Non-standard Use Research Articles

A “naïve” perception of punctuation marks

This paper deals with the figurative meanings of Russian terms that refer to punctuation marks and are used in everyday language, namely, tochka (‘period, full stop’), skobki (‘parentheses’), kavychki (‘quotation marks’), zapiataia (‘comma’), znak voprosa (‘question mark’). It attempts to identify the ordinary native speakers’ “naive” conceptions of these punctuation marks and their functions. It shows that most expressions with the word tochka reflect the idea of the period as a sign of the complete end. The main function of parentheses (skobki) for ordinary speakers is to indicate that some statement (or its part) is optional. The main function of quotation marks (kavychki) as the speakers understand them is to refer to a non-standard use of a linguistic expression (in particular, an ironic use). The most typical phrases and set expressions with the word zapiataia are cherez zapiatuiu (literally, ‘through a comma, separated by a comma’) and do poslednei zapiatoi (‘to the last comma’). The former reflects the idea of listing, and the differences between the listed objects are presented as insignificant. The latter expression indicates thoroughness and attention to detail (perhaps even excessive). The phrase znak voprosa indicates uncertainty or doubt. It is suggested that revealing speakers’ conceptions of the functions of punctuation marks may be useful for clarification and refinement of the punctuation rules.

Phototherapy to Prevent Severe Neonatal Hyperbilirubinemia in the Newborn Infant 35 or More Weeks of Gestation: Technical Report.

To summarize the principles and application of phototherapy consistent with the current 2022 American Academy of Pediatrics "Clinical Practice Guideline Revision for the Management of Hyperbilirubinemia in the Newborn Infant 35 or More Weeks of Gestation." Relevant literature was reviewed regarding phototherapy devices in the United States, specifically those that incorporate blue to blue-green light-emitting diode, fluorescent, halogen, or fiberoptic light sources, and their currently marketed indications. The efficacy of phototherapy devices varies widely because of nonstandardized use of light sources and configurations and irradiance meters. In summary, the most effective and safest devices have the following characteristics: (1) incorporation of narrow band blue-to-green light-emitting diode lamps (∼460-490 nm wavelength range; 478 nm optimal) that would best overlap the bilirubin absorption spectrum; (2) emission of irradiance of at least 30 µW/cm2/nm (in term infants); and (3) illumination of the exposed maximal body surface area of an infant (35% to 80%). Furthermore, accurate irradiance measurements should be performed using the appropriate irradiance meter calibrated for the wavelength range delivered by the phototherapy device. With proper administration of effective phototherapy to an infant without concurrent hemolysis, total serum or plasma bilirubin concentrations will decrease within the first 4 to 6 hours of initiation safely and effectively.

Brain-Controlled Computer Tasks for Paralyzed Persons: Framework Overview

To bridge the digital barrier between those with disabilities and those without impairments, several applications can be operated by brain signals. It highlights the importance of employing brain-computer interfaces (BCI) and mentions a specific system called the "Brain-Controlled Computer System" that can control a computer cursor and perform mouse actions using brain signals.. The system can control the cursor and provide mouse left/right click with brain signals using a low-cost Brainlink Lite device. Based on this system, we employed machine learning and deep learning methodologies to develop a system that classifies brain signals for cursor movement. The methodology involved gathering user input through surveys, interviews, and comparison studies, as well as utilizing pre-developed datasets collected using a mind sensor. We initially trained a model on a previous dataset, achieving approximately 70% accuracy. However, when applied to the new dataset, the accuracy dropped to 49%. To improve the results, we experimented with more complex models, including additional layers and a dropout layer to prevent overfitting. Despite these enhancements, the accuracy only reached a maximum of 52%. The research team collected a dataset tailored to their specific application. They made a groundbreaking discovery by applying a convolutional neural network (CNN), typically used for image analysis, to process continuous brainwave data. Despite this non-standard use, their hypothesis proved correct, with the CNN model achieving an impressive 80% accuracy in classifying brain signals for controlling a cursor.

Susceptibility of Phlebotomus papatasi (Diptera: Psychodidae) against DDT and Deltamethrin in an Endemic Focus of Zoonotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Iran.

Phlebotomus papatasi (Diptera: Psychodidae) is the main vector of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) in Iran. The nonstandard use of pesticides against pests, particularly in agriculture, indirectly has caused the development of resistance and, consequently, the threat of control measures in ZCL endemic areas. Up to 2023, several reports of resistance in Ph. papatasi have been declared in the Old World. The purpose of this study was to measure the lethal time (LT50 and LT90) of Ph. papatasi sand flies in the ZCL endemic center of Esfahan to DDT and deltamethrin insecticides. Sand flies were collected in Borkhar and were tested using WHO adult mosquito test kit against DDT 4% and deltamethrin 0.0002%. The sand fly's survival was recorded during exposure time in 225, 450|, 900, 1800, and 3600-seconds' intervals for DDT and Deltamethrin and they were allowed to recover for 24 hours. Then LT50 and LT90 were analyzed using probit software. Phlebotomus papatasi were identified using morphological keys and other sand flies' species were excluded from the analysis. The insecticide against female Ph. papatasi revealed hundred percent mortality when exposed to DDT 4% and deltamethrin 0.0002%. The LT50 and LT90 were 19.32 and 22.74 minutes for DDT 4% and 39.92 and 51.33 minutes for deltamethrin 0.0002% respectively. Results of this study revealed that Ph. papatasi is still susceptible to DDT and deltamethrin. This data provides valuable knowledge to implement effective control strategies against ZCL main vector and help to manage insecticide resistance in the region.

Yellow-emitting carbon dots as fluorescent sensors for the rapid determination of curcumin

The non-standard use of curcumin could cause some adverse drug reactions, such as diarrhea, nausea and skin allergies. Thus, the curcumin determination was fundamental to disease treatment and prevention. Herein, a facile and efficient fluorescent probe was developed based on carbon dots, which was prepared through hydrothermal method (o-phenylenediamine and N-isopropylacrylamide as the reaction raw materials). Characteristics of the as-fabricated carbon dots (NCDs) were studied through some analysis techniques, such as UV–vis absorption spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared instrument, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and fluorescence spectrophotometer. Fluorescence quenching phenomenon could be observed after addition of curcumin. This as-prepared fluorescent probe displayed a significant response for the determination of curcumin with a satisfactorily lower detection limit of 0.017 μM and a considerable linear range of 0.5–50 μM compared to reported literatures. Because of the preeminent repeatability and anti-jamming capability, the as-developed CDs suggested mighty potentiality for actual applications of curcumin detection in real samples and temperature sensing.

Discussion on the Problems and Countermeasures of Standard Method Management in Testing Laboratories

Adopting effective standards for testing is a prerequisite for ensuring the authenticity and reliability of testing data.In order to further improve the quality of laboratory work, after sorting out the problems found in the quality management work of the testing laboratory, we have identified the current problems in the testing laboratory, such as untimely updating of standards, non-standard use of standards, and lack of effective standard control and management. We have analyzed the reasons for the problems and proposed improvement measures for reference by the testing laboratory.

Common diseases and drug use of Pseudostellaria heterophylla

Pseudostellaria heterophylla in large-scale cultivation needs to apply pesticides to control diseases, and non-standard use of pesticide may cause excessive pesticide residues in medicinal materials, increasing the risk of clinical medication. To accurately monitor the residual pesticides, this paper investigated the drug use during the process of P. heterophylla disease prevention in 25 P. he-terophylla planting enterprises or individual households in Guizhou province. It was found that there were 8 common diseases in P. he-terophylla planting, including leaf spot, downy mildew, virus disease, root rot, dropping disease, purple feather disease, white silk disease, and damping-off disease. Twenty-three kinds of pesticides were used in disease control, mainly chemical synthetic pesticides, accounting for 78.3%, followed by biological pesticides and mineral pesticides, accounting for 13.0% and 8.7%, respectively. The disease prevention and control drugs were all low-toxic pesticides, and there were no varieties banned in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia(2020 edition). However, the pesticides used have not been registered on P. heterophylla, and the excessive use of drugs was serious. The present monitoring of pesticide residues in P. heterophylla is mainly based on traditional pesticides such as organochlorine, organophosphorus, and carbamate, which does not effectively cover the production of drugs and had certain safety risks. It is suggested to speed up the research and registration of drug use in the production of P. heterophylla, increase the use of biological pesticides, and further improve the monitoring indicators of pesticide residues in combination with the actual production of drugs, so as to promote the high-quality development of P. heterophylla industry.

Reconstitution and post-thaw storage of cryopreserved human mesenchymal stromal cells: Pitfalls and optimizations for clinically compatible formulants.

The regenerative and immunomodulatory properties of multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) make them an intriguing asset for therapeutic applications. An off-the-shelf approach, using pre-expanded cryopreserved allogenic MSCs, bypasses many practical difficulties of cellular therapy. Reconstitution of a MSC product away from cytotoxic cryoprotectants towards a preferred administration solution might be favorable for several indications. Variations in MSC handling accompanied by a non-standardized use of reconstitution solutions complicate a general clinical standardization of MSC cellular therapies. In this study, we aimed to identify a simple and clinically compatible approach for thawing, reconstitution, and post-thaw storage of cryopreserved MSCs. Human adipose tissue-derived MSCs were expanded in human platelet lysate (hPL) supplemented culture medium and cryopreserved using a dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)-based cryoprotectant. Isotonic solutions (saline, Ringer's acetate and phosphate buffered saline (PBS)) with or without 2% human serum albumin (HSA) were used as thawing, reconstitution, and storage solutions. MSCs were reconstituted to 5×106 MSCs/mL for evaluating MSC stability. Total MSC numbers and viability were determined using 7-aminoactinomycin D (7-AAD) and flow cytometry. For thawing cryopreserved MSCs the presence of protein was proven to be essential. Up to 50% of MSCs were lost when protein-free thawing solutions were used. Reconstitution and post-thaw storage of MSCs in culture medium and widely used PBS demonstrated poor MSC stability (>40% cell loss) and viability (<80%) after 1h of storage at room temperature. Reconstitution in simple isotonic saline appeared to be a good alternative for post-thaw storage, ensuring >90% viability with no observed cell loss for at least 4h. Reconstitution of MSCs to low concentrations was identified as critical. Diluting MSCs to <105/mL in protein-free vehicles resulted in instant cell loss (>40% cell loss) and lower viability (<80%). Addition of clinical grade HSA could prevent cell loss during thawing and dilution. This study identified a clinically compatible method for MSC thawing and reconstitution that ensures high MSC yield, viability, and stability. The strength of the method lies within the simplicity of implementation which offers an accessible way to streamline MSC therapies across different laboratories and clinical trials, improving standardization in this field.

How to improve pedestrians' trust in automated vehicles: new road infrastructure, external human-machine interface with anthropomorphism, or conventional road signaling?

Automated vehicles need to gain the trust of all road users in order to be accepted. To make technology trustworthy, automated vehicles must transmit crucial information to pedestrians through a human-machine interface, allowing pedestrians to accurately predict and act on their next behavior. However, the unsolved core issue in the field of vehicle automation is to know how to successfully communicate with pedestrians in a way that is efficient, comfortable, and easy to understand. This study investigated the impact of three human-machine interfaces specifically designed for pedestrians' trust during the street crossing in front of an automated vehicle. The interfaces used different communication channels to interact with pedestrians, i.e., through a new road infrastructure, an external human-machine interface with anthropomorphism, or with conventional road signaling. Mentally projected in standard and non-standard use cases of human-machine interfaces, 731 participants reported their feelings and behavior through an online survey. Results showed that human-machine interfaces were efficient to improve trust and willingness to cross the street in front of automated vehicles. Among external human-machine interfaces, anthropomorphic features showed significant advantages in comparison with conventional road signals to induce pedestrians' trust and safer crossing behaviors. More than the external human-machine interfaces, findings highlighted the efficiency of the trust-based road infrastructure on the global street crossing experience of pedestrians with automated vehicles. All of these findings support trust-centered design to anticipate and build safe and satisfying human-machine interactions.

Memestra eget. Non-standard use of prepositions from second-language learners in Modern Breton

Since Modern Breton is a minority language, the majority of speakers are now second-language speakers, who have learnt it through various media and then go into teaching (immersion schools, intensive language programs) and media (television, book writing, journalism). With such a large number of non-native speakers forming the core of the Breton-speaking community, the usage of the language is bound to be affected in some way in its vocabulary and grammar, particularly since the level required to enter into a teaching position—in immersion schools, as well as bilingual ones—is B2 (almost fluent).

An LMI framework for contraction-based nonlinear control design by derivatives of Gaussian process regression

Contraction theory formulates the analysis of nonlinear systems in terms of Jacobian matrices. Although this provides the potential to develop a linear matrix inequality (LMI) framework for nonlinear control design, conditions are imposed not on controllers but on their partial derivatives, which makes control design challenging. In this paper, we illustrate this so-called integrability problem can be solved by a non-standard use of Gaussian process regression (GPR) for parameterizing controllers and then establish an LMI framework of contraction-based control design for nonlinear discrete-time systems, as an easy-to-implement tool. Later on, we consider the case where the drift vector fields are unknown and employ GPR for functional fitting as its standard use. GPR describes learning errors in terms of probability, and thus we further discuss how to incorporate stochastic learning errors into the proposed LMI framework.

Спронк В. Испытание параметров музыки: Хальберштадтское исполнение ORGAN2/ASLSP Джона Кейджа как экспериментальная система

Is being performed at Halberstadt, Germany, by ORGAN2/ASL SP (1987), an organ piece by the American avant-garde composer, John Milton Cage (1912–1992), music theorist and pioneer in aleatorics, electronic music and the non-standard use of musical instruments, whom music critics have called one of the most influential American composers of the 20th, known for his radical attempts to subvert listeners’ conventional ideas of what music is and should be. With this performance, with a running time of 639 years and being the world’s longest performance of a piece of music that will reach its finale at 2640, with a break at 2319, the initiators of the ORGAN2/ASLSP organ piece at Halberstadt seek to explore in practice the direction of the musical movement set by the composer — “as slowly as possible” that Cage laid out for the work. ORGAN2/ASLSP invites listeners to reconsider what we mean by music: is something still music if the length of performance exceeds the length of human life? In essence, Organ2/ASLSP contains the idea of a paradigm shift stemming from the transformation of musical technology, presented by the composer as a transition from linear to complex thinking, from determinism to indeterminism, to the creation, instead of static art objects, of moving and changing artistic processes that predetermine a new technique and aesthetics of music performance. ORGAN2/ASLSP’s performance questions the boundaries of musical performance, from the role of the performer to the role of the listener, the material and temporal conditions of music, to articulate how slow is “as slow as possible”, prompting us to essentially reconsider the fundamental parameters of music.

Screening of Staphylococcus aureus for Disinfection Evaluation and Transcriptome Analysis of High Tolerance to Chlorine-Containing Disinfectants

The nonstandard use of disinfectants can lead to the disinfectant resistance of bacteria and even increase antibiotic resistance. However, compared with the study of antibiotic resistance, studies of bacterial resistance to disinfectants are relatively few in number. In this study, we explored the standard strain screening procedure for the evaluation of disinfection efficacy. Staphylococcus aureus strains with different sources and substrates were selected from the National Pathogen Resource Center of China and screened the standard strains that could evaluate the long-term bacteriostatic effect of the chlorine-containing disinfectants through the determination of the physical properties, genome-based safety evaluation, and disinfection test evaluation. In this process, one S. aureus strain was more resistant to the long-term bacteriostasis of chlorine-containing disinfectants than the other strains. This strain and the standard strain ATCC 6538 were cultured in the medium containing a low concentration of chlorine-containing disinfectant synchronously. Then, comparative transcriptome analysis was carried out to investigate the potential mechanism of a high tolerance to chlorine-containing disinfectants. The pathway of significant differential expression is related to the oxocarboxylic acid metabolic mechanism, amino acid metabolic mechanism, and pyrimidine mechanism, which may be the molecular mechanism of S. aureus evolution to adapt to chlorine-containing disinfectants. Our study established a technical process for screening and evaluating standard strains for disinfection, which also provided a reference for studying the bacterial evolution mechanism toward chlorine tolerance.

Деконструкція міфу доктрини «русский мир» про православ’я як основу російської ідентичності

The article analyzes the basic ideology of the “Russian Peace” doctrine: the myth that “Orthodoxy is the basis of Russian identity.” The existence of this ideologeme in the informational and symbolic field of Ukraine and the whole world, its manipulation, and its inclusion in the current context of the Ukrainian cultural space lead to a distorted perception of relations between Russia and Ukraine, the existing war between them. The article attempts to reveal those distortions and semantic substitutions that are ontologically contained in many ideologemes of the “Russian world” and which can be analyzed as typical errors in the context of the argumentation theory. Such research aims to develop a conditional “dictionary” for the mythologist of the “Russian world,” which could be used during the conduct of a thorough information confrontation. The author chose the myth “Orthodoxy is the basis of Russian identity” as the basic ideologeme because most other ideologues are derived from this thesis with the help of skillful semantic manipulations. Secondly, this myth is interpreted and used by Russian ideologues in incredibly diverse ways and in various contexts. Based on the analysis of this myth, the author concludes that the ideology of the “Russian measure” by definition does not meet the criteria of clarity, clarity, and unequivocalness; the meanings of its key concepts are as variable as possible, depend on the context, are used interchangeably in general formulations where clarification of the non-standard use of the term is not foreseen; there is a change of identities, which makes it possible to manipulate historical facts and people’s memory. Russian ideologues constantly use such logical errors in their argumentative practices. In the process of revealing the illogicality and paradox of the mentioned myth, it turns out that the very essence of this mythologem significantly contributes to the unfolding of the crisis of Russian culture and politics, which is spoken about by the same ideologues who praise the messianic role of Russia.

«Disrespect for religious people’s feelings» as the aim of offences against freedom of religion (Article 148 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation): problems of legislative technique

The article concerns the topic of rightness of the lawmaker regarding disrespect for religious peoples feelings as the aim of offences against freedom of religion. As research material the provisions of Article 148, 282 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation were used applying which causes corresponding problems. The chosen topic relevance is explained by the questions as to application of Article 148 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation provoked by its change in 2013. Science novelty is attributed to lack of theoretical research of the juridical-technique drafting and application features of provisions concerning offences against freedom of religion. The research purpose is to analyse the aim factor of disrespect for religious peoples feelings as regards fulfilment of the quality requirements of the law, principles of justice and equal treatment under the law. Based on regulations of the criminal-law science the problems of legislative technique relating to the aim of disrespect for religious peoples feelings are demonstrated. The creators have expressed the opinion that non-standard use of the term disrespect to describe mens rea, not actus reus and also generic nature of the religious peoples feeling criterion are not defects. Particular recommendations were proposed that allow defining whether it was attempted to defile religious values. It was concluded that the most important shortcoming of the current legislative definition of the disrespect for religious peoples feelings aim is that it causes unreasonable inequality of religious people and atheists, religious and other socially vital feelings under the criminal law.

УПРАВЛЕНИЕ РЕГИОНАЛЬНОЙ ЭКОНОМИКОЙ ПРИ ПОМОЩИ ГИС-ТЕХНОЛОГИЙ

The article considers the application of geoinformation systems (GIS) in the management of the regional economy. A wide range of issues related to the use of GIS for environmental monitoring and analysis is being investigated, including ecology, sustainable development and the green economy, primarily renewable energy sources – priority areas. It discusses issues related to biological resources, water, natural disasters and also considers the use of GIS in various types of human activities, including the service sector, health, and social capital. The application of GIS technologies in various industries, such as business, transport, tourism, agriculture and forestry, construction, and non-profit organizations is analyzed in detail. There is a number of examples of non-standard use of GIS techniques that do not fit into the usual classification. The specifics of the use of GIS technologies in Russia are discussed separately. In particular, it is noted that there is a lack of such research and the need to increase efforts in the field. The discussion also highlights the distortions in research topics related to the policy of financing scientific projects in that sphere. In conclusion, the authors summarize and discuss the positive prospects for the use of GIS technologies in the management of the regional economy, as they allow to optimize the solution of a number of issues.

Cephalometric landmark standards and recent trends in craniofacial identification (2018-22): Avoiding imposters by describing variant landmarks as supplemental

• Cephalometric landmarks are used to define facial soft tissue thicknesses (FSTTs) • Standardised landmarks maximise data value, e.g., enabling inter-study comparisons • Recent FSTT papers (last 5 years) often deviate from standardised landmark sets • Some FSTT papers label non-standard landmarks as standard, which is problematic • Novel landmarks add value, but should be clearly identified as novel/supplementary To review the recent facial soft tissue thickness literature (2018- 22 ) to determine if authors are currently adhering to standardised cephalometric landmarks and nomenclature, thereby supporting best scientific practices. Facial soft tissue thickness (FSTT) studies published between 2018 – 2022 were identified using Google Scholar with the search phrase: facial AND soft tissue AND thickness AND craniofacial AND identification AND/OR forensic. Twenty-three resulting papers were reviewed for their landmark content. Across the 23 studies, a mean of 12 common landmarks were measured from a max. set of 36 (mean = 19). Twenty of 23 papers used at least one non-standardised or novel landmark. This included studies that awarded standard landmark names, but whose definition(s) diverged from standards. Other novelties included non-standard use of landmark abbreviations (e.g., description of only one landmark for what is in fact cephalometric pairs of landmarks), confusion of proximally located landmarks with one another, departure from pre-existing technical terminology to imprecise lay vocabulary, and entirely new landmark formulations. Despite prior calls to the importance of standardisation in FSTT research, recent literature continues to exhibit broad departures from established standards. While novel landmarks provide highly valuable information, in any study, they should supplement a minimum set of standard landmarks so that cross-comparisons between studies using identically collected measurements are possible. Future FSTT research should award greater attention to including and meeting established FSTT cephalometric standards.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in lean individuals - Single centre large cohort clinicopathologic and immunophenotypic study.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is one of the most common causes of chronic liver diseases and occurs even in lean individuals having normal or low body mass index (BMI). Crucial issue is understanding the clinical, pathobiologic and metabolic characteristics in comparison to obese patients. Very few studies have compared clinicopathological characteristics between lean and obese. Published literature is generally in a small cohort of patients, rarely included over-weight as separate category, and most often had non-standardized use of BMI criteria with discordant conclusions. There is very sparse published literature on liver biopsy-confirmed cohort and that to from Asia; also, none had explored the role of mediators such as stellate cells, progenitor cells and macrophages. To evaluate the prevalence of NAFLD in lean patients in a large cohort of histology-confirmed NAFLD, and explore clinico-pathological spectrum of lean NAFLD in comparison to over-weight and obese. Also, to investigate role of hepatic stellate cells, macrophage polarization and their relation to hepatic progenitor cells, in particular the relation to fibrosis and to different BMI categories. Prospective analysis of eleven-year retrospective cross-sectional data of all consecutive patients of NAFLD diagnosed in the period between the year 2011 and 2021. All histologically confirmed cases of NAFLD fulfilling inclusion and exclusion criteria were stratified to three groups according to BMI based on Asian criteria. Demographic, lab, metabolic, and histological comparisons between lean and overweight-obese patients were performed. Histological grading and staging of NAFLD components were performed by NAS-CRN score. Immunohistochemical and image analysis-based assessment and quantification of stellate cells, progenitor cells, and macrophage polarization was performed. Appropriate statistical methods were applied, and study was approved by the Institutional ethics committee. Lean patients with biopsy-proven diagnosis constituted 21% (n=267) of total NAFLD (n=1273). Other groups were-over-weight patients (232;18.2%), and the highest were obese patients (774; 60.8%). 13.9% of the lean patients with NAFLD were under-weight with BMI<18.5kg/m2. Lean patients had significantly lower BMI and waist circumference along with lesser fasting glucose levels in comparison to the other groups. Rest of the metabolic parameters were nearly similar. Lean patients showed higher serum ALT levels, and histological characteristics such as ballooning of hepatocytes and steatosis were also more marked in comparison to other groups. Lobular inflammation and advanced fibrosis were significantly less common in lean patients with NASH related cirrhosis found in only 20.9% of them. Immunophenotypic studies revealed the inter-relationship of HPCs, HSCs, and macrophages was influenced by the stage of fibrosis and not by the BMI. Prevalence of NAFLD in lean individuals in a histological-confirmed patient cohort was 21%. (n=267/1273). Major strengths of this study are large cohort of lean individuals from a single center, inclusion of only histology-confirmed cases, Asia specific BMI criteria usage, comparative clinical, metabolic, immune-morphologic and image analysis-based characterization, inclusion of over-weight in addition to obese patients, and investigating cross-talk of principal patho-physiologic markers.

Does a Traceability System Help to Regulate Pig Farm Households' Veterinary Drug Use Behavior? Evidence from Pig Farms in China.

In China, there is a renewed interest in traceability systems as an efficient tool to guarantee pork safety. One of the pathways through which a traceability system can benefit consumers is by easing information asymmetry. However, past literature on the traceability system in China pays more attention to theoretical analysis and less to empirical analysis. Using a large-scale survey of pig farms in China, we investigate the effects influencing farmers’ participation in the traceability system. Findings show that a traceability system can influence the safety of pork indirectly through its impacts on farmers’ production behaviors. Another important finding is that unsafe pork is a result of non-standard use of veterinary drugs, and the traceability system works well for farmers by pushing them to take stricter safety measurements.

Evaluation of factors contributing to variability of qualitative and quantitative proficiency testing for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid detection

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led to unprecedented social and economic disruption. Many nucleic acid testing (NAT) laboratories in China have been established to control the epidemic better. This proficiency testing (PT) aims to evaluate the participants’ performance in qualitative and quantitative SARS-CoV-2 NAT and to explore the factors that contribute to differences in detection capabilities. Two different concentrations of RNA samples (A, B) were used for quantitative PT. Pseudovirus samples D, E (different concentrations) and negative sample (F) were used for qualitative PT. 50 data sets were reported for qualitative PT, of which 74.00% were entirely correct for all samples. Forty-two laboratories participated in the quantitative PT. 37 submitted all gene results, of which only 56.76% were satisfactory. For qualitative detection, it is suggested that laboratories should strengthen personnel training, select qualified detection kits, and reduce cross-contamination to improve detection accuracy. For quantitative detection, the results of the reverse transcription digital PCR (RT-dPCR) method were more comparable and reliable than those of reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The copy number concentration of ORF1ab and N in samples A and B scattered in 85, 223, 50, and 106 folds, respectively. The differences in the quantitative result of RT-qPCR was mainly caused by the non-standard use of reference materials and the lack of personnel operating skills. Comparing the satisfaction of participants participating in both quantitative and qualitative proficiency testing, 95.65% of the laboratories with satisfactory quantitative results also judged the qualitative results correctly, while 85.71% of the laboratories with unsatisfactory quantitative results were also unsatisfied with their qualitative judgments. Therefore, the quantitative ability is the basis of qualitative judgment. Overall, participants from hospitals reported more satisfactory results than those from enterprises and universities. Therefore, surveillance, daily qualitiy control and standardized operating procedures should be strengthened to improve the capability of SARS-CoV-2 NAT.