bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analytic Treatment for Electrical MHD Non-Newtonian Fluid Flow over a Stretching Sheet through a Porous Medium
Authors: Adem Gossaye Aliy
Published: December 2020

In this study, an attempt has been made to investigate the mass and heat transfer effects in a BLF through a porous medium of an electrically conducting viscoelastic fluid subject to a transverse magnetic field in the existence of an external electric field, heat source/sink, and chemical reaction. It has been considered the effects of the electric field, viscous and Joule dissipations, radiation, and internal heat generation/absorption. Closed-form solutions for the boundary layer equations of viscoelastic, second-grade, and Walters’

B

′

fluid models are considered. The method of the solution includes similarity transformation. The converted equations of thermal and mass transport are calculated using the optimal homotopy asymptotic method (OHAM). The solutions of the temperature field for both prescribed surface temperature (PST) and prescribed surface heat flux (PHF) are found. It is vital to remark that the interaction of the magnetic field is found to be counterproductive in enhancing velocity and concentration distribution, whereas the presence of chemical reaction, as well as a porous matrix with moderate values of the magnetic parameter, reduces the temperature and concentration fields at all points of the flow domain.
Exploring the Antitumor Mechanisms of Zingiberis Rhizoma Combined with Coptidis Rhizoma Using a Network Pharmacology Approach
Authors: Wang Meng , Qi Youke , Sun Yongning
Published: December 2020

Background. Although the combination of Zingiberis rhizoma (ZR) and Coptidis rhizoma (CR) is a classic traditional Chinese medicine‐based herbal pair used for its antitumor effect, the material basis and underlying mechanisms are unclear. Here, a network pharmacology approach was used to elucidate the antitumor mechanisms of ZR‐CR. Materials and Methods. To predict the targets of ZR‐CR in treating tumors, we constructed protein–protein interactions and hub component‐target networks and performed pathway and process enrichment and molecular docking analysis. We used a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) assay to validate the predicted component‐target affinities. Hub gene expression and survival analysis in patients with tumors were used to predict the clinical significance. Results. The active components of ZR‐CR—shogaol, daucosterol, ginkgetin, berberine, quercetin, chlorogenic acid, and vanillic acid—exhibited antitumor activities via the MAPK, PI3K‐AKT, TNF, FOXO, HIF‐1, and VEGF signaling pathways. Molecular docking and SPR analyses suggested direct binding of berberine with AKT1 and TP53; quercetin with EGFR and VEGF165; and ginkgetin, isoginkgetin, and daucosterol with VEGF165 with weak affinities. Gene expression levels of the hub targets of ZR‐CR were associated with overall survival and disease‐free survival in patients with various tumor types. Conclusions. The antitumor components of the ZR‐CR herbal pair and the mechanisms underlying their antitumor effects were identified. These antitumor components deserve to be explored further in experimental and clinical studies.
Performance Improvement Design of Bluetooth Low Energy-Based Wireless Indoor Positioning Systems
Authors: Maneerat Kriangkrai , Kaemarungsi Kamol
Published: December 2020

The systematic design of wireless indoor positioning systems can offer another essential approach to achieving the required performance objectives aside from using suitable location determination algorithms. This manuscript investigates Bluetooth Low Energy- (BLE-) based wireless indoor positioning systems and how adjusting the system design parameters can affect their location determination performance. Without placing emphasis on sophisticated location determination algorithms, this work provides guidelines for how a system designer can control the balance among multiple positioning performance metrics. For example, a balance between the number of installed reference nodes and the accuracy performance can be chosen to control deployment costs, such as the installation expense, infrastructure expense, and installation time. To demonstrate our baseline study, we compare three different designs of BLE wireless indoor positioning system that utilize location determination algorithms based on proximity, trilateration, and scene analysis. These designs are also compared over two different building sizes, which are medium and large. The design model and performance analysis data were based on our actual implementation of the hardware and software system for a BLE wireless indoor positioning system. Specifically, the received signal strength indication data were collected from our prototype reference nodes. The findings from our study indicated that a proximity-based system can only provide fair location accuracy performance (average error distance of 5 m to 7 m) making it unsuitable for applications that require high accuracy. For medium location accuracy performance (average error distance of 3 m to 5 m), the trilateration-based system can achieve the highest efficiency in terms of number of installed reference nodes over the accuracy. The trilateration-based system can reduce the number of installed reference nodes by 154% to achieve the same level of accuracy as the scene analysis-based system. For good location accuracy performance (average error distance ≤ 3 m), the scene analysis-based system yields the highest scalability performance in terms of installed reference nodes. The scene analysis-based system can reduce the number of reference nodes by 40% and 113% to achieve the same accuracy performance when compared with trilateration and proximity-based systems, respectively. Finally, the validation results from the actual installation of Bluetooth-based indoor positioning systems confirmed that our proposed framework can help the system designers to achieve the required performance goal.
Subcellular Distribution of p53 by the p53-Responsive lncRNA NBAT1 Determines Chemotherapeutic Response in Neuroblastoma
Authors: Mitra Sanhita , Muralidharan Somsundar Veppil , Di Marco Mirco , Juvvuna Prasanna Kumar , Kosalai Subazini Thankaswamy , Reischl Silke , Jachimowicz Daniel , Subhash Santhilal , Raimondi Ivan , Kurian Leo , Huarte Maite , Kogner Per , Fischer Matthias , Johnsen John Inge , Mondal Tanmoy , Kanduri Chandrasekhar
Published: December 2020

Neuroblastoma has a low mutation rate for the p53 gene. Alternative ways of p53 inactivation have been proposed in neuroblastoma, such as abnormal cytoplasmic accumulation of wild-type p53. However, mechanisms leading to p53 inactivation via cytoplasmic accumulation are not well investigated. Here we show that the neuroblastoma risk-associated locus 6p22.3-derived tumor suppressor NBAT1 is a p53-responsive lncRNA that regulates p53 subcellular levels. Low expression of NBAT1 provided resistance to genotoxic drugs by promoting p53 accumulation in cytoplasm and loss from mitochondrial and nuclear compartments. Depletion of NBAT1 altered CRM1 function and contributed to the loss of p53-dependent nuclear gene expression during genotoxic drug treatment. CRM1 inhibition rescued p53-dependent nuclear functions and sensitized NBAT1-depleted cells to genotoxic drugs. Combined inhibition of CRM1 and MDM2 was even more effective in sensitizing aggressive neuroblastoma cells with p53 cytoplasmic accumulation. Thus, our mechanistic studies uncover an NBAT1-dependent CRM1/MDM2-based potential combination therapy for patients with high-risk neuroblastoma.

Significance:

This study shows how a p53-responsive lncRNA mediates chemotherapeutic response by modulating nuclear p53 pathways and identifies a potential treatment strategy for patients with high-risk neuroblastoma.
Differential Regulation of Cancer Progression by CDK4/6 Plays a Central Role in DNA Replication and Repair Pathways
Authors: Dai Meiou , Boudreault Julien , Wang Ni , Poulet Sophie , Daliah Girija , Yan Gang , Moamer Alaa , Burgos Sergio A. , Sabri Siham , Ali Suhad , Lebrun Jean-Jacques
Published: December 2020

Although the cyclin-dependent kinases CDK4 and CDK6 play fundamental roles in cancer, the specific pathways and downstream targets by which they exert their tumorigenic effects remain elusive. In this study, we uncover distinct and novel functions for these kinases in regulating tumor formation and metastatic colonization in various solid tumors, including those of the breast, prostate, and pancreas. Combining in vivo CRISPR-based CDK4 and CDK6 gene editing with pharmacologic inhibition approaches in orthotopic transplantation and patient-derived xenograft preclinical models, we defined clear functions for CDK4 and CDK6 in facilitating tumor growth and progression in metastatic cancers. Transcriptomic profiling of CDK4/6 CRISPR knockouts in breast cancer revealed these two kinases to regulate cancer progression through distinct mechanisms. CDK4 regulated prometastatic inflammatory cytokine signaling, whereas CDK6 mainly controlled DNA replication and repair processes. Inhibition of CDK6 but not CDK4 resulted in defective DNA repair and increased DNA damage. Multiple CDK6 DNA replication/repair genes were not only associated with cancer subtype, grades, and poor clinical outcomes, but also facilitated primary tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. CRISPR-based genomic deletion of CDK6 efficiently blocked tumor formation and progression in preestablished cell- and patient-derived xenograft preclinical models of breast cancer, providing a potential novel targeted therapy for these deadly tumors.

Significance:

In-depth transcriptomic analysis identifies cyclin-dependent kinases CDK4 and CDK6 as regulators of metastasis through distinct signaling pathways and reveals the DNA replication/repair pathway as central in promoting these effects.
Strobilanthes affinis (Acanthaceae): a new addition to the flora of Manipur, India
Authors: Kumar Sanjeet , Devi Rajkumari Supriya
Published: December 2020

Strobilanthes affinis (Griff.) Terao ex J.R.I. Wood J.R. Benn, a lesser known species of Acanthaceae family, is reported here as new to the flora of Manipur State, India.  A brief description of the species is provided along with phenological data, microscopic structure of pollen, distribution, and notes on associated flora and habitat.  Photographs are also provided for easy identification in the field.
Diversity, distribution and conservation status of the Adder’s-tongue ferns in Goa, India
Authors: Patil Sachin M. , Rajput Kishore
Published: December 2020

The cosmopolitan fern genus Ophioglossum (Ophioglossaceae) is distributed from low to high altitude plateaux, coastal plains and forest floors of India.  This genus has received special attention from pteridologists worldwide since the discovery that Ophioglossum reticulatum possesses the largest number of chromosomes.  There are, however, no reported studies of Ophioglossum in Goa, hence the present investigation was undertaken to study the diversity, distribution and conservation status of Ophioglossum in that state.  A total of six species were collected from different localities, of which four (O. nudicaule, O. lusitanicum, O. parvifolium, and O. reticulatum) are reported as new distributional records for Goa State.  A detailed morpho-taxonomy, illustration and photographs of all collected species are given, along with a key to the species.
Ketone Ester Treatment Improves Cardiac Function and Reduces Pathologic Remodeling in Preclinical Models of Heart Failure
Authors: Yurista Salva R. , Matsuura Timothy R. , Silljé Herman H.W. , Nijholt Kirsten T. , McDaid Kendra S. , Shewale Swapnil V. , Leone Teresa C. , Newman John C. , Verdin Eric , van Veldhuisen Dirk J. , de Boer Rudolf A. , Kelly Daniel P. , Westenbrink B. Daan
Published: December 2020

Background:

Accumulating evidence suggests that the failing heart reprograms fuel metabolism toward increased utilization of ketone bodies and that increasing cardiac ketone delivery ameliorates cardiac dysfunction. As an initial step toward development of ketone therapies, we investigated the effect of chronic oral ketone ester (KE) supplementation as a prevention or treatment strategy in rodent heart failure models.

Methods:

Two independent rodent heart failure models were used for the studies: transverse aortic constriction/myocardial infarction (MI) in mice and post-MI remodeling in rats. Seventy-five mice underwent a prevention treatment strategy with a KE comprised of hexanoyl-hexyl-3-hydroxybutyrate KE (KE-1) diet, and 77 rats were treated in either a prevention or treatment regimen using a commercially available β-hydroxybutyrate-(R)-1,3-butanediol monoester (DeltaG; KE-2) diet.

Results:

The KE-1 diet in mice elevated β-hydroxybutyrate levels during nocturnal feeding, whereas the KE-2 diet in rats induced ketonemia throughout a 24-hour period. The KE-1 diet preventive strategy attenuated development of left ventricular dysfunction and remodeling post-transverse aortic constriction/MI (left ventricular ejection fraction±SD, 36±8 in vehicle versus 45±11 in KE-1;
P
=0.016). The KE-2 diet therapeutic approach also attenuated left ventricular dysfunction and remodeling post-MI (left ventricular ejection fraction, 41±11 in MI-vehicle versus 61±7 in MI-KE-2;
P
<0.001). In addition, ventricular weight, cardiomyocyte cross-sectional area, and the expression of ANP (atrial natriuretic peptide) were significantly attenuated in the KE-2–treated MI group. However, treatment with KE-2 did not influence cardiac fibrosis post-MI. The myocardial expression of the ketone transporter and 2 ketolytic enzymes was significantly increased in rats fed KE-2 diet along with normalization of myocardial ATP levels to sham values.

Conclusions:

Chronic oral supplementation with KE was effective in both prevention and treatment of heart failure in 2 preclinical animal models. In addition, our results indicate that treatment with KE reprogrammed the expression of genes involved in ketone body utilization and normalized myocardial ATP production following MI, consistent with provision of an auxiliary fuel. These findings provide rationale for the assessment of KEs as a treatment for patients with heart failure.
mTORC1 (Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1) Signaling in Endothelial and Smooth Muscle Cells Is Required for Vascular Function
Authors: Reho John J. , Guo Deng-Fu , Morgan Donald A. , Rahmouni Kamal
Published: December 2020

mTORC1 (Mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1) serves as a molecular hub and intracellular energy sensor that regulate various cellular processes. Emerging evidence points to mTORC1 signaling as a critical regulator of cardiovascular function with implications for cardiovascular disease. Here, we show that selective disruption of mTORC1, through conditional
Raptor
gene deletion, in endothelial or smooth muscle cells alter vascular function. Endothelial cell-specific Raptor deletion results in reduced relaxation responses evoked by acetylcholine in the aorta but not in the mesenteric artery. Of note, endothelial-specific Raptor deletion did not affect endothelial-independent vasorelaxation nor the contractile responses of the aorta or mesenteric artery. Interestingly, endothelial Raptor haploinsufficiency did not alter vascular endothelial function but attenuated the endothelial dysfunction evoked by angiotensin II. Smooth muscle cell-specific conditional deletion of Raptor reduces both endothelial- and smooth muscle-dependent relaxation responses as well as receptor-dependent and -independent contractility in the aorta. This was associated with activation of autophagy signaling. Notably, the changes in vascular function evoked by endothelial and smooth muscle Raptor deletion were independent of changes in blood pressure and heart rate. Together, these data suggest that vascular mTORC1 signaling is a critical regulator of vascular endothelial and smooth muscle function. mTORC1 signaling may represent a potential target for the treatment of vascular diseases associated with altered mTORC1 activity.
Sex Differences in Renal Outcomes After Medical Treatment for Bilateral Primary Aldosteronism
Authors: Nakamaru Ryo , Yamamoto Koichi , Akasaka Hiroshi , Rakugi Hiromi , Kurihara Isao , Yoneda Takashi , Ichijo Takamasa , Katabami Takuyuki , Tsuiki Mika , Wada Norio , Yamada Tetsuya , Kobayashi Hiroki , Tamura Kouichi , Ogawa Yoshihiro , Kawashima Junji , Inagaki Nobuya , Fujita Megumi , Oki Kenji , Kamemura Kohei , Tanabe Akiyo , Naruse Mitsuhide ,   JPAS/JRAS study group
Published: December 2020

A higher incidence of bilateral primary aldosteronism in women is reported. Treatment of bilateral primary aldosteronism usually involves mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists. However, the impact of sex on renal outcomes is unknown. We compared renal outcomes between the sexes after mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist initiation by analyzing data obtained from 415 female and 313 male patients with bilateral primary aldosteronism who were treated with spironolactone or eplerenone in the JPAS (Japan Primary Aldosteronism Study). Over the course of 5 years, the temporal reduction in the estimated glomerular filtration rate was greater in women than in men (
P
<0.001). Systolic blood pressure levels were equal between the sexes, despite higher doses of antihypertensive drugs in men. The mean of the annual decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate during what we termed the late phase, or 6 to 60 months after mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist initiation, was larger in women than in men after adjusting for patient characteristics (−1.33 mL/min per 1.73 m
2
per year versus −1.04 mL/min per 1.73 m
2
per year,
P
<0.01). Female sex was a significant predictor of greater annual decline during the late phase in patients taking spironolactone but not in those taking eplerenone. Spironolactone use and diabetes were independent predictors of a greater annual decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate during the late phase in women. These findings suggest that female sex is associated with poorer renal outcomes in patients receiving mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist for bilateral primary aldosteronism.
SingHealth Radiology Archives pictorial essay Part 1: cardiovascular, respiratory and neurological cases
Authors: Tan MBW , Tan KP , Beh JCY , Chan EYK , Chin KFW , Chua WM , Chong AWL , Gu TG , Hou W , Lai AL , Lee RZ , Liew JRP , Lim M , Lim JLL , Tan Z , Tan E , Tan GSL , Tan TSE , Tan EJ , Tan ASM , Yan YY , Lim WEH
Published: December 2020

The Singapore Health Services cluster (SingHealth) radiology film archives are a valuable repository of local radiological cases dating back to the 1950s. Some of the cases in the archives are of historical medical interest, i.e. cerebral angiography in the workup of patients with hemiplegia. Other cases are of historical social interest, being conditions seen during earlier stages of Singapore’s development, i.e. bound feet. The archives form a unique portal into the development of local radiology as well as the national development of Singapore. A selection from the archives is published in 2020 in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the formation of SingHealth, the 55th National Day of Singapore, and the 125th anniversary of the International Day of Radiology. This pictorial essay comprises cardiovascular, respiratory and neurological cases from the archives.
How do Crises Fuel European Defence Policy?
Authors: Deschaux-Dutard Delphine
Published: December 2020

This article analyses how crises may open policy windows which, when properly seized by policy entrepreneurs, made European defence policy a priority on the EU’s agenda. The article compares two periods which can be considered as critical junctures for European defence: the periods of its birth in 1998–1999, and its relaunch in 2016–2019. The analysis is based on the Multiple Stream Framework (msf) and considers European defence as a public policy shaped by policy actors. More precisely, the main hypothesis is that in both contexts policy actors from France and Germany took advantage of focusing events – the Kosovo War in 1998–1999, and Brexit extended by the election of Trump introducing turmoil within the transatlantic partnership in 2016–2019 – to advocate a policy solution to answer security challenges faced by the EU. The article also assesses how British policy actors played decisive yet inverse roles in both contexts. The first part of the article explains how the msf is used and why it is a stimulating agenda to study European defence policy. The second part of the article analyses the policy entrepreneurs taking advantage of the policy windows opened in both cases, and how they coupled the three streams underlying European defence by exploiting the British variable. The last part of the article focuses on the means used by the policy entrepreneurs to make it a policy priority on the European policy agenda in both the late 1990s and 2016–2019.
Die Promotionsarbeit des Joseph von Quarin als Spiegel des Standes der medizinischen Entomologie in der Mitte des 18. Jahrhunderts
Authors: Kiehne Tilraan
Published: December 2020

Joseph von Quarin (1733-1814), court physician to the Emperor of Austria at the end of the 18th century, had studied medicine in Vienna and Freiburg im Breisgau. His Freiburg doctoral dissertation is still of great interest today. In a first chapter it defines the term , in a second it describes diseases insects can cause, and a final chapter discusses medical uses of insects. Quarin tried to unite traditional knowledge with new findings. His brief work is a survey of the knowledge of medical entomology in his time.
Biodiversity of polychaetous annelids in Bahía de Todos Santos, Baja California México

Authors: ARAUJO-LEYVA OSMAR , RODRÍGUEZ-VILLANUEVA LUZ VERONICA , MACÍAS-ZAMORA JOSÉ VINICIO
Published: December 2020

The aim of this study was to describe and analyze the structure, distribution, and temporal variation in the composition of benthic polychaeta and their relation to abiotic characteristics in marine sediments along the continental shelf of Bahia de Todos Santos, Baja California, Mexico. Benthic macrofauna and environmental variables were collected to coordinated with a long-term ocean monitoring project known as the Southern California Bight Regional Monitoring Program. A total of nineteen stations were collected in September 1998, twenty stations in November 2003, fifteen stations in December 2013 and sixteen stations in September 2018. These data were compared to assess the response of benthic polychaete assemblages to natural and human induced changes in sediment characteristics. All stations were sampled using a Van Veen grab (0.1 m2) at depths between 15 to 206 m. Sites were selected using a multiple density nested random-tessellation stratified design. Environmental parameters measured included depth (m), sediment grain size <63µm (%), organic carbon (%), and concentration of metals: Co, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn. A total of 11,854 polychaetous annelids were identified in 43 families, with the numerically dominant families for all years (Spionidae, Chaetopteridae, Cirratulidae, Maldanidae, Onuphidae, and Ampharetidae) accounting for 52.95% of individuals. The best represented families in 1998 were Spionidae, Maldanidae, Ampharetidae and Cirratulidae. In 2003 the best represented families were Spionidae, Maldanidae, Cirratulidae, and Onuphidae; in 2013 Chaetopteridae and Spionidae; and in 2018 Spionidae, Ampharetidae, Syllidae and Cirratulidae. The Bio-Env multivariate analysis showed that the factors that most correlated with the abundance and richness of families and had the greatest influence over spatial distribution trends for community structure were %Organic carbon and Cu concentration during 1998, % Organic carbon and depth in 2003 and Pb concentration in 2013.
Nocturnally swarming Caribbean polychaetes of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, USA

Authors: PRENTISS NANCY K.
Published: December 2020

Nocturnally swarming polychaetes were sampled over a ten-year period (2007–2017) in shallow waters of the Virgin Islands National Park, St. John, United States Virgin Islands. While sampling was qualitative and conducted over different years, months and lunar phases, some patterns were noted in the emergence of swarming polychaetes. Three families (Nereididae, Opheliidae, and Syllidae) had members that swarmed on most nights, while reproductive epitokes from two families appeared only during specific lunar phases: Goniadidae around the full moon and Phyllodocidae around the new moon. Additional polychaete families represented included Amphinomidae, Dorvilleidae, and Scalibregmatidae, whose members swarmed during the waning or waxing lunar phases. This overview offers new information about the timing of reproductive swarming in Caribbean polychaetes and suggests some connections between lunar phases and the swarming of different families.
New insights in the biogeographical distributions of two Spionidae (Annelida) from the NE Atlantic and Mediterranean French coasts

Authors: JOURDE JÉRÔME , LAVESQUE NICOLAS , LABRUNE CÉLINE , AMOUROUX JEAN-MICHEL , BONIFÁCIO PAULO , HUMBERT SUZIE , LAMARQUE BASTIEN , SAURIAU PIERRE-GUY , MEIßNER KARIN
Published: December 2020

We report the first occurrences of Spiophanes afer Meißner, 2005 and Prionospio cristaventralis Delgado-Blas, Díaz-Díaz & Viéitez, 2018 from French marine waters (from the southern part of the Bay of Biscay in NE Atlantic, and the Gulf of Lion in the Mediterranean Sea). Morphological characters of S. afer include the presence of an occipital antenna, dorsal ciliated organs extending to chaetigers 13–15, neuropodial hooks from chaetiger 15, ventrolateral intersegmental pouches from chaetigers 14–15, chaetal spreaders of “2+3 type”, and conspicuous dark brown pigmentation on parapodia of chaetigers 9–13. Prionospio cristaventralis has four pairs of branchiae (1st and 4th pinnate, 2nd and 3rd apinnate), ventral crests from chaetigers 11–12, high dorsal crests on chaetigers 10–11, and very large notopodial prechaetal lamellae on anterior chaetigers. Both records represent northern extensions of their known distributions. However, the presence of S. afer on French coasts may have been overlooked for several decades. The validity of the recently proposed Spiophanes adriaticus is questioned.
In Memorium: Donald J Reish

Authors: SCHIFF KENNETH , BAY STEVEN
Published: December 2020

For such a humble man, his life had an outsized impact in so many ways. He rarely raised his voice, but he had a hearty laugh. Despite his competitive streak, we never saw him hold a grudge. He was honest, insightful, and treated everyone—regardless of gender, race, nationality, or religion—with respect. In his own words, “I am no different from anyone else—I think of myself as being more important than I actually am. I think that I made important contributions in two areas: teaching and research”. But, without Donald J Reish, the career of everyone who is reading these proceedings would likely be different.
Obituary: Alexander Vladimirovich Rzhavsky (1959–2018)

Authors: KUPRIYANOVA ELENA
Published: December 2020

Alexander (or Sasha as he was known and preferred to be addressed by his friends) Rzhavsky was born in Moscow, then USSR on 25 August 1959, which means he would have turned 60 soon after the 13th International Polychaete Conference held in Long Beach in August 2019. He was one of those “natural born biologists” whose keen interest in biology became obvious when he was still a child and this interest developed into both profession and life-time passion. In 1976 Alexander graduated from one of the high schools in Moscow that had a specialization in biology and a year later he started his undergraduate studies at Biological Faculty of Moscow Lomonosov State University. He started doing research at the Department of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy of Invertebrates as an undergraduate and that was the time when his scientific interests were determined, as both his Honors and Master’s projects were dedicated to polychaetes, the animals Sasha continued to study for the rest of his life. His diploma thesis was entitled “Ecology of Janua (Dexiospira) nipponica and J. (D.) alveolata (Polychaeta, Spirorbidae) near the southern shore of the Primorye and the morphology of their tubes”. Based on the results of these student projects Alexander published his first two research papers.
SHARPEN: A Scheme to Restore the Distribution of Averaged Precipitation Fields
Authors: Tan Jackson , Huffman George J. , Bolvin David T. , Nelkin Eric J. , Rajagopal Manikandan
Published: December 2020

A key strategy in obtaining complete global coverage of high-resolution precipitation is to combine observations from multiple fields, such as the intermittent passive microwave observations, precipitation propagated in time using motion vectors, and geosynchronous infrared observations. These separate precipitation fields can be combined through weighted averaging, which produces estimates that are generally superior to the individual parent fields. However, the process of averaging changes the distribution of the precipitation values, leading to an increase in precipitating area and decrease in the values of high precipitation rates, a phenomenon observed in IMERG. To mitigate this issue, we introduce a new scheme called SHARPEN, which recovers the distribution of the averaged precipitation field based on the idea of quantile mapping applied to the local environment. When implemented in IMERG, precipitation estimates from SHARPEN exhibit a distribution that resembles that of the original instantaneous observations, with matching precipitating area and peak precipitation rates. Case studies demonstrate its improved ability in bridging between the parent precipitation fields. Evaluation against ground observations reveals a distinct improvement in precipitation detection skill, but also a slightly reduced correlation likely because of a sharper precipitation field. The increased computational demand of SHARPEN can be mitigated by striding over multiple grid boxes, which has only marginal impacts on the accuracy of the estimates. SHARPEN can be applied to any precipitation algorithm that produces an average from multiple input precipitation fields and is being considered for implementation in IMERG V07.
Spectral Wave Energy Dissipation due to Under-Ice Turbulence
Authors: Herman Agnieszka
Published: December 2020

Dissipation within the turbulent boundary layer under sea ice is one of many processes contributing to wave energy attenuation in ice-covered seas. Although recent observations suggest that the contribution of that process to the total energy dissipation is significant, its parameterizations used in spectral wave models are based on fairly crude, heuristic approximations. In this paper, an improved source term for the under-ice turbulent dissipation is proposed, taking into account the spectral nature of that process (as opposed to parameterizations that are based on the so-called representative wave), as well as effects related to sea ice concentration and floe-size distribution, formulated on the basis of the earlier results of discrete-element modeling. The core of the new source term is based on an analogous model for dissipation due to bottom friction derived by Weber in 1991 (https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022112091003634). The shape of the wave energy attenuation curves and the frequency dependence of the attenuation coefficients are analyzed in detail for compact sea ice. The role of floe size in modifying the attenuation intensity and spectral distribution is illustrated by calibrating the model to observational data from a sudden sea ice breakup event in the marginal ice zone.
Study of Ageostrophy during Strong, Nonlinear Eddy-Front Interaction in the Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Hiron Luna , Nolan David S. , Shay Lynn K.
Published: December 2020

The Loop Current (LC) system has long been assumed to be close to geostrophic balance despite its strong flow and the development of large meanders and strong frontal eddies during unstable phases. The region between the LC meanders and its frontal eddies was shown to have high Rossby numbers indicating nonlinearity; however, the effect of the nonlinear term on the flow has not been studied so far. In this study, the ageostrophy of the LC meanders is assessed using a high-resolution numerical model and geostrophic velocities from altimetry. A formula to compute the radius of curvature of the flow from the velocity field is also presented. The results indicate that during strong meandering, especially before and during LC shedding and in the presence of frontal eddies, the centrifugal force becomes as important as the Coriolis force and the pressure gradient force: LC meanders are in gradient-wind balance. The centrifugal force modulates the balance and modifies the flow speed, resulting in a subgeostrophic flow in the LC meander trough around the LC frontal eddies and supergeostrophic flow in the LC meander crest. The same pattern is found when correcting the geostrophic velocities from altimetry to account for the centrifugal force. The ageostrophic percentage in the cyclonic and anticyclonic meanders is 47% ± 1% and 78% ± 8% in the model and 31% ± 3% and 78% ± 29% in the altimetry dataset, respectively. Thus, the ageostrophic velocity is an important component of the LC flow and cannot be neglected when studying the LC system.
How Accurate Are Satellite-Derived Surface Solar Radiation Products over Tropical Oceans?
Authors: Tang Wenjun , Yang Kun , Qin Jun , Li Jun , Ye Jiangang
Published: December 2020

Surface solar radiation (SSR) over the ocean is essential for studies of ocean–atmosphere interactions and marine ecology, and satellite remote sensing is a major way to obtain the SSR over ocean. A new high-resolution (10 km; 3 h) SSR product has recently been developed, mainly based on the newly released cloud product of the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project H series (ISCCP-HXG), and is available for the period from July 1983 to December 2018. In this study, we compared this SSR product with in situ observations from 70 buoy sites in the Global Tropical Moored Buoy Array (GTMBA) and also compared it with another well-known satellite-derived SSR product from the Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES; edition 4.1), which has a spatial resolution of approximately 100 km. The results show that the ISCCP-HXG SSR product is generally more accurate than the CERES SSR product for both ocean and land surfaces. We also found that the accuracy of both satellite-derived SSR products (ISCCP-HXG and CRERS) was higher over ocean than over land and that the accuracy of ISCCP-HXG SSR improves greatly when the spatial resolution of the product is coarsened to ≥ 30 km.
“I’m F---ing Moving to Iowa:” Gender and Candidate Image in the 2020 Iowa Caucus
Authors: Winfrey Kelly L.
Published: December 2020

The 2020 presidential race started in Iowa, like it has since 1972. The slate of candidates was the most diverse ever and included six women. This study examines the relationship between candidates’ gender, image, and support among Iowa voters. Iowans have access to candidates that other voters do not, so their perceptions provide unique insight into the construction of candidate images. This study examines the image qualities of leading candidates as perceived by Iowa caucus-goers in the fall of 2019. Using survey data of 576 likely Democratic caucus attendees, I examine the relationship between candidates’ gender, image, and support. I find that women candidates did not benefit from stereotypical strengths of honesty and compassion, but they were perceived as strong leaders. I also find evidence of differences in image evaluations based on respondent sex, with women voters rating untraditional candidates higher than men voters.
Promoting Access of Osteopathic Medical Students to Surgical Residency Training Programs
Authors: Petree Brandon S. , Heard Matthew A. , Schenarts Paul J. , Beaty Jennifer S.
Published: December 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has uncovered disparities for allopathic and osteopathic surgical applicants for the upcoming 2021 residency application cycle. It has provided an opportunity for change to the current paradigm in surgical resident selection. This study seeks to quantify the disproportionality of opportunities between allopathic and osteopathic students and provides solutions to level the playing field for all applicants.
Critical Care Documentation for the Dying Trauma Patient: Are We Recognizing Our Own Efforts?
Authors: Zolin Samuel J. , Bhangu Jasmin K. , Young Brian T. , Posillico Sarah E. , Ladhani Husayn A. , Claridge Jeffrey A. , Ho Vanessa P.
Published: December 2020

Background

Missed documentation for critical care time (CCT) for dying patients may represent a missed opportunity for physicians to account for intensive care unit (ICU) services, including end-of-life care. We hypothesized that CCT would be poorly documented for dying trauma patients.

Methods

Adult trauma ICU patients who died between December 2014 and December 2017 were analyzed retrospectively. Critical care time was not calculated for patients with comfort care code status. Critical care time on the day prior to death and day of death was collected. Logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with documented CCT.

Results

Of 147 patients, 43% had no CCT on day prior to death and 55% had no CCT on day of death. 82% had a family meeting within 1 day of death. Family meetings were independently associated with documented CCT (OR 3.69, P = .008); palliative care consultation was associated with decreased documented CCT (OR .24, P < .001).

Conclusions

Critical care time is not documented in half of eligible trauma patients who are near death. Conscious (time spent in family meetings and injury acuity) and unconscious factors (anticipated poor outcomes) likely affect documentation.
Readmission After Surgical Resection and Transplantation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Khan Sidrah , Chidi Alexis , Hrebinko Katherine , Kaltenmeier Christof , Nassour Ibrahim , Hoehn Richard , Geller David , Tsung Allan , Tohme Samer
Published: December 2020

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Liver resections and transplantations have increasingly become feasible options for potential cure. These complex surgeries are inherently associated with increased rates of readmission. In the meanwhile, hospital readmission rates are rapidly becoming an important quality of care metric. Therefore, it is very important to understand the effect of 30-day readmission on mortality and the factors associated with increased 30- and 90-day mortality rates.

Methods

This is a retrospective cohort study utilizing data from the National Cancer Database. Patients included were 18 years or older who underwent liver resection or liver transplantation for HCC between 2003 and 2011. Our primary outcomes of interest were 30- and 90-day mortality rates. Our primary independent variable of interest was 30-day readmission.

Results

16 658 patients underwent either a liver resection or transplantation for HCC between 2003 and 2011. For patients with liver transplantations, increased readmission rates were associated with lower risks of 30-day mortality ( P = .012) but a trend toward higher 90-day mortality ( P = .057). Patients who underwent liver resection for HCC also demonstrated increased readmission rates to be associated with lower risk of 30-day mortality ( P = .014) but higher 90-day mortality ( P ≤ .001).

Conclusion

This is the only study to utilize a national database to investigate the association between readmission rates and mortality rates of both liver transplantations and resections for patients with HCC. We demonstrate 30-day readmission to show no increase in 30-day mortality, but rather higher 90-day mortality.
Caste-Based Discrimination, Microfinance Credit Scores, and Microfinance Loan Approvals Among Females in India
Authors: Patel Pankaj C. , Lenka Sambit , Parida Vinit
Published: December 2020

We draw on the phenomenon of caste-based discrimination in India and signaling theory to assess whether microfinance credit scores improve the odds of female micropreneurs from a lower caste receiving loans and whether visible business characteristics further improve the odds of receiving microfinance loans. In a sample of 3,144 female microfinance loan applicants at a female-focused microloan enterprise in India, females from a lower caste, relative to those from a higher caste, have lower odds of receiving loans when their credit scores are below the mean. However, when females from a lower caste have credit scores higher than the mean, the odds of receiving a loan increase. The practical effect of size is small but meaningful. Loan applicants from a lower caste with a visible signal of business ability do not improve their chances of receiving a loan relative to those from a higher caste.
E-Portfolios: What We Know, What We Don’t, and What We Need to Know
Authors: Lam Ricky
Published: December 2020

Electronic portfolios, also known as e-Portfolios, are commonplace in language education. While e-Portfolio research has evolved over the past two decades, not much is done to evaluate how this scholarship can inform effective language teaching and learning, especially in second language and English as a Foreign Language classroom contexts. This review study intends to fill this much-needed gap by thematically analyzing (1) work done extensively; (2) work done inadequately; and (3) work to be done in the area of e-Portfolio pedagogy and assessment. The review then discusses four thought-provoking pedagogical implications, which attempt to empower teachers to be assessment-capable and technology-literate when e-Portfolios are utilized in authentic classroom settings.
Design and manufacture of the novel drum worm pair
Authors: Zhang Jingzi , Wang Jin’ge , Wang Kai
Published: December 2020

Although a significant amount of research on robot joint reducer was conducted, there are few systematic investigations on a novel joint reducer adopting inner worm-gear plane enveloping drum worm drive. To satisfy the development of modular robot joint, the primary objective of this paper was to systematically investigate the drum worm drive adopted in the novel joint reducer with integrated structure of drive, transmission, and support in the following aspects: meshing theory, design, analysis, and manufacture. According to the gear meshing theory, mechanical design method, classical mechanics, finite element method, and machining principle of virtual center distance, the systematic investigations around the drum worm pair applied in the novel joint reducer were conducted including the macro and micro meshing theory, structure design, mechanical and contact properties analyses, and manufacturing method. The novel joint reducer’s integrated structure was designed, and the drum worm pair’s mechanical and contact properties analyses were conducted, which showed: (1) the worm’s bending stress and deflection, worm-gear teeth’s shear stress and bending stress as well as the maximum contact stresses were all below their corresponding allowable values; (2) the maximum contact stresses appeared at the engage-in position of the worm pair opposing to the engaging-out position where the largest contact areas appeared. Then the manufacturing of drum worm’s spiral tooth was conducted via the modified 4-axis linkage CNC grinder according to the conjugate motion. Finally the novel joint reducer’s industrial prototype was assembled. The novel joint reducer with integrated structure of drive, transmission and support was designed and manufactured for the first time. The flowchart of design and manufacture of the reducer’s drum worm pair in this process was formulated, which provides a new insight on the research of joint reducers as well as other fields.
Canine Gliomatosis Cerebri: Morphologic and Immunohistochemical Characterization Is Supportive of Glial Histogenesis
Authors: Rissi Daniel R. , Donovan Taryn A. , Porter Brian F. , Frank Chad , Miller Andrew D.
Published: December 2020

Gliomatosis cerebri (GC) is a glioma subtype with diffuse neuroparenchymal infiltration without architectural distortion. GC was first used in human neuropathology and remained controversial until its elimination from the diagnostic lexicon in 2016. GC is currently defined as a diffuse growth pattern of glioma rather than a distinct entity. In this article, we characterize 24 cases of canine GC and classify these neoplasms as diffuse gliomas. Selected cases of canine GC were reviewed and immunolabeled for oligodendrocyte lineage transcription factor 2 (Olig2), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and 2′,3′-cyclic-nucleotide 3′-phosphodiesterase (CNPase). The mean age of affected dogs was 7 years, and 9 were brachycephalic. Gross lesions (8 cases) consisted mainly of parenchymal swelling. Histologically, of the 24 cases, there was widespread infiltration of neoplastic cells with astrocytic (12 cases), oligodendroglial (8 cases), or mixed morphology (4 cases) in the brain (18 cases), spinal cord (4 cases), or both (2 cases). Secondary structures occurred across different tumor grades and were not restricted to high-grade neoplasms. Astrocytic neoplasms had moderate nuclear immunolabeling for Olig2 and robust cytoplasmic immunolabeling for GFAP. Oligodendroglial neoplasms had robust nuclear immunolabeling for Olig2, moderate or absent cytoplasmic immunolabeling for GFAP, and moderate cytoplasmic immunolabeling for CNPase. Tumors with mixed morphology had robust nuclear immunolabeling for Olig2 and variable cytoplasmic immunolabeling for GFAP and CNPase. Morphologic and immunohistochemical features confirmed a glial histogenesis for all tumors and allowed for their classification as diffuse, low- or high-grade astrocytoma; oligodendroglioma; or undefined glioma. Further research is needed to confirm or refute the hypothesis that canine GC represents an infiltrative growth pattern of canine glioma.
Photic Regulation of Circadian Rhythms and Voluntary Ethanol Intake: Role of Melanopsin-expressing Intrinsically Photosensitive Retinal Ganglion Cells
Authors: Hartmann Matthew C. , McCulley Walter D. , Johnson Samuel T. , Salisbury Corey S. , Vaidya Nikhil , Smith Caitlin G. , Hattar Samer , Rosenwasser Alan M.
Published: December 2020

“Non-image-forming” (NIF) effects of light are mediated primarily by a subset of intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) expressing the photopigment, melanopsin (OPN4). These NIF functions include circadian entrainment, pupillary reflexes, and photic effects on sleep, mood, and cognition. We recently reported that mice of multiple genotypes exhibit reduced voluntary ethanol intake under both constant darkness (DD) and constant light (LL) relative to standard light-dark (LD) conditions. In the present study, we sought to determine whether these effects are mediated by melanopsin-expressing ipRGCs and their potential relationship to photic effects on the circadian system. To this end, we examined the effects of environmental lighting regimen on both ethanol intake and circadian activity rhythms in a genetically engineered mouse model ( Opn4aDTA/aDTA) in which melanopsin expression is completely blocked while ipRGCs are progressively ablated due to activation of attenuated diphtheria toxin A (aDTA) transgene under the control of the Opn4 promoter. As expected from previous studies, Opn4aDTA/aDTA mice displayed dramatic attenuation of circadian photosensitivity, but surprisingly, showed identical suppression of ethanol intake under both DD and LL as that seen in controls. These results demonstrate that the effects of lighting regimen on voluntary ethanol intake are independent of melanopsin-expressing ipRGCs and ipRGC-mediated photic effects on the circadian system. Rather, these effects are likely mediated by classical retinal photoreceptors and central pathways.