bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dentists Behavioral Factors Influencing Early Detection of Oral Cancer: Direct Clinical Observational Study
Authors: Jafer Mohammed , Crutzen Rik , Halboub Esam , Moafa Ibtisam , van den Borne Bart , Bajonaid Amal , Jafer Alhassen , Hedad Ismaeel
Published: October 2020

This study aimed to investigate the possible factors affecting dentists’ behavior relating to performing oral cancer examinations as part of routine clinical examination. A total of 95 direct clinical observation sessions—utilizing an instrument consisting of 19 evidence-based observational criteria for oral cancer examinations—were observed by four calibrated dentists. Thirty-two final-year students, 32 interns, and 31 faculty members of Jazan Dental School were examined between April 9 and May 4, 2017. A descriptive analysis was conducted to investigate the frequencies/percentages of the performed observing criteria by all examiners. ANOVA and Tukey tests were carried out to investigate the difference between the examiner groups. A total number of 32 patients participated in the study, whereby each patient was examined by three different examiners from each group, as well as by the attending observer/s. Fewer than 50% of the examiners performed the clinical steps necessary for an oral cancer examination—for example, taking into account past medical history, as well as extra and intra-oral examinations. More than 90% of the examiners examined hard tissue, whereas fewer than 30% of them educated their patients about possible risk factors. A significant difference between examiner groups was found in favor of faculty members. A gap between knowledge and actual practice of oral cancer examinations was evident: majority of participants failed to perform the necessary steps for an oral cancer examination. Previous experience and confidence in performing oral cancer examination are possible explanations for the dentist’s behavior toward oral cancer examination.
Phytohormone release by three isolated lichen mycobionts and the effects of indole-3-acetic acid on their compatible photobionts
Authors: Pichler Gregor , Stöggl Wolfgang , Trippel Daniela , Candotto Carniel Fabio , Muggia Lucia , Ametrano Claudio Gennaro , Çimen Tuğçe , Holzinger Andreas , Tretiach Mauro , Kranner Ilse
Published: October 2020

Evidence is emerging that phytohormones represent key inter-kingdom signalling compounds supporting chemical communication between plants, fungi and bacteria. The roles of phytohormones for the lichen symbiosis are poorly understood, particularly in the process of lichenization, i.e. the key events which lead free-living microalgae and fungi to recognize each other, make physical contact and start developing a lichen thallus. Here, we studied cellular and extracellularly released phytohormones in three lichen mycobionts, Cladonia grayi, Xanthoria parietina and Tephromela atra, grown on solid medium, and the effects of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) on their respective photobionts, Asterochloris glomerata, Trebouxia decolorans, Trebouxia sp. Using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) we found that mycobionts produced IAA, salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA). IAA represented the most abundant phytohormone produced and released by all mycobionts, whereas SA was released by X. parietina and T. atra, and JA was released by C. grayi only. With a half-life of 5.2 days, IAA degraded exponentially in solid BBM in dim light. When IAA was exogenously offered to the mycobionts’ compatible photobionts at “physiological” concentrations (as released by their respective mycobionts and accumulated in the medium over seven days), the photobionts’ water contents increased up to 4.4%. Treatment with IAA had no effects on the maximum quantum yield of photosystem II, dry mass, and the contents of photosynthetic pigments and α-tocopherol of the photobionts. The data presented may be useful for designing studies aimed at elucidating the roles of phytohormones in lichens.
Treatment of produced water from Niger Delta oil fields using simultaneous mixture of local materials
Authors: Udeagbara S. G. , Isehunwa S. O. , Okereke N. U. , Oguamah I. U.
Published: October 2020

Produced water (PW) from petroleum reservoirs often contains heavy metals and other contaminants that are harmful to the environment. Most of the commonly used treatment techniques have been reported to be ineffective in reducing some of the contaminants’ concentrations to recommended disposal levels. This study evaluated the effectiveness of four selected bio-adsorbents combined for treating PW from Niger Delta oil fields. In this study, orange peels (I), banana peels (II), sponge gourd (Luffa cylindrica) (III) and palm kernel fibers (IV) were washed with distilled water, sun-dried (24 h) and dried in the oven at 105 ± 5 °C (3 h, I and II), 150 °C (30 min, III) and 80 °C (3 h, IV). They were ground into powder, sieved (150 μ, Group A) and (300 μ, Group B), washed with 0.4 mol/L HNO3, filtered and rinsed with distilled water. Samples of PW were obtained from fields R, X, and Y in the Niger Delta and analysed for heavy metals using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). Samples were treated in adsorption column over 6 h using the adsorbents simultaneously. Treated samples were analysed with AAS and characterised. Adsorption of heavy metals were assessed using Langmuir and Freundlich models. Data were analysed using regression and other statistical methods. For the 150 μ size of sample R, the percentage reductions for the metal concentrations (Pb, Ni, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mg, Cr, Zn, Mn, Ca, Ar, B, Sn and Ba) were found to be 100%, 52.7%, 100%, 100%, 85.87%, 19.48%, 100%, 92.8%, 17.74%, 98.86%, 22.32%, 29.56%, 78.06% and 44.74%, respectively, while the reduction in 300 μ size were 1.52%, 97.2%, 71.4%, 17.1%, 43.8%, 45.6%, 7.04%, 89.6%, 35.4%, 99.6%, 0.0001%, 1.19%, 14.19% and 0.002%, respectively. The finer adsorbents were more effective. Similar results were obtained for PW samples from the other fields. Produced water from Niger Delta oil fields was effectively treated of contaminants using four selected bio-adsorbents mixed simultaneously.
Service Quality of Addis Ababa Light Rail Transit: Passengers’ Views and Perspectives
Authors: Obsie Adane , Woldeamanuel Mintesnot , Woldetensae Berhanu
Published: October 2020

Understanding the service quality of public transportation based on users’ perception is an important input for local governments and transit service providers in their planning efforts to improve system performance. Using the Addis Ababa Light Rail Transit (AALRT) as a case, this study aims to examine service users' views and perspectives by using 18 quality attributes. Factor analysis and ordered logit model were employed for this study. Factor analysis with principal components was used to extract the most important factors of satisfaction from the 18 attributes. The results showed that safety and security, ticketing system, travel information, crowdedness, frequency, cleanliness, and comfort are the most important factors influencing user satisfaction. The level of importance of these factors varies depending on different socioeconomic and travel characteristics of AALRT users. Riders who use the light rail at afternoon peak hours, have high household income and short travel duration, and use LRT for shopping purposes have a negative perception regarding the crowdedness, frequency, ticketing, and information system of the AALRT. Passengers with longer travel distance, those who use the AALRT frequently, and full- or part-time workers and students have a positive perception towards several attributes of the system.
Nikolaus Rungius: Lifestyle and Status of an Early Seventeenth-Century Northern Finnish Vicar
Authors: Väre Tiina , Lipkin Sanna , Suomela Jenni A. , Vajanto Krista
Published: October 2020

Vicar Nikolaus Rungius’s (ca. 1560–1629) mummified remains have been the subject of research that has provided a wide variety of information on his life. This article examines the ways Rungius’s health and lifestyle highlight his status as a vicar, and this status is visible in his burial and funerary clothing. He was a relatively large man for his time. CT scans even include indications of certain conditions related to being overweight. Likewise, stable-isotope analyses of his nail keratin support the hypothesis that he was consuming a rather heavy, protein-rich diet. Given his status as the vicar of Kemi parish in northern Finland, he likely made sumptuous use of the rich local natural resources of fish, game, and domestic animals as part of his regular diet. In addition to his diet and health, the vicar’s high-quality clothes, while fragmentary, also open an avenue to extend the exploration of his social status and wealth.
Conventional bitewing radiography
Authors: Schwendicke Falk , Göstemeyer Gerd
Published: October 2020

Accurate detection and diagnosis of carious lesions is the prerequisite for application of the most effective caries management approach. However, the accuracy of proximal caries detection using visual-tactile assessment is limited. Additional diagnostic measures should therefore be performed to increase the validity of the diagnosis. Amongst various caries detection aids available, bitewing radiographs remain the gold standard for detection of proximal caries lesions. Here we describe a method for caries diagnosis using standardized bitewing holders. With this method the bitewing holders can be placed more precisely and reproducibly in the oral cavity. This approach increases accuracy of bitewing radiographs, which, due to the reproducible placement of the x-ray film, allows for monitoring of carious lesions long term.
Coping with dynamical reaction system topologies using deterministic P modules: a case study of photosynthesis
Authors: Hinze Thomas
Published: October 2020

The topology of chemical reaction networks is commonly treated as a static structure. This might be sufficient if substrate concentrations and kinetic parameter values exclusively determine the behaviour of all considered reactions. In contrast, numerous phenomena observed in life sciences imply a different nature by dynamical composition of reaction schemes. Single reactions or functional groups of reactions (modules) become activated or deactivated by external signals such as light intensity while the system is in operation. In other scenarios, reactions emerge or disappear while modules can connect to each other or disconnect due to presence or absence of corresponding trigger signals. We capture dynamical reaction network structures by an extended version of deterministic P modules with evaluation of trigger signals which facilitates detailed in-silico simulation studies and hence an easier understanding and prediction of complex biological systems. A case study dedicated to photosynthesis in plants demonstrates its usefulness beyond pure employment of ordinary differential equations by consideration of events, non-differentiable external trigger signals, and thresholds which collaterally modify the underlying reaction scheme.
iLBE for Computational Identification of Linear B-Cell Epitopes by Integrating Sequence and Evolutionary Features
Authors: Hasan Md. Mehedi , Khatun Mst. Shamima , Kurata Hiroyuki
Published: October 2020

Linear B-cell epitopes are critically important for immunological applications, such as vaccine design, immunodiagnostic test, and antibody production, as well as disease diagnosis and therapy. The accurate identification of linear B-cell epitopes remains challenging despite several decades of research. In this work, we have developed a novel predictor, Identification of Linear B-cell Epitope (iLBE), by integrating evolutionary and sequence-based features. The successive feature vectors were optimized by a Wilcoxon-rank sum test. Then the random forest (RF) algorithm using the optimal consecutive feature vectors was applied to predict linear B-cell epitopes. We combined the RF scores by the logistic regression to enhance the prediction accuracy. iLBE yielded an area under curve score of 0.809 on the training dataset and outperformed other prediction models on a comprehensive independent dataset. iLBE is a powerful computational tool to identify the linear B-cell epitopes and would help to develop penetrating diagnostic tests. A web application with curated datasets for iLBE is freely accessible at http://kurata14.bio.kyutech.ac.jp/iLBE/.
Psychological Impairment and Coping Strategies During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Students in Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Analysis
Authors: Salman Muhammad , Asif Noman , Mustafa Zia Ul , Khan Tahir Mehmood , Shehzadi Naureen , Tahir Humera , Raza Muhammad Husnnain , Khan Muhammad Tanveer , Hussain Khalid , Khan Yusra Habib , Butt Muhammad Hammad , Mallhi Tauqeer Hussain
Published: October 2020

High levels of stress are expected when crises affect people’s lives. Therefore, this Web-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among university students from Pakistan to investigate the psychological impairment and coping strategies during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Google Forms were used to disseminate the online questionnaire to assess anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), and coping strategies (Brief-COPE). A total of 1134 responses (age, 21.7 ± 3.5 y) were included. The frequency of students having moderate-severe anxiety and depression (score ≥ 10) were ≈ 34% and 45%, respectively. The respondents’ aged ≥ 31 y had significantly lower depression score than those ≤ 20 y (P = 0.047). Males had significantly less anxiety (6.62 ± 5.70 vs 7.84 ± 5.60; P = 0.001) and depression (8.73 ± 6.84 vs 9.71 ± 7.06; P = 0.031) scores. Those having family members, friends, or acquaintances infected with disease had significantly higher anxiety scores (8.89 ± 5.74 vs 7.09 ± 5.56; P < 0.001). Regarding coping strategies, the majority of respondents were found to have adopted religious/spiritual coping (6.45 ± 1.68) followed by acceptance (5.58 ± 1.65), self-distraction (4.97 ± 1.61), and active coping (4.81 ± 1.57). In conclusion, COVID-19 caused significant impairment on mental health of the students. The most frequent coping strategies adopted by students were religious/spiritual and acceptance coping. During epidemics, mental health of students should not be neglected.
Management of Mass Death in COVID-19 Pandemic in an Indian Perspective
Authors: Swain Rajanikanta , Sahoo Jyotiranajan , Biswal Sudhanshu P. , Sikary Asit K.
Published: October 2020

Current international experience has shown the vulnerability of health-care systems of developed nations, and of developing nations such as India, to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). COVID-19 pandemic is a disaster with mass casualties. International experience has revealed that, even in the countries where mass disasters are less frequent and not involved in conflicts, they are overwhelmed with COVID-19 deaths. Although, in the current scenario with fewer deaths, India’s health-care system can handle the situation of COVID-19 but should be prepared for the worst in terms of appropriate management, and adequate infection prevention measures including handling the dead without hampering the dignity of the deceased and of the surviving family. Before any crisis overwhelms responders and resources, emergency response plans should be established and activated to ensure the reliable identification and documentation of the dead. The current review was carried out to recommend the proper management of dead bodies in the COVID-19 mass disaster with a particular focus on resource-poor countries, such as India.
COVID-19 Result Follow-Up Process in the Pediatric Emergency Department Setting
Authors: Newman Shaina , Simpson Joelle , Perritt Ashley , Morrison Sephora , Berkowitz Deena , Brown Kathleen , Goodwin Tress
Published: October 2020

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic upended the world. As emergency departments and hospitals across the nation and world braced themselves for the surge of this new disease, the emergency department (ED) at Children’s National Hospital (CNH) quickly created a process to address surges in patient visits and follow-ups for coronavirus testing. Within 2 wk of the first reported pediatric patient diagnosed with COVID-19 in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area, CNH ED implemented a new comprehensive follow-up process. This article describes the novel process that ensured timely notification of testing results, enabled patients to speak remotely with ED providers, increased patient and staff safety by reducing unnecessary exposures, and suggested a good patient experience. With over 1900 patients discharged pending their COVID-19 results, the program is successful. We anticipate expansion into antibody testing and notification as the pandemic progresses.
Associations of the dietary World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research (WCRF/AICR) recommendations with patient-reported outcomes in colorectal cancer survivors 2–10 years post-diagnosis: a cross-sectional analysis
Authors: Kenkhuis Marlou-Floor , van der Linden Bernadette W. A. , Breedveld-Peters Jose J. L. , Koole Janna L. , van Roekel Eline H. , Breukink Stéphanie O. , Mols Floortje , Weijenberg Matty P. , Bours Martijn J. L.
Published: October 2020

The World Cancer Research Fund and American Institute for Cancer Research (WCRF/AICR) advise cancer survivors to follow their lifestyle recommendations for cancer prevention. Adhering to these recommendations may have beneficial effects on patient-reported outcomes after a cancer diagnosis, but evidence is scarce. We aimed to assess associations of the individual dietary WCRF/AICR recommendations regarding fruit and vegetables, fibre, fast foods, red and processed meat, sugar-sweetened drinks and alcohol consumption with patient-reported outcomes in colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors. Cross-sectional data of 150 stage I–III CRC survivors, 2–10 years post-diagnosis, were used. Dietary intake was measured by 7-d dietary records. Validated questionnaires were used to measure health-related quality of life (HRQoL), fatigue and neuropathy. Confounder-adjusted linear regression models were used to analyse associations of each WCRF/AICR dietary recommendation with patient-reported outcomes. Higher vegetable intake (per 50 g) was associated with better global QoL (β 2·6; 95 % CI 0·6, 4·7), better physical functioning (3·3; 1·2, 5·5) and lower levels of fatigue (−4·5; −7·6, −1·4). Higher fruit and vegetables intake (per 100 g) was associated with better physical functioning (3·2; 0·8, 5·5) and higher intake of energy-dense food (per 100 kJ/100 g) with worse physical functioning (−4·2; −7·1, −1·2). No associations of dietary recommendations with neuropathy were found. These findings suggest that adhering to specific dietary WCRF/AICR recommendations is associated with better HRQoL and less fatigue in CRC survivors. Although the recommendations regarding healthy dietary habits may be beneficial for the well-being of CRC survivors, longitudinal research is warranted to gain insight into the direction of associations.
The Making of a Periphery: A Response
Authors: Bosma Ulbe
Published: October 2020

This rejoinder is part of the round table discussion on the book The Making of a Periphery: How Island Southeast Asia Became a Mass Exporter of Labor. It pays tribute to the development economist and Nobel Prize winner Arthur W. Lewis, who studied the predicaments of plantation societies. The rejoinder addresses critical observations made about the above-mentioned book by Elise van Nederveen Meerkerk, Pim de Zwart, Corey Ross, and Alberto Alonso-Fradejas. It underscores the importance of the role of demography and long histories of labour coercion to explain processes of peripheralization and mass emigration. It also points out the limits of classical development economics, namely a relative neglect of the ecological damage attending plantation exploitation. The commodity frontier approach is suggested as a way to address this shortcoming.
Diversity, distribution and changes in communities of fleas on small mammals along the elevational gradient from the Pannonian Plain to the Carpathian Mountains
Authors: Baláž Ivan , Ševčík Michal , Tulis Filip , Zigová Martina , Dudich Alexander
Published: October 2020

The causal chain of parasite–host–environment interactions, the so-called ‘dual parasite environment’, makes studying parasites more complicated than other wild organisms. A sample of 65 282 fleas taken from 336 different locations were analysed for changes in the distribution, diversity and compensation of flea communities found on small mammals along an elevational diversity gradient ranging from the Pannonian Plain to the base of the Carpathian summits. The fleas were divided into four groups, which were derived from changes in abundance and occurrence determined from cluster analysis. They are (1) flea species whose range seems unrelated to any change in elevation; (2) species that avoid high altitudes; (3) a group that can be subdivided into two types: (i) host-specific fleas and (ii) mountains species and (4) species opting for high altitudes on the gradient or preferring lower to middle elevations below 1000 m. Our study showed a unimodal pattern of flea diversity along the elevational gradient. It indicated that seasonality significantly conditions changes in biodiversity and patterns of spatial change along the elevational gradient, with specific flea species influenced by their host, while the impact of environmental conditions is more pronounced in opportunistic flea species.
BambiAbroad, 1924–1954
Authors: Balakirsky Katz Maya
Published: October 2020

This paper explores the visual sources that inspired Felix Salten'sBambi, Eine Lebensgeschichte aus dem Walde(1923), and its postpublication legacy in America, Poland, India, Israel, and Russia. While both Jewish and non-Jewish artists embraced the hunted deer motif as their own “national folktale,” the Jewish roots of the visual motif are critical to understanding the revisions and adaptations of the tale in the mid-twentieth century. The case of the myriad revamps ofBambidemonstrates that the nationalist idiom was so elastic in the mid-twentieth century that it functioned as an aesthetic mode rather than an a priori category of identity. At the center of the analysis is the contention that Jewish artists, filmmakers, and writers used the aesthetic properties of the nationalist idiom not only to forge a path to political agency but also to build a shelter from the nation-state.
Global Public Health Database Support to Population-Based Management of Pandemics and Global Public Health Crises, Part I: The Concept
Authors: Burkle Frederick M. , Bradt David A. , Ryan Benjamin J.
Published: October 2020

This two-part article examines the global public health (GPH) information system deficits emerging in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. It surveys past, missed opportunities for public health (PH) information system and operational improvements, examines current megatrend changes to information management, and describes a new multi-disciplinary model for population-based management (PBM) supported by a GPH Database applicable to pandemics and GPH crises.
Six‐Day Periodic Variation in Equatorial Ionization Anomaly Region
Authors: Mo X. H. , Zhang D. H.
Published: October 2020

Using the location of equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) crest derived from GPS observations and CHAllenging Minisatellite Payload (CHAMP) satellite measurement, along with the F2 layer peak height (hmF2), critical frequency (foF2), and the equatorial electrojet (EEJ) in India and China longitudinal sectors, we found the obvious 6‐day oscillation in these ionospheric parameters during 16 April to 31 May 2003 and 21 September to 26 October 2004. The tidal amplitudes of EEJ are enhanced during the positive phase of the 6‐day waves and are weakened during its negative phase. Since the strong 6‐day planetary wave activities in mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) region during these two events have been reported by earlier studies, this 6‐day oscillation in EIA region can be due to the interaction of enhanced planetary waves with the tidal wind. Moreover, the temporal variations of this 6‐day wave are consistent and in phase in these ionospheric parameters, indicating that the 6‐day planetary wave modulates electric fields via E region wind dynamo, thereby altering the vertical height and horizontal distribution of electron densities through upward E × B drift, which results in the periodical variations in these ionospheric parameters in F region. These observation results provide insight into how the 6‐day planetary waves modulate the ionospheric morphological structure.
The IOD Impacts on the Indian Ocean Carbon Cycle
Authors: Valsala Vinu , Sreeush M. G. , Chakraborty Kunal
Published: October 2020

This paper examines the impacts of Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) Mode on the upper ocean carbon cycle and its variability in the Indian Ocean with available biogeochemical observations and 60 years (1960–2019) of model outputs from a global ocean biogeochemical general circulation model. The upper ocean carbon cycle variability of the Indian Ocean is faithfully reproduced by the model when compared with available observations. The IOD leads to a substantial sea‐to‐air CO2 flux variability in the southeastern tropical Indian Ocean over a broad region (70–105°E, 0–20°S), with more focus near the coast of Java‐Sumatra due to the prevailing upwelling dynamics and associated westward propagating anomalies. The sea‐to‐air CO2 fluxes, surface ocean partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2), the concentration of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), and ocean alkalinity (ALK) range as much as ±1.0 mole m−2 year−1, ±20 μatm, ±35 μmole kg−1, and ±22 μmole kg−1 within 80–105°E, 0–10°S due to IOD. The DIC and ALK are significant drivers of pCO2 variability associated with IOD. The roles of temperature (T) and biology are found negligible. A relatively warm T and extremely high freshwater forcing make the southeastern tropical Indian Ocean carbon cycle variability submissive to DIC and ALK evolutions in contrast to the tropical eastern Pacific where changes in DIC and T dominate the pCO2 interannual variability. For the first time, this study provides a most comprehensive and extended analysis for the region while highlighting significant differences in carbon cycle variability of the eastern tropical Indian Ocean compared to that of the other parts of the global oceans.
Development of an Empirical Model for Estimating the Quiet Day Curve (QDC) Over the Brazilian Sector
Authors: Chen S. S. , Denardini C. M. , Resende L. C. A. , Chagas R. A. J. , Moro J. , Picanço G. A. S.
Published: October 2020

The Embrace Magnetometer Network (Embrace MagNet) uses a series of magnetometers over South America to monitor the Earth's space environment and to study space weather. One of the common techniques used to study the effects of the magnetic disturbances in the globe is through the quiet day curve (QDC) of the geomagnetic field components. These types of QDC are calculated based on geomagnetic field data collected by magnetometers in the five quietest days for each month at each station. Thus, we developed and implemented an empirical model based on the QDC H component obtained by the Embrace MagNet. This model ought to be used as a prediction device when data are not available. The proposed algorithm is a function of the solar activity, the day of the year, and the universal time, which was adjusted based on 12 stations across to the South America sector between 2010 and 2018. Our results show that the values computed by this model are in good agreement with the observational data for the QDC. Finally, it is essential to mention that the QDC model presented in this study is the only available predicting tool of the Embrace MagNet stations to date, providing data with a high confidence level in the Brazilian sector.
A Simple Method for Correcting Empirical Model Densities During Geomagnetic Storms Using Satellite Orbit Data
Authors: Brandt Daniel A. , Bussy‐Virat Charles D. , Ridley Aaron J.
Published: October 2020

Empirical models of the thermospheric density are routinely used to perform orbit maintenance, satellite collision avoidance, and estimate time and location of re‐entry for spacecraft. These models have characteristic errors in the thermospheric density below 10% during geomagnetic quiet time but are unable to reproduce the significant increase and subsequent recovery in the density observed during geomagnetic storms. Underestimation of the density during these conditions translates to errors in orbit propagation that reduce the accuracy of any resulting orbit predictions. These drawbacks risk the safety of astronauts and orbiting spacecraft and also limit understanding of the physics of thermospheric density enhancements. Numerous CubeSats with publicly available ephemeris in the form of two‐line element (TLEs) sets orbit in this region. We present the Multifaceted Optimization Algorithm (MOA), a method to estimate the thermospheric density by minimizing the error between a modeled trajectory and a set of TLEs. The algorithm first estimates a representative cross‐sectional area for several reference CubeSats during the quiet time 3 weeks prior to the storm, and then estimates modifications to the inputs of the NRLMSISE‐00 empirical density model in order to minimize the difference between the modeled and TLE‐provided semimajor axis of the CubeSats. For validation, the median value of the modifications across all CubeSats are applied along the Swarm spacecraft orbits. This results in orbit‐averaged empirical densities below 10% error in magnitude during a geomagnetic storm, compared to errors in excess of 25% for uncalibrated NLRMSISE‐00 when compared to Swarm GPS‐derived densities.
An Ionospheric Climate Index Based on GNSS
Authors: Wang Cheng , Li Yuting , Wu Jicang , Fan Lei , Wang Zhipeng , Zhou Chen , Shi Chuang
Published: October 2020

The ionospheric total electron content (TEC) is a significant parameter for scientific studies of the ionosphere and space weather. Ground‐based Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) station network provides an opportunity for modeling the ionospheric TEC with high accuracy. Based on global ionospheric TEC maps, by using data from the International GNSS Service (IGS) stations for 21 years (from 1998 to 2018), we establish an ionospheric climate index (ICI) for representing the general state of the ionosphere. In addition, we build a multiple linear regression model for fitting ICI using the SSN, F10.7, Ap, and Dst indices and upper atmospheric wind field. We quantitatively analyze the contribution of these factors to ICI time series. ICI during the past six solar cycles, namely, from 1958 to 2018, are presented, which are assigned as the adjectives (cold, cool, mild, warm, hot, and sizzling) for ionospheric climatology studies. This new index is a very promising representative of day‐to‐day variations of middle‐ and low‐latitude ionosphere.
Groundwater Salinization and Flushing During Glacial‐Interglacial Cycles: Insights From Aquitard Porewater Tracer Profiles in the North China Plain
Authors: Han Dongmei , Cao Guoliang , Currell Matthew J. , Priestley Stacey C. , Love Andrew J.
Published: October 2020

Using natural tracer profiles to study migration of porewater salinity can help determine fluid fluxes and the timescales of salinization and freshening in coastal regions. Saline groundwater associated with evaporation and transgression events is widely distributed in the North China Plain (NCP). However, the fluid flux, time scales, and importance of different salinization processes are poorly constrained, particularly in areas beyond the limit of marine influence. Chloride (Cl) and δ18O profiles were obtained from two boreholes: one drilled at the edge of the piedmont alluvial fan (HS borehole) and one in the coastal region (G1 borehole). Numerical simulation of Cl and δ18O profiles confirmed diffusion‐dominated solute transport but also indicated slow upward advective flow over geological timescales. The profile modeling at HS indicated that salinization related to evaporation has occurred since the Late Pleistocene. Assessment of alternative conceptual models indicates that intensive groundwater pumping in recent decades has also caused significant downward movement of saline porewater (e.g., movement of brackish water at ~0.6 m/yr), mixing modern or Holocene water with Pleistocene water. The coastal Cl profile modeling in contrast shows that porewater salinity can be primarily attributed to salt diffusion during four transgression/regression cycles since the late Middle Pleistocene. The Cl transport appears never to have reached an equilibrium state during the glacial‐interglacial cycles. This suggests not only that trapped Holocene seawater is still present and leaching into adjacent sediments but also that Pleistocene water has never been entirely flushed from the deep part of the coastal sediments.
Understanding maternal mortality in women with obesity and the role of care they receive: a national case-control study
Authors: Saucedo Monica , Esteves-Pereira Ana Paula , Pencolé Lucile , Rigouzzo Agnès , Proust Alain , Bouvier-Colle Marie-Hélène ,   CNEMM study group, Chassard Dominique , Cohen Henri , Dreyfus Michel , Ducloy Jean-Claude , Guseva-Canu Irina , Laplace Jean-Pierre , Le Guern Véronique , Leroux Sylvie , Morau Estelle , Rondet Claire , Rossignol Mathias , Tessier Véronique , Verspyck Éric , Weber Philippe , Zieleskiewicz Laurent , Deneux-Tharaux Catherine
Published: October 2020

Objective

Obesity has significant implications for the health of pregnant women. However, few studies have quantified its association with maternal mortality or examined the relevant underlying causes and the role of care, although this remains the most severe maternal outcome. Our objectives were to quantify the risk of maternal death by prepregnancy body mass index and to determine whether obesity affected the quality of care of the women who died.

Desing

This is a national population-based case–control study in France. Cases were 364 maternal deaths from the 2007–2012 National Confidential Enquiry. Controls were 14,681 parturients from the nationally representative 2010 perinatal survey. We studied the association between categories of prepregnancy BMI and maternal death by multivariable logistic regression, estimating adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals, overall and by specific causes of death. Individual case reviews assessed the quality of care provided to the women who died, by obesity status.

Results

Compared with women with normal BMI, underweight women (<18.5 kg/m2) had an adjusted OR of death of 0.75 (95% CI, 0.42–1.33), overweight women (25–29.9 kg/m2) 1.65 (95% CI, 1.24–2.19), women with class 1 obesity (30–34.9 kg/m2) 2.22 (95% CI, 1.55–3.19) and those with class 2–3 obesity (≥35 kg/m2) 3.40 (95% CI, 2.17–5.33). Analysis by cause showed significant excess risk of maternal death due to cardiovascular diseases, venous thromboembolism, hypertensive complications and stroke in women with obesity. Suboptimal care was as frequent among women with (35/62, 57%) as without obesity (136/244, 56%), but this inadequate management was directly related to obesity among 14/35 (40%) obese women with suboptimal care. Several opportunities for improvement were identified.

Conclusions

The risk of maternal death increases with BMI; it multiplied by 1.6 in overweight women and more than tripled in pregnant women with severe obesity. Training clinicians in the specificities of care for pregnant women with obesity could improve their outcomes.
Direct visualization of phase-matched efficient second harmonic and broadband sum frequency generation in hybrid plasmonic nanostructures
Authors: Li Zhe , Corbett Brian , Gocalinska Agnieszka , Pelucchi Emanuele , Chen Wen , Ryan Kevin. M. , Khan Pritam , Silien Christophe , Xu Hongxing , Liu Ning
Published: October 2020

Second harmonic generation and sum frequency generation (SHG and SFG) provide effective means to realize coherent light at desired frequencies when lasing is not easily achievable. They have found applications from sensing to quantum optics and are of particular interest for integrated photonics at communication wavelengths. Decreasing the footprints of nonlinear components while maintaining their high up-conversion efficiency remains a challenge in the miniaturization of integrated photonics. Here we explore lithographically defined AlGaInP nano(micro)structures/Al2O3/Ag as a versatile platform to achieve efficient SHG/SFG in both waveguide and resonant cavity configurations in both narrow- and broadband infrared (IR) wavelength regimes (1300–1600 nm). The effective excitation of highly confined hybrid plasmonic modes at fundamental wavelengths allows efficient SHG/SFG to be achieved in a waveguide of a cross-section of 113 nm × 250 nm, with a mode area on the deep subwavelength scale (λ2/135) at fundamental wavelengths. Remarkably, we demonstrate direct visualization of SHG/SFG phase-matching evolution in the waveguides. This together with mode analysis highlights the origin of the improved SHG/SFG efficiency. We also demonstrate strongly enhanced SFG with a broadband IR source by exploiting multiple coherent SFG processes on 1 µm diameter AlGaInP disks/Al2O3/Ag with a conversion efficiency of 14.8% MW−1 which is five times the SHG value using the narrowband IR source. In both configurations, the hybrid plasmonic structures exhibit >1000 enhancement in the nonlinear conversion efficiency compared to their photonic counterparts. Our results manifest the potential of developing such nanoscale hybrid plasmonic devices for state-of-the-art on-chip nonlinear optics applications.
Fisetin inhibits proliferation of pancreatic adenocarcinoma by inducing DNA damage via RFXAP/KDM4A-dependent histone H3K36 demethylation
Authors: Ding Guoping , Xu Xiaodong , Li Dan , Chen Yuhao , Wang Weimin , Ping Dongnan , Jia Shengnan , Cao Liping
Published: October 2020

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an extremely malignant tumor that is associated with low survival rates. Fisetin is a natural flavonoid that shows diverse antitumor effects, including DNA damage, in various cancers. Increasing studies have demonstrated that epigenetic modifications play critical roles in DNA-damage response. However, the epigenetic regulation mechanism of fisetin in cancers is hardly studied. RFXAP is a critical transcription factor for MHC II molecules, however, its transcriptional role in PDAC is poorly understood. The anti-PDAC effect of fisetin was measured by CCK-8, flow cytometry, xenograft tumor nude mice model. DNA-damage levels were examined by immunofluorescence. Bioinformatics analysis was used to examine the expression of RFXAP and other genes involved in DNA-damage response. ChIP sequencing was used to explore the transcriptional role of RFXAP. The expression of target gene KDM4A was measured by qRT-PCR and western blots. KDM4A promoter activity was analyzed using dual-luciferase reporter assay. RFXAP overexpressing or silencing of PDAC cells was used to explore the effect of RFXAP in DNA damage induced by fisetin. We found that fisetin inhibited cell proliferation and induced DNA damage and S-phase arrest in PDAC. Expression of RFXAP and other DNA-damage response genes were upregulated by fisetin. We revealed that RFXAP expression was relatively low in PDAC and correlated with tumor stage and poor prognosis. Then we explored the transcriptional role of RFXAP and found that RFXAP targeted KDM4A, a special demethylase specific for tri- and dimethylated histone H3K36. We found that overexpression of RFXAP upregulated KDM4A and attenuated methylation of H3K36, thereby impairing DNA repair and enhancing the DNA damage induced by fisetin, while RFXAP silencing showed the opposite effect. We also found the function of fisetin in enhancing the effect of chemotherapy on pancreatic cancer cells. Our findings revealed that fisetin induced DNA damage via RFXAP/KDM4A-dependent histone H3K36 demethylation, thus causing inhibition of proliferation in PDAC.
miR-504 modulates the stemness and mesenchymal transition of glioma stem cells and their interaction with microglia via delivery by extracellular vesicles
Authors: Bier Ariel , Hong Xin , Cazacu Simona , Goldstein Hodaya , Rand Daniel , Xiang Cunli , Jiang Wei , Ben-Asher Hiba Waldman , Attia Moshe , Brodie Aharon , She Ruicong , Poisson Laila M. , Brodie Chaya
Published: October 2020

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a highly aggressive tumor with poor prognosis. A small subpopulation of glioma stem cells (GSCs) has been implicated in radiation resistance and tumor recurrence. In this study we analyzed the expression of miRNAs associated with the functions of GSCs using miRNA microarray analysis of these cells compared with human neural stem cells. These analyses identified gene clusters associated with glioma cell invasiveness, axonal guidance, and TGF-β signaling. miR-504 was significantly downregulated in GSCs compared with NSCs, its expression was lower in GBM compared with normal brain specimens and further decreased in the mesenchymal glioma subtype. Overexpression of miR-504 in GSCs inhibited their self-renewal, migration and the expression of mesenchymal markers. The inhibitory effect of miR-504 was mediated by targeting Grb10 expression which acts as an oncogene in GSCs and GBM. Overexpression of exogenous miR-504 resulted also in its delivery to cocultured microglia by GSC-secreted extracellular vesicles (EVs) and in the abrogation of the GSC-induced polarization of microglia to M2 subtype. Finally, miR-504 overexpression prolonged the survival of mice harboring GSC-derived xenografts and decreased tumor growth. In summary, we identified miRNAs and potential target networks that play a role in the stemness and mesenchymal transition of GSCs and the miR-504/Grb10 pathway as an important regulator of this process. Overexpression of miR-504 exerted antitumor effects in GSCs as well as bystander effects on the polarization of microglia via delivery by EVs.
Targeting N-myristoylation for therapy of B-cell lymphomas
Authors: Beauchamp Erwan , Yap Megan C. , Iyer Aishwarya , Perinpanayagam Maneka A. , Gamma Jay M. , Vincent Krista M. , Lakshmanan Manikandan , Raju Anandhkumar , Tergaonkar Vinay , Tan Soo Yong , Lim Soon Thye , Dong Wei-Feng , Postovit Lynne M. , Read Kevin D. , Gray David W. , Wyatt Paul G. , Mackey John R. , Berthiaume Luc G.
Published: October 2020

Myristoylation, the N-terminal modification of proteins with the fatty acid myristate, is critical for membrane targeting and cell signaling. Because cancer cells often have increased N-myristoyltransferase (NMT) expression, NMTs were proposed as anti-cancer targets. To systematically investigate this, we performed robotic cancer cell line screens and discovered a marked sensitivity of hematological cancer cell lines, including B-cell lymphomas, to the potent pan-NMT inhibitor PCLX-001. PCLX-001 treatment impacts the global myristoylation of lymphoma cell proteins and inhibits early B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling events critical for survival. In addition to abrogating myristoylation of Src family kinases, PCLX-001 also promotes their degradation and, unexpectedly, that of numerous non-myristoylated BCR effectors including c-Myc, NFκB and P-ERK, leading to cancer cell death in vitro and in xenograft models. Because some treated lymphoma patients experience relapse and die, targeting B-cell lymphomas with a NMT inhibitor potentially provides an additional much needed treatment option for lymphoma.
Author Correction: Automated design of a convolutional neural network with multi-scale filters for cost-efficient seismic data classification
Authors: Geng Zhi , Wang Yanfei
Published: October 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
A charge-density-based general cation insertion algorithm for generating new Li-ion cathode materials
Authors: Shen Jimmy-Xuan , Horton Matthew , Persson Kristin A.
Published: October 2020

Future lithium (Li) energy storage technologies, in particular solid-state configurations with a Li metal anode, opens up the possibility of using cathode materials that do not necessarily contain Li in its as-made state. To accelerate the discovery and design of such materials, we develop a general, chemically, and structurally agnostic methodology for identifying the optimal Li sites in any crystalline material. For a given crystal structure, we attempt multiple Li insertions at symmetrically in-equivalent positions by analyzing the electronic charge density obtained from first-principles density functional theory. In this report, we demonstrate the effectiveness of this procedure in successfully identifying the positions of the Li ion in well-known cathode materials using only the empty host (charged) material as guidance. Furthermore, applying the algorithm to over 2000 candidate cathode empty host materials we obtain statistics of Li site preferences to guide future developments of novel Li-ion cathode materials, particularly for solid-state applications.
COVID-19—The largest isolation study in history: the value of shared learnings from spaceflight analogs
Authors: Choukér Alexander , Stahn Alexander C.
Published: October 2020

The world is currently experiencing the largest isolation experiment in history. In an attempt to slow down the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic numerous countries across the world have been shutting down economies, education, and public life. Governments have mandated strict regulations of quarantine and social distancing in an unprecedented manner. The effects of these measures on brain, behavior, neuro-humoral and immunological responses in humans are largely unknown. Life science research for space exploration has a long history in using high-fidelity spaceflight analogs to better understand the effect of prolonged isolation and confinement on genes, molecules, cells, neural circuits, and physiological systems to behavior. We here propose to leverage the extensive experience and data from these studies and build a bridge between spaceflight research and clinical settings to foster transdisciplinary approaches to characterize the neurobehavioral effects on the immune system and vice versa. These approaches are expected to develop innovative and efficient health screening tools, diagnostic systems, and treatments to mitigate health risks associated with isolation and confinement on Earth and during future exploratory spaceflight missions.
Microscopic and mechanical properties of undisturbed and remoulded red clay from Guiyang, China
Authors: Zhang Yanzhao , Pu Shaoyun , Li Rita Yi Man , Zhang Jing
Published: October 2020

Unconsolidated-undrained (UU) tests were conducted to investigate the mechanical and morphological properties of undisturbed and remoulded red clay, with the microscopic characteristics determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The microanalysis showed that the red clay aggregate was granular, curved-slice and thin layered and flower-shaped ellipsoid, with X and Y-type cracks and pores in the undisturbed red clay. Moreover, the contact modes of red clay aggregates were point contact, line contact, surface contact and mosaic contact. In addition, the main microstructure red clay was flocculation, honeycomb and pseudosphere structures. The pores in undisturbed soil were arranged in one direction, with no obvious directionality in remoulded red clay. The pore area, perimeter and maximum length of undisturbed red clay were smaller than those of remoulded red clay, with a larger probability entropy, probability distribution index and fractal dimension of pore distribution of undisturbed red clay than remoulded red clay. UU tests showed that the shear strength of undisturbed red clay was higher than that of remoulded red clay.