bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perceptions and attitudes of Qatar University students regarding the utility of arabic and english in communication and education in Qatar
Authors: Mustafawi Eiman , Shaaban Kassim , Khwaileh Tariq , Ata Katsiaryna
Published: July 2021

This study investigates the linguistic attitudes and perceptions of Qatar University students regarding the utility and vitality of the two languages that define the education and communication scenes in Qatar, namely, Arabic and English. It also reports on the predictors of these attitudes in terms of demographic traits. 861 students completed a questionnaire that was divided into: Media Language Preference (MLP); Value and Symbolism of Arabic (VSA); Arabic in Education and Society (AES); Medium of Instruction (MOI); Impact of Al-Jazeera Network (IJN); English in Scientific and Professional Communication (ESPC); Qatari Cultural Identity (QCI); Arabic Books (AB); English in Society and Work (ESW); Language in Workplace (LIW); Arabic in Employment (AE); Status of Arabic (SA); and Manifestations of Sociocultural Identity (MSI). Results showed that Arabic got higher ratings for MLP, VSA, AES, MOI, QCI, and MSI, while English was perceived as more useful than Arabic in ESPC. Correlational analysis showed that Gender had significant correlations with MLP, MOI, ESPC, and MSI, while Nationality, Specialization, and Number of spoken languages had correlations with MLP and MOI.
Measuring Knowledge, Attitudes, and Barriers to Medication Adherence in Potential Bariatric Surgery Patients
Authors: Bianciardi Emanuela , Imperatori Claudio , Innamorati Marco , Fabbricatore Mariantonietta , Monacelli Angelica Maria , Pelle Martina , Siracusano Alberto , Niolu Cinzia , Gentileschi Paolo
Published: July 2021

Background

Bariatric surgery is an effective treatment for the obesity epidemic, but the poor attendance and adherence rates of post-surgery recommendations threaten treatment effectiveness and health outcomes. Preoperatively, we investigated the unique contributions of clinical (e.g., medical and psychiatric comorbidities), sociodemographic (e.g., sex, age, and educational level), and psychopathological variables (e.g., binge eating severity, the general level of psychopathological distress, and alexithymia traits) on differing dimensions of adherence in a group of patients seeking bariatric surgery.

Methods

The final sample consisted of 501 patients (346 women). All participants underwent a full psychiatric interview. Self-report questionnaires were used to assess psychopathology, binge eating severity, alexithymia, and three aspects of adherence: knowledge, attitude, and barriers to medical recommendations.

Results

Attitude to adherence was associated with alexithymia (β = ˗2.228; p < 0.001) and binge eating disorder (β = 0.103; p = 0.047). The knowledge subscale was related to medical comorbidity (β = 0.113; p = 0.012) and alexithymia (β = −2.256; p < 0.001); with age (β = 0.161; p = 0.002) and psychiatric comorbidity (β =0.107; p = 0.021) manifesting in the barrier subscale.

Conclusion

We demonstrated that alexithymia and psychiatric and eating disorders impaired adherence reducing attitude and knowledge of treatment and increasing the barriers. Both patient and doctor can benefit from measuring adherence prior to surgery, with a qualitative approach shedding light on the status of adherence prior to the postsurgical phase when the damage regarding adherence is, already, done.
Path velocity planning for a forming process of fiber-reinforced thermoplastic with six degree of freedom
Authors: Wonnenberg Birk , Dröder Klaus
Published: July 2021

By punch trajectory planning for a multi-axis forming press, it is possible to affect the local material properties in the workpiece. A multi-axis forming process can influence the material flow and thus the material properties via the punch path. During multi-axis forming processes, the velocity on a defined punch path affects the heat transfer between the punch and the forming material. An example for such forming materials is glass mat thermoplastics (GMT). Multi-axis forming can form these materials in a molten state. The materials cool down during forming due to contact-induced heat transfer between material and punch. The contact zone varies during the process and depends on the punch path. The punch velocity, however, influences the duration of the contact. In order to plan the punch velocity for required part properties, this paper presents an analytical model. The model bases on the geometrical description of the contact zone and gives different velocity profiles, which are tested in experiments. Finally, the paper discusses the analytical model, the velocity profiles and the requirements for the press.
Resource status and protection strategies of mangroves in China
Authors: Fu Xiu-Mei , Tang Hui-Ying , Liu Yang , Zhang Meng-Qi , Jiang Shan-Shan , Yang Fang , Li Xiao-Yan , Wang Chang-Yun
Published: July 2021

Mangrove is a typical natural landscape with great ecological, social and economic functions and values, and should be highly valued and protected. However, in the past few decades, mangrove resources have suffered serious damage, and there are also many deficiencies in mangrove protection. Chinese mangroves, as an important part of the global mangroves, are of great research value. In the present study, the status and historical dynamic process of Chinese mangrove resources were investigated and discussed to illustrate the problems of resources from three aspects, including mangrove distribution, area and plant species. Based on field research, literature research and data analysis, it was revealed that Chinese mangroves are distributed in eight provinces and regions along the southeast coast with an area of 35,749.25 hm2, 38 species and 40 nature reserves. The protection situation and deficiencies were analyzed from the establishment and management of nature reserves. Based on the resource status and problems, reasonable strategies were proposed to protect and manage mangroves mainly from four aspects, including publicity and education, resources restoration and protection technology, legal system establishment, and comprehensive protection and management.
Which Aortic Valve Can Be Surgically Reconstructed?
Authors: Abeln Karen B. , Giebels Christian , Ehrlich Tristan , Federspiel Jan M. , Schäfers Hans-Joachim
Published: July 2021

Purpose of Review

Preservation or repair of the aortic valve has evolved dynamically in the past 20 years. It leads to a high freedom from valve-related complications if an adequate valve durability can be achieved; it may possibly also improve survival. To date, little structured information is available about which valves can be repaired and which should better be replaced.

Recent Findings

For surgical decision-making, the size of the aortic root is important and the anatomy of the aortic valve must be considered. In the presence of root aneurysm, most tricuspid and bicuspid aortic valves can be preserved. In aortic regurgitation and normal aortic dimensions, the majority of tricuspid and bicuspid aortic valves can be repaired with good long-term durability. In bicuspid aortic valves, the morphologic characteristics must be taken into consideration. Unicuspid and quadricuspid aortic valves can be repaired in selected cases. Generally, cusp calcification is a sign of a poor substrate for repair; the same is true for cusp retraction and cusp destruction due to active endocarditis. They are associated with limited valve durability.

Using current concepts, many non-calcified aortic valves can be repaired. Modern imaging, in particular three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), should be able to define repairable aortic valves with a high probability.
Digital Religion among U.S. and Canadian Millennial Adults
Authors: Wilkins-Laflamme Sarah
Published: July 2021

Background

Although there is a growing body of research on the nature and content of digital religion, we still know little about the prevalence of digital religious and spiritual practices among different populations in North America. To what extent do digital technologies play a complementary role to in-person religious and spiritual activities only, or do they also reach out to and provide important spaces for new segments of the population removed from more conventional forms of organized religion?

Purpose

The goal is to answer this research question and to explore the prevalence of different types of digital religion practices specifically among young adult Millennials in both the U.S. and Canada. Three contrasting hypotheses are tested: that digital religion practices are prevalent among large segments of the Millennial population and are part of a wider turn towards individual spiritualization (H1); that digital religion practices are another set of religiosity indicators showing signs of a secular transition among Millennials (H2); or that both trends are occurring in tandem, in that some Millennials are practising digital religion, mostly but not exclusively tied to in-person religious activities and socialization (H3).

Methods

To test these hypotheses, we generate a series of descriptive and logit regression statistical analyses using novel and high-quality 2019 Millennial Trends Survey data from both Canada and the U.S.

Results

We find that (1) digital religion as measured in this study is a phenomenon present among many Millennials, although it is also not present among all or a vast majority of this demographic; (2) this is especially the case for more passive forms of digital religion, notably digital content consumption, compared with more active forms such as social media posting; (3) social environment does play an important role, with digital religion practices much more prevalent in the generally more religious U.S. context, compared with the generally more secular Canadian context; and (4) digital religion practices are often, but not always, tied to other in-person religious and spiritual activities among Millennials.

Conclusions and Implications

We find support especially for our third hypothesis (H3) with these results. Consequently, we argue that we should understand the individual spiritualization and secular transition frameworks as complementary, rather than in complete opposition, regarding the prevalence of digital religion among Millennials.
Review of molten carbonate-based direct carbon fuel cells
Authors: Cui Can , Li Shuangbin , Gong Junyi , Wei Keyan , Hou Xiangjun , Jiang Cairong , Yao Yali , Ma Jianjun
Published: July 2021

Direct carbon fuel cell (DCFC) is a promising technology with high energy efficiency and abundant fuel. To date, a variety of DCFC configurations have been investigated, with molten hydroxide, molten carbonate or oxides being used as the electrolyte. Recently, there has been particular interest in DCFC with molten carbonate involved. The molten carbonate is either an electrolyte or a catalyst in different cell structures. In this review, we consider carbonate as the clue to discuss the function of carbonate in DCFCs, and start the paper by outlining the developments in terms of molten carbonate (MC)-based DCFC and its electrochemical oxidation processes. Thereafter, the composite electrolyte merging solid carbonate and mixed ionic–electronic conductors (MIEC) are discussed. Hybrid DCFC (HDCFCs ) combining molten carbonate and solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) are also touched on. The primary function of carbonate (i.e., facilitating ion transfer and expanding the triple-phase boundaries) in these systems, is then discussed in detail. Finally, some issues are identified and a future outlook outlined, including a corrosion attack of cell components, reactions using inorganic salt from fuel ash, and wetting with carbon fuels.
Security assessment for routing-based synthesis on cyberphysical MEDA-based digital microfluidic biochip
Authors: Das Chandan , Muhuri Samya , Chakraborty Sarit , Chakraborty Susanta
Published: July 2021

Cyberphysical microelectrode-dot-array (CP-MEDA)-based digital microfluidic biochip (DMFB) is attracting more attention than its predecessor of traditional DMFB. Conventional DMFBs are mostly unable to recover from the errors incurred at assay run time, and thus, it leads to unacceptable results. Recent studies have revealed the vulnerability of CP-DFMBs to detect malicious intrusions during its design or operational phase. In this paper, we have analysed such vulnerable scenarios that have been utilized by the routing-based-synthesis approach on a CP-MEDA. We have also depicted the mixing operations based on routing for ensuring better security measures. Various attacking scenarios have been demonstrated on a MEDA-based DMFB, and moreover, checkpoint-based intrusion detection method has been proposed for the RBS technique. The effectiveness of our approach is compared with the available benchmark assays. Our proposed method has shown significant improvement over the existing state-of-the-art procedures in terms of assay execution time and intrusion detection rate.
Numerical study of the effects of geometric parameters and nanofluid properties on heat transfer and pressure drop in helical tubes
Authors: Faridi-khouzestani Reza , Ghafouri Ashkan , Halalizade Mahmood
Published: July 2021

In this research the geometric parameters and nanofluid properties effects on heat transfer and pressure drop in helical tube, by using alumina-water nanofluid as cooling fluid, are numerically investigated. Friction factor and heat transfer coefficient are calculated by considering the effects of nanofluid properties, including nanoparticle diameter, nanofluid temperature, Reynolds number, and volume fraction, on the one hand, and the impact of geometric parameters, including tube diameter, coils diameter and coils pitch, on the other hand. Numerical analysis is performed in the Ansys Fluent 19.2 software using the SST k-ω turbulence model. By increasing the nanofluid volume fraction the heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop in helical coils increase, the same as the nanoparticle diameter reduction. The reduction of nanoparticle diameter causes an enhancement of heat transfer and friction factor, the best results happen in dp = 5 nm and φ = 4%, where the it was ~ 40.64% more efficient than base fluid. This amounts for φ = 3%, φ = 2% and φ = 1% are 31.80%, 18.02% and 8.83%, respectively. Finally, the performance evaluation criteria (PEC) is compared for different cases, the maximum value was happen on φ = 4% and dp = 5 nm, which it is 1.86 times higher than the base fluid. The results indicate that the thermal efficiency of the heat exchanger improve largely by using helical coils and nanofluids, rather than the base fluid, and direct tubes. In addition, increasing coil pitch and curvature ratio enhance heat transfer and reduce friction factor.
La Quebrada de Humahuaca (Jujuy, Argentina) y sus relaciones sur andinas en tiempos del “fenómeno Isla”: Arqueología de Muyuna
Authors: Nielsen Axel E. , Vázquez María M. , Avalos Julio C.
Published: July 2021

Se analizan las redes de tráfico de la Quebrada de Humahuaca en tiempos del “fenómeno Isla”, evaluando críticamente el protagonismo atribuido a Tiwanaku en su organización. Con este fin se presentan las investigaciones realizadas en Muyuna —uno de los principales sitios de la época en la Quebrada— ofreciendo información novedosa sobre contextos domésticos y funerarios, economía y modo de vida. Un análisis bayesiano de todas las dataciones disponibles para el componente Isla lo ubican entre fines del siglo once y comienzos del siglo catorce dC. Estos resultados, junto con el probable origen de los bienes presentes en estos contextos, llevan a concluir que las interacciones con otras regiones de los Andes circumpuneños fueron más importantes para los procesos de diferenciación social en las comunidades Isla que las relaciones con el estado Tiwanaku. En este marco, cobran especial relevancia la relación con el Río Grande de San Juan y la gravitación de ciertos colectivos supra-regionales (pastores, consumidores de alucinógenos) que podrían introducir una dimensión heterárquica en la organización de las redes sur andinas.
Why Did Teachers Organize? Feminism and Socialism in the Making of New York City Teacher Unionism
Authors: Phelps Christopher
Published: July 2021

What prompted New York City teachers to form a union in the Progressive Era? The founding of the journal American Teacher in 1912 led to creation of the Teachers’ League in 1913 and then the Teachers Union in 1916, facilitating formation of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). Despite historiographical claims that teacher union drives needed a focus on bread-and-butter issues to succeed, ideals of educational democracy and opposition to managerial autocracy motivated the Teachers’ League. Contrary to claims that early New York City teacher unionism was unrepresentative because dominated by radical male Jewish high-school instructors, heterogeneous majorities of women and elementary school teachers formed the Teachers’ League and Teachers Union leaderships. Board of Education representation, maternity leave, free speech, and pensions were aims of this radically democratic movement led by socialists and feminists, which received demonstrably greater mass teacher support than the conservative feminism of a rival association.
Combined electrochemistry and mass spectrometry imaging to interrogate the mechanism of action of modafinil, a cognition-enhancing drug, at the cellular and sub-cellular level
Authors: Ranjbari Elias , Philipsen Mai H. , Wang Zhaoying , Ewing Andrew G.
Published: July 2021

Modafinil is a mild psychostimulant-like drug enhancing wakefulness, improving attention and developing performance in various cognitive tasks, but its mechanism of action is not completely understood. This is the first combination of amperometry, electrochemical cytometry and mass spectrometry to interrogate the mechanism of action of a drug, here modafinil, at cellular and sub-cellular level. We employed single-cell amperometry (SCA) and intracellular vesicle impact electrochemical cytometry (IVIEC) to investigate the alterations in exocytotic release and vesicular catecholamine storage following modafinil treatment. The SCA results reveal that modafinil slows down the exocytosis process so that, the number of catecholamines released per exocytotic event is enhanced in the modafinil-treated cells. Also, IVIEC results offer an upregulation effect of modafinil on the vesicular catecholamine storage. Mass spectrometry imaging by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) illustrates that treatment with modafinil reduces the cylindrical-shaped phosphatidylcholine at the cellular membrane, while the high curvature lipids with conical structures such as phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylinositol are elevated after modafinil treatment. Combining the results obtained by SCA, IVIEC and ToF-SIMS suggests that modafinil-treated cells release a larger portion of their vesicular content at least in part by changing the lipid composition of the cell membrane, suggesting regulation of cognition.
Understanding the Global Patrimonial Wave
Authors: Hanson Stephen E. , Kopstein Jeffrey S.
Published: July 2021

The past decade has witnessed a resurgence of patrimonial rule not only in the developing world but also, more surprisingly, in the developed West. This resurgence carries potentially dire consequences for responding to a range of pressing problems. Understanding the sources of contemporary patrimonialism is hindered by assimilating the phenomenon into the familiar democracy/autocracy typology or by assuming that it is a function of failed modernization. This article identifies the patrimonial phenomenon and explores the contemporary global diffusion of patrimonial rule from its origins in postcommunist Russia, with a focus on how patrimonialism has manifested itself in policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some signs indicate that reestablishing bureaucratic predictability and expertise may be much harder than demolishing it. In some respects, the task may be more daunting than the salvation of democracy itself.
The Synoptic Impacts on the Convection Initiation of a Warm‐Sector Heavy Rainfall Event Over Coastal South China Prior to the Monsoon Onset: A Numerical Modeling Study
Authors: Bao Xinghua , Luo Yali , Gao Xiaoyu
Published: July 2021

A series of convection‐permitting numerical experiments using the Weather Research and Forecasting Model with different model configurations are performed to investigate physical mechanisms governing convection initiation (CI) at the coast of South China (SC) during a warm‐sector heavy rainfall event occurred before the South China Sea (SCS) monsoon onset. The simulation results are more sensitive to initial state from the different reanalysis products than the microphysics schemes, horizontal resolutions, initialization time, and lateral boundary conditions with the variation examined. It is found that the speeds of easterly to southeasterly winds in the boundary layer (BL) over northern SCS determine the strength of horizontal convergence of the warm and moist airflows arriving at the coast. The mid‐tropospheric divergence over the west coastal areas of SC and its southwest upstream impact vertical motion of the mid‐to‐lower tropospheric southwesterly airflows when approaching the coast. Differences in such features of upstream airflows in the experiments lead to distinct temporal evolutions of BL dynamic lifting and temperature stratification in the mid‐to‐lower levels at the CI location, thus the level of free convection and convective available potential energy. The modeling evidence presented shows that the synoptic dynamic and thermodynamic characteristics of the upstream airflows in BL and mid‐to‐lower troposphere, with local modulation by the coastal mountains, play important roles in determining the time and location of CI, and the distribution and amount of rainfall. Studies on more cases are needed to gain more general and robust conclusions about physical mechanism governing the warm‐sector coastal CI.
High Incidence Hypoxia Increases Benthic Nitrogen Retention but Decreases Nitrogen Removal in Seasonally Hypoxic Areas off the Changjiang Estuary
Authors: Li Xiaofei , Qian Wei , Qi Mengting , Gao Dengzhou , Liu Cheng , Liu Min , Hou Lijun
Published: July 2021

How the partitioning between dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) and N2 production responds to hypoxia in seasonally hypoxic estuaries has not been well understood. In this study, 15N tracer incubations were used to investigate benthic denitrification, anammox and DNRA rates for three years (2016–2018) across seasonally hypoxic areas off the Changjiang Estuary. Dissolved oxygen contents in bottom water were significantly lower in July than in February/March. Concentrations of NH4+ and NOx– in bottom water throughout the sampling sites did not vary between seasons. Rates of benthic denitrification (0.45–6.55 nmol N g−1 h−1), anammox (0.02–0.30 nmol N g−1 h−1) and DNRA (0.06–0.59 nmol N g−1 h−1) varied largely along the estuary. Denitrification, anammox and DNRA rates did not vary significantly between inshore and offshore sites. However, denitrification rates were significantly lower and DNRA rates were significantly higher in consistently than transiently hypoxic sites. Anammox rates were slightly lower in consistently than transiently hypoxic sites. Ratios of DNRA to N2 production were in a range of 0.015–0.53, and were significantly higher in consistently than transiently hypoxic sites, but did not vary significantly between inshore and offshore sites. The lower temperature sensitivity of denitrification and anammox compared to their Q10 values further indicated that hypoxia may inhibit N2 production. These results suggest that high incidence hypoxia can decrease denitrification and anammox rates but increase DNRA rates with important implications on N retention versus removal, thereby exacerbating eutrophication and hypoxia in estuarine and coastal environments.
An accessible insight into genetic findings for transplantation recipients with suspected genetic kidney disease
Authors: Wang Zhigang , Xu Hongen , Xiang Tianchao , Liu Danhua , Xu Fei , Zhao Lixiang , Feng Yonghua , Xu Linan , Liu Jialu , Fang Ye , Liu Huanfei , Li Ruijun , Hu Xinxin , Guan Jingyuan , Liu Longshan , Feng Guiwen , Shen Qian , Xu Hong , Frishman Dmitrij , Tang Wenxue , Guo Jiancheng , Rao Jia , Shang Wenjun
Published: July 2021

Determining the etiology of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) constitutes a great challenge in the context of renal transplantation. Evidence is lacking on the genetic findings for adult renal transplant recipients through exome sequencing (ES). Adult patients on kidney transplant waitlist were recruited from 2017 to 2019. Trio-ES was conducted for the families who had multiple affected individuals with nephropathy or clinical suspicion of a genetic kidney disease owing to early onset or extrarenal features. Pathogenic variants were confirmed in 62 from 115 families post sequencing for 421 individuals including 195 health family members as potential living donors. Seventeen distinct genetic disorders were identified confirming theprioridiagnosis in 33 (28.7%) families, modified or reclassified the clinical diagnosis in 27 (23.5%) families, and established a diagnosis in two families with ESRD of unknown etiology. In 14.8% of the families, we detected promising variants of uncertain significance in candidate genes associated with renal development or renal disease. Furthermore, we reported the secondary findings of oncogenes in 4.4% of the patients and known single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated with pharmacokinetics in our cohort to predict the drug levels of tacrolimus and mycophenolate. The diagnostic utility of the genetic findings has provided new clinical insight in most families that help with preplanned renal transplantation.
Precursor of pair-density wave in doping Kitaev spin liquid on the honeycomb lattice
Authors: Peng Cheng , Jiang Yi-Fan , Devereaux Thomas P. , Jiang Hong-Chen
Published: July 2021

We study the effects of doping the Kitaev model on the honeycomb lattice where the spins interact via the bond-directional interaction JK, which is known to have a quantum spin liquid as its exact ground state. The effect of hole doping is studied within the t-JK model on a three-leg cylinder using density-matrix renormalization group. Upon light doping, we find that the ground state of the system has a dominant quasi-long-range charge-density-wave correlations but short-range single-particle correlations. In the pairing channel, the even-parity superconducting correlation is dominant with d-wave-like symmetry, which oscillates in sign as a function of separation with a period equal to that of the spin-density wave and two times the charge-density wave. Although these correlations fall rapidly (possibly exponentially) at long distances, this is never-the-less the example where a pair-density wave is the leading instability in the pairing channel on the honeycomb lattice.
Consolidated bioprocessing for bioethanol production by metabolically engineered Bacillus subtilis strains
Authors: Maleki Fatemeh , Changizian Mohammad , Zolfaghari Narges , Rajaei Sarah , Noghabi Kambiz Akbari , Zahiri Hossein Shahbani
Published: July 2021

Bioethanol produced by fermentative microorganisms is regarded as an alternative to fossil fuel. Bioethanol to be used as a viable energy source must be produced cost-effectively by removing expense-intensive steps such as the enzymatic hydrolysis of substrate. Consolidated bioprocessing (CBP) is believed to be a practical solution combining saccharification and fermentation in a single step catalyzed by a microorganism. Bacillus subtills with innate ability to grow on a diversity of carbohydrates seems promising for affordable CBP bioethanol production using renewable plant biomass and wastes. In this study, the genes encoding alcohol dehydrogenase from Z. mobilis (adhZ) and S. cerevisiae (adhS) were each used with Z. mobilis pyruvate decarboxylase gene (pdcZ) to create ethanologenic operons in a lactate-deficient (Δldh) B. subtilis resulting in NZ and NZS strains, respectively. The S. cerevisiae adhS caused significantly more ethanol production by NZS and therefore was used to make two other operons including one with double copies of both pdcZ and adhS and the other with a single pdcZ but double adhS genes expressed in N(ZS)2 and NZS2 strains, respectively. In addition, two fusion genes were constructed with pdcZ and adhS in alternate orientations and used for ethanol production by the harboring strains namely NZ:S and NS:Z, respectively. While the increase of gene dosage was not associated with elevated carbon flow for ethanol production, the fusion gene adhS:pdcZ resulted in a more than two times increase of productivity by strain NS:Z as compared with NZS during 48 h fermentation. The CBP ethanol production by NZS and NS:Z using potatoes resulted in 16.3 g/L and 21.5 g/L ethanol during 96 h fermentation, respectively. For the first time in this study, B. subtilis was successfully used for CBP ethanol production with S. cerevisiae alcohol dehydrogenase. The results of the study provide insights on the potentials of B. subtilis for affordable bioethanol production from inexpensive plant biomass and wastes. However, the potentials need to be improved by metabolic and process engineering for higher yields of ethanol production and plant biomass utilization.
Normal colour perception in developmental prosopagnosia
Authors: Smith Chelsea , Susilo Tirta
Published: July 2021

Developmental prosopagnosia (DP) is a selective neurodevelopmental condition defined by lifelong impairments in face recognition. Despite much research, the extent to which DP is associated with broader visual deficits beyond face processing is unclear. Here we investigate whether DP is accompanied by deficits in colour perception. We tested a large sample of 92 DP individuals and 92 sex/age-matched controls using the well-validated Ishihara and Farnsworth–Munsell 100-Hue tests to assess red–green colour deficiencies and hue discrimination abilities. Group-level analyses show comparable performance between DP and control individuals across both tests, and single-case analyses indicate that the prevalence of colour deficits is low and comparable to that in the general population. Our study clarifies that DP is not linked to colour perception deficits and constrains theories of DP that seek to account for a larger range of visual deficits beyond face recognition.
Isolation and structure elucidation of pyridine alkaloids from the aerial parts of the Mongolian medicinal plant Caryopteris mongolica Bunge
Authors: Mishig Dumaa , Gruner Margit , Lübken Tilo , Ganbaatar Chunsriimyatav , Regdel Duger , Knölker Hans-Joachim
Published: July 2021

The seven pyridine alkaloids 1–7, the flavonoid acacetin (8), and L-proline anhydride (9) have been isolated from the aerial parts of the Mongolian medicinal plant Caryopteris mongolica Bunge. The structures of the natural products 1–9 have been assigned by MS, as well as IR, 1D NMR (1H, 13C, DEPT), and 2D NMR (COSY, HSQC, HMBC, NOESY) spectroscopic methods. The compounds 2 and 4–7 represent new chemical structures. Acacetin (8) and L-proline anhydride (9) have been obtained from C. mongolica for the first time.
Exploring the sequence features determining amyloidosis in human antibody light chains
Authors: Rawat Puneet , Prabakaran R. , Kumar Sandeep , Gromiha M. Michael
Published: July 2021

The light chain (AL) amyloidosis is caused by the aggregation of light chain of antibodies into amyloid fibrils. There are plenty of computational resources available for the prediction of short aggregation-prone regions within proteins. However, it is still a challenging task to predict the amyloidogenic nature of the whole protein using sequence/structure information. In the case of antibody light chains, common architecture and known binding sites can provide vital information for the prediction of amyloidogenicity at physiological conditions. Here, in this work, we have compared classical sequence-based, aggregation-related features (such as hydrophobicity, presence of gatekeeper residues, disorderness, β-propensity, etc.) calculated for the CDR, FR or VLregions of amyloidogenic and non-amyloidogenic antibody light chains and implemented the insights gained in a machine learning-based webserver called “VLAmY-Pred” (https://web.iitm.ac.in/bioinfo2/vlamy-pred/). The model shows prediction accuracy of 79.7% (sensitivity: 78.7% and specificity: 79.9%) with a ROC value of 0.88 on a dataset of 1828 variable region sequences of the antibody light chains. This model will be helpful towards improved prognosis for patients that may likely suffer from diseases caused by light chain amyloidosis, understanding origins of aggregation in antibody-based biotherapeutics, large-scale in-silico analysis of antibody sequences generated by next generation sequencing, and finally towards rational engineering of aggregation resistant antibodies.
Radiomics models based on enhanced computed tomography to distinguish clear cell from non-clear cell renal cell carcinomas
Authors: Wang Ping , Pei Xu , Yin Xiao-Ping , Ren Jia-Liang , Wang Yun , Ma Lu-Yao , Du Xiao-Guang , Gao Bu-Lang
Published: July 2021

This study was to assess the effect of the predictive model for distinguishing clear cell RCC (ccRCC) from non-clear cell RCC (non-ccRCC) by establishing predictive radiomic models based on enhanced-computed tomography (CT) images of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). A total of 190 cases with RCC confirmed by pathology were retrospectively analyzed, with the patients being randomly divided into two groups, including the training set and testing set according to the ratio of 7:3. A total of 396 radiomic features were computationally obtained and analyzed with the Correlation between features, Univariate Logistics and Multivariate Logistics. Finally, 4 features were selected, and three machine models (Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Logistic Regression (LR)) were established to discriminate RCC subtypes. The radiomics performance was compared with that of radiologist diagnosis. In the testing set, the RF model had an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.909, a sensitivity of 0.956, and a specificity of 0.538. The SVM model had an AUC value of 0.841, a sensitivity of 1.0, and a specificity of 0.231, in the testing set. The LR model had an AUC value of 0.906, a sensitivity of 0.956, and a specificity of 0.692, in the testing set. The sensitivity and specificity of radiologist diagnosis to differentiate ccRCC from non-ccRCC were 0.850 and 0.581, respectively, with the AUC value of the radiologist diagnosis as 0.69. In conclusion, radiomics models based on CT imaging data show promise for augmenting radiological diagnosis in renal cancer, especially for differentiating ccRCC from non-ccRCC.
Novel use of social media to assess and improve coastal flood forecasts and hazard alerts
Authors: Brown J. M. , Yelland M. J. , Pullen T. , Silva E. , Martin A. , Gold I. , Whittle L. , Wisse P.
Published: July 2021

Coastal communities and infrastructure need protection from flooding and wave overtopping events. Assessment of hazard prediction methods, used in sea defence design, defence performance inspections and forecasting services, requires observations at the land-sea interface but these are rarely collected. Here we show how a database of hindcast overtopping events, and the conditions that cause them, can be built using qualitative overtopping information obtained from social media. We develop a database for a case study site at Crosby in the Northwest of England, use it to test the standard methods applied in operational flood forecasting services and new defence design, and suggest improvements to these methods. This novel approach will become increasingly important to deliver long-term, cost-effective coastal management solutions as sea-levels rise and coastal populations grow. At sites with limited, or no, monitoring or forecasting services, this approach, especially if combined with citizen science initiatives, could underpin the development of simplified early warning systems.
Interlaboratory study for the evaluation of three microtiter plate-based biofilm quantification methods
Authors: Allkja Jontana , van Charante Frits , Aizawa Juliana , Reigada Inés , Guarch-Pérez Clara , Vazquez-Rodriguez Jesus Augusto , Cos Paul , Coenye Tom , Fallarero Adyary , Zaat Sebastian A. J. , Felici Antonio , Ferrari Livia , Azevedo Nuno F. , Parker Albert E. , Goeres Darla M.
Published: July 2021

Microtiter plate methods are commonly used for biofilm assessment. However, results obtained with these methods have often been difficult to reproduce. Hence, it is important to obtain a better understanding of the repeatability and reproducibility of these methods. An interlaboratory study was performed in five different laboratories to evaluate the reproducibility and responsiveness of three methods to quantify Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation in 96-well microtiter plates: crystal violet, resazurin, and plate counts. An inter-lab protocol was developed for the study. The protocol was separated into three steps: biofilm growth, biofilm challenge, biofilm assessment. For control experiments participants performed the growth and assessment steps only. For treatment experiments, all three steps were performed and the efficacy of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) in killing S. aureus biofilms was evaluated. In control experiments, on the log10-scale, the reproducibility SD (SR) was 0.44 for crystal violet, 0.53 for resazurin, and 0.92 for the plate counts. In the treatment experiments, plate counts had the best responsiveness to different levels of efficacy and also the best reproducibility with respect to responsiveness (Slope/SR = 1.02), making it the more reliable method to use in an antimicrobial efficacy test. This study showed that the microtiter plate is a versatile and easy-to-use biofilm reactor, which exhibits good repeatability and reproducibility for different types of assessment methods, as long as a suitable experimental design and statistical analysis is applied.
Acute effects of high-potency cannabis flower and cannabis concentrates on everyday life memory and decision making
Authors: Cuttler Carrie , LaFrance Emily M. , Stueber Amanda
Published: July 2021

Statewide legislation has increased public access to high-potency cannabis flower and concentrates, yet federal restrictions limit researchers’ access to relatively low-potency whole-plant cannabis. The goal of this study was to examine the acute effects of high-potency cannabis on cognition using a novel methodology. We further sought to compare cognitive effects of high-potency cannabis flower with and without cannabidiol (CBD), as well as cannabis concentrates to cannabis flower. 80 cannabis users were randomly assigned to stay sober or use their funds to purchase one of three high-potency cannabis products: (1) high-potency flower (≥ 20% THC) without CBD, (2) high-potency flower with CBD, (3) high-potency concentrates (≥ 60% THC) with CBD. Participants were observed over Zoom videoconferencing while inhaling their product or remaining sober and then were administered tests of everyday life memory (prospective, source, temporal order, and false memory) and decision making (risky choice framing, consistency in risk perception, resistance to sunk cost, and over/under confidence) over Zoom. High-potency cannabis flower with CBD impaired free recall, high-potency flower without CBD and concentrates had detrimental effects on source memory, and all three products increased susceptibility to false memories. CBD did not offset impairments and concentrates were self-titrated producing comparable intoxication and impairment as flower.
Three-dimensional virtual histology in unprocessed resected tissues with photoacoustic remote sensing (PARS) microscopy and optical coherence tomography (OCT)
Authors: Ecclestone Benjamin R. , Hosseinaee Zohreh , Abbasi Nima , Bell Kevan , Dinakaran Deepak , Mackey John R. , Haji Reza Parsin
Published: July 2021

Histological images are critical in the diagnosis and treatment of cancers. Unfortunately, current methods for capturing these microscopy images require resource intensive tissue preparation that may delay diagnosis for days or weeks. To streamline this process, clinicians are limited to assessing small macroscopically representative subsets of tissues. Here, a combined photoacoustic remote sensing (PARS) microscope and swept source optical coherence tomography system designed to circumvent these diagnostic limitations is presented. The proposed multimodal microscope provides label-free three-dimensional depth resolved virtual histology visualizations, capturing nuclear and extranuclear tissue morphology directly on thick unprocessed specimens. The capabilities of the proposed method are demonstrated directly in unprocessed formalin fixed resected tissues. The first images of nuclear contrast in resected human tissues, and the first three-dimensional visualization of subsurface nuclear morphology in resected Rattus tissues, captured with a non-contact photoacoustic system are presented here. Moreover, the proposed system captures the first co-registered OCT and PARS images enabling direct histological assessment of unprocessed tissues. This work represents a vital step towards the development of a rapid histological imaging modality to circumvent the limitations of current histopathology techniques.
The effect of topical ocular moxifloxacin on conjunctival and nasal mucosal flora
Authors: Celebi Ali Riza Cenk , Onerci Celebi Ozlem
Published: July 2021

To determine the short-term effect of topically administered ocular moxifloxacin on conjunctival and nasal bacterial mucosal flora. The study included 20 patients with newly diagnosed age-related macular degeneration. Each patient’s diseased eye was selected as the treatment eye and the fellow eye was selected as the control eye. All treatment eyes constituted the treatment group and all controls eyes constituted the control group. All patients received intravitreal injection of ranibizumab. Cultures were obtained from the inferior conjunctival fornix and the nostrils in all patients. Patients were instructed to administer moxifloxacin eye drops to the treatment eye 4 times daily for 1 week. The patients were instructed to come for a follow-up exam 1 week post intravitreal injection. The bacterial culture positivity rate and the bacteria isolated from the conjunctiva and nostrils were recorded in the 2 groups before and after use of topical ocular moxifloxacin. Mean age of the patients (12 female and 8 male) was 64.9 years. Before use of topical ocular moxifloxacin the conjunctival and nasal culture positivity rates in the treatment group were both 100%, versus 90% and 95%, respectively, in the control group. At the follow-up exam the conjunctival and nasal mucosa culture positivity rates in the treatment group decreased to 20% (4/20) and 30% (6/20), respectively (P < 0.001), versus 85% (17/20) and 80% (16/20), respectively, in the control group (P = 0.68 and P = 0.72 for conjunctival and nasal). This is the first study to show that moxifloxacin applied to the ocular surface topically has a significant effect on nasal flora. Daily administration of topical ocular moxifloxacin for 1 week significantly reduces the nasal bacterial flora in addition to conjunctival flora.
A 1-year follow-up study on immunological changes following deep brain stimulation in patients with epilepsy
Authors: Basnyat Pabitra , Järvenpää Soila , Raitanen Jani , Pesu Marko , Lehtimäki Kai , Peltola Jukka
Published: July 2021

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of deep brain stimulation of the anterior nucleus of the thalamus (ANT-DBS) on systemic inflammatory responses in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). Twenty-two Finnish patients with ANT-DBS implantation were enrolled in this pilot study. Changes in plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels were examined using generalized estimating equation models at seven time points (before DBS surgery and 1, 2, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after implantation). In the whole group, the IL-6/IL-10 ratio decreased significantly over time following ANT-DBS, while the decrease in IL-6 levels and increase in IL-10 levels were not significant. In the responder and nonresponder groups, IL-6 levels remained unchanged during the follow-up. Responders had significantly lower pre-DBS IL-10 levels before the ANT-DBS treatment than nonresponders, but the levels significantly increased over time after the treatment. In addition, responders had a higher pre-DBS IL-6/IL-10 ratio than nonresponders, and the ratio decreased for both groups after treatment, but the decrease did not reach the level of statistical significance. The rate of decrease in the ratio per month tended to be higher in responders than in nonresponders. These results may highlight the anti-inflammatory properties of ANT-DBS treatment associated with its therapeutic effectiveness in patients with DRE. Additional studies are essential to evaluate the potential of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-6, the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, and their ratio as biomarkers to evaluate the therapeutic response to DBS treatment, which could facilitate treatment optimization.
Prognostic factors of restrictive myopathy in thyroid eye disease
Authors: Choi Jae Hwan , Noh Hoon , Kim Yoon-Duck , Woo Kyung In
Published: July 2021

To investigate the prognostic factors of extraocular muscle restriction in patients with thyroid eye disease (TED), 65 patients with TED and restrictive myopathy were evaluated. Demographics, clinical activity score (CAS), smoking status, thyroid disease status, thyroid hormone status, thyroid autoantibody status, orbital computed tomography (CT) scan at initial presentation, and treatment regimens were assessed. The movements of the most severely affected extraocular muscles were categorized into five grades. The patients were divided into the improved and the not-improved group based on the improvement in the limitation of the extraocular muscle excursion (LOM) throughout the follow-up, and the groups were compared using clinical factors. The mean LOM significantly improved from 2.3 ± 1.1 to 1.7 ± 1.2 after 1 year of follow-up. The excursion of the most restricted muscle improved in 32 patients but not in 33 patients during the follow-up. The initial concentration of the thyroid-stimulating antibody (TSAb) was significantly lower in the improved (229.3 ± 114.1) than in the not-improved group (345.0 ± 178.6) (P = 0.02) Age, sex, smoking status, CAS, thyroid status, and muscle thickness on the CT scan did not significantly differ in the groups. This study showed that the initial concentration of TSAb is a factor affecting the recovery of restrictive myopathy.