bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spirulina platensis‐capped mesoporous magnetic nanoparticles for the adsorptive removal of chromium
Authors: Mohan Sreelakshmi , Govindankutty Gopika , Sathish Asha , Kamaraj Nithya
Published: August 2020

The magnetic nanoparticles prepared through the co‐precipitation method were surface modified usingSpirulina platensis. The mesoporous and superparamagnetic nature of the adsorbent was confirmed by Brunauer‐Emmett‐Teller (BET) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) analyses, respectively. Further, an increased specific surface area of 75.3 m2/g was reported in the BET studies. Parameters such as pH, contact time, concentration, and temperature were studied to optimize the operating conditions influencing adsorption. Thermodynamic studies justified the spontaneity and endothermic nature of adsorption. The adsorbent exhibited a better performance at 1.5 pH and 120 minutes of contact time. The monolayer adsorption capacity of the material was found to be 29.23 mg/g from the evaluation of Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The second‐ order kinetic studies suggest the predominance of chemisorption. Further, the X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies confirmed that the adsorption mechanism is electrostatic attraction accompanied by reduction. Notably, a regeneration efficiency of 75.26% was achieved with NaOH as the desorbing agent.
Association of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers with risk of COVID‐19, inflammation level, severity, and death in patients with COVID‐19: A rapid systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Liu Xiao , Long Chuyan , Xiong Qinmei , Chen Chen , Ma Jianyong , Su Yuhao , Hong Kui
Published: August 2020

An association among the use of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin‐receptor blockers (ARBs) with the clinical outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) is unclear. PubMed, EMBASE, MedRxiv, and BioRxiv were searched for relevant studies that assessed the association between application of ACEI/ARB and risk of COVID‐19, inflammation level, severity COVID‐19 infection, and death in patients with COVID‐19. Ten studies were included with 13,944 patients. ACEI/ARB therapy might be associated with the reduced inflammatory factor (interleukin‐6) and elevated immune cells counts (CD3, CD8). Meta‐analysis showed no significant increase in the risk of COVID‐19 infection (odds ratio [OR]: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.89‐1.05) in patients receiving ACEI/ARB therapy, and ACEI/ARB therapy was associated with a decreased risk of severe COVID‐19 (OR: 0.75, 95% CI: 0.59‐0.96, p = 0.02) and mortality (OR: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.37‐0.87, p = 0.009). Subgroup analyses showed among the general population, ACEI/ARB therapy was not associated with reduced risks of severe COVID‐19 infection (OR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.66‐1.08, p = 0.19) and all‐cause mortality (OR: 0.31, 95% CI: 0.13‐0.75), and COVID‐19 infection (OR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.89‐1.05, p = 0.45) were not increased. Among patients with hypertension, the use of an ACEI/ARB was associated with a non‐significant lower severity of COVID‐19 (OR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.51‐1.03, p = 0.07) and significant lower mortality (OR: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.37‐0.87, p = 0.009), without evidence of an increased risk of COVID‐19 infection (OR: 1.00, 95% CI: 0.90‐1.12, p = 1.00). On the basis of the available evidence, ACEI/ARB therapy should be continued in patients who are at risk for, or have COVID‐19, either in general population or hypertension patients. Our results need to be interpreted with caution considering the potential for residual confounders, and more well‐designed studies that control the clinical confounders are necessary to confirm our findings.
Risk of aortic aneurysm in patients with psoriasis: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of cohort studies
Authors: Yu Xinyu , Feng Xin , Xia Liangtao , Cao Shiyi , Wei Xiang
Published: August 2020

Background

The association between psoriasis and the risk of aortic aneurysm is still unclear.

Hypothesis

Patients with psoriasis have a higher risk of aortic aneurysm than healthy individuals.

Methods

PubMed, Embase, and Scopus from inception to 20 July 2019 were searched. We included cohort studies if they reported estimate effects on the risk of aortic aneurysm in patient with psoriasis. We used Newcastle‐Ottawa Scale to evaluate methodology quality of eligible studies. Random‐effect meta‐analyses were used to estimate the overall risk. Subgroup analyses were conducted for analysis of influencing factors.

Results

After a view of 2207 citations, we included three large cohort studies enrolling 5 706 525 participants in this systematic review. Psoriasis patients have an increased risk of development of aortic aneurysm (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.30, 95%confidence intervals [CI], 1.10‐1.55, I2 = 53.1%). The risk is not statistically different between patients with severe psoriasis (HR, 1.51, 95%CI, 1.04‐2.19, I2 = 40.2%) and patients with mild psoriasis (HR, 1.24, 95%CI, 1.08‐1.42, I2 = 24.1%). The risk was not statistically increased in female patients (HR, 1.55, 95%CI, 0.65‐3.72), patients ≥50 years old (HR, 4.05, 95%CI, 0.69‐23.75, I2 = 97.3%), and patients with diabetes (HR, 0.97, 95%CI, 0.83‐1.14).

Conclusions

Current evidence from observational studies suggests that psoriasis increases the risk of aortic aneurysm, and screening of aortic aneurysm might be considered among psoriasis patients.
A General Synthetic Approach and Photophysical Properties of Regioselectively Fluorinated [5]‐ and [6]‐Helical Bispiroindenofluorenes
Authors: Caivano Ilaria , Tošner Zdeněk , Císařová Ivana , Nečas David , Kotora Martin
Published: August 2020

A first series of fluorinated [n]helical compounds (n=5 and 6) with the dihydroindenofluorene scaffold was prepared in 5 or 9 (octafluorinated dihydroindenofluorene) steps and their photophysical properties were determined. Rh‐catalyzed intramolecular [2+2+2] cyclotrimerization of triyndiols, which were prepared in a modular fashion from simple starting material such as fluorinated haloarylcarbaldehydes, to the intermediate [n]helical dihydroindeno[2,1‐c]fluorene‐5,8‐diols was the crucial synthetic step and proceeded with high efficacy. Their further transformation gave the desired selectively fluorinated bispirodihydroindeno[2,1‐c]fluorenes. Their absorption and emission spectra were recorded. The fluorescence quantum yields were up to 92 % and the emission maxima were red‐shifted in comparison with their non‐fluorinated counterparts (386‐413 nm).
Synthesis of 5‐Nitrotetrazolates by the Direct Oxidation of 5‐Aminotetrazole in a Single‐Pot Synthesis without Isolation of Explosive Intermediates
Authors: Smith Dawson M. , Manship Tim D. , Piercey Davin G.
Published: August 2020

A readily available oxidizer, potassium superoxide can be used for the oxidation of 5‐amino‐1H‐tetrazole (5‐AT) to 5‐nitrotetrazole (5‐NT) in high yields in a single‐pot synthesis. This strategy reduces the synthesis of this important energetic material down to a single step and eliminates highly sensitive diazonium and copper salt primary explosive intermediates. Use of dimethyl sulfoxide along with molecular sieves and 18‐crown‐6 as phase transfer catalyst promoted faster reaction rates and greater yield. The overall yield of this process is 48–53 % and the resultant aqueous solution of product was effectively used for the preparation of nitrotetrazole‐containing primary explosive DBX‐1. Unlike current methods of nitrotetrazole preparation, this entirely solution‐based route results in a final solution of sodium nitrotetrazolate, without the need to handle energetic intermediates or products, making it the safest method of nitrotetrazole preparation reported to date.
An Europium (III) Luminophore with Pressure‐Sensing Units: Effective Back Energy Transfer in Coordination Polymers with Hexadentate Porous Stable Networks
Authors: Hasegawa Yasuchika , Sawanobori Takuya , Kitagawa Yuichi , Shoji Sunao , Fushimi Koji , Nakasaka Yuta , Masuda Takao , Hisaki Ichiro
Published: August 2020

A luminescent EuIII coordination polymer with O2‐sensing units under air, EuIII‐hcpt (hcpt: 2,3,6,7,10,11‐hexakis(4‐carboxy‐phenyl)triphenylene), is reported. The hexadentate carboxylic acids in hcpt ligands play an important role in the formation of tight‐packed three‐dimensional networks in EuIII‐hcpt, giving hyper thermo‐stable structures (decomposition temperature=420 °C). The three‐dimensional porous network promotes bright luminescence (4f–4f emission quantum yield=70 %). The emission lifetime of EuIII‐hcpt under vacuum (0.86 ms) was twice as large as that under O2 (0.48 ms, 1 atom:101.3 kPa). The Arrhenius analysis of the emission decay profile indicates that the back energy transfer (BEnT) from the emitting level of the europium(III) ion to the excited T1 state of the hcpt ligand should be activated at room temperature. The gradual decrease of emission lifetime is caused by the BEnT process in EuIII‐hcpt. Finally, an advanced pressure‐sensitive luminophore is demonstrated.
ARF‐AID: A Rapidly Inducible Protein Degradation System That Preserves Basal Endogenous Protein Levels
Authors: Sathyan Kizhakke Mattada , Scott Thomas G. , Guertin Michael J.
Published: August 2020

Inducible degron systems are widely used to specifically and rapidly deplete proteins of interest in cell lines and organisms. An advantage of inducible degradation is that the biological system under study remains intact and functional until perturbation, a feature that necessitates that the endogenous levels of the protein are maintained. However, endogenous tagging of genes with auxin‐inducible degrons (AID) can result in chronic, auxin‐independent proteasome‐mediated degradation. The ARF‐AID (auxin‐response factor–auxin‐inducible degron) system is a re‐engineered auxin‐inducible protein degradation system. The additional expression of the ARF‐PB1 domain prevents chronic, auxin‐independent degradation of AID‐tagged proteins while preserving rapid auxin‐induced degradation of tagged proteins. Here, we describe the protocol for engineering human cell lines to implement the ARF‐AID system for specific and inducible protein degradation. These methods are adaptable and can be extended from cell lines to organisms. © 2020 The Authors.

Basic Protocol 1: Generation of ARF‐P2A‐TIR1 progenitor cells

Basic Protocol 2: Designing, cloning, and testing of a gene‐specific sgRNA

Basic Protocol 3: Design and amplification of a homology‐directed repair construct (C‐terminal tagging)

Alternate Protocol 1: Design and amplification of a homology‐directed repair construct (N‐terminal tagging)

Basic Protocol 4: Tagging of a gene of interest with AID

Alternate Protocol 2: Establishment of an ARF‐AID clamp system

Basic Protocol 5: Testing of auxin‐mediated degradation of the AID‐tagged protein
Hydrogenation of Furfural to Cyclopentanone under Mild Conditions by a Structure‐Optimized Ni−NiO/TiO2 Heterojunction Catalyst
Authors: Chen Shuo , Qian Ting‐Ting , Ling Li‐Li , Zhang Wenhua , Gong Bing‐Bing , Jiang Hong
Published: August 2020

The catalytic conversion of biomass‐derived furfural (FFA) into cyclopentanone (CPO) in aqueous solution is an important pathway to obtain sustainable resources. However, the conversion and selectivity under mild conditions are still unsatisfactory. In this study, a catalyst consisting of Ni−NiO heterojunction supported on TiO2 with optimized composition of anatase and rutile (Ni−NiO/TiO2‐Re450) is prepared by pyrolysis at 450 °C. With Ni−NiO/TiO2‐Re450, as catalyst, complete conversion of FFA and 87.4 % yield of CPO are achieved under mild reaction conditions (1 MPa, 140 °C, 6 h). 95.4 % FFA conversion is retained up to the fifth run, indicating the high stability of the catalyst. Multiple characterizations, control experiments, and theoretical calculations demonstrate that the good catalytic performance of Ni−NiO/TiO2‐Re450 can be attributed to a synergistic effect of the Ni−NiO heterojunction and the TiO2 support. This low‐cost catalyst may expedite the catalytic upgrading and practical application of biomass‐derived chemicals.
Optimal design of symmetric fractional delay filter using firefly algorithm
Authors: Srivastava Savita , Kumar Dwivedi Atul , Nagaria Deepak
Published: August 2020

A fractional delay filter is used to increase the accuracy, preciseness, time synchronization, and stability of signal processing system. However, designing a fractional delay filter for a specified delay, without affecting spectral characteristics of the signal is challenging because of nondifferentiability and multimodal nature of its objective function. In this paper, a more accurate design technique has been proposed for designing fractional delay filters, based on a recently developed firefly algorithm and its improved version. The designed filters offer variable fractional delay. A novel symmetric structure of implementation has been used to design filters. The efficacy of the proposed technique is evaluated by considering a filter design example. The performance of the proposed technique is compared with the other exiting algorithm. The comparative analysis of finite impulse response (FIR) fractional delay filter design proves that the proposed algorithm has a smaller design error and an implementation complexity than the other reported existing algorithms. In addition to this, the designed FIR fractional delay filter is implemented on Xilinx Virtex‐7 for experimental validation.
A multipurpose circuit to read out and digitize pixel signal for low‐power CMOS imagers
Authors: Teymouri Masood
Published: August 2020

A complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor with a resolution of 128 × 128 pixels is presented in this paper in which pixel signal readout, noise suppression, and comparing operations are performed by one circuit during two steps: reading and conversion. The main idea of this work is to combine three main operations of an image sensor in one circuit. This method helps to decrease power consumption, silicon area, total noise, and imaging time. The total power consumption of the imager is 11 mW with a 2.5‐V power supply and 40‐fps frame rate. The pixel layout size is 10 × 10 μm2 with a fill‐factor of 81%. The analog to digital converter (ADC) resolution is 10 bits, and the error resulted from the proposed circuit is about ±0.5 least significant bit (LSB). The proposed CMOS image sensor was designed based on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) 0.18‐μm CMOS technology and was simulated by CADENCE SPECTRE circuit simulator. This circuit can be proposed for a CMOS imager with highly accurate and efficient power consumption.
Clinical and laboratory characteristics of lymphoid neoplasms in serous effusions: a single centre experience in China
Authors: Gong Xubo , Shao Sijia , Jin Lan , Fu Yanbiao , Wang Lin , Xiao Xibin , Yang Linjuan , Zhao Xiaoying
Published: August 2020

Background

Lymphoid neoplasms in serous effusions are uncommon, and the details of lymphoid neoplasms in serous effusions from China are still unclear.

Methods

Between January 2004 and December 2019, all patients with lymphoid neoplasms in pleural effusions, ascites, and pericardial effusions in our hospital, were reviewed.

Results

A total of 65 patients with lymphoid neoplasms were collected during this period. The top three neoplasms were diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL) (n = 20, 30.7%), myeloma (n = 13, 20.0%), and T‐lymphoblastic lymphoma (n = 7, 10.8%). In pleural effusions involving DLBCL, the cytomorphology of DLBCL cells was diverse; most pleural effusions were present during the tumor course (92.9%); bilateral pleural effusions were predominant (57.2%); and the median survival time was only 1.23 months after the effusion. In pleural effusions involving myeloma, 90.9% of cases (10/11) had a high ratio (> 1.0) of immature to mature plasma cells; paraprotein types of IgA (36.4%) and light chain λ (36.4%) were the most frequently found; bilateral pleural effusions were easily found (n = 10, 90.9%); and the median survival time was only 1.4 months after the effusion.

Conclusion

In pleural effusions involving DLBCL, most of our patients with effusions are present during the tumor course, and bilateral pleural effusions are predominant. In pleural effusions involving myeloma, the paraprotein types of IgA and light chain λ are the most frequently found, and it has a high ratio of immature to mature plasma cells in pleural effusions.
Understanding microglial diversity and implications for neuronal function in health and disease
Authors: De Schepper Sebastiaan , Crowley Gerard , Hong Soyon
Published: August 2020

Genetic data implicate microglia as central players in brain health and disease, urging the need to better understand what microglia do in the brain. Microglia are critical partners in neuronal wiring and function during development and disease. Emerging literature suggests that microglia have diverse functional roles, raising the intriguing question of which functions of microglia become impaired in disease to undermine proper neuronal function. It is also becoming increasingly clear that microglia exist in heterogeneous cell states. Microglial cell states appear context‐dependent, that is, age, sex, location, and health of their microenvironment; these are further influenced by external signaling factors including gut microbiota and lipid metabolites. These data altogether suggest that microglia exist in functional clusters that impact, and are impacted by, surrounding neuronal microenvironment. However, we still lack understanding of how we can translate microglia cell states into function. Here, we summarize the state‐of‐the‐art on the diverse functions of microglia in relation to neuronal health. Then, we discuss heterogeneity during developing, healthy adult and diseased brains, and whether this may be predetermined by origin and/or regulated by local milieu. Finally, we propose that it is critical to gain high‐resolution functional discernment into microglia‐neuron interactions while preserving the spatial architecture of the tissue. Such insight will reveal specific targets for biomarker and therapeutic development toward microglia‐neuron crosstalk in disease.
Survival strategy of the endangered tree Acer catalpifolium Rehd., based on 13C fractionation
Authors: Song Wenchen , Liu Yanhong
Published: August 2020

We conducted a field investigation and evaluation of 13C natural abundance to determine the growth habit and propagation strategy of Acer catalpifolium Rehd., a tree species native to China that is highly endangered. The results showed that A. catalpifolium is a K‐selected strategist and pioneer species. Its narrow ecological range limits its geographical distribution, and poor fecundity limits its population size. The analysis of 13C natural abundance showed that A. catalpifolium does not use organic matter for reproduction when its stand volume is less than 1.08 × 106 cm3 or it is less than 18.6 m tall, but it does use this strategy when it has a sufficient 1.08 × 106 cm3 stand volume or more or is taller than 18.6 m. If environmental conditions are not conducive (e.g., severe human disturbance, cliff edges, or fierce interspecific competition) to the continued growth of the tree, A. catalpifolium may allocate organic matter for reproduction. Human disturbance seems to promote the population expansion of A. catalpifolium. We provide our suggestions for the promotion and protection of A. catalpifolium as a species.
Exploring genomic variation associated with drought stress in Picea mariana populations
Authors: Napier Joseph D. , de Lafontaine Guillaume , Hu Feng Sheng
Published: August 2020

Predicted increases in drought and heat stress will likely induce shifts in species bioclimatic envelopes. Genetic variants adapted to water limitation may prove pivotal for species response under scenarios of increasing drought. In this study, we aimed to explore this hypothesis by investigating genetic variation in 16 populations of black spruce (Picea mariana) in relation to climate variables in Alaska. A total of 520 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped for 158 trees sampled from areas of contrasting climate regimes. We used multivariate and univariate genotype‐by‐environment approaches along with available gene annotations to investigate the relationship between climate and genetic variation among sampled populations. Nine SNPs were identified as having a significant association with climate, of which five were related to drought stress response. Outlier SNPs with respect to the overall environment were significantly overrepresented for several biological functions relevant for coping with variable hydric regimes, including osmotic stress response. This genomic imprint is consistent with local adaptation of black spruce to drought stress. These results suggest that natural selection acting on standing variation prompts local adaptation in forest stands facing water limitation. Improved understanding of possible adaptive responses could inform our projections about future forest dynamics and help prioritize populations that harbor valuable genetic diversity for conservation.
Habitat requirements of the Himalayan red panda (Ailurus fulgens) and threat analysis in Jigme Dorji National Park, Bhutan
Authors: Dendup Pema , Humle Tatyana , Bista Damber , Penjor Ugyen , Lham Choki , Gyeltshen Jigme
Published: August 2020

Understanding the influence of anthropogenic disturbances on species’ habitat use and distribution is critical to conservation managers in planning effective conservation strategies and mitigating the impact of development. Few studies have focused on the Himalayan red panda (Ailurus fulgens) in Bhutan. This study aimed to assess the habitat requirements and threats to this endangered species in the Khamaed subdistrict of the Jigme Dorji National Park, Bhutan. We employed a transect walk and plot‐sampling survey design across two seasons, that is, winter and spring. In total, we surveyed 84 × 50 m radius circular plots along 51 km of existing trails within a 25.4 km2 study area. At 500 m intervals, we established plots at random distances and direction from the trail. We recorded direct sightings (n = 2) and indirect signs (n = 14), such as droppings and footprints as evidence of red panda presence within an altitudinal range of 2,414–3,618 m. We also noted 21 tree and 12 understory species within plots with red panda evidence; the dominant tree species was the Himalayan hemlock (Tsuga dumosa) and the Asian barberry (Berberis asiatica) as an understory species. Red panda presence showed a significant positive association with distance to water sources and fir forests. Plant disturbance and infrastructure, such as power transmission lines, were identified as prominent anthropogenic threats in the study area. Based on our findings, we recommend the development and implementation of local forest management plans, livestock intensification programs, and strict application of environmental impact assessment regulations to promote the conservation of the red panda in the region.
Density‐dependent sex‐biased development of macroptery in a water strider
Authors: Han Chang S.
Published: August 2020

In wing‐polymorphic insects, wing morphs differ not only in dispersal capability but also in life history traits because of trade‐offs between flight capability and reproduction. When the fitness benefits and costs of producing wings differ between males and females, sex‐specific trade‐offs can result in sex differences in the frequency of long‐winged individuals. Furthermore, the social environment during development affects sex differences in wing development, but few empirical tests of this phenomenon have been performed to date. Here, I used the wing‐dimorphic water striderTenagogerris euphrosyneto test how rearing density and sex ratio affect the sex‐specific development of long‐winged dispersing morphs (i.e., sex‐specific macroptery). I also used a full‐sib, split‐family breeding design to assess genetic effects on density‐dependent, sex‐specific macroptery. I reared water strider nymphs at either high or low densities and measured their wing development. I found that long‐winged morphs developed more frequently in males than in females when individuals were reared in a high‐density environment. However, the frequency of long‐winged morphs was not biased according to sex when individuals were reared in a low‐density environment. In addition, full‐sib males and females showed similar macroptery incidence rates at low nymphal density, whereas the macroptery incidence rates differed between full‐sib males and females at high nymphal density. Thus complex gene‐by‐environment‐by‐sex interactions may explain the density‐specific levels of sex bias in macroptery, although this interpretation should be treated with some caution. Overall, my study provides empirical evidence for density‐specific, sex‐biased wing development. My findings suggest that social factors as well as abiotic factors can be important in determining sex‐biased wing development in insects.
Bis(6‐diphenylphosphino‐acenaphth‐5‐yl)sulfoxide: A New Ligand for Late Transition Metal Complexes
Authors: Meyer Fabio , Hupf Emanuel , Lork Enno , Grabowsky Simon , Mebs Stefan , Beckmann Jens
Published: August 2020

The synthesis of the new ligand bis(6‐diphenylphosphinoacenaphth‐5‐yl)sulfoxide, [6‐(Ph2P)‐5‐Ace‐6]2‐SO (1), is presented along with six transition metal complexes thereof, namely, 1·MCl (M = Rh, Cu, Ag, Au) and 1·MCl2 (M = Ni, Pd). Within these novel complexes, close metal‐sulfur distances are observed and the nature of the M–S coordination, as well as the response of the +S–O– bond, are investigated in detail with a set of spectroscopic, crystallographic and real‐space bonding indicators.
From Johnny Fish-Seed to Hatchery-Bashing to Shaping the Shoal of Aquaculture Stakeholders
Authors: Trushenski Jesse T , Bowker James D , Whelan Gary E , Heindel Jeff A
Published: August 2020

The American Fisheries Society (AFS) was founded during the early days of North American fish propagation, when pioneering fish culturists first began to coax food and fishing opportunities from pails of eggs and wriggling fry. In the absence of effective regulations and the will to enforce measures to prevent overfishing and habitat loss, fisheries professionals looked to hatcheries to fully address the problem of fisheries in decline. In the intervening decades, it became clear that hatcheries were not a panacea, but could be an effective tool for both enhancement and recovery. Fish culture has been practiced in North America for well over 150 years. Thanks partly to AFS and its members, why and how we propagate fish has changed dramatically during that time. In this piece, we briefly recount the history of North American fish culture, how AFS has influenced our understanding and use of hatcheries and hatchery-origin fish, and provide a glimpse of what transformations may yet await fish culturists.
The effects of enzymatically aided acid‐swelling process on gelatin extracted from fish by‐products
Authors: Moosavi‐Nasab Marzieh , Yazdani‐Dehnavi Marzieh , Mirzapour‐Kouhdasht Armin
Published: August 2020

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of the enzymatic aided acid‐swelling process on gelatin obtained from fish by‐products. For this purpose, gelatin was extracted by an acidic swelling procedure in the presence of protease extracted from Rainbow trout pyloric caeca. The yield of gelatin extraction and the most important physicochemical characteristics of the fish gelatin samples were investigated and compared with those of commercial bovine gelatin (CBG). The yields of gelatin from Epinephelus coioides skin (ESG) either with or without crude protease from pyloric caeca (15 units/g alkaline treated) were 14.98% and 50.89%, respectively. The yields of gelatin from Cyprinus carpio scales (CSG) with crude protease from pyloric caeca (15 units/g) were 49.97%. The gel strength of the CSG (259.66 g) was significantly higher than that of CBG (228.30 g) and ESG (187.75 g). Similarly, the gelling and melting points, foaming capacity and stability, and the SDS‐PAGE pattern of gelatins were compared. The electrophoretic pattern confirmed the results of gel strength which was due to the narrower alpha and beta bands in fish skin and commercial bovine gelatins than that of fish scales gelatin. The results of this research showed that the production of high‐quality gelatin can be achieved by the enzymatically aided acid‐swelling procedure from fish scales and skin.
Spatially coherent and topographically organized pathways of the human globus pallidus
Authors: Bertino Salvatore , Basile Gianpaolo Antonio , Bramanti Alessia , Anastasi Giuseppe Pio , Quartarone Angelo , Milardi Demetrio , Cacciola Alberto
Published: August 2020

Internal and external segments of globus pallidus (GP) exert different functions in basal ganglia circuitry, despite their main connectional systems share the same topographical organization, delineating limbic, associative, and sensorimotor territories. The identification of internal GP sensorimotor territory has therapeutic implications in functional neurosurgery settings. This study is aimed at assessing the spatial coherence of striatopallidal, subthalamopallidal, and pallidothalamic pathways by using tractography‐derived connectivity‐based parcellation (CBP) on high quality diffusion MRI data of 100 unrelated healthy subjects from the Human Connectome Project. A two‐stage hypothesis‐driven CBP approach has been carried out on the internal and external GP. Dice coefficient between functionally homologous pairs of pallidal maps has been computed. In addition, reproducibility of parcellation according to different pathways of interest has been investigated, as well as spatial relations between connectivity maps and existing optimal stimulation points for dystonic patients. The spatial organization of connectivity clusters revealed anterior limbic, intermediate associative and posterior sensorimotor maps within both internal and external GP. Dice coefficients showed high degree of coherence between functionally similar maps derived from the different bundles of interest. Sensorimotor maps derived from the subthalamopallidal pathway resulted to be the nearest to known optimal pallidal stimulation sites for dystonic patients. Our findings suggest that functionally homologous afferent and efferent connections may share similar spatial territory within the GP and that subcortical pallidal connectional systems may have distinct implications in the treatment of movement disorders.
Unsupervised clustering of dopamine transporter PET imaging discovers heterogeneity of parkinsonism
Authors: Suh Minseok , Im Jin Hee , Choi Hongyoon , Kim Han‐Joon , Cheon Gi Jeong , Jeon Beomseok
Published: August 2020

Parkinsonism has heterogeneous nature, showing distinctive patterns of disease progression and prognosis. We aimed to find clusters of parkinsonism based on 18F‐fluoropropyl‐carbomethoxyiodophenylnortropane (FP‐CIT) PET as a data‐driven approach to evaluate heterogenous dopaminergic neurodegeneration patterns. Two different cohorts of patients who received FP‐CIT PET were collected. A labeled cohort (n = 94) included patients with parkinsonism who underwent a clinical follow‐up of at least 3 years (mean 59.0 ± 14.6 months). An unlabeled cohort (n = 813) included all FP‐CIT PET data of a single‐center. All PET data were clustered by a dimension reduction method followed by hierarchical clustering. Four distinct clusters were defined according to the imaging patterns. When the diagnosis of the labeled cohort of 94 patients was compared with the corresponding cluster, parkinsonism patients were mostly included in two clusters, cluster “0” and “2.” Specifically, patients with progressive supranuclear palsy were significantly more included in cluster 0. The two distinct clusters showed significantly different clinical features. Furthermore, even in PD patients, two clusters showed a trend of different clinical features. We found distinctive clusters of parkinsonism based on FP‐CIT PET‐derived heterogeneous neurodegeneration patterns, which were associated with different clinical features. Our results support a biological underpinning for the heterogeneity of neurodegeneration in parkinsonism.
The contralateral based submental island flap for reconstruction of tongue and floor of mouth defects: Reliability and oncological outcome
Authors: Amin Ayman A. , Jamali Omer M. , Ibrahim Ahmed S. , Rifaat Mohamed A. , Zedan Mohamed H.
Published: August 2020

Background

Submental artery island flap (SIF) is a viable alternative to free flaps for selected oral‐cavity defects, however, concerns about its oncologic safety still exists. A novel harvesting technique and its outcome is described in here.

Methods

This is a prospective study for patients with lateralized oral tongue and/or floor of mouth (FOM) cancers who undergone reconstruction using pedicled SIF based on contralateral submental vessels (CSIF) following resection.

Results

Forty‐one patients were included. Twenty‐four patients had T2, 13 had T3, and 4 had T1 tumors. The largest flap skin paddle was 15 × 9 cm. One patient sustained complete and five sustained partial flap loss. Three patients developed tongue tethering. Median follow‐up was 13.6 months. Locoregional recurrence occurred in 11 patients (26.8%); 6 oral‐cavity recurrences (14.6%), 6 ipsilateral, and 1 contralateral neck recurrences (2.4%).

Conclusion

CSIF is a reliable flap that addresses the oncologic controversy and overcomes the disadvantages of ipsilateral flap.
A phase 1 study to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of the addition of ropeginterferon alpha‐2b to imatinib treatment in patients with chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) not achieving a deep molecular response (molecular remission 4.5)—AGMT_CML 1
Authors: Heibl Sonja , Buxhofer‐Ausch Veronika , Schmidt Stefan , Webersinke Gerald , Lion Thomas , Piringer Gudrun , Kuehr Thomas , Wolf Dominik , Melchardt Thomas , Greil Richard , Thaler Josef
Published: August 2020

The goal of current management of patients with chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is to reach treatment‐free remission with sustained deep molecular remission (DMR) being the prerequisite therefor. Second‐generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors can induce deeper and faster remission than imatinib, but are often associated with severe adverse events (AEs). The combination of pegylated interferon (IFN) with imatinib was shown to induce higher molecular remissions than imatinib alone in two studies. Treatment discontinuation rates due to IFN induced AEs were high in both studies. To investigate safety, tolerability (primary objective), and efficacy (secondary objective) of the combination of imatinib with ropeginterferon alpha‐2b this phase I study was initiated. Twelve patients were planned to be enrolled. Nine patients completed the study according to protocol. Three patients terminated the study early, one due to occurrence of a dose‐limiting toxicity (neutropenia grade 3), one due to an AE (panic attacks grade 2) and one due to the patient's decision. Tolerability was good, non‐hematologic AEs were mainly grade 1/2, hematologic AEs were mainly neutropenias. No new AEs were reported for the combination of imatinib and ropeginterferon alpha‐2b. In a nondose‐dependent manner the addition of ropeginterferon alpha‐2b led to the achievement of a DMR in four out of nine patients after a treatment duration of 18 months. The combination of imatinib and ropeginterferon alpha‐2b is safe and showed in this phase I study the ability to deepen the molecular response in patients with chronic phase CML not achieving a DMR with imatinib alone.
Post‐mammographic screening behaviour: A survey investigating what women do after being told they have dense breasts
Authors: Darcey Ellie , Hunt Emma Jane , Keogh Louise , McLean Kirsty , Saunders Christobel , Thompson Sandra , Woulfe Catherine , Wylie Elizabeth , Stone Jennifer
Published: August 2020

Issue addressed

Despite widespread calls for women undergoing mammographic screening to be informed of their breast density, concerns remain as to how this is interpreted and acted upon given the absence of evidence‐based supplemental screening recommendations for women with dense breasts. This study investigates the action women take in response to being notified they have dense breasts and what subsequent advice women receive from health professionals.

Methods

Via a survey of nearly 7000 women, we assessed the post‐screening actions of women attending a population‐based mammographic screening program (BreastScreen) in Western Australia from 21 November 2017 to 19 April 2018. Women who reported that they were notified they had dense breasts were compared to controls (where applicable). Descriptive and logistic regression analyses were used to summarise responses from 6,183 women.

Results

Half of women notified that they have dense breasts consulted or intended to consult their General Practitioner (GP), particularly those notified for the first time (55%). Of those notified women who consulted their GP, 50% were referred to have supplemental screening. Overall, 20% of women notified as having dense breasts reported that they had an ultrasound due to their breast density.

Conclusion

Self‐reported health service usage after mammographic screening is higher in women who have been notified they have dense breasts.

So what? There is growing pressure for screening programs in Australia and internationally to routinely measure and report breast density to participants. Results from this study can inform screening programs of the likely impact of breast density notification on health service usage. While more information is needed to fill knowledge gaps in recommended action for women with dense breasts, the greatest risks to women arise from not being screened. Hence, health promotion practitioners and health providers should continue to encourage women to participate in BreastScreen programs.
Medical cost trends under national health insurance benefit extension in Republic of Korea
Authors: An Jinha , Kim Sukil
Published: August 2020

This study examines whether the burden of medical expenses on households has gradually decreased since South Korea began implementing benefit expansion policies to strengthen health insurance coverage. Using Korea's Household Income & Expenditure Survey from 1995 to 2014, the annual average monthly household expenditures and the catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) indicator were analyzed. The latter is an indicator of household impoverishment resulting from out‐of‐pocket healthcare expenditures exceeding a defined threshold proportion of the household's income. Through descriptive and frequency data analyses and using P‐values, the annual trends and differences in absolute values and share of CHE prevalence across households were measured. The study finds that the proportion of income spent on medical expenses increased from 2.47% (1995) to 4.94% (2014) on average. CHE also increased 3.6 times, 6.3 times, 9.8 times, and 11.1 times for assumed threshold sizes of 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40%, respectively. The lowest income group had the highest increase in CHE incidence. These results suggest that the benefit extension policy has lowered medical use thresholds and led to an increase in medical resource use. Therefore, the Ministries of Health and Welfare, and of Economy and Finance should collaborate to design policies for vulnerable groups.
Towards an immunization perfect model?
Authors: De La Peña Joseba Iñaki , Iturricastillo Iván , Moreno Rafael , Román Francisco , Trigo Eduardo
Published: August 2020

Immunization is an investment strategy often used by insurance companies. Usually, this strategy takes into account the first‐ and second‐order of Taylor series (Duration and Convexity). However, the model itself has risk because of the difference between the real and estimated value via duration and convexity approximation. Therefore, the aim of this article is to find a better immunization model avoiding the effect of unexpected interest rate shocks by adding more terms of Taylor series to an immunization strategy. As criteria of efficiency, the paper checks the effect of interest rate risk in several immunization models upon a 99.5% confidence level (risk level of 1 in 200 scenarios), as required by Solvency II in Europe, to determine a better immunization strategy. This work analyses the skewness and, consequently, the fitness of adding third‐ and fourth‐order Taylor series. The main finding is that the model with four factors avoids the influence of interest rate shocks. Therefore, the capital on risk in near zero.
Comparative analysis of economic growth in Nigeria and Kenya: A fractional integration approach
Authors: Awe Olushina O , Mudida Robert , Gil‐Alana Luis A.
Published: August 2020

This paper is a comparative analysis of Nigeria and Kenya, the largest economies in West and East Africa respectively, on the basis of the time series properties of their economic activities through the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and growth rate series. It further analyses how differing policy and political economy processes contributed to the two countries' economic growth trajectories despite becoming independent republics at almost the same time. We study the two economies using a long‐memory‐fractionally integrated approach. The results show a high degree of persistence in both cases. When non‐linearities are taken into account, evidence of mean reversion is found in the GDP series in the two countries. This is indicative of how the two countries in very distinct African contexts followed broadly different but, in some ways, similar paths toward economic growth since independence.
Influence of financial literacy on retail investors' decisions in relation to return, risk and market analysis
Authors: Prasad Swati , Kiran Ravi , Sharma Rakesh Kumar
Published: August 2020

Investors differ in their decisions with respect to risk, returns and market analysis. The present study attempts to examine the influence of financial literacy on retail investors' decisions in relation to return, risk and market analysis. The study uses convenience sampling to collect data from the retail investors through stock brokerage managers. Factor analysis has been employed for understanding factors of financial literacy. Financial literacy is composed of Accounting Information; Market Information; Broad Overview; and Technical Knowledge. The factors of Investment decisions are: Return Analytics; Risk Analytics; and Market. The risk and return analytics have stronger impact on investors decision than market analytics. PLS SEM has been employed for examining relation between financial literacy and Investment decision. The results suggest a significant positive relation between financial literacy and investment decision.
Implied and realized volatility: A study of distributions and the distribution of difference
Authors: Moghaddam M. Dashti , Liu Jiong , Serota R. A.
Published: August 2020

We study distributions of realized variance (squared realized volatility) and squared implied volatility, as represented by VIX and VXO indices. We find that generalized beta distribution provide the best fits. These fits are much more accurate for realized variance than for squared VIX and VXO—possibly another indicator that the latter have deficiencies in predicting the former. We also show that there are noticeable differences between the distributions of the 1970–2017 realized variance and its 1990–2017 portion, for which VIX and VXO became available. This may be indicative of a feedback effect that implied volatility has on realized volatility. We also discuss the distribution of the difference between squared implied volatility and realized variance and show that, at the basic level, it is consistent with Pearson's correlations obtained from linear regression.
Is there a systemic risk between Sharia, Sukuk, and GCC stock markets? A ΔCoVaR risk metric‐based copula approach
Authors: Al‐Yahyaee Khamis Hamed , Shahzad Syed Jawad Hussain , Mensi Walid , Yoon Seong‐Min
Published: August 2020

This study examines the dependence structure and systemic risk concerning Sukuk, Sharia, and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) stock markets. We first use copula functions to investigate the dependence structure between these markets, and subsequently, apply the conditional value‐at‐risk (CoVaR) and delta CoVaR (∆CoVaR) to assess the systemic risk. Results show evidence of time‐varying symmetric tail dependence between Islamic stock markets and GCC stock markets, except for Saudi Arabia in which an average tail dependence is observed. Sukuk has symmetric tail dependence with Bahrain, Oman, and Abu Dhabi; average dependence with Qatar and Saudi Arabia; and asymmetric tail dependence with Dubai and Kuwait. Importantly, no evidence of systemic risk for Islamic (DJIM and Sukuk) and Gulf stock markets was found.
A large constrained time‐varying portfolio selection model withDCC‐MIDAS: Evidence from Chinese stock market
Authors: Xu Qifa , Zuo Junqing , Jiang Cuixia , He Yaoyao
Published: August 2020

To solve a large portfolio selection, we propose a novel norm constrained time‐varying minimum variance model with DCC‐MIDAS, labelled as NC‐MVP‐DCC‐MIDAS. It applies the DCC‐MIDAS model to improve the estimation of dynamic correlations among financial assets by exploiting rich information contained in mixed frequency data. Additionally, it imposes norm constraints on the minimum variance portfolio with the elastic‐net penalty to pick a reasonable number of assets and prevent extreme positions in the resulting portfolio. Its superiority is illustrated via empirical studies on the construction of optimal sparse and stable portfolios with the constituent stocks in the Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE) 50 Index of China.
Does bank regulatory requirements affect risk‐taking behaviour of private banks in Ethiopia?
Authors: Ayele Getaneh Mihret
Published: August 2020

This study examines the effect of monetary policy instruments on bank risk‐taking behaviour of private commercial banks in Ethiopia. Using Panel Dynamic OLS estimator, the empirical results suggested that private banks would take more risks in response to lower regulatory capital ratio, lower reserve requirements, the expansion of domestic credit, and large real asset size in the long run. In addition, the dynamic causal interactions showed that bank risk‐taking Granger causes only bank size in the system, but both capital adequacy and liquidity ratio Granger causes bank risk‐taking and bank size. With estimation results of generalized impulse function, bank risk have generally have a positive shock in response to regulatory capital ratio while a negative shock in response to liquidity for the first two periods. The variance decomposition results also suggested that all variables are relatively exogenous, and the forecast error for all variables is largely explained by their own innovations.
Corporate governance and earnings management: A quantile regression approach
Authors: Feng Zhi‐Yuan , Huang Hua‐Wei
Published: August 2020

The effects of corporate governance (CG) on earnings management (EM) have been debated for many years. Thus, this paper explores this issue in a novel way that utilizes a quantile regression to revisit the association between CG mechanisms and EM. We find that a non‐uniform relation between CG mechanisms and EM for non‐financial U.S. firms does exist from 2007 to 2015. Specifically, the empirical evidence documents that CG mechanisms can effectively constrain earning manipulation among firms with higher discretionary accruals (High EM). However, this effect becomes insignificant for firms with medium and low levels of discretionary accruals (Low EM). The quantile‐varying results provide further support for the theoretical viewpoint that the CG mechanism can serve as an effective tool for supervising management in the financial accounting process but only in the case of firms with aggressive EM behaviour.