bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genome Insight and Description of Carotenoids-producing Croceicoccus Gelatinilyticus Sp. Nov., Isolated From the Tidal Flat Sediment
Authors: Pei Tao , Liu Yang , Du Juan , Huang Kun peng , Deng Ming rong , Zhu Honghui
Published: July 2021

A novel Gram-staining-negative and short-rod-shaped bacterial strain designated as 1NDH52T was isolated from tidal flat sediments and characterized by using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The predominant cellular fatty acids of strain 1NDH52T were summed feature 8 (C18:1 ω7c and/or C18:1 ω6c) and C14:0 2-OH; the major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and sphingoglycolipid; the major respiratory quinones were Q-10 and Q-9. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain 1NDH52T belonged to the genus Croceicoccus with high similarities to the close type strains Croceicoccus pelagius Ery9T, Croceicoccus sediminis S2-4-2T and Croceicoccus bisphenolivorans H4T. Phylogenomic analysis indicated that strain 1NDH52T formed an independent branch distinct from the known type strains of this genus. Digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) and average nucleotide identity (ANI) values between strain 1NDH52T and the three type strains above were well below thresholds of 70% DDH and 95-96% ANI for species definition, implying that strain 1NDH52T should represent a novel genospecies. The genomic DNA G + C content was 62.6%. The carotenoids production of the novel strain was determined by the detection of the pigment absorption spectrum and the identification of the complete biosynthetic gene cluster in its genome. Based on the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics, strain 1NDH52T is concluded to represent a novel species of the genus Croceicoccus, for which the name Croceicoccus gelatinilyticus sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain of the species is 1NDH52T (= GDMCC 1.2381T = KCTC 82668T). The description of the genus Croceicoccus has also been emended.
Blocking PSD-93-CX3CL1 Interaction Promotes the Phenotypic Transformation of Microglia During Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: zhang qingxiu , cao xiaowei , yang hui , Liu xiaomei , Lou shiying , kong liping , rong liangqun , shan junjun , xu yun
Published: July 2021

BackgroundPostsynaptic density 93 (PSD-93) plays an important role in ischemic brain injury by mediating neurotoxicity and neuroinflammation. Different photypes of microglia perform an important role in ischemic crerbral injury and repair. Blocking the combination of PSD-93 and CX3C chemokine ligand 1 (CX3CL1) is beneficial in acute ischemic stroke, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. MethodsMiddle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model was established in male C57BL/6 mice. The peptide Tat-CX3CL1 (357-395aa) which disturbing the interaction of PSD-93 and CX3CL1 was used in this study to explore the mechanism of its neuroprotective effect. The production and secretion of cytokines associated with M1 and M2 type of microglia was detected by PCR and ELISA, respectively. Neurologic damage was evaluated by behavior, triphenyl tetrazolium chloride staining, and brain water content. MBP and SMI32 double immunostaining were used to detect white matter injury and double staining for Iba1 and CD68 to assess M1 type microglia polarization. ResultsThe cytokines level of M1 phenotype cytokines was increased at 6 h after stroke and peaked at 24 h after perfusion. However, the cytokines level of M2 phenotype was decreased at 6 h and 24 h following reperfusion. The Tat-CX3CL1 (357-395aa) facilitated microglial polarization from M1 type to M2 type by reducing the production of soluble CX3CL1. Furthermore, ADAM17 inhibitor GW280264x could restrain the polarization of microglia from M1 to M2 via reducing soluble CX3CL1 formation. Moreover, Tat-CX3CL1 (357-395aa) attenuated long-term cognitive deficits and improved white matter integrity. Conclusions﻿Blocking the binding between CX3CL1 and PSD-93 by Tat-CX3CL1 (357-395aa) could facilitate the functional recovery after ischemic stroke by promoting M1 to M2 microglial polarization transformation. Tat-CX3CL1 (357-395aa) may be a potent agent for ischemic stroke treatment.
Procalcitonin to Guide Antibacterial Prescribing in Patients Hospitalised with COVID- 19
Authors: Hughes Stephen , Mughal Nabeela , Moore Luke SP
Published: July 2021

Background: Antibacterial prescribing in patients presenting with COVID-19 remains discordant to rates of bacterial co-infection. Implementing diagnostic tests to exclude bacterial infection may aid reduction in antibacterial prescribing. Method: A retrospective observational analysis was undertaken of all hospitalised patients with COVID-19 across a single-site NHS acute Trust (London, UK) from 01/12/20-28/2/21. Electronic patient records were used to identify patients, clinical data, and outcomes. Procalcitonin (PCT) serum assays, where available on admission, were analysed against electronic prescribing records for antibacterial prescribing to determine relationships with a negative PCT result (<0.25mg/L) and antibacterial course length. Results: Antibacterial agents were initiated on admission in 310/624 (49.7%) of patients presenting with COVID-19. 33/74 (44.5%) patients with a negative PCT on admission had their treatment stopped within 24 hours. 6/49 (12.2%) patients who had antibacterials started but a positive PCT had their treatment stopped. Microbiologically confirmed bacterial infection was low (19/594; 3.2%); no correlation was seen with PCT and culture positivity (p=1). Lower mortality (15.6% vs 31.4%;p=0.049), length of hospital stay (7.9days vs 10.1days;p=0.044), and intensive care unit (ICU) admission (13.9% vs 40.8%;p=0.001) were seen among patients with low PCT. Conclusion: This retrospective analysis of community acquired COVID-19 patients demonstrates the potential role of PCT in excluding bacterial co-infection. A negative PCT on admission correlates with shorter antimicrobial courses, early cessation of therapy and predicts lower frequency of ICU admission. Low PCT may support decision making in cessation of antibacterials at the 48-72 hour review.
Empirical Study on Characteristics of Angled Spoke-Based Wheels on Granular Media
Authors: Lee Kungwook , Ahn Sahoon , Yoo Kwan Yeong , Yoon Dupyo , Seo TaeWon
Published: July 2021

In this study, the optimal shape of angled spoke-based wheels (ASWs) was designed to maximize the driving speed of a mobile robot with ASWs on granular media. As a lightweight search and rescue mobile robot, it is required to have a high driving speed to reach the disaster site quickly. When granular media behave as fluids, slippage occurs, and the mobile robot slows down compared with when the media behave similarly to a solid ground. There are no exact criteria to explain the behavior of granular media. Therefore, the Taguchi method and L9(34) orthogonal array were employed to empirically optimize the shape of the ASW. The design variables evaluated were the motor RPM, width–height proportion of the foot, radius of curvature, and toe angle of the foot. The size of the ocher balls was adopted as the user condition. An orthogonal array and signal–to–noise (S/N) ratio were used to analyze the validity of the design variables. The optimal design variables of the ASW were a motor RPM of 6000, width–height proportion of 3:7, radius of curvature of 1.0×h, and toe angle of 15deg. Verification experiments were performed to evaluate the improved driving speed of the ASW. The angular velocity of the ASW increases by 2.79% for φ1 (mm) and 10.50% for φ6 (mm). Therefore, an optimized ASW design is expected to improve the driving speed of a mobile robot with ASWs.
Intravenous Iron Administered the Day before Total Knee Arthroplasty Improves Postoperative Anemia Recovery
Authors: Kang Min Wook , Jung Ho Jung , Kim Joong Il
Published: July 2021

Background: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) involves significant blood loss, which increases the risk for postoperative anemia and allogenic blood transfusion. Intravenous (IV) iron supplementation protects against postoperative anemia; however, the effectiveness of IV iron, given one day before TKA, on postoperative anemia and transfusion rates is unknown.Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using two consecutive groups of patients who underwent TKA. One group received 500 mg iron isomaltoside intravenously one day before TKA (iron group, n=46), whereas the other group did not (non-iron group, n=46). After propensity score matching, transfusion rate, hemoglobin (Hb) level, ferritin and transferrin saturation, and rate of functional iron deficiency anemia (IDA) were compared at postoperative days (PODs) 2, 4, 6, and 14.Results: Age, sex, body mass index, and the American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status score did not differ between the groups. The iron group had higher Hb levels at POD 14 (p=0.021) and higher ferritin and transferrin saturation at PODs 2, 4, 6, and 14 than the non-iron group. The rate of functional IDA was significantly higher in the non-iron group than in the iron group at PODs 2 (p<0.001), 4 (p<0.001), 6 (p=0.001), and 14 (p=0.002). The rate of transfusion was not different between the groups (p=0.238).Conclusion: IV iron administered one day before TKA improved postoperative anemia recovery, but did not lower the postoperative transfusion rate. Because approximately half of the patients undergoing TKA experience postoperative functional IDA, clinicians should consider IV iron supplementation to improve iron availability.
Evalution of Substitution of Bark With Small Branches of Stereospermum Chelonoides DC and Quantitative Estimation of Lapachol By HPLC
Authors: Meena Ajay Kumar , R. Ilavarasan , Prakash Om , Perumal Ayyam , Singh Ravindra , N. Srikanth , Dhiman K.S.
Published: July 2021

Background: Stereospermum chelonoides DC, also known as padhri, is a medicinal plant that belongs to the Bignoniaceae family and is commonly used in herbal medicine. Natural materials separated from a variety of traditional herbal plants have been claimed to have had a significant impact on the development of numerous lead compounds used in the treatment of health issues in communities all over the world. The plant stem bark and small branches is used in traditional and folklore medicine to treat a variety of ailments. The aim of this study is to assess the pharmacognostic and physicochemical analysis of Stereospermum chelonoides stem bark and small branches. The stem is used for the study of characters; whereas physicochemical parameters such as pH, total ash content, acid insoluble ash, water soluble extractive, alcohol soluble extractive, loss on drying are determined. Results: Preliminary phytochemical studies of ethanolic and aqueous extract of Stereospermum chelonoides DC ascertained the presence of flavonoids, saponins, Coumarins, Alkaloids, Furanoids, phenolic, Quinones, Reducing sugars, Sugars (Carbohydrate), triterpenoids, and tannins. The findings of the present study lay down standards which could be useful to detect the authenticity and for detailed evaluation and investigation of this plant. Lapachol which is indicated in the High Performance Liquid Chromatography, further studies may be conducted on the method validation by High Performance Liquid Chromatography to quantify in formulations, extracts and raw materials for quality control purpose. Conclusion: The stem bark and small branches of this plant useful in the future as it will not have any harmful effect to the plant so its small branches are more important than stem bark in the formulation of drugs which will derive from Stereospermum chelonoides DC.
Worcester Educator Climate Assembly: Promoting Sustainability Leadership through Participation. A Community Approach to Education in Climate Emergency
Authors: Lengthorn Elena , Asbury Megan
Published: July 2021

Our urgent state of “Climate Emergency,” as declared by the UK Government on 1st May 2019, has done little to change our secondary education system or educational leadership. As we collectively begin to move into acceptance of the irreversible nature of a portion of the environmental damage and its long-term consequences, we need to explore the purpose and practice of education and educational leadership in climate emergency. How should we prepare teachers and educators to lead and develop young people in a time of climate crisis and who should be involved in making the decisions? This article reports on the findings of a Green Impact project, an online Educator Climate Assembly that took place on World Environment Day 2021, with West Midlands education stakeholder participants. The following themes are explored: responsibility, process complexity, confidence, sense of scale and communities of practice, with an invitation to readers to adapt this process and use it in their own education settings. Suggested further research includes trialing the process in a range of settings and a longitudinal approach to measuring the impacts.
The Potential and Analysis of ctDNA Sequencing in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Ding Yubo , Yao Jingwei , Huang Jialu , Zhang Minghui , Zhang Yu , Lv Yufan , Xie Zhuoyi , Zuo JianHong
Published: July 2021

Background: The Genome map of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is complex. We used the next generation of targeted sequencing technology to decipher the mutations in patients with liver cancerMethods: The circulating tumor cell DNA (ctDNA) of 10 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (Including 8 cases of primary hepatocellular carcinoma and 2 cases of metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma) were sequenced. We used SAMtools to detect and screen single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and insertion deletion (INDEL) mutations, and ANNOVAR to annotate the structure and function of the detected mutations.Results: Targeted capture and deep sequencing of 560 cancer-related genes in 10 liver cancer ctDNA samples showed 8950 single nucleotide variations (SNVS) mutations and 70 INDELS. The most common mutation gene was PDE4DIP, followed by SYNE1, KMT2C, PKHD1 and FN1. According to the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) guidelines, we authenticated 54 pathogenic and possible pathogenic mutations in 39 genes in exons and splice regions of 10 patients with HCC.Conclusion: Our research provides the gene mutation map of Chinese hepatocarcinoma patients, and enriches the understanding of the pathogenesis of HCC.
Tadalafil Improves Erectile Dysfunction and Quality Of Life in Men with Cirrhosis: A Randomized Placebo Controlled Trial
Authors: Jagdish Rakesh K , Kamaal Ahmed , Shasthry Saggere M , Benjamin Jaya , Maiwall Rakhi , Jindal Ankur , Choudhary Ashok , Rajan Vijayaraghavan , Arora Vinod , Bhardwaj Ankit , Kumar Guresh , Kumar Manoj , Sarin Shiv K
Published: July 2021

Background and Aims: Patients with cirrhosis have high prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED). The aim of this study was to study the efficacy and safety of tadalafil for ED in patients with cirrhosis. Methods: 140 cirrhotic males with ED were randomized into tadalafil 10 mg daily (n = 70) or placebo (n = 70) for 12 weeks. ED was diagnosed if erectile function (EF) domain score was < 25 in International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaire. Primary outcome was proportion of patients having an increase in > 5 points in EF domain of the IIEF. Results: At end of 12 weeks, more patients in tadalafil group achieved > 5 points increase in the EF domain of the IIEF as compared to the placebo group [44(62.9%) vs. 21(30%), P < 0.001]. At the end of 12 weeks, patients receiving tadalafil had significantly more change in scores on the erectile function domain, orgasmic function domain, intercourse satisfaction domain, overall satisfaction domain, erection vaginal penetration rates and successful intercourse; significantly more decline in the GAD-7 and PHQ- 9 scores; significantly more improvement in scores of five of the eight domains of SF-36 (general health perception, vitality score, social functioning, role emotional, and mental health), and the mental component summary rates as compared to placebo. The development of side effects and the changes in HVPG were not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusions: Tadalafil therapy significantly enhanced erectile function, improved anxiety, depression and quality of life, and was well tolerated by cirrhotic men with ED. (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier number: NCT03566914; first posted date: June 25, 2018).
Electroacupuncture Alleviates Functional Dyspepsia by Targeting miR-221-3p to Regulate c-kit/SCF and Raf/Erk Signaling
Authors: Xu Paidi , Zhou Li , Kang Zhaoxia , Fan Jianchao , Pan Xiaoli , Zhang Xiaoming , Li Jia , Cao Yan , Huang Hao , Du Yanjun , Zhang Hongxing
Published: July 2021

Background: Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a gastrointestinal disorder associated with epigastric pain and fullness, with symptoms such as anxiety and depression. Electroacupuncture (EA) has emerged as a potential therapeutic strategy to treat FD via electrical stimulation at specific acupoints of the body and has previously been demonstrated to be effective in promoting gastric motility and attenuating the symptoms of FD. However, the mechanisms underlying the effect of EA remain elusive.Results: Herein, we constructed an in vivo model of FD in rats and performed EA on FD-induced rats. Preliminary bioinformatic analysis through RNA sequencing revealed that differentially expressed microRNAs exist between non-treated and EA-treated rats subjected to EA. Among them, miR-221-3p was associated with the target gene c-kit, the expression of which is closely linked to interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) and gap junction intercellular communication, factors critically implicated in gastrointestinal motility. We further proved that miR-221-3p overexpression aggravated FD, but EA downregulated miR-221-3p to alleviate the symptoms of FD. The mechanisms of action underlying the effect of EA involve an increase in c-kit+ ICCs, upregulation of stem cell factor and connexin 43, and enhanced Raf/Erk signaling.Conclusions: Our findings suggest that EA is an effective method of managing FD by regulating miR-221-3p, the c-kit/stem cell factor axis, and Raf/Erk signaling, reinforcing the strong role of gap junction intercellular communication in gastrointestinal motility.
Galectin-1: a Potential Biomarker Differentiating Between Early Rheumatoid Arthritis and Spondyloarthritis
Authors: Triguero-Martínez Ana , Roy-Vallejo Emilia , Tomero Eva , Montes Nuria , fuente Hortensia de la , Ortíz Ana María , Castañeda Santos , Lamana Amalia , Gonzalez-Alvaro Isidoro
Published: July 2021

Background: Galectin 1 (Gal1) is a lectin highly expressed in immune cells that plays a key immunoregulatory role in autoimmunity and resolution of chronic inflammation. Immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) are a broad group of disorders that share pathogenic mechanisms involving components of acquired and innate immunity. Although IMIDs can develop at onset similar features such as peripheral arthritis, they show differences in their evolution and response to treatments. Therefore, additional diagnostic biomarkers are needed in order to get a better classification of patients with early arthritis, especially those not fulfilling specific classification criteria. In this regard, we have recently described that Gal1 serum levels are increased in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients compared to healthy donors (HD). Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate Gal1 levels in serum and synovial fluid from spondyloarthritis (SpA) patients in comparison with RA patients in order to determine their value as a diagnostic biomarker.Methods: We studied Gal1 levels in serum samples from SpA (n=55) and RA patients (n=52). In addition, 49 HD were studied. We also measured Gal1 synovial fluid levels in RA (n=26), osteoarthritis (OA) (n=26) and peripheral SpA (n=26). In SpA patients, clinical parameters were also collected in order to evaluate their association with Gal1 serum levels. Results: We found that SpA patients showed significantly lower Gal1 serum levels than RA patients and similar levels to the general population. In SpA patients, Gal1 synovial fluid levels were similar to those of OA patients and significantly lower than in RA patients. In addition, we did not find any correlation between Gal1 serum levels and clinical parameters of severity in SpA patients.Conclusions: Our results suggest that Gal1 might be a potential diagnostic biomarker of RA that could allow distinguishing between SpA and RA patients.
A Comparative Study of Machine Learning Techniques for Predicting Sepsis for MIMIC-III Patients
Authors: Zhao Xuze , Qu Bo
Published: July 2021

Background: Sepsis is one of the dominating causes of mortality and morbidity in-hospital especially in intensive care units (ICU) patients. Therefore, a reliable decision-making model for predicting sepsis is of great importance. The purpose of this study was to develop an eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) based model and explore whether it performs better in predicting sepsis from the time of admission in intensive care units (ICU) than other machine learning (ML) methods. Methods: The source data used for model establishment in this study were from a retrospective medical information mart for intensive care (MIMIC) III dataset, restricted to intensive care units (ICUs) patients aged between 18 and 89. Model performance of the XGBoost model was compared to logistic regression (LR), recursive neural network (RNN), and support vector machine (SVM). Then, the performances of the models were evaluated and compared by the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.Results: A total of 6430 MIMIC-III cases are included in this article, in which, 3021 cases have encountered sepsis while 3409 cases have not, respectively. As for the AUC (0.808 (95% CI): 0.767-0.848,DT), 0.802 (95%CI: 0.762-0.842，RNN), 0.790 (95%CI: 0.751-0.830,SVM), 0.775 (95%CI: 0.736-0.813,LR) , results of the models, XGBoost performs best in predicting sepsis.Conclusions: By using the DT algorithm, a more accurate prediction model can be established. Amongst other ML methods, the XGBoost model demonstrated the best ability in detecting the sepsis of the patients in ICU.
Microbiological Properties of Beejamrit, an Ancient Indian Traditional Knowledge, Uncover a Dynamic Plant-Beneficial Microbial Network
Authors: Mukherjee Shibasis , Sain Suchana , Ali Md Nasim , Goswami Rupak , Ravisankar N , Chatterjee Gautam
Published: July 2021

Beejamrit is an ancient organic formulation commonly used as a seed treatment in organic and natural farming in India. This low-cost input is primarily composed of cow dung, cow urine, and forest soil, which is often supplemented with limestone. In organic agriculture, it is a traditional practice among the farming community to incubate the seeds in Beejamrit prepared overnight before sowing in the field. However, a lack of substantial scientific evidence has been a major limitation to promote this farmers' innovative practice. On the other hand, growing data suggests that cow-based formulations are mostly enriched with microbial sources, including several plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria that are capable of synthesizing plant growth regulators. However, the microbiological properties of Beejamrit and their temporal changes over different periods of decomposition are largely unexplored. In this study, we aim to analyze the decomposition rate of Beejamrit over 7-consecutive days of incubation. This study further elucidates the microbial niche and their dynamics in Beejamrit, including the plant-beneficial bacteria. It was observed that the population of plant-beneficial bacteria such as the free-living nitrogen fixers and the phosphate solubilizers proliferates progressively up to 4-days of incubation. Similarly, the indolic compounds, including indole acetic acid, were enriched to the highest concentration in Beejamrit after 4-days of decomposition. Together, our analyses establish that Beejamrit provides a dynamic, microbe-based metabolic network and acts as a plant growth regulator. In conclusion, this study recommends the Beejamrit preparation after 4-days of incubation in the seed treatment and foliar spray to receive its optimum benefits.
Effect of Al3+ Substitution On Magnetic and DC Electrical Resistivity Properties of NiZnCu Nanoferrites
Authors: MURALI N
Published: July 2021

Al substituted Ni0.4Zn0.35Cu0.25Fe2-xAlxO4 (x = 0.00, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20) samples is synthesized using the sol-gel auto-combustion process. X-ray diffraction shows its cubic spinel structure. The lattice constant decreases as the Al3+ content increases. The sizes of the crystallites are also decreasing in the range of 32.15 nm to 22.89 nm. The wavenumbers of tetrahedral and octahedral sites sighted in the FT-IR spectra are similar to that of the precursor. The increment in the Al3+ content increases the DC conductivity. The electrical resistivity decrease with an increase in the temperature, i.e., it has a negative temperature coefficient with resistance similar to semiconductors. VSM results show their isotropic nature forming single domain ferrimagnetic particles. The resultant material is widely significant, as indicated by its result.
Effectiveness of a High Intensive Trauma-focused, Family-based Therapy for Youth Exposed to Family Violence: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.
Authors: Fictorie Valerie , Jonkman Caroline , Visser Margreet , Vandenbosch Marjolein , Steketee Majone , Schuengel Carlo
Published: July 2021

Background: Family violence is a common problem with direct adverse effects on children as well as indirect effects through disruption of parenting and parent-child relationships. The complex interrelationships between family violence, parenting, and relationships make recovery from psychological responses difficult. In more than half of the families referred to mental health care after family violence, the violence continues. Also effect sizes of ‘golden-standard’ treatments are generally lower for complex trauma compared to other forms of trauma. In the treatment of complex trauma, trauma-focused therapies including cognitive restructuring and imaginal exposure are most effective, and intensifying therapy results in faster symptom reduction. Furthermore, there is promising evidence that adding a parental component to individual trauma treatment increases treatment success. In Family-based Intensive Trauma Treatment (FITT) these factors are addressed on an individual and family level in a short period of time to establish long-term effects on the reduction of trauma symptoms and recovery of security in the family. This randomized controlled multicentre study tests if FITT is an effective treatment for concurrent reduction of trauma symptoms of children, improvement of parenting functioning, and increasing emotional and physical security in children, through improvement of parent-child relationships.Methods: The effectiveness of FITT will be tested by a RCT design. 120 adolescents with a history of family violence and PTS symptoms will be randomized to a) an intensive trauma treatment with a parent and systemic component (FITT), b) an intensive trauma treatment without these components (ITT) and c) treatment as usual (TAU, low-frequency trauma treatment with parent therapy and family sessions). Changes in children’s trauma symptoms, child and parent functioning and emotional and physical security in the family will be monitored before, during, after and at 3 months follow-up.Discussion: Comparing these interventions with and without a high intensive frequency and parenting and family components can help to understand if and how these interventions work and can contribute to the ambition to recover from the impact of family violence and restore emotional and physical security for children and young people.Trial registration: Netherlands Trial Register Trial NL8592, Registered 4 May 2020. https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/8592
Performance of Flowable Concrete in Underground Structures
Authors: Sonule Sandip , H.Jayarama
Published: July 2021

Flowable concrete gives special combinations of uniformity, performance and consistency requirements that cannot be possible by traditional normal slump concrete. It is more superior concrete than the traditional concrete with high workability without segregation, bleeding, and is also suitable for use on structures with long distance pumping i.e., more than 120-meter length, for example, in NATM tunnels and cross-passages, and the concrete structure of the station box. Flowable concrete can flow itself without vibration or little bit vibration like surface tamping outer surface of the formwork for achieving a smooth surface finish after de-shuttering. The proportion of the mix is to be used in concrete, it must ensure a balance between deformability and stability. The behavior of concrete can be influenced by the properties of the selected item in the concrete, and the aspect ratio of the mixture. There is a need for the development of a methodology for the design of the flowable concrete mix. The paper presents an experimental procedure for the mix design of flowable concrete for grade M40 and implementation of the same mix at the cast in situ Base slab, Roof slab Rcc walls for underground metro stations, NATM tunnel & cross passages in Mumbai Metro Project, package -UGC-07. The test results for acceptance characteristics of M40 grade flowable concrete such as Slump flow test, compressive strength at the ages of 7, 28, and 56 days determined, and results are included here. Successful production of temperature control flowable concrete from batching plant, transportation, placement procedures, and proper planning of handling and execution of flowable concrete at the site are presented in this article.
Proliferative Effects of Nitrogen Nanobubbles on Fibroblasts
Authors: Heo Hansol , Park Junseon , Lee Jeong Il , Kim Jungho , Park Joong Yull , Kim Jong-Min
Published: July 2021

In recent years, the potential of nanobubbles (NBs) for biological activation has been actively investigated. In this study, we investigated the proliferative effects of nitrogen nanobubbles (N-NBs) on fibroblast cells using cell assays with image analysis and flow cytometry. A high concentration of N-NBs (more than 4 × 108 NBs/mL) was generated in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium (DMEM) using a gas-liquid mixing method. In image analysis, the cells were counted and compared, which showed an 11% improvement in proliferation in the culture medium with N-NBs. In flow cytometry, the decrease in the fluorescence intensity was analyzed, which revealed a 1.5% improvement in proliferation in the culture medium with N-NBs. This study represents the first successful attempt of directly generating quantified NBs in a culture medium for cell culture. The findings suggest that the N-NBs in the culture medium can facilitate cell proliferation.
Continuous Separation of Model Proteins by Free-Flow Field Step Electrophoresis and its Electrokinetic Basis
Authors: Nath Sunil
Published: July 2021

Continuous separation of cells, cell membranes, and proteins by electrophoretic techniques such as free-flow zone electrophoresis (FFZE) has a rich history since its introduction sixty years ago by Hannig. However, the results of FFZE, capillary zone electrophoresis, and other similar electrophoretic techniques are limited to analytical scale separations that are not readily extendable to the preparative scale. Moreover, a five- to ten-fold dilution of samples by buffer is common in separations by these techniques. Free-flow field step electrophoresis (FFFSE) is an electrophoretic technique that appears to be suitable for continuous simultaneous preparative separation and concentration and therefore has the power to overcome the above limitations. Here we apply FFFSE to a simple system of model proteins to show proof-of-concept of the technique. A continuous, preparative-scale separation of myoglobin from BSA with a throughput of 20 mg/h and a yield of >98% is shown to be successfully obtained using single-step FFFSE. Most important, it is shown that the preparative FFFSE experiment can be rationally designed, and the results predicted theoretically by use of electrokinetic data recorded in a simple analytical-scale FFZE experiment. This is the first paper to present a theory of separation in FFFSE. The separation is continuous , single-step , and environmental-friendly as no adjuvants are used, with no need for regeneration of components. The electrokinetic basis of the separation appears to be of a general nature. In further research we are testing the limits of the technique, by exploring its extension to more complex systems, and to higher preparative-scale throughputs.
Sol-Gel Synthesis of Soda Lime Silica-Based Bioceramics Using Waste as Renewable Sources
Authors: Srin Palakurthy , Azeem P. Abdul , Reddy K. Venugopal
Published: July 2021

The purpose of the work is to prepare and assess soda lime silica-based (SiO2-CaO-Na2O) bioactive ceramics using waste as renewable sources. Thus we produced a SiO2-CaO-Na2O-based bioactive ceramic by sol-gel process using rice husk and eggshells as sources of silica and calcium oxide, respectively. The precursors such as calcinated eggshell powder, rice husk ash (RHA) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) were processed by the sol-gel method, resultant in SiO2-CaO-Na2O-based bioactive ceramics. The gel derived sintered sample showed combeite high (Na6Ca3Si6O18) as a major crystalline phase. Subsequently, the sintered specimens were analyzed from the physical and structural point of view, and in terms of apatite mineralization rate in simulated environments and cytocompatibility in relative to human osteoblast-like cells. The studies showed that the produced crystalline SiO2-CaO-Na2O-based ceramics showed an average porosity of 45%. In vitro evaluation of the biological properties revealed that the prepared ceramics possesses the mineralization of carbonated hydroxyapatite (CHA) in a simulated environment with good cytocompatibility and controlled degradation rate. Therefore, the results obtained suggest that the prepared SiO2-CaO-Na2O-based bioactive ceramics using waste as renewable sources might be a low cost ceramics for applications in biomedical field.
Activated Carbon Loaded Ti3+ Self-Doped TiO2 Composite Material Was Prepared By Microwave Method and Degradation of Rhodamine B Under UV-Light
Authors: Xu Yingjie , Zhang Qi , Jiang Guiyu , Xia Hongying , Cai Wuchen , Yan Hen
Published: July 2021

In this work, the AC loaded Ti3+ self-doped TiO2 composite material was synthesized by the microwave method. Through XRD, XPS, SEM, RT-IR, UV-vis and other characterization methods to analyze the crystallinity, valence, morphology and other properties of the composite material. There is a synergistic effect between AC and TiO2, C—O—Ti and O—Ti—C bonds are formed between them. And promote the formation of anatase, make TiO2 form a mixed crystal form, and improve the efficiency of electron-hole separation. The doping of Ti3+ produces the Jahn-Teller effect, which reduces the band gap energy of the composite material to 2.2~2.4eV. The adsorption-catalysis experiment showed that the TiO2/Ti3+/AC composite prepared under microwave conditions has a removal rate of more than 96% for Rh-B, and the removal rate of pure TiO2/Ti3+ is only 50.44%. In addition, the effects of different preparation methods on the removal rate of Rh-B were compared. And it was found that the maximum removal rate of composite materials prepared under conventional conditions was 90.58%, which was significantly lower than the efficiency under microwave conditions. At the same time, the change in the adsorption capacity of AC was explored, and it was found that the saturated adsorption capacity of the 283K composite material was 161.67mg/g. When the temperature was 323K, the maximum adsorption capacity was 250.93mg/g, and the pure AC was only 115.47mg/g. Therefore, the composite material prepared by the microwave method can be regarded as an efficient and economical material for wastewater treatment.
Microbial Production and Characterization of 3, 4-dihydroxy-L Phenylalanine Mediated an Extracellular Heterogenic Eumelanin Pigment From Marine Actinomycetes Prauserella Sp. MAPPL 017A
Authors: Palani Perumal , Shree Chinnadurai Gandhi
Published: July 2021

Melanin is one of the natural biological pigment and it is derived from the enzyme tyrosinase by the oxidation of an amino acid tyrosine. The enzyme tyrosinase [EC 1.14.18.1] is a type-3 copper protein family found large amount in microorganisms and human beings involved in the biosynthesis of melanin and other polyphenolic compounds. Melanin plays an important role in all living creatures such as photo protectants against UV radiation, antioxidant, metal adsorption, electrical conductivity, camouflage, anti-aging properties, virulence and fungal pathogenesis. The above properties of melanin can be used in various application purposes which make the melanin expensive and great demand in the industry. To overcome the above situation, there is a necessity to find out the new biological sources for the maximum production of melanin. Numerous reports are available on fungal and bacterial melanin but only a few of them from actinomycetes. Based on the above view, the present investigation was aimed to purify the DOPA melanin from the novel marine actinomycetes Prauserella sp. (MAPPL 017A). Purified melanin was characterized using several state-of-the-art techniques and it’s showed the broadband absorbance, presence of carboxylic and indolic groups, high amount of carbon, nitrogen and low level of sulfur, presence of other metal ions such as calcium, sodium and magnesium with efficient thermal properties.
One Pot Green Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles as a Selective Sensor for Hg2+ Ions.
Authors: Abbasi Nasir Mahmood , Nasim Najma , Khan Sana , Ahmad Farid , Hameed Usman
Published: July 2021

The domains of science and technology, especially environmental protection, have brought a lot of change in nanotechnology. In the modern period, the growth of animals and plants with enough quantities is fundamentally obligatory by heavy metal ions (M+), such as Cr3+, Zn2+, Ní2+, Cu2+ and Hg2+.. However, because of their presence in both human and animal food webs, these metal ions are toxic to living things at relatively high concentrations. The ecologically friendly green approach was utilized to synthesis starch functionalized silver nanoparticles (St-Ag NPs) using water as a solvent, starch as a stabilizing agent, and glucose as a reducing agent. KOH has been used as an activator for glucose activation. The influence of diverse solutions such as AgNO3, starch, glucose, and KOH on the production of St-AgNPs was investigated. To see how these substances affect the production of St-Ag NPs, different controlled reactions were carried out in the absence of starch, glucose, and KOH. Starch, glucose, and KOH are discovered to play important roles in the synthesis of AgNPs. UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used for the characterization of St-Ag NPs. These starch functionalized AgNPs were used for the detection of heavy metals at 25℃. It is found during the screening process only Hg2+ showed clear changes in the color and absorption intensity of AgNPs which may be due to redox reaction that can occur between Ag0 and Hg2+. On the other hand, the color and absorption intensity of nanoparticles remain unchanged in the presence of all the other tested metals ion. The presence of other metal ions was also tested in the system. The proposed method has strong selectivity and sensitivity to Hg2+ ions. Using UV-visible spectrophotometry, the method produced had a detection limit of 1ppm. The proposed method for detecting Hg2+ in tap water samples was found to be successful..
The Response of Hypericum Perfpratum L. to the Application of Selenium and Nano-selenium
Authors: Mahmonir Rezaei Nazari , Abdossi Vahid , Fariba Zamani Hargalani , Larijani Kambiz
Published: July 2021

Background: In terms of medicinal and therapeutic properties, H. perforatum is the important species. However, Selenium has been applied as an alleviation strategy subjected to producing essential oils and biomass.Method: For this study, a randomized complete block design with three replications was used so that each experimental unit comprised of 30 number 8 pots. The treatments included the foliar application of selenium (6, 8, 10, and 12 mg/l), nano-selenium (6, 8, 10, and 12 mg/l), and control (distilled water), applied at the rosette stage and harvesting at 50% flowering stage.Results: The results of the analysis of variance showed that the effect of selenium and nano selenium fertilizers was significant (p<0.01) on plant height, inflorescence length, number of inflorescences, inflorescence weight, shoot weight, root length, the total weight of biomass, essential oil percentage, the content of hypericin and hyperforin, the selenium accumulation in the plant, relative leaf water content, the content of chlorophylls a, b, and total, the content of phenol, the content of proline, production and accumulation of catalase, peroxidase, malondialdehyde, and DPPH enzymes. The highest inflorescence weight (21 g/plant), shoot weight (70 g/plant), and essential oil content (0.14%) were obtained from the control treatment. The highest accumulation of hypericin (3.8 mg/g dry matter) was obtained from the foliar application of 8 mg/l selenium. The maximum accumulation of hyperforin (57 mg/g dry matter) was obtained from the foliar application of 10 mg/l selenium. The highest accumulation of selenium (287.52 μg/g dry matter) was obtained in the foliar application of 12 mg/l nano-selenium.Conclusion: If the purpose of producing H. perforatum is to use the shoots and essential oils of the plant, then the use of selenium and nano-selenium is not recommended at all and should not be used. If the goal is to produce high hypericin, high hyperforin, and also the accumulation of selenium in the plant, the use of treatments of 6 and 8 mg/l of selenium and nano-selenium could be applied.
Pilot Study of Feasibility to Reduce Lead Times in Colorectal Cancer Treatment in a Moroccan Cancer Center: A Convergent Mixed Method Study
Authors: Bensbih Said , Souadka Amine , Bouksour Otmane , Dady Mohamed , Houssaini Kholoud , Benkabbou Amine , Mohsine Raouf , Akhnif Elhocine , Majbar Anass Mohammed
Published: July 2021

Background: Short lead time in colorectal cancer treatment is important to improve patient outcomes. This study aimed to explore factors associated with longer lead times between the first consultation and the therapeutic decision, and between the first consultation and the treatment initiation.Results: 83 patients were included in the quantitative analysis. The median T1 duration was 16.53 days, a delay statistically associated with younger age, low-income patients, rectal cancer, and radiotherapy as first treatment. The median T2 duration was 45.36 days. Basic medical insurance and rectal cancer were statistically associated with these delays. In-depth interviews confirmed the impact of the type of medical coverage on the lengthening of the delays. Radiotherapy and the occasional unavailability of equipment were also noted. The objectives set to decrease the two waiting times would be achievable through increased coordination between the different stakeholders and optimization of the care procedures all along, with an effective and efficient hospital supply chain enhanced by a digital orientation.Conclusion: In this pilot study performed in a low-mid income country, the main reasons for delays in the treatment of colorectal cancer were the patient's low socio-economic level and rectal cancer. Increasing coordination and adapted procedures may improve these results.
Structure and Maintenance Mechanisms of the Mascarene High in Austral Winter
Authors: Zhao Yuan , Wen Zhiping , Li Xiuzhen , Chen Ruidan , Chen Guixing
Published: July 2021

The Mascarene High (MH), is a key component of the Asian-Africa-Australia monsoon system in austral winter (JJA). Its three-dimensional structures and maintenance mechanisms are examined in this study. It is a low-level subtropical high dominating the southern Africa and South Indian Ocean, characterized by a northwestward tilt with height, which is attributed to its spatially inhomogeneous thermal structure. Large-scale subsidence characterizes the main body of the MH, with the stronger subsidence to the east than to the west. Diagnosis using the complete form of the vertical vorticity tendency equation shows that the anticyclonic structure of the MH, which can be described by the distribution of meridional wind, is maintained mainly by the vertical gradient of diabatic heating, change in static stability, and friction dissipation. In particular, a combination of sensible heating and longwave radiative cooling results in a vertical decreasing gradient of diabatic heating in the lower troposphere. It generates the stronger southerlies over the subtropical South Indian Ocean than over the southern Africa. Meanwhile, over the South Indian Ocean, the increasing static stability as a result of the downward transport of a more stable atmosphere partly offsets the effect of the vertical gradient of diabatic heating, and southerlies still prevail there. Over the southern Africa, topographic friction dissipation induces northerlies, balancing the effect of the vertical gradient of diabatic heating with a stronger magnitude, and northerlies prevail.
Polynomial Regression Model Analysis of Abdominal Wall Tension and Intra-abdominal Pressure in Critically ill Patients
Authors: Tang Hao , Zhao Dongchu , Zhang Chuan , Huang Xiaoying , Liu Dong , Li Yang , Wang Yaoli , Jiang Dongpo , Wang Zhengguo , Liang Huaping , zhang lianyang
Published: July 2021

BackgroundAbdominal wall tension (AWT) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of abdominal compliance (AC). This study uses a polynomial regression model to analyze the correlation between intra-vesical pressure(IVP) and AWT in critically ill patients and provides new ideas for the diagnosis and treatment of critically ill patients with intra-abdominal hypertension（IAH）.MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted in critically ill patients who met the inclusion criteria and were admitted to the Department of intensive care unit of Daping Hospital of Army Medical University from March 14, 2019, to May 23, 2020. According to the IVP on the first day of ICU admission and death within 28 days, the patients were divided into the IAH group (IVP ≥12 mmHg), the non-IAH group, the survival group and the nonsurvival group. The demographic and clinical data, prognostic indicators, AWT and IVP on days 1-7 after entering the ICU, IAH risk factors, and 28-day death risk factors were collected.ResultsA total of 100 patients were enrolled, with an average age of 45.59±11.4 years. There were 55 males (55%), 30 patients from departments of internal medicine (30%), 43 patients from surgery departments (43%), and 27 trauma patients (27%). In the IAH group, there were 50 patients (29 males, 58%), with an average age of 45.28±12.27 years; there were 50 patients (26 males, 52%) in the non-IAH group, with an average age of 45.90±10.58 years. The IVP on the 1st day and the average IVP within 7 days of the IAH group was 18.99（17.52，20.77）mmHg and 19.43（16.87，22.25）mmHg, respectively, which was higher than that of the non-IAH group [ 6.14（3.48，8.70）mmHg, 6.66（2.74，9.08）mmHg], p＜0.001. The AWT on the 1st day and the average AWT within 7 days of the IAH group was 2.89±0.32 N/mm and 2.82±0.46 N/mm, respectively, which was higher than that of the non-IAH group [(2.45±0.29)N/mm,(2.43±0.39)N/mm],p＜0.001.The polynomial regression models showed that the average AWT and IVP on the 1st day and within 7 days were AWTday1 = -2.450×10-3IVP2+9.695×10-2 IVP+2.046，r=0.667（p＜0.0001），and AWTmean = -2.293×10-3IVP2+9.273×10-2 IVP+2.081, respectively. The logistic regression analysis showed that AWTday1 of 2.73-2.97 N/mm increased the patient's 28-day mortality risk (OR: 6.834; 95%: 1.105-42.266, p=0.010).ConclusionsThere is a nonlinear correlation between AWT and IVP in critically ill patients, and a high AWT may indicate poor prognosis.