bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dual molecular diagnoses in a neurometabolic specialty clinic
Authors: Hannah‐Shmouni Fady , Al‐Shahoumi Rashid , Brady Lauren I. , Wu Lily , Frei Julia , Tarnopolsky Mark A.
Published: December 2020

Reports of patients with concomitant diagnoses of two inherited genetic disorders, sometimes referred to as “double trouble,” have appeared intermittently in the medical literature. We report eight additional cases with dual diagnoses of two genetic conditions. All cases had a phenotype atypical for their primary diagnosis, leading to the search for a second genetic diagnosis. These cases highlight the importance of the history, physical examination and continued work‐up if the phenotype of the patient falls drastically outside what has been reported with their primary diagnosis. Some of the diagnoses of the patients presented here (e.g., Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1, fascioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy) would not have been identified by genetic testing done on a next generation sequencing backbone (e.g., panel or exome sequencing). When the clinical picture is atypical or more severe than expected the possibility of a dual diagnosis (double trouble) should be considered. Identification of a second genetic condition can impact management and genetic counseling.
Polymer electrets and their applications
Authors: Li Xin , Wang Yurui , Xu Minxuan , Shi Yueqin , Wang Hemiao , Yang Xin , Ying Haoting , Zhang Qi
Published: December 2020

Polymer electrets have revealed great potential application in electromechanical devices because of the low weight, large quasi‐piezoelectric sensitivity, and excellent flexibility. For an electret, a permanent and macroscopic electric field exists on the surface, principally led by a macroscopic electrostatic charge on the surface or a net orientation of polar groups inside the object. Here, progress in the development of polymer electrets is reviewed. After a brief retrospect of the research courses and those typical polymer electrets that are classified into fluorine polymer and nonfluorine polymer, we present a survey on the charging methods, including corona, soft X‐ray, contact, thermal and monoenergetic particle beams. The latest representative applications (i.e., power harvesting, sensors, field effect transistors, and biomedicine) based on polymer electrets are also summarized. Finally, we complete this review with a discussion on perspectives and challenges in this field.
Electrocorticographic description of the effects of anticonvulsant drugs used to treat lidocaine‐induced seizures
Authors: Santos George Francisco S. , Ferreira Luan Oliveira , Gerrits Mattos Bruna , Fidelis Eliniete J. , de Souza Alisson S. , Batista Paula S. , Manoel Cecilia A. F. , Cabral Diego Arthur C. , Jóia de Mello Vanessa , Favacho Lopes Dielly Catrina , Hamoy Moisés
Published: December 2020

Introduction

Local anesthetics are widely used in clinical practice. While toxicity is rare, these drugs can cause potentially lethal seizures.

Objective

In the present study, we investigated the electrocorticographic (ECoG) and electromyographic patterns of seizures induced by acute lidocaine (LA) toxicity and treated with anticonvulsant drugs. The study used adult male Wistar rats to describe of the seizure‐related behavior of LA and investigated the treatment with anticonvulsant drugs.

Results

The use of LA resulted in clear changes in the ECoG pattern, which presented characteristics of Status epilepticus, with increased intensity in all brainwaves. The decomposition of the cerebral waves showed an increase in the beta and gamma waves that may be related to tonic–clonic seizure. Although the treatment with anticonvulsants drugs reduces the power of brainwaves at frequencies between 1 and 40 Hz compared to the LA group, but only diazepam (DZP) was able to decrease the intensity of oscillations. The muscle contraction power also indicated a difference in the effectiveness of the three treatments.

Conclusion

The sum of the evidence indicates that LA causes status epilepticus and that DZP is the most effective treatment for the control of these seizures, by restoring the systemic values to levels close to those recorded in the control group.
Reduced top‐down attentional control in adolescents with generalized anxiety disorder
Authors: Bashford‐Largo Johannah , Aloi Joseph , Lukoff Jennie , Johnson Kimberly , White Stuart F. , Dobbertin Matthew , Blair Robert James , Blair Karina S.
Published: December 2020

Background

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) can significantly impair quality of life and is associated with a relatively poor long‐term prognosis. Anxiety disorders are often associated with hyper‐responsiveness to threat, perhaps coupled with impaired executive functioning. However, GAD, particularly adolescent GAD, has been the focus of little functional neuroimaging work compared to other anxiety disorders. Here, we examine the neural association of adolescent GAD with responsiveness to threat and response control.

Methods

The study involved 35 adolescents with GAD and 34 healthy comparison individuals (N = 69) matched on age, gender, and IQ. Participants were scanned during an affective number Stroop task.

Results

We found significant Group‐by‐Task Condition interactions in regions involved in response control/motor responding (bilateral precentral gyri and cerebellum) and/or cognitive control/attention (dorsomedial and lateral frontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, cuneus, and precuneus). In line with predictions, the youth with GAD showed significantly less recruitment during task trials than the healthy comparison individuals. However, no indications of specific heightened responses to threat were seen.

Conclusions

GAD involves reduced capacity for engaging regions involved in response control/motor responding and/or cognitive control/attention. This might reflect either a secondary consequence of the patient's worry or an early risk factor for the development of worry.
Morphometric and allometric rules of polyp's landscape in regular and chimeric coral colonies of the branching species Stylophora pistillata
Authors: Guerrini Gabriele , Shefy Dor , Shashar Nadav , Shafir Shai , Rinkevich Baruch
Published: December 2020

Background

Most studies on architectural rules in corals have focused on the branch and the colony level, unveiling a variety of allometric rules. Working on the branching coral Stylophora pistillata, here we further extend the astogenic directives of this species at the polyp level, to reveal allometric and morphometric rules dictating polyps' arrangement.

Results

We identified a basic morphometric landscape as a six‐polyp circlet developed around a founder polyp, with established distances between polyps (six equilateral triangles), reflecting a strong genetic‐based background vs high plasticity on the population level. Testing these rules in regular and chimeric S. pistillata colonies, we revealed similar morphometric/allometric rules developed via a single astogenic pathway. In regular colonies, this pathway was driven by the presence/absence of intra‐circlet budding polyps, while in chimeras, by the distances between the two founder polyps. In addition, we identified the intra‐circlet budding as the origin of first branching, if BPC distances are kept <1.09 ± 0.25 mm.

Conclusions

The emerged allometric/morphometric rules indicate the existence of a positional information paradigm for polyps' landscape distribution, where each polyp creates its own positional field of morphogen gradients through six inductive sites, thus forming six positional fields for the development of the archetypal “six‐polyp crown”.
Automated analysis of lateral river connectivity and fish stranding risks—Part 1: Review, theory and algorithm
Authors: Larrieu Kenneth G. , Pasternack Gregory B. , Schwindt Sebastian
Published: December 2020

Riverine fish stranding is of significant concern due to its potentially devastating impacts on fish populations already at risk. Because stranding is dependent on a wide range of biotic and abiotic factors, it is difficult to accurately identify and parameterize fish stranding risks for various river topographies, fish species/lifestages and flow ramping scenarios. This article presents a literature review, new concepts and a novel Python3 algorithm for post‐processing two‐dimensional hydrodynamic numerical model results to identify spatially explicit locations where fish stranding is likely, such as but not limited to downstream of hydropeaking facilities. Compared to previous stranding algorithms, this one is novel in its use of graph theory to find optimal fish escape routes and for its embedding in the free, open‐source river analysis software River Architect. Guided by biological parameter selection and supplied with two‐dimensional hydrodynamic model rasters, River Architect's Stranding Risk module is suitable for characterization of existing pool stranding risks, alternative flow regime and topographic design evaluation and post‐project assessment of rivers during flow recessions.
Biological activities and chemical characterization of the Lebanese endemic plant Origanum ehrenbergii Boiss
Authors: Dawra Michella , El Rayess Youssef , El Beyrouthy Marc , Nehme Nancy , El Hage Rima , Taillandier Patricia , Bouajila Jalloul
Published: December 2020

Origanum ehrenbergii Boiss, endemic to Lebanon, is widely used in culinary preparations. The aim of this study is to assess the chemical composition and biological activities of four extracts obtained by consecutive extractions with four different solvents presenting an increasing polarity (cyclohexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and methanol). HPLC‐DAD analysis revealed nine compounds with 8 phenolics, while GC‐MS analysis allowed to detect 96 volatile compounds. Among the latter, some compounds were identified for the first time in plant extracts such as 2‐allyl‐phenyl tiglate (26); 2‐furylmethyl octanoate (28); 1H‐cycloprop[e]azulen‐7‐ol,decahydro‐1,1,7‐trimethyl‐4‐methylene‐,[1ar‐(1aα,4aα,7β,7aβ,7bα)] (30); 2‐(Z)‐propenylphenyl tiglate (32); 6‐hydroxy‐4,4,7a‐trimethyl‐5,6,7,7a‐tetrahydrobenzofuran‐2(4H)‐one (33); ent‐beyerane (37); and (E)‐2‐tridecenyl angelate (40). The methanol extract had the highest antioxidant activity with an IC50 of 37.5 μg/mL. It also had the highest phenolic content with 207.2 mg of gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g of dry weight. The inhibition percentage of the acetylcholinesterase by the methanol extract (56.9%), the ethyl acetate extract (58.6%), and the cyclohexane extract (60.0%) was almost the same at 50 µg/mL. Furthermore, the dichloromethane extract inhibited both the growth of the MCF‐7 cell line by 67.0% and HCT‐116 cell line by 35.7% at 50 μg/mL. The MIC of the dichloromethane extract against Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 19 115 and Listeria monocytogenes isolated from “fish filet” was 4 and 15 μg/mL, respectively, and that of the cyclohexane extract against Staphylococcus aureus was 19.5 μg/mL.
Transversus abdominis plane block versus wound infiltration for post‐cesarean section analgesia: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Riemma Gaetano , Schiattarella Antonio , Cianci Stefano , La Verde Marco , Morlando Maddalena , Sisti Giovanni , Esposito Irene , Della Corte Luigi , Sansone Pasquale , De Franciscis Pasquale
Published: December 2020

Background

Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block and wound infiltration (WI) with local anesthetics are used for postoperative analgesia after cesarean section (CS), reducing the need for administration of opioids.

Objective

To compare the analgesic effect of TAP block related to WI.

Search strategy

MEDLINE, Scopus, ClinicalTrials.gov, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL were searched from inception until April 2020.

Selection criteria

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about women who underwent TAP block or WI after CS.

Data collection and analysis

Relevant data were extracted and tabulated. Review Manager 5.3 was used for data analysis. Primary outcome was cumulative opioid consumption (COC) 24 and 48 h after CS.

Main results

Five RCTs, enrolling 268 women, were included. There were no significant differences between the interventions regarding COC at 24 (mean difference [MD] –1.68, 95% confidence interval [CI] –6.29 to 2.93) and 48 hours (MD 1.28, 95% CI –10.44 to 13.00). Adverse effects (relative risk [RR] 0.93, 95% CI 0.75–1.16), gastrointestinal reactions (RR 1.30, 95% CI 0.46–3.68), or mild‐moderate sedation (RR 1.12, 95% CI 0.72–1.74), pain scores, satisfaction of women, and withdrawals were similar between groups.

Conclusions

There might be no significant advantages selecting TAP block over WI for post‐CS analgesia.
Long non‐coding RNAs as potential biomarkers in the prognosis and diagnosis of lung cancer: A review and target analysis
Authors: Aftabi Younes , Ansarin Khalil , Shanehbandi Dariush , Khalili Majid , Seyedrezazadeh Ensiyeh , Rahbarnia Leila , Asadi Milad , Amiri‐Sadeghan Amir , Zafari Venus , Eyvazi Shirin , Bakhtiyari Nasim , Zarredar Habib
Published: December 2020

Long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNA) have been emerged as a novel class of molecular regulators in cancer. They are dysregulated in many types of cancer; however, there is not enough knowledge available on their expression and functional profiles. Lung cancer is the leading cause of the cancer deaths worldwide. Generally, lncRNAs may be associated with lung tumor pathogenesis and they may act as biomarkers for the cancer prognosis and diagnosis. Compared to other invasive prognostic and diagnostic methods, detection of lncRNAs might be a user‐friendly and noninvasive method. In this review article, we selected 27 tumor‐associated lncRNAs by literature reviewing to further discussing in detail for using as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in lung cancer. Also, in an in silico target analysis, the “Experimentally supported functional regulation” approach of the LncTarD web tool was used to identifying the target genes and regulatory mechanisms of the selected lncRNAs. The reports on diagnostic and prognostic potential of all selected lncRNAs were discussed. However, the target genes and regulatory mechanisms of the 22 lncRNAs were identified by in silico analysis and we found the pathways that are controlled by each target group of lncRNAs. They use epigenetic mechanisms, ceRNA mechanisms, protein interaction and sponge mechanism. Also, 10, 23, 5, and 28 target genes for each of these mechanisms were identified, respectively. Finally, each group of target genes controls 50, 12, 7, and 2 molecular pathways, respectively. In conclusion, LncRNAs could be used as biomarkers in lung cancer due to their roles in control of several signaling pathways related to lung tumors. Also, it seems that lncRNAs, which use epigenetic mechanisms for modulating a large number of pathways, could be considered as important subjects for lung cancer‐related diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers.
Remimazolan inhibits glioma cell growth and induces apoptosis through down‐regulation of NF‐κB pathway
Authors: Xu Wei , Hu Jiamei , Liu Weiwei , Zhu Qiong , Gong Xuan , Zhu Pengpeng , Yang Xiao , Xia Rui , Xue Rui
Published: December 2020

Glioma alone accounts for 30% of various kinds of primary brain tumors and is the highest cause of mortality associated with intracranial malignant cancers. In the present study, Suzuki‐coupling products of remimazolan were synthesized and investigated for anti‐neoplastic property against glioma cells. RFMSP treatment for 48 hr suppressed viabilities of U‐118MG and U87MG cells in dose dependent manner. Exposure of primary astrocytes to RFMSP at 2–20 μM concentration range minimally affected viabilities. RFMSP treatment at 5 μM doses raised apoptotic cell count to 53.8 ± 2.3% and 48.2 ± 1.8%, respectively in U‐118MG and U87MG cells. Treatment of the cells with RFMSP induced nuclear condensation and subsequent fragmentation. In RFMSP treated U‐118MG and U87MG cells, NF‐κB p65 expression was markedly suppressed compared to the control cells. Additionally, RFMSP treatment decreased the ratio of nuclear to total NF‐κB p65 level in both the cell lines. Treatment of U‐118MG and U87MG cells with 5 μM RFMSP for 48 hr caused a marked down‐regulation in survivin and XIAP levels. Treatment with RFMSP promoted Bax expression and suppressed Bcl‐2 level. The caspase‐9 and ‐3 activation was markedly induced by RFMSP treatment in U‐118MG and U87MG cells compared to the control cells. In summary, the RFMSP synthesized by Suzuki‐coupling of RFMSP inhibited glioma cell survival via DNA damage mediated apoptosis. The anti‐glioma potential of RFMSP involved down‐regulation of NF‐κB expression, targeted survivin & XIAP levels and induced caspase activation in glioma cells. Therefore, RFMSP may be studied further as therapeutic agent for the treatment of glioma.
A predictive model for estimating the number of erythrocytapheresis or phlebotomy treatments for patients with naïve hereditary hemochromatosis
Authors: Rombout‐Sestrienkova Eva , Winkens Bjorn , van Kraaij Marian , van Deursen Cees Th. B. M. , Janssen Mirian C. H. , Rennings Alexander M. J. , Evers Dorothea , Kerkhoffs Jean‐Louis , Masclee Ad , Koek Ger H.
Published: December 2020

Background and Aims

Standard treatment for naïve hereditary hemochromatosis patients consists of phlebotomy or a personalized erythrocytapheresis. Erythrocytapheresis is more efficient, but infrequently used because of perceived costs and specialized equipment being needed. The main aim of our study was to develop a model that predicts the number of initial treatment procedures for both treatment methods. This information may help the clinician to select the optimal treatment modality for the individual patient.

Methods

We analyzed retrospective data of 125 newly diagnosed patients (C282Y homozygous), treated either with phlebotomy (n = 54) or erythrocytapheresis (n = 71) until serum ferritin (SF) reached levels ≤100 μg/L. To estimate the required number of treatment procedures multiple linear regression analysis was used for each treatment method separately.

Results

The linear regression model with the best predictive quality (R2 = 0.74 and 0.73 for erythrocytapheresis and phlebotomy respectively) included initial SF, initial hemoglobin (Hb) level, age, and BMI, where initial SF was independently related to the total number of treatment procedures for both treatment methods. The prediction error expressed in RMSPE and RMSDR was lower for erythrocytapheresis than for phlebotomy (3.8 and 4.1 vs 7.0 and 8.0 respectively),

Conclusions

Although the prediction error of the developed model was relatively large, the model may help the clinician to choose the most optimal treatment method for an individual patient. Generally erythrocytapheresis halves the number of treatment procedures for all patients, where the largest reduction (between 55% and 64%) is reached in patients with an initial Hb level ≥ 9 mmol/L (14.5 g/dL).

ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT00202436.
Role of inflammation in atrial fibrillation: A comprehensive review of current knowledge
Authors: Nso Nso , Bookani Kaveh R. , Metzl Mark , Radparvar Farshid
Published: December 2020

Background

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most common cardiac disorders affecting adults and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Efforts to manage AF through anti‐arrhythmics and rate control have been largely unsatisfactory. It has become clear that AF causes structural alterations in the atrial myocardium that propagate further AF, and that some of these alterations are the result of inflammation.

Methods

An in‐depth review of the available literature was undertaken using Google Scholar and keyword searches including [Atrial fibrillation] in combination with [inflammatory markers], [myocardial fibrosis], and [immunomodulators], limiting the search to English language articles. All articles were reviewed for relevance and collated by the author.

Results

Multiple markers of inflammation have been shown to be elevated in AF and to predict responses to treatments of AF including anti‐arrhythmics and cardioversion. The nidus of inflammation is not clear but seems to be related to the pulmonary veins.

Conclusions

The inflammatory cascade induces fibrotic changes in the myocardium, an arrhythmogenic process that stimulates further inflammation. Advances in treatment are focusing on biological agents and immunomodulators that inhibit the inflammatory cascade.
Automatic hip abductor muscle fat fraction estimation and association with early OA cartilage degeneration biomarkers
Authors: Tibrewala Radhika , Pedoia Valentina , Lee Jinhee , Kinnunen Carla , Popovic Tijana , Zhang Alan L. , Link Thomas M. , Souza Richard B. , Majumdar Sharmila
Published: December 2020

The aim of this study was to develop an automatic segmentation method for hip abductor muscles and find their fat fraction associations with early stage hip osteoarthritis (OA) cartilage degeneration biomarkers. This Institutional Review Board approved, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act compliant prospective study recruited 61 patients with evidence of hip OA or Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI). Magnetic resonance (MR) images were acquired for cartilage segmentation, T1ρ and T2 relaxation times computation and grading of cartilage lesion scores. A 3D V‐Net (Dice loss, Adam optimizer, learning rate = 1e−4, batch size = 3) was trained to segment the three muscles (gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and tensor fascia latae). The V‐Net performance was measured using Dice, distance maps between manual and automatic masks, and Bland‐Altman plots of the fat fractions and volumes. Associations between muscle fat fraction and T1ρ, T2 relaxation times values were found using voxel based relaxometry (VBR). A p < 0.05 was considered significant. The V‐Net had a Dice of 0.90, 0.88, and 0.91 (GMed, GMin, and TFL). The VBR results found associations of fat fraction of all three muscles in early stage OA and FAI patients with T1ρ, T2 relaxation times. Using an automatic, validated segmentation model, the associations derived between OA biomarkers and muscle fat fractions provide insight into early changes that occur in OA, and show that hip abductor muscle fat is associated with markers of cartilage degeneration.
Role of Doppler Ultrasound Analysis of Blood Flow Through the Ophthalmic and Intracranial Arteries in Predicting Neurologic Symptoms During Carotid Endarterectomy
Authors: Franjić Björn Dario , Lovričević Ivo , Brkić Petar , Dobrota Duško , Aždajić Stjepan , Hranjec Jasmina
Published: December 2020

Objectives

Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is frequently performed under locoregional anesthesia. The intraoperative clamping of the internal carotid artery (ICA) leads to cerebral hypoperfusion, which may in some patients result in the development of neurologic symptoms (NS). The objective of our study was to investigate whether there is an association between the preoperative ultrasound (US) Doppler flow in the ophthalmic artery (OA) and intracranial artery and the occurrence of these intraoperative NS.

Methods

We compared 50 patients with NS and 150 patients without NS during CEA. We analyzed their preoperative blood flow characteristics by Doppler US and their clinical and demographic characteristics.

Results

The contralateral ICA occlusion increased the likelihood of intraoperative NS (odds ratio [OR], 8.4; P < .001). Abnormal contralateral OA flow also increased the likelihood of NS (OR, 1.84; P < .001), whereas ipsilateral abnormal OA flow reduced it (OR, 0.73; P = .06). Increased flow in the ipsilateral anterior cerebral artery (ACA) increased the likelihood of NS (OR, 3.3), whereas reversed flow decreased it (OR, 0.1; P = .03). Inverse flow in the contralateral ACA increased the risk (OR, 5.4), whereas increased flow reduced it (OR, 0.2; P = .02). Male patients had a higher risk of NS (P = .09) as well as older patients (P = .05). Eight percent of the patients with NS developed a transient ischemic attack or stroke.

Conclusions

Doppler US analysis of the OA and ACA in combination with analysis of ICA stenosis may be a promising predictor of NS during ICA clamping. This, in turn, may warn the patient and the surgeon of an increased risk during surgery.
Deciphering the pathogenesis of the COL4‐related hematuric nephritis: A genotype/phenotype study
Authors: Uliana Vera , Sebastio Paola , Riva Matteo , Carli Diana , Ruberto Claudio , Bianchi Laura , Graziano Claudio , Capelli Irene , Faletra Flavio , Pillon Roberto , Mattina Teresa , Sensi Alberto , Bonatti Francesco , Percesepe Antonio
Published: December 2020

Background

Alport syndrome (ATS) is a hereditary progressive hematuric nephropathy associated with sensorineural deafness and ocular abnormalities, which is caused by mutations in the COL4A5 gene (X‐linked ATS) and in two autosomal genes, COL4A4 and COL4A3, responsible of both recessive ATS and, when present in heterozygosity, of a spectrum of phenotypes ranging from isolated hematuria to frank renal disease.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of the clinical and genetic features of 76 patients from 34 unrelated ATS families (11 with mutations in COL4A5, 11 in COL4A3, and 12 in COL4A4) and genotype/phenotype correlation for the COL4A3/COL4A4 heterozygotes (34 patients from 14 families).

Results

Eight (24%) of the 34 heterozygous COL4A3 and COL4A4 carriers developed renal failure at a mean age of 57 years, with a significantly lower risk than hemizygous COL4A5 or double heterozygous COL4A3/COL4A4 carriers (p < 0.01), but not different from that of the heterozygous COL4A5 females (p = 0.6). Heterozygous carriers of frameshift/splicing variants in COL4A3/COL4A4 presented a higher risk of developing renal failure than those with missense variants in the glycine domains (p = 0.015).

Conclusion

The renal functional prognosis of patients with COL4A3/COL4A4‐positive ATS recapitulates that of the X‐linked ATS forms, with differences between heterozygous vs. double heterozygous patients and between carriers of loss‐of‐function vs. missense variants.
Punicalagin Prevents Hepatic Steatosis through Improving Lipid Homeostasis and Inflammation in Liver and Adipose Tissue and Modulating Gut Microbiota in Western Diet‐Fed Mice
Authors: Liu Huanhuan , Zhan Qiuyao , Miao Xin , Xia Xiaodong , Yang Gaoji , Peng Xiaoli , Yan Chunhong
Published: December 2020

Scope

Punicalagin (PU)‐rich pomegranate peel extract has been shown before to exert protective effects against high fat‐induced hepatic damage. The aim of this study is to explore whether and how PU antagonizes hepatic steatosis in Western diet‐fed (WD) mice.

Methods and Results

Mice are fed either chow diet, WD (containing 42% fat, 15% protein, and 43% carbohydrates), or WD supplemented with PU (50 mg kg−1body weight/day) for 13 weeks. Weight gain, hepatic fat content, and inflammation in the liver and adipose tissues are measured. Compared to the WD group, PU‐treated mice have lower fat content, decreased levels of alanine transaminase, and inflammation in liver. PU also changed the transcriptional expression of important genes in fatty acid oxidation pathway and alleviated glucose intolerance. Furthermore, PU improved adiponectin signaling and lipid metabolism in visceral adipose tissue. Moreover, PU improved gut microbiota dysbiosis induced by WD and enhanced gut barrier function.

Conclusions

The findings suggest that PU improves hepatic steatosis induced by WD, in part through regulating lipid homeostasis and inflammation in liver and adipose tissue and restoring microbiota shift and impaired gut barrier function. Thus, PU can be potentially developed as a potential prevention strategy in combating nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
Nutrition Management of the High‐Output Fistulae
Authors: Couper Caroline , Doriot Allison , Siddiqui Mohamed Tausif R. , Steiger Ezra
Published: December 2020

Enterocutaneous fistulae (ECFs) are commonly encountered complications in medical and surgical practice. High‐output fistulae are associated with significant morbidity and mortality, poor quality of life, and a substantial healthcare burden. An interdisciplinary team approach is crucial to prevent and mitigate the adverse clinical consequences of high‐output ECFs including sepsis, metabolic derangements, and malnutrition. Patients with ECFs are at a significantly higher risk of developing malnutrition and close monitoring by nutrition support professionals and/or a nutrition support team is an essential component of their medical management. High‐output ECFs often require the initiation of nutrition support through either enteral or parenteral routes. Historically, parenteral nutrition (PN) has been the primary method of nutrition support in these patients. However, oral and enteral nutrition (EN) should remain viable options if an evaluation of the location of the ECF, amount of remaining functional bowel, and volume of ECF output identifies favorable conditions. Additionally, in contrast to PN, oral nutrition and EN are the preferred method of feeding because of the maintenance of the structural and functional integrity of the gastrointestinal tract. The inclusion of pharmacological interventions can greatly assist with the reduction and stabilization of ECF output and thereby permit sustained enteral feeding. Initiation of supplemental or full PN will be required if oral nutrition and EN lead to metabolic derangements, fail to meet energy requirements, or do not maintain or improve the patient's nutrition status. The main focus of this review is to discuss the nutrition management of patients with high‐output ECFs.
Enhanced mandrel design for electrospinning aligned fiber mats from low volatility solvents
Authors: Bhattacharya Somdatta , Woodcock Corey , Linhardt Robert J. , Plawsky Joel L.
Published: December 2020

A cylindrical mandrel with axially aligned rods was designed and tested for the collection of electrospun fibers. Blended polyaniline/polyethylene oxide fibers were electrospun from a solution containing a nonvolatile solvent, m‐cresol. Camphorsulfonic acid served as the primary dopant and m‐cresol were used as the secondary dopant to enhance fiber conductivity. A smooth, rotating cylindrical mandrel collector failed to collect and align fibers and instead afforded a wet, sticky film. An eight‐rod, rotating cylindrical mandrel resulted in a dry, aligned fiber mat composed of 7–10 μm diameter fibers. Alignment was maintained for at least 18 h of continuous spinning and the resulting mat could be easily recovered from the mandrel. A simulation of the rotating system indicated that the efficient formation of dry, nonsticky, aligned fiber mat was facilitated by the high mass transfer coefficient associated with the use of corrugated rods. Experiments indicated that 6–10 rods were optimal avoiding sagging of the fibers at the low end and increased mas transfer resistance at the high end.
The Feasibility of Prehabilitation as Part of the Breast Cancer Treatment Pathway
Authors: Wu Fiona , Laza‐Cagigas Roberto , Pagarkar Aalia , Olaoke Adeola , El Gammal Mohsen , Rampal Tarannum
Published: December 2020

Background

There is compelling support for implementing prehabilitation to optimize perioperative risk factors and to improve postoperative outcomes. However, there is limited evidence studying the application of multimodal prehabilitation for patients with breast cancer.

Objective

To determine the feasibility of multimodal prehabilitation as part of the breast cancer treatment pathway.

Design

This was a prospective, cohort observational study. Breast cancer patients undergoing surgery were recruited. They were assigned to an intervention or control group according to patient preference.

Setting

UK prehabilitation center.

Participants

A total of 75 patients were referred during the study period. Forty eight patients (64%) did not participate; 20 of those opted to be in the control group. Twenty four patients engaged with prehabilitation and returned completed questionnaires. In total, 44 patients were included in the analysis.

Interventions

The program consisted of supervised exercise, nutritional advice, smoking cessation, and psychosocial support.

Outcome Measures

Feasibility was determined by the center's ability to deliver the program. This was measured by the number of patients who wanted to access the service, compared with those able to. Service uptake, patient satisfaction, and project costs were recorded. Patient‐reported outcomes (PROs) and the use of healthcare resources were also evaluated.

Results

A total of 61 patients (81%) wanted to participate; 24 (32%) were able to partake and return questionnaires. Reasons for nonparticipation included surgery within weeks, full‐time commitments, and transportation difficulties. A total of 25 (93%) prehabilitation patients recorded high satisfaction with the program. There was a significant reduction in anxiety among prehabilitation patients. There were no significant improvements in the other PROs. There were no changes to hospital length of stay, readmissions, and complications.

Conclusions

Multimodal prehabilitation is a feasible intervention. Logistical challenges need to be addressed to improve engagement. These results are limited and would require a larger sample to confirm the findings. Work on a thorough cost‐benefit analysis is also required.
Staying in the city or moving to the suburbs? Unravelling the moving behaviour of young families in the four big cities in the Netherlands
Authors: Booi Hester , Boterman Willem R. , Musterd Sako
Published: December 2020

In many postindustrial cities in the Global North, increasing families seem to choose to stay in the city rather than move to the suburbs. This might imply that residential preferences of young families shift from suburban to more urban. In this paper, the moving behaviour of young families in the four largest cities in the Netherlands is analysed. The moving behaviour is measured with register data and analysed with the Oaxaca‐Blinder decomposition technique and with logistic regression techniques. The results show that young families broken down by residential biography and income have very different moving behaviours in their choice for staying in the city or moving to the region around the city. The changes in the outmigration of young families from the city to the region are not necessarily related to changing residential preferences, but more related to changes in the composition within the group of young families. The growth of higher‐income families in cities seem to be primarily explained by the changing composition of city dwellers before family formation and not so much by a more urban orientation in their moving behaviour. Changes in moving patterns through time and the differences between the four cities seem to be related to the differences in the urban economy and housing supply. Especially in Amsterdam, the lack of larger family home drives young families to the suburbs. When cities and suburban regions want to be attractive for young families, the size of the available dwellings is the most important aspect.
Changes of body composition and circulating neopterin, omentin‐1, and chemerin in response to thylakoid‐rich spinach extract with a hypocaloric diet in obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Pourteymour Fard Tabrizi Fatemeh , Abbasalizad Farhangi Mahdieh , Vaezi Maryam , Hemmati Salar
Published: December 2020

This trial evaluated the effects of thylakoid‐rich spinach extract supplementation combined with a hypocaloric diet on body composition and serum levels of neopterin, chemerin, and omentin‐1 in obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). In this randomized controlled trial, 48 obese women with PCOS, aged 20–45 years old, were recruited and randomly divided into thylakoid (n = 24) and placebo (n = 24) groups. They received a low‐calorie diet with 5 g/day thylakoid‐rich spinach extract or a low‐calorie diet with 5 g/day placebo for 12 weeks. The mean age of the participants of the thylakoid group was 31.86 years, and the placebo group was 32.04 years. Thylakoid‐rich spinach extract supplementation with a low‐calorie diet increased serum levels of omentin‐1 (10.90 vs. 3.87 ng/L; p < .001) and decreased fat mass (−5.19 vs. −1.35 kg; p < .001) and serum levels of neopterin (−0.66 vs. −0.38 nmol/L; p = .003) and chemerin (−41.24 vs. −11.26 ng/L; p < .001) in the thylakoid group compared to the placebo group. A significant improvement in omentin‐1, chemerin, and neopterin by thylakoid‐rich spinach extract supplementation was under the influence of weight change and insulin resistance status throughout the study. A significant decrease in the other anthropometric indices and insulin resistance was also observed in the thylakoid group, compared to the placebo group (p < .001, for all parameters). Thylakoid‐rich spinach extract combined with a low‐calorie diet increased circulating omentin‐1 and decreased fat mass, abdominal obesity, as well as circulating chemerin, neopterin, and insulin in obese women with PCOS.
Ultra‐compact accurate wave functions for He‐like and Li‐like iso‐electronic sequences and variational calculus: I. Ground state
Authors: Turbiner Alexander V. , Lopez Vieyra Juan Carlos , del Valle Juan Carlos , Nader Daniel Julia
Published: December 2020

Several ultra‐compact accurate wave functions in the form of generalized Hylleraas‐Kinoshita functions and Guevara‐Harris‐Turbiner functions, which describe the domain of applicability of the Quantum Mechanics of Coulomb Charges (QMCC), for the ground state energies (4‐5 significant digits [s.d.]) of He‐like and Li‐like iso‐electronic sequences in the static approximation with point‐like, infinitely heavy nuclei are constructed. It is shown that for both sequences the obtained parameters can be fitted in Z by simple smooth functions: in general, these parameters differ from the ones emerging in variational calculations. For the He‐like two‐electron sequence the approximate expression for the ground state function, which provides absolute accuracy for the energy ∼10−3 a.u. and the same relative accuracies ∼10−2 to 10−3 for both the cusp parameters and the six expectation values, is found. For the Li‐like three‐electron sequence the most accurate ultra‐compact function taken as the variational trial function provides absolute accuracy for energy ∼10−3 a.u., 2 to 3 s.d. for the electron‐nuclear cusp parameter for Z ≤ 20 and 3 s.d. for the two expectation values for Z = 3.
Adaptive asymptotic tracking control of constrained multi‐input multi‐output nonlinear systems via event‐triggered strategy
Authors: Lei Ting , Meng Wenchao , Zhao Kai , Chen Long
Published: December 2020

It is nontrivial to achieve adaptive asymptotic tracking control of multi‐input multi‐output (MIMO) nonlinear systems subject to asymmetric yet time‐varying output constraint and nonparametric uncertainties. The problem will become even challenging when the event‐triggered mechanism via controller‐to‐actuator channel is considered as it may impose additional design difficulty caused by the high‐order gain matrix. In this article, we present a new event‐based control solution by using the following steps. First, by constructing a new output‐dependent mapping function, not only the limit on constraining boundaries is not required but also the cases with and without constraint can be handled directly and uniformly without changing the control structure; Second, due to the introduction of event‐triggered rule, it is difficult (even impossible) to guarantee the positive definite property of the “virtual” high‐order gain matrix; Hence by imposing a reasonable condition on the original high‐order gain matrix, such difficulty in the event‐triggered control design is solved and the widely used assumption in most existing results of MIMO systems is removed; Furthermore, unlike the corresponding uniformly bounded tracking results, by employing an integrable function coping with nonparametric uncertainties, asymptotic tracking can be achieved. A simulation example is given to illustrate the effectiveness of the developed theoretical result.
Computation of robust control invariant sets with predefined complexity for uncertain systems
Authors: Gupta Ankit , Köroğlu Hakan , Falcone Paolo
Published: December 2020

This paper presents an algorithm that computes polytopic robust control‐invariant (RCI) sets for rationally parameter‐dependent systems with additive disturbances. By means of novel linear matrix inequalities (LMI) feasibility conditions for invariance along with a newly developed method for volume maximization, an iterative algorithm is proposed for the computation of RCI sets with maximized volumes. The obtained RCI sets are symmetric around the origin by construction and have a user‐defined level of complexity. Unlike many similar approaches, the proposed algorithm directly computes the RCI sets without requiring control inputs to be in a specific feedback form. In fact, a specific control input is obtained from the LMI problem for each extreme point of the RCI set. The outcomes of the proposed algorithm can be used to construct a piecewise‐affine controller based on offline computations.
Wildlife trail or systematic? Camera trap placement has little effect on estimates of mammal diversity in a tropical forest in Gabon
Authors: Fonteyn Davy , Vermeulen Cédric , Deflandre Nicolas , Cornelis Daniel , Lhoest Simon , Houngbégnon Fructueux G. A. , Doucet Jean‐Louis , Fayolle Adeline
Published: December 2020

Camera traps (CTs) have been increasingly used for wildlife monitoring worldwide. In the tropics, most CT inventories target wildlife‐friendly sites, and CTs are commonly placed towards wildlife trails. However, it has been argued that this placement strategy potentially provides biased results in comparison to more systematic or randomized approaches. Here, we investigated the impact of CT placement on the remotely sensed mammal diversity in a tropical forest in Gabon by comparing pairs of systematically placed and wildlife‐trail‐oriented CTs. Our survey protocol consisted of 15–17 sampling points arranged on a 2 km2 grid and left for one month in the field. This protocol was replicated sequentially in four areas. Each sampling point comprised a CT pair: the ‘systematic CT’, installed at the theoretical point and systematically oriented towards the most uncluttered view; and the ‘trail CT’, placed within a 20‐m radius and facing a wildlife trail. For the vast majority of species, the detection probabilities were comparable between placements. Species average capture rates were slightly higher for trail‐based CTs, though this trend was not significant for any species. Therefore, the species richness and composition of the overall community, such as the spatial distribution patterns (from evenly spread to site‐restricted) of individual species, were similarly depicted by both placements. Opting for a systematic orientation ensures that pathways used preferentially by some species—and avoided by others—will be sampled proportionally to their density in the forest undergrowth. However, trail‐based placement is routinely used, already producing standardised data within large‐scale monitoring programmes. Here, both placements provided a comparable picture of the mammal community, though it might not be necessarily true in depauperate areas. Both types of CT data can nevertheless be combined in multi‐site analyses, since methods now allow accounting for differences in study design and detection bias in original CT data.
Reflections on the 1962 Paper “The Statistician in Medicine” by Sir Austin Bradford Hill
Authors: Lin Xihong
Published: December 2020

This article provides reflections on the 1962 paper by Sir Austin Bradford Hill, entitled “The Statistician in Medicine.” It discusses several key takeaways of this paper, including causal inference for big data, reproducibility and replicability in science, and integration of statistics and data science with domain science.
The Best of Eos in 2020
Authors:   AGU
Published: December 2020

What Earth and space science stories stood out this year, and what are we looking forward to in 2021?
Microstructural Shift due to Post‐Deformation Annealing in the Upper Mantle
Authors: Boneh Yuval , Chin Emily J. , Chilson‐Parks Benjamin H. , Saal Alberto E. , Hauri Erik H. , Carter Hearn B. , Hirth Greg
Published: December 2020

Syntectonic microstructural evolution is a well‐known phenomenon in the mantle and lower crust associated with two main processes: grain size reduction through dynamic recrystallization and development of crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO). However, the effects of annealing via static recrystallization on grain size and CPO have been largely overlooked. We investigated mantle annealing by analyzing a suite of kimberlite‐hosted garnet peridotite xenoliths from the Wyoming Craton. We focus on five xenoliths that show microstructures reflecting different degrees of recrystallization, with annealed grains characterized by distinctive faceted boundaries crosscutting surrounding, nonfaceted matrix grains. These textures are indicative of discontinuous static recrystallization (DiSRX). Electron backscatter diffraction analysis further demonstrates a ∼10°–20° misorientation between DiSRXed grains and the matrix grains, resulting in an overall weaker CPO. These characteristics are remarkably similar to microstructures observed in samples that were annealed after deformation in the laboratory. Measurements of the thermal conditions and water contents associated with the last equilibration of the xenoliths suggests that high homologous temperatures (T/Tm > 0.9) are necessary to induce DiSRX. We postulate that annealing through DiSRX occurs under high temperatures after a short episode of intense deformation (years to hundreds of years) with timescales for annealing estimated as weeks to years, significantly slower than the timescale of hours expected for a kimberlitic magma ascent. We conclude that microstructural transformation due to DiSRX will occur during transient heating events associated with mantle upwelling, plumes, and lithospheric thinning.
Distribution and Antibiotic Resistance Profiles of Salmonella enterica in Rural Areas of North Carolina After Hurricane Florence in 2018
Authors: Mao Yuqing , Zeineldin Mohamed , Usmani Moiz , Uprety Sital , Shisler Joanna L. , Jutla Antarpreet , Unnikrishnan Avinash , Nguyen Thanh H.
Published: December 2020

In this study, water samples were analyzed from a rural area of North Carolina after Hurricane Florence in 2018 and the distribution of the ttrC virulence gene of Salmonella enterica were investigated. We also examined the distribution of culturable S. enterica and determined their antibiotic resistance profiles. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the classes of aminoglycoside, beta‐lactam, and macrolide‐lincosamide‐streptogramin B (MLSB) were targeted in this study. The ttrC gene was detected in 23 out of 25 locations. There was a wider and higher range of the ttrC gene in flooded water versus unflooded water samples (0–2.12 × 105 copies/L vs. 0–4.86 × 104 copies/L). Culturable S. enterica was isolated from 10 of 25 sampling locations, which was less prevalent than the distribution of the ttrC gene. The antibiotic resistance profiles were not distinct among the S. enterica isolates. The aminoglycoside resistance gene aac(6')‐Iy had the highest relative abundance (around 0.05 copies/16S rRNA gene copy in all isolates) among all ARGs. These findings suggested that the 2018 flooding event led to higher copy numbers of the ttrC genes of S. enterica in some flooded water bodies compared to those in unflooded water bodies. The high ARG level and similar ARG profiles were observed in all S. enterica isolates from both flooded and unflooded samples, suggesting that the antibiotic resistance was prevalent in S. enterica within this region, regardless of flooding.