bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of Adenotonsillectomy on Weight Gain in Children
Authors: S Yogeesha B , Arumugam Savithiri , Maradi Nagaraj
Published: September 2020

Introduction

‘Failure to thrive’ is considered to be an indication for adenotonsillectomy in children. There is contrasting evidence regarding weight gain in children following adenotonsillectomy. The objective of this study is to evaluate weight change post adenotonsillectomy.

Materials and Methods

A prospective study conducted on 45 children of age between 5 to 15 years, who underwent adenotonsillectomy in our hospital. Weight is calculated at three different period i.e. preoperative, postoperatively at 3 and 6 months and compared with standard Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP) weight for age.

Results

Out of 45 children 62.2% were less than 10 years of age with a male preponderance of 60%. 55.6% had normal birth weight. Preoperatively the average weight of the participants was 25.69 kg when compared to IAP normal weight for age which was 29.67 kg. Postoperatively at 6 months it was 28.19 kg as opposed to the expected weight of 31.88 kg.

Conclusion

The weight gain post adeno-tonsillectomy failed to meet the expected IAP value and was below the expected value. Hence there was no significant weight change following adenotonsillectomy.
CULTURA DE PAZ EM TEMPO DE PANDEMIA
Authors: Pires Alex Sander Xavier
Published: September 2020

Paz e saúde são dois bens inatos aos seres humanos desde tempos imemoriais que receberam, nos últimos dois séculos, maior dedicação científica, principalmente no âmbito jurídico-político com repercussão internacional. Neste sentido, pretende-se analisar a formação dos sistemas de proteção da paz e da saúde, na perspectiva internacional e no âmbito normativo que lhes confere as duas maiores Organizações – Nações Unidas e Organização Mundial de Saúde –, tendo em conta o interesse em lhes conferir a força de direitos e lhes impor toda uma cultura inerente baseada no estímulo a consciência que permita aos indivíduos integrar-lhes ao dia-a-dia e transpô-las a vida social; por outro lado, pretende-se trazer elementos que estimulem a reflexão dos leitores sobre a importância e imanência da paz e da saúde para o desenvolvimento sustentável e para fruição dos direitos humanos em iguais condições para todos, o que será possível pela análise das principais Resoluções e atos constitutivos das Nações Unidas e da Organização Mundial de Saúde, especialmente àquelas que se referem a contenção da pandemia por COVID-19.
Virtual Traffic Police
Authors: Rakshitha R. , Sudhamani M. J.
Published: September 2020

In the new advancing world, traffic rule infringement has become a focal issue for larger part of the creating nations. The quantities of vehicles are expanding quickly just as the quantities of traffic rule infringement are expanding exponentially. Overseeing traffic rule infringement has consistently been a lethal and trading off undertaking. Despite the fact that the procedure of traffic the executives has gotten robotized, it's an extremely testing issue, because of the decent variety of plate designs, various scales, revolutions and non-uniform brightening conditions during picture obtaining. The vital target of this undertaking is to control the traffic rule infringement precisely and cost adequately. The undertaking presents Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) strategies and other picture control methods for plate confinement and character acknowledgment which makes it quicker and simpler to recognize the number plates. In the wake of perceiving the vehicle number from number plate the SMS based module is utilized to advise the vehicle proprietors about their traffic rule infringement. An extra SMS is sent to Regional Transport Office (RTO) for following the report status and furthermore to the proprietor of vehicles to advise about the standard infringement.
Phytoremediation technology for removal of heavy metals: A brief review
Authors: Singh Geetanjali , Singh Ram
Published: September 2020

Heavy metals, when exceeds the permissible limits, regarded as environmental pollutants. The agricultural fields, along with countryside areas are the most affected areas due to heavy metal contaminants affecting the crop yields. When these heavy metals find their way into the food chain possess a serious threat to plant and animal health. The industrial discharge, mining waste, chemical fertilizer industries are some of the main sources of heavy metal accumulation. The removal or reduction of these heavy metals from the agricultural fields are the unceasing requirements. One of the important and easy methods is removal or reduction with the help of plants which is known as phytoremediation, and it takes advantage of the remarkable ability of plants to concentrate elements and compound from the environment. This technology is immerging as a cost-effective way to address high cost involved in pollution abatement technologies. Toxic heavy metals and organic pollutants are the major targets for phytoremediation. This review article discusses the state of phytoremediation technology for the removal of heavy metals mainly from the soil.
Exploring the epigenetic regulation of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) in human cancer cell lines
Authors: McKelvey Brittany A. , Zeiger Martha A. , Umbricht Christopher B.
Published: September 2020

Telomerase regulation, including TERT promoter methylation, has been of long‐standing interest to cancer biologists. Rowland et al. have now vastly expanded their ongoing characterization of TERT promoter methylation in cancer cells, analyzing the methylation patterns of 833 cell lines from 23 human cancers. They document a highly conserved pattern of hypomethylation around the proximal promoter, as well as a more heterogeneous region of hypermethylation further upstream, both associated with active TERT expression in cancer cells. They further describe the interplay between activating TERT promoter mutations and allelic methylation and transcription patterns. This valuable dataset represents the most extensive characterization of TERT promoter methylation in cancer cells to date and will help guide the future study of transcriptional regulation of telomerase.

Comment on: https://doi.org/10.1002/1878‐0261.12786
Isospecific Polymerization of Methyl Methacrylate by Intramolecular Rare‐Earth Metal Based Lewis Pairs†
Authors: Zhou Yiqun , Jiang Shengjie , Xu Xin
Published: September 2020

A series of cationic rare‐earth aryloxide complexes, i.e., [LREOAr']+[B(C6F5)4]– (L = CH3C(NAr)CHC(CH3)(NCH(R)CH2PPh2); RE = Y, Lu; Ar' =2,6‐tBu2‐C6H3, 2,6‐(PhCMe2)2‐4‐Me‐C6H2; Ar = 2,6‐iPr2‐C6H3, 2,6‐(Ph2CH)2‐4‐iPr‐C6H2; R = H, CH3, iPr, Ph), were prepared and applied to the Lewis pair polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA). The stereoregularity of the resulting PMMA was significantly affected by the R substituent on the pendant arm of the tridentate NNP ligand, and was found to increase with increase in the steric hindrance of R. When using a Ph group as R, the Y complex produced a highly isotactic polymer with an mm value of 95% and a Tg of 54.6 oC. In contrast, the steric hindrance of the Ar and Ar' groups had no effect on the tacticity of the resulting polymer, presumably because these two substituents were situated such that they pointed outward from the cyclic intermediates. Kinetics studies demonstrated that the polymerization was a first‐order process with regard to the monomer concentration prior to catalyst deactivation. End group analysis indicated that the polymerization was accompanied by two possibly competing chain‐termination side reactions that proceeded via intramolecular backbiting cyclization.
Ethical and Regulatory Concerns in Pragmatic Clinical Trial Monitoring and Oversight
Authors: Roberts Michelle K. , Fisher Dylan M. , Parker Lea E. , Darnell Doyanne , Sugarman Jeremy , Carrithers Judith , Weinfurt Kevin , Jurkovich Gregory , Zatzick Douglas
Published: September 2020

The implementation of pragmatic clinical trials (PCTs) can be accompanied by unique regulatory challenges. In this paper, we describe the experience and management of regulatory noncompliance during a 25‐site acute care PCT. During the trial, the study team conducted a comprehensive audit of all enrollment forms (informed consent and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act authorization forms) and related study documentation. A review of 997 participants’ enrollment forms identified 138 (13.8%) that required reporting to the institutional review board due to noncompliance. To prevent subsequent noncompliance, the study team developed and introduced a revised participant tracking system, reviewed all enrollment documentation, and retrained sites regarding study procedures. Based on these experiences, we developed a set of recommendations for future PCTs to ensure both operational success and regulatory compliance.
Investigating the Significance of Aerosols in Determining the Coronavirus Fatality Rate Among Three European Countries
Authors: Li Wenzhao , Thomas Rejoice , El-Askary Hesham , Piechota Thomas , Struppa Daniele , Abdel Ghaffar Khaled A.
Published: September 2020

The coronavirus pandemic has not only gripped the scientific community in the search for a vaccine or a cure but also in attempts using statistics and association analysis—to identify environmental factors that increase its potency. A study by Ogen (Sci Total Environ 726:138605, 2020a) explored the possible correlation between coronavirus fatality and high nitrogen dioxide exposure in four European countries—France, Germany, Italy and Spain. Meanwhile, another study showed the importance of nitrogen dioxide along with population density in determining the coronavirus pandemic rate in England. In this follow-up study, Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) was introduced in conjunction with other variables like nitrogen dioxide and population density for further analysis in fifty-four administrative regions of Germany, Italy and Spain. The AOD values were extracted from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) onboard the Terra and Aqua satellites while the nitrogen dioxide data were extracted from TROPOMI (TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument) sensor onboard the Sentinel-5 Precursor satellite. Regression models, as well as multiple statistical tests were used to evaluate the predictive skill and significance of each variable to the fatality rate. The study was conducted for two periods: (1) pre-exposure period (Dec 1, 2019–Feb 29, 2020); (2) complete exposure period (Dec 1, 2019–Jul 1, 2020). Some of the results pointed towards AOD potentially being a factor in estimating the coronavirus fatality rate. The models performed better using the data collected during the complete exposure period, which showed higher AOD values contributed to an increased significance of AOD in the models. Meanwhile, some uncertainties of the analytical results could be attributed to data quality and the absence of other important factors that determine the coronavirus fatality rate.
Lithium electrodeposited on lithiophilic LTO/Ti3C2 substrate as a dendrite-free lithium metal anode
Authors: Gan Ruiyi , Liu Yiling , Yang Na , Tong Cheng , Deng Mingming , Dong Qin , Tang Xianyi , Fu Na , Li Cunpu , Wei Zidong
Published: September 2020

A stable, dendrite-free Li metal anode with a hairy-layered architecture is realized though a facile electrochemical deposition of Li on a lithiophilic LTO/Ti3C2 composite.
Abformung von Gaumenimplantaten, Modellherstellung und Laborbasics
– Bonding von Suprakonstruktionen
Authors: Jung B.A. , Götzmann K.
Published: September 2020

Typische Insertionsorte für die Insertion von Gaumenimplantaten liegen im
Bereich der Median- oder Parasagittalebene des anterioren Hartgaumens. In der
Übergangszeit von Primär- zu Sekundärstabilität
sollten sie üblicherweise funktionell nicht belastet werden, da in einem
kritischen Zeitraum von ca. 2 bis 6 Wochen nach der chirurgischen Insertion eine
„Stabilitätslücke“ besteht 1
2.
Emerging miniaturized energy storage devices for microsystem applications: from design to integration
Authors: Liu Huaizhi , Zhang Guanhua , Zheng Xin , Chen Fengjun , Duan Huigao
Published: September 2020

The rapid progress of micro/nanoelectronic systems and miniaturized portable devices has tremendously increased the urgent demands for miniaturized and integrated power supplies. Miniaturized energy storage devices (MESDs), with their excellent properties and additional intelligent functions, are considered to be the preferable energy supplies for uninterrupted powering of microsystems. In this review, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the background, fundamentals, device configurations, manufacturing processes, and typical applications of MESDs, including their recent advances. Particular attention is paid to advanced device configurations, such as two-dimensional (2D) stacked, 2D planar interdigital, 2D arbitrary-shaped, three-dimensional planar, and wire-shaped structures, and their corresponding manufacturing strategies, such as printing, scribing, and masking techniques. Additionally, recent developments in MESDs, including microbatteries and microsupercapacitors, as well as microhybrid metal ion capacitors, are systematically summarized. A series of on-chip microsystems, created by integrating functional MESDs, are also highlighted. Finally, the remaining challenges and future research scope on MESDs are discussed.
Seasonal dynamics of parasitism and stress physiology in wild giant pandas
Authors: Zhou Wenliang , Gao Kai , Ma Yingjie , Wang Le , Wang Meng , Wei Fuwen , Nie Yonggang
Published: September 2020

Many factors, including the inner status of the individuals and external environment, can influence the parasite infections and stress physiology in mammals. Here, we explored the influence of the sex, age, reproductive season and seasonal food availability on the parasitism and stress physiology in wild giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) through nutrient and steroid hormone analysis and parasitic infection measurement. Diet composition had significant influences on the faecal cortisol levels and parasite load of wild giant pandas. The seasonal dynamic of the cortisol levels and parasite load in faeces co-vary with the seasonal nutrient intake levels of the pandas, which concurrently arrived the peaks at the wood bamboo shoot-eating period in May (parasite infection intensity, 41.47 ± 12.11 eggs/g of wet faeces; cortisol levels, 619.34 ± 70.55 ng/g dry faeces) that the nutrition intake by wild pandas was the highest (protein/fibre, 69.23 ± 9.93). Meanwhile, age class is also as an important factor to affect the parasite load and stress physiology of wild giant pandas. Cubs and sub-adults suffered more helminth burden and stress physiology than adults and old individuals. This is the first study to evaluate the inner and external factors influence on parasitism and stress physiology in wild giant pandas. The findings facilitate a better understanding of how environmental factors might influence the physiology, behaviour and health of pandas and other species and have implications for the conservation and management of the endangered species.
Risk Factors for Early Medical Emergency Team Reactivation in Hospitalized Patients
Authors: Na Soo Jin , Ko Ryoung-Eun , Ko Myeong Gyun , Koh Ahra , Chung Chi Ryang , Suh Gee Young , Jeon Kyeongman
Published: September 2020

Objectives:

The objective of this study was to investigate the risk factors for early medical emergency team reactivation (which is defined as repeated medical emergency team calls within 72 hr after the index medical emergency team call) in the patients remaining on the ward after index medical emergency team activation.

Design:

Retrospective analysis with prospectively collected data.

Setting:

A university-affiliated, tertiary referral hospital.

Patients:

All consecutive patients over 18 years old who received medical emergency team intervention.

Interventions:

None.

Measurements and Main Results:

Of the 3,989 cases eligible for analysis, 514 cases (12.9%) were classified into the reactivation group, with the remainder assigned to the nonreactivation group. In a multivariate analysis, chronic lung disease (odds ratio, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.03–1.86; p = 0.032), chronic liver disease (odds ratio, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.04–1.99; p = 0.028), activation due to bedside concern about overall deterioration without abnormal physiological variables (odds ratio, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.00–1.68; p = 0.049), advice or consultation only for medical emergency team intervention (odds ratio, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.63–0.97; p = 0.027), and discussion about treatment limitation (odds ratio, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.25–0.60; p < 0.001) were independently associated with medical emergency team reactivation. In the reactivation group, 249 patients (48.5%) were transferred to the ICU after repeated calls. Medical department admission (odds ratio, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.12–2.52; p = 0.012), chronic liver disease (odds ratio, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.07–2.79; p = 0.025), hematological malignancies (odds ratio, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.10–2.41; p = 0.015), and tachypnea at the end of medical emergency team were risk factors for medical emergency team reactivation requiring ICU admission. Discussion about treatment limitation (odds ratio, 0.14; 95% CI, 0.05–0.40; p < 0.001) was also associated with decreased risk of medical emergency team reactivation requiring ICU admission.

Conclusions:

An increased risk of early medical emergency team reactivation was associated with medical emergency team activation by bedside concern about overall deterioration and patients with chronic lung or liver disease.
Impact of radiomics on prostate cancer detection: a systematic review of clinical applications
Authors: Sugano Dordaneh , Sanford Daniel , Abreu Andre , Duddalwar Vinay , Gill Inderbir , Cacciamani Giovanni E.
Published: September 2020

Purpose of review

To systematically review the current literature to assess the role of radiomics in the detection and evaluation of prostate cancer (PCa).

Recent findings

Radiomics involves the high-throughput extraction of radiologic features from clinical imaging, using a panel of sophisticated data-characterization algorithms to make an objective and quantitative determination of diagnoses and clinical characteristics. Radiomics evaluation of existing clinical images would increase their clinical value in many cancer management pathways, including PCa. However, a consensus on the implementation of radiomics has not been established across different sites, delaying its implementation in clinical practice. There are many potential advantages to radiomics. The ability to extract features from existing clinical imaging is one such advantage. A second is the empiric nature of the analysis. The third lies in the application of new technologies, such as machine learning, to be able to evaluate large quantities of data to make clinical conclusions. In this systematic review, we identify publications regarding the role of radiomics in PCa detection and evaluation. Many of these studies noted that radiomics, when incorporated into predictive models, had an advantageous impact on detection of PCa, clinically significant PCa, and extracapsular extension. This may assist in individualized decision making not only for diagnosis of PCa, but also for surveillance and surgical planning. With additional validation in large sample sizes, and randomized, multicenter studies using a consensus driven methodology, radiomics has the potential to alter the landscape of PCa detection and management, necessitating further prospective randomized investigation.

Radiomics is a promising new field, allowing for high-throughput analysis of imaging features for PCa detection and evaluation. These features can be extracted from existing data; therefore, the potential for future study is immense.
Multipronged Approach to Controlling a Tuberculosis Outbreak Among Persons Experiencing Homelessness
Authors: Muloma Eva , Stewart Rebekah , Townsend Helen , Koch Sarah , Burkholder Sarah , Railey Shanica , White Kelly , Redington-Noble Rachel , Caine Virginia
Published: September 2020

In May 2009, the Marion County Public Health Department in Indiana declared a tuberculosis (TB) outbreak among persons experiencing homelessness in Marion County, began active case finding to detect additional cases, and formed a TB outbreak response team to plan and coordinate outbreak activities. Outbreak-associated cases had 1 of 2 outbreak genotypes and either reported experiencing homelessness themselves or had an epidemiologic link to a shelter or a person experiencing homelessness. The last of 53 outbreak-associated cases was detected in 2019 after more than 2 years without a case. The Marion County Public Health Department continues to address TB-related issues and implement prevention measures at homeless shelters and among persons experiencing homelessness in 2019. This example, in addition to other published guidance, can be used by jurisdictions to plan and implement their own TB outbreak prevention and response activities among persons experiencing homelessness.
Blood Lead Testing Among Medically Underserved and Socially Vulnerable Children in the United States 2012-2017
Authors: Azofeifa Alejandro , Sripipatana Alek
Published: September 2020

Context:

Lead poisoning can affect intellectual development, growth, hearing, and other health problems. Children 6 years or younger are particularly susceptible to lead poisoning. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)–funded health centers (HCs) serve lower-income, minority, and vulnerable populations across the United States, who may be at a higher risk for lead exposure. At HCs, blood lead testing is monitored; however, little is known about testing rates and characteristics of children tested by HCs.

Objectives:

We assessed the prevalence and characteristics of children who received a blood lead test at HCs from 2012 to 2017.

Design:

We assessed characteristics of children 12 to 60 months of age who had a blood lead test using available self-reported data from HRSA's Health Center Patient Survey (2014-2015). In addition, using HRSA's Uniform Data System, an administrative performance data set, we calculated the annual percentage change of blood lead testing from 2012 to 2017.

Results:

During 2014-2015, 1.1 million (72.9%; 95% CI, 64.6-81.3) out of the 1.5 million (n = 365 unweighted) eligible children 12 to 60 months of age self-reported receiving a blood lead test at an HRSA-funded HC. There was a significant higher proportion of children with a blood lead test among urban HCs (74.1%; 95% CI, 59.4-88.8) and among those who reported HCs as their usual source of care (99.9%; 95% CI, 99.7-100) (P ≤ .05).

The total HC population of children younger than 72 months increased from 2 674 500 in 2012 to 2 989 184 in 2017, and we observed a 34.4% increase in blood lead testing at HRSA-funded HCs over the same time period.

Conclusions:

HCs play an important role in providing access to blood lead testing in underserved communities in the United States. While HRSA-funded HCs have made substantial efforts to screen and educate patients on lead exposure, nonetheless continued screening and education efforts with both health providers at HCs and parents/guardians are warranted to continue to improve blood lead screening rates among high-risk groups.
Classifying Community Organizational Health Communication Networks: Local Health Department Recognition of Public Information-Sharing Partners Across Sectors
Authors: Hoover Anna Goodman , Zephyr Pierre Dominique
Published: September 2020

Objective:

Local health departments (LHDs) operate within complex, multisectoral organizational communication networks. Network composition may affect priorities, processes, and the reach of health information to key stakeholders. This study seeks to elucidate variation in local network structures to examine how different constellations may affect information sharing across audiences.

Design:

This study analyzes data from a 2016 US survey of 491 metropolitan LHDs and 556 nonmetropolitan LHDs. Researchers first conducted social network analysis of network density, defined as the total number of potential organizations contributing to a jurisdiction's health communication activities. Researchers then conducted logistic regression to compare the relationship between network density and reported health communication activities targeting 3 specific audiences: policy makers, lay publics, and mass media.

Results:

Three network types emerged on the basis of the number of organizations that contribute to health communication activities, with low-density Minimal networks more common in nonmetropolitan jurisdictions and higher-density Expanded and Robust networks more common in metropolitan jurisdictions. LHDs in Minimal networks were significantly less likely to communicate with policy makers, lay publics, and mass media than their counterparts in higher-density networks (P < .05).

Conclusions:

LHDs are embedded in organizational communication networks that vary in both the number of communication partners and the types of audiences reached. Examining their own local organizational communication networks may provide insights into LHDs that wish to improve the effectiveness of public health messaging. By adding organizational communication partners and reaching new audiences, LHDs in Minimal networks can expand the reach of messages designed to help policy makers, communities, and individuals promote health and prevent disease.
Central nervous system injury from novel cancer immunotherapies
Authors: Winter Sebastian F. , Vaios Eugene J. , Dietrich Jorg
Published: September 2020

Purpose of review

Neurotoxicity from antineoplastic treatment remains a challenge in oncology. Cancer treatment-induced central nervous system (CNS) injury can be therapy-limiting, severely disabling, and even fatal. While emerging cancer immunotherapies have revolutionized oncology during the past decade, their immunomodulatory properties can cause immune-related adverse effects (IRAE) across organ systems, including the nervous system. Central neurologic IRAEs from chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPI) are challenging complications of such therapies.

We aim to provide clinicians with a comprehensive review of the relevant forms of CAR-T and ICPI-associated CNS toxicity, focusing on clinical features of such complications, diagnostic workup, predictive biomarkers, and management considerations in affected patients.

Recent findings

Unique forms of CAR-T and ICPI-related CNS toxicity have been characterized in the recent literature. CAR-T-related neurotoxicity is common and clinically well delineated. ICPI-related CNS toxicity is relatively rare but includes a heterogenous spectrum of severe and diagnostically challenging conditions. While putative risk factors, neurotoxicity biomarkers, imaging correlates and treatment strategies have been put forward, development of tailored diagnostic and management consensus guidelines awaits further clinical investigation.

As CAR-T and ICPI become more widely adopted, early recognition, documentation, and management of immunotherapy-related CNS toxicity are of paramount importance in the clinical setting.
Tonic firing mode of midbrain dopamine neurons continuously tracks reward values changing moment-by-moment
Authors: Wang Yawei , Toyoshima Osamu , Kunimatsu Jun , Yamada Hiroshi , Matsumoto Masayuki
Published: September 2020

Appropriate actions are taken based on the values of future rewards. The phasic activity of midbrain dopamine neurons signals these values. Because reward values often change over time, even on a subsecond-by-subsecond basis, appropriate action selection requires continuous value monitoring. However, the phasic dopamine activity, which is sporadic and has a short duration, likely fails continuous monitoring. Here, we demonstrate a tonic firing mode of dopamine neurons that effectively tracks changing reward values. We recorded dopamine neuron activity in monkeys during a Pavlovian procedure in which the value of a cued reward gradually increased or decreased. Dopamine neurons tonically increased and decreased their activity as the reward value changed. This tonic activity was evoked more strongly by non-burst spikes than burst spikes producing a conventional phasic activity. Our findings suggest that dopamine neurons change their firing mode to effectively signal reward values, which could underlie action selection in changing environments.
Constrained brain volume in an efficient coding model explains the fraction of excitatory and inhibitory neurons in sensory cortices
Authors: Alreja Arish , Nemenman Ilya , Rozell Christopher
Published: September 2020

The number of neurons in mammalian cortex varies by multiple orders of magnitude across different species. In contrast, the ratio of excitatory to inhibitory neurons (E:I ratio) varies in a much smaller range, from 3:1 to 9:1 and remains roughly constant for different sensory areas within a species. Despite this structure being important for understanding the function of neural circuits, the reason for this consistency is not yet understood. While recent models of vision based on the efficient coding hypothesis show that increasing the number of both excitatory and inhibitory cells improves stimulus representation, the two cannot increase simultaneously due to constraints on brain volume. In this work, we implement an efficient coding model of vision under a volume (i.e., total number of neurons) constraint while varying the E:I ratio. We show that the performance of the model is optimal at biologically observed E:I ratios under several metrics. We argue that this happens due to trade-offs between the computational accuracy and the representation capacity for natural stimuli. Further, we make experimentally testable predictions that 1) the optimal E:I ratio should be higher for species with a higher sparsity in the neural activity and 2) the character of inhibitory synaptic distributions and firing rates should change depending on E:I ratio. Our findings, which are supported by our new preliminary analyses of publicly available data, provide the first quantitative and testable hypothesis based on optimal coding models for the distribution of neural types in the mammalian sensory cortices.
Dual strategies in human confidence judgments
Authors: Bertana Andrea , Chetverikov Andrey , van Bergen Ruben S. , Ling Sam , Jehee Janneke F.M.
Published: September 2020

Although confidence is commonly believed to be an essential element in decision making, it remains unclear what gives rise to one’s sense of confidence. Recent Bayesian theories propose that confidence is computed, in part, from the degree of uncertainty in sensory evidence. Alternatively, observers can use physical properties of the stimulus as a heuristic to confidence. In the current study, we developed ideal observer models for either hypothesis and compared their predictions against human data obtained from psychophysical experiments. Participants reported the orientation of a stimulus, and their confidence in this estimate, under varying levels of internal and external noise. As predicted by the Bayesian model, we found a consistent link between confidence and behavioral variability for a given stimulus orientation. Confidence was higher when orientation estimates were more precise, for both internal and external sources of noise. However, we observed the inverse pattern when comparing between stimulus orientations: although observers gave more precise orientation estimates for cardinal orientations (a phenomenon known as the oblique effect), they were more confident about oblique orientations. We show that these results are well explained by a strategy to confidence that is based on the perceived amount of noise in the stimulus. Altogether, our results suggest that confidence is not always computed from the degree of uncertainty in one’s perceptual evidence, but can instead be based on visual cues that function as simple heuristics to confidence.
Processing variables of direct-write, near-field electrospinning impact size and morphology of gelatin fibers
Authors: Davis Zachary G. , Hussain Aasim F. , Fisher Matthew B.
Published: September 2020

Several biofabrication methods are being investigated to produce scaffolds that can replicate the structure of the extracellular matrix. Direct-write, near-field electrospinning of polymer solutions and melts is one such method which combines fine fiber formation with computer-guided control. Research with such systems has focused primarily on synthetic polymers. To better understand the behavior of biopolymers used for direct-writing, this project investigated changes in fiber morphology, size, and variability caused by varying gelatin and acetic acid concentration, as well as process parameters such as needle gauge and height, stage speed, and interfiber spacing. Increasing gelatin concentration at a constant acetic acid concentration improved fiber morphology from large, planar structures to small, linear fibers with a median of 2.3 μm. Further varying the acetic acid concentration at a constant gelatin concentration did not alter fiber morphology and diameter throughout the range tested. Varying needle gauge and height further improved the median fiber diameter to below 2 μm and variability of the first and third quartiles to within +/-1 μm of the median for the optimal solution combination of gelatin and acetic acid concentrations. Additional adjustment of stage speed did not impact the fiber morphology or diameter. Repeatable interfiber spacings down to 250 μm were shown to be capable with the system. In summary, this study illustrates the optimization of processing parameters for direct-writing of gelatin to produce fibers on the scale of collagen fibers. This system is thus capable of replicating the fibrous structure of musculoskeletal tissues with biologically relevant materials which will provide a durable platform for the analysis of single cell-fiber interactions to help better understand the impact scaffold materials and dimensions have on cell behavior.
Phytophthora sojaeeffector Avr1d functions as E2 competitor and inhibits ubiquitination activity of GmPUB13 to facilitate infection
Authors: Lin Yachun , Hu Qinli , Zhou Jia , Yin Weixiao , Yao Deqiang , Shao Yuanyuan , Zhao Yao , Guo Baodian , Xia Yeqiang , Chen Qian , Wang Yan , Ye Wenwu , Xie Qi , Tyler Brett M. , Xing Weiman , Wang Yuanchao
Published: September 2020

Oomycete pathogens such asPhytophthorasecrete a repertoire of effectors to host cells to manipulate host immunity and benefit infection. In this study, we found that an RxLR effector, Avr1d, promotedPhytophthora sojaeinfection in soybean hairy-roots. Using a yeast two-hybrid screen, we identified the soybean E3 ubiquitin ligase GmPUB13 as a host target for Avr1d. By co-immunoprecipitation, gel infiltration and ITC assays, we confirmed that Avr1d interacts with GmPUB13 bothin vivoandin vitro. Furthermore, we found that Avr1d inhibits the E3 ligase activity of GmPUB13. The crystal structure of Avr1d in complex with GmPUB13 was solved and revealed that Avr1d occupies the binding site for E2 ubiquitin conjugating enzyme on GmPUB13. In line with this, Avr1d competed with E2 ubiquitin conjugating enzymes for GmPUB13 bindingin vitro,thereby decreasing the E3 ligase activity of GmPUB13. Meanwhile, we found that inactivation of the ubiquitin ligase activity of GmPUB13 stabilized GmPUB13 by blocking GmPUB13 degradation. Silencing of GmPUB13 in soybean hairy-roots decreasedP. sojaeinfection, suggesting that GmPUB13 acts as a susceptibility factor, negatively regulating soybean resistance againstP. sojae. Altogether, this study highlights a novel virulence mechanism ofPhytophthoraeffectors, by which Avr1d competes with E2 for GmPUB13 binding to repress the GmPUB13 E3 ligase activity and thereby stabilizing the susceptibility factor GmPUB13 to facilitatePhytophthorainfection. This is the first study to unravel the structural basis for modulation of host targets byPhytophthoraeffectors and will be instrumental for boosting plant resistance breeding.

Significance Statement

Ubiquitination acts as a crucial regulator in plant immunity. Accordingly, microbial pathogens secrete effectors to hijak host ubiquitination system. However, the molecular mechanisms by which microbial effectors modulate host ubiquitination system are not yet clear. Here, we found that thePhytophthora sojaeeffector Avr1d physically binds to the U-box type E3 ligase GmPUB13, a susceptibility factor in soybean. The crystal structure of Avr1d in complex with GmPUB13 revealed that Avr1d occupies the binding site in GmPUB13 for the E2 ubiquitin conjugating enzyme and competes with E2 for physical binding to GmPUB13. Avr1d stabilized GmPUB13 by suppressing the self-ubiquitination activity of GmPUB13 and thereby promotingPhytophthorainfection. This study provides structural basis for modulation of host targets byPhytophthoraeffectors.
Patients' perception of user involvement in psychiatric outpatient treatment: Associations with patient characteristics and satisfaction
Authors: Thimm Jens C. , Antonsen Liss , Malmedal Wenche
Published: September 2020

Background

The patient's right to be involved in treatment decisions is anchored in guidelines and legislation in many countries. Previous research suggests challenges in the implementation of user involvement across different areas of health care, including mental health. However, little is known about psychiatric outpatients’ experiences of being involved in their treatment.

Objective

To investigate how psychiatric outpatients after treatment rate the degree to which they were included in the treatment and explore the associations between perceived user involvement, demographic characteristics of the sample and patient satisfaction.

Design

Cross‐sectional.

Setting and participants

The sample consisted of 188 psychiatric outpatients (67% female, mean age 42.2 years) who were discharged in the two years prior to data collection.

Main variables studied

Perceived user involvement in psychiatric outpatient treatment and patient satisfaction as measured by the Psychiatric Out‐Patient Experiences Questionnaire.

Results

About half of the participants rated the overall degree of involvement in their treatment as high or very high. The lowest percentage of participants reporting high or very high involvement was found for sufficient information to contribute to treatment decisions (36%). Female gender, higher education and, to a small degree, younger age were associated with more involvement. Perceived user involvement was strongly associated with treatment satisfaction.

Discussion and conclusion

The findings suggest that user involvement in psychiatric outpatient treatment can be improved. Patient information that facilitates user involvement should be given more attention.

Patient or Public Contribution

The hospital's user panel was involved in the development of items assessing user involvement.
Individual dynamics of delta–beta coupling: using a multilevel framework to examine inter‐ and intraindividual differences in relation to social anxiety and behavioral inhibition
Authors: Anaya Berenice , Vallorani Alicia M. , Pérez‐Edgar Koraly
Published: September 2020

Background

Variation in EEG‐derived delta–beta coupling has recently emerged as a potential neural marker of emotion regulation, providing a novel and noninvasive method for assessing a risk factor for anxiety. However, our understanding of delta–beta coupling has been limited to group‐level comparisons, which provide limited information about an individual’s neural dynamics.

Methods

The present study used multilevel modeling to map second‐by‐second coupling patterns between delta and beta power. Specifically, we examined how inter‐ and intraindividual delta–beta coupling patterns changed as a function of social anxiety symptoms and temperamental behavioral inhibition (BI).

Results

We found that stronger inter‐ and intraindividual delta–beta coupling were both associated with social anxiety. In contrast, the high‐BI group showed weaker coupling relative to the non‐BI group, a pattern that did not emerge when analyzing continuous scores of BI.

Conclusions

In characterizing inter‐ and intraindividual coupling across the sample, we illustrate the utility of examining neural processes across levels of analysis in relation to psychopathology to create multilevel assessments of functioning and risk.
ASSOCIATED EFFECT OF PERFORATION POSITION AND DIAMETER ON THERMAL PERFORMANCE OF PLANE FIN UNDER NATURAL CONVECTION ENVIRONMENT
Authors: Al-khafaji Osamah Raad Skheel , Al-Muhsen Nizar F.O.
Published: September 2020

The fin perforation represents an efficient way to reduce fins weight and enhance its thermal performance. In this study, rectangular plane fins were designed and fabricated aiming to experimentally investigate the effect of the perforation, perforations position and diameter on the solid fins thermal performance under natural convection heat transfer conditions. The experiments were conducted at a wide range of the supplied heat fluxes, and also covered three perforations positions (bottom, middle, top) and perforations diameters (3, 5, 7) mm. At all the used diameters, results showed that the middle position for perforations performed the best in terms of the Nusselt number and mean surface temperature. The maximum Nusselt number and mean surface temperature were 662.08 and 71.95 oC respectively when the heat flux was 4181.82 W/m2, and the perforation diameter was 3.0 mm. The thermal performance of the top-perforated fins was slightly smaller than that of the middle-perforated fins. Besides, the bottom perforated fins demonstrated the worst thermal performance in terms of Nusselt number and the mean surface temperature. Regarding the effect of the perforation diameter, the 3.0 mm showed superior thermal performance compared with 5.0 mm, and 7.0 mm regardless of the perforation’s positions.
INHIBITION OF LIPOXYGENASES AND CYCLOOXYGENASES BY Momordica charantia
Authors: A Mohd Yunos A Rafidah , Nadri Muhammad Helmi , Sarmidi Mohamad Roji , Cheng Kian-Kai
Published: September 2020

Momordica charantia (MC) is a climber belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family. While there are accumulating evidences showing its pharmacological activities, the effects of fractionation and processing on its anti-inflammatory activity have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of MC raw juice and fractions from MC fruit extract and to evaluate the effect of processing methods on its anti-inflammatory activity. First, MC juice was extracted using a conventional juicer (raw juice) and fractionated using a solid phase extraction method into five fractions; strong acid, weak acid, neutral, weak base, and strong base fractions. The raw juice and its fractions then were tested for their anti-inflammatory activities including cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX), and 15-lipoxygenase (15-LOX) inhibition assays. The results showed that the COX-1 inhibition activity of MC can be attributed to the neutral metabolites (52.60% inhibition). In contrast, the anti-COX-2 activity of MC was found exerted collectively by metabolites in multiple fractions (strong base, neutral, strong acid fractions). Contrarily, metabolites from all five fractions contributed to the MC inhibition activities on 5-LOX (55.51% inhibition for raw juice) and 15-LOX (55.3% inhibition for raw juice). Additionally, the current findings showed that the juice processing technique influenced the plant bioactivity, where juice extract obtained from slow juicer showed consistently higher anti-inflammatory activities than juice from conventional juicer. In summary, the current study provided evidences of anti-inflammatory action of MC and its fractions, which may contribute towards an improved processing and fractionation strategy.
PALEOENVIRONMENTAL AND MATURITY INDICATOR OF CEPU BLOCK OIL, WONOCOLO FORMATION, EAST JAVA-INDONESIA
Authors: Burhan R. Y. Perry , Zetra Yulfi , Amini Yuanita Aisyah
Published: September 2020

Biomarkers identification of aromatic hydrocarbon fraction of Cepu oil samples was carried out to determine the ancient depositional environment, the source of origin and indicators of the maturity of the old well of the Cepu Block oil, Wonocolo Formation, East Java Indonesia. Biomarkers was identified through the Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS) method. The distribution of aromatic hydrocarbon biomarkers indicates the presence of naphthalene compounds and their derivatives, sesquiterpenoids, diterpenoids and heterocyclic aromatic groups. The presence of identified biomarkers indicates the source of the oil organic compound coming from higher plants Angiosperms. The presence of methyl phenanthrene and aromatic heterocyclic biomarkers such as dibenzothiophene and dibenzofuran , as well as fluorene shows that Cepu Block oil was deposited not only in the terrestrial environment, but also lacustrine and marin under oxidic precipitation conditions. The presence of methyl phenanthrene with MPI value of 0.86 and isocadalene abundance higher than cadalene indicates moderate to high maturity of the Cepu Block oil analyzed. Keywords: Cepu Block oil, aromatic hydrocarbon, biomarker, paleoenvironment, GC-MS analysis.
Service utilisation trends in the manual therapy professions within the Australian private healthcare setting between 2008 and 2017
Authors: Lystad Reidar P. , Brown Benjamin T. , Swain Michael S. , Engel Roger M.
Published: September 2020

Background

Better understanding of the dynamics and temporal changes in manual therapy service utilisation may assist with healthcare planning and resource allocation. The objectives of this study were to quantify, describe, and compare service utilisation trends in the manual therapy professions within the Australian private healthcare setting between 2008 and 2017.

Methods

Data regarding the number of services, total cost, and benefits paid were extracted for each manual therapy profession (i.e. chiropractic, osteopathy, and physiotherapy) for the period 2008–2017 from the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority. The number of registered providers for each profession were obtained from the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. Descriptive statistics were produced for two time periods (i.e. 2008–2012 and 2013–2017) for each manual therapy profession. Annual percentage change during each time period was estimated by fitting Poisson regression models. Test for the equality of regression coefficients was used to compare the trends in the two time periods within each profession, and to compare the trends across professions within a time period.

Results

A cumulative total of 198.6 million manual therapy services with a total cost of $12.8 billion was provided within the Australian private healthcare setting between 2008 and 2017. Although service utilisation and total cost increased throughout the ten-year period, the annual growth was significantly lower during 2013–2017 than 2008–2012. Whereas osteopathy and physiotherapy experienced significant annual growth in the number of services and total cost during 2013–2017, negative growth in the number of services was observed for chiropractic during the same period. The annual number of services per provider declined significantly for chiropractic and physiotherapy between 2013 and 2017.

Conclusion

Service provision under private health insurance general treatment cover constitute a major source of revenue for manual therapy professions in Australia. Although manual therapy service utilisation increased throughout the ten-year period from 2008 to 2017, the annual growth declined. There were diverging trends across the three professions, including significantly greater decline in annual growth for chiropractic than for osteopathy and physiotherapy.