bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Left atrial volume index and outcome after transcatheter edge‐to‐edge valve repair for secondary mitral regurgitation
Authors: Iliadis Christos , Kalbacher Daniel , Lurz Philipp , Petrescu Aniela Monica , Orban Mathias , Puscas Tania , Lupi Laura , Stazzoni Laura , Pires‐Morais Gustavo , Koell Benedikt , Besler Christian , Ruf Tobias Friedrich , Stolz Lukas , Tence Noemie , Adamo Marianna , Giannini Cristina , Guerreiro Cláudio , Hellmich Martin , Baldus Stephan , Schofer Niklas , Thiele Holger , von Bardeleben Ralph Stephan , Hausleiter Jörg , Karam Nicole , Metra Marco , Petronio Anna Sonia , Melica Bruno , Pfister Roman
Published: June 2022

Aims

To investigate the role of left atrial volume index (LAVi) in patients with secondary mitral regurgitation (SMR) undergoing transcatheter edge‐to‐edge mitral valve repair (TEER).

Methods and results

Outcomes were evaluated in SMR patients of a European multicentre registry according to baseline LAVi. Main analysis was performed for all‐cause mortality; residual mitral regurgitation (MR) and New York Heart Association (NYHA) class improvement were analysed for patients available. A total of 1074 patients were included with a median LAVi (interquartile range) of 58 ml/m2 (46–73). Postprocedural reduction of MR grade to ≤2+ was similar across LAVi quintiles, ranging 91%–96% (p = 0.26). Symptomatic benefit (≥1 NYHA class improvement) also did not differ by LAVi quintiles (61%–68% of patients) (p = 0.66). The risk of mortality increased by 23%–42% in the four upper quintiles compared to the bottom quintile (LAVi <42 ml/m2). The hazard ratio (HR) of mortality was 1.35 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02–1.78, p = 0.035) associated with a LAVi >42 ml/m2, which was attenuated after multivariable adjustment (HR 1.18, 95% CI 0.83–1.67, p = 0.36). A significant interaction was found for MR severity and pulmonary hypertension, with an increased risk of death associated with enlarged LAVi in patients with inframedian effective regurgitant orifice area (HR 1.99, 95% CI 1.06–3.74, p = 0.032) and in patients with systolic pulmonary pressure ≤50 mmHg (HR 1.67, 95% CI 1.02–2.75, p = 0.042) in multivariable analysis.

Conclusion

Procedural success and symptomatic benefit were high throughout the whole range of LAVi. The prognostic impact of left atrial enlargement was relevant in patients with less severe SMR and without pulmonary hypertension, reinforcing the need to identify patients in the early course of backward congestion to achieve good long‐term outcome after TEER.
Catalytic Asymmetric Synthesis of 2,6‐Disubstituted Cuneanes through Enantioselective Constitutional Isomerization of 1,4‐Disubstituted Cubanes
Authors: Takebe Hiyori , Matsubara Seijiro
Published: June 2022

2,6‐Disubstituted cuneane has potential as a p‐disubstituted benzene bioisostere and a novel chiral scaffold. It is a constitutional isomer of a 1,4‐disubstituted cubane obtained via a metal‐catalyzed skeletal rearrangement. Unlike the highly symmetrical 1,4‐disubstituted cubane, the isomerized 2,6‐disubstituted cuneane is a chiral molecule possessing C2 symmetry. Examining various chiral catalysts revealed that the Pd‐pincer catalyst provides a good asymmetric induction.
Potentiometric Study of the Growth of a Single Au Nanoparticle
Authors: Yao Zhiqi , Wu Shu , Padilla Silvas Raul , Khichoomian Nareh , Carrillo Zachary A. , Anz Samir , Sun Peng
Published: June 2022

A single nanoparticle (NP) attached to a nanoelectrode is a very useful system in understanding the relationship between the size of nanoparticles and their electrochemical properties. In this study, a single Au NP was spontaneously formed on a Pt nanoelectrode. The potential measured on such a system can be employed to study the effect of size of an Au nanoparticle on the Nernst potential of the reaction, AuCl4− +3e → Au(s) +4Cl−. Moreover, the nucleation period and the growth period can be distinguished from the potential graph, and the nucleation rate of the spontaneously formed Au NP can be evaluated.
Waste Heat to Power: Full‐Cycle Analysis of a Thermally Regenerative Flow Battery
Authors: Engelpracht Mirko , Kohrn Markus , Tillmanns Dominik , Seiler Jan , Bardow André
Published: June 2022

Large amounts of waste heat, below 120 °C, are released globally by industry. To convert this low‐temperature waste heat to power, thermally regenerative flow batteries (TRFBs) have recently been studied. Most analyses focus on either the discharging or the regeneration phase. However, both phases have to be considered to holistically assess the performance of the flow battery. Therefore, a dynamic, open‐access, full‐cycle model of a Cu–NH3 TRFB is developed in Modelica and validated with data from the literature. Based on the validated model, a trade‐off between power density and efficiency is shown that depends only on the discharging strategy of the flow battery. For a sensible heat source with an inlet temperature of 120 °C and heat transfer at a thermodynamic mean temperature of about 90 °C, the power density reaches 38 W m−2 over a complete cycle, and the efficiency reaches 20% of Carnot efficiency. In a benchmarking study, the power production of the flow battery is shown to already achieve 34% of a fully optimized organic Rankine cycle. Thus, TRFBs require further optimization to become a competitive technology for power production and energy storage from low‐temperature waste heat.
Trap State Passivation by Barbital Additive Toward Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells with 22.65% Efficiency
Authors: Peng Yongshan , Liu Xingchong , Zhang Hua , Zhou Ruonan , Luo Huxin , Lei Yue , Zou Wenjing , Ni Yafei , Li Haimin , Wang Hanyu
Published: June 2022

In the organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite absorption layer as the composite center, it is easy to form defects and hinder the performance of solar cells. Here, barbital is introduced into perovskite films for the first time to enhance the photovoltaic performance of the device. It is demonstrated that the carbon‐based functional group in barbital additives can be used as Lewis bases to passivate the Lewis acid defects in perovskite films and promote the transmission of charge through grain boundaries. With the barbital in the perovskite film, the device efficiency is improved from 20.43% to 22.65% with the fill factor enhanced from 0.76 to 0.80. In addition, the perovskite films treated with barbital additive exhibit a lower density of filled trap states (3.07 × 1017 cm−3) in perovskite grain boundaries, and a higher carrier lifetime (428.19 ns). This discovery provides a new tactic for the preparation of a high‐quality perovskite light‐absorbing layer.
Bimetallic hydroxyl fluoride with high‐rate lithium storage performance: Co0.6Zn0.4(OH)F material
Authors: Liu Yicen , Zhu Bing , Liu Yan‐gai , Zhao Hang , Wang Zekun , Wu Liming , Zhang Xi , Chen Jian
Published: June 2022

In this study, we synthesized a bimetal hydroxyl fluoride, Co0.6Zn0.4(OH)F, with an overlapping nanoneedle structure using a simple hydrothermal method. The synthesized Co0.6Zn0.4(OH)F was used as a new electrode material to study its electrochemical performance. Because of the synergy between Co and Zn and the high ionicity of fluorides, the Co0.6Zn0.4(OH)F electrode exhibited a discharge capacity of 1355.5 mAh g−1 during the first charging and discharging cycle. After 400 cycles at a current density of 2 A g−1, the Co0.6Zn0.4(OH)F electrode showed an excellent specific capacity of 756 mAh g−1. The Co0.6Zn0.4(OH)F electrode also exhibited an excellent capacitance contribution rate, indicating good rate performance. In addition, the hydroxyl and oxygen vacancies in the electrode material promoted the lithium/dilithium reactions. Therefore, Co0.6Zn0.4(OH)F is an excellent lithium storage material with high rate; thus, it has a certain potential application value in the future.
A bright future of hydrogels in flexible batteries and Supercapacitors storage systems: A review
Authors: Parvini Elahe , Hajalilou Abdollah , Tavakoli Mahmoud
Published: June 2022

The next generation of IoT, IoMT, and wearable bioelectronics demands the development of a novel form of thin‐film and flexible energy storage devices that offer high energy and power densities, mechanical reliability, and biocompatibility. Hydrogels are a class of materials that can be engineered with a range of desired properties, including stretchability, ionic conductivity, biocompatibility, adhesiveness, and mechanical match with organs, as they can be designed with Young's modulus in the range of the human skin. This review covers different types of hydrogels, including biopolymer hydrogels, carbon‐based hydrogels, and self‐healing hydrogels, and presents their use in the components of supercapacitors and batteries such as electrolyte; electrode, binder, separating membrane, and current collector. We also explain how these hydrogels contribute to improved properties of the energy storage devices and include cases in which the hydrogel is used for several functions in the same device. The contribution of hydrogels in the development of flexible energy storage devices and their impact on electrochemical performance are also discussed.
Change in serial liver stiffness measurement by magnetic resonance elastography and outcomes in NAFLD
Authors: Gidener Tolga , Dierkhising Ross A. , Mara Kristin C. , Therneau Terry M. , Venkatesh Sudhakar K. , Ehman Richard L. , Yin Meng , Allen Alina M.
Published: June 2022

Background and Aims:

The impact of disease progression in NAFLD on liver outcomes remains poorly understood. We aimed to investigate NAFLD progression using longitudinal liver stiffness measurements (LSM) by serial magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) and the association with liver outcomes.

Approach and Results:

All adult patients with NAFLD who underwent at least two serial MREs for clinical evaluation at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, between 2007 and 2019 were identified from the institutional database. Progression and regression were defined based on LSM change of 19% above or below 19% of initial LSM, respectively, based on Quantitative Imaging Biomarker Alliance consensus. The association between change in LSM and liver‐related outcomes occurring after the last MRE was examined using time‐to‐event analysis. A total of 128 participants underwent serial MREs (53% female, median age 59 years). The median time between paired MREs was 3.4 (range 1–10.7) years. NAFLD progression (LSM = +0.61 kPa/year) was identified in 17 patients (13.3%). NAFLD regression (−0.40 kPa/year) occurred in 35 patients (27.3%). Stable LSM was noted in 76 participants (59.4%). In NAFLD without cirrhosis at baseline (n = 75), cirrhosis development occurred in 14% of LSM progressors and 2.9% of non‐progressors (p = 0.059) over a median 2.7 years of follow‐up from the last MRE. Among those with compensated cirrhosis at baseline MRE (n = 29), decompensation or death occurred in 100% of LSM progressors and 19% of non‐progressors (p < 0.001) over a median 2.5 years of follow‐up after the last MRE.

Conclusions:

Noninvasive monitoring of LSM by conventional MRE is a promising method of longitudinal NAFLD monitoring and risk estimation of liver‐related outcomes in NAFLD.
GCKIII kinases in lipotoxicity: Roles in NAFLD and beyond
Authors: Mahlapuu Margit , Caputo Mara , Xia Ying , Cansby Emmelie
Published: June 2022

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is defined by excessive accumulation of lipid droplets within hepatocytes. The STE20‐type kinases comprising the germinal center kinase III (GCKIII) subfamily – MST3, MST4, and STK25 – decorate intrahepatocellular lipid droplets and have recently emerged as critical regulators of the initiation and progression of NAFLD. While significant advancement has been made toward deciphering the role of GCKIII kinases in hepatic fat accumulation (i.e., steatosis) as well as the aggravation of NAFLD into its severe form nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), much remains to be resolved. This review provides a brief overview of the recent studies in patient cohorts, cultured human cells, and mouse models, which have characterized the function of MST3, MST4, and STK25 in the regulation of hepatic lipid accretion, meta‐inflammation, and associated cell damage in the context of NAFLD/NASH. We also highlight the conflicting data and emphasize future research directions that are needed to advance our understanding of GCKIII kinases as potential targets in the therapy of NAFLD and its comorbidities. Conclusions: Several lines of evidence suggest that GCKIII proteins govern the susceptibility to hepatic lipotoxicity and that pharmacological inhibition of these kinases could mitigate NAFLD development and aggravation. Comprehensive characterization of the molecular mode‐of‐action of MST3, MST4, and STK25 in hepatocytes as well as extrahepatic tissues is important, especially in relation to their impact on carcinogenesis, to fully understand the efficacy as well as safety of GCKIII antagonism.
Evaluation of a nutrition education resource for refugees and newly arrived migrants to Australia
Authors: Mead Courtney , Tindall Robyn , Charlton Karen
Published: June 2022

Issued addressed

To assess the impact of a multi‐lingual education video on the healthy eating knowledge of individuals in refugee and newly arrived migrant community groups.

Methods

A mixed methods, pre‐ and post‐test study design was used. Participants completed a verbal questionnaire with pictorial answer sheets prior to and immediately after viewing one chapter of a healthy eating video. Qualitative data was obtained through semi‐structured, focus group discussions following the video viewing. Eighty‐six participants were recruited via convenience sampling through refugee community organisations in the Illawarra Shoalhaven, South Western Sydney and Northern Sydney Local Health Districts. Study participants self‐selected to attend Arabic (n = 17), Dari (n = 12), Karen (n = 32) or Tibetan (n = 25) sessions.

Results

In 85 participants with pre‐post results, there was a significant improvement in healthy eating knowledge after viewing the video (mean score 61% [SD 23.2] vs 75% [SD 24.2]; [P < .05]). Increased mean scores were observed in all language groups except the Karen‐speaking group. Focus group responses indicated the video improved food literacy, particularly in the areas of food safety, fruit and vegetable consumption, label reading, writing a shopping list and decreasing intake of sugary drinks.

Conclusion

The video improved healthy eating knowledge of individuals in refugee and newly‐arrived migrant community groups.

So what?

There is potential for these nutrition education resources to inform and educate newly arrived refugees and migrants to Australia about healthy eating practices, however, future research is required to determine their effect on actual behaviour change.
Spatial prioritization of tomato cultivation based on water footprint, land productivity, and economic indices
Authors: Bazarfshan Ommolbanin , Yahyazadeh Mehrnaz , Jamshidi Sajad , Zamani Hossein
Published: June 2022

In this study, the water footprint (WF) and its components, the water footprint economic value (WFEV), and the economic land productivity (ELP) for tomato cultivation in Iran were determined. These data were used in a multicriteria decision‐making tool (PROMETTEE II) to prioritize tomato production in more agriculturally sustainable regions of the country. The results indicate that the average WF of tomato production in Iran on a national scale is 327.2 m3/t, with a WFEV of 0.49 USD/m3 and an ELP of 3611.31 USD/ha. The green WF of tomato production ranged from 1.5 to 38.8 (average 15) m3/t, the blue WF ranged from 46.2 to 638 (average 273.3) m3/t, and the grey WF ranged from 86.8 to 771.6 (average 327.2) m3/t. Comparing the WFEV, ELP, and WF of tomatoes with 30 major agricultural products in Iran shows that this product holds a higher cultivation priority than grains and cereals. Based on the resulting WF and economic evaluations, the tomato growing areas are classified into eight clusters, from the most to least suitable for growing tomatoes.
Forecasting Commodity Market Returns Volatility: A Hybrid Ensemble Learning GARCH‐LSTM based Approach
Authors: Kakade Kshitij , Mishra Aswini Kumar , Ghate Kshitish , Gupta Shivang
Published: June 2022

This study investigates the advantage of combining the forecasting abilities of multiple generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (GARCH)‐type models, such as the standard GARCH (GARCH), exponential GARCH (eGARCH), and threshold GARCH (tGARCH) models with advanced deep learning methods to predict the volatility of five important metals (nickel, copper, tin, lead, and gold) in the Indian commodity market. This paper proposes integrating the forecasts of one to three GARCH‐type models into an ensemble learning‐based hybrid long short‐term memory (LSTM) model to forecast commodity price volatility. We further evaluate the forecasting performance of these models for standalone LSTM and GARCH‐type models using the root mean squared error, mean absolute error, and mean fundamental percentage error. The results highlight that combining the information from the forecasts of multiple GARCH types into a hybrid LSTM model leads to superior volatility forecasting capability. The SET‐LSTM, which represents the model that combines forecasts of the GARCH, eGARCH, and tGARCH into the LSTM hybrid, has shown the best overall results for all metals, barring a few exceptions. Moreover, the equivalence of forecasting accuracy is tested using the Diebold–Mariano and Wilcoxon signed‐rank tests.
A call to action from the Purdue University Center for Health Equity and Innovation
Authors: Gonzalvo Jasmine D. , Meredith Ashley , Adeoye‐Olatunde Omolola , Kimiecik Carlyn , Pastakia Sonak , Rodriguez Natalia , Ruiz Yumary , Ott Carol , Schellhase Ellen , Crawford Elizabeth , Crowe Susie , Samuel Jeffrey , Conklin Megan , Adams Jerome , Karwa Rakhi
Published: June 2022

The Purdue University College of Pharmacy established the Center for Health Equity and Innovation (CHEqI) to provide students, faculty, and internal and external partners with a coordinating center whose primary purpose is to address inequities in the social determinants of health. Through this article the development of the center, the interdisciplinary activities the center is currently engaged in, ongoing educational efforts to provide instruction related to equity, and research endeavors designed to better understand the impact of our efforts are described. Pharmacists and colleges/schools of pharmacy must optimize health equity efforts with interdisciplinary partners by: (1) providing student opportunities to learn about diverse populations through engagement and integration with communities, (2) encouraging students to identify and lead health equity initiatives, (3) incorporating health equity engagement and track impact of efforts designed to address inequity into annual review and promotion processes, (4) creating and participating in health equity training opportunities, and (5) developing a formal structure for collaborative networks to align health equity efforts. These five strategies and examples are not intended to be prescriptive, but rather, an opportunity to synergize and cultivate further discussion of work in health equity across colleges/schools of pharmacy.
CRISPR‐based point‐of‐care diagnostics incorporating Cas9, Cas12, and Cas13 enzymes advanced for SARS‐CoV‐2 detection
Authors: Verma Monika K. , Roychowdhury Sanjana , Sahu Bidya Dhar , Mishra Awanish , Sethi Kalyan K.
Published: June 2022

An outbreak of the novel beta coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) first came to light in December 2019, which has unfolded rapidly and turned out to be a global pandemic. Early prognosis of viral contamination involves speedy intervention, disorder control, and good‐sized management of the spread of disease. Reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction, considered the gold standard test for detecting nucleic acids and pathogen diagnosis, provides high sensitivity and specificity. However, reliance on high‐priced equipped kits, associated reagents, and skilled personnel slow down sickness detection. Lately, the improvement of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)‐Cas (CRISPR‐associated protein)‐based diagnostic systems has reshaped molecular diagnosis due to their low cost, simplicity, speed, efficiency, high sensitivity, specificity, and versatility, which is vital for accomplishing point‐of‐care diagnostics. We reviewed and summarized CRISPR–Cas‐based point‐of‐care diagnostic strategies and research in these paintings while highlighting their characteristics and challenges for identifying SARS‐CoV‐2.
Hydration of divalent lanthanides, Sm2+ and Eu2+: A molecular dynamics study with polarizable AMOEBA force field
Authors: Arabzadeh Hesam , Liu Chengwen , Acevedo Orlando , Ren Pengyu , Yang Wei , Albrecht‐Schönzart Thomas
Published: June 2022

The chemistry of divalent lanthanides, Ln2+, is a growing sub‐field of heavy element chemistry owing to new synthetic approaches. However, some theoretical aspects of these unusual cations are currently underdeveloped, especially as they relate to their dynamic properties in solution. In this work, we address the hydration of two of the classical Ln2+ cations, Sm2+ and Eu2+, using atomic multipole optimized energetic for biomolecular applications (AMOEBA) force fields. These cations have not been parameterized to date with AMOEBA, and few studies are available because of their instability with respect to oxidation in aqueous media. Coordination numbers (CN's) of 8.2 and 8.1 respectively for Sm2+ and Eu2+, and 8.8 for both Sm3+ and Eu3+ have been obtained and are in good agreement with the few available AIMD and X‐ray absorption fine structures studies. The decreased CN of Ln2+ compared with Ln3+ arises from progressive water exchange events that indicates the gradual stabilization of 8‐coordinate structures with respect to 9‐coordinate geometries. Moreover, the effects of the chloride counter anions on the coordination of Ln2+ cations have been studied at different chloride concentrations in this work. Lastly, water exchange times of Ln2+ cations have been calculated to provide a comprehensive understanding of the behavior of Eu2+ and Sm2+ in aqueous chloride media.
Childhood antibiotics as a risk factor for Crohn's disease: The ENIGMA International Cohort Study
Authors: Mak Joyce W Y , Yang Sun , Stanley Annalise , Lin Xiaoqing , Morrison Mark , Ching Jessica Y L , Niu Junkun , Wilson‐O'Brien Amy L , Feng Rui , Tang Whitney , Hamilton Amy L , Or Leo , Trakman Gina L , Lin Winnie Y Y , Sung Joseph J Y , Chen Ming Hu , Mao Yinglei , Kamm Michael A , Ng Siew C
Published: June 2022

Background and Aim

Environmental factors play a key role in development of Crohn's disease (CD), thought to be mediated by changes in the gut microbiota. We aimed to delineate the potential contribution of antibiotic exposure to subsequent development of CD, across diverse geographical populations.

Methods

This case–control study in Australia and three cities in China (Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and Kunming) included four groups: patients with CD, at‐risk individuals including non‐affected first‐degree relatives (FDRs) and household members of CD patients (HM), and unrelated healthy controls (HCs). Environmental risk factors, including childhood antibiotic use and 13 other categories, were assessed using a self‐developed questionnaire. Logistic regression and conditional logistic regression were used to determine environmental factors associated with CD development.

Results

From 2017 to 2019, a total of 254 patients with CD (mean age: 37.98 ± 13.76 years; 58.3% male), 73 FDR (mean age: 49.35 ± 13.28 years; 46.6% male), 122 HMs (including FDR) (mean age: 45.50 ± 13.25 years; 47.5% male), and 78 HC (mean age: 45.57 ± 11.24; 47.4% male) were included. Comparing CD patients with their FDR and HMs, antibiotic use before 18 years old was a risk factor for CD development (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.46, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.38–8.69; P = 0.008). There were no significant differences in other childhood environmental risk factors between CD and their FDR or HMs. Subgroup analysis showed that antibiotic use <18 years old was a risk factor for CD development in the Chinese (adjusted OR 4.80, 95% CI 1.62–12.24; P = 0.005) but not in Australian populations (OR 1.80, 95% CI 0.33–9.95; P = 0.498).

Conclusion

Use of antibiotics <18 years was a risk factor for CD development. Attention should be paid to identifying modifiable environmental risk factors in early childhood, especially in at‐risk families.
Brain–immune–gut benefits with early life supplementation of milk fat globule membrane
Authors: Mohamed Hamid Jan Jan , Lee Eric Kim Hor , Woo Kent Chee Keen , Sarvananthan Rajini , Lee Yeong Yeh , Mohd Hussin Zabidi Azhar
Published: June 2022

The milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) has been recognized as a milk component for more than 60 years, but its exact benefits remain unknown. Research on human MFGM has revealed that the membrane holds a host of bioactive components with potential benefits for the brain–immune–gut (BiG) axis in early life. Gangliosides and sphingomyelin, components within the MFGM, have been included in infant formulas for many years. Recent advancements in dairy milk processing have allowed the successful separation of MFGM from bovine milk, enabling it to be used for supplementing infant formulas. Evidence indicates the potential benefits of MFGM in early life supplementation, including better cognitive development, reduction of infection risks, and modulation of the gut microbiome. However, larger and more robust randomized trials are needed, in addition to long‐term outcome data beyond the infancy period.
BRAF-V600E utilizes posttranscriptional mechanisms to amplify LPS-induced TNFα production in dendritic cells in a mouse model of Langerhans cell histiocytosis
Authors: Minichino Danielle , Lv Kaosheng , Chu Niansheng , Tong Wei , Behrens Edward M
Published: June 2022

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is an inflammatory disease characterized by abnormal dendritic cells (DCs) with hyperactive ERK signaling, called “LCH cells.” Since DCs rely on ERK signaling to produce inflammatory molecules in response to pathogenic cues, we hypothesized that hyperactive ERK enhances DCs inflammatory responses. We specifically investigated TLR4-induced TNFα production in LCH cells by utilizing the BRAF-V600Efl/+:CD11c-Cre mouse model of LCH, which hyperactivates ERK in DCs. We measured LPS-induced TNFα production both in vivo and in vitro using splenic CD11c+ cells and bone marrow-derived DCs with or without pharmacologic BRAFV600E inhibition. We observed a reversible increase in secreted TNFα and a partially reversible increase in TNFα protein per cell, despite a decrease in TLR4 signaling and Tnfa transcripts compared with controls. We examined ERK-driven, posttranscriptional mechanisms that contribute to TNFα production and secretion using biochemical and cellular assays. We identified a reversible increase in TACE activation, the enzyme required for TNFα secretion, and most strikingly, an increase in protein translation, including TNFα. Defining the translatome through polysome-bound RNA sequencing revealed up-regulated translation of the LPS-response program. These data suggest hyperactive ERK signaling utilizes multiple posttranscriptional mechanisms to amplify inflammatory responses in DCs, advancing our understanding of LCH and basic DC biology.
Automatic Detection of Meniscus Tears Using Backbone Convolutional Neural Networks on Knee MRI
Authors: Hung Truong Nguyen Khanh , Vy Vu Pham Thao , Tri Nguyen Minh , Hoang Le Ngoc , Tuan Le Van , Ho Quang Thai , Le Nguyen Quoc Khanh , Kang Jiunn‐Horng
Published: June 2022

Background

Timely diagnosis of meniscus injuries is key for preventing knee joint dysfunction and improving patient outcomes because it decreases morbidity and facilitates treatment planning.

Purpose

To train and evaluate a deep learning model for automated detection of meniscus tears on knee magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Study type

Bicentric retrospective study.

Subjects

In total, 584 knee MRI studies, divided among training (n = 234), testing (n = 200), and external validation (n = 150) data sets, were used in this study. The public data set MRNet was used as a second external validation data set to evaluate the performance of the model.

Sequence

A 3 T, coronal, and sagittal images from T1‐weighted proton density (PD) fast spin‐echo (FSE) with fat saturation and T2‐weighted FSE with fat saturation sequences.

Assessment

The detection system for meniscus tear was based on the improved YOLOv4 model with Darknet‐53 as the backbone. The performance of the model was also compared with that of three radiologists of varying levels of experience. The determination of the presence of a meniscus tear from surgery reports was used as the ground truth for the images.

Statistical Tests

Sensitivity, specificity, prevalence, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, accuracy, and receiver operating characteristic curve were used to evaluate the performance of the detection model. Two‐way analysis of variance, Wilcoxon signed‐rank test, and Tukey's multiple tests were used to evaluate differences in performance between the model and radiologists.

Results

The overall accuracies for detecting meniscus tears using our model on the internal testing, internal validation, and external validation data sets were 95.4%, 95.8%, and 78.8%, respectively. One radiologist had significantly lower performance than our model in detecting meniscal tears (accuracy: 0.9025 ± 0.093 vs. 0.9580 ± 0.025).

Data Conclusion

The proposed model had high sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for detecting meniscus tears on knee MRIs.

Evidence Level

3

Technical Efficacy

Stage 2
The changing pattern of common respiratory and enteric viruses among outpatient children in Shanghai, China: Two years of the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Liu Pengcheng , Xu Menghua , Lu Lijuan , Ma Ao , Cao Lingfeng , Su Liyun , Dong Niuniu , Jia Ran , Zhu Xunhua , Xu Jin
Published: June 2022

Nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) taken to combat the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic have not only decreased the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 but also have had an impact on the prevalence of other common viruses. This study aimed to investigate the long‐term impact of NPIs on common respiratory and enteric viruses among children in Shanghai, China, as NPIs were relaxed after June 2020. The laboratory results and clinical data of outpatient children with acute respiratory tract infections (ARTI) and acute gastroenteritis (AGE) were analyzed and compared between the post‐COVID‐19 period (from June 2020 to January 2022) and pre‐COVID‐19 period (from June 2018 to January 2020). A total of 107 453 patients were enrolled from June 2018 to January 2022, including 43 190 patients with ARTI and 64 263 patients with AGE. The positive rates of most viruses decreased during the post‐COVID‐19 period, with the greatest decrease for influenza A (−0.94%), followed by adenoviruses (AdV) (−61.54%), rotaviruses (−48.17%), and influenza B (−40%). However, the positive rates of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and enteric AdV increased during the post‐COVID‐19 period as the NPIs were relaxed. Besides this, in the summer of 2021, an unexpected out‐of‐season resurgence of RSV activity was observed, and the resurgence was more prominent among children older than 5 years. The effectiveness of the current relaxed NPIs in control of common respiratory and enteric viruses was variable. Relaxation of NPIs might lead to the resurgence of common viruses.
Poliovirus nonpermissive CD155 knockout cells derived from RD cell line for handling poliovirus potentially infectious materials in virology laboratories
Authors: Nandi Shyam S. , Sawant Sonali , Gohil Trupti , Lambe Upendra , Sangal Lucky , Patel Disha , Krishnasamy Kaveri , Ghoshal Ujjala , Harvey Pauline , Deshpande Jagadish
Published: June 2022

Destruction of all poliovirus containing materials, safe and secure handling of retained polioviruses for vaccine production, and research will be obligatory to eliminate facility‐associated risks. Polioviruses and poliovirus potentially infectious materials (PIM) including fecal or respiratory samples requiring containment have been defined in World Health Organization‐Global Action Plan (GAP III) documents. Non‐polio laboratories culturing viruses from PIM are most affected as cell cultures of human and monkey origin are also poliovirus permissive. CRISPR gene‐editing technology was used to knockout the poliovirus receptor (PVR/CD155) gene in the rhabdomyosarcoma (RD) cell line. PVR knockout RD cell susceptibility was tested using known non‐polio enterovirus (NPEV) types. A selected clone (RD‐SJ40) was field evaluated for virus isolation from 626 stool samples of acute flaccid paralysis cases. Poliovirus nonpermissive cells derived from the RD cell line did not show CD155‐specific cell‐surface immunofluorescence. CD155 gene sequencing confirmed nucleotide base pair deletions within exon2 and exon3. The CD155 knockout RD‐SJ40 cells did not support the growth of poliovirus from positive stool samples. All NPEV types were isolated in RD and RD‐SJ40 cells. CRISPR correctly edited the CD155 gene of RD cells to render them poliovirus nonpermissive while susceptibility to NPEV remained unchanged. RD‐SJ40 cells are safe for NPEV isolation from poliovirus PIM without derogating GAP III containment requirements.
Performance of nasopharyngeal swab and saliva in detecting Delta and Omicron SARS‐CoV‐2 variants
Authors: Uršič Tina , Kogoj Rok , Šikonja Jaka , Roškarič Damijana , Jevšnik Virant Monika , Bogovič Petra , Petrovec Miroslav
Published: June 2022

A prospective cohort study was conducted during the Delta and Omicron severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) epidemic waves from paired nasopharyngeal swab (NPS or NP swab) and saliva samples taken from 624 participants. The study aimed to assess if any differences among participants from both waves could be observed and if any difference in molecular diagnostic performance could be observed among the two sample types. Samples were transported immediately to the laboratory to ensure the highest possible sample quality without any freezing and thawing steps before processing. Nucleic acids from saliva and NPS were prospectively extracted and SARS‐CoV‐2 was detected using a real‐time reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction. All observed results were statistically analyzed. Although the results obtained with NP and saliva agreed overall, higher viral loads were observed in NP swabs regardless of the day of specimen collection in both SARS‐CoV‐2 epidemic waves. No significant difference could be observed between the two epidemic waves characterized by Delta or Omicron SARS‐CoV‐2. To note, Delta infection resulted in higher viral loads both in NP and saliva and more symptoms, including rhinorrhea, cough, and dyspnea, whereas Omicron wave patients more frequently reported sore throat. An increase in the mean log RNA of SARS‐CoV‐2 was observed with the number of expressed symptoms in both waves, however, the difference was not significant. Data confirmed that results from saliva were concordant with those from NP swabs, although saliva proved to be a challenging sample with frequent inhibitions that required substantial retesting.
Novel insights into the role of circular RNAs in Parkinson disease: An emerging renaissance in the management of neurodegenerative diseases
Authors: Dorostgou Zahra , Yadegar Negar , Dorostgou Zeynab , Khorvash Fariborz , Vakili Omid
Published: June 2022

Parkinson's disease (PD), as a debilitating neurodegenerative disease, particularly affects the elderly population, and is clinically identified by resting tremor, rigidity, and bradykinesia. Pathophysiologically, PD is characterized by an early loss of dopaminergic neurons in the Substantia nigra pars compacta, accompanied by the extensive aggregation of alpha‐synuclein (α‐Syn) in the form of Lewy bodies. The onset of PD has been reported to be influenced by multiple biological molecules. In this context, circular RNAs (circRNAs), as tissue‐specific noncoding RNAs with closed structures, have been recently demonstrated to involve in a set of PD's pathogenic processes. These RNA molecules can either up‐ or downregulate the expression of α‐Syn, as well as moderating its accumulation through different regulatory mechanisms, in which targeting microRNAs (miRNAs) is considered the most common pathway. Since circRNAs have prominent structural and biological characteristics, they could also be considered as promising candidates for PD diagnosis and treatment. Unfortunately, PD has become a global health concern, and a large number of its pathogenic processes are still unclear; thus, it is crucial to elucidate the ambiguous aspects of PD pathophysiology to improve the efficiency of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. In line with this fact, the current review aims to highlight the interplay between circRNAs and PD pathogenesis, and then discusses the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of circRNAs in PD progression. This study will thus be the first of its kind reviewing the relationship between circRNAs and PD.
Portable shifted excitation Raman difference spectroscopy for on‐site soil analysis
Authors: Maiwald Martin , Sowoidnich Kay , Sumpf Bernd
Published: June 2022

On‐site soil analysis in the framework of precision agriculture is gaining significant importance to achieve improved crop productivity, increased soil health and reduced fertilizer application. In situ sensing techniques can provide the information required for decision support systems immediately on the field, for example, to control fertilization and liming. Shifted excitation Raman difference spectroscopy (SERDS) pilot investigations for on‐site soil analysis are presented using a portable SERDS sensor system specifically developed for in‐field studies. The SERDS sensor includes a dual‐wavelength diode laser at 785 nm integrated in an in‐house realized turnkey laser system and an optical power of 36 mW at the sample was chosen for our experiments. Outdoor pre‐investigations with the device and polystyrene as test sample show the capability of SERDS for qualitative and quantitative analysis under changing daylight conditions. On‐site soil analysis is carried out and SERDS extracts Raman signals from disturbing background interference with a 15‐fold improvement of the signal‐to‐background‐noise ratio. Beside others, closely neighboured Raman signals of calcite and dolomite are identified and even mixtures of both soil carbonates are discriminated using SERDS. The number of accumulations for generating an averaged SERDS spectrum of soil with a sufficient signal stability and signal‐to‐background‐noise ratio is evaluated to optimize the overall exposure time for such in situ experiments. The presented results demonstrate the large capability of the developed portable SERDS sensor system for on‐site soil investigations as promising tool for precision agriculture.
Forecasting tourism demand cycles: A Markov switching approach
Authors: Botha Ilsé , Saayman Andrea
Published: June 2022

Forecasting tourism demand taking cyclical patterns into account has gained popularity. The focus has traditionally been on univariate time‐series models, which does not consider the influence of varying elasticities in upswings and downswings. This article aims to fill this void by forecasting tourism demand to five destinations, using a Markov‐switching approach. Rolling forecasts using two variants of the Markov‐Switching model are compared to traditional models, including autoregressive distributed lag, autoregressive integrated moving average and naïve forecasts. The findings show that accounting for asymmetric behaviour in the tourism cycle itself or in price and income elasticities improves forecasts, especially for long‐haul destinations.
Tribological performance of aUHMWPE‐based multiscale composite under different lubrication and loads
Authors: Vadivel Hari Shankar , Somberg Julian , Kalin Mitjan , Emami Nazanin
Published: June 2022

An UHMWPE‐based multiscale composite containing graphene oxide, nanodiamonds, and short carbon fibres has shown excellent performance under distilled water lubrication. However, it is crucial to evaluate its tribological performance under conditions which more accurately represent the final application. In this study, the tribological performance of the developed UHMWPE‐based multiscale composite is evaluated and compared with neat UHMWPE under different lubricating conditions: no lubricant (dry), in seawater (SW) and in an environmentally acceptable lubricant (EAL). While neat UHMWPE displays a lower friction and wear in dry conditions, the multiscale composite performs better under SW and EAL lubrication. A maximum reduction in friction coefficient of 77% and specific wear rate of 88% are obtained in SW. Under EAL lubricated conditions, the multiscale composite has a maximum reduction in specific wear rate of up to 75%.
Corrosion protection of Zn–Al–Mg‐coated steel by a layered double hydroxide conversion layer
Authors: Holzner Tobias , Luckeneder Gerald , Strauß Bernhard , Valtiner Markus
Published: June 2022

Conversion layers produced on an industrial scale are typically based on phosphates or chromates and involve toxicological and environmental problematic treatment solutions and waste. Concerning this matter, layered double hydroxide (LDH)‐based conversion layers prepared by the process described in our study offer a promising alternative where the treatment solution comes with no environmental or toxicological concerns. The corrosion protection of Zn–Al–Mg (ZM)‐coated steel by an in situ grown LDH conversion layer is investigated by potentiodynamic polarization measurements, linear polarization resistance determination, neutral salt spray test and mass loss test. An LDH layer formation time as short as 30 s considerably improves the corrosion resistance of ZM‐coated steel in electrochemical testing as well as in industrially relevant corrosion testing under chloride‐containing atmospheres. With prolonged LDH formation times, further improvement in corrosion protection is obtained. The significantly increased corrosion resistance of ZM‐coated steel after the industrially feasible treatment time of 30 s makes LDH‐based conversion layers a promising candidate for novel industrially viable conversion layers, with enhanced corrosion performance and environmentally benign as well as sustainable chemistry.
The unstable evolutionary position of Korarchaeota and its relationship with other TACK and Asgard archaea
Authors: Liu Yang , Li Meng
Published: June 2022

Impact statement

The applications of marker gene concatenation have been advanced to resolve the key questions in the Tree of Life. However, the interphylum evolutionary relationship between Korarchaeota of TACK (Thaumarchaeota, Aigarchaeota, Crenarchaeota, Korarchaeota) and Asgard archaea remains uncertain. We applied a marker gene ranking procedure to examine their evolutionary history. Our updated trees showed confident placements of (1) Korarchaeota as the basal branch to other TACK archaea and as a sister group to Asgard archaea; (2) Njordarchaeota at basal branch to Korarchaeota instead of within Asgard archaea. They highlight the importance of evaluating marker genes for phylogeny inference of the Archaea domain.
On implicit fractional q‐difference equations: Analysis and stability
Authors: Laledj Nadjet , Salim Abdelkrim , Lazreg Jamal Eddine , Abbas Saïd , Ahmad Bashir , Benchohra Mouffak
Published: June 2022

This paper deals with some existence and Ulam stability results for some classes of implicit fractional
‐difference equations with and without random effects in Banach spaces and Banach algebras. Our results are provided by applying the fixed point theory (Itoh's random fixed point theorem, the nonlinear alternative of Schaefer's type proved by Dhage, and an other Dhage's random fixed point theorem in Banach algebras). Other results about the extremal solutions and random extremal solutions under Carathéodory and certain monotonicity conditions are proved. In the final section, some illustrative examples are provided.
Numerical solution of a fourth‐order singularly perturbed boundary value problem with discontinuities via Haar wavelets
Authors: Podila Pramod Chakravarthy , Sundrani Vishwas , Ramos Higinio
Published: June 2022

In this paper, an efficient wavelet‐based numerical scheme is presented for the solution of fourth‐order singularly perturbed boundary value problems with discontinuous data. The fourth‐order derivative of the solution function is expanded in Haar series and then integrated to get the approximations for the lower order derivatives of the solution function. The convergence of the proposed method is analyzed. The analysis shows that the error bound is inversely proportional to the wavelet resolution. The method is applied on three test problems to check its performance. The proposed method is computationally fast, cheap, and reliable, even considering low‐order wavelet resolutions. Another important advantage of the proposed method is that it can be easily extended to similar classes of problems with a variety of boundary conditions.
Follicle development in pigs: State of the art
Authors: Knox Robert V.
Published: June 2022

Understanding the factors and pathways involved with recruitment, atresia, and selection of follicles in the pig, may provide insight into approaches to limit fertility failures. Antral follicles depend upon FSH to the 2–3 mm stage, become codependent upon LH at 4–5 mm, and rely on LH when >5 mm. Within the follicle, gonadotropin binding, steroids, growth factors, and inhibin interact to determine the fate of the follicle. Continuous recruitment appears likely for follicles, and once >1 mm, they may have a limited period for survival, before selection or atresia. If true, then the number of healthy follicles that can respond to a hormone signal for selection, could vary by size and development stage. Which follicles are selected may depend upon their age, numbers of capillaries, granulosa and thecal cells, and FSH and LH receptors. This might also suggest that factors such as management, nutrition, and stress in prior weeks, could affect different cohorts of follicles to determine which of those from the ovarian population will be selected.
Accelerating multi‐echo chemical shift encoded water–fat MRI using model‐guided deep learning
Authors: Li Shuo , Shen Chenfei , Ding Zekang , She Huajun , Du Yiping P.
Published: June 2022

Purpose

To accelerate chemical shift encoded (CSE) water–fat imaging by applying a model‐guided deep learning water–fat separation (MGDL‐WF) framework to the undersampled k‐space data.

Methods

A model‐guided deep learning water–fat separation framework is proposed for the acceleration using Cartesian/radial undersampling data. The proposed MGDL‐WF combines the power of CSE water–fat imaging model and data‐driven deep learning by jointly using a multi‐peak fat model and a modified residual U‐net network. The model is used to guide the image reconstruction, and the network is used to capture the artifacts induced by the undersampling. A data consistency layer is used in MGDL‐WF to ensure the output images to be consistent with the k‐space measurements. A Gauss‐Newton iteration algorithm is adapted for the gradient updating of the networks.

Results

Compared with the compressed sensing water–fat separation (CS‐WF) algorithm/2‐step procedure algorithm, the MGDL‐WF increased peak signal‐to‐noise ratio (PSNR) by 5.31/5.23, 6.11/4.54, and 4.75 dB/1.88 dB with Cartesian sampling, and by 4.13/6.53, 2.90/4.68, and 1.68 dB/3.48 dB with radial sampling, at acceleration rates (R) of 4, 6, and 8, respectively. By using MGDL‐WF, radial sampling increased the PSNR by 2.07 dB at R = 8, compared with Cartesian sampling.

Conclusions

The proposed MGDL‐WF enables exploiting features of the water images and fat images from the undersampled multi‐echo data, leading to improved performance in the accelerated CSE water–fat imaging. By using MGDL‐WF, radial sampling can further improve the image quality with comparable scan time in comparison with Cartesian sampling.