bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The LENT index predicts 30 day outcomes following hospitalization for heart failure
Authors: Van Spall Harriette GC , Averbuch Tauben , Lee Shun Fu , Oz Urun Erbas , Mamas Mamas A , Januzzi James Louis , Ko Dennis T
Published: December 2020

Aims

The LE index (Length of hospitalization plus number of Emergent visits ≤6 months) predicts 30 day all‐cause readmission or death following hospitalization for heart failure (HF). We combined N‐terminal pro‐B type natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP) levels with the LE index to derive and validate the LENT index for risk prediction at the point of care on the day of hospital discharge.

Methods and results

In this prospective cohort sub‐study of the Patient‐centred Care Transitions in HF clinical trial, we used log‐binomial regression models with LE index and either admission or discharge NT‐proBNP as the predictors and 30 day composite all‐cause readmission or death as the primary outcome. No other variables were added to the model. We used regression coefficients to derive the LENT index and bootstrapping analysis for internal validation. There were 772 patients (mean [SD] age 77.0 [12.4] years, 49.9% female). Each increment in the LE index was associated with a 25% increased risk of the primary outcome (RR 1.25, 95% CI 1.16–1.35; C‐statistic 0.63). Adjusted for the LE index, every 10‐fold increase in admission and discharge NT‐proBNP was associated with a 48% (RR 1.48; 95% CI 1.10, 1.99; C‐statistic 0.64; net reclassification index [NRI] 0.19) and 56% (RR 1.56; 95% CI 1.08, 2.25; C‐statistic 0.64; NRI 0.21) increased risk of the primary outcome, respectively. The predicted probability of the primary outcome increased to a similar extent with incremental LENT, regardless of whether admission or discharge NT‐proBNP level was used.

Conclusions

The point‐of‐care LENT index predicts 30 day composite all‐cause readmission or death among patients hospitalized with HF, with improved risk reclassification compared with the LE index. The performance of this simple, 3‐variable index ‐ without adjustment for comorbidities ‐ is comparable to complex risk prediction models in HF.

Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02112227
Cell‐Membrane Staining Properties and Photocytotoxicity of a Ruthenium(II) Photosensitizer
Authors: Zhang Kenneth Yin , Song Linna , Gu Tianhan , Wang Hao , Yang Chao , Zhou Hanchen , Gao Pengli , Liu Shujuan , Zhao Qiang
Published: December 2020

Organelle‐targeting photosensitizers have attracted increasing attention in the development of drugs for photodynamic therapy because they can efficiently induce cellular functional disorder upon light irradiation. In this work, we reported a ruthenium(II) complex bearing two lipophilic carbon chains which specifically binds to the cell membrane. Light irradiation on the complex‐treated cells caused an increase of intracellular reactive oxygen species. The photocytotoxicity of the complex toward HeLa cells were evaluated via the 3‐(4,5‐dimethyl‐2‐thiazolyl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. A high dose (3 µm) of the complex induced apoptotic cell death by photogeneration of intracellular reactive oxygen species. A low dose (0.25 µm) of the complex did not cause noticeable cell death but increased the permeability of the cell membrane upon light irradiation.
A Screening Approach for the Selection of Drinking Water Treatment Residuals for Their Introduction to Marine Systems
Authors: Zhou Lang , Wallace Samuel M. , Denslow Nancy D. , Gaillard Jean-François , Meyer Peter , Bonzongo Jean-Claude J.
Published: December 2020

Drinking water treatment residuals (DWTRs) produced in large quantities worldwide show strong sorption capacities for several contaminants including metals. These by-products of the water-treatment process are primarily discharged as wastes, to either natural or engineered systems, based on the regulations in place in the country where they are produced. To assess how DWTRs can be repurposed to limit the mobility of metals in aquatic systems, we tested their propensity to release toxic metals and their potential ecotoxicity. To account for the wide variability in their physicochemical characteristics, DWTR samples were obtained from 15 water-treatment plants across the United States. A screening procedure based on a combination of 1) the toxicity characteristics leaching procedure (TCLP), 2) total metal contents and sediment quality guidelines, and 3) acute 10-d Americamysis bahia and chronic 28-d Neanthes arenaceodentata survival and growth bioassays was used. All tested samples were found to be nonhazardous based on TCLP results. However, the concentrations of As, Cu, and Ni exceeded the sediment quality guidelines in some samples, resulting in the exclusion of 7 DWTR samples. All of the DWTRs evaluated for toxicity were nontoxic to the tested organisms. The results of the present study suggest that certain DWTRs can be introduced safely into the marine environment and, therefore, used as potential amendments or capping materials to control the mobility of certain sediment contaminants. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:1194–1203. © 2020 SETAC
Multigenerational Toxic Effects on Daphnia magna Induced by Silver Nanoparticles and Glyphosate Mixture
Authors: da Silva Marlon Luiz Neves , Nogueira Diego José , Köerich Jéssica Schveitzer , Vaz Vitor Pereira , Justino Naiara Mottim , Schmidt José Renato Alves , Vicentini Denice Schulz , Matias Marcelo Seleme , de Castilhos Armando Borges , Fuzinatto Cristiane Funghetto , Matias William Gerson
Published: December 2020

Multigenerational toxicological effects of a binary mixture of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with glyphosate were identified in Daphnia magna using acute and chronic toxicity tests. Acute toxicity interactions were analyzed with the Abbott method. In the chronic tests, the survival, growth, reproduction, and age at first brood were evaluated for the parents and the exposed (F1E) and non-exposed (F1NE) descendants. The scales tested for binary mixture, at the acute level, presented antagonistic and additive interactions, possibly associated with the complexation of the AgNPs by glyphosate. Multigenerational chronic effects related to the parameters, reproduction, and age at first brood were observed in the descendants tested with the individual compounds, with no recovery for F1E and F1NE. In organisms exposed to binary mixture, there was a delay in the age at first brood and also a significant change in the reproduction parameter, with a strong reduction for the parents, F1E, and F1NE, indicating a higher toxicity than the compounds tested individually. Although the results for acute interactions between AgNP and glyphosate did not provide clear evidence, multigenerational chronic binary mixture trials have resulted in unexpected toxicity compared with individual treatments, increasing the concerns associated with this co-exposure in other scenarios. Therefore, the interaction of binary mixture with the organisms merits further investigation and the results reported in the present study will be useful in this regard. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:1123–1131. © 2020 SETAC
Design of link prediction algorithm for complex network based on the comprehensive influence of predicting nodes and neighbor nodes
Authors: Wang Yang , Wang Jifa
Published: December 2020

A new link prediction algorithm (ZHA), based on comprehensive influence of predicting nodes and neighbor nodes to improve the accuracy and applicability of link prediction for complex networks, was proposed. Taking the comprehensive influence of predicting nodes and neighbor nodes into account, the new algorithm was constructed on the basis of the information of nodes in complex networks. ZHA was applied to seven real complex networks, and the random experiment was performed 10 times and 100 times, respectively, to identify its applicability and precision. Comparing the precision of ZHA with classical similarity link prediction algorithms, results showed that the new algorithm ZHA had higher precision. On the foundation of the experiments, the relationship between the accuracy of link prediction and experiment times was analyzed, and the principle of how to select experiment times was given.
A soil moisture monitoring network to assess controls on runoff generation during atmospheric river events
Authors: Sumargo Edwin , McMillan Hilary , Weihs Rachel , Ellis Carolyn J. , Wilson Anna M. , Ralph F. Martin
Published: December 2020

Soil moisture is a key modifier of runoff generation from rainfall excess, including during extreme precipitation events associated with Atmospheric Rivers (ARs). This paper presents a new, publicly available dataset from a soil moisture monitoring network in Northern California's Russian River Basin, designed to assess soil moisture controls on runoff generation under AR conditions. The observations consist of 2‐min volumetric soil moisture at 19 sites and 6 depths (5, 10, 15, 20, 50, and 100 cm), starting in summer 2017. The goals of this monitoring network are to aid the development of research applications and situational awareness tools for Forecast‐Informed Reservoir Operations at Lake Mendocino. We present short analyses of these data to demonstrate their capability to characterize soil moisture responses to precipitation across sites and depths, including time series analysis, correlation analysis, and identification of soil saturation thresholds that induce runoff. Our results show strong inter‐site Pearson's correlations (>0.8) at the seasonal timescale. Correlations are strong (>0.8) during events with high antecedent soil moisture and during drydown periods, and weak (<0.5) otherwise. High event runoff ratios are observed when antecedent soil moisture thresholds are exceeded, and when antecedent runoff is high. Although local heterogeneity in soil moisture can limit the utility of point source data in some hydrologic model applications, our analyses indicate three ways in which soil moisture data are valuable for model design: (1) sensors installed at 6 depths per location enable us to identify the soil depth below which evapotranspiration and saturation dynamics change, and therefore choose model soil layer depths, (2) time series analysis indicates the role of soil moisture processes in controlling runoff ratio during precipitation, which hydrologic models should replicate, and (3) spatial correlation analysis of the soil moisture fluctuations helps identify when and where distributed hydrologic modelling may be beneficial.
Water quality and spatio‐temporal hot spots in an effluent‐dominated urban river
Authors: Schliemann Sarah A. , Grevstad Nels , Brazeau Randi H.
Published: December 2020

In arid and semi‐arid regions, many rivers experience extremely low flow conditions during seasonal dry periods. During these times, effluent from wastewater treatment plants can make up the majority of flow in the river. However, water quality in urban systems can also be strongly influenced by the natural or human‐influenced flow regime and discharge from other anthropogenic sources such as industrial operations and runoff from impervious surfaces. In this study, we aimed to determine whether water quality was controlled primarily by wastewater discharge in an effluent‐dominated river. Between May 2016–May 2019, we systematically measured water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, and the concentrations of nitrate‐N, ammonia‐N, and orthophosphate in the South Platte River in the Denver metropolitan area, Colorado, USA. We found that, despite being an effluent‐dominated river, wastewater treatment plant discharge was not the principal factor controlling water quality in many of the sampled areas. Non‐point source pollution from impervious surfaces, delivered to the river through storm drains and minor tributary streams, also contributed to the high nutrient conditions in several locations. We also noted a strong seasonality in water quality, with higher concentrations of nutrients and higher biochemical oxygen demand in the winter months when wastewater effluent can make up more than 90% of the flow in the river. Thus, the interaction of discharge location and reduced seasonal flow produced spatio‐temporal hot spots of diminished water quality. More stringent enforcement of water quality regulations may improve water quality in this system. However, a large portion of the pollution seems to be from non‐point sources, which are very difficult to control.
Dec2 attenuates autophagy in inflamed periodontal tissues
Authors: Oka Shunichi , Li Xiaoyan , Sato Fuyuki , Zhang Fengzhu , Tewari Nitesh , Chen Chongchong , Zhong Liangjun , Makishima Makoto , Liu Yi , Bhawal Ujjal K.
Published: December 2020

Introduction

Transcriptional regulation of autophagy depends on the transcription factors coordinated inflammatory feedback mechanism. Here, we provide a comprehensive functional characterization of periodontal ligament fibroblasts (PDLFs) treated with Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide (LPS), aiming to reveal previously unappreciated biological changes and to investigate how a transcription factor differentiated embryonic chondrocytes 2 (Dec2)‐deficient environment influences the function of autophagy in nflamed human PDLFs.

Methods

A Dec2‐deficient (Dec2KO) experimental periodontal inflammation mouse model and treatment with P. gingivalis LPS were employed to examine the role of autophagy in PDLFs using hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemistry in vivo. A Dec2 small interfering RNA (siRNA) was used to modulate autophagy, and the effect of autophagy on the Dec2 pathway was explored using real‐time polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis in vitro.

Results

LPS‐treated human PDLFs (HPDLFs) induced autophagy, as demonstrated by the enhanced levels of microtubule‐associated protein 1 light chain 3‐II (LC3‐II) and the induction of ATG5, Beclin1, and Dec2. Compared with a scrambled siRNA, a Dec2 siRNA triggered the detrimental influences of LPS and markedly enhanced autophagy expression in inflamed HPDLFs. The expression of phosphorylated ERK was increased and levels of phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) were decreased after exposure to LPS in Dec2 siRNA transfected HPDLFs. The Dec2KO model exhibited that P. gingivalis in Dec2 deficient conditions increases the inflammation of PDLFs by regulating autophagy.

Conclusions

These results demonstrate that a Dec2 deficiency can alleviate LPS‐induced inflammation via the ERK/mTOR signaling pathway by regulating autophagy, conceivably delivering a novel approach for the detection of periodontal treatments.
Time‐frequency analysis of risk spillovers from oil to BRICS stock markets: A long‐memory Copula‐CoVaR‐MODWT method
Authors: Jiang Yonghong , Mu Jinqi , Nie He , Wu Lanxin
Published: December 2020

We document the risk spillovers from oil to BRICS stock markets using a relatively novel long‐memory Copula‐CoVaR‐MODWT method from the time and frequency domain. Overall, the empirical results show that there are significant risk spillovers with time‐varying and heterogeneous characteristics. More importantly, we find that the heterogeneity among countries depends on the degree of oil dependence, energy policy and risk management strategy. Furthermore, we reveal there exist significant long‐ and short‐term risk spillovers and that the long‐term spillover effects are generally lower than the short‐term ones. Finally, we confirm that downside and upside risk spillovers are asymmetric.
Water temperature effects on hydraulic performance of pressure‐compensating emitter in a drip irrigation system*
Authors: Peng Hou , Shuqin Li , Zeyuan Liu , Hongxu Zhou , Muhammd Tahir , Ruonan Wu , Wenchao Liu , Yunkai Li
Published: December 2020

Accurate testing and evaluation of the hydraulic performance of pressure‐compensating (PC) emitters are basic for proper operation of drip irrigation systems. However, the impacts of environmental conditions and system operation usually result in unstable water temperature. Quantifying the effects of water temperature on flow rate and hydraulic performance are of vital importance to PC emitters. In this paper, six types of widely used PC emitters were used for laboratory testing, and their flow rates in the water temperature range of 15–45 °C were measured. The results showed that both the PC emitters' flow rate and temperature discharge ratio (TDR) decreased significantly with increase of water temperature (p < 0.05), with average decreasing rates of 7.52 and 7.32%, respectively. Meanwhile, the flow coefficient (kd) showed a downward trend with higher water temperature (p < 0.05, 12.0% in average), but the effects on the flow index (x) of the PC emitter could be ignored. This may be due to the decrease in hardness of the elastic diaphragm caused by higher water temperature, the research would provide theoretical references for correcting the performance deviation of pressure‐compensating emitters caused by temperature variation.
Green sustainable technology for biotreatment of actual dairy wastewater in constructed wetland
Authors: Mohammed Noor A , Ismail Zainab Z
Published: December 2020

BACKGROUND

Due to the environmental problems caused by food processing wastewaters and their complex and expensive treatment methods, it becomes mandatory to seek a sound, sustainable and environmentally friendly solution such as constructed wetland (CW). This study aimed to investigate the potential of treating real dairy wastewater in CW. Six horizontal subsurface flow CW microcosms were set up using different conventional and cost‐effective supporting media, which were gravel, soil and sand. All the CWs were fueled continuously with real fresh dairy wastewater. Five of the six CW microcosms were planted with Canna indica. The remaining CW microcosm was kept unplanted and was considered as a control microcosm.

RESULTS

The results revealed significant removal efficiencies of organic matter (as chemical oxygen demand) up to 89.92%, 97.6%, 95.8%, 97.2%, 97.3% and 98.2%, for CW1, CW2, CW3, CW4, CW5 and CW6, respectively. Also, high removal efficiencies of ammonium were observed in the range of 98.4–82.0%, whereas removal efficiencies of total suspended solids were in the range of 99.2–93.4%.

CONCLUSION

The results demonstrated that the dominant mechanisms for organics and ammonium removal were biodegradation processes. These promising results confirmed the validity of using constructed wetland as a sustainable cost‐effective approach for dairy wastewater treatment. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Manganese enrichment of polymetallic oceanic nodules via selective leaching process for energy storage applications
Authors: Mukherjee Priyanka , Pattnaik Sushree , Sanjay Kali , Mohapatra Mamata
Published: December 2020

BACKGROUND

The FeMn concentrates formed in oceanic nodules serve as highly promising resources for economically‐ and strategically‐important metals, such as manganese, cobalt, nickel, copper, and rare‐earths, among others. Worldwide process flowsheets are being continually developed for maximum extraction of major/minor metal values from the deep‐sea nodules in cost‐effective and environment‐friendly ways. However, a current state‐of‐the‐art technology with zero waste is yet to be developed.

RESULTS

The present work's focus was to concentrate Mn in the residue through a single step surfactant mediated leaching process, and the enriched residue has been studied for high‐end energy storage applications. The X‐Ray diffraction pattern of residue obtained from the leaching study using surfactant Triton X‐ 100 matched with α‐manganese oxide, whereas the sample obtained without TX‐100 showed todorokite phases. Under the optimum conditions, dissolution of Mn was restricted to merely 9%, whereas the other metals like Cu, Co, Ni were leached to nearly 85–95% at a temperature of 80 °C at lab scale. Since most of Mn is retained in the residue, it is evaluated for energy storage applications. The specific capacitance value obtained from charge–discharge curves for the material was 110 F g−1 at 0.221A g−1 current density.

CONCLUSION

This study proves non‐ionic surfactant TX‐100 enhances leaching of metals like Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu from the manganese nodule at mild operational conditions. On the contrary, it also enriches the Mn content in the leached residue by retarding its dissolution during leaching. The Mn enriched residue has been studied for energy storage applications, which have not been reported in earlier literature. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
The effect of copper intrauterine device use duration on uterine and ovarian blood flow parameters: A prospective cross‐sectional study
Authors: Aksoy Ayse Nur , Sarikas Gulsah Tanas , Gozgec Elif Guven
Published: December 2020

Purpose

This prospective cross‐sectional study aimed to compare uterine and ovarian arterial Doppler signals in regularly menstruating patients who had been using copper intrauterine devices (IUD) for different durations.

Methods

Four groups of participants were formed (n = 30 for each) depending on the duration of copper IUD use: less than 1 year (group 1), 1 to 3 years (group 2), and over 3 years (group 3). Women without IUDs formed the control group. All participants were called in on the fifth‐eighth days of their menstrual cycle for Doppler blood flow assessment. The pulsatility index (PI) and resistance index (RI) values were recorded in uterine and ovarian arteries.

Results

The groups 2 and 3 had significantly higher uterine artery PI and RI values than groups 1 and 4. Furthermore, group 2 had uterine and ovarian artery PI and RI values similar to those of group 3. There was a positive relationship between uterine and ovarian arteries' PI and RI values with the duration of IUD use.

Conclusions

The presence of an IUD for over a year seems to cause changes in the uterine artery PI and RI values assessed by Doppler ultrasonography.
The establishment of auditory–visual equivalence classes with a go/no‐go successive matching‐to‐sample procedure
Authors: Zhelezoglo Karina N. , Hanson Robbie J. , Miguel Caio F. , Lionello‐DeNolf Karen M.
Published: December 2020

The current study evaluated the effectiveness of a go/no‐go successive matching‐to‐sample procedure (S‐MTS) to establish auditory–visual equivalence classes with college students. A sample and a comparison were presented, one at a time, in the same location. During training, after an auditory stimulus was presented, a green box appeared in the center of the screen for participants to touch to produce the comparison. Touching the visual comparison that was related to the auditory sample (e.g., A1B1) produced points, while touching or refraining from touching an unrelated comparison (e.g., A1B2) produced no consequences. Following AB/AC training, participants were tested on untrained relations (i.e., BA/CA and BC/CB), as well as tacting and sorting. During BA/CA relations tests, after touching the visual sample, the auditory stimulus was presented along with a white box for participants to respond. During BC/CB relations tests, after touching the visual sample, a visual comparison appeared. Across 2 experiments, all participants met emergence criterion for untrained relations and for sorting. Additionally, 14 out of 24 participants tacted all visual stimuli correctly. Results suggest the auditory–visual S‐MTS procedure is an effective alternative to simultaneous MTS for establishing conditional relations and auditory‐visual equivalence classes.
Transfer of conditioned fear and avoidance: Concurrent measurement of arousal and operant responding
Authors: Rodríguez‐Valverde Miguel , Luciano Carmen , Barnes‐Holmes Dermot , Hernández‐López Mónica
Published: December 2020

A reversal design was employed for the analysis of transfer of fear and avoidance through equivalence classes. Two 5‐member equivalence classes (A1‐B1‐C1‐D1‐E1 and A2‐B2‐C2‐D2‐E2) were established. Then B1 and C1 were paired with shock (CS+) and served as SDs in avoidance training (B2 and C2 were trained as CS‐/S∆s for avoidance). Further avoidance training followed with D1 and E1 (as SDs) and D2 and E2 (as S∆s), with the first presentation of each of these stimuli serving as the first transfer test. Afterwards, aversive conditioning contingencies were reversed: B2 and D2 were paired with shock and trained as SDs for avoidance, B1 and D1 were presented without shock (CS‐/S∆s). Transfer was tested again with C1, E1, C2 and E2. This reversal was implemented to allow for the within‐subject replication of transfer effects upon changes in the function of only a subset of each class's elements. Avoidance (key presses) and conditioned fear (skin conductance and heart rate) were simultaneously measured. Results show a clear transfer effect for avoidance, with between‐ and within‐subject replications. For physiological measures, transfer effects in the first test could only be imputed on the basis of group‐based inferential statistical analysis. Evidence for between‐subject replication was weaker, with only a limited proportion of participants meeting the individual criterion for transfer.
Hypoxia and extracellular vesicles: A review on methods, vesicular cargo and functions
Authors: Bister Nea , Pistono Cristiana , Huremagic Benjamin , Jolkkonen Jukka , Giugno Rosalba , Malm Tarja
Published: December 2020

Hypoxia is an essential hallmark of several serious diseases such as cardiovascular and metabolic disorders and cancer. A decline in the tissue oxygen level induces hypoxic responses in cells which strive to adapt to the changed conditions. A failure to adapt to prolonged or severe hypoxia can trigger cell death. While some cell types, such as neurons, are highly vulnerable to hypoxia, cancer cells take advantage of a hypoxic environment to undergo tumour growth, angiogenesis and metastasis. Hypoxia‐induced processes trigger complex intercellular communication and there are now indications that extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a fundamental role in these processes. Recent developments in EV isolation and characterization methodology have increased the awareness of the importance of EV purity in functional and cargo studies. Cell death, a hallmark of severe hypoxia, is a known source of intracellular contaminants in isolated EVs. In this review, methodological aspects of studies investigating hypoxia‐induced EVs are critically evaluated. Key concerns and gaps in the current knowledge are highlighted and future directions for studies are set. To accelerate and advance research, an in‐depth analysis of the functions and cargo of hypoxic EVs, compared to normoxic EVs, is provided with the focus on the altered microRNA contents of the EVs.
EGFR‐rich extracellular vesicles derived from highly metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells accelerate tumour metastasis through PI3K/AKT pathway‐suppressed ROS
Authors: Li Fei , Zhao Xin , Sun Rui , Ou Jinxin , Huang Junyu , Yang Nanyan , Xu Ting , Li Jingyao , He Xiner , Li Chaoyi , Yang Mo , Zhang Qing
Published: December 2020

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is the most common cancer with high metastatic potential that occurs in the epithelial cells of the nasopharynx. Distant metastases are the primary cause for treatment failure and mortality of NPC patients. However, the underlying mechanism responsible for the initiation of tumour cell dissemination and tumour metastasis in NPC is not well understood. Here, we demonstrated that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was highly expressed in tumour tissues of NPC patients with distant metastases and was associated with a decrease in reactive oxygen species (ROS). We also revealed that extracellular vesicles (EVs) transfer occurred from highly to poorly metastatic NPC cells, mediating cell–cell communication and enhancing the metastatic potential of poorly metastatic NPC cells. Further experiments indicated that EVs derived from highly metastatic NPC cells induced the up‐regulation of EGFR and down‐regulation of ROS in low metastatic NPC cells. Mechanistically, EGFR‐rich EVs‐mediated EGFR overexpression down‐regulated intracellular ROS levels through the PI3K/AKT pathway, thus promoting the metastatic potential of poorly metastatic NPC cells. Strikingly, treatment with EVs secreted from highly metastatic NPC cells was significantly associated with rapid NPC progression and shorter survival in xenografted mice. These findings not only improve our understanding of EVs‐mediated NPC metastatic mechanism but also have important implications for the detection and treatment of NPC patients accompanied by aberrant EGFR‐rich EVs transmission.
Effects of cyclic variability in Pacific decadal oscillation on winter wheat production in China
Authors: Xu Yifei , Li Te , Shen Shuanghe , Xu Guodong , Islam Abu Reza Md Towfiqul , Hu Zhenghua
Published: December 2020

Due to restrictions on the long period ranges of Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO) and the limited amount of winter wheat yield data in China, there is little knowledge or understanding of the effects of PDO on winter wheat production in China. To fill this knowledge gap, we simulated over 100 years of winter wheat yields using a process‐based crop model over eight locations in the dominant winter wheat‐producing area across China during 1902–2014. By using the continuous wavelet transform, we found that winter wheat yields had inter‐annual variability (4‐ and 8‐year periods) and interdecadal oscillations (22‐year and over 50‐year). The cross wavelet transform results indicated that interdecadal variations of winter wheat yields and PDO were in phase. The interdecadal variation components of PDO and winter wheat yields from 1902 to 2014 show that when PDO was in the positive (negative) phase, winter wheat yields tended to increase (decrease) by using the ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) method. The interdecadal variations of winter wheat yields were significantly associated with PDO and the mean correlation coefficient was .83. The contribution rate of PDO on winter wheat yields was approximately 11%. The interdecadal variation in winter wheat production was principally determined by the interdecadal oscillation in April precipitation and December temperature, which was modulated by the phase change of PDO. The mean correlation coefficient was −.50 and .59, respectively. This is because during the negative (positive) phase of PDO, more (less) April precipitation, and lower (higher) December temperature in the study area occur, whereas an increase in April precipitation and lower December temperature adversely affect winter wheat production. This study can aid governments and farmers to recognize the hazards of excess April precipitation and low December temperature in negative PDO years. Overall, the decadal variation in winter wheat yields due to PDO facilitates the prediction of winter wheat yields, and PDO influences crop growth by modulating large‐scale oscillation patterns.
Qualitative identification of the edible oil storage period using a homemade portable electronic nose combined with multivariate analysis
Authors: Jiang Hui , He Yingchao , Chen Quansheng
Published: December 2020

BACKGROUND

The edible oil storage period is one of the important indicators for evaluating the intrinsic quality of edible oil. The present study aimed to develop a portable electronic nose device for the qualitative identification of the edible oil storage period. First, four metal oxide semiconductor gas sensors, comprising TGS2600, TGS2611, TGS2620 and MQ138, were selected to prepare a sensor array to assemble a portable electronic nose device. Second, the homemade portable electronic nose device was used to obtain the odor change information of edible oil samples during different storage periods, and the sensor features were extracted. Finally, three pattern recognition methods, comprising linear discriminant analysis (LDA), K‐nearest neighbors (KNN) and support vector machines (SVM), were compared to establish a qualitative identification model of the edible oil storage period. The input features and related parameters of the model were optimized by a five‐fold cross‐validation during the process of model establishment.

RESULTS

The research results showed that the recognition performance of the non‐linear SVM model was significantly better than that of the linear LDA and KNN models, especially in terms of generalization performance, which had a correct recognition rate of 100% when predicting independent samples in the prediction set.

CONCLUSION

The overall results demonstrate that it is feasible to apply the homemade portable electronic nose device with the help of the appropriate pattern recognition methods to achieve the fast and efficient identification of the edible oil storage period, which provides an effective analysis tool for the quality detection of the edible oil storage. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Testing the influence of destination source credibility, destination image, and destination fascination on the decision‐making process: Case of the Cayman Islands
Authors: V.G. Girish , Park Eunkyoung , Lee Choong‐Ki
Published: December 2020

For small islands, tourism is generally considered the backbone of their economies. However, research on tourists' intention to visit small islands is limited. This study fills this gap by investigating the influences of destination source credibility, destination image and destination fascination and their relationships with theory of planned behaviour (TPB) constructs. Results reveal that destination fascination has significant influence on attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control. Moreover, TPB constructs show positive effects on revisit intention. This study enriches the tourism literature related to small islands and tourists' decision‐making process.
Heterogeneity and regional differences in ecosystem services responses driven by the “Three Modernizations”
Authors: Tian Yingying , Jiang Guanghui , Zhou Dingyang , Li Guangyong
Published: December 2020

Strengthened anthropogenic activities significantly modify ecosystem services (ES), while there are differences in impacts on ES from various anthropogenic activities. In the literature a specific focus on addressing the spatial heterogeneity of comprehensively measured anthropogenic activities on ES is lacking. From an integrated perspective of the "Three Modernizations", that is: 1) agricultural modernization (AM); 2) industrialization and: 3) urbanization, this article aimed to investigate the heterogeneity of anthropogenic disturbance of ES in an agricultural and pastoral area (APA) involving a pastoral area (PA) and a semi‐agricultural and semi‐pastoral area (SASPA) of the Tibetan Plateau. We found (i) There was remarkable heterogeneity in the responses of ES to the "Three Modernizations". AM was negatively correlated with ES and caused ES decline, while industrialization and urbanization were conducive to reducing the overall pressure of anthropogenic activities and improving ES. (ii) The "Three Modernizations" disturbed ES more intensely in the SASPA than in the PA, indicating industrialization more seriously damaged ecosystems and the unreasonable interactive development mode of local agriculture and animal husbandry exacerbated the threats of the "Three Modernizations" on ES in the SASPA. (iii) The regions featuring low/high degrees of the "Three Modernizations" and showing high ES were mainly distributed in the central and north‐western PA, while the clustered areas of low/high degrees of the "Three Modernizations" with low ES were narrowly distributed in the southern and eastern SASPA. These findings indicate the complex effects of the "Three Modernizations" on ES and provide guidance for better adaptive policy‐making and planning for ecological management and sustainable pathways and patterns for future management of the "Three Modernizations".
Janus Surface Micelles on Silica Particles: Synthesis and Application in Enzyme Immobilization
Authors: Wang Huan , Hou Wangmeng , Liu Yingze , Liu Li , Zhao Hanying
Published: December 2020

In these years, synthesis and applications of Janus structures have aroused great interest for large‐scale applications in chemistry and materials science. Up to now, Janus particles with different morphologies and different functionalities have been synthesized in solutions, but the synthesis of Janus particles on solid surfaces has not been touched. In this research, Janus surface micelles (JSMs) are fabricated on the surfaces of silica particles by polymerization induced surface self‐assembly (PISSA) approach, and the JSMs are used for enzyme immobilization. Usually, enzyme immobilization should be able to optimize the performance of the immobilized enzymes, and an ideal immobilization system must offer protection to the immobilized enzyme with retained bioactivity. Herein, it is demonstrated that JSMs on silica particles can be used as an ideal platform for the immobilization of enzymes. To prepare JSMs, poly(2‐(dimethylamino) ethyl methacrylate) macro chain transfer agent (PDMAEMA‐CTA) brushes on silica particles and poly(di(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate) macro CTA (PDEGMA‐CTA) are employed in reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer dispersion polymerization of styrene. After polymerization, JSMs with polystyrene cores and PDMAEMA/PDEGMA patches on the surfaces are prepared on silica particles. After quaternization reaction, the quaternized PDMAEMA patches are used for the immobilization of enzymes. Experimental results turn out that enhanced bioactivities of the immobilized enzymes are achieved and the enzyme molecules are well protected by surface Janus structures.
Future changes in temperature extremes in climate variability over Iran
Authors: Darand Mohammad
Published: December 2020

The objective of the current study was to project changes in extreme temperature indices over Iran by the end of the 21st Century based on the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 (CMIP5) simulations. We used six extreme temperature indices recommended and defined by the Expert Team on Climate Change Detection and Indices from a set of 18 CMIP5 model simulations from different modelling centres. The extreme temperature indices simulation results of the models were compared with the gridded extreme temperature indices observations of the Asfazari National Database with a spatial resolution of 15 × 15 km during the period 1962–2005. For comparison purposes, the CMIP5 model data and the Asfazari data were regridded to a uniform horizontal resolution 0.5° × 0.5° grid using a bilinear interpolation scheme before further processing. After first validating the model performance by computing bias, future changes in the period 2006–2100 were projected. The modified Mann Kendall trend test and the Sen slope estimator test were used for evaluating the trend of indices and estimating the change rate, respectively, at a 95% confidence level. The results show that the minimum of the daily minimum temperature (TNn) and the minimum of the daily maximum temperature (TXn) will increase in the future. Warming of night time temperature indices (TNn and TN90p) are projected to be stronger than those of daytime temperature indices (TXn and TX90p). Warming is not uniform across the country, with considerably more warming in the western and southern parts. In terms of the frequency of frost days, a decrease is generally projected in the 21st Century. The largest decrease is projected for the Zagros mountain ranges in the west and the mountainous region in the northeastern part of the country with a magnitude of around 8–10 days⋅decade−1. The number of heat wave days is expected to increase sharply from about 13 days in the reference period (1963–2005) to 100 days by mid‐century to more than 235 days by the end of the century under Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5.
T‐Hex: Tilted hexagonal grids for rapid 3D imaging
Authors: Engel Maria , Kasper Lars , Wilm Bertram , Dietrich Benjamin , Vionnet Laetitia , Hennel Franciszek , Reber Jonas , Pruessmann Klaas P.
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this work is to devise and demonstrate an encoding strategy for 3D MRI that reconciles high speed with flexible segmentation, uniform k‐space density, and benign effects.

Methods

Fast sampling of a 3D k‐space is typically accomplished by 2D readouts per shot using EPI trains or spiral readouts. Tilted hexagonal (T‐Hex) sampling is a way of acquiring more k‐space volume per excitation while maintaining uniform sampling density and a smooth filter. The k‐space volume covered per shot is controlled by the tilting angle. Image reconstruction is performed with a 3D extension of the iterative SENSE approach, incorporating actual field dynamics and static off‐resonance. T‐Hex imaging is compared with established 3D schemes in terms of speed and noise performance.

Results

Tilted hexagonal acquisition is found to achieve greater imaging speed than known alternatives, particularly in combination with spiral trajectories. The interplay of the proposed 3D trajectories, array detection, and off‐resonance is successfully addressed by iterative inversion of the full signal model. Enhanced coverage per shot is of greatest utility for high speed in an intermediate resolution regime of 1 to 4 mm. T‐Hex EPI combines the benefits of extended coverage per shot with increased robustness against off‐resonance effects.

Conclusion

Sampling of tilted hexagonal grids is a feasible means of gaining 3D imaging speed with near‐optimal SNR efficiency and benign depiction properties. It is a particularly promising technique for time‐resolved applications such as fMRI.
Tongue and hypoglossal morphology after intralingual cholera toxin B–saporin injection
Authors: Lind Lori A. , Lever Teresa E. , Nichols Nicole L.
Published: December 2020

Introduction

We recently developed an inducible model of dysphagia using intralingual injection of cholera toxin B conjugated to saporin (CTB‐SAP) to cause death of hypoglossal neurons. In this study we aimed to evaluate tongue morphology and ultrastructural changes in hypoglossal neurons and nerve fibers in this model.

Methods

Tissues were collected from 20 rats (10 control and 10 CTB‐SAP animals) on day 9 post‐injection. Tongues were weighed, measured, and analyzed for microscopic changes using laminin immunohistochemistry. Hypoglossal neurons and axons were examined using transmission electron microscopy.

Results

The cross‐sectional area of myofibers in the posterior genioglossus was decreased in CTB‐SAP–injected rats. Degenerative changes were observed in both the cell bodies and distal axons of hypoglossal neurons.

Discussion

Preliminary results indicate this model may have translational application to a variety of neurodegenerative diseases resulting in tongue dysfunction and associated dysphagia.
Voxel‐wise partial volume correction method for accurate estimation of tissue sodium concentration in 23Na‐MRI at 7 T
Authors: Kim Sang‐Young , Song Junghyun , Yoon Jong‐Hyun , Kim Kyoung‐Nam , Chung Jun‐Young , Noh Young
Published: December 2020

Sodium is crucial for the maintenance of cell physiology, and its regulation of the sodium‐potassium pump has implications for various neurological conditions. The distribution of sodium concentrations in tissue can be quantitatively evaluated by means of sodium MRI (23Na‐MRI). Despite its usefulness in diagnosing particular disease conditions, tissue sodium concentration (TSC) estimated from 23Na‐MRI can be strongly biased by partial volume effects (PVEs) that are induced by broad point spread functions (PSFs) as well as tissue fraction effects. In this work, we aimed to propose a robust voxel‐wise partial volume correction (PVC) method for 23Na‐MRI. The method is based on a linear regression (LR) approach to correct for tissue fraction effects, but it utilizes a 3D kernel combined with a modified least trimmed square (3D‐mLTS) method in order to minimize regression‐induced inherent smoothing effects. We acquired 23Na‐MRI data with conventional Cartesian sampling at 7 T, and spill‐over effects due to the PSF were considered prior to correcting for tissue fraction effects using 3D‐mLTS. In the simulation, we found that the TSCs of gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) were underestimated by 20% and 11% respectively without correcting tissue fraction effects, but the differences between ground truth and PVE‐corrected data after the PVC using the 3D‐mLTS method were only approximately 0.6% and 0.4% for GM and WM, respectively. The capability of the 3D‐mLTS method was further demonstrated with in vivo 23Na‐MRI data, showing significantly lower regression errors (ie root mean squared error) as compared with conventional LR methods (p < 0.001). The results of simulation and in vivo experiments revealed that 3D‐mLTS is superior for determining under‐ or overestimated TSCs while preserving anatomical details. This suggests that the 3D‐mLTS method is well suited for the accurate determination of TSC, especially in small focal lesions associated with pathological conditions.
Impact of 12‐hr shifts in general hospitals: Study conducted in two intensive care units
Authors: Fratissier Anne , Gauberti Philippe , Morello Rémy , Clin Bénédicte
Published: December 2020

Aim

To evaluate the impact of 12‐hr shifts on health status, working conditions and satisfaction among nurses and healthcare auxiliaries in medical and surgical intensive care units in a general hospital.

Design

This study was a descriptive and prospective questionnaire study of personnel involved in the organization of 12‐hr shifts.

Methods

The EVREST questionnaire was used, with the addition of two questions on respondents' health status and five questions on their job satisfaction. The study consisted of a first phase immediately before work was organized in 12‐hr shifts and a second within 7–9 months of application of this organization.

Results

Positive effects were found among day nurses including decreased periods of pressure during the working day and improved work–life balance. Conversely, night nurses, who are not in favour of 12‐hr shifts, reported dissatisfaction caused by a deterioration both in working conditions and in work–life balance.
Pathways to Severe COVID‐19 for People with Obesity
Authors: O’Rourke Robert W. , Lumeng Carey N.
Published: December 2020

Increased morbidity and mortality from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) in people with obesity have illuminated the intersection of obesity with impaired responses to infections. Although data on mechanisms by which COVID‐19 impacts health are being rapidly generated, there is a critical need to better understand the pulmonary, vascular, metabolic, and immunologic aspects that drive the increased risk for complications from COVID‐19 in people with obesity. This review provides a broad overview of the intersection between COVID‐19 and the physiology of obesity in order to highlight potential mechanisms by which COVID‐19 disease severity is increased by obesity and identify areas for future investigation toward developing tailored therapy for people with obesity who develop COVID‐19.