bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Catalase deficiency induces reactive oxygen species mediated pexophagy and cell death in the liver during prolonged fasting
Authors: Dutta Raghbendra Kumar , Maharjan Yunash , Lee Joon No , Park Channy , Ho Ye‐Shih , Park Raekil
Published: January 2021

Peroxisomes are dynamic organelles that participate in a diverse array of cellular processes, including β‐oxidation, which produces a considerable amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Although we showed that catalase depletion induces ROS‐mediated pexophagy in cells, the effect of catalase deficiency during conditions that favor ROS generation remains elusive in mice. In this study, we reported that prolonged fasting in catalase‐knockout (KO) mice drastically increased ROS production, which induced liver‐specific pexophagy, an autophagic degradation of peroxisomes. In addition, increased ROS generation induced the production of pro‐inflammatory cytokines in the liver tissues of catalase‐KO mice. Furthermore, there was a significant increase in the levels of aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase as well as apparent cell death in the liver of catalase‐KO mice during prolonged fasting. However, an intra‐peritoneal injection of the antioxidant N‐acetyl‐l‐cysteine (NAC) and autophagy inhibitor chloroquine inhibited the inflammatory response, liver damage, and pexophagy in the liver of catalase‐KO mice during prolonged fasting. Consistently, genetic ablation of autophagy, Atg5 led to suppression of pexophagy during catalase inhibition by 3‐aminotriazole (3AT). Moreover, treatment with chloroquine also ameliorated the inflammatory response and cell death in embryonic fibroblast cells from catalase‐KO mice. Taken together, our data suggest that ROS‐mediated liver‐specific pexophagy observed during prolonged fasting in catalase‐KO mice may be responsible for the process associated with hepatic cell death.
Pulmonary thromboendarterectomy for pulmonary hypertension linked to thalassemia
Authors: Izzat Mohammad Bashar , Aljasem Hazem , Izzat Ahmad Walid
Published: January 2021

This report supports the feasibility of pulmonary thromboendarterectomy in thalassemic patients, and highlights the need for a comprehensive evaluation of the cause of pulmonary hypertension prior to determining the likelihood of surgical cure.
A case of cystic duct syndrome
Authors: Yamashita Mampei , Hamada Takashi , Bekki Shigemune , Miura Shiro , Kuroki Tamotsu
Published: January 2021

In the diagnosis of gallbladder induced pain without gallstones, drip‐infusion cholangiographic computed tomography, and endoscopic retrograde cholangiography are useful in differentiating cystic duct syndrome.
Electrocoagulation Technique for Cephalothin Sodium Removal with Effective Sludge Management
Authors: Sankar Ramya , Varsha Aiswarya , Sivasubramanian V. , Ranjitha J.
Published: January 2021

The electrocoagulation technique is applied for the treatment of hazardous cephalothin sodium antibiotic wastewater. The interaction effects of the various parameters on the maximization of removal efficiency and minimization of energy consumption are evaluated through multivariable optimization. The disposal of sludge is effectively performed by soil stabilization. Scanning electron microscopy analysis of soil fused with sludge shows an ordered arrangement with reduced void space. The improvement of soil properties is confirmed by the change in soil expansiveness from low to moderate region and by an increase in compressive strength.
Improving Lithium‐Ion Diffusion Kinetics in Nano‐Si@C Anode Materials with Hierarchical MoS2 Decoration for High‐Performance Lithium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Ye Xiongbiao , Gan Chuanhai , Huang Liuqing , Qiu Yiwei , Xu Ying , Huang Liuying , Luo Xuetao
Published: January 2021

A carbon layer on a silicon anode not only acts as a structural buffer to alleviate the tremendous volume expansion of silicon, but also enhances electrical conductivity. However, the carbon layer cannot improve the diffusion kinetics of Li+. Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanosheets are introduced on the outermost layer of yolk‐shell silicon@carbon to design urchin‐like hierarchical anode materials, which is of great benefit in structural stability. By contrast with the yolk‐shell silicon@carbon structure, the diffusion coefficient of Li+ is improved, with 3.27 times greater performance during the delithiation processes and 2.04 times greater during the lithiation process with urchin‐like hierarchical structure, showing robust diffusion kinetics. Moreover, the MoS2 nanosheets are able to enhance the delithiation reversibility of Li15Si4 alloy formed during lithiation process. Because the MoS2 nanosheets promote the structural stability, delithiation reversibility, and diffusion kinetics of Li+ during lithiation/delithiation processes, the prepared hierarchical Si@C@MoS2 composites exhibit a high reversible specific capacity of 1025 mAh g−1 with a capacity retention of approximately 81 % after 400 cycles at a current density of 1000 mAh g−1, and the reversible specific capacity can reach 819 mAh g−1 even under a high rate of 5000 mA g−1.
Hospitalization deficit of in‐ and outpatient cases with cardiovascular diseases and utilization of cardiological interventions during the COVID‐19 pandemic: Insights from the German‐wide helios hospital network
Authors: König Sebastian , Ueberham Laura , Pellissier Vincent , Hohenstein Sven , Meier‐Hellmann Andreas , Thiele Holger , Ahmadli Vusal , Borger Michael A. , Kuhlen Ralf , Hindricks Gerhard , Bollmann Andreas ,   Helios hospitals, Germany
Published: January 2021

Background

Treatment numbers of various cardiovascular diseases were reduced throughout the early phase of the ongoing COVID‐19 pandemic. Aim of this study was to (a) expand previous study periods to examine the long‐term course of hospital admission numbers, (b) provide data for in‐ and outpatient care pathways, and (c) illustrate changes of numbers of cardiovascular procedures.

Methods and Results

Administrative data of patients with ICD‐10‐encoded primary diagnoses of cardiovascular diseases (heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias, ischemic heart disease, valvular heart disease, hypertension, peripheral vascular disease) and in‐ or outpatient treatment between March, 13th 2020 and September, 10th 2020 were analyzed and compared with 2019 data. Numbers of cardiovascular procedures were calculated using OPS‐codes. The cumulative hospital admission deficit (CumAD) was computed as the difference between expected and observed admissions for every week in 2020. In total, 80 hospitals contributed 294 361 patient cases to the database without relevant differences in baseline characteristics between the studied periods. There was a CumAD of −10% to −16% at the end of the study interval in 2020 for all disease groups driven to varying degrees by both reductions of in‐ and outpatient case numbers. The number of performed interventions was significantly reduced for all examined procedures (catheter ablations: −10%; cardiac electronic device implantations: −7%; percutaneous cardiovascular interventions: −9%; cardiovascular surgery: −15%).

Conclusions

This study provides data on the long‐term development of cardiovascular patient care during the COVID‐19 pandemic demonstrating a significant CumAD for several cardiovascular diseases and a concomitant performance deficit of cardiovascular interventions.
An efficient and novel data clustering and run length encoding approach to image compression
Authors: Oswald C. , Haritha E. , Akash Raja A. , Sivaselvan B.
Published: January 2021

The paper explores the domain of lossy compression, specifically incorporating data mining techniques in the process of image encoding. Clustering is employed to group similar pixels in the image and henceforth use cluster labels in compressing the image. The proposed approach replaces the Discrete Cosine Transform phase of Conventional JPEG with a combination of clustering and Run Length Encoding so as to handle redundant data in the image effectively. Simulation with respect to benchmark data indicates improved compression (42.5%) in relation to existing solutions. Image quality metrices such as PSNR, structural similarity have also been tested and it is observed that the proposed approach achieves significant compression ratio with negligible loss in visual quality.
An emotion analysis scheme based on Gray Wolf optimization and deep learning
Authors: Uçan Alaettin , Dörterler Murat , Akçapınar Sezer Ebru
Published: January 2021

Automatic detection of emotions in textual data masses provides priceless opportunities for researchers and also it is inevitable for practitioners. The unfavorable factors involved in text data cause ambiguity and adversely affect the performances of emotion classifiers. Although deep learning approaches spark off significantly successive results, the obtained performances of the classifiers in the literature are commonly evaluated as the overall accuracy. This incomplete evaluation ignores inner class performance and overall accuracy can behave as a hopeful evaluator. In this study, we employed deep learning and meta‐heuristic optimization methods together in order to resolve the ambiguity issue. Moreover, the decision mechanism of a conventional deep learning model is equipped with optimal emotion vectors obtained by optimization processes for each emotion class. Experimental results show that the proposed approach improves the inner class performance by maintaining the overall accuracy scores.
The contrasting short‐term effects of COVID‐19 on dental care practices in the United States
Authors: Diab Zeid , Shara Nawar , Chou Jiling , Libin Alexander , Kuhn Alexander , Farmer‐Dixon Cherae , Jackson Andrea , Hughes Bertram , Laurence Brian
Published: January 2021

Objectives

The study utilized a cross‐sectional survey to determine the short‐term effects of the COVID‐19 pandemic on dental care practices. The authors hypothesized that the effects of the pandemic would indicate differences based on the ethnicity of the participating dentist.

Materials and Methods

The survey was available online between June 1, 2020 and July 10, 2020, a period when many dental offices remained closed, and for the most part, unable to provide non‐emergency dental care. The link to the survey was made available to dentists through outreach to several national dental organizations. Descriptive statistics summarized the characteristics of the entire sample and Fisher's exact test was used to examine respondents' answers stratified by ethnicity using frequencies and percentages.

Results

All ethnic groups reported decreased revenue and African American dentists were the least likely to report a decrease in revenue compared to White and Other ethnic groups (84.2%, 87.2% and 92.9%). African American dentists were the most likely to report willingness to contribute to a task force to address the new challenges resulting from COVID‐19 when compared to White and Other ethnic groups (46.4%, 18.8%, and 29.6%, respectively). African American dentists were more likely to indicate a need for a stronger connection to academic programs as compared to White or Other dentists in order to address current and future challenges (12.3%, 0.0%, and 9.1%).

Conclusion

The COVID‐19 pandemic has affected dental practices differently, highlighting racial disparities, and strategies that factor in the race or ethnicity of the dentist and the communities in which they practice need to be considered to ensure that underserved communities receive needed resources.
Improved Redox Reaction of Lithium Polysulfides on the Interfacial Boundary of Polar CoC2O4 as a Polysulfide Catenator for a High‐Capacity Lithium‐Sulfur Battery
Authors: Kim Jin Won , Seo Gyuwon , Bong Sungyool , Lee Jaeyoung
Published: January 2021

Invited for this month's cover is the group of Jaeyoung Lee at the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology. The cover shows how the cobalt oxalates faced on the conductive carbon can act as an electrocatalyst to facilitate the redox reaction of lithium polysulfide at the cathode interface in lithium–sulfur batteries. The facilitated electrochemical redox reaction of lithium polysulfides was proved by a series of catenation reactions formed on the interfacial boundary area. The electrochemical performance was enhanced in terms of the specific capacity and long‐term cycle performance from the facilitated electrochemical activity. The Full Paper itself is available at 10.1002/cssc.202002140.
Influenza, but not SARS‐CoV‐2, infection induces a rapid interferon response that wanes with age and diminished tissue‐resident memory CD8+ T cells
Authors: Nguyen Thi HO , McAuley Julie L , Kim Youry , Zheng Ming ZM , Gherardin Nicholas A , Godfrey Dale I , Purcell Damian FJ , Sullivan Lucy C , Westall Glen P , Reading Patrick C , Kedzierska Katherine , Wakim Linda M
Published: January 2021

Older individuals exhibit a diminished ability to respond to and clear respiratory pathogens and, as such, experience a higher rate of lung infections with a higher mortality rate. It is unclear why respiratory pathogens impact older people disproportionately. Using human lung tissue from donors aged 22–68 years, we assessed how the immune cell landscape in lungs changes throughout life and investigated how these immune cells respond following in vitro exposure to influenza virus and SARS‐CoV‐2, two clinically relevant respiratory viruses. While the frequency of most immune cell subsets profiled in the human lung remained stable with age, memory CD8+ T cells declined, with the tissue‐resident memory (Trm) CD8+ T‐cell subset being most susceptible to age‐associated attrition. Infection of lung tissue with influenza virus resulted in an age‐associated attenuation in the antiviral immune response, with aged donors producing less type I interferon (IFN), GM‐CSF and IFNγ, the latter correlated with a reduction of IFNγ‐producing memory CD8+ T cells. In contrast, irrespective of donor age, exposure of human lung cells to SARS‐CoV‐2, a pathogen for which all donors were immunologically naïve, did not trigger activation of local immune cells and did not result in the induction of an early IFN response. Our findings show that the attrition of tissue‐bound pathogen‐specific Trm in the lung that occurs with advanced age, or their absence in immunologically naïve individuals, results in a diminished early antiviral immune response which creates a window of opportunity for respiratory pathogens to gain a greater foothold.
Self‐reported weight loss attempts and weight‐related stress in childhood: Heightening the risk of obesity in early adolescence
Authors: Harnois‐Leblanc Soren , Van Hulst Andraea , Sabiston Catherine M. , Maximova Katerina , Béland Mélanie , Doré Isabelle , Sylvestre Marie‐Pierre , Henderson Mélanie
Published: January 2021

Objective

Weight loss attempts occur as early as childhood. The impacts of weight loss attempts and weight‐related stress on the occurrence of obesity during childhood remain unknown. We aimed to: (a) assess the prevalence of self‐reported weight loss attempts and weight‐related stress in 8–10 year‐old children and (b) determine associations with adiposity 2 years later.

Method

Data were collected from a cohort study of 564 Canadian children aged 8–10 years, having one or both biological parents with obesity (Quebec Adipose and Lifestyle Investigation in Youth cohort). Self‐reported weight loss attempts and weight‐related stress were assessed at baseline in the child's questionnaire. Adiposity was measured at baseline and 2 years later using body mass index z‐scores (zBMI), waist‐to‐height ratio (WHtR), and percentage of body fat (%BF) obtained from dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry. Linear and logistic regression analyses were used while adjusting for potential confounders.

Results

Forty‐eight percent of children reported previous weight loss attempts and 20% reported weight‐related stress. Self‐reported weight loss attempts and weight‐related stress were associated with higher zBMI, WHtR, and %BF 2 years later in adjusted models, although estimates were attenuated when including baseline adiposity measures. Self‐reported weight loss attempts, but not weight‐related stress, increased the risk of becoming overweight among children who were normal weight at baseline.

Discussion

Weight loss attempts are prevalent in children with parental obesity. Children reporting weight loss attempts and weight‐related stress tend to have higher adiposity 2 years later and are more likely to become overweight.
Brain size variation along altitudinal gradients in the Asiatic Toad (Bufo gargarizans)
Authors: Yao Zhongyi , Qi Yin , Yue Bisong , Fu Jinzhong
Published: January 2021

Size changes in brain and brain regions along altitudinal gradients provide insight into the trade‐off between energetic expenditure and cognitive capacity. We investigated the brain size variations of the Asiatic Toad (Bufo gargarizans) across altitudes from 700 m to 3,200 m. A total of 325 individuals from 11 sites and two transects were sampled. To reduce confounding factors, all sampling sites within each transect were within a maximum distance of 85 km and an altitudinal difference close to 2,000 m. Brains were dissected, and five regions were both measured directly and with 3D CT scan. There is a significant negative correlation between the relative whole‐brain volume (to snout‐vent length) and altitude. Furthermore, the relative volumes (to whole‐brain volume) of optic tectum and cerebellum also decrease along the altitudinal gradients, while the telencephalon increases its relative volume along the gradients. Therefore, our results are mostly consistent with the expensive brain hypothesis and the functional constraint hypothesis. We suggest that most current hypotheses are not mutually exclusive and data supporting one hypothesis are often partially consistent with others. More studies on mechanisms are needed to explain the brain size evolution in natural populations.
Sacubitril/valsartan ameliorates cardiac hypertrophy and preserves diastolic function in cardiac pressure overload
Authors: Nordén Einar Sjaastad , Bendiksen Bård Andre , Andresen Henriette , Bergo Kaja Knudsen , Espe Emil Knut , Hasic Almira , Hauge‐Iversen Ida Marie , Veras Ioanni , Hussain Rizwan I. , Sjaastad Ivar , Christensen Geir , Cataliotti Alessandro
Published: January 2021

Aims

Sacubitril/valsartan (sac/val) has shown superior effect compared with blockade of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. We aimed to investigate effects of sac/val compared with valsartan in a pressure overload model of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

Methods and results

Sprague–Dawley rats underwent aortic banding or sham (n = 16) surgery and were randomized to sac/val (n = 28), valsartan (n = 29), or vehicle (n = 26) treatment for 8 weeks. Sac/val reduced left ventricular weight by 11% compared with vehicle (P = 0.01) and 9% compared with valsartan alone (P = 0.04). Only valsartan reduced blood pressure compared with sham (P = 0.02). Longitudinal early diastolic strain rate was preserved in sac/val compared with sham, while it was reduced by 23% in vehicle (P = 0.03) and 24% in valsartan (P = 0.02). Diastolic dysfunction, measured by E/e'SR, increased by 68% in vehicle (P < 0.01) and 80% in valsartan alone (P < 0.001), while sac/val showed no increase. Neither sac/val nor valsartan prevented interstitial fibrosis. Although ejection fraction was preserved, we observed mild systolic dysfunction, with vehicle showing a 28% decrease in longitudinal strain (P < 0.01). Neither sac/val nor valsartan treatment improved this dysfunction.

Conclusions

In a model of HFpEF induced by cardiac pressure overload, sac/val reduced hypertrophy compared with valsartan alone and ameliorated diastolic dysfunction. These effects were independent of blood pressure. Early systolic dysfunction was not affected, supporting the notion that sac/val has the largest potential in conditions characterized by reduced ejection fraction. Observed anti‐hypertrophic effects in preserved ejection fraction implicate potential benefit of sac/val in the clinical setting of hypertrophic remodelling and impaired diastolic function.
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation‐assisted emergency percutaneous treatment of left ventricular assist device graft occlusion
Authors: Stio Rocco Edoardo , Montalto Andrea , Feccia Mariano , Intorcia Alfredo , Buffa Vitaliano , Cesario Vincenzo , Petroni Giulia , De Felice Francesco , Musumeci Francesco
Published: January 2021

End‐stage heart failure is more often treated with Implantable left ventricular assist device (LVAD), even if the prolonged use may increase the risk of complications. In this case, a 51‐year‐old male patient presented to our emergency department showing acute heart failure signs and symptoms and a dramatic reduction of LVAD flow. Laboratory tests ruled out significant haemolysis, usually associated with pump thrombosis. The echocardiogram and the computed tomography were not able to clarify the correct diagnosis. We immediately placed a veno‐arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, followed by a selective retrograde angiography of the pump. The images showed stenosis of the LVAD‐outflow graft, suggesting a twist. Through a hand‐made J‐tip guidewire, we performed multiple dilatations of the occlusion using peripheral balloons. Finally, we implanted an aortic coarctation covered‐stent, re‐establishing an adequate cardiac output to the patient. Our case indicates that catheter‐based approach in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation assistance provides an important therapeutic alternative to treat outflow graft stenosis, especially in the case of acutely unstable patient.
1D Coordination Polymer Derived from Redox‐Active Digallane
Authors: Koptseva Tatyana S. , Bazyakina Natalia L. , Moskalev Mikhail V. , Baranov Evgeny V. , Fedushkin Igor L.
Published: January 2021

The reaction of [LGa−GaL] (1) (L=dpp‐bian=1,2‐bis[(2,6‐diisopropylphenyl)imino]acenaphthene) with 4,4′‐bipyridine (4,4‐bipy) results in the formation of complex [L2(4,4‐bipy)2Ga2] (2). The reaction of 1 with 1,3‐bis(4‐pyridyl)propane (1,3‐Py2(CH2)3) affords 1D coordination polymer [L2(μ2‐1,3‐Py2(CH2)3)Ga2]n (3). Compounds 2 and 3 were characterized by 1H NMR and IR spectroscopy; their molecular structures were established by single‐crystal X‐ray analysis.
Inhibition of ferroptosis‐like cell death attenuates neuropathic pain reactions induced by peripheral nerve injury in rats
Authors: Guo Yue , Du Jingyi , Xiao Cuicui , Xiang Ping , Deng Yifan , Hei Ziqing , Li Xiang
Published: January 2021

Background

Relationships between iron‐dependent ferroptosis and nerve system diseases have been recently revealed. However, the role of ferroptosis in neuropathic pain (NeP) remains to be elucidated. Thus, we aimed to investigate whether ferroptosis in spinal cord contributes to NeP induced by a chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve.

Methods

Forty Sprague‐Dawley rats received CCI or sham surgery, and were randomly assigned to the following four groups: sham group; CCI + LIP group; CCI + Veh group; and CCI group. Liproxstatin‐1 or corn oil were separately injected intraperitoneally for three consecutive days after surgery in the CCI + LIP or CCI + Veh group. The mechanical and thermal hypersensitivities were tested after surgery. Biochemical and morphological changes related to ferroptosis in the spinal cord were also assessed. These included iron content, glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and anti‐acyl‐CoA synthetase long‐chain family member 4 (ACSL4) expression, lipid peroxidation assays, as well as mitochondrial morphology.

Results

CCI‐induced NeP was followed by iron accumulation, increased lipid peroxidation and dysregulation of ACSL4 and GPX4. Moreover transmission electron microscopy confirmed the presence of aberrant morphological changes on mitochondrial, such as mitochondria shrinkage and membrane rupture. Furthermore, the administration of liproxstatin‐1 on CCI rats attenuated hypersensitivities, lowered the iron level, decreased spinal lipid peroxidation, restored the dysregulations in GPX4 and ACSL4 levels, and protected against CCI induced morphological changes in mitochondria.

Conclusions

Our findings indicated the involvement of ferroptosis in CCI induced NeP, and point to ferroptosis inhibitors such as liproxstatin‐1 as potential therapies for hypersensitivity induced by peripheral nerve injury.

Significance

The spinal ferroptosis‐like cell death was involved in the development of neuropathic pain resulted from peripheral nerve injury, and inhibition of ferroptosis by liproxstatin‐1 could alleviate mechanical and thermal hypersensitivities. This knowledge suggested that ferroptosis could represent a potential therapeutic target for neuropathic pain.
Fully transient stretchable fruit‐based battery as safe and environmentally friendly power source for wearable electronics
Authors: Wang Zifeng , Li Xue , Yang Zijie , Guo Hongchen , Tan Yu Jun , Susanto Glenys Jocelin , Cheng Wen , Yang Weidong , Tee Benjamin Chee Keong
Published: January 2021

Power sources with good mechanical compliance are essential for various flexible and stretchable electronics. However, most of the current energy storage devices comprise of hazardous materials that may cause environmental pollution when improperly disposed. We show the first example of a stretchable, yet fully degradable battery made from nontoxic and environmentally friendly materials such as fruit‐based gel electrolytes and cellulose paper electrodes. The battery exhibits an areal capacity of 2.9 μAh cm−2 at 40 μA cm−2, corresponding to a maximum energy density around 4.0 μW h cm−2 at 56 μW cm−2 power density. The biomaterials constituted battery shows good mechanical tolerance to twisting, bending, and stretching while powering various electronic devices when combined with kirigami. Importantly, the entire battery disintegrates readily in phosphate buffered saline/cellulase solution. We integrate the “green” battery with various sensors in wearable healthcare devices for pulsation sensing and low‐noise surface electromyography applications.

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Combined effects of Ziziphora clinopodioides essential oil and lysozyme to extend shelf life and control Listeria monocytogenes in Balkan‐style fresh sausage
Authors: Ajourloo Maryam , Khanjari Ali , Misaghi Ali , Akhondzadeh Basti Afshin , Kamkar Abolfazl , Yadegar Faezeh , Gholami Fatemeh , Khansavar Farzaneh , Fallah Fazel
Published: January 2021

This study was done to evaluate the effects of different concentrations of Ziziphora clinopodioides essential oil (ZCEO) (0, 0.1, and 0.3%) and lysozyme (0 and 400 µg/g) on control of Listeria (L.) monocytogenes and also microbial, chemical, and organoleptic properties of Balkan type fresh sausage under modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) during 13‐day storage at refrigerated condition. Results revealed that treated sausages had a slower rate of increase in microbial count than control and sausages containing ZCEO (0.3%) and lysozyme (400 µg/g) possess the lowest microbial count at the end of the storage period. A reduction between 0.90 and 2.05 log CFU/g in L. monocytogenes was recorded for the treated sausage samples in comparison with control samples after 13 days of storage. Based on chemical findings, at the end of the storage, TVB‐N value in the control sample gradually increased to 34.30 mg/100 g, whereas TVB‐N values of the treated samples with each of the lysozyme and ZCEO alone or in combination were below 25 mg/100 g during the entire storage period. The final TBARS value for the control sample was 0.58 mg malondialdehyde/kg, while the TBARS values for the treated samples remained lower as 0.46 mg malondialdehyde/kg. Regarding sensory attributes, adding ZCEO results in insignificant lower scores in odor and taste than control in the early days of the study (p > .05). It can be argued that ZCEO alone or in combination with lysozyme showed good antimicrobial and antioxidant activities and may have this potential to be used as a preservative in fresh sausage without any significant adverse sensory effects (p > .05).
Strong correspondence between prefrontal and visual representations during emotional perception
Authors: Park Doyoung , Kim Taehyun , Lee Sue‐Hyun
Published: January 2021

Emotion is thought to cause focal enhancement or distortion of certain components of memory, indicating a complex property of emotional modulation on memory rather than simple enhancement. However, the neural basis for detailed modulation of emotional memory contents has remained unclear. Here has been shown that the information processing of the prefrontal cortex differentially affects sensory representations during experience of emotional information compared with neutral information, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). It was found that during perception of emotional pictures, information representation in primary visual cortex (V1) significantly corresponded with the representations in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC). This correspondence was not observed for neutral pictures. Furthermore, participants with greater correspondence between visual and prefrontal representations showed better memory for high‐level semantic components but not for low‐level visual components of emotional stimuli. These results suggest that sensory representation during experience of emotional stimuli, compared with neutral stimuli, is more directly influenced by internally generated higher‐order information from the prefrontal cortex.
A new landmark for lingual artery identification during transoral surgery: Anatomic‐radiologic study
Authors: Gualtieri Tommaso , Verzeletti Vincenzo , Ferrari Marco , Perotti Pietro , Morello Riccardo , Taboni Stefano , Palumbo Giovanni , Ravanelli Marco , Rampinelli Vittorio , Mattavelli Davide , Paderno Alberto , Buffoli Barbara , Rodella Luigi Fabrizio , Nicolai Piero , Deganello Alberto
Published: January 2021

Background

A landmark for the identification of the lingual artery (LA) through a transoral perspective can provide surgeons with an easy method to prevent and manage intraoperative bleeding during transoral approach to the base of tongue (BOT).

Methods

Thirteen tongue and five head and neck specimens were dissected to identify and assess the reliability of the lingual point (LP) as a new landmark for the LA at BOT. The pathway of 42 LAs was radiologically evaluated; axial depth and vertical offset were measured for each LA.

Results

Dissection study: a description of LP is provided; the LA was easily identified in all specimens (36/36 sides) using LP as a landmark. Radiologic study: the mean depth of the LA was 4.2 mm, the mean vertical offset was 1.3 mm.

Conclusions

LP is a simple and reliable landmark for identification of the LA, potentially helping surgeons to prevent and manage intraoperative bleeding.
Typhoon rainfall impact on drip water δ18O in Xianyun cave, Southeast China
Authors: Yang Yunyue , Xu Tao , Zhang Xin , Ma Le , Lone Mahjoor Ahmad , Jiang Xiuyang
Published: January 2021

Precisely dated high‐resolution speleothems may record past typhoon events, however, the state of the art cave monitoring is a prerequisite to identify suitable stalagmites for the reconstruction of such events. With this motivation, we examined the isotopic composition (δ18O and d‐excess values) of rainfall, outside river, cave drip water, and an underground river in the Xianyun cave system, located in southeastern China. Monthly to bi‐monthly monitoring of environmental and isotopic conditions was conducted for 1 year, from December 2018 to December 2019, including a typhoon event (August 24, 2019 to August 26, 2019), called Bailu. The δ18O of rainfall samples over the cave and outside river water ranged from −9.7‰ to −1.9‰ and −8.2‰ to −6.3‰, respectively, while the δ18O of Typhoon Bailu rainfall and instantaneous outside river water ranged from −19.6‰ to −6.3‰ and −10.4‰ to −7.7‰, respectively. Typhoon Bailu‐induced rainfall showed distinctly negative δ18O values as compared to those of the monthly and bi‐monthly rainfall, exhibiting a three‐stage inverted U‐shaped variation characteristic. Four drip water monitoring sites inside the cave revealed low variations during the studied period with average values of −7.8‰, −8.0‰, −8.0‰, and −8.1‰. However, during the typhoon, the drip water δ18O values exhibited similar characteristic as outside rainfall but with just 0.2‰ negative deviation owing to precipitation amount and drip water source reservoir. The integration of rainfall amount with drip water source reservoir determines the degree to which a typhoon isotopic signature gets diluted during epikarst infiltration. This study provides the first instrumental evidence of typhoon signal in karst system in southeastern China. Our results imply that the δ18O of drip water in Xianyun cave can instantaneously respond to typhoon rainfall. However, the 0.2‰ shift in drip water δ18O is difficult to be recorded by speleothems. We suggest multi‐year monitoring to ascertain fully if the stalagmites could be used as paleotyphoon proxy.
High prevalence of clonal hematopoiesis‐type genomic abnormalities in cell‐freeDNAin invasive gliomas after treatment
Authors: Okamura Ryosuke , Piccioni David E. , Boichard Amélie , Lee Suzanna , Jimenez Rebecca E. , Sicklick Jason K. , Kato Shumei , Kurzrock Razelle
Published: January 2021

Plasma cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) is emerging as an important diagnostic tool in cancer. However, cfDNA alterations may differ from those in tissue and sometimes may reflect processes unrelated to the cancer, including clonal hematopoiesis (CH). We examined plasma cfDNA, tested by next‐generation sequencing (NGS), for characterized alterations (excluding variants of unknown significance) in 135 patients with invasive glioma. Overall, 21% (28/135) had ≥1 alteration; 17% (23/135) had CH‐type cfDNA mutations. Temozolomide (a mutagenic alkylating agent) with concurrent radiation therapy prior to blood draw was significantly associated with an increase in CH‐type mutations, even after age, race/ethnicity, and WHO‐grade were considered as confounders (odds ratio [95% confidence interval, CI] 8.98 [1.13‐71.46];P= .04; multivariable analysis). Further, of 18 patients with invasive glioma who had both cfDNA and tissue DNA NGS and had ≥1 cfDNA alteration, 16 (89%) had ≥1 cfDNA alteration not found in their tissue DNA, including CH‐type alterations in genes such asTP53(most common),ATM,GNAS, andJAK2. Altogether, 87% of cfDNA alterations (20/23) observed in the 18 patients were implicated in CH. Finally, examining all 135 patients, CH‐type cfDNA mutations were an independent prognostic factor for shorter survival (hazard ratio [95% CI] 3.28 [1.28‐8.40];P= .01). These findings emphasize that not all characterized cfDNA alterations detected in patients with solid tumors are cancer‐related. Importantly, in patients with invasive gliomas who have had prior temozolomide and radiation, CH‐related alterations in cfDNA are frequent and correlate with poor outcomes.
Comparison of vaginal self‐sampling and cervical sampling by medical professionals for the detection of HPV and CIN2+: A randomized study
Authors: Aarnio Riina , Isacson Isabella , Sanner Karin , Gustavsson Inger , Gyllensten Ulf , Olovsson Matts
Published: January 2021

Primary screening with human papillomavirus (HPV) test is more effective in reducing cervical cancer incidence than cytology and it also offers the opportunity to self‐sample. We conducted a randomized study to compare vaginal self‐sampling with cervical sampling by medical professionals for HPV testing concerning prevalence of HPV and detection of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) of grade 2 or worse (CIN2+) or grade 3 or worse (CIN3+) in primary screening. In total, 11 951 women aged 30‐60 years were randomized into two groups, 5961 for self‐sampling (SS arm) and 5990 for sampling by medical professionals (SMP arm). Sampling was performed with a RoversViba‐brush in the SS arm and a cytobrush in the SMP arm. All samples were applied to an indicating FTA elute card and analyzed for HPV using a clinically validated real‐time PCR test (hpVIR). All HPV‐positive women performed repeated sampling about 6 months later using the same procedure as used initially. All HPV‐positive women in the second sampling were referred to colposcopy. The prevalence of HPV in the first test did not differ between the SS arm (6.8%, 167/2466) and the SMP arm (7.8%, 118/1519) (P = .255). The prevalence of CIN2+ per 1000 screened women was 17 (43/2466 × 1000) (95%CI 13‐24) in the SS arm and 21 (32/1519 × 1000) (95%CI 15‐30) in the SMP arm. For CIN3+, the prevalence per 1000 screened women was 14 (35/2466 × 1000) (95%CI 10‐20) in the SS arm and 15 (23/1519 × 1000) (95%CI 10‐23) in the SMP arm. In conclusion, self‐sampling and sampling by medical professionals showed the same prevalence of HPV and detection rate of CIN2+ and CIN3+ in histology.
Investor sentiment and volatility of exchange‐traded funds: Evidence from China
Authors: Yang Chunpeng , Chi Jun
Published: January 2021

This study examines the relationship between fund‐level investor sentiment and return volatility of exchange‐traded funds (ETFs). We use the first principle component to form a composite fund‐level investor sentiment index that is based on the common variation in four underlying proxies for individual fund sentiment for each ETF: relative strengthen index, psychological line index, Bull and Bear Index and trading volume. And we employ the GARCH model and the EGARCH model to estimate daily ETFs' return volatility, respectively. In our tests, the panel data regressive analysis reveals that investor sentiment reliably predicts ETFs' return volatility in different periods of sentiment state. Specifically, return volatility increases with investor sentiment in the periods of high‐sentiment state, and decreases with investor sentiment in the periods of low‐sentiment state. Furthermore, the panel quantile regression results exhibit nonlinear patterns across the quantiles obviously: weaker effects for lower quantiles and stronger effects for higher quantiles in general. More importantly, the empirical results are stable across different conditional variance models.
The morphology and histology of the female reproductive system of Pseudochorthippus parallelus parallelus (Zetterstedt, 1821) (Orthoptera, Acrididae) and the histochemical features of the yolk granules
Authors: Amutkan Mutlu Damla
Published: January 2021

Since insects belonging to the Acrididae family have different nutritional preferences, and their physical characteristics differ, they pose a problem in classification for taxonomists. In order to remove this confusion, the biology of the species belonging to this family should be well known. Therefore, the morphology and histology of the female reproductive system of Pseudochorthippus parallelus parallelus (Zetterstedt, 1821) (Orthoptera, Acrididae) and histochemical content of the yolk granules accumulating in oocyte cytoplasm have been studied by using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy in this paper. The reproductive system of females of this species has five or six ovarioles in each ovary. The histological data revealed that the ovary of P. parallelus parallelus is of panoistic type, with each ovariole divided into a terminal filament, a germarium, a vitellarium, and a pedicel. The histochemical features of the yolk granules which accumulate in the oocyte cytoplasm have been also identified. During the oocyte developmental stage, the accumulation of progressively larger yolk granules has been observed in the ooplasm. Histochemical staining has revealed that these yolk granules are in protein and carbohydrate structures.
A novel cause of DKC1‐related bone marrow failure: Partial deletion of the 3′ untranslated region
Authors: Arthur Jonathan W. , Pickett Hilda A. , Barbaro Pasquale M. , Kilo Tatjana , Vasireddy Raja S. , Beilharz Traude H. , Powell David R. , Hackett Emma L. , Bennetts Bruce , Curtin Julie A. , Jones Kristi , Christodoulou John , Reddel Roger R. , Teo Juliana , Bryan Tracy M.
Published: January 2021

Telomere biology disorders (TBDs), including dyskeratosis congenita (DC), are a group of rare inherited diseases characterized by very short telomeres. Mutations in the components of the enzyme telomerase can lead to insufficient telomere maintenance in hematopoietic stem cells, resulting in the bone marrow failure that is characteristic of these disorders. While an increasing number of genes are being linked to TBDs, the causative mutation remains unidentified in 30‐40% of patients with DC. There is therefore a need for whole genome sequencing (WGS) in these families to identify novel genes, or mutations in regulatory regions of known disease‐causing genes. Here we describe a family in which a partial deletion of the 3′ untranslated region (3′ UTR) of DKC1, encoding the protein dyskerin, was identified by WGS, despite being missed by whole exome sequencing. The deletion segregated with disease across the family and resulted in reduced levels of DKC1 mRNA in the proband. We demonstrate that the DKC1 3′ UTR contains two polyadenylation signals, both of which were removed by this deletion, likely causing mRNA instability. Consistent with the major function of dyskerin in stabilization of the RNA subunit of telomerase, hTR, the level of hTR was also reduced in the proband, providing a molecular basis for his very short telomeres. This study demonstrates that the terminal region of the 3′ UTR of the DKC1 gene is essential for gene function and illustrates the importance of analyzing regulatory regions of the genome for molecular diagnosis of inherited disease.
The living will: Patients should be informed of the risks
Authors: Kurin Michael , Mirarchi Ferdinando
Published: January 2021

Living wills are designed to ensure that patients’ preferences will be respected at the end of life should they lose capacity to make decisions. However, data on living will use suggest there are barriers to achieving this objective. Moreover, there is evidence that completion of a living will creates a risk of an unwanted outcome: the potential for premature withdrawal of interventions. We suggest a multifaceted approach to improve the ability of living wills to achieve their goals. However, acknowledgment of the current reality should oblige providers offering a living will to their patients to present a balanced view of living wills that includes enumeration of the risk, barriers to achieving the purported benefits, and alternatives to completing a living will, in addition to discussion of the potential benefits. This requires a change in current practice that would encourage shared decision making regarding whether completing a living will or other type of advance directive is desired by the patient and discourage the proliferation of living wills completed without providing these important advantages and disadvantages to the patient.
The use of personal protective equipment during the COVID‐19 pandemic in a tertiary pediatric hospital
Authors: Dibbs Rami P. , Ferry Andrew M. , Enochs Joyce , Ward Amanda , Glover Chris D. , Archer Nakeisha , Taylor Kimberly D. , Almaguer‐Bravo Judy , Hollier Larry H.
Published: January 2021

The provision of health care in the perioperative setting has undergone significant changes due to severe respiratory distress syndrome coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2). Hospital facilities have been tasked with developing and implementing personal protective equipment (PPE) protocols to protect both medical providers and patients. Texas Children's Hospital has created a set of protocols for donning and doffing PPE while managing surgical pediatric patients. These requirements have undergone numerous modifications as a result of our internal infrastructural recommendations and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, which has led to more lenient regulations. While these perioperative PPE protocols were less stringent compared to the original guidelines, we were able to create a safe surgical environment without further exposing patients and health care providers to SARS‐CoV‐2. In this article, we detail the design, distribution, implementation, and modification of our institutional surgical PPE protocols.
Ligand fishing based on bioaffinity ultrafiltration for screening xanthine oxidase inhibitors from citrus plants
Authors: Dong Xin , Wang Bin , Cao Jun , Zheng Hui , Ye Li‐Hong
Published: January 2021

Citrus plants are valuable medicinal plants with abundant flavonoids content in the parts of fruits and peels, which exhibit potential hypouricemic effect. In the present study, a ligand fishing assay was performed based on bio‐affinity ultrafiltration for rapidly screening and identifying xanthine oxidase inhibitors from citrus plants. Under the optimal experimental conditions, five potential ligands were fished out when xanthine oxidase acted as the targeted protein. Subsequently, the chemical structures of all five compounds were identified by quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry. Among them, hesperidin and naringin were confirmed as high‐efficiency xanthine oxidase inhibitors. The half maximal inhibitory concentration values of hesperidin and naringin were 0.15 and 1.82 μM, respectively. Compared with the clinical antigout drug, allopurinol (half maximal inhibitory concentration = 8.03 μM), lower half maximal inhibitory concentration values indicated higher enzyme inhibitory activity. The Lineweaver–Burk plots indicated that the two compounds inhibited xanthine oxidase in a noncompetitive manner. The results demonstrate that the bioaffinity ultrafiltration method is a powerful tool for screening out xanthine oxidase inhibitors from natural products.
Modern reactivations of a thick colluvial landslide reconstructed from dendrochronology: the example of the Xiakou landslide, China
Authors: Bai Shibiao , Lu Ping
Published: January 2021

In this study, we investigated two types of growth disturbance (GD) in tree‐ring sequences, namely, the abrupt growth reduction in annual tree‐ring width, and the formation of reaction wood, in tree stems growing on the thick colluvial Xiakou landslide in China. In total, 96 GDs were identified in 183 core samples that were acquired from the 81 trees on the Xiakou landslide, revealing nine reactivation phases of the landslide body over the past 30 years. These reactivations were found to have occurred in the years of 1987, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2006, and 2007. Further hazard analysis indicated that the probability of landslide reactivation in 20 years was highest in the upper body of the landslide and on the boundaries where the new and old landslides meet. In contrast, the most stable region was the lower landslide body. Under the circumstances of an extreme lack of historical data, this work demonstrated the usefulness of dendrochronology in reconstructing modern reactivations over the past 30 years for a giant, deep‐seated, colluvial landslide with a volume exceeding approximately 10 million m3. This study has broader impacts because landslides in colluvium are a globally common types of land degradation.
In Situ AFM Observation of Folded‐Chain Crystallization of a Low‐Molecular‐Weight Isotactic Poly(methyl methacrylate) in a Langmuir Monolayer at the Molecular Level
Authors: Ono Yuki , Kumaki Jiro
Published: January 2021

The formation of folded‐chain crystals (FCC) of a low‐molecular‐weight isotactic poly(methyl methacrylate) (it‐PMMA) in a Langmuir monolayer on mica is observed under high humidity by in situ atomic force microscopy at the molecular level. The size of the smallest FCC formed corresponds to the size of a crystal composed of a single chain (single‐chain crystal), and the crystals grow in a stepwise manner with steps comparable to a single chain. The crystal of it‐PMMA is composed of a double‐stranded helix, and taking into account the molecular weight dependence of the crystal growth, it is concluded that a single chain intramolecularly intertwines to form a double‐stranded helix quantitatively that further intramolecularly folds to form the single‐chain crystal, and the crystal grows with the unit of the single‐chain crystal. The crystallization process is also successfully observed in detail at the molecular level: an amorphous single chain is deposited and spread on a crystal growth plane as new stems to grow the crystal.