bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Discrepancies between genitourinary cancer patients' and clinicians' characterization of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status
Authors: Bergerot Cristiane Decat , Philip Errol J. , Bergerot Paulo Gustavo , Hsu JoAnn , Dizman Nazli , Salgia Megan , Salgia Nicholas , Vaishampayan Ulka , Battle Dena , Loscalzo Matthew , Dale William , Pal Sumanta Kumar
Published: October 2020

Background

Patient‐reported outcomes have been used to assess treatment effectiveness and actively engage patients in their disease management. This study was designed to describe the patient‐reported performance status (PS) and the provider‐reported PS.

Methods

Patients with metastatic genitourinary cancers were recruited from a single cancer center before the initiation of a new line of treatment. PS (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group [ECOG]), quality of life (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy–General), and distress (Patient‐Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Anxiety and Depression) were self‐reported by patients. Clinical data (eg, age, sex, diagnosis, and physician‐reported ECOG PS) were extracted from medical records. Multivariate analysis was used to determine the association between PS, quality of life, and psychological symptoms.

Results

One hundred forty‐five patients were enrolled (76.6% male, 70.3% White, 81.4% married, and 76.6% well educated). The median age was 67 years; 66.9% were diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma, 20.0% were diagnosed with urothelial carcinoma, and 13.1% were diagnosed with prostate cancer. Clinicians more frequently classified patients' ECOG PS as 0 in comparison with the patients themselves (92.4% vs 64.1%; P = .001). Higher clinician‐reported ECOG PS was associated with poorer physical and functional well‐being and higher rates of depression (P < .01), whereas higher patient‐reported ECOG PS was associated with worse psychosocial outcomes (P < .01).

Conclusions

Discrepancies were noted between the patient‐ and provider‐reported ECOG PS, with clinicians overestimating the ECOG PS in comparison with the patients themselves. This study's findings suggest that patients incorporate their social and emotional well‐being into their PS score in addition to their physical well‐being. This information is not immediately accessible to most clinicians from just a standard patient interview and likely accounts for the overestimation of the patients' ECOG PS by the clinicians.
Cyber situation perception for Internet of Things systems based on zero‐day attack activities recognition within advanced persistent threat
Authors: Cheng Xiang , Zhang Jiale , Tu Yaofeng , Chen Bing
Published: October 2020

With the development of the Internet of Things (IoT) technology, various attacks and threats have emerged. The advanced persistent threat (APT) refers to a class of advanced multiple‐steps attacks among diverse attack activities, which brings severe threats to the IoT systems ascribe to its pertinence, concealment, and permeability. However, the existing technologies and methods fail to timely recognize the APT attack activities (especially the zero‐day exploits) in a comprehensive scope. To address this problem, we propose a novel method of cyber situation perception for IoT systems, which based on zero‐day attack activity recognition within APT (CSPAPTM). Moreover, we also design an edge computing framework for applying CSPAPTM to the typical IoT systems. Specifically, we first provide a cyber situation perception ontology construction module for describing the APT attack activities. Then, a malicious C&C DNS mining method (MCCDRM) is proposed to control the APT malicious activity correlation analysis trigger, which can effectively decrease the computing overhead. Finally, we propose a zero‐day attack activity recognition method within APT (ZDAARA), which acts on system call instances to recognize the malicious activities, which cannot be detected by IDS. A relatively mature access control mechanism PO‐SAAC is also applied to our method. Through the coalescent of these methods, CSPAPTM can accomplish the cyber situation perception effectively by the zero‐day attack activities recognition in the IoT systems. The exhaustive experimental results demonstrate that the two kernel modules, that is, MCCDRM and ZDAARA in our CSPAPTM, can achieve both higher F1 score and acceptable false positive rate.
A handshake algorithm for scheduling communications in wireless sensor networks
Authors: Taktak Emna , Tounsi Mohamed , Mosbah Mohamed , Mnif Abdessalem , Hadj Kacem Ahmed
Published: October 2020

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are composed of sensors exchanging the information that they collect from the environment. The use of a scheduler offers an efficient solution to eliminate information redundancy and possible collisions in this network. A scheduler is responsible for choosing the sensors to exchange information at each step of the algorithm's execution. This article presents a WSN handshake algorithm (WSN‐HS) scheduling the communications between every two sensors safely in an exclusive mode. Our WSN‐HS is energy‐efficient. It tries to elaborate communications between sensors with the minimum of messages and thus with the minimum of energy consumption. In addition, our algorithm is fault‐tolerant to sensors' disappearance. Hence, when a sensor runs out of energy, the other sensors in the network will not be blocked and they will continue executing the distributed algorithm. We compare and evaluate our algorithm with another handshake algorithm. The results of the simulation done with two examples of distributed algorithms show that our algorithm significantly minimizes the energy consumption in the WSN. Moreover, in this article, we detail the analysis that emphasizes the efficiency of our WSN‐HS algorithm.
Genome‐wide identification of FAD gene family and functional analysis of MsFAD3.1 involved in the accumulation of α‐linolenic acid in alfalfa
Authors: Zhang Zhengshe , Jin Xiaoyu , Liu Zhipeng , Zhang Jiyu , Liu Wenxian
Published: October 2020

As an important forage legume in the world, alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) has high adaptability to various unfavorable climatic conditions and high biomass, and have been playing critical roles in animal husbandry and industrial applications. As α‐linolenic acid cannot be synthesized by animals, and most must be obtained from plants, the increasing of α‐linolenic acid content in alfalfa will greatly contribute to improve quality of livestock. However, the molecular mechanisms for α‐linolenic acid synthesis and accumulation in alfalfa are still limited. In this study, the importance of ω‐3 fatty acid desaturase (FAD) was demonstrated by analyzing α‐linolenic acid metabolic pathways, combined with the dynamics of accumulation of unsaturated fatty acids in alfalfa. Moreover, the FAD3.1 identified in alfalfa was located in the endoplasmic reticulum, and its expression level was consistent with the accumulation patterns of α‐linolenic acid in leaves. Heterologous expression in yeast cells proves that MsFAD3.1 was involved in the synthesis of α‐linolenic acid, and the α‐linolenic acid content in MsFAD3.1‐overexpression transgenic alfalfa lines was significantly increased. These results indicate that new alfalfa germplasm with high α‐linolenic acid content can be successfully created through biotechnology, providing a theoretical basis for further improving the quality of alfalfa and the nutritional value of dairy products.
The valuation effects of corporate social responsibility on mergers and acquisitions: Evidence from U.S. target firms
Authors: Cho Kyumin , Han Seung Hun , Kim Hyeong Joon , Kim Sangsoo
Published: October 2020

This study investigates whether a target firm's corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance creates value for shareholders. Our results indicate that target CSR performance that is stronger than that of the acquirer firm yields higher premiums for target shareholders. In addition, the positive valuation effect of CSR is more pronounced when well‐governed acquirers conduct the takeover. Our evidence is robust to several sensitivity tests. These results imply that favorable market reactions to the target's CSR are due to the market expectation that well‐governed acquirers reward the target's shareholders with a fair CSR value in merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions. Consistent with the stakeholder theory that maximizes stakeholder value, investing in CSR creates value in M&A transactions.
Isolation of Low Dispersity Fractions of Acetone Organosolv Lignins to Understand their Reactivity: Towards Aromatic Building Blocks for Polymers Synthesis
Authors: Duval Antoine , Layrac Géraldine , van Zomeren André , Smit Arjan T. , Pollet Eric , Avérous Luc
Published: October 2020

Two organosolv lignins extracted during pilot runs of the Fabiola process were analyzed, fractionated and chemically modified with ethylene carbonate (EC) to produce building blocks suitable for polymer synthesis. Isolation of low dispersity fractions relied on the partial solubility of the lignins in organic solvents. Lignins solubility was first evaluated and analyzed with Hansen and Kamlet‐Taft solubility parameters, showing a good correlation with the solvents dipolarity/polarizability parameter π*. The results were then used to select a sequence of solvents able to fractionate the lignins into low dispersity fractions of increasing molar masses, which were analyzed by31P NMR, SEC and DSC. The lignins were then reacted with EC, to convert the phenolic OH groups into primary aliphatic OH groups. The reactivity of the organosolv lignins was high, and milder reaction conditions than previously reported were sufficient to fully convert the phenolic OH groups. A gradual reduction in reactivity with increasing molar mass was evidenced and attributed to reduced solubility of high molar mass fragments in EC. Undesirable crosslinking side reactions were evidenced by SEC, but were efficiently limited thanks to a fine control of the reaction conditions, helping to maximize the benefits of the developed lignin modification with EC.
Is cervical cytology testing as a part of co‐test unnecessary for HPV 16/18‐infected women? A retrospective cohort study of 1647 women
Authors: Giray Burak , Kabaca Canan , Uzun Mine Guray , Akis Serkan , Purut Yunus Emre , Peker Esra Keles , Cetiner Handan
Published: October 2020

Background

We aimed to present the biopsy results of women with HPV 16/18 infection and investigate whether cytology is necessary as a part of routine cervical cancer screening in women with HPV 16/18.

Methods

This is a retrospective cohort study conducted on 1647 patients between the ages of 30 and 65 years with HPV 16/18 undergoing colposcopy‐guided biopsy at a tertiary gynecological cancer center between January‐2016 and January‐2019. We compared the preinvasive lesion rates and the invasive cervical cancer rates of women with HPV 16/18 between the negative and the abnormal cytology group.

Results

Of the 1647 women, 1105 (67.1%) had negative cytology and 542 (32.9%) had abnormal cytology. Among women with initial negative cytology, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2+ lesion was detected in 205 (18.6%) women. The rate of CIN 2+ lesion in women with abnormal cytology was 28%. There was a significant difference between negative and abnormal cytology group in terms of CIN 2+ lesion rates (P < .001). Among women with initial negative cytology, invasive cervical cancer was detected in 6 (0.5%) women. The rate of invasive cervical cancer in women with abnormal cytology was 8 (1.5%). There was no significant difference between negative and abnormal cytology group in terms of invasive cervical cancer rates (P = .082).

Conclusions

The rate of cervical cancer among HPV 16/18‐infected women with negative cytology is similar to women with abnormal cytology. Based on the results of this study, Pap testing could be unnecessary in HPV 16/18‐infected women to diagnose invasive cervical cancer who will undergo colposcopy biopsy.
An introduction to agent‐based models as an accessible surrogate to field‐based research and teaching
Authors: Murphy Kilian J. , Ciuti Simone , Kane Adam
Published: October 2020

There are many barriers to fieldwork including cost, time, and physical ability. Unfortunately, these barriers disproportionately affect minority communities and create a disparity in access to fieldwork in the natural sciences. Travel restrictions, concerns about our carbon footprint, and the global lockdown have extended this barrier to fieldwork across the community and led to increased anxiety about gaps in productivity, especially among graduate students and early‐career researchers. In this paper, we discuss agent‐based modeling as an open‐source, accessible, and inclusive resource to substitute for lost fieldwork during COVID‐19 and for future scenarios of travel restrictions such as climate change and economic downturn. We describe the benefits of Agent‐Based models as a teaching and training resource for students across education levels. We discuss how and why educators and research scientists can implement them with examples from the literature on how agent‐based models can be applied broadly across life science research. We aim to amplify awareness and adoption of this technique to broaden the diversity and size of the agent‐based modeling community in ecology and evolutionary research. Finally, we discuss the challenges facing agent‐based modeling and discuss how quantitative ecology can work in tandem with traditional field ecology to improve both methods.
Safety assessment of Streptococcus thermophilus IDCC 2201 used for product manufacturing in Korea
Authors: Ban O‐Hyun , Oh Sangki , Park Chanmi , Bang Won Yeong , Lee Bo Som , Yang Soo‐Yeon , Chae Seung A , Jung Young Hoon , Yang Jungwoo
Published: October 2020

Safety evaluation of probiotics has become increasingly important for human consumption in food industry. The aims of this study were to assess safety of Streptococcus thermophilus IDCC 2201 through in vitro and in vivo tests. In results, this strain was found to be negative for hemolytic and β‐glucuronidase activity. In addition, thermophilus IDCC 2201 was susceptible to nine antibiotics suggested by EFSA. In accordance with MIC tests, whole‐genome analysis indicated that S. thermophilus IDCC 2201 neither harbors antibiotic resistance nor toxigenic genes. Furthermore, none of the biogenic amines including tyramine and histamine was produced and negligible amounts of D‐lactate were produced by S. thermophilus IDCC 2201. Finally, it was confirmed that there was no mortality and toxicity throughout single‐dose oral toxicity tests in rats. Therefore, we report that S. thermophilus IDCC 2201 is considered to be safe for human consumption as probiotics.
Watershed‐scale vegetation, water quantity, and water quality responses to wildfire in the southern Appalachian mountain region, United States
Authors: Caldwell Peter V. , Elliott Katherine J. , Liu Ning , Vose James M. , Zietlow David R. , Knoepp Jennifer D.
Published: October 2020

Wildfires are landscape scale disturbances that can significantly affect hydrologic processes such as runoff generation and sediment and nutrient transport to streams. In Fall 2016, multiple large drought‐related wildfires burned forests across the southern Appalachian Mountains. Immediately after the fires, we identified and instrumented eight 28.4–344 ha watersheds (four burned and four unburned) to measure vegetation, soil, water quantity, and water quality responses over the following two years. Within burned watersheds, plots varied in burn severity with up to 100% tree mortality and soil O‐horizon loss. Watershed scale high burn severity extent ranged from 5% to 65% of total watershed area. Water quantity and quality responses among burned watersheds were closely related to the high burn severity extent. Total water yield (Q) was up to 39% greater in burned watersheds than unburned reference watersheds. Total suspended solids (TSS) concentration during storm events were up to 168 times greater in samples collected from the most severely burned watershed than from a corresponding unburned reference watershed, suggesting that there was elevated risk of localized erosion and sedimentation of streams. NO3‐N concentration, export, and concentration dependence on streamflow were greater in burned watersheds and increased with increasing high burn severity extent. Mean NO3‐N concentration in the most severely burned watershed increased from 0.087 mg L−1in the first year to 0.363 mg L−1(+317%) in the second year. These results suggest that the 2016 wildfires degraded forest condition, increasedQ, and had negative effects on water quality particularly during storm events.
Impacts of wildfire and post‐fire land management on hydrological and sediment processes in a humid Mediterranean headwater catchment
Authors: Nunes João Pedro , Bernard‐Jannin Léonard , Rodríguez‐Blanco María Luz , Boulet Anne‐Karine , Santos Juliana Marisa , Keizer Jan Jacob
Published: October 2020

The extensive afforestation of the Mediterranean rim of Europe in recent decades has increased the number of wildfire disturbances on hydrological and sediment processes, but the impacts on headwater catchments is still poorly understood, especially when compared with the previous agricultural landscape. This work monitored an agroforestry catchment in the north‐western Iberian Peninsula, with plantation forests mixed with traditional agriculture using soil conservation practices, for one year before the fire and for three years afterwards, during which period the burnt area was ploughed and reforested. During this period, continuous data was collected for meteorology, streamflow and sediment concentration at the outlet, erosion features were mapped and measured after major rainfall events, and channel sediment dynamics were monitored downstream from the agricultural and the burnt forest area. Data from 202 rainfall events with over 10 mm was analysed in detail. Results show that the fire led to a notable impact on sediment processes during the first two post‐fire years, but not on streamflow processes; this despite the small size of the burnt area (10% of the catchment) and the occurrence of a severe drought in the first year after the fire. During this period, soil loss at the burnt forest slopes was much larger than that at most traditionally managed fields, and, ultimately, led to sediment exhaustion. At the catchment scale, storm characteristics were the dominant factor behind streamflow and sediment yield both before and after the fire. However, the data indicated a shift from detachment‐limited sediment yield before the fire, to transport‐limited sediment yield afterwards, with important increases in streamflow sediment concentration. This indicates that even small fires can temporarily change sediment processes in agroforestry catchments, with potential negative consequences for downstream water quality.
The clonal relation of primary upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma and paired urothelial carcinoma of the bladder
Authors: van Doeveren Thomas , Nakauma‐Gonzalez Jose A. , Mason Andrew S. , van Leenders Geert J. L. H. , Zuiverloon Tahlita C. M. , Zwarthoff Ellen C. , Meijssen Isabelle C. , van der Made Angelique C. , van der Heijden Antoine G. , Hendricksen Kees , van Rhijn Bas W. G. , Voskuilen Charlotte S. , van Riet Job , Dinjens Winand N. M. , Dubbink Hendrikus J. , van de Werken Harmen J. G. , Boormans Joost L.
Published: October 2020

The risk of developing urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB) in patients treated by radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) for an upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is 22% to 47% in the 2 years after surgery. Subject of debate remains whether UTUC and the subsequent UCB are clonally related or represent separate origins. To investigate the clonal relationship between both entities, we performed targeted DNA sequencing of a panel of 41 genes on matched normal and tumor tissue of 15 primary UTUC patients treated by RNU who later developed 19 UCBs. Based on the detected tumor‐specific DNA aberrations, the paired UTUC and UCB(s) of 11 patients (73.3%) showed a clonal relation, whereas in four patients the molecular results did not indicate a clear clonal relationship. Our results support the hypothesis that UCBs following a primary surgically resected UTUC are predominantly clonally derived recurrences and not separate entities.
Monitoring water status in apple trees using a sensitive morning crop water stress index*
Authors: Mohamed Abdelmoneim Z. , Osroosh Yasin , Peters R. Troy , Bates Travis , Campbell Colin S. , Ferrer‐Alegre Francesc
Published: October 2020

The crop water stress index (CWSI) has shown to be a good indicator of water status in fruit trees. Conventional CWSI measured over solar noon is widely used to monitor plant water status. This study compared the theoretical CWSI averaged over morning hours, CWSImo, and over solar noon hours, CWSImd, of apple trees. This study also assessed their sensitivity to the changes in soil water status (soil water deficit [SWD, %] and soil water potential [SWP, kPa]) at different root zone depths. Four different types of commercial and experimental apple orchards with different characteristics growing under semi‐arid conditions in Washington State, United States, were chosen to assess CWSImo against CWSImd sensitivity to soil water status. In some of these locations, soil water status ranged from fully watered to severely stressed (low water deficit to high water deficit). Ground‐based thermal and microclimate measurements were recorded continuously at 10‐s intervals and acquired for the 15‐min average on a daily basis throughout the study period. The linear relationship between SWD and CWSImo at the effective root zone depth (average of 0–150 mm and 0–460 mm) resulted in a slightly higher correlation (R2 = 0.42–0.64, p < .001) compared to the traditional CWSImd (R2 = 0.32–0.60, p < 0.001). The correlation between CWSImo and SWP (R2 = 0.38–0.69, p < 0.001) was found to be larger than the correlation between CWSImo and SWD, while SWP was less correlated with CWSImd (R2 = 0.33–0.55, p < 0.001). Interestingly, a better relationship between soil water status and both CWSImo and CWSImd was observed using a nadir view orientation thermal measurement. The CWSImo showed higher sensitivity to SWP than SWD.
Adaptation to climate change in irrigated agriculture in Uzbekistan*
Authors: Mukhamedjanov Shukhrat , Mukhomedjanov Azamat , Sagdullaev Rustam , Khasanova Nazokat
Published: October 2020

In recent years, climate change in Central Asia, especially in Uzbekistan, has resulted in sharp alternation of dry and wet years. In such conditions, agriculture has turned into the most vulnerable sector. Agricultural producers have not been able to adapt to such variations of climatic conditions. Traditional irrigation approaches and agronomic operations are becoming unacceptable against the background of severe droughts or heavy rains. Moreover, intra‐annual distribution of precipitation and air temperature has changed. Especially in agriculture, increased rainfall in spring and summer and decreased rainfall in autumn and winter has had a negative impact.

In 2013, the Global Water Partnership initiated the Water, Climate, and Development Programme for Caucasus and Central Asia. In the Fergana Valley of Uzbekistan, a project was implemented to study the possibility of agriculture adaptation to climate change within the framework of this programme. This article presents an analysis of long‐term data received from 1960 to 2014 on air temperature and precipitation. As a result of these studies, it has been determined that we can forecast the current year's weather conditions if we find a similar year in recent years. For the Fergana Valley of Uzbekistan, it has been established that we have a stable spring, when winter is cold with heavy precipitation, and we have a cold spring and summer with high precipitation, when we have a warm winter with low precipitation. Past experience has shown that the use of water for irrigation, taking into account climatic conditions, has a significant impact on reducing irrigation water and increasing crop yields.
Machine Learning in Meningioma MRI: Past to Present. A Narrative Review
Authors: Neromyliotis Eleftherios , Kalamatianos Theodosis , Paschalis Athanasios , Komaitis Spyridon , Fountas Konstantinos N. , Kapsalaki Eftychia Z. , Stranjalis George , Tsougos Ioannis
Published: October 2020

Meningioma is one of the most frequent primary central nervous system tumors. While magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), is the standard radiologic technique for provisional diagnosis and surveillance of meningioma, it nevertheless lacks the prima facie capacity in determining meningioma biological aggressiveness, growth, and recurrence potential. An increasing body of evidence highlights the potential of machine learning and radiomics in improving the consistency and productivity and in providing novel diagnostic, treatment, and prognostic modalities in neuroncology imaging. The aim of the present article is to review the evolution and progress of approaches utilizing machine learning in meningioma MRI‐based sementation, diagnosis, grading, and prognosis. We provide a historical perspective on original research on meningioma spanning over two decades and highlight recent studies indicating the feasibility of pertinent approaches, including deep learning in addressing several clinically challenging aspects. We indicate the limitations of previous research designs and resources and propose future directions by highlighting areas of research that remain largely unexplored.

Level of Evidence

5

Technical Efficacy Stage

2
Social and situational dynamics surrounding workplace mistreatment: Context matters
Authors: Hershcovis M. Sandy , Cortina Lilia M. , Robinson Sandra L.
Published: October 2020

In our introduction to this special issue, we explain why understanding the social and situational context around workplace mistreatment is important. We then provide summaries of the six articles in this special issue and conclude by identifying three key themes—social interpretation, recursive nature of mistreatment, and beyond the dyad—and some important directions for future research.
A “Rapid Best‐Fit” model for framework synthesis: Using research objectives to structure analysis within a rapid review of qualitative evidence
Authors: Shaw Liz , Nunns Michael , Briscoe Simon , Anderson Rob , Thompson Coon Jo
Published: October 2020

The short time frame associated with rapid reviews can be challenging for researchers conducting qualitative evidence synthesis. In these circumstances a Best‐Fit Framework Synthesis, drawing upon existing theory and/or research, may be conducted to rapidly make sense of qualitative evidence. This article discusses a “Rapid Best‐Fit” approach to conducting Framework Synthesis within an 6‐week rapid systematic review of qualitative evidence. In the absence of a suitable theoretical model to inform the synthesis, we drew upon our research objectives to structure a framework, and to identify the studies which contained the most relevant data. Themes from these studies were used to revise the initial framework before inductive thematic synthesis finalized theme content. This “Rapid Best‐Fit” approach yielded results aligned with the needs of the commissioners of the review and is a useful addition to qualitative synthesis methods, allowing for the incorporation of diverse views and experiences into fast‐paced decision making scenarios.
Neuroprotective effects of Apium graveolens against focal cerebral ischemia occur partly via antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and anti‐apoptotic pathways
Authors: Jittiwat Jinatta , Chonpathompikunlert Pennapa , Sukketsiri Wanida
Published: October 2020

BACKGROUND

Stroke is a neurological disease caused by a sudden disturbance of cerebral blood flow to the brain, leading to loss of brain function. Recently, accumulating lines of evidence have suggested that dietary enrichment with nutritional antioxidants could reduce brain damage and improve cognitive function. In this study, we investigated the possible protective effects of Apium graveolens, a medicinal plant with putative neuroprotective activity, against oxidative‐stress‐related brain damage and brain damage due to inflammation induced by focal cerebral ischemia.

METHODS

Male adult Wistar rats were administered with an extract of A. graveolens orally 14 days before permanent occlusion of their right middle cerebral artery. The brain infarct volumes of rats in each group were determined by 2,3,5‐triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining, and the density of neurons in the cortex and hippocampus of rats was determined by cresyl violet staining. The levels of malondialdehyde, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of the rats were also quantified at the end of the study period.

RESULTS

Our results show that A. graveolens extract significantly decreased infarct volume and improved neuronal density in the cortex and hippocampus of rats receiving A. graveolens extract compared with those rats receiving no treatment. This neuroprotective effect was found to occur partly due to antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and anti‐apoptotic effects.

CONCLUSION

Our study demonstrates that A. graveolens helps to reduce the severity of cognitive damage caused by focal cerebral ischemia. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Humic acid as foliar and soil application improve the growth, yield and quality of coffee (cv. C × R) in Western Ghats of India
Authors: Kishor Mote , Jayakumar Manickam , Gokavi Nagaraj , Mukharib Dharmapura Shamshudheen , Raghuramulu Yenugula , Udayar Pillai Surendran
Published: October 2020

BACKGROUND

Humic acid is a promising natural resource to be utilized as an alternative for increasing soil fertility and crop production. A field experiment was conducted on the loamy sand soil at the Central Coffee Research Institute research farm, Karnataka, India for 2 years to evaluate the influence of humic acid on yield and bean quality of coffee with six treatments. The treatments comprised of recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF), humic acid soil application and foliar spray along with nutrient mixture and growth hormones.

RESULTS

The data of the yield attributes of coffee revealed that the highest total nodes per branch, crop nodes per branch, flower buds, total number of fruits per branch and fruit set percentage of 17.45, 9.4, 208.65, 153.31 and 3.28, respectively, were recorded by T6, which consists of RDF + humic acid granules at 10 kg acre−1 + nutrient mixture spray (1 kg urea, 1 kg SSP, 0.75 kg MOP, 1 kg ZnSO4 + 75 mL Planofix 200 L−1 + humic acid at 600 mL 200 L−1 as foliar application 25 days after blossom) during the both years of study. Humic acid application significantly improved the yield in both seasons of research. The same trend was observed in coffee bean quality and tree nutrients status. Postharvest nutrient status in the soil did not show any significance.

CONCLUSIONS

The study emphasized that application of humic acid as soil and foliar application improves the yield attributes, yield and quality of coffee apart from the economic profitability. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Inhibition of enzymes associated with metabolic and neurological disorder by dried pomegranate sheets as a function of pomegranate cultivar and fruit puree
Authors: Cano‐Lamadrid Marina , Tkacz Karolina , Turkiewicz Igor P , Nowicka Paulina , Hernández Francisca , Lech Krzystof , Carbonell‐Barrachina Ángel A , Wojdyło Aneta
Published: October 2020

BACKGROUND

Obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus are the most extended current chronic diseases and also Alzheimer pathology which is a progressive degenerative neurological disorder. Therefore, finding effective enzyme inhibitors responsible for the development of these diseases are essential. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the impact of fruit purée (Cydonia oblonga, Ziziphus jujube and Malus domestica) and pomegranate juice cultivar (‘Mollar de Elche’ and ‘Wonderful’) of dried pomegranate sheets (DS) on the inhibition of enzymes associated with metabolic (α‐amylase, α‐glucosidase, and pancreatic lipase activity), and neurological disorder (acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase activity). Quality properties (colour coordinates, texture properties and sensory characteristics) of DS were also studied. In addition, it was researched the effect of storage conditions (4 months at 4 and 20 °C) on phenolic content.

RESULTS

DS from jujube had the highest antioxidant capacity and were characterized by the highest storage stability with respect to phenolic compounds. The α‐amylase and α‐glucosidase half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50, in mg mL−1) inhibition of DS ranged from 107 to 216 and from 55.2 to values indicating no effect, respectively. The inhibition toward pancreatic lipase (IC50 < 5 mg mL−1), acetylcholinesterase (ranged 9.15–22.2%) and butyrylcholinesterase (ranged 20.6–48.6%) was increased with the presence of total flavonoids and hydroxycinnamic acids content (identifying mainly in DS from quinces). It is noteworthy that none of the samples presented off‐flavour notes, supporting the high quality of the products.

CONCLUSION

DS can be an innovative supplement to a diet as a snack used in the prevention of neurological changes and disorders of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Electrochemically controlled solid phase microextraction based on a conductive polyaniline‐graphene oxide nanocomposite for extraction of tetracyclines in milk and water
Authors: Sereshti Hassan , Karami Faezeh , Nouri Nina , Farahani Ali
Published: October 2020

BACKGROUND

Tetracycline antibiotics are employed for human and animal health and for speeding up growth rates. However, their presence in food products and environmental waters has been a concern for some years. Therefore, a variety of sample preparation methods have been developed for the analysis of tetracycline residues in these matrices.

RESULTS

An electrochemically controlled solid phase microextraction based on a modified copper electrode with polyaniline/graphene oxide (PANI/GO) conductive nanocomposite was developed for the extraction of oxytetracycline, tetracycline and doxycycline before high‐performance liquid chromatography‐UV analysis. PANI/GO was synthesized by in situ chemical oxidative polymerization, characterized by scanning electron microscopy and Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy, and bound on the electrode using high purity conductive double‐sided adhesive carbon glue. The significant factors affecting the performance of microextraction were investigated and optimized. Under the optimized conditions [sample, 15 mL; sorbent, 10 mg; pH, 3.0; electroextraction voltage, −0.9 V; electroextraction time, 20 min; eluent (MeOH/NH3), 500 μL; and desorption time, 5 min], the limits of detection for target analytes were in the ranges 0.32–1.01 and 2.42–7.59 μg L−1 in water and milk samples, respectively. The linear ranges were 1.06–750 μg L−1 for water and 8.05–750 μg L−1 for milk samples. The intra‐day and inter‐day precisions were 2.32–3.80 and 3.29–4.25, respectively. The method was applied to the determination of analytes in milk and water samples with different fat contents, and the recoveries were obtained in the range 71–104%.

CONCLUSION

The developed electro‐microextraction method provides a facile, rapid, cost‐effective, sensitive and efficient promising procedure for the extraction of antibiotics in complex matrices. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Training During a Pandemic: Successes, Challenges, and Practical Guidance From a Virtual Facilitated Learning Collaborative Training Program for Written Exposure Therapy
Authors: Worley Courtney B. , LoSavio Stefanie T. , Aajmain Syed , Rosen Craig , Stirman Shannon Wiltsey , Sloan Denise M.
Published: October 2020

In response to COVID‐19, continued workforce training is essential to ensure that evidence‐based treatments are available on the frontline to meet communities’ ongoing and emerging mental health needs. However, training during a pandemic imposes many new challenges. This paper describes a multisite training and implementation pilot program, facets of which allowed for continued training despite the onset of the COVID‐19 pandemic and subsequent social distancing guidelines. This virtual facilitated learning collaborative in Written Exposure Therapy, an evidence‐based treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder, included virtual workshop training, phone‐based clinical consultation, implementation‐focused video calls for program leadership, and program evaluation. Data are presented about program enrollees and patient impact following the onset of COVID‐19–related social distancing restrictions. Challenges, successes, and practical guidance are discussed to inform the field regarding training strategies likely to be durable in an uncertain, dynamic healthcare landscape.
The Methodological Problem of Identifying Criterion A Traumatic Events During the COVID‐19 Era: A Commentary on Karatzias et al. (2020)
Authors: Van Overmeire Roel
Published: October 2020

A recent study published in the Journal of Traumatic Stress demonstrated that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) rates in Ireland are as high as 17.7% and that this could be related to the COVID‐19 pandemic (Karatzias et al., 2020). However, this number is probably skewed, as the fundamental requirement for a PTSD diagnosis—namely, a life‐threatening or severely stressful event—was not fulfilled. In this comment, the consideration of COVID‐19–related PTSD to represent a diagnosis is questioned based on the definitions of PTSD in the ICD‐11 and DSM‐5.
Upper Lip Tie: Anatomy, Effect on Breastfeeding, and Correlation With Ankyloglossia
Authors: Shah Shalini , Allen Paul , Walker Ryan , Rosen‐Carole Casey , McKenna Benoit Margo K.
Published: October 2020

Objectives

There is debate among otolaryngologists and other practitioners about whether upper lip tie contributes to difficulty with breastfeeding and whether upper lip tie and ankyloglossia are linked. Our objectives were to evaluate the anatomy of the upper lip (maxillary) frenulum, to determine if the visual anatomy of the upper lip has an effect on breastfeeding, and to determine whether the occurrence of lip tie and tongue tie are correlated.

Methods

A prospective cohort study of 100 healthy newborns was examined between day of life 3–7. Surveys were completed by the mother at the time of the initial exam and 2 weeks later. The maxillary frenulum was graded based on the Stanford and Kotlow classifications by two independent reviewers. Inter‐rater reliability and relationships between tongue tie, lip tie, and the infant breastfeeding assessment tool (IBFAT) were calculated.

Results

Inter‐rater reliability showed fair agreement (κ = 0.302) using the Kotlow scale and better agreement using the Stanford classification (κ = 0.458). There was no correlation between the upper lip tie classification and breastfeeding success score. Lastly, there was a modest inverse correlation in the degree of tethering for the tongue and lip.

Conclusions

There was no correlation between maxillary frenulum grade and comfort with breastfeeding, pain scores, or latch. There was also no relationship between tip to frenulum length (tongue tie) and visualized lip anatomy, suggesting that tongue tie and lip tie may not cluster together in infants.

Level of Evidence

2 Laryngoscope, 131:E1701–E1706, 2021
A novel platform for monitoring gelatinous mesozooplankton: The high‐speed Gulf VII sampler quantifies gelatinous mesozooplankton similar to a ring net
Authors: Long Aidan P. , O'Donnell Ciaran , Haberlin Damien , Lawton Colin , Doyle Thomas K.
Published: October 2020

Our understanding of the distribution and abundance of gelatinous mesozooplankton (0.2–20 mm) has been largely determined from the deployment of net sampling devices. Although zooplankton nets have been shown to underrepresent the abundance of certain gelatinous taxa in comparison to data from optical systems, nets still provide relative abundances for gelatinous zooplankton. A potential source of standardized, long‐term, and broad‐scale data for the relative abundance and distribution of gelatinous mesozooplankton is from fisheries monitoring programs which use zooplankton samplers such as the high‐speed Gulf VII sampler to capture fish eggs and larvae in shelf and offshore waters. To evaluate the use of the Gulf VII sampler as a source of gelatinous mesozooplankton data, this study collected zooplankton samples using both a Gulf VII sampler and a vertical ring net at 15 stations off the northwest Irish and Scottish coasts in July 2017. The difference in the estimates of gelatinous mesozooplankton abundance and taxon richness of the Gulf VII and the ring net samples were not significant (mean abundance: Gulf VII = 135.7 ± 79.7 ind. m−3, ring net = 149.7 ± 66.5 ind. m−3; taxon richness: Gulf VII = 15.2 ± 2.4, ring net = 15.4 ± 2.5), although the Gulf VII underestimated the abundance of the appendicularian Oikopleura sp. by a factor of 9.7 when compared to the ring net. Our findings describe how added value can be provided to already existing zooplankton monitoring programs while enhancing the temporal and spatial coverage of data available for gelatinous mesozooplankton.
Utility of Imaging of Nigrosome‐1 on 3T MRI and Its Comparison with 18F‐DOPA PET in the Diagnosis of Idiopathic Parkinson Disease and Atypical Parkinsonism
Authors: Kathuria Heena , Mehta Sahil , Ahuja Chirag K. , Chakravarty Kamalesh , Ray Sucharita , Mittal Bhagwant Rai , Singh Paramjeet , Lal Vivek
Published: October 2020

Background

Loss of nigrosome‐1 on 3T and 7T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a recently explored imaging biomarker in the diagnosis of neurodegenerative parkinsonism.

Objectives

This study was undertaken to evaluate the utility of imaging of nigrosome in the diagnosis of neurodegenerative parkinsonism on 3T MRI.

Methods

An institution‐based prospective case–control study was conducted at a tertiary care center in North India. 3T venous blood oxygen level‐dependent (VenoBOLD) and high‐resolution susceptibility‐weighted imaging (SWI) imaging sequences in MRI were performed in 100 patients with parkinsonism (56 with idiopathic Parkinson's disease [IPD], 30 with young onset Parkinson's disease [YOPD], 12 with progressive supranuclear palsy, and 2 patients with multiple system atrophy) and 15 controls. Grading of nigrosome was done in both the sequences. Each patient underwent 18F‐DOPA positron emission tomography (PET), detailed neurological examination including Hoen and Yahr (H&Y) staging and Movement Disorder Society‐Sponsored Revision of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS‐UPDRS) scoring.

Results

The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of the detection of loss of nigrosome‐1 on VenoBOLD and SWI sequence at 3T MR imaging were 90% and 66.7% and 94% and 80%, respectively. A weak negative correlation was found between the grading of the nigrosome and clinical parameters (H&Y and UPDRS III). There was no correlation between the side of nigrosome loss and clinical asymmetry. However, nigrosome imaging was not able to differentiate between Parkinson's disease and atypical parkinsonism.

Conclusions

The loss of nigrosome‐1 on 3T MRI on SWI and VenoBOLD sequences may serve as a potential imaging marker in the diagnosis of degenerative parkinsonian syndromes. However, it cannot differentiate between idiopathic Parkinson's disease and atypical parkinsonian syndromes.
Technical Note: On the spatial correlation between robust CT‐ventilation methods and SPECT ventilation
Authors: Castillo Edward , Castillo Richard , Vinogradskiy Yevgeniy , Nair Girish , Grills Inga , Guerrero Thomas , Stevens Craig
Published: October 2020

Purpose

The computed tomography (CT)‐derived ventilation imaging methodology employs deformable image registration (DIR) to recover respiratory motion‐induced volume changes from an inhale/exhale CT image pair, as a surrogate for ventilation. The Integrated Jacobian Formulation (IJF) and Mass Conserving Volume Change (MCVC) numerical methods for volume change estimation represent two classes of ventilation methods, namely transformation based and intensity (Hounsfield Unit) based, respectively. Both the IJF and MCVC methods utilize subregional volume change measurements that satisfy a specified uncertainty tolerance. In previous publications, the ventilation images resulting from this numerical strategy demonstrated robustness to DIR variations. However, the reduced measurement uncertainty comes at the expense of measurement resolution. The purpose of this study was to examine the spatial correlation between robust CT‐ventilation images and single photon emission CT‐ventilation (SPECT‐V).

Methods

Previously described implementations of IJF and MCVC require the solution of a large scale, constrained linear least squares problem defined by a series of robust subregional volume change measurements. We introduce a simpler parameterized implementation that reduces the number of unknowns while increasing the number of data points in the resulting least squares problem. A parameter sweep of the measurement uncertainty tolerance, , was conducted using the 4DCT and SPECT‐V images acquired for 15 non‐small cell lung cancer patients prior to radiotherapy. For each test case, MCVC and IJF CT‐ventilation images were created for 30 different uncertainty parameter values, uniformly sampled from the range . Voxel‐wise Spearman correlation between the SPECT‐V and the resulting CT‐ventilation images was computed.

Results

The median correlations between MCVC and SPECT‐V ranged from 0.20 to 0.48 across the parameter sweep, while the median correlations for IJF and SPECT‐V ranged between 0.79 and 0.82. For the optimal IJF tolerance , the IJF and SPECT‐V correlations across all 15 test cases ranged between 0.12 and 0.90. For the optimal MCVC tolerance , the MCVC and SPECT‐V correlations across all 15 test cases ranged between −0.06 and 0.84.

Conclusion

The reported correlations indicate that robust methods generate ventilation images that are spatially consistent with SPECT‐V, with the transformation‐based IJF method yielding higher correlations than those previously reported in the literature. For both methods, overall correlations were found to marginally vary for , indicating that the clinical utility of both methods is robust to both uncertainty tolerance and DIR solution.
Analysis and efficient implementation of alternating direction implicit finite volume method for Riesz space‐fractional diffusion equations in two space dimensions
Authors: Liu Huan , Zheng Xiangcheng , Fu Hongfei , Wang Hong
Published: October 2020

In this article, we develop a Crank–Nicolson alternating direction implicit finite volume method for time‐dependent Riesz space‐fractional diffusion equation in two space dimensions. Norm‐based stability and convergence analysis are given to show that the developed method is unconditionally stable and of second‐order accuracy both in space and time. Furthermore, we develop a lossless matrix‐free fast conjugate gradient method for the implementation of the numerical scheme, which only has memory requirement and computational complexity per iteration with N being the total number of spatial unknowns. Several numerical experiments are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed scheme for large‐scale modeling and simulations.