bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evolutionary stasis of the pseudoautosomal boundary in strepsirrhine primates
Authors: Shearn Rylan , Wright Alison E , Mousset Sylvain , Régis Corinne , Penel Simon , Lemaitre Jean-François , Douay Guillaume , Crouau-Roy Brigitte , Lecompte Emilie , Marais Gabriel AB
Published: November 2020

Sex chromosomes are typically comprised of a non-recombining region and a recombining pseudoautosomal region. Accurately quantifying the relative size of these regions is critical for sex-chromosome biology both from a functional and evolutionary perspective. The evolution of the pseudoautosomal boundary (PAB) is well documented in haplorrhines (apes and monkeys) but not in strepsirrhines (lemurs and lorises). Here, we studied the PAB of seven species representing the main strepsirrhine lineages by sequencing a male and a female genome in each species and using sex differences in coverage to identify the PAB. We found that during primate evolution, the PAB has remained unchanged in strepsirrhines whereas several recombination suppression events moved the PAB and shortened the pseudoautosomal region in haplorrhines. Strepsirrhines are well known to have much lower sexual dimorphism than haplorrhines. We suggest that mutations with antagonistic effects between males and females have driven recombination suppression and PAB evolution in haplorrhines
Phylogenetic relationships and taxonomic position of genusHyperacrius(Rodentia: Arvicolinae) from Kashmir based on evidences from analysis of mitochondrial genome and study of skull morphology
Authors: Abramson Natalia I. , Golenishchev Fedor N. , Bodrov Semen Yu. , Bondareva Olga V. , Genelt-Yanovskiy Evgeny A. , Petrova Tatyana V.
Published: November 2020

In this article, we present the nearly complete mitochondrial genome of the Subalpine Kashmir voleHyperacrius fertilis(Arvicolinae, Cricetidae, Rodentia), assembled using data from Illumina next-generation sequencing (NGS) of the DNA from a century-old museum specimen. De novo assembly consisted of 16,341 bp and included all mitogenome protein-coding genes as well as 12S and 16S RNAs, tRNAs and D-loop. Using the alignment of protein-coding genes of 14 previously published Arvicolini tribe mitogenomes, seven Clethrionomyini mitogenomes, and alsoOndatraandDicrostonyxoutgroups, we conducted phylogenetic reconstructions based on a dataset of 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs) under maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference. Phylogenetic analyses robustly supported the phylogenetic position of this species within the tribe Arvicolini. Among the Arvicolini,Hyperacriusrepresents one of the early-diverged lineages. This result of phylogenetic analysis altered the conventional view on phylogenetic relatedness betweenHyperacriusandAlticolaand prompted the revision of morphological characters underlying the former assumption. Morphological analysis performed here confirmed molecular data and provided additional evidence for taxonomic replacement of the genusHyperacriusfrom the tribe Clethrionomyini to the tribe Arvicolini.
Antibacterial and Phytochemical Screening of Leaf and Seed Extract of Ficus exasperata
Authors: Julius O. O. , Oluwasusi V. O. , Ibiyemi M. F.
Published: November 2020

Ficus exasperata belongs to the family Moraceae, and is commonly called forest sand paper tree/plant, widely spread in all eco-regions of Nigeria. This plant possesses antimicrobial agents and pharmacological compounds which aid in its efficacy for treatment of ailments. Hence, this study investigated the antibacterial activities and phytochemical screening of aqueous and ethanolic extract of leaves and seeds of Ficus exasperata. Leaves and seeds of the plant sample were processed to obtain fractions of crude extracts which were used against bacterial isolates such as, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella aerogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Shigella spp. Phytochemical screening of the samples was also done to detect the presence of alkaloid, saponins, flavonoids, glycosides, tannin, terpenoids, sterol and phenols. Results obtained showed the susceptibility pattern against the bacterial isolates at concentrations ranging from 0.20 – 1.00 mg/mL. The ethanol extract of leaves of the plant sample showed high susceptibility pattern against P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, E. coli and K. aerogenes. The study shows that crude extracts of leaves and seeds of the plant sample were effective against the test organisms. The phytochemicals constituents were also present except sterol which is lacking in the seed sample due to the solvent used such as ethanol but may be present if other solvent is used. Antibacterial activity of crude extracts of F. exasperata leaves and seeds were as a result of presence of phytochemical constituents because they are fundamental biomedicals, which are considered biologically to be active compounds. This study provides an insight to the usefulness of extracts from F. exasperata leaves and seeds to be potential treatment against common clinical diseases.
Self‐Strengthening Adhesive Force Promotes Cell Mechanotransduction
Authors: Yu Leixiao , Hou Yong , Xie Wenyan , Cuellar‐Camacho Jose Luis , Wei Qiang , Haag Rainer
Published: November 2020

The extracellular matrix (ECM) undergoes dynamic remodeling and progressive stiffening during tissue regeneration and disease progression. However, most of the artificial ECMs and in vitro disease models are mechanically static. Here, a self‐strengthening polymer coating mimicking the dynamic nature of native ECM is designed to study the cellular response to dynamic biophysical cues and promote cell mechanical sensitive response. Spiropyran (SP) is utilized as dynamic anchor group to regulate the strength of cell adhesive peptide ligands. Benefiting from spontaneous thermal merocyanine‐to‐spiropyran (MC–SP) isomerization, the resulting self‐responsive coating displays dynamic self‐strengthening of interfacial interactions. Comparing with the static and all of the previous dynamic artificial ECMs, cells on this self‐responsive surface remodel the weakly bonded MC‐based coatings to activate α5β1 integrin and Rac signaling in the early adhesion stage. The subsequent MC‐to‐SP conversion strengthens the ligand–integrin interaction to further activate αvβ3 integrin and RhoA/ROCK signaling in the latter stage. This sequential process enhances cellular mechanotransduction as well as the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). It is worth emphasizing that the self‐strengthening occurs spontaneously in the absence of any stimulus, making it especially useful for implanted scaffolds in regenerative medicine.
Unlabeled Far‐Field Deeply Subwavelength Topological Microscopy (DSTM)
Authors: Pu Tanchao , Ou Jun‐Yu , Savinov Vassili , Yuan Guanghui , Papasimakis Nikitas , Zheludev Nikolay I.
Published: November 2020

A nonintrusive far‐field optical microscopy resolving structures at the nanometer scale would revolutionize biomedicine and nanotechnology but is not yet available. Here, a new type of microscopy is introduced, which reveals the fine structure of an object through its far‐field scattering pattern under illumination with light containing deeply subwavelength singularity features. The object is reconstructed by a neural network trained on a large number of scattering events. In numerical experiments on imaging of a dimer, resolving powers better than λ/200, i.e., two orders of magnitude beyond the conventional “diffraction limit” of λ/2, are demonstrated. It is shown that imaging is tolerant to noise and is achievable with low dynamic range light intensity detectors. Proof‐of‐principle experimental confirmation of DSTM is provided with a training set of small size, yet sufficient to achieve resolution five‐fold better than the diffraction limit. In principle, deep learning reconstruction can be extended to objects of random shape and shall be particularly efficient in microscopy of a priori known shapes, such as those found in routine tasks of machine vision, smart manufacturing, and particle counting for life sciences applications.
Utilization and outcomes of transcatheter coil embolization for various coronary artery lesions: Single‐center 12‐year experience
Authors: Abdelfattah Omar M. , Saad Anas M. , Kassis Nicholas , Shekhar Shashank , Isogai Toshiaki , Gad Mohamed M. , Ahuja Keerat R. , Hariri Essa , Kaur Manpreet , Farwati Medhat , Khatri Jaikirshan , Krishnaswamy Amar , Kapadia Samir R.
Published: November 2020

Objective

Determining the outcomes of transcatheter coil embolization (TCE) for several coronary artery lesions.

Background

TCE has been used as a treatment modality for various lesions in the coronary circulation. However, data on the efficacy and safety of TCE to treat coronary artery fistula (CAF), left internal mammary artery (LIMA) side‐branch, coronary artery perforation (CAP), coronary artery aneurysm (CAA), and coronary artery pseudoaneurysm (CAPA) are limited.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective, descriptive analysis of all TCE devices in coronary lesions at our center from 2007 to 2019. Forty‐one studied lesions included 25 CAF, 7 LIMA side‐branch, 5 CAP, 2 CAA, and 2 CAPA. Short‐ and 1‐year mortality and hospital readmission were reported, in addition to coil‐related complications and procedural success.

Results

The utilization rate of TCE in coronary artery lesions at our center was found to be 33.8 per 100,000 percutaneous coronary intervention procedures over 12 years. Successful angiographic closure was achieved in 37 out of 41 (87.8%) cases (88, 100, 60, 100, and 100% of CAF, LIMA side‐branch, CAP, CAA, and CAPA, respectively). No adverse events were directly related to TCE among the LIMA, CAA, and CAPA cases, and only one patient with CAF required reintervention at 3 months due to coil migration.

Conclusions

Coil embolization in our institution was safe and effective in treating different coronary circulation abnormalities with a 87.8% overall success rate. Further study on the use of vascular plug devices in cases such as CAF or LIMA side‐branch would be beneficial to understand the treatment options better.
Diethylenetriamine as a selective pyrrhotite depressant: Properties, application, and mitigation strategies
Authors: Furnell Erin , Tian Xinyi , Bobicki Erin R.
Published: November 2020

Pyrrhotite (Po) is an abundant iron sulphide mineral that occurs in nickel sulphide deposits, such as those in Sudbury, Ontario. Due to its low economic value and its high contribution to SO2emissions produced during smelting, Po is rejected into the tailings during mineral processing. The rejection of Po can be accomplished in several ways, including by using chelating agents such as diethylenetriamine (DETA) as depressants in froth flotation. DETA can significantly improve nickel recovery and concentrate grades; however, it is challenging to manage in the tailings area. DETA, when used, forms stable chelates with Ni2+and Cu2+which cannot be precipitated with traditional lime treatment. Once in the tailings management area, DETA can desorb from Po solids upon dilution or with changes in temperature and/or pH. The species chelated with DETA can also change depending on the availability of the ions in solution. The use of DETA can, therefore, lead to concentrations of Ni2+and Cu2+in final effluent that exceed the regulated amounts. Due to the challenges with chelated metals in effluent, it is recommended that the chelating agents be removed from the tailings stream before it is deposited. Although DETA‐metal chelates are rarely discussed in the literature, some mitigation and degradation strategies investigated by industry are discussed in this review. DETA degradation methods are also discussed, with the primary focus being on biodegradation. DETA has generally been described as recalcitrant to biodegradation although there is evidence that proper acclimation should allow bacteria to develop DETA degradation pathways.
A room with a green view: the importance of nearby nature for mental health during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Soga Masashi , Evans Maldwyn J. , Tsuchiya Kazuaki , Fukano Yuya
Published: November 2020

The COVID‐19 pandemic and its global response have resulted in unprecedented and rapid changes to most people’s day‐to‐day lives. To slow the spread of the virus, governments have implemented the practice of physical distancing (“social distancing”), which includes isolation within the home with limited time spent outdoors. During this extraordinary time, nature around the home may play a key role in mitigating against adverse mental health outcomes due to the pandemic and the measures taken to address it. To assess whether this is the case, we conducted an online questionnaire survey (n = 3,000) in Tokyo, Japan, to quantify the association between five mental health outcomes (depression, life satisfaction, subjective happiness, self‐esteem, and loneliness) and two measures of nature experiences (frequency of greenspace use and green view through windows from home). Accounting for sociodemographic and lifestyle variables, we found that the frequency of greenspace use and the existence of green window views from within the home was associated with increased levels of self‐esteem, life satisfaction, and subjective happiness and decreased levels of depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Our findings suggest that a regular dose of nature can contribute to the improvement of a wide range of mental health outcomes. With the recent escalation in the prevalence of mental health disorders, and the possible negative impacts of the COVID‐19 pandemic on public mental health, our findings have major implications for policy, suggesting that urban nature has great potential to be used as a “nature‐based solution” for improved public health.
Size‐spectra analysis in the estuary: assessing fish nursery function across a habitat mosaic
Authors: Seitz Karl M. , Atlas William I. , Millard‐Martin Benjamin , Reid Jared , Heavyside Julian , Hunt Brian P. V. , Moore Jonathan W.
Published: November 2020

Estuaries act as nurseries for a wide variety of fish species, potentially providing vital foraging opportunities and refuge from predation for their juvenile residents. Yet, these dynamic environments are comprised of a mosaic of habitat types that span gradients of both salinity and physical habitat structure. Here, we present a novel use of size‐spectra analysis to infer nursery habitat function across the estuary habitat mosaic. Interpreting slope and intercept values of abundance against body mass size‐spectra regressions as indicators of predation risk and production, we constructed spectra for six distinct habitat types across the entire tidal influence of an unindustrialized estuary in coastal British Columbia. Based on catches of >200,000 individual fish representing 30 different species from April through September, the estuary rockweed mudflat habitat had the lowest size‐spectra slope and highest intercept, consistent with lower predation risk and higher production. Size‐spectra coefficients varied seasonally across the ecotone, indicating spatio‐temporal variation in key nursery functions. Size‐spectra can provide insight into key ecological processes of productivity and predation risk across dynamic aquatic habitats.
Thermal performance of phase change material–based heat sink for passive cooling of electronic components: An experimental study
Authors: Kothari Rohit , Sahu Santosh K. , Kundalwal Shailesh I. , Mahalkar Pawan
Published: November 2020

Present paper reports the thermal performance of various phase change material (PCM)‐based heat sinks during melting process for cooling of portable electronic devices through experimental investigations. Heat sink configurations include unfinned with pure PCM, finned with pure PCM, unfinned with metallic foam (MF)–PCM composite, and finned with MF–PCM composite. Paraffin wax is used as PCM, and tests have been carried out for various input heat flux values (1.3, 2.0, and 2.7 kW/m2) at different volume fractions of PCM (0, 0.50, 0.86, and 1). The effect of various parameters such as PCM volume fraction, heat sink type, and heat flux on the stretching of operating time to achieve a set point temperature (SPT) is studied. Results obtained from the current experimental investigation are compared with the existing test results. Also, unfinned heat sink without and with PCM is used for baseline comparison. The evolution and propagation of melt front inside the heat sink are studied through photographic observation. The enhancement in operating time is found to vary with the SPT and heat flux values. MF–PCM‐based heat sinks are more advantageous for higher value of input heat flux (2.0 and 2.7 kW/m2). For q″ = 1.3 and 2.0 kW/m2, four‐finned MF–PCM‐based heat sink exhibits better performance; while three‐finned MF–PCM‐based heat sink shows best performance at q″ = 2.7 kW/m2. The highest enhancement ratio of ~2.97 is obtained at 1.3 and 2.7 kW/m2 for four‐finned MF–PCM heat sink and three‐finned MF–PCM heat sink, respectively. Also, three‐finned heat sink provides higher heat transfer rate and highest thermal conductance at q″ = 2.7 kW/m2.
Effect of alkylresorcinols on the formation of Nε‐(carboxymethyl)lysine and sensory profile of wheat bread
Authors: Liu Jie , Yang Zihui , Hao Yiming , Wang Ziyuan , Han Lin , Li Meng , Zhang Ning , Chen Haitao , Liu Yingli , Li Hongyan , Wang Jing
Published: November 2020

Alkylresorcinols (ARs) are important bioactive components in wheat bran which have been used as biomarkers for whole grain wheat consumption. In this study, the impact of ARs on the formation of Nε‐(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML), the main component of dietary advanced glycation end products which could induce chronic disease was analyzed. Moreover, the influence of the addition of ARs on the sensory profiles of wheat bread was evaluated. ARs supplementation (0.03%, 0.1%, and 0.3% w/w) could significantly decrease the formation of CML by 21.70%, 35.11%, and 42.18%, respectively, compared with the control. Moreover, ARs‐supplemented bread achieved a higher score in overall acceptability and buttery‐like aroma through sensory evaluation. The volatile compounds in bread supplemented with ARs were characterized by headspace solid phase microextraction‐gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (HS‐SPME‐GC‐MS), among which acetoin, 2,3‐butanedione, 3‐methyl‐1‐butanol, 2‐phenylethanol, and 2‐methylbutanal were confirmed as the main volatile compounds through determination of odor activity value. In addition, ARs supplementation had no negative impact on the chewiness, hardness, and springiness of bread. These findings demonstrated that ARs could be applied as potential food additives to improve the quality and sensory profile of bread.
Quantifying contributions of snowmelt water to streamflow using graphical and chemical hydrograph separation
Authors: Miller Samuel A. , Lyon Steve W. , Miller Scott N.
Published: November 2020

In this study, we characterize the snowmelt hydrological response of nine headwater watersheds in southeast Wyoming by separating streamflow into three components using a combination of tracer and graphical approaches. First, continuous 15‐min records of specific conductance (SC) from 2016 to 2018 were used to separate streamflow into annual contributions, representing water that contributes to streamflow in a given year that entered the watershed in the same year being considered, and perennial contributions, representing water that contributes to streamflow in a given year that entered the watershed in previous years. Then, diurnal streamflow cycles occurring during the snowmelt season were used to graphically separate annual contributions into rapid diurnal snowmelt contributions, representing water with the relatively fastest hydrological response and shortest residence time, and delayed annual contributions, representing water with relatively longer residence time in the watershed before becoming streamflow. On average, mean annual total streamflow was comprised of between 22% and 46% perennial contributions, 7% and 14% rapid diurnal snowmelt contributions, and 46% and 55% delayed annual contributions across the watersheds. A hysteresis index describing SC‐discharge patterns indicated that, annually, most watersheds showed negative, concave, anti‐clockwise hysteretic direction suggesting faster flow pathways dominate streamflow on the rising limb of the annual hydrograph relative to the falling limb. At the daily timescale during snowmelt‐induced diurnal streamflow cycles, hysteresis was negative, but with a clockwise direction, implying that rapid diurnal snowmelt contributions generated from the concurrent daily snowmelt, with lower SC, arrived after delayed annual contribution peaks and preferentially contributed on the falling limb of diurnal cycles. South‐facing watersheds were more susceptible to early season snowmelt at slower rates, resulting in less annual and more perennial contributions. Conversely, north‐facing watersheds had longer snow persistence and larger proportions of annual contributions and rapid diurnal snowmelt contributions. Watersheds with surficial geology dominated by glacial deposits had a lower proportion of rapid diurnal snowmelt contributions compared to watersheds with large percentages of bedrock surficial geology.
Multistage multimodal medical image fusion model using feature‐adaptive pulse coupled neural network
Authors: Singh Sneha , Gupta Deep
Published: November 2020

Medical image fusion focuses to fuse complementary diagnostic details for better visualization of comprehensive information and interpretation of various diseases and its treatment planning. In this paper, a multistage multimodal fusion model is presented based on nonsubsampled shearlet transform (NSST), stationary wavelet transform (SWT), and feature‐adaptive pulse coupled neural network. Firstly, NSST is employed to decompose the source images into optimally sparse multi‐resolution components followed by SWT. Secondly, structural features are extracted by a weighted sum‐modified Laplacian and applied to an adaptive model to map feature weights for low‐band SWT component fusion, and texture feature‐based fusion rule is applied to fuse high‐band SWT components. High‐frequency NSST components are fused using the absolute maximum and sum of absolute difference based rule to retain complex directional details. Experimental results show that the proposed method obtains significantly better fused medical images compared to others with excellent visual quality and improved computational measures.
m6A methyltransferase Wilms' tumor 1‐associated protein facilitates cell proliferation and cisplatin resistance in NK/T cell lymphoma by regulating dual‐specificity phosphatases 6 expression via m6A RNA methylation
Authors: Ma HongYan , Shen LiYun , Yang Hua , Gong HongTao , Du XingJun , Li JunBo
Published: November 2020

Nasal‐type natural killer/T‐cell lymphoma (NKTCL) is an aggressive malignancy with poor survival outcomes that is relatively resistant to chemotherapy. N6‐Methyladenosine (m6A) modification, the most prevalent modification of eukaryotic messenger RNA, is involved in the progression of various tumors. However, it is unclear whether it has a physiological role in NKTCL development. To address this question, we probed its function and molecular mechanisms in NKTCL. Initially, we demonstrated that Wilms' tumor 1‐associated protein (WTAP), a major RNA N6‐adenosine methyltransferase, was obviously upregulated in human NKTCL cell lines (YTS and SNK‐6 cells), compared with normal NK cells. Functionally, depletion of WTAP noticeably repressed proliferation and facilitated apoptosis in YTS and SNK‐6 cells. Moreover, intervention of WTAP evidently prohibited NKTCL cell chemotherapy resistance to cisplatin, as reflected by a lower inhibition of cell viability and decreased expression of drug resistance‐associated protein expression MRP‐1 and P‐gp in YTS and SNK‐6 cells. With regard to the mechanism, we revealed that WTAP enhanced dual‐specificity phosphatases 6 (DUSP6) expression by increasing m6A levels of DUSP6 mRNA transcript, leading to oncogenic functions in NKTCL. Interestingly, WTAP contributed to the progression and chemotherapy sensitivity of NKTCL by stabilizing DUSP6 mRNA in an m6A‐dependent manner. Taken together, these findings uncovered a critical function for WTAP‐guided m6A methylation and identified DUSP6 as an important target of m6A modification in the regulation of chemotherapy resistance in NKTCL oncogenesis. This study highlights WTAP as a potential therapeutic target of NKTCL treatment.
Utility of Quantitative Proteomics for Enhancing the Predictive Ability of Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Models Across Disease States
Authors: Sharma Sheena , Suresh Ahire Deepak , Prasad Bhagwat
Published: November 2020

Disease states such as liver cirrhosis and chronic kidney disease can lead to altered pharmacokinetics (PK) of drugs by influencing drug absorption, blood flow to organs, plasma protein binding, apparent volume of distribution, and drug‐metabolizing enzyme and transporter (DMET) abundance. Narrow therapeutic index drugs are particularly vulnerable to undesired pharmacodynamics (PD) because of the changes in drug PK in disease states. However, systematic clinical evaluation of disease effect on drug PK and PD is not always possible because of the complexity or the cost of clinical studies. Physiologically based PK (PBPK) modeling is emerging as an alternate method to extrapolate drug PK from the healthy population to disease states. These models require information on the effect of disease condition on the activity or tissue abundance of DMET proteins. Although immunoquantification‐based abundance data were available in the literature for a limited number of DMET proteins, the emergence of mass spectrometry‐based quantitative proteomics as a sensitive, robust, and high‐throughput tool has allowed a rapid increase in data availability on tissue DMET abundance in healthy versus disease states, especially in liver tissue. Here, we summarize these data including the available immunoquantification or mRNA levels of DMET proteins (healthy vs disease states) in extrahepatic tissue and discuss the potential applications of DMET abundance data in enhancing the capability of PBPK modeling in predicting drug disposition across disease states. Successful examples of PBPK modeling that integrate differences in DMET proteins between healthy and disease states are discussed.
Visualization of intensive atrial inflammation and fibrosis after cryoballoon ablation: PET/MRI and LGE‐MRI analysis
Authors: Kiuchi Kunihiko , Fukuzawa Koji , Nogami Munenobu , Watanabe Yoshiaki , Takami Mitsuru , Izawa Yu , Negi Noriyuki , Kyotani Katsusuke , Mori Shumpei , Hirata Ken‐Ichi
Published: November 2020

Background

Atrial inflammation plays an important role in initiating atrial fibrosis, which could perpetuate atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the method of visualization of atrial inflammation has not been established. We sought to investigate whether the intensive atrial inflammation caused by cryoballoon ablation (CBA) could be detected by positron emission tomography/ magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI) and whether the atrial inflammation could be associated with consequent fibrosis.

Methods

A total of 10 paroxysmal atrial fibrillation patients after CBA were enrolled. To detect and quantify intensive atrial inflammation, PET/MRI was performed to assess regional 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose (18F‐FDG) uptake one day after the CBA, and the standardized uptake values (SUV) max were compared between the pulmonary vein (PV) antrum where CBA could be applied and the healthy left atrial (LA) wall where CBA could not be applied. Furthermore, the atrial inflammation one day after the procedure and atrial fibrosis areas one month after the procedure were three‐dimensionally quantified by PET/MRI and late‐gadolinium enhancement magnetic resonance imaging (LGE‐MRI), respectively.

Results

The mean SUV max at the PV antrum was significantly higher than that on the healthy LA wall (2.12 ± 0.35 vs 1.73 ± 0.30, P = .00021). The volume of the atrial inflammation strongly correlated with that of the atrial fibrosis (r = .94 [.76‐.99], P = .00006).

Conclusions

The atrial inflammation after CBA could be detected by PET/MRI. CBA‐induced atrial inflammation was strongly associated with consequent lesion maturation.
Behavioral and neurological improvement by Cydonia oblonga fruit extract in chronic immobilization stress rats
Authors: Sakhri Fatma Z. , Adachi Naoki , Zerizer Sakina , Ohashi Yusuke , Ikemoto Hideshi , Tsukada Mana , Kabouche Zahia , Hisamitsu Tadashi , Sunagawa Masataka
Published: November 2020

It is known that chronic stress is a contributing factor to several physical and mental diseases. In this study, we examined the effect of hydroethanolic extract of Cydonia oblonga fruit (HECO, 300 mg/kg) in chronically immobilized rats on physiological and behavioral parameters by the open field test (OFT), sucrose preference test (SPT), and forced swimming test (FST) and on neurological alterations by analysis of the hippocampal neurogenesis. A daily 6 hr exposure to chronic immobilization stress (CIS) for 21 consecutive days induced anxiety‐ and depressive‐like behaviors in rats' concomitant with decreased weight gain and increased plasma corticosterone (CORT) levels, rats also showed atrophy in the CA3 subregion of the hippocampus and a decreased number of Ki67 and DCX positive cells in the dentate gyrus (DG). Treatment with HECO successfully suppressed the physiological and behavioral markers of the CIS and prevents the structural abnormality and the impaired cell proliferation in the hippocampus. Moreover, the daily administration of HECO improved the mood function in normal rats. Taking together, our findings demonstrate, for the first time, the anti‐depressive effect of C. oblonga fruit by enhancing the hippocampal neurogenesis in the rat model of depression.
Undirecting membership in models of Anti-Foundation
Authors: Adam-Day Bea , Cameron Peter J.
Published: November 2020

It is known that, if we take a countable model of Zermelo–Fraenkel set theory ZFC and “undirect” the membership relation (that is, make a graph by joining x to y if either $$x\in y$$

x
∈
y

or $$y\in x$$

y
∈
x

), we obtain the Erdős–Rényi random graph. The crucial axiom in the proof of this is the Axiom of Foundation; so it is natural to wonder what happens if we delete this axiom, or replace it by an alternative (such as Aczel’s Anti-Foundation Axiom). The resulting graph may fail to be simple; it may have loops (if $$x\in x$$

x
∈
x

for some x) or multiple edges (if $$x\in y$$

x
∈
y

and $$y\in x$$

y
∈
x

for some distinct x, y). We show that, in ZFA, if we keep the loops and ignore the multiple edges, we obtain the “random loopy graph” (which is $$\aleph _0$$

ℵ
0

-categorical and homogeneous), but if we keep multiple edges, the resulting graph is not $$\aleph _0$$

ℵ
0

-categorical, but has infinitely many 1-types. Moreover, if we keep only loops and double edges and discard single edges, the resulting graph contains countably many connected components isomorphic to any given finite connected graph with loops.
Targeted and untargeted quantification of quorum sensing signalling molecules in bacterial cultures and biological samples via HPLC-TQ MS techniques
Authors: Dal Bello Federica , Zorzi Michael , Aigotti Riccardo , Medica Davide , Fanelli Vito , Cantaluppi Vincenzo , Amante Eleonora , Orlandi Viviana Teresa , Medana Claudio
Published: November 2020

Quorum sensing (QS) is the ability of some bacteria to detect and to respond to population density through signalling molecules. QS molecules are involved in motility and cell aggregation mechanisms in diseases such as sepsis. Few biomarkers are currently available to diagnose sepsis, especially in high-risk conditions. The aim of this study was the development of new analytical methods based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry for the detection and quantification of QS signalling molecules, including N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHL) and hydroxyquinolones (HQ), in biofluids. Biological samples used in the study were Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacterial cultures and plasma from patients with sepsis. We developed two MS analytical methods, based on neutral loss (NL) and product ion (PI) experiments, to identify and characterize unknown AHL and HQ molecules. We then established a multiple-reaction-monitoring (MRM) method to quantify specific QS compounds. We validated the HPLC-MS-based approaches (MRM-NL-PI), and data were in accord with the validation guidelines. With the NL and PI MS-based methods, we identified and characterized 3 and 13 unknown AHL and HQ compounds, respectively, in biological samples. One of the newly found AHL molecules was C12-AHL, first quantified in Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacterial cultures. The MRM quantitation of analytes in plasma from patients with sepsis confirmed the analytical ability of MRM for the quantification of virulence factors during sepsis.
Precursor Effect of the Tibetan Plateau Heating Anomaly on the Seasonal March of the East Asian Summer Monsoon Precipitation
Authors: Duan Anmin , Hu Die , Hu Wenting , Zhang Ping
Published: November 2020

The East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) has complex drivers and is characterized by an abrupt onset and northward jumps of the main rain band. By analyzing multisource observational data and reanalysis data sets during 1961–2016, we addressed the connection between the preceding diabatic heating of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) and the seasonal march of the EASM. We show that the positive surface sensible heating and condensation heating anomalies over the TP lead the onset, duration, and total precipitation of the rainy season in South China (the first stage of the EASM) by about 2 and 1 month, respectively. A significant positive condensation heating anomaly over the TP can be detected about 1 month before the onset of the rainy season in Southwest China (the second stage of the EASM). By contrast, the relationship between heating of the TP and the onset of the rainy season is relatively weak during the remaining stages of the EASM, including the Meiyu and North China rainy seasons. We suggest that the strong heating of the TP intensifies the low‐level southwesterly circulation to the southeast and facilitates the convergence of moisture and ascending motion, leading to an earlier onset of the rainy season. Sensitive experiments with a linear baroclinic model further confirmed the role of heating of the TP in generating circulation conditions favorable for the onset of the rainy season in both South and Southwest China. The TP heating anomaly therefore acts as a precursor of the early stage onset of the EASM.
Clinical usefulness of high levels of C-reactive protein for diagnosing epithelial ovarian cancer
Authors: Yang Desheng , Li Haini , Sun Xiaoyan , Yang Shengmei , Wang Kewei , Liu Zongtao
Published: November 2020

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the diagnostic role of CRP in ovarian cancer and to assess whether CRP can be combined with tumor markers to enhance the diagnostic efficacy toward ovarian cancer. Area under the curve, sensitivity, and specificity were calculated to access the diagnostic ability of each singly and combined as markers for ovarian cancer. The CRP cut-off value was then calculated to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of CRP for ovarian cancer. Our results showed that values for all markers were significantly higher in the cancer group than in the control group. Receiver operating characteristic curve results showed that CA125 had the highest diagnostic efficacy for ovarian cancer, while the sensitivity for CRP was higher than for CA125, and the specificity for CRP was equal to that of CA125. The combination of CRP, CA125, and HE4, however, provided the strongest diagnostic capability. Furthermore, the diagnostic cut-off value for CRP with regard to ovarian cancer was 9.8 mg/L, and high levels of CRP were correlated with stage and tumor size of ovarian cancer. Our study indicated that CRP is valuable in the diagnosis of ovarian cancer, and that combining CRP with CA125 and HE4 improved the diagnostic efficacy with respect to ovarian cancer.
Multipole expansion of integral powers of cosine theta
Authors: Jobunga E. O. , Okeyo O. S.
Published: November 2020

Legendre polynomials form the basis for multipole expansion of spatially varying functions. The technique allows for decomposition of the function into two separate parts with one depending on the radial coordinates only and the other depending on the angular variables. In this work, the angular function $$\cos ^k \theta$$

cos
k

θ

is expanded in the Legendre polynomial basis and the algorithm for determining the corresponding coefficients of the Legendre polynomials is generated. This expansion together with the algorithm can be generalized to any case in which a dot product of any two vectors appears. Two alternative multipole expansions for the electron–electron Coulomb repulsion term are obtained. It is shown that the conventional multipole expansion of the Coulomb repulsion term is a special case for one of the expansions generated in this work.
The effect of CO2 injection on caprock permeability in deep saline aquifers
Authors: Wanigarathna Jayasekara Dinesha , Pathegama Gamage Ranjith
Published: November 2020

During CO2 injection into deep saline aquifers, the overlying caprock may be subjected to geochemical reactions which can alter the leakage pathways for injected CO2. Thus, it is crucial to identify the supercritical CO2 (scCO2) flow behaviour via fractures in caprock and its permeability to estimate the permanence of injected CO2. The objective of this study is to find the effect of scCO2 flow on fractured caprock permeability. A fractured siltstone sample was saturated in deionized water and conducted scCO2 permeability tests using a high-precision advanced core flooding apparatus under different injection pressures and confinements. Next, the siltstone sample was saturated in 10% w/w NaCl brine and conduced scCO2 permeability tests as described earlier. The results show that the brine-saturated sample has low permeability compared to water-saturated siltstone sample. The reason would be the deposition of evaporites during scCO2 flow through the fractured sample. This is known as CO2 dry-out phenomenon or absorbing moisture into the scCO2, making the remaining brine saturated with salts. Thus, the CO2 back-migration through the caprock discontinuities becomes minimized due to CO2 dry-out phenomenon, which is an advantage for the caprock integrity in deep saline aquifers. In addition, aquifers with high salinity contents show significant dry-out phenomenon because pore fluid easily becomes supersaturated with salts due to evaporation of moisture into the scCO2.
Numerical analysis of a heat exchanger pile response in a Brazilian subtropical region
Authors: Pimentel de Sousa Júnior Roberto , Pinto da Cunha Renato
Published: November 2020

Ground-coupled heat exchanger systems have been used as acclimatization systems for residential and commercial buildings in many countries. Brazil is the ninth largest consumer of electrical energy in the world, for this reason, local researchers are investigating the use of the energy piles in order to reduce the consumption of electricity. Thermal response tests have been carried out on a heat exchanger pile at the geotechnical experimental site of the University of São Paulo in São Carlos city, a region of subtropical climate. Simultaneously, using the thermal properties obtained in these tests, numerical analysis has been performed to investigate the heat exchange performance of energy piles installed in this site. For this numerical analysis, the effect of soil and concrete properties, pile geometry and the flow rate on the pile thermal response were evaluated. The current paper presents the results obtained by the analysis of 67 models tested to found an optimal configuration of an energy pile through the software COMSOL, using Heat Transfer and Non-Isothermal Pipe Flow modules. From this work, it was observed that the optimal configuration was obtained for a turbulent flow condition in piles in the heat exchanger pipes.
Changes in shaft resistance and pore water pressures during heating of an energy foundation
Authors: Reiter Michael B. , Kurtz Lydia , Attala Mohammed M. , Baser Tugce
Published: November 2020

This study focuses on the evolution of shaft resistance during operation of a geothermal energy foundation installed in a saturated glacial till layer. Energy foundations are a sustainable alternative to traditional space heating and cooling approaches for buildings. Despite efficient operational performance, there are still valid concerns regarding the effects of heating on the structural performance of foundations. To investigate the effect of heating at the soil-pile interface, four drilled shafts are utilized as energy foundations on the Urbana-Champaign campus of the University of Illinois and instrumented. Although the energy foundations are not yet operational, a theoretical investigation is possible to understand the effects of heating on the evolution of thermally induced pore water pressures and the shaft resistance of an energy foundation. A thermo-poroelastic numerical model is validated against an analytical solution, then is used to analyze the thermo-mechanical response of the soil-structure system under different conditions. The results indicate that the evolution of pore water pressure is affected by the rate of heating and the hydraulic conductivity of the surrounding soil, as expected. Higher pore water pressures are generated in the case of low hydraulic conductivity and higher rates of heating. Prior to the dissipation of excess pore pressures, the changes in shaft resistance are variable and influenced by the thermally-induced deformation of the foundation and the surrounding soil.
Experimental investigation of the transient thermo-mechanical behavior of a modular sensible heat storage system
Authors: Hailemariam Henok , Wuttke Frank
Published: November 2020

This paper focuses on the experimental investigation of the transient thermo-mechanical behavior of a lab-scale prototype heat storage system. The experiment involves heating of the storage unit up to a set temperature of 70°C followed by a passive cooling, and monitoring the thermally induced strains and stresses in the sensible heat storage module. The results show a significant development of induced thermal strains and stresses in the heat storage unit upon heating, particularly at the interface between the embedded heating element and the soil.
The Prediction of Drying Uniformity in Dryer Chamber System Using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
Authors: Chakyrova Daniela , Yangyozov Anastas , Rusev Dimitar , Doseva Nadezhda
Published: November 2020

The Dryer Chamber System is the most commonly used one because of its simple and economical design. The present article reviews the process of drying a heat insulation material, manufactured in a flat form with various thicknesses. The flat material is arranged on pallets with a distance between each other. The disadvantage of this Dryer Chamber System is the non-uniformity in the moisture distribution in the final product due to the poor organization of the airflow in the dryer chamber. The goal of this study is to analyze the conditions for improving the uniformity of drying in the currently existing Dryer Chamber System for heat insulation materials. The factors influencing the uniformity of the humidity of the material at the outlet of the dryer are studied: the way the air moves around the material and the distribution of its speed as well as the method of its supply. The influence of the situation of the material in the drying chamber on these factors was studied. The method of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used to determine the velocity distribution. As a result of the numerical simulation, a scheme for organizing the space of the drying chamber has been proposed, with which to improve the distribution of the speed field. An experiment was performed to verify the results of the simulations. The performed analyzes show that the proposed scheme for improving the organization of the air movement in the drying chamber leads to the improvement of the uniformity of drying of the material.
Possible solutions for the reduction of carbon emissions during operation of lignite power unit
Authors: Totev Totyo , Ignatov Borislav
Published: November 2020

In order to continue their operation, the power plants of the Maritsa East Complex have to meet the contemporary environmental requirements, which are becoming more and more stringent. Along with them, there is an increase in the cost of carbon allowances that every fossil fuel power plant needs to buy in order to continue its operation. This increases the cost of electricity produced by them. One way to reduce carbon dioxide emissions CO2 generated by power plants burning Bulgarian lignite is to implement a more efficient power generation cycle.
Influence of Selected Parameters on the Rate Nucleation of Methane Hydrates
Authors: Hečko Dávid , Malcho Milan , Mičko Pavol , Čaja Alexander
Published: November 2020

The demand for energy is growing in the world, and therefore attention has been focused on the use of possible alternative energy sources. For countries with limited access to common hydrocarbon gases, methane hydrates appear to be a potential source of energy. Under certain pressure and temperature conditions, it is also possible to produce hydrates of hydrocarbon gases under laboratory conditions. However, we are currently at a very early stage in the development of methane hydrates. The transition from scientific theory to practical extraction is currently underway. This article describes the influence of selected physical parameters on the nucleation rate of hydrocarbon gas hydrates.
Lungenerkrankung durch nicht-tuberkulöse Mykobakterien
Authors: Wagner D. , Lange C.
Published: November 2020

Die neue ATS/ERS/ESCMID/IDSA-Leitlinie beantwortet 22 PICO-Fragen zur Behandlung von Erkrankungen der Lunge durch Mycobacterium avium-Komplex (MAC), M. kansasii, M. xenopi und M. abscessus.

Allgemeines Insbesondere bei Patienten mit mikroskopischem Nachweis säurefester Stäbchen im Sputum oder kavernöser Verlaufsform sollte der Behandlungsbeginn nicht verzögert werden. Die Behandlung sollte auf einer speziesspezifischen Resistenztestung (entsprechend den CLSI-Guidelines) basieren.

MAC-Lungenerkrankung Die Therapie erfolgt hier mit mindestens 3 Medikamenten inklusive einem Makrolid (eher Azithromycin als Clarithromycin) und Ethambutol. Für Patienten mit kavitärer, mit ausgeprägter nodulär-bronchiektatischer Erkrankung oder mit Makrolid-Resistenz wird zur täglichen oralen Therapie eine additive Gabe von parenteralem Amikacin oder Streptomycin empfohlen. Liposomal verkapseltes inhalatives Amikacin wird bei Therapieversagen empfohlen. Patienten mit nodulär-bronchiektatischer Erkrankungsmanifestation sollten eine orale Makrolid-basierte Therapie, die – je nach Ausmaß – 3 ×/Woche gegeben werden kann, erhalten. Als Dauer werden 12 Monate nach Konversion der Sputumkultur empfohlen.

M. kansasii-Lungenerkrankung Empfohlen ist die Dreifachkombination aus Rifampicin, Ethambutol und Makrolid (oder Isoniazid ) für mindestens 12 Monate. Bei Rifampicin-Resistenz oder -unverträglichkeit wird Moxifloxacin als Ersatz empfohlen.

M. xenopi-Lungenerkrankung Empfohlen ist die Dreifachkombination aus Rifampicin, Ethambutol und Makrolid (oder Moxifloxacin) für mindestens 12 Monate nach Konversion der Sputumkultur. Es wird empfohlen, bei Patienten mit kavernöser Verlaufsform zumindest parenterales Amikacin zu addieren und Experten zu konsultieren.

M. abscessus-Lungenerkrankung Mindestens 3 Medikamente werden zur Therapie empfohlen. Die Substanzauswahl sollte auf einer In-vitro-Resistenztestung basieren. Makrolide sind die Grundlage, sollten aber bei Stämmen mit induzierbarer Makrolidresistenz nicht mitgerechnet werden. Zur Therapiedauer werden aufgrund fehlender Daten keine expliziten Empfehlungen ausgesprochen, eine Konsultation von Experten wird empfohlen.