bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Revisiting mechanics of ice–skate friction : from experiments at a skating rink to a unified hypothesis
Authors: Lever James , Lines Austin , Taylor Susan , Hoch Garrett , Asenath-Smith Emily , Sodhi Devinder
Published: December 2021

The mechanics underlying ice–skate friction remain uncertain despite over a century of study. In the 1930s, the theory of self-lubrication from frictional heat supplanted an earlier hypothesis that pressure melting governed skate friction. More recently, researchers have suggested that a layer of abraded wear particles or the presence of quasi-liquid molecular layers on the surface of ice could account for its slipperiness. Here, we assess the dominant hypotheses proposed to govern ice– skate friction and describe experiments conducted in an indoor skating rink aimed to provide observations to test these hypotheses. Our results indicate that the brittle failure of ice under rapid compression plays a strong role. Our observations did not confirm the presence of full contact water films and are more consistent with the presence of lubricating ice-rich slurries at discontinuous high-pressure zones (HPZs). The presence of ice-rich slurries supporting skates through HPZs merges pressure-melting, abrasion and lubricating films as a unified hypothesis for why skates are so slippery across broad ranges of speeds, temperatures and normal loads. We suggest tribometer experiments to overcome the difficulties of investigating these processes during actual skating trials.
A Review and Analysis of Outcomes from Prevention of Mother-to- Child Transmission of HIV Infant Follow-up Services at a Pediatric Infectious Diseases Unit of a Major Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria: 2007-2020
Authors: UGOCHUKWU EBELECHUKU FRANCESCA , ONUBOGU CHINYERE UKAMAKA , EDOKWE EMEKA STEPHEN , EKWOCHI UCHENNA , OKEKE KENNETH NCHEKWUBE , UMEADI ESTHER NGOZI , ONAH STANLEY KENECHI
Published: December 2021

Background and Objective: Above 90% of childhood HIV infections result from mother-to child transmission (MTCT). This study examined the MTCT rates of HIV-exposed infants enrolled in the infant follow-up arm of the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) program in a teaching hospital in Southeast Nigeria.
Methods: This was a 14-year review of outcomes of infants enrolled in the infant follow-up arm of the PMTCT program of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi, Nigeria. The majority of subjects were enrolled within 72 hours of birth and were followed up until 18 months of age according to the National Guidelines on HIV prevention and treatment. At enrollment, relevant data were collected prospectively, and each scheduled follow-up visit was recorded both electronically and in physical copy in the client’s folders. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. The major outcome variable was final MTCT status.
Results: Out of 3,784 mother-infant dyads studied 3,049 (80.6%) received both maternal and infant Antiretroviral (ARV) prophylaxis while 447 (11.8%) received none. The MTCT rates were 1.4%, 9.3%, 24.1%, and 52.1% for both mother and infant, mother only, infant only, and none received ARV prophylaxis respectively. There was no gender-based difference in outcomes. The MTCT rate was significantly higher among mixed-fed infants (p<0.001) and among those who did not receive any form of ARVs (p<0.001). Among dyads who received no ARVs, breastfed infants significantly had a higher MTCT rate compared to never breastfed infants (57.9% vs. 34.8%; p<0.001). The MTCT rate was comparable among breastfed (2.5%) and never-breastfed (2.1%) dyads who had received ARVs. After logistic regression, maternal (p<0.001, OR: 7.00) and infant (p<0.001, OR: 4.00) ARV prophylaxis for PMTCT remained significantly associated with being HIV-negative.
Conclusion and Global Health Implications: Appropriate use of ARVs and avoidance of mixed feeding in the first six months of life are vital to the success of PMTCT programs in developing countries. PMTCT promotes exclusive breastfeeding and reduces the burden of pediatric HIV infection, thereby enhancing child survival.
 
Copyright © 2021 Ugochukwu et al. Published by Global Health and Education Projects, Inc. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0.
Análisis de los niveles de conocimiento financiero usando el operador OWA: caso Boyacá, Colombia
Authors: Romero-Muñoz Jorge , Fonseca-Cifuentes Gina , Blanco-Mesa Fabio
Published: December 2021

El objetivo principal de esta investigación es analizar el nivel de conocimiento financiero de los habitantes del departamento de Boyacá. Para esto se realiza un análisis descriptivo y un análisis híbrido con el operador de agregación de la media ponderada ordenada – OWA, desde tres perspectivas: el hábito de ahorro, el uso de servicios financieros y la mejora de la educación financiera. La investigación considera tres conceptos fundamentales sobre conocimientos financieros básicos, conformados por el interés compuesto, la inflación y la diversificación del riesgo. Así mismo, se considera la metodología de la Superintendencia Financiera de Colombia, con el fin de usar conceptos propios del entorno que permitan la contextualización del participante frente a interrogantes del mercado financiero nacional. Para esto se determina la muestra de estudio de forma probabilística por provincias, que corresponde a un total de 1914 unidades y se presentan las cinco preguntas que permiten brindar una aproximación fiable sobre conocimientos básicos en finanzas. Los hallazgos muestran que los boyacenses presentan dificultad en comprender las capacidades de diversificar y diferenciar el riesgo, lo cual afecta el nivel de conciencia y de responsabilidad de sus decisiones financieras. Como conclusión se destaca que la debilidad en el conocimiento financiero restringe el desarrollo de hábitos financieros que permitan otorgar mayor empoderamiento a las personas, por lo cual se hace pertinente la ejecución de planes de acción que redunden en alianzas público-privadas, de acuerdo con la Estrategia Nacional de Educación Económica y Financiera de Colombia.
Novel Active Inflow Control Technology for Optimized Flow and Reduced Intervention
Authors: Dikshit Ashutosh , Agnihotri Vivek , Plooy Mike , Kumar Amrendra , Gurbanov Seymur , Erives Valeria , Tripathi Abhinandan
Published: December 2021

Integrating a flow control sliding sleeve into a sand screen can provide multiple advantages to the user in controlling the production inflow, but it comes with an increased completion cost as well as an increase in the number of interventions required when it is time to operate those valves. Especially in long horizontal wells, this can become time-consuming and inefficient. A few technologies exist to address this issue, but they either are too complex or require specialized rigging equipment at the wellsite, which is not desirable. As described herein, a unique, fit-for-application modular sliding sleeve sand screen assembly with dissolvable plugs was developed that eliminates the need for washpipe during run-in-hole (RIH) and allows flow control from several screens by means of a single sliding sleeve door (SSD), thereby also optimizing the subsequent intervention operations by reducing the number of SSDs in the well. The design and field installation of these modular screens is presented in this paper. The new modular sand screen consisted of an upper joint, modular middle joint, modular middle joint with an inflow control device (ICD) integrated into an SSD (with optional dissolvable plugs), a lower joint, and novel field-installable flow couplings between them. The design allows for any number of non-ICD/SSD screen joints to be connected to any number of ICD/SSD joints in any order. A computer-aided design was followed to achieve all the operational and mechanical requirements. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used to optimize the flow performance characteristics. Prototypes were manufactured and tested before conducting successful field trials. The design process, development, and field installation results are presented herein.
Dimethyl Ether as a Novel Solvent for Bitumen Recovery: Mechanisms of Improved Mass Transfer and Energy Efficiency
Authors: Yang Min , Chai Maojie , Qi Rundong , Chen Zhangxin , Zhang Linyang , Yu Xinran
Published: December 2021

A solvent-based thermal recovery process has the advantages of low capital expenditure, less energy consumption, and less greenhouse gas emission. Dimethyl ether (DME), as a renewable solvent, has been considered as a novel additive in the thermal bitumen recovery process. Being soluble in both water and oil phases, DME has the potential to enhance mass transfer and improve oil production. In this work, a phase behavior model of the DME-bitumen-water system is first developed considering DME partitioning between oil and water. A field-scale numerical simulation model with fine gridblocks is developed to investigate the heat and mass transfer mechanisms between DME and bitumen in the interface of a DME vapor chamber. The numerical model is validated with physical experiment results. The close agreement between measured and simulated production profiles indicates that the mechanisms are adequately captured. Meanwhile, various simulation scenarios are performed to evaluate the production performance and the energy efficiency, which is defined as the energy/oil ratio.

It is found that the oil production rate in DME injection is 15% higher than that in butane injection at the early stage of production. The solvent penetration depth in DME injection is larger than that in butane injection. This is attributed to the enhanced mass transfer between DME and bitumen caused by the high diffusion of DME in the water phase and preferential partitioning of DME into the oil phase. Furthermore, energy consumption in the warm DME injection process is 48% less than that in warm butane injection and 75% less than that in steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD). This is because DME injection can be operated at a lower-temperature condition, leading to less energy transferred to heat reservoir rock/fluids and less heat loss to over/underburden. Therefore, DME is proved to be a technically promising and environmentally friendly solvent to enhance bitumen recovery. The DME-based thermal recovery technique exhibits superior advantages in unlocking poor-quality reservoirs, especially in high water saturation reservoirs and thin reservoirs.
Quantification and Degradation of 2,2-Dibromo-3-Nitrilopropionamide (DBNPA) in Bioethanol Fermentation Coproducts
Authors: Simpson John V. , Wiatr Christopher Louis
Published: December 2021

2,2-Dibromo-3-Nitrilopropionamide (DBNPA) has been used as a biocide in industrial water applications due to its instantaneous antimicrobial activity and rapid chemical breakdown. In this study DBNPA is considered as a potential alternative for antibiotics used for bacterial control during corn to ethanol fermentation. A method using LC/MS/MS was developed to accurately quantify DBNPA in water. When this method was applied to quantify DBNPA concentration in a fermentation matrix, DBNPA was found to be unstable and to decay rapidly, preventing validation of the method or quantitation. This method was then used to evaluate the degradation rate of DBNPA in whole stillage, which is the nonvolatile residue produced by removal of ethanol from corn-based fermentation beer by distillation through the relative decrease in measured signal. In addition, a method was developed and validated to quantify bromide, one of the degradation products of DBNPA, in whole stillage using LC/MS/MS. The degradation rate of DBNPA in whole stillage was found to display first order kinetics with a calculated half-life of 85 min. Laboratory analytical chemistry results on DBNPA degradation were confirmed in field trials.
The Evaluation of Energy Consumption in Transportation and Processing of Municipal Waste for Recovery in A Waste-To-Energy Plant A Case Study of Poland
Authors: Nowakowski Piotr , Wala Mariusz
Published: December 2021

Refuse-derived fuel (RDF) can be produced from combustible materials contained in municipal waste. After pre-treatment of waste it is possible shipping RDF a waste-to-energy plant (WtE). This article investigates energy and material flow of waste for different scenarios for production of RDF from bulky waste, separately collected waste, and mixed municipal solid waste (MSW). We compare the proportion of energy consumption in transportation, handling waste, and processing using data from the waste collection company in the South of Poland. The findings show the components of the reverse supply chain consuming the highest value of the energy. A model of material and energy flow has taken into consideration collection of waste and transportation by two categories of waste collection vehicles light commercial vehicles and garbage trucks. The shipping of RDF from pre-treatment facility uses – tipper semi-trailers and walking floor trailers. The findings of the study show production of RDF from municipal solid waste is consuming almost 10% of energy potential in RDF. Less energy is required for the production of RDF from bulky waste 2.2% – 4.8% or separately collected waste 1.7% – 4.1% depending on the efficiency of collection and selected vehicles. The transportation is consuming greatest portion of energy. For mixed municipal solid waste (MSW) it can reach 79%, for separated collection waste 90% and for bulky waste up to 92% of the total energy consumed. Comparing emissions for two categories of the collection vehicles there is no significant difference for the bulky waste collections. For mixed MSW and separately collected waste the emissions are higher for garbage trucks. As a recommendation for practitioners is optimization of routing to achieve higher collection rate for minimized route length. Transportation of RDF to WtE plant the vehicles with higher loading capacity are essential.
Impact of Prerelease Methadone on Mortality Among People with HIV and Opioid Use Disorder After Prison Release: Results from a Randomized and Participant Choice Open-Label Trial in Malaysia
Authors: Bazazi Alexander R. , Culbert Gabriel J. , Wegman Martin P. , Heimer Robert , Kamarulzaman Adeeba , Altice Frederick L.
Published: December 2021

Introduction: Mortality is elevated after prison release and may be higher in people with HIV and opioid use disorder (OUD). Opioid agonist therapy (OAT) with methadone or buprenorphine reduces mortality in people with OUD and may confer benefits to people with OUD and HIV leaving prison. Survival benefits of OAT, however, have not been evaluated prospectively in people with OUD and HIV leaving prison. Methods:This study prospectively evaluated mortality after prison release and whether methadone initiated before release increased survival after release in a sample of men with HIV and OUD (n=291). We linked national death records to data from a controlled trial of prerelease methadone initiation conducted from 2010 to 2014 with men with HIV and OUD imprisoned in Malaysia. Vital statistics were collected through 2015. Allocation to prerelease methadone was by randomization (n=64) and participant choice (n=246). Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate treatment effects of prerelease methadone on postrelease survival. Results: Overall, 62 deaths occurred over 872.5 person-years (PY) of postrelease follow-up, a crude mortality rate of 71.1 deaths per 1000 PY (95% confidence interval [CI] 54.5–89.4). Most deaths were of infectious etiology. In a modified intention-to-treat analysis, the impact of prerelease methadone on postrelease mortality was consistent with a null effect in unadjusted (hazard ratio [HR] 1.3, 95% CI 0.6–3.1) and covariate-adjusted (HR 1.2, 95% CI 0.5–2.8) models. Predictors of mortality were educational level (HR 1.4, 95% CI 1.0–1.8), pre-incarceration alcohol use (HR 2.0, 95% CI 1.1–3.9), and lower CD4+ T-lymphocyte count (HR 0.8 per 100-cell/mL increase, 95% CI 0.7–1.0). Conclusions: Mortality after prison release in this sample of men with HIV and OUD was extraordinarily high and unaffected by prerelease methadone. Treatment of OUD alone may be insufficient to reduce mortality in settings where inadequately treated HIV is the main cause of death after prison release. Trial registration number: NCT02396979. Retrospectively registered 24/03/2015.
Part Three: Biomarker Changes in Cigarette Smokers Switched to Vuse Solo or Abstinence: A Randomized, Controlled Study
Authors: Kanobe Milly N. , Jones Bobbette A. , Nelson Paul , Brown Buddy G. , Chen Peter , Makena Patrudu , Schmidt Eckhardt , Darnell John , Caraway John W. , Prasad G. L. , Nordskog Brian , Round Elaine K.
Published: December 2021

Biomarkers of exposure (BoE) can help evaluate exposure to combustion-related, tobacco-specific toxicants after smokers switch from cigarettes to potentially less-harmful products like electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). This paper reports data for one (Vuse Solo Original) of three products evaluated in a randomized, controlled confinement study of BoE in smokers switched to ENDS. Subjects smoked their usual brand cigarette ad libitum for two days, then were randomized to one of three ENDS for a 7-day ad libitum use period, or to smoking abstinence. Thirteen BoE were assessed at baseline and Day 5, and percent change in mean values for each BoE was calculated. Biomarkers of potential harm (BoPH) linked to oxidative stress, platelet activation, and inflammation were also assessed. Levels decreased among subjects randomized to Vuse Solo versus Abstinence, respectively, for the following BoE: 42–96% vs. 52–97% (non-nicotine constituents); 51% vs. 55% (blood carboxyhemoglobin); and 29% vs. 96% (nicotine exposure). Significant decreases were observed in three BoPH: leukotriene E4, 11-dehydro-thromboxane B2, and 2,3-dinor thromboxane B2 on Day 7 in the Vuse Solo and Abstinence groups. These findings show that ENDS use results in substantially reduced exposure to toxicants compared to smoking, which may lead to reduced biological effects.
Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in Exhaled Breath from Non-Hospitalized COVID-19-Infected Individuals: A Proof-of-Concept Study
Authors: Leding Cæcilie , Skov Julia , Uhrbrand Katrine , Lisby Jan Gorm , Hansen Katrine Pedersbæk , Benfield Thomas , Duncan Louise Katrine
Published: December 2021

Background: The diagnosis of COVID-19 is based on detection of SARS-CoV-2 in oro-/nasopharyngel swabs, but because of uncomfortness and minor risk for the tested individual during the swab procedure, detection of SARS-CoV-2 has been investigated in other biological matrixes.Methods: In this proof-of-concept study, confirmed SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals performed a daily air sample through five days. Air samples were obtained through a non-invasive electrostatic air sampler. Detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA were determined with qRT-PCR. The association of positive samples with clinical characteristics was evaluated through mixed-effect models.Results: We obtained 665 air samples from 111 included patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Overall, 52 individuals (46.8%) had at least one positive air sample, and 129 (19.4%) air samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2. Patients with symptoms or a symptom duration ≤ four days had significantly higher odds of having a positive air sample. Cycle threshold values were significantly lower in samples obtained ≤ 4 days from symptom onset. Neither variant of SARS-CoV-2 nor method of air sampling were associated with a positive air sample.Conclusion: We demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2 is detectable in human breath, and suggest further evaluation of air sampling considering the non-invasive, point-of-care method.
GhAIL6, a Member of the AP2 Family Gene, Promotes Somatic Embryogenesis in Cotton.
Authors: Ma Congcong , Li Yilin , Zhang Xiaorui , Ma Dan , Sun Ruibin , Liu Chuanliang
Published: December 2021

Background Somatic embryogenesis (SE) is the process by which plant somatic cells are cultured in vitro without fertilization to regenerate embryos and develop into intact plants, the difficulty of cotton regeneration has severely limited functional gene research and transgenic breeding. The AP2 family is a relatively large family of transcription factor genes that regulate the process of growth and development, but the role of Aintegumenta-Like6 ( AIL6) in cotton SE has not been reported. Methods The 35S::AIL6:GR vector was constructed and transformed into cotton JH713 by Agrobacterium-mediated method, after 3 years of self-breeding, stable genetic T3 generation positive plants were obtained, identified by Southern, and three lines were selected for the following regeneration experiments.Results The results showed that overexpression of GhAIL6 significantly inhibited the proliferation of callus during the first 30 days, and promoted the embryogenic callus production at about 45 days.Couclusion Our results indicated that GhAIL6 was a key regulator of cotton SE, overexpression of GhAIL6 helped to improve the regeneration efficiency of cotton SE
A Decision-support System for Recycling of Residents’ Waste Plastics in China Based on Material Flow Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment
Authors: LIU MANZHI , Wen Jixin , Zhang Linlin , Wu Jixin , Yang Xiaotao , Qin Ying , Liu Yingjie
Published: December 2021

Recycling waste plastics is one of the important ways to save petroleum resources and reduce carbon emissions. However, the current recycling rate of waste plastics is still low. Material flow analysis can help determine the flow of waste plastics, and life cycle assessment (LCA) can be used to quantify environmental impacts. The present study integrates these two methods into the model construction of the residents’ waste plastics recycling decision-support system. This model construction is followed by sensitivity analysis of the relevant parameters affecting the performance of the waste plastics recycling system. Finally, present study forecasts the recycling system’s performance and environmental impacts by setting four optimization scenarios based on sensitivity analysis. The results show that in 2019, A total of 8.39 million tons of high-end applications were recovered, carbon emissions during the recycling process were 34.9 million tons, and dioxin emissions were 316.11 g TEQ, with a total emission reduction of 24.47 million tons of CO2 compared to the original production. In the scenario of comprehensive improvement, in 2035, the recycling volume of high-end applications will rise to 33.96 million tons, the carbon emissions will rise to 64.73 million tons, the dioxin emissions will drop to 165.98 g TEQ, and the carbon emission reduction will rise to 99.06 million tons. This research has a certain guiding role for policy makers to formulate industry norms and related policies for waste plastic recycling.
The Impact of Financial Development on CO2 Emissions of Global Iron and Steel Industry
Authors: Shao Yanmin , Li Junlong , Zhang Xueli
Published: December 2021

As carbon peaking and carbon neutrality have become a global consensus, more and more countries have introduced relevant policies to adapt to their own countries and formulated corresponding time roadmap. The industrial sector, especially the steel sector, which produces high levels of pollution and carbon emissions, is facing significant pressure to transform its operations to reduce CO2 emissions. Previous studies have shown the importance of financial development (FD) in environmental protection, however, the impact of FD on the CO2 emissions of the steel sector is ignored. This paper examines the impact of FD on the CO2 emissions of the iron and steel industry from a global perspective using comprehensive panel data from a total of 30 countries during the period from 1990 to 2018. Empirical results show that an improved level of FD in a given country reduces the CO2 emissions of the iron and steel industry. Our results also show that the effect of FD on reducing the CO2 emissions of the iron and steel industry in developing countries is less than its effect in developed countries. Estimation results also show the existence of the Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis in the iron and steel industry. The mechanism analysis indicates that FD promotes the upgrading of the structure of the iron and steel industry and the reduction of the CO2 emissions by means of the three-stage least square method. Finally, we discuss the policy implications of achieving carbon neutrality in the steel sector.
Improved Survival After Multidisciplinary Team Decision-Making for Patients with Advanced Gastrointestinal Cancer: A Multicenter, Prospective, Noninterventional, Controlled Study
Authors: Zhang Qi , Zhou Ye , Song Lijie , Fang Weijia , Qiu Meng , Gu Yanhong , Yang Yang , Zhang Jingdong , Liu Jing , Lu Ming , Gong Tianxiao , Wang Xin , Li Yan , Yang Jun , Ye Yingjiang , Shen Lin , Li Jian
Published: December 2021

BackgroundFormal multidisciplinary team (MDT) discussions in clinical practice require time and space with unclear survival benefits for advanced gastrointestinal patients. This study aimed to investigate the long-term survival of patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer after multidisciplinary team (MDT) decision-making.Materials and MethodsFrom June 2017 to June 2019, continuous MDT discussions on advanced gastrointestinal cancer were conducted in ten medical centers in China. MDT decisions and actual treatment received by patients were prospectively recorded. The primary endpoint was the difference in overall survival (OS) between patients in MDT decision implementation and nonimplementation groups. The secondary endpoints included the implementation rate of MDT decisions and subgroup survival analysis. ResultsA total of 461 MDT decisions of 455 patients were included in this study. The implementation rate of MDT decisions was 85·7%. Sex and previous treatment had an impact on MDT decision-making. The OS was 24·0 months and 17·0 months, respectively, in MDT decision implementation and nonimplementation groups. The implementation of MDT decisions significantly reduced the risk of death in the univariate analysis. The subgroup analysis showed a significant difference in survival analysis of patients with colorectal cancer, but no significant difference was found in patients with gastric cancer. The rate of secondary MDT discussion was very low. ConclusionMDT discussion can prolong the OS of patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer, especially colorectal cancer. Scheduling of the next MDT discussion in time is necessary when the disease condition changes.
Updating Knowledge in The Estimation of The Genetics Parameters Multi-trait and Multi-Environment Bayesian Analysis in Rice (Oryza Sativa L.)
Authors: Azevedo Camila Ferreira , Barreto Cynthia , Suela Matheus , Nascimento Moysés , Júnior Antônio Carlos , Nascimento Ana Carolina , Cruz Cosme , Soares Plínio
Published: December 2021

Among the multi-trait models used to jointly study several traits and environments, the Bayesian framework has been a preferable tool for using a more complex and biologically realistic model. In most cases, the non-informative prior distributions are adopted in studies using the Bayesian approach. Still, the Bayesian approach tends to present more accurate estimates when it uses informative prior distributions. The present study was developed to evaluate the efficiency and applicability of multi-trait multi-environment (MTME) models under a Bayesian framework utilizing a strategy for eliciting informative prior distribution using previous data from rice. The study involved data pertained to rice genotypes in three environments and five agricultural years (2010/2011 until 2014/2015) for the following traits: grain yield (GY), flowering in days (FLOR) and plant height (PH). Variance components and genetic and non-genetic parameters were estimated by the Bayesian method. In general, the informative prior distribution in Bayesian MTME models provided higher estimates of heritability and variance components, as well as minor lengths for the highest probability density interval (HPD), compared to their respective non-informative prior distribution analyses. The use of more informative prior distributions makes it possible to detect genetic correlations between traits, which cannot be achieved with the use of non-informative prior distributions. Therefore, this mechanism presented for updating knowledge to the elicitation of an informative prior distribution can be efficiently applied in rice genetic selection.
Multimodality MRI-Based Radiomics For Aggressiveness Prediction In Papillary Thyroid Cancer
Authors: Dai Zedong , Wei Ran , Wang Hao , Hu Wenjuan , Sun Xilin , Zhu Jie , Li Hong , Ge Yaqiong , Song Bin
Published: December 2021

Objective: To investigate the ability of a multimodality MRI-based radiomics model in predicting the aggressiveness of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).Methods: This study included consecutive patients who underwent neck magnetic resonance (MR) scans and subsequent thyroidectomy during the study period. The pathological diagnosis of thyroidectomy specimens was the gold standard to determine the aggressiveness. Thyroid nodules were manually segmented on three modal MR images, and then radiomics features were extracted. A machine learning model was established to evaluate the prediction of PTC aggressiveness.Results: The study cohort included 107 patients with PTC confirmed by pathology (training cohort: n = 71; test cohort: n = 36). A total of 1584 features were extracted from contrast-enhanced T1-weighted (CE-T1 WI), T2-weighted (T2 WI) and diffusion weighted (DWI) images of each patient. Sparse representation method is used for radiation feature selection and classification model establishment. The accuracy of the independent test set that using only one mode, like CE-T1WI, T2WI or DWI was not particularly satisfactory. In contrast, the result of these three modes combined achieved 0.917.Conclusion: Our study shows that multimodality MR image based on radiomics model can accurately distinguish aggressiveness in PTC from non-aggressiveness PTC before operation. This method may be helpful to inform the treatment strategy and prognosis of patients with aggressiveness PTC.
Confocal Microscopy in Conjunction With Haemocytometry to Evaluate the Imperative Physical Characteristics of Multicellular Tumor Spheroids
Authors: RAHMAN Aziz UR
Published: December 2021

Background: Tumor tissues resist penetration of therapeutic molecules. Multicellular tumor spheroids (MCTSs) were used as an in vitro tumor model. The aim of this study was to determine the growth of MCTSs with the age of spheroids, which could be applied and compared with in vivo drug uptake and penetration. Method: Spheroids were generated by liquid overlay techniques, and their diameter was measured by confocal microscopy for up to two weeks. The trypan blue exclusion method was used to count dead and live cells separately via a hemocytometer. Results: The pentaphysical characteristics of spheroids, including diameter, cell number, volume per cell, viability status, and estimated shell of viable and core of dead cells, were determined. The growth of spheroids was linear over the first week but declined in the 2nd week, which may be due to an overconcentration of dead cells and degraded products inside the spheroids, hence lowering the ratio of live cells in spheroids. Compaction of spheroids occurs from day 3 to day 7, with the mature spheroids having a low amount of extracellular space compared to intracellular volume. Conclusion: Age-oriented growth of MCTSs provides a rationale to predict less rapid penetration as spheroids get older and could be correlated with in vivo tumors to predict pharmaceutical and therapeutic intervention.
Assessment of Genetic Diversity, Population Structure and Phytochemical Variations in Polygonatum Cirrhifolium (Wall.) Royle - An Endangered Medicinal Herb
Authors: Suyal Renu , Jugran Arun K. , Bhatt Indra D. , Rawal Ranbeer S.
Published: December 2021

Polygonatum cirrhifolium is an important medicinal herb of family Asparagaceae used to cure several ailments. Its rhizome forms an important ingredient of “Chyavanprash” which is identified for its rejuvenating properties. However, P.cirrhifolium is least explored scientifically and systematically till date. Therefore, in this study genetic diversity and phytochemical variations along with antimutagenic activity of P.cirrhifolium populations was evaluated. Antimutagenic activity varied remarkably (p<0.05) having Gagar population with significantly (p<0.05) higher DNA recovery (84.95%) percentage. Higher genetic diversity (He) was recorded among populations using RAPD (He, 0.30-0.36) and ISSR (0.25-0.38) markers. High intra and low inter population variations were recorded in the species using both kinds of markers. Phenolics (p<0.05; r=0.924); tannins (p<0.05; r=0.897) and DNA damage inhibition efficiency displayed a highly positive correlation with genetic diversity (estimated using ISSR markers). The population structure analysis of P. cirrhifolium revealed that the greatest value of the K was 3 for studied populations. Gene flow among studied populations was found sufficient to encounter genetic erosion in the species. Therefore, it can be recommended that the populations with higher ingredient and genetic diversity can be utilized for conservation priority and management plan of this species.
Estimating the Local Burden of Disease During the First Wave of the COVID-19 Epidemic in England, Using Different Data Sources from Changing Surveillance Practices
Authors: Nightingale Emily S , Abbott Sam , Russell Timothy W , Lowe Rachel , Medley Graham F , Brady Oliver J
Published: December 2021

Background The COVID-19 epidemic has differentially impacted communities across England, with regional variation in rates of confirmed cases, hospitalisations and deaths. Measurement of this burden changed substantially over the first months, as surveillance was expanded to accommodate the escalating epidemic. Laboratory confirmation was initially restricted to clinical need (“pillar 1”) before expanding to community-wide symptomatics (“pillar 2”). This study aimed to ascertain whether inconsistent measurement of case data resulting from varying testing coverage could be reconciled by drawing inference from COVID-19-related deaths. MethodsWe fit a Bayesian spatio-temporal model to weekly COVID-19-related deaths per local authority (LTLA) throughout the first wave (1 January - 30 June 2020), adjusting for the local epidemic timing and the age, deprivation and ethnic composition of its population. We combined predictions from this model with case data under community-wide, symptomatic testing and infection prevalence estimates from the ONS infection survey, to infer the likely trajectory of infections implied by the deaths in each LTLA.ResultsA model including temporally- and spatially-correlated random effects was found to best accommodate the observed variation in COVID-19-related deaths, after accounting for local population characteristics. Predicted case counts under community-wide symptomatic testing suggest a total of 275,000-420,000 cases over the first wave - a median of over 100,000 additional to the total confirmed in practice under varying testing coverage. This translates to a peak incidence of around 200,000 total infections per week across England. The extent to which estimated total infections are reflected in confirmed case counts was found to vary substantially across LTLAs, ranging from 7% in Leicester to 96% in Gloucester with a median of 23%. ConclusionsLimitations in testing capacity biased the observed trajectory of COVID-19 infections throughout the first wave. Basing inference on COVID-19-related mortality and higher-coverage testing later in the time period, we could explore the extent of this bias more explicitly. Evidence points towards substantial under-representation of initial growth and peak magnitude of infections nationally, to which different parts of the country contribute unequally.
Transmission-selective muscle pathology induced by active propagation of mutant huntingtin across the human neuromuscular synapse
Authors: Dinamarca Margarita , Colombo Laura , Brykczynska Urszula , Grimm Amandine , Tousiaki Natalia , Fruh Isabelle , Imtiaz Hossain , Gabriel Daniela , Eckert Anne , Müller Matthias , Pecho-Vrieseling Eline
Published: December 2021

A potential explanation for the spatiotemporal accumulation of pathological lesions in the brain of patients with neurodegenerative protein misfolding diseases (PMDs) is cell-to-cell transmission of aggregation-prone, misfolded proteins. Little is known about central to peripheral transmission and its contribution to pathology. We show that transmission of Huntington’s disease- (HD-) associated mutant HTT exon 1 (mHTTEx1) occurs across the neuromuscular junctions in human iPSC cultures and in vivo in wild-type mice. We found that transmission is an active and dynamic process, that happens prior to aggregate formation and is regulated by synaptic activity. Furthermore, we find that transmitted mHTTEx1 causes HD-relevant pathology at a molecular and functional level in human muscle cells, even in the presence of ubiquitous expression mHTTEx1. With this work we uncover a casual-link between mHTTEx1 synaptic transmission and pathology, highlighting the therapeutic potential in blocking toxic protein transmission in PMDs.
Distal Insertion Rupture of Lateral Ankle Ligament as a Predictor of Weakened and Delayed Sports Recovery after Acute Ligament Repair: Mid- to Long-Term Outcomes of 148 Cases
Authors: Du Mingze , Li Jun , Jiao Chen , Guo Qinwei , Hu Yuelin , Jiang Dong
Published: December 2021

Background

Surgical repair has been considered for ankle sprain patients with high sports demanding to achieve stronger ankle stability and allow for an earlier return to sports. However, there is a lack of systematic research regarding arthroscopic treatment followed by ligament repair for severe acute ankle sprain. The purpose of this study was to analyze the mid- to long-term outcome of arthroscopy followed by open anatomic lateral ankle ligament repair surgery for acute lateral ankle sprain and the impact of ligament rupture site on the outcome.
Methods

166 professional or semi-professional athletes with clinically- and radiologically-confirmed grade III acute lateral ankle ligament injuries underwent ankle arthroscopy followed by open anatomic ligament repair. Intra-articular lesions and rupture site of the lateral ankle ligament were treated and explored under arthroscopy. Simple suture repair was performed for mid- substance ligament rupture (middle group), while suture repair with anchors were used for the ruptures near the ligament attachment site on the fibular (proximal group), talar or the calcaneal side (distal group). The evaluation parameters included VAS score, AOFAS score, Tegner score, time to return to sports and resumption of pre-injury sports level at final follow-up, sprain recurrence and range of motion (ROM).
Results

The mean follow-up duration was 64.5 (range, 37–132 months) months and 148 (89.2%) patients were evaluated at final follow-up. Intra-articular lesions were treated under arthroscopy in 63 (43%) patients. The average time to return to pre-injury sports activity was 4.37 ± 1.10 months and 17 (11.5%) patients complaint sprain recurrence after operation. There were 71 (48%) cases in the proximal group, 46 (31%) cases in the middle group and 31 (21%) cases in the distal group respectively. The proximal group achieved shortest time to return to sports (4.14 ± 1.09 months) and highest resumption proportion of pre-injury sports level (94% ± 11%) at final follow-up, followed by middle group (89% ± 15%, 4.61 ± 0.93 months, respectively) and distal group (87% ± 13%, 4.53 ± 1.29 months, respectively) (p =0.008, p =0.04, respectively). At final follow-up, all of the VAS score, AOFAS score and the Tegner score were significantly improved from the pre-operative level (p < 0.001). 18 (12%) patients reported mild ROM restriction and 7 (4.7%) patients experienced transient skin numbness.
Conclusions

Ankle arthroscopy followed by open anatomic ligament repair is a reliable procedure for patients with high sports demands after severe acute ankle sprains. Rupture near the talar or calcaneal side weakened the sports resumption and delayed about 2 weeks of sports recovery.
Cotton Fabric Coated With Graphene-based Silver Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Modification, and Antibacterial Activity
Authors: Linh Nguyen Thi Thuy , Diep Tran Chau , Vy Tran Tuong , Dat Nguyen Minh , Trinh Dinh Ngoc , Thinh Doan Ba , Viet Nguyen Duc , Hai Nguyen Duy , Huong Le Minh , Tinh Ninh Thi , Phong Mai Thanh , Nguyen Hieu Huu
Published: December 2021

In this study, silver immobilizing onto graphene oxide (Ag/GO) was synthesized by the in-situ method. Subsequently, silver immobilizing reduced graphene oxide cotton fabric (Ag/rGO/cotton) was made by the dip-coating method in Ag/GO suspension followed by the chemical reduction with the presence of vitamin C as an environmentally friendly reducing agent. The characteristics of Ag/GO, Ag/GO/cotton, and Ag/rGO/cotton were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscope, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The results showed that AgNPs were uniformly distributed on the surface of GO sheets with an average size of 10–15 nm. Regarding Ag/rGO/cotton, the fiber surface was evenly covered by Ag/rGO materials. Besides, there was no significant difference between the two samples of Ag/GO/cotton and Ag/rGO/cotton, indicating the reduction reaction possessed no effect on the cotton structure. Moreover, the Ag/rGO/cotton also exhibited effective hydrophobicity with a wetting angle of 103.85 ± 0.75 o. The antibacterial performance of Ag/GO, Ag/GO/cotton, and Ag/rGO/cotton against the Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus-S. aureus) and Gram-negative (Pseudomonas aeruginosa-P. aeruginosa) bacteria were determined via the diameter zone of inhibition. The results indicated that the appropriate reducing agent is L-ascorbic acid-vitamin C (VC) with the conditions: the VC:Ag/GO mass ratio of 1:1, the reducing temperature of 140 oC, and the reducing time of 120 min showed the highest antibacterial effect against two types of bacteria. All results of the study confirmed that Ag/rGO/cotton possesses significant potential for several antibacterial applications such as protective equipment.
METTL3-Mediated DLGAP1 Antisense RNA 2 Promotes Gastric Cancer Tumorigenesis Through Facilitating C-Myc-Dependent Warburg Effect
Authors: Yang Changshun , Zhang Yu , Cheng Xuefei , Li Weihua
Published: December 2021

Background

The critical roles of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification have been demonstrated by more and more evidence. However, the cross-talking of m6A and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in gastric cancer (GC) tumorigenesis is still unclear. Here, our work focused on the functions and molecular mechanism of m6A-modified lncRNA DLGAP1 antisense RNA 2 (DLGAP1-AS2) in GC.
Methods

LncRNA expression profile data was derived from GEO. M6A profile was screened using Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeRIP-Seq). The metabolism assays were conducted using quantitative analysis of glucose, lactate, ATP and extracellular acidification rate (ECAR). The m6A level of specific RNA was identified using MeRIP-qPCR. The molecular interaction was detected using RIP assay.
Results

Microarray analysis found that lncRNA DLGAP1-AS2 up-regulated in GC cells. Clinical data showed that DLGAP1-AS2 high-expression was correlated with advanced pathological stage and poor prognosis. Functionally, DLGAP1-AS2 promoted the Warburg effect (aerobic glycolysis) and knockdown of DLGAP1-AS2 suppressed the tumor growth of GC cells. Mechanistically, m6A methyltransferase METTL3 enhanced the stability of DLGAP1-AS2 via m6A site binding. Moreover, DLGAP1-AS2 interacted with YTHDF1 to enhance the stability of c-Myc mRNA through DLGAP1-AS2/m6A/YTHDF1/c-Myc mRNA.
Conclusions

In conclusion, our work indicates the functions of m6A-modified DLGAP1-AS2 in the GC aerobic glycolysis, disclosing a potential m6A-dependent manner for GC treatment.
Novel Age-Dependent Cortico-Subcortical Morphologic Interactions Predict Fluid Intelligence: A Multi-Cohort Geometric Deep Learning Study
Authors: Wu Yunan , Besson Pierre , Azcona Emanuel , Bandt Sarah , Parrish Todd , Breiter Hans , Katsaggelos Aggelos
Published: December 2021

The relationship of human brain structure to cognitive function is complex, and how this relationship differs between childhood and adulthood is poorly understood. One strong hypothesis suggests the cognitive function of Fluid Intelligence (Gf) is dependent on prefrontal cortex and parietal cortex. In this work, we developed a novel graph convolutional neural networks (gCNNs) for the analysis of localized anatomic shape and prediction of Gf. Morphologic information of the cortical ribbons and subcortical structures was extracted from T1-weighted MRIs within two independent cohorts, the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (ABCD; age: 9.93 ± 0.62 years) of children and the Human Connectome Project (HCP; age: 28.81 ± 3.70 years). Prediction combining cortical and subcortical surfaces together yielded the highest accuracy of Gf for both ABCD (R = 0.314) and HCP datasets (R = 0.454), outperforming the state-of-the-art prediction of Gf from any other brain measures in the literature. Across both datasets, the morphology of the amygdala, hippocampus, and nucleus accumbens, along with temporal, parietal and cingulate cortex consistently drove the prediction of Gf, suggesting a significant reframing of the relationship between brain morphology and Gf to include systems involved with reward/aversion processing, judgment and decision-making, motivation, and emotion.
Study of the Effect of Higher-order Dispersions on Photoionisation Induced by Ultrafast Laser Pulses Applying a Classical Theoretical Method
Authors: Márton István , Sarkadi László
Published: December 2021

We investigated the effect of higher order dispersion on ultrafast photoionisation with Classical Trajectory Monte Carlo (CTMC) method for hydrogen and krypton atoms. In our calculations we used linearly polarised ultrashort 7 fs laser pulses, 6.5 × 1014 W/cm2 intensity, and a central wavelength of 800 nm. Our results show that electrons with the highest kinetic energies are obtained with transform limited (TL) pulses. The shaping of the pulses with negative second- third- or fourth- order dispersion results in higher ionisation yield and electron energies compared to pulses shaped with positive dispersion values. We have also investigated how the Carrier Envelope Phase (CEP) dependence of the ionisation is infuenced by dispersion. We calculated the left-right asymmetry as a function of energy and CEP for sodium atoms employing pulses of 4.5 fs, 800 nm central wavelength, and 4 × 1012 W/cm2 intensity. We found that the left-right asymmetry is more pronounced for pulses shaped with positive Group Delay Dispersion (GDD). It was also found that shaping a pulse with increasing amounts of GDD in absolute value blurs the CEP dependence, which is attributed to the increasing number of optical cycles.