bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tectonic‐magmatic framework identified by remote sensing analyses and geochronology in West Junggar, Central Asian Orogenic Belt
Authors: Zhang Guo‐Liang , Hong Tao , Xu Xing‐Wang , Wu Chu , Li Hao , Chen Yuan‐Wei
Published: November 2020

The temporal and spatial evolutions of the Darbut Fault deformation patterns were analysed for multiple deformation stages in this study by using a regional geological survey, quantitative remote sensing image analyses, and structural analyses. Remote sensing images indicating that the Karamay granitoid batholith is greenish‐grey, the Hongshan granitoid batholith is yellowish‐green along the Darbut Fault, and the Miaoergou, Akebasitao, and Hatu granitoid batholiths are round in shape and luminous yellow colour. The remote sensing images of the Darbut Fault, Hongshan granitoid batholith, and data from previous research suggest that the upright folds (F1) in the Carboniferous strata near the Darbut Fault and northeast‐southwest (NE‐SW) striking sub‐vertical dextral shear zones in the mélanges represent the regional dextral strike‐slip shear zones. The NE‐SW striking transcurrent sinistral strike‐slip faults and ‘S‐shaped’ drag folds (F2) overprinted the dextral shear zones. The Hongshan batholith is a complex pluton, which was composed of alkaline feldspar granite, syenite granite, and monzogranite. The LA‐ICP‐MS U–Pb 311–307 Ma of zircons from the ductilely deformed Hongshan alkaline feldspar granite and monzogranites are formed during the dextral shear zone of the Darbut Fault. The 302 Ma Hongshan alkaline feldspar granite is contemporarily formed during the sinistral strike‐slip stage of the Darbut Fault. The Hongshan complex pluton has a prolonged formation age and witnesses the whole process of ocean‐land conversion from the capture of island arc‐related rocks, granite formed in the post‐collision stage, and dyke swarms formed in the intracontinental extension stage.
Serotonin receptor 4 regulates hippocampal astrocyte morphology and function
Authors: Müller Franziska E. , Schade Sophie K. , Cherkas Volodymyr , Stopper Laura , Breithausen Björn , Minge Daniel , Varbanov Hristo , Wahl‐Schott Christian , Antoniuk Svitlana , Domingos Catia , Compan Valérie , Kirchhoff Frank , Henneberger Christian , Ponimaskin Evgeni , Zeug Andre
Published: November 2020

Astrocytes are an important component of the multipartite synapse and crucial for proper neuronal network function. Although small GTPases of the Rho family are powerful regulators of cellular morphology, the signaling modules of Rho‐mediated pathways in astrocytes remain enigmatic. Here we demonstrated that the serotonin receptor 4 (5‐HT4R) is expressed in hippocampal astrocytes, both in vitro and in vivo. Through fluorescence microscopy, we established that 5‐HT4R activation triggered RhoA activity via Gα13‐mediated signaling, which boosted filamentous actin assembly, leading to morphological changes in hippocampal astrocytes. We investigated the effects of these 5‐HT4R‐mediated changes in mixed cultures and in acute slices, in which 5‐HT4R was expressed exclusively in astrocytes. In both systems, 5‐HT4R‐RhoA signaling changed glutamatergic synaptic transmission: It increased the frequency of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) in mixed cultures and reduced the paired‐pulse‐ratio (PPR) of field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSPs) in acute slices. Overall, our present findings demonstrate that astrocytic 5‐HT4R‐Gα13‐RhoA signaling is a previously unrecognized molecular pathway involved in the functional regulation of excitatory synaptic circuits.
Healthier Together: Co‐design of a culturally tailored childhood obesity community prevention program for Māori & Pacific Islander children and families
Authors: Hardt Jessica , Canfell Oliver J. , Walker Jacqueline L. , Webb Kerri‐Lyn , Brignano Sebastien , Peu Tevita , Santos Daphne , Kira Kirstine , Littlewood Robyn
Published: November 2020

Issue addressed

Children of Māori & Pacific Islander descent living in Australia have a greater prevalence of overweight/obesity and an increased risk of adverse health outcomes. This study aimed to co‐design Healthier Together, a community‐based, childhood overweight/obesity prevention program tailored to Māori & Pacific Islander cultures.

Methods

Co‐design involved a three‐phase, iterative, participatory and experience‐based process, guided by the Te Ara Tika: Guidelines for Māori Research Ethics to promote respect and equity. Following traditional oratory customs of Māori & Pacific Islander cultures, “talanoa” facilitated the collaborative program design with recruited Māori & Pacific Islander consumers, cultural advisors and health professionals. Co‐design formulated program objectives, session plans, resources and evaluation tools.

Results

Co‐design developed a 9‐week community‐based childhood overweight/obesity prevention program providing culturally tailored education across four themes: (a) nutrition (b) physical activity (c) positive parenting practices (d) culture and health. Strong community engagement developed a program highly tailored to the local Māori & Pacific Islander population.

Conclusions

Co‐design methodology promotes equity and inclusion of all stakeholders, acknowledges and caters to diversity and creates a medium for openness, respect and shared purpose. Community‐led participatory approaches are pivotal to engaging and empowering communities to successfully improve health behaviours, particularly in tackling childhood overweight/obesity.

So what?

Healthier Together is culturally significant to ensure relevance, effectiveness and sustainability. It is relevant and potentially adaptable to other priority populations across Australia and globally. Ultimately, the delivery of culturally tailored health care will contribute to a reduction in the health inequity experienced amongst priority populations.
Overexpression of gene DEP domain containing 1 and its clinical prognostic significance in colorectal cancer
Authors: Shen Xiaohan , Han Jinming
Published: November 2020

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most commonly seen malignancies worldwide, yet its regulatory mechanisms still need to be further illuminated. Abundant evidence revealed that aberrant expression of cancer‐related genes contributes to CRC progression. DEP domain containing 1 (DEPDC1) has been found to play a crucial role in the carcinogenesis and development of malignancies. Nevertheless, limited studies have been concerned with the role of DEPDC1 in CRC. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between DEPDC1 expression and CRC clinicopathological parameters.

Methods

Solid CRC tissues and adjacent noncancerous tissues (ANCTs) (n = 150) were chosen randomly to detect the mRNA expression levels of DEPDC1 by real‐time quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR). Formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded (FFPE) blocks of CRC tissues and ANCTs (n = 150) were acquired to examine DEPDC1 protein expression levels by immunohistochemistry (IHC).

Results

DEPDC1 was significantly overexpressed in CRC tissues than that in ANCTs (P < .05). High protein expression of DEPDC1 was associated with poorer TNM stage and recurrence (P < .001 and P = .003, respectively). Kaplan‐Meier survival analysis showed significantly shorter overall survival (OS) and disease‐free survival (DFS) in DEPDC1 protein high‐expression group compared with low‐expression group (P < .05). Univariate analysis demonstrated that DEPDC1 protein expression was correlated with DFS (P = .005) and OS (P = .006). Multivariate analysis revealed that the combination of DEPDC1 protein expression and TNM stage has statistical significance in CRC prognosis prediction (P = .024 and P = .009, respectively).

Conclusions

DEPDC1 may act as a potential biomarker for CRC detection as well as a prognostic predictor concerning the survival of CRC patients.
Predictive diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease using serum metabolic biomarkers and least‐squares support vector machine
Authors: Zheng Hong , Hu Yiran , Dong Li , Shu Qi , Zhu Mingyang , Li Yuping , Chen Chengshui , Gao Hongchang , Yang Li
Published: November 2020

Objective

Development of biofluid‐based biomarkers is attractive for the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) but still lacking. Thus, here we aimed to identify serum metabolic biomarkers for the diagnosis of COPD.

Methods

In this study, we investigated serum metabolic features between COPD patients (n = 54) and normal individuals (n = 74) using a 1H NMR‐based metabolomics approach and developed an integrated method of least‐squares support vector machine (LS‐SVM) and serum metabolic biomarkers to assist COPD diagnosis.

Results

We observed a hypometabolic state in serum of COPD patients, as indicated by decreases in N‐acetyl‐glycoprotein (NAG), lipoprotein (LOP, mainly LDL/VLDL), polyunsaturated fatty acid (pUFA), glucose, alanine, leucine, histidine, valine, and lactate. Using an integrated method of multivariable and univariate analyses, NAG and LOP were identified as two important metabolites for distinguishing between COPD patients and controls. Subsequently, we developed a LS‐SVM classifier using these two markers and found that LS‐SVM classifiers with linear and polynomial kernels performed better than the classifier with RBF kernel. Linear and polynomial LS‐SVM classifiers can achieve the total accuracy rates of 80.77% and 84.62% and the AUC values of 0.87 and 0.90 for COPD diagnosis, respectively.

Conclusions

This study suggests that artificial intelligence integrated with serum metabolic biomarkers has a great potential for auxiliary diagnosis of COPD.
Short‐term effects of selected organic fertilizer sources on carbon dioxide fluxes and soil quality
Authors: Mdlambuzi Thandile , Tsubo Mitsuru , Muchaonyerwa Pardon
Published: November 2020

Biogas slurry (BGS) has potential as an organic nutrient source, and understanding its effect on carbon (C) exchange in soils is important for clarifying the contribution of organic amendments to soil fertility and the C budget globally. This study evaluated the effect of BGS, cattle manure (CM), and chemical fertilizer (CF) on carbon dioxide (CO2) fluxes, microbial biomass C, and β‐glucosidase activity during the 2016–2017 and 2017–2018 maize (Zea maysL.) seasons, covering December–May, in South Africa. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design with the treatments as (a) BGS, (b) CM, and (c) CF, applied at 40, 80, and 120 kg nitrogen (N) ha–1. In both seasons, BGS and CM had higher CO2fluxes than CF. Relative to CM, BGS resulted in higher CO2flux earlier in the season and lower flux later in the season. The highest CO2flux was in February but decreased as the season progressed. When expressed as a percentage of organic C present, CO2fluxes increased with N rate for CM, decreased for BGS, and changed minimally for CF. At maize harvest, the microbial biomass C and β‐glucosidase activity were higher in CM than BGS at all N levels tested. These findings imply that relative to CF, applications of BGS and CM increase CO2fluxes, soil organic C, microbial biomass C, and β‐glucosidase activity, and the two organic resources also differ in their contributions to CO2fluxes, soil organic C, microbial biomass C, and β‐glucosidase activity depending on the part of the season, at least in the short term.
Developing new treatments in partnership for primary mitochondrial disease: What does industry need from academics, and what do academics need from industry?
Authors: Thompson Paul W.
Published: November 2020

Developing novel therapeutics for primary mitochondrial disease is likely to require significant academia‐industry collaboration. Translational assessments, a tool often used in industry at target validation stage, can highlight disease specific development challenges which requires focused collaborative effort. For PMD, definition of pivotal trial populations and primary endpoints is challenging given lack of clinical precedence, high numbers of subgroups with overlapping symptoms despite common genetics. Disease pathophysiology has not been systematically assessed simultaneously with outcomes in available natural history studies, resulting in a lack of pathophysiology biomarker utilization in clinical trials. Preclinical model systems are available to assist drug development efforts, although these may require better standardization and access. Multistakeholder precompetitive efforts have been used to progress disease pathophysiology biomarker and confirmatory clinical trial endpoint readiness in neurological disease with limited treatment options, such as rare familial Parkinson's disease. This type of approach may be beneficial for PMD therapeutic development, although requires significant funding and time, supported by industry and other funding bodies. Industry expertise on chemistry, data quality and drug development know‐how is available to support academic drug development efforts. A combination of industry mindset—reduction of uncertainty to provide an indication statement supportable by evidence—together with academic approach—question‐based studies to understand disease mechanisms and patients—has great potential to deliver novel PMD therapeutics.
Pretreatment lymphocyte‐to‐monocyte ratios predict AIDS‐related diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma overall survival
Authors: Zeng Jing , Zhang Xiuqun , Jia Lin , Wu Yongfeng , Tian Yakun , Zhang Yulin
Published: November 2020

The lymphocyte‐to‐monocyte ratio (LMR) and platelet‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (PLR) have been reported to be useful for predicting the prognosis of various malignancies, including diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL). However, little is known about the role of LMR and PLR in the prognosis of DLBCL patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. We retrospectively evaluated the prognostic value of the LMR and PLR in patients with newly diagnosed AIDS‐related diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (AR‐DLBCL) who were treated with CHOP‐like chemotherapy at a single institution. In 33 AR‐DLBCL patients, the median follow‐up period was 32 months (range: 7–85 months), with an estimated 2‐year overall survival (OS) rate of 79.9%. The univariate analysis confirmed the LMR ≤ 2.74 (p = .015), PLR ≥ 337.7 (p = .019), and moderate anemia (p = .045) were associated with inferior survival. The independent significant association between low LMR and poor OS in the multivariate analysis was identified (HR: 0.033, 95% CI: 0.001–0.853, p = .040). However, PLR (p = .459) and moderate anemia (p = .102) did not retain an independent significance in the multivariate analysis. Moreover, compared with the high‐LMR group, patients with low‐LMR more frequently had B symptoms (p = .010) and lower CD4+T cell count (p <  .001). The pretreatment LMR may be an effective prognostic factor for predicting OS in patients with AR‐DLBCL.
Comparisons of various anthropometric indexes with localized Stage II/III periodontitis in young adults: The CHIEF oral health study
Authors: Tsai Kun‐Zhe , Huang Ren‐Yeong , Cheng Wan‐Chien , Su Fang‐Ying , Lin Yen‐Po , Chang Chan‐Yuan , Lin Gen‐Min
Published: November 2020

Background

A J‐shaped relationship of body mass index (BMI) with severe periodontitis has been reported. However, it is unknown for other anthropometric indexes in young adults.

Methods

A cross‐sectional study examined the relationships in 325 military men and women, aged 20 to 45 years in Taiwan. Anthropometric indexes included BMI, waist circumference (WC), and waist‐to‐height ratio (WHtR). The severity of localized periodontitis was defined as healthy (n = 42), Stage I (initial) (n = 228), and Stage II/III (moderate/severe) (n = 55) according to the 2017 Periodontal Diseases Classification. Smooth curve fitting and multiple logistic regression analyses adjusting for age, sex, betel nut consumption, and smoking were used to determine the threshold effect between various anthropometric and the risk of localized Stage II/III periodontitis.

Results

In the spline smoothing plot, the turning points for BMI, WC, and WHtR were 26.1 kg/m2, 90.0 cm, and 0.50, respectively, and a J‐shaped relationship was found for BMI (the likelihood ratio test,P <0.001). In the multiple logistic regressions, BMI ≥27.0 kg/m2, WC ≥90.0 cm and WHtR ≥0.50 were associated with higher risk of localized Stage II/III periodontitis than their counterparts (24.0 to 26.9 kg/m2for BMI) (odds ratios [OR] and 95% confidence intervals: 4.16 [1.39 to 12.49], 2.65 [1.01 to 7.11], and 2.95 [1.20 to 7.24], respectively; allPvalues <0.05). However, the risk for BMI <24.0 kg/m2was not significant (OR, 1.47 [0.47 to 4.54]).

Conclusion

In young adults, obesity defined by various anthropometrics was consistently associated with localized Stage II/III periodontitis and a J‐shaped association was suggestive for BMI.
Evaluation of the need to prescribe opioid medication to control post‐surgical pain of different periodontal/oral surgeries
Authors: Al‐Bayati Omar , Font Kerri , Soldatos Nikolaos , Carlson Emanouela , Parsons Joseph , Powell Charles A.
Published: November 2020

Background

To determine the level of perceived pain after different types of periodontal/oral surgical procedures, and the differences in patients’ selection of pain management, over the counter (OTC) versus opioid, based on procedure type.

Methods

Patients undergoing surgical procedures were asked to complete a pain questionnaire at four time points: 1) before surgery 2) first dose of analgesic at home, 3) 24 hours postoperatively, and 4) 72 hours postoperatively. The questionnaire consisted of numerical and descriptive scales to describe the perceived pain.

Results

A total of 198 patients completed the questionnaire. All surgical procedures were grouped into five major categories: bone augmentation procedures (11% BAP), teeth extractions (26% EXT), surgical implant placement (25% IP), mucogingival surgeries (21% MGS), and pocket elimination procedures (17%). IP surgery was associated with significantly less pain compared with MGS and EXT (P <0.05). There was a statistically significant difference for taking any medication based on type of surgical procedure at 24 hours (P <0.05).

Conclusions

IP is associated with significantly lower perceived pain compared with EXT and MGS surgery. Analgesic consumption was generally parallel to pain perception. A considerable number of patients elected to control the post‐surgical pain using OTC medication up to 72 hours. Periodontal/oral surgery procedures vary in the amount of perceived postoperative pain. Tailoring postoperative medications to the type of periodontal/oral surgery performed will help prevent overprescribing of opioids.
Evaluation of the SERS‐based strategy in fast and on‐site food safety inspection: Qualitative and quantitative analysis of trace unexpected herbicide in complicated herbicide matrix
Authors: Pan Cheng , Chen Hongju , Lin Qin , Luo Siheng , Gu Jialei , Ye Shaoqing , Zeng Yongming , Ren Bin , Tian Zhongqun , Xue Wendong , Liu Guokun
Published: November 2020

Recently, surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)‐based detection strategies have been widely developed for various practical applications, due to the near‐single‐molecule sensitivity and fingerprint identification capability. However, the qualitative and quantitative reliability of SERS have always been questioned when comparing with the classical GC/LC–MS techniques. Here, we systematically compared the properties of SERS and LC–MS in the detection of an unexpected herbicide in commercial herbicide. The result showed that, in the case of the ultra‐trace target detection in a complicated matrix, SERS‐based strategy exhibited high sensitivity and a much higher detection efficiency than the LC–MS‐based one, which demonstrated a more accurate quantifiability being facilitated with a well‐controlled sample pretreatment. Therefore, we showed that SERS could be further implemented in fast and on‐site detection tools for food safety application and environment monitoring.
Chemical composition and protective effect of guava (Psidium guajavaL.) leaf extract on piglet intestines
Authors: Wang Dingfa , Zhou Luli , Zhou Hanlin , Hu Haichao , Hou Guanyu
Published: November 2020

BACKGROUND

Dietary intervention is an important approach to improve intestinal function of weaned piglets. Phytogenic and herbal products have received increasing attention as in‐feed antibiotic alternatives. This study investigated the chemical composition of guava leaf extract (GE) by ultrahigh‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC‐MS/MS). Meanwhile, we investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with GE on diarrhea in relation to immune responses and intestinal health in weaned piglets challenged by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC).

RESULTS

In total, 323 characterized compounds, which including 91 phenolic compounds and 232 other compounds were identified. Animal experiment results showed that the supplementation of 50–200 mg kg−1 of GE in the diet could reduce diarrhea incidence, increase activities of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and total anti‐oxidant capacity in the serum (P < 0.05), decrease the levels of interleukin 1β, interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor α in the serum or jejunum mucosa (P < 0.05), and increase villus height and villus height to crypt depth ratio (P < 0.05) in the jejuna of piglets challenged by oral ETEC compared with negative control group (NC). Meanwhile, diet supplementation with 50–200 mg kg−1 GE reduced the levels of D‐lactate, endothelin‐1 and diamine oxidase in the serum, and increased the expression of zonula occludens‐1, Claudin‐1, Occludin and Na+/H+ exchanger 3 (P < 0.05) in the jejuna mucosa of piglets challenged by ETEC compared with the NC.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggested that GE could attenuate diarrhea and improve intestinal barrier function of piglets challenged by ETEC. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Implantable Doppler Ultrasound Monitoring in Head and Neck Free Flaps: Balancing the Pros and Cons
Authors: Hayler Raymond , Low Tsu‐Hui (Hubert) , Fung Kevin , Nichols Anthony C. , MacNeil S. Danielle , Yoo John
Published: November 2020

Objectives/Hypothesis

Free flap transfer offers a versatile option for reconstruction in head and neck surgery, with success rates over 95%. There remains a substantial re‐exploration rate of roughly 5% to 15%, with early recognition of compromise essential to flap survival. Monitoring techniques are highly desirable, with the gold standard being clinical monitoring. The Cook‐Swartz Doppler (CSD) probe utilizes Doppler technology to inform clinicians about real‐time flow. We aim to describe our adoption of this technology in 100 consecutive free flaps.

Study Design

Prospective case series.

Methods

Prospective data were collected from July 2014 to June 2015 on 100 consecutive free flaps performed at a head and neck unit in London, Ontario. All patients had a CSD inserted for arterial and venous monitoring.

Results

A total of 100 free flaps were performed on 99 patients. Sensitivity was 87.1% and specificity was 85.7%. Positive predictive value was 98.8% and negative predictive value was 33.3%. False‐negative and false‐positive rate were 1.0% and 12.0%, respectively. The exploration rate was 12%, with no flap loss and two partial debridements. The CSD was helpful in management in 9% of cases and was clinically unhelpful in 11% of cases, with 10 of 11 abnormal signals ignored. There were three unique CSD complications; one retained wire, one pedicle laceration during extraction, and one clot around the probe interrupting signal.

Conclusions

The CSD is a helpful adjunct to clinical monitoring but has unique complications, which were not previously described. Pros and cons must be considered for new centers adopting this technology.

Level of Evidence

4 Laryngoscope, 131:E1854–E1859, 2021
Hierarchical Cellular Poly(m‐phenylene isophthalamide) with High Flame Retardancy, Mechanical Robustness, and Heat Resistance at Extreme Situation
Authors: Liu Chuanyong , Wang Liang , Cai Jie , Xia Zhaopeng , Qin Liming , Chen Rouxi , Liu Yong
Published: November 2020

High‐performance cellular foams with superior mechanical properties and heat resistance are urgently needed to fulfill the applications in extreme environments. However, they are difficult to be prepared because of low gas diffusion rate in high‐performance polymers. In this work, a facile solution‐foaming strategy to prepare multifunctional foams based on poly(m‐phenylene isophthalamide) (PMIA) is reported. The achieved PMIA foams show a hierarchically cellular structure containing macropores and mesopores. Due to their high porosity, the PMIA foams exhibit low thermal conductivity (0.0447–0.0498 W m−1 K−1) and high sound absorption coefficient at different frequency. A bimodal distribution on acoustic absorption is observed. With a bulk density range of 0.089–0.122 g cm−3, PMIA foams possess compressive moduli of 3.2–14.2 MPa and bending strength of 1.1–2.1 MPa, respectively. Moreover, they exhibit a recoverable deformation of 55.4% after 10 cycling 10% strain compressions and maintain a dimensional stability under harsh environment (–196 to 250 °C). Despite generated byproducts like polyurea, they still show a limiting oxygen index (25.2–26.3%) and relatively low heat release rate (178.3 kW m−2). This work provides a facile strategy to efficiently prepare high‐performance PMIA foams for broad application prospects.
Design of an ultra‐wideband coplanar strip‐to‐parallel stripline transition using an analytical model based on conformal mapping
Authors: Lee Gwan Hui , Kim Dong Hwi , Mohyuddin Wahab , Kumar Sachin , Choi Hyun Chul , Kim Kang Wook
Published: November 2020

A new design method of an ultra‐wideband coplanar strip (CPS)‐to‐parallel stripline (PSL) transition is presented. The proposed design is based on an analytical transition model obtained by conformal mapping. The proposed transition consists of a CPS‐to‐asymmetric PSL transition and an asymmetric PSL‐to‐PSL transition. The conductor shapes of the transition at top and bottom sides of the substrate are adjusted to obtain the optimal impedance matching and smooth field transformation. For measurements, the proposed transition is designed in a back‐to‐back configuration. To verify the proposed design, two transitions with different substrates are designed and fabricated. The PSL impedance is set at 50 Ω, but the CPS impedances are set at 147 and 120 Ω, respectively. The measured insertion loss of <1 dB and return loss of >10 dB have been obtained for more than 30 and 20 GHz bandwidths, respectively.
Good urodynamic practice: Pressure signal quality immediately after catheter insertion for cystometry with a water‐filled pressure transducer system and its relevance for the ICS zero procedure
Authors: Rosier Peter F. W. M.
Published: November 2020

Aim

This study aims to evaluate the intracorporeal pressures immediately after the insertion of the catheters for urodynamic testing with a water‐filled urodynamic pressure transducer system to determine the relevance of the International Continence Society (ICS) zeroing principles.

Methods

Here, a retrospective analysis of a random series of urodynamic recordings is performed. The initial pressures, immediately after the insertion of the catheters, have been compared with the pressures after some milliliters of filling and flushing away of the gel, used with insertion, and/or the mucus and debris from the inserted catheters. Differences of initially recorded intravesical and intrarectal pressures from those after flushing and filling are analyzed and associated with the ICS standard practice of zeroing.

Results

Statistically and clinically significant differences between the initial pressures and the pressures after filling and flushing are observed, with nonphysiological initial pressures in 62% of the studies. Some filling (20 ml or more in the bladder) and flushing of the pressure channels resulted in the registration of physiological pressures and synchronous response from both lines on abdominal pressure increases.

Conclusions

The pressure signal quality of a water‐filled urodynamic system immediately after catheter insertion is low with inaccurately displayed pressure values, but it changes to normal after flushing the pressure channels and some filling. Rezeroing of the intracorporeal pressures immediately after catheter insertion for cystometry is the inappropriate correction procedure that misleadingly modifies the false initial pressures, resulting in ongoing unrealistic urodynamic study pressures.
Investigating the regional effect of the chemical shift displacement artefact on the J‐modulated lactate signal at ultra high‐field
Authors: Fernandes Carolina C. , Lanz Bernard , Chen Chen , Morris Peter G. , Salmon Carlos G.
Published: November 2020

The present work aims to show the applicability of an analytical model for the optimisation of the STEAM sequence timing parameters for lactate detection at ultra high‐field. The effects of the chemical shift displacement artefact on the J‐modulated signal for a weakly‐coupled spin system were considered in the three applied directions of field gradients and the product operator formalism was used to obtain expressions for the signal modulation in each compartment of the excited volume. The validity of this model was demonstrated experimentally at 7 T in a phantom and acquisitions with optimised parameters were performed on a healthy volunteer. The spectra acquired with TE = 144 ms with the optimised mixing time and TE = 288 ms showed easily detectable lactate peaks in the normal human brain. Additionally, the acquisition with the longer TE resulted in a spectrum with less lipid/macromolecular contamination. The simulations shown here demonstrated that the proposed analytical model is suitable for correctly predicting the resulting lactate signal. With the optimised parameters, it was possible to use a simple sequence with sufficient signal‐to‐noise ratio to reliably distinguish lactate from overlapping resonances in a healthy brain.
Phase field modeling of coupled crystal plasticity and deformation twinning in polycrystals with monolithic and splitting solvers
Authors: Ma Ran , Sun WaiChing
Published: November 2020

For some polycrystalline materials such as austenitic stainless steel, magnesium, TATB, and HMX, twinning is a crucial deformation mechanism when the dislocation slip alone is not enough to accommodate the applied strain. To predict this coupling effect between crystal plasticity and deformation twinning, we introduce a mathematical model and the corresponding monolithic and operator splitting solvers that couple the crystal plasticity material model with a phase field twining model such that the twinning nucleation and propagation can be captured via an implicit function. While a phase field order parameter is introduced to quantify the twinning induced shear strain and corresponding crystal reorientation, the evolution of the order parameter is driven by the resolved shear stress on the twinning system. To avoid introducing an additional set of slip systems for dislocation slip within the twinning region, we introduce a Lie algebra averaging technique to determine the Schmid tensor throughout the twinning transformation. Three different numerical schemes are proposed to solve the coupled problem, including a monolithic scheme, an alternating minimization scheme, and an operator splitting scheme. Three numerical examples are utilized to demonstrate the capability of the proposed model, as well as the accuracy and computational cost of the solvers.
A stable computational approach to analyze semi‐relativistic behavior of fractional evolutionary problems
Authors: Hamid Muhammad , Usman Muhammad , Wang Wei , Tian Zhenfu
Published: November 2020

The current work is related to the development of a hybrid semi‐spectral computational scheme based on multidimensional Chelyshkov polynomials (CPs). One dimensional traditional CPs have been efficiently converted to multidimensional Chelyshkov polynomials (MDCPs) and used to construct some novel operational matrices of fractional‐order derivatives. A method is developed via obtained polynomials as the Chelyshkov polynomial method (CPM) and further coupled with a finite difference scheme (FDM) and named as a semi‐spectral method (SSM). The method is used to evaluate the results of nonlinear evolutionary problems of fractional order where the space domain is collocated via CPM and the time variable is discretized through FDM. The stability analysis of the proposed scheme is proved to show its mathematical authenticity. Additionally, the reported study is evidence that the proposed methodology is reasonable in terms of accuracy, efficiency and low‐cost to tackle the nonlinear problem in higher dimensions while could be further modified for other class of dynamical problems.
Is fall self‐efficacy an independent predictor of recurrent fall events in older adults? Evidence from a 1‐year prospective study
Authors: Yang Rumei , Pepper Ginette A.
Published: November 2020

Falls, which are prevalent among older adults, may not only cause severe physical injuries, but also lead to low fall self‐efficacy (FSE). Low FSE is associated with restricted activity, which putatively increases risk of future falls. However, emerging studies have failed to confirm this association. Furthermore, the interplay between age, gender, and fall history with falls has not been adequately addressed in adults aged 70 years or older. The aims of this secondary analysis were to: (1) prospectively explore the association of FSE and fall events considering age, gender, and fall history, and (2) examine the characteristics of fall events and fall‐related outcomes. Forty‐seven community‐dwelling adults over 70 years of age were followed for about 12 months. During the follow‐up, 22 participants with low FSE experienced 119 fall events whereas 25 participants with high FSE reported 106 fall events. Among fallers, 72.3% (n = 34) experienced recurrent fall events. About 15.0% (n = 34) of 225 fall events resulted in injuries and 4.0% of injuries required medical care. FSE was a statistically significant predictor of future fall events (incident rate ratio = 0.96, p = .013) regardless of age, gender, and fall history. Participants with low FSE were more likely than those with high FSE to fall more frequently without noticeable prodromal symptoms and apparent reasons. These findings suggest that FSE is an important protective factor against future fall events. However, interpretation of these results requires caution given the small sample size and effect size.
Bridewealth1and the Autonomy of Women in Melanesia
Authors: Sykes Karen M. , Jourdan Christine
Published: November 2020

Considering bridewealth in Melanesia from the angle of women's autonomy, in this introduction we review and analyse the various elements of this marriage practice that reveal its place in the symbolic, social and economic worlds of women. With an accent on social transformation, we discuss women's autonomy and agency in relation to the constraints that bridewealth puts on their lives, and on how they engage with it. Knowing what bridewealth is, and how the rules of reciprocity that it indexes obligate married women, the focus is on women's ability to act within these constraints or to redefine their contours, particularly with regards to economic and reproductive agency. The article, which serves also as the introduction for the special issue on bridewealth in the journalOceania, discusses themes analysed in the collection, such as the moral prospects of bridewealth today, its relation to ‘capital’ in twenty‐first century Oceania, the triad value/valuables/valuers, and the empowerment of women. It concludes with thoughts on gender inequality.
A Randomized Phase II Study of Sequential Eribulin Versus Paclitaxel Followed by FAC/FEC as Neoadjuvant Therapy in Patients with Operable HER2-Negative Breast Cancer
Authors: Lim Bora , Song Juhee , Ibrahim Nuhad K. , Koenig Kimberly B. , Chavez-MacGregor Mariana , Ensor Joe E. , Gomez Jill Schwartz , Krishnamurthy Savitri , Caudle Abigail S. , Shaitelman Simona F. , Whitman Gary J. , Valero Vicente
Published: November 2020

Lessons Learned

The combination of eribulin with 5-fluorouracil, either doxorubicin or epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide (FAC/FEC) was not superior to the combination of paclitaxel with FAC/FEC and was associated with greater hematologic toxicity. Eribulin followed by an anthracycline-based regimen is not recommended as a standard neoadjuvant therapy in nonmetastatic operable breast cancer.

Background

Neoadjuvant systemic therapy is the standard of care for locally advanced operable breast cancer. We hypothesized eribulin may improve the pathological complete response (pCR) rate compared with paclitaxel.

Methods

We conducted a 1:1 randomized open-label phase II study comparing eribulin versus paclitaxel followed by 5-fluorouracil, either doxorubicin or epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide (FAC/FEC) in patients with operable HER2-negative breast cancer. pCR and toxicity of paclitaxel 80 mg/m2 weekly for 12 doses or eribulin 1.4 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8 of a 21-day cycle for 4 cycles followed by FAC/FEC were compared.

Results

At the interim futility analysis, in March 2015, 51 patients (28 paclitaxel, 23 eribulin) had received at least one dose of the study drug and were thus evaluable for toxicity; of these, 47 (26 paclitaxel, 21 eribulin) had undergone surgery and were thus evaluable for efficacy. Seven of 26 (27%) in the paclitaxel group and 1 of 21 (5%) in the eribulin group achieved a pCR, and this result crossed a futility stopping boundary. In the paclitaxel group, the most common serious adverse events (SAEs) were neutropenic fever (grade 3, 3 patients, 11%). In the eribulin group, nine patients (39%) had neutropenia-related SAEs, and one died of neutropenic sepsis. The study was thus discontinued. For the paclitaxel and eribulin groups, the 5-year event-free survival (EFS) rates were 81.8% and 74.0% (hazard ratio [HR], 1.549; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.817–2.938; p = .3767), and the 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 100% and 84.4% (HR, 5.813; 95% CI, 0.647–52.208; p = .0752), respectively.

Conclusion

We did not observe a higher proportion of patients undergoing breast conservation surgery in the eribulin group than in the paclitaxel group. The patients treated with eribulin were more likely to undergo mastectomy and less likely to undergo breast conservation surgery, but the difference was not statistically significant.

As neoadjuvant therapy for operable HER2-negative breast cancer, eribulin followed by FAC/FEC is not superior to paclitaxel followed by FAC/FEC and is associated with a higher incidence of neutropenia-related serious adverse events.
CDKN1B mutation and copy number variation are associated with tumor aggressiveness in luminal breast cancer
Authors: Viotto Davide , Russo Francesca , Anania Ilaria , Segatto Ilenia , Rampioni Vinciguerra Gian Luca , Dall'Acqua Alessandra , Bomben Riccardo , Perin Tiziana , Cusan Martina , Schiappacassi Monica , Gerratana Lorenzo , D'Andrea Sara , Citron Francesca , Vit Filippo , Musco Lorena , Mattevi Maria Chiara , Mungo Giorgia , Nicoloso Milena S , Sonego Maura , Massarut Samuele , Sorio Roberto , Barzan Luigi , Franchin Giovanni , Giorda Giorgio , Lucia Emilio , Sulfaro Sandro , Giacomarra Vittorio , Polesel Jerry , Toffolutti Federica , Canzonieri Vincenzo , Puglisi Fabio , Gattei Valter , Vecchione Andrea , Belletti Barbara , Baldassarre Gustavo
Published: November 2020

The CDKN1B gene, encoding for the CDK inhibitor p27kip1, is mutated in defined human cancer subtypes, including breast, prostate carcinomas and small intestine neuroendocrine tumors. Lessons learned from small intestine neuroendocrine tumors suggest that CDKN1B mutations could be subclonal, raising the question of whether a deeper sequencing approach could lead to the identification of higher numbers of patients with mutations. Here, we addressed this question and analyzed human cancer biopsies from breast (n = 396), ovarian (n = 110) and head and neck squamous carcinoma (n = 202) patients, using an ultra‐deep sequencing approach. Notwithstanding this effort, the mutation rate of CDKN1B remained substantially aligned with values from the literature, showing that essentially only hormone receptor‐positive breast cancer displayed CDKN1B mutations in a relevant number of cases (3%). However, the analysis of copy number variation showed that another fraction of luminal breast cancer displayed loss (8%) or gain (6%) of the CDKN1B gene, further reinforcing the idea that the function of p27kip1 is important in this type of tumor. Intriguingly, an enrichment for CDKN1B alterations was found in samples from premenopausal luminal breast cancer patients (n = 227, 4%) and in circulating cell‐free DNA from metastatic luminal breast cancer patients (n = 59, 8.5%), suggesting that CDKN1B alterations could correlate with tumor aggressiveness and/or occur later during disease progression. Notably, many of the identified somatic mutations resulted in p27kip1 protein truncation, leading to loss of most of the protein or of its C‐terminal domain. Using a gene‐editing approach in a luminal breast cancer cell line, MCF‐7, we observed that the expression of p27kip1 truncating mutants that lose the C‐terminal domains failed to rescue most of the phenotypes induced by CDKN1B gene knockout, indicating that the functions retained by the C‐terminal portion are critical for its role as an oncosuppressor, at least in luminal breast cancer. © 2020 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
Silica‐reinforced ethylene propylene diene monomer/polypropylene thermoplastic vulcanizates with interfacial compatibilized by methylacrylate
Authors: Xiong Jianxiang , Cui Rui , Xu Chuanhui , Ding Jianping , Chen Yukun
Published: November 2020

Increasing the interfacial adhesion with compatibilizer has been proved to be an effective method to enhance the mechanical properties of composites. In this paper, sodium methacrylate (NaMAA) was introduced to enhance the interfacial adhesion between polypropylene (PP) and ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) via the peroxide‐induced dynamic vulcanization. NaMAA‐induced compatibilization enhanced the phase interface efficaciously and reduced the diameter of EPDM particles from ~8 to ~4 μm. Silica (SiO2) was used in the matrix to improve the mechanical properties of the thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs). It was found that SiO2had little influence on the compatibility between EPDM and PP; however, it improved the tensile strength and stiffness of the TPVs without a severe reduction in the elasticity. The interfacial compatibility of modified EPDM/PP TPVs was verified by Fourier transform infrared, rubber process analyzer, and scanning electron microscope. With 3 wt% of NaMAA and 12 wt% of SiO2, the tensile strength improved from 8.5 to 12.7 MPa and the elongation at break was ranged from 320% to 410%.
Advances in personalized medicine and noninvasive diagnostics in solid organ transplantation
Authors: Maldonado Angela Q. , West‐Thielke Patricia , Joyal Kayla , Rogers Christin
Published: November 2020

Personalized medicine has been a mainstay and in practice in transplant pharmacotherapy since the advent of the field. Decisions pertaining to the diagnosis, selection, and monitoring of transplant pharmacotherapy are aimed toward the individual, the allograft, and the overall immunologic needs of the patient. Recent advances in pharmacogenomics, noninvasive biomarkers, and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies have the promise of transforming the way we individualize treatment and monitor allograft function. Pharmacogenomic testing can provide clinicians with additional data that can minimize toxicity and maximize therapeutic dosing in high‐risk patients, leading to more informed decisions that may decrease the risk of rejection and adverse outcomes related to immunosuppressive therapies. Development of noninvasive strategies to monitor allograft function may offer safer and more convenient methods to detect allograft injury. Cell free DNA and gene expression profiling offer the potential to serve as “liquid biopsies” minimizing the risk to patients and providing clinicians with useful molecular data that may help individualize immunosuppression and rejection treatment. Use of big data in transplant and novel AI platforms, such as the iBox, hold tremendous promise in providing clinicians a “glimpse into the future” thereby allowing for a more individualized approach to immunosuppressive therapy that may minimize future adverse outcomes. Advances in diagnostics, laboratory science, and AI have made the application of personalized medicine even more tailored for solid organ transplant recipients. In this perspective, we summarize the current and emerging tools available, literature supporting use, and the horizon for future personalization of transplantation.
Proteomic Biomarkers to Guide Stratification for Covid‐19 Treatment: Exemplifying a Path Forward Toward Implementation?
Authors: Jankowski Joachim
Published: November 2020

Proteins and peptides serve as biomarkers in the context of multiple pathologies. The hypothesis that protein or peptide biomarkers may also be of value in the context of the Covid‐19 pandemic appears self‐evident. Proteome based biomarkers are not expected to display significant added value in the detection of viral infection but appear well suited to address a major unmet need: the prognosis of the course of disease, to guide appropriate, timely intervention. Based on similar approaches in the context of other diseases and using a CE–MS platform, urinary peptides are investigated for their value as biomarkers to assess disease progression after SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. The manuscript presented in this issue of Proteomics reports first results, indicating that urine peptides may be of substantial value in the assessment and prediction of severity of the Covid‐19 disease course on an individual level. While the findings are not entirely surprising, the report does stand out from all others by a well‐defined context‐of‐use, and, what is more, by presenting an already initiated validation study that may, if successful, result in immediate implementation of this proteomics‐based diagnostic test. This approach should serve as positive example for the planning and execution of clinical proteomics studies.