bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Fractional CO2 Laser for the Treatment of Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause: A Prospective Multicenter Cohort Study
Authors: Li Jingran , Li Huan , Zhou Yanfei , Xie Meiqing , Miao Yali , Wang Luwen , Zhao Yan , Ying Ting , Hu Yan , Chen Yu , Chen Yaxiao , Sun Xiuli , Wang Jianliu
Published: November 2020

Background and Objectives

Genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) is a common condition affecting of most postmenopausal women, which greatly impacks the quality of life,and need to treat. This prospective multicenter cohort study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of the fractional carbon dioxide (CO2) laser with that of topical estrogen for vaginal treatment and relieving symptoms of genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM).

Study Design/Materials and Methods

This study included 162 postmenopausal patients who received vaginal laser or topical Estriol cream therapy between January 2017 and May 2019 at eight study centers in China. The degree of GSM‐related symptoms (vaginal burning, dryness, and dyspareunia) was evaluated using the Vaginal Health Index score (VHIS) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at baseline, 1, 3, 6, and 12 months posttreatment. The primary endpoint was the improvement in vaginal burning, dryness, and dyspareunia at 6 months after treatment. Multivariate logistic regression was used to compare the rate of improvement in the two groups.

Results

At baseline, the laser and control groups showed no significant difference in the mean age, time after menopause, and the VHIS (all P > 0.05). In the laser group, compared with baseline, significant differences were seen in the VHIS after the first or second treatment session and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months posttreatment (P < 0.01). In the control group, compared with baseline, the VHIS showed significant differences after 1, 3, and 6 months of treatment (P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference after 3 and 6 months of follow‐up between the two groups (P > 0.05). The VHIS scores were significantly higher after 1 month (16.63 ± 2.79 vs. 15.57 ± 2.43) and 12 months (15.72 ± 2.59 vs. 12.12 ± 4.08) of treatment in both the groups (P < 0.05). At 6 months after treatment, both groups showed improvement in vaginal burning, vaginal dryness, and dyspareunia (P > 0.05). The VAS findings at 6 months posttreatment were significantly different when compared with the pretreatment findings (P < 0.001). There were no significant adverse effects in the two groups.

Conclusions

Fractional CO2 laser vaginal treatment could be a safe and effective option for treating symptoms of GSM, including vaginal burning, dryness, and dyspareunia. The improvement in symptoms was comparable with that seen with topical estrogen therapy and lasted for at least 6–12 months posttreatment. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC
Interfacial Fabrication of CNTs/PVDF Bilayer Actuator with Fast Responses to the Light and Organic Solvent Vapor Stimuli
Authors: Zhang Gui , Yan Luke , Ji Lingtong , Liu Chaohui , Zhang Lei , Zhang Wei , Nie Yujing , Xiao Peng , Chen Tao
Published: November 2020

A multiple stimuli‐responsive actuator with an ability of rapid and sensitive responding is highly desirable for the development of biomimetic actuation applications. Herein, a bilayer actuator with fast and sensitive responses to acetone vapor and light stimuli is reported based on polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane with a hierarchical porosity and macroscopic carbon nanotubes (CNTs) assembled film. The CNTs film with uniform and tunable thickness is prepared by a macroscopic interfacial assembly strategy and transferred integrally onto the PVDF membrane. Under the infrared light, this CNTs/PVDF bilayer actuator can bend rapidly within 1 s and generate large stress. Moreover, for the acetone vapor stimuli, the actuator bends within 0.19 s and also reverses in 1.24 s to the initial state, showing sensitive and fast responses to acetone stimuli, as well as outstanding stability and repeatability.
Gene expression responses to Zika virus infection in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from pregnant and non‐pregnant women
Authors: Lim Shen Jean , Seyfang Andreas , Dutra Samia , Kane Bradley , Groer Maureen
Published: November 2020

Congenital Zika syndrome is caused by mother‐to‐fetus transmission of the Zika virus (ZIKV). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are permissive to ZIKV infection and may carry ZIKV to the placenta. To identify pregnancy‐related differences in PBMC responses against ZIKV infection, we compared gene expression profiles of ZIKV‐infected and non‐infected PBMCs cultured from pregnant and non‐pregnant women. ZIKV‐infected pregnant conditions generally overexpressed M1‐shifted pro‐inflammatory responses and underexpressed M2‐shifted anti‐inflammatory responses. Additionally, transcripts involved in osteoclast differentiation and cardiac myopathies were upregulated following ZIKV infection. Our results suggest potential roles of pregnancy‐induced immune dysregulation in shaping neonatal pathology associated with ZIKV infection.
Resting‐State Functional Connectivity Predicts STN DBS Clinical Response
Authors: Younce John R. , Campbell Meghan C. , Hershey Tamara , Tanenbaum Aaron B. , Milchenko Mikhail , Ushe Mwiza , Karimi Morvarid , Tabbal Samer D. , Kim Albert E. , Snyder Abraham Z. , Perlmutter Joel S. , Norris Scott A.
Published: November 2020

Background

Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus is a widely used adjunctive therapy for motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease, but with variable motor response. Predicting motor response remains difficult, and novel approaches may improve surgical outcomes as well as the understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms. The objective of this study was to determine whether preoperative resting‐state functional connectivity MRI predicts motor response from deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus.

Methods

We collected preoperative resting‐state functional MRI from 70 participants undergoing subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation. For this cohort, we analyzed the strength of STN functional connectivity with seeds determined by stimulation‐induced (ON/OFF) 15O H2O PET regional cerebral blood flow differences in a partially overlapping group (n = 42). We correlated STN‐seed functional connectivity strength with postoperative motor outcomes and applied linear regression to predict motor outcomes.

Results

Preoperative functional connectivity between the left subthalamic nucleus and the ipsilateral internal globus pallidus correlated with postsurgical motor outcomes (r = −0.39, P = 0.0007), with stronger preoperative functional connectivity relating to greater improvement. Left pallidal‐subthalamic nucleus connectivity also predicted motor response to DBS after controlling for covariates.

Discussion

Preoperative pallidal‐subthalamic nucleus resting‐state functional connectivity predicts motor benefit from deep brain stimulation, although this should be validated prospectively before clinical application. These observations suggest that integrity of pallidal‐subthalamic nucleus circuits may be critical to motor benefits from deep brain stimulation. © 2020 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
An Insight into the Roles of Dietary Tryptophan and Its Metabolites in Intestinal Inflammation and Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Li Xiaolan , Zhang Zhi‐Hong , Zabed Hossain M. , Yun Junhua , Zhang Guoyan , Qi Xianghui
Published: November 2020

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is complex, chronic, and relapsing gastrointestinal inflammatory disorders, which includes mainly two conditions, namely ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). Development of IBD in any individual is closely related to his/her autoimmune regulation, gene‐microbiota interactions, and dietary factors. Dietary tryptophan (Trp) is an essential amino acid for intestinal mucosal cells, and it is associated with the intestinal inflammation, epithelial barrier, and energy homeostasis of the host. According to recent studies, Trp and its three major metabolic pathways, namely kynurenine (KYN) pathway, indole pathway, and 5‐hydroxytryptamine (5‐HT) pathway, have vital roles in the regulation of intestinal inflammation by acting directly or indirectly on the pro/anti‐inflammatory cytokines, functions of various immune cells, as well as the intestinal microbial composition and homeostasis. In this review, recent advances in Trp‐ and its metabolites‐associated intestinal inflammation are summarized. It further discusses the complex mechanisms and interrelationships of the three major metabolic pathways of Trp in regulating inflammation, which could elucidate the value of dietary Trp to be used as a nutrient for IBD patients.
Practical applications of brief screening questionnaires for autism spectrum disorder in a psychiatry outpatient setting
Authors: Kuru Yukiko , Nishiyama Takeshi , Sumi Satoshi , Suzuki Futoshi , Shiino Tomoko , Kimura Takuma , Hirai Kou , Kuroda Miho , Kamio Yoko , Kikuchi Shogo
Published: November 2020

Objectives

This study was designed to examine the diagnostic performance of the social and communication disorders checklist (SCDC) and strength and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ) to detect autism spectrum conditions (ASC), along with the social responsiveness scale‐second edition (SRS‐2) as reference, in a psychiatry outpatient setting.

Methods

We translated the SCDC into Japanese since its Japanese version was unavailable. We examined its test‐retest reliability as well as the internal consistency reliability and diagnostic performance of the three questionnaires among 41 Japanese psychiatric outpatients, using the best‐estimate diagnosis of ASC based on the diagnostic interview for social and communication disorders, as a gold standard.

Results

The test‐retest reliability was high for the SCDC. Although the internal consistency reliability was high for the SCDC and SRS‐2, that was low for the prosocial and peer problem subscales of the SDQ. The performance of the SCDC, SDQ, and SRS‐2 to detect ASC was moderate: the area under the ROC curve of 0.78, 0.78, and 0.84, respectively.

Conclusions

Although questionnaires to detect ASC, including the three examined, generally have only moderate performance in this setting, these can be successfully applied to high‐risk populations such as psychiatry outpatients, when multi‐level rather than dichotomous likelihood ratios are used.
Motion sensor‐acquired reachable workspace correlates with patient‐reported upper extremity activities of daily living (ADL) function in facioscapulohumeral dystrophy
Authors: Hatch Maya N. , Kurillo Gregorij , Chan Vicky , Han Jay J.
Published: November 2020

Background

This study examines the correlation, and clinical meaningfulness, between reachable workspace outcome and reported activities of daily living (ADL) function of individuals with facioscapulohumeral dystrophy (FSHD).

Methods

Twenty‐one FSHD subjects with various disease severity (clinical severity scores 1‐4) underwent reachable workspace evaluation and completed the Quality of Life in Neurological Disorders (NeuroQoL) upper extremity questionnaire. Spearman and receiver operator curve analyses were performed.

Results

Moderate correlation was found between NeuroQoL scores and total (ρ = 0.7609; P < .01), and upper‐quadrants relative surface areas (RSAs) (ρ = 0.6969; P < .01). Five specific items (ie, shirt on, shirt off, use spoon, pull on pants, pick‐up clothes) demonstrated even higher correlations with total (ρ = 0.8397; P < .01) and above shoulder (ρ = 0.8082; P < .01) RSAs. A total RSA cuffoff value of 0.70 would achieve 100% sensitivity and 94% specificity (area under the curve = 0.975).

Conclusions

Reachable workspace values identify when individuals have difficulties performing ADLs at home. This information improves patient monitoring, and clinical decision making by enabling more timely recommendations for medications, assistive devices, or considerations for clinical trial enrollments.
Distillation of the material point method cell crossing error leading to a novel quadrature‐based C0 remedy
Authors: Wilson Peter , Wüchner Roland , Fernando Dilum
Published: November 2020

The material point method (MPM) is a hybrid particle‐mesh scheme conceptually placed between mesh‐based and mesh‐free methods, combining aspects of both and well suited to solving large deformation engineering problems involving history‐dependent material models. A unique drawback of the MPM is the cell crossing error whereby material points crossing grid cells suddenly produce spurious stress oscillations leading to significant errors. After distilling the necessary conditions required for the cell crossing error, a novel quadrature‐based C0 enhancement scheme is proposed. The partitioned quadrature material point method (PQMPM) effectively mitigates the cell crossing error while retaining the linear Lagrangian basis and Dirac density function of the original MPM, rendering it easily integrable into existing MPM codebases. One and two‐dimensional examples illustrate the elimination of the cell crossing error, improvement of solution accuracy (particularly reliable stress prediction), local application of the scheme across dynamically varying arbitrary spatial and temporal regions and the reasonable additional computational costs against increased accuracy. Contrasting existing enhanced MPM schemes, the PQMPM only incurs additional computational cost exactly when and where cell crossing errors would otherwise occur and minimally diffuses local effects.
Data‐driven solvers for strongly nonlinear material response
Authors: Galetzka Armin , Loukrezis Dimitrios , De Gersem Herbert
Published: November 2020

This work presents a data‐driven magnetostatic finite‐element solver that is specifically well suited to cope with strongly nonlinear material responses. The data‐driven computing framework is essentially a multiobjective optimization procedure matching the material operation points as closely as possible to given material data while obeying Maxwell's equations. Here, the framework is extended with heterogeneous (local) weighting factors—one per finite element—equilibrating the goal function locally according to the material behavior. This modification allows the data‐driven solver to cope with unbalanced measurement data sets, that is, data sets suffering from unbalanced space filling. This occurs particularly in the case of strongly nonlinear materials, which constitute problematic cases that hinder the efficiency and accuracy of standard data‐driven solvers with a homogeneous (global) weighting factor. The local weighting factors are embedded in the distance‐minimizing data‐driven algorithm used for noiseless data, likewise for the maximum entropy data‐driven algorithm used for noisy data. Numerical experiments based on a quadrupole magnet model with a soft magnetic material show that the proposed modification results in major improvements in terms of solution accuracy and solver efficiency. For the case of noiseless data, local weighting factors improve the convergence of the data‐driven solver by orders of magnitude. When noisy data are considered, the convergence rate of the data‐driven solver is doubled.
Exploring educational engagement for parents with math anxiety
Authors: Kiss Allyson J. , Vukovic Rose
Published: November 2020

Little is known about how math anxiety in parents may relate to engagement in their children's education (i.e., parent involvement, parent educational expectations) or children's math outcomes (i.e., child math achievement and child math anxiety). The current exploratory study examined these relations between parents and their fifth grade children. The results indicate that parents with any reported math anxiety engaged in statistically less home–school conferencing, home‐based involvement, and held lower educational expectations. Parent educational expectations mediated the relation between parent math anxiety and both child math anxiety and child achievement. These results suggest that parent math anxiety can unintentionally influence how parents engage in behaviors that matter to schools. Furthermore, educational expectations may be a more important intervention target than parent math anxiety to support parents in their educational engagement. Our findings have implications for researchers and school‐based practitioners interested in better understanding how to support all parents with math anxiety.
Spectroscopic characterization for new model from Schiff base and its complexes
Authors: Jirjees Vian Yamin , Al‐Hamdani Abbas Ali Salih , Wannas Noor Mohamed , A. R Farqad , Dib Adnan , Al Zoubi Wail
Published: November 2020

New complexes have been prepared from the new ligand [2,2′‐(5,5‐dimethylcyclohexane‐1,3‐diylidene)bis(azan‐1‐yl‐1‐ylidene)dibenzoic acid] derived from 5,5‐dimethylcyclohexane‐1,3‐dione and 2‐aminobenzoic acid. Accordingly, its mono and binuclear Mn(II), Co(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), and Cd(II) complexes were prepared. The prepared components have been characterized by various spectroscopic techniques and elemental analysis. The thermal stability of the ligand and its complexes were performed by TGA. It was found that all the complexes have excellent thermal stability and do not contain water molecules within their structure, but the ligand has little stability. Additionally, theoretical chemical calculation was performed of both electronic structure and spectroscopic properties of prepared Schiff base and its complexes. Moreover, the consequences predicted that the structure will be played a critical role in biological, liquid–liquid extraction, active transport applications.
Recent Advances in Renal Clearable Inorganic Nanoparticles for Cancer Diagnosis
Authors: Yin Ruiqi , Zhang Xiaochen , Ge Jianxian , Wen Ling , Chen Lei , Zeng Jianfeng , Li Zhen , Gao Mingyuan
Published: November 2020

The rapid growth of inorganic nanoparticles provides numerous opportunities for cancer diagnosis. Due to their adjustable and diverse characteristics that are strongly dependent on the size, morphology, charge, and the nature of surface coatings, they are widely used in the field of oncology. However, inorganic nanomaterials are usually difficult to degrade and excrete within a short time, resulting in long‐term in vivo retention and potential toxicity, which significantly hinders their translation into clinical practice. Therefore, the development of renal clearable inorganic nanomaterials that can excrete out of body within desired timeframe is of great significance to promote their clinical bioapplications. Herein, the recent advances in renal clearable inorganic nanoparticles for tumor diagnosis are focused on, and the factors affecting the renal clearance efficiency, with a view to understand the underlying metabolism mechanism and the relevant bioapplications, are discussed.
Multilevel Memristive GeTe Devices
Authors: Velea Alin , Dumitru Viorel , Sava Florinel , Galca Aurelian-Catalin , Mihai Claudia
Published: November 2020

Phase‐change memories have reached an advanced degree of maturity, although, to be able to meet the increasing storage demand, multilevel capability is needed. A GeTe memristor is obtained in an amorphous state and it is subjected to a specific thermal treatment which initiates the transition toward the crystalline state. It is found that this crystalline state initialization process is highly beneficial for subsequently obtaining a large number of intermediate resistive states between the high and low resistive states. Multiple resistance levels are achieved by operating the devices in both DC sweeps and rectangular pulse modes in the low‐voltage subthreshold regime. The conduction is modeled using a space charge limited conduction model, showing three distinct conduction regions in the high resistive state which merge toward a single conduction region as the low resistive state is approached. The obtained memristors can be used as multilevel nonvolatile memories or as synapses in neuromorphic computing.
Self‐Assembly of Soft Cellulose Nanospheres into Colloidal Gel Layers with Enhanced Protein Adsorption Capability for Next‐Generation Immunoassays
Authors: Solin Katariina , Beaumont Marco , Rosenfeldt Sabine , Orelma Hannes , Borghei Maryam , Bacher Markus , Opietnik Martina , Rojas Orlando J.
Published: November 2020

Soft cationic core/shell cellulose nanospheres can deform and interpenetrate allowing their self‐assembly into densely packed colloidal nanogel layers. Taking advantage of their water‐swelling capacity and molecular accessibility, the nanogels are proposed as a new and promising type of coating material to immobilize bioactive molecules on thin films and paper. The specific and nonspecific interactions between the cellulosic nanogel and human immunoglobulin G as well as bovine serum albumin (BSA) are investigated. Confocal microscopy, electroacoustic microgravimetry, and surface plasmon resonance are used to access information about the adsorption behavior and viscoelastic properties of self‐assembled nanogels. A significant BSA adsorption capacity on nanogel layers (17 mg m−2) is measured, 300% higher compared to typical polymer coatings. This high protein affinity further confirms the promise of the introduced colloidal gel layer, in increasing sensitivity and advancing a new generation of substrates for a variety of applications, including immunoassays, as demonstrated in this work.
Analysis of underivatized alditols in traditional Chinese medicines by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry based on ligand exchange chromatography
Authors: Wong Yiu‐Tung , Or Mei‐Sze , Lau Hoi‐Ho , Wong Sau‐Chun , Fung Wai‐Hong
Published: November 2020

Alditols are potential chemical markers in traditional Chinese medicine for quality control purpose. For example, mannitol is one of the major compounds in Cordyceps sinensis. Galactitol is the proposed marker compound of formulated oral traditional Chinese medicine liquid “Fufangfufangteng Heji.” Development of a highly selective analytical method for unambiguous identification of selected alditols is of prime importance to assure the quality of these valued and precious traditional Chinese medicines. In this study, a liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method based on ligand exchange chromatography was developed to analyze and identify underivatized alditols such as galactitol, mannitol and sorbitol in different traditional Chinese medicines. The limits of detection of these alditols ranged from 0.7 to 1.4 mg/kg. The limits of quantification of these alditols ranged from 2.3 to 4.6 mg/kg. The method has been applied in the detection of alditols in various samples such as Cordyceps sinensis, Cordyceps militaris, and concentrated granule of Radix Celastrus orbiculatus. The results indicated that several underivatized alditols could be identified rapidly and unambiguously by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry on ligand exchange chromatography column.
Comparison of Compressibility, Compactability, and Lubricant Sensitivity of Two Partially Pregelatinized Starches
Authors: Svačinová Petra , Mužíková Jitka , Ondrejček Pavel
Published: November 2020

Modified starches are widely employed excipients in tablets compression. The ability of materials to deform under pressure (compressibility) and create strong compacts (compactability) is then important for tablet manufacture. This study aims to evaluate and compare two partially pregelatinized starches, namely, Starch 1500 and Lycatab C, from the perspectives of compressibility, compactability, and lubricant sensitivity. Compressibility is evaluated by means of the compression energy profile and a stress relaxation test. Compactability is evaluated by means of the tablets tensile strength, and lubricant sensitivity is characterized by the lubricant sensitivity ratio (LSR) values. The lubricants employed are magnesium stearate and sodium stearyl fumarate at concentrations of 0.5% and 1%, respectively. In the case of the mixtures with 1% magnesium stearate, the influence of the mixing time is also evaluated. Starch 1500 shows better compressibility than Lycatab C due to its lower precompression and total energy values. On the opposite, the plasticity is higher for Lycatab C. This material has also better compactability, yields stronger tablets, but has higher lubricant sensitivity than Starch 1500. Different compressibility and compactability are found for Lycatab C and Starch 1500 and therefore, they cannot be easily interchanged in tablet manufacture.
Routine restaging after primary non-surgical treatment of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma—a review
Authors: Seebauer Caroline Theresa , Hackenberg Berit , Grosse Jirka , Rennert Janine , Jung Ernst-Michael , Ugele Ines , Michaelides Ioannis , Mehanna Hisham , Hautmann Matthias G. , Bohr Christopher , Künzel Julian
Published: November 2020

Purpose

Treatment of patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma with radiotherapy or chemoradiation is an established alternative to laryngeal surgery in many cases, but particularly for advanced tumors without cartilage invasion. Imaging modalities face the challenge of distinguishing between posttherapeutic changes and residual disease in the complex anatomic subsite of the larynx. Guidelines concerning restaging of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) are presented by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and other national guidelines, but clearly defined recommendations for routine restaging particularly for laryngeal cancer are lacking.

Methods

A systematic search was carried out in PubMed to identify studies evaluating routine restaging methods after primary non-surgical treatment of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma from 2009 to 2020.

Results

Only three studies were deemed eligible, as they included at least ≥50% patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and evaluated imaging modalities to detect residual cancer. The small number of studies in our review suggest restaging with fluoro-deoxy-glucose positron-emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG PET/CT) 3 months after initial treatment, followed by direct laryngoscopy with biopsy of the lesions identified by FDG PET/CT.

Conclusion

Studies evaluating restaging methods after organ-preserving non-surgical treatment of laryngeal carcinoma are limited. As radiotherapy (RT), chemoradiotherapy (CRT), systemic therapy followed by RT and radioimmunotherapy are established alternatives to surgical treatment, particularly in advanced laryngeal cancers, further studies are needed to assess and compare different imaging modalities (e.g. PET/CT, MRI, CT, ultrasound) and clinical diagnostic tools (e.g., video laryngoscopy, direct laryngoscopy) to offer patients safe and efficient restaging strategies. PET or PET/CT 3 months after initial treatment followed by direct laryngoscopy with biopsy of the identified lesions has the potential to reduce the number of unnecessary laryngoscopies.
Effectiveness of new molecules against widespread moulds for food-safe hardwood and softwood packaging
Authors: Giordano Luana , Gonthier Paolo , Negro Francesco , Zanuttini Roberto , Cremonini Corrado
Published: November 2020

Wood packaging materials (WPMs) are widely used for collecting, storing and trading a wide range of products, including fresh fruit, vegetables and grains. The occurrence of moulds on WPMs used in the food industry must be avoided at every stage of the supply chain. This study aimed at (1) characterising fungal mould populations developing on fresh boards of hardwoods (European beech and poplar) and softwoods (Norway spruce and eastern white pine) commonly used by the packaging industry, and (2) assessing the effectiveness of two new molecules approved to come in contact with food, potassium sorbate and copper-8-quinolinolate, against mould growth and sporulation. A total of 322 fungal isolates belonging to 182 putatively different morphotypes were obtained. Spruce and beech boards were found to harbour a higher number of putatively different morphotypes compared to poplar and pine. The spectrum of fungi mostly included Ascomycota and the most abundant taxa were Trichoderma spp. and Penicillium spp. The effectiveness of the two new molecules (potassium sorbate approved for the use in both Europe and USA, and copper-8-quinolinolate approved for the use in USA only) was assessed on treated test pieces by inoculating conidial suspensions combining the three most common fungal species for each wooden material. Both preservatives showed comparable effectiveness and significantly reduced (P < 0.05) mould mycelial growth and sporulation on all the tested wooden materials compared to untreated controls, representing a suitable option for the control of moulds on WPMs.
Area-Dependent Quantum Field Theory
Authors: Runkel Ingo , Szegedy Lóránt
Published: November 2020

Area-dependent quantum field theory is a modification of two-dimensional topological quantum field theory, where one equips each connected component of a bordism with a positive real number—interpreted as area—which behaves additively under glueing. As opposed to topological theories, in area-dependent theories the state spaces can be infinite-dimensional. We introduce the notion of regularised Frobenius algebras in Hilbert spaces and show that area-dependent theories are in one-to-one correspondence to commutative regularised Frobenius algebras. We also provide a state sum construction for area-dependent theories. Our main example is two-dimensional Yang–Mills theory with compact gauge group, which we treat in detail.
Moniliella spathulata, an oil-degrading yeast, which promotes growth of barley in oil-polluted soil
Authors: Mikolasch Annett , Berzhanova Ramza , Omirbekova Anel , Reinhard Anne , Zühlke Daniele , Meister Mareike , Mukasheva Togzhan , Riedel Katharina , Urich Tim , Schauer Frieder
Published: November 2020

The yeast strain Moniliella spathulata SBUG-Y 2180 was isolated from oil-contaminated soil at the Tengiz oil field in the Atyrau region of Kazakhstan on the basis of its unique ability to use crude oil and its components as the sole carbon and energy source. This yeast used a large number of hydrocarbons as substrates (more than 150), including n-alkanes with chain lengths ranging from C10 to C32, monomethyl- and monoethyl-substituted alkanes (C9–C23), and n-alkylcyclo alkanes with alkyl chain lengths from 3 to 24 carbon atoms as well as substituted monoaromatic and diaromatic hydrocarbons. Metabolism of this huge range of hydrocarbon substrates produced a very large number of aliphatic, alicyclic, and aromatic acids. Fifty-one of these were identified by GC/MS analyses. This is the first report of the degradation and formation of such a large number of compounds by a yeast. Inoculation of barley seeds with M. spathulata SBUG-Y 2180 had a positive effect on shoot and root development of plants grown in oil-contaminated sand, pointing toward potential applications of the yeast in bioremediation of polluted soils.

Key points

• Moniliella spathulata an oil-degrading yeast

• Increase of the growth of barley
Breeding stage, not sex, affects foraging characteristics in masked boobies at Rapa Nui
Authors: Lerma Miriam , Dehnhard Nina , Luna-Jorquera Guillermo , Voigt Christian C. , Garthe Stefan
Published: November 2020

Sexual segregation in foraging occurs in some species and populations of boobies (Sulidae), but it is not a general pattern. Sexual segregation in foraging may occur to avoid competition for food, and this competition may intensify during specific stages of breeding. We examined sexual segregation in foraging in relation to breeding stage in masked boobies Sula dactylatra at Rapa Nui by tracking simultaneously incubating and chick-rearing birds using GPS recorders (n = 18) and collected a total of 11 regurgitate samples. Stable isotope analyses (δ13C and δ15N) of whole blood samples were carried out in 20 birds. There were no differences in foraging trip parameters or diet between females and males. Both sexes traveled farther and for longer while incubating than while rearing chicks. Isotopic niches (δ13C and δ15N) overlapped to some degree among all groups at all times, but the lowest overlap between sexes occurred during incubation. While preying on ephemerally distributed flying fish, vertical or horizontal competition avoidance may be almost impossible, and thus females and males share their foraging grounds. Since birds were tracked simultaneously, shorter foraging trips of chick-rearing birds must be an effect of the constraints of provisioning the chick. Differences observed in δ15N and δ13C values between sexes may be caused by subtle differences in their foraging behaviors, or by differences in physiology linked to breeding. Our findings suggest that local oceanography and its inherent food distribution are determinants for sexual segregation in foraging patterns in masked boobies and possibly also other booby species.

Significance statement

In some animals, females and males forage on different areas or prey on different species to avoid competition for food resources. In boobies (Sula sp.), some studies show evidence of sexual segregation in foraging and others do not. Here, we tested if sexual segregation in foraging occurred in masked boobies on the Pacific island of Rapa Nui by studying simultaneously incubating and chick-rearing birds. We found no evidence of sexual segregation on foraging behavior or diet. We discuss that the difference between this and other studies in boobies may be an effect of the local prey availability. When the prey community is more diverse and heterogeneously distributed, each sex may access different resources and thus sexual foraging segregation will occur. In contrast, in areas like Rapa Nui where prey resources are distributed ephemerally, sexual segregation in foraging will not be useful and is thus less likely to occur.
Short‐ and Long‐Term Outcomes of Transabdominal Preperitoneal, Open Mesh Plug and Open Tissue Inguinal Hernia Repair
Authors: Takayama Yuichi , Kaneoka Yuji , Maeda Atsuyuki , Takahashi Takamasa , Kiriyama Muneyasu , Seita Kazuaki
Published: November 2020

Background

There have been few comparisons of the postoperative outcomes of transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP), open mesh plug (mesh plug) and open tissue (tissue) hernia repair. The objectives of this study were to compare these repair methods.

Methods

This was a retrospective study of 1813 inguinal hernia patients between January 2008 and December 2016. Of these patients, 474 underwent TAPP repair, 1293 underwent mesh plug repair, and 46 underwent tissue repair. The short‐term and long‐term outcomes determined by questionnaire were compared among the three groups. In addition, risk factors for patient dissatisfaction were assessed.

Results

In the TAPP group, the postoperative complications rate was the lowest at 4.6% (7.4% and 6.5% in the mesh plug and the tissue groups, respectively, P = 0.07), and recurrence rate was lower compared to the mesh plug group (0.8% vs. 3.3%, P = 0.002). As long‐term outcomes, 92%, 88% and 75% of patients were satisfied in the TAPP, mesh plug and tissue groups, respectively (P = 0.03). The rate of patients with numbness was 3.1% in the TAPP group, 5.2% in the mesh plug group and 14% in the tissue group (P = 0.04). Predictive independent risk factors for patient dissatisfaction were complications (OR: 3.99, 95% CI: 1.35–11.8, P = 0.012) and infection (OR: 16.9, 95% CI: 1.25–229, P = 0.003).

Conclusions

TAPP repair is superior to mesh plug and tissue repairs in terms of complications, satisfaction and numbness, as determined by questionnaire. Complications and infection were independently associated with the patient dissatisfaction.
Identification of Common Themes from Never Events Data Published by NHS England
Authors: Omar Islam , Graham Yitka , Singhal Rishi , Wilson Michael , Madhok Brijesh , Mahawar Kamal K.
Published: November 2020

Background

Never events (NEs) are serious clinical incidents that cause potentially avoidable harm and impose a significant financial burden on healthcare systems. The purpose of this study was to identify common never events.

Methods

We analysed the NHS England NE data from 2012 to 2020 to identify common never events category and themes.

Results

We identified 51 common NE themes in 4 main categories out of a total of 3247 NE reported during this period. Wrong‐site surgery was the most common category (n = 1307;40.25%) followed by retained foreign objects (n = 901;27.75%); wrong implant or prosthesis (n = 425;13.09%); and non‐surgical/infrequent ones (n = 614; 18.9%). Wrong‐side (laterality) and wrong tooth removal were the most common wrong‐site NE accounting for 300 (22.95%) and 263 (20.12%) incidents, respectively. There were 197 (15%) wrong‐site blocks, 125 (9.56%) wrong procedures, and 96 (7.3%) wrong skin lesions excised. Vaginal swabs were the most commonly retained items (276;30.63%) followed by surgical swabs (164;18.20%) and guidewires (152;16.87%). There were 67 (7.44%) incidents of retained parts of instruments and 48 (5.33%) retained instruments. Wrong intraocular lenses (165; 38.82%) were the most common wrong implants followed by wrong hip prostheses (n = 94; 22.11%) and wrong knees (n = 91; 21.41%). Non‐surgical events accounted for 18.9% (n = 614) of the total incidents. Misplaced naso‐or oro‐gastric tubes (n = 178;29%) and wrong‐route administration of medications were the most common events in this category (n = 111;18%), followed by unintentional connection of a patient requiring oxygen to an air flow‐meter (n = 93; 15%).

Conclusion

This paper identifies common NE categories and themes. Awareness of these might help reduce their incidence.
Ex vivo machine perfusion: current applications and future directions in liver transplantation
Authors: Michelotto Julian , Gassner Joseph M. G. V. , Moosburner Simon , Muth Vanessa , Patel Madhukar S. , Selzner Markus , Pratschke Johann , Sauer Igor M. , Raschzok Nathanael
Published: November 2020

Background

Liver transplantation is the only curative treatment option for end-stage liver disease; however, its use remains limited due to a shortage of suitable organs. In recent years, ex vivo liver machine perfusion has been introduced to liver transplantation, as a means to expand the donor organ pool.

Purpose

To present a systematic review of prospective clinical studies on ex vivo liver machine perfusion, in order to assess current applications and highlight future directions.

Methods

A systematic literature search of both PubMed and ISI web of science databases as well as the ClinicalTrials.gov registry was performed.

Results

Twenty-one articles on prospective clinical trials on ex vivo liver machine perfusion were identified. Out of these, eight reported on hypothermic, eleven on normothermic, and two on sequential perfusion. These trials have demonstrated the safety and feasibility of ex vivo liver machine perfusion in both standard and expanded criteria donors. Currently, there are twelve studies enrolled in the clinicaltrials.gov registry, and these focus on use of ex vivo perfusion in extended criteria donors and declined organs.

Conclusion

Ex vivo liver machine perfusion seems to be a suitable strategy to expand the donor pool for liver transplantation and holds promise as a platform for reconditioning diseased organs.
Blockchain-enabled supply chain: analysis, challenges, and future directions
Authors: Jabbar Sohail , Lloyd Huw , Hammoudeh Mohammad , Adebisi Bamidele , Raza Umar
Published: November 2020

Managing the integrity of products and processes in a multi-stakeholder supply chain environment is a significant challenge. Many current solutions suffer from data fragmentation, lack of reliable provenance, and diverse protocol regulations across multiple distributions and processes. Amongst other solutions, Blockchain has emerged as a leading technology, since it provides secure traceability and control, immutability, and trust creation among stakeholders in a low cost IT solution. Although Blockchain is making a significant impact in many areas, there are many impediments to its widespread adoption in supply chains. This article is the first survey of its kind, with detailed analysis of the challenges and future directions in Blockchain-enabled supply chains. We review the existing digitalization of the supply chain including the role of GS1 standards and technologies. Current use cases and startups in the field of Blockchain-enabled supply chains are reviewed and presented in tabulated form. Technical and non-technical challenges in the adoption of Blockchain for supply chain applications are critically analyzed, along with the suitability of various consensus algorithms for applications in the supply chain. The tools and technologies in the Blockchain ecosystem are depicted and analyzed. Some key areas as future research directions are also identified which must be addressed to realize mass adoption of Blockchain-based in supply chain traceability. Finally, we propose MOHBSChain, a novel framework for Blockchain-enabled supply chains.
Frequency and risk factors for postoperative aneurysm residual after microsurgical clipping
Authors: Obermueller Kathrin , Hostettler Isabel , Wagner Arthur , Boeckh-Behrens Tobias , Zimmer Claus , Gempt Jens , Meyer Bernhard , Wostrack Maria
Published: November 2020

Objective

Aneurysm residuals after clipping are a well-known problem, but the course of aneurysm remnants in follow-up is not well studied. No standards or follow-up guidelines exist for treatment of aneurysm remnants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk factors for postoperative aneurysm remnants and their changes during follow-up.

Methods

We performed a retrospective analysis of 666 aneurysms treated via clipping in our hospital from 2006 to 2016. Postoperative and follow-up angiographic data were analyzed for aneurysm remnants and regrowth. Clinical parameters and aneurysm-specific characteristics were correlated with radiological results.

Results

The frequency of aneurysm residuals was 12% (78/666). Aneurysms located in the middle cerebral artery (p = 0.02) showed a significantly lower risk for incomplete aneurysm occlusion. Larger aneurysms with a diameter of 11–25 mm (p = 0.005) showed a significantly higher risk for incomplete aneurysm occlusion. Five patients underwent re-clipping during the same hospital stay. Remnants were stratified based on morphological characteristics into “dog ears” (n = 60) and “broad based” (n = 13). The majority of the “dog ears” stayed stable, decreased in size, or vanished during follow-up. Broad-based remnants showed a higher risk of regrowth.

Conclusions

A middle cerebral artery location seems to lower the risk for the incomplete clip occlusion of an aneurysm. Greater aneurysm size (11–25 mm) is associated with a postoperative aneurysm remnant. The majority of “dog-ear” remnants appear to remain stable during follow-up. In these cases, unnecessarily frequent angiographic checks could be avoided. By contrast, broad-based residuals show a higher risk of regrowth that requires close imaging controls if retreatment cannot be performed immediately.
A new molecular risk pathway for postpartum mood disorders: clues from steroid sulfatase–deficient individuals
Authors: Thippeswamy Harish , Davies William
Published: November 2020

Postpartum mood disorders develop shortly after childbirth in a significant proportion of women. These conditions are associated with a range of symptoms including abnormally high or low mood, irritability, cognitive disorganisation, disrupted sleep, hallucinations/delusions, and occasionally suicidal or infanticidal ideation; if not treated promptly, they can substantially impact upon the mother’s health, mother-infant bonding, and family dynamics. The biological precipitants of such disorders remain unclear, although large changes in maternal immune and hormonal physiology following childbirth are likely to play a role. Pharmacological therapies for postpartum mood disorders can be effective, but may be associated with side effects, concerns relating to breastfeeding, and teratogenicity risks when used prophylactically. Furthermore, most of the drugs that are used to treat postpartum mood disorders are the same ones that are used to treat mood episodes during non-postpartum periods. A better understanding of the biological factors predisposing to postpartum mood disorders would allow for rational drug development, and the identification of predictive biomarkers to ensure that ‘at risk’ mothers receive earlier and more effective clinical management. We describe new findings relating to the role of the enzyme steroid sulfatase in maternal postpartum behavioural processes, and discuss how these point to a novel molecular risk pathway underlying postpartum mood disorders. Specifically, we suggest that aberrant steroid hormone–dependent regulation of neuronal calcium influx via extracellular matrix proteins and membrane receptors involved in responding to the cell’s microenvironment might be important. Testing of this hypothesis might identify novel therapeutic targets and predictive biomarkers.
A novel clinically-oriented classification of fine-needle aspiration cytology for salivary gland tumors: a 20-year retrospective analysis of 1175 patients
Authors: Taniuchi Masataka , Kawata Ryo , Omura Shuji , Haginomori Shin- Ichi , Terada Tetsuya , Higashino Masaaki , Kurisu Yoshitaka , Hirose Yoshinobu
Published: November 2020

Background

When determining treatment strategy for a salivary gland tumor, assessing histology and malignancy grade before surgery is essential. Several new diagnostic classification systems for salivary gland cytology have recently been proposed. However, none incorporate histology and grade of malignancy.

Methods

We developed a new cytology classification system that incorporates histology and grade of malignancy of salivary gland tumors (OMC classification), consisting of 11 categories. Our OMC classification was applied to 1175 patients who had preoperative cytology and confirmed final pathological diagnosis available from the past 20 years at our hospital (benign tumor: 981 patients, malignant tumor: 194 patients).

Results

Based on the cytology, 729 patients (62.0%) had benign histology (Category 4–1), and 87 patients (7.4%) were diagnosed with grade of malignancy (Category 6–3 + 6–4). Based on the final pathological diagnosis, the accuracy rate of Category 4–1 and Category 6–3 + 6–4 of our classification system was 93.4% and 88.5%, respectively.

Conclusion

Based on the correct diagnosis rate, the inclusion of histology and grade of malignancy in the salivary gland cytology classification was considered feasible. Thus, the OMC classification system is considered a useful tool when determining the treatment strategy for a salivary gland tumor.