bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Socioeconomic Factors and Knee Osteoarthritis: Effects of Education, Income, and Occupation on Prevalence and Symptoms
Authors: Lee Ji Yeon , Han Kyungdo , Park Yong Gyu , Park Sung-Hwan
Published: March 2021

Objective: To examine the effect of socioeconomic status (SES) as measured by three components of education level, income level, and occupation on prevalence and symptom severity of knee osteoarthritis (OA) and to determine which of these factors has the strongest association.Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the Fifth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey that were collected between 2010 and 2012. Male and female participants 50 years or older were included. Analyses to examine the associations of the three SES components with prevalence and symptom severity of knee OA were performed.Results: A total 9,071 participants was included in the study. As expected, lower education, lower income level, and non-managerial or no job were associated with higher prevalence of knee OA and knee symptoms. Among the three SES components, lower education was most strongly associated with knee pain and radiographic knee OA after adjusting for the other two.Conclusions: Lower education level is the component of SES that most strongly relates to higher prevalence of knee OA and knee symptoms. Improving societal education level might decrease the socioeconomic burden of knee OA.
Silicon exportation by crops alters soil mineralogy and clay fraction
Authors: Dalacorte Luana , Bortoluzzi Edson Campanhola
Published: March 2021

Aims

Silicon (Si) dynamic in system controls mineral evolution. We expected that the Si exported from soil due to soybean cultivation would affect Si forms and clay minerals. The objective of this study was to evaluate Si forms in the soil-plant system in areas with different soybean cultivation times in order to respond how Si exportation affects soil mineralogy.
Methods

Oxisols under soybean cultivation for 2, 8 and 40 years were evaluated and an adjacent area with native vegetation was used as the control treatment. The total and available Si in the soil and in the roots, aerial part of the plants and in the soybeans were evaluated, as well as the physical, chemical and mineralogical attributes of the soil.
Results

We estimated that 12 to 15 kg/ha of Si were exported by soybean grains per cultivation. The Si exportation for 40 years decreased the available Si contents in the soil by 9%, compared to the native field. The total Si contents in the clay fraction after 40 years of cultivation were 29% lower when compared to the native field. As a consequence of the soil cultivation for 40 years, we observed a decrease in the clay content and a clay dissolution, changing the clay mineral fraction.
Conclusions

The Si exportation by soybean grain promotes changes in particle size contents and mineral fraction of cultivated soils. Our results highlighted that Si, should be taken into account in a suitable fertilization process in agricultural lands submitted to intensive use.
Chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy onset increases the early risk for depression and anxiety in breast cancer survivors
Authors: McNeish Brendan L , Richardson James K , Whitney Daniel G
Published: March 2021

Purpose

Chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) occurs commonly in breast cancer (BrCa) patients and contributes to falls. Depression and anxiety in cancer survivors leads to reduced quality of life, increased mortality and also increases fall risk. Therefore, we investigated the association between CIPN with depression and anxiety in BrCa survivors.
Methods

Data were extracted from Optum’s De-identified Clinformatics® Data Mart Database years 2012–2015. Among women, three groups were derived based on BrCa and CIPN status: BrCa+/CIPN+, BrCa+/CIPN-, and BrCa-/CIPN-. Risk ratios (RR) determined the change in risk of depression and anxiety from the 12-month pre-index period to post-index period I (0–6 months) and II (7–12 months) for each group separately. The ratio of the RR (RRR) determined if the change in risk of outcomes was different for BrCa+/CIPN + compared to BrCa+/CIPN- and BrCa-/CIPN-.
Results

The RR was significantly elevated for all groups (p < 0.05) in the post-index periods I (depression, RR = 1.22–1.65; anxiety, RR = 1.26–1.73) and II (depression, RR = 1.41–2.16; anxiety, RR = 1.46–2.05), with BrCa+/CIPN + exhibiting the largest RR. The RRR for depression was significantly elevated for BrCa+/CIPN + compared to BrCa+/CIPN- and BrCa-/CIPN- for post-index periods I (RRR = 1.35 and 1.33, respectively) and II (RRR = 1.53 and 1.50, respectively). The RRR for anxiety was significantly elevated for BrCa+/CIPN + compared to BrCa+/CIPN- and BrCa-/CIPN- for post-index periods I (RRR = 1.37 and 1.31, respectively) and II (RRR = 1.41 and 1.28, respectively).
Conclusion

Among BrCa survivors, CIPN onset is associated with a subsequent increased 12-month risk of depression and anxiety. Depression and anxiety screening should be considered in BrCa+/CIPN + survivors.
Biotic Resistance Against Invasive Macroalgae: The Role of Omnivorous Sparid Fishes in the Herbivory on Caulerpa Cylindracea
Authors: Santamaría Jorge , Tomas Fiona , Ballesteros Enric , Cebrian Emma
Published: March 2021

Herbivory has long been considered an important component of biotic resistance against macroalgae invasions in marine habitats. However, most of the studies on herbivory of invasive algae refer only to consumption by strictly herbivorous organisms, whereas consumption by omnivorous organisms has been largely ignored and rarely quantified. In this study, we assess whether the commonest omnivorous sparid species in the Mediterranean Sea are consuming the highly invasive alga, Caulerpa cylindracea, and determine its importance in their diet and their electivity towards it as a source of food. Our results confirm that three of the four fish species we studied do, in fact, consume C. cylindracea, but in most cases, the importance of C. cylindracea in the diet was low. Indeed, the low electivity values confirm that all four fish species avoid feeding on the invasive alga and that it is probably consumed accidentally. However, despite animals and detritus being the main food for these sea bream species, several individual specimens were found to have consumed high amounts of C. cylindracea. This suggests a potential role that these fish species may play in controlling, to some extent, the abundance of the invader. We suggest that herbivory by omnivorous fish might complement the higher impact exerted by the strict herbivores, and together, they might contribute to the overall biotic resistance against the invader.
Isolation and Characterization of Lytic Phage TUN1 Specific for Klebsiella Pneumoniae K64 Clinical Isolates From Tunisia
Authors: Eckstein Simone , Stender Jana , Mzoughi Sonia , Vogele Kilian , Kühn Jana , Friese Daniela , Bugert Christina , Handrick Susann , Ferjani Mustapha , Wölfel Roman , Millard Andrew , Moussa Mohamed Ben , Bugert Joachim J
Published: March 2021

Background

Multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniaespp (Kp) are emerging agents of severe infections of the respiratory and urinary tract or wounds, and progression to fatal septicemia. The use of bacteriophages is currently being considered as an effective alternative or adjuvant to antibiotic treatment.
Results

In this study, we report K-typing of 163 carbapenem-resistant Kp (CRKP) isolated 2014–2018 at the Military Hospital of Instruction of Tunis (MHT), Tunisia, using wzi gene sequencing. Thereby, we found that K64 Kp strains are associated with increased case/fatality rates, especially at the intensive care unit (ICU). Furthermore, we characterized a lytic Kp phage, vB_KpP_TUN1 (phage TUN1), isolated from waste water samples of the ICU at the MHT. Whole genome sequencing showed that this phage belongs to the Podoviridae family and encodes one putative depolymerase specifically digesting K64 Kp capsules. Furthermore, we could successfully assemble phage TUN1 in a non-replicative host (E. coli) raising the possibility of in vitro assembly in the absence of live bacterial hosts. Therefore, phage TUN1 is a promising candidate to be used as an adjuvant or an alternative to antibiotic therapy in CRKP infections, facilitating regulatory approval of phage therapy.
Conclusions

The lytic phage TUN1, efficiently lyses K64 Kp strains associated with increased case/fatality rates at body temperature. Together with its ability to be rescued in a non-replicative host these features enhance the utility of this phage as antibacterial agent.
Longitudinal study of sustainable acceleration of immunosenescence and immunoactivation dependent on SIV replication stress in SIVmac239-infected rhesus macaques
Authors: Xue Jing , Tong Ling , Cong Zhe , Tian Long , Zhang Jingjing , Lu Jiahan , Lu Qiuhan , Chen Ting , Wang Yuhong , Wei Qiang
Published: March 2021

It is challenging to trace the variations of host immune features covering the whole process of ‘baseline-infection-treatment-withdrawal’ from HIV-negative to HIV-rebound in HIV-infected patients after discontinuing antiretroviral therapy (ART). Herein, eight monkeys were monitored for 28 days to acquire baseline immune function; infected with 100 TCID50 of SIVmac239 intravenously for 98 days; treated with standard ART for 90 days; followed up for 49 days post withdrawal of ART. Within the 266 days’ longitudinal study, four SIV-dependent stages, SIV-negative (SN, ‘baseline’), SIV-emerged (SE, ‘infection’), SIV-suppressed (SS, ‘treatment’), and SIV-rebounded (SR, ‘withdrawal’), were stratified according to plasma viral RNA quantification. Parallel comparisons of host immune function, including counts of CD4+ T cells, ratios of T-cell subsets and measurement of a panel of cytokines, were performed between SS and SN, and between SR and SE. Compared to the SN stage, an accelerated immunosenescence was found in the SS stage characterized with increased CD38+ HLA-DR− CD4+/CD8+ T-cell subsets, PD-1+ memory CD4+/CD8+ T-cell subsets and elevated cytokines including MIP-1β, IL-8 and IL-10. Compared to the SE stage, the SR phase exhibited an accelerated immune activation against SIV characterized with increased PD-1+ CD4+ TCM cells, decreased PD-1+ CD4+ TEM cells and enhanced pro-inflammatory cytokine levels including TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β and IFN-γ. This longitudinal study of rhesus macaques demonstrated a sustainable acceleration of immunosenescence/immunoactivation dependent on the stress of SIV replication which may provide insights for future HIV therapies.
Earlier Targeted Vancomycin Troughs Concentration with Loading Dose: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Huang Yanxia , He Le , Deng Yunxin , Zhang Renjing , Meng Mei , Chen Dechang
Published: March 2021

Background: Studies have shown the failure of vancomycin treatment against vancomycin-sensitive gram-positive bacteria is common, possibly because the drug concentration did not reach the target serum concentration in time. In this study, we conducted a retrospective analysis to determine whether the target serum concentration could be reached earlier with the first loading dose of vancomycin.Methods: A retrospective single-center study was conducted in the Department of Critical Care Medicine, Ruijin Hospital North Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine between June 2018 and June 2020. The study enrolled patients who were suspected or confirmed with gram-positive bacterial infection and had been treated with vancomycin. According to whether the first loading dose of vancomycin was given, the patients were divided into the loading dose and the control groups. The serum concentration of vancomycin before the second dose and that before the fifth dose were compared to determine whether the target serum concentration was reached earlier with the first loading dose. And renal functions were monitored for a week to analyze whether the loading dose caused any acute kidney injury.Results: 55 patients were finally included in the study. Of these patients, 29 received first-loading dose of vancomycin, while the remaining 26 patients underwent the traditional dose regimen of vancomycin. The concentration of vancomycin before the second dose was 10.3±6.1 mg/L in the loading group, and 5.7±4.4 mg/L in the control group, significantly higher in the former group (P=0.002). The concentration of vancomycin before the fifth dose was 12.4±7.3 mg/L in the loading group, and 10.3±6.3 mg/L in the control group, where there was no inter-group difference (P=0.251). The 28-day motality of loading dose group is significantly lower (6.7% vs 34%, P=0.026) than the control group. There were no significant changes in serum creatinine levels in both groups, and there was no statistical difference in serum creatinine levels between the two groups.Conclusions: With the loading dose of vancomycin, the target serum concentration of vancomycin could be reached earlier without causing acute kidney injuries, also the mortality might be reduced.
A new proof of Geroch's theorem on temporal splitting of globally hyperbolic spacetime
Authors: Bleybel Ali
Published: March 2021

In this paper we use our results concerning temporal foliations of causal sets in order to provide a new proof of Geroch's Theorem on temporal foliations in a globally hyperbolic spacetime.
Granulomatous Lymphocytic Interstitial Lung Disease (GL-ILD): CT Imaging Features and Clinical Findings to Expedite a Timely Diagnosis
Authors: Wynn Avanthika , Berkowitz Eugene A. , Little Brent P. , Veeraraghavan Srihari , Schneider Frank , Shams Marissa , Bertino Frederic
Published: March 2021

Background: Establishing a diagnosis of Granulomatous Lymphocytic-Interstitial Lung Disease (GL-ILD) is difficult due to the overlapping CT imaging and histologic features, and are often confused with infection, sarcoidosis and/or follicular bronchiolitis. Research Question: Identify specific CT imaging features and clinical characteristics to suggest a confident diagnosis of Granulomatous Lymphocytic-Interstitial Lung Disease (GL-ILD).Study Design and Methods: IRB-approved retrospective case series study involving the review of the electronic medical record and CT chest imaging of eight patients with GL-ILD.Results: Bronchocentric airway-centered lower lobe predominant (part solid nodules more common than ground glass or solid nodules) ranging from 5 to 10 mm in size were found consistently in a majority of the eight patients with GL-ILD. Interpretation: In combination with the above pulmonary nodular pattern, mediastinal and hilar lymphadenopathy in conjunction, either splenomegaly or splenectomy and/or abdominal lymphadenopathy are excellent CT imaging features to prospectively suggest the diagnosis of GL-ILD in a patient with CVID.
Numaswitch – an efficient high-titer expression platform to produce peptides and small proteins
Authors: Nguyen Bach-Ngan , Tieves Florian , Rohr Thomas , Wobst Hilke , Schöpf Felix S. , Solano Jóse D. Montoya , Schneider Julia , Stock Janpeter , Uhde Andreas , Kalthoff Thomas , Jaeger Karl Erich , Schmitt Lutz , Schwarz Christian
Published: March 2021

The production of peptides as active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) by recombinant technologies is of emerging interest. A reliable production platform, however, is still missing due the inherent characteristics of peptides such as proteolytic sensitivity, aggregation and cytotoxicity. We have developed a new technology named Numaswitch solving present limitations. Numaswitch was successfully employed for the production of diverse peptides and small proteins varying in length, physicochemical and functional characteristics, including Teriparatide, Linaclotide, human β-amyloid and Serum amyloid A3. Additionally, the potential of Numaswitch for a cost-efficient commercial production is demonstrated yielding > 2 g Teriparatide per liter fermentation broth in a quality meeting API standard.
Serum Anti-Ro52/Tripartite Motif-containing 21, A Novel Criterion of Interstitial Pneumonia With Autoimmune Features
Authors: Tahara Masahiro , Sakamoto Noriho , Satoh Minoru , Ishimoto Hiroshi , Yura Hirokazu , Yamasaki Kei , Kido Takashi , Fujino Yoshihisa , Hasegawa Tomoko , Tanaka Shin , Yatera Kazuhiro , Mukae Hiroshi
Published: March 2021

Background: Antibodies to Ro52/tripartite motif-containing 21 (TRIM21), referred to as anti-Ro52, are found in patients diagnosed with diverse systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease and associated with interstitial lung diseases. However, little is known about the clinical characteristics of anti-Ro52 in patients with idiopathic interstitial pneumonias (IIPs). We aimed to analyze the prevalence, co-existent autoantibodies, and clinical characteristics of anti-Ro52 in patients with IIP.Methods: The study enrolled 288 patients diagnosed with IIP. Serum anti-Ro52 was detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Co-existent autoantibodies, including anti-aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (anti-ARS), were analyzed by immunoprecipitation. ELISA using recombinant antigens was performed as needed. Clinical, laboratory, and radiographic findings and survival of IIP patients were compared between anti-Ro52 positives and negatives.Results: Anti-Ro52 (20/288; 6.9%), anti-ARS (18/288; 6.3%), and anti-Ro60/SS-A (16/288; 5.6%) were the most common autoantibodies detected in IIP patients. Among 20 IIP patients who had anti-Ro52, anti-ARS was present in 8 (40%), and anti-Ro60/SS-A was found in 6 (30%) patients. The criteria for interstitial pneumonia with autoimmune features (IPAF) were significantly better fulfilled by patients with anti-Ro52 than those without (P = 0.001). Meeting serological domain (P < 0.001) and Raynaud’s phenomenon (P = 0.009) were significantly more common in the anti-Ro52-positive patients. There was no significant difference in the overall survival rate of IIP patients with vs. without anti-Ro52 (log-rank P = 0.51).Conclusion: Anti-Ro52-positive IIP patients have clinical features consistent with IPAF. Adding anti-Ro52 in IPAF criteria may be considered in the future.
Deep Learning Early Stopping for Non-degenerate Ghost Imaging
Authors: Moodley Chane , Sephton Bereneice , Rodríguez-Fajardo Valeria , Forbes Andrew
Published: March 2021

Quantum ghost imaging offers many advantages over classical imaging, including the ability to probe an object with one wavelength and record the image with another (non-degenerate ghost imaging), but suffers from slow image reconstruction due to sparsity and probabilistic arrival positions of photons. Here, we propose a two-step deep learning approach to establish an optimal early stopping point based on object recognition, even for sparsely filled images. In step one we enhance the reconstructed image after every measurement by a deep convolutional auto encoder, followed by step two in which a classifier is used to recognise the image. We test this approach on a non degenerate ghost imaging setup while varying physical parameters such as the mask type and resolution. We achieved a 5-fold decrease in image acquisition time at a recognition confidence of 75%. The significant reduction in experimental running time is an important step towards real-time ghost imaging, as well as object recognition with few photons, e.g., in the detection of light sensitive structures.
SE(3)-Equivariant Graph Neural Networks for Data-Efficient and Accurate Interatomic Potentials
Authors: Batzner Simon , Smidt Tess , Sun Lixin , Mailoa Jonathan , Kornbluth Mordechai , Molinari Nicola , Kozinsky Boris
Published: March 2021

This work presents Neural Equivariant Interatomic Potentials (NequIP), a SE(3)-equivariant neural network approach for learning interatomic potentials from ab-initio calculations for molecular dynamics simulations. While most contemporary symmetry-aware models use invariant convolutions and only act on scalars, NequIP employs SE(3)-equivariant convolutions for interactions of geometric tensors, resulting in a more information-rich and faithful representation of atomic environments. The method achieves state-of-the-art accuracy on a challenging set of diverse molecules and materials while exhibiting remarkable data efficiency. NequIP outperforms existing models with up to three orders of magnitude fewer training data, challenging the widely held belief that deep neural networks require massive training sets. The high data efficiency of the method allows for the construction of accurate potentials using high-order quantum chemical level of theory as reference and enables high-fidelity molecular dynamics simulations over long time scales.
Visualizing the Electron’s Quantization With a Ruler
Authors: Marmolejo Javier Tello , Urquiza-González Mitzi , Isaksson Oscar , Johansson Andreas , Méndez-Fragoso Ricardo , Hanstorp Dag
Published: March 2021

More than 100 years ago, Robert Millikan demonstrated the quantization of the electron using charged, falling droplets, but the statistical analysis on many falling droplets did not allow a direct visualization of the quantization of charge. Instead of letting the droplets fall, we have used optical levitation to create a single droplet version of Millikan’s experiment where the effects of a single electron removal can be observed by the naked eye and measured with a ruler. As we added charges to the levitated droplet, we observed that its equilibrium position jumped vertically in quantized steps. The discrete nature of the droplet’s jumps is a direct consequence of the single-electron changes in the charge on the droplet, and therefore clearly demonstrates the quantization of charge. The steps were optically magnified onto a wall and filmed. We anticipate that the video of these single electron additions can become a straightforward demonstration of the quantization of charge for a general audience.
The Spatial Weaving Screw Technique Combined With Minimally Invasive Treatment of Calcaneal Fracture
Authors: Zhang Yong , Weng Qiuyan , Chen Jianming , Yang Yunfeng
Published: March 2021

Background: The conventional surgical method for calcaneal fractures is the extensile lateral approach to reduce and fix fractures using plates and screws, Unfortunately, this method has been associated with high rates of wound and steel plate complications. Similarly, it is still difficult for minimally invasive surgical methods to achieve effective reduction and internal fixation. Therefore, this article proposes a new method of lateral minimally invasive incision combined with percutaneous, screw-only fixation and the screws are individually knitted according to the type of fracture.Methods: Between October 2015 and October 2019, 31 patients who underwent the spatial weaving screw technique combined with minimally invasive were recruited. Any operative complication was recorded. The clinical results were evaluated based on pre-operative X-rays (axial and lateral calcaneus), CT and three-dimensional reconstruction, AOFAS, VAS during follow-up.Results: Bone healing was achieved in all patients, with an average healing time of 7.3±4.2ml weeks. No serious complications occurred after operation, no case of reduction failure or screw displacement were found. The evaluation of the posterior subtalar and calcaneocuboid articular surface respectively showed 80.6% and 90.3% cases got excellent and good reduction. The average AOFAS score was 89.5 at the end of 1 year after the operation, the mean VAS in our series was 2.4 at the last follow-up. Conclusion: Combined with minimally invasive screw spatial weaving technique, displaced Sanders type II and III can be successfully treated displaced Sanders type II and III fractures. The method allows for adequate reduction and effective fixation by screws. It also clearly avoids the major wound complication problems, improve the accuracy of reduction and implantation, simplify surgical procedure.
Strategic study of Total Innovation Management and its Relationship with Marketing Capabilities in Palm Conversion and Complementary Industries
Authors: Baniasadi Neda , Samari Davood , Hosseini Seyyed Jamal Farajollah , Najafabadi Maryam Omidi
Published: March 2021

Given the role and importance of processing and complementary industries in preventing waste from agricultural products, the establishment of such industries can be considered as one of the most appropriate solutions for agricultural development. For this purpose, the data were collected for data processing and complementary industries in the fields of packing, pricing, customer orientation, in south of Iran. Method: According to the goals and assumptions, descriptive-analytical research and its survey method is a survey. According to the Cochran formula, 155 people are involved in marketing, packaging and processing of palm in Kerman province. To answer the research questions. SPSS software and AMOS software were used to analyze the results. Findings "Local culture in packingUsing communication tools in marketing impact of customer-orientation approach are Top Priorities in "marketing Date" The "packaging" factor is the most important factor in the marketing development of date conversion and complementary industries.
Data Analysis With Shapley Values For Automatic Subject Selection in Alzheimer's Disease Data Sets Using Interpretable Machine Learning
Authors: Bloch Louise , Friedrich Christoph M.
Published: March 2021

Background: The prediction of whether Mild Cognitive Impaired (MCI) subjects will prospectively develop Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is important for the recruitment and monitoring of subjects for therapy studies. Machine Learning (ML) is suitable to improve early AD prediction. The etiology of AD is heterogeneous, which leads to noisy data sets. Additional noise is introduced by multicentric study designs and varying acquisition protocols. This article examines whether an automatic and fair data valuation method based on Shapley values can identify subjects with noisy data. Methods: An ML-workow was developed and trained for a subset of the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) cohort. The validation was executed for an independent ADNI test data set and for the Australian Imaging, Biomarker and Lifestyle Flagship Study of Ageing (AIBL) cohort. The workow included volumetric Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) feature extraction, subject sample selection using data Shapley, Random Forest (RF) and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) for model training and Kernel SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) values for model interpretation. This model interpretation enables clinically relevant explanation of individual predictions. Results: The XGBoost models which excluded 116 of the 467 subjects from the training data set based on their Logistic Regression (LR) data Shapley values outperformed the models which were trained on the entire training data set and which reached a mean classification accuracy of 58.54 % by 14.13 % (8.27 percentage points) on the independent ADNI test data set. The XGBoost models, which were trained on the entire training data set reached a mean accuracy of 60.35 % for the AIBL data set. An improvement of 24.86 % (15.00 percentage points) could be reached for the XGBoost models if those 72 subjects with the smallest RF data Shapley values were excluded from the training data set. Conclusion: The data Shapley method was able to improve the classification accuracies for the test data sets. Noisy data was associated with the number of ApoEϵ4 alleles and volumetric MRI measurements. Kernel SHAP showed that the black-box models learned biologically plausible associations.
Adolescent and Young Adult Stress and Coping During COVID-19: The Utility of a Pediatric Emergency Department Screener
Authors: Nager Alan L , Yau Ji-Ting Janet
Published: March 2021

Background: COVID-19 altered lives, especially adolescents and young adults who lost their emotional and social support systems and may be suffering. Objective: In response to the Coronavirus pandemic, a questionnaire was created and administered to Pediatric Emergency Department (PED) patients in order to identify psychosocial stress and coping abilities. Methods: A 12-question (yes/no) Quality Improvement (QI) paper-based questionnaire was administered by PED providers to assess psychosocial stress and coping among patients 12 years and greater who presented to the PED at a tertiary Children’s Hospital, March - September 2020. Questions were asked/recorded to determine rates of distress and provide social work intervention, if needed. Analysis-Chi-squared, Fisher’s exact, and Mann-Whitney U tests. Results: Among 1261 PED patients who participated in the study, the mean age was 15.4 years (SD=2.4), (58% female, 41.5% male, 0.6% missing data). We identified 611 patients (48.5%) who admitted to feeling scared about contracting the disease, 876 patients (69.5%) who were concerned about the health of their families, and 229 patients (18.2%) who screened positive for food insecurity. In addition, 596 patients (47.3%) felt anxiety, 333 patients (26.4%) felt depressed and 13 patients (1%) admitted to having suicidal ideation because of COVID-19. The majority of patients, 1165 (92.4%), felt supported during the pandemic. Social work was consulted for 235 (18.6%) of patients participating. Conclusions: While patients typically present to PEDs for a somatic complaint, screening their psychosocial and emotional states may reveal underlying mental health concerns that require intervention and at times, assistance from social workers.
Knowledge and Perceptions of People Living With HIV Regarding The HIV Services That Are Offered By The Community Health Workers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Authors: Khumalo Gugulethu Eve , Segobe Bontle , Lutge Elizabeth , Mashamba-Thompson Tivani P
Published: March 2021

Background: KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) is the province with the highest HIV prevalence in South Africa (SA). Community Health Workers (CHWs) are key to delivery of HIV services at community level. Evidence on knowledge and perceptions of people living with HIV (PLWH) regarding the HIV services that are offered by the CHWs is limited. Therefore, this study seeks to determine knowledge and perceptions of PLWH regarding the HIV services that are offered by the CHWs in KZN.Methods: The study design was a quantitative survey using an administrator-administered questionnaire. A total of 303 PLWH from 3 selected KZN clinics were interviewed to determine their knowledge and perceptions of HIV services offered by the CHWs. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27 was used to describe the population and testing for associations between variables. The significant level was set at a p value ≤ 0.05 and at 95% confidence internal.Results: Among the 303 PLWH surveyed, 24 (8%), knew about the HIV services offered by the CHWs and of the 89 (29%) participants that were visited by CHWs, 73 (82%) had a positive perception about these services. Participants who were visited by a CHW were more likely (OR=1.57, 95% CI: 0.57-4.35) to know about the HIV services. Knowledge of HIV services was significantly associated with the positive perception of the HIV services (p<0.05). Knowledge and perception of the HIV services was not associated with age, gender, level of education or duration of visiting the clinic.Conclusion: The majority of PLWH in KZN have poor knowledge of HIV services offered by the CHWs and most of them have never been visited by a CHW in their homes. Those that were visited by CHWs were more likely to have positive perceptions regarding their HIV services. The findings of the study should trigger the scaling up of HIV community targeted initiatives that are delivered by CHWs in order to curb the HIV epidemic in the province.
The Effect of Annealing Temperature On The Structural and Optical Properties of Si/SiO2 Composites Synthesized By Thermal Oxidation of Silicon Wafers
Authors: Kayed Kamal , Kurd Dalal Baba
Published: March 2021

In this article, silicon wafers were thermal treated in air at temperatures from 800 to 1200 °C. The annealed samples were investigated using X-ray diffraction, FTIR and optical reflection spectroscopy. Unique result obtained includes that, that Kubelk-Munk curves could be utilized to estimate the ratio of oxidized silicon atoms. In addition, we found that these curves could provide information on the degree to which the nanoparticle formation affects both the reflection spectra and the energy gap of the Si/SiO2 composites. On the other hand, it has been found that, the intensity of the silicon peak in XRD spectra is proportional to the relative absorption coefficient of amorphous silicon oxide.
Functional and structural brain connectivity in congenital deafness
Authors: Ducas Karolyne Dell , Filho Antonio C. S. Senra , Silva Pedro H. R. , Secchinato Kaio F. , Leoni Renata F. , Santos Antonio C. dos
Published: March 2021

Several studies have been carried out to verify neural plasticity and the language process in deaf individuals. However, further investigations regarding the intrinsic brain organization on functional and structural neural networks derived from congenital deafness is still an open question. The objective of this study was to investigate the main differences in brain organization manifested in deaf individuals, concerning the resting-state functional patterns, and white matter structuring. Functional and diffusion-tensor magnetic resonance imaging modalities were acquired from 18 congenitally deaf individuals and 18 age-sex-matched hearing controls. Compared to the hearing group, the deaf individuals presented higher functional connectivity (FC) among the posterior cingulate cortex node of the default mode network (DMN) with visual and motor networks, lower FC between salience networks, language networks, and prominence of functional connectivity changes in the right hemisphere, mostly in the frontoparietal and temporal lobes. In terms of structural connectivity (SC), we found changes mainly in the occipital and parietal lobes, involving both classical sign language support regions as well as concentrated networks for focus activity, attention, and cognitive filtering. Our findings elucidate the general brain network modifications, contributing to a better understanding of brain plasticity driven by deafness.
Analyzing China’s Provincial Environmental Emissions and Its Influencing Factors: A Spatial Analysis
Authors: Wang Xing , Zhou Dequn
Published: March 2021

In-depth analyses of the spatial heterogeneity in environmental emissions, and the causes of differences are of great importance for contributing to provide reference for reduction policies. However, a spatial analysis of the existence and mechanism of China’s environmental emissions is still ignored. Using the province-level data of thirty provinces in China over 2005-2017, this paper constructs a spatial Durbin model (SDM) to empirically address the existence and spatial transmission mechanism of environmental emissions. The main results are as follows: first, China’s environmental emissions show significant characteristics of spatial dependence and clustering from global and local perspectives, indicating that the existence of spatial autocorrelation in environmental emissions across regions. Second, both per capita GDP and urbanization have positive impacts on environmental emissions, but the impacts of environmental regulation and FDI are insignificant. Third, urbanization not only directly influences environmental emissions, but also indirectly influences environmental emissions. Our analysis provides valuable information for developing policies to effectively alleviate pollution.
Two Decades of One Health Surveillance of Nipah Virus in Thailand
Authors: Wacharapluesadee Supaporn , Ghai Siriporn , Duengkae Prateep , Manee-Orn Pattarapol , Thanapongtharm Weerapong , Saraya Abhinbhen W. , Yingsakmongkon Sangchai , Joyjinda Yutthana , Suradhat Sanipa , Ampoot Weenassarin , Nuansrichay Bandit , Kaewpom Thongchai , Tantilertcharoen Rachod , Rodpan Apaporn , Wongsathapornchai Kachen , Ponpinit Teerada , Buathong Rome , Bunprakob Saowalak , Damrongwatanapokin Sudarat , Ruchiseesarod Chanida , Petcharat Sininat , Kalpravidh Wantanee , Olival Kevin J. , Stokes Martha M. , Hemachudha Thiravat
Published: March 2021

Background:
Nipah virus (NiV) infection causes encephalitis and has > 75% mortality rate, making it a WHO priority pathogen due to its pandemic potential. There have been NiV outbreak(s) in Malaysia, India, Bangladesh, and southern Philippines. NiV naturally circulates among fruit bats of the genus Pteropus and has been detected widely across Southeast and South Asia. Both Malaysian and Bangladeshi NiV strains have been found in fruit bats in Thailand. This study summarizes 20 years of pre-emptive One Health surveillance of NiV in Thailand, including triangulated surveillance of bats, and humans and pigs in the vicinity of roosts inhabited by NiV-infected bats.
Methods:
Samples were collected periodically and tested for NiV from bats, pigs and healthy human volunteers from Wat Luang village, Chonburi province, home to the biggest P. lylei roosts in Thailand, and other provinces since 2001. Archived cerebrospinal fluid specimens from encephalitis patients between 2001–2012 were also tested for NiV. NiV RNA was detected using nested reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). NiV antibodies were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or multiplex microsphere immunoassay.
Results:
NiV RNA (mainly Bangladesh strain) was detected every year in fruit bats by RT-PCR from 2002 to 2020. The whole genome sequence of NiV directly sequenced from bat urine in 2017 shared 99.17% identity to NiV from a Bangladeshi patient in 2004. No NiV-specific IgG antibodies or RNA have been found in healthy volunteers, encephalitis patients, or pigs to date. During the sample collection trips, 100 community members were trained on how to live safely with bats.
Conclusions:
High identity shared between the NiV genome from Thai bats and the Bangladeshi patient highlights the outbreak potential of NiV in Thailand. Results from NiV cross-sectoral surveillance were conveyed to national authorities and villagers which led to preventive control measures, increased surveillance of pigs and humans in vicinity of known NiV-infected roosts, and increased vigilance and reduced risk behaviors at the community level. This proactive One Health approach to NiV surveillance is a success story; that increased collaboration between the human, animal, and wildlife sectors is imperative to staying ahead of a zoonotic disease outbreak.
Electron Beam Melting of Ti-6Al-4V Lattice Structures; Correlation between Post Heat Treatment and Mechanical Properties
Authors: Guercio Giuseppe Del , Galati Manuela , Saboori Abdollah
Published: March 2021

Additive Manufacturing processes are considered advanced manufacturing methods. It would be possible to produce complex shape components from a Computer-Aided Design model in a layer-by-layer manner. Lattice structures as one of the complex geometries could attract lots of attention for both medical and industrial applications. In these structures, besides cell size and cell type, the microstructure of lattice structures can play a key role in these structures' mechanical performance. On the other hand, heat treatment has a significant influence on the mechanical properties of the material. Therefore, in this work, the effect of the heat treatments on the microstructure and mechanical behaviour of Ti-6Al-4V lattice structures manufactured by EBM was analyzed. The main mechanical properties were compared with the Ashby and Gibson model. It is very interesting to notice that a more homogeneous failure mode was found for the heat-treated samples. The structures' relative density was the main factor influencing their mechanical performance of the heat-treated samples. It is also found that the heat treatments were able to preserve the stiffness and the compressive strength of the lattice structures. Besides, an increment of both the elongation at failure and the absorbed energy was obtained after the heat treatments. Microstructure analysis of the heat-treated samples confirms the increment of ductility of the heat-treated samples with respect to the as-built one.
Effects of 0.5°C Less Global Warming On Climate Extremes in The Contiguous United States
Authors: Chen Liang , Ford Trent
Published: March 2021

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) suggests limiting global warming to 1.5°C compared to 2°C would avoid dangerous impacts of anthropogenic climate change and ensure a more sustainable society. As the vulnerability to global warming is regionally dependent, this study assesses the effects of 0.5°C less global warming on climate extremes in the United States. Eight climate extreme indices are calculated based on Coupled Model Intercomparison Project - phase 5 (CMIP5), and North American - Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiments (NA-CORDEX) with and without bias correction. We evaluate the projected changes in temperature and precipitation extremes, and examine their differences between the 1.5°C and 2°C warming targets. Under a warming climate, both CMIP5 and NA-CORDEX show intensified heat extremes and reduced cold extremes across the country, intensified and more heavy precipitation in large areas of the North, prolonged dry spells in some regions of the West, South, and Midwest, and more frequent drought events in the West. Results suggest that the 0.5 °C less global warming would avoid the intensification of climate extremes by 32~46% (35~42%) for heat extremes intensity (frequency) across the country and, by 23~41% for heavy precipitation intensity in the North, South, and Southeast. The changes in annual heavy precipitation intensity are mainly contributed by winter and spring. However, impacts of the limited warming on the frequency of heavy precipitation, dry spell, and drought frequency are only evident in a few regions. Although uncertainties are found among the climate models and emission scenarios, our results highlight the benefits of limiting warming at 1.5°C in order to reduce the risks of climate extremes associated with global warming.
Is There a Relationship Between Psoriasis and Hepatitis C?: a Meta-analysis and Bioinformatics Investigation
Authors: Liu Yong , Cui Sheng Nan , Duan Meng Yao , Dou Zhi Li , Li Yi Zhen , Liu Yi Xing , Xia Ye , Zhang Jia Wei , Yan Xiao Ning , Han Dong Ran
Published: March 2021

Background: The relationship between psoriasis and hepatitis C was previously controversial, so our purpose is to investigate this connection.Methods: We conducted a systematic review of the case-control, cross-sectional and cohort studies examining the association between psoriasis and hepatitis C in PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane library databases and investigated the overlapping genes between psoriasis targets and hepatitis C targets using bioinformatics analysis. Based on overlapping genes and hub nodes, we also constructed the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and module respectively, followed by the pathway enrichment analysis. Results: We included 11 publications that reported a total of 11 studies (8 cross-sectional and 3 case-control). The case–control and cross-sectional studies included 25,047 psoriasis patients and 4,091,631 controls in total. Psoriasis was associated with a significant increase of prevalent hepatitis C (OR 1.72; 95% confidence interval [CI] (1.17-2.52)). A total of 389 significant genes were common to both hepatitis C and psoriasis, which mainly involved IL6, TNF, IL10, ALB, STAT3 and CXCL8. The module and pathway enrichment analyses showed that the common genes had the potential to influence varieties of biological pathways, including the inflammatory response, cytokine activity, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, which play an important role in the pathogenesis of hepatitis C and psoriasis.Conclusion: Patients with psoriasis display increased prevalence of hepatitis C and the basic related mechanisms between hepatitis C and psoriasis had been preliminarily clarified.
Construction of a Nomogram to Predict Overall Survival for Patients With Lung Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma: Analysis of the SEER Database
Authors: Han Dong , Gao Fei , Li Nan , Wang Hao , Fu Qi
Published: March 2021

Background: Lung large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (L-LCNEC) has a poor prognosis with lower survival rate than other NSCLC patients. The estimation of an individual survival rate is puzzling. The main purpose of this study was to establish a more accurate model to predict the prognosis of L-LCNEC. Methods: Patients aged 18 years or older with L-LCNEC were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database from 2004 to 2015. Cox regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with survival time. The results were used to construct a nomogram to predict 1-year, and 3-year survival probability in L-LCNEC patients. Overall survival (OS) were compared between low risk group and high risk group by the Kaplan–Meier analysis. Results: A total of 3216 patients were included in the study. We randomly divided all included patients into 7:3 training and validating groups. In multivariable analysis of training cohort, age at diagnosis, sex, stage of tumor, surgical treatment, radiotherapy and chemotherapy were independent prognostic factors for OS. All these factors were incorporated to construct a nomogram, which was tested in the validating cohort.Conclusions: we constructed a visual nomogram prognosis model, which had the potential to predict the 1-year and 3-year survival rate of L-LCNEC patients, and could be used as an assistant prediction tool in clinical practice.
Urine-derived Stem Cells versus their lysate in Ameliorating Erectile Dysfunction in a Rat Model of Type II Diabetes
Authors: Galhom Rania A. , Korayem Horeya Erfan , Badawi Manal H. Al
Published: March 2021

The present study compared the effect of transplantation of urine-derived stem cells (USCs) and their lysate (USCs-L) into the corpora cavernosa (CC) of rats with diabetic erectile dysfunction (DED). A rat model of DED was established via intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. After proving DED, USCs and USCs-L were transplanted into CC of two groups of rats. Our histopathological and morphometric results showed marked obliteration of the cavernous spaces with bands of collagen fibres, significant increase of collagen/smooth muscle ratio and decrease the mean area percentage of α-SMA in the CC of diabetic rats. The ultrastructure of the endothelium lining the cavernous spaces of the same group revealed irregular surface with villi-like projections along with thickening and splitting of their basal lamina. The diabetic rats exhibited deterioration of the all the parameters of copulatory function compared to the control rats. Transplantation of USCs and USCs-L significantly restored the structure and the ultrastructure of the CC and improved the sexual function compared to the diabetic rats without significant difference between them. The transplanted USCs were detected in a good number in the CC four weeks after transplantation, while their number decreased by the 8th week. As a conclusion, USCs and USCs-L can repair the structure and the ultrastructure of CC and improve the sexual function in a rat model of DED without significant different between them. however, the USCs-L could be better used as a treatment strategy in DED to avoid the undetected behaviour of USCs and decreased their survivability after transplantation.