bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Immediate Postnatal Microbial Colonization in Sick Term Neonates Admitted to NICU: Prevalence, Microbiota, and Associated Characteristics
Authors: Verma Rita P. , Kota Archana , Fogel Joshua 
Published: May 2021

Objective The immediate postnatal rectal (RC) and nasopharyngeal colonization (NPC), their prevalence, taxa, and associated characteristics were investigated in sick term infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit.Study Design In a retrospective cohort single center study, nasopharyngeal (NPCx) and rectal (RCx) microbial cultures were obtained within 20 minutes of birth in mild-to- moderate sick term infants. Associations between the colonization and maternal–neonatal variables, including early neonatal course, were analyzed via logistic regression analysis.Results A total of 154 term infants were admitted for respiratory distress, hypoglycemia, maternal chorioamnionitis (CHO), and suspected neonatal sepsis; out of which, 80 (52%) were NPCx-positive (+) infants. The duration of rupture of membrane (ROM) was higher (15.5 ± 10.0 vs. 11.3 ± 11.0 hours, p = 0.02), while the respiratory support requirement (16.3 vs. 29.7%, p = 0.04) and occurrence of maternal group B Streptococcus (GBS) colonization lower (15.0 vs. 35.1%, p = 0.01) in NPCx+ infants. ROM increased (odds ratio [OR]: 1.04, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01–1.07), and maternal GBS colonization decreased the odds of positive nasopharyngeal cultures (OR: 0.31, 95% CI: 0.14–0.72). The major microorganisms isolated were Staphylococcus epidermidis (41%), α hemolytic Streptococcus (AHS; 16%), Escherichia coli (13%), and GBS (1.06%). Among the enrolled infants, 44 (28.5%) were RCx positive. The need for (11.4 vs. 27.3%, p = 0.03) and days on respiratory support (0.2 ± 0.6 vs. 0.8 ± 2.5, p = 0.03) were lower and the occurrence of CHO higher (41.0 vs. 23.2%, p = 0.04) in the RCx positive infants. Cesarean section (CS) was performed less frequently (18.2 vs. 55.5%, p = 0.001) and decreased the odds of having positive rectal cultures (OR: 0.21, 95% CI: 0.08–0.51). In total, 80% of the RCx positive infants isolated E. coli, and 6.8% Klebsiella.Conclusion In sick term neonates, early NPC is dominated by SE and RC by E. coli. NPC is supported by ROM and declines by maternal GBS colonization, whereas RC decreases with CS. NPC is more common than RC in this population.Key Points
Current Trends in Prevalence and Role of Long Noncoding RNA and Gene Fusion in Prostate Cancer: An Overview
Authors: Sinha Arun , Sharma Praveen , Shukla Kamla Kant , Mitra Prasenjit , Misra Sanjeev 
Published: May 2021

Objectives
The aim of this study is to analyze the current scenario in the diagnostic modalities for prostate cancer.

Materials and Methods
We searched PubMed, Google Scholar, and ResearchGate for relevant data. Articles published in the last 10 years were taken into consideration. The role of long noncoding RNA and gene fusion products in the context of prostate cancer was reviewed, which included their roles in diagnosis, prognosis, and assessment of response to therapy.

Results
Several long noncoding RNAs (lncRNA) have been isolated and have been shown to be useful in diagnosing and prognosticating prostate cancer. We have also looked into the role of TMPRSS2:ERG gene fusion in prostate carcinoma diagnosis. These molecular parameters have been looked into due to the fact that the current parameters in use such as prostate-specific antigen have several drawbacks that limit their potential.
Rural Residence and Factors Associated with Attendance at the Second High-Risk Infant Follow-up Clinic Visit for Very Low Birth Weight Infants in California
Authors: Fuller Martha G. , Lu Tianyao , Gray Erika E. , Jocson Maria A. L. , Barger Mary K. , Bennett Mihoko , Lee Henry C. , Hintz Susan R. 
Published: May 2021

Objective This study was aimed to determine factors associated with attendance at the second high-risk infant follow-up (HRIF) visit (V2) by 20 months of corrected age after a successful first visit (V1), and the impact of rural residence on attendance rates in a statewide population of very low birth weight (VLBW; <1,500 g) infants.
Study Design Data linked from the California Perinatal Quality of Care Collaborative (CPQCC) Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) database and CPQCC-California Children's Services (CCS) HRIF database. Multivariable logistic regression evaluated independent associations of sociodemographic, maternal, family, neonatal clinical, and individual HRIF program differences (factors) with successful V2 in VLBW infants born in 2010 to 2012.
Results Of 7,295 eligible VLBW infants, 75% (5,475) attended V2. Sociodemographic factors independently associated with nonattendance included maternal race of Black (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.61; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.5–0.75), public insurance (aOR = 0.79; 95% CI: 0.69–0.91), and rural residence (aOR = 0.74; 95% CI: 0.61–0.9). Factors identified at V1that were associated with V2 attendance included attending V1 within the recommended window (aOR = 2.34; 95% CI: 1.99–2.75) and early intervention enrollment (aOR = 1.39; 95% CI: 1.12–1.61). Neonatal factors associated with attendance included birth weight ≤750 g (aOR = 1.83; 95% CI: 1.48–2.5). There were significant program differences with risk-adjusted rates ranging from 43.7 to 99.7%.
Conclusion Sociodemographic disparities and HRIF program factors are associated with decreased attendance at V2 among VLBW infants. These findings highlight opportunities for quality and process improvement interventions starting in the NICU and continuing through transition to home and community to assure participation in HRIF.
Key Points
Retrospective Analysis of Early Impact of COVID-19 on Systemic Cancer Treatment—A Pilot Study
Authors: Pattiyeil Anakha , Antony Febin , Cyriac Sunu L , Jose Anilkumar , P. Jini M. 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Introduction Cancer care during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is challenging as the patients are at an increased risk of developing complications compared with the general population.
Objectives This study was conducted to assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic and nationwide lockdown on systemic cancer care.
Materials and Methods This comparative descriptive study was conducted in the Department of Medical Oncology and Haematology in a tertiary care center in India. The study compared and analyzed the consecutive patient data of two different units in the Department of Medical Oncology in the pre-COVID phase (PCP) and post lockdown relaxation phase (PLRP). We represented the categorical data in frequency and percentage, and chi-squared test was used to analyze the variables.
Results Patients were categorized based on demographic, disease-related, and hospital visit-related parameters and a significant drop noted in patients who utilized a prebooking facility (p = 0.0001), in the number of patients aged >50 years (p = 0.004), number of patients who presented with hematological malignancies (p = 0.006), and who came for follow-up (p = 0.0001). The other parameters remained statistically insignificant.
Conclusions During PLRP, active systemic cancer care seems to have been less affected, whereas follow-up of patients and visits of elderly patients were significantly reduced. If the pandemic remains under control, cancer care may not get compromised. This shows the importance of flattening the curve for quality management of other diseases during a pandemic.
Correlation between Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria Colonization and Bloodstream Infections in Children with Hematolymphoid Malignancies at a Tertiary Cancer Center in India
Authors: Salifu Nihad , Narula Gaurav , Prasad Maya , Biswas Sanjay , Kelkar Rohini , Banavali Shripad 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Background Bloodstream infections with drug-resistant bacteria are associated with a higher morbidity and mortality. Based on previous studies in our institution demonstrating a rising incidence of multidrug resistant organism (MDR) bacteria in bloodstream infections (BSI) and high prevalence of enteric colonization with MDR, the “de-escalation” strategy for empirical antibiotics was adopted in the management of febrile neutropenia in children with hematolymphoid malignancies and MDR colonization. An audit was carried out to determine whether surveillance rectal swabs correlated with blood cultures in febrile neutropenia.
Methods Patient data from January 2015 to July 2016 was examined. Rectal swabs of children with hematolymphoid malignancies were obtained at presentation. Blood cultures were taken during febrile neutropenia. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 24.0. The significance level was set at p < 0.05.
Results Most patients (62.1%) with confirmed BSI were colonized with either extended-spectrum β-lactamase producing organisms (ESBLO) (31.9%) or MDR (30.2%). Majority 116 (62.7%) developed BSI caused by either MDR or ESBLO. In contrast, only 12 (10.6%) patients colonized by sensitive bacteria, developed BSI caused by either MDR or ESBLO. These differences were statistically significant (p < 0.001). Thus, the baseline rectal swab had a sensitivity and a specificity of 90.6% and 59.4%, respectively, in predicting BSI with either MDR or ESBLO.
Conclusions We conclude that high prevalence of MDR colonization at presentation significantly results in MDR BSI, which further results in a significant increase in intensive care unit admissions and mortality. This would justify the use of a “de-escalation” antibiotic policy. Whether such a strategy has been successful in impacting outcomes, would need further study.
The CSR–CFP relationship in the presence of institutional voids and the moderating role of family ownership
Authors: Cordeiro James J. , Galeazzo Ambra , Shaw Tara Shankar 
Published: May 2021

AbstractIn weak institutional contexts characterized by institutional voids, firms often struggle to demonstrate their ethical conduct. They are seen as raising the costs of influencing stakeholders and correspondingly the level of investment needed in stakeholder influence capacity in order to achieve corporate financial performance (CFP). We hypothesize and find support for a U-shaped curvilinear relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) engagement level and CFP in the context of India—a country characterized by relatively weak institutions. We also investigate whether family firms can help overcome the drawbacks of weak institutional contexts and thus influence the relationship between CSR and CFP. We adopt a large sample, panel data approach to test our theoretical model. We observe a U-shaped relationship, consistent with earlier findings in developed countries. However, we find that this significant U-shaped relationship is observed only in the case of family firms in our sample.
Public diplomacy and regional leadership struggles: the case of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Heibach Jens 
Published: May 2021

AbstractIn light of recent Saudi Arabian foreign policy, this article examines the valorization of public diplomacy in regional leadership struggles—a widely neglected topic in discussion on regional powers. Concentrating on regions with distinct power hierarchies, the literature offers nuanced explanations for how already-established regional leaders seek to maintain their position but only limited discussion of how ambitious states seek to assume leadership in the first place. The proposed binary set of coercive and persuasive strategies used by aspirant leaders does not capture the complexities of these regional leadership struggles. This article argues instead that aspirant leaders lacking the power assets to exclusively embark on either strategy become prone to resorting to a strategy mix combining elements of both coercion and persuasion. Because of the inconsistencies arising from applying such antithetical policies, however, public diplomacy significantly gains in importance as a magnifying and balancing tool amid this strategy mix.
Photovoltaic Sustainability and Management
Authors: Ren Jingzheng , Kan Zhipeng 
Published: May 2021

Photovoltaic Sustainability and Management examines photovoltaic (PV) technologies that are widely used to convert light into electrical power. While PV power generation is sustainable and emission-free, the manufacture and placement of PV modules have environmental impacts that need consideration by professionals in the industry.
This book:Discusses the techno-economic, carbon footprint, and life cycle sustainability performances of photovoltaic technologies.Focuses on nontechnical factors that significantly influence the effectiveness of PV deployment, including challenges, innovations, policies, environmental impacts, location selection, and management.Investigates PV technologies from life cycle and sustainability perspectives.
Photovoltaic Sustainability and Management is for academic researchers, technicians, and consultants engaged in PV research or working in PV technologies or the renewable energy industry.
A nonsense
TMEM43
variant leads to disruption of connexin-linked function and autosomal dominant auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder
Authors: Jang Minwoo Wendy , Oh Doo-Yi , Yi Eunyoung , Liu Xuezhong , Ling Jie , Kim Nayoung , Sharma Kushal , Kim Tai Young , Lee Seungmin , Kim Ah-Reum , Kim Min Young , Kim Min-A , Lee Mingyu , Han Jin-Hee , Han Jae Joon , Park Hye-Rim , Kim Bong Jik , Lee Sang-Yeon , Woo Dong Ho , Oh Jayoung , Oh Soo-Jin , Du Tingting , Koo Ja-Won , Oh Seung-Ha , Shin Hyun-Woo , Seong Moon-Woo , Lee Kyu-Yup , Kim Un-Kyung , Shin Jung Bum , Sang Shushan , Cai Xinzhang , Mei Lingyun , He Chufeng , Blanton Susan H. , Chen Zheng-Yi , Chen Hongsheng , Liu Xianlin , Nourbakhsh Aida , Huang Zaohua , Kang Kwon-Woo , Park Woong-Yang , Feng Yong , Lee C. Justin , Choi Byung Yoon 
Published: May 2021

Significance
Auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD) is a confounding auditory disease in which the subjects respond to sound but have difficulties in speech discrimination. Herein, we examined two Asian families with hereditary late-age–onset ANSD. By linkage analysis and exome sequencing, we identified the TMEM43-p.(Arg372Ter) variant as the etiology of the disease. To examine the mechanism of TMEM43 on ANSD, we generated a knock-in mouse with the p.(Arg372Ter) variant that recapitulated the progressive hearing loss phenotype of the two families. We discovered that variation in TMEM43 impairs the connexin-linked function of mediating passive conductance current in cochlear glial cells. Based on the pathology involving cochlear glial cells, we performed cochlear implant on the human patients, and their speech discrimination ability was restored.
A liposome-displayed hemagglutinin vaccine platform protects mice and ferrets from heterologous influenza virus challenge
Authors: Sia Zachary R. , He Xuedan , Zhang Ali , Ang Jann C. , Shao Shuai , Seffouh Amal , Huang Wei-Chiao , D’Agostino Michael R. , Teimouri Dereshgi Amir , Suryaprakash Sambhara , Ortega Joaquin , Andersen Hanne , Miller Matthew S. , Davidson Bruce A. , Lovell Jonathan F. 
Published: May 2021

Significance
Hemagglutinin (HA) is the major influenza virus surface protein and a prime antigen candidate for vaccine development using recombinant subunit approaches. Adjuvants often are used to enhance the immunogenicity of recombinant proteins. Here, we show that a next-generation vaccine adjuvant system that seamlessly sequesters and presents antigens on the surface of immunogenic liposomes improves the functional immunogenicity of HA in mice and ferrets. The potential for antigen dose sparing and multivalent presentation is demonstrated using this approach.
Lindernia crustacea (Malaysian false pimpernel).
Authors: Rojas-Sandoval Julissa 
Published: May 2021

Abstract

L. crustacea is an herb including in the Global Compendium of Weeds where it is listed as environmental and agricultural weed (Randall, 2012). It has a wide distribution across tropical and subtropical regions of the world where it occurs in a wide range of wetland and some non-wetland habitats and is able to exploit anthropogenic habitats such as rice fields. Once established, this species has the potential to grow forming a mat up to 30 cm high. Currently, L. crustacea is listed as invasive in Hawaii, French Polynesia and Singapore (Wagner, 1999; Chong et al., 2009; Lansdown, 2011).
Changes in soil fungal community on SOC and POM accumulation under different straw return modes in dryland farming
Authors: Fan Wei , Wu Jinggui 
Published: May 2021

ABSTRACT

We conducted a 2.5-year field experiment to test the effects of straw incorporated evenly into the soil (EIS) on soil fungal community, SOC chemical composition, and particulate organic matter fractions via comparing with no straw returning (CK), straw mulching (SM), straw plowed into the soil (SP), and identified the linkages between soil fungal community as well as organic C accumulation and POM formation. Our results showed that EIS treatment significantly increased the concentrations of SOC and the proportion of carbohydrate C, di-O-alkyl C, and O-alkyl C in SOC structure, increased the mass proportion and OC contents of MA(c)POM and mM-POM in the upper 40 cm of soil. Meanwhile, EIS treatment increased the relative abundance of
Ascomycota, Zygomycota, Chytridiomycota
, and
Dothideomycetes
in 0–20 cm depths, and also had the highest relative abundance of
Glomeromycetes
and
Dothideomycetes
in the 20–40 cm soil. Also, our study suggests that straw return enhanced the relative abundances of fungi involved in the carbon cycle and sequestration, including Zygomycota, Chytridiomycota, and Glomeromycota, and Ascomycota. The shifts in fungal community structure can accelerate organic C accumulation and the formation of soil particulate organic matter, especially in EIS treatment.
Causality theory of spacetimes with continuous Lorentzian metrics revisited
Authors: García-Heveling Leonardo 
Published: May 2021

AbstractWe consider the usual causal structure (I+,J+) on a spacetime, and a number of alternatives based on Minguzzi’sD+and Sorkin and Woolgar’sK+, in the case where the spacetime metric is continuous, but not necessarily smooth. We compare the different causal structures based on three key properties, namely the validity of the push-up lemma, the openness of chronological futures, and the existence of limit causal curves. Recall that if the spacetime metric is smooth, (I+,J+) satisfies all three properties, but that in the continuous case, the push-up lemma fails. Among the proposed alternative causal structures, there is one that satisfies push-up and open futures, and one that has open futures and limit curves. Furthermore, we show that spacetimes with continuous metrics do not, in general, admit a causal structure satisfying all three properties at once.
A self-consistent Ornstein–Zernike jellium for highly charged colloids (microgels) in suspensions with added salt
Authors: Aguirre-Manzo L A , González-Mozuelos P 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
This work discusses a jellium scheme, built within the framework of the multicomponent Ornstein–Zernike (OZ) equation, which is capable of describing the collective structure of suspensions of highly charged colloids with added salt, even in the presence of finite-size multivalent microions. This approach uses a suitable approximation to decouple the microion–microion correlations from the macroion–microion profiles, which in combination with the methodology from the dressed ion theory (DIT) gives a full account of the electrostatic effective potential among the colloids. The main advantages of the present contribution reside in its ability to manage the short-range potentials and non-linear correlations among the microions, as well as its realistic characterization of the ionic clouds surrounding each macroion. The structure factors predicted by this jellium scheme are contrasted with previously reported experimental results for microgel suspensions with monovalent salts (2019 Phys. Rev. E
100 032602), thus validating its high accuracy in these situations. The present theoretical analysis is then extended to microgel suspensions with multivalent salts, which reveals the prominent influence of the counterion valence on the makeup of the effective potentials. Although the induced differences may be difficult to identify through the mesoscopic structure, our results suggest that the microgel collapsing transition may be used to enhance these distinct effects, thus giving a feasible experimental probe for these phenomena.
The stochastic self-consistent harmonic approximation: calculating vibrational properties of materials with full quantum and anharmonic effects
Authors: Monacelli Lorenzo , Bianco Raffaello , Cherubini Marco , Calandra Matteo , Errea Ion , Mauri Francesco 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
The efficient and accurate calculation of how ionic quantum and thermal fluctuations impact the free energy of a crystal, its atomic structure, and phonon spectrum is one of the main challenges of solid state physics, especially when strong anharmonicy invalidates any perturbative approach. To tackle this problem, we present the implementation on a modular Python code of the stochastic self-consistent harmonic approximation (SSCHA) method. This technique rigorously describes the full thermodynamics of crystals accounting for nuclear quantum and thermal anharmonic fluctuations. The approach requires the evaluation of the Born–Oppenheimer energy, as well as its derivatives with respect to ionic positions (forces) and cell parameters (stress tensor) in supercells, which can be provided, for instance, by first principles density-functional-theory codes. The method performs crystal geometry relaxation on the quantum free energy landscape, optimizing the free energy with respect to all degrees of freedom of the crystal structure. It can be used to determine the phase diagram of any crystal at finite temperature. It enables the calculation of phase boundaries for both first-order and second-order phase transitions from the Hessian of the free energy. Finally, the code can also compute the anharmonic phonon spectra, including the phonon linewidths, as well as phonon spectral functions. We review the theoretical framework of the SSCHA and its dynamical extension, making particular emphasis on the physical inter pretation of the variables present in the theory that can enlighten the comparison with any other anharmonic theory. A modular and flexible Python environment is used for the implementation, which allows for a clean interaction with other packages. We briefly present a toy-model calculation to illustrate the potential of the code. Several applications of the method in superconducting hydrides, charge-density-wave materials, and thermoelectric compounds are also reviewed.
Infrastructure for Smart Agriculture for Cotton Crops Based on The Internet of Things
Authors: Rasheed M. A. , Rasheed M. A. , Mohammed A M 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
With the introduction of information and communication technologies, the agriculture industry is evolving. Steps are being taken to increase performance and minimize costs using state-of-the-art technologies and facilities. As most farmers are ignorant of the technologies and the current techniques, in order to encourage farmers, several expert technologies have been proposed worldwide. However, the stored information base depends on these expert structures. We suggest system built on Expert Firmware as well as Internet of Things (IoT) that can use collected information in real time. To minimize the loss due to pathogens and insects and pests, it would help to take constructive and protective measures.