bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Targeted deep sequencing of cell‐free DNA in serous body cavity fluids with malignant, suspicious, and benign cytology
Authors: Yang Soo‐Ryum , Mooney Kelly L. , Libiran Paolo , Jones Carol D. , Joshi Rohan , Lau Hubert D. , Stehr Henning , Berry Gerald J. , Zehnder James L. , Long Steven R. , Kong Christina S. , Kunder Christian A.
Published: November 2019

Background

Liquid biopsy using cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) presents new opportunities for solid tumor genotyping. While studies have demonstrated the utility of cfDNA from plasma, cfDNA from other body fluids remains underexplored.

Methods

We evaluated the molecular features and clinicopathologic correlates of cfDNA from serous body cavity fluids by performing hybrid capture‐based next‐generation sequencing (NGS) on cfDNA isolated from residual effusion supernatants. Twenty‐one serous effusions from pleural (n = 15), peritoneal (n = 5), and pericardial (n = 1) cavity were analyzed.

Results

The supernatants provided a median cfDNA concentration of 10.3 ng/µL. Notably, all effusions were sequenced successfully to a median depth >1000×, revealing a broad range of genetic alterations including single nucleotide variants, small insertions and deletions, amplifications, and fusions. Specifically, pathogenic alterations were identified in all malignant fluids (13/13), all fluids suspicious for malignancy (2/2), and 1 benign fluid (1/6) from a patient with metastatic cancer. To validate our findings, we examined matching results from 11 patients who underwent additional testing using formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded (FFPE) specimens. In 8 patients, the paired results between FFPE and supernatant testing were concordant, whereas in the remaining 3 patients, supernatant analysis identified additional variants likely associated with resistance to targeted therapies. Additional comparison between FFPE and supernatant testing showed no difference in DNA concentration (P = .5), depth of coverage (P = .6), or allele frequency of pathogenic mutations (P = .7).

Conclusion

cfDNA isolated from serous body cavity fluids represents a promising source of genomic input for targeted NGS.
Atlas of the neuromuscular system in the Trachymedusa Aglantha digitale: Insights from the advanced hydrozoan
Authors: Norekian Tigran P. , Moroz Leonid L.
Published: November 2019

Cnidaria is the sister taxon to bilaterian animals, and therefore, represents a key reference lineage to understand early origins and evolution of the neural systems. The hydromedusa Aglantha digitale is arguably the best electrophysiologically studied jellyfish because of its system of giant axons and unique fast swimming/escape behaviors. Here, using a combination of scanning electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry together with phalloidin labeling, we systematically characterize both neural and muscular systems in Aglantha, summarizing and expanding further the previous knowledge on the microscopic neuroanatomy of this crucial reference species. We found that the majority, if not all (~2,500) neurons, that are labeled by FMRFamide antibody are different from those revealed by anti‐α‐tubulin immunostaining, making these two neuronal markers complementary to each other and, therefore, expanding the diversity of neural elements in Aglantha with two distinct neural subsystems. Our data uncovered the complex organization of neural networks forming a functional “annulus‐type” central nervous system with three subsets of giant axons, dozen subtypes of neurons, muscles, and a variety of receptors fully integrated with epithelial conductive pathways supporting swimming, escape and feeding behaviors. The observed unique adaptations within the Aglantha lineage (including giant axons innervating striated muscles) strongly support an extensive and wide‐spread parallel evolution of integrative and effector systems across Metazoa.
The ENCODE Portal as an Epigenomics Resource
Authors: Jou Jennifer , Gabdank Idan , Luo Yunhai , Lin Khine , Sud Paul , Myers Zachary , Hilton Jason A. , Kagda Meenakshi S. , Lam Bonita , O'Neill Emma , Adenekan Philip , Graham Keenan , Baymuradov Ulugbek K. , R. Miyasato Stuart , Strattan J. Seth , Jolanki Otto , Lee Jin‐Wook , Litton Casey , Y. Tanaka Forrest , Hitz Benjamin C. , Cherry J. Michael
Published: November 2019

The Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) web portal hosts genomic data generated by the ENCODE Consortium, Genomics of Gene Regulation, The NIH Roadmap Epigenomics Consortium, and the modENCODE and modERN projects. The goal of the ENCODE project is to build a comprehensive map of the functional elements of the human and mouse genomes. Currently, the portal database stores over 500 TB of raw and processed data from over 15,000 experiments spanning assays that measure gene expression, DNA accessibility, DNA and RNA binding, DNA methylation, and 3D chromatin structure across numerous cell lines, tissue types, and differentiation states with selected genetic and molecular perturbations. The ENCODE portal provides unrestricted access to the aforementioned data and relevant metadata as a service to the scientific community. The metadata model captures the details of the experiments, raw and processed data files, and processing pipelines in human and machine‐readable form and enables the user to search for specific data either using a web browser or programmatically via REST API. Furthermore, ENCODE data can be freely visualized or downloaded for additional analyses. © 2019 The Authors.

Basic Protocol: Query the portal

Support Protocol 1: Batch downloading

Support Protocol 2: Using the cart to download files

Support Protocol 3: Visualize data

Alternate Protocol: Query building and programmatic access
A scalable and adaptable allocation framework for heterogeneous resources in a large cluster environment
Authors: Filelis‐Papadopoulos Christos , Xiong Huanhuan , Morrison John
Published: November 2019

Finding an appropriate resource to host the next application to be deployed in a Cloud environment can be a nontrivial task. To deliver the appropriate level of service, the functional requirements of the application must be met. Ideally, this process involves filtering the best resource from a number of possible candidates while simultaneously satisfying multiple objectives. If timely responses to resource requests are to be maintained, the sophistication of the filtering mechanism and size of the search space have to be carefully balanced. The quality of the solution will thus not readily scale with growth in cloud resources and filtering complexity. This limitation is becoming more evident with the emergence of hyperscale clouds and the increased complexity needed to accommodate the growing heterogeneity in resources. Moreover, meeting nonfunctional requirements, reflecting the Cloud Service Provider's business objects, is also becoming increasingly critical as service utilization and energy efficiency in a typical cloud deployment are extremely low. This paper proposes a re‐examination of the resource allocation problem by proposing a framework to support distributed resource allocation decisions and that can be dynamically populated with strategies to reflect the ever‐growing number of diverse objectives as they become evident in the evolving cloud infrastructure.
Using time series data to assess recent population dynamics of Bald Eagles in the northeast United States
Authors: Hanley Brenda J. , Dhondt André A. , Dennis Brian , Schuler Krysten L.
Published: November 2019

We explored the use of time series data to study the recent demographics of Bald Eagles in the northeast United States. We merged a stage‐structured population matrix model (PMM) into a combinatorial optimization algorithm (COA) to estimate stage‐wise abundances, survival rates, and other dynamics of the eagle population from 1990 to 2018. The PMM includes biannual periods (breeding and non‐breeding), density dependence, and stage‐wise migration and dispersal. We demonstrated theoretically that the information contained in 17 yr of time series data of the reproductive stage would have contained all the information for the entire population. We then tested the performance of the COA in estimating transient and asymptotic population dynamics using simulated data. Finally, we assessed the COA under differing modeling conditions (without stage‐wise dispersal and in the absence of biological assumptions). We found that time series data of the reproductive class, the skeleton of the PMM, and COA are sole ingredients to reliably estimate stage‐wise abundances and survival, but additional biological assumptions are helpful in honing precision of the estimates. The algorithm is a tool to assess population dynamics when demographic data are limited to counts of reproductive adults.
How China's Belt and Road Initiative will change international higher education
Authors: Dennis Marguerite J.
Published: November 2019

In his book China Versus The West: The Global Power Shift of the 21st Century, the economist Ivan Tselichtchev presents a comprehensive picture of the changing balance of power between China and the economies of the West.
Vice president wants to be trendsetter for challenged private colleges
Authors: Enos Gary
Published: November 2019

An early penchant for thinking strategically and eyeing the big picture attracted George Wolf to the profession of enrollment management. Now in his seventh year as Vice President for Enrollment Management at Siena Heights University in Adrian, Mich., Wolf said the broad view serves him well as the private Catholic school addresses the challenges of a shrinking applicant pool and more aggressive price competition from state universities.
Comparing the Acute Toxicity of Imidacloprid with Alternative Systemic Insecticides in the Aquatic Insect Chironomus dilutus
Authors: Maloney Erin M. , Sykes Hunter , Morrissey Christy , Peru Kerry M. , Headley John V. , Liber Karsten
Published: November 2019

Acute (96-h) toxicities of 5 systemic insecticides (chlorantraniliprole, cyantraniliprole, flupyradifurone, flubendiamide, and sulfoxaflor) were tested on larval Chironomus dilutus and compared with the neonicotinoid imidacloprid. Three insecticides were less acutely toxic than imidacloprid (2.5–25 times lower). However, chlorantraniliprole and cyantraniliprole were 1.5 to 1.8 times more toxic to C. dilutus. Thus, these ryanodine receptor agonists could pose a higher risk to aquatic insects than their neonicotinoid predecessors, warranting further studies. Environ Toxicol Chem 2020;39:587–594. © 2019 SETAC
Dietary Uptake and Depuration Kinetics of Perfluorooctane Sulfonate, Perfluorooctanoic Acid, and Hexafluoropropylene Oxide Dimer Acid (GenX) in a Benthic Fish
Authors: Hassell Kathryn L. , Coggan Timothy L. , Cresswell Tom , Kolobaric Adam , Berry Kathryn , Crosbie Nicholas D. , Blackbeard Judy , Pettigrove Vincent J. , Clarke Bradley O.
Published: November 2019

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are ubiquitously distributed throughout aquatic environments and can bioaccumulate in organisms. We examined dietary uptake and depuration of a mixture of 3 PFAS: perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA; C8HF15O2), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS; C8HF17SO3), and hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HPFO-DA; C6HF11O3; trade name GenX). Benthic fish (blue spot gobies, Pseudogobius sp.) were fed contaminated food (nominal dose 500 ng g–1) daily for a 21-d uptake period, followed by a 42-d depuration period. The compounds PFOA, linear-PFOS (linear PFOS), and total PFOS (sum of linear and branched PFOS) were detected in freeze-dried fish, whereas GenX was not, indicating either a lack of uptake or rapid elimination (<24 h). Depuration rates (d–1) were 0.150 (PFOA), 0.045 (linear-PFOS), and 0.042 (linear+branched-PFOS) with corresponding biological half-lives of 5.9, 15, and 16 d, respectively. The PFOS isomers were eliminated differently, resulting in enrichment of linear-PFOS (70–90%) throughout the depuration period. The present study is the first reported study of GenX dietary bioaccumulation potential in fish, and the first dietary study to investigate uptake and depuration of multiple PFASs simultaneously, allowing us to determine that whereas PFOA and PFOS accumulated as expected, GenX, administered in the same way, did not appear to bioaccumulate. Environ Toxicol Chem 2020;39:595–603. © 2019 SETAC

Abstract

Individually housed fish were exposed to a mixture of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) via contaminated food for a 21-d uptake period, followed by a 42-d depuration period. At regular intervals fish were removed, and freeze-dried whole-body tissue was analyzed. PFOA = perfluorooctanoic acid; LC–MS/MS = liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry.
The “Law of Brevity” in animal communication: Sex-specific signaling optimization is determined by call amplitude rather than duration
Authors: Demartsev Vlad , Gordon Naomi , Barocas Adi , Bar-Ziv Einat , Ilany Tchia , Goll Yael , Ilany Amiyaal , Geffen Eli
Published: November 2019

The efficiency of informational transfer is one of the key aspects of any communication system. The informational coding economy of human languages is often demonstrated by their almost universal fit to Zipf's “Law of Brevity,” expressing negative relationship between word length and its usage frequency. Animal vocal systems, however, provided mixed results in their adherence to this relationship, potentially due to conflicting evolutionary pressures related to differences in signaling range and communicational needs. To examine this potential parallel between human and animal vocal communication, and also to explore how divergent, sex-specific, communicational settings affect signaling efficiency within a species, we examined the complete vocal repertoire of rock hyraxes (Procavia capensis). As male and female hyraxes differ in their sociality levels and male hyraxes vocal repertoire is dominated by sexual advertisement songs, we hypothesized that sex-specific vocal repertoires could be subjected to different signaling optimization pressures. Our results show that the sexes differ in repertoire size, call usage, and adherence to coding efficiency principles. Interestingly, the classic call length/call usage relationship is not consistently found in rock hyraxes. Rather, a negative relationship between call amplitude and call usage is found, suggesting that the efficiency of the vocal repertoire is driven by call amplitude rather than duration. We hypothesize that, in contrast to human speech that is mainly intended for short distance, the need for frequent long-range signaling shapes an animal's vocal repertoire efficiency according to the cost of call amplitude rather than call length. However, call duration may be a secondary factor affecting signaling efficiency, in cases where amplitude is under specific selection pressures, such as sexual selection.
Efficient coupling of direct forcing immersed boundary‐lattice Boltzmann method and finite element method to simulate fluid‐structure interactions
Authors: Qin Jianhua , Andreopoulos Yiannis , Jiang Xiaohai , Dong Guodan , Chen Zhihua
Published: November 2019

Fluid‐structure interactions (FSI) of rigid and flexible bodies are simulated in this article. For the fluid flow, multidirect forcing immersed boundary method (IBM) is adopted to capture the moving boundary, and lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) is used to evolve the flow field. Compared with our previous no‐penetration IBM, less iterations are required in this work. In addition, larger velocity in lattice units can be used and the nonphysical force oscillations are suppressed due to the C3 6‐point kernel. Multi‐relaxation‐time collision operator and local grid refinement are also adopted in LBM to enhance the numerical stability and efficiency. To improve the efficiency of the FSI coupling algorithm, the mesh of the deformable structure can be coarser than the Lagrangian mesh using Newton‐Cotes formulas to integrate the traction on the structure surface. A variety of benchmarks, including flow around a circular cylinder with Reynold number ranging from 20 to 200, forced oscillation of a circular cylinder, vortex‐induced vibration (VIV) of an elastically mounted circular cylinder in two degrees of freedom, and VIV of an elastic cantilever beam attached to a circular cylinder, are carried out to evaluate the accuracy and stability of the present coupling algorithm. For the benchmark FSI problem considered in this article, a reduction of 54% of the calculation time is achieved using coarser structure mesh. As an application of the FSI coupling algorithm, the mechanism of an elastic beam in the wake of a circular cylinder is discussed.
Systemic risk in global volatility spillover networks: Evidence from option‐implied volatility indices
Authors: Yang Zihui , Zhou Yinggang , Cheng Xin
Published: November 2019

With option‐implied volatility indices, we identify networks of global volatility spillovers and examine time‐varying systemic risk across global financial markets. The U.S. stock market is the center of the network and plays a dominant role in the spread of volatility spillover to other markets. The global systemic risks have intensified since the Federal Reserve exited from quantitative easing, hiked interest rate, and shrank its balance sheet. We further show that the U.S. monetary tightening is an important catalyst for the intensifying global systemic risk. Our findings highlight the pernicious effects of monetary tightening after an era of cheap money.
Hemispheric asymmetries in resting‐state EEG and fMRI are related to approach and avoidance behaviour, but not to eating behaviour or BMI
Authors: Morys Filip , Janssen Lieneke K. , Cesnaite Elena , Beyer Frauke , Garcia‐Garcia Isabel , Kube Jana , Kumral Deniz , Liem Franziskus , Mehl Nora , Mahjoory Keyvan , Schrimpf Anne , Gaebler Michael , Margulies Daniel , Villringer Arno , Neumann Jane , Nikulin Vadim V. , Horstmann Annette
Published: November 2019

Much of our behaviour is driven by two motivational dimensions—approach and avoidance. These have been related to frontal hemispheric asymmetries in clinical and resting‐state EEG studies: Approach was linked to higher activity of the left relative to the right hemisphere, while avoidance was related to the opposite pattern. Increased approach behaviour, specifically towards unhealthy foods, is also observed in obesity and has been linked to asymmetry in the framework of the right‐brain hypothesis of obesity. Here, we aimed to replicate previous EEG findings of hemispheric asymmetries for self‐reported approach/avoidance behaviour and to relate them to eating behaviour. Further, we assessed whether resting fMRI hemispheric asymmetries can be detected and whether they are related to approach/avoidance, eating behaviour and BMI. We analysed three samples: Sample 1 (n = 117) containing EEG and fMRI data from lean participants, and Samples 2 (n = 89) and 3 (n = 152) containing fMRI data from lean, overweight and obese participants. In Sample 1, approach behaviour in women was related to EEG, but not to fMRI hemispheric asymmetries. In Sample 2, approach/avoidance behaviours were related to fMRI hemispheric asymmetries. Finally, hemispheric asymmetries were not related to either BMI or eating behaviour in any of the samples. Our study partly replicates previous EEG findings regarding hemispheric asymmetries and indicates that this relationship could also be captured using fMRI. Our findings suggest that eating behaviour and obesity are likely to be mediated by mechanisms not directly relating to frontal asymmetries in neuronal activation quantified with EEG and fMRI.
Spatial and temporal variations in the groundwater contributing areas of inland wetlands
Authors: Park Junehyeong , Wang Dongdong , Kumar Mukesh
Published: November 2019

Water quality and groundwater dynamics in wetlands are strongly influenced by the spatiotemporal distribution of contaminant application, and variations and changes in climate, vegetation, and anthropogenic interventions in its neighborhood. For groundwater‐fed wetlands, this relevant neighborhood at least extends to the groundwater contributing area (GCA) boundary. In spite of its importance, understanding of the nature of GCA dynamics vis‐à‐vis meteorological variations remains largely understudied. This work attempts to map GCA of inland forested wetlands. Following that, two specific questions are answered: (a) Is GCA extent and its variation different than that of the topographic contributing area (TCA)? and (b) Is the temporal dynamics of GCA for different wetlands, all of which are experiencing very similar climatological forcing, similar? Our results show that GCAs for wetlands vary temporally, are much different in extent and shape than the TCA, and on an average are larger than the TCA. Although wetlands in the studied watershed experienced similar meteorological forcings, their covariation with forcings varied markedly. Majority of the wetlands registered an increase in GCA during dry period, but for a few the GCA decreased. This highlights the role of additional physical controls, other than meteorological forcings, on temporal dynamics of GCA. Notably, wetlands with larger TCA are found to generally have larger average GCA as well, thus indicating the dominant role of topography in determining the relative size of average GCA over the landscape. Our results provide a refined picture of the spatiotemporal patterns of GCA dynamics and the controls on it. The information will help improve the prediction of wet period dynamics, recharge, and contamination risk of groundwater‐fed wetlands.
Development of executive function skills: Examining the role of teachers and externalizing behaviour problems
Authors: Goble Priscilla , Nauman Cambrian , Fife Katelyn , Blalock Sarah M.
Published: November 2019

The current study examined the effect of children's positive relationships and interactions with their teachers and the development of executive function (EF) skills in first grade. A primary objective was to examine externalizing behaviour problems (EBPs) as a potential moderator of the link between teacher–child relationships and interactions and EF skills. Participants for the study included 1,364 first‐grade children (48.3% female, M age = 7.02 years, 80.4% White) drawn from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. There was limited evidence suggesting the EBP moderates the relation between teacher–child relationship quality and EF skill development in first grade. Specifically, simple slope trends indicated that teacher–child closeness was positively related to gains in sustained attention for typically developing children but negatively related to sustained attention for children exhibiting borderline to clinical levels of EBPs. Implications of the findings are discussed.

Highlights

We examined externalizing behaviour problems as a potential moderator between teacher–child relationships, teacher–child interactions, and EF skills.

Counterintuitively, teacher‐reported closeness is negatively related to EF gains for children with externalizing behaviour problems.

Teachers may have a positive relationship with an externalizing child but need more support and resources to establish expectations for the child's EF skills.
DESIGN AND TYPE SELECTION OF CONCRETE‐LINED SMALL CANALS IN CUT AND EXPANSIVE SOIL IN COLD REGIONS
Authors: Cheng Sen‐Hao , Wang Liang , Wang Yu‐Bao , Wang Zheng‐Zhong , Engel Bernard A.
Published: November 2019

In cold regions, deformation because of frost heave in the soil seriously damages the concrete lining of canals, which results in seepage loss and high maintenance costs. Cross‐sectional canal shapes with low‐stress concrete lining are an important aspect of small canal design. Round‐bottom triangular, parabolic and catenary sections are curved and therefore regarded as likely to perform well in conditions in which frost heave occurs. This study provides an objective answer to the question of which section would perform well in frost heave conditions with as large as possible water conveyance efficiency. The design process of small canals was simplified first, and the result shows savings in the land area required for canals. Then, based on two principles, the hydraulic radius and performance of three sections in resisting frost heave damage were compared. In regions without frost heave, the round‐bottom triangular section is better because it has the largest hydraulic radius and design flexibility. In cold regions, if width to depth ratio or depth is a principal constraint, a parabolic (wide section) or catenary (narrow section) is better for big side slopes and curved structures. If side slope (horizontal to vertical) is the principal constraint, the round‐bottom triangular is better. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Integrated approach in designing biphasic nanocomposite collagen/nBCP scaffolds with controlled porosity and permeability for bone tissue engineering
Authors: Ebrahimi Mehdi , Botelho Michael , Lu William , Monmaturapoj Naruporn
Published: November 2019

The bone scaffold for tissue engineering should be biomimetic, particularly in simulating the porosity features of natural bony tissue including pore size, pore shape, pore distribution pattern, and porosity percentage. Control of these can impact the scaffold hydrophilicity and permeability, which in turn influence the protein adsorption, cellular functions, and vascularization process. Various methods have been investigated for control of porosity parameters; however, the field still suffers from major challenges, that is, inadequate control of porosity and hydrophilicity at different levels. In this study, we developed an integrated approach for generation and control of porosity within nanocomposite collagen/nanobiphasic calcium phosphate (collagen/nBCP) scaffold. A modified freeze‐drying procedure was applied alongside a chemical foaming method exploring the ability of “Tween 20” as a potent biocompatible porogen. Several processing variables were also examined including; quenching rate (−18 and −80°C), collagen/nBCP ratio (92/8% and 85/15%), and Tween ratio (10%, 20%, and 30%). Detailed physicochemical and porosimetry analysis confirmed the ability of Tween to actively modify the scaffold permeability and pore size by increasing the range of pore size while quenching rate mostly influenced the pore shape, and collagen/nBCP ratio affected total porosity and roughness. The collagen/nBCP ratio of 92/8% treated with low Tween ratios (10% and 20%) and exposed to −80°C quenching rate displayed more favorable physicochemical behavior, significantly higher permeability, a gradient porosity, and better in vitro performances. The proposed technique in this study provides an insight into the production of customized scaffolds for various tissue engineering applications.
Molecular, biochemical, and clinical analyses of five patients with carbamoyl phosphate synthetase 1 deficiency
Authors: Fan Lijuan , Zhao Jing , Jiang Li , Xie Lingling , Ma Jiannan , Li Xiujuan , Cheng Min
Published: November 2019

Background

Carbamoyl phosphate synthetase 1 deficiency (CPS1D) is a rare urea cycle disorder. The aim of this study was to present the clinical findings, management, biochemical data, molecular genetic analysis, and short‐term prognosis of five children with CPS1D.

Methods

The information of five CPS1D patients was retrospectively studied. We used targeted next‐generation sequencing to identify carbamoyl phosphate synthetase 1 (CPS1) variants in patients suspected to have CPS1D. Candidate mutations were validated by Sanger sequencing. In silico and structure analyses were processed for the pathogenicity predictions of the identified mutations.

Results

The patients had typically clinical manifestations and biochemical data of CPS1D. Genetic analysis revealed nine mutations in the CPS1 gene, including recurrence of c.1145C > T, five of which were firstly reported. Seven mutations were missense changes, while the remaining two were predicted to create premature stop codons. In silico and structure analyses showed that these genetic lesions were predicted to affect the function or stability of the enzyme.

Conclusion

We reported five cases of CPS1D. Five novel mutations of CPS1 gene were found. Mutations of CPS1 have private nature, and most of them are missense compound heterozygous. The mutation affecting residue predicted to interfere the catalytic sites, the internal tunnel, or the regulatory domain results in severe phenotype.
Novel pyrethrin derivatives containing an 1,3,4‐oxadiazole thioether moiety: Design, synthesis, and insecticidal activity
Authors: Yang Zaibo , Li Pei , He Yinju , Luo Jun , Zhou Jing , Wu Yinghong , Chen Liantao
Published: November 2019

In this study, a series of novel pyrethrin derivatives containing an 1,3,4‐oxadiazole thioether moiety were designed and synthesized. Bioassay results revealed that some of the target compounds possessed excellent insecticidal activities against Plutella xylostella (P. xylostella), Vegetable aphids (V. aphids), and Empoasca vitis (E. vitis), respectively. In particular, compound 4l revealed the best insecticidal activities against P. xylostella and V. aphids, with the 50% lethal concentration (LC50) values of 1.78 and 1.61 mg/L, respectively, meanwhile, compound 4k revealed the best insecticidal activity against E. vitis, with the LC50 value of 1.06 mg/L, which were superior to those of the commercial insecticidal agents of chlorpyrifos, beta cypermethrin, spinosad, and azadirachtin. These results indicated that novel pyrethrin derivatives containing an 1,3,4‐oxadiazole thioether moiety could effectively inhibit P. xylostella, V. aphids, and E. vitis.
Purification, characterization, and biological cytotoxic activity of the extracellular cholesterol oxidase produced by Castellaniella sp. COX
Authors: Devi Sunita , Sharma Bhupender , Kumar Rakesh , Singh Kanwar Shamsher
Published: November 2019

A new bacterial strain producing extracellular cholesterol oxidase (ChOx) was isolated and identified as Castellaniella sp. COX. The ChOx was purified by salting‐out and ion‐exchange chromatography up to 10.4‐fold, with a specific activity of 15 U/mg with a molecular mass of 59 kDa. The purified ChOx exhibited pH 8.0 and temperature 40°C for its optimum activity. The enzyme showed stability over a wide pH range and was most stable at pH value 7.0, and at pH 8.0, it retained almost 86% of its initial activity after 3 h of incubation at 37°C. The enzyme possessed a half‐life of 8 h at 37°C, 7 h at 40°C, and 3 h at 50°C. A Lineweaver–Burk plot was calibrated to determine its Km (0.16 mM) and Vmax (18.7 μmol·mg−1·min−1). The ChOx activity was enhanced with Ca2+, Mg2+, and Mn2+ while it was inhibited by Hg2+, Ba2+, Fe2+, Cu2+, and Zn2+ ions. Organic solvents like acetone, n‐butanol, toluene, dimethyl sulfoxide, chloroform, benzene, and methanol were well tolerated by the enzyme while iso‐propanol and ethanol were found to enhance the activity of purified ChOx. ChOx induced cytotoxicity with an IC50 value of 1.78 and 1.88 U/ml against human RD and U87MG established cell lines, respectively, while broadly sparing the normal human cells.
Social Media Use and Creativity: Exploring the Influences on Ideational Behavior and Creative Activity
Authors: Acar Selcuk , Neumayer Michelle , Burnett Cynthia
Published: November 2019

This study explored the relationship between social media (SM) use and creativity. The data collected from 407 participants included indicators such as time spent using SM, frequency of SM use, purposes for using SM, and the nature of SM use. The data involved two aspects of creativity: ideational behavior and creative activity and accomplishment. Correlational analyses indicate that SM use is positively related to both creativity measures. Overall, the active use of SM (e.g., sending a post) is more related to creativity than the passive use (e.g., reading others’ posts); and the link between creativity and SM use is more evident for certain platforms (i.e., Twitter) than others (e.g., Instagram). Ideational behavior and creative activity were also found to be higher among those who use SM primarily for expressing their ideas and opinions, gleaning information on topics to discuss and self‐education and learning compared with those who use it primarily for entertainment or relaxation. None of the creativity measures used was related to extraversion and excessive use of SM. Our findings indicate that SM is not necessarily a negative factor for creativity; it may even be a useful platform to support new ideas and projects.
Soil organic carbon and nutrients in smallholding land uses in southern Ethiopia
Authors: Lulu Mekdes , Lemma Bekele , Melese Asmare
Published: November 2019

This study assessed the soil organic C (SOC) and soil nutrients in smallholding home garden, woodlot, grazing land, and cropland at two soil depths and two sites in Wolaita Zone, southern Ethiopia. The results showed that soil properties were significantly influenced by land use. The home garden had significantly higher (p< 0.05) SOC and soil nutrients when compared to the cropland. When the home garden was compared to the woodlot and grazing land uses, it had significantly higher (p< 0.05) values except in SOC, total N (TN), cation exchange capacity (CEC), and exchangeable Ca. Cropland, in comparison with grazing land and woodlot, had a non‐significant difference except TN. The SOC stock (0–40 cm) in the home garden, woodlot, grazing land and cropland was 79.5, 68.0, 65.0, and 58.1 Mg ha−1, respectively. Home garden significantly differed (p≤ 0.05) in SOC only from cropland, and this was attributed not only to the relatively higher organic input in the home garden but also to the little organic matter input and frequently tillage of the cropland. The similar SOC among the home garden, woodlot and grazing lands may imply that the balance between inputs and outputs could be nearly similar for the land uses. Soil TN and CEC had a nearly similar pattern of difference as in SOC among the land uses because of their close relationship with SOC. In general, the land use influence on soil nutrients can be in the order: home garden > wood land ≈ grazing land ≈ cropland, with home garden showing the least difference from the woodlot and the greatest from the cropland. In the agroecosystem, in general, the influence of smallholding home garden on SOC and soil nutrient was marginally different fromEucalyptuswoodlot and grazing lands but evidently different from cropland.
Increased expression of hematological and neurological expressed 1 (HN1) is associated with a poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma and its knockdown inhibits cell growth and migration partly by down‐regulation of c‐Met
Authors: Chen Jia‐Jie , Sun Xu , Mao Qi‐Qi , Jiang Xiao‐Yun , Zhao Xian‐Guang , Xu Wei‐Jia , Zhong Liang
Published: November 2019

Hematologic and neurological expression 1 (HN1) has been reported to involved in certain cancers, but its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is largely unknown. The contribution of HN1 to HCC progression was investigated in the present study. We found that HN1 was significantly up‐regulated in HCC tissues, compared with normal tissues, by analyzing the Oncomine and Human Protein Atlas database; and found that high expression of HN1 was markedly associated with worse overall survival, relapse‐free survival, progression‐ free survival and disease‐specific survival in HCC patients via exploring the Kaplan‐Meier plotter database. Functional assays revealed that HN1 knockdown by siRNA induced G1 cell cycle arrest, and inhibited the growth and migration of HCC cells; accordingly, HN1 over‐expression promoted HCC cells proliferation and migration. Further studies indicated that HN1 knockdown reduced the expression of cyclin D1 and CDK4, while upregulated the cell cycle inhibitor p21WAF1/Cip1. Moreover, HN1 knockdown decreased c‐Met (receptor tyrosine kinase of hepatocyte growth factor) expression, and suppressed ERK activation, which is a common downstream signaling pathway triggered by c‐Met; consistently, HN1 over‐expression reversed these effects. Meanwhile, down‐regulation of c‐Met partly eliminated the effect of HN1 over‐expression in HCC cells. Thus, the present findings suggested that HN1 promotes the progression of HCC to some extent by up‐regulating the expression of c‐Met, and may act as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for the treatment of HCC.
Meta‐analysis does not support routine traditional nuclear medicine studies for malignant otitis
Authors: Moss Wiliam James , Finegersh Andrey , Narayanan Ajay , Chan Jason Ying Kuen
Published: November 2019

Objectives

The role of traditional nuclear medicine studies in the management of malignant otitis externa (MOE) is unclear and there are ongoing debates regarding their diagnostic value. The authors perform a systematic review and meta‐analysis to assess the sensitivity and specificity of traditional nuclear medicine studies in the diagnosis of MOE.

Methods

In accordance with PRISMA guidelines, a query of the Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases was undertaken. The primary outcomes of interest were the sensitivity and specificity of traditional nuclear medicine studies to detect MOE.

Results

Of the initial 1317 hits from the four databases, 20 articles with a combined 608 patients were ultimately included in the review. The pooled sensitivities for Technetium‐99 and Gallium‐67 were 85.1% (95% CI, 72.0–98.1%) and 71.2% (95% CI, 55.1–87.3%) respectively. The available evidence suggested poor specificity of these modalities, but was insufficient for meta‐analysis. Neither modality was shown to be effective in the assessment of disease resolution.

Conclusion

The sensitivities of Technetium‐99 and Gallium‐67 to detect MOE are less favorable than was initially thought. Given this finding and their poor specificity, lack of anatomic resolution, unproven ability to detect disease resolution and variable availability, this review does not support the routine use of these studies in the management of MOE.

Level of Evidence

N/A

Laryngoscope, 130:1812–1816, 2020
Physical activity and screen time in children who survived cancer: A report from the Swiss Childhood Cancer Survivor Study
Authors: Schindera Christina , Weiss Annette , Hagenbuch Niels , Otth Maria , Diesch Tamara , von der Weid Nicolas , Kuehni Claudia E. ,   for the Swiss Pediatric Oncology Group (SPOG)
Published: November 2019

Background

Physical activity (PA) can reduce the risk of chronic adverse health conditions in childhood cancer survivors. We examined PA and sedentary screen time behavior in a nationwide study in Switzerland.

Procedures

The Swiss Childhood Cancer Survivor Study sent questionnaires to parents of all Swiss resident ≥5‐year survivors diagnosed between 1995 and 2010. We assessed PA including compulsory school sport, recreational sport, commuting to school, and time spent with screen media in those aged 5‐15 years, and compared results with international recommendations.

Results

We included 766 survivors with a median age at diagnosis of 2.8 (interquartile range 1.4‐5.0) years and a median age at study of 12.5 (10.0‐14.3) years. Median PA time was 7.3 (4.8‐10.0) h/week and median screen time was 82 (45–120) min/day. Compulsory school sport hours and walking or cycling to school contributed significantly to total PA. Note that 55% of survivors met PA and 68% screen time recommendations. PA was lower for children living in regions of Switzerland speaking French or Italian compared to German, and for those who had a relapse or musculoskeletal/neurological conditions. Screen time was higher in males, children with lower parental education, and a migration background.

Conclusions

PA and sedentary screen watching were associated with social factors, and PA also with clinical risk factors. Structural preventions that afford active commuting to school and sufficient school sport are essential, as is counseling vulnerable survivor groups such as those with musculoskeletal and neurological problems, and those who have had a relapse.
Association between use of oral hypoglycemic agents in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and risk of depression: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Akimoto Hayato , Tezuka Kotoe , Nishida Yayoi , Nakayama Tomohiro , Takahashi Yasuo , Asai Satoshi
Published: November 2019

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a risk factor for depression. Since brain insulin resistance plays a potential role in depression, the future risk of depression in patients with T2DM may be altered depending on the class of oral hypoglycemic agent (OHA) used for T2DM therapy. The aim of the present study was to determine if specific classes of OHAs are associated with a risk for comorbid depression in T2DM. Japanese adult patients with T2DM (n = 40 214) were divided into a case group (with depression; n = 1979) and control group (without depression; n = 38 235). After adjustment for age [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) for 10 years: 1.03; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.99‐1.07; P = .1211], sex [AOR for female: 1.39; 95% CI: 1.26‐1.53; P < .0001], hemoglobin A1c [AOR for 1.0%: 1.18; 95% CI: 1.11‐1.26; P < .0001], duration of T2DM [AOR for 1 year: 1.00; 95% CI: 0.99‐1.01; P = .4089], and history of seven medical conditions, the odds ratios for the development of depression was significantly lower for dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 (DPP‐4) inhibitors [AOR: 0.31; 95% CI: 0.24‐0.42; P < .0001]. However, there was no significant association for the other classes of OHAs. Therefore, this study finds that there is less risk of depression associated with the use of DPP‐4 inhibitors for the treatment of T2DM.
High‐dose strategies for managing phosphine‐resistant populations of Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae)
Authors: Afful Edwin , Tadesse Tesfaye M , Nayak Manoj K , Phillips Thomas W
Published: November 2019

BACKGROUND

Rhyzopertha dominica is a serious pest of stored grains and many populations have resistance to the fumigant phosphine. Some populations contain beetles with a ‘strong resistance’ phenotype. Recent work found the LC50 values for two strong‐resistant populations recently studied in North America, Belle Glade and Minneapolis were 100‐ and 595‐fold higher, respectively, compared to LC50 of a lab‐susceptible strain. Populations with ‘weak‐resistant’ phenotypes had LC50 values 5‐ to 10‐fold that of a susceptible strain. The work reported below aimed to determine the minimum phosphine concentrations and number of days of exposure needed to effectively control all life stages of representative weak‐ and strong‐resistant strains, and then to recommend the treatment conditions needed to control strongly phosphine‐resistant R. dominica in pest populations.

RESULTS

A dose‐mortality assay estimated that phosphine fumigation over 48 h using 730–870 ppm at 25° C would control adults of both strongly resistant R. dominica populations. Fumigations with mixed life stage cultures found 200 ppm killed all susceptible and weak‐resistant beetles in 2 days, but the strong‐resistant Minneapolis and Belle Glade strains had substantial survivors at 200 ppm. Furthermore, the Belle Glade strain had beetles that survived 1000 ppm in 2‐day fumigations. The strong‐resistant Belle Glade strain needed nearly 10 days at over 400 ppm to have acceptable levels of control.

CONCLUSION

This study recommends protocols to manage strongly resistant R. dominica populations provided that a minimum phosphine concentration of 400 ppm be maintained at 25° C or higher for up to 10 days. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Global tracking of nonlinear systems with simultaneous unknown time‐varying state and input delays
Authors: Jain Ashish Kumar , Bhasin S.
Published: November 2019

This paper presents the design of a robust control law for a class of nonlinear dynamical systems subjected to parametric uncertainty and simultaneous unknown, variable state and input delays. A novel controller is developed, which consists of a filtered tracking error and the integral of previous values of control input where the limits of integration are dependent on the known bound of the input delay. Lyapunov‐Krasovskii functionals–based stability analysis guarantees a global uniformly ultimately bounded tracking result where sufficient conditions on controller gains and maximum allowable delay are derived. The performance and robustness of the controller are evaluated by simulation on a two‐link robot manipulator for different combinations of time‐varying state and input delays.
Nonparametric clustering for image segmentation
Authors: Menardi Giovanna
Published: November 2019

Image segmentation aims at identifying regions of interest within an image by grouping pixels according to their properties. This task resembles the statistical one of clustering, yet many standard clustering methods fail to meet the basic requirements of image segmentation since the identified segments are often biased toward predetermined shapes and their number is rarely determined automatically. Nonparametric clustering is, in principle, free from these limitations and particularly suitable for the task of image segmentation. We discuss the application of nonparametric clustering to image segmentation and provide an algorithm specific for this task. Pixel similarity is evaluated in terms of the density of the color representation. The adjacency structure of the pixels is exploited to introduce a simple, yet effective method to identify image segments as disconnected high‐density regions. The proposed method answers to the need of both segmenting an image and detecting its boundaries and can be seen as a generalization to color images of the class of thresholding methods.
Clear up students’ misperceptions about impacts of sleep loss
Authors: Bedrossian Louise
Published: November 2019

A survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that about 7–19% of adults in America report insufficient sleep. Adequate sleep is essential for both physical and mental health, safety, and quality of life. Conditions such as high blood pressure, heart and kidney disease, diabetes, stroke, obesity, and depression are linked to sleep deficiency, as are certain mental health conditions.
Summary of ISO standard 20289: Total reflection X‐ray fluorescence analysis of water
Authors: Borgese Laura , Bilo Fabjola , Federici Stefania , Margui Eva , Hase Thomas , Huang Yuying , Beckhoff Burkhard , Depero Laura E.
Published: November 2019

The International Standard Organization (ISO) 20289 provides a method for determining the elemental concentration of impurities dissolved in water samples. It exploits total reflection X‐ray fluorescence (TXRF) spectroscopy to measure a dried residue on an X‐ray reflector. The scope is to provide a chemical metrology for quantitative analysis to obtain traceable results within a defined degree of accuracy and precision according to good practice and in compliance with ISO 17025. Target users include technicians working in laboratories who perform routine analysis of large numbers of samples. The method is specifically focused on determining elements dissolved in drinking, surface and ground water, but it can be also extended to waste waters and eluates if dilution steps are considered. The standard includes the description of all reagents, standards, and materials, including suitable reference materials, which are needed to prepare the sample and ensure quality assurance and control protocols. In addition, the standard presents a detailed description of sample preparation, contributions factors affecting the uncertainty budget, the general procedure to check instrumental calibration, determining limits of detection and quantification, and methods for spectra fitting.