bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microbiota‐derived extracellular vesicles in interkingdom communication in the gut
Authors: Díaz‐Garrido Natalia , Badia Josefa , Baldomà Laura
Published: November 2021

The intestine is fundamental in controlling human health. Intestinal epithelial and immune cells are continuously exposed to millions of microbes that greatly impact on intestinal epithelial barrier and immune function. This microbial community, known as gut microbiota, is now recognized as an important partner of the human being that actively contribute to essential functions of the intestine but also of distal organs. In the gut ecosystem, bidirectional microbiota‐host communication does not involve direct cell contacts. Both microbiota and host‐derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) are key players of such interkingdom crosstalk. There is now accumulating body of evidence that bacterial secreted vesicles mediate microbiota functions by transporting and delivering into host cells effector molecules that modulate host signalling pathways and cell processes. Consequently, vesicles released by the gut microbiota may have great influence on health and disease. Here we review current knowledge on microbiota EVs and specifically highlight their role in controlling host metabolism, intestinal barrier integrity and immune training.
On the sedimentary carbonate accumulation and dissolution in Western Pacific marginal basins
Authors: Li Lan , Luo Yiming , Kienast Markus , Qi Di , Tjiputra Jerry
Published: November 2021

The critical role of marginal seas in the global carbon cycle and their response to climate and circulation changes are not well understood. In this study, we used long‐term archives of sedimentary CaCO3 data and a conceptual model to systematically determine the spatial and vertical features of the sediment carbonate system in the marginal seas along the Western Pacific Ocean. Our results show that the northward‐flowing Antarctic Bottom Water and Lower Circumpolar Deep Water produced shallower calcium carbonate preservation depths as they moved north and became more carbonate‐undersaturated. This suggests that the carbonate chemistry in the deep Western Pacific marginal sea basins is mostly governed by the global ocean thermohaline circulation. In contrast, the carbonate system in the deep Japan/East Sea is unique, with limited sedimentary carbonate accumulation due to weak calcification and its internal overturning circulation. Despite differences in the hydrological and ecological settings, the sedimentary calcium carbonate profiles in the Tasman Sea and South Fiji Basin are comparable to those in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, reflecting the remarkable influence of open‐ocean carbonate chemistry.
Antifreeze and Rheological Properties of Injectable Triblock Copolymer Hydrogels with Supramolecular Junctions
Authors: Choi Jewon , Kim Seyoung , Mun Huy Ju , Yoo Jin , Choi Soo‐Hyung , Char Kookheon
Published: November 2021

ABC triblock copolymers composed of hydrophobic poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL), zwitterionic poly(carboxybetaine methacrylate) midblock, and P(PEGMA‐UPy0.15) containing supramolecular ureidopyrimidinone moieties, poly(ε‐caprolactone‐block‐carboxybetaine methacrylate‐block‐[poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate‐co‐(α‐methacryloyl‐ω‐(6‐(3‐(6‐methyl‐4‐oxo‐1,4‐dihydropyrimidin‐2‐yl)ureido)hexylcarbamoyloxy)poly(ethylene glycol))]), are investigated to achieve multifunctional antifreeze hydrogels. The PCL and P(PEGMA‐UPy0.15) blocks induce the formation of physical network with a hierarchical nanostructure comprising hydrophobic PCL cores and supramolecular junctions, respectively. The super‐hydrophilic nature of polyzwitterion midblocks and the confinement effect of the supramolecular junctions enhance the antifreeze performance, where the majority of water molecules remains supercooled below sub‐zero temperature. The hydrogel relaxation characterized over a wide range of timescale reveals that the facile dynamics of the supramolecular junctions lead to the self‐healing and injectability of the hydrogels. In conjunction with the biodegradable PCL cores, the antifreeze and rheological characteristics of the triblock copolymer hydrogels provide significant potential to use for cryo‐preservable and bio‐injectable drug storage and delivery.
New White House strategy to prevent military, veteran suicide
Authors: Canady Valerie A.
Published: November 2021

The Biden administration on Nov. 2 announced a series of priority goals and executive actions they said will drive suicide prevention actions forward. The new plan is also intended to include safe storage of guns and best practices for gun sales, focusing on military members and veterans.
A comparison of proton stopping power measured with proton CT and x‐ray CT in fresh postmortem porcine structures
Authors: DeJongh Don F. , DeJongh Ethan A. , Rykalin Victor , DeFillippo Greg , Pankuch Mark , Best Andrew W. , Coutrakon George , Duffin Kirk L. , Karonis Nicholas T. , Ordoñez Caesar E. , Sarosiek Christina , Schulte Reinhard W. , Winans John R. , Block Alec M. , Hentz Courtney L. , Welsh James S.
Published: November 2021

Purpose: Currently, calculations of proton range in proton therapy patients are based on a conversion of CT Hounsfield units of patient tissues into proton relative stopping power. Uncertainties in this conversion necessitate larger proximal and distal planned target volume margins. Proton CT can potentially reduce these uncertainties by directly measuring proton stopping power. We aim to demonstrate proton CT imaging with complex porcine samples, to analyze in detail three‐dimensional regions of interest, and to compare proton stopping powers directly measured by proton CT to those determined from x‐ray CT scans.

Methods: We have used a prototype proton imaging system with single proton tracking to acquire proton radiography and proton CT images of a sample of porcine pectoral girdle and ribs, and a pig's head. We also acquired close in time x‐ray CT scans of the same samples and compared proton stopping power measurements from the two modalities. In the case of the pig's head, we obtained x‐ray CT scans from two different scanners and compared results from high‐dose and low‐dose settings.

Results: Comparing our reconstructed proton CT images with images derived from x‐ray CT scans, we find agreement within 1% to 2% for soft tissues and discrepancies of up to 6% for compact bone. We also observed large discrepancies, up to 40%, for cavitated regions with mixed content of air, soft tissue, and bone, such as sinus cavities or tympanic bullae.

Conclusions: Our images and findings from a clinically realistic proton CT scanner demonstrate the potential for proton CT to be used for low‐dose treatment planning with reduced margins.
Antipsychotic initiation and new diagnoses excluded from quality‐measure reporting among Veterans in community nursing homes contracted by the Veterans Health Administration in the United States
Authors: Moyo Patience , Corneau Emily , Cornell Portia Y. , Mochel Amy L. , Magid Kate H. , Levy Cari , Mor Vincent
Published: November 2021

Objectives

To assess whether prevailing antipsychotic use rates in community nursing homes (CNH) influence new initiation of antipsychotics and diagnosis with antipsychotic indications among Veterans.

Methods

We used linked 2013–2016 Veterans Administration (VA) data, Medicare claims, Nursing Home Compare, and Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessments. The exposure was the proportion (in quintiles) of all CNH residents prescribed antipsychotics in the quarter preceding a Veteran's admission date. Using adjusted logistic regression, we analyzed two outcomes measured using MDS: antipsychotic initiation, and new diagnosis of an antipsychotic quality‐measure exclusionary condition (i.e., schizophrenia, Tourette's syndrome, or Huntington's disease).

Results

Among 8201 Veterans without an indication for antipsychotics at baseline, 21.1% initiated antipsychotics and 3.5% were newly diagnosed with any exclusionary diagnosis after CNH admission. Schizophrenia accounted for almost all (96.8%) the new diagnoses. Antipsychotic initiation increased with higher CNH antipsychotic use rates: OR = 2.55, 95% CI: 2.08–‐3.12, quintile 5 versus 1. CNHs with the highest prevalent use of antipsychotics were associated with increased odds of Veterans acquiring an exclusionary diagnosis (OR = 2.09, 95% CI: 1.32–3.32, quintile 5 vs. 1).

Conclusions

Incident antipsychotic use is common among Veterans admitted to CNHs. CNH antipsychotic prescribing practices are associated with Veterans being newly diagnosed with antipsychotic prescription indications, primarily schizophrenia.
Mapping electric bulk conductivity in the human heart
Authors: Katscher Ulrich , Weiss Steffen
Published: November 2021

Purpose

To explore the technical feasibility of mapping the electric bulk conductivity in the human heart, and to determine quantitative conductivity values of myocardium and blood from a small group of volunteers.

Methods

Using a 3T MR system, 6 healthy male volunteers were measured. For all volunteers, a time‐resolved 2D sequence over the cardiac cycle was applied (electrocardiogram [ECG]‐triggered SSFP acquired in breath‐hold). From these data, a dedicated, so‐called “2D conductivity” has been derived in the framework of electrical properties tomography (EPT). To validate the concept of 2D conductivity, a static 3D sequence (ECG‐triggered and respiratory‐gated SSFP 3D whole heart acquisition, allowing the full 3D reconstruction of conductivity) as well as a Q‐flow sequence (for investigating the relation between flow and reconstruction errors of the conductivity) have been applied for one of the volunteers.

Results

For both, blood and myocardium, quantitative values of obtained 2D conductivity were approximately two‐thirds of the obtained 3D conductivity, as expected from Maxwell’s equations. Furthermore, the quantitative conductivity values agreed with corresponding literature values. Conductivity of left‐ventricular blood volume showed characteristic over‐ and under‐shooting at specific time points during the cardiac cycle for all volunteers investigated. This over‐ and under‐shooting correlated with the phase pattern caused by blood flow into/out of the ventricle.

Conclusion

The study demonstrated the technical feasibility of cardiac conductivity measurements using standard MR systems and standard MR sequences, and therefore, may open new options for MR‐based cardiac diagnosis.
An Early Larval Feeding Protocol and Hypersaline Acclimation of Larval Spotted Seatrout
Authors: Schacht Bailey E. , Scarpa John , Fox Joe M. , Vega Robert R.
Published: November 2021

The availability of Spotted Seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus to anglers along the Texas coast is supported by a stock enhancement program that is managed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. A study was conducted to improve production protocols during frequent hypersaline conditions in rearing ponds. The objectives of the study were to (1) develop a feeding protocol for use during extended indoor larval rearing and (2) determine whether gradual hypersaline acclimation during extended indoor larval rearing leads to increased growth and survival of Spotted Seatrout larvae when they are subjected to hypersaline conditions. Two feeding trials were conducted to evaluate four rotifer enrichments (Algamac-3050, Easy Dry Selco, Ori-One, and Rotigrow Plus) that are used in a standard larval Spotted Seatrout diet. The feeding trials were necessary to ensure larvae health and survival for the salinity acclimation trial. The larvae in both trials that were fed with Algamac-3050-enriched rotifers exhibited significantly greater (P < 0.05) survival and growth (i.e., length, weight, specific growth rate, and percent weight gain). Based on these results, Algamac-3050 was used in a subsequent salinity acclimation trial. In the salinity acclimation trial, 3-d-posthatch (dph) larvae at 35‰ were subjected to increased salinity at a rate of 1‰/d; then at 3, 6, 9, and 12 dph, they were subjected to a hypersaline (50‰) condition to simulate pond stocking. The percentage of survival was highest when the larvae were acclimated until 6 or 9 dph (52.5 ± 7.0% and 65.0 ± 7.7% [mean ± SD], respectively) with no improvement in acclimation to 12 dph (65.2 ± 7.1%). The results for growth and percentage survival displayed similar trends. This study indicates that rearing larval Spotted Seatrout in hypersaline conditions is improved by increasing the indoor rearing time beyond 3 dph and gradually acclimating the larvae to a higher salinity during an extended rearing time.
Multivariate analysis of NMR‐based metabolomic data
Authors: Debik Julia , Sangermani Matteo , Wang Feng , Madssen Torfinn S. , Giskeødegård Guro F.
Published: November 2021

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy allows for simultaneous detection of a wide range of metabolites and lipids. As metabolites act together in complex metabolic networks, they are often highly correlated, and optimal biological insight is achieved when using methods that take the correlation into account. For this reason, latent‐variable‐based methods, such as principal component analysis and partial least‐squares discriminant analysis, are widely used in metabolomic studies. However, with increasing availability of larger population cohorts, and a shift from analysis of spectral data to using quantified metabolite levels, both more traditional statistical approaches and alternative machine learning methods have become more widely used. This review aims at providing an overview of the current state‐of‐the‐art multivariate methods for the analysis of NMR‐based metabolomic data as well as alternative methods, highlighting their strengths and limitations.
Deep learning identifies inflamed fat as a risk factor for lymph node metastasis in early colorectal cancer
Authors: Brockmoeller Scarlet , Echle Amelie , Ghaffari Laleh Narmin , Eiholm Susanne , Malmstrøm Marie Louise , Plato Kuhlmann Tine , Levic Katarina , Grabsch Heike Irmgard , West Nicholas P , Saldanha Oliver Lester , Kouvidi Katerina , Bono Aurora , Heij Lara R , Brinker Titus J , Gögenür Ismayil , Quirke Philip , Kather Jakob Nikolas
Published: November 2021

The spread of early‐stage (T1 and T2) adenocarcinomas to locoregional lymph nodes is a key event in disease progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). The cellular mechanisms behind this event are not completely understood and existing predictive biomarkers are imperfect. Here, we used an end‐to‐end deep learning algorithm to identify risk factors for lymph node metastasis (LNM) status in digitized histopathology slides of the primary CRC and its surrounding tissue. In two large population‐based cohorts, we show that this system can predict the presence of more than one LNM in pT2 CRC patients with an area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC) of 0.733 (0.67–0.758) and patients with any LNM with an AUROC of 0.711 (0.597–0.797). Similarly, in pT1 CRC patients, the presence of more than one LNM or any LNM was predictable with an AUROC of 0.733 (0.644–0.778) and 0.567 (0.542–0.597), respectively. Based on these findings, we used the deep learning system to guide human pathology experts towards highly predictive regions for LNM in the whole slide images. This hybrid human observer and deep learning approach identified inflamed adipose tissue as the highest predictive feature for LNM presence. Our study is a first proof of concept that artificial intelligence (AI) systems may be able to discover potentially new biological mechanisms in cancer progression. Our deep learning algorithm is publicly available and can be used for biomarker discovery in any disease setting. © 2021 The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
CHARMING: Harmonizing synonymous codon usage to replicate a desired codon usage pattern
Authors: Wright Gabriel , Rodriguez Anabel , Li Jun , Milenkovic Tijana , Emrich Scott J. , Clark Patricia L.
Published: November 2021

There is a growing appreciation that synonymous codon usage, although historically regarded as phenotypically silent, can instead alter a wide range of mechanisms related to functional protein production, a term we use here to describe the net effect of transcription (mRNA synthesis), mRNA half‐life, translation (protein synthesis) and the probability of a protein folding correctly to its active, functional structure. In particular, recent discoveries have highlighted the important role that sub‐optimal codons can play in modifying co‐translational protein folding. These results have drawn increased attention to the patterns of synonymous codon usage within coding sequences, particularly in light of the discovery that these patterns can be conserved across evolution for homologous proteins. Because synonymous codon usage differs between organisms, for heterologous gene expression it can be desirable to make synonymous codon substitutions to match the codon usage pattern from the original organism in the heterologous expression host. Here we present CHARMING (for Codon HARMonizING), a robust and versatile algorithm to design mRNA sequences for heterologous gene expression and other related codon harmonization tasks. CHARMING can be run as a downloadable Python script or via a web portal at http://www.codons.org.
In silico prediction of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 main protease cleavage sites
Authors: Yang Zheng Rong
Published: November 2021

One of the emerging subjects to combat the SARS‐CoV‐2 virus is to design accurate and efficient drug such as inhibitors against the viral protease to stop the viral spread. In addition to laboratory investigation of the viral protease, which is fundamental, the in silico research of viral protease such as the protease cleavage site prediction is critically important and urgent. However, this problem has yet to be addressed. This article has, for the first time, investigated this problem using the pattern recognition approaches. The article has shown that the pattern recognition approaches incorporating a specially tailored kernel function for dealing with amino acids has the outstanding performance in the accuracy of cleavage site prediction and the discovery of the prototype cleavage peptides.
Serious adverse drug reactions in sub‐Saharan Africa in the era of antiretroviral treatment: A systematic review
Authors: Mouton Johannes P. , Jobanputra Nicole , Tatz Gayle , Cohen Karen
Published: November 2021

We aimed to summarize and describe the burden of serious adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) in the era of antiretroviral therapy. We searched Medline, CINAHL, Africa‐Wide Information, Scopus, and Web of Science, without language restriction up to March 2021. We hand‐searched reference lists, conference abstracts, and dissertation databases. We included studies reporting proportions of admissions attributed to ADRs, admissions prolonged by ADRs, or in‐hospital deaths attributed to ADRs. Two reviewers independently screened the studies, reviewed the study quality using a previously published tool, and extracted the data. We tested for heterogeneity using I2‐statistics and summarized the study results using medians and interquartile ranges. Subgroup analyses summarized the results by study quality, setting, methodology, and population. From 1005 unique references identified, we included 15 studies. Median study quality was 7/10; heterogeneity was very high. Median [IQR] proportion of admissions attributed to ADRs was 4.8% [1.5% to 7.0%] (14 studies) and 6.4% [4.0% to 8.4%] in nine active surveillance studies in adults. Two pediatric studies reported the proportion of admissions prolonged by ADRs (0.29% and 0.99%). Three studies reported the proportion of in‐hospital deaths attributed to ADRs (2.5%, 13%, and 16%). Antiretroviral and antituberculosis drugs were often implicated in serious ADRs. Evidence of the burden of serious ADRs in SSA is patchy and heterogeneous. A few high‐quality studies suggest that the burden is considerable, and that it reflects the regional impact of the HIV pandemic. Further characterization of this burden is required, ideally in studies of standardized methodology.
ANOTHER syndrome—Familial presentations of progressive lung disease leading to double lung transplantation: A case report and literature review
Authors: Thornton Christina S. , Puttagunta Lakshmi , Helmersen Douglas , Thakrar Mitesh V. , Nagendran Jayan , Lien Dale , Varughese Rhea A.
Published: November 2021

Ectodermal dysplasias (EDs) are a heterogeneous rare group of disorders with an incidence at 1/100,000 live births. Currently, there are limited case reports of patients requiring lung transplantation. Here, we report two brothers who present with a constellation of features including alopecia, nail dystrophy, ophthalmic complications, thyroid disease, hypohidrosis, ephelides, enteropathy and recurrent respiratory tract infections, known as ANOTHER syndrome, a rare autosomal recessive variant of ED. Both presented in early childhood with progressive respiratory decline and eventual failure. Chronic respiratory decline was refractory to standard therapy. Both patients required lung transplantation for sequelae of end‐stage lung disease. Pathology demonstrated multifocal bronchiectasis with areas of fibrosis and small airway obstruction. ANOTHER syndrome is rare with a paucity of data in the literature. Given the limited therapeutic options available with natural progression towards respiratory failure, lung transplantation may be considered.
Triboelectric Nanogenerator with Low Crest Factor via Precise Phase Difference Design Realized by 3D Printing
Authors: Hu Yuexiao , Li Xinyuan , Zhao Zhihao , Zhang Chuguo , Zhou Linglin , Li Yanhong , Liu Yuebo , Wang Jie , Wang Zhong Lin
Published: November 2021

Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) has presented the huge potential application in distributed energy field which can realize the conversion from dispersed mechanical energy to electric energy. However, the natural characteristic of pulse output for conventional TENG, which means high crest factor, is defective for directly driving electronics. Here, a strategy to convert the pulse alternate current of TENG into a direct current with low crest factor is achieved through introducing a phase difference design into the structure of TENG. As a result, a direct current with a crest factor of 1.07 is obtained in a rotational free‐standing TENG (RF‐TENG) array at optimum phase difference, where 3D digital printing technology is used to accurately control the parameter of phase difference. Moreover, an adaptable contact mode structure between tribolayer and electrode improves the durability of the RF‐TENG array, which can present a stable performance after working 1.2 million cycles. This work provides a combined strategy to obtain a long‐lifetime and low crest‐factor TENG for its large‐scale application in energy harvesting.
Vertically Arranged Internal Grains and Superior Surface Textures of Perovskite Films Enabled by Ligand–Solvent Engineering
Authors: Gu Leilei , Li Ruiyi , Wang Shubo , Xu Yibo , Qian Binhui , Fan Jiahao , Ni Junjie , Yuan Ningyi , Ding Jianning
Published: November 2021

Ligand‐solvent engineering has been widely applied to improve the quality of perovskite films by forming intermediate films. However, there is an inconsistent understanding in the studies on the composition and mechanism of intermediate films formed by different ligand solvents, and the influence on perovskite film morphology is still elusive. Herein, the pure intermediate films (composed of pure crystal nucleus and amorphous precursor) are fabricated by the addition of ligand solvents with different coordination abilities. Notably, a single heterogeneous nucleation process is induced by the pure intermediate film, resulting in the formation of vertically arranged internal perovskite crystals with few horizontal boundaries, that improve charge transfer and device performance. Furthermore, the small and uniform crystals obtained by adding a ligand solvent with weak coordination ability result in smooth films and a smaller device current (Jsc = 22.74 mA cm−2, PCE = 19.58%). In contrast, the large and uneven crystals obtained by strong coordination ability lead to rough films and a larger device current (Jsc = 23.24 mA cm−2, PCE = 20.72%). This study is devoted to providing a significance reference for the fabrication of perovskite films with vertically arranged internal grains and superior surface textures.
Strengthening Effect of Multiscale Second Phases in Reduced Activation Ferrite/Martensitic Steel
Authors: Qiu Guo-xing , Du Qing , Li Xiao-ming , Xing Xiang-dong , Zhan Dong-ping
Published: November 2021

Reduced activation ferrite/martensitic steels containing yttrium (Y), titanium (Ti), and zirconia (Zr) are melted using vacuum induction melting–electroslag remelting (ESR) to study the effects of second phases on the microstructure, tensile properties, and impact toughness of the alloys. In addition, two heat treatment processes are used to obtain the dispersed distribution of fine M23C6 carbides in reduced activation steel. The results show that ESR not only refined micron inclusions but also increase the number of submicron inclusions in the alloys. The number of submicron inclusions per unit volume of the ESR ingots is 1.11–1.43 × 1019 m−3. These inclusions not only reduced the austenite grain size through pinning but also effectively pinned dislocations to improve the mechanical properties of the steel. MX carbonitrides rather than M23C6 precipitated first in the steel with A–A–T heat treatment at 920 °C, decreasing the mean size of M23C6. The refined grain size, martensitic laths, and M23C6 are beneficial to the mechanical properties of the alloys. The yield strengths of the E–Y–Ti and E–Y–Zr alloys are 659 and 657 MPa, and their ductile–brittle transition temperatures are −93 and −86 °C, respectively.
Study on Cracking Behavior of High‐Strength Steels by Liquid Zinc‐Induced Embrittlement
Authors: Ma Zheng , Peng Wangjun , Ding Chengfa , Wu Guangxin , Zhang Jieyu
Published: November 2021

Although Zn‐coatings have enhanced corrosion resistance of steels, Zn‐induced liquid metal embrittlement (LME) is susceptible during hot forming. Prolonging the annealing time before hot forming availably prevents LME by eliminating the liquid phase. Herein, the austenitization process window by systematically investigating the effects of annealing time on the mechanical properties of high‐strength (press‐hardened 22MnB5, dual‐phase DP980, and quenching‐partitioning QP1180) steels and LME cracking behaviors for corresponding galvanized (GI) steels are optimized. The results support LME undermines the mechanical properties of all GI steels, while the effecting of the coating for the 22MnB5 is few. Calculation of phase diagram (CALPHAD) is used to evaluate the influence of annealing time on the ductility of the steels. Furthermore, the formation mechanism of LME cracks during the austenitization of galvanized QP1180 is studied. At the initial stage, the interfacial Fe–Al inhibition layer is destabilized. The cracks initiated on the surface of γ‐Fe are induced by the synergistic effect of strain and penetration of liquid Zn. The results of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) indicate that Fe‐Zn compound (Γ‐Fe3Zn10) is created and carbon enriches at the interfaces between the infiltrating Zn and γ‐Fe substrates at the LME crack tips.
How can we create a sustainable future for farm animal veterinary practice?
Authors: Remnant John
Published: November 2021

Recruitment and retention is a big problem for the farm vet sector, but it could be overcome by implementing small improvements at all stages of the farm vet pipeline, argues John Remnant.
Aggregation-Induced Emission in Electrochemiluminescence: Advances and Perspectives
Authors: Moreno-Alcántar Guillermo , Aliprandi Alessandro , De Cola Luisa
Published: November 2021

The discovery of aggregation-induced electrochemiluminescence (AIECL) in 2017 opened new research paths in the quest for novel, more efficient emitters and platforms for biological and environmental sensing applications. The great abundance of fluorophores presenting aggregation-induced emission in aqueous media renders AIECL a potentially powerful tool for future diagnostics. In the short time following this discovery, many scientists have found the phenomenon interesting, with research findings contributing to advances in the comprehension of the processes involved and in attempts to design new sensing platforms. Herein, we explore these advances and reflect on the future directions to take for the development of sensing devices based on AIECL.
Die Verwirklichung des europäischen Binnenmarkts im Transport- und Verkehrsrecht
Authors: Perathoner Christoph
Published: November 2021

Mobilität und Verkehr sind für das Funktionieren einer modernen Gesellschaft unabdingbar geworden und bilden heute eine der Grundlagen der europäischen Integration. Der flächendeckende Ausbau nachhaltiger Verkehrsnetze stellt dabei eine notwendige Voraussetzung für die Verwirklichung und den Fortbestand des europäischen Binnenmarktes dar. Vor eben diesem Hintergrund macht es sich der vorliegende Beitrag zur Aufgabe, grundlegende Fragen des europäischen Transport- und Verkehrsrechts offenzulegen und zu analysieren.
Der Brennerverkehrsgipfel-Prozess. Ein Meilenstein der Verkehrspolitik in der Europaregion Tirol – Ein Diskussionsbericht
Authors: Jicha Stephanie
Published: November 2021

Deutschland, Österreich, Italien, Bayern, Nordtirol und Südtirol streben gemeinsame Lösungen für den Verkehr auf der Brennerachse an. Die Regierungsvertreter*innen der Staaten und Regionen entlang der Brennerachse ringen um Lösungen für die Verkehrssituation am Brenner. Ein gemeinsames Ziel ist die Verlagerung des Güterverkehrs von der Straße auf die Schiene.
Grenzüberschreitende multimodale Güterbeförderung in der EU: Internationale Gerichtszuständigkeit und anwendbares Vertragsrecht – Ein Überblick
Authors: Laimer Simon
Published: November 2021

Eine nachhaltigere Gestaltung des Verkehrssektors stellt, nicht zuletzt auch mit Blick auf die Umsetzung des Pariser Klimaschutzabkommens, ein zentrales Anliegen der EU-Verkehrspolitik dar. Dabei ist ein wesentliches Element der EU-Strategie für eine umweltfreundliche Mobilität – etwa neben der Steigerung der Effizienz des Verkehrssystems durch Digitalisierung – vor allem eine bedeutende Verlagerung des Güterverkehrs von der Straße auf emissionsärmere Verkehrsträger wie insbesondere den Schienenverkehr. Damit sind Umweltschutzziele, aber auch die erstrebte Entlastung der Straßenverkehrswege gemeinsam mit der immer weiter reichenden Einführung von normierten Transportgefäßen (speziell der Containerverkehr) ganz wesentliche Gründe dafür, dass Gütertransportvorgänge zunehmend durch eine Aufeinanderfolge verschiedener Transportmittel gekennzeichnet sind. Nachdem der betroffene Rechtsbereich wirtschaftlich stark grenzüberschreitend ausgerichtet ist, werden in diesem Beitrag jene besonderen Fragen für Gütertransporte innerhalb der EU in den Mittelpunkt gestellt, die speziell mit Blick auf Haftungsstreitigkeiten aus dem multimodalen Beförderungsvertrag dann auftreten, wenn der Übernahmeort des Gutes und der Ort der Ablieferung in zwei verschiedenen Staaten liegen oder ggf. auch dann gelöst werden müssen, wenn die Vertragsparteien ihre Niederlassungen in unterschiedlichen Staaten haben.
Produkthaftung für autonome Fahrzeuge
Authors: Koch Bernhard A.
Published: November 2021

Die Produkthaftungsrichtlinie (PHRL) ist dringend korrekturbedürftig, um den aktuellen Anforderungen einer bereits geänderten Realität zu entsprechen. Insbesondere muss klargestellt werden, ob Software und andere digitale Inhalte Produkte im Sinne der Richtlinie sind. Dies soll am Beispiel der autonomen Fahrzeuge gezeigt werden.
Der Brennerkorridor – eine europäische Dimension für Mobilität und Nachhaltigkeit
Authors: Bergmeister Konrad
Published: November 2021

Der Brennerkorridor wird entlang des Alpenbogens am stärksten durch den Güterverkehr belastet. Er ist Teil des europäischen über 9600 km langen Scan-Med-Korridors von Helsinki bis Valletta. Derzeit wird dort die weltlängste unterirdische Eisenbahnverbindung mit dem 64 km langen Brenner Basistunnel und den Zulaufstrecken im Norden und Süden gebaut. Diese Infrastrukturen sind Voraussetzung für eine Verlagerung des Güterverkehrs von der Straße (heute über 70 %) auf die Schiene. Europa unterstützt den Bau dieser Infrastrukturen und hat mit dem „green deal“ und der Treibhausgasneutralität bis 2050 eine neue Epoche in der Nachhaltigkeit ausgerufen. Deshalb müssen sowohl beim Bau als auch beim Betrieb konkrete Maßnahmen zur Reduktion der Emissionen und zur Verbesserung der Nachhaltigkeit getroffen werden, wie dies im Beitrag aufgezeigt wird. Mit verkehrspolitischen Maßnahmen zur Benutzung der Bahn und unter Einbezug der Wasserstoff-Technologie aus lokaler erneuerbarer Energie und emissionsfreien Fahrzeugen kann der grüne Brennerkorridor schrittweise Realität werden.
Point-of-care human milk testing for maternal secretor status
Authors: Chung Saeromi , Bode Lars , Hall Drew A.
Published: November 2021

We present an electrochemical impedimetric-based biosensor for monitoring the variation in human milk oligosaccharide (HMO) composition. 2′-Fucosyllactose (2’FL) is an HMO associated with infant growth, cognitive development, and protection from infectious diarrhea, one of the major causes of infant death worldwide. Due to genetic variation, the milk of some women (non-secretors) contains no or very little 2′FL with potential implications for infant health and development. However, there is currently no technology to analyze the presence and concentration of HMOs in human milk at the point-of-care (POC). The lack of such technology represents a major impediment to advancing human milk research and improving maternal-infant health. Towards this unmet need, we report an impedimetric assay for HMOs with an α-1,2 linkage, the most abundant of which is 2′FL. The sensor uses a lectin for affinity, specifically Ulex europaeus﻿agglutininI (UEA), with electrochemical readout. In spiked studies, the sensor exhibited a high degree of linearity (R2 = 0.991) over 0.5 to 3.0 μM with a 330-nM detection limit. The sensor performance was clinically validated using banked human milk samples and correctly identified all secretor vs. non-secretor samples. Furthermore, despite the short 35-min assay time and low sample volume (25 μL), the assay was highly correlated with HPLC measurements. This bedside human milk testing assay enables POC, “sample-to-answer” quantitative HMO measurement, and will be a valuable tool to assess milk composition.

Graphical abstract
A Central Composite Design in increasing the quercetin content in the aqueous onion waste isolates with antifungal and antioxidant properties
Authors: Wianowska Dorota , Olszowy-Tomczyk Małgorzata , Garbaczewska Sylwia
Published: November 2021

In this study, to increase the content of quercetin in the isolates obtained from the white and red onion scales, in accordance with the zero waste philosophy, using water as an environmentally and healthy friendly extractant, a mathematical model was constructed, based on the Central Composite Design. The suitability of the model for the accurate and quick study of complex relationships was demonstrated by obtaining a statistically insignificant difference in the yield predicted by the model and that determined experimentally under optimal extraction conditions, i.e., 44.14 mg/g (33.57 mg/g) and 45.54 mg/g (33.31 mg/g) for white (red) onion scales, respectively. To present the obtained isolates applicability, their biological activity was assessed in terms of antioxidant activity and antifungal activity against various fungi, showing properties that are sufficient to encourage the use of this material, previously treated as worthless waste, for the production of various functional ingredients, including functional food additives. Moreover, they can be also used to produce safe and effective protectants meeting the GRAS criteria.
Differences in Postoperative Pain, Nausea, and Vomiting After Elective Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy in Premenopausal and Postmenopausal Mexican Women
Authors: Medina‐Diaz‐Cortés Guillermo , Brancaccio‐Pérez Irma Valeria , Esparza‐Estrada Isaac , Barbosa‐Camacho Francisco José , Fuentes‐Orozco Clotilde , González‐Hernández Paola Guadalupe , Chejfec‐Ciociano Jonathan Matías , Ramírez‐Sánchez Marco Vinicio , Sánchez‐López Veronica Alexandra , Cortés‐Flores Ana Olivia , Álvarez‐Villaseñor Andrea Socorro , Chávez‐Tostado Mariana , Cervantes‐Pérez Enrique , Cervantes‐Guevara Gabino , Cervantes‐Cardona Guillermo Alonso , González‐Ojeda Alejandro
Published: November 2021

Background

Postoperative symptoms and pain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) are common in women. However, there is no evidence of differences in incidence and severity among different age groups. We evaluated whether adverse postoperative symptoms were more common in younger than in older women after LC.

Methods

One hundred and fifty premenopausal (mean age 37.6 ± 3.6 y) and 145 postmenopausal women (59 ± 5.2 y) were included in this retrospective cohort study. Clinical and anthropometric parameters were analyzed. Study endpoints were the incidences of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and pain, and the additional analgesics and antiemetics needed after surgery.

Results

Body mass index was normal in 42.7% of patients in the younger group and 64.8% in the older group (P < 0.001). Reported pain was more frequent and intense in the younger group throughout the study period (P < 0.01). Additional narcotics were required in 18% of premenopausal versus 7.6% of postmenopausal women (P = 0.001), and the doses used to reduce pain were higher for premenopausal women (P = 0.02). PONV was more frequent in the younger group at 1 and 6 h after surgery (P < 0.005). Rescue antiemetics were required in 29 premenopausal and 13 postmenopausal women (P = 0.01). Hospital stay was shorter for the older patients (P = 0.01). Minor morbidity was observed in both groups (0.7% and 2.1%). There was no mortality.

Conclusions

Early PONV and pain after LC were more frequent in premenopausal women, who also required more rescue analgesic and antiemetic medication.
Sorghum genetic, genomic, and breeding resources
Authors: Xin Zhanguo , Wang Mingli , Cuevas Hugo E. , Chen Junping , Harrison Melanie , Pugh N. Ace , Morris Geoffrey
Published: November 2021

Main conclusion

Sorghum research has entered an exciting and fruitful era due to the genetic, genomic, and breeding resources that are now available to researchers and plant breeders.

As the world faces the challenges of a rising population and a changing global climate, new agricultural solutions will need to be developed to address the food and fiber needs of the future. To that end, sorghum will be an invaluable crop species as it is a stress-resistant C4 plant that is well adapted for semi-arid and arid regions. Sorghum has already remained as a staple food crop in many parts of Africa and Asia and is critically important for animal feed and niche culinary applications in other regions, such as the United States. In addition, sorghum has begun to be developed into a promising feedstock for forage and bioenergy production. Due to this increasing demand for sorghum and its potential to address these needs, the continuous development of powerful community resources is required. These resources include vast collections of sorghum germplasm, high-quality reference genome sequences, sorghum association panels for genome-wide association studies of traits involved in food and bioenergy production, mutant populations for rapid discovery of causative genes for phenotypes relevant to sorghum improvement, gene expression atlas, and online databases that integrate all resources and provide the sorghum community with tools that can be used in breeding and genomic studies. Used in tandem, these valuable resources will ensure that the rate, quality, and collaborative potential of ongoing sorghum improvement efforts is able to rival that of other major crops.
Single-port transaxillary robotic thyroidectomy (START): 200-cases with two-step retraction method
Authors: Kim Jin Kyong , Choi Sun Hyung , Choi Soon Min , Choi Hye Ryeon , Lee Cho Rok , Kang Sang-Wook , Jeong Jong Ju , Nam Kee-Hyun , Chung Woong Youn
Published: November 2021

Background

This study aims to report the results of a pioneering clinical study using the single-port transaxillary robotic thyroidectomy (START) for 200 patients with thyroid tumor and to introduce our novel two-step retraction method.

Methods

START was performed on consecutive 200 patients using the da Vinci Single-Port (SP) robot system from January 2019 to September 2020 at the Yonsei University Health System, Seoul, Korea. The novel two-step retraction technique, in which a 3.5 cm long incision is made along the natural skin crease, was used for the latter 164 patients. The surgical outcome and invasiveness of the SP two-step retraction method were analyzed.

Results

Among the 200 cases who underwent START, 198 were female and 2 were male, with a mean age of 34.7 (range: 13–58 years). Thyroid lobectomy was performed for 177 patients and total thyroidectomy was performed for 23 patients. Ten patients had benign thyroid nodules, whereas the other 190 had thyroid malignancy. The mean body mass index (BMI) was 22.2 ± 3.7 kg/m2 (range: 15.9–37.0 kg/m2). All of the operations were performed successfully without any open conversions, and patients were discharged on postoperative day 3 or 4 without significant complication. The mean operative time for thyroid lobectomy with the two-step retraction method was 116.69 ± 23.23 min, which was similar to that in the conventional robotic skin flap method (115.33 ± 17.29 min). We could minimize the extent of the robotic skin flap dissection with the two-step retraction method.

Conclusions

START is a practical surgical method. By employing the new two-step retraction method, we can maximize the cosmetic and functional benefits for patients and reduce the workload fatigue of surgeons by increasing robotic dependency.
Penehyclidine for prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting following bimaxillary orthognathic surgery: a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial
Authors: Wang Li-Kuan , Cheng Tong , Yang Xu-Dong , Xiong Guo-Li , Li Nan , Wang Dong-Xin
Published: November 2021

Purpose

To investigate the efficacy and safety of low-dose bolus plus continuous infusion of penehyclidine in preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) following bimaxillary surgery.

Methods

Three hundred fifty-four patients were randomly allocated into three groups. In the Control group, placebo (normal saline) was injected before anesthesia and infused over 48 h after surgery; in the Bolus group, 0.5 mg penehyclidine was injected before anesthesia, whereas placebo was infused after surgery; in the Infusion group, 0.25 mg penehyclidine were injected before anesthesia, another 0.25 mg penehyclidine was infused after surgery. The primary endpoint was the incidence of PONV within 72 h.

Results

A total of 353 patients were included in intention-to-treat analysis. The PONV incidence was 61.0% (72/118) in the Control group, 40.2% (47/117) in the Bolus group, and 28.0% (33/118) in the Infusion group. The incidence was significantly lower in the Bolus group than in the Control group (RR 0.66; 95% CI 0.51–0.86; adjusted P = 0.003) and in the Infusion group than in the Control group (RR 0.46; 95% CI 0.33–0.63; adjusted P < 0.001); the difference between the Infusion and Bolus groups was not statistically significant (RR 0.70; 95% CI 0.48–1.00; adjusted P = 0.144). Emergence agitation occurred more frequently in the Bolus group than in the Control group (36.8% [43/117] vs. 21.2% [25/118], adjusted P = 0.027), but did not differ significantly between the Infusion and Control groups.

Conclusions

A low-dose bolus plus continuous infusion of penehyclidine was effective in preventing PONV without increasing emergence agitation.

Trial registration

Clinicaltrials.gov. Identifier: NCT04454866.
Survival time and mortality rate of regeneration in the deep shade of a primeval beech forest
Authors: Petrovska R. , Bugmann H. , Hobi M. L. , Ghosh S. , Brang P.
Published: November 2021

Low mortality rates and slow growth differentiate shade-tolerant from shade-intolerant species and define the survival strategy of juvenile trees growing in deep shade. While radial stem growth has been widely used to explain mortality in juvenile trees, the leaf area ratio (LAR), known to be a key component of shade tolerance, has been neglected so far. We assessed the effects of LAR, radial stem growth and tree height on survival time and the age-specific mortality rate of juvenile Fagus sylvatica L. (European beech), Acer pseudoplatanus L. (sycamore maple) and Acer platanoides L. (Norway maple) in a primeval beech forest (Ukraine). Aboveground and belowground biomass and radial stem growth were analysed for 289 living and 179 dead seedlings and saplings. Compared with the other species, F. sylvatica featured higher LAR, slower growth and a lower mortality rate. The average survival time of F. sylvatica juveniles (72 years) allows it to reach the canopy more often than its competitors in forests with low canopy turnover rate. In contrast, a combination of lower LAR, higher growth rate and higher age-specific mortality rate of the two Acer species resulted in their shorter survival times and thus render their presence in the canopy a rare event. Overall, this study suggests that shade tolerance, commonly defined as a relationship between sapling mortality and growth, can alternatively be formulated as a relationship between survival time and the interplay of growth and LAR.
A family of C1 quadrilateral finite elements
Authors: Kapl Mario , Sangalli Giancarlo , Takacs Thomas
Published: November 2021

We present a novel family of C1 quadrilateral finite elements, which define global C1 spaces over a general quadrilateral mesh with vertices of arbitrary valency. The elements extend the construction by Brenner and Sung (J. Sci. Comput. 22(1-3), 83-118, 2005), which is based on polynomial elements of tensor-product degree p ≥ 6, to all degrees p ≥ 3. The proposed C1 quadrilateral is based upon the construction of multi-patch C1 isogeometric spaces developed in Kapl et al. (Comput. Aided Geometr. Des. 69, 55–75 2019). The quadrilateral elements possess similar degrees of freedom as the classical Argyris triangles, developed in Argyris et al. (Aeronaut. J. 72(692), 701–709 1968). Just as for the Argyris triangle, we additionally impose C2 continuity at the vertices. In contrast to Kapl et al. (Comput. Aided Geometr. Des. 69, 55–75 2019), in this paper, we concentrate on quadrilateral finite elements, which significantly simplifies the construction. We present macro-element constructions, extending the elements in Brenner and Sung (J. Sci. Comput. 22(1–3), 83–118 2005), for polynomial degrees p = 3 and p = 4 by employing a splitting into 3 × 3 or 2 × 2 polynomial pieces, respectively. We moreover provide approximation error bounds in $L^{\infty }$

L

∞

, L2, H1 and H2 for the piecewise-polynomial macro-element constructions of degree p ∈{3,4} and polynomial elements of degree p ≥ 5. Since the elements locally reproduce polynomials of total degree p, the approximation orders are optimal with respect to the mesh size. Note that the proposed construction combines the possibility for spline refinement (equivalent to a regular splitting of quadrilateral finite elements) as in Kapl et al. (Comput. Aided Geometr. Des. 69, 55–75 30) with the purely local description of the finite element space and basis as in Brenner and Sung (J. Sci. Comput. 22(1–3), 83–118 2005). In addition, we describe the construction of a simple, local basis and give for p ∈{3,4,5} explicit formulas for the Bézier or B-spline coefficients of the basis functions. Numerical experiments by solving the biharmonic equation demonstrate the potential of the proposed C1 quadrilateral finite element for the numerical analysis of fourth order problems, also indicating that (for p = 5) the proposed element performs comparable or in general even better than the Argyris triangle with respect to the number of degrees of freedom.