bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pengaruh Lama Perawatan Ortodonti Cekat Terhadap Diskolorisasi Gigi pada Mahasiswa Kedokteran Gigi di Makassar
Authors: Utama Mohammad Dharma , Puspitasari Yustisia , Bachtiar Rachmi , Selviani Yusrini , Masriadi Masriadi , Ilmianti Ilmianti , Rusdi Fachira Jamila
Published: April 2021

Pendahuluan: Perawatan ortodonti bertujuan untuk memperbaiki fungsi pengunyahan, estetika, mencegah kerusakan jaringan dan mengembalikan fungsi rongga mulut yang baik. Perawatan ortodonti cekat dapat menyebabkan oral hygiene yang buruk karena menyebabkan akumulasi sisa makananmaupun plak di bawah piranti dan plak dapat meninggalkan warna pada permukaan gigi. Tujuan: Untuk mengetahui pengaruh lama perawatan ortodonti cekat terhadap perubahan warna gigi pada mahasiswa Fakultas Kedokteran Gigi di Makassar, Indonesia. Bahan & Metode: Desain penelitian observasional analitik dengan rancangan Cross sectional study. Sampel penelitian ini adalah mahasiswa kedokteran gigi tahun pertama dan kedua Fakultas Kedokteran Gigi Universitas Muslim Indonesia di Makassar, Indonesia yang menjalani perawatan ortodonti cekat. Sampel dibagi menjadi 2 kelompok yaitu perawatan ortodonti cekat <1 tahun dan > 2 tahun. Foto intraoral diambil dari tampilan frontal, dan garis besar permukaan labial dari semua gigi seri diperbesar menjadi skala (pembesaran × 4). Permukaan labial gigi seri digambar pada sistem grid menggunakan photoshop cc 2020. Hasil: Menunjukkan adanya pengaruh lama perawatan ortodonti cekat dengan diskolorisasi gigi terbanyak terjadi pada lama perawatan >12 bulan dengan diskolorisasi derajat 1. Kesimpulan : Berdasarkan hasil uji statistik Fisher Exact Test nilai P value kurang dari 0,05 artinya bahwa terdapat pengaruh yang signifikan. Hipotesis diterima dan menunjukkan bahwa terdapat pengaruh lama perawatan ortodonti cekat terhadap diskolorisasi gigi pada Mahasiswa Kedokteran Gigi di Makassar, Indonesia.
La Ciutadella as an urban space
Authors: Burch i Rius Josep , Palahí Grimal Lluís , Martínez Martínez Toni , Sagrera Aradilla Jordi , Tremps Michael
Published: April 2021

Carles I va endegar a mitjan segle XVI un projecte de fortificació dels principals punts estratègics del seu imperi i hi va incloure la defensa de la vila de Roses, que era un port estratègicament vital per a la defensa del nord-est peninsular.
El principal objectiu del sistema defensiu de la badia de Roses, que contemplava també la construcció del castell de la Trinitat o altres elements com la construcció d’un castell a les illes Medes, era la defensa del port, usat com a fondejador de la flota militar.
Evolutionary clonal trajectories in nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma with high risk of transformation
Authors: Paschold Lisa , Willscher Edith , Bein Julia , Vornanen Martine , Eichenauer Dennis A. , Simnica Donjete , Thiele Benjamin , Wickenhauser Claudia , Rosenwald Andreas , Bernd Heinz-Wolfram , Klapper Wolfram , Feller Alfred C. , Ott German , Fend Falko , Hartmann Sylvia , Binder Mascha
Published: April 2021

The B-cell architecture of nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL) is complex since it is composed of malignant lymphocyte-predominant cells along with a rich B-cell bystander environment. To gain insight into molecular determinants of disease transformation, we studied B-cell evolutionary trajectories in lymphoma tissue from diagnosis to relapse or transformation to non- Hodgkin lymphoma by next-generation sequencing of immunoglobulin heavy chains. Patients with NLPHL that later transformed were older and showed IgD negativity, absence of the characteristic IGHV3/IGHD3/IGHJ6 lymphocyte-predominant rearrangement and high repertoire clonality. We constructed phylogenetic trees within the compartment of the malignant clone to investigate clonal evolution. In all relapsing cases, the lymphocyte-predominant rearrangement was identical at diagnosis and relapse. NLPHL cases with transformation showed more complex trajectories with strong intraclonal diversification. The dominant founder clone in transformations showed clonal evolution if derived from the same cell of origin, or arose from a different cell of origin. Together, our data point to a significant role of antigenic drive in the transformation of NLHPL and identify high B-cell repertoire clonality with dominant intraclonal lymphocyte-predominant cell diversification as a hallmark of transformation. Sequencing of initial paraffin-embedded tissue may therefore be applied diagnostically to identify NLPHL cases with high risk of transformation.
İspanyol Gazetelerinde Türk Millî Mücadelesi ve Bu Dönemde Yaşanan Gelişmeler
Authors: Gündüz Mehmet
Published: April 2021

XIX. ve XX. yüzyıl hem Osmanlı Devleti hem de İspanya Krallığı için oldukça zorlu geçmiştir. İspanya Osmanlı’dan farklı olarak Birinci Dünya Savaşı’na girmemiştir. Birinci Dünya Savaşı’nı kaybetmesi Osmanlı Devleti’nin fiilen sonunu getirmiştir. Mondros Ateşkes Antlaşması’ndan sonra başlayan işgaller karşısında Anadolu’nun farklı yerlerinde birçok direniş örgütü kurulmuş ve kongreler düzenlenmiştir. Nihayetinde bu dönemde Mustafa Kemal Paşa Anadolu’ya geçmiş, Türkiye Büyük Millet Meclisi (TBMM) kurulmuş ve düşmana karşı büyük bir mücadele verilmiştir. Millî Mücadele sürecinde yaşanan gelişmelerin İspanyol gazetelerine nasıl yansıdığı bu çalışmayla irdelemeye çalışılmıştır. Bu amaçla 1918-1923 yılları arasındaki dönemde İspanya’da yayınlanmış gazeteler incelenmiştir. İspanya Birinci Dünya Savaşı’na katılmadığı için İspanyol gazeteleri de olayları tarafsız bir şekilde inceleme şansı bulmuştur. Bu açıdan İspanyol gazeteleri büyük oranda Millî Mücadele’nin tarafsız şekilde değerlendirilmesi için imkân sunmaktadır. Ayrıca Millî Mücadele’nin İspanyol kamuoyuna nasıl sunulduğu ve İspanyol kamuoyunun bu mücadeleyi nasıl algıladığı bu gazetelerde görülebilmektedir. Müttefik Devletleri ile Osmanlı Devleti arasındaki ilişkiler, Anadolu’da başlayan Millî Mücadele hareketi, Ankara hükûmeti ile İstanbul hükûmeti arasındaki ilişkiler, Ankara hükûmeti ile Müttefik Devletleri arasındaki ilişkiler, İstanbul’un işgali ve Türk-Yunan Mücadelesi bu çalışmada incelenen temel konulardır.
Asymmetric Impact of Oil Price on Inflation in Nigeria
Authors: Bawa Sani , S. Abdullahi Ismaila , Tukur Danlami , I. Barda Sani , J. Adams Yusuf
Published: April 2021

This study examines the impact of oil price shocks on inflation in Nigeria. A NonLinear Autoregressive Distributed Lag (NARDL) approach was applied on quarterly data spanning 1999Q1 to 2018Q4. Results showed that oil price increases led to increase in headline, core and food measures of inflation in Nigeria. However, a decline in oil price resulted in a decline in the marginal cost of production and culminated in moderation of domestic inflation. Furthermore, negative oil price shocks led to higher inflation in Nigeria when exchange rate is dropped from the models, indicating that exchange rate absorbed the impact of oil price declines earlier, as lower oil prices culminated in lower external reserve, depreciation of the naira and ultimately higher inflationary pressures. Also, core inflation tends to respond more to oil price increases than food inflation. These results were robust to changes in econometric specifications and sample period. The study recommends that monetary policy actions of the Central Bank of Nigeria should focus on taming core inflation in periods of substantial oil price increases while strengthening its efforts at ensuring domestic sustainability in food production through its agricultural intervention programmes to further minimize the impact of international oil prices on food inflation. Similarly, the fiscal authorities should ensure that the fiscal stance is not excessively procyclical in periods of rising oil prices.
KAPABILITAS PROSES KINERJA LAYANAN MAL PELAYANAN PUBLIK KOTA BOGOR
Authors: Ratnaningsih Dewi Juliah , Lestari Liah
Published: April 2021

Public Service Mall (PSM) Grha Tiyasain Bogor City is one place that provides services to the public in terms of services. As a public service, Grha Tiyasa should measure whether the services offered to meet consumer expectations. The purpose of writing this paper is to analyze the capability of the process of issuing licensing services and consumer perceptions of services provided by PSMGrha Tiyasa. The process capability analysis criteria used are Pp and Ppk because the data is non-normal distribution. Analysis using Minitab 16.0. The results of the study show that the capability of the service process at the time of issuance of permits has a value of Pp = 1 and Ppk = 0.49. This value indicates that the process capability is excellent. The capability of the process of perception or assessment of consumers of services is quite good. This fact is indicated by the value of Pp = 5.52 and Ppk = 1.70.

Mall Pelayanan Publik (MPP) Grha Tiyasadi Kota Bogor merupakan salah satu tempat yang memberikan pelayanan kepada masyarakat. Sebagai  pelayan publik, Grha Tiyasa harus mengukur apakah layanan yang ditawarkan memenuhi harapan konsumen. Tujuan penulisan makalah ini adalah untuk menganalisis kapabilitas proses pemberian layanan perizinan dan persepsi konsumen terhadap layanan yang diberikan oleh MPP Grha Tiyasa. Kriteria analisis kapabilitas proses yang digunakan adalah Pp dan Ppk karena data tidak berdistribusi normal. Analisis menggunakan Minitab 16.0. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa kapabilitas proses pelayanan pada saat izin diterbitkan memiliki nilai Pp = 1 dan Ppk = 0,49. Nilai ini menunjukkan bahwa kapabilitas proses sangat baik. Kemampuan proses persepsi atau penilaian konsumen terhadap jasa cukup baik. Fakta ini ditunjukkan dengan nilai Pp = 5,52 dan Ppk = 1,70.
Non-specific Lipid Transfer Proteins in Legumes and Their Participation During Root-Nodule Symbiosis
Authors: Fonseca-García Citlali , Solis-Miranda Jorge , Pacheco Ronal , Quinto Carmen
Published: April 2021

Non-specific lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) constitute a large protein family in plants characterized by having a tunnel-like hydrophobic cavity, which allows them to transfer different lipid molecules. LTPs have been studied in various model plants including those of agronomic interest. Recent studies have demonstrated that LTPs play key functions in both biotic and abiotic stress. In plants-pathogen interaction, they act as either positive or negative regulators of defense responses. However, little is known about the roles of LTPs in symbiotic interactions, especially in root nodule symbiosis. Here, we performed a broad genome analysis of LTP family members in legumes and other important model plants, focusing on their possible roles in legume-rhizobium symbiosis. In silico analysis showed that legumes contain large LTP families, with at least 70 LTP members clustered into four clades. Although the structures of LTP genes and proteins are conserved among species, differences were observed between clades from different species. LTPs are widely expressed in different plant tissues. In general, genes of the LTP1 and LTP2 classes are highly expressed in shoot and reproductive tissues in all analyzed species. Furthermore, genes of the different classes are also expressed in roots inoculated with rhizobia and nodules of legumes. RT-qPCR expression profile analysis of seven PvLTP genes in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) revealed that these genes are differentially expressed during the early and late stages of nodulation and they are genetically regulated by PvRbohA. These findings provide insight into the putative roles of LTP family members in legume-rhizobium symbiosis and their possible interactions with RBOH-dependent ROS production.
Functional Diversity Facilitates Stability Under Environmental Changes in an Outdoor Microalgal Cultivation System
Authors: Mattsson Lina , Sörenson Eva , Capo Eric , Farnelid Hanna Maria , Hirwa Maurice , Olofsson Martin , Svensson Fredrik , Lindehoff Elin , Legrand Catherine
Published: April 2021

Functionally uniform monocultures have remained the paradigm in microalgal cultivation despite the apparent challenges to avoid invasions by other microorganisms. A mixed microbial consortium approach has the potential to optimize and maintain biomass production despite of seasonal changes and to be more resilient toward contaminations. Here we present a 3-year outdoor production of mixed consortia of locally adapted microalgae and bacteria in cold temperate latitude. Microalgal consortia were cultivated in flat panel photobioreactors using brackish Baltic Sea water and CO2 from a cement factory (Degerhamn, Cementa AB, Heidelberg Cement Group) as a sustainable CO2 source. To evaluate the ability of the microbial consortia to maintain stable biomass production while exposed to seasonal changes in both light and temperature, we tracked changes in the microbial community using molecular methods (16S and 18S rDNA amplicon sequencing) and monitored the biomass production and quality (lipid, protein, and carbohydrate content) over 3 years. Despite changes in environmental conditions, the mixed consortia maintained stable biomass production by alternating between two different predominant green microalgae (Monoraphidium and Mychonastes) with complementary tolerance to temperature. The bacterial population was few taxa co-occured over time and the composition did not have any connection to the shifts in microalgal taxa. We propose that a locally adapted and mixed microalgal consortia, with complementary traits, can be useful for optimizing yield of commercial scale microalgal cultivation.
A New Method for Numerical Integration of Higher-Order Ordinary Differential Equations Without Losing the Periodic Responses
Authors: Katsikadelis John T.
Published: April 2021

A new numerical method is presented for the solution of initial value problems described by systems of N linear ordinary differential equations (ODEs). Using the state-space representation, a differential equation of order n > 1 is transformed into a system of L = n×N first-order equations, thus the numerical method developed recently by Katsikadelis for first-order parabolic differential equations can be applied. The stability condition of the numerical scheme is derived and is investigated using several well-corroborated examples, which demonstrate also its convergence and accuracy. The method is simply implemented. It is accurate and has no numerical damping. The stability does not require symmetrical and positive definite coefficient matrices. This advantage is important because the scheme can find the solution of differential equations resulting from methods in which the space discretization does not result in symmetrical matrices, for example, the boundary element method. It captures the periodic behavior of the solution, where many of the standard numerical methods may fail or are highly inaccurate. The present method also solves equations having variable coefficients as well as non-linear ones. It performs well when motions of long duration are considered, and it can be employed for the integration of stiff differential equations as well as equations exhibiting softening where widely used methods may not be effective. The presented examples demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of the method.
Evaluation of Monocarboxylate Transporter 4 (MCT4) Expression and Its Prognostic Significance in Circulating Tumor Cells From Patients With Early Stage Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Markou Athina , Tzanikou E. , Kallergi G. , Pantazaka E. , Georgoulias V. , Kotsakis A. , Lianidou E.
Published: April 2021

Purpose: Monocarboxylate transporter 4 (MCT4) can influence the amount of lactate in the tumor microenvironment and further control cancer cell proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis. We investigated for the first time the expression of MCT4 in circulating tumor cells (CTCs) derived from early stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer patients (NSCLC) and whether this is associated with clinical outcome.

Experimental Design: A highly sensitive RT-qPCR assay for quantification of MCT4 transcripts was developed and validated and applied to study MCT4 expression in CTC isolated through the Parsortix size-dependent microfluidic device from 53 and 9 peripheral blood (PB) samples of NSCLC patients at baseline (pre-surgery) and at relapse, respectively, as well as the “background noise” was evaluated using peripheral blood samples from 10 healthy donors (HD) in exactly the same way as patients.

Results:MCT4 was differentially expressed between HD and NSCLC patients. Overexpression of MCT4 was detected in 14/53 (26.4%) and 3/9 (33.3%) patients at baseline and at progression disease (PD), respectively. The expression levels of MCT4 was found to increase in CTCs at the time of relapse. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the overexpression of MCT4 was significantly (P = 0.045) associated with progression-free survival (median: 12.5 months, range 5–31 months).

Conclusion:MCT4 overexpression was observed at a high frequency in CTCs from early NSCLC patients supporting its role in metastatic process. MCT4 investigated as clinically relevant tumor biomarker characterizing tumor aggressiveness and its potential value as target for cancer therapy. We are totally convinced that MCT4 overexpression in CTCs merits further evaluation as a non-invasive circulating tumor biomarker in a large and well-defined cohort of patients with NSCLC.
Circular RNA circSIPA1L1 Contributes to Osteosarcoma Progression Through the miR-411-5p/RAB9A Signaling Pathway
Authors: Xu Yining , Yao Teng , Ni Haonan , Zheng Rujie , Huang Kangmao , Huang Yizhen , Gao Jun , Qiao Di , Shen Shuying , Ma Jianjun
Published: April 2021

Recently, various studies have identified circular RNAs (circRNAs) to play a significant role in tumorigenesis, thereby showing potential as novel tumor biomarkers. circSIPA1L1 is a newly discoveredcircular RNA, which is formed by back-splicing of SIPA1L1 and is found increased in osteosarcoma (OS). Nevertheless, the specific functions of circSIPA1L1 in OS remain unknown. In the present study, circSIPA1L1 was obtained from a previously reported circRNA microarray in the GEO database (GSE96964). Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was employed to assess the mRNA level of circSIPA1L1 in OS cell lines and tissue samples. Bioinformatics analysis, luciferase reporter assays, real-time PCR, RNA pull-down assays and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) were employed to verify the binding of circSIPA1L1 with miR-411-5p. Xenograft tumor models were established to identify the role of circSIPA1L1 in vivo. A series of in vitro experiments, such as western blotting, colony formation, transwell assays and anoikis assay were employed to confirm the relationship across circSIPA1L1, miR-411-5p, and RAB9A. Our study confirmed circSIPA1L1 to be upregulated in both human OS samples and OS cell lines. Mechanistically, circSIPA1L1 could serve as a miR-411-5p molecular sponge to increase RAB9A expression, which was confirmed to be a tumor promoter mediating carcinogenesis. Silencing of circSIPA1L1 attenuated the vitality, invasion, migration and proliferation of OS cell lines both in vivo and in vitro. miR-411-5p inhibition or RAB9A overexpression reversed the anti-tumor effects caused by circSIPA1L1 knockdown. Briefly, circSIPA1L1 could function as a driver gene in OS and initiate OS tumorigenesis through the miR-411-5p/RAB9A signaling pathway, which might become a potential therapeutic biomarker for OS treatment.
X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy on Microbial Cell Surfaces: A Forgotten Method for the Characterization of Microorganisms Encapsulated With Surface-Engineered Shells
Authors: Wei Hao , Yang Xiao-Yu , van der Mei Henny C. , Busscher Henk J.
Published: April 2021

Encapsulation of single microbial cells by surface-engineered shells has great potential for the protection of yeasts and bacteria against harsh environmental conditions, such as elevated temperatures, UV light, extreme pH values, and antimicrobials. Encapsulation with functionalized shells can also alter the surface characteristics of cells in a way that can make them more suitable to perform their function in complex environments, including bio-reactors, bio-fuel production, biosensors, and the human body. Surface-engineered shells bear as an advantage above genetically-engineered microorganisms that the protection and functionalization added are temporary and disappear upon microbial growth, ultimately breaking a shell. Therewith, the danger of creating a “super-bug,” resistant to all known antimicrobial measures does not exist for surface-engineered shells. Encapsulating shells around single microorganisms are predominantly characterized by electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, particulate micro-electrophoresis, nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms, and X-ray diffraction. It is amazing that X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) is forgotten as a method to characterize encapsulated yeasts and bacteria. XPS was introduced several decades ago to characterize the elemental composition of microbial cell surfaces. Microbial sample preparation requires freeze-drying which leaves microorganisms intact. Freeze-dried microorganisms form a powder that can be easily pressed in small cups, suitable for insertion in the high vacuum of an XPS machine and obtaining high resolution spectra. Typically, XPS measures carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and phosphorus as the most common elements in microbial cell surfaces. Models exist to transform these compositions into well-known, biochemical cell surface components, including proteins, polysaccharides, chitin, glucan, teichoic acid, peptidoglycan, and hydrocarbon like components. Moreover, elemental surface compositions of many different microbial strains and species in freeze-dried conditions, related with zeta potentials of microbial cells, measured in a hydrated state. Relationships between elemental surface compositions measured using XPS in vacuum with characteristics measured in a hydrated state have been taken as a validation of microbial cell surface XPS. Despite the merits of microbial cell surface XPS, XPS has seldom been applied to characterize the many different types of surface-engineered shells around yeasts and bacteria currently described in the literature. In this review, we aim to advocate the use of XPS as a forgotten method for microbial cell surface characterization, for use on surface-engineered shells encapsulating microorganisms.
Detection of Imatinib Based on Electrochemical Sensor Constructed Using Biosynthesized Graphene-Silver Nanocomposite
Authors: Wu Zhen , Liu Jingjing , Liang Minmin , Zheng Haoyue , Zhu Chuansheng , Wang Yan
Published: April 2021

The establishment of a monitoring technique for imatinib is necessary in clinical and environmental toxicology. Leaf extracts of Lycoris longituba were used as reducing agent for the one-step synthesis of reduced graphene oxide-Ag nanocomposites. This nanocomposite was characterized by TEM, FTIR, XRD, and other instruments. Then, the graphene/Ag nanocomposite was used as a modifier to be cemented on the surface of the glassy carbon electrode. This electrode exhibited excellent electrochemical sensing performance. Under the optimal conditions, the proposed electrode could detect imatinib at 10 nM−0.28 mM with a low limit of detection. This electrochemical sensor also has excellent anti-interference performance and reproducibility.
Fabrication of 2-Inch Free-Standing GaN Substrate on Sapphire With a Combined Buffer Layer by HVPE
Authors: Liu Nanliu , Jiang Yongjing , Xiao Jian , Liang Zhiwen , Wang Qi , Zhang Guoyi
Published: April 2021

Free-standing GaN substrates are urgently needed to fabricate high-power GaN-based devices. In this study, 2-inch free-standing GaN substrates with a thickness of ~250 μm were successfully fabricated on double-polished sapphire substrates, by taking advantage of a combined buffer layer using hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) and the laser lift-off technique. Such combined buffer layer intentionally introduced a thin AlN layer, using a mix of physical and chemical vapor deposition at a relatively low temperature, a 3-dimensional GaN interlayer grown under excess ambient H2, and a coalescent GaN layer. It was found that the cracks in the epitaxial GaN layer could be effectively suppressed due to the large size and orderly orientation of the AlN nucleus caused by pre-annealing treatment. With the addition of a 3D GaN interlayer, the crystal quality of the GaN epitaxial films was further improved. The 250-μm thick GaN film showed an improved crystalline quality. The full width at half-maximums for GaN (002) and GaN (102), respectively dropped from 245 and 412 to 123 and 151 arcsec, relative to those without the 3D GaN interlayer. The underlying mechanisms for the improvement of crystal quality were assessed. This method may provide a practical route for fabricating free-standing GaN substrates at low cost with HVPE.
Identifying Anaerobic Bacteria Using MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry: A Four-Year Experience
Authors: Alcalá Luis , Marín Mercedes , Ruiz Adrián , Quiroga Lidia , Zamora-Cintas Maribel , Fernández-Chico María Antonia , Muñoz Patricia , Rodríguez-Sánchez Belén
Published: April 2021

Because of the special culture requirements of anaerobic bacteria, their low growth-rate and the difficulties to isolate them, MALDI-TOF MS has become a reliable identification tool for these microorganisms due to the little amount of bacteria required and the accuracy of MALDI-TOF MS identifications. In this study, the performance of MALDI-TOF MS for the identification of anaerobic isolates during a 4-year period is described. Biomass from colonies grown on Brucella agar was directly smeared onto the MALDI-TOF target plate and submitted to on-plate protein extraction with 1μl of 100% formic acid. Sequencing analysis of the 16S rRNA gene was used as a reference method for the identification of isolates unreliably or not identified by MALDI-TOF MS. Overall, 95.7% of the isolates were identified to the species level using the updated V6 database vs 93.8% with previous databases lacking some anaerobic species; 68.5% of the total were reliably identified with high-confidence score values (≥2.0) and 95.0% with low-confidence values (score value ≥1.7). Besides, no differences between Gram-positive and Gram-negative isolates were detected beyond a slight decrease of correct species assignment for gram positive cocci (94.1% vs 95.7% globally). MALDI-TOF MS has demonstrated its usefulness for the identification of anaerobes, with high correlation with phenotypic and conventional methods. Over the study period, only 2.1% of the isolates could not be reliably identified and required molecular methods for a final identification. Therefore, MALDI-TOF MS provided reliable identification of anaerobic isolates, allowing clinicians to streamline the most appropriate antibiotic therapy and manage patients accordingly.
Review: The Role of Intestinal Dysbiosis in Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Huang Yiying , Liao Jinchi , Liu Xu , Zhong Yunxiao , Cai Xiaodong , Long Ling
Published: April 2021

Several studies have highlighted the roles played by the gut microbiome in central nervous system diseases. Clinical symptoms and neuropathology have suggested that Parkinson’s disease may originate in the gut, which is home to approximately 100 trillion microbes. Alterations in the gastrointestinal microbiota populations may promote the development and progression of Parkinson’s disease. Here, we reviewed existing studies that have explored the role of intestinal dysbiosis in Parkinson’s disease, focusing on the roles of microbiota, their metabolites, and components in inflammation, barrier failure, microglial activation, and α-synuclein pathology. We conclude that there are intestinal dysbiosis in Parkinson’s disease. Intestinal dysbiosis is likely involved in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease through mechanisms that include barrier destruction, inflammation and oxidative stress, decreased dopamine production, and molecular mimicry. Additional studies remain necessary to explore and verify the mechanisms through which dysbiosis may cause or promote Parkinson’s disease. Preclinical studies have shown that gastrointestinal microbial therapy may represent an effective and novel treatment for Parkinson’s disease; however, more studies, especially clinical studies, are necessary to explore the curative effects of microbial therapy in Parkinson’s disease.
Involvement of Leishmania Phosphatases in Parasite Biology and Pathogeny
Authors: Freitas-Mesquita Anita Leocadio , Dos-Santos André Luiz Araújo , Meyer-Fernandes José Roberto
Published: April 2021

In theLeishmanialifecycle, the motile promastigote form is transmitted from the sand fly vector to a mammalian host during a blood meal. Inside vertebrate host macrophages, the parasites can differentiate into the amastigote form and multiply, causing leishmaniasis, one of the most significant neglected tropical diseases.Leishmaniaparasites face different conditions throughout their development inside sand flies. Once in the mammalian host, the parasites have to overcome the microbicide repertoire of the cells of the immune system to successfully establish the infection. In this context, the expression of protein phosphatases is of particular interest. Several members of the serine/threonine-specific protein phosphatase (STP), protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP), and histidine acid phosphatase (HAcP) families have been described in differentLeishmaniaspecies. Although their physiological roles have not been fully elucidated, many studies suggest they have an involvement with parasite biology and pathogeny. Phosphatases play a role in adaptation to nutrient starvation during parasite passage through the sand fly midgut. They are also important to parasite virulence, mainly due to the modulation of host cytokine production and impairment of the microbiocidal potential of macrophages. Furthermore, recent whole-genome expression analyses have shown that different phosphatases are upregulated in metacyclic promastigotes, the infective form of the mammalian host.Leishmaniaphosphatases are also upregulated in drug-resistant strains, probably due to the increase in drug efflux related to the activation of ABC transporters. Throughout this review, we will describe the physiological roles that have been attributed toLeishmaniaendogenous phosphatases, including their involvement in the adaptation, survival, and proliferation of the parasites inside their hosts.
Rodent Models for the Study of Soil-Transmitted Helminths: A Proteomics Approach
Authors: Montaño Karen J. , Cuéllar Carmen , Sotillo Javier
Published: April 2021

Soil-transmitted helminths (STH) affect hundreds of millions worldwide and are some of the most important neglected tropical diseases in terms of morbidity. Due to the difficulty in studying STH human infections, rodent models have become increasingly used, mainly because of their similarities in life cycle. Ascaris suum and Trichuris muris have been proven appropriate and low maintenance models for the study of ascariasis and trichuriasis. In the case of hookworms, despite most of the murine models do not fully reproduce the life cycle of Necator americanus, their proteomic similarity makes them highly suitable for the development of novel vaccine candidates and for the study of hookworm biological features. Furthermore, these models have been helpful in elucidating some basic aspects of our immune system, and are currently being used by numerous researchers to develop novel molecules with immunomodulatory proteins. Herein we review the similarities in the proteomic composition between Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, Heligmosomoides polygyrus bakeri and Trichuris muris and their respective human counterpart with a focus on the vaccine candidates and immunomodulatory proteins being currently studied.
Trichosporon asahii and Trichosporon inkin Biofilms Produce Antifungal-Tolerant Persister Cells
Authors: Cordeiro Rossana de Aguiar , Aguiar Ana Luiza Ribeiro , da Silva Bruno Nascimento , Pereira Lívia Maria Galdino , Portela Fernando Victor Monteiro , de Camargo Zoilo Pires , de Lima-Neto Reginaldo Gonçalves , Castelo-Branco Débora de Souza Collares Maia , Rocha Marcos Fábio Gadelha , Sidrim José Júlio Costa
Published: April 2021

Persister cells are metabolically inactive dormant cells that lie within microbial biofilms. They are phenotypic variants highly tolerant to antimicrobials and, therefore, associated with recalcitrant infections. In the present study, we investigated ifTrichosporon asahiiandT. inkinare able to produce persister cells.Trichosporonspp. are ubiquitous fungi, commonly found as commensals of the human skin and gut microbiota, and have been increasingly reported as agents of fungemia in immunocompromised patients. Biofilms derived from clinical strains ofT asahii(n=5) andT. inkin(n=7) were formed in flat-bottomed microtiter plates and incubated at 35°C for 48 h, treated with 100 μg/ml amphotericin B (AMB) and incubated at 35°C for additional 24 h. Biofilms were scraped from the wells and persister cells were assayed for susceptibility to AMB. Additionally, we investigated if these persister cells were able to generate new biofilms and studied their ultrastructure and AMB susceptibility. Persister cells were detected in bothT asahiiandT. inkinbiofilms and showed tolerance to high doses of AMB (up to 256 times higher than the minimum inhibitory concentration). Persister cells were able to generate biofilms, however they presented reduced biomass and metabolic activity, and reduced tolerance to AMB, in comparison to biofilm growth control. The present study describes the occurrence of persister cells inTrichosporonspp. and suggests their role in the reduced AMB susceptibility ofT.asahiiandT. inkinbiofilms.
Water Table Fluctuation in Peatlands Facilitates Fungal Proliferation, Impedes Sphagnum Growth and Accelerates Decomposition
Authors: Kim Jinhyun , Rochefort Line , Hogue-Hugron Sandrine , Alqulaiti Zuhair , Dunn Christian , Pouliot Remy , Jones Timothy G. , Freeman Chris , Kang Hojeong
Published: April 2021

Northern peatlands are substantial carbon sinks because organic matter in peat is highly stable due to the low rate of decomposition. Waterlogged anaerobic conditions induce accumulation of Sphagnum-derived phenolic compounds that inhibit peat organic matter decomposition, a mechanism referred to as the “enzymic latch”. Recent studies have predicted that the water table in northern peatlands may become unstable. We observed that such unstable water table levels can impede the development of Sphagnum mosses. In this study, we determined the effects of low and high frequency water table fluctuation regimes on Sphagnum growth and peat organic matter decomposition, by conducting a year-long mesocosm experiment. In addition, we conducted a molecular analysis to examine changes in abundance of fungal community which may play a key role in the decomposition of organic matter in peatlands. We found that rapid water table fluctuation inhibited the growth of Sphagnum due to fungal infection but stimulated decomposition of organic matter that may dramatically destabilize peatland carbon storage. Increased pH, induced by the fluctuation, may contribute to the enhanced activity of hydrolases in peat. We demonstrated that the water table fluctuation in peatlands impeded Sphagnum growth and accelerates decomposition due to fungal proliferation. Thus, we suggested that understanding the microbial community in the northern peatlands is essential for elucidating the possible changes in carbon cycle of peatland under the changing world.
Delineation of Upper Crustal Structure Beneath the Island of Lombok, Indonesia, Using Ambient Seismic Noise Tomography
Authors: Sarjan Achmad F. N. , Zulfakriza Zulfakriza , Nugraha Andri D. , Rosalia Shindy , Wei Shengji , Widiyantoro Sri , Cummins Phil R. , Muzli Muzli , Sahara David P. , Puspito Nanang T. , Priyono Awali , Afif Haunan
Published: April 2021

We have successfully conducted the first ambient noise tomography on the island of Lombok, Indonesia using local waveform data observed at 20 temporary stations. Ambient noise tomography was used to delineate the seismic velocity structure in the upper crust. The waveform data were recorded from August 3rd to September 9th, 2018, using short-period and broadband sensors. There are 185 Rayleigh waves retrieved from cross-correlating the vertical components of the seismograms. We used frequency-time analysis (FTAN) to acquire the interstation group velocity from the dispersion curves. Group velocity was obtained for the period range of 1 s to 6 s. The group velocity maps were generated using the subspace inversion method and Fast Marching Method (FMM) to trace ray-paths of the surface waves through a heterogeneous medium. To extract the shear wave velocity (Vs) from the Rayleigh wave group velocity maps, we utilize the Neighborhood Algorithm (NA) method. The 2-D tomographic maps provide good resolution in the center and eastern parts of Lombok. The tomograms show prominent features with a low shear velocity that appears up to 4 km depth beneath Rinjani Volcano, Northern Lombok, and Eastern Lombok. We suggest these low velocity anomalies are associated with Quaternary volcanic products, including the Holocene pyroclastic deposits of Samalas Volcano (the ancient Rinjani Volcano) which erupted in 1257. The northeast of Rinjani Volcano is characterized by higher Vs, and we suggest this may be due to the presence of igneous intrusive rock at depth.
Anisotropic Rock Model-Guided Post-Stack Attribute Analysis With Pore Type and Production Data for a Carbonate Gas Reservoir
Authors: Huang Xuri , Xu Yungui , Li Haoyuan , Zhang Zhiwen , Xu Wei
Published: April 2021

The Moxi area in the Sichuan Basin is dominated by carbonate gas reservoirs, where gas productivity is most strongly influenced by their pore types. Fractured caves are the most favorable pore structure type for reservoir productivity, followed by cave and vuggy pore structures, and interparticle pore structures are the least productive. The spatial discrimination of these three pore types is important for cost-effective development. However, the pore type identification remains difficult owing to poor-quality azimuthal seismic data. A practical approach is to understand the seismic signatures of the different pore types and the related productivities from the post-stack data. In this work, seismic forward modeling is conducted using a constructed theoretical model of Hudson's anisotropic representation, and the pre-stack and post-stack anisotropy signatures are analyzed for different pore types. The rock model is further calibrated using log data, and forward modeling is performed based on the calibrated logs. We propose a new attribute of these signatures: namely, the ratio of the absolute peak and the absolute trough immediately below the peak, which is applied to the three-dimensional seismic data in the Moxi area. In contrast with other conventional attributes, this ratio effectively correlates with pore type, which allows the pore types in wells to be differentiated. This attribute also reasonably correlates with open flow gas rate of the well. The results demonstrate that this attribute from the post-stack data is a promising indicator of pore type and gas productivity and can also be readily mapped spatially for the selection of new drilling locations.
Pathological β-Cell Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Type 2 Diabetes: Current Evidence
Authors: Shrestha Neha , De Franco Elisa , Arvan Peter , Cnop Miriam
Published: April 2021

The notion that in diabetes pancreatic β-cells express endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress markers indicative of increased unfolded protein response (UPR) signaling is no longer in doubt. However, what remains controversial is whether this increase in ER stress response actually contributes importantly to the β-cell failure of type 2 diabetes (akin to ‘terminal UPR’), or whether it represents a coping mechanism that represents the best attempt of β-cells to adapt to changes in metabolic demands as presented by disease progression. Here an intercontinental group of experts review evidence for the role of ER stress in monogenic and type 2 diabetes in an attempt to reconcile these disparate views. Current evidence implies that pancreatic β-cells require a regulated UPR for their development, function and survival, as well as to maintain cellular homeostasis in response to protein misfolding stress. Prolonged ER stress signaling, however, can be detrimental to β-cells, highlighting the importance of “optimal” UPR for ER homeostasis, β-cell function and survival.
Cyclic Cushing’s Syndrome – A Diagnostic Challenge
Authors: Świątkowska-Stodulska Renata , Berlińska Agata , Stefańska Katarzyna , Kłosowski Przemysław , Sworczak Krzysztof
Published: April 2021

Cyclic Cushing’s syndrome (also known as intermittent or periodic) is a disease characterized by periods of transient hypercortisolemia shifting into periods of normo- and/or hypocortisolemia. Diagnosis of cyclic Cushing’s syndrome is based on at least three periods of confirmed hypercortisolemia interspersed by two periods of normocortisolemia. Cyclic Cushing’s syndrome is one of the greatest challenges in modern endocrinology due to its diverse clinical picture, unpredictable duration and frequency of phases, and various etiologies. We discuss a diagnostic algorithm for periodic hypercortisolemia with special regard to hair cortisol analysis and desmopressin stimulation test which both seem to be helpful in finding the correct answer.
Application of Rough Set and Neural Network in Water Energy Utilization
Authors: Wei Minghua , Zheng Zhihong , Bai Xiao , Lin Ji , Taghizadeh-Hesary Farhad
Published: April 2021

In water energy utilization, the damage of fault occurring in the power unit operational process to equipment directly affects the safety of the unit and efficiency of water power conversion and utilization, so fault diagnosis of water power unit equipment is especially important. This work combines a rough set and artificial neural network and uses it in fault diagnosis of hydraulic turbine conversion, puts forward rough set theory based on the tolerance relation and defines similarity relation between samples for the decision-making system whose attribute values are consecutive real numbers, and provides an attribute-reducing algorithm by making use of the condition that approximation classified quality will not change. The diagnostic rate of artificial neural networks based on a rough set is higher than that of the general three-layer back-propagation(BP) neural network, and the training time is also shortened. But, the network topology of an adaptive neural-fuzzy inference system is simpler than that of a neural network based on the rough set, the diagnostic accuracy is also higher, and the training time required under the same error condition is shorter. This algorithm processes consecutive failure data of the hydraulic turbine set, which has avoided data discretization, and this indicates that the algorithm is effective and reliable.
Optimized Energy Storage System Configuration for Voltage Regulation of Distribution Network With PV Access
Authors: Li Qiang , Zhou Feijie , Guo Fuyin , Fan Fulin , Huang Zhengyong
Published: April 2021

With the large-scale integration of renewable energy such as wind power and PV, it is necessary to maintain the voltage stability of power systems while increasing the use of intermittent renewable energy sources. The rapid development of energy storage technologies permits the deployment of energy storage systems (ESS) for voltage regulation support. This paper develops an ESS optimization method to estimate the optimal capacity and locations of distributed ESS supporting the voltage regulation of a distribution network. The electrical elements of the network integrated with PV and ESS are first modelled to simulate the voltage profile of the network. Then an improved multi-objective particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is employed to minimise a weighted sum of the overall nodal voltage deviation from the nominal level across the network and across the time horizon and the energy capacity of ESS reflecting the associated investment. The improved PSO algorithm adaptively adjusts the inertia weight associated with each particle based on its distance from the best known particle of the population and introduces the cross-mutation operation for a small distance to avoid falling into local optimal solutions. Then the dynamic dense distance arrangement is taken to update the non-inferior solution set and indicate potential global optimal solutions so as to keep the scale and uniformity of the optimal Pareto solution set. To mitigate the impact of decision makers’ preference, the information entropy based technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution is used to select the optimal combination of the ESS access scheme and capacity from the Pareto solution set. The proposed ESS optimization method is tested based on the IEEE 24-bus system with additional imports from high-voltage power supply. The voltage profile of the network simulated without the ESS or with the random or optimized ESS placement is compared to illustrate the effectiveness of the optimized ESS in performing voltage regulation under normal operation and supporting emergency power supply during high-voltage transmission failures.
A Cursory Look at the Fishmeal/Oil Industry From an Ecosystem Perspective
Authors: Shannon Lynne , Waller Lauren
Published: April 2021

By supporting the fishmeal industry, are we competing with marine predators? Should we be taking away food from marine predators to subsidize agriculture? If not for human consumption, should forage fish be left in the sea for predators? Are there more sustainable alternatives to fishmeal; can the fishing industry be part of developing these? These are all pressing questions being posed by marine scientists, particularly in the light of the increasing aquaculture industry and associated increasing demand in recent decades for fishmeal and oil to sustain cultured fish. We concisely summarize the global context of marine sourced fishmeal and then use the South African marine ecosystem as a working example. This article draws on research into the trophic role of forage fish in marine ecosystems and ponders whether a reduced demand for fishmeal, given increasing global pressures such as climate change, could benefit marine ecosystems, fisheries on predatory species, and vulnerable marine predators.