bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
mTORC1‐mediated amino acid signaling is critical for cell fate determination under transplant‐induced stress
Authors: Cheng Xiaoyan , Ge Maolin , Zhu Shouhai , Li Dan , Wang Ruiheng , Xu Qiongyu , Chen Zhihong , Xie Shufeng , Liu Han
Published: November 2020

Transplantation of in vitro‐manipulated cells is widely used in hematology. While transplantation is well recognized to impose severe stress on transplanted cells, the nature of transplant‐induced stress remains elusive. Here, we propose that the lack of amino acids in serum is the major cause of transplant‐induced stress. Mechanistically, amino acid deficiency decreases protein synthesis and nutrient consummation. However, in cells with overactive AKT and ERK, mTORC1 is not inhibited and protein synthesis remains relatively high. This impaired signaling causes nutrient depletion, cell cycle block, and eventually autophagy and cell death, which can be inhibited by cycloheximide or mTORC1 inhibitors. Thus, mTORC1‐mediated amino acid signaling is critical in cell fate determination under transplant‐induced stress, and protein synthesis inhibition can improve transplantation efficiency.
The proteasome: friend and foe of mitochondrial biogenesis
Authors: Krämer Lena , Groh Carina , Herrmann Johannes M.
Published: November 2020

Most mitochondrial proteins are synthesized in the cytosol and subsequently translocated as unfolded polypeptides into mitochondria. Cytosolic chaperones maintain precursor proteins in an import‐competent state. This post‐translational import reaction is under surveillance of the cytosolic ubiquitin‐proteasome system, which carries out several distinguishable activities. On the one hand, the proteasome degrades nonproductive protein precursors from the cytosol and nucleus, import intermediates that are stuck in mitochondrial translocases, and misfolded or damaged proteins from the outer membrane and the intermembrane space. These surveillance activities of the proteasome are essential for mitochondrial functionality, as well as cellular fitness and survival. On the other hand, the proteasome competes with mitochondria for nonimported cytosolic precursor proteins, which can compromise mitochondrial biogenesis. In order to balance the positive and negative effects of the cytosolic protein quality control system on mitochondria, mitochondrial import efficiency directly regulates the capacity of the proteasome via transcription factor Rpn4 in yeast and nuclear respiratory factor (Nrf) 1 and 2 in animal cells. In this review, we provide a thorough overview of how the proteasome regulates mitochondrial biogenesis.
Plasma phosphorylated tau181 and neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Hansson Oskar , Cullen Nicholas , Zetterberg Henrik ,   the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, Blennow Kaj , Mattsson‐Carlgren Niklas
Published: November 2020

We examined if plasma phosphorylated tau is associated with neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease. We investigated 372 cognitively unimpaired participants, 554 mild cognitive impairment patients, and 141 Alzheimer’s disease dementia patients. Tau phosphorylated at threonine 181, regional cortical thickness (using magnetic resonance imaging) and hypometabolism (using fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography) were measured longitudinally. High plasma tau was associated with hypometabolism and cortical atrophy at baseline and over time, and longitudinally increased tau was associated with accelerated atrophy, but these associations were only observed in Aβ‐positive participants. Plasma phosphorylated tau may identify and track processes linked to neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease.
Epilepsy risk in offspring of affected parents; a cohort study of the “maternal effect” in epilepsy
Authors: Dreier Julie W. , Ellis Colin A. , Berkovic Samuel F. , Cotsapas Chris , Ottman Ruth , Christensen Jakob
Published: November 2020

Objective

To assess whether the risk of epilepsy is higher in offspring of mothers with epilepsy than in offspring of fathers with epilepsy.

Methods

In a prospective population‐based register study, we considered all singletons born in Denmark between 1981 and 2016 (N = 1,754,742). From the Danish National Patient Register since 1977, we identified epilepsy diagnoses in all study participants and their family members. Cox regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI), adjusted for relevant confounders.

Results

We included 1,754,742 individuals contributing > 30 million person‐years of follow‐up. The incidence rate of epilepsy in offspring of unaffected parents was 78.8 (95% CI: 77.8–79.8) per 100,000 person‐years, while the corresponding rate in offspring with an affected father was 172 per 100,000 person‐years (95% CI: 156–187) and in offspring with an affected mother was 260 per 100,000 person‐years (95% CI: 243–277). Having an affected mother was associated with a 1.45‐fold (95% CI: 1.30–1.63) higher risk of epilepsy in the offspring, compared to having an affected father. This maternal effect was found both in male (HR = 1.39, 95% CI: 1.19–1.62) and female offspring (HR = 1.53, 95% CI: 1.30–1.80), and across various ages at onset in the offspring. The maternal effect was also found in familial epilepsies (i.e. where the affected parent had an affected sibling; HR = 1.50, 95% CI: 1.04−2.16).

Interpretation

We found a clear maternal effect on offspring risk of epilepsy in this nationwide cohort study.
Irrational beliefs differentially predict adherence to guidelines and pseudoscientific practices during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Teovanović Predrag , Lukić Petar , Zupan Zorana , Lazić Aleksandra , Ninković Milica , Žeželj Iris
Published: November 2020

In the coronavirus “infodemic,” people are exposed to official recommendations but also to potentially dangerous pseudoscientific advice claimed to protect against COVID‐19. We examined whether irrational beliefs predict adherence to COVID‐19 guidelines as well as susceptibility to such misinformation. Irrational beliefs were indexed by belief in COVID‐19 conspiracy theories, COVID‐19 knowledge overestimation, type I error cognitive biases, and cognitive intuition. Participants (N = 407) reported (1) how often they followed guidelines (e.g., handwashing, physical distancing), (2) how often they engaged in pseudoscientific practices (e.g., consuming garlic, colloidal silver), and (3) their intention to receive a COVID‐19 vaccine. Conspiratorial beliefs predicted all three outcomes in line with our expectations. Cognitive intuition and knowledge overestimation predicted lesser adherence to guidelines, while cognitive biases predicted greater adherence, but also greater use of pseudoscientific practices. Our results suggest an important relation between irrational beliefs and health behaviors, with conspiracy theories being the most detrimental.
Wearable Aramid–Ceramic Aerogel Composite for Harsh Environment
Authors: An Lu , Liang Baoshan , Guo Zipeng , Wang Jieyu , Li Changning , Huang Yulong , Hu Yong , Li Zheng , Armstrong Jason N. , Zhou Chi , Faghihi Danial , Ren Shenqiang
Published: November 2020

High‐performance lightweight polymer fibers are attracting significant interest for wearable systems, where its thermal insulation performance is indispensable for harsh environments. However, one drawback of polymer fibers is its limited operating temperature range. Herein, a crosslinked poly(p‐phenylene terephthalamide) fiber and ceramic aerogel nanocomposite is reported, exhibiting hot and cold thermal management from cryogenic to high‐temperature condition (over 400 °C) and robust mechanical performance, which can be produced using additive textile manufacturing. The resulting ceramic aerogel nanocomposites demonstrate a low density (0.08 g cm−3), a low thermal conductivity (0.034 W m−1 K−1), and a high compressive mechanical strength of 1.1 MPa, due to the crosslinked interfacial interaction between the aramid fiber and the silica aerogel. A finite‐element model is developed to study the compression performance of aramid–aerogel composite, demonstrating that the robust mechanical performance is strengthened by interfacial bonding. These findings demonstrate that composite sheets are promising candidates for the low‐cost manufacturing of wearable textiles for applications in harsh environments.
Strategies of desiccation tolerance vary across life phases in the moss Syntrichia caninervis
Authors: Coe Kirsten K. , Greenwood Joshua L. , Slate Mandy L. , Clark Theresa A. , Brinda John C. , Fisher Kirsten M. , Mishler Brent D. , Bowker Matthew A. , Oliver Melvin J. , Ebrahimi Sotodeh , Stark Lloyd R.
Published: November 2020

PREMISE

Desiccation tolerance (DT) is a widespread phenomenon among land plants, and variable ecological strategies for DT are likely to exist. Using Syntrichia caninervis, a dryland moss and model system used in DT studies, we hypothesized that DT is lowest in juvenile (protonemal) tissues, highest in asexual reproductive propagules (gemmae), and intermediate in adults (shoots). We tested the long‐standing hypothesis of an inherent constitutive strategy of DT in this species.

METHODS

Plants were rapidly dried to levels of equilibrating relative humidity (RHeq) ranging from 0 to 93%. Postrehydration recovery was assessed using chlorophyll fluorescence, regeneration rates, and visual tissue damage. For each life phase, we estimated the minimum rate of drying (RoDmin) at RHeq = 42% that did not elicit damage 24 h postrehydration.

RESULTS

DT strategy varied with life phase, with adult shoots having the lowest RoDmin (10‒25 min), followed by gemmae (3‒10 h) and protonema (14‒20 h). Adult shoots exhibited no detectable damage 24 h postrehydration following a rapid‐dry only at the highest RHeq used (93%), but when dried to lower RHs the response declined to <50% of control fluorescence values. Notably, immediately following rehydration (0 h postrehydration), shoots were damaged below control levels of fluorescence regardless of the RHeq, thus implicating damage.

CONCLUSIONS

Life phases of the moss S. caninervis had a range of strategies from near constitutive (adult shoots) to demonstrably inducible (protonema). A new response variable for assessing degree of DT is introduced as the minimum rate of drying from which full recovery occurs.
Inferior meatus augmentation procedure (IMAP) normalizes nasal airflow patterns in empty nose syndrome patients via computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling
Authors: Malik Jennifer , Dholakia Sachi , Spector Barak M. , Yang Angela , Kim Dayoung , Borchard Nicole A. , Thamboo Andrew , Zhao Kai , Nayak Jayakar V.
Published: November 2020

Background

Empty nose syndrome (ENS) is a controversial upper airway disorder most commonly associated with tissue loss from the inferior turbinates. The inferior meatus augmentation procedure (IMAP) has been shown to effectively reduce ENS symptoms in a durable manner, but the precise mechanisms that may govern this symptomatic improvement remain unknown.

Methods

Five patients with ENS who underwent bilateral IMAP via submucosal costal cartilage implant were assessed. Pre‐implant and 6 months post‐implant computed tomography (CT) imaging for each ENS patient was analyzed in a blinded fashion using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling to investigate intrapatient changes in airflow parameters.

Results

Following surgery, ENS patients have significantly improved symptoms as indexed by Empty Nose Syndrome 6‐Item Questionnaire (ENS6Q) scoring (pre‐implant: 14.00 ± 4.06 [mean ± standard deviation]; 95% confidence interval [CI], 10.44 to 17.56; post‐implant: 4.8 ± 2.77; 95% CI, 2.37 to 7.23; Cohen's d = 2.64; p = 0.02). Using CFD, a significant shift in nasal airflow patterns was observed, where airflow deviates away from the middle meatus upon hitting the implant (pre‐implant: 67.13% ± 11.14%; 95% CI, 60.22% to 74.04%; post‐implant: 46.18% ± 12.81%; 95% CI, 38.23% to 54.12%; d = 1.74; p < 0.05) toward the inferior meatus (pre‐implant: 30.55% ± 11.29%; 95% CI, 23.55% to 37.55%; post‐implant: 42.59% ± 9.60%; 95% CI, 36.63 to 48.54%; d = 1.14; p < 0.05). No significant changes were found in nasal resistance (pre‐implant: 0.102 ± 0.015; 95% CI, 0.092 to 0.112 Pa*s/mL; post‐implant: 0.105 ± 0.041; 95% CI, 0.081 to 0.130 Pa*s/mL). In addition, the improvement of ENS6Q scoring significantly correlated with percent reduction in aberrant airflow through the middle meatus (R2 = 0.60, p = 0.04).

Conclusion

This study supports our prior working hypothesis that disordered vectors of nasal airflow congregate in the middle meatus contribute to ENS symptoms, not nasal resistance. Moreover, these data illuminate a paradoxical, but consistent, restoration of nasal airflow to the inferior meatus following the replacement of turbinate tissue volume in the inferior meatus via IMAP surgery, potentially due to the Coandă effect.
Preoperative physical functional status affects the long‐term outcomes of elderly patients with open abdomen
Authors: Okada Ichiro , Hifumi Toru , Kiriu Nobuaki , Yoneyama Hisashi , Inoue Kazushige , Seki Satoshi , Hasegawa Eiju , Kato Hiroshi , Masuno Tomohiko , Yokobori Shoji
Published: November 2020

Aim

The mortality rates among elderly patients with open abdomen (OA) are high, and pre‐existing comorbidities could affect the outcomes. However, long‐term prognosis remains uncertain. We examined long‐term outcomes in elderly patients with OA, focusing on physical functional status.

Methods

We undertook a retrospective cohort study between 2007 and 2017 at a single institution. Patients with OA who were aged ≥65 years were categorized into two groups: “good preoperative functional status” group (GFG) and “poor preoperative functional status” group (PFG). The GFG was defined as Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group/World Health Organization performance status (PS) 0–1, whereas PFG was defined as PS 2–4. The primary outcomes were survival and PS 2 years following the initial surgery.

Results

Of the 53 participants, 38 and 15 were assigned to the GFG and PFG, respectively. The PFG (median age, 81 years) was older than the GFG (median age, 75.5 years; P = 0.040). The 2‐year survival rate was 39.5% in GFG and 6.7% in PFG, and Kaplan–Meier analysis showed significant difference (P = 0.022). Among all patients, the PS at 2 years was worse than that at discharge (P = 0.007). Preoperative PS was correlated with 2‐year survival (P = 0.003), whereas age and pre‐existing comorbidities were not.

Conclusion

The long‐term outcomes of elderly patients with OA are affected by the preoperative physical functional status. Functional status deteriorates in a time‐dependent manner. Therefore, surgery requiring OA must be carefully considered for elderly patients with PS 2 or higher.
Patient outcomes of school‐age, out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest in Japan: A nationwide study of schoolchildren as witnesses
Authors: Kurosaki Hisanori , Takada Kohei , Yamashita Akira , Tanaka Yoshio , Inaba Hideo
Published: November 2020

Aim

Using the data from the All‐Japan Utstein Registry, this study evaluates the neurologically favourable patient outcomes and associated factors of out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) with Japanese schoolchildren as witnesses.

Methods

We analysed 1,068 school‐age children (6–18 years old) who underwent OHCA from 2011 to 2016. Among the 1,068 cases, 179 were witnessed by schoolchildren and 889 were witnessed by other bystanders. Propensity score‐matched and logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the outcomes and associated factors.

Results

The crude neurologically favourable outcome in the schoolchildren‐witnessed group was considerably higher than that in the other‐bystander‐witnessed group (19.6% versus 12.3%; P < 0.010). However, the difference was not significant in the propensity score‐matched analysis (19.6% versus 21.8%; P = 0.602). The multivariable logistic regression analyses of school‐age OHCA with schoolchildren as witnesses demonstrated that bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) provision (odds ratio [OR] 4.12, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.44–11.75), shockable initial rhythm (OR 3.39, 95% CI 1.43–8.04), and defibrillation (OR 4.58, 95% CI 1.65–12.71) provided by any bystander were positively associated with favourable outcomes. By contrast, dispatcher‐assisted CPR provision (OR 0.28, 95% CI 0.11–0.70), exogenous cause (OR 0.16, 95% CI 0.03–0.86), adrenaline administration (0.25; 95% CI 0.07–0.92), and prolonged response time (OR 0.86; 95% CI 0.75–0.98) were negatively associated with favourable outcomes.

Conclusions

Patient outcomes did not differ significantly between schoolchildren‐ and other‐bystander‐witnessed cases of school‐age OHCA. Although schoolchildren as witnesses might not be inferior to other bystanders in school‐age OHCA, further studies are needed to examine the effect of bystander CPR by schoolchildren and basic life support education in schools.
Characteristics and outcome of patients triaged by telephone and transported by ambulance: a population‐based study in Osaka, Japan
Authors: Katayama Yusuke , Kitamura Tetsuhisa , Hirose Tomoya , Kiyohara Kosuke , Ishida Kenichiro , Tachino Jotaro , Nakao Shunichiro , Kiguchi Takeyuki , Umemura Yutaka , Noda Tomohiro , Tai Shusuke , Tsujino Junya , Masui Jun , Mizobata Yasumitsu , Shimazu Takeshi
Published: November 2020

Aim

Details such as diagnosis and outcome of patients transported by ambulance after telephone triage have not been fully revealed. The aim of this study was to reveal profile and outcome about patients transported by ambulance via telephone triage with dataset of telephone triage and population‐based registry for emergency patients.

Methods

This retrospective descriptive study with a one‐year study period from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016 included patients selected from the telephone triage dataset who were transported by ambulance. Key parameters such as age, sex and date and time of ambulance dispatch were used to identify patient data from the ORION registry. We assessed the profile and outcome of the patients in a descriptive epidemiological analysis.

Results

We included 4,293 patients in the selected datasets whose data were merged, of whom 2,998 patients (69.8%) returned home from the emergency department, 1,255 (29.2%) were hospitalized, 32 (0.7%) were transferred to other hospitals, and 8 (0.2%) died. The most common diagnosis in the emergency departments was “infectious gastroenteritis and colitis, unspecified [A09] (219, 5.1%)”. Among the 1,255 hospitalized patients, 905 patients (72.1%) were discharged home, 254 patients (20.2%) remained hospitalized, 52 patients (4.1%) were transferred to other hospitals, 38 patients (3.0%) died, and 5 patients (0.5%) had missing data. The most common diagnosis was “cerebral infarction [I63.0‐I63.9] (138, 11.0%)”.

Conclusion

This study revealed the profile and outcome of patients transported by ambulance after telephone triage.
Application of remote sensing technology to estimate productivity and assess phylogenetic heritability
Authors: Scher C. Lane , Karimi Nisa , Glasenhardt Mary‐Claire , Tuffin Ashley , Cannon Charles H. , Scharenbroch Bryant C. , Hipp Andrew L.
Published: November 2020

PREMISE

Measuring plant productivity is critical to understanding complex community interactions. Many traditional methods for estimating productivity, such as direct measurements of biomass and cover, are resource intensive, and remote sensing techniques are emerging as viable alternatives.

METHODS

We explore drone‐based remote sensing tools to estimate productivity in a tallgrass prairie restoration experiment and evaluate their ability to predict direct measures of productivity. We apply these various productivity measures to trace the evolution of plant productivity and the traits underlying it.

RESULTS

The correlation between remote sensing data and direct measurements of productivity varies depending on vegetation diversity, but the volume of vegetation estimated from drone‐based photogrammetry is among the best predictors of biomass and cover regardless of community composition. The commonly used normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) is a less accurate predictor of biomass and cover than other equally accessible vegetation indices. We found that the traits most strongly correlated with productivity have lower phylogenetic signal, reflecting the fact that high productivity is convergent across the phylogeny of prairie species. This history of trait convergence connects phylogenetic diversity to plant community assembly and succession.

DISCUSSION

Our study demonstrates (1) the importance of considering phylogenetic diversity when setting management goals in a threatened North American grassland ecosystem and (2) the utility of remote sensing as a complement to ground measurements of grassland productivity for both applied and fundamental questions.
A mind stretched: The psychology of repeat consumption
Authors: O'Brien Ed
Published: November 2020

Repeat consumption refers to re‐experiencing an enjoyable stimulus in order to enjoy it again. We rewatch the same shows, reread the same stories, and revisit the same cities; we play our favorite songs on loop and stick to our secret spots in town. When and why do people engage in repeat consumption, and what actually happens in our psychological experience (e.g., attention, enjoyment) upon doing so? This article reviews burgeoning research shedding light on these questions. First, I establish repeat consumption as a distinct construct. Second, I highlight an emerging perspective: Repeat consumption is not so repetitive after all. Not only does repetition reveal new things within the stimulus—dubbedstimulus‐level novelty(e.g., upon rewatching a movie, we notice missed details and new connections)—but we also learn new things about ourselves in the process—dubbedself‐level novelty(e.g., “I must really be committed!”). This model qualifies traditionally grim understandings of hedonic adaptation and exposure effects; people derive greater utility from the old and familiar than assumed. Third, I highlight future research directions, including the need for a clearer taxonomy of repeat value and implications for maximizing utility. Exciting discoveries lie ahead if we return to where we have already been.
The impact of age on prostate cancer progression and quality of life in active surveillance patients
Authors: Merrick Gregory S. , Rohmann Gabe , Galbreath Robert , Scholl Whitney , Fiano Ryan , Bennett Abbey , Butler Wayne M. , Adamovich Edward
Published: November 2020

Objectives

To evaluate the impact of age on overall survival (OS), freedom from distant metastasis (FDM), rates of therapeutic intervention (TI), and quality of life (QOL) in active surveillance (AS) prostate cancer patients.

Materials and methods

Three hundred and five consecutive, prospectively evaluated AS patients who underwent a staging transperineal template‐guided mapping biopsy (TTMB) prior to enrollment on AS were evaluated and stratified by age. Evaluated outcomes included OS, FDM, TI, and QOL to include urinary, bowel, sexual function, and depression. Post void residual (PVR) urine measurements were also followed. Repeat biopsy was based on PSA kinetics, abnormal digital rectal examination or patient preference.

Results

Of the 305 patients, 290 (95.1%) were Gleason 3 + 3 and 15 patients (4.9%) were Gleason 3 + 4. The median follow‐up was 5.5 years (range 1‐14 years). At 10 years, TI was 0%, 1.0%, and 11.4% for patients ≤59, 60‐69, and ≥70 years of age (P < .001). No patient has developed distant metastasis. The median time to TI was 4.71 years. No statistical differences in urinary function, bowel function, or depression were noted. Potency preservation was dependent on patient age.

Conclusion

Within the confines of the follow‐up of our series, younger patients were less likely to proceed to therapeutic intervention. In addition, patient age did not adversely impact QOL outcomes.
Biohydrogen production from microalgae—Major bottlenecks and future research perspectives
Authors: Nagarajan Dillirani , Dong Cheng‐Di , Chen Chun‐Yen , Lee Duu‐Jong , Chang Jo‐Shu
Published: November 2020

The imprudent use of fossil fuels has resulted in high greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, leading to climate change and global warming. Reduction in GHG emissions and energy insecurity imposed by the depleting fossil fuel reserves led to the search for alternative sustainable fuels. Hydrogen is a potential alternative energy carrier and is of particular interest because hydrogen combustion releases only water. Hydrogen is also an important industrial feedstock. As an alternative energy carrier, hydrogen can be used in fuel cells for power generation. Current hydrogen production mainly relies on fossil fuels and is usually energy and CO2‐emission intensive, thus the use of fossil fuel‐derived hydrogen as a carbon‐free fuel source is fallacious. Biohydrogen production can be achieved via microbial methods, and the use of microalgae for hydrogen production is outstanding due to the carbon mitigating effects and the utilization of solar energy as an energy source by microalgae. This review provides comprehensive information on the mechanisms of hydrogen production by microalgae and the enzymes involved. The major challenges in the commercialization of microalgae‐based photobiological hydrogen production are critically analyzed and future research perspectives are discussed. Life cycle analysis and economic assessment of hydrogen production by microalgae are also presented.
Alpha‐thalassemia. Case report alpha‐thalassemia in a Costa Rican family, A case report
Authors: Solano‐Vargas Mariela , Chui David H. K. , Rodriguez‐Romero Walter
Published: November 2020

This case report highlights the importance for health care providers to be aware of the αlpha‐thalassemia syndromes, their relevance to clinical care and family counseling, appropriate diagnostic algorithm for definitive diagnosis.
Transient abnormal myelopoiesis in pediatrics with trisomy 21
Authors: Taee Nadereh , Faraji‐Goodarzi Mojgan , Safdari Mohammad , Bajelan Amir
Published: November 2020

Transient abnormal myelopoiesis is common among Down syndrome patients. Although no therapeutic measures are required, close monitoring of comorbidities such as gastrointestinal bleeding is required. Long‐term follow‐up is promising for a healthy future and reduced requirement of unnecessary therapeutic measures including chemotherapy and remission of the pathology.
Reactivated world war two traumatic memories in COVID‐19 lockdown period
Authors: Bigarré Inès , Landon Caroline , Boyer Pierre , Dupouy Julie
Published: November 2020

Some events that we can forget about can still have an impact on elderly people's health. Asking about patients' feelings and past experiences during such conditions may help them express their feelings, and they may ask for psychological help.
Time for rethinking the different β‐actin transgenic mouse models?
Authors: Vanslembrouck Bieke , Ampe Christophe , van Hengel Jolanda
Published: November 2020

The actin family is crucial for many cellular processes and in mammals muscle and non‐muscle forms exist. The latter group contains cytoplasmic‐β‐actin and cytoplasmic‐γ‐actin, almost identical in amino acid sequence and with a significant functional overlap. We introduce the properties of the Actb gene and mRNA transcript(s) with main focus on the 3′UTR and its unique features, that is, the zipcode and two polyadenylation sites creating transcripts of different lengths. Several transgenic mouse models with a modified Actb locus have been created. The different mouse models can be divided into three groups; that is, 5′ or 3′ insertion models, mouse models with loxP sequences around exon 2–3 resulting in deletion the start codon, and models with gene edited Actb sequences that produces γ‐actin protein instead of β‐actin. Whole body knockouts and, with one exception, insertion models lead to embryonic lethality indicating that the Actb gene or transcripts or translated β‐actin are essential. Tissue specific ablation at later developmental stages lead to no, or mild phenotypes, suggesting that the Actb gene or β‐actin protein is somewhat dispensable. Gene edited Actb mice that produce γ‐actin are viable. This assumes that the nucleotide sequence of Actb is important and not the specific amino acid sequence of the protein it encodes. Upregulation of other actin paralogs was frequently observed upon β‐actin ablation and can also engage in the phenotype. For a better understanding, it will be necessary to analyze in current and future models all relevant actin transcripts and protein levels in a standardized and comprehensive way.
Structural analysis of an endoprosthesis designed with graded density lattice structures
Authors: Sh. Sufiiarov Vadim , V. Borisov Evgeniy , V. Sokolova Viktoriya , O. Chukovenkova Mariya , V. Soklakov Alexanser , S. Mikhaluk Dmitry , A. Popovich Anatoliy
Published: November 2020

The most common causes of conducting a hip revision surgery after total hip replacement are aseptic loosening (aseptic instability) of the endoprosthesis, bone destruction as a result of contact with the endoprosthesis, and a periprosthetic fracture. These are the effects of load transfer to the bone tissue in arthroplasty resulting due to the difference in stiffness of the endoprosthesis and the bone. Titanium alloy is widely used in endoprostheses manufacturing because of its high biocompatibility, good wear properties, and corrosion resistance, but such endoprostheses are stiffer than the femur. These problems have raised interest in searching for the best materials and topology for a femoral implant. Nowadays additive technology is of great interest as it enables to create materials with graded density. These materials consist of multiple lattice structures with variable parameters and topology. By varying the parameters of lattice structures one can adjust the mechanical properties of the material as required. These materials find their application in hip endoprostheses manufacturing, allowing to adjust the parameters of the lattice structures, and deliver a product with femur‐like mechanical properties. The porous structure also ensures bone tissue ingrowth into the prosthesis. The authors designed and simulated an endoprosthesis made of graded density lattice structures with femur‐like mechanical properties. Using a numerical simulation software Ansys Mechanical authors determined the effect of the topology on the structural behavior of the femur and defined the endoprosthesis‐femur combined performance under various load cases.
Markov chain Monte Carlowith Gaussian processes for fast parameter estimation and uncertainty quantification in a1Dfluid‐dynamics model of the pulmonary circulation
Authors: Paun L. Mihaela , Husmeier Dirk
Published: November 2020

The past few decades have witnessed an explosive synergy between physics and the life sciences. In particular, physical modelling in medicine and physiology is a topical research area. The present work focuses on parameter inference and uncertainty quantification in a 1D fluid‐dynamics model for quantitative physiology: the pulmonary blood circulation. The practical challenge is the estimation of the patient‐specific biophysical model parameters, which cannot be measured directly. In principle this can be achieved based on a comparison between measured and predicted data. However, predicting data requires solving a system of partial differential equations (PDEs), which usually have no closed‐form solution, and repeated numerical integrations as part of an adaptive estimation procedure are computationally expensive. In the present article, we demonstrate how fast parameter estimation combined with sound uncertainty quantification can be achieved by a combination of statistical emulation and Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling. We compare a range of state‐of‐the‐art MCMC algorithms and emulation strategies, and assess their performance in terms of their accuracy and computational efficiency. The long‐term goal is to develop a method for reliable disease prognostication in real time, and our work is an important step towards an automatic clinical decision support system.
Simulation of a detoxifying organ function: Focus on hemodynamics modeling and convection‐reaction numerical simulation in microcirculatory networks
Authors: Boissier Noemie , Drasdo Dirk , Vignon‐Clementel Irene E.
Published: November 2020

When modeling a detoxifying organ function, an important component is the impact of flow on the metabolism of a compound of interest carried by the blood. We here study the effects of red blood cells (such as the Fahraeus‐Lindqvist effect and plasma skimming) on blood flow in typical microcirculatory components such as tubes, bifurcations and entire networks, with particular emphasis on the liver as important representative of detoxifying organs. In one of the plasma skimming models, under certain conditions, oscillations between states are found and analyzed in a methodical study to identify their causes and influencing parameters. The flow solution obtained is then used to define the velocity at which a compound would be transported. A convection‐reaction equation is studied to simulate the transport of a compound in blood and its uptake by the surrounding cells. Different types of signal sharpness have to be handled depending on the application to address different temporal compound concentration profiles. To permit executing the studied models numerically stable and accurate, we here extend existing transport schemes to handle converging bifurcations, and more generally multi‐furcations. We study the accuracy of different numerical schemes as well as the effect of reactions and of the network itself on the bolus shape. Even though this study is guided by applications in liver micro‐architecture, the proposed methodology is general and can readily be applied to other capillary network geometries, hence to other organs or to bioengineered network designs.
Microbiota‐immune alterations in adolescents following early life adversity: A proof of concept study
Authors: Reid Brie M. , Horne Rachael , Donzella Bonny , Szamosi Jake C. , Coe Christopher L. , Foster Jane A. , Gunnar Megan R.
Published: November 2020

Early adverse care has long‐term impacts on physical and mental health. The influence of rearing conditions on the infant's gut microbiota and its relationship with developmental health has become more evident. The microbiome is essential for normal growth and metabolism, and the signaling from the gut to the brain may underlie individual differences in resilience later in life. Microbial diversity and composition were determined using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing in fecal samples from 17 adolescents adopted internationally from orphanages into the United States and 18 adolescents reared in birth families who had similar educational and income levels. Analyses focused on diversity of the microbial community structure and differences in the abundance of specific bacterial taxa. Blood samples were used to immunophenotype the numbers of several T‐cell subsets and cytomegalovirus (CMV) seropositivity. Negative binomial regression analysis revealed several operational taxonomic units that were significantly different based on early rearing conditions and CMV seropositivity. There were significant associations between the relative abundance of certain taxa, the percentages of T‐cell subsets in circulation, and CMV seropositivity. These findings demonstrate a possible link between the gut microbiota and associations with immune alterations initiated by early life adversity.
Anode shape dependency of discharge characteristics and neutron yield of a linear type inertial electrostatic confinement fusion neutron source
Authors: Itagaki Tomonobu , Hotta Eiki , Hasegawa Jun , Takakura Kei , Tabata Shinnosuke , Matsueda Yasushi
Published: November 2020

A linear inertial electrostatic confinement fusion neutron source equipped with a cooling system for high power operation was developed and its discharge characteristics and neutron production performance were tested under a wide range of discharge conditions. Four different types of discharge anodes were prepared and the dependencies of the device performance on the anode shape were precisely investigated. A maximum neutron production rate of 3.4×106 n/s was achieved when the device was operated with single‐cylinder‐type anodes under a discharge voltage of 94 kV, a current of 20 mA, and a deuterium gas pressure of 0.5 Pa. By comparing the discharge characteristics and neutron generation rates under different anode shapes, we found that the larger inner diameter of the anode leads to longer effective gap length and lower operating pressure, which may result in relatively high fusion reaction rate observed with the single‐cylinder‐type anodes.
Lessons from four decades of monitoring vegetation and fire: maintaining diversity and resilience in Florida’s uplands
Authors: Abrahamson Warren G. , Abrahamson Christy R. , Keller Matthew A.
Published: November 2020

Worldwide, humans are altering the fire regimes (fire‐return intervals, severity, seasonality) of fire‐prone ecosystems, fragmenting natural landscapes, and altering climates. Efforts to restore fire regimes in natural areas are usually guided by fire management plans (FMP) that rely on prescribed burning. Despite the common use of FMPs, limited efforts have gone to assessing vegetative and faunal responses. While some insights into responses to fire from short‐term studies are available, there is less knowledge about FMP outcomes applied over multiple decades. Peninsular Florida hosts many fire‐prone communities including globally threatened Florida scrub. We repeatedly sampled species composition and abundance during a 38‐yr period (1977–2015) at 11 upland stands including wet prairies, flatwoods, and Florida scrub (i.e., oak scrub, rosemary scrub, hickory scrub). A total of 22 fires impacted the stands with individual stands experiencing as few as 2 and up to 11 fires. There was no invasion of non‐native plants following fires and stands showed remarkable ecological resilience with limited change in species composition and modest abundance shifts due to differential recovery rates. Importantly, ecological resilience was not eroded with repeated fire. Species richness, evenness, and diversity were significantly higher at the end vs. beginning of our study, suggesting that current fire regimes are within the range of those with which species evolved. While resprouting shrubs and trees persevered under a range of fire‐return intervals, an obligate‐seeding shrub was adversely impacted by fires more frequent than FMP‐recommended intervals. Several lessons are apparent from our findings. Best practice should: use the full range of fire‐return variation at evolutionarily appropriate intervals; utilize natural fire seasons to the extent possible; compare outcomes and modify prescriptions as necessary to meet FMP goals; give special consideration to burn units with embedded associations of widely differing fire regimes than principal associations in order to maintain diversity of both associations; and account for climate change in FMPs since fire behavior, frequency, and community responses to fire will likely change in the coming decades. Outcomes of FMPs must be carefully evaluated to ensure prescriptions are evolutionarily appropriate and to ameliorate the impacts of altered climates.
Baseline characteristics of patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in the EMPEROR‐Preserved trial
Authors: Anker Stefan D. , Butler Javed , Filippatos Gerasimos , Shahzeb Khan Muhammad , Ferreira João Pedro , Bocchi Edimar , Böhm Michael , Brunner‐La Rocca Hans Pieter , Choi Dong‐Ju , Chopra Vijay , Chuquiure Eduardo , Giannetti Nadia , Gomez‐Mesa Juan Esteban , Janssens Stefan , Januzzi James L. , Gonzalez‐Juanatey Jose R. , Merkely Bela , Nicholls Stephen J. , Perrone Sergio V. , Piña Ileana L. , Ponikowski Piotr , Senni Michele , Seronde Marie‐France , Sim David , Spinar Jindrich , Squire Iain , Taddei Stefano , Tsutsui Hiroyuki , Verma Subodh , Vinereanu Dragos , Zhang Jian , Jamal Waheed , Schnaidt Sven , Schnee Janet M. , Brueckmann Martina , Pocock Stuart J. , Zannad Faiez , Packer Milton ,   EMPEROR‐Preserved Trial Committees and Investigators
Published: November 2020

Aims

EMPEROR‐Preserved is an ongoing trial evaluating the effect of empagliflozin in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). This report describes the baseline characteristics of the EMPEROR‐Preserved cohort and compares them with patients enrolled in prior HFpEF trials.

Methods and results

EMPEROR‐Preserved is a phase III randomized, international, double‐blind, parallel‐group, placebo‐controlled trial in which 5988 symptomatic HFpEF patients [left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) >40%] with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have been enrolled. Patients were required to have elevated N‐terminal pro B‐type

natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP) concentrations (i.e. >300 pg/mL in patients without and >900 pg/mL in patients with atrial fibrillation) along with evidence of structural changes in the heart or documented history of heart failure hospitalization. Among patients enrolled from various regions (45% Europe, 11% Asia, 25% Latin America, 12% North America), the mean age was 72 ± 9 years, 45% were women. Almost all patients had New York Heart Association class II or III symptoms (99.6%), and 23% had prior heart failure hospitalization within 12 months. Thirty‐three percent of the patients had baseline LVEF of 41–50%. The mean LVEF (54 ± 9%) was slightly lower while the median NT‐proBNP [974 (499–1731) pg/mL] was higher compared with previous HFpEF trials. Presence of comorbidities such as diabetes (49%) and chronic kidney disease (50%) were common. The majority of the patients were on angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers/angiotensin receptor–neprilysin inhibitors (80%) and beta‐blockers (86%), and 37% of patients were on mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists.

Conclusion

When compared with prior trials in HFpEF, the EMPEROR‐Preserved cohort has a somewhat higher burden of comorbidities, lower LVEF, higher median NT‐proBNP and greater use of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists at baseline. Results of the EMPEROR‐Preserved trial will be available in 2021.
Europe’s essential workers: Migration and pandemic politics in Central and Eastern Europe during COVID‐19
Authors: Paul Ruxandra
Published: November 2020

How do countries navigate the tradeoffs between public health and economic reopening? What explains variation in state responses to COVID‐19? Historically, governments have tackled pandemics as external, nonconventional security threats, restricting immigration to protect citizens from contagious outsiders. Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries could not frame COVID‐19 this way because European integration and free‐movement migration blur the line between insiders and outsiders. This article examines the conditions and coalitions that shaped policy outcomes, and argues that migration systems played a double role in policy change: as structures for policy diffusion and as venues for migrants’ agency. Governments learned from one another's experiences, but diffusion occurred unevenly according to countries’ position within migratory systems.
Takotsubo stress cardiomyopathy following explantation of sEEG electrodes
Authors: Sarkar Pamela , Graby John , Walker Paul , Osman Leyla , Bradley Marcus , Likeman Marcus , Sandeman David R. , Sieradzan Kasia A. , Rice Claire M.
Published: November 2020

Objective

Takotsubo stress cardiomyopathy is characterized by dysfunction of the left ventricle of the heart including apical ballooning and focal wall‐motion abnormalities. Although reported in association with seizures and intracerebral hemorrhage, there are no studies reporting its occurrence in patients having stereoelectroencephalography (sEEG).

Methods

A 38‐year‐old lady with no prior history of cardiac disease experienced sudden onset chest pain and acute left ventricular failure 4 hours following explantation of stereoelectroencephalogram electrodes.

Results

A small parenchymal hematoma related to the right posterior temporal electrode had been noted postelectrode insertion but was asymptomatic. Focal‐onset seizures from nondominant mesial temporal structures were recorded during sEEG. Following the presentation with LVF, new‐onset anterolateral T‐wave inversion with reciprocal changes in leads II, III, and aVF was noted on electrocardiogram (ECG) and the chest X‐ray findings were consistent with pulmonary edema. Echocardiography demonstrated hypokinesis of the cardiac apex and septum consistent with Takotsubo stress cardiomyopathy.

Significance

Awareness of the possible complication of Takotsubo stress cardiomyopathy is required in an epilepsy surgery program.
Probiotic Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii supernatant inhibits survivin gene expression and induces apoptosis in human gastric cancer cells
Authors: Pakbin Babak , Pishkhan Dibazar Shaghayegh , Allahyari Samaneh , Javadi Maryam , Farasat Alireza , Darzi Sina
Published: November 2020

Natural anticancer drug and compounds with other great benefits are of interest recently due to lower side effects than chemotherapy for cancer treatment and prevention. Different natural and synthetic drugs have been suggested to be used for treatment of gastric cancers, the second deadly cancer worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate anticancer activity of SBS including inducing apoptosis and inhibition of survivin gene expression in gastric cancer cells. We evaluated cell viability, inducing apoptosis and change in survivin gene expression of EPG85‐257P (EPG) and EPG85‐257RDB (resistant to Daunorubicin, RDB) cell lines under exposure of SBS after 24, 48, and 72 hr. We found that SBS decreased cell viability, induced apoptosis, and reduced survivin gene expression in treated EPG and RDB cells (with the significant IC50 values of 387 and 575 µg/ml after 72 and 48 hr for EPG and RDB cells respectively). However, we observed SBS was more efficient to induce apoptosis in EPG than RDB cells. We strongly suggest SBS be considered as a prospective anticancer agent or in formulation of complementary medication to treat and prevent gastric cancers.
Accounting for the role of transport and storage infrastructure costs in carbon negative bioenergy deployment
Authors: Singh Udayan , Loudermilk Erica M. , Colosi Lisa M.
Published: November 2020

Deployment of bioenergy with CO2 capture and storage (BECCS) is projected to be crucial in reducing the United States’ CO2 emissions intensity. In this paper, we utilize a spatially explicit costing model to evaluate how regional biophysical factors and geography affect BECCS viability. We find that the cost of biomass provision and CO2 transport and storage are an average of $20/t‐CO2 and $16/t‐CO2 for aquatic and terrestrial BECCS, respectively. Assuming rapid technological development in the CO2 capture domain, this corresponds to 40–72% of land area in the conterminous United States exhibiting systems integration costs compatible with 2030 carbon prices (median $90/t‐CO2). Results are strongly influenced by the cost of geologic sequestration, in particular storage quality (as driven by depth, permeability, etc.) and available capacity, rather than simply proximity to nearby CO2 sources. For this reason, the Southeast presents appealing BECCS readiness owing to high biomass productivity (several counties with yield >100 000 dry ton of biomass per year) interspersed with well‐explored sinks with large sequestration potential and optimal reservoir quality with permeability >500 mD. We also find that geologic storage capacity is unlikely to be a major biophysical constraint, as sink utilization in most states would likely remain below 10% at the projected rates of BECCS deployment to achieve the 2 °C target and as low as 1% in Texas, Oklahoma, and Alabama. The analysis also reveals subtle secondary outcomes; for example, to what extent different regions may be well poised to adopt different, complementary negative emissions technologies based on specific confluences of circumstances. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.