bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of First-Draw Whole Blood, Point-of-Care Cardiac Markers in the Context of the Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction: A Comparison of a Multimarker Panel to Troponin Alone and to Testing in the Central Laboratory
Authors: Lee-Lewandrowski Elizabeth , Januzzi James L , Grisson Ricky , Mohammed Asim A , Lewandrowski Grant , Lewandrowski Kent
Published: February 2021

Context.—Previous studies evaluating point-of-care testing (POCT) for cardiac biomarkers did not use current recommendations for troponin cutoff values or recognize the recent universal definition of acute myocardial infarction. Traditionally, achieving optimal sensitivity for the detection of myocardial injury on initial presentation required combining cardiac troponin and/or creatine kinase isoenzyme MB with an early marker, usually myoglobin. In recent years, the performance of central laboratory combining cardiac troponin assays has improved significantly, potentially obviating the need for a multimarker panel to achieve optimum sensitivity.

Objective.—To compare 2 commonly used POCT strategies to a fourth generation, central laboratory cardiac troponin T assay on first-draw specimens from patients being evaluated for acute myocardial infarction in the emergency department. The 2 strategies included a traditional POCT multimarker panel and a newer POCT method using cardiac troponin I alone.

Design.—Blood specimens from 204 patients presenting to the emergency department with signs and/or symptoms of myocardial ischemia were measured on the 2 POCT systems and by a central laboratory method. The diagnosis for each patient was determined by retrospective chart review.

Results.—The cardiac troponin T assasy alone was more sensitive for acute myocardial infarction than the multimarker POCT panel with equal or better specificity. When compared with a POCT troponin I, the cardiac troponin T was also more sensitive, but this difference was not significant. The POCT troponin I alone also had the same sensitivity as the multimarker panel.

Conclusions.—Testing for combining cardiac troponin alone using newer, commercially available, central laboratory or POCT assays performed with equal or greater sensitivity to acute myocardial infarction as the older, traditional, multimarker panel. In the near future, high-sensitivity, central laboratory troponins will be available for routine clinical use. As a result, the quality gap between central laboratories and older POCT methods will continue to widen, unless the performance of the POCT methods is improved.
CD34+ Cell Enumeration by Flow Cytometry: A Comparison of Systems and Methodologies
Authors: Ngoma Alain , Saito Shunnichi , Ohto Hitoshi , Ikeda Kazuhiko , Yasuda Hiroyasu , Kawabata Kinuyo , Kanno Takahiro , Kikuta Atsushi , Mochizuki Kazuhiro , Nollet Kenneth E.
Published: February 2021

Context.—An increasing number of medical centers can collect bone marrow, peripheral blood, or umbilical cord stem cells. Pathology laboratories should accommodate this trend, but investment in additional equipment may be impractical.

Objectives.—To compare CD34+ cell counting results by using 2 widely available flow cytometry systems, with and without the use of a separate hematology analyzer (ie, single-platform versus dual-platform methodologies).

Design.—Whole blood and peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) samples were analyzed from 13 healthy allogeneic PBSC donors and 46 autologous PBSC donors with various malignancies. The Cytomics FC500 (Beckman Coulter, Fullerton, California) was compared with the FACSCalibur (BD Biosciences, San Jose, California). Dual-platform CD34+ cell counting incorporated data from a KX-21 hematology analyzer (Sysmex, Kobe, Japan).

Results.—Subtle differences in CD34+ cell counting between 2 systems and 2 methods did not achieve statistical significance.

Conclusion.—Different systems and methods for CD34+ cell enumeration, properly validated, can support care for patients undergoing transplants and provide meaningful data for multicenter studies or meta-analyses.
Mucolipidosis Type III α/β: The First Characterization of This Rare Disease by Autopsy
Authors: Kerr Darcy A , Memoli Vincent A , Cathey Sara S , Harris Brent T
Published: February 2021

We report findings from an autopsy of a 45-year-old woman with the rare lysosomal storage disease mucolipidosis type III α/β. Her disease manifested most notably as multiple bone and cartilage problems with tracheal and bronchial malacia. Principal autopsy findings included gross abnormalities in bone and cartilage with corresponding microscopic cytoplasmic lysosomal granules. These cytoplasmic granules were also seen in histologic preparations of the brain, myocardium, heart valves, and fibroblasts of the liver and skin by light and electron microscopy. By electron microscopy there were scattered, diffuse vesicular cytoplasmic granules in neurons and glia and an increase in lysosomal structures with fine electron lucent granularity in the above tissue types. Our findings help elaborate current understanding of this disease and differentiate it from the mucopolysaccharidoses and related disorders. To our knowledge, this is the first report to document pathologic findings in a patient with mucolipidosis type III α/β by autopsy.
Four Molecular Subtypes of Colorectal Cancer and Their Precursor Lesions
Authors: Kang Gyeong Hoon
Published: February 2021

Context.—In addition to chromosomal instability and microsatellite instability (MSI), a third pathway, epigenetic instability, has been implicated in progression to colorectal carcinogenesis. CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) refers to a subset of colorectal cancers (CRCs) that occur through the epigenetic instability pathway and that are characterized by widespread hypermethylation of promoter CpG island loci, resulting in the inactivation of several tumor suppressor genes or tumor-related genes. Colorectal cancers can be classified into 4 molecular subtypes according to their CIMP and MSI statuses: CIMP+/MSI+, CIMP+/MSI−, CIMP−/MSI+, and CIMP−/MSI−. There are differences between Western (United States and European Union) and Eastern (Korea and China) populations in the number of CRCs that are MSI+, and in the number of MSI+ CRCs that are CIMP+.

Objective.—To review the clinicopathologic and molecular features of the 4 molecular subtypes of CRCs and their precursor lesions, and to emphasize geographic differences in CRCs between Eastern and Western populations.

Data Sources.—This article is based on the author's own experimental data and a literature review of relevant articles indexed in PubMed (US National Library of Medicine).

Conclusion.—The 4 molecular subtypes of CRC that are defined by their CIMP and MSI statuses are characterized by their own distinct clinicopathologic and molecular features and precursor lesions. In particular, the clinicopathologic features of MSI+ CRCs differ depending on the CIMP status. Further understanding of the heterogeneity in CRC molecular pathways may help to explain the diverse morphologic features of CRCs.
Molecular Diagnostics of Gliomas
Authors: Nikiforova Marina N. , Hamilton Ronald L.
Published: February 2021

Context.—Gliomas are the most common primary brain tumors of adults and include a variety of histologic types and morphologies. Histologic evaluation remains the gold standard for glioma diagnosis; however, diagnostic difficulty may arise from tumor heterogeneity, overlapping morphologic features, and tumor sampling. Recently, our knowledge about the genetics of these tumors has expanded, and new molecular markers have been developed. Some of these markers have shown diagnostic value, whereas others are useful prognosticators for patient survival and therapeutic response.

Objective.—To review the most clinically useful molecular markers and their detection techniques in gliomas.

Data Sources.—Review of the pertinent literature and personal experience with the molecular testing in gliomas.

Conclusions.—This article provides an overview of the most common molecular markers in neurooncology, including 1p/19q codeletion in oligodendroglial tumors, mutations in the isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 and 2 genes in diffuse gliomas, hypermethylation of the O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase gene promoter in glioblastomas and anaplastic gliomas, alterations in the epidermal growth factor receptor and phosphatase and tensin homolog genes in high-grade gliomas, as well as BRAF alterations in pilocytic astrocytomas. Molecular testing of gliomas is increasingly used in routine clinical practice and requires that neuropathologists be familiar with these genetic markers and the molecular diagnostic techniques for their detection.
CHARACTERIZATION OF SERBIAN SUNFLOWER HONEYS BY THEIR PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Authors: Popov Nenad , Živkov Baloš Milica , Jakšić Sandra , Polaček Vladimir
Published: February 2021

Abstract: Five physicochemical parameters (water content, electrical conductivity, total acidity (pH), ash mass fraction and concentration of free acids) were analyzed in 15 sunflower honeys collected from several localities in Vojvodina, Republic of Serbia. The mean values of analyzed honeys were: water content 16.87%; concentration of free acids 27.43 mEq/kg; electrical conductivity 0.34 mS/cm; pH 3.64. The selected physicochemical characteristics of all honey samples from Serbia analyzed in this research can be considered to be within the parameters expected for sunflower honey in general. The values for ash mass fraction, electrical conductivity and concentration of free acids in all sunflower honey samples showed similar trends. High correlation was established between electrical conductivity and ash mass fraction. Statistically significant difference at p≤0.05 (p=0.017) was established only for average values of free acids concentration between honey samples originating from the localities Kanjiža and Čelarevo. All of the analyzed honeys were found to meet national and European legislation for all investigated parameters. Therefore, further research on physicochemical properties of sunflower honey is required to confirm the quality and authenticity of this product and for better understanding the benefits of this honey.
ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORK MODEL IN PREDICTING THE QUALITY OF FRESH TOMATO GENOTYPES
Authors: Pestorić Mladenka , Mastilović Jasna , Kevrešan Žarko , Pezo Lato , Belović Miona , Glogovac Svetlana , Škrobot Dubravka , Ilić Nebojša , Takač Adam
Published: February 2021

Sensory analysis is the best mean to precisely describe the eating quality of fresh foods. However, it is expensive and time-consuming method which cannot be used for measuring quality properties in real time. The aim of this paper was to contribute to the study of the relationship between sensory and instrumental data, and to define a proper model for predicting sensory properties of fresh tomato through the determination of the physicochemical properties. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was applied to the experimental data to characterize and differentiate among the observed genotypes, explaining 73.52% of the total variance, using the first three principal components. Artificial neural network (ANN) model was used for the prediction of sensory properties based on the results obtained by basic chemical and instrumental determinations. The developed ANN model predicts the sensory properties with high adequacy, with the overall coefficient of determination of 0.859.
Når teori i idræt understøtter den praktiske dimension i faget
Authors: Christensen Andreas Bolding , Petersen Emilie , Messell Marie
Published: February 2021

I artiklen undersøger vi, hvordan teori kan inddrages i idrætsundervisningen, så det understøtter fagets praktiske dimension. Med udgangspunkt i et undervisningsforløb på læreruddannelsen om teoriintegration i idræt har vi udviklet en didaktisk model, der kan hjælpe idrætslærere med at inddrage teori. Modellen kalder vi for Teoriintegrationsmodellen (TIM). I artiklen udfolder vi modellen og kommer med en række praksisnære eksempler på god inddragelse af teori. Til slut afliver vi en række misforståelser om teori i idræt og opstiller i stedet, hvad vi mener, er mere korrekte forståelser.
The torture doctors. Human rights crimes and the road to justice.
Authors: Pérez-Sales Pau
Published: February 2021

Book review 

The Torture Doctors. Human Rights Crimes and the Road to Justice.

Steven. H. Miles. Georgetown University Press. 2020
Correct and stable sorting for overflow streaming data with a limited storage size and a uniprocessor
Authors: Chaikhan Suluk , Phimoltares Suphakant , Lursinsap Chidchanok
Published: February 2021

Tremendous quantities of numeric data have been generated as streams in various cyber ecosystems. Sorting is one of the most fundamental operations to gain knowledge from data. However, due to size restrictions of data storage which includes storage inside and outside CPU with respect to the massive streaming data sources, data can obviously overflow the storage. Consequently, all classic sorting algorithms of the past are incapable of obtaining a correct sorted sequence because data to be sorted cannot be totally stored in the data storage. This paper proposes a new sorting algorithm called streaming data sort for streaming data on a uniprocessor constrained by a limited storage size and the correctness of the sorted order. Data continuously flow into the storage as consecutive chunks with chunk sizes less than the storage size. A theoretical analysis of the space bound and the time complexity is provided. The sorting time complexity is O (n), where n is the number of incoming data. The space complexity is O (M), where M is the storage size. The experimental results show that streaming data sort can handle a million permuted data by using a storage whose size is set as low as 35% of the data size. This proposed concept can be practically applied to various applications in different fields where the data always overflow the working storage and sorting process is needed.
Gut bacterial communities in the freshwater snail Planorbella trivolvis and their modification by a non-herbivorous diet
Authors: Hu Zongfu , Tong Qing , Chang Jie , Yu Jianhua , Li Shuguo , Niu Huaxin , Ma Deying
Published: February 2021

The freshwater pulmonate snail Planorbella trivolvis is a common species in various bodies of water but is not native to China. Planorbella trivolvis usually live on diets with high fiber content, such as water grasses, algae and fallen leaves. These snails can attach to the wall of a water tank or to water grass and can be transported overseas to China through the ornamental fish trade. There are few studies investigating the intestinal microbiota of freshwater snails. In this study, using culture-independent molecular analysis, we assessed for the first time the complexity of bacterial communities in the intestines of reared snails. The intestinal microbiota in the snails fed different diets, that is, herbivorous feed (HV) with high cellulose and non-herbivorous feed (NHV) with low cellulose, were analyzed by Illumina sequencing. The results showed that the NHV-based diet significantly increased the body mass, shell diameter and specific growth rate of the snails after 60 days of rearing (P < 0.05). Histological experiments showed that the fat droplets in the epithelium columnar cells of the intestines of the NHV snails increased, and the cilia on these cells fell off. The sequencing results identified 486 and 195 OTUs in HV and NHV, respectively. Lots of bacteria were not reported previously in snails. The intestinal microbiota diversity index (Shannon, Simpson, Ace and Chao) in the NHV snails was significantly lower than that in the HV snails. The gut microbiota in the HV snails were predominantly Proteobacteria (52.97%) and Bacteroidetes (28.75%), while the gut microbiota in NHV snails were predominantly Proteobacteria (95.23%). At the genus level, Cloacibacterium (24.60%), Pseudomonas (4.47%), OM6ON (6.12%), and Rhodobacter (5.79%) were observed to be abundant in HV snails. However, Aeromonas (85.4%) was determined to be predominant in NHV snails. Functional prediction of the gut microbiome in snails by PICRUSt demonstrated a significant difference between the two groups, and the HV snails exhibited higher lignocellulose enzyme activity than did the NHV snails. This study represents a first step in characterizing the gut microbiota of the freshwater snail. Most of these microbes can process plant biomass and digest cellulose and lignocellulose, and the enzymes of these bacteria may have potential biotechnological applications in a variety of industrial processes.
Study of Iron Profile and Effect of Oral Iron Supplementation in Patients of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Case Series
Authors: Ghogare Ajinkya Sureshrao , John Sally , Patil Pradeep Shriram , Vankar Ganpatlal Kodarbhai
Published: February 2021

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neuropsychiatric condition affecting the preschoolers, children, adolescents and adults globally. Dopamine synthesis is dependent on availability of iron in the body and dopamine deficit theory is the widely accepted ADHD causation theory. So, serum iron levels are important to watch out for in patients suffering from ADHD. This article describes six cases to emphasise the importance of diagnosing and treating underlying Iron Deficiency (ID) state with oral iron supplementation for effective management of patients suffering from ADHD. All the six cases which were given oral iron supplementation along with methylphenidate had shown improvement in inattentive domain and in hyperactivity-impulsivity domain at both home as well as school settings. They were given doses of methylphenidate and oral iron supplement as per the recommended body weight. Their parents and teachers were asked to mark the responses on Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham Rating Scale (SNAP-IV) 26 item parent and teacher rating scale respectively. Scores on SNAP-IV were recorded at the first visit and after three months of treatment. Scores were then evaluated on both occasions for evidence of improvement in ADHD symptoms.
Effectiveness of Mulligans Mobilisation with Movement on Shoulder Dysfunction: A Systematic Review
Authors: Meena V , Varghese Jibu George
Published: February 2021

Introduction: Shoulder dysfunction is common musculoskeletal disorder. This is due to repeated wear and tear of structures around the shoulder joint causing the malpositioning of shoulder. The Mulligan Mobilisation with Movement (MWM) has shown good results in treating the shoulder dysfunction. Aim: To systemically review the available literature of MWM is effective in improving pain, Range Of Motion (ROM) and functioning in patients with shoulder dysfunction. Materials and Methods: Five electronic databases like MEDLINE, PUBMED, Cochrane (CENTRAL), PEDro, and Google Scholar were searched up from March 2019 to September 2019 for randomised control trails of MWM in shoulder dysfunction subjects. The key words used were mobilisation with movement, mulligan’s mobilisation with movement, shoulder dysfunction. Eligibility criteria were Randomised Control Trials (RCT) with 6 out of 12 Cochrane review group for risk of bias assessment published in English language. Results: Nine out of ten studies showed significant changes in mulligan’s MWM group than the general treatment, active ROM exercises, sham’s technique, stretching’s strengthening and stabilisation exercises, end range and mid-range mobilisations, electrotherapeutic modalities and only one showed no significant difference between the two groups but improvements in the pain, ROM, strength and functioning of the subjects with shoulder dysfunction. Conclusion: On overall study of mulligan’s MWM treatment in shoulder dysfunction it has very good improvements on outcome measures such as ROM, pain, strength and functional ability. Further more studies are required for knowing the individual effects of mulligan’s MWM and its short term, long term effects.
Prevalence of Para-Aortic Lymphadenopathy in Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer using Computed Tomography: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Yunusa Garba Haruna , Aliyu Usman Malami
Published: February 2021

Introduction: Determination of status of Para-Aortic Lymph Node (PALN) in patients with cervical cancer is one of the most important factors guiding the treatment. It is essential in determining individualised therapy and prognosis. Aim: To assess the prevalence of para-aortic lymphadenopathy among patients with advanced cervical carcinoma referred for radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study of patients referred to Radiotherapy and Oncology Department of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria was carried out. Patient demographics, history of co-morbid conditions, histology, stage at diagnosis, and Computed Tomographic (CT) scan findings of enlarged PALN greater or equal to 10 mm in short axis diameter were retrieved. Data was analysed using IBM SPSS statistics version 23. Results: A total of 220 patients, age range 27-84 years with mean age 49.95±11.96 years were studied. The histological diagnosis were squamous cell carcinoma in 182 (87.2%), adenocarcinoma in 22 (10%), clear cell carcinoma in 9 (4.1%) while 7 (3.2%) patients had other histological variants. Co-morbities found were chronic cervicitis and HIV in 27 (12.3%) and 19 (8.6%) of the patients, respectively. CT prevalence of PALN was 23 (10.5%). The prevalence of PALN according to International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage were 4.3%, 17.4%, 34.8%, 30.4% and 13.0% in stages IIB, IIIA, IIIB, IVA and IVB, respectively. Clinical stage determined based on physical examination and imaging findings, was shown to be related to PALN by univariate analysis (χ2=29.162, p=0.0001). Conclusion: This study found a 10.5% prevalence of para-aortic lymphadenopathy and a significant relationship between clinical stage and PALN. This should be taken into consideration during treatment planning for patients with advanced cervical carcinoma.
Uterine Torsion Masquerading as Abruptio Placentae: Diagnosed on Laparotomy
Authors: Mayadeo Niranjan , Devalla Anusha
Published: February 2021

Uterine torsion is a rare, life-threatening and unexpected obstetric emergency. It is almost always diagnosed at caesarean section. Its ill-defined clinical presentation may pose a diagnostic dilemma. Here the authors present a case of 32-year-old, Primigravida, 36 weeks pregnancy with acute abdomen and intrauterine foetal demise. Clinical features resembled Abruptio Placentae. The diagnosis of uterine torsion (180°) was established on laparotomy where the left ovarian ligament was seen on the right side anteriorly. A posterior hysterotomy was done to extract the baby which was followed by detorsion of the uterus. The postoperative period was uneventful.
Knowledge Management Practices towards Competitive Advantage: Study on SMEs in Sri Lanka
Authors: Erandi Himasha , Sachitra Vilani
Published: February 2021

Purpose: Knowledge Management (KM) can be defined as capturing, distributing, and effectively using knowledge. Organizations become more knowledge intensive and they are hiring “minds” more than “hands”. The organization practice has shown that knowledge, when properly used and leveraged, could drive it to become more innovative and thus, more competitive. The investments on intangible resources and the creation of capabilities made by the SMEs are quite problematic. The main reason of conducting this study is to examine the effects of Knowledge Management Practices (KMP) to gain competitive advantage (CA) of SMEs in Sri Lanka.

Methods: Explanatory research approach was utilized followed with quantitative research method. Knowledge Creation, Knowledge Validation, Knowledge Presentation, Knowledge Distribution and Knowledge Application were considered as Knowledge Management Practices. The study was conducted with 32 SMEs in Colombo District. 

Findings: According to the overall assessment of Knowledge Management Practices in SMEs, 12.5 percent of respondents were never heard about Knowledge Management while 6.3 percent were thinking that it is just a management activity that organizations are already engaging with. Further, 34.4 percent opined that Knowledge Management is a strategic part of the business while 15.6 percent stated Knowledge Management is not existence at their organizations. Fortunately, 40.6 percent believed that Knowledge Management Practices could be beneficial for the organizations. Correlation analysis result indicated moderate positive correlation among knowledge creation, validation, presentation, distribution, application and competitive advantage of SMEs. Regression analysis results revealed that of knowledge distribution was the only significant determinant of competitive advantage of SMEs.  

Research Implications:  The findings could be beneficial to SMEs to share and manage tacit and explicit knowledge and information effectively within their entity to achieve competitive advantage. Organizational learning will help them to enhance their decision-making process more effectively. The smooth and accelerate access to information and knowledge and manages to engage in work will be bonuses of having a good Knowledge Management Practices in the society.

Limitations: The study was conducted based on the sample of SMEs in Colombo District, as in Colombo area population is relatively high and it is the business hub of Sri Lanka. Generalizability of the findings might be restricted.
Pharmacy, Medicine and Nursing Students’ Perceptions about Learning Pharmacology
Authors: Ahmed Nehad J. , Alrawili Abdulrahman S. , Alkhawaja Faisal Z.
Published: February 2021

Aim: This study aims to evaluate health students' perceptions toward pharmacology.

Methodology: This study included a self-administered questionnaire that inquired concerning their perceptions about learning pharmacology. The survey was translated to Arabic language and after that it was validated and converted to online Google Form and then the link was sent to the students.

Results: Most of the students was less than 22 years old (67.90%) in addition to that most of them were females (81.48%). About 38.27% of the respondents were pharmacy students. More than 90% of the respondents said that pharmacology is an interesting subject in the university courses. Most of the students agreed that there should be more emphasis on studying case studies not only theoretical teaching (88.89%).

Conclusion: The study found that the perceptions of students regarding pharmacology were positive. It is important to add a practical training for pharmacology in the hospital not only teaching it theoretically. Moreover, it is important to integrate pharmacology horizontally with other related course such as pathophysiology and pharmacotherapy.
Comparison of Metabolic Syndrome, Uric Acid and Leisure Time Physical Activity between Former Athletes and Non-Athlees
Authors: Altowerqi Zayed M. , Zainuddin Zainal Abidin Bin
Published: February 2021

This study aims to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS), overweight and obesity, uric acid (UA), and leisure time physical activity (LTPA) among former athletes and non-athletes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Moreover, to determine the effects of previous high intensity training on MS risk factors, overweight and obesity, and UA. Seventy-five (75) former athletes and twenty-six (26) non-athletes, aged between 26 and 60 years old, participated in this study. Height, weight, waist circumference (WC), blood pressure (BP), and blood samples were collected by the researcher. LTPA was reported by participants. The study results showed that 38.61% of former athletes have MS and 17.82% of non-athletes have MS. The study also showed that 31.68% of former athletes were overweight and 26.73% were obese. However, the prevalence of overweight and obesity among non-athletes was 9.90%. 23.76% of former athletes had high level of UA, whereas 14.85% of non-athletes had high level of UA. According to the study findings 28% former athletes participated in high physical activity (PA), 38.67% in moderate PA, and 33.33% in low PA, while 19.23% of non-athletes participated in high PA, 38.46% in moderate PA, and 42.31% in low PA. Former athletes had lower mean of body mass index, WC, fasting blood glucose (FBG), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and UA than non-athletes. In addition, higher mean of low high-density lipoprotein (HDL).  However, former athletes had higher mean of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and triglycerides (TG) than non-athletes.
Cubic Transformation of Exponential Weibull and its Statistical Properties
Authors: Wang Haiyue , Bao Zhenhua
Published: February 2021

In this paper, a cubic transformation exponential Weibull distribution is proposed by using the family of cubic transformation distributions introduced by Rahman et al.The reasoning process of the proposed cubic transformation exponential Weibull distribution is discussed in detail, and its statistical properties and parameter estimation are also discussed.Using real data, the maximum likelihood estimation is used to simulate. Through the comparison of fitting results, it is concluded that the cubic transformation exponential Weibull distribution proposed in this paper has stronger applicability.
Trend and research status of agronomy based on the Essential Science Indicators during 2009–2019
Authors: Sun Jie , Yuan Bao‐Zhong
Published: February 2021

Based on the Essential Science Indicators (ESI) database, this study analyzed 734 top papers in the subject category of Agronomy from 2009 to 2019, which include 730 highly cited papers and seven hot papers in the field. All papers written in English, were from 3,540 authors; 1,225 organizations; and 91 countries/territories, published in 47 journals and book series in the field of Agronomy. The journals with the highest impact factor (IF) were Industrial Crops and Products, Plant and Soil, Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, Pest Management Science, and Field Crops Research. The countries and regions with the highest IF were United States, People's Republic of China, France, Germany, and Australia. The organizations with the highest average IF were INRA, University of Western Australia, Chinese Academy of Science, China Agriculture University, and University of California‐Davis. This work is useful for students identifying graduate schools and researchers selecting journals.
Carbon dioxide capture by new DBU‐based DES: The relationship between ionicity and absorptive capacity
Authors: Fu Hui , Hou Yunpeng , Sang Haina , Mu Tiancheng , Lin Xufeng , Peng Zhihua , Li Peng , Liu Jinhe
Published: February 2021

1,8‐Diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec‐7‐ene (DBU)/imine, DBU/imide DESs were designed and synthesized as CO2 trapping agents. Toward this end, the optimal absorption temperature and the maximum absorption capacity were determined. It was found that ionicity is a key factor to affect the absorption capacity of CO2. Combined with the ionicity calculation, a new CO2 capture mechanism has been proposed. HBD in DES can be divided into two parts. One can undergo proton transfer, obeying anion 2:1 absorption, whereas the other, without proton transfer, is amine 1:1 absorption. The degree of proton transfer in DES determines the ionicity and affects the absorption performance. The DFT calculation results confirmed this mechanism by micro perspective. DBU/2‐Pyrrolidinone and DBU/Oxazolidinone were proved to be good CO2 trapping agents with high absorption capacity, being 1.064 mol CO2/mol DES and 0.827 mol CO2/mol DES, respectively, and excellent recyclability when the mole ratio of HBA:HBD is 2:1.
Highly selective fluorescence detection of Cu2+ based on Schiff base functionalized periodic mesoporous organosilicas
Authors: Gao Meng , Xing Chenchen , Jiang Xiaoping , Xu Lijie , Li Peihai , Hsiao Chung‐Der
Published: February 2021

A novel copper ion sensing periodic mesoporous organosilica (SCN‐PMO) was obtained by incorporating a Schiff base‐based fluorescent receptor into the pore walls of mesoporous silica, which exhibited a well ordered mesoporous structure and excellent optical properties demonstrated by various characterization results. SCN‐PMO possessed high selectivity and sensitivity towards Cu2+ based on its specific fluorescence response. The detection limit of SCN‐PMO could be as low as 6.7 × 10−7 M. Due to protection of the silica network, SCN chromophores in PMOs exhibited higher photostability and the resulting material possessed great repeatability. Additionally, the fluorescence changes of SCN‐PMO towards copper ions in vivo (zebrafish) showed that SCN‐PMO has potential application as a nanoprobe in biological fields.
Development of parvalbumin neurons and perineuronal nets in the visual cortex of normal and dark‐exposed cats
Authors: Aronitz Elise M. , Kamermans Braden A. , Duffy Kevin R.
Published: February 2021

During development, the visual system maintains a high capacity for modification by expressing characteristics permissive for plasticity, enabling neural circuits to be refined by visual experience to achieve their mature form. This period is followed by the emergence of characteristics that stabilize the brain to consolidate for lifetime connections that were informed by experience. Attenuation of plasticity potential is thought to derive from an accumulation of plasticity‐inhibiting characteristics that appear at ages beyond the peak of plasticity. Perineuronal nets (PNNs) are molecular aggregations that primarily surround fast‐spiking inhibitory neurons called parvalbumin (PV) cells, which exhibit properties congruent with a plasticity inhibitor. In this study, we examined the development of PNNs and PV cells in the primary visual cortex of a highly visual mammal, and assessed the impact that 10 days of darkness had on both characteristics. Here, we show that labeling for PV expression emerges earlier and reaches adult levels sooner than PNNs. We also demonstrate that darkness, a condition known to enhance plasticity, significantly reduces the density of PNNs and the size of PV cell somata but does not alter the number of PV cells in the visual cortex. The darkness‐induced reduction of PV cell size occurred irrespective of whether neurons were surrounded by a PNN, suggesting that PNNs have a restricted capacity to inhibit plasticity. Finally, we show that PV cells surrounded by a PNN were significantly larger than those without one, supporting the view that PNNs may mediate trophic support to the cells they surround.
The influence of lithology on stream metabolism in headwater systems
Authors: Cargill Samantha K. , Segura Catalina , Villamizar Sandra R. , Warren Dana R.
Published: February 2021

Physical disturbances in streams have important effects on rates of gross primary production (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (ER). Underlying lithology can control sediment size, amount, and evolution in the stream, influencing substrate stability and in turn benthic organisms. We assessed patterns of disturbance and recovery for metabolic processes of GPP and ER associated with periods of increased flow and suspended sediment flux between December and April in two streams in the Oregon Coast Range with differing lithologies (basalt and sandstone). The results of whole‐stream metabolism modelling indicate that the two study streams have varying patterns of response and recovery rates after storm events. Both streams were heterotrophic during the entirety of the study period with changes in heterotrophy driven by changes in ER. Poststorm GPP decreased in both streams, but the basalt basin had greater proportional decreases and recovered slower than the sandstone basin. This result was unexpected and appeared to be associated with lower light availability in the basalt basin driven by increased turbidity during storm events; the coarser basalt substrate weathers into smaller size fractions than the finer sandstone substrate, remaining in suspension over longer periods and limiting light availability to benthic primary producers. The rates of ER in the sandstone basin did not change from prestorm to poststorm, whereas rates of ER in the basalt basin had varying responses. Overall, our results indicated that the underlying lithology of small mountain streams can drive variability in GPP by controlling sediment size and light availability during storms events.
Environment–host–microbial interactions shape the Sarraceniapurpurea microbiome at the continental scale
Authors: Freedman Zachary B. , McGrew Alicia , Baiser Benjamin , Besson Mathilde , Gravel Dominique , Poisot Timothée , Record Sydne , Trotta Lauren B. , Gotelli Nicholas J.
Published: February 2021

The importance of climate, habitat structure, and higher trophic levels on microbial diversity is only beginning to be understood. Here, we examined the influence of climate variables, plant morphology, and the abundance of aquatic invertebrates on the microbial biodiversity of the northern pitcher plant Sarracenia purpurea. The plant's cup‐shaped leaves fill with rainwater and support a miniature, yet full‐fledged, ecosystem with a diverse microbiome that decomposes captured prey and a small network of shredding and filter‐feeding aquatic invertebrates that feed on microbes. We characterized pitcher microbiomes of 108 plants sampled at 36 sites from Florida to Quebec. Structural equation models revealed that annual precipitation and temperature, plant size, and midge abundance had direct effects on microbiome taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity. Climate variables also exerted indirect effects through plant size and midge abundance. Further, spatial structure and climate influenced taxonomic composition, but not phylogenetic composition. Our results suggest that direct effects of midge abundance and climate and indirect effects of climate through its effect on plant‐associated factors lead to greater richness of microbial phylotypes in warmer, wetter sites.
The role of cGAS/STING in intestinal immunity
Authors: Wottawa Felix , Bordoni Dora , Baran Nathan , Rosenstiel Philip , Aden Konrad
Published: February 2021

The gastrointestinal tract is a highly complex microenvironment under constant interaction with potentially harmful pathogens. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an archetypical inflammatory disease, in which the intestinal epithelium, defective autophagy, endoplasmic reticulum stress and dysbiosis play a key role.

Although no risk‐mediating gene variants of STING (TMEM173) have been identified so far, several seminal findings have elucidated a novel understanding of STING in the context of acute and chronic inflammation. STING, an endoplasmic reticulum resident adaptor protein binding cyclic dinucleotides, is a main inducer of type I interferons and canonically involved in antiviral and antibacterial immunity. Recent research has shed light on additional features of STING signaling involved in regulating the microbiota, facilitating autophagy, cell death or ER stress. Importantly, an increasing amount of studies suggests a considerable overlap of IBD pathophysiology and features of STING signaling. Since compelling evidence shows dysregulated type I IFNs in IBD, it is prompting to speculate on the hypothetical role of cGAS/STING/type I IFN signaling in IBD.

Here, we summarize recent findings about the origin and function of STING signaling in the gastrointestinal tract and evolve the hypothesis that disturbed STING signaling might be profoundly interconnected with the pathophysiology of IBD.
Does the length of institutionalization matter? Longitudinal follow‐up of persons with severe mental illness 65 years and older: shorter‐stay versus longer‐stay
Authors: Finkel Deborah , Bülow Pia H , Wilińska Monika , Jegermalm Magnus , Torgé Cristina Joy , Ernsth Bravell Marie , Bülow Per
Published: February 2021

Objectives

As part of the process of de‐institutionalization in the Swedish mental healthcare system, a reform was implemented in 1995, moving the responsibility for services and social support for people with severe mental illness (SMI) from the regional level to the municipalities. In many ways, older people with SMI were neglected in this changing landscape of psychiatric care. The aim of this study is to investigate functional levels, living conditions, need of support in daily life, and how these aspects changed over time for older people with SMI.

Methods

In this study we used data from surveys collected in 1996, 2001, 2006, and 2011 and data from national registers. A group of older adults with severe persistent mental illness (SMI‐O:P) was identified and divided into those who experienced shorter stays (less than 3 years) in a mental hospital (N = 118) and longer stays (N = 117).

Results

After correcting for longitudinal changes with age, the longer‐stay group was more likely than the shorter‐stay group to experience functional difficulties and as a result, were more likely to have experienced ‘re‐institutionalization’ to another care setting, as opposed to living independently.

Conclusions

The length of mental illness hospitalization has significant effects on the living conditions of older people with SMI and their ability to participate in social life.
On monitoring and detecting abnormal physiological state of athletes from internet of bodies
Authors: Li Duo , Wang Xiaoling
Published: February 2021

During athletes' training, long‐term appropriate training can help athletes to improve the level of competition. However, excessive training does not only help to enhance the athlete's level, but also may induce athlete be injury. In extreme situation, some athletes suffer sudden death caused by cardiovascular diseases or accidents due to excessive sport in competition or training. It is emergent to monitor the physiological parameters of the athlete during training to ensure their safety. This paper focuses on extracting electrocardiogram (ECG) signals to avoid accidents during training and uses the Internet of Bodies (IoB) to establish a monitoring system that includes multiple nodes of human physiological information to monitor human ECG signal, body temperature and other important physiological information in real time. The wireless communication is used to overcome the shackles of the traditional wired monitoring on the human body. The monitoring system can effectively collect the physiological signals and estimate the physiological parameters.
Diaphragmatic dysfunction at the first visit to a chest diseases outpatient clinic in 500 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Pihtili Aylin , Bingol Zuleyha , Durmus Hacer , Parman Yesim , Kiyan Esen
Published: February 2021

Introduction

In this study, we aimed to evaluate diaphragmatic dysfunction (DD) by using a practical approach in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) at the first visit to a chest diseases outpatient clinic.

Methods

Patients with ALS seen in our outpatient clinic for the past 5 y and followed up for at least 1 y, were retrospectively evaluated. Having at least one of the following three criteria was accepted as DD: (a) paradoxical abdominal movement (PAM), (b) sitting‐supine forced vital capacity (FVC) difference ≥ 20%, (c) sitting‐supine arterial oxygen saturation measured by pulse oximetry (SpO2) difference ≥ 4%. Respiratory symptoms, arterial blood gas analysis, sleep studies, noninvasive mechanical ventilation use, and mortality were recorded.

Results

Five‐hundred patients with ALS were included (female/male: 220/280, age: 58.9 ± 11.3 y). Of the patients, 22.8% had daytime hypercapnia. DD was observed in 55% of the patients (PAM in 112, sitting‐supine FVC difference ≥ 20% in 50, and sitting‐supine SpO2 difference ≥ 4% in 113 patients). Of the patients with DD, 31.6% (n = 87) had no respiratory symptoms, 46.4% had FVC > 70% and 33.5% had FVC <50%. Nocturnal hypoxemia (sleep time spent with SpO2 < 90% ≥30%) was present in 59.7%, and all patients with nocturnal hypoxemia had DD. Obstructive sleep apnea (8 severe, 14 moderate, 39 mild) was detected in 55% of the patients with polysomnography (n = 61) or polygraphy (n = 50). During follow‐up, 52.2% of the patients died. Mean survival time was shorter in patients with DD (P < .001).

Conclusion

Paradoxical abdomimal movement (PAM), sitting‐supine SpO2 difference ≥ 4% and sitting‐supine FVC difference ≥ 20% are indicators of DD, which should be routinely evaluated at every outpatient visit.
Evaluation of Recently Implemented Harvest Regulations in a Data-Limited Catfish Fishery with Bayesian Estimation
Authors: Oliver Devon C. , Rude Neil P. , Whitledge Gregory W. , Stich Daniel S.
Published: February 2021

In 2015, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources changed size and harvest limits for catfishes (Blue Catfish Ictalurus furcatus, Flathead Catfish Pylodictis olivaris, and Channel Catfish I. punctatus) in the lower Ohio River to match those of neighboring states. The new regulations imposed a daily limit of one 88.9-cm (35-in) or larger Blue or Flathead Catfish per fisher, one 71.1-cm (28-in) or larger Channel Catfish per fisher, and a 33.0-cm (13-in) minimum length limit for all species, with no harvest restrictions between these limit lengths (permissive slot). When these management regulations were implemented, potential efficacy was unknown. The goal of this study was to evaluate the potential effects of these regulations using the limited data for baseline demographic parameters. Bayesian modeling was used to estimate growth and mortality because of the ability to estimate derived functions of parameters and associated uncertainty (as credible intervals). Yield-per-recruit (YPR) modeling was used to estimate and evaluate the fishing mortality rates (F) that would induce growth overfishing (FMAX) and the yield at FMAX (YPRMAX) for three management scenarios: no harvest restrictions (former regulation), a 33.0-cm minimum length limit, and the enacted permissive slot limits. Model results suggested that catfish stocks are unlikely to benefit from current regulations given the near-complete overlap of YPRMAX credible intervals for all estimable scenarios and the small significant differences (1–3%) based on FMAX between the most permissive and most restrictive scenarios. Despite the existence of significant differences in FMAX, they are likely biologically irrelevant based on the life histories of these species. Although modeling results suggested that the implemented harvest regulations will not likely affect catfish population demographics or fishery yield in the lower Ohio River, a post hoc evaluation examining the accuracy of these predictions is needed and would improve the accuracy and precision of parameter estimates.
Investigation of the aquaporin‐2 gating mechanism with molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Hadidi Hooman , Kamali Reza , Binesh Alireza
Published: February 2021

Aquaporin‐2 plays a vital role in the human kidney as a water passage channel. Any disorder with its function can cause water imbalance and consequently disease in humans, especially nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI). For this reason, an accurate understanding of its performance can be useful for therapeutic purposes. In this article, we investigate the gating mechanism induced by spontaneous fluctuations in aquaporin‐2's (AQP2) channels in the palmitoyl‐oleoyl‐phosphatidyl‐ethanolamine lipid bilayer by molecular dynamics. Our results show that the selectivity filter (SF) in AQP2 is also a gating site depending on the side‐chain conformation of His172. The important role of His172 in modulating the wide and narrow conformations has been further investigated by the simulation of the H172G mutant. The osmotic permeability values of all four monomers are in the range of wide state and the average is very close to that of the wide channel formed by wild‐type AQP2. Moreover, by calculating the osmotic permeability and the potential of mean force of each of the AQP2 monomers for wide/narrow states of the SF, it is seen that the SF at its narrow conformation can induce a much larger energy barrier for water molecules permeation, hindering the transport of water molecules remarkably. The reason for the discrepancy among osmotic permeabilities of different monomers of aquaporins is revealed by investigating the osmotic permeability of each monomer through the wide/narrow states of their SF.