bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Attitudes Towards Cousin Marriages: Findings Among Young People from Mexico
Authors: Buunk Abraham P. , Massar Karlijn
Published: April 2020

The present research examined how life history and resistance against interethnic mating were related to positive and negative attitudes towards cousin marriages among young people aged between 15 and 25 from a rural area in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. The sample included three ethnic groups: Mestizos (people of mixed Spanish and indigenous descent, n = 84), indigenous Mixtecs (n = 83), and Afro-Mexicans (n = 33). In general, respondents reported more negative than positive attitudes towards cousin marriage. Among the Mestizos, but not in the other ethnic groups, women reported more negative attitudes than men did. The main objections against marrying a cousin were that it might lead to family conflict and might result in genetic defects of one’s offspring. The main positive aspect of cousin marriage that participants mentioned was that one would marry someone with the same values. The ethnic groups did not differ in their attitudes towards cousin marriages. A slower life history was related to a more negative (but not a less positive) attitude towards cousin marriages, whereas resistance against out-group mating was related to a more positive (but not a less negative) attitude towards cousin marriages. The implications of the results are discussed in the context of life history theory, the benefits of in-group marriage, and the potential positive and negative effects of cousin marriages.
Influence of High Chloride Concentration on pH Control in Hydroxide Precipitation of Heavy Metals
Authors: Stec Marcin , Jagustyn Barbara , Słowik Krzysztof , Ściążko Marek , Iluk Tomasz
Published: April 2020

Removal of zinc and cadmium from highly saline solutions by hydroxide precipitation is discussed. Experimental solubilities of zinc and cadmium in highly saline solutions were compared to modeled results obtained using Pitzer’s approach. An amphoteric character of zinc and cadmium and an influence of chloride ion on the concentration of dissolved metals were investigated. In order to avoid errors linked to pH measurements in concentrated aqueous solutions, the method of calibration of glass pH electrodes was developed and evaluated. The method uses easily prepared buffers whose pHs were determined with the Pitzer ion-interaction approach. The presented investigations address two issues of high significance in industrial wastewater treatment, namely: precise pH measurements and rigorous modeling of highly saline wastewaters. The results can be implemented in the treatment of hydrometallurgical wastewaters such as zinc refinery wastewater. Additionally, an implementation of the presented investigations is not limited to wastewater treatment but can easily be extended to other high-chloride metallurgical processes wherein the pH measurements in highly saline streams are required.

Graphical Abstract
How to Surge to Face the SARS-CoV-2 Outbreak: Lessons Learned From Lombardy, Italy
Authors: Faccincani Roberto , Pascucci Federico , Lennquist Sten
Published: April 2020

Italy is fighting against one of the worst medical emergency since the 1918 Spanish Flu. Pressure on the hospitals is tremendous. As for official data on March 14th: 8372 admitted in hospitals, 1518 in intensive care units, 1441 deaths (175 more than the day before). Unfortunately, hospitals are not prepared: even where a plan for massive influx of patients is present, it usually focuses on sudden onset disaster trauma victims (the most probable case scenario), and it has not been tested, validated, or propagated to the staff. Despite this, the All Hazards Approach for management of major incidents and disasters is still valid and the “4S” theory (staff, stuff, structure, systems) for surge capacity can be guidance to respond to this disaster.
Fall detection for elderly-people monitoring using learned features and recurrent neural networks
Authors: Berardini Daniele , Moccia Sara , Migliorelli Lucia , Pacifici Iacopo , di Massimo Paolo , Paolanti Marina , Frontoni Emanuele
Published: April 2020

Elderly care is becoming a relevant issue with the increase of population ageing. Fall injuries, with their impact on social and healthcare cost, represent one of the biggest concerns over the years. Researchers are focusing their attention on several fall-detection algorithms. In this paper, we present a deep-learning solution for automatic fall detection from RGB videos. The proposed approach achieved a mean recall of 0.916, prompting the possibility of translating this approach in the actual monitoring practice. Moreover to enable the scientific community making research on the topic the dataset used for our experiments will be released. This could enhance elderly people safety and quality of life, attenuating risks during elderly activities of daily living with reduced healthcare costs as a final result.
The Rapid Rise and Fall of Cerros, Belize: A Generational Approach to Chronology
Authors: Vadala Jeffrey R. , Walker Debra S.
Published: April 2020

In this article, we use the precision of Bayesian modeled radiocarbon dates to reconstruct a generational history of Late Preclassic (300 BC–AD 250) Cerros (Cerro Maya), Belize. This research was made possible by long-curated excavation records and material remains now housed at the Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville. Our interpretations build on earlier research and refine the temporal resolution significantly, enabling us to view site development from the perspective of adjacent generations sharing a lived experience. Here we examine material evidence of their collective actions as they built new buildings and renovated aging ones, characterizing their roles in inventing a visual future for the Late Preclassic Maya port that engaged ancestral actions while reinventing the landscape.
A robust test for X-chromosome genetic association accounting for X-chromosome inactivation and imprinting
Authors: Zhang Yu , Xu Si-Qi , Liu Wei , Fung Wing Kam , Zhou Ji-Yuan
Published: April 2020

The X chromosome is known to play an important role in many sex-specific diseases. However, only a few single-nucleotide polymorphisms on the X chromosome have been found to be associated with diseases. Compared to the autosomes, conducting association tests on the X chromosome is more intractable due to the difference in the number of X chromosomes between females and males. On the other hand, X-chromosome inactivation takes place in female mammals, which is a phenomenon in which the expression of one copy of two X chromosomes in females is silenced in order to achieve the same gene expression level as that in males. In addition, imprinting effects may be related to certain diseases. Currently, there are some existing approaches taking X-chromosome inactivation into account when testing for associations on the X chromosome. However, none of them allows for imprinting effects. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a robust test, ZXCII, which accounts for both X-chromosome inactivation and imprinting effects without requiring specifying the genetic models in advance. Simulation studies are conducted in order to investigate the validity and performance of ZXCII under various scenarios of different parameter values. The simulation results show that ZXCII controls the type I error rate well when there is no association. Furthermore, with regards to power, ZXCII is robust in all of the situations considered and generally outperforms most of the existing methods in the presence of imprinting effects, especially under complete imprinting effects.
An artificial intelligence algorithm that identifies middle turbinate pneumatisation (concha bullosa) on sinus computed tomography scans
Authors: Parmar P , Habib A-R , Mendis D , Daniel A , Duvnjak M , Ho J , Smith M , Roshan D , Wong E , Singh N
Published: April 2020

Objective

Convolutional neural networks are a subclass of deep learning or artificial intelligence that are predominantly used for image analysis and classification. This proof-of-concept study attempts to train a convolutional neural network algorithm that can reliably determine if the middle turbinate is pneumatised (concha bullosa) on coronal sinus computed tomography images.

Method

Consecutive high-resolution computed tomography scans of the paranasal sinuses were retrospectively collected between January 2016 and December 2018 at a tertiary rhinology hospital in Australia. The classification layer of Inception-V3 was retrained in Python using a transfer learning method to interpret the computed tomography images. Segmentation analysis was also performed in an attempt to increase diagnostic accuracy.

Results

The trained convolutional neural network was found to have diagnostic accuracy of 81 per cent (95 per cent confidence interval: 73.0–89.0 per cent) with an area under the curve of 0.93.

Conclusion

A trained convolutional neural network algorithm appears to successfully identify pneumatisation of the middle turbinate with high accuracy. Further studies can be pursued to test its ability in other clinically important anatomical variants in otolaryngology and rhinology.
Isolated pituitary fossa metastasis from a primary tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma: case report
Authors: Merchant H , Rye D S , Smith J A
Published: April 2020

Objective

This paper presents a case of an isolated pituitary fossa metastasis on a background of a previously treated tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma.

Case report

A 64-year-old male, diagnosed with a primary p16-negative squamous cell carcinoma in the right tonsil, was treated with a course of chemoradiotherapy with curative intent. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography, performed at six months post-treatment, revealed a good local response and no distant metastases. The patient was placed on routine follow up at two-monthly intervals. Two months into follow up, he presented with a right-sided oculomotor nerve palsy and partial Horner's syndrome. Imaging and biopsy revealed a pituitary fossa metastasis (p16-negative squamous cell carcinoma), and a further positron emission tomography/computed tomography visualised this lesion. He was deemed unsuitable for further intervention and underwent palliative radiotherapy for symptom control.

Conclusion

This case represents the first reported isolated pituitary fossa metastasis from a tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma. A high degree of clinical suspicion is recommended, along with a low threshold for biopsy and a cautioned use of positron emission tomography/computed tomography, when investigating such patients.
Frontier Anxieties: Toward a Social History of Muslim-Christian Relations on the Ottoman-Habsburg Border
Authors: Hajdarpasic Edin
Published: April 2020

This article reframes the formation of the Ottoman-Habsburg frontier after 1699 in social historical terms. By going beyond diplomatic and military factors, it identifies how the contraction of Ottoman borders affected taxation, landholding, and Muslim-Christian relations in Bosnia. The article argues that peasants in Ottoman Bosnia experienced the mounting pressures of increasing taxation, manipulation over landownership, and religiously inflected hostility, often driven by those Muslim noblemen who tried to capitalize on the destabilizing wake of several wars that the Ottoman Empire fought with the Habsburg, Venetian, and Russian states in the eighteenth century. Through these processes, by the end of the century the meaning of thereayaorraya—an Ottoman term for taxpaying “subjects” that theoretically applied to all denominations, including Muslims—had become synonymous with “Christians,” acquiring a new political significance.
Remembering Colonialism and Encountering Refugees: Decolonization in Jenny Erpenbeck’s Go, Went, Gone
Authors: Zhang Chunjie
Published: April 2020

This article reads the German writer Jenny Erpenbeckʼs influential novel Go, Went, Gone (2015) as a significant contribution to connecting the current refugee problematic to the decolonization discourse in the German and European public sphere. Along with the public discussions about looted art objects during German colonialism in existing German museums and the emerging Humboldt Forum, the novel registers a shift in the culture of collective memory from a singular focus on the holocaust toward a more inclusive and more connected memory of multiple pasts of violence and atrocity, including German colonialism. This multilayered memory reveals the refugee problem not as something external and unexpected but as something that is deeply connected to German and European history. The novelʼs protagonist Richard, an educated former East German, is the novelistʼs experiment to articulate the urgent need for decolonization as a possible solution toward the refugee problematic. The novel depicts the reality and imagines a decolonized world in which less discrimination, less exclusion, more hospitality, and more acceptance might be possible.
Intermittent signals and planetary days in SETI
Authors: Gray Robert H.
Published: April 2020

Interstellar signals might be intermittent for many reasons, such as targeted sequential transmissions, isotropic broadcasts that are not 'on' continuously or many other reasons. The time interval between such signals would be important, because searchers would need to observe for long enough to achieve an initial detection and possibly determine a period. This article suggests that: (1) the power requirements of interstellar transmissions could be reduced by orders of magnitude by strategies that would result in intermittent signals, (2) planetary rotation might constrain some transmissions to be intermittent and in some cases to have the period of the source planet, and (3) signals constrained by planetary rotation might often have a cadence in the range of 10–25 h, if the majority of planets in our Solar system are taken as a guide. Extended observations might be needed to detect intermittent signals and are rarely used in SETI but are feasible, and seem appropriate when observing large concentrations of stars or following up on good candidate signals.
BUDDHA AND HARD ELIMINATIVISM
Authors: Heideman O'Ryan
Published: April 2020

An appropriate description for the Buddha's philosophy of persons within the frame of materialist philosophy of mind, prima facie, would understandably be a kind of reductionism, given that the Buddha reduced the self to nothing but a collection of impersonal and impermanent psychophysical elements. In this article, I argue that this view is only appropriate for understanding the self within conventional reality, as is the term used by Buddhists, and does not tackle the other half, namely, ultimate reality. I claim that eliminative materialism provides a more accurate description of the Buddha's prescriptive practice, and although falling prey to the same problems that reductionism faces, creates a good basis for an alternative position of the Buddha as a Hard Eliminativist.
Scheingross Receives 2019 Luna B. Leopold Young Scientist Award
Authors:   AGU
Published: April 2020

Joel Scheingross received the 2019 Luna B. Leopold Young Scientist Award at AGU’s Fall Meeting 2019, held 9–13 December in San Francisco, Calif. The award recognizes a young scientist for “a significant and outstanding contribution that advances the field of Earth and planetary surface processes.”
Phosphorylation of BCKDK of BCAA catabolism at Y246 by Src promotes metastasis of colorectal cancer
Authors: Tian Qin , Yuan Ping , Quan Chuntao , Li Mingyang , Xiao Juanjuan , Zhang Lu , Lu Hui , Ma Tengfei , Zou Ling , Wang Fei , Xue Peipei , Ni Xiaofang , Wang Wei , Liu Lin , Wang Zhe , Zhu Feng , Duan Qiuhong
Published: April 2020

Branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase kinase (BCKDK), the key enzyme of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) metabolism, has been reported to promote colorectal cancer (CRC) tumorigenesis by upregulating the MEK-ERK signaling pathway. However, the profile of BCKDK in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) remains unknown. Here, we report a novel role of BCKDK in mCRC. BCKDK is upregulated in CRC tissues. Increased BCKDK expression was associated with metastasis and poor clinical prognosis in CRC patients. Knockdown of BCKDK decreased CRC cell migration and invasion ex vivo, and lung metastasis in vivo. BCKDK promoted the epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) program, by decreasing the expression of E-cadherin, epithelial marker, and increasing the expression of N-cadherin and Vimentin, which are mesenchymal markers. Moreover, BCKDK-knockdown experiments in combination with phosphoproteomics analysis revealed the potent role of BCKDK in modulating multiple signal transduction pathways, including EMT and metastasis. Src phosphorylated BCKDK at the tyrosine 246 (Y246) site in vitro and ex vivo. Knockdown and knockout of Src downregulated the phosphorylation of BCKDK. Importantly, phosphorylation of BCKDK by Src enhanced the activity and stability of BCKDK, thereby promoting the migration, invasion, and EMT of CRC cells. In summary, the identification of BCKDK as a novel prometastatic factor in human CRC will be beneficial for further diagnostic biomarker studies and suggests novel targeting opportunities.
Histone demethylase JMJD1A promotes expression of DNA repair factors and radio-resistance of prostate cancer cells
Authors: Fan Lingling , Xu Songhui , Zhang Fengbo , Cui Xiaolu , Fazli Ladan , Gleave Martin , Clark David J. , Yang Austin , Hussain Arif , Rassool Feyruz , Qi Jianfei
Published: April 2020

The DNA damage response (DDR) pathway is a promising target for anticancer therapies. The androgen receptor and myeloblastosis transcription factors have been reported to regulate expression of an overlapping set of DDR genes in prostate cancer cells. Here, we found that histone demethylase JMJD1A regulates expression of a different set of DDR genes largely through c-Myc. Inhibition of JMJD1A delayed the resolution of γ-H2AX foci, reduced the formation of foci containing ubiquitin, 53BP1, BRCA1 or Rad51, and inhibited the reporter activity of double-strand break (DSB) repair. Mechanistically, JMJD1A regulated expression of DDR genes by increasing not only the level but also the chromatin recruitment of c-Myc through H3K9 demethylation. Further, we found that ubiquitin ligase HUWE1 induced the K27-/K29-linked noncanonical ubiquitination of JMJD1A at lysine-918. Ablation of the JMJD1A noncanonical ubiquitination lowered DDR gene expression, impaired DSB repair, and sensitized response of prostate cells to irradiation, topoisomerase inhibitors or PARP inhibitors. Thus, development of agents that target JMJD1A or its noncanonical ubiquitination may sensitize the response of prostate cancer to radiotherapy and possibly also genotoxic therapy.
Author Correction: Greenhouse gas emissions resulting from conversion of peat swamp forest to oil palm plantation
Authors: Cooper Hannah V. , Evers Stephanie , Aplin Paul , Crout Neil , Bin Dahalan Mohd Puat , Sjogersten Sofie
Published: April 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Vibron-assisted spin excitation in a magnetically anisotropic molecule
Authors: Bachellier N. , Verlhac B. , Garnier L. , Zaldívar J. , Rubio-Verdú C. , Abufager P. , Ormaza M. , Choi D.-J. , Bocquet M.-L. , Pascual J. I. , Lorente N. , Limot L.
Published: April 2020

The electrical control and readout of molecular spin states are key for high-density storage. Expectations are that electrically-driven spin and vibrational excitations in a molecule should give rise to new conductance features in the presence of magnetic anisotropy, offering alternative routes to study and, ultimately, manipulate molecular magnetism. Here, we use inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy to promote and detect the excited spin states of a prototypical molecule with magnetic anisotropy. We demonstrate the existence of a vibron-assisted spin excitation that can exceed in energy and in amplitude a simple excitation among spin states. This excitation, which can be quenched by structural changes in the magnetic molecule, is explained using first-principles calculations that include dynamical electronic correlations.
Endothelialization of arterial vascular grafts by circulating monocytes
Authors: Smith Randall J. , Nasiri Bita , Kann Julien , Yergeau Donald , Bard Jonathan E. , Swartz Daniel D. , Andreadis Stelios T.
Published: April 2020

Recently our group demonstrated that acellular tissue engineered vessels (A-TEVs) comprised of small intestinal submucosa (SIS) immobilized with heparin and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) could be implanted into the arterial system of a pre-clinical ovine animal model, where they endothelialized within one month and remained patent. Here we report that immobilized VEGF captures blood circulating monocytes (MC) with high specificity under a range of shear stresses. Adherent MC differentiate into a mixed endothelial (EC) and macrophage (Mφ) phenotype and further develop into mature EC that align in the direction of flow and produce nitric oxide under high shear stress. In-vivo, newly recruited cells on the vascular lumen express MC markers and at later times they co-express MC and EC-specific proteins and maintain graft patency. This novel finding indicates that the highly prevalent circulating MC contribute directly to the endothelialization of acellular vascular grafts under the right chemical and biomechanical cues.
Effective CRISPRa-mediated control of gene expression in bacteria must overcome strict target site requirements
Authors: Fontana Jason , Dong Chen , Kiattisewee Cholpisit , Chavali Venkata P. , Tickman Benjamin I. , Carothers James M. , Zalatan Jesse G.
Published: April 2020

In bacterial systems, CRISPR-Cas transcriptional activation (CRISPRa) has the potential to dramatically expand our ability to regulate gene expression, but we lack predictive rules for designing effective gRNA target sites. Here, we identify multiple features of bacterial promoters that impose stringent requirements on CRISPRa target sites. Notably, we observe narrow, 2–4 base windows of effective sites with a periodicity corresponding to one helical turn of DNA, spanning ~40 bases and centered ~80 bases upstream of the TSS. However, we also identify two features suggesting the potential for broad scope: CRISPRa is effective at a broad range of σ70-family promoters, and an expanded PAM dCas9 allows the activation of promoters that cannot be activated byS. pyogenesdCas9. These results provide a roadmap for future engineering efforts to further expand and generalize the scope of bacterial CRISPRa.
Author Correction: Mutational and putative neoantigen load predict clinical benefit of adoptive T cell therapy in melanoma
Authors: Lauss Martin , Donia Marco , Harbst Katja , Andersen Rikke , Mitra Shamik , Rosengren Frida , Salim Maryem , Vallon-Christersson Johan , Törngren Therese , Kvist Anders , Ringnér Markus , Svane Inge Marie , Jönsson Göran
Published: April 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Author Correction: A next-generation tumor-targeting IL-2 preferentially promotes tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T-cell response and effective tumor control
Authors: Sun Zhichen , Ren Zhenhua , Yang Kaiting , Liu Zhida , Cao Shuaishuai , Deng Sisi , Xu Lily , Liang Yong , Guo Jingya , Bian Yingjie , Xu Hairong , Shi Jiyun , Wang Fan , Fu Yang-Xin , Peng Hua
Published: April 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Author Correction: Impaired mitophagy links mitochondrial disease to epithelial stress in methylmalonyl-CoA mutase deficiency
Authors: Luciani Alessandro , Schumann Anke , Berquez Marine , Chen Zhiyong , Nieri Daniela , Failli Mario , Debaix Huguette , Festa Beatrice Paola , Tokonami Natsuko , Raimondi Andrea , Cremonesi Alessio , Carrella Diego , Forny Patrick , Kölker Stefan , Camassei Francesca Diomedi , Diaz Francisca , Moraes Carlos T. , Di Bernardo Diego , Baumgartner Matthias R. , Devuyst Olivier
Published: April 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Inflammatory markers are associated with psychomotor slowing in patients with schizophrenia compared to healthy controls
Authors: Goldsmith David R. , Massa Nicholas , Pearce Bradley D. , Wommack Evanthia C. , Alrohaibani Alaaeddin , Goel Neha , Cuthbert Bruce , Fargotstein Molly , Felger Jennifer C. , Haroon Ebrahim , Miller Andrew H. , Duncan Erica
Published: April 2020

Patients with schizophrenia exhibit psychomotor deficits that are associated with poor functional outcomes. One pathway that may be associated with psychomotor slowing is inflammation. Inflammatory markers have been shown to be elevated in patients with schizophrenia and are associated with psychomotor deficits in both animal and human studies. Forty-three patients with schizophrenia and 29 healthy controls were recruited and underwent a battery of psychomotor tasks. The following immune measures in peripheral blood were assayed: IL-6, IL-1 beta, IL-10, TNF, MCP-1, IL-6sr, IL-1RA, and TNFR2. Generalized linear models were used to determine which immune markers, in addition to their interaction with diagnosis, were associated with performance on the psychomotor tasks. As expected, patients with schizophrenia demonstrated slower performance compared with healthy controls on the finger tapping test (FTT, tested on dominant and non-dominant hands), trail making test (TMT), and symbol coding test (SC). Interactive effects with diagnosis were found for TNF, IL-10, IL-6sr, and TNFR2 for the FTT (dominant), IL-10 and IL-6sr for FTT (non-dominant), TNF and IL-10 for TMT and TNF, IL-10, IL-6sr, TNFR2, and IL-1RA for SC. The results of this study provide evidence that peripheral inflammatory markers contribute to psychomotor slowing in patients with schizophrenia. These data are consistent with a growing literature, demonstrating that inflammation may target the basal ganglia to contribute to psychomotor deficits as is seen in other psychiatric disorders such as depression. These data also indicate that psychomotor speed may be a relevant construct to target in studies of the immune system in schizophrenia.
Tortuosity-powered microfluidic device for assessment of thrombosis and antithrombotic therapy in whole blood
Authors: Luna David J. , R. Pandian Navaneeth K. , Mathur Tanmay , Bui Justin , Gadangi Pranav , Kostousov Vadim V. , Hui Shiu-Ki Rocky , Teruya Jun , Jain Abhishek
Published: April 2020

Accurate assessment of blood thrombosis and antithrombotic therapy is essential for the management of patients in a variety of clinical conditions, including surgery and on extracorporeal life support. However, current monitoring devices do not measure the effects of hemodynamic forces that contribute significantly to coagulation, platelet function and fibrin formation. This limits the extent to which current assays can predict clotting status in patients. Here, we demonstrate that a biomimetic microfluidic device consisting stenosed and tortuous arteriolar vessels would analyze blood clotting under flow, while requiring a small blood volume. When the device is connected to an inline pressure sensor a clotting time analysis is applied, allowing for the accurate measurement of coagulation, platelets and fibrin content. Furthermore, this device detects a prolonged clotting time in clinical blood samples drawn from pediatric patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation receiving anticoagulant therapy. Thus, this tortuosity activated microfluidic device could lead to a more quantitative and rapid assessment of clotting disorders and their treatment.
Tumour cell PD-L1 expression is prognostic in patients with malignant pleural effusion: the impact of C-reactive protein and immune-checkpoint inhibition
Authors: Ghanim Bahil , Rosenmayr Anna , Stockhammer Paul , Vogl Melanie , Celik Ali , Bas Aynur , Kurul Ismail Cuneyt , Akyurek Nalan , Varga Alexander , Plönes Till , Bankfalvi Agnes , Hager Thomas , Schuler Martin , Hackner Klaus , Errhalt Peter , Scheed Axel , Seebacher Gernot , Hegedus Balazs , Stubenberger Elisabeth , Aigner Clemens
Published: April 2020

Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) confers dismal prognosis and has limited treatment options. While immune-checkpoint inhibition (ICI) proved clinical efficacy in a variety of malignancies, data on the prognostic role of PD-L1 in MPE is scarce. We retrospectively studied PD-L1 tumour proportion score and Ki-67 index in pleural biopsies or cytologies from 123 patients (69 lung cancer, 25 mesothelioma, and 29 extrathoracic primary malignancies). Additionally, the impact of C-reactive protein (CRP) and platelet count was also analysed. Median overall survival (OS) after MPE diagnosis was 9 months. Patients with PD-L1 positive tumours (≥1%) had significantly shorter OS than patients with negative PD-L1 status (p = 0.031). CRP and Ki-67 index were also prognostic and remained independent prognosticators after multivariate analysis. Interestingly, Ki-67 index and CRP influenced the prognostic power of PD-L1. Finally, patients receiving ICI tended to have a longer median OS and CRP - but not PD-L1 - was a significant prognosticator in this subgroup. In summary, histological and circulating biomarkers should also be taken into account as potential biomarkers in ICI therapy and they may have an impact on the prognostic power of PD-L1. Our findings might help personalizing immune-checkpoint inhibition for patients with MPE and warrant further prospective validation.
Dietary intakes of flavonoids and carotenoids and the risk of developing an unhealthy metabolic phenotype
Authors: Moslehi Nazanin , Golzarand Mahdieh , Hosseinpanah Farhad , Mirmiran Parvin , Azizi Fereidoun
Published: April 2020

This study was designed to investigate prospective associations between dietary habitual intakes of flavonoids and carotenoids and the development of an unhealthy metabolic phenotype separately in normal-weight and excess weight individuals.
Development of color changing polydiacetylene-based biomimetic nanovesicle platforms for quick detection of membrane permeability across the blood brain barrier
Authors: Adhikary Rishi Rajat , Koppaka Omkar , Banerjee Rinti
Published: April 2020

The present study outlines the development of polydiacetylene-based biomimetic nanovesicle platforms for determining membrane permeability across the blood brain barrier.
Disentangling oxygen and water vapor effects on optoelectronic properties of monolayer tungsten disulfide
Authors: Zhang Hanyu , Dunklin Jeremy R. , Reid Obadiah G. , Yun Seok Joon , Nanayakkara Sanjini U. , Lee Young Hee , Blackburn Jeffrey L. , Miller Elisa M.
Published: April 2020

We demonstrate that simple photoluminescence (PL) measurements of tungsten disulfide (WS2) monolayers can differentiate relative humidity environments.
Discrimination between fresh, chilled, and frozen/thawed chicken based on its skin's spectrochemical and optical properties
Authors: Hamdy Omnia , Abdel-Salam Zienab , Abdel-Harith Mohamed
Published: April 2020

Monitoring of the spectrochemical and optical properties of biomaterials has been widely utilized in many biomedical applications for both diagnosis and therapy.
Adsorptive removal of Hg2+ from environmental water samples using thioglycerol-intercalated magnetic layered double hydroxides
Authors: Esrafili Ali , Ghambarian Mahnaz , Tajik Mohammad , Baharfar Mahroo
Published: April 2020

Herein, the removal of Hg2+ from environmental water samples was carried out using a novel nanoadsorbent based on magnetite nanoparticles coated by a thioglycerol-intercalated layered double hydroxide.
A sensitive HPLC-FL method to simultaneously determine febuxostat and diclofenac in rat plasma: assessment of metabolic drug interactions in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Han Dong-Gyun , Kim Kyu-Sang , Seo Seong-Wook , Baek Young Mee , Jung Yunjin , Kim Dae-Duk , Yoon In-Soo
Published: April 2020

We developed a sensitive, simple and validated HPLC-FL method for simultaneous determination of FEB and DIC in rat plasma. The method requires a relatively small volume of sample, has simple sample preparation and excellent sensitivity.
Enhanced removal of organic pollutants from super heavy oil wastewater using specially modified lignite activated coke
Authors: Tong Kun , Ji Guodong , Nie Fan , Zhang Mingdong , Ren Wen , Xie Shuixiang
Published: April 2020

Lignite activated coke (LAC) has been modified in situ by adsorbing the biodegradation effluent of super heavy oil wastewater (SHOW) to extract organic pollutants from raw SHOW before biodegradation is investigated.
Single-step grown boron doped nanocrystalline diamond-carbon nanograss hybrid as an efficient supercapacitor electrode
Authors: Banerjee Debosmita , Sankaran Kamatchi Jothiramalingam , Deshmukh Sujit , Ficek Mateusz , Yeh Chien-Jui , Ryl Jacek , Lin I-Nan , Bogdanowicz Robert , Kanjilal Aloke , Haenen Ken , Sinha Roy Susanta
Published: April 2020

Boron doped nanocrystalline diamond-carbon nanograss hybrid as an efficient supercapacitor electrode.
Vanadium coordination compounds loaded on graphene quantum dots (GQDs) exhibit improved pharmaceutical properties and enhanced anti-diabetic effects
Authors: Du Jiaojiao , Feng Bo , Dong Yaqiong , Zhao Ming , Yang Xiaoda
Published: April 2020

VO(p-dmada) was packed closely on the surface of GQD and exhibited good in vitro pharmaceutical properties and in vivo anti-diabetic effects.
A tumour mRNA-triggered nanoassembly for enhanced fluorescence imaging-guided photodynamic therapy
Authors: Xiang Mei-Hao , Li Na , Liu Jin-Wen , Yu Ru-Qin , Jiang Jian-Hui
Published: April 2020

A novel theranostic nanoassembly based on intracellular cancer-relevant mRNA-triggered catalytic hairpin assembly for enhanced fluorescence imaging-guided photodynamic therapy was developed.
A nonconventional host–guest cubic assembly based on γ-cyclodextrin and a Keggin-type polyoxometalate
Authors: Jiang Zhan-Guo , Mao Wei-Tao , Huang Dan-Ping , Wang Yu , Wang Xiao-Juan , Zhan Cai-Hong
Published: April 2020

Two super cubic isostructures Co/Cu-POM-CD, in which a (POM@γ-CD)12 cage is encapsulated by the (POM@γ-CD)24 cage, were obtained.
Confinement of single polyoxometalate clusters in molecular-scale cages for improved flexible solid-state supercapacitors
Authors: Wang Meiling , Zhang Yong , Zhang Tianyuan , Li Yue , Cui Mingzhu , Cao Xun , Lu Yu , Peng Dongdong , Liu Weifeng , Liu Xuguang , Wang Tian , Huang Yizhong
Published: April 2020

Confinement of single polyoxometalate clusters in molecular-scale cages results in a superior supercapacitor performance compared to that of the conventional system without confinement.
Enhanced type I photoreaction of indocyanine green via electrostatic-force-driven aggregation
Authors: Fan Huizhen , Fan Yu , Du Wenna , Cai Rui , Gao Xinshuang , Liu Xinfeng , Wang Hao , Wang Lei , Wu Xiaochun
Published: April 2020

ICG forms aggregates in positively charged mesoporous silica, which show an enhanced type I photoreaction pathway.
A two-photon fluorescence, carbonized polymer dot (CPD)-based, wide range pH nanosensor: a view from the surface state
Authors: Huo Zepeng , Chen Gang , Geng Yijia , Cong Lili , Pan Lingyun , Xu Weiqing , Xu Shuping
Published: April 2020

A low-toxicity, two-photon pH sensing carbonized polymer dot (CPD) was investigated from a view of surface state by means of the transient spectroscopy.
Understanding the reactivity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and related compounds
Authors: Fernández Israel
Published: April 2020

This perspective article summarizes recent applications of the combined activation strain model of reactivity and the energy decomposition analysis methods to the study of the reactivity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and related compounds.
In situ observation of heterogeneous charge distribution at the electrode unraveling the mechanism of electric field-enhanced electrochemical activity
Authors: Jin Rong , Huang Yuchen , Cheng Lei , Lu Hongyan , Jiang Dechen , Chen Hong-Yuan
Published: April 2020

In situ observation of heterogeneous charge distribution at the Pt–graphite surface in the hydrogen evolution reaction is realized using scanning ion conductive microscopy.
Enantiomerically enriched tetrahydropyridine allyl chlorides
Authors: Karabiyikoglu Sedef , Brethomé Alexandre V. , Palacin Thomas , Paton Robert S. , Fletcher Stephen P.
Published: April 2020

Enantiomerically enriched allyl halides are rare due to their configurational lability. Stable piperidine-based allyl chloride enantiomers can be produced via kinetic resolution, and undergo highly enantiospecific catalyst-free substitutions.
Recent advances in photoredox and nickel dual-catalyzed cascade reactions: pushing the boundaries of complexity
Authors: Zhu Chen , Yue Huifeng , Chu Lingling , Rueping Magnus
Published: April 2020

Cascade reactions that produce multiple chemical bonds in one synthetic operation are important in the efficient construction of complex molecules.
Microfluidic systems for rapid antibiotic susceptibility tests (ASTs) at the single-cell level
Authors: Zhang Kaixiang , Qin Shangshang , Wu Sixuan , Liang Yan , Li Jinghong
Published: April 2020

Recent developments of microfluidics-based antibiotic susceptibility tests (ASTs) at the single-cell or single-molecule level are summarized for guiding antibiotic treatment.
IQ imbalance analysis and compensation in multiple antenna systems
Authors: AbdEllatif Aly Mahmoud , Mehana Ahmed Hesham , Fahmy Yasmine
Published: April 2020

This study analyses in‐phase and quadrature‐phase imbalance (IQI) in large‐scale multiple antenna systems and Rayleigh fading channel. Specifically, the authors compare between different approaches (using pilot‐based or blind channel estimation processes) to remove the IQI effect at a base station equipped with massive number of antennas. They obtain closed‐form expression for the asymptotic achievable rate when using IQI removal algorithm and zero‐forcing data detection. They also provide complexity analysis for the proposed solutions and show, by means of Monte Carlo simulations, that the proposed algorithm improves the system performance even for small number of antennas.
Measurement‐based wireless channel analysis and modelling for shipping environments
Authors: Li Changzhen , Yu Junyi , Chen Wei , Wang Kehao , Wang Shoufeng , Yang Kun , Wu Xiaofeng
Published: April 2020

To guarantee shipping safety, it is crucial to build a reliable wireless communication network. This study presents characteristic analysis of shipping wireless channel based on measurements. The authors conduct five channel measurements for two important water mobile communications, covering inland river and sea scenarios. Channel characteristics, e.g. power delay profile, amplitude distribution, delay spread and shadow fading, are extracted and compared for the two scenarios. It is found that the main difference between the them lies in more obstacles and scatterers in inland river propagation environment. The results show that more obstacles and scatterers can result in richer multipath effect and larger shadow fading decorrelation distance. A triple Gaussian mixture distribution (TGMD) is proposed to characterize the wireless channel with LOS, obstructed LOS and non‐LOS situations in the practical propagation. To verify the effectiveness of TGMD, the goodness of fit between measurement and analysis results in terms of Rician K‐factor, root mean square (RMS) delay spread and RMS Doppler spread is calculated. Furthermore, the cross‐correlation among shadow fading, Rician K‐factor and RMS delay spread are studied. Larger cross‐correlation can be found in inland river and sea than vehicular communication due to the open propagation environment.
BER performance analysis of OFDM‐based integrated PLC and MIMO‐VLC system
Authors: Kumar Ajit , Ghorai Swapan Kumar
Published: April 2020

In the present paper, the bit error rate (BER) performance of hybrid power line communication (PLC) and multiple‐input multiple‐output (MIMO) visible light communication (VLC) system (HPMV) has been investigated using line‐of‐sight (LOS) and LOS plus first reflection (L‐R1) signals for room size of 5 m × 5 m × 3 m (configuration A) and 7.5 m × 7.5 m × 3.5 m (configuration B). In the work, Rayleigh fading and Barry channel models have been considered for PLC and VLC channels respectively. The BER has been analysed by varying separations between LEDs as 0.2 m, 0.6m and 1m for both configurations. The results show that the BER for LOS and L‐R1 signals decreases upto optimal separation of 0.6 m for configuration A. However, the result indicates that the required optimal separation for configuration B is more than configuration A. The channel frequency response of MIMO‐VLC and HPMV system has been inspected and it supports the results of BER simulation. It has been found that, with increase in spatial separation between LEDs, the deep notches and attenuation in the frequency response of MIMO‐VLC system decrease. The overall investigation shows that even though OFDM is resilient to frequency selective fading, an optimum separation between LEDs must be chosen according to the room size for the HPMV system.
Femtosecond mode‐locked erbium‐doped fibre laser with Alq3 saturable absorber
Authors: Salam Sameer , Al‐Masoodi Ahmed H.H. , Wang Pengfei , Harun Sulaiman Wadi
Published: April 2020

The authors experimentally demonstrated the generation of mode‐locked pulses from all‐fibre erbium‐doped fibre laser cavity by using organic material, Alq3, as a saturable absorber (SA). The SA film was integrated into a ring fibre laser cavity to act as a mode‐locker. A mode‐locking operation was achieved in three different experiments with pulse width/repetition rate of 1.26 ps/3.36 MHz, 970 fs/3.36 MHz and 820 fs/4.9 MHz by using cavity length/optical coupler (OC) of 61.5 m/80:20 OC, 61.5 m /95:5 OC and 42 m/80:20 OC, respectively. All the experiments produced a soliton and a very stable mode‐locking operation at central wavelength of ∼1561 nm. The experiments confirmed that organic material can readily be used as SA for a mode‐locked operation in the 1.5 μm region. This demonstration might shed new insights into the potentials and techniques for developing ultrafast fibre lasers by using organic materials as SAs.
Advanced four‐mode‐modulation‐based four‐switch non‐inverting buck–boost converter with extra operation zone
Authors: Zhang Guidong , Yuan Jun , Yu Samson S. , Zhang Neng , Wang Yu , Zhang Yun
Published: April 2020

This study proposes a novel non‐inverting buck–boost converter topology with extra‐wide operational zones under both continuous current mode (CCM) and discontinuous current mode (DCM), by introducing a four‐mode modulation (4MM) strategy. The proposed 4MM method is able to eliminate the operation dead zone, thus extending the operation zones of the buck–boost converter to contain boost mode, extended boost mode, extended buck mode, and buck mode. Rigorous analyses and design principles are presented in detail to demonstrate the four‐mode function through CCM and DCM operational investigations and illustrations. Theoretical analyses and parameter design are verified by software simulation and hardware experimentation in this study, which validates the proposed 4MM method and the functionality of the proposed 4MM‐based buck–boost converter. They clearly indicate the superiority of the proposed 4MM‐based four‐switch non‐inverting buck–boost converter over its conventional counterparts, posing wide applicability in industrial practices.
Wireless sensor nodes localiser based on sine–cosine algorithm
Authors: Hamouda Eslam , Abohamama Abdelaziz Said
Published: April 2020

Wireless sensor networks are an emerging technology deployed in many fields. Knowing the positions of sensor nodes is critical for many applications to perform their tasks. Hence, accurate node localisation in wireless sensor networks is an essential issue. The node localisation problem can be formulated as a multidimensional optimisation problem. In this study, the authors propose a node localisation scheme based on a sine–cosine algorithm. The proposed scheme addresses the flip ambiguity problem, which can badly affect the localisation accuracy of the entire network. The efficacy of the proposed scheme is evaluated through intensive experimentation under different scenarios. The obtained results show the superiority of the proposed scheme against other optimisation algorithms in terms of the localisation accuracy, the number of localised nodes, and the computation time.
Detection of Fe I and Fe II in the atmosphere of MASCARA-2b using a cross-correlation method
Authors: Stangret M. , Casasayas-Barris N. , Pallé E. , Yan F. , Sánchez-López A. , López-Puertas M.
Published: April 2020

Ultra-hot Jupiters are gas giants planets whose dayside temperature is greater than 2200 K as a consequence of the strong irradiation received from the host star. These kinds of objects are perfect laboratories to study the chemistry of exoplanetary upper atmospheres via transmission spectroscopy. Exo-atmospheric absorption features are buried in the noise of the in-transit residual spectra. However we can retrieve information of hundreds of atmospheric absorption lines by performing a cross-correlation with an atmospheric transmission model, which allows us to greatly increase the exo-atmospheric signal. The Rossiter–McLaughlin effect and centre-to-limb variation contribute strongly at the high spectral resolution of our data. We present the first detection of Fe I and confirmation of absorption features of Fe II in the atmosphere of the ultra-hot Jupiter MASCARA-2b/KELT-20b, by using three transit observations with HARPS-N. After combining all transit observations we find a high cross-correlation signal of Fe I and Fe II with signal-to-noise ratios of 10.5 ± 0.4 and 8.6 ± 0.5, respectively. The peak absorption for both species appear to be blue-shifted with velocities of − 6.3 ± 0.8 km s−1 for Fe I and − 2.8 ± 0.8 km s−1 for Fe II, suggesting the presence of winds from the day- to night-side of the atmosphere of the planet. These results confirm previous studies of this planet and add a new atomic species (Fe I) to the long list of detected species in the atmosphere of MASCARA-2b, making it, together with KELT-9b, the most feature-rich ultra-hot Jupiter to date.
Managing the MNE subsidiary: Advancing a multi-level and dynamic research agenda
Authors: Meyer Klaus E. , Li Chengguang , Schotter Andreas P. J.
Published: April 2020

Multinational enterprise (MNE) subsidiaries abroad are important organizations in their own rights. They typically hold some of the MNE’s most critical resources, and operate at the forefront of complex international environments. In this review, we identify and organize theoretical and empirical research on subsidiary management based on over 600 articles in leading academic journals. We develop a conceptual framework that integrates complementary streams of theoretical and empirical research with the subsidiary as its focal unit of analysis. In particular, we review six lines of research on subsidiary scope, practices, knowledge management, engagement with local market and nonmarket actors, performance, and individuals within subsidiaries. We highlight theoretical perspectives that have contributed to, and been advanced by, research on MNE subsidiaries. Based on the review, we explore future research agendas, linking the contemporary research themes with two main thrusts. First, subsidiary management is a multi-level phenomenon that would benefit from more microfoundational research. Second, subsidiary management operates at key interfaces of technology paradigm shifts, and of disruptions in the political and institutional environment. Research into the dynamics of subsidiary management would thus enhance our understanding of international business in a volatile global economy.