bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inline Spectroscopy‐Based Optimization of Chemical Reactions Considering Dynamic Process Conditions
Authors: Trunina Diana , Liauw Marcel A.
Published: March 2020

The demand for sustainable energy sources, like biomass, solar energy, hydro and wind power, is connected to challenges like energy storage and fluctuating energy supply. Regarding the second challenge, industry has to evolve their existing processes from steady state processes to dynamic ones. This work is concerned with the conception of an inline spectroscopy‐based optimization routine for chemical reactions under dynamic process conditions, which implements the search for a well applicable optimization algorithm. The studied reaction to reach this goal is a nitroaldol condensation.
Mit Pech umhüllen
Authors: Henk Torsten
Published: March 2020

Bei der Herstellung der Graphitelektrodenmasse wird Koks mit Pechen und Zu‐satzstoffen bei Temperaturen um 180°C gemischt. Dieser Prozess ist qualitäts‐bestimmend; neben einer optimalen Vermischung aller Rezeptur‐Bestandteile ist es notwendig, Poren des
Wirkzusammenhänge begreifen
Authors: Baum Heiko
Published: March 2020

Der Förderstrom von Verdrängerpumpen ist aufgrund kinematischer und kompressionsbedingter Effekte zeitlich nicht konstant, sondern pulsiert. Ein wichtiges Entwicklungsziel bei der Optimierung von Verdrängerpumpen ist es daher, die Amplituden der Förderstr
In die digitale Zukunft mitnehmen
Authors: Hart Roland
Published: March 2020

An der digitalisierten Fabrik führt kein Weg vorbei. Die größte Herausforderung besteht dabei in der Transformation bestehender Anlagen und Prozesse im Rahmen des Industrial Internet of Things. Dass sich auf diesem Weg auch mechanische Messgeräte in die d
Stimmt der Druck im Tank?
Authors: Wiedmann Michael
Published: March 2020

Bürkert Fluid Control Systems hat deshalb mit dem Tank‐Blanketing‐System eine kompakte, hygienegerechte Systemlösung zur automatischen Druckregelung in Tanks entwickelt, die sehr schnell auf Änderungen von Temperatur und Füllmenge sowie auf chemische Proz
Design of the SILICOFCM study: Effect of sacubitril/valsartan vs lifestyle intervention on functional capacity in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Tafelmeier Maria , Baessler Andrea , Wagner Stefan , Unsoeld Bernhard , Preveden Andrej , Barlocco Fausto , Tomberli Alessia , Popovic Dejana , Brennan Paul , MacGowan Guy A. , Ristic Arsen , Velicki Lazar , Olivotto Iacopo , Jakovljevic Djordje G. , Maier Lars S.
Published: March 2020

Background

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common genetic cardiovascular disease with a broad spectrum of disease severity. HCM ranges from a benign course to a progressive disorder characterized by angina, heart failure, malignant arrhythmia, syncope, or sudden cardiac death. So far, no medical treatment has reliably shown to halt or reverse progression of HCM or to alleviate its symptoms. While the angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitor sacubitril/valsartan has shown to reduce mortality and hospitalization in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, data on its effect on HCM are sparse.

Hypothesis

A 4‐month pharmacological (sacubitril/valsartan) or lifestyle intervention will significantly improve exercise tolerance (ie, peak oxygen consumption) in patients with nonobstructive HCM compared to the optimal standard therapy (control group).

Methods

SILICOFCM is a prospective, multicenter, open‐label, randomized, controlled, three‐arm clinical trial (NCT03832660) that will recruit 240 adult patients with a confirmed diagnosis of nonobstructive HCM. Eligible patients are randomized to sacubitril/valsartan, lifestyle intervention (physical activity and dietary supplementation with inorganic nitrate), or optimal standard therapy alone (control group). The primary endpoint is the change in functional capacity (ie, peak oxygen consumption). Secondary endpoints include: (a) Change in cardiac structure and function as assessed by transthoracic echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance (MRI imaging), (b) change in biomarkers (ie, CK, CKMB, and NT‐proBNP), (c) physical activity, and (d) quality of life.

Results

Until December 2019, a total of 41 patients were recruited into the ongoing SILICOFCM study and were allocated to the study groups and the control group. There was no significant difference in key baseline characteristics between the three groups.

Conclusion

The SILICOFCM study will provide novel evidence about the effect of sacubitril/valsartan or lifestyle intervention on functional capacity, clinical phenotype, injury and stretch activation markers, physical activity, and quality of life in patients with nonobstructive HCM.
Communicating sustainable development: Effects of stakeholder‐centric perceived sustainability
Authors: Lee Ya‐Ching
Published: March 2020

How to effectively communicate sustainable development has been a great challenge for businesses. This study identifies three dimensions of stakeholder‐centric perceived sustainability (strength, magnitude, and mobilizability) and presents a framework to recast sustainable communication metrics. The results demonstrate that the strength and mobilizability increase perceived value, leading to an enhancement of brand resonance and purchase intention. The magnitude negatively influences perceived value. This study contributes to the literature by proposing a framework to conceptualize the three dimensions of perceived sustainability and by evaluating outcomes of sustainable communication. The research advances our understanding by showing consumers' psychological path in assessing firms' sustainable communication. The findings also support gender differences. Finally, this paper offers practical suggestions to formulate sustainable communication strategies.
Toll‐like receptor 7/8‐matured RNA‐transduced dendritic cells as post‐remission therapy in acute myeloid leukaemia: results of a phase I trial
Authors: Lichtenegger Felix S , Schnorfeil Frauke M , Rothe Maurine , Deiser Katrin , Altmann Torben , Bücklein Veit L , Köhnke Thomas , Augsberger Christian , Konstandin Nikola P , Spiekermann Karsten , Moosmann Andreas , Boehm Stephan , Boxberg Melanie , Heemskerk Mirjam HM , Goerlich Dennis , Wittmann Georg , Wagner Beate , Hiddemann Wolfgang , Schendel Dolores J , Kvalheim Gunnar , Bigalke Iris , Subklewe Marion
Published: March 2020

Objectives

Innovative post‐remission therapies are needed to eliminate residual AML cells. DC vaccination is a promising strategy to induce anti‐leukaemic immune responses.

Methods

We conducted a first‐in‐human phase I study using TLR7/8‐matured DCs transfected with RNA encoding the two AML‐associated antigens WT1 and PRAME as well as CMVpp65. AML patients in CR at high risk of relapse were vaccinated 10× over 26 weeks.

Results

Despite heavy pretreatment, DCs of sufficient number and quality were generated from a single leukapheresis in 11/12 cases, and 10 patients were vaccinated. Administration was safe and resulted in local inflammatory responses with dense T‐cell infiltration. In peripheral blood, increased antigen‐specific CD8+ T cells were seen for WT1 (2/10), PRAME (4/10) and CMVpp65 (9/10). For CMVpp65, increased CD4+ T cells were detected in 4/7 patients, and an antibody response was induced in 3/7 initially seronegative patients. Median OS was not reached after 1057 days; median RFS was 1084 days. A positive correlation was observed between clinical benefit and younger age as well as mounting of antigen‐specific immune responses.

Conclusions

Administration of TLR7/8‐matured DCs to AML patients in CR at high risk of relapse was feasible and safe and resulted in induction of antigen‐specific immune responses. Clinical benefit appeared to occur more likely in patients <65 and in patients mounting an immune response. Our observations need to be validated in a larger patient cohort. We hypothesise that TLR7/8 DC vaccination strategies should be combined with hypomethylating agents or checkpoint inhibition to augment immune responses.

Trial registration

The study was registered at https://clinicaltrials.gov on 17 October 2012 (NCT01734304) and at https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu (EudraCT‐Number 2010‐022446‐24) on 10 October 2013.
Predictor species: Improving assessments of rare species occurrence by modeling environmental co‐responses
Authors: Thompson Peter R. , Fagan William F. , Staniczenko Phillip P. A.
Published: March 2020

Designing an effective conservation strategy requires understanding where rare species are located. Because rare species can be difficult to find, ecologists often identify other species called conservation surrogates that can help inform the distribution of rare species. Species distribution models typically rely on environmental data when predicting the occurrence of species, neglecting the effect of species' co‐occurrences and biotic interactions. Here, we present a new approach that uses Bayesian networks to improve predictions by modeling environmental co‐responses among species. For species from a European peat bog community, our approach consistently performs better than single‐species models and better than conventional multi‐species approaches that include the presence of nontarget species as additional independent variables in regression models. Our approach performs particularly well with rare species and when calibration data are limited. Furthermore, we identify a group of “predictor species” that are relatively common, insensitive to the presence of other species, and can be used to improve occurrence predictions of rare species. Predictor species are distinct from other categories of conservation surrogates such as umbrella or indicator species, which motivates focused data collection of predictor species to enhance conservation practices.
Double‐faced implication of CD4+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells expanded by acute dengue infection via TLR2/MyD88 pathway
Authors: George Junu A. , Park Seong Ok , Choi Jin Young , Uyangaa Erdenebelig , Eo Seong Kug
Published: March 2020

Dengue infection causes dengue fever (DF) and dengue hemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome (DHF/DSS). CD4+Foxp3+ Tregs are expanded in patients during dengue infection, and appear to be associated with clinical severity. However, molecular pathways involved in Treg proliferation and the reason for their insufficient control of severe diseases are poorly understood. Here, dengue infection induced the proliferation of functional CD4+Foxp3+ Tregs via TLR2/MyD88 pathway. Surface TLR2 on Tregs was responsible for their proliferation, and dengue‐expanded Tregs subverted in vivo differentiation of effector CD8+ T cells. An additional interesting finding was that dengue‐infected hosts displayed changed levels of susceptibility to other diseases in TLR2‐dependent manner. This change included enhanced susceptibility to tumors and bacterial infection, but highly enhanced resistance to viral infection. Further, the transfer of dengue‐proliferated Tregs protected the recipients from dengue‐induced DHF/DSS and LPS‐induced sepsis. In contrast, dengue‐infected hosts were more susceptible to sepsis, an effect attributable to early TLR2‐dependent production of proinflammatory cytokines. These facts may explain the reason why in some patients, dengue‐proliferated Tregs is insufficient to control DF and DHF/DSS. Also, our observations lead to new insights into Treg responses activated by dengue infection in a TLR2‐dependent manner, which could differentially act on subsequent exposure to other disease‐producing situations.
Brønsted Acid Promoted Thermal‐Ring‐Rearrangement of Fluorenopyrans to 2‐(1H‐Inden‐3‐yl)‐9H‐fluoren‐3‐ols Bearing Two All‐Carbon‐Quaternary Centres
Authors: Khan Tabassum , Rajesh P. , Praveen Dudam , Jose K. V. Jovan , Yaragorla Srinivasarao
Published: March 2020

4‐Aryl‐fluorenopyrans bearing quaternary centre at C2 and C6 positions underwent a thermal‐ring‐rearrangement with a catalytic amount of pTsOH to furnish 2‐(1H‐inden‐3‐yl)‐9H‐fluoren‐3‐ols with two all carbon‐quaternary centres, in which one is retained and the other is created. Interestingly, these compounds exhibit atropisomerism, when they have at least one unsymmetrical quaternary centre. DFT studies of structure and energetics of these atropisomers were offered, and the calculated 1H‐NMR chemical shifts of the hydroxyl (–OH) functional group in the atropisomers corroborate well with the experiment.
A Simple, Cost‐effective, and Environmentally Friendly Method for Determination of Ciprofloxacin in Drugs and Urine Samples Based on Electrogenerated Chemiluminescence
Authors: Pavão e Pavão Daniele , Nascimento Botelho Chirlene , Nunes Fernandes Ridvan , Costa dos Santos Clenilton , Santos Damos Flavio , de Cássia Silva Luz Rita
Published: March 2020

Ciprofloxacin is an antibiotic that belongs to the class of drugs known as quinolones and it is frequently used to treat a variety of bacterial infections. The present work aims the development of a simple, cost‐effective, and environmentally friendly method for the determination of ciprofloxacin in drugs and artificial urine samples due to the high importance of this antibiotic for the human health. The proposed method is based on the electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) resulting from the reaction between the ciprofloxacin and the tris(2,2′‐bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) complex. This method exploits a screen‐printed carbon electrode positioned in an ECL cell with capacity to 50 μL of electrolytic solution. The ECL intensity was monitored with the aid of a photodiode. The ECL signal was simultaneously registered to the voltammetric measurements. Under optimized experimental conditions, the ECL method presented a linear response range for ciprofloxacin between 0.5 and 500 μmol L−1 (or 0.0005 and 0.5 mmol L−1). The proposed method presented a detection limit of 0.5 μmol L−1 and it was successfully applied for the ciprofloxacin determination in drugs and artificial urine samples, with good accuracy and precision.
Exploring linkages between unlearning and human resource development: Revisiting unlearning cases
Authors: Park Sunyoung , Kim Eun‐Jee
Published: March 2020

The purpose of this study was to review unlearning cases and to identify and suggest what roles human resource development (HRD) can play in the unlearning process. By adopting the unlearning process model (Cegarra‐Navarro, Eldridge, & Wensley, 2014), four unlearning cases were revisited and analyzed. All of the cases showed that the organizations engaged in the overall unlearning process, initiated unlearning to promote the necessary changes, and reinforced new knowledge, skills, and routines employees needed to acquire after unlearning. The findings illustrate that HRD can play a role in supporting employees' awareness of the need for change in the unlearning process, facilitate the processes of discarding obsolete routines, and promote relearning new knowledge.
Evaluation of a Bayesian Network for Strengthening the Weight of Evidence to Predict Acute Fish Toxicity from Fish Embryo Toxicity Data
Authors: Lillicrap Adam , Moe S Jannicke , Wolf Raoul , Connors Kristin A , Rawlings Jane M , Landis Wayne G , Madsen Anders , Belanger Scott E
Published: March 2020

The use of fish embryo toxicity (FET) data for hazard assessments of chemicals, in place of acute fish toxicity (AFT) data, has long been the goal for many environmental scientists. The FET test was first proposed as a replacement to the standardized AFT test nearly 15 y ago, but as of now, it has still not been accepted as a standalone replacement by regulatory authorities such as the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). However, the ECHA has indicated that FET data can be used in a weight of evidence (WoE) approach, if enough information is available to support the conclusions related to the hazard assessment. To determine how such a WoE approach could be applied in practice has been challenging. To provide a conclusive WoE for FET data, we have developed a Bayesian network (BN) to incorporate multiple lines of evidence to predict AFT. There are 4 different lines of evidence in this BN model: 1) physicochemical properties, 2) AFT data from chemicals in a similar class or category, 3) ecotoxicity data from other trophic levels of organisms (e.g., daphnids and algae), and 4) measured FET data. The BN model was constructed from data obtained from a curated database and conditional probabilities assigned for the outcomes of each line of evidence. To evaluate the model, 20 data-rich chemicals, containing a minimum of 3 AFT and FET test data points, were selected to ensure a suitable comparison could be performed. The results of the AFT predictions indicated that the BN model could accurately predict the toxicity interval for 80% of the chemicals evaluated. For the remaining chemicals (20%), either daphnids or algae were the most sensitive test species, and for those chemicals, the daphnid or algal hazard data would have driven the environmental classification. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2020;16:452–460. © 2020 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC)
Evaluation of Environmental Pollution and Microbial Treatment of Shallow Groundwater in El Omayed Area, Egypt
Authors: Hagagg Kamilia , Hosny Mohamed , Hussien Rasha , Rahman Marwa Abdel
Published: March 2020

In the last few years, the northwestern coastal zone of Egypt has been affected by many stresses that impact its water resources, leading to undesirable consequences related to water quantity and quality. This paper aims to evaluate the possible contamination sources of shallow aquifers in the El-Omayed area, Egypt, that are causing its deterioration; this was achieved through an integration of hydrochemical and isotopic techniques, an assessment of the undesirable consequences of potential toxic metals (PTMs) on human health risk as a result of direct water consumption, and finally, the application of biological treatment in the remediation of some metal contamination. The chemical composition, environmental isotopes (δ18O and δ2H), and microbial analyses were analyzed from 13 collected water samples. Approximately 20% of the groundwater samples were classified as fresh water, and the rest were classified as slightly saline to moderately saline. Stable isotopes proved the contribution of the El Sheikh Zoied canal (which is mainly recharged from the Nile system) as a recharge source. The toxicity of PTMs (Cd, Cu, Co, Cr, Pb, Zn, B, and Fe) was evaluated on the basis of their exceedance values. It was proven that the majority of the groundwater samples were contaminated, which might be attributed to natural and anthropogenic actions in the study area; however, according to human health risk exposure assessment calculations, there is no human cancer risk posed via ingestion of drinking groundwater. The total bacterial count was determined for all water samples; autochthonous microorganisms were capable of removing heavy metals in the polluted water sample. The bacterial strain M52, which was identified by 16S rRNA sequencing as Stenotrophomonas rhizophila, showed the best results, by removing 75% and 65% of the initial concentrations of Fe and B, respectively. The results indicate that this bacterial strain may be useful and represents an environmentally friendly method to remove pollutants and heavy metals from contaminated water. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2020;16:461–471. © 2020 SETAC
Metal chalcogenides for potassium storage
Authors: Zhou Jingwen , Liu Ye , Zhang Shilin , Zhou Tengfei , Guo Zaiping
Published: March 2020

Potassium‐based energy storage technologies, especially potassium ion batteries (PIBs), have received great interest over the past decade. A pivotal challenge facing high‐performance PIBs is to identify advanced electrode materials that can store the large‐radius K+ ions, as well as to tailor the various thermodynamic parameters. Metal chalcogenides are one of the most promising anode materials, having a high theoretical specific capacity, high in‐plane electrical conductivity, and relatively small volume change on charge/discharge. However, the development of metal chalcogenides for PIBs is still in its infancy because of the limited choice of high‐performance electrode materials. However, numerous efforts have been made to conquer this challenge. In this article, we overview potassium storage mechanisms, the technical hurdles, and the optimization strategies for metal chalcogenides and highlight how the adjustment of the crystalline structure and choice of the electrolyte affect the electrochemical performance of metal‐chalcogenide‐based electrode materials. Other potential potassium‐based energy storage systems to which metal chalcogenides can be applied are also discussed. Finally, future research directions focusing on metal chalcogenides for potassium storage are proposed.

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Extracellular vesicles in toxicological studies: key roles in communication between environmental stress and adverse outcomes
Authors: Qin Yifei , Long Li , Huang Qiansheng
Published: March 2020

External stressors, especially environmental toxicants can disturb biological homeostasis and thus lead to adverse health effects. However, there is limited understanding of how cells directly exposed to stressors transmit the signals to cells indirectly in contact with stressors. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are receiving increasing attention as signal transductors between various types of cells in organisms. Cargo in EVs, including RNAs, proteins, lipids, and other signal molecules can be transferred between cells and become critical determining factors of intercellular communication. EVs can be a powerful mediator of environmental stimuli. It has been shown that external stressors reshape the secretion of EVs, modify the composition of EVs, and thus influence the mediating function of EVs. These abnormal EVs can lead to dysfunction of recipient cells, and even the pathogenesis of diseases. In this review, we first summarized current knowledge about the responses of EVs to external stimuli, including chemicals and chemical mixtures. Then we explained how these altered EVs regulate signal pathways in recipient cells, thus mediating physio‐pathological responses in detail. The most up‐to‐date evidence from molecular, cellular, animal and human levels was synthesized to systematically address the mediating roles of EVs. EVs can be regarded as a bridge to link external stressors and internal response. Further toxicological and molecular epidemiological studies are expected to provide further insight into the roles of EVs in toxicology. The gaps in the engulfment of toxicants into EVs are listed as the priority to be solved in future studies.
Is Salesperson Attractiveness a Boon or a Bane? The Moderating Role of Perceived Labor Cost‐To‐Price Ratio in Retail Bargaining
Authors: Wongkitrungrueng Apiradee , Hildebrand Diogo , Sen Sankar , Nuttavuthisit Krittinee
Published: March 2020

This research examines the important but unexamined effects of salesperson attractiveness on consumer bargaining behavior in retail contexts. In line with our theorizing, three studies demonstrate that the effect of salesperson attractiveness on consumer bargaining depends on their general beliefs regarding the impact of labor costs on retail prices. While consumers bargain less with an attractive salesperson when their labor costs‐to‐price (LP) ratio beliefs are relatively low, they bargain harder with an attractive, as opposed to a less attractive, salesperson, when their LP ratio beliefs are relatively high. As well, we provide evidence for the process, based on the salesperson's perceived trustworthiness and consumers' consequent bargaining stance toward her.
Low skeletal muscle mass and postoperative morbidity in surgical oncology: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Weerink Linda B.M. , van der Hoorn Anouk , van Leeuwen Barbara L. , de Bock Geertruida H.
Published: March 2020

Background

Sarcopenia might function as an indicator for frailty, and as such as a risk factor for the development of postoperative complications. The aim of this study was to meta‐analyse the relation between preoperative sarcopenia and the development of severe postoperative complications in patients undergoing oncological surgery.

Methods

PubMed and Embase databases were systematically searched from inception until May 2018. Included were studies reporting on the incidence of severe postoperative complications and radiologically determined preoperative sarcopenia. Studies reporting the skeletal muscle as a continuous variable only were excluded. Data were extracted independently by two reviewers. Random effect meta‐analyses were applied to estimate the pooled odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for severe postoperative complications, defined as Clavien‐Dindo grade ≥3, including 30‐day mortality. Heterogeneity was evaluated with I2 testing. Analyses were performed overall and stratified by measurement method, tumour location and publication date.

Results

A total of 1924 citations were identified, and 53 studies (14 295 patients) were included in the meta‐analysis. When measuring the total skeletal muscle area, 43% of the patients were sarcopenic, versus 33% when measuring the psoas area. Severe postoperative complications were present in 20%, and 30‐day mortality was 3%. Preoperative sarcopenia was associated with an increased risk of severe postoperative complications (ORpooled: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.24–16.8, P<0.001, I2=55%) and 30‐day mortality (ORpooled: 2.15, 95% CI: 1.46–3.17, P<0.001, I2=14%). A low psoas mass was a stronger predictor for severe postoperative complications compared with a low total skeletal muscle mass (ORpooled: 2.06, 95% CI: 1.37–3.09, ORpooled: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.14–1.53, respectively) and 30‐day mortality [ORpooled: 6.17 (95% CI: 2.71–14.08, ORpooled: 1.80 (95% CI: 1.24–2.62), respectively]. The effect was independent of tumour location and publication date.

Conclusions

The presence of low psoas mass prior to surgery, as an indicator for sarcopenia, is a common phenomenon and is a strong predictor for the development of postoperative complications. The presence of low total skeletal muscle mass, which is even more frequent, is a less informative predictor for postoperative complications and 30‐day mortality. The low heterogeneity indicates that the finding is consistent over studies. Nevertheless, the value of sarcopenia relative to other assessments such as frailty screening is not clear. Research is needed in order to determine the place of sarcopenia in future preoperative risk stratification.
Psychological correlates of interest in genetic testing among Korean American adoptees and their parents
Authors: Cai Jieyi , Kim Adam Y. , Lee Richard M.
Published: March 2020

Adopted persons increasingly have turned to genetic testing to obtain health information or to search for birth family. The present study investigated psychological factors that may contribute to interest among adoptees and their parents in genetic testing for the adoptee, including adoptees' ethnic identity development, their thoughts or curiosity about birth family (birth family thoughts), and the interaction of these two factors. Data were drawn from the second wave of a longitudinal study, conducted in 2014, on transracially, transnationally adopted Korean American adolescents and their adoptive parents. In a sample of 106 adolescent–parent dyads, 2 adolescents (1.89%) had undergone genetic testing. Among the dyads in which adolescents had not sought genetic testing, 47.12% of adolescents and 43.27% of parents indicated interest in genetic testing for the adolescent adoptee. Adolescents' interest in genetic testing was independent from parents' interest. Neither adolescent psychological adjustment nor physical health was related to interest in genetic testing in either adolescents or parents. Adolescents' birth family thoughts were related to adolescents' interest in genetic testing, but not to parents' interest in genetic testing for their child. This study showed ethnic identity exploration and resolution moderated the relationship between birth family thoughts and adolescents' interest in genetic testing. Results point to the relevance of birth family thoughts and identity development to genetic testing in transnational and transracial adolescent adoptees.
GITR differentially affects lung effector T cell subpopulations during influenza virus infection
Authors: Chu Kuan-Lun , Batista Nathalia V. , Girard Mélanie , Law Jaclyn C. , Watts Tania H.
Published: March 2020

Tissue resident memory T cells (Trm) are critical for local protection against reinfection. The accumulation of T cells in the tissues requires a post-priming signal from TNFR superfamily members, referred to as signal 4. Glucocorticoid-induced TNFR-related protein (GITR; TNFRSF18) signaling is important for this post-priming signal and for Trm formation during respiratory infection with influenza virus. As GITR signaling impacts both effector T cell accumulation and Trm formation, we asked if GITR differentially affects subsets of effector cells with different memory potential. Effector CD4+ T cells can be subdivided into 2 populations based on expression of lymphocyte antigen 6C (Ly6C), whereas effector CD8+ cells can be divided into 3 populations based on Ly6C and CX3CR1. The Ly6Chi and CX3CR1hi T cell populations represent the most differentiated effector T cells. Upon transfer, the Ly6Clo CD4+ effector T cells preferentially enter the lung parenchyma, compared to the Ly6Chi CD4+ T cells. We show that GITR had a similar effect on the accumulation of both the Ly6Chi and Ly6Clo CD4+ T cell subsets. In contrast, whereas GITR increased the accumulation of all three CD8+ T cell subsets defined by CX3CR1 and Ly6C expression, it had a more substantial effect on the least differentiated Ly6Clo CX3CR1lo subset. Moreover, GITR selectively up-regulated CXCR6 on the less differentiated CX3CR1lo CD8+ T cell subsets and induced a small but significant increase in CD127 selectively on the Ly6Clo CD4+ T cell subset. Thus, GITR contributes to accumulation of both differentiated effector cells as well as memory precursors, but with some differences between subsets.
Analyzing the epidemiological outbreak of COVID‐19: A visual exploratory data analysis approach
Authors: Dey Samrat K. , Rahman Md. Mahbubur , Siddiqi Umme R. , Howlader Arpita
Published: March 2020

There is an obvious concern globally regarding the fact about the emerging coronavirus 2019 novel coronavirus (2019‐nCoV) as a worldwide public health threat. As the outbreak of COVID‐19 causes by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) progresses within China and beyond, rapidly available epidemiological data are needed to guide strategies for situational awareness and intervention. The recent outbreak of pneumonia in Wuhan, China, caused by the SARS‐CoV‐2 emphasizes the importance of analyzing the epidemiological data of this novel virus and predicting their risks of infecting people all around the globe. In this study, we present an effort to compile and analyze epidemiological outbreak information on COVID‐19 based on the several open datasets on 2019‐nCoV provided by the Johns Hopkins University, World Health Organization, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National Health Commission, and DXY. An exploratory data analysis with visualizations has been made to understand the number of different cases reported (confirmed, death, and recovered) in different provinces of China and outside of China. Overall, at the outset of an outbreak like this, it is highly important to readily provide information to begin the evaluation necessary to understand the risks and begin containment activities.
Brain fog in postural tachycardia syndrome: An objective cerebral blood flow and neurocognitive analysis
Authors: Wells Rachel , Paterson Felix , Bacchi Stephen , Page Amanda , Baumert Mathias , Lau Dennis H.
Published: March 2020

Background

It remains unclear whether brain fog is related to impaired cerebral blood flow (CBF) in postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) patients.

Methods

We assessed CBF in the posterior cerebral artery (PCA) using transcranial Doppler with visual stimuli in 11 POTS and 8 healthy subjects in the seated position, followed by neurocognitive testing.

Results

CBF parameters were similar between the two groups. POTS patients demonstrated significantly longer latency in delayed match to sample response time and greater errors in attention switching task.

Conclusions

Impaired short‐term memory and alertness may underlie the symptom of brain fog in POTS patients, despite normal CBF.
Detection of rice plant diseases based on deep transfer learning
Authors: Chen Junde , Zhang Defu , Nanehkaran Yaser A , Li Dele
Published: March 2020

BACKGROUND

As the primary food for nearly half of the world's population, rice is cultivated almost all over the world, especially in Asian countries. However, the farmers and planting experts have been facing many persistent agricultural challenges for centuries, such as different diseases of rice. The severe rice diseases may lead to no harvest of grains; therefore, a fast, automatic, less expensive and accurate method to detect rice diseases is highly desired in the field of agricultural information.

RESULTS

In this article, we study the deep learning approach for solving the task since it has shown outstanding performance in image processing and classification problem. Combining the advantages of both, the DenseNet pre‐trained on ImageNet and Inception module were selected to be used in the network, and this approach presents a superior performance with respect to other state‐of‐the‐art methods. It achieves an average predicting accuracy of no less than 94.07% in the public dataset. Even when multiple diseases were considered, the average accuracy reaches 98.63% for the class prediction of rice disease images.

CONCLUSIONS

The experimental results prove the validity of the proposed approach, and it is accomplished efficiently for rice disease detection. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
The effects of source resolution on resolution enhancement through shifted superimposition projection
Authors: Jervell Hansen Svein Arne , Hardeberg Jon Yngve , Nadeem Akram Muhammad
Published: March 2020

Resolution in a projected display is traditionally defined by the number of pixels in the projector's spatial light modulator (SLM). In recent years, different techniques that increase the resolution on the screen above the number of SLM pixels have gained popularity. In one such technique, called pixel‐shifting or shifted‐superimposition, the display physically shifts every nth frame on the projected screen, and the overlapping pixel grids forms a finer subpixel grid with a higher pixel count.

There is still an open question how much this method increases the resolution and how to quantify it. The resolution on the screen also depends upon the resolution of the input image fed to the projector.

In this work, we experimentally investigate how the projector performs with resolution enhancement through pixel‐shifting and how this method relates to the source resolution. We also investigate some known methods of resolution measurement and evaluate how these methods perform for the shifted‐superimposition case.

We find that the resolution enhancement through shifted‐superimposition enhances the resolution to about 40% over native resolution, and we also find two different measurement methods (grille contrast and least resolvable line pair method) that is relevant for effectively measuring resolution within such systems.
Comparing textbook outcomes among patients undergoing surgery for cancer at U. S. News & World Report ranked hospitals
Authors: Mehta Rittal , Tsilimigras Diamantis I. , Paredes Anghela Z. , Sahara Kota , Moro Amika , Farooq Ayesha , White Susan , Ejaz Aslam , Tsung Allan , Dillhoff Mary , Cloyd Jordan M. , Pawlik Timothy M.
Published: March 2020

Background

The objective of the current study was to define and compare rates of textbook outcomes (TO) among patients undergoing colorectal, lung, esophagus, liver, and pancreatic surgery for cancer at U.S. News & World Report (USNWR) ranked hospitals.

Methods

Medicare Inpatient Standard Analytic Files 2013‐2015 were utilized to examine the relationship of TO and USNWR hospital ratings following surgery for colorectal, lung, esophageal, pancreatic, and liver cancer. TO was defined as no postoperative surgical complications, no prolonged length of hospital stay, no readmission within 90 days after discharge, and no postoperative mortality within 90 days after surgery.

Results

Among the 35,352 Medicare patients included in the cohort, 16,820 (47.6%) underwent surgery at honor roll hospitals, whereas 18 532 (52.4%) underwent surgery at non‐honor roll hospitals. The overall proportion of patients who achieved TO was 50.1%. In examining the clinical outcomes of patients who underwent surgery, there was no difference in the odds of achieving TO at honor roll vs non‐honor roll hospitals (colorectal: odds ratio [OR], 0.87; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.69‐1.10; lung: OR, 1.07; 95% CI, 0.87‐1.32; esophagus: OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 0.72‐2.89; liver: OR, 1.27; 95% CI, 0.87‐1.84; pancreas: OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.67‐1.62).

Conclusion and Relevance

Patients undergoing surgery for lung, esophageal, liver, pancreatic, and colorectal cancer had comparable rates of TO at honor roll vs non‐honor roll hospitals. No linear association was observed between hospital position in the rank and postoperative outcomes such as TO indicating that patients should not overly focus on the exact position within USNWR ranked hospitals. These data highlight to patients and physicians that up to one‐half of patients undergoing surgery for cancer should anticipate at least one adverse outcome.
Telescopic otology referrals: Evaluation of feasibility and acceptability
Authors: Cottrell Elizabeth , George Ajith , Coulson Chris , Chambers Ruth
Published: March 2020

Objective

A remote telemedical otology referral and advice service was introduced to interested general practices. General practitioners (GPs) were given a new device, “endoscope‐i” that combines an optimized smartphone high definition video app with an otoendoscope. They were specifically trained to examine and capture images of patients' eardrums, which were sent electronically with a summary of clinical information and an in‐app hearing testing (if required), for specialist advice to two ear, nose, and throat (ENT) consultants. We describe the findings from an evaluation of the first 6 months of this service to establish the feasibility and acceptability of an otology telemedical referral and advice service.

Methods

The new service was advertised to GP practices in Northern Staffordshire. All interested GPs were provided with training and equipment to deliver the remote referral service. Data were collected from GPs at baseline, informal feedback in response to referral outcomes and end of service feedback. Referral data were collected routinely during the service delivery.

Results

Fifteen GP leads from 15 practices received training and equipment. One quickly lost the equipment. Of the remaining 14 practices, eight sent a total of 53 remote referrals using this technology over 6 months. The most common reason for referral was an uncertainty of what could be seen in or around the eardrum. The primary barrier for implementation was lack of wireless internet connections within practices. GPs reported that they used this technology to share examination findings with patients.

Conclusions

GPs were positive about the technology, from initial engagement with training and after advice were given. Some GPs expanded the role of the technology to a consultation aid. Referral volume was manageable. Commissioners should consider tariffs structures for such services; empirical cost‐effectiveness and workload‐impact evaluation would inform this.
Two positive solutions for a Dirichlet problem with the (p,q)‐Laplacian
Authors: Sciammetta Angela , Tornatore Elisabetta
Published: March 2020

The aim of this paper is to prove the existence of two solutions for a nonlinear elliptic problem involving the ‐Laplacian operator. The solutions are obtained by using variational methods and critical points theorems. The positivity of the solutions is shown by applying a generalized version of the strong maximum principle.
Global trends of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm research in the past two decades: A bibliometric study
Authors: Zhu Yuanyuan , Li Jiao Jiao , Reng Jian , Wang Siyang , Zhang Ruiqing , Wang Bin
Published: March 2020

Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation is a primary cause of chronic infections. This has been a highly active area of research over the past two decades due to causing high mortality risks in immunocompromised patients. This study evaluates global trends in the dynamic and rapidly evolving field of P. aeruginosa biofilm research through bibliometric and visualized analyses. Publications from 1994 to 2018 on P. aeruginosa biofilm research were retrieved from Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed, and their bibliometric data were systematically studied. The VOSviewer software was used to conduct global analyses of bibliographic coupling, coauthorship, cocitation, and co‐occurrence. A total of 9,527 publications were included in this study. The overall number of publications and research interest in the field displayed a strongly rising trend. The USA made the greatest contributions to the field, with the highest h‐index and number of citations compared with other countries, while Denmark had the highest average citation per publication. The Journal of Bacteriology had the highest number of publications in the field, while the University of Copenhagen was the institution with the highest contribution influence. Co‐occurrence network maps revealed that the most prominent topics in P. aeruginosa biofilm research were mechanistic studies, in vitro/in vivo studies, and biofilm formation studies. Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms constitute a dynamic research area in microbiology with increasing global research interest. Future studies will likely focus on investigating the mechanisms of biofilm formation to solve infection‐associated clinical problems.
Nonsense suppression induced readthrough of a novel PAX6 mutation in patient‐derived cells of congenital aniridia
Authors: Liu Xiaoliang , Zhang Yuanyuan , Zhang Bijun , Gao Haiming , Qiu Chuang
Published: March 2020

Background

Congenital aniridia is a severe ocular abnormality characterized by incomplete formation of the iris and many other ocular complications. Most cases are caused by the paired box 6 (PAX6) gene mutations generating premature termination codons (PTCs).

Methods

Ophthalmic examination was performed on a Chinese pedigree with congenital aniridia. The mutation was identified by targeted next‐generation sequencing. Nonsense suppression therapy was applied on patient‐derived lymphocytes. The PAX6 expression was assayed by real‐time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot.

Results

Complete aniridia was complicated with horizontal nystagmus, contract, foveal hypoplasia, and microphthalmia. A novel heterozygous c.702_703delinsAT (p.Tyr234*) mutation was found in exon 9 of PAX6, generating a PTC at the homeodomain. There were about 50% reductions of both full‐length PAX6 protein and PAX6 mRNA in patient‐derived lymphocytes, indicating haploinsufficiency due to nonsense‐mediated mRNA decay. Ataluren (PTC124) and geneticin (G418) could induce about 30%–40% translational readthrough. Nonsense suppression therapy restored PAX6 protein to about 65%–70% of unaffected family controls.

Conclusion

Our data expanded the genetic and phenotypic variations of congenital aniridia, and showed the therapeutic effect of nonsense suppression on this disease using patient‐derived cells.
Assessing the variability of 23Na MRI in skeletal muscle tissue: Reproducibility and repeatability of tissue sodium concentration measurements in the lower leg at 3 T
Authors: Gerhalter Teresa , Gast Lena V. , Marty Benjamin , Uder Michael , Carlier Pierre G. , Nagel Armin M.
Published: March 2020

The goal of this study was to evaluate the reproducibility and repeatability of tissue sodium concentration (TSC) measurements using 23Na MRI in skeletal muscle tissue. 23Na MRI was performed at 3 T on the right lower leg of eight healthy volunteers (aged 28 ± 4 years). The examinations were repeated at the same site after ~ 22 weeks to assess the variability over a medium‐term period. Additionally, they were scanned at a second site shortly before or shortly after the first visit (within 3 weeks) to evaluate the inter‐site reproducibility. Moreover, we analysed the effect of B0 correction on the variability. Coefficients of variations (CVs) from mean TSC values as well as Bland–Altman plots were used to assess intra‐site repeatability and inter‐site reproducibility. In phantom measurements, the B0 correction improved the quantitative accuracy. We observed differences of up to 4.9 mmol/L between the first and second visit and a difference of up to 3.7 mmol/L between the two different sites. The CV for the medium‐term repeatability was 15% and the reproducibility CV was 9%. The Bland–Altman plots indicated high agreement between the visits in all muscle regions. The systematic bias of −0.68 mmol/L between site X and Y (P = 0.03) was slightly reduced to −0.64 mmol/L after B0 correction (P = 0.04). This work shows that TSC measurements in healthy skeletal muscle tissue can be performed with good repeatability and reproducibility, which is of importance for future longitudinal or multicentre studies.
One‐step synthesis of polysiloxane graft polyethylene mimic: Non‐expensive compatibilizer for polyethylene/polysiloxane blend
Authors: Zhang Yongjie , Li Xiaopei , Zhu Wenqin , Fan Mingshuai , Wang Shuwei , Qu Minjie , Zhang Yi , Wang Shuai
Published: March 2020

Polysiloxane/polyolefin copolymers have drawn much attention recently and emerged as a new group of functional polyolefin since they possess distinctive properties and find great potential applications in many areas (eg, compatibilizer, processing aid and surface modifier). However, traditional routes to synthesize polysiloxane/polyolefin copolymers generally require multi‐step labor‐consuming procedures. Herein, we report a novel one‐step synthesis of polydimethylsiloxane graft polyethylene (PDMS‐g‐PE) mimics. It was found that PDMS‐g‐PE mimics, namely vinylmethylsiloxane‐dimethylsiloxane‐(C30‐45 alkyl)methylsiloxane copolymers (short for VD‐AMS), could be formed via a one‐step synthetic procedure based on the siloxane equilibrium process between silanol‐terminated vinylmethylsiloxane‐methylsiloxane copolymer and (C30‐45 alkyl)methylsilicone. The chemical structures of VD‐AMS were characterized unambiguously using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, gel permeation chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry. The correlation between reaction conditions and the structural parameters of VD‐AMS was established. Based on our experimental results, a plausible mechanism for the synthesis of VD‐AMS was proposed. Scanning electron microscopy micrographs showed that VD‐AMS could function as an efficient compatibilizer for immiscible PE/silicone blend. Given that the precursors of VD‐AMS are commercially available with low prices and that VD‐AMS can be easily synthesized under mild conditions, we believe VD‐AMS can represent as a competitive potential compatibilizer due to its relatively low cost.