bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Summary of the History of Improvement and Optimization of Fuel Management Strategies for Two 1000 MWe PWR Units
Authors: Xiaoling Zhou , Zhixian Xu , Bingquan Zhao , Wen Li , Shengdong Zhong , Jinghui Gao
Published: November 2022

This paper takes a certain nuclear power plant (NPP) which consists of two 1000 MWe PWR units as the research object, and summarizes various fuel management strategies experienced since it started commercial operation in 2002 and 2003. These fuel management strategies include:

1) high-leakage annual refueling, refueling fuel enrichment is 3.2% and cycle length reaches about 270 EFPD;

2) fuel type mixed refueling (AFA2G and AFA3G mixed), refueling fuel enrichment increases from 3.2% to 3.7% and cycle length reaches about 320 EFPD;

3) low-leakage 1/4 refueling, refueling fuel enrichment increases from 3.7% to 4.2% and cycle length reaches about 316 EFPD that fuel economy has been greatly improved;

4) low-leakage 18-months refueling, refueling fuel enrichment increases from 4.2% to 4.45% and the refueling cycle has been extended from annual refueling to an average of 16 months;

5) two-enrichment refueling, refueling fuel enrichment is extended from single 4.45% to two enrichment 4.45% and 4.00%, which improves the flexibility of fuel management to well meet the load shedding needs.

This paper reviews each fuel management strategy’s general refueling pattern, main design parameters and actual operating parameters of the core, fuel economy and the feedback of related problems, finally further suggests a few optimizations of future fuel management strategies.
Study on Different Ways for Selecting NPP Design Extension Conditions
Authors: Ma Yuan , Feng Churan , Ma Chao
Published: November 2022

With the further improvement of the safety requirements, the Design Extension Conditions need to be fully considered as an important design requirement in the design of advanced nuclear power plants. For Chinese new nuclear power plants and future new reactor types, in principle, a set of Design Extension Conditions must be obtained on the basis of engineering judgment, determinism and probability theory evaluation to further improve the safety of nuclear power plants. In current practice, PSA methods and models are often used to identify and determine extremely unlikely events and multiple failure events in the selection of the Design Extension Condition sequence list, while considering the design extended conditions given by determinism and engineering judgment. However, even with the same frequency screening values, the way in which the PSA model is used can be different, so it is necessary to study the effect of different ways on the results of DEC selection. In this paper, combined with the determination process of the DEC-A list of a third-generation reactor type, two different ways of identifying the DEC-A event sequences based on the PSA event sequence and based on the cutset-importance, are described, and the results are compared and discussed.
Implementation and Verification of the DAGMC Module in Monte Carlo Code RMC
Authors: Shen Pengfei , Liang Jingang , Liu Shichang , Wang Kan
Published: November 2022

The ability to perform shielding simulations is one of the advantages of Monte Carlo codes. However, the shielding structure of an advanced nuclear reactor or other facilities is usually designed in CAD geometry and cannot be easily transformed into CSG geometry. Thus, the research for performing shielding simulations in CAD models in Monte Carlo codes is of significant importance. DAGMC is an advanced toolkit used to simulate the Monte Carlo particle transport process in CAD models. Based on the RMC (V3.5) code developed by the REAL lab of the Department of Engineering Physics of Tsinghua University, this paper implemented the DAGMC module to enhance the ability to handle CAD models. The implementation scheme supports weight window parameters and cell importance parameters’ definition to carry out shielding simulations in CAD models. We have done an extensive investigation on various problems to exemplify its validity. In the CAD-based deep penetration calculations, the adaptive variance reduction (AVR) method is adopted and improves the FOM by 601 and 207 times for single and multiple material problems.
Study on Nuclear Safety Management Based on Multiple Nuclear Power Plants Experience Feedback Management
Authors: Zhang Shuang , Xiaoyan Sun
Published: November 2022

Nuclear power plant experience feedback management includes event reporting, screening, analysis, corrective action management and assessment. In the early stage of nuclear power development in China, experience feedback was conducted based on single nuclear power plants. After years of development, the number of nuclear power plants increases year by year, institutes serving multiple nuclear power plants (multi-plants) develop multi-plants experience feedback management system, to improve event management quality, reduce events recurring probability, promote good practice, carry out experience feedback work effectively, reduce the impact of repeated events, continuously improve nuclear safety quality management level, take the implementation of experience feedback and the assessment of its effectiveness as a priority of nuclear safety management. According to the experience feedback assessment of nuclear safety field - operations personnel management, the vulnerabilities of in nuclear safety management have been identified, including insufficient knowledge and substandard operation by operations personnel, and inadequate monitoring of nuclear safety related equipment by operators. The following measures are recommended: improve the on-the-job training outline of operations personnel, and regularly carry out professional knowledge training of machinery, electrical, instrumentation, etc; formulate a special inspection plan for work standardization, and incorporate the special inspection into the task supervision system for tracking management; establish a tracking process for key equipment defects in nuclear safety issues to ensure the timeliness and effectiveness of tracking nuclear safety issues. This article mainly focuses on multi-plants experience feedback organization, information system, program management and nuclear safety indicators, in order to optimize nuclear safety management and prevent the degradation of nuclear safety level.
Study on Maintenance Strategy Optimization of Nuclear Power Plants After the Implementation of Maintenance Rule
Authors: Xiliang Ma , Yongkui Xie
Published: November 2022

After NNSA issued “Technical Policy for Improving Maintenance Effectiveness of Nuclear Power Plants (Trial)” in 2017, relevant units in China actively carried out pilot maintenance rule and gradually carried out optimization research on related maintenance activities. Suzhou Nuclear Power Research Institute Co., Ltd. has participated in most maintenance rule related projects in China. This paper introduces the development of maintenance rule in China and the current implementation of maintenance rule for nuclear power plants in China. Combined with the current situation of technical specification and the construction of configuration risk management in China’s nuclear power plants, the optimization of maintenance strategy based on maintenance rule is studied, which lays a foundation for more risk-informed applications, in order to strengthen the safety of nuclear power plants more effectively and reduce the unnecessary operation burden without affecting safety.
Structure Control of a HLW Immobilized Zirconolite Glass-Ceramic Matrix
Authors: Li Haiqing , Pan Yutong , Gao Chao , Wang Shuming
Published: November 2022

Resources and environment are two crucial (key) elements for the sustainable development of human society. This paper aims to explore a new glass-ceramic system for the development of high-level radioactive solid-waste vitrification technology, clarify the function of multielemental radionuclides (heterogeneous ion) on the structural and chemical durability characteristics.

By changing the crystallization temperature and crystallization time, the heat treatment system of the zirconolite-based glass ceramic waste form was optimized; the K value method was used to obtain the quantitative analysis of the crystal phase; CeO2 was used as a simulated nuclide to explore the effect of CeO2 doping on the phase. The influence of composition, and the valence distribution of cerium in the glass ceramics was analyzed by XPS. The results show that the nucleation temperature is 810 °C for 2 h, and then the crystallization temperature is 950 or 1000 °C for 2 h, the glass ceramics containing only the 2M zirconolite and residual glass. CeO2 doping will lead to the increase of the lattice constant. The ratio of Ce4+ to Ce3+ in the waste form with different CeO2 content is maintained at 6:4. The normalized leaching rate of the sample with the highest doping content is 5.949 × 10−6 g·m−2·d −1.
Current Situation and Development Trend of Decommissioning of Nuclear Power Plants
Authors: Guochang Cao , Yunding Kang , Zhihua Li
Published: November 2022

The complete life of a nuclear power plant consists of three stages: construction, operation and decommissioning. In the last stage of the operation life of nuclear power plants, they have to face the problem of decommissioning. The safe decommissioning of nuclear power plants is the guarantee for the sustainable development of nuclear power. After the termination of the operation of nuclear power plants, in order to ensure the safety of the public and the environment, the plant site should be purified, demolished and cleaned to reach the restricted utilization level or unrestricted opening. This paper studies the operation and decommissioning status of nuclear power plants from both international and domestic levels, and analyzes the real time cycle and development trend of decommissioning projects. The research shows that in the international nuclear power plant decommissioning market, the nuclear power pioneer countries have successively established national laboratories or research centers to carry out research on the decommissioning technology of nuclear power plants, developed a large number of advanced technologies and tooling equipment, and formed their own technical characteristics and technical advantages; the nuclear power plant decommissioning is increasingly researched in China, but the decommissioning practice has not been started yet in this country. The industry and relevant parties should carry out systematic construction for the decommissioning of nuclear power plants from the aspects of capital sources, regulations, standards, technical reserves, organizational structure and talent reserves.
Integrated Risk Analysis of Function Safety and Cyber Security on I&C System of HTP-PM With STPA-SafeSec
Authors: Tian Yukun , Li Jianghai , Huang Xiaojin
Published: November 2022

Cyber security risk analysis can identify and assess factors that may damage to the system such as digital instrumentation and control system of nuclear power plants. Performing cyber security risk analysis is important for instrumentation and control system of nuclear power plants because it could assess overall impacts of risks and help to identify vulnerabilities to determine next steps to address security risks. With the integration of information system and physical system, cyber security of information system and functional safety of physical system interact with each other, resulting in a type of new comprehensive security problem and introducing serious security risks. Most of the existing cyber security risk analysis methods pay more attention to cyberattacks like attack tree analysis method, Petri net method, and Bayesian network method. STPA-SafeSec is a top-down security risk analysis method focusing on the system itself based on system theory, which starts from unacceptable losses of the system and pays attention to the causal factors that produce unsafe control. In this paper, STPA-SafeSec is applied to the primary circuit pressure control system of high temperature gas-cold reactors in order to perform the hazard analysis of integrated risk assessment for both functional safety and cyber security. The application details are given and a part of the hazardous scenarios tree is obtained for the formulation of mitigation strategies.
Review of Operating License Extension of Nuclear Power Plants
Authors: Chen Zhilin , Li Xiaowei , Huang Ping , Wang Chunhui , Wang Jun , Chi Zhiyuan , Fang Kuiyuan , An Yinghui , Zhang Yanwei
Published: November 2022

Operating license extension (OLE) is an important trend in the development of Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs). About 30.2% of the units in operation in the world have reached or exceeded 40 years of operation. “License Renewal, LR” and “Periodic Safety Review, PSR” are two commonly strategies used for operating license extension demonstration. In December 2015 the technical policy of OLE in China was issued by National Nuclear Safety Administration (NNSA), with the main works of the demonstration include: (1) Current License Basis Review, (2) Scoping and Screening of Structures, Systems and Components (SSCs), (3) Aging Management Review (AMR), (4) Time Limited Aging Analysis (TLAA), (5) Updated of Finally Safety Analysis Report (FSAR), (6) Environment Evaluation. The demonstration of OLE of NPPs were carried out in two NPPs since 2013. In this paper, the demonstration strategies for OLE were introduced, the processes of the demonstration by LR in USA and PSR in France were provided. The interpretation of technical policy and Domestic status of OLE in China were illustrated. The technical issues for the OLE safety assessment were also reviewed. Furthermore, the trends for OLE in the future, such as multiple plants demonstration at one time, the secondly license renewal were discussed as well.
Review of Fire Common Mode Analysis and Probabilistic Safety Assessment of Fire Common Modes for an Operating Nuclear Power Plant
Authors: Huang Lihua , Long Bin
Published: November 2022

Fire common mode analysis (a.k.a. Fire Vulnerability Analysis, FVA) is usually performed after the completion of the design of a nuclear power plant. Any discrepancies in equipment or cable layout during the construction or operation phases could result in new potential fire common modes, which pose new safety threats to the plant. Consequently, it is necessary to perform a review of the fire common mode analysis for an operating nuclear power plant. Any newly identified fire common modes that need to be addressed might require modification either by protection or by physical separation. In prioritizing the modifications regarding these fire common modes, probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) provides quantitative insights into the safety benefits of eliminating any newly identified fire common modes. This article introduces the general process of FVA and discusses the tasks of cable data collecting and plant walkdown, which are two fundamental steps of the process of FVA for an operating nuclear power plant. In the second part, an example is also provided of performing probabilistic safety assessment on fire common modes, based on which the analyst can prioritize the common mode list in terms of safety benefits if they are to be eliminated.
Nuclear Power Plant Fire Safety Risk Management Method and Application
Authors: Zhu Yaoyao
Published: November 2022

The history of nuclear power development shows that fire is one of the important risks faced by nuclear power plants, and the harm to nuclear power plants cannot be ignored. As scientific and technological innovation is playing an increasingly important role in changing social production and life, it is necessary to explore the application of information technology to comprehensively improve the technological, informational and intelligent level of fire fighting work, and improve the efficiency of fire fighting management through the deep integration of fire safety and intelligence in nuclear power field. This paper analyzes the current status of fire safety management in domestic nuclear power plants. It takes the fire load refinement and intelligent management as an example to discuss and propose optimization suggestions for nuclear power plant fire safety management. Based on Performance-based and Risk-informed nuclear power fire safety management, Establish corresponding risk assessment guidelines to provide risk-informed decision-making advice for fire safety work. Develop nuclear power plant fire safety risk management application tools according to risk management methods. It can monitor the important fire hazard areas in real time, effectively supervise the new fire risk areas of nuclear power plants, quantitatively assess the fire risk and formulate coping strategies, and upgrade and optimize existing fire management methods. The fire safety risk management method covers risk-informed fire risk management to all fire protection fields of nuclear power plants, and develops fire safety management of nuclear power plants in a refined, informational and intelligent direction, greatly improving the fire safety management of nuclear power plants Level.
Comparison of Numerical Analysis Methods of Coolant Environmental Fatigue Based on Strain Rate Control
Authors: Shao Xuejiao , Xie Hai , Zhang Yixiong , Xiong Furui , Wang Xinjun , Shi Kaikai , Yu Mingda , Huang Xuan
Published: November 2022

In this paper, the transformed strain rate of environmental fatigue correction factor (Fen), which is used to consider the influence of PWR primary coolant environment on material fatigue, is studied. EPRI’s guideline and the AFCEN’s probationary phase rule (RPP) No.3 of Volume VI in RCC-M 2017 edition provide two different calculation methods of transformed strain rate separately. NUREG CR-6909 gives two versions of prediction models of Fen for Low alloy steel, nickel base alloy and austenitic stainless steel which are the three main materials of the primary circuit system.

In this paper, the model and transients of Sample 2 in EPRI’s guideline are selected for calculation and comparison, so as to verify whether the analysis method is reasonable. Firstly, the fatigue analysis in air is carried out, and then based on the combination, the detailed calculation of strain rate is carried out to calculate environmental fatigue results. The analysis results are compared with the results of guideline, and the valuesare close. Then, the main pipeline safety injection nozzle components with small fatigue margin in PWR are selected to carry out environmental fatigue analysis. In the analysis, different methods of calculating modified strain rates are used, and different prediction models in CR-6909 are used. The coefficient of Fen integrated in RPP3 isconsidered, and the effects of various calculation methods on the results are compared.

The results show that for austenitic stainless steel, the results of RCC-M RPP3 method are mostly less than those of EPRI guidelines. Compared with the prediction model of NUREG CR-6909 version 0, the prediction model version 1 greatly decreases the Fen results.
Microstructual and Micro-Chemical Analysis of Zr Cladding Alloys on Corrosion and Creep Properties
Authors: Lv Qing Yang , Zhang Libin , Chen Minli , Gao Changyuan , Xu Yang , Chen Liutao , Tan Jun
Published: November 2022

This paper conducts in-depth research on zirconium alloys by combining results of out-of-pile corrosion and creep performance with microstructual and micro-chemical analysis using state-of-the-art (S)TEM, EDX and EBSD. The mechanism of different heat treatment processes on the macroscopic properties of zirconium alloys is explained from the microscopic level.

By comparing various Zr-Sn-Nb alloys with different intermediate temperatures, it is discovered that creep resistance becomes better and the corrosion resistance becomes worse. It is found that average grain size increases gradually with increasing intermediate temperature, creep deformation is related with grain boundary slip, so the smaller grain size, the faster creep rate. In alloys with Nb content less than its solid solution limit in zirconium, when increasing the intermediate annealing temperature, there are fewer Nb-rich Zr-Fe-Cr-Nb second phase particles (SPPs) but more Cr-rich Zr-Fe-Cr-Nb SPPs, so the amount of Nb in solid solution in the matrix increases, which lead to better creep resistance due to solid solution strengthening and lower diffusion coefficient, however, with higher Nb solid solution content, there is more tetragonal to monoclinic oxide phase transition, which causes more cracking in the oxide and increases the corrosion rate.
Practical guide on chemometrics/informatics in x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). I. Introduction to methods useful for large or complex datasets
Authors: Avval Tahereh G. , Gallagher Neal , Morgan David , Bargiela Pascal , Fairley Neal , Fernandez Vincent , Linford Matthew R.
Published: November 2022

Chemometrics/informatics and data analysis, in general, are increasingly important topics in x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) because of the large amount of information (data/spectra) that are often collected in degradation, depth profiling, operando, and imaging studies. In this guide, we discuss vital, theoretical aspects and considerations for chemometrics/informatics analyses of XPS data with a focus on exploratory data analysis tools that can be used to probe XPS datasets. These tools include a summary statistic [pattern recognition entropy (PRE)], principal component analysis (PCA), multivariate curve resolution (MCR), and cluster analysis. The use of these tools is explained through the following steps: (A) Gather/use all the available information about one's samples, (B) examine (plot) the raw data, (C) developing a general strategy for the chemometrics/informatics analysis, (D) preprocess the data, (E) where to start a chemometrics/informatics analysis, including identifying outliers or unexpected features in datasets, (F) determine the number of abstract factors to keep in a model, (G) return to the original data after a chemometrics/informatics analysis to confirm findings, (H) perform MCR, (I) peak fit the MCR factors, (J) identify intermediates in MCR analyses, (K) perform cluster analysis, and (L) how to start doing chemometrics/informatics in one's work. This guide has Paper II [Avval et al., J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 40, 063205 (2022)] that illustrates these steps/principles by applying them to two fairly large XPS datasets. In these papers, special emphasis is placed on MCR. Indeed, in this paper and Paper II, we believe that, for the first time, it is suggested and shown that (1) MCR components/factors can be peak fit as though they were XPS narrow scans and (2) MCR can reveal intermediates in the degradation of a material. The other chemometrics/informatics methods are also useful in demonstrating the presence of outliers, a break (irregularity) in one of the datasets, and the general trajectory/evolution of the datasets. Cluster analysis generated a series of average spectra that describe the evolution of one of the datasets.
“No Days Off”: Using Self-Determination Theory to Better Understand Workaholism in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Coaches
Authors: Tolentino Kim , Readdy Tucker , Raabe Johannes
Published: November 2022

Workaholism (i.e., working excessively and compulsively) is associated with negative physical, psychological, and social consequences. Researchers have previously examined antecedents of workaholism, but the experiences of sport coaches have not yet been investigated. This study explored (a) differences in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I coaches’ workaholism, as well as need satisfaction and frustration based on gender, coaching role, gender of athletes coached, age, and years of coaching experience; and (b) how coaches’ perceptions of their three basic psychological needs are associated with tendencies to work excessively and compulsively. A total of 873 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I coaches participated in the research. Data analyses revealed significant differences in participants’ workaholism as well as need satisfaction and frustration. Structural equation modeling indicated a significant relationship between reported levels of workaholism and perceptions of the three needs. Findings illustrate the importance of basic psychological needs in preventing coaches’ workaholism and maintain optimal functioning.
Identification of the niche and mobilization mechanism for tissue-protective multipotential bone marrow ILC progenitors
Authors: Liu Qingyang , Lee Jun Hee , Kang Hyun Min , Kim Chang H.
Published: November 2022

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) play crucial roles in maintenance and defense of peripheral tissues but would undergo natural and inflammation-induced attrition over time. A potential solution to counteract the peripheral ILC attrition would be regulated mobilization of bone marrow (BM) ILC progenitors. The major multipotential ILC progenitors (ILCPs) are divided into two subsets in distinct niches of the BM. Sinusoid ILCPs emigrate from the BM to circulate the peripheral blood. In contrast, parenchyma ILCPs are more likely in cell cycling and less likely to emigrate BM. The mobilization of BM ILCPs is internally and externally controlled by the coordinated expression of the BM retention receptors (Itg-α4 and CXCR4) and the emigration receptors sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptors. The expression of the BM retention and emigration receptors is developmentally regulated in the steady state and by the inflammasome-derived IL-18. Upon infusion, sinusoid ILCPs can effectively restore peripheral ILC insufficiency and tissue integrity during inflammatory responses.
Increased occurrences of early Indian Ocean Dipole under global warming
Authors: Sun Shuangwen , Fang Yue , Zu Yongcan , Liu Lin , Li Kuiping
Published: November 2022

The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) is a prominent mode of ocean-atmosphere interannual variability with great climate and socioeconomic impacts. Early positive IOD (pIOD), a newly discovered type of pIOD, induces pronounced rainfall anomalies in boreal summer more than canonical pIOD. It also contributes to more frequent consecutive pIODs, causing devastating droughts and floods. How early pIOD responds to global warming remains unknown. Here, we show that early pIOD has increased substantially in the past decades, reaching the same frequency as canonical pIOD. The increase is caused by intensified Bjerknes feedback and an early summer monsoon onset, which is the major trigger for early pIOD. Model simulations suggest that the increased frequency of early pIOD is likely to continue under greenhouse warming by the same mechanisms as in the observations, increasing boreal summer climate variability and leading to more climate extremes in affected regions.
A pleiotropic hypoxia-sensitive
EPAS1
enhancer is disrupted by adaptive alleles in Tibetans
Authors: Gray Olivia A. , Yoo Jennifer , Sobreira Débora R. , Jousma Jordan , Witonsky David , Sakabe Noboru J. , Peng Ying-Jie , Prabhakar Nanduri R. , Fang Yun , Nobréga Marcelo A. , Di Rienzo Anna
Published: November 2022

In Tibetans, noncoding alleles in
EPAS1
—whose protein product hypoxia-inducible factor 2α (HIF-2α) drives the response to hypoxia—carry strong signatures of positive selection; however, their functional mechanism has not been systematically examined. Here, we report that high-altitude alleles disrupt the activity of four
EPAS1
enhancers in one or more cell types. We further characterize one enhancer (ENH5) whose activity is both allele specific and hypoxia dependent. Deletion of ENH5 results in down-regulation of
EPAS1
and HIF-2α targets in acute hypoxia and in a blunting of the transcriptional response to sustained hypoxia. Deletion of ENH5 in mice results in dysregulation of gene expression across multiple tissues. We propose that pleiotropic adaptive effects of the Tibetan alleles in
EPAS1
underlie the strong selective signal at this gene.
The mechanical regulation of RNA binding protein hnRNPC in the failing heart
Authors: Martino Fabiana , Varadarajan Nandan Mysore , Perestrelo Ana Rubina , Hejret Vaclav , Durikova Helena , Vukic Dragana , Horvath Vladimir , Cavalieri Francesca , Caruso Frank , Albihlal Waleed S. , Gerber André P. , O’Connell Mary A. , Vanacova Stepanka , Pagliari Stefania , Forte Giancarlo
Published: November 2022

Cardiac pathologies are characterized by intense remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM) that eventually leads to heart failure. Cardiomyocytes respond to the ensuing biomechanical stress by reexpressing fetal contractile proteins via transcriptional and posttranscriptional processes, such as alternative splicing (AS). Here, we demonstrate that the heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein C (hnRNPC) is up-regulated and relocates to the sarcomeric Z-disc upon ECM pathological remodeling. We show that this is an active site of localized translation, where the ribonucleoprotein associates with the translation machinery. Alterations in hnRNPC expression, phosphorylation, and localization can be mechanically determined and affect the AS of mRNAs involved in mechanotransduction and cardiovascular diseases, including Hippo pathway effector Yes-associated protein 1. We propose that cardiac ECM remodeling serves as a switch in RNA metabolism by affecting an associated regulatory protein of the spliceosome apparatus. These findings offer new insights on the mechanism of mRNA homeostatic mechanoregulation in pathological conditions.
Enzymatic Conjugation of Modified RNA Fragments by Ancestral RNA Ligase AncT4_2
Authors: Kajimoto Shohei , Ohashi Miwa , Hagiwara Yusuke , Takahashi Daisuke , Mihara Yasuhiro , Motoyama Tomoharu , Ito Sohei , Nakano Shogo
Published: November 2022

RNA therapeutics is one of the next-generation medicines for treating various diseases. Our designed ancestral RNA ligase AncT4_2 exhibited excellent enzymatic properties, such as high thermal stability, productivity, specific activity, and broad substrate selectivity compared to native enzymes.
Evaluation of Piperacillin-Tazobactam ETEST for the Detection of OXA-1 Resistance Mechanism among Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae
Authors: Manuel Carmila , Maynard Richard , Humphries Romney M.
Published: November 2022

Globally, piperacillin-tazobactam resistance among
Escherichia coli
and
Klebsiella pneumoniae
is driven by OXA-1 beta-lactamases. Expression of
bla
OXA-1
yields piperacillin-tazobactam MICs of 8 to 16 μg/mL, which straddle the susceptible/susceptible-dose dependent breakpoint set by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute in 2022.
Space Rather than Seasonal Changes Explained More of the Spatiotemporal Variation of Tropical Soil Microbial Communities
Authors: Wei Yaqing , Quan Fei , Lan Guoyu , Wu Zhixiang , Yang Chuan
Published: November 2022

The soil microbiomes communities of the two forests were not only affected by environmental factors (e.g., edaphic and climatic factors), but also by different dominant geographic factors. In particular, our work showed that spatial variation in bacterial and fungal community composition was mainly dominated by edaphic properties (e.g., pH) and climatic factors (e.g., MAT and MAP).
Associations of Rap1 with Cell Wall Integrity, Biofilm Formation, and Virulence in Candida albicans
Authors: Wang Wen-Han , Lai Ting-Xiu , Wu Yi-Chia , Chen Zzu-Ting , Tseng Kuo-Yun , Lan Chung-Yu
Published: November 2022

C. albicans
is an important fungal pathogen of humans. The cell wall is the outermost layer of
C. albicans
and is important for commensalism and infection by this pathogen.
Perspectives on the COVID-19 vaccine uptake: a qualitative study of community members and health workers in Zambia
Authors: Sialubanje Cephas , Mukumbuta Nawa , Ng'andu Mary , Sumani Ernest Malangizo , Nkonkomalimba Mpala , Lyatumba Daniel EM , Mwale Alick , Mpiana Francis , Zulu Joseph Makadani , Mweempwa Basil , Endres Denise , Mbolela Maurice , Namumba Mpatanji , Peters Wolff-Christian
Published: November 2022

Objective

Since introduction of the programme in April 2021, COVID-19 vaccine uptake has been low at less than 20%. This study explored community members’ and health workers’ perspectives on the COVID-19 vaccine uptake and its influencing factors in Zambia.

Study design

A qualitative study employing focus group discussions (FGDs) and in-depth interviews (IDIs).

Study setting

Sixteen primary healthcare facilities selected from Lusaka, Copperbelt, Central and Southern provinces.

Participants

A total of 32 FGDs comprising local community members and 30 IDIs including health workers, traditional, religious and civic leaders (n=272). FGDs were separated based on age (youth and adults), sex (male and female) and place of residence (urban and rural).

Results

Both FGD and IDI participants agreed that vaccine uptake was low. Limited knowledge, access to information, myths and misconceptions, negative attitude, low-risk perception and supply in remote areas affected vaccine uptake. Overall, FGD participants expressed limited knowledge about the COVID-19 vaccine compared with health workers. Further, FGD participants from urban sites were more aware about the vaccine than those from rural areas. Health workers perceived the vaccine to be beneficial; the benefits included prevention of infection and limiting the severity of the disease. Moreover, FGD participants from urban sites expressed a negative attitude towards the vaccine. They believed the vaccine conferred no benefits. By contrast, participants from rural communities had mixed views; they needed more information about the vaccine benefits. Participants’ attitude seems to have been influenced by personal or family experience with the COVID-19 disease or vaccination; those who had experienced the disease had a more positive attitude. In contrast, most young people believed they were not at risk of the COVID-19 disease. Misinformation from social media influenced their attitude.

Conclusion

These results provide starting points for future policies and interventions for increasing COVID-19 vaccine uptake.
Continuous and interrupted abdominal-wall closure after primary emergency midline laparotomy (CONIAC-trial): study protocol for a randomised controlled single centre trial
Authors: Wolf Sebastian , Arbona de Gracia Luis , Sommer Florian , Schrempf Matthias Christian , Anthuber Matthias , Vlasenko Dmytro
Published: November 2022

Introduction

The optimal closure of the abdominal wall after emergency midline laparotomy is still a matter of debate due to lack of evidence. Although closure of the fascia using a continuous, all-layer suture technique with slowly absorbable monofilament material is common, complications like burst abdomen and hernia are frequent.

Methods and analysis

This randomised controlled trial with a 1:1 allocation evaluates the efficacy and safety of a continuous suture with or without additional interrupted retention sutures for closure of the abdominal fascia. Patients with an indication for a primary emergency midline laparotomy are eligible to participate in this study and will be randomised intraoperatively via block randomisation. Fascia closure in the intervention group will be done with a standard continuous suture with slowly absorbable monofilament material (MonoMax 1, B. Braun, Tuttlingen, Germany) and additional interrupted retention sutures every 2 cm of the fascia using rapidly absorbable braided material (Vicryl 2, Ethicon, Norderstedt, Germany). In the control group, the fascia is closed only with the standard continuous suture with slowly absorbable monofilament material. Sample size calculations (n=111 per study arm) are based on the available literature. The primary endpoint is the rate of dehiscence of the abdominal fascia (rate of burst abdomen within 30 days or rate of incisional hernia within 12 months). Secondary endpoints are wound infections, quality of life, length of hospital stay, morbidity and mortality. Patients as well as individuals involved in data collection, endpoint assessment, data analysis and quality of life assessment will be blinded.

Ethics and dissemination

The study protocol, the patient information and the informed consent form have been approved by the ethics committee of the Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany (reference number: 20-1041). Study findings will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals.

Trial registration number

DRKS00024802.

WHO universal trial number

U1111-1259-1956
Status of core competencies of wound, ostomy and continence nurses and their influence on career success: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Yu Shuhui , Yao Xiuyu , Sang Yonghui , Lin Yujie , Huang Yanbo , Che Xinyan , Ding Yanming
Published: November 2022

Objectives

The wound, ostomy and continence nursing practice has its own scope and standards, and each standard requires relevant competency. However, the core competencies of wound, ostomy and continence nurses that contribute to the career success are poorly known. To identify associations between career success and core competencies of wound, ostomy and continence nurses in China.

Design

A cross-sectional survey with a convenience sample.

Setting

Participants were recruited from 108 hospitals in 28 provinces.

Participants

A total of 123 wound, ostomy and continence nurses were surveyed.

Measures

Career success, core competencies and demographic characteristics of wound, ostomy and continence nurses, were measured in this study.

Methods

A survey was distributed to 123 wound, ostomy and continence nurses were recruited from 108 hospitals in 28 provinces. Multivariate logistic regression was undertaken to explore associations between career success outcomes and core competency scores of wound ostomy and continence nurses and their demographic characteristics.

Results

The career success and core competency of wound, ostomy and continence nurses were both above average. Nurses who had higher total scores of core competency were more likely to have higher career success, including total score (OR=4.90), career satisfaction (OR=5.58) and perceived internal (OR=4.55)/external (OR=3.42) organisation competitiveness. Higher competency in interpersonal communication (OR=7.70) and more time for wound care per month (OR=8.80) predicted higher career satisfaction. Additionally, nurses with higher professional development were more likely to score higher in perceived internal organisation competitiveness of career success (OR=4.36) and the overall career success (OR=5.96).

Conclusions

The career success and core competency of the wound, ostomy and continence nurses in China were at an above average level. The associations between career success and core competency of the wound, ostomy and continence nurses were positive, suggesting that competency enhancement could improve nurses’ career success.
A longitudinal observational study of home-based conversations for detecting early dementia: protocol for the CUBOId TV task
Authors: Kumpik Daniel Paul , Santos-Rodriguez Raul , Selwood James , Coulthard Elizabeth , Twomey Niall , Craddock Ian , Ben-Shlomo Yoav
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Limitations in effective dementia therapies mean that early diagnosis and monitoring are critical for disease management, but current clinical tools are impractical and/or unreliable, and disregard short-term symptom variability. Behavioural biomarkers of cognitive decline, such as speech, sleep and activity patterns, can manifest prodromal pathological changes. They can be continuously measured at home with smart sensing technologies, and permit leveraging of interpersonal interactions for optimising diagnostic and prognostic performance. Here we describe the ContinUous behavioural Biomarkers Of cognitive Impairment (CUBOId) study, which explores the feasibility of multimodal data fusion for in-home monitoring of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The report focuses on a subset of CUBOId participants who perform a novel speech task, the ‘TV task’, designed to track changes in ecologically valid conversations with disease progression.

Methods and analysis

CUBOId is a longitudinal observational study. Participants have diagnoses of MCI or AD, and controls are their live-in partners with no such diagnosis. Multimodal activity data were passively acquired from wearables and in-home fixed sensors over timespans of 8–25 months. At two time points participants completed the TV task over 5 days by recording audio of their conversations as they watched a favourite TV programme, with further testing to be completed after removal of the sensor installations. Behavioural testing is supported by neuropsychological assessment for deriving ground truths on cognitive status. Deep learning will be used to generate fused multimodal activity-speech embeddings for optimisation of diagnostic and predictive performance from speech alone.

Ethics and dissemination

CUBOId was approved by an NHS Research Ethics Committee (Wales REC; ref: 18/WA/0158) and is sponsored by University of Bristol. It is supported by the National Institute for Health Research Clinical Research Network West of England. Results will be reported at conferences and in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
Gender differences in the correlation between body mass index and cognitive impairment among the community-dwelling oldest-old in China: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Chen Na , Cao JiaWei , Zhang Wei , Chen Yanan , Xu Ling
Published: November 2022

Objective

This study investigates gender differences in the correlation between body mass index (BMI) and cognitive impairment among Chinese community-dwelling oldest-old.

Setting

Twenty-three provinces in China. Participants’ mini-mental state examination (MMSE) scores <24 were considered cognitive impairment. Furthermore, the assessment standards of BMI status were classified into four categories: obese (BMI >30), overweight (25≤BMI≤30), normal (18.5≤BMI<25) and underweight (BMI <18.5).

Participants

A total of 9218 older adults (age 80+) were included from the 2018 wave of Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Study.

Methods

Cognitive impairment, BMI and other covariates consisted of the sociodemographic variables, health behaviours and health status were collected. Cognitive impairment was assessed by the MMSE. Inverse probability weighting procedure was adopted to deal with bias due to dropout.

Logistic regression was conducted to examine the correlation between BMI and cognitive impairment.

Results

Among 9218 respondents, 3837 were males. Overall, the percentage of participants with cognitive impairment was 44.7%, with 32.1% among males and 53.7% among females. After controlling for other variables, males who were either overweight or underweight and females who were underweight were found to have higher risk of cognitive impairment among the oldest-old. Age, education, economic status, physical activity, activities of daily living, hypertension as well as heart disease were the predicting factors of cognitive impairment.

Conclusions

The relationship between BMI and cognitive impairment differs between male and female oldest-old, suggesting that we should pay attention to different BMI groups and adopt precise prevention strategies based on gender.
Todurujo na Kadurok (empowering youth): study protocol of an HIV self-testing and edutainment comic cluster randomised trial among refugee youth in a humanitarian setting in Uganda
Authors: Logie Carmen H , Okumu Moses , Loutet Miranda G , Coelho Madelaine , Berry Isha , Gittings Lesley , Odong Lukone Simon , Kisubi Nelson , Atama Malon , Kyambadde Peter
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Refugees experience HIV vulnerabilities due to the confluence of displacement, violence and poverty. HIV self-testing, understudied with refugees, is a promising method to increase testing uptake, yet challenges remain with linkages to confirmatory testing following a positive HIV self-test. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of HIV self-testing kits and ‘edutainment’ comics in increasing HIV testing and HIV status knowledge among refugee youth aged 16–24 years in Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement, Uganda.

Methods and analysis

This study will be conducted in Bidi Bidi. We conducted a qualitative formative phase with focus groups (n=40) to generate knowledge of barriers and facilitators of HIV prevention, testing and care among refugee youth (aged 16–24) in Bidi Bidi. These findings were used to create comic scenarios aligning with edutainment approaches to health promotion and inform a four-arm cluster randomised controlled trial in Bidi Bidi using a 2×2 factorial design: (1) HIV self-testing alongside edutainment comics, (2) HIV self-testing alone, (3) edutainment comic alone and (4) standard of care. The target sample size will be 120 youth (30 per arm), who will be enrolled in the trial and followed for 3 months. Data will be collected at baseline and 3 months after enrolment. The primary outcomes (HIV testing frequency, HIV status knowledge) and secondary outcomes (linkage to confirmatory HIV testing, HIV care linkage, HIV self-test kit use, HIV-related stigma, HIV knowledge, safer sex efficacy, condom use, adolescent sexual and reproductive health (SRH) stigma, sexual relationship power, access to SRH services) will be evaluated using descriptive statistics and regression analyses.

Ethics and dissemination

This study was approved by the University of Toronto Research Ethics Board, Mildmay Uganda Research Ethics Committee and the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology. Results will be shared in peer-reviewed publications and community knowledge sharing.

Trial registration number

NCT05213689.
Systematic literature review of adopting eHealth in pharmaceutical care during COVID-19 pandemic: recommendations for strengthening pharmacy services
Authors: Cen Zhi Feng , Tang Pou Kuan , Hu Hao , Cavaco Afonso , Zeng Luoxin , Lei Sut Leng , Ung Carolina Oi Lam
Published: November 2022

Objectives

The study aimed to determine how eHealth was adopted in pharmaceutical care (PC), the outcome reported and the contextual factors.

Design

Systematic literature review in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.

Data sources

Literature was searched in six databases including PubMed, Scopus, Medline, Web of Science, Science Direct and China National Knowledge Infrastructure.

Eligibility criteria

Studies which reported the usage experiences of eHealth in any aspects of PC by pharmacists during the COVID-19 pandemic, written in English or Chinese, and published in peer-reviewed journals between December 2019 and March 2022 were included. Opinion articles, conference abstracts, correspondence, letters and editorials were excluded.

Data extraction and synthesis

The literature search was completed on 15 April 2022. Two researchers independently conducted the literature search and extracted the data into an Excel table informed by the logic model with the key components of goals, input, activities, output and contextual factors.

Results

Forty-three studies were included in this review. During the COVID-19 pandemic, hospital pharmacists, community pharmacists and specialist pharmacists in 17 countries continued to educate, consult, monitor and manage the patients and the general public via phone calls, videoconferences, mobile applications, social media, websites and/or enhanced interoperability of electronic medical records. Assuring the continuity of pharmacy care, reduced need for hospital visits, and improved work accuracy and efficiency were the benefits of eHealth mostly reported. Contextual factors affecting the adoption of eHealth were multifaceted, prompting supporting actions at the levels of government, hospital/pharmacy, pharmacists and patients.

Conclusion

This study revealed the wide adoption of eHealth in PC during the pandemic and the emerging evidence for its importance. Proper adoption of eHealth will help reshape the mode of pharmacy services to ensure continuity, quality and efficiency of care amid the challenges of the pandemic.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42022299812.