bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterization and bioremediation potential of nickel-resistant endophytic bacteria isolated from the wetland plant Tamarix chinensis
Authors: Chen Jun , Li Na , Han Sheng , Sun Yuankai , Wang Lili , Qu Zhili , Dai Meixue , Zhao Guoyan
Published: June 2020

Wetlands have been proposed as a sink for pollutants such as heavy metals. Wetland plants play a significant role in the phytoremediation of heavy metals. Here, we isolated and characterized three novel nickel (Ni)-resistant endophytic bacteria (NiEB) from the wetland plant Tamarix chinensis. The NiEB were identified as Stenotrophomonas sp. S20, Pseudomonas sp. P21 and Sphingobium sp. S42. All isolates tolerated 50 mg L−1 Ni, with isolates S20 and P21 being more tolerant to Ni at up to 400 mg L−1. Moreover, isolate S42 removed 33.7% of nickel sulfate from the water by forming white precipitates. The three isolates exhibited different plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits related to the production of indole acetic acid (IAA), siderophores and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase. Phytotoxicity studies revealed that the growth of the wetland plants in a high Ni concentration (200 mg L−1) recovered after co-incubation with isolate S42. Overall, this study presents the first report of NiEB isolation from wetland plants and provides novel insights into the diverse functions of endophytic bacteria in a plant host with the potential to improve Ni phytoremediation.
The Cultural History of Capitalism in France (With a Chicago touch)
Authors: Sewell William H
Published: June 2020

This is a commentary on articles by Oliver Cussen, Tyson Leuchter, Elizabeth Heath and Thomas Dodman, all of whom were University of Chicago PhD students in the 2000s or the 2010s. The articles partake of the currently rising general interest in the history of capitalism, but all examine capitalism less as an economic system than as a mode of life that generates and must be understood through cultural forms. I argue that all four of these contributions can be interpreted as either arguing directly or implying that behind the overt activities and rhythms of capitalist socio-cultural life one can find deeper and more abstract capitalist processes that usually escape the notice of but help to form the consciousness of the social actors.
Bioentity2vec: Attribute- and behavior-driven representation for predicting multi-type relationships between bioentities
Authors: Guo Zhen-Hao , You Zhu-Hong , Wang Yan-Bin , Huang De-Shuang , Yi Hai-Cheng , Chen Zhan-Heng
Published: June 2020

Background

The explosive growth of genomic, chemical, and pathological data provides new opportunities and challenges for humans to thoroughly understand life activities in cells. However, there exist few computational models that aggregate various bioentities to comprehensively reveal the physical and functional landscape of biological systems.

Results

We constructed a molecular association network, which contains 18 edges (relationships) between 8 nodes (bioentities). Based on this, we propose Bioentity2vec, a new method for representing bioentities, which integrates information about the attributes and behaviors of a bioentity. Applying the random forest classifier, we achieved promising performance on 18 relationships, with an area under the curve of 0.9608 and an area under the precision-recall curve of 0.9572.

Conclusions

Our study shows that constructing a network with rich topological and biological information is important for systematic understanding of the biological landscape at the molecular level. Our results show that Bioentity2vec can effectively represent biological entities and provides easily distinguishable information about classification tasks. Our method is also able to simultaneously predict relationships between single types and multiple types, which will accelerate progress in biological experimental research and industrial product development.
Interferon-β-1a Inhibition of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome–Coronavirus 2 In Vitro When Administered After Virus Infection
Authors: Clementi Nicola , Ferrarese Roberto , Criscuolo Elena , Diotti Roberta Antonia , Castelli Matteo , Scagnolari Carolina , Burioni Roberto , Antonelli Guido , Clementi Massimo , Mancini Nicasio
Published: June 2020

The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has forced the clinical and scientific community to try drug repurposing of existing antiviral agents as a quick option against severe acute respiratory syndrome–coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Under this scenario, interferon (IFN) β-1a, whose antiviral potential is already known, and which is a drug currently used in the clinical management of multiple sclerosis, may represent as a potential candidate. In this report, we demonstrate that IFN-β-1a was highly effective in inhibiting in vitro SARS-CoV-2 replication at clinically achievable concentration when administered after virus infection.
Nepantla Environmentalism: Challenging Dominant Frameworks for Green Religion
Authors: Baugh Amanda J
Published: June 2020

Scholarship on religious environmentalism and green religion in the United States has privileged the actions of progressive white activists who view nature through an Enlightenment framework. In response to a call in the 2015 JAAR’s roundtable on climate destabilization and religion to engage in discourse about “the myriad causes and myriad possible solutions to our environmental crisis,” this article examines religious environmentalism from a nondominant perspective. Based on ethnographic research among Latinx churchgoing Catholics in Los Angeles, I have identified a widespread ethic of living lightly on the earth, which I call nepantla environmentalism. It is grounded in an immanent, relational worldview in which God is present in the material and the human-nature boundary is porous. A focus on nepantla environmentalism calls attention to the raced and classed biases embedded in dominant understandings of green religion in the United States. It demonstrates that there are different ways of being a religious environmentalist.
Stimulant Abuse in Burn Patients Is Associated With an Increased Use of Hospital Resources
Authors: Hulsebos Ian F , Pham Christopher H , Collier Zachary J , Fang Mike , Vrouwe Sebastian Q , Sugiyama Akihiro , Yenikomshian Haig A , Garner Warren L , Gillenwater Justin
Published: June 2020

Stimulant (cocaine, methamphetamine, and amphetamine) abuse compromises the peripheral vasculature through endothelial injury. In combination with the physiologic derangements seen in burn injuries, patients abusing stimulants may have additional impairments in wound healing. A retrospective review from July 1, 2015 to July 1, 2018 was performed at an American Burn Association-verified burn center. Patients with positive urine toxicology results for stimulants (ST(+)), and those without (ST(−)), who sustained burn injuries were identified and matched by age and TBSA. The primary outcome was mortality, and secondary outcomes included total length of stay (LOS), and need-for-surgery (grafting). In total, 130 patients ST(+) and 133 ST(−) patients were identified. There were no significant differences in age (40.9 ± 13.5 vs 39.2 ± 23.7 years, P = 0.46), Inhalation Injury (12.3 vs 9.0%, P = 0.39), or nutritional status (prealbumin: 17.3 ± 6.1 vs 17.1 ± 12.7 mg/dl, P = 0.66; albumin: 3.5 ± 0.6 vs 3.6 ± 0.7 g/dl, P = 0.45). There were no differences in mortality (6.1 vs 4.5%, P = 0.55), intensive care unit LOS (9.3 ± 16.5 vs 10.2 ± 20.9 days, P = 0.81), wound infections (15.4 vs 23.9%, P = 0.07), or wound conversion (6.9 vs 3.0%, P = 0.14). ST(+) patients had a significantly longer LOS (15.0 ± 16.9 vs 10.7 ± 17.3 days, P = 0.04), greater tobacco use (56.9 vs 18.0%, P = 0.00001), and greater need for grafting (54.6 vs 33.1%, P = 0.0004). ST(+) patients require more hospital resources—surgical operations and hospital days—than ST(−) patients. The increased need for surgical intervention may partially explain the increase in hospital days, in addition to the observation that ST(+) patients had more complex disposition issues than ST(−) patients.
The Influence of Disease Cues on Preference for Typical versus Atypical Products
Authors: Huang Yunhui , Sengupta Jaideep
Published: June 2020

This article examines how exposure to disease-related cues influences consumers’ preference for typical (vs. atypical) product options. Merging insights from evolutionary psychology with research on preference for typicality in consumer products, we predict that disease salience decreases relative preference for typical versus atypical options, because typical products are implicitly associated with many people, misaligning them with the people-avoidance motive triggered by disease cues. We further build on this conceptualization to identify situations in which this preference shift might be eliminated. Specifically, we argue that the focal effect will not manifest when the disease in question is explicitly described to be noncontagious, or when an anti-infection intervention is introduced, or when the decision context involves minimum infection. Results from six studies provide support for our predictions, advancing basic knowledge on the evolutionary strategies guiding disease avoidance, while also documenting how such strategies can affect consumer preferences.
Choosing Ethnicity: The Interplay Between Individual and Social Motives
Authors: Jia Ruixue , Persson Torsten
Published: June 2020

This paper studies how material incentives and social norms shape ethnic identity choices in China. Provincial policies give material benefits to minorities, which consequently affect the ethnicity choices for children in ethnically mixed marriages. We formalize the ethnic identity choice in a simple framework, which highlights the interaction of (i) material benefits stemming from ethnic policies, (ii) identity costs associated with breaking the norm of following the father’s ethnicity, and (iii) social reputations altering the importance of identity costs. Consistent with the model, we find that ethnic policies increase the propensity to break the prevailing norm for mixed families with minority mothers. Moreover, the impact of ethnic policies is larger in localities where more such families follow the norm. More broadly, our study shows (1) how government policies can shape identity choices and (2) how one can allow for both complementarity and substitutability between individual and social motives in empirical analyses.
Developmental and functional heterogeneity of thermogenic adipose tissue
Authors: Ruan Hai-Bin
Published: June 2020

The obesity epidemic continues to rise as a global health challenge. Thermogenic brown and beige adipocytes dissipate chemical energy as heat, providing an opportunity for developing new therapeutics for obesity and related metabolic diseases. Anatomically, brown adipose tissue is distributed as discrete depots, while beige adipocytes exist within certain depots of white adipose tissue. Developmentally, brown and beige adipocytes arise from multiple embryonic progenitor populations that are distinct and overlapping. Functionally, they respond to a plethora of stimuli to engage uncoupling protein 1-dependent and independent thermogenic programs, thus improving systemic glucose homeostasis, lipid metabolism, and the clearance of branched-chain amino acids. In this review, we highlight recent advances in our understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms that contribute to the developmental and functional heterogeneity of thermogenic adipose tissue.
Spatial-Temporal Analysis ofLutzomyia trapidoiandLutzomyia reburra(Diptera: Phlebotominae), in Rural Tourist Locations, Biosphere Reserve and Leishmaniasis Endemic Area, Ecuador
Authors: Duque Paul L , Arrivillaga-Henríquez Jazzmín , Enríquez Sandra , Ron-Garrido Lenin , Benítez Washington , Navarro Juan-Carlos
Published: June 2020

This research represents the first attempt to assess the spatial and temporal distribution based on micro-meso scales on two species with different host preference habits (anthropophilic vs zoophilic), in the major Leishmaniasis endemic area in Ecuador, tourist locations, and Biosphere reserve. Phlebotomine species, Lutzomyia trapidoi (Fairchild) and Lutzomyia reburra (Fairchild and Hertig), were analyzed by trap/habitat/month/locality/altitude, through the Poisson generalized regression model. Our data reveal a bimodal pattern for both species related with low precipitations and preference for forest habitat. Altitude, proximity to the forest, and the river were the variables that determine the hypervolume of the spatial distribution of relative abundance, where the overlap of these two species increases the risk of translocation and circulation of the etiological agent of leishmaniasis in sylvatic environments to rural–tourist–biosphere reserve areas and vice versa. The ecological characteristics of these two phlebotomines could explain the permanence of the major active and endemic focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the North-Western Ecuador a key aspect in tourism health-security in alternative tourism.
Flesh Flies (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) Attracted to a Snake Carcass (Boa constrictor) in Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
Authors: Andrade-Herrera Kepler N , Mello-Patiu Cátia A , Núñez-Vázquez Carolina , Estrella Erendira
Published: June 2020

A study was carried out to determine Sarcophagidae diversity attracted to the different stages of decomposition of a Boa constrictor cadaver during late winter in the Yucatan Peninsula. As a result of this study, seven species of Sarcophagidae were documented, Oxysarcodexia conclausa (Walker, 1861) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), Peckia (Euboettcheria) volucris (Wulp, 1895) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), Blaesoxipha (Gigantotheca) plinthopyga (Wiedemann, 1830) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), Oxysarcodexia amorosa (Schiner, 1868) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), Ravinia derelicta (Walker, 1853) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), Ravinia effrenata (Walker, 1861) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), and Titanogrypa (Cucullomyia) placida (Aldrich, 1925) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), The last five species listed are the first documentation of their presence in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. Sarcophagids were present throughout the decomposition process; however, the greatest abundance and diversity of this family were present during the advanced decay stage. This is the first work on flesh flies in the region and the first in the country that has focused on wildlife.
Changes in Black-White Difference in Lung Cancer Incidence among Young Adults
Authors: Jemal Ahmedin , Miller Kimberly D , Sauer Ann Goding , Bandi Priti , Fidler-Benaoudia Miranda M , Culp MaryBeth , Islami Farhad , Fedewa Stacey A , Ma Jiemin
Published: June 2020

Background

We previously reported that lung cancer incidence between Blacks and Whites younger than 40 years of age converged in women and approached convergence in men. Whether this pattern has continued in contemporary young birth cohorts is unclear.

Methods

We examined 5-year age-specific lung cancer incidence in Blacks and Whites younger than 55 years of age by sex and calculated the Black-to-White incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and smoking prevalence ratios by birth cohort using nationwide incidence data from 1997 to 2016 and smoking data from 1970 to 2016 from the National Health Interview Survey.

Results

Five-year age-specific incidence decreased in successive Black and White men born since circa 1947 and women born since circa 1957, with the declines steeper in Blacks than Whites. Consequently, the Black-to-White IRRs became unity in men born 1967-1972 and reversed in women born since circa 1967. For example, the Black-to-White IRRs in ages 40-44 years born between 1957 and 1972 declined from 1.92 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.82 to 2.03) to 1.03 (95% CI = 0.93 to 1.13) in men and from 1.32 (95% CI = 1.24 to 1.40) to 0.71 (95% CI = 0.64 to 0.78) in women. Similarly, the historically higher sex-specific smoking prevalence in Blacks than Whites disappeared in men and reversed in women born since circa 1965. The exception to these patterns is that the incidence became higher in Black men than White men born circa 1977-1982.

Conclusions

The historically higher lung cancer incidence in young Blacks than young Whites in the United States has disappeared in men and reversed in women, coinciding with smoking patterns, though incidence again became higher in Black men than White men born circa 1977-1982.
A creeping holiday souvenir: about a misleading case of hookworm folliculitis†
Authors: Matthews Marine , Vanlier Corentine , de Montjoye Laurence , Baeck Marie
Published: June 2020

Hookworm-related cutaneous larva migrans occurs in endemic areas but also amongst travelers. Although this disease usually presents as a single pruritic raised erythematous track, misleading clinical presentations are not uncommon. This particularly extensive, follicular presentation of larva migrans should warn clinicians about atypical forms of this emerging tropical disease.
Spatiotemporal co-occurrence and overlap of two sympatric mongoose species in an urban environment
Authors: Cronk Nadine Elizabeth , Pillay Neville
Published: June 2020

Small carnivores are becoming increasingly common in urban areas. What has received less attention is whether and how resource partitioning among sympatric species in urban areas facilitates their coexistence. We examined the spatial, temporal and combined spatiotemporal occurrence and overlap of co-existing yellow mongoose Cynictis penicillata and slender mongoose Galerella sanguinea in an urban estate in South Africa. The reserve comprised two parts, an Eco-Estate where human residential and natural areas are interspersed and wildlife has greater contact with people, and a Nature Estate, where contact is reduced by palisade fencing between people and natural areas. Using photographic data from camera traps collected over 11 consecutive months, we found a moderate level of spatial overlap between the mongoose species. Differences between the species occurred at a finer habitat scale: yellow mongooses were more common in open habitats located near human residents whereas the slender mongooses were more common in covered areas further away from human residents. The detection probability of the yellow mongoose, however, was greater than that of the slender mongoose, and the occupancy probability of the slender mongoose was reduced in the presence of the yellow mongoose. Although both species demonstrated bimodal diurnal peaks in activity, they varied in their active periods, with temporal overlap being greater during colder than warmer months. No complete spatiotemporal overlap (occurrence in the same place at the same time/within a 10-min period) occurred. This may have been as a result of the difference in detection and occupancy probabilities of the two species. Resource availability (food), however, appears to influence the different habitat selection, space use, and activity patterns of yellow and slender mongoose in the study area. Therefore, we conclude that partitioning along the spatial and somewhat on the temporal dimensions aids in the coexistence of these mongoose species in an urban environment.
Cookbook Writers and Recipe Readers: Georgiana Hill, Isabella Beeton and Victorian Domesticity
Authors: Rich Rachel
Published: June 2020

This article examines female-authored cookbooks in the 1860s, focusing in particular on the little-known work of Georgiana Hill, and the famous life of Isabella Beeton and her Book of Household Management. Looking at the state of cookbook publishing in the 1860s, and considering both the tone and content of these publications, the author argues that taking Hill’s authorial voice into account can enhance our understanding of how women operated in the highly competitive cookbook market. Hill’s and Beeton’s work, alongside that of Eliza Acton and numerous lesser-known cookery writers, suggests ways in which authors were conscious of addressing multiple audiences, including mistresses and servants, and both confident and incompetent cooks. At the same time, the frequent appearance of both European and Indian recipes suggests that the middle-class cookbook market made assumptions about the sophistication and cosmopolitanism of the domestic dinner table. The article goes on to investigate Hill’s biography, and her navigation of the publishing industry, analysing in particular the archives of George Routledge and Co., in order to argue that even while it offered female cookery writers the opportunity to capitalize on their expertise, this was still an industry in which it was difficult for a woman to be fairly rewarded for her work.
Strategies to balance energy security, business, trade and sustainable development: selected case studies†
Authors: Farah Paolo Davide
Published: June 2020

Energy is pivotal for socio-economic and cultural development. Last century witnessed a drastic increase, on one hand on the consumption of energy and, on the other on greenhouse gases emissions. Traditionally, energy security has been linked with the need to guarantee supply and, in turn, enables economic growth. Against this background, countries focused on diversifying both energy sources and trade partners while at the same time increasing investment in energy infrastructure and technology. Investment in low-carbon energy sources for enhancing national energy policies prompts for a new understanding of energy security. The aim is, in fact, not anymore limited to securing provision but also to strengthen diversification and counteract the negative effects of energy consumption on the environment. The need to include a sustainability component to energy in trade, business and in the society at large, is adding a further layer of complexity in shaping national and international energy policy. Strategies to balance energy security, business, trade, and sustainable development are urgently needed in the Anthropocene. Creative and innovative approaches to energy policy could be found in countries where energy consumption is on a steady rise and environmental degradation is crystal clear.
A twist on the reaction of the CN radical with methylamine in the interstellar medium: new hints from a state-of-the-art quantum-chemical study
Authors: Puzzarini Cristina , Salta Zoi , Tasinato Nicola , Lupi Jacopo , Cavallotti Carlo , Barone Vincenzo
Published: June 2020

Despite the fact that the majority of current models assume that interstellar complex organic molecules (iCOMs) are formed on dust–grain surfaces, there is some evidence that neutral gas-phase reactions play an important role. In this paper, we investigate the reaction occurring in the gas phase between methylamine (CH3NH2) and the cyano (CN) radical, for which only fragmentary and/or inaccurate results have been reported to date. This case study allows us to point out the pivotal importance of employing quantum-chemical calculations at the state of the art. Since the two major products of the CH3NH2 + CN reaction, namely the CH3NH and CH2NH2 radicals, have not been spectroscopically characterized yet, some effort has been made for filling this gap.
Lithium and beryllium in the Gaia-Enceladus galaxy
Authors: Molaro P , Cescutti G , Fu X
Published: June 2020

Data from Gaia DR2 and The Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment surveys revealed a relatively new component in the inner Galactic halo, which is likely the dynamical remnant of a disrupted dwarf galaxy named Gaia-Enceladus that collided with the Milky Way about 10 Gyr ago. This merging event offers an extraordinary opportunity to study chemical abundances of elements in a dwarf galaxy, since they are generally hampered in external galaxies. Here, we focus on 7Li and 9Be in dwarf stars that are out of reach even in Local Group galaxies. Searching in GALAH, Gaia-ESO survey and in literature, we found several existing 7Li abundance determinations of stars belonging to the Gaia-Enceladus galaxy. The 7Li abundances of stars at the low metallicity end overlap with those of the Galactic halo. These are effective extragalactic 7Li measurements, which suggest that the 7Li Spite plateau is universal, as is the cosmological 7Li problem. We found a 7Li-rich giant out of 101 stars, which suggests a small percentage similar to that of the Milky Way. We also collect 9Be abundance for a subsample of 25 Gaia-Enceladus stars from literature. Their abundances share the Galactic [Be/H] values at the low metallicity end but grow slower with [Fe/H] and show a reduced dispersion. This suggests that the scatter observed in the Milky Way could reflect the different 9Be evolution patterns of different stellar components that are mixed-up in the Galactic halo.
Perturbation Maps and the ring of Haumea
Authors: Sanchez Diogo M , Deienno Rogerio , Prado Antonio F B A , Howell Kathleen C
Published: June 2020

The dwarf planet Haumea is a trans-Neptunian object that is orbited by two moons and has a recently discovered ring. The particles of this ring are near the 3:1 resonance between the spin of Haumea and the orbital motion of the particles. In this work, the ring of Haumea is investigated using Perturbation Maps. These maps show the behaviour and impact of perturbations acting over particles around Haumea. The information coming from the maps depends on the integral type for the disturbing acceleration used to build the maps. The types II and IV are used. The numerical simulations are focused in the region between 2000 and 2500 km from the centre of Haumea, which is the region where the ring was observed, considering two initial values for the 3:1 resonant angle: θres = 0° and θres = 270°. The possible stable region for the initial angle θres = 0° is larger than the stable region for the initial angle θres = 270°. Furthermore, we found that these stable regions are not continuous, indicating that there are possible gaps in the ring. Therefore, our results suggest that Haumea may not have only one single ring, but a system of rings instead. Possible transit of the particles between the ring and the region close to the orbit of Namaka is also shown.
deepSIP: linking Type Ia supernova spectra to photometric quantities with deep learning
Authors: Stahl Benjamin E , Martínez-Palomera Jorge , Zheng WeiKang , de Jaeger Thomas , Filippenko Alexei V , Bloom Joshua S
Published: June 2020

We present deepSIP (deep learning of Supernova Ia Parameters), a software package for measuring the phase and – for the first time using deep learning – the light-curve shape of a Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) from an optical spectrum. At its core, deepSIP consists of three convolutional neural networks trained on a substantial fraction of all publicly available low-redshift SN Ia optical spectra, on to which we have carefully coupled photometrically derived quantities. We describe the accumulation of our spectroscopic and photometric data sets, the cuts taken to ensure quality, and our standardized technique for fitting light curves. These considerations yield a compilation of 2754 spectra with photometrically characterized phases and light-curve shapes. Though such a sample is significant in the SN community, it is small by deep-learning standards where networks routinely have millions or even billions of free parameters. We therefore introduce a data-augmentation strategy that meaningfully increases the size of the subset we allocate for training while prioritizing model robustness and telescope agnosticism. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our models by deploying them on a sample unseen during training and hyperparameter selection, finding that Model I identifies spectra that have a phase between −10 and 18 d and light-curve shape, parametrized by Δm15, between 0.85 and 1.55 mag with an accuracy of 94.6 per cent. For those spectra that do fall within the aforementioned region in phase–Δm15 space, Model II predicts phases with a root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 1.00 d and Model III predicts Δm15 values with an RMSE of 0.068 mag.
Promoted mass growth of multiple, distant giant planets through pebble accretion and planet–planet collision
Authors: Wimarsson John , Liu Beibei , Ogihara Masahiro
Published: June 2020

We propose a pebble-driven planet formation scenario to form giant planets with high multiplicity and large orbital distances in the early gas disc phase. We perform N-body simulations to investigate the growth and migration of low-mass protoplanets in the disc with inner viscously heated and outer stellar irradiated regions. The key feature of this model is that the giant planet cores grow rapidly by a combination of pebble accretion and planet–planet collisions. This consequently speeds up their gas accretion. Because of efficient growth, the planet transitions from rapid type I migration to slow type II migration early, reducing the inward migration substantially. Multiple giant planets can sequentially form in this way with increasing semimajor axes. Both mass growth and orbital retention are more pronounced when a large number of protoplanets are taken into account compared to the case of single planet growth. Eventually, a few numbers of giant planets form with orbital distances of a few to a few tens of aus within 1.5–3 Myr after the birth of the protoplanets. The resulting simulated planet populations could be linked to the substructures exhibited in disc observations as well as large orbital distance exoplanets observed in radial velocity and microlensing surveys.
BHLHE40 plays a pathological role in pre-eclampsia through upregulating SNX16 by transcriptional inhibition of miR-196a-5p
Authors: Mi Chunmei , Ye Bin , Gao Zhou , Du Jinzhi , Li Ruizhen , Huang Dong
Published: June 2020

Pre-eclampsia (PE), which results from abnormal placentation, is a primary cause of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. However, the causes of abnormal development of the placenta remain poorly understood. BHLHE40 is a transcriptional repressor in response to hypoxia. Bioinformatics analysis demonstrated that BHLHE40 negatively regulates miR-196a-5p expression, which may decrease miR-196a-5p to target SNX16. Since SNX16 exerts an inhibitory effect on cell migration, it may disrupt trophoblast cell migration in placentation. Therefore, the objective of this study was to explore a possible role of the BHLHE40/miR-196a-5p/SNX16 axis in PE pathogenesis. BHLHE40, miR-196a-5p and SNX16 mRNA and/or protein levels were detected in PE and normal placenta tissues. PE models in vitro and in vivo were constructed by culturing trophoblasts under hypoxia and reducing the uterine perfusion pressure in pregnant C57/BL6N mice, respectively. BHLHE40 and SNX16 were upregulated in PE placenta, while miR-196a-5p was downregulated. Knockdown of BHLHE40 reversed miR-196a-5p expression in trophoblasts under hypoxia, and upregulation of miR-196a-5p inhibited SNX16 expression. As indicated by ChIP assay, BHLHE40 bound to the promoter of the miR-196a-5p gene; luciferase reporter analysis showed that miR-196a-5p could bind to the 3ʹ-untranslated region of SNX16 mRNA. Knockdown of either BHLHE40 or SNX16, or an increase in miR-196a-5p, restored cell viability, migration, invasion and matrix metalloprotein (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 expression under hypoxia. BHLHE40 knockdown also alleviated PE symptoms in pregnant C57/BL6N mice. This study supports involvement of the BHLHE40/miR-196a-5p/SNX16 axis in PE pathogenesis; Proper adjustment of the BHLHE40/miR-196a-5p/SNX16 axis is able to attenuate PE symptoms.
Harnessing the gut microbiota to promote metabolic health
Authors: Zmora Niv
Published: June 2020

Precision medicine has become the mainstay of modern therapeutics, especially for neoplastic disease, but this paradigm does not commonly prevail in dietary planning. Compelling evidence suggests that individual features, including the structure and function of the gut microbiota, contribute to harvesting and metabolizing energy from food, and thereby modulate the host metabolic phenotype and glucose homeostasis. Here, the concept of precision to dietary planning is highlighted by demonstrating the role of the microbiota in glucose intolerance in response to noncaloric artificial sweeteners, and by linking the microbiota and other host features to postprandial increases in blood glucose. These findings highlight the heterogeneity that exists among humans, which translates into divergent metabolic responses to similar food and warrants the adoption of next-generation sequencing technologies and advanced bioinformatics to revolutionize nutrition studies, laying the groundwork for an individually focused tailor-made practice.
Congenital extracardiac venous system anomaly in two siblings with normal karyotype and increased nuchal translucency thickness: a case report
Authors: Takahashi Yuko , Nagamatsu Takeshi , Fujii Tatsuya , Hashimoto Ayako , Sayama Seisuke , Seyama Takahiro , Iriyama Takayuki , Kumasawa Keiichi , Osuga Yutaka , Fujii Tomoyuki
Published: June 2020

Previous studies have reported that congenital heart diseases (CHDs) develop in patients with genetic and environmental predisposition. Compared to CHDs, the significance of hereditary factors in the pathogenesis of congenital venous system anomalies remains unclear. Additionally, reports describing the pathogenic relationship between venous system anomalies and increased nuchal translucency (NT) are few. We report sibling recurrence of congenital venous system anomalies. In the prenatal periods of both siblings, increased NT without aneuploidy was confirmed. In the first sibling, the absence of ductus venosus (ADV) and umbilical vein-coronary sinus anastomosis was detected using prenatal ultrasonography. In the second sibling, abnormality of the pulmonary vein was suspected prenatally, leading to a final diagnosis of infracardiac total anomalous pulmonary venous return (TAPVR). This is the first report of extracardiac venous anomaly-associated recurrence of increased NT among siblings. We conclude that a hereditary factor may be responsible for the development of ADV and TAPVR.
Educational case: a patient with proteinuria
Authors: Kassam Christopher N , Yiu Vivian W M , Griffiths Meryl H , Petchey William G
Published: June 2020

This is an educational case suitable for all readers, but aimed particularly at trainees preparing for MRCP. Using the example of a patient presenting to clinic with proteinuria, aspects of differential diagnosis, pathology and management are explored.
Masseter-to-Facial Cranial Nerve Anastomosis: A Report of 30 Cases
Authors: Zotov Alexander V , Rzaev Jamil A , Chernov Sergey V , Dmitriev Alexander B , Kalinovsky Anton V , Spallone Aldo
Published: June 2020

BACKGROUND

Facial nerve paralysis (FP) is a possible complication of cerebellopontine angle tumor surgery. Several donor nerves have been used in the past for facial reanimation. We report the results of 30 cases of masseter-to-facial anastomosis.

OBJECTIVE

To prospectively evaluate the efficacy of V to VII anastomosis after FP.

METHODS

In a prospective study, we included 30 consecutive patients with FP (20 women and 10 men) whose mean age was 48.8 yr (32-76 yr). In almost all cases, FP developed after cerebellopontine angle tumor surgery (29 patients), whereas in one case, FP occurred after skull base trauma. Pre- and postoperative evaluation of facial nerve function was performed using the House-Brackmann (HB) scale and the Sokolovsky scale, as well as by electromyography. Follow-up ranged from 11 to 51 mo and averaged 22 mo.

RESULTS

All patients achieved functional recovery of the facial nerve from VI to either III or IV HB degree. Patients with short time FP showed significantly better postoperative recovery.

CONCLUSION

The results of the V to VII anastomosis demonstrate a significant improvement of facial nerve function and virtually no complications.
Endoscopic Endonasal Resection—Olfactory Groove Meningioma: 2-Dimensional Operative Video
Authors: Champagne Pierre-Olivier , Snyderman Carl H , Gardner Paul A
Published: June 2020

Olfactory groove meningiomas can represent a surgical challenge, and controversy persists in regard to the optimal approach corridor.
1,2
This video exemplifies the endoscopic endonasal resection of a voluminous olfactory groove meningioma. Focus is given on the key aspects of the procedure, complication avoidance, nuances of the technique, and advantages pertaining to this approach.
3-6
The patient consented for the conception and publication of this video.
Breast cancer burden in Africa: evidence from GLOBOCAN 2018
Authors: Sharma Rajesh
Published: June 2020

Background

Breast cancer is the leading malignancy in African females. This study aims to examine the breast cancer burden in Africa using recently released GLOBOCAN 2018 estimates.

Methods

The incidence and mortality estimates of age- and country-wise burden of breast cancer in 54 African countries were obtained from GLOBOCAN 2018.

Results

In Africa, breast cancer caused 74 072 deaths, and 168 690 cases were estimated to have occurred in 2018. The age-standardized incidence rate stood at 37.9/100 000 in Africa, varying from 6.9/100 000 in the Gambia to 69.6/100 000 in Mauritius. The age-standardized mortality rate stood at 17.2/100 000 in 2018, ranging from 4/100 000 in the Gambia to 29.1/100 000 in Somalia in 2018. Nigeria was the leading country in terms of absolute burden with 26 310 cases and 11 564 deaths, followed by Egypt with 23 081 new cases and 9254 deaths. The mortality-to-incidence ratio for Africa stood at 0.44, varying from 0.24 in Libya to 0.68 in the Central African Republic.

Conclusion

To tackle breast cancer burden in Africa, the main challenges are late-stage disease presentation, lack of screening and therapeutic infrastructure, lack of awareness and limited resources.
Treatment delay and reperfusion management of acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: analysis of the China STEMI Care Project Phase 1
Authors: Zhang Y , Tian Y , Dong P , Xu Y , Yu B , Li H , Li J , Ge J , Sun Y , Wang J , Wang L , Chen J , Yan H , Chen Y , Han Y , Huo Y ,   the CSCAP-1 Investigators
Published: June 2020

Background

The China ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) Care Project (CSCAP) was launched in 2011 to address the problems of insufficient reperfusion and long treatment delay in STEMI care in China.

Aim

To describe the baseline status of STEMI emergency care in Tertiary PCI Hospitals using Phase 1 (CSCAP-1) data.

Design

CSCAP-1 is a prospective multi-center STEMI registry.

Methods and results

A total of 4191 patients with symptom onset within 12 or 12–36 h requiring primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), were enrolled from 53 tertiary PCI hospitals in 14 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions of China in CSCAP-1. Among them, 49.0% were self-transported to the hospital, 26.5% were transferred to the hospital by calling the emergency medical services directly, and 24.5% were transferred from other hospitals. In patients with symptom onset within 12 h, 83.2% received primary PCI, 5.9% received thrombolysis and 10.9% received conservative medications. The median door-to-balloon time was 115 (85–170) min and the median door-to-needle time for in-hospital thrombolysis was 80 (50–135) min. The overall in-hospital all-cause mortality was 2.4%, while it was 5.3% in the non-reperfusion group and 2.1% in the reperfusion group (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Although a long treatment delay and a high proportion of patients transporting themselves to the hospital were observed, trends were positive with greater adoption of primary PCI and lower in-hospital mortality in tertiary hospitals in China. Our results provided important information for further integrated STEMI network construction in China.
Eye Tracking to Evaluate the Usability of an Online Pneumoconiosis Education Booklet in a Sample of South Asian Construction Workers
Authors: Wong Cho Lee , Rana Tika , Leung Yan Ming
Published: June 2020

Pneumoconiosis is an incurable disease. An online educational booklet for South Asian construction workers has been developed to provide them with knowledge of the disease and its preventive measures. As eye tracking has long been applied to assess users' preferences with regard to the content of commercial products, this approach would likely offer a promising opportunity for an objective assessment of the usability of the developed booklet. This was a mixed-methods study that combined eye tracking and interviews to explore the usability of the educational booklet among South Asian construction workers. Twelve construction workers were invited to read the booklet individually on a laptop computer. An eye-tracking device was placed under the computer screen to collect eye tracking data of the participants to measure their attention to the contents of the booklet. Afterward, the participants were invited to attend a semistructured interview to explore their acceptance of and satisfaction with the booklet. Results showed that participants gazed more often and for a longer duration at the working environment that increases pneumoconiosis risk and the preventive measures for pneumoconiosis, and they paid more attention to the pictures. The workers reported that the booklet was useful and informative, and they were satisfied with its design and layout.
The Use of Chlorhexidine as a Skin Preparation on the Head and Neck: A Systematic Review of Ocular and Ototoxicity
Authors: Shive Melissa , Hou Zhe , Zachary Christopher , Cohen Joel , Rivers Jason K.
Published: June 2020

BACKGROUND

Chlorhexidine gluconate is one of the most effective surgical preparations, but it has known potential ocular and ototoxicity.

OBJECTIVE

To review reported cases of ocular and ototoxicity caused by chlorhexidine and summarize the clinical situations in which chlorhexidine toxicity occurred.

METHODS

We performed a systematic review of PubMed and the Web of Science.

RESULTS

Fourteen cases reported sensorineural hearing loss from chlorhexidine instilled into the ear. Of the 38 cases of ocular toxicity, 8 cases were caused by direct instillation in the eye and 17 involved periocular surgical preparation. In the remaining cases, the area prepped was less defined. Seven cases involved preparation of the face, 1 for the scalp, 2 cases were drips from distant sites, and 3 cases did not specify the means of exposure.

CONCLUSION

The vast majority of toxicity occurred in patients undergoing general anesthesia and was rarely seen in situations where surgery was performed by dermatologists. Ultimately, it should be up to the individual physician to decide whether chlorhexidine is the best choice for a particular outpatient procedure.
Increased Spinal Cord Stimulator Use and Continued Opioid Treatment Among Injured Workers
Authors: Leung Nina , Tsourmas Nicholas F. , Yuspeh Larry , Kalia Nimisha , Lavin Robert A. , Tao Xuguang (Grant) , Bernacki Edward J.
Published: June 2020

Objective:

To determine the rate, characteristics, and costs of Spinal Cord Stimulator (SCS) placements among claimants at a Texas-based workers’ compensation carrier.

Methods:

Indemnity claims occurring between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2018 were assessed longitudinally.

Results:

While there was annual variability in rates of SCS placement, the rate of SCS placement increased from 0.21 to 1.56 per 1000 serviced claims. The average total paid claim cost of a trial and permanent placement was $141,288 and $197,813, respectively. Chronic opioid use (more than 3 months) following trial (73.0%) and permanent placement (63.8%) occurred frequently. Time between injury and trial placement decreased (2008 to 2010 = 3.1 years vs 2015 to 2018 = 2.5 years, P < 0.0001) over the study period.

Conclusions:

The rate of SCS placements significantly increased and duration between injury to placement decreased over time. Claimants undergoing SCS placement frequently continued to use opioids, indicating limited success in pain modulation.
Likelihood of myocardial infarction, revascularization and death following catheterization laboratory activation in patients with vs. without both chest pain and ST elevation
Authors: Puleo Peter , Salen Philip , Manda Yugandhar , Vefali Huseng , Agrawal Sahil , Quddus Abdullah , Branch Kevin , Shoemaker Melinda , Stoltzfus Jill
Published: June 2020

Background

Emergent cardiac catheterization laboratory activation (CCLA) for patients with suspected ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is employed to expedite acute revascularization (AR). The incidence of false-positive CCLA, in which AR is not performed, remains high. The combination of chest pain (CP) and electrocardiographic ST elevation (STE) are the hallmarks of STEMI. However, CCLA is sometimes initiated for patients lacking this combination. The study objective was to quantify the difference in likelihood of AR and mortality in patients with vs. without both CP and STE.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of 1621 consecutive patients for whom CCLA was initiated in a six-hospital network. We assessed the likelihood of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), presence of a culprit lesion (CL), performance of AR, and hospital mortality among patients with both CP and STE (+CP/+STE) compared with patients lacking one or both [non(CP/STE)].

Results

87.0% of patients presented with CP, 82.4% with STE, and 73.7% with both. Among +CP/+STE patients, AMI was confirmed in 90.4%, a CL in 88.9%, and AR performed in 83.1%. The corresponding values among non(CP/STE) patients were 35.8, 31.9, and 28.1%, respectively (P < 0.0001 for each). Nevertheless, mortality among non(CP/STE) patients was three-fold higher than in +CP/+STE patients (13.3% vs. 4.5%; P < 0.0001), with non-coronary deaths 24-fold more likely.

Conclusion

Patients lacking the combination of CP and STE have a markedly lower likelihood of AMI and AR than +CP/+STE patients, but significantly higher mortality. Protocols aimed at rapid, focused evaluation of non(CP/STE) patients prior to CCLA are needed.
Endoscopic Removal of a Single, Painless, Juvenile Polyp in the Small Intestine Causing Anemia
Authors: Krasaelap Amornluck , Lerner Diana , Southern James , Noe Joshua , Chugh Ankur
Published: June 2020

Juvenile polyps are the most common gastrointestinal polyps in childhood. Typically, they are located in the colon and present with intermittent and painless hematochezia. A few case reports have described juvenile polyps in the small intestine, all presenting as intussusception requiring surgery. We report an isolated juvenile polyp in the small intestine presenting with painless anemia, identified using video capsule endoscopy, and removed via enteroscopy.
The Experiences and the Needs of Caregivers of Patients With Head and Neck Cancer
Authors: Aung Su Htet Htet , White Kate , Bloomfield Jacqueline
Published: June 2020

Background

Head and neck cancer (HNC) is a devastating disease, and its corresponding treatments can result in substantial functional challenges for patients. These patients require a considerable amount of care, and the tasks of caregiving can be challenging for the caregivers. To date, there is no published literature review on the experiences and the needs of caregivers of patients with HNC.

Objective

To synthesize the literature on the experiences and needs of caregivers of patients with HNC in order to inform the development of an educational intervention for the caregivers.

Methods

An integrative literature review was conducted to examine the current knowledge about the experiences and needs of caregivers of patients with HNC. A systematic literature search strategy was conducted in CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Scopus. The dominant or recurrent themes were identified using thematic synthesis.

Results

Twenty studies met the inclusion criteria. Three central themes were identified. These were the following: disruption to daily life, the impact of caregiving, and the availability of information and support.

Conclusions

Head and neck cancer affects the caregivers’ lives physically, psychosocially, and financially. Caregivers identified the need for informational, financial, and educational support on an ongoing basis in assisting their loved ones with HNC.

Implications for Practice

Ongoing assessment of caregivers’ support needs may contribute to enhancing the care and management of patients with HNC and is essential to promptly identify the concerns of caregivers. Clinicians should view the caregivers as copartners in HNC management and offer adequate support and education programs relevant to their needs.