bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Arranjos familiares e desempenho escolar de alunos do 5º e 9º anos no Brasil em 2015
Authors: De Eleterio Lima Larissa , Alves de Carvalho Angelita , Britz do Nascimento Silva Denise
Published: June 2021

Os arranjos familiares têm se transformado a partir de diversos processos dinâmicos, como a redução da fecundidade, a emancipação da mulher e sua consequente inserção no mercado de trabalho, o aumento do número de divórcios e a ampliação da expectativa de vida. Essas transformações levaram a uma diminuição do tamanho das famílias e diversificação de sua composição. Diante do surgimento de novas estruturas familiares decorrentes da dinâmica social, este estudo analisa a relação dos arranjos familiares com o desempenho escolar dos alunos do 5º e 9º anos de escolas públicas no Brasil em 2015, a partir dos dados da Prova Brasil. A nota de matemática foi utilizada como medida de desempenho e os efeitos da família foram avaliados a partir da modelagem hierárquica dos dados. Os resultados demonstram pouco efeito dos arranjos familiares sobre a proficiência média em matemática, evidenciando que outros elementos e mediadores relacionados aos resultados escolares, tais como status socioeconômico, trajetória do aluno, hábitos escolares individuais e ambiente da escola, apresentam maior relação com o desempenho escolar do que a composição do arranjo por si só.
Pemanfaatan Sampah Organik untuk Pupuk Kompos dan Budidaya Maggot Sebagai Pakan Ternak
Authors: Mulyani Reni , Anwar Devi Indah , Nurbaeti Neneng
Published: June 2021

Organic waste that comes from daily food leftovers in the community has not been used properly, people still put together organic waste and non-organic waste which is then burned, this results in the environment being exposed to carbon dioxide from burning garbage. In Nyalindung Village, many of the people make a living as breeders and farmers, where farmers buy their agricultural crops from Sukabumi City, which is quite far from Nyalindung Village, as well as breeders who buy chicken feed from cities which are quite far and expensive. To reduce organic waste, this community service will conduct training on how to process organic waste into compost so that it can be used by farmers, and the use of organic waste for magot cultivation so that it can be used by chicken breeders as high protein feed. The target output of this community service is the community, farmers and breeders can make fertilizer and animal feed based on magot

Keywords: waste, organic, magot, compost

Abstrak

Sampah organik yang berasal sisa makanan sehari-hari di masyarakat belum dimanfaatkan dengan baik, masyarakat masih mennyatukan sampah organik dan sampah non organik yang kemudian dibakar, hal tersebut mengakibatkan Lingkungan terpapar karbon dioksida dari pembakaran sampah. Di Desa Nyalindung Masyarakatnya banyak berpencaharian sebagai peternak dan petani, Dimana para petani untuk memupuk tanaman pertaniannya membeli dari Kota Sukabumi yang jaraknya cukup jauh dari Desa Nyalindung, begitu pula dengan Peternak membeli pakan ayam dari kota yang jaraknya cukup jauh dan mahal.  Untuk mengurangi sampah organik, pada pengabdian Masyarakat ini akan dilakukan pelatihan cara pengolahan sampah organik menjadi pupuk kompos agar bisa dimanfaatkan oleh petani, dan pemanfaatan sampah organik untuk budidaya magot agar dapat dimanfaatkan oleh para peternak ayam sebagai pakan berprotein tinggi. Target Luaran dari pengabdian masyarakat ini adalah masyarakat, para petani dan peternak dapat membuat pupuk dan pakan ternak  berbasis magot

Kata Kunci: sampah, organik, magot, kompos
The Forefront : A Review of ERDC Publications, Spring 2021
Authors: Taylor Karen , Moynihan Emily , Information Science and Knowledge Management Branch. Information Technology Laboratory (U.S.)
Published: June 2021

The Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) is the premier civil works engineering and environmental sciences research and development arm of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). As such, it partners with the Army, Department of Defense (DoD), federal agencies, and civilian organizations to help solve our Nation’s most challenging problems in civil and military engineering, geospatial sciences, water resources, and environmental sciences. A special government knowledge center, ERDC Information Technology Laboratory’s Information Science and Knowledge Management (ISKM) Branch is critical to ERDC’s mission, fulfilling research requirements by offering a variety of editing and library services to advance the creation, dissemination, and curation of ERDC and USACE research knowledge. Serving as the publishing authority for the ERDC, ISKM publishes all ERDC technical publications to the Digital Repository Knowledge Core, sends a copy to the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) and creates a press release about each publication on the ERDC website. The Forefront seeks to provide an additional mechanism for highlighting some of our technical publications to the ERDC, USACE, Army, and DoD communities. This publication also encourages those outside ERDC to contact us about using ERDC editing services. For more information regarding the reports highlighted in this publications or others that ERDC researchers’ have created, please contact the ISKM virtual reference desk at erdclibrary@ask-a-librarian.info or visit the ISKM’s online repository, Knowledge Core, at https://erdc-library.erdc.dren.mil/ .
Microstructure, hardness and wear resistance of AZ91 magnesium alloy produced by friction stir processing with air cooling
Authors: Iwaszko Józef , Kudła Krzysztof
Published: June 2021

Friction stir processing (FSP) was used to modify the surface layer of the AZ91 magnesium alloy. The treatment was carried out using a jet cooling nozzle, generating a stream of cold air and enabling intensive cooling of the friction stir processed (FSPed) zone. Single-pass FSP was carried out using a tool rotational speed of 500 rpm and travel speed of 30 mm/min. The treatment was conducted using a truncated cone-shaped tool with a threaded side surface. Strong grain refinement and microstructural changes typical for FSP were found in all the samples. Very fine, equiaxed recrystallized grains dominated in the stirring zone. In the samples modified with the jet cooling nozzle, greater grain refinement was obtained than in the case of naturally-cooled material. The average grain size in the surface part of the stirring zone was 1.4 µm and 9 µm in the samples with air cooling and with natural cooling, respectively. Both the naturally-cooled specimen and air-cooled specimen were characterized by a distinctly higher hardness than the base material. The average Vickers hardness in the stirring zone was 91 HV0.1 in the FSPed sample with the air-cooling system and 85.5 HV0.1 with natural cooling, respectively. The average Vickers hardness of the as-cast alloy was 64 HV0.1. Slightly higher wear resistance of the FSPed samples using a jet cooling nozzle was found in relation to the naturally-cooled sample. Based on the conducted research, high efficiency of the jet cooling nozzle in cooling the modified zone during friction stir processing was found.
Gate-on-drain overlapped L-shaped channel Tunnel FET as label-free biosensor
Authors: Das Suman , Sharma Bikash
Published: June 2021

In this manuscript gate-on-drain L-shaped channel Tunnel FET is proposed to detect various biomolecules through label-free bio-sensing detection technique. Biomolecules can be detected in the proposed structure through modulating ambipolar current between channel and drain by overlapping gate on drain thus creating a cavity. Trapped biomolecules within cavity gets immobilized. Immobilized biomolecules change the drain to channel tunneling width, thus changing the ambiploar leakage current. Drain doping and cavity length was fine-tuned to achieve better sensitivity in terms of ambipolar current and ambipolar knee voltage shift with and without presence of biomolecules. A maximum sensitivity of 3.8×107 is achieved for drain doping of 5×1019 donors/cm3 and cavity length of 60nm. A high value of sensitivity is achieved for each biomolecules when drain doping ranged from 1019 donors/cm3 to 5×1019 donors/cm3 and cavity length ranged between 40nm to 50nm. Effect of differently charged biomolecules on sensitivity has also be structured.
Evaluation of bio-detoxification of Jatropha curcas seed cake and cottonseed cake by basidiomycetes: nutritional and antioxidant effects
Authors: Guimarães Marina Borges , de Siqueira Félix Gonçalves , Campanha Raquel Bombarda , Ribeiro José Antônio de Aquino , Batista Pérola Oliveira Magalhães Dias , Mendonça Simone
Published: June 2021

Poultry and swine are the major proportion of the livestock industry in terms of output value. To meet the growing need for protein sources in these sectors, the use of biomasses coming from agro-industrial residues can be an interesting option in the coming years. This study aimed to evaluate the capacity of seven basidiomycetes to grow, detoxicate, increase protein content, and also its antioxidant activity when grew in pure Jatropha seed cake (JSC) and cottonseed cake (CSC) biomasses and mixtures containing 50% of lignocellulosic biomasses from coconut husks and Acrocomia aculeata (macauba cake). Results showed that five basidiomycetes were able to grow in these substrates. F. hepatica, P. lecomtei, and P. pulmonarius presented the highest bio-detoxification capacity. All treatments showed a reduction in total phenolic compounds (TPC) and antioxidant activity, but treatments with coconut husks showed lower reductions. Results also indicated that there are molecules produced by basidiomycetes responsible for antioxidant activity other than phenolic compounds. These results indicated that basidiomycetes could detoxify JCS and CSC biomasses, suggesting their possible use in animal feed and that the addition of coconut husks in JSC and macauba cake in cottonseed cake can promote greater colonization by fungi.
Chronic nicotinamide mononucleotide supplementation elevates blood nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide levels and alters muscle motility in healthy old men
Authors: Igarashi Masaki , Miura Masaomi , Nakagawa-Nagahama Yoshiko , Yaku Keisuke , Kashiwabara Kosuke , Sawada Mika , Sekine Rie , Fukamizu Yuichiro , Sato Toshiya , Sakurai Takanobu , Sato Jiro , Ino Kenji , Kubota Naoto , Nakagawa Takashi , Kadowaki Takashi , Yamauchi Toshimasa
Published: June 2021

Preclinical studies have revealed that the elevation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) levels on administration of an NAD+ precursor, nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), can mitigate aging-related disorders; however, human data are sparse. Therefore, we aimed to investigate whether the chronic oral supplementation of NMN can elevate blood NAD+ levels and alter physiological dysfunctions, including muscle weakness, in healthy elderly participants. We administered 250 mg NMN per day to aged men for 6 or 12 weeks (n=21 for 6 weeks, n=10 for 12 weeks) in a placebo-controlled, randomized, double blind, parallel-group trial. Chronic supplementation with NMN was well tolerated and did not cause any significant deleterious effect. Metabolomic analysis of whole blood demonstrated that the oral supplementation of NMN significantly increased the concentrations of NAD+ and NAD+ metabolites. Moreover, NMN significantly improved muscle strength and performance, which were evaluated using the 30-second chair stand test, walking speed, and grip strength, and it showed no significant effect on body composition. Thus, our evidence indicates that chronic oral NMN supplementation can be an efficient NAD+ booster for preventing aging-related muscle dysfunctions in humans.
Toxicity Effects of Microplastics Individually and in Combination the Fish Pathogen Yersinia Ruckeri on the Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss)
Authors: Banihashemi Elham Alsadat , Soltanian Siyavash , Gholamhosseini Amin , Banaee Mahdi
Published: June 2021

Exposure to xenobiotics such as Yersinia ruckeri can significantly affect bacterial infections in fish. Microplastics (MPs) may predispose fish to infection and act as carriers in pathogen transmission. Therefore, this study is designed to evaluate MPs' effect on damage caused by exposure to Y. ruckeri in rainbow trout. In this study, blood biochemical parameters and hepatic oxidative biomarkers as clinical signs were measured in the fish co-exposed to Y. ruckeri (5 and 10% LD50) and MPs (500 and 1000 mg Kg-1) for 30 days. There were no significant changes in the creatinine, triglyceride, cholesterol levels, and glutamic-pyruvic transaminase activity in the blood of fish infected with Y. ruckeri. In contrast, exposure to MPs had a significant effect on most clinical parameters. The total protein, albumin, globulin, total immunoglobulins, High-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, cholesterol levels, and γ-glutamyltransferase activity decreased, whereas glucose, triglyceride, and creatinine levels, and glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, and lactate dehydrogenase activities increased in the plasma of fish after co-exposure to MPs and Y. ruckeri. Dietary MPs combined with a bacterial challenge decreased catalase activities, glutathione peroxidase, and total antioxidant levels. However, the superoxide dismutase activity and malondialdehyde contents in the hepatocytes increased in the hepatocyte of fish co-exposed to MPs and Y. ruckeri. In conclusion, this study showed that fish exposure to MPs and simultaneous challenge with Y. ruckeri could have a synergistic effect on clinical parameters.
Impact of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Female Sexual Function and Mental Health in Patients with Breast Cancer
Authors: Chang Yun-Chen , Lin Gen-Min , Yeh Tzu-Lin , Chang Yuh‑Ming , Yeh Chun-Yin , Hu Wen-Yu
Published: June 2021

PurposeThere have been few studies using mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) to improve sexual function in Asian women with breast cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of mindfulness intervention on female sexual function, mental health and quality of life in patients with breast cancer.MethodsFifty-one women with breast cancer were allocated into 6-week MBSR (n=26) session or usual care (n=25), without differences in group characteristics. The research tools included the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21), and the EuroQol instrument (EQ-5D). The Greene Climacteric Scale (GCS) was used to verify the foregoing scale. The effects of MBSR were evaluated by the differences between the post- and pre-intervention score in each scale. Statistical analyses consisted of descriptive dataset and Mann-Whitney ranked-pairs test.ResultsAlthough MBSR did not significantly improve sexual desire and depression in patients with breast cancer, MBSR could improve parts of female sexual function [i.e. Δarousal: 5.73 vs. -5.96, Δlubrication: 3.35 vs. -3.48, and Δsatisfaction: 8.48 vs. 1.76; all p <.005] assessed by the FSFI, and mental health [Δanxiety: -10.92 vs.11.36 and Δstress: -10.96 vs.11.40; both p <.001] assessed by the DASS-21.Conclusion﻿Our study revealed that MBSR can improve female sexual function and mental health except sexual desire and depression in women with breast cancer. Medical staffs can incorporate MBSR into clinical health education for patients with breast cancer to promote their overall quality of life.
Replacement of Chemical Fertilizer by Beverage Sludge to Reduce Environmental Pollution
Authors: Hasanath Md. Abul , Saha Ganesh Chandra , Alam Md. Siddique , Uddin Md. Nashir
Published: June 2021

Wastewater generation from beverage industries is on the rise as the demand and consumption surge worldwide. The typical ingredients of beverages are carbonated water, saccharides, sweetener, fruit pulp, flavoring agent, color, preservatives, and salts. Only 20% concentration of the mixture goes to the bottle and the remaining becomes wastewater. However, nutrients and organics remain in wastewater and are left in sludge after going through ETP. The presence of these nutrients makes the beverage sludge useful for the cultivation that can not only decrease the application of chemical fertilizers but also combat the environmental pollution. Indian spinach and Okra have been cultivated in six different mixtures containing beverage sludge and soil to study their effects on growth, yield, food value and nutrient. Soil nutrients, organic content, EC, and pH have been analyzed to assess the suitability of sludge for cultivation. The control treatment was designed by 100% soil and gradually 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100% soil were replaced by beverage sludge in other treatments. The maximum growth of Indian Spinach and Okra was observed 120% and 125% higher at 38 days after sowing on the treatment of 80% sludge and 20% soil compared to the control treatment. Similarly, the maximum yield of Indian spinach and Okra was computed to be nine and two times higher than the control on the same treatment. Food values (ascorbic acid, β- carotene, and protein) and nutrients (Fe, Ca, Mg, K, P and Zn) were found to increase with the increasing amount of beverage sludge while those satisfy the standards of USDA. Without using any kind of fertilizer in low grade soil, the beverage sludge has shown the potentiality in both growth and yield. It turns out that beverage sludge can be used as a substitute for chemical fertilizer with an optimum amount of 80%.
Risk Factors for Typical Endometrial Polypoid Adenomyoma
Authors: Wang Xinmei , Zhang Hongyuan , Xu Juan , Qu Pengpeng
Published: June 2021

Objective: Typical endometrial polypoid adenomyoma (TPA) is a rare type of lesion in the uterine cavity or cervical canal. Although the clinical and pathologic features of TPA have been described extensively, reports on its pathogenesis and treatment remain inconclusive. This study was conducted to investigate the risk factors for endometrial TPA and recurrence and to further define the pathogenesis and treatment.Study design: This was a retrospective analysis of 488 cases of TPA and 500 cases of normal endometrium. Age, menopausal status, body mass index (BMI), reproductive history, and method of surgery were retrospectively analyzed. Among TPA cases, 360 were treated by conservative surgery. Risk factors for TPA and recurrence were assessed.Results: There was a significant difference in age, menopausal status, BMI, gravidity, and parity between the two groups (P<0.05). Age >50 years, menopause, obesity, gravidity >3, and parity >2 were risk factors for TPA (P<0.05). The incidence rate of endometriosis and adenomyosis in the TPA group was significantly higher than that in the normal endometrium group (P<0.05). Follow-up data (22–77 months) were obtained for 360 patients, revealing gravidity >3, menopause, curettage, and polyp clamp as independent risk factors for the recurrence of TPA (P<0.05). Conclusions: In addition to high estrogen levels, endometrial injury was the main contributor to TPA pathogenesis. Hysteroscopic electrotomy was the preferential treatment for TPA to avoid recurrence, especially for women with risk factors. Increasing the depth of ablation may prevent the recurrence of TPA more efficiently.
The Impact of COVID-19 on Primary Health Care and Antibiotic Prescribing in Rural China: Qualitative Study
Authors: Zhang Tingting , Shen Xingrong , Liu Rong , Zhao Linhai , Wang Debin , Lambert Helen , Cabral Christie
Published: June 2021

Background: Primary health care (PHC) system is designated to be responsible for epidemic control and prevention during the outbreak of COVID-19 in China, while COVID-19 suspected cases in PHC are required to be transferred to specialist fever clinics at higher level hospitals. This study aims to understand to impact of COVID-19 on PHC delivery and antibiotic prescribing at community level in the rural areas of central China.Methods: Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 PHC practitioners and seven patients recruited from two township health centres and nine village clinics in two rural residential areas of Anhui province. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed.Results: Practitioners’ and patients’ views and perspectives on COVID-19 impacts on PHC services and antibiotic prescribing are organised into four broad themes. PHC practitioners took on a key public health role of tracing, screening and educating in rural areas, while their original role in seeing and treating patients was reduced since government required patients to be diverted. The additional work, risk, and financial pressure that PHC practitioners faced placed considerable strain on them, particularly those working in the village clinics. PHC largely diminished that related to the difficulty of PHC workforce with limited medical training and the high number of elderly patients in rural areas, and as a result of epidemic, rural patients found it more difficult to access health care. Antibiotic prescribing practices for non-COVID-19 respiratory tract infections remained unchanged and were not seen as relevant to practitioners’ knowledge of COVID-19, although overall antibiotic treatments were reduced because fewer patients were attending rural PHC clinics. Conclusions: Our study identified the considerable impact of COVID-19 epidemic on PHC in rural China. Since COVID-19 epidemic control work has been designated as a long-term task in China, rural PHC clinics now face the challenge of how to balance their principal clinical and prevention and public health roles and, in the case of the village clinics, remain financially viable.
Main Factors Affecting Mechanical Characteristics of Silicon Carbide Sludge-Based Geopolymer Revealed by Experimental Design and Associated Statistical Analysis
Authors: Kae-Long Lin , Lo Kang-Wei , Lin Ya-Wen , Cheng Ta-Wui
Published: June 2021

In recent years, many researches have been analyzed on the subject of geopolymer materials. As far as we know, the design of experiments (DOE) methods had not been used for the analysis of geopolymer containing silicon carbide sludge (SCS) waste and metakaolin components. This study was used to quantify the effects the interaction between the constituent factors and macroscopic / microstructure properties of SCS-based geopolymers (SCSGPs), by the DOE methods. Compares the correlation between the factor parameters and physical properties, which were analyzed the microstructure analysis of SCSGPs. The results of statistical analysis showed that the influencing factors of compressive strength of SCSGPs were mainly Na / Si mole ratio (NSR), Na / Al mole ratio (NAR), followed by dissolution rate of Al (DRA). In the regression curve analysis results, when the SCS replacement levels of 20%, the coefficient of b was the most influential, because the synergistic effect between metakaolin (MK) and SCS. In this study, the multivariate adaptive regression splines model provided a valid reference for the application of and future improvements in SCSGPs.
Anterior Debridement, Bone Grafting And Fixation For Cervical Spine Tuberculosis :Iliac Bone Graft Versus Structural Manubrium Graft
Authors: Xu Shuang , Song Yueming , Wang Qing , Wang Gaoju , Yang Jin , Zhang Shuai
Published: June 2021

Background The purpose of this retrospective study was to compare the clinical outcomes of anterior surgical management for cervical spinal tuberculosis by iliac bone grafts versus structural manubrium graft.Methods From January 2009 to September 2018, 23 patients with cervical spinal tuberculosis were treated with anterior debridement,autogenous structural bone graft and fixation at our spinal department. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to the different graft material,including iliac crest bone grafts in group A, structural manubrium grafts in group B. The clinical and radiographic results for the 2 groups were analyzed and compared. Results The mean duration of follow-up was 24 months. Bony fusion was achieved in all cases without failure of internal fixation. There were no significant differences between groups regarding the the operation time,blood loss,fusion time,neurological outcomes,and postoperative local Cobb angle (P>.05).However,the donor site complication rate of Group A was more than that of Group B. Postoperative ambulation time in group A was later than that of group B.The mean visual analog scale (VAS) for donor-site pain in group A was higher than group B at a week after surgery (P < 0.05).However,there was no significant difference between the 2 groups at last visit (P>.05).Conclusion Both iliac bone grafts and sternal manubrium grafts can effectively reconstruct anterior column defects in anterior surgery. However,structural sternal manubrium autografts has less complications associated with donor site morbidities than that of iliac bone.
Diacylglyceryl-N,N,N-trimethylhomoserine-dependent Lipid Remodeling in a Green Alga, Chlorella Kessleri
Authors: Oishi Yutaro , Otaki Rie , Iijima Yukari , Kumagai Eri , Aoki Motohide , Tsuzuki Mikio , Fujiwara Shoko , Sato Norihiro
Published: June 2021

Membrane lipid remodeling contributes to environmental 19 acclimation of plants. In a green lineage, a betaine lipid, diacylglyceryl-N,N,N-trimethylhomoserine (DGTS), is included exclusively among green algae and non-flowering plants. Here we show that, a green alga, Chlorella kessleri, reported to exceptionally possess no DGTS, synthesizes it specifically under phosphorus-deficiency conditions through the eukaryotic pathway via the ER. Simultaneously, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine, which are similar to DGTS in its zwitterionic property, are almost completely degraded to release 18.1% cellular phosphorus, and to provide its diacylglycerol moieties for a part of DGTS synthesis. Above lipid remodeling system that substitutes DGTS for extrachloroplast phospholipids to lower the P-quota operates through expression induction of the gene for BTA1 that is functionally identified as responsible for DGTS synthesis, and those for0 phospholipid breakdown. Investigation of this lipid remodeling is necessary in a widerange of lower green plants for a comprehensive understanding of their phosphorus deficiency acclimation strategies.
Mining Microbe-disease Interactions From Literature via a Transfer Learning Model
Authors: Wu Chengkun , Xiao Xinyi , Yang Canqun , Chen JinXiang , Yi Jiacai , Qiu Yanlong
Published: June 2021

Background: Interactions of microbes and diseases are of great importance for biomedical research. However, large-scale curated databases for microbe-disease interactions are missing, as the amount of related literature is enormous and the curation process is costly and time-consuming. In this paper, we aim to construct a large-scale database for microbe-disease interactions automatically. We attained this goal via applying text mining methods based on a deep learning model with a moderate curation cost. We also built a user-friendly web interface to allow researchers navigate and query desired information. Results: For curation, we manually constructed a golden-standard corpora (GSC) and a sliver-standard corpora (SSC) for microbe-disease interactions. Then we proposed a text mining framework for microbe-disease interaction extraction without having to build a model from scratch. Firstly, we applied named entity recognition (NER) tools to detect microbe and disease mentions from texts. Then we transferred a deep learning model BERE to recognize relations between entities, which was originally built for drug-target interactions or drug-drug interactions. The introduction of SSC for model ne-tuning greatly improves the performance of detection for microbe-disease interactions, with an average reduction in error of approximately 10%. The resulting MDIDB website offers data browsing, custom search for specific diseases or microbes as well as batch download. Conclusions: Evaluation results demonstrate that our method outperform the baseline model (rule-based PKDE4J) with an average F1-score of 73.81%. For further validation, we randomly sampled nearly 1,000 predicted interactions by our model, and manually checked the correctness of each interaction, which gives a 73% accuracy. The MDIDB webiste is freely avaliable throuth http://dbmdi.com/index/
Evolution of Magnetic Properties During Tempering
Authors: Akujärvi Ville , Cedell Tord , Gutnichenko Oleksandr , Jaskari Matias , Andersson Mats
Published: June 2021

Quality control in heat treatment of steel is often conducted after the treatment. Failure to confine within the specified range of mechanical properties may lead to wasted energy and production resources. Performing quality control in-line in the heat treatment process allows for early detection and possibility to react to changes in the process. The prospects of utilizing the change in the electromagnetic (EM) properties of steel, as means for quality control, is investigated in this paper. The focus is on the tempering process of hardened SS2244 (42CrMoS4) steel. The tempering takes the hardness of the steel from approximately 600 HV down to around 400 HV. The EM signature of the steel is recorded during the tempering process. This is later compared to results from more traditional means of material characterization, such as Laser Scanning Microscopy, X-ray Diffractometry and Vickers microhardness measurement. This initial study shows clear indications of precise detection of the hardness through EM properties during tempering process of selected material.
Impact of Pay-for-performance Incentives for Contracted Family Doctor Service among Primary Healthcare Providers on Diabetes Care in China
Authors: Jin Yinzi , Tian Wenya , Yu Yahang , Pan Wen , Yuan Beibei
Published: June 2021

Background: As the first step towards building a gatekeeping system in China, the governments have introduced a contracted family doctor service (CFDS) policy in primary healthcare (PHC) facilities since 2016. The impact of performance-based salary (PBS) system incentive on performance remained unknown. This study was to examine the association between the PBS adding incentive for CFDS and the performance indicators of diabetes care. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in 72 PHC facilities in 6 cities that piloted the CFDS, extracting 827 PHC health workers and 420 diabetes patients. The PHC health workers’ performance on delivery of diabetes care focused on the continuity and coordination of care. The outcome performance of diabetes care was measured by patients’ utilization of diabetes care and control of blood glucose reported by patients.Results: PHC health workers whose performance on contracted service was included in the overall performance assessment had 0.279 (95% CI 0.031-0.526) more score of the continuity of care, and had 92.6% (OR 1.926, 95% CI 1.160-3.197) higher likelihood of good coordination of care. PHC health workers whose performance linked with increased income were 168.1% (OR 2.681, 95% CI 1.502-4.788) and 78.0% (OR 1.780, 95% CI 1.220-2.597) more likely to have good continuity and coordination of care, respectively. The facility level analysis showed that additional one-point percentage of PHC health workers whose performance on contracted service was included in the overall performance assessment, and additional one-point percentage of whose performance assessment increased their income was associated with 7.192 (OR 8.192, 95% CI 1.903-35.266) times and 52.2% (OR 1.522, 95% CI 1.055-2.196) higher probability of having their patients with control of blood glucose. Additional one-point percentage of PHC health workers whose performance assessment increased their income was associated with 0.559 (95% CI 0.139-0.979) more score on patients’ utilization of diabetes care.Conclusions: Inclusion of the requirements on CFDS into the assessment criteria, and adding the incentives rewarding better performance on contracted family doctors into PBS system for PHC health workers were associated with better delivery process and outcome performance on diabetes care.
Techno-Economic Assessment for the Production of Algal Fuels and Value-Added Products: Opportunities for High-Protein Microalgae Conversion
Authors: Wiatrowski Matthew , Klein Bruno C , Davis Ryan W , Quiroz-Arita Carlos , Tan Eric C D , Hunt Ryan W , Davis Ryan E
Published: June 2021

BackgroundMicroalgae possess numerous advantages for use as a feedstock in producing renewable fuels and products, with techno-economic analysis (TEA) frequently used to highlight the economic potential and technical challenges of utilizing this biomass in a biorefinery context. However, many historical TEA studies have focused on the conversion of biomass with elevated levels of carbohydrates and lipids and lower levels of protein, incurring substantial burdens on the ability to achieve high cultivation productivity rates relative to nutrient-replete, high-protein biomass. Given a strong dependence of algal biomass production costs on cultivation productivity, further TEA assessment is needed to understand the economic potential for utilizing potentially lower-cost but lower-quality, high-protein microalgae for biorefinery conversion. ResultsIn this work, we conduct rigorous TEA modeling to assess the economic viability of two conceptual technology pathways for processing proteinaceous algae into a suite of fuels and products. One approach, termed mild oxidative treatment and upgrading (MOTU), makes use of a series of thermo-catalytic operations to upgrade solubilized proteins and carbohydrates to hydrocarbon fuels, while another alternative focuses on the biological conversion of those substrates to oxygenated fuels in the form of mixed alcohols (MA). Both pathways rely on the production of polyurethanes from unsaturated fatty acids and valorization of unconverted solids for use as a material for synthesizing bioplastics. The assessment found similar, albeit slightly higher fuel yields and lower costs for the MA pathway, translating to a residual solids selling price of $899/ton for MA versus $1,033/ton for MOTU as would be required to support a $2.50/gallon gasoline equivalent (GGE) fuel selling price. A variation of the MA pathway including subsequent upgrading of the mixed alcohols to hydrocarbon fuels (MAU) reflected a required solids selling price of $975/ton.ConclusionThe slight advantages observed for the MA pathway are partially attributed to a boundary that stops at oxygenated fuels versus fungible drop-in hydrocarbon fuels through a more complex MOTU configuration, with more comparable results obtained for the MAU scenario. In either case, it was shown that an integrated algal biorefinery can be economical through optimal strategies to utilize and valorize all fractions of the biomass.
Hydrodynamic interactions are key in thrust-generation of microswimmers with hairy flagella
Authors: Asadzadeh Seyed Saeed , Walther Jens Honore , Andersen Anders , Kiørboe Thomas
Published: June 2021

The important role of flagellates in aquatic microbial food webs is mediated by their flagella that enable them to swim and generate a feeding current. The flagellum in most predatory flagellates is equipped with rigid hairs that reverse the direction of thrust compared to the thrust due to a smooth flagellum. Conventionally, such reversal has been attributed to drag anisotropy of individual hairs, neglecting their hydrodynamic interactions. Here, we show that hydrodynamic interactions are key to thrust-generation and reversal in hairy flagellates, making their hydrodynamics fundamentally different from the slender-body theory governing microswimmers with smooth flagella. Using computational fluid dynamics and model analysis, we demonstrate that long and not too closely spaced hairs and strongly curved flagellar waveforms are optimal for thrust-generation. Our results form a theoretical basis for understanding the diverse flagellar architectures and feeding modes found in predatory flagellates.
Long Noncoding RNA PVT1 Promotes Breast Cancer Proliferation and Metastasis by Binding mIR-128-3p and UPF1
Authors: Liu Shuiyi , Chen Weiqun , Hu Hui , Zhang Tianzhu , Wu Tangwei , Li Xiaoyi , Li Yong , Kong Qinzhi , Lu Hongda , Lu Zhongxin
Published: June 2021

Background: Mounting evidence support that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have critical roles during cancer initiation and progression. In this study, we report that the plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1) lncRNA is involved in breast cancer progression. Methods: qRT-PCR and western blot were performed to detect the gene and protein expression. Colony formation, would healing and transwell assays were used to detect cell function. Dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA pull-down experiments were used to examine the mechanisms interaction between molecules. Orthotopic mouse models were established to evaluate the influence of PVT1 on tumor growth and metastasis in vivo.Results: PVT1 is significant upregulated in breast cancer patients’ plasma and cell lines. PVT1 promotes breast cancer cell proliferation and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, PVT1 upregulates FOXQ1 by competitively sponging miR-128-3p and promotes epithelial–mesenchymal transition. In addition, PVT1 binds to the UPF1 protein, thereby inducing epithelial–mesenchymal transition, proliferation and metastasis in breast cancer cells.Conclusion: PVT1 may act as an oncogene in breast cancer through binding miR-128-3p and UPF1 and represents a potential target for BC therapeutic development.
Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions in a Generalized Model of Interactive Dynamics Between COVID-19 and The Economy
Authors: Datta Soumya , Saratchand C.
Published: June 2021

We use a simple general model of interactive dynamics between the COVID-19 pandemic and the economy to examine the impact of various non-pharmaceutical interventions in the form of restrictions on socio-economic activities like lockdowns, travel restrictions etc. We mathematically demonstrate that these restrictions might be useful in preventing repeated waves of infection recurrence in the pandemic. These results are general and not dependent on choice of specific functional forms or parameter configurations. We set out briefly the implications of these results for public health interventions.
Influence of Aquatic pH on Dissolved Pb in East Kolkata Wetlands: A Case Study With Reference to Climate Change Induced Acidification
Authors: Dutta Joystu , Dutta Joysurya , Sen Tirthankar , Zaman Sufia , Mitra Abhijit
Published: June 2021

The present study was undertaken with the databank of dissolved Pb and pH of the aquatic system in the East Kolkata Wetlands, an internationally unique Ramsar Site of Eastern India during a period of twenty years (2000-2019). Our study site is receiving huge amounts of domestic and industrial wastewater from surrounding areas of highly populated metropolitan city of Kolkata. The data on pH exhibits a decreasing trend with the passage of time, which may be attributed to the phenomenon of acidification in which CO2 dissolves with the water and shifts the pH to a lower value. This may result in the dissolution of accumulated Pb in the sediment and transfer the same to the overlying aquatic phase. The increasing trend of dissolved Pb confirms the hypothesis. The significant negative correlation between pH and dissolved Pb (r= -0.7763; p≤0.01) supports the view of the regulatory effect of pH on the dissolved Pb level in the aquatic systems of East Kolkata Wetland.
miR-320a-3p Levels in Human Granulosa Cells: A Promising Bio-marker of Good Quality Embryo and Clinical Pregnancy after IVF/ICSI.
Authors: Liu Yu , Mei Qiaojuan , Shen Qiuzi , Yang Jiahao , Zou Min , Li Jiao , Li Huaibiao , Zhang Ling , Xiang Wenpei
Published: June 2021

BackgroundmiRNAs in body fluids are considered potential biomarkers of diseases. This study investigated whether miR-320a-3p and miR-483-5p levels in human granulosa cells from follicular fluids were associated with embryo developmental competence. MethodsWe collected 195 patients’ granulosa cells samples undergoing in vitro fertilization (n =147) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (n =48) cycles, and gathered information about the outcomes of the treatment. miR-320a-3p and miR-483-5p levels were measured using qRT-PCR.ResultsThe miR-320a-3p levels in human granulosa cells across different patient groups were significantly different in the good quality embryo rates, with lowest levels in the Q4 intervals (P<0.05). The relative expression levels of miR-320a-3p were negatively associated with clinical pregnancy rate (P<0.05) and positively correlated with the patient age (P=0.0033). Moreover, both the basal FSH (P=0.0003) and ovarian stimulation protocol (P=0.006 and P=0.004) significantly and positively affected miR-320a-3p levels. The days of stimulation was negatively correlated with the relative expression of miR-320a-3p (P=0.0466). The relative expression levels of miR-483-5p were significantly positively correlated with AMH (P=0.0047). Neither miR-320a-3p nor miR-483-5p levels in granulosa cells were associated with normal fertilized rate, blastulation rate and abortion rate. ConclusionsThe miR-320a-3p levels in human granulosa cells were negatively correlated with the good quality embryo rate and clinical pregnancy rate and positively correlated with the patient age, indicating that miR-320a-3p can be used as a potential indicator to predict embryo development ability and clinical pregnancy.
Oleuropein Protects Human Retinal Pigment Epithelium Cells from IL-1β –Induced Inflammation by Blocking MAPK/NF- k B Signaling Pathways
Authors: Hsu Ming-Lung , Huang Wen-Chung , Zhou Yi-Rong , Hu Sindy , Huang Chun-Hsun , Wu Shu-Ju
Published: June 2021

Objectives and designPro-inflammatory mediators such as interleukin (IL)-1b cause retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) inflammation, which is related to visual deterioration, including age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. Oleuropein is a polyphenol compound that shows potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-cancer activities, but its effects on IL-1b–induced inflammation have not been examined in the adult RPE cell line ARPE-19.Materials/methodsHere, we assessed the ability of oleuropein to attenuate this inflammation in ARPE-19 cells. IL-1β induced secretion of the inflammatory cytokines IL-6, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP)-1, and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule (sICAM)-1. As measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, oleuropein significantly inhibited levels of all three proteins and led to decreased monocyte adhesiveness to ARPE-19 cells. To clarify the underlying anti-inflammatory mechanisms, we used western blots to evaluate the effect of oleuropein on inactivation of the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways. Result The results showed that oleuropein significantly decreased levels of the inflammatory mediator cyclooxygenase-2 and increased anti-inflammatory protein HO-1 expression. We next examined if the anti-inflammatory activity of oleuropein arises via inactivated NF-κB. We found that suppressing phosphorylation of the JNK1/2 and p38 MAPK signaling pathways inhibited IL-6, MCP-1, and sICAM-1 secretion, implicating these pathways and NF-κB suppression in the effects of oleuropein. ConclusionsThese results indicate that oleuropein shows potential for the prevention and treatment of inflammatory diseases of the retina.
On the dual effect of obstacles in preventing silo clogging
Authors: Gella Diego , Yanagisawa Daichi , Caitano Rodrigo , Ferreyra Maria Victoria , Zuriguel Iker
Published: June 2021

We experimentally demonstrate that an obstacle, when suitably placed above a bottleneck, leads to a reduction of clog formation in a silo via two different mechanisms. The first one, already suggested in previous works, is related to an alteration of the kinematic properties in the outlet proximities that prevents the stabilization of arches. The second, that is discovered when working at a quasi-static regime, appears because the obstacle induces a clear anisotropy in the contact fabric tensor. Then, both mechanisms are encompassed using a single equation in which two parameters -one related with the geometrical effects and the other to the kinematic ones- are enough to reproduce all the experimental results
CCR2-Overexpressing Mesenchymal Stem Cells Targeting Damaged Liver Enhances Recovery of Acute Liver Failure
Authors: Xu Ruixuan , Shan Jiarou , Ni Beibei , Pan Lijie , Lv Guo , Lin Huizhu , Chen Wenjie , Zhang Qi
Published: June 2021

Background: Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation is emerging as a promising cell therapeutic strategy in acute liver failure (ALF) clinical research. The potency of MSCs to migrate and engraft into targeted lesions could largely determine their clinical efficacy, in which chemokine/receptor axes play a crucial role. Unfortunately, the downregulation of chemokine receptors expression after in vitro expansion results in a poor homing capacity of MSCs.Methods: By evaluating the chemokine expression profile in the liver of ALF patients and ALF mice, we found that CCL2 expression was highly upregulated in damaged livers, while the corresponding receptor, CCR2, was lacking in cultured MSCs. Thus, we genetically modified MSCs to overexpress CCR2 and investigated the targeted homing capacity and treatment efficacy of MSCCCR2 compared to those of the MSCvector control.Results: In vivo and ex vivo near-infrared fluorescence imaging showed that MSCCCR2 rapidly migrated and localized to injured livers in remarkably greater numbers following systemic infusion, and these cells were retained in liver lesions for a longer time than MSCvector. Furthermore, MSCCCR2 exhibited significantly enhanced efficacy in the treatment of ALF in mice, which was indicated by a dramatically improved survival rate, the alleviation of liver injury with reduced inflammatory infiltration, and hepatic apoptosis, and the promotion of liver regeneration.Conclusions: Altogether, these results indicate that CCR2 overexpression enhances the targeted migration of MSCs to damaged livers, improves their treatment effect, and may provide a novel strategy for improving the efficacy of cell therapy for ALF.
Effect of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) Inhibitors on Left Ventricular Remodelling and Longitudinal Strain: A Prospective Observational Study
Authors: Gamaza-Chulian Sergio , Díaz-Retamino Enrique , González-Testón Fátima , Gaitero José Carlos , Castillo María José , Alfaro Raquel , Rodríguez Elías , González-Caballero Eva , Martín-Santana Antonio
Published: June 2021

Background: Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) lower cardiovascular events in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients, although the mechanisms underlying these benefits are not clearly understood. Our aim was to study the effects of SGLT2i on left ventricular remodelling and longitudinal strain.Methods: Between November 2019 and April 2020, we included 52 patients with T2DM ≥18 years old, with HbA1c between 6.5% and 10.0%, and estimated glomerular filtration ≥45 ml/min/1.73 m2. Patients were classified into SGLT2i group and control group, according to prescribed treatment by their referring physician. Conventional and speckle tracking echocardiography were performed by blinded sonographers, at baseline and after 6 months of treatment.Results: Among the 52 included patients (44% females, mean age 66.8±8.6 years, mean HbA1c was 7.40±0.7%), 30 patients were prescribed SGLT2i and 22 patients were classified as control group. Mean change in indexed left ventricular mass (LVM) was -10.85±3.31 g/m2 (p=0.003) in the SGLT2i group, and +2.34±4.13 g/m2 (p=0.58) in the control group. Absolute value of Global Longitudinal Strain (GLS) increased by a mean of 1.29±0.47 (p=0.011) in the SGLT2i group, and 0.40±0.62 (p=0.34) in the control group. We did not find correlations between changes in LVM and GLS, and other variables like change in HbA1c.Conclusions: Among patients with T2DM, SGLT2i were associated with a significant reduction in indexed LVM and a significant increment in longitudinal strain measured by speckle tracking echocardiography, which may explain in part the clinical benefits found in clinical trials.