bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microwave assisted acidification for green hydrogen and organic acids production
Authors: Barth Maximilian , Werner Magdalena , Otto Pascal , Richwien Benjamin , Bahramsari Samira , Krause Maximilian , Schwan Benjamin , Abendroth Christian
Published: November 2023

Background

The integration of anaerobic digestion into bio-based industries can create synergies, which help to make anaerobic digestion self-sustaining. Two-stage digesters with separate acidification stages allow to produce green hydrogen and short-chain fatty acids, which are promising industrial products. Heat shocks can be used to foster the production of these products. However, the practical applicability is oft not addressed sufficiently. The here presented work aims to close this gap.

Methods

Batch experiments were conducted in 5 litre double-walled tank reactors incubated at 37 °C. Short microwave heat shocks of 25 min duration and exposure times of 5 - 10 min at 80 °C were performed and compared to oven heat shocks. Pairwise experimental group differences for gas production and chemical parameters were determined using ANOVA and post-hoc tests. High-throughput 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing was performed to analyse taxonomic profiles.

Results

Heat shocking the entire seed sludge, the highest hydrogen productivity was observed at a substrate load of 50 g/l with 1.09 mol H2/mol hexose. With 1.01 mol H2/mol hexose, microwave assisted treatment was not significantly different from oven-based treatments. The study emphasised the better repeatability of heat shocks with microwave-assisted experiments, showing low variation coefficients averaging 29 %. Microwave pre-treatment indicates a high predictability and a stronger microbiome shift to Clostridia than the oven. The pre-treatment of heat shocks supported the formation of butyric acid up to 10.8 g/l in average and a peak of 24.01 g/l at a butyric/acetic acid ratio of 2.0.

Conclusion

Results show the suitability to heat shock the entire seed sludge rather than just a small inoculum, which makes the process more relevant for industrial application. A microwave-based treatment has proven to be a promising alternative to oven-based treatments, which ultimately might facilitate the implementation into industrial systems. The approach becomes economically sustainable with high-temperature heat pumps with a coefficient of performance (COP) of 4.3.
Droplet bioprinting of acellular and cell-laden structures at high-resolutions
Authors: Kunwar Puskal , Aryal Ujjwal , Poudel Arun , Fougnier Daniel , Geffert Zachary J , Xie Rui , Li Zhen , Soman Pranav
Published: November 2023

Advances in Digital Light Processing (DLP) based (bio) printers have made printing of intricate structures at high resolution possible using a wide range of photosensitive bioinks. A typical setup of a DLP bioprinter includes a vat or reservoir filled with liquid bioink, which presents challenges in terms of cost associated with bioink synthesis, high waste, and gravity-induced cell settling, contaminations, or variation in bioink viscosity during the printing process. Here, we report a vat-free, low-volume, waste-free droplet bioprinting method capable of rapidly printing 3D soft structures at high resolution using model bioinks. A multiphase many-body dissipative particle dynamics (mDPD) model was developed to simulate the dynamic process of droplet-based DLP printing and elucidate the roles of surface wettability and bioink viscosity. Process variables such as light intensity, photo-initiator concentration, and bioink formulations were optimized to print 3D soft structures (∼0.4 to 3 kPa) with an XY resolution of 38 ± 1.5 μm and Z resolution of 237±5.4 μm. To demonstrate its versatility, droplet bioprinting was used to print a range of acellular 3D structures such as a lattice cube, a Mayan pyramid, a heart-shaped structure, and a microfluidic chip with endothelialized channels. Droplet bioprinting, performed using model C3H/10T1/2 cells, exhibited high viability (90%) and cell spreading. Additionally, microfluidic devices with internal channel network lined with endothelial cells showed robust monolayer formation while osteoblast-laden constructs showed mineral deposition upon osteogenic induction. Overall, droplet bioprinting could be a low-cost, no-waste, easy-to-use, method to make customized bioprinted constructs for a range of biomedical applications.
Semaphorin 6A in Retinal Ganglion Cells Regulates Functional Specialization of the Inner Retina
Authors: James Rebecca E. , Hamilton Natalie R. , Huffman Lola Nicole , Pasterkamp Jeroen , Goff Loyal A. , Kolodkin Alex L.
Published: November 2023

To form functional circuits, neurons must settle in their appropriate cellular locations and then project and elaborate neurites to contact their target synaptic neuropils. Laminar organization within the vertebrate retinal inner plexiform layer (IPL) facilitates pre- and postsynaptic neurite targeting, yet, the precise mechanisms underlying establishment of functional IPL subdomains are not well understood. Here we explore mechanisms defining the compartmentalization of OFF and ON neurites generally, and OFF and ON direction-selective neurites specifically, within the developing IPL. We show that semaphorin 6A (Sema6A), a repulsive axon guidance cue, is required for delineation of OFF versus ON circuits within the IPL: in theSema6anull IPL, the boundary between OFF and ON domains is blurred. Furthermore, Sema6A expressed by retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) directs laminar segregation of OFF and ON starburst amacrine cell (SAC) dendritic scaffolds, which themselves serve as a substrate upon which other retinal neurites elaborate. These results demonstrate for the first time that RGCs, the first neuron-type born within the retina, play an active role in functional specialization of the IPL.

Retinal ganglion cell-dependent regulation of OFF and ON starburst amacrine cell dendritic scaffold segregation prevents blurring of OFF versus ON functional domains in the murine inner plexiform layer.
Diffusion in a quantized vector space generates non-idealized protein structures and predicts conformational distributions
Authors: Liu Yufeng , Chen Linghui , Liu Haiyan
Published: November 2023

The power of diffusion probabilistic models (DDPMs) in protein design was recently demonstrated by methods that performs three-dimensional protein backbone denoising. However, these DDPMs tend to generate protein backbones of idealized secondary structures and short loops, lacking diverse, non-idealized local structural elements which are essential for the rich conformational dynamics of natural proteins. Moreover, the sampling power of DDPMs have not yet been utilized for predicting the conformational distributions of natural proteins of dynamic structures. Aiming at these two needs, we developed a model named PVQD (protein vector quantization and diffusion), which used an auto-encoder with vector quantization and a generative diffusion model in the latent space to jointly performing the challenging task of modeling complicated protein structures within an end-to-end framework. Our study demonstrated that in design PVQD generated designable protein structures containing non-idealized elements, while in single sequence-based structure prediction PVQD reproduced experimentally observed conformational variations for a set of natural proteins of dynamic structures.
Chromosome-level scaffolding of haplotype-resolved assemblies using Hi-C data without reference genomes
Authors: Zeng Xiaofei , Yi Zili , Zhang Xingtan , Du Yuhui , Li Yu , Zhou Zhiqing , Chen Sijie , Zhao Huijie , Yang Sai , Wang Yibin , Chen Guoan
Published: November 2023

Scaffolding is crucial for constructing most chromosome-level genomes. The high-throughput chromatin conformation capture (Hi-C) technology has become the primary scaffolding strategy due to its convenience and cost-effectiveness. As sequencing technologies and assembly algorithms advance, constructing haplotype-resolved genomes is increasingly preferred because haplotypes can provide additional genetic information on allelic and non-allelic variations. ALLHiC is a widely used allele-aware scaffolding tool designed for this purpose. However, its dependence on chromosome-level reference genomes and a higher chromosome misassignment rate still impede the unraveling of haplotype-resolved genomes. In this paper, we present HapHiC, a reference-independent allele-aware scaffolding tool with superior performance on chromosome assignment as well as contig ordering and orientation. Additionally, we provide new insights into the challenges in allele-aware scaffolding by conducting comprehensive analyses on various adverse factors. Finally, with the help of HapHiC, we constructed the haplotype-resolved allotriploid genome forMiscanthus×giganteus, an important lignocellulosic bioenergy crop. HapHiC is available athttps://github.com/zengxiaofei/HapHiC.
An integrated method for single cell proteomics with simultaneous measurements of intracellular drug concentration implicates new mechanisms for adaptation to KRASG12Dinhibitors
Authors: Orsburn Benjamin C.
Published: November 2023

It is well established that a population of single human cells will often respond to the same drug treatment in a heterogeneous manner. In the context of chemotherapeutics, these diverse responses may lead to individual adaptation mechanisms and ultimately multiple distinct methods of resistance. The obvious question from a pharmacology perspective is how intracellular concentrations of active drug varies between individual cells, and what role does that variation play in drug response heterogeneity? To date, no integrated methods for rapidly measuring intracellular drug levels while simultaneously measuring drug responses have been described. This study describes a method for single cell preparation that allows proteins to be extracted and digested from single cells while maintaining conditions for small molecules to be simultaneously measured. The method as described allows up to 40 cells to be analyzed per instrument per day. When applied to a KRASG12Dsmall molecule inhibitor I observe a wide degree of intracellular levels of the drug, and that proteomic responses largely stratify based on the concentration of drug within each single cell. Further work is in progress to develop and standardize this method and – more importantly – to normalize drug measurements against direct measurements of cell volume. However, these preliminary results appear promising for the identification of single cells with unique drug response mechanisms. All data described in this study has been made publicly available through the ProteomeXchange consortium under accession PXD046002.

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Comparative cytogenetics of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinusL.) breeding lines reveal chromosomal variability and instability
Authors: Ankrah Nii-Ayi , El-nagish Abdullah , Breitenbach Sarah , Tetteh Antonia , Heitkam Tony
Published: November 2023

Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus), a native warm-seasonal crop in Africa, is being considered for genetic improvement for local bast fiber production. To expedite its genetic improvement through breeding, kenaf genotypes from Ghana were assessed for genomic diversity regarding their chromosomal composition and ploidy levels. To gain insight into the repetitive DNA fractions in kenaf, the organization of 5S and 35S rRNA genes, as well as telomeric signal patterns were studied by a molecular cytogenetic approach.

Using multi-color fluorescentin situhybridization, distinct rDNA loci andArabidopsis-type telomeres were revealed. The 5S rRNA genes were conserved in kenaf and localized in interstitial regions of two chromosomes across all accessions. The 35S rRNA genes were variable across the kenaf accessions and localized at sub-terminal ends and rarely interstitially in eight or six chromosome arms. Telomeric signals were observed at terminal ends of all chromosomes, with smaller signals also interstitially. The chromosome configuration of Ghana kenaf accessions was confirmed to be 2n=2x=36, each. We discuss the chromosomal variability and the likely genomic instability in the kenaf breeding lines from Ghana.

To our knowledge, this is the first report on molecular cytogenetics on kenaf and thus, provides valuable insights into the genome of kenaf that will be useful for breeding. Additionally, this study provides a basis for further studies to analyze the repetitive DNA sequences and develop reference karyotypes to reveal genetic and evolutionary relationships between cultivated and wildHibiscusspecies.
Structure of a Rhs effector clade domain identifies new mechanistic insights into type VI secretion system toxin delivery
Authors: Hayes Brooke K. , Harper Marina , Venugopal Hariprasad , Lewis Jessica M. , Wright Amy , Steele Joel R. , Steer David L. , Schittenhelm Ralf B. , Boyce John D. , McGowan Sheena
Published: November 2023

The type VI secretion system (T6SS) is a molecular machine utilised by many Gram-negative bacteria to deliver antibacterial toxins directly into adjacent bacteria, often providing a competitive advantage. Rearrangement hotspot (Rhs) effectors are known T6SS cargo effectors, but the precise delivery and activation of these toxins is poorly defined. We present the structure of a novel T6SS Rhs effector (Tse15) from the multidrug resistant nosocomial pathogenAcinetobacter baumannii. Tse15 forms a triple layered ý-cocoon Rhs domain with an N-terminal α-helical clade domain and an unfolded C-terminal toxin domain located entirely inside the Rhs cage. We identify that Tse15 is cleaved into three domains, through two independent auto-cleavage events involving aspartyl protease activity for toxin self-cleavage and a nucleophilic glutamic acid for the cleavage of the N-terminal clade domain. Proteomic analyses showed that the N-terminal clade and toxin domains, but not the ý-strand rich Rhs cage, are delivered outside of the cell, suggesting a novel mechanism for Rhs toxin delivery and activation. Our findings suggest that this delivery mechanism requires an interaction between the N-terminal clade and toxin domains, with the clade domain acting as the internal chaperone to mediate tethering of the toxin to the T6SS machinery. Conservation of the clade domain in other Gram-negative bacteria suggest this may be a common mechanism for T6SS toxin delivery.
An engineered glioblastoma model yields novel macrophage-secreted drivers of invasion
Authors: Akins Erin A. , Wilkins Dana , Aghi Manish K. , Kumar Sanjay
Published: November 2023

Glioblastomas (GBMs) are highly invasive brain tumors replete with brain- and blood-derived macrophages, collectively known as tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Targeting TAMs has been proposed as a therapeutic strategy but has thus far yielded limited clinical success in slowing GBM progression, due in part to an incomplete understanding of TAM function in GBM. Here, by using an engineered hyaluronic acid-based 3D invasion platform, patient-derived GBM cells, and multi-omics analysis of GBM tumor microenvironments, we show that M2-polarized macrophages stimulate GBM stem cell (GSC) mesenchymal transition and invasion. We identify TAM-derived transforming growth factor beta induced (TGFβI/BIGH3) as a pro-tumorigenic factor in the GBM microenvironment. In GBM patients, BIGH3 mRNA expression correlates with poor patient prognosis and is highest in the most aggressive GBM molecular subtype. Inhibiting TAM-derived BIGH3 signaling with a blocking antibody or small molecule inhibitor suppresses GSC invasion. Our work highlights the utility of 3Din vitrotumor microenvironment platforms to investigate TAM-cancer cell crosstalk and offers new insights into TAM function to guide novel TAM-targeting therapies.
Nontarget impacts of neonicotinoids on nectar-inhabiting microbes
Authors: Cecala Jacob M. , Vannette Rachel L.
Published: November 2023

Plant-systemic neonicotinoid (NN) insecticides can exert non-target impacts on organisms like beneficial insects and soil microbes. NNs can affect plant microbiomes, but we know little about their effects on microbial communities that mediate plant-insect interactions, including nectar-inhabiting microbes (NIMs). Here we employed two approaches to assess impacts of NN exposure on several NIM taxa. First, we assayedin vitroeffects of six NN compounds on NIM growth using plate assays. Second, we inoculated a standardized NIM community into nectar of NN-treated canola (Brassica napus) and assessed survival and growth after 24 hours. With few exceptions,in vitroNN exposure tended to decrease bacterial growth metrics. However, the magnitude of decrease and the NN concentrations at which effects were observed varied substantially across bacteria. Yeasts showed no consistentin vitroresponse to NNs. In nectar, we saw no effects of NN treatment on NIM community metrics. Rather, NIM abundance and diversity responded to inherent plant qualities like nectar volume. In conclusion, we found no evidence NIMs respond to field-relevant NN levels in nectar within 24 h, but our study suggests that context, specifically assay methods, time, and plant traits, is important in assaying effects of NN on microbial communities.
Human Pancreatic α-Cell Heterogeneity and Trajectory Inference Analysis Using Integrated Single Cell- and Single Nucleus-RNA Sequencing Platforms
Authors: Kang Randy B. , Lee Jungeun , Varela Miguel , Li Yansui , Rosselot Carolina , Zhang Tuo , Karakose Esra , Stewart Andrew F. , Scott Donald K. , Garcia-Ocana Adolfo , Lu Geming
Published: November 2023

Prior studies have shown that pancreatic α-cells can transdifferentiate into β-cells, and that β-cells de-differentiate and are prone to acquire an α-cell phenotype in type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, the specific human α-cell and β-cell subtypes that are involved in α-to-β-cell and β-to-α-cell transitions are unknown. Here, we have integrated single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and single nucleus RNA-seq (snRNA-seq) of isolated human islets and human islet grafts and provide additional insight into α-β cell fate switching. Using this approach, we make seven novel observations. 1) There are five differentGCG-expressing human α-cell subclusters [α1, α2, α-β-transition 1 (AB-Tr1), α-β-transition 2 (AB-Tr2), and α-β (AB) cluster] with different transcriptome profiles in human islets from non-diabetic donors. 2) The AB subcluster displays multihormonal gene expression, inferred mostly from snRNA-seq data suggesting identification by pre-mRNA expression. 3) The α1, α2, AB-Tr1, and AB-Tr2 subclusters are enriched in genes specific for α-cell function while AB cells are enriched in genes related to pancreatic progenitor and β-cell pathways; 4) Trajectory inference analysis of extracted α- and β-cell clusters and RNA velocity/PAGA analysis suggests a bifurcate transition potential for AB towards both α- and β-cells. 5) Gene commonality analysis identifiesZNF385D, TRPM3, CASR, MEG3andHDAC9as signature for trajectories moving towards β-cells andSMOC1, PLCE1, PAPPA2, ZNF331, ALDH1A1, SLC30A8, BTG2, TM4SF4, NR4A1andPSCK2as signature for trajectories moving towards α-cells. 6) Remarkably, in contrast to the eventsin vitro, the AB subcluster is not identifiedin vivoin human islet grafts and trajectory inference analysis suggests only unidirectional transition from α-to-β-cellsin vivo. 7) Analysis of scRNA-seq datasets from adult human T2D donor islets reveals a clear unidirectional transition from β-to-α-cells compatible with dedifferentiation or conversion into α-cells. Collectively, these studies show that snRNA-seq and scRNA-seq can be leveraged to identify transitions in the transcriptional status among human islet endocrine cell subpopulationsin vitro,in vivo, in non-diabetes and in T2D. They reveal the potential gene signatures for common trajectories involved in interconversion between α- and β-cells and highlight the utility and power of studying single nuclear transcriptomes of human isletsin vivo. Most importantly, they illustrate the importance of studying human islets in their naturalin vivosetting.
Maintenance of cell wall remodeling and vesicle production are connected inMycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Salgueiro Vivian , Bertol Jorge , Gutierrez Claude , Serrano-Mestre Jose L. , Ferrer-Luzon Noelia , Vázquez-Iniesta Lucía , Palacios Ainhoa , Pasquina-Lemonche Laia , Espaillat Akbar , Lerma Laura , Weinrick Brian , Lavin Jose L. , Elortza Felix , Azkalgorta Mikel , Prieto Alicia , Buendía-Nacarino Pilar , Luque-García José L. , Neyrolles Olivier , Cava Felipe , Hobbs Jamie K. , Sanz Joaquín , Prados-Rosales Rafael
Published: November 2023

Pathogenic and nonpathogenic mycobacteria secrete extracellular vesicles (EVs) under various conditions. EVs produced byMycobacterium tuberculosis(Mtb) have raised significant interest for their potential in cell communication, nutrient acquisition, and immune evasion. However, the relevance of vesicle secretion during tuberculosis infection remains unknown due to the limited understanding of mycobacterial vesicle biogenesis. We have previously shown that a transposon mutant in the LCP-related genevirR(virRmut) manifested a strong attenuated phenotype during experimental macrophage and murine infections, concomitant to enhanced vesicle release. In this study, we aimed to understand the role of VirR in the vesicle production process inMtb. We employ genetic, transcriptional, proteomics, ultrastructural and biochemical methods to investigate the underlying processes explaining the enhanced vesiculogenesis phenomenon observed in thevirRmut. Our results establish that VirR is critical to sustain proper cell permeability via regulation of cell envelope remodeling possibly through the interaction with similar cell envelope proteins, which control the link between peptidoglycan and arabinogalactan. These findings advance our understanding of mycobacterial extracellular vesicle biogenesis and suggest that these set of proteins could be attractive targets for therapeutic intervention.
Unveiling consumers’ nonlinear evaluation of service performances in online food delivery: a quantitative Kano analysis
Authors: Ma Bohao , Limierta Jessica , Teo Chee-Chong , Wong Yiik Diew
Published: November 2023

Purpose

The study proposes an evaluation model that allows quantitative characterization of the effects of service quality on consumer’s satisfaction for online food delivery (OFD) services in a nonlinear manner. As such, the authors endeavor to bridge the research-to-practice gaps whereby the effect magnitudes and nonlinear patterns of service quality have been overlooked in the current literature.

Design/methodology/approach

The quantitative Kano method is adopted. A Kano questionnaire was first developed by synthesizing and operationalizing existing evidence on OFD service qualities. The questionnaire solicited consumers’ evaluations of 21 OFD service attributes, and it was distributed to an online panel in Singapore. With 580 valid responses, the functions that quantitatively depict effects of each attribute on consumer’s satisfaction were subsequently derived.

Findings

The results reveal that among Singaporean consumers, food quality, reliability of delivery, responsiveness of customer support, ease-of-use of digital interfaces and promotions are pivotal attributes contributing to above-average satisfaction improvement across all performance levels. Meanwhile, delivery riders’ attitudes and real-time tracking functions emerge as substantial contributors to satisfaction at high-performance levels.

Practical implications

The findings provide crucial insights for OFD practitioners in Singapore in resource prioritization and service optimization. This study demonstrated the importance of streamlining customer support services and focusing on the utilitarian aspects of OFD services. Moreover, these results can be employed in advanced service improvement procedures, providing a roadmap for future OFD service enhancements.

Originality/value

This study pioneers the development of a quantitative quality evaluation model in the OFD context. With the established quantitative Kano model, the study addresses the omission of effect magnitudes and nonlinear patterns of service quality. It highlights the transition from a binary “does it affect satisfaction” to a more nuanced “how much does it affect satisfaction” approach, offering a robust understanding of consumer’s satisfaction dynamics.
Inflation and stock market growth: the case of IPO withdrawal
Authors: Jamaani Fouad , Alawadhi Abdullah M.
Published: November 2023

Purpose

Driven by the anticipated global stagflation, this straightforward yet novel study examines the cost of inflation as a macroeconomic factor by investigating its influence on stock market growth. Thus, this paper aims to examine the impact of inflation on the probability of initial public offering (IPO) withdrawal decision.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper employs a large dataset that covers the period January 1995–December 2019 and comprises 33,536 successful or withdrawn IPOs from 22 nations with various legal and cultural systems. This study applies a probit model utilizing version 15 of Stata statistical software.

Findings

This study finds that inflation is substantially and positively correlated with the likelihood of IPO withdrawal. Results of this study show that the IPO withdrawal decision increases up to 90% when the inflation rate climbs by 10%. Multiple robustness tests provide consistent findings.

Practical implications

This study's implications are important for researchers, investment banks, underwriters, issuers, regulators and stock exchanges. When processing IPO proposals, investment banks, underwriters and issuers must consider inflation projections to avoid negative effects, as demonstrated by the findings. In addition, regulators and stock exchanges must be aware of the detrimental impact of inflation on competitiveness in attracting new listings.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to present convincing evidence of a major relationship between IPO withdrawal decision and inflation.
Trade potential in European Union manufacturing
Authors: Chatzilazarou Lazaros Antonios , Dadakas Dimitrios
Published: November 2023

Purpose

This study deals with changes in European Union's (EU's) trade potential in Machinery (HS 84–85) and Transportation (HS86-89) products.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses a Structural Gravity model, Poisson Pseudo Maximum Likelihood (PPML) estimation together with panel data for the years 2002–2018 and a two-step procedure that employs predicted values of bilateral trade to compare potential to actual trade.

Findings

Results for Machinery products suggest a potential to expand trade with existing Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) in the American continent, and countries of the IGAD region in Africa. In Transportation, a high trade potential with RTAs is found in the Americas, Africa and the Middle East. Policy suggestions concentrate on opportunities for enhancing trade relations through trade liberalization and agreement proliferation.

Originality/value

There are no studies to date, that examine “collective” measure of EU trade potential, that treats the EU as a single country. Changes in existing opportunities to expand trade, common for EU members, are of special interest for policy formulation, especially after the recent turmoil presented by the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) and the Greek Economic Crisis (GEC). Treating the EU as a single entity, is necessary for the formulation of an effective, common, EU trade policy. This study concentrates on the manufacturing sector to examine existing opportunities for the EU to expand trade, after the GFC and the GEC. This article deals with Machinery (HS 84 and 85) and Transportation (HS 86 through 89) products as they comprise a significant part of total EU exports, reaching 41% of total exports in 2016. Finally, this study offers a unique illustration of results through trade potential heat maps.
Netizens' concerns during COVID-19: a topic evolution analysis of Chinese social media platforms
Authors: Deng Zhaohua , Ma Rongyang , Wu Manli , Evans Richard
Published: November 2023

Purpose

This study analyzes the evolution of topics related to COVID-19 on Chinese social media platforms with the aim of identifying changes in netizens' concerns during the different stages of the pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 793,947 posts were collected from Zhihu, a Chinese Question and Answer website, and Dingxiangyuan, a Chinese online healthcare community, from 31 December, 2019, to 4 August, 2021. Topics were extracted during the prodromal and outbreak stages, and in the abatement–resurgence cycle.

Findings

Netizens' concerns varied in different stages. During the prodromal and outbreak stages, netizens showed greater concern about COVID-19 news, the impact of COVID-19 and the prevention and control of COVID-19. During the first round of the abatement and resurgence stage, netizens remained concerned about COVID-19 news and the prevention and control of the pandemic, however, less attention was paid to the impact of COVID-19. During later stages, popularity grew in topics concerning the impact of COVID-19, while netizens engaged more in discussions about international events and the raising of spirits to fight the global pandemic.

Practical implications

This study contributes to the practice by providing a way for the government and policy makers to retrospect the pandemic and thereby make a good preparation to take proper measures to communicate with citizens and address their demands in similar situations in the future.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature by applying an adapted version of Fink's (1986) crisis life cycle to create a five-stage evolution model to understand the repeated resurgence of COVID-19 in Mainland China.
December 2001: Rapidly progressive motor weakness, starting in pregnancy
Authors: Hilton David A. , McLean Brendan
Published: November 2023

Cases of the Month, October–December 2001

The October Case of the Month (COM). A 40‐year‐old Xhosa male presented with progressive upper lumbar back pain and weakness At examination he was emaciated and had enlarged lymph nodes in the groin and axilla. Both lower limbs were severely atrophic and weak. Sensation to touch and pain was decreased below L3 bilaterally. MR of the spine showed a discrete, contrast‐enhancing epidural mass. A T10–T12 laminectomy revealed an soft, vascular extradural tumor dorsal to the cord. The mass was loosely applied to the dura and easy to remove. The operative specimen consisted of a sausage‐shaped (3.5×2.0×1.2 cm), thinly‐encapsulated mass of reddish‐brown tissue. The cut surface had a mottled, vaguely nodular, yellowlsh‐brown appearance. Microscopic examination revealed sheets of hematopoeitic elements, including myeloid, red cell and megakaryocytic lines, the latter showing Factor 8‐related positivity. The final diagnosis was extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH). A bone marrow biopsy performed as a result of the diagnosis showed a myeloproliferative disease and polycythemia vera. EMH in the spinal epidural space is a rare but treatable cause of progressive paraparesis in patients with a variety of hematological disorders. Since 1956 there have been more than 50 reported cases, most of which occurred in association with thalassaemia. In spinal cord compression secondary to EMH, the lesions are commonly localized to the mid‐lower thoracic region.

The November COM. A 67‐year‐old man was found to have massive pituitary necrosis occupying approximately 85% of the anterior lobe after being supported with mechanical ventilation for 35 days. The findings were compatible with “respirator pituitary” found In mechanically ventilated patients. The lesions represent coagulative infarctions due to ischemia. The role of the respirator is believed to be buying time to allow the changes to develop.

The December COM. A 25‐year‐old woman presented with rapidly progressive motor weakness necessitating ventilation 10 months after the onset. Despite immunosuppressive therapy she died 27 months later, without developing significant extramotor features. Autopsy revealed evidence of both upper and lower motor neuron loss with wide‐spread motor and extramotor intraneuronal basophilic inclusions, most of which did not show ubiquitin immunoreactivity. Motor neuron disease with basophilic inclusions appears to be a rare, but distinctive pathological subtype, with most reported cases occurring sporadically in young women and having a rapid clinical progression.
The economic significance of industrial design awards: A conceptual framework
Authors: Gemser Gerda , Wijnberg Nachoem M.
Published: November 2023

This paper explores the importance of industrial design awards in shaping competition. We propose that there exists a positive relationship between winning industrial design awards and the corporate performance of the award‐winner, and that this relationship is moderated by, first, the type of products involved, and second, by the reputation of the award. The reputation of an award, in turn, is considered to be the result of a) the fit between the selection system dominating the relevant industry and the selection system expressed by the award and b) other institutional factors specific to the award, such as the age and the monetary value of the award.
Analysis of Friction Characteristics of Valve Plate Pair in an Axial Piston Pump Considering Cylinder Block Dynamics
Authors: Han Bo , Wang Zhaoqiang , Ji Hong , Sun Lingtao , Lu Yangjun
Published: November 2023

The lubrication properties and friction characteristics of the valve plate pair play a vital role in determining the overall lifespan of the axial piston pump, which makes the analysis of these parameters of significant importance. In this paper, the lubrication model of the cylinder block/valve plate sliding interface of the axial piston pump, considering elastic deformation and cylinder block dynamics, is established. The oil film carrying pressure and asperity microcontact pressure are calculated using the Reynolds equation, Greenwood–Williamson asperity microcontact model, and Hertz contact theory. The dynamic analysis is carried out, and the Newton–Raphson iterative method is introduced to solve the nonlinear equations. The influence of working pressure, cylinder speed, and sealing belt width on the friction characteristics of the valve plate pair is analyzed using the numerical calculation model. The simulation results demonstrate the dynamic changes of the cylinder block and the impact of them on lubrication properties and friction characteristics. The experimental results of the friction coefficient at different cylinder speeds are consistent with the simulation results in trend and accurately reflect the fluctuation of the friction coefficient.
Ultrasound Doppler technique for the diagnosis of focal nodular hyperplasia – case series and systematic review
Authors: Sawatzki Mikael , Burkart Thomas , Baumeler Stephan , Semela David , Dong Yi , Jenssen Christian , Srivastava David , Dietrich Christoph F.
Published: November 2023

With the Superb Micro-Vascular Imaging (SMI), the established Doppler technology has been extended by another mode. With this technique, microvascular structures with slow blood flow can now also be displayed in real time. As with the introduction of Doppler ultrasound, this new technique opens further diagnostic fields for the examiner, which were previously reserved for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) or contrast ultrasound (CEUS). Focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) of the liver is characterized by a typical spoke-wheel vascular malformation (spoke-wheel sign, SWS) anda good example using SMI for the diagnostic profit of our patients. The aim of this report is to describe the use of SMI as a new non-invasive, quick, and probably cost-effective diagnostic imaging tool
What made primary health care resilient against COVID-19? A mixed-methods positive deviance study in Nigeria
Authors: Neill Rachel , Peters Michael A , Bello Segun , Dairo Magbagbeola David , Azais Viviane , Samuel Jegede Ayodele , Adebowale Ayo Stephen , Nzelu Charles , Azodo Ngozi , Adoghe Anthony , Wang William , Bartlein Rebecca , Liu Anne , Ogunlayi Munirat , Yaradua Saudatu Umma , Shapira Gil , Hansen Peter M , Fawole Olufunmilayo I , Ahmed Tashrik
Published: November 2023

Introduction

The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic overwhelmed some primary health care (PHC) systems, while others adapted and recovered. In Nigeria, large, within-state variations existed in the ability to maintain PHC service volumes. Identifying characteristics of high-performing local government areas (LGAs) can improve understanding of subnational health systems resilience.

Methods

Employing a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, we quantitatively identified ‘positive deviant’ LGAs based on their speed of recovery of outpatient and antenatal care services to prepandemic levels using service volume data from Nigeria’s health management information system and matched them to comparators with similar baseline characteristics and slower recoveries. 70 semistructured interviews were conducted with LGA officials, facility officers and community leaders in sampled LGAs to analyse comparisons based on Kruk’s resilience framework.

Results

A total of 57 LGAs were identified as positive deviants out of 490 eligible LGAs that experienced a temporary decrease in PHC-level outpatient and antenatal care service volumes. Positive deviants had an average of 8.6% higher outpatient service volume than expected, and comparators had 27.1% lower outpatient volume than expected after the initial disruption to services. Informants in 12 positive deviants described health systems that were more integrated, aware and self-regulating than comparator LGAs. Positive deviants were more likely to employ demand-side adaptations, whereas comparators primarily focused on supply-side adaptations. Barriers included long-standing financing and PHC workforce gaps.

Conclusion

Sufficient flexible financing, adequate PHC staffing and local leadership enabled health systems to recover service volumes during COVID-19. Resilient PHC requires simultaneous attention to bottom-up and top-down capabilities connected by strong leadership.
Impact of deintensifying hypoglycaemic drugs in older adults with type 2 diabetes: protocol for an emulation of a target trial
Authors: Christiaens Antoine , Simon-Tillaux Noémie , Thompson Wade , Sinclair Alan J. , Henrard Séverine , Boland Benoit B. , Slaouti-Jégou Yannis , Lekens Béranger , Bonnet-Zamponi Dominique , Tubach Florence , Zerah Lorène
Published: November 2023

Introduction

In older adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D), overtreatment with hypoglycaemic drugs (HDs: sulfonylureas, glinides and/or insulins) is frequent and associated with increased 1-year mortality. Deintensification of HD is thus a key issue, for which evidence is though limited. The primary objective of this study will be to estimate the effect of deintensifying HD on clinical outcomes (hospital admission or death) within 3 months in older adults (≥75 years) with T2D.

Methods

We will emulate with real-world data a target trial, within The Health Improvement Network cohort, a large-scale database of data collected from electronic medical records of 2000 general practitioners in France. From 1 January 2010 to 28 February 2019, we will include eligible patients ≥75 years who will have T2D, a stable dose of HDs, glycated haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) value <75 mmol/mol (9.0%) and no deintensification in the past year. The target trial will be sequentially emulated (ie, eligibility assessed) every month in the database. Patients will be classified at baseline of each sequential trial in the intervention arm (deintensification of HDs: decrease of ≥50% in the total dose of HDs, including complete cessation) or control arm (no deintensification of HDs). The pooled dataset for all sequential emulated trials will be analysed. The primary outcome will be time to first occurrence of hospital admission or death, within 3 months. Secondary outcomes will be hospitalisation, death, appropriateness of glycaemic control and occurrence of HbA1c >75 mmol/mol within 1 year. Participants will be followed from baseline to 12 months after randomisation, administrative censoring, or death, whichever occurs first. A pooled logistic regression will be used to estimate the treatment effect on the incidence of the outcomes.

Dissemination and ethics

No ethical approval is needed for using retrospectively this fully anonymised database. The results will be disseminated during conferences and through publications in scientific journals.
Quiet quitting among healthcare professionals in hospital environments: a concept analysis and scoping review protocol
Authors: Kang Jaejin , Kim Hyekyung , Cho Ok-Hee
Published: November 2023

Introduction

The post-COVID-19 pandemic era has seen a rise in ‘quiet quitting’, with employees limiting their efforts to fulfil assigned tasks without going beyond their designated responsibilities. The occurrence of quiet quitting in hospitals can have detrimental effects not only on organisational culture but also on patient safety and satisfaction. Therefore, the aim of this study is to define quiet quitting among healthcare professionals in hospitals through concept analysis, identify the associated factors and outcomes of quiet quitting, and conduct a scoping review based on this defined concept.

Methods and analysis

This study will adopt Walker and Avant method for concept analysis and Aromataris and Munn methodological framework as well as the Joanna Briggs Institute Reviewer’s manual for scoping reviews. The concept analysis will follow eight steps: (1) choosing the concept; (2) outlining the objectives of the analysis; (3) recognising the concept’s uses; (4) selecting the concept’s defining attributes; (5) constructing a model case; (6) constructing additional cases; (7) defining the consequences and antecedents of the concept; and (8) determining empirical referents. This study used databases of PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, Scopus, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global for the English language, and NDSL, KCI, RISS, KISS and DBpia for the Korean language. Additionally, grey literature will be searched.

Ethics and dissemination

This concept analysis and scoping review does not require ethical approval. The results of this study will be reported in peer-reviewed publications.
Nurse-led approach to standardising the management of iron-deficiency anaemia, achieving the 2-week cancer pathway targets and reducing hospital admissions: practicalities and learnings from a success story
Authors: Reid Pauline , Patterson Kev , McCulloch Emma , Walsh Laura , Murshid Amal , Kinsella William , Moore Andrew , Skouras Thomas , Smith Philip J
Published: November 2023

The most significant and common cause of anaemia is iron deficiency, which occurs when iron absorption cannot meet the body’s demands due to growth, pregnancy, poor nutrition, malabsorption or blood loss. It is estimated that in the UK 11% of the adult population have iron-deficiency anaemia (IDA) and investigation is essential to exclude significant pathology as the underlying cause. It has been shown that IDA is responsible for 57 000 hospital admissions in the UK, and at least 10% of gastroenterology referrals per annum.

IDA is a major red flag symptom for gastrointestinal cancer. At the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, a dedicated nurse-led IDA service was developed in 2005 to help alleviate the clinical pressures created by the two week suspected cancer referral pathway. With the success of this service, investigation and management of IDA has been extended to referrals from accident and emergency, with the aim of reducing hospital admissions and to investigating and optimising iron replacement therapy in preoperative patients.

Delivering this as a nurse consultant-led service was proposed by the gastroenterology medical team who felt that, as a clinical problem with well established, published investigative algorithms, IDA would be suitable for management in a dedicated nurse-led clinic.

This article will focus on the strategies employed to achieve sufficient resources and clinic capacity to run this service effectively, develop strong nurse education and training, and the development of agreed investigation pathways. A robust results review process, with rapid management of abnormal results, was established with timely discharge for those patients with normal results. Optimisation of iron replacement therapy and verification of sustained haematological response was prioritised as this was identified as being poorly managed across all specialties. A process for ongoing audit of results was included to show the success of the service and highlight areas for redesign.

Here, we demonstrate the effectiveness of our nurse-led IDA service and suggest it as the basis for other IDA services in the UK and beyond.
Cosmological LTB black hole in a quintom universe
Authors: Eslamzadeh Sareh , Nozari Kourosh , Firouzjaee J. T.
Published: November 2023

We study cosmological Lemaitre–Tolman–Bondi (LTB) black hole thermodynamics immersed in a quintom universe. We investigate some thermodynamic aspects of such a black hole in detail. We apply two methods of treating particles’ tunneling from the apparent horizons and calculate the black hole’s temperature in each method; the results of which are the same. In addition, by considering specific time slices in the cosmic history, we study the thermodynamic features of this black hole in these specific cosmic epochs. Also, we discuss the information loss problem and the remnant content of the cosmological black hole in different cosmic epochs in this context. We show that approximately in all the cosmic history, the temperature of the black hole’s apparent horizon is more than the temperature of the cosmological apparent horizon.
Halogen-doped SnO2 for hydrogen production: A theoretical and experimental investigation
Authors: Filippatos Petros-Panagis , Soultati Anastasia , Kelaidis Nikolaos , Coutsolelos Athanassios G. , Davazoglou Dimitris , Vasilopoulou Maria , Chroneos Alexander
Published: November 2023

Halogen-doped tin dioxide (SnO2) is examined for its photocatalytic activity and further applications apart from the photovoltaic devices. While SnO2 has been extensively examined in energy devices, not so much attention has been paid to its investigation as a photocatalyst. Preliminary studies on photocatalytic properties suggest that Br:SnO2 shows a small improvement in hydrogen production in the first 14 h, whereas, in general, the presence of any halogen reduces the reactivity of SnO2. By incorporating this result with the observed increase in conductance, it can be suggested that the doping of Cl and Br serves as an effective method for enhancing the electron-transport properties of SnO2 layers.
Surveys and essays towards research perspectives on complex systems
Authors: Bellomo N. , Brezzi F.
Published: November 2023

This editorial is dedicated to presenting the papers published in a special issue focused on modeling, qualitative analysis and simulation of the collective dynamics of systems in engineering and life sciences. All papers have a minor or major reference to living, i.e. complex systems, and a critical analysis of the overall content of the issue is proposed, leading to a forward look at research perspectives. This paper first defines the goals of the issue. Then, a brief description of the scientific contribution of the papers published in this issue is given. Finally, a look into the future is proposed.