bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analyzing airlines stock price volatility during COVID‐19 pandemic through internet search data
Authors: Deb Soudeep
Published: February 2021

Recent Coronavirus pandemic has prompted many regulations which are affecting the stock market. Especially because of lockdown policies across the world, the airlines industry is suffering. We analyse the stock price movements of three major airlines companies using a new approach which leverages a measure of internet concern on different topics. In this approach, Twitter data and Google Trends are used to create a set of predictors which then leads to an appropriately modified GARCH model. In the analysis, first we show that the ongoing pandemic has an unprecedented severe effect. Then, the proposed model is used to analyse and forecast stock price volatility of the airlines companies. The findings establish that our approach can successfully use the effects of internet concern for different topics on the movement of stock price index and provide good forecasting accuracy. Model confidence set (MCS) procedure further shows that the short‐term volatility forecasts are more accurate for this method than other candidate models. Thus, it can be used to understand the stock market during a pandemic in a better way. Further, the proposed approach is attractive and flexible, and can be extended to other related problems as well.
Dynamic spillover analysis of international and Turkish food prices
Authors: Ertuğrul Hasan Murat , Seven Ünal
Published: February 2021

This study analyses the dynamic spillover relationship between international and Turkish food prices by employing Markov Switching Regression (MSR) and Dynamic Conditional Correlation Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (DCC‐GARCH) models to monthly data from 2003 to 2019. We also investigate the factors that cause a price difference between Turkish and international food markets by employing alternative econometric models, including Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL), Fully Modified OLS (FMOLS), Dynamic OLS (DOLS) and MSR. We find structural shifts in the dynamics of the international/domestic food price relationship, and the relationship varies across the low and high volatility regimes. We also find that the exchange rate significantly affects the growing difference between Turkish and international food prices, while oil prices reduce that difference. Our results point out essential policy recommendations for developing food policies and ensuring sustainability in prices.
Is causality between globalization and energy consumption bidirectional or unidirectional in top and bottom globalized economies?
Authors: Shahbaz Muhammad , Balcilar Mehmet , Mahalik Mantu Kumar , Akadiri Seyi Saint
Published: February 2021

By using quarterly data over the period 1970Q1‐2017Q4, this paper examines the dynamic causal relationship between globalization and energy consumption by using rolling and recursive rolling Granger causality methods. This study is pioneering effort to examine the dynamic causal relationship between globalization and energy consumption using time‐varying Granger causality tests for 20 top and bottom globalized economies. The empirical results reveal that the dynamic causality relationship between globalization and energy consumption is time‐varying. Although, the causal relationship could not be observed for some of the study periods, bidirectional causality is found in many sub‐samples. From the empirical findings, we observe that unidirectional causality running from globalization to energy consumption has grievous impact on trade and environmental quality. In general, our empirical results resonate with the previous findings of globalization energy‐driven hypothesis, with significant policy implications for top and bottom globalized countries.
A deep learning model for mass screening of COVID‐19
Authors: Dhaka Vijaypal Singh , Rani Geeta , Oza Meet Ganpatlal , Sharma Tarushi , Misra Ankit
Published: February 2021

The objective of this research is to develop a convolutional neural network model ‘COVID‐Screen‐Net’ for multi‐class classification of chest X‐ray images into three classes viz. COVID‐19, bacterial pneumonia, and normal. The model performs the automatic feature extraction from X‐ray images and accurately identifies the features responsible for distinguishing the X‐ray images of different classes. It plots these features on the GradCam. The authors optimized the number of convolution and activation layers according to the size of the dataset. They also fine‐tuned the hyperparameters to minimize the computation time and to enhance the efficiency of the model. The performance of the model has been evaluated on the anonymous chest X‐ray images collected from hospitals and the dataset available on the web. The model attains an average accuracy of 97.71% and a maximum recall of 100%. The comparative analysis shows that the ‘COVID‐Screen‐Net’ outperforms the existing systems for screening of COVID‐19. The effectiveness of the model is validated by the radiology experts on the real‐time dataset. Therefore, it may prove a useful tool for quick and low‐cost mass screening of patients of COVID‐19. This tool may reduce the burden on health experts in the present situation of the Global Pandemic. The copyright of this tool is registered in the names of authors under the laws of Intellectual Property Rights in India with the registration number ‘SW‐13625/2020’.
Brain MR image tumor detection and classification using neuro fuzzy with binary cuckoo search technique
Authors: Arumugam Selvapandian , Paulraj Sivakumar , Selvaraj Nagendra Prabhu
Published: February 2021

Brain tumor and stroke are two important causes of death in and around the world. Tumor classification and retrieval system plays a vital role in medical field. Tumor detection, segmentation and MR imaging seizures are a major concern, although it can be a daunting and tedious task for clinical specialists, the accuracy of which depends solely on their experience. In this article, the neuro fuzzy with binary cuckoo search optimization method is proposed for detecting tumors on MR images. The method has four stages. In the first step, raw MR images are pre‐processed by the anisotropic filter, and in the second phase, the removal of the skull is classified by type. The third phase involves the functioning of singular value decomposition and principle component analysis. Finally, the NFBCS method is used to detect and classify tumors and the BCS algorithm optimizes the study model for better classification accuracy.
A New Data Landscape: IR's Role in Academic Analytics
Authors: Hawkins Christie , Bailey Lucy E.
Published: February 2021

The increasing volume of information and the intense pace of its circulation are changing the ways universities access, use, analyze, and provide data. Many have championed the use of large‐scale databases to track student admissions and retention, faculty productivity, student wellness, and other phenomena that shape our understandings of higher education. These changes have had major effects on analytics as well. This chapter outlines how analytics can assist the academic side of colleges and universities to best serve all academic stakeholders, including administrators, faculty, and staff. It also addresses the evolving roles of Institutional Research Offices in helping set institutional strategies, collaborating across university offices to develop analytics, and cultivating an institutional culture of informed decision making.

IR Offices should consider various facets of the process of collecting, analyzing, and communicating information to serve academic departments. One priority is determining which software, tools, and approaches best align with institutional priorities and needs. Another is creating specific analytics that serve the academic missions of and strategic planning for the institution and representing data in accessible ways to serve academic administration's diverse purposes and roles. Finally, cultivating buy‐in and support from administration and other stakeholders is essential. IR offices can be instrumental in fostering academic colleagues' use, interpretation, and valuing of data and in developing collaborative relationships with academic leadership, colleges and departments. The new data analytics landscape requires expanding the roles and institutional reach of IR offices, thus creating opportunities for IR involvement in strategic planning and vision at high levels of their institutions.
The Evidence Imperative: Reflections on How Volatility and Data Are Reshaping the Relationship Between IR and College and University Presidents
Authors: Gagliardi Jonathan S. , Johnson Gina
Published: February 2021

Colleges have access to more data than ever before, and to unlock its full potential, the right culture, processes, and technologies are needed. Given the pressures now facing campuses, the demand for evidence‐based approaches to strategy have intensified. As a result, more attention has been placed on the importance of the relationship between Senior Leaders and IR, which, if fully harnessed, can help to ensure the viability of institutions nationwide. Yet, recent surveys and literature suggest that for this relationship to thrive, more must be done to ensure that IR is considered as an important functional area at a time when data‐informed decision‐making has become increasingly vital. To that end, the purpose of this chapter is to offer ideas for how executives can champion data‐informed decision‐making and the ways in which IR functions must take on greater leadership through an integrated and collaborative approach focused on analytics.
Quantitative model checking for assessing the energy impact of a MITM attack on EPONs
Authors: Tsompanoglou Polyxeni , Petridou Sophia , Nicopolitidis Petros , Papadimitriou Georgios
Published: February 2021

Broadcasting the downstream traffic makes the Ethernet Passive Optical Networks (EPONs) vulnerable to eavesdropping which is typically the initial step of an active attack, such as Man in the Middle attack (MITM). A MITM attack in such a network can be implemented by employing a fake Optical Line Terminal (OLT) and overwhelm computational, bandwidth, or energy resources. The latter is of great interest since Passive Optical Networks (PONs) are estimated to be the largest energy consumers among optical networks. In this paper we use formal analysis to quantitatively assess the impact of a fake OLT attacking an EPON energy‐efficiency mechanism. Formal verification techniques, such as model checking, constitute the perfect candidate for security verification, since they can analyze systems and protocols based on rigorous model definitions. Our results show that a MITM attack increases the energy expenditure, since it enforces the Optical Network Units (ONUs) to stay in the active mode even in cases of none network traffic.
A graphical user interface (NWUSA) for Raman spectral processing, analysis and feature recognition
Authors: Song Dongliang , Chen Yishen , Li Jie , Wang Haifeng , Ning Tian , Wang Shuang
Published: February 2021

It is a practical necessity for non‐professional users to interpret biologically derived Raman spectral information for obtaining accurate and reliable analytical results. An integrated Raman spectral analysis software (NWUSA) was developed for spectral processing, analysis, and feature recognition. It provides a user‐friendly graphical interface to perform the following preprocessing tasks: spectral range selection, cosmic ray removal, polynomial fitting based background subtraction, Savitzky–Golay smoothing, area‐under‐curve normalization, mean‐centered procedure, as well as multivariate analysis algorithms including principal component analysis (PCA), linear discriminant analysis, partial least squares‐discriminant analysis, support vector machine (SVM), and PCA‐SVM. A spectral dataset obtained from two different samples was utilized to evaluate the performance of the developed software, which demonstrated that the analysis software can quickly and accurately achieve functional requirements in spectral data processing and feature recognition. Besides, the open‐source software can not only be customized with more novel functional modules to suit the specific needs, but also benefit many Raman based investigations, especially for clinical usages.
In vivo optoretinography of phototransduction activation and energy metabolism in retinal photoreceptors
Authors: Ma Guangying , Son Taeyoon , Kim Tae‐Hoon , Yao Xincheng
Published: February 2021

The objective of this study is to verify the anatomic correlate of the second (2nd) outer retina band in optical coherence tomography (OCT), and to demonstrate the potential of using intrinsic optical signal (IOS) imaging for concurrent optoretinography (ORG) of phototransduction activation and energy metabolism in stimulus activated retinal photoreceptors. A custom‐designed OCT was employed for depth‐resolved IOS imaging in mouse retina activated by a visible light flicker stimulation. The spatiotemporal properties of the IOS changes at the photoreceptor outer segment (OS) and inner segment (IS) were quantitatively evaluated. Rapid IOS change was observed at the OS almost right away, and the IOS at the IS was relatively slow. Comparative analysis indicates that the OS‐IOS reflects transient OS deformation caused by the phototransduction activation, and IS‐IOS might reflect the energy metabolism caused by mitochondria activation in retinal photoreceptors. The consistency of the distribution of the IS‐IOS and the 2nd OCT band supports the IS ellipsoid (ISe), which has abundant mitochondria, as the signal source of the 2nd OCT band of the outer retina.
Inhibition of oral biofilm formation by zwitterionic nonfouling coating
Authors: Sun Fang , Hung Hsiang‐Chieh , Yan Weishi , Wu Kan , Shimchuk Andy A. , Gray Sterling D. , He Wei , Huang Xuelian , Zhang Hai
Published: February 2021

Inhibition of oral biofilm formation is critical to prevent and treat dental caries and periodontal diseases. In this study, we synthesized zwitterionic poly(carboxybetaine) (pCB) based polymer as a nonfouling coating to provide anti‐bacterial properties to tooth surfaces. Four catechol derived l‐3,4‐dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) groups were conjugated to pCB to serve as a surface anchoring group. The pCB‐(DOPA)4 polymer was coated on the hydroxyapatite (HA) and enamel samples by simple immersion and characterized by Raman spectroscopy. The nonfouling effectiveness of the pCB based coating was determined by protein adsorption and bacterial adhesion assays. The coating was transparent on sample surfaces. The protein adsorption was significantly reduced to 8.2% and 6.9%, respectively, on pCB‐(DOPA)4 coated HA and enamel samples. The pCB‐(DOPA)4‐coated samples also demonstrated significantly fewer adhered Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus mutants compared to the control. This novel coating material provides an innovative approach to resist biofilm formation on tooth surfaces and has great potential in future dental clinical applications.
A Cross‐Sectional Cohort Study of the Effects of FGF23 Deficiency and Hyperphosphatemia on Dental Structures in Hyperphosphatemic Familial Tumoral Calcinosis
Authors: Lee Alisa E , Chu Emily Y , Gardner Pamela J , Duverger Olivier , Saikali Amanda , Wang Sean K , Gafni Rachel I , Hartley Iris R , Ten Hagen Kelly G , Somerman Martha J , Collins Michael T
Published: February 2021

Hyperphosphatemic familial tumoral calcinosis (HFTC) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in FGF23, GALNT3, KLOTHO, or FGF23 autoantibodies. Prominent features include high blood phosphate and calcific masses, usually adjacent to large joints. Dental defects have been reported, but not systematically described. Seventeen patients with HFTC followed at the National Institutes of Health underwent detailed clinical, biochemical, molecular, and dental analyses. Studies of teeth included intraoral photos and radiographs, high‐resolution μCT, histology, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A scoring system was developed to assess the severity of tooth phenotype. Pulp calcification was found in 13 of 14 evaluable patients. Short roots and midroot bulges with apical thinning were present in 12 of 13 patients. Premolars were most severely affected. μCT analyses of five HFTC teeth revealed that pulp density increased sevenfold, whereas the pulp volume decreased sevenfold in permanent HFTC teeth compared with age‐ and tooth‐matched control teeth. Histology revealed loss of the polarized odontoblast cell layer and an obliterated pulp cavity that was filled with calcified material. The SEM showed altered pulp and cementum structures, without differences in enamel or dentin structures, when compared with control teeth. This study defines the spectrum and confirms the high penetrance of dental features in HFTC. The phenotypes appear to be independent of genetic/molecular etiology, suggesting hyperphosphatemia or FGF23 deficiency may be the pathomechanistic driver, with prominent effects on root and pulp structures, consistent with a role of phosphate and/or FGF23 in tooth development. Given the early appearance and high penetrance, cognizance of HFTC‐related features may allow for earlier diagnosis and treatment. © 2021 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
The role of miR‐29 family in disease
Authors: Horita Masahiro , Farquharson Colin , Stephen Louise A
Published: February 2021

MicroRNAs are small noncoding RNAs that can bind to the target sites in the 3’‐untranslated region of messenger RNA to regulate posttranscriptional gene expression. Increasing evidence has identified the miR‐29 family, consisting of miR‐29a, miR‐29b‐1, miR‐29b‐2, and miR‐29c, as key regulators of a number of biological processes. Moreover, their abnormal expression contributes to the etiology of numerous diseases. In the current review, we aimed to summarize the differential expression patterns and functional roles of the miR‐29 family in the etiology of diseases including osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, cardiorenal, and immune disease. Furthermore, we highlight the therapeutic potential of targeting members of miR‐29 family in these diseases. We present miR‐29s as promoters of osteoblast differentiation and apoptosis but suppressors of chondrogenic and osteoclast differentiation, fibrosis, and T cell differentiation, with clear avenues for therapeutic manipulation. Further research will be crucial to identify the precise mechanism of miR‐29 family in these diseases and their full potential in therapeutics.
Block‐avoiding point sequencings
Authors: Blackburn Simon R. , Etzion Tuvi
Published: February 2021

Let and be positive integers. Recent papers by Kreher, Stinson, and Veitch have explored variants of the problem of ordering the points in a triple system (such as a Steiner triple system [STS], directed triple system, or Mendelsohn triple system) on points so that no block occurs in a segment of consecutive entries (thus the ordering is locally block‐avoiding). We describe a greedy algorithm which shows that such an ordering exists, provided that is sufficiently large when compared with . This algorithm leads to improved bounds on the number of points in cases where this was known, but also extends the results to a significantly more general setting (which includes, e.g., orderings that avoid the blocks of a design). Similar results for a cyclic variant of this situation are also established. We construct STSs and quadruple systems where can be large, showing that a bound of Stinson and Veitch is reasonable. Moreover, we generalize the Stinson–Veitch bound to a wider class of block designs and to the cyclic case. The results of Kreher, Stinson, and Veitch were originally inspired by results of Alspach, Kreher, and Pastine, who (motivated by zero‐sum avoiding sequences in abelian groups) were interested in orderings of points in a partial Steiner triple system where no segment is a union of disjoint blocks. Alspach et al. show that, when the system contains at most pairwise disjoint blocks, an ordering exists when the number of points is more than . By making use of a greedy approach, the paper improves this bound to .
Genetic analysis of 39 erythrocytosis and hereditary hemochromatosis‐associated genes in the Slovenian family with idiopathic erythrocytosis
Authors: Kristan Aleša , Gašperšič Jernej , Režen Tadeja , Kunej Tanja , Količ Rok , Vuga Andrej , Fink Martina , Žula Špela , Anžej Doma Saša , Preložnik Zupan Irena , Pajič Tadej , Podgornik Helena , Debeljak Nataša
Published: February 2021

Background

Erythrocytosis is a condition with an excessive number of erythrocytes, accompanied by an elevated haemoglobin and/or haematocrit value. Congenital erythrocytosis has a diverse genetic background with several genes involved in erythropoiesis. In clinical practice, nine genes are usually examined, but in approximately 70% of patients, no causative mutation can be identified. In this study, we screened 39 genes, aiming to identify potential disease‐driving variants in the family with erythrocytosis of unknown cause.

Patients and Methods

Two affected family members with elevated haemoglobin and/or haematocrit and negative for acquired causes and one healthy relative from the same family were selected for molecular‐genetic analysis of 24 erythrocytosis and 15 hereditary haemochromatosis‐associated genes with targeted NGS. The identified variants were further analysed for pathogenicity using various bioinformatic tools and review of the literature.

Results

Of the 12 identified variants, two heterozygous variants, the missense variant c.471G>C (NM_022051.2) (p.(Gln157His)) in the EGLN1 gene and the intron variant c.2572‐13A>G (NM_004972.3) in the JAK2 gene, were classified as low‐frequency variants in European population. None of the two variants were present in a healthy family member. Variant c.2572‐13A>G has potential impact on splicing by one prediction tool.

Conclusion

For the first time, we included 39 genes in the erythrocytosis clinical panel and identified two potential disease‐driving variants in the Slovene family studied. Based on the reported functional in vitro studies combined with our bioinformatics analysis, we suggest further functional analysis of variant in the JAK2 gene and evaluation of a cumulative effect of both variants.
Mediating role of self‐esteem: Black Caribbean and African American adolescents' initiation of sex
Authors: Reid Kaydian S. , Hastings Julia F. , Caldwell Cleopatra H.
Published: February 2021

To determine how self‐esteem mediates the relationship between family support and initiation of sex for US‐born Black Caribbean compared to African American adolescents. Secondary data analyses were performed on responses from 1170 adolescents from the National Survey of American Life—Adolescents supplement (2003–2004). Weighted descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were performed to examine whether initiation of sex on perceived family support is mediated by self‐esteem. The study population consists of 360 Black Caribbean and 810 African American adolescents. Sexual initiation prevalence was higher for Black Caribbean adolescents (42.1%) than African American adolescents (36.75%). The adjusted odds ratio for Black Caribbean adolescents' initiation of sex was 0.85 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.16–4.51) compared to African American adolescents' 0.59 (95% CI: 0.35–1.00). Self‐esteem represented a statistically significant mediation path and might be more important for African American adolescents' sexual health than the Black Caribbean. The unfounded mediating role of self‐esteem between perceived family support and Black Caribbean adolescents' sexual initiation suggests possible influences of Black heterogeneity stemming from ethnic identity differences in sexual health decision‐making.
Economic and ecological benefits of a leaky E. coli strain for downstream processing: a case study for staphylococcal protein A
Authors: Kastenhofer Jens , Cataldo Alessandro L , Ebner Julian , Sedlmayr Viktor L , Jungbauer Alois , Spadiut Oliver
Published: February 2021

BACKGROUND

Downstream processing of soluble recombinant proteins from Escherichia coli is complicated by the need to access the intracellular product by cell disruption and to separate the target protein from impurities, particularly host cell protein, DNA, endotoxins and lipids. We previously demonstrated the ability of the E. coli X‐press strain to leak high amounts of product to the culture medium without sacrificing viability. In this case study, we assessed the economic and ecological benefit of this strain for downstream processing in direct comparison to the industrial standard E. coli BL21(DE3). Staphylococcal Protein A was used as a model protein. We performed recombinant protein production, primary recovery and capture by anion exchange chromatography at laboratory scale, and used the data obtained for estimating costs and resource consumption by economic modeling.

RESULTS

After primary recovery, the X‐press process resulted in a 1.5‐fold higher product purity, a 150‐fold lower DNA, 3.5‐fold lower endotoxin and 3.4‐fold lower lipid load compared to BL21(DE3). Consequently, anion exchanger binding capacity was increased 2.7‐fold and purity and concentration of the eluate also was increased. Extracellular protein production with X‐press resulted in a 25% reduction of costs and a 36% reduction of both water usage and water‐related CO2 emissions compared to intracellular production with BL21(DE3).

CONCLUSIONS

This case study performed with stapyhlococcal Protein A demonstrated the potential of E. coli X‐press to reduce costs for downstream processing and improve the environmental footprint by simplified primary recovery, lower impurity load and consequently higher chromatographic efficiency. © 2021 The Authors. Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Signaling pathways modulated by monocular enucleation in the superior colliculus of juvenile rats
Authors: Vasques Juliana Ferreira , Gonçalves Renata Guedes de Jesus , Gomes Ana Lucia Tavares , Campello‐Costa Paula , Serfaty Claudio Alberto , Faria‐Melibeu Adriana da Cunha
Published: February 2021

Monocular eye enucleation (ME) is a classical paradigm to induce neural plasticity in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) axons from the intact eye, especially when performed within the critical period of visual system development. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the axonal sprouting and synaptogenesis seen in this model remain poorly understood. In the present work, we investigated the temporal alterations in phosphorylation of three kinases related to axonal growth and synaptogenesis—GSK3β (an important repressor of axonal outgrowth), AKT, and ERK—in superior colliculus of rats submitted to ME during early postnatal development. Western blotting analysis showed an increase in pGSK3β, the inactive form of this enzyme, 24 and 48 hr after ME. Accordingly, an increase in pERK levels was detected 24 hr after ME, indicating that phosphorylation of these enzymes might be related to axonal reorganization induced by ME. Interestingly, AKT phosphorylation was increased just 1 week after ME, suggesting it may be involved in the stabilization of newly formed synapses, rising from the axonal reorganization of remaining eye. A better understanding of how signaling pathways are modulated in a model of intense axonal sprouting can highlight possible therapeutic targets in RGCs injuries in adult individuals, where axonal regrowth is nearly absent.
Increasing gender diversity in engineering using soft robotics
Authors: Jackson Andrew , Mentzer Nathan , Kramer‐Bottiglio Rebecca
Published: February 2021

Background

There is a well‐known gender disparity in the engineering field. Three of the most important factors related to the participation of women in engineering are differences in perceived societal relevance, technical self‐efficacy, and tinkering self‐efficacy.

Purpose/Hypothesis

Soft robotics is a relatively new engineering application with the potential to address these three factors. We investigated whether participation in a soft robotics design experience would improve students'—especially girls'—perceptions of engineering in contrast to a traditional, rigid robotics experience.

Design/Method

Soft robotics curriculum materials were developed for high‐school engineering classes using design‐based research. Seven teachers delivered soft and rigid robotics lessons; then 293 students reported their perceptions of motivation, interest, and self‐efficacy following the lessons and retrospectively. We examined the relationship between gender and lesson type and differences in perceptions of engineering over time.

Results

The soft and rigid robotics experiences promoted engineering interest and general, experimental, tinkering, and design self‐efficacy. Girls' perceptions of tinkering self‐efficacy particularly benefitted from the soft robotics lesson, mitigating gender differences. A robustness check compared the outcomes of different statistical models and verified the stability of the findings.

Conclusions

Soft robot design experiences emphasize materiality and iterative design, which contribute to enhanced tinkering self‐efficacy. The use of soft robotics in education represents a promising opportunity to integrate authentic engineering experiences, broaden perceptions of engineering, and support the development of future engineers.
Long non‐coding RNAs: Promising new targets in pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Zhang Songzi , Chen Hongbin , Yue Dayong , Blackwell Timothy S. , Lv Changjun , Song Xiaodong
Published: February 2021

Pulmonary fibrosis is characterized by progressive and irreversible scarring in the lungs with poor prognosis and treatment. It is caused by various factors, including environmental and occupational exposures, and some rheumatic immune diseases. Even the rapid global spread of the COVID‐19 pandemic can also cause pulmonary fibrosis with a high probability. Functions attributed to long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) make them highly attractive diagnostic and therapeutic targets in fibroproliferative diseases. Therefore, an understanding of the specific mechanisms by which lncRNAs regulate pulmonary fibrotic pathogenesis is urgently needed to identify new possibilities for therapy. In this review, we focus on the molecular mechanisms and implications of lncRNAs targeted protein‐coding and non‐coding genes during pulmonary fibrogenesis, and systematically analyze the communication of lncRNAs with various types of RNAs, including microRNA, circular RNA and mRNA. Finally, we propose the potential approach of lncRNA‐based diagnosis and therapy for pulmonary fibrosis. We hope that understanding these interactions between protein‐coding and non‐coding genes will contribute to the development of lncRNA‐based clinical applications for pulmonary fibrosis.
Do social comparisons and negative shocks affect the subjective well‐being of the poor? Evidence from the Peruvian Amazon
Authors: López‐Feldman Alejandro , Porro Roberto
Published: February 2021

This paper contributes to the literature by testing the effect of a household's relative position on its subjective well‐being. Our results show that both self‐perceived status and relative income have significant effects on the subjective well‐being of households located in the Peruvian Amazon. The paper also considers negative random shocks and shows that non‐agricultural shocks have a negative effect on subjective well‐being. These results imply that public policies aimed toward the improvement of rural households' well‐being in the Peruvian Amazon should look beyond poverty reduction and consider also the positive effects that inequality reduction can have on subjective well‐being.
[13C]‐galactose breath test in a patient with galactokinase deficiency and spastic diparesis
Authors: Ficicioglu Can , Demirbas Didem , Derks Britt , Pai G. Shashidhar , Timson David J. , Rubio‐Gozalbo Maria Estela , Berry Gerard T.
Published: February 2021

Galactokinase deficiency is an inborn error of carbohydrate metabolism due to a block in the formation of galactose‐1‐phosphate from galactose. Although the association of galactokinase deficiency with formation of cataracts is well established, the extent of the clinical phenotype is still under investigation. We describe a 6‐year‐old female who was diagnosed with galactokinase deficiency due to cataract formation when she was 10 months of age and initially started on galactose‐restricted diet at that time for 5 months. She developed gait abnormality at 4 years of age. Breath tests via measurement of 13C isotope in exhaled carbon dioxide following 13C‐labeled galactose administration at carbon‐1 and carbon‐2 positions revealed oxidation rates within the normal range. The results in this patient strikingly contrast with the results of another patient with GALK1 deficiency that underwent breath testing with [1‐14C]‐galactose and [2‐14C]‐galactose. Extension of in vivo breath tests to other galactokinase patients is needed to better understand the pathophysiology of this disease.
Communicating potentially large but non‐robust changes in multi‐model projections of future climate
Authors: Zappa Giuseppe , Bevacqua Emanuele , Shepherd Theodore G.
Published: February 2021

The future climate projections in the IPCC reports are visually communicated via maps showing the mean response of climate models to alternative scenarios of socio‐economic development. The presence of large changes is highlighted by stippling the maps where the mean climate response (the signal) is large compared to internal variability (the noise) and the response is robust, that is, consistent in sign, across the individual models. In addition, hatching is used to mark the regions with a small multi‐model mean change. This approach may fail to recognize the risk of large changes in regions where the uncertainty is large and the response is not robust. Here, we present a more informative diagnostic to support risk assessment that is obtained by quantifying the mean forced signal‐to‐noise ratio of the individual model responses, rather than the signal‐to‐noise ratio of the mean response. This enables us to identify regions where a large future change compared to year‐to‐year variability is plausible, regardless of whether the signal is robust across the ensemble. For mean precipitation changes, we find that the majority (58% in surface area) of the unmarked regions and a sizeable portion (19%) of the hatched regions from the AR5 projections hid climate change responses to the RCP8.5 scenario that are on average large compared to the year‐to‐year variability. Based on the newer CMIP6 ensemble, a considerable potential for large annual‐mean precipitation changes, despite the lack of a robust multi‐model projection, exists over 22% of the surface land area, particularly in Central America, northern South America (including the Amazon), Central and West Africa (including parts of the Sahel), and the Maritime Continent.
Periodontopathogenic bacteria in subglottic samples from patients undergoing elective intubation for general anesthesia: A pilot study
Authors: Morillo Carlos M. R. , Saraiva Luciana , Romito Giuseppe A. , Pannuti Claudio Mendes , Oliveira Heleno P. , Peres Maria Paula S. M. , Carmona Maria José C. , Villar Cristina C.
Published: February 2021

Background

Translocation of periodontal pathogens into the respiratory tract could either cause pneumonia or disrupt local defense mechanisms, predisposing the host to infection by respiratory pathogens. The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate the levels of periodontopathogenic bacteria in subglottic samples of intubated and mechanically ventilated patients and the impact of oral decontamination with chlorhexidine (CHX) on subglottic levels of these microorganisms.

Methods

Patients scheduled to undergo elective surgical procedures requiring endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation for at least 3 hours were included. Following full‐mouth periodontal examination, patients were randomly assigned to groups that rinsed preoperatively with 0.12% CHX or 0.9% saline (control). After 3 hours of orotracheal intubation, subglottic contents were collected. Quantification of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (A. actinomycetemcomitans), Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis), and Tannerella forsythia (T. forsythia) in subglottic samples was determined using quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction. Data were analyzed by Fisher Exact Probability, unpaired Student's t and Mann‐Whitney tests.

Results

Of the 69 patients included, 43 completed study participation. There were no differences between control and CHX groups in subglottic detection rates and abundance levels of P. gingivalis (P = 0.59), T. forsythia (P = 0.83) and A. actinomycetemcomitans (P = 0.07). Moreover, our data indicate that periodontal health has no impact on subglottic levels of P. gingivalis, T. forsythia, and A. actinomycetemcomitans.

Conclusions

Periodontal pathogens were detected in subglottic samples of intubated and mechanically ventilated patients. Moreover, a single CHX rinse prior to endotracheal intubation may have no effect on subglottic contamination by P. gingivalis, T. forsythia, and A. actinomycetemcomitans.
Efficacy of inorganic bovine bone combined with leukocyte and platelet‐rich fibrin or collagen membranes for treating unfavorable periodontal infrabony defects: Randomized non‐inferiority trial
Authors: Rexhepi Imena , Paolantonio Michele , Romano Luigi , Serroni Matteo , Santamaria Pasquale , Secondi Lorenzo , Paolantonio Giulia , Sinjari Bruna , De Ninis Paolo , Femminella Beatrice
Published: February 2021

Background

Growing evidence shows the efficacy of platelet concentrates in periodontal therapy. This study aimed to demonstrate that an inorganic bovine bone graft (IBB) in combination with a leukocyte and platelet rich fibrin (L‐PRF) is non‐inferior to a combination with a collagen membrane (CM) when managing unfavorable infrabony defects (IBDs).

Methods

All patients exhibited at least one unfavorable IBD; they were randomly assigned to two groups, 31 treated with L‐PRF+IBB and 31 with CM+IBB. A clinical and radiographic examination was performed at baseline and 12 months later. Clinical attachment level (CAL), gingival recession (GR), probing depth (PD), and radiographic defect bone level (DBL) post‐therapy changes were compared between the two treatments. A non‐inferiority margin = 1 mm was set to determine the efficacy of the test treatment (‒1 mm for GR); a second non‐inferiority margin = 0.5 mm (‒0.5 mm for GR) was chosen for clinical relevance.

Results

Twelve months after surgery a significant improvement of clinical and radiographic parameters was observed at both experimental sites. The 90% confidence intervals of the CM+IBB‒L‐PRF+IBB mean difference for CAL gain (‒0.810 mm [‒1.300 to ‒0.319]) and DBL gain (‒0.648 mm [‒1.244 to ‒0.052]) were below the 0.5 mm non‐inferiority margin; GR increase (1.284 mm [0.764 to 1.804]) remained above the ‒0.5 mm, while PD reduction (0.499 mm [0.145 to 0.853]) crossed its 0.5‐mm margin.

Conclusions

The L‐PRF+IBB treatment of unfavorable IBDs offers non‐inferior efficacy for CAL gain, showing less GR and more DBL gain too, while for PD reduction it is inferior to the CM+IBB treatment.
Palatal pre‐suturing for perioperative hemostasis at free gingival graft donor sites: A randomized, controlled clinical trial
Authors: Kulkarni Mihir Raghavendra , Shettar Leena Gangadhar , Bakshi Purva Vijay , Nikhil Kriti
Published: February 2021

Background

The palatal suture has been well known in literature as a method for palatal hemostasis but has not been validated for its efficacy. The aim of this parallel‐arm randomized controlled clinical trial was to evaluate the efficacy of palatal pre‐suturing using the greater palatine compression suture (GPCS) in reducing the perioperative hemorrhage associated with the palatal free gingival graft (FGG) procedure.

Methods

Twenty‐four patients requiring the FGG procedure for recession coverage or augmentation of keratinized tissue were recruited in the study and randomized to the GPCS group and the control group. The GPCS was placed using a previously described protocol by a single operator in all the participants in the GPCS group. Perioperative blood loss was estimated by weighing the gauze used to mop the palatal hemorrhage, before and after the procedure. The time required for the surgery was also recorded by an independent observer.

Results

Significantly lesser blood loss was observed in the GPCS group (4.33 ± 0.89 g) as compared with the control group (8.91 ± 4.16 g). The difference in the time taken for the surgical procedure for the GPCS group (73.25 ± 22.35 minutes) was not significantly different from that required for the control group (76.08 ± 14.47 minutes).

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that pre‐suturing of the palate using the GPCS is an effective technique to reduce the perioperative blood loss associated with the palatal FGG procedure.
Synthesis and Surface Properties of Novel Quaternary Ammonium Gemini Surfactants with Polar Head Groups Containing 2‐Hydroxypropyl Moieties
Authors: Bai Yun , Pu Chunsheng , Liu Shuai , Gao Xiang , Chen Gang
Published: February 2021

The purpose of this paper is to comprehend in‐depth the effect of the surfactant structure on its and physicochemical properties such as surface/interfacial properties, foam stability, wettability, and biodegradability. To this end, quaternary ammonium Gemini surfactants, alkanediyl‐α,ω‐bis[(2‐hydroxypropyl)dodecylammonium] dibromide (abbreviated as Cm‐n‐Cm[iso‐Pr(OH)]2 with m = 12, 14 and n = 2, 3, 4) were synthesized via substitution and quaternization reactions, and their chemical structures were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (1HNMR) spectroscopies. The results showed that with the decrease of the spacer length, the surface tension was reduced more strongly, and with the increase of the alkyl tail length, micelles were more easily formed. Besides, the highest surface activity of C14‐2‐C14[iso‐Pr(OH)]2 was observed by increasing NaCl concentration to 200 g L−1. The temperature had a great influence on thermodynamic parameters of the adsorption and micellization. The interfacial tension between 0.26 g L−1 C14‐2‐C14[iso‐Pr(OH)]2 solution and oil could reach 0.022 mN m−1. An elongation of the spacer chain in C14‐n‐C14[iso‐Pr(OH)]2 was unfavorable to foam stability. Besides, the oil‐wetted core, which was aged in 0.6 g L−1 C14‐2‐C14[iso‐Pr(OH)]2 solution, exhibited more hydrophilicity. Cm‐n‐Cm[iso‐Pr(OH)]2 surfactants produced higher biodegradable rates in river water (≥ 90% after 28 days) than the biodegradable surfactant of international recommendation (71% after 28 days) at 30  °C.
Nutritional composition and bioactive compounds of Melipona seminigra pot‐pollen from Amazonas, Brazil
Authors: Rebelo Kemilla S , Cazarin Cinthia BB , Iglesias Amadeu H , Stahl Marcella A , Kristiansen Karsten , Carvalho‐Zilse Gislene A , Grimaldi Renato , Reyes Felix GR , Danneskiold‐Samsøe Niels B , Júnior Mário RM
Published: February 2021

BACKGROUND

Pot‐pollen is a fermented product stored by stingless bees in cerumen pots and traditionally used as food or medicine by natives in tropical regions. Knowledge of pot‐pollen composition from the Amazon region is important to strengthen the breeding of native bees and consequently contribute to sustainable development in this region. The aim of the present study was to determine the chemical composition of Melipona seminigra pot‐pollen from Amazonas, Brazil.

RESULTS

We report the identification of 21 phenolic compounds using ultra‐performance liquid chromatography– electrospray ionization–quadrupole time‐of‐flight–mass spectrometry. Overall, the predominant constituents of pot‐pollen were protein (333.8–470.7 g kg−1) and dietary fibers (247.6–353.3 g kg−1). The predominant fatty acids were polyunsaturated (44.95–59.57% of total fatty acid content) and the samples contained all essential amino acids. Total carotenoid content ranged from 3.2 to 48.0 μg g−1, total flavonoid content (as catechin equivalents) from 1.9 to 4.5 mg g−1, total reducing capacity (as gallic acid equivalents) from 7.0 to 15.0 mg g−1, ferric‐reducing antioxidant power from 2.8 to 8.9 μmol g−1 and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (as Trolox equivalents) from 224.9 to 1117.0 μmol g−1.

CONCLUSIONS

This study reports for the first time a comprehensive chemical characterization of M. seminigra pot‐pollen. The samples presented antioxidant activity, high values of nutrients and bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, carotenoids, insoluble dietary fibers, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and essential amino acids, comparable to other health foods. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry
Study on preparation of acylated soy protein and stability of emulsion
Authors: Xia Nan , Lu Xing‐Xing , Zheng Zhi , Mu Dong‐Dong , Zhong Xi‐Yang , Luo Shui‐Zhong , Zhao Yan‐Yan
Published: February 2021

BACKGROUND

Protein can be used as an emulsifier to improve emulsion stability at the interface of water‐in‐oil emulsion. However, natural soybean protein isolate (SPI) does not meet the high demands as an emulsifier in the food industry. The effect of acylation modification by ethylenediaminetetraacetic dianhydride (EDTAD; 0–300 g kg−1) on the physicochemical properties of SPI was studied.

RESULTS

The results of the Fourier transform infrared spectra analyses showed that carboxyl groups were introduced into the SPI structure by the EDTAD treatment. The carboxyl concentration of SPI was increased by 30–74.07% with an increase in EDTAD addition from 50 to 300 g kg−1. When 150 g kg−1 EDTAD was added, the surface hydrophobicity, the emulsifying activity, and the absolute value of the zeta potential were increased by 213%, 120%, and 68% respectively, and the particle size decreased to 247 nm. The droplet size of emulsion decreased to 10 μm when pH was 6. At the same concentration of SPI and pH, the absolute value of zeta potential of the emulsion was biggest. A comparison of the emulsions during storage showed the improvement of emulsion stability was related to the increase in the zeta potential and the decrease in the average particle size. The experimental group showed no destabilization on day 21, and no obvious aggregation phenomenon was observed.

CONCLUSION

Acylation modification by EDTAD changed the emulsifying properties of SPI and enhanced the stability of the SPI emulsion. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry