bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Localized impacts and economic implications from high temperature disruption days under climate change
Authors: Summers Tim , Mackie Erik , Ueno Risa , Simpson Charles , Hosking J. Scott , Suciu Tudor , Coburn Andrew , Shuckburgh Emily
Published: April 2022

Most studies into the effects of climate change have headline results in the form of a global change in mean temperature. More useful for businesses and governments, however, are measures of the localized impact, and also of extremes rather than averages. We have addressed this by examining the change in frequency of exceeding a daily mean temperature threshold, defined as ‘disruption days’, as it is often this exceedance which has the most dramatic impacts on personal or economic behaviour. Our exceedance analysis tackles the resolution of climate change both geographically and temporally, the latter specifically to address the 5‐ to 20‐year time horizon which can be recognized in business planning.

We apply bias correction with quantile mapping to meteorological reanalysis data from ECMWF ERA5 and output from CMIP5 climate model simulations. By determining the daily frequency at which a mean temperature threshold is exceeded in this bias‐corrected dataset, we can compare predicted and historic frequencies to estimate the change in the number of disruption days. Furthermore, by combining results from 18 different climate models, we can estimate the likelihood of more extreme events, taking into account model variations. This is useful for worst‐case scenario planning.

Taking the city of Chicago as an example, the expected frequency of years with 40 or more disruption days above the 25°C threshold rises by a factor of four for a time period centred on 2040, compared with a period centred on 2000. Alternately, looking at the change in the number of days at a given likelihood, an example is Shenzhen, where the number of disruption days in a once‐per‐decade event exceeding the 25°C or 30°C threshold is expected to rise by a factor of four.

In a future stage, superimposing these results onto maps of, for instance, GDP sensitivity or production days lost, will provide more accurate and targeted conclusions for future impacts of climate change. This method of quantifying costs on business‐relevant timescales will enable businesses and governments properly include risks associated with facilities, plan mitigating actions and make accurate provisions. It can also, for example, inform their disclosure of physical risks under the framework of the Task Force on Climate‐related Financial Disclosures. This approach is equally applicable to other weather‐related, localized phenomena likely to be impacted by climate change.
Ablative liver radiotherapy for unresected intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: Patterns of care and survival in the United States
Authors: De Brian , Tran Cao Hop S. , Vauthey Jean‐Nicolas , Manzar Gohar S. , Corrigan Kelsey L. , Raghav Kanwal P. S. , Lee Sunyoung S. , Tzeng Ching‐Wei D. , Minsky Bruce D. , Smith Grace L. , Holliday Emma B. , Taniguchi Cullen M. , Koong Albert C. , Das Prajnan , Javle Milind , Ludmir Ethan B. , Koay Eugene J.
Published: April 2022

Background

Single‐institution studies have shown the oncologic benefit of ablative liver radiotherapy (A‐RT) for patients with unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). However, adoption of A‐RT across the United States and its associated outcomes are unknown.

Methods

We queried the National Cancer Data Base for nonsurgically managed patients with ICC diagnosed between 2004 and 2018. Patients were labeled A‐RT for receipt of biologically effective doses (BED10) ≥ 80.5 Gy and conventional RT (Conv‐RT) for lower doses. Associations with A‐RT use and overall survival were identified using logistic and Cox regressions, respectively.

Results

Of 27,571 patients, the most common treatments were chemotherapy without liver RT (45%), no chemotherapy or liver RT (42%), and liver RT ± chemotherapy (13%). Use of liver RT remained constant over time. Of 1112 patients receiving liver RT with known doses, RT was 73% Conv‐RT (median BED10, 53 Gy; median, 20 fractions) and 27% A‐RT (median BED10, 100 Gy; median, 5 fractions). Use of A‐RT increased from 5% in 2004 to 48% in 2018 (Ptrend < .001). With a median follow‐up of 52.3 months, median survival estimates for Conv‐RT and A‐RT were 12.8 and 23.7 months (P < .001), respectively. On multivariable analysis, stage III and IV disease correlated with a higher risk of death, whereas chemotherapy and A‐RT correlated with a lower risk.

Conclusions

Although A‐RT has been increasingly used, use of liver RT as a whole in the United States remained constant despite growing evidence supporting its use, suggesting continued unmet need. A‐RT is associated with longer survival versus Conv‐RT.

Lay Summary

Bile duct cancer is a rare, deadly disease that often presents at advanced stages.

Single‐institution retrospective studies have demonstrated that use of high‐dose radiotherapy may be associated with longer survival, but larger studies have not been conducted.

We used a large, national cancer registry of patients diagnosed between 2004 and 2018 to show that liver radiotherapy use remains low in the United States, despite growing evidence that patients who receive it live longer. Furthermore, we showed that patients who received high‐dose radiotherapy lived longer than those who received lower doses.

Greater awareness of the benefits of liver radiotherapy is needed to improve patient outcomes.
Fuel‐Powered DNA Nanomachines for Biosensing and Cancer Therapy
Authors: Li Jing , Huang Jin
Published: April 2022

Inspired by biological motors, various artificial nanomachines and DNA motors have been fabricated to manipulate their motion on the nanometer scale, due to the high predictability and programmability of Watson‐Crick base pairing. Among them, a fuel‐powered DNA nanomachine is essentially a toehold‐mediated strand exchange reaction and its driving force mainly comes from the hybridization of fuel DNA. It can be initiated by an input strand and automatically operate with the assistance of fuel DNA, realizing input strand recycle and signal amplification. Meanwhile, it is used as a carrier to load various drugs, such as Dox, siRNA and photosensitizers. Due to its excellent cellular penetrability and biocompatibility, fuel‐powered DNA nanomachine usually enables operation inside living systems to execute all kinds of specific tasks according to the well‐designed DNA strand displacement reaction, such as biomarker imaging, DNA computing and cancer theranostic applications. Therefore, as a catalytic amplification strategy and intelligent drug release platform, fuel‐powered DNA nanomachine has attracted widespread attention in biosensors and cancer therapy. Hence, we present a Review on the design mechanism of fuel‐powered DNA nanomachines and recent research advances in bioimaging and cancer therapy. It is hoped that this Review will provide the constructive direction for the design of fuel‐powered DNA nanomachines and their applications in biological analysis and cancer treatment.
Dendrobine modulates autophagy to alleviate ox‐LDL‐induced oxidative stress and senescence in HUVECs
Authors: Lou Danfei , Xing Xinyue , Liang Yunyu
Published: April 2022

Dendrobine has potential advantages in suppressing atherosclerosis (AS). FK506‐binding protein 1A (FKBP1A) is implicated in the regulation of autophagy, inflammation, and apoptosis. To reveal the mechanism by which dendrobine inhibits AS by modulating autophagy, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and senescence. An in vitro AS cell model was induced by culturing human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) with oxidized low‐density lipoprotein (ox‐LDL). The cells were treated with dendrobine alone or in combination with short hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeting FKBP1A or together with 3‐methyladenine (3MA), an autophagy inhibitor. Inflammatory cytokines levels tumor necrosis factor‐α, interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), and IL‐1β were analyzed and oxidative stress levels were detected by the analysis of reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde, and superoxide dismutase levels, followed by the analysis of apoptosis levels through terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling staining. Cell senescence was evaluated by senescence‐associated β‐galactosidase and light chain 3 (LC3) levels were detected by immunofluorescence (IF) staining. The targeting relationship of dendrobine and FKBP1A was predicted by SwissTarget, PyMol, Autodock, and Open Babel software. Dendrobine reduced the levels of proinflammation factors, oxidative stress levels, apoptosis levels, and senescence phenotype in ox‐LDL‐induced HUVECs. Besides, cell viability has an opposite change. Furthermore, there was an increase in LC3 IF tensity, and LC3‐II/I and Beclin1 expressions, and a decrease in p62 expression. However, these effects of dendrobine could be markedly destroyed by shRNA silencing FKBP1A and 3MA. Dendrobine can suppress inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and senescence via FKBP1A‐involved autophagy ox‐LDL‐treated HUVECs.
Wound care in hidradenitis suppurativa
Authors: Mayur Omkar , Vedak Priyanka
Published: April 2022

The normal healing of a wound requires the body to progress through the three phases of wound repair: inflammation, tissue formation, followed by tissue remodeling. In patients with hidradenitis suppurativa, this normal wound healing progression may be impaired at various timepoints due to comorbid diseases, concomitant medical therapies, and disease‐specific considerations. These factors can impact both surgical and nonsurgicalnonsurgical hidradenitis wounds. Comprehensive wound care in hidradenitis, therefore, involves a thorough assessment of potential contributory factors and adjustments of modifiable factors.
Fire and forage quality: Postfire regrowth quality and pyric herbivory in subtropical grasslands of Nepal
Authors: Thapa Shyam Kumar , de Jong Joost F. , Hof Anouschka R. , Subedi Naresh , Joshi Laxmi Raj , Prins Herbert H. T.
Published: April 2022

Fire is rampant throughout subtropical South and Southeast Asian grasslands. However, very little is known about the role of fire and pyric herbivory on the functioning of highly productive subtropical monsoon grasslands lying within the Cwa climatic region. We assessed the temporal effect of fire on postfire regrowth quality and associated pyric‐herbivory in the subtropical monsoon grasslands of Bardia National Park, Nepal. Every year, grasslands are burned as a management intervention in the park, especially between March and May. Within a week after fire, at the end of March 2020, we established 60 m × 60 m plots within patches of burned grassland in the core area of the Park. We collected grass samples from the plots and determined physical and chemical properties of the vegetation at regular 30‐day intervals from April to July 2020, starting from 30 days after fire to assess postfire regrowth forage quality. We counted pellet groups of cervids that are abundant in the area for the same four months from 2 m × 2 m quadrats that were permanently marked with pegs along the diagonal of each 60 m × 60 m plot to estimate intensity of use by deer to the progression of postfire regrowth. We observed strong and significant reductions in crude protein (mean value 9.1 to 4.1 [55% decrease]) and phosphorus (mean value 0.2 to 0.11 [45% decrease]) in forage collected during different time intervals, that is, from 30 days to 120 days after fire. Deer utilized the burned areas extensively for a short period, that is, up to two months after fire when the burned areas contained short grasses with a higher level of crude protein and phosphorus. The level of use of postfire regrowth by chital (Axis axis) differed significantly over time since fire, with higher intensity of use at 30 days after fire. The level of use of postfire regrowth by swamp deer (Rucervus duvaucelii) did not differ significantly until 90 days after fire, however, decreased significantly after 90 days since fire. Large‐scale single event fires, thus, may not fulfil nutritional requirements of all species in the deer assemblage in these subtropical monsoon grasslands. This is likely because the nutritional requirements of herbivores differ due to differences in body size and physiological needs—maintenance, reproduction, and lactation. We recommend a spatiotemporal manipulation of fire to reinforce grazing feedback and to yield forage of high quality for the longest possible period for a sustainable high number of deer to maintain a viable tiger population within the park.
The species chromatogram, a new graphical method to represent, characterize, and compare the ecological niches of different species
Authors: Kléparski Loïck , Beaugrand Grégory
Published: April 2022

The ecological niche sensu Hutchinson is defined as the set of environmental conditions allowing a species to grow, maintain, and reproduce. This conception of the niche, which is assimilated to a p‐dimensional hypervolume, with p representing all environmental variables, has been widely applied in ecology. However, displaying the niche hypervolume has proved challenging when more than three environmental dimensions are considered simultaneously. We propose a simple method (implemented in the specieschrom R package) that displays the full multidimensionality of the ecological niche of a species into a two‐dimensional space by means of a graphic we call species chromatogram. This method gives a graphical summary of the niche by representing together abundance gradients with respect to all environmental variables. A chromatogram enables niche optimums and breaths to be rapidly quantified, and when several chromatograms are examined (one per species), rapid comparisons can be made. From our chromatograms, we proposed a procedure that quantifies niche optimum and breadth as well as niche overlapping (index D) and the identification of the most discriminant combination of environmental variables. We apply these analyses on eight planktonic species collected by the Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) survey in the North Atlantic Ocean using 10 environmental variables. We display their full multidimensional niches and quantify their niche optimums and breadths along each dimension. We also compare our index D with other indices by means of hypervolume and dynRB R packages. By catching the full complexity of the niche, species chromatograms allow many different niche properties to be rapidly assessed and compared among species from niche optimums and breadths to the identification of the most relevant environmental parameters and the degree of niche overlapping among species. Species chromatograms may be seen as species’ fingerprint and may also allow a better identification of the mechanisms involved in species assembly.
Boosting Lithium Storage in Graphene‐Sandwiched Cathodes Containing Multi‐Carbonyl Polyquinoneimine Nanosheets
Authors: Xiao Zongying , Xiang Gaoqiang , Zhang Qing , Wang Yonglin , Yang Yingkui
Published: April 2022

Carbonyl polymers as booming electrode materials for lithium‐organic batteries are currently limited by low practical capacities and poor rate performance due to their inherent electronic insulation and microscopic agglomeration morphologies. Herein graphene/carbonyl‐enriched polyquinoneimine (PQI@Gr) composites were readily prepared by in  situ hydrothermal polycondensation of dianhydride and anthraquinone co‐monomer salts in the presence of graphene oxide (GO). Conductive graphene sheets derived from hydrothermal reduction of GO are fully sandwiched between densely interlaced quinone‐containing polyimide nanosheets. Remarkably, the as‐fabricated PQI@Gr cathodes exhibit much larger specific capacity (205 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1), higher carbonyl utilization (up to 89.9%), and better rate capability (179.4 mAh g−1 at 5.0 A g−1) due to a surface‐dominated capacitive process via fast kinetics compared to bare PQI electrode (162.5 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1; 67.5%; 96.9 mAh g−1 at 5 A g−1). The capacity retention as high as 73% for PQI@Gr is also achieved over ultra‐long 10 000 cycles at 5.0 A g−1. Such outstanding electrochemical performances are attributable to the combined merits of polyimides and polyquinones, and robust 3D hierarchical heterostructures with efficient conductive networks, abundant porous channels for electrolyte infiltration and ion accessibility, and highly exposed carbonyl groups. This work offers new insights into the development of high‐performance polymer electrodes for sustainable batteries.
Insight into the Electrochemical Behaviors of NCM811|SiO‐Gr Pouch Battery through Thickness Variation
Authors: Wang Xingqin , Song Youzhi , Cui Hao , Liu Jianhong , Huo Hua , Wang Li , Gao Yunzhi , He Xiangming
Published: April 2022

LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM811) | SiOx‐graphite (SiO‐Gr.) battery chemistry is of intensive attention because its achievable practical energy density is approaching impressively 300 Wh Kg−1. However, it still suffers rapid capacity fades during repeated cycles, both chemical, electrochemical and mechanical irreversibility contribute. A comprehensive understanding behind the fading behavior of the cell chemistry is required before fully realize the benefits of this chemistry. Herein, the in‐situ thickness variation is introduced as a diagnostic technique and is performed on 5–55 Ah NCM811|SiO‐Gr cells. With the help of Li reference electrode and in‐situ X‐ray diffraction device, the correspondence between thickness variation and the electrode potential is carefully investigated. Firstly, the NCM811|SiO‐Gr cell is characterized with the maximum cell thickness at around 80% state‐of‐charge (SOC) in the discharge process, rather than at 100% SOC. Secondly, the electrochemical behaviors during rate charge/discharge are diagnosed, and a Li platting signal is resolved from thickness variation profile at 2C. This work confirms that the thickness monitoring is a nondestructive and informative complement to conventional diagnostic techniques for failure analysis of pouch cells.
Determination of the heat capacity of cellulosic biosamples employing diverse machine learning approaches
Authors: Karimi Mohsen , Khosravi Marzieh , Fathollahi Reza , Khandakar Amith , Vaferi Behzad
Published: April 2022

Heat capacity is among the most well‐known thermal properties of cellulosic biomass samples. This study assembles a general machine learning model to estimate the heat capacity of the cellulosic biomass samples with different origins. Combining the uncertainty and ranking analyses over 819 artificial intelligence models from seven different categories confirmed that the least‐squares support vector regression (LSSVR) with the Gaussian kernel function is the best estimator. This model is validated using 700 laboratory heat capacities of four cellulosic biomass samples in wide temperature ranges (absolute average relative deviation = 0.32%, mean square errors = 1.88 × 10−3, and R2 = 0.999991). The data validity investigation approved that only one out of 700 experimental data is an outlier. The LSSVR model considers the effect of the cellulosic samples' crystallinity, temperature, and sulfur and ash content on their heat capacity. The overall prediction accuracy of the LSSVR is more than 62% better than the achieved accuracy using the empirical correlation.
The serological diversity of serum IgG/IgA/IgM against SARS‐CoV‐2 nucleoprotein, spike, and receptor‐binding domain and neutralizing antibodies in patients with COVID‐19 in Japan
Authors: Kaneko Yudai , Sugiyama Akira , Tanaka Toshiya , Fukui Kazushige , Taguchi Akashi , Tatsuno Kenji , Nakayama Aya , Koga Kazumasa , Kishi Yoshiro , Daming Wang , Qian Chungen , Xia Fuzhen , He Fan , Zheng Liang , Yu Yi , Wada Youichiro , Wada Yoshiaki , Kodama Tatsuhiko , Kawamura Takeshi
Published: April 2022

Background

We compared the temporal changes of immunoglobulin M (IgM), IgG, and IgA antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) nucleoprotein (N), spike 1 subunit (S1), and receptor‐binding domain (RBD), and neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) against SARS‐CoV‐2 in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) to understand the humoral immunity in COVID‐19 patients for developing drugs and vaccines for COVID‐19.

Methods

A total of five confirmed COVID‐19 cases in Nissan Tamagawa Hospital in early August 2020 were recruited in this study. Using a fully automated chemiluminescence immunoassay analyzer, we measured the levels of IgG, IgA, and IgM against SARS‐CoV‐2 N, S1, and RBD and NAbs against SARS‐CoV‐2 in COVID‐19 patients' sera acquired multiple times in individuals from 0 to 76 days after symptom onset.

Results

IgG levels against SARS‐CoV‐2 structural proteins increased over time in all cases but IgM and IgA levels against SARS‐CoV‐2 showed different increasing trends among individuals in the early stage. In particular, we observed IgA increasing before IgG and IgM in some cases. The NAb levels were more than cut‐off value in 4/5 COVID‐19 patients some of whose antibodies against RBD did not exceed the cut‐off value in the early stage. Furthermore, NAb levels against SARS‐CoV‐2 increased and kept above cut‐off value more than around 70 days after symptom onset in all cases.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate COVID‐19 patients should be examined for IgG, IgA, and IgM against SARS‐CoV‐2 structural proteins and NAbs against SARS‐CoV‐2 to analyze the diversity of patients' immune mechanisms.
The trend of top five types of poisonings in hospitalized patients based on ICD‐10 in the northeast of Iran during 2012–2018: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Banaye Yazdipour Alireza , Moshiri Mohammad , Dadpour Bita , Sarbaz Masoumeh , Heydarian Miri Hamid , Hajebi Khaniki Saeedeh , Kimiafar Khalil
Published: April 2022

Background and Aims

Poisoning remains a major health issue in developing countries with high morbidity and mortality rates; also it is one of the most common causes of admission to hospitals. This study aimed to investigate the trend of the top five types of poisonings in hospitalized patients according to the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision (ICD‐10) in Imam Reza hospital, Mashhad, Iran.

Methods

This was a cross‐sectional study performed from March 20, 2012, until September 22, 2018. We collected data from all patients hospitalized for poisoning admitted to the poisoning center at Imam Reza hospital in northeast Iran. ICD‐10 was adopted to categorize all types of poisonings (T36‐T65). The results obtained were analyzed by SPSS 16.

Results

Thirty‐four thousand eight hundred and ten cases were included. The mean age of the patients was 29.64 ± 14.69 years, of them, 50.7% were males. Benzodiazepine poisoning (T42.4) has the highest frequency among other subcategories and it was more common among females (60.5%). Opium poisoning (T40.0) has the highest mortality rate (5.4%) among other subcategories that is more common in males (72.0%). The mortality associated with narcotics was the highest frequency (2.7%). Suicide (83.6%) was the most common cause of poisoning. Most poisonings occurred in summer (27.4%).

Conclusion

These findings could help health care managers and policymakers develop prevention and educational programs to reduce these poisonings and limit people's easy access to drugs and substances.
Genetic screening to avoid adverse drug reactions from medication use and approach patients' better outcomes: A lesson learn from the report of the Queen Savang Vadhana Memorial Hospital
Authors: Tunwongsa Kessada , Chonnawakul Malinee , Geratikornsupuk Nopavut , Tewthanom Karunrat
Published: April 2022

Background and Aims

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique is adopted for pharmacogenetic testing and adverse drug reaction (ADR) analysis. Methods: PCR was used for testing of pharmacogenetic markers for HLA and non‐HLA polymorphism related to specific drugs.

Results

Among 76 cases that underwent genetic screening, 7.7%, 11.1%, and 2.7% of the patients were found to be genetically positive for allopurinol, carbamazepine, and abacavir, respectively. Two cases were genetically positive for interferon, and two cases of extensive metabolizers were positive for clopidogrel. One case of a NAT2 slow acetylator for isoniazid was found. Among the 74 cases with complete outcomes, 39.2% showed improvements and 18.9% reported a deterioration. Although no serious ADR was observed, two HLA‐B*5701‐negative cases reported ADRs (2.7%). All patients positive for IL28B were improved. One patient receiving clopidogrel showed improvements, but another showed deterioration. Finally, the outcome of slow acetylation NAT2 was worse without ADR.

Conclusion

PCR‐based pharmacogenetic testing is critical for ADR monitoring in a cost‐effective manner.
Atorvastatin attenuates pulmonary fibrosis in mice and human lung fibroblasts, by the regulation of myofibroblast differentiation and apoptosis
Authors: Yildirim Merve , Kayalar Ozgecan , Atahan Ersan , Oztay Fusun
Published: April 2022

Statins have anti‐inflammatory and antifibrotic effects in addition to cholesterol‐lowering effect. We aimed to investigate the effect of atorvastatin (ATR) in fibrotic mouse lung and human lung fibroblasts (MRC5s). Pulmonary fibrosis was induced by a single dose of bleomycin by intratracheal instillation in adult mice. ATR was administered (20 mg/kg ip) to mice with healthy and pulmonary fibrosis for 10 days from Day 7 of the experiment. Mice were dissected on the 21st day. The levels of alpha‐smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA), pSMAD2/3, LOXL2, and p‐Src were determined by Western blot analysis in the lungs. Furthermore, a group of MRC5 was differentiated into myofibroblasts by transforming growth factor‐beta (TGF‐β). Another group of MRC5s was treated with 10 µM ATR at 24 h after TGF‐β stimulation. Cells were collected at 0, 24, 48, and 72 h. The effects of ATR on myofibroblast differentiation, apoptosis, and TGF‐β and Wnt/β‐catenin signaling activations were examined by Western blot analysis and flow cytometry in MRC5s. ATR attenuated pulmonary fibrosis by regulating myofibroblast differentiation and interstitial accumulation of collagen, by acting on LOXL2, p‐Src, and pSMAD2/3 in mice lungs. Additionally, it blocked myofibroblast differentiation via reduced TGF‐β and Wnt/β‐catenin signaling and decreased α‐SMA in MRC5s stimulated with TGF‐β. Moreover, ATR caused myofibroblast apoptosis via caspase‐3 activation. ATR treatment attenuates pulmonary fibrosis in mice treated with bleomycin. It also inhibits fibroblast/myofibroblast activation, by both reducing myofibroblasts differentiation and inducing myofibroblast apoptosis.
Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Assessing Thymic Epithelial Tumors: Correlation With Pathological Subtypes and Clinical Stages
Authors: Shen Jie , Zhang Wei , Zhu Jia‐Jia , Xue Lei , Yuan Mei , Xu Hai , Xu Xiao‐quan , Yu Tong‐Fu , Wu Fei‐Yun
Published: April 2022

Background

World Health Organization classification and Masaoka‐Koga stage are widely used for thymic epithelial tumors (TETs). Reduced field‐of‐view (rFOV) diffusion‐weighed imaging (DWI) proved to improve the image quality. Dynamic contrast‐enhanced (DCE) MRI was commonly used in evaluating tumors.

Purpose

To investigate the value of multiparametric MRI in evaluating TETs.

Study Type

Retrospective.

Subjects

Eighty‐seven participants including 38 low risk (52.08 ± 14.19 years), 30 high risk (52.40 ± 11.35 years), and 19 thymic carcinoma patients (59.76 ± 10.78 years).

Field strength/Sequence

A 3 T, turbo spin echo imaging, echo planar imaging, volumetric interpolated breath‐hold examination with radial acquisition trajectory.

Assessment

DCE‐MRI and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) variables were compared. Diagnostic performances of single significant factor and combined model were compared.

Statistical Tests

Parameters were compared using one‐way ANOVA or independent‐samples t test. Logistic regression was employed to investigate the combined model. Receiver operating curves (ROC) and DeLong's test were used to compare the diagnostic efficiency.

Results

ADC, Ktrans, and kep values were significantly different among low‐risk, high‐risk and carcinoma group (ADC, 1.279 ± 0.345 × 10−3 mm2/sec, 0.978 ± 0.260 × 10−3 mm2/sec, 0.661 ± 0.134 × 10−3 mm2/sec; Ktrans 0.167 ± 0.071 min−1, 0.254 ± 0.136 min−1, 0.393 ± 0.110 min−1; kep 0.345 ± 0.113 min−1, 0.560 ± 0.269 min−1, 0.872 ± 0.149 min−1). They were significantly different for early stage and advanced stage (ADC, 1.270 ± 0.356 × 10−3 mm2/sec vs. 0.845 ± 0.251 × 10−3 mm2/sec; Ktrans 0.179 ± 0.092 min−1 vs. 0.304 ± 0.142 min−1; kep 0.370 ± 0.181 min−1 vs. 0.674 ± 0.362 min−1). The combination of them had highest diagnostic efficiency for WHO classification (AUC, 0.925; sensitivity, 83.7%; specificity, 89.5%), clinical stage (AUC, 0.879; sensitivity, 80.9%; specificity, 82.5%).

Data Conclusion

Multiparametric MRI model may be useful for discriminating WHO classification and clinical stage of TETs.

Evidence Level

4

Technical Efficiency

Stage 2
Fungal and bacterial assisted bioremediation of environmental toxicant (N‐[2‐[3‐chloro‐5‐(trifluoromethyl)‐2‐pyridinyl] ethyl]‐2‐(trifluoromethyl) benzamide) holding benzamidic genesis elucidating the eco‐friendly strategy
Authors: Naeem Hamna , Ahmad Khuram Shahzad
Published: April 2022

Fluopyram (FLP) containing benzamidic genesis utilized for seed detoxification and as a foliar application is associated with low profound toxicity in mammals but long‐term toxicology investigations have revealed that FLP can stimulate tumor growth. FLP attenuation has been the first time scrutinized employing microorganisms originally identified from soils. Biodegrative assays of four fungal strains; Aspergillus fumigatus (AFu), Aspergillus terreus (AT), Aspergillus flavus (AF), Aspergillus niger (AN), and three bacterial strains: Streptococcus pneumoniae (SP) Streptococcus pyogenes (SPy), and Escherichia coli (EC), were employed. Ten milligrams per liter FLP concentration was made employing separately microbe and analyzed for 35 days. The analytical technique was inclusive of ultraviolet‐visible spectrophotometric and high‐performance liquid chromatography procedure endeavored to test FLP biodegradation. SP and AT exhibited maximal potentiality to metabolize FLP. HPLC is indicative of several metabolites formations. FLP degradation by AFu, EC, SPy, AN, AF, AT, SP was observed to be 24.2%, 82.7%, 89.8%, 90.7%, 91.3%, 95.4%, and 99.3%, explicating the efficacy of all strains employed in FLP degradation. Current investigations are indicative of significant bioremediation strategies for xenobiotic mitigation. Furthermore, the current examinations are inclusive of the augmentation of biodegradative assays to be utilized on a large scale for efficient environmental management cost‐effectively and sustainably.
The imprint of catchment processes on Greenlandic ice cap proglacial lake records: analytical approaches and palaeoenvironmental significance
Authors: ADAMSON KATHRYN , LANE TIMOTHY , CARNEY MATTHEW , DELANEY CATHY , HOWDEN APRIL
Published: April 2022

Lakes fed by Greenlandic mountain glaciers and ice caps (GICs) contain important archives of Arctic palaeoenvironmental change. GIC proglacial lake records have been increasingly used to reconstruct Holocene glacier behaviour, largely focusing on macrostratigraphy. However, despite the wide range of topographic settings and catchment characteristics, there has been little systematic analysis of the ways that catchment conditions are registered in the clastic sediments of GIC lakes. Such signals provide valuable insights into landscape processes and palaeoenvironmental conditions that are not routinely captured in other Quaternary glacial morphosedimentary archives. This review synthesises sedimentological and geochemical evidence from existing Holocene GIC proglacial lake records to establish: how catchment‐wide conditions have been recorded in the lacustrine sequences; and our ability to isolate these signals to enhance palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. Our review shows that with careful sedimentological and targeted (bio)geochemical analyses coupled with a clear process‐based understanding, catchment and in‐lake signals can be effectively identified in the microstratigraphic and mineral grain record. Such signals include wind patterns, mass wasting, precipitation events and seasonal lake ice cover, that can complement broader palaeoclimatic proxy evidence. The approaches collated here, if more widely applied, could considerably enhance environmental reconstructions not only in Greenland, but in glaciated catchments elsewhere.
Paleohydrological history of Lake Allos (2200 m a.s.l) since 13 500 cal a bp in the Mediterranean Alps inferred from an ostracod δ18O record
Authors: Cartier Rosine , Vidal Laurence , Sylvestre Florence , Sonzogni Corinne , Guiter Frédéric , Brisset Elodie , Miramont Cécile
Published: April 2022

This paper presents the first Lateglacial/Holocene (the last 13 500 cal a
bp) ostracod δ18O record to infer hydroclimate variability in the Southern French Alps. Cytherissa lacustris (δ18Osp) shells extracted from the sediments of Lake Allos allowed a reconstruction of δ18Olake water (δ18Olw) except for the interval 5800–2800 cal a
bp. The shape of the Younger Dryas (YD) clearly differed from records documented in the northern Alps. First, δ18Olw values remained close to modern values before a marked drop ca. 12 000 cal a
bp. Then, after several oscillations, δ18Olw values increased, reaching the highest value of the record ca. 6100 cal a
bp during a thermal optimum for this latitude. Finally, low δ18Olw values occurred from 450 to 100 cal a
bp during the Little Ice Age (LIA) following the Medieval Climate anomaly. At the beginning of the YD, δ18Olw probably reflected changes in local glacier dynamics and precipitation sources. The following decrease in δ18Olw values was associated with higher freshwater inputs during the second half of the YD. During the LIA, the low δ18O values are consistent with a higher torrential activity and lower air temperatures.
A visual deep learning model to predict abnormal versus normal parathyroid glands using intraoperative autofluorescence signals
Authors: Avci Seyma N. , Isiktas Gizem , Ergun Onuralp , Berber Eren
Published: April 2022

Background

Previous work demonstrated that abnormal versus normal parathyroid glands (PGs) exhibit different patterns of autofluorescence, with former appearing darker and more heterogenous. Our objective was to develop a visual artificial intelligence model using intraoperative autofluorescence signals to predict whether a PG is abnormal (hypersecreting and/or hypercellular) or normal before excision during surgical exploration for primary hyperparathyroidism.

Methods

A total of 906 intraoperative parathyroid autofluorescence images of 303 patients undergoing parathyroidectomy/thyroidectomy were used to develop model. Autofluorescence image of each PG was uploaded into the visual artificial intelligence platform as abnormal or normal. For deep learning, randomly chosen 80% of data was used for training, 10% for testing, 10% for validation. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC), area under the precision‐recall curve (AUPRC), recall (sensitivity), and precision (positive predictive value) of the model were calculated.

Results

AUROC and AUPRC of the model to predict normal and abnormal PGs were 0.90 and 0.93, respectively. Recall and precision of the model were 89% each.

Conclusion

Visual artificial intelligence platforms may be used to compare the autofluorescence signal of a given parathyroid gland against a large database. This may be a new adjunctive tool for intraoperative assessment of parathyroid glands during surgical exploration for primary hyperparathyroidism.
Open and minimally invasive gastrectomy in Eastern and Western patient populations: A review of the literature and reasons for differences in outcomes
Authors: Stillman Mason D. , Yoon Sam S.
Published: April 2022

Randomized trials in the East have established minimally invasive gastrectomy as possibly superior for short‐term outcomes and noninferior for long‐term survival. Smaller randomized studies from Western countries have supported these findings. However, there are marked disparities in morbidity, mortality, and overall survival noted between Eastern and Western studies. In this article, we review the literature comparing open and minimally invasive gastrectomy in the East and West, and describe the possible reasons for differences in outcomes.
Otolaryngology residency programs' perspectives on virtual interviews during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Risbud Adwight , Pang Jonathan C. , Ito Sun , Tjoa Tjoson , Armstrong William B. , Abouzari Mehdi
Published: April 2022

Objective

To evaluate perceptions of otolaryngology residency program directors (PDs) and department chairs (DCs) on virtual interviews (VIs) at the conclusion of the 2021 residency match.

Study design

Cross‐sectional survey study.

Methods

An anonymous and voluntary survey was administered to PDs and DCs of U.S. otolaryngology residency programs from March 1, 2021 to April 11, 2021. Utilizing Likert scale ratings, the survey measured overall satisfaction with the VI format, perceived ability to assess key candidate attributes, relative importance of traditional candidate metrics, and likelihood to implement VIs in future cycles.

Results

Ninety‐four surveys were completed by PDs (48.9%) and DCs (51.1%). Sixty (63.8%) respondents found the VI experience to be satisfactory or strongly satisfactory. Sixty‐six (70.2%) respondents felt confident in their ability to assess a candidate's professionalism and communication skills through VIs; however, confidence in gauging an applicant's clinical skills/knowledge (41.2%) and overall program fit (47.3%) was lower. Regarding candidate metrics, 64 (68.1%) respondents believed that personal prior knowledge of the applicant gained increased importance with VIs. Forty‐four (46.8%) and 45 (47.9%) participants believed that letters of recommendation in the specialty and perceived commitment to their program similarly attained increased significance in evaluating applicants, respectively.

Conclusion

Most PDs and DCs were satisfied with their VI experiences and expect the quality of interns to be unaffected by virtual assessment modalities. Majority opinion on the relative importance of traditional applicant metrics remained largely unchanged, the exception being an increase in importance of prior knowledge of the applicant.

Level of Evidence: N/A.
Different levels of mucus inflammatory mediators in nasal polyposis with and without aeroallergen sensitivity
Authors: Dimić Aleksandar , Perić Aleksandar , Grgurević Uglješa , Sotirović Jelena , Labus Milica , Baletić Nenad , Milojević Milanko , Stanojević Ivan , Vojvodić Danilo
Published: April 2022

Objectives

Biomarker levels in nasal secretions can reflect the inflammatory status of nasal mucosa and evolution of sinus disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between local inflammatory mediator production and clinical characteristics of patients with nasal polyposis (NP).

Methods

Thirty‐one nonaeroallergen sensitized patients with NP (NANP), 29 aeroallergen sensitized patients with NP (ANP), and 30 subjects without inflammation of nasal mucosa as controls (C) entered this prospective, cross‐sectional study. Clinical parameters (symptoms, endoscopic, and radiological findings) were assessed. The concentrations of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), tryptase, substance P and Clara cell protein 16 (CC16) were measured in the nasal secretion samples of all participants by ELISA method.

Results

Our results showed higher concentrations of HSP70, ECP, and tryptase in ANP than in NANP and C (p < .001 for all markers). On the other hand, levels of CC16 were significantly higher in C than in NANP and ANP groups (p < .001; p < .001, respectively). We found positive correlations between HSP70, ECP, tryptase, and substance P levels and nasal symptom score in patients with NP. Also, HSP70, ECP, tryptase, and substance P showed different levels of positive correlation among themselves, with HSP70 showing highest positive correlation with ECP. Finally, relatively strong negative correlations were found between the levels of CC16 and nasal symptoms, as well as between the CC16 levels and levels of other four mediators in nasal fluid.

Conclusion

HSP70, ECP, tryptase, and substance P might play a role in the pathogenesis of NP. The results suggest that chronic inflammation in NP involves a self‐sustaining local release of HSP70, ECP, and tryptase, independent of aeroallergen stimulation of the mucosal layer, although the production of these mediators is higher in aeroallergen sensitized NP patients.
Cyclic Olefin Copolymers (COC)—Excellent Glass Formers with Low Dynamic Fragility
Authors: Zhang Rui , Madhavi Vadlamudi , Shaffer Timothy D. , Androsch René , Schick Christoph
Published: April 2022

Applications of cyclic olefin copolymers (COC) are manifold, and developing a complete understanding of the characteristics of the glass transition behavior of these materials is essential to their processing and use in a variety of those applications. Fast scanning calorimetry is employed to investigate the glass transition of three commercial TOPAS COCs of different norbornene content between 37 and 54 mol% at cooling rates varying from 0.01 to 100 000 K s−1. The glass transition temperatures as a function of cooling rate are determined as limiting fictive temperatures from reheating scans at 100 000 K s−1. The data, covering seven orders of magnitude in cooling rate, allows the determination of the dynamic fragilities. The dynamic fragilities of TOPAS 6013, 6015, and 8007 are in the range of 50–60 and increase with increasing norbornene content. Compared to literature data of other polymers, the dynamic fragilities are rather low, and the COCs are classified as relatively strong glass formers. In other words, relating this information to processability, they have a relatively large “working range” and are classified as “long” glasses. Such classification, borrowed from glass making (blowing) technologies, may also help to describe the processability of polymeric glass formers in general.
Precise Control of Microcapillary Size in Microcapillary Films by Liquid‐Assisted Extrusion
Authors: Liu Junfeng , Zheng Suxia , Bi Mingcheng , Xu Zhongbin , Huang Xing
Published: April 2022

Microcapillary films (MCFs) are plastic films with an array of microcapillaries, which have been widely applied in microfluidics and bioanalytical techniques. However, the precise control of microcapillary size is still a problem hindering the industrial applications of MCFs because the high size uniformity of microcapillaries ensures the production of homogeneous droplets and the robust performance of immunoassays. Here, a novel approach is provided to precisely adjust the size of microcapillaries by liquid‐assisted extrusion and to investigate the combined effects of extrusion, drawing and liquid injection on the microcapillary size. Compared with gas‐assisted extrusion, the size uniformity is improved by at least 5% for 89% experiments and 10% for 42% experiments. Therefore, this method facilitates MCFs’ applications in droplet microfluidics and biotechnologies.
Technical note: Impact of beamline‐specific particle energy spectra on clinical plans in carbon ion beam therapy
Authors: Resch Andreas Franz , Schafasand Mansure , Lackner Niklas , Niessen Tom , Beck Staffan , Elia Alessio , Boersma David , Grevillot Loïc , Fossati Piero , Glimelius Lars , Stock Markus , Georg Dietmar , Carlino Antonio
Published: April 2022

Purpose

The Local Effect Model version one (LEM I) is applied clinically across Europe to quantify the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of carbon ion beams. It requires the full particle fluence spectrum differential in energy in each voxel as input parameter. Treatment planning systems (TPSs) use beamline‐specific look‐up tables generated with Monte Carlo (MC) codes. In this study, the changes in RBE weighted dose were quantified using different levels of details in the simulation or different MC codes.

Methods

The particle fluence differential in energy was simulated with FLUKA and Geant4 at 500 depths in water in 1‐mm steps for 58 initial carbon ion energies (between 120.0 and 402.8 MeV/u). A dedicated beam model was applied, including the full description of the Nozzle using GATE‐RTionV1.0 (Geant4.10.03p03). In addition, two tables generated with FLUKA were compared. The starting points of the FLUKA simulations were phase space (PhS) files from, firstly, the Geant4 nozzle simulations, and secondly, a clinical beam model where an analytic approach was used to mimic the beamline. Treatment plans (TPs) were generated with RayStation 8B (RaySearch Laboratories AB, Sweden) for cubic targets in water and 10 clinical patient cases using the clinical beam model. Subsequently, the RBE weighted dose was re‐computed using the two other fluence tables (FLUKA PhS or Geant4).

Results

The fluence spectra of the primary and secondary particles simulated with Geant4 and FLUKA generally agreed well for the primary particles. Differences were mainly observed for the secondary particles. Interchanging the two energy spectra (FLUKA vs. GEANT4) to calculate the RBE weighted dose distributions resulted in average deviations of less than 1% in the entrance up to the end of the target region, with a maximum local deviation at the distal edge of the target. In the fragment tail, larger discrepancies of up to 5% on average were found for deep‐seated targets. The patient and water phantom cases demonstrated similar results.

Conclusion

RBE weighted doses agreed well within all tested setups, confirming the clinical beam model provided by the TPS vendor. Furthermore, the results showed that the open source and generally available MC code Geant4 (in particular using GATE or GATE‐RTion) can also be used to generate basic beam data required for RBE calculation in carbon ion therapy.
Prevalence and risk factors for oral HPV16/18 and candida in Japanese people without oral cancer or premalignant lesions
Authors: Shigeishi Hideo , Ohta Kouji , Sugiyama Masaru
Published: April 2022

Aim

Current studies indicate that oral human papillomavirus (HPV) and candida infection may increase the risk of developing oral cancer. The objective of this study was to investigate the risk factors for HPV16/18 and candida infection in the oral cavity in Japanese people without oral cancer or premalignant lesions.

Methods

We targeted 181 Japanese patients (mean age 59.8 years, range 20–89 years) who visited Hiroshima University Hospital. None of the patients had oral cancer or oral potentially malignant disorder. Oral rinse samples were collected after mouth rinsing. Real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed using type‐specific primers to detect HPV16/18 DNA and Candida albicans/Candida glabrata DNA.

Results

Of the 181 participants, 20 participants (11.0%) were HPV16 DNA positive and three participants (1.7%) were HPV18 DNA positive. Smoker had significant higher positive rates of HPV16 DNA than nonsmoker (P = 0.03). Additionally, binomial logistic regression analysis revealed that smoking was significantly associated with HPV16 DNA (odds ratio 4.11, P = 0.01). Six participants (3.3%) showed co‐infection with HPV16 and C. albicans. No significant association was found between HPV16/18 and C. albicans/C. glabrata. Logistic regression analysis revealed that denture use was significantly associated with C. glabrata (odds ratio 5.09, P = 0.003).

Conclusions

Tobacco smoke is an important risk factor for oral HPV16 infection. Co‐infection with oral HPV16 and C. albicans can be found in people without oral cancer. Our results highlight the importance of not smoking and regularly cleaning dentures to prevent co‐infection with HPV and candida.