bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of TIVA and VICA on cognitive function, oxidative stress level and postoperative adverse reactions in elderly patients during sternum reduction and fixation
Authors: Wu Chengwei , Yu Ping , Cheng Hao , Lu Qiaoling , Wang Xinbin , Wu Zhenhua
Published: November 2022

Backgroud: The effect of general anesthesia during the reduction and fixation of the sternum by TIVA method on the degree of cognitive impairment in the elderly.
Methods: Research main way prepared through a prospectie, aged 60 or more in our line of sternum, reduction and fixation of 78 cases of elderly patients were randomly divided into all by intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) combined with intravenous inhalation group anesthesia (VICA) group, and observed in patients with different anesthetic methods on oxidative stress related indicators, the influence of postoperative cognitive function and adverse reaction.
Results: As can be seen from the results by different methods of anesthesia operation time, blood loss and postoperative open time had no obvious effect, but different anesthetic methods on cognitive function in patients with and oxidative stress are different degrees of influence, embodied in the MoCA scale after evaluation, different ways of anesthesia will cognitive function in patients with damage to a certain extent, However, TIVA had significantly lower cognitive impairment than VICA and recovered faster in a short time. The comparison of oxidative stress related indexes showed that the oxidative stress level of each group increased sharply at the beginning of surgery due to external invasion, and then decreased with the end of surgery, and the oxidative stress level of TIVA group was lower than that of VICA group after surgery. The kaplan-Meier survival curve showed that the incidence of postoperative adverse reactions in TIVA group was significantly lower than that in VICA group.
Conclusion: Therefore, this study further demonstrated that TIVA method for general anesthesia during sternum reduction and fixation in the elderly is more conducive to reducing the degree of cognitive impairment, reducing the level of intraoperative oxidative stress and postoperative adverse reactions, which has high clinical application value.
Aspiration pneumonia is an independent risk factor associated with long-term hospital stay: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Wakabayashi Takao , Hamaguchi Sugihiro , Morimoto Konosuke
Published: November 2022

Background
Long-term hospital stay is associated with functional decline in patients with pneumonia especially in the elderly. Among elderly patients with pneumonia, aspiration pneumonia is a major disease category. It is still not clear whether long-term hospital stay is due to aspiration pneumonia itself caused by underlying oropharyngeal dysfunction or simply due to functional decline in elderly patients with multiple comorbidities during acute infection. The observational study aim is to identify whether aspiration pneumonia itself was associated with long-term hospital stay.
Methods
A prospective observational study focused on community-acquired or healthcare-associated pneumonia (HCAP) was carried out from January 2012 through January 2014. Patients at risk for aspiration pneumonia were identified as those who experienced documented episodes of aspiration, chronic disturbances of consciousness and/or chronic neuromuscular diseases. We defined thirty-day hospital stay as long-term hospital stay and compared thirty-day hospital stay between aspiration pneumonia group and the other pneumonia group with logistic regression analysis. Potential confounding factors included age, gender, diagnosis of HCAP, CURB criteria, body mass index, long-term bed-ridden state, heart failure, cerebrovascular disorders, dementia, use of antipsychotics, and use of hypnotics. In a sub-analysis, we also explored factors associated with long-term hospital stay in patients with aspiration pneumonia.
Results
Our study enrolled 2,795 patients; 878 (31.4%) were at risk for developing aspiration pneumonia. After adjusting potential confounders, the aspiration pneumonia is a risk factor of long-term hospital stay (adjusted odds ratio 1.43; 95% confidence interval 1.09 - 1.88, p <0.01). Higher age, male gender, high CURB score, diagnosis of HCAP, low BMI, heart failure, cerebrovascular disease and use of antipsychotics were suggested to be the risk of long-term hospital stay. Sub-analysis revealed factors associated with long-term hospital stay in aspiration pneumonia group that included higher age, male gender, high CURB score, multi-lobar chest X-ray involvement and use of antipsychotic drugs.
Conclusions
Aspiration pneumonia itself was independently associated with long-term hospital stay. This result can lead to move specific rehabilitation strategies for pneumonia patients with underlying oropharyngeal dysfunction.
GIS-based Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation of Urban Flooding Risk with Socioeconomic- Index System Development
Authors: LI Fei , YAN JieRu , XIONG Xiaolan , YAN Hexiang , TAO Tao , WANG Linsen
Published: November 2022

Due to the climate change induced extreme rainfall, urban flooding risk is one of the major concerning risk in the near future with accelerating occurrence frequency and intensity. To enhance the city resilience against flooding risk, this paper proposed a GIS-based spatial Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation (FCE) framework to quantify multiple impact factors in an integrated ArcGIS platform. This assessment method incorporates the hydrodynamic drainage simulation results for further calculation of 6 methodically picked evaluation indices such as the transportation attenuation and residential security index, which helps to reduce the subjective effect for the integrated comprehensive risk assessment. The detailed application in SA city validates the effectiveness of the adopted GIS-based FCE method, and the results illustrate the areas with higher risk levels reasonably coincide with severe inundation situations and dense hazard-bearing bodies. This systematic evaluation framework can support applicable references for further extension to other cities to efficiently allocate limited resources especially under flooding rescue conditions.
A unified, more intuitive explanation of some quantum phenomena
Authors: Zeng Tian-Hai , Li Kai , Wang Feng , Shao Bin , Liang Shidong
Published: November 2022

There has been wide interest in splitter, quantum tunneling, and double-slit experiments for a
long time. The states of single material particles are typically explained as being independent of
other objects (and/or electromagnetic fields) and interactions. This independence causes counterintuitive
explanations. By analyzing the research conducted separately by Wineland's group and
Haroche's group, we naturally deduced that the states are dependent on other objects. Based on
this dependence, our unified explanation is more intuitive. We design a double-slit thought experiment
that can solve the center problem, i.e., which-path information. The dependence can also
work for qubits in quantum information. To emphasize and use the dependence in the future, we
propose a fundamental postulate that no material particle is free as the zeroth postulate of quantum
mechanics.
A novel molecular switch for control of cell and gene therapies based on a clinically approved small molecule
Authors: Chin Stacey , Schindler Christina , Vinall Lisa , Dodd Roger , Bamber Lisa , Legg Sandrine , Sigurdardottir Anna , Rees D. , Malcolm Tim , Spratley Samantha , Tigue Natalie
Published: November 2022

Chemical inducer of dimerization (CID) modules can be used effectively as molecular switches to control biological processes, and thus there is significant interest within the synthetic biology community in identifying novel CID systems. To date, CID modules have been used primarily in engineering cells for in vitro applications. To broaden their utility to the clinical setting, including the potential to control cell and gene therapies, the identification of novel CID modules should consider factors such as the safety and pharmacokinetic profile of the small molecule inducer, and the orthogonality and immunogenicity of the protein components. Here we describe a novel CID module based on the orally available, approved, small molecule simeprevir and its target, the NS3/4A protease from hepatitis C virus. We demonstrate the utility of this CID module as a molecular switch to control biological processes such as gene expression and apoptosis in vitro, and show that the CID system can be used to rapidly induce apoptosis in tumor cells in a xenograft mouse model, leading to complete tumor regression.
A Note on the Correct View of Adiabatic Process
Authors: Bharathraj Goddalehundi
Published: November 2022

Note: Please see pdf for full abstract with equations
An adiabatic process is a thermodynamic process in which there is no exchange of heat energy or particles between the system and its surroundings. However the surroundings can alter the mechanical energy or potential energy of the system. This fact is not borne out well in any of the standard textbooks. Here we explicitly discuss the case where we alter the potential energy component and its consequences. There is a misconception that the reduced internal energy performs an external work during this process and that the net energy change of the system is zero. We are going to bust both these myths. Both the internal energy and stored mechanical energy either increase or decrease together in tandem depending on the external forcing. They do not feed each other in the absence of externally induced changes. The usual relationships we use, that is PVγ = Constant and P1-γTγ = Constant are valid only when the changes in external forcing is very minute. When the imposed external pressure is very small or very large compared to the system pressure then we get large errors in the calculations. Here we derive accurate equations which are valid over the entire range of operation. We also note that the textbook expressions can not satisfy both the energy eqn and ideal gas law simultaneously. Further the textbook eqns indicate that it must be a reversible process. But the accurate eqns show that this process is inherently irreversible.
Investigation the effect of welding parameters on mechanical properties of AISI 316L by Metal Inert Gas (MIG)
Authors: Khrais Samir K. , Hmoud Hadeel Al , Al Ahmad R. Abdel , Darabseh Tariq
Published: November 2022

The purpose of this research is to study the behavior of AISI 316L steel during the Metal Inert Gas (MIG) welding process. Three welding parameters are adjusted at three levels of voltage, wire feed, and shielding gas combination (6V, 8V, 10V), (3, 3.5, 4), and (G4, G5, G6). The welding properties are investigated by tensile test strength and Charpy impact test. Ordering parameters are performed based on Taguchi's orthogonal array (L9). The data was analyzed using an analysis of variance (ANOVA) and signal-to-noise (S/N) to determine the optimal welding parameter sets. According to the results of this study, the most influential welding parameter is the gas combination on tensile strength; followed by voltage, wire feed, and gas combination (10V, 3.5, G4). The most influential parameter on maximum elongation is shielding gas. The welding parameter sets the voltage, wire feed, and gas combination (10V, 3.5, G4). The voltage has the most influential parameter on toughness. The welding parameter sets the voltage, wire feed, and gas combination (8V, 3.5, G5). A quaternary shielding gas is used in this study, which gives new insights into the mechanical properties of AISI 316L stainless steel and selects an appropriate shielding gas combination. The results assist engineers and technicians in making more effective welding parameter selections.
Characteristics of persistent arthritis with Kawasaki disease: A single-center retrospective study
Authors: Hattori Seira , Nozawa Tomo , Nishimura Kenichi , Hara Ryoki , Murase Ayako , Ohara Asami , Ohnishi Ai , Ohya Takashi , Ito Shuichi
Published: November 2022

Arthritis is one complication of Kawasaki disease (KD); however, the clinical features of arthritis in KD have not been well clarified. We retrospectively investigated the characteristics of persistent arthritis in patients with refractory KD. In this cohort, 49 of 243 patients (20%) developed arthritis, with 33 patients (14%) experiencing persistent arthritis. Among these 33 patients, 31 (94%) had complete KD. Thirty (91%) were resistant to initial intravenous immunoglobulin, and 15 (45%) required additional infliximab. Five patients (15%) developed coronary artery lesions, and 24 (73%) had oligoarthritis, mainly in large lower-extremity joints. Twenty-four patients (73%) complained of arthralgia. At arthritis onset, 16 patients (48%) presented with fever, including recurrent fever in 10 patients. Serum C-reactive protein concentration in patients with active arthritis significantly increased compared with after acute KD treatment (2.4 vs. 0.7 mg/dL, p < 0.001). Serum matrix metalloproteinase-3, a biomarker of arthritis, was significantly higher in patients with active arthritis than in those in remission (93.7 vs. 20.3 ng/mL, p < 0.001). Thirty (91%) and 14 (42%) patients, respectively, were treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and prednisolone, and they completely recovered. To summarize, persistent arthritis is a common complication in refractory KD, and adequate diagnosis and treatment are necessary.
Surgical Outcomes of Tracheoesophageal Fistula Repair with Azygos Vein Preservation. A comparative Study
Authors: Daboos Mohammad , Aboukifa Amin , Gouda Samir , Badawey Refaat , Salama Ahmed , Hussein. Mohamed
Published: November 2022

Background
Since the Azygos vein is a functional important part of the venous system in the human body, it is rational to recommend preserving this vein during surgery for esophageal atresia. Benefits from preserving this vein, make this modification more favorable in future surgical principles. The aim of this study to report the benefits of Azygos vein preservation during the surgery for esophageal atresia with tracheoesophageal fistula (EA&TEF), highlighting the advantages in terms of, prevention of anastomotic leak, survival rate and other post-operative outcomes.
Patients and methods
The study included all neonates with esophageal atresia with tracheoesophageal fistula (EA&TEF), admitted at the Department of Pediatric Surgery, Al-Azhar University between April 2020 to July 2022, 16 cases were reviewed prospectively for azygos vein preservation during TEF repair; and compared randomly with other16 cases with Azygos vein disconnection.
Results
The two groups were comparable in respect to sex, weight, prematurity, associated anomalies, Spitz classification, operative time, distance between the pouches after mobilization and post-operative complications. Anastomotic leak occurred in 1 case (6.2%) in Group A and 3 cases (18.7%) in Group B, pneumonitis occurred in 2 cases of group A and 8 cases in group B, no mortality in Group A. and there were 4 cases of mortality in Group B due to sever pneumonitis and sepsis.
Conclusion
Preservation of Azygos vein resulted in significant reduction in the number of mortality, pneumonitis and also reduced the incidence of anastomotic leak. We propose that preservation of the Azygos vein is very important and valuable modification of the current surgical procedure.
Impact of TMB, PD-L1 expression, and pneumonitis on outcomes to chemoradiation and durvalumab in unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancers
Authors: Alessi Joao , Ricciuti Biagio , Wang Xinan , Lamberti Giuseppe , Elkrief Arielle , Pecci Federica , Federico Alessandro , Rodig Scott , Lebow Emily , Thor Maria , Rimner Andreas , Schoenfeld Adam , Chaft Jamie , Gomez Daniel , Johnson Bruce , Awad Mark , Shaverdian Narek
Published: November 2022

Although concurrent chemoradiation (CRT) and durvalumab consolidation has become a standard treatment for stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), clinicopathologic and genomic factors associated with its efficacy remain poorly characterized. In this multi-institutional cohort study of 328 patients treated with CRT and durvalumab, we are the first to identify that very high PD-L1 tumor proportion score (TPS) expression (≥90%) and increased tumor mutation burden (TMB) are independently associated with prolonged disease control. Additionally, we identify the impact of pneumonitis and its timing on disease outcomes among patients who discontinue durvalumab: compared to patients who experienced early-onset pneumonitis (<3 months), patients with late-onset pneumonitis have a significantly longer PFS (12.7 months vs not reached; HR 0.24 [95% CI, 0.10 to 0.58]; P=0.001) and overall survival (37.2 months vs not reached; HR 0.26 [95% CI, 0.09 to 0.79]; P=0.017). These findings establish the need to improve outcomes in patients with lower PD-L1 and TMB levels, and the significance of early-pneumonitis and its association with poor survival.
Regional surface winds in the CORDEX-CAM region and their possible changes in the near future.
Authors: García-Santiago Oscar , Cavazos Tereza , Hahmann Andrea N. , Torres-Alavez José A. , Peña Alfredo
Published: November 2022

Regions with high wind energy potential require a comprehensive understanding of possible climate change impacts on wind resources. We investigate the performance of two reanalyses (ERA5 and MERRA2) and a regional climate model (RegCM4) on simulating atmospheric circulations over Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean (CORDEX-CAM) and projected low-level wind changes in the region. RegCM4 historical wind patterns in Mexico are evaluated using seven tall inland masts and the two reanalyses. The evaluation indicates that MERRA2 is more accurate than ERA5 in representing observed winds, and RegCM4 captures present-day wind climate patterns with overestimations (> 2 m/s) over complex terrain. The mean recurrence of weather patterns based on self-organising maps in the historical period identifies high near-surface winds close to Mexico's major wind farm areas. Large pressure gradients between semi-permanent pressure systems and orographic features drive most of these patterns. We use the high temporal and spatial resolution RegCM4's data to obtain near-future (2021--2050) wind changes under the highest emission scenario. These changes are assessed using mean differences and recurrence pattern analysis from the RegCM4 downscaled simulations of three global climate models relative to the historical period (1981--2010). The mean RegCM4 ensemble of wind projections across most of the CORDEX-CAM domain over land shows no substantial changes in regional circulation patterns nor in mean wind speeds (< 2%) at 100 m in the near future, except for Colombia and Venezuela in summer and autumn (< 10% wind speed increases). In the southern Caribbean, summer offshore winds may increase (< 10%).
Elevated concentrations of organic and inorganic forms of iron in plant-based diets for channel catfish prevent anemia but damage liver and intestine, respectively, without impacting growth performance
Authors: Buyinza I. , Lochmann R. , Sinha A.K. , Thompson M. , Romano N. , Ramena G.
Published: November 2022

We compared the effects of using inorganic and organic forms of iron in plant-based diets on catfish performance in a feeding trial with catfish fingerlings (initial weight = 6.1 ± 0.2 g). Five diets supplemented with 0 (basal), 125, 250 mg Fe/kg of either FeSO4 or iron methionine were formulated. Fish weight gain, feed conversion ratio, hepatosomatic index, and survival were similar among diets. Fish plasma and intestine iron concentration was similar among diets. Fish whole-body total lipid, protein, and dry matter were similar among diets. Ash content was higher in fish fed the basal diet than in other diets. Total liver iron concentration was higher in fish fed diets supplemented with 250 mg Fe/kg in both iron forms than other diets. Hematological parameters were similar among diets. Liver necrosis, inflammation, and vacuolization were highest in fish fed the diet supplemented with 250 mg Fe/kg from organic iron, followed by those fed diets with 250 mg Fe/kg from inorganic iron. Inorganic iron-supplemented diets caused more intestinal inflammation characterized by increased inflammatory cells, swelling of the villi, and thicker lamina propria than the organic iron-supplemented diets or the basal diet. Organic iron at 250 mg/kg resulted in a 0.143$/kg increase in feed cost. Latent iron deficiency and initial signs of anemia developed in catfish fed the basal diet. Supplemental iron from either form prevented iron deficiency in fish. Organic iron at 125 mg/kg optimized fish performance at a cost comparable to that of fish fed other diets, but without overt negative effects.
Performance of 11 host biomarkers alone or in combination in the diagnosis of late-onset sepsis in hospitalized neonates: the prospective EMERAUDE study
Authors: Pons Sylvie , Trouillet-Assant Sophie , Subtil Fabien , Abbas-Chorfa Fatima , Cornaton Elise , Berthiot Amélie , Galletti Sonia , Plat Aurelie , Rapin Stephanie , Trapes Laurene , Generenaz Laurence , Brengel-Pesce Karen , Callies Arnaud , Plaisant Franck , Claris Olivier , Portefaix Aurelie , Flamant Cyril , Butin Marine
Published: November 2022

Background: Despite the high prevalence of late-onset sepsis (LOS) in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), a reliable diagnosis remains difficult. The time needed to obtain laboratory results of biomarkers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) and blood culture explains why an unjustified antibiotic use is observed in numerous hospitalized neonates. This results in an increased frequency of antibiotic resistance, microbiota modification, and neonatal complications.
The objective of EMERAUDE study was to identify biomarkers (alone or in combination) to early exclude the diagnosis of LOS in neonates with suggestive clinical signs.
Methods: A prospective, multicenter cohort study (EMERAUDE)was conducted in 2 French NICUs. The participants were hospitalized neonates at ≥7 days of life with signs of suspected LOS enrolled from November 2017 to November 2020. Serum samples were collected during the venipuncture prescribed for blood culture. Eleven biomarkers were measured using customized multiplexed assays in the ELLA Automated Immunoassay System (ProteinSimple, San Jose, CA, USA) for PCT, IP-10, IL-6, IL-10, NGAL, PTX3, presepsin and LBP, and using conventional ELISA for calprotectin (R&D Systems, Minneapolis, MN, USA), gelsolin(Elabsciences, Houston, TX, USA) and IL-27(R&D Systems, Minneapolis, MN, USA). An independent adjudication committee, blind to biomarkers, assigned each patient to either infected, not infected or unclassified groups. Performances of biomarkers were assessed considering a sensitivity of at least 0.898.
Results: A total of 230 patients were analyzed. They were mainly preterm (80%) with a median gestational age of 27 weeks and a median birth weight of 940 grams. The adjudication committee classified 22% of patients (51/230) as infected and all of these received antibiotics. Among patients of the not infected group, 27% (42/153) also received antibiotics. The best biomarkers alone were IL-6, IL-10 and NGAL; the area under the curve [95%CI] was, respectively, 0.864 [0.798-0.929], 0.845 [0.777-0.914], and 0.829 [0.760-0.898]. Combinations of up to 4 biomarkers were analyzed and the best were PCT/IL-10, PTX3/NGAL, and PTX3/NGAL/gelsolin. The best models of biomarkers could avoid up to 64% of unjustified antibiotics.
Conclusions: At the onset of clinical suspicion of LOS, the dosing of additional biomarkers could help the clinician in identifying not infected patients.
Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03299751. Registered 3 October 2017.
The potential of Metabolomics in assessing global compositional changes resulting from the application of CRISPR/Cas9 technologies
Authors: Drapal Margit , Enfissi Eugenia M. A. , Almeida Juliana , Rapacz Elzbieta , Nogueira Marilise , Fraser Paul D.
Published: November 2022

Exhaustive analysis of genetically modified crops over multiple decades has increased societal confidence in the technology. New Plant Breeding Techniques are now emerging with improved precision and the ability to generate products containing no foreign DNA and mimic/replicate conventionally bred varieties. In the present study, metabolomic analysis was used to compare (i) tobacco genotypes with and without the CRISPR associated protein 9 (Cas9), (ii) tobacco lines with the edited and non-edited DE-ETIOLATED-1 gene but no phenotype and (iii) leaf and fruit tissue from stable non-edited tomato progeny with and without the Cas9. In all cases multivariate analysis using LC-HRMS/MS and GC-MS indicated no significant difference in their metabolomes. The variations in metabolome composition that were evident could be associated with the processes of tissue culture regeneration and/or transformation (e.g. interaction with Agrobacterium). Metabolites responsible for the variance included quantitative changes of abundant, well characterised metabolites such as phenolics (e.g. chlorogenic acid) and several common sugars such as fructose. This study provides fundamental data on the characterisation of gene edited crops, that are important for the evaluation of the technology and its assessment. The approach also suggests that metabolomics could contribute to routine product-based analysis of crops/foods generated from New Plant Breeding approaches.
Vernacular names of traditional rice varieties reveal the unique history of Maroons in Suriname and French Guiana
Authors: Pinas Nicholaas Milliano , Andel Tinde van , de Loosdrecht Marieke van , Maat Harro
Published: November 2022

Rice is a keystone crop in all Maroon communities in Suriname and French Guyana today. Historically, rice can be considered an indicator crop for successful marronage in the Guianas. Maroons cultivate hundreds of traditional varieties, unraveling variety names revealed the history, farming systems, spiritual significance and probably the diversity of rice in Maroon communities. We interviewed 67 rice farmers (96% female), collected over 400 rice specimens and built a database with 284 unique rice names from our own fieldwork and previously collected names. The process of naming a rice variety is complex but there are recurrent patterns among the five Maroon groups we studied. We categorized names referring to morphology, agronomy, animals, humans, and rice brought from specific regions or by other ethnicities. Very few names are shared between Maroon groups. When we showed farmers six rice varieties from outside their village, all recognized African rice(Oryza glaberrima) andpende(spottedO. sativa). When a variety was unknown, an initial name was given based on its morphology. Maroon rice names are truly unique as they reflect the varieties that were available, the history of plantations and marronage, climate aspects that influenced the selection of farmers, the many separate groups of runaways joining the Maroons, the adaptation to the Amazonian ecosystem, and their contacts with outsiders. Our results show that unravelling Maroon rice names leads to a better understanding of the close connection between the process of marronage, locally developed agricultural practices and connections to West Africa. These historical origins continue to exist and form a unique Maroon system of variety exchange, farm management and crop diversity.
Impact of Lockdown and Government Subsidies on Rural Households at Early COVID-19 Pandemic in China
Authors: Li Nan , Chen Muzi , Gao Haoyu , Huang Difang , Yang Xiaoguang
Published: November 2022

Purpose
Given the scarcity of data during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in China, the decision-making for non-pharmaceutical policies was mostly based on insufficient evidence. The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of these policies, such as lockdown and government subsidies on rural households, and identify policy implications for China and other countries in dealing with pandemics.
Design/methodology/approach
We survey 2,408 rural households by telephone from 101 counties across 17 provinces in China during the first stage of the pandemic (March 2020). We use the ordered probit model and linear regression model to study the overall impact of policies and then use the quantile regression model and sub-sample regression method to study the heterogeneity of the effects of government policies.
Findings
We find that logistics disruption due to lockdown negatively affected rural households. Obstructed logistics is associated with a more significant loss for high-income households, while its impact on the loss expectation of low-income households is more severe. Breeding and other industries such as transport and sales suffer more from logistics than cultivation. The impact of logistics on intensive agricultural entities is more serious than that on professional farms. The government subsidy is more effective at reducing loss for low-income households. Lockdown and government subsidies have shown heterogeneous impacts on rural households.
Practical implications
The overall economic losses experienced by rural households in the early stages of the pandemic are controllable. The government policies of logistics and subsidies should target specific groups.
Originality/value
We evaluate the economic impacts of lockdown and government subsidies on rural households and show their heterogeneity among different groups. We further demonstrate the policy effectiveness in supporting rural households during the early stages of the pandemic and provide future policy guidance on major public health event.
JEL Code: D90, G21, I18, O16
Biological responses of Chironomus sancticaroli to exposure to naturally aged PP microplastics under realistic concentrations
Authors: Rani-Borges Bárbara , Queiroz Lucas Gonçalves , Prado Caio César Achiles , Moraes Beatriz Rocha , Ando Rômulo Augusto , Paiva Teresa Cristina Brazil , Pompêo Marcelo
Published: November 2022

Microplastic (MP) is yet another form of chronic anthropogenic contribution to the environment. MP are plastic particles (< 5 mm) that have been widely found in the most diverse natural environments, but their real impacts on ecosystems are still under investigation. Here, we studied the toxicity of naturally aged secondary polypropylene (PP) MP after constant exposure to ultraviolet radiation (26 µm) to larvae of Chironomus sancticaroli, a dipteran species. The concentrations tested were 13.5; 67.5; and 135 items.g-1 of dry sediment. C. sancticaroli organisms were investigated for fragment ingestion, mortality and changes in enzymatic biomarkers after 144 hours of exposure. The organisms were able to ingest MP from the first 48 hours, and the amount of items internalized was dose-dependent and time-dependent. Overall, the results show that mortality was low, being significant at the lowest and highest concentrations (13.5 and 135 items.g-1). Regarding changes in enzyme markers, after 144 hours MDA and CAT activities were both significantly altered (increased and reduced, respectively), while SOD and GST levels were unchanged. In the present study, naturally aged polypropylene MP induced biochemical toxicity in C. sancticaroli larvae, with toxicity being higher according to exposure time and particle concentration.
Levels and relationships of Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, and Severity of Dependence among tribals with alcohol use disorder among tribals in East India: A preliminary study
Authors: Ram Dushad , Joseph Bincy , Mushtaq Neha Farheen , Gopegowda Shivaramu Maragowdanahalli , Mathew Akash
Published: November 2022

Objective: The research aimed to investigate the levels and relationships of Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, and Dependence Severity among tribal individuals with alcohol use disorder.
Methods: Two hundred tribals with alcohol use disorder were recruited at three tertiary health care centre in three districts and assessed with the Sociodemographic and clinical proforma, Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale-Revised (CAMSR), The Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS), and Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS).
Results: The mean score on the SDS, CAMSR, and DTS was 4.99, 23.52, and 33.44, respectively. There were no statistically significant relationships between the measure of mindfulness scores and dependence severity scores. However, the perceived capacity to endure emotional suffering and negative emotions consuming one's focus was significantly inversely linked to the severity of dependence.
Conclusion: There appear to be lower levels of distress tolerance and mindfulness among tribals with alcohol use disorder. The severity of alcohol use has no significant link with mindfulness but has inversely linked with emotional distress tolerance and attention absorption by negative emotions.
Determination of soil moisture sensor locations for dynamic variable rate irrigation management with a centre pivot system
Authors: Zhang Minne , Zhu Changxin , Zhao Weixia , Li Jiusheng
Published: November 2022

A network of soil moisture sensors is an effective tool for dynamic variable rate irrigation (VRI) management, which helps to determine the irrigation time in real time, thus solving the difficulty in dynamic monitoring of soil water content for remote sensing technology. To improve the decision accuracy of VRI management, this study optimized the placement of soil moisture sensors by analysing the variation in soil water content along the vertical profile and its temporal stability in the horizontal direction. The experimental site was located in the semiarid region of the North China Plain. The 7.07 ha experimental plot was controlled by a three-span centre pivot irrigation system with a zone controlled VRI system. Two treatments of uniform rate irrigation (URI) management and dynamic VRI management based on infrared thermometers mounted on the sprinkler irrigation system were set with equal areas. The number of Trime access-tubes placed in each treatment was 27 in 2021 and 13 in 2022. Measurements of soil water content were taken in 0.2 m increments with a depth of 1 m every 7–10 days. The results demonstrated that the similarity in the spatial distribution pattern of the soil water content in the VRI treatment was greater than that in the URI treatment, and their difference reached a significant level in the 2022 season of winter wheat. Significant linear regressions were detected between the mean clay percentile in each soil layer and the clay percentile representing the mean soil water content sites with a determination coefficient greater than 0.85. In the vertical profile, both the average soil water content at depths of 0–60 cm and 0–80 cm could be represented well by the soil water content at the 20–40 cm layer. These results demonstrated that during dynamic VRI management, soil moisture sensors could be placed at the 20–40 cm soil layer, and their locations in the horizontal direction could be selected according to the clay content distribution.
Painlev\'{e} integrability, B\"{a}cklund transformations and Wronskian solutions for a (2+1)-dimensional combined potential Kadomtsev-Petviashvili-B-type Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation in fluid mechanics and plasma physics
Authors: Cheng Chong-Dong , Tian Bo , Zhou Tian-Yu , Shen Yuan
Published: November 2022

In this paper, we investigate a (2+1)-dimensional combined potential Kadomtsev-Petviashvili-B-type Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation in fluid mechanics and plasma physics.Painlevé integrability is confirmed under certain coefficient constraint. Using the truncated Painlevé expansion, two auto-Bäcklund transformations with the kink-soliton solutions are derived. Based on the Wronskian technique, two cases of the Nth-order Wronskian solutions are constructed and proved, where N is a positive integer. One-, two-, and three-soliton solutions in the Wronskian are given.
Heterogeneous-training: A Semi-supervised Text Classification Method
Authors: Shen Yuhao , Xu Xinlan , Li Bo , Luo Bing , Hao Fei , Zhang Chao
Published: November 2022

Using text classifiers, we can structure all manner of relevant text automatically, from emails, social media, surveys, legal documents, and more in a fast and cost-effective way. In this paper, a semi-supervised ensemble learning algorithm Heterogeneous-training is proposed and applied to the field of text classification. Based on the Tri-training algorithm, the Heterogeneous-training algorithm improves the traditional Tri-training algorithm by using different classifiers, dynamically updating the probability threshold and adaptively editing data. The experiments show that our method always outperforms Tri-training algorithm in text classification on benchmark text data sets.
Factors associated with anaemia among pregnant women in Rwanda: An analysis of the Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey of 2020
Authors: Nuwabaine Lilian , Kawuki Joseph , Kamoga Livingstone , Asiimwe John Baptist , Sserwanja Quraish , Gatasi Ghislaine , Donkor Elorm , Mutisya Linet M
Published: November 2022

Background: Anemia in pregnancy is associated with several adverse outcomes for mothers and newborns, as well as their families. In this study, we assessed the prevalence of anaemia and the associated factors among pregnant women in Rwanda.
Methods: Secondary data were from the 2020 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey (RDHS). Multistage stratified sampling was used to select 435 pregnant women included in the study. Anaemia among pregnant women was considered as a haemoglobin value <11 g/dL. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the associated factors with anaemia in pregnancy, using SPSS (version 25).
Results: Of the 435 pregnant women, 24.6%, (95%CI: 21.1-29.3) were anaemic. Not working (AOR=1.90, 95%CI: 1.08-3.33), being unmarried (AOR=1.23, 95%CI: 1.24-3.57), low wealth index (AOR=2.94, 95%CI: 1.19-7.30), second pregnancy trimester (AOR=1.36, 95%CI: 1.16-4.00), having big problems with distance to a nearby health facility (AOR= 2.34, 95%CI: 1.21-4.54), and normal body mass index (AOR=3.02, 95%CI: 1.63-5.60) were associated with higher odds of being anaemic. Having no health insurance (AOR=0.23, 95%CI: 0.06-0.91), being from the southern region (AOR=0.23, 95%CI: 0.08-0.68), and low husband/partner's education (AOR=0.24,95%CI: 0.06-0.97) were, however, associated with lower odds of being anaemic.
Conclusions: Study findings indicate a high prevalence of anaemia in pregnancy, which was associated with several socio-demographics. There is a need for setting up mobile clinics and health facilities in hard-to-reach areas for easy accessibility to early anaemia screening services. Conducting mass screening for anaemia targeting pregnant women who are not working, the unmarried, those with a low wealth index, and those in their second pregnancy trimester would also be beneficial.
Individual bat viromes reveal the co-infection, spillover and emergence risk of potential zoonotic viruses
Authors: Wang Jing , Pan Yuanfei , Yang Li-fen , Yang Wei-hong , Luo Chuming , Wang Juan , Kuang Guo-peng , Wu Weichen , Gou Qin-yu , Xin Gen-yang , Li Bo , Luo Huanle , chen Yao-Qing , Shu Yuelong , Guo Deyin , Gao Zihou , Liang Guodong , Li Jun , Holmes Edward , Feng Yun , Shi Mang
Published: November 2022

Bats are reservoir hosts for many zoonotic viruses. Despite this, relatively little is known about the diversity and abundance of viruses within bats at the level of individual animals, and hence the frequency of virus co-infection and inter-species transmission. Using an unbiased meta-transcriptomics approach we characterised the mammalian associated viruses present in 149 individual bats sampled from Yunnan province, China. This revealed a high frequency of virus co-infection and species spillover among the animals studied, with 12 viruses shared among different bat species, which in turn facilitates virus recombination and reassortment. Of note, we identified five viral species that are likely to be pathogenic to humans or livestock, including a novel recombinant SARS-like coronavirus that is closely related to both SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV, with only five amino acid differences between its receptor-binding domain sequence and that of the earliest sequences of SARS-CoV-2. Functional analysis predicts that this recombinant coronavirus can utilize the human ACE2 receptor such that it is likely to be of high zoonotic risk. Our study highlights the common occurrence of inter-species transmission and co-infection of bat viruses, as well as their implications for virus emergence.
Oral health related quality of life of oral cancer patients treated with radiotherapy alone or with chemotherapy in a tertiary referral centre in Sri Lanka
Authors: Kosgallana Shamini , Jayasekara Prasanna , Abeysinghe Prasad , Lalloo Ratilal
Published: November 2022

Background
Oral cancer is the number one cancer in males in Sri Lanka. Radiotherapy is a common treatment modality for oral cancer, but this can affect oral health related quality of life (OHRQOL). This study assessed the OHRQOL and its changes from baseline to the last week of radiotherapy and three months post radiotherapy among oral cancer patients who received this treatment alone or with chemotherapy.
Methods
A prospective longitudinal study was conducted among 90 oral cancer patients waiting for radiotherapy alone or with chemotherapy. The modified Sinhala version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Oral Health Module (EORTC QLQ-OH15) was used to gather data related to OHRQOL before radiotherapy, during the last week of radiotherapy and three months after completion of radiotherapy. Socio-demographic and clinical data were also recorded.
Results
The majority of the sample (88%) were males. The anterior two-thirds of the tongue (40%) and buccal mucosa (22%) were the most common sites of oral cancer. The median scores of ‘Eating problem’ domain at baseline, last week of radiotherapy and three months after radiotherapy were 20 (IQR = 6.7–33.3), 100 (IQR = 86.9–100.0) and 66.7 (IQR = 46.7–93.3) respectively. ‘Gum and speech problem’ was higher during last week of radiotherapy (median, 50.0, IQR, 25.0-58.3) than three months post radiotherapy (median, 8.3, IQR, 0.0-33.3). The changes in the ‘Eating problem’, ‘Gum and speech problem’ and ‘Soreness’ domains and the item ‘Teeth’ between the time frames were statistically significant.
Conclusion
The OHRQOL of oral cancer patients who received radiotherapy alone or with chemotherapy had deteriorated from the baseline level to the last week of radiotherapy but then improved at three months post radiotherapy. The OHRQOL however did not return to the baseline level three months post RT.
Bazı Tungsten İçerikli Minerallerin Gama Zırhlama Özelliklerinin Geniş Enerji Aralığında İncelenmesi
Authors: ÖZDEMİR Hatice Gürel , DEMİRKOL İskender , ERKOYUNCU İlhami , YILMAZ Meryem , KAÇAL Mustafa Recep , AKMAN Ferdi
Published: November 2022

Tungsten, yoğunluğu kurşuna göre yüksek, dayanıklı, sertlik ve mukavemet bakımından iyi bir metaldir. Bu çalışmada 0.060 MeV ila 2.614 MeV enerji aralığında bazı tungsten içerikli minerallerin (tungstibit, tungstenit, hubrenit, russelit, antonit) kütle azaltma katsayısı, lineer azaltma katsayısı, yarı kalınlık değeri, onda bir kalınlık değeri, ortalama serbest yol, etkin atom numarası ve etkin elektron yoğunluğu gibi gama radyasyonu zırhlama parametreleri WinXCOM programı, GEANT4 ve FLUKA simülasyon kodları yardımıyla incelenmiş ve elde edilen sonuçlar birbirleri ile karşılaştırılmıştır. Tungstenin K tabakası soğurma kıyısı enerjisi (0.0695 MeV) çevresinde tungstenit mineralinin daha iyi bir gama zırh malzemesi olabileceği gözlemlenirken, diğer enerji bölgelerinde russelit mineralinin daha iyi bir gama zırh malzemesi olabileceği gözlemlenmiştir.
Host-Cell Surface Binding Targets in SARS-CoV-2 for Drug Design
Authors: Tabatabai Sayyed Abbas , Maleksabet Hanieh , Rezaee Elham
Published: November 2022

Abstracts:

The ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory
syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) became a major public health threat to all countries worldwide.
SARS-CoV-2 interactions with its receptor are the first step in the invasion of the host cell. The coronavirus
spike protein (S) is crucial in binding to receptors on host cells. Additionally, targeting the SARS-CoV-2 viral
receptors is considered a therapeutic option in this regard. In this review of literature, we summarized five potential
host cell receptors, as host-cell surface bindings, including angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2),
neuropilin 1 (NRP-1), dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4), glucose regulated protein-78 (GRP78), and cluster of differentiation
147 (CD147) related to the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Among these targets, ACE2 was recognized as
the main SARS-CoV-2 receptor, expressed at a low/moderate level in the human respiratory system, which is also
involved in SARS-CoV-2 entrance, so the virus may utilize other secondary receptors. Besides ACE2,
CD147 was discovered as a novel SARS-CoV-2 receptor, CD147 appears to be an alternate receptor for SARSCoV-
2 infection. NRP-1, as a single-transmembrane glycoprotein, has been recently found to operate as an entrance
factor and enhance SARS Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection under in-vitro. DPP4, which was discovered
as the first gene clustered with ACE2, may serve as a potential SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binding target.
GRP78 could be recognized as a secondary receptor for SARS-CoV-2 because it is widely expressed at substantially
greater levels, rather than ACE2, in bronchial epithelial cells and the respiratory mucosa. This review
highlights recent literature on this topic.
Lebanese and Saudi Nursing Students' Self-Confidence, Satisfaction, and Clinical Judgment in a High-Fidelity Simulation
Authors: Alsalamah Yasir S. , Alsalamah Turki S. , Albagawi Bander S. , El Tassi Ahmad , Alkharj Sarah , Aldrees Basma , Angelo Rizal , Alsalamah Fahed , Fawaz Mirna
Published: November 2022

Objective:

This study aims at evaluating Lebanese and Saudi nursing students' self-confidence, satisfaction, and clinical judgment in a high-fidelity simulation.

Background:

High fidelity simulation is an increasingly popular academic application gaining more corroboration in nursing curricula over the years. To prepare highly qualified nurses with refined clinical judgement skills, high fidelity simulation presents a promising academic technique.

Methods:

A quantitative cross-sectional research methodology was used to recruit 673 Lebanese and Saudi nursing students from various academic levels for this investigation. Three questionnaires were used: a sociodemographic survey, the student satisfaction and self-confidence in learning questionnaire (13 items) and the Lasater clinical judgment rubric (11 items in 4 components). A convenience sample of 673 nursing students from all academic levels, genders and ages at two universities, one in Lebanon and one in Saudi Arabia, which both offer a similar 4 year nursing curriculum and include high fidelity simulation into their courses, was recruited. The sample was calculated based on a population of 891 nursing students, thus yielding a need for 269 students for a confidence interval of 95%, which makes the 673 students in the sample sufficient.

Results:

Students who participated in simulation-based learning reported fairly high levels of learning satisfaction (p=0.00), self-confidence (p=0.00), and clinical judgment (p=0.03), with Lebanese students scoring better overall. In the case of satisfaction (p=0.00) and self-confidence (p=0.00) as predictors of clinical judgment, there was a strong connection between the variables.

Conclusion:

Nursing students from Lebanon and Saudi Arabia who participated in simulation-based learning activities showed high levels of satisfaction, self-confidence, and clinical judgment.