bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of the relationship between the ethical behaviour of board and corporate governance in the case of India
Authors:   J. Selye University, Karacsony Peter
Published: April 2021

Corporate governance has emerged as a very significant tool in business life. Across the world, it is a buzz topic, everybody who has anything to do with the corporate sector talks about corporate governance. In the last decades, the aftermath of corporate scandals and scams leading to the collapse of corporate entities showed need for good corporate governance in India, too. Today, Indian companies are finding new space in global markets for business growth, their interaction with the financial markets and investing community witnessed a significant surge, which ultimately demands effective corporate governance practices. Corporate governance is holding the balance between economic and social goals as well as between individual and community goals. The overall purpose of the study is to provide an overview of corporate governance in India and show how important the leader’s ethical behaviour in corporate governance is. I hypothesized that the ethical behaviour of the board of directors has a significant impact on corporate governance. For the research, I obtained data from the World Economic Forum Competitiveness Report for 38 Asian countries, focusing on India. The methodology I used to analyze data was regression analysis. The results reveal that the ethical behaviour of the board has significant positive effects on corporate governance. An ethical leadership should be employed at Indian companies to mainstream corporate governance to achieve high organizational performance.
Pengaruh Modifikasi Tinggi Ring Basket Terhadap Peningkatan Teknik Tembakan Bebas (Free-Throw Shoot) Dalam Permainan Bola Basket
Authors: Umniyah Zulfa Nur , Mulyana Dadan , Novian Geraldi
Published: April 2021

Permasalahan yang penulis ajukan pada penelitian ini mengenai metode latihan shooting dalam permainan bola basket untuk anak-anak dan pemula yang sampai saat ini masih melakukan metode dan alat yang sama seperti dalam melatih orang dewasa. Kita ketahui bersama bahwa dalam melatih anak-anak disarankan tidak disamakan dengan orang dewasa serta harus dilakukan secara bertahap dari metode yang mudah sampai sukar. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pengaruh modifikasi tinggi ring basket terhadap peningkatan kemampuan teknik tembakan bebas dalam permainan bola basket. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode eksperimen dengan desain pre-test and post-test control group design. Populasi penelitian ini adalah anggota ekstrakulikuler bola basket SMP Negeri 47 Bandung yang berjumlah 57 orang. Teknik sampling yang digunakan adalah purposive sampling sehingga sampel dalam penelitian ini berjumlah 14 orang yang merupakan anggota baru ekstrakulikuler yang belum mengenal bola basket secara mendalam. Instrumen yang digunakan adalah skala penilaian keterampilan shooting dalam permainan bola basket. Berdasarkan hasil pengolahan data dan analisis data, maka dapat disimpulkan bahwa: (1) terdapat pengaruh positif yang signifikan latihan free-throw shoot menggunakan metode modifikasi ring; (2) tedapat pengaruh positif namun tidak signifikan latihan free-throw shoot menggunakan metode konvensional (3) terdapat perbedaan yang signifikan antara metode modifikasi dengan metode konvensional.
Forming Coatings from Self-Fluxing Powder Based on Steels of Austenite Class Adding Molybdenum
Authors: Panteleenko F. I. , Okovity V. A. , Devoino O. G. , Okovity V. V. , Volodko A. S. , Astashinsky V. M.
Published: April 2021

The paper presents a study of the effect of adding Mo and MoS2 on the microstructure and properties of a powder coating based on austenitic steels. The coatings have been studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), a Vickers hardness tester, and abrasion wear resistance has been determined by the Pin on disk method. The results show that a coating that does not contain Mo and MoS2 consists of the phases g(Fe), M7(C, B)3 and (Fe, Cr)2B. The addition of Mo and MoS2 leads to the formation of phases M23(C, B)6, Mo2(B, C) and Fe3Mo3(C, B), where M = Fe, Cr, Mo. The main goal of these studies was to study characteristics of Mo and MoS2 distribution and the effect of their addition on the microstructure, hardness, and abrasion wear resistance of an alloy coating based on austenitic steels. Composite materials based on austenitic steels obtained by diffusion alloying (Aus0Mo), which has a nearly spherical shape with a diameter of 50–100 μm, have been used for deposition. 3–7 wt. % of Mo powder and 1.0–1.5 wt. % of MoS2 powder with a diameter  less than 50 μm have been added in the powder of the composite material based on austenitic steels (Aus3Mo, Aus5Mo, Aus7Mo). Surfacing methods, including gas arc welding with a tungsten electrode, arc welding in shielding gas, plasma surfacing (PTA) and laser surfacing are widely used in industry to increase wear resistance of surfaces. The most important differences between these methods are deposition rate, applicability of materials, substrate dilution, microstructure and hardness stability after exposure to high temperatures, as well as manufacturing cost. Among the methods described above, plasma spraying followed by fusion is a good alternative to other surfacing processes. The coating should not be overheated until it is completely  melted, since in this case the primary crystals of chromium carbides and borides pass into a liquid solution and upon subsequent crystallization, form a coarser structure, worsening the quality of the coating. This is precisely what does not occur during plasma spraying followed by reflow; in addition, the method is cheap, coatings are of high quality, competitive wear resistance and high stability of properties at high temperature.
A Mechanistic Model for Wellbore Cleanout in Horizontal and Inclined Wells
Authors: Elgaddafi Rida , Ahmed Ramadan , Karami Hamidreza , Nasser Mustafa , Hussein Ibnelwaleed
Published: April 2021

The accumulation of rock cuttings, proppant, and other solid debris in the wellbore caused by inadequate cleanout remarkably impedes field operations. The cuttings removal process becomes a more challenging task as the coiled-tubing techniques are used during drilling and fracturing operations. This article presents a new hole cleaning model, which calculates the critical transport velocity (CTV) in conventional and fibrous water-based fluids. The study is aimed to establish an accurate mechanistic model for optimizing wellbore cleanout in horizontal and inclined wells.

The new CTV model is established to predict the initiation of bed particle movement during cleanout operations. The model is formulated considering the impact of fiber using a special drag coefficient (i.e., fiber drag coefficient), which represents the mechanical and hydrodynamic actions of suspended fiber particles and their network. The dominant forces acting on a single bed particle are considered to develop the model. Furthermore, to enhance the precision of the model, recently developed hydraulic correlations are used to compute the average bed shear stress, which is required to determine the CTV. In horizontal and highly deviated wells, the wellbore geometry is often eccentric, resulting in the formation of flow stagnant zones that are difficult to clean. The bed shear stress in these zones is sensitive to the bed thickness. The existing wellbore cleanout models do not account for the variation in bed shear stress. Thus, their accuracy is limited when stagnant zones are formed. The new model addresses this problem by incorporating hydraulic correlations to account for bed shear stress variation with bed height.

The accuracy of the new model is validated with published measurements and compared with the precision of an existing model. The use of fiber drag and bed shear stress correlations has improved model accuracy and aided in capturing the contribution of fiber in improving wellbore cleanout. As a result, for fibrous and conventional water-based fluids, the predictions of the new model have demonstrated good agreement with experimental measurements and provided better predictions than the existing model. Model predictions show a noticeable reduction in fluid circulation rate caused by the addition of a small quantity of fiber (0.04% w/w) in the fluid. In addition, results show that the existing model overpredicts the cleaning performance of both conventional and fibrous water-based muds.
Novel Near-Wellbore Fracture Diagnosis for Unconventional Wells Using High-Resolution Distributed Strain Sensing during Production
Authors: Jin G. , Ugueto G. , Wojtaszek M. , Guzik A. , Jurick D. , Kishida K.
Published: April 2021

The characteristics of hydraulic fractures in the near-wellbore region contain critical information related to the production performance of unconventional wells. We demonstrate a novel application of a fiber-optic-based distributed strain sensing (DSS) technology to measure and characterize near-wellbore fractures and perforation cluster efficiency during production. Distributed fiber-optic-based strain measurements are made based on the frequency shift of the Rayleigh scatter spectrum, which is linearly dependent on strain and temperature changes of the sensing fiber. Strain changes along the wellbore are continuously measured during the shut-in and reopening operations of a well. After removing temperature effects, extensional strain changes can be observed at locations around the perforation cluster during a shut-in period. We interpret that the observed strain changes are caused by near-wellbore fracture aperture changes caused by pressure increases within the near-wellbore fracture network. The depth locations of the measured strain changes correlate well with distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) acoustic intensity measurements that were measured during the stimulation of the well. The shape and magnitude of the strain changes differ significantly between two completion designs in the same well. Different dependencies between strain and borehole pressure can be observed at most of the perforation clusters between the shut-in and reopening periods. We assess that this new type of distributed fiber-optic measurement method can significantly improve understanding of near-wellbore hydraulic fracture characteristics and the relationships between stimulation and production from unconventional oil and gas wells.
The Influence of Development Target Depletion on Stress Evolution and Infill Drilling of Upside Target in the Permian Basin
Authors: Pei Yanli , Yu Wei , Sepehrnoori Kamy , Gong Yiwen , Xie Hongbing , Wu Kan
Published: April 2021

The extensive depletion of the development target triggers the demand for infill drilling in the upside target of multilayer unconventional reservoirs. However, such an infill scheme in the field practice still heavily relies on empirical knowledge or pressure responses, and the geomechanics consequences have not been fully understood. Backed by the data set from the Permian Basin, in this work we present a novel integrated reservoir-geomechanics-fracture model to simulate the spatiotemporal stress evolution and locate the optimal development strategy in the upside target of the Bone Spring Formation. An embedded discrete fracture model (EDFM) is deployed in our fluid-flow simulation to characterize complex fractures, and the stress-dependent matrix permeability and fracture conductivity are included through the compaction/dilation option. After calibrating reservoir and fracture properties by history matching of an actual well in the development target (i.e., third Bone Spring), we run the finite element method (FEM)-based geomechanics simulation to model the 3D stress state evolution. Then a displacement discontinuity method (DDM) hydraulic fracture model is applied to simulate the multicluster fracture propagation under an updated heterogeneous stress field in the upside target (i.e., second Bone Spring). Numerical results indicate that stress field redistribution associated with parent-well production indeed vertically propagates to the upside target. The extent of stress reorientation at the infill location mainly depends on the parent-child horizontal offset, whereas the stress depletion is under the combined impact of horizontal offset, vertical offset, and infill time. A smaller parent-child horizontal offset aggravates the overlap of the stimulated reservoir volume (SRV), resulting in more substantial interwell interference and less desirable oil and gas production. The same trend is observed by varying the parent-child vertical offset. Moreover, the efficacy of an infill operation at an earlier time is less affected by parent-well depletion because of the less-disturbed stress state. The candidate infill-well locations at various infill timings are suggested based on the parent-well and child-well production cosimulation. Being able to incorporate both pressure and stress responses, the reservoir-geomechanics-fracture model delivers a more comprehensive understanding and a more integral solution of infill-well design in multilayer unconventional reservoirs. The conclusions provide practical guidelines for the subsequent development in the Permian Basin.
The developing mouse coronal suture at single-cell resolution
Authors: Farmer D'Juan , Mlcochova Hana , Zhou Yan , Koelling Nils , Wang Guanlin , Ashley Neil , Maxson Robert , Wilkie Andrew , Crump J , Twigg Steve
Published: April 2021

Sutures separate the flat bones of the skull and enable coordinated growth of the brain and overlying cranium. To uncover the cellular diversity within sutures, we generated single-cell transcriptomes and performed extensive expression validation of the embryonic murine coronal suture. We identify Erg and Pthlh as markers of osteogenic progenitors in sutures, and distinct pre-osteoblast signatures between the bone fronts and periosteum. In the ectocranial layers above the suture, we observe a ligament-like population spanning the frontal and parietal bones. In the dura mater underlying the suture, we detect a chondrocyte-like signature potentially linked to cartilage formation under pathological conditions. Genes mutated in coronal synostosis are preferentially expressed in proliferative osteogenic cells, as well as meningeal layers, suggesting discrete cell types that may be altered in different syndromes. This single-cell atlas provides a resource for understanding development of the coronal suture, the suture most commonly fused in monogenic craniosynostosis.
Evaluation of the effects of human dental pulp stem cells on the biological phenotype of hypertrophic keloid fibroblasts
Authors: Fu Ling-ling , Yan Ming , Nada Ola A. , Chen Li-ming , Gosau Martin , Smeets Ralf , Feng Hongchao , Friedrich Reinhard E.
Published: April 2021

Background Despite numerous existing treatments for keloids, the responses in the clinic have been disappointing due to either low efficacy or side effects. Numerous studies dealing with preclinical and clinical trials have been published about effective therapies for fibrotic diseases using mesenchymal stem cells, However, no research has yet been reported to scientifically investigate the effect of HDPSCs on the treatment of keloids.The objective is to provide an experimental basis to provide a novel proposal for the application of stem cells in the treatment of keloids.Methods HNFs and HKFs were cultured alone and in combination with DPSCs using a trans-well cell-contact-independent cell culture system. The effects of DPSCs on HKFs were tested using CCK-8 assay, Live/dead staining assay, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, Western blot．Result DPSCs don’t inhibited HKFs and HNFs proliferation and induce apoptosis, but inhibited migration. Furthermore, DPSCs significantly decreased expression of profibrotic genes, transforming growth factor-β 1，and transforming growth factor-β 2. DPSCs suppressed the ECM synthesis in HKFs, as indicated by decreased expression of collagen I and fibronectin and low levels of hydroxyproline in cell culture supernatant． Conclusions 1) Co-culture of DPSCs inhibits the migration of HKFs but does not affect the proliferation and apoptosis of HKFs.2) DPSCs co-culture inhibits the expression of pro-fibrotic genes and promotes the expression of anti-fibrotic genes in HKFs.3) DPSCs co-culture inhibits the synthesis of extracellular matrix by HKFs.
Liquid crystal phase of counter-rotating staircases – A case of antiferrochirality
Authors: Li Ya-xin , Gao Hong-fei , Zhang Rui-bin , Gabana Kutlwano , Chang Qing , Gehring Gillian , Cheng Xiao-hong , Zeng Xiangbing , Ungar Goran
Published: April 2021

Helical structures continue to inspire, and there is considerable temptation to attribute helicity to columnar liquid crystals (LC). While short isohelical sequences are undoubtedly present, and longer ones in chiral or chiral-doped compounds, the order is only short-range, equivalent to a paramagnet without or with field. However, here we report a confirmed example of a true LC phase of achiral compounds consisting of columns, each being a long-range homochiral helix. Long-range periodicity and isochirality are maintained by intercolumnar interaction. This orthorhombic LC, spacegroup Fddd, is discovered in compounds with either bent or straight rod-like pi-conjugated cores. There are 4 right and 4 left-handed ribbons or star-profiled columns per unit cell. The structure is equivalent to an antiferromagnet with twist replacing spins. A theory based on interacting quadrupoles confirms this structure as energetically favoured over alternatives. The findings open a new approach to homochirality in achiral compounds, with promising optical/chiroptical properties.
Rhamnan sulphate from green algae Monostroma nitidum improves constipation with gut microbiome alteration in double-blind placebo-controlled trial.
Authors: Shimada Yasuhito , Terasawa Masahiro , Okazaki Fumiyoshi , Nakayama Hiroko , Zang Liqing , Nishiura Kaoru , Matsuda Koichi , Nishimura Norihiro
Published: April 2021

Rhamnan sulphate (RS), a sulphated polysaccharide from Monostroma nitidum, possesses several biological properties that help in treating diseases such as viral infection, thrombosis, and obesity. In the present study, we first administered RS (0.25 mg/g food volume) orally to high-fat diet-treated mice for 4 weeks. RS increased the faecal volume and calorie excretion with decreased plasma lipids, which was in accordance with the results of our previous zebrafish study. Notably, as the excretion amount by RS increased in the mice, we hypothesised that RS could decrease the chance of constipation in mice and also in human subjects because RS is considered as a dietary fibre. We administrated RS (100 mg/day) to subjects with low defaecation frequencies (3–5 times/week) for 2 weeks in double-blind placebo-controlled manner. As a result, RS administration significantly increased the frequency of dejection without any side effects, although no effect was observed on the body weight and blood lipids. Moreover, we performed 16s rRNA-seq analysis of the gut microbiota in these subjects. Metagenomics profiling using PICRUSt revealed functional alternation of the KEGG pathways, which could be involved in the therapeutic effect of RS for constipation.
Surgical outcomes in cardiogenic shock patients with preoperative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)
Authors: Abuharb Mahmoud Yousef Ibrahim , Ran Dong , Jubing Zheng
Published: April 2021

Objectives
To summarise the surgical outcomes in patients with cardiogenic shock supported by preoperative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).
Methods
Between May 2012 and August 2017, eight patients with cardiogenic shock patients supported by ECMO underwent emergency surgery; four of them had isolated coronary artery bypass grafting, three had coronary artery bypass grafting with mitral replacement, and one had mitral valve replacement with left ventricular posterior wall repair.
Results
All eight patients successfully weaned off from ECMO after their surgeries. Postoperative ECOM time ranged from 6.8 to 228 hours, with a median of 68.4 hours. Two patients died postoperatively while another six survived. The follow up time for the six patients was ranged from three to 66 months whereby one of them died in the third month due to septicaemia. The remaining five patients survived with good cardiac function based on the NYHA classification.
Conclusion
ECMO is a vital bridge in the preparation of critically-ill patients for cardiac surgery. It is associated with acceptable outcomes among the majority of the patients.
Which Clinical Scoring Systems Are Most Useful in Showing Severity in COVID-19 Patients?
Authors: San Ishak , Gemcioglu Emin , Baser Salih , Cakmak Nuray Yilmaz , Erden Abdulsamet , Izdes Seval , Catalbas Ramis , Davutoglu Mehmet , Karabuga Berkan , Ates Ihsan
Published: April 2021

IntroductionIn this study, we compare the predictive value of clinical scoring systems that are already in use in patients with COVID-19, including the BCRSS, qSOFA, SOFA, MuLBSTA and HScore, for determining the severity of the disease. Our aim in this study is to determine which scoring system is most useful in determining disease severity and to guide clinicians.Materials and MethodsWe classified the patients into two groups according to the stage of the disease (severe and non-severe) by using the slightly modified and adopted interim guidance of the World Health Organization. Severe cases were divided into a group of surviving patients and a deceased group according to the prognosis. According to admission values, the BCRSS, qSOFA, SOFA, MuLBSTA, and HScore were evaluated at admission using the worst parameters available in the first 24 hours.ResultsOf the 417 patients included in our study, 46 (11%) were in the severe group, while 371 (89%) were in the non-severe group. Of these 417 patients, 230 (55.2%) were men. The median (IQR) age of all patients was 44 (25) years. In multivariate logistic regression analyses, BRCSS in the highest tertile (HR: 6.1, 95% CI: 2.105–17.674, p = 0.001) was determined as an independent predictor of severe disease in cases of COVID-19. In multivariate analyses, qSOFA was also found to be an independent predictor of severe COVID-19 (HR: 4.757, 95% CI: 1.438–15.730, p = 0.011). The area under the curve (AUC) of the BRCSS, qSOFA, SOFA, MuLBSTA, and HScore was 0.977, 0.961, 0.958, 0.860, and 0.698, respectively.ConclusionCalculation of the BRCSS and qSOFA at the time of hospital admission can predict critical clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19, and their predictive value is superior to that of HScore, MuLBSTA, and SOFA. With early identification of the high-risk group using BRCSS and qSOFA, early interventions for high-risk patients can improve clinical outcomes in COVID-19.
Predicting Dental Caries Increment Using Salivary Biomarkers in a Remote Indigenous Australian Child Population
Authors: Fernando Surani , Tadakamadla Santosh Kumar , Kroon Jeroen , Lalloo Ratilal , Johnson Newell W
Published: April 2021

Background The burden of childhood dental caries amongst Indigenous Australians is higher than that of other Australians. Because of differences in lifestyle and the evolutionary history of the oral microbiota associated risk indicators may differ. Our objective was to evaluate associations between caries increment, salivary biomarkers, and baseline caries status among a rural Indigenous community in Far North Queensland, Australia.MethodsThis study was part of a trial assessing effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an intervention to prevent dental caries among children. A baseline epidemiological survey and application of topical caries preventive measures was conducted in 2015, followed-up in 2016 and 2017. Saliva flow rate, pH, buffering capacity and bacterial loads were measured. Caries was scored by the International Caries Detection and Assessment system. The outcome was caries increment. Explanatory variables were sex, being in experimental or comparison group, baseline caries status, saliva flowrate and buffering capacity, pH, and salivary loads of mutans streptococci (MS), Lactobacilli (LB), and yeast. Descriptive statistics assessed frequencies, means and percentages. Chi Square tests compared caries incidence in relation to explanatory variables and Generalised Linear Models with negative binomial regression and log-link explored associations between explanatory and outcome variables. ResultsOf children caries free at baseline, significantly fewer had incipient (p=0.01) and advanced (p=0.04) caries after two years. From Univariate analysis, children in the experimental group experienced fewer tooth surfaces with advanced caries (p=0.02) than children in the comparison group. Having caries at baseline (p=0.02) and low salivary flow rates (p <0.001) saw a significant increase in advanced caries after two years. Children with high salivary loads of MS (p=0.03) and LB (p=0.004) experienced more advanced carious surfaces. Multivariable analysis revealed 58% reduction (p=0.001) in advanced caries among children with high salivary flow rates. Caries increment was 61% (p=0.03) more for incipient and 121% (p=0.007) more for advanced caries among children who harboured higher loads of MS. ConclusionAs with other ethnicities, children with low salivary flow rates and those with high loads of MS had higher incipient and advanced caries increments after two years. These risk assessments can facilitate targeted preventive interventions for such communities. Trial registrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR), No: ACTRN12615000693527; date of registration: 3rd July 2015.
Novel Lichen-Dominated Hypolithic Communities In the Namib Desert
Authors: Rios Asuncion de los , Garrido-Benavent Isaac , Limón Alicia , Cason Errol D , Maggs-Killing Gilliam , Cowan Don , Valverde Angel
Published: April 2021

The ventral surfaces of translucent pebbles from hot desert pavements often harbor hypolithic microbial communities, which are mostly dominated by cyanobacteria. The Namib Desert fog belt supports extensive hypolithic colonization of quartz pebbles but they are also colonized by lichens on their dorsal surfaces. Hence, our aim is to evaluate whether lichens colonize the ventral surface of the rocks (i.e., show hypolithic lifestyle) and compare the bacterial composition of these coastal hypolithic communities with those found inland. Fungal DNA barcoding and fungal and bacterial Illumina metabarcoding were combined with electron microscopy to characterize the composition and spatial structure of hypolithic communities from two (coastal and inland) areas in the Namib Desert. We report, for the first time, the structure and composition of lichen-dominated hypolithic communities found in the coastal zone of the Namib Desert with extensive epilithic lichen cover. Lichen modified areoles with inverted morphology of the genus Stellarangia (three lineages) and Buellia (two lineages) were the main components of these hypolithic communities. Some of these lineages were also found in epilithic habitats. These lichen-dominated hypolithic communities differed in structural organization and bacterial community composition from those found in inland areas. The hypolithic lichen colonization characterized here seems not to be an extension of epilithic or biological soil crust lichen growths, but the result of specific sublithic microenvironmental conditions. Moisture derived from fog and dew could be the main driver of this unique colonization.
Effects of irrigation and nitrogen on chlorophyll content, dry matter and nitrogen accumulation in sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.)
Authors: Ning Wang , Fengzhen Fu , Jinfeng Ji , Peng Wang , Shuping He , Hongying Shao , Zhen Ni , Xingmei Zhang
Published: April 2021

A two-year field experiment was conducted to analyze the growth conditions, physical features, yield, and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of sugar-beet under limited irrigation conditions in northeast of China. A cultivar H003 was used as plant materials; six treatments (C1-C6) were included: C1, no nitrogen applied, rain-fed; C2, 120.00 kg nitrogen hm− 2, rain-fed; C3, no nitrogen applied, hole irrigation for seeding; C4, 120.00 kg nitrogen hm− 2, hole irrigation for seeding; C5, no nitrogen applied, hole irrigation for seeding; and C6, 120.00 kg nitrogen hm− 2, hole irrigation for seeding, and irrigation at foliage rapid growth stage. The irrigation supply was only 500 mL/plant once. Results showed C6 showed the highest chlorophyll content, dry matter accumulation, yield, etc. and had the best NUE among all the treatments. In conclusion, under the routine fertilization conditions of northeast of China, the cultivation measure of hole irrigation 500 mL/plant for seeding combined with irrigation 500 mL/plant at foliage rapid growth stage greatly improved sugar-beet yield and NUE.
A Novel Prognostic Signature of Immune-related lncRNA Pairs in Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Liu Yang , Wu Qiuhong , Fan Xuejiao , Li Wen , Li Xiaogang , Zhu Hui , Zhou Qinghua , Yu Jinming
Published: April 2021

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common subtype of lung cancer, but the prognosis of LUAD patients remains unsatisfactory. Here, we retrieved the RNA-seq data of LUAD cohort from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and then identified differentially expressed immune-related lncRNA (DEirlncRNA) pairs between LUAD and normal controls. Based on the novel method of cyclically single pairing along with a 0-or-1 matrix, we constructed a novel prognostic signature of 8 DEirlncRNA pairs in LUAD with no dependence upon specific expression levels of lncRNAs. The prognostic model exhibited significant power in distinguishing good or poor prognosis of LUAD patients and values of the area under the curve (AUC) were all over 0.70 in 1, 3, 5 years ROC curves. Moreover, the risk model was significantly associated with clinicopathological characteristics, tumor-infiltrating immune cells, immune-related molecules and sensitivity of anti-tumor drugs. This novel signature of DEirlncRNA pairs in LUAD, which did not require specific expression levels of lncRNAs, might be used to guide the administration of patients with LUAD in clinical practice.
Survival of soil microbial community exposed to hyper-gravity conditions
Authors: XU Linya , LIU Yuanhui , ZHAO Kankan , LIU Shan , Stirling Erinne , XU Jianming , MA Bin
Published: April 2021

Earth is the cradle of mankind, but it is impossible for human beings to live in the cradle forever. Sending soil microbial spores through space to foreign planets will be a likely initial process in planet colonization. Periods of hyper-gravity are likely to be a challenge for the candidate microorganisms during their interstellar transportation, raising questions about their survival rates and community-level responses. To address these questions, the impacts of hyper-gravity on soil microbial community composition and activity were tested by applying 1×g or 2500×g centrifugal force to soil for 6 days. The results indicated an increased diversity and absolute abundance of soil total bacterial community and a relatively stable active bacterial community under hyper-gravity condition. Besides, hyper-gravity had no observable effect on the relative abundance of soil microorganisms. These results suggest that soil microorganisms could survive during short periods of hyper-gravity. Our findings represent the first step towards a better understanding of the potential for survival of soil microbiomes during space travel and provide a basis for further interstellar soil research.
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Oatp2b1 as a Functional Ortholog of the Human OATP2B1 Transporter
Authors: Dragojević Jelena , Maraković Nikola , Popović Marta , Smital Tvrtko
Published: April 2021

OATP2B1 belongs to a highly conserved organic anion transporting polypeptide (OATP) family of transporters, involved in the cellular uptake of both endogenous and exogenous compounds. The main substrates of human OATP2B1 include steroid conjugates, bile salts and thyroid hormones, as well as several pharmaceuticals. Human OATP2B1 has orthologous genes in other vertebrate species, including zebrafish (Danio rerio), a widely used model organism in biomedical and environmental research. Our previous studies showed that zebrafish Oatp2b1 was phylogenetically closest to mammalian OATP2B1/Oatp2b1 and that it shares a similar tissue expression pattern. In this study, we aimed at discovering whether zebrafish Oatp2b1 could be a functional ortholog of human and rodent OATP2B1/Oatp2b1. To test this hypothesis, our primary goal was to obtain the first in vitro and in silico insights related to the structure and potential substrate preferences of zebrafish Oatp2b1. We generated cells transiently and stably transfected with zebrafish Oatp2b1 cloned from zebrafish liver, constructed an Oatp2b1 homology model, developed transport activity assays with model fluorescent substrate Lucifer yellow, and finally utilized this assay to analyze the interaction of zebrafish Oatp2b1 with both physiological and xenobiotic substances. Apart from structure similarities, our data revealed the strongest interaction of zebrafish Oatp2b1 with bile acids, steroid sulfates, thyroid hormones and bilirubin, as well as xenobiotics bromosulfophthalein and sulfasalazine, which indicates its functional orthology with human OATP2B1.
Economic costs of invasive rodents worldwide: the tip of the iceberg
Authors: DIAGNE Christophe , Ballesteros-Mejia Liliana , Bodey Thomas , Cuthbert Ross , Fantle-Lepczyk Jean , Angulo Elena , Dobigny Gauthier , Courchamp Franck
Published: April 2021

Rodents are a notorious group of invaders worldwide. Their invasions have substantially impacted native ecosystems, local infrastructure, and human health and well-being. However, a lack of synthesized estimation of their economic impacts hampers effective management interventions at relevant scales. Here, we used the InvaCost database – the most up-to-date and comprehensive synthesis of reported monetary invasion costs – to assess the economic costs of invasive rodents globally. Our conservative analysis showed that reported costs of rodent invasions reached at least US$ 3.28 billion between 1930 and 2018, and were significantly increasing through time. The highest species-specific costs were reported from Ondatra zibethicus, Rattus norvegicus and Castor canadensis, with over 90% of the total costs damage-related, principally impacting agriculture, and predominantly reported in Asia (65%) and Europe (20%). Although minimal compared to damages, the majority of management investments were made on islands, with post-invasion spending always dominant. Importantly, managements expenditures to prevent rodent invasions were entirely absent from mainland areas. However, only approximately one quarter of the 48 known invasive alien rodents had reported costs, highlighting clear taxonomic biases. Obvious cost reporting gaps were also evidenced across different areas, sectors and contexts, suggesting a great underestimation of the costs incurred by invasive rodents globally. Greater and integrative research effort on the direct and indirect costs of rodent invaders – particularly the distinction between native rodent pests and invasive rodents’ impacts, or from indirect impacts on human health – would be crucial for bridging these gaps. Ultimately, this would support proactive and sustainable management strategies.
Predicting radiation pneumonitis after radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy for oesophageal cancer: a single-center retrospective analysis
Authors: Du Feng , Wang Wei , Li Yankang , Zhang Yingjie , Li Jianbin
Published: April 2021

Background: Multimodality therapy for oesophageal cancer (EC) can cause a variety of treatment-related sequelae, especially pulmonary toxicities. The accurate prediction of radiation pneumonitis（RP）is essential to facilitate individualized radiation dosing that leads to maximized therapeutic gain. In this study, we performed a retrospective analysis to determine important factors that predict RP after radiotherapy (RT) for thoracic segment EC.Methods: Two hundred and forty-seven patients with locally advanced EC who received RT or chemoradiotherapy（CRT）were enrolled. The factors associated with RP in different grades were analyzed by univariate and multivariate analyses, such as basic pulmonary disease, smoking index(SI), three mainstream RT techniques, and dose-volume histogram(DVH). Results: The median RT dose was 60Gy, and the median follow-up time was 10 months. There were 118 cases of RP in 247 cases of EC patients who underwent RT or CRT. Among them, there were 54 cases of symptomatic pneumonitis (≥2 grade). The overall rate of symptomatic pneumonitis was 21.9%. In terms of RT techniques, there was no significant difference in the incidence of RP among three dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT), intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) , and tomography (TOMO) (P>0.05). V5-V40 and MLD were associated with all grades of RP（P<0.05). Target volume, lung volume and their ratio were correlated with the incidence of RP（P<0.05). Among clinical factors, the highest risk of RP（≥3 grade）was in patients > 400 of SI. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is also related to the occurrence of RP (≥1 grade). In addition, V5 and V40 were an independent risk factor for RP grade≥1 (AUC 55.74%, 4.13%). MLD was an independent risk factor for RP grade≥2(AUC 11.91Gy). V5 was an independent risk factor for RP grade≥3 (AUC 57.60%). Conclusions: There was no significant difference in the incidence of RP regardless of radiation therapy technique (3D-CRT, IMRT , and TOMO) and treatment-related factors. SI and COPD are closely related to the occurrence of the corresponding grades of RP. Several lung dosimetric parameters (V5, V40, MLD) may be the most effective predictive factor of RP.
A Novel Ferroptosis-related 6-Gene Signature for Overall Survival Prediction in Patients with Thyroid carcinoma
Authors: Wang Zhixing , Qiu Fudan , Shen Peilin
Published: April 2021

Background: Ferroptosis is a new form of regulated cell death (RCD) that plays a crucial role in the genesis and prognosis of tumor. Nevertheless, the relationship between ferroptosis and the prognosis of thyroid carcinoma (THCA) remains unclear and needs to be explored. Methods: By analyzing data from the THCA cohort in the TCGA database, ferroptosis-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with prognostic value were identified, which were used to establish a prognostic signature based on Lasso-penalized Cox regression analysis. Then, the model was testified with Kaplan-Meier survival, Cox regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses based on overall survival (OS). Finally, DEGs between the low-risk and high-risk groups were identified and used to conduct GO enrichment analysis, KEGG pathways analysis and immune infiltration analysis.Results: A 6-gene signature was constructed which including DPP4, GPX4, GSS, HMGCR, TFRC and PGD. The area under the curve (AUC) were 0.890 (1 year), 0.863 (2 years) and 0.883 (3 years) which validated the prominent predictive capacity of the model. Multivariate Cox regression certified the model as a prognostic-related independent predictor for OS.Conclusion: In this study, we established an innovative prognostic signature of 6 ferroptosis-related genes which can be as a prognostic-related independent predictor for OS in THCA, while the potential mechanisms was still unclear and needed further exploration.
Downregulation of circ-PSMB6 suppresses NSCLC progression and metastasis through sponging miR-532-5p and regulating EZH1 expression
Authors: Jin Mingming , Zhang Junqian , Wu Yue , Dai Yitian , Huang Gang
Published: April 2021

Background: Accumulating reports showed how circular RNAs (circRNAs) act importantly during tumor progression via regulating gene expression, but regulatory mechanisms remain largely unknown. Current investigation clarified circRNA regulatory mechanisms in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Methods: High-throughput sequencing and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) detection were utilized to explore circRNA expression in NSCLC tissues and cells. Our lab did statistical analyses and luciferase reporter analysis to validate correlations between circRNA, miRNA and gene expression. We transfected NSCLC cells with different vectors, and transwell migration, Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) proliferation along with colony formation assays were performed. In vivo tumorigenesis and metastasis assays were utilized to validate the circRNA role in NSCLC.Results: Data illustrated that hsa_circ_0041595 (circ-PSMB6) incremented in NSCLC cell lines and tissues, while circ-PSMB6 downregulation suppressed NSCLC cell proliferation and invasion in vitro and in vivo. Bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter data verified that miR-532-5p and Enhancer Of Zeste 1 Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 Subunit (EZH1) were circ-PSMB6 downstream targets in NSCLC cells. Overexpression of EZH1 or miR-532-5p inhibition reversed NSCLC cell invasion and proliferation after silencing circ-PSMB6. Further experiments discovered that circ-PSMB6 can influence cancer stem cell differentiation by regulating miR-532-5p/EZH1.Conclusions: Taken together, we found that circ-PSMB6 suppressed NSCLC metastasis and progression via sponging miR-532-5p and regulating EZH1 expression.
Primary Care Physicians Managing Postpartum Care - What Are Their Barriers and Enablers? A Qualitative Research Study.
Authors: Poon Zhimin , Lee Esther Cui Wei , Ang Li Ping , Tan Ngiap Chuan
Published: April 2021

BackgroundThe postpartum period is redefined as 12 weeks following childbirth. Primary care physicians (PCP) often manage postpartum women in the community after uneventful childbirths. Postpartum care significantly impacts on the maternal and neonatal physical and mental health. However, evidence has revealed unmet needs in postpartum maternal care. AimThe study aimed to explore the issues faced by PCPs in managing postpartum mothers. MethodsFour focus group discussions and eleven in-depth interviews with twenty-nine PCPs were conducted in this qualitative research study in urban Singapore. PCPs of both gender and variable postgraduate training background were purposively enrolled. Audited transcripts were independently coded by two investigators. Thematic content analysis was performed using the codes to identify issues in the “clinician”, “mother”, “postpartum care” and “healthcare system & policy” domains stipulated in “The Generalists’ Wheel of Knowledge, Understanding and Inquiry” framework.FindingsPCPs’ personal attributes such as gender and knowledge influenced their postpartum care delivery. Prior training, child caring experience and access to resource materials contributed to their information mastery of postpartum care. Their professional relationship with local multi-ethic and multi-lingual Asian mothers was impacted by their mutual communication, language compatibility and understanding of local confinement practices. Consultation time constraint, awareness of community postnatal services and inadequate handover of care from the specialists hindered PCPs in the healthcare system.DiscussionPersonal, maternal and healthcare system barriers currently prevent PCPs from delivering optimal postpartum care.ConclusionInterventions to overcome the barriers to improve postpartum care will likely be multi-faceted across domains discussed.
Electricity-Producing Staphylococcus Epidermidis Counteracts Cutibacterium Acnes
Authors: Marito Shinta , Keshari Sunita , Traisaeng Supitchaya , My Do Thi Tra , Balasubramaniam Arun , Adi Prakoso , Hsieh Ming-Fa , Herr Deron Raymond , Huang Chun-Ming
Published: April 2021

Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis) ATCC 12228 was incubated with 2% polyethylene glycol (PEG)-8 Laurate to yield electricity which was measured by a voltage difference between electrodes. Production of electron was validated by a Ferrozine assay. The anti-Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes) activity of electrogenic S. epidermidis was assessed in vitro and in vivo. The voltage change (~ 4.4 mV) reached a peak 60 minutes after pipetting S. epidermidis plus 2% PEG-8 Laurate onto anodes. The electricity produced by S. epidermidis caused significant growth attenuation and cell lysis of C. acnes. Intradermal injection of C. acnes and S. epidermidis plus PEG-8 Laurate into the mouse ear considerably suppressed the growth of C. acnes. This suppressive effect was noticeably reversed when cyclophilin A of S. epidermidis was inhibited, indicating the essential role of cyclophilin A in electricity production of S. epidermidis against C. acnes. In summary, we demonstrate for the first time that skin S. epidermidis, in the presence of PEG-8 Laurate, can mediate cyclophilin A to elicit an electrical current that has anti-C. acnes effects. Electricity generated by S. epidermidis may confer immediate innate immunity in acne lesions to rein in the overgrowth of C. acnes at the onset of acne vulgaris.
Changes in abundance, diversity and metabolic footprint of soil nematode community along an elevation gradient under temperate vegetation cover in Banihal-Pass of Pir-Panjal mountain range
Authors: Afzal Shahid , Nesar Humira , Imran Zarrin , Ahmad Wasim
Published: April 2021

Despite enormous diversity, abundance and their role in ecosystem processes, little is known about how community structures of soil-inhabiting nematodes differ across elevation gradient. For this, soil nematode communities were investigated along an elevation gradient of 1000 to 2500 m asl across a temperate vegetation in Banihal-Pass of Pir-Panjal mountain range. We aimed to determine how the elevation gradient affect the nematode community structure, diversity and contribution to belowground carbon assimilation in the form of metabolic footprint. Our results showed that total nematode abundance and the abundance of different trophic groups (fungivores, herbivores and omnivores) declined with the increase of elevation. Shannon index, generic richness and evenness index indicated that nematode communities were more diverse at lower elevations and declined significantly with increase in elevation. Nematode community showed a pattern of decline in overall metabolic footprint with the increase of elevation. Nematode abundances and diversity proved to be more sensitive to elevation induced changes as more abundant and diverse nematode assemblage are supported at lower elevations. Overall it appears nematode abundance, diversity and contribution to belowground carbon cycling is stronger at lower elevations and gradually keep declining towards higher elevations under temperate vegetation cover in Banihal-pass of Pir-Panjal mountain range.