bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Towards Industrialisation in Tanzania: Drivers and Barriers to Green Manufacturing
Authors: Tumaini Jeremiah W.
Published: September 2021

For the industrialization efforts to be fruitful and sustainable, they should be coupled with Green Manufacturing (GM) which simply implies clean manufacturing. This study analyses the drivers and barriers to GM in Tanzania. It specifically analyses the drivers and barriers to GM and ranks them for prioritisation.  The study made the use of cross-sectional primary data which were collected using interviewer administered questionnaires from a random sample of 185 manufacturing firms in two purposively selected regions of Dodoma and Mwanza in Tanzania. In the analysis, the Binary Logistic regression was used to estimate the drivers and barriers to GM using the STATA software. The results showed that some of the significant drivers to green manufacturing include; firm size, firms resources, current legislation, incentives, and public pressure, The significant barriers included high short term costs, low customer demand, technological risk, lack of awareness and unclear benefits. It was also found that the highest ranked driver to GM was the firm size and the highest ranked barrier to GM was the short term costs. The study finally recommends that the relevant authorities should prioritize on the significant drivers and barriers to GM so that the move towards industrialisation in Tanzania can be more fruitful and sustainable.
Agile Change to Digital Teaching during and after Corona Pandemic for Flipped Classroom Courses
Authors: Voigt Christin , Blömer Linda , Kötter Jonas , Hoppe Uwe
Published: September 2021

The Corona Pandemic has a major impact on teaching at universities. Various stakeholders have to face new challenges when face-to-face courses are no longer feasible. The management of higher education institutions, teachers and their teams as well as the IT and didactics support are called upon to develop digital teaching and learning formats at short notice. This article aims to identify specific tasks and responsibilities with the help of two literature analyses and to transfer the results into a holistic overview of agile change for Flipped Classroom courses. This overview is based on a Change Management (CM) process to which tasks of agile development and change are assigned. It thus combines both short-term development under time pressure from an agile perspective as well as long-term necessary steps of CM. The necessity and usefulness of such an overview was determined before its creation. For this purpose, a short quantitative survey was conducted with 65 people, who have already passed through the entire CM-process of digital change in higher education teaching and are therefore regarded as experts. The usefulness and necessity of the overview were confirmed. The concluding recommendations for action address the possible use of the overview, the implementation of individual tasks and the joint action of the stakeholders during and also after the Corona Pandemic, which should support the change to digital higher education teaching.
Ice-algal carbon supports harp and ringed seal diets in the European Arctic: evidence from fatty acid and stable isotope markers
Authors: Kunisch EH , Graeve M , Gradinger R , Haug T , Kovacs KM , Lydersen C , Varpe Ø , Bluhm BA
Published: September 2021

Sea-ice declines in the European Arctic have led to substantial changes in marine food webs. To better understand the biological implications of these changes, we quantified the contributions of ice-associated and pelagic carbon sources to the diets of Arctic harp and ringed seals using compound-specific stable isotope ratios of fatty acids in specific primary producer biomarkers derived from sea-ice algae and phytoplankton. Comparison of fatty acid patterns between these 2 seal species indicated clear dietary separation, while the compound-specific stable isotope ratios of the same fatty acids showed partial overlap. These findings suggest that harp and ringed seals target different prey sources, yet their prey rely on ice and pelagic primary production in similar ways. From Bayesian stable isotope mixing models, we estimated that relative contributions of sympagic and pelagic carbon in seal blubber was an average of 69% and 31% for harp seals, and 72% and 28% for ringed seals, respectively. The similarity in the Bayesian estimations also indicates overlapping carbon sourcing by these 2 species. Our findings demonstrate that the seasonal ice-associated carbon pathway contributes substantially to the diets of both harp and ringed seals.
Diet composition of wild Loligo vulgaris paralarvae along the West Iberian Peninsula coast
Authors: García-Mayoral E , Roura Á , Moreno A , González ÁF
Published: September 2021

Trophic interactions in cephalopod paralarvae are difficult to evaluate due to the ingestion of liquified prey contents that are not recognizable by visual methods; however, molecular techniques such as next generation sequencing (NGS) can provide better resolution. In this study, we used NGS techniques to determine the diet of Loligo vulgaris paralarvae collected along the West Iberian Peninsula coast. Trophic analyses were conducted on 31 paralarvae ranging from 1.61-6.01 mm in dorsal mantle length, with an estimated age between 2 and 28 d. The digestive system of each paralarvae was dissected and a 300 bp section of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene was sequenced with the MiSeq platform. After quality selection, 3201878 reads were obtained and 130 amplicon sequencing variants were identified as prey (158457 reads). Crustaceans accounted for 88.09% of the total reads, mainly represented by calanoids (73.22%), euphausiids (5.73%) and decapods (2.75%). Distance-based linear modelling showed that diet patterns depended mainly on spatial variables, accounting for 46.92% of the total variation, with calanoids and euphausiids comprising the dominant prey in the diet of paralarvae from SW Galicia, while siphonophores and myopsids constituted the most important prey on the Northern Galician coast.
System analysis in transport infrastructure
Authors:   National Transport University, Dmitriev Mykola , Vakarchuk Ihor ,   National Transport University, Sutuga Igor
Published: September 2021

The article deals with the system of training of analysts and proposes the analytical structure of the transport and road complex with the corresponding analytical centers in each of the regions of the country, which have the principal novelty of research on rational forms and methods of information and analytical activity for improving the infrastructure projects and programs management and it is the perspective of creation of industry analytical elite. The object of the research - it is a system for the training of analysts majoring in “System analysis in transport infrastructure” for the transport and road complex of the country. The purpose of work – it is to identify the main program goals of applied system analysis in the transport infrastructure and strategic ways for the creation of analytical elite of the transport and road complex of the country. Method of research - it is a systemic, conceptual and software approaches. Suggested industry analytical structure has principled novelty toward the training of systemic analysts, providing with them the transport and road complex of the country, the continuous monitoring of the state and expert evaluation of the important decisions, the development of alternative infrastructure projects and programs in related fields of transport and road industry, that allow qualitatively to improve decision-making at strategic, tactful and operational levels of the management toward infrastructure projects. The support from the side of interested parties (Stakeholders) of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Ministry of Education concerning guaranteed annual state order of stated specialty “System analysis in transport infrastructure” in National Transport University will allow significantly increase the analytical potential of transport and road complex and country as a whole. Further development of the object of research – it is the state support for the system of the training of analysts for the transport and road complex of the country and suggested analytical system is the basis for the development of related fields of transport and road industry and support of public initiatives in improving the management toward infrastructure projects and programs and the creation of industry analytical elite.
Directions of legislative and administrative change in the мanagement of motor roads of Ukraine
Authors:   National Transport University, Osayev Yuriy
Published: September 2021

The state of public highways undoubtedly affects the quality of cargo and passenger transport ation, the level of prices, the degree of employment of the population and the pace of economic development of the state. Consequently, the development of the network management system for highways and improvement of their transport and operational condition is a prerequisite for further socio-economic development of the state and society. Of particular importance are the research directions of the administrative and legal principles of management in the field of motor roads in Ukraine, since the geographical location of Ukraine, subject to the integration of domestic transport infrastructure into the European one, will allow in the future to receive annual international transit transport by road and tourist trips, significant development of international cooperation of the state and significant revenues to the state budget of the country.The article defines the directions of legislative and administrative changes in the management of motor roads of Ukraine.
The development of stamp points displacement mathematical model by static tests of road structures
Authors:   National Transport University, Shuliak Ivan , Sukhonosov Serhii ,   State Enterprise «Scientific and technical center «Road quality control», Chechuha Oleksand ,   National Transport University
Published: September 2021

In various static stamp tests methods, both foreign and Ukrainian, it is foreseen to use a different number of sensors for stamp settlement measuring. Austrian method with three displacement sensors allows to reveal the stamp warping while loading, but it is unclear how to determine the settlement in the stamp center, when the sensor readings at the moment of warping will be completely different. The German method with a single displacement sensor is much simpler, but does not consider the stamp warping. The use of Ukrainian methodology is not appropriate at all, because two displacement sensors do not allow to observe the stamp warping. The article is focused on mathematical model for the displacement of stamp points in road structures static testing development with theoretical justification of necessary and sufficient number of sensors for stamp settlement measuring. Initially, the stamp displacement under warping in a flat deformed condition is considered as a rotation on a certain angle α and a parallel transfer. It has been established that in this case, the stamp settlement with enough accuracy for engineering practice can be measured with a single displacement sensor installed in the stamp center. In fact, the stamp can rotate not only around the axis Oy, but also around the Ox axis. Therefore, a separate mathematical model is constructed and describes the process of stamp displacement while it’s warping in a volumetric deformed condition. The developed mathematical model provides an opportunity to determine the settlement in the stamp center, necessary for the modulus of elasticity calculation or modulus of deformation in the case when the stamp at the warping moment will rotate both around the axis Oy and around the Ox axis, and the rotation angles α and β will be significant.
Geodesic technologies for spatial data collecting for highways diagnostics and certification
Authors:   National Transport University, Liashenko Dmytro , Pavlyuk Dmytro ,   National Transport University
Published: September 2021

The article is devoted to geodetic supply of highways diagnostics and certification. The role of geodetic techniques for improving the efficiency of the quality management system in road construction organizations of Ukraine is determined.
Environmental protection technology using of waste glass in road construction
Authors:   National Transport University, Oproshchenko Irina , Kondratenko Vadym ,   National Transport University, Khomiak Valeria ,   National Transport University, Khambir Bohdan ,   National Transport University, Ovsyuk Oleksandra ,   National Transport University
Published: September 2021

The use of industrial waste in road construction is one of the important areas of environmental protection and rational use of materials in road construction. The possibility of using slag waste in road construction for drainage layers of pavement structures is considered. The results of the study of the influence of the grain composition of slag waste on the filtration coefficient are presented. Variants of slag mixtures with river sand were studied. Positive results have been obtained, which indicate the possibility of using slag waste for the installation of drainage layers of pavement structures.
Mathematical model of road traffic accident development using the system analysis theory
Authors:   National Transport University, Gusev Alexander , Rutkovskaya Innesa ,   National Transport University, Gerasimenko Alla ,   National Transport University
Published: September 2021

The article describes the principles and algorithms for creating a mathematical model of the road traffic accidents on the highway section using system analysis theory and queuing system theory.
System approach to aerodrome’s to provision to safety flight
Authors:   National Transport University, Popelysh Ivan , Kaskiv Volodymyr ,   National Transport University
Published: September 2021

System approach is considered In article to aerodrome’s provide to safety flight. The Designed theorist-plural models given process, allowing develop the methods of the analysis and syntheses of the undertaking the study, methods of their execution and use in theories and practice analysis of the systems operation aerodrome’s services civil airport. Example of real exhibit developing models is Shown for on-embroidering to safety flight. The proposed set-theoretical models of the aerodrome flight safety system make it possible to develop a methodology for analyzing and synthesizing research, methods for their implementation, and to apply the theory and practice of the systemology of functioning of aerodrome services of civil airports. The real application of one of the constituents of the developed models to the use of anti-icing chemicals showed that their effectiveness depends not only on the melting properties, but also on the correct and economical use.
Alternative Legacies of Authoritarianism: Pro-dictator Bias in Ideology
Authors: Kim-Leffingwell Sanghoon
Published: September 2021

How does an authoritarian past shape voters’ left-right orientation? Recent studies investigate “anti-dictator bias” in political ideology, where citizens in a former right-wing (left-wing) dictatorship may display a leftist (rightist) bias in their ideological self-identification. In this paper, I provide evidence for a “pro-dictator bias” where citizens hold ideological positions corresponding to those of the dictator depending on their experiences during and after transition. In countries with negotiated transitions and stronger former ruling parties, these successors could continue mobilizing the popular base of the former dictatorship with inherited advantages from the past and by invoking nostalgia through consistent reference to previous authoritarian achievements. I test this hypothesis with variables measuring successor party strength and the type of regime transition by combining individual-level survey data and country-level data. The findings emphasize the role of post-transition features in shaping alternative legacies on voter attitudes in former authoritarian societies.
Investigating Fontan Failure Using Mathematical Modeling
Authors: Doyle Matthew , Brosa Planella Ferran , Bryson Jen , Emerick Brooks , Fong Daniel , Johnson Casey , Kabataş Ayşe , Murphy Greg , Stepien Tracy , Tate Isaac
Published: September 2021

Babies born with a single functioning heart ventricle instead of two require a series of surgeries during the first few years of life to redirect their blood flow, resulting in a Fontan circulation. Patients with Fontan circulations have excellent early survival; however, over time, their circulations begin to fail, ultimately resulting in their death. Currently, the only treatment for failing Fontan circulation is a heart transplant; however, many Fontan patients do not survive long enough to receive a donor heart. One of the reasons for this is a lack of understanding of the Fontan failure cascade. Often patients are identified as failing when they do not have enough time left to receive a heart transplant. The objective of this problem is to develop mathematical models of healthy and failing Fontan circulations to i) improve our understanding of Fontan failure from a hemodynamic perspective, and ii) identify physiologically-relevant ranges of parameters.
Rancang Bangun Sistem Virtual Reality Nirkabel Berbasis WLAN
Authors: Ariyanto Muh. Dimas , Purwandi Ahmad Wahyu , Anshori Muhammad Abdullah
Published: September 2021

Teknologi Virtual Reality merupakan salah satu teknologi yang semakin berkembang dan diminati pada saat ini, dikarenakan potensi penerapannya yang sangat luas pada berbagai bidang. Teknologi Virtual Reality merupakan teknologi yang memungkinkan manusia berinteraksi dengan komputer maupun dengan manusia lain melalui lingkungan virtual yang meniru indra manusia secara alamiah, dengan kata lain mencakup penglihatan dan pendengaran. Penelitian ini membahas perancangan, realisasi, serta analisis sebuah sistem Virtual Reality nirkabel dengan berbasis WLAN, menggunakan perangkat keras yang tersedia pada masyarakat yakni perangkat smartphone. Mengutamakan penerapan praktis dengan teknologi yang tersedia pada masyarakat dibandingkan kualitas keseluruhan sistem. Sistem operasi yang digunakan adalah Microsoft Windows 10 untuk PC dan Android versi 6.0.1 untuk smartphone. Menggunakan distribusi XAMPP pada PC/laptop Windows sebagai server HTTP. Media yang digunakan berupa video 360°/stereoskopik berformat mp4. Sistem Virtual Reality yang dirancang mampu menggunakan hotspot smartphone untuk melakukan streaming pada resolusi 1080s serta 720s. Rancangan luas ruangan yang dibuat adalah hingga 6x4 meter untuk konfigurasi dengan satu pemancar, dan hingga 6x8 meter untuk konfigurasi dengan dua pemancar. Batasan ukuran ruangan ini didasarkan pada titik penurunan kekuatan sinyal sebesar -3dB yang terjadi pada jarak 5 meter pada kedua resolusi, sehingga batasan jarak terjauh antara klien dan server adalah 5 meter.
Smartstrap Accessories Untuk Monitoring Kondisi Pasien Covid-19 saat Karantina Mandiri Berbasis Internet of Things
Authors: Pradana S Yoga Kholilul Akbar , Anshori M. Abdullah , Rasyid Abdul
Published: September 2021

Dunia sedang dilanda oleh wabah pandemi Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pada tahun 2021 ini. Jumlah kasus Covid-19 masih terus mengalami peningkatan khususnya di Indonesia sendiri, tingginya jumlah penderita Covid-19 tidak sebanding dengan jumlah tenaga kesehatan. Alat ini bertujuan membuat aksesoris sederhana yang digunakan untuk memantau kondisi pasien yang terinfeksi Covid-19 saat menjalani karantina mandiri, serta menjadi salah satu upaya untuk menerapkan social distancing. Berdasarkan hasil pengujian yang dilakukan pada 5 sampel orang sebagai pasien, pengukuran suhu menggunakan sensor infrared MLX90614 menunjukkan rata-rata error sebesar 0,12°C setelah dikalibrasi menggunakan digital infrared thermometer. Sedangkan pada pengukuran sensor pulsa MAX30100 setelah dikalibrasi dengan Oxymeter SO911 memiliki rata-rata error 0,52 BPM pada pengukukuran detak jantung pada pengukuran saturasi oksigen dalam darah menunjukkan rata-rata error sebesar 0,6%. Untuk hasil pengujian Quality of Service (QoS) menunjukkan nilai throughput sebesar 13,840 Kbps, packet loss 0%, rata-rata delay 124,08649 ms dan jitter 162,2 ms.
Pangsa Pasar, Rasio Leverage, dan Rasio Intensitas Modal sebagai Determinan Profitabilitas Perusahaan
Authors: Felania Rinta Maharani  , Anik Kusmintarti  , Sumiadji
Published: September 2021

The goal of this research was to analyze the effect of capital intensity ratio, leverage ratio, and market share on profitability both partially and simultaneously. The objects were textile and garment companies listed in Indonesia Stock Exchange for a period 2014-2018. Descriptive statistic and multiple linear regressions were used for data analysis. The result indicates that market share has positive and significant effect on profitability, while capital intensity ratio and leverage ratio has no effect on profitability. Simultaneously capital intensity ratio, leverage ratio, and market share, has significant effect on profitability.

 

Abstrak

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis pengaruh rasio intensitas modal rasio leverage, dan pangsa pasar terhadap profitabilitas perusahaan secara parsial dan secara simultan. Populasi penelitian ini adalah perusahaan tekstil dan garmen yang terdaftar di BEI periode 2014-2018. Statistik deskriptif dan analisis regresi linear berganda digunakan untuk metode analisis data. Hasil penelitian memperlihatkan bahwa pangsa pasar berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap profitabilitas, sedangkan rasio intensitas modal dan rasio leverage tidak berpengaruh pada profitabilitas. Selanjutnya secara simultan rasio intensitas modal, rasio leverage, dan pangsa pasar berpengaruh signifikan pada profitabilitas.
Determination of the Problems Experienced by Patients with Chronic Diseases and Their Caregivers During Home Care Process From Nursing Students’ Perspectives: A Phenomenological Study
Authors: Ceylan Erdal , Eskiyurt Reyhan , Koc Aysegul
Published: September 2021

Aim: This qualitative study was conducted to determine the problems experienced by patients with chronic diseases and their caregivers during the home care process from nursing students' perspectives.

Methods: Phenomenological method of qualitative research was used in the study. Data was gathered via in-depth interviews with seven nursing students who had a family member with chronic disease. Students were asked about the problems they and their family members experienced during the home care process with a semi-structured questionnaire. Data obtained from the interviews were analyzed using content analysis.

Results: As a result of thematic analysis, problems experienced by the patients with chronic diseases and their caregivers during the home care process are grouped under five main themes. These problems were physical problems, social problems, financial problems, psychological problems, and treatment-related problems.

Conclusion: This research revealed that the home care process of patients with chronic diseases causes various problems for both patients and their caregivers. Therefore, it is necessary to be aware of these problems, increase the quality of home care services and ensure the continuity of home care. In this way, physiological, psychological, financial, social, and treatment-related problems can be prevented.

Keywords: caregivers, chronic disease, family health, home care, nursing students
Super-Resolution Imaging With Lanthanide Luminescent Nanocrystals: Progress and Prospect
Authors: Zhang Hongxin , Zhao Mengyao , Ábrahám István M. , Zhang Fan
Published: September 2021

Stimulated emission depletion (STED) nanoscopy has overcome a serious diffraction barrier on the optical resolution and facilitated new discoveries on detailed nanostructures in cell biology. Traditional fluorescence probes employed in the super-resolution imaging approach include organic dyes and fluorescent proteins. However, some limitations of these probes, such as photobleaching, short emission wavelengths, and high saturation intensity, still hamper the promotion of optical resolution and bio-applications. Recently, lanthanide luminescent probes with unique optical properties of non-photobleaching and sharp emissions have been applied in super-resolution imaging. In this mini-review, we will introduce several different mechanisms for lanthanide ions to achieve super-resolution imaging based on an STED-like setup. Then, several lanthanide ions used in super-resolution imaging will be described in detail and discussed. Last but not least, we will emphasize the future challenges and outlooks in hope of advancing the next-generation lanthanide fluorescent probes for super-resolution optical imaging.
Biogenesis of Iron–Sulfur Clusters and Their Role in DNA Metabolism
Authors: Shi Ruifeng , Hou Wenya , Wang Zhao-Qi , Xu Xingzhi
Published: September 2021

Iron–sulfur (Fe/S) clusters (ISCs) are redox-active protein cofactors that their synthesis, transfer, and insertion into target proteins require many components. Mitochondrial ISC assembly is the foundation of all cellular ISCs in eukaryotic cells. The mitochondrial ISC cooperates with the cytosolic Fe/S protein assembly (CIA) systems to accomplish the cytosolic and nuclear Fe/S clusters maturation. ISCs are needed for diverse cellular functions, including nitrogen fixation, oxidative phosphorylation, mitochondrial respiratory pathways, and ribosome assembly. Recent research advances have confirmed the existence of different ISCs in enzymes that regulate DNA metabolism, including helicases, nucleases, primases, DNA polymerases, and glycosylases. Here we outline the synthesis of mitochondrial, cytosolic and nuclear ISCs and highlight their functions in DNA metabolism.
Altered Lipid Profile Is a Risk Factor for the Poor Progression of COVID-19: From Two Retrospective Cohorts
Authors: Jin Hui , He Junji , Dong Chuan , Li Bin , Ma Zhiyue , Li Bilan , Huang Tiande , Fan Jiangang , He Gang , Zhao Xiaolong
Published: September 2021

Background

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has spread worldwide. However, the impact of baseline lipid profile on clinical endpoints in COVID-19 and the potential effect of COVID-19 on lipid profile remain unclear.

Methods

In this retrospective cohort study, we consecutively enrolled 430 adult COVID-19 patients from two Chinese hospitals (one each in Chengdu and Wuhan). The lipid profile before admission and during the disease course and the clinical endpoint including in-hospital death or oropharyngeal swab test positive again (OSTPA) after discharge were collected. We used Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression to explore the lipid risk factors before admission associated with endpoints. Then, we assessed the lipid level change along with the disease course to determine the relationship between pathology alteration and the lipid change.

Results

In the Chengdu cohort, multivariable Cox regression showed that low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) dyslipidemia before admission was associated with OSTPA after discharge for COVID-19 patients (RR: 2.51, 95% CI: 1.19, 5.29, p = 0.006). In the Wuhan cohort, the patients with triglyceride (TG) dyslipidemia had an increased risk of in-hospital death (RR: 1.92, 95% CI: 1.08, 3.60, p = 0.016). In addition, in both cohorts, the lipid levels gradually decreased in the in-hospital death or OSTPA subgroups since admission. On admission, we also noticed the relationship between the biomarkers of inflammation and the organ function measures and this lipid level in both cohorts. For example, after adjusting for age, sex, comorbidities, smoking, and drinking status, the C-reactive protein level was negatively associated with the TC lipid level [β (SE) = -0.646 (0.219), p = 0.005]. However, an increased level of alanine aminotransferase, which indicates impaired hepatic function, was positively associated with total cholesterol (TC) lipid levels in the Chengdu cohort [β (SE) = 0.633 (0.229), p = 0.007].

Conclusions

The baseline dyslipidemia should be considered as a risk factor for poor prognosis of COVID-19. However, lipid levels may be altered during the COVID-19 course, since lipidology may be distinctly affected by both inflammation and organic damage for SARS-CoV-2.
Early Coagulation Disorder Is Associated With an Increased Risk of Atrial Fibrillation in Septic Patients
Authors: Long Yunxiang , Tong Yingmu , Miao Runchen , Fan Rong , Cao Xiangqi , Wang Jie , Sun Jingjing , Day John D. , Liu Chang , Li Guoliang
Published: September 2021

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) and coagulation disorder, two common complications of sepsis, are associated with the mortality. However, the relationship between early coagulation disorder and AF in sepsis remains elusive. This study aimed to evaluate the interaction between AF and early coagulation disorder on mortality.

Methods: In this retrospective study, all data were extracted from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III (MIMIC-III) database. Septic patients with coagulation tests during the first 24 h after admission to intensive care units (ICUs) meeting study criteria were included in the analysis. Early coagulation disorder is defined by abnormalities in platelet count (PLT), international normalized ratio (INR) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) within the first 24 h after admission, whose score was defined with reference to sepsis-induced coagulopathy (SIC) and coagulopathy. Patients meeting study criteria were divided into AF and non-AF groups.

Results: In total, 7,528 septic patients were enrolled, including 1,243 (16.51%) with AF and 5,112 (67.91%) with early coagulation disorder. Compared with patients in the non-AF group, patients in the AF group had higher levels of INR and APTT (P < 0.001). Multivariable logistic regression analyses showed that stroke, early coagulation disorder, age, gender, congestive heart failure (CHF), chronic pulmonary disease, renal failure, and chronic liver disease were independent risk factors for AF. In addition, AF was related to in-hospital mortality and 90-day mortality. In the subgroup analysis stratified by the scores of early coagulation disorder, AF was associated with an increased risk of 90-day mortality when the scores of early coagulation disorder were 1 or 2 and 3 or 4.

Conclusion: In sepsis, coagulation disorder within the first 24 h after admission to the ICUs is an independent risk factor for AF. The effect of AF on 90-day mortality varies with the severity of early coagulation disorder.
Reduced Microvascular Blood Volume as a Driver of Coronary Microvascular Disease in Patients With Non-obstructive Coronary Artery Disease: Rationale and Design of the MICORDIS Study
Authors: Vink Caitlin E. M. , van de Hoef Tim P. , Götte M. J. W. , Eringa E. C. , Appelman Yolande
Published: September 2021

Background: Ischemia with non-obstructive coronary arteries (INOCA) is part of the ischemic heart disease spectrum, and is particularly observed in women. INOCA has various mechanisms, such as coronary vasospasm and coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD). A decreased coronary flow reserve (CFR) and-or increased myocardial resistance (MR) are commonly used to diagnose CMD. However, CFR and MR do not describe all pathophysiological mechanisms underlying CMD. Increased myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2) normally increases myocardial blood volume (MBV), independently from myocardial blood flow (MBF). In addition insulin enhances MBV in healthy skeletal muscle, and this effect is impaired in INOCA-related conditions such as diabetes and obesity. Therefore, we propose that MBV is reduced in INOCA patients.

Aim: To assess whether myocardial blood volume (MBV) is decreased in INOCA patients, at baseline, during hyperinsulinemia and during stress.

Design: The MICORDIS-study is a single-center observational cross-sectional cohort study (identifier NTR7515). The primary outcome is MBV, compared between INOCA patients and matched healthy controls. The patient group will undergo coronary function testing using a Doppler guidewire, intracoronary adenosine and acetylcholine to measure CFR and coronary vasospasm. Both the patient- and the control group will undergo myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) to determine MBV at baseline, during hyperinsulinemia and during stress. Subsequently, cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) will be evaluated as a new and noninvasive diagnostic tool for CMD in INOCA patients. Microvascular endothelial function is a determinant of MBV and will be evaluated by non-invasive microvascular function testing using EndoPAT and by measuring NO production in circulating endothelial cells (ECFCs).
Characteristics of Shale Wettability by Contact Angle and Its Influencing Factors: A Case Study in Songliao
Authors: Xue Haitao , Dong Zhentao , Tian Shansi , Lu Shuangfang , An Ce , Zhou Yuan , Li Boheng , Xin Xiaoyi
Published: September 2021

Wettability is a significant factor in the exploration and development of shale oil. Currently, shale wettability has yet to reach a unified understanding. The contact angle is widely used in the study of shale wettability. However, the pre-treatment of the shale profoundly affects the contact angle. In this paper, the contact angle errors introduced by the pre-treatment of samples are discussed. Shale wettability is influenced by many factors, and there is not yet a systematic study of its influencing factors. Based on the above issues, the shale of the northern Songliao Basin was taken as the subject. The wettability of the different lithofacies is characterized by an improved contact angle method. The compositional characteristics of the shales and oil in the study area were analyzed. Fresh minerals, a single component of oil, and different temperature/pressure conditions were set up to investigate the influencing factors of shale wettability. The studies show that Organic matter abundance and thermal maturity have a positive correlation with oil-wet. Siliceous minerals are positively correlated with water-wet. Carbonate and clay minerals are negatively correlated with water-wet. The mineralogical composition of the shale, the composition of the oil, the characteristics of the aqueous media, the asphaltene deposits on the surface, temperature, and pressure all impact wettability. The affinity of minerals for hydrocarbons is iron minerals > carbonate minerals > clay minerals > siliceous minerals. Minerals are more hydrophilic at low salinity conditions. The deposition of non-hydrocarbons and asphaltenes renders the surface oleophilic. Increasing temperatures will reduce the hydrophilicity of the “oil-water-rock”.
Moisture Changes in the Northern Xinjiang Basin Over the Past 2400 years as Documented in Pollen Records of Jili Lake
Authors: Xiao Yulin , Xiang Lixiong , Huang Xiaozhong , Mills Keely , Zhang Jun , Chen Xuemei , Li Yuan
Published: September 2021

Regional humidity is important for terrestrial ecosystem development, while it differs from region to region in inland Asia, knowledge of past moisture changes in the lower basin of northern Xinjiang remains largely unclear. Based on a pollen record from Jili Lake, the Artemisia/(Amaranthaceae + Ephedra) (Ar/(Am + E)) ratio, as an index of regional humidity, has recorded four relatively dry phases: 1) 400 BCE to 1 CE, 2) the Roman Warm Period (RWP; c. 1–400 CE), 3) the Medieval Warm Period (MWP; c. 850–1200 CE) and 4) the Current Warm Period (CWP; since 1850 CE). In contrast, the Dark Age Cold Period (DACP; c. 400–850 CE) and the Little Ice Age (LIA; c. 1200–1850 CE) were relatively wet. Lower lake levels in a relatively humid climate background indicated by higher aquatic pollen (Typha and Sparganium) after c. 1700 CE are likely the result of intensified irrigation for agriculture in the catchment as documented in historical records. The pollen Ar/(Am + E) ratio also recorded a millennial-scale wetting trend from 1 CE to 1550 CE which is concomitant with a long-term cooling recorded in the Northern Hemisphere.
A Mixed Methods Study of Self-Efficacy, the Sources of Self-Efficacy, and Teaching Experience
Authors: Gale Jessica , Alemdar Meltem , Cappelli Christopher , Morris David
Published: September 2021

Although teaching self-efficacy is associated with many benefits for teachers and students, little is known about how teachers develop a sense of efficacy in the early years of their careers. Drawing on survey (N =179) and interview (N= 10) data, this study investigates the sources of self-efficacy in a national sample of teachers who participated in the Noyce program. All teachers completed an online survey that included both the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Instrument and open-ended items prompting them to reflect on the sources of their self-efficacy. Ten teachers participated in semi-structured follow-up interviews. Enactive mastery experiences were the most common source of self-efficacy identified by teachers, followed by social persuasions and vicarious experiences. Physiological and affective states were identified infrequently and more often related to negative experiences that lowered self-efficacy than to positive experiences. Beginning teachers identified more negative enactive experiences than either Novice (2–3 years experiences) or Career teachers. In interviews, teachers described how the sources combined or interacted to influence their self-efficacy. Findings contribute to better understandings of the sources of self-efficacy with implications for how best to support teachers at different stages of their careers.
A Chinese Case of Cornelia de Lange Syndrome Caused by a Pathogenic Variant in SMC3 and a Literature Review
Authors: Li Ran , Tian Bowen , Liang Hanting , Chen Meiping , Yang Hongbo , Wang Linjie , Pan Hui , Zhu Huijuan
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS) is a rare congenital developmental disorder, and cases caused by variants in SMC3 are infrequent. This article describes a case of CdLS related to a pathogenic variant in SMC3 and performs a literature review.

Methods

We collected clinical data and biological samples from a 12-year-old boy with “short stature for 11 years”. Gene variants in the proband were detected by whole-exome sequencing, and the variants in his parents were verified by Sanger sequencing. All SMC3-related CdLS patients from the PubMed and Web of Science databases were collected and summarized using the available data.

Results

A pathogenic variant in SMC3 in the proband, c.1942A>G, was identified. Neither of his parents carried the same variant. Twenty-eight patients were diagnosed with CdLS with variants in SMC3, including the cases in this study and those reported in the literature, where half of the variant types were missense, followed by 32% (9/28) with a deletion and 11% (3/28) with a duplication. All patients showed symptoms of verbal development delay and intellectual disability to different degrees, and 90% patients had long eyelashes while 89% patients had arched eyebrows.

Conclusion

This study summarized different gene variants in SMC3 and the frequencies of the various clinical manifestations according to the reported literature. For CdLS caused by SMC3 variants, short stature and facial dysmorphic features are the two most important clinical clues. Definite diagnosis of this rare disease may be challenging clinically; thus, it is significant to use molecular diagnosis.
Restoration of mRNA Expression of Solute Carrier Proteins in Liver of Diet-Induced Obese Mice by Metformin
Authors: Le Jiamei , Fu Yi , Han Qiuqin , Wei Xindong , Ji Houlin , Chen Yifan , Wang Qiuying , Pi Peixian , Li Jilei , Lin Xinjie , Zhang Xiaoying , Zhang Yong , Ye Jianping
Published: September 2021

Metformin (MET), the most common medicine for type 2 diabetes (T2DM), improves insulin sensitivity by targeting the liver, intestine and other organs. Its impact on expression of the solute carrier (Slc) transporter genes have not been reported in the mechanism of insulin sensitization. In this study, we examined Slc gene expression in the liver and colon of diet-induced obese (DIO) mice treated with MET by transcriptomic analysis. There were 939 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the liver of DIO mice vs lean mice, which included 34 Slc genes. MET altered 489 DEGs in the liver of DIO mice, in which 23 were Slc genes. Expression of 20 MET-responsive Slc DEGs was confirmed by qRT-PCR, in which 15 Slc genes were altered in DIO mice and their expressions were restored by MET, including Slc2a10, Slc2a13, Slc5a9, Slc6a14, Slc7a9, Slc9a2, Slc9a3, Slc13a2, Slc15a2, Slc26a3, Slc34a2, Slc37a1, Slc44a4, Slc51b and Slc52a3. While, there were only 97 DEGs in the colon of DIO mice with 5 Slc genes, whose expression was not restored by MET. The data suggest that more genes were altered in the liver over the colon by the high fat diet (HFD). There were 20 Slc genes with alteration confirmed in the liver of DIO mice and 15 of them were restored by MET, which was associated with improvement of insulin sensitivity and obesity. The restoration may improve the uptake of glucose, amino acids, mannose, fructose, 1,5-anhydro-D-glucitol and bumetanide in hepatocytes of the liver of DIO mice. The study provides new insight into the mechanism of metformin action in insulin sensitization and obesity.
Umbilical Cord Blood Adiponectin, Leptin, Insulin, and Ghrelin in Premature Infants and Their Association With Birth Outcomes
Authors: Han Luyan , Li Bo , Xu Xiaojing , Liu Shufang , Li Zhenghong , Li Ming , Wang Danhua
Published: September 2021

Background

Premature/low-birth-weight infants are at significant risk of metabolic diseases in adulthood, which may be related to the levels of fetal adipokine. Here, we investigated the differences in the levels of umbilical cord blood adiponectin, leptin, insulin, and ghrelin in preterm and term infants and sought to elucidate the link between these hormones and fetal growth. We also evaluated the interrelationship among these metabolic hormones in both groups of newborns.

Methods

A total of 149 mother–infant pairs (100 in the preterm group and 49 in the term group) were enrolled in the study. The preterm group was further subdivided according to birth weight (≤1,500, 1,501–2,000, 2,001–2,500, and >2,500 g), gestational age (<34 vs. ≥34 weeks), and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) vs. small for gestational age (SGA). The general condition of the mothers and the growth parameters of the newborns at birth were recorded.

Results

The levels of adiponectin, leptin, and ghrelin were lower in the preterm group than those in the term group (p < 0.05). In the preterm group, the leptin levels of infants with gestational age ≥34 weeks were significantly higher than those of infants with gestational age <34 weeks (mean ln leptin = 0.63 vs. 0.36 ng/ml, p = 0.009). The levels of adiponectin were lower in the SGA group than those in the AGA group (mean ln adiponectin = 2.26 vs. 2.84 µg/ml, p = 0.001), whereas those of ghrelin displayed the opposite trend (mean ln ghrelin = 6.29 vs. 5.71 pg/ml, p < 0.001). Leptin was significantly correlated with insulin both in preterm infants with birth weight (BW) >2,000 g and in term infants. Umbilical cord blood leptin was positively correlated with the BW, birth length, and head circumference of newborns (r = 0.460, 0.311, and 0.310, respectively, all p < 0.05), whereas ghrelin was negatively correlated with the same parameters (r = −0.372, −0.415, and −0.373, respectively, all p > 0.05).

Conclusions

The lack of maturation of adipose tissue and the gastrointestinal tract by the fetus due to prematurity is associated with changes in the levels of cord blood adiponectin, leptin, and ghrelin. The dysregulation of these hormones in preterm infants may be a risk factor for fetal growth and future metabolic diseases.
A Specific Predicting Model for Screening Skip Metastasis From Patients With Negative Central Lymph Nodes Metastasis in Papillary Thyroid Cancer
Authors: Yang Zheyu , Heng Yu , Zhao Qiwu , Cao Zichao , Tao Lei , Qiu Weihua , Cai Wei
Published: September 2021

Skip metastasis is a specific type of papillary thyroid cancer lymph node metastasis (LNM). The present study aimed to clarify the typical clinical characteristics of skip metastasis and optimize the prediction model, so as to provide a more individual treatment mode for skip metastasis. We retrospectively analyzed 1075 PTC patients with different lymph node metastasis statuses from two clinical centers. Comparisons have been made between patients with skip metastasis and other types of LNM. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to detect the risk factors for skip metastasis with negative LNM, and a nomogram for predicting skip metastasis was established. The rate of skip metastasis was 3.4% (37/1075). Compared with other types of LNM, significant differences showed in tumor size, upper portion location, thyroid capsular invasion, and ipsilateral nodular goiter with the central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) group, and in age and gender with the lateral lymph node metastasis (LLNM) group. Four variables were found to be significantly associated with skip metastasis and were used to construct the model: thyroid capsular invasion, multifocality, tumor size > 1 cm, and upper portion. The nomogram had good discrimination with a concordance index of 0.886 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.823 to 0.948). In conclusion, the significant differences between skip metastasis and other types of LNM indicated that the lymph node drainage pathway of skip metastasis is different from either CLNM or LLNM. Furthermore, we established a nomogram for predicting risk of skip metastasis, which was able to effectively predict the potential risk of skip metastasis in patients without preoperative LNM clue.
Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring Based on Unsupervised Optimization Enhanced Neural Network Deep Learning
Authors: Liu Yu , Wang Jiarui , Deng Jiewen , Sheng Wenquan , Tan Pengxiang
Published: September 2021

Non-intrusive load monitoring has broad application prospects because of its low implementation cost and little interference to energy users, which has been highly expected in the industrial field recently due to the development of learning algorithms. Targeting at the investigation of practical and reliable load monitoring in field implementations, a non-intrusive load disaggregation approach based on an enhanced neural network learning algorithm is proposed in this article. The presented appliance monitoring approach establishes the neural network model following the supervised learning strategy at first and then utilizes the unsupervised learning based optimization to enhance the flexibility and adaptability for diverse scenarios, leading to the improvement of disaggregation performance. By verifications on the REDD public dataset, the proposed approach is demonstrated to be with good performance in non-intrusive load monitoring. In addition to the accuracy enhancement, the proposed approach is also with good scalability, which is efficient in recognizing the newly added appliance.