bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Consequences of Extended Spectrum Beta‐Lactamase–Producing Enterobacteriaceae and Methicillin‐Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Carriage in Awaiting Liver Transplant Patients
Authors: Magro Bianca , Mazzola Alessandra , Munteanu Mona , Goumard Claire , Martinez Valerie , Bernard Denis , Scatton Olivier , Battaglia Salvatore , Celsa Ciro , Cammà Calogero , Conti Filomena
Published: September 2020

Infections in patients with cirrhosis are associated with liver‐related complications (LRCs), especially in patients awaiting liver transplantation (LT). The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and extended spectrum beta‐lactamase colonization on infections and LRCs for patients on the wait list and on infections after LT. We retrospectively included 250 of 483 patients with cirrhosis who were placed on the wait list for LT from December 2015 to January 2018. These patients were screened for MRSA or extended spectrum beta‐lactamase–producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBLE) at the time of wait‐list placement and after LT. Of the patients, 76% were male with a mean age of 57.5 ± 10 years, and the most frequent cause of liver disease was alcohol (39%). Median Model for End‐Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score was 19 (12‐28). Only 1 patient was positive for MRSA; 19% of patients (n = 47) had ESBLE fecal carriage at the time of wait‐list placement and 15% (n = 37) had it after LT. Infection‐free survival on the wait list and after LT, according to fecal carriage status, was not statistically different between 2 groups. LRC‐free survival at 6 and 12 months was significantly lower in ESBLE fecal carriage (HR, 1.6; P = 0.04). MELD score >19 (HR, 3.0; P = 0.01) and occurrence of infection during the first 3 months on the wait list (HR, 4.13; P < 0.001) were independent risk factors for LRC occurrence in the multivariate analysis. Our study is the first showing that in a cohort of patients with cirrhosis waiting for LT LRC‐free survival was lower in patients with ESBLE fecal carriage but that infection‐free survival was not different between the 2 groups.
Remarks on solitons for inverse mean curvature flow
Authors: Kim Daehwan , Pyo Juncheol
Published: September 2020

Homothetic and translating solitons for the inverse mean curvature flow (IMCF) in are self‐similar solutions deformed by only homothety and translation under IMCF, respectively. In this paper, we address some geometric properties of these solitons. To be specific, the incompleteness for the homothetic soliton of velocity C with and for any translating soliton are proved. In addition, we show that the quantitative area growth for the homothetic solitons for and the translating solitons.
The relationship between business performance, corporate social responsibility, and innovation capital: A case study of Taiwan
Authors: Chen Fu‐Chiang , Tebourbi Imen
Published: September 2020

This study investigates the relationship of innovation capital and corporate social responsibility (CSR) with business performance. The sample is from 33 manufacturing companies that won the 2016 Corporate Citizenship Award of CommonWealth Magazine. Empirical analysis result shows that the average technical efficiency (TE) of the 33 corporate citizens is 0.835. Among companies, nine companies are relatively efficient, 24 companies are in scale inefficiency, and 20 companies are in mixed inefficiency. The relationship between the CSR total score and TE fails to reach a significant level, reflecting no significant association between the CSR total score evaluation result and TE value.
Absorbed dose distributions from beta‐decaying radionuclides: Experimental validation of Monte Carlo tools for radiopharmaceutical dosimetry
Authors: Tiwari Ashok , Sunderland John , Graves Stephen A. , Strand Sarah , Flynn Ryan
Published: September 2020

Purpose

This study aims to experimentally validate the Monte Carlo generated absorbed doses from the beta particles emitted by 90Y and 177Lu using radiochromic EBT3 film‐based dosimetry.

Methods

Line sources of 90Y and 177Lu were inserted longitudinally through blocks of low‐density polyethylene and tissue‐equivalent slabs of cortical bone and lung equivalent plastics. Radiochromic film (Gafchromic EBT3) was laser cut to accommodate orthogonal line sources of radioactivity, and the film was sandwiched intimately between the rectangular blocks to achieve charged particle equilibrium. Line sources consisted of plastic capillary tube of length (13 ± 0.1) cm, with 0.42‐mm inner diameter and a wall thickness of 0.21 mm. 90Y line sources were prepared from a solution of dissolved 90Y resin microspheres. 177Lu line sources were prepared from an aliquot of 177Lu‐DOTATATE. Film exposures were conducted for durations ranging from 10 min to 38 h. Radiochromic film calibration was performed by irradiation with 6‐MV‐bremsstrahlung x rays from a calibrated linear accelerator, in accordance with literature recommendations. Experimental geometries were precisely simulated within the GATE Monte Carlo toolkit, which has previously been used for the generation of dose point kernels.

Results

The mean percentage difference between measured and simulated absorbed doses were 5.04% and 7.21% for 90Y and 177Lu beta absorbed dose in the range of (0.1–10) Gy. Additionally, 1D gamma analysis using a local 10%/1 mm gamma criterion was performed to compare the absorbed dose distributions. The percentage of measurement points passing the gamma criterion, averaged over all tests, was 93.5%.

Conclusions

We report the experimental validation of Monte Carlo derived beta absorbed dose distributions for 90Y and 177Lu, solidifying the validity of using Monte Carlo‐based methods for estimating absorbed dose from beta emitters. Overall, excellent agreement was observed between the experimental beta absorbed doses in the linear region of the radiochromic film and the GATE Monte Carlo simulations demonstrating that radiochromic film dosimetry has sufficient sensitivity and spatial resolution to be used as a tool for measuring beta decay absorbed dose distributions.
SNR Weighting for Shear Wave Speed Reconstruction in Tomoelastography
Authors: Ariyurek Cemre , Tasdelen Bilal , Ider Yusuf Ziya , Atalar Ergin
Published: September 2020

In tomoelastography, to achieve a final wave speed map by combining reconstructions obtained from all spatial directions and excitation frequencies, the use of weights is inevitable. Here, a new weighting scheme, which maximizes the signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) of the final wave speed map, has been proposed. To maximize the SNR of the final wave speed map, the use of squares of estimated SNR values of reconstructed individual maps has been proposed. Therefore, derivations of the SNR of the reconstructed wave speed maps have become necessary. Considering the noise on the complex MRI signal, the SNR of the reconstructed wave speed map was formulated by an analytical approach assuming a high SNR, and the results were verified using Monte Carlo simulations (MCSs). It has been assumed that the noise remains approximately Gaussian when the image SNR is high enough, despite the nonlinear operations in tomoelastography inversion. Hence, the SNR threshold was determined by comparing the SNR computed by MCSs and analytical approximations. The weighting scheme was evaluated for accuracy, spatial resolution and SNR performances on simulated phantoms. MR elastography (MRE) experiments on two different phantoms were conducted. Wave speed maps were generated for simulated 3D human abdomen MRE data and experimental human abdomen MRE data. The simulation results demonstrated that the SNR‐weighted inversion improved the SNR performance of the wave speed map by a factor of two compared to the performance of the original (i.e., amplitude‐weighted) reconstruction. In the case of a low SNR, no bias occurred in the wave speed map when SNR weighting was used, whereas 10% bias occurred when the original weighting (i.e., amplitude weighting) was used. Thus, while not altering the accuracy or spatial resolution of the wave speed map with the proposed weighting method, the SNR of the wave speed map has been significantly improved.
Material interface control in multi‐material topology optimization using pseudo‐cost domain method
Authors: Shah Vishrut , Pamwar Manish , Sangha Balbir , Kim Il Yong
Published: September 2020

The recent drive for producing lightweight and high performance designs on reduced timelines has promoted the need for computational design generation tools such as Multi‐Material Topology Optimization (MMTO). However, MMTO has drawn some industry skepticism as it assumes different material elements to be perfectly fused together. To address this concern, in this article, a novel pseudo‐cost domain (PCD) method is proposed which mathematically determines individual material interfaces in MMTO solutions. The proposed methodology employs a user defined joint cost model to weigh the distinct material interfaces relative to each other. An innovative approach to tailor the MMTO design considering the relative cost of each material interface is presented. The proposed methodology can consider any number of materials and their respective interfaces, and it is defined in such a way that increasing the number of materials has minimal effect on computational time. The methodology is formulated in a smooth and differentiable manner and the sensitivity expressions required by gradient‐based optimization solvers are presented. A series of example problems are provided to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed methodology.
Smoothed numerical manifold method with physical patch‐based smoothing domains for linear elasticity
Authors: Liu Zhijun , Zhang Peng , Sun Cong , Yang Yongtao
Published: September 2020

Smoothed finite element method with the node‐based strain smoothing domains (NS‐FEM) is remarkable for the upper‐bound feature and insensitivity to the volumetric locking. As a mesh‐based methodology, its application is limited by the burdensome meshing for which elements align with the physical domain. We extend the strain smoothing in NS‐FEM to the numerical manifold method (NMM) with unfitted meshes, and propose a novel methodology named physical patch‐based smoothed NMM. Benchmark problems demonstrate the optimal convergence, stability in term of the condition number, upper‐bound property, suppression of the volumetric locking, as well as the stress stability.
Three‐dimensional manufacturing tolerant topology optimization with hundreds of millions of local stress constraints
Authors: da Silva Gustavo Assis , Aage Niels , Beck André Teófilo , Sigmund Ole
Published: September 2020

In topology optimization, the treatment of stress constraints for very large scale problems (more than 100 million elements and more than 600 million stress constraints) has so far not been tractable due to the failure of robust agglomeration methods, that is, their inability to accurately handle the locality of the stress constraints. This article presents a three‐dimensional design methodology that alleviates this shortcoming using both deterministic and robust problem formulations. The robust formulation, based on the three‐field density projection approach, is extended and proved necessary to handle manufacturing uncertainty in three‐dimensional stress‐constrained problems. Several numerical examples are solved and further postprocessed with body‐fitted meshes using commercial software. The numerical investigations demonstrate that: (1) the employed solution approach based on the augmented Lagrangian method is able to handle very large problems, with hundreds of millions of stress constraints; (2) three‐dimensional stress‐based results are extremely sensitive to slight manufacturing variations; (3) if appropriate interpolation parameters are adopted, voxel‐based (fixed grid) models can be used to compute von Mises stresses with excellent accuracy; and (4) in order to ensure manufacturing tolerance in three‐dimensional stress‐constrained topology optimization, a combination of double filtering and more than three density field realizations may be required.
Use tools, have fun to successfully manage remote employees
Authors: Pavlik Amelia
Published: September 2020

Thanks to COVID‐19, in a matter of days, admissions and enrollment management office teams around the country were forced to adopt remote work arrangements that had often never been tried before.
Specialized wool production economy of prehistoric farmstead of Chap I in the highlands of Central Tian Shan (Kyrgyzstan)
Authors: Ananyevskaya Elina , Buckley Michael , Pal Chowdhury Manasij , Tabaldiev Kubatbek , Motuzaite Matuzeviciute Giedre
Published: September 2020

Agro‐pastoral economies of prehistoric populations of Central Tian Shan highlands (2,000 masl and higher) have been poorly studied to date. Currently, we lack a general understanding of mobility and seasonality patterns of livestock herding and also lack knowledge about management strategies for particular productive goals in these high mountain valleys. In this paper, we report the results of the first systematic zooarchaeological analysis from the Final Bronze Age–Early Iron Age settlement Chap I located in Central Tian Shan highlands and discuss the data in relation to zooarchaeological evidence from contemporaneous sites in Central Asia. Our research has shown that Chap I was dominated by four domesticated herbivores: cattle, horses, sheep and goats. Data from Chap I demonstrate a strong focus on the exploitation of sheep and goats for meat and secondary products. Analysis of collagen peptides (ZooMS) from sheep/goats indicated that sheep were kept in greater numbers than goats. Sheep/goat mortality profiles and material evidence point to wool as an important product of highland pastoralism in the Central Tian Shan.
Retracted: Lifting the lid on lobbying in India: Reasoning, rationality, and reality
Authors: Shreyaskar Pankaj KP , Pathak Pramod
Published: September 2020

Retraction: Shreyaskar, PK, Pathak, P. Lifting the lid on lobbying in India: Reasoning, rationality, and reality. Journal of Public Affairs. 2020; e2423. https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.2423. The above article from Journal of Public Affairs, published online September 21, 2020 in Wiley Online Library (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the authors, the journal Editors in Chief, Professor Phil Harris and Professor Danny Moss, and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. The Retraction has been agreed due to multiple passages of unattributed overlap between this article and several published articles.
Polyelectrolyte‐controlled visible light catalytic reduction of nitrobenzene
Authors: Mardani Atefeh , Kazemi Foad , Mohamadnia Zahra
Published: September 2020

To study the effect of cationic polyelectrolytes on the photoreduction of nitrobenzene over TiO2, a sequence of synthetic cationic polyelectrolytes (SCPs) containing acrylamide (AAm) and 2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl acrylate methochloride (DAEA) using various AAm:DAEA molar ratios (50:50, 55:45, 60:40, 70:30, and 85:15) were synthesized and named as PEA, PEB, PEC, PED, and PEE, respectively. According to the obtained monomer reactivity ratios, the SCPs with a range from medium to high molecular weights (2.11×105 ≤ Mv ≤ 1.22 ×106 g/mol) were obtained. Then the influence of the SCPs and the other polyelectrolytes such as Zetag 7563 (a commercial grade of cationic polyelectrolyte) and poly(vinylsulfate) potassium salt (PVSK) as an anionic polyelectrolyte on the photoreduction of nitrobenzene over TiO2 under 400 nm LED irradiation was investigated. Zetag 7563 was not an appropriate polyelectrolyte to enhance the photoreduction of nitrobenzene due to its high Mv, and having high entanglement of polymer chains. By the addition of PVSK anionic polyelectrolyte, the conversion of nitrobenzene to aniline decreased; the PVSK has a probably greater tendency than nitrobenzene to be absorbed on the surface of TiO2 (PVSK reduces the adsorption of nitrobenzene on the surfaces of TiO2 due to the electrostatic interactions with TiO2). Simultaneous use of TiO2 with 0.01 g of PEB (with medium Mv and 4.4 meq/g charge density), led to an increase in the nitrobenzene photoreduction (95% conversion) in comparison with application of bare TiO2 (53% conversion). It supposes that the selection of appropriate SCPs can facilitate the access of reactants to each other and enhance the nitrobenzene photoreduction.
Electrospray ionisation mass spectrometric behaviour of flavonoid 5‐O‐glucosides and their positional isomers detected in the extracts from the bark of Prunus cerasus L. and Prunus avium L.
Authors: Beszterda Monika , Frański Rafał
Published: September 2020

Introduction

Literature data concerning the electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS) behaviour of flavonoid 5‐O‐glycosides are poor and sometimes disputable. Therefore, we decided to analyse the compounds of this kind present in the bark of Prunus cerasus and Prunus avium by using high‐performance liquid chromatography HPLC/ESI‐MS.

Objective

The aim of this study is to obtain the comprehensive information about the ESI‐MS(+/−) behaviour of flavonoid 5‐O‐glucosides, to compare their behaviour with that of their positional isomers, to confirm that the known susceptibility of flavonoid 5‐O‐glucosides to hydrolysis may be successfully used for their identification.

Method

The bark from Prunus trees was extracted with pure methanol or, in order to perform hydrolysis and extraction simultaneously, with 5% methanolic solution of hydrochloric acid. The HPLC‐ESI‐MS analyses were performed using a Waters model 2690 HPLC pump and Waters/Micromass ZQ2000 mass spectrometer.

Results

Flavonoid 5‐O‐glycosides were completely hydrolysed under the acid conditions used, in contrast to their positional isomers. In positive ion mode, at low cone voltage, flavonoid 5‐O‐glycosides yield abundant Y0+ aglycone ions, in contrast to their positional isomers. In the negative ion mode, flavonoid 5‐O‐glycosides do not yield [Y0 − H]−· fragment ions, in contrast to their positional isomers. When aglycone contains only two hydroxyl groups, the flavonoid 5‐O‐glycosides can be detected in negative ion mode, whereas their positional isomers do not yield [M − H]− ions.

Conclusion

It has been demonstrated that the susceptibility to hydrolysis of the analysed compounds, the abundances of respective fragment ions formed, and their ESI(−) response allow unambiguous identification of flavonoid 5‐O‐glycosides and their differentiation from their positional isomers.
An assessment of the relational orientation framework for Chinese societies: Scale development and Chinese relationalism
Authors: Bedford Olwen , Huang Yi‐Hui Christine , Ito Kenichi
Published: September 2020

How to capture the role of culture in individual behavior is a difficult question, in part because it is often embedded in the research approach. Many researchers have stressed the entrenched ethnocentrism of mainstream psychology approaches. In response, some Chinese scholars have turned to sociology theories to create a relation‐centered approach for investigating the psychology of Confucian societies. Scholars in Asia recently have proposed a theoretical model of psychological functioning in Chinese societies that encompasses the individual's sociocultural environment, which they labeled the relational orientation framework (ROF). The ROF is comprised of a structural‐relational factor grounded in sociological structuration theory with five dimensions that shape the individual's position in the social network, and a relational agency factor based on social exchange theory with four dimensions that capture the individual's orientation to exchange aspects of relationships. This study assesses the proposed theoretical structure of the model with empirical data. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses with two independent samples from universities in mainland China (N = 601, M age = 20.8 years) supported the structural‐relational factor with the expected five dimensions and the relational agency factor with a modified version of the four dimensions with acceptable reliability and validity scores and good levels of model‐data fit. We provide recommendations for refining conceptualization of the two factors for future development of an assessment tool.
Not all aspirin products have equivalent antiplatelet efficacy—Aspirin formulated with magnesium stearate is less effective in preventing ischemic stroke
Authors: Huang Kelly , Cheng Ching‐Lan , Yang Yea‐Huei Kao
Published: September 2020

Purpose

Magnesium stearate (MgSt) is a widely used excipient in pharmaceutical formulations but should be avoided in aspirin preparations as it hydrolyzes aspirin. We hypothesized that preparations of aspirin‐containing MgSt (MgSt‐ASA) are less effective in preventing thrombosis in clinical settings. The risk of composite cardiovascular events in patients treated with MgSt‐ASA preparations for preventing secondary stroke was evaluated.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study used Taiwan's claims data from 1997 to 2013. Patients who were discharged after ischemic stroke (IS) and administered with only MgSt‐ASA or non‐MgSt‐ASA preparations were enrolled. Composite events including all‐cause mortality, IS hospitalization, and myocardial infarction‐related hospitalization in the follow‐up period under therapy with MgSt‐ASA or non‐MgSt‐ASA preparations were considered primary outcomes. Hazard ratios (HRs) were adjusted with the baseline comorbidities and medications using the Cox model.

Results

A total of 19 500 patients with IS (60% males, average age 67 years) were identified, which included 2064 patients receiving MgSt‐ASA treatment initially and 17 436 patients receiving non‐MgSt‐ASA preparation initially. The crude incidence of composite events was 11.65 per 100 person‐years, whereas it was 11.45 and 13.90 per 100 person‐years for patients receiving non‐MgSt‐ASA and MgSt‐ASA treatments, respectively. The risk of composite events was higher in patients receiving MgSt‐ASA preparations than in those receiving non‐MgSt‐ASA formulations, with the adjusted HR being 1.23 at 95% confidence interval of 1.02 to 1.47.

Conclusions

MgSt‐ASA preparation use was associated with a higher risk of composite events than non‐MgSt‐ASA preparations. Review of aspirin formulations under regulatory intervention is warranted.
Polymer grafting from a metallo‐centered enzyme improves activity in non‐native environments
Authors: Kovaliov Marina , Zhang Borui , Konkolewicz Dominik , Szcześniak Katarzyna , Jurga Stefa , Averick Saadyah
Published: September 2020

Metallo‐centered enzymes have found applications in environmental remediation, green synthesis and sensors. These enzymes destabilize at extreme pH, elevated temperature or high‐organic‐content conditions. For these enzymes to find more widespread adoption and use, stabilization in non‐native conditions is critical. We report the impact of grafting polymers from the surface of laccase, a metalloenzyme with a Cu active site, modified with a polymerization‐initiating species ligated to the protein's lysine residues. Initiators for continuous activator regeneration atom transfer radical polymerization was used to graft a small library of polymers from the protein. The impact of polymer grafting on enzyme activity as a function of pH, temperature or organic solvent was determined. While polymer grafting from laccases was found to increase enzymatic activity, we found that grafting high‐molecular‐weight dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate displayed the greatest enhancement to catalytic activity. The results demonstrate that polymer grafting can improve laccase activity in native and non‐native conditions. © 2020 Society of Industrial Chemistry
Investigating Byssogenesis with Proteomic Analysis of Byssus, Foot, and Mantle in Mytilus Mussels by LC‐MS/MS
Authors: Sansoucy Maxime , Tremblay Réjean , Carrington Emily , Marcotte Isabelle , Sleno Lekha
Published: September 2020

Mussel byssus represents a fascinating class of biological materials with a unique capacity to adhere onto virtually any solid surface. Proteins expressed in byssus, the byssal‐producing organ (foot) as well as mantle tissue from Mytilus edulis or Mytilus californianus are analyzed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS). The mantle is used as a control tissue to pinpoint unique proteins from the foot samples potentially involved in byssogenesis. This work represents an important step towards identifying biologically important proteins expressed in foot, as well as extending knowledge on the byssus proteome. Considering the minimal proteomics data of the studied species, this data also contributes to a more complete description of M. edulis and M. californianus proteomes.
Exploring reasons for variations in anxiety after testing positive for human papillomavirus with normal cytology: a comparative qualitative study
Authors: McBride Emily , Marlow Laura A. V. , Bennett Kirsty F. , Stearns Selma , Waller Jo
Published: September 2020

Objective

To explore reasons for variations in anxiety in women testing positive for human papillomavirus (HPV) with normal cytology at routine HPV primary cervical cancer screening.

Methods

In‐depth interviews were conducted with 30 women who had tested HPV‐positive with normal cytology, including 15 with low‐to‐normal anxiety and 15 with high anxiety. Data were analysed using Framework Analysis to compare themes between low and high anxiety groups.

Results

Several HPV‐related themes were shared across anxiety groups, but only highly anxious women expressed fear and worry, fatalistic cognitions about cancer, fertility‐related cognitions, adverse physiological responses and changes in health behaviour(s). In comparison to those with low anxiety, women with high anxiety more strongly voiced cognitions about the 12‐month wait for follow‐up screening, relationship infidelity, a lower internal locus of control and HPV‐related symptom attributions.

Conclusions

Receiving an HPV‐positive with normal cytology result related to various emotional, cognitive, behavioural and physiological responses; some of which were specific to, or more pronounced in, women with high anxiety. If our observations are confirmed in hypothesis‐driven quantitative studies, the identification of distinct themes relevant to women experiencing high anxiety can inform targeted patient communications and HPV primary screening implementation policy.
Quantum Dots Microstructural Metrology: From Time‐Resolved Spectroscopy to Spatially Resolved Electron Microscopy
Authors: Kudilatt Hasna , Hou Bo , Welland Mark E.
Published: September 2020

Colloidal quantum dots (QDs) have unique optical and electrical properties with promising applications in next‐generation semiconductor technologies, including displays, lighting, solar cells, photodetectors, and image sensors. Advanced analytical tools to probe the optical, morphological, structural, compositional, and electrical properties of QDs and their ensemble solid films are of paramount importance for the understanding of their device performance. In this review, comprehensive studies on the state‐of‐the‐art metrology approaches used in QD research are introduced, with particular focus on time‐resolved (TR) and spatially resolved (SR) spectroscopy and microscopy. Through discussing these analysis techniques in different QD system, such as various compositions, sizes, and shell structures, the critical roles of these TR‐spectroscopic and SR‐microscopic techniques are highlighted, which provide the structural, morphological, compositional, optical, and electrical information to precisely design QDs and QD solid films. The employment of TR and SR analysis in integrated QD device systems is also discussed, which can offer detailed microstructural information for achieving high performance in specific applications. In the end, the current limitations of these analytical tools are discussed, and the future development of the possibility of interdisciplinary research in both QD fundamental and applied fields is prospected.
High levels of inherent variability in microbiological assessment of bronchoalveolar lavage samples from children with persistent bacterial bronchitis and healthy controls
Authors: Craven Vanessa , Hausdorff William P. , Everard Mark L.
Published: September 2020

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is widely regarded as providing “gold standard” samples for infective lower respiratory tract disease. Current approaches have been adopted empirically without robust assessment and hence carry many assumptions that have not been tested. Many of these uncertainties were highlighted in the ATS pediatric bronchoscopy guidelines. This study was designed to explore some of these issues. BAL was undertaken via an endotracheal tube in 13 subjects aged less than 6 years with persistent bacterial bronchitis and five healthy controls. Aliquots of the same pooled BAL sample were sent to two accredited laboratories. one producing semiquantitative results and the other quantitative results. For five patients potentially pathogenic bacteria were grown by one laboratory but not the other, while in three more there were discrepancies in the organisms reported. Despite being symptomatic and off antibiotics, only 3 of 13 patients were reported to have a pathogen at a density of more than 1 × 104 colony forming unit. There was at best a poor correlation between semiquantitative and quantitative data. Potential pathogens were cultured in two of five control samples. The results suggest that the results from conventional microbiological assessment of BAL samples can be highly variable and that the proposal that a discrete cut‐off is of value in patients with chronic endobronchial infection is probably invalid.
Status and outlook for acaricide and insecticide discovery
Authors: Jeschke Peter
Published: September 2020

To guarantee sustainability and progress, the agrochemical industry is faced with several major challenges. Currently, loss of active ingredients due to consumer perception, changing grower needs and ever‐changing regulatory requirements is far higher than the number being introduced into the market. Therefore, there is a need to develop new products that can provide improved efficacy, selectivity and favorable environmental profiles. Strategies to achieve these goals are the search for acaricides and insecticides with new modes of action, or the discovery of novel molecules with activity on the most attractive target sites having resistance breaking properties against pest species. In this context, the introduction of halogen atoms or asymmetric centers into an active ingredient remains an important tool to modulate their properties, but so too is the pro‐pesticide concept. This review gives an overview of agrochemicals launched over the past 8 years, reflects new insights into known mechanisms of action, and describes the status and outlook for acaricide and insecticide discovery.
Molecular cloning and pharmacology of Min‐UNC‐49B, a GABA receptor from the southern root‐knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita
Authors: Nomura Kazuki , Yoshizumi Satoru , Ozoe Fumiyo , Ozoe Yoshihisa
Published: September 2020

Background

Root‐knot nematodes are plant‐parasitic nematodes that cause immense damage to a broad range of cultivated crops by forming root galls, resulting in yield losses in crops. To facilitate the development of faster‐acting selective nematicides, we cloned three cDNAs encoding UNC‐49B proteins from the southern root‐knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita and examined their functional and pharmacological properties by two‐electrode voltage clamp electrophysiology using a Xenopus oocyte expression system.

Results

The three cloned cDNAs encoded Min‐UNC‐49B, Min‐UNC‐49B‐L and Min‐UNC‐49B‐XL; the last two proteins have longer N‑terminal regions than the first protein. When expressed in Xenopus oocytes, these proteins responded to γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) to activate currents with high‐micromolar or low‐millimolar half‐maximal effective concentration (EC50) values, indicating the formation of functional homo‐pentameric GABA receptors. Fipronil and picrotoxinin inhibited GABA‐induced currents with high‐nanomolar and low‐micromolar half‐maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values, respectively, in oocytes expressing Min‐UNC‐49B. The G2′A and T6′M mutations in the second transmembrane domain of Min‐UNC‐49B enhanced and reduced the sensitivity of Min‐UNC‐49B to these two antagonists, respectively. Samaderine B and SF‐14 inhibited GABA responses in oocytes expressing Min‐UNC‐49B with low‐micromolar and high‐nanomolar IC50 values, respectively. Ivermectin, α‐terpineol, thymol and methyl eugenol exerted dual effects on Min‐UNC‐49B by potentiating currents induced by low concentrations of GABA and inhibiting currents induced by high concentrations of GABA.

Conclusion

We have shown that structurally diverse compounds act at Min‐UNC‐49B GABA receptors. Our results may serve as a starting point to decipher the molecular function of native GABA receptors of plant‐parasitic nematodes, which could aid in the structure‐based design of novel nematicides. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Assessing the quality of studies in meta‐research: Review/guidelines on the most important quality assessment tools
Authors: Luchini Claudio , Veronese Nicola , Nottegar Alessia , Shin Jae Il , Gentile Giovanni , Granziol Umberto , Soysal Pinar , Alexinschi Ovidiu , Smith Lee , Solmi Marco
Published: September 2020

Systematic reviews and meta‐analyses pool data from individual studies to generate a higher level of evidence to be evaluated by guidelines. These reviews ultimately guide clinicians and stakeholders in health‐related decisions. However, the informativeness and quality of evidence synthesis inherently depend on the quality of what has been pooled into meta‐research projects. Moreover, beyond the quality of included individual studies, only a methodologically correct process, in relation to systematic reviews and meta‐analyses themselves, can produce a reliable and valid evidence synthesis. Hence, quality of meta‐research projects also affects evidence synthesis reliability. In this overview, the authors provide a synthesis of advantages and disadvantages and main characteristics of some of the most frequently used tools to assess quality of individual studies, systematic reviews, and meta‐analyses. Specifically, the tools considered in this work are the Newcastle‐Ottawa scale (NOS) and the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) for observational studies, the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT), the Jadad scale, the Cochrane risk of bias tool 2 (RoB2) for randomized controlled trials, the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐analysis (PRISMA) and the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR2), and AMSTAR‐PLUS for meta‐analyses.

What is already known?

The informativeness and quality of evidence synthesis inherently depend on the quality of what has been pooled into meta‐research projects. Beyond the quality of included individual studies, only a methodologically correct process, in relation to systematic reviews and meta‐analyses themselves, can produce a reliable and valid evidence synthesis.

What is new?

In this overview, the authors provide a synthesis of advantages and disadvantages and main characteristics of some of the most frequently used tools to assess quality of individual studies, systematic reviews, and meta‐analyses.

Potential impact

This overview serves as a starting point and a brief guide to identify and understand the main and most frequently used tools for assessing the quality of studies included in meta‐research. The authors here share their experience in publishing several meta‐research‐related articles covering different areas of medical sciences.
Vicia plants—A comprehensive review on chemical composition and phytopharmacology
Authors: Salehi Bahare , Abu‐Reidah Ibrahim M. , Sharopov Farukh , Karazhan Natallia , Sharifi‐Rad Javad , Akram Muhammad , Daniyal Muhammad , Khan Fahad Said , Abbaass Wafa , Zainab Rida , Carbone Katya , Fahmy Nouran M. , Al‐Sayed Eman , El‐Shazly Mohamed , Lucarini Massimo , Durazzo Alessandra , Santini Antonello , Martorell Miquel , Pezzani Raffaele
Published: September 2020

The plants belonging to the genus Vicia are of great interest as a source of many bioactive compounds and micronutrients. A snapshot of their cultivation, habitat, main components, from which essential oils can be obtained, is given. The traditional medicinal uses of Vicia plants are also reported, as well as the wide spectrum of the main biological activities attributed to Vicia plants is discussed regarding potential health beneficial properties, in particular anti‐Parkinson, anticholinesterase, antidepressant, anticonvulsant, antimicrobial, cytotoxic, antioxidant, antiinflammatory and antinociceptive, antidiabetic, antihemolytic, anticoagulant, estrogenic, diuretic, antihypoxic activities.
A dipole of tropical cyclone outgoing long‐wave radiation
Authors: Smith Mohan , Toumi Ralf
Published: September 2020

Large‐scale (500 ≤ r ≤ 2,200 km) outgoing long‐wave radiation (OLR) and water vapour (WV) fields are investigated in satellite observations over the Pacific, linked to ERA‐5 reanalysis data and the ECMWF ensemble forecasts of tropical cyclones (TC) globally. A large‐scale OLR dipole pattern of low and high fluxes are found in both the observations and model. As expected, a low OLR region is positioned within the TC circulation, but there is also a robust high OLR region poleward and west of the TC centre. A dry “black hole” on WV grey‐scale imagery occupies the same region of high OLR. Relative to the central low OLR TC signal, the typical dipole magnitude, distance and orientation of the high OLR regions are 230 W·m−2, 1,150 km, and 145° anticlockwise from east. From the reanalysis we find that the interaction between the vortex and the environmental flows produces upper‐level convergence, low‐level divergence and subsidence throughout the troposphere in the region of high OLR. Analysis of the ECMWF model shows that the position of the high OLR region rotates anticlockwise about the TC centre as the TC moves from westward to eastward. Through use of a sub‐ensemble, we test if capturing the high OLR anomaly has a significant relationship with TC track. We apply a perfect model approach and find that sub‐ensembles that are composed of models whose large‐scale OLR fields closely match the target TC also have a better track. This improvement is mostly attributed to the high OLR component of the dipole.
Hyper‐progressive disease after immune checkpoint inhibitor in SMARCA4‐deficient small‐cell lung carcinoma
Authors: Chiba Yosuke , Kawanami Toshinori , Yamasaki Kei , Uchimura Keigo , Matsuyama Atsuji , Yatera Kazuhiro
Published: September 2020

SMARCA4 (switch/sucrose non‐fermentable‐related, matrix‐associated, actin‐dependent regulator of chromatin, subfamily A, member 4)‐deficient thoracic tumours have shown poor prognosis in clinical settings. Although the optimal treatment for SMARCA4‐deficient thoracic tumours remains unclear, existing studies indicate a favourable response of these tumours to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). However, there are no reports of fatality in SMARCA4‐deficient small‐cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) with hyper‐progressive disease (HPD) upon treatment with ICIs. Herein, we report a patient with SMARCA4‐deficient SCLC who had HPD after the first ICI treatment. A 35‐year‐old man was treated with nivolumab, subsequent to cytotoxic chemotherapy. A week after nivolumab initiation, chest computed tomography revealed marked increase in pleural effusion in the right lung and chest wall dissemination of the tumour, which concur with the definition of HPD. This is the first study to report the occurrence of HPD after treatment with ICIs in a patient with SMARCA4‐deficient SCLC. Analysis of additional data is necessary to determine the optimal treatment for these patients.
Asymptotic tracking control for uncertain strict‐feedback nonlinear systems with delayed full‐state constraints
Authors: Li Yajun , Liang Shuai , Hou Mingshan
Published: September 2020

This article investigates the asymptotic tracking control problem for a class of strict‐feedback nonlinear systems with delayed full‐state constraints and nonparametric uncertainties. It is worth mentioning that delayed constraints, which represent a type of constraints that may be violated initially but required to be satisfied sometime after system operation, are frequently encountered in practice and yet not well addressed in existing works. In addition, it is extremely difficult to guarantee exact tracking performance for nonlinear systems when nonparametric uncertainties are considered in the control design. In this article, we propose a new state‐shifting transformation (SST) and a novel asymptotic Lyapunov function (ALF) to deal with delayed constraints and achieve asymptotic tracking, respectively. The transformed states grow to infinity as the original ones approach their limits, and the tracking errors converge to zero as time goes to infinity if the related ALF is always bounded. Hence, the delayed full‐state constraints and asymptotic tracking can be guaranteed if the boundness of the transformed states and the related ALF are both ensured. For this purpose, a novel fuzzy adaptive backstepping control scheme based on the proposed SST and ALF is developed. And the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme is theoretically authenticated and numerically validated.
Aligning science and policy of regenerative agriculture
Authors: Al‐Kaisi Mahdi M. , Lal Rattan
Published: September 2020

Scientific findings since the 1980s indicate conventional agriculture (CONVA) accounts for 8 to 12% of U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, or 23% of the country's total anthropogenic forcing of climate change. In contrast, according to the United Nations Environmental Programs (UNEP), regenerative agriculture (RA) practices, such as, no‐till (NT) has helped reduce emission of 241 Tg of carbon dioxide (CO2) since the 1970s. U.S. Farm Bills and other international policies have helped encourage adoption of RA practices, such as NT, but major challenges remain, if a potential climate change impact of CONVA is to be reduced. One approach would be to adopt more efficient and robust production systems such as RA. Regenerative agriculture is designed to minimize external inputs and off‐site impacts, and has globally been adopted on ∼180 M ha, with the most common U.S. practice being NT on 22.6% of the cropland. Currently, the economic benefits of RA are the most evident on smallholder farms, where higher yields and decreased labor for land preparation including weeding (9 and 19 d ha−1, respectively) have been recorded. A greater RA return to labor compared with CONVA suggests it may be an efficient low‐input farming approach that requires less energy and reduces waste while sustaining productivity and perhaps increasing profitability within a semi‐closed system. No‐till is used here to illustrate the proposed system because it reduces CO2 release into the atmosphere and increases surface‐layer SOC storage. Globally, there is significant room for RA improvement, confirming the need for additional research and technology transfer along with robust policy articulation.
Magnetic susceptibility in the prediction of soil attributes in southern Brazil
Authors: Ramos Priscila Vogelei , Inda Alberto Vasconcellos , Barrón Vidal , Teixeira Daniel De Bortoli , Marques José
Published: September 2020

Global demand for soil information has led to investigations that have adopted ways to estimate soil attributes quickly and effectively. In this context, magnetic susceptibility (χ) has gained prominence because it is a technique capable of estimating other attributes that are more difficult to acquire. This study aimed to (a) evaluate the performance of χ for the prediction of sand, silt, clay, hue, hematite/(hematite + goethite) ratio, Fe content of pedogenic iron oxides, and remaining phosphorus and (b) develop maps of χ, soil attributes and attributes predicted by χ in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil. Here, 198 soil samples under forest and native pasture were used for testing the potential of χ as a predictive technique, separating the data into calibration (nc = 149) and validation sets (nv = 49). Linear regression was used to obtain the pedotransfer equations according to soil classes and lithology. To visualize the distribution of the values of χ and other soil attributes in RS, maps were made with the real values of χ and the real and estimated values of soil attributes. The great range of the χ values and related attributes was associated with the lithological and pedological influence, allowing the construction of predictive models that encompass a large gradient of χ. In the predictions made in groups, the attributes of Oxisols and Ultisols were best estimated by χ; however, among the lithology groups, the extrusive igneous rocks stood out.
Structural Isomerism of Two Ce‐BTC for Fabricating Pt/CeO2 Nanorods toward Low‐Temperature CO Oxidation
Authors: Fan Longlong , Wang Kun , Xu Kaiji , Liang Zhongyin , Wang Huipu , Zhou Shu‐Feng , Zhan Guowu
Published: September 2020

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted enormous research interest as precursors/templates to prepare catalytic materials. However, the effect of structural isomerism of MOFs on the catalytic performance has rarely been studied. In this contribution, two topologically different Ce‐benzene tricarboxylate (Ce‐BTC) based on the same ligands and metal centers (viz., “MOF isomers”) are prepared and used as porous supports to load Pt nanoparticles (NPs), which shows distinct differences in porosities and loading behaviors of Pt. Strikingly, an irreversible framework transformation from tetragonal Ce‐BTC to monoclinic isomer is observed during water soaking treatment. The results give clear evidence that Pt/CeO2 derived from tetragonal Ce‐BTC inclines to produce more Pt0 and smaller Pt NPs, which eventually improve the catalytic performance for CO oxidation (T100 = 80 °C). In situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy analyses demonstrate that the adsorbed CO–Pt0 is the dominant intermediate for CO oxidation, rather than CO–Ptσ+ at the low temperature. Furthermore, MOF isomers based on the same structural units are also found in other Ln‐MOFs, such as Er‐BTC, Eu‐BTC, Y‐BTC, and Ce/Y‐BTC. Overall, this study affords a fundamental understanding of the effect of MOF structural isomers on the catalytic performance of the derived composites.
The utilitarian–maximin social welfare function and anomalies in social choice
Authors: Schneider Mark , Kim Byung‐Cheol
Published: September 2020

Two major criteria of distributive justice are the utilitarian criterion and the maximin criterion. We offer a simple axiomatic characterization of a mixed utilitarian–maximin social welfare function. This social welfare function explains recent empirical violations of the standard cardinal social choice theory such as the social Allais paradox and the social common ratio effect. In addition, it offers a new foundation for the positively skewed wealth distributions in society. It also provides an objective function for mechanism design applications that trades off maximizing surplus and minimizing inequality.
Two‐Dimensional Silicon for (Photo)Catalysis
Authors: Wang Shenghua , Wang Chenhao , Pan Wangbo , Sun Wei , Yang Deren
Published: September 2020

Two‐dimensional materials (2D M) possess unique structural, optical, and electronic properties in comparison with their bulk counterparts. Therefore, they have been demonstrated to be excellent performers for catalysis (especially photocatalysis). Among these 2D catalytic materials, 2D silicon (2D Si) is an emerging subclass, gifted with Si's high abundance, low toxicity, and strong light‐harvesting ability. Endowed with the universal advantages of 2D M including a large surface area, prolific active sites and loading positions for other elements, and ultrathin thickness for the generation of defects and transportation of photogenerated carriers, 2D Si exhibits additionally distinct surface chemistry and metal‐support interactions through geometrical assembly. These features render 2D Si a competitive candidate for (photo)catalysis, drawing burgeoning interest recently.