bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gas-Cycling Enhanced Oil Recovery in Liquids-Rich Production
Authors: Thomas F. Brent , Piwowar Michael , Zhang Hongmei , Gibb William
Published: August 2019

Gas cycling enhanced oil recovery (GCEOR) is under intense investigation. A novel experimental procedure was developed to quantify the parameters that affect GCEOR performance. Porous media, exhibiting in-situ liquid permeability from 200 nD to 2 µD, were evaluated for GCEOR upside. The influence of cycling pressure, injection gas composition, soak time and level of primary depletion before initiation of GCEOR were measured.

The innovative experimental design for core-flow testing permitted the quantification of GCEOR using large lab-scale hydrocarbon pore volumes (HCPV). The unique experimental design allowed nano-darcy media to be tested using a time line comparable to conventional millidarcy media. Two dominant flow regimes were incorporated: matrix mass transfer into the fracture and flow within the fracture. Three mechanisms for EOR are described: extraction, swelling, and reduction of interfacial tension. Full reservoir conditions were reproduced and primary depletion followed by huff and puff GCEOR were evaluated, while changing the design parameters listed above. This work was performed on diverse oil and rock properties.

More than 30 primary depletion tests followed by GCEOR have been conducted. The effects of cycling pressure, injection gas composition, soak time, level of primary depletion before GCEOR, and other parameters were investigated. Due to large HCPV, good mass balance was maintained and sufficient fluids were produced, as a function of cycle number (huff and puff), in order to be able to measure effluent gas and liquid compositions and densities from each cycle along with the recovery of original oil in place (OOIP). All testing was done in order to quantify the relative benefit of huff and puff GCEOR compared to primary depletion recovery. Results indicate that recovery of OOIP can be more than doubled by implementing GCEOR: cycling pressure should be optimized (highest pressure does not necessarily perform the best); soak time/ huff time may compensate for non-optimal pressure operation; injection-gas composition can impact performance; gas utilization values are low compared to conventional continuous gas injection projects; less depletion before GCEOR initiation can accelerate recovery and can access residual oil that was not produced at higher levels of primary depletion.
The Impact of Cluster Spacing on Multi-Fractured Well Performance
Authors: Chen Rongqiang , Xue Xu , Datta-Gupta Akhil , Yu Henry , Kalyanaraman Nishkriya
Published: August 2019

A major outstanding challenge in developing unconventional wells is determining the optimal cluster spacing. The spacing between perforation clusters influences hydraulic fracture geometry, drainage volume, production rates, and the estimated ultimate recovery (EUR) of a well. This paper systematically examines the impact of cluster spacing in the Eagle Ford shale wells by calibrating fracture geometry and fracture/reservoir properties using field injection and production data and evaluating the optimal cluster spacing under different reservoir conditions.

We explore a sequential technique to evaluate and optimize cluster spacing using a controlled field test at the Eagle Ford field. This study first identifies the fracture geometry by history matching the field injection treatment pressure. Using the rapid Fast Marching Method based flow simulation and Pareto-based multi-objective history matching, we match the well drainage volume and the cumulative production to calibrate the fracture and SRV properties. The impact of cluster spacing on the EUR are examined using the calibrated models. We run injection and production forecasts for various cluster spacing to investigate optimal completion under different reservoir conditions.

The unique set of injection and production data used for this study includes two horizontal wells completed side by side. The well with tighter cluster spacing has larger drainage volume and better production performance. This is because of the increased fracture complexity in spite of the impact of stress shadow effects leading to shorter fractures. The calibrated models suggest that most of the fractures are planar in the Eagle Ford shale. The well with wider cluster spacing tends to develop longer fractures but the well with tighter cluster spacing has better stimulated reservoir volume with enhanced permeability, thus resulting in better drainage volume and production performance. From the optimization runs under different reservoir conditions, our results seem to indicate that when natural fractures are present or when stress anisotropy is high with no natural fractures, the wells with tighter cluster spacing tend to outperform the wells with wider cluster spacing. However, severe stress shadow effect is observed when stress anisotropy is low with no natural fractures, likely making tighter cluster spacing wells less favorable.

The calibrated fracture geometries and properties with a unique set of Eagle Ford field data explain the performance variation for completions using different cluster spacing within the reservoir and provides insight into optimal cluster spacing under different reservoir conditions (low vs high stress anisotropy and with/without natural fractures).
Analysis of Interference between Sequential Fractures in Multistage and Multipad Hydraulic Fracturing
Authors: Lopez Manriquez Alberto
Published: August 2019

Reservoir pressure and stress behaviors are simulated during elapsed time between sequential fractures in multistage and multipad hydraulic fracturing scenarios to analyze interference between fractures and to manage potential fracture given interactions. Commonly current implemented completion techniques such as conventional sequential fracturing (CSF) and modified zipper fracturing (MZF) are investigated. Finite element analysis is implemented to simulate time dependent post-fracture behavior of formation pore pressure distribution and stress magnitude in multistage and multipad fracturing jobs in horizontal wellbores. A coupled stress-displacement to hydraulic diffusivity modeling technique was implemented to estimate formation pore pressure distribution and to account for the effective in-situ stresses in the near fracture region. Governing equations, methodology, and boundary conditions are provided in detail to allow readers to implement of this technique.

Completion techniques rely on the principle of elapsed time between consecutive fractures as a mean to minimize interference between fractures optimizing resources at the same time. Post-fracture reservoir pressure and stress time-dependent behaviors within the stress shadow area are discussed. These parameters are computed at several observation points inside the reservoir such as at the tip of the fracture, away of the fracture, and at the parent horizontal wellbore. This analysis provides unique insight of scenarios occurring during sequential fracturing jobs. Permeability of rock matrix is a controlling factor of the diffusion processes occurring post-fracture. It was found that unconventional shales exhibiting extremely low permeability values show low diffusion of hydraulic fracturing fluids from the induced fracture to the formation. For this reason, disappearance of stress shadow effects in the near induced fractures region are not being allowed during elapsed times between sequential stages executed in the named completion techniques. These findings are relevant because inadequate management of elapsed time does not favor the subsequent induced fractures to grow parallel to the previous one due to changes of direction of stresses. When interference becomes critical, the phenomenon identified as "Frac-Hits" can also be predicted; therefore, managed using this tool.
Calibration of the Water Flowback in Unconventional Reservoirs with Complex Fractures using Embedded Discrete Fracture Model EDFM
Authors: Rey Alvaro , Schembre Josephina , Wen Xian-Huan
Published: August 2019

Modelling fracture systems where fracture mechanics and fluid flow are consistent, constitutes an essential part for predicting the performance of shale oil and gas operations. One of the challenges in these complex systems is the reconciliation of volumes of injected water during fracturing, hydraulic fracture volume and the water flowback after the well is open to production. Achieving consistency becomes even more challenging given the interdependence of multiple sources of uncertainty.

We propose a workflow that uses multiple sources of observed operational data, such as volume of water injected and produced, static pressure, soaking time and saturation logs, to calibrate a static model representing the fracture volume and rates of water imbibed into the matrix. The soaking period is modeled using Embedded Discrete Fracture Model (EDFM) that honors the fracture geometry generated by a commercial software based on unconventional fracture model (UFM). The allocation of water imbibed into the matrix during the soaking period uses imbibition capillary pressure from 3D numerical models.

After applying the proposed methodology to calibrate stimulated shale oil reservoir in a multi well pad, we can assess the relative impact of fracture complexity compared to capillary dominated flow. Additionally, we can perform sensitivities on impact of the water retained in the fracture volume and matrix, respectively. Finally, the methodology showed that we can use the imbibition capillarity to explain and reconcile water losses during the soaking period. This information is of key importance while deciding the value of the flowback rates as input during calibration of hydraulic fracture area and quality of the stimulation procedure. Extended applications of this workflow include performance assessment of gas entrapment and evaluation of EOR operations in unconventional systems.

We propose a methodology based on the hypothesis of capillary imbibition mechanism to explain and capture the volume of injected water that does not return during hydrocarbon production. This workflow, well suited for realistic complex Hydraulic Fracture Networks (HFNs) consisting of millions of fractures planes, enables calibration of fracturing fluids and water flowback while assessing the effect of the spontaneous imbibition.
A Semi-Analytical Boundary Element Method to Modeling and Simulation of Fluid-Driven Single/Multi Fractures in Reservoirs
Authors: Paknia Farzin , Ghassemi Ahmad , PourNik Maysam
Published: August 2019

The major goal to propose the semi-analytical method is to model/simulate hydraulic fracturing process based on closed form solution of a Theory of Elasticity problem. The analysis results for a Single-Fracture case is going to be compared to well-known resolved problem to show the performance of the proposed method. However, for the case of Multi-Fracture, some findings and outcomes are being addressed. Unlike well-known methods such as PKN or KGD, which rely on some simplifying assumptions (such as the elliptical cross-section of the fractures) our proposed method attempts to model and simulate the process numerically in 3D form which is more realistic and versatile. Several numerical methods have been proposed by industry scholars such as BEM and FEM which comprise very complicated numerical integrations and, hence, involve computational resources dramatically. Our proposed method utilizes a closed form Elasticity Problem to reduce the volume of numerical integrations and produce satisfactory results in much less amount of time. The formulation computes displacements and displacement derivatives. After computer codes were designed and developed to implement the proposed semi-analytical Method, which is a simplified form of Boundary Element Method (BEM), the results are compared to a benchmark example previously published in research papers both numerically and graphically. The computer code is capable to analyze pressurized penny-shaped fractures and compute displacement and displacement derivative fields. By acquiring these values in generated grid nodes in the domain, Cauchy strains and stresses can be obtained. By all the stress components at grid nodes, principal stress values and directions, and therefore, maximum shear stress and direction can be computed. After that, the computer code has to be verified and validated by comparison of results and well-known resolved examples. The examples are, but not limited to, Okada problems published in 1985 and 1992. The other Problem is pressurized Penny-Shaped horizontal fracture which is called Fialko Model. The comparisons show the validity of the proposed method. The boundary element formulation in this method is an exact solution and generates exact values for displacements, displacement derivatives and stress fields and does not need numerical integration. However, since hydraulic fractures of any shape and geometry are being discretized by proposed Boundary Element, the final outputs will be approximated results. This method, which is going to be shown, is much faster than other numerical methods.
Genetic deletion of Sphk2 confers protection against Pseudomonas aeruginosa mediated differential expression of genes related to virulent infection and inflammation in mouse lung
Authors: Ebenezer David Lenin , Fu Panfeng , Krishnan Yashaswin , Maienschein-Cline Mark , Hu Hong , Jung Segun , Madduri Ravi , Arbieva Zarema , Harijith Anantha , Natarajan Viswanathan
Published: August 2019

BACKGROUND
Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is an opportunistic Gram-negative bacteria that causes serious life threatening and nosocomial infections including pneumonia. PA has the ability to alter host genome to facilitate its invasion thus increasing the virulence of the organism. Sphingosine-1 phosphate (S1P), a bioactive lipid is known to play a key role in facilitating infection. Sphingosine kinases (SPHK)1&2 phosphorylate sphingosine to generate S1P in mammalian cells. We reported earlier that Sphk2-/- mice offered significant protection against lung inflammation, compared to wild type (WT) animals. Therefore, we profiled the differential expression of genes between the protected group of Sphk2-/- and the wild type controls to better understand the underlying protective mechanisms Sphk2 deletion in lung inflammatory injury. Whole transcriptome shotgun sequencing (RNA seq) was performed on mouse lung tissue using NextSeq 500 sequencing system.
RESULTS: Two-way ANOVA analysis was performed and differentially expressed genes following PA infection were identified using whole transcriptome of Sphk2-/- mice and their wild WT counterparts. Pathway (PW) enrichment analyses of the RNA seq data identified several signaling pathways that are likely to play a crucial role in pneumonia caused by PA such as those involved in: 1. Immune response to PA infection and NF-κB signal transduction; 2. PKC signal transduction; 3. Impact on epigenetic regulation; 4. Epithelial sodium channel pathway; 5. Mucin expression; and 6. Bacterial infection related pathways.
Our data clearly suggests a role for SPHK2 in PA-induced pneumonia through elevated expression of inflammatory genes in lung tissue. Further, validation by RT-PCR on 10 differentially expressed genes showed 100% concordance in terms of vectoral changes, and 70% of genes showed concordance for significant fold change.
CONCLUSION: Using Sphk2-/- mice and differential gene expression analysis, we have shown here that S1P/SPHK2 signaling plays a key role in promoting PA pneumonia. The identified genes promote inflammation, and suppress others that naturally inhibit inflammation and host defense. We therefore propose a key role for SPHK2/S1P signaling in PA-induced lung inflammation, and could serve as a potential therapeutic target to combat PA-induced pneumonia.
Initial assessment of femoral proximal fracture and acute hip arthritis using pocket-sized ultrasound: A prospective observational study in a primary care setting in Japan
Authors: Akimoto Takashi , Kobayashi Tadashi , Maita Hiroki , Osawa Hiroshi , Kato Hiroyuki
Published: August 2019

Background

Acute hip pain caused by femoral proximal fractures or acute hip arthritis requires imaging for accurate diagnosis. Although pocket-sized ultrasound (PsUS) offers several advantages over other imaging modalities, there is limited information regarding its use in diagnosing femoral proximal fractures or acute hip arthritis. Thus, we aimed to validate the diagnostic accuracy of PsUS for both disorders.

Methods

In this prospective observational study, outpatients with acute hip pain were diagnosed according to a fixed procedure of the PsUS probe handling. We verified the diagnostic accuracy of PsUS findings (cortical discontinuity and joint fluid retention) and compared it with that of radiography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging.

Results

Our study included 52 outpatients (mean age, 78.0 years; female, 88.5%). Of 26 patients diagnosed with femoral proximal fractures, 14 had femoral neck fractures and 12 had femoral trochanteric fractures. Six patients had arthritis. The sensitivity and specificity for identifying cortical discontinuity in femoral proximal fractures were 0.96 and 0.92, respectively, and those for identifying joint fluid retention in acute hip arthritis were 1.00 and 0.65, respectively. The sensitivity for identifying either cortical discontinuity or joint fluid retention in femoral proximal fractures or acute hip arthritis was 0.97.

Conclusions

Negative PsUS findings of cortical discontinuity and joint fluid retention in the hip are useful for ruling out femoral proximal fractures and acute hip arthritis. PsUS and radiography have comparable diagnostic accuracies, and PsUS could aid in the initial assessment of acute hip pain among the elderly in primary care settings.
Efficacy and safety of PDE5 inhibitors in the treatment of diabetes mellitus erectile dysfunction: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Li Xiao , Zhao Qi , Wang Jingshang , Wang Jisheng , Dai Hengheng , Li Yanfeng , Chen Fei , Wang Bin , Li Haisong
Published: August 2019

ABSTRACT
Background: To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of the PDE5 inhibitors in patients with diabetes mellitus erectile dysfunction (DMED).
Methods:Random control trials (RCTs) in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane library, ClinicalTrials, China Knowledge Network (CNKI), Weipu Chinese Science and Technology Journal Full-text Database (VIP), Wanfang Data Resource System (WANFANG) were searched. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted the data and checked the results, and used the risk assessment tool to conduct a methodological quality assessment, and finally conducted a meta-analysis. The primary outcome, the erectile function scores of the International Index of Erectile Dysfunction (IIEF-EF), was recorded, while secondary outcomes (IIEF-Q3, IIEF-Q4, SEP 2 and 3, GAQ) and safety outcomes also needed attention.
Results: Twelve studies included 3,124 patients and six PDE5 inhibitors were included. Compared with placebo, PDE5 inhibitors significantly improved male erectile function in IIEF-EF (WMD = 5.73; 95% CI: 3.62 to 7.84), IIEF-Q3 (WMD = 1.14; 95% CI: 0.87 to 1.40), IIEF-Q4 (WMD=1.28; 95% CI: 1.04 to 1.51), SEP2 (WMD=21.24; 95% CI: 15.50 to 26.98), SEP3 (WMD=25.77; 95% CI: 18.78 to 32.77), GAQ (RR) =2.98; 95% CI: 2.06 to 4.32), and with the safety (WMD=5.73; 95% CI: 3.62 to 7.84).
Conclusions: PDE5 inhibitors can significantly improve the patient's erectile function, but cannot ignore their side effects.
Landscape and evolution of cis- and trans-regulation in chicken genome between two contrasted breeds analyzed in three tissues at one day of age
Authors: Wang Qiong , Jia Yaxiong , Wang Yuan , Jiang Zhihua , Zhou Xiang , Zhang Zebin , Nie Changsheng , Li Junying , Yang Ning , Qu Lujiang
Published: August 2019

Background

Gene expression variation is an important mechanism underlying phenotypic variation, and can occur via cis- and trans-regulation. In order to understand the role of cis- and trans-regulatory variation on population divergence of chicken, we developed reciprocal crosses of two chicken breeds, White Leghorn and Cornish Game, with major differences in size and reproductive traits, and used them to identify the degree of cis versus trans variation in brain, liver and muscle of both male and female samples at 1-day age.

Results

We provided a landscape about how the transcriptomes are regulated between two contrasted breeds by allele specific expression analysis. Our results showed that compared with the cis-regulated genes, trans-acted genes existed more extensively in the chicken genome. Furthermore, a widespread compensatory tendency exists in chicken genome. Most importantly, we found the evidence of stronger purifying selection for trans-regulatory variation than the cis-elements.

Conclusions

Our research performed the first study to describe the transcriptome regulation between White Leghorn and Cornish Game breeds and suggests that artificial selection associated with domestication in chicken may have more often acted on trans-regulatory variation.
Analysis of Affecting Factors on Patient Safety Culture in Public and Private Hospitals in Iran
Authors: Khoshakhlagh Amir Hossein , Khatooni Elham , Akbarzadeh Isa , Yazdanirad Saeid , Sheidaei Ali
Published: August 2019

Background: Patient safety culture is one of the main components of the quality of health services and is one of the main priorities of health studies. Considering the importance of this issue, this study aimed to determine and compare the views of health care staff on the patients’ safety culture and impact of effective factors on patient safety culture in public and private hospitals in Tehran, Iran.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on a sample of 1203 health care workers employed in three public and three private hospitals in Tehran, Iran. Stratified random sampling was used in this study. Data were collected using maslach burnout inventory and patient safety culture questionnaire (HSOPSC). IBM SPSS v22 and Amos v23 were used to perform path analysis.
Results: 867 (72.57%) females and 747 (27.43%) males with a mean age of 33.88 ± 7.66 were included. The average percentage of positive responses to safety culture questionnaire in public and private hospitals was 65.5% and 58.3%, respectively. The strengths of patient safety culture in public hospitals were in three dimensions including non-punitive response to errors (80%), organizational learning—continuous improvement (79.77%), and overall perceptions of patient safety (79.77%), and in private hospitals, were three dimensions including non-punitive responses to errors (71.41%), organizational learning—continuous improvement (69.24%), and teamwork within units (62.35%). The type of hospital and work-shift hours had an effect on the burnout and patient safety questionnaire scores (P-value <0.05). The path analysis results indicate the fitness of the proposed model (RMSEA= 0.024). The results showed a negative impact of work shift (β= -0.791), occupational burnout (β= -0.554) and hospital type (β= -0.147) on the observance of patient safety culture.
Conclusion: providing feedback on errors and requirements for the frequent incident reporting, and patient information exchange seem necessary to promote the patient's safety culture. Also, considering the negative impact of the shift work and burnout on patient safety culture, by planning and managing these factors appropriately, correct actions could be designed to improve the safety culture.
Reduced flow in the left ventricular apex after anterior acute myocardial infarction: a case control study using 4D flow MRI
Authors: Corrado Philip A , Macdonald Jacob A. , Francois Christopher J. , Aggarwal Niti R. , Weinsaft Jonathan W. , Wieben Oliver
Published: August 2019

Purpose

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) alters left ventricular (LV) hemodynamics, resulting in decreased global LV ejection fraction and global LV kinetic energy. We hypothesize that anterior AMI effects localized alterations in LV flow and developed a regional approach to analyze these local changes with 4D flow MRI.

Materials and Methods

4D flow cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) data was compared between 12 anterior AMI patients (11 males; 66±12yo; prospectively acquired in 2016-2017) and 19 healthy volunteers (10 males; 40±16yo; retrospective from 2010-2011 study). The LV cavity was contoured on short axis cine steady-state free procession CMR and partitioned into three regions: base, mid-ventricle, and apex. 4D flow data was registered to the short axis segmentation. Peak systolic and diastolic through-plane flows were compared region-by-region between groups using linear models of flow with age, sex, and heart rate as covariates.

Results

Peak systolic flow was reduced in anterior AMI subjects compared to controls in the LV mid-ventricle (fitted reduction = 3.9 L/min; P=0.01) and apex (fitted reduction = 1.4 L/min; P=0.02). Peak diastolic flow was also lower in anterior AMI subjects compared to controls in the apex (fitted reduction = 2.4 L/min; P=0.01).

Conclusion

A regional method to analyze 4D LV flow data was applied in anterior AMI patients and controls. Anterior AMI patients had reduced flow, particularly in the LV apex, relative to controls.
A novel SPTB gene mutation in neonatal hereditary spherocytosis: a case report and literature review
Authors: Liu Yang , Song Li , Shu Jianbo , Fang Yulian , Sun Chao , Li Na , Liu Geli
Published: August 2019

Background: To enhance our understanding on the diagnosis and treatment of neonatal hereditary spherocytosis (HS).
Methods: We summarized the clinical data and gene test results of a neonatal HS caused by a new mutation of SPTB gene. Meanwhile, a comprehensive literature review was performed. Gene sequencing and analysis was carried out for the crucial splicing signals on the exons and introns of the 302 known pathogenic genes (e.g. ANK1, SPTA1, EPB42, SLC4A1 and SPTB) associated with the genetic deficiency of erythrocyte.
Results: A 26-day-old girl presented jaundice, anemia, an increased count in peripheral blood reticulocyte and spherocyte, as well as positive findings in the acidified glycerol hemolysis test. Gene sequencing revealed a new mutation of c.3737delA P. (Lys1246fs) in the exon 16 of SPTB (14q23 | NM_000347.5) gene in the patient and her father. The mutation was a frame-shifting mutation, which may result in truncation of beta-haemoglobin in erythrocyte membrane and loss of its normal function, leading to the occurrence of diseases.
Conclusion: For the neonates with jaundice and anemia, family history, erythrocyte index and peripheral blood smear findings contributed to the diagnosis of HS. Gene sequencing is helpful for the diagnosis. We identified a novel mutation of SPTB gene, which may be pathogenic through modulating the activity of β-spectrin in the erythrocyte membrane.
Systematical identifications of prognostic meaningful lung adenocarcinoma subtypes and the underlying mutational and expressional characters
Authors: Lei Ting , Lv Zhenyang
Published: August 2019

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is one of the most common cancer types. However, the high heterogeneity and complexity of LUAD hinder effective treatments. This study aimed to identify the key prognosis impacting genes and the corresponding subtypes for LUAD. Specifically, the cox proportional hazards model was combined with a causal regulatory network to help reveal which genes play master roles among numerous prognosis impacting genes, and sub-types were identified based on expressional profiles of the master genes. As results, a collection of 75 genes were recognized as the master prognosis impacting genes, where some were enriched in mTOR signaling and lysosome pathways. Based on their expressions, the LUAD patients were separated into two sub-types displaying remarkable differences in expressional profiles, prognostic outcomes and genomic mutations. Meanwhile, the two subtypes were re-discovered from two additional LUAD cohorts based on only the top-10 important master genes. This study provides a comprehensive description on the key prognosis-relevant genes and an alternative way to classify LUAD subtypes which can promote LUAD precision treatment.
Cognitive Effort-Avoidance in Patients with Schizophrenia Can Reflect Amotivation: An event-related potential Study
Authors: Lin YX , Zhang LiJun , Ying Liang , zhou qiang
Published: August 2019

Background: Amotivation is regarded as a core negative symptom in patients with schizophrenia. There are currently no objective methods for assessing and measuring amotivation in the scientific literature, only a trend towards assessing motivation using effort-orientated, decision-making tasks. However, it remains inconclusive as to whether cognitive effort-avoidance in patients with schizophrenia can reflect their amotivation. Therefore, this study aimed to find out whether cognitive effort-avoidance in patients with schizophrenia can reflect their amotivation.
Methods: In total, 28 patients with schizophrenia and 27 healthy controls were selected as participants. The demand selection task (DST) was adapted according to the feedback-based Guilty Knowledge Test (GKT) delayed response paradigm, which was combined with the mean amplitude of contingent negative variation (CNV), considered as the criterion of motivation.
Results: Our results showed that: (1) patients with schizophrenia showed a lower CNV amplitude for the target stimuli compared to the probe stimuli, whereas the control group showed the opposite trend (P<0.05); (2) among patients with schizophrenia, the high cognitive effort-avoidance group showed a smaller CNV amplitude for the target stimuli compared to the probe stimuli, whereas the low cognitive effort avoidance group showed a higher CNV amplitude for the target stimuli compared to the probe stimuli; the opposite trend was observed in the control group (P<0.05).
Conclusion: These findings support the claim that CNV amplitude can be used as a criterion for detecting amotivation in patients with schizophrenia. Within the context of the DST, the high and low cognitive effort-avoidance of patients with schizophrenia can reflect their state of amotivation; patients with high cognitive effort-avoidance showed severe amotivation.
Effects of nitrogen deposition and phosphorus addition on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi of Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata)
Authors: Lin Chuyu , Wang Yaoxiong , Liu Meihua , Li Quan , Xiao Wenfa , Song Xinzhang
Published: August 2019

Background

Nitrogen (N) deposition is a key factor that affects terrestrial biogeochemical cycles with a growing trend, especially in the southeast region of China, where shortage of available phosphorus (P) is particularly acute and P has become a major factor limiting plant growth and productivity. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) establish a mutualistic symbiosis with plants, and play an important role in enhancing plant stress resistance. However, the response of AMF to the combined effects of N deposition and P additions is poorly understood.

Results

Our results showed that N deposition significantly increased AMF root colonization rates and spore density, but inhibited both symbiotic relationship and spore propagation. In N-free plots, P addition significantly increased AMF root colonization rates, but did not significantly alter spore density. In low-N plots, AMF root colonization rates significantly decreased under low P addition, but significantly increased under high P addition, and spore density exhibited a significant decline under both low and high P additions. In high-N plots, AMF root colonization rates and spore density significantly increased under P additions. In general, AMF were closely related to the relative content of N and P in the soil. Interactive effects of simulated N deposition and P addition on both AMF root colonization rates and spore density were significant. AMF root colonization rates were significantly negatively correlated with soil moisture.

Conclusions

Moderate N deposition or P addition can weaken the symbiotic relationship between plants and AMF, significantly reducing AMF colonization rates and inhibiting spore propagation. However, a moderate addition of P greatly enhances spore yield. Soil moisture content is the main factor regulating AMF colonization rates. In the case of interactive effects, the AMF colonization rates and spore density are affected by the relative content of N and P in the soil.
Silicon application and related changes in soil bacterial community dynamics reduced ginseng black spot incidence in Panax ginseng in a short-term study
Authors: Li Meijia , Zhang Yayu
Published: August 2019

Background This study analyzed the effect of silicon (Si) application on the occurrence of ginseng black spot caused by Alternaria panax. We explored the differences in soil physical and chemical factors and microbial community structure following Si application as well as the key factors that affected the occurrence of ginseng black spot in soil. Potted Panax ginseng plants were used to assess the effect of Si treatment on ginseng black spot. Plants were grown under four kinds of treatment: (1) control (no inoculations), (2) inoculation with A. panax, (3) inoculation wit Si, and (4) inoculation with A. panax + Si, with 18 plants (3 pots) per treatment. Soil physical and chemical properties were comprehensively analyzed. Bacterial communities were analyzed using Illumina HiSeq sequencing targeting the 16S rRNA gene. Using micro-ecological regulation measures, we developed a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of ginseng black spot.
Results After inoculation with A. panax, the morbidity (and morbidity index) of ginseng with and without Si was 52% (46) and 83% (77), respectively. Soil physical and chemical analysis showed that under the ginseng black spot inoculation, bacterial communities were mainly affected by pH and available potassium, followed by ammonium nitrogen and available Si. NMDS and PLS-DA analyses and the heat maps of relative abundance revealed that Si application elevated the resistance of ginseng black spot as regulated by the abundance and diversity of bacterial flora in rhizosphere soils. Heatmap analysis at the genus level revealed that A. panax + Si inoculations significantly increased the soil community abundance of Sandaracinus, Polycyclovorans, Hirschia, Haliangium, Nitrospira, Saccharothrix, Aeromicrobium, Luteimonas, and Rubellimicrobium and led to a bacterial community structure with relative abundances that were significantly similar to that of untreated soil.
Conclusions Si alleviated the incidence of ginseng black spot by directly and indirectly affecting the structure and diversity of the soil microbial community. Short-term Si application also significantly regulated the structural impact on soil microorganisms caused by ginseng black spot. Our findings indicated that Si applications may possibly be used in the prevention and treatment of ginseng black spot.
Impacts of perceived environmental pollution on urban and rural residents’ health - China national study
Authors: Yang Ting
Published: August 2019

Background: The emergence of a quantity of mega cities accompanying China’s economic boom has led to enormous increases in resource consumption and a variety of pollution especially emissions of air pollutants. Pressure-based government assessment mechanism is the driving force for the transfer of environmental pollution from urban to rural areas. Methods: Descriptive and analytical statistics were used for the data analyses based on a national survey The 3rd Survey on the Status of Chinese Women in 2010 jointly conducted by the All China Women's Federation and the China Statistical Bureau in 2010 and 24741 samples were selected. Results: Among urban residents, 67.21% of them reported their total health was good, 1.35% lower than the rate of rural counterparts; 25.88% reported their total health was general, nearly 3% higher than the rate of rural counterparts; 6.91% reported their total health was poor, 1.63% lower than the rate of rural counterparts. The study also found the rate of urban residents perceiving air pollution (35.67%), water pollution (17.96%), garbage pollution (25.05%), noise pollution (32.05%) was higher than that of rural counterparts, respectively. Perceived air, garbage and noise pollution all had a significantly negative impact on urban residents’ health while none of perceived pollution had a significant impact on rural residents’ health. Conclusions: Rural residents perceived little about impacts of environmental pollution on health, which may create risks and vulnerability of the rural environment and the livelihood of these residents. Great attention should be paid to the impacts of environmental pollution on health for not only urban residents but also rural residents, which will highly improve the support of “green development” among the public in China.
Determinants of fully immunization among children aged 12-23 months in Ethiopia. Further analysis of the 2016 Ethiopian Demographics Health Survey
Authors: Asresie Melash Belachew
Published: August 2019

Abstract
Back ground: Immunization has become the most effective public health measure for the control vaccine preventable disease. It can avert 2 to 3 million children deaths annually. Eighty eight percent of under one year children received diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis in 2015, however still an estimated 19.4 million infants worldwide missed out on basic vaccines. This analysis aims to identify determinant factors for fully immunization among children aged 12-23 months in Ethiopia.
Methods: The analysis done based on 2016 Ethiopian Demography and Health Survey. Total of 2004 children aged 12-23 months recruited for this analysis. Descriptive analysis done to characterize the study participants. In addition, binary and multivariable logistic regression analysis done to identify determinants of fully immunization among children. All analysis was done using STATA.
Result: Fully immunization coverage among children was positively associated with children of mothers had primary (AOR=1.73,95%CI:1.13,2.65) and secondary (AOR=2.79,95%CI:1.11,7.02) education level, at least one ANC visit (AOR=2.28,95%CI:1.47,3.52), live in Dire Dewa city administration (AOR=2.45,95%CI:1.10,5.
Identification of tRFs and phasiRNAs in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and their responses to exogenous abscisic acid
Authors: Luan Wei , Dai Ya , Li Xin-Yu , Wang Yan , Tao Xiang , Li Cai-Xia , Mao Ping , Ma Xin-Rong
Published: August 2019

Background: The non-coding small RNA tRFs (tRNA-derived fragments) and phasiRNAs (plant-specific) exert important roles in plant growth, development and stress resistances. However, whether the tRFs and phasiRNAs respond to the plant important stress hormone abscisic acid (ABA) remain enigma.
Results: Here, the RNA-sequencing was implemented to decipher the landscape of tRFs and phasiRNAs in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) leaves and their responses when foliar spraying exogenous ABA after 24 hrs. In total, 733 tRFs and 137 phasiRNAs were detected. The tRFs were mainly derived from the tRNAAla transporting alanine, which tended to be cleaved at the 5，terminal guanine site and D loop uracil site to produce tRFAla with length of 20 nt. Most of phasiRNAs originated from NBS-LRR resistance genes. Expression analysis revealed that 156 tRFs and 68 phasiRNAs expressed differentially, respectively. Generally, exogenous ABA mainly inhibited the expression of tRFs and phasiRNAs. Furthermore, integrating analysis of target gene prediction and transcriptome data presented that ABA significantly downregulated the abundance of phsaiRNAs associated with biological and abiotic resistances. Correspondingly, their target genes such as AP2/ERF, WRKY and NBS-LRR, STK and RLK, were mainly up-regulated.
Conclusions: Combined with the previous analysis of ABA-response miRNAs, it was speculated that ABA can improve the plant resistances to various stresses by regulating the expression and interaction of small RNAs (such as miRNAs, tRFs, phasiRNAs) and their target genes. This study enriches the plant tRFs and phasiRNAs, providing a vital basis for further investigating ABA response- tRFs and phasiRNAs and their functions in biotic and abiotic stresses.
Dental service mix alterations following payment method change
Authors: Emrani Reza , Sargeran Katayoun , Grytten Jostein Ivar , Hessari Hossein
Published: August 2019

Introduction:
The number of dental services provided is related to the type of services needed by a population, and treatment decision making by dentists. This descriptive study aimed to compare the dental service mix in two different payment systems salary and fee for service (FFS).
Methods:
The dental records of a long-established dental clinic in Tehran were reviewed. Treatment performed, during October 2008 and October 2009, by 12 dentists, four dentists worked in both payment method periods, four of them worked only in salary and four of them worked in FFS period.
The type of treatment provided was divided into four groups.Practices without treatment (visits, diagnostic radiography, referrals)
Practices included preventive treatments (simple restorations, scaling)
Practices included aggressive treatments (RCT, extraction, crown)
Practices included highly aggressive procedure (surgery)

Generalized estimating equation (GEE) was used to analyse data.
Results: Preventive dental services (simple restorations, scaling) and practices without treatment (visits, diagnostic radiography, referrals) decreased, and practices included aggressive treatments (RCT, extraction, crown) practices included highly aggressive procedure (surgery) increased from salary to FFS period. The total activities of dentist increased from 1209 in salary group to 1534 in the FFS group. These differences were significant (p=0.05).
Conclusions:
According to our results, in a salary system, the dentist was more likely to refer and perform preventive treatments, while, in the FFS payment system, the dentists choose more aggressive treatments. Payment method may change dental service mix.
Effects of ambient temperature and air pollutants on bacillary dysentery from 2014 to 2017 in Lanzhou, China
Authors: Han Xiaoli , Zhang Wei , Cui Xudong , Ma Hanping , Liu Yanchen , Zhang Xiaoyu , Zhao Xiangkai , Li Sheng , Ren Xiaowei
Published: August 2019

Background: Previous studies have always focused on the impact of various meteorological factors on bacillary dysentery (BD). However, only few studies have investigated the effects of climate and air pollutants on BD incidence simultaneously. This study aimed to investigate the effects of temperature and air pollutants on BD in Lanzhou. Methods: Daily data of BD cases and environmental factors from 2014 to 2017 were collected. A generalized additive model (GAM) was conducted to explore the relationship between environmental factors and BD. Then a distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) was developed to assess the lag and cumulative effect. Furthermore, this study explored the variability across gender and age groups. Results: A total of 7102 cases of BD were notified over the study period. High temperature can significantly increase the risk of BD during the whole lag period, temperature has different exposure effects on different genders and age groups. With 9℃ as the reference value, each 1℃ rise in temperature result in a 4.8% (RR=1.048, 95%CI: 0.996, 1.103) increase in the number of cases BD at lag 0 day. With 50μg/m3 as the reference value, each 5μg/m3 rise in PM2.5 caused a 11.3% (RR=1.113, 95%CI: 1.066, 1.162) increase in the number of BD cases at lag 0. Low concentration of PM10 in the lag of 10-14 days can significantly increase the risk of BD, while high concentration PM10 in the lag of 6-14 days can significantly increase the risk of BD. Conclusions:Temperature, PM2.5 and PM10 are closely related to the incidence of bacillary dysentery. Our findings suggest adaptation plans that target vulnerable populations in susceptible communities should be developed to reduce health risks.
Pregnancy outcomes of Q fever : Prospective follow-up study on Reunion Island
Authors: Mboussou Yoan , Jaubert Julien , Larrieu Sophie , Atiana Laura , Naze Florence , Folio Christine , Randrianaivo Hanitra , Bertolotti Antoine , Picot Sandrine , Robillard Pierre-Yves , Boukerrou Malik , Gérardin Patrick
Published: August 2019

Background Q fever has been associated with perinatal complications. We conducted a prospective follow-up study to assess both the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) associated with Coxiella burnetii infection and the contribution of Q fever to APOs. Methods Between May 1 and October 31, 2013, within the level-3 maternity of Saint Pierre hospital, Reunion island, we investigated unexplained miscarriages, stillbirths, preterm births or small-for-gestational age children. Seropositivity for C. burnetii antibodies was defined using indirect immunofluorescence for a phase 2 IgG titre ≥1:64. Acute Q fever was defined for a phase 2 IgG titre ≥1:256 and/or the presence of IgM ≥1:48 or the detection of C. burnetii genome in miscarriage products and placentas. Incidence rate ratios (IRR) for Q fever related APOs (taken as a composite outcome or individually) were assessed using Poisson regression models for dichotomous outcomes controlling major confounders. Results Over a 6-month period, 179 pregnant women suspected or diagnosed with an APO were investigated for Q fever, of whom 118 met the definition for an APO. Of these, 19 were seropositive and 10 presented a profile indicative of an acute infection. For three women with an acute Q fever, the chronology between the onset of infection and the APO (2 miscarriages, 1 preterm birth) with respect to the kinetics of antibodies suggested causality in the pathogenesis. The incidence of Q fever related APOs was estimated between 2.2‰ and 5.2‰, whether causality was requested or not. Both C. burnetii exposure and acute Q fever were independently associated with APOs (IRR 1.55, 95% CI 1.31-1.84; IRR 1.47, 95% CI 1.15-1.89, respectively). Conclusions In the endemic context of Reunion island, acute Q fever may lead to APOs. To limit the burden of Q fever on reproduction, pregnant women should be kept away from farms and avoid direct contact with ruminants.
Mid-long-term surgical outcomes of posterior only instrumented spinal fusion procedure for early-onset scoliosis in type 1 neurofibromatosis
Authors: zhang Jianguo , Cai Siyi , Li zhenyao , Qiu Guixing , shen Jianxiong , zhao hong , Zhao Yu , Wang Yipeng
Published: August 2019

Background The pediatric neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1) patients’ mid-long-term surgical outcomes of posterior spinal fusion is rarely reported, and the orthopedic maintenance effect is not clear. This study aims to evaluate the mid-long-term surgical outcomes of posterior only instrumented spinal fusion for early-onset scoliosis (EOS) in NF-1 patients.Methods A retrospective review was performed on a cohort of 10 patients diagnosed as NF-1 with EOS from 2008 to 2014 in our hospital. This study included four male and six female NF-1 patients with a mean age of 7.8 years old when they underwent posterior only instrumented spinal fusion for their EOS. General clinical data, operation-related data were reviewed, and the dystrophic progression of EOS was evaluated during the follow-up.Results The mean follow-up duration was 54 months (24 to 88 months). All patients underwent posterior only instrumented spinal fusion at 1 stage. The primary curves of EOS were thoracic in 9 cases, and only one patient had lumbar scoliosis. Preoperative major curve was significantly corrected (from 66.1 to 31.1 degrees). However, the average major curve deteriorated significantly to 40.1 degrees on average at the end of follow-up. The T1-S1 distance increased 2.77cm on average and increasing at 0.6cm/year during the follow-up.Conclusions For the surgical treatment on EOS in NF-1 patients, although with relatively short segments involvements,posterior only fusion was not good way to treat such patients, especially the maintenance of orthopedic effect was not satisfactory.