bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
STRATEGI PENINGKATAN PAJAK REKLAME, PAJAK RESTORAN, DAN PAJAK HOTEL DI KABUPATEN KOLAKA (STUDI KASUS BADAN PENDAPATAN DAERAH KABUPATEN KOLAKA)
Authors: Amir Amir , Amir Muhammad , Basri Muhammad
Published: November 2021

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan dan menganalisis strategi peningkatan pajak reklame, pajak restoran dan pajak hotel di Badan Pendapatan Daerah Kabupaten Kolaka. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualititf dengan informan berjumlah sebanyak 6 orang yang ditentukan secara purposive sampling. Data dalam penelitian ini diperoleh melalui wawancara mendalam dan dokumentasi, Teknik analisis data yang digunakan adalah analisis kualitatif model interaktif yang mencakup pengumpulan data yang terintegrasi dengan reduksi data, penyajian data dan penarikan kesimpulan. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa strategi peningkatan pajak reklame, pajak restoran, dan pajak hotel di Bapenda Kabupaten Kolaka yakni strategi berbasis demokrasi dan akuntabilitas yang mencakup penemuan, penilaian, pembebanan, sensitisasi, pengumpulan, dan kepatuhan, namun strategi-strategi tersebut seluruhnya belum terimplementasi secara optimal dan komprehensif. Kata Kunci: Strategi, Peningkatan, Pajak Daerah
ANALISIS KINERJA FASILITATOR PROGRAM BANTUAN STIMULAN PERUMAHAN SWADAYA MASYARAKAT DI KECAMATAN TINANGGEA
Authors: Bachri Asbul , Kadir H. Abdul , Rahman Rahman
Published: November 2021

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui dan menganalisis kinerja fasilitator program Bantuan Stimulant Perumahan Swadaya Masyarakat di Kecamatan Tinanggea Kabupaten Konawe Selatan , Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif deskriptif, dengan  teknik analisis data  terdiri dari pengumpulan data, reduksi data, penyajian data , dan penarikan kesimpulan/verivikasi,  informan didalam penelitian ini berjumlah 13 orang yang ditentukan secara purposive sampling, Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa Fasilitator program bantuan stimulant perumahan Swadaya di Kecamatan Tinanggea, didalam melaksanakan tugas dan fungsinya untuk melaksanakan sosialisasi, menyeleksi calon penerima BSPS, melaksanakan pendampingan dan menyusun laporan kegiatan, setelah ditinjau berdasarkan instrument penelitian menunjukan bahwa kinerja tenaga fasilitator lapangan yang bertugas di Kecamatan Tinanggea belum efektif secara menyeluruh, dari aspek kualitas kerja (Quality of work) masih belum efektif, dari aspek ketepatan waktu (Pomptness) telah cukup efektif , dari aspek inisiatif (Initiative) masih belum efektif, aspek kemampuan (capability) masih belum efektif, dan aspek komunikasi (Communication) masih belum efektifKata Kunci : Kinerja , Fasilitator
REFORMASI BIROKRASI MELALUI PENATAAN KELEMBAGAAN PADA SEKRETARIAT DAERAH KOTA KENDARI
Authors: Rahman Al Asrin , Amir Muhammad , Tawai Adrian
Published: November 2021

Tujuan penelitian ini adalah mengetahui dan menganalisis reformasi birokrasi melalui penataan kelembagaan pada sekretariat daerah kota kendari. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan teknik analisis data yang dikemukakan oleh miles dan huberman yaitu pengumpulan data, reduksi data, penyajian data, dan menarik kesimpulan. Adapun teknik pengumpulan data yang digunakan adalah wawancara dan studi dokumen. Informan penelitian berjumlah lima orang dan ditentukan dengan teknik puposif terdiri pimpinan dan staf di organisasi tersebut. Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa Pelaksanaan reformasi birokrasi pada sekretariat daerah kota kendari sudah berjalan baik melalui penerapan Grand desain reformasi birokrasi namun pada salah satu area perubahan yaitu pada Pola Pikir (Mind Set) Dan Budaya Kerja (Culture Set) Aparatur masih belum memiliki perubahan dimana masih terdapat pegawai yang terlambat datang dan dalam menyelesaikan tugas yang diberikan belum tepat waktu dalam menyelesaikan tugas tersebut dan penataan kelembagaan pada sekretariat daerah sudah berjalan dengan baik yang meliputi struktur kelembagaan, sistem yang digunakan, dan perilaku SDM atau kultur birokrasi, sudah berjalan dengan baik sesuai dengan Permendagri 56 Tahun 2019 Tentang Pedoman Nomenklatur dan Unit Kerja Sekretariat Daerah Provinsi dan Kabupaten/Kota.Kata kunci: Reformasi Birokrasi, Area Perubahan, Penataan Kelembagaan
PENERAPAN DIGITALISASI DALAM PENGADAAN BARANG DAN JASA PADA SEKRETARIAT DAERAH KOTA KENDARI
Authors: Asprianto Asprianto , Alam Syamsul , Larisu Zulfiah
Published: November 2021

Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk menganalisis faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi penerapan sistem digitalisasi dalam pengadaan barang dan jasa pada Sekretariat Daerah Kota Kendari. Penelitian ini dilaksanakan di Unit Layanan Pengadaan Sekretariat Daerah Kota Kendari dengan menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif. Teknik penentuan informan secara purposive sampling sebanyak 10 orang dan teknik pengumpulan data melalui   wawancara,   pengamatan,   serta   studi   dokumentasi. Analisis yang digunakan adalah dengan cara melakukan interpretasi terhadap data, fakta dan informasi yang telah dikumpulkan melalui pemahaman intelaktul dan pengalaman empiris. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan faktor yang mempengaruhi penerapan digitalisasi dalam pengadaaan barang dan jasa di Kota Kendari meliputi aturan, sumberdaya manusia, dan perangkat keras dan infrastruktur jaringan. Faktor sumberdaya dan perangkat keras dan infrastruktur jaringan menjadi penghambat, sedangkan aturan menjadi faktor pendukung.Kata Kunci :  Penerapan Digitalisasi, Pengadaan Barang dan Jasa, Unit Layanan Pengadaan
Recurrent Wheeze Exacerbations Following Acute Bronchiolitis—A Machine Learning Approach
Authors: Makrinioti Heidi , Maggina Paraskevi , Lakoumentas John , Xepapadaki Paraskevi , Taka Stella , Megremis Spyridon , Manioudaki Maria , Johnston Sebastian L. , Tsolia Maria , Papaevangelou Vassiliki , Papadopoulos Nikolaos G.
Published: November 2021

Introduction:Acute bronchiolitis is one of the most common respiratory infections in infancy. Although most infants with bronchiolitis do not get hospitalized, infants with hospitalized bronchiolitis are more likely to develop wheeze exacerbations during the first years of life. The objective of this prospective cohort study was to develop machine learning models to predict incidence and persistence of wheeze exacerbations following the first hospitalized episode of acute bronchiolitis.

Methods:One hundred thirty-one otherwise healthy term infants hospitalized with the first episode of bronchiolitis at a tertiary pediatric hospital in Athens, Greece, and 73 age-matched controls were recruited. All patients/controls were followed up for 3 years with 6-monthly telephone reviews. Through principal component analysis (PCA), a cluster model was used to describe main outcomes. Associations between virus type and the clusters and between virus type and other clinical characteristics and demographic data were identified. Through random forest classification, a prediction model with smallest classification error was identified. Primary outcomes included the incidence and the number of caregiver-reported wheeze exacerbations.

Results:PCA identified 2 clusters of the outcome measures (Cluster 1 and Cluster 2) that were significantly associated with the number of recurrent wheeze episodes over 3-years of follow-up (Chi-Squared,p< 0.001). Cluster 1 included infants who presented higher number of wheeze exacerbations over follow-up time. Rhinovirus (RV) detection was more common in Cluster 1 and was more strongly associated with clinical severity on admission (p< 0.01). A prediction model based on virus type and clinical severity could predict Cluster 1 with an overall error 0.1145 (sensitivity 75.56% and specificity 91.86%).

Conclusion:A prediction model based on virus type and clinical severity of first hospitalized episode of bronchiolitis could predict sensitively the incidence and persistence of wheeze exacerbations during a 3-year follow-up. Virus type (RV) was the strongest predictor.
New Trends in Bioremediation Technologies Toward Environment-Friendly Society: A Mini-Review
Authors: Dutta Kunal , Shityakov Sergey , Khalifa Ibrahim
Published: November 2021

Graphical Abstract

Redesigned enzyme for bioremediation.
Multiscale Computational Modeling of Vascular Adaptation: A Systems Biology Approach Using Agent-Based Models
Authors: Corti Anna , Colombo Monika , Migliavacca Francesco , Rodriguez Matas Jose Felix , Casarin Stefano , Chiastra Claudio
Published: November 2021

The widespread incidence of cardiovascular diseases and associated mortality and morbidity, along with the advent of powerful computational resources, have fostered an extensive research in computational modeling of vascular pathophysiology field and promoted in-silico models as a support for biomedical research. Given the multiscale nature of biological systems, the integration of phenomena at different spatial and temporal scales has emerged to be essential in capturing mechanobiological mechanisms underlying vascular adaptation processes. In this regard, agent-based models have demonstrated to successfully embed the systems biology principles and capture the emergent behavior of cellular systems under different pathophysiological conditions. Furthermore, through their modular structure, agent-based models are suitable to be integrated with continuum-based models within a multiscale framework that can link the molecular pathways to the cell and tissue levels. This can allow improving existing therapies and/or developing new therapeutic strategies. The present review examines the multiscale computational frameworks of vascular adaptation with an emphasis on the integration of agent-based approaches with continuum models to describe vascular pathophysiology in a systems biology perspective. The state-of-the-art highlights the current gaps and limitations in the field, thus shedding light on new areas to be explored that may become the future research focus. The inclusion of molecular intracellular pathways (e.g., genomics or proteomics) within the multiscale agent-based modeling frameworks will certainly provide a great contribution to the promising personalized medicine. Efforts will be also needed to address the challenges encountered for the verification, uncertainty quantification, calibration and validation of these multiscale frameworks.
Sex-Dependent Estimation of Spinal Loads During Static Manual Material Handling Activities—Combined in vivo and in silico Analyses
Authors: Firouzabadi Ali , Arjmand Navid , Pan Fumin , Zander Thomas , Schmidt Hendrik
Published: November 2021

Manual material handling (MMH) is considered as one of the main contributors to low back pain. While males traditionally perform MMH tasks, recently the number of females who undertake these physically-demanding activities is also increasing. To evaluate the risk of mechanical injuries, the majority of previous studies have estimated spinal forces using different modeling approaches that mostly focus on male individuals. Notable sex-dependent differences have, however, been reported in torso muscle strength and anatomy, segmental mass distribution, as well as lifting strategy during MMH. Therefore, this study aimed to use sex-specific models to estimate lumbar spinal and muscle forces during static MHH tasks in 10 healthy males and 10 females. Motion-capture, surface electromyographic from select trunk muscles, and ground reaction force data were simultaneously collected while subjects performed twelve symmetric and asymmetric static lifting (10 kg) tasks. AnyBody Modeling System was used to develop base-models (subject-specific segmental length, muscle architecture, and kinematics data) for both sexes. For females, female-specific models were also developed by taking into account for the female’s muscle physiological cross-sectional areas, segmental mass distributions, and body fat percentage. Males showed higher absolute L5-S1 compressive and shear loads as compared to both female base-models (25.3% compressive and 14% shear) and female-specific models (41% compressive and 23.6% shear). When the predicted spine loads were normalized to subjects’ body weight, however, female base-models showed larger loads (9% compressive and 16.2% shear on average), and female-specific models showed 2.4% smaller and 9.4% larger loads than males. Females showed larger forces in oblique abdominal muscles during both symmetric and asymmetric lifting tasks, while males had larger back extensor muscle forces during symmetric lifting tasks. A stronger correlation between measured and predicted muscle activities was found in females than males. Results indicate that female-specific characteristics affect the predicted spinal loads and must be considered in musculoskeletal models. Neglecting sex-specific parameters in these models could lead to the overestimation of spinal loads in females.
Butyric Acid Protects Against Renal Ischemia–Reperfusion Injury by Adjusting the Treg/Th17 Balance via HO-1/p-STAT3 Signaling
Authors: Chen Zhen , Wang Miaomiao , Yang Shikun , Shi Jian , Ji Tianhao , Ding Wei , Jiang Lianghua , Fan Zhiwen , Chen Jing , Lu Yunjie
Published: November 2021

Immune regulation plays a vital role in ischemia–reperfusion injury (IRI). Butyric acid (BA) has immunomodulatory effects in many diseases, but its immunomodulatory effects during renal IRI are still unclear. Our research shows that BA protected against IRI and significantly improved renal IRI in vivo. In vitro studies showed that BA inhibits Th17 cell differentiation and induces Treg cell differentiation. Mechanism studies have shown that heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1)/STAT3 signaling pathway was involved in the inhibitory effect of BA on Th17 cell differentiation. HO-1 inhibitors can significantly rescue the BA-mediated inhibition of Th17 cell differentiation. We confirmed that BA promotes the differentiation of Th17 cells into Treg cells by regulating the pathway and reduces renal IRI.
LRP5-Mediated Lipid Uptake Modulates Osteogenic Differentiation of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stromal Cells
Authors: Lin Jiachen , Zheng Zhifa , Liu Jieying , Yang Guihua , Leng Ling , Wang Hai , Qiu Guixing , Wu Zhihong
Published: November 2021

Nutritional microenvironment determines the specification of progenitor cells, and lipid availability was found to modulate osteogenesis in skeletal progenitors. Here, we investigated the implications of lipid scarcity in the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs) and the role of low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 (LRP5), a co-receptor transducing canonical Wnt/beta-catenin signals, in BMSC lipid uptake during osteogenesis. The osteogenic differentiation of murine BMSCs was suppressed by lipid scarcity and partially rescued by additional fatty acid treatment with oleate. The enhancement of osteogenesis by oleate was found to be dosage-dependent, along with the enhanced activation of beta-catenin and Wnt target genes. Conditional knockout (CKO) of Lrp5 gene in murine mesenchymal lineage using Lrp5fl/fl;Prrx1-cre mice led to decreased bone quality and altered fat distribution in vivo. After Lrp5 ablation using adenoviral Cre-recombinase, the accumulation of lipid droplets in BMSC cytoplasm was significantly reduced, and the osteogenesis of BMSCs was suppressed. Moreover, the impaired osteogenesis due to either lipid scarcity or Lrp5 ablation could be rescued by recombinant Wnt3a protein, indicating that the osteogenesis induced by Wnt/beta-catenin signaling was independent of LRP5-mediated lipid uptake. In conclusion, lipid scarcity suppresses BMSC osteogenic differentiation. LRP5 plays a role in the uptake of lipids in BMSCs and therefore mediates osteogenic specification.
Effective Search of Triterpenes with Anti-HSV-1 Activity Using a Classification Model by Logistic Regression
Authors: Ogawa Keiko , Nakamura Seikou , Oguri Haruka , Ryu Kaori , Yoneda Taichi , Hosoki Rumiko
Published: November 2021

Natural products are an excellent source of skeletons for medicinal seeds. Triterpenes and saponins are representative natural products that exhibit anti-herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) activity. However, there has been a lack of comprehensive information on the anti-HSV-1 activity of triterpenes. Therefore, expanding information on the anti-HSV-1 activity of triterpenes and improving the efficiency of their exploration are urgently required. To improve the efficiency of the development of anti-HSV-1 active compounds, we constructed a predictive model for the anti-HSV-1 activity of triterpenes by using the information obtained from previous studies using machine learning methods. In this study, we constructed a binary classification model (i.e., active or inactive) using a logistic regression algorithm. As a result of the evaluation of predictive model, the accuracy for the test data is 0.79, and the area under the curve (AUC) is 0.86. Additionally, to enrich the information on the anti-HSV-1 activity of triterpenes, a plaque reduction assay was performed on 20 triterpenes. As a result, chikusetsusaponin IVa (11: IC50 = 13.06 μM) was found to have potent anti-HSV-1 with three potentially anti-HSV-1 active triterpenes. The assay result was further used for external validation of predictive model. The prediction of the test compounds in the activity test showed a high accuracy (0.83) and AUC (0.81). We also found that this predictive model was found to be able to successfully narrow down the active compounds. This study provides more information on the anti-HSV-1 activity of triterpenes. Moreover, the predictive model can improve the efficiency of the development of active triterpenes by integrating many previous studies to clarify potential relationships.
The Combined Regulation of Long Non-coding RNA and RNA-Binding Proteins in Atherosclerosis
Authors: Ding Yuanyuan , Yin Ruihua , Zhang Shuai , Xiao Qi , Zhao Hongqin , Pan Xudong , Zhu Xiaoyan
Published: November 2021

Atherosclerosis is a complex disease closely related to the function of endothelial cells (ECs), monocytes/macrophages, and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Despite a good understanding of the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, the underlying molecular mechanisms are still only poorly understood. Therefore, atherosclerosis continues to be an important clinical issue worthy of further research. Recent evidence has shown that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) can serve as important regulators of cellular function in atherosclerosis. Besides, several studies have shown that lncRNAs are partly dependent on the specific interaction with RBPs to exert their function. This review summarizes the important contributions of lncRNAs and RBPs in atherosclerosis and provides novel and comprehensible interaction models of lncRNAs and RBPs.
Case Report: Sapien 3 Transcatheter Heart Valve Embolization: Cause, Management, and Redo
Authors: Chen Mi , Stähli Barbara E. , Michel Jonathan M. , Brinkert Miriam , Tanner Felix C. , Kasel Albert Markus
Published: November 2021

The transcatheter heart valve (THV) embolization is a rare but challenging complication in transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). We report the case of an 81-year-old man with Sapien 3 embolization caused by interrupted rapid pacing. In this setting, we describe the embolized THV management and the technique of the second Sapien 3 implantation.
Feedback Linearization Control Design for Battery/SMES Hybrid Energy Storage Systems Used in Distribution Network
Authors: Tang Chengye , Huang Yonghong
Published: November 2021

A battery/superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) hybrid energy storage system (BSM-HESS) is designed for a power system. Meanwhile, a nonlinear feedback control (FLC) is adopted to achieve smooth and fast-tracking performance, and a rule-based strategy (RBS) is applied for power demand allocation. FLC can effectively compensate for the system’s nonlinearity to obtain the global consistent control performance; thus, it can properly solve the nonlinearity and modeling uncertainty of BSM-HESS. The effectiveness and advantages of FLC are evaluated via three cases, namely, heavy load condition, light load condition, and robustness with uncertain BSM-HESS parameters. Simulation results show that compared with proportional–integral–derivative (PID) control, FLC can achieve the best dynamic performance under various working conditions, which is beneficial for the system to quickly restore stable operation after large disturbance. In addition, the control cost of FLC is lower than that of PID control under both heavy load and light load conditions.
A Fast Tomographic Reconstruction Method for Flame Temperature Distribution Measurement Based on Direct Solution Algorithm
Authors: Zhang Biao , Peng Wei-Jian , Li Jian , Li Zhi-Hao , Xu Chuan-Long
Published: November 2021

The rapid and accurate measurement of the flame temperature distribution is of great significance to the structural design and health diagnosis of the engine. Aiming at the low reconstruction efficiency of traditional flame temperature distribution reconstruction algorithms, a Direct Solution algorithm for flame temperature distribution reconstruction is proposed in this paper based on the structural characteristics of the reconstruction equations. By setting several numerical cases, the performance of the Direct Solution algorithm and some commonly used traditional algorithms, such as Simultaneous Algebraic Reconstruction Technique (SART), Least Squares QR-factorization (LSQR) algorithm, Non-Negative Least Squares QR-factorization (NNLS) algorithm, is compared in the reconstruction of the flame temperature distribution. The results show that the efficiency of the Direct Solution method is 169.4, 7.4, and 3483.3 times higher than that of the SART, LSQR, and NNLS algorithms under the condition of 40 × 40 grids. In addition, with the increase of the number of grids, the growth rate of the reconstruction time of the Direct Solution algorithm is much lower than that of other algorithms. The overall reconstruction accuracy of the Direct Solution algorithm is better than that of SART and LSQR algorithms. This shows that it has an excellent comprehensive performance and has a great application prospect in the rapid reconstruction of the temperature distribution.
Genome-Wide Identification of CBL-CIPK Gene Family in Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica Thunb.) and Their Regulated Expression Under Salt Stress
Authors: Huang Luyao , Li Zhuangzhuang , Fu Qingxia , Liang Conglian , Liu Zhenhua , Liu Qian , Pu Gaobin , Li Jia
Published: November 2021

In plants, calcineurin B-like proteins (CBLs) are a unique group of Ca2+ sensors that decode Ca2+ signals by activating a family of plant-specific protein kinases known as CBL-interacting protein kinases (CIPKs). CBL-CIPK gene families and their interacting complexes are involved in regulating plant responses to various environmental stimuli. To gain insight into the functional divergence of CBL-CIPK genes in honeysuckle, a total of six LjCBL and 17 LjCIPK genes were identified. The phylogenetic analysis along with the gene structure analysis divided both CBL and CBL-interacting protein kinase genes into four subgroups and validated by the distribution of conserved protein motifs. The 3-D structure prediction of proteins shown that most LjCBLs shared the same Protein Data Bank hit 1uhnA and most LjCIPKs shared the 6c9Da. Analysis of cis-acting elements and gene ontology implied that both LjCBL and LjCIPK genes could be involved in hormone signal responsiveness and stress adaptation. Protein-protein interaction prediction suggested that LjCBL4 is hypothesized to interact with LjCIPK7/9/15/16 and SOS1/NHX1. Gene expression analysis in response to salinity stress revealed that LjCBL2/4, LjCIPK1/15/17 under all treatments gradually increased over time until peak expression at 72 h. These results demonstrated the conservation of salt overly sensitive pathway genes in honeysuckle and a model of Ca2+-LjCBL4/LjSOS3-LjCIPK16/LjSOS2 module-mediated salt stress signaling in honeysuckle is proposed. This study provides insight into the characteristics of the CBL-CIPK gene families involved in honeysuckle salt stress responses, which could serve as a foundation for gene transformation technology, to obtain highly salt-tolerant medicinal plants in the context of the global reduction of cultivated land.
Herpes DNAemia and TTV Viraemia in Intensive Care Unit Critically Ill Patients: A Single-Centre Prospective Longitudinal Study
Authors: Mallet François , Diouf Léa , Meunier Boris , Perret Magali , Reynier Frédéric , Leissner Philippe , Quemeneur Laurence , Griffiths Andrew D. , Moucadel Virginie , Pachot Alexandre , Venet Fabienne , Monneret Guillaume , Lepape Alain , Rimmelé Thomas , Tan Lionel K. , Brengel-Pesce Karen , Textoris Julien
Published: November 2021

Introduction

We analysed blood DNAemia of TTV and four herpesviruses (CMV, EBV, HHV6, and HSV-1) in the REAnimation Low Immune Status Marker (REALISM) cohort of critically ill patients who had presented with either sepsis, burns, severe trauma, or major surgery. The aim was to identify common features related to virus and injury-associated pathologies and specific features linking one or several viruses to a particular pathological context.

Methods

Overall and individual viral DNAemia were measured over a month using quantitative PCR assays from the 377 patients in the REALISM cohort. These patients were characterised by clinical outcomes [severity scores, mortality, Intensive Care Unit (ICU)-acquired infection (IAI)] and 48 parameters defining their host response after injury (cell populations, immune functional assays, and biomarkers). Association between viraemic event and clinical outcomes or immune markers was assessed using χ2-test or exact Fisher’s test for qualitative variables and Wilcoxon test for continuous variables.

Results

The cumulative incidence of viral DNAemia increased from below 4% at ICU admission to 35% for each herpesvirus during the first month. EBV, HSV1, HHV6, and CMV were detected in 18%, 12%, 10%, and 9% of patients, respectively. The incidence of high TTV viraemia (>10,000 copies/ml) increased from 11% to 15% during the same period. Herpesvirus viraemia was associated with severity at admission; CMV and HHV6 viraemia correlated with mortality during the first week and over the month. The presence of individual herpesvirus during the first month was significantly associated (p < 0.001) with the occurrence of IAI, whilst herpesvirus DNAemia coupled with high TTV viraemia during the very first week was associated with IAI. Herpesvirus viraemia was associated with a lasting exacerbated host immune response, with concurrent profound immune suppression and hyper inflammation, and delayed return to immune homeostasis. The percentage of patients presenting with herpesvirus DNAemia was significantly higher in sepsis than in all other groups. Primary infection in the hospital and high IL10 levels might favour EBV and CMV reactivation.

Conclusion

In this cohort of ICU patients, phenotypic differences were observed between TTV and herpesviruses DNAemia. The higher prevalence of herpesvirus DNAemia in sepsis hints at further studies that may enable a betterin vivounderstanding of host determinants of herpesvirus viral reactivation. Furthermore, our data suggest that EBV and TTV may be useful as additional markers to predict clinical deterioration in ICU patients.
210Po/210Pb Disequilibria in the Eastern Tropical North Pacific
Authors: Ma Qiang , Qiu Yusheng , Zhang Run , Lv E , Huang Yipu , Chen Min
Published: November 2021

The 210Po/210Pb disequilibrium was attempted to reveal the small-scale particle dynamics in the eastern tropical North Pacific. Seawater samples in the full water column were collected from three sites in the Tehuantepec bowl near the East Pacific Ridge for determination of dissolved and particulate 210Po and 210Pb. Our results show that TPo/TPb activity ratios in the full water column at the three sites are less than 1, with an average of 0.56, indicating that the total 210Po in the oligotrophic sea is significantly deficient. The activity ratios of DPo/DPb in the dissolved phase are less than 1, while those in the particulate phase are greater than 1 (except for the bottom 300 m), indicating fractionation between 210Po and 210Pb in the scavenging process. A negative linear relationship between 210Po deficit and silicate proves that biological activities are responsible for 210Po deficiency in the upper 200 m. However, the deficit of 210Po in the bottom 300 m may be caused by the horizontal transport of the hydrothermal plume. After correcting the horizontal contribution, the removal rates of 210Po for the 200–1,500 m and the bottom 300 m layers increased by 7.5–21 and 26.1–29.5%, respectively. Correspondingly, the variation range of the residence time of a total 210Po became smaller. Our calculations suggest that horizontal transport is acting as a stabilizer for small-scale variation in the 210Po deficit in the eastern tropical North Pacific. Our study highlights the need to pay more attention to the small-scale variation of 210Po deficit when applying 210Po/210Pb disequilibria to trace biogeochemical processes, and the mechanism responsible for this variation deserves further study.
Chronic Conditions, Persistent Pain, and Psychological Distress Among the Rural Older Adults: A Path Analysis in Shandong, China
Authors: Yang Shijun , Li Jie , Zhao Dan , Wang Yi , Li Wenjuan , Li Jie , Li Zhixian , Wei Zhen , Yan Chen , Gui Zhen , Zhou Chengchao
Published: November 2021

Psychological distress were found to be associated with chronic conditions and persistent pain. However, few studies explored the underlying pathways between them. This study aimed to analyze the path of chronic conditions and persistent pain on psychological distress through sleep quality and self-rated health. A total of 2,748 rural older people in Shandong, China were included in this study. Path analysis was performed by using Mplus 8.3 to examine the associations between chronic conditions, persistent pain, sleep quality, self-rated health, and psychological distress after adjusting for age, gender, education, and household income. The prevalence of psychological distress among the older adults in this study was 47.49%. Chronic conditions and persistent pain were indirectly associated with psychological distress through six mediating pathways: (1) the path from chronic conditions to psychological distress through sleep quality (β = 0.041, 95%CI: 0.015–0.067) and self-rated health (β = 0.064, 95%CI: 0.038–0.091), respectively, and a chain mediation existed (β = 0.007, 95% CI: 0.000–0.014); (2) the path of persistent pain and psychological distress through sleep quality (β = 0.058, 95% CI: 0.014–0.102) and self-rated health (β = 0.048, 95% CI: 0.000–0.096), respectively, also the chain mediation found (β = 0.009, 95% CI: 0.005–0.014). Psychological distress was associated with chronic conditions and persistent pain through decreased sleep quality and self-rated health among Chinese rural older people. Multi-pronged targeted intervention should be taken for older adults with chronic conditions and persistent pain.
Deep (Meta)genomics and (Meta)transcriptome Analyses of Fungal and Bacteria Consortia From Aircraft Tanks and Kerosene Identify Key Genes in Fuel and Tank Corrosion
Authors: Krohn Ines , Bergmann Lutgardis , Qi Minyue , Indenbirken Daniela , Han Yuchen , Perez-Garcia Pablo , Katzowitsch Elena , Hägele Birgit , Lübcke Tim , Siry Christian , Riemann Ralf , Alawi Malik , Streit Wolfgang R.
Published: November 2021

Microbial contamination of fuels, associated with a wide variety of bacteria and fungi, leads to decreased product quality and can compromise equipment performance by biofouling or microbiologically influenced corrosion. Detection and quantification of microorganisms are critical in monitoring fuel systems for an early detection of microbial contaminations. To address these challenges, we have analyzed six metagenomes, one transcriptome, and more than 1,200 fluid and swab samples taken from fuel tanks or kerosene. Our deep metagenome sequencing and binning approaches in combination with RNA-seq data and qPCR methods implied a metabolic symbiosis between fungi and bacteria. The most abundant bacteria were affiliated with α-, β-, and γ-Proteobacteria and the filamentous fungiAmorphotheca. We identified a high number of genes, which are related to kerosene degradation and biofilm formation. Surprisingly, a large number of genes coded enzymes involved in polymer degradation and potential bio-corrosion processes. Thereby, the transcriptionally most active microorganisms were affiliated with the generaMethylobacteria, Pseudomonas, Kocuria, Amorpotheka, Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Penicillium. Many not yet cultured bacteria and fungi appeared to contribute to the biofilm transcriptional activities. The largest numbers of transcripts were observed for dehydrogenase, oxygenase, and exopolysaccharide production, attachment and pili/flagella-associated proteins, efflux pumps, and secretion systems as well as lipase and esterase activity.
Rapid Detection of Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus With Cas13a in Tomato and Frankliniella occidentalis
Authors: Zhang Wanhong , Jiao Yubing , Ding Chengying , Shen Lili , Li Ying , Yu Yanbi , Huang Kun , Li Bin , Wang Fenglong , Yang Jinguang
Published: November 2021

Graphical Abstract

Schematic of CRISPR/Cas13-based virus detection.
Regulation of Dendritic Synaptic Morphology and Transcription by the SRF Cofactor MKL/MRTF
Authors: Tabuchi Akiko , Ihara Daisuke
Published: November 2021

Accumulating evidence suggests that the serum response factor (SRF) cofactor megakaryoblastic leukemia (MKL)/myocardin-related transcription factor (MRTF) has critical roles in many physiological and pathological processes in various cell types. MKL/MRTF molecules comprise MKL1/MRTFA and MKL2/MRTFB, which possess actin-binding motifs at the N-terminus, and SRF-binding domains and a transcriptional activation domain (TAD) at the C-terminus. Several studies have reported that, in association with actin rearrangement, MKL/MRTF translocates from the cytoplasm to the nucleus, where it regulates SRF-mediated gene expression and controls cell motility. Therefore, it is important to elucidate the roles of MKL/MRTF in the nervous system with regard to its structural and functional regulation by extracellular stimuli. We demonstrated that MKL/MRTF is highly expressed in the brain, especially the synapses, and is involved in dendritic complexity and dendritic spine maturation. In addition to the positive regulation of dendritic complexity, we identified several MKL/MRTF isoforms that negatively regulate dendritic complexity in cortical neurons. We found that the MKL/MRTF isoforms were expressed differentially during brain development and the impacts of these isoforms on the immediate early genes including Arc/Arg3.1, were different. Here, we review the roles of MKL/MRTF in the nervous system, with a special focus on the MKL/MRTF-mediated fine-tuning of neuronal morphology and gene transcription. In the concluding remarks, we briefly discuss the future perspectives and the possible involvement of MKL/MRTF in neurological disorders such as schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder.
What Is the Profile of Overweight Individuals Who Are Unsuccessful Responders to a Low-Energy Diet? A PREVIEW Sub-study
Authors: Tremblay Angelo , Fogelholm Mikael , Jalo Elli , Westerterp-Plantenga Margriet S. , Adam Tanja C. , Huttunen-Lenz Maija , Stratton Gareth , Lam Tony , Handjieva-Darlenska Teodora , Handjiev Svetoslav , Martinez J. Alfredo , Macdonald Ian A. , Simpson Elizabeth J. , Brand-Miller Jennie , Muirhead Roslyn , Poppitt Sally D. , Silvestre Marta P. , Larsen Thomas M. , Vestentoft Pia Siig , Schlicht Wolfgang , Drapeau Vicky , Raben Anne
Published: November 2021

This study was performed to evaluate the profile of overweight individuals with pre-diabetes enrolled in PREVIEW who were unable to achieve a body weight loss of ≥8% of the baseline value in response to a 2-month low-energy diet (LED). Their baseline profile reflected potential stress-related vulnerability that predicted a reduced response of body weight to a LED programme. The mean daily energy deficit maintained by unsuccessful weight responders of both sexes was less than the estimated level in successful female (656 vs. 1,299 kcal, p < 0.01) and male (815 vs. 1,659 kcal, p < 0.01) responders. Despite this smaller energy deficit, unsuccessful responders displayed less favorable changes in susceptibility to hunger and appetite sensations. They also did not benefit from the intervention regarding the ability to improve sleep quality. In summary, these results show that some individuals display a behavioral vulnerability which may reduce the ability to lose weight in response to a diet-based weight loss program. They also suggest that this vulnerability may be accentuated by a prolonged diet restriction.
Anlotinib in Chinese Patients With Recurrent Advanced Cervical Cancer: A Prospective Single-Arm, Open-Label Phase II Trial
Authors: Zhu Jun , Song Chunyan , Zheng Zhong , Xia Lingfang , Chen Yanqiong , Ke Guihao , Wu Xiaohua
Published: November 2021

Objective

This phase II, single-arm, prospective study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of anlotinib in Chinese patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer (CC).

Methods

Patients with histologically proven recurrent or metastatic advanced CC were enrolled at Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center. Patients received 12 mg of oral anlotinib daily before breakfast for 2 weeks of each 3-week (21 days) cycle separated by a 1-week interval. Anlotinib was administered orally until disease progression, patient withdrawal, intolerant toxicity, or death. The primary endpoint was the objective response rate (ORR) according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, and the secondary endpoints included the disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety.

Results

Between September 2018 and November 2019, 41 patients were recruited. The median age was 53 years old. The histological results revealed that 82.9% of the recruited patients had squamous cell carcinoma, 14.6% had adenocarcinoma, and 2.4% had other types. At the data cutoff date, six patients were still being treated, and 35 patients had discontinued treatment. Forty (40/41, 97.5%) patients were evaluated for treatment response. The median PFS and OS was 3.2 and 9.9 months, respectively, in patients who received anlotinib treatment. The ORR was 24.4%. In addition, 34.2% (14/41) of patients were confirmed to have stable disease, and 39.0% (16/41) of patients were confirmed to have progressive disease. The DCR was 58.5%. Ten patients (10/41) had a confirmed response during the follow-up period. Most adverse events (AEs) were grade 1 or 2. High-grade AEs (grade 3) included urinary leukocyte positivity (9.8%), hematuria (4.9%), and hypertension (2.4%).

Conclusion

This is the first study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of anlotinib in Chinese patients with recurrent or metastatic CC. Anlotinib produced durable clinical responses with manageable safety in these patients.
Imaging Findings in Neonates With Congenital Pyriform Sinus Fistula: A Retrospective Study of 45 Cases
Authors: Li Li , Zhao Dong-Ji-Hui , Yao Tao-Yue , Xiang Yong-Hua , Liu Hong , Ma Qiu-Hong , Jin Ke , He Si-Ping
Published: November 2021

Background: Congenital pyriform sinus fistula (CPSF) is a rare branchial cleft deformity. The characteristics and management of CPSF in neonates are different from those in children or adults, and a comprehensive understanding of the imaging features of neonatal CPSF can facilitate its preoperative diagnosis. Thus, the aim of this study was to summarize the ultrasonography (US) and CT imaging findings of CPSF in neonates.

Methods: Forty-five full-term neonates with CPSF, confirmed by pathology after surgical resection from January 2012 to October 2020, were included in this retrospective study. All patients underwent preoperative cervical US and contrast-enhanced CT examinations, and the imaging findings were analyzed.

Results: Forty-six cervical cystic masses were found in 45 neonates, including one case with bilateral lesions, three cases with lesions on the right side, and 41 cases on the left side. Both US and CT detected neck abnormality among all cases, while the diagnostic accuracy of US (15/46, 32.6%) was lower than that of CT (42/46, 91.3%). Moreover, CT showed significantly higher detection rates of intralesional air bubbles, involvement of the ipsilateral thyroid, deviation of the airway, and expansion into the mediastinal and retropharyngeal space compared with the US. As the age increased, it was more likely to present some features including the absence of air-containing, thick cyst wall, and poorly defined border (ρ <0.05).

Conclusion: CPSF in the neonates showed distinctive imaging findings on contrast-enhanced CT scan, which provides important supplementary information for the diagnosis of CPSF after the initial US examination.
Microarray and Bioinformatics Analysis of Circular RNA Differential Expression in Newborns With Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
Authors: Zhou Huan , Chanda Bwalya , Chen Yu-fei , Wang Xue-juan , You Ming-yu , Zhang Yi-han , Cheng Rui , Yang Yang , Chen Xiao-qing
Published: November 2021

Previous studies pointed out that a variety of microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the pathogenesis of neonatal acute respiratory distress syndrome (NARDS) and play different roles in the pathological process. However, there have been few studies reporting the connection between circular RNA (circRNA) and NARDS, so the expression profile of circRNAs in newborns with acute respiratory distress syndrome remains largely unknown. In the present study, 10 samples obtained from remaining clinical blood samples of newborns hospitalized in a neonatal ward of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 2020 to October 2020 were divided into the “NARDS” group and “non-NARDS” group according to the Montelux standard and then were analyzed in microarray, and 10 other samples collected from the same place and from January 1, 2021 to August 31, 2021, were used to do RT-qPCR experiment. circRNA expression profiles, in which 741 circRNAs were downregulated and 588 were upregulated, were screened with circRNA high-throughput sequencing. Subsequently, Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis of parent genes of the differentially expressed circRNAs revealed that these circRNAs may be related to the process of protein synthesis and metabolism in NARDS. Moreover, five circRNAs—hsa_circ_0058495, hsa_circ_0000367, hsa_circ_0005389, hsa_circ_0059571, and hsa_circ_0006608—were selected randomly among the top 10 circRNAs of the downregulated or upregulated expression profiles. Then, bioinformatics tools were used to predict correlative miRNA and its target genes, which were also subjected to the same bioinformatics analysis for further study. The top 30 enriched KEGG pathway analyses of the 125 target genes suggested that these target genes are widely involved in the synthesis and secretion of endocrine hormones, and the top 30 enriched GO terms based on the 125 target genes are also focused on the protein and DNA processing. Thus, the present results show that circRNAs could promote the inflammation of NARDS which may provide a new therapeutic direction and it can be used as molecular markers for early diagnosis of NARDS, but further molecular biology verification is needed to define the specific role of differentially expressed circRNAs in NARDS.
Intracranial Densitometry-Augmented Machine Learning Enhances the Prognostic Value of Brain CT in Pediatric Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury: A Retrospective Pilot Study
Authors: Kim Young-Tak , Kim Hakseung , Lee Choel-Hui , Yoon Byung C. , Kim Jung Bin , Choi Young Hun , Cho Won-Sang , Oh Byung-Mo , Kim Dong-Joo
Published: November 2021

Background: The inter- and intrarater variability of conventional computed tomography (CT) classification systems for evaluating the extent of ischemic-edematous insult following traumatic brain injury (TBI) may hinder the robustness of TBI prognostic models.

Objective: This study aimed to employ fully automated quantitative densitometric CT parameters and a cutting-edge machine learning algorithm to construct a robust prognostic model for pediatric TBI.

Methods: Fifty-eight pediatric patients with TBI who underwent brain CT were retrospectively analyzed. Intracranial densitometric information was derived from the supratentorial region as a distribution representing the proportion of Hounsfield units. Furthermore, a machine learning-based prognostic model based on gradient boosting (i.e., CatBoost) was constructed with leave-one-out cross-validation. At discharge, the outcome was assessed dichotomously with the Glasgow Outcome Scale (favorability: 1–3 vs. 4–5). In-hospital mortality, length of stay (>1 week), and need for surgery were further evaluated as alternative TBI outcome measures.

Results: Densitometric parameters indicating reduced brain density due to subtle global ischemic changes were significantly different among the TBI outcome groups, except for need for surgery. The skewed intracranial densitometry of the unfavorable outcome became more distinguishable in the follow-up CT within 48 h. The prognostic model augmented by intracranial densitometric information achieved adequate AUCs for various outcome measures [favorability = 0.83 (95% CI: 0.72–0.94), in-hospital mortality = 0.91 (95% CI: 0.82–1.00), length of stay = 0.83 (95% CI: 0.72–0.94), and need for surgery = 0.71 (95% CI: 0.56–0.86)], and this model showed enhanced performance compared to the conventional CRASH-CT model.

Conclusion: Densitometric parameters indicative of global ischemic changes during the acute phase of TBI are predictive of a worse outcome in pediatric patients. The robustness and predictive capacity of conventional TBI prognostic models might be significantly enhanced by incorporating densitometric parameters and machine learning techniques.
SU(3) Spin–Orbit Coupled Rotating Bose–Einstein Condensate Subject to a Gradient Magnetic Field
Authors: Chen Guang-Ping , Tu Pu , Qiao Chang-Bing , Zhu Jin-Xia , Jia Qi , Zhang Xiao-Fei
Published: November 2021

We consider a harmonically trapped rotating spin-1 Bose–Einstein condensate with SU(3) spin–orbit coupling subject to a gradient magnetic field. The effects of SU(3) spin–orbit coupling, rotation, and gradient magnetic field on the ground-state structure of the system are investigated in detail. Our results show that the interplay among SU(3) spin–orbit coupling, rotation, and gradient magnetic field can result in a variety of ground states, such as a vortex ring and clover-type structure. The numerical results agree well with our variational analysis results.