bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Outer membrane protein of OmpF contributes to swimming motility, biofilm formation, osmotic response as well as the transcription of maltose metabolic genes in Citrobacter werkmanii
Authors: Zhou Gang , Wang Ying-si , Peng Hong , Liu Hui-zhong , Feng Jin , Li Su-juan , Sun Ting-li , Li Cai-ling , Shi Qing-shan , Xie Xiao-bao
Published: June 2022

Background
Bacterial outer membrane proteins (Omps) play crucial roles in environmental senses, stress responses and substance transportation. Our previous study has found that OmpA contributes to planktonic growth, biocide resistance, biofilm formation and swimming motility in Citrobacter werkmanii, whereas molecular functions of OmpF in this strain remain largely unknown. Hence, in this work, the ompF was firstly knocked out from the genome of C. werkmanii using a homologous recombination method and its phenotypical alternations of ∆ompF were then thoroughly characterized with the parental wild type (WT) and complementary (∆ompF-com) strains using biochemical and molecular approaches.
Results
The results demonstrated that the swimming ability of ∆ompF was reduced on semi-solid plates compared to WT due to down-regulation of flgC, flgH, fliK and fliF. Meanwhile, the deletion of ompF leads to a decrease of biofilm formation on both glass and polystyrene surfaces because of the reduced cell aggregation. Additionally, the inactivation of ompF also induced different osmotic stress (carbon sources and mental ions) responses of its biofilms comparing with that of WT and ∆ompF-com. Finally, a total of 6 maltose metabolic genes of lamB, malE, malK, malG, malM and malF were all up-regulated in ∆ompF. Gene knockout and HPLC results further revealed that MalEFGK2 cluster mainly contributed to maltose transportation in C. werkmanii. What’s more, for the first time, we have found that the upstream promoter of OmpF and its transcription can be combined with and regulated by MalT.
Conclusions
Overall, OmpF contributes to a variety of biochemical processes and molecular functions in C. werkmanii and even may be acted as a targeted site to restrain biofilm formation.
Global COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance Rate: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Mengistu Dechasa Adare , Demu Yohannes Mulugete
Published: June 2022

Background: A vaccine against COVID-19 is a vital tool in managing the current pandemic. It is becoming evident that an effective vaccine would be required to control COVID-19. Effective use of vaccines is important in reducing the pandemic and paving the way for an acceptable exit strategy. Therefore, the current review aimed to determine the global acceptance rate of the COVID-19 vaccine that is necessary for better management of the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: This review was conducted under the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis protocol and considered the studies conducted on the acceptance and / or hesitancy of the COVID-19 vaccine around the world, and written in English language. Articles were searched using electronic databases including PubMed / MEDLINE, Scopus /Science Direct, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, and Google Scholars from February to March 2021 (for articles conducted in 2020) and May to June 2022 (for articles conducted in 2021). The quality of the study was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Assessment tool for prevalence studies to determine the relevance of each included article to the study.Results: A total of 6021 articles were searched through electronic databases, of which 68 articles were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. The global pooled acceptance rate of the COVID-19 vaccine was found to be 64.9% [95% CI of 60.5 to 69.0%]. Based on the subgroup analysis of the acceptance rate of the COVID-19 vaccine by WHO region, the countries where the study was conducted, occupation, and survey period was 60.8% [95% CI: 56.3, 65.2%], 61.9% [95% CI: 61.3, 62.4%], 81.6% [95% CI: 79.7, 83, 2%] and 64.5% [95% CI: 60.3, 68.5%], respectively.Conclusions: This review found the variation in the level of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rate across the world. The study found that the overall prevalence of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance was 64.9%. This finding indicated that even if the COVID-19 vaccine is developed, the issue of accepting or taking the developed vaccine and managing the pandemic may be difficult.
Hyperammonemic encephalopathy in multiple myeloma
Authors: Zein Razan , Baer Richard , Restall Jason
Published: June 2022

Background: Hyperammonemic encephalopathy is a rare cause of altered level of consciousness in patients. When investigating encephalopathy, common causes are ischaemic, metabolic, toxic, inflammation, demyelinating, degenerative, hereditary and infection. In this case reports, we present a rare case of encephalopathy in a patient with hyperammonaemia on a background of multiple myeloma. Case presentation: A 67-year old caucasian male with a background history of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, presented with confusion, asterixis and recurrent falls. As part of the work up he was found to have a high ammonia level at 123umol/L (normal 0-50umol/L). The patient also had a bone biopsy as he had mild pancytopenia and hyperproteinemia and was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, likely a progression from his paraproteinemia disorder. The patient significantly improved to his baseline with normalisation of ammonia level once he was commenced with Velcade based chemotherapy as well an adjunctive treatment with lactulose. Conclusion: Hyperammonemia in multiple myeloma is a rare but an important differential in patients with encephalopathy. The diagnosis of this is important so that an appropriate treatment can be provided.
Mask-Guided Infrared Small Multi-Target Detection via Coarse-to-Fine Candidate Selection
Authors: Lu Tianyi , Zhang Junjie , Lin Yi , Zeng Dan
Published: June 2022

Infrared acquisition technology is often used for target detection in military fields, since it is not easily disturbed by diverse environmental factors. However, the characteristics of low image contrast, coupled with complex imaging backgrounds, long distance and the lack of visual features, making infrared small targets detection a challenging task. The generic deep neural network-based models are struggled to be applied for infrared small targets, since the increased network layers may lead to the gradually loss of target features and positional information.To address above issues, we propose a mask-guided detection model via the coarse-to-fine candidate selection for infrared small multi-target detection. More specifically, to enhance target features and guide the localization process in the neural network, we propose to utilize the foreground mask generated by referring to the non-local self-correlation property of infrared background and the sparse property of target distribution. The obtained mask is treated as the prior to re-weight the convolutional feature maps.Considering the complex background, the multi-target detection is prone to mis-detections. Therefore, we propose a coarse-to-fine candidate selection method on top of the initial detection results. A shallow network is constructed to extract more nuanced visual features from the candidate positions for a binary classification, in which the false positive candidates are ruled out free from the disruptions of other background features.Moreover, given the lack of multi-target infrared datasets, we propose two synthetic datasets based on the public available and own collected infrared data. Extensive experimental results verify the effectiveness and advantages of our model compared to state-of-the-art methods.
Assessing use of surrogate outcome measures in randomized controlled trials investigating venous thromboembolism prophylaxis
Authors: Eshaghpour Ali , Li Allen , Park Jane , Cho Terry , Crowther Mark
Published: June 2022

Background: Outcome measures in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) can be classified as patient-important, surrogate and composite outcomes. Venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis trials often use surrogate or composite outcome measures, often involving radiographically detected and clinically asymptomatic VTE. The clinical relevance of such outcomes is controversial.Objective: To establish the prevalence of surrogate outcome measures in VTE prophylaxis trials.Methods: A comprehensive search of MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane (CENTRAL) databases from January 2000 to October 2020 was conducted. Any English-language VTE prophylaxis RCT with n>150 was included. Baseline characteristics, outcome measure, acknowledgement of limitations, and presence of VTE vs bleeding risk discussions were recorded. Binary logistic regression analysis was done to assess the relationship of impact factor, citation count, and sample size with surrogate outcome use. Results: 209 studies were included. 170 (81%) studies used a surrogate outcome measure. Of these studies, 34 (20%) acknowledged this as a potential limitation and 152 (89%) discussed bleeding vs thrombosis risk. There was no statistically significant relationship between citation count (ꞵ1OR=0.99; 95%CI=0.99-1.00; p=0.248) or sample size (ꞵ1OR=0.99, 95%CI=0.99-1.00, p=0.320) and use of a surrogate outcome compared with use of a clinical outcome. There was a statistically significant relationship between increased impact factor and use of a surrogate outcome (ꞵ1OR=0.98, 95%CI=0.97-0.99, p<0.05).Conclusion: Use of surrogate outcomes is prevalent in VTE prophylaxis literature and is rarely acknowledged. While using patient-important outcome measures may not be feasible in all settings, we recommended clinicians acknowledge the limitation of surrogate outcomes, especially when discussing bleeding vs thrombosis risk.
MiR-128-1-5p inhibits cell proliferation and induces cell apoptosis via targeting PRKCQ in colorectal cancer
Authors: Jia Qingan , Liao Xia , Xu Binghui , Li Yufang , liang Lei
Published: June 2022

Background
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a type of highly conserved and endogenous noncoding RNA which can regulate various cellular processes, including cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, migration and metastasis. Aberrant expression of miR-128-5p, has been shown to be a key regulator in tumorigenesis and cancer development. But the role and the underlying molecular mechanisms of miR-128 in CRC still remain largely unknown.
Methods
The expression and clinical significances of miR-128-1-5p in colorectal cancer tissues and cell lines was quantified by qRT-PCR. Stably transfected cell lines were established by infecting SW620 and LOVO cells with lentiviruses. The functions of miR-128-1-5p were measured by CCK-8 assay, Annexin V- DY-634 PI Apoptosis Staining / Detection, and Xenograft model. Western blotting, immunohistochemistry (IHC), luciferase reporter assays and Bioinformatic Analysis were also used in this study.
Results
MiR-128-1-5p was downregulated in CRC and was associated with optimal survival in CRC. Overexpression of miR-128-1-5p inhibited cell proliferation and induced cell apoptosis. Protein tyrosine kinase C theta isoform (PRKCQ) was a direct target of miR-128-1-5p and was involved in miR-128-1-5p-mediated proliferation and apoptosis.
Conclusions
These results provide novel insight into the role of miR-128-1-5p in CRC. Overexpression of miR-128-1-5p was associated with cell proliferation and apoptosis in CRC. Knockdown of miR-128-1-5p reduced CRC growth by modulating PRKCQ expression and is a possible new therapeutic target for patients with CRC.
Landslide disaster risk reduction through Bioengineering at Soldha, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh - A case study
Authors: Patial Sunanda , Kumar Vishvajit , Sharma Harsh , Mahajan Ambrish Kumar , Kumar Pawan , Negi Sushma
Published: June 2022

Landslides is a major problem in the frontal part of the Himalayan region due to topographic variations, fragile lithology, thick overburden material, seismic activity, steep slope angle, high rate of precipitation during monsoon and anthropogenic activities. These landslides not only cause major damage to the property and life lines, but also disturb the natural fabric of the ecosystem by uprooting number of trees. Vegetation has the capability to protect the loose overburden soil by expanding their roots network and protect the soil from further erosion. The Soldha Land slide is one such zone, which had moved down slope by 30–40 m on 23rd October 2013 night after a prolonged rainfall from 15th June to 15th September 2013 and caused loss of property and ecosystem. The study of slope material shows its composition as well-graded sand and less than 30% gravels which reflected the weak and weathered condition. Since bioengineering technique is found to be very useful method in ameliorating slope stability and maintain ecological balance, therefore, the grain size and chemical analysis have been performed to understand its water holding capacity and type of nutrients and micronutrient present in the soil. The chemical parameters like pH, organic carbon, and macronutrients such as Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), and micronutrient Cu, Fe, Zn, and Mn present in soil have been determined from 55 samples to suggest the type of plant to be planted for reducing the further landslide risk in the region.
Competing processes shape variable deep seafloor diversity between hemispheres
Authors: Carter Hugh , Bribiesca-Contreras Guadalupe , Williams Suzanne
Published: June 2022

The deep sea is the last ecosystem for which patterns of biodiversity are poorly defined. The occurrence, strength, shape and drivers of distributional trends in species richness throughout the deep sea are broadly inconclusive and are poorly explored at a global scale1,2, but this environment faces accelerating pressures with a changing climate and as technological developments open it to human exploitation3,4. Historically, surveys of the deep ocean have been spatially limited and despite recent efforts, biological collections have been taken from <0.1% of the global seafloor5. Taking advantage of over 250 years of targeted sampling effort we compiled a curated dataset of >250,000 species-level coordinate records for the entire global, bathymetric and taxonomic extent of the benthic marine class Asteroidea. For the first time, we have produced a complete comparison of seafloor diversity between hemispheres and across major oceanic biogeographic realms. We reveal highly variable patterns of biodiversity by depth zone and substantial hemispheric divergence, explained in part by geographic, environmental, and taxonomic factors. Global shallow diversity peaks in tropical waters, closely matching seafloor temperature variation. Contrastingly, peaks of species richness shift towards temperate latitudes throughout bathyal and abyssal zones, and are better characterised by a combination of temperature and nutrient flux, with the relative importance of each factor differing between hemispheres and depth zones. Uniquely, we show deep-water biodiversity is restricted above a thermal threshold, with the coldest waters unable to support high species richness regardless of other factors. We also show for the first time that diversity differs enormously between hemispheres and Atlantic and Indo-West Pacific realms and find temperature, carbon flux and geographic complexity as main drivers for these differences. We therefore present a rare and valuable spatial description of biodiversity across the global oceans and describe patterns unlike those previously reported for shallow-water or terrestrial environments.
Seeded free-electron laser driven by a compact laser plasma accelerator
Authors: Labat Marie , Cadabag Jurjen Couperus , Ghaith Amin , Irman Arie , Berlioux Anthony , Berteaud Philippe , Blache Frédéric , Bock Stefan , Bouvet François , Briquez Fabien , Chang Yen-Yu , Corde Sébastien , Debus Alexander , De Oliveira Carlos , Duval Jean-Pierre , Dietrich Yannick , Ajjouri Moussa El , Eisenmann Christoph , gautier Julien , Gebhardt René , Grams Simon , Helbig Uwe , Herbeaux Christian , Hubert Nicolas , Kitegi Charles , Kononenko Olena , Kuntzsch Michael , LaBerge Maxwell , Lé Stéphane , Leluan Bruno , Loulergue Alexandre , Malka Victor , Marteau Fabrice , Guyen Manh Huy N , Oumbarek-Espinos Driss , Pausch Richard , Pereira Damien , Püschel Thomas , Ricaud Jean-Paul , Rommeluere Patrick , Roussel Eleonore , Rousseau Pascal , Schöbel Susanne , Sebdaoui Mourad , Steiniger Klaus , Tavakoli Keihan , Thaury Cedric , Ufer Patrick , Valléau Mathieu , Vandenberghe Marc , Vétéran José , Schramm Ulrich , Couprie Marie
Published: June 2022

Free-electron lasers generate high-brilliance coherent radiation at wavelengths spanning from the infrared to the X-ray domains. The recent development of short-wavelength seeded free-electron lasers now allows for unprecedented levels of control on longitudinal coherence[1], opening new scientific avenues as ultra-fast dynamics on complex systems and X-ray nonlinear optics. While those devices rely on state-of-the-art large-scale accelerators, advancements on laser-plasma accelerators, which harness giga-volt-per-centimeter accelerating fields, showcase a promising technology as compact drivers for free-electron lasers. Using such miniaturized accelerators, exponential amplification of a shot-noise type of radiation in a self-amplified spontaneous emission configuration was recently achieved [2]. However, employing this compact approach for the delivery of temporally coherent pulses in a controlled manner remained a major challenge. Here, we present the experimental demonstration of a laser-plasma accelerator driven free-electron laser in a seeded configuration, where control over the radiation wavelength is accomplished. Furthermore, the appearance of interference fringes, resulting from the interaction between the phase-locked emitted radiation and the seed, confirms longitudinal coherence. Building on our scientific achievements, we anticipate a straightforward scaling to extreme-ultraviolet wavelengths, paving the way towards university-scale free-electron lasers, unique tools for a multitude of applications.
[1] Meyer, M. FELs of europe: Whitebook on science with free electron lasers 8–19 (2016).
[2] Wang, W. et al. Free-electron lasing at 27 nanometres based on a laser wakefield accelerator.
Instructional Design and Educational Satisfaction for Virtual Environment Simulation in Undergraduate Nursing Education: The Mediating Effect of Learning Immersion
Authors: Park So Young , Kim Jung-Hee
Published: June 2022

Background
Schools were closed down after the onset of COVID-19, with non-face-to-face practices or distance education in nursing education replacing video learning or simulation classes in nursing education clinical practicum. This led to an increase in interest in virtual environment simulation education. While technology-based teaching methods might feel new and intriguing to learners, it is necessary to evaluate learner satisfaction with such an educational method beyond its novelty value. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the mediating effect of learning immersion on the relationships between instructional design and educational satisfaction for virtual environment simulation.
Methods
This study used a descriptive cross-sectional research design. The study sample included students in the third or fourth year of the nursing curriculum in South Korea. The participants were 164 nursing students who had an experience with virtual environment simulation practices during the past year before September 2021. Data were collected using an online questionnaire. The questionnaire addressed the characteristics of nursing students, instructional design, learning immersion and educational satisfaction. The collected data were analyzed using path analysis.
Results
The indirect effect of the path between instructional design and educational satisfaction mediated through learning immersion in virtual environment simulation was found to be significant. Furthermore, the direct path was also statistically significant.
Conclusion
Educational content based on virtual environment simulation should be implemented based on instructional design. It is necessary to recognize the importance of instructional design that can promote learning immersion in virtual environment simulation, as well as to prepare consistent standards for the instructional design.
Sensitivity Analysis of Nonlinear Frequency Response of Defected Structures
Authors: Saccani Alexander , Marconi Jacopo , Tiso Paolo , Braghin Francesco
Published: June 2022

The computation of the steady state response of large finite element discretized systems subject to periodic excitations is unfeasible because of excessive run time and memory requirements. One could in principle resort to reduced order models stemming from the high fidelity counterparts, which typically require a solution time orders of magnitude smaller. However, when many simulations are required, as in the case of parametric studies, the overall effort could be still significant and the analysis process could be severely hindered. In this work, we propose a sensitivity approach to assess the influence of model parameters on the nonlinear dynamic response. As opposed to the costly evaluation of reduced order solutions over a range of excitation frequencies and model parameters, the sensitivities of a nominal response allows one to approximate the dynamic response by a simple evaluation of an expansion in the directions spanning the parameter space. Special care must be taken on the closure equation that needs to be appended to the system of equations stemming from the harmonic balance method. We discuss the limitations of the current constant frequency approach and propose an improvement. We demonstrate the merits of the proposed approach on a micro-electro-mechanical system affected by parameterized manufacturing defects. Leveraging from a previous contribution, the nonlinear response and the sensitivities are obtained from a reduced order model which is analytical in the defect parameters. Our procedure is able to deliver accurate probability density functions of quantities of interest (e.g. nonlinear resonance peaks, triple solution bandwidth, etc) against statistical distributions of manufacturing defects at negligible computational cost.
A new mechanical perspective on a shallow megathrust near-trench slip from the high-resolution fault model of the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake
Authors: Kubota Tatsuya , Saito Tatsuhiko , Hino Ryota
Published: June 2022

The 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake generated a surprisingly large near-trench slip, and earth scientists have devoted significant attention to understanding why. Some studies proposed special rupture mechanisms, such as extensive dynamic frictional weakening; others simulated this near-trench slip behavior using standard rupture mechanics. However, we have not reached a decisive conclusion for this question due to limited spatial near-trench slip resolution. Hence, we quantitatively clarified the along-plate mechanical state by significantly improving the spatial resolution of the stress release distribution with the first use of tsunami data recorded just above the large slip area in addition to offshore and onshore geodetic data. A maximum slip of 53 m reaching the trench and an insignificant stress drop (< 3 MPa) at the shallowest portion of the plate were estimated, and our model suggested that dynamic friction at the shallow near-trench portion was low during the coseismic slip. This result provides novel perspectives on the shallow slip behavior along the plate boundary, in which the strain energy accumulation at the deep portion of the fault accounts for the anomalous large shallow slip, but shallow mechanical coupling does not. A large shallow slip has been considered as a result of the release of sufficiently large strain energy in the shallow portion of the plate interface, but we suggest that shallow slips similar to that during the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake may occur in any subduction zones where the energy accumulates only in the deeper portion.
Cre-mediated autoexision of selectable marker genes in soybean, cotton, canola and maize transgenic plants
Authors: Ye Xudong , Vaghchhipawala Zarir , Williams Edwards J. , Fu Changlin , Liu Jinyuan , Lu Fengming , Hall Erin L. , Guo Shirley X. , Frank LaRee , Gilbertson Larry A.
Published: June 2022

Selectable marker genes are often required for efficient generation of transgenic plants in tissue culture transformation systems but are not desired once the transgenic events are obtained. We have developed Cre/loxP autoexcision systems to remove selectable marker genes in soybean, cotton, canola and maize. We tested a set of vectors with diverse promoters and identified promising promoters to drive cre expression for each of the four crops. We evaluated both the efficiency of generating primary transgenic events with low transgene copy numbers, and the frequency of marker-free progeny in the next generation. The best performing vectors gave no obvious decrease in the transformation frequency in each crop and generated homozygous marker-free progeny in the next generation. We found that effective expression of Cre recombinase for marker gene autoexcision can be species dependent. Among the vectors tested, the best autoexcision frequency (41%) in soybean transformation came from using the soybean RSP1 promoter for cre expression. The cre gene expressed by soybean RSP1 promoter with an Arabidopsis AtpE intron delivered the best autoexcision frequency (69%) in cotton transformation. The cre gene expressed by the embryo specific eUSP88 promoter from Vicia faba conferred the best marker excision frequency (32%) in canola transformation. Finally, the cre gene expressed by the rice CDC45-1 promoter resulted in 44% autoexcision in maize transformation. The Cre/loxP recombinase system enables the generation of selectable marker-free transgenic plants for commercial product development in four agriculturally important crops and provides further improvement opportunities for more specific and better marker excision efficiency.
A comparative analysis of the impact of online, blended, and face-to-face learning on medical students' clinical competency in the affective, cognitive, and psychomotor domains
Authors: Enoch Leanthea C. , Abraham Reina M. , Singaram Veena S.
Published: June 2022

Background: The Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in South Africa compelled medical schools to switch to a purely online curriculum. The innovative changes transformed the standard clinical skills curriculum to increase learning transfer to bridge the theory-practice gap. The efficacy of this intervention remains unknown. This study aims to measure medical students' clinical competency in the affective, cognitive, and psychomotor domains by assessing clinical skills knowledge retention and transfer from the online platform compared to face-to-face and blended learning.Methods: A cross-sectional study assessed third-year medical students' knowledge retention and learning transfer in three domains of clinical skills competence. Data were obtained using a score sheet during a directly observed formative and summative Objective Structured Clinical Examination. One hundred and one third-year medical students volunteered for the formative onsite OSCE that tested the psychomotor domain. Two hundred and thirty-nine students were evaluated on the affective and cognitive domains in a summative online OSCE. The OSCE scores were analysed using descriptive statistics. The significance of the findings was evaluated by comparing OSCE scores with the pre-pandemic 2019 third-year medical students.Results: Statistically significant differences were found between the two cohorts of medical students from both years (p<0.05). The 2021 blended group’s (n=101) medians were 90%, 95%CI [86, 92], 82%, 95%CI [80, 85], and 87%, 95% CI [84, 90] for the psychomotor, affective, and cognitive skills, respectively. The e-learning group’s affective and cognitive skills medians were 78%, 95%CI [73, 79] and 76%, 95%CI [71, 78], respectively. The 2019 face-to-face group (n=249) achieved medians of 70%, 95% CI [69, 72] and 84%, 95%CI [82, 86] for the affective and psychomotor skills, respectively. Conclusion: Online medical students demonstrated near and far transfer bridging the theory-practice gap in three clinical skills domains. The blended group performed significantly better than the e-learning and face-to-face groups. Medical schools and educators play a vital role in overcoming learning challenges and achieving higher transfer levels by adopting multiple student-centered teaching delivery approaches and arranging immediate application opportunities. This study offers medical educators suggestions that encourage the transfer of online learning to face-to-face practice, decentralising medical education with a revised blended learning strategy.
Numerical study on the effect of supporting pile calculation methods in pile-anchor support system
Authors: Liu Xiaoyang , Chen Zhiguo , Wang Changming
Published: June 2022

In numerical analysis, the pile calculation method is a key factor in foundation pit calculation results. However, the mechanism of different pile calculation methods in the foundation pit has remained unclear. To evaluate performances of different pile calculation methods in pile-anchor support system, four pile calculation methods (equivalent solid elements without interface (Mode1), equivalent solid elements with interface (Mode2), one-dimensional structural elements (Mode3), and two-dimensional plate elements (Mode4).)were used in a typical pile-anchor pit based on FLAC3D. Results show that: there is a great influence on the computational results for different pile calculation methods: (1) solid pile elements(Mode1 and Mode2), compared with structural pile elements(Mode3 and Mode4), displacements near pile are smaller, with the increase of excavation depth, stress concentration appeared in solid pile elements. (2) Solid support pile, with interface (Mode2) compared with without interface (Mode1), the former of that was less displacement, whereas more stress concentration around the pile, which leads special points stress paths around the solid pile to become irregular. (3) Regarding structural pile elements (Mode3 and Mode4), it suggested both modeling approaches have similar effect. For this foundation pit, Mode2 is more suitable. If Mode3 and Mode4 are used for this pit design, it will obviously exaggerate the actual displacement and overestimate the construction cost. The results of this paper can provide a deeper understanding of pile calculation in pile-anchor foundation pits numerical analysis.
Induction of systemic resistance against Phytophthora Blight in pigeon pea through the interaction of plant growth promoting Rhizobacteria: In vivo and In vitro study
Authors: Bala Saroj , Singh Aamni , Khanna Veena
Published: June 2022

Background: Phytophthora blight (PB), caused by Phytophthora drechsleri f. sp. cajani, is soil borne disease of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L). The use of PGPR in agriculture leads to alternative disease management of crop in a sustainable ecofriendly way. Methods: In vitro and In vivo experimentation was conducted at fields of Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana during kharif season of 2017-18 to study the percentage of blight inhibition by rhizobacteria and production potential in pigeonpea. The present study consisted of 6 treatments of dual inoculation of antagonistic bacteria with recommended rhizobium of PAU (LAR-06).Results: The selected rhizoisolates were studied against Phytophthora drechsleri caused stem blight of pigeonpea. The allelochemicals and Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria traits involved in antagonistic behavior significantly inhibited the growth of the test fungus. Scanning electron microscopy between potential rhizoisolates and test fungus revealed intumescent hyphae with irregular cell surface morphology. The synergistic effects of LAR-06 + S-2 and LAR-06+ S-18 were found to be the most potent ones in inhibiting the radial growth of the test pathogen with increased yield production in the field as well as greenhouse conditions.
Poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) influence on mechanical, thermal, and degradation properties of PLA/PBSeT blends
Authors: Kwon Sangwoo , Kim Youngsan , Jang Hyunho , Kim Sun Jong , Park Su-il
Published: June 2022

Poly (lactic acid) (PLA) is an important biodegradable plastic with unique properties. However, its widespread application is hindered by its low miscibility and suboptimal degradation properties. To overcome these limitations, we investigated the mechanical, thermal, and degradation properties of PLA and poly (butylene sebacate-co-terephthalate) (PBSeT) blends in the presence of poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO). Specifically, this study aimed to identify the effects of PEO as a compatibilizer and hydrolysis accelerator in PLA/PBSeT blends. PLA (80%) and PBSeT (20%) were melt blended with various PEO contents (2–10 phr), and their mechanical, thermal, and hydrolytic properties were analyzed. All PEO-treated blends exhibited a higher elongation at break than that of the control sample, and the tensile strength was slightly reduced. In the PEO 10% sample, the elongation at break increased to 800% of that of the control sample. Differential scanning chromatography (DSC) analysis confirmed that when PEO was added to the PLA/PBSeT blends, the two glass transition temperatures (Tg) narrowed, resulting in improved miscibility of PLA and PBSeT. In addition, the hydrolytic degradation of the PLA/PBSeT/PEO blend accelerated as the PEO content increased. It was confirmed that PEO can act as a compatibilizer and hydrolysis-accelerating agent for PLA/PBSeT blends.
The effect of oleoylethanolamide supplementation on pyroptotic cell death in obese patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A double-blinded randomized controlled clinical trial
Authors: Hasankhani Milad , Ostadrahimi Alireza , Saghafi-Asl Maryam , Tutunchi Helda , Roshanravan Neda , Gilani Neda , Kermanshahi Mohammad Naemi
Published: June 2022

Background
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is now the main contributor to the worldwide chronic liver diseases. Pyroptosis has recently gained interest as a pathway for hepatocyte death under liver injuries. Blocking nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3)-Inflammasome, a prominent player in the pyroptosis pathway, has been indicated to positively affect the NAFLD pathophysiology. Animal studies show that oleoylethanolamide (OEA) supplementation can reduce nuclear factor-kappa B and some other inflammatory cytokines, which play pivotal roles in the pyroptosis pathway.
Materials and methods
The current doubleblinded randomized controlled clinical trial aimed to study the effects of OEA supplementation on the pyroptosis pathway in 65 adults with obesity and NAFLD. The intervention lasted for 12 weeks, and included 250 mg/day of OEA or placebo (starch). Subjects were also administered a personalized calorie-restricted diet based on the results of indirect calorimetry.
Results
The OEA group showed significant improvements in their anthropometric measures. All study genes indicated significant differences compared to their baseline in both groups; the expression of cysteinedependent aspartate-specific protease (Caspase) 1, NLRP3, and interleukin (IL)-18 decreased, while the expression of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) increased. However, no significant intergroup differences were witnessed for none of the study genes.
Conclusions
The current study indicates that OEA supplementation has positive effects on anthropometric measures (weight, BMI, WC, WHR, and WHtR); however, significant intergroup differences were not witnessed in the pyroptosis pathway. More studies are recommended to evaluate the current findings.
Trial registration
The protocol of this clinical trial is registered with the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (https://www.irct.ir, identifier: IRCT20110530006652N2).
Sexual selection leads to positive allometry but not sexual dimorphism in the expression of horn shape in the blue wildebeest, Connochaetes taurinus.
Authors: Gerstenhaber Chloé , Knapp Andrew
Published: June 2022

Sexual selection is thought to be an important driver of adaptation, speciation and extinction. Empirically testing these predictions across macroevolutionary timescales first requires an understanding of the morphology of secondary sexual traits in extant taxa. We used three-dimensional geometric morphometrics to analyse a large sample of the skull of the blue wildebeest, Connochaetes taurinus, in which horns are found in both sexes but only used in intrasexual competition in males. We show that the horns fit several predictions of secondary sexual traits; overall skull shape is significantly correlated with size (R2 = 0.38, p = 0.001), and the sexually selected horns show drastically higher growth rates and variation than any other skull element, supporting previous findings. We also find that despite showing significant sexual dimorphism in shape and size (R2 = 0.21, p = 0.001), allometric growth trajectories of sexes are identical (R2 = 0.01, p = 0.635) and dimorphism is not readily detectable without prior knowledge of sex, and is not possible when shape is corrected for size. Our results show that even with strong sexual selection operating in only one sex, the expression of secondary sexual traits may show characteristic and indistinguishable patterns of growth and variance in both sexes.
Haemostasis Patterns in Patients With Acute-on-chronic Liver Failure and Acute Decompensation of Cirrhosis Including Thromboelastometric Tests With and Without the Addition of Protac: a Pilot Study
Authors: Calvo Andrea , Torrente Miguel Angel , Görlinger Klaus , Fernandez Javier , Reverter Enric , Vidal Julia , Tassies Dolors , Colmenero Jordi , Blasi Annabel , Reverter Juan Carlos
Published: June 2022

Background: Thromboelastometry is considered as the best method to assesses hemostasis in liver disease, diagnostic performance could be improved by adding protein C activators such as thrombomodulin or Protac®. We assess the changes in ROTEM parameters after the addition of Protac® in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), acute decompensation (AD), and healthy individuals (HI), to define a different hemostasis pattern, considering standard and velocity ROTEM parameters, and to assess whether the Protac® can improve this pattern definition. Methods: In a pre-test, we investigated whether diluted EXTEM reagent improves the effect of Protac® on clotting time (CT)-ratio with and without Protac®. Ten ACLF, 20 AD patients and 21 HI were included in the main study. Results: Standard EXTEM was used in the main study. INTEM CFT, INTEM A5 (inverse), and INTEM TPI (inverse) were the best parameters to differentiate liver disease from HI (ROC AUC, 0.921, 0.906, and 0.928, respectively; all P-values < 0.001). Combining INTEM CFT with EXTEM LI60-ratio only slightly improved the diagnostic performance (ROC AUC, 0.948; P<0.001). EXTEM LI60 and INTEM maxV-t were the best parameters to differentiate between ACLF and AD patients (ROC AUC, 0.743, P=0.033; and 0.723, P=0.050; respectively). Combining EXTEM LI60 + INTEM maxV-t moderately improved the diagnostic performance, (ROC AUC, 0.81, P<0.001). Conclusions: ROTEM velocity, fibrinolysis parameters and calculated indices improve the diagnostic in combination with standard parameters (e.g., CFT and A5). Ratios calculated with and without Protac (e.g., EXTEM LI60-ratio) only slightly increased the diagnostic performance to discriminate hemostasis patterns.
Lead Removal Using Eco-friendly Alginate Modified Biochar Adsorbent Derived From Rice Husk Biomass
Authors: Son Nguyen Trung , Noi Nguyen , Viet Nguyen Minh , Nham Nguyen Thi , Nguyen-Le Minh-Tri , Hien Chu Thi Thu , Ghotekar Suresh K. , Minh Tran Dinh
Published: June 2022

The industrialization explosion and agricultural activities, human disruption in the biochemical cycle of elements has increased the concentration of heavy metal contaminants in ground and water surface. It creates public concern about the pollution of water sources when the demand for quality of life is increasing. Therefore, the modification of biochar derived from rice husk can create the novel material had the potential for application in eﬀective removal of Pb from wastewater. Adsorption has been regarded as a promising strategy for the elimination of persistent heavy metals pollutants in water. Biochar (BC) derived from rice husk is an environmentally friendly sorbent for contaminants removal. This study focused on the impact of functional groups to enhance the removal of lead (Pb) by biochar material. The results are when used alginate modified biochar (MBC) to alter rice husk biochar (RhBC), the highest sorption capacities for Pb are enhanced from 33.61 mg g-1 to 101.44 mg g-1. Application of the Langmuir - Freundlich adsorption isotherm and pseudo second kinetic equation show that the sorption mechanisms of Pb by MBC influenced by both physisorption and chemisorption with complexation of functional groups is main influencer on adsorption of Pb.
Hydrolysis of cellulose from palms leaflets of Date palm (phoenix dactylifera) using a new strain of Aspergillus iranicus
Authors: Makhloufi Souad , Makhloufi Ahmed , Chebloune Yahia
Published: June 2022

A new strain of Aspergillus iranicus MS-34 isolated from Subaqueous soils of the Djorf Torba dam in Algeria was used for the hydrolysis of palm cellulose from the date palm (phoenix dactylifera), by submerged fermentation on a Mandels medium. Three degrees of pretreatment of the palm using KOH were made: 10%, 20%, 50% and the control with no pretreatment. After ten days of fermentation, a high carbohydrate concentration (197.84 mg/L) was noted in 50% KOH palm pretreatment fermentation. Eventually, the highest enzymatic activity was observed with 20% KOH palm pretreatment hydrolysis, 112.97 IU/mL for endoglucanase activity and 47.62 IU/mL for exoglucanase activity. Besides, glucose and proteins concentration in batch fermentations with 1% CMC medium fluctuated between 86,41 mg/l to 108.85 mg/l. and the protein level was 0.713–0.991 mg/ml. A significant effect of temperature and pH on the enzymatic activity was noticed with an optimal at 50–60°C and at pH 4.0.
Congenital Mitral Regurgitation Repair Based on Carpentier’s Classification: Long-term Outcomes
Authors: Miwa Koji , Iwai Shigemitsu , Kanaya Tomomistu , Kawai Shota
Published: June 2022

Background
Mitral valve repair (MVR) in children is challenging because of the broad spectrum of lesions and anticipated patient growth, and the lack of reports on standardized surgical management outcomes. We evaluated the long-term outcomes of MVR in children according to Carpentier’s classification.
Methods
We reviewed the records of patients with congenital mitral regurgitation (MR) who underwent MVR at our institution between January 2000 and December 2021. We analyzed preoperative data, surgical techniques, and outcomes according to Carpentier’s classification. The proportion of patients free of mitral valve replacement and reoperation was estimated with Kaplan–Meier analysis.
Results
Twenty-four patients (median age, 4 months; range, 1 month to 8 years) were followed up for 10 (range, 2–21) years. Preoperative MR grade was severe in 12 and moderate in 12 patients. Nine, five, seven, and three patients had Carpentier’s type 1, 2, 3, and 4 MR, respectively. There were no cases of operative mortality or deaths during the follow-up. Reoperation was performed in six patients, two of whom required mitral valve replacement. The overall 5-year rate of freedom from mitral valve replacement was 92%, while the 5-year rate of freedom from reoperation was 78%, 80%, 71%, and 67% in type 1, 2, 3 and 4 MR, respectively. Postoperative MR grade at last follow-up was moderate in three, and less than mild in 21 patients.
Conclusion
Current surgical management of congenital MR is generally considered adequate; however, more complicated cases (type 4 MR) required a combination of various surgical techniques.
Antibacterial activity and underlying mechanism of Meconopsis quintuplinervia Regel extract against the acne-causing bacteria Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Xie Mi , Pu Zhen , Gao LiYing , Yuan Ruiying , Dongzhi Zhuoma , Dikye Tsering , Huang Shan , Li Bin
Published: June 2022

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity and underlying mechanism of ethanol extracts of Meconopsis quintuplinervia Regel (EMQ) against the acne-causing bacteria Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus aureus. The diameter of the inhibition zone (DIZ), minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and minimum bactericide concentration (MBC) were determined and growth curves were generated to assess the antibacterial activity of EMQ. The antibacterial mechanism was explored based on morphological observations, staining of the cell membrane and wall, protein analysis, and biofilm formation. The study results indicated that EMQ was an effective antibacterial agent against P. acnes and S. aureus, with a DIZ of 14.5 and 13.2 mm, MIC of 12.5 and 12.5 mg/mL, and MBC of 100 and 50 mg/mL, respectively. EMQ induced morphological changes to bacterial cells, as determined by electron microscopy. Leakage of alkaline phosphatase and nucleic acids confirmed that EMQ compromised the membrane integrity of bacterial cells. Furthermore, protein analysis revealed that EMQ hindered total protein expression and lowered adenosine triphosphatase activity, while crystal violet staining revealed suppressed biofilm production. Bacterial adhesion analysis demonstrated that EMQ lowered the adhesive capacity of bacterial cells. Collectively, these findings revealed high antibacterial activity of EMQ for treatment of acne vulgaris.
Geological constraints on dynamic changes of fluid pressure in seismic cycles
Authors: Hosokawa Takahiro , Hashimoto Yoshitaka
Published: June 2022

Fluid pressure along faults plays a significant role in fault behaviors in seismic cycles in subduction zones. When a thermal pressurization event occurs, the fluid pressure rises; conversely, when a fault-valve behavior event occurs, the fluid pressure falls. The stress state changes with seismic cycles from a reverse fault regime to a normal fault regime, as observed in both geophysical observations and geological records. Fluid pressure has been estimated for both modern accretionary prisms and exhumed accretionary complexes. However, changes in fluid pressure on seismogenic faults have not been connected to seismic cycles. Here, we quantitatively show the dynamic change in fluid pressure in a seismogenic fault with geological evidence from an exhumed accretionary complex. We found extensional veins related to seismogenic fault records that exchange the stress state during seismic cycles. We also constrained the fluid pressure quantitatively, both at an increasing stage during an event and at a decreasing stage after an event. In this procedure, we propose new methods to constrain the magnitude of vertical stress and rock tensile strength.