bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using local micro-biota to extract biodegradable plastics from food waste through a natural fermentation process
Authors: Tsegay Merhawi K. , Sukhenko L. T.
Published: November 2021

The main problems of mankind in recent decades are the accumulation of various industrial, agricultural, and food production wastes. Their ineffective disposal and management practices have a detrimental effect on human health and cause environmental pollution, which requires urgent action. Food waste has become a complex phenomenon lately, attracting the attention of scientists, consumers, and activists. This study aims to apply the biotechnology of converting food waste into crystals of polylactic acid (PLA), a monomer for biodegradable plastic. A food waste sample is taken from the student canteen; wash, to remove impurities and fermentation of carbohydrate waste by autotrophic lactic acid bacteria in a natural process for about seven days in the optimal temperature range. Finally, lactic acid molecules polymerized by condensation reaction to form poly L-lactic acid (PLA) crystals, and then a biodegradable bioplastic.
Monitoring the state and prospects of development of the industrial market segment and the production sector of the national economy
Authors: Krivenko E. I.
Published: November 2021

The production sectors and markets of the dairy and grape-wine sectors are of great strategic importance not only for the sustainable and balanced functioning of the entire consumer segment, but also for ensuring the food and national security of our country at the proper level. At the beginning of the study, an analysis of the development of domestic dairy production in historical retrospect was carried out. Further, a multifactorial assessment of the main problems and risk situations inherent in modern dairy production was carried out. In particular, it was found that today one of the key constraining factors for the sustainable development of dairy cattle breeding in the Russian Federation is the lack of a clear organization and effective work in the field of reproductive and breeding farming. They also identified internal reasons that hinder the development of domestic dairy farming and identified strategic directions in the context of the organization of high-tech enterprises in the field of dairy cattle breeding. Further, the assessment of the milk and dairy products market itself was carried out (the dynamics of production and consumption, the balance of imports and exports, the level of self-sufficiency, prices, main producers, the structure of production by categories of farms). In addition, the issue related to the loss of milk in the areas of production and consumption was worked out. The key factors that will influence the development of the domestic industry market in the short term are identified. The assessment of the world market of milk and dairy products (production volumes, consumption, market leaders, strategic goals, tasks and development scenarios in the long term) was carried out. The monitoring of the grape and wine sector included the following estimated parameters (the volume of grape harvest, the area of vineyard planting, sales of wine products, the main problems and factors constraining sustainable development). In particular, special attention was paid to the problem of illegal use of imported wine material. In conclusion, a set of state initiative solutions was proposed in order to give a stable trend to the development of the domestic wine industry.
Discrete Double Hilbert Exponential Sums Along Polynomials
Authors: Song HoYoung
Published: November 2021

Discrete Double Hilbert Exponential sums along polynomials. This is preprint version (not peer reviewed) And we now check the proof of (ii) of Lemma 3.2 whether it is really true.
Pediatric Back Pain Associated with Bertolotti Syndrome
Authors: Dhanjani Suraj , Altaleb Mohammad , Margalit Adam , Puvanesarajah Varun , Jain Amit
Published: November 2021

Case:

Three pediatric patients with back pain associated with Bertolotti syndrome are presented. After failing conservative management, 1 patient underwent mega-apophysis resection, another underwent resection with decompression, and the final underwent posterior fusion. All patients had complete resolution of back pain and returned to full activity at final follow-up.

Conclusion:

Lumbosacral transitional vertebrae are congenital anomalies spanning a spectrum from partial/complete L5 sacralization to partial/complete S1 lumbarization with varying clinical presentations. Identification of variable anatomy and symptoms guides surgical management. We present 3 cases with differing surgical techniques including pseudoarticulation resection, arthrodesis of the involved levels, and neuroforaminal decompression.
The dynamic chirality flips of Skyrmion bubbles
Authors: Yao Yuan , Ding Bei , Liang Jinjing , Li Hang , Shen Xi , Yu Richeng , Wang Wenhong
Published: November 2021

Magnetic skyrmion, a topological magnetic domain with complex non-coplanar spin texture, appears a disk-like structure in two dimensions. Exploring three-dimensional spin texture and related chirality switching has drawn enormous interests from the perspective of fundamental research. Here, the three-dimensional magnetic moment of the skyrmion bubbles in centrosymmetric Mn-Ni-Ga were reconstructed with the vector field tomography approach via Lorentz transmission electron microscopy. The type of the bubbles was determined from investigating the magnetic vectors in entire space. We found that the bubbles switched their chirality easily but still keep the polarity to remain the singularity of the bubbles within the material. Our results offer valuable insights into the fundamental mechanisms underlying the spin chirality flips dynamics of skyrmion bubbles.
Whole-Genome Sequencing on 220 Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) Accessions Identified Loci Associated with Fall Dormancy
Authors: Zhang Fan , Kang Junmei , Long Ruicai , Li Mingna , Sun Yan , He Fei , Jiang Xueqian , Yang Changfu , Yang Xijiang , Kong Jie , Wang Zhen , Zhang Zhiwu , Yang Qingchuan
Published: November 2021

Fall dormancy (FD) is one of the most important traits of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) for cultivar selection to overcome winter damage. Regrowth plant height following autumn clipping is an indirect way to evaluate FD. Although transcriptomics, proteomics analysis, and QTL mapping have revealed some important genes correlated with FD, the genetic architecture of this trait is still unclear. There are no applicable genes or markers for selection, which hinders progress in the genetic research and molecular breeding for the trait. We conducted whole-genome sequencing (WGS) on 220 alfalfa accessions at 10x depth. Among the 875,023 SNPs, seven of them were associated with FD using genome-wide association study (GWAS). One SNP located on chromosome 6 is in linkage disequilibrium with dehydration-responsive element-binding protein 1C (DREB1C). Furthermore, seven DREB genes are clustered in this region, one of which has previously been shown to enhance freezing tolerance in the model plant Medicago truncatula. The candidate genes uncovered by our research will benefit the transgenic and CRISPR-Cas9 research of FD in alfalfa. This gene will also be useful for marker development and assisted selection of FD for alfalfa.
Responses of Alpine Grassland Plant Functional Groups To Environmental Changes In The Altunshan At North Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
Authors: Zhang Ailin , Wu Shixin , Zeng Fanjiang , Jiang Yong , Wang Ruzhen , Li Li , Lin Lisha , Li Xiangyi
Published: November 2021

Purpose: In grassland ecosystems, plant functional group (PFG) is an important bridge connecting individual plant to community system. Grassland ecosystem is the main ecosystem type on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, so the change of community structure of grassland vegetation.Methods: The Altun Mountains in the northern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau were used as the study area to investigate the PFGs of a high-altitude (> 3700m) grassland in desert areas and their response to temperature and moisture.Results: The main functional groups were forbs and grasses, and the importance values (IV) accounted for more than 50%. Plant species diversity of the community was influenced by the functional groups of legumes IV, and the increase of legumes would promote the increase of plant community diversity. The C, N, P of plant communities were mainly influenced by forbs and grasses, and the relationship between forbs and C, N, P was opposite to that of grasses. There was a positive correlation between forbs and soil TP; a negative correlation between grasses and soil TP; a positive correlation between legumes with soil SOC and TN; and a positive correlation between sedge and soil SOC. However, under the influence of different hydrothermal conditions, forbs and grasses as dominant functional groups had stronger correlation with community and soil nutrients. Conclusions: This indicated that the PFGs with the largest proportion in the community had the greatest influence on the community. This provides a basis for the study of alpine grassland community development and ecosystem function under alpine grassland.
Quantum Tunnelling based Ultra-compact and Energy Efficient Spiking Neuron enables Hardware Liquid State Machine
Authors: Singh Ajay , Saraswat Vivek , Baghini Maryam Shojaei , Ganguly Udayan
Published: November 2021

Low-power and low-area neurons are essential for hardware implementation of large-scale SNNs. Various novel physics based leaky-integrate-and-fire (LIF) neuron architectures have been proposed with low power and area, but are not compatible with CMOS technology to enable brain scale implementation of SNN. In this paper, for the first time, we demonstrate hardware implementation of LSM reservoir using band-to-band-tunnelling (BTBT) based neuron. A low-power thresholding circuit and current-to-voltage converter design are proposed. We further propose a predistortion technique to linearize a nonlinear neuron without any area and power overhead. We establish the equivalence of the proposed neuron with the ideal LIF neuron to demonstrate its versatility. To verify the effect of the proposed neuron, a 36-neuron LSM reservoir is fabricated in GF-45nm PDSOI technology. We achieved 5000x lower energy-per-spike at a similar area, 50x less area at a similar energy-per-spike, and 10x lower standby power at a similar area and energy-per-spike. Such overall performance improvement enables brain scale computing.
De-implementation of Urinary Catheters in Neurosurgical Patients During the Operation and on the Ward: a Mixed-methods Study Protocol
Authors: Nollen Jeanne-Marie , Brunsveld-Reinders Anja H. , Peul Wilco , Furth Wouter van
Published: November 2021

BackgroundIndwelling urinary catheters (IDUCS) are frequently routinely inserted during transsphenoidal pituitary gland tumour surgery or spinal fusion surgery despite literature stating that there are no indications for using IDUCS during or after these surgeries. The aim of the study is to reduce the number of inappropriately inserted IDUCs in during or after transsphenoidal pituitary gland tumour surgery and spinal fusion surgery with an operation time of <4 hours. Methods A pragmatic, before-and-after mixed-methods observational study including medical chart analysis, satisfaction surveys with patients and healthcare professionals and multidisciplinary group interviews to assess the effectiveness of and experiences with various non-invasive de-implementation strategies aimed to decrease the number of inappropriate IDUCS inserted during and after transsphenoidal pituitary gland tumour surgery and spinal fusion surgery in a multicentre context. Discussion This paper presents the study protocol of a multi-centred before and after trial that aims to reduce inappropriate IDUC use after transsphenoidal pituitary gland tumour surgery and spinal fusion surgery, and thereby reducing UTIs, shortening hospital stay and increasing patient comfort. The results can be used to de-implement IDUCs after a broad range of surgeries on several wards.Trial registration The study has been submitted to the Dutch Trial Register (NTR).
Intelligent SMOTE Based Machine learning Classification for Fetal State on Cardiotocography Dataset
Authors: Dutta Pijush , Paul Shobhandeb , Majumder Madhurima
Published: November 2021

A major contributor to under-five mortality is the death of children in the 1st month of life. Intrapartum complications are one of the major causes of perinatal mortality. Fetal cardiotocograph (CTGs) can be used as a monitoring tool to identify high-risk women during labor. The objective of this study was to study the precision of machine learning algorithm techniques on CTG data in identifying high-risk fetuses. CTG data of 2126 pregnant women were obtained from the University of California Irvine Machine Learning Repository. Out of 2126 CTG dataset 78% of them were normal, 14% were suspect, and 8 % had a pathological fetal state. To improve data imbalance SMOTE is applied followed by five different machine learning classification models were trained using CTG data. Sensitivity, precision, and F1 score for each class and overall accuracy of each model were obtained to predict normal, suspect, and pathological fetal states. For the model validity two statistical parameters MCC & kappa (k) are used. SMOTE based all the classification algorithm provides the higher degree of accuracy with minimum value is 96% and RF algorithm had the highest prediction accuracy about 98.01% which is quite satisfactory. Model validation statistical parameters MCC & kappa is maximum achieved by RF about 0.968 & 1 and for SVC is 0.977 & 1 respectively. Finally proposed work also compared with previous state of art techniques.
Gut-Derived Butyrate Suppresses Ocular Surface Inflammation
Authors: Schaefer Laura , Hernandez Humberto , Coats Rosalind A. , Yu Zhiyuan , Pflugfelder Stephen C. , Britton Robert A. , De Paiva Cintia S.
Published: November 2021

Dry eye is a common ocular inflammatory disorder characterized by tear film instability and reduced tear production. There is increasing evidence that homeostasis of the ocular surface is impacted by the intestinal microbiome. We are interested in investigating the potential role of microbially produced small molecules in mediating the interaction between the intestinal microbiota and the ocular surface. One such molecule is butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) produced by certain members of the gut microbiota through fermentation of dietary fiber. Here we show that SCFA transporter Slc5a8 is expressed in vivo in murine conjunctival and corneal epithelium. Pre-treatment of in vitro corneal epithelial cultures or bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) with phenylbutyrate (PBA) reduces lipopolysaccharide-induced pro-inflammatory Tnf expression. Corneal epithelial cultures and BMDCs isolated from Slc5a8 knockout mice are unable to respond to PBA pre-treatment, suggesting that Slc5a8 is required for the protective effect of PBA. Finally, the treatment of mice undergoing desiccating stress with oral tributyrin, a prodrug form of butyrate, reduces inflammation at the ocular surface in vivo, and this effect partially requires Slc5a8. Together these data support our hypothesis that SCFAs produced in the gut participate in the maintenance of ocular surface homeostasis.
Mammalian HEMK1 Methylates Glutamine Residue of the GGQ Motif of Mitochondrial Release Factors
Authors: Fang Qi , Kimura Yusuke , Shimazu Tadahiro , Suzuki Takehiro , Dohmae Naoshi , Iwasaki Shintaro , Shinkai Yoichi
Published: November 2021

Despite limited reports on glutamine methylation, methylated glutamine is found to be highly conserved in a "GGQ" motif in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. In bacteria, glutamine methylation of peptide chain release factors 1/2 (RF1/2) by the enzyme PrmC is essential for translational termination and transcript recycling. Two PrmC homologs, HEMK1 and HEMK2, are found in mammals. In contrast to those of HEMK2, the biochemical properties and biological significance of HEMK1 remain largely unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that HEMK1 is an active methyltransferase for the glutamine residue of the GGQ motif of all four putative mitochondrial release factors (mtRFs)—MTRF1, MTRF1L, MRPL58, and MTRFR. In HEMK1-deficient HeLa cells, GGQ motif glutamine methylation was absent in all the mtRFs. We examined cell growth and mitochondrial properties, but disruption of the HEMK1 gene had no considerable impact on the overall cell growth, mtDNA copy number, and mitochondrial membrane potential. Furthermore, mitochondrial protein synthesis was not affected in HEMK1 KO cells. Our results suggest that HEMK1 mediates the GGQ methylation of all four mtRFs in human cells; however, this specific modification seems mostly dispensable in cell growth and mitochondrial protein homeostasis under standard culture conditions.
Characteristics of IgG4-related Disease Complicated With Allergic Rhinitis or Chronic Rhinosinusitis: A Large Cohort Study in China
Authors: Liu Yanying , Shi Qianyu , Ning Xiaoran , Li Huijuan , Ma Xiangbo , Wang Kunkun , Bian Wenjie , Zhang Yuxin , Li Zhanguo
Published: November 2021

ObjectivePatients of IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) often present nasal symptoms that could be diagnosed as allergic rhinitis (AR) or chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). In this study, demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics of IgG4-RD patients complicated with AR/CRS were investigated.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed 756 IgG4-RD patients who were recruited in five medical centers from 2009 to 2021. We divided 756 IgG4-RD patients into 2 groups: the case group included IgG4-RD patients complicated with AR/CRS, and the control group included IgG4-RD patients without AR/CRS. Results411 patients were diagnosed as AR/CRS among the 756 patients. Patients in the case group showed longer disease duration and interval between symptom onset and diagnosis. Multiple organs involvement(≥3) and allergic disease were more common in the case group. The most frequently involved organs in the case group were lung, salivary gland and lacrimal gland. Patients in the case group had a higher level of serum IgG4, IgE and ESR. High IgE level and complication of allergic disease were risk factors for patients in the case group. In the case group, most patients had nasal manifestations before the diagnosis of IgG4-RD. The median time interval from nasal symptoms appearance to IgG4-RD diagnosis was -120 and -90 months for patients complicated with AR and CRS, respectively.ConclusionThis study revealed the clinical characteristics of IgG4-RD patients complicated with AR/CRS. Our findings may be conducive to determine a new clinical entity of IgG4-RD and suggest underlying association of pathogenesis of IgG4-RD and AR/CRS.
Simulation of Emergency Evacuation from Construction Site of Prefabricated Buildings
Authors: XIAO Mufeng , ZHOU Xihua , PAN Xinxin , WANG Yanan , LI Xianlin , SUN Yashengnan , WANG Yumeng , WANG Jue
Published: November 2021

To ensure the safe construction of prefabricated buildings and improve the efficiency of the safe evacuation of construction personnel after a fire caused by improper operation during construction, this study used the PyroSim software to numerically simulate a fire situation based on the size and volume of a prefabricated building construction site. The variation rules of smoke visibility, CO concentration, and ambient temperature in the construction site of prefabricated buildings were analyzed and the available safe evacuation time was determined. Moreover, the Pathfinder software was used for simulation in combination with the physical attributes of personnel, evacuation speed, and personnel proportions. The time required for safe evacuation was determined and the factors influencing the evacuation time, such as the quantity and location of stacked prefabricated components, machinery, and appliances, and the number of on-site construction personnel, were analyzed. The results reveal that the original layout of the prefabricated building construction site cannot facilitate the safe evacuation of all construction personnel. The bottleneck area for the evacuation of construction personnel is the indoor corridor and evacuation stairway. The quantity and location of stacked items at the construction site greatly influence the evacuation time. When the number of construction personnel on each floor reaches a certain value, restrictions should be imposed. The results obtained by this study can provide the theoretical basis for the rational planning of evacuation routes and construction site management.
Phylogenetic α- and β-Diversities Jointly Reveal Leaf-Litter Ant Community Assembly Mechanisms Along a Tropical Elevational Gradient
Authors: Pérez-Toledo Gibran Renoy , Villalobos Fabricio , Silva Rogerio R. , Moreno Claudia E. , Pie Marcio , Valenzuela-González Jorge. E.
Published: November 2021

Despite the long-standing interest in the organization of ant communities across elevational gradients, few studies have incorporated the evolutionary information to understand the historical processes that underlay such patterns. Through the evaluation of phylogenetic α and β-diversity, we analyzed the structure of leaf-litter ant communities along the Cofre de Perote mountain in Mexico and inferred its putative driving forces. Lowland and some highland sites showed phylogenetic clustering, whereas intermediate elevations and the highest site presented phylogenetic overdispersion. We infer that strong environmental constrains found at the bottom and the top elevations are favoring closely-related species to prevail at those elevations. Conversely, more benign conditions at intermediate elevations suggest interspecific interactions being more important in these environments. Total phylogenetic dissimilarity was driven by the turnover component, indicating that the turnover of ant species along the mountain is actually shifts of lineages adapted to particular locations resembling their ancestral niche. The greater phylogenetic dissimilarity between communities was related to greater temperature distances probably due to narrow thermal tolerances inherit to several ant lineages that evolved in more stable conditions. Our results suggest that the interplay between environmental filtering, interspecific competition and habitat specialization plays an important role in the assembly of leaf-litter ant communities along elevational gradients.
Epigenomic Insight of Lingonberry: Health Promoting Trait Under Micropropagation
Authors: Sikdar Arindam , Sharma Umanath , Barua Rajesh , Igamberdiev Abir U. , Debnath Samir C.
Published: November 2021

Epigenetic variation plays a role in developmental gene regulation and responses to the environment. An efficient interaction of zeatin induced cytosine methylation and secondary compounds has been displayed for the first time in tissue-culture shoots of lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) in vitro, in vivo and its cutting-cultivar Erntedank. Through MSAP assay, we observed highest methylated sites in leaf regenerants (LC1) from all primer combinations (108 bands), with their highest variation in secondary metabolites. We measured that four tissue-culture plants showed higher methylation bands than cutting propagated donor plants (ED) which exhibited 79 bands of methylation, which is comparatively low. On the other hand, we observed the highest total phenolic content in node culture-derived greenhouse grown plants, NC3 but leaf culture-derived greenhouse grown plants, LC1 represented low phenolic content. Our study showed more methylation in micropropagated plants (NC1, NC2, NC3, LC1) than those derived from cutting propagated ED plants, where methylation was not present. On the contrary, we observed higher secondary metabolites in ED plants but comparatively less in micropropagated shoots (NC1, NC2) and plants (NC3, LC1). Our study displayed that higher methylation sites observed in micropropagated plants possessed less amount of secondary metabolites.
Delirium During COVID-19 Pandemic: Were We Over-Reporting an Overlooked Syndrome?
Authors: Alencar Júlio César Garcia , Carvalho Flávia Barreto Garcez , Veiga Alicia Duddy Müller , Stanzani Gabriela Souza , Maia Ian Ward Abdalla , Pera Isabella Hiray , Numakura Guilherme Tetsuo Yokoy , Santos Leticia Ruivo , Silva Thiago Junqueira Avelino , Souza Heraldo Possolo
Published: November 2021

Background
Delirium is an overlooked syndrome in Emergency Departments (ED) around the world. Previous studies demonstrated high incidence of Delirium in elderly patients with COVID-19, however, these studies did not compare Delirium incidences in patients admitted for SARS-CoV-2 infection or sepsis for other etiologies.
Methods
This is an observational study that analyzed elderly patients (> 65 years) from two cohort studies that recruited patients in the ED at Hospital Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, an urban, academic department in São Paulo, Brazil. The first cohort studied patients with sepsis and was conducted between September 30, 2019, and March 17, 2020. The second cohort studied COVID-19 patients between April 8, 2021, and May 28, 2021. Our primary outcome was incidence of delirium at admission in ED, which we defined using the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM). Additional study information was collected from medical records.
Results
We included 141 patients in our final analysis, with a median age of 72 (IQR 68-79) years and a predominance of the male sex (58%). We identified delirium at admission in 31 participants (22%), 20 in septic group and 11 in COVID-19 group (p = 0.70).
Conclusion
This present study does not support that elderly patients with COVID-19 have higher risk for Delirium at admission in Emergency Department when compared to patients hospitalized with sepsis for other etiologies. In spite of sepsis for COVID-19 have had more than 28% mortality, COVID-19 was not associated with higher mortality in elderly than sepsis for other etiologies.
Gliosarcoma with Osteosarcomatous Component: A Case Report and Short Review Illustration
Authors: Chen Yanming , Zhou Sujuan , Zhou Xuelan , Dai Xiaoxiao , Wang Liping , Chen Ping , Zhao Shengbin , Shi Changjun , Xiao Sheng , Dong Jun
Published: November 2021

Background: Gliosarcoma (GS) represents a rare variant of glioblastoma in the central nervous system, characterized by biphasic histopathological features of gliomatous and sarcomatous components. Here, we present an unusual case of GS, which also demonstrated osteosarcomatous component. Case presentations: The patient underwent gross total resection (GTR) of right temporal lobe lesion. Subsequently received external beam radiation therapy with 60 Gy and chemotherapy, postoperatively. The sarcomatous portion of the typical fibrosarcoma pattern mingled with areas of osteoid structure in this 65-year-old feminine case. The molecular pathological analysis demonstrated IDH1/2 wild-type and MGMT promoter island methylated phenotype. Target Enrichment Sequencing (TES) was performed on the gliomatous and sarcomatous components of the tumor tissues. TERT promoter, RB1, NF1, TP53 mutations and copy number variations (CNVs) on chromosome 7, 10q, 11q, 12, 13, 17 and 22 were observed in gliomatous and fibro-sarcomatous mixed tumor tissue; While we found TERT promoter, RB1, TP53 mutations and CNVs on chromosome 2q, 3q, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 22 in osteosarcomatous tumor tissue. Noteworthy, EGFR amplification was not observed in both gliomatous and sarcomatous tumor tissues. Conclusions: In conclusion, integrated with histopathology, molecular pathology, and genomic alteration analysis, we report a case of GS with an extremely rare histopathologic phenotype of osteosarcomatous differentiation, also suffered lung multi-metastases. Additionally, by reviewing the literature, our study of this unusual differentiation of GS into osteosarcoma provides novel insight into the natural history of GS.
Unity Yield of Deterministically Positioned Quantum Dot Single Photon Sources
Authors: Laferriere Patrick , Yeung Edith , Miron Isabelle , Northeast David , Haffouz Sofiane , Lapointe Jean , Korkusinski Marek , Poole Philip , Williams Robin , Dalacu Dan
Published: November 2021

We report on a platform for the production of single photon devices with a fabrication yield of 100%. The sources are based on InAsP quantum dots embedded within position-controlled bottom-up InP nanowires. Using optimized growth conditions, we produce large arrays of structures having highly uniform geometries. Collection efficiencies are as high as 83% and multiphoton emission probabilities as low as 0.6% with the distribution away from optimal values associated with the excitation of other charge complexes and re-excitation processes, respectively, inherent to the above-band excitation employed. Importantly, emission peak lines hapes have Lorentzian profiles indicating that linewidths are not limited by inhomogeneous broadening but rather pure dephasing, likely elastic carrier-phonon scattering due to a high phonon occupation. This work establishes nanowire-based devices as a viable route for the scalable fabrication of efficient single photon sources and provides a valuable resource for hybrid on-chip platforms currently being developed.
Dealing With Pluralism: Managerial Work of CEOs in Italian Public Healthcare Organizations
Authors: Lega Federico , Rotolo Andrea , Sartirana Marco
Published: November 2021

Background: Healthcare organizations are extremely complex, and the work of their CEOs is particularly demanding, especially in the public sector. However, we know little about how healthcare executives’ managerial work unfolds. Drawing from scholarship on pluralistic organizations and managerial work, we answer the questions: what is the content of managerial work of executives in public healthcare? How do CEOs deal with pressures from internal and external stakeholders while maintaining a strategic agenda?Methods: We adopted a mixed method with a survey to measure CEO behaviors, coding CEOs time for four weeks; a questionnaire to understand the strategic dimensions of interactions; interviews of senior CEOs.Results: CEOs in Italian public healthcare devote most of their time to interactions, by and large responding to pressures by internal stakeholders. Although half of this time is perceived as occupied in answering operational requests, this is necessary to nurture relations, create networks and develop alliances and consensus, which are functional in achieving CEOs’ strategic agenda.Conclusions: CEOs in public healthcare must deal with enormous contextual pressures and cannot manage the complexity but are called to manage within the complexity, fostering involvement in decision making, building networks, and establishing alliances. Amidst ambiguity and fragmentation, executives need to find solutions to perform their managerial work without being entrapped by stakeholders’ pressures, thanks to effective stakeholder management as well as delegation.Trial registration: The article does not report the results of a health care intervention on human participants, and material used in the research did not need ethical approval according to Italian law.
Gravel Parameterization Scheme and Verification Using BCC_CSM
Authors: xu yue , Lyu Shihua , Ma Yaomig , Zhang Shaobo , Ma Cuili , Liu Yigang
Published: November 2021

The soil in China contains an abundance of gravels, but it is poorly described in land surface models. To solve this problem, the Beijing Climate Center Atmosphere–Vegetation Interaction Model (BCC_AVIM), which is a land surface model with the gravel parameterization, is coupled to the Beijing Climate Center System Model (BCC_CSM). The simulation ability of BCC_CSM for China using the gravel parameterization is evaluated by comparing the simulation results using original and new schemes with the observed data. The results show that the annual average surface temperature simulated with the new scheme is more consistent with the observation in terms of the spatial distribution, and the simulation results in Southwest China, Northwest China and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are significantly improved, especially in summer. In the perspective of the area-averaged variables, the situation of more precipitation simulated using the original scheme is improved except for summer. The high-level and low-level wind fields simulated by BCC_CSM have a significant improvement in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. In general, this gravel parameterization is more suitable for areas with the high gravel content, and it improves the simulation performance of BCC_CSM in some areas of China.
Diversity of Endophytic Bacteria Associated with Different Cultivars of Medicinal Plant Arctium Lappa L. and Their Potential for Host Plant Growth Promoting
Authors: Liu Jia-Qi , Zhang Chun-Mei , Gong Yuan , Xu Ming-Jie , Xing Ke , Gao Jun , Li Cheng-Guo , Zhang Yu- Qin , Qin Sheng
Published: November 2021

Purpose

Arctium lappa L. is one of the medicinal and food homologous plants in China, which is rich in nutrients and medicinal ingredients. The use of plant growth promoting (PGP) endophytic bacteria is a useful alternative in agricultural production to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers. The aim of this study was to analysis the diversity of endophytic bacteria in different cultivars of A. lappa L. collected from two different geographical locations in China and evaluate PGP traits of the isolates and their potential PGP ability in greenhouse condition.
Methods

Endophytic bacterial community was investigated by culture-dependent and culture-independent methods. Isolates were screened and investigated for multiple PGP traits, and representative strains were inoculated host seedlings to evaluate the growth promoting effect.
Results

A total of 348 endophytic bacteria were obtained and they distributed into four phyla, 30 genera and 73 different species. In addition, high throughput sequencing revealed more abundant bacterial community, including 17 bacterial phyla, and 207 different known genera. A high proportion of PGP traits were detected, including production of indole acetic acid, siderophore, ammonia and phosphate solubilization. Four representative strains with multiple PGP traits of the most prevalent genera were further selected for host inoculation and growth promoting evaluation, and they significantly increase seedlings length, root length and fresh weight.
Conclusion

This study demonstrated that A. lappa L. harbors abundant endophytic bacteria, and plant genotype and geographical origin affect their composition. Moreover, some endophytic bacteria showed good potential for the development of microbial fertilizer in the future.
Reexamining Empathy in Autism: The Role of Empathic Disequilibrium in Autism and Autistic Traits
Authors: Shalev Ido , Warrier Varun , Greenberg David M , Smith Paula , Allison Carrie , Baron-Cohen Simon , Eran Alal , Uzefovsky Florina
Published: November 2021

Background: While many autistics report feelings of excessive empathy, their experience is not reflected by most of the current literature, which typically, but not always, suggests that autism is characterized by intact emotional empathy and reduced cognitive empathy. To try and bridge this gap in empirical findings and with respect to individuals' experiences, we examined a novel conceptualization of empathy termed empathic disequilibrium, i.e., the imbalance between emotional and cognitive empathy. Empathic disequilibrium was previously found to predict autistic traits in non-autistic population, suggesting it is an important empathy measure. Here, we aimed to extend the generalizability of empathic disequilibrium to the autistic population and to provide a better analytical approach to examine this construct.Methods: We analyzed self-reports of empathy and autistic traits in a large cohort (N = 4,914) of autistic and non-autistic individuals. We applied a polynomial regression with response surface analysis to examine empathic disequilibrium and total empathy as predictors of an autism diagnosis and autistic traits. Results: Total empathy and empathic disequilibrium each predicted autism. There was a higher probability for diagnosis in individuals with lower total empathy, but also in individuals with higher emotional relative to cognitive empathy. Linear and non-linear patterns linked empathy, empathic disequilibrium, and autistic traits and diagnosis, with empathic disequilibrium being more prominent in females. Conclusions: Empathic disequilibrium might allow for a more nuanced and sensitive understanding of empathy and its link with autism. This study provides empirical evidence that empathic disequilibrium is at least as informative as empathy for assessing autism, and offers a novel analytical approach for examining the role of empathy at the phenomenological level.
CC-Chemokine Ligand 18, CXC Motif Chemokine 13, and Osteopontin as Biomarkers of Silicosis and Asbestosis: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Wu Na , Xue Changjiang , Fan Yali , Ma Ruimin , Cai Dandan , Ye Qiao
Published: November 2021

Background

Silicosis and asbestosis are progressive pneumoconiosis characterized by interstitial fibrosis exposure to silica dust or asbestos fibres. This study aimed to explore the potential biomarkers for diagnosis of silicosis or asbestosis.
Methods

Plasma concentrations of CC-chemokine ligand 18 (CCL18), CXC motif chemokine 13 (CXCL13), osteopontin (OPN), periostin, and fibulin-3 were compared between silicosis, asbestosis, and healthy controls (HCs). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to monitor the diagnostic sensitivity, and their correlation to disease severity was examined.
Results

Plasma CCL18, CXCL13, and OPN concentrations in both patient groups were high. For silicosis patients, these plasma concentrations were significantly correlated with predicted forced vital capacity (FVC%) and lung diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO SB%). The order of diagnostic accuracy was CCL18, OPN, and CXCL13 in silicosis or asbestosis. Combining CCL18, OPN, and CXCL13 can improve diagnostic accuracy.
Conclusions

CCL18, CXCL13, and OPN are available biomarkers for the diagnosis of silicosis and asbestosis.
Distribution of the Genus Ceratocystiopsis (Ascomycota, Ophiostomatales) on Conifers in Norway, With Description of Four New Species
Authors: Jankowiak Robert , Solheim Halvor , Bilański Piotr , Mukhopadhyay Jigeesha , Hausner Georg
Published: November 2021

The genus Ceartocystiopsis includes ascomycetes fungi belonging to the Ophiostomatales that are not well recognized in the world. Described species so far have been found mainly in association with bark beetles in the Northern Hemisphere. The aims of this study were therefore to survey of distribution of species of Ceratocystiopsis associated with bark beetles infesting Picea abies and Pinus sylvestris in Norway. Adults for 22 different bark beetle species were collected from 13 stands in Norway. During this study, we recovered 126 isolates showing affinities to Ceratocystiopsis representing six species, including two described and four undescribed taxa. The four undescribed taxa collected during this work were characterised based on their morphological characteristics and multi-gene phylogenies. Herein, we describe these new species as Ceratocystiopsis chalcographii sp. nov., Ceratocystiopsis debeeria sp. nov., Ceratocystiopsis norroenii sp. nov. and Ceratocystiopsis troendelagii sp. nov. Ceratocystiopsis norroenii and C. rollhanseniana were the most frequently isolated species although the latter species had a much wider vector range. This study expands our knowledge about the taxonomy and species diversity of Ceratocystiopsis and beetle-fungus relationships.
Eradication of Klebsiella quasipneumoniae by Eudragit-formulated klebicin KvarIa in the intestinal tract of mice
Authors: Karaliute Indre , Ramonaite Rima , Bernatoniene Jurga , Petrikaite Vilma , Misiunas Audrius , Denkovskiene Erna , Razanskiene Ausra , Gleba Yuri , Kupcinskas Juozas , Skieceviciene Jurgita
Published: November 2021

Background

Klebsiella quasipneumoniae is an opportunistic pathogen causing antibiotic-resistant infections of the gastrointestinal tract in many clinical cases. Orally delivered bioactive Klebsiella-specific antimicrobial proteins, klebicins, could be a promising method to eradicate Klebsiella species infecting the gut.
Methods

Mouse infection model wasestablished based on infection of streptomycin treated BALB/C mice with K. quasipneumoniae strain DSM28212. Four study groups were used (3 animals/group) to test the antimicrobial efficacy of orally delivered klebicin KvarIa: vehicle-only group (control, phosphate-buffered saline), and other three groups with bacteria, antibiotic therapy and 100 µg of uncoated Kvarla, 100 µg coated KvarIa, 1000 µg coated-KvarIa. Because of the general sensitivity of bacteriocins to gastroduodenal proteases, Karla doses were coated with Eudragit®, a GMP-certified formulation agent that releases the protein at certain pH. The coating treatment was selected based on measurements of mouse GI tract pH. The quantity of Klebsiella haemolysin gene (khe) in faecal samples of the study animals was used to quantify the presence of Klebsiella.
Results

GI colonization of K. quasipneumoniae was achieved only in the antibiotic-treated mice groups. Significant changes in khe marker quantification were found after the use of Eudragit® S100 formulated klebicin KvarIa, at both doses, with a significant reduction of K. quasipneumoniae colonization compared to the vehicle-only control group.
Conclusions

Mouse GI tract colonization with K. quasipneumoniae can be achieved if natural gut microbiota is suppressed by prior antibiotic treatment. The study demonstrates that GI infection caused by K. quasipneumoniae can be significantly reduced using Eudragit®-protected klebicin KvarIa.
The New Useful High-Resolution Computed Tomography Finding for Diagnosing Fibrotic Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis: “Hexagonal Pattern”: A Single-Center Retrospective Study
Authors: Okabayashi Hiroko , Fukuda Taiki , Iwasawa Tae , Oda Tsuneyuki , Kitamura Hideya , Baba Tomohisa , Takemura Tamiko , Sakagami Takuro , Ogura Takashi
Published: November 2021

Background
Centrilobular nodules, ground-glass opacity (GGO), mosaic attenuation, air trapping, and three-density pattern were reported as high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) findings characteristic of fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP). However, it is often difficult to differentiate fibrotic HP from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). In fibrotic HP, the HRCT sometimes shows tortoiseshell-like interlobular septal thickening that extends from the subpleural lesion to the inner layers. This finding is called “hexagonal pattern,” and this study is focused on the possibility that such finding is useful for differentiating fibrotic HP from IPF.
Methods
This study included patients with multidisciplinary discussion (MDD) diagnosis of fibrotic HP or IPF undergoing surgical lung biopsy between January 2015 and December 2017 in Kanagawa Cardiovascular and Respiratory Center. Two radiologists have evaluated the HRCT findings without clinical and pathological information.
Results
A total of 23 patients were diagnosed with fibrotic HP by MDD and 48 with IPF. Extensive GGO, centrilobular nodules, and hexagonal pattern were more frequent findings in fibrotic HP than in IPF. No significant difference was observed between the two groups in the presence or absence of mosaic attenuation, air trapping, or three-density pattern. In the multivariate logistic regression, the presence of extensive GGO and hexagonal pattern was associated with increased odds ratio of fibrotic HP. The sensitivity and specificity of the diagnosis of fibrotic HP in the presence of the hexagonal pattern were 69.6% and 87.5%, respectively.
Conclusion
Hexagonal pattern is a useful finding for differentiating fibrotic HP from IPF.
Comparative longitudinal variation of total, IgG and IgA anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in recipients of BNT162b2 vaccination
Authors: Salvagno Gian Luca , Henry Brandon M. , Pighi Laura , De Nitto Simone , Gianfilippi Gianluca , Lippi Giuseppe
Published: November 2021

Background: This article aims to summarize the 6-month variation of a vast array of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in recipients of BNT162b2 mRNA-based vaccination.Methods: The study population consisted of 84 baseline SARS-CoV-2 seronegative healthcare employees (median age 45 years, 53.6% females), receiving mRNA-based BNT162b2 vaccination. Blood was collected before the first and second BNT162b2 vaccine doses, as well as 1, 3 and 6 months afterwards. The serum titers of the following anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were assayed: total anti-RBD, anti-spike trimeric IgG, anti-RBD IgG and anti-spike S1 IgA.Results: All antibodies levels peaked 1 month after vaccination, but then displayed a considerable decrease. The median rates of 6-month decline were -95% for IgG anti-SARS-CoV-2 RBD, -85% for IgG anti-SARS-CoV-2 trimeric spike, -73% for IgA anti-SARS-CoV-2 S1 and -56% for total anti-SARS-CoV-2 RBD antibodies, respectively. The median time of seronegativization was estimated at 579 days for total anti-SARS-CoV-2 RBD antibodies, 271 days for IgG anti-SARS-CoV-2 trimeric spike, 264 days for IgG anti-SARS-CoV-2 RBD and 208 days for IgA anti-SARS-CoV-2 S1, respectively. The rate of seropositive subjects declined from 98-100% at the peak to 50-100% after 6 months. The inter-individual variation of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies reduction at 6 months was 3-44% from the peak.Conclusions: The results of this longitudinal serosurvey demonstrate that the titer of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies declined 6 months after BNT162b2 vaccination, with median time of IgG/IgA seronegativization estimated between 7-9 months, thus supporting the opportunity of administering vaccine boosters approximately 6 months after the last dose.
A COVID-19 Mortality Prediction Model for Korean Patients Using Nationwide Korean Disease Control and Prevention Agency Database
Authors: Jee Yongho , Kim Yi-Jun , Oh Jongmin , Kim Young-Ju , Ha Eun-Hee , Jo Inho
Published: November 2021

The experience of the early nationwide COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea had led to an early shortage of medical resources. For efficient resource allocation, accurate prediction for the prognosis or mortality of confirmed patients is essential. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop an accurate model for predicting COVID-19 mortality using epidemiolocal and clinical variables and for identifying high risk group of confirmed patients. Clinical and epidemiolocal variables of 4,049 patients with confirmed COVID-19 between January 20, 2020 and April 30, 2020 collected by Korean Disease Control and Prevention Agency were used. Among 4,049 total confirmed patients, 223 patients were dead while 3,826 patients were released from isolation. Patients who had the following risk factors showed significantly higher risk scores: age over 60 years, male, difficulty breathing, diabetes, cancer, dementia, change of consciousness, and hospitalized in intensive care unit. High accuracy was shown for both the development set (n = 2,467) and the validation set (n = 1,582), with AUC of 0.96 and 0.97, respectively. The prediction model developed in this study based on clinical features and epidemiological factors could be used for screening high risk group of patients and for evidence-based allocation of medical resources.