bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cybersecurity Concerns & Teleworking in the COVID-19 Era: A Socio-Cybersecurity Analysis of Organizational Behavior
Authors: Turner Claude , Turner Carlene Buchanan , Shen Yuying
Published: March 2021

This research project examines the relationship between teleworking cybersecurity protocols during the COVID-19 era and employee’s perception of their efficiency and performance predictability.  COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus and it has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. Since March 2020, many employees in the United States who used operate onsite, have been working from their homes (teleworking) to mitigate the spread of the virus through social distancing. The premise of this research project is that teleworking can transform these employees into unintentional insider threats or UITs. Iinterviews were conducted through video conferencing with nine employees in Virginia, USA to examine the problem. This is an interdisciplinary research project which brings together the disciplines of sociology and computer science. Narrative Analysis was used to unpack the interviews. The major findings from the research efforts demonstrate that employees are trusting of the cybersecurity protocols that their organizations implemented but they also believe they are vulnerable, and that the protocols are not as reliable as in-person working arrangements. While the respondents perceived that the cybersecurity protocols lend to performance predictability, they seem to think it disrupts their efficiency.
Body condition and energy content of shore crab Carcinus maenas in a temperate coastal system: temporal variability
Authors: Campos J , Ribas F , Bio A , Freitas V , Souza AT , van der Veer HW
Published: March 2021

The body condition of the shore crabCarcinus maenasin a temperate coastal system (western Dutch Wadden Sea) was followed over 14 mo. Fulton’s condition factorK, dry weight condition and the percentage of dry weight were determined as indirect indices, while bomb calorimetry was applied to obtain the energy density and total energy, as direct biochemical measures of condition. General linear models identified sex, size and season as relevant regressors explaining observed variance in crab condition, whereas colour morphotype effect was negligible. The seasonal pattern was consistent with the natural cycling in temperature and expected food availability, but the peak in body condition differed depending on the type of measure used: energy peaked in autumn, while morphometric condition was at its highest in winter, uncovering different latencies in the response of direct and indirect indices. Concordant with higher energy investment in reproduction, body condition and energy content of non-ovigerous females were higher than those of males, and egg-bearing females always had the lowest condition values. Energy content of adult females ranged from 16.37 ± 1.30 (winter 2013) to 19.83 ± 0.54 kJ g-1ash-free dry weight (AFDW) (autumn 2013), attaining 18.77 ± 1.22 kJ g-1AFDW prior to the onset of reproduction in 2012, while maximum energy density of ovigerous females (eggs excluded) was 16.49 ± 0.64 kJ g-1AFDW. Besides low correlation between indirect and direct indices, fluctuations were more pronounced in the energetic data. Therefore, the morphometric measures seem weak surrogates to estimate energy density of these crabs.
Nursing handover in the Indonesian hospital context: Structure, process, and barriers
Authors: Yetti Krisna , Dewi Nani Asna , Wigiarti Sri Herni , Warashati Dina
Published: March 2021

Background: Nursing handover is an essential part of nursing practice to safe patient care, which occurs among nurses between shifts for transferring professional responsibility and accountability. However, there is limited information about the implementation and evaluation of nursing handover in Indonesian hospitals. 
Objective: This study aimed to describe the structures, processes, and barriers of the nursing handover in the Indonesian hospital context. 
Methods: This study employed a case study design in five inpatient units, especially in the medical-surgical wards of a referral hospital in Indonesia. The study was conducted from August to November 2018. A total of 100 handovers and 76 nurses were included. Focus group discussions were conducted in head nurses, nurse team leaders, and registered nurses. Observations were implemented to capture the handover process, including the number of the nurses in and out and the content of the information covered situation, background, assessment, and recommendations (SBAR). Data were analyzed using content analysis and fishbone analysis.
Results: The nursing handover consisted of three phases: before, during, and after. The handover barriers were divided into manpower, material, money, method, environment, and machine. The content of handover varied according to nurses’ familiarity with the patients and their complexity. The nurses also actively participated during the handover process, although some nurses were absent in the handover time. About 75% of nurses had sufficient knowledge about the shift handover process using SBAR. The SBAR was adopted as a standard for handover, but no specific guideline or standard operating procedure.
Conclusion: The results of this study can be used as basic information to develop a guideline of nursing handover and supervision in the context of hospitals in Indonesia and beyond. 
Funding: This study was funded by the Department of Nursing, Universitas Indonesia, Indonesia.
Analysis of clinical study of salivary glands and the rate of oral fluid secretion in children with systemic connective tissue diseases
Authors: Skakodub A. A.
Published: March 2021

This article reflects clinical studies on the cause of xerostomy in children with systemic connective tissue disease (CTS). For more than 20 years, we have provided comprehensive dental care to children with CTS and have found that the presence of xerostomy and destructive changes in the parotid salivary glands in children with CTS, are characteristic of the manifestation of Shegren syndrome and contributed to: development of multiple tooth decay in the cervical area, the presence of abundant plaque on the teeth, inflammatory diseases of the gums and mucous membranes of the mouth and lips, the joining of secondary infection.
Methods of application of ozone therapy for the treatment of peri-implantation mucositis
Authors: Makedonova Iu. A. , Mikhalchenko D. V. , Afanaseva O. Yu. , Stavskaya S. V. , Dyachenko D. Yu. , Venskel E. V. , Salyamov H. Yu.
Published: March 2021

At the dental reception, complications after dental implantation in the form of mucositis and peri-implantitis are becoming more and more common. There are quite a lot of risk factors for the development of inflammation of the parotid tissue, there is no single idea about the etiopathogenesis of the above pathology. Mucositis refers to the initial stage of peri-implantitis development and is reversible. The specialist should promptly diagnose the development of the inflammatory potential and start treatment, in order to prevent the development of bone destruction around the implants. One of the methods of local exposure to the lesion is ozone therapy.

Goal. This paper describes the method of treatment of peri-implantation mucositis by ozone therapy.

Materials and methods. In patients with peri-implantation mucositis, the inflammatory peri-implantation tissue was ozonated directly in the oral cavity with the Ozotron device in order to relieve inflammation and improve microcirculation in the oral cavity. Before performing oral ozonation, all patients underwent a general clinical examination to identify contraindications to this method. It also describes in detail the scheme that prevents the penetration of ozone into the body and prevents its ingestion.

Results. During ozonation, a positive trend was obtained in the treatment of post-prosthetic complications during dental implantation. The developed scheme of ozonation in the oral cavity stops the inflammation of the peri-implantation tissue. Side effects and complications during ozone therapy directly in the oral cavity were not detected.

Conclusions. The inclusion of ozone therapy in the treatment regimen of patients with peri-implantation mucositis is an appropriate and justified physiotherapy method.
Spatiotemporal Large-Scale Networks Shaped by Air Mass Movements
Authors: Choufany M. , Martinetti D. , Senoussi R. , Morris C. E. , Soubeyrand S.
Published: March 2021

The movement of atmospheric air masses can be seen as a continuous flow of gases and particles hovering over our planet, and it can be locally simplified by means of three-dimensional trajectories. These trajectories can hence be seen as a way of connecting distant areas of the globe during a given period of time. In this paper we present a mathematical formalism to construct spatial and spatiotemporal networks where the nodes represent the subsets of a partition of a geographical area and the links between them are inferred from sampled trajectories of air masses passing over and across them. We propose different estimators of the intensity of the links, relying on different bio-physical hypotheses and covering adjustable time periods. This construction leads to a new definition of spatiotemporal networks characterized by adjacency matrices giving, e.g., the probability of connection between distant areas during a chosen period of time. We applied our methodology to characterize tropospheric connectivity in two real geographical contexts: the watersheds of the French region Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea. The analysis of the constructed networks allowed identifying a marked seasonal pattern in air mass movements in the two study areas. If our methodology is applied to samples of air-mass trajectories, with potential implications in aerobiology and plant epidemiology, it could be applied to other types of trajectories, such as animal trajectories, to characterize connectivity between different components of the landscape hosting the animals.
Profiling the Production of Antimicrobial Secondary Metabolites by Xenorhabdus khoisanae J194 Under Different Culturing Conditions
Authors: Booysen Elzaan , Rautenbach Marina , Stander Marietjie A. , Dicks Leon M. T.
Published: March 2021

Species from the genus Xenorhabdus, endosymbiotic bacteria of Steinernema nematodes, produce several antibacterial and antifungal compounds, some of which are anti-parasitic. In this study, we report on the effect growth conditions have on the production of antimicrobial compounds produced by Xenorhabdus khoisanae J194. The strain was cultured in aerated and non-aerated broth, respectively, and on solid media. Production of antimicrobial compounds was detected after 24 h of growth in liquid media, with highest levels recorded after 96 h. Highest antimicrobial activity was obtained from cells cultured on solid media. By using ultraperformance liquid chromatography linked to mass spectrometry and HPLC, a plethora of known Xenorhabdus compounds were identified. These compounds are the PAX lipopeptides (PAX 1′, PAX 3′, PAX 5, and PAX 7E), xenocoumacins and xenoamicins. Differences observed in the MS-MS fractionation patterns collected in this study, when compared to previous studies indicated that this strain produces novel xenoamicins. Three novel antimicrobial compounds, khoicin, xenopep and rhabdin, were identified and structurally characterized based on MS-MS fractionation patterns, amino acid analysis and whole genome analysis. The various compounds produced under the three different conditions indicates that the secondary metabolism of X. khoisanae J194 may be regulated by oxygen, water activity or both. Based on these findings X. khoisanae J194 produce a variety of antimicrobial compounds that may have application in disease control.
Recent Advances in Epsilon-Poly-L-Lysine and L-Lysine-Based Dendrimer Synthesis, Modification, and Biomedical Applications
Authors: Chen Sijin , Huang Shuting , Li Yan , Zhou Chuncai
Published: March 2021

With the advantages in biocompatibility, antimicrobial ability, and comparative facile synthesis technology, poly-L-lysine (PLL) has received considerable attention in recent years. Different arrangement forms and structures of the backbone endow lysine-based polymers with versatile applications, especially for ε-poly-L-lysine (EPL) and lysine-based dendrimer (LBD) compounds. This review summarized the advanced development of the synthesis and modification strategies of EPL and LBD, focus on the modification of bio-synthesis and artificial synthesis, respectively. Meanwhile, biomedical fields, where EPL and LBD are mainly utilized, such as agents, adjuvants, or carriers to anti-pathogen or used in tumor or gene therapies, are also introduced. With the deeper of knowledge of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of the drug system, the design and synthesis of these drugs can be further optimized. Furthermore, the performances of combination with other advanced methodologies and technologies demonstrated that challenges, such as scale production and high expenses, will not hinder the prospective future of lysine-based polymers.
Wuhan to World: The COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Kumar Ashok , Singh Rita , Kaur Jaskaran , Pandey Sweta , Sharma Vinita , Thakur Lovnish , Sati Sangeeta , Mani Shailendra , Asthana Shailendra , Sharma Tarun Kumar , Chaudhuri Susmita , Bhattacharyya Sankar , Kumar Niraj
Published: March 2021

COVID-19 is a Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), caused by SARS-CoV-2, a novel virus which belongs to the familyCoronaviridae. It was first reported in December 2019 in the Wuhan city of China and soon after, the virus and hence the disease got spread to the entire world. As of February 26, 2021, SARS-CoV-2 has infected ~112.20 million people and caused ~2.49 million deaths across the globe. Although the case fatality rate among SARS-CoV-2 patient is lower (~2.15%) than its earlier relatives, SARS-CoV (~9.5%) and MERS-CoV (~34.4%), the SARS-CoV-2 has been observed to be more infectious and caused higher morbidity and mortality worldwide. As of now, only the knowledge regarding potential transmission routes and the rapidly developed diagnostics has been guiding the world for managing the disease indicating an immediate need for a detailed understanding of the pathogen and the disease-biology. Over a very short period of time, researchers have generated a lot of information in unprecedented ways in the key areas, including viral entry into the host, dominant mutation, potential transmission routes, diagnostic targets and their detection assays, potential therapeutic targets and drug molecules for inhibiting viral entry and/or its replication in the host including cross-neutralizing antibodies and vaccine candidates that could help us to combat the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In the current review, we have summarized the available knowledge about the pathogen and the disease, COVID-19. We believe that this readily available knowledge base would serve as a valuable resource to the scientific and clinical community and may help in faster development of the solution to combat the disease.
Persistent Cigarette Smoking Attenuates Plaque Stabilization in Response to Lipid-Lowering Therapy: A Serial Optical Coherence Tomography Study
Authors: Zhang Xiling , Peng Xiang , Li Lulu , Yu Huai , Yu Bo
Published: March 2021

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effect of smoking on morphological changes in non-culprit plaques in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients at 1 year after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), using optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Background: Cigarette smoking is an important risk factor for coronary artery disease. However, the reasons for the high risk of re-infarction and worsened health among patients who continue to smoke after PCI remain unclear.

Methods: A total of 129 non-culprit plaques were identified from 97 ACS patients who underwent OCT imaging at the time of PCI and at 1-year follow-up. Patients were divided into the following three groups according to their smoking status at 1-year follow-up: persistent smoking group (n = 26), smoking cessation group (n = 29), and nonsmoking group (n = 42). Medical history, serum cholesterol level, coronary angiography data, and OCT-determined plaque morphology were analyzed among the three groups.

Results: Relative to baseline levels, the total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels significantly decreased in all three groups at 1-year follow-up after statin therapy (p < 0.05). The persistent smoking group had a relatively smaller fibrous cap thickness (FCT) and a higher incidence of thin-cap fibroatheroma (TCFA) than the other two groups at 1-year follow-up (p < 0.05), although the FCT increased and the incidence of TCFA decreased in all three groups.

Conclusions: Persistent smoking is associated with an attenuated effect of statin therapy on plaque stabilization in ACS patients.
Therapeutic Potential of Quercetin to Alleviate Endothelial Dysfunction in Age-Related Cardiovascular Diseases
Authors: Dagher Olina , Mury Pauline , Thorin-Trescases Nathalie , Noly Pierre Emmanuel , Thorin Eric , Carrier Michel
Published: March 2021

The vascular endothelium occupies a catalog of functions that contribute to the homeostasis of the cardiovascular system. It is a physically active barrier between circulating blood and tissue, a regulator of the vascular tone, a biochemical processor and a modulator of coagulation, inflammation, and immunity. Given these essential roles, it comes to no surprise that endothelial dysfunction is prodromal to chronic age-related diseases of the heart and arteries, globally termed cardiovascular diseases (CVD). An example would be ischemic heart disease (IHD), which is the main cause of death from CVD. We have made phenomenal advances in treating CVD, but the aging endothelium, as it senesces, always seems to out-run the benefits of medical and surgical therapies. Remarkably, many epidemiological studies have detected a correlation between a flavonoid-rich diet and a lower incidence of mortality from CVD. Quercetin, a member of the flavonoid class, is a natural compound ubiquitously found in various food sources such as fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and wine. It has been reported to have a wide range of health promoting effects and has gained significant attention over the years. A growing body of evidence suggests quercetin could lower the risk of IHD by mitigating endothelial dysfunction and its risk factors, such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, accumulation of senescent endothelial cells, and endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndoMT). In this review, we will explore these pathophysiological cascades and their interrelation with endothelial dysfunction. We will then present the scientific evidence to quercetin's anti-atherosclerotic, anti-hypertensive, senolytic, and anti-EndoMT effects. Finally, we will discuss the prospect for its clinical use in alleviating myocardial ischemic injuries in IHD.
Multi-Mode Surface Generalization Supports a Detailed Urban Flooding Simulation Model
Authors: Xu Mei , Yao Yonghui , Liu Shu , Sun Yang , Yan Yuexin
Published: March 2021

With the aim of achieving high precision and high efficiency, recent research on hydraulic flood models has tended to focus on the algorithms for solving the shallow water equations of Saint-Venant. While development of the algorithms will help to improve the simulation precision and the solving of specific problems, the other influential factor in flood risk modeling is the precision and reasonable generalization of the data. This is even more important for increasing the model’s computational accuracy and efficiency but is frequently undervalued. Frequent rainstorm waterlogging is having a serious impact on China’s large cities. Early warning of waterlogging risk following a rainstorm forecast is an effective method for preventing or reducing potential losses. Concrete waterlogging information including locations, depth, and process is essential for early warnings. This paper focuses on the influence of data precision and reasonable generalization on an urban flooding model. A detailed hydraulic urban flooding model characterized by detailed data processing and component coupling can help to provide advance information. In Beijing city, road networks, overpasses, and buildings are so highly concentrated that rainstorms easily result in waterlogging in low-lying locations. Therefore, partial microrelief is the determinate factor in waterlogging simulation. This paper shows that multi-mode surface data generalization and detailed model coupling support a perfect simulation of a Beijing urban flooding model. The influence of buildings, roads, and overpasses on surface water flow was carefully considered based on the innovative aspect of a fine generalization of partial microrelief. One novelty is the simulation of the whole overland flow from the beginning of rainfall to mesh, not only from manhole overflow, because the waterlogging is caused mainly by initial surface water runoff rather than by manhole overflow. A second novelty is the use of a new kind of coupling mode based on physical mechanisms between surface and pipe models. Here, rain perforated strainers instead of manholes play a role as flow exchange points between pipe and surface. This coupling mode is much closer to the real world. Based on a detailed Beijing urban flooding model, a scenarios library of typical rainfall events and corresponding waterlogging results was constructed. Several years of practice have demonstrated that a rich library of scenarios can be used effectively for the quick identification and early warning of waterlogging risk for a forecast rainfall. Test results show that multi-mode surface generalization is effective in improving outcomes and useful for scientific decision making in controlling urban waterlogging.
Immobilization of Iron Minerals on a Layered Silicate for Enhancing its Solar Photocatalytic Activity toward H2 Production
Authors: El-Hosainy Hamza , Tahawy Rafat , Esmat Mohamed , El-Kemary Maged , Ide Yusuke
Published: March 2021

The development of efficient and cost-effective solar photocatalysts capable of producing hydrogen from formic acid as a hydrogen storage medium is still a challenging issue. Herein, we report that iron minerals, ferric iron hydroxy sulfates (FHS), immobilized on a natural layered silicate, magadiite, can be used as a photocatalyst to produce hydrogen from formic acid under irradiation with solar simulator. The material exhibits the hydrogen production rate of 470 μmol g−1 h−1, which is considerably higher than that obtained on other iron minerals and comparable to that obtained on precious metal-based photocatalyst ever reported. The present result may open a way to design efficient photocatalyst for hydrogen production from formic acid in an economically and environmentally friendly way.
Dynamic Risk Assessment of the Overseas Oil and Gas Investment Environment in the Big Data Era
Authors: Duan Xuqiang , Zhao Xu , Liu Jianye , Zhang Shuquan , Luo Dongkun
Published: March 2021

Our research aims to analyze how the uncertainties and risks of the overseas oil & gas investment environment change over time and reveal the specific occurrence probabilities of risk on different levels. In the process of long-drawn overseas oil & gas investment that can last for 30 years or longer, it is difficult for investment decision-makers to grasp the occurrence probabilities and trends of some specific risks accurately and in a timely manner. The overseas risk assessment system has made great progress; however, it has remained elusive due to the challenge of too many complex and interweaved factors. With the advent of big data and artificial intelligence, more precise and specific risk evaluations can be conducted. Our research selects 25 indicators from six dimensions and applies a Cloud parameter Bayesian network algorithm to dynamically assess the oil and gas overseas investment risk of 10 countries. The results reveal how risk dynamics have changed over the past two decades. Our research may serve as a reference in future overseas oil & gas investment risk decision-making, and is also significant to outbound investing, engineering, and service projects. The proper use of risk assessment results can be conducive to potential investors who may invest in potential countries in the future.
Bypassing Energy Barriers in Fiber-Polymer Torrefaction
Authors: Xu Zhuo , Kolapkar Shreyas S. , Zinchik Stas , Bar-Ziv Ezra , Ewurum Lucky , McDonald Armando G. , Klinger Jordan , Fillerup Eric , Schaller Kastli , Pilgrim Corey
Published: March 2021

The amount of waste generation has been increasing with a significant amount being landfilled. These non-recyclable wastes contain large number of fiber and plastic wastes which can be treated with thermal processes to turn them into energy sources since they have high calorific values, are abundant and usually tipping fees are paid to handle them. This paper studied the torrefaction of non-recyclable paper (fiber) wastes, mixed plastic wastes (MPW) and their blends at different ratios in the temperature range of 250–400°C through thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The solid residues after the experiments were analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Significant synergy between fiber and MPW were observed at the range 250–300°C, showing both increase in the reaction rate as well as the overall mass loss. At 250°C, the maximum mass loss rate was more than two times higher and the mass loss at the end of the experiments were also much higher compared to the expected results. In addition, synergy was weakened with an increase of temperature, disappearing at 400°C. The existence of such interactions between fiber and plastic wastes indicates that the natural energy barriers during the individual torrefaction in paper waste or plastic waste could be bypassed, and the torrefaction of fiber and plastic blend can be achieved at lower temperatures and/or shorter residence times. The MPW and fiber wastes were also compounded by extrusion (to produce pellets) at 220°C with different blend ratios. The fiber-MPW pellets from extrusion were characterized by IR spectroscopy, rheology, thermal analysis and flexural properties and showed significant chemical changes from the non-extruded blends at the same ratios. From IR characterization, it was found that there was significant increase in hydroxyl (OH) group on account of the carbonyl (C = O) and etheric (C-O-C) groups. The interaction between paper and MPW can be attributed to the plastic polymers acting as a hydrogen donor during the reactive extrusion process. Synergistic effects were also found from mechanical and rheological properties.
A Two-Stage Dispatching Method for Wind-Hydropower-Pumped Storage Integrated Power Systems
Authors: Hu Shuai , Xiang Yue , Liu Junyong , Li Jianhua , Liu Chang
Published: March 2021

With the fossil energy crisis and environmental pollution, wind energy and other renewable energy have been booming. However, the strong intermittence and volatility of wind power make difficult of its integration into grid. To solve this problem, this study proposes a complementary power generation model of wind-hydropower-pumped storage systems, which uses hydropower and pumped storage to adjust the fluctuation of wind power. How to consider the uncertainty and unpredictability of wind power output and make more reliable hydropower generation plan and pumped storage generation plan is the key problem to be solved in the grid with the high proportion of renewable energy. The martingale model of forecast evolution is used to describe the uncertainty evolution of wind power in different regions. According to the flexible load in the region, the flexibility index is used to quantify flexibility, and the transaction price is set to be proportional to flexibility. The two-stage framework of day-ahead and real-time dispatching model is then developed. In the day-ahead stage, different regions trade with each other. If the power after trading is imbalanced, it will be supplemented by hydropower and the grid to meet the power demand. In the real-time stage, the pumped storage is added to quickly balance the deviation of wind power and load between the real-time and day-ahead stages. Finally, considering the positive effect of hydropower on wind power consumption in the grid, a benefit allocation method based on improved Shapley value method is proposed. Test cases are simulated to verify the rationality of the proposed dispatching model and the benefit allocation method. After the cooperation of hydropower and pumped storage, the average revenue growth is 3.02%. The improved benefit allocation scheme makes more benefit of hydropower and pumped storage and promotes the cooperation of multi-participants.
Equity – the Bottleneck and the Opportunity
Authors: Rice Jake
Published: March 2021

There is a widespread tendency for diverse uses of Nature, on scales from small and local to very large, to become unsustainable. Once unsustainable, bringing a use back to sustainability and keeping it sustainable then takes substantial effort and tools appropriate to the context of the use. This Perspective first asks why is the tendency for unsustainability so pervasive, when it is an outcome that no user group has adopted as an objective, and ways to keep uses sustainable are known. I argue and present evidence that the common factor underlying the pervasiveness of unsustainable uses of Nature is inequity in the distribution of the benefits created from those uses, with both the wealthy “winners” of the distributional inequities and those disadvantaged and in poverty driving uses toward increasing unsustainability in ways that depend on the nature of the inequities. Unless the inequity of distribution of benefits from uses of Nature is addressed as an issue in its own right, there are few or no pathways to medium or long-term sustainable use. However, if inequity is addressed broadly and effectively, many pathways are available and societies can select the pathways appropriate to their cultural and ecological contexts.
Comprehensive Identification and Alternative Splicing of Microexons in Drosophila
Authors: Pang Ting-Lin , Ding Zhan , Liang Shao-Bo , Li Liang , Zhang Bei , Zhang Yu , Fan Yu-Jie , Xu Yong-Zhen
Published: March 2021

Interrupted exons in the pre-mRNA transcripts are ligated together through RNA splicing, which plays a critical role in the regulation of gene expression. Exons with a length ≤ 30 nt are defined as microexons that are unique in identification. However, microexons, especially those shorter than 8 nt, have not been well studied in many organisms due to difficulties in mapping short segments from sequencing reads. Here, we analyzed mRNA-seq data from a variety of Drosophila samples with a newly developed bioinformatic tool, ce-TopHat. In addition to the Flybase annotated, 465 new microexons were identified. Differentially alternatively spliced (AS) microexons were investigated between the Drosophila tissues (head, body, and gonad) and genders. Most of the AS microexons were found in the head and two AS microexons were identified in the sex-determination pathway gene fruitless.
Elevated GAS2L3 Expression Correlates With Poor Prognosis in Patients With Glioma: A Study Based on Bioinformatics and Immunohistochemical Analysis
Authors: Zhou Yan , Zhang Limin , Song Sirong , Xu Lixia , Yan Yan , Wu Haiyang , Tong Xiaoguang , Yan Hua
Published: March 2021

Background

Growth arrest–specific 2 like 3 (GAS2L3) is a cytoskeleton-associated protein that interacts with actin filaments and tubulin. Abnormal GAS2L3 expression has been reported to be associated with carcinogenesis. However, the biological role of GAS2L3 in glioma remains to be determined.

Methods

The transcriptome level of GAS2L3 and its relationship with clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed among multiple public databases and clinical specimens. Bioinformatics analyses were conducted to explore biological functions and prognostic value of GAS2L3 in glioma.

Results

GAS2L3 was substantially expressed in glioma, and high GAS2L3 expression correlated with shorter overall survival time and poor clinical variables. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), single-sample gene-set enrichment analysis, and CIBERSORT algorithm analyses showed that GAS2L3 expression was closely linked to immune-related pathways, inflammatory activities, and immune cell infiltration. Moreover, GAS2L3 was synergistic with T cell–inflamed gene signature, immune checkpoints, T-cell receptor diversities, and neoantigen numbers.

Conclusion

This study suggests that GAS2L3 is a prognostic biomarker for glioma, providing a reference for further study of the potential role of GAS2L3 in the immunomodulation of glioma.
Media Literacy, Social Connectedness, and Digital Citizenship in India: Mapping Stakeholders on How Parents and Young People Navigate a Social World
Authors: Sarwatay Devina , Raman Usha , Ramasubramanian Srividya
Published: March 2021

The ubiquity of digital and social media has led to considerable academic debate regarding their role in the lives of children and adolescents. The Global North, especially United States and Europe, has largely led this discussion in matters of research methods and approaches, as well as on conversations around screen time, wellbeing, media literacy, and digital citizenship. However, it is not clear to what extent and how these Anglo-Eurocentric approaches to digital literacy and social connectedness translate to the various local realities of the Global South, where increasing numbers of young people have either direct or indirect access to social media and the internet, but occupy very different social contexts. In India, for instance, low cost mobile phones, cheap data plans, and vernacularization of content have furthered access cutting across socioeconomic strata. What specific research priorities might emerge in this context? Which methods can be employed to study these issues? How can we contextualize existing knowledge to help support young people and their parents maximize the benefits of this digital/social world even as we take into account the nuances of the local? In this paper, we mapped local stakeholders and shared insights from in-depth personal interviews with community leaders from civil society, research and advocacy as well as professionals working with young people and parents in India as their work addresses some of these important questions. A thematic analysis of interview data helped the researchers scope out issues like lack of child-centered-design, dearth of knowledge about the opportunities and risks of social media among parents, and confusion on how to navigate this digital/social world. Suggestions about children’s wellbeing, including what parents could do about this, the possibility of and the problems with regulation, and the need to focus on how parents can foster trust and a meaningful connection with young people that would frame their engagement with technology are made. Future research should consider these relationships within the new context of the COVID-19 pandemic and related issues such as degrees of digital connectivity and access, social isolation, virtual schooling, and parents working from home.
Survival Rates and Capture Heterogeneity of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Shannon Estuary, Ireland
Authors: Ludwig Kim E. , Daly Mags , Levesque Stephanie , Berrow Simon D.
Published: March 2021

Adult survival is arguably the most important demographic parameter for long-lived species as it has a large impact on population growth, and it can be estimated for cetacean populations using natural markings and mark-recapture (MR) modelling. Here we describe a 26-year study of a genetically discrete, resident population of bottlenose dolphins in the Shannon Estuary, Ireland, conducted by an NGO using multiple platforms. We estimated survival rates (SRs) using Cormack-Jolly-Seber models and explored the effects of variable survey effort, multiple researchers, and changes in camera equipment as well as capture heterogeneity induced by changes in marks and site fidelity variation, all common issues affecting longitudinal dolphin studies. The mean adult SR was 0.94 (±0.001 SD) and thus comparable to the estimates reported for other bottlenose dolphin populations. Capture heterogeneity through variation in mark severity was confirmed, with higher capture probabilities for well-marked individuals than for poorly marked individuals and a “transience” effect being detected for less well-marked individuals with 43% only recorded once. Likewise, both SR and capture probabilities were comparatively low for individuals with low site fidelity to the Shannon Estuary, and SR of these individuals additionally decreased even further toward the end of the study, reflecting a terminal bias. This bias was attributed to non-random temporal migration, and, together with high encounter rates in Brandon Bay, supported the hypothesis of range expansion. Our results highlight the importance of consistent and geographically homogenous survey effort and support the differentiation of individuals according to their distinctiveness to avoid biased survival estimates.
Chest CT Images for COVID-19: Radiologists and Computer-Based Detection
Authors: Dou Qingli , Liu Jiangping , Zhang Wenwu , Gu Yanan , Hsu Wan-Ting , Ho Kuan-Ching , Tong Hoi Sin , Yu Wing Yan , Lee Chien-Chang
Published: March 2021

Background

Characteristic chest computed tomography (CT) manifestation of 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) was added as a diagnostic criterion in the Chinese National COVID-19 management guideline. Whether the characteristic findings of Chest CT could differentiate confirmed COVID-19 cases from other positive nucleic acid test (NAT)-negative patients has not been rigorously evaluated.

Purpose

We aim to test whether chest CT manifestation of 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) can be differentiated by a radiologist or a computer-based CT image analysis system.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective case-control study that included 52 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients and 80 non-COVID-19 viral pneumonia patients between 20 December, 2019 and 10 February, 2020. The chest CT images were evaluated by radiologists in a double blind fashion. A computer-based image analysis system (uAI System, Lianying Inc., Shanghai, China) detected the lesions in 18 lung segments defined by Boyden classification system and calculated the infected volume in each segment. The number and volume of lesions detected by radiologist and computer system was compared with Chi-square test or Mann-Whitney U test as appropriate.

Results

The main CT manifestations of COVID-19 were multi-lobar/segmental peripheral ground-glass opacities and patchy air space infiltrates. The case and control groups were similar in demographics, comorbidity, and clinical manifestations. There was no significant difference in eight radiologist identified CT image features between the two groups of patients. There was also no difference in the absolute and relative volume of infected regions in each lung segment.

Conclusion

We documented the non-differentiating nature of initial chest CT image between COVID-19 and other viral pneumonia with suspected symptoms. Our results do not support CT findings replacing microbiological diagnosis as a critical criterion for COVID-19 diagnosis. Our findings may prompt re-evaluation of isolated patients without laboratory confirmation.
Fabrication of Non-phospholipid Liposomal Nanocarrier for Sustained-Release of the Fungicide Cymoxanil
Authors: Zhang Zheng , Yang Jun , Yang Qing , Tian Guangyong , Cui Zhong-Kai
Published: March 2021

Liposome nanocarriers can be used to solve problems of pesticide instability, rapid degradation and a short period of efficacy. Cymoxanil with antifungal activity requires an ideal drug loading system due to its degradation issues. In this paper, cholesterol and stearylamine were used to prepare non-phospholipid liposomes (sterosomes) as a pesticide nanocarrier, and were characterized with field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrometer, size distribution, and ζ-potential. The results showed sterosomes were successfully loaded with cymoxanil. The loading efficiency and the drug-to-lipid ratio were 92.6% and 0.0761, respectively. Prolonged drug release was obtained for 3 days, improving the short duration of the drug itself. The addition of cymoxanil-loaded sterosomes in culture medium effectively inhibited the growth of yeast cells, which serve as model fungal targets. Sterosomes as nanocarriers significantly improved the stability and efficacy of cymoxanil, thus introducing practical and economically desirable strategies for the preparation of novel pesticide formulations.
Enhanced Written vs. Verbal Recall Accuracy Associated With Greater Prefrontal Activation: A Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study
Authors: Zhang Jianan , Wang Ya , Zhang Yu , Li Brian , Zhang Yi
Published: March 2021

Background: Memory efficiency is influenced by the modalities of acquisition and retrieval. The recall accuracy of read or voiced material differs depending on whether the recall is given verbally or in writing. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is critical for both attentional allocation and short-term memory, suggesting that different short-term memory recall modalities are associated with distinct mPFC processes and activation patterns.

Methods: Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) was used to monitor mPFC oxygenation parameters of 30 healthy subjects during acquisition and recall tasks as a measure of neural activity. Oxygenation parameters and recall accuracy were compared between oral and written answers and the potential correlations were analyzed.

Results: Written responses were more accurate than verbal responses to the same questions and evoked greater changes in mPFC oxyhemoglobin (oxyHb) and total Hb (total-Hb). Furthermore, there were significant positive correlations between recall accuracy and both Δ[oxyHb] and Δ[total-Hb] in the mPFC.

Conclusion: Memory accuracy of written material is greater when responses are also written rather than verbal. In both cases, recall accuracy was correlated with the degree of mPFC activity. This NIRS-based learning and memory paradigm may be useful for monitoring training efficacy, such as in patients with cognitive impairment.
The Architecture of Contemporary Care Networks for Rare Movement Disorders: Leveraging the ParkinsonNet Experience
Authors: van de Warrenburg Bart P. , Tiemessen Mark , Munneke Marten , Bloem Bastiaan R.
Published: March 2021

In this paper, we present a universal model for implementing network care for persons living with chronic diseases, specifically those with rare movement disorders. Building on our longstanding experience with ParkinsonNet, an integrated care network for persons living with Parkinson's disease or a form of atypical parkinsonism, we provide a series of generic, supportive building blocks to (re)design comparable care networks. We discuss the specific challenges related to rare movement disorders and how these challenges can inform a tailored implementation strategy, using the basic building blocks to offer practical guidance. Lastly, we identify three main priorities to facilitate network development for these rare diseases. These include the clustering of different types of rare movement disorders at the network level, the implementation of supportive technology, and the development of interdisciplinary guidelines.
Case Report: Successful Cerebral Revascularization and Cardiac Transplant in a 16-Year-Old Male With Syndromic BRCC3-Related Moyamoya Angiopathy
Authors: Pyra Pierrick , Darcourt Jean , Aubert-Mucca Marion , Brandicourt Pierre , Patat Olivier , Cheuret Emmanuel , Brochard Karine , Sevely Annick , Calviere Lionel , Karsenty Clément
Published: March 2021

Background:BRCC3/MTCP1 deletions are associated with a rare familial moyamoya angiopathy with extracranial manifestations.

Case: We report the case of an adolescent male presenting with progressive and symptomatic moyamoya angiopathy and severe dilated cardiomyopathy caused by a hemizygous deletion of BRCC3/MTCP1. He was treated for renovascular hypertension by left kidney homograft and right nephrectomy in infancy and had other syndromic features, including cryptorchidism, growth hormone deficiency, and facial dysmorphism. Due to worsening of the neurological and cardiac condition, he was treated by a direct superficial temporal artery to middle cerebral artery bypass to enable successful cardiac transplant without cerebral damage.

Conclusions:BRCC3-related moyamoya is a devastating disease with severe heart and brain complications. This case shows that aggressive management with cerebral revascularization to allow cardiac transplant is feasible and efficient despite end-stage heart failure.
Increased Abundance of Nuclear HDAC4 Impairs Neuronal Development and Long-Term Memory
Authors: Main Patrick , Tan Wei Jun , Wheeler David , Fitzsimons Helen L.
Published: March 2021

Dysregulation of the histone deacetylase HDAC4 is associated with both neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders, and a feature common to many of these disorders is impaired cognitive function. HDAC4 shuttles between the nucleus and cytoplasm in both vertebrates and invertebrates and alterations in the amounts of nuclear and/or cytoplasmic HDAC4 have been implicated in these diseases. InDrosophila, HDAC4 also plays a critical role in the regulation of memory, however, the mechanisms through which it acts are unknown. Nuclear and cytoplasmically-restricted HDAC4 mutants were expressed in theDrosophilabrain to investigate a mechanistic link between HDAC4 subcellular distribution, transcriptional changes and neuronal dysfunction. Deficits in mushroom body morphogenesis, eye development and long-term memory correlated with increased abundance of nuclear HDAC4 but were associated with minimal transcriptional changes. Although HDAC4 sequesters MEF2 into punctate foci within neuronal nuclei, no alteration in MEF2 activity was observed on overexpression ofHDAC4, and knockdown ofMEF2had no impact on long-term memory, indicating that HDAC4 is likely not acting through MEF2. In support of this, mutation of the MEF2 binding site within HDAC4 also had no impact on nuclear HDAC4-induced impairments in long-term memory or eye development. In contrast, the defects in mushroom body morphogenesis were ameliorated by mutation of the MEF2 binding site, as well as by co-expression ofMEF2RNAi, thus nuclear HDAC4 acts through MEF2 to disrupt mushroom body development. These data provide insight into the mechanisms through which dysregulation of HDAC4 subcellular distribution impairs neurological function and provides new avenues for further investigation.