bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Immunomodulatory Therapy Reduces the Severity of Placental Lesions in Chronic Histiocytic Intervillositis
Authors: Brady Chloe A. , Williams Charlotte , Batra Gauri , Church Elaine , Tower Clare L. , Crocker Ian P. , Heazell Alexander E. P.
Published: October 2021

Chronic histiocytic intervillositis (CHI) is a rare, but highly recurrent inflammatory placental lesion wherein maternal macrophages infiltrate the intervillous space. Pregnancies with CHI are at high risk of fetal growth restriction, miscarriage or stillbirth. Presently, the diagnosis can only be made after histopathological examination of the placenta. Given its proposed immunological etiology, current treatments include aspirin, heparin, and immunomodulatory agents. However, the rationale for these medications is largely based upon small case series and reports as there is a lack of larger studies investigating treatment efficacy. Therefore, this study sought to determine whether inclusion of immunomodulatory medications was effective at reducing the severity of lesions and improving pregnancy outcomes in subsequent pregnancies. Thirty-three women with a history of CHI in at least one pregnancy (index case) were identified retrospectively through medical records. Twenty-eight participants presented with a first subsequent pregnancy and a further 11 with a second subsequent pregnancy at a specialist clinic for pregnancy after loss. Data on maternal demographics, medical history, medication, pregnancy outcome, and placental pathology was collected and compared between pregnancies. Twenty-seven (69%) subsequent pregnancies were treated with at least one or both of prednisolone and hydroxychloroquine. Inclusion of at least one immunomodulatory agent in treatment regimen resulted in an almost 25% increase in overall livebirth rate (61.5 vs. 86.2%). In women treated with immunomodulatory medication a greater proportion of placentas had reduced severity of lesions compared to those treated without (86.7 vs. 33.3%, respectively). A reduction in CHI severity was associated with a 62.3% improvement in livebirth rate compared to those where severity remained unchanged in relation to the index case. These data provide preliminary evidence that the use of immunomodulatory medication in the management of CHI improves histopathological lesions and the chance of livebirth in subsequent pregnancies. Due to CHI's rarity and ethical and feasibility issues, randomized controlled trials in affected women are challenging to conduct. As a result, collaboration between centers is required in future to increase study sample sizes and elucidate the mechanisms of hydroxychloroquine and prednisolone in reducing pathology.
Possible Role for Allelic Variation in Yeast MED15 in Ecological Adaptation
Authors: Cooper David G. , Jiang Yishuo , Skuodas Sydney , Wang Luying , Fassler Jan S.
Published: October 2021

The propensity forSaccharomyces cerevisiaeyeast to ferment sugars into ethanol and CO2has long been useful in the production of a wide range of food and drink. In the production of alcoholic beverages, the yeast strain selected for fermentation is crucial because not all strains are equally proficient in tolerating fermentation stresses. One potential mechanism by which domesticated yeast may have adapted to fermentation stresses is through changes in the expression of stress response genes.MED15is a general transcriptional regulator and RNA Pol II Mediator complex subunit which modulates the expression of many metabolic and stress response genes. In this study, we explore the role ofMED15in alcoholic fermentation. In addition, we ask whetherMED15alleles from wine, sake or palm wine yeast improve fermentation activity and grape juice fermentation stress responses. And last, we investigate to what extent any differences in activity are due to allelic differences in the lengths of three polyglutamine tracts inMED15. We find that strains lackingMED15are deficient in fermentation and fermentation stress responses and thatMED15alleles from alcoholic beverage yeast strains can improve both the fermentation capacity and the response to ethanol stresses when transplanted into a standard laboratory strain. Finally, we find that polyglutamine tract length in the Med15 protein is one determinant in the efficiency of the alcoholic fermentation process. These data lead to a working model in which polyglutamine tract length and other types of variability within transcriptional hubs like the Mediator subunit, Med15, may contribute to a reservoir of transcriptional profiles that may provide a fitness benefit in the face of environmental fluctuations.
Targeting DNA Damage Response Pathway in Ovarian Clear Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Wong Oscar G. W. , Li Jing , Cheung Annie N. Y.
Published: October 2021

Ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC) is one of the major types of ovarian cancer and is of higher relative prevalence in Asians. It also shows higher possibility of resistance to cisplatin-based chemotherapy leading to poor prognosis. This may be attributed to the relative lack of mutations and aberrations in homologous recombination-associated genes, which are crucial in DNA damage response (DDR), such as BRCA1, BRCA2, p53, RAD51, and genes in the Fanconi anemia pathway. On the other hand, OCCC is characterized by a number of genetic defects rendering it vulnerable to DDR-targeting therapy, which is emerging as a potent treatment strategy for various cancer types. Mutations of ARID1A, PIK3CA, PTEN, and catenin beta 1 (CTNNB1), as well as overexpression of transcription factor hepatocyte nuclear factor-1β (HNF-1β), and microsatellite instability are common in OCCC. Of particular note is the loss-of-function mutations in ARID1A, which is found in approximately 50% of OCCC. ARID1A is crucial for processing of DNA double-strand break (DSB) and for sustaining DNA damage signaling, rendering ARID1A-deficient cells prone to impaired DNA damage checkpoint regulation and hence sensitive to poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors. However, while preclinical studies have demonstrated the possibility to exploit DDR deficiency in OCCC for therapeutic purpose, progress in clinical application is lagging. In this review, we will recapitulate the preclinical studies supporting the potential of DDR targeting in OCCC treatment, with emphasis on the role of ARID1A in DDR. Companion diagnostic tests (CDx) for predicting susceptibility to PARP inhibitors are rapidly being developed for solid tumors including ovarian cancers and may readily be applicable on OCCC. The potential of various available DDR-targeting drugs for treating OCCC by drawing analogies with other solid tumors sharing similar genetic characteristics with OCCC will also be discussed.
LukS-PV Induces Apoptosis via the SET8-H4K20me1-PIK3CB Axis in Human Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells
Authors: Xu Liang Fei , Shi Lan , Zhang Shan Shan , Ding Peng Sheng , Ma Fan , Song Kai Di , Qiang Ping , Chang Wen Jiao , Dai Yuan Yuan , Mei Yi De , Ma Xiao Ling
Published: October 2021

Evidence suggests that histone modification disorders are involved in leukemia pathogenesis. We previously reported that LukS-PV, a component of Panton–Valentine leukocidin (PVL), has antileukemia activities that can induce differentiation, increase apoptosis, and inhibit proliferation of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells. Furthermore, LukS-PV inhibited hepatoma progression by regulating histone deacetylation, speculating that LukS-PV may exert antileukemia activity by targeting histone modification regulators. In this study, the results showed that LukS-PV induced apoptosis by downregulating the methyltransferase SET8 and its target histone H4 monomethylated at Lys 20 (H4K20me1). Furthermore, chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing and polymerase chain reaction identified the kinase PIK3CB as a downstream target gene for apoptosis mediated by SET8/H4K20me1. Finally, our results indicated that LukS-PV induced apoptosis via the PIK3CB-AKT-FOXO1 signaling pathway by targeting SET8. This study indicates that SET8 downregulation is one of the mechanisms by which LukS-PV induces apoptosis in AML cells, suggesting that SET8 may be a potential therapeutic target for AML. Furthermore, LukS-PV may be a drug candidate for the treatment of AML that targets epigenetic modifications.
Head-to-Head Comparison of 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT and Multiparametric MRI for Pelvic Lymph Node Staging Prior to Radical Prostatectomy in Patients With Intermediate to High-Risk Prostate Cancer: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Wang Xueju , Wen Qiang , Zhang Haishan , Ji Bin
Published: October 2021

Purpose

To compare the diagnostic performance of 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT and mpMRI for pelvic lymph node staging prior to radical prostatectomy in prostate cancer (PCa) patients based on per patient data.

Methods

PubMed and Embase databases were searched until October 2020 for eligible studies evaluating head-to-head comparison of 68Ga-PSMA-PET/CT and mpMRI for the detection of pelvic lymph node metastases (PLNMs) using pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) as gold standard. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and area under the summary receiver-operating characteristics curve (AUC) were determined for the two imaging modalities.

Results

Nine studies with 640 patients were included. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and AUC for 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT vs. mpMRI were 0.71 (95% CI: 0.48–0.86) vs. 0.40 (95% CI: 0.16–0.71), 0.92 (95% CI: 0.88–0.95) vs. 0.92 (95% CI: 0.80–0.97), and 0.92 (95% CI: 0.88–0.95) vs. 0.82 (95% CI: 0.79–0.86), respectively. There was substantial heterogeneity for both imaging modalities, and meta-regression analysis revealed that the number of patients, prevalence of PLNMs, PSA level, reference standard, and risk classification might be the potential causes of heterogeneity.

Conclusion

This meta-analysis of head-to-head comparison studies confirms that there is a trend toward a higher sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy of 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT compared to mpMRI for the detection of PLNMs in PCa patients. Nevertheless, according to current guidelines, PLND still needs to be recommended in case of negative results from 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT due to significant risk of malignancy.
Surgery After Conversion Therapy With PD-1 Inhibitors Plus Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors Are Effective and Safe for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Pilot Study of Ten Patients
Authors: Zhang Wenwen , Hu Bingyang , Han Jun , Wang Zhanbo , Ma Guangyu , Ye Huiyi , Yuan Jing , Cao Junning , Zhang Ze , Shi Jihang , Chen Mingyi , Wang Xun , Xu Yinzhe , Cheng Yanshuang , Tian Lantian , Wang Hongguang , Lu Shichun
Published: October 2021

Background and Aims

Immunotherapy with PD-1 inhibitors combined with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) has been proven to be effective against advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to identify the feasibility and safety of subsequent salvage surgery after this combination therapy.

Methods and Patients

A retrospective analysis was performed on patients with primary HCC with major vascular invasion between 2018 and 2019. All cases were treated with a combination of a PD-1 inhibitor and TKI agents and subsequent surgery.

Results

A total of 10 HCC cases with major vascular invasion met the successful conversion criteria after the combination therapy, and eight patients underwent subsequent salvage surgery after both radiology and 3D quantitative oncological assessment. Partial response (PR) was recorded in 7 of 10 patients and complete response (CR) in 3 of 10 patients before salvage surgery. Salvage surgery included right hepatectomy, left hepatectomy, and anatomic segmental hepatectomy. The mean intraoperative blood loss was 1,650 ml (50–3,000 ml). No complications beyond Clavien–Dindo level III or postoperative mortality were observed. The viable tumor cell rate of the PR cases (modified response evaluation criteria in solid tumors, mRECIST) varied from 1.5% to 100%, and only one patient had pathology-proven pathological complete response (pCR). The postoperative median follow-up time was 19.7 months (9.1–24.9 months). The 12-month recurrence-free survival rate of all cases who underwent salvage surgery was 75%.

Conclusion

Salvage surgery was effective and safe after conversion therapy with PD-1 inhibitors plus TKIs and may increase the long-term oncological benefit for patients with unresectable HCC.
Competitive Endogenous Role of the LINC00511/miR-185-3p Axis and miR-301a-3p From Liquid Biopsy as Molecular Markers for Breast Cancer Diagnosis
Authors: Mahmoud Marwa M. , Sanad Eman F. , Elshimy Reham A.A. , Hamdy Nadia M.
Published: October 2021

Breast cancer (BC) is the leading cause of female cancer-related mortalities. Evidence has illustrated the role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) and microRNAs (miRNA) as promising pool of protein non-coding regulators, for tuning the aggressiveness of several malignancies. This research aims to unravel the expression pattern and the emphases of the diagnostic value of the long intergenic ncRNA00511 (LINC00511) and its downstream microRNA (miR-185-3p) and the pathogenic significance of the onco-miR-301a-3p in naïve BC patients. LINC00511 was chosen and validated, and its molecular binding was confirmed using bioinformatics. LINC00511 was measured in 25 controls and 70 patients using qPCR. The association between the investigated ncRNA’s expression and the BC patients’ clinicopathological features was assessed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was blotted to weigh out their diagnostic efficacy over the classical tumor markers (TMs). Bioinformatics and Spearman correlation were used to predict the interaction between LINC00511, miR-185-3p, and miR-301a-3p altogether to patients’ features. LINC00511 and miR-301a-3p, in BC patients’ blood, were overexpressed, and their median levels increased significantly, while miR-185-3p was, in contrast, downregulated, being decreased fourfold. LINC00511 was elevated in BC early stages, when compared to late stages (p< 0.0003). LINC00511, miR-185-3p, and miR-301a-3p showed AUC superior to classical TMs, allowing us to conclude that the investigated ncRNAs, in BC patients’ liquid biopsy, are novel diagnostic molecular biomarker signatures. Lymph node metastasis (LNM) and advanced tumor grade were directly correlated with LINC00511 significantly. Additionally, both LINC00511 and miR-301a-3p were positively correlated with the aggressiveness of BC, as manifested in patients with larger tumors (>2 cm) at (p< 0.001). Therefore, these findings aid our understanding of BC pathogenesis, in the clinical setting, being related in part to the LINC00511/miR axis, which could be a future potential therapeutic target.
Two to Tango: Kidney-Lung Interaction in Acute Kidney Injury and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
Authors: Alge Joseph , Dolan Kristin , Angelo Joseph , Thadani Sameer , Virk Manpreet , Akcan Arikan Ayse
Published: October 2021

Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) is an independent risk factor for mortality in hospitalized patients. AKI syndrome leads to fluid overload, electrolyte and acid-base disturbances, immunoparalysis, and propagates multiple organ dysfunction through organ “crosstalk”. Preclinical models suggest AKI causes acute lung injury (ALI), and conversely, mechanical ventilation and ALI cause AKI. In the clinical setting, respiratory complications are a key driver of increased mortality in patients with AKI, highlighting the bidirectional relationship. This article highlights the challenging and complex interactions between the lung and kidney in critically ill patients with AKI and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and global implications of AKI. We discuss disease-specific molecular mediators and inflammatory pathways involved in organ crosstalk in the AKI-ARDS construct, and highlight the reciprocal hemodynamic effects of elevated pulmonary vascular resistance and central venous pressure (CVP) leading to renal hypoperfusion and pulmonary edema associated with fluid overload and increased right ventricular afterload. Finally, we discuss the notion of different ARDS “phenotypes” and the response to fluid overload, suggesting differential organ crosstalk in specific pathological states. While the directionality of effect remains challenging to distinguish at the bedside due to lag in diagnosis with conventional renal function markers and lack of tangible damage markers, this review provides a paradigm for understanding kidney-lung interactions in the critically ill patient.
Antibiotic Treatment of Pulmonary Infections: An Umbrella Review and Evidence Map
Authors: Wu Man , Yang Xue , Tian Jinhui , Fan Hong , Zhang Yonggang
Published: October 2021

Background: Considering the global burden of pulmonary infections, there is an urgent need for optimal empirical antimicrobial therapy strategies for pulmonary infections, which should rely on reliable evidence. Therefore, we aim to investigate the optimal treatment options for pulmonary infections in adults and assess the strength of that evidence.

Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and China Biology Medicine disc to identify systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) focusing on antimicrobial treatments for pulmonary infections. The outcomes of the included meta-analyses should include all-cause mortality or clinical treatment success. For each meta-analysis, we estimated relative risk (RR) with 95% CI. We also created an evidence map to show the efficacy of each antimicrobial treatment strategy and the certainty of the evidence.

Results: Twenty-six meta-analyses and two new RCTs were included that contained 31 types of antimicrobial therapy strategies. We found that carbapenems were related to lower mortality than other β-lactams or fluoroquinolones alone or in combination with aminoglycosides for HAP patients (RR 0.76, 95% CI: 0.58–0.99). There was no statistical difference in all-cause mortality between the other antimicrobial therapy strategies. As for clinical cure, treatment with fluoroquinolones was associated with better success versus macrolides or β-lactams alone for CAP patients in both the intention-to-treat (ITT) population (RR 1.22, 95% CI: 1.02–1.47) and clinically evaluable (CE) population (RR 1.37, 95% CI: 1.11–1.68). Treatment with carbapenems showed a better clinical cure over non-carbapenems for VAP patients (RR 1.21, 95% CI: 1.05–1.4). Adjunctive inhaled antibiotics compared with intravenous antibiotics alone showed a benefit for VAP (RR 1.2, 95% CI: 1.05–1.35). In addition, adjunctive nebulized aminoglycoside for nosocomial pneumonia was associated with a higher cure rate versus intravenous antibiotics alone in the ITT population (RR 1.28, 95% CI: 1.04–1.57), while no statistical difference in clinical cure was observed between other intervention groups.

Conclusions: We cannot evaluate which antibiotic is the best choice for the treatment of pulmonary infection. Carbapenems or adjunctive inhaled antibiotics showed a reasonable choice for HAP or VAP. However, we do not find a statistical difference between most antimicrobial therapy strategies for CAP patients.
Prophylactic Phenylephrine Increases the Dose Requirement of Oxytocin to Treat Uterine Atony During Cesarean Delivery: A Double-Blinded, Single-Center, Randomized and Placebo-Controlled Trial
Authors: Shen Yao-Hua , Yang Fan , Jin Li-Dan , Qian Yu-Jia , Xing Li , Huang Ya-Li , Lin Su-Feng , Xiao Fei
Published: October 2021

Purpose: Studies involving mouse models and human uterine smooth muscle cells have shown that phenylephrine inhibits uterine contractions in non-pregnant mice and human in vitro cell via cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling. However, there has been no limited exploration to date of the effect of phenylephrine on uterine contractions in clinical practice. This study aimed to compare the dose requirement of oxytocin with or without the infusion of prophylactic phenylephrine to prevent post spinal hypotension during cesarean delivery under combined spinal and epidural anesthesia.

Methods: This was a double-blinded, single-center, randomized, control study. One hundred and sixty pregnant patients provided informed consent and were randomly allocated to the phenylephrine (phenylephrine infusion) and control (saline infusion) groups. Patients randomized to the phenylephrine group received an intravenous prophylactic phenylephrine infusion at a fixed rate of 0.5 μg/kg/min. The control group received a saline placebo at the same rate and used the same apparatus for delivery. After neonatal delivery and clamping of the umbilical cord, patients received a standard institutional oxytocin protocol. The primary outcome measure was the total dose of oxytocin administered during CD. Secondary outcomes including the proportion (%) of patients requiring a secondary uterotonic agent and estimated blood loss (EBL) in the first 24 h after surgery.

Results: The median oxytocin dose administered was significantly higher in the phenylephrine group than in the control group [6.9 ± 2.5 international standardized units (IU) vs. 5.4 ± 2.4 IU, p = 0.0004]. The number of patients that required a secondary uterotonic agent was significantly higher in the phenylephrine group than in the control group (24.2% vs. 9.1%; p = 0.034). The EBL in the first 24-h postoperatively was similar between the two groups (467 ± 47 ml vs. 392 ± 38 ml; p = 0.22).

Conclusions: Prophylactic infusion of phenylephrine used to prevent post-spinal hypotension during CD was associated with a higher dose of oxytocin. This has important clinical implications, as the suboptimal use of oxytocin is associated with an increased risk of postpartum hemorrhage and increased maternal morbidity and mortality. Further studies are now needed to confirm these findings.
Status and Safety Signals of Cephalosporins in Children: A Spontaneous Reporting Database Study
Authors: Cai Yuanxuan , Yang Linhui , Shangguan Xiaofang , Zhao Yuhang , Huang Rui
Published: October 2021

Introduction: Cephalosporins are widely used in clinical treatment of children, but it is difficult to carry out clinical trials and there is no strong evidence of their safety. Therefore, adverse drug reactions (ADR) of cephalosporins can be a public health problem that deserves attention.

Methods: ADR reports collected by the Hubei Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring Center from 2014 to 2019 were analysed. The safety of Cephalosporins was described by descriptive analysis and three signal mining methods, including the reporting odd ratio (ROR), proportional reporting ratio (PRR), and comprehensive standard method (MHRA).

Results: The findings indicated that the age groups of 0–1 and 2–3 years had the highest rates of reporting ADRs. Children aged 0–4 years reported more ADRs, while the proportion of severe ADRs was lower than the average (6.63%). Among the 37 cephalosporins, the severe ADRs of ceftezole, ceftazidime, cefoperazone/sulbactam, cefotaxime, ceftriaxone were reported more and the proportion of severe ADRs was higher. The proportion of severe ADRs of most cephalosporin compound preparations was higher than that of corresponding single components. A total of 99.18% of the cases improved after treatment. There were four deaths whose ADRs were mainly anaphylactic shock, dyspnoea, and anaphylactoid reaction. In signal mining, the three methods produced 206 signals that were the same, and 73 of them were off-label ADRs.

Conclusion: ADRs were common but not serious in children aged 0–4 years. And the reported rate of serious ADRs in children aged over 4 years increased with age. ADR reports of ceftezole, ceftazidime, cefoperazone/sulbactam, cefotaxime, ceftriaxone were numerous and serious, and the safety of cephalosporin compound preparations in children was doubtful. Ceftezole may cause off-label ADRs including tremor, face oedema, cyanosis, pallor, rigors, and palpitation. The labeling of ADRs in children in cephalosporin instructions and the record of allergic history need to be improved.
Drug Repurposing for Rare Diseases: A Role for Academia
Authors: van den Berg Sibren , de Visser Saco , Leufkens Hubert G.M. , Hollak Carla E.M.
Published: October 2021

Background: The European Commission highlights in its Pharmaceutical Strategy the role of academic researchers in drug repurposing, especially in the development of orphan medicinal products (OMPs). This study summarizes the contribution of academia over the last 5 years to registered repurposed OMPs and describes barriers to success, based upon three real world cases.

Methods: OMPs granted marketing authorization between January 2016 and December 2020 were reviewed for repurposing and whether the idea originated from academia or industry. Three cases of drug repurposing were selected from different therapeutic areas and stages of development to identify obstacles to success.

Results: Thirteen of the 68 OMPs were the result of drug repurposing. In three OMPs, there were two developments such as both a new indication and a modified application. In total, twelve developments originated from academia and four from industry. The three cases showed as barriers to success: lack of outlook for sufficient return of investments (abatacept), lack of regulatory alignment and timing of interaction between healthcare professionals and regulators (etidronate), failure to register an old drug for a fair price, resulting in commercialization as a high priced orphan drug (mexiletine).

Conclusion: While the majority of repurposed OMPs originates in academia, a gap exists between healthcare professionals, regulators and industry. Future strategies should aim to overcome these hurdles leading to more patient benefit through sustainable access of repurposed drugs. Potential solutions include improved regulatory and reimbursement knowledge by academia and the right for regulators to integrate new effectiveness data into product labels.
Properties and Sensing Performance of THz Metasurface Based on Carbon Nanotube and Microfluidic Channel
Authors: Wang Yue , Zhang Xiaoju , Zhou Tao , Zhu Yongqiang , Cui Zijian , Zhang Kuang
Published: October 2021

Carbon-based metamaterials are expected to lead to biological and chemical sensing because of their fast electron transfer rate, good biocompatibility, and high absorption ratios. In this work, we integrate carbon nanotubes metasurface (CM) and microfluidic channel (MC) for a composite terahertz (THz) metasurface (CMMC). The absorption properties and sensing performance of the proposed composite metasurface have been studied. It is observed that the absorption is nearly 71.8% at 0.96 THz and 92.4% at 1.65 THz, respectively. The variation of response with refractive index of the analytes for the proposed CMMC is investigated and it is found that the frequency and intensity of the resonance absorption peak at 0.96 THz f1 decrease obviously with the increase of the refractive index of the analytes. Owing to the coupling of the CM and MC in the microfluidic channel, the interaction between the incident THz wave and analytes has been enhanced, and the frequency and intensity sensitivities has achieved 254 GHz/RIU and 314/RIU, respectively. In addition, the influence of the structural parameters of the proposed CMMC on the absorption characteristics is also studied in detail. The results shown that the absorption properties of the CMMC can be adjusted by changing the structural parameters, which will provide a guideline for design. The proposed CMMC will facilitate the realization of carbon nanotube metamaterials sensing applications, and, when combined with microfluidic channel, will lead to large-area THz biological and chemical sensing.
Effects of Slope Aspect and Rainfall on Belowground Deep Fine Root Traits and Aboveground Tree Height
Authors: Lihui Ma , Xiaoli Liu , Jie Chai , Youke Wang , Jingui Yang
Published: October 2021

The vertical root distribution and rooting depth are the main belowground plant functional traits used to indicate drought resistance in arid and semiarid regions. The effects of the slope aspect on the aboveground traits are visible but not the belowground deep root traits. We aimed to investigate the fine root traits of the locust tree (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) planted on southerly and northerly aspects, and the variations in the rooting depth in regions with different rainfall, as well as assessing how deep rooting, might affect the response to drought in a loess region. We selected three study sites with different rainfall amounts, with six sampling plots at each site (three each with southerly and northerly aspects). Soil core samples were collected down to the depth where no roots were present. The locust trees tended to develop deeper fine roots rather than greater heights. The tree height and diameter were greater for locust trees on northerly aspects, whereas trees on southerly aspects had significantly deeper rooting depths. Fine root traits (root length, root area, and root dry weight density) were higher in the southerly aspect for both Changwu and Ansai, but lower in Suide. The ratio of the root front depth tree height ranged from 1.04 to 3.17, which was higher on southerly than northerly aspects, and it increased as the rainfall decreased. Locust tree growth traits (belowground fine root and aboveground tree height) were positively correlated with the mean annual rainfall. The soil moisture content of the topsoil decreased as the rainfall decreased, but the pattern varied in the deep layer. Our results suggest that the variations in the belowground rooting depth under different slope aspects may be related to plant survival strategies. The vertical extension of the rooting depth and tree height may be key functional traits that determine plant growth in drought-prone regions.
Role of Parental Attachment Styles in Moderating Interaction Between Parenting Stress and Perceived Infant Characteristics
Authors: Quintigliano Maria , Trentini Cristina , Fortunato Alexandro , Lauriola Marco , Speranza Anna Maria
Published: October 2021

By employing the transactional model of development and focusing on the multifactorial nature of parenting, this study aimed to (1) examine whether important risk factors, particularly mothers’ insecure attachment styles and parenting stress contribute to the perception of their infants’ characteristics and (2) explore whether maternal attachment styles moderate the relationship between parenting stress and perceived infants’ characteristics. We recruited 357 mothers (age: 34.23; ± 5.38) who had 1-year-old infants (161 males and 196 females; age: 12.70; ± 1.60 months). All the mothers completed three self-report instruments: Parenting Stress Index–Short Form (PSI-SF), Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ), and 1st-Year Inventory (FYI). Although the latter was originally developed to determine the risk for autism in 1-year-olds, it was employed in this study to measure infant’s characteristics within two domains: social communication and sensory regulatory functions. Multiple regression analyses revealed that one of the PSI-SF dimensions - specifically the Parent–Child Dysfunctional Interaction - contributed to mothers’ perceptions of their children’s social communication abilities, whereas the attachment style did not. Other multiple regression analyses showed that all the dimensions of parenting stress - that is, Parenting Distress (PD), Parent-Child Dysfunctional Interaction (PCDI), and Difficult Child (DC) - contributed to mothers’ perceptions of their sensory regulatory abilities. The attachment styles, particularly anxious attachment, contributed significantly to a biased perception of these abilities controlled for parenting stress. Mothers reporting high levels of avoidance and high levels of PD viewed their children as less able in the social communicative domain (SC Dom) than if they had low levels of PD. By contrast, when levels of avoidance were low, mothers with high PD perceived their children as less difficult in the SC Dom than those with low levels of PD. Moreover, high avoidance levels influenced how mothers who considered the interaction with their children as difficult perceived them as having greater difficulties in relation to sensory regulatory domain (SR Dom). By contrast, mothers with high levels of anxiety high levels of PD view their children as less able in the SC Dom than if they had low levels of PD. When mothers’ levels of anxiety were very low, those with high PD viewed their children as less difficult in the SC Dom in comparison to those with low levels of PD.
Social Marketing of Electronic Coupons Under the Perspective of Social Sharing Behavior
Authors: Shia An Shin , Chang Kuei-Feng , Huang Yu-Huang
Published: October 2021

This study aimed to (1) explore the correlated influential factors that promote consumers' sharing behaviors of electronic coupons, (2) identify relevant knowledge gaps on e-coupon sharing, and (3) develop a theoretical model to explain the e-coupon sharing behavior of consumers. This study suggested that familiarity and professionalism of the referral source have significant and positive impacts on the feeling of credibility of e-coupons, which promote consumers' willingness to share. Moreover, this research used electronic coupons as the product from (1) the concept of social marketing and (2) the perspective of the social sharing behavior of consumers. The research findings of this study showed that (1) community-based social marketing is covered in the social norm as social individuals frequently hope to share benefits with others. (2) People's sharing purpose is to promote their established social relationship via sharing the benefits to others. In this case, benefits referred to advantageous products' attributes and values consumers found on the products such as credibility of the products. (3) The interlaced display of products and social psychology in the field of social marketing was also discussed in this study. In short, the research results of this study theoretically contributed to indicate the connection mechanism between (A) social benefit-sharing behavior and (B) product benefits. That is to say, the feeling of credibility and willingness to shares are covered by the social benefit-sharing behavior mechanism, while the product-benefit mechanism covers professionalism, feeling of credibility and willingness to share. Note that the (A) social benefit-sharing behavior mechanism works in the form of social norms in sharing benefits to an individual's social networks; the (B) product-benefit mechanism work in the form of product values and attributes.
Mental Health and Work Experiences of Interpreters in the Mental Health Care of Refugees: A Systematic Review
Authors: Geiling Angelika , Knaevelsrud Christine , Böttche Maria , Stammel Nadine
Published: October 2021

Background:Interpreters often play a crucial role in the health care of refugees. Although interpreters working with refugees are regularly confronted with emotionally stressful content, little is known about their work-related stress and psychological well-being. Primarily qualitative studies indicate increased emotional stress in interpreters, and difficulties in handling the traumatic content from their clients. Additionally, the working conditions of interpreters appear to be demanding, due to low payment and a lack of supervision or adequate preparation.

Objective:The presented systematic review aimed to identify and summarise quantitative and qualitative research on the mental health of interpreters in the mental health care of refugees.

Method:A systematic search was performed in five databases, and specific interpreting journals were searched. After removal of duplicates, 6,920 hits remained. Eligible studies included quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies as well as case studies and grey literature. The studies aimed to examine mental health aspects or work experiences of spoken language interpreters in mental health care settings for adult refugees.

Results:Altogether, 25 studies were identified, including six quantitative and 19 qualitative studies. Studies were analysed and presented narratively. In the analysis of the qualitative studies, three themes emerged: “Emotions, behaviour, and coping strategies,” “Working in a triad,” and “Working environment.” In the quantitative studies, interpreters showed heightened levels of emotional stress and anxiety, and secondary traumatic stress reactions. In several qualitative studies, interpreters described a devaluing health care system and stressful working conditions with a lack of support structures.

Conclusion:Overall, the results indicate a high level of stress among interpreters working with refugees. Quantitative data are sparse, and studies employ heterogeneous assessments in diverse study settings. Therefore, future quantitative research is necessary to consistently investigate interpreters' mental health in different mental health care settings.

Systematic Review Registration:https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier: CRD42019117948.
Knowledge Gaps in the Understanding of Antimicrobial Resistance in Canada
Authors: McCubbin Kayley D. , Anholt R. Michele , de Jong Ellen , Ida Jennifer A. , Nóbrega Diego B. , Kastelic John P. , Conly John M. , Götte Matthias , McAllister Tim A. , Orsel Karin , Lewis Ian , Jackson Leland , Plastow Graham , Wieden Hans-Joachim , McCoy Kathy , Leslie Myles , Robinson Joan L. , Hardcastle Lorian , Hollis Aidan , Ashbolt Nicholas J. , Checkley Sylvia , Tyrrell Gregory J. , Buret André G. , Rennert-May Elissa , Goddard Ellen , Otto Simon J. G. , Barkema Herman W.
Published: October 2021

Current limitations in the understanding and control of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Canada are described through a comprehensive review focusing on: (1) treatment optimization; (2) surveillance of antimicrobial use and AMR; and (3) prevention of transmission of AMR. Without addressing gaps in identified areas, sustained progress in AMR mitigation is unlikely. Expert opinions and perspectives contributed to prioritizing identified gaps. Using Canada as an example, this review emphasizes the importance and necessity of a One Health approach for understanding and mitigating AMR. Specifically, antimicrobial use in human, animal, crop, and environmental sectors cannot be regarded as independent; therefore, a One Health approach is needed in AMR research and understanding, current surveillance efforts, and policy. Discussions regarding addressing described knowledge gaps are separated into four categories: (1) further research; (2) increased capacity/resources; (3) increased prescriber/end-user knowledge; and (4) policy development/enforcement. This review highlights the research and increased capacity and resources to generate new knowledge and implement recommendations needed to address all identified gaps, including economic, social, and environmental considerations. More prescriber/end-user knowledge and policy development/enforcement are needed, but must be informed by realistic recommendations, with input from all relevant stakeholders. For most knowledge gaps, important next steps are uncertain. In conclusion, identified knowledge gaps underlined the need for AMR policy decisions to be considered in a One Health framework, while highlighting critical needs to achieve realistic and meaningful progress.
Experimental Demonstration of a mmWave Passive Access Point Extender Based on a Binary Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface
Authors: Popov Vladislav , Odit Mikhail , Gros Jean-Baptiste , Lenets Vladimir , Kumagai Akira , Fink Mathias , Enomoto Kotaro , Lerosey Geoffroy
Published: October 2021

As data rates demands are exploding, 5G will soon rely on mmWaves that offer much higher bandwidths. Yet at these frequencies, attenuation and diffraction of waves require point to point communications with beamforming base stations that are complex and power greedy. Furthermore, since any obstacle at these frequencies completely blocks the waves, the networks must be extremely dense, resulting in dramatic increase of its cost. One way to avoid this problem is to redirect beams coming from base stations at many locations with Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces, in order to increase their coverage even in cluttered environments. Here we describe and experimentally demonstrate a binary tunable metasurface operating at 28 GHz, based on standard PCB and off the shelves PIN diodes. We show that it can be used as a Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface that beamforms an incoming plane wave at a given angle to one or several outgoing plane waves at angles reconfigurable in real time. Most importantly we use this 20 cm × 20 cm reconfigurable Intelligent Surface alongside software defined radio and up/down converters at 28 GHz, and demonstrate a wireless link between an emitter and a receiver 10 m away, in a non-line-of-sight configuration, hence proving the validity of the approach.
A Virtual Sandbox Approach to Studying the Effect of Augmented Communication on Human-Robot Collaboration
Authors: Arntz Alexander , Eimler Sabrina C. , Hoppe H. Ulrich
Published: October 2021

Human-Robot Collaboration (HRC) has the potential for a paradigm shift in industrial production by complementing the strengths of industrial robots with human staff. However, exploring these scenarios in physical experimental settings is costly and difficult, e.g., due to safety considerations. We present a virtual reality application that allows the exploration of HRC work arrangements with autonomous robots and their effect on human behavior. Prior experimental studies conducted using this application demonstrated the benefits of augmenting an autonomous robot arm with communication channels on subjective aspects such as perceived stress. Motivated by current safety regulations that hinder HRC to expand its full potential, we explored the effects of the augmented communication on objective measures (collision rate and produced goods) within a virtual sandbox application. Explored through a safe and replicable setup, the goal was to determine whether communication channels that provide guidance and explanation on the robot can help mitigate safety hazards without interfering with the production effectiveness of both parties. This is based on the theoretical foundation that communication channels enable the robot to explain its action, helps the human collaboration partner to comprehend the current state of the shared task better, and react accordingly. Focused on the optimization of production output, reduced collision rate, and increased perception of safety, a between-subjects experimental study with two conditions (augmented communication vs non-augmented) was conducted. The results revealed a statistically significant difference in terms of production quantity output and collisions with the robot, favoring the augmented conditions. Additional statistically significant differences regarding self-reported perceived safety were found. The results of this study provide an entry point for future research regarding the augmentation of industrial robots with communication channels for safety purposes.
Coherent Contention Resolution Diversity Slotted ALOHA: An Improved Multiple Access Method for Satellite IoT System
Authors: Liu Ziwei , Zhu Tiantian , Zhang Chen , Zhang Gengxin , Zhao Shanshan
Published: October 2021

For Beyond 5G/6G system, satellite communication systems become an effective component of the space and terrestrial integrated network. Among typical applications, massive Machine Type of Communication (mMTC) is a promising and challenging application. The demands of low power consumption and light signaling make random access methods as the potential solution. Up to now, contention resolution-based ALOHA methods, such as contention resolution diversity slotted ALOHA (CRDSA), improve the throughput significantly. However, its throughput will meet the inflection point soon with the normalized load increasing since collisionless packets are hardly existing. In fact, the diversity of transmitting packets is not utilized totally. In this paper, an improved random access method, named coherent CRDSA method (C-CRDSA), is proposed. It accumulates replicated packets coherently at receiver and further improve the throughput over CRDSA. Detailed derivations and simulations are given. Simulation results corroborate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Mathematical Modeling of Total Volatile Basic Nitrogen and Microbial Biomass in Stored Rohu (Labeo rohita) Fish
Authors: Prabhakar Pramod K. , Srivastav Prem P. , Pathak Sant S. , Das Kalyan
Published: October 2021

The paper deals with the dynamical behavior of fish volatiles and microbial growth in stored Rohu fish through mathematical modeling. Total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) is formed in stored Rohu (Labeo rohita) fish due to some complicated biochemical activities. It considered the biomass populace of volatiles (TVB-N) and microorganisms in fish stored at two different temperatures, separately. The different models may be used to forecast TVB-N, microbial populace (total viable count; TVC), and various properties change during nourishment stockpiling coordination and diverse preparing tasks. Models might be dynamic, exact, hypothetical, and stochastic in nature. Various parameters are required to build up a model which can be utilized to foresee the freshness and timeframe of realistic usability of storage duration. The ecosystem is represented by algebraic equations involving volatile compounds and microbial populations separately. TVB-N and TVC of stored rohu fish was determined at an interval of 4 days for 24 days. The initial and final biomass of TVB-N was 4.57 (fresh sample), 19.88 (24 days at 5°C), and 7.10 mg/100 g (24th day at 0°C), respectively. The TVC values were found to be 2.29 (fresh sample), 9.5 (24 days at 5°C) and 8.1 log (cfu/g) (24 days at 0°C). Exponential, modified exponential, Howgate, and adapted Howgate models were considered for modeling the TVB-N formation, whereas logistic, modified logistic, Gompertz, and modified Gompertz model were taken forward for modeling the microbial biomass developed in stored rohu fish. The exponential model found be the best fit model fit model for TVB-N prediction in rohu fish stored at 0 and 5°C as it showed the highest R2 (0.9796, 0.9887) the lowest χ2 (0.2782, 0.3976), RMSE (0.52741, 0.6306) AIC (−7.3122, −4.8106), AICc (−0.5122, 1.9894) and BIC (−7.4204, −4.9188), respectively. The Gompertz model was found to be the best fit model for microbial biomass prediction in rohu fish stored at 5°C (R2 = 0.9947, χ2 = 0.0537, AIC = −18.379, AICc = −6.3792 and BIC = −18.542), in contrast, both of the logistic and modified logistic models were the best suited at 0°C storage condition (R2 = 0.9919, χ2 = 0.0823).