bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Patterns of National Cancer Institute‐Sponsored Clinical Trial Enrollment in Black Adolescents and Young Adults
Authors: Roth Michael , Beauchemin Melissa , Kahn Justine M. , Bleyer Archie
Published: September 2021

Background

Both adolescent and young adult (AYA) and Black or African American (hereafter referred to as Black) cancer patients are historically under‐enrolled in cancer treatment trials (CTT). The purpose of this study was to quantify enrollment of Black AYAs in National Cancer Institute (NCI)‐sponsored CTTs overall and by age, sex, and cancer diagnosis during 2000–2015.

Methods

Utilizing data from NCI’s Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program and the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program, we assessed CTT enrollment in Black patients with cancer and measured changes in enrollment over time between the study periods 2000–2007 and 2008–2015. Enrollment patterns were compared across age groups (≤14 years [y], 15–19y, 20–29y, 30–39y and 40+ years), sex, and cancer diagnosis.

Results

From 2000 through 2015, <3% of Black AYAs (20–39y) enrolled on CTTs. While AYAs had significantly higher cancer incidence than children, 20.5% fewer Black AYAs enrolled on CTTs. Enrollment was lowest among Black males 20–29y, with a mean of 18 enrolling in CTTs annually. The proportion of AYA enrollees who were Black did not change significantly over time periods (2000–2007 vs 2008–2015).

Conclusions

Few Black AYAs enroll in CTTs each year. Given known benefits of clinical trial participation and the well‐documented racial and age‐related differences in cancer outcomes, addressing barriers to enrollment in these patients may, in turn, reduce disparities. Targeted interventions aimed at increasing the CTT enrollment of Black cancer patients, particularly young Black men, are urgently needed.

Precis

This study documents that compared with Black children, Black adolescent, and young adult (AYA) patients were less likely to enroll in NCI‐sponsored CTTs from 2000 to 2015. Black AYA male enrollment decreased with increasing age, highlighting disparities among this specific population in CTT enrollment.
Real‐world benefit of combination palbociclib and endocrine therapy for metastatic breast cancer and correlation with neutropenia
Authors: Sun James , Zhong Xiaojun , Ma Junjie , Sun Weihong , Han Hyo S. , Soliman Hatem H. , Loftus Loretta S. , Costa Ricardo L. B. , Armaghani Avan J. , Soyano‐Muller Aixa E. , Czerniecki Brian J. , Lee M. Catherine , Kiluk John V. , Khakpour Nazanin , Hoover Susan J. , Laronga Christine , Khong Hung T.
Published: September 2021

Background

Combination CDK4/6 inhibitor and endocrine therapy has been shown to significantly improve progression‐free survival (PFS) in patients with hormone receptor (HR)‐positive, HER2‐negative metastatic breast cancer (mBC). The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the real‐world benefit of first‐line combination therapy in this cohort and to correlate treatment efficacy with neutropenia, a common toxicity of CDK4/6 inhibitors.

Methods

This study included HR‐positive, HER2‐negative advanced or mBC patients who were treated with palbociclib plus endocrine therapy, mainly letrozole, between 1 January 2015 and 1 March 2018. Progression‐free survival (PFS) was determined using Kaplan–Meier analysis. The predictive value of absolute neutrophil count (ANC) and neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR) for PFS were explored using Cox regression models. Both ANC and NLR were used as a time‐dependent variable.

Results

In total, 165 patients were included with median PFS of 24.19 months (95% CI 18.93–NR). Median PFS for patients with bone‐only metastases (n = 54) was not reached (95% CI 18.21–NR). Among patients with all other metastases (n = 111), median PFS was 24.19 months (95% CI 16.33–33.82). Lower ANC was correlated with decreased risk of progression (HR 0.84, 95% CI 0.71–0.97, p = 0.008). There was no significant association between NLR and the risk of disease progression (HR 1.07, 95% CI 0.97–1.18, p = 0.203).

Conclusion

The effectiveness of palbociclib and endocrine therapy in the treatment of HR‐positive, HER2‐negative mBC in the real‐world setting is similar to the efficacy reported in the PALOMA‐2 trial. Patients with lower neutrophil count may have a lower risk of early disease progression.
Association between Helicobacter pylori infection and mortality risk in prostate cancer patients receiving androgen deprivation therapy: A real‐world evidence study
Authors: Liu Jui‐Ming , Wu Chun‐Te , Hsu Ren‐Jun , Hsu Wen‐Lin
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a major risk factor for gastric cancer and may affect androgen activity in men. The association between H. pylori and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in patients with prostate cancer (PCa) remains unclear.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study linked National Health Insurance (NHI) data to Taiwan Cancer Registry (TCR) and Taiwan Death Registry (TDR) between 1995 and 2016. PCa patients who received ADT were classified into H. pylori infection and non‐H. pylori infection groups. The outcomes were overall mortality, prostate cancer‐specific mortality, and castration‐resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Propensity score matching was adopted for the primary analysis and inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was used for the sensitivity analysis.

Results

Of the 62,014 selected PCa patients, 23,701 received ADT, of whom 3516 had H. pylori infections and 20,185 did not. After matching, there were 3022 patients in the H. pylori infection group and 6044 patients in the non‐H. pylori infection group. The mean follow‐up period for the matched cohort was 4.8 years. Compared to the non‐H. pylori group, the H. pylori group was significantly associated with decreased risks of all‐cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 0.90; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.84–0.96) and prostate cancer‐specific mortality (HR 0.88; 95% CI 0.81–0.95) in the matched analysis.

Conclusions

H. pylori infection was associated with a reduced risk of mortality in PCa patients receiving ADT.
Energy‐Efficient Biobutanol Recovery Process Using 1‐Heptanol Extraction
Authors: Oh Hyeon Woo , Lee Seong Chan , Woo Hee Chul , Han Kim Young
Published: September 2021

Biobutanol is an attractive fuel, owing to its abundant lignocellulose utilization and the similarity of its physical properties to those of gasoline. Biobutanol recovery from its fermentation broth is crucial for large‐scale production because of the high costs involved. Extraction considerably reduces the energy demand for distillation, which is extensively used for its recovery. A new solvent, 1‐heptanol, was used for extraction in this study, and its thermodynamic model parameters were derived based on liquid‐liquid equilibrium data obtained via molecular simulations and experimental measurements. The results of the process design obtained with commercial design software indicated that the energy requirement was significantly lower than those of previously reported processes with comparable investments.
Time‐Resolved Spectroscopy and High‐Efficiency Light‐Driven Hydrogen Evolution of a {Mo3S4}‐Containing Polyoxometalate‐Based System
Authors: Smortsova Yevheniia , Falaise Clément , Fatima Anam , Ha‐Thi Minh‐Huong , Méallet‐Renault Rachel , Steenkeste Karine , Al‐Bacha Serge , Chaib Tesnim , Assaud Loïc , Lepeltier Marc , Haouas Mohamed , Leclerc Nathalie , Pino Thomas , Cadot Emmanuel
Published: September 2021

Polyoxothiometalate ions (ThioPOM) are active hydrogen‐evolution reaction (HER) catalysts based on modular assembly built from electrophilic clusters {MoSx} and vacant polyoxotungstates. Herein, the dumbbell‐like anion [{(PW11O39)Mo3S4(H2O)3(OH)}2]8− exhibits very high light‐driven HER activity, while the active cores {Mo3S4} do not contain any exposed disulfido ligands, which were suspected to be the origin of the HER activity. Moreover, in the catalyst architecture, the two central {Mo3S4} cores are sandwiched by two {PW11O39}7− subunits that act as oxidant‐resistant protecting groups and behave as electron‐collecting units. A detailed photophysical study was carried out confirming the reductive quenching mechanism of the photosensitizer [Ir(ppy)2(dtbbpy)]+ by the sacrificial donor triethanolamine (TEOA) and highlighting the very high rate constant of the electron transfer from the reduced photosensitizer to the ThioPOM catalyst. Such results provide new insights into the field of molecular catalytic systems able to promote high HER activity.
Mechanisms of Porous Carbon‐based Supercapacitors
Authors: Cao Yanming , Li Shengping , Xu Chenggen , Ma Xinlong , Huang Guoyong , Lu Chunxi , Li Zekun
Published: September 2021

Supercapacitors are electrochemical energy storage devices that function by the adsorption of ions from an electrolyte onto an electrode with a high surface area. Due to the advantages such as high‐power density and a longer life span, supercapacitors bearing nanoscale porous carbon‐based electrodes, have gained special interest. The high specific surface area of nano‐scale porous carbon‐based electrodes could substantially increase the energy density of supercapacitors. Here we review the research pertaining to the energy storage of supercapacitors and the mechanism regulating the microscopic energy storage within nanopores. The advantages and challenges of various in situ characterization techniques and simulation techniques in the energy storage mechanism were discussed. The effective combination of in situ characterization techniques and computer simulations has been highlighted since it provides a useful means to understand the intrinsic properties of the electrode/electrolyte interface and various physicochemical reactions that take place during charging/discharging. This understanding is valuable for the design and development of next‐generation supercapacitors with the high power density and high energy density.
An efficient multi‐swarm elephant herding optimization for solving community detection problem in complex environment
Authors: Belkhiri Youcef , Kamel Nadjet , Drias Habiba
Published: September 2021

Detecting hiding communities is considered as a main topic in complex networks. In this article, we propose a multi‐swarm elephant herding optimization (EHO) algorithm to uncover community structures in complex environments. It adapts EHO algorithm to community detection problem. EHO algorithm relies on two procedures which are updating clan procedure and separating procedure. The main idea of our multi‐swarm approach is that the population is composed of a set of interacting clans. In each clan, a local search function is defined to determine best local individual called matriarch. Through updating clan procedure, the remaining individuals in the clan update their positions based on the matriarch position. In addition, to ensure significant individuals in the clan, a multi‐swarm cooperative algorithm is designed to implement separating procedure; clans interchange individuals to balance the exploration and exploitation abilities. A series of experiments are carried out on artificial and real networks. The results obtained by the proposed approach are better than the results obtained by some other approaches.
Quantity sensitive task allocation based on improved whale optimization algorithm in crowdsensing system
Authors: Jiang Weijin , Zhang Wanqing , Chen Pingping , Chen Junpeng , Sun Yongxia , Yang Ying
Published: September 2021

With the large‐scale popularity of mobile terminals, crowdsensing technology gradually replaces the existing static sensors with its advantages of high efficiency and low cost, becoming an emerging data collection method. How to assign perception tasks to the best performing users under the premise of ensuring quality and reducing costs to maximize the number of user tasks completed is the focus of the research on quantity sensitive task allocation. Based on this, a solution based on the improved whale optimization algorithm that combines the three operations of nonlinear decreasing convergence factor, optimal local jitter, and dynamic position update is put forward, which is used to solve the proposed task allocation problem. First, modeling the quantity sensitive task allocation problem, and then defining the spatial matching degree and skill matching degree according to the degree of adaptation between users and tasks. Taking into account the user's learning ability during the user's task execution, the skill update mechanism is introduced to update the user's existing skills in a timely manner, so as to improve task allocation effectiveness. Second, comprehensively considering the budget, the user's online time and the perceived task completion quality, and reasonably defining the task allocation problem that maximizes the number of tasks completed. In addition, from the perspective of selecting the best performing user for the task, designing a user selection strategy based on user's priority to reduce the cost of task allocation while ensuring the quality of the perceived task is basically completed. Then, in the process of solving the optimal task allocation plan, the improved algorithm is used to continuously optimize the initial task sequences of each iteration, and the final result can be obtained after a limited number of iterations. Finally, the improved algorithm is compared with other optimization algorithms in the same environment, and the results show that the improved algorithm has higher performance in solving task allocation problem.
Conceptualizing and enabling circular economy through integrated thinking
Authors: Barnabè Federico , Nazir Sarfraz
Published: September 2021

This study investigates how companies can conceptualize and enable circular economy (CE) principles and opportunities through integrated reporting (IR) practices and, specifically, the principle of integrated thinking (IT). To this aim, the study carries out an interventionist research‐based case study about a small‐sized agri‐food company and applies Systems Thinking tools (namely a sub‐system diagram and a stock and flow diagram). The findings demonstrate that IR concepts played a performative role, favoring a better understanding of the business domain and of CE‐related activities and opportunities, also in the perspective of developing future strategies. Overall, the research suggests that IR and CE may be jointly used but more research and emphasis on the principle of IT, particularly to facilitate decision‐making, are recommended.
Population genetics of Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus) in the upper Athabasca River basin
Authors: Carroll Emma K. T. , Vamosi Steven M.
Published: September 2021

Freshwater ecosystems are negatively impacted by a variety of anthropogenic stressors, with concomitant elevated rates of population decline for freshwater aquatic vertebrates. Because reductions in population size and extent can negatively impact genetic diversity and gene flow, which are vital for sustained local adaptation, it is important to measure these characteristics in threatened species that may yet be rescued from extinction. Across its native range, Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus) extent and abundance are in decline due to historic overharvest, invasive non‐native species, and habitat loss. In Alberta's Eastern Slope region, populations at the range margin have progressively been lost, motivating us to better understand the amount and distribution of genetic variation in headwater habitats and some downstream sites where they continue to persist. Across this region, we sampled 431 Bull Trout from 20 sites in the Athabasca and Saskatchewan River basins and assayed 10 microsatellite loci to characterize within‐ and among‐population genetic variation. The Saskatchewan and Athabasca River basins contained similar levels of heterozygosity but were differentiated from one another. Within the Athabasca River basin, five genetically differentiated clusters were found. Despite the evidence for genetic differentiation, we did not observe significant isolation‐by‐distance patterns among these sites. Our findings of ample genetic diversity and no evidence for hybridization with non‐native Brook Trout in headwater habitats provide motivation to ameliorate downstream habitats and remove anthropogenic barriers to connectivity towards the goal of long‐term persistence of this species.
Effectiveness of self‐myofascial release combined with biofeedback and electrical stimulation for the management of myofascial pelvic pain: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Xu Jingyun , Chen Kai , Ding Bo , Zhu Mingyue , Yao Shanshan , Ren Mulan , Shen Yang
Published: September 2021

Background

Myofascial pelvic pain (MFPP) caused by myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) is a major contributor to chronic pelvic pain in women. However, the effect of the patient's self‐myofascial release (SMFR) is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effect of SMFR combined with biofeedback and electrical stimulation (BES) therapy in comparison with BES alone in patients with MFPP.

Methods

A prospective randomized controlled study was conducted. Sixty‐eight patients were randomly allocated into BES‐SMFR group (n = 34) and BES group (n = 34). Every patient received 4 weeks of treatment, evaluated at baseline (T0), 4 weeks post‐intervention (T4) and 12‐week follow‐up (T12). The primary outcome was pain intensity. The secondary outcomes were degree of activation of MTrPs, surface electromyography (sEMG) levels and Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI‐I).

Results

Compared with the effect of BES, BES‐SMFR treatment significantly decreased pain intensity and the degree of activation of MTrPs in the levator ani (p = 0.02) and obturator internus (p = 0.03), as well as the sEMG levels of the pre‐test resting baseline and post‐test resting baseline (allp < 0.01). The degree of activation of MTrPs in the piriformis and coccygeus (allp > 0.05) and the sEMG levels of the quick flicks and endurance contraction were not significantly different. The BES‐SMFR treatment improved the PGI‐I scale at T4 (p = 0.02) but not at T12 (p = 0.40).

Conclusions

This study confirmed that the addition of SMFR to BES treatment resulted in superior outcomes compared with those with BES alone in patients with MFPP.

Significance statement

Myofascial pelvic pain (MFPP) is a major contributor of female chronic pelvic pain. Myofascial release has been used commonly for better pain release; however, poor therapeutic effect due to poor patient compliance is common in clinical practice. Therefore, in future research, there is a need to investigate the effect of patient's self‐myofascial release (SMFR) technique, which can eliminate the need for frequent office visits and improve patient compliance to some extent, in patients with MFPP.
Beyond comparisons: The complexity and context‐dependency of collective victim beliefs
Authors: Vollhardt Johanna Ray , Szabó Zsolt P. , McNeill Andrew , Hadjiandreou Eliana , Winiewski Mikołaj
Published: September 2021

Social psychological research on collective victimhood has focused on just a few ways in which people think about the ingroup's victimization that imply certain assumptions and limit our understanding of collective victim beliefs. Additionally, different historical and sociopolitical contexts may make different collective victim beliefs relevant. This article examines collective victim beliefs expressed in open‐ended survey responses among six different groups: Northern Irish participants, Greek Cypriots, Hungarians, Poles, Jewish Americans, and Armenian Americans (N = 638). Qualitative content analysis revealed five broader categories with several collective victim beliefs each. General appraisals of the ingroup's collective victimization entailed centrality of ingroup victimization versus defocusing victimhood. More specific appraisals included context‐specific characteristics of the ingroup's victimization, perceptions of the perpetrator group (attributions of blame), and perceptions of other victim groups (comparative victim beliefs, including rejecting comparisons). The findings extend and challenge commonly studied collective victim beliefs, and propose novel theoretical directions.
Applications of capillary electrophoresis for biopharmaceutical product characterization
Authors: Kumar Ramesh , Guttman Andras , Rathore Anurag S.
Published: September 2021

Capillary electrophoresis (CE), after being introduced several decades ago, has carved out a niche for itself in the field of analytical characterization of biopharmaceutical products. It does not only offer fast separation, high resolution in miniaturized format, but equally importantly represents an orthogonal separation mechanism to high‐performance liquid chromatography. Therefore, it is not surprising that CE‐based methods can be found in all major pharmacopoeias and are recommended for the analysis of biopharmaceutical products during process development, characterization, quality control, and release testing. Different separation formats of CE, such as capillary gel electrophoresis, capillary isoelectric focusing, and capillary zone electrophoresis are widely used for size and charge heterogeneity characterization as well as purity and stability testing of therapeutic proteins. Hyphenation of CE with MS is emerging as a promising bioanalytical tool to assess the primary structure of therapeutic proteins along with any impurities. In this review, we confer the latest developments in capillary electrophoresis, used for the characterization of critical quality attributes of biopharmaceutical products covering the past 6 years (2015–2021). Monoclonal antibodies, due to their significant share in the market, have been given prioritized coverage.
Effects of Pangasius (Pangasius hypophthalmus) and Skipjack Tuna (Sarda orientalis) mince blend on the quality of fish products: Ways to utilize resources and nutrition in Bangladesh
Authors: Hoque Md. Sazedul , Roy Shatabdi , Mukit Shihab Sharar , Rahman Md. Bokthier , Akter Shaida
Published: September 2021

This study was conducted with the aims of utilizing the resources and analyzing the quality of value‐added fish products, fish ball made from a fish mince blend of pangasius (Pangasius hypophthalmus) and skipjack tuna (Sarda orientalis) (ratios P100:T0, P75:T25, P50:T50, P25:T75, P0:T100), under two cooking processes (two‐step heating and autoclaving). The textural quality (softness/firmness [S/F]; chewiness/rubberiness [C/R]; and folding test [FT]) and the nutritional quality of the fish products were determined by the sensory method and AOAC method, respectively. The results showed that tuna had higher utilization than pangasius. The products from the washed fish mince blend showed better textural properties with two‐step heating (50℃ for 60 min and 100℃ for 30 min) than with autoclaving (120℃, 15Ib/Inc2 for 15 min) and unwashed process. Of the five fish mince blend ratios, P50:T50 showed significant higher textural properties (FT, S/F, and C/R values) than the other ratios (p < .05). Further improvements in textural qualities were observed when the mince blend was washed with different salt solutions (0.1% NaCl, KCl, CaCl2, and MgCl2). Whitish or bright color attributes were obtained from pangasius mince, which became darker proportionately with increasing proportions of tuna mince (p < .05). The texture, color, and nutritional quality of the fish products were affected by washing, heating, and the compositional differences in the fish species. Thus, value‐added fish products based on a fish mince blend could contribute to an increase in total resource utilization and nutritional security in Bangladesh.
A deep learning based approach identifies regions more relevant than resting‐state networks to the prediction of general intelligence from resting‐state fMRI
Authors: Hebling Vieira Bruno , Dubois Julien , Calhoun Vince D. , Garrido Salmon Carlos Ernesto
Published: September 2021

Prediction of cognitive ability latent factors such as general intelligence from neuroimaging has elucidated questions pertaining to their neural origins. However, predicting general intelligence from functional connectivity limit hypotheses to that specific domain, being agnostic to time‐distributed features and dynamics. We used an ensemble of recurrent neural networks to circumvent this limitation, bypassing feature extraction, to predict general intelligence from resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging regional signals of a large sample (n = 873) of Human Connectome Project adult subjects. Ablating common resting‐state networks (RSNs) and measuring degradation in performance, we show that model reliance can be mostly explained by network size. Using our approach based on the temporal variance of saliencies, that is, gradients of outputs with regards to inputs, we identify a candidate set of networks that more reliably affect performance in the prediction of general intelligence than similarly sized RSNs. Our approach allows us to further test the effect of local alterations on data and the expected changes in derived metrics such as functional connectivity and instantaneous innovations.
Current therapeutic options for low‐risk papillary thyroid carcinoma: Scoping evidence review
Authors: Sanabria Alvaro , Pinillos Pilar , Lira Renan B. , Shah Jatin P. , Tufano Ralph P. , Zafereo Mark E. , Nixon Iain J. , Randolph Gregory W. , Simo Ricard , Vander Poorten Vincent , Rinaldo Alessandra , Medina Jesus E. , Khafif Avi , Angelos Peter , Mäkitie Antti A. , Shaha Ashok R. , Rodrigo Juan P. , Hartl Dana M. , Kowalski Luiz P. , Ferlito Alfio
Published: September 2021

Most cases of thyroid carcinoma are classified as low risk. These lesions have been treated with open surgery, remote access thyroidectomy, active surveillance, and percutaneous ablation. However, there is lack of consensus and clear indications for a specific treatment selection. The objective of this study is to review the literature regarding the indications for management selection for low‐risk carcinomas. Systematic review exploring inclusion and exclusion criteria used to select patients with low‐risk carcinomas for treatment approaches. The search found 69 studies. The inclusion criteria most reported were nodule diameter and histopathological confirmation of the tumor type. The most common exclusions were lymph node metastasis and extra‐thyroidal extension. There was significant heterogeneity among inclusion and exclusion criteria according to the analyzed therapeutic approach. Alternative therapeutic approaches in low‐risk carcinomas can be cautiously considered. Open thyroidectomy remains the standard treatment against which all other approaches must be compared.
Teaming with industrial cobots: A socio‐technical perspective on safety analysis
Authors: Adriaensen A. , Costantino F. , Di Gravio G. , Patriarca R.
Published: September 2021

Collaborative human–machine interaction will be progressively intensified in industrial applications. The aim of this article is to examine current approaches to cobot safety by showing that these approaches can additionally benefit from systems thinking methods. The first part of this article covers a narrative literature review on predominantly techno‐centric robot safety approaches, with a strong focus on containing kinetic energy and ensuring separation with humans. The second part introduces systems thinking methods to analyze a socio‐technical perspective on cobot safety, including joint cognitive systems and distributed cognition perspectives. This explorative research dimension is expected to overcome an overly narrow interpretation of safety issues, anticipating the challenges ahead in ever more complex cobot applications. This article embraces a socio‐technical perspective to explore the potential of Joint Cognitive Systems to manage risk and safety in cobot applications. Three systemic safety analysis approaches are presented and tested with a demonstrator case study concerning their feasibility for cobot applications: System‐Theoretic Accident Model and Processes (STAMP); Functional Resonance Analysis Method (FRAM); and Event Analysis of Systemic Teamwork (EAST). These methods each provide interesting extensions to complement the traditional understanding of risk as required by current and future industrial cobot implementations. The power of systemic methods for safer and more efficient cobot operations lies in revealing the distributed and emergent result from joint actions and overcoming the reductionist view from individual failures or single agent responsibilities. The safe operation of cobot applications can only be achieved through alignment of design, training, and operation of such applications.
Neoadjuvant docetaxel plus carboplatin vs epirubicin plus cyclophosphamide followed by docetaxel in triple‐negative, early‐stage breast cancer (NeoCART): Results from a multicenter, randomized controlled, open‐label phase II trial
Authors: Zhang Liulu , Wu Zhi‐Yong , Li Jie , Lin Ying , Liu Zhenzhen , Cao Yin , Zhang Gangling , Gao Hong‐Fei , Yang Mei , Yang Ci‐Qiu , Zhu Teng , Cheng Min‐Yi , Ji Fei , Li Jieqing , Wang Kun
Published: September 2021

Previous studies have shown that the addition of carboplatin to neoadjuvant chemotherapy improved the pathologic complete response (pCR) rate in patients suffering from triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) and patients who obtained a pCR could achieve prolonged event‐free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS). However, no studies have assessed the effects of the combination of docetaxel and carboplatin without anthracycline with taxane‐based and anthracycline‐based regimens. The NeoCART study was designed as a multicenter, randomized controlled, open‐label, phase II trial to assess the efficacy and safety of docetaxel combined with carboplatin in untreated stage II‐III TNBC. All eligible patients were randomly assigned, at a 1:1 ratio, to an experimental docetaxel plus carboplatin (DCb) for six cycles group (DCb group) or an epirubicin plus cyclophosphamide for four cycles followed by docetaxel for four cycles group (EC‐D group). PCR (ypT0/is ypN0) was evaluated as the primary outcome. Between 1 September 2016 and 31 December 2019, 93 patients were randomly assigned and 88 patients were evaluated for the primary endpoint (44 patients in each group). In the primary endpoint analysis, 27 patients in the DCb group (61.4%, 95% CI 47.0‐75.8) and 17 patients in the EC‐D group achieved a pCR (38.6%, 95% CI 24.3‐53.0; odds ratio 2.52, 95% CI 2.4‐43.1; Pnoninferiority = .004). Noninferiority was met, and the DCb regimen was confirmed to be superior to the EC‐D regimen (P = .044, superiority margin of 5%). At the end of the 37‐month median follow‐up period, OS and EFS rates were equivalent in both groups.
Decellularized peripheral nerve as an injectable delivery vehicle for neural applications
Authors: Bousalis Deanna , McCrary Michaela W. , Vaughn Natalie , Hlavac Nora , Evering Ashley , Kolli Shruti , Song Young Hye , Morley Cameron , E. Angelini Thomas , Schmidt Christine E.
Published: September 2021

Damage to the nervous system can result in loss of sensory and motor function, paralysis, or even death. To facilitate neural regeneration and functional recovery, researchers have employed biomaterials strategies to address both peripheral and central nervous system injuries. Injectable hydrogels that recapitulate native nerve extracellular matrix are especially promising for neural tissue engineering because they offer more flexibility for minimally invasive applications and provide a growth‐permissive substrate for neural cell types. Here, we explore the development of injectable hydrogels derived from decellularized rat peripheral nerves (referred to as “injectable peripheral nerve [iPN] hydrogels”), which are processed using a newly developed sodium deoxycholate and DNase (SDD) decellularization method. We assess the gelation kinetics, mechanical properties, cell bioactivity, and drug release kinetics of the iPN hydrogels. The iPN hydrogels thermally gel when exposed to 37°C in under 20 min and have mechanical properties similar to neural tissue. The hydrogels demonstrate in vitro biocompatibility through support of Schwann cell viability and metabolic activity. Additionally, iPN hydrogels promote greater astrocyte spreading compared to collagen I hydrogels. Finally, the iPN is a promising delivery vehicle of drug‐loaded microparticles for a combinatorial approach to neural injury therapies.
Legendre pairs of lengths ℓ≡0(mod3)
Authors: Kotsireas Ilias , Koutschan Christoph
Published: September 2021

We prove a proposition that connects constant‐periodic autocorrelation function sequences and the corresponding Legendre pairs with integer power spectral density values. We show how to determine explicitly the complete spectrum of the ‐rd value of the discrete Fourier transform for Legendre pairs of lengths . This is accomplished by two new algorithms based on number‐theoretic arguments. As an application, we prove that Legendre pairs of the open lengths 117, 129, 133, and 147 exist by finding Legendre pairs of these lengths with a multiplier group of order at least 3. As a consequence, 85, 87, 115, 145, 159, 161, 169, 175, 177, 185, 187, 195 are the 12 integers in the range for which the question of existence of Legendre pairs remains unsolved.
The clinical application of PIVKA‐II in hepatocellular carcinoma and chronic liver diseases: A multi‐center study in China
Authors: Ji Jun , Liu Lijuan , Jiang Feifei , Wen Xue , Zhang Yu , Li Shengcong , Lou Jinli , Wang Ying , Liu Ning , Guo Qiuyan , Jia Yongmei , Gao Chunfang
Published: September 2021

Background

Due to the absence of specific symptoms and low survival rate, efficient biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) diagnosis are urgently required. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist‐II (PIVKA‐II) and to determine the optimal cutoff values for HBV infection‐related HCC.

Methods

We conducted a cross‐sectional, multi‐center study in China to ascertain the cutoff value for HCC patients in the context of CHB‐ and HBV‐related cirrhosis. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) and the area under the curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the diagnostic performance of PIVKA‐II.

Results

This study enrolled 784 subjects and demonstrated that PIVKA‐II had a sensitivity of 84.08% and a specificity of 90.43% in diagnosis HCC from chronic liver diseases. PIVKA‐II at a cutoff of 37.5 mAU/mL yielded an AUC of 0.9737 (sensitivity 91.78% and specificity 96.30%) in discriminating HCC from chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. PIVKA‐II at a cutoff of 45 mAU/mL yielded an AUC of 0.9419 (sensitivity 77.46% and specificity 95.12%) in discriminating HCC‐ from HBV‐related cirrhosis patients. Furthermore, using a cutoff value of 40 mAU/mL for PIVKA‐II as an HCC marker, only 4.81% (15/312) was positive in chronic hepatitis and 12.80% (37/289) in cirrhosis patients, revealing the satisfactory specificity of PIVKA‐II in chronic liver disease of different etiologies.

Conclusion

Our data indicated that PIVKA‐II had satisfactory diagnostic efficiencies and could be used as a screening or surveillance biomarker in HCC high‐risk population.
Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in clinical sputum by a unique gene in MTB strains called Conserved protein TB18.5 (TB18.5)
Authors: Luo Juanxiu , Li Xiaofei , Song Yuzhu , Liu Hongwei , Zheng Kexi , Xia Xueshan , Zhang A‐Mei
Published: September 2021

A rapid and accurate diagnosis increases the treatment effect and decreases the mortality of tuberculosis (TB) patients. The purpose of this study was to establish an accurate, unique, and rapid molecular diagnostic technique to screen Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) from clinical sputum. A unique gene in MTB strains called conserved protein TB18.5 (TB18.5) was selected by bioinformatics analysis. Two pairs of primers were designed to amplify TB18.5 using the nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or quantitative real‐time PCR. Nine pathogens and the MTB strain were used to determine the specificity of the TB18.5 gene. The sensitivity assay was performed after optimizing the PCR conditions. The correct fragment was amplified when a 10 copy number template was used. A total of 232 sputum samples were collected from TB patients (from 2019 to 2020) to evaluate the accuracy of the molecular method in this study. MTB was first detected using the BACTEC MGIT‐960 culture test and the Gene Xpert MTB/RIF assay. Totals of 195 (84.05%), 182 (78.45%), and 162 (69.83%) sputum samples were determined to be infected with MTB using nested PCR, the Gene Xpert MTB/RIF assay, and the BACTEC MGIT‐960 culture test, respectively. In summary, a rapid, unique, and sensitive molecular method was established to diagnose TB infection in clinical sputum samples.
Adenosine kinase deficiency presenting with tortuous cervical arteries: A risk factor for recurrent stroke
Authors: Paz José A. , Embiruçu Emilia K. , Bueno Clarissa , Ferreira Rafaela C. C. L. , Oliveira Fernanda S. , Pereira Ane S. S. , Schwartz Ida V. D. , Paiva Anderson R. B. , Lucato Leandro T. , Kok Fernando
Published: September 2021

Adenosine kinase (ADK) deficiency is a very rare inborn error of methionine and adenosine metabolism. It is characterized by developmental delay, hypotonia, epilepsy, facial dysmorphism, failure to thrive, transient liver dysfunction with cholestasis, recurrent hypoglycemia, and cardiac defects. Only 26 cases (16 families) of ADK deficiency have been published since its identification in 2011. Vascular abnormalities in cervical arteries and cerebral stroke have never been reported in this condition. Here, we describe two patients with ADK deficiency and vascular tortuosity leading to stroke in one of them. ADK deficiency is a rare inborn error of methionine metabolism with a complex phenotype that might be associated with cerebrovascular abnormalities and stroke.
Effects of dimensionality and excitation energy on the Raman tensors of triclinic ReSe2
Authors: Resende Geovani C. , Ribeiro Guilherme A. S. , Silveira Orlando J. , Lemos Jessica S. , Rhodes Daniel , Balicas Luis , Terrones Mauricio , Mazzoni Mario S. C. , Fantini Cristiano , Carvalho Bruno R. , Pimenta Marcos A.
Published: September 2021

In this work, we present measurements of angle‐resolved polarized Raman spectra of single‐layer (1L) and bulk ReSe2 recorded with excitation energies of 1.92 eV (647.1 nm) and 2.34 eV (530.8 nm). The Raman tensors for all modes were obtained by fitting simultaneously the angular dependence of the parallel (I‖) and crossed (I⊥) polarized intensities. We observed that the tensor elements are, in general, complex numbers, and their magnitudes and phases depend on both the dimensionality of the sample (1L or bulk) and the excitation energy. Results are discussed by considering the intrinsic contribution of a single layer to the tensor elements and the macroscopic contribution coming from the stacking of several layers. We show that the different behaviour of angle‐resolved polarized Raman spectra for different excitation energies is due to the resonant Raman effect, which affects both the real and imaginary parts of the Raman tensor elements. Our work highlights the importance of understanding the fundamental physics of low symmetry 2D materials that can be used to fabricate devices sensitive to the direction of light polarization or electrical current.
Universal performance of benzalkonium chloride for the preservation of environmental DNA in seawater samples
Authors: Jo Toshiaki , Sakata Masayuki K. , Murakami Hiroaki , Masuda Reiji , Minamoto Toshifumi
Published: September 2021

Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis allows noninvasive and cost‐effective monitoring of macroorganisms' distribution and composition in aquatic ecosystems. Benzalkonium chloride (BAC) is an inexpensive and simple preservative for eDNA in water samples and has been used in many eDNA studies for preventing its degradation during transportation. However, its preservation performance has limitedly been evaluated by species‐specific assays, targeting short fragments of mitochondrial DNA in freshwater and brackish ecosystems. Here, we examined the performance of BAC in preserving eDNA in seawater samples, targeting different fragment lengths of mitochondrial and nuclear eDNA, and community information inferred by eDNA metabarcoding. We quantified the time series changes of Japanese jack mackerel (Trachurus japonicus) eDNA concentrations in experimental tanks and inshore seawater to compare the yields and decay rates of eDNA between BAC treatments. For both tank and field samples, BAC treatment substantially suppressed the degradation of all types of target eDNA and increased the eDNA yields at the start of the experiment. In addition, we performed eDNA metabarcoding targeting fish community to compare the species richness and composition in seawater samples between BAC treatments, showing that the number of fish species in field samples hardly varied throughout a day by BAC treatment. Our findings indicate high versatility of BAC in preserving both the quantitative (copy number) and the qualitative (species richness) information on various types of aqueous eDNA in various environmental conditions. BAC should therefore be used to minimize the false‐negative detection of eDNA, regardless of target genetic regions, fragment sizes, environmental conditions, and detection strategies.
Tribological behaviour ofUHMWPEcomposites lubricated by polyvinylpyrrolidone‐modified water
Authors: Dhakal Nayan , Shi Yijun , Emami Nazanin
Published: September 2021

Tribological characteristics of ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) composites with 10% short carbon fibres (SCF) lubricated in water with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a modifier were investigated. The aqueous solutions with varying concentrations of PVP were prepared, and their viscosity‐enhancing action, friction‐reducing properties and anti‐wear performances were studied under different loading conditions equivalent to 10 and 20 MPa of contact pressures at a constant sliding speed of 20 mm/s. The results showed that PVP is an excellent viscosity modifier for water. PVP‐modified water exhibited excellent performance compared to distilled water, reducing the wear and friction coefficient of neat UHMWPE up to 25%. The anti‐wear properties of UHMWPE‐SCF composite were also improved with PVP modified water lubrication, yielding a maximum reduction of wear up to 45%. PVP seems to be a promising additive of modifying the lubricating properties of distilled water for water‐based lubrication.
Porous Polydimethylsiloxane/Au Composites as Solar‐Light Absorbers for Light‐Driven Thermoelectric Applications
Authors: Lee Geon Seok , Biutty Merreta Noorenza , Zakia Maulida , Yoo Seong Il
Published: September 2021

Solar thermoelectric (TE) generators may potentially provide a viable alternative to photovoltaic devices for producing electrical energy from renewable sources. In this approach, the conversion of solar radiation into heat is essential to enhance the performance of TE devices, which necessitates the development of efficient solar light absorbers. Metal nanoparticles (NPs) have gained much attention in this regard because they can convert light into heat via plasmon‐mediated photothermal effects. In this study, porous nanocomposites comprising polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and Au NPs are prepared. In the PDMS/Au composites, the narrow extinction spectrum of Au NPs is extended over longer wavelengths by plasmonic hybridization to promote the light absorption property of the NPs. In addition, the porous structure induces strong scattering of incident light, which further enhances the absorption efficiency of the Au NPs. Consequently, the plasmon‐mediated photothermal effects of Au NPs are noticeably enhanced and increased the temperature of the PDMS/Au composites to as high as 75.7 °C under artificial solar radiation, compared to 42.1 °C without the Au NPs. By applying the PDMS/Au composites to commercial TE devices, the electrical performance of the TE devices is enhanced by approximately threefold.
Kramers–Fokker–Planck operators with homogeneous potentials
Authors: Ben Said Mona
Published: September 2021

In this article we establish a global subelliptic estimate for Kramers–Fokker–Planck operators with homogeneous potentials V(q) under some conditions, involving in particular the control of the eigenvalues of the Hessian matrix of the potential. Our subelliptic lower bounds are the optimal ones up to some logarithmic correction.
Using machine learning to study protein–protein interactions: From the uromodulin polymer to egg zona pellucida filaments
Authors: Jovine Luca
Published: September 2021

Neural network‐based models for protein structure prediction have recently reached near‐experimental accuracy and are fast becoming a powerful tool in the arsenal of biologists. As suggested by initial studies using RoseTTAFold or the ColabFold implementation of AlphaFold2, a particularly interesting future development will be the optimization of these computational methods to also routinely yield high‐confidence predictions of protein–protein interactions. Here I use AlphaFold2 and ColabFold to investigate the activation and polymerization of uromodulin (UMOD)/Tamm‐Horsfall protein, a zona pellucida (ZP) module‐containing protein whose precursor and filamentous structures have been previously determined experimentally by X‐ray crystallography and cryo‐EM, respectively. Despite having no knowledge of the UMOD polymer structure (coordinates for which were neither used for model training nor as template), AlphaFold2/ColabFold are able to recapitulate a crucial conformational change underlying UMOD polymerization, as well as the general organization of protein subunits within the resulting filament. This surprising result is achieved by simply deleting from the input sequence a stretch of residues that correspond to a polymerization‐inhibiting C‐terminal propeptide. By mimicking in silico the activating effect of propeptide dissociation triggered by site‐specific proteolysis of the protein precursor, this example has implications for the assembly of egg coat proteins and the many other molecules that also contain a ZP module. Most importantly, it shows the potential of exploiting machine learning not only to accurately predict the structures of individual proteins or complexes, but also to carry out computational experiments replicating specific molecular events.
Comparative evaluation of polynomial and Lorentzian lineshape‐fitted amine CEST imaging in acute ischemic stroke
Authors: Cui Jing , Afzal Aqeela , Zu Zhongliang
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Chemical exchange saturation transfer signals from amines are sensitive to pH, and detection of these signals can serve as an alternative pH imaging method to amide proton transfer (APT). However, conflicting results regarding amine CEST imaging at 2 ppm in ischemic stroke have been reported. Here, we correlated amine CEST with APT in animal stroke models to evaluate its specificity to pH, and investigated the reason for the different results through simulations and sample studies.

Methods

A three‐point quantification method was used to quantify APT. A polynomial fit method and a multiple‐pool Lorentzian fit method were used to quantify amine CEST. Samples of creatine and glutamate were prepared to study the different CEST effects from arginine amine and fast exchanging pools. Samples of tissue homogenates with different pH were prepared to study the variation in CEST signals due only to changes in pH.

Results

The polynomial fit of amine CEST at 2 ppm had a significant correlation with APT, whereas the Lorentzian fit did not. Further studies showed that arginine amine contributed to the polynomial fit, whereas both the arginine amine and the fast exchanging pools contributed to the Lorentzian fit with their CEST effects varying in opposite directions after stroke. The CEST signal from the fast exchanging pool decreased, probably due to the reduced pool concentration but not pH.

Conclusion

The variation in opposite directions led to an insignificant correlation of the Lorentzian fit of amine CEST with APT and the different results in different experimental conditions.
Antecedent infections in CIDP: A relevant clue in a complex disease?
Authors: Goedee H. Stephan
Published: September 2021

See article on pages 657‐661 in this issue