bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Thermococcus bergensis sp. nov., a Novel Hyperthermophilic Starch-Degrading Archaeon
Authors: Birkeland Nils-Kåre , Bunk Boyke , Spröer Cathrin , Klenk Hans-Peter , Schönheit Peter
Published: April 2021

A novel hyperthermophilic archaeon, termed strain T7324T, was isolated from a mixed sulfate-reducing consortium recovered from hot water produced from a deep North Sea oil reservoir. The isolate is a strict anaerobic chemo-organotroph able to utilize yeast extract or starch as a carbon source. The genes for a number of sugar degradation enzymes and glutamate dehydrogenase previously attributed to the sulfate reducing strain of the consortium (Archaeoglobus fulgidus strain 7324) were identified in the nearly completed genome sequence. Sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene placed the strain in the Thermococcus genus, but with an average nucleotide identity that is less than 90% to its closest relatives. Phylogenomic treeing reconstructions placed the strain on a distinct lineage clearly separated from other Thermococcus spp. The results indicate that the strain T7324T represents a novel species, for which the name Thermococcus bergensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is T7324T (=DSM 27149T = KCTC 15808T).
Monetary Valuation of Children’s Cognitive Outcomes in Economic Evaluations from a Societal Perspective: A Review
Authors: Grosse Scott D. , Zhou Ying
Published: April 2021

Cognitive ability in childhood is positively associated with economic productivity in adulthood. Expected gains in economic output from interventions that protect cognitive function can be incorporated in benefit–cost and cost-effectiveness analyses conducted from a societal perspective. This review summarizes estimates from high-income countries of the association of general cognitive ability, standardized as intelligence quotient (IQ), with annual and lifetime earnings among adults. Estimates of the association of adult earnings with cognitive ability assessed in childhood or adolescence vary from 0.5% to 2.5% per IQ point. That range reflects differences in data sources and analytic methods. We take a conservative published estimate of a 1.4% difference in market productivity per IQ point in the United States from a recent study that controlled for confounding by family background and behavioral attributes. Using that estimate and the present value of lifetime earnings calculated using a 3% discount rate, the implied lifetime monetary valuation of an IQ point in the United States is USD 10,600–13,100. Despite uncertainty and the exclusion of non-market productivity, incorporation of such estimates could lead to a fuller assessment of the benefits of public health and clinical interventions that protect the developing brains of fetuses, infants, and young children.
Preliminary Study of Cave Sample Storage Conditions on Fungal Community Diversity
Authors: Raudabaugh Daniel B. , Rivera Nelda A. , Anchor Gretchen C. , Bach Elizabeth , Miller Andrew N. , Mateus-Pinilla Nohra E.
Published: April 2021

We investigated the effect of varying storage time and storage temperature on fungal species’ isolation as part of a case study of Illinois cave sediment samples. A deeper understanding of cave fungal communities may influence eco-epidemiology studies of emerging or re-emerging cave fungal pathogens. Using culture-dependent techniques, we isolated geophilic fungi from homogeneous cave sediment samples from three Illinois caves. Each sample was stored under five different temperatures ranging from −80 °C to 22 °C. Cave sediment was periodically removed at five different time periods from 48 h to 1 year, serially diluted with distilled water, lawn plated onto two different media, and monitored for fungal colonies. We isolated colonies and confirmed identity through nrDNA sequence similarity. Our results suggest that storage time was more important than storage temperature for the isolation of a wide diversity of geophilic fungal taxa. Importantly, our results show that varying storage conditions will alter both the kind of taxa and abundance of those taxa, suggesting that comparative studies of fungal diversity across studies should employ similar storage conditions. Lastly, future investigations should utilize multiple genetic markers because the fungal barcode region lacked species-level resolution for many isolates within common Illinois geophilic fungal genera.
Dolutegravir Plus Lamivudine Two-Drug Regimen: Safety, Efficacy and Diagnostic Considerations for Its Use in Real-Life Clinical Practice—A Refined Approach in the COVID-19 Era
Authors: Cento Valeria , Perno Carlo Federico
Published: April 2021

The diagnostic and therapeutic management of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the HIV population brought some known criticalities (and opportunities) to the forefront, for both those who are facing their first therapeutic line today, and for those already well viro-suppressed. The clinical, socioeconomic, and psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic should not affect the long-term care of people living with HIV, which creates an urgent need to optimize the diagnostic and treatment approach to the first-line or switch regimens. The use of dolutegravir plus a lamivudine two-drug regimen is one of the most promising solutions to ease the management of HIV treatment in this difficult period. In this review, we report the most salient features related to the use of this regimen from real-life cohorts, meta-analyses, randomized clinical trials, and studies presented at international conferences up to March 2021. We focused on the diagnostic and clinical-management implications of its use in real life, and how these comply with the contingent historical situation. The issue of the timing and type of diagnostic procedures and the relevance of classical diagnostic tests (such as genotype for resistance detection) is also discussed. According to the currently available results, dolutegravir plus a lamivudine two-drug regimen represents an outstanding tool, whose expected advantages fulfill the current requirements for optimal daily care of our HIV patients.
Forward and Backward Bellman Equations Improve the Efficiency of the EM Algorithm for DEC-POMDP
Authors: Tottori Takehiro , Kobayashi Tetsuya J.
Published: April 2021

Decentralized partially observable Markov decision process (DEC-POMDP) models sequential decision making problems by a team of agents. Since the planning of DEC-POMDP can be interpreted as the maximum likelihood estimation for the latent variable model, DEC-POMDP can be solved by the EM algorithm. However, in EM for DEC-POMDP, the forward–backward algorithm needs to be calculated up to the infinite horizon, which impairs the computational efficiency. In this paper, we propose the Bellman EM algorithm (BEM) and the modified Bellman EM algorithm (MBEM) by introducing the forward and backward Bellman equations into EM. BEM can be more efficient than EM because BEM calculates the forward and backward Bellman equations instead of the forward–backward algorithm up to the infinite horizon. However, BEM cannot always be more efficient than EM when the size of problems is large because BEM calculates an inverse matrix. We circumvent this shortcoming in MBEM by calculating the forward and backward Bellman equations without the inverse matrix. Our numerical experiments demonstrate that the convergence of MBEM is faster than that of EM.
Performance of Reconfigurable Antenna Fabricated on Flexible and Nonflexible Materials for Band Switching Applications
Authors: Sanjeeva Reddy B. R. , Darimireddy Naresh K. , Park Chan-Wang , Chehri Abdellah
Published: April 2021

In this article, a novel frequency slot-based switchable antenna fabricated on flexible and nonflexible materials is presented for suitable reconfigurable radiations of Bluetooth, WiMAX, and upper WLAN applications. Initially, the performance of this structure was simulated using a CSTTM simulator and evaluated experimentally using a nonflexible FR4 structure. The same antenna was implemented on a flexible (jean) substrate with a relative permittivity of 1.7. The proposed textile antenna prototypes were fabricated by optimal dimensions of an E-shaped slot with a variation on the shape of the ground layer, integrated using a crossed T-shaped strip with ON/OFF switchable state operations. The proposed antenna prototype is compact (20 × 20 mm2), providing switchable radiations with tri bands, has frequencies ranged at 2.36–2.5 GHz for Bluetooth, 3.51–3.79 GHz and 5.47–5.98 GHz for the distinct bands of WiMAX and WLAN, respectively, as well as part of UWB operations.
Design of a Stationary Energy Recovery System in Rail Transport
Authors: Cipolletta Giuliano , Delle Femine Antonio , Gallo Daniele , Luiso Mario , Landi Carmine
Published: April 2021

Although rail is one of the most sustainable transport systems, there is still room to reduce its energy demand. In particular, during the braking of DC powered trains, a significant amount of energy is wasted. The recent developments in energy storage system technologies, combined with the widely used technique of regenerative braking, can considerably increase energy saving. This paper explores this theme, quantifying the amount of braking energy that can be potentially recovered in a real case study, starting from the experimental data measured on-board train. A simplified numerical model of the recovery process has been implemented. Adopting it, the energy that can be saved, with one or two energy storage systems, has been quantified for each possible position along the track. The procedure allows to determine the optimal position. Further findings about the impact of voltage level on the efficiency of the recovery process have been reported. The optimal level of voltage has been determined, also considering the additional losses in the catenary, both during the traction and braking phase of the train. Moreover, it allows dimensioning of stationary storage systems considering two different energy management strategies and their impact on the peak of stored energy. The proposed approach will be presented with reference to the concrete case of a specific route on the Italian rail network, analyzing a train in normal commuter service and the obtained results will be discussed. In the best situation, about the 73% of the braking energy can be recovered.
Decentralized Voltage Control in Active Distribution Systems: Features and Open Issues
Authors: Fusco Giuseppe , Russo Mario , De Santis Michele
Published: April 2021

Voltage control is becoming a key issue in active distribution systems, which are electric distribution networks characterized by a large penetration of DERs. Traditional voltage control devices, as well as the active and reactive powers injected by DERs, can be used as ancillary services to support voltage profiles along the distribution feeders. Due to the peculiar characteristics of active distribution systems, the decentralized control approach presents the most promising technical and economical features. In the paper, the decentralized voltage control structure is hierarchically decomposed into different control levels, characterized by different objectives and time frames. The primary and secondary control levels have been analyzed, always according to a decentralized approach. For each level, the various techniques for solving the voltage control problem that have been proposed in the literature are presented, and their main features compared. The main open issues related to the real time practical implementation of the decentralized architectures at both primary and secondary voltage control levels are investigated, keeping always in mind both technical and economical aspects, which always represent the components of a trade-off solution.
Dry-Hop Creep Potential of Various Saccharomyces Yeast Species and Strains
Authors: Bruner James , Marcus Andrew , Fox Glen
Published: April 2021

Previous research has shown that hops contain enzymes able to hydrolyze unfermentable dextrins into fermentable sugars when added during the dry-hopping process. In the presence of live yeast, these additional fermentable sugars can lead to an over-attenuation of the beer; a phenomenon known as “hop creep”. This study attempts to analyze the effect of different Saccharomyces yeast species and strains on hop creep, with the intent to find an ability to mitigate the effects of dry-hop creep by using a specific yeast. Thirty different yeast species and strains were chosen from commercial and academic collections and propagated for pilot fermentations. Brews were performed at the Anheuser-Busch Research Brewery (1.8 hL, 10 °P, 20 IBU) at UC Davis and split to 40 L cylindroconical fermenters, with one fermenter in each yeast pair receiving 10 g/L Centennial hop pellets towards the end of fermentation. Standard analytical measurements were performed over the course of fermentation, with real degrees of fermentation (RDF) and extract measured on an Anton Paar alcolyzer. In order to preemptively determine the amount of hop creep to be experienced with each unknown fermentation, bench-top fermentations with 20 g/L dry-hops were performed concurrently and compared to the pilot scale fermentations. RDF was significantly higher (p < 0.01) on dry-hopped than non-dry-hopped fermentations beginning two days post dry-hopping to the end of fermentation, with the exceptions of SafAle™ BE-134, a S. cerevisiae var. diastaticus, and UCDFST 11-510, a S. mikatae. No apparent correlation between flocculation and increased RDF was shown in dry-hopped treatments. pH was significantly different between the dry-hopped and non-hopped fermentations (p < 0.05 one day post dry-hop, p < 0.01 for all subsequent days); this may have impacted on additional attenuation. No yeasts in this study indicated their use for mitigation of dry-hop creep, but this is a first look at beer fermentation for some of the chosen yeasts. The results also present a new perspective on how hop creep varies in fermentation.
Study of Different Alternatives for Dynamic Simulation of a Steam Generator Using MATLAB
Authors: Álvarez Cristhian , Espinel Edwin , Noriega Carlos J.
Published: April 2021

This work presents the simulation of a steam generator or water-tube boiler through the implementation in MATLAB® for a proposed mathematical model. Mass and energy balances for the three main components of the boiler—the drum, the riser and down-comer tubes—are presented. Three alternative solutions to the ordinary differential equation (ODE) were studied, based on Runge–Kutta 4th order method, Heun’s method, and MATLAB function Ode45. The best results were obtained using MATLAB® function Ode45 based on the Runge–Kutta 4th Order Method. The error was less than 5% for the simulation of the steam pressure in the drum, the total volume of water in the boiler, and the mixture quality in relation to what was reported.
A Computational Fluid Dynamics Model for the Small-Scale Dynamics of Wave, Ice Floe and Interstitial Grease Ice Interaction
Authors: Marquart Rutger , Bogaers Alfred , Skatulla Sebastian , Alberello Alberto , Toffoli Alessandro , Schwarz Carina , Vichi Marcello
Published: April 2021

The marginal ice zone is a highly dynamical region where sea ice and ocean waves interact. Large-scale sea ice models only compute domain-averaged responses. As the majority of the marginal ice zone consists of mobile ice floes surrounded by grease ice, finer-scale modelling is needed to resolve variations of its mechanical properties, wave-induced pressure gradients and drag forces acting on the ice floes. A novel computational fluid dynamics approach is presented that considers the heterogeneous sea ice material composition and accounts for the wave-ice interaction dynamics. Results show, after comparing three realistic sea ice layouts with similar concentration and floe diameter, that the discrepancy between the domain-averaged temporal stress and strain rate evolutions increases for decreasing wave period. Furthermore, strain rate and viscosity are mostly affected by the variability of ice floe shape and diameter.
GIS Open-Source Plugins Development: A 10-Year Bibliometric Analysis on Scientific Literature
Authors: Duarte Lia , Teodoro Ana Cláudia
Published: April 2021

The advent of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) has changed the way people think and interact with the world. The main objectives of this paper are: (i) to provide an overview of 10 years (2010–2020) regarding the creation/development of GIS open-source applications; and (ii) to evaluate the GIS open-source plugins for environmental science. In the first objective, we evaluate the publications regarding the development of GIS open-source geospatial software in the last 10 years, considering desktop, web GIS and mobile applications, so that we can analyze the impact of this type of application for different research areas. In the second objective, we analyze the development of GIS open-source applications in the field of environmental sciences (with more focus on QGIS plugins) in the last 10 years and discuss the applicability and usability of these GIS solutions in different environmental domains. A bibliometric analysis was performed using Web of Science database and VOSViewer software. We concluded that, in general, the development of GIS open-source applications has increased in the last 10 years, especially GIS mobile applications, since the big data and Internet of Things (IoT) era, which was expected given the new advanced technologies available in every area, especially in GIS.
A Qualitative Analysis of Motivators to Participation in Suicide-Focused Research from a Community-Based Australian Sample
Authors: Rheinberger Demee , Shand Fiona , Mok Katherine , McGillivray Lauren , Maple Myfanwy , Burnett Alexander , Sharwood Lisa N. , Chen Nicola A. , Torok Michelle
Published: April 2021

Suicide prevention strategies internationally appear to be falling short of making a meaningful impact on global suicide deaths. Increasing the rates of general community participation in suicide research may improve knowledge generalisability as it relates to suicidal behaviour and leads to new suicide prevention approaches. This study aims to explore the motivations of a community-based sample to participate in suicide research. A subsample of the Australian general population took part in an online survey which is part of a multilevel suicide prevention trial. The survey concluded with an optional open-text question asking about peoples’ motivations for participating in the study; 532 participants left a response to this question. These responses were qualitatively analysed using Thematic Network Analysis. Motivations to participate in suicide research were represented by four global themes: altruism, solve systemic problems, lived experience, and personal benefit. Of these themes, three were focused on the benefit of others, while only the final theme articulated motivation to participate that was self-focused. The impact of suicide is felt throughout the wider community. This new understanding of the motivations of community-based samples to participate in suicide research should be used to increase participation rates and reach people who would not normally contribute their voice to suicide research.
Heavy Metal Tolerance Trend in Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase Encoding Strains Recovered from Food Samples
Authors: Junaid Kashaf , Ejaz Hasan , Asim Iram , Younas Sonia , Yasmeen Humaira , Abdalla Abualgasim Elgaili , Abosalif Khalid Omer Abdalla , Alameen Ayman Ali Mohammed , Ahmad Naveed , Bukhari Syed Nasir Abbas , Rehman Abdul
Published: April 2021

This study evaluates bacteriological profiles in ready-to-eat (RTE) foods and assesses antibiotic resistance, extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) production by gram-negative bacteria, and heavy metal tolerance. In total, 436 retail food samples were collected and cultured. The isolates were screened for ESBL production and molecular detection of ESBL-encoding genes. Furthermore, all isolates were evaluated for heavy metal tolerance. From 352 culture-positive samples, 406 g-negative bacteria were identified. Raw food samples were more often contaminated than refined food (84.71% vs. 76.32%). The predominant isolates were Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 76), Enterobacter cloacae (n = 58), and Escherichia coli (n = 56). Overall, the percentage of ESBL producers was higher in raw food samples, although higher occurrences of ESBL-producing E. coli (p = 0.01) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (p = 0.02) were observed in processed food samples. However, the prevalence of ESBL-producing Citrobacter freundii in raw food samples was high (p = 0.03). Among the isolates, 55% were blaCTX-M, 26% were blaSHV, and 19% were blaTEM. Notably, heavy metal resistance was highly prevalent in ESBL producers. These findings demonstrate that retail food samples are exposed to contaminants including antibiotics and heavy metals, endangering consumers.
Analysis of Pneumonia Occurrence in Relation to Climate Change in Tanga, Tanzania
Authors: Miyayo Samweli Faraja , Owili Patrick Opiyo , Muga Miriam Adoyo , Lin Tang-Huang
Published: April 2021

In 2018, 70% of global fatalities due to pneumonia occurred in about fifteen countries, with Tanzania being among the top eight countries contributing to these deaths. Environmental and individual factors contributing to these deaths may be multifaceted, but they have not yet been explored in Tanzania. Therefore, in this study, we explore the association between climate change and the occurrence of pneumonia in the Tanga Region, Tanzania. A time series study design was employed using meteorological and health data of the Tanga Region collected from January 2016 to December 2018 from the Tanzania Meteorological Authority and Health Management Information System, respectively. The generalized negative binomial regression technique was used to explore the associations between climate indicators (i.e., precipitation, humidity, and temperature) and the occurrence of pneumonia. There were trend differences in climate indicators and the occurrence of pneumonia between the Tanga and Handeni districts. We found a positive association between humidity and increased rates of non-severe pneumonia (incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 1.01; 95% CI: 1.01–1.02; p ≤ 0.05) and severe pneumonia (IRR = 1.02; 95% CI: 1.01–1.03; p ≤ 0.05). There was also a significant association between cold temperatures and the rate of severe pneumonia in Tanga (IRR = 1.21; 95% CI: 1.11–1.33; p ≤ 0.001). Other factors that were associated with pneumonia included age and district of residence. We found a positive relationship between humidity, temperature, and incidence of pneumonia in the Tanga Region. Policies focusing on prevention and control, as well as promotion strategies relating to climate change-related health effects should be developed and implemented.
Exploring the Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility Communication through Social Media on Banking Customer E-WOM and Loyalty in Times of Crisis
Authors: Zhang Dianxi , Mahmood Asif , Ariza-Montes Antonio , Vega-Muñoz Alejandro , Ahmad Naveed , Han Heesup , Sial Muhammad Safdar
Published: April 2021

Previous studies have largely explored corporate social responsibility (CSR) for organization-centric outcomes to achieve organizational performance, organizational commitment, or organizational citizenship behavior. However, the importance of CSR to achieve customer-centric outcomes is underexplored to date. Contemporary researchers have recently turned their attention toward CSR from the viewpoint of customer-centric outcomes. Therefore, the present study attempts to test the influence of CSR communication on social media and customer loyalty in the banking sector of a developing economy in times of crisis. This study also investigates the mediating effect of electronic word of mouth (E-WOM) with this relationship. The data of the present study were collected from different banking customers using a self-administered questionnaire. The empirical findings of this study validated that the CSR communication of a bank on social media increases customer loyalty, and E-WOM partially mediates this relationship. This study will be helpful for the banking sector to understand the importance of CSR communication to increase customer loyalty, which is very important for every bank in times of crisis.
Segmental Phase Angle and Body Composition Fluctuation of Elite Ski Jumpers between Summer and Winter FIS Competitions
Authors: Ostachowska-Gąsior Agnieszka , Piwowar Monika , Zając Joanna
Published: April 2021

(1) Background: The purpose of this study was to observe segmental phase angle (PhA) and body composition fluctuation of elite ski jumpers. (2) Methods: In the study, 12 professional ski jumpers took part. Body composition was estimated with segmental multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis. Repeated ANOVA was used to check the parameters’ variability in time. The symmetry between the right and left side of the body was verified with the t-test for dependent samples. Pearson’s linear correlation coefficient was calculated. (3) Results: The most stable parameter was body weight. An increase in the visceral fat area was noted, the fat-free mass dropped, and significant changes were noted in the internal and external cell water parameters. Parameters connected with water between the right and left side of the body were symmetrical. Significant correlation between PhA values and body parameters with regard to fat tissue and PhA values of the legs was noticed when PhA was measured at 50 kHz. (4) Conclusions: PhA could be considered as a ski jumper body symmetry monitoring tool. The described relationship may be useful for the assessment of body fat change, which, in the case of jumpers, is crucial. Moreover, our data suggest that segmental PhA evaluation could be a good solution for ski jumpers as a confirmation if lowered body mass and low BMI are still healthy and increase the chance for longer jumps and good performance.
Detecting Topic and Sentiment Trends in Physician Rating Websites: Analysis of Online Reviews Using 3-Wave Datasets
Authors: Shah Adnan Muhammad , Naqvi Rizwan Ali , Jeong Ok-Ran
Published: April 2021

(1) Background: Physician rating websites (PRWs) are a rich resource of information where individuals learn other people response to various health problems. The current study aims to investigate and analyze the people top concerns and sentiment dynamics expressed in physician online reviews (PORs). (2) Methods: Text data were collected from four U.S.-based PRWs during the three time periods of 2018, 2019 and 2020. Based on the dynamic topic modeling, hot topics related to different aspects of healthcare were identified. Following the hybrid approach of aspect-based sentiment analysis, the social network of prevailing topics was also analyzed whether people expressed positive, neutral or negative sentiments in PORs. (3) Results: The study identified 30 dominant topics across three different stages which lead toward four key findings. First, topics discussed in Stage III were quite different from the earlier two stages due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Second, based on the keyword co-occurrence analysis, the most prevalent keywords in all three stages were related to the treatment, questions asked by patients, communication problem, patients’ feelings toward the hospital environment, disease symptoms, time spend with patients and different issues related to the COVID-19 (i.e., pneumonia, death, spread and cases). Third, topics related to the provider service quality, hospital servicescape and treatment cost were the most dominant topics in Stages I and II, while the quality of online information regarding COVID-19 and government countermeasures were the most dominant topics in Stage III. Fourth, when zooming into the topic-based sentiments analysis, hot topics in Stage I were mostly positive (joy be the dominant emotion), then negative (disgust be the dominant emotion) in Stage II. Furthermore, sentiments in the initial period of Stage III (COVID-19) were negative (anger be the dominant emotion), then transformed into positive (trust be the dominant emotion) later. The findings also revealed that the proposed method outperformed the conventional machine learning models in analyzing topic and sentiment dynamics expressed in PRWs. (4) Conclusions: Methodologically, this research demonstrates the ability and importance of computational techniques for analyzing large corpora of text and complementing conventional social science approaches.
Drug Prescription Profiles in Patients with Polypharmacy in Spain: A Large-Scale Pharmacoepidemiologic Study Using Real-World Data
Authors: Hernández-Rodríguez Miguel Ángel , Sempere-Verdú Ermengol , Vicens-Caldentey Caterina , González-Rubio Francisca , Miguel-García Félix , Palop-Larrea Vicente , Orueta-Sánchez Ramón , Esteban-Jiménez Óscar , Sempere-Manuel Mara , Arroyo-Aniés María Pilar , Fernández-San José Buenaventura , de Juan-Roldán José Ignacio , Ioakeim-Skoufa Ignatios
Published: April 2021

We aimed to identify and compare medication profiles in populations with polypharmacy between 2005 and 2015. We conducted a cross-sectional study using information from the Computerized Database for Pharmacoepidemiologic Studies in Primary Care (BIFAP, Spain). We estimated the prevalence of therapeutic subgroups in all individuals 15 years of age and older with polypharmacy (≥5 drugs during ≥6 months) using the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical classification system level 4, by sex and age group, for both calendar years. The most prescribed drugs were proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs), statins, antiplatelet agents, benzodiazepine derivatives, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. The greatest increases between 2005 and 2015 were observed in PPIs, statins, other antidepressants, and β-blockers, while the prevalence of antiepileptics was almost tripled. We observed increases in psychotropic drugs in women and cardiovascular medications in men. By patient´s age groups, there were notable increases in antipsychotics, antidepressants, and antiepileptics (15–44 years); antidepressants, PPIs, and selective β-blockers (45–64 years); selective β-blockers, biguanides, PPIs, and statins (65–79 years); and in statins, selective β-blockers, and PPIs (80 years and older). Our results revealed important increases in the use of specific therapeutic subgroups, like PPIs, statins, and psychotropic drugs, highlighting opportunities to design and implement strategies to analyze such prescriptions’ appropriateness.
Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) Regarding the COVID-19 Outbreak in Côte d’Ivoire: Understanding the Non-Compliance of Populations with Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions
Authors: Yapi Richard B. , Houngbedji Clarisse A. , N’Guessan Daniel K.G. , Dindé Arlette O. , Sanhoun Aimé R. , Amin Ariane , Gboko Kossia D.T. , Heitz-Tokpa Kathrin , Fokou Gilbert , Bonfoh Bassirou
Published: April 2021

At the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, preventive measures seemed the most appropriate method to control its spread. We assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the Ivorian public regarding preventive measures, conducting a hybrid survey across the country. Participants were invited to complete a questionnaire online, by phone, or face-to-face. Chi-squared, Fisher’s exact, and Kruskal–Wallis tests were used to compare the frequency of responses regarding compliance with preventive measures. Data were validated for 564 individuals. Over one-third of respondents believed that COVID-19 was related to non-natural causes. Though the disease was perceived as severe, respondents did not consider it to be highly infectious. Overall, 35.6% of respondents fully trust health officials in the management of the pandemic, and 34.6% trusted them moderately. Individuals who believed COVID-19 was a disease caused by a pathogen and the well-educated were likely to comply with preventive measures. About 70% of respondents stated that their daily expenses had increased due to preventive measures. The study concludes that beyond unfavorable socioeconomic conditions, the level of knowledge regarding COVID-19 and trust in the government/health system are more likely to influence compliance with preventive measures such as self-reporting, physical distancing, the use of face masks, and eventually the acceptability of vaccines.
Developing a Riboswitch-Mediated Regulatory System for Metabolic Flux Control in Thermophilic Bacillus methanolicus
Authors: Irla Marta , Hakvåg Sigrid , Brautaset Trygve
Published: April 2021

Genome-wide transcriptomic data obtained in RNA-seq experiments can serve as a reliable source for identification of novel regulatory elements such as riboswitches and promoters. Riboswitches are parts of the 5′ untranslated region of mRNA molecules that can specifically bind various metabolites and control gene expression. For that reason, they have become an attractive tool for engineering biological systems, especially for the regulation of metabolic fluxes in industrial microorganisms. Promoters in the genomes of prokaryotes are located upstream of transcription start sites and their sequences are easily identifiable based on the primary transcriptome data. Bacillus methanolicus MGA3 is a candidate for use as an industrial workhorse in methanol-based bioprocesses and its metabolism has been studied in systems biology approaches in recent years, including transcriptome characterization through RNA-seq. Here, we identify a putative lysine riboswitch in B. methanolicus, and test and characterize it. We also select and experimentally verify 10 putative B. methanolicus-derived promoters differing in their predicted strength and present their functionality in combination with the lysine riboswitch. We further explore the potential of a B. subtilis-derived purine riboswitch for regulation of gene expression in the thermophilic B. methanolicus, establishing a novel tool for inducible gene expression in this bacterium.
Therapeutic Effects of hiPSC-Derived Glial and Neuronal Progenitor Cells-Conditioned Medium in Experimental Ischemic Stroke in Rats
Authors: Salikhova Diana , Bukharova Tatiana , Cherkashova Elvira , Namestnikova Daria , Leonov Georgy , Nikitina Maria , Gubskiy Ilya , Akopyan Gevorg , Elchaninov Andrey , Midiber Konstantin , Bulatenco Natalia , Mokrousova Victoria , Makarov Andrey , Yarygin Konstantin , Chekhonin Vladimir , Mikhaleva Liudmila , Fatkhudinov Timur , Goldshtein Dmitry
Published: April 2021

Transplantation of various types of stem cells as a possible therapy for stroke has been tested for years, and the results are promising. Recent investigations have shown that the administration of the conditioned media obtained after stem cell cultivation can also be effective in the therapy of the central nervous system pathology (hypothesis of their paracrine action). The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic effects of the conditioned medium of hiPSC-derived glial and neuronal progenitor cells in the rat middle cerebral artery occlusion model of the ischemic stroke. Secretory activity of the cultured neuronal and glial progenitor cells was evaluated by proteomic and immunosorbent-based approaches. Therapeutic effects were assessed by overall survival, neurologic deficit and infarct volume dynamics, as well as by the end-point values of the apoptosis- and inflammation-related gene expression levels, the extent of microglia/macrophage infiltration and the numbers of formed blood vessels in the affected area of the brain. As a result, 31% of the protein species discovered in glial progenitor cells-conditioned medium and 45% in neuronal progenitor cells-conditioned medium were cell type specific. The glial progenitor cell-conditioned media showed a higher content of neurotrophins (BDNF, GDNF, CNTF and NGF). We showed that intra-arterial administration of glial progenitor cells-conditioned medium promoted a faster decrease in neurological deficit compared to the control group, reduced microglia/macrophage infiltration, reduced expression of pro-apoptotic gene Bax and pro-inflammatory cytokine gene Tnf, increased expression of anti-inflammatory cytokine genes (Il4, Il10, Il13) and promoted the formation of blood vessels within the damaged area. None of these effects were exerted by the neuronal progenitor cell-conditioned media. The results indicate pronounced cytoprotective, anti-inflammatory and angiogenic properties of soluble factors secreted by glial progenitor cells.
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: A Promising Treatment Option for Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer?
Authors: Ruiz de Porras Vicenç , Pardo Juan Carlos , Notario Lucia , Etxaniz Olatz , Font Albert
Published: April 2021

Since 2010, several treatment options have been available for men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), including immunotherapeutic agents, although the clinical benefit of these agents remains inconclusive in unselected mCRPC patients. In recent years, however, immunotherapy has re-emerged as a promising therapeutic option to stimulate antitumor immunity, particularly with the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), such as PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 inhibitors. There is increasing evidence that ICIs may be especially beneficial in specific subgroups of patients with high PD-L1 tumor expression, high tumor mutational burden, or tumors with high microsatellite instability/mismatch repair deficiency. If we are to improve the efficacy of ICIs, it is crucial to have a better understanding of the mechanisms of resistance to ICIs and to identify predictive biomarkers to determine which patients are most likely to benefit. This review focuses on the current status of ICIs for the treatment of mCRPC (either as monotherapy or in combination with other drugs), mechanisms of resistance, potential predictive biomarkers, and future challenges in the management of mCRPC.
Synaptic Zinc: An Emerging Player in Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Sikora Joanna , Ouagazzal Abdel-Mouttalib
Published: April 2021

Alterations of zinc homeostasis have long been implicated in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Zinc plays a complex role as both deficiency and excess of intracellular zinc levels have been incriminated in the pathophysiology of the disease. Besides its role in multiple cellular functions, Zn2+ also acts as a synaptic transmitter in the brain. In the forebrain, subset of glutamatergic neurons, namely cortical neurons projecting to the striatum, use Zn2+ as a messenger alongside glutamate. Overactivation of the cortico-striatal glutamatergic system is a key feature contributing to the development of PD symptoms and dopaminergic neurotoxicity. Here, we will cover recent evidence implicating synaptic Zn2+ in the pathophysiology of PD and discuss its potential mechanisms of actions. Emphasis will be placed on the functional interaction between Zn2+ and glutamatergic NMDA receptors, the most extensively studied synaptic target of Zn2+.
Detection of the First Epoxyalcohol Synthase/Allene Oxide Synthase (CYP74 Clan) in the Lancelet (Branchiostoma belcheri, Chordata)
Authors: Toporkova Yana Y. , Smirnova Elena O. , Lantsova Natalia V. , Mukhtarova Lucia S. , Grechkin Alexander N.
Published: April 2021

The CYP74 clan cytochromes (P450) are key enzymes of oxidative metabolism of polyunsaturated fatty acids in plants, some Proteobacteria, brown and green algae, and Metazoa. The CYP74 enzymes, including the allene oxide synthases (AOSs), hydroperoxide lyases, divinyl ether synthases, and epoxyalcohol synthases (EASs) transform the fatty acid hydroperoxides to bioactive oxylipins. A novel CYP74 clan enzyme CYP440A18 of the Asian (Belcher’s) lancelet (Branchiostoma belcheri, Chordata) was biochemically characterized in the present work. The recombinant CYP440A18 enzyme was active towards all substrates used: linoleate and α-linolenate 9- and 13-hydroperoxides, as well as with eicosatetraenoate and eicosapentaenoate 15-hydroperoxides. The enzyme specifically converted α-linolenate 13-hydroperoxide (13-HPOT) to the oxiranyl carbinol (9Z,11R,12R,13S,15Z)-11-hydroxy-12,13-epoxy-9,15-octadecadienoic acid (EAS product), α-ketol, 12-oxo-13-hydroxy-9,15-octadecadienoic acid (AOS product), and cis-12-oxo-10,15-phytodienoic acid (AOS product) at a ratio of around 35:5:1. Other hydroperoxides were converted by this enzyme to the analogous products. In contrast to other substrates, the 13-HPOT and 15-HPEPE yielded higher proportions of α-ketols, as well as the small amounts of cyclopentenones, cis-12-oxo-10,15-phytodienoic acid and its higher homologue, dihomo-cis-12-oxo-3,6,10,15-phytotetraenoic acid, respectively. Thus, the CYP440A18 enzyme exhibited dual EAS/AOS activity. The obtained results allowed us to ascribe a name “B. belcheri EAS/AOS” (BbEAS/AOS) to this enzyme. BbEAS/AOS is a first CYP74 clan enzyme of Chordata species possessing AOS activity.
Non-TZF Protein AtC3H59/ZFWD3 Is Involved in Seed Germination, Seedling Development, and Seed Development, Interacting with PPPDE Family Protein Desi1 in Arabidopsis
Authors: Seok Hye-Yeon , Bae Hyungjoon , Kim Taehyoung , Mehdi Syed Muhammad Muntazir , Nguyen Linh Vu , Lee Sun-Young , Moon Yong-Hwan
Published: April 2021

Despite increasing reports on the function of CCCH zinc finger proteins in plant development and stress response, the functions and molecular aspects of many non-tandem CCCH zinc finger (non-TZF) proteins remain uncharacterized. AtC3H59/ZFWD3 is an Arabidopsis non-TZF protein and belongs to the ZFWD subfamily harboring a CCCH zinc finger motif and a WD40 domain. In this study, we characterized the biological and molecular functions of AtC3H59, which is subcellularly localized in the nucleus. The seeds of AtC3H59-overexpressing transgenic plants (OXs) germinated faster than those of wild type (WT), whereas atc3h59 mutant seeds germinated slower than WT seeds. AtC3H59 OX seedlings were larger and heavier than WT seedlings, whereas atc3h59 mutant seedlings were smaller and lighter than WT seedlings. Moreover, AtC3H59 OX seedlings had longer primary root length than WT seedlings, whereas atc3h59 mutant seedlings had shorter primary root length than WT seedlings, owing to altered cell division activity in the root meristem. During seed development, AtC3H59 OXs formed larger and heavier seeds than WT. Using yeast two-hybrid screening, we isolated Desi1, a PPPDE family protein, as an interacting partner of AtC3H59. AtC3H59 and Desi1 interacted via their WD40 domain and C-terminal region, respectively, in the nucleus. Taken together, our results indicate that AtC3H59 has pleiotropic effects on seed germination, seedling development, and seed development, and interacts with Desi1 in the nucleus via its entire WD40 domain. To our knowledge, this is the first report to describe the biological functions of the ZFWD protein and Desi1 in Arabidopsis.
Edge Detecting Method for Microscopic Image of Cotton Fiber Cross-Section Using RCF Deep Neural Network
Authors: He Defeng , Wang Quande
Published: April 2021

Currently, analyzing the microscopic image of cotton fiber cross-section is the most accurate and effective way to measure its grade of maturity and then evaluate the quality of cotton samples. However, existing methods cannot extract the edge of the cross-section intact, which will affect the measurement accuracy of maturity grade. In this paper, a new edge detection algorithm that is based on the RCF convolutional neural network (CNN) is proposed. For the microscopic image dataset of the cotton fiber cross-section constructed in this paper, the original RCF was firstly used to extract the edge of the cotton fiber cross-section in the image. After analyzing the output images of RCF in each convolution stage, the following two conclusions are drawn: (1) the shallow layers contain a lot of important edge information of the cotton fiber cross-section; (2) because the size of the cotton fiber cross-section in the image is relatively small and the receptive field of the convolutional layer gradually increases with the deepening of the number of layers, the edge information detected by the deeper layers becomes increasingly coarse. In view of the above two points, the following improvements are proposed in this paper: (1) modify the network supervision model and loss calculation structure; (2) the dilated convolution in the deeper layers is removed; therefore, the receptive field in the deeper layers is reduced to adapt to the detection of small objects. The experimental results show that the proposed method can effectively improve the accuracy of edge extraction of cotton fiber cross-section.
Improving the Efficiency of Non-Stationary Climate Control in Buildings with a Non-Constant Stay of People by Using Porous Materials
Authors: Shkarovskiy Alexander , Mamedov Shirali
Published: April 2021

This article presents the results of experimental research on the non-stationary management of the internal climate of buildings with a non-constant stay of people. During the absence of people, a significant drop in air temperature and corresponding energy conservation in heating is possible. The effectiveness of porous building materials is shown, provided that the appropriate characteristics are selected. Daily fluctuations in the outside temperature are completely extinguished by a layer of foam polystyrene insulation. The absence of channel porosity in the structural material of the wall is a guarantee of the stability of its thermal and humidity regime. This, in turn, prevents the development of mold and mildew.
GRIN2A Variant in A 3-Year-Old—An Expanding Spectrum?
Authors: Gheța Ioana , Teleanu Raluca Ioana , Roza Eugenia , Carapancea Evelina , Vladacenco Oana , Teleanu Daniel Mihai
Published: April 2021

Glutamate, the major excitatory neurotransmitter, plays a ubiquitous role in most aspects of normal brain functioning. Its indispensable position is paradoxically doubled by a high excitotoxic potential following disruption of its dynamic equilibrium. Several lines of evidence have suggested the involvement of the glutamatergic N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) in learning, memory formation, and human cognition. Furthermore, NMDARs play a pivotal role in various neuropsychiatric disorders, recently being identified as an important locus for disease-associated genomic variation. The GRIN2A gene encodes the NMDAR’s GluN2A subunit. Genetic alterations of GRIN2A result in phenotypic pleiotropy, predisposing to a broad range of epilepsy syndromes, with an elusive and unpredictable evolution and response to treatment. The archetypal GRIN2A-related phenotype comprises the idiopathic focal epilepsies (IFEs), with a higher incidence of GRIN2A mutants among entities at the more severe end of the spectrum. We report the case of a patient heterozygous for GRIN2A, c.1081C>T, presenting with febrile convulsions and later superimposed atonic seizures, expressive language delay, and macrocephaly. As the number of reported GRIN2A variants is continuously increasing, the phenotypic boundaries gradually grow faint. Therefore, it is fundamental to maintain an acute critical awareness of the possible genetic etiology of different epilepsy syndromes. So far, therapeutic strategies rely on empirical observations relating genotypes to specific drugs, but the overall success of treatment remains unpredictable. Deciphering the functional consequences of individual GRIN2A variants could lead to the development of precision therapeutic approaches for patients carrying NMDAR mutations.
Nutritional Support in Patients with Severe Acute Pancreatitis-Current Standards
Authors: Jabłońska Beata , Mrowiec Sławomir
Published: April 2021

Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) leads to numerous inflammatory and nutritional disturbances. All SAP patients are at a high nutritional risk. It has been proven that proper nutrition significantly reduces mortality rate and the incidence of the infectious complications in SAP patients. According to the literature, early (started within 24–48 h) enteral nutrition (EN) is optimal in most patients. EN protects gut barrier function because it decreases gastrointestinal dysmotility secondary to pancreatic inflammation. Currently, the role of parenteral nutrition (PN) in SAP patients is limited to patients in whom EN is not possible or contraindicated. Early versus delayed EN, nasogastric versus nasojejunal tube for EN, EN versus PN in SAP patients and the role of immunonutrition (IN) in SAP patients are discussed in this review.