bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Coupled microbiome analyses highlights relative functional roles of bacteria in a bivalve hatchery
Authors: Timmins-Schiffman Emma , White Samuel J. , Thompson Rhonda Elliott , Vadopalas Brent , Eudeline Benoit , Nunn Brook L. , Roberts Steven B. 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Background
Microbial communities are ubiquitous throughout ecosystems and are commensal with hosts across taxonomic boundaries. Environmental and species-specific microbiomes are instrumental in maintaining ecosystem and host health, respectively. The introduction of pathogenic microbes that shift microbiome community structure can lead to illness and death. Understanding the dynamics of microbiomes across a diversity of environments and hosts will help us to better understand which taxa forecast survival and which forecast mortality events.

Results
We characterized the bacterial community microbiome in the water of a commercial shellfish hatchery in Washington state, USA, where the hatchery has been plagued by recurring and unexplained larval mortality events. By applying the complementary methods of metagenomics and metaproteomics we were able to more fully characterize the bacterial taxa in the hatchery at high (pH 8.2) and low (pH 7.1) pH that were metabolically active versus present but not contributing metabolically. There were shifts in the taxonomy and functional profile of the microbiome between pH and over time. Based on detected metagenomic reads and metaproteomic peptide spectral matches, some taxa were more metabolically active than expected based on presence alone (Deltaproteobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria) and some were less metabolically active than expected (e.g., Betaproteobacteria, Cytophagia). There was little correlation between potential and realized metabolic function based on Gene Ontology analysis of detected genes and peptides.

Conclusion
The complementary methods of metagenomics and metaproteomics contribute to a more full characterization of bacterial taxa that are potentially active versus truly metabolically active and thus impact water quality and inter-trophic relationships.
Sudden paraparesis due to spinal cord ischemia with initial contrast enhancement of the cauda equina and time-delayed owl-eyes sign on follow-up MR imaging: a case report
Authors: Breitling Benedict , Schmeel Frederic Carsten , Radbruch Alexander , Kaut Oliver 
Published: March 2021

AbstractWe report on a case of a 52-year-old male with sudden paraparesis. The initial MRI showed contrast enhancement of the conus medullaris and the complete cauda equina. Follow-up MRI revealed a spinal ischemia in the anterior portion of the spinal cord. Only a few reports with similar findings have been published. We suggest that contrast enhancement of the conus medullaris and descending nerve roots can be a potential first indicator of a spinal cord ischemia.
Consequences of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on emergency and stroke care in a German tertiary stroke center
Authors: Jansen Robin , Lee John-Ih , Turowski Bernd , Kaschner Marius , Caspers Julian , Bernhard Michael , Hartung Hans-Peter , Jander Sebastian , Ruck Tobias , Meuth Sven G. , Gliem Michael 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Background
COVID-19 pandemic caused a decline in stroke care in several countries. The objective was to describe lockdown stroke care in a tertiary stroke center in Düsseldorf, Germany near Heinsberg, a German hot spot for COVID-19 in spring 2020.

Methods
In a retrospective, observational, single-center study, we compared all patients treated in our emergency department (ED), patients seen by a neurologist in the ED, ED patients suffering from ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes and transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) as well as stroke patients admitted to our stroke unit during lockdown in spring 2020 (16 March 2020–12 April 2020) to those cared for during the same period in 2019 and lockdown light in fall 2020 (2 November – 29 November 2020).

Results
In spring 2020 lockdown the mean number of patients admitted to our ED dropped by 37.4%, seen by a neurologist by 35.6%, ED stroke patients by 19.2% and number of patients admitted to our stroke unit by 10% compared to the same period in 2019. In fall lockdown light 2020 effects were comparable but less pronounced. Thrombolysis rate was stable during spring and fall lockdown, however, endovascular treatment (EVT) rate declined by 58% in spring lockdown and by 51% in fall lockdown compared to the period in 2019.

Conclusions
Our study indicates a profound reduction of overall ED patients, neurological ED patients and EVT during COVID-19 pandemic caused lockdowns. Planning for pandemic scenarios should include access to effective emergency therapies.
Mental well-being among health science specialty female students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alshehri Elham Ali R. 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Background
Well-being includes the physical, social, and emotional dimensions of a person’s state. University students experience increased levels of psychological and academic distress, mostly affecting their mental well-being. This study employed a descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional design to assess the level of mental well-being among health sciences students at three health science colleges at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Convenience total sampling was used to select 339 female undergraduate students from the three faculties. A questionnaire consisting of two parts—a sociodemographic datasheet and the Arabic version of the Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS) without modifications to assess individuals’ mental well-being—was distributed, with data collection lasting for one month (February 2019).

Results
Participants had an average level of mental well-being, with the highest recorded among students from the College of Pharmacy and the lowest recorded among the students from the College of Nursing. The study findings revealed no significant correlations or differences in the mental well-being of the questionnaire respondents according to sociodemographic variables.

Conclusions
It is important to assess the mental well-being of students to detect any possible mental illnesses or disturbances and address any issues so as to support their academic achievement.
Effects of information on consumer attitudes towards gene-edited foods: a comparison between livestock and vegetables
Authors: Kato-Nitta Naoko , Inagaki Yusuke , Maeda Tadahiko , Tachikawa Masashi 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBackgroundThis study statistically explores the relationship between information provision and peoples’ attitudes towards the application of gene-editing technology to food, by contrasting cases of gene-edited livestock and vegetables in Japan. Japanese food producers and researchers are optimistic about the application of the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) approach to food. Due to the strict regulations regarding genetically modified (GM) food, GM crops are not commercially cultivated in Japan. Consumers worldwide have concerns about application of this technology to food. Further examination of this issue for Japanese consumers with lower acceptance towards GM food should provide essential information for global agricultural communities.MethodsUsing a web survey, split-ballot experimental design was used to randomly assign the respondents into two groups: (1) the animal group, for which information on breeding technologies, including gene editing, was provided using pig illustrations. (2) The plant group, for which information was provided using tomato illustrations. Multivariate analysis of variance and post-hoc t-tests were applied to examine the statistical differences between the plant and animal groups for attitudes towards gene-edited livestock and vegetables. Statistical analyses were conducted to examine if scientific knowledge influences these attitudes.ResultsRespondents found gene-edited vegetables more beneficial than gene-edited livestock. Their agreement was stronger for vegetables than for livestock. Respondents’ attitudes towards gene-edited livestock differed depending on whether they were shown pig illustrations or tomato illustrations. The plant group scored significantly lower regarding gene-edited livestock compared to the animal group. No statistical difference was observed between the two groups in the case of gene-edited vegetables. Furthermore, the higher science literacy group always scored higher regarding improvements in vegetable breeding, but this was not concordant regarding improvements in livestock breeding.ConclusionsPeople were more concerned about gene-edited livestock than gene-edited vegetables. The respondents who were provided information with tomato illustrations in advance demonstrated lower acceptance towards gene-edited livestock than those who were provided information with pig illustrations. Applying the technology to livestock, such as size enlargement for improvements, might be considered as risky by the public, in contrast with vegetables.
Combined Beneficial Effect of Voluntary Physical Exercise and Vitamin D Supplementation in Diet-induced Obese C57BL/6J Mice
Authors: MARZIOU ALEXANDRA , AUBERT BENJAMIN , COUTURIER CHARLÈNE , ASTIER JULIEN , PHILOUZE CLOTHILDE , OBERT PHILIPPE , LANDRIER JEAN-FRANÇOIS , RIVA CATHERINE 
Published: March 2021

ABSTRACT

Purpose
Physical exercise (PE) combined with nutritional approaches has beneficial effects that are widely advocated to improve metabolic health. Here we used voluntary PE together with vitamin D (VD) supplementation, which has already shown beneficial effects in primary and tertiary prevention in obese mice models, to study their combined additive effects on body weight management, glucose homeostasis, metabolic inflammation, and liver steatosis as key markers of metabolic health.

Methods
Ten-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were fed a high-fat/sucrose (HFS) diet for 10 wk, then assigned to a 15-wk intervention period with PE, VD supplementation, or both PE and VD supplementation. Morphological, histological, and molecular phenotype data were characterized.

Results
The HFS-induced increases in body mass, adiposity, and adipocyte hypertrophy were improved by PE but not by VD supplementation. The HFS-induced inflammation (highlighted by chemokines mRNA levels) in inguinal adipose tissue was decreased by PE and/or VD supplementation. Furthermore, the intervention combining PE and VD showed additive effects on restoring insulin sensitivity and improving hepatic steatosis, as demonstrated through a normalization of size and number of hepatic lipid droplets and triglyceride content and a significant molecular-level decrease in the expression of genes coding for key enzymes in hepatic de novo lipogenesis.

Conclusions
Taken together, our data show beneficial effects of combining PE and VD supplementation on obesity-associated comorbidities such as insulin resistance and hepatic disease in mice. This combined exercise–nutritional support strategy could prove valuable in obesity management programs.
Nausea after Repeated Sprints: Is Lactic Acidosis Really the Culprit?
Authors: MERRELLS ROBERT J. , MADON SANI B. , CHIVERS PAOLA T. , FOURNIER PAUL A. 
Published: March 2021

ABSTRACT

Introduction
Nausea caused by exhaustive sprinting is associated with high lactate ([La−]) and hydrogen ion concentrations ([H+]) and fall in blood pCO2, thus raising the issue of whether there is a causal link between nausea and these variables. For this reason, this study aimed to determine whether interspersing repeated sprints (RS) with periods of active, compared with passive, recovery results in lower levels of both nausea and changes in [La−], [H+], and pCO2.

Methods
Twelve male participants completed two separate sessions comprising four 30-s sprints separated by 20 min of either active (AR; cycling at 40% V˙O2peak) or passive recovery (PR). At 6 and 18 min of each recovery period, nausea was assessed via a visual analog scale (VAS), and blood samples were collected to measure [La−], [H+], and pCO2.

Results
RS significantly increased VAS score in both AR (P < 0.001) and PR (P < 0.01). After the first sprint, VAS was higher than preexercise in only AR (P < 0.01). AR was associated with lower VAS, [La−], [H+], and higher pCO2 (all P = 0.001) compared with PR after sprints 2–4. Linear mixed modeling indicated that each of the variables significantly predicts VAS scores (P < 0.0001). Repeated-measures correlation (r
rm

2
) indicated that [La−] had the closest association with VAS (r
rm

2
= 0.22, P < 0.0001).

Conclusion
The lower levels of both nausea and changes in [La−], [H+], and pCO2 in response to AR suggest that nausea associated with RS may be causally related with these variables. However, the absence of a close relationship between these variables after the first sprint and the findings that [La−], [H+], and pCO2 only account for 13%–22% of the variation in VAS indicate that other mechanisms may also mediate nausea.
Modifications to the delivery of NHS face-to-face general practice consultations during the COVID-19 pandemic in England
Authors: Duncan Lorna J. , Cheng Kelly F.D. 
Published: March 2021

Background: To minimise transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, delivery of general practice consultations has been modified to enable the separation of diagnosed or suspected COVID-19 patients from others. Remote triage and consultations are currently the default model, with adapted face-to-face contact used when clinically necessary. This study aimed to identify the modified face-to-face delivery models used across England, and evidence for their effectiveness. Methods: In June 2020, a national survey was sent by email to the 135 Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) in England to identify local organisation of face-to-face general practice consultations since March 2020. An email was sent to Public Health England (PHE) requesting information about COVID-19 outbreaks or clusters linked to general practice. Results: All CCGs responded. Separation of COVID-19 patients from others was achieved using combinations of the following models: zoned surgeries (used in 47% of CCGs), where COVID-19 and other patients are separated within their own practice;‘hot’ or ‘cold’ hubs (used in 90% of CCGs), separate sites where COVID-19 or other patients registered at one of several collaborating practices are seen;‘hot’ and ‘cold’ home visits (used in 70% of CCGs). One of seven model combinations was used across each CCG, with some flexibility according to changing need shown through hub availability. Concomitant PHE data showed less than 2% of COVID-19 outbreaks or clusters in England were linked to general practice. Conclusions: Varied, flexible ways of delivering face-to-face general practice consultations were identified. While COVID-19 outbreaks or clusters linked to general practice constituted a small proportion of totals, their investigation, together with evaluations of the modified delivery models in terms of management of COVID-19 and other conditions and impacts on staff and patients, may aid future management of the pandemic and identify aspects of adapted practice of benefit beyond this.
Teenagers’ access to digital technologies and refuge life: balancing safety, risk and protectionism
Authors: Bracewell Kelly , Larkins Cath , Stanley Nicky 
Published: March 2021

Refuges or shelters have been central to UK domestic violence service provision since the 1970s. In 2013, UK policy transformed teenagers into primary service users of domestic violence refuges. Digital technology is central to teenagers’ lives but moving to a refuge can cause serious disruption in this respect.
The study was undertaken in 20 refuges in England. Repeat qualitative interviews with 20 young people aged 13–18 and single interviews with refuge staff explored teenagers’ experiences of refuge life. Access to digital technology emerged as a central theme for this group of young people.
Teenagers described difficulties in accessing digital technology and the internet in refuges and this impacted on their education, support networks and leisure. Restrictions concerning online access in refuges were attributed to safety concerns and resource shortfalls. This study found that restrictions on internet access lacked consistency across refuges and were underpinned by protectionist attitudes towards teenagers. Refuges need to seek a balance between risk and protectionism and identify opportunities to use digital technologies to increase the safety and support available to teenagers.
Modeling of a SiGeSn quantum well laser
Authors: Marzban Bahareh , Stange Daniela , Rainko Denis , Ikonic Zoran , Buca Dan , Witzens Jeremy 
Published: March 2021

We present comprehensive modeling of a SiGeSn multi-quantum well laser that has been previously experimentally shown to feature an order of magnitude reduction in the optical pump threshold compared to bulk lasers. We combine experimental material data obtained over the last few years with

k
·
p

theory to adapt transport, optical gain, and optical loss models to this material system (drift-diffusion, thermionic emission, gain calculations, free carrier absorption, and intervalence band absorption). Good consistency is obtained with experimental data, and the main mechanisms limiting the laser performance are discussed. In particular, modeling results indicate a low non-radiative lifetime, in the 100 ps range for the investigated material stack, and lower than expected Γ-L energy separation and/or carrier confinement to play a dominant role in the device properties. Moreover, they further indicate that this laser emits in transverse magnetic polarization at higher temperatures due to lower intervalence band absorption losses. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive modeling of experimentally realized SiGeSn lasers, taking the wealth of experimental material data accumulated over the past years into account. The methods described in this paper pave the way to predictive modeling of new (Si)GeSn laser device concepts.
SARS-CoV-2 Serological testing in frontline health workers in Zimbabwe
Authors: Rusakaniko Simbarashe , Sibanda Elopy Nemele , Mduluza Takafira , Tagwireyi Paradzayi , Dhlamini Zephaniah , Ndhlovu Chiratidzo Ellen , Chandiwana Precious , Chiwambutsa Shingirai , Lim Rivka May , Scott Fiona , Sibanda Lindiwe Majele , Mutapi Francisca 
Published: March 2021

Background
In order to protect health workers from SARS-CoV-2, there is need to characterise the different types of patient facing health workers. Our first aim was to determine both the infection status and seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in health workers. Our second aim was to evaluate the occupational and demographic predictors of seropositivity to inform the country’s infection prevention and control (IPC) strategy.

Methods and principal findings
We invited 713 staff members at 24 out of 35 health facilities in the City of Bulawayo in Zimbabwe. Compliance to testing was defined as the willingness to uptake COVID-19 testing by answering a questionnaire and providing samples for both antibody testing and PCR testing. SARS-COV-2 antibodies were detected using a rapid diagnostic test kit and SAR-COV-2 infection was determined by real-time (RT)-PCR. Of the 713 participants, 635(89%) consented to answering the questionnaire and providing blood sample for antibody testing while 560 (78.5%) agreed to provide nasopharyngeal swabs for the PCR SARS-CoV-2 testing. Of the 635 people (aged 18–73) providing a blood sample 39.1% reported a history of past COVID-19 symptoms while 14.2% reported having current symptoms of COVID-19. The most-prevalent co-morbidity among this group was hypertension (22.0%) followed by asthma (7.0%) and diabetes (6.0%). The SARS-CoV-2 sero-prevalence was 8.9%. Of the 560 participants tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection, 2 participants (0.36%) were positive for SAR-CoV-2 infection by PCR testing. None of the SARS-CoV-2 antibody positive people were positive for SAR-CoV-2 infection by PCR testing.

Conclusion and interpretation
In addition to clinical staff, several patient-facing health workers were characterised within Zimbabwe’s health system and the seroprevalence data indicated that previous exposure to SAR-CoV-2 had occurred across the full spectrum of patient-facing staff with nurses and nurse aides having the highest seroprevalence. Our results highlight the need for including the various health workers in IPC strategies in health centres to ensure effective biosecurity and biosafety.
24 hour consultant obstetrician presence on the labour ward and intrapartum outcomes in a large unit in England: A time series analysis
Authors: Morad Sharon , Pitches David , Girling Alan , Taylor Beck , Fradd Vikki , MacArthur Christine , Kenyon Sara 
Published: March 2021

Objectives
To explore the effect of introducing 24/7 resident labour ward consultant presence on neonatal and maternal outcomes in a large obstetric unit in England.

Design
Retrospective time sequence analysis of routinely collected data.

Setting
Obstetric unit of large teaching hospital in England.

Participants
Women and babies delivered between1 July 2011 and 30 June 2017. Births <24 weeks gestation or by planned caesarean section were excluded.

Main outcome measures
The primary composite outcome comprised intrapartum stillbirth, neonatal death, babies requiring therapeutic hypothermia, or admission to neonatal intensive care within three hours of birth. Secondary outcomes included markers of neonatal and maternal morbidity. Planned subgroup analyses investigated gestation (<34 weeks; 34–36 weeks; ≥37 weeks) and time of day.

Results
17324 babies delivered before and 16110 after 24/7 consultant presence. The prevalence of the primary outcome increased by 0.65%, from 2.07% (359/17324) before 24/7 consultant presence to 2.72% (438/16110, P < 0.001) after 24/7 consultant presence which was consistent with an upward trend over time already well established before 24/7 consultant presence began (OR 1.09 p.a.; CI 1.04 to 1.13). Overall, there was no change in this trend associated with the transition to 24/7. However, in babies born ≥37 weeks gestation, the upward trend was reversed after implementation of 24/7 (OR 0.67 p.a.; CI 0.49 to 0.93; P = 0.017). No substantial differences were shown in other outcomes or subgroups.

Conclusions
Overall, resident consultant obstetrician presence 24/7 on labour ward was not associated with a change in a pre-existing trend of increasing adverse infant outcomes. However, 24/7 presence was associated with a reversal in increasing adverse outcomes for term babies.