bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Survey on Phenotypic Resistance in Enterococcus Faecalis: Comparison of Expression of Biofilm Related Genes in Persister and Non Persister Cells
Authors: Kaviar Vahab Hasan , Khoshnood Saeed , kouhsari Ebrahim , Yarahmadi Sanaz , Maleki Abbas , Pakzad Iraj
Published: July 2021

Background

Currently, phenotypic resistance is a serious therapeutic challenge, and a definitive remedy has not been discovered yet. Biofilm formation and persister cells are two well-studied phenotypic resistance, leading to the recalcitrance and relapse of different chronic infections. It appears that the presence of persister cells in biofilm is the main factor in the relapse of infections and treatment failure. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the expression of biofilm-associated genes in persister and non-persister E. faecalis isolates.
Methods

Ninety-five clinical E. faecalis isolates were investigated using microtiter broth dilution (MBD) and microtiter plate (MTP) assay to determine the vancomycin-sensitive isolates and biofilm formation, respectively. To this end, 91 vancomycin-sensitive E. faecalis isolates (biofilm producers) were screened by PCR to determine the presence of biofilm-related genes (gelE, esp, and agg). The vancomycin-tolerant isolates were determined by MTP assay. Bacterial persister assay was performed using an enzymatic lysis assay. Finally, the expression of biofilm-related genes was evaluated in persisters and non-persister isolates of E. faecalis by real-time PCR assay.
Results

E. faecalis isolates indicated a high (95.8%) sensitivity to vancomycin. PCR assay identified gelE, esp, and agg genes in 91 (100%), 72(79.12), and 74(81.32) of isolates, respectively. All E. faecalis biofilm producers were tolerant to vancomycin, and minimum bactericidal concentration for biofilms (MBCB) was > 2500 µg/ml. Based on enzymatic lysis assay, among 91 isolates, only 3 persister were isolated. The increased expression level of biofilm-related genes was observed in persister than non-persister E. faecalis isolates.
Conclusion

The expression of biofilm-related genes is higher in persister than non-persister isolates of E. faecalis.
Multiple Kernel Learning with Maximum Inundation Extent from MODIS Imagery for Spatial Prediction of Flood Susceptibility
Authors: Hu Qiang , Zhu Yuelong , Hu Hexuan , Guan Zhuang , Qian Zeyu , Yang Aiming
Published: July 2021

This paper proposes a new technology of spatial prediction for flood susceptibility. Multiple kernel learning was used to build the flood susceptibility model and predict the flood inundation risk of the Sanhuajian Basin of the Yellow River. Based on the historical flow records of the Huayuankou Site and the MODIS remote sensing images of the study area, the maximum inundation range was extracted by the open water likelihood index method, and the flooded and non-flooded sample sites were selected. Considering the availability of pertinent literatures and data, ten flood conditioning factors were defined as the sample characteristics. The model performance was evaluated in terms of accuracy, F1 score, and AUC. According to the results, multiple kernel learning significantly outperforms the support vector machine adopting single kernel, and NLMKL demonstrates the best comprehensive performance. The flood susceptibility map generated by MODIS remote sensing images and multiple kernel learning, therefore, can provide effective help for researchers and decision makers in flood management.
Economic Consequences of Caesarean Section Delivery: Evidence From a Household Survey in Tanzania
Authors: Binyaruka Peter , Mori Amani Thomas
Published: July 2021

Background: Caesarean section (C-section) delivery is an important indicator of access to life-saving essential obstetric care. Yet, there is limited understanding of the costs of utilising C-section delivery care in sub-Saharan Africa. Thus, we estimated the direct and indirect patient cost of accessing C-section in TanzaniaMethods: Cross-sectional survey data of 2012 was used, which covered 3000 households from 11 districts in three regions. We interviewed women who had given births in the last 12 months before the survey to capture their experience of care. We used a regression model to estimate the effect of C-section on costs, while inequality on C-section coverage and delivery costs were assessed with a concentration index. Results: C-section increased the likelihood of paying for health care by 16% compared to normal delivery. The additional cost of C-section compared to normal delivery was 20 USD, but reduced to about 11 USD when restricted to public facilities. Women with C-section delivery spent an extra 2 days at the health facility compared to normal delivery, but this was reduced slightly to 1.9 days in public facilities. The distribution of C-section coverage was significantly in favour of wealthier than poorest women (CI=0.2052, p<0.01), and this pro-rich pattern was consistent in rural districts but with unclear pattern in urban districts. Conclusions: C-section is a life-saving intervention but is associated with significant economic burden especially among the poor families. More health resources are needed for provision of free maternal care, reduce inequality in access and improve birth outcomes in Tanzania.
School Attendance Prediction among Students with Autism: A Deep Learning-based Framework
Authors: Jarbou Mohammed , Won Daehan , Gillis Jennifer , Romanczyk Raymond
Published: July 2021

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects the areas of social communication and behavior. The term “spectrum” refers to the wide range of symptoms observed across individuals with ASD. Many children with ASD experience difficulty with daily functioning at school andhome. ASD prevalenceincreases in the United States, with the most recent prevalence of 1.9%. Given the wide range of social and learning, difficulties experienced by children with ASD, it is paramount that they are able to attend school to receive the appropriate range of interventions. School absenteeism (SA) is a significant concern given its association with many negativeconsequences such as school drop-out.Early prediction of SA would help school districtto implement effective interventions to ameliorate this issue. Due to its heterogeneity, students with ASD show within-group differences concerning their SA. This research introduces a deep learning-based framework for predicting short-and long-term SA of students with ASD. The Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) algorithm is used to predict short-term SA. Similarly, Multilayer Perceptron(MLP) and Random Forest (RF) algorithms are used to predict long-term SA. The proposed framework achieves a high accuracy of 89% and 90% to predict short-term and long-term SA, respectively.
Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Effects of Epilobium Amurense Subsp. Cephalostigma (Hausskn.) C. J. Chen, Hoch & P. H. Raven via Activation of Nrf2/HO-1 and Inhibition of NF-κB/p38 MAPK Signaling in LPS-Stimulated Macrophages
Authors: Cheon Se-Yun , Kang Hyun-Ae , Jin Bo-Ram , Park Yea-Jin , Kim Hyo-Jung , An Ren-Bo , Kim Soo-Yong , An Hyo-Jin
Published: July 2021

Background: The genus Epilobium consists of approximately 200 species that are distributed worldwide. Some of these herbs have been used for the treatment of diarrhea, infection, irritation, and other disorders associated with inflammation. Unlike that of other Epilobium species, there is little scientific understanding of the pharmacological effect of Epilobium amurense subsp. cephalostigma (Hausskn.) C. J. Chen, Hoch & P. H. Raven. Methods: In this study, we demonstrated the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties of an E. amurense 95% ethanol extract (EACEE) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages and observed the underlying mechanism of this effect. We measured the productions of nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species, and examined the actions of EACEE on transcription factors in the macrophages.Results: EACEE reduced NO production and inducible nitric oxide synthase protein levels via the inhibition of the nuclear factor (NF)-κB pathway. Additionally, EACEE suppressed redundant reactive oxygen species production and regulated nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2/heme oxygenase-1 (Nrf2/HO-1) signaling. Furthermore, EACEE significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Conclusions: Overall, these results indicate that EACEE exerts anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects via the activation of Nrf2/HO-1 and inhibition of NF-κB/p38 MAPK signaling.
Identification of Potential Shade Response Regulators in Endangered Species Magnolia Sinostellata
Authors: Lu Danying , Yu Qin , Liu Zhigao , Ren Mingjie , Wang Yaling , Zhang Shouzhou , Wu Chao , Shen Yamei
Published: July 2021

Magnolia sinostellata is one of the endangered species in China and largely grows under canopy shade. However, the shade response molecular mechanism remains unclear. To explore potential regulators in the mechanism, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was performed to analysis the trancriptome data of M. sinostellata leaves subjected to shading with different time. Gene co-expression analysis illustrated that lightsteelblue1, paleturquoise, darkolivegreen modules are closely associated with shade treatment. Gene ontology and KEGG analyses showed that genes in lightsteelblue1 module mostly participated in amino and nucleotide metabolism, genes in paleturquoise module mostly involved in carbon fixation and genes in darkolivegreen module mainly participated in photosynthesis related pathways. Through Cytoscape3.8.2, we identified 6, 7 and 8 hub genes in lightsteelblue1 module, paleturquoise module and darkolivegreen module, respectively. This study found that shading impacted photosynthesis, carbon assimilation and flowering of M. sinostellata. In addition, key shade response regulators identified in this study have laid a firm foundation for further investigation of shade response molecular mechanism and protection of shade sensitive plants.
A persistent ultraviolet outflow from the accretion disc in a transient neutron star binary
Authors: Segura Noel Castro , Knigge Christian , Long Knox , Altamirano Diego , Padilla Montserrat Armas , Bailyn Charles , Buckley David , Buisson Douglas , Casares Jorge , Charles Phil , Combi Jorge , Cúneo Virginia A. , Degenaar Nathalie , Palacio Santiago del , Trigo Maria Diaz , Fender Rob , Gandhi Poshak , Gutíerrez Claudia , Santisteban Juan Hernández , Ibarra Felipe Jiménez , Matthews James , Mendez Mariano , Middleton Matthew , Darias Teo Muñoz , Arabaci Mehtap Özbey , Pahari Mayukh , Rhodes Lauren , Russell Thomas , Scaringi Simone , Eijden Jakob van den , Vasilopolulos Georgios , Vincentelli Federico , Wiseman Phil
Published: July 2021

All disc-accreting astrophysical objects also produce powerful disc winds and/or jets. In compact binaries containing neutron stars or black holes, accretion often takes place during violent outbursts. The main disc wind signatures seen during these eruptions are blue-shifted X-ray absorption lines. However, these signatures are only observed during "soft states", when the accretion disc generates most of the luminosity. By contrast, optical wind-formed absorption lines have recently been detected in "hard states", when the luminosity is dominated by a hot corona. The relationship between these disc wind signatures is unknown, and no erupting compact binary has so far been observed to display wind-formed lines between the X-ray and optical bands, despite the many strong resonance transitions in this ultraviolet (UV) region of the spectrum. In turn, the impact of disc winds on the overall mass and energy budget of these systems remains a key open question. Here, we show that the transient neutron star X-ray binary Swift J1858.6-0814 exhibits wind-formed, blue-shifted absorption features associated with C IV, N V and He II in time-resolved, UV spectroscopy obtained with the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph on board the Hubble Space Telescope during a luminous hard state. In simultaneous ground-based observations, the optical H and He I lines also display transient blue-shifted absorption troughs. By decomposing our UV data into constant and flaring components, we demonstrate that the blue-shifted absorption is associated with the former, which implies that the outflow is always present. The joint presence of UV and optical wind features in the hard state reveals a multi-phase and/or spatially stratified evaporative outflow from the outer disc. This type of persistent mass loss across all accretion states has been predicted by radiation-hydrodynamic simulations and is required to account for the shorter-than-expected outburst durations.
Early Inflammatory Events of Mastitis - A Pilot Study With the Isolated Perfused Bovine Udder
Authors: Brand Kathrin Susanne , Filor Viviane , Bäumer Wolfgang
Published: July 2021

Background: Bovine mastitis is an important health and cost factor in the milk industry. To elucidate whether isolated perfused bovine udders can be used to study early inflammatory events of mastitis, 1 mg of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was instilled into quarters of 10 isolated perfused bovine udders. Three hours and 6 hours after LPS instillation, tissue samples were taken from the gland cistern and base of the udder, subsequently stored in RNAlater and processed for the determination of inflammation-dependent gene regulation by real-time RT-qPCR. Gene expression analysis was performed using delta-delta Ct method. To translate mRNA results to protein, IL-1ß and IL-6 were determined in tissue homogenate by ELISAResults: The instillation of 1 mg LPS lead to an increased expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines like TNF-α, CCL20, CXCL8 as well as of IL-1 ß , IL-6 and IL-10, lingual antimicrobial peptide (LAP) and S100A9. However, the degree of elevation differed slightly between gland cistern and udder base and markedly between 3 hours and 6 hours after instillation, with a distinct increase in mediator expression after 6 hours. IL-1β protein increased in a time-dependent manner, whereas IL-6 was unchanged within 6 hours of LPS instillation.Conclusion: Compared to in vivo studies with instillation of LPS into udders of living cows, a similar inflammation-dependent gene regulation profile can be mimicked in the isolated perfused bovine udder, indicating a supplementation of animal experiments.
Prevalence of Hepatitis B & Hepatitis C Virus Infections in Potential Blood Donors in Bahawalpur
Authors: Shamim Tahira , Sumreen Laila
Published: July 2021

Hepatitis is commonly transmitted during blood transfusion. The study aimed to find the prevalence of hepatitis B & C among blood donors in Bahawalpur and try to find relation of prevalence with socio-demographic variables. The study was conducted in Bahawal Victoria Hospital Bahawalpur (BVH). The data was collected by trained nurses working in blood bank in supervision of investigator through a structured record review check list developed by investigator in English. The investigator checked data for completeness and cross check from registers. The collected data had been coded before analysis. Descriptive analysis was done to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B & C virus in the study population and its distribution categorized by independent variables i.e. age, gender, marital status, residence and education status of blood donor. The results of study indicated that both Hepatitis B & C are prevalent among 20 – 23 years old persons, males, uneducated people, married and people residing in rural areas of Bahawalpur visiting blood bank of Bahwal Victoria Hospital (BVH) Bahawalpur. So, by providing education to uneducated population and teaching sanitation and careful measures for avoiding hepatitis to married and people residing in rural areas could be a helpful tool in decreasing and controlling hepatitis in this area.
Serum Zinc Levels and in Vivo Beta-Amyloid Deposition in the Human Brain
Authors: Kim Jee Wook , Byun Min Soo , Yi Dahyun , Lee Jun Ho , Kim Min Jung , Jung Gijung , Lee Jun-Young , Kang Koung Mi , Sohn Chul-Ho , Lee Yun-Sang , Kim Yu Kyeong , Lee Dong Young
Published: July 2021

Background: Despite the known associations between zinc levels and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) dementia and related cognitive impairment, the underlying neuropathological links remain poorly understood. We tested the hypothesis that serum zinc level is associated with cerebral beta-amyloid protein (Ab) deposition. Additionally, we explored associations between serum zinc levels and other AD pathologies [i.e., tau deposition and AD-signature cerebral glucose metabolism (AD-CM)] and white matter hyperintensities (WMHs), which are measures of cerebrovascular injury. Methods: A total of 241 cognitively normal older adults between 55 and 90 years of age were enrolled. All the participants underwent comprehensive clinical assessments, serum zinc level measurement, and multimodal brain imaging, including Pittsburgh compound B-positron emission tomography (PET), AV-1451 PET, fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET, and magnetic resonance imaging. Zinc levels were stratified into three categories: < 80 µg/dL (low), 80 to 90 µg/dL (medium), and > 90 µg/dL (high). Results: A low serum zinc level was significantly associated with increased Ab retention. In addition, apolipoprotein E ε4 allele (APOE4) status moderated the association: the relationship between low zinc level and Ab retention was significant only in APOE4 carriers. Although a low zinc level appeared to reduce AD-CM, the relationship became insignificant on sensitivity analysis including only individuals with no nutritional deficiency. The serum zinc level was associated with neither tau deposition nor the WMH volume. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that decreased serum zinc levels are associated with elevation of brain amyloid deposition. In terms of AD prevention, more attention needs to be paid to the role of zinc.
Analysis of Latent Classes and Factors Affecting them According to the Implementation of a Protection System Against Customer Bullying in Korea
Authors: Beak Eun-Mi , Choi Eun-Hi , Jung Hye-Sun
Published: July 2021

Background: Instances of customers bullying employees at the workplace are increasing with the development of the service industry. Korea has established a worker protection system to prevent negative effects of customer bullying on workers’ health. This study identified the latent profile types of protection against customer bullying in workplaces, and determined their predictors.Methods: Data were collected over 28 days, from March 2 to 30, 2020. This study identified whether protection against customer bullying is implemented for workers in person-to-person services, the change effected by this protection, and worker monitoring scope. Data from 1,537 out of 1,550 participants were analyzed, excluding the missing values. Latent classes were identified using Mplus 8.5 for data analysis, and the multinomial logistic regression analysis was performed to review the predictors.Results: The results are as follows. There were four types of latent classes: the lagging type, the medium type, the preventive type, and the excellent type. Variables predicting these types included age, gender, service period, position, occupational category, worker monitoring scope, decrease in the number of customers causing problems, decrease in disputes with customers, and worker satisfaction. Conclusions: First, a system to prevent customer bullying must be adopted in the service industry. Second, there must be a way to improve trust between customers and workers when protective measures are being adopted. Third, managers must establish a system that can both protect workers against bullying and provide customer satisfaction.
A Multiplicity of Environmental, Economic and Social Factor Analyses to Understand COVID-19 Diffusion
Authors: Qiu Juan , Li Rendong , Han Dongfeng , Shao Qihui , Han Yifei , Luo Xiyue , Wu Yanlin
Published: July 2021

Background: Research on the impact of the environment on COVID-19 lacks a full-comprehensive perspective, and neglecting the multiplicity of the human-environment system can lead to misleading conclusions. We attempted to reveal all environmental-to-human and human-to-human determinants that influence the transmission of COVID-19.Methods: We estimated the daily case incidence ratios (CIR) of COVID-19 for prefectures across mainland China, and used a mixed-effects mixed-distribution model to study the association between the CIR and 114 considered factors related to climate, atmospheric environmental quality, terrain, population, economic, human mobility as well as public health control measures (PHCMs). Results: CO, O3, PM10 and PM2.5 were positively linked with CIR, but the effect of NO2 was negative. The temperature had no significant association with CIR, and the daily minimum humidity was a significant negatively predictor. National emergency response level was negatively associated with CIR until with a lag of 15 days. Higher accumulated destination migration scale flow from the epicenter and lower distance to the epicenter (DisWH) were associated with a higher CIR, however, the interaction between DisWH and the time was positive. In China, the more economically developed and more densely populated cities have a higher probability of CIR occurrence, but they may not have a higher CIR intensity.Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic’s diffusion patterns are caused by a multiplicity of environmental, economic, social factors as well as public health control measures PHCMs. First, multiple pollutants carried simultaneously on particulate matter act in a synergistic way to affect COVID-19 transmission. Second, the temperature has a limited impact on the spread of the epidemic. Third, PHCMs must last for at least 15 days or longer before the effect has been apparent. Fourth, preventing the introduction of the epidemic between cities seemed to be more complex and difficult than controlling the growth of the epidemic within the city. China's relatively cautious response to the epidemic could provide lessons for countries that are still experiencing a health emergency and help to prevent future pandemics similar to COVID -19.
Exploring Professionalism Among Final Year Dental Students and New Graduates: Translating Knowledge To Practice
Authors: Khalaf Khaled , El-Kishawi Mohamed , Kawas Sausan Al
Published: July 2021

Background

Professional competencies are integral part of the competent dental graduate that include professional attitude and behaviour, ethics and communication skills. The aim of this study was to evaluate senior students’ and dental graduates' perception of professionalism as defined by international regulatory bodies and to assess students’ ability to apply such knowledge in clinical-based scenarios mimicking their daily clinical practice.
Methods

Knowledge of professional competencies was conducted using a survey based on domains of professionalism for a newly qualified general dental practitioner as defined by international regulatory bodies. This survey consists of 32 items addressing participants’ perception of three domains of professionalism. Application of the perceived professional competencies was tested by asking participants to answer questions following the observation of a clinical-based scenario video where participants needed to identify issues related to professional, ethical and communication skills which were embedded in the scenarios.
Results

Data from 146 participants showed no significant differences in the survey scores between the participants’ professional levels, place of practice, age groups and genders. Analyses of correlation between the different domains of professionalism showed significant relationships between pair-wise comparisons of the total domain scores. Paired t-tests revealed that the mean score percentage for each of the three domains of professionalism was significantly higher than the responses reported in the relevant clinical-based scenario questions.
Conclusions

This indicates that all aspects of professionalism are inter-related and the three domains contributed in a similar way to the overall assessment of professionalism. Furthermore, our findings show that dental practitioners may not be able to apply their knowledge of professionalism in real-life scenarios. This suggests that teaching professionalism at the early stages of the dental curriculum should incorporate innovative approaches to mimic real-life scenarios and should be reinforced throughout clinical practice at the later stages of the curriculum.
Feasibility Study of Deep Learning Based Radiation Sensitivity Prediction Model Using Gene Expression Profiling
Authors: Kim Euidam , Chung Yoonsun
Published: July 2021

Since radiation sensitivity prediction can be used in various field, we investigate the feasibility of an in vitro radiation sensitivity prediction model using a deep neural network. A microarray of the National Cancer Institute-60 tumor cell lines and clonogenic surviving fraction at an absorbed dose of 2 Gy values are used to predict radiation sensitivity. The prediction model is based on convolutional neural network and 6-fold cross-validation approach is applied to validate the model. Of the 174 samples, 170 (97.7%) samples show less than 10% and 4 (2.30%) show more than 10% of relative error, respectively. Through an additional validation, model accurately predict 172 out of 174 samples, representing a prediction accuracy of 98.85% under the criteria of absolute error < 0.01 or the relative error < 10%. This results demonstrate that in vitro radiation sensitivity prediction from gene expression can be carried out with the deep learning technology.
Ultrafast Bulk Degradation of Polylactic Acid by Artificially Cultured Diatom Frustules
Authors: Li Tao , Sun Haoyang , Han He , Zhang Chentao , Li Bin , Huang Jintao , Sun Dazhi
Published: July 2021

In the field of governing our “Plastic Planet”, polylactic acid (PLA) has been considered to be a promising and ecologically friendlier alternative to traditional petroleum-based plastics. However, PLA-based products degrade slowly in the natural environment, likely resulting in a large accumulation of PLA waste worldwide in the near future. Herein, we have incorporated artificially cultured diatom frustules (DFs) into PLA, and found an improvement of more than eightfold on the degradation rate, from more than 24 months to 3 months or even less, as compared with the pure PLA. Mechanistic investigations illustrate that DFs change the degradation behavior of PLA from surface erosion to bulk erosion by the induced microfibril crystals. Simulation analysis verifies that the unstable crack propagation inside the PLA matrix greatly accelerates the degradation. The method developed in this work provides an efficient way to achieve rapid and controllable degradation of biodegradable polymers for the urgent and widespread usage of green plastic productions.
Fine-Mapping And Identification of A Candidate Gene Controlling Seed Coat Color In Melon (Cucumis Melo L. Var. Chinensis Pangalo)
Authors: Hu Zhicheng , Shi Xueyin , Chen Xuemiao , Zheng Jing , Zhang Aiai , Fu Qiushi , Wang Huaisong
Published: July 2021

Seed coat color is related to flavonoid content which is closely related to seed dormancy. According to the genetic analysis of a six-generation population derived from two parents (IC2508 with a yellow seed coat and IC2518 with a brown seed coat), we discovered that the yellow seed coat trait in melon was controlled by a single dominant gene, named CmBS-1. Bulked segregant analysis sequencing (BSA-Seq) revealed that the gene was located at 11,860,000–15,890,000 bp (4.03 Mb) on Chr 6. The F2 population was genotyped using insertion-deletions (InDels), from which cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (dCAPS) markers were derived to construct a genetic map. The gene was then fine-mapped to a 233.98 kb region containing 12 genes. Based on gene sequence analysis with two parents, we found that the MELO3C019554 gene encoding a homeobox protein (PHD transcription factor) had a nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) mutation in the coding sequence (CDS), and the SNP mutation resulted in the conversion of an amino acid (A→T) at residue 534. In addition, MELO3C019554 exhibited lower relative expression levels in the yellow seed coat than in the brown seed coat. Furthermore, we found that MELO3C019554 was related to 12 flavonoid metabolites. Thus, we predicted that MELO3C019554 is a candidate gene controlling seed coat color in melon. The study lays a foundation for further cloning projects and functional analysis of this gene, as well as marker-assisted selection breeding.
Modernising the Dynamometer for Grip Assessment: Comparison between GripAble and Jamar
Authors: Mutalib Sharah Abdul , Mace Michael , Seager Chloe , Burdet Etienne , Mathiowetz Virgil , Goldsmith Nicola
Published: July 2021

Introduction: Maximal grip strength (MGS) is a reliable biomarker of overall health and physiological well-being. Therefore, an accurate and reliable measurement device is vital for ensuring the validity of the MGS assessment. This paper presents GripAble, a mobile handgrip device for the assessment of MGS. GripAble’s performance was evaluated using an inter-instrument reliability test against the widely used Jamar PLUS+ dynamometer. Methods: The MGS data from sixty-three participants (N = 63) measured using GripAble and Jamar PLUS+ were collected and compared. Intra-class correlation (ICC) was performed to evaluate the inter-device reliability between GripAble and Jamar PLUS+. The influence of gender and hand on MGS were also analysed. Results: GripAble demonstrates good-to-excellent inter-instrument reliability to the Jamar PLUS+ (ICC 3,1 =0.906). There were significant differences in the mean MGS between GripAble and Jamar PLUS+ (p <0.001 for both). GripAble’s measurement output is equivalent to 69% ([68-71]%) of Jamar PLUS+’s measurement output. The average difference in mean MGS between the two devices was 10.84 ± 4.18 kg ([4.77-18.54] kg), which increases with higher MGS. There were also significant differences in MGS between male and female and between right and left hands measured using GripAble and Jamar PLUS+ (p <0.001 for all comparisons). Conclusion: GripAble has good-to-excellent inter-device reliability with Jamar PLUS+, suggesting that it can be used clinically as a dynamometer whilst also providing additional functionalities, such as remote assessment, objective evaluation of compliance to standard protocol and assessing multiple facets of grip strength beyond the standard single maximum grip test. Normative MGS data using GripAble should be collected and integrated into the software for immediate comparison. Further studies, including test-retest and inter-rater reliability of using GripAble, are discussed. 1 www.gripable.co BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders-GripAble vs Jamar v1.0 15/07/2021
Phase Behavior of Selected Condensed Double-Decker Shaped Silsesquioxane Compounds
Authors: Vogelsang David F. , Maleczka Robert E. , Lee Andre
Published: July 2021

Bisfunctional dichlorosilanes were reacted with tetrasilanol of double-decker shaped octaphenylsilsesquioxane (DDSQ) to form fully condensed DDSQ compounds. The crystallographic and thermal characteristics of these compounds were examined. For compounds capped with dichlorosilanes bearing linear aliphatic moieties, as the number of carbon increases from methyl to n-butyl (from 1 to 4) the melting temperature, Tm, dropped from 546 K to 416 K. While for compounds capped with cycloaliphatic, as the moiety changes from cyclopentyl to cyclohexyl, the value of Tm increases from 533 K to 555 K. Surprising, the highest Tm observed was that when capping was done using diisopropyl dichlorosilane. A Tm of around 565 K was observed, which was even higher as compare to diphenyl dichlorosilane capped DDSQ, which had Tm of about 526 K. Phase behavior of binary and ternary mixtures of these condensed DDSQ was also investigated. To our surprise, mixtures of these compounds form eutectic. The eutectic points were calculated based on ideal binary and ternary eutectic from the thermal properties of pure components. Depending on the crystallography, experimental observations of eutectic match well with calculated values.
Numerical Simulation and Industrial Application of High Speed Tandem TIG Welding
Authors: Wu Dongsheng , Huang Jiuling , Liang Kong , Hua Xueming , Wang Min , Li Hua , Liu Shoutian
Published: July 2021

Self-developed high speed tandem TIG welding equipment were adopted to manufacture titanium welded tubes with high efficiency and high quality. The joint made by this high efficient welding process met Chinese standard requirements. A coupled electrode, arc and weld pool numerical model was also developed to investigate temperature and velocity distributions, and energy propagation of this welding process. The numerical results showed that the Marangoni stress was much higher than the arc shear stress, and was mainly positive after leading and trailing arcs in the x and y directions, so the molten metal flowed backward on the top weld pool surface. Previous studies proposed that a “pull-push” flow pattern defined as a backward molten metal flow after the leading arc and a forward molten metal flow before the trailing arc existed on the top weld pool surface in tandem arc welding processes, while it was not observed in this case. The calculated arc efficiency of the high speed tandem TIG welding was about 79.8%.
Design of a system for controlling a levitating sphere in superfluid 3He at extremely low temperatures
Authors: Arrayás Manuel , Trueba José L. , Uriarte Carlos , Zmeev Dmitry E.
Published: July 2021

We present a new mechanical probe to study the properties of superfluid 3 He at microkelvin temperatures down to 100µK. The setup consists of a set of coils for levitating a superconducting sphere and controlling its motion in a wide variety of regimes. In particular, the realisation of motion of a levitating body at a uniform velocity presents both an experimental challenge and a promising direction into the study of the edge states in topological superfluid 3 He-B. We include the theoretical study of the device stability and simulations to illustrate the capabilities of the control system.
Microfluidic as Liquid Lens for THz Reconfigurable Antenna and Gain Enhancement With Sensing Application
Authors: Ebrahimi Sepideh
Published: July 2021

the lens plays important role in the dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) for increasing the bandwidth and directivity. Also, the liquids like water and ethanol can be noticed for developing the DRA for THz application. In addition, the liquids are interesting because the level and quality of material can be used for designing reconfigurable antenna. For the THz spectrum, the liquids can be combined with antenna and microwave devices by Microfluidic technology. In this paper, the suggested antenna is used to enhance the various factors of the antenna and the filling ratio of the channels is noticed to provide reconfigurable antenna. The slot antenna with split ring resonator and meandered feed is used as the basic antenna to provide high Q-factor. Moreover, the results show that this novel structure can be used as sensor for material detecting which is used to recognize various types of liquids by determining the sensitivity of the sensor in the range of 0.5 to 1 THz. The proposed sensor is examined for pure water, ethanol and gasoline based on the 2nd order model of Debye.
Humoral and cellular responses after a third dose of BNT162b2 vaccine in patients with lymphoid malignancies
Authors: Re Daniel , Seitz-Polski Barbara , Carles Michel , Brglez Vesna , Graça Daisy , Benzaken Sylvia , Liguori Stéphane , Zahreddine Khaled , Delforge Margaux , Verrière Benjamin , Chamorey Emmanuel , Barrière Jérôme
Published: July 2021

BACKGROUND: Immunocompromised patients such as patients with hematological malignancies have impaired immune response to two doses of BNT162b2 (Pfizer / BioNtech) vaccine against SARS-CoV-2. Evaluation of a repeated immune stimulation with a third vaccine dose is needed.METHODS: a vaccine monitoring observatory was conducted in outpatients who were treated for lymphoid malignancies (LM) to monitor both immune and cellular response measured the day of administration of the dose 3 of the mRNA vaccine BNT162b2 and again three to four weeks. Elecsys ® Anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoassay was used to asses to the level of SARS-CoV-2 anti-Spike (S) antibodies (Abs) titer and SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell responses were assessed by a whole blood Interferon-Gamma Release Immuno Assay (IGRA) (QuantiFERON Human IFN-gamma SARS-CoV-2, Qiagen®).RESULTS: Among the 43 assessable patients (suffering from chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) (n=15), indolent and aggressive B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) (n=14), and multiple myeloma (MM) (n=16)), 18 (41,8%) had no anti-S Abs before the dose 3 of BNT162b2 vaccine (n=9 CLL, n=8 NHL, n=1 MM), and they all 18 remained negative after the dose 3. Amongst the 25 patients with positive anti-S titers before dose 3, all patients remained positive and 23 patients increased their anti-S titer after dose 3. Patients with CLL and/or with previous anti-CD20 therapy treated within 12 months of administration of dose 3 had no significant increase of the humoral response. Among 22 available patients, dose 3 of BNT162b2 vaccine significantly increased the median IFN-gamma secretion. On eight (36.4%) patients who were double-negative for both immune and cellular response, five (22.7%) patients remained double-negative after dose 3.CONCLUSIONSDose 3 of BNT162b2 vaccine stimulated humoral immune response among patients with LM, in particular patients with MM (who had higher anti-S baseline titer after dose 2) and those with no anti-CD20 treatment history within a year. T-cell response was increased among patients in particular with no active chemotherapy regimen. Our data support the use of an early third vaccine dose among immunocompromised patients followed for LM though some of them will still have vaccine failure.
Association Between Ambient Air Pollutants and Meteorological Factors With SARS-CoV-2 Transmission and Mortality in India: an Exploratory Study
Authors: Aggarwal Sumit , Balaji Sivaraman , Singh Tanvi , Menon Geetha R , Mandal Sandeep , J Madhumathi , Mahajan Nupur , Kohli Simran , Kaur Jasmine , Singh Harpreet , Rade Kiran , Panda Samiran
Published: July 2021

Background: The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic poses a serious public health concern worldwide. Certain regions of the globe were severely affected in terms of prevalence and mortality than other. Although the cause for this pattern is not clearly understood, lessons learned from previous epidemics and emerging evidences suggest the major role of ecological factors like ambient air pollutants (AAP) and meteorological parameters in increased COVID-19 incidence. The present study aimed to understand the impact of these factors on SARS-CoV-2 transmission and their associated mortality in major cities of India.Methods: This study used secondary AAP, meteorological and COVID-19 data from official websites for the period January-November 2020, which were divided into Pre-lockdown (January-March 2020), Phase I (April to June 2020) and Phase II (July to November 2020). After comprehensive screening, five major cities that includes 48 CPCB monitoring stations collecting daily data of ambient temperature, particulate matter PM2.5 and 10 were analysed. Spearman and Kendall’s rank correlation test was performed to understand the association between SARS-CoV-2 transmission and AAP and, meteorological variables. Similarly, case fatality rate (CFR) was determined to compute the correlation between AAP and COVID-19 related morality.Results: The level of air pollutants in major cities were significantly reduced during Phase I compared to Pre-lock down and increased upon Phase II in all the cities. During the Phase II in Delhi, the strong significant positive correlation was observed between the AAP and SARS-CoV-2 transmission. However, in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai AAP levels were moderate and no correlation was noticed. The relation between AT and SARS-CoV-2 transmission was inconclusive as both positive and negative correlation observed. In addition, Delhi and Kolkata showed a positive association between long-term exposure to the AAP and COVID-19 CFR. Conclusion: Our findings support the hypothesis that the particulate matter upon exceeding the satisfactory level serves as an important cofactor in increasing the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission and related mortality. These findings would help public health experts to understand the SARS-CoV-2 transmission against ecological variables in India and provides supporting evidence to healthcare policymakers and government agencies for formulating strategies to combat the COVID-19.
Optimization of Tungsten Disulfide/Polypyrrole Composite as Photocatalyst in Sunlight-Asissted Photodegradation of Methylene Blue in Aqueous Solution
Authors: Baharin Siti Nor Atika , Hashim Nurul Hafawati , Norsham Izyan Najwa Mohd , Shahabuddin Syed , Sambasevam Kavirajaa Pandian
Published: July 2021

The present study highlights the sunlight-assisted photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) using tungsten disulphide/polypyrrole (WS2/PPy) composite as a photocatalyst. WS2/PPy was prepared via oxidative polymerization using ferric chloride (FeCl3) as an oxidant. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) measurement were used to ensure the physicochemical properties of WS2/PPy. The photocatalytic efficiencies of the photocatalysts were examined by degrading methylene blue (MB) under sunlight irradiation. The results showed that the degradation efficiency of WS2/PPy was higher than the pristine PPy Several optimizations such as effect of the concentration, contact time, photocatalyst dosage and initial concentration were investigated. The results revealed that, under optimum condition of pH 3, 100 mg photocatalyst dosage, 10 ppm MB initial concentration within 180 minutes contact time, were the most effective parameters, that produced 96.15% of sunlight-assisted photodegradation in aqueous solution of MB.
One Pot Doxorubicin Partitioning and Encapsulation on Silica Nanoparticle, Applying Aqueous Two Phase System for Preparation of pH-Responsive Nanocarriers
Authors: Baghbanbashi Mojhdeh , Pazuki Gholamreza , Khoee Sepideh
Published: July 2021

Providing an efficient system for drug delivery and chemotherapy has always been an important issue. Modification of the surface of silica nanoparticles (SiO2) provides an opportunity for achieving stimulus-sensitive drug delivery system. Here, we have modified the surface of SiO2 using hydrogen bonding interactions by employing an aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) based on polyethylene glycol and lysine. This novel biocompatible ATPS provides an environment for simultaneous drug encapsulation, SiO2 modification, and drug partitioning in one pot. Addition of SiO2 to ATPS increased the partitioning of doxorubicin (DOX) as an anti-cancer drug from 47.92 in the absence of nanoparticles to 92.33 due to the interactions between drug and nanoparticles. The formation of nanoformulation and its characteristics were investigated applying microscopy, spectroscopy and thermal analysis. Drug release study demonstrated that DOX is loaded on nanoformulations efficiently with an encapsulation efficiency of 63.84% and shows lower release in physiological environment compared to the unmodified nanoparticles. While in acidic conditions of pH 5.5, significant increase was observed in the release profile. MTT assay on MCF-7 cancer cells confirmed that the nanoformulations were non-toxic and DOX-loaded nanocarrier showed anti-cancer behavior. These results indicate that the prepared nanoformulations are promising nanocarriers for controlled drug release purposes.
In Vitro Nitrogen Transformations by Pollen From Temperate Tree Species
Authors: Verstraeten Arne , Gottardini Elena , Bruffaerts Nicolas , Neirynck Johan , Genouw Gerrit
Published: July 2021

The effects of pollen on dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) compounds in throughfall water are not completely understood. We conducted a 7-day leaching experiment with pollen from silver birch (including a sterilized control), European beech, sessile oak, Scots pine, Corsican black pine and Norway spruce using an immersion medium containing nitrate (11.295 mg N l-1). Within 2 hours, pollen released substantial amounts of potassium (K+), phosphate (PO3-) and organic compounds. Solute concentrations of ammonium (NH4+) were built up over time. In treatments with pollen from birch, oak and beech, nitrate (NO3-) concentrations started to decrease after 24–48 hours, while simultaneously nitrite (NO2-) emerged, but part of the inorganic nitrogen could no longer be detected in solution. For birch, sterilisation of the pollen made no difference, indicating that microorganisms on the pollen played no substantial role in the observed N transformations. Conditions in the samples were oxic (1.82–6.12 mg O2 l-1), rendering microbial denitrification unlikely. Our findings revealed that pollen from broadleaved deciduous trees can transform throughfall NO3- into NO2- and likely also nitric oxide (NO), probably through the nitrate reductase pathway. The synthesis of NH4+ might be part of a natural defence mechanism protecting reproductive organs against pathogens during pollination.
Preventive practices towards Sexually Transmitted Infection and its determinants among young people in Ethiopia: a protocol for a systematic review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Anbesu Etsay Woldu , Aychiluhm Setognal Birara , Alemayehu Mussie
Published: July 2021

Background: Globally, about 178.5 million new cases of curable sexually transmitted infections occur among young people aged 15-24 years. There are fragmented and inconsistent findings on preventive practices of sexually transmitted infection. Thus, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence of preventive practices of sexually transmitted infection and identify its determinants among young people in Ethiopia. Methods: We will use the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) to develop the review protocol. We will use online databases such as PubMed, CINAH, Google, and Google Scholar to search published and unpublished studies. We will use the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument to assess the quality. We will check statistical heterogeneity using the Cochran Q test and I2 statistics. We will perform subgroup analyses and meta-regression to identify the sources of heterogeneity. The statistical analysis will be done using STATA version-14 software. We will use a random-effects model to estimate the pooled prevalence and identify determinants of preventive practices of sexually transmitted infections. Discussion: Young people have a high unmet need for sexual and reproductive health services and poor preventive practices toward sexually transmitted infection. Although there are studies on the sexually transmitted infection preventive practice, there is no study finding on the pooled prevalence of the preventive practices of sexually transmitted infection and its determinants among young people in Ethiopia. Thus, this systematic review and meta-analysis will help to develop appropriate interventions.