bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Screening and Validation of Salt-stress Responsive Cg-ssr Markers in Wheat (Triticum Aestivum L.) Germplasm of Pakistan
Authors: Khalid Mishal , Kausar Rehana , Shahzad Armghan , Ali Ghulam Muhammad , Begum Sania 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Background: Soil salinity has been affecting wheat production worldwide over past few decades. Evaluation of wheat genotypes for salinity tolerance at germination and vegetative growth level is crucial. Marker assisted selection is a technique used extensively for choosing salt-tolerant genotypes from breeding populations to introduce novel genes.
Methods and materials: The current study's main goal was to discover salt-stress resistant genes; genetic divergence and genome-wide connection by using recently designed candidate gene-based simple-sequence-repeat markers (cg-SSRs). The phenotypic connection of morphological features during the germination growth stage i.e., germination period, root length/weight and shoot length/weight, and vegetative growth stages i.e., root length/weight and shoot length/weight were tested in a group of 50 wheat genotypes. Significant difference was observed in germination rate, root length and weight among control and saline treatments.
Conclusion: Total 30 SSR markers were utilized to test salinity resistance genes in wheat genotypes. Three (10%) of which were monomorphic, one (3.34%) showed no result, and the other 26 (86%) were polymorphic. Using 30 polymorphic markers discovered total 37 alleles. The polymorphic information content (PIC), quantifies each SSR locus capacity to discriminate between wheat, varied from 0.00 to 0.38 with an average of 0.19. Association analysis revealed that 26 primers were associated with morphological features, 03 with root length and the remaining 23 with germination. Utilizing morphological data, stress tolerance index (STI) was designed concluding that Auqab-2000, Margala-99 and Ufaq showed better resistance against salinity among other wheat genotypes. Cluster analysis demonstrated that wheat genotypes have vast genetic variability.
Diffusionless relaxation of half-skyrmion liquid, hexatic, and crystalline states in a chiral molecular crystal
Authors: Takae Kyohei , Mitsumoto Kota 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Particles in a crowded environment exhibit slow anomalous diffusion. In crystals, constituent particles do not diffuse, but skyrmions and half-skyrmions, spatially localised quasiparticles, exhibit normal diffusion in dilute conditions. However, the cooperative dynamics and diffusion of (half-)skyrmions in liquid, hexatic, and crystalline phases are elusive. Here we show that the fusion and fission of half-skyrmions, not their diffusion, are responsible for the primary structural relaxation in these condensed phases. The diffusion, which contributes to the secondary structural relaxation, is suppressed by cages formed by surrounding half-skyrmions, whereas enhanced by Mermin-Wagner fluctuation characteristic to two-dimensional systems, leading to subdiffusive motion. Large displacement of half-skyrmions is locally induced by fusion-fission and bond-breaking between adjacent half-skyrmions. Furthermore, the motion of half-skyrmions couples with transverse and longitudinal sound wave excitation differently. Our result provides a qualitative difference in dynamical properties between skyrmion gaseous and condensed phases, suggesting the efficient manipulation of high-density (half-)skyrmions.
Challenges of general practitioner-oncologist interaction in end-of-life communication: a qualitative study
Authors: Villalobos Matthias , Korezelidou Anastasia , Unsöld Laura , Deis Nicole , Thomas Michael , Siegle Anja 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Purpose: To explore general practitioners‘ (GP) perspectives on initiation and conduction of end-of-life (EOL) conversations in patients with metastatic lung cancer and how they perceive the interaction with the oncologists of a cancer center.
Methods: Qualitative design with in-depth interviews with GPs that refer patients with metastatic lung cancer to a cancer center; thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke.
Results: We identified three main themes: timing and conduction of EOL-conversations, factors influencing EOL-conversations, and modes of GP-oncologist interaction. All themes showed important challenges in regard to communication strategies or procedures within the cancer center and between general practitioners and oncologists. Aside from known challenges of EOL-communication, important problems arise from the difficulties in keeping pace with advances in oncology and the increasing prognostic uncertainty. Additionally, the lack of standardized communication in EOL-topics between GPs and oncologists is underlined. Options in the mode of interaction include written information and direct phone calls.
Conclusions: Because of the growing complexity in modern oncology, strategies for improvement in EOL-communication and GP-oncologist interaction have to consider information and education about therapeutic advances and prognosis of patients. The written interaction in reports or digital platforms should include information about EOL-communication. As prognostic uncertainty may hinder the adequate provision and conduction of conversations, a trustful personal interaction through direct contact via phone calls between GPs and oncologists should be encouraged.
Spatio-temporal Joint Modelling on Moderate and Extreme Air Pollution in Spain
Authors: Wang Kai , Ling Chengxiu , Chen Ying , Zhang Zhengjun 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Very unhealthy air quality is consistently connected with numerous diseases. Appropriate extreme analysis and accurate predictions are in rising demand for exploring potential linked causes and for providing suggestions for the environmental agency in public policy strategy. This paper aims to model the spatial and temporal pattern of both moderate and extremely poor PM10 concentrations (of daily mean) collected from 342 representative monitors distributed throughout mainland Spain from 2017 to 2021. We firstly propose and compare a series of Bayesian hierarchical generalized extreme models of annual maxima PM10 concentrations, including both the fixed effect of altitude, temperature, precipitation, vapour pressure and population density, as well as the spatio-temporal random effect with the Stochastic Partial Differential Equation (SPDE) approach and a lag-one dynamic auto-regressive component (AR(1)). The similar and different effects of interrelated factors are identified through a joint Bayesian model of annual mean and annual maxima PM10 concentrations, which may bring the power of statistical inference of body data to the tail analysis with implementation in the faster and more accurate Integrated Nested Laplace Approximation (INLA) algorithm with respect to MCMC. Under WAIC, DIC and other criteria, the best model is selected with good predictive ability based on the first four-year data (2017-2020) for training and the last-year data (2021) for testing. The findings are applied to identify the hot-spot regions with extremely poor air quality using excursion functions specified at the grid level. It suggests that the community of Madrid and the northwestern boundary of Spain are likely to be exposed to severe air pollution simultaneously exceeding the warning risk threshold. The joint model also provides evidence that certain predictors (precipitation, vapour pressure and population density)influence comparably while the other predictors (altitude and temperature) impact oppositely in the different scaled PM10 concentrations.
Chrysophyllum albidum Deterioration Entails Decline in Pseudomonas and Increase in Acetobacter Abundance
Authors: Ogbuji Nkechi Gloria , Ataga Anthony Eromosele , Ukwu Ifeyinwa Albright , Nwosu Ugochukwu Chibuike 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Microorganisms inhabiting fruits can affect the quality of fruits during storage. Some of these organisms are beneficial while others maybe deleterious (pathogenic). This paper analyzed African star apple (Chrysophyllum albidum) microbiota to detect the bacterial and fungal communities using high-throughput sequencing (HTS) technology. Healthy and diseased fruits of C. albidum were obtained from Choba market in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. Bacterial and fungal DNA were extracted from the samples and subjected to 16S and 18S rRNA sequencing respectively. Metagenomic analyses of bacterial and fungal strains from the samples revealed total operational taxonomical units (OTUs) as 341 and 4366 respectively. Among bacteria, the phylum Proteobacteria was dominant while all identified fungi belong to the phylum Ascomycota. There was a significant reduction in the abundance of Pseudomonas in the diseased sample when compared to the healthy sample. Conversely, relative abundance of Acetobacter increased in the diseased sample compared to the healthy sample. The fungal genera, Acidomyces, Geosmithia and Magnaporthe were also obtained. Additionally, the bacterial genera, Candidatus Portiera, Blautia, Brevibacterium, Tetragenococcus and Acinetobacter which were present in healthy fruits were not present in the diseased sample. The current study has helped in recognizing the microbial community structure of healthy and diseased fruits of C. albidum. These findings can help predict microbial community structural dynamics involved in the spoilage of African star apple and thus how the spoilage can be prevented or controlled.
Construction of Cupriavidus necator displayed with a superoxide dismutase for enhanced growth in bioelectrochemical systems
Authors: Chen Ke , Ma Chunling , Cheng Xiaolei , Guo Kun , Liu Yihan , Zhu Zhiguang 
Published: March 2023

Abstract

It is of great significance to utilize CO2 as feedstock to synthesize biobased products, particularly single cell protein (SCP) as the alternative food and feed. Bioelectrochemical system (BES) driven by clean electric energy has been regarded as a promising way for Cupriavidus necator to produce SCP from CO2 directly. At present, the key problem of growing C. necator in BES is that reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated in cathode chamber are harmful to bacterial growth. Therefore, it is necessary to find a solution to mitigate the negative effect of ROS. In this study, we constructed a number of C. necator strains displayed with superoxide dismutase (SOD), which allowed the decomposition of superoxide anion radical. The effects of promoter and signal peptide on cell surface display with SOD were analyzed. The protein displayed on the surface was further verified by the fluorescence experiment. Finally, the growth of C. necator CMS incorporating a pBAD-SOD-E-tag-IgAβ plasmid could achieve 4.9 ± 1.0 of OD600 by 7 days, equivalent to 1.7 ± 0.3 g/L dry cell weight (DCW), and the production rate was 0.24 ± 0.04 g/L/d DCW, around 2.7-fold increase than the C. necator CMS with surface display (1.8 ± 0.3 of OD600). This study can provide an effective and novel strategy of cultivating strains for the production of CO2-derived SCP or other chemicals in BES.
Adolescents’ Friendship Quality, Internalizing Problems, and Academic Achievement during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Koele Iris J. , Blankenstein Neeltje E. , Schreuders Elisabeth , Duijvenvoorde Anna C. K. van , Güroğlu Berna 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Background
The COVID-19 pandemic substantially influenced adolescents lives and possibly also their cognitive and mental health outcomes. In our longitudinal study, we investigated possible changes in adolescents’ academic achievement and internalizing problems across two academic years during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, we examined whether adolescents’ friendship quality buffers against possible changes in academic achievement and internalizing problems during the pandemic.
Methods
Our study sample consisted of Dutch young adolescents aged 11–16 (NT1 = 250) who filled out questionnaires on their friendship quality and internalizing problems during four data collection points across two academic years. Timepoint 1 (T1; November 2019) was before the COVID-19 pandemic, and the subsequent data collection points during the COVID-19 pandemic (T2: May/June 2020, T3: November/December 2020, T4: May/June 2021). Academic achievement was measured with school records of report grades. We conducted linear mixed models to analyze the data.
Results
Our findings showed that academic achievement decreased over time, and internalizing problems increased over time across two years during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, we found that adolescents with better (i.e., higher positive and lower negative) friendship quality had fewer internalizing problems. This significant relationship between better friendship quality and fewer internalizing problems held across all timepoints (pre-pandemic and during the COVID-19 pandemic).
Conclusion
Together, our findings provide insights into the adverse effects that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on adolescents’ academic achievement (decrease over time) and internalizing problems (increase over time), which could be considered by future governmental policies on lockdowns and restrictions during a crisis, such as the pandemic. Additionally, our results provided support for the general significance of friendship quality for adolescents’ mental health (i.e., internalizing problems).
Tax Credits and Health Equity: An Observational Study of Tax Credits and Asthma Outcomes
Authors: Truschel Larissa , Woods Elizabeth R. , Sommer Susan J. , Bryson Emily A. , Hole Michael K. , Marcil Lucy E. , Bhaumik Urmi 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Federal tax credits are an evidenced-based strategy to promote health equity. Our objectives were to describe families’ knowledge and use of tax credits, to analyze the association between receipt of tax credits and asthma health outcomes, and to offer referrals for free tax preparation to families. We hypothesized that tax credit receipt would be associated with improved asthma outcomes. We surveyed the parents of children aged 2–18 years old with high-risk asthma living in low-income neighborhoods about tax credits. We then conducted a retrospective observational study using a convenience sample of 102 parents of children enrolled in the Community Asthma Initiative from March 2017-January 2020. We analyzed the association of report of tax credits with reductions in ED visits, inpatient stays, PCP visits, steroid courses, missed school days, days of inactivity, and missed parental workdays using a paired t-test. We enrolled 102 parents in this study. Nearly one third of the parents (29%) did not report any tax credits. Housing costs (34%) and paying bills and debts (34%) were the most common use of tax credits. Among the 55 with 6-month follow-up information, significant reductions were seen in inpatient stays (0.46, p-value < 0.01), steroid courses (0.73, p-value < 0.01), missed school days (4.19, p-value < 0.01), and days of inactivity (2.81, p-value < 0.01) compared to no significant reductions among non-tax credit recipients. Expansion of tax credits may be an important way for pediatricians to promote health equity in asthma outcomes.
Prognostic value of the prognostic nutritional index for patients with acute myocardial infarction undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention with variable glucose metabolism statuses: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: ling xuebin , Lin Chufen , Liu Jin , He Yibo , Yang Yongquan , Lu Na , jie wei , Liu Yong , Chen Shiqun , Guo Junli 
Published: March 2023

Abstract

Background:The prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and different glucose metabolisms have been separately reported to be correlated with long-term prognosis in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, PNI application in patients with an impaired glucose metabolism has not been well validated, especially in pre-diabetic patients. This study evaluated whether PNI influences a long-term risk of mortality along different glucose metabolism statuses.Methods:A total of 17,697 patients with AMI and a history of PCI were enrolled in this retrospective observational cohort study from January 2007 to December 2020. Three subgroups with different glucose metabolism statuses, including normal glucose regulation (NGR), pre-diabetes mellitus (pre-DM) , and diabetes mellitus (DM) , were divided into three groups according to the tertiles of PNI, respectively.Results:All-cause mortality occurred in 2,613 (14.8%) patients within a median of 4.1 years of follow-up. Upon analyzing the Kaplan–Meier plots for the NGR, pre-DM, and DM groups, the incidence of all-cause or cardiovascular mortality in the low PNI (PNI-L, ≤ 42.7) subgroup was significantly higher than that in the median PNI(PNI-M, > 42.7 and ≤ 48.2) and high PNI (PNI-H, > 48.2) subgroups (all,P< 0.001). After adjusting for confounding factors, the hazard ratio (HR) for all-cause mortality in the PNI-L group significantly increased compared to that in the PNI-H subgroups of the NGR group (HR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.14–1.66;P< 0.001), pre-DM group (HR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.02–1.62;P< 0.001), and DM group (HR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.13–1.63;P< 0.001). Given that there was evidence of interactions between PNI and different glucose statuses(Pfor interaction < 0.001), patients were divided into nine subgroups, and we found that DM patients with PNI-L statuses had the highest risk of all-cause mortality compared to NGR patients with PNI-H statuses (HR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.42–2.01;P< 0.001).Conclusion:Lower PNI is a significant and independent risk factor for all-cause mortality in AMI patients undergoing PCI with different glucose metabolism statuses, and this risk further increases with DM compared to NGR or pre-DM statuses.
Neutrophil-activating peptide 2 as a novel modulator of fibrin clot properties in patients with atrial fibrillation
Authors: Ząbczyk Michał , Natorska Joanna , Matusik Paweł T. , Mołek Patrycja , Wojciechowska Wiktoria , Rajzer Marek , Rajtar-Salwa Renata , Tokarek Tomasz , Lenart-Migdalska Aleksandra , Olszowska Maria , Undas Anetta 
Published: March 2023

Abstract

Introduction:Neutrophil-activating peptide 2 (NAP-2, CXCL7), a platelet-derived neutrophil chemoattractant, is involved in inflammation. We investigated associations between NAP-2 levels, neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) formation, and fibrin clot properties in atrial fibrillation (AF).Materials and Methods:We recruited 237 consecutive patients with AF (mean age, 68±11 years; median CHA2DS2VASc score of 3 [2-4]) and 30 apparently healthy controls. Plasma NAP-2 concentrations were measured, along with plasma fibrin clot permeability (Ks) and clot lysis time (CLT), thrombin generation, citrullinated histone H3 (citH3), as a marker of NETs formation, and 3-nitrotyrosine reflecting oxidative stress.Results:NAP-2 levels were 89% higher in AF patients than in controls (626 [448-796] vs. 331 [226-430] ng/ml; p<0.0001). NAP-2 levels were not associated with demographics, CHA2DS2-VASc score, or the AF manifestation. Patients with NAP-2 in the top quartile (>796 ng/ml) were characterized by higher neutrophil count (+31.7%), fibrinogen (+20.8%), citH3 (+86%), and 3-nitrotyrosine (+111%) levels, along with 20.2% reduced Ksand 8.4% prolonged CLT as compared to the remaining subjects (all p<0.05). NAP-2 levels were positively associated with fibrinogen in AF patients (r=0.41, p=0.0006) and controls (r=0.65, p<0.01), along with citH3 (r=0.36, p<0.0001) and 3-nitrotyrosine (r=0.51, p<0.0001) in the former group. After adjustment for fibrinogen, higher citH3 (per 1 ng/ml β=-0.046, 95% CI -0.029; -0.064) and NAP-2 (per 100 ng/ml β=-0.21, 95% CI -0.14; -0.28) levels were independently associated with reduced Ks.Conclusions:Elevated NAP-2, associated with increased oxidative stress, has been identified as a novel modulator of prothrombotic plasma fibrin clot properties in patients with AF.
Inequalities of Inpatient Health Services Utilization for the Middle-Aged and Elderly with Multiple Chronic Conditions in China
Authors: Wang Lingjie , Liu Wenbin 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Background
Despite growing evidence of health inequalities, equity of inpatient health service utilization(IHSU) among middle-aged and elderly people with multiple chronic conditions(MCCs) have received little attention. Therefore, this study aims to access the inequities of IHSU among middle-aged and elderly people with MCCs in China, and determine the contributing social factors and their influences by using the national data.
Methods
This study used two cross-sectional data from the 2013 and 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study(CHARLS) The inequities of IHSU were illustrated and quantified by the concentration curve and normalized concentration index. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to identify the associated factors of IHSU. And decomposition analysis was further applied to decompose the contribution of each determinant to the observed inequalities of IHSU.
Results
The study indicated that the rate of IHSU among Chinese middle-aged and elderly people with MCCs was 16.6% in 2013 and 17.7% in 2018. The overall concentration index for IHSU was − 0.0301 in 2013 and 0.0354 in 2018, which suggested a higher concentration of IHSU among economically disadvantaged middle-aged and elderly people with MCCs in recent year. The results showed the rate of IHSU was associated with age, sex, household income per capita, self-rated health, smoking, and drinking. Decomposition results further revealed the contributions of the determinants to the inequalities of IHSU. Specifically, age (43.16%), sex (-12.46%), household income per capita (-8.89%), self-rated health (-35.71%), smoking (63.70%), and drinking (59.90%) have varying degrees of contributions to the inequality in IHSU.
Conclusion
This study sheds light on the pro-rich inequality in IHSU among Chinese middle-aged and elderly people with MCCs. It suggests that policymakers should pay more attention to middle-aged and elderly adults who are male, old, economically disadvantaged, smoking, and drinking. In addition, more targeted interventions should be taken to improve the economic situation of these vulnerable individuals and strengthen their ability to cope with MCCs.
Composting textile sludge using PGPRs grown sugarcane bagasse in a solid state bioreactor- a next step towards zero discharge of waste from textile industry
Authors: Kadam Suhas K. , Chandanshive Vishal V. , Watharkar Anuprita D. , Vyavahare Govind D. , Kadam Avinash A. , Perveen Kahkashan , Choo Yeon-Sik , Govindwar Sanjay P. , Pak Jae hong 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Generation of solid dye waste during wastewater purification especially in coagulation/precipitation steps and its detoxification is a major issue since it again leachate in the ground water from the landfills because of rains. The semisolid textile waste (sludge) showed 99 and 97% decolourization at flask and reactor scale within 72 h, respectively when treated with consortium ARBR (Azotobacter vinelandii MTCC 1241, Rhodobacter erythropholis MTCC 4688, B. megaterium NCIM 2054 and Rhizobium meliloti NCIM 2757). The decolourization rate of textile sludge majorly affects by the pH, temperature and moisture content of the sludge. At the optimum conditions of pH (6), temperature (30 oC) and moisture content (90%) the consortium showed maximum decolourization of 81, 84 and 97, respectively. A significant increase in the activities of oxidoreductase enzymes such as lignin peroxidase (5 fold), laccase (2.6 fold), veratryl alcohol oxidase (4.7 fold) and tyrosinase (2.9 fold) was observed; while azo reductase (-1.3 fold) showed a decrease in the activity during sludge treatment. In addition, a noteworthy reduction in the concentration of macromolecules N (45%), P (70%), K (50%) and C (63%), and microelements B (59%), Cu (50%), Fe (59%) and Mn (75%) were also observed after treatment with sludge bed reactor. Bio-transformed sludge showed less toxic effects on plants. The outcome from the sludge bed bioreactor (solid state bioreactor) was found to be more effective and can be used using sugar industry waste like sugarcane bagasse (SCB) for composting.