bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Abstract PO011: Spatial immune cell and transcriptome profiling uncover differential cellular and molecular signatures in primary and metastatic tumor sites in patients with advanced uterine serous cancer
Authors: Zhang Li , Rynne-Vidal Angela , Lu Karen H. , Mok Samuel C.
Published: February 2021

Uterine serous carcinoma (USC) is the most aggressive and lethal subtype of endometrial cancer with a low overall patient survival rate of 18%-27%. Extra-uterine metastasis is frequently found in lymph nodes and omentum. The high lethality and poor understanding of the underneath mechanisms that drives USC progression lead to an urgency to develop novel therapeutic tools for the treatment of USC patients. Metastasis is proven to be the leading cause of death from USC and the immune system plays a vital role for this process. However, differential cellular and molecular profiles in the primary and metastatic tumor microenvironment have not been thoroughly examined. To identify the immune cell profile of USC, a panel of 7 immune cell markers together with functional markers granzyme B and Ki-67 were used to examine the spatial localization of a variety of tumor-infiltrating immune cells by multiplex immunofluorescence IHC assay using OpalTM immunology detection kit (Perkin Elmer). Formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue sections from both primary and metastasis sites (lymph node metastasis) of 10 USC patients were used. Vetra 3.0 microscope was used to take photos of stained slides. Images were quantified and analyzed by inForm software. Transcriptome profiling of microdissected tumor cells from the same tissue samples was performed using the human Clariom D assay platform. Our results demonstrated that primary USC sites had significantly higher density of intratumoral activated tumor-infiltrating cytotoxic T cells (CD8+granzyme B+), and CD8 and LCK double positive T cell subpopulation (CD8+LCK+) than the metastatic sites in lymph nodes. In addition, we found that the density and spatial distribution of activated CD8+ T cells correlate with the overall survival of USC patients. Furthermore, differentially expressed genes and signaling networks associated immune cell activation and tumor cell metastasis were identified in primary sites compared with those in the metastatic sites. Taken together, our study suggested that the immune cell and molecular phenotypes in the lymph nodes provide a permissive niche that support USC progression, which may lead to poor survival rates in patients with advanced USC. Targeting these altered signaling networks may provide novel therapeutic strategies in the treatment of USC patients.

Citation Format: Li Zhang, Angela Rynne-Vidal, Karen H. Lu, Samuel C. Mok. Spatial immune cell and transcriptome profiling uncover differential cellular and molecular signatures in primary and metastatic tumor sites in patients with advanced uterine serous cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Special Conference: Endometrial Cancer: New Biology Driving Research and Treatment; 2020 Nov 9-10. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2021;27(3_Suppl):Abstract nr PO011.
Abstract PO014: Clinicopathologic evaluation of CTNNB1 gene mutations in high-intermediate risk endometrial cancer
Authors: Haag Jennifer G. , Wolsky Rebecca J. , Moroney Marisa R. , Sheren Jamie , Sheeder Jeanelle , Bitler Benjamin G. , Corr Bradley R.
Published: February 2021

Background: CTNNB1 mutations convey increased risk of recurrence in low risk endometrioid endometrial cancers. However, sub-analyses of high-intermediate risk (HIR) endometrioid endometrial cancers in other cohorts have not demonstrated a clearly increased recurrence risk and have often been equivocal. The objective of this study is to perform a clinicopathologic evaluation of patients with HIR endometrioid endometrial cancer in relation to CTNNB1 mutational status.

Methods: A single-institution chart review of patients diagnosed with endometrioid endometrial cancer between 2006 and 2018 was undertaken. Patients were classified as HIR according to GOG249 criteria. Mutational status was determined by Sanger sequencing of exon 3 of the CTNNB1 gene in primary tumor specimens. Immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis of B-catenin was performed to evaluate for the presence of nuclear staining. Factors associated with recurrence were assessed by logistic regression; recurrence-free (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were assessed by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis.

Results: 93 cases of HIR endometrioid endometrial cancer were identified, of which 23 (24.7%) were CTNNB1 mutant and 70 (75.3%) were wild type. Median follow-up was 54.7 months. Recurrence occurred in 14/93 (15.1%) patients. Recurrence rates were not significantly different between patients with CTNNB1 mutant and wild type tumors (13.0% vs. 15.9%, p=0.76). In both univariable and multivariable analyses, RFS and OS were not significantly different (RFS HR 0.88, p=0.85, 95% CI 0.24 – 3.17; OS HR 0.20, p=0.12, 95% CI 0.03 – 1.54). Predicted oncogenic mutations comprised 87% of all identified mutations and were present in 100% of recurrent tumors and 85% of non-recurrent tumors (p=0.47). Nuclear B-catenin expression by IHC demonstrated a sensitivity of 87% and a specificity of 83% for CTNNB1 mutations.

Conclusions: CTNNB1 mutations have a prevalence of 25% in HIR endometrioid endometrial cancer. In this single institution retrospective study, there were no differences in RFS or OS in patients with CTNNB1 mutant compared to wild-type tumors.

Citation Format: Jennifer G. Haag, Rebecca J. Wolsky, Marisa R. Moroney, Jamie Sheren, Jeanelle Sheeder, Benjamin G. Bitler, Bradley R. Corr. Clinicopathologic evaluation of CTNNB1 gene mutations in high-intermediate risk endometrial cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Special Conference: Endometrial Cancer: New Biology Driving Research and Treatment; 2020 Nov 9-10. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2021;27(3_Suppl):Abstract nr PO014.
Abstract PO018: PAX8 represents a potential novel therapeutic target in copy number high uterine serous carcinoma
Authors: Read Susan H. , Anderson Matthew L. , Rutherford Thomas J. , Jonnalagadda Venkata A. , Dou Yongchao , Zhang Bing
Published: February 2021

Purpose: Assess the suitability of PAX8 as a therapeutic target in copy number (CNV)-high uterine cancers. Methods: Patterns of gene expression and somatic mutations were evaluated across 97 specimens of uterine cancers characterized by the National Institute of Health’s Clinical Proteomics Tumor Analysis Consortium. Three established USC cell lines (ARK1, ARK2, ARK4) were transfected with small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) targeting PAX8 or a non-targeting siRNA control. Proliferation and apoptosis were evaluated using MTS and Caspase 3/7 assays, respectively. Migration and invasion were evaluated using Boyden chamber assays. PAX8 expression was evaluated using semi-quantitative rtPCR and Western blot. Statistical significance was evaluated using two-tailed t-tests. Results: Our analyses revealed that PAX8 is highly expressed in a subset of uterine cancers and correlates with advanced clinical stage, serous histology and inactivating TP53 mutations. In vitro, knockdown of PAX8 expression resulted in significantly decreased rates of proliferation and apoptosis when compared to cells transfected with non-targeting controls. Decreased proliferation was seen most profoundly at the 72- and 96-hour time points. Enforced reductions in PAX8 expression also decreased rates of tumor migration and invasion. Invasion was significantly decreased in ARK1 (p = 0.05). Migration was significantly decreased in ARK2 (p = 0.002), and the decrease in invasion approached statistical significance (p=0.07). In ARK4, both migration (p = 0.02) and invasion (p = 0.02) were significantly decreased. Knockdown of PAX8 was confirmed using rtPCR for all in vitro experiments. Conclusion: High levels of PAX8 expression are a key feature of a CNV-high uterine cancers that drive tumor proliferation, invasion and migration. These results indicate that PAX8 overexpression contributes to the aggressive clinical behavior of these cancers. They also establish that agents targeting PAX8 activity or expression could ultimately prove to be effective therapeutically.

Citation Format: Susan H. Read, Matthew L. Anderson, Thomas J. Rutherford, Venkata A. Jonnalagadda, Yongchao Dou, Bing Zhang. PAX8 represents a potential novel therapeutic target in copy number high uterine serous carcinoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Special Conference: Endometrial Cancer: New Biology Driving Research and Treatment; 2020 Nov 9-10. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2021;27(3_Suppl):Abstract nr PO018.
Abstract PO041: Everolimus and MK-2206 reverse P4-resistant endometrial hyperplasia in Mig-6 mutant mice
Authors: Kim Tae Hoon , Jeong Jae-Wook
Published: February 2021

Endometrial cancer is the most frequent type of gynecological tumor in the United States. Hysterectomy, the surgical removal of the uterus, is the main therapy for endometrial cancer, but this is not an option for women seeking to preserve their fertility. In cases of early-stage endometrial cancer and endometrial hyperplasia, hormonal therapy is a vital nonsurgical option. However, progesterone (P4) resistance robs women of the option to choose hormone therapy to preserve their uterus. Therefore, developing nonsurgical treatments for endometrial cancer remains an essential goal for women who wish to maintain endometrial functions and women in high-risk surgical conditions. Mitogen-inducible gene 6 (MIG-6) acts as a tumor suppressor during endometrial tumorigenesis and as a P4 target gene in humans and mice. We developed mice with the conditional knockout of Mig-6 in all uterine compartments (Pgrcre/+Mig-6f/f; Mig-6KO) and endometrial epithelial cell-specific Mig-6 knockout (Sprr2fcre/+Mig-6f/f; Mig-6Ep-KO) mice. P4 treatment abated the development of endometrial hyperplasia and restored morphological and histological characteristics of the uterus of Mig-6Ep-KO mice, but Mig-6Ep-KO mice showed P4 resistance. P4 treatment reduced cell proliferation which was accompanied by decreased AKT signaling. In order to investigate the inhibition effect of AKT/mTOR signaling as non-surgical treatment on P4-resistant endometrial hyperplasia, we treated Mig-6KO and Mig-6Ep-KO mice with either: 1) vehicle (PBS); 2) MK-2206 (360 mg/kg, once a week); or 3) everolimus (10mg/kg daily) at 10 weeks old (n=6/treatment/genotype) for 1 month. MK-2206 has completed phase II trials and inhibits AKT phosphorylation. Everolimus is FDA-approved mTOR inhibitor. The vehicle group of Mig-6KO and Mig-6Ep-KO mice manifested the endometrial hyperplasia phenotype. In contrast, IHC analysis showed that the groups receiving MK-2206 or everolimus experienced significantly decreased AKT phosphorylation and phosphorylated S6 levels, respectively, and decreased epithelial proliferation, resulting in restoration of normal uterine histology. These data suggest that everolimus and MK-2206 may be new non-surgical treatment options for P4-resistant endometrial hyperplasia. This information may help guide more effective non-surgical interventions in the future. The project described was supported by Grant Number P50CA098258 from the National Cancer Institute. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Cancer Institute or the National Institutes of Health.

Citation Format: Tae Hoon Kim, Jae-Wook Jeong. Everolimus and MK-2206 reverse P4-resistant endometrial hyperplasia in Mig-6 mutant mice [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Special Conference: Endometrial Cancer: New Biology Driving Research and Treatment; 2020 Nov 9-10. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2021;27(3_Suppl):Abstract nr PO041.
Papulopustular and Ocular Rosacea with an Alleged Coincidence of Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus: A Case Report
Authors: Sitohang Irma Bernadette S. , Parrol Firman , Fitri Eyleny Meisyah , Nora Rina La Distia
Published: February 2021

Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by central facial erythema with or without ocular involvement. It is often difficult to distinguish rosacea from other malar rashes, one of which is acute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE), particularly when there is an increase in antinuclear antibody (ANA) level. We report the case of a 16-year old woman with facial erythematous plaque accompanied by papules and pustules, reddened eyes, and swollen eyelids since the last one year. Dermoscopic examination revealed telangiectasia, and skin scraping examination with 20% potassium hydroxide identified the presence of Demodex folliculorum. Further ocular examination also revealed blepharitis, dysfunction of Meibomian gland, cicatrix, and corneal neovascularization. The ANA titer was positive (1:320), while the anti-dsDNA was negative. The patient was treated according to standard treatment for rosacea. The patient showed a satisfactory response following 2 weeks of therapy. Signs of recurring red patches with papules, pustules, telangiectasia, and identification of D. folliculorum on skin scraping examination led to the diagnosis of papulopustular rosacea. A positive ANA test may also be present in other diseases, e.g. acute CLE. Therefore, the diagnosis of rosacea remains a challenge. Thorough observation and examination must be done in order to yield an accurate diagnosis of rosacea.
Diffuse Gallbladder Adenomyomatosis with an Inflammatory Complication in an Adult
Authors: Hoang Van Trung , Van Hoang Anh Thi , Nguyen Thanh Tam Thi , Chansomphou Vichit , Trinh Cong Thao
Published: February 2021

Gallbladder adenomyomatosis (GA) is a benign alteration of the gallbladder wall. There are three types involved: segmental, fundal, and diffuse pattern; the last type is very rare. Ultrasound is the imaging method of choice for diagnosing that shows Rokitansky-Aschoff sinuses with cholesterol deposition creating comet-tail artifacts. Asymptomatic GA does not require surgery in case there are no malignant lesions defined by imaging diagnosis. We present the rare case of a 51-year-old man who was admitted to hospital due to abdominal pain concomitant with inflammatory syndrome. Imaging and histological findings were appropriate to diagnose diffuse GA and complication of cholecystitis.
Eculizumab during Pregnancy in a Patient with Treatment-Refractory Myasthenia Gravis: A Case Report
Authors: Vu Tuan , Harvey Brittany , Suresh Niraja , Farias Jerrica , Gooch Clifton
Published: February 2021

The recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody eculizumab has been shown to be effective and well tolerated in patients with anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody-positive, treatment-refractory generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG). Myasthenia gravis (MG) often affects women of child-bearing potential. However, management can be challenging during pregnancy, and current treatment options are limited due to potential teratogenicity. Data are currently lacking on the use of eculizumab in pregnant women with gMG. This case report describes a successful pregnancy in a young woman with treatment-refractory gMG treated with eculizumab before, during, and after pregnancy. Eculizumab appeared to have a favorable benefit-risk profile in this setting, with no treatment-related adverse effects noted in either the patient or the neonate. The patient remains neurologically stable on eculizumab, which she has now been receiving for 5 years. This first report of the use of eculizumab during pregnancy in a patient with treatment-refractory gMG suggests a potential role for eculizumab in this setting, although further clinical experience is necessary to support its use during pregnancy in women with MG.
Hemodilution Impacts Assessment of Thyroid Status before and after Hemodialysis in Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease
Authors: Sanai Toru , Okamura Ken , Onoue Tomoaki , Ono Takashi , Motomura Kenichi , Miyazono Motoaki , Shimamatsu Kazumasa
Published: February 2021

Background: To elucidate the role of hemodilution in the alteration of thyroid hormone levels in end-stage renal disease (ESRD), we compared thyroid function before and after hemodialysis (HD). Methods: Twenty-three male ESRD patients (age <65 years) with either chronic glomerulonephritis (CGN) or diabetic nephropathy (DN), who were enrolled between June 2019 and August 2019, were included in the study. The free thyroxine (fT4), free tri-iodothyronine (fT3), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG), and thyroglobulin (Tg), measured before and after HD in 12 patients with CGN (48.7 ± 11.8 years [mean ± standard deviation]) and 11 patients with DN (57.6 ± 6.5 years), were compared with 45 healthy controls (52.5 ± 11.9 years). Results: The fT4, fT3, and TBG were significantly low before HD and increased in parallel with an increase in hematocrit and albumin after HD in both ESRD subgroups. The TSH was high before HD and decreased significantly after HD, while Tg remained almost unchanged. In DN, the fT4 levels were nearly identical, while fT3 was lower with slightly higher TSH, compared with CGN. The TSH/fT4 ratios before HD were significantly higher in both subgroups, and the fT3/fT4 ratios after HD were significantly lower in DN than the control. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the low fT4 and fT3 levels found in ESRD are due to hemodilution before HD, resulting in a slightly higher TSH level but almost unchanged Tg level, and that DN is associated with decreased T4-to-T3 conversion.
Acceleration of Enamel Subsurface Lesion Remineralisation by Intralesion pH Modulation
Authors: Fernando James R. , Shen Peiyan , Walker Glenn D. , Yuan Yi , Stanton David P. , Reynolds Coralie , Reynolds Eric C.
Published: February 2021

Remineralisation of demineralised enamel subsurface lesions can be enhanced by pretreatment of the lesions with base (NaOH). The aim of this study was to test the effect of intralesion pH modulation on remineralisation of demineralised enamel subsurface lesions by casein phosphopeptide-stabilised amorphous calcium fluoride phosphate (CPP-ACFP) in vitro. Two remineralisation models were utilised, the first involving 60-min cyclic pH modulation for 105 h and the second involved short-term cyclic pH modulation (12-min cycle, 240 min total duration) compared with the equivalent time of continuous treatment (200 min total duration). The intralesion pH modulation was achieved by cyclic exposure to a pH 12.9 NaOH solution and a CPP-ACFP remineralisation solution at pH 5.5. Percent remineralisation was assessed using transverse microradiography with data statistically analysed using a 2-sample Student t test. For the first model, the intralesion pH modulation group had significantly (p < 0.001) higher remineralisation (43.8 ± 6.9%) than the control group (28.2 ± 5.8%) cycled with water. For the second model, the intralesion pH modulation group had significantly (p < 0.001) higher remineralisation (23.1 ± 3.4%) than the group with continuous equivalent CPP-ACFP treatment time (1.9 ± 1.3%). In both models, intralesion pH modulation significantly accelerated remineralisation, and this was attributed to the effect pH modulation had on the diffusion gradients of ions/ion pairs and the degree of saturation with respect to apatite phases within the lesion fluid.
Wirksamkeit und Sicherheit der endoskopischen Vollwandresektion (FTRD): Ergebnisse des Deutschen Kolon FTRD Registers
Authors: Homayounfar Kia
Published: February 2021

Introduction: Endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR) is a powerful option for resection of colorectal lesions not amenable to conventional endoscopic resection. The full-thickness resection device (FTRD) allows clip-assisted EFTR with a single-step technique. We report on results of a large nationwide FTRD registry. Methods: The «German colonic FTRD registry» was created to further assess efficacy and safety of the FTRD System after approval in Europe. Data were analyzed retrospectively. Results: Sixty-five centers contributed 1,178 colorectal FTRD procedures. Indications for EFTR were difficult adenomas (67.1%), early carcinomas (18.4%), subepithelial tumors (6.8%), and diagnostic EFTR (1.3%). Mean lesion size was 15 × 15 mm and most lesions were pretreated endoscopically (54.1%). Technical success was 88.2% and R0 resection was achieved in 80.0%. R0 resection was significantly higher for subepithelial tumor compared with that for other lesions. No difference in R0 resection was found for smaller vs larger lesions or for colonic vs rectal procedures. Adverse events occurred in 12.1% (3.1% major events and 2.0% required surgical treatment). Endoscopic follow-up was available in 58.0% and showed residual/recurrent lesions in 13.5%, which could be managed endoscopically in most cases (77.2%). Discussion: To date, this is the largest study of colorectal EFTR using the FTRD System. The study demonstrated favorable efficacy and safety for «difficult-to-resect» colorectal lesions and confirms results of previous studies in a large «real-world» setting. Further studies are needed to compare EFTR with other advanced resection techniques and evaluate long-term outcome.
Increased Serum Complement C3 Levels Are Associated With Adverse Clinical Outcomes After Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Yang Pinni , Zhu Zhengbao , Zang Yuhan , Bu Xiaoqing , Xu Tian , Zhong Chongke , Wang Aili , Peng Hao , Guo Daoxia , Zheng Xiaowei , Xu Tan , Chen Jing , Zhang Yonghong , He Jiang
Published: February 2021

Background and Purpose:

Complement C3 has been implicated in inflammation and ischemia/reperfusion injury, but its impact on the prognosis of ischemic stroke remains unclear. Aim of this study was to prospectively investigate the association between serum complement C3 and adverse clinical outcomes after ischemic stroke.

Methods:

We measured serum complement C3 levels for 3474 patients with ischemic stroke in 26 participating hospitals and collected data of clinical outcomes at 3 months after ischemic stroke. The primary outcome was composite outcome of death and major disability (modified Rankin Scale score ≥3) at 3 months after stroke onset and secondary outcomes included major disability, death, and vascular events.

Results:

During 3 months of follow-up, 866 participants (25.4%) developed primary outcome. After multivariate adjustment, elevated serum complement C3 levels were associated with increased risk of primary outcome (odds ratio, 1.30 [95% CI, 1.02–1.65];
P
trend
=0.038) when 2 extreme tertiles were compared. Each SD increase of log-transformed complement C3 was associated with 13% (95% CI, 2%–25%) increased risk of primary outcome. Multivariable-adjusted spline regression model showed a linear relationship between serum complement C3 and the risk of primary outcome (
P
linearity
=0.022). Addition of serum complement C3 to conventional risk factors significantly improved the risk prediction of primary outcome (net reclassification index: 8.87%,
P
=0.028; integrated discrimination index: 0.19%,
P
=0.029).

Conclusions:

High serum complement C3 levels at baseline were associated with increased risks of adverse clinical outcomes at 3 months after ischemic stroke, suggesting that serum complement C3 may be a valuable prognostic biomarker for ischemic stroke.
Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio Predicts Cerebral Edema and Clinical Worsening Early After Reperfusion Therapy in Stroke
Authors: Ferro Daniela , Matias Margarida , Neto Joana , Dias Rafael , Moreira Goreti , Petersen Nils , Azevedo Elsa , Castro Pedro
Published: February 2021

Background and Purpose:

The mechanisms linking systemic inflammation to poor outcome in ischemic stroke are not fully understood. The authors investigated if peripheral inflammation following reperfusion therapy leads to an increase in cerebral edema (CED), thus hindering the clinical recovery.

Methods:

We designed a single-center study conducted at Centro Hospitalar Universitário São João between 2017 and 2019. Inclusion criteria were being adult, having an anterior circulation acute ischemic stroke, and receiving reperfusion therapy. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratios, and the systemic inflammatory response syndrome criteria were determined. The presence and grade of CED were evaluated on the computed tomography performed 24 hours following event. The clinical outcomes included early neurological deterioration and functional dependence at 90 days. Adjusted odds ratio and 95% CI were obtained by ordinal and logistic regression models. Optimal cutoff values were defined using receiver operating characteristic analysis in the training cohort and validated in an independent data set.

Results:

Five hundred fifty-three patients were included. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte increased with higher degrees of CED at 24 hours (adjusted odds ratio, 1.34 [1.09–1.68],
P
<0.01) and was associated with early neurological deterioration (adjusted odds ratio, 1.30 [1.04–1.63],
P
<0.05) and poor functional status at 90 days (adjusted odds ratio, 1.79 [1.28–2.48],
P
<0.01). Platelet-to-lymphocyte was not associated with the outcomes. Systemic inflammatory response syndrome was related to CED due to altered white blood cell counts. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte was the best predictor with an area under the curve around 0.7. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ≥7 had and accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity around 60%.

Conclusions:

Increased systemic inflammation is linked to the severity of CED early after reperfusion therapy in stroke. Easily obtained inflammatory markers convey early warning alerts for patients at risk of severe neurological complications with an impact on long-term functional outcome. CED quantification should be included as an end point in proof-of-concept trials in immunomodulation in stroke.
Cosmos, Chaos and Order: Mapping as Knowing
Authors: Natarajan Priyamvada
Published: February 2021

Observation and experiment are seen as the cornerstones of empirical science. Astronomy, an inherently observational science, affords a case study of a discipline in which controlled experiments cannot be performed. The author argues that in such disciplines maps and mapping serve to interpolate intellectually between observation and experiment. This is particularly noticeable in the early conceptions of cosmos and changes in worldview wherein major cognitive shifts are encoded in maps. With historical advances in map-making techniques, the epistemic purposes served by maps have also evolved significantly. Maps in astronomy today are deployed as powerful visual devices that record and transmute observational data to support theoretical ideas underpinning our current understanding of the cosmos. One example is dark matter maps, which offer compelling indirect evidence for the existence of the elusive dominant matter component that shapes our universe: dark matter.
Dreams of the Earth and Sky
Authors: Turkina Olesya
Published: February 2021

This article examines how artists, writers and filmmakers inspired by scientific ideas imagined space flight and how engineers and scientists were inspired by these fantasies. The first section discusses Konstantin Tsiolkovsky's impact on images of interplanetary flight and the promotion of outer space in the early twentieth century. The second considers the emergence of popular science films about space as conceived by director Pavel Klushantsev as well as the role of artist Yuri Shvets in the Soviet space epic and the impact of technological modeling on science fiction in art. Finally, the author surveys the “space work” of artists-cum-inventors Bulat Galeyev and Vyacheslav Koleychuk.
Description of the larva of a firefly species, Pygoluciola dunguna Nada (Coleoptera: Lampyridae)
Authors: NADA B. , BALLANTYNE L. A. , JUSOH WAN F. A.
Published: February 2021

Pygoluciola dunguna Nada, 2018 was described from Peninsular Malaysia, using males and reliably associated females. This paper details description of the larva which has been conclusively identified as Pygoluciola dunguna based on DNA barcoding technique and uses morphology, brief habitat and behavioural data. A total of 70 larval specimens were measured and their main features described. The larvae exhibit a riparian or semi-aquatic behaviour, observed crawling on the sandy edge of shallow streams. The stake-like projections along the length of the body suggest a form of defensive mechanism from falling prey to aquatic predators.
Megarthrus of China. Part 3. Comments on the occurrence of Megarthrus nitidulus Kraatz, 1857 in China, and description of a new species, with notes on teratology and phoretic acari in the genus (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Proteininae)
Authors: ZHANG SHAN , CUCCODORO GIULIO , CHEN LI , LIU ZHIPING
Published: February 2021

A new species, Megarthrus heise Zhang, Cuccodoro, Chen & Liu sp. nov., resembling Megarthrus nitidulus Kraatz, 1857 is described from Qinghai, Sichuan, Gansu, Shaanxi, Shanxi provinces and Beijing in China. The record of M. nitidulus in China was apparently based on a misidentification, and the species is thus removed from the list of Chinese Megarthrus. Phoresy of acari and teratological modification of the abdomen are also reported for the first time in the genus.
Two new species records of Lecithoceridae (Gelechioidea: Lepidoptera) from India
Authors: PATHANIA PRAKASH C. , SHASHANK PATHOUR R. , PARK KYU-TEK
Published: February 2021

The Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the Dalma Hills about 10 km north of the city of Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, India, is topographically and climatically unique. It encompasses a forested area of over 195 km2 east of the Singhbhum and Saraikela-kharsawan districts of Jharkhand, extending from Chandil about 40 km eastward, running nearly parallel to the National Highway-33 at an altitude of about 280 m. The forests of the sanctuary are "dry peninsular sal" and "northern dry mixed deciduous forest".
Tropical Rainfall Variability Accompanying Global Normal Mode Oscillations
Authors: Sakazaki Takatoshi
Published: February 2021

Using global precipitation datasets (GSMaP, TRMM) and the latest reanalysis data (ERA5), we performed a comprehensive analysis of the tropical rainfall variability that accompanies global-scale, low-frequency normal modes: Rossby, Rossby–gravity, and Kelvin modes. Cross-spectral analysis and lag-regression analysis both showed that coherent rainfall variations accompany not only the wavenumber-1 gravest Rossby mode (“5-day” wave) but other low-frequency modes. The normal mode rainfall variations are enhanced in regions such as the Amazon basin, but also include circumglobally traveling structures with substantial amplitude over the open ocean. These results are remarkably consistent among the three datasets including even ERA5 rainfall data. The circumglobal rainfall signals may be considered primarily as a response to the normal mode dynamical variations. We found that the phase relationship between rainfall and dynamical field variability is strongly dependent on the type of mode and even on the zonal wavenumber. We suggest that this is explained by the difference in relative importance of two underlying processes: 1) moisture-flux convergence and 2) rainfall enhancement associated with adiabatic cooling. Our determined rainfall signals are the response to quasi-monochromatic, periodic waves that have a simple vertical structure and represent one special case of tropospheric wave–rainfall coupling. Implications for the mechanism of 12-h rainfall oscillations believed to be forced by the atmospheric tide are also considered.
Are 100 Ensemble Members Enough to Capture the Remote Atmospheric Response to +2°C Arctic Sea Ice Loss?
Authors: Peings Yannick , Labe Zachary M. , Magnusdottir Gudrun
Published: February 2021

This study presents results from the Polar Amplification Multimodel Intercomparison Project (PAMIP) single-year time-slice experiments that aim to isolate the atmospheric response to Arctic sea ice loss at global warming levels of +2°C. Using two general circulation models (GCMs), the ensemble size is increased up to 300 ensemble members, beyond the recommended 100 members. After partitioning the response in groups of 100 ensemble members, the reproducibility of the results is evaluated, with a focus on the response of the midlatitude jet streams in the North Atlantic and North Pacific. Both atmosphere-only and coupled ocean–atmosphere PAMIP experiments are analyzed. Substantial differences in the midlatitude response are found among the different experiment subsets, suggesting that 100-member ensembles are still significantly influenced by internal variability, which can mislead conclusions. Despite an overall stronger response, the coupled ocean–atmosphere runs exhibit greater spread due to additional ENSO-related internal variability when the ocean is interactive. The lack of consistency in the response is true for anomalies that are statistically significant according to Student’s t and false discovery rate tests. This is problematic for the multimodel assessment of the response, as some of the spread may be attributed to different model sensitivities whereas it is due to internal variability. We propose a method to overcome this consistency issue that allows for more robust conclusions when only 100 ensemble members are used.
Examining the Influence of Recording System on the Pure Temperature Error in XBT Data
Authors: Tan Zhetao , Reseghetti Franco , Abraham John , Cowley Rebecca , Chen Keyi , Zhu Jiang , Zhang Bin , Cheng Lijing
Published: February 2021

Expendable bathythermographs (XBTs) have been widely deployed for ocean monitoring since the late 1960s. Improving the quality of XBT data is a vital task in climatology. Many factors (e.g., temperature, probe type, and manufacturing time) have been identified as major influences of XBT systematic bias. In addition, the recording system (RS) has long been suspected as another factor. However, this factor has not been taken into account in any global XBT correction schemes, partly because its impact is poorly understood. Here, based on analysis of an XBT–CTD side-by-side dataset and a global collocated reference dataset, the influence of RSs on the pure temperature error (PTE) is examined. Results show a clear time dependency of PTE on the RS, with maximum values occurring in the 1970s. In addition, the method used to convert thermistor resistance into temperature in the RS (using a resistance–temperature equation) has changed over time. These changes, together with the decadal changes in RSs, might contribute a small error (10% on average) to the RS dependency. Here, an improvement of global XBT bias correction that accounts for the RS dependency is proposed. However, more than 70% of historical global XBT data are missing RS-type information. We investigate several assumptions about the temporal distribution of RS types, and all scenarios lead to at least a ~50% reduction in the time variation of PTE compared with the uncorrected data. Therefore, the RS dependency should be taken into account in updated XBT correction schemes, which would have further implications for climatology studies.
A Sequential Non-Gaussian Approach for Precipitation Data Assimilation
Authors: Pérez Hortal Andrés A. , Zawadzki Isztar , Yau M. K.
Published: February 2021

In two recent studies, the authors presented a new data assimilation (DA) method for precipitation observations that does not require Gaussianity or linearity assumptions. The method, called localized ensemble mosaic assimilation (LEMA), initializes the new ensemble forecast by relaxing the background ensemble (prior) toward a single analysis composed of different column states taken from the ensemble members with the lowest error in the precipitation forecast. However, a limitation of the LEMA method is that relaxing the background ensemble toward that analysis severely reduces the spread of the ensemble, thus, limiting its usefulness for cycled DA applications. This study presents a new version of LEMA, called localized ensemble mosaic assimilation sequence (LEMAS), suitable for cycled DA operations. LEMAS constructs an ensemble of analysis mosaics using a small group of members closer to the observations instead of only the closest one. The new ensemble forecast is then initialized by recentering the prior ensemble around the mean of the analysis ensemble while scaling the original background perturbations to match the spread of the analysis mosaics. A series of ideal and real DA experiments are used to evaluate the potential of LEMAS for the assimilation of hourly accumulation observations. A comparison of LEMAS with the local ensemble transform Kalman filter (LETKF) using idealized experiments shows that LEMAS produces similar or slightly better forecast quality than the LETKF in temperature, water vapor, winds, and precipitation. Extending this comparison to real DA experiments assimilating Stage-IV precipitation observations shows that both methods produce precipitation forecasts of comparable quality.
Comparison of Spectroscopic Techniques for Determining the Peroxide Value of 19 Classes of Naturally Aged, Plant-Based Edible Oils
Authors: Ottaway Joshua M. , Chance Carter J. , Adams Kristl L. , Camancho Joseph , Lavine Barry K. , Booksh Karl S.
Published: February 2021

The peroxide value of edible oils is a measure of the degree of oxidation, which directly relates to the freshness of the oil sample. Several studies previously reported in the literature have paired various spectroscopic techniques with multivariate analyses to rapidly determine peroxide values using field portable and process instrumentation; those efforts presented “best-case scenarios” with oils from narrowly defined training and test sets. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the use of near- and mid-infrared absorption and Raman scattering spectroscopies on oil samples from different oil classes, including seasonal and vendor variations, to determine which measurement technique or combination thereof is best for predicting peroxide values. Following peroxide value assays of each oil class using an established titration-based method, global and global-subset calibration models were constructed from spectroscopic data collected on the 19 oil classes used in this study. Spectra from each optical technique were used to create partial least squares regression calibration models to predict the peroxide value of unknown oil samples. A global peroxide value model based on near-infrared (8 mm optical path length) oil measurements produced the lowest RMSEP (4.9), followed by 24 mm optical path length near infrared (5.1), Raman (6.9) and 50 µm optical path length mid-infrared (7.3). However, it was determined that the Raman RMSEP resulted from chance correlations. Global peroxide value models based on low-level fusion of the NIR (8 and 24 mm optical path length) data and all infrared data produced the same RMSEP of 5.1. Global subset models, based on any of the spectroscopies and olive oil training sets from any class (pure, extra light, extra virgin), all failed to extrapolate to the non-olive oils. However, the near-infrared global subset model built on extra virgin olive oil could extrapolate to test samples from other olive oil classes. This work demonstrates the difficulty of developing a truly global method for determining peroxide value of oils.
Effects of COVID-19 on Sense of Smell: Human Factors/Ergonomics Considerations
Authors: Cameron E. Leslie , Møller Per , Karn Keith S.
Published: February 2021

Objective

We review the effects of COVID-19 on the human sense of smell (olfaction) and discuss implications for human-system interactions. We emphasize how critical smell is and how the widespread loss of smell due to COVID-19 will impact human-system interaction.

Background

COVID-19 reduces the sense of smell in people who contract the disease. Thus far, olfaction has received relatively little attention from human factors/ergonomics professionals. While smell is not a primary means of human-system communication, humans rely on smell in many important ways related to both quality of life and safety.

Method

We briefly review and synthesize the rapidly expanding literature through September 2020 on the topic of smell loss caused by COVID-19. We interpret findings in terms of their relevance to human factors/ergonomics researchers and practitioners.

Results

Since March 2020 dozens of articles have been published that report smell loss in COVID-19 patients. The prevalence and duration of COVID-19-related smell loss is still under investigation, but the available data suggest that it may leave many people with long-term deficits and distortions in sense of smell.

Conclusion

We suggest that the human factors/ergonomics community could become more aware of the importance of the sense of smell and focus on accommodating the increasing number of people with reduced olfactory performance.

Application

We present examples of how olfaction can augment human-system communication and how human factors/ergonomics professionals might accommodate people with olfactory dysfunction. While seemingly at odds, both of these goals can be achieved.
Understanding Compassion in the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 14:13–21)
Authors: Ukeachusim Chidinma Precious , Ituma Ezichi A. , Uroko Favour C.
Published: February 2021

The compassionate-love Jesus feels moves him to solve the problems of the suffering. Hence, everything Jesus thought, said, or did in his mission to salvage humankind was motivated by compassionate love. Jesus demonstrated that his mission-mandate should be done on the platform of genuine compassionate love. That is why, in the gospels, he was described as always being moved by compassion. Jesus demonstrated that his followers are to carry on the mission-mandate of the church in compassionate love. But in this era, the church has undergone a paradigm shift from this model of Jesus’ compassion. The problem of the church being less compassionate is hindering the contemporary church from achieving mission-desired goals. Consequently, this article studies the concept of compassion as an underlying theme in the gospel of Matthew and its implications for the mission-mandate of the church in Nigeria. Through the application of the redaction-criticism method of doing biblical exegesis, the study found that the church in Nigeria lacks the model of compassion which Jesus exemplified.
Erotic Preaching
Authors: Myers Jacob D.
Published: February 2021

Emerging from a Barthian perspective on the necessary impossibility of preaching, this paper articulates an erotic phenomenology for preaching as a means of knowing and speaking about God in contemporary ecclesial contexts. It draws upon the philosophies of Jean-Luc Marion, Luce Irigaray, and Emmanuel Levinas to sketch the contours of a method for sermon development that respects the alterity of the Word as revealed in and through Scripture.
The Implementation of the Three Rs in Regulatory Toxicity and Biosafety Assessment: The Indian Perspective
Authors: Pant Aditya B.
Published: February 2021

Animal models have long served as a basis for scientific experimentation, biomedical research, drug development and testing, disease modelling and toxicity studies, as they are widely thought to provide meaningful, human-relevant predictions. However, many of these systems are resource intensive and time-consuming, have low predictive value and are associated with great social and ethical dilemmas. Often drugs appear to be effective and safe in these classical animal models, but later prove to be ineffective and/or unsafe in clinical trials. These issues have paved the way for a paradigm shift from the use of in vivo approaches, toward the ‘science of alternatives’. This has fuelled several research and regulatory initiatives, including the ban on the testing of cosmetics on animals. The new paradigm has been shifted toward increasing the relevance of the models for human predictivity and translational efficacy, and this has resulted in the recent development of many new methodologies, from 3-D bio-organoids to bioengineered ‘human-on-a-chip’ models. These improvements have the potential to significantly advance medical research globally. This paper offers a stance on the existing strategies and practices that utilise alternatives to animals, and outlines progress on the incorporation of these models into basic and applied research and education, specifically in India. It also seeks to provide a strategic roadmap to streamline the future directions for the country’s policy changes and investments. This strategic roadmap could be a useful resource to guide research institutions, industries, regulatory agencies, contract research organisations and other stakeholders in transitioning toward modern approaches to safety and risk assessment that could replace or reduce the use of animals without compromising the safety of humans or the environment.
Ethics in Jacques Lafitte’s Mechanology
Authors: Hayward Mark , Thibault Ghislain
Published: February 2021

This article argues that the most widely disseminated reading of Lafitte’s writings, which aligns his proposals for ‘mechanology’ with cybernetics, overlooks the broader ethical and social project to which he hoped his ideas would contribute. It is shown that the purpose of mechanology articulated by Lafitte was the development of an ethical relation to machines, a theme he developed in his later publications. It is argued that Lafitte’s position resonates with positions taken by contemporary works focused on the renewal of a critical approach to the philosophy of technology, particularly those that seek to transform the relationship between humans and the natural world.
Fanon’s Psychiatric Hospital as a Waystation to Freedom
Authors: Luxon Nancy
Published: February 2021

What does it mean to develop psychiatric method in a colonial context? Specifically, if the aims of psychiatry have traditionally been couched in the language of ‘psychic integration’ and ‘healing’, then what does it mean to practice psychiatry within structures that organize and reinforce the exclusions of colonialism? With these questions, this article examines Frantz Fanon’s psychiatric practices in light of his radical political commitments. I argue that Fanon’s innovations with the institutional form of the psychiatric hospital serve to intervene differently in psychic conflict. Notably, these changes offer different ways to diagnose and respond to patients, along with different strategies for managing psychic disintegration in colonial contexts. The result is a rethinking of the relation between material and imagined worlds, and so the emergence of the hospital as a waystation between a colonial context and a political freedom yet to come.
The Political Economy of Revolution: Karl Polanyi in Tahrir Square
Authors: Zayed Hany
Published: February 2021

The causes and consequences of revolutionary change have long been the subject of scholarly debate. Through a systematic integration of political economic elements into an analysis of contemporary social transformations, this article joins this conversation by asking how Karl Polanyi’s double movement framework can clarify, and be extended by, the Egyptian Revolution of 2011. By embedding a nuanced account of neoliberalism in Egypt’s modern politics and by bringing those in dialogue with Polanyi’s theoretical apparatus, this article contends that there is a broad alignment between the first movement and the Egyptian neoliberal experience, a partial alignment between the second movement and the Egyptian Revolution, and a multilayered entanglement that implicates and encircles both movements. Not only does this research demonstrate that contemporary Egyptian history can find new currency in and be further illuminated by Polanyi’s political economy, it also critiques, complicates, reconceptualizes and extends Polanyi’s theoretical framework. In so doing, it redresses the underfocus of Polanyian political economy on the theory of revolution in general and the Egyptian Revolution in particular, problematizes extant accounts on neoliberalism and the double movement, and extends analyses between neoliberalism and revolution in political economy literatures. By clarifying our understanding of contemporary social change, this essay underscores how Polanyi’s work remains a pertinent, viable and valuable prism to examine momentous social transformations.