bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is there a relationship between causative microorganisms and hearing loss in neonatal sepsis?
Authors: Yilmaz Fatma Hilal , Emiroğlu Nuriye , Oflaz Mehmet Burhan , Yücel Mehmet , Keçeci Ramazan , Arbağ Hamdi , Altunhan Hüseyin , Çeri Ayhan
Published: January 2021

Background

The aim of the present study was to determine the possible relationship between cultured microorganisms and hearing loss in infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) who could not pass a standard hearing test.

Method

The medical records of infants treated at the NICU were retrospectively evaluated. The patients were first divided into two groups, and group 1 was divided into two subgroups: Group 1 included patients with hearing loss accompanied by proven sepsis caused by either gram‐negative (group 1A) or gram‐positive (group 1B) bacteria, and group 2 included patients with clinical sepsis. The groups were compared with potential risk factors related to hearing loss.

Results

Between January 2014 and January 2019, the cases of 3,800 infants admitted to the NICU were reviewed. Of 3,548 living babies, the Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) test showed that 35 infants (0.98%) were diagnosed with hearing loss. In 12 infants with hearing loss, microbial growth in the blood cultures was detected, whereas in the remaining 23, the blood cultures were negative. Of the cases with microbial growth, five were gram negative and seven were gram positive. In the comparison of groups 1A, 1B, and 2, there were statistically significant differences in terms of risk factors such as low birth weight (p = .048), neonatal hospitalization time (p = .001), free oxygen support (p = .001), intraventricular bleeding (p = .001), loop diuretic use (p = .001), and blood transfusion (p = .048).

Conclusion

The relationship between hearing loss and microorganisms causing sepsis could not be determined in this research.
Cortical morphometric changes associated with completeness, level, and duration of spinal cord injury in humans: A case–control study
Authors: Guo Yun , Gao Feng , Guo Hua , Yu Weiyong , Chen Zhenbo , Yang Mingliang , Yang Degang , Du Liangjie , Li Jianjun
Published: January 2021

Objective

This study investigated how the injury completeness, level, and duration of spinal cord injury (SCI) affect cortical morphometric changes in humans.

Methods

T1‐weighted images were acquired from 59 SCI patients and 37 healthy controls. Voxel‐based morphometry analyses of the gray matter volume (GMV) were performed between SCI patients and healthy controls, complete SCI and incomplete SCI, and tetraplegia and paraplegia. Correlation analyses were performed to explore the associations between GMV and clinical variables in SCI patients.

Results

Compared to healthy controls, SCI patients showed decreased GMV in bilateral middle frontal gyrus, left superior frontal gyrus (SFG), left medial frontal gyrus in the whole‐brain analysis, while increased GMV in right supplementary motor area and right pallidum in ROI analysis. The complete SCI had lower GMV in left primary somatosensory cortex (S1) and higher GMV in left primary motor cortex compared with incomplete SCI. Lower GMV was identified in left thalamus and SFG in tetraplegia than that in paraplegia. Moreover, time since injury was positive with the GMV in right pallidum, positive correlations were observed between the GMV in bilateral S1 and total motor and sensory scores, whereas the GMV in left cuneus was negatively correlated with total motor and sensory scores in SCI patients.

Conclusions

The study provided imaging evidence for identifying cerebral structural abnormalities in SCI patients and significant differences in complete/incomplete and paraplegia/tetraplegia subgroups. These results suggested brain structural changes occur after SCI and these changes may depend on the injury completeness, level, and duration.
Cumulative incidence of venous thromboembolism in patients with advanced cancer in prospective observational study
Authors: Kenmotsu Hirotsugu , Notsu Akifumi , Mori Keita , Omori Shota , Tsushima Takahiro , Satake Yasuomi , Miki Yoshihiro , Abe Masakazu , Ogiku Masahito , Nakamura Toshio , Takagi Masakazu , Ochiai Hideto , Yasui Hirofumi , Takahashi Toshiaki
Published: January 2021

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is frequently observed in patients with advanced cancer. The objective of this prospective observational study was to estimate, based on intensive screening, using computed tomography, lower‐extremity ultrasonography, and D‐dimer testing, the prevalence of VTE in patients with advanced cancer.

Patients with metastatic or locally advanced cancer without anticoagulant therapy, who were planning to receive chemotherapy during 4 weeks, were eligible. Evaluations of VTE were performed at pretreatment, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks after the start of chemotherapy. Primary endpoint was cumulative incidence of VTE for 24 weeks. Secondary endpoints included incidence of VTE (pretreatment, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks after the start of chemotherapy), VTE according to primary cancer site, symptomatic VTE, pulmonary thromboembolism (PE), and treatment of VTE.

We enrolled 860 patients with a median age of 68 years, including 34% female and 71% lung cancer. Cumulative incidence of VTE for 24 weeks was 22.6% (95% confidence interval: 19.8%–25.5%) (194 of 860 patients). Incidence of VTE was 11.3% pretreatment, 16.8% 12 weeks, and 14.1% 24 weeks. Symptomatic VTE was observed in 4.0% and PE in 1.0% of patients. By multivariate analysis, sex, D‐dimer level, and platelet count were independent risk factors of VTE for 24 weeks.

This large prospective observational study showed that cumulative incidence of VTE was high in advanced cancer patients, mainly lung cancer. Although most patients showed asymptomatic VTE, intensive screening of VTE may be considered in advanced cancer patients, especially in women with high level of D‐dimer and decreased platelet count (UMIN000015243).
Regional and temporal variation in receipt of long‐term opioid therapy among older breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancer survivors in the United States
Authors: Gibson Derrick C. , Raji Mukaila A. , Baillargeon Jacques G. , Kuo Yong‐Fang
Published: January 2021

Background

Older cancer survivors have high rates of long‐term opioid therapy (≥90 days/year). However, the geographical and temporal variation in long‐term opioid therapy rates for older cancer survivors is not known.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was conducted using SEER‐Medicare data. Persons aged ≥66 years, diagnosed with breast, colorectal, lung, or prostate cancer from 1991 to 2011, and alive ≥5 years after diagnosis were included. Persons were followed from 1/1/2008 until 12/31/2016. Persons were assigned to a census region in their state of residence each year. Individuals who were covered by an opioid prescription for at least 90 days in a calendar year were classified as having received long‐term opioid therapy. Multivariable analysis was conducted using generalized estimating equations.

Results

Temporal trends significantly varied by region (p < 0.0001) and opioid‐naïve status (p < 0.0001). Compared to 2013, opioid‐naïve cancer survivors in the south and non‐naïve survivors in the south and west experienced significant declines in long‐term opioid therapy in 2015 and 2016. Significant declines were observed in 2016 for opioid‐naïve and non‐naïve cancer survivors residing in the northeast and among opioid‐naïve cancer survivors living in the Midwest.

Conclusion

The annual trends in the receipt of long‐term opioid therapy significantly varied by region among older cancer survivors. Variation in a clinical practice suggests the need for more research and interventions to improve efficiency, process, cost, and quality of care.
The effect of transcatheter aortic valve implantation approaches on mortality
Authors: Nijenhuis Vincent J. , Meyer Alexander , Brouwer Jorn , Mahmoodi Bakhtawar K. , Unbehaun Axel , Spaziano Marco , Buzzatti Nicola , Stundl Anja , Jørgensen Troels H. , Kooistra Nynke H.M. , Adamo Marianna , Saraf Smriti , Amrane Hafid , Bruschi Giuseppe , Zivelonghi Carlo , Swaans Martin J. , Werner Nikos , Nickenig Georg , Hildick‐Smith David , Stella Pieter R. , Latib Azeem , Soendergaard Lars , Sinning Jan‐Malte , Lefevre Thierry , Pasic Miralem , Kempfert Jorg , ten Berg Jurrien M.
Published: January 2021

Objectives

We aimed to evaluate the effect of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) approaches on mortality and identify effect modifiers and predictors for mortality.

Background

Alternative access routes to transfemoral (TF) TAVI include the surgical intra‐thoracic direct‐aortic (DA) and transapical (TA) approach. TA TAVI has been associated with a higher mortality rate. We hypothesized that this is related to effect modifiers, in particular the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).

Methods

This multicentre study derived its data from prospective registries. To adjust for confounders, we used propensity‐score based, stabilized inverse probability weighted Cox regression models.

Results

In total, 5,910 patients underwent TAVI via TF (N = 4,072), DA (N = 524), and TA (N = 1,314) access. Compared to TF, 30‐day mortality was increased among DA (HR 1.87, 95%CI 1.26–2.78, p = .002) and TA (HR 3.34, 95%CI 2.28–4.89, p < .001) cases. Compared to TF, 5‐year mortality was increased among TA cases (HR 1.50, 95%CI 1.24–1.83, p < .001). None of the variables showed a significant interaction between the approaches and mortality. An impaired LVEF (≤35%) increased mortality in all approaches.

Conclusions

The surgical intra‐thoracic TA and DA TAVI are both associated with a higher 30‐day mortality than TF TAVI. TA TAVI is associated with a higher 5‐year mortality than TF TAVI. The DA approach may therefore have some advantages over the TA approach when TF access is not feasible.
Effect of enzyme on the demulsification of emulsion during aqueous enzymatic extraction and the corresponding mechanism
Authors: Niu Ruihao , Zhou Longzheng , Chen Fusheng , Zhu Tingwei , Duan Xiaojie
Published: January 2021

Backgrounds and objectives

Emulsion is formed during the aqueous enzymatic extraction (AEE) of peanut oil and protein. Protein and phospholipid, the main emulsifiers, play an important role in the stability of this emulsion. In this study, phospholipase A1, phospholipase A2, phospholipase D, papain, or Alcalase 2.4 L was used as demulsification agents. The phospholipid composition, interfacial protein concentration and composition, viscosity, particle diameter distribution, and microstructure of the emulsion during demulsification were evaluated.

Findings

Nuclear magnetic resonance analysis showed that the content of phosphatidylcholine decreased by 12.3% after treatment with the three phospholipases, whereas the content of phosphatidic acid increased 9 times. Treatment with protease caused the molecular weight of interfacial proteins and the viscosity of the emulsion significantly decreased, and the average particle diameter increased 8 times.

Conclusions

The free oil yields obtained using PLA1, PLA1/PLA2, PLD, Alcalase 2.4 L, and papain were 45.6%, 85.3%, 30.7%, 84.3%, and 93.8%, respectively. Papain destroyed the interfacial membrane of the emulsion and had the best demulsification effect.

Significance and novelty

The findings solve the problem of difficult demulsification during the extraction of peanut oil by AEE and provide a theoretical basis for the large‐scale industrial application of the demonstrated demulsification method.
RCU‐HTM: A generic synchronization technique for highly efficient concurrent search trees
Authors: Siakavaras Dimitrios , Nikas Konstantinos , Goumas Georgios , Koziris Nectarios
Published: January 2021

Concurrent search trees (STs) are among the most widely used data structures to store and retrieve data in contemporary multithreaded applications. Despite the high amount of prior work, it still remains challenging to implement highly efficient concurrent STs. This is mainly due to the fact that both traditional synchronization methods (i.e., locks and atomic operations) and more novel ones (i.e., read‐copy‐update and transactional memory) fail to provide solutions that are generic and at the same time able to attain high performance under diverse workloads and contention levels. In this work, we present RCU‐HTM, a technique that combines read‐copy‐update (RCU) and hardware transactional memory (HTM), and: (a) supports the implementation of a concurrent version of any type of search tree, and (b) achieves high performance across all execution scenarios. We also incorporate a low‐overhead, epoch‐based memory reclamation scheme to make our RCU‐HTM trees practical for large‐scale long‐running applications. To showcase the capabilities of our technique, we implement and evaluate multiple RCU‐HTM trees and compare their performance with several state‐of‐the‐art competitors. More specifically, we apply RCU‐HTM to 12 different types of binary, B+ and (a,b)‐trees and compare against 18 state‐of‐the‐art implementations that use four different synchronization mechanisms, namely, locks, atomic operations, RCU, and HTM. We evaluate the trees under different levels of contention by varying the size of the tree, the operations mix, and the number of threads, for a total of 210 execution scenarios for each implementation. Our evaluation shows that in the majority of executions, RCU‐HTM trees outperform their state‐of‐the‐art alternatives, and even in the cases where they do not, their performance is very close to that of the best implementation.
Mapping the genetic loci regulating leaf epicuticular wax, canopy temperature, and drought susceptibility index in Triticum aestivum
Authors: Mohammed Suheb , Huggins Trevis , Mason Esten , Beecher Francis , Chick Christopher , Sengodon Padma , Paudel Ashima , Ibrahim Amir , Tilley Michael , Hays Dirk
Published: January 2021

Earlier studies have shown the significant impact of leaf glaucousness and cooler canopies on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield. However, breeding for drought adaptive traits and potential yield as responses to heat or water deficit were poor. The genetic basis for drought‐adaptive traits and yield potential were assessed using quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis. The 180 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) were derived from a cross between ‘Len’ (USA) and ‘Halberd’ (Australian) wheat lines. The RIL population and the parents were genotyped with a 90K Infinium single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) library to construct 22 linkage groups. The QTLs segregating for leaf epicuticular wax (EW), cooler canopies, drought susceptibility index (DSI), and grain attributes were identified in the population across five environments. The QTLs associated with leaf EW, cooler canopies, DSI–mean single head weight (MSHW), DSI–thousand‐kernel weight (TKW), and grain attributes co‐localized on chromosomes 1A, 2B, 3B, 6B, 7A, and 7B. Gene ontology of the leaf EW QTLs on chromosomes 2B and 3B indicated that their sequences were similar to an Arabidopsis ABC transporter gene, and the leaf EW QTL on chromosome 7B was similar to the sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] ethylene‐insensitive gene. The favorable alleles associated with moisture stress tolerance were associated with the Halberd parent. The genetic loci (QWax.tam‐3B and QCTP.tam‐2B, QDSIM.tam‐2B.1) with higher logarithm of odds (LOD) and R² values could be important potential tools in breeding to improve. The chromosomal regions identified in this study can provide breeders with additional tools to develop drought‐ and heat‐tolerant cultivars through breeding.
Comparison of alfalfa mixed with tall fescue and bermudagrass on forage accumulation, botanical composition, and nutritive value
Authors: Quinby Marcia P. , Nave Renata L. G. , Sulc R. Mark , Castillo Miguel S. , Bates Gary E. , Schneider Liesel G. , McIntosh David W.
Published: January 2021

In order to utilize alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), alone or in mixtures with grasses, defoliation management practices must be evaluated to assess their performance. The objective was to determine the forage accumulation (FA) and nutritive value of alfalfa grown as a monoculture (ALF) and in mixtures with tall fescue [Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) Darbyish] (ATF) or bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers] (ABG) subjected to four harvest intervals (clipped every 21, 28, 35, and 42 d). The study was conducted in Crossville, TN, and Charleston, OH, during the 2016 and 2017 growing seasons, and in Salisbury, NC, during the 2017 and 2018 growing seasons. Harvest intervals of 35 d or greater showed optimal FA, with greatest productivity in spring. In summer, the plot productivity of ATF was not different from ABG. The ATF mixture was superior to ABG in FA for the entire season. Although tall fescue can be very competitive with alfalfa in mixtures, it results in greater FA while reducing weed competition. Botanical composition indicated greater weed infestation in ALF than in mixtures. Growing alfalfa–grass mixtures can increase sward crude protein compared with grass monocultures (average of 128 g kg–1 for ATF and 161 g kg–1 for ABG). We conclude that harvest intervals of 35 d or longer should be adopted to provide greater FA, and the ALF and ATF treatments resulted in superior FA compared with ABG in the southern United States.
In‐Situ Characterization of Dynamic Morphological and Phase Changes of Selenium‐doped Germanium Using a Single Particle Cell and Synchrotron Transmission X‐ray Microscopy
Authors: Li Tianyi , Zhou Xinwei , Cui Yi , Meyerson Melissa L. , Weeks Jason A. , Buddie Mullins C. , De Andrade Vincent , De Carlo Francesco , Liu Yuzi , Zhu Likun
Published: January 2021

The dynamic information of lithium‐ion battery active materials obtained from coin cell‐based in‐situ characterizations might not represent the properties of the active material itself because many other factors in the cell could have impacts on the cell performance. To address this problem, a single particle cell was developed to perform the in‐situ characterization without the interference of inactive materials in the battery electrode as well as the X‐ray‐induced damage. In this study, the dynamic morphological and phase changes of selenium‐doped germanium (Ge0.9Se0.1) at the single particle level were investigated via synchrotron‐based in‐situ transmission X‐ray microscopy. The results demonstrate the good reversibility of Ge0.9Se0.1 at high cycling rate that helps understand its good cycling performance and rate capability. This in‐situ and operando technique based on a single particle battery cell provides an approach to understanding the dynamic electrochemical processes of battery materials during charging and discharging at the particle level.
Molecular cytopathology diagnosis of a lung neoplasm: Case report of an unusual non‐small cell carcinoma with MET exon 14 skipping mutation
Authors: Hosseini S. Mohsen , Khanafshar Elham , Seeley Eric J. , Ruiz‐Cordero Roberto
Published: January 2021

Here we report the combined cytological and molecular diagnosis of a lung mass. The cytology and extensive immunohistochemistry on an endobronchial ultrasound‐guided fine needle aspiration biopsy were inconclusive. By genomic profiling of the cell block material, we identified a MET exon 14 skipping mutation that indicated a lung origin and made the patient eligible for the tyrosine kinase inhibitor, crizotinib. This case is a prime example of complementing adequate aspiration and cell block processing techniques with molecular testing. Such an approach would augment the usability of fine needle aspiration biopsy, both as a diagnostic modality and as the first line to find therapeutic targets in the era of precision medicine.
Early maternal and paternal caregiving moderates the links between preschoolers' reactivity and regulation and maturation of the HPA‐immune axis
Authors: Abraham Eyal , Zagoory‐Sharon Orna , Feldman Ruth
Published: January 2021

While early caregiving and child's temperamental dispositions work in concert to shape social‐emotional outcomes, their unique and joint contribution to the maturation of the child's stress and immune systems remain unclear. We followed children longitudinally from infancy to preschool to address the buffering effect of early parenting on the link between temperamental dysregulation and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA)‐immune axis in preschool‐aged children. Participants included 47 typically developing children and their 94 parents in both mother‐father and two‐father families followed across the first 4‐years of family formation. In infancy, we observed parent‐infant synchrony and measured parental oxytocin; in preschool, we observed temperamental reactivity and self‐regulation and assessed children's cortisol and secretory Immunoglobulin A (s‐IgA), biomarkers of the stress and immune systems. Greater self‐regulation and lower negative emotionality were associated with lower baseline s‐IgA and cortisol, respectively. However, these links were defined by interactive effects so that preschoolers with low self‐regulation displayed higher s‐IgA levels only in cases of low parent‐infant synchrony and negative emotionality linked with greater baseline cortisol levels only when parental oxytocin levels were low. Results emphasize the long‐term stress‐buffering role of the neurobiology of parental care, demonstrate comparable developmental paths for mothers and fathers, and delineate the complex developmental cascades to the maturation of children's stress‐management systems.
Blastocyst complementation reveals that NKX2‐1 establishes the proximal‐peripheral boundary of the airway epithelium
Authors: Li Enhong , Ustiyan Vladimir , Wen Bingqiang , Kalin Gregory T. , Whitsett Jeffrey A. , Kalin Tanya V. , Kalinichenko Vladimir V.
Published: January 2021

Background

Distinct boundaries between the proximal conducting airways and more peripheral‐bronchial regions of the lung are established early in foregut embryogenesis, demarcated in part by the distribution of SOX family and NKX2‐1 transcription factors along the cephalo‐caudal axis of the lung. We used blastocyst complementation to identify the role of NKX2‐1 in the formation of the proximal‐peripheral boundary of the airways in mouse chimeric embryos.

Results

While Nkx2‐1−/− mouse embryos form primordial tracheal cysts, peripheral pulmonary structures are entirely lacking in Nkx2‐1−/−mice. Complementation of Nkx2‐1−/− embryos with NKX2‐1‐sufficient embryonic stem cells (ESCs) enabled the formation of all tissue components of the peripheral lung but did not enhance ESC colonization of the most proximal regions of the airways. In chimeric mice, a precise boundary was formed between NKX2‐1‐deficient basal cells co‐expressing SOX2 and SOX9 in large airways and ESC‐derived NKX2‐1+SOX9+ epithelial cells of smaller airways. NKX2‐1‐sufficient ESCs were able to selectively complement peripheral, rather than most proximal regions of the airways. ESC complementation did not prevent ectopic expression of SOX9 but restored β‐catenin signaling in Nkx2‐1−/− basal cells of large airways.

Conclusions

NKX2‐1 and β‐catenin function in an epithelial cell‐autonomous manner to establish the proximal‐peripheral boundary along developing airways.
Evaluating a trait‐based approach to compare natural enemy and pest communities in agroforestry vs. arable systems
Authors: Staton Tom , Walters Richard J. , Smith Jo , Breeze Tom D. , Girling Robbie D.
Published: January 2021

Diversified farming systems, for example those that incorporate agroforestry elements, have been proposed as a solution that could maintain and improve multiple ecosystem services. However, habitat diversification in and around arable fields has complex and inconsistent effects on invertebrate crop pests and their natural enemies. This hinders the development of policy recommendations to promote the adoption of such management strategies for the provision of natural pest control services. Here, for the first time, we conducted a trait‐based approach to investigate the effect of farming system on plant, invertebrate herbivore, and invertebrate natural enemy communities. We then evaluated this approach by comparing the results to those generated using a traditional taxonomic approach. At each of three working farms, we sampled within an agroforestry field (a diverse farming system comprising alleys of arable crops separated by tree rows), and within a paired non‐diversified area of the farm (arable control field). Each of 96 sample points was sampled between 8 and 10 times, yielding 393,318 invertebrate specimens from 344 taxonomic groups. Diet specialization or granivory, lack of a pupal stage, and wing traits in invertebrates, along with late flowering, short flowering duration, creeping habit, and perenniality in plants, were traits more strongly associated with agroforestry crop alleys than the arable control fields. We hypothesize that this is a result of reduced habitat disturbance and increased habitat complexity in the agroforestry system. Taxonomic richness and diversity were higher in the agroforestry crop alleys compared to the arable control fields, but these effects were stronger at lower trophic levels. However, functional trait diversity of natural enemies was significantly higher in the agroforestry crop alleys than the arable control fields, suggesting an improved level of biocontrol, which was not detected by traditional diversity metrics. Of eight key pest taxa, three were significantly suppressed in the agroforestry system, while two were more abundant, compared to the arable control fields. Trait‐based approaches can provide a better mechanistic understanding of farming system effects on pests and their natural enemies, therefore we recommend their application and testing in future studies of diversified farming systems.
Functionally reversible impacts of disturbances on lake food webs linked to spatial and seasonal dependencies
Authors: Urrutia‐Cordero Pablo , Langenheder Silke , Striebel Maren , Eklöv Peter , Angeler David G. , Bertilsson Stefan , Csitári Bianka , Hansson Lars‐Anders , Kelpsiene Egle , Laudon Hjalmar , Lundgren Maria , Osman Omneya Ahmed , Parkefelt Linda , Hillebrand Helmut
Published: January 2021

Increasing human impact on the environment is causing drastic changes in disturbance regimes and how they prevail over time. Of increasing relevance is to further our understanding on biological responses to pulse disturbances (short duration) and how they interact with other ongoing press disturbances (constantly present). Because the temporal and spatial contexts of single experiments often limit our ability to generalize results across space and time, we conducted a modularized mesocosm experiment replicated in space (five lakes along a latitudinal gradient in Scandinavia) and time (two seasons, spring and summer) to generate general predictions on how the functioning and composition of multitrophic plankton communities (zoo‐, phyto‐ and bacterioplankton) respond to pulse disturbances acting either in isolation or combined with press disturbances. As pulse disturbance, we used short‐term changes in fish presence, and as press disturbance, we addressed the ongoing reduction in light availability caused by increased cloudiness and lake browning in many boreal and subarctic lakes. First, our results show that the top‐down pulse disturbance had the strongest effects on both functioning and composition of the three trophic levels across sites and seasons, with signs for interactive impacts with the bottom‐up press disturbance on phytoplankton communities. Second, community composition responses to disturbances were highly divergent between lakes and seasons: temporal accumulated community turnover of the same trophic level either increased (destabilization) or decreased (stabilization) in response to the disturbances compared to control conditions. Third, we found functional recovery from the pulse disturbances to be frequent at the end of most experiments. In a broader context, these results demonstrate that top‐down, pulse disturbances, either alone or with additional constant stress upon primary producers caused by bottom‐up disturbances, can induce profound but often functionally reversible changes across multiple trophic levels, which are strongly linked to spatial and temporal context dependencies. Furthermore, the identified dichotomy of disturbance effects on the turnover in community composition demonstrates the potential of disturbances to either stabilize or destabilize biodiversity patterns over time across a wide range of environmental conditions.
Bacteria and cancer cell pearl chain under dielectrophoresis
Authors: Kong Tian Fook , Tan Pei Yen , Tay Benjamin Zikai , Shen Xinhui , Marcos
Published: January 2021

In this work, we aim to observe and study the physics of bacteria and cancer cells pearl chain formation under dielectrophoresis (DEP). Experimentally, we visualized the formation of Bacillus subtilis bacterial pearl chain and human breast cancer cell (MCF‐7) chain under positive and negative dielectrophoretic force, respectively. Through a simple simulation with creeping flow, AC/DC electric fields, and particle tracing modules in COMSOL, we examined the mechanism by which bacteria self‐organize into a pearl chain across the gap between two electrodes via DEP. Our simulation results reveal that the region of greatest positive DEP force shifts from the electrode edge to the leading edge of the pearl chain, thus guiding the trajectories of free‐flowing particles toward the leading edge via positive DEP. Our findings additionally highlight the mechanism why the free‐flowing particles are more likely to join the existing pearl chain rather than starting a new pearl chain. This phenomenon is primarily due to the increase in magnitude of electric field gradient, and hence DEP force exerted, with the shortening gap between the pearl chain leading edge and the adjacent electrode. The findings shed light on the observed behavior of preferential pearl chain formation across electrode gaps.
A security‐driven network architecture for routing in industrial Internet of Things
Authors: Cao Jian , Wang Xingwei , Huang Min , Yi Bo , He Qiang
Published: January 2021

Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), as the integration of industrial network and IoT, has attracted a lot of attention from both academia and industry. However, with such integration deepens, many issues suffered by the industrial networks are exposed and magnified. The secure routing is a key focus, since the industrial environment is extremely vulnerable and many potential threats (eg, distributed denial of service and selfish attacks) are introduced due to the connection to the Internet. In order to prevent the threats from the Internet and embrace the benefits of IIoT, a security‐driven network framework for routing is particularly designed. Specifically, we first leverage the technologies of software‐defined networking (SDN), network function virtualization (NFV), and blockchain to create the overall framework which is flexible, programmable, and secure. On one hand, the three‐level structure of SDN/NFV is applied to each domain, based on which we can flexibly control and program the underlying forwarding devices in this domain for the purpose of calculating the optimal routing policies. On the other hand, the blockchain is applied among different SDN controllers to create a trust and untamperable environment. Then, under this framework, a secure routing mechanism is proposed as well to prevent the attacks on the basis of node identity authentication and node behavior authentication. The simulation experiments are carried out on the OMNet++ platform and the experimental results indicate that the proposed mechanism outperforms the other state‐of‐the‐art methods in terms of scalability and robustness especially when encountering malicious attacks.
Convolution‐based filtering and forecasting: An application to WTI crude oil prices
Authors: Gourieroux Christian , Jasiak Joann , Tong Michelle
Published: January 2021

We introduce new methods of filtering and forecasting for the causal–noncausal convolution model. This model represents the dynamics of stationary processes with local explosions, such as spikes and bubbles, which characterize the time series of commodity prices, cryptocurrency exchange rates, and other financial and macroeconomic variables. The convolution model is a structural mixture of independent latent causal and noncausal component series. We propose an algorithm that recovers the latent components by evaluating the filtering density of one component, conditional on the observed past, present, and future values of the time series. Forecasts of the observed time series are obtained as a combination of filtered causal and noncausal component forecasts. The new filtering and forecasting methods are illustrated in a simulation study and compared with the results obtained from the mixed causal–noncausal autoregressive MAR model in application to WTI crude oil prices.
Efficacy of stinging nettle extract in combination with ε‐polylysine on the quality, safety, and shelf life of rainbow trout fillets
Authors: Alirezalu Kazem , Yaghoubi Milad , Nemati Zabihollah , Farmani Boukaga , Mousavi Khaneghah Amin
Published: January 2021

The effects of incorporation of stinging nettle extract (3% and 6%) and ɛ‐polylysine (0.1% and 0.2%) on chemical, microbial properties, and stability of rainbow trout fish fillets wrapped in polyethylene bags (in atmosphere condition) and refrigerated for 12 days at 4°C were evaluated. No remarkable differences regarding the chemical composition of rainbow trout fish (protein, moisture, fat, and ash content) resulting from the treatments were noted. The lowest TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reactive substance) and the highest phenolic compounds were noted in samples treated with 6% SNE + 0.2% ɛ‐PL on day 12, while the highest inhibitory effects against the growth of TVC, psychrotrophic bacteria, coliform, yeast, and molds corresponded to samples treated with 6% SNE (T4 and T5) at day 12. During the storage, the samples' TVB‐N (total volatile base nitrogen) increased, whereas the total phenolic content of the rainbow trout samples declined. The rainbow trout samples treated with 6% SNE + 0.2% ɛ‐PL had the highest amount of redness and the lowest TVB‐N values. Therefore, these natural ingredients could be used to maintain rainbow trout meat quality and shelf life.
Disrupted connectivity within visual, attentional and salience networks in the visual snow syndrome
Authors: Puledda Francesca , O'Daly Owen , Schankin Christoph , Ffytche Dominic , Williams Steven CR , Goadsby Peter J
Published: January 2021

Here we investigate brain functional connectivity in patients with visual snow syndrome (VSS). Our main objective was to understand more about the underlying pathophysiology of this neurological syndrome. Twenty‐four patients with VSS and an equal number of gender and age‐matched healthy volunteers attended MRI sessions in which whole‐brain maps of functional connectivity were acquired under two conditions: at rest while watching a blank screen and during a visual paradigm consisting of a visual‐snow like stimulus. Eight unilateral seed regions were selected a priori based on previous observations and hypotheses; four seeds were placed in key anatomical areas of the visual pathways and the remaining were derived from a pre‐existing functional analysis. The between‐group analysis showed that patients with VSS had hyper and hypoconnectivity between key visual areas and the rest of the brain, both in the resting state and during a visual stimulation, compared with controls. We found altered connectivity internally within the visual network; between the thalamus/basal ganglia and the lingual gyrus; between the visual motion network and both the default mode and attentional networks. Further, patients with VSS presented decreased connectivity during external sensory input within the salience network, and between V5 and precuneus. Our results suggest that VSS is characterised by a widespread disturbance in the functional connectivity of several brain systems. This dysfunction involves the pre‐cortical and cortical visual pathways, the visual motion network, the attentional networks and finally the salience network; further, it represents evidence of ongoing alterations both at rest and during visual stimulus processing.
Middle turbinate mucosal flap: Low‐morbidity option in the management of skull base defects
Authors: Carnevale Claudio , Til‐Pérez Guillermo , Tomás‐Barberán Manuel , Ibañez‐Domínguez Javier , Arancibia‐Tagle Diego , Sarría‐Echegaray Pedro
Published: January 2021

Background

To describe the low morbidity of middle turbinate mucosal flap (MTMF) to repair anterior skull base defects.

Methods

Skull base endonasal endoscopic surgeries performed at a tertiary hospital between 2015 and 2018 were analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups according the existence or not of a significant intraoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak. In Group 1 (n = 28), gasket seal and a pedicled endonasal flap were used to repair the defect: 13 nasoseptal flaps (NSF), 8 inferolateral wall flaps (ILF), and 7 MTMF. In Group 2 only an endonasal flap was used: 9 NSF, 4 ILF, and 18 MTMF. Surgical and recovery time were analyzed (Student's t test). Our favorite surgical technique is described.

Results

Fifty‐nine patients were included. Average surgical time was 27.7, 41.6, and 11.3 min for NSF, ILF, and MTMF, respectively. MTMF showed a faster recovery.

Conclusion

MTMF is a safe reconstructive option for anterior skull base defects.
Dual Agonist of Farnesoid X Receptor and Takeda G Protein‐Coupled Receptor 5 Inhibits Hepatitis B Virus Infection In Vitro and In Vivo
Authors: Ito Kiyoaki , Okumura Akinori , Takeuchi Junko S. , Watashi Koichi , Inoue Rieko , Yamauchi Taeko , Sakamoto Kazumasa , Yamashita Yukiko , Iguchi Yusuke , Une Mizuho , Wakita Takaji , Umezawa Kazuo , Yoneda Masashi
Published: January 2021

Background and Aims

Chronic HBV infection is a major health problem worldwide. Currently, the first‐line treatment for HBV is nucleos(t)ide analogs or interferons; however, efficient therapeutic approaches that enable cure are lacking. Therefore, anti‐HBV agents with mechanisms distinct from those of current drugs are needed. Sodium taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (NTCP) was previously identified as an HBV receptor that is inhibited by several compounds. Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) activation also inhibits NTCP function.

Approach and Results

In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of bile acid (BA) derivatives—namely obeticholic acid (OCA), 6α‐ethyl‐24‐nor‐5β‐cholane‐3α,7α,23‐triol‐23 sulfate sodium salt (INT‐767; a dual agonist of FXR and Takeda G protein‐coupled receptor [TGR5]), and 6α‐ethyl‐23(S)‐methyl‐cholic acid (INT‐777; a TGR5 agonist)—3‐(2,6‐dichlorophenyl)‐4‐(3′‐carboxy‐2‐chlorostilben‐4‐yl)oxymethyl‐5‐isopropylisoxazole (GW4064; a FXR agonist), cyclosporin A, and irbesartan. OCA and INT‐777 suppressed HBV infection in HepG2‐human NTCP‐C4 cells. Interestingly, INT‐767 showed potent inhibition by attaching to HBV particles rather than binding to NTCP. As an entry inhibitor, INT‐767 was stronger than various natural BAs. Furthermore, in chimeric mice with humanized liver, INT‐767 markedly delayed the initial rise of HBsAg, HBeAg, and HBV DNA and reduced covalently closed circular DNA. The strong inhibitory effect of INT‐767 may be due to the cumulative effect of its ability to inhibit the entry of HBV and to stimulate FXR downstream signaling, which affects the postentry step.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that BA derivatives, particularly INT‐767, are prospective candidate anti‐HBV agents. Clarifying the underlying mechanisms of BA derivatives would facilitate the development of anti‐HBV agents.
Clinical Presentation and Gene Expression of Acute Alcohol‐Induced Microvesicular Steatosis Mimicking Alcoholic Hepatitis
Authors: Spahr Laurent , Lanthier Nicolas , Tihy Mathieu , Frossard Jean‐Louis , Rubbia‐Brandt Laura , Goossens Nicolas
Published: January 2021

Acute alcoholic microvesicular steatosis (MIC) may complicate heavy alcohol intake and present as alcoholic hepatitis (AH) syndrome. However, detailed clinical, biological, and histologic data associated with MIC are scarce. We compared the clinical presentation, histologic features, and hepatic transcriptomic of patients presenting with AH due to either MIC or severe alcoholic steatohepatitis (ASH). In this case‐control study, patients who drank heavily (>100 g/day) with the AH syndrome were included either in the MIC group (>50% severe microvesicular steatosis, no inflammation) or in the severe ASH group (polynuclear neutrophil infiltration, macrosteatosis, ballooned hepatocytes). All patients received standard supportive care plus steroids for those with severe ASH and were followed up for 3 months. Whole‐liver transcriptome profiling was performed on liver snap‐frozen biopsies. Compared to ASH (n = 24, mean age 49.3 years), patients in the MIC group (n = 12, mean age 49.1 years) had a higher reported alcohol intake (P < 0.01), lower Model for End‐Stage Liver Disease score (P < 0.05), lower hepatic venous pressure gradient (P < 0.01), higher alanine aminotransferase (P < 0.02) and gamma‐glutamyltransferase (P < 0.001), higher triglycerides (P < 0.001) and total cholesterol (P < 0.002), but similar bilirubin levels (P = 0.54). At histology, patients with MIC had a lower fibrotic stage compared to those with ASH (P < 0.001). A higher density of megamitochondria was seen in MIC compared to ASH (P < 0.05). During follow‐up, death or transplantation occurred in 4/12 (33%) patients with MIC and 7/24 (29%) patients with severe ASH. Differential hepatic gene expression in MIC compared to ASH included down‐regulation of genes related to inflammation and fibrosis and up‐regulation of genes involved in lipid metabolism and mitochondrial function. Conclusion: MIC is an acute, noninflammatory, potentially severe alcoholic liver injury mimicking ASH, is associated with a lower fibrosis stage, and has a distinct gene expression profile.
Assessing health literacy among adult outpatients attending allied health clinics in western sydney: A cross‐sectional survey using a multidimensional instrument
Authors: Hobbs Kim , Muscat Danielle Marie , Ceprnja Dragana , Gibson Jodi‐Anne , Blumenthal Caron , Milad Rula , Burns Chris , Dennis Sarah , Lau Timothea , Flood Victoria
Published: January 2021

Issue addressed

Low health literacy disproportionately affects adults from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. This study investigated the health literacy of adults attending outpatient allied health services in western Sydney, a highly diverse region in Sydney with residents from a range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

Methods

A cross‐sectional survey was undertaken between March and April 2017 using the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ). Participants, aged over 18 years and with a primary language of English, Arabic, Chinese or Hindi, were recruited from outpatient allied health clinics at Westmead Hospital. Means (standard deviation) for each of the nine HLQ domains were calculated and associations with demographic variables were investigated using analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Results

Two hundred and thirty people were included with mean age of 45.1 years (SD = 19.0), the majority were female (75.5%), over half were born overseas (55.7%) and 77.6% reported speaking English at home. The highest mean score on a HLQ domain (out of 5) was “Understanding health information well enough to know what to do” (M = 4.19; SD = 0.67), and the lowest mean score (out of 4) was “Appraisal of health information” (M = 2.97; SD = 0.54). Participants who did not speak English at home had significantly lower scores on seven of the nine HLQ domains.

Conclusions

Important health literacy strengths and limitations of a diverse sample of adults attending outpatient allied health services in western Sydney were identified. Findings should be considered in the light of the cross‐sectional survey methodology with non‐random sampling.

So what

Data will inform future interventions to improve health literacy and health outcomes among vulnerable population groups in western Sydney.
Intravenous furosemide vs nebulized furosemide in patients with pulmonary edema: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Barzegari Hasan , Khavanin Ali , Delirrooyfard Ali , Shaabani Somayeh
Published: January 2021

Background and aims

Pulmonary edema is one of the most common acute respiratory disorders that diagnosis and treatment of the disease still remain as a health problem. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of intravenous furosemide and nebulized furosemide in control of the symptoms of the patients with pulmonary edem.

Methods

In this clinical trial, 80 patients were enrolled with pulmonary edema. Patients were randomly divided into two groups. In the intervention group the patients received nebulized furosemide at a dose of 1 mg furosemide for 20 minutes in 2 mL of sodium chloride 0.9% and in the control group the patients received intravenous furosemide at a dose of 1 mg/kg. Then, hemodynamic parameters and estimation of the clinical severity of the pulmonary edema in both groups was performed for 2 hours.

Results

According to our results, we can say that nebulized furosemide is not superior to intravenous furosemide in reducing dyspnea and crackles in patients with acute pulmonary edema, but significantly improved respiratory rate and arterial blood oxygen and has less hemodynamic changes than the intravenous furosemide.

Conclusions

The results of this study showed the beneficial effects of nebulized furosemide in the treatment of pulmonary edema, which can be prescribed as a treatment in addition to standard treatment and significantly lead in better control of pulmonary edema in the short term.
Nanofluid in the multiphase flow field and heat transfer: A review
Authors: Dey Debashis , Sahu Dibyansu S.
Published: January 2021

Two‐phase heat transfer is widely used in the heat transfer field, for example, condenser and evaporator in the refrigeration system, riser, and condenser in thermal power plants, and so on. The advantage of two‐phase heat transfer is that it gives a very‐high convective heat transfer coefficient compared to other modes of heat transfer. Nanofluid is a comparatively new heat transfer fluid and very popular because of its improved thermophysical properties. If nanofluid is used in a two‐phase heat transfer field, then the convective heat transfer coefficient may improve further. Nanofluids are possibly useful in many studies in two‐phase heat transfer like pool boiling heat transfer, flow boiling heat transfer, nanofluids in a microchannel, forced convective heat transfer, condensation, spray cooling, enhanced oil recovery, and so on. The effect of nanoparticles on wettability, contact angle, and nucleation sites are also reviewed in this paper. Numerical studies in two‐phase heat transfer are also reviewed and summarized in this paper. In this review, the chronological development of heat transfer in the two‐phase field is provided in a tabular form. This table covers a wide period starting Before Common Era ages until the recent addition of nanoparticles in the two‐phase heat transfer fluid.