bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Protein-energy malnutrition worsens hospitalization outcomes of patients with pancreatic cancer undergoing open pancreaticoduodenectomy
Authors: Zhang Yu-Xiu , Yang Yi-Feng , Han Pu , Ye Peng-Cheng , Kong Hao
Published: May 2022

To assess the role of protein-energy malnutrition on perioperative outcomes in patients with pancreatic cancer undergoing open pancreaticoduodenectomy. We conducted a retrospective observational cohort study and investigated patients ≥ 18 years old with pancreatic cancer undergoing open pancreaticoduodenectomy within the National inpatient sample database during 2012–2014. The study population was divided into two groups based on the presence of protein-energy malnutrition. In-hospital mortality, length of stay, cost of hospitalization, and in-hospital complications were compared between the two groups. Logistic and linear regression analyses were used to adjust for potential confounders. A trend analysis was further conducted on the in-hospital outcomes. Of the 12,785 patients aged ≥ 18 years undergoing open pancreaticoduodenectomy during years 2012–2014, 9865 (77.0%) had no protein-energy malnutrition and 2920 (23.0%) had protein-energy malnutrition. Patients with protein-energy malnutrition were found to have significantly higher mortality rate, longer length of hospital stay, and higher total hospital cost compared to those without protein-energy malnutrition. The risks of gastroparesis, small bowel obstruction, intraoperative and postoperative hemorrhage, infectious complications, and several systemic complications were found to be significantly higher in the protein-energy malnutrition group in a multivariate regression model. A study of trends from 2009 to 2012 revealed an increasing prevalence of protein-energy malnutrition, a declining trend in mortality and length of stay and a stable total hospital cost in the protein-energy malnutrition group. Protein-energy malnutrition was found to be associated with higher mortality, longer length of hospital stay and greater hospital cost in pancreatic cancer patients undergoing open pancreaticoduodenectomy, as well as increased occurrence of various systemic complications. Attention should be paid to patients’ nutritional status, which can be corrected before surgery as an effective means to optimize postoperative results.
Basal-bolus insulin therapy for the treatment of non-critically ill patients with type 2 diabetes in Vietnam: effectiveness and factors associated with inpatient glycemic control
Authors: Tran Mai Ngoc Thi , Dang Khiem Tran , Ly Luong Dai , Tran Nam Quang
Published: May 2022

Purpose

This study assessed the effectiveness of basal-bolus insulin therapy (BBIT) in non-critically ill patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and the factors associated with optimal inpatient glycemic control (IGC) with BBIT.

Methods

This prospective study included 103 patients who were admitted to the University Medical Center and were treated with BBIT. Clinical characteristics, glucose, and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels at admission, renal function tests, basal-bolus insulin dosing, and other treatments were recorded. The optimal IGC was defined and classified for the analysis.

Results

The mean age of the patients was 67.2 ± 12.0 years. The blood glucose and HbA1c levels at admission were 319.2 ± 184.8 mg/dL and 10.7 ± 2.6%, respectively. Optimal IGC was defined as patients with ≥60% of in-hospital blood glucose values within the target range (3.9–10 mmol/L). Of the 103 patients, 66 patients (64%) achieved optimal IGC and only 5 patients (4.9%) had at least one hypoglycemic episode. The number of patients consuming snacks was higher in the poor than in the optimal IGC group whereas an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <45-mL/min/1.73 m2 was predominant in the optimal IGC group. Multivariate analysis revealed that snack consumption and glucocorticoid (GC) use were factors associated with poor IGC, while eGFR <45 mL/min/1.73 m2 was a favorable factor for optimal IGC.

Conclusion

BBIT is safe and effective for the treatment of IGC in non-critically ill patients. Moreover, eGFR <45 mL/min/1.73 m2 at admission, snack consumption, and GC therapy were independent factors associated with IGC outcomes.
Cannabis Vaping Among Youth and Young Adults: a Scoping Review
Authors: Harrell Melissa B. , Clendennen Stephanie L. , Sumbe Aslesha , Case Kathleen R. , Mantey Dale S. , Swan Sunaina
Published: May 2022

Purpose of Review

The purpose of this review was to describe the state-of-the-literature on research specific to cannabis vaping among youth and young adults.

Recent Findings

Out of 1801 records identified, a total of 202 articles met eligibility criteria for inclusion in this review. Most of this literature (46.0% of studies) was specific to the health effects of cannabis vaping, particularly EVALI (e-cigarette and vaping associated lung injury). Other research areas identified in the review included the etiology (24.3%) and epidemiology (24.8%) of cannabis vaping, in addition to articles on regulation (8.4%) and marketing (5.5%) of the same.

Cannabis vaping is increasingly common among youth and young adults and more prevalent is settings where recreational use for adults has been legalized. The literature documents a number of negative health effects of cannabis vaping for young people, along with risk factors and reasons for the same.
Modelling and control of nonlinear negative imaginary systems
Authors: Choudhary Santosh Kumar , Chokkadi Shreesha , Sudhakara G.
Published: May 2022

This article investigates mathematical modelling and control of a nonlinear negative imaginary system using an illustrative benchmark physical example of a quadrotor dynamic model. A generalized methodology based on Euler–Lagrange equation is applied to obtain nonlinear negative imaginary dynamic model for the quadrotor. In this method, the Kronecker product is employed to formulate the Coriolis matrix, which is then used to construct a mathematical model of a quadrotor. This article further presents nonlinear negative imaginary systems theory-based analysis and synthesis framework to find the control solution for quadrotor’s attitude stability problem while hovering. The multi-loop control scheme is applied to the quadrotor that directly uses the Euler angles (angular positions) instead of angular velocity measurements. Numerical simulation results of this paper show that the investigated control strategy ensures the asymptotic stabilization of quadrotor attitude system model in the presence of external disturbance.
Treatment for Moral Injury: Impact of Killing in War
Authors: Burkman Kristine , Gloria Rebecca , Mehlman Haley , Maguen Shira
Published: May 2022

Purpose of Review

Veterans who kill in war are at risk of developing negative mental health problems including moral injury, PTSD, spiritual distress, and impairments in functioning. Impact of Killing (IOK) is a novel, cognitive-behaviorally based treatment designed to address the symptoms associated with killing that focuses on self-forgiveness and moral repair through cultivation of self-compassion and perspective-taking exercises, such as letter writing, and active participation in values-driven behavior.

Recent Findings

In a pilot trial assessing IOK, participants demonstrated a reduction in multiple mental health symptoms and improvement in quality-of-life measures, and they reported IOK was acceptable and feasible. Furthermore, trauma therapists have reported that moral injury is relevant to their clinical work, expressed a desire for additional training on the impact of killing, and identified barriers that make addressing killing in clinical settings challenging. Data are currently being collected in a national multi-site trial to examine the efficacy of IOK, compared to a control condition.

IOK fills a critical treatment gap by directly addressing the guilt, shame, self-sabotaging behaviors, functional difficulties, impaired self-forgiveness, and moral/spiritual distress directly associated with killing in war. Typically provided following some initial trauma-processing treatment, IOK can be integrated in existing systems of trauma care, creating a pathway for a stepped model of treatment for moral injury.
Facilitatory Effect of Extending the Course Duration on Dissemination of Educational Content
Authors: Satoh Hiromasa , Tamalu Fuminobu , Hirosawa Narumi , Hirasawa Hajime , Nagane Mitsuo , Saito Ryohei , Watanabe Shu-Ichi , Miwa Naofumi
Published: May 2022

The physiological practice course at Saitama Medical University provides students with the opportunity to learn physiological principles through wet labs and discussions. To develop a more effective method for maximizing learning outcomes, we extended the course’s schedule from one day (1d) to two days (2d) per theme, evaluated self-administered questionnaires between two different years (pre and post-change), and examined whether the increased course length affected learning outcomes. Within the 2018 curriculum year, every theme of the course was completed in a day, including experiments in the wet lab and discussions. In 2019, each theme was assessed for two days. The second-year undergraduate medical students anonymously submitted the self-assessment questionnaire that addressed several aspects, such as understanding of the theme, through a 5-point Likert scale. The average Likert scores varied from 4 to 4.5 point for all questions, and significant differences were not found between the 1d and 2d courses. However, the ratio of students with the highest points increased for one question of the 2d course: 43.6% (1d) to 53.4% (2d) for understanding. Further, the standard deviation (SD) values decreased in the 2d course for every question: 0.29 (1d) to 0.15 (2d) for interest, 0.33 (1d) to 0.19 (2d) for understanding, 0.30 (d) to 0.17 (d) for communication, 0.34 (1d) to 0.19 (2d) for general evaluation. This reduction in the SD values indicated that the educational content was imparted more efficiently to students in the 2d course. Thus, we concluded that extending the course time facilitated dissemination of educational content for every theme.
Ginsenoside Rg2 Attenuates Doxorubicin-induced Cardiomyocyte Apoptosis via the PI3K/Akt Pathway
Authors: Qiu Boyong , Mao Meijiao , Ma Zilin , Deng Bing , Shen Lin , Zhou Duan , Zheng Wang , Wei Yihong
Published: May 2022

Doxorubicin, sold under the brand name Adriamycin among others, is an important drug for cancer therapy; however, its use is limited by its cardiotoxicity. Ginsenoside Rg2 is extracted from Panax ginseng C.A.Mey., Araliaceae, which is believed to have cardioprotective properties. However, to date, there have been no reports on whether ginsenoside Rg2 could protect cardiomyocytes against doxorubicin. In this study, we investigated the action and the underlying mechanisms of cardioprotection of ginsenoside Rg2 upon doxorubicin treatment. Cell counting kit-8 was used to determine cell viability; in addition, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase–mediated dUTP nick-end labeling staining was used to detect apoptotic cells. Western blotting was used to investigate the relevant pathways. LY294002, a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor, was also used in this study. Ginsenoside Rg2 significantly (p < 0.01) neutralized cardiomyocyte apoptosis induced by doxorubicin in a dose-dependent manner, but this effect was blocked by LY294002. Furthermore, ginsenoside Rg2 upregulated protein kinase B phosphorylation through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B pathway and inhibited p53 expression. These results suggest that ginsenoside Rg2 could attenuate doxorubicin-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis via the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B pathway.

Graphical abstract
Synthesis and characterization of alkali-activated materials containing biomass fly ash and metakaolin: effect of the soluble salt content of the residue
Authors: Jurado-Contreras S. , Bonet-Martínez E. , Sánchez-Soto P. J. , Gencel O. , Eliche-Quesada D.
Published: May 2022

The present study investigates the production and characterization of alkali-activated bricks prepared with mixing metakaolin (MK) and biomass fly ash from the combustion of a mix of pine pruning, forest residues and energy crops (BFA). To use this low cost and high availability waste, different specimens were prepared by mixing MK with different proportions of BFA (25, 50 and 75 wt%). Specimens containing only metakaolin and biomass fly ash were produced for the purpose of comparison. Effects of the alkali content of biomass fly ash, after a washing pretreatment (WBFA), as well as the concentration of NaOH solution on the physical, mechanical and microstructural properties of the alkali-activated bricks were studied. It was observed that up to 50 wt% addition of the residue increases compressive strength of alkali-activated bricks. Alkalinity and soluble salts in fly ash have a positive effect, leading materials with the improved mechanical properties. Concentration of NaOH 8 M or higher is required to obtain optimum mechanical properties. The compressive strength increases from 23.0 MPa for the control bricks to 44.0 and 37.2 MPa with the addition of 50 wt% BFA and WBFA, respectively, indicating an increase of more than 60%. Therefore, the use of biomass fly ash provides additional alkali (K) sources that could improve the dissolution of MK resulting in high polycondensation. However, to obtain optimum mechanical properties, the amount of BFA cannot be above 50 wt%.
Gender bias in the medical school admission system in Japan
Authors: Fukami Kayo , Okoshi Kae , Tomizawa Yasuko
Published: May 2022

The 2018 Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) survey revealed discrimination against women in the admissions process of four Japanese medical schools, although it is not known how unusual the trend is for entire medical schools to enroll men and women. Therefore, this paper aims to examine how women are disadvantaged when they take entrance examinations for medical schools in Japan, compared to other academic disciplines. A null hypothesis that the average enrollment rates by gender in each academic discipline from 2015 to 2020 are the same was used to test the population ratio, and p-values were calculated. The results showed that no significant gender differences were found in the other disciplines, but the male enrollment rate was significantly higher only in medical schools (p < 0.01). This could be because the academic performance of men exceeds that of women in admissions. However, the percentage of women who passed the national examination for medical practitioners has been consistently high since 1997, suggesting that women were subjected to more difficult admission standards than their male counterparts or may have performed better during their years at medical school. As university entrance examinations in Japan are conducted in a closed environment, further information is expected to be disclosed as the matter continues to attract social attention for a better admission system.
Civil War Settlers
Authors: Rasmussen Anders Bo
Published: May 2022

Civil War Settlers is the first comprehensive analysis of Scandinavian Americans and their participation in the US Civil War. Based on thousands of sources in multiple languages, that have to date been inaccessible to most US historians, Anders Bo Rasmussen brings the untold story of Scandinavian American immigrants to life by focusing on their lived community experience and positioning it within the larger context of western settler colonialism. Associating American citizenship with liberty and equality, Scandinavian immigrants openly opposed slavery and were among the most enthusiastic foreign-born supporters of the early Republican Party. However, the malleable concept of citizenship was used by immigrants to resist draft service, and support a white man's republic through territorial expansion on American Indian land and into the Caribbean. Consequently, Scandinavian immigrants after emancipation proved to be reactionary Republicans, not abolitionists. This unique approach to the Civil War sheds new light on how whiteness and access to territory formed an integral part of American immigration history. Also available as open access on Cambridge Core.
Guardians of the Tradition
Authors: De Lorenzi James
Published: May 2022

Comprehensively surveys Ethiopia and Eritrea's rich and dynamic tradition of historical writing, from the ancient Aksumite era to the present day.
King John and Religion
Authors: Webster Paul
Published: May 2022

A study of the personal religion of King John, presenting a more complex picture of his actions and attitude.
Hybrid Identity and the Utopian Impulse in the Postmodern Spanish-American Comic Novel
Authors: McAleer Paul R.
Published: May 2022

An important but often overlooked function of comedy is its intrinsic relation to questions of identity. This relationship, furthermore, is connected to another traditional feature of comedy: the utopian impulse. This book analyses these functions of comedy in the novels of four key postmodern Spanish-American writers: Gustavo Sainz, Alfredo Bryce Echenique, Fernando Vallejo and Jaime Bayly. Focusing on the correlation between changing concepts of identity and the hybrid cultural context of the late 20th-century, it examines the issues of individual and social identities expressed by these authors in their inscription and distortion of the comic genre as well as in their usage of different modes of comedy. It views the novels' comic aspects as symptoms of hybridity, which, according to many theorists, have brought about the dissolution of concepts, such as the self and society, and utopian modernity. These symptoms are studied in tandem with the individual themes of the novels, such as gender, sexuality, class and global migration, as well as the 'post-national' question of Peruvian, Colombian and Mexican identity. Paul McAleer is Lecturer in Hispanic Studies at the University of Hull.
The Power of the Oath
Authors: Mwanzia Koster Mickie
Published: May 2022

Opens a fresh conversation on the study of the Mau Mau rebellion and Kenyan history by arguing that Mau Mau was a nationalist movement rather than a Kikuyu war.
Healthy Boundaries
Authors: Hanley James G.
Published: May 2022

Argues that the legacies of Victorian public health in England and Wales were not just better health and cleaner cities but also new ideas of property, liability, and community.
Kyiv as Regime City
Authors: Blackwell Martin J.
Published: May 2022

Charts the resettlement of the Ukrainian capital after Nazi occupation and the returning Soviet rulers' efforts to retain political legitimacy.
The Myth of Abstraction
Authors: Meyertholen Andrea
Published: May 2022

An alternative genealogy of abstract art, featuring the crucial role of 19th-century German literature in shaping it aesthetically, culturally, and socially.
Possible Control of Earth's Boron Budget by Metallic Iron
Authors: Yuan Liang , Steinle‐Neumann Gerd
Published: May 2022

Boron is considered a principal tracer for crustal recycling into the depleted mantle, and high boron anomalies and isotopically light boron (10B) in mantle‐derived samples have been interpreted as the result of subduction. Using density functional theory, we predict that boron behavior changes from lithophile to siderophile, with the calculated boron partition coefficients (Dm/s) between liquid metal and silicate ranging from log10Dm/s ≤ −0.8 at low pressure–temperature conditions (10 GPa, 3000 K) to log10Dm/s ≥ 3.7 at high pressure and temperature (130 GPa, 5000 K). We further predict that the silicate becomes enriched in the heavier boron isotope (11B) by >1‰ relative to metal at high pressure–temperature. Our results suggest that Earth's core may hold >50% of Earth's boron budget and that a high boron content in deep diamonds and isotopically light boron in ocean islands basalts may reflect contributions from metallic reservoirs, rather than being attributed to crustal subduction and recycling.
Antarctic Sea Ice Projections Constrained by Historical Ice Cover and Future Global Temperature Change
Authors: Holmes C. R. , Bracegirdle T. J. , Holland P. R.
Published: May 2022

There is low confidence in projections of Antarctic sea ice area (SIA), due to deficiencies in climate model sea ice processes. Ensemble regression techniques can help to reduce this uncertainty. We investigate relationships between SIA climatology and 21st century change in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project, phase 6 (CMIP6) multi‐model ensemble. In summer, under a strong forcing scenario, each model loses the majority of its sea ice. Therefore, models with greater historical SIA exhibit greater reductions, so the observed climatology of SIA strongly constrains projections. Ensemble spread in historical summer SIA is smaller than in CMIP phase 5 (CMIP5), and CMIP6 gives a more robust constraint on future SIA. In winter, by 2100 under a strong forcing scenario, 40% of SIA disappears on average, and ensemble spread in historical mean SIA explains approximately half the spread in projected change. A greater winter ice loss in CMIP6 than CMIP5 is explained by the higher climate sensitivities of some CMIP6 models.
Polar Cap Boundary Identification Using Redline Optical Data and DMSP Satellite Particle Data
Authors: Gallardo‐Lacourt B. , Wing S. , Kepko L. , Gillies D. M. , Spanswick E. L. , Roy E. A. , Donovan E. F.
Published: May 2022

The location of the polar cap boundary is typically determined by using low‐orbit satellite measurements in which the boundary is identified by its unique signature of a sharp decrease in energy and particle flux poleward of the auroral oval. In principle, this decrease in precipitating particles should appear as a concomitant sharp change in auroral luminosity. Based on a few events, Blanchard et al. (1995, https://doi.org/10.1029/94JA02631) suggested that a dramatic gradient in redline aurora may also be an indicator of the polar cap boundary. In recent years, advances in capabilities and the deployment of ground‐based all‐sky imagers have ushered in a new era of auroral measurements. Auroral imaging has moved well beyond the capabilities of the instrumentation in the previous study in terms of both spatial and temporal resolution. We now have access to decades of optical data from arrays spanning a huge spatial range, enabling a fresh examination of the relationship between redline aurora, particle precipitation, and the polar cap open closed boundary. In this study, we use data from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program satellites in conjunction with the University of Calgary's Redline Emission Geospace Observatory (630.0 nm) data to assess the viability of automated detection of the 2‐dimensional polar cap boundary. Our results exhibit good agreement between the optical and particle polar cap boundary and suggest that a luminosity in redline emission could serve as a reasonable proxy for the location of the electron poleward boundary, while providing both high temporal and spatial resolution maps of the open‐closed boundary.
Climate Action Plans Tailored to Indian Cities
Authors: Padmanaban Deepa
Published: May 2022

The plans identify localized vulnerabilities, as well as adaptations to climate change risks.
Satellites Suggest Rising Tropical High Cloud Altitude: 2002–2021
Authors: Richardson M. T. , Roy R. J. , Lebsock M. D.
Published: May 2022

Tropical upper‐troposphere clouds are expected to rise under global warming, contributing a positive radiative feedback. Here we show that Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) retrievals over 2002–2021 from the Terra and Aqua satellites report a tropical‐mean high‐cloud altitude increase of 6.9 ± 2.7 m yr−1 (±2σ), while atmospheric models report 5.6 ± 3.0 m yr−1 over 1979–2014. During their common overlap period, however, the observed trend is greater than that of the models. The atmospheric models also show a tropically confined cloud‐height response to El Nino, whereas the observed cloud height response peak extends into the subtropics. Poleward of the mid‐latitudes, Aqua and Terra MODIS have cloud‐height drifts relative to each other, highlighting the need for deeper investigation of potential time‐dependent biases in MODIS cloud retrievals. Both sensors report significant tropical cloud height increases since 2002, which are statistically consistent with those simulated by climate models.
Impact of Rainfall on Tropical Cyclone‐Induced Sea Surface Cooling
Authors: Balaguru Karthik , Foltz Gregory R. , Leung L. Ruby , Hagos Samson M.
Published: May 2022

Tropical cyclones (TCs) are often accompanied by strong winds and torrential rains. While the winds associated with TCs tend to enhance mixing in the upper ocean, the freshwater input from rain can stratify the water column and limit mixing. However, the extent to which the stabilizing effect of rainfall can compete with wind‐induced mixing and to what degree it modulates TC‐induced sea surface cooling remain unknown. Here we show, using a suite of observations, that heavy rains under weak TCs can significantly reduce the magnitude of cold wakes induced by them. When compared to storms with low rain rates, the ocean surface under TCs with high rain rates freshens significantly and cools less. High‐resolution climate model simulations and idealized experiments with an ocean mixed layer model support these results and reveal that oceanic mixing processes are primarily responsible for reduced cooling under TCs, with a lesser role for surface fluxes.
Seismic Evidence for Stepwise Lithospheric Delamination Beneath the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Wu Yingkai , Bao Xuewei , Zhang Bingfeng , Xu Yixian , Yang Wencai
Published: May 2022

Several models were proposed to account for the tectonic evolution of Tibetan Plateau, among which delamination of the Tibetan lithosphere is suggested to be a leading process. However, direct evidence for the removed Tibetan lithosphere in the deep mantle remains highly lacking. Here we image the mantle transition zone (MTZ) structure beneath western Tibet and Himalaya by common conversion point stacking of 25254 receiver functions (RFs) with unprecedented clarity. One striking feature is the significant depression (15–20 km) of 660‐km discontinuity beneath Himalaya, which indicates the presence of the detached Lhasa lithospheric mantle (∼26 Ma) at the bottom of the MTZ. Our results also show ∼15 km uplift of 410‐km discontinuity (d410) and small d410 amplitude beneath western Tibet, which we ascribe to the more recently delaminated Qiangtang lithosphere (∼15 Ma). Furthermore, the small dependence of d410 amplitude on frequency indicates that the MTZ is anhydrous in the study area.
Geomagnetic Activity Index Hpo
Authors: Yamazaki Y. , Matzka J. , Stolle C. , Kervalishvili G. , Rauberg J. , Bronkalla O. , Morschhauser A. , Bruinsma S. , Shprits Y. Y. , Jackson D. R.
Published: May 2022

The geomagnetic activity index Kp is widely used but is restricted by low time resolution (3‐hourly) and an upper limit. To address this, new geomagnetic activity indices, Hpo, are introduced. Similar to Kp, Hpo expresses the level of planetary geomagnetic activity in units of thirds (0o, 0+, 1−, 1o, 1+, 2−, …) based on the magnitude of geomagnetic disturbances observed at subauroral observatories. Hpo has a higher time resolution than Kp. 30‐min (Hp30) and 60‐min (Hp60) indices are produced. The frequency distribution of Hpo is designed to be similar to that of Kp so that Hpo may be used as a higher time‐resolution alternative to Kp. Unlike Kp, which is capped at 9o, Hpo is an open‐ended index and thus can characterize severe geomagnetic storms more accurately. Hp30, Hp60 and corresponding linearly scaled ap30 and ap60 are available, in near real time, at the GFZ website (https://www.gfz-potsdam.de/en/hpo-index).
Impact of Strong and Weak Stratospheric Polar Vortices on the Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere
Authors: Pedatella N. M. , Harvey V. L.
Published: May 2022

The impact of strong and weak Northern Hemisphere stratospheric polar vortices on the zonal mean and atmospheric tides in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) is investigated using Specified Dynamics Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM) with thermosphere‐ionosphere eXtension (SD‐WACCM‐X) simulations and Aura Microwave Limb Sounder observations. The observed and simulated zonal mean anomalies during strong and weak vortices are in good agreement. Zonal mean and tidal anomalies during weak polar vortex events are consistent with those known to occur during sudden stratospheric warmings. Generally opposite, though weaker, anomalies are found to occur when the stratospheric polar vortex is strong. The most notable impact in the MLT is a reduction in the migrating semidiurnal tide of ∼25%–35% during strong polar vortex times. The results demonstrate that, in addition to weak polar vortex events, a strong stratospheric polar vortex can also have an appreciable impact on the middle and upper atmosphere.
Stability of a Mixed‐Valence Hydrous Iron‐Rich Oxide: Implications for Water Storage and Dynamics in the Deep Lower Mantle
Authors: Liu Lu , Yang Ziqiang , Yuan Hongsheng , Meng Yue , Giordano Nico , Sun Junliang , Du Xueyan , Dalladay‐Simpson Philip , Wang Junyue , Zhang Li
Published: May 2022

Incorporation of water into mantle compositions can have significant effects on the phase relations in the systems. In this study, we synthesized an iron‐rich hexagonal hydrous phase (referred to as “HH1‐phase”) under the high pressure‐temperature (P‐T) conditions of the deep lower mantle and determined the crystal structure of the HH1‐phase at 79 GPa using the multigrain crystallography method. The chemical formula obtained was Fe12.76O18Hx (x ∼ 4.5) in the Fe‐O‐H system. To demonstrate the role of HH1‐phase for water storage in multicomponent systems relevant to mantle compositions, we investigated the stability of HH1‐phase in both MgO‐rich pyrolitic and SiO2‐rich basaltic compositions. Our results indicate that the HH1‐phase serves as major water storage in a pyrolitic composition, whereas the Al‐rich CaCl2‐type δ‐phase and SiO2 phase are major water storage phases in a SiO2‐rich basaltic composition. Incorporation of considerable amounts of SiO2, MgO, and Al2O3 into the HH1‐phase expands its stability field from 98 GPa in the Fe‐Al‐O‐H system to at least 108 GPa (corresponding to ∼2,400 km depth) in the Mg‐Si‐Al‐Fe‐O‐H system. Plumes of hot upwelling rock rooted at the base of the lower mantle have been proposed as a possible origin of hotspot volcanoes. The hydrous Fe‐rich HH1‐phase, if included into the material of upwelling plumes, will decompose on its rising to the upper part of the lower mantle and release water. Our results should provide constraints on water storage in the deep lower mantle and have implications for deep mantle dynamics.
High Resolution Map of Water in the Martian Regolith Observed by FREND Neutron Telescope Onboard ExoMars TGO
Authors: Malakhov A. V. , Mitrofanov I. G. , Golovin D. V. , Litvak M. L. , Sanin A. B. , Djachkova M. V. , Lukyanov N. V.
Published: May 2022

Studies of water content in the Martian subsurface by means of neutron spectroscopy is a well‐known technique, very sensitive to water abundance. The FREND instrument onboard the ExoMars TGO is the latest experiment of that kind. Its major characteristic and advantage compared to the predecessors is its capability of high spatial resolution measurements – massive collimator shields FREND's detectors, allowing for a narrow field of view. In this study we present a global map of Water Equivalent Hydrogen (WEH) in the upper meter of the Martian subsurface, which is built based on the FREND data. We show that it contains more local features and reveals more structure than analogous maps from omnidirectional experiments, available previously. Further analysis shows that local water‐rich regions can be located through the analysis of the FREND data, some of these containing about 20 wt% of WEH – a very unusual amount for regions at moderate latitudes, where free water and water ice are thought to be unstable in the shallow subsurface.
Quantum Based Particle Swarm Optimization for Equivalent Circuit Design of Terminal Antenna Impedance
Authors: Mescia L. , Mevoli G. , Bia P.
Published: May 2022

In this paper, an improved quantum‐behaved particle swarm optimization (QPSO) approach for modeling antenna impedance is illustrated. In the proposed study, the enhanced weighted quantum particles swarm optimization (EWQPSO) is introduced with the aim to achieve local convergence acting on a reduced number of free parameters. To verify the performance of the proposed EWQPSO, several tests involving Ipersphere, Alpine, De Jong, Zakharov, Salomon functions were carried out. The obtained results demonstrated that the convergence is achieved more quickly by the EWPSO than other optimization algorithms based on QPSO. A lumped element equivalent circuit was designed to model the terminal impedance of a broadband planar sinuous antenna in the frequency range from 1 to 3 GHz. The developed EWQPSO algorithm is then used to recover all the parameters characterizing the equivalent circuit. The resulting circuit exhibited a good impedance fidelity over the whole frequency range.
Terahertz near-field microscopy based on an air-plasma dynamic aperture
Authors: Wang Xin-ke , Ye Jia-sheng , Sun Wen-feng , Han Peng , Hou Lei , Zhang Yan
Published: May 2022

Terahertz (THz) near-field microscopy retains the advantages of THz radiation and realizes sub-wavelength imaging, which enables applications in fundamental research and industrial fields. In most THz near-field microscopies, the sample surface must be approached by a THz detector or source, which restricts the sample choice. Here, a technique was developed based on an air-plasma dynamic aperture, where two mutually perpendicular air-plasmas overlapped to form a cross-filament above a sample surface that modulated an incident THz beam. THz imaging with quasi sub-wavelength resolution (approximately λ/2, where λ is the wavelength of the THz beam) was thus observed without approaching the sample with any devices. Damage to the sample by the air-plasmas was avoided. Near-field imaging of four different materials was achieved, including metallic, semiconductor, plastic, and greasy samples. The resolution characteristics of the near-field system were investigated with experiment and theory. The advantages of the technique are expected to accelerate the advancement of THz microscopy.
An Optoelectronic thermometer based on microscale infrared-to-visible conversion devices
Authors: Ding He , Lv Guoqing , Cai Xue , Chen Junyu , Cheng Ziyi , Peng Yanxiu , Tang Guo , Shi Zhao , Xie Yang , Fu Xin , Yin Lan , Yang Jian , Wang Yongtian , Sheng Xing
Published: May 2022

Thermometric detectors are crucial in evaluating the condition of target objects spanning from environments to the human body. Optical-based thermal sensing tools have received extensive attention, in which the photon upconversion process with low autofluorescence and high tissue penetration depth is considered as a competent method for temperature monitoring, particularly in biomedical fields. Here, we present an optoelectronic thermometer via infrared-to-visible upconversion, accomplished by integrated light receiving and emission devices. Fully fabricated thin-film, microscale devices present temperature-dependent light emission with an intensity change of 1.5% °C−1 and a spectral shift of 0.18 nm °C−1. The sensing mechanism is systematically characterized and ascribed to temperature dependent optoelectronic properties of the semiconductor band structure and the circuit operation condition. Patterned device arrays showcase the capability for spatially resolved temperature mapping. Finally, in vitro and in vivo experiments implemented with integrated fiber-optic sensors demonstrate real-time thermal detection of dynamic human activity and in the deep brain of animals, respectively.
Optical nonlinearity goes ultrafast in 2D semiconductor-based nanocavities
Authors: Genco Armando , Cerullo Giulio
Published: May 2022

Hybrid systems of silver nanodisks strongly coupled to monolayer tungsten-disulfide (WS2) show giant room-temperature nonlinearity due to their deeply sub-wavelength localized nature, resulting in ultrafast modifications of nonlinear absorption in a solid-state system.
A double-layered liquid metal-based electrochemical sensing system on fabric as a wearable detector for glucose in sweat
Authors: Chen Xuanqi , Wan Hao , Guo Rui , Wang Xinpeng , Wang Yang , Jiao Caicai , Sun Kang , Hu Liang
Published: May 2022

Integrated electrochemical sensing platforms in wearable devices have great prospects in biomedical applications. However, traditional electrochemical platforms are generally fabricated on airtight printed circuit boards, which lack sufficient flexibility, air permeability, and conformability. Liquid metals at room temperature with excellent mobility and electrical conductivity show high promise in flexible electronics. This paper presents a miniaturized liquid metal-based flexible electrochemical detection system on fabric, which is intrinsically flexible, air-permeable, and conformable to the body. Taking advantage of the excellent fluidity and electrical connectivity of liquid metal, a double-layer circuit is fabricated that significantly miniaturizes the size of the whole system. The linear response, time stability, and repeatability of this system are verified by resistance, stability, image characterization, and potassium ferricyanide tests. Finally, glucose in sweat can be detected at the millimolar level using this sensing system, which demonstrates its great potential for wearable and portable detection in biomedical fields, such as health monitoring and point-of-care testing.
FBXO2 targets glycosylated SUN2 for ubiquitination and degradation to promote ovarian cancer development
Authors: Ji Jing , Shen Jing , Xu Yuxin , Xie Mengru , Qian Qilan , Qiu Teng , Shi Wen , Ren Dexu , Ma Jinming , Liu Wei , Liu Bin
Published: May 2022

SAD1/UNC84 domain protein-2 (SUN2) plays a tumor suppressor role in various types of cancer by inhibiting cancer cell proliferation, migration and promoting apoptosis. However, the post-translational regulation of SUN2 and the cellular mechanism responsible for its proteasomal degradation remains largely unknown. Here, we show that FBXO2, an E3 ubiquitin ligase of the F-box proteins (FBPs) family targets glycosylated SUN2 for ubiquitination and degradation via the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS). By integrating the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), and the Encyclopedia of Cancer Cell Lines (CCLE) databases, we revealed that FBXO2 was selectively highly expressed in ovarian cancer (OV) tissues and cells. Patients with relatively high FBXO2 expression levels were associated with worse prognosis. Manipulation of the expression of FBXO2 affecting ovarian cancer cell proliferation, migration/invasion in vitro, and tumor growth in mice in vivo. The transcription factor SOX6 promoted FBXO2 expression by recognizing a putative response element localized on the promoter region of FBXO2. Abnormally highly expressed FBXO2 recognized and targeted glycosylated SUN2 protein for ubiquitination-depended degradation to prevent cell apoptosis, promote cell proliferation, and ultimately promote the progression of OV. Thus, we revealed a new SOX6-FBXO2-SUN2 axis that contributed to the development of OV, and targeting this axis may represent an effective OV treatment strategy.
Clinical outcome of nosocomial pneumonia caused by Carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacteria in critically ill patients: a multicenter retrospective observational study
Authors: Chen Chih-Yu , Yang Kuang-Yao , Peng Chung-Kan , Sheu Chau-Chyun , Chan Ming-Cheng , Feng Jia-Yih , Wang Sheng-Huei , Chen Chia-Min , Zheng Zhe-Rong , Liang Shinn-Jye , Lin Yu-Chao ,   T-CARE (Taiwan Critical Care and Infection) Group, Chen Chih-Yu , Wu Bing-Ru , Shen Yi-Cheng , Chen Wei-Cheng , Liang Shinn-Jye , Lin Yu-Chao , Yang Kuang-Yao , Feng Jia-Yih , Peng Chung-Kan , Wang Sheng-Huei , Sheu Chau-Chyun , Chen Chia-Min , Chan Ming-Cheng , Zheng Zhe-Rong
Published: May 2022

Nosocomial pneumonia caused by carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacteria (CRGNB) is a growing threat due to the limited therapeutic choices and high mortality rate. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic factors for mortality in patients with nosocomial pneumonia caused by CRGNB and the impact of colistin-based therapy on the outcomes of intensive care unit (ICU) patients. We conducted a retrospective study of the ICUs in five tertiary teaching hospitals in Taiwan. Patients with nosocomial pneumonia caused by CRGNB from January 2016 to December 2016 were included. Prognostic factors for mortality were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression. The influence of colistin-based therapy on mortality and clinical and microbiological outcomes were evaluated in subgroups using different severity stratification criteria. A total of 690 patients were enrolled in the study, with an in-hospital mortality of 46.1%. The most common CRGNB pathogens were Acinetobacter baumannii (78.7%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (13.0%). Significant predictors (odds ratio and 95% confidence interval) of mortality from multivariate analysis were a length of hospital stay (LOS) prior to pneumonia of longer than 9 days (2.18, 1.53–3.10), a sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score of more than 7 (2.36, 1.65–3.37), supportive care with vasopressor therapy (3.21, 2.26–4.56), and escalation of antimicrobial therapy (0.71, 0.50–0.99). There were no significant differences between the colistin-based therapy in the deceased and survival groups (42.1% vs. 42.7%, p = 0.873). In the subgroup analysis, patients with multiple organ involvement (> 2 organs) or higher SOFA score (> 7) receiving colistin-based therapy had better survival outcomes. Prolonged LOS prior to pneumonia onset, high SOFA score, vasopressor requirement, and timely escalation of antimicrobial therapy were predictors for mortality in critically ill patients with nosocomial CRGNB pneumonia. Colistin-based therapy was associated with better survival outcomes in subgroups of patients with a SOFA score of more than 7 and multiple organ involvement.
Developmental independence of median fins from the larval fin fold revises their evolutionary origin
Authors: Miyamoto Kazuhide , Kawakami Koichi , Tamura Koji , Abe Gembu
Published: May 2022

The median fins of modern fish that show discrete forms (dorsal, anal, and caudal fins) are derived from a continuous fold-like structure, both in ontogeny and phylogeny. The median fin fold (MFF) hypothesis assumes that the median fins evolved by reducing some positions in the continuous fin fold of basal chordates, based on the classical morphological observation of developmental reduction in the larval fin folds of living fish. However, the developmental processes of median fins are still unclear at the cellular and molecular levels. Here, we describe the transition from the larval fin fold into the median fins in zebrafish at the cellular and molecular developmental level. We demonstrate that reduction does not play a role in the emergence of the dorsal fin primordium. Instead, the reduction occurs along with body growth after primordium formation, rather than through actively scrapping the non-fin forming region by inducing cell death. We also report that the emergence of specific mesenchymal cells and their proliferation promote dorsal fin primordium formation. Based on these results, we propose a revised hypothesis for median fin evolution in which the acquisition of de novo developmental mechanisms is a crucial evolutionary component of the discrete forms of median fins.
Evidence for the intermediate disturbance hypothesis and exponential decay in replacement in Streptococcus pneumoniae following use of conjugate vaccines
Authors: Paulo A. Cristina , Sá-Leão Raquel
Published: May 2022

Understanding how pneumococci respond to pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) is crucial to predict the impact of upcoming higher-valency vaccines. However, stages in pneumococcal community succession following disturbance are poorly understood as long-time series on carriage are scarce and mostly evaluated at end-point measurements. We used a 20-year cross-sectional dataset of pneumococci carried by Portuguese children, and methods from community ecology, to study community assembly and diversity following use of PCV7 and PCV13. Two successional stages were detected upon introduction of each PCV: one in which non-vaccine serotypes increased in abundance, fitted by a broken-stick model, and a second in which the community returned to the original structure, fitted by a geometric series, but with different serotype profile and a drop in richness as great as 24%. A peak in diversity was observed for levels of intermediate vaccine uptake (30–40%) in agreement with the intermediate disturbance hypothesis. Serotype replacement was fitted by an exponential decay model (R2 = 80%, P < 0.001). The half-life for replacement was 8 years for PCV7 and 10 years for PCV13. The structure of the pneumococcal community is resilient to vaccine pressure. The increasing loss of diversity, however, suggests it could eventually reach a threshold beyond which it may no longer recover.
Association between microRNAs 10b/21/34a and acute toxicity in glioblastoma patients treated with radiotherapy and temozolomide
Authors: Stepanović Aleksandar , Nikitović Marina , Stanojković Tatjana P. , Grujičić Danica , Bukumirić Zoran , Srbljak Ivana , Ilić Rosanda , Milošević Snežana , Arsenijević Tatjana , Petrović Nina
Published: May 2022

A personalized approach to chemoradiation is important in reducing its potential side effects and identifying a group of patients prone to toxicity. MicroRNAs have been shown to have a predictive potential for radiotoxicity. The goal of the study was to test if levels of miRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of glioblastoma patients are associated with toxicity and to identify the peak time point for toxicity. MicroRNA-10b/21/34a levels were measured in 43 patients with and without toxicity, at baseline, at the 15th, and at the 30th fraction by Real-Time quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction. MicroRNA-10b/21 levels increased with toxicity grade (p = 0.014; p = 0.013); miR-21/34a levels were significantly different between patients with and without toxicity at the 15th fraction (p = 0.030; p = 0.045), while miR-34a levels significantly changed during treatment (p < 0.001). All three miRNAs showed a significantly high positive correlation with one another. MiR-34a might be considered as a predictive factor for toxicity due to its changes during treatment, and differences between the groups with and without toxicity; miR-10b might be used to predict toxicity; miR-10b/21 might be used for predicting the grade of toxicity in GB patients.