bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
First‐line nab‐paclitaxel plus carboplatin for patients with advanced non‐small cell lung cancer: Results of the NEPTUN study
Authors: Dechow Tobias , Riera‐Knorrenschild Jorge , Hackanson Björn , Janssen Jan , Schulz Holger , Chiabudini Marco , Fischer von Weikersthal Ludwig , Budweiser Stephan , Nacke Axel , Taeuscher Dagmar , Welslau Manfred , Potthoff Karin
Published: October 2021

Background

Platinum‐based chemotherapy remains a first‐line standard of care for approximately 30% of patients with non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) not harboring a druggable alteration. Favorable efficacy and safety of the nab‐paclitaxel/carboplatin (nab‐P/C) combination was shown in the pivotal phase 3 trial. However, information on effectiveness of nab‐P/C in a real‐world setting in Germany is missing. The NEPTUN study prospectively investigated the effectiveness and safety of nab‐P/C in patients with advanced NSCLC in a real‐world setting.

Methods

Patients with advanced or metastatic NSCLC received first‐line nab‐P/C according to clinical routine. The primary endpoint was 6‐month progression‐free survival rate (PFS6). Other endpoints included further effectiveness parameters, safety and quality of life. Data were analyzed descriptively.

Results

408 patients were enrolled. PFS6 was 40.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 35.3–46.2); median PFS was 5.2 months (95% CI, 4.5–5.7). overall response rate was 41.5% (95% CI, 36.3–46.8). Median overall survival (OS) was 10.5 months (95% CI, 9.2–11.6). Subgroup analyses revealed median OS for squamous versus non‐squamous histology (11.8 months [95% CI, 9.2–13.8] vs. 9.6 months [95% CI, 7.7–11.2]) and age ≥70 versus <70 years (11.7 months [95% CI, 9.4–14.3] vs. 9.6 months [95% CI, 7.5–11.2]). Most common treatment‐emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were anemia (26.5%), leukopenia (25.7%), and thrombocytopenia (16.6%). Mostly reported grade 3/4 TEAEs were leukopenia (10.2%), anemia (8.6%), and pneumonia (5.1%). nab‐paclitaxel‐related deaths as reported by the investigator occurred in 0.8% of patients.

Conclusion

These real‐world data support the effectiveness and safety of nab‐P/C as first‐line treatment for patients with advanced NSCLC independent of tumor histology. The results are comparable with the pivotal phase 3 trial. No new safety signals emerged.
College student usage of marijuana, hallucinogens up, alcohol down
Authors: Sutton Halley
Published: October 2021

College and university student usage of marijuana and hallucinogens has increased since 1980, with students increasingly shifting away from alcohol. Those findings come from a recent report by Monitoring the Future, a publication by the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research. The report looked at substance usage among college students and non‐college adults ages 19 – 22.
Natürliche Lüftung – energetische Betrachtung eines automatisierten Fassadensystems
Authors: Scheuring Leonie , Weller Bernhard
Published: October 2021

Wird ein hoher Nutzerkomfort mit gleichzeitig geringem Energieverbrauch gefordert, stehen wir vor Herausforderungen in der Lüftungsplanung. Aktuell werden in Nicht‐Wohngebäuden mechanische Lüftungssysteme eingesetzt, die eine hohe Luftqualität gewährleisten, aber auch hohe Wartungskosten und psychologisches Unbehagen auslösen können. Eine natürliche Lüftung über öffenbare Fenster kann hierzu eine Alternative darstellen. Um die Anforderungen hinsichtlich Raumluftqualität, thermischer Behaglichkeit und Energieeffizienz zu gewährleisten, sind für diese Lüftungskonzepte jedoch Öffnungsstrategien mit definierten Grenzwerten erforderlich. Dieser Artikel untersucht die Auswirkungen unterschiedlicher Grenzwerte auf den Energiebedarf und die Behaglichkeit bei Variation der klimatischen und baukonstruktiven Randbedingungen.

Natural ventilation – energetic analysis of an automated facade system. If high user comfort with low energy consumption is required at the same time, we face challenges in ventilation planning. Currently, mechanical ventilation systems are used in non‐residential buildings, which guarantee high indoor air quality but can also result in high maintenance costs and psychological discomfort. Natural ventilation via openable windows can be an alternative. In order to meet the requirements with regard to indoor air quality, thermal comfort and energy efficiency, opening strategies with defined limit values are required for these ventilation concepts. This article examines the effects of different limit values on energy demand and thermal comfort by varying the climatic and structural boundary conditions.
Smarte Fassaden – im Fokus steht der Mensch
Authors: Heusler Winfried , Kadija Ksenija
Published: October 2021

Smarte Fassaden zeichnen sich durch die Einbettung digitaler Komponenten aus. Sie verbessern die Lebens‐ und Umweltqualität in Gebäuden sowie in deren Umfeld. Es geht auch um die Optimierung in ökologischer, ökonomischer, sozialer und kultureller Hinsicht – im materiellen und immateriellen Kontext – über den gesamten Lebenszyklus. Kontextadaptive Fassaden sind in der Lage, sich an veränderte Umweltbedingungen oder Nutzerbedürfnisse anzupassen. Zukunftsfähige Fassaden folgen dem Lean‐Tech‐Prinzip: Sie beinhalten so viel Material und Technik wie nötig, aber so wenig wie möglich. Im Fokus steht der Mensch – als Menschheit genauso wie als Individuum – mit unterschiedlichen Anforderungen und Fähigkeiten, in unterschiedlichen Situationen.

Smart facades – the focus is on people. Smart facades are characterised by the embedding of digital components. They improve the quality of life and the environmental quality in buildings and their surroundings. It is also about optimisation in ecological, economic, social and cultural terms – in the material and immaterial context – over the entire life cycle. Context‐adaptive facades are able to adapt to changing environmental conditions or user needs. Sustainable facades follow the Lean‐Tech principle: they contain as much material and technology as necessary, but as little as possible. The focus is on people – as mankind as well as individuals – with different requirements and abilities in different situations.
In vitro Leishmanicidal and Trypanosomicidal Properties of Imidazole‐Containing Azine and Benzoazine Derivatives
Authors: Martín‐Montes Álvaro , Kolodová Kristina , Marín Clotilde , Rosales‐Lombardo María José , Sánchez‐Moreno Manuel , de Andrés‐Gordo Lucía , Cano Carmen , Campayo Lucrecia , Gómez‐Muñoz Alberto , Sanz Ana M. , Yunta María J. R.
Published: October 2021

Leishmaniasis and Chagas diseases are two of the most important parasitic diseases in the world. Both belong to the category of Neglected Tropical Diseases, and they cannot be prevented by vaccination. Their treatments are founded in outdated drugs that possess many pernicious side‐effects and they're not easy to administer. With the aim of discovering new compounds that could serve as anti‐trypanosomal drugs, an antiparasitic study of a synthetic compound family has been conducted. A series of new 1,4‐bis(alkylamino)‐ and 1‐alkylamino‐4‐chloroazine and benzoazine derivatives 1–4 containing imidazole rings have been synthesized and identified. Their structures showed a possible interest based on previous work. Their in vitro anti‐Leishmania infantum, anti‐L. braziliensis, anti‐L. donovani and anti‐T. cruzi activity were tested, as well as the inhibition of Fe‐SOD enzymes. It was found that some of them exhibited quite relevant values indicative of being worthy of future more detailed studies, as most of them showed activity to more than only one parasite species, especially compound 3 c was active for the three studied Leishmania species and also for T. cruzi, which is a very interesting trait as it covers a wide spectrum.
A new technique for power transmission and full duplex communication employing SN IPT system
Authors: T Manikandan , P Srinivasa Rao Nayak , K Sundareswaran
Published: October 2021

Inductive power transfer (IPT) is a recently developed technique for charging batteries in wireless devices where the transfer of energy from the power source to the load is carried out without electrical contact. In this paper, inductive power and data transfer (IPDT) system is developed for charging the EV battery and simultaneously monitoring the battery SoC. The flux density and the mutual inductance of the coupled coils are computed using FEM Ansys Maxwell software. Based on the computation results, the IPT system is designed. The IPT system is integrated with the data transmission module employing full‐duplex communication. SN (Series‐None) compensation topology is adopted for the designed IPDT. The frequency division multiplexing technique is used to increase the data rate of data transfer, as well as avoid interference from data signals to the power signal, which are transferred through a series tank injector/extractor and parallel tank rejecter circuits. The prototype IPDT system was developed in the laboratory, and it was experimentally shown that 44 W of power was transmitted simultaneously with a data signal at 288 kbps, which verifies the theory proposed in this paper.
BRD3‐NUTM1‐expressing NUT carcinoma of lung on endobronchial ultrasound‐guided transbronchial needle aspiration cytology, a diagnostic pitfall
Authors: Aryal Sameer Chhetri , Zia Shereen , Rodgers Shannon , Shen Yulei , Perry Kyle , Yuan Lisi
Published: October 2021

Background

Nuclear protein in testis (NUT) carcinoma (NC) is an aggressive type of poorly differentiated carcinoma with a variable degree of squamous differentiation. NC is defined by the presence of BRD‐NUT fusion oncogenes, the most common fusion form being the BRD4‐NUTM1 gene. Variant rearrangements involving the BRD3 and NSD3 genes. Variant rearrangements involving the BRD3 and NSD3 genes occur in approximately one‐third of the cases.

Aims

This is the first case regarding the study of cytological features of NC of the lung with BRD3‐NUTM1 fusion.

Materials and Methods

A 36‐year‐old female with chest heaviness and shortness of breath was found to have a right‐sided pleural effusion; she was non‐smoker and denied any significant past medical illness. CT‐chest revealed an 8.5 cm heterogeneous mass in the right and mid‐upper lung. She underwent endobronchial ultrasound‐guided (EBUS) transbronchial fine‐needle aspiration (FNA) of the lung mass. Thoracocentesis was performed, and pleural fluid was sent to the laboratory for cytological evaluation

Results

The cytopathological findings showed atypical squamoid cells with variably prominent single or multiple nucleoli. Monotonous‐looking cells with high nuclear to cytoplasmic ratio and hyperchromasia were also present. The atypical squamoid cells showed abundant clear to eosinophilic cytoplasm with rare individual cell keratinization and focal keratin pearl formation. The atypical cells were positive for CK7, p40, p63, mCEA and equivocal for NUT‐specific antibody. The cytopathological findings were consistent with squamous cell carcinoma with focal keratinization. The Fusion Panel‐Solid Tumor (50 genes) revealed BRD3‐NUTM1 fusion gene. Diagnosis was amended to pulmonary NC.

Discussion

NC is a diagnostic challenge for pathologists as it can morphologically mimic undifferentiated carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, or neuroendocrine carcinoma. The challenge is not how to diagnose NC but rather determining when to include it in the differential diagnosis and perform the diagnostic molecular tests (FISH or NGS) or IHC study for NUT‐specific antibody.

Conclusion

When a specimen demonstrates a dual cell population of squamoid cells and primitive‐looking tumor cells in the wrong clinical context (i.e., young patient with no smoking history), further molecular profiling is warranted to include the differential of a primary NC of the lung. The cytological features of NC itself have rarely been documented and moreover, that of a primary NC of the lung with BRD3‐NUTM1 fusion has never been reported. We herein report cytological findings of a primary NC of the lung with BRD3‐NUTM1 fusion gene.
Diversity and composition of macroinvertebrate communities in a rare inland salt marsh
Authors: Cahill Abigail E. , Breen Christopher J. , Corona‐Avila Irene , Cortes Cesar A. , Hernandez Rosemary , Jost Saige , Ruger Breh L. K. , Stander Rachel M. H. , Tran Bach V.
Published: October 2021

Inland salt marshes are rare habitats in the Great Lakes region of North America, formed on salt deposits from the Silurian period. These patchy habitats are abiotically stressful for the freshwater invertebrates that live there, and provide an opportunity to study the relationship between stress and diversity. We used morphological and COI metabarcoding data to assess changes in diversity and composition across both space (a transect from the salt seep to an adjacent freshwater area) and time (three sampling seasons). Richness was significantly lower at the seep site with both datatypes, while metabarcoding data additionally showed reduced richness at the freshwater transect end, consistent with a pattern where intermediate levels of stress show higher diversity. We found complementary, rather than redundant, patterns of community composition using the two datatypes: not all taxa were equally sequenced with the metabarcoding protocol. We identified taxa that are abundant at the salt seep of the marsh, including biting midges (Culicoides) and ostracods (Heterocypris). We conclude that (as found in other studies) molecular and morphological work should be used in tandem to identify the biodiversity in this rare habitat. Additionally, salinity may be a driver of community membership in this system, though further ecological research is needed to rule out alternate hypotheses.
Reflections of ecological differences? Stress responses of sympatric Alpine chamois and red deer to weather, forage quality, and human disturbance
Authors: Anderwald Pia , Campell Andri Seraina , Palme Rupert
Published: October 2021

Depending on the habitats they live in, temperate ungulates have adapted to different degrees to seasonally changing forage and weather conditions, and to specific escape strategies from predators. Alpine chamois, a mountain ungulate, and red deer, originally adapted to open plains, would therefore be expected to differ in their physiological responses to potential stressors. Based on 742 chamois and 1557 red deer fecal samples collected year‐round every 2 weeks for 4 years at the same locations within a strictly protected area in the Swiss Alps, we analyzed glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) concentrations for both species. Results from linear mixed effects models revealed no physiological stress response to changing visitor numbers, but instead to drought conditions for both species during summer. In winter, FGM concentrations increased with increasing snow height in both species, but this response was modulated by temperature in red deer. Chamois showed a stronger stress response to increasing snow height during November and December than between January and March, while FGM concentrations increased with decreasing temperature throughout winter. An increase in FGM concentrations with decreasing forage digestibility during winter was found only for red deer. The results are thus partly in contradiction to expectations based on feeding type and adaptations to different habitats between the two species. The lack of a response to forage digestibility in chamois may reflect either better adaptation to difficult feeding conditions in subalpine forests, or, by contrast, strong constraints imposed by forage quality. The similar responses of both species to weather conditions in winter suggest that climatic factors at the elevations examined here are sufficiently harsh to be limiting to temperate ungulates regardless of their specific adaptations to this environment.
Experiment and failure mechanism of cement sheath integrity under development and production conditions based on a mechanical equivalent theory
Authors: Su Donghua , Li Zaoyuan , Huang Sheng , Wu Xuning , Li Jin , Xue Yuantao
Published: October 2021

During their life cycle, high‐pressure gas wells experience circulating working fluid, acid fracturing, blow off, and other development and production conditions. This may lead to the failure of the cement sheath integrity and result in sustained casing pressure (SCP). Therefore, we explored the failure types and mechanisms of the cement sheath using different wellbore operating procedures. In this study, we used the downhole packer as the demarcation point; the integrity of the cement sheath at the upper and lower parts of the packer was tested through a self‐developed wellbore simulation device, which is based on the equivalent theory of cement sheath interface differential pressure. Results showed that the lower part of the single‐layer cement sheath underwent compressive strength failure due to the pressure drop in the wellbore before perforation. Plastic deformation of the cement sheath occurred during acid fracturing. In addition, the cooling effect caused by the acid fracturing led to the bonding failure at the cement sheath's second interface. The double‐layer cement sheath's inner‐layer cement sheath was subjected to tensile failure – attributed to high‐pressure – and the outer‐layer cement sheath maintained its integrity under the pressure changes. Considering the risk factors associated with integrity failure, we propose an engineering optimization plan in the study. The retest results showed that reducing the internal casing pressure and temperature and controlling the annular pressure in the production stage was beneficial in ensuring the integrity of the cement sheath at the lower and upper parts of the packer, respectively. The research results provided an important reference for ensuring the integrity of the cement sheath of high‐pressure gas wells.
The Biochar Derived from Carp for High‐Efficiency Solar Steam Generation and Water Purification
Authors: Qiao Hongtao , Zhao Baowei , Suo Xidong , Xie Xiaoming , Dang Lifang , Yang Jie , Zhang Bowen
Published: October 2021

Efficient utilization of solar energy to generate steam is a green and promising technology because of its great potential applications in seawater desalination and industrial wastewater purification. However, the practical application of high‐efficiency solar steam generation devices is largely overshadowed due to their complex process, high cost, low life‐span, and poor thermal performance. Here, novel meat and bonemeal biochar (MBB) with high solar steam generation efficiency is produced by pyrolyzing dead carp at 300, 400, and 500 °C under anoxic conditions. Attributed to its typical hydrophilic pore structure, the photon trapping ability of MBB500 is up to 97% and 84.1% in the ultraviolet and visible regions and near‐infrared light regions, respectively. Meanwhile, hydrophilic pore structural provides a strong capillary force for the rapid transmission of water. As a result, under 1 sun illumination (1 kW m−2), the water evaporation rate and the apparent energy conversion efficiency of MBB500 reach 1.48 kg m−2 h−1 and 131.2%, respectively. In addition, MBB500 also exhibits excellent seawater and heavy metal wastewater evaporation effects, providing a new manufacturing strategy for photo‐thermal materials, which greatly benefit their practical application in pure water regeneration.
Recent felt earthquakes (Mw 5.0–5.9) in Mizoram of north‐east India region: Seismotectonics and precursor appraisal
Authors: Hazarika Devajit , Kayal Jnana Ranjan
Published: October 2021

Eight medium magnitude (Mw 5.0–5.9) severely felt earthquakes, mostly at a shallower depth (<35 km), occurred in a short period of 7 months only, April–October, 2020, in Mizoram State, north‐east region (NER) of India, and it created much panic in the state. The increasing population growth as well as rapid urbanization in Aizawl, the capital city of Mizoram, may be under severe threat for an impending large earthquake in the region. The NER, India, is jawed between two arcs, the Himalayan Arc collision zone to the north and the Indo–Burma (Myanmar) Arc subduction zone to the east, and witnessed two great earthquakes (Mw ≥ 8.0, 1897 and 1950) and a total of 25 large earthquakes (Mw ≥ 7.0) in the past since 1869. The 2020 sudden burst of seismic activity in Mizoram, along with a strong (Mw 6.7) earthquake in Manipur in 2016 and a medium magnitude (Mw 5.7) earthquake in 2017 in Tripura, adjacent to the Mizoram State, are critically examined to understand the ongoing seismotectonics and the precursor implications, if any. The 2016 Manipur earthquake is interpreted to be an intra‐plate earthquake triggered by the transverse Kopili Fault by strike‐slip motion. The 2017 Tripura earthquake is also interpreted to be typically an intra‐plate strike‐slip event in the eastern margin of the Bengal Basin. The seismic activity in Mizoram, on the other hand, is found to have occurred in the accretionary Indo–Burma Wedge, between the Churachandpur Mao Fault and Eastern Boundary Thrust. The centroid moment tensor solutions of the events suggest the dextral‐slip motion of the wedge along the Indo–Burma Arc. A preliminary analysis of the Mizoram seismicity recognizes a precursor anomaly, a temporal variation of much higher seismic activity, for an impending large earthquake in the study area.
COVID‐19 and the impact on gynecologic cancer care
Authors: Manchanda Ranjit , Oxley Samuel , Ghaem‐Maghami Sadaf , Sundar Sudha
Published: October 2021

The COVID‐19 pandemic resulted in significant reconfiguration of gynecologic cancer services and care pathways across the globe, with a transformation of working practices. Services had to adapt to protect their vulnerable patients from infection, whilst providing care despite reduced resources/capacity and staffing. The international gynecologic cancer community introduced modified clinical care guidelines. Remote working, reduced hospital visiting, routine COVID‐testing, and use of COVID‐free surgical areas/hubs enabled the ongoing and safe delivery of complex cancer care, with priority levels for cancer treatments established to guide decision‐making by multidisciplinary tumor boards. Some 2.3 million cancer surgeries were delayed or cancelled during the first peak, with many patients reporting significant anxiety/concern for cancer progression and COVID infection. Although COVID trials were prioritized, recruitment to other cancer trials/research activity was significantly reduced. The impact of resultant protocol deviations on outcomes remains to be established. During the recovery healthcare services must maintain capacity and flexibility to manage future surges of infection, address the large backlog of patients with altered or delayed treatments, along with salvaging screening and prevention services. Training needs/mental well‐being of trainees need addressing and staff burnout prevented. Future research needs to fully evaluate the impact of COVID‐19 on long‐term patient outcomes.
Examining bereavement‐related needs and outcomes among survivors of sudden loss: A latent profile analysis
Authors: Bottomley Jamison S. , Campbell Kevin W. , Neimeyer Robert A.
Published: October 2021

Objective

Recognizing important bereavement‐related needs among sudden loss survivors (e.g., suicide, overdose)—a population that is burgeoning and at risk for deleterious outcomes—is a critical task as needs may reflect modifiable grief‐related variables that can assist with post‐loss adjustment.

Methods

Latent profile analysis was used among 347 sudden loss survivors to (a) identify distinct patterns of needs among survivors of sudden loss, (b) assess predictors of such profiles, and (c) investigate differences in profiles in terms of bereavement outcomes.

Results

Four classes of bereavement‐related needs were identified: a low needs class, a moderate needs‐spiritual class, a moderate needs‐relational class, and a high needs (HN) class. Clear differences emerged between need classes with the HN class evidencing the greatest level of grief and mental health sequelae.

Conclusion

Tending to bereavement‐related needs is critical, as they indicate the degree of distress and reflect modifiable therapeutic variables.
Functional electrical stimulation to aid walking in patients with adrenomyeloneuropathy: A case study and observational series
Authors: Goodison William , Baron Fred , Seary Coralie , Murphy Elaine , Lachmann Robin , Stevenson Valerie L.
Published: October 2021

Adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN) is a rare inherited condition where affected individuals develop slowly progressive spastic paraparesis with a gradual decline in walking ability. There is no cure for AMN and treatment focuses on supportive measures and aids. One treatment option is functional electrical stimulation (FES), a treatment, approved by The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), for managing foot drop in upper motor neuron disorders. Limited evidence exists for its use in AMN patients. We describe the effects of FES in an individual case and more broadly within a cohort of 21 patients successfully treated with FES. Patients with AMN referred for FES typically report frequent falls (71%) and foot drop (57%) as the most common barriers to walking. When using FES, walking speed at baseline (0.70 m/s [SD = 0.2]) was maintained at the 2‐year review (0.68 m/s [SD = 0.2]) with a persistent orthotic effect (improvement in walking speed when device on vs. off) seen from wearing FES over the same 2‐year period (11%–19%). Patient walking satisfaction (visual analogue scale: 0 – very dissatisfied; 10 – very satisfied) was also greater when comparing no‐FES versus FES over the same period (Year 1: 2.5 vs. 7.7; Year 2: 2.1 vs. 6.1). FES is not effective in all patients. Twelve patients referred found no benefit from the device; although there was no clear evidence, this was related to the degree of AMN associated peripheral neuropathy. However, FES is a safe, cost‐effective treatment option and should be considered, along with assessment in a multidisciplinary clinic, for all AMN patients with walking difficulties.
Politics of Hospitality: African Students at the Hebrew University Medical School in the 1960s
Authors: Nuriely Benny , Kozma Liat
Published: October 2021

From 1961‐1965, the Medical School of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem taught four cohorts of medical students from developing countries, mostly African. This article explores the program through the theory of hospitality. First, we find that hospitality is constructed and enabled by international interests. Second, those interests build a status which has unexpected consequences that reveal sorts of hosts, welcoming and xenophobic. Third, as an outcome of the international structure of student exchange, the guests' response to the terms of hospitality was mitigated by their privileged status as international medical students. On the one hand, they appreciated Israel as a model of post‐colonial state‐building; on the other, they criticized the racist reactions to their presence.
The function of CD146 in human annulus fibrosus cells and mechanism of the regulation by TGF‐β
Authors: Du Jie , Guo Wei , Häckel Sonja , Hoppe Sven , Garcia João P. , Alini Mauro , Tryfonidou Marianna A. , Creemers Laura B. , Grad Sibylle , Li Zhen
Published: October 2021

The mouse outer annulus fibrosus (AF) was previously shown to contain CD146+ AF cells, while in vitro culture and exposure to transforming growth factor‐beta (TGF‐β) further increased the expression of CD146. However, neither the specific function of CD146 nor the underlying mechanism of TGF‐β upregulation of CD146+AF cells have been elucidated yet. In the current study, CD146 expression and its role in cultured human AF cells was investigated studying the cells’ capacity for matrix contraction and gene expression of functional AF markers. In addition, TGF‐β pathways were blocked by several pathway inhibitors and short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) targeting SMAD and non‐SMAD pathways to investigate their involvement in TGF‐β‐induced CD146 upregulation. Results showed that knockdown of CD146 led to reduction in AF cell‐mediated collagen gel contraction, downregulation of versican and smooth muscle protein 22α (SM22α), and upregulation of scleraxis. TGF‐β‐induced CD146 upregulation was significantly blocked by inhibition of TGF‐β receptor ALK5, and partially inhibited by shRNA against SMAD2 and SMAD4 and by an Protein Kinase B (AKT) inhibitor. Interestingly, the inhibition of extracellular signal‐regulated kinases (ERK) pathway induced CD146 upregulation. In conclusion, CD146 was shown to be crucial to maintain the cell contractility of human AF cells in vitro. Furthermore, TGF‐β upregulated CD146 via ALK5 signaling cascade, partially through SMAD2, SMAD4, and AKT pathway, whereas, ERK was shown to be a potential negative modulator. Our findings suggest that CD146 can potentially be used as a functional marker in AF repair strategies.
An Observation of Nanoparticle‐Assisted Fingering Instability
Authors: Has Chandra , Sunthar P.
Published: October 2021

Fingering instabilities generally occur in an interface when a lower viscous or higher dense fluid is pushed through another miscible or immiscible fluid of higher viscosity or lower density. Similar fingering phenomena are also seen when hot saline water overlies cold freshwater or two solutes with different diffusivities are employed on two different sides of the interface. In the present study, we report an observation of nanoparticle‐assisted fingering that occurs when a less dense nanofluid lies over a denser liquid in an isothermal condition. Further, we show that the proposed mechanism (i.e., double mass‐diffusive convection) for this kind of fingering works only if nanoparticles are present in the suspending medium but not the microparticles. In the case of microparticles, sedimentation leads to the Rayleigh‐Taylor type of instability.
Mid and Far Fourier‐Transform Infrared Authentication Analysis for Polymeric Paints and Their Raw Materials
Authors: Rashid Norsyazlin Abd , Salim Yoga Sugama , Halim Suhaila Idayu Abdul , Harun Mohamad Kamal , Ong Chong Hup , Chan Chin Han
Published: October 2021

Inorganic and metallic compounds are often added in the paint formulation to improve the performance of protective coatings. Since some of these materials are infrared (IR) inactive in the mid‐IR region, the applicability of far‐IR as an additional quality assurance or quality control (QA/QC) tool to ensure the batch‐to‐batch consistency or fingerprinting/authentication of inorganic raw materials or paints with inorganic component(s) supplied to the job sites is instigated. Results suggest that the degree of similarity (r) in the far‐IR region can be used to differentiate the inorganic polymorph mixtures of rutile and anatase TiO2, which are attested by desummation of the superimposed absorbance bands for the same purpose. However, far‐IR region for authentication of inorganic compounds is challenging for paints with small amount of inorganic component(s). Mid‐IR spectroscopy is still practical to be used as the QA/QC tool for the batch‐to‐batch consistency or authentication of polymeric wet paints with or without inorganic component(s) coupled with other physical analyses.
Deep learning‐based precipitation bias correction approach for Yin–He global spectral model
Authors: Hu Yi‐Fan , Yin Fu‐Kang , Zhang Wei‐Min
Published: October 2021

In this paper, a data‐driven bias correction approach based on deep learning is proposed, which is appropriate for the Yin–He global spectral model (YHGSM) re‐forecasting. The proposed architecture involves four U‐Net‐based networks estimating the proper bias correction models for YHGSM re‐forecasting that consider as correction factors the geopotential, specific humidity, and vertical velocity on three pressure levels from the YHGSM model. The proposed models are then evaluated for their bias correction capability on the 3‐h cumulative precipitation over the region of China between 15°–54.5° N, and 63°–122.5° E. The results revealed that U‐Net‐based models could reduce the root mean squared error (RMSE) and improve the threat scores (TSs), especially for heavy precipitation and rainstorms.
Wave propagation in porous thermoelasticity with two delay times
Authors: Chiriţă Stan , Zampoli Vittorio
Published: October 2021

Plane time‐harmonic waves with assigned wavelength are supposed to propagate in an infinite linear thermoelastic space: The thermodynamic response is framed into the time differential dual‐phase‐lag model, while the Cowin–Nunziato theory is used to depict the effect of porosity for the elastic part. We are able to show that it is possible to identify two shear waves, undamped in time and not affected by porosity and/or temperature, as well as four longitudinal waves (a quasi‐elastic wave, a quasi‐pore wave, a quasi‐thermal mode, and a quasi‐phase‐lag thermal wave); the corresponding dispersion relation is presented like a seventh‐degree algebraic equation. The numerical simulations and the graphs presented show the effects of the various elasto‐porous‐thermal couplings on the characteristics of the four longitudinal waves. The work has to be intended as evolution and, at the same time, as a point of synthesis with respect to similar previous studies which took into account, exclusively, or the double delay time or the presence of voids.
IMAL‐Net: Interpretable multi‐task attention learning network for invasive lung adenocarcinoma screening in CT images
Authors: Wang Jun , Yuan Cheng , Han Can , Wen Yaofeng , Lu Hongbing , Liu Chen , She Yunlang , Deng Jiajun , Li Biao , Qian Dahong , Chen Chang
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Feature maps created from deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs) have been widely used for visual explanation of DCNN‐based classification tasks. However, many clinical applications such as benign‐malignant classification of lung nodules normally require quantitative and objective interpretability, rather than just visualization. In this paper, we propose a novel interpretable multi‐task attention learning network named IMAL‐Net for early invasive adenocarcinoma screening in chest computed tomography images, which takes advantage of segmentation prior to assist interpretable classification.

Methods

Two sub‐ResNets are firstly integrated together via a prior‐attention mechanism for simultaneous nodule segmentation and invasiveness classification. Then, numerous radiomic features from the segmentation results are concatenated with high‐level semantic features from the classification subnetwork by FC layers to achieve superior performance. Meanwhile, an end‐to‐end feature selection mechanism (named FSM) is designed to quantify crucial radiomic features greatly affecting the prediction of each sample, and thus it can provide clinically applicable interpretability to the prediction result.

Results

Nodule samples from a total of 1626 patients were collected from two grade‐A hospitals for large‐scale verification. Five‐fold cross validation demonstrated that the proposed IMAL‐Net can achieve an AUC score of 93.8% ± 1.1% and a recall score of 93.8% ± 2.8% for identification of invasive lung adenocarcinoma.

Conclusions

It can be concluded that fusing semantic features and radiomic features can achieve obvious improvements in the invasiveness classification task. Moreover, by learning more fine‐grained semantic features and highlighting the most important radiomics features, the proposed attention and FSM mechanisms not only can further improve the performance but also can be used for both visual explanations and objective analysis of the classification results.
Metformin improves epigenetic modification involved in oocyte growth and embryo development in polycystic ovary syndrome mice model
Authors: Amani Abkenari Showra , Safdarian Leili , Amidi Fardin , Hosseini Ali , Aryanpour Roya , Salahi Elnaz , Sobhani Aligholi
Published: October 2021

The possible relationship between dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)‐induced polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and epigenetic changes (ECs) leading to the impaired oocyte quality, has not been investigated yet. So, this study aimed to provide an insight into the relationship of the impaired oocyte quality with ECs in a mice DHEA‐induced PCOS model and to further reveal the effect of metformin treatment. For this purpose, 80 female BALB/C mice were randomly divided into four equal groups, named as the control, sham, (DHEA) and DHEA + Metformin groups. The alterations in acetylation of H4K5 and H4K16, and in methylation of DNA (5MeC) and H3K9 were evaluated using immunocytochemical. Moreover, the expression of Hdac1, Hdac2, Dnmt1, and Dnmt3a genes involved in ECs were analyzed using reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction. As well, the levels of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), oxidative stress (OS), embryo development, ovarian morphology, sexual hormone, ovulatory function, and AMPKα phosphorylation activity were compared in all the studied groups. Metformin attenuated the damages induced by DHEA as indicated by the normalized the estrous cycle, the improved ovarian morphology, the decreased sexual hormone and OS levels, and the increased MMP and AMPKα phosphorylation levels. In the metformin group, the Dnmt1, Dnmt3a, and Hdac2 genes have significantly upregulated compared to the DHEA group. However, metformin was found to have no effect on the expression level of Hdac1. In this regard, significant decrease and increase were observed in both the acetylated H4K16 and methylated H3K9 within MII oocytes in the DHEA + Metformin group compared with the DHEA group. Our results show that metformin could enhance the developmental competence of PCOS oocytes via reducing OS and ECs.
Camera‐assisted nursing observation of restless patients in an acute care setting, a multi‐method feasibility study
Authors: Geil Kollerup Mette , Tolstrup Gitte , Schantz Laursen Birgitte
Published: October 2021

Aim

To evaluate the implementation, practicality and acceptability of camera‐assisted observation of restless patients in the acute care ward.

Design

A multi‐method feasibility study.

Methods

Data consisted of nurses' written records, a brief survey among all nurses and individual interviews with eight nurses. Data analysis encompassed numerical analyses as well as descriptive content analysis.

Findings

Camera‐assisted observation was implemented by 44 patients from 60–95 years old, for 6 months. The practicality was enhanced by equipment that was easy to operate but the nurses were hampered by carrying the institutional mobile phone while caring for other patients. The intervention's acceptability depended on its potential for improved patient safety and the ability to adjust nursing care to meet the patients' needs as this could enhance feelings of confidence and control.
Consider 5 practical strategies for improving veterans resource centers
Authors: Mungal Angus S. , Court Clarence L. , Johnson Kristopher D.
Published: October 2021

The influx of military service members into the world of higher education casts a spotlight on the veterans resource centers at colleges and universities. Such veterans resource centers can provide support to student‐ veterans who seek assistance in navigating higher education bureaucracy and institutional culture. Student‐veterans rely heavily on the centers and find them to be a support and a bureaucratic hindrance, according to our research.
Influence of the composition of macromolecular diols on the rheology and water absorption of polyurethane acrylate emulsions
Authors: Wang Qichao , Xin Xiulan , Liu Hongqin , Xu Baocai , Li Bin , Song Nan
Published: October 2021

Waterborne modified polyurethane (PU) dispersions with different macromolecular diols as soft segments were prepared by the self‐emulsifying method, and then compounded with the acrylate monomers, the polyurethaneacrylate composite emulsion (PUA) with the core‐shell structure was prepared by emulsifier free emulsion polymerization. The effects of the type and ratio of macromolecular diols in the soft segment on the particle size and distribution, rheological properties, adhesion, water absorption and thermal properties of the PUA emulsion were studied. The results showed that the particle size of PUA decreased, and the shear resistance and heat resistance of PUA were enhanced with the addition of polypropylene glycol. According to the water absorption rate of PUA emulsion, it was found that adding poly‐1,4‐butanediol adipate glycol and poly(caprolactone) diol with more hydrophobic groups could improve the water resistance of PUA dry film, and the minimum water absorption value was 0.68%.
Pediatric asthma control during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Yang Ze , Wang Xiang , Wan Xi‐gang , Wang Meng‐lei , Qiu Zong‐hua , Chen Jia‐li , Shi Man‐hao , Zhang Shi‐yi , Xia Yong‐liang
Published: October 2021

Background

With the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic, many experts expected that asthma‐associated morbidity because of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection would dramatically increase. However, some studies suggested that there was no apparent increasing in asthma‐related morbidity in children with asthma, it is even possible children may have improved outcomes. To understand the relationship between the COVID‐19 pandemic and asthma outcomes, we performed this article.

Methods

We searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library to find literature from December 2019 to June 2021 related to COVID‐19 and children's asthma control, among which results such as abstracts, comments, letters, reviews, and case reports were excluded. The level of asthma control during the COVID‐19 pandemic was synthesized and discussed by outcomes of asthma exacerbation, emergency room visit, asthma admission, and childhood asthma control test (c‐ACT).

Results

A total of 22,159 subjects were included in 10 studies. Random effect model was used to account for the data. Compared with the same period before the COVID‐19 pandemic, asthma exacerbation reduced (odds ratio [OR] = 0.26, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.14–0.48], Z = 4.32, p < 0.0001), the odds of emergency room visit decreased as well (OR = 0.11, 95% CI = [0.04–0.26], Z = 4.98, p < 0.00001). The outcome of asthma admission showed no significant difference (OR = 0.84, 95% CI = [0.32–2.20], Z = 0.36, p = 0.72). The outcome of c‐ACT scores were not analyzed because of the different manifestations used. Overall, c‐ACT scores reduced during the pandemic.

Conclusion

Compared to the same period before the COVID‐19 pandemic, the level of asthma control has been significantly improved. We need to understand the exact factors leading to these improvements and find methods to sustain it.
An automatic system for pest recognition and forecasting
Authors: Wang Rujing , Li Rui , Chen Tianjiao , Zhang Jie , Xie Chengjun , Qiu Kun , Chen Peng , Du Jianming , Chen Hongbo , Shao FangRong , Hu Haiying , Liu Haiyun
Published: October 2021

BACKGROUND

Pests cause significant damage to agricultural crops and reduce crop yields. Use of manual methods of pest forecasting for integrated pest management is labor‐intensive and time‐consuming. Here, we present an automatic system for monitoring pests in large fields, with the aim of replacing manual forecasting. The system comprises an automatic detection and counting system and a human–computer data statistical fitting system. Image data sets of the target pests from large fields are first input into the system. The number of pests in the image is then counted both manually and using the automatic system. Finally, a mapping relationship between counts obtained using the automated system and by agricultural experts is established using the statistical fitting system.

RESULTS

Trends in the pest‐count curves produced using the manual and automated counting methods were very similar. To sample the number of pests for manual statistics, plants were shaken to transfer the pests from the plant to a plate. Hence, pests hiding within plant crevices were also sampled and included in the count, whereas the automatic method counted only the pests visible in the images. Therefore, the computer index threshold was much lower than the manual index threshold. However, the proposed system correctly reflected trends in pest numbers obtained using computer vision.

CONCLUSION

The experimental results demonstrate that our automatic pest‐monitoring system can generate pest grades and can replace manual forecasting methods in large fields. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.
Topological index analysis of a class of networks analogous to alicyclic hydrocarbons and their derivatives
Authors: Liu Jia‐Bao , Peng Xin‐Bei , Hayat Sakander
Published: October 2021

Alicyclic hydrocarbons and their derivatives have been studied extensively by researchers in recent years. Actually, they are a subclass of the toroidal networks. The kind of networks can be characterized as the toroidal networks obtained from associating lots of identical basic sub‐networks into a cycle. In this paper, we study topological indices correlated with the toroidal networks, such as resistance distance, the Kirchhoff index, and the degree‐Kirchhoff index by creating n‐separations which can compute resistance distance simply. Furthermore, we also derive and analyze lots of topological indices based on degree of the toroidal networks. For instance, the Zagreb index, the general Randić index, the Forgotten index, and so on. These characteristic quantities can be utilized to evaluate the properties of alicyclic hydrocarbons as well as can be extensively applied to many fields, like mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, or other fields.
Robust group variable screening based on maximum Lq‐likelihood estimation
Authors: Li Yang , Li Rong , Qin Yichen , Lin Cunjie , Yang Yuhong
Published: October 2021

Variable screening plays an important role in ultra‐high‐dimensional data analysis. Most of the previous analyses have focused on individual predictor screening using marginal correlation or other rank‐based techniques. When predictors can be naturally grouped, the structure information should be incorporated while applying variable screening. This study presents a group screening procedure that is based on maximum Lq‐likelihood estimation, which is being increasingly used for robust estimation. The proposed method is robust against data contamination, including a heavy‐tailed distribution of the response and a mixture of observations from different distributions. The sure screening property is rigorously established. Simulations demonstrate the competitive performance of the proposed method, especially in terms of its robustness against data contamination. Two real data analyses are presented to further illustrate its performance.