were first measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Following defect classification based on in-focus images, we successfully found that the AFM height has a linear correlation with 50% TSOM height (H50%) within ± 20.3 nm (1σ) error over the range of 140 to 950 nm. The one-sigma error, i.e., 20.3 nm, was approximately λ/26 or 1/43 of the depth of focus (DOF) of the applied microscope.
Quasi-bound states in the continuum in metal complementary periodic cross-shaped resonators at terahertz frequencies
Authors: Liu Dejun , Wu Feng , Yang Rui , Chen Lin , He Xiaoyong , Liu Feng
Published: August 2021

We numerically and experimentally demonstrate quasi-bound states in the continuum (BICs) in free-standing metal complementary periodic cross-shaped resonators (CPCRs) at terahertz frequencies. Such induced quasi-BICs arise from the broken symmetry in CPCRs. By slightly breaking mirror symmetry through reducing the length of one arm in CPCRs, the measured

Q

-factor of the quasi-BIC can reach 102, which is significantly high compared with that of conventional modes. Further study shows that the high

Q

-factor of the quasi-BIC is mainly determined not by the radiative loss but the material loss, as the asymmetry of the structures is unremarkable. The sharp quasi-BICs realized in the proposed structure may immediately boost the exploration of ultra-narrowband filters and ultra-sensitive sensors at terahertz frequencies.
Generation of optical vortices in non-parity-time-symmetric chiral-core optical fibers
Authors: Alexeyev C. N. , Barshak E. V. , Lapin B. P. , Yavorsky M. A.
Published: August 2021

In this Letter, we have studied the effect of losses and gains on
generation of optical vortices (OVs) in a chiral fiber with an

l

-fold rotational symmetric core.
Studying both unequal attenuations and symmetric loss–gain cases for
core and orbital angular momentum (OAM) modes, we show that losses may
play a constructive role in generation of OVs from a Gaussian input.
We study the processes of field evolution at the exceptional point
(EP). We show that at the EP any superposition of the fundamental mode
and

l

-charge OV evolves in the limit into
an equal-weighted superposition of such fields that forms a special
attractor mode with average

l

/

2

OAM per photon. At the generalized
Poincare sphere, such a mode is represented by the OAM black hole in
analogy with the spin black hole introduced in [Optica 3,
1025 (2016)OPTIC82334-253610.1364/OPTICA.3.001025].
Post-fabrication tuning of microring resonators using 3D-printed microfluidics
Authors: Larson Kevin , Hammond Alec , Carver Christian , Anderson Derek , Viglione Matthew , Boaks Mawla , Nordin Greg , Camacho Ryan M.
Published: August 2021

We demonstrate a method of tuning the resonant frequencies of silicon microring resonators using a 3D-printed microfluidic chip overlaid directly on the photonic circuit with zero energy consumption following the initial tuning. Aqueous solutions with different concentrations of NaCl are used in experimentation. A shift of a full free spectral range is observed at a concentration of 10% NaCl. On a 60 µm microring resonator, this equals a resonant wavelength shift of 1.514 nm when the index of the cladding changes by 0.017 refractive index units (RIUs), or at a rate of 89.05 nm/RIU.
Mitochondrial RNase H1 activity regulates R-loop homeostasis to maintain genome integrity and enable early embryogenesis in Arabidopsis
Authors: Cheng Lingling , Wang Wenjie , Yao Yao , Sun Qianwen
Published: August 2021

Plant mitochondrial genomes undergo frequent homologous recombination (HR). Ectopic HR activity is inhibited by the HR surveillance pathway, but the underlying regulatory mechanism is unclear. Here, we show that the mitochondrial RNase H1 AtRNH1B impairs the formation of RNA:DNA hybrids (R-loops) and participates in the HR surveillance pathway in Arabidopsis thaliana. AtRNH1B suppresses ectopic HR at intermediate-sized repeats (IRs) and thus maintains mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) replication. The RNase H1 AtRNH1C is restricted to the chloroplast; however, when cells lack AtRNH1B, transport of chloroplast AtRNH1C into the mitochondria secures HR surveillance, thus ensuring the integrity of the mitochondrial genome and allowing embryogenesis to proceed. HR surveillance is further regulated by the single-stranded DNA-binding protein ORGANELLAR SINGLE-STRANDED DNA BINDING PROTEIN1 (OSB1), which decreases the formation of R-loops. This study uncovers a facultative dual targeting mechanism between organelles and sheds light on the roles of RNase H1 in organellar genome maintenance and embryogenesis.
OsMADS23 phosphorylated by SAPK9 confers drought and salt tolerance by regulating ABA biosynthesis in rice
Authors: Li Xingxing , Yu Bo , Wu Qi , Min Qian , Zeng Rongfeng , Xie Zizhao , Huang Junli
Published: August 2021

Some of MADS-box transcription factors (TFs) have been shown to play essential roles in the adaptation of plant to abiotic stress. Still, the mechanisms that MADS-box proteins regulate plant stress response are not fully understood. Here, a stress-responsive MADS-box TF OsMADS23 from rice conferring the osmotic stress tolerance in plants is reported. Overexpression of OsMADS23 remarkably enhanced, but knockout of the gene greatly reduced the drought and salt tolerance in rice plants. Further, OsMADS23 was shown to promote the biosynthesis of endogenous ABA and proline by activating the transcription of target genes OsNCED2, OsNCED3, OsNCED4 and OsP5CR that are key components for ABA and proline biosynthesis, respectively. Then, the convincing evidence showed that the OsNCED2-knockout mutants had lower ABA levels and exhibited higher sensitivity to drought and oxidative stress than wild type, which is similar to osmads23 mutant. Interestingly, the SnRK2-type protein kinase SAPK9 was found to physically interact with and phosphorylate OsMADS23, and thus increase its stability and transcriptional activity. Furthermore, the activation of OsMADS23 by SAPK9-mediated phosphorylation is dependent on ABA in plants. Collectively, these findings establish a mechanism that OsMADS23 functions as a positive regulator in response to osmotic stress by regulating ABA biosynthesis, and provide a new strategy for improving drought and salt tolerance in rice.
Levels of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine coverage and indirect protection against invasive pneumococcal disease and pneumonia hospitalisations in Australia: An observational study
Authors: Chan Jocelyn , Gidding Heather F. , Blyth Christopher C. , Fathima Parveen , Jayasinghe Sanjay , McIntyre Peter B. , Moore Hannah C. , Mulholland Kim , Nguyen Cattram D. , Andrews Ross , Russell Fiona M.
Published: August 2021

Background

There is limited empiric evidence on the coverage of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) required to generate substantial indirect protection. We investigate the association between population PCV coverage and indirect protection against invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and pneumonia hospitalisations among undervaccinated Australian children.

Methods and findings

Birth and vaccination records, IPD notifications, and hospitalisations were individually linked for children aged <5 years, born between 2001 and 2012 in 2 Australian states (New South Wales and Western Australia; 1.37 million children). Using Poisson regression models, we examined the association between PCV coverage, in small geographical units, and the incidence of (1) 7-valent PCV (PCV7)-type IPD; (2) all-cause pneumonia; and (3) pneumococcal and lobar pneumonia hospitalisation in undervaccinated children. Undervaccinated children received <2 doses of PCV at <12 months of age and no doses at ≥12 months of age. Potential confounding variables were selected for adjustment a priori with the assistance of a directed acyclic graph.

There were strong inverse associations between PCV coverage and the incidence of PCV7-type IPD (adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR] 0.967, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.958 to 0.975, p-value < 0.001), and pneumonia hospitalisations (all-cause pneumonia: aIRR 0.991 95% CI 0.990 to 0.994, p-value < 0.001) among undervaccinated children. Subgroup analyses for children <4 months old, urban, rural, and Indigenous populations showed similar trends, although effects were smaller for rural and Indigenous populations. Approximately 50% coverage of PCV7 among children <5 years of age was estimated to prevent up to 72.5% (95% CI 51.6 to 84.4) of PCV7-type IPD among undervaccinated children, while 90% coverage was estimated to prevent 95.2% (95% CI 89.4 to 97.8). The main limitations of this study include the potential for differential loss to follow-up, geographical misclassification of children (based on residential address at birth only), and unmeasured confounders.

Conclusions

In this study, we observed substantial indirect protection at lower levels of PCV coverage than previously described—challenging assumptions that high levels of PCV coverage (i.e., greater than 90%) are required. Understanding the association between PCV coverage and indirect protection is a priority since the control of vaccine-type pneumococcal disease is a prerequisite for reducing the number of PCV doses (from 3 to 2). Reduced dose schedules have the potential to substantially reduce program costs while maintaining vaccine impact.
Solving dynamic multi-objective problems with a new prediction-based optimization algorithm
Authors: Zhang Qingyang , Jiang Shouyong , Yang Shengxiang , Song Hui
Published: August 2021

This paper proposes a new dynamic multi-objective optimization algorithm by integrating a new fitting-based prediction (FBP) mechanism with regularity model-based multi-objective estimation of distribution algorithm (RM-MEDA) for multi-objective optimization in changing environments. The prediction-based reaction mechanism aims to generate high-quality population when changes occur, which includes three subpopulations for tracking the moving Pareto-optimal set effectively. The first subpopulation is created by a simple linear prediction model with two different stepsizes. The second subpopulation consists of some new sampling individuals generated by the fitting-based prediction strategy. The third subpopulation is created by employing a recent sampling strategy, generating some effective search individuals for improving population convergence and diversity. Experimental results on a set of benchmark functions with a variety of different dynamic characteristics and difficulties illustrate that the proposed algorithm has competitive effectiveness compared with some state-of-the-art algorithms.
Unveiling a key role of oxaloacetate-glutamate interaction in regulation of respiration and ROS generation in nonsynaptic brain mitochondria using a kinetic model
Authors: Selivanov Vitaly A. , Zagubnaya Olga A. , Nartsissov Yaroslav R. , Cascante Marta
Published: August 2021

Glutamate plays diverse roles in neuronal cells, affecting cell energetics and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. These roles are especially vital for neuronal cells, which deal with high amounts of glutamate as a neurotransmitter. Our analysis explored neuronal glutamate implication in cellular energy metabolism and ROS generation, using a kinetic model that simulates electron transport details in respiratory complexes, linked ROS generation and metabolic reactions. The analysis focused on the fact that glutamate attenuates complex II inhibition by oxaloacetate, stimulating the latter’s transformation into aspartate. Such a mechanism of complex II activation by glutamate could cause almost complete reduction of ubiquinone and deficiency of oxidized form (Q), which closes the main stream of electron transport and opens a way to massive ROS generating transfer in complex III from semiquinone radicals to molecular oxygen. In this way, under low workload, glutamate triggers the respiratory chain (RC) into a different steady state characterized by high ROS generation rate. The observed stepwise dependence of ROS generation on glutamate concentration experimentally validated this prediction. However, glutamate’s attenuation of oxaloacetate’s inhibition accelerates electron transport under high workload. Glutamate-oxaloacetate interaction in complex II regulation underlies the observed effects of uncouplers and inhibitors and acceleration of Ca2+uptake. Thus, this theoretical analysis uncovered the previously unknown roles of oxaloacetate as a regulator of ROS generation and glutamate as a modifier of this regulation. The model predicted that this mechanism of complex II activation by glutamate might be operativein situand responsible for excitotoxicity. Spatial-time gradients of synthesized hydrogen peroxide concentration, calculated in the reaction-diffusion model with convection under a non-uniform local approximation of nervous tissue, have shown that overproduction of H2O2in a cell causes excess of its level in neighbor cells.
How relevant for you is to be a moral person? Polish validation of the Self-Importance of Moral Identity Scale
Authors: Paruzel-Czachura Mariola , Blukacz Mateusz
Published: August 2021

Objective

The Self-Importance of Moral Identity Scale (SMIS) was developed by Aquino and Reeds with the purpose of measuring how people evaluate their private (Internalization subscale) and public (Symbolization subscale) moral identity. SMIS has become commonly and broadly used in many studies. The aim of this paper is to validate the Polish version of SMIS by analyzing its structure and relation to similar measures (such as The Moral Self-Concept Scale developed by Stake and The Moral Self-Image Scale created by Jordan, Leliveld and Tenbrunsel), declared past prosocial behaviors and readiness to donate money.

Methods

The translation-back-translation procedure was used to maintain semantic, idiomatic, and conceptual equivalence of the original scale. Throughout four separate studies the psychometric properties of the Polish version of the scale were assessed: Study 1 (N = 529) was carried out to derive the factor structure using the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and cross-validate it; Study 2 (N = 602) and Study 3 (N = 899) were performed to confirm and replicate the structure with the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA); gender-balanced Study 4 (N = 862) was conducted to assess measurement invariance over gender using multigroup CFA, and to normalize the scale. Validity of the scale was assessed based on each study.

Results

A stable two-factor structure using 10 items was replicated in four different samples. The results showed that reliability (α) was between 0.71 and 0.81 for Internalization, and 0.76 and 0.81 for Symbolization. Validity was confirmed in terms of the expected pattern of correlations with morality measures and factorial structure. Metric invariance across gender was confirmed with possible exception of factor loadings on two items regarding communication of values. Polish normalization for men and women was constructed.

Conclusions

Polish validation of SMIS proved to be a structurally consistent and valid measure.
Prevalence and risk factors for antimicrobial resistance among newborns with gram-negative sepsis
Authors: Solomon Semaria , Akeju Oluwasefunmi , Odumade Oludare A. , Ambachew Rozina , Gebreyohannes Zenebe , Van Wickle Kimi , Abayneh Mahlet , Metaferia Gesit , Carvalho Maria J. , Thomson Kathryn , Sands Kirsty , Walsh Timothy R. , Milton Rebecca , Goddard Frederick G. B. , Bekele Delayehu , Chan Grace J.
Published: August 2021

Introduction

Newborn sepsis accounts for more than a third of neonatal deaths globally and one in five neonatal deaths in Ethiopia. The first-line treatment recommended by WHO is the combination of gentamicin with ampicillin or benzylpenicillin. Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) are increasingly resistant to previously effective antibiotics.

Objectives

Our goal was to estimate the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant gram-negative bacteremia and identify risk factors for antibiotic resistance, among newborns with GNB sepsis.

Methods

At a tertiary hospital in Ethiopia, we enrolled a cohort pregnant women and their newborns, between March and December 2017. Newborns who were followed up until 60 days of life for clinical signs of sepsis. Among the newborns with clinical signs of sepsis, blood samples were cultured; bacterial species were identified and tested for antibiotic susceptibility. We described the prevalence of antibiotic resistance, identified newborn, maternal, and environmental factors associated with multidrug resistance (MDR), and combined resistance to ampicillin and gentamicin (AmpGen), using multivariable regression.

Results

Of the 119 newborns with gram-negative bacteremia, 80 (67%) were born preterm and 82 (70%) had early-onset sepsis. The most prevalent gram-negative species were Klebsiella pneumoniae 94 (79%) followed by Escherichia coli 10 (8%). Ampicillin resistance was found in 113 cases (95%), cefotaxime 104 (87%), gentamicin 101 (85%), AmpGen 101 (85%), piperacillin-tazobactam 47 (39%), amikacin 10 (8.4%), and Imipenem 1 (0.8%). Prevalence of MDR was 88% (n = 105). Low birthweight and late-onset sepsis (LOS) were associated with higher risks of AmpGen-resistant infections. All-cause mortality was higher among newborns treated with ineffective antibiotics.

Conclusion

There was significant resistance to current first-line antibiotics and cephalosporins. Additional data are needed from primary care and community settings. Amikacin and piperacillin-tazobactam had lower rates of resistance; however, context-specific assessments of their potential adverse effects, their local availability, and cost-effectiveness would be necessary before selecting a new first-line regimen to help guide clinical decision-making.
Excess mortality due to Covid-19? A comparison of total mortality in 2020 with total mortality in 2016 to 2019 in Germany, Sweden and Spain
Authors: Kowall Bernd , Standl Fabian , Oesterling Florian , Brune Bastian , Brinkmann Marcus , Dudda Marcel , Pflaumer Peter , Jöckel Karl-Heinz , Stang Andreas
Published: August 2021

Introduction

Excess mortality is a suitable indicator of health consequences of COVID-19 because death from any cause is clearly defined contrary to death from Covid-19. We compared the overall mortality in 2020 with the overall mortality in 2016 to 2019 in Germany, Sweden and Spain. Contrary to other studies, we also took the demographic development between 2016 and 2020 and increasing life expectancy into account.

Methods

Using death and population figures from the EUROSTAT database, we estimated weekly and cumulative Standardized Mortality Ratios (SMR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the year 2020. We applied two approaches to calculate weekly numbers of death expected in 2020: first, we used mean weekly mortality rates from 2016 to 2019 as expected mortality rates for 2020, and, second, to consider increasing life expectancy, we calculated expected mortality rates for 2020 by extrapolation from mortality rates from 2016 to 2019.

Results

In the first approach, the cumulative SMRs show that in Germany and Sweden there was no or little excess mortality in 2020 (SMR = 0.976 (95% CI: 0.974–0.978), and 1.030 (1.023–1.036), respectively), while in Spain the excess mortality was 14.8% (1.148 (1.144–1.151)). In the second approach, the corresponding SMRs for Germany and Sweden increased to 1.009 (1.007–1.011) and 1.083 (1.076–1.090), respectively, whereas results for Spain were virtually unchanged.

Conclusion

In 2020, there was barely any excess mortality in Germany for both approaches. In Sweden, excess mortality was 3% without, and 8% with consideration of increasing life expectancy.
SuMO-Fil: Supervised multi-omic filtering prior to performing network analysis
Authors: Towle-Miller Lorin M. , Miecznikowski Jeffrey C. , Zhang Fan , Tritchler David L.
Published: August 2021

Multi-omic analyses that integrate many high-dimensional datasets often present significant deficiencies in statistical power and require time consuming computations to execute the analytical methods. We present SuMO-Fil to remedy against these issues which is a pre-processing method for Supervised Multi-Omic Filtering that removes variables or features considered to be irrelevant noise. SuMO-Fil is intended to be performed prior to downstream analyses that detect supervised gene networks in sparse settings. We accomplish this by implementing variable filters based on low similarity across the datasets in conjunction with low similarity with the outcome. This approach can improve accuracy, as well as reduce run times for a variety of computationally expensive downstream analyses. This method has applications in a setting where the downstream analysis may include sparse canonical correlation analysis. Filtering methods specifically for cluster and network analysis are introduced and compared by simulating modular networks with known statistical properties. The SuMO-Fil method performs favorably by eliminating non-network features while maintaining important biological signal under a variety of different signal settings as compared to popular filtering techniques based on low means or low variances. We show that the speed and accuracy of methods such as supervised sparse canonical correlation are increased after using SuMO-Fil, thus greatly improving the scalability of these approaches.
Parent reports of children’s emotional and behavioral problems in a low- and middle- income country (LMIC): An epidemiological study of Nepali schoolchildren
Authors: Ma Jasmine , Mahat Pashupati , Brøndbo Per Håkan , Handegård Bjørn H. , Kvernmo Siv , Javo Anne Cecilie
Published: August 2021

Background

As epidemiological data on child mental health in low- and middle-income countries are limited, a large-scale survey was undertaken to estimate the prevalence and amount of child emotional and behavioral problems (EBP) in Nepal as reported by the parents.

Methods

3820 schoolchildren aged 6–18 years were selected from 16 districts of the three geographical regions of Nepal, including rural, semi-urban and urban areas. We used the Nepali version of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL)/6-18 years as screening instrument. Comparisons of child problems between genders and between the seven largest castes and ethnic groups were carried out by analysis of variance. Prevalence was computed based on American norms.

Results

Adjusted prevalence of Total Problems was 18.3% (boys: 19.1%; girls:17.6%). The prevalence of internalizing problems was higher than externalizing problems. The mean scores of Total, Externalizing, and Internalizing problems were 29.7 (SD 25.6), 7.7 (SD 8.0), and 9.1 (SD 8.1), respectively. The Khas Kaami (Dalit) group scored the highest, and the indigenous Tharu group scored the lowest on all scales. In the Mountains and Middle Hills regions, problem scores were higher in the rural areas, whereas in the Tarai region, they were higher in the urban areas.

Conclusion

The prevalence and magnitude of emotional and behavioral problems in Nepali children were found to be high compared to findings in meta-analyses worldwide. Problem scores varied according to gender, castes /ethnic groups, and living areas. Our findings highlight the need for a stronger focus on child mental problems in a low-and middle-income country like Nepal.
Overweight, obesity, and thinness among a nationally representative sample of Norwegian adolescents and changes from childhood: Associations with sex, region, and population density
Authors: Øvrebø Bente , Bergh Ingunn H. , Stea Tonje H. , Bere Elling , Surén Pål , Magnus Per M. , Juliusson Petur B. , Wills Andrew K.
Published: August 2021

Objective

To estimate the prevalence of overweight, obesity, and thinness among Norwegian 13-year-olds and the changes from childhood (age 8 years) to adolescence (age 13 years); and to explore associations with sex, region, and population density from childhood to adolescence.

Design

We used longitudinal, anthropometric data collected by school health nurses conducted in Norway. Weight status was classified according to the International Obesity Task Force cut-offs for overweight, obesity, and thinness, and according to mean body mass index (kg/m2).

Participants

The Norwegian Youth Growth Study, consisting of a nationally representative sample of Norwegian 13-year-olds (n = 1852; 50.7% girls), which is a part of The Norwegian Growth Cohort.

Results

Among 13-year-old Norwegians, the prevalence of overweight (including obesity), obesity, and thinness was 15.8%, 2.5%, and 7.3%, respectively. There was little evidence that these had changed from 8 to 13 years. From 8 to 13 years, the odds of obesity was highest in the Northern region of Norway compared to the South-East (odds ratio (OR): 3.78 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.13, 12.65; p = 0.036) and in rural areas (OR: 4.76 (95% CI: 1.52, 14.90; p = 0.027). Over the same age period, girls had a trend towards a higher odds of thinness compared to boys (OR: 1.65 (95% CI: 0.98, 2.78; p = 0.057).

Conclusions

In Norway, the prevalence of overweight, obesity, and thinness among 13-year-olds seem to be established by age 8 years. The prevalence of obesity was higher in the North and in rural areas. The results indicate the continued need for early prevention and treatment, and targeted interventions to certain areas.
Gender division and television consumption in Kazakhstan
Authors: Ashimova Aitolkyn , Sultanbayeva Gulmira , Kendirbai Gulnar , Kertayev Rinat , Lozhnikova Olga
Published: August 2021

Television has remained the most prominent and influential form of the Kazakhstani mass media. According to the results of the study under consideration, 98 per cent of all households in the country have at least one television set. In this study, the author analyses data collected during a survey of the Kazakhstani population to assess gender differences relating to their habits of watching TV programmes to estimate levels of their TV consumption and their relationship to television in general. The collected data set also contained information about other related factors such as the administrative status of respondents (rural and urban), their age and occupation in order to identify a more nuanced profile of an average Kazakhstani television viewer.